A Father's Love

After a few minutes of light-hearted banter, Joe arrived at the infirmary, having been alerted by Cisco. Embracing Barry like a bear cradling its cub, Joe's voice was thick with emotion. "My boy, you had me worried sick."

Barry, touched by the concern, reassured him with a smile. "Joe, I'm fine, look, I can jump and run again." To prove his point, Barry playfully hopped on the spot.

Joe patted Barry's arm, then gripped his shoulders with a serious mien. "Barry, I suggest you go back to your job at the police department. You already have a career there."

Confused, Barry asked, "Joe, what do you mean...?"

Joe's tone hardened. "Drop the red suit, drop the foolish antics, okay?"

Caitlin hummed in agreement, her patience with the men's superhero antics wearing thin. Joe gave her a puzzled glance. 

"Don't look at me; I'm with you on this," Caitlin said.

Drop the red suit? How could that be an option? Without the Flash, what would become of the future? Elon didn't care much; with Barry's speed, the future was immaterial to him. But Wells was anxious; he needed the Flash to stabilize the future.

Dr. Wells began, "Detective, we all want what's best for Barry—"

He was cut off by Joe, "If you want what's best for him, you would persuade him not to risk his life out there. He almost died again."

Barry bristled at Joe's words. "Joe, you saw that metahuman controlling the weather..."

"And what of it? You nearly got killed, Barry. You're just a bit faster, that's all. You can't handle this, so stop these foolish heroics," Joe snapped back, his voice laced with concern. He didn't want Barry to risk his life; the recent scare had solidified his resolve.

Barry's anger rose, fueled by misunderstanding. "I saved you, I saved Eddie, I saved everyone on that street. Without me, you'd all be dead. I have the ability, so I must act."

Joe crossed his arms, scolding, "You think running fast and saving a few people makes you a hero? Get out of your hero fantasy, Barry. Elon is much stronger than you. Let him handle it. You're still a child, my child. Stop these delusions."

Joe's rebuke ignited Barry's fury. "I'm not your child, Joe, and you're not my father. My father is in prison, bearing false accusations because of your mistake. Just like it was your mistake this time. I saved you, I saved Eddie, and you chastise me, you deny me. I don't see what I did wrong."

"I can't save my father, but if I can save others from disaster or prevent crimes, I will act without hesitation. I'm not your pet; you can't stop me."

With that, Barry vanished in a blur, leaving behind a gust of wind and a trail of yellow sparks. The lack of support and understanding from his foster father, the man he held dearest, pained him. Why couldn't Joe understand his desires? Enraged, Barry sped away.

Joe, teary-eyed, watched Barry disappear, his heart shattering at the words "I'm not your child, and you're not my father." After years of nurturing a bond as deep as any between father and son, this conflict was excruciating. Joe's intentions were for Barry's good, but Barry just couldn't see it.

The age-old struggle between a father's protective love and a child's independent will was playing out before them. This was a family matter, and the others could only stand by. The tension eased only after Barry's departure and Joe's exit.

"Cisco made finger guns, glancing around as if to draw an answer from the air. "The Flash and his foster dad in a spat? Is Barry's hero project doomed?"

He enjoyed being the hero's support and didn't want to lose the excitement of his new role after just a couple of weeks.

Caitlin, ignoring Cisco's antics, said softly, "Both Barry and Joe must be hurting. They care so deeply for each other."

"This is something Barry has to resolve. I believe he will. Right now, we need to focus on finding the Weather Wizard."

Dr. Wells maneuvered his wheelchair out of the infirmary, followed by Cisco, who needed to monitor the control room and repair the Flash suit.

Caitlin stayed behind to tidy up the infirmary, her domain. Noticing Elon standing immobile, she called out, "Elon? What are you, a statue? Or are you offering to help me clean up here?"

Elon shook himself out of his stupor. "Ah? No, I'm headed to the training room."

Without a hint of chivalry, he left Caitlin to her work.

In that moment when Barry stormed out, Elon felt the speck of Speed Force in his brain swell, pulsating with newfound energy. His head was once again enveloped in the Speed Force, just like before. Was it true that the Speed Force only manifested when Barry ran?

Elon pondered this as he walked toward the control room. The Speed Force in his brain worried him, especially since it was beyond his control. He had tasted its power and longed for it, but it remained unresponsive, eluding him.

He had assumed the speck of Speed Force in his brain would remain static, neither growing nor diminishing. But now, with Barry in motion, Elon felt it once more.

Why did the Speed Force envelop his brain? What was it encapsulating? Yet it didn't affect his brain's functions; it just sat there, quietly, only alerting him when Barry's life was in danger.

There was something mysterious about this Speed Force in his head. He needed to study it.

With that thought, Elon proceeded to the main computer in the control room and downloaded all the data on Barry, including the recent medical records. He had to understand why Barry's Speed Force was intertwined with his own mind.

Wells, watching Elon's actions, grew suspicious, especially as he saw Elon downloading Barry's files onto his tablet for further study.

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