Orion - Chapter Five: Bellatrix

[dracox_serdriel]

Title: Orion
Subtitle: Bellatrix
Author: dracox-serdriel
Word count: ~10,000
Rating: NC-17/MA
Summary: Zoom makes arrangements to steal from Palmer Technologies despite the recent upsurge in vigilantes in Star City. Caitlin explores the island before meeting Totem, who leads her to a place called the Comet.

Additional content warning: This chapter contains dark content about human experimentation, including medical experiments done on a child.


Hunter required a number of components for the suit Caitlin described, so he left the island for Star City. Normally, he'd raid STAR Labs, but in this case, only Palmer Technologies had the requisite materials.

It was a shame, really. The extra thousand miles would've done him some good.

Running was one of the very few things that gave him - for lack of a better word - joy. Of course, he found enjoyment in many activities, but running was different. When he ran, he felt euphoric and unstoppable, and when his frustration wouldn't abate, it was his only remedy.

He found power - and, rarely, solace - in killing. He relished the sense of control it gave him. He'd met other killers, and nearly all of them savored one thing: watching the light drain from their victims' eyes.

He never understood the appeal, not after witnessing his mother's life evaporate from this world. For hi, the best part - the part worth cherishing - was the expression on his victim's face. It was always some combination of shock, agony, and terror, yet each one was so unique, so telling of the individual. It gave him a rush and relief, but as exhilarating as it was, it fizzled out rapidly, leaving him spent, empty, and desperately wanting his next reprieve. Before he became Zoom, he was driven to the next kill sooner and sooner, and eventually, he was so strung out that he didn't care if it was done right. He got sloppy, and then he got caught.

But running with super-speed? That was the only thing that made him feel something that never burned out and never faded away.

Not the only thing. Not anymore.

Hunter had had relationships before Caitlin. He never had trouble attracting partners, but the emotional connection was always a problem for him. He wasn't incapable. Far from it. But after years of people manipulating him, he saw his feelings as puppet strings, and he learned not to share them with anybody. Doing so had always given that person a power over him that he couldn't take back.

But you don't want to take it back. Not from Caitlin.

His analytical mind acknowledged that Caitlin occupied a large portion of his time and energy, and once their relationship became full-fledged, it would consume even more. She provided neither power nor leverage; in all logical respects, she was nothing but a weakness. Bringing her here on a whim up-ended weeks of preparation and forced him to come up with a plan specifically for her, which would set him even further off track. He was, after all, spending an entire day on a project just to show her he could keep a promise.

He was acutely aware that Caitlin was a stumbling block, yet Hunter could no more abandon her than his super-speed.

There isn't a future without her.

Seeing her in a room was like racing across the desert; he felt an energizing boost that made him feel like he was cheating death. Her mood influenced his. He knew it, and so did she. How many times could she have used that to her own ends? Yet she never had.

Caitlin is trustworthy.

Thinking about her made his heart race.

And he'd nearly lost her. It was infuriating and terrifying, but all he could do was put on a neutral face and protect her better.

That, and destroy whoever sent that meta into his lair, given that Killer Frost was off limits.

Nearly losing her only confirmed that she was absolutely vital. No matter how foolish it was, he loved her, and he wouldn't be without her.

Even if it makes her miserable.

He'd find a way to make her happy. He was a patient man, and he had nothing but time.

Hunter only wished she wasn't so fragile. He dreamed of her becoming metahuman or having a power. Not like Killer Frost, who had none of Caitlin's wit or passion. No, she deserved meta-healing or the ability to create a force field or something defensive. Sometimes he fantasized about making her a speedster, finding some other Flash on another world and stealing that speed for her. She'd have the regeneration and healing powers provided by the SpeedForce and be fast enough to outrun any danger.

Except for you.

He was torn. The idea of having her powerful and at his side was both thrilling and petrifying. He didn't want her fighting on the front lines. It was too dangerous, and she'd become a target for the MTU. More than that, he had no interest in making her like him.

Well, maybe he'd like her to be a little darker, but just enough for her to accept her love for him.

She'll never do that.

He shook it off. He didn't have time for this. He needed a clear head to break into Palmer Technologies.

Ever since he unmasked Robert Queen as the Hood, wannabe vigilantes had inundated Star City. Most had been injured or killed, yet half a dozen remained active. One of them was an incredibly skilled - and very annoying - hacker. A few weeks ago, she had blown the cover of a metahuman named Blink, who had faked her death over a year ago. Said hacker had reported Blink's otherwise unnoticed medical supply thefts by publishing internal surveillance before it the thief had a chance to wipe it.

Blink was too good to have her power caught on camera, but one picture of her face brought the MTU down hard on Star City, all because of one hacking vigilante. Hunter had to learn from Blink's mistake. He couldn't risk that kind of exposure.

Not that anyone would dare come after Zoom, but if anyone knew what he was stealing, they might discover why he took it and what he was doing.

And that might take them down a path that leads straight to Caitlin.

He wouldn't let that happen. He'd pilfer what he needed and take it to one of his labs in Coast City. He was going to show Caitlin that he could keep his word, that she could trust him. This was his first step.

About six months ago, in November... Jay had ignored his phone for the past few days, hoping it would get easier the next time it rang.

It never did.

He wanted to speak with Caitlin. A few nights ago, when Barry said he was going ahead with Wells's idiotic plan to lure Zoom, he made a scene storming out of STAR Labs. As he made his way home, he decided he'd never go back there.

But he couldn't stop thinking about Caitlin.

In the days since, he resisted the urge to return her calls, but it took nearly all his will power. He was drawn to her, her beauty and her strength. She had connected with him, told him that living a different life didn't mean it had to be a worse one. Unlike everyone else who had expressed the same sentiment, she spoke from a place of experience. A very recent experience. She was still trying to find her own new way to live after losing her husband.

And it was enough to make him wonder if he needed his speed.

