"Awh man." I huff, throwing out another burnt pancake, setting the batter on the pan once more, placing two pieces of bread in the toaster, cutting up fruits and berries.

I hum along to my music quietly, the smell of Jitters coffee overpowering the burning smell of the toast.

Suddenly, the smoke alarm goes off, causing me to gasp and runs towards the toast, and for me to slip on water right after I grab the plate, falling right into my ass, the toaster flinging the two pieces of bread up, both pieces landing on the surface of the plate I held, as I held it with both hands, looking down at the food in disappointment.

"What are you doing?" Nora's voice catches me off guard, as I sigh knowing that soon, Barry would come down too.

I huff in defeat, standing up straight, putting down the plate with toast on it, grabbing an empty one, putting the pancakes on the plate, "Well, I'm trying to make breakfast- and usually- Barry's the one doing stuff around the kitchen because I have only ever used boxed meals- but- today I decided to actually give it a whirl and make breakfast for everyone- just go back to bed."

Nora chuckles, "Like I could go to sleep after the smell of Jitters coffee."

Nora starts to pour herself some coffee, looking around at the mess I had made, "So, uh, I see you still know your way around the kitchen."

"What's happening?" Barry's voice fills my ears, as I looked up, his hands shoved in the pockets of his hoodie, his hair slightly a mess from just waking up, a slightly tired but awake look on his face.

"Uh, hey, babe." I greet him, placing the plates of food on the dinner table.

"Good morning." A confused expression crosses Barry's face, noticing the huge mess.

"Um, I was thinking that we could have breakfast together." I looked at him, "Right? Like a family."

"I love it." Barry's lips form into a wide smile, his teeth shining between his lips, "Do you need any help?"

"No, no." I shook my head, "You guys just sit."

"Okay." Barry trailed off, as we all sat at the dinner table, "What do we have here?"

"Well- those are pancakes- and then there's some toast- and you know-" I trail off, "Well, the batter kind of got away from me, and the pancakes look deformed- but I mean- you can tell right?"

"Yeah, yeah." Barry nods, just happy to see that I tried, "I totally see it, yeah."

Nora positions her phone over the pancakes, snapping photos of it, catching my attention, "What are you doing?"

"Uh, I am just getting evidence that you make lumpy pancakes in every time period." Nora looks up at me.

Barry clears his throat, cutting into the pancake, "Let's try it out."

He places the bite into his mouth, the sound of crunching coming from him, as his expression changes instantly, only to switch back into happy when I looked at him, as he tried his best to force it down, "Mmm. Lumpy, but delicious."

I shot him a look, not buying it, slowly slipping my orange juice, then holding the glass, "Really?"

"Yeah- oh- whoa-" Barry pretended to be very pleased with the food, immediately washing the burnt pancake down with orange juice, the smile not leaving his lips, his expression over the top to keep me satisfied.

Barry continued to eat the pancakes, my attention now elsewhere, "When did you get a phone?"

"Uh, Dad got it for me a couple days ago." Nora simply told me.

"Mm-hmm." Barry forcefully swallowed, a smile on his face, his eyes landing on my expression that remained the same, confused and straight.

Barry's eyes widen, starting to quickly explain himself because they had left me out of it, putting another bite of the pancake in his mouth, mid-chewing, "Nora suggested it. I mean, I thought it was a great idea. We're always in and out of Star Labs, so I just- you know, it'd be easier to text and call."

"Yeah, Yeah- totally." I nod, looking down at the food I hadn't touched yet.

"You guys excited to cheer me on at the charity softball game?" Barry smiles at us.

"Softball, schway." Nora laughs lightly.

"I just hope- I don't get stuck in right field this year." Barry sips his orange juice.

"You, uh, gave your number out already?" I asked Nora.

"Yeah, just to the team and Sherloque." Nora nods, "Actually, this text message, I think, is from him."

"I don't think he's much of a texter." Barry shrugs.

"No-" Nora shakes her head with a chuckle, "He, uh, wants us to come to Star Labs, I'm gonna go get ready."

"You haven't had anything to eat yet." I looked at her once she got up.

