Within Seconds: Sylas & Allen

Mo Meta's Mo Problems

"And we're pregnant, too," said Parker, throwing up excited jazz hands. 

Eyes drooping with the utmost amount of disappointment, Barry turned to his wife, pursing his lips. 

Parker frowned at his reaction. She thought it might be nice for the scarred woman to hear something nice in exchange for all the bad she was surrounded by in the past days. 

Caitlin shook her head at Barry. "No, no, that's wonderful news. Wow. Pregnant. Congratulations, really, you guys. I'm so..."

"Snow," said Harry, "Jay's not here. You're safe."

His name was all it took to reform the tears welling in her eyes. "He's going to overrun the city, you can't stop him," she whispered in complete fear. 

"Yes, we can. Listen to me: he's not going to succeed. We've got this. This is our Earth," said Barry. 

"You don't know that. You don't know what he's capable of."

"I know, from being in the Speed Force, that the universe is with us, not Zoom. And if the universe is with us, how could we possibly lose?" wondered Barry, smiling encouragingly at his friend, "Right, guys?"

How he could sense the team's collective skepticism with his certain words, they would never know. At the time, it was brushed off as another S.F.A.E., or, Speed Force After Effect. 

Jesse was the first to agree. The rest of the team muttered things along the same lines. 

"You've been through a lot. You should get some rest. Come on," said Barry. 

Caitlin set her hand tightly in his outstretched one. He rested his hand on the back of her waist, ready, in case her wobbly steps went too far. He helped her into the Med Bay, quietly going on about his Speed Force experience to her inquiring ears. 

Cisco and Parker leaned over the computer together, watching, waiting, until Barry disappeared entirely from view and from hearing range. 

"Okay. I'm gonna say it. Um, we don't think he's being just a little too--"

"Overconfident?" Iris finished Cisco's thought, "Yeah, maybe it was his time in the Speed Force. I mean he's acting like he's invincible now, or something."

"Yeah, like nothing phases him anymore, which isn't--" said Henry.

"Realistic, no," agreed Harry, "Somebody needs to talk to him before letting his guard down gets him hurt or worse."

"He did bring me out of my coma. That's bound to make someone a little overly chipper," offered Jesse. 

"Or the fact that he's getting the kid he begged me for," added Parker. 

"Well, like I said, somebody needs to talk to him," finalized Harry. 

Cisco and Parker designated themselves to initiate the talk that was going to bring Barry down from his high pedestal. They waited for Iris to leave, then for Henry, Jesse, and Harry to disappear into somewhere else that wasn't the Cortex. Then, they skipped into the Med Bay.

"Hey," whispered Barry, "quiet down, hooligans, Caitlin's sleeping."

"Hooligans?" asked Parker. 

"Testing out names to scold Melody Nora with," he explained, "I'm torn between hooligan and rascal."

"How about neither? And her name is Melody. You don't have to say her full name all the time."

"Melody Nora."