You Bring Out The Worst In Me~

[nevergetshome]

It had been some time ago that Thawne had gotten the results of Claire's blood. He messaged her and to his surprise the text kicked back. A phone call told him the number had been disconnected. It only took a little bit of research with Gideon to get her address from this time period only to find out she'd moved. Recently. And where had she moved to? Of all places in the world but Central City. The hometown of his foe. A place he spent fifteen years of his life. It was time to visit his old rival.

Silent observation was key. He kept his distance, but immediately, he felt something interesting. Barry Allen was having trouble handling the Speed Force. The fumbles were small, but enough that he could feel them when Barry faltered. Ahh, so this was around his encounter with the Chameleon. That made sense. What drove a dagger into his heart though was to see Barry Allen and Claire Bennet together. After he'd shared everything with her. Told her how Barry ruined his life. Even if he never said Allen's name, he called him the Flash, and she clearly knew who he was. How could she betray him?!

Just one more reason to hate Barry. One more thing Barry stole from him. One more reason to destroy The Flash. He'd have to teach them both a lesson.

There was a knock at Noah's hotel door. Harrison was standing politely on the other side, waiting for Noah to answer.

Comments

[infinite1ups]

Fat lot of good living in the now did if it meant stopping Barry from saving her. The suddenly thought crossed Claire's mind that maybe her death was one of those fixed points. Something people weren't allowed to change. If that was the case, though, Thawne wouldn't be trying to warn her. He wouldn't intervene at all, no matter how much he may have cared for her.

So this had to be something they could change. Everyone else seemed to agree with that, too. But then why would this Jay guy stop Barry from saving her? That part left her unnerved. She believed Barry when he called Jay a good guy. It just frustrated her that they couldn't put the pieces together yet.

"Maybe Jay knows how we stop this, if he's yoinking you - or a version of you - away from the scene. He'd have to be doing that for a reason." Hopefully a better reason than simply not wanting to mess with the timeline. It was selfish, but her life depended on it, and she couldn't shake the feeling that they were being given all these hints because they were supposed to avoid that future.

But the doppelganger thing... It'd certainly freak her out if Nathan had a doppelganger. "That's gotta be weird," she blurted, then quickly added, "I'm sorry. I just-- I lost my bio-parents too. I know it'd be strange to see their faces again in someone else. And hard. Hopefully Jay has at least a little something we can work with." She hugged Barry from her spot snuggled into his side.

[feelthelightning]

"It's weird, yeah. I... I nearly had a breakdown the first time I saw him. We... saved him from Zoom. Zoom had him in this weird mask that made him mute and dampened his powers. Harry and Cisco got it off of him and, when I saw him... I broke. It was right after Zoom killed my dad. Jay had no idea. And it's not like it's his fault, so I couldn't just avoid him. But it hurt. A lot."

"Me and my dad told Jay everything when he came back to Earth-2 with us. Henry was a nice guy. I didn't know him long, but he and Jay are a lot alike, not just in looks. We got Jay back to Earth-3." Jesse said with a fond smile.

"I can ask Cisco to Breach me to Earth-3 to talk to Jay. Not today, though." They'd done a lot today and Barry was just emotionally exhausted. He held Claire close, massaging her shoulder to ease both of their tension.

Caitlin leaned against the counter and watched them. "Why don't you two get some rest for now? I'll keep at this," she gestured to the microscope with one hand. "and let you know the news tomorrow."

"I'll stick with Caity! Y'know, in case she needs a speedy set of hands." Jesse smiled.

that clip ;-;

[infinite1ups]

Today had been a lot. She'd seen Barry break twice already, and just hearing about it for a third time was enough to make her chest heavy. As much as she was trying to stay optimistic and put on a brace face, it was getting more difficult by the moment.

Claire glanced up at Caitlin's offer, slightly concerned. "Only if you're sure. Just... don't push yourself, okay? We have time to make sure none of us gets burnt out on this. You too, Jesse. Maybe you can get Harry to take a break, too." She smiled at them both. "You know, I always wanted a sister."

Her gaze lifted to Barry's face from where she still tucked under his arm. "What do you think, babe? Spaghetti and snuggles?" She was quietly excited to let him run her home, and equally as excited at the possibly of running home at his side in the future. All of that, plus the continued reminder that it was their home, made her heart soar.

And, of course, she'd be doing a little exchange of phone numbers for Cisco. She hadn't forgotten. Becca would be surprised, but Claire knew her pal well enough to know the quirky redhead would also be curious enough to see where things went. There were also a few other things she wanted to get done, mostly adding to her notes while the day's events and revelations were still fresh in her mind.

