"Didn't feel like going home last night?"

Caitlin turns to see Cisco standing in the entryway to her lab. She grins and shakes her head.

"Just haven't felt like getting up yet." She chuckles. "I uh- I heard you talking to him earlier. Go easy on him, Cisco."

"I did. I had a lot more I wanted to say." He defends.

"He's Barry. No matter what timeline he's from, he's our Barry. The fact that he messed up this bad in an attempt to make things right just proves that. Very Barry of him."

Cisco chuckles.

"There's stuff we don't know about him. There's stuff he doesn't know about us. It's always been like that, Cisco. We learn." Caitlin tries to argue.

"I hate having to relearn things." Cisco whines.

"How many times have I had to teach you how to run a DNA sequence?" Caitlin raises an eyebrow.

"That's different!" Cisco glares and points at her. "We don't know what we don't know or what he doesn't know. What if I ask him to bring me a coffee and he brings me a cold brew when I wanted French roast? What if he forgets the cream?" Cisco distresses.

Caitlin is staring unamused at him.

"Just saying." Cisco says, calming down. "He clearly doesn't know about your uh..." He motions in the air.

"My what, Cisco?" Caitlin bites.

"What if you weren't kidnapped in his timeline?" Cisco asks. "What if he doesn't know about your time with Zoom?"

"Then that's for the best." Caitlin suggests. "He doesn't need to know. Not like he knew much anyway."

Cisco takes a deep breath. "Promise me something." Caitlin nods. "Don't use this as an excuse to keep things from him. Not things our Barry knew. Don't hide."

Caitlin takes a deep breath and nods. "Promise."

***

"You...traveled back in time?" Iris stares unbelievingly at Barry. "I knew it was possible, but I never thought you'd do it."

"Well, I'd done it before. Just not that far back." Barry defends.

"Why are you telling me this?" Iris asks, noting Barry's mood is off. She knows there's more than just catching her up. "What's happened?"

Barry looks around Eddie and Iris's apartment. The last time he'd seen it was when they were moving her and Eddie out. They must've gotten this place back in this timeline.

"Barry?" Iris looks around him to get his attention. "What's going on?"

Barry breathes back the tears, swallows the lump in his throat. "Things changed."

"When you came back?" Iris asks.

Barry nods. He decides to leave out Flashpoint for now, at least until its relevant. "Small things, but enough. Enough that I feel lost."

Barry takes a deep breath and looks around the room. "Something is going on with Joe and Caitlin and Cisco. My timeline, they all trusted each other completely. Here, it seems like Joe doesn't. You and Eddie, you weren't fighting. Wally didn't hate me. This Julian guy, I've never even met him. Who knows what else there is, but things just keep piling up." Barry rants.

Iris exhale deeply and looks wide-eyed at Barry. "That's a lot Bar." He nods. "Well, let's get started then. Um, dad and Caitlin and Cisco, he's never really gotten over Thawne's betrayal. He was convinced for so long that they were working with him, and once it came out who he was, especially given Caitlin's connection with him, he's still not convinced they were as innocent in the whole thing as they were."

"So, you believe them?" Barry assures.

Iris smiles. "Aside from you, those two are my best friends. I trust them completely. And I saw Caitlin when we found out about Thawne. After you all rescued Eddie and I found out who he was, she was devastated, to say the least. Dad didn't really stick around much after that. Didn't see the point in working with S.T.A.R. Labs. Too much of a risk."

"He still doesn't trust them? After all this time, everything they've done?"

"He shrugs a lot of it off." Iris explains. "And a lot of it he doesn't find out about. He doesn't approve of including S.T.A.R. Labs, so we don't usually tell him until we absolutely have to."

"So how does he feel about Caitlin and me?"

"Skeptical." Iris laughs. "Thinks it'll be short-lived, or she'll betray you. Wasn't a fan of you two moving in with each other." Iris clears her throat. "Uh, after everything that happened with Zoom, he's been a little on edge. Sees her as a ticking time-bomb."

"What did happen?" Barry asks.

Iris shakes her head. "Not my place to tell you that." Barry just nods. "As for uh, Eddie and I, well, I don't do well with liars. Especially those who try to justify it. He knew about you and Thawne for way too long before he told me. And even then, he only told me because he was scared I had already figured it out. I didn't tell him about Wally, partially because I wasn't sure what was going on yet, but a little out of spite. We've just had a lot of trust issues since then."

"He loves you." Barry assures her.

"But does he respect me?" Iris asks. "See me as an equal, not a damsel?" Barry doesn't answer. "When I figure that out, then we'll be alright."

Barry nods. "And Wally?"

"You're Joe's son. The one who got to grow up with him. At least, that's how Wally sees you." Iris explained. "He didn't take too warmly to you when he first got here, but Caitlin and I had almost fixed that."

"What happened?" Barry asks.

"Caitlin was taken." Iris tells him. "He was grateful to you for giving up your speed for her for about as long as it took for you to tell him she was still gone."

