A/N: It is finally here. As mentioned at the end of chapter two, this last part will not touch on the cliffy I left hanging open. Since the purpose of this fic was to rescue the twins and I did that, the only things being wrapped up in this chapter are regarding the aftermath of that specific plot. It's always possible I'll write a sequel to this sometime in the future – since I do have a prequel in mind. However, nothing is planned at the moment. You'll just have to use your imagination. ;)

*Big thanks once again to the lovely sendtherain who puts up with me and beta'd this so flawlessly! I love you, dear. Always.

*I own nothing. No copyright infringement intended.

It was late afternoon approaching almost sunset when Iris's eyes fluttered open and she took in the scene before her with a lazy smile.

Barry, his head propped sideways into the palm of his hand, sat in the corner of the couch kitty-corner to her recliner. Dawn was stretched across his lap, her head nestled toward his torso. With a quiet murmur from her, Barry unknowingly let her drag his other hand around her back. He pulled her closer when she visibly shivered.

Still dead to the world, Don softly snored against Iris's smaller frame. Her eyes set on him and carefully, she grabbed the haphazardly dropped blanket at her feet and covered both of them with it. Her fingers grazed his cheeks, in awe of the softness of them, trying not to replay the horror of the day that by some miracle had not corrupted her much needed afternoon nap.

The Allen family, courtesy of Joe West, had returned home after the day's terrifying excitement and decided a movie night – complete with popcorn and ice-cream – was the way to go. Always a fan of The Little Mermaid – Don insisted it was because of how cool the "triton" was – Barry put the movie in. Before the first half hour was up, all the residents of the household were sound asleep.

A quiet moan sounded from the vicinity of Barry and Dawn. Iris looked up and found their daughter still asleep, but her husband looking at her with all the love in the world – as if she had been the one that was kidnapped or almost killed in the attempt to gain back their children.

She couldn't believe how close she'd been to losing him. A part of her wanted to just lose herself in him the rest of the night, but the other part of her never wanted to release her children to anyone but herself and Barry. Everyone felt so fragile to her now. And while Barry had been at the mercy of unknown dangers before, their children never had. She didn't want to think about it now, but she knew it wouldn't be the last time.

"Hey," he whispered when he saw her eyes start to wander.

Barry knew her well enough to see the thoughts flickering behind those deep brown eyes. The afternoon had been nice – no matter that they'd been sleeping for most of it – but there was no denying the frightening events of the day. He didn't want the sadness to return to Iris's eyes. She was strong, but he'd seen the fear in her facial expressions and heard the dread in her voice. This one would sit with her for a while, as it would with him and everyone else.

Iris offered a soft smile in response, but her eyes filled with tears as they traveled over her husband and children.

Taking their children's tendency to be tremendously deep sleepers into the equation, Barry used his speed to bring Iris and Don to the couch he'd been sitting on without waking up either seven-year-old.

Iris took a breath when she found herself pressed against Barry's side with both their children laying still fast asleep across their laps. She turned to look at Barry with his lazy smug grin. Since her arms were trapped by her children's limbs, she whispered, "C'mere."

Barry leaned his head towards hers and captured her lips in the sweetest of kisses before pulling away just enough to rest his forehead against hers.

"Not enough, Bear," she murmured.

So he kissed her again, this time with a little more heat, but not enough to disperse from their children and reconvene in the bedroom.

Iris laid her head on his shoulder after he pulled away a second time. She felt delicious, happy shivers come to life all over her skin when he pressed a kiss to her temple.

"Today was scary," she whispered in a sigh.

Barry swallowed.

"Yeah."

"Any chance that might happen again?"

Barry didn't answer, which was for the best. She didn't want to hear yes, because that was too much right now. She wouldn't want to hear maybe or no though because those were lies and she detested secrets, even when they soothed a delicate heart.

"I'm glad Wally showed up," she said to fill the silence.

Barry nodded. "Yeah. Me too."

Iris parted her lips, then hesitated.

"What?" he asked, not even turning his head. "Iris?" He did turn his head now, worry creasing his face. He searched hers, trying to meet her eyes she wouldn't lift to him.

Finally she sighed and swallowed, bracing herself for his reaction.

"I think… I think Wally almost killed her."

Barry's eyes widened abruptly. He choked out a "what?"

Iris shot him a warning glance, silently reminding him not to raise his voice or move too quickly, even with his children being such heavy sleepers.

"What are you talking about?" he asked in a whisper, calmer now.

"I didn't see all of it," she admitted. "But when we came in, you were knocked out and tied up on the ground. The woman speedster was pinned to the wall with Wally's hand around her throat." She turned to look at him. "He wasn't just holding her there, Barry. He was squeezing tighter. I could feel how angry he was." She took a breath. "I'm just glad we got there when we did and had those tranquilizer darts at the ready."

Barry sunk into the couch. "Yeah, me too." He ran his free hand through his hair, tousling it thoroughly.

"I'm sure he'll be okay," she said when his nerves didn't immediately recede. She paused. "But maybe you should talk to him."

Barry started nodding, and way too fast. "Yes, I should. I should definitely—"

Iris pulled her hand free and forced her husband back against the couch when he apparently forgot his children and nearly lurched to his feet.

"Tomorrow," she said.

He turned to look at her, frowning.

"You're on edge, Bear." He opened his mouth to speak, but she continued before he could form words. "He's not going dark. He just got very protective of his family – of you. But he does need to be told not to cross that line, no matter what the circumstances are, no matter what he feels in the heat of the moment. And it can't come from me."

"Why not? He trusts you. And he almost always takes your advice to heart."

"I'm not the one he put his neck on the line for today, though. From what we heard on the com, he didn't snap until you were out."

