"Yeah, looks like someone was really angry." Nora comments as I slowly walk over to them the next morning on the newest crime scene of the day.

My hair was straight, even through my exhaustion I had found the energy to do it this morning, as I was dressed in a slim dark green shirt, the sleeves ending right at the end of my elbows, the shirt tucked into a pair of jet black skinny jeans, ones that surprisingly had no rips with them, my black belt holding my badge and holster, my gun resting in it, black heeled ankle boots on my feet and a black leather jacket to finish off the look.

With the lack of coffee I had today, I was more exhausted than usual.

"Look at these wounds." Barry pointed out, as they were crouched down over the dead man's body, "Doesn't it look like they have the same depth and diameter as the ones on Gridlock's body?"

"Yeah, and like Block's and Raelene Sharp's." Nora nodded.

"Well, if you're not already sick of this, be prepared cause there's more." I halt next to Barry, as him and Nora stood up, looking at me, "Another meta-human was murdered in her apartment, same C.O.D."

"These aren't one offs." Nora pieced together, "Cicada's back and he's on a killing spree."

"He's targeting them." I slip my hands into my pockets, a sigh leaving my lips.

"Okay, well, there's got to be a lead in one of these attacks that can help us track him." Barry nods, "We'll get the team on it."

-

"Kira May, Dwayne Geist, Carl Bork." I read, looking up, placing my jacket onto the seat, as we all stood in the cortex, "All three metas who were killed by Cicada last night."

"So Cicada's killed almost as many people in the last 12 hours as he has in the last eight months?" Caitlin spoke.

"And it doesn't look like he's slowing down anytime soon." I exclaimed right after her.

"Well, we need to stop him before he hurts anyone else." Barry said from next to me, his hand on my lower back, his other hand on his hip.

"Sherloque, do you have any ideas on what to do about that?" Nora questioned once Sherloque comes to my other side.

"Not at the moment, but any time I run into a road block in an investigation, I do what I always do. I just pursue a different avenue." Sherloque mentions, "We'll find him. Something will bring him to us. Something like-"

The alarm blaring cuts Sherloque off, my head snapping down to look at the screen in front of me, "Satellites picking up dark matter flare. It's him."

"Something like that." Sherloque points.

"Suit up." Barry nods towards everything, already moving, "We don't have a lot of time."

"Not without precautions." Ralph grabbed an extrapolator, and a gun, reaching it out in Caitlin's direction, "For Killer Frost."

"She doesn't need a weapon." Caitlin smiles, "Killer Frost is the weapon."

"Oh yeah, gimme some-" I cheer, Caitlin giving me a high five as she walked out, I started to monitor from where I was.

-

[ barry's pov ]

I throw lightning at Cicada the second we were on the field, sending him flying, hitting the ground, the meta human he had just tried to kill limping, holding her side.

Cicada forces himself back up, Ralph starts to shoot him with his gun, "Negate this!"

Killer Frost was up next, using her cold blast to ice him up against the wall by his hands and wrists.

"Help!" Nora cried out, her hands on the meta who was now on the ground.

I look at Killer Frost, "We need Caitlin."

She nods, her roots turning back into her normal hair color, as she made her way over to Nora, "We need to get her to a hospital."

"Here, come with me." Caitlin helped the meta up, as she got her to safety.

Suddenly, Cicada broke out of the ice, stabbing his dagger down to the ground, sending an energy blast, making all of us fly off our feet and hit the ground with a thud, the energy dampening our powers.

Cicada walked over to Nora, slashing at her once, a shriek leaving Nora lips.

He picked her up by her arm, holding her up.

Once I process what's happening, I start to get up, a shout coming from me, "No!"

He hits her hard, Nora letting out a loud scream, Cicada throwing her to the ground.

As Caitlin got up, turned into Killer Frost, ice blasting him, he jumped into the air, disappearing.

