My mind felt like it was running wild as I tried to wrap my head around all of this. I leaned against the wall to support the extra weight I was feeling.
"I don't know what happened." Nora began pacing around the time vault "This new Cicada shouldn't be here, we had everything planned-"
"Maybe this is our fault." I mumbled as Nora stared at me." Dad was right, we're not gods. Why did we even think we could come back and change the past, that we could change the fate of hundreds of people." I said as my voice trailed. "This new cicada could mean more people getting hurt, more deaths and it's all our fault." I said as tears began to fill my eyes.
I wiped the tears away before they could fall down my cheek.
"No, that's not going to happen because we will fix this. I just don't know how" Nora said.
"We don't have to figure this out alone Nora and I don't think we can." I began." If we tell dad everything, he'll know how to fix this."
Nora didn't disagree or agree before she walked out of the room leaving me alone.
I wanted a nod or an okay. Anything to indicate that we were on the same page. I didn't understand her and I don't understand why she is prolonging this.
"Dawn!" Cisco said standing over me.
I had been sitting in the corner staring at the ceiling before I was interrupted.
"Are you okay? I've been calling your name for like twenty minutes now."
"I um-" Sherloque looked up from sweeping and began staring at me." "Yeah, I'm fine just distracted."
"Anyway, this needs to be welted back-"
I sped away with the metal sheet before he could finish his sentence.
"Done." I said sitting back in my chair.
" Dang, speedy, I was going ask you to get some supplies out of the storage room-wait, you did welt it back, right?" He questioned.
"No, I used a lot of duct tape." I said but Cisco wasn't pleased." I read a textbook about welding and watched a few videos; it wasn't hard to figure out."
"Ya, know the floor is ready to be mopped if you can do that for me also, Merci." Sherloque said handing me a mop.
I reluctantly took the mop and began mopping as mom and Ralph entered the room.
This wasn't fair, Nora was with dad looking for Dwyer, doing CSI stuff while I was stuck here cleaning up the mess Cicada two made. I'm not sure what was worse, them back seating or the fact that it was Nora's idea. She convinced dad that I should stay here in case Cicada two decided they wanted to destroy the cortex a second time. In case that were to happen, everyone here wasn't left vulnerable.
I wasn't allowed to fight; my job was to run every one to safety until Nora and dad returned.
Nora just found an easy way to stall from talking to dad. I've been pressuring her all day to do it but she keeps dismissing me.
Talking to Dad and even the rest of the team is the only thing I've thought about all day, that and the thought of this new Cicada being our fault. I just want to get it over with and deal with whatever consequences.
"We have a star-achives asset in Kolin's woods." Cisco said along with an alarm drawing me out of my thoughts.
"Star-achive" Sherloque questioned and I walked over and looked at the screen. "What is this?"
"#11578." I mumbled to myself.
That number was familiar but I couldn't remember where I remember it from.
"Okay, and the alarm is going off because?" Ralph asked.
"Because someone just stole something from us." Cisco began something really-really not good-"
"The time machine." I blurted out.
"The one you used before getting your powers? "Ralph asked as I nodded.
"What's it doing in the wood? I thought you sent it back to 2041?" Mom questioned.
"I did, or at least I thought I did."
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Me, mom, and Ralph went to the star-archives to make sure the time machine was still there while everyone else investigated the one in Kolin woods.
The star-archive was practically hidden away on the far edge of town where no one would think to look. To be owned by S.T.A.R labs it looked more like an abandoned warehouse than a facility that harbored all of S.T.A.R lab's abandoned tech. It seems like we were just here yesterday stealing the time machine under Thawne's orders.
The more I think about it, there are so many things that we lied about since we've been here. So many things that I now have to tell the truth about, and yes, I do plan to tell dad the full truth. I owe that much to him.
Once mom unlocked the door we began maneuvering through the dusty tech and boxes stacked high to the ceiling. I walked ahead of mom and Ralph toward the back of the room where we found it before.
"It's here." I said to mom and Ralph as we walked toward the sheet-covered sphere.