It's a tough scene. ; ; </3

[feelthelightning]

Every time he met with Jay, it was hard, but it was getting easier. Still, it somehow made his words land a little harder than they might have if he'd just been some strange face.

Cait smoothed her hands over the front of her pants as a way to busy herself, not making eye contact with anyone. "I'm not made of glass. I won't break." She said softly. "Besides, working on this gives me a purpose. It makes me feel useful. Helpful. It lets me focus on something other than the fact that I'm... becoming a monster."

Jesse looked between Caitlin and Claire like a startled animal, not sure what to do. She didn't know how to handle this situation. Clearly, she wanted Caitlin to be okay, but she didn't know how to make that happen. "I-I'm okay." She assured Claire. "I just don't know how to make everyone else okay." She looked down then back up with a little bit of a sad smile. "And I can try to make my dad take a break, but... he's like a dog with a bone when he's working on a project. Especially one this important to him." He knew Caitlin was important to him. So was Barry and the rest of the team. Making sure Cait had something to rely on as quickly as possible... "He won't sleep until he finishes that new dampener."

"He barely sleeps as it is." Barry said softly beside Claire.

"But I'll make sure he's at least fed and watered, like a good pet owner!" Jesse perked up, putting on a false smile that didn't quite reach her crystal blue eyes. So much like Harry's.

Barry nodded and offered her a soft, sad smile in return. He returned his gaze to Claire and held her closer, pressing another kiss to her temple. "Spaghetti and snuggles sounds amazing. Just call us if you need us. Even if you just need a break. I can take over and be Jesse's assistant." Barry assured Cait and she nodded with a soft smile.

It really is! Poor Barry <\3 and poor Caitlin and Jesse

[infinite1ups]

"I can help out, too. Maybe I can't do all the science stuff, but I can take care of whatever little things need doing so you guys don't have to worry about it. That goes for Harry and Cisco as well." Claire wasn't trying to baby Caitlin, or anything like that. But she recalled her conversation with Cisco, how he said Cait could be overworked if they didn't make her go home and take breaks.

Maybe she'd surprise them with goodies. Cuddle time could be interrupted by a brief trip back to the lab to drop off some cookies or a cake.

She disentangled herself from Barry and slid off the exam cot. "If we have to team up on Grumpy Dad to make him take a break, well... It worked once before," Claire told Jesse with a sly smile.

Then she looked to Caitlin. "You're not becoming a monster, just like I'm not dying. Ain't gonna happen." She didn't know how, at least not yet, but she was determined. Had been ever Caitlin outed herself, then Cisco gave her the lowdown and showed her that Vibe of Killer Frost attacking them.

Killer Frost, who according to the newspaper Thawne had sent, was working with the God of Speed in the future. The same God of Speed who killed her in Cisco's other Vibe. What if the two Vibes were connected? Claire was careful not to let her thoughts show on her face, but Barry would be quick enough to notice the tiny changes in her expression that indicated she was working through something.

She did a little twirl and caught Barry's hand to kiss the back of it. "C'mon, darlin', the more I keep thinking about spaghetti, the hungrier I get." Which was true, but she also wanted to continue riding her current train of thought without alarming Caitlin.

[feelthelightning]

Caitlin was a workaholic, just like her mother. It was something Cait had hated about her mother, because it made her seem cold. And yet here was Caitlin, going down the exact same path. But at least she didn't have a daughter to neglect. So she could bury herself in her work without regret.

Barry would happily run her back to the lab for a goodies trip.

Jesse's smile seemed to brighten a bit. "It's nice having someone to help me gang up on dad." Like a big sister, she thought.

Barry did indeed see something flicker through Claire's eyes but didn't have a chance to ask about it. Well, he could make time for it, but rather than drag them into Flash Time, he just nodded and smiled. A warmth coloured high on his cheeks and he slid his free arm around her waist, ready to whisk her away at super speed. "Ready?"

[infinite1ups]

Sorry, Caitlin. The Killer Frost thing was giving Claire something else to worry about other than her own impending doom. She could be just as much of a dog with a bone as Harry, just as tenacious, only she wouldn't be as grumbly about it.

"Yeah, I'm ready," she said with an almost shy grin. Getting whisked away at super speed was never going to get old, even if she could borrow a little speed of her own from time to time. She always got that same sense of awed excitement whenever Barry showed off for her. It was almost the same look she had when Thawne showed off, except with Barry she was head over heels in love on top of dazzled by speedster abilities.