"I'm not really a breakfast person." Nora says, leaving Barry and I at the dinner table.

I sigh in defeat, slouching in my seat, "You know, I thought having her here, we would finally have a chance to connect, but it's like every time we take a half-step forward, we end up taking six steps back."

"I-I mean, don't give up." Barry weakly smiles at me, "She'll come around. I have a feeling."

"Yeah- I guess so." I sat up, cutting into the pancake, finally taking a bite of the pancake, Barry staring at me, slowly sipping his juice.

I cringe at the taste, letting the food sit in the side of my mouth, "Well, not if I keep making food like that."

"Hey, no, this really is good." Barry quickly sat up, "It is. I mean, it's a little, like- dark, but It's really good."

"Oh my god- you poor thing." I looked at him, a pout on my lips, not getting myself to swallow the bite, grabbing his hand, "You sat here and ate your entire plate-"

"No, Zee- I'm serious- this was really- good-" Barry held my hand, looking at me.

"Really?" I stare at him, not buying it.

"Yeah-" Barry stammers.

"No- stop-" My pointer finger comes forward as I pointed right at him, my chin resting on my arm, "I'm not going to listen to you lie to me any longer."

"Zee-" Barry began, "It was good- it really- filled me up-"

"You lost your appetite because of how bad it was-" I pout, sitting up, "You know what, next time, I'm just gonna have you make the breakfast- I'm such a disappointment in the cooking department."

"Yeah, maybe that's for the best-" Barry mutters, causing my jaw to drop, my hand hitting his arm instantly.

"I was kidding-" Barry lets out a small chuckle, kissing my hand, "Don't hit me again, please-"

"I knew the food sucked-" I pout, my entire tone changing as if I was a five year old, my eyes scanning the food, the non chewed bite still sitting at the side of my mouth.

"Babe, it was really good-" Barry began to try and convince me otherwise once more.

"It's fine- I'm going to make you a banana." I let go of his hand, standing up, grabbing our plates.

"You're going to make me a banana?" Barry questioned, looking at me in confused, a small smile on his face indicating that he thought I was cute.

"I'm going to make you a banana." I told him, marching towards the kitchen.

"Thanks." Barry calls out after me, a small laugh following.

-

I walked into Star Labs a little while after Barry, dressed in a long sleeve white shirt that was tucked into black jeans, my legs warm as ever due to how hot it was outside, my legs exposed due to the amount of rips in my jeans, my hair straight, Barry's watch on my wrist, white slip on vans on my feet, as I held a small bag, a cinnamon bun resting in the paper bag that I had gotten from Jitters.

I walked over to Barry, holding up the bag, a small pout on my lips, "I got this for you because of the sucky breakfast you had this morning."

Barry smiles, kissing my head, taking the bag from me, wrapping an arm around me, everyone attention diverted towards Sherloque Wells.

"Wait, no, I asked for everyone." Sherloque points out, "Where is the little, uh-"

Barry chuckles, "Cisco is laying low at his parents' house while he heals up."

"Well, that's not very brave on his part." Sherloque says, "I will have a conversation with him next time I see him."

"So, Team Flash." Sherloque began, "How will this handsome, master detective of all the multiverse, Sherloque Wells, pay off his debt to us and catch this homicidal maniac together? Well, we'll begin by asking ourselves a few obvious questions. How he became a meta-human?"

"Well, power manifestation varies." Caitlin interrupts, "The particle accelerator-"

"I don't think we're interrupting Sherloque, right?" Sherloque stops her, "Sure, but you bring up a good point, Dr. Snow. What do we know so far about this Cicada?"

"Well, we know that he's killed two people and almost a third." I started, crossing my arms.

"Exactly right." Sherloque wrote on the clear board, "If I could gently be a little more specific, not just people, right? Meta-humans."

"Also, Joe said he got the feeling that Cicada's a dad." Barry continued for me.

"Right." Sherloque nods, writing, "Cicada parent."

"His dagger dampens powers." Nora stares, finishing for us.

"Not just dampens the powers, right?" Sherloque spoke, "He commands this dagger, right? It is like an extension of himself."

