Within Seconds: Sylas & Allen

Barry Gets Hot

Side by side in a conjoined room of the Cortex, the room that overlooked the treadmill set-up, Barry sat on the desk and stared longingly into the room. 

"You'll get it back," said Parker.

"You don't know that," he said, sound incredibly distant.

Parker reclined in her seat, ensuring to use air quotes when she asked, "What did we do the last time you 'lost' your speed? We recreated the Accelerator Explosion. So, we do that again. It's bound to work, if it did last time."

"I still had the Speed Force in my cells when we did that."

"And you don't now?" she challenged. 

Barry didn't answer immediately. "I don't know."

"You'l be fine, baby. You'll get your speed back in no time. I give it a week or two," she predicted, looking to the computer again, "Hey, text the Boy Wonder to get up here." 

"Why?" asked Barry, pulling his phone from his pocket. 

"Because I found a match, you dunce, why else?" asked Parker.

"To have him officiate our wedding, maybe?" he tried to joke.

Parker held a hand over her heart. "That actually would have been really nice."

"He would have cried harder than I did."

"You're absolutely right."

"Yo!" hollered Cisco and Jesse when they entered.

"In here," chimed the married couple. Parker continued, "The FRS picked up Grey breaking into Ace Chemical down on Newbury Road."

"Is my dad with him?" wondered Jesse.

"I don't know, but we have to go," said Barry. He hopped from the computer desk, tugging his jacket from the back of the chair Parker sat on. He swept Harry's gun off the floor.

"Uh, are you sure about that?" asked Cisco knowingly.

"We can't just sit here. Regardless of whether or not I have my speed, I have to try to help. That's never going to change," said Barry, shaking his head sadly. 

"I'm with you, but you're going to need some backup," said Cisco after a deep inhale, "Indiana Jones, to the rescue!"

"No, not this time," disagreed Barry.

"Sike. Remember how we didn't take our honeymoon? Yeah, this is it, right now, in the field, together. How romantic?" wondered Parker. Standing under his chin, she stared into his eyes, smirking, as she applied the brown hat on top of her head. 

Barry clenched his jaw. "Fine."

"I'm coming with," said Jesse.

"No!" shouted both Barry and Parker. 

Jesse pouted. "Mama, what...?"

"Your father would slaughter me if I got you physically harmed," said Parker.

"Please just stay here, we don't know what we're dealing with yet. Finish running tests on the blood sample, thank you, I'm sorry, Jesse!" shouted Barry as he grabbed Cisco and Parker, and dragged them out of the Cortex.

"Not the number eight van, please!" begged Cisco.

"Too late!" 

God, did Cisco and Barry always make sure to say their prayers before they drove with Parker. She spent the entire time distracted. Singing, talking, looking directly at Barry, shouting profanities to terrible drivers. They feared for their lives, and she knew it. She laughed about the white knuckles the two always had from holding onto part of the van.