"Yeah, we found it!" Sherloque and Cisco said at the same time.
"Thawne's time sphere? Are you sure?" mom said into her earpiece as she stood next to me.
"What do you mean "am I sure?" Cisco questioned." I'm looking right at it, why?"
Ralph grabbed the dusty sheet and yanked it off the sphere causing dust to fill the air.
"Cause, we're looking right at it too." mom said
"So two-time spheres?" Ralph questioned.
"Or the same one." I said to mom and Ralph.
I didn't want to be right but turns out I was, this Cicada was from the future.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><
"Her work is really amazing." Mom said staring at something on her computer.
I was laying on the couch texting Jeven while mom talked about a new photographer for the citizen or something along those lines.
"Yeah, amazing." I mumbled repeating the last word I heard.
"Is there something you want to talk about?" Mom stood up from her desk and sat across from me as I sat up confused.
"You've been distracted and quiet all day." Mom said.
"There's nothing to talk about." I replied as I received another text. "I was just texting Jeven." I said holding up my phone.
"Are you and Jeven okay?" Mom asked. "you know you can always come to me about that kind of stuff-"
"-It's not about Jeven." I replied. "He just needed help with math homework, 2018 math is nowhere near as advanced as 2041 math." I replied.
"So, there is something, just not about Jeven." Mom replied.
"No, I..."
I sighed debating if I should tell her everything right now regardless of Nora being here. However, the first person that should know about any of this should be Dad.
"Dawn?" Mom said waiting for me to say something.
I slowly shook my head no. I'm going to wait for Nora and Dad's sake before I say anything.
"Okay." mom said softly before going back to her computer.
I went back to check the message I got, assuming Jeven needed help with another math question but it was an emergency from Nora.
I ran across town as fast as I could to a place called Crash Crawly's.
"I'm here!" I said as I sped next to Nora and dad." is this a birthday party? This is the emergency?" I whispered to dad and Nora.
"Mom, you got flash, Xs, and tornado cosplayers for the party?"
"Yea, I am the flash! And I love...soccer. Do you guys like soccer? "Dad said." Awesome, come with me." Dad said before whispering to me. "Help me and Joe with the kids grace is coming!" Dad said before leading them away.
"Grace?" I repeated before following him.
Why were we running from grace? I didn't have time to ponder on this thought before dad called for me to follow him. I helped him lead the kids to a back exit door.
"Through here guys. Single file!" I said holding the door.
"I'm going to go back!" Dad said before speeding away leaving Papa Joe and me.
"Can I get a picture please?" A kid said stopping in the doorway.
A loud crash coming from the other side of a building caught our attention.
"Maybe later!" I said rushing them through the door.
"I need everyone to call their parents!" Papa Joe said as I shut the door behind us.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>><><><><><><>
I met up with Dad and Nora later at the hospital. They were watching over a meta named Vickie and her family.
"So, grace is the new Cicada?" I asked.
Nora waited for a nurse to pass.
"And she's after Vickie who accidentally killed her parents." Nora said once the nurse was gone.
"This is..." my voice trailed off.
"Bad." Nora finished for me.
"We need to tell-"
"I know, Dawn!" Nora said angrily." But telling him now is probably not going to help-"
"You're just saying that because you don't want to tell him." I whispered." Look around Nora everything keeps getting worse, and telling dad means he could figure out where we-"
Arguing came from the room Vickie and her family were in.
"Leave Vickie!" Her husband yelled as we peeked into the room.
"I'm not going anywhere!" She replied.
" I'm going to get Dad." Nora said before walking down the hall.
Nora came back with Mama Cecile, Papa Joe, and Dad.
"Can't you see she's terrified of you?" The man yelled. "She could have been killed!"
"I was trying to protect you guys-"
"By lying?" He cut her off. "you're a meta, Vickie, a human time bomb-"
"Mr.Bolen." Papa Joe intervened. "let's take a breather." he said leading him out of the room. He along with Mama Cecile took Vickie's husband to the waiting room. Vickie left out of the room soon after in the opposite direction.