"Maybe they acquired their powers at the same time." Caitlin suggests.

"Yes, very good, Dr. Snow. So, acquired powers together." He nods, "So there we are, Team Flash. Very simple. We unravel this puzzle, and we have a pathway to tracking Cicada."

"Cool, or we just answer a much more basic question, like what's up with his weird mask?" Ralph finally spoke up.

"Huh?" The sound instantly falls out of my mouth, looking at him, "The mask conceals his identity. That's what it's for."

"What I'm suggesting is, if we find out what the mask is for, we'll find out the man underneath much faster." Ralph sets out his pitch.

"I mean- that's a pretty good idea-" I began.

Sherloque cuts me off, "37 times I have caught Cicada, right? And not once was this mask angle very useful, right?"

"But- I mean, if we can find the company that has a requirement to wear those masks- we can cancel out chances of other people being Cicada." I backed Ralph up, "You guys should give it a shot."

"You know what? The more hours I bill you, the less money I owe you." Sherloque sips his tea, "So, if you want to spend your hours pursuing the mask angle, well, then be my guest."

"Okay, great." I nod, "Sounds like a plan."

"We got to get going." Barry grabs my hand, handing me the bag that held the cinnamon bun in it, shooting Sherloque a thumbs up, Nora following us, "Good stuff."

"I hope you score a touchdown." Sherloque sips his tea.

Barry chuckles, as we made our way out, "It's softball."

"Ah, score a basket." He calls out after us, causing me to let out a fit of giggles.

-

"Wow." I gape at the other team as we stood out in the hot day, I leaning against the fence, eating some cut up watermelon, looking at Barry who was crouched down in front of me, playing with his glove.

"Look at these guys." Barry stood up, "They think they're so much better than us."

"Because they are, Bar." I lightly giggle, "I mean, without Captain Singh or Joe- you guys are pretty much screwed."

Barry turns towards me, pouting, "It's not fair that you're faking a sprained ankle just so you don't have to play."

"Softball- just isn't my thing, babe." I smile innocently, picking at another piece of watermelon that sat in the foam cup in my hand, the piece butchered by the fork, as I placed it into my mouth.

"So- you can fight evil metas, along with super villains and be a complete badass on the field but- you can't play sports?" Barry asks me, "Come on, you were such a better sport in high school."

"Hey-" I point at him with my fork that held another piece of watermelon on it, "Fighting crime is already exhausting."

"Fighting crime is already exhausting." Barry mocks me, leaning over, stealing the piece of watermelon from me, eating it.

"I'll be cheering for you on the sidelines." I smile innocently, winking at him, picking at my watermelon again.

"I know you will." Barry exhales, his eyes scanning the field, "Huh."

"Huh, what?" I ask, looking in the direction he was looking in.

"Jonesy isn't here yet." Barry takes notice, "Hey, Detective Rowell, what do you think? Maybe third base for me?"

"Right field, Allen." Detective Rowell told him.

"Babe, I love you, but leave the hot corner to someone who can actually field a ball, okay?" I told him, feeding him another piece of watermelon.

"Play ball!" Someone from the field yells, Barry looking at me with a pout.

"Come on." Barry huffs, giving me a kiss, then slowly starting to walk towards where he was supposed to be in position.

"Good luck!" I call out, "You're going to nail it."

"Right field. Not the hot corner, but-" Barry stands in position, looking around, "Guys, come on!"

I sat down with the others, eating my fruit, watching Barry play, laughs leaving our lips every now and then.

"Wow, he really is slow." Cecile laughs, watching.

"Yeah, Papa Joe told me all the stories about what an awful athlete Dad was growing up." Note recalls.

"Well, believe me, they're true." I sip my drink, "I swear- gym class was the death of him."

"Let's just be grateful that he has coordination - when it counts." Caitlin laughs lightly.

Nora's phone buzzes and chimes, her attention instantly diverted towards her phone screen, causing Cecile to speak up, "Hey, what is that, Nora?"

"There is this really great app called Spyn Zone." Nora plugged in, "The push notifications let you know the second anything happens in the city."

"Like Iris' Website?" I question, looking over her shoulder.

