After spending a week on assignment in Gotham, Iris was happy to be back home in Central City. Gotham was huge and exciting, of course, but she'd found herself a little homesick as she wrapped up her coverage of Fashion Week. She looked out of the window as the plane touched down and a smile etched itself on her lips when she took in the overcast weather and light drizzle that autumn brought. It made her want to snuggle up under a blanket with a good book and some hot coffee.
She was thinking about all the ways she was going to relax when she got back to her apartment as she walked off the plane and made her way to baggage claim. She was just about to text her ride, when she spotted his smiling face and a grin came over her lips. She shoved her phone back into her purse and nearly ran into his arms.
"Barry!" she said as she hugged him tightly.
Barry laughed and picked her up a little, swinging her in his arms. "Hey. I guess you missed me?"
"I did. I feel like I haven't seen you in forever."
"You were only gone for a week."
"When's the last time we were separated for that long?" she asked.
He pondered it for a moment. "I don't think we've gone more than a week since we both graduated from college."
"Exactly. It's been years. I missed you." She reached up and touched the facial hair he'd grown and she giggled. "What's all this? You look like you're going undercover for something."
"Hey, I like it," he defended. "And Patty thinks it's sexy."
"Well, if the hot nerdy scientist girl that's always hitting on you likes it, that's all that matters, right?" He nodded and she rubbed his chin hair. "And she's right. It is sexy."
Barry blushed, which made Iris laugh, and she interlaced their fingers while they walked to her baggage claim carousel. She told him all about her trip and the articles she'd written as the Fashion Editor for the Central City-based "Stylish" Magazine, and Barry listened fully and even asked some questions. She was still going on about it when they got into his car and started the drive back to the main part of town.
"So anything else interesting happen besides ladies strutting their stuff on the runway?" he asked.
"I saw Batman," she said excitedly.
"What? For real?"
"Well, kind of. They were doing some sort of celebration for him and I could kind of see him from my hotel window. He looked pretty cool."
"Not cooler than the Flash, I hope," he said.
Iris smiled and patted Barry's hand. "No one could ever be cooler than you, Bear."
She switched the topic to him and asked how things were going at work. He was a scientist at the renowned S.T.A.R. labs and he always had interesting stories to tell her about their latest research and developments. The topics were usually a little over her head, but she enjoyed seeing him so excited and she was often able to put together a basic idea of what he was talking about. He was still chatting her head off as he carried her luggage up to her apartment door.
"So you have to come over and see the new machine. It's awesome!" he said as his eyes lit up like they used to when he was a little boy, talking about his first microscope.
She chuckled and nodded. "Okay, it's a date. We need to spend some time together anyway, just the two of us. No Scott and no Patty. Just you and me, like it used to be."
His eyes softened and his smile warmed. "I agree. This weekend? I'll show you the new updates to the lab and then we'll bowl?"
"That sounds perfect." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "Thanks for picking me up."
"Any time, Iris."
She watched until he was safely on the elevator, and then she let herself into her apartment. She smiled and rested her back against the door as she took in the sight and smell of her place. It was pristine, just like she'd left it, and it smelled like pumpkin candles and fresh fall air.
"Scott?" she called.
He didn't answer, which she expected. She knew that he had a trial going in Superior Court and would likely be home late. So rested her luggage against the wall and toed off her shoes. She leafed through the mail, which appeared to be mostly junk, and then poured a glass of wine to accompany her in the bath. She stretched her toes into the plush carpet as she walked to her bedroom and she stopped when she saw that Scott had packed a few pieces of his luggage, which were tucked against the wall. It wasn't unusual for his law practice to take him out of Central City, but she didn't recall any upcoming trips.
She shrugged it off and spent the next hour luxuriating in a bubble bath while she sipped wine and flipped through magazines. She left her hair in a messy bun piled on top of her head after she got out, and she dressed in a faded pink nightie that she loved. She decided on something easy for dinner and after she cooked enough spaghetti for herself and Scott, she settled on the couch and turned on her DVR to catch up on the shows she hadn't had time to watch in Gotham.
It was nearing ten o'clock when Scott finally did arrive home, and he looked tired. He had undone his blue tie and his eyes looked heavy. Iris greeted him a big grin and jumped off the couch to throw her arms around him.
"Hey!" she said happily.
"Hey."
"Wow, you sound like someone just killed your dog. Is the case not going well?"
"It's just been a really long day." He put his briefcase down and placed his hands on her hips. He took her in, not leaving her eyes for a long while, and then he finally said, "I'm glad you're home."
"I'm glad I am, too." She kissed him. "I missed you."
"Same here."
"Come on, I made you food."
