Present

"Three minutes late again, Ms. West and Ms. Black," I hear Scott say, our boss. "You haven't even been here for a week yet, Raven. I figured you'd at least have more common sense to get here on time."

I groan under my breath, trying to hide my glare. "Traffic was bad this morning-"

"I'm sure it was," he cuts me off, sighing. "It's a good thing you're a good photographer or else you most likely wouldn't have a job here. You two better start getting here early or else I won't have any other choice than to let you go, despite you being the best two workers we have here."

"Yes sir," Iris says politely as she nods her head. One thing that I've noticed about Iris over the past few months was that she was always a peace maker; she wanted every conversation to go smoothly and to resolve any sort of conflict. I was the opposite...I was ready to pick a fight if I needed to, especially if it was to defend my name or someone else's.

However, Iris' tactics were starting to rub off on me.

I fold my arms as I nod my head stiffly. "Yes...sir. We'll get here earlier from now on."

He eyes me, and I knew it was because I didn't give him a snappy reply this time around. "Good. Iris, I need that article on the husks before you leave today, and Raven, I hear that there was another husk found earlier today. Go to the crime scene and work that camera magic you seem to have. I still don't understand how you're able to get such good up close shots, but I don't have to know as long as you get them."

"I'll get on it," I say as my eyes drift over to my camera sitting on Iris' desk, where I had left it yesterday. Scott nods his head one last time before turning and leaving Iris and I alone, heading towards his office.

Iris sighs as she turns towards me. "Isn't it a little ironic that even a speedster can be late?"

I snort. "No kidding. We wouldn't have been if Barry wouldn't have pulled me to the side."

"What's up with him anyways?" Iris asks as she sits down at her desk, logging in to her computer. "He seemed to be a little off this morning...especially with that little stunt he pulled with my dad and I."

My eyes drift off as I wonder the same thing she was asking me. "He's Barry Allen; is he ever really normal?"

Iris gives me a little smile. "You're right. He just needs his time I guess after what happened..."

The two of us grow silent as we remember the death of Henry Allen, it being a little more vivid in my mind than hers. I had been there when Hunter had plunged his fist through his chest, and the look on Barry's face in that moment haunted me almost every time I closed my eyes. The pure heartbreak and pain that had been behind his eyes were something I'd never forget.

"Well, you better go work that camera magic before Scott comes back around to yell some more," Iris says finally, tuning me back in. I nod my head as I grab my camera off her desk, turning it on before looking around to make sure no one was watching me. When I notice that no one was, I quickly race out of CCPN and run towards the crime scene that Scott had told me about. 

When I get there, I stop to see Barry and Joe walking underneath the police tape. "Hey, Barry!"

It takes a moment for Barry to hear me, but soon he's turning around and taking his shades off, giving me a questioning look as to why I was here until he notices the camera in my hand. He tells Joe something before he's coming back over to me, slipping his shades back on as he does so. 

"Here to take pictures I assume?" he nods towards my camera.

I hold it up. "Yeah. I figured I better get here as soon as possible before Scott could yell at us again."

"Sorry for making you late," he says innocently, and at first I wanted to play it as if I was angry at him about it, but hearing him say it made me no longer want to. "I know I probably seem crazy right now for asking all of these questions, but just...thanks for being here."

I raise an eyebrow. "Uh yeah, of course. I'll always be here."

Something about the look in Barry's eyes made me question again if he was hiding something. The way he talked and the way he worded some things made it seem as if he was, and curiosity finally got the best of me. 

"Barry, you know that you can tell me anything, right?" I state, watching him closely to see how he reacted. "You don't have to hide anything."

He nods, but it was different than usual. "Of course I know that."

"Good," I reply with a questionable look, griping my camera in my hand. A moment of silence wraps between the two of us as I start to walk around him to take pictures, but before I can, he's stopping me with a jittery hand.

"Hey Raven," he gently grabs my arm, pulling me back as I look him in the eyes. "I just...I didn't know if there was anything between...us? I didn't know if anything, um, changed?"

That was the third strike for Barry in my mind. First he didn't know about Cisco, then he didn't know about Iris and Joe, and now he didn't know what had happened between the two of us? Something was definitely up, and I wanted to know.

He waits for my answer as I cock my head. "Barry, look, I know that we grew close over the past few months, but I already told you...I want to focus on myself for a little while. I spent fourteen years of my life living in a lie that shaped me into something I never want to be again. I need to figure out who I am first before I can even think about being with someone. I'm sorry."

A look of heartbreak appears on his face once again, but it was understanding. "Yeah, yeah, I get that. I just was wondering where we stood."

"I just need some time," I say again, redness appearing on my face like it had the last time he asked me where we stood. It wasn't like I didn't like him, because I did. I'm just afraid that I'm not the person he thought I was or am supposed to be. He cared for me when I was acting like someone else, so I was afraid that if we were to try anything now that it wouldn't be what he wanted.

He faintly smiles at me. "Take all the time you need."

