The first thing I hear is the music. My head feels like it's been stuffed with pillow fluff and my eyes feel glued shut. So I try to relax when I think I recognize the song.

.....if one day you wake up and find that you're missing me. And your heart starts to wonder where on this earth I could be. Thinking maybe you'll come back here to the place that we'd meet. And you'd see me waiting for you on the corner of the street........

And then the memories come back. Ronnie. Cisco. Caitlin. The Particle Accelerator.

My eyes fly open and I sit up sharply, my heart rate increasing with panic and worry.

"OH MY GOD!" Someone yells to my right and I hear a crash. I look over to the source and see a very startled Cisco who is on the floor. "Give me some warning next time girl!"

I roll my eyes once I realize that everything was okay and then wince at the pain. "Next time before I wake up, I'll be sure to text you before hand."

Cisco gives me a look. "For real now? You've been in a coma for more than 8 and a half months and the first thing you do when you wake up is sass me. Unbelievable."

I laugh, not completely processing what Cisco just said. "You know me, I-wait. Did you just say eight and a half months?!"

"Well, technically it's like eight months and three weeks." Cisco answers. "But yeah, something like that."

"Okay, you're telling me I've slept for eight months and three weeks straight and I'm still tired?!" I exclaim and Cisco laughs, giving me a hug.

"Oh, it's been quiet here without you and......" Cisco says, trailing off as if he's hit a realization.

"Me and who Cisco?" I ask. Cisco gives me a look that makes my stomach drop.

No. It can't be.

He can't be.

"Ronnie's dead isn't he," I say, almost automatically and Cisco nods. I feel the tears brim at the edge of my eyes and Cisco pulls me into a hug as they start to fall.

"He's not dead," I say, in denial. "HE'S NOT GONE!"

Flashback to 14 years ago...........

"Hello?" Someone says, unlocking the door. "Mason are you in here?"

Mason. I think that's my dad's name.

"Rani?" Another, younger voice says. "Where are you?"

"Ronnie?" I croak out, thinking I hear my cousin's voice. I crawl over to my door and I slam my hand on my room door as hard as I can, hoping they can hear me.

Thankfully they do. I hear footsteps coming closer to the door and they unlock my bedroom door.

"Rani?!" Aunt Elaine says, rushing to my side. "What happened to you?"

"Dad told me he had to go somewhere," I say. "He said if I left my room, then he wouldn't come back for me."

"Rani, how many days has it been since you've seen him? How long has it been since you've had food."

"Monday," I say, afraid to tell her that I had

Aunt Elaine gasps and looks at Uncle Edward who nods. "Rani, sweetheart, it's Saturday, you're coming home with us."

"No! He's going to leave me! Mom's dead and I don't want to be alone!" I say, curling back up on the floor.

That's when Ronnie comes over and gives me a hug. "You won't be alone. I'll be there for you."

(Flashback ends)

"He said he would always be there for me," I whisper out.

"He was," another voice says from the entrance.

I look up and sigh. "Oh, Caitlin."

She quickly walks over to me and we hug each other tightly. "I can't imagine what you've gone through these past.....eight and a half months?" I question, looking back over at Cisco for confirmation.

"I've managed." She says in monotone, a complete opposite from the Caitlin that I knew. "I'm just glad you're okay."

"Thank you," I say, giving her a small smile.

"We should be the one's thanking you." A third voice says. I look over to see Dr. Wells rolling in a motorized wheelchair. "Heroism must run in the Raymond family's genetics because your valiant efforts are the reason that the three of us and this city....I dare say it, are standing here today."

I give them sad smile and look at my feet. "I didn't want to be a hero. I just couldn't bare to see anyone else get hurt when there was something I could do about it." Dr. Wells and Cisco nod in understanding. "Is there any more tests you guys need to take or am I allowed to go home? Assuming I still have an apartment. And my motorcycle."

"We didn't really have the heart to sell them off, so yeah, they're both still there," Cisco says. "Once Caitlin clears you, you're free to go."

I nod and Caitlin comes over to take her tests as I cross my legs into a sitting position. Cisco sits next to me as a shoulder to rest on as Caitlin busy's herself around me as Dr. Wells excuses himself and wheels out of the room. That's when I actually take my first good look at the Cortex. It hasn't changed much except for the bed across from mine.

Wait what?

I look over and notice another person, lying unconscious on the bed. Someone who looks extraordinarily familiar.

Wait a minute.....but he didn't have abs last time I saw him.......did he?

Damn.

"Barry?" I mumble out, still in shock.

"You know him?" Cisco asks.

"We shared a lab at CCPD," I say. "One of the few people I made friends with when I moved to Central City. What happened to him?"

"He got struck by lightning," Cisco says. "Don't tell anyone this, but the influx of electricity accelerated his heart rate and his healing. It's like the-"

"Lightning jumpstarted a regenerative stasis in his cells." I finish. "Hence the abs. So he's been out as long as I have?"

"He has," Caitlin says. "His foster father had him transferred here from the hospital after the doctors didn't know how to help him." She says before pulling out the needles from my arm. "You're free to go when you want to Rani," She says. "Just be sure to come back every week so we can make sure nothing else happened to you."

"I will," I smile, hugging Caitlin again. "Thank you again."

"You're welcome. I'll see you later," Caitlin replies before walking out of the room.

"I'm thinking of playing music to try and wake him up," Cisco says, breaking the silence.

"Ooh that's a good idea," I say. "Try checking his Facebook page."

"Will do Raymond," Cisco says before throwing my keys to me and handing me my phone. "It's good to have you back."

I smile at him before throwing a STAR labs sweatshirt over my head. "It's good to be back."

I pull out of STAR labs and into the crisp fall air, sighing as the last time I was out like this, it was late winter.

Do you know how depressing it is to realize you've missed an entire summer? It's incredibly depressing. I ride all the way home and unlock the door. Once I step in, I kick off my shoes for the first time in months and flop on the couch, sneezing as the dust rises from the cushions.

I look down at my phone and try to ignore the stupid home screen that I remember Ronnie changed for me a while ago when I couldn't find my phone. (Surprise, surprise he had it the entire time)

After wiping a tear that I I just had to let out, I press call on my Aunt's cell phone.

It's time to tell some people that I'm not dead.

This'll be interesting.