Chapter 23: Rogue Time
Chapter 23: Rogue Time
The world snapped back into focus. One moment, I was standing in the S.T.A.R. Labs cortex, watching Caitlin sob over Cisco's "death," a silent scream trapped in my throat. The next, I was back in the cortex, the same day, the same time, the same conversation about Mark Mardon. Cisco was alive. And he was annoying. Gloriously, wonderfully annoying.
"He's alive! Oh, thank God, he's alive! But… I remember. I remember him dying. And I remember Wells killing him. This is going to be a fun little mind game for the next few months. Thanks, Barry, for breaking the timeline. Again." My internal monologue was a whirlwind of relief and profound disorientation.
Barry, oblivious to the timeline reset, was still struggling with his speed, still trying to catch Mark Mardon. He was repeating the same mistakes, heading towards the same tragic outcome. But I remembered. I remembered every detail. And I had a chance to fix it. Subtly.
"Okay, so Mardon's still out there," Barry said, looking at the weather patterns. "And he's still coming for Joe."
"We need to anticipate his moves," I said, my voice calm, almost too calm. "He's predictable in his rage. He'll go for the police station first. And then… the waterfront. He likes to use water to amplify his powers. And he'll try to create a tidal wave. Like he did before." I caught myself. "Like he would do. Just a hunch."
Caitlin looked at me, a slight frown on her face. "You seem… very certain, Adam."
"Just a really strong gut feeling," I shrugged, forcing a casual smile. "Plus, I've seen enough disaster movies to know how these things usually play out. Tidal waves are always a classic."
I subtly nudged Cisco. "Cisco, remember that sonic dampener you made for Pied Piper? What if we could reverse the frequency? Use it to disrupt Mardon's staff? Or, you know, create a localized anti-weather field? Just brainstorming here."
Cisco's eyes lit up. "An anti-weather field! Adam, you're a genius! That's actually… that could work!"
My main focus, however, was Cisco. Every time he cracked a joke, every time he fiddled with a gadget, a phantom pain shot through my chest. I remembered his horrified face, Wells's chilling words, the sickening thud. I was more protective of him than ever, subtly positioning myself between him and Wells whenever possible, always keeping an eye on the Time Vault.
Wells, of course, noticed my subtle shifts. He watched me with his usual calculating gaze, a flicker of suspicion in his eyes. He knew something was different, something had changed. But he couldn't pinpoint it. And that was my only advantage.
The confrontation with Mark Mardon played out differently this time. Thanks to my subtle nudges, Barry was better prepared. He intercepted Mardon at the waterfront, and Cisco's modified sonic dampener disrupted Mardon's staff, allowing Barry to take him down quickly. No tidal wave. No collateral damage. No accidental time travel.
And no Cisco death.
When we returned to S.T.A.R. Labs, Cisco was alive, buzzing with excitement over their success. He was laughing, high-fiving Barry, completely oblivious to the horrific fate he had narrowly avoided. Caitlin was relieved, her usual composure restored.
I watched them, a profound sense of relief washing over me, mixed with a deep, aching loneliness. I was the only one who remembered. The only one who carried the weight of that trauma.
Later that night, I found Caitlin in the lab, still working. I sat beside her, the silence between us comfortable.
"You know," I said softly, "I had the most awful dream last night."
She looked at me, her brow furrowed. "Oh? What about?"
"It was… vivid," I said, choosing my words carefully. "Cisco… he was… he was gone. And it was… it was awful. Like a nightmare that felt too real."
She reached out, gently squeezing my hand. "Oh, Adam. It was just a dream. He's fine. We're all fine. It's probably just the stress of everything."
"Yeah," I sighed, leaning my head back against the wall. "Probably. But it just… it makes you appreciate everything, you know? Every moment. Every person." I looked at her, my gaze unwavering. "Every person who's still here."
She smiled, a soft, understanding smile. "I know. We're lucky to have each other."
If only you knew how lucky, Doc. If only you knew. The secret was still mine. The burden was still mine. But Cisco was alive. And that was all that mattered. For now.
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