Caitlin smiled at her friend as she told her about the movie she had seen yesterday. Robin felt much better as well. Physically this time. Only her right hand was still healing, now only wrapped in gauze.

"Where's Barry?" Cisco asked, cutting off Caitlin's story. Robin turned to him and shrugged.

"He's late. Late is kind of his signature move." Cisco huffed.

"Hey, you guys want to see my signature move?" With a flash Barry entered the room, a cup of coffee in his hands. Robin looked down to see one in her hand as well. She smiled and took a sip. Iris still had to return her card so no coffee for her.

"Sorry, guys, I got a little held up." He grinned. "You had to be there." Wells didn't smile.

"I'm gonna need a moment or two alone with Barry." Caitlin hurried out of the room while Cisco and Robin took a moment longer. Robin smiled as she passed Barry.

"Thanks" Barry grinned. Something had changed between them and Barry kind of liked it. Cisco smirked.

"Ooh, you're in trouble." Barry rolled his eyes and looked at Wells. Robin sped up a bit more to walk next to Caitlin.

"You wanna grab some coffee later?" Caitlin raised her eyebrow and looked at Robin's cup.

"You already have coffee right here" Robin rolled her eyes.

"I know, but it's been ages since you, Cisco and me got some old school coffee." Caitlin stopped and turned to them.

"Why not?" Cisco grinned.

"The three amigo's are back, baby!!" The three of them were called back pretty quickly. Barry had apparently found a dead body, one that was burned to no return.

Cisco sat behind one of the computers. Robin watched him and Barry from the top of her own desk.

Caitlin had made her, her special herb thee, which she believed, 'made your body relax and calm down'. Robin had insisted they tried to make her cells settle faster, needing to have powers as well if she wanted to have a shot at taking down meta's. Barry had tried to tell her she was fine without it but Robin simply pointed out that is she would have had some powers, she could have stopped Tony when he visited Iris the first time.

"All right. Facial recognition software... it's designed for archeologists, and it should help us ID your crispy corpse."

"The question is, how did he get fried in the first place? Is there a metahuman out there that can control electricity?"

"It'd take a serious electrostatic discharge to cause that level of tissue damage." Caitlin confirmed. Cisco's computer bleeped.

"Guys, according to the software, there's an 82% chance your victim looked like this." They looked down at his computer, which showed a face of a person.

"82%?"

"Hey, it was zero when you walked in here, pal."

"Can you cross-reference that with the DMV database, maybe get a name?" Cisco nodded and got to work.

"Absolutely. This software can do just about anything now that Robin reprogrammed it." Barry looked up and Robin send him a smile.

"I had a lot of time on my hands" She held up her free and still bandaged hand.

"Casey Donahue. No wife. No kids. Used to work at the Petersburg electrical substation."

"That can't be a coincidence."

"That's weird. Someone just used his ID To enter the substation." Robin swapped her screen to that of the TV. They turned to it to see the energy usage of the substation.

"The Petersburg grid is experiencing a power drain right now." Barry turned away from it.

"Barry, be..." He dashed away. "Careful." Robin hopped off her desk and sat down behind her spot at the console. Wells had assigned her Lab duty, seeing she was still healing. Robin had thrown a fit when she had heard it but Barry had managed to calm her down, for now.

Cisco's eyes widen as he noticed Barry's status. Robin noticed it too and tapped the button of her mic.

"Barry, you need to get out of there" There was a electricity like noise before Barry groaned.

"I can't. My speed... is gone." Robin frowned.

"Do you... need a ride?" The line went silent before Barry replied.

"I think so" Robin nodded and stood up.

"Then I guess I am going to pick him up" Wells shook his head.

"No, you stay here" Robin took the keys of the car from the desk.

"I need to be useful in some way." She muttered and left the room. Wells watched her and sighed. This girl was going to be the death of him.

Robin returned with Barry half an hour later. Barry had been silent the whole drive and was still silent as he ran on the treadmill, on normal speed.

"He runs slow even for a normal person." Cisco commented. Barry stopped running, very out of breath.

"You can't just lose your powers, okay? Your DNA was transformed by the particle accelerator blast. There's no way to untransform DNA."Barry sighed.

"Yeah, tell that to Robin who it took 30 minutes to retrieve me. I had to tell a passerby that I was coming from a cosplay party."

"So we were wrong. This metahuman doesn't electrocute people; he siphons electricity, thereby removing your power." Wells started.

"All right, do we think this is temporary or..."

"We have to run tests." Cisco apologized. Barry sighed and stood up.

"I've got to warn Joe."

