Another week had passed since the last metahuman was safely locked away in the pipeline.
Since then, nothing more than petty criminals and robbers had shown up.
Barry had been busy all week and hadn’t visited anyone else.
Finally, he got a break.
He decided to take the day off — no training either.
Barry was currently at S.T.A.R.
Labs after Wells insisted they work on his multitasking ability.
The setup was simple: he was playing ping pong with Cisco, Operation with Caitlin, and chess with Wells, all at the same time.
“This isn’t even remotely anatomically correct,” Caitlin complained.
Barry sped over to her.
“That’s not the point, Dr.
Snow,” he replied before zipping back to the ping pong table.
“Then what is the point?” Caitlin asked.
“To have fun,” Barry said.
“And to continue your ongoing training by testing the speed of your mind through multitasking,” Wells added.
Barry sped to Wells, snatched his rook, then dashed back to the ping pong table.
He smacked the ball past Cisco, scoring another point.
A second later, he returned to Wells’ board, took his queen, and leaned in with a smirk.
“Checkmate.”
Cisco and Caitlin looked over in shock, mouths half open.
Wells, however, stayed perfectly still, his eyes fixed on the chessboard as if he were replaying every move Barry had made.
“Did… did you just beat him?” Cisco asked, pointing like Barry had just pulled a rabbit out of a hat.
Caitlin blinked.
“I didn’t think anyone could beat Dr.
Wells at chess.”
Barry shrugged, keeping his voice even.
“It’s just pattern recognition.”
Cisco groaned.
“Just pattern recognition, he says.
You do realize you just beat a guy who memorizes quantum mechanics for fun, right?”
Wells finally looked up at Barry, faint surprise flickering across his face.
Before anyone could add more, the piercing wail of the S.T.A.R.
Labs alarm cut through the room.
“Armed robbery at 4th and Collins,” Cisco reported.
Barry stood instantly.
“Duty calls.” And in the next second, he was gone, leaving behind a gust of wind.
Caitlin reached for another piece on the board, only for the buzzer to sound, startling her.
“It’s not as easy as it looks.”
4th and Collins
Barry sped onto the scene to see a Blackhawk Squad Protection Group truck being robbed by a six-man crew.
He ran to the first thief just as he tried to get into the driver’s side, grabbed him by the chin, and slammed him to the ground.
The second thief went down with a punch to the gut that launched him into the side of the truck.
Barry spotted a man peering from the back of the truck while he took down the third, who had his gun on a security guard.
Without hesitation, Barry zipped inside, shoved the man out, and immediately disabled the fifth and sixth crew members.
Within a second, it was over.
He had disarmed them, cuffed them, and lined them up against the truck.
The thieves didn’t even know what had happened.
Barry stopped on the side of the road and spoke into his earpiece.
“All done here, guys.
Where are the cops?”
“They’ll be there in a few minutes,” Cisco answered.
“I’m on my way back,” Barry said before vanishing.
He didn’t notice that one of the thieves was still awake, watching him.
Within a minute, CCPD arrived and found the criminals already incapacitated.
Officers hauled them into a police van.
Leonard Snart had been planning to steal the Kahndaq Dynasty diamond for months.
He had contingencies for everything — even for his plan to fail.
But he could never have prepared for what happened just minutes ago.
Before he knew it, he was nearly knocked out cold mid-robbery.
And now, here he was, staring down police officers with his hands cuffed.
“You’re going away for a long time, Snart,” one officer sneered.
Snart shot him a cold glare, but his attention shifted to a nearby conversation.
“It was the red blur,” a guard was telling his colleagues excitedly.
“One second, I was on my knees, held at gunpoint, and the next second, all of these goons were knocked out and cuffed!”
Snart remembered a flicker — a figure in crimson.
And in that split-second, maybe, just maybe, he had seen a face.
A man.
Whoever you are… I’ll find you, Snart thought coldly, as the cruiser door slammed shut.
S.T.A.R.
Labs
Barry reappeared less than a minute later, startling Caitlin into dropping her tweezers.
The buzzer went off again.
“Back in a flash,” Barry said lightly.
“So, what’s next?”
“Mortal Kombat,” Cisco grinned.
“And just so you know, I’m undefeated.”
Barry smirked.
“Guess I’ll be your first loss.”