Jay reminded himself that their relationship couldn't go anywhere. They were from different universes. It wasn't meant to be.

Yet, every time the phone rang, a little bit of his resolve disappeared. And after the news of Zoom dragging a bruised and beaten Flash around Central City, he buckled. The next time she called, he picked up on the first ring.

"Caitlin?" he answered.

"Jay?" she replied, startled. "I didn't think I'd get you."

"I know, I'm sorry," he said. "I saw the news. Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," she said, her voice revealing that she was anything but.

He glanced at the clock. It was past midnight.

"Where are you right now?" he asked.

"I'm here," she replied. "I, uh, was supposed to go home, but I-I couldn't."

"You're still at the lab?"

"I can't leave Barry alone overnight, not like this."

"Couldn't Wells stay with him?" Jay asked.

"I made Cisco take Wells out of the lab so Joe wouldn't shoot him."

"Can't blame him for wanting to," he commented quietly.

"Jay, you were right, we shouldn't've... it was stupid, setting a trap for Zoom."

"Don't talk like that," he said. "You're not to blame. Barry decided to go after Zoom. He's a hero. Speaking from experience, we do stupid things all the time."

"You do them for the right reasons," she replied. "Sometimes that's the only difference between stupidity and bravery."

"Listen, I'll be there in about thirty minutes," he said. "I'll bring a movie to watch, help you get your mind off things. How does that sound?"

"I can't ask you to do that - "

"You didn't," he interrupted. "I offered, and it'd do me some good. I've been hiding from the world these past few days."

"Okay," she said.

He could hear her smile, and it warmed him all over.

"I'll see you soon."

Jay didn't have a movie to bring, but Cisco had given him access to his Netflix account, which provided the requisite cinematic distraction. He couldn't get Caitlin to go any farther than the cortex, so he set up a makeshift sofa behind the main desk from spare medical cots and pilfered pillows and blankets. Then he pulled up the first serial of Doctor Who.

She didn't say much, and she spent most of the first episodes throwing glances at the medical bay.

"Caitlin, he's going to be fine," he reassured her. "He's a speedster. He'll heal."

"He couldn't feel his legs," she replied. "What if he doesn't - "

"He will," Jay interrupted.

"He has a complete dislocation at the T12-L1 interspace of the thoracolumbar junction," she continued. "We don't know the limits of his regenerative capabilities."

He interrupted, "I healed after my pelvis and two lumbar vertebrae were crushed."

"Was it Zoom?" she asked.

"Uh, no," he replied, feeling a slight blush on his cheeks. "No, it was inexperience and stupidity on my part. I was just starting out as the Flash and had no idea what I was doing. I barely made it back to my lab. I didn't even have time to hook up an IV before I passed out from the pain. Woke up two days later, still in pain and starving."

"You were alone?" she asked. "For two days?"

"And I healed," he replied. "Not completely in those two days but enough to get off the floor and call for help. Barry is faster and stronger than I ever was, and more than that, he has you. All of you. He'll come back from this."

She bit her lip and turned back to the episode, but it was clear she was still not convinced.

"You saved him, Caitlin."

"I didn't do anything."

"Zoom had the Flash at his mercy," Jay continued. "Yet Barry's alive in that medical bay."

"Speed dampening dart," she said. "Cisco did it, not me."

"The last time Zoom had another speedster beat like that, it was me, and it took a singularity to save my life," he said. "You guys managed to save Barry with a single dart. That's an incredible feat. He'll recover. Okay?"

"Thank you for coming out here so late," she said, visibly relaxing. "And... everything."

"Any excuse to watch Doctor Who," he said playfully.

"Does Earth-2 have Doctor Who?"

"We do, but it predates your earth's version by twenty-seven years. Same concept, similar story arcs, but completely different stories and actors."

"Really?"

"Yeah, it's been my guilty pleasure," he admitted. "Helps me take my mind off of things. Another episode?"

She nodded.

After he started the next one, she put her head on his shoulder and sank into him for support, eventually falling asleep against his chest.

Jay held her. He hadn't gotten close to anyone in a very long time. He worked better alone, or at least, it was easier for him. Being on this earth and part of a team made him question everything.

No, it was all Caitlin. What was it about her? He couldn't put his finger on it, and as he watched her sleep, he didn't care. He felt something inside him stirring, something he thought he'd lost with his speed.

Just holding her made him feel as alive as being The Flash.

Here and now... Caitlin walked around the island, hampered only slightly the ache in her left leg. The sunlight rejuvenated her, and she indulged for a few minutes.

The island was small, a few square miles at most. On one side, there was nothing but ocean, and on the other, rocks marred the water's surface, protruding every few yards. She couldn't see the mainland, but she could make out a lighthouse in the distance.

Getting to this island was difficult. Approaching from the shore meant navigating treacherous waters, and there wasn't anywhere for a plane or helicopter to land. The only way on or off the island, barring a speedster, was to approach from the ocean-side by boat.

She didn't see any other buildings, though there were trees to the west that could conceal a one-story structure. She decided against further exploration when she spotted storm clouds forming. She'd had enough hypothermia to last a lifetime.

Caitlin returned to the house. She swept the rest of the main floor, which was spacious and sparsely furnished. She entertained the idea of avoiding the basement entirely and going up to her room for the rest of the day.

She still hadn't decided when she went into the kitchen and selected a short, sharp knife. The problem was that she had no way to safely carry it.

That's not the only problem.

What did she expect to do with a blade, exactly? How much good would it do against a metahuman?

Could you really do it?

She pictured a herself stabbing through the arm of an attacker, a faceless metahuman with claws and fangs. It only infuriated her assailant, who struck back, forcing her to slash widely in defense, finally shoving the blade into flesh. Blood spurted everywhere as she watched her featureless foe fall to the ground, but once he hit the floor, he was no longer a stranger. He was Jay - no, Hunter - lying in a pool of his own blood.

She vividly recalled Jay with fear and pain in his eyes as a clawed hand protruded from his chest before he was yanked bodily into the breach.