My first instinct was to go to Nora, her eyes shut, as she laid unconscious on the ground, "Hey, Nora, Nora? Nora-"

-

[ zee's pov ]

Barry and I were seated in the Med Lab, next to the medical bed Nora laid in, her eyes closed. A neck brace was wrapped around her neck, along with a few wires hooked up to her.

A mixture of stress and worry was clouding both Barry and I's thoughts, as we held each other hand with a firm grip, awaiting for Caitlin to walk into the room and tell us what was wrong, and for Nora to wake up.

Soon enough, Caitlin quietly walks in, the look on her face leaving me at unease, Barry quickly turning and questioning, "Well?"

"Cicada caused an axial burst fracture in her L3, L4, and L5 vertebrae. He also severely displaced her fourth thoracic vertebrae." Caitlin quietly explains, showing us the MRI scan, then looking at us, sighing, "It's not good."

"But- her speed healing is going to kick in, right?" I hesitantly question, her silence scaring me, "Right?"

"Cicada's cut flooded her body with dark matter. It's affecting her powers." Caitlin told us, "Her speed healing should kick in for now."

"I'll keep monitoring her progress." She finished, leaving us alone once more.

I let out a shaky exhale, "Barry."

"It's okay, she'll heal." Barry squeezes my hand comfortingly, "It'll be all right."

The sound of a wheezed breath catches my attention, Nora staring to wake up, causing me to speak, "Nora?"

"Oh, what happened?" Nora's eyes barely open, the pain threaded in her voice, touching the neck brace, "Oh, why does it hurt to breathe?"

"It's gonna hurt for a little bit." Barry's tone is low, squeezing my hand.

"Why?" She questioned, then comes into realization, "I can't move my legs. Why can't I move my legs?"

"Mom, I can't move my legs." Her voice cracked, her breathing starting to become heavy, looking towards me for comfort, her hand reaching for mine, tears welling in her eyes.

"Honey-" My tone dropped, as I grab her hand with my free hand, "I'm right here- it's going to be okay-"

"Mom? Mom, why can't I move my legs?" Nora's voice was in tone of a sob, panic threaded within it, her eyes glued to me.

My own eyes welled up with tears seeing her like this, reaching towards me for comfort.

I never knew what it felt like being a mother. And right now showed me what it felt like. The thought of Nora being hurt crushed me, and made me want to cry harder than she was going to.

My heart broke at the sound of her calling out for me, wanting me to tell her it would all be okay.

I would've done anything in this moment for her to be okay and for it to be me.

I was always told that I would know what it feels like when I became a mother.

And now I could see what any parent had to go through when something happened to their child.

I felt it, and I knew Barry did too.

"Nora, listen to me." I softly said, the tears in my eyes threatening to fall with every word I spoke, "You can't move your legs because Cicada broke your back."

"What? So I'm paralyzed?" Nora questioned, looking at both of us, the look in her eyes destroying me, "What, forever?"

Barry shook his head immediately, scooting closer, "No, no, not forever."

Nora sniffles, "Well, for how long then?"

"We don't know." I told her honestly, looking down, blinking quickly, trying to blink away my tears.

"Mom- Dad." Nora cried out for us, Barry placing his hand above Nora and I's.

"Nora, listen." He spoke, "Your mom and I will be with you every step of the way until you're fully healed- we're going to find Cicada and make sure he doesn't hurt any more people."

I breath in sharply, standing up quickly, looking at the both of them, "I- I need a minute."

I walk out the living room and into the cortex where everyone stood, doing little things around the cortex, my back pressing against the wall next to the door of the Med Lab, the tears in my eyes falling the minute I stepped out.

Minutes later, Barry slowly walks out of the Med Lab, siding with me and engulfing me into a hug, holding me.

After a few seconds he pulls away, wiping away the tears that slipped.

Cecile walks into the cortex, "Hey, I got here as fast as I could. Joe's still in Tibet. I left him a message to get back ASAP."

"Hey, it's all right." Barry nods towards her, "He should stay with Wally."

"Oh, my God, you poor thing." Cecile walks over to me, wrapping her arms around me tight.

