"The shrapnel in your body, has merged with you at a cellular level." Caitlin informed Bette.
Winnie and Caitlin had decided to hold off on testing out her powers until they could figure out a way to help Bette figure out what to do with hers. So, now Winnie sat down on the floor of the medical bay just outside of the cortex, leaning her back against the doorframe's opening.
Frank lay down beside Winnie feeling her relaxing touch as she stroked his head. Cisco had leaned against a desk and Caitlin stood a few feet in front of Bette, who was sat down on a bed.
Barry had only walked in moments before the big unveiling and he seemed so devastated. Winnie just wanted to hold both of their hands and tell them that everything was going to work out just fine. But, that wasn't something Winnie was 100% certain on.
"The technology required to unsplice your DNA, hasn't been invented yet." Dr. Wells added, folding his hands.
"Bette..." Barry sighed.
She shook her head as a few stray tears made their way down her cheeks, "It's okay. Roger that... I just need a minute. Don't worry. I'm pretty sure I can cry without blowing stuff up."
She got up and fled the room as more tears threatened to come out. Winnie felt a sadness tug at her, wanting everything to be better for Bette.
"I-I'll go check up on her." Winnie said looking to Caitlin, who nodded her head. Getting up, she dusted off her jeans causing Frank to perk up. Once she was ready, she glanced around the room at everyone and began to leave. As she did so, Frank instantly stood up too and trotted after her as disappeared from view.
---
"Hey." Winnie said as she approached a crying Bette Sans Souci. Bette was sitting down on the floor in one of Star Labs's many corridors her gloved hands placed over her bent knees, tightly squeezing. The tears flowed smoothly down her face and dripped down onto her already damp pants.
The sergeant lifted her head to see Winnie sadly smiling at her and wiped away her tears as best as she could, wondering what the other woman could possibly want.
"Listen, I now that we don't really know each other but, I thought that you could use some company. That is, if you want it." Winnie asked gently.
Bette nodded her head at the kind offer and Winnie sat down beside her. Frank, who had been following Winnie, laid down in front of the two women.
"It's not the end of the world." Winnie started looking over at Bette who had frowned, thinking about how Winnie had no idea what she was going through.
"I mean, I'm sure that we can find a place for you here. You can help others. Protect people. Just because your powers are destructive doesn't mean that they can't be used for good. I believe that you can help us and everyone else."
Bette let her frown drop, she wasn't quite expecting Winnie to say something... nice. She thought that Winnie would say that she was exaggerating or being stupid but, this was actually something sort of comforting to hear.
"How am I supposed to help? If-if I can't touch anything, what is that going to do?"
Winnie smiled, "You lack imagination. There are so many things you could do. You could distract the bad guys while Barry gets the hostages out... You can destroy all of the weapons or guns. We can try and help you learn to control your powers. Figure out how they work and we can all keep this city safe, every one of us."
"You think so?" Bette asked trying not to let too much hope in, for fear that she would be disappointed, "What if everyone else doesn't wnat me on the team?"
"I'll convince them. You're just a person who wants to do good. Someone who wants to make the world a better place and there's always room for people like that. I have faith that we can help you and you can control your powers."
Bette looked at Winnie almost ready to cry once more, "Thank you. Thank you for having faith. For being here."
"That's what friends are for." Winnie replied hugging Bette and rubbing her back soothingly.
After a few moments, the two let go and went back to sitting beside each other, however Bette was now tentatively petting Frank, after making sure that her gloves were on properly.
But soon enough, their moment was interrupted as Winnie heard Barry calling her name.
"Sorry, I should go see what that's about." Winnie apologized, "Frank, why don't you stay here for now? Keep Bette company."
Frank turned his head and stared deep into Winnie's eyes, "Okay."
Blinking a few times because, Winnie was still getting used to the fact that she could fully converse with a dog now, "Good boy." She patted the husky on the head before she went to see what Barry had wanted.
"What's up?" Winnie asked as she walked behind the wall to talk to Barry.
"I just got a call from Iris. Said, you were supposed to meet her at Jitters to go out for dinner together."