She took his hand and led him to the kitchen, where she made him a plate of spaghetti. He took off his suit jacket and tossed it on the back of a chair. He pulled his tie and shoes off and rolled up his sleeves and then they sat together on the couch. He asked about her trip, and she recounted the same information that she'd told Barry: it was fun and exciting, but exhausting. She told him the details about Batman, but he was far less enthused than Barry. In fact, he didn't seem too happy about anything.
"They must really be working you hard, babe," she noted and she caressed his beard. "You seem really out of it."
"Yeah, well..."
He looked down at his plate and concern washed over Iris. She took the plate from him and interlaced their fingers.
"I'm starting to think that there's something else going on besides the case. What's up?"
When he didn't answer, her uncertainty levels rose.
"Scott? What's going on?"
"You're right," he said. He looked her in the eyes and she wasn't sure what to make of his expression. "There is something else bothering me."
"Okay, well you're kind of freaking me out with your vagueness. Can you please put me out of my misery?"
Iris asked with a little laugh to try to lighten the mood, but Scott's jaw clenched and so did her stomach.
"You got something in the mail. While you were gone," he said.
"Okay," she said slowly. "I looked at the mail when I got in and I didn't see anything that looked important."
"That's because I moved it. I didn't want you to see it."
Panic overtook her body and her first thought was that something terrible had happened to someone she loved. The first person that flashed into her mind was Barry, but she knew he was okay. Then she thought of her dad and Wally and she realized that she hadn't even called or texted them to let them know she was back.
"Oh my God, is it my dad?" she asked with a shaking voice. "Wally? Are they hurt?"
"No, no, it's nothing like that."
She breathed a sigh of relief. "Then what the hell is making you act like this?"
Instead of answering, Scott got up and disappeared into their bedroom. It seemed like an eternity before he came back, holding something behind his back. Iris's heart hammered at a pace so quick that it was almost painful. And then it stopped completely when he handed the item to her.
It was a gold envelope. A shimmering gold envelope with nothing on the outside except her name.
Iris Ann West
"Oh my God," she whispered.
She had never actually seen one in person, but she knew exactly what it was. Catilyn had gotten one four years earlier. Linda had just received one the prior year. Iris had accepted the fate that she would never get one, and yet there it was. Her future in an envelope.
Her hands shook as she reached out and took it from Scott. She chanced a look at him, but his eyes were cast down to the carpet.
"Did you...did you get one?" she asked quietly.
His silence told her the answer. Iris's mind started working a mile a minute and she immediately put the pieces together. The envelope was why he had packed his bags. He wasn't going on a business trip. He was leaving. For good.
"Maybe you'll get one," she said, even though her voice didn't sound as hopeful as her words. "Maybe it's just late or it went to the wrong address."
Scott's eyes rolled up to look at hers and though neither of them said anything, they both knew that her hopes were impossible. The mail was never late. And the mail was never wrong. Iris had been bound, and it wasn't to him.
"You should open it," he said sadly. "It might have instructions on what you need to do next. You know, a deadline or something."
He was trying to be helpful, but the small crack in his voice told Iris that his heart was breaking and hers was right along with it. She tossed the envelope on the couch and stood in front of him, encasing his face in her hands.
"I don't have to go through with it," she said. "You know that. I'll have time to decide if I want to accept this or not. And I don't have to. I'm happy with you...with us."
"And I'm happy with you. But I love you too much to be selfish. You'd be turning down a great life for me. They'll put you in a nice house. You'll have everything you've ever wanted. You'll get to be a mom." His mouth quirked up a little. "You'd be a great mom."
"I don't need kids," she pleaded.
"Nah, but you want them." She opened her mouth to protest but he shook his head. "And don't act like you don't. You practically melt into the floor every time you keep Caitlyn's kid."
Iris had no comeback for that, and her eyes started to burn with tears.
"I love you," she said weakly.
"I know." He caressed her face gently. "I'm going to stay with my brother for a few days. Give you a chance to think about all of this and talk to whoever this guy is. I'll come back later and get the rest of my things."
He kissed her forehead and Iris stood there, crying silently, as he removed his luggage from their room. He kissed her a few times and tried his best to smile.
"You're an incredible woman, Iris. I hope this guy treats you well."
And then he was gone. Just like that. In the span of a few minutes, Iris's life had been turned upside down. And all because of an envelope. She wiped her eyes and looked at the offending object, perched on her couch like it was harmless. She seriously thought about not even reading it, but she knew she couldn't do that. She sat down quietly and held it in shaking hands. She turned it over and saw the sender's name engraved on a seal.
