STAR Labs, a few seconds ago.

The First watched it all unfold with a sneer on its lips; at least the lips of the form of Iris it had taken while remaining unnoticed by the others in the autopsy room. It watched Iris kill and then feed Wally her blood before smashing his head onto the floor. It watched as Iris then prepared to attack Cisco before escaping just as the cavalry in the form of Joe, Laurel, and Thea arrived.

The First kept on eyeing Iris as she broke into a boutique that closed its doors since it was the end of business. She killed three guards and then took off the blanket that covered her before searching for new clothes. The First had her memories and feelings; they were of being pushed aside to the sidelines so that Iris would be protected. There were the light-hearted memories, as well as memories of sadness and despair. But those were the memories of Iris West. The being that the Frist was watching as she put on a pair of tight leather trouser was darkness, a demon with nothing holding her back.

A demon that brought out the anger in Iris… an anger caused by her feelings of being forced to be the good girl. The weak and good girl.

The First watched Iris put on a shirt and then a leather jacket before standing in front of a mirror. Unfortunately, there was no reflection of the young woman. But Iris still did a turn in front of the mirror before leaving the store and heading back to STAR labs to wait for her brother to awaken as a demon.

While Iris was on the way back to STAR Labs, the First travelled to Star City where it appeared in the Arrow cave. The First took on the visage of Moira Queen where it watched the Green Arrow talking on the phone with Thea. The First smiled at the distress on the Green Arrow's face as he sat down, his shoulders hunched forward while a hand covered his mouth.

The First remained unseen as it felt stronger by the sheer anguish from Felicity and Diggle who were in the main room sitting behind a console surrounded by weapons and the costumes of Green Arrow, Sentinel, and the new team members of Team Arrow; Wildog, Artemis, Ragman, and with Laurel's blessing; the new Black Canary.

They had just returned to lick their wounds from another battle against a new enemy known as Prometheus, who got away. A few minutes after returning to the Arrow cave following their defeat, Oliver received the call from Thea about Constantine. It was then he was told about what happened at STAR Labs. The First smirked as Felicity grabbed the phone and asked in a cracked voice, while Oliver was shaking his head in stunned silence if what she heard over the phone was true.

"Oh God," Felicity said with eyes wide open once she heard that Wally and Iris were dead. She then placed the call on speakerphone so that everyone could hear that Iris had become what could only be described as a vampire. Everyone, even the new members of Team Arrow, listened in stunned silence upon hearing that it was Iris who killed Wally.

"He didn't have a pulse," Thea said over the phone while the stunned Joe was carrying his son away from the autopsy room after being convinced to do so by Laurel. Thea's voice cracked for a little bit as she walked alongside Joe, "there are two marks on his neck and… and Ollie, I… I think this is bad. Iris… or whatever… I mean whatever she…"

"It's not Iris," whispered Joe, a voice that all of them could hear over the speakerphone.

"Whatever this is? Whatever has taken control of Iris? It's taken full control. I've never seen this before, Ollie," Thea said, "we need that Constantine guy. I don't care how you get him but… but Iris said that Wally is the key. He'll bring down the world. I don't know how or… or… Oh God."

"Thea," Diggle, in disbelief, said, "could this be a virus? ARGUS has records of virus' that emulate vampirism. It replicates death and gives the host a craving for blood."

"Does it change the facial features?" asked Thea as they continued through the hallway.

"No, but…"

"We've taken Wally's blood for Caitlin to examine after she regains consciousness," Thea said, "but this whole situation…. I mean it's weird. Weirder than anything we've gone up against. And that's including Genesis Day and the League."

"I'll contact Constantine again," Oliver said picking up the phone off the table. Just hang on, Thea… I'll call Constantine again. And… and tell Joe that we're… we're so sorry."

"I will," Thea said before the phone line was cut off. The First enjoyed the looks of anguish on the faces of the three original members of Team Arrow.

Just as Oliver started dialling for Constantine, the First returned to a large subterranean cavern in the outskirts of Central City.

Two miles outside Central City.

The First appeared to the left of fifty-two haggard old men in blackened cloaks made from human skin, frayed at the edges, with hoods that covered their faces. The First stared at the symbols they were sitting around while the cavern itself was lit by black candles that gave off a red oloured flame. The light from the flames danced on the walls of the cavern, giving it an eerie glow while the fifty-two beings chanted in an ancient and long dead language.

"I can sense Iris West returning to the place known as STAR Labs," the Master said as he walked out of a tunnel that led to another network of tunnels that led tothe surface, "when will we gather the one you call Cisco Ramone?"

"In due time," the First said as it looked at the Master in Iris' form, "I want them to suffer, I want them to see that Iris West is dead and gone before she causes the entire world to Fall. She and Wally will build you your army, and then we will gather Cisco. And then?"

