A/N: Hey, welcome to my first Flash fanfic. I started watching the Flash about a month or so ago. I'm now just beginning season 2. This AU came out of a desire for more young Barry/West family fluff. It is a bit of a different take on how Barry came to live with Joe and Iris. I'm not entirely sure where it will go, but the focus will be on the West family for the most part in a prequel era. I hope you enjoy this intro. I do not own the Flash, all credit goes to DC and CW. I'm just playing in the sandbox.

Prologue

Joe's POV

The boy in front of me is alone. He's lost everything. When I got that call, I thought it was going to be a routine questioning. They're always heartbreaking, these cases, but there's something even more heartbreaking about this little boy. Barry Allen, eleven years old. He goes to school with my daughter Iris. I had seen him around in the way that parents picking up their kids see other kids. I just never thought I'd be questioning him as a witness in his parents' murder.

He looked at me with a small nod of his head. His face was tear stained. Poor kid's been through hell.

"Hey there Barry. I'm Detective West." I give my best version of a smile. It's half-hearted at best. But it causes the boy to smile back, only slightly before it's gone.

"You're gonna find him right?" His voice came out soft, pleading.

"I'll do everything I can." I nodded. "Barry," I leaned across the table. "Do you remember what happened."

Barry bit his lip. "The man in the lightning… I came downstairs, my mom she was trapped. There was lightning all around her, and a man…"

"Your father?" I looked at him as he shook his head.

"No, there was a man in the lightning. He was gonna kill her. He… he looked right at me. Then mom wasn't moving. Dad told me to run, but I wouldn't then the man in the lightning...he… grabbed Dad, then I ran and ended up at the end of the block."

"The man in the lightning?" I raised an eyebrow.

"He was there. I'm not crazy, I swear Detective West!" Barry said.

I sighed. "I didn't say you were." I put aside the file.

"What's gonna happen to me now?".

"You're going to be okay Barry." I turned around looking at the two way glass, to the woman behind it. The door opened as a woman with straight blonde hair, the social worker, Hilary Fremont, entered the room.

"Hey, it's nice to meet you Barry. I'm Hilary." She held out her hand.

Barry's eyes met mine, unsure, before he pulled his mouth into a line and reached out to shake her hand.

I saw the pain in the boy's eyes. I knew then, I would never forget Barry Allen even as he walked out of CCPD holding onto Hilary Fremont's hand, nothing more than another witness statement in the folder under my arm, and yet, so much more.

A/N: So, how'd I do? Would you like to see more? Let me know what you think!