"Barry, we will find a way to restore your speed. I promise you that."Barry nodded at him and walked away. Robin walked after him.

"But until then, I guess I'm your designated driver" Barry send her a small smile and together they walked off.

-

"You think I'll ever wear it again?"Barry asked as he stared at his suit. Robin nodded.

"It might take you a while to put it on, but I think you will" Barry sighed, not really in the mood for jokes.

"I didn't have my speed for very long, but now that it's gone, it feels like part of me is gone too."Robin hesitated but placed her hand on Barry's arm.

"With or without your speed, you're still you, Barry."

"But what if I'm not." He asked, unconsciously moving closer to Robin. "I'm not the best version of me. I love being The Flash. I love everything about it: The feeling of running hundreds of miles per hour, wind and power just rushing past my face, being able to help people, having you as my partner." Robin smiled. "I'm not sure I can live without it, Robin." Robin opened her mouth to say something when Cisco walked towards them, cutting in. Barry took a step back, not having noticed stepping closer.

"Farooq Gibran."

"Who?" Cisco handed him his tabled.

"The powers vampire who jacked your speed. I hacked into the surveillance footage from the Petersburg substation. Once I got his face, it was easy to find a match."

"He climbed an electrical tower the night of the accelerator explosion." Caitlin nodded, walking towards them.

"No surprise where his powers came from." They all looked up as a bleep sounded.

Cisco jogged back to the computer and blinked.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me. This is not happening." They all walked closer and Cisco copied the screen to the TV. It showed them an clear view of the main entrance where Farooq stood, staring straight into the camera.

"Dr. Harrison Wells, I need to see you! Come on, I know you're inside. Open the door. I just want to talk, Dr. Wells. Wells! Let me in!" He shouted. They stared at him.

"Maybe if we keep still he will go away" Robin suggested. Barry gazed at her but she didn't notice. Farooq walked out of view of the camera. Robin smirked in triumph. "See?" Seconds later the power turned out. Robin sighed and looked down.

Barry stepped away from them and took out his phone, most likely calling Jo. Doctor Wells rolled into the room as well.

"Are you alright?" Caitlin asked him. He nodded.

"What is happening?"

"Farooq, the electricity vampire is here. He took our power" Wells sighed and rubbed his face.

"Captain Singh, I've been trying to get in touch with Joe or anyone at the precinct." Barry paused. "Wait..." He lowered the phone and turned to Wells. "Joe and Iris are in trouble. I need my powers back now." Wells looked up.

"I have a theory. It's untested."

"I'm willing to roll the dice."

"Okay, you've lost your speed, yes, but nothing has changed inside you on a subatomic level. In other words, your cells are still primed."

"They just need a jumpstart." Cisco looked at them, understanding what Wells was saying.

"Okay, how do we do that? How do we jumpstart me?"

"We need to replicate the initial jolt to your system."

"But that would mean a peak current of at least 20,000 kilo-amps." Robin's eyes widen, realizing it too.

"Are you insane? That's more electricity than they give to people in the electric chair." Caitlin hissed.

"Caitlin, with Farooq in the building, we're all looking at a death sentence here." Robin shook her head.

"Can't I do something, I mean. I don't need any powers to fight" Barry turned to her.

"No, it is to dangerous. He could fry you too" Robin opened her mouth "No" She send him a glare and sat back down.

"The spare generator's offline." Cisco started again. "If we reboot it, we could get a charge that big."

"We need something that can transmit the load from the generator to Barry's body without shorting out."

"The treadmill. My baby could take the charge."

"What if Barry can't?" Caitlin resorted. Wells looked at Barry.

"Well, that's up to Mr. Allen." Barry stared at them and walked away.

"Where are you going? I'm gonna talk to him." Robin stood up instantly.

"No. Barry, no" Barry turned around.

"Okay, you didn't see him at the substation. He needed to feed. I got super speed out of the particle accelerator blast, but his best friends died. He woke up with a disease."

"Earlier today, you worked a crime scene where this metahuman electrocuted an innocent man. He's a murderer! And you are powerless to defend yourself against him." Wells shot back.

"He may just need help like I did. I don't need my powers to offer him that. I have to try." Robin jogged after him.

"Robin, you listen to me, for once and stay here!" Robin stopped and turned to him.

"I am not going to sit here while Barry gets roasted" She shouted before she resumed her way. When she finally caught up to Barry he was ready to face Farooq. He stopped when he noticed Robin.

"You need to stay here" Robin shook her head.

"No, I am not letting you do this alone" Barry grabbed her arms.