"Then we will go to my world, and I will feed on the blood of the Slayer."

"And I will tip the balance to evil," the First said taking on BUffy's form, "the destruction of the Slayer Line will enable me to finally gain physical form and take control of every man, woman, and child everywhere."

The First smiled at the plan it put into motion ever since Barry arrived in Sunnydale. Iris and Kid Flash were a big part of its plan. Wally would be responsible for the creation of a vast planetary army of vampires that would rival the one growing in strength under the Hellmouth in Sunnydale. It just needed a little more time for the Hellmouth beneath central City to grow enough that the First would command the Brujeria, the three haggard men, to bring forth the essences of more of Buffy's greatest enemies and reconstitute them; just like they had done with the Master.

"Adam, the Judge, and Glory," said the First in Buffy's visage, "all have a history with the Slayer. And all will subdue the ones who survive to resist on this Earth. Once my army in Sunnydale is prepared, I will prepare the attack. Then, and only when the Hellmouth beneath Central City has opened enough, will we capture Cisco Ramone. Only then will the Slayer line be extinguished from all time, and I will gain my physical form."

The First then smirked before saying, "then all of reality will give in to evil. The greatest of the good will murder with abandon. The evilest of evil will outdo themselves in the eyes of those who tremble in fear. Parents will murder their children and children will murder their parents… and I will watch, and feed their evil."

"For the rising dark has come," the fifty-two haggard men chanted.

The Master managed a sneer as the First then vanished.

STAR Labs, forty-five minutes later.

'Caitlin's injured and is unconscious, Cisco's unconscious and Dr. McGee is dead,' thought Joe to himself.

The Detective felt alone.

Two of his team were down for the count, and another one had lost her life.

Joe already knew loss; he experienced loss when he lost his wife to a wasting disease more than a year ago. He then lost his adoptive son ten months ago. Then he lost his daughter earlier that very night. She died, and then suddenly regained consciousness with a literal new look, and was now out in the city somewhere.

And now, he lost his biological son.

Joe felt alone. He felt a deep anger at how his family was being affected. At the same time, he felt cold as he sat on a chair at the entrance to the pipeline while Thea and Laurel were tending to Caitlin and Cisco. He had already helped in placing Dr. McGee's body into the morgue, but not before placing Wally's dead body into the cell in front of him.

All Joe heard, as Wally's body was being placed in the cell, were words combined with bits of gibberish; at least what he thought was gibberish. His thoughts were on the dead Dr. McGee, and on his daughter, and his sons. His mind was so occupied with grief that he was tuning out what Thea and Laurel had been saying. Back at the entrance, Joe's shoulders hunched over as he stared at Wally sleeping in his cell. The very cell that was made for the fake Harrison Wells after he was revealed to be the Reverse Flash.

As Joe placed his elbows on his knees after he leaned forward and then cradled his forehead in the palm of his hands, he felt a chill up and down his spine when he remembered Iris. He tried to remember the Iris that he knew- his little girl- but the only one that popped into his mind was the Iris who escaped. The Vampire. The one who killed her own brother.

Joe was still getting his mind around the fact that his own daughter killed her brother.

He tried to keep the tears away. He tried to keep the lump in his throat away.

But Joe was unsuccessful in both as the dam broke and tears streamed down his cheeks. They fell onto the floor as he released a sob. Joe wanted to scream out loud in the pipeline. As his shoulders trembled, Joe felt a hand gently touch down on his shoulder. Not wanting to see whoever it was the hand belonged to, he turned his head away and wiped his eyes before hanging his head again.

"Joe," Laurel whispered as she stood next to him. She stared at the back of his head, then at his trembling shoulders, and back up at the cell where Wally was lying on the floor in his Kid Flash uniform, "I… I don't know what to say."

She looked back down with a feeling of sadness as she thought about the losses the man next to her suffered in the space of a few hours. Laurel had seen the movies on her Earth when she was a child, she had even seen the shows, about vampires and the supernatural. She had experienced the supernatural back in her own Earth and she heard Thea and Oliver had their own encounters with the supernatural in regards to their face-off with Darhk. But this was different.

She could feel evil around her as she stared at Wally's unmoving body. She didn't even see him breathing. There were no tell-tale signs that he was alive in any way.

'Just like Iris.'

Laurel then turned her head over her shoulders upon hearing footsteps in the hallway leading to the pipeline.