"Barry!" I hear Joe yell off in the distance, causing the both of our heads to snap in that direction. When we look over, Joe is motioning for Barry to hurry along.

"I guess I better get going," Barry says as he starts to back away, but before he can, he pauses. "Oh, by the way, how would you like to come to dinner tonight? It'll be one of grandma Esther's recipes."

I raise another eyebrow. "You keep forgetting that I pretty much live there now, Barry. But yes, I'll be there."

He laughs as he scratches the back of his neck. "Oh yeah, right."

"Barry!" Joe yells once more before he's scurrying off, leaving me alone with my camera. I take a deep breath before turning towards the crime scene, angling my camera before snapping a few pictures here and there of the fourth husk that's appeared in the past two weeks. Something about them gave me the chills that something worse was coming.

Something big.

-*+*-

There were only a few instances where I've sat down for dinner with a large group of people, but this was the most awkward one by far. 

Barry had failed to mention that he was inviting all of team flash, which consisted of Caitlin, Cisco, Iris, Wally, Joe, and myself. It wasn't like I didn't like any of them, besides Caitlin a little bit, but everyone wasn't exactly getting along right now. Barry and Cisco were still on bad terms, along with Joe and Iris, and Caitlin still wasn't too fond of me after what had happened with Zoom. I didn't blame her, since I did sort of kidnap her and whatnot, but that didn't mean I didn't like her much either. She still reminded me of Killer Frost, and I hated her.

"Isn't this nice?" Barry states out of the blue, causing everyone to glance over at him as he smiles. I could tell that he was trying to get a conversation started up, but no one really wanted to pursue it.

Joe faintly nods. "You can thank Grandma Esther for that-"

"No, not the meal. I mean all of us...sitting here together...enjoying a nice meal." Barry looks around at all of us, blank expressions on our faces.

"Real nice," Cisco says sarcastically as he plays with the cooked carrots on his plate, his eyes not daring to look up. 

Barry sighs. "I was thinking...what if we all took a little vacation to uh...reconnect."

Caitlin raises her eyebrows. "Like a retreat?"

"Epic fail, party of seven," Cisco mocks as I stare down at my plate, unsure of what to say.

Finally, I look up at Barry. "I think it sounds like a good idea. I think we all could use a little time away."

Caitlin throws a little side glare at me. "No offense, but I don't think the flash can take vacations."

I bite my tongue as I look across the table at her, holding myself back from saying something else. Iris notices this and decides to speak up as well. "I think what Raven means is that we aren't the team that we used to be..."

"Of course we aren't," Caitlin says, and I knew that what came next was going to make me snap. "The girl that caused most of our problems is now working with us, which still makes no sense to me. It's our job to lock away the people like her, not give them a second chance."

For a brief moment, I could have sworn that her eyes flashed silver just like how Killer Frost's would have, but I knew that it was just my mind playing tricks on me. I grip the fork in my hand tightly as I glare across the table at her, trying to calm myself down.

"Woah, Caitlin...she helped us stop Zoom. She brought me back from the speed force. She's proven herself time and time again that she's one of the good guys," Barry defends me, a little bit of spite in his tone. 

Caitlin shakes her head as she keeps her mouth shut, causing Cisco to look up finally. "Like I said, epic fail."

Iris shakes her head as she tries to change the subject. "Alright well, pretending that that didn't just happen, I heard that you wanted to finally tell me more about the husk case, dad?"

Joe furrows his eyebrows. "I already told you, Iris. I can't tell you anything about that case."

Iris turns and looks at Barry then, confusion on her face. "Really? That's not what Barry told me."

Barry takes a sip of his water as Joe stares at Iris. "I heard that you had something you wanted to say to me as well?"

"Of course not," Iris replies as I look over at Barry, not sure what in the hell was going on anymore. 

Cisco chuckles. "And the plot thickens."

"Look guys, I just wanted to get all of us together to put aside our issues." Everyone looks at him like he's crazy. "The only way I was going to get you all here was to lie to you, so yes, I'm sorry. But I just want us to be like the way that we were..."

"If you want things to go back to the way they were, maybe you could go back in time and save my brother," Cisco finally says, dropping the bomb. Everyone sits in utter silence as Cisco stares coldheartedly at Barry, pain written all over his face. For a moment, I wasn't sure how we'd ever move past a statement like that, but suddenly all of our phones are ringing as we pull them out.

"We've got another meta," Caitlin says as everyone stands up out of their chairs, heading towards the door to get back to work. Everyone leaves first before Barry and I, and before he races off, he gives me an apologetic look. 

I knew that he was trying to fix all of this, but it made me wonder if all of us were beyond being fixed.

-*+*-

everything will be revealed next chapter...and I'm excited.

but oh yes, a lot more revealed of what happened after flashpoint. Raven and Barry are on pause and Caitlin and Raven aren't the best of friends. Bound to cause problems, right?

don't forget to comment and vote! xx