Status: new project
Suddenly
The Return
Joe West was enjoying the day he had to himself. His partner, Eddie Thawne, had the day off. For the first time in a long time, Detective West had the whole day to enjoy some peace and quiet. He smiled as he sat in his cruiser, sipping on his lukewarm coffee. It was a gorgeous day in Central City. One of the best days they’ve seen in quite some time.
Central City was a paradox. In a sense, it was a big city in a small pond. If anybody had asked Detective West about the crime rate nine months ago, he would say, “Central City? There’s no such thing as crime here.” It was rare Detective West had to investigate a crime. Although the city averaged about 600,000 people, it felt small. Everyone knew everyone, and everyone was considered a neighbor- no matter what part of town one lived in.
Joe West was taken off guard when a car zoomed across his view. Joe lifted his sunglasses a little bit off his eyes and saw that a car was going twenty miles above the speed limit. Seeing that he didn’t recognize the vehicle, he decided to set off his siren to attract the driver’s attention.
To be honest, had this been nine months ago, he probably would have let their speed slide. However, considering the heightened crime rate percentage the last few months, this was a bit of a concern.
Detective West was no longer an officer; pulling people over for petty driving mistakes was no longer in his job description. But he was on the lookout for somebody.
Somebody dangerous.
He needed to help stop this criminal.
Approaching the unknown vehicle, a BMW make, he asked the driver to roll down the window.
“Ma’am, do you realize how fast you were going?” Detective West asked. It was just a woman. She didn’t seem to pose any danger. But the way everyone in Central City had been acting lately, he couldn’t have been too certain.
The woman driver appeared to be frustrated, looking through her bag, presumably trying to find her license. Once she pulled out her wallet, the woman removed her sunglasses and looked up to the Detective that had pulled her over.
“Well, I’ll be damned.” She smiled handing the man her license.
He took his sunglasses off and folded it on the collar of his button up shirt, a smile quickly finding it’s way onto his face.
“Vanessa Ramos,” he said, smile stretching ear to ear. “She returns!”
“Joe,” she smiled back.
The Captain of Central City Police Department was the young woman’s father. Detective Joe West had a close relationship with the Ramos’ family. His daughter Iris, and adoptive son, Barry, had grown up with Vanessa. The three were very close friends, but when they all graduated from high school, Vanessa moved to Coast City to be with her mother. Joe wasn’t too sure about what she had been up to since then, but he was sure that with the sudden news of her father’s unfortunate passing, she would be back in town for the next few days.
She had grown up so much since she was last home.
“You gon’ write up that ticket?” she said with a smile, “I thought you were a detective these days?”
“Look, because you’re someone I hold so dear to me, I’m going to forget you were going fifty-five in a thirty-five mile zone.” Joe laughed. “How have you been, girly?”
She sighed, “Not that great. But that’s all in the line of duty right?”
Joe could see the dismay on her face, “Right. He will forever be respected in Central City.”
Vanessa could not forgive herself for not speaking to or seeing her father in seven years. Out of disappointment, a large part of her refused to come back to Central City for his funeral. But it was the guilt that made her purchase a one way ticket to her old home. She repeatedly told herself that her father raised a woman who was responsible for her faults, not one that ran from them.
“Please, Vanessa. Come on over to our place and have dinner like the old days. I’ll tell Iris to whip up some of her mac n cheese you like so much. Iris and Barry would be so excited to see you.”
“I’ll be there as long as Barry admits I beat him in basketball when we were eight.” She found it strange how easy it was for her to smile despite what happened with her father. Something about being home gave her a sense of relief.
“I see that neither of you have let that go.”
“I’ll be there, Joe.”
“Glad to have you back home, Vanessa.”
Central City was a paradox. In a sense, it was a big city in a small pond. If anybody had asked Detective West about the crime rate nine months ago, he would say, “Central City? There’s no such thing as crime here.” It was rare Detective West had to investigate a crime. Although the city averaged about 600,000 people, it felt small. Everyone knew everyone, and everyone was considered a neighbor- no matter what part of town one lived in.
Joe West was taken off guard when a car zoomed across his view. Joe lifted his sunglasses a little bit off his eyes and saw that a car was going twenty miles above the speed limit. Seeing that he didn’t recognize the vehicle, he decided to set off his siren to attract the driver’s attention.
To be honest, had this been nine months ago, he probably would have let their speed slide. However, considering the heightened crime rate percentage the last few months, this was a bit of a concern.
Detective West was no longer an officer; pulling people over for petty driving mistakes was no longer in his job description. But he was on the lookout for somebody.
Somebody dangerous.
He needed to help stop this criminal.
Approaching the unknown vehicle, a BMW make, he asked the driver to roll down the window.
“Ma’am, do you realize how fast you were going?” Detective West asked. It was just a woman. She didn’t seem to pose any danger. But the way everyone in Central City had been acting lately, he couldn’t have been too certain.
The woman driver appeared to be frustrated, looking through her bag, presumably trying to find her license. Once she pulled out her wallet, the woman removed her sunglasses and looked up to the Detective that had pulled her over.
“Well, I’ll be damned.” She smiled handing the man her license.
He took his sunglasses off and folded it on the collar of his button up shirt, a smile quickly finding it’s way onto his face.
“Vanessa Ramos,” he said, smile stretching ear to ear. “She returns!”
“Joe,” she smiled back.
The Captain of Central City Police Department was the young woman’s father. Detective Joe West had a close relationship with the Ramos’ family. His daughter Iris, and adoptive son, Barry, had grown up with Vanessa. The three were very close friends, but when they all graduated from high school, Vanessa moved to Coast City to be with her mother. Joe wasn’t too sure about what she had been up to since then, but he was sure that with the sudden news of her father’s unfortunate passing, she would be back in town for the next few days.
She had grown up so much since she was last home.
“You gon’ write up that ticket?” she said with a smile, “I thought you were a detective these days?”
“Look, because you’re someone I hold so dear to me, I’m going to forget you were going fifty-five in a thirty-five mile zone.” Joe laughed. “How have you been, girly?”
She sighed, “Not that great. But that’s all in the line of duty right?”
Joe could see the dismay on her face, “Right. He will forever be respected in Central City.”
Vanessa could not forgive herself for not speaking to or seeing her father in seven years. Out of disappointment, a large part of her refused to come back to Central City for his funeral. But it was the guilt that made her purchase a one way ticket to her old home. She repeatedly told herself that her father raised a woman who was responsible for her faults, not one that ran from them.
“Please, Vanessa. Come on over to our place and have dinner like the old days. I’ll tell Iris to whip up some of her mac n cheese you like so much. Iris and Barry would be so excited to see you.”
“I’ll be there as long as Barry admits I beat him in basketball when we were eight.” She found it strange how easy it was for her to smile despite what happened with her father. Something about being home gave her a sense of relief.
“I see that neither of you have let that go.”
“I’ll be there, Joe.”
“Glad to have you back home, Vanessa.”
♠ ♠ ♠
Okay, so this is actually an old Walking Dead/Shane story I had written a super long time ago. I wanted to revive it, but I am bringing it back as a flash/barry allen story because well... i'm obsessed. this and "skin" are going to be my current projects.