"I would've stopped it if I could. He must know that." Barry defends.

"He doesn't know you, Barry. He doesn't trust you yet. She was gone for so long, and so much happened. Dad hasn't been helping. He means well, but it all just kinda confuses Wally. He sees you and Caitlin and Cisco as opposites because dad does, but it makes him not trust you, not them."

Barry rubs that back of his neck and winces. "I don't know how to start fixing all of this."

Iris starts laughing. Barry turns to her in shock.

"Stop trying, Bar. That's what got you into this mess. Just live your life. Learn as you go. Earn Wally's trust. Don't try to undo what's changed. Show dad he can trust Caitlin and Cisco. But don't touch Eddie and I. We'll figure it out." She warns.

Barry chuckles. "And Julian?"

"Yeah, afraid he's here to stay." Iris teases. "Got hired right after the accelerator explosion to help with the influx of cases and you being gone."

Barry just nods.

Iris leans forward and takes Barry's face in her hands and firmly faces him toward her, her face stern. "Live your life, Barry. This one. The one you have right here. Move forward. Only forward."

***

Barry walks into S.T.A.R. Labs later that morning to see Caitlin and Cisco staring at the screen with Edward Clariss's face on it, a picture of the speedster at the sawmill, and the results from the scans on the husk.

"Anything?" Barry asks.

"Clariss wrapped himself in a cocoon and when he emerged, he was the Flashpoint version of himself." Cisco says. "It sounds like I'm joking, and I wish I were, but I'm not. He butterflied."

"Into a speedster." Caitlin adds.

"But with memories of both timelines." Barry finishes. "He's not just Flashpoint Clariss."

"What he said, it made it sound like someone did it to him. So, it's not a result of you messing with the timelines necessarily." Caitlin offers. "Someone is actively doing this. Someone who knows."

"You two were the first to know." Barry assures them. "And besides, the husks were popping up before I got back."

"Oh good." Cisco spits. "So, we can blame both Barry's for the husk problem."

Caitlin and Cisco sigh and lay their heads down. They shoot back up when the alarm starts to sound.

"He's back." Barry races off.

Rival is waiting for him at the same sawmill from the night before.

"Back again, Flash?" Rival taunts.

"Don't worry. This will be the last time." Barry bites. "Who gave you your powers back?"

Rival laughs. "Funny you should ask. You see, I brought a friend this time."

Barry is shot to the side, landing harshly on the ground. He turns and sees a man emerging from the shadows, a glowing blue stone in his hands. He is wearing a mask that resembles a plague doctor mask, but with respirators. It covers his entire face, the rest of his head covered with a black hooded cloak.

Barry is blasted back again. He sits up, hand on his sore stomach, as the figure approaches him.

"Who are you?" Barry asks, annoyance and confusion clear in his voice. He'd never seen this guy before, so surely, he wasn't from the old timeline.

The figure speaks. A distorted, almost robotic growl coming out of his mask. "I am Alchemy."

"Great. What do you want?" Barry groans.

"To help people achieve their true potential." Alchemy answers. "Such as he has." He points up to Rival standing on a nearby bridge.

Barry pieces together that Alchemy must be the one who gave Clariss his powers back. The one responsible for the husks.

"Why are you doing this?" Barry asks, less mocking than before.

"Because I'm preparing this world." Alchemy answers, just moments before Barry is swept up by Rival and pinned against a beam."

"No icy friend this time, Flash. No one to save you." Rival sneers. He raises his vibrating hand into Barry's eyesight.

Barry turns away from the sudden bright light in front of him. Rival turns to see a blast of blue light that throws him away from Barry. When Barry turns back, he sees Cisco standing in front of him, his hands out.

"Thought you might need some help." Cisco says, removing his goggles.

Barry smiles and turns to see Rival standing back up. He nods to Cisco who opens a breach right behind Rival as Barry races in front of them. Cisco blasts Rival toward Barry who punches him hard into the ground, knocking him unconscious.

***

"Alchemy." Caitlin repeats.

"That's what he called himself." Barry says. "He didn't seem to have any powers though, just that stone."

"What was it exactly." Caitlin asks.

"Yeah, are we talking Harry Potter or Dragon Tales, here?" Cisco asks.

Caitlin just rolls her eyes.

"Couldn't tell." Barry answers. "But he's the one giving people their powers back."

"People?" Caitlin asks. "So, we think there are more?"

"He said others. And we've found more than one husk, right?" Barry offers. The two nod. "So, we need to figure out who they belong to."

"I need those husks then." Caitlin informs him. "Which means you need to talk to-"

"Julian." Barry growls.

"He's not that terrible. Just a stick-to-the-book kinda guy." Caitlin tells him. "Thinks you slack when you run off and save people."

"He knows?" Barry asks.

"No. Which is why he thinks you're slacking." Cisco corrects.

