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A/n: I was slightly disappointed with 3x19. In what world does Joe not worry about Barry after The Flash hasn't been seen in years?
Barry continues to lay on the cot that he had dragged into the time vault. He hadn't moved from the cot, or this room in ages. He didn't need to, he'd invented a food replicator after all. All he had to do, was tap on the table and food would appear. Slowly, Barry crawled to the table, tapping it as food appeared in front of him. After eating the food, he crawls back into the cot, covering himself as he slowly closes his eyes, going back to sleep. He hadn't left the time vault in years, why would he when he had all the food and water that he needed?
Barry had set up the holographic slide show of pictures of Iris, setting them to change every hour. Fuck, how long had he been down here, anyway? Whatever, it didn't matter. Nothing matters anymore, not since Iris died. Barry could hear someone coming into the time vault, and that's when he slowly opens his eyes, shutting off the pictures before someone sees. After that, he turns away, staring at the wall.
It hits Joe like a ton of bricks one day. The Flash hadn't been seen in years. Come to think of it, no one had seen Barry Allen in years either. Where the hell was Barry? Joe needs his Barry Allen. After thinking about it for a while, Joe realizes that there was only one place that Barry could be: Star Labs.
When Joe gets to Star Labs, the place is vacant. The once vibrant building was nothing but an abandoned building now. Slowly, Joe turned on his flashlight, and that's when he walks through the building. Eventually, he walks inside the time vault, watching as the door closed behind him. Joe's vision slowly focused on the room, and that's when he sees Barry.
Barry was turned to the right side of the cot, staring at the wall. He hadn't even looked at Joe when he walked in, he just continues to lie there, slowly closing his eyes.
"Bar." He calls, trying to get a response. Nothing.
"Bar." He calls again. Still nothing.
"Bar, please." Joe pleads, staring at his unconscious son.
"Damn it Barry! Wake up!" Joe shouts, a pleading tone in his voice. Still nothing.
"Barry please. Please!" Joe pleads, his voice breaking. Still nothing. Slowly, Joe walked over to Barry's side.
"Bar." Joe calls, hoping to get a response this time. Still nothing.
"Barry, please. I need you!" Joe sobs, and that's when Joe sees how skinny Barry was. Damn it, why hadn't he gotten here sooner? The kid was wasting away down here! Joe really didn't want to leave Barry alone, but he had to find ivs and a feeding tube at least. If Barry wasn't going to eat, then Joe was going to have to take matters into his own hands.
It was about ten minutes later when Joe finds the ivs, and the feeding tube, and that's when he returns to the time vault. Joe sighs, Barry was still unconscious. Sighing, Joe remembers the training that he had gotten from Caitlin all those years ago, and that's when he sets up the ivs, placing one of them on Barry's arm as the rest started working on forcing nutrients into Barry's system.
Now that Barry was getting nutrients, Joe picks up the chair that Barry had knocked over, sitting next to Barry's bedside. It makes Joe sick to his stomach knowing that Barry had given up like this. If he hadn't found him when he did, then Barry would have starved to death. It was at this point that Joe starts crying. Joe had been too caught up in his own grief to see that Barry was grieving too.
As Joe watches the ivs force nutrients into Barry's body, the thought of finding Barry's corpse taunts him. As Joe watches over Barry, suddenly he was reminded of his coma.
"I can replicate anything you would like Mr. West. Would you like some coffee?" Gideon greets. Joe was confused. If Gideon could replicate food for Barry, then why didn't he take it? Suddenly it clicked. Barry wanted to be with Iris.
"Yeah, coffee sounds great." Joe tells her, and that's when she makes a cup appear on the table.
"Well, damn." Joe mutters, slowly drinking it. Once he was done with the cup, Joe continues watching over Barry. It was eight hours later when Joe couldn't stay awake any longer, and that's when he falls asleep in the chair.
Barry wakes up sometime in the morning to see ivs forcing nutrients into him. No! He wanted to be with Iris! No! He wants to shout, but he doesn't. It was then that he notices Joe sitting next to his bedside. Barry was confused. Joe hated him, didn't he?
Joe wakes up about an hour later to see Barry's eyes looking back at him. Oh, thank God.
"Why?" Barry asks, and it was this one word that breaks Joe's heart.