Chapter 130: Something in the Mirror
It was a normal day, really.
A metahuman went wild in Central City. Nothing new. A living lightning storm with a grudge and a name no one remembered.
The Flash handled it in under five minutes.
Cisco called it a "level 3 drama queen with thunder issues." Wells didn't even look up from his lab bench.
Caitlin sipped her coffee while talking with Patty about Nora's grades.
And Dante?
Dante smoked a cigarette on the STAR Labs balcony while Nora sat on the railing, legs dangling off the edge.
"Did I ever tell you I mop floors at CCPD?" he said, watching smoke curl upward.
Nora raised a brow. "You? A janitor?"
He shrugged. "We all start somewhere."
She smirked. "Next you'll tell me you were a barista or something."
He flicked ash off the edge. "Nah. Just a guy trying to survive."
It was a normal day.
So normal it felt unnatural.
---
That night…
Barry and Patty were asleep.
The city outside buzzed faintly with hums and engines, far-off sirens, and the occasional gust of wind brushing against the windows.
At 3:14 AM, Patty stirred. She blinked up at the ceiling, thirsty, her mouth dry.
She rolled out of bed quietly, padded across the floor in bare feet, and walked toward the kitchen.
But as she passed the mirror in the hallway…
It rippled.
Like a pond disturbed by a stone.
She paused, eyes narrowing.
"Barry?" she whispered over her shoulder.
But before she could step back, the glass moved—a hand shot out, pale and inhuman—and grabbed her by the neck.
Patty choked, kicking, her fingers clawing at invisible force.
The mirror swallowed her whole.
Gone.
And then…
Another Patty stepped out.
Same face. Same body. But the eyes—too calm. Too glassy.
She smiled softly.
Then walked back to the bed.
Climbed in beside Barry.
And closed her eyes.
---
The next morning
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Barry stumbled through the hallway, eyes half-shut, hair a mess.
He opened the front door and blinked at the man in black standing there.
"Dante?"
"Morning, Sleeping Beauty."
Barry rubbed his eyes. "What time is it?"
"Eight," Dante said. "Also, I'm officially homeless."
Barry raised an eyebrow. "What?"
Dante stepped inside without asking. "Let me explain before I starve to death."
Barry dropped onto a chair in the living room while Dante leaned against the wall.
"You remember before the particle accelerator, right? I was a janitor. CCPD floors, bathrooms, windows—you name it."
Barry nodded, vaguely remembering the early days.
"After I turned meta, well… I died. Came back. Died again. Got turned to mist. Came back again. Possessed, exploded, merged with the Void—man, it was a journey. So it's not like I had a job."
Barry smirked. "Fair."
Dante shrugged. "Anyway, I went to CCPD this morning. Last time, Captain Singh gave me my job back like I was a long-lost puppy."
"And now?"
"Well," Dante said, dragging a hand down his face, "now there's a new boss lady: Captain Kristen Kramer. She's not a fan of unexplained absences. Especially not ones that last a year and a half."
Barry winced. "Yeah… Kramer's tough. Good cop. But strict."
"She basically told me I was lucky she didn't arrest me for identity theft."
Barry chuckled.
Dante threw up his hands. "So yeah. No job. No income. No apartment. Technically no toothbrush. I've hit rock bottom, Barry."
He leaned in. "So unless you want me to make a new deal with the Void and end all creation again, I'd suggest maybe helping a brother out."
Barry snorted. "Fine. Let me shower and make some breakfast. We'll figure it out."
Dante grinned. "You're the best."
Just then, Patty walked into the living room, towel around her neck, her hair wet from the shower.
"Morning," she said sweetly, kissing Barry's cheek.
Dante smiled. "Good morning, love."
She nodded to him, her eyes just a little too still, and turned toward the hallway.
The moment she disappeared, Dante's expression changed.
He stepped closer to Barry and grabbed his arm.
Barry blinked. "What is it?"
Dante lowered his voice. "There's something off about your wife, man."
Barry raised an eyebrow, smiling with confusion. "What are you talking about?"
"I don't know," Dante said, his voice quiet but sharp. "But my instincts are screaming. I might not have powers anymore, but I know when something isn't right. Just… be careful, okay?"
Barry didn't respond right away. He glanced toward the kitchen, then back at Dante.
"Okay," he said softly. "Thanks."
---
Later that day
In STAR Labs, Barry replayed Dante's words in his mind.
Patty had been warm. Kind. Normal. But was it too normal?
Nora and Caitlin were laughing over lunch. Cisco was tinkering with a new Vibe-enhancer.
But Barry watched Patty from the security monitors.
She moved the same. Smiled the same. But her reflection in the lab's mirrored surfaces?
It lagged.
For half a second.
Barely noticeable.
But now that he was watching… he saw it again.
A flicker.
A delay.
A warning.
He didn't say anything. Not yet.
He'd wait.
He'd watch.
Because maybe Dante was right.
And maybe the Crisis wasn't quite over.
---
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