"Yeah, looks like someone was really angry." Nora comments as I slowly walk over to them the next morning on the newest crime scene of the day.

My hair was straight, even through my exhaustion I had found the energy to do it this morning, as I was dressed in a slim dark green shirt, the sleeves ending right at the end of my elbows, the shirt tucked into a pair of jet black skinny jeans, ones that surprisingly had no rips with them, my black belt holding my badge and holster, my gun resting in it, black heeled ankle boots on my feet and a black leather jacket to finish off the look.

With the lack of coffee I had today, I was more exhausted than usual.

"Look at these wounds." Barry pointed out, as they were crouched down over the dead man's body, "Doesn't it look like they have the same depth and diameter as the ones on Gridlock's body?"

"Yeah, and like Block's and Raelene Sharp's." Nora nodded.

"Well, if you're not already sick of this, be prepared cause there's more." I halt next to Barry, as him and Nora stood up, looking at me, "Another meta-human was murdered in her apartment, same C.O.D."

"These aren't one offs." Nora pieced together, "Cicada's back and he's on a killing spree."

"He's targeting them." I slip my hands into my pockets, a sigh leaving my lips.

"Okay, well, there's got to be a lead in one of these attacks that can help us track him." Barry nods, "We'll get the team on it."

-

"Kira May, Dwayne Geist, Carl Bork." I read, looking up, placing my jacket onto the seat, as we all stood in the cortex, "All three metas who were killed by Cicada last night."

"So Cicada's killed almost as many people in the last 12 hours as he has in the last eight months?" Caitlin spoke.

"And it doesn't look like he's slowing down anytime soon." I exclaimed right after her.

"Well, we need to stop him before he hurts anyone else." Barry said from next to me, his hand on my lower back, his other hand on his hip.

"Sherloque, do you have any ideas on what to do about that?" Nora questioned once Sherloque comes to my other side.

"Not at the moment, but any time I run into a road block in an investigation, I do what I always do. I just pursue a different avenue." Sherloque mentions, "We'll find him. Something will bring him to us. Something like-"

The alarm blaring cuts Sherloque off, my head snapping down to look at the screen in front of me, "Satellites picking up dark matter flare. It's him."

"Something like that." Sherloque points.

"Suit up." Barry nods towards everything, already moving, "We don't have a lot of time."

"Not without precautions." Ralph grabbed an extrapolator, and a gun, reaching it out in Caitlin's direction, "For Killer Frost."

"She doesn't need a weapon." Caitlin smiles, "Killer Frost is the weapon."

"Oh yeah, gimme some-" I cheer, Caitlin giving me a high five as she walked out, I started to monitor from where I was.

-

[ barry's pov ]

I throw lightning at Cicada the second we were on the field, sending him flying, hitting the ground, the meta human he had just tried to kill limping, holding her side.

Cicada forces himself back up, Ralph starts to shoot him with his gun, "Negate this!"

Killer Frost was up next, using her cold blast to ice him up against the wall by his hands and wrists.

"Help!" Nora cried out, her hands on the meta who was now on the ground.

I look at Killer Frost, "We need Caitlin."

She nods, her roots turning back into her normal hair color, as she made her way over to Nora, "We need to get her to a hospital."

"Here, come with me." Caitlin helped the meta up, as she got her to safety.

Suddenly, Cicada broke out of the ice, stabbing his dagger down to the ground, sending an energy blast, making all of us fly off our feet and hit the ground with a thud, the energy dampening our powers.

Cicada walked over to Nora, slashing at her once, a shriek leaving Nora lips.

He picked her up by her arm, holding her up.

Once I process what's happening, I start to get up, a shout coming from me, "No!"

He hits her hard, Nora letting out a loud scream, Cicada throwing her to the ground.

As Caitlin got up, turned into Killer Frost, ice blasting him, he jumped into the air, disappearing.

My first instinct was to go to Nora, her eyes shut, as she laid unconscious on the ground, "Hey, Nora, Nora? Nora-"

-

[ zee's pov ]

Barry and I were seated in the Med Lab, next to the medical bed Nora laid in, her eyes closed. A neck brace was wrapped around her neck, along with a few wires hooked up to her.

A mixture of stress and worry was clouding both Barry and I's thoughts, as we held each other hand with a firm grip, awaiting for Caitlin to walk into the room and tell us what was wrong, and for Nora to wake up.

