Sparks Fly {the flash}

thirteen

My steps were hesitant as I walked into the empty lab, my mind racing at how I was going to confront Barry on the large Band-Aid stuck to the side of my face. I'd been trying to come up with a plausible story about what had happened ever since I woke up, and the only thing I could come up with was that I fell while I was in the shower, and I cut the side of my face open when I hit the edge of the bathtub. It was a longshot, but it seemed realistic enough. Plus, Barry didn't know whether or not I was a complete klutz, so it seemed likely that he would believe the story. All I had to do was make it believable enough so that he didn't suspect I was lying to him.

I sat down at my desk and routinely logged into my computer, seeing that the network was slowed down yet again due to the rain. It had started storming around three this morning, and it had set me even more on edge than I already was. I sat back in my chair as the computer took a few minutes to boot up. I found myself biting my lip in anticipation of Barry's arrival, not envying the inevitable conversation we were going to have. I didn't like the idea of having to lie to him, but it would be better than having him try to go after Hartley when he was unprepared. Hartley would be expecting that, and it would be the most opportune time for him to take Barry out. I didn't want to see that happen to him, and if lying meant that I could prevent something like that, then it would be something that I would have to do.

I jumped rather violently when my phone started ringing on my desk, my heart beginning to race at the sound. I took a small breath before picking my device up, seeing a contact that I hadn't seen in awhile. I smiled as I unlocked the phone and put it to my ear. "Howdy, stranger." I greeted brightly.

"I missed that accent." Hallie laughed on the other end.

"Well, you wouldn't have to if you weren't constantly out of the country."

She laughed sarcastically. "Thanks for telling me, Captain Obvious." I laughed, getting up out of my chair and walking towards the window. "How the hell are you, Bones? We haven't talked in forty years."

I chuckled. "I'm good. I'm still adjusting to my transfer, but it's been pretty good to me so far."

"I saw that on Facebook a while back, and I meant to ask you about it. What brought that on?"

"Central City PD needed some more help in the forensics department, and Lance thought that it would be best if I went out there since the forensics team at Starling Metro was relatively stable without me."

"Is the transition weird? I feel like it would be weird."

I laughed. "It was a little weird, but the people here are really nice, and that's helped a lot."

"You haven't made any friends that have replaced me, right?" She sounded convincingly panicked, but I knew she was just joking.

"I wouldn't have to if you would just stay home for a few days."

"I get it, you miss me, and you wish I wasn't living my dream." She laughed.

"It's not that. I just wish that you were home more. Having you all the way across the globe just isn't an ideal situation for my best friend."

"Maybe you should look into getting a boyfriend to help with the lonely nights." She suggested, and I could practically see her wiggling her eyebrows. I stayed silent, feeling my cheeks heat up at the thought of Barry, and my eyes fell to my shoes. "Oh my God." She gasped at my silence. "You're dating someone, aren't you?"

I chuckled. "No, Hallie. I'm not dating anyone, and if I were, you would be one of the first people to know."

"But there's a crush, right? Please tell me that there's a crush."