Running home to you

Big step!

Barry's P.O.V

     "Every hour, every. Minute." My instructor started clapping. "Bravo Barry! Vous sonnez comme un être humain vivant!" I looked at him and raised one eyebrow. It's cool when he speaks in french I just wish I could understand what he was saying. "It means 'You sound like a living human'! No longer are you 'Barry le dying cow!'" I laughed and high-fived him. "So you think I'm ready? To sing it to her and, make it official?" He nodded his head. "Yes my dear étudiant, you are ready!" I smiled and sat down. This is it! I just have a couple more things to plan and i'll be good. "Iris is going to love it! Where do you plan on doing it?" I looked up at him and said, "Well I was thinking of taking her up to the rooftop on Jitters and proposing there." His eyebrows scrunched and he looked a little disappointed. "Barry, this is very important. Everything has to be just right. Do you want to tell your enfants 'I proposed to you mother on the dirty roof of a coffee shop'? Or do you want to tell you children, 'I proposed to your mother on the lake surrounded by petals and candle light at dawn'?" I thought about what he said, he does have a point. "Which one sounds better to you? Mm?" I nodded my head. "You have a point. Thank you!" He smiled and said. "De rien." I waved to him as I left and headed to Star Labs.

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     While I liked my instructors idea, I wasn't sure how realistic it was. I needed some advice and the best person to ask advice , about something like this, is HR. "Hey HR. " He spun around, still twirling in drumsticks. "Yeah, what's up BA?" I folded my hands and said. "In your writing, have you ever written any love stories? Specifically about proposals?" He smiled and said, "Yes! Many a time, we should talk about this somewhere more private." He looked around for a spot and then I piped up. "How about the speed lab?" He nodded. "Yes the speed lab! Perfect! To the speed lab!"

     We sat down in the speed lab and sat in the silence for a minute. "So what's up? Why do you want to hear about proposals?" I took in a deep breath and hesitated. Should I really do this? What if he tells Iris? What if I went with my original plan? Would it be bad? Will she even say yes? I guess if I want his help I am going to have to tell him. "Okay so I'll tell you but you have to promise me you won't tell  Iris." He eagerly moved his head up and down. "I am going to propose to Iris." His face instantly lit up. "BA that's great news! When? How?" I let out a sigh. "Well that's what I need help with. I want to give her what she deserves but I am not sure what she wants." He put I hand on my shoulder. "BA, it's only Iris. It's not like you are taking on Zoom again. Tell me what you had plans." I looked over at him and said, "Well I was planing to take her to the rooftop of Jitters and propose there." He smiled. "Well that sounds great, what's wrong with that?" I stood up. "That's just it I thought it was great but my instructor said that it was lame. He talked about flowers and candles and sunsets and that seems a little to much. Maybe I am just not taking this seriously but I feel like she should have the best but I've never done this before I don't know what to do!" I finished and leaned on the desk on the other side of the room.

     HR stood up and walked over to me. "BA. First of all what instructor does this guy even know you?" I frowned a little. "My singing instructor. I wrote a song and learned how to sing so that I could sing our song and then propose. And no he doesn't but he is french and he talks like he is an expert on this sort of thing." HR laughed and pat my back. "BA, no one is an expert on this okay? And you're learning how to sing for her? I know she will love that!" I nodded my head. "Look BA, just think about Iris. Think about what makes her happy, what she likes and dislikes." I closed my eyes and thought about all the times I had made Iris laugh. "It doesn't matter when or where, look some people love the grand things and some people just like the thought about it. The meaning is so much more important than the price. You could even just go propose right now and i am positive she would love it." I looked up and HR and smiled. "You're right! All the fancy things don't matter. I almost want to go and propose right now." He chuckled. "Then go! Go propose to Iris! You could go dressed in those clothes and she would love it." I stood up straight. "Okay, I'm gonna do it." I started walking out of the Speed Lab and then quickly turned around. "Wait Hr." He looked up at me and put down his coffee. "What if I get nervous?" He smiled. "Just go with it, you're the Flash you can just go back in time until you get it right if you wanted to." I laughed and then flashed off.

     When I reached my apartment I changed into a tux and grabbed my mother's ring from my nightstand. I opened the box it was in just to make sure that it was still in there and in good shape after all these years. I smiled at the beautiful diamond in the center and imagined it on Iris' finger. After I had grabbed the rest of my stuff I flashed off to Iris' apartment.

     I stood in front of the door for a few minutes trying to shake off the nerves. Deep breath Barry deep breath! She's going to say yes, there is no reason for her to not. Okay, this is it! Your life will change after this moment. I lifted my arm up to knock on the door but noticed something odd. The door was cracked. Iris never leaves her door unlocked, much less open. What's going on? "Iris?" I waited for an answer but I heard none. I slowly opened the door. "Honey?" When I was all the way in the house I was completely shocked at what I saw. "Oh my gosh!" 

     Tables were upside down, vases were shattered. Her couch had rips in it and all of her work was scattered on the floor. Her TV had a spiderweb crack in it and there was trash all over the floor. "Iris? Are you in here?" I said as I frantically ran to her bedroom. I searched the whole apartment but found no sign of her. Where could she be? Why didn't she set off her panic alarm? I ran my hands through my hair and started freaking out. I didn't want to think about what might be happening to her. Something on the floor caught my eye. They were papers that had bold letters written in the top right corners. I bent down and saw that they spelled 'WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE'. Now I was getting mad. I could feel the heat rising inside my chest and then the fear rush in to balance it out. I quickly looked at what the papers were about. The Five Ferocious Fighters? Oh no no no! I flashed to the cortex. "Ah you can't do that! It's freaky!" Yelled Cisco from behind the front desk. "Cisco, I need your help!"

AHHHHH!! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! You just have to wait till tomorrow! Please don't hate me!!

AUTHORS NOTE: thank you 4 over 200 reeds!! You guys are amazing💜💙💜 I wish I could give you all a big hug!!!!