She'd be all too happy to hold on tight and lean in close when Barry inevitably scooped her up to run them home. That part was, of course, her favorite. As well as getting to see the world as he did. She couldn't wait to be able to run with him - which was a thought that was jumping the gun, she knew, but those early test results had her optimistic.

I'm... sorry Claire.

[feelthelightning]

Barry scooped her up into his arms and darted out in a gust of wind that disrupted the room he left. He phased them through the wall and ran them down the side of the building, then stopped dead in the parking lot, setting Claire down. A lovely woman was walking hand in hand with a blonde man towards STAR Labs.

"Iris?" Barry said hesitantly.

"Bar!" She chirped happily and ran up to throw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. She pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I was just coming to see if you were at the Lab!" She turned after letting go of Barry and faced Claire, holding a hand out. "You must be Claire. Dad's told me a lot about you."

The blonde man came up behind Iris and stopped a couple steps behind her, looking awkward. Beside Claire, Barry stiffened when he looked at the man in question, going a bit pale. "Eddie..." Barry sounded so uncertain. "Claire, this is... Eddie Thawne."

oh SNAP! (me @ Claire: stop itttt)

[infinite1ups]

Running down the building was yet another thing that tickled her. But her delight was cut short when Barry suddenly stopped in the parking lot. A woman rushed over and was hugging Barry, and Claire froze a little herself when the woman's name caught up. It had taken her a few seconds to fully get her bearings once she was back on her feet.

Oh. So this was Iris. She was... absolutely stunning, and quite brilliant from everything Claire had heard so far. No wonder Barry had been in love with her.

"Iris! Yeah, that's me!" Claire said brightly, shaking Iris's offered hand. She forced herself to smile - really smile, no faking it here - before she let go. "I've heard a lot about you too. It's nice to finally meet you. I think I remember Joe saying you might drop by, now that I think about it."

The rush of negative feelings, equal parts jealousy and insecurity with a dash of straight up fear, was quickly squashed when she heard the uncertainty in Barry's voice and saw how pale he'd gotten. Her gaze followed his to the blonde man, and she paled a little herself at the name Thawne. This was Eobard's ancestor. The one who was supposed to be dead. Proof that Eobard had, in fact, changed the timeline.

Proof that she wasn't supposed to be with Barry.

But Cisco had mentioned Eddie leaving, she dimly recalled. He had remembered the altered timeline events as though things had always been that way, unlike Harry and Barry who each had their own reasons for remembering the original timeline. She slipped an arm around Barry's waist to offer him a little support. And maybe also to stake her claim a little, but she'd never admit to that.

"Nice to meet you too, Eddie Thawne!" she added, quietly cheerful. "Cisco said you got transferred, I think? Pretty sure it came up when Joe mentioned you, Iris. It's all a jumble, though, to be honest." Which was, in fact, very honest. "It's been a pretty busy day. We were just headed home, actually."

XD This is a whole heap of Claire angst

[feelthelightning]

After shaking her hand, Iris took both of Claire's hands in hers and held them happily with a bright smile. "I'm so glad I caught the two of you before you headed out." She released Claire's hands and grabbed Barry's excitedly, doing a muffled nasally squeal.

"Uh, yeah, I did." Eddie answered casually. "To New York. It was somewhat sudden a couple years ago." His tone seemed a bit dodgy, like maybe there was more to it than that and he didn't look nearly as excited as Iris sounded, but he wasn't being unpleasant. "I was just dropping Iris off at the Lab so Joe could take her home. I've got to head back to New York tonight, so I can't stay."

"Joe's still at the precinct. I can run you there if you want, Iris?" Barry leaned into Claire's hold instinctively, looping his arm around her as well. Iris couldn't help but follow the line of Claire's arm with her eyes as if she'd read the hint for what it was.

"Oh, I wouldn't want to take you away from Claire." Iris said, almost as if she were subtly asking for Claire's permission to steal Barry for the trip...

Claire's being a butthead!

[infinite1ups]

Claire had caught that in Eddie's tone, but didn't think much of it. She was a total stranger, knowing things about his life, and she totally understood how it might be unnerving, even if he had nothing to hide.

Iris was so nice, and she seemed genuinely happy to see the two of them together. It was nearly enough to keep those negative emotions at bay. But she still couldn't help noticing the way the other woman's gaze shifted, and the question that was unasked in her tone. Was this a trap? She'd be a total asshole if she said no. Barry might be upset with her, and she'd completely deserve it.