Soon enough, Caitlin quietly walks in, the look on her face leaving me at unease, Barry quickly turning and questioning, "Well?"

"Cicada caused an axial burst fracture in her L3, L4, and L5 vertebrae. He also severely displaced her fourth thoracic vertebrae." Caitlin quietly explains, showing us the MRI scan, then looking at us, sighing, "It's not good."

"But- her speed healing is going to kick in, right?" I hesitantly question, her silence scaring me, "Right?"

"Cicada's cut flooded her body with dark matter. It's affecting her powers." Caitlin told us, "Her speed healing should kick in for now."

"I'll keep monitoring her progress." She finished, leaving us alone once more.

I let out a shaky exhale, "Barry."

"It's okay, she'll heal." Barry squeezes my hand comfortingly, "It'll be all right."

The sound of a wheezed breath catches my attention, Nora staring to wake up, causing me to speak, "Nora?"

"Oh, what happened?" Nora's eyes barely open, the pain threaded in her voice, touching the neck brace, "Oh, why does it hurt to breathe?"

"It's gonna hurt for a little bit." Barry's tone is low, squeezing my hand.

"Why?" She questioned, then comes into realization, "I can't move my legs. Why can't I move my legs?"

"Mom, I can't move my legs." Her voice cracked, her breathing starting to become heavy, looking towards me for comfort, her hand reaching for mine, tears welling in her eyes.

"Honey-" My tone dropped, as I grab her hand with my free hand, "I'm right here- it's going to be okay-"

"Mom? Mom, why can't I move my legs?" Nora's voice was in tone of a sob, panic threaded within it, her eyes glued to me.

My own eyes welled up with tears seeing her like this, reaching towards me for comfort.

I never knew what it felt like being a mother. And right now showed me what it felt like. The thought of Nora being hurt crushed me, and made me want to cry harder than she was going to.

My heart broke at the sound of her calling out for me, wanting me to tell her it would all be okay.

I would've done anything in this moment for her to be okay and for it to be me.

I was always told that I would know what it feels like when I became a mother.

And now I could see what any parent had to go through when something happened to their child.

I felt it, and I knew Barry did too.

"Nora, listen to me." I softly said, the tears in my eyes threatening to fall with every word I spoke, "You can't move your legs because Cicada broke your back."

"What? So I'm paralyzed?" Nora questioned, looking at both of us, the look in her eyes destroying me, "What, forever?"

Barry shook his head immediately, scooting closer, "No, no, not forever."

Nora sniffles, "Well, for how long then?"

"We don't know." I told her honestly, looking down, blinking quickly, trying to blink away my tears.

"Mom- Dad." Nora cried out for us, Barry placing his hand above Nora and I's.

"Nora, listen." He spoke, "Your mom and I will be with you every step of the way until you're fully healed- we're going to find Cicada and make sure he doesn't hurt any more people."

I breath in sharply, standing up quickly, looking at the both of them, "I- I need a minute."

I walk out the living room and into the cortex where everyone stood, doing little things around the cortex, my back pressing against the wall next to the door of the Med Lab, the tears in my eyes falling the minute I stepped out.

Minutes later, Barry slowly walks out of the Med Lab, siding with me and engulfing me into a hug, holding me.

After a few seconds he pulls away, wiping away the tears that slipped.

Cecile walks into the cortex, "Hey, I got here as fast as I could. Joe's still in Tibet. I left him a message to get back ASAP."

"Hey, it's all right." Barry nods towards her, "He should stay with Wally."

"Oh, my God, you poor thing." Cecile walks over to me, wrapping her arms around me tight.

I sniffle, pulling away after a few seconds, as she hugs Barry, "How is she?"

"It's not good." He quietly sighs, pulling away.

"I'm so sorry, you guys." Cecile sincerely told us.

"Hey, I don't care how we do it." Barry rounded the console, "We need to stop Dwyer now."

"Well, I agree." Ralph nods, "Well, I'm gonna call Cisco. We should get him back here."

"No- no." Barry shook his head, leaning against the railing as I stood behind the console, trying to fight my tears, "He should finish the cure he's working on. His time is better spent there."

"Sherloque." Barry didn't care how he said this name this time, calling out for him.

"Oui?" Sherloque looks up.

"Earn your money." Barry told him straight up, "How do we track this guy?"