"Hey!" Dad said to us." We did the right thing-."
"Then why does it feel like we made everything so much worse." Nora said before walking away as I watched her.
I found Nora down the hall sitting alone.
"Hey." I said as I sat next to her.
"If you're here to tell me why we-"
"No, I'm not here for that." I stopped." Not now at least, maybe later." I said jokingly but Nora didn't laugh. "I do know why you're stalling to talk to dad."
Nora continued looking forward.
"You're scared of what comes after." I said as Nora finally looked at me." I am too which is why I wanted to get it over with, but I never thought about your feelings." I paused." and I'm sorry."
"It's fine, Dawn." I Nora said wrapping an arm around me.
"You can take as much time as you need." I said to Nora as she smiled. "And whatever happens after we deal with it together, okay?"
"Okay." Nora responded."Ya know, I'm the big sister, I'm supposed to be telling you that!" Nora said jokingly causing both of us to laugh.
"We should get back before dad because I was supposed to be watching Vickie's daughter while he checked on her." I said before we walked back to her room.
"And that's why I didn't tell you about my powers." Vickie said as we approached the room.
She was laying in the hospital bed next to her daughter.
"I thought it would be too hard for you." she said as a smile crept on my face." But your tough, tougher than I've ever been."
"I guess what comes after isn't always bad." I said to Nora as Dad approached us.
"So maybe you can be tough for me too?" Vickie said to her daughter.
"They're a good family." Dad said." Told you they would figure it out.
"Dad." Nora began." We need to tell you something." Nora finished just as Mama Cecile groan. We hurried down the hall toward her and Papa Joe.
"Grace's mind." She muttered." It's getting stronger.
Nora's body went stiff as she stared into the distance.
"She's here!" Nora said.
Suddenly the dagger came flying through the window. I tried to run but the dagger was approaching too fast and I felt my speed drain from my body. The sudden loss of my speed caused me to trip.
"Shwrat." I groaned." why does that keep happening."
"Let's go!" Nora said grabbing my arm to help me up.
We quickly changed into our suits and found dad who was able to save Vickie from the dagger.
"Vickie Bolen!" Grace yelled outside the window." Give yourself to me or your husband dies!"
"This Cicada doesn't care!" Mama Cecile said entering the room." She'll kill anyone who stands in her way.
"Tornado, get her out of here!" Dad said.
"I don't think I can outrun the dagger if she throws it again."
"XS do not slow down!" Dad said as Nora nodded." We need to get her somewhere safe."
"I'm not leaving without Alice!" Vickie said.
"You're the target, Mrs.Bolen." Papa Joe said."She's safer without you!"
"Don't worry we'll keep her safe!" I said to Vickie.
"Come on now, let's go." Papa Joe said to Allison.
"Follow them!" Dad said to me.
I accompanied them down the hall towards the elevator. Suddenly Nora sped past with Vickie and the dagger following close behind. I quickly sped everyone in the hallway out of its path.
"Thanks tornado." Papa Joe said." this way!" He said leading them away.
"Dawn, get Mr.Bolen far away from Cicada!" I heard mom say in my speaker.
I quickly sped to Mr.Bolen who was running away and ran him to his daughter.
"Alice!" He said once he saw her.
"This way!" Papa Joe urged them."I got it from here." He said to me.
"Dawn, Barry needs your help!" Mom said.
I ran back to the front of the building to find Grace and dad. I tried running towards her but Grace used her mind to pin me to an ambulance.
"Dawn?" Mom said at the sound of me groaning.
"I-I can't move." I said struggling to breathe
"Hold on Dawn!" Mom said.
I tried phasing but whatever grace was doing made it hard for me to move let alone at a molecular level. It felt like a truck was crushing my body; all I could do was watch as grace walked toward dad with the dagger.
"Grace!" I heard a voice.
Dwyer came out of the shadows and slowly walked towards Grace.
"This isn't the way to make the world a better place." he finished.
"You hated them, I heard you!" Grace replied.