Her propensity for saying things like, The future isn't written in stone, and all those fuck the timeline, I chose Barry thoughts were utterly gone from her mind. Barry Allen, it seemed, was the only exception, the one thing that could send that entire worldview crashing down.

"Oh... it's okay. I know he can be back in a flash," she said cheekily, her free hand giving a dismissive wave. The arm around Barry retracted rather quickly, almost too quickly, in an effort to not show any sign of reluctance. "I can wait here, it's no big deal."

Claire trusted Barry with her life, of course she had to trust him with this.

XD Nah, that was very sweet of her! Prepare for awkwardness.

[feelthelightning]

Barry leaned in and gave Claire a quick kiss... on the cheek, before he scooped up Iris and darted off with her since he had Claire's blessing.

Eddie didn't seem to relax at all. "New to town?" He asked her, making small talk. "Seems like he let you in on the 'Flash' secret pretty quickly. But then again, I hear you're something pretty special."

oh NO lmaooo

[infinite1ups]

A kiss on the cheek made sense. Barry was just taking Iris to the precinct quickly, of course he didn't need to stop and kiss her first. But she had to swallow down those feelings of jealousy as he scooped her up and ran off.

The small talk helped, weirdly enough. It gave her something else to think about rather than stewing in all that bitterness and jealousy. "Yeah, I met Barry not long after I got settled in," she replied, softening as she nodded. Eddie was a handsome guy; he and Iris made an attractive couple, and as far as she'd heard, she was crazy about him. Or was everyone just trying to make Claire feel better?

It was much better to focus on the good, so she tried to do that. Little else kept the paranoia at bay. "Barry's the best thing to ever happen to me." The warm fuzzies she got talking about Barry were far preferable to the cold, hollow feeling that came whenever she thought about losing him. "Been kind of a whirlwind, but I wouldn't have it any other way. He just moved in this week."

She hesitated before deciding to follow up with a question of her own. "How long have you and Iris been together? I'm kinda learning about everyone in bits and pieces."

But even as Claire seemed to settle, every second that ticked by made her wonder.

XD

[feelthelightning]

"You two are living together? That's sweet. Bar's a good kid. I'm glad he found happiness." Eddie said, honestly. There might still be a tinge of bitterness in there somewhere but Claire wouldn't know why.

"We've been together for almost four years. We... were engaged. But when I got transferred, I didn't want her to choose between me and her life here, so I called it off. But we're still together. She takes trips to stay with me from time to time. Long distance." He sounded pained by that. But it was much better than dead. That was an even longer distance relationship.

what a DAY for them tbh

[infinite1ups]

That seemed genuine, but Claire felt she was pretty good at reading people. It seemed like there was some kind of tension lurking under the surface.

Was that what happened when you were supposed to be dead? Did he know that Barry had feelings for Iris?

Or... was it because of his transfer, and the now long-distance status of their relationship? He had to leave his fiancée, and there Claire was, bragging about moving in with Barry. It made sense as soon as he answered her question. Of course he'd be unhappy about that. But it puzzled her, why he'd call off the engagement but stay together. She didn't have the roots and family here that Iris did. Claire supposed that would probably make it difficult to just pack up and leave. Well, for someone who wasn't her, that hadn't spent most of her adult life wandering.

"Love New York," she said cheerfully. "It was one of the places I almost chose instead of Central City. I have family there. It's nice you're still together, you make a lovely couple. Long distance can work."

Would Eddie be dead if she'd picked New York? Would Iris and Barry be together? She wondered if Thawne would enjoy that he was making her doubt every decision and causing her so much turmoil. He wanted to save her life, sure, but he seemingly had no qualms about causing her emotional pain.

It couldn't be that much longer for Barry to get back. Allowing a few minutes to chat with Iris and Joe... he should be back any second.

Ye-up!

[feelthelightning]

"Yeah, sure it can." He said bitterly, laced with sarcasm. He knew something. Maybe it wasn't Claire and Barry or her questions that had him on edge. That was the tone of someone who knew his relationship would fail.

But then, Thawne's expression shifted a bit as he watched her. Those detective skills going to work here. His brow furrowed and that lingering tension seemed to fade away, replaced with concern. He could wallow in self pity later.

"Hey... is something bothering you? You're thinking way too hard." His tone had softened, but it made the vocal fry more evident in his voice. "I'm a detective. Things don't slip by me as easily. I read people for a living." The smile he offered was far more welcoming.

