Be Your Hero - Barry Allen/The Flash (Book 1)

Christmas Blues

You redecorated." She heard Barry comment. She looked over her shoulder at him and saw him looking around the kitchen. She remembered that he hadn't been in her apartment since she had moved back in and had redecorated.

The last time he had been in her apartment was when he found out she was leaving and they had a awful fight. The last time he had been in the kitchen. . .he had asked her to marry him. . .and she had said yes.

"Yeah. I guess I did." She answered, trying not to sound saddened. "It's been a while since I've been here." He said. Ella nodded. "It has."

"Hey umm, I just want to uh, thank you for being there for me those two weeks." Ella gave a small smile and shook her head. "It's no big deal. I was happy to do it." She answered as she  walked over to her cupboard and grabbed two red mugs. "But it is a big deal. At least. . .it is to me. I wouldn't be standing here right now if it wasn't for you." He said, now walking over to the counter behind her.

Ella began pouring the steamy hot chocolate out of a ladle and into the two mugs. Ella chuckled lightly. "Barry, don't be over dramatic. Caitlin and the others would have gotten you back on your feet if I hadn't helped. They've been there to save you many more times than I have if you remember." "Yeah, but this time I'm glad it was you." Ella felt a smiled grace her lips. She turned her head  to look at him. "I am too."

There was a moment of silence while Ella finished filling the mugs. Realizing she needed one for herself, Ella turned around and went to the cupboard to get another mug. Barry was standing right next to the cupboard and was looking at her intently. She felt heat come to her cheeks as she opened the cupboard and leaned up on her toes to a mug. She felt Barry watching her.

"Your incredible." Ella froze at what he had whispered. Had she heard him correctly? Ella slowly fell onto the pads of her feet and looked up at him. He was already looking at her. His eyes were steady. Ella felt shivers run down her spine under his gaze. "What do you mean?" She asked quietly. His eyes left hers briefly. "You do so much and you don't even know." "I don't understand." She answered watching him.

He looked up at her. "I wouldn't be the Flash anymore if it wasn't for you. Did you know that?" He asked. Ella scrunched her eyebrows. "Barry I don't-" He interrupted her. "I had lost hope. I was so humiliated after what Zoom did I didn't see the point in trying." He began. "Why would I want to continue being the Flash? The hero everyone had faith in, but who failed them when they needed him most. I had failed. I was done trying, Ella, but then my Dad shows up."

Ella inhaled softly, knowing where this was going. He breathed a laugh. "He just shows up. Right when I needed him. He talked to me. Gave me a reason to keep trying to run again. To never give up. To embrace my failures. So did and I ran. And I've kept running." "All because of your father." She smiled trying to make him see it wasn't her. "No. Not just because of my dad. . . It was you." Ella swallowed hearing the seriousness in his voice.

"Your the one who brought him to Central. I know because I heard him thank you." Ella knew he had heard when Henry had hugged her. "Somehow you knew that having my dad here would give me the reason to run. I don't know how, but you did. I wouldn't be the Flash today if it wasn't for you bringing him." Ella smiled softly. "I just remembered how much I wished that my father could be with me when I was going through hard times and thought you needed yours. That's all." "Well, thank you." She smiled softly. "Your welcome."

After gazing into each others eyes for a bit, the two were interrupted by a buzzing sound. Barry blinked and stepped away from Ella. She blinked as well and slowly walked over to the stove.

Barry reached in his pocket and pulled out his phone. Ella looked back at him. "Uh hey, . . .Patty." He answered awkwardly. She turned away and began to fill her mug. "What's up?" He asked. "Oh okay. Well, actually I already have plans for Christmas." She heard Barry tell his girlfriend.