Dashing {The Flash/Barry Allen fanfic}

Chapter 30

The song is Belong by Gnash ft. DENM

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A doctor; Bethany could be a doctor. She could be an engineer or an architect; A veterinarian or perhaps even a mother.

The endless number of pathways Bethany could have headed down if Barry's mother never died was overwhelming.

When the pair of children had first moved in with Joe West, Barry was constantly taking shears to the daily newspaper and talking about how he would solve his mother's murder.

Bethany had watched him in awe. Solving crimes, mysteries none the less. She told him she was going to help him; she promised him.

Now, it was all over. The Man in Yellow, the murderer, the time traveler, he was behind bars. Yet, he seemed to have only created a more monstrous dilemma.

Barry wasn't sure what was right and what was wrong. He desperately wanted to see his mother again, but on the other hand, after being informed that his travels could create a deadly singularity, he wasn't sure what to do.

Joe was adamant that his only son do it. He deserved the luxury after everything he'd gone through the past year.

But at what cost would happiness come?

If the past changed, Jonas may never return, Bethany and Barry may never meet Caitlyn and Cisco, they may never get struck my lightening, and the blonde may never get stranded on the island.

Those five years of complex experiences had changed her. For better or worse she would never know.

Deep down, in the monster that hid inside Bethany Howard, she was petrified of who she would become without her new mentality and tough exterior.

Maybe she'd become a more perfect version of herself, a happier version, or, maybe, her life would turn upside down. The worse criminal, the baddest, the greatest; she could become anyone. Maybe she wouldn't care who she hurt or how she got a job done, as long as it was finished.

"Bethany."

The blonde looked up, expecting her green-blue eyes to find Barry, but she was greatly surprised.

"Iris," she mimicked.

The brunette smiled as she walked into the treadmill room, taking a seat next to her friend.

"You've been in here for awhile." Bethany nodded her head slowly causing some loose strands to fall from her messy bun.

"I've just been thinking."

Silence filled the room for a couple seconds, Bethany almost slipping back into her cloud of thoughts when Iris spoke again.

"I didn't know until I saw you run out of the room with a bow." The blonde glanced up, but waited for her to continue. "This whole year, I was never sure if you'd just been too busy getting back to your normal life to let me in or had just lost interest in our friendship entirely. In a completely ironic way, I guess I was neither wrong or right."

"Iris-"

"Bethany, we were suppose to be best friends. You, me, and Barry. Now I find out the both of you have been keeping secrets from me?"

"It's more complicated than that."

"That's what Barry told me."

"Because it's true."

The brunette looked away for a long moment before glancing back towards Bethany.