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Daycycle 103 [ August 14 - August 20 ]

daycycle 103

[Aug 14 - Aug 20]

Early Morning [0800 - 0900] — All Troubleshooters Report for Duty
Samantha "Root" Groves and Cisco Ramon, have been selected for today’s mission. Details are below:

"Confirm circuit breakers are functioning properly by creating short circuits to test them."

Please debrief the computer on the status of your mission by the end of the Daycycle here.

Morning & Afternoon [0900 - 1600] — Service Firm Positions
All Troubleshooters not assigned a mission should report to their Service Firm for their daily duties, unless specifically assigned a different shift.

Evening [1600 - 2200] — Citizen Improvement
All Alpha citizens are encouraged to better themselves through Alpha’s wide variety of educational, entertainment and cultural opportunities offered each evening. Attending these sanctioned events are not mandatory, but is highly encouraged by The Computer. Citizens choosing not to take advantage of these opportunities, have a growing number of other options available to them in how to spend their hard earned credits and free time.

Tonight’s event will be at 1900 in the Commissary and will be hosted by the Amateaur Dramatics Group. You're invited to come see the one woman show that Mind Control called too "boring" to put on early morning television.

Specials Event - All Specials with knowledge of Specials HQ have been invited to a surprise party to celebrate wanted fugitive, Dick Grayson's, seventeenth birthday.

Alpha Curfew Restrictions
All Alpha citizens should be in their quarters within the Wagon Wheel by 2200, unless they’ve been given permission from a GREEN or higher clearance level citizen. Sleeping Aid gas is dispelled each night in the Wagon Wheel at 2200 to assist citizens in getting a productive sleeping period.

Confession Booths
There are hundreds of confession booths available around Alpha Complex if a citizen would like to communicate directly with the computer. Please use these confession booths to report mission statuses, report treason or terrorist acts, unregistered mutants, confess your trespasses against Alpha Complex, request propaganda or speak with Your Friend, The Computer, at any time.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"You have every right to be angry," Barry says, shaking his head. "I'm angry. Ray was the only person from home I had here. And when he got arrested..." He pauses, swallowing. "There was nothing I could do."

Even if he knows that it logically isn't his fault, that doesn't do much to resolve the guilt. Add to that all of the guilt and grief of his new memories - real or imagined - and it's not a surprise that he feels weighed down.

"I kept thinking if I could get my speed back, I'd be able to find him." And maybe stop anyone else from disappearing.

"I do have every right to be angry," she says, a flicker of that same determination she showed at lunch two days ago. "You do too Barry. But you shouldn't be angry at yourself." She glances upwards at the fake sky and the fake air. "You should be angry at whoever — whatever, took Ray. Even if it's the Computer itself."

When he says that sentence about how if he could get his speed back, he could do something, she puts a hand on his arm and squeezes.

She can't imagine how hard its been for him. Barry has always wanted to help other people, and his speed gave him a way to do that back home. When he first told her and Cisco that he didn't have his speed, she'd immediately had wanted to ask Barry how he was handling it — but all of that had gotten sidetracked when she found out about Ray. She was determined not to get sidetracked again.

"Do you have any idea what's keeping it ... from working?"

"I am. I'm angry at all of it." He had genuinely enjoyed himself tonight, but it didn't take much for the frustration of the last few days to resurface. "I'm angry at the fact that we're here and not where we belong. I'm angry at the fact that I haven't been able to do anything to stop people from being arrested. Or for people to stop being brought here. I'm angry at all of it, Felicity."

He definitely hadn't meant to go off like that and when he feels her hand on his arm he sighs, deflating a little at her touch. "Sorry," he says, glancing over at her. He wonders if he's ever going to have to not say that to her again.

"Maybe. We - " he pauses. "It might be something they've altered in our DNA. If I can repair it with nanotech, we might have a chance of regaining my speed."

"Hey. Hey," she says, taking a step closer and moving her hand up to his shoulder. Her grip was firm and her eyes were set on his. "You don't have to carry that burden alone, Barry. You aren't alone here. And I'm not even talking about after Cisco and I got here." All those people at the party had been so genuinely friendly, and they all seemed like they were friends with him.

When he mentions the nanotech though, Felicity's eyes light up. The last time Barry said nanotech it was so close to what sounded like and then Ray was executed, that she didn't even process that he'd needed help.

"Let me see it. Whatever nanotech was left behind." She owns Palmer Technologies. She helped Ray build his suit. And in what feels like years ago, she was the one who injected those nanobots into Ray's bloodstream and piloted them to his blood clot. Mechanical engineering wasn't her specialty, but Ray's nanotechnology was. "I might be able to help."

He sighed, his shoulders relaxing slightly under her touch. He may not be alone, but ever since he'd woken up with a year's worth of new, painful memories he had felt alone. He was still trying to process his father's death and the fact that he'd yet again trusted someone who had led to someone else's death. On top of that, he was stuck here where there was very little he could do in order to protect those close to him. Ray's arrest was just another reminder of how much was out of his control here in Alpha.

