Chapter 58 – "The One Who Woke"
STAR Labs was empty.
It was night, and the silence lingered like fog—thick, heavy, patient.
Only one person remained.
Cisco.
He sat in a chair near Dante's bed, a blanket half-draped over his shoulder and a remote in his hand. A small, ancient TV screen glowed across from him, flickering with the grayscale hues of a black-and-white silent film.
Chaplin, maybe.
Or Buster Keaton.
One of those guys with big eyes, top hats, and wild physical comedy.
The kind that didn't need words to make you feel something.
Cisco didn't laugh much, but he watched anyway.
The silence was loud.
It was louder than the music from the film.
Louder than the screen's flicker.
Louder than even the quiet hum of Dante's monitors.
Every night, someone took a shift.
Barry had stayed the first night.
Then Caitlin.
Then Joe.
Then Harrison Wells earth-2
Now, it was Cisco's turn.
Cisco Ramon. Tech genius. Nerd king. Loyal to the end.
He watched the silent movie, blinking slowly.
Then, as if in a trance, a voice muttered softly, "Did I go back in time or something?"
Low. Familiar. Raspy.
Cisco smiled at that and spoke
"Nah, man. I'm just watching an old movie. You know, I actually enjoy them."
Then frowned.
Wait.
That wasn't the movie.
He turned his head.
Dante was still lying in the bed.
Or at least—he looked like he was.
Eyes closed.
Still.
Breathing slow.
But there was a smile.
Barely there.
Curved lips.
Cisco blinked. Rubbed his eyes.
The voice came again, soft and teasing.
"Yeah, I know what you're gonna say. 'Cisco Ramon, master of Star Wars, Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, how do you like this black-and-white nonsense?'"
Cisco's eyes widened, and he slowly leaned forward.
Dante was looking at him now.
Just… looking.
Calm. Alert. Smiling.
Cisco's mouth opened but nothing came out.
Dante tilted his head with a smirk.
"What?" he said innocently. "I'm handsome?"
Cisco blinked again.
"What the—?"
"I know, right?" Dante continued, eyes glinting. "Red hair. Red eyes. All-powerful. Witty. I mean, I look like I walked out of a damn anime. I should be the main character by now."
Cisco stood.
Frozen.
His brain lagged behind his eyes.
"You…"
Dante nodded.
Cisco stammered. "You're—"
Dante leaned up a little, arms crossed behind his head.
"Alive? Awake? Drop-dead gorgeous? All of the above?"
And then—
Cisco collapsed.
Right on the floor.
Flat.
Out cold.
Dante blinked at him.
Then burst out laughing. Loud. Genuine. Echoing through the lab.
.....
The next morning…
Barry arrived first.
Coffee in hand. Tired eyes. Ready for another quiet day of not knowing what to do.
Caitlin came in right behind him.
Hair tied back, exhausted but trying.
Joe trailed them, silent, holding a bag of breakfast sandwiches nobody really wanted but everyone needed.
They walked into the Cortex and froze.
Cisco was on the floor.
Again.
Barry rushed to him. "Cisco?! Hey—hey! Wake up!"
Cisco's eyes popped open.
He bolted upright and pointed.
"HE'S AWAKE!"
Barry blinked. "What?"
"I swear—last night—he talked. He joked. He made fun of my taste in movies and anime and—"
Cisco turned.
Dante was lying in bed.
Eyes closed.
Still as ever.
Like always.
Caitlin's face fell.
Joe just stared.
Cisco stood.
"No. No, no, no, no, no—I'm not crazy. He was awake!"
Barry raised a brow. "You sure you didn't… dream it?"
Cisco opened his mouth to argue.
But then—
A cough.
A stretch.
And a voice.
"Saying I'm not real? That's cold, bro."
Everyone turned.
Dante sat up slowly, wincing slightly, but alive.
Awake.
And very much amused.
"Okay, now I'm sure," Cisco whispered, wide-eyed.
Then he fainted again.
Ten minutes later, Cisco was lying on a nearby table with an ice pack, Barry pacing, Caitlin blinking back tears, and Joe smiling wider than he had in weeks.
Dante looked around.
"I missed something, didn't I?"
"You could say that," Barry replied, walking over to him.
He stared at Dante for a long moment.
Then pulled him into a hug so tight it knocked the breath from his lungs.
"Jesus, Barry," Dante muttered, laughing. "You trying to kill me again?"
Barry didn't answer. Just hugged harder.
Caitlin stepped forward, tears running freely now.
She didn't say anything either.
She just touched his arm. Watched his face. Let the relief settle in her chest.
"You were gone for a long time," she said.
"I didn't mean to be," Dante said softly. "Just… had to find my way back."
Joe patted his shoulder.
"You did, son. You're here now."
Dante nodded.
Then looked over at Cisco, who was groaning and trying to sit up again.
"You okay down there?" he teased.
Cisco squinted at him. "Don't talk to me. I'm emotionally fragile."
Dante grinned.
"Still the same Cisco."
"Still the same Dante," Barry added.
Dante looked around at the group, his friends, the people who stayed—even when he didn't know it.
His voice dropped.
"Thanks for not giving up on me."
Barry shook his head.
"Never."
That night, Dante sat up in bed.
Watching the same old black-and-white comedy on Cisco's mini-TV.
The others were still around.
Talking. Laughing. Eating junk food.
Barry threw popcorn at Cisco. Caitlin smiled again.
And Dante just watched.
For the first time in what felt like years, the silence wasn't loud anymore.
It was peaceful.
And he was home.
---
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