Nausea overcame her, and her stomach lurched. Unlike earlier this morning, though, it was no longer empty, and the queasiness persisted after she purged the mental image. Picturing Hunter dead - murdered by her own hand - nearly caused her to vomit.

You're not a killer.

She accepted it. Even if she had the perfect opportunity to kill him, she wouldn't be able to do it. She returned the knife to it's drawer.

"You're strong," someone said from behind her.

The voice was unfamiliar to her, so she turned slowly. The speaker was a black woman in her mid-thirties dressed in light, comfortable clothing. Her eyes were warm and discerning, and she had a way about her that reminded her of Iris and Barry.

"Call me Totem," the woman said.

"Totem?" Caitlin repeated.

"Everyone here goes by taken names," she continued. "You are no exception."

"I don't have one," she replied. "I'm not metahuman."

"Neither am I."

"I don't have powers," Caitlin said.

"Of course you do," Totem replied. "Maybe not supernatural in nature, but you do. You showed a warrior's strength. You deserve a warrior's name."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You put the knife back," she said. "I know how difficult that can be. Pick a name for yourself, and take your time. Tell me when you're ready."

Caitlin wasn't sure what to make of Totem or her request. She assumed this was the person Hunter sent to bring her up to speed.

To manipulate you.

Then something caught her eye. At first she thought it was an enormous house cat, but as it came closer, it seemed more like a hyena. It was a canine with spindly legs, a large, fluffy tail, and vertical stripes down its coat.

"Her name is Terra Firma," Totem explained.

"You have a pet aardwolf?" Caitlin asked.

"Terra is not a pet. She's one of my familiars."

"Familiar?" she asked. "As in the servant to a witch or sorcerer?"

"In fairy stories, yes," Totem replied. "In the real world, a familiar is psychically bonded with a person. When the right connection is made, it provides potent healing for both parties. Growth of mind, body, and spirit."

"How did it happen?" Caitlin asked, her curiosity trumping her suspicion.

"It is my gift."

Don't trust her.

Caitlin demanded, "Why do you work with Zoom?"

"You ask as if I will not answer, as if that is not the very reason we are here."

She didn't know how to reply.

Totem moved to the basement door and said, "Follow me."

She opened it and descended with her aardwolf. Caitlin stared after them. She knew she would follow. It was the only possible choice, but she wasn't ready to do it yet.

Don't trust her.

As strange as it was, Caitlin found herself thinking about an alias. She didn't know where to start. Cisco would probably come up with something right away, even though she didn't have any powers. What would he pick? Antifreeze? No, that made it sound like she could melt ice or something. Doctor Hail? No, that was too close to Doctor Light.

She needed something that was strong and fierce, but it couldn't suggested that she had powers. That felt disingenuous, even for a nickname.

What are you doing? You don't have a secret identity.

That snapped Caitlin out of her head for a moment, but the truth was, she was stranded on an island. There was nowhere to go.

You don't have to follow her.

But she did. She needed to know why she was here. It could be the key to her escape.

So she took a deep breath and followed the aardwolf.

The stairway was hewn from old stone, and it led her down into a cellar that was also cut from rock. It was dark and had odd boxes piled everywhere with a thick layer of dust. It was creepy.

And it was empty.

What the hell?

The sound of claws on stone caught her attention. Terra Firma stepped out from behind a shelf. She sat down and curled her tail around her toes, tilting her head to one side, as if curious.

"Where is everybody?" Caitlin asked.

Normally she would feel foolish asking an animal and actually expecting an answer, but Terra Firma didn't seem like an animal at all. She thought about Everyman, a metahuman who could transform into anyone he touched. Was it so far-fetched to think that a metahuman could transform into an animal?

But why an aardwolf? Some kind of inside lycanthropy joke?

Terra Firma tilted her head to the other side, as if sizing up the hapless human lost in a stone basement. Then she stood up and looked straight at Caitlin with piercing eyes and turned around, stalking off the way she came.

Caitlin followed, and when she got to the other side of the shelf, Terra Firma was sitting in front of the far wall, looking over her shoulder. Then she bolted ahead, disappearing through the stone as if it were air.

You've got to be kidding.

She put her hand against the wall, and it felt tangible. Solid. But as she put more weight against it, she passed through it, like it wasn't there at all.

Then something yanked her forward, and suddenly she was standing inside an industrial elevator with Terra Firma for company.

What the hell?

Descent began automatically, or at least Caitlin had nothing to do with it. Apparently, being on a secluded, difficult-to-reach island wasn't enough. Whatever Hunter was doing here was all done in a hidden underground lair.

It felt like three floors passed before the doors opened.

Terra Firma ran. It took Caitlin a moment before she followed.

She was in a hospital.

A secret, underground hospital.

"Welcome to the Comet," Totem announced.

Caitlin hadn't seen her approach.

"There's someone you should meet."

She didn't say anything as she followed. She was too busy imagining what Hunter could be doing with a facility like this. Experimenting on metahumans? Building up a metahuman army with implanted medical tech?

There were too many horrible possibilities.

Totem stopped outside a hospital room. Through the window, she saw a young boy in a coma and a scarlet macaw perched above him, watching over him.

"This is Blink Junior and Scout," Totem introduced. "Junior was rescued from the MTU about a week ago. I bonded him with Scout to accelerate the healing process."

"You can give other people familiars?" Caitlin asked.

"Bond," she corrected. "It is my gift. Unfortunately, it's only complicated matters, and the medical staff here is at a loss. That's why you're here."

Don't trust her.

She didn't have to, not if this boy was a real patient. She could run tests and rely on the science. Right now, that felt like the only real thing in her life, the only thing she could hold on to in this other universe.

"What name did you choose?" Totem asked. "For the sake of introduction."

Caitlin had the sneaking suspicion that the gift of bonding a familiar wasn't Totem's only power. That, or she had some kind of telepathy or psychic perception that facilitated her abilities.