"Uh, yeah, kind of." Nora shrugs, "It's just a lot more up to date than that, and it's, like It's really cool. This girl's, like, really in the know."

"Oh-" I looked up from the phone screen, "Spencer Young. I know her."

"Really?" Caitlin questioned.

"Yeah, I see her all the time working on her laptop at Jitters." I nod, "She actually was a junior reporter at CCPN when I worked there, everyone thought we were related because of the last names and man was that annoying- but either way, she didn't last very long."

"Why not?" Cecile asked.

"Well, she wanted to be famous and make a name for herself, but she didn't care how it happened." I roll my eyes, sipping my drink.

"Well, I think she's cute." Nora shrugs.

"Yeah, I mean, she may be cute, but she's never fact-checked a thing a day in her life." I mutter, putting down my drink.

"She's doing something right, she has three times as many followers as Aunt Iris does on her blog, so-" Nora shrugs, getting up, walking away, calling out to us, "I'm gonna go get something to eat."

"Geez-" I stole some popcorn from Cecile, a small laugh coming from Caitlin and Cecile.

"Cecile? What's wrong?" I look down at Cecile as she was staring at Jonesy as he walked onto the field.

"Something's not right." Cecile says quietly, "Something's not right."

Barry was now out of focused and staring at Jonesy as she walked onto the field, Cecile standing up quickly, "Hey, somebody stop him!"

"Everybody move!" Barry instantly yells right after her, people staring to scream, Nora running in, in her suit, grabbing the bag from Jonesy, tossing it into the air, a bomb exploding, three cops grabbing onto Jonesy instantly.

Barry rushes over to Nora, Nora looking confused as ever, Jonesy being held by three cops.

Eventually, we all gathered, sounds of sirens filling the streets, as I was stood with Caitlin and Nora.

"Bomb squad finished their sweep." Barry comes over to us, "They said it's all clear."

"Nora, how did you know what was happening?" I question, my arms crossed, as I was stood with Nora, Barry and Caitlin.

"I don't know." Nora stutters, "One minute I was going to get food, and the next I was in the outfield with Dad."

"And you don't remember anything else?" I ask her, her phone chiming, her attention falling into her phone screen, "What's that?"

"A notification from Spyn Zone." Nora reads.

"Already? That was fast." I look between everyone.

"Allen, CSI time." Detective Rowell calls for him.

"Uh, we're up." Barry looks at us, "We'll meet you back at Star Labs- as soon as we can."

"Yeah." I nod, kicking my boot in the sand, Barry and Nora walking over to the scene.

"Trouble with the boot?" Caitlin laughs at me.

"I can't wait til we get back to Star Labs so I can take this off-" I groan.

-

"Spencer?" I call out politely, walking over to her in Jitters, as she was seated at a table on her laptop.

"Zee Young, wow. Long time." Spencer chuckles, staring at her with slight wide eyes in shock that I even came over to talk to her.

I clear my throat, glancing at the ground, "Actually, it's Allen now."

"Married that CSI guy you were dating, huh? Got hitched with that cute CSI. All right, all right." Spencer teases, "How are you?"

"Uh, yeah." I nod, "Good- I'm doing- good."

"Any kids yet?" Spencer questioned, typing away on her phone.

"Um, no- no." I shook my head, looking at her.

"You know, I followed your lead." Spencer packed her things, "Started my own blog, left CCPN. Metas are clickbait right now, right?"

"Yes, which is why I wanted to talk to you, actually, off the record, of course." I followed her as she walked.

"Yeah, for sure." Spencer said, "What's up?"

"So, uh, recently a really good friend of mine found a source who thinks that metas are being targeted." I began.

"Ooh, juicy." Spencer comments, "Who?"

"Well, no one knows, not even CCPD." I went on, "But these metas, including speedsters like The Flash and XS, they are all in danger."

"XS." Spencer stopped, "That new lady speedster has a code name."

She gasps, "Oh, like her size! Right, extra small. Did you coin that?"

"No, no." I roll my eyes, "Look, the point is, writing articles about XS could make her a target."

