── ⚡ ──

"I wasn't the only one affected by the Particle Accelerator explosion, was I?" Barry asked the three scientists as he walked into S.T.A.R Labs' cortex. Dr Wells looked over to Caitlin and Cisco, the two looking back at their boss. "We don't know for sure," Dr Wells said as he turned back to look at Barry. "You said the city was safe, that there was no residual danger. But that's not true, so what really happened that night?" Barry asked his idol.

Dr Wells looked to his two employees again before looking back at Barry, "Well... The Accelerator went active. We all felt like heroes, and then..." Dr Wells pressed a few buttons on the screen attached to the wheelchair, on the screen behind Barry, a blueprint showcase of the Particle Accelerator showed. "The Dimensional barrier ruptured unleashing unknown energies into our world," Dr Wells explained to Barry as the screen showed a part of the Particle Accelerator exploding.

A dome of yellow spread out across the blueprint city showcasing the different energies, matter and radiation that caused an after wave doing who-knows-what to the people of Central City. "Antimatter, dark energy, X-Elements--" Dr Wells said but Barry interrupted him, "--Those are all theoretical." Dr Wells looked from the screen to Barry, "And how theoretical are you?" Barry went quiet as he looked at the screen.

Small yellow flare-ups appeared on the screen as Dr Wells continued, "We mapped the dispersion throughout and around Central City. Though we have no way of knowing exactly what or... who was exposed, we've been searching for other meta-humans like yourself." Barry turned back to the three. "Meta-humans?" Barry questioned. "That's what we're calling them," Caitlin told Barry.

"I saw one today," Barry told them as he looked from Caitlin to Dr Wells. "He's a bank robber and he can control the weather," Barry continues. "This just keeps getting cooler," Cisco says with a wide smile. "This is not cool," Barry states roughly. "All right? A man died," Barry said to Cisco, his smile fading as Caitlin's eyes widened. "Mardon must have gotten his powers the same way I did. From the storm cloud. He's still out there, we have to stop him before he hurts anyone else," Barry reasoned.

Barry made his way towards the door only to turn to Dr Wells when he called his name. "That's a job for the police," Dr Wells says lightly. "I work for the police," Barry responded incredulously. "As a Forensic assistant," Dr Wells countered. "You're responsible for this. For him," Barry told Dr Wells not giving up on his reasoning. "What's important is you!" Dr Wells countered loudly. "Not me. I lost everything. I lost my company, I lost my reputation. I lost my freedom," Dr Wells said.

Caitlin looked over at Cisco, both of them saddened as they listened to their boss. "And then you broke your arm... And it healed in three hours," Dr Wells pointed towards Barry. "Inside your body could be a map to a whole new world-- Genetic therapies, vaccines, medicines, treasures buried deep within your cells and we cannot risk losing everything because you want to go out and play hero," Dr Wells spoke, raising his voice.

Barry looked at the man he considered his idol and found himself disheartened by his lack of sensitivity to the situation. Haylee would do it, she'd fight back and "play hero" and Barry knew this, he didn't doubt it. "You're not a hero," Dr Wells said softly noticing the look on Barry's face. "You are just a young man who was struck by lightning," Dr Wells finished off. Barry looked over to Caitlin and Cisco in hopes one of them would say something but they remained quiet.

.✫*ﾟ･ﾟ｡.★.*｡･ﾟ✫*.

Haylee sighed as she sat her cup down, pulling out her laptop after Iris returned to her shift at Jitters. Going through articles about the recent crimes, she found a video of Clyde Mardon forming fog with his bare hands. Haylee's eyes widened as she watched the video a few more times before saving the video to her laptop, searching for more articles revolving around Mardon and any other strange happenings.

Her eyes watched in wonder as different articles came through and she slowly began building them up in a portfolio, her heart racing as she realised most of them began right after the Particle Accelerator explosion. "You always had your head in a book or focused on that damn laptop," A familiar voice caught Haylee's attention. She turned her head to see her brother, Jesse standing there with a smirk on his face.

Haylee jumped up and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, his wrapped tightly around her waist causing Iris to smile. She had called Jesse after Haylee woke up, he managed to get time off of work in Coast City to come and see her. "I've missed you," Haylee whispered into her brother's ear. He squeezed her for a moment before pulling away, "Well, I've missed you more now." The two sat down as Iris bought over a drink for both of them.

"Hey Iris," Jesse smiled as she gave him a side hug. "It's good to see you again Jesse," Iris spoke with her usual warm smile and Haylee could see the way Jesse looked at her. "You remembered?" Jesse said after he sipped his drink. "That you don't like coffee but love hot chocolates with whipped cream, of course, I did," Iris said back before walking off to serve other customers, Jesse's gaze following her.

"Oh no, not happening..." Haylee said, lightly slapping her brother's hand. "What? Why?" Jesse asked with a small smirk. "Because J, she has a boyfriend and his one of my close friends. And a cop," Jesse looked down at Haylee and sighed. "Alright, I get it. She's unavailable," Jesse said with his hands up in a motion of surrender. "So, update me on everything?" Jesse asked his sister who went on updating him with everything.

.✫*ﾟ･ﾟ｡.★.*｡･ﾟ✫*.

"So that's my story. I've spent my whole life searching for the impossible, never imagining that I would become the impossible," Barry explained to the man facing away from him. The green hooded man turned to Barry, "So why come to me?" Barry sighed as he looked down in thought for a moment. "Something tells me you didn't just run 600 miles to say "hi" to a friend," Arrow said as he stepped closer.

"All my life, I've wanted to do more... Be more. And now I am," Barry spoke before looking down remembering the stand-off with Clyde. "And the first chance I get to help someone, I screw up. What if Wells is right? What if I'm not a hero? What if I'm just some guy who was struck by lightning?" Barry rambled before sighing. He wanted to go to Haylee for advice but he couldn't risk her finding out about his abilities, at least not yet so he came to Starling City.

Arrow lifted his head to focus on Barry before nodding to himself. "I don't think that bolt of lightning struck you, Barry. I think it chose you," Arrow spoke up. "I'm just not sure I'm like you, Oliver. I don't know if I can be some... vigilante," Barry replied not being the biggest fan of that term. "You can be better. Because you can inspire people in a way that I never could... Watching over your city like a guardian angel," Arrow explained.

"Making a difference... Saving people... In a flash," Arrow said with a small smile thinking of what someone once told him before turning away from Barry, swivelling his head to look back at the younger male. "Take your own advice. Wear a mask," Arrow spoke before jumping off of the roof, firing an arrow to the building and swinging away from Barry. "Cool," Barry spoke softly, knowing exactly what he had to do now.

.✫*ﾟ･ﾟ｡.★.*｡･ﾟ✫*.

Author Note
The temptation to write "Saving people... Hunting things... the family business..." was too real. Fighting that urge was like arguing with Metatron. Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter and we'll be seeing more of Jesse.

-Rose <3
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