"Oh no, I wasn't watching the time." Winnie said distraught, "Do you... do you think you could drop me off? And maybe bring Frank home later?"
"Sure." Barry replied, "Do you want to go now? I have to go to my lab, anyways."
"Alright. Let me just tell Frank and Bette." Winnie said, turning around to go inform the two that she was leaving.
"I have to go. I promised my sister that I would meet up with her and lost track of time."
"I understand." Bette said, "I'll see you soon?"
"Definitely." Winnie replied, "Frank, Barry said that he'd bring you home later, okay? I have to go."
Frank nodded his head and Winnie leaned down for him to lick her face before she got up to leave.
Bette continued stroking the dog, finding great comfort in him as she watched her new friend leave, "Bye."
"Bye, Bette." Winnie turned the corner and prepared herself for what was to come.
"Okay, just... keep you mouth closed and hold on tight." Barry warned as he scooped her up, bridal style, she nodded her head and wrapped her arms around his neck before he ran to Jitters. He carefully placed her down on the ground and she caught her breath.
"That... was really weird." She said.
"Yeah but, it feels awesome once you get used to it." Barry grinned, "I've got to go now, you're going to be okay, right?"
"Yep, right as rain." She replied awkwardly.
She watched as Barry sped off again as she thought about how it felt to be in Barry's arms like that. She sighed as she whirled around and found her sister waiting for her inside Jitters.
---
Barry made his way into his lab to find Joe leaning against his desk, looking at some papers.
"Joe. What are you doing here?"
"Going over the materials in your mom's case. How's it goin' with you?"
"Stellar. I made friends with a human bomb, who I promised I could help and then, I couldn't. And I finally diagnosed why Iris is writing about the streak." Barry ranted, leaning against the wall, "She's doing it for me. To prove the impossible is possible."
"How do you know that?"
"The streak may have talked to her."
"Barry, " Joe said, shaking his head, "Don't you think that Iris would recognize your voice?"
Barry smiled and began talking in an augmented voice, "No, I can do this cool thing with my vocal cords if I vibrate them, so I sound like this."
Hearing the odd voice, Joe gave a big hearty laugh because it was just so strange and funny.
"I know." Barry said starting to laugh a little too, "It's cool."
"Wow." Joe said between laughs.
"Yeah."
"Well, you put that out there now so... I-uh-I... I want to keep her safe."
Barry nodded his head, "You know the only real way to get her to stop is to tell her the truth. I mean, Winnie already knows."
"Yes, I know. I would have preferred not to tell her but, she found out in other ways. And I guess, she already knows but, it's different. She's not as bold as Iris, she won't get into trouble unless she has to. It was always Iris I had to worry about. You really want to tell her?"
"I tell her everything."
Joe just shook his head and wore a knowing smirk, "Not everything." He thought about all those years he'd watched Winnie and Barry grow up, Iris was completely oblivious to the fact but, Joe knew. Joe knew how Barry felt.
Barry became flustered. Did Joe really know he had a crush on Iris? Barry tried to scoff in disagreement but, Joe gave him a look, telling him to tell the truth.
Barry turned away and brushed his ears with his hands, "Is it that obvious?"
Joe took a sip of coffee and nodded his head, "Not to her."
"How long have you known for?" Barry asked leaning against the wall.
Joe softly chuckled to himself, "I have watched you be in love since you were old enough to know what love is. And I've been waiting years for you to tell her. But, you haven't."
Barry shook his head, "Guess I was too slow."
Joe raised his brow in confusion at the statement. It wasn't too late to tell Iris about his feelings for Winnie.
"Now she's happy and with someone else so..."
Joe was still trying to figure out what Barry was talking about, until a thought dawned upon him. Winnie and Danny were an item? He was sure that Winnie still had feelings for Barry, sure she's confided in him about 4 years ago but, not that much seemed to have changed since then. He'd need to ask about that but, it was sound enough to make some sort of sense.
"When the universe wants to make something happen, whether it be giving a young man lightning speed or putting two people together, it has a way of figuring those things out."
Barry nodded his head, taking in Joe's advice. Joe approved of the idea and he was convinced that things would work out.