Don't trust Zoom's telepath.

"Bellatrix," Caitlin replied.

"The female warrior," Totem commented. "A fine choice."

"You're telling me Zoom brought me here to help a little boy in a coma?" she asked. "Why would he do that?"

"The coma is medically induced," Totem replied, dodging the actual question. "I'm partially to blame."

Before she could press her for answers, Totem swept into the room, gaining the rapt attention of Scout the Macaw.

"This is Bellatrix. She's a doctor. She's here to help."

She spoke as if someone was standing in the room. Caitlin stepped in behind her, but there was no one but the boy and the bird, which ruffled its beautiful plumage.

"When the particle accelerator exploded, Blink and her son, that's Junior here, were hit by dark matter," Totem explained as she walked over to the x-ray illuminator. "They both developed the ability to teleport."

"Both of them?"

"Is that intrigue I hear in your voice, doctor?"

"It's just... I've encountered related metahumans before. Brothers. They also had identical powers. The long-standing assumption has been that environmental factors contribute to the specific abilities gained from the activated meta-gene, but obviously biology, genetics, play a role," she said in a rush.

There's a patient in the room.

Caitlin adjusted. Now wasn't the time for scientific inquiry.

She asked, "How long has Junior been in an induced coma?"

"Four days."

That didn't make any sense.

"Doesn't Junior have regenerative capabilities?" Caitlin asked.

"To an extraordinary extent," Totem replied.

She flicked the illuminator on, revealing a collection of scans of - presumably - Junior's head. Caitlin approached the scans cautiously, her mind reeling from what was in front of her.

"Bilateral anophthalmia," she said, her medical training attempting to inject cold rationality into the situation.

It failed bitterly as all the pieces of the puzzle came together in her mind.

When she spoke again, her voice shook. She said, "I've met a teleporter before. Peek-a-boo. She only had one limitation: line of sight. She can't teleport in the dark or out of a room made of one-way glass. Removing both her eyes would likely eliminate her abilities."

"That was precisely the hypothesis the MTU was testing," Totem said. "Junior's powers work much the same way, but his eyes kept healing from the other forms of blindness they inflicted on him."

Caitlin felt sick to her stomach. Someone had done this on purpose. They had removed a child's eyes for an experiment. Who would do that?

Somebody like Zoom.

No, Hunter was a terrible human being. He murdered people without remorse and possibly for fun, but as far as she knew, he didn't mutilate children just to see what would happen.

You don't know that.

"Why would anyone do this?" she asked.

"I can only guess," Totem replied.

She continued to answer, but she wasn't listening. Her eyes had landed on the scans from earlier that day and the day previous. It was incredible. Impossible.

Obviously not impossible.

"His eyes are growing back," she said, interrupting Totem. "I've seen metas heal from fractures, burns, even a broken back, but... complete regeneration? And why did you put him in a medically induced coma?"

"I told you, I bonded Scout to Junior to accelerate the healing process, and it worked," Totem explained. "But, as you can imagine, regrowing an eye isn't pleasant, and there's no protocol to handle it. We do have a nurse who monitors it all, including the coma, which we induced because of Scout. Many learn to see through the eyes of their familiars. Junior instinctively knew how."

"So he could teleport again," Caitlin said, cottoning on.

"Yes, and as you can imagine, over much farther distances than before. Unfortunately, the trauma he's survived has caused a loss of control. Even with pain meds, he still has persistent discomfort and itching. The fight-or-flight response kicks in, and he teleports to wherever Scout is looking. No matter where. He broke both ankles teleporting into the other room because he couldn't control his landing site."

Junior had been in this coma for four days, and his new eyes were maturing at a rapid pace. In less than a week, they'd fill the ocular cavity, and - assuming the eyes were healing in the same way that Barry's back did - it would take a few more days after that before his sight was restored.

"If you can find a way to treat the discomfort and itching from the tissue regeneration, then we could take him out of the coma," Totem continued.

Caitlin picked up the chart at the end of his bed. Blink Junior, age 10, rescued from the MTU outside Coast City eight days ago. Doctor Midnight scanned for and removed all technology from the boy, including three implanted trackers and a neurostimulator. Blood type Z negative with activated meta-gene.

From the blood work she'd done on Earth-2 Wells, Caitlin had learned that this universe classified blood types differently. Type Z corresponded with Type O.

She bit her lip. With something as basic as blood type being different in this universe, she couldn't take anything for granted, and technology here was at least a decade ahead of Earth-1. She needed to step lightly and read rigorously. She had to take her time.

"I'm going to need to see everything," Caitlin said to Totem. "Not just his medical charts. I need access to medical research, past and present, as well as anything you can provide about the technologies the MTU might've used on Junior. And, before I can administer anything, I'll need to speak with his parent or guardian."

"As of right now, Blink is off the grid right now," Totem replied. "She left him in our care."

Don't trust her.

She didn't like the idea of treating a child without consent, especially because, in the best case scenario, his recovery would leave him in the care of Hunter. She doubted he'd make a good father.

He probably just wants to use the kid's powers. He has extended teleportation abilities. Imagine what would happen if Hunter could control him.

"Follow me, Bellatrix," Totem said before she slipped out of the room.

Caitlin stared at Junior for a moment before putting his chart back.

"I'll find a way to help you," she said before she left. "I promise."

Three months ago in February... Jay knocked on Caitlin's door. No answer. Just like his calls.

She was angry with him. She had every right to be, and she had every right to take some space and clear her head. For the past few days, she had kept her distance. She had given him plenty of excuses - she needed to do an autopsy on Turtle, she had to follow up on tests, she was doing research, and so on - but he knew what this was about.

He'd kept his illness from her, concealed it as if it were some bitter secret he was too ashamed to share. Because that was what it was to him: a point of shame. That, and any time she spent trying to help him would distract from stopping Zoom, which was the real mission.

