Jitters
Summary: Iris meets her younger brother.
Wally slid the cup of coffee in his hand back and forth.
His leg bounced.
This was it.
Time to meet Iris.
His thoughts were all over the place.
What if she didn't like him?
Or want Wally in her and her dad's life?
Their dad.
It was a weird thing to say.
Or think.
Frankly all of this was weird in general.
His mother decided out of the blue, it would be a great time to get to know them.
What about Joe?
Wally's eyes filled with worry.
What if he was just a lousy parent as Francine?
Honestly he was thrilled to be in Central City.
Because, The Flash, come on.
Who wouldn't die just to get a glimpse of him?
The Scarlet Speedster.
It was better than Key Stone that's for sure.
Wally couldn't sit still.
His palms were sweaty- (BO as a first impression, fantastic moves there Walls) and his heart had started racing.
The clock couldn't tick slower.
A waitress offered up a refill.
The teen honestly couldn't resist.
This place had the best Flash espressos.
Not that he needed it.
The young blooming scientist was already an agitated mess as it is.
What if Iris thought he was on crack?
What if she thought Wally was just another Francine?
Please, please just give me a chance.
He saw a woman approaching.
She looked to be in her early 20s.
She was also staring at him.
Wally almost ran.
Almost.
Alright Walls, time to meet your long lost big sister.
No biggie.
It was just another day.
"Hi," Iris stopped in front of him.
Wally blanked.
Great.
Nice going there, Killer.
Way to screw things up.
Wally opened his big mouth hoping, praying he didn't step in it.
"...Hi."
Hi.
Yes.
Solid.
Keep it simple.
"Francine said I should meet you here," Iris was a little frosty.
She also hadn't sat down yet.
Who could blame her.
W-wait should he shake hands?
Wally felt himself begin to panic.
They were still sweating!
Say something!
Just stop staring at her with your mouth open like an idiot!
His finger thrummed against the table, he was still blanking!
Abort Abort!
Iris put her purse down and sat in the chair next to him, she smiled.
It was forced.
"I'm sure she told you what happened?"
Wally got yanked back down to earth, "Hi."
She laughed, "...Hi."
"This is awkward," he laughed with her.
So weird.
Iris smiled, a real one this time.
Wally realized he hadn't answered a question, "Right. Sorry. Um, yeah, parts. I think. Although you can never tell with Francine. When you're getting the whole picture."
"What was it like? Growing up with her as a mom?"
Remember, keep it simple.
Go off on an I-need-medication rant and I will kill you.
...in a non dark way.
"Umm," a nervous laugh. "It was...an adventure. Sometimes it was up to me to keep us both alive."
"I'm sorry," she looked down and tucked back a piece of hair.
"Thatwasajoke," he blurted.
The three espressos were most definitely kicking in.
"No, shewasagreatmom. She...gotittogetherwhenIwasaboutsixorseven," Wally nodded. "Soexcludingthedrugsshewasgreat."
It was Iris's turn to have a blank expression, "...Wait, what?"
Thankfully she laughed.
Oh G#d.
"Sorry!" He apologized, "I downed about three Flash's before you got here."
Iris sat back, eyebrows raised, "Three? Wow. And here I thought Barry was the only one capable of having more than a single shot of those things. Are you okay? You're almost...vibrating. "
Wally tried to play it cool, "Fine! I'm fine. Totally fine...I said fine too many times didn't I?"
Iris laughed again, "Yeah. Just a little. I guess...I'm not totally prepared either. What do you say to someone after missing almost two decades of their entire life?"
The teen eyes flicked back and forth, "...'Hi, sorry I missed. Lets catch up sometime.'"
He grinned hopefully at that last part.
"So...Wally. What's that short for? Wallace?" Her hands clasped together.
A waitress handed her a hot mug.
It was a good sign.
He tried to keep himself from vibrating off the tall chair and made a face.
"Unfortunately. Ifyouthinkthatisbadyoushouldhearmymiddlename. Torture, I tell you."
Iris laughed, trying to take a sip of her coffee, "Oh come on. It's not that bad."