I sniffle, pulling away after a few seconds, as she hugs Barry, "How is she?"

"It's not good." He quietly sighs, pulling away.

"I'm so sorry, you guys." Cecile sincerely told us.

"Hey, I don't care how we do it." Barry rounded the console, "We need to stop Dwyer now."

"Well, I agree." Ralph nods, "Well, I'm gonna call Cisco. We should get him back here."

"No- no." Barry shook his head, leaning against the railing as I stood behind the console, trying to fight my tears, "He should finish the cure he's working on. His time is better spent there."

"Sherloque." Barry didn't care how he said this name this time, calling out for him.

"Oui?" Sherloque looks up.

"Earn your money." Barry told him straight up, "How do we track this guy?"

"Well, I think the first thing we should do is concentrate on the victims. Look for a connection. Take a look here for example." Sherloque spreads out the files on the desk, "This man, Geist, has a spider tattoo on his neck, generally indicating he was caught in some form of web. What kind of web? A prison web, perhaps. And Kira May-"

Ralph picked up the file, "She was wearing clothes."

"Of course she was wearing clothes, Giraffe." Sherloque stares at him.

"No, she was wearing clothes that are two sizes too large." Ralph explained, "Two sizes too large. Recent rapid weight loss. It's a common side effect of solitary confinement. And Carl Borg-"

"Carl Borg, this report says he had a droopy eyelid which is nerve paralysis, common side effect of consuming too much borat." Sherloque looked up.

"Or as it's known on this earth, bruno." Ralph corrects him, "More commonly known as prison wine."

"Prison wine." Sherloque repeats, "All three of these meta-humans were former criminals."

The tears in my eyes slip, as I blink hard, frustrated with myself for not being able to keep my tears away.

I take a breath, then wipe my tears, sniffling, typing away.

Barry moves to my side, placing his hand on my back, rubbing it in comfort, "What're you doing?"

"Look at this." I pull up the document, "It's a meta-human arrest log from 2018. Look at the first three names."

"These were his victims." Ralph points out, "He's killing in the order of this list."

"This list has addresses, employment information. It's got- license plate numbers." I point at each and every one.

"This is everything Cicada needs to find them." Cecile looks up at me, "Where would he even get this?"

Sherloque clears his throat, "I think there's only one place, right?"

-

"So, can you try wiggling your toes?" Caitlin asks Nora.

"I can't." Nora shook her head after trying, sniffling.

Caitlin exhales, "Again?"

"I can't." Nora shook her head once more.

Caitlin used the tool in her hand to swipe under her foot, "Anything?"

"I don't feel anything." Nora quietly said.

"Okay, well, Cicada's dark matter has left your system, so you should be healing soon." Caitlin quietly told her, "I mean, since my last scan, your spinal axons have grown five millimeters."

"That's something, right?" I looked at Caitlin.

"It's progress." Caitlin nods, "Maybe not quite the speed we were hoping for, but it's something."

"I'm going to go run a few more tests." Caitlin ended, leaving the room.

Nora breathes in heavily, staring at the ceiling, her eyes filled with tears.

"Hey." I held her hand in both of mine, "Don't give up, okay? It'll all be okay. You'll be better in no time."

"Normal axon growth rate reaches five millimeters a day in a large nerve." Nora sniffles, her voice quiet, "With speed healing, mine should be over 100."

I gape at her, "How do you know that?"

"I took neuro-regeneration in my fifth grade STEM class." Nora told me, her eyes connecting with mine.

"I-" I stammer, being shocked, "I- took fractions in fifth grade."

Nora laughs, a small smile forming on my lips due to making her laugh.

After a few seconds, her expression changes, as her laughter died down, "What if I don't heal, Mom?"

"Nora, honey-" I scoot up, squeezing her hand lightly in comfort.

Her voice cracks, "What if I never get better?"

My eyes sting lightly, signaling that I was tearing up lightly, "Hey- you're being hospitalized by the best. You'll get better. I'm here for you- the team is here for you. Your Dad is out there right now- tracking down a lead to make sure Cicada doesn't hurt anyone else like he did you."

