Within Seconds // Barry Allen

PDA Not Permitted

On that particular day, Parker hadn't done a thing while at S.T.A.R. Labs. Cisco requested she unfold a plethora of cardboard boxes. She had. She proceeded to play a game of Tetris with them. It didn't do much in solving her boredom.

When her phone rang, Parker dove for it, shouting a desperate greeting at whomever called her.

"Parker, hello to you, too," said Joe. "I've got a job for you. We had a robbery, uh, six guys, all size ten's, according to Barry. We've got a video from surveillance. Think you can make some rough sketches?"

"Shouldn't be too hard. Leave it in Barry's Lab, yeah?"

"10-4. It'll be there when you arrive."

Parker grabbed her purse and fled from S.T.A.R. Labs, hailing a cab once out on the street. Halfway to the CCPD, her cell phone rang again.

"A cop came by and left a package with me. Said it was for you. Should I be worried?" asked Barry.

"Relax. It's just a surveillance video," she said.

"From today's robbery? There's not much to draw from, if that's what they're asking you to do. There's one guy, he's wearing a mask. But, I guess, the mask could define parts of his face..."

"Depending on the angle."

"Right, right. So--"

"Oh, my God!" squealed a woman in the background. "Is that Parker?!"

"Gotta go," said Barry hurriedly, then ended the call.

Parker raised an amused brow at her cell phone. Eager to find out what woman was keeping him company, she paid the cab driver, then ran into the CCPD. She didn't pause to wave a greeting at Joe when she reached the floor. She sprinted the steps into Barry's Lab, then slid to a stop inside, only to scream and cover her eyes.

"Parker!" shouted Iris unexpectedly.

"Jesus Christ!" whined Parker. "PDA is not at all permitted in my lab!"

Iris and Eddie broke apart entirely.

Barry, busying himself in the back of the lab, tried entirely hard to quiet his laughter. He was terrible at it.

"But I thought this was Barry's Lab," said Eddie.

Parker glared. She silenced him with a single look.

"Sorry," he stuttered.

Covering her eyes from them, she passed, taking a seat at one of Barry's desks. Barry clicked on the monitor for her as he passed by.

"Thanks for being so cool about this, Barry," said Eddie awkwardly. "I know it's not easy keeping a big secret."

"I'm getting used to it," said Barry. He met Parker's eye. They shared an amused smile.

Witnessing their exchange, Iris squealed, "What was that? I saw that! Are you two together? Are you two finally together and hiding it from me?"

"'Finally' ?" asked Parker.

Barry didn't respond. He was busy ducking his head to hide the blush on his cheeks.

Iris was a good enough person to drop the topic when she noticed.

In Parker's case, the same couldn't be said. She sauntered to where Barry sat, sliding her arms around his neck.

"Barry, my love, is it time to admit it how lucky you are to have me?"

"Yeah..." said Barry.