"Or it could make her famous." Spencer reasons, "I mean, people are already obsessed with her and my app even more. Besides, a little threat never stopped you from writing about The Flash back in the day."

"That was different." I stare at her.

"Because it was your blog?" She questioned, "What do as I say, not as I do?"

"Look, stop, okay?" I told her, "Before someone gets hurt."

"The only one who's going to get hurt is you if you get in my way." Spencer looked at me dead in the eye, before turning, walking out of Jitters, leaving me speechless.

-

We had figured Spencer was behind all of the crisis that's been going on. Considering, a fire had emerged at CCPN, Barry somehow ending up in Vegas, I walking Nora through the whole mission on my own, which was successful, Spencer coming out with an article about it, seconds later.

Now, Barry and I sat in the Star Labs van, outside Jitters, as we had sent Nora inside, with the watch that could detect who a meta human was and who wasn't, one Harry Wells built, and comms in her ears, so Barry and I could guide her.

"All you need to do is get within five feet of her, hit the button, in and out." I instruct.

"I know!" She snips, shutting me up instantly, walking in.

I turn off the comms, sighing, "You see what I mean?  Half-step forward, six steps back?"

"I mean, you guys did great with the fire, though." Barry grabs my hand, pulling me out of my chair and onto his lap, wrapping his arms around me.

"Thank you." A weakly smile at him.

"You should totally name one of your drinks after that new female speedster, XS." Spencer Young's voice came through as Nora got closer to her, "Whoa. Hi."

"Hi." Nora chirps, "Sorry, Spencer."

"That's okay." Spencer said, "Do I know you?"

"Uh-oh." Barry's eyebrows furrow.

I lean over and press the comm button, "Uh, Nora you have to press the button."

"Um, no." Nora ignored me, "No, you don't know me."

"But- you know me." Spencer laughs quietly.

"Yes, I do." Nora instantly says, "Uh, sorry. You're Spencer Young. I read all your stuff on Spyn Zone. It's a really good app. It's fantastic stories and really good writing. I'm a really big fan."

"Nora?" I call out, only for her to ignore me once more.

"I always enjoy meeting a fan." Spencer Young trailed off, "Especially when they're as adorable as you."

Barry's expression twists in confusion, his lips in a pout, as he looked up at me, innocently asking, "What's happening?"

"She's flirting with our daughter." I roll my eyes, standing up, "I'll be back."

"What?" Barry innocently questioned, "Zee, wait."

"Hold down the fort." I kiss his cheek, hopping out the van, walking into Jitters, "Nora- hey."

"Wait, y-you know her?" Spencer points at me, looking at Nora.

"Uh, I do." Nora stutters, "Well, she's actually- uhm-"

"Did you want to check your watch?" I cut her off, "I think we're running a little bit late for our- meeting."

Nora nervously chuckles, pressing the small button, "Right, yes."

"All right, well, I'm going to peace out." Spencer spoke, looking at Nora, "But I hope to meet cute you again sometime. Nora."

Nora smiles at her, Spencer leaving, the watch saying that there was no metas found.

"Well, I guess she's not meta." I huff, crossing my arms.

"I guess not." Nora faces me, smiling like an idiot.

"Oh, no." I shook my head, already knowing what she was thinking, "No, no, no. Nora, look, I know that you think she's cute but- she's dangerous, okay You need to stay away from her."

"She could be dangerous." Nora corrects me.

"Nora, I am trying to protect you here." I stare at her.

Nora scoffs, walking away from me, "Has that been your thing my whole life?"

"What does that even mean, honestly?" I stop her, "I mean, all the rude remarks- and why you don't want to spend any time with me? I'm just trying to get to know you, and at first I didn't want to say anything about it, no matter how much it bothered me- because Nora needs to spend time with her father- but at this point- come on. All you've done is give me side-eye and push me away."

"Just drop it." Nora coldly said.

"Nora, I don't get you." I stare at her with eyes wide of alert, "I don't understand-"

She cuts me off, lashing out, "Look, you lied to me!"

I was instantly shut up, as my gaze never left her, my voice quieting down, "I would never lie to you."

"Yeah?" Nora pulled on the shoulder of her shoulder, showing a small cut just under her shoulder, "What do you call that?"