Tears fall from her eyes, a sob leaving her lips.

I bit my lower lip, looking down at our hands, trying to prevent tears spilling from my eyes also.

"Can I just be left alone for a little bit, please?" Nora whispers, her stare fixed on the ceiling.

"Yeah- yeah of course." I softly say, letting go of her hands, walking out of the Med Lab, and into the hall.

My palm runs up my forehead, my fingers running through my hair; stressfully.

"You okay?" Ralph Dibny's voice sounds from behind me, my head snapping back, my eyes landing on him.

"Dumb question." I point at him, crossing my arms, leaning my back against the wall, sighing.

"You're right-" Ralph's hands slip into his pockets as he walks over to me, "Is she doing any better?"

"Progress." I shrug, "It's just taking so much longer than I had hoped."

Ralph pushes on, "And?"

"And Nora doesn't think she's ever gonna run again- let alone walk-" I sigh, my hand pressing flat against my forehead, "I don't want her to think that way you know- even if I'm scared as hell for her."

"Hey- take a breath." Ralph grabs my arm gently.

I let out a shaky breath, looking up at him, my hand dropping from my forehead.

"You're scared because you're her mother. That's what mothers do- they fear for their kids." Ralph lets go of me, slipping his hands into his pockets, "But- just like you've been doing, despite how you feel, you're encouraging her not to give up and to stay strong. That's all that matters, because with you, even with her doubts and concerns, she knows that she's gonna be alright."

I gape at him, "Wow-"

The sound of glass shattering catches both our attentions, cutting the conversation short, Ralph leading me into the Speed Lab, where Killer Frost stood, a clear board completely shattered, a satisfied chuckle leaving her lips.

"I respect your right to protest the cure, Frosty, but even for me, that is excessive." Ralph comments.

Killer Frost turns, "Well, maybe Caitlin will get the hint now."

"Uh-" The sound of Barry's voice trails, his footsteps halting behind me.

"Snow and Frost are having creative differences." Ralph told him, explaining the mess.

Barry's hand touches my back, "Hey, is Nora doing any better? How are you?"

"Nora's progress is growing, and I'm okay." I nod towards him.

"I'll get Caitlin." Killer Frost huffs once Barry looks at her.

"No, I-I need you, actually." Barry stops her, handing her the paper in his hand, "We need to get all those metas to a safe house before Cicada finds them."

"Oh, and you think they're going to listen to me?" Killer Frost looks up from the paper, "50-50 on that. I haven't quite lived up to my name."

Killer Frost points, "But I do know where we should start."

-

"They're all terrified." Cecile said from next to me, as we stood at the protection program they had arranged for the metas to keep them safe from Cicada, "I can feel it."

"Maybe now they believe us." Barry mutters, his arms crossed, looking at everyone, his suit still bright in the lighting.

"Hey, we're almost through this." Cecile looks between Barry and I, "We are going to get all of these people to safety."

"Even if we do, Cicada's not going to stop killing." Barry doesn't even look at us, "Not until-"

"-until he's dead." Cecile's eyes widen, as she had her n read his mind.

Barry swallows hard, "I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to." Cecile shook her head, "The anger that I feel from you says it all."

"Barry-" I softly say, staring at him, "This isn't you."

"How am I supposed to feel?" Barry snapped at us, turning towards us, "He almost killed Nora."

"Barry, I understand, I do." Cecile told him, "The look on Zee's face when she finally came out the Med Lab with you- you two are only reacting the way anyone would. That man hurt your child."

"But this anger that you're feeling, I have felt it before-" Cecile trails, "From Cicada."

"Honey, if you let it, this rage will consume you, the same way it's already consumed him." Cecile spoke, but then a look of realization falls onto her features, "Wait, I have felt this anger from someone before. At CCPD."

"Oh, my God- guys, I think I know who leaked the list." Cecile looked between us.

"Then let's go get him." I suggest, Barry nodding in agreement with me.

