The Flash : Please Kill Me (Complete Remake)

Chapter 7: The Awakening – (REMAKE)

"Alright, Barry," Adam whispered, leaning over the comatose form in the hospital bed, a plastic cup of lukewarm coffee clutched in his hand. "This is it. Your beauty sleep is almost over. Get ready for a life of running, vibrating, and apparently, constantly messing with the timeline. Good times."

The room was quiet, sterile, and smelled faintly of antiseptic and impending destiny. Adam had managed to finagle his way in with his newfound "CSI Consultant" vibe – a title Joe West had grudgingly given him after his surprisingly astute observations during the Particle Accelerator aftermath. It basically meant he could show up, look knowledgeable, and occasionally point at things. So far, it was working. He'd even managed to get on the police department's "approved visitor" list for Barry, mostly by acting concerned and bringing really bad hospital food.

" Seriously, though, a coma for nine months? That's dedication. I once spent a weekend binge-watching an entire season of 'The Office' and felt like I was in a coma. But this? This is next level. You're practically a sleeping beauty, only instead of a kiss from a prince, you're waiting for a bolt of lightning to turn you into a human blur. Talk about a glow-up."

He glanced at the vitals monitor, the steady beeps a testament to Barry's stubborn refusal to shuffle off this mortal coil. Adam's "Enhanced Observation" was picking up subtle fluctuations – a barely perceptible tremor in the bed, an almost-imperceptible hum in the air around Barry, like static electricity just waiting for the right moment to spark. It was the Speed Force, a silent, invisible force, already beginning to intertwine with its chosen vessel.

"You know, for a guy who's supposed to be in a coma, you're surprisingly active," Adam mused, taking a sip of his terrible coffee. "I mean, I've seen more movement from a garden gnome. But I can practically feel the cosmic energy buzzing around you. It's like you're a human battery, just waiting for someone to plug you in."

He walked around the bed, pretending to adjust a blanket, but really just trying to get a better read on the subtle shifts in the air. His "Minor Electrical Resistance" (from that unfortunate faucet incident) was tingling, a faint static sensation on his skin. It wasn't just the ambient energy from the accelerator; it was something focused, something speedy.

" The Speed Force. It's real. And it's doing its thing. Soon, you'll be running faster than my internet connection on a good day. And then, the fun begins. For you, it's saving the city. For me, it's trying not to get accidentally vibrated into a fine mist. Priorities."

A soft knock on the door. Iris West poked her head in, her eyes red-rimmed but determined. "Hey, Adam. Still here?"

"Someone's gotta keep an eye on our resident sleeping beauty," Adam said, offering a sympathetic smile. "Besides, I figured if anyone could wake him up, it'd be the sheer force of my sarcastic wit. It's a powerful weapon, you know."

Iris managed a weak chuckle. "He'd appreciate that. You're good to him, Adam. Thanks for… just being here."

"Anytime, Iris," he replied, genuinely. "He's family, right? Even if he's currently doing his best impression of a very expensive paperweight."

She nodded, then moved to Barry's side, gently taking his hand. Adam watched her, a pang of something akin to guilt in his chest. He knew their future, the pain, the triumphs, the endless drama. He was an interloper, a walking, talking spoiler alert. The ethical implications of his meta-knowledge were a constant, low-level hum in his mind, like a distant, annoying mosquito. How much could he interfere? How much should he?

" This is the tricky part. I can't just blurt out 'Hey, your future husband is going to be a superhero, and your dad is going to be his moral support, and your best friend is going to be a tech wizard, and the guy who runs S.T.A.R. Labs is actually a time-traveling murderer!' That would go over about as well as a lead balloon in a hurricane. I need to be subtle. A whisper, not a shout. A nudge, not a shove."

He decided to leave a little breadcrumb. He pulled a small, worn comic book from his jacket pocket – a classic Flash comic, an early issue. He carefully placed it on the bedside table, next to a wilting flower arrangement.

"Just a little something to inspire him when he wakes up," Adam told Iris, gesturing to the comic. "You know, for when he needs a little… inspiration."

Iris picked it up, a faint smile on her face. "He'd love this. He always loved The Flash."

"Yeah," Adam said, a knowing smirk playing on his lips. "He really does."

He gave Barry one last look. "Don't take too long, Scarlet Speedster. The world's not going to save itself. And I'm getting really tired of lukewarm hospital coffee."

As he walked out, he heard Iris's soft voice, reading from the comic book to the comatose Barry. A small victory. He was integrating. He was laying the groundwork. And soon, very soon, the real show would begin. He just had to make sure he had enough sarcastic one-liners ready. And maybe a better coffee source.