"I-" I stammer.

"You put a power-dampening chip inside me to take away my speed." She stared at me dead in the eye, "And until six months ago, I didn't even know I had powers. My whole life has been a lie because you have been trying to protect me."

"Well, guess what." She snapped, "I don't need you to do that."

-

"Hey." Barry's voice fills my ears when he walks into the cortex, wrapping his arms around me, holding me from behind, "What you doing?"

"Well, Nora blocked me." I sigh, typing away on the screen, "So I'm trying to use the quantum computer to access her phone and force her to accept my calls. But I am no hacker."

"Don't you think that's a little extreme?" Barry quietly questions, looking at me.

"Yes, Barry," I held back tears, slipping away from him, looking at him, my eyes slightly red, "It's very extreme and crazy and desperate, but I am feeling extremely crazy and desperate, okay?"

Barry's expression twists in concern, his hands grabbing my forearms as my eyes stung, tears filling my eyes even when I didn't want them to.

"Hey-" Barry's tone is soft, "Calm down, please."

"I thought giving her space would, you know, have her eventually come around, but it turns out she's not the problem." I sniffle, "Everything I thought was the reason she wasn't even trying to connect with me- it was all in my head. I'm the problem. I am."

"Zee, you're not the problem-" Barry tried to comfort me, only for me to pull away from his touch, the tears in my eyes slipping.

"I turn into a wreck of a mother." I whimper, "I mean, I don't know how I could do something like that to her, Barry."

"Don't- ever say that." Barry looked at me dead in the eye, "Zee, you didn't do anything to her. You can't blame yourself for something future- you might do."

"Yes, I can, Barry, and it's not a might." I ran a hand through my hair, looking away, "I suppressed our daughter's powers. I kept a huge part of who she was a secret for her entire life. I probably didn't even tell her I was a meta- she probably doesn't even know. That I'm a meta."

"Zee, it's okay." Barry grabbed my hand, "We will figure this out, okay? She will forgive you."

"Barry." I snap, more tears falling, pulling away from him once more, "I become controlling. I'm the one who hides the biggest- probably the most valuable part of her life. I made sure she didn't find out about her father being the Flash, I turn into something completely different after you die."

Barry stared at me, just letting me vent it out completely.

"I- raise her on my own." I round the console, looking at him, "I mean- you've seen it. I turn into a completely different person when I lose you- and now that I'm going to lose you forever? And raise our daughter alone? And she grows up hating her mother because of how- controlling I am- or how much I freak out- or how I isolate her from the world she has always been meant to explore-"

I cut myself off, turning away, a sob leaving my lips, "I did that. I- took her away from what she always had the right to explore."

"Look, she'll forgive you." Barry quietly said.

"I don't understand how I could do something like that to her." I cry into my hands quietly, my back still turned towards him, "No matter what I do- whatever family I become a part of- I screw it up."

"Hey-" Barry walks over to me, grabbing my wrist, spinning me around to face him quickly, pulling me into his chest, holding me tight.

I let out a shaky breath, holding onto him tight.

"Look, I don't know why you do it, but I don't need to. I know that anything you do for our family, it's out of love." Barry comforted me, "So, whatever reason future- you has for doing this, I have faith that it's the right thing to do, and so should you."

"Yeah, well, I'm having a really hard time believing that." I looked up at him, my cheeks strained with tears, my eyes red.

"Well, then it's a good thing I have enough faith in you for the both of us." Barry looked down at me, not letting go of me, "All right? And I don't want to hear you insulting your motherly skills. Or yourself. You're an amazing- strong- woman- who always has a good reason for her choices."

"Okay." I whisper, staring up at him, my eyes filling with tears again because of how sweet he was, "I'm sorry for lashing out."

"You're beautiful even when you cry." Barry weakly smiles down at me, kissing my forehead, burying my face back into his chest.

-

"What do we got?" Barry walks into the cortex followed by everyone else after the alarm starts blaring, as I was seated in my chair, typing away on the screen.

"CCPD is getting bombarded with calls from people at the soccer game at Central City Stadium." I spoke out, my gaze fixed on what was in front of me.