"No, no, no, you stay here." Cecile told Barry, "You get these metas to the drop."

Cecile looks at me, "You need to get to Star Labs to check on Nora. I can handle the rest."

-

"You want me to bring you to the future?" Nora's voice is in a questionable tone as I walked closer to the Med Lab, stopping in the hall, my eyebrows furrowing at the sight of Sherloque stood there.

"It's a great suggestion." Sherloque told her, "Is it even possible for a non-speedster to go into the commodity- what'd you call it? The, um-"

"The Speed Force?" Nora told him, looking at him.

"Speed Force." Sherloque points, "Right."

"Uh, I'm not sure." Nora told him honestly.

He hums in response, "Well, perhaps that's a question for someone with more experience."

"Sherloque." I call out, catching his attention, "Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Excusez-moi." Sherloque nods towards Nora and then walks into the hall by me.

"That's my daughter in there." I point, looking at him dead in the eye.

Sherloque nods, "Yes, so?"

"So, I'm gonna need you to tell me right now why you're investigating Nora." I place my hands on my hips, "Why are you investigating my daughter?"

"Invest- no, no." Sherloque shook his head, "Quoi? No one's investigating Nora."

I look at the small device in his hands, pressing the screen, a recording of what he just said playing, "Quoi? No one's investigating Nora."

Sherloque clears his throat, "Maybe I'm investigating Nora a little bit."

"Why?" I question.

"How can I say this?" Sherloque began, "Sometimes when you're a detective, you see a story and you follow it. And there's different tracks. You follow down the track. With Nora, I am following down this track. You of all people should understand that, Detective Allen."

"Do you know how many stories I've chased- that went absolutely nowhere?" I question, looking at him.

He hums, no words leaving his mouth.

"All I'm suggesting is take a different track- because the one you're following right now, is the wrong one." I dismiss, walking into the Med Lab.

My eyes land on Nora, who was standing on her feet, holding onto the bed, "Nora- oh my god-"

Nora smiles widely, as I rush over to her, grabbing her hands, helping her stand, as we both let laughs of relief.

-

"Thank you, Flash, for bringing them all to me." Cicada's voice fills the comms, as I instantly pull up the surveillance footage.

"The chopper's not going to be able to land." Barry told Ralph, "Take everybody out the back and get them on it somehow."

"Come on." Ralph lead, every meta following right after him.

Killer Frost takes a step closer to Cicada, Barry stopping her, "No, he's mine."

Barry took blows at Cicada, as he fought back, Ralph speaking, "All right, we're out of the dampening field. Shawna, can you help?"

"Every meta for themselves." She said to him, from my understanding using her powers to get on the chopper herself.

Norvock huffs, "What now?"

"I don't suppose you can run up my arm, can you?" Ralph questioned.

"Ralph, what are you planning to do?" I ask, due to Sherloque and I only being able to see Killer Frost, Cicada, and Barry.

"Remember, Baby Giraffe, they took a leap of faith with you." Sherloque told him, using the nickname he had given.

"That's why I'm going to take a leap for them, Shirley." Ralph told us, then starts to order, "All right, everybody. Straight line, single file, tuck your arms in."

My attention is diverted back towards Cicada, Barry and Killer Frost, as Barry and Cicada has continued to fight back and forth.

"You can't win this fight." Cicada breathes out after knocking Barry into some boxes, holding his dagger.

"I bet I can." Killer Frost stepped up, "We haven't been formally introduced."

Cicada turns, his eyes falling onto her.

"They call me Killer Frost." She introduces, a smirk forming on her lips, her eyes shining, "Let me show you why."

A ice dagger forms into her hand, her heels clicking against the ground as she went at Cicada, the both of their blades clanking against each other with every blocked slash, a grunt of pain coming from Cicada, Killer Frost stepping back, blood at the top of her dagger.

She smirks, Barry finally getting up, onto for them both to be knocked back off their feet when Cicada lodges his dagger into the ground, sending some sort of energy around him.

