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Time Remnant Barry’s POV
Waking up on the medical cot was something I was very used to, but waking up on it when I was in someone else’s time zone was a bit disorenting. My head was pounding and the lights were way too bright. I just wanted everything to go away so I could go back to sleep.
“Ugh...where am I?” The weight that was on my hand I hadn’t noticed before was lifted. I couldn’t tell with my eyes closed, but I assumed there was two people here with me because of what happened next.
“Call Caitlin.” my own voice, much more awake and less gruff than I had just sounded, commanded. I heard someone's hurried footsteps as they rushed off to call my doctor. Caitlin Snow. “Hey, are you alright? How are you feeling?” the lights were lowered, and I slowly opened my eyes to look up at… at myself?
“Barry?” I asked, more like croaked. It felt like I had swallowed a ball of cotton.
“Yeah. Do you remember what happened?” I tried to recall what had happened the previous night. I started running with Zoom when out of nowhere, another version of me had come out of nowhere and grabbed me, taking me to his time with him. If I hadn’t already been forming the plan in my own mind, I would have had no idea what was going on.
I remembered helping this Barry and his team to defeat Zoom. Running around the magnetar to stop the effects before it started so that the other Barry was able to defeat Zoom. I remember running as fast as I could, the speed force around me was intense, then in the most painful event I can ever remember going through, me energy stopped the magnetar and then it went dark.
I lifted my hand to my face, groaning as a fresh wave of pain traveled through my body as I touched marred flesh. That was new.
“What happened after I reversed the magnetar?” I asked, sitting up with Barry’s help.
“You stopped it. I sent Zoom into the speed force by calling out a Time Wraith, and then we realized that you were alive. We thought you had burned to death.” Barry’s voice was soft. “The right side of you face is burned. I don’t know about your right eye though. Cait had said you were blind in it but there was a possibility that it would heal. The burn however, it might not fade.” I nodded at his explanation.
“Okay.” I looked around, lifting my hand to cover my left eye to see how well my sight in it was. It was relatively good, if not a little blurry. That would probably go away though. “I can see, it's a little blurry though.”
“Good, I’m glad its healing. Listen, I’m sorry that this is all happening to you, I should have handled Zoom on my own, but I dragged you into this and now you’re hurt.” Barry looked really upset. I smiled up at him.
“Its okay Barry. I knew what I was getting into when I came with you. I was happy to help.” I could feel the tension in the room the second Iris brought Caitlin into the medbay. She didn’t want me here, I could see it by the look on her face.
“How’s your eye doing?” she asked as she pulled a flashlight out of nowhere and shined it into my eyes.
“My right eye is a little blurry, but I can see.” she smiled.
“That’s good. Now, the blurry-ness might be a permanent side effect, we’ll keep checking on it here and there to see if it stays or goes away.” Caitlin carefully turned my head and touched my burn in a few places. I hissed and pulled away. “Sorry.” she looked sheepish. “That will most likely be sensitive for a little while. I gave Barry some burn cream for you last night. Hopefully that helps it heal at least a little big.”
“Thank you Caitlin.” I began to stand up. I figured I wasn’t needed here. I wish I could believe that everyone wanted me here, I could tell by Caitlin’s reaction alone that that was not the truth. I was used for on purpose, to defeat Zoom. Now that seemed to think they were stuck with me. I wouldn’t stay in a place where people felt obligated to keep me.
“Whoa, what are you doing?” Caitlin asked, she lifted my leg off of the ground and set it back on the bed.
“Yeah, I don’t know where you think you’re going, but there is no way in hell you are leaving. You need rest.” Iris said as she stepped closer, I smiled at her, Iris, the love of my life… well the love of this Barry’s life. I was here alone and unwanted.
“I was going to leave. Head off to keystone or something. You guys already have your Barry.” I tried sliping my other leg off the bed but this time Barry caught it.
“No way are we going to let you leave. It might take some getting used to for the other team, having another version of me around, but if you think for a second that we would get rid of you just because you are a time remnant, you are out of your damn mind.” I looked up at Barry, letting a smile slowly creep across my face.
“Did you just call yourself crazy, Barry?” I laughed.
“Maybe I did, but by extension only.” Barry smiled back at me.
“I guess I’ll stay for now then.” I shrugged.
“Uh no, you guess you’ll stay forever. Because I am in no way letting you leave.” Iris said, slowly taking Caitlin’s spot next to me. “We want you here.” she looked up at Barry, sharing a look me and my Iris used to share. Silent communication. What a beautiful thing. Being in this timeline was going to be hell for me.
“Okay, I’ll stay forever then, captain Iris.” Iris’s eyes snapped back at me before rolling.
“Shut up Barry.” she laughed, pushing my legs out of the way so she could take a seat on the hospital cot. She pulled out her phone and began scrolling through it, sipping her iced coffee.
“Okay, I am currently giving you a clean bill of health. I’ll text Cisco and tell him to make a few moderations to your suit so that it won’t rub on your burn. It got a bit tattered when you ran around the magnetar as well. It needs a bit of work. Other than that, you know the drill. Monthly check-ups. Keep eating the disgusting calorie bars we’re working on making taste better and over all, let yourself heal before running into things head on.” Caitlin gave me a softer smile than she had before. She patted my shoulder. “It's good to have you here Barry, really, it is.” Caitlin headed out of the room, leaving me alone with Barry and Iris.
“So, we obviously need to get you a phone. Are you up for a trip out? We could run somewhere close.” Iris suggested never looking up. I looked up to Barry to see what he thought of the idea.
“Nope, you are not roping me into this. I have to head into work.” he handed me a half full cup of coffee from Jitters. “It's our favorite, obviously, Iris picked it up. I’ve got to hade out though. I’m already late. I will see you guys later.” Barry smiled at us before flashing out of the lab.
“So, would you like to head out to get a phone or would you like to go relax at the apartment?” Iris asked, looking up from her phone.
“The apartment?” I asked.
“You didn’t think we were going to make you find your own place did you? I mean, Barry and I haven’t talked it through quite yet, but we have an extra room, so it's obviously yours if you’d like it.” Iris smiled at me, sliding off of the bed and holding out her hand for me. “Finish that coffee and we can get another on the way to buy a phone. You’re taking way too long to answer me. I have decided for you, come one.”
“I guess I never really realized how bossy you were.” I said as I let her pull me off the bed.
“I am bossy, it's what I do. It's how you keep the team going. Sometime that just have no idea what they’re doing, I swear.” Iris shook her head, linking their fingers as they walked out of S.T.A.R. labs and to where ever she intended on bringing me first.