The National Committee for Personal Relations
It was a fancy way of saying that they were the assigned matchmakers for everyone in the country. Only a select few were chosen to have spouses and ultimately become parents if they so chose, and Iris had long ago given up any hopes that she might be one of them. Most people selected to be bound, as the committee called it, received their letters right after graduating college or starting their first jobs. The late bloomers usually got them after turning 25. When Iris's 25th birthday came and went, she figured it wasn't in the cards for her.
And she wasn't surprised, either. Only those deemed worthy were allowed to marry, and part of that determination was based on one's home life, and Iris's wasn't exactly perfect. Even though her parents had been bound and seemed by all outward appearances to be perfect for each other, Francine's love affair with drugs was the demon that even Joe's love couldn't slay. She'd left Joe to parent Iris and Wally on his own. It wasn't exactly the recipe that the Committee was looking for in a potential exalted member of society.
Yet, there it was, the coveted invitation to join the elite.
Her stomach twisted into knots as she slowly slid her finger underneath the seal and pulled out a heavy folded card. She had to take a deep breath before she opened it and found out who the Committee had determined was a perfect mate for her. She bit her lip in worry that the person listed on the card might be a million miles away, that she might have to pick up her life and say goodbye to her family and take up with a stranger in a strange place.
But she pushed her worries aside, at least for the moment, and read the letter.
Dear Iris,
It is with much congratulations that the Committee invites you to join the ranks of the Bound.
As we are sure you are aware, it is unusual for someone to receive an invitation to be Bound at this stage of life. It is also highly unusual for a person with your familial background to be considered for marriage. Yet, after much observation, discussion and deep thought, the Committee has determined that you are in fact the type of person that should lead this generation and parent the generation after that. You are strong-willed, intelligent, graceful and loving, and our Society would be better for your willing participation in this, the Great Experiment.
We have watched you closely since you were a little girl, and we are most impressed with how you handled your mother's departure. You took care of your father and brother and even found space in your heart for your friend, who came to live with you after his own tragedy. We have seen you mature from a delightful little girl into a curious and strong teenager and ultimately into the woman that you are today.
We do understand that you have made a comfortable life for yourself, one that you may be reluctant to relinquish. Please understand that with this invitation comes the promise of wealth, status and the security of knowing that your family will never want for anything. This includes your beloved father and brother.
It is with great pride that we share that we have determined your perfect mate to be none other than someone you have already loved for much of your life. Should you choose to agree to be bound, then your husband is to be Bartholomew Henry Allen.
Iris dropped the envelope as soon as her eyes fell on the name. It was Barry. Her best friend, Barry. The Committee wanted her to marry Barry.
She hadn't realized that her eyes were filled with tears until her vision got blurry and she felt wet streaks on her face. She quickly wiped her eyes and immediately reached for her phone. Her fingers were trembling when she called him and he picked up on the second ring.
"Hey, Iris," he said happily. "What's up?"
"Where are you?" she asked, her voice shaking almost as much as her hands.
"At home. Why? Are you okay?"
"When's the last time you checked your mail?"
"Uh...ooh...you know I'm bad at that. Maybe a week ago?"
"You should check your mail."
"Oookay," he said slowly.
"Right now."
"What's going on?" he asked. "Am I being audited or something?" he joked.
"Please, Barry. Check it now."
"Uh, okay, uh...hold on."
Iris clutched the phone and although it was too fast to hear, she was sure that he had zoomed to the mailbox because he was talking about the mail within a few seconds.
"Let's see. There's a bill. Some junk. A credit card application. Bill. Ooh, a coupon for pizza." Iris tapped her feet impatiently and listened while he went through what had to be two weeks worth of mail. But then he stopped suddenly. Her heart leapt into her throat and she knew he'd seen it. "Oh my God," he breathed quietly.
"You have one," she said. "A letter from them. The Committee."
"How did you know that?"
"Because." Her throat felt tight. "I got one too."
The silence on the end of the line was deafening, and then she heard Barry rip the envelope open. Neither of them said a word for several minutes, and Iris really didn't know what to say. So she said what she felt.
"Can you come over?"
Not five seconds later, he was knocking on her door. She hung up her phone and slowly crept to the door, even though she knew it was him. When she opened it, he was standing there, looking shocked and holding up his gold envelope. She held hers up for him to see and then moved out of the way so he could come in. They sat on the couch together, not as close as they usually did, bathing in silence.
"I never thought I'd get one of these," Barry said quietly, when he finally did speak.
"Me either."
He looked at her and asked, "are you okay?"
"I'm kind of stunned," she admitted. "I had gotten so comfortable with the idea of not being one of these people that I moved on. Now it's here in my hand and I guess I'm not sure how to react, you know?"
