The Scarlet Speedster's New Daughter

Chapter 5

(2 weeks later)

Caitlin and Cisco had been ignoring Barry the past two weeks and it was killing him. Sure he had fought with them before but neither of them had been that mad at him, ever.

"We have a meta at 4th street." Cisco said looking at the computer.
"On my way." Barry answered.

Today it was just Barry, Cisco, Ralph and Caitlin. Nora found a job at Jitter's and Iris was working as a journalist.

"Shouldn't you guys talk to him already?" Ralph asked. "It's been two weeks. I think he learned his lesson."

Caitlin and Cisco looked at each other and sighed.

"Look Ralph, I know it might be hard to understand but it's his daughter we're talking about. She's not a toy you can throw away because you don't like it. He needs to be responsible for his actions." Caitlin said calmly.

They heard Barry grunt over the income and yell in pain.

"Guys, I'm injured. I can't move my leg."
"Time to get him." Cisco said opening a breach.

He and Ralph went to get Barry and came back almost instantly.

"He has a nasty cut on his leg. And it looks like it's broken."
"What happened?" Caitlin asked.
"Meta can create metal. He threw a big piece of one at me and well he got my leg. Then I got my ass handed to me." He winced.
"Get him to the med bay."

Birdie walked in and saw drops of blood on the floor and saw her injured father on the medical bed. As hurt as she was, it was still her dad and she cared deeply for him.

"What happened?" She asked walking up to Cisco.
"Meta."
"Oh. Is he going to be okay?" She asked.
"Yeah. Caitlin's gonna take care of him."
"Oh. Okay." She nodded.

She went nowhere near Barry cause he was in pain and she didn't want to make him feel worse so she just sat around the med bay while Caitlin treated Barry. She heard him yell in pain a couple of times but after a while he stopped. A few hours passed, Nora and Iris had come to see him and everyone was scattered around the cortex talking.

Birdie, who felt out of place, went down to the speed lab and started running around at immense speed. It calmed her down.

Joe had followed her and stood in the doorway while she was done. She came to a stop and crashed into some boxes. Joe ran up to her and helped her up.

"Oh, are you okay?"
"Yeah. I'm fine, don't worry." She smiled. "Just calming myself down."

He nodded and sat down beside her.

"You know, you remind me a lot of Barry when he was young. He was always so quiet, kind and smart. He was also very introverted. He didn't like to talk about his feelings, still doesn't." He chuckled. "Give it time honey. He'll come around. And if he doesn't, you still have a grandpa that loves you." He said patting her back and side hugging her.
"Thanks." She smiled hugging him.
"Sure thing. I'm gonna go back up."
"Okay. I'll stay down here."

He nodded and went back upstairs. Birdie started drawing random things on the board and was startled when Cisco came in.

"Very cool drawings."
"Yeah. I wish I could draw like that." Caitlin smiled.
"Same. All I can draw is a circle and it's not even round. It's a new shape."

Birdie chuckled and put the marker down.

"Aren't you supposed to be up there?"
"No. Everyone left." Caitlin answered.
"Where's d-?"
"He's asleep upstairs."
"Oh okay."
"I'm gonna stay with him so I was wondering if you wanted to go with Joe or stay with me?"
"I don't know." She shrugged.

Cisco knew she had gotten close to him and Caitlin and there was no way she was going to leave Caitlin alone with an injured Barry who couldn't protect her if something went wrong.

"I'll stay with Caitlin." Cisco said.
"Okay. I'll go with Joe then." Birdie smiled.

They all nodded and walked her up to the cortex and she left with Joe, Cecile and Jenna.