Within Seconds // Barry Allen

Strange Comebacks

Why did he help: a facade; a way of getting Barry to become the Flash

Why did he kill Nora Allen: not intended. aimed for Barry.

How did Barry go back that far: ran at an incredible speed

Why did Barry go back in the first place: unknown

Parker pursed her lips, tapping the pen across the desk as she thought of questions she had that were actually revealed.

Cisco, entranced in his mechanical work of breaking apart cameras, glanced at her tapping pen. "Not going well?"

"No," Parker muttered.

She dropped the pen and pushed back her hair, closing her eyes in defeat.

The motivation to find Eddie was evident-- it went without saying. Team Flash lacked the simple idea, or rather, the clue they desperately needed to find him.

The doors to the Cortex slid open as Barry approached. Matching every day since Eddie had went missing, the same question spilled from his lips: "Anything good to report?"

Parker hadn't needed to look at the constantly searching FRS to know the answer wasn't a good one.

Barry shared a doubtful smile with Parker, the answer already predicted in his head.

"That is a negative, Captain," Parker confirmed.

"Barry's the captain of Team Flash?" Cisco said skeptically. "I thought it would be you, Park."

"While flattered, I'm not the one who has superpowers and the entire team named after him, so.." Parker defended. She raised her eyebrow in inquiry at Barry. "I'm at least a Lieutenant, right?"

"Colorful commentator," Barry corrected, adding a wink that was very smooth for such a dork.

"Extremely debatable."

Barry moved his eyes to what Cisco was busy with.

"You planning on keeping all those cameras Wells used to spy on us?" Barry asked, a grimace taking over his face. "That's kind of creepy, don't you think?"

"The first rule of mechanical engineering: never waste good tech," Cisco muttered, not tearing his eyes away.

"Right."

Cisco broke eye contact with his tech when an alarm on one of the computers was activated. Parker, being the closest, craned her neck.

"Hey-o, the Central City Gold Reserve is under attack," she informed.

Barry needed no further information. He zipped to his suit, returning to the desk in the correct uniform.

He had stopped beside Parker, his mannerisms leading her to the assumption that he was completing the routine by kissing the top of her head, as he always did.

He wasn't the only one to forget about their awkward relationship status-- Parker had unknowingly sat up straighter, expecting the kiss.

Parker noticed the hesitation from Barry; Barry caught the unsure lip bite from Parker, and both averted their eyes, understanding it wasn't the right time.

Missing the entire painfully awkward exchange, Cisco glanced at him. "Do you need assistance, man?"

"Oh, uh, no," Barry said, taking steps towards the door. "I can handle one case by myself."

For the first--and unknowingly, the last-- Parker allowed Barry the freedom of completing a mission on his own.

No matter how much she repeated the words, 'he's trained enough to not die' in her head, it hadn't stilled her beating heart.