He'd made so many mistakes, and the last thing he wanted was for Caitlin to see him differently. Once he learned that Harrison Wells had arrived on this earth, he knew it was only a matter of time before she started to do just that.

And now, it was like she wouldn't look at him at all. After her passionate insistence on helping him, she collected blood and tissue samples from him while he answered all her questions about the effects of cellular degeneration on his body. Then she told him to go home and rest.

"Will I see you tonight?" he had asked.

"Probably not," she had replied. "I've got a lot to do here."

That was all she'd said, but he could hear the tension in her voice. He hadn't just omitted his illness, he had actively concealed it from her. She wanted to help him but she was still furious with him.

So he went home and spent a restless night alone. They hadn't spent an entire night apart since Christmas, and he found himself unable to sleep. He kept wondering what she was thinking and how she was feeling. He couldn't put her out of his head.

In the days since, she had been perfectly polite with him, but she hadn't engaged him directly. Cisco had been lurking more than usual, probably because she had asked him to act as a wingman.

And Cisco had been a very effective buffer.

So today he didn't go to STAR Labs. There weren't any metahuman dangers afoot apart from Zoom since they captured Turtle. If they needed him, they would call. He didn't need to be underfoot.

But he couldn't let it drag on this way. He deserved whatever she wanted to throw at him: shouting, yelling, any objects she felt like pelting. Caitlin often held her fury close, let it bubble hard against her chest, so it burned right through her.

He hated the idea that something he did hurt her and kept hurting her.

He knocked again, louder this time. Then he rang the bell twice. She wasn't at Jitters or the lab, which meant she had to be home.

"Caitlin," he said at the door, hoping she'd hear him. "It's me. Please, I just want to talk."

No response.

He put his forehead against the door, leaning into it as he took a deep breath. One hand came to rest on the door handle.

It gave even though he hadn't put any pressure on it.

The door was unlocked.

His heart began to hammer hard in his chest. Caitlin was too safety conscious to leave it like this. She didn't even hide a spare key. She'd never leave her front door open, unless...

No, no. He couldn't let himself think like that. Sometimes, when she first got in, she'd bar the door without locking it. That must be it. She was fine. She had to be fine.

But he had to know.

So he took hold of the handle and turned it, opening the door slowly, for he expected the bar to jam it up.

It didn't. It opened completely, revealing her apartment. Some of the lights were on. Nothing was out of place. At least, nothing he could see.

"Caitlin," he whispered, panic setting in. He raised his voice. "Caitlin? Caitlin!"

He stepped inside, petrified he'd find the place empty, or worse, discover her injured or...

"Jay?" Caitlin replied, her voice soft.

Relief like he'd never known swept over him when he saw her step out from the hallway that led back to the rest of her apartment.

She looked confused and a little scruffy. She was dressed in her bathrobe.

"Caitlin, God, I'm sorry," he replied.

"You're here?"

It was obvious she wasn't pleased to see him.

"I came by to talk, and when you didn't respond, I... the door was open, I assumed the worse, and..."

He heard what he was saying. He must sound like some possessive idiot, barging into his girlfriend's apartment after she refused a few of his calls. It was the last impression he needed to make on her right now.

"I'm sorry. I overreacted. I should go."

"No, wait," she said, reaching out and grabbing his arm. "It's sweet of you to check on me."

"How... how are you?"

"I'm okay," she replied. "It's been a long week."

"Yeah, yeah it has," he replied lamely.

"Would you close the door?"

He would've done anything she requested, including leaving the apartment. He closed the door, locked, and barred it.

"I shouldn't've barged in," he said apologetically.

"Actually, I left it because I was going to invite you over," she replied.

"If you wanted to talk about - "

She interrupted, "Actually, I was going to ask you to join me."

"Join you...?"

"For a bath."

His heart rate increased again, but this time for entirely different reasons.

"I'd like that," he said. "But I know we haven't really had time to discuss - "

"I don't want to talk, Jay," she replied, her voice kind even when interrupting him. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too."

She smiled and reached out for him again, extending her hand. He was dumbfounded. She didn't look angry or upset, just tired, like she hadn't been sleeping, either. Jay wondered if it was for the same reason.

He took her hand, and she tugged on his arm, leading him back to her bathroom, where the tub was already filled and steaming.

He felt the double sting of hope and guilt. If she felt the same for him, then his lying had hurt her even more. How could he make it up to her if she wasn't interested in talking?

As if to answer his question, her lips were suddenly against his, her hands tugging at his belt. It felt like a deep breath of fresh air after nothing but days of smog. He tipped her head back so he could pull her closer without breaking away. If talking was off the table, then he'd pour his apology into every touch, every sigh, until she made it something else, something better.

Like she did with everything.

After his pants and belt were undone, she stepped back. She gave him a warm smile before turning away.

"You first."

He obliged. He left his clothes in a neat pile by the door before stepping into the water. It was hotter than he expected with a strong lemon and lavender scent, which he hadn't known Caitlin liked.

Jay thought about asking her about it, but when she dropped her robe and bared herself to him, he couldn't remember what he'd been thinking. She stepped into the tub, turning so they were stacked, spooning in the water. He wrapped her in his arms, tucking his head next to hers as he breathed her in.

Her soft skin turned red quickly, and he wondered if the water was too hot for her. But she didn't complain or pull away. Not about him or the water.

She reached back and caressed his face, her fingers warm and wet, before she turned her head and kissed him. There was no mistaking the desire, the passion of it; she didn't walk to talk or to fight. She didn't want apologies. She just wanted him.

His hand started at her neck, bringing a splash of hot water over the last of her dry skin. His thumb circled idly over her muscles, which were more tense than usual. She'd been working too hard. Then his fingers drifted down to her clavicle before reaching her bosom and her already hardened nipples.