"I got to get home." Joe said getting up from his spot. He lifted his arms out to hug him and Barry willingly walked towards his father figure.
"By the way, I dropped Frank off at your house. Winnie had to go to dinner with Iris. Apparently, it's their sisters' night."
"Alright." Joe said, hoping the dog wouldn't need a walk as they embraced.
"Thanks." Barry said as they let go.
Joe looked at Barry and began laughing again, thinking about how weird his voice sounded and pointed at his own throat.
Barry sighed as he sat down in his lab chair, glancing around until his eyes stopped on a brown picture frame with little flower carvings engrained into its wood.
He smiled softly as he got to work.
---
Winnie woke up with a bright smile on her face, she'd had an amazing dream. One that gave her this feeling she couldn't quite describe.
It started off with her planting a red tulip in a little bed of dirt and when she looked all around her, the rest of the place was flourishing with life. Beside her, Frank was chasing a butterfly and was having the time of his life. Then, her eyes landed on Barry who was watching her from the porch, he smiled sweetly at her as he walked towards her.
When he reached her, he sat down beside her and the two started talking and laughing. The only part of her conversation that she did remember was when Barry asked her a question.
"If you could change anything, save anyone from dying that already has, who would you save?" She could remember the seriousness of his face when he'd asked her.
She couldn't remember what she'd said but, she did have an idea who she had chosen and knew the exact reasons why.
Though whether she remembered or not didn't matter because the next thing she knew, Barry's lips were on hers and she remembered the feeling of pure bliss. She could remember the feeling of his kiss if she tried really hard.
The feeling of running her hands through his hair, his hands on her waist as he pulled her closer. The feeling she imagined felt so real that it was as if they had kissed before... but, that couldn't be right.
She would have laid in bed thinking about this dream all day if Frank didn't need to go to the washroom. So, she regretfully got up, dressed and headed out for a walk with Frank.
When the two got back, she made some toast and brought it outside with her as she walked into the backyard.
What she found surprised her because she didn't remember everything being so... so... green. And not just any green, it was a lively, vibrant green filled with life. Her jaw had dropped and she almost choked on her breakfast.
She walked into the garden and looked around desperately. The deeper she went the greener it got until, she found a single red tulip at the center of everything, the most prosperous and brilliant of them all. From the deep red colour of the bulb to the fresh green of the stem, it was bursting with life.
She was very confused, it was November. How in the heck did this happen? Sure, she came into her garden everyday to water the grass and she had pulled up a few of the really rotten plants but, this. This was impossible.
She didn't know what to do so instead she quickly ran out of there, taking bites of her toast along the way. She didn't stop until she got to work.
"Dear, are you alright? You look like you ran all the way here." Mrs. Pemberton said noting the flustered look on her face and the slight wheezing coming from Winnie.
"I...m...al...right." Was all Winnie could get out. Man, she was really out of shape considering all of the walking she did. Though, there was a slight difference between her sprinting all the way to work and her casually walking.
"Here. Why don't you have some water?" Mrs. Pemberton said pointing to the back where a water cooler was waiting.
Winnie nodded her head and trudged to the back.
---
After work, Winnie made it her mission to head to Star Labs and began to walk. Though her legs hurt, she needed to talk to Caitlin about this. She'd know what to do.
About a mile into the walk, she felt a large whoosh and turned her head to find Barry Allen standing in front of her. He wore a grey sweater pulled over a light blue collared shirt.
Seeing him made her think about her dream and that just caused her face to turn as red as his suit. She hoped he couldn't tell and that he couldn't read minds, otherwise she probably would have been in big trouble.
"Need a ride?" Barry asked smirking at the idea of Winnie turning him down and having to walk all the way to the lab.
Winnie nodded her head, "Yes. Yes, please. I can't walk to Star Labs. Not after this morning."
"What happened this morning?"
Winnie thought back to the crazy event that had scared her away earlier, "I... decided to run to work. It was a horrible idea."
"I'd bet." Barry said smiling wider, "I'm headed to Star Labs too! So, we can both go. Maybe we could convince the team to let Bette join. With two of us, I'm sure they would agree!"
