A/N: Welcome everyone to my whole new long fic! I know the first chapter is a bit short, but consider it as a sneak peek or a prologue!

It's a bit of a AU to 2x23, where Barry doesn't go back in time and create Flashpoint

Enjoy!

A/N #2 (20/09/2016): Chapter just got edited thanks to my new amazing Beta reader! We're going to check all the old chapter before sending you lot of new stuff. Be patient, it will be great!

''You need to rest, Barry'' repeated Cisco, feeling like he would have better chances talking to a wall.

''Seriously?'' Barry answered irritably ''what is it with you recently? It's like all of you guys think I can't handle myself. You don't trust me anymore.''

''Come on bro, you know it's not like that, we're worried about you.''

The only answer he got was a snort. These days it was feeling like every day was more of the same, and not in a good way. It'd almost been a week since they defeated Zoom, finally, but not without a cost, a sacrifice by the name of Henry Allen. Naively, Team Flash hoped that with Zoom defeated, Barry would finally take a well-deserved rest and take the time to grieve the death of his father. It was quite the opposite.

Instead of resting and grieving, Barry decided instead to stubbornly bury himself in work, whether it was his daytime job at the precinct or his secret job, as The Flash, saving people night and day. Whether it was a fire, a robbery, a knife attack or any existing type of crime there was. The city had never seen so much of The Flash running around, even when there wasn't any crime or Meta attacks going on. He was always running; running against the pain. Everyone else in the city was happy, with their hero running around none-stop, crime went downhill …in a flash during that one week span. There was no getting away, no last minute escapes for the crooks of Central City. Of course the CCPD among others couldn't be happier, giving the department the well deserved time off and time to mourn the cops who had fallen in the fight against Zoom and his Metapocalypse.

The only people having a hard time about this was Team Flash. It didn't take a doctor to see that Barry was about to crash and burn. He was barely sleeping, always fighting crime. Everyday he was getting more on edge, more irritable, more closed off to all of them. After everything he'd been through, nobody could blame him, but everyone was getting worried sick. Even Captain Singh noticed how tired the young man looked. Well not exactly tired, the more accurate word would be exhausted. The captain pushed the young man to take a break to rest, considering he had just lost his dad. It came from a good intention, but Singh had no way of knowing less hours at the station meant more hours running right into the face of danger instead of staying in his super safe lab.

The more Team Flash pressed the young man into resting, the more aggressive he became, biting their heads off over simple matters . Arguing over and over again with Barry was hard and emotionally draining for the team.

Caitlin had already given up on this fight for the night and had gone home, leaving Cisco all alone with his best friend. Seeing nothing he said was having any effect, Cisco sighed, exasperated, regretting not leaving with Caitlin when he had the chance. It was too late for this. Part of his mind hated thinking, feeling like this, friends were supposed to stick together when times get tough, but it was easier said than done. Talking to Barry kept on turning into either conflict or stretches of silence. Cisco just wanted his friend back.

The young engineer opened his mouth to call it a quits, but he didn't get the chance to do so. Probably thinking another argument was about to erupt, Barry just took off in a rush of wind and lighting, stretching his legs in the streets, going nowhere, feeling more empty than he ever had in his life. He still had friends, he still had family with the Wests, but he had never felt more alone in his life. Zoom had taken everything from him.

As he was wondering in the streets, he passed a firetruck with sirens on.

Finally, something he thought. Something to take his mind off everything.

Barry moved through the city at multiple times the speed of sound until he found his target; an apartment building on fire. Time to be the hero once again. He zipped in and out of the building, taking one person out after another. As he was getting in for one last sweep, to make sure everyone was out, he heard a commanding voice:

''Flash! I've been waiting for you!''

Barry turned around, ending face to face with an old man in his 70s who stood in the fire, unfazed with the heat and the danger surrounding him. Despite his gray hair and wrinkles, the mystery man still had the look and the voice of someone commanding an army while he grabbed the amulet in his neck, an old but spectacular one made of gold, looking like a sun with a red diamond in the middle. Barry didn't even notice it was there until now. To be fair, he barely noticed much of anything, there was something unnatural, magical about the man. Despite the danger around them, all he could do was stand there and stare.

''What do you want?'' Was all he found the strength to ask.

''Isn't it obvious? You!''