The water amplified her already sexy curves. He cupped her breasts, gently stroking the sensitive tissue. Her groan of approval made his cock stiffen. He kissed down her neck, shifting lower so his arm could comfortably reach her center. She turned her head so she was facing forward again, just in time to see his fingers snake between her legs. He didn't touch her at first. He used all four fingers like a paddle, sending the water over her most sensitive area in a slow, steady rhythm that earned him a throaty moan.

He started using his whole hand, flicking his wrist, increasing the tempo quickly, gaging his speed by her breath, which was now coming in short, quick pants. His free arm wrapped around her midsection to hold her in place as the pace quickened, his fingers stroking her breasts.

Her hands came up over the arm between her legs, pulling him closer. He pressed his lips against her wet shoulder as his fingers found her clit, delicately teasing the sensitive bud. Her back bowed, throwing her into his touch, and her entire body trembled as he nibbled on her ear.

She mumbled his name at first, but each time it got a little louder, a little clearer.

She planted her feet on either side of his legs, opening to him slightly as she hovered above him.

He had never bothered thinking about what the phrase 'sweet nothings' meant, but as he whispered in her ear how beautiful she was, how gorgeous she looked in the water, how incredible it was to touch her, he found himself at a loss for the right thing to say. So he continued praising her as his fingers quickened against her till her head fell back on his shoulder as she arched up. The water cascaded from her body as she rode out her climax.

Caitlin eased her way back into the water. He nestled into the crook of her neck as she came back down, her soft curves caressing him.

She nudged his leg with her knee, and he shifted it in, giving her space to kneel. She did the same thing with her other leg before rising up so she was straddling him. He had been reclining back against the tub, but he felt far away from her. So he sat up straight and brought his hands over her thighs, stroking them.

"Caitlin..." he whispered.

She turned her head and kissed him over her shoulder, distracting him as one hand braced against the tub for balance and the other took hold of his hardened member. He groaned as her hand pumped up and down a few times, and she took advantage by deepening the kiss, exploring his mouth with her tongue.

His hands went to her hips, desperate for something to hold on to, and she lined them up before lowering herself over him, enveloping him in silky warmth that even the tub water couldn't match. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, but the moan inside him echoed off the tiles and anyway. Was he always this loud? Or was that only with her?

They had only been having sex for a month, but he learned what she needed - and what she liked - in just a few weeks. Caitlin loved foreplay, but once he was inside her, it never took long for her to come. It was almost like she was impatient for it, especially if he took his time warming her up, gradually increasing the pressure and speed so as to avoid alerting her over-sensitized nerves. She always wanted him hard and fast.

But in this position, she set the pace, so he let his hands explore her skin, remaining still as possible as she rested against him, letting herself stretch to accommodate him. Then she began to move, circling her hips one way, then the other. He bit his bottom lip as she found a rhythm, the sound of the water splashing in time with her movements.

Then she began to bounce at a listless pace. Up and down, up and down with little circles. He groaned against her skin as his fingers descended to her clit again, matching her movements. He couldn't help that his back curled a little, thrusting ever so slightly into her, and she made a low and deep grunt that told him he had the right idea.

Jay followed Caitlin's lead, keeping the thrusts measured, circular, and only slightly in-and-out, their slick bodies rocking together. Rather than the usual tingling at the base of his spine, he felt his entire body gradually give into the pleasure ahead.

He wanted to tell her how amazing she was, how unbelievable she felt clenched around him, pushing him higher and higher. But he soon found himself unable to form a coherent thought, the only thing in the world was this woman on top of him, demanding everything, and he, willingly providing. He was getting lost in it, the moments passing him by with no regard for time. They rocked together like that for a few seconds, a few minutes, an hour. He couldn't tell. The unhurried pace made the build stronger and stronger, and all he wanted was for her to feel the same, to know the ecstasy she always gave him whenever they came together.

Her movements began to falter, so he increased the pressure of his fingers against her clit, driving her over the edge into her second climax. Her walls clamped around him, the contractions almost too much, almost overstimulating him as he came hard, spilling into her. He gripped her tight to him as they rode it out and her tight hole milked his cock. He managed to shout her name - and she, his - echoing off the walls as the water sloshed around them, and his mind went completely blank.

They were both breathing hard, their hair in various states of wetness, the water slightly cooler than he remembered it being only moments earlier. He didn't want to ruin the moment by speaking or shifting, so he nibbled down the side of her neck, more than content to stay like this forever.

Here and now... Caitlin worked in a corner office on the top floor of the underground hospital. It was a generic room, but it had good lighting and whiteboards for her to write on. She poured over documents for hours, scanning patient charts and delving into medical research publications, compiling a list of questions as she went.

From time to time, Totem would appear with another box or patient file, but Caitlin was too engrossed in the work to speak with her.

At lunch time, Totem brought her grilled cheese, fries, and a salad. She had meant to eat it, but with everything in front of her, she forgot.

"Do I have to leave Terra Firma in here until you eat this?" Totem asked, putting a plate on the page she was reading.

"You got me another?" Caitlin asked. "I still haven't eaten the first."

"It's cold."

"No, you only brought it a few minutes ago."

"Over an hour ago."

Caitlin absentmindedly ate the sandwich, and Totem nodded and left the room, taking the old plate with her.

She works for Hunter. Don't trust her.

She couldn't tell if Totem was a skilled liar like Hunter or if she was working for him under duress. If she was lying, then she probably had some insight on his plans, but if she wasn't... then Hunter probably threatened to kill her if Caitlin didn't eat.

She wasn't going to give him any excuse to kill.

Don't trust Totem.

As she chewed her sandwich, she realized how angry she was. The horrors these files contained enraged here.

For example, special neurostimulators had been developed to control metahumans. A few amplified or triggered the meta's abilities, similar to Cisco's Vibe Goggles, but most were designed to inflict pain or paralysis. These devices were made to control metas, and the designers knew enough about meta-healing to prevent it from interfering. This kind of development took time and resources.

Blink Junior was not an outlier on this earth. An organized group was out there, hunting and capturing metahumans. The handful that roamed free - Zoom, for example - were those too powerful to apprehend.

