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“You could ask him for help.”
Don turned sharply to see Cisco standing there. He gripped Mel’s hand tight.
“The Flash,” Cisco said, pointing around the corner to where the younger version of Don’s father was with his Uncle Wally and Frost. “He would help.”
“No, he wouldn’t,” Don said. “He hates me.”
“You came back in time for a reason,” Cisco said. “Was it not to ask him for help? Your sister did already.”
“You…”
“Oh, please,” Cisco laughed. “You think I wouldn’t notice someone messing with time? Who else’s kid could you possibly be? And you look like your mother.”
“I’m not-”
“Relax, you’re not in trouble. I get it. Meeting your parents before you’re born is possibly dangerous and might be weird. But you’re Barry and Iris’ kid. Another one. And you are…”
“My girlfriend,” Don said. He pulled Meloni slightly behind him.
“Congratulations, kiddo. Have we met? I’m Cisco.”
“I don’t know if we should tell you our names,” Meloni said.
“Smart, I like you,” Cisco said. “You’re not planning on telling me what brings you to this time either, are you?”
“No,” Don said. “See you around, Uncle Cisco.”
His hand tightened around Meloni’s and flecks of her red lightning bled into his yellow.
Cisco’s eyes glazed over.
“Tell me Eobard didn’t send you,” he demanded.
“Meloni isn’t her father,” Don snapped. “You’re all the same, you won’t-”
“Don,” Meloni said. Cisco looked upset and he stepped back.
“Don,” Cisco said. “I know it’s dangerous, but please tell me what’s going on.”
“I’m not going to risk time by-”
Cisco opened a breach and grabbed something.
“Don’t tell the Legends I borrowed this,” he said, and handed Don a black stick. “Probably stole because I’m not going to remember to give it back. It erases memories. You can tell me everything and then I’ll forget.”
“But you’re Vibe,” Don said.
“I have too many visions to think they’ll all happen,” Cisco said. “And they’ve only just started to come back, I haven’t told anyone other than Kamilla yet. Talk to me, Don.”
“There’s something wrong with Time,” Don said. “We’re just trying to fix it.”
“Your father can help you.”
“He wouldn’t. We fought and I left and then it changed and he died and I didn’t go to his funeral and Dawn and Nora hate me too and maybe they’re right and if I’d been there I could have stopped it, but he wouldn’t have wanted me there. And I saw that Nora came back with Bart, I don’t know him, it’s because if Dad meets me now I won’t exist.”
“I think there might be something Bart didn’t tell us. But Barry would never hate you, and I don’t know what happened, but it wasn’t your fault. He wouldn’t blame you.”
“He did, I chose Mel over them.”
Cisco looked at Meloni and sighed.
“You’re Eobard’s daughter,” he said. Meloni nodded. “And they couldn’t see past that, and it was Eobard who killed him, wasn’t it?”
“But it wasn’t Meloni,” Don said. “She’s not like him, Uncle Cisco, you have to-”
“I believe you, Don,” Cisco said. “I don’t know how much things will change in the next, what, three decades? But the Barry I know, he wouldn’t be angry with you. Scared maybe, but he wouldn’t hate you for this.”
“He was furious.”
“Eobard Thawne killed your grandmother.”
“I know. Dad yelled everything he’d done at me. But Meloni isn’t Eobard and he can’t tell me I’m not allowed to see her just because of her father. He really can’t, we have lectures together.”
“How old are you?” Cisco asked.
“Nineteen.”
“Did he tell you when he found out Nora was working with Eobard he ran her back to the future without letting her explain? He regretted it. He blamed himself when she was erased.”
“But-”
“I think Barry hears the name Eobard Thawne and he doesn’t think. His biggest fear is losing the people he loves, and Eobard is so determined to take everyone from him. Try talking to him. If he’s still acting like an idiot, call me and I’ll kick some sense into him, if your mother hasn’t already done that.”
“She’s not…” Don trailed off.
“Which is why she hasn’t already yelled at him,” Cisco said. “I’m assuming that was Eobard too.”
Don nodded.
“Well, if you’re here to fix time, I think I know one thing that shouldn’t have happened. Things will be different when you get home, Donnie. That’s how time travel works. You can never truly go back to what it was before. You should probably erase my memories now, but hang onto that, if there’s anything you need, you come find me, promise?”
“Thanks, Uncle Cisco,” Don said.
“Come here, both of you,” Cisco said. He pulled them both into a hug. “You two can do this. You can stop him, and you can get them both back. It’ll be okay. I promise.”