Caitlin wrapped the soft, white towel around her body gently and walked to her bedroom. The water dripped from her hair, coating the wooden floor ever-so-slightly. She hurried to choose an outfit―it was unusual for her to own "comfort clothes." What does one even wear when hiking? Caitlin hadn't anticipated the offer, nor did she want to go, but she had accepted for the sake of trying to fit in―she blamed her hormones―and was supposed to be on her way to the woods ten minutes ago.

A young boy had gone missing and his parents were desperate. Joe West had organized a search party after seventy-two hours but was only allowed to explore the safer part of the forest. Barry Allen, one of Central City's forensic scientists (who was well-known despite doing nothing grand―to Caitlin's limited knowledge), decided to have his own little escapade from reality. Accompanied by his girlfriend or fiancée (Caitlin had never talked to him before) and a couple of friends, he was going to lead the secret search party into the dangerous areas of the unexplored forest.

I'm heading to your house now. Sorry for being late. -Patty

She smiled as she checked her phone. She didn't know Patty was going to her house before the text (and would have probably left her if she wasn't late) but was glad she wouldn't suffer the embarrassment of being late alone. The town already resented Caitlin―everyone had heard stories of the villainous Killer Frost from their previous earth―and Caitlin didn't mind, though she did wish she had more friends. Patty was her friend out of pure luck. The energetic blonde was new to town and, for some odd reason, wanted to befriend the quietest girl in town. It took a while but Caitlin opened up―after stalking Patty for weeks and making sure she was trustworthy.

Patty worked with Joe and Barry and fortunately got little backlash over being Caitlin's friend but was always given weird looks anywhere she went. That was because she was one of the few people in Central City born on this land, and who knew about magic. She had been investigating magic ever since her father's death and managed to trace it to one little town―the only city on this earth that bends the laws of physics and science. Caitlin didn't know when she first witnessed magic but was glad everybody welcomed her. Patty was an adorable little ball of energy.

She was also the only source of information Caitlin had. Any gossip or rumors that spread across the town would soon find its way to Patty who told Caitlin everything. That's how she knew about the top-notch reporter Iris West and the cute detective Eddie Thawne. In return for this information, Caitlin told Patty mostly everything about her previous earth. She told stories about the beauty of it―the nature, the ancient methods, the metahuman with the superspeed―and the bad―the evil persona within her, the wars between kingdoms. Patty was always intrigued with the speedster, who was called the Flash, and his battles with Killer Frost. He had plenty of acquaintances but Caitlin never knew his or his friends' identities.

Now clad in light skinny jeans that stuck to her long legs and a simple, peach-colored sweater, Caitlin tied her hair up into a ponytail. It was still wet and clingy (although no longer dripping) and Caitlin cursed herself for deciding to wash her hair knowing she wouldn't have time to use the blow dryer. Looking in the mirror, she noticed the dark shade of her bra under her knitted sweater but made no move to cover it up. A shiver went up her spine as she stared at herself. Don't let her take control, she thought hurriedly. Magic was different on this earth, and Caitlin had yet to master her cryokinetic powers.

The doorbell rang twice before the brunette opened the door. Patty Spivot stood at the door, a happy grin on her face, dressed like a little girl from the 90s.

"Hey, we're both wearing Converse!" she pointed out, darting her finger back and forth Caitlin's black shoes and her white sneakers.

Caitlin didn't know why Patty would wear white shoes when going to the woods, but it matched her cute outfit so she didn't say anything. "Let's go," murmured the brown-eyed beauty as she shoved her phone into the back pocket of her jeans.

"Yeah, I'll just park near that tiny playground… I overheard Cisco talking about a wedding!" she squealed. "What if he proposes to Cindy?!"

"Haven't they been dating for, like, a month?" asked Caitlin, strapping her seatbelt and lowering the volume of the radio. Patty started the engine and went in reverse.

"Give or take… I'm scared to think it's about Barry," she admitted.

"You're the one who gave up on him, Patty."

"I didn't―I―I thought I was leaving Central City!" she exclaimed. "Besides, it was just a crush. I've only talked to him a couple times."

Caitlin nodded. "So why are you afraid?"

Patty scrunched her nose. "I don't know! I just… I don't think Iris is the one for him. She's really nice and pretty but..."

"She's pretty," Caitlin mumbled, remembering seeing her at the grocery store.

"Yeah. I don't know who's luckier―her or Barry. I mean, I started to like Barry because he was the first person to help me find my apartment! And he told me where Jitters was and everything."

"So he made a good impression?"

Patty stopped the car next to the abandoned playground and replied with a simple word: "Basically."