"Caitlin and Cisco are going to be alright," Thea said as she walked into the lobby outside the pipeline and walked up to the entrance, "Caitlin has the bite marks on her neck, but she's alive. She and Cisco need some rest, but… but Iris and…"

Thea then glanced at Joe, and then at Laurel who looked back at her in sadness. The archer then turned her head and glared at Wally before saying that they were absolutely sure that Iris was dead when she came in earlier that night. "there was no breathing, no heartbeat, and…"

"Thea," Laurel said shaking her head before she nodded at Joe, "this isn't…"

Thea knew that this wasn't the time to bring up what happened to Wally and Iris to Joe, but she needed him to snap out of his depression. Thea knew that they had already lost Barry somewhere, that he was missing; and now they were down Iris, Kid-Flash, Dr. McGee, Caitlin, and Cisco; the latter two only temporarily out of commission.

Thea stared at the cell before looking down at Joe, and immediately hating herself for what she was about to do. Thea walked around Joe until she was standing in front of him while Laurel, who guessed what Thea was about to do, shook her head. Thea glanced at Laurel. She knew that Laurel did not want her to continue. And and a wave of sadness passed through Thea at remembering what Joe lost; his entire family.

"Detective," Thea said as she stood with her hands at her sides, "Joe, I need you to get up. I need you to fight. I lost my father at sea, my mother was killed right in front of me. But I still get up and fight for the both of them. Oliver still gets up and fights for the both of them, and…"

"Thea," Joe whispered shaking his head, his voice cracking, "please..."

"I want you to listen, Joe," Thea said, her heart breaking at hearing the man's voice while Laurel gently squeezed his shoulder, "I don't know any disease that can keep a person alive after an autopsy despite what Felicity and Oliver say. Iris was dead and… and so is Wally. We checked even after bringing him here. I don't know what happened to Iris, and I don't know what happened to Wally, but the blood I took from him should give Caitlin an idea after she tests it."

"After she wakes up," added Laurel gently as the despondent man stared at the floor.

"Right now, Joe," Thea said nodding her head at Laurel and crouching down until she was eye level with the older man who looked exhausted, "we need you. I talked to Oliver a few minutes ago again, and he said he's finally managed to reach an acquaintance of his who knows Constantine. Apparently, he'll be back tomorrow given the urgent situation.

Anyway, Oliver and Felicity will join us once they've taken care of some trouble. In the meantime, when Cisco gets up, we can contact Earth-Two and have Jessie here as back-up. And then we search for Iris and whoever…"

Thea stopped talking and pulled her head up staring at Laurel upon hearing soft laughter behind her. Thea watched Laurel's eyes shift to the left, behind her, while Joe pulled his head up and stared in stunned silence at Thea. He and Thea then looked at each other before he leaned sideways and Thea turned around to the sounds of laughter from Wally. The young man's shoulders were trembling as he slowly got up to his feet while keeping his head low.

"Wa… wally?" asked Joe, his heart racing as he got up from his seat, pushed the crouched Thea aside and then rushed into the cell. "Wally!?" The laughter kept on coming as the panicked Joe, seemingly having lost a sense of self, rushed to the cell while Thea got up off the floor. She and Laurel then rushed into the pipeline after Joe. The two young women caught up to Joe just as he reached the cell, and Thea pulled him back while Laurel stood in front of them as Wally raised his head and snarled with his demonic visage; the yellow eyes, the fangs, the ridges on the forehead and eyebrows, all combined to send a chill through their spines.

"Joe!" yelled Thea as she grabbed the detective's arms and shook him, "that's not Wally!"

"That's…" Joe yelled at Thea while pointing at Wally when the latter spoke while placing the palms of his hands on the glass.

"It's me, Thea." Thea turned around with her eyes wide open and stared at Wally who took on his human face, "Dad? Laurel? It's me. Just a more improved me. Open the cell, and I can show you what I see… what I feel… what I hear. Your heartbeats, your blood, and your power. Open the cell."

"No," Laurel said as she glared at Wally who stepped back while furrowing his eyes brows. They saw him looking up and down at the cell door. He the chuckled before saying that the myths were really true- that vampires had no reflection.

"We… we can find a cure for you, and…"

"I'm dead, dad," Wally said as a look of anguish was stuck on Joe's face, "I'm dead and that's fine. I felt betrayed by Iris when she tricked me.. when she killed me.."

"She didn't," yelled Joe as Thea held him back, "she didn't.. she.. she couldn't have, and…"

"She did," Wally interjected, "and now I couldn't be happier. She opened my eyes, Dad. And now? Now that there's nothing keeping the Speed Force away from me. I can feel it surging through my body." Wally then licked his lips as he took a step forward and placed his forehead on the cell door while staring at Laurel, "and I'm so hungry. Let me out, and I swear that you, Thea, Dad, Caitlin, and Cisco won't feel a thing."

