Reality Check : : Barry Allen/The Flash

03

"Elise."

I shoot up, wide awake and on high alert. Wolfgang is sleeping beside me on... On the couch? Hm. I must not've gone up to my bed like I normally do after a night of TV shows with Mum.

"Mum?" I call, loud enough for her to hear if she's awake, but quiet enough not to disturb her if she isn't. There's no reply, but Wolfgang wakes up and does a little growl that sort of sounds like it's meant to be a pur. "Sorry little guy. I guess we should get up since it's morning now anyway." I sigh.

Wolfgang gets up with me and follows my tired, stumbling feet the whole way up to my room. I close the door and he sits by it, waiting patiently for me to do something.

I pull out a pair of skinny jeans and a graphic tee with a certain scarlet speedster's symbol in the centre of the chest, getting changed as I try to find my matching red converse.

"El? You awake?" My mum sounds half-asleep, but her voice startles me nonetheless and I fall over as I'm pulling on my jeans.

"Yeah Mum." I say loudly. "And I'm fine, in case you're wondering." Wolfgang comes over to me and nudges my arm as if he's trying to help me get back up.

"Never doubted it." Mum chuckles, probably knowing that I landed on my ass like usual instead of believing any lame excuse that I would normally offer her. "Want some breakfast?"

"If you're making it, sure." I reply. Wolfgang barks happily and nudges me again as I find one of my shoes.

"It'll be ready in five." Mum says with a yawn and I hear her footsteps fade as she goes downstairs. Wolfgang runs to the other side of my room and I lose sight of him under my desk, but then he reappears with my other shoe in his mouth.

"You never stop surprising me Wolfy." I tell him, scratching his head affectionately. I sigh as I get up and open my bedroom door. "I guess we should get you to the vet after breakfast. MJ's gonna scream when she sees how cute you are."

MJ's a vet at the pound, and every time I bring an animal in for a checkup, she's the one that runs all the tests and tells me both the English and Science versions of what's up with any potential pets I bring her. I guess you could say I'm a frequent customer of hers.

"Here you go." Mum says as she slides me a plate of bacon and eggs cooked just the way I like them; crispy and sunny side up.

"Thanks." I smile. "Any bacon bits for Wolfgang?" She nods and gets a plate out of the cupboard to put some extra bacon onto for the puppy. Mum gives me the plate and I decided to test Wolfgang's training again. "Sit." He does. "Beg." He does, even whimpering slightly. "Look away." He stares at the wall five meters to his left, and I put the plate down on the floor for him. "Go."

"Wow. Did you teach him all that?" Mum asks. I shake my head as we both watch the puppy practically inhale his breakfast.

"Nope. He's fully trained already. I figured it out yesterday when I was trying to see if he would follow basic commands like sitting and lying down." I explain. Mum looks impressed.

"Cool. That's a great selling point." She says. I frown slightly.

"About that... I don't think I'm gonna give him up. Actually, I don't think I can. He's perfect." I say, stabbing my egg and shoving it into my mouth when I finish speaking.

"I knew it." Mum grins with an 'I told you so' look in her eyes. I just smile and continue to eat silently. "I'm going up to have a shower. Lock the door when you leave."

"Okay Mum." I nod. She disappears just as I finish eating. Wolfgang's just watching me expectantly, having finished his food already. "Let's get you to MJ."