"It's all over the news, too." Ralph said from beside me.

"Okay, I'm going to get over there." Barry nods, looking at me.

"CCPD already cleared out the stadium." I told him, looking at him, "Find the bomb, and we'll help you disarm it."

Nora walks in, "What's going on?"

"I'll tell you on the way." Barry told her, "Come on."

They run off, everyone heading towards their desks to take action.

"Zee, there's no bomb." Barry's voice comes through the line, sighing.

My eyebrows furrow in confusion, as I pull up Spencer's article, "Guys, look at the timestamp on Spencer's post."

"11:05 a.m." Caitlin read.

"Yeah, and now look at the time that CCPD got the first call about the bomb sighting." I instruct.

"It was five minutes later." Ralph read from beside me.

I look up at Caitlin, "Hey, can you bring up Officer Jones' brain scan? I'm going to run the code of Spencer's post through the decompiler."

Caitlin nods, as I do just that, my eyes scanning what was in front of me, "The brain scan. The code is an exact match."

"Barry, it's the headlines." I told him immediately, "That's how Spencer's hypnotizing people. They're reading her headlines! Don't look at them."

Barry grunts, "Too late! Nora's been hypnotized."

"She's trying to kill me." Barry's slightly panicked voice comes through the line, causing me to huff, not knowing what to do.

"Nora, you got to snap out of this." Barry said loudly, as I silently listened.

Nora grunts, her voice filled with venom and determination, "What I have to do is kill you."

I jumped up, "Caitlin, take over."

"Where are you going?" Caitlin question as I grabbed a tranq gun, and an extrapolator, tying my hair up into a messy ponytail.

"To save Barry's ass." I open the breach, jumping right through, the other side being the stadium, my eyes scanning around, landing on Nora on top of a helpless Barry, her hand vibrating right through his chest.

I held the gun tight, aiming it right at Nora, shooting right at her, the tranq dart hitting her arm, as she looked at me, passing out, falling off Barry.

Barry got up quickly, looking down at Nora, touching her arm, "Hey, you're going to be okay."

"She's okay, right?" I ran over, looking down at Nora, breathing slightly heavy.

Barry looks up at me, letting out a laugh in relief, "Nice shot!"

"Spencer-" I looked around.

"Guys, do we know where Spencer is?" Barry asked through the comms.

"I can't ping her phone." Caitlin said, "CCPD disabled all the cell towers in the area to prevent a remote bomb detonation."

"She must be local in order to put those headlines up on that big screen, right?" Sherloque spoke.

"She's at the stadium." Ralph said.

"She's here." Barry looked at me, then runs around, looking for her, and just for our luck, he had found her, cuffs on her wrists, "Looks like you'll be trading this cell in for another."

-

"All right, Spencer's all locked up in Iron Heights." Barry walks into the cortex, Nora following him.

"The Mayor's resigning." Caitlin instantly says as we stared at the tv in front of us.

"What?" He asked, standing next to me.

"I'm surprised she lasted this long." Ralph said from beside me.

Nora looks up at Barry, "Papa Joe will be relieved his friend's in the clear."

"Well, at least now, with Spencer behind us, we can concentrate on bigger fish." Barry said, looking away from the screen.

"Yes, we can." Sherloque caught our attention, as we all turned around, facing him.

"So-" Caitlin began, "Uh, Sherlock-"

"Sherloque." He corrects her.

"He thinks he's found a key to Cicada's identity." Sherloque said, holding what looked exactly like Cicada's mask, "A crucial clue to help us solve our little mystery. So we all know the distinctive sound of Cicada's breathing due to the respirator in the mask. But not just that, because also his lungs are injured."

"But injured from what?" I question.

"Historically, there is an event that causes David Hersch to always become Cicada, but not this time." He explained, "There's a different Cicada because-"

"Because Nora helped me destroy the satellite." Barry finishes for him, piecing it together.

"Monsieur Allen, Nora's strike through the satellite changed the trajectory of the debris, and now the debris has hit a new person and injured our new Cicada." Sherloque explained.

"Okay, but how did that give him his powers?" Ralph asked.