Killer Frost stumbles to her feet, Cicada throwing his dagger right at her, as she quickly ducks, the dagger breaking through the wall, then after a few seconds, coming right back.

Killer Frost using her cold blast to holding it back and freeze the dagger, giving Barry his powers back.

"Ralph- is everyone okay?" I question, waiting for a response.

"Everyone's safe-" Ralph told me, then switched his conversation towards the pilot, "Let's get out of here for real!"

"Give him hell, Flash!" Killer Frost told him, holding back dagger so he can do what he pleased.

"Okay, you see, the metas are on the move." Sherloque points out, my attention completely focused on Barry, as he threw punches at Cicada, completely having the upper hand.

"Something's wrong with Barry." I blurt out, my eyes shifting towards his readings.

"What?" Sherloque asks me.

"I've never seen these kind of readings from Barry's suit." I look between the screens.

Nora came to my side, "He's channeling over 2.86 billion joules of energy. That's a combined equivalent of of almost three lightning bolts."

"Cicada's powers allow him to sustain injury- but not that much." Sherloque continued, crossing his arms.

"Barry-" I call into the comms, "Barry."

He doesn't take notice of my voice, throwing one more punch, sending Cicada flying and hitting the ground, fear filling me, "He's not going to stop."

Before I could comprehend anything else, Nora grabbed onto me, rushing the two of us right to the scene, suddenly being in her suit.

"Nora-" I let out a breath, my eyes wide as I catch my balance, my gaze landing on Barry.

"You're never gonna hurt my daughter again-" Barry was focused, his voice loud and deep, making his way to Cicada, ready to hit one more solid on him, his fist circling with lightening.

"Dad!" Nora immediately shouts, as he came to a halt at the sound of her voice, looking up at us with wide eyes, panting deeply, his entire expression changing.

I shook my head at him, my voice soft, "No-"

Barry drops everything, walking towards us slowly, Killer Frost growing weak, dropping, Cicada getting up and calling the dagger towards him, turning and giving me one hard look, before jumping into the air and disappearing

"I'm sorry-" Nora instantly apologizes, "I let him get away."

"No, you brought me back." Barry shook his head, breathing heavily, wrapping his arms around her.

I jog over to Killer Frost, helping her up, "You okay?"

She nods, using me as support until she can stand on her own, Barry letting go of Nora, his eyes landing on me, the look on his face showing the regret of how angry he had gotten.

I walk over to him, Barry instantly engulfing me in his arms, breathing out, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay-" I held tight, "You're okay."

-

"Alright, the Feds have processed Norvock and the other metas, giving them new identities, so everybody's safe." Barry walks into the cortex, where we all stood.

"Satellite hasn't registered any unaccounted for dark matter so, wherever Dwyer is, his dagger's not in use." I added on, placing my hands in my back pockets.

"Psh, after the beating Barry gave him, ain't no way he's using that dagger anytime soon." Killer Frost comments, everyone shooting her a look, "What? He got what he deserved."

"Oh, no, I think we appreciate your groove." Sherloque spoke up, "Also I think that Killer Frost and the Flash combination is enough to maybe have Dwyer not want to show his face around here any time soon."

"Dad, are you okay?" Nora asks Barry, Barry looking down at her.

"I'm good." Barry nods, wrapping an arm around her for a short hug, "What matters is that you're okay."

Ralph chuckles, "How's it feel to be up and running again?"

"Super frickin' schway." Nora admits, then looks at me, a smile on her lips.

"Uh, wanna know what's not super frickin' schway?" Killer Frost spoke, "Cicada knowing exactly when and where our secret transport was taking place."

"Inside job, right?" Sherloque gestured, "Cicada clearly has a inside man."

"Only what kind of cop would help Cicada kill innocent people?" I question, looking between everything, begging the question.

Barry phone buzzes, his eyes falling onto the screen, "One that's going to have to answer to D.A. Cecile Horton."

-

"Can we do hard shell tacos too?" Nora questioned as we all aided each other in making dinner.