"I think he thought he was being hired to replace you, not work with you." Caitlin tells him. "Thinks CCPD has gone soft since the Flash showed up and you got back. When you suggest working with us, he assumes it's because you don't want to do it. Joe kinda helps support that though so you won't turn to us."

Barry sighs. "I don't get it. In my timeline Joe was part of Team Flash."

"Oh, he is. He's just not part of S.T.A.R. Labs." Cisco corrects. "He helps you plenty. Just not with us. He only visits when you're hurt or when he thinks you snuck around him to tell us something."

"And before he found out about Thawne?"

"We were civil." Caitlin adds. "But he still doesn't believe we didn't know more about him. Apparently, our reactions weren't quite genuine enough for him." She bites. Caitlin walks to her lab.

"She hates herself for not seeing it, y'know." Cisco says quietly, walking around to sit at his desk. "Thawne. Joe questioning her constantly, it's not like it's anything she doesn't already do herself. She knows her intentions, but things just keep happening that scare her. Make her doubt."

Barry nods. "I know."

"So, she was like that there too?" Cisco asks. "But Joe trusted her?"

"We all did." Barry assures him. "I'll make him see. I promise. Iris trusts her. Wally trusts her. It's just a matter of time before he comes around."

"You've been saying that for over a year now." Cisco says. "At least, one version of you has."

"Cisco." Barry sighs. "I know it's hard, but...it's me. I'm Barry. I may have some different memories or experiences, but I'm still Barry. You're still Cisco."

Cisco just nods and scrunches his face into an almost passable smirk. Barry returns the face and turns to walk away.

"Should either of us worry about Alchemy?" Cisco asks. "Caitlin or I?"

"Yes. Him giving people his powers back could be dangerous." Barry answers.

"Not what I meant." Cisco says sternly.

Barry turns to him and stares for a long moment. He looks to Caitlin's lab and back to Cisco. "Yes."

***

Barry is sitting on the bench by the window in his apartment. Staring out over the city. Alchemy wasn't hurting people, just giving them their powers back. So even if he did go after Caitlin, she wouldn't be in danger. He still hated the idea of her getting her powers. Not because they were dangerous, but because he knew what that would mean to her. How much Killer Frost lurked in the back of her mind.

Barry turned when he heard the door click. Caitlin walks in. Barry quickly stands and walks over, standing in front of her. She just looks curiously at him.

"When you saw that speedster, you froze. You said not all of us made it out. Who'd you lose? Why'd you really come back?" Caitlin asks, walking over to sit down on the couch.

Barry walks over and sits next to her. She sits with her legs crossed, facing him.

"That timeline may not impact what we are going through right now, or it might, I don't know. But it impacts you. You experienced it. Even if it's gone, it happened. Is there anything you want to tell me?"

Barry looked at Caitlin, but his eyes couldn't focus. He looked away, scattering his eyes across the room, trying to shake the tears from them. Would she be mad that he only came back because of the death? Because things fell apart so severely? Would she be scared that she had powers in that time? Scared of Alchemy?

Barry took a deep breath. It didn't matter. She deserved to know.

"Bar?" Caitlin whispered.

"You uh, you had powers." Barry chokes out, swallowing the lump in his throat.

Caitlin takes a breath and straightens up, assuming she knows what they were.

"Ice." He finishes. "But not like Killer Frost. You weren't any different because of them. You just, you had them. Like I have my speed."

"So, Alchemy." She realizes. "He might-"

"I will stop him before he gets the chance." Barry bites. "He will not hurt you. Or Wally for that matter. We're going to find him."

Caitlin chuckles. "Wally may not want you to stop him. He'd love superspeed. A way to help out."

"He does help." Barry argues. "I-I don't know about here, but in my timeline, he helped as much as he could. Working with Cisco. Riding around saving people during the Earth 2 siege."

Caitlin swallows and Barry notices her shrink back. "I don't know what he did during that, but uh, he helps. When he can."

"Cait, he died." Barry finally says. "Facing Rival, that night at ARGUS. Wally didn't make it."

Caitlin sucks in a breath.

"And um-" Barry chokes, ducking his head and turning away.

Caitlin reaches out for his hand and he grabs it firmly.

"You died." He barely whispers around a hitched breath. "You died that night. Saving me."

Caitlin moves closer to Barry, pulling his head to her chest. "I'm here. I'm alive. Barry." She moves his head to look at her. "Alchemy can't make things happen. He can give people powers, but he can't make those things that happened happen. We're here. We're alive. Alchemy, these husks, that's not going to change that."

Barry nods and buries his head into her shoulder.

"I wasn't leaving you." Barry says softer once his breathing has steadied. "I was never leaving you. I just wanted to be better. I felt so broken, and I knew I couldn't be there for you in the state I was in, and I needed to fix myself."

Caitlin removes Barry from her shoulder and moves to face him straight on.

"Barry Allen, you are not a god." Caitlin scolds. "You cannot fix everything. You try so hard to save your friends, save your town, the world. Let them save you. Stop running, for once, and just stay. And if you need fixing, let me fix you."