"Try getting out of there," Thea said as she pulled a trembling Joe back. Wally then smiled before running back a few steps as lighting crackled on his body. He then rushed the cell door, which flashed orange from the lighting and Wally's body impacting against it before he was flung back. He fell onto the floor before quickly getting up and staring at the glowering Thea. Wally then screamed in rage as he pulled his arm back, ran, and then punched the special glass to no avail.

"It's the same cell used to hold the Reverse Flash," said Thea, "and Cisco's already told me he's faster than Barry, and I'm guessing faster than you since.. well… you couldn't break through."

Wally glared at Thea who had a smile on her face before looking over at the stunned Joe.

"Have to hand it to Iris," said Laurel staring at Wally, "she's the one who told us to keep you in here."

"If that's true, then she's got a plan," said Wally, "you should have killed me when you had the chance because… because I can sense her, and she's close by."

"Where?" asked Joe, hopeful that his children could still be given a cure, "Wally, where is she?"

"Close by," Wally said, "she'll be back. And when she is? I'll kill you all."

Joe, his face twisted in anguish as he stared at the being that he kept on telling himself was his son, took in several deep breaths while Thea and Laurel stood next to him. They heard Wally laugh before smirking as he stepped back, "she's coming soon, dad. And when she lets me out, the both of us are going to have fun."

"Wal…"

"You wanted me and Iris to have something in common, dad," Wally said before stifling a laugh. He laughed out loud a few seconds later while saying, "and we do have this in common. We're both vampires."

Joe could only look away in sadness as Thea slowly turned him around and then led him away. Wally laughed out loud as Laurel took one last look at him before turning around as well. They walked into the main building with Laurel, her back to Wally, pressing her hand on the palm scanner. She stared at the palm scanner… that\s how much Joe and the others trusted her even after what she did. She watched the scanner flash as Thea held onto Joe, and silently apologised for not being able to repay their trust… for not being able to repay Joe's trust in helping to protect his children. She then turned around and stared at Wally as the thick door slid down.

STAR Labs, 20 minutes later.

Iris wiped the sides of her mouth with the back of her hands. She then looked at the blood, and then licked it off before looking back out at the hulking STAR Labs building. She was in the shadows of several buildings in a white shirt, black leather pants and a leather jacket. She could sense the Master waiting for her, but Iris needed to get her brother out first.

He was the key.

Iris walked in her shoes towards the main street, beyond which was a fence, beyond which was the parking lot that led to the STAR Labs building. Iris ran all the way to the boutique after she escaped without feeling any exhaustion. The woman killed without any feeling, stole without any regret. Iris felt more alive than when she was alive; so now, with a smirk on her face, Iris ran past several cars that lined the street. She jumped over one that nearly hit her as she crossed, landing on the pavement where she crouched down with a smile before she ran at the fence. She jumped over the sign, her body twisting in the air before landing on her feet.

'As yes, mysterious gymnastics abilities,' Iris thought to herself.

And she didn't lose a breath.

'I'm not even breathing,' Iris thought as she ran as fast as she could through the parking lot while glancing up at the cameras. She wondered if the Laurel, her dad, and Thea even knew that she was on the way. Her jacket fluttering behind her, Iris made it to the glass window she had broken earlier that night and rushed into the building. She then ran towards the stairwell, fully aware that the remaining Team Flash could be monitoring the elevators. She knew that they could stop the elevator car, 'even when I'm going down the stairs, they could see me on the monitors. Wonder what's the likelihood of that. Only three of them remain, Dad's probably gone out of his mind, and then there's Laurel and Thea. I'll see about them, and…'

It took a few minutes of dashing down the stairs but once Iris reached the door to the hallway leading to the Pipeline, she stopped in her tracks. And then a smile formed on her face.

'So, you were watching,' Iris thought to herself as she looked up at the camera. The alarms in the Cortex, where the three of them were situated had gone off after it detected movement. Unknown to Iris, Laurel and Thea were there while Joe was lying on a bed in the med lab located in the Cortex itself. Upon checking the monitors, Thea saw that Iris was running towards the building in the parking lot. And it was then that she and Laurel moved out, but not before telling Joe to stay where he was. The older man then was about to say something, but it was Thea who sternly told him to stay put.

Back in the stairwell, Iris grabbed the door handle while hearing two sets of heartbeats, and two distinct scents. She was smelling both Thea and Laurel. She then pushed the handle down and opened the door to reveal Thea with her bow drawn, an arrow ready to be fired. And Laurel was staring at her while leaning forward slightly. Iris saw that Laurel's right foot was in front of the other while hearing her heart racing as sweat trickled down the sides of her face. Iris then smirked before raising her hands.

"Hi Laurel, Thea," Iris said playfully as Thea and Laurel remained silent. Iris tilted her head, the smile still plastered on her face, "nothing to say? I take it that Wally's turned? You don't have to hide him, you know. I can sense him."

