Star Labs
Late morning
Bucky was in the room he had been staying in, putting some supplies in a bag when Natasha walked in.
"Going somewhere?" Natasha inquired.
"Packing some things for when we head back home. Assuming you guys are going, that is," Bucky said as he looked over his shoulder.
"We're going back; this was only a place for us to regroup. Just…took us a little longer to leave than we wanted," Natasha said and Bucky nodded in understanding.
"You guys wanted a break, I get it," Bucky said as he zipped up the bag.
"So, what's next for you? Heading back to Wakanda?" Natasha inquired and Bucky shrugged.
"I don't know, haven't figured that part out. Might head out on my own, see the world. Unless….there's a reason for me to stick around," Bucky said with a pointed look at Natasha.
Natasha shifted her hearting hammering in her chest. Before she could respond, her phone rang. Pulling it out, she saw that it was Steve.
"Steve…wait, slow down…Barry's going to do what?"
Argus prison
Afternoon
"So let me get this straight," Clint said as the Avengers and Team Flash, plus Logan, Pietro, and Roy, stood in the tech lab, where a machine that had what looked like two sets of earmuffs coming out of it, was along with a stretcher. "You plan to go inside Caitlin's mind to find her and somehow fight Killer Frost to get control of Caitlin's body back. Did I miss anything?"
"No, that pretty much covers it," Cisco said.
"Okay, and why exactly are you going in kid?" Logan asked, feeling a migraine coming on.
"Because no one else will survive the process except a speedster," Rick said as he walked in.
As they looked up at his voice, everyone saw that, behind him, a few Argus agents were wheeling a stretcher into the room. Frost was on it, her hands bound to the stretcher as she seemed to be asleep.
"She's fine," Rick said as he noticed their stares. "Just a sedative. Simply a precaution."
"Probably a good idea," Sam muttered.
"Look, this isn't up for debate, it's not even a discussion," Barry said as he looked at all of them. "I know you all care about me in your own way. But it has to be me. I did this to Caitlin, so I have to make it right."
"Barry, you can't blame yourself for what Savitar did," Joe told him.
"I know and I don't. That's not what I'm talking about," Barry said to everyone's confusion. "What's happening to Caitlin now, it's not because of what he did, it's because of what I did. I did this to her when I created Flashpoint. Everything that's led to this…it's my fault, not Savitar's. I have to make this right."
"As much as I love a town hall debate, you're running out of time," Rick said dryly, interrupting them. "I'm not sure how long the sedative will keep her under. If you're gonna do this Barry, you need to do it now."
"I'm not okay with this, not one bit," Joe said as he walked over to Barry. "But you do what you think you have to do."
Barry nodded gratefully before he turned to Cisco.
"Get our girl back," Cisco said and Barry nodded.
"I will," Barry said confidently.
Barry then turned to Wanda, knowing she was less than pleased about his decision, even though she understood it.
"Come back to me," Wanda said softly and Barry took he hand, placing his over the ring he had given her.
"Always. I will always come back to you Wanda," Barry said, kissing her lightly on the forehead. "I promise."
"Barry," Rick said, gesturing to where the techs had already hooked the machine up to frost, putting the 'earmuffs' on her head.
Barry smiled slightly at his friends and family before lying down on the spare bed. Barry smiled one last time, to reassure them or himself, Barry wasn't sure, before the technicians put the second earmuffs on his head. A switch was flipped and Barry closed his eyes, appearing like he was asleep.
"Well?" Rick demanded.
"It's working. The mind link was successful, and there is no sign of any strain on Barry's mind," one of the agents said and Rick was relieved.
"Okay, now what?" Wally asked.
"Now, all we can do is wait. It's up to Barry and Caitlin now," Steve said with a frown as he stared at his friend and lover's sleeping forms.
Caitlin's mind
Barry found himself walking down a long, white corridor. No one was there.
"Caitlin? Cait, are you here?" Barry called out but no one answered as his voice seemed to echo through the corridor.
Barry started looking at the five doors in the corridor. On one side, there were three doors, two on the other. They all had a letter on them: B, C, and D on the left while R and S were on the right.
