Ch - 20 Care and Love?

When Barry finally regained consciousness, Caitlin wasted no time explaining what had happened. Her voice was firm, though she couldn't entirely hide her concern. "Yes, Barry, you passed out again. It was a total metabolic failure brought on by acute hypoglycemia."

Understanding this time, Barry sighed, "So I'm not eating enough. Can't you just hook me up to an IV bag and call it a day?"

Cisco, who had been keeping a count, pointed to the empty IV bags stacked nearby. "We already tried that, man. Forty bags, and you still passed out."

Just then, Harrison Wells rolled into the room, casually sipping water. "Guess you were a bit thirsty, Barry." His tone was light, but the undertone of concern was clear.

Caitlin, back to her professional self, continued, "We're going to need to create a new diet plan tailored to your metabolism. Something that can keep up with how fast you're burning through calories."

The room buzzed with tension and a bit of humor as Cisco chimed in, "I did some math. Roughly 850 tacos should do the trick. Unless you want cheese and guac, in which case, I'm gonna need another whiteboard."

Joe entered just then, interrupting the conversation, his mood unmistakably serious. Ignoring Wells's polite greeting, he immediately zeroed in on Barry, his voice tight. "I did some digging. There've been reports of a red streak zipping around the city, saving people, stopping muggers. You've been busy."

Barry's face tightened, knowing where this was going. "Joe, I can explain—"

But Joe cut him off, his frustration bubbling over. "You already have a job, Barry. You work in law enforcement, not as some sort of superhero. This thing you're doing—it's dangerous."

Swayam watched the tension between Joe and Barry unfold but chose to remain quiet at first. He could sense both men's frustrations. Caitlin, next to him, seemed like she was about to interject, but Swayam gently placed a hand on her arm, signaling her to hold back.

Wells stepped in, hoping to calm the situation. "We're all just trying to do what's best for Barry, Detective."

But Joe wasn't having it. "If you wanted what was best for Barry, you'd be telling him to stop this madness before he gets himself killed."

Barry's temper flared. "You saw what happened with Clyde Mardon. He could control the weather, Joe—the freaking weather. What are the police supposed to do against that?"

Joe's face hardened. "And you think running real fast is going to make you invincible? You're not. You're just a kid. My kid."

The words stung, but Barry's response was sharp. "I'm not your kid, Joe! My dad is sitting in prison, wrongfully convicted, and you couldn't help him. You were wrong about him, and now you're wrong about this!"

The moment those words left Barry's mouth, Swayam had had enough. The pain in Joe's eyes was clear, and Barry's words struck him deeply. Without thinking, Swayam raised his voice, stepping forward. "Barry, stop. You don't have to be so ungrateful. Joe is just trying to protect you because he cares. I know you're hurting about your dad, but that doesn't give you the right to lash out at Joe like that. Do you even realize what it means to have someone who loves you enough to worry about you like that?"

The room fell silent. Joe's eyes glistened slightly, moved by Swayam's words, though he tried to maintain his composure. "Sam, thank you," Joe said, his voice thick with emotion. "I've raised Barry since he was a boy. Maybe I'm not his real father, but that doesn't mean I don't love him like my own."

Barry's anger began to ebb, replaced by guilt, but Joe shook his head, looking at him with a mixture of sadness and frustration. "You don't know what you don't know, Barry. And I just hope you figure it out before it's too late—before someone gets hurt."

Without waiting for a reply, Joe turned and walked out, leaving a heavy silence in the room.

Barry stood there, looking torn, but Swayam could see he still didn't fully grasp the depth of Joe's concern. The silence that followed Joe's departure was thick and uncomfortable, filled with the weight of unspoken emotions.

Unable to bear it any longer, Swayam looked at Caitlin, whose expression mirrored his own sadness for Joe. "I'm going for a walk," he said softly, the ache in his voice clear.

Caitlin reached out slightly, wanting to stop him, but she hesitated. She knew Swayam needed a moment to himself. So she simply nodded as he walked out of the lab.

Caitlin's gaze lingered on the door Swayam had just walked through, feeling the quiet tension settle between everyone left in the room. Barry, visibly struggling with his emotions, turned to Caitlin and Cisco, who were both lost in their thoughts.

"Did I go too far?" Barry asked, his voice soft, almost vulnerable.

Caitlin let out a sigh, her eyes softening as she turned to face him. "He loves you, Barry. You know that, right?"

Barry nodded slowly, guilt flashing in his eyes. "I know. I just… I'm trying to do the right thing, but I'm scared I'll fail everyone."

Cisco, always the one to lighten the mood, put a hand on Barry's shoulder. "You won't. We're in this together, man. All of us."

Barry looked at his friends, the people who had become his family, and though he still felt the weight of the argument with Joe, he also felt something else—a sense of hope. Maybe, just maybe, they'd figure it out together.