I returned to the house and found Joe sitting at the table looking over files, his laptop open as he watched a loop of videos. I hesitated in the doorway to the kitchen.

He looked up and said, "Oh, Maddie. Come here, please, I'd actually like your help with something."

"Oh?" I asked and walked over and sat down across from him, setting my keys on the table next to me. "What is this?"

"It's the case on Barry's mom." Joe said I and looked up at him.

"You're... you're opening it back up?"

"I am. As you know, well, his father was accused of his mother's murder. I think it's possible Barry was telling the truth. Here. Sit. I need to ask you some questions."

I raised an eyebrow and sat across from him, pushing my glasses up my nose. "Alright, Joe, what is it?"

"Why did you move to Central City?" He asks and leans forward. "The real reason, Maddie."

I squirmed uncomfortably. "Harrison-"

"I don't want to know about why Harrison moved. I want to know why you did."

I clenched my jaw. "Harrison adopted me. I was eleven. I didn't have a choice in the manner."

"Yet your last name is Kennedy. Is that the last name of your birth father?"

"No." I said stiffly. I ran my thumb over the scar on my wrist, my heart beating hard and fast.

"Then where did you get that for a last name. It would make sense if it were Wells now, right?"

"My biological parents died. I went into the foster home as a baby." I said stiffly and Joe blinked. "I was adopted first by the Kennedy's. His wife died and he... well he went insane and between the ages of seven and ten..." I bit my lip. "...I-I was heavily abused. Then, CPS stepped in and I was taken in by Harrison and his wife, Tessa, in Coast City. I lived with both of them for a year, and over the summer of my eleventh birthday, Tessa died in a freak accident. Harrison was never the same after that. We moved here, so he could be away from it all. He was distant. It was also when I met you and Iris and Barry." I wiped at my eyes. "I... I don't like talking about this topic, Joe, it b-brings up too much."

Joe reached across the table and took my hand. "And it was fourteen years ago that you both moved here." I nodded.  "I'm sorry, Maddie. I know that must have been hard to say."

I sniffled. "Well, you should be happy. Barry doesn't even know that about me. Neither does Iris. I'd like it to stay that way. I'm having difficulties with Harrison right now, and them knowing the only fathers I've had have been incredibly shitty will never be something they can understand."

He frowned. "What's going on with Harrison?"

I shrugged, feeling my eyes brim with more tears. "I-I wish I knew, Joe. He's just... been acting so strangely lately. I don't know, and frankly, I'm too scared to talk to him about it."

"That's perfectly understandable, seeing as I now know where that apprehension comes from." He says gently. "But Maddie, you are not alone. You will always have me, ok? And Barry and Iris and now Eddie. If you need help facing this, I'll be here for you."

I smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Joe. That really means a lot to me. If you need an extra hand on this case, Joe, let me know. I'd like to see Henry freed as much as you and Barry would. Does Barry know you're doing this?"

Joe nods. "Yes. I'm sure it would mean the world for him to know you're helping with this."

"Well, he means the world to me, Joe, so of course I would."

Joe smiles at me and I merely blushed and cleared my throat, then dropped my voice to a whisper. "In other news, Cisco said he's improving my suit."

Joe dropped his voice to match mine. "Maddie, I can't begin to thank you enough for that night. What you did... and what you had to deal with right after... I don't know how you do it."

I shrugged. "I'm doing my best. Just keep moving forward is what I always say."

He smiled and nodded. "You're doing great."

My phone buzzed and I picked it up to see the text from Cisco I had been waiting for.

Your dad isn't here and I made some alterations to your suit. Come see! Also yes- Barry is here.

I closed my eyes and disappeared into that dark void as I pictured myself next to Barry and reappeared in the Lab. Caitlin jumped and Cisco spun around.

Barry seemed a bit startled, but pulled me into a hug. "Hey, there you are. It's good to have you back here."

I smiled and moved an arm around his waist and looked up at him. "It's good to be back."

I smirked and Cisco nodded, rubbing his hands together. "Well, Miss Phantom. Close your eyes. We don't want you to see it yet."

I rolled my eyes, then closed them and waited. Cisco clapped his hands together and began,

"May I introduce, a new fabric I developed myself that will stitch itself back together if it ever tears. A fabric that will stay together even at high speeds I haven't been able to clock yet, and even a really cool mask... I give you... Phantom, the upgrade!"

I opened my eyes and gasped. The suit itself was midnight blue- almost completely black. It was still two pieces like Barry's was, and the pants had pockets lining the sides and so did the top. On the chest was an empty spot that I assumed would hold my insignia once I got one like Barry's. The jacket had a hood and a collar, and would cover my whole head in shadow. The jacket was also slightly longer in the back. Swirls of black and some scattered silvery grey mixed with the dark blue made it perfect to blend in to any dark room.

It was even better than the one from before.

"Wow.... Cisco. I don't know what to say..." He grinned.

"I used Caitlin's measurements because you guys have shared clothes on countless occasions, but if I was wrong, it does stretch or shrink to conform to your body."

"I helped Cisco biologically engineer the suit's fibers so that they could stitch them selves back together, much like your body heals itself."