Wells adjusted his glasses, unbothered.
“Or another match of chess, Dr.
Allen?”
Barry nodded.
“Why not both?”
The games began again—Cisco glued to his controller, Barry zipping between screens and boards, Caitlin hunched over her Operation set, muttering under her breath.
Wells declined, so it was just Barry, Cisco, and Caitlin.
“My treat,” Barry said evenly.
“Order whatever you want.”
Cisco froze mid-step.
“Are you sure?
Because when I order food, it’s not cheap.
Like… not at all.”
Barry raised a brow.
“I think I can handle your burger habit.”
Caitlin sighed.
“Make it two burgers.
He’ll steal one anyway.”
Cisco pointed.
“See?
She knows me.”
“Only two, I was planning on twenty” Barry shrugged
As they ate, the three traded stories—childhood quirks, little hobbies, and a fair share of nerd talk.
Cisco, unsurprisingly, went on about his anime obsession, which Barry admitted he shared more than he usually let on.
Caitlin contributed here and there, though she was mostly quiet
It wasn’t anything grand, but it was easy.
For Barry, it was a rare moment to sit back, enjoy the company.
They decided to call it a night.
Cisco was the first to leave, tossing them a lazy wave as he disappeared into the dark parking lot.
That left Barry and Caitlin walking together toward her car, the silence between them thick with unspoken words.
“So…” Barry said quietly, hands in his pockets.
“You’ve been a little quiet today.
Kind of avoiding me.” His tone was light, but his eyes searched hers, like he already knew the answer.
“I don’t know what you mean,” Caitlin murmured, eyes fixed on the pavement.
Barry tilted his head.
“Is this about the kiss?” His voice was steady, careful.
Her breath caught.
“No.
I mean… maybe.
It’s not that simple,” she admitted, words tumbling out.
“It’s just… a lot.”
Barry glanced at the stars above, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
“I get it.
I’m not pushing.
We got caught in the moment.
But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it.”
Caitlin slowed, her voice breaking.
“Ever since Ronnie… a part of me froze.
Every time I try to move forward, I fall back.
And now you’re here, and I want to let you in—but you’re already in a relationship.
More than one.” She shook her head, struggling for words.
Barry stepped closer, his voice low.
“I know it’s complicated.
Maybe even unfair.
But what I feel for you… it’s real.
It doesn’t take away from them, and they don’t take away from you.
You’d never be an afterthought, Caitlin.
You matter to me.
More than I’ve admitted.”
Her throat tightened.
“Barry, I don’t know if I’m ready.
My heart still aches for Ronnie.
And the idea of sharing you… it scares me.”
Barry reached up, brushing his thumb across her cheek.
His smile was gentle, but his words carried quiet conviction.
“Then don’t think about me.
Think about you.
About living again.
Ronnie loved you, Caitlin—and he’d never want you trapped in this forever.
He’d want you to find joy.”
Her lips trembled, but she nodded, finally letting herself lean into his chest.
For the first time in so long, she allowed the faintest glimmer of hope.
“Let’s go.
Your turn to give me a ride tonight,” he said lightly, trying to ease the weight between them.
Caitlin blinked, then let out a quiet laugh.
“You do realize I don’t drive like you run, right?”
Barry smirked.
“That’s fine.
I’ll try not to complain if you go under Mach 1.”
She shook her head, still smiling, and unlocked her car.
Barry was dropped off by Caitlin, and she couldn’t hide her surprise when she realized he lived in one of the city’s more lavish districts.
Inside the lobby, the quiet of the night made every sound echo.
Barry headed toward the private lift reserved for the top floors.
Just as he reached it, a young woman stepped out of the main elevator, distracted, coffee cup in hand.
She nearly collided with him.
Barry moved quickly, steadying her arm and catching the cup before it spilled.
“Sorry—sorry, I wasn’t paying attention,” she said, a little breathless.
“It’s fine,” Barry replied calmly, handing her the cup back.
“No harm done.
She gave a small, grateful smile.
“Thanks.
I’m Linda, Linda Park.” She offered her hand.
“Barry Allen.” He shook it lightly, a polite smile tugging at his lips.
Next Morning
CCPD
Barry entered CCPD with his morning coffee and ran into Linda again.
Turns out she worked at Central City Picture News as a reporter.
