A disclaimer: I do not own anything DC or anything, I borrowed from other media.

Instead of Iris, Linda Park is the one to find a brooding Barry at Jitters the night before Flash day. AU 2x01

Time to move forward

The evening before flash day, an event where the city shows their appreciation to the red streak hero, Barry is currently at Jitters to fix up the place. Ever since the wormhole incident six months ago Barry has made it a personal mission to rebuild some of the local business that was damaged during the attack while being the hero and savior of the public. Also during this time, he decided to do the hero gig on his own since he blames his self for not being able to save Ronnie.

Focusing on the task at hand Barry continues to work on fixing the coffee shop not noticing as he stops using his super speed as someone enters the building walking towards him.

"Barry?" A familiar voice calls his name, and Barry turns around quickly to see a person from his recent past that he wasn't expecting to see again.

"Linda?" Barry asks in shock watching Linda Park walk towards him, looking as beautiful as ever. Wait, where did that come from?

"It has been awhile, what are you doing here?" She asks curiously. Linda was on her way home when she saw what seem to be a red light from within Jitters. When checking to see the source of the light, it disappears with the sight of only Barry in the building. The last time she saw Barry was when the two broke up some time ago, which hurt her case because she liked him though Linda didn't want to be in the way of Barry's genuine feelings for Iris.

"Oh, I'm just doing some volunteer work." Barry scratches the back of his head nervously hoping that would be a good enough of a reason to why out of all people he would be helping restore the place.

"Late at night?" Linda raises an eyebrow at him not buying his story at the moment, though she couldn't help but think that he's still cute when he acts all nervous. Wait, did I just think that?

"I'm a night owl sue me," Barry responds getting a laugh out of Linda from his nerdy charm.

"That was a good one. So, how you been?" Though they had been apart, there were times that Linda wonders how things are with Barry since she still cared about him.

"I'm okay; the job is still paying well and just trying to live life the best I can. How about you?" Barry as well had wonder what happen to Linda since they last saw each other despite feeling guilty that he broke up with her.

"Same old, same old on my end," Linda answers causing an awkward silence to form between the two until Linda finally asks the question that is on the back of her mind.

"So this made be out of line, but have you and Iris you know?" Linda asks him, hoping that she didn't cross any boundaries by asking about his love life.

Barry sighs, for he had a feeling she was going to ask about the status between him and Iris. "She um needs time with losing Eddie after the wormhole incident. Honestly, when you and I had split up, nothing evolves past friendship, and after Eddie's death, we haven't talked much, so I believe now that we are just meant to be friends." It hurt Barry to say it, but he had no choice but to move on. It was like too many signs that stated that they weren't supposed to be a couple like the two kissing in a different timeline, her mourning Eddie causing them not to talk much that Barry decided to lock those feelings for her for good.

Oh wow, I thought the two would have gotten together. "I'm sorry to hear that Barry really," Linda said with sincerity in her voice.

"Thanks, it means a lot." At that moment, Barry decides to flip the question on her. "What about you, are you seeing anyone lately?"

"Nah. A few guys tried to get my attention, but as I told you I'm a hard working woman, and I'm very picky about who I spend my time with." Linda answers him before saying in a soft tone, "The only one who had my attention like that was you." Being honest with her, Linda pretty much admitted to still having feelings for Barry. Not that she wants to force him to anything after hearing about Iris, while she didn't want to move slow with him, she wasn't too sure if Barry still felt anything towards her.

Barry was speechless from her last comment. Was she trying to imply something or am I just reading too much into things? "Well, I better get going I have some stuff to work on." She snaps him out of his daze.

"I understand. So are you going to the Flash day event tomorrow?" Barry asks getting a smile of Linda.

"Of course! Flash is a great hero, and I want to be there to show my support. Though it would be cool to see you there." Linda points out causing Barry to blush at her statement.

"I'm not sure if I can make it, but maybe we could do something soon and catch up if you like?" He suggests secretly hoping that he could see her again.

"My number hasn't changed, night Barry." Linda winks at him before leaving the building with an extra sway to her walk.

"Goodnight Linda," Barry responds with a warm smile on his face and watches her leave. Beautiful view from here.

