Barry Allen/Grant Gustin Imagines Pt.2

Enough

This is a copy of a story I saw on Archive of Our Own. It's amazing. I just wanted to post it for y'all.

Barry Allen knew that he loved his newborn baby daughter with everything that was inside of him the moment that she was born. She was unbelievably perfect, this he also knew, but there was something about her tininess that terrified him. It seemed unfathomable that he was now in charge such a tiny little miracle, she was completely dependent on him and Iris, and it was overwhelming. It didn't help his confidence much Iris seemed to slip into her new role as a mother seamlessly, while he was still trying to grasp the fact that he was now a father. Right now, he was looking at Nora all swaddled up in receiving blankets and he felt paralyzed. Iris must have felt his fear because she taps him on the shoulder and brings his mind back to the moment.

"Are you alright? You haven't even held her yet..." She asks, offering her husband a soft smile.

"I will, I just... I don't want to hurt her." Barry sighs.

Iris takes his hand and looks at him sympathetically. "Honey, you're her father you aren't going to hurt her, I promise."

"She's so tiny...are they sure she's okay?"

"Bear, look at me, she's absolutely perfect, she's just tiny because she takes after me in the height department, that's all."

Barry smiles. "Oh okay. I guess I can trust myself to hold her then."

Iris picks up Nora and gently places her in Barry's arms. "Okay Nora, time for you to meet your daddy, sweet girl." She coos.

Barry takes a deep breath, and suddenly he melts, never more weepy in his life. "Oh my god, you are perfect. Yes you are, my beautiful girl. Daddy loves you so, so much."

Iris smiles. "See, she likes it in your arms, look how snuggly she is."

"Iris, she looks just like you."
"Mostly, but she's got your dimples and those beautiful eyes of yours that I love so much."

"She's so perfect, I can't believe we made her."

"She is, isn't she? I always knew she would be."

"Look at her strong little grip on my fingers, my goodness, I could melt."

"I think it's because she knows how much you'll protect her. She feels safe in your arms, just like I do."

"I'm sorry it took me so long to hold her. I was scared, to be honest I still sort of am..."
Iris cups Barry's cheek. "Baby, you have nothing to worry about, you're already the most incredible father I've ever seen."

"You really mean that?"

"Of course I do, now come sit with me, we can watch Nora sleep, it's peaceful."

Barry smiles softly, sneaking one more close look at Nora's tiny face before snuggling into Iris's side "Yeah, it is."
XXX
If there was one thing Barry hates about the late nights with his week old daughter, it's definitely when she wakes up all of a sudden and he can't get her to go to sleep. Tonight was proving to be one of those nights, and it was kind of freaking him out. Nora's never been this cranky before, and he had promised Iris, he'd be up with her tonight.

"Shhh, Nora, what's the matter, Sweetheart, Daddy's got you, it's okay." He soothes, but Nora still screams her head off.

"Nora, baby girl, please stop crying, I hate it when you cry, and I'm trying my best my angel, I promise. I just don't know what to do for you, okay, I'm not as good at this as Mommy is, I'm sorry Sweetheart, you deserve better "

Out of ideas, Barry sets Nora back in her crib, hoping she'll just cry herself back to sleep. Running his fingers through his hair frantically he sits down in the rocking chair and cries. He hates the thought of not being enough for his little girl.

"Bear?" Iris whispers, sneaking her head in the nursery door.

"It's nothing, Iris." Barry tries to shrug off, but the crack in his voice says otherwise.

"Baby, you're crying, I know you well enough to know something's up, is Nora okay?"

"Yeah, finally. But maybe I'm not."

Iris frowns. "Barry, what's wrong?"
"She hates me, I swear Nora hates me, I'm such a terrible dad." Barry sobs.

"Oh Honey, no she doesn't, you're a good dad, I promise."

"But all she does when I'm around is cry. I'm doing my best, but I can never get her to stop crying in the middle of the night."
"Baby, look at me, that's not your fault, she's just a newborn and newborns are very cranky."
"But every time you pick her up or give her a bottle she's fine...is there something I'm doing wrong?"
"No, it's just that she knows me cause she spent nine months growing in my body. She just has to spend more time getting used to you, that way she knows she's safe."
"Oh okay, I thought maybe you were like the baby whisper or something."
Iris smiles "Oh god no, Barry. I don't know what I'm doing either, we'll figure it out though, I promise."
"So, you think I'm doing okay?"
"Of course I do. You are the most loving father to Nora, and I couldn't ask for more than that.

"That's really enough? You promise me I'm enough for her Iris?"
"You are more than enough. As long as Nora sees you smile at her every morning and hears you shower her with I love yous, you will always be enough."

"I believe you, I'm sorry I'm not exactly confident about any of this, it's just that she is the most perfect thing there ever was and I'm-"

"Stop it. perfectly imperfect. Just the way you are.."
"Well, if you're sure then..."

"Baby, don't put yourself down like that. She'll come around... she's half me and remember how long it took me to admit that I was in love with you. Plus, massive daddy's girls run in the family."
"Hmmm, I do remember, you took a little convincing, I guess I'll have to work a little bit of my magic on Nora." Barry says, kissing Iris on the forehead, thanking the universe that she knew exactly how to calm his nerves.

"Now come to bed, you know how much I hate sleeping alone, it makes me worried about you." Iris replies, leaning her head on his shoulder as they walk down the hall.

"Yeah, I know, I'm sorry, I'll try not to wander off so much, especially now that we've got an extra person to worry about, an extra cute and cuddly worry, but a worry nonetheless."
Iris smiles. "You are far too good to us, Barry Allen. Goodnight love."

Right before the sun rises, Barry hears Nora's soft fusses come through the baby monitor and he quietly heads to the nursery, careful not to wake Iris and a little eager to use this time to bond with Nora.

"What's wrong, baby girl? You can't sleep, you must be like me, I never sleep, shh, it's okay." Barry coos, softly vibrating his hands as rocks Nora back and forth to calm her

"Oh, you like that? That's so good, you're such a good girl, Nora, yes you are."

Nora lets out a soft coo and smiles when she grips her father's thumb.

"What's that? Are you happy, angel? You're my girl, aren't you, Nora Dawn, yes you are."

After a bottle, Barry swears Nora smiles at him again , snuggling herself safer into his arms. "Was that a smile? You and I are going to be just fine, aren't we, my beautiful girl?" Barry coos, kissing her little forehead, and for the first time since she was born, Barry knows that he will always be enough for his two favorite girls, and that maybe, he just might be even more.