Within Seconds: Flashpoint Edition

More Pain Than Planned

Barry was drowning in clothing. He tried on outfit after outfit, raced downstairs to show his mother and father, who were indifferent to every single arrangement. He thought black pants and a collared shirt was too formal; blue jeans and a red shirt was too casual. 

"Do you need help, honey?" called his mother up the stairs. 

"I have nothing to wear!" he yelled back, frustrated. 

"I think that means yes," said his father thoughtfully. 

Nora Allen knocked on the door, then stepped in. She gently pushed her son to the bed, ordering him to sit and stay. She rummaged through his messy bedroom for a shirt and pants while he pouted. 

At long last, Nora set a folded shirt and jeans in her son's lap. She left the room without saying another word. 

Barry changed into blue jeans and a plaid shirt. He squinted at himself in the mirror. He opened his mouth to yell for his mother, but she beat him to it. 

"Barry, you look handsome, now get down here before you're late!"

"Got it, Mom," he said. 

For a final time, he frowned into his mirror, then trudged downstairs. He did a spin for his mother and father. When he turned to face them, both were enthusiastically sticking their thumbs up for him. 

"You look great, son," said Henry Allen. "Go get her."

"Have a good time. Don't forget to open the door for her, or--"

"Nora, Nora," laughed Henry. 

"I don't know why I'm nervous," said Barry shakily. He held up his hands for his parents, demonstrating the trembling in his fingers. "I've done this a thousand times..."

"You haven't seen her for six years. You've grown, she has. It's normal, slugger. Just be cool. You have nothing to worry about," encouraged Henry. 

"Right. Right. I got this. Wish me luck!" said Barry as he walked from the front door. 

"Good luck!" shouted Henry and Nora after him. 

As soon as the door shut, Nora fell into her husband's arms. "Henry! This is a terrible idea. Why does he want to go back to the woman who left him?"

"I couldn't tell you, honey," sighed Henry. "We just have to let him go and hope this time turns out better than the last..."

xxxx

Forgetting he was in a different timeline, Barry lingered outside of his Parker's apartment building. He wondered if the inside was similar to how they lived together, or if she had grown the patience for pets in this timeline, considering she had it for teaching children. 

"I thought you were late, at first," she said suddenly, alerting him to her presence, "but you just went to the wrong complex, huh?"

"What?" asked Barry, turning.

"My apartment's in the building across the street, not this one," she was explaining. 

Barry heard her words, but they didn't register one bit. Breath hitched in his throat, he hadn't been able to answer. He stared at her, the outfit particularly, and he tried desperately to refrain the frown on his lips. 

Somehow, someway, this Parker had chosen the exact outfit worn on their first date in the other timeline. The navy blue skirt, the white and blue striped sweater, the ponytail, and, most importantly, the navy ballerina slippers. She looked as though she had come back in time with him, only from minutes before their very first date. 

"Earth to Barry Allen?" wondered Parker. 

Barry blinked. He blinked fast, hard, until his eyes had stopped watering. He rubbed at his eyes. "Sorry. Yeah, sorry, a bug flew into my eye," he covered terribly. 

"Right. So, any idea where you want to go for dinner?"

"Uh, I just thought I'd let you pick."

Parker bit her lip. "Cute"

"What?" asked Barry. 

"Nothing, nothing. It's just... I'm just thinking back to our first date," she admitted softly. 

Barry nodded knowingly. 

"I was only ever nervous for a date with you once," she continued. 

"And you are now," said Barry, in a way that accepted her feelings. He conveyed his words in a way to let her know that he was nervous, too. 

"Barry, listen, it's just been so long since then, a-and so long since I've dated--"

"You haven't dated?" interrupted Barry. He tried not to look eager.

Parker chuckled nervously. "No. Not since I left what we had, at least."

He was almost afraid to ask why she remained single. Lucky for him, his face thoroughly portrayed his confusion. She continued to speak, fast and jittery, which was a new trait for Parker, in Barry's eyes. 

"Um... I just didn't have time, you know? Between my Eve-- uh, uh, between everything," she stopped quickly. "Right, so I think I know where I want to go. Follow me, yeah?"

For a brief moment, Barry neglected to follow. He stared after her, mind racing. Going after this timeline's Parker started as a mission to patch the gap in his heart. He believed seeing some version of Parker, even though it wasn't his, was going to fix him. He saw her, it healed a little, but being with her was a drastic difference. She wasn't her.

"You comin', Allen?" called Parker. 

Barry ran his hands through his hair and fell into step beside her. He inquired as to how far they were walking. 

"Three blocks, then we can sit down and talk about... This. Us? Not, like, us, us, but what we're doing here. Why, after six years, I agreed to your harassment," she decided. 

"It was love letters, love gifts," defended Barry. "Hardly harassment."

"Some would disagree," quipped Parker. 

Barry was quick to respond with a witty, "I would be one of those people," but it was ended abruptly in the middle of speaking. Parker had come to a stop. By default, he had, too. 

"Chipotle," breathed Barry. 

"Yeah, have you ever been here? I'm sure you have. I don't know anyone who hasn't gone," said Parker. She noticed his frozen gaze. "Um, Barry, we don't have to go here if you don't want."

"No. I'm... I'm fine. I can do this," agreed Barry shakily. "You go ahead and order. I'll be there to pay for it."

"I can pay for--"

"I asked you for this date. And go for the guac. I know it's extra," he tried to joke, as he had on their first date in the other timeline. 

Parker giggled, as her counterpart had. After getting the confirmation, she practically skipped to the end of the line, anxiously awaiting her turn to cut off the server and pretend she was a higher-up when she confirmed the extra money for guacamole. 

Barry stayed in the cold air, hoping it would break the numbness in his body. Very quickly, he was realizing that, perhaps, the gap in his heart that her death left was meant to remain broken.