---
Cisco took a hesitant step forward, his usual sarcasm replaced with genuine concern. He raised his hands cautiously, as if trying to placate a wild animal. "Frost, come on," he said softly, his voice steady but pleading. "This isn't you. We've been through too much for you to turn into... this."
Killer Frost tilted her head, an icy mist swirling around her fingers. Her piercing blue eyes narrowed as she regarded Cisco, a cold smile playing on her lips. "Oh, Cisco," she said with mock pity, her voice as sharp as an icicle. "Still clinging to the past? Newsflash—I'm not Caitlin anymore. Caitlin was weak. She hesitated. I don't."
Iris stepped into the room, her heels clicking sharply against the lab floor. She stopped a few feet behind Barry, her expression a mix of determination and disbelief. "Frost, listen to yourself," she said firmly, her voice carrying a weight that demanded attention. "This isn't who you are. You're part of this team. You're family. Don't let this power turn you into someone we can't reach."
For a moment, Killer Frost's smile wavered, her sharp facade cracking ever so slightly. Her eyes flickered, a hint of conflict dancing within their icy glow. But she quickly shook her head, the mist around her growing thicker. "Family?" she spat, her tone bitter. "Caitlin cared about family. I care about power. You're wasting your breath."
Barry stepped forward, his jaw tight and his hands raised in a gesture of peace. His voice was calm, but there was an undercurrent of frustration. "Frost, you've fought this before. You know this isn't who you are. Deep down, Caitlin's still in there. She wouldn't let you hurt the people she loves."
Killer Frost's eyes narrowed dangerously, her smirk replaced with a cold sneer. "Stop saying her name!" she snapped, the temperature in the room plummeting as her anger flared. Frosted patterns crawled up the walls, and the lights flickered under the strain of her power. "She's gone, Barry. I'm in charge now."
Barry sighed deeply, the weight of the moment pressing heavily on him. He glanced at Cisco and Iris, their anxious faces reflecting his own growing despair. "I didn't want to do this," he murmured, almost to himself.
Before anyone could respond, the world around them slowed to a halt. The hum of the lab faded into a heavy silence as time itself came to a standstill. Frost's sneer froze in place, her icy mist suspended in midair like frozen smoke. Barry straightened, his movements unhurried as he stepped toward her. His expression was a mix of sadness and resolve.
Standing directly in front of her, he reached out and gently tapped her on the forehead with two fingers. A faint golden glow radiated from the contact, and his eyes softened as he activated his telepathy. "I'm sorry, Frost," he whispered. "But you need to see the truth."
---
Inside Frost's mind, a whirlwind of memories surged forth, vivid and raw.
Frost saw herself—no, Caitlin—working tirelessly in the STAR Labs med bay, her face lit with determination as she patched up Barry after a rough fight. She saw herself standing alongside Cisco, Iris, and Barry, trading banter and laughter during their quiet moments.
Then the memories shifted. She was Killer Frost again—but not the cold, unfeeling version she now embodied. This Frost was smiling, her blue eyes soft as she handed a cup of hot cocoa to Caitlin. "You're not so bad for a scientist," she quipped, her tone playful.
Another memory flashed: Frost battling alongside Team Flash, her icy powers saving Barry from certain death. "We're stronger together," she had said, her voice resolute.
The montage ended with a single, powerful memory: Caitlin and Frost, standing face-to-face in a dreamlike void. "We're two sides of the same coin," Caitlin had said, her voice filled with compassion. "We don't have to fight. We can be whole. Together."
---
In the present, Frost's glowing blue eyes dimmed, and her body relaxed. The mist around her dissipated as time resumed its natural flow. She blinked rapidly, her expression one of confusion and dawning realization.
Barry stepped back, watching her closely. "Frost?" he asked cautiously.
Killer Frost staggered slightly, her hand instinctively reaching for her temple as though trying to steady her spinning thoughts. Her glowing blue eyes dimmed completely, revealing a familiar human warmth beneath the cold façade. She blinked rapidly, her breath shallow, the icy mist around her dissipating into faint wisps. Her gaze darted around the room, landing on Barry, Cisco, and Iris in quick succession.
"What... was that?" she asked, her voice trembling with confusion but laced with an edge of her usual sharpness. Her fingers twitched as if trying to summon her power, but nothing came.
Barry took a cautious step forward, his movements measured and deliberate. His face was calm but tinged with sympathy, his eyes softening as he met Frost's unsettled gaze. "That," he began, his voice steady, "was a glimpse of what's to come. A future where you and Caitlin become more than just two halves fighting for control."
Frost's lips parted as if to argue, but no words came. Instead, her shoulders sagged ever so slightly, the weight of the vision bearing down on her. Her piercing eyes searched Barry's face for answers, but the warmth in his expression only deepened her turmoil. "Future events?" she repeated slowly, her tone skeptical yet shaken. Her fists clenched at her sides, though there was no malice in her posture now—only uncertainty.
"Yes."