"Well, I think the first thing we should do is concentrate on the victims. Look for a connection. Take a look here for example." Sherloque spreads out the files on the desk, "This man, Geist, has a spider tattoo on his neck, generally indicating he was caught in some form of web. What kind of web? A prison web, perhaps. And Kira May-"

Ralph picked up the file, "She was wearing clothes."

"Of course she was wearing clothes, Giraffe." Sherloque stares at him.

"No, she was wearing clothes that are two sizes too large." Ralph explained, "Two sizes too large. Recent rapid weight loss. It's a common side effect of solitary confinement. And Carl Borg-"

"Carl Borg, this report says he had a droopy eyelid which is nerve paralysis, common side effect of consuming too much borat." Sherloque looked up.

"Or as it's known on this earth, bruno." Ralph corrects him, "More commonly known as prison wine."

"Prison wine." Sherloque repeats, "All three of these meta-humans were former criminals."

The tears in my eyes slip, as I blink hard, frustrated with myself for not being able to keep my tears away.

I take a breath, then wipe my tears, sniffling, typing away.

Barry moves to my side, placing his hand on my back, rubbing it in comfort, "What're you doing?"

"Look at this." I pull up the document, "It's a meta-human arrest log from 2018. Look at the first three names."

"These were his victims." Ralph points out, "He's killing in the order of this list."

"This list has addresses, employment information. It's got- license plate numbers." I point at each and every one.

"This is everything Cicada needs to find them." Cecile looks up at me, "Where would he even get this?"

Sherloque clears his throat, "I think there's only one place, right?"

-

"So, can you try wiggling your toes?" Caitlin asks Nora.

"I can't." Nora shook her head after trying, sniffling.

Caitlin exhales, "Again?"

"I can't." Nora shook her head once more.

Caitlin used the tool in her hand to swipe under her foot, "Anything?"

"I don't feel anything." Nora quietly said.

"Okay, well, Cicada's dark matter has left your system, so you should be healing soon." Caitlin quietly told her, "I mean, since my last scan, your spinal axons have grown five millimeters."

"That's something, right?" I looked at Caitlin.

"It's progress." Caitlin nods, "Maybe not quite the speed we were hoping for, but it's something."

"I'm going to go run a few more tests." Caitlin ended, leaving the room.

Nora breathes in heavily, staring at the ceiling, her eyes filled with tears.

"Hey." I held her hand in both of mine, "Don't give up, okay? It'll all be okay. You'll be better in no time."

"Normal axon growth rate reaches five millimeters a day in a large nerve." Nora sniffles, her voice quiet, "With speed healing, mine should be over 100."

I gape at her, "How do you know that?"

"I took neuro-regeneration in my fifth grade STEM class." Nora told me, her eyes connecting with mine.

"I-" I stammer, being shocked, "I- took fractions in fifth grade."

Nora laughs, a small smile forming on my lips due to making her laugh.

After a few seconds, her expression changes, as her laughter died down, "What if I don't heal, Mom?"

"Nora, honey-" I scoot up, squeezing her hand lightly in comfort.

Her voice cracks, "What if I never get better?"

My eyes sting lightly, signaling that I was tearing up lightly, "Hey- you're being hospitalized by the best. You'll get better. I'm here for you- the team is here for you. Your Dad is out there right now- tracking down a lead to make sure Cicada doesn't hurt anyone else like he did you."

Tears fall from her eyes, a sob leaving her lips.

I bit my lower lip, looking down at our hands, trying to prevent tears spilling from my eyes also.

"Can I just be left alone for a little bit, please?" Nora whispers, her stare fixed on the ceiling.

"Yeah- yeah of course." I softly say, letting go of her hands, walking out of the Med Lab, and into the hall.

My palm runs up my forehead, my fingers running through my hair; stressfully.

"You okay?" Ralph Dibny's voice sounds from behind me, my head snapping back, my eyes landing on him.

"Dumb question." I point at him, crossing my arms, leaning my back against the wall, sighing.

"You're right-" Ralph's hands slip into his pockets as he walks over to me, "Is she doing any better?"

"Progress." I shrug, "It's just taking so much longer than I had hoped."

Ralph pushes on, "And?"

"And Nora doesn't think she's ever gonna run again- let alone walk-" I sigh, my hand pressing flat against my forehead, "I don't want her to think that way you know- even if I'm scared as hell for her."