"You killed Dr. McGee," said Thea while Iris stared at her, "you hurt Cisco, Caitlin, and you killed your own brother… and that hurt Joe."

"Awww… is daddy upset?" Iris pouted her lips as she put her hands down before vamping out, "no time for small talk anymore. Either you kill me or…"

Iris sidestepped an arrow that only just missed her. She stared at the arrow as it made a 'clang' sound against the door and then fell on the floor. She then turned back to Thea who drew back her bow with another arrow. "That one, I missed on purpose, Iris. The next one is going right through your heart. I don't know what happened to you, or if the myths about what you…"

"Vampire," said Iris as she turned her body and grabbed the handle of the door. Just as she pulled the door open, and then tore the door off its hinges, Laurel drew a deep breath and screamed. Laurel's hair fluttered back as Thea, wincing slightly from the scream, watched as Iris cried out in pain as she dropped the door… the steel door… and covered her ears. Iris was on her knees as Laurel screamed again. This time the Vampire was crying out louder as her ears bled thanks to her enhanced hearing. Thea wanted to tell Laurel to stop, she could hear the woman in front of them begging for help as if she was Iris herself.

'But it's not Iris, not the one I know anyway,' Thea thought to herself as she watched Iris, on her knees, close her eyes tight in pain. Blood was dripping down the sides of Iris' hands and through her fingers, from her ears. Laurel stopped screaming and was prepared to scream once again when there was a roar as Iris looked up at them with pure evil in her eyes.

Thea took a deep breath and fired an arrow straight and true as Iris growled and stood up staring at Laurel. The arrow penetrated Iris' chest but nothing happened except for the young woman stepping back. Iris looked at the arrow, and then Laurel screamed once again. Thea fired off another arrow that hit Iris in the chest, and then another one, followed by another one as the vampire got on her knees.

It was Lauren's scream that forced Joe to get up off the bed, and then pick up his weapon, before rushing out the Cortex. It was the same scream that Wally, with his heightened sense of hearing, heard as he punched the glass cell hundreds of times in a few seconds. He could only think about the pain that Iris had to be in as he increased his speed punching. He vibrated his fists as lightning crackled all around his body while punching faster than he ever had before, combining with his newly acquired strength. Suddenly, there was a creaking sound, and after a few more punches the glass shattered. As it shattered in slow motion, Wally zoomed out of the cell, phased through the doors, and then ran up the hallway to the lobby where Laurel was screaming and Thea fired arrows at the bleeding and screaming Iris.

Wally ran up to Thea, flung her aside, and then before she could hit the wall, Wally flung Laurel to the side and stopped next to Iris before crouching down. Thea and Laurel were propelled sideways before impacting the side walls with gasps escaping their lips. Thea dropped her bow when she was flung, and it clattered on the floor. After slamming against the wall, Lauren and Thea fell onto the floor on opposite sides of the lobby with groans escaping tehir lips.

"Look at what we have here," Wally said looking at Iris who was bleeding from her ears, chest and abdomen where the arrows were sticking out. Wally grabbed the arrows sticking out of her chest and abdomen, and then pulled them out while Iris yelped out in pain. He threw them aside before looking hungrily at Laurel and Thea who were slightly dazed as they rubbed their foreheads. Wally then looked back down at Iris who was on her back and smiled before asking her why she was playing with her food.

"I came to rescue you, Wally," Iris said while she placed her hand on her bleeding chest as if nothing had happened. She then stared at the blood on her white shirt, which was quickly becoming red in colour.

"Yeah?" said Wally sarcastically looking down at his sister, "look who saved who?"

Iris then sighed while looking up at her brother. "Come on, help me up."

Wally chuckled before standing up and then reaching down with one hand. At the same time, Laurel tried to stand up while grabbing her head, but only managed to stumble back onto the ground since she felt dizzy. And it was the same with Thea who fell forward on all fours and hung her head after getting onto her knees.

"Iris.. Wally, think about.." whispered Laurel looking up at the two as they stood together.

"I'm hungry, and Iris needs to feed," Wally growled as Thea looked up at him. Everything was spinning for Thea as she stared at Wally.

He was about to walk towards them when Iris grabbed his arm. Feeling that she was going to throw-up, Thea closed her eyes and hung her head again while hearing Iris say that she wanted them alive to see the end of all things, "when everyone falls, then we kill them. Right now, we have to see the Master."

"The Master?" asked Wally with his brows furrowed in confusion.

"You'll meet him," Iris said looking at her brother, "but you need to feed. And so do I."

"Where do you…"

"I was thinking you take Jitters, and I take CCPN," said Iris with a smirk while Wally grinned, "Let's go, Wally. It's feeding time." Wally then grabbed Iris before running off; Thea heard the whoosh just as footsteps were heard behind her.