[infinite1ups]

Yeah, that hit of sarcasm was... something else. Despite all of her conflicted feelings toward Iris and whatever feelings there may or may not be between her and Barry, Claire realized she'd be kind of mad if this guy ended up breaking Iris's heart. He was on notice.

But then Eddie was reading her just like she had done to him - and probably better, given it was his job. She faltered, shaking her head.

"It's been a long day," Claire sighed, honest almost to a point of vulnerability, despite her newly formed suspicions of the man. There was also a draw of curiosity, though. Eobard said he'd saved Eddie - surely Eddie might remember something about that. But it was hardly right to ask the guy about what surely had to be a harrowing experience just so she could have a few more fleeting answers.

She also didn't want to accidentally let it slip that things had gone differently, once upon a time. That would just make things worse. So she was determined to keep her mouth shit about that whole thing.

"I'm sure you know it's like, always a crisis around here, yeah?" She laughed, not bitterly, but with a touch of the way someone laughs to keep themselves from getting angry or upset. "I knew what I was signing up for from the jump, it's just a lot all at once. When you start thinking of leads and solutions, it's hard to shut that off. Which... I feel like you'd probably understand, being a detective."

That was like, one of the key attributes of being a detective, if those TV shows she watched with her mom were anything to go by. It was a sample size of only one, but Matt Parkman was kinda like that too. He'd been obsessed with the Sylar case, and obsessed with finding out about The Company. At least Eddie wasn't a telepath.

[feelthelightning]

Eddie nodded. That he could understand. He couldn't say he missed it, but he also couldn't say he hadn't enjoyed being part of something like Team Flash. Even if he'd never been fully part. He'd been involved in helping even before the rest of the force knew a out Metas. It was a special feeling.

"Keep your chin up. Bar has a way of inspiring people and somehow always coming through in the end. Just take each lead one at a time and lay them all out. If you need visuals, use cards on a table or something. With them all up front, you might start seeing connections." He put a hand on her shoulder and levelled with her gaze. "You remind me of some of the runways I find. You've got this. You're part of a support network here. If you have thoughts or concerns, share them with these guys." Levelled with her as he was, it was probably easy to tell how much he missed all of this.

"If you want a fresh pair of eyes, maybe I can call my boss and ask for an extension to my leave."

Claire don't be suspicious challenge: failed

[infinite1ups]

Her hackles were raised, but she didn't let it show. Whether he meant to or not, the advice felt condescending. It was probably the comparison to these 'runaways' he apparently found. Sure, at one point she'd run away, and had lived a nomadic life for years. That didn't make her some lost kid.

"Thanks," Claire returned, forcing herself to stay relaxed under Eddie's touch. She was letting more people give her advice, that much was true, but Eddie was new, and she already had her suspicions about him. Later, she'd have to ask Barry about him. Eddie hadn't come with the strong recommendations beforehand like Cisco and Caitlin. She could ask Cisco, too, in case he had anything to share about Eddie after the timeline change.

Whenever someone called him Bar, she just heard Bear. Her teddy bear - that thought always made her smile. "Barry's been my rock through all this, but it's always nice to have more support. The team has been incredible. Like I got a whole new family overnight."

Claire didn't know what to make of the offer to stay and help. She was a stranger to him, and it was a big thing to offer. Maybe a ploy to spend more time with Iris? She would hope so, anyway. Or maybe he preferred Team Flash stuff to whatever was going on in New York. "That's really nice of you to offer. But we're a team, wouldn't be fair for me to make that kind of call on my own."

Though everyone had accepted her pretty much immediately, she still felt new. That feeling would probably go away with time, and as more of her family joined her in Central City.

Eddie's always been a little sus. I mean his last name IS Thawne!

[feelthelightning]

He could see a rebellious streak in her. But he let it go.

"I'm sure Team Flash wouldn't mind having me around again for a couple days. And I know Iris would be thrilled. She still has the apartment I bought for us before I was forced to leave..." His blue eyes glazed over for a moment. He wanted so badly for things to be like they were again. Planning their wedding, living together, happy...

"Bar is a rock for a lot of people. And an inspiring voice." Eddie sounded a little pained and let his hand drop away. He trusted anyone Barry would bring into his life like this. Which had admittedly bitten them all in the ass once, but that man... was too painful to think about.

"Bar's sure taking his time, huh?" He tried to break any tension he'd caused.

omg yeah truuuue. Also Barry-Bear always makes me so happy

[infinite1ups]

Now that was the voice and look of a man who wanted his relationship to work. That tugged at her heart and cut through all of her suspicion. Fuck it. Maybe she was new, she was part of the team.