"Please, stay here. You can keep an eye on me from here, alright. Just promise me you won't go near him" Robin stared him in the eyes and nodded.

"Fine, but you better stay safe as well" Barry exhaled and stepped through the doorway. Robin stepped closer to the wall, not letting Farooq see her. There was a hiss of electricity.

"Hey, whoa, whoa. Whoa, whoa, easy. I'm not gonna hurt you. You can't hurt me." The electricity lessened.

"Where is Harrison Wells?" Farooq asked. Robin turned her head to see Wells rolling up to her. He send her a small nod which she returned. When she turned her head back to the door, Robin noticed Caitlin and Cisco were standing at the other side of the door.

"Look, I know what happened to you. The night of the accelerator explosion, it changed you. It changed me too."

"You were the one in the red suit. I fed from you. I have to keep feeding." There was a sound of someone walking before it stopped.

"All right, I know this has to be terrifying. That's why I want to help you, okay? The night of the explosion, when the light hit me, it stopped my heart. Jake and Darya... they were your friends."

"I woke up, and they were beside me, dead. They tried to give me CPR. They were touching me, and I electrocuted them."

"This is not your fault."

"I know. Wells did this to me."

"Farooq, you need to listen to me." There was a crackle of electricity before Barry flew through the doorway, against the wall. Robin quickly pulled bar next to the door, sealing it.

"Not sure how long that will hold." She commented and turned to the others. Caitlin had helped Barry sit and was checking him for wounds.

"Done being noble, Mr. Allen?" Barry nodded, rubbing his head. "Caitlin, get him to the treadmill." Caitlin helped Barry up. "Cisco, bring the generator online. Make sure Barry gets the charge." Cisco frowned.

"What? You're not coming with me? I am not leaving you."

"Listen to me. Of everything I've done in my life, of everything I have invented, my most important creation is The Flash. Barry Allen must have a future." Cisco stared at him and nodded.

"Come on, Robin" Robin nodded but Wells stopped her.

"Actually I want Robin to go with me. She was right, if someone is still able to fight Farooq it is her" Robin turned to him and send him a small smile. "Now, go. Go!" They nodded and split up. Barry glanced at Robin one last time before he rounded to corner, having a bad feeling about this.

-

Robin walked alongside Wells towards the lower rings. She reached up and used her teeth to pull off the bandage around her hand. The bandage fell to the ground and she flexed her hand. It was still a bit sore but it had to do. They stopped at the bulkhead door. Wells nodded at Robin and she opened it, manually. Tony slammed against the glass.

"Come to check on your pet? Why don't you just kill me, huh?" Wells moved further into the room. "Get it over with."

"Quid pro quo. That's Latin, Mr. Woodward. You've heard of Latin? Quid pro quo means something for something"

"A favor for a favor" Robin translated. Wells nodded.

"Precisely, and in this case that something is your freedom. I'm prepared to grant it to you." Tony stepped towards the glass.

"How do you know I won't kill you?" Wells smirked.

"Let's call that a calculated risk, one I'm willing to take."

"Really?"

"That's right."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because there is another metahuman loose in this facility. I want you to stop him"

-

"You're winded. That's not good." Cisco commented as Barry and Caitlin walked into the room.

"I need to take your blood and figure out what happened." Barry sat down and Caitlin took his blood.

"I can't believe he's dead."

"Dr. Wells?"

"No, no. Tony woodward. He escaped from the pipeline. He must have got out when the blackout hit." Cisco stopped and shook his head.

"Not possible. The pipeline was designed to withstand a power outage. Someone had to have let him go." Wells appeared in the doorway, without Robin.

" I did. I released him."

"Where's Robin?" Barry asked, immediately noticing she was missing. Wells stared at him. "Where is she?"

"Doctor Wells"

"She was hit by Farooq's electricity." Barry froze. "She kept him away from me, giving you more time to get your powers back" They all stopped, Cisco looked down at his computer and Caitlin's hand shot to her mouth.

"No" She breathed.

"I'm sorry" Wells whispered.

"You used her as a distraction?" Barry asked, very calmly. Wells shook his head.

"No. Tony was the distraction. An unnecessary one, as it turns out"

The room feel silent and Barry stood up.

"I'm going to get her" Wells shook his head.

"Farooq is still out there. We need to leave" Barry stared at him, tears in his eyes.

"How could you leave her like that? She didn't deserve to die."

"Does Caitlin or Cisco or me or you? Robin gave us the chance to escape, do not waist it"

"All your talk about miracle cures and scientific breakthroughs, but you don't care about people at all."