"Thea? Laurel?" Joe said just before Thea lost consciousness.

Sunnydale, a second after Barry asked Giles' blessing.

"Are… are you certain of this, Barry?" asked Giles as he stared at the ring, a silver circle with three small diamonds set on the surface. He then looked up at Barry who was nodding his head. Giles looked at the man, and thought about how time went by ever since he arrived in Sunnydale. Giles liked Barry, and he loved that he made Buffy happy in her personal life and as a Slayer.

Giles then thought about the very first time he met the blonde Slayer, and chuckled that the very same girl was now a young woman. Giles then took in a deep breath before he closed the top of the velvet box in his hand and handed it back to Barry.

"The both of you will have to watch out for each other, even if she says she doesn't need you to, and…"

"I'll be there for her," Barry said as he placed the box back into his pocket. "I'll be there for her Giles."

"I love her like a father would, Barry."

"I know."

"I want her to be happy, Barry. Will you keep her happy?"

"Yes," Barry said before wincing and then jokingly saying, "unless I do something stupid and then she uses her strength to beat me up… if she can catch me."

"Oh she'll have Willow and Tara find a way," Giles deadpanned while putting his hands into his pockets and staring at Barry, "and when they do? You should know that Xander and I will beat you with shovels if you hurt her."

Barry didn't know if Giles was joking or not. He continued to chuckle while rubbing the back of his head as a chill went up his spine. For a little moment there, Giles reminded the speedster of Oliver during one of his serious moods, and it frightened him. Barry then sighed, and stood shoulders back while Giles looked on curiously at Barry.

"I love her, Giles," Barry whispered, "and I'll do what I can to make her happy."

Giles could tell that Barry was serious. He gave the young man his 'Ripper Stare', a look that usually scared people off… but doubted it had any effect on the speedster. Giles knew that Barry loved Buffy, and that each made the other happy.

"Then you have my blessing," said Giles nodding his head. And Barry smiled before thanking him. He then said that he needed to go back to the school and plan for that very night.

"Oh, one more thing. Could you and Xander, and maybe Anya, patrol for tonight? Maybe give Buffy a break? I mean she'll be with me so if its anything big then you could just call and we'll be able to meet you," Giles nodded his head before Barry zoomed out, phasing through the rear door in the training room that led to the alley outside. Giles then sighed, and a smile appeared on his face as he walked through the other door leading back into the shop.

Sunnydale High.

Buffy just finished counselling a female student when Barry strode into the office she shared with another middle-aged woman, the senior school counsellor. He walked past the female student who then closed the door behind him. The middle-aged woman glanced up, nodded curtly, and then looked away after Barry waved. He then headed for Buffy's cluttered desk and slowly sat down on the chair right across from her.

"Miss Summers," he whispered leaning forward while Buffy leaned forward with a smirk on her face, "I have so much going on that I have to talk to someone."

"And what's your problem?" Buffy asked while she rested her elbow on the surface of the table, and then her chin on the palm of her hand.

"Is that how you talk to the students who come to you?" Barry whispered in mock surprise, knowing full well that Buffy knew he would come by to bother her before they would usually go out for lunch. Barry's heart was racing as he glanced at the clock on the wall and then at Buffy who began putting some of the files that were on her table away. She was supposed to go out with Barry for lunch, but since he had cancelled that day's lunch to go 'apartment hunting' without telling her, she made plans with Tara and Willow instead.

And she was about to leave as she stood up while staring at Barry.

"You're done with your plans for lunch?" asked Buffy as she picked up her bag, her voice hiding the fact that she was not happy that Barry cancelled their standing lunch to go apartment hunting. It was the explanation that Barry had given Buffy a few minutes ago before he went to see Giles. And Barry could see she wasn't happy, "I mean we should be both going to look at apartments since… you know, we live together, and… ah, anyway… I should get going for my lunch with Willow and Tara."

"Buffy," said Barry as she walked past him. He then sighed before following her while the middle-aged woman coughed as Buffy opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. Barry was close behind as the woman then whispered "flowers". Barry reached the door and turned back at the senior councillor before saying, "Thanks, Kristie."

He then walked out the door behind Buffy, who had a little smile on her face which was hidden away from her boyfriend. Buffy heard his footsteps behind her before he moved up alongside and they walked together in the hallway past several students who were heading for the cafeteria.

"I know it should have been the both of us but I saw a listing and.. and well, I liked it," said Barry with a hand rubbing the back of his head. Buffy glanced at him and then looked away while trying to hide the smile from seeing his face red and flustered, "I just wanted to check it out before… before you and I take a look at it. You know?"