"So stay," Claire suggested suddenly, smiling mischievously. She mimed drawing an invisible zipper across her lips. "I won't say a word, so you can surprise Iris, too. Maybe get her some flowers - that almost always works. And if there's stuff you can help out with, that'll be invaluable. I'd quite literally owe you my life."

Or maybe they'd be even, because Eddie was alive, and Eobard changed the timeline to save Eddie's life because of her. But she couldn't tell him that.

The flowers Barry brought on their first date stayed in her vase until they were on their last legs.

She had been trying not to think about how long it was taking Barry to get back, but then Eddie had to go and mention it. "Yeah," she agreed with a sigh. "Maybe they got wrapped up chatting? Barry's been away from the precinct for the last few days so he might be catching up." Technically, he was still on leave for his 'emergency appendectomy' so maybe his sudden appearance had caused a stir. Shit. She hoped Barry wasn't getting in trouble.

I think they were trying to misdirect into thinking he was Eobard at first.

[feelthelightning]

Eddie looked hesitant now. Staying for Iris was different than staying for the case. If he stayed for her... he might not want to go back. But he didn't miss that last bit.

"Your life? What's going on?" Cop mode. He didn't want Barry to lose the woman he loved, not just for selfish reasons. But also because he cared about Barry despite the poison Eobard had introduced. He couldn't tell this pretty, happily in love girl that Barry was supposed to marry Iris.

"Captain Singh might have caught him. The man's a good guy, but he can be stern. It's out of care, though. What happened? Did Bar get hurt?" If he did, it had to be pretty bad to have him recovering for days... that sparked worry.

Look at you dropping a BOMB in here!!

[infinite1ups]

In Claire's eyes, it was staying for both. He could help out and get to spend more time with Iris - heck, Iris could help them too, if she wanted.

"Oh, just some visions of me dying a horrible, permanent death in the future and we're all trying to figure out how to stop it. The usual, am I right?" She tried to sound light-hearted about it in spite of her fear.

Fuck the timeline, she thought. It seemed very much like Eddie wanted to stay with Iris, but was feeling the strain of long distance. She never would have guessed that Eobard had gotten into Eddie's ear with the very same poison.

"Captain Singh approved it. Might be a little awkward if he came back so soon." She actually didn't know how long an appendectomy recovery was supposed to take. But clearly Eddie knew the truth about Barry, so she could be more honest. "We were recovering from a Meta attack. A nasty one. It was affecting his speed, and affecting me too, but we're both okay now."

If Eddie looked up her name, he might find articles about her, so she might as well come fully clean. "I'm not a Meta, but I'm something close. I was born with my ability. Regeneration... uh, a healing factor. Hence the threat of a permanent death looming over me at the moment."

She does that. XD

[feelthelightning]

Sadly, the poison had run deep. Before Eobard tampered with time.

"Visions?" He asked, looking sympathetic. "That's horrible. I... might know someone who can change the future." He said very carefully. "It's a long shot. A very long shot. But if I can figure out how to get a hold of him, I might be able to ask." He had no idea if Thawne would even help him. He had no reason to. Hell, he didn't even know why Thawne had stopped his own evil self. Spitting cryptic bullshit about redemption. But maybe...

"Yeah. Cop, remember? Sorry, I did a background check on you when I heard the news. I wanted to make sure you wouldn't hurt Bar. A lot of "redacted" stuff, but I found some footage of a ferris wheel. Attempt number, you kinda lost count. I just thought you were a Meta."

[infinite1ups]

"Won't be the first time I've proved a precog wrong," she said with a shrug, but then once again her suspicions were raised. The way Eddie said it... that phrasing brought one person to mind, immediately. Claire's voice was a little harsher than she intended when she asked the question that every fiber of her being needed to ask, "Who?"

Eddie's admission of looking her up was as touching as it was unnerving. "Streisand Effect. We delete the video, it goes back up. Nope, not a Meta. Evolved human, or Evo for short, I guess." She'd originally hated the term Evo, but now she was coming around to it. "I hope what you did find was convincing enough. There's no way in the world I'd hurt my Bear."

Now some of Becca's articles about her and other Evos were out there on her Red Files blog. It was the one 'interview' Claire had ever done after that initial media frenzy the night of her jump. A small effort to put out some pro-Evo stories, to combat whatever negative press might be around.

If Eddie was talking about Eobard the way she guessed... Claire didn't know what to make of that. She regretted asking so rudely, but she needed to know.