As Patty parked the car, Caitlin realized the playground was a ten-minute walk from her house. Somehow she hadn't noticed before. Leaning forward she spotted Wally West in a deep conversation with a group of people. She talks to him almost every day, when she orders a cup of coffee at CC Jitters. Wally had recently started working there but he was always friendly. Well, he was as friendly as he could be―nobody's happy working at a $9-an-hour job.

"Great," she commented, "the whole gang's here."

Patty chuckled and exited the vehicle. "Come on, sweetheart. We're late."

Caitlin raised an eyebrow at her. Once both girls were out of the car, Patty locked it and began walking toward Iris. "Sweetheart?"

Patty shrugged and pursed her lips. "Trying something new."

"And here I thought you loved me, honey," said Caitlin teasingly, smiling a little.

Patty looked at Caitlin with scarlet cheeks and a pointed look. "Shut up."

Caitlin opened her mouth to reply ("Ouch") but was cut off by the leader of the group: Barry Allen. She was finally face-to-face with the famed crime lab expert. Wow. Patty wasn't lying when she said he was attractive. His brown hair flew slightly in the wind and his simple flannel fit him well. Caitlin could see a small outline of his muscles but found him rather skinny. She thought he'd be buffer. Nonetheless his green eyes shone like emeralds and captivated her. She cursed herself for not meeting him earlier.

"Patty, can I talk to you?"―he glanced at the brunette with a face she couldn't quite place―"In private?"

And with that her heart dropped. She wasn't expecting a hug and a kiss or anything like that―but she thought he'd be decent. Caitlin was human too, but she supposed her reputation preceded her. Reputations were a big thing in Central City.

Patty squeezed Caitlin's shoulder and nodded. "Yea-yeah."

Caitlin was ready to kill herself. Although she wouldn't admit it, Patty begged Barry to let her stay. Apparently nobody in the group thought Caitlin wanted to help. She was still as evil as Killer Frost. Nothing would ever change.

Their feet crunched as they stepped on dead leaves and twigs. Barry had made up the brilliant plan of splitting the group into two. It was uneven, but Patty was chosen to go with Wally, Felicity, and Cisco. Felicity was similar to Patty in many ways—both could lighten up dark situations. Caitlin desperately wanted to ask where Cindy was but she would never work up the courage for that.

Caitlin was stuck with Barry and Iris. She was a third wheel. She was also positive everyone else left to be safe from her. It made her feel kind of numb. They had to take Patty. They just had to.

"So, Caitlin… what do you do?" asked the gorgeous woman beside her, the sun reflecting beautifully on her dark skin.

Caitlin peered at the couple with her peripheral vision. "Uh…" she stammered. "I work at a lab," she gulped, "laboratory."

"Oh..? Out of town, I'm guessing?"

Caitlin nodded.

"I'm a journalist," said Iris.

"I know," whispered Caitlin.

Iris seemed genuinely surprised. Caitlin didn't know why. Sure, she was practically a hermit but that didn't mean she didn't read the newspaper. Besides, she was best friends with a gossip queen.

Barry broke the silence this time: "Why are you here?"

Caitlin looked at him as Iris scolded him ("Barry!").

"Um… Pat—Patty."

"There is a kid missing. Do you even know what he looks like? Do you even know his name? This isn't some game. Just leave. You're not wanted."

Caitlin's heart rate rose as he spoke. Her blood boiled. How dare he? How dare he? Caitlin was mad—infuriated, actually. She felt the cold inside her. She felt ice travel through her veins. With a shaky breath she hissed, "Okay."

And with that last stance of conscious volition, Caitlin turned on the heels of her feet and left.

Her eyes glowed.

Caitlin sat on the ground and leaned against Patty's car by the playground. She sighed. False alarm—Killer Frost didn't awaken. Nothing happened after she departed. Except her tears.

"You're not wanted," she heard Barry's voice ring in her ears. She replayed it over and over again. Then it morphed into something else.

"You are not wanted here. Leave!" screamed John Snow. He bent down to pick up the pieces of his now-broken invention.

A little girl, about six, was crying. Her brown hair was tied into two and her white dress seemed so dark in the workshop. "I'm sorry, Father," she said through tiny sobs.

The inventor approached Caitlin and grabbed her fragile shoulders. He squeezed them until they hurt and stared into the brown eyes of his daughter. They were exactly like his. Identical.

"Don't come in the workshop. Never come in the workshop. Do you understand me?"

Young Caitlin nodded. "Yes, Father." Her face was puffy and red.

"Good. Now go home and help your mother cook. Unless you'd like to starve to death."

Caitlin turned and walked through the exit.

Another tear froze on her cheek. She flicked the small icicle away. She wasn't crying over Barry. She wasn't. She was crying because she didn't listen to her father.

She went into that workshop again.