Wally's smile got bigger, "For real? I'mnamedafterareighndeer. Ithinkthatconstitutesasaformofchildabuse."
She must have caught that last part because the energy between them darkened.
A long pause of awkward silence.
Then Iris challenged him, "Bartholomew."
"No such thing," Wally shook his head, swallowing his own hot liquid, "I'mcallingit! Bartholomew is not a word, let alone a name."
Of that he was certain.
"Oh you're sure?" She laughed, "I have the guy in my contacts right now let's call him up."
"Prove it."
"I am," the young journalist pulled out her BlackBerry.
"Uhuhnoway. Youcantjustdialarandomnumber-"
"Ssh. It's calling him."
Wally remained a skeptic.
"HowdoIknowyouarenotpayingwhoever-"
"-Hi, Barry. How are you? I need to tell my brother here your full, real name."
Iris put it on Speaker and shoved it in front of his face.
A nervous guy on the other end spoke up, "Umm, yea, Sure, I guess. Bartholomew? Bartholomew Henry Allen. B-but tell him to call me Barry, Iris."
Wally wasn't sure what he couldn't get over first.
The fact Iris just called him her brother or that this guy was telling the truth.
"Thanks Bar, I'll have to call you back later," she hung up.
"Okaywhowas-"
"That was my best friend. He works at STAR Labs and is a forensic scientist for the CCPD. My dad works there," Her expression grew more serious, "I guess he's your dad too."
The silence was eternal.
Then Wally told her, "I'd love to hear more about him Iris. I'mnotjokingtellmeeverything," his smile was megawatts.
It was returned.
Iris lept right into a story.
Wally listened as time past around them.
She was amazing, how could he have missed this?
The teen always imagined something greater out there for him.
Was this it?
Was it a complete family?
Somehow he knew after meeting Iris.
Knew it would all be okay.
This place made him feel safe.
This city felt...right.
He couldn't wait to meet these people in her life.
Read her stories, talk with Joe, get to know this Bartholomew person.
See the toys at STAR Labs Ohmegeezus!
His inner science nerd was brimming with joy and excitement.
Just the idea of it made Wally feel like he died and went to heaven.
Maybe they knew something about The Flash.
After all they were responsible for creating all these meta-humans.
What if there were some how...
No.
No way.
There was no way he could recreate the incident we're talking a catastrophic incident here.
Not mention Dr. Wells died last year.
Wally tried to keep still.
Tried to pay attention, but something was weighing on him.
His mom had said she needed to tell him something.
Not this.
This was...on a completely different level.
What if...
No.
That was not possible.
But it would make so much sense.
The doctor visits, the secret family in Central City.
It made Wally want to call her.
What if something was seriously wrong?
Iris started talking about her friend getting struck by lightening.
Then it clicked.
"That's it!" Wally stood.
Iris was, to say the least, surprised by his outburst.
"Sorry. Ijust...figuredsomethingout. It'sascienceequationI'vebeenworkingon."
"Oh, well, what's it about?" She leaned forwards interested.
Wally was not expecting that reaction.
Asksomethingelsedamnit!
He needed her to like him.
And not think he was weird or some delusional freak.
Wally paused then took a breath, "Justsomeweirdrandomstuffwithlighteningnobigdeal," he tried to act causal.
Play it cool.
Iris chuckled, "Okay. Well...I'd ask Barry. He's the expert on lightening," she smiled.
Wally nodded like the caffeine hit him with a jackhammer.
"Yea. Sure. Yea. Sure. No prob. Yousaidhewasinacomaforhowlong?"
"Nine months, then he got transferred to STAR Labs. That's how I met Cisco and Caitlin. They saved his life."
"...I have to pee," Wally blurted.
It was the truth used as a lie but was totally happening.
He totally had to pee.
Iris laughed, "Go, you've been shaking for thirty-eight minutes."
The boy stiffly ran to the restroom as she finished chuckling and checked her messages.
There was one from her dad:
You good baby or do you need me to come and get you?
Iris smiled and then texted back:
Things are going great :) Don't wait up.
Fin.