A/N: Posting the rest of Basking in Bali in a hot second, but first I wanted to share the couple fics I wrote in between chapters. I hope you enjoy this one. I've wanted to write it for a very long time. :)

*Many thanks to sendtherain for beta'ing.

*I own nothing. No copyright infringement intended.

Restless in the courtyard, dozens of other inmates in the vicinity, Barry didn't register a thing except his own footsteps, the wind as it whistled past his ear, and his own breath, his heart beat, his pulse hammering away in his neck, in his wrist.

It had been forty-eight hours since he'd last seen Iris, since he'd last heard her voice, since he'd been reminded that she missed him as much as he missed her, that she loved him the same amount.

After Ralph had unconventionally stopped by the night before, Barry understood why Iris hadn't managed to pay her usual visit. He almost didn't realize how much he depended on it until he had to go without it for an entire day. But he understood. Things were chaotic, and visiting hours weren't twenty-fours a day. Iris simply had been needed elsewhere.

After all, it wasn't like he was going anywhere. At least not any time soon. He put on a brave face for Iris, but on this matter, he was relieved to not be on the outside. He hadn't the slightest idea of how to clear his name.

"Allen, your 1:30 is here," interrupted his thoughts. A gruff voice that sounded almost annoyed.

Barry didn't care. He looked up at the clock finally before going inside and saw a smile tug at the corner of his lips.

It read 1:29.

She was early.

Power-walking pretty accurately described his journey from courtyard to visitors' corridor. He saw Iris immediately and his face lit up. She looked more beautiful than ever. He ached for her, but the hint of sadness in her eyes when he finally took his seat made him frown.

"What's wrong?" He asked, scooting closer, as if somehow that could breach the glass between them.

"Nothing." She shook her head, looking away. "It's nothing."

"Iris…" he pleaded, his voice soft and gentle.

She met his gaze.

"I'm so sorry I didn't come visit you yesterday, Barry."

Her voice was ridden with guilt, and he hated that, but he was also very relieved that was all that was the matter.

"Don't worry about it, Iris. You were busy. I understood."

"Too busy to visit my incarcerated husband?" She shook her head. "I don't think so." She scoffed. "And after I told you I'd come visit you every day, too."

She sounded so disgusted with herself. He couldn't have that.

"Iris, it's okay."

He lifted his hand to the glass, and she matched his print with her own.

"You're here now."

"I can't even imagine what it's like for you in there… I miss you so much, all the time. But I have distractions. I have people who love and care about me, who care about you. I'm the only familiar face you see, and yesterday I wasn't - "

"Iris," He soothed. "Iris," he urged. "Look at me." Reluctantly, she did. "I love you."

To his satisfaction he saw a wave of relief wash over her.

"I love you, too, Bear."

"Nothing's ever going to come between us. Not even on the days you can't make time to see me. Those days will be harder. I'll miss you more than usual. But I know you'll come back when you can."

"Always," she promised.

He smiled. "And hey, it's not like you're the only visitor I get to see," he said airily.

His hand dropped down from the glass, hoping to release some of the tension in the room. Iris followed suit, so he thought he'd succeeded. She looked at him knowingly.

"Well, whatever you said to Ralph must've landed. He risked his life to save Caitlin and Cisco, thanks to you."

Barry shrugged. "I just brought out what was already inside him."

"You seem to have that effect on a lot of people."

The beginning of a smile on her face made her words register, causing an amused sound to slip out of him.

"What?" She asked, her voice soft, yearning.

"Just turns out being in here isn't so different from being out there."

Her smile slipped.

"Except we're not together." He nodded, sobering. "And I can't touch you anymore."

The ache in her voice, the sadness, the brokenness in her eyes got to him. He turned to check the cameras, willing them to be facing away - and to stay that way long enough for him to accomplish the one thing he could do that would lift her spirits.

Unsuspecting and awestruck, Iris watched as he began to vibrate his hand fast enough to phase through the glass, smiling at her all the while, willing her to find joy in this small gesture.

Her eyes filled with tears as she clasped her hand tightly with his, their fingers intertwined. No words were exchanged, but none were necessary. He'd yearned for her touch too. And now he had it, if only for a few moments.

Eventually, the cameras did return, and Barry had to pull his hand back to his side of the glass. Iris mouthed a thank you, making his heart swell.

"This isn't going to be our lives forever, Iris. I know you'll find something."

"I will," she promised. "I swear."

He smiled. "The day I'm released I want you to run to me, okay? As soon as the gates open and I can walk through, run to me. Jump into my arms and kiss me."

Tears nearly trickled down her face.

"I promise."

"I dream of that every night," he confessed, leaning into the phone. "I want to know what the real thing feels like."

She pressed her hand to the glass one more time, knowing he couldn't risk phasing through again but determined to make her point. He matched her print, same as he'd done before.

"Nothing on this earth could stop me."