"Alright," Buffy said as she stopped and looked at Barry. She took a step forward and placed a hand on his chest while looking into his eyes. She loved those eyes… and she felt guilty for making him feel guilty about not bringing her along, "We'll go check it out after work."

"Sweet, oh, and I'll be checking out a few more places for lunch and..." Barry stopped talking as Buffy chuckled while she straightened his shirt in the hallway. She guessed that he was going to literally run through the apartment, his idea of an apartment self-tour, as she smoothed down the wrinkles. Barry looked at what she was doing and then looked up into her eyes.

He loved those eyes.

"How about tonight we go to a romantic dinner?" asked Barry softly as Buffy smiled.

"I was kidding when I was sounding all angry Barry, you don't have to…."

"It's not that," he whispered still looking into Buffy's eyes as if he was transfixed, "Buffy, it's not that and… and let's go for dinner. Just you and me. Wherever you want. And you know I mean anywhere you want."

"How about just here in Sunnydale, with you," Buffy whispered as she placed her hand on his cheek.

"That's good with me," said Barry looking into her eyes, "oh, I know we agreed that we'd stay out of each other's…" Barry then looked around, as did Buffy, before looking at each other again in the empty hallway, "… night-jobs as much as possible, but I asked Giles if he could cover you for tonight. I know you may get mad, but Giles said that he, Xander, and Anya will take care of…." Barry then leaned into Buffy's ear and whispered, "… patrol tonight. So it's just you and me."

"Sounds good to me," Buffy whispered into his ear before he pulled back slightly. Their noses were inches away as they stared at each other. She was about to kiss him when he suddenly pulled back upon hearing footsteps. They separated and stepped back as three students came around a hallway and rushed past them to the cafeteria. Once they passed Barry and Buffy, and ran into another hallway, the Slayer smiled at Barry before whispering again, "sounds good to me, Barry. And who's going to take over for the Flash?"

"Think you can talk to Angel?" asked Barry as Buffy chuckled. The both of them then walked down the hallway and out the exit. It was then that Buffy saw Tara and Willow waiting by the latter's car. Buffy turned to Barry and said that she'll see him later that night, "maybe we'll finish lunch early and I'll get something from the mall for dinner. I mean something to wear to dinner."

Barry grinned while Buffy chuckled and shook her head before kissing him on the cheek.

"I'll see you later and…. Then we'll check out the apartment. And then dinner." Barry said.

"We can check the apartment tomorrow," Buffy said before she backed away, "I'll see you later, Barry." Buffy then ran to the car while Barry waved at Tara and Willow.

Barry and Buffy's apartment.

A normal life. Or as close to it.

That's what Buffy's always wanted ever since she moved to Sunnydale and began slaying full time. It was a calling, at least that's what Giles said the first time they met. Ever since that day, Buffy's been craving a normal life.

But when she thought she could have a normal life, be it with Angel, Riley, or even Parker… life would kick back at her. She killed Angel and sent him to hell, he then later returned and broke up with her; then there was Parke who used her, and finally there was Riley who Buffy unwittingly drove away.

Except for Parker being a jerk, Buffy's Slayer side was the destabilising force in her life.

With Barry, however, it was different. He had powers and so he knew the struggle in balancing heroics with a normal life. They complemented each other since they knew what the other was going through. They balanced each other out.

As Buffy stood at the entrance to their room after opening the door; Barry gasped. After a quick lunch, Buffy, Tara, and Willow had gone shopping after the Slayer told her friends about the date with Barry later that night. She bought a black stripped off shoulder blouse and form-fitting black trousers… the very same outfit she was wearing at the entrance with her hair falling in curls framing her face.

After work, Barry told Buffy that he wanted to pick her up from the apartment they shared. He told Buffy, at the entrance to the school, he'd be in Xander's place preparing for their date, "I know it's absolutely cheesy, but I want to pick you up for our date. It that cheesy? Or silly? Or…"

"Pick me up at eight," Buffy whispered before Barry carried her and then ran to their apartment. He then set her down outside the door before they kissed. A few seconds later, Buffy parted and asked him if there was something special they were celebrating.

"Nothing special," Barry lied as he got lost in her eyes once again while brushing her hair with his fingers, "just you and me."

And that was hours ago. Ever since Barry zoomed away, Buffy's been wondering if there was any special day she missed. She remembered that she wasn't always the greatest girlfriend to Riley, and was afraid she missed something. But nothing came to mind. And then she jokingly wondered if the reason for the sudden date was because Barry felt guilty about something. That thought last for a few minutes until she told herself, after getting into the apartment, that Barry simply wanted a date.

Back in the present, Buffy walked towards Barry who stared at her while holding a bouquet of flowers in his left hand. It was only a few minutes ago, four minutes late, that Barry arrived and used his key to get into the apartment.