"Devoe flooded the satellite with dark matter." Caitlin went on, "It makes sense that the pieces would be saturated."

"So Cicada and the dagger were created the night of the Enlightenment." I say, looking at him.

"Acquired powers together." Sherloque circles what he had written earlier.

"Well, listen, Sherloke-" Ralph began.

"Sherloque." Sherloque corrected him.

"I got to hand it to you." Ralph looked at him, "That's very impressive."

"It's quite a breakthrough, right, Monsieur Dibny?" Sherloque faces him, "One that I cannot take any credit for. No, all the credit, all the praise goes to you, Monsieur Dibny. It was your instincts to follow the mask, right? Well, you were right, and I was less right. I apologize."

"Okay, guys, I'm sorry." I interrupt, "The dagger part still doesn't make sense. I mean, things cannot become metas, right?"

Barry turns the phone in his hands, opening up the case, cracks of dark matter all over the back of the phone, "I don't know about that."

Barry scoffs, "Our satellite didn't just create new metas. It created meta-tech."

"Which puts meta-human abilities in the hands of anyone." I huff, running a hand through my hair.

-

"Hey." I walk into the Med Lab, where Nora sat alone on the medical bed, "Caitlin says you're going to be fine."

Nora simply nods, looking at her hands.

"I'm sorry for suppressing your powers, but I think it was the right thing to do." I apologize, looking at her.

"Yeah. No, I-I I get it." Nora looks up at me, "I mean, I was trying to kill Dad. I would've done the same thing, too."

"Nora, that's not what I meant." I hesitate, "I'm talking about in the future."

"What?" Nora instantly says, her eyes glued to me.

"I know that you're upset and angry." I began, "And honestly, before today, I couldn't even imagine a situation where I would do something like that to you."

"But after seeing the choice that I just made I know that whatever reason I would have for keeping your powers a secret," I hesitate looking at her, "It must have been a good one, Nora. It must have been to protect you."

"No. What happened today has nothing to do with what happens in the future." Nora's eyes slightly tear up, "You didn't suppress my abilities my whole life because I was brainwashed or attacking people. You did it to control me."

Tears filled my own eyes, hearing her words, as she went on, "My whole life I felt like I was different than everybody else, but I didn't know why. You took a choice away from me that I didn't even know that I had-"

"A choice to be a hero, like my dad." She finished, putting all blame on me, a tear slipping my eye.

"What's going on?" Barry walked in, looking between both of us, concern filling his features once we made eye contact.

"Nothing-" I turn my face away, wiping away my tear, "We're just talking."

"No." Nora stared at the both of us, raising her voice, wanting her father to take her side on this, "Mom thinks that she had good reason to suppress my powers in the future, but she doesn't know what that reason is."

Barry looked between us, as he slowly walked by my side, putting a hand on my lower back to comfort me, fresh tears in my eyes as I didn't dare to make eye contact with him, his words shocking me, along with Nora, "I'm sure it's a good one."

"What?" Nora snaps, staring at her father, more upset than she was before, that her father wasn't taking her side but was taking mine.

I flinched, looking at Barry, my eyes slightly wide, my heart filling with warmth that he was stepping up for me.

"Look, Nora, I don't have to visit the future to know what kind of mother Zee is going to be." Barry exclaims, "She cares about family more than anyone I've ever met, especially because of what had become of hers."

"And I support her decisions past, present, and future." Barry pulled me into his side lightly, both of our eyes on Nora.

"Then I guess I need to rethink what the meaning of family is." She cried out, getting up, starting to leave.

"Nora, wait- please." I was now pleading, "I'm sorry."

"Do you know what hurt the most about learning I had powers?" Nora sniffles, "Not hearing it from my mom."

With that she whooshes out, a pained sob leaving my lips, Barry instantly pulling me into his chest, not complaining not one bit that this was the second time today that he had to take care of my emotional breakdowns, rubbing my back, "It's all right. It's okay, I'm here."

authors note:

double update cause I felt like it, but I spent all day writing this so if I don't see comments every other paragraphs of your reactions, imma fight

jk, but I mean, comments are nice