"Yeah." He touched his envelope and chanced another look at her. "How is Scott? Does he know?"
"Yeah. I mean, he knows about the invitation, not that it's you. He was pretty sad. He already packed up some of his stuff and is going to stay with his brother for a while."
"I'm really sorry, Iris."
The pain and guilt in his voice spurred her to move closer to him and she patted his leg.
"Don't be sorry. You didn't do anything wrong."
He shuffled his large feet on the carpet and sighed. "I'm not so sure about that."
Iris frowned. "What do you mean? How could you have had anything to do with this?"
"I didn't. I just..." He shrugged and she saw the tips of his ears turn red.
"You just what?"
He fidgeted with his envelope and gave her a sheepish smile. "It's just that back when I thought I might get an invitation, I always kind of hoped it would be with you."
Her eyebrows sprang up in surprise, but she rubbed his leg reassuringly and shook her head.
"Bear, it's not like you spoke this into existence or something. You wishing for your partner to be me...that's...that's natural. We're best friends. We grew up together. We know everything about each other. I'm sure at some point, I entertained the thought of being bound to you, too."
He nodded but didn't seem comforted. In fact, he fidgeted some more and then stood up and paced.
"Iris, what I'm trying to say is that when I wished to be bound to you, it wasn't just as a best friend. The whole time we grew up together, I had a really big crush on you."
"You did?" she asked. Her lips turned up into a big grin. "Aww, Bear. I had a crush on you a couple of times too."
Barry ran his hands through his hair in frustration.
"I'm not doing a very good job of this," he sighed. He sat down next to her and took her hands in his lap. "What I'm actually trying to say is that when I got older, I realized it wasn't just a crush. I..." He hesitated and then gave her the most vulnerable look she'd ever seen. "I was in love with you."
The smile fell off her face and was replaced by a look of pure shock.
"Oh."
"I still am," he confessed quietly.
That part nearly made Iris's brain explode and she slipped her hand out of his grip. It was her turn to stand and pace and Barry watched anxiously as she tried to put together all the pieces of everything that had happened in the past hour or so.
"Wait, you're...you're in love with me?" she asked. "Like, right now?"
He nodded.
"But how...why didn't you say anything before?"
"I wanted to. But I was scared. I was scared you wouldn't feel the same way. I was scared of ruining our friendship and I've already lost so many people, that I couldn't lose you, too. When I woke up from my coma, I told myself I was finally going to tell you. But you were with Scott and you seemed so happy and I didn't want to ruin it."
He stood up with her and approached her, relieved when she didn't move away. He touched her cheek and smiled sadly.
"I'm sorry," he said. "I know my timing is terrible and I hope you don't feel like I'm trying to pressure you into accepting this invitation if you don't want to. I just feel like you have a right to know. If you do accept, I want you to know that this won't be some forced affection kind of deal. I really do love you. I always have and I always will and I would be so, so honored if you would be my wife, Iris."
Her eyes stung with tears for what felt like the tenth time that night and her head spun with all of the information she was receiving. His thumb wiped away a tear.
"I'll let you think," he said. "For as long as you need. And whatever you decide, just know that I'm here and nothing has to change between us if you don't want it to. Okay?"
She nodded mutely and then he picked up his envelope and left.
For the next several days, Iris was in a fog. She didn't tell any of her friends about the invitation, mostly because she didn't want them to know, in case she didn't accept. The only person she told was her dad, and when he asked who her proposed husband was and she burst into tears after she told him it was Barry, he held her closely and let her cry and vent and offered nothing but soothing words. He told her that he trusted her judgment and that she would make the right decision for her.
It was nice to let someone in on her feelings, but Joe had staunchly refused to offer his own thoughts. He left Iris to think and decide for herself. Every thought was consumed by the invitation, by Barry and sometimes by Scott. She thought of all the good times she and Scott had and how he had been there for her when she was really struggling with Barry's coma. There were days she worried that he would never wake up and Scott held her and told it was okay.
Iris thought back to those feelings of possibly never seeing Barry again. Never talking to him or laughing with him or teasing him, and it made her feel empty. He was not only her best friend, she'd realized then, but he was a big piece of her heart and her happiness. As she thought about the invitation and what it might be like to marry Barry, she tried to fight off the warm and fuzzy feelings she got. There was something that just bugged her about having her life chosen for her, in a manner of speaking, and she didn't want to betray Scott.
She was sitting on her couch, typing away on her computer and desperately trying to think of anything but that damn gold envelope, when her apartment door opened and in walked Scott. Their eyes met and he half-smiled.
"Hey," he said. "I didn't think you'd be here."