"Why? They didn't want Bette? She's great." Winnie said.
"I know but, they wouldn't listen to me. Maybe they'll listen to you or the both of us."
Winnie agreed, "Yeah. So, about that ride..."
Barry went and scooped her up like the day before causing her heart to skip a beat. He raced over to Star Labs and stopped in front of the space by the elevators.
Everytime he ran, she had to squeeze her eyes tight because she felt as if they would stop once she looked. She also had the feeling that she would get nauseous if she opened them, considering that everything would be like a blur to her.
She opened her eyes to see Barry smiling at her.
"You know you don't need to close your eyes, or even just close them that tight, right?"
"Yeah, I just... it feels safer that way." She said shyly looking down at her feet and tucking a strand of loose hair behind her ear.
"Okay. Suit yourself." He grabbed her hand and began pulling her towards the cortex, "Come on."
When they got there, they walked in to find Cisco sitting glumly at the console with Caitlin resting a hand on his arm.
Looking around the room, Winnie saw no sign of her new friend and apparently Barry had the same thought because he decided to voice the question that was on both of their minds.
"Where's Bette?"
---
Winnie sadly sat on the couch at home with Frank beside her, resting his head in her lap. She absentmindedly stroked the top of his head trying to feel calm. Instead all that she could feel was sadness and anxiety.
Bette died and they didn't even have a body. No, she had to be killed and then explode. The explosion almost killed Barry and everyone in Central City too. She didn't even get the chance to tell Caitlin what had happened that morning because she was too distraught.
Iris was sitting at the kitchen table and could tell something was hurting Winnie, something was making her sad. She wanted to ask but, she didn't want to prod too much.
Their dad was usually the one to cheer her up, Iris had never been too good at talking about feelings with Winnie. She didn't know why because Winnie was amazing at expressing her feelings to Iris but, not the other way around.
Iris was upset too, upset with Barry for telling her over and over again to stop writing about the Streak. Upset that she couldn't help Winnie feel better. There were too many things everyone was feeling.
The front door opened and Barry walked inside holding two cups from Jitters.
"If you came to do laundry, I already put a load in." Iris said glancing up from her computer for a second.
"Uh. No. I-I came to talk." Barry said leaning over the couch, "Hey, Winn. I-uh... I got you a hot chocolate."
Winnie looked up at Barry and gave him a sad smile, "Thanks, Bare."
She held out her hand to grab the cup from him as he said, "If you want, we can talk about... about what happened later. If it'll make you feel better."
"I'm okay, Barry. I-I just need time to process it." Winnie replied.
Barry nodded his head, flashed her a comforting smile and turned to go talk to Iris.
"Hi." He softly whispered.
Winnie didn't want to get caught up in this conversation so she held on to her cup and sat up straighter. This caused Frank to get off of her and stand up, sensing that she was going to be moving.
"Where are we going?" Frank whispered in her mind.
"Shh. We're just heading outside." She whispered back as she tried to tune out the conversation Iris and Barry were having. It seemed too private to listen to.
The two silently walked into the backyard and Winnie sat down on the little porch swing that was there. Frank waited for the swing to steady before he jumped on beside her, assuming the position he'd previously had, laying his head down in her lap.
Her left hand went to stroke the top of his head as her right brought the cup to her lips and she savoured the sweet taste on her tongue. Barry remembered that she didn't drink caffeinated drinks and that she liked whipped cream on top.
A bonus about Barry's powers were that he could get to the house fast enough that the whipped cream hadn't completely melted by the time he'd arrived.
She took the lid off of the cup and licked the cream a bit before all of it melted away, a habit she'd picked up when she was little.
She looked down at Frank who licked her left hand and smiled up at the stars. If Bette was okay, if she watching, Winnie hoped that she would be able to hear her apology. That Bette wasn't upset about the false hope Winnie had filled her head with.
"I'm sorry, Bette. I'm so sorry."
---
How's the story so far? I hope it's interesting enough. I don't really know what I'm doing so...
Enjoy!