She offered him a ride, but he was already running late — and a car was far too slow for him anyway.
“Barry,” he heard someone call from behind.
He turned to see Joe walking toward him.
“Joe,” Barry acknowledged.
“About the armed robbery you stopped yesterday,” Joe said.
“What about it?” Barry asked.
“One of the robbers you caught was Leonard Snart,” Joe explained.
“Leonard Snart?
That sounds almost as bad as Bartholomew,” Barry said with a hint of humor.
One grievance with this new life: his legal name.
It sounded like a Pokémon that only evolves once.
“Snart ain’t sexy, either,” Joe retorted.
Barry shrugged.
“Snart’s father was a cop, a bad one.
Took his anger out on his kids until he went to prison.”
“Rough childhood?” Barry asked calmly.
“He shows up every six months or so, cases a job for weeks before he strikes.
Then he does the job and disappears,” Joe explained.
“He was arrested, right?” Barry asked.
“Well, while being taken away from the scene, he escaped,” Joe said regretfully.
“How?” Barry asked, surprised.
He had made sure to cuff every robber.
“He had some kind of EMP device hidden under his shoe.
He detonated it, flipping the car, and managed to escape.
The officer driving is in the hospital,” Joe explained.
“Sorry, I should have searched him,” Barry admitted.
“It’s not your fault.
The officers at the scene should have searched them before transport,” Joe said, shaking his head.
“So where is this Snart guy now?” Barry asked.
“He’s hiding, but he won’t stay hidden long.
Snart has been deterred before, but once he goes after something, he doesn’t stop until he gets it,” Joe said with experience.
“Well, lucky for you guys, this time you have the Flash in your corner,” Barry said with a slight smile.
“Did you just refer to yourself in the third person?” Joe whispered.
Barry excercised his right to remain silent.
“Coffee break,” Iris said, interrupting them.
Barry and Joe both frowned as she walked over with a cup.
“Thought I’d bring Central City’s finest java to Central City’s finest,” she said.
“Thanks,” Barry said, taking one.
Joe shook his head.
“I’m off caffeine,” Joe muttered before walking away, while Iris sighed.
“My dad’s been mad at me ever since I told him about me and Eddie,” Iris said, following Barry up to his lab.
“No, you mean he’s mad because you didn’t tell him in time,” Barry corrected.
“Uh, first, that sounds like you’re taking his side, and second, do you know how he does this whole thing?
‘I’m not talking to you, but I have a whole bag full of judgmental looks, I’m gonna try out on you later” Iris explained.
“Yeah, I’ve been on the receiving end of those a few times,” Barry said, walking up the stairs.
Iris punched his shoulder for making the joke, but hurt herself in the process.
“Ah!
Why is your arm so hard?” she asked, rubbing her fist.
“I work out, remember?” Barry shrugged.
“Speaking of life choices, after taking all those journalism classes, I got an idea,” Iris said.
“What is it?” Barry asked.
“I started a blog,” Iris said proudly.
“About the Flash?” Barry asked, already guessing.
“The Flash… that’s a… nice name,” Iris said.
“Yes, much better than ‘The Streak,'” Barry replied sarcastically.
“Come on, I think it had potential,” Iris pouted.
“Name aside… Something incredible is happening in Central City, and the people need to know that someone’s out there helping.
Rumor has it he stopped an armored car robbery yesterday.”
“And?” Barry asked, knowing she wasn’t here for small talk.
“I was hoping I could take a look at the file and—”
“Stop right there.
I’m not going to discuss an ongoing police investigation with you,” Barry said firmly.
“Please?” Iris pleaded.
He’d always been strict, but the right amount of pleading could work.
“Nope.
Not this time.
If he’s really out there, you could get caught up in his mess,” Barry said seriously.
“My blog is anonymous,” Iris explained.
Barry relented.
“Fine.
But on one condition.” Knowing that refusing could push her to do something reckless
“What?” Iris asked, eyes wide.
“The promise you owe me—keep this blog anonymous, okay?” Barry gave in.
“I promise,” Iris said quickly, though Barry knew she’d probably regret it later.
“Then I’ll help you,” Barry sighed, deciding to guide her with the blog.
Iris squealed with joy and left after getting what she needed, leaving Barry alone with a lot of work ahead.