"Ok but seriously if this John Broder guy is gonna start messin' up my city then we're gonna have some problems," Cisco said as he walked around the cortex, discussing the newest meta they've been facing. "I mean, it's only me and Wally and this guy look like trouble".

"Cisco this guy can control water, it's not a big deal" Caitlyn replied, a small smile forming on her face

"It is if you have a fear of drowning"

"You have a fear of drowning?" Wally asked.

"I never told you the story of that one summer that-" but Cisco's words were cut off by the sound of high heels making their way into the cortex, and a familiar voice going with it.

"Ok, what is the point of you guys having cell phones if none of you ever pick up?" Felicity Smoke asked, her blonde ponytail flipping behind her and her hands locked with a tall Oliver Queen.

"Hi Felicity," Caitlyn said walking up to give their friend a hug.

"Oh, new look?" Felicity asked eyeing Caitlyn's choker and leather jacket.

"Um...something like that" Caitlyn replied awkwardly. "Anyways what are you two doing here in Central City?" She asked.

"Well, I did try calling, but-" Felicity started rambling.

"A dangerous criminal from Iron Heights escaped and we thought Barry would be able to help" Oliver finished, trying to get to the point.

"Must be some criminal if you need Barry's help..." Cisco dragged.

"Yeah. So where is he? I haven't spoken to him in months. And where's Iris?" Felicity asked looking around as if the scarlet speedster was just going to rush in any moment.

"She's... talking to Barry" Caitlyn said.

"Okaaaay. And where are they?" Felicity asked now noticing the tension in the room.

"Guys there's something you don't know" Cisco started, knowing they would find out eventually.

"Cisco, what happened?" Oliver asked urgently.

"Well, the reason you haven't heard from Barry in a while is that he hasn't been here. Seven months ago he walked into the Speed Force to stabilize it from ripping Central City apart".

"Sorry" Felicity asked. "What's a Speedforce".

"It's basically where Barry and Wally's powers come from. It's like a big endless void"

"And I'm guessing walking into it isn't a good thing" Oliver said.

"For six months Barry was trapped in there and then a few weeks ago we were able to bring him back. But he wasn't himself. All that time spent in isolation, it messed with his head. Caused dementia. He's been in the pipeline ever since" Cisco finished, not willing himself to look up.

"Oh my God" Felicity choked through a sob, unable to stop the tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Can we see him?" Oliver asked softly and Cisco met his eyes and found that even the Green Arrow was having trouble handling the news of his friend's insanity. All Cisco could do was nod and begin to lead the pair towards the cell the held the fastest man alive.

Before they even reached the pipeline Felicity could hear a pair of voices speaking out at the same time.

"-and I told Linda that you we're on this trip for work, and then I remembered that she knew you were the Flash but I couldn't bring myself to tell her what happened to you" Iris said sadly, her voice breaking. She was leaning against the wall outside the cell with her knees pulled up to her chest.

"Rain. Game. Stain, lane! I don't think I can run fast enough..." Barry's voice rang out, going from ecstatic with happiness to nervous in a matter of seconds. The cell he lay in was now completely covered with white except for the glass panel so Team Flash could see in and yet he still moved the marker around again and again even though the ink had dried out weeks ago.

"Iris?" Felicity asked through her own tears as they made their way towards the cell. Iris looked up, surprised to see the pair of them.

"Cisco what are they doing here?" Iris asked looking towards the shoulder length haired young man.

"They came looking for our help. I had to tell them about Barry" Cisco answered.

"You went to help me Joe?" Barry suddenly yelled out and everyone jumped. "Get my dad out of prison, you helped put him there, didn't you?! Keep running home to you..." Barry sang out the last line, a gleeful smile shone on his face. And then he kept drawing, not noticing the new visitors that had just arrived.

"Hey Barry" Cisco said, his tone of voice now more upbeat like you would use when speaking to a young child. "Oliver and Felicity are here" he said.

"Barry?" Oliver asked as he stepped towards the glass panel, trying to find some recognition in his friend's eyes. But Barry just kept moving his empty marker around in circles, now humming the tune to a song that Oliver could swear was "Summer Lovin'.

Oliver lightly tapped on the glass and for a moment Barry's eyes flickered up before returning to his drawings, but it was long enough for Oliver to see the empty look in his hazel eyes.

"Barry please" now it was Felicity trying, her eyes now red but dry.

"Arrows" Barry muttered under his breath, so quiet that they four of them almost didn't hear it.

"Yes Bar!" Iris said excitedly. "Oliver is the Green Arrow" she stopped waiting for Barry to say something else relatable, anything at all.

"Of course I wanna kill him Joe! I wanna do a hell of lot more to him" Barry yelled out, his hands now covering his ears like everything was too loud. "The stars! They're amazing!" And then he was laughing again.

"He's been like this for three weeks?" Oliver asked sadly looking towards Iris.

"Almost a month. I come here every day to talk to to him. And he talks back, just not to me".

"There's got to be a way to wake him up" Felicity said. "He's only been in the Speedforce for six months"

"Felicity, time works differently in that place. For us, yes he was in there for six months but for Barry, he spent eternity in his own personal hell, alone" Cisco said.

"No. I refuse to believe that he's gone!" Felicity said.

"We've tried everything" Cisco said.

"That can't be true. We need to find another way. I'll help you guys" Felicity said. "I can't go back to Star City knowing that one of my best friends is suffering like this" she said now looking towards Oliver.

"I agree with Felicity" Oliver said and Felicity smiled. "We need to help Barry. He's still in there somewhere. We just need to find him".