"Well, maybe you care too much, Barry. I know being a hero is important to you, and I respect your ideals. I just don't have the luxury of sharing them." Barry snorted.

"I forgot. Your game's chess. We're all just pawns to you, right? So what's your move, doctor? Which one of us gets sacrificed next?" Barry stared at him, his eyes flaring with anger. He had let Robin die. He knew, he knew he should have taken Robin with him instead of her going with Wells. Now she was gone and there was no knowing if he would ever see her again.

"We have to get out of the facility." Wells stated, rolling towards the computer. Barry shook his head.

"We just left him on D level. We'll never make it to the main entrance from here." Cisco looked up, his face wet from the tears that had run down but his eyes determined.

"What about the garage, the mobile lab van?"

"It's my move, Mr. Allen, and I say we make a run for it." Caitlin looked up, whipping her face. If Cisco could be strong, so could she.

"Barry, look. Your cells, they're rapidly regenerating." Barry stared at her and held up his hand. It vibrated for a second.

"I still don't have my speed."

"It must be mental, not physical." Caitlin turned to Barry, her eyes red and puffy.

"Look, you asked if I believed you were struck by lightning for a reason, if you were chosen. I believe. Robin would to" Barry swallowed hard.

"Let's move."

-

"Let's go." Barry ran out into the basement level. Cisco, Caitlin and Wells a bit behind him.

"Second van, keys are inside." Barry made his way towards the van and got inside.

"Get in! Come on! Come on." He turned the keys, trying to ignite the car but it wouldn't work. Well's wheelchair stopped as well.

"He's here. Barry." The back door opened and they watched in fright as Farooq walked inside, his hands flaring with electricity. He noticed them and shot at Barry. Barry rolled out of the van just in time. Caitlin and Cisco ran to him, not about to lose another friend. Farooq walked towards them and raised his hand.

"Did he hit you?"Barry shook his head.

"I'm okay." Cisco's eyes widen, seeing Farooq ready to fry them. He closed his eyes, at least he would see Robin and Ronnie again.

"No, please." Caitlin tried, cowering into Barry.

"Hey! You're here for me." Wells called, getting his attention. He turned away from the group and smiled at Wells.

"Finally you show your face."

"Well, I wasn't exactly eager to be killed."

"Neither were my friends."

"I know. I hurt a lot of people that night."

"People? You don't even know their names."

"Jake Davenport. Darya Kim. Ralph Dibny, Al Rothstein, Grant Emerson, Will Everett, Bea Da Costa, Robin Grayson, Ronnie Raymond." Barry's eyes widen. Robin? Why did he say Robin. "I know the names of every person who died that night. I know they all mattered, and the fact that the world is now deprived of their potential is something that I have to live with every day, but these people... These people have done nothing wrong. You want to punish me? Fine, let's do that, but let these people live." Farooq stared at him before he stepped closer.

"You died that night too." He held up his hand, electricity building up in it. He shot at Wells but he dived out of his wheelchair.

"No!" Barry screamed.

"You just didn't know it till today." Farooq shot again but this time Barry was ready. His pupils dilated and he shot forwards. He grabbed Wells and brought him to Cisco and Caitlin. He then ran back to Farooq, back in his Flash suit. Farooq shot at him, trying to drain him again. Barry screamed and tried to fight back. They both fell to their knees and screamed even more.

The beam suddenly stopped and Farooq fell down. Barry panted, looking at the body. He let out a growl and shot to it, starting to punch him rapidly. He had killed Robin! Killed her in cold blood! He had taken her from him. Two arm appeared on his shoulder, pulling him off Farooq. Barry glared up at the person but stopped when he noticed it was Caitlin.

"Please stop, she wouldn't want this" Barry panted some more before he blinked.

"Robin" He sped away, back into the felicity. He ran down every hall, into every room, trying to find her. And he did, inside the storage room. He fell down to his knees beside her. Her face was pale and her blue eyes closed. There was a black burn mark in the middle of her chest, the edges stained dark red. Barry ripped off his mask, tears running down his cheeks.

"No, please" He took her hand in his but she didn't move. Barry lowered his head and cried. He had lost her, just after she made it into his life.

-

Barry walked into the precinct half an hour later. Caitlin and Cisco had found him holding Robin and had taken her to one of the beds. Wells had send him away after that. Barry had done as told, giving Cisco and Caitlin some time to mourn as well. A cop pasted him, snapping Barry out of it. He resumed his way, trying to find Iris when he spotted her, on the stairs with Jo. He looked up at them and send them a small smile. As if sensing him staring at them, Iris looked up and met his gaze. She slipped out of Jo's arms and ran towards him. She flung into his arms, very glad to see him again. She held him tightly even when her shoulder got wet. Iris hugged him even tighter as Barry cried softly.