"Hey- take a breath." Ralph grabs my arm gently.

I let out a shaky breath, looking up at him, my hand dropping from my forehead.

"You're scared because you're her mother. That's what mothers do- they fear for their kids." Ralph lets go of me, slipping his hands into his pockets, "But- just like you've been doing, despite how you feel, you're encouraging her not to give up and to stay strong. That's all that matters, because with you, even with her doubts and concerns, she knows that she's gonna be alright."

I gape at him, "Wow-"

The sound of glass shattering catches both our attentions, cutting the conversation short, Ralph leading me into the Speed Lab, where Killer Frost stood, a clear board completely shattered, a satisfied chuckle leaving her lips.

"I respect your right to protest the cure, Frosty, but even for me, that is excessive." Ralph comments.

Killer Frost turns, "Well, maybe Caitlin will get the hint now."

"Uh-" The sound of Barry's voice trails, his footsteps halting behind me.

"Snow and Frost are having creative differences." Ralph told him, explaining the mess.

Barry's hand touches my back, "Hey, is Nora doing any better? How are you?"

"Nora's progress is growing, and I'm okay." I nod towards him.

"I'll get Caitlin." Killer Frost huffs once Barry looks at her.

"No, I-I need you, actually." Barry stops her, handing her the paper in his hand, "We need to get all those metas to a safe house before Cicada finds them."

"Oh, and you think they're going to listen to me?" Killer Frost looks up from the paper, "50-50 on that. I haven't quite lived up to my name."

Killer Frost points, "But I do know where we should start."

-

"They're all terrified." Cecile said from next to me, as we stood at the protection program they had arranged for the metas to keep them safe from Cicada, "I can feel it."

"Maybe now they believe us." Barry mutters, his arms crossed, looking at everyone, his suit still bright in the lighting.

"Hey, we're almost through this." Cecile looks between Barry and I, "We are going to get all of these people to safety."

"Even if we do, Cicada's not going to stop killing." Barry doesn't even look at us, "Not until-"

"-until he's dead." Cecile's eyes widen, as she had her n read his mind.

Barry swallows hard, "I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to." Cecile shook her head, "The anger that I feel from you says it all."

"Barry-" I softly say, staring at him, "This isn't you."

"How am I supposed to feel?" Barry snapped at us, turning towards us, "He almost killed Nora."

"Barry, I understand, I do." Cecile told him, "The look on Zee's face when she finally came out the Med Lab with you- you two are only reacting the way anyone would. That man hurt your child."

"But this anger that you're feeling, I have felt it before-" Cecile trails, "From Cicada."

"Honey, if you let it, this rage will consume you, the same way it's already consumed him." Cecile spoke, but then a look of realization falls onto her features, "Wait, I have felt this anger from someone before. At CCPD."

"Oh, my God- guys, I think I know who leaked the list." Cecile looked between us.

"Then let's go get him." I suggest, Barry nodding in agreement with me.

"No, no, no, you stay here." Cecile told Barry, "You get these metas to the drop."

Cecile looks at me, "You need to get to Star Labs to check on Nora. I can handle the rest."

-

"You want me to bring you to the future?" Nora's voice is in a questionable tone as I walked closer to the Med Lab, stopping in the hall, my eyebrows furrowing at the sight of Sherloque stood there.

"It's a great suggestion." Sherloque told her, "Is it even possible for a non-speedster to go into the commodity- what'd you call it? The, um-"

"The Speed Force?" Nora told him, looking at him.

"Speed Force." Sherloque points, "Right."

"Uh, I'm not sure." Nora told him honestly.

He hums in response, "Well, perhaps that's a question for someone with more experience."

"Sherloque." I call out, catching his attention, "Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Excusez-moi." Sherloque nods towards Nora and then walks into the hall by me.

"That's my daughter in there." I point, looking at him dead in the eye.

Sherloque nods, "Yes, so?"

"So, I'm gonna need you to tell me right now why you're investigating Nora." I place my hands on my hips, "Why are you investigating my daughter?"

"Invest- no, no." Sherloque shook his head, "Quoi? No one's investigating Nora."

I look at the small device in his hands, pressing the screen, a recording of what he just said playing, "Quoi? No one's investigating Nora."

Sherloque clears his throat, "Maybe I'm investigating Nora a little bit."

"Why?" I question.