Caitlin hated herself for even considering it. But, what if Hunter hadn't been lying? What if he - and his followers - were actually fighting a secret war against metahumans?

If Zoom was fighting a war, he would just slaughter his opponents. You want to believe that Jay was real, that he's inside Hunter somewhere, but he's not.

Zoom clearly had no issue killing, so why hadn't he simply wiped out the MTU?

None of her speculation was helping Junior. She needed to focus on him.

So she shoved everything else aside except for his medical charts and related medical papers. She was going to figure this out.

According to Junior's file, all implanted tech had been removed from his body, and his scans confirmed it. The discomfort he experienced was a direct result of tissue regeneration. Once the eyes fit the ocular cavities again, she could treat the discomfort, but in the mean time, the body produced fluid to fill the space and nurture the tissue growth. If Junior woke now, he would have to lie perfectly still with his eyes shut for days.

No one should have to go through that. Least of all a ten-year-old.

The induced coma was the most humane way of handling his symptoms. His vision would still be compromised for several days after waking up, but at least he'd be able to move his eyelids and sit up.

Caitlin wrote out his treatment plan for the next three weeks. When she read it over for errors, it hit her.

What would happen to him after the treatment concluded? Would he grow up a pawn in Zoom's empire?

Not if you can help it.

But she couldn't. The best she could do was get this kid back on his feet. And if the size of the building was any indication, Junior wasn't going to be her only patient.

This was what Hunter wanted, her patching up wounded metahumans in his covert facility to build up his army. Who wouldn't be loyal to the most powerful metahuman on the planet after he rescued them?

"It's nearly six o'clock," Totem announced, interrupting her train of thought.

"Why do you work for Zoom?" Caitlin asked. "You said you'd tell me."

"I've shown you," Totem replied.

"Zoom isn't some revolutionary leader."

"That's what you think? That people are marshaling behind him because he's our leader?" Totem asked. "We are not fools, Bellatrix."

"No, but maybe you're all like him," she replied. "Willing to do whatever it takes to get what you want."

Totem shut the office door and sat on the other side of the desk. It was an oddly formal gesture.

She waited for her to go on, but she said nothing. It was almost like Totem was waiting for something, especially because she said nothing for several minutes. It felt like she was waiting for something.

Then she began abruptly, "We only have a few moments without him hearing. I understand your misgivings. They are the same as mine. It is very important that he never know we had this conversation."

Don't trust her.

Caitlin nodded her head, yes.

"Zoom is not one man but two," Totem continued. "I have no word for this way of being, though he is not the first. Some people live life with two faces."

"You mean liars," Caitlin suggested. "Impersonators."

"No, I do not," she replied. "It's more than that. This is how people can be both doctors and destroyers. They vow to never harm, yet they mutilate and kill in the name of one cause or another. They survive by living with two faces."

Caitlin was reminded of the Nazi doctors who did human experimentation during World War II. They behaved as upstanding members of their community. They loved their families and friends. And then they went into work and mercilessly tortured human beings, documenting the horrific outcomes and speculating on future "experiments."

Doubling. In psychology it's called doubling.

"Most of us know he is not as he says," Totem continued. "I have no choice but to see him for what he is. That is part of my gift."

"Then why are you helping him?" Caitlin asked in a whisper.

"Because he's not lying anymore."

"You can't... he's manipulating you."

Totem gave her a sad smile. "He can't manipulate me. I can see through people, even when they lie to themselves. Even when they have yet to realize it for themselves. I know you don't trust him. You're right not to. For a long time, he was desperate for something, but whatever it was, he must've succeeded in acquiring it recently - "

"He did," Caitlin interrupted, bitterly remembering how he stole Barry's speed.

"That explains it," Totem said. "A month ago, everything changed."

"He is a very good liar," Caitlin warned.

"He is," she replied. "At first, I thought he simply found a way to deflect my abilities, but then he told me about you."

"Me?" she repeated. "What do I have to do with anything?"

"This world has never been kind to people with powers," Totem replied. "We have been hunted long before the era of metahumans. We have tried hiding. We have tried fighting back. For over two years, there have been more of us than ever, but most have simply given up. But if someone like Zoom - "

"You mean a serial killer?" Caitlin interrupted.

"I mean someone powerful, someone people are afraid of," Totem replied. "If someone like that decided to take up the Cause, then maybe people like me would not have to live as we do. We are either prey hiding in the shadows, stolen away by people who will torture us to death, or we are predators, lashing out so people will be too afraid to dare approach us."

Caitlin shook her head, no.

"Bellatrix - "

She interrupted, "What happens after? After Zoom defeats the MTU, do you think he'll just stop? He won't. He'll take over this world and destroy it. And it still won't be enough for him."

"Nothing is ever enough," Totem agreed. "Not for him. I've seen that inside him, too."

"Then how can you say this - "

"We are running out of time," Totem interrupted. "Tell me, Bellatrix, why would a man need two faces?"

"To manipulate others, to get what he wants," she replied.

"Lying does not require such an elaborate disguise," Totem pointed out. "Many have manipulated entire nations with little more than the right words. In my experience, an evil man does not have two faces. He simply conceals and reveals his true face as convenient."

Doubling would explain Jay.

"Are you trying to tell me that Zoom is secretly, deep down, a good man?" Caitlin asked.

"No, not at all," Totem replied. "My point is that a man without conscience has no need for two faces. And you are the only person who has touched both sides of him. You may be our only hope."

Before Caitlin could reply, Totem held up her hand and whispered, "We're out of time."

Don't trust her.

Totem certainly given her any reason to trust her. Caitlin knew virtually nothing about her.

"How did you get your powers?" Caitlin asked. "If you're not metahuman, then what are you?"

"I'm afraid we have no name," Totem replied. "At least, none that I have ever learned."

"Elaborate."

"To what end?"

"You want me to trust you, so tell me something true. Give me a reason to believe you."

