Dashing {The Flash/Barry Allen fanfic}

Chapter Three

In the five years Bethany was away, she had completely forgotten how fast time could go compared to the cold, long nights of the island jungle. An entire month had gone by, each day falling from day to night with what only felt like a few hours. It was just enough time for her to discover that things weren't much different than when she had left.

Joe left for work each morning, quickly downing his coffee as he stepped out the door.
She'd had some time to discuss the events that had gone on since she'd been gone, yet she had been very vague about her own travels.

So far, it has been fairly easy to avoid the topic. Within the first few days, they'd been very vocal about their curiosities, going as far as to create an intervention, but even then Bethany had found a way to dodge their berating.

She left their questions unanswered, instead getting back on track with her education and working her way to rent her own apartment. The normality almost seemed chaotic.

There had been many times where Bethany Howard was only footsteps ahead of death. Her legs had carried her so far, despite how often they begged for her to stop. The adrenaline always kept her going, providing her with the energy she needed to just barely escape her own demise.

She had always been quick on her feet, and it had led her all the way home where she once again found herself running.

The subway station was encompassed with the working class, all of them hurrying to their day jobs. All of their voices were jumbled into nonsense as Bethany jogged past them, just barely dodging the strangers.

In her rush, she'd just barely managed to read the clock on a distant wall, cursing under her breath as it read the time she was meant to be on her metro.

The rumbling of the engine pulled away, her shoulders sagging just as she came to a stop.

"Damn it," she muttered under her breath. The slightest smile arose onto her lips as she thought about the conversation Barry and her were going to have. He was always late, but, if he was currently sitting on that moving vehicle on his way to Starling city, Bethany would be in for it this time.

The next train left nearly an hour later. During the entire ride her green eyes had been locked into her phone. Barry was the worst at texting and, even as she tried to stay tuned in to what he was doing, she knew little about what he had found. All she had received were vague messages about what he was calling 'the impossible case' and how she should meet him at Queen Consolidated when she arrived. That had caused her to stressfully fidget with her golden hair.

If the investigation did have something to do with the Arrow. How would she get Barry away from it without pulling him by the ear?

Bethany's life had never been easy. When she was younger, her trust didn't reach far and it took her a very long time to grow close to anyone; that first person had been Barry. She knew, if he was in danger, she would do anything to protect him, even giving her own life.

When she stepped outside the station it was heavily raining. Other newly arrived Starling residence races to find a cab, using whatever they held in their hands as a shield from the water. Searching quickly, she noticed a lone yellow cab sitting by the curb. Before she could reach it, the vehicle pulled forward, sending a wave of dirty water onto her brand new clothes. Bethany reached for her phone after letting out a sigh.

"Hey, Barr."

"You here yet?"

"Yep," she said in a mock tone of enthusiasm. "You still want to meet at Queen Consolidated?"