Back at S.T.A.R., Cisco was making his way out of there, giving up the fight too for the day, when he heard a sound that made his blood run cold; his best friend's scream coming out of the speaker.

''Barry!'' He screamed to no one, knowing his friend couldn't hear it, running to the computer, praying to whoever would listen that the sensors on the suit were still on. Thank god they were, but it wasn't anything to feel good about. The young man wasn't a doctor, but he could tell by looking at them that Barry's vitals were going off the chart.

''Barry! Barry! Answer me man! What's happening? BARRY!'' he repeatedly screamed into the mic, desperate for an answer, any kind of answer.

When nothing came, except the continuous scream, Cisco quickly send one S.O.S. text to Caitlin, literally, before checking the GPS location of the speedster and taking back the cell in his hand. He interrupted what he was about to do when the screaming subsided in an even scarier silence. Barry's vitals plumbed down, but stayed there.

In an instant, Cisco was back to his cell, quick dialling the one person who could help. 'Please pick up, please pick up' prayed Cisco.

''Detective West.'' came the answer on the third ringing.

''Joe! Thank God! It's Cisco. You need to get on the 15th street, next to the bridge, now!'' quickly responded the panicked voice.

''Cisco, what is it?'' Inquired Joe, picking on in the panic in the young man's voice. ''Is it…''

''Barry is not answering on the comms. He's in a fire, I think he's hurt and he's not moving''

On the other side of the line, Cisco could hear the man jump into his car and speed away as Cisco continued talking: ''I'm sorry Joe, he took off, I have no idea what happened…''

Joe wasn't answering, but the young engineer could hear his increased breathing, fast and loud, concern laced into every breath. ''I'm still 7 minutes out at least.''

Cisco closely looked at the immobilized dot in the building, before turning his attention to his friend's vitals and returning to the dot, the now moving dot.

''Joe! Wait, he's on the move now!''

Cisco could hear Joe's relief in his voice, taking one deep breath: ''Thank God!'' He whispered under his panicked breath. ''So he's fine? He's on his way back?''

''Wait…he's not going in the right direction and he's moving too slow, way too slow. I think- I think he's in a car. ''

Both men felt a chill in their backs, knowing what it meant; someone was probably abducting the boy. Starting the police sirens, Joe sped between cars and traffic, speed limit only a suggestion, a suggestion he wasn't keen on following at this point in time. He followed Cisco's instruction, gaining on the other vehicle until the young engineer finally told them they stopped. The dot representing the Flash was still once more.

''Joe...they stopped and I can't…'' A deadly silence came on the phone before Cisco's voice started again, filled with terror. ''The sensors on the suit aren't picking up any vitals.''

''The suit is broken, right?'' Joe asked hopefully, not wanting to consider the other possibility, but the silence he got as an answer said everything.

Cisco waited for an agonizing minute for an update as the detective finally made it to the scene and announced it to his young friend. ''I'm entering the alley. Where is he? Can you still pick the signal'' asked Joe, his voice betraying his fear. Did someone just killed his son and dumped it in the trash?

''He should be right in front of you.''

He could hear a metallic sound on the line and digging 'til a gasp was heard.

''What is it? Joe….Joe! What is it?!''

''I found the suit, it's empty…Barry's gone.''

''Barry's missing.'' Stated Cisco in a monotone voice, not wanting to believe it. Turning around, his eyes came in contact with Caitlin's eyes as the doctor entered back into the cortex. Her eyes reflecting the same shocked expression.

***FLASHFLASHFLASH***

Caitlin was closely looking at the last reading of Barry's vitals, trying to figure out what happened to him while Cisco was frantically searching for anything that could help him find his friend. They both turned around together at the sound of footsteps approaching as Joe made himself heard.

''What the hell happened?! I thought you guys were supposed to look out for him!'' Every word was injected with anger, but the tearful eyes were telling a whole different story of fear, worry and desperation.

Caitlin took the lead, meeting Joe behind them as he was about to enter the cortex

''We know how you feel Joe, but what happened wasn't anyone's fault. Nobody could've predicted someone would trap Barry in a fire. We'll find him Joe, we will.''

Despite his own panic, Cisco managed a small smile and nodded. Joe needed the reassurance more than anyone else in the room, Team Flash would need to be strong for the next couple of days, hopefully less, before they could find Barry.

A/N: Let me know in the comments what you thought!

So...who's in for this new adventure? Do you want more?