"Guess I'm supposed to go through these doors until I find you, huh Cait?" Barry asked dryly, hoping Caitlin would answer him.
The only answer was the continued echo of his own voice. Barry sighed before opening the door closest to him, the one with the letter B. Opening it; he walked inside and found himself inside Caitlin's bedroom in her apartment.
"Cait?" Barry called out.
He heard Caitlin's voice and whipped his head towards the source. He was shocked to see Caitlin walk inside with another version of himself.
"What the hell?" Barry asked in shock.
As the scene played out before him, he realized what this was as he watched the second Barry turn around as Caitlin struggled to get herself out of the dress she was wearing.
"This, this is a memory. These doors represent Caitlin's memories," Barry muttered to himself, ignoring the past Barry help Caitlin into some pajamas. "Okay, so Caitlin has to be here somewhere. Caitlin? Can you hear me?"
There was no reaction from the Caitlin in the memory, so Barry pressed on. Walking out her bedroom door, Barry found himself in Star Labs; although the scene he was watching now was not one he was very fond of.
"You wanna fight Flash?" Caitlin asked, her eyes glowing an icy blue.
"No, I'm not gonna fight you. But if you wanna leave this room, you'll have to kill me," past Barry said bluntly.
"You think I won't?" Caitlin said and only someone who knew her as well as Barry would have been able to catch the blink and you'll miss it quiver in her voice.
"Then do it," past Barry called her bluff as an ice dagger appeared in Caitlin's hand. "What are you waiting for? What's the big deal? Come on; live up to your name Killer Frost. I wanna see some killing. You wanna be the villain? This is what they do; they kill their friends because nothing matters to them anymore right?"
Past Barry suddenly lunged forward, grabbing the hand with the ice dagger and pulling it forward, aiming it at his heart.
"Come on, kill me Caitlin," past Barry egged her on when she still didn't move. "You can't do it. Because underneath all that cold, you're still you."
Suddenly, Caitlin dropped the ice dagger and Barry pulled her into a hug, comforting her as she was overwhelmed with guilt. Barry swallowed but still, he had to try.
"Cait? Caitlin?" Barry called out. As past Barry began to lead her out, Caitlin looked back, as if drawn by the sound of his voice. Relief coursed through him.
"Cait, it's me, it's Barry. Come on, we need out get out of here," Barry tried to reach her.
But Caitlin turned her head away, whatever trance she was in broken. Barry sighed in defeat.
"Well, no one said this was gonna be easy," Barry grumbled as he followed after them.
Argus prison
"How long has it been?" Cisco asked as he paced back and forth, feeling like an eternity had passed.
"Ten minutes," Sam said after checking his watch.
"Calm down bub, getting worked up about it won't help," Logan pointed out and Cisco glared at him.
"Why do you care? You're free, why don't you just go now that Savitar is gone?" Cisco demanded.
"Because I like the kid," Logan said simply. "We bonded while we were cellmates and in taking back this prison. And I don't know him that well, but he seems like the kind of person who'd try to calm you down."
As Logan put a hand on Cisco's shoulder, Cisco gasped as he got a Vibe.
Cisco's Vibe
They were in a forest like area. Logan was on his back, obviously injured. He was older to; his hair had greyed to the point that it looked more brown than black. A girl with dark hair and eyes was next to him, crying as he held her hand.
"So this is what it feels like…" Logan said before the light left his eyes.
End Vibe
Cisco stumbled back, being caught by Steve and Clint as he processed what he'd seen.
"You okay Cisco?" Sam asked in concerned.
"You Vibed me, didn't you?" Logan said and they looked at him. "Barry explained a bit after I found out he was The Flash. What did you see?"
"I don't know…but I think I just saw you die," Cisco said shakily.
Caitlin's mind
"Okay," Barry said as he paced out in the corridor after finding his way out of the room. "These rooms are memories, memories associated with a certain person in Caitlin's life. B is me. C…Cisco. R is Ronnie, obviously. S must be Steve. D…I'm a little lost on that one. Okay, calm down Barry. Where would Caitlin bury her subconscious? Think."