"They took most of what he was working on," Barry admits, meeting her gaze. Though he can't deny the ray of hope that shoots through him at the light in her eyes. "Ray left a video..." He must have known that there was a possibility that he would be arrested. That they all would be. Barry wants to be grateful that he had the foresight to think ahead, but mostly he just feels guilty for not doing more to protect him.

He nodded towards the closed door behind him. "The rest is packed away for the party, but I can show you tomorrow."

If she could help Barry get back his speed ... it goes beyond saving Ray, Felicity knows that. It could mean getting out of this place, or a serious step forwards in fighting the Computer.

It would also be a serious step forwards in helping Barry. She remembers how excited he was when he first showed her what he could do — zipping up to the top of that building in Central City and taking a photo of her. He'd been given a gift and Barry took it on as a calling. Taking it away again was like telling Felicity she couldn't use computers anymore. It was a thought too devastating to think about and yet Barry was living it.

"Good, I'll take a look then." She finally does take her hand off him, smiling as she retracts her arm back to herself. "We'll figure this out, together. Cisco too."

A small pause.

"And Barry. If you ever need someone to talk to, about anything, I'm here." They both know she's talking about him losing his speed, but the offer goes for everything else too.

She's a little hesitant at first, her eyes flickering between Barry's left and right eyes to see his reaction as she leans in for a hug. She'd hugged Cisco within thirty seconds of first seeing him. She probably would have hugged Barry too, on that first day, if things had been different. Every day since then just hadn't seemed like the right time. Until now.

"You can talk to me about anything, you know that, right?"

Edited 2016-09-03 22:10 (UTC)

"I know," he said automatically, his voice soft. He knew that he could talk to Felicity about things. It was the reason they'd stayed in touch despite the distance between them. She was their primary contact in Starling and he was her primary contact in Central. But more than that, they were friends. Felicity had helped him on more occasions than he could count and had always been there for him when he needed someone to listen.

She leans in for a hug and Barry slides his eyes shut, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her back. Her words strike a chord in him and he wonders what it would be like to just let go of just a little bit of the weight he's been carrying since he woke up here. Silence draws out and he can't seem to break himself of the hug, he holds onto her for a second longer before pulling back and forcing a joyless smile.

"That might take a while."

Edited 2016-09-04 03:56 (UTC)

There's a weird, tightness in her chest when Barry doesn't let go right away. That extra second tugged at something familiar and it confused her, because she couldn't figure out what it was.

But then Barry was back to fake smiling at her, and somehow, Felicity knew exactly what she wanted to say.

"Well perfect, because I'm not planning on going anywhere."

Little does she know that in two days, she was going to be the one who needed to talk. But at the moment, Felicity was determined to end their conversation on a high note. Something was clearly going on with Barry, she knew that for sure now. She just have to work a little harder in the next few days, so he knows that whatever burden he's carrying around, he really doesn't need to carry it alone.

His smile widens slightly and this time he doesn't have to fake the way it picks up in the corners. He squeezes her shoulders. "Promise?"

He swallows and takes in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. He looks at her for a long moment before speaking again. "You know what the worst thing is? I know it's selfish and wrong, but I'm glad you're here."

"Promise," she repeats, her own smile widening too.

When Barry takes a deep breath, she readies herself for whatever confession he was going to make. Whatever it was, she was confident she'd be able to make him feel better.

But the moment lasts so long that she panics for a second — oh my god, that hug, what if it felt weird because it was foreshadowing that fact that Barry is about to say something like: Felicity, I love you, I've always loved you. It was her turn to breathe in, as Felicity's eyes began narrowing more and more as she waited for Barry to say something. Say anything.

Then he finally does, and she blinks for a moment. "Ha," she says, a little more flustered than makes sense for the moment. But she holds up a finger — just one sec — as she calms down and collects herself.

"Barry, my being here isn't your fault. And blaming yourself is the one thing you do not need to learn from Oliver. Plus. Who knows? Maybe it's a selfless thing to be happy that I'm here. Who else is more qualified to help you take on an oversized monster Computer?"

Edited 2016-09-05 02:20 (UTC)

Her short laugh surprises him and his eyebrows shoot up as she silently collects herself. He's not entirely sure what is going on, but he's a little relieved she doesn't hate him for thinking that. He waits a moment before speaking, his shoulders relaxing slightly.

"Just that one thing?" he asks, and this time he doesn't have to fake anything about the small grin he gives her. He takes a deep breath and nods. "And you're right. I wouldn't want to have anyone else here helping me to take it down."

Felicity's mouth opens into a wide, knowing smile. Barry Allen, if Oliver was here to hear you say that, he'd probably shoot you. Again.

When Barry nods, and tells her she's right, Felicity's smile turns into a small triumphant grin. "Exactly." Her eyes linger on his for a moment, before she adds, "And really Barry. It's not selfish to be glad to see your friends. Don't forget that." A beat. "I'm really glad to see you. And Cisco. If neither of you were here, I'd be ... well. A lot more lost. And lonely."

He probably would.

"So would I." It comes easily enough that he doesn't have to think twice about it. It's not easy reconciling his new memories, but having Felicity and Cisco here has made just existing that much easier.