"Working from home," she said. She watched him as he walked to the couch and sat down next to her. "Trying to sneak in and move the rest of your stuff out when I wasn't here?" She tried to sound teasing but was pretty sure she only sounded hurt.
"Yes," he admitted.
"Oh."
"I don't want this to be any harder on you than it already is."
"Has it occurred to you that I wanted to talk to you? Or see you? Or that I won't accept the invitation?"
He looked at her, really looked at her with those penetrating brown eyes, and asked, "whose name is in the envelope?"
Iris felt her cheeks flush a little and she looked away from him.
"I'm not supposed to say."
"Well you want to talk to me about it, so I think I deserve to know who's stealing you from me."
She picked at one of the strings on her throw pillow and found the courage to tell him the truth.
"It's Barry."
She expected Scott to be surprised or to react in some way. Instead, he simply nodded.
"Can't say I didn't see that coming," he said.
"What? What are you talking about?"
"Iris, come on. You and Barry are like peanut butter and jelly. He's your guy. Of course they're binding you to him. It's plain as day that you guys love each other."
"As friends," she stressed.
"As more than friends," he said without a doubt in the world. When she started to shake her head, Scott closed her computer and placed it on the floor. He turned his body to her so he had her full attention.
"Iris, you have no idea how you talk about Barry, do you? When you talk about him, you smile. When you see him, your face lights up. When I first met you and he was in that coma, you talked about him constantly. I thought it was just because you were worried about him and you missed him. It was always Barry this and Barry that and I put up with it because you were the most beautiful woman I'd ever met, inside and out, and I thought once he woke up, things would be different. But they weren't. I knew back then that you were in love with him and once I saw you guys interact, I knew he was in love with you, too. I guess I figured if I tried hard enough, maybe you would eventually love me the way you do him. But it didn't work out like that."
"But I do love you," she said earnestly. "You're a great guy and we have a wonderful relationship and I love all the time I spend with you."
"I know," he said with a nod. "But I've only been a placeholder until you and Barry figured out your feelings. I should have broken it off once he woke up from the coma. But I was too far gone. That's what you do to, Iris. You make us fall in love with you without even meaning to, and it's too hard to stop."
Iris didn't cry, mostly because she was sure she'd run out of tears over the last week, but she did feel her heart ache for him.
"You're gonna do what you want to do because you're as stubborn as a mule," Scott said, and it caused both of them to smile. "But I think you know that you and Barry...you're good together. So don't let me hold you back. I love you enough to let you go."
He kissed her forehead and left with the promise that he really would get the rest of his things later, after she'd made her decision.
His words were forefront in Iris's mind until the day that she had to let the Committee know what she was going to do. She played their conversation in her head on a loop, and with every replay, a little piece of the wall around her heart crumbled and she stopped fighting the feelings she'd had for Barry since she was a teenager. She realized that like Barry, she had never acted on them because she was afraid of what it might do to their friendship. But unlike Barry, she had locked them away in a secret compartment in her heart and she was only just beginning to let them out and embrace them fully.
After she spoke to the Committee and told them her decision, she called Barry and asked him to come over. When she let him in, he looked frazzled and unsure and before she could even get a word out, he spoke.
"I accepted the invitation," he blurted out. "I know you probably didn't but I promise that I meant it when I said it wouldn't change anything between us. I just wanted you to know."
Iris nodded and watched as he twisted his fingers together in nervous anticipation.
"Well, that's good," she said. "Because I accepted, too."
Barry's eyes widened and his fingers froze in place.
"You what?"
"I accepted the invitation."
"But...but that would mean you want to marry me."
She cracked a smile. "Yeah, I guess it would mean that."
"Really? For real? You...you would be okay with that?"
"I think I'd more than okay with it, Bear. I think I'd love it."
He blinked a few times. "And this isn't just because I said I was in love with you, right? I mean, you don't feel pressured or worried that you'll hurt me, do you? Because I get it if you don't want to do this. I..."
Iris could tell that he was about to go on a long rambling rant so she cut him off with a kiss. Their first kiss, and it felt long overdue. She felt all her fears and reservations melt away as their lips pressed together, and once she was sure that he had calmed down, she pulled away with a smack.
"I want to marry you," she told him, so that there was no room for misunderstanding. "Okay?"
"Okay," he said with a smile that morphed into a grin. "Did they give you a date?"
"May 2nd," she said.
"Six months," he said. She nodded and he tentatively placed his hands on her hips and pulled her closer to him. "I'll spend every day of those six months proving to you that you made the right decision. And I'll spend every day after that making you the happiest woman on the planet."
Iris smiled warmly because she knew that he meant it. "Trust me, Barry. You already have."