"She so has the hots for you." Said a random voice that scares the crap out of Barry. He turns around to see the last person he would expect hiding in the shadows.

"What the heck Oliver, was you there the whole time!?" Barry watches as the former vigilante also his friend/mentor known as Oliver Queen came out from the shadows, now sporting a new goatee with his hair grown out like his time on the Lian Yu.

"Well, I happened to be in the city and got bored, so I search for you and found you here. I caught up with Joe, Cisco, and Iris before coming here and man you should have seen how surprised they were to see me." He tells Barry in a great cheerful tone.

"I bet. It's not every day that the Arrow makes a grand appearance around here." Barry quips getting a chuckle out of Oliver. Okay, did something happen to him while he was gone?

"Very true. Cisco was excited cause he claims he has a suit that he's been working on for me even though I told him I have no plans of putting on a suit. Iris thought it would be cool to have me back around though I'm not sure if I want her knowing my secret just yet, and Joe just gave me that look that screams I don't like you and don't give Barry any ideas." Barry shook his head hearing how Joe acted towards Oliver. I wish he would stop thinking Oliver is a bad influence on me.

"So Linda Park huh, I heard she is a reporter in Central City," Oliver said getting Barry's attention back on him.

"Yep. We dated once, but I ended the relationship thinking that Iris and I had a chance." Barry said sadly.

"Wait, was this before or after I told you guys like us don't get the girl?" Oliver questions.

"Afterwards. I figure since Iris had Eddie why not try to get myself out there. Though I like Linda, my heart was still for Iris at the time." Barry didn't want to talk about his experience with going back in time right after he and Iris kissed since technically in this timeline it never happens.

"I notice you said like and not liked," Oliver smirks as Barry realize that it was true and tries to explain his self.

"Oliver I don't know if..."

Oliver cuts him off and says, "Come on Barry. I know I said what I said before, but I was wrong for saying that about you."

"Excuse me?" Barry wasn't sure if he heard Oliver right. Did he just admit that he was wrong about something like that?

"Well the phrase is still true for me, but you can run at super speed, and I know you are more than able to save the people you care about. Unfortunately, Iris is grieving plus there is no telling if she would return any feelings for you and from what I saw Linda still has feelings for you too." Oliver expresses his opinion.

Barry process all he said and asks quietly, "You think so?"

Oliver nods. "I know so. You can't just put your life on hold for one person forever, I mean, if that were the case me and Laurel would have gotten back together when I came back from the island. However, things happen to where I ended up dating other people like Huntress, Sara. The point is you deserve happiness with someone, and I think you should give it another shot with her. As well as letting the team come back so they can help you since Cisco told me you are trying to go solo which honestly is not your style."

Barry thinks about all that Oliver has said to him and figures he might be right. He did have a good time when he was with Linda considers she liked him for him, though Barry wasn't too sure about bringing the gang back, he will now consider it. However, there's one major thing that is currently bothering him. "Okay, who the hell are you and what have you done to the real Oliver Queen who was all brooding?"

Oliver laughs at his question and answers, "Maybe the lightness of Central City is rubbing on me faster than the Flash."

"I'm done." Barry zooms out, leaving Oliver to laugh some more about Barry's reaction to the new him. As Barry went home, his thoughts went back to Linda and how happy he was to see her again. With a grin, he thinks to his self, "Well Linda, you just might see The Flash and me tomorrow after all."

AU: So I know this made be somewhat confusing so I will try to answer the best I can. I was planning, somewhat still am, a crossover story between Flash/Arrow that would take place in S2 of Flash where a shows up in Central City hoping to have a fresh start with him eventually joining Team Flash which will explain why Oliver is acting differently. The point would be to bring out the comic version of him out.

Now here's the thing I'm torn between the different storylines of this content where either Barry gets with Linda or Barry dates Thea, where instead of Felicity leaving with Oliver in S3 Thea goes with him as the two bond more as Brother and Sister. I already have an idea for Oliver, but I wanted this chapter out to somewhat get a sense of what people could want to see.

I enjoyed Barry/Linda and preferred the pairing over the others because she had that assertiveness to her, but then I also like the idea that Oliver and Barry could form a more brother like bond with Thea dating Barry, so that's my stance on that. Leave reviews and depending on them will be the direction I decide to go