NO HERO · BARRY ALLEN | ✘

Thirty-Two: Champagne

"We were able to identify the other Trickster-" Joe begins.

"WHERE'S MY BROTHER!" I scream as I leave the elevator and run to the com system. "IS HE OKAY?"

"Bruce is still sleeping, I'm sure he'll wake up tomorrow morning," Wells nods to the back room.

"Wait, Bruce? As in, Bruce Beauchard, the guy that used to beat me up and then we had to call a conference? The one best friends with Tony Woodward," Barry asks to clarify.

I try my best to keep myself from seething, "That's the one. How's Tony, by the way?"

"Dead."

"What-"

Joe cuts me off. "As I was saying, the other one's Axel Walker, age 25. Apparently him and James have been corresponding through snail mail for over a decade."

"He and James," I correct.

"Forreal? Now's your time to be a grammar nazi?" Joe sighs, exasperated. 

"Sorry."

"I should have been there," Barry says. He lowers his head.

"We're gonna find your dad, okay?" Caitlin reassures. She rubs his shoulder.

"Definitely," Cisco adds.

"I guess I should have listened to you," Barry looks at Wells, an obvious notion. He stands up and walks away.

I follow after him and when we reach the hall, I yell, "BARRY!"

He turns around. "What."

"Are you- how are you-"

He takes my hands into his. "I'm okay. I'm just still in the midst of processing the whole.. Wells.."

"I know. Just.. when you're done, you come back to me, okay?"

"I promise. And then I'll take you out.. grab some dinner.. whatever you want," he smiles, but it quickly goes away, and he looks down at my hands.

"I'd like that," I tell him sincerely. It only hurts me more to betray someone like him.

~*~

Iris is smiling her perfect smile again. "EEK! Oh my goodness, you look like a goddess!"

I look down at my little black dress. The pleated skirt and the over-sized buckle details don't really stand out, but I guess I look okay.

"Thanks, Iris. You look absolutely stunning," I compliment back. "Shall we go in?"

She nods and enters first, showing her badge and proving I'm an invite. "So what do I do first?"

Seriously? "Well obviously you have to show you're a guest rather than only a reporter. Make yourself comfortable so you don't get a little nervous before interviewing," I try to advise.

"Oh, I don't get nervous. Actually, quite the opposite. Maybe a little too confident?" she says.

I smile back and walk a few feet away. A waiter comes in and offers a glass of champagne. "Champagne, ma'am?"

"No thank you, I don't drink it," I tell him.

"But I insist that you do. Try it, it's... delectable." He looks young, maybe mid-20s, but his face looks so familiar. His platter has two empty glasses and one full.

"I said no," I step back.

"That's very rude to the Mayor. He insisted that every one have a glass," he says, persistent.