He took a deep breath, nodded, and slowly his heart rate returned to normal.

"What do I say to him?"

She laughed and then quickly closed her mouth. Barry didn't seem to take notice.

"Barry," she responded as the moment passed. "You're the only person I know who thinks they have no idea what to say, but in the moment says exactly what needs to be said." She turned to look at him and smiled encouragingly. "Just let it come, Bear. Put your heart on your sleeve as you always do, and just…try not to get too excited."

He smiled.

"Don't get excited. Got it."

There was a twinkle in his eyes that reflected in her own, but it faded from hers and as a result from him.

"Can the kids sleep with us tonight?" she asked, timid, as if he'd say no.

He gave her the softest, sweetest, most gentle of smiles.

"And here I was thinking you might reject that same suggestion."

He leaned forward and nuzzled his face against hers. He found her lips and then traveled with his own to her jaw and her neck before meeting her eyes again.

"I'm not going to be without any of you tonight," he assured her.

She laid her head back on his shoulder and let herself sink back into sleep.

As Iris had predicted, when Barry met up with Wally the next day, all jitters had disappeared. A good night's sleep had probably had something to do with that. It wasn't something either of them expected to get, given the nightmare the day had been, but something about all four of them being huddled in a bed together must have kept those hellish dreams and restlessness at bay.

"Hey Barry," Wally said, opening the door to the rooftop at Jitters. "Why'd you want to meet here? Isn't this…yours and Iris's place?"

Barry smiled a little at the comment and approached him.

"Yeah," he agreed. "But, it also happens to be the place you thanked me for saving your life."

Wally's eyes widened slightly. "Oh wow, yeah. Yeah, I guess it is."

"I thought I'd return the favor," Barry said seriously.

Wally shook his head. "No. No, you don't need to do that. We're family. And you're…you're so much more than that to me even. You're my mentor—and your kids are my niece and nephew. There was no way I wasn't going to—"

"Iris told me you almost killed one of them," Barry said, effectively cutting short Wally's humble dismissal. The silence that descended told Barry to take action. "Look, Wally, I appreciate what you did for me, for all of us yesterday, but…"

"I wasn't going to kill her," Wally cut in.

Barry waited.

Wally sighed. "I wanted to. I wanted to a lot. But would I have?"

He shook his head, but Barry could see the wheels turning. He saw the thoughts that spread out behind those eyes, just as he could with Iris – I couldn't if I wanted to. I'm not that guy. I'm not capable. The fact that none of those words were vocalized made Barry glad Iris had talked him into this.

He wrapped an arm around Wally's shoulders and started to pull him across the rooftop till they reached a clear view of the city.

"Listen, Wally, it's our job to keep this city safe. Without us, Central City is defenseless against metahumans. Even the impeccable CCPD doesn't stand a chance. So, if we're not here, the city has no one. If I'd been killed and you committed an unnecessary murder on my behalf…" He stopped moving and turned Wally towards him, his hand gripping Wally's shoulder. "No matter how evil the villain is, if they die, it is not by our hands. We protect this city – and each other – by saving the innocent, not by killing the guilty."

"I was just so…so mad." He looked up at Barry. "I never thought I could be that mad about anyone that wasn't my mom. And then after a while, someone who wasn't Joe or Iris. I've never even been that mad defending the everyday citizen. I wasn't even with the twins, but when they completely just defeated you, the invincible Flash…"

"I'm not invincible, Wally. And this isn't the first time it's been proven."

Wally nodded. "Yeah, I know, but..."

"Don't put me on pedestal. We're all on the same level here."

Wally looked away, shaking his head. Before Barry could try to think of a better way to word what he was trying to say, Wally was facing him again. There was a determination in his eyes that barely guarded the vulnerability that lie beneath.

"None of us would be here without you, Barry. We wouldn't be who we are if you weren't in our life."

"Wally—"

"I understand what you're saying, Barry. It's not okay to kill, no matter who it is. I get that, and I will try to always remember that, even in the heat of the moment."

"But?"

Wally closed some of the distance between them.

"I just need you to know that I would lay down my life for you. Any of us would. Those speedsters didn't even give me a chance."

The words shook Barry to his core. His eyes misted with tears, but he gripped Wally's shoulder again and reminded himself to be strong.

"I hope you never have to make that kind of a choice, Wally. We all need you just as much."

There was still a fight in Wally, still the urge to argue for Barry's significance.

"I need you just as much," he said, nodding to relax Wally's ferocity. "I've never had a speedster I could trust before you. Now I do."

Thank you was spelled out in the looks, nods and hesitant smiles between them.

Finally, Barry wrapped an arm around Wally's back and led him back to the rooftop door.

"C'mon, it's movie night at Cisco's. Everybody's waiting."

"Sure." Wally smiled. "What are we watching?"

"Oh, did I forgot to mention?" Barry feigned ignorance. "You're the babysitter."

"Wha—"

Barry just laughed and sped off moments before they reached the door.

"Uncle Wally!" Dawn and Don cheered when he flew past Cisco at the open door only moments after Barry.

An amused Barry snaked an arm around Iris and kissed the side of her face.

"All good, babe?" she asked her husband, her twinkling eyes on Wally and their children.

Barry directed his gaze to hers and found Wally scooping up his kids and joking animatedly with them.

"Yeah," he said, more content now than he'd been for over 48 hours. "We're good."

A/N: I realize Wally isn't overly affectionate of Barry on the show just yet, but I hope you were able to take into consideration that this fic takes place ten years into the future. And as Wally implies, Barry mentored him when he got his speed. Also, I am first and foremost a Barry stan, so I'm sure my insane love for him spilled over into this.

Thank-you for reading! Happy reviews are love.