Barry ran into the cortex dressed in his red suit and charged for the computer system where he found Caitlin at the commlink.
He kissed her on the cheek and asked: "how are our newest recruits handling their training?"
"Clark is showing Kara the ropes and Wally... Well, he seems to have a real crush on Oliver's sister."
Barry chuckled to himself. He made himself maintain his composure when he heard Oliver's voice speak up from the commlink. "Barry – you keep your brother away from my sister... Do you hear me?"
"Sorry, Oliver... yeah, I forgot he could hear us..."
"Can still hear you, Barry."
Barry smiled down at Caitlin who mouthed the words "oops" to his mistake.
She attempted to get to her feet as Barry fussed over her. "Whoa... what are you doing? You need to be careful."
Caitlin smiled down at her large round stomach. She could deliver any day now. "I'm fine, Barry. He's a kicker..."
"He could still be a speedster." Barry's tone wavered as he looked over at Astrid's empty office door and Cisco's empty work station. "Sometimes, I just wish..."
Caitlin offered him a sad smile. "Yeah... I know. But if Cisco wanted to be found..."
"I know, we'd be able to find him by now... Look, what's our next case?"
Caitlin looked over at the computer where an alert came up. "Batman looks in over his head..."
"I'm on it!"
Barry ran to deal with his emergency as Caitlin sent another sad look at an old photo of she, Barry, DR Wells, Astrid and Cisco.
The slam of a door made her startle. It was DR Wells.
"Any luck, world walker?" she asked him.
Harry stepped toward her, his mind was clearly elsewhere. "I heard a rumor through the council of Wells..."
"A rumor, Harry?"
Whatever this rumor was certainly had the man's full attention. He stared at her. For the first time in a while there was a childlike optimism written across his face.
"Two people... man and a woman with extraordinary telepathic and breaching abilities... Strategically doing their best to stay away from the radar entirely..."
Caitlin let slip a smile that mirrored that of DR Wells.
There was a buzz of whirling energy which forced them both to turn around. In the center of the cortex was a large swirling glow of energy. A breach... Someone was coming.
#
The breach continued to grow brighter and brighter until the whirling blue was all that Caitlin and DR Wells could see. Suddenly, the lights all around the cortex began to flash.
"Cait... I can't... you... interferen..." Barry's voice came from over the communicator.
"What's going on?" Caitlin demanded, approaching the computer and keeping her peripheral vision on the breach.
DR Wells pulled armed his latest weapon, (an overpowered gun which could neutralize the powers of any foe on impact) and aimed it on the breach ready.
But then, thanks to a burst of white light and a high pitched ringed that flooded their ears, Caitlin and DR Wells were left both temporarily blinded and deafened all at once.
Two excruciatingly long seconds passed before DR Wells brought back up gun and stood dumbfounded at the two figures who had just entered the cortex from the breach.
Caitlin's breathing returned in a frenzy of quick rapids accompanied by a loud sob.
For the two that had arrived, while there was no doubt about their identity, while it had only been six months since Astrid's death and Cisco's departure... To the newcomers, it seemed that a lifetime had passed.
"Astrid, Cisco!" Caitlin gasped.
There were scars and a look of unfamiliarity on the faces of the newcomers. But before they could speak, Barry came rushing in. "Caitlin, what happened? We lost comm... Astrid, Cisco... You guys are alive?"