"You look amazing," Barry whispered as he leaned in and kissed Buffy passionately for a few seconds. He took in the scent of her perfume and the taste of her cherry lip balm before pulling away.

"You don't look half bad," Buffy chuckled as she stepped back while Barry handed her the flowers which she then placed in a vase, "they're beautiful, Barry." Buffy then turned to see Barry with a half-smile on his face as his hands were in his trouser pockets, "so.. where…."

"Ah.. ah.. ah.." Barry shook his head before reaching into the inner pocket of his sports coat and then taking out a blindfold, "It's kind of a surprise." Barry grinned while he blindfolded Buffy, who joked that she never realised Barry liked getting kinky. The speedster chuckled once he tied the blindfold from the back before he leaned in and whispered in her ear, "well, let's see where the night takes us". Barry then laughed, as did Buffy who turned around while she was still blindfolded.

"I'm ready," Buffy said.

"Hold on," Barry whispered as he carried her and then ran. He phased through the door and out into the hallway. All Buffy felt was a breeze blowing past her. She could tell that Barry was running fast, but not fast enough for her clothes to burn off. It would be a few seconds later, with Buffy that she felt Barry stop before placing her feet first on the ground.

"Don't take it off yet, Buffy," Barry whispered. Buffy nodded her head with a smile on her face before hearing 'whoosh' noises all around her.

Buffy knew that Barry was running around her, but she still had no idea why. At least not until Barry took off the blindfold a few minutes later. Buffy's eyes widened at the blanket on the grassy ground, on top of which was a picnic basket, two candles on the blanket, two plates of food, and four torches on tall stakes dug into the ground. She then looked over at Barry who had a small smile on his face as he held her hand and led her to the blanket.

"I know this was our second date, but technically speaking it is the first official date we had," Barry said as Buffy chuckled while the both of them stopped past the blanket at the edge of the cliff that overlooked Sunnydale and the ocean beyond; Kingman's Bluff. Buffy smiled at the slight breeze from the ocean and the view of the stars in the clear sky above them. She held onto Barry's hand before looking back at him.

She didn't know what to say as she took a step towards him. He hugged her tight while wondering when would be a good time to propose. He didn't know if the best time would be after the food, or before the food. He didn't know what would happen if she said no… it was a thought that just occurred to him as he started to get nervous.

"B… Buffy," whispered Barry as he mentally told himself to push on forward and ask her now. He looked down at her while their arms were around each other before speaking, "there's a reason why I wanted to pick you up… I mean not just to relive that date but to.. well, ok.. hold on… you know, I thought I had a whole speech in my head and…"

"Barry?" asked Buffy with a quizzical look before looking at the flaming torches staked into the ground and the picnic spread. Sh ethen turned her head back towards Barry and smiled, "I love it. I love you."

"I love you too," Barry whispered as he let go of her while his heart raced. He gently pushed her away. And that led to a surprised look from the Slayer at being pushed away.

"Barry, what…" Buffy was surprised when he let go of her. And then was, even more, surprise when he gently pushed her away. And the old thoughts of Riley leaving, of Angel, leaving, suddenly came rushing back into her mind. But those thoughts were kicked out of her mind, in fact, she lost all chain of thought when Barry held one of her hands as he went down on one knee.

With his other hand, he took out a small box. A box that Buffy stared with genuine surprise on her face. She then looked back at his eyes to see if he was kidding around. Buffy placed a hand over her mouth to stifle a gasp when she realised that he was nervous, but he didn't seem to be joking around.

"Buffy," he started his speech while tears welled in her eyes at the young man in front of her. She didn't know if she was the first Slayer who would be engaged but she didn't care.

Buffy's heart raced with nervous energy as Barry spoke of how he felt about her and how happy he was to be by her side.

And then came the question. The question that made her heart leap with both joy and a hint of fear that something would happen to tear them apart.

"Buffy Anne Summers," Barry said as he opened the box. Buffy closed her eyes as tears of joy streaked down her cheeks, "will you marry me?"

"We'll face everything together," Buffy whispered as she stared at Barry with a smile on her face, "Yes, yes, I'll marry you, Barry Allen."

Barry gave a wide grin as he placed the ring on Buffy's finger before she leaned down and passionately kissed him. They parted after a few seconds so that she could pull Barry back to his feet, "I love you, Buffy Summers."

The both of them then kissed passionately once again as they stood on the cliff under the twinkling stars and a full moon. The light from both being reflected on the three diamonds of Buffy's engagement ring before a crackle of lightning travelled from Barry's body to Buffy, and travelled up her side while she continued to kiss Barry. Buffy ran her hand through Barry's hair while the lightning then travelled up her arm and into the center diamond of the ring.

TBC.