"Very well," Totem said. "I was born in South Africa, but my parents moved to Central City when I was two. From then on, I only visited my home country for a few months at a time. When I was sixteen, I was there, and I pulled a woman from a river. She was badly beaten and barely alive. I called for help, but we both knew she wasn't going to make it. She didn't tell me her name, and despite years of searching for it, I never learned it. But she told me that her mother had given her a great gift, and her mother before her, and her mother before her, down through the generations. Then she told me that her daughter was dead. Killed by the same people who attacked her. But her gift would live on through the stranger who braved a river to save her. I told her I didn't save her. She reassured me that I did. Then she made me promise that I'd rescue the people she failed. She said I'd know where to go when I was ready. I had no idea what she was talking about, but she was dying, so I promised her I would. She died long before help arrived, and there was no one to claim the body. So I did. I buried her in a grave with no name."

"I'm sorry," Caitlin said.

"I came into my powers not long after," Totem continued. "About a week later, I was drawn to the outskirts of a town that was upstream of that river. I knew nothing about this new power I had, but I could feel it. I was supposed to leave soon for Central City, so I followed my instincts. I found the people she was talking about. She hadn't told me that they were the ones who murdered her and her daughter. They laughed about it. All of them were dying, and I wanted to walk away. But I had promised her, the woman with no name, so I told them I'd save them, and in return, all I wanted were the names of the women they killed. They promised."

"You said you never knew her name."

"I never did," she continued. "I still don't. After I saved them, they told me they never knew her name, but I could ask her in hell, where everyone like me goes."

"They tried to kill you after?" Caitlin asked. "But you'd just saved their lives."

"I did, and there are some days when it is the biggest regret of my life. But then I think about the four who helped me escape. That's when I learned that I couldn't decide who lives or dies. All I can do is my best to save whoever's in front of me."

"You save people?" she asked.

"You sound surprised."

Totem was genuine and kind, and she seemed like she was telling the truth.

You've been wrong about that before.

"I'm a pacifist, Bellatrix," she continued. "Even when it hurts. I see through people, no matter how elaborate their lies. I see things that sometimes even they cannot see. Even the things that they've forgotten."

"You want me to trust you, even though you basically just told me you read minds?"

"Not minds," Totem replied. "Souls."

"I can't read either. For all I know, you're just parroting what Zoom wanted you to say."

"Do you know what I find most interesting about your name, Bellatrix?" Totem asked as she stood up. "It is the name for the third brightest star of the constellation Orion."

"I was thinking more along the lines of Lestrange," she said.

What if they don't have Harry Potter on this earth?

"Why not Hermione? Or Luna? Or Minerva?"

That answered her question about Harry Potter.

"Bellatrix felt right."

"I admit, it is an excellent choice," Totem said. "I can tell a lot about someone by the name they choose. You chose the warrior woman, the Amazon Star, who rests upon the shoulder of the giant, the reaper, or as he is most commonly known, the Hunter."

It could've been a random musing, but between the phrasing and the cadence, Caitlin knew it wasn't.

She knows Zoom's real name... and... that means...

"I recommend heading upstairs soon," Totem said. "Everything will be here in the morning. Good evening, Bellatrix."

Then she swept out of the room.

Caitlin's stomach lurched again. She hadn't selected the name Bellatrix for the reason Totem implied. She hadn't. But the idea that her unconscious mind might've contributed to it crushed her.

She loved Jay. There was no escaping that. And if Hunter used doubling as a dissociative state - a way to be both serial killer and life-saving scientist - than at least it made sense.

Don't let this woman get into your head. She works for Zoom, however unwillingly. If he told her to manipulate you or die, which do you think she'd pick? Don't trust her.

Then, maybe the name Bellatrix wasn't about love. Maybe her unconscious mind did it to endure. After all, she hardly knew Hunter, let alone loved him, but she did have to survive him. Picking a name that connected to his, however tangentially, was just be a way to cope.

She refocused her thoughts. She had assumed that Hunter had some kind of antisocial personality disorder and never considered doubling, which was more like a dissociative disorder. Totem was right about one thing: someone with no conscience wouldn't bother with doubling.

But did that really apply to Hunter?

She was a biochemist. She hadn't focused on psychiatry or psychology, though she had taken classes and done rotations in medical school. She didn't have the background or the experience to diagnose someone like Hunter, and Earth-2 had diverged from Earth-1 on mental and psychological health a very long time ago.

Thoughts are powerful. Don't let Hunter or his minions mess with your mind.

Caitlin wondered what would happen if she dawdled, avoided returning upstairs. Hunter would probably come to collect her. He'd probably be unhappy about it.

He can handle a little misery. He certainly deserves it.

Her stomach growled. Minutes ago, she was nauseous from the stress, yet now she was hungry. As counter-intuitive as that seemed, that was a good sign.

She realized she wouldn't make any progress on that tonight. One way or another, she'd have to face Hunter. She might as well get it out of the way.

Caitlin's hands shook a little as she set aside her notes from earlier that day. She took the time to calm herself before leaving the office for the elevator.

Chapter notes: The title of this chapter, Bellatrix, comes from the name of Gamma Ori, sometimes called the Amazon Star, which is the third brightest in the constellation Orion.

Blood Types: According to Earth-2 Wells, he and Jesse both have type PZ negative. Cisco claims that this particular type is 'not a thing' on Earth-1. In Orion, Earth-1 and Earth-2 have the same blood types; the only variation is the naming system. On Earth-1, the system is ABO and on Earth-2, it's PQZ. Earth-2 also names a person's type after both alleles.

Wells's Earth-2 blood type, PZ negative, would correspond with Earth-1's AO negative, which would be classified simply as A negative, as the recessive-O allele isn't named in the ABO system. Only people with homozygous blood types have a single-letter classification on Earth-2. (e.g. Earth-1's type O, which is always homozygous when expressed, corresponds with Earth-2's type Z.)

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