Collateral Damage (snowbarry)

He's Awake!

The next few weeks pass the same as the last. Caitlin remains by Barry's side, washing, sleeping, and eating at the lab. Cisco stays as long as he can until the sleep takes him over. Most nights he goes home, but some nights he falls asleep in his chair in the lab. Caitlin doesn't mind. He's quiet when he sleeps. She usually loves his energy, but right now, when there's no where to really channel it except toward her, it feels like a lot. Dr. Wells makes a daily visit, usually for no more than an hour or two. They aren't completely sure where he goes when he leaves the cortex. He doesn't go into public much. He's kind of a pariah now with what his lab did to the city. For all they know he could be wheeling his way around the lab all day. 

Caitlin doesn't go on another outing with Cisco. She had a good time on the last one, but Cisco was tiptoeing around her all evening and she hates when people act like she's fragile. He's less hesitant at the lab and that's saying something, so she stays there. There hasn't been any change really in Barry. Still no hair growth which is honestly the most annoying thing to Caitlin. It's been almost nine months. How in the world is his hair not growing. Like she said earlier, it's like he's frozen. 

Music starts blaring through the speakers in the cortex. Caitlin rolls her eyes. She suggested the music idea. She thought that playing music at the same time every day may subconsciously give him some idea of how much time is passing. She's not sure if it's working or not, but it's become a routine, and if there is one thing Caitlin loves, it's routines, so her and Cisco kept it up. She didn't, however, suggest the type of music that Cisco keeps choosing. She thought maybe something classical, calming, maybe even soft rock if we're getting really crazy. She was not thinking Lady Gaga screaming into her ears while she tried beyond hope to pay attention to the sound of the machines around the constant "puh puh puh" sounds coming from the speakers. 

Cisco comes around the corner of the desk, dancing in a way that only Cisco Ramon could pull off, trying to sing along to the lyrics, entirely off key and off beat. He approaches Barry and leans over him like he does every day when he starts his music. 

"How do you like this one Barry?" Cisco asks, getting his face right next to Barry's ear. 

"You know, you wouldn't have to get so close if you didn't play the music so loud." Caitlin suggests.

"We have to make sure he can hear it." Cisco says, yelling slightly to make sure he can be heard. He realizes he doesn't need to yell as loud when he sees Caitlin flinch back. 

"He's in a coma Cisco, he's not deaf. He can hear this awful music fine." She's honestly not sure about that. It just helps her point, so she's going to keep saying it. 

Cisco gasps, grabbing his chest. "Awful music? Lady Gaga is an artiste. How dare you disgrace my lady?"

Caitlin rolls her eyes, but quickly averts them to the machines when she hears an abnormal pattern of beeps. 

"See, Barry likes it." Cisco says as him and Caitlin lean over Barry, trying to see if something is happening. 

"How would you know? He's asleep." Caitlin says, barely getting the words out before Barry Allen, comatose patient, winner of the sleep awards of the year for his dedicated participation in the activity for the last nine months, springs forward in the bed, coming to a sitting position with his eyes wide open, almost hitting Caitlin and Cisco on his way up. 

Cisco runs around the desk to turn off the music while Caitlin does the only thing she can think to do, be a doctor. This was her first coma patient, and she feels very emotionally invested, so she gets a little overexcited. She reaches to the table to grab a flashlight and immediately starts examining his eyes while the boy is clearly confused and in shock trying to ask a question. No fear. Must examine eyes, she thought. 

She runs to another table while Cisco comes back over to the bed ready to answer questions. Barry finally spits out his first, asking where he is, and Cisco happily answers, taking a bite out of his twizzler that has suddenly appeared. Caitlin returns with a small plastic cup in her hand. She's flustered and weirdly enough, ever since med school, pee samples calm her. They're just so damn fascinating. Who knew you could tell so much about a person from their pee. 

"I need you to urinate in this." She tells Barry, showing him the cup and completely ignoring the look of horror on his face. 

"Who are you guys?" Barry asks. Caitlin looks disappointed at his lack of acknowledgment of the pee cup. 

"I'm Cisco Ramon and that's Dr. Caitlin Snow. We've been taking care of you here at S.T.A.R. Labs for the last nine months since the accident." Cisco tries to say this as calmly as possible, but he's struggling to hide his excitement. 

"I-I'm at S.T.A.R. Labs?" Barry mutters out, flustered. He's always admired S.T.A.R. labs ever since they were built. He always wanted to visit and meet the one and only...

"Yes, Mr. Allen, you're at S.T.A.R. Labs, and I'm Dr. Harrison Wells. My team and I have been looking after you." Dr. Wells announces himself as he wheels into the room. Barry can hardly speak. 

Sudden realization hits Barry. 

"Nine months. I've been out for nine months?" He spits, surprised, shocked, scared, but admittedly well-rested.

Cisco nods, still too excited to speak too much. 

Barry is standing now. Caitlin walks up to him to start checking on him. She places her hand on his chest and he looks down noticing something that was NOT there before. He walks up to the mirror, at first too distracted by his lack of hair growth, then notices the muscles visible on his stomach. Caitlin walks up behind him, keeping her distance. 

"You were struck by lightning the night of the particle accelerator explosion." She states matter-of-factly. 

"Lightning gave me abs?" He asks as he pokes at his newly acquired six pack. 

Caitlin cocks her head, also curious about the new muscles because yeah, he didn't have those when he came in here. She just hadn't noticed they came in until just now. 

"Mr. Allen, my team and I would like to run some tests to asses your health since you've been out for so long. We just want to make sure everything is running smoothly." Dr. Wells states as he tosses a S.T.A.R. Labs t-shirt to the half-naked boy. 

"Thank you so much, but I feel fine really." Barry says as he starts walking toward the exit. "Thank you again." He rounds the corner, now out of sight. 

"What?" Caitlin says, completely shocked at his reaction, and admittedly very disappointed she didn't get to meet him. I mean she only has been watching over the tall, skinny asshole for the last nine months. Would a hand shake be too much to ask for? Wells rotates to look at her. 

"Can I keep the shirt?" Barry asks, poking his head around the corner. 

"Keep it!" Dr. Wells announces still looking at his astonished team. 

"Really?" Caitlin says, making clear her disapproval. 

Cisco breaks out in laughter, and Dr. Wells soon follows. Caitlin doesn't laugh but doesn't scold them. It is kind of funny, but the doctor in her can't help but fear that he ran off too soon. She didn't get a chance to make sure he was okay. She needed to know if she fixed him.