Barry thought for a moment before he made a decision. Turning towards the R door, Barry walked over and opened the door, walking inside. Barry once again found himself down in the pipeline, but he knew he had not been here for this particular moment.
Caitlin was in a blue dress, holding a radio as Cisco was working on the something. The entire building was shaking as she held the radio.
"The doors need to stay shut to protect you," Ronnie Raymond's voice said over the radio before there was a sound that sounded like sparks exploding. "You still there?"
"I'm here," Caitlin said her voice cracking as she tried not to break down.
"Cait, whatever happens-"
Whatever Ronnie was going to say, he didn't the chance. The building was rocked by a huge tremor and Barry realized this was the moment Ronnie and Stein had been forcibly fused into Firestorm for the first time.
"Ronnie!" Caitlin cried out but there was no answer, only static.
Devastated, Caitlin dropped the radio. As it clattered to the floor, she fell to her knees with a wail of despair. As hard as it was to see his best friend in such pain; Barry knew he had to press on. Walking over, Barry knelt down in front of her.
"Caitlin? Cait, it's me, it's Barry. I came here to find you, to bring you back," Barry said, trying to reach her.
There was no response and, when she did react, it was because Cisco put a hand on her shoulder.
"Come on Caitlin," Cisco said, obviously barely holding it together himself but trying to be strong for his friend.
As Caitlin allowed Cisco to lead her out, Barry sighed. It appeared Caitlin hadn't been in in here either.
Argus prison
As Logan stood in the corner, digesting what Cisco had told him he'd seen in his Vibe, Wanda sat by Barry's bed side, holding his hand in concern. Pietro walked up to her side.
"He's gonna be okay you know," Pietro said.
"You don't know that," Wanda said softly.
"You're right, I don't. But, while I don't know him that well, he seems like someone who will fight until his last breath to get back to you," Pietro said and Wanda was silent. "Tell me about him."
"What do you want to know?" Wanda asked as she looked up at him.
"Everything. I want to know about the man who won my sister's heart," Pietro said and Wanda chuckled.
As he watched the siblings talk, Clint smiled, happy to see the pair reconnecting.
"So, looks like they're making up," Natasha said as she walked up to him.
"Yeah, I'm glad. A bond of siblings…it's precious," Clint said as he thought of his own brother.
"When we leave…you're not coming back, are you?" Natasha asked, already knowing the answer.
"I can't Nat. Because of blabbermouth Stark, Ross knows I have a family. And soon, it won't be long until all my enemies know and anyone looking to settle a score will be coming after them. Laura and the kids…they'll never be safe," Clint said with a sigh. "The only way to keep them safe is to keep them an entire earth away."
"I get it. You do what you have to to keep them safe," Natasha said as she put a hand on his shoulder.
Caitlin's mind
"Okay, so she's not with me or Ronnie," Barry said as he paced in the corridor, eying the three doors he hadn't gone through.
Barry stopped, staring at the door with the D on it. After a moment of indecision, Barry opened the door and walked inside.
Barry found himself in a house he had never been in. A girl around six or seven with brown/red hair was on the door, coloring. Barry walked over and looked at the drawing, seeing it was off a woman in a lab coat. Barry looked over at the girl, seeing a familiar pair of brown eyes narrowed in concentration as lips were bitten in a very familiar way.
"Caitlin?" Barry questioned.
"Caity?" A man's voice questioned from outside the room.
Past Caitlin's eyes lit up as she dropped her crayon. She jumped up as a man walked into the room.
"Daddy!" Past Caitlin squealed as she rushed into the man's arms.
The man laughed as he swung Caitlin around and Barry realized what D meant.
"So Caitlin's a daddy's girl huh?" Barry muttered.
"Barry?"
Barry whirled around and saw Caitlin, his Caitlin, standing in front of him, staring at him stunned.
"Caitlin," Barry said as he walked over to her, grabbing her in a bone crushing hug. "I thought I'd lost you for good. I'm so sorry."
"It's okay Barry, it's okay," Caitlin said as they hugged. "But how are you here?"
