The Future of Us

(5) Mommy?

"I saw daddy... I saw him, Mommy"

The words ring in Barry's ears. He has to blink as his brain is processing,  trying to make sense of the situation as it unfolds before his eyes. From seeing this little girl in the medical bed cling to Caitlin for dear life with tears running down her cheeks. To then hear the same little girl call Caitlin her mother. However, Caitlin had just told him that this little girl was her niece. Which is it? He needs answers now.

"Mommy?" he whispers under his breath.

It seems to go unheard as the little girl pulls away from Caitlin's grasp. "Da- daddy," she continues with tear-stained cheeks. "He told me to tell you something..." she adds, biting her lip just like Caitlin.

Seeing that familiar nervous tick snaps something into Barry. He lets go of Nora's hand as he steps into their view with a look of frustration and confusion.

"Did... did she just call you mommy?" He asks, his voice shaking.

Val gasps at the sight of him with wide, fearful eyes. His head cocks to the side, not understanding her fear. She clings back to Caitlin's side as Caitlin wraps her arms protectively around the child. "Barry," she breathly states.

"Did she just call you her mommy?" he repeats, with slight anger.

Caitlin opens her mouth, ready to explain when Cisco bursts in. "Someone is awake, I hear!" he smiles, walking up to the bed with Nora behind him. "Did I interpret something?" he asks, looking between Caitlin and Barry.

"No."

"Yes."

The pair says simultaneously before looking at each other in annoyance. Cisco holds his hands up in defense. "Please don't mind the man with the gorgeous long hair. In fact, let me take the child off your hands. She doesn't need to witness any bloodshed," he gestures between the pair before reaching for Val.

"No, she stays here," Barry snaps, halting Cisco's movements.

The best friend duo looks at him in disbelief. "Excuse me?" Caitlin snaps. "You don't have any say here. You, you shouldn't even be here, remember? Let alone giving orders around here," she growls, getting off the bed to stand in front of Barry.

"Then you should have been honest with me from the start. Not lying about things, especially when they involve your children," he snaps back, pointing at Val.

At that moment, time stops around him. He looks into her horrified little eyes and a massive pang of pain courses through him. Those eyes. They look so familiar to him. Almost as if he has seen them before. But where? He tries to bite back his tongue, but the fire of his anger is in control. He doesn't even hear her faint cries for him to stop.

"Stop it! Stop fighting!" the little girl yells with glass eyes as she runs to their side, ignoring Cisco's motion to leave with him.

Suddenly Caitlin's eyes start to glow - revealing her counterpart taking full control. A smirk appears on her face to see the surprised look on Barry's face before her. "My turn to talk, don't you think?"

Barry's mouth hangs open at the sight before him. In his time, his Caitlin is still dealing with her struggle for control with her icy counterpart. "K- Killer Frost?" he stammers, taking a sudden step back.

"It's just Frost now," she comments with a shrug. "And based on your reaction, you wouldn't know that yet, huh?" she raises her eyebrows, crossing her arms.

He swallows hard, taking in the presence before him. From her pale skin to her long silver locks that shaped the same facial features as Caitlin. Seeing her in Caitlin's casual outfit made the ice meta seem normal - different from the version of Killer Frost he met last time during his fight with Savitar. "You... you look different," he stammers out, clearing his throat in the process. "Good different," he adds, stuffing his hands into his pockets