-

Barry arrived back at S.T.A.R. labs, still very glum. He had told Iris what had happened and she had tried as well. Jo had taken Iris from him and told him he should go back to S.T.A.R. Labs to say his goodbyes. Barry had nodded numbly. Iris had given him Robin's Jitter's card back, saying she had forgotten to give it back. So with the card in his hand Barry walked back into the main room. First he noticed the silence and frowned.

Where were they?

He walked towards the lab but it was deserted as well.

"Hello?" There was more silence but that was broken when Cisco walked into the room. He send Barry a small smile and Barry frowned, seeing how normal he looked.

"Come on, dude" Cisco led him towards one of the too Barry unknown doors and stepped inside. Wells was the first to look up. He send Barry a smile.

"Nice of you to join us, Mister Allen" Barry stepped further into the room, very confused.

"What's going on, where's Ro-" Barry turned to Cisco and his eyes fell onto the bed behind him. There lay Robin, looking exactly like before, but wearing new clothes. Caitlin stood beside the bed, tears in her eyes. "What's going on?" Wells rolled towards Barry.

"It appeared Miss Grayson is as tough as she said" Barry frowned. Then he noticed the machine beside Robin, one that was registering a very faint heartbeat.

"She's alive?" Caitlin nodded. Barry let out a airy laugh and hugged Caitlin. She hugged back, just as relieved. Cisco was next. They soon released, Barry turned to Robin. Caitlin noticed this and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"She is in a coma though"

"It seems her cells are absorbing the electricity." Barry turned to him.

"She's a meta human?" Wells nodded.

"It appears so" Caitlin smiled.

"And in the rate her body is healing, it shouldn't take her long before she comes out" Barry nodded and turned away from Robin.

"What happened with Farooq?"

"I'm just not sure what happened."

"Why didn't he just siphon all my powers like before?" Caitlin walked over to him and held up her tablet.

"Because you finally stopped thinking about your powers and just connected to them. Look, this is a sample of your blood from just after you were struck by lightning. Now your cells are generating more energy than ever before. It was more energy than the meta could safely handle. It's almost like he choked on you."

"But what does that mean?" Wells smirked.

"It means you've kicked it up a notch. And it appears that if you hadn't we would all be dead" Barry smiled. Caitlin and Cisco walked out of the room, knowing Barry and Wells needed to talk.

"Dr. Wells. What I said about how you don't care about people, I... "

"No, look, Barry. There is a reason that my biography describes me as arrogant, prickly, brusque..."

"-at times contemptuous." Barry finished. "I read it twice."

"You were right. I don't care much for people, Barry. I find them misinformed, shortsighted."

"So why do you do what you do? Why get up in the morning?"

"Because I believe in a better future, one that I very much want to see, one that you are a part of. I might not much care for people, Barry, but I care about you." Barry watched him as he rolled out. Caitlin and Cisco passed him, both holding cups of coffee. Cisco handed Barry one. Barry frowned.

"What's this for?" Caitlin smiled sadly.

"Robin suggested we would get coffee together"

"Get the three amigo's back together" Cisco added. Barry looked down at the coffee in his hands.

"So, we thought, why not just do it" Caitlin placed her spare cup at Robin's bedside. Cisco held up his cup.

"To Robin" Barry smiled and held up his.

"To Robin"

-

"Good day, Dr. Wells."

"Yes, it is, Gideon"

"Bring up my log, please, new entry. It has now been 312 days since lightning struck. In the past 24 hours, subject has taken a great leap forward, causing me to revise my initial thesis. I thought... Well, I thought his attachment to people was a distraction slowing down his progress. Now I realize the opposite is true. Barry's attachment to people, the people he cares about, is actually the key to getting him up to speed. In the meantime, good news. The future remains intact.

Gideon, make a new entry on the Nightwing Project."

"New entry made, Dr. Wells"

"It has now been 312 days since the accelerator exploded and today we have made the first step towards our goal"

-

"You're early."

"Yeah, I know. It feels weird to me too." Barry stood up from the treadmill.

"I thought after yesterday, you'd want to sleep in." Barry shook his head. He had tried but every time he closed his eyes he saw Robin's lifeless body laying in front of him.

"I can't. There's too much work to do. I'm ready to do it. I want to push myself, find out how fast I can really go. You were right. This is not just about me." Maybe if he had been faster he could have saved Robin from Farooq. Wells smiled.

"Let's get to work."