"We're using experimental Argus technology so I can enter your mind," Barry said as he pulled back. "Are you okay? Killer Frost, she didn't hurt you, did she?"
"No, I haven't seen her. I've just been here, with my dad," Caitlin said as she looked over at the image of her younger self and father. "I miss him."
"I know," Barry said, remembering how much he had missed his mom, and still missed her and his dad.
"So how do we get out of here?" Caitlin asked after a moment of watching her father.
"Not really sure. Like I said, this is experimental technology. But first, we better get out of here. Which is not that easy to do, trust me," Barry said, leading her to the doorway. "Come on; let's get you out of here."
They passed through the door and the scene changed. They were on the street. They saw past Caitlin riding her bike. She was a few years older than the previous memory, maybe nine or ten. But she took a wrong turn and fell of her bike, she leg getting caught in the chain.
"When was this?" Barry asked and Caitlin frowned in confusion.
"I don't know, I don't remember this," Caitlin said in confusion.
Past Caitlin screamed as a car came flying at her. The car swerved, hitting a stop sign and the rear view mirror fell off, landing near past Caitlin. But that wasn't what had Barry and Caitlin's attention. Past Caitlin's hair had now turned a snow white blond.
"What the hell?" Caitlin asked lowly, staring in shock as past Caitlin got a look in the rear view mirror and screamed at her glowing blue eyes.
"I didn't do this to you," Barry realized and she looked over at him in confusion. "This whole time, we thought that you got your powers because of Flashpoint, but that's not true. Killer Frost, she's been inside of you this whole time."
"That's right Flash," a chillingly (no pun intended) voice spoke up behind them.
Barry and Caitlin whirled around. Killer Frost stood behind them, a nasty smirk on her face.
"You-you've been inside me, all this time," Caitlin said eying her nervously.
"That's right. And I'm not gonna go back to being buried in here!" Frost snarled as she raised her hands, clearly intending to firing ice at them.
"Wait, maybe you don't have to!" Barry cried ad Frost paused as Caitlin stared at him.
"Barry, what are you doing?" Caitlin hissed at him.
"We've been doing this all wrong," Barry said as he looked over at her before his gaze traveled to Frost. "This whole time, we've been treating Killer Frost like a disease. But she's not a disease, she's a part of you and you're a part of her. You two, rather than fighting each other, you need to find a way to coexist. Otherwise, you two might up destroying each other."
Argus prison
Barry opened his eyes, seeing everyone standing in the room.
"Barry," Wanda said as she saw him awake.
"How long has it been?" Barry inquired as he removed the headset from his head.
"Less than an hour," Steve told him.
"Did you find her?" Cisco asked desperately as he stared at Frost's unmoving form.
Before Barry could answer, Frost opened her eyes. Everyone, save Barry, was horrified to see her eyes still glowed icy blue. Then, the glow faded, returning her eyes to their normal brown and Caitlin's hair returned to its dark brown/red.
"Caitlin?" Steve asked hesitantly.
"Are you still…you?" Cisco asked.
"Yeah, I'm me," Caitlin said to their relief.
"Uncuff her and get that collar off her," Barry told Rick.
"How do we know Killer Frost won't take over again?" Tony asked suspiciously and got several dirty looks in response.
"She won't. We came to an…understanding. She won't be a problem anymore," Caitlin assured them.
Central City
Same time
In the rubble of what was once Mercury Labs, a piece of debris moved as it was lifted up. Savitar threw the debris off him. Shakily, Savitar forward, stepping in what, at first, Savitar thought was tar. But what it began traveling up his leg and covering his body, Savitar realized what he had truly stepped in.
Soon enough, Venom had covered his entire body until Savitar now stood in a new suit. From the neck down, it was a copy of his suit from Earth-66 except, rather than red and yellow; the color scheme was black and silver. Even the emblem was a silver circle with a black lightning bolt in the center. His cowl however completely covered his face in a black mask that had two eyes holes like Zoom's had. And suddenly, a voice was in his head, speaking to him.
We are no longer Savitar. We are now Venom Flash.