Reality Check : : Barry Allen/The Flash

31

"Morning Elise. We still on for tonight?" She asks. I nod and return the smile, even though I have no clue what she's talking about and I've never even seen this girl before. I keep jogging.

When my house comes into view, a strange sense of relief and nostalgia wells up inside me. I'm walking up to the door when those feelings disappear altogether as realization hits me. I freeze where I am, staring up at the house before me.

My whole family could be in there.

I don't know if I'm ready to face the people that I've missed so much. The people that have imprinted themselves in my memory. The people that raised me. The people that I saw hanging upside down in a car, bleeding and unconscious.

I watched them die, and they could be right here, not even twenty meters away. Alive.

"Elise? Honey, what're you doing?" Oh my god. My eyes burn with tears that I refuse to let out as I turn and face the source of the voice.

Dad.

"Um, I--" The image of him upside down with blood dripping down his face floods my mind, making it impossible to form any coherent sentences.

"How about we head inside? Your mother's made breakfast." He says kindly, stepping out of the car he just pulled up in. He's got a shopping bag in his hands, probably containing milk or something to go with breakfast. He puts an arm around my shoulders and I automatically melt into his touch, feeling safety and warmth radiating of his body.

It's decided; it'll be okay to see them again because they're going to remind me of my need to get home, and keep me thinking about how much they love me.

"That sounds wonderful." I can't stop a genuine smile from sliding onto my face as Dad and I walk inside the house together. It feels good to be back, even if it's not real and it's only temporary.

"Honey, I'm home!!" Dad yells with a crazy grin. Mum chuckles loudly from the kitchen, her voice accompanied by the sound of something sizzling away on the stove-top. I can smell the pancake batter and bacon from here.

"Oh, Elise." Mum looks surprised to see me as I step into the kitchen with Dad. "I didn't realise you were up. How was your run?"

The way she's talking implies that I live here, but I was just with Hank and clearly I live there.

"Yeah, good." I give a small smile, watching carefully as she moves around the kitchen with a grace and elegance I've never recognised before. Maybe I'm only noticing it now because I haven't seen her in so long.

"El, are you okay?" Dad looks concerned as he puts a hand on my shoulder. I give him a questioning look. "Why're you crying?"

I bring a hand to my cheek and find that I do indeed have tears running down my face.

"I-I guess... I'm just really glad I'm here with you." I mutter truthfully. Mum 'aww's and comes over to wrap me in a tight hug with Dad joining in.

God, I missed this.

I melt into their touch and soon enough, all three of us are crying and sobbing. The weirdest part is that although we're all so upset, the smiles never leave our faces.

Elise.

I pull away from my parents at the sound of Robin's voice.

Your room, Elise. Come to your room.

"I think I might go and wash up before breakfast." I'm not very eager to leave my parents, but leaving this room gets me a step closer to waking up, which gets me closer to going home and seeing my parents for real.

"We know these past two weeks have been hard, but we just want you to know that we still love you no matter what, Elise. Never forget that." Dad tells me, an arm around Mum to keep her close to him. I fight off the urge to hug them again and become a ball of emotions, choosing instead to nod, smile and leave without another word.

I head to my bedroom and find it exactly how I left it the day I got hit by lightning. Except for the silhouette of light hovering in a sitting position above my bed. That definitely wasn't there before this crazy adventure in the Flashverse.

"Robin." I sigh in relief, not bothering to whisper or anything because I know sound doesn't travel much between the first and second floors of this house.

You are upset.

"It was nice to see them again."

We thought you might enjoy this.

"Wait, you mean you made this happen? You're the reason I'm having this dream?"

Yes, although it is not a dream.

Not a dream? What?

"Robin, what d'you mean?"

We cannot say anything except that it is not a dream.

Of course.

Actually, now that I think about it, Dad just said I've been out of the coma for two weeks, but Hank said it's been a couple of months... Hm.

I need to get out of here so I can think about it all without still being in it. Seeing my house and parents again is very distracting.

"How do I wake up from this not-dream you've put me in?"

We can take you back whenever you are ready.

"Well let's go then."

You are not ready.

"What? Yes I am."

You are not ready until we decide it is so. First, you must learn, and to learn, you must ask.

"Ask? Ask what?"

Anything. We have all the time in the world.

Oh my god it's trying to be funny again.

"Okay, well why am I here?"

We put you here.

"For what purpose?"

To show you what you are missing.

I don't say anything, just waiting for it to explain. Thankfully, it understands my silence and obliges willingly.

You have been distracted. You have been getting caught up in this fictional world. You were not meant to do this. We did not anticipate that you would develop such a strong emotional attachment to the fast one. Your connection to him was not meant to be this way.

"So you're saying that I wasn't meant to fall in love with Barry, and now that I have, it's affecting my willingness to get home." As much as I hate to admit this, it's right. I have lost my determination to get back home. And it's because of my feelings for Barry and the friendships I've formed with Cisco, Mya, Iris and even Caitlin. "I've been letting my emotions have too much sway on the things I do and the people I interact with."

Correct. Do you now know what it is that you must do?

"I have to let go of my feelings." It's hard to say, and I know that it's going to be harder still to actually do it. In fact, it might even be impossible. "I have to put my personal desires aside so that I can get home no matter what, even if it means hurting the ones I'm closest to."

Correct. You are ready. Now, Elise Quick, you must wake up. Wake up and help the fast one.