to things not being normal

Running Home

Title: Running Home

Fandom: The Flash

Characters: Barry Allen, Iris West

Pairing: Barry/Iris

Word count: 995

Summary: At some point in the two months between Barry's reproposal and his sacrifice, he must have saved Running Home to You onto her playlist because when it comes on, Iris isn't sure how to react. // post 03.23 (song fic)

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can't say how the days will unfold

Her hands freeze over her keyboard when Barry's voice floats from her shuffled playlist and Iris stares at her iPhone in shock. Her mind scrambles for answers and she tries to ignore the tears that are filling her eyes.

can't change what the future may hold

She stifles a sob at those words, hand covering her mouth to muffle the noise. At some point between Barry's reproposal and his sacrifice, he must have saved the song onto her phone.

It was bitterly ironic she had to admit. At the time Barry had been so desperate to save her that they never even realised that maybe she wasn't the only one who was at stake that night.

but I want you in it

every hour, every minute

Pressing her hands to her eyes in an effort to stall the tears, Iris ignores the urge to skip the song because as painful as it is, hearing his voice felt like light breaking through the stormy clouds.

Yes, Barry was gone and she had no idea if he would ever be back. But she would never stop loving him – never stop remembering at every moment.

this world can race by far too fast

hard to see when it's all flying past

A small smile spreads across her face, memories of them from as early as they were five years old surfacing once again. They had been through so much together and shared so many moments.

Barry was – is – her best friend and the love of her life even through the ups and downs of their friendship. He was one of the few constants she'd had in her life and she has no idea how she's going to move on.

but it's clear now

when you're standing here now

I am meant to be wherever you are next to me

Bitterness rises in her heart, a heavy feeling in her chest. Barry's meant to be here, curled up on the couch in their apartment or lounging in the chair opposite her with fresh pizza from Coast City in hand.

When Savitar died, Iris thought that maybe Barry would finally get the happiness and peace that he deserved. Instead, he was trapped in some torturous entity for the rest of eternity.

all I want to do is

come running home to you,

come running home to you

And she hoped that even though Barry had willingly gone with his 'mother', someday he would try to come back home to his friends and family – come home to their apartment and their empty bed and her.

and all my life I promise to

keep running home to you,

keep running home to you

Or maybe he wasn't trying. Barry promised her that he wouldn't leave her and yet he had left her behind and hadn't even attempted to think of an alternative to stop the Speed Force Prison.

She knew it was selfish – there wasn't enough time to think of anything, not if they wanted the city to come out in one slightly broken piece. Deep down, Iris knew that Barry felt that this was some sort of penance for Flashpoint. He thought that it was a way for him to finally fix the mistakes he had caused.

and I could see it

right from the start

right from the start

At this point, she's barely processing the lyrics, only enjoying the sound of her fiancée's singing. It warms her heart that he had recorded this for her and somehow saved it into her phone.

that you would be

my light in the dark

light in the dark

She remembers when she found out that Barry was the Flash. How he had told her that even though she didn't know about such a huge part of his life, Iris has always been there for him.

you gave me no other choice

but to love you

Her eyes start to water again and her heart feels like it was being squeezed. This was probably the closest she would ever get to hear Barry say "I love you."

all I want to do is

come running home to you,

come running home to you

Iris wasn't sure if it was a gift or a curse that she had this song. No matter how much she remembers her promise to Barry, listening to his voice just made her want to curl up into a ball and cry.

and all my life I promise to

keep running home to you,

keep running home

home to you

She promised him that she would stay strong and she knew that that meant she couldn't just hide away in the apartment – constantly surrounded by memories of Barry. Like Iris had made him promise before her 'death', she made her own promise not to abandon her family and team Flash.

She wouldn't let them fall apart like Barry said they had when she died.

can't say how the days may unfold

can't change what the future may hold

Her hand wandered idly to fiddle with the ring on her left finger. The ring that Joe had returned to her soon after the Speed Force had retreated.

but I want you in it

every hour, every minute

She lets a fond smile escape her lips, trying to ignore the tear tracks stained onto her cheeks. Her heart clenches and a lump forms in her throat. God, she misses Barry so much.

Keep running, keep loving, keep growing.

Iris isn't going to spend the rest of her life mourning. She's going to keep her promise and keep the Flash alive.

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Honestly, this was more of drabble than anything because I've got a lot of feelings and I really need season 4 before I combust of excitement. I'm not sure how I feel about it but I am working on a one-shot of the aftermath of season 3 but only after I finish Fractured. Why do I have so many ideas and so little time...

Hope you enjoyed this little song-fic! I love this song so much - I am completely obsessed.

xoxo

A