I looked at them. "This is... I don't even know what to say other than amazing." I grinned. "I'm going to go and put it on." I snatched up the suit and teleported down the hall to the bathrooms and changed quickly into the suit, finding the fabric to be warm and comfortable like cotton, but stretchy like spandex.

I teleported back out into the room and Cisco picked up a small mask and handed it to me and I pulled it on. I pulled my blonde hair back into a ponytail and then pulled the hood up. I smirked at my reflection on the monitors. The black boots and gloves were perfect and added to the effect.

Barry disappeared in a flash- pun fully intended- and reappeared next to me with his suit on and rested an arm on my shoulder. "Would you look at that. It looks like I've got myself a new sidekick."

I scoffed. "Who's to say you're not my sidekick, Mr. Run-Really-Fast." He laughed and when he smiled down at me I felt my face go red for some reason and was thankful for the mask covering it as I turned away.

Damnit, Barry. Iris was probably right, wasn't she?

Just then, everyone went quiet as Harrison wheeled into the room and I stiffened. He stopped, staring at me in that same surprised fear, then asked, "Cisco where did you pick this one  up? If I'm not mistaken, she saved me from that meta."

I didn't say a word and looked at Cisco, crossing my arms over my chest.

He looked at me, then back to Harrison. "Ah. We found a meta when Barry went off on his rounds. Y'know, as he does. Then she said she wanted to help. We've been talking for a while so I, ah, made her a suit." Cisco says and I looked towards Harrison.

"What's your name?" He asked, his voice holding a cautious air to it.

"Phantom." I replied. He didn't recognize me, I noticed with a start. I was thankful there was the added protecting and disguise there.

"Phantom? Very nice. Phantom and The Streak." He mumbled, smirking at Barry.

"Actually, Dr. Wells. Maddie helped us come up with a name change last week at CC Jitters when we went to visit her." Cisco says and my dad's attention was drawn away from the assumed "unknown meta" and to him. He wrinkled his nose.

"A new name? Well, the press and the media and Miss West named him 'The Streak'. We didn't. So. What's your idea?"

"The Flash." Barry said confidently and I watched Harrison closely. He wheeled closer to Barry, a small smirk on his face. He reached up and pulled off his glasses, then leaned to the side on his elbow.

"The Flash." He repeated.

"Yeah! You know, because he runs so fast he's gone in a flash? That's what Maddie told us." Cisco said.

I didn't like the look in Harrison's eyes as he looked at Barry and I stepped to the side, effectively getting slightly closer to Harrison and held a hand out to him as if to shake.

He recoiled, then cautiously shook my hand. "A pleasure to meet you, as well... Phantom."

I pulled my hand away. "I have you to thank for these powers, Dr. Wells." I said. "I hope to use them to better this city."

A chill seemed to enter the room and a bead of sweat formed on his head. He cleared his throat. "Well. I assume you three can help Miss Phantom adjust to how we do things around here, yes?"

"Who's Maddie?" I asked, trying to sound like the fictional "unknown meta". Harrison turned his wheelchair over to me and said,

"Ah. Madeline Kennedy. She's my... well, I'd rather not talk about her right now. She's not someone I'm overly fond of at the moment, but someone I need to, ah, speak with later today." He wheeled out of the Lab and called over his shoulder, "Good luck, Phantom. And you, too.... Flash."

As soon as he was gone, I ran over to the security screens and watched him leave the grounds. Only then did I finally rip off my mask and slump into a chair, holding my face. My heart was beating sporadically and I felt like I was on the verge of a panic attack.

"Oh my gosh... he's going to kill me..." I mumbled out loud.

"What? What do you mean? Why would he-" Barry began, crouching in front of me.

"Because he's not who you all think he is, ok?" I said and looked up, feeling my eyes brim with tears.

"Maddie. What do you mean? This is your dad you're talking about. Sure, you got off on the wrong foot, but surely-"

"Listen to me. It was from his brain that I got the name 'The Flash' from. Except he was thinking it a month into your coma." I said and looked at Barry. "No wonder he's seemed off since we came here. I need to figure this out Barry. I need to go."

"Maddie, what's that supposed to mean? He changed?" Cisco asked.

I stood and began pulling out my hair and adjusting it into my usual messy bun. "Barry, you don't understand. Since the particle accelerator, he's changed. I need to get to the bottom of this." I released a heavy sigh. "He's going to find Madeline Kennedy right now to 'talk' with her, and if I'm not there... he's going to know something's up. Barry. I need to go back to the house. Now."

Barry frowned, then nodded. "Ok, Maddie. But please. Call me if anything happens, ok?" He lifted a hand to my shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

I nodded. "I will. I promise."

I left and changed, placed the suit back on the mannequin and smiled at them.

"Wish me luck, guys." I then teleported away and reappeared in the kitchen of the West family's house and ran and dove onto the couch and turned on the tv.

No one was home, thank God.

Then, the doorbell rang.

I stood and took a shaky breath, pushed my glasses up on my face, pulled my hair out of its ponytail, and opened the door to see him sitting in his wheelchair.

"Hello, Madeline. We need to talk."