Within Seconds // Barry Allen

Highs and Lows

While Barry meant he didn't want to let go of their relationship, he also literally, didn't let go of Parker until the morning.

Cuddling underneath the regular five blankets, they slipped back into the routine of telling jokes until somebody fell asleep first.

In a slow tone, her face half smashed against the pillow, Parker started with, "If the Flash got a dog, what do you think his name would be?"

"What would it be?"

"Bolt."

"Funny," Barry said, though there was no amusement in his voice. "Ever tried to eat a clock? I hear it's very time consuming."

Parker smiled. "Punny."

With no energy to think of another joke, she closed her eyes, falling asleep rather quickly.

>>>>

In the morning, Parker woke due to an indirect summoning from Cisco Ramon. He had called for Barry, which automatically meant that Parker would be dragged along too.

In his lovely morning voice, Barry whispered, "Baby," to wake her.

"Don't do that," Parker warned, "You'll make my knees go weak."

"Good thing you're already in bed, then," Barry said with a laugh.

Parker flipped from her stomach to her back. Barry, fully dressed already, collapsed on the bed once more, his head on her stomach.

"Last night was nice," Barry said quietly.

Parker smiled lightly, content with the refreshing feeling of cuddling from the previous night.

And then, Barry's itching question had to be asked. "So, are we back together?"

Parker patted his cheek, causing him to sit up. He stayed on her bed while she went into the bathroom to get ready, her voice raised slightly for his ears to hear.

"To be honest, Barry, I'm relying on you to tell me that," Parker said, "I know what I want, I know who I want. I'm just trying to figure out who it is, between Iris and I, for you."

That was the only concern she could tell him about. She didn't need him panicking about her theory on dying early, and find out that it was a reason she was resisting.

"I can tell you that it's you," Barry assured instantly.

"Not the point. You can tell me all you want that it's me. It's the way you act that's going to tell me."

Her words stunned Barry into a silence. Taking her chance, Parker shut the bathroom door, ending the conversation.

>>>>

Gathered in the Cortex, Barry, Parker, Caitlin and Joe waited for Cisco to finish his awfully long slurp from the straw of his soda.

"Cisco, come on," Parker said, "It's too early for me to be impatient."

"It's eleven in the morning," Caitlin said, confused.

"Did I stutter?" Parker asked, brow raised.

Cisco handed his drink off to Parker, moving the wheelchair to the center of the circle.

"I kept asking myself, why Wells would need a wheelchair," Cisco said. He paused, aiming for a response from the group.

"Sympathy," Caitlin answered.

"That's what I thought at first, but he's the Man in Yellow, he's the Reverse-Flash-- he's smarter than that," Cisco said, "Sympathy can't be the only reason."