A/N: Sorry it took so long for this chapter, promise there's gonna be another one next week, just like you'll have your next Zero Hour chapter this Friday. Enjoy!
September 2031:
"Mom! Don is hurting me!" Screamed six years old Dawn to her mother as she was vigorously wrestling with her twin brother in the green field of the park.
"Don, play nice with your sister," reprimanded Iris who barely took a moment to take a look at the twins who were actively pushing each other around as she was busy comforting and rocking her seemingly inconsolable last born who wouldn't stop sobbing.
"It's okay, now. You're okay," soothed Iris to the almost two-year-old Olivia as she kissed her small reddened hand in an attempt to ease her daughter's discomfort.
The poor little girl earned her new battle scar thanks to a bee that wasn't too happy about the small human trying to steal her flowers. The creature would have preferred to see Olivia staying with her parents at the spot the family picked, instead of messing with her delicate work.
"Mom!" Protested Dawn again, "Don's-"
Iris sighed; their nice family picnic wasn't at all going the way they planned. All the West-Allen wanted was to enjoy the sunshine and the heat of this mid-September day. Especially since it was probably going to be one of the last hot days of the year before the cold of the fall and upcoming winter would engulf the town. Sadly, the universe had other plans for the little family. All it took was one small moment of inattention, as the parents were emptying their bag and basket of the towel and the plates, for little Olivia to walk away on her short legs. It wasn't long after, barely a couple of feet away from the spot, that she found the beautiful flowers that just happened to be the feast of a couple of bees. Of course, her cry for help quickly followed.
If it wasn't enough, the twins had decided that now was the perfect time to squabble, probably bored of having all the attention stolen away by their little sister.
"Maybe we should get back home," said Iris, looking up to her husband when her toddler's cry died out again.
"Give her to me," said Barry to his frazzled wife before gently kissing Iris on the forehead and extending his arm to accept his small, auburn hair and piercing eyes daughter who was still loudly sniffing, "go show these little devils who's the boss," he added while pointing at the twins with his head. No rest for the wicked. Or more like no rest, nor break ever, from being a parent.
Sitting on the towel, Barry watched his wife walk away and put the little girl on his lap. Just as his mind was starting to wander off, while rocking his little girl, Barry heard a familiar voice calling his name. One he hadn't heard in a very long time.
"Barry!" Exclaimed Lindy's happy voice, "how are you?"
How long has it been? Weeks? One month? Two? Can't have been more. Or, has it? It's sure has been a long, long time since they last spoke or had last seen each other. Not that anything transpired between them, life just happened and got in the way. After all, having a family of three children was a sure way to keep a man busy, and it's not like the not-so-little-anymore Lindy, nor his mother, needed his assistance in anything anymore. The girl had started her second year in high school and was living alone with her mother as both of her older brothers had left the state for college.
Lindy was now a teenager and a young lady slowly making her way toward adulthood. And, quite the busy person too; between school, friends and sports practices, there wasn't a lot of time left for an old family friend. It was entirely normal for a youngster like her to prefer spending time with a group of people of her age and with whom she was sharing similar interests. Under these circumstances, Barry wasn't blaming Lindy for taking distance, but it didn't mean he wasn't nostalgic about past times.
"What are you doing here?" Asked Barry to the young girl and her mother who were leaving the dirt path of the park to approach the West-Allens.
Before his question was over, the director of the CSI department put his daughter on the ground and got up to take a closer look at the visitors; the more she was growing up, the more Lindy resembled her mother.
"We were just on our way to grab something to eat and head back home," explained Amanda, Lindy's mother, who got close enough to hug the man just before her daughter could do the same.
Looking past the loving husband, Amanda waved at Iris who was finishing restoring some order between her twins. Meanwhile, smiling tenderly, Lindy gently sat on the ground in front of the little Olivia who still had still wet tears on her sad little face.
"What's up little one?" She asked at the small girl, "what's with the sad face?"
"Bad bee," exclaimed the little girl concisely, expressing herself with barely intelligible words.
Barry pointed at the bushes a couple of feet away from where some bees were still flying among the blooming flowers. Nodding, and acknowledging her understanding of the situation that unfolded, Lindy smiled at the little girl.
"Do you know why these bees are so protective of these flowers right there?" She asked the little girl mysteriously under Barry curious eyes, keeping silent and only observed the scene.
Interest and curiosity were flashing brightly in the little green piercing eyes as Olivia negatively shook her head. Smiling, Lindy jumped to her feet and walked to the flowers saying, "that's because these flowers have magical properties."
Too bad Lindy had her back turned on the girl since it caused her to miss the way the little face lighted up with amazement and delight, "really?" Shyly asked little Olivia who looked up at her father for confirmation.
Playing along, Barry just shrugged and pointed back at Lindy, "she's the magically flowers' expert."
"They can heal any wounds and make you feel better," explained Lindy with sureness while carefully choosing a bright yellow flower that wasn't surrounded by bees at the moment.
Taking it out of the ground, the turned around and moved back right in front of Olivia.
"Wanna try? Show me your hand, little Peanut," gently said Lindy.
Too amazed to say a word, the small girl just nodded and raised her reddened little hand. Coming back to the group, after making sure the twins would behave, for now, Iris moved next to her husband who passed his arm behind her shoulders to draw Iris her closer.
Oh, that last word, that nickname. Peanut. It sure brought back some memories to the speedster who used to say that same word when referring to Lindy when she was just a baby and a very young girl, a little something Lindy claimed to have forgotten a long time ago.
After a few seconds, Lindy started moving the flowers around in front of Olivia; first in a circle and, then, in seemingly random forms, Barry and Iris' last born just followed every single movement with her eyes 'til the bright flower finally landed on the back of her hand where it scrubbed against her limb a couple of there.
"There, can you feel it?" Asked Lindy who was still kneeling in front of the girl.
After a few moments where Olivia seemed to consider her condition intensively, her curious face turned into pure, overwhelmed, joy.
"It worked!" She exclaimed while jumping all around, ready to start dashing and running again like the happy two-year-old she was.
Oh, the power of the mind. Nothing like taking your mind off something to make everything better. Happy that that particular crisis was over, both parents chuckled lightly and looked at each other with love before addressing their daughter.
"Olivia, what do we say to Lindy?" Asked Barry who saw that his daughter was about to flee away.
"Thanks, Lily!" She exclaimed before dashing off.
"Thanks, Lindy, you're pretty good with children. I'm impressed," said Barry, slowly sitting on the ground next to his young friend.
Taking back a wick of black hair behind her ear, Lindy just shrugged it off, "oh, that was nothing. One of my best friends has a little sister who isn't much older."
"And she's been babysitting a little bit this summer," added her mother proudly. Her daughter was really coming into her strides.
At the mention of Lindy's summer experience, and Iris was seated again while still keeping a sharp eye on her children, the parents looked at each other with the same thought in mind. After pretty much living under the same roof their entire life, or almost, they've learned how to read each other's thought a long time ago. Approving her husband's idea, Iris silently nodded.
"Iris and I had been looking for a babysitter to look after the kids from time to time. Would you feel up to the task?" Barry asked to the delight of Matt's daughter.
"Of course, I'm interested! Whenever you need," instantly answered Lindy without hesitation.
It looked like the West-Allen and the Carter families weren't about to go on their separate way after all.
A/N: Getting close to the Long way home flashforward. Are you happy to see Lindy back? Let me know in the comments.