The Flash doesn't belong to me.

For Iris

Enjoy

000

Barry hadn't lied to Caitlin about why he wanted…needed to be the Flash. All the reasons he'd given her were true, however he had omitted the most important reason of all. He needed to be the Flash because of Iris.

When he'd woken up from his coma and discovered that he'd been late again. That Iris had finally managed to get herself a boyfriend who wasn't him he'd wanted to go back to sleep but instead he'd been given another chance. Another chance to be with her, to impress her and spend time with her without having the confines of being the best friend imposed on him.

As the Flash he could turn her head – literally, and save her and flirt with her and even get to know her better, and understand what drove her.

Because of Iris West, Barry Allen needed to be the Flash.

000

Barry was disappointed that he'd arrived too late to save Iris, Joe and the others from the Clock King, that he hadn't been able to impress the precinct with his mad skills but he couldn't help the pride he felt when he heard that Iris had been the one to bring the Clock King down and save everyone. He was really proud of her but he couldn't help wishing that his powers had returned just a little bit sooner so that he could see the look on her face and also receive her thanks.

He picked up some flowers and made his way to the hospital to see Eddie. Okay, to see Iris who he knew was there with Eddie and Joe.

"Barry," Iris smiled at him and walked over and hugged him. "Where were you?"

"I couldn't let all the ice cream melt," he joked.

"How are you?" Joe asked him.

"I'm fine," Barry answered. "Really fine."

Iris looked at her father and Barry and shook her head. She knew her dad worried about Barry but it wasn't like he'd been in any danger that evening.

"I'll go get some coffee," she told them.

"Are you sure you're fine?" Joe asked Barry again.

"I am."

000

As Iris bent to get her cup from the machine she couldn't help thinking about the Flash again. What had kept him? Why hadn't he helped them with the Clock King? 'I'm probably just being selfish,' she told herself. 'He was probably dealing with the blackout and all the problems it must have caused.'

She straightened and there he was standing in front of her.

"Now you show up," she couldn't help teasing him.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to save you," the Flash replied. "Something came up."

"I think sometimes it's good for the girl to save herself, isn't it?"

"I promise I'll never be late again," the Flash told her.

"That's what my best friend always says but he's always late," Iris replied. Even as she said that she wondered what it was about the Flash that always led her thoughts to Barry. 'It's because he's your best friend,' she told herself and shaking her head looked at the Flash.

"I'm really glad you're okay," the Flash told her before he ran off.

000

"I can't tell you how glad I am to see that your powers are back," Joe told Barry.

Eddie was still laughing at some joke he had made and the two men could talk without anyone listening in on their conversation. Barry was hyped, he had managed to spend some time with Iris as the Flash and that was always guaranteed to make him feel better about himself.

"Honey, are you alright?" Joe asked, causing Barry to look at the door where Iris was standing with a dazed look on her face.

"Yeah, why?" Iris asked.

"You forgot your coffee." Joe told her.

Iris looked at her hands and she was honestly surprised to see that she had forgotten her coffee. She smiled softly to herself. 'The Flash had that effect on her.'

Barry saw the smile on her face and couldn't help smiling as well. He loved that he, okay the Flash, could fluster Iris like that.

000

Iris closed the laptop and smiled. She had just finished her latest blog on the Flash and was going to get herself a cup of coffee before settling down to watch some TV.

A cup of coffee appeared in front of her and looked from the steaming cup to the hand that was holding it.

"You forgot your coffee."

Iris took it from him and watched as he moved back - farther away from her.

"Thank you." She told him.

"You're welcome, Iris."

She watched him blur out of the room and took a sip of the coffee. She wasn't surprised to discover that it was exactly as she liked it.

000

What say you?