Within Seconds // Barry Allen

Bad Move

Parker leaned her elbows on the desk, her head tilted, "Barry," she started lightly, "Although we love Captain Cold around here, I'm not sure that's a good idea—"

"Parker," Barry snapped, "Stop."

Her eyes squinted in a threatening way. "Did you just snap at me?"

"Barry, you and I need to talk right now," Joe said, grabbing Barry's arm and dragging him into the treadmill room for a private talk.

Their private conversation ended with Barry running out of S.T.A.R. Labs, taking the suit and a hard drive with him.

Snart saluted to the team, smirking, before he followed Barry with his motorcycle.

When the two returned, a familiar face was brought back with them. Lisa Snart waltzed in at the end of the line, eyes trained on Cisco, her smirk matching the one on her brother's face.

Cisco, Caitlin and Parker stood across from Barry, Leonard and Lisa.

"Please tell me this is a joke," Caitlin said.

"Oh, you're right, Lenny, she is uptight," Lisa said.

"I am not uptight," Caitlin snapped, eyes squinted with irritation.

Barry and Parker raised their eyebrows. A quick tilt of Barry's head told Caitlin that the couple agreed with Snart's sister.

Caitlin huffed, glaring at Lisa. "You can't call me uptight."

"Look, guys, we can't pull this off without them," Barry tried to say again.

"Why are you wearing your mask?" Caitlin muttered, "Snart already knows your identity."

Parker nodded at his sister, "But she doesn't. Good move for once."

"And I promised I wouldn't tell anyone," Snart added.

"Jerk," his sister said.

"Train wreck," he retorted with a smirk. Snart looked at Joe, "Don't look so surprised, Detective, I am a man of my word."

"Yeah, you better be. Or I'll make sure you're on that damn plane too," Joe threatened.

He walked from the huddle first, out of the Cortex. Parker moved to her seat again, Cisco leaning on the opposite side of the desk.

Parker's phone buzzed on the surface of the desk.

Eddie Thawne:
Hey, are you busy? I'd like to talk.. it's important.

"Have you figured out transportation for the metas?" Barry mumbled to Cisco, joining the duo at the desk.

"I have, actually, and it's pretty dope," Cisco said proudly.

Parker cleared her throat, gaining their attention. With a wince, she asked, "Do you guys need me for this? Like desperately?"

"What?" Barry asked, sharing a confused look with Cisco.

"Eddie said he wanted to meet with me. And I totally want to help with the metas, but he said it was important," Parker said, "I just figured it's not like I can really do anything to help.."

"Yeah, we can handle it," Cisco said.

"You have to stay here, though," Barry quickly said, "To keep an eye on the place."

"Just hand me my bat before you leave," Parker agreed.

Cisco programmed the containment cells to gas the metas. He left with Joe and Caitlin to start moving them to the truck in the garage.

Before Barry followed the Snart's out the door, he unlocked the cabinet in Cisco and Parker's section of the Cortex, bringing her the bat.

He held it out to her, she placed her hand on top of his, stopping him from leaving.

"I'm not happy with your choice," Parker said quietly, "You know that. But get it done quick. Be safe, Barry Allen."

"I will," Barry promised, bending over and kissing the top of her head, "I love you, Park."

Parker sighed, head turned to watch the door he ran through.

Before Parker knew herself, Barry predicted that she couldn't say it back anymore. Not yet, at least.

>>>

Eddie arrived twenty minutes later, shuffling into the Cortex with his shoulders noticeably hunched. He walked to the seat beside Parker and slouched comfortably in it.

"Iris found the ring."

After she got over the breaking news of Eddie proposing in the first place, she asked, "Why are you sad about it? Did she say no?"

"I told her I couldn't," Eddie said, his voice monotonous. He was clearly regretting his choice.

"Why would you.." Parker stopped, her eyes widening, "Did Wells tell you about the West-Allen thing? Eddie, did you tell her?"

"Yeah."

Parker joined him in slouching. Previously, she felt so alone about the future situation, thinking that nobody else could understand how she was feeling. She had missed the only person who experienced the same feelings. The only person whose advice mattered to her for a change.

"Well, I know how you feel," Parker said.

"I don't get the girl," Eddie mumbled, dropping his head into his hands. "I thought I could love her enough to change how she felt. But I think she's too caught between her feelings with me, and realizing that Barry loved her before you."

Parker raised an eyebrow, caught on his last sentence. "But now.."

"Parker, you know he doesn't love her anymore. He may know that's endgame, but he also knows where his heart is now," Eddie explained, his lips formed in a tired smile.

"I don't know. I hate knowing that I don't end up with him."

Eddie closed his eyes, "This is really sad."

"Not as sad as my future is," Parker bet before she thought about her words. Her eyes widened.

"What?" Eddie asked, looking at her with concern.

Parker opened and closed her mind, trying to find an excuse besides telling Eddie of her fate. Within a minute, she gave up and decided to take chance at a deeper friendship with him.

"We know you live, because you end up being some number of great grandfathers to Eobard Thawne," Parker started.

"Which means what for you?"

"Okay, so, the AI we talked to looked and had my exact voice. She said Barry created her as a tribute to me. If she's a tribute to me, and Iris and Barry get together.."

Eddie turned his head, eyes wide as he finished her thought by saying, "You're out of the picture."

"Not only that. Out of the picture for me means I'm dead," Parker said, chuckling in an unsatisfied way. She slouched further in the seat, staring up at the ceiling. "What am I even supposed to do with that information?"

"Not die."