"I was wrong." He took another step toward her." and that hate turned into something else. It was wrong to make you feel that way." He said." you don't have to go down this path and you don't have to hold onto this-this anger."
"Let it go!" Dwyer said.
The invisible force lifted and I slid down the side of the ambulance before falling to the ground.
"No!" I heard Dad say as the dagger lodged itself into Dwyer's back.
Grace then took the dagger and flew away. Dad ran towards him and caught him as he fell forward.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
We all gathered back in the cortex going over everything that happened and what to do now. Dwyer was gone and Grace has disappeared. Our only hope was to wait and see if or when she attacks again.
"Grace's powers are incredibly dangerous." Caitlyn said" I ran a few tests while I was at the Tannhauser offsite and the dark matter has some sort of binding quality. It allows her to telekinetically manipulate within a certain proximity."
"Including the dark matter in us?" Ralph asked.
"I think so!" Caitlyn continued."
"How was Nora able to see what grace was seeing?" Dad asked.
"They seemed to be mentally connected!" Caitlyn replied. "I think it's because of the time she spent in Grace's brain."
"What about Vickie and her family?" Nora asked.
"Federal protection." Mama Cecile said." They're getting new identities as we speak.
...
"I don't know about anyone else, but I could use a drink."
"Not a bad idea!" Caitlyn said.
"I'm in!" mom added.
"I guess I'm on babysitting aunt Jenna duty, aren't I?" I said.
"Thanks, Dawn!" Mama Cecile said.
Everyone began heading to the door but Nora didn't budge.
"Nora." I said softly as I gently shook her shoulder.
"Nora, are you coming?" Dad asked.
Nora gave me a peculiar look.
"You're ready to tell them." I said as everyone's eyes landed on me.
"They want to tell you, their secret." Sherloque said standing behind them. "Right?"
" Sherloque!" I mumbled.
"Difficult to know where to begin when your secret threatens everything." He said maneuvering through the crowd. "Everyone around you."
"Sherloque, stop it." Nora said.
My mind was racing as I stood there speechless as Sherloque kept talking.
"Nora." I muttered.
"Maybe start at the beginning, it's a very good place to start. When you first time-traveled." He continued. "So carefully leave the lightest footprint until you suddenly change course."
"That's not how-" I tried saying.
"And brazenly interfere with the Thinker satellite."
"Please, Sherloque-!" I spoke softly.
"-As it crashed to earth!" he yelled over me." I think to myself, nope. This excessive action doesn't make sense until you understand that... It wasn't their idea."
"Please stop." Nora began begging.
"This isn't how-" everyone turned to me as I shook my head no.
My eyes found the floor and they stayed there. It was already over before it started.
"Someone instructed you to do it!" Sherloque said." someone who said the timeline is malleable. The same person who has been directing you all this time and making puppets out of all of us. As he seeks to alter the timeline to suit his purpose."
My heart began racing as I waited for it, for him to say it. It was like a bomb that I couldn't stop, that I couldn't outrun. My only option is to wait for it to detonate.
"Stop-"
"Eobard Thawne." He said. "The reverse flash! Their teacher, partner... Their secret."
"Nora, Dawn!" mom spoke up." please tell us this isn't true."
"We wanted-" I stuttered looking up." We-" my voice trailed off as I struggled to find the right thing to say.
"They can't." Dad said, catching our attention.
I could see the anger, the disappointment, the hurt in his eyes as he looked from Nora to me.
"Dad-"
"Because it is true!" Dad said.
"Mom-" Nora stuttered." We wanted to tell you, We-We tried to tell you-"
Before Nora could get anything, else out dad sped us into a holding cell, locking the door behind him. I stood there, unable to talk or move. This wasn't how they were supposed to find out. We were supposed to- we were going to tell them.
"Dad." I heard Nora say, snapping me out of it." I'm sorry."
"Me too." He said before turning his back on us
"Dad-"Nora mumbled before falling to the floor and crying.
I crouched next to her and wrapped my arms around her.