He glanced at the empty road ahead of them leading back to the wagon wheel and then back at Felicity. "Want to walk home together?"

Her eyes follow his when Barry looks at the empty road. "Have we ... ever done that before? Walk home together?"

She smiles a little, waiting for Barry to realize that she's teasing him, before looping one of her arms around his and indicating with a tilt of her head that they can start walking now.

They wouldn't be able to stay like this the whole way — at some point they'd exit the series of halls that led to the Specials Cave and cameras would be watching them again — but right now? At least she could take advantage of their relative privacy, even if it was just for a few minutes.

His eyes widen slightly in surprise before he grins and shakes his head. "No, I think this is a first."

He's about to jokingly hold out an arm for her to take, but she's already doing it and indicating that they go on. Her warmth is comforting against him as they begin to move. For the first time in days he doesn't feel quite so empty inside.

He almost doesn't want to break the moment. He's not even sure where to begin. They walk in silence for a few more steps before he speaks. The words are so clear in his head. A shout he can barely think over. Zoom killed my father. But when he tries to say them out loud, his mouth won't seem to form the words.

Grief washes over him again and he licks his lips. "I woke up with new memories a few days ago. I don't know if they're real, but they feel real. They're too real not to be. Does that make sense?"

It’s a silly thought, but Felicity misses Barry’s sweaters.

Their jumpsuits are so plasticky and rubbery that upon contact, they make that weird swooshy scratchy sound. Which is why, to avoid it in general, Felicity usually has her sleeves rolled up. So now, it was her arm against Barry’s non-cozy-sweater sleeve.

Regardless, she takes comfort in how the two of them can be like this again, and in how sturdy and safe holding onto Barry’s arm feels. With Felicity, Barry has never needed to be the Flash in order to be her friend. He can just be Barry, and she still feels better when he’s around.

“New memories?” Her voice drops an octave as she repeats that phrase as a question, but it’s really just a way for her to process the information. “Yeah. Theoretically.” She looks up at him as they walk and she can tell that something’s bothering him. “What did you remember Barry?”

"It's more than just a memory," he says, trying to clarify. "I know that it happened. It's too vivid and clear for it not to have." He remembers every detail. The moment he decided to trust Jay. The moment Jay killed himself in front of him. Everything that he had done as Zoom and the moment he'd taken the last parent Barry had from him.

Felicity didn't know about his father. At least as far as he knew. He'd been too wrapped up in his own grief to let anyone in their immediate circle know and he hadn't wanted to admit it out loud or through text. Even now, far away from his normal life, he didn't want to say it.

"I remembered Zoom," he says finally, glancing over at her. "Every mistake I made with him. I let him into my life, Felicity. I let him near my family and friends. I told myself I'd never let anyone hurt any of them again and I opened the door for him to walk right through."

He stops. "I didn't have time to tell you. He..." He forces himself to take a breath. "He killed my dad."

When Barry explains, Felicity doesn't remember any of it. She doesn't necessarily think that it's weird, since Barry literally just told her that he just ... well, woke up with new memories one day.

It was more suspicious than anything, and Felicity made a mental note to investigate the MemoMax facility she'd passed after waking up on her first day. But she could tell that regardless of whether the memories were real, they were real to Barry. So she's going to talk to him like she thinks they're real too.

When he stops, her eyes furrow in concern as she braces herself for a million things that he might say next. She doesn't know who Zoom is, but if Barry was talking about his family getting hurt, Felicity's mind wanders immediately to Iris, then Joe. But Mr. Allen. She couldn't have prepared herself for that.

"Oh god Barry." There's no hesitation. She pulls him in for a hug. "I'm so sorry," she whispers, into his neck. "I'm so, so sorry."

When her arms wrap themselves around his shoulders he feels as if the strings holding him up have been suddenly cut. His own arms wrap themselves around her for support as he leans into her, holding her tight.

He doesn't bother fighting back the wave of grief that washes over him for the hundreth time. This time he lets it carry him away, using Felicity and her words as an anchor. It's a long moment before he can fight back the lump in his throat.

"It was my fault." He lets out a deep breath before pulling back, his eyes wet. "Every one I love, I lose. I can't win."

She can handle it — his weight and his burden, if he wants to put any of it on her so she can share the load. Right now, today, Felicity can handle it.

Barry doesn’t talk for a long moment and she doesn’t try to pull back or move. At most, she rubs her palm gently up and down a little part of Barry’s back, to let him know that she’s here and that she’s got him, and that she isn’t going anywhere. But when he finally pulls back and she sees the moisture in his eyes, her lips curl downwards into an empathetic frown.

“Hey,” she finally says, after lowering one of her hands onto his arm for a comforting squeeze. “It’s not about winning, right? It’s about doing everything you can- everything we can, to keep as many people as possible safe. You’ve saved so many people Barry. I’m sure- I’m sure Mr. Allen wouldn’t want you to forget that.”

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Daycycle 103 [ August 14 - August 20 ]

daycycle 103

[Aug 14 - Aug 20]

You're so right. Sorry!

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