"We only have soft shell-" I held up the package, putting it down.

"Why can't we have hard shell?" Nora asks, helping me around the kitchen.

I looked at her, "Because we don't have any."

"I can run by the store and get some." Nora suggests.

"No- I don't want you running all the way over there just for that." I told her, putting things on the dinner table, "If I ever make you run down to the store, it'd be with a list."

Nora drags herself behind me, "Why?"

"Because everyone in here has either went in me, or came out of me- so I'm the boss." I point at her, walking back into the kitchen.

Barry turns red, looking at me, "Zee-"

"Well- I haven't come out of you yet-" Nora groans, not being grossed out about the joke.

"Fine-" I place something else onto the dinner table, "You do realize you're an adult and you don't need my permission to go to the store?"

"I-" Nora stammers, not knowing what to say, then runs off, heading to the store.

"You shouldn't be making jokes like that around our daughter-" Barry wraps his arms around me from behind, burying his face into my neck.

"She's an adult- and she didn't even seem bothered by it." I point out, "You always get flustered when sex is brought up- but it's never that case in the bedroom-"

"Zee-" Barry starts to laugh, using his arm to cover my mouth just like he did many times before.

I chuckle, turning, pecking his lips, "Okay- I'll chill on the dirty jokes."

In runs Nora, handing me the bag filled with boxes of hard taco shells.

"All right-" Barry grabs it from me, rushing around the room, finishing everything in seconds.

We all sat at the dinner table, sharing small talk as we all ate, and as I had just finished my second taco, Nora and Barry had eaten way more than I thought.

Nora slouches in her head, holding her stomach, "Okay, 47 tacos is officially my limit."

"I think that's anyone's limit, honey." I run a hand through my hair, sitting back, "I didn't even realize almost all the tacos were gone."

"A healing speedster's gotta eat." Barry comments, crossing his arms.

"Healed, Dad." Nora assures him, getting up, patting his shoulder, then stops a few feet away from us, "I'm fine. I promise."

"Hey, uh, dinner again tomorrow night?" Nora questioned, due to her going back to Joe and Cecile's, keeping her company while Joe was gone.

"Yeah." I smile, standing up.

"We should do Thai." Nora points at me, smiling.

"All right, we can pick up some Pad See Ew tomorrow." I press my palms together.

"I love the Pad See Ew." Barry smiles.

"Oh- we know." Nora laughs.

"Nora?" Barry got up quickly right before she turned to leave, "Um I just- just want you to know how much we love you."

I smile at Barry, Nora giving us a bubbly smile before walking over to us, hugging us both tightly as we shared a group hug, then whooshing off, leaving us alone.

"She's back to her old self." I wrap my arms around Barry after Nora leaves, looking up at him, "Are you?"

"No, I'm not." Barry pressing a kiss to my head after I let go of him, "In fact, I don't think I'll ever be the same."

My eyes squint, "Huh?"

"All of this has made me realize that, I don't know, I just- I never knew I was capable of even caring for someone as much as I care about Nora." Barry lightly shrugs, placing his hands in his pockets.

"I've never met anyone with a bigger heart than you, Barry." I told him honestly, smiling up at him, "So it's no surprise to me that you are an amazing father. Just like you're an amazing husband."

Barry smiles down at me, pressing his lips into mine, as we shared a kiss.

I pull away, kissing his cheek, starting to gather dishes from the table.

"Cicada's a father, too." Barry's voice causes me to halt and turn back around, "What if the key to defeating him is appealing to his heart?"

I cross my arms, "How do you suggest we do that?"

"By saving his child." Barry exhales, staring at me, "We need to wake up Grace."

authors note:

tbh i loved the nora and zee moments in this chapter.

i tried to portray her as a actual mother here, and put out how a mother would feel if her child got hurt and i don't know if i got that throughhhh, but. eh.

vote and comment, well comment more cause i like reading those.

and eh idk my reads have been kinda dying and i feel like that's because this book isn't very interesting anymore and like i totally agree

ok yeah, end of ted talk