Meeting the West

Barry POV:

It has been a couple of months since we told each other that we loved each other, and finally, Kara is going to meet Joe and Iris. Kara seemed nervous when I asked her but I know that she would be great, Joe is going to love her, it is Iris I am worried about.

Ever since I have started dating Kara, Iris has been behaving very odd. She either doesn't want to spend time with me or when she does she tries to flirt with me, it is making things uncomfortable at home. And whenever I try to bring it up she just walks out.

Joe and I cornered Iris after lunch and tried to find out what was going on and to inform her that Kara would be joining us for dinner.

"Iris what is going on, ever since I have started dating Kara you have been acting weird. I want Kara to meet you, but if I think then you are just going to be nasty to her then I won't introduce you."

"Barry for years you have looked at me the way you look at Kara now. I didn't realise it before because you never said anything, but now I realise that you love me..."

"Iris stop right there. I use to love you, or at least I think that I did. Now, I realise that what I felt for you was nothing but an infatuation. I love Kara, and I want her to be part of my life."

"That is the other thing Barry, you told her that you love her after meeting her just three times. I mean who does that? I just don't want to commit another fling of yours for her to be gone by next week."

I was shocked by Iris's reaction, and by the looks of it so was Joe.

"Barr, come on. You know that you and I would make a much better couple. We have known each other longer, and we have so much in common."

"IRIS ENOUGH!!" I was shocked I haven't heard Joe shout like that in years. "Barry is dating Kara, and you are going to be here tomorrow night for dinner with her. You are going to smile and make polite conversation, and if this relationship does breakdown then I know that you will be there for Barry like you always have been. We have met a great many of your boyfriends, but this is the first woman that Barry has ever brought home. And I, for one, cannot wait to meet her."

Joe smiled at me and headed into the kitchen to make lunch. Iris looked a little shocked, but also appropriately ashamed of herself, mumbling something she shuffled upstairs. I took this opportunity to forewarn Kara about Iris.

Hey Babe, I just want to forewarn you that Iris might be a little weird around you tomorrow, she has been off since we started dating. Xx

Look don't worry about it, I won't take it personally. I will see you tomorrow. Love you xxx

Love you too. Xxx

Kara POV:

I knew that Barry was having problems with Iris but I didn't realise that they were going to be bad. I wonder if she has feelings for Barry.

Anyway, I am baking a couple of pies for tomorrow, as I promised to bring dessert. I also need to pick out what I wearing to meet Barry's family. I am thinking white top with a blue Peter pan collar, with a midi navy blue skirt and black flats. It looks smart but not dressy, and as Alex always tells me blue is my colour.

Barry POV:

I am nervous about kara meeting everyone. I mean what if they don't like her, what if Iris misbehaves? She has been in a major funk since we spoke yesterday, I have a feeling that she is planning something.

Joe has decided to make Grandma Esters infamous noodles for dinner tonight, and I can hear him singing in the kitchen. Iris hasn't come home yet, but she promised that she would be here before dinner.

Kara POV:

I am finally here at Barry's house, I take a moment to study my surroundings. It is a beautiful family home, with a garden. Inside I could hear someone singing, when I heard Barry's voice I assumed that the singer was Joe, listening closer I could only hear two heartbeats inside, Iris was either running late or avoiding me.

Steeling myself I knocked on the door and I could hear the singing stop, and what sounded like someone rushing to the door. Barry opened the door with a huge dopey grin on his face, he gave me a quick kiss and noticed the pies in my hand.

"Hey. Yes, you brought us pie. It is official, we all love you, pie is our favourite. Any way you look great and come in, I want to introduce you to Joe. Let me take your coat. Joe, Kara is here. She brought pie."

"Did I hear the word pie? You must be Kara, pleasure to meet you, I am Joe West."

Joe was smiling and was very relaxed. I could almost sense a bit of pride in him. I worked on not crushing his hand as I shook it. "Wow, that is some grip that you have there."

"Sorry. It is a pleasure to meet you, Detective West, Barry has told me so much about you. And I hope you like the pies, one is apple and the other is blueberry."

"They are our favourite and please call me Joe, Detective West is for work, and people that I don't like."

"Well Joe, Barry has told me so much about you, I feel like I know you already. And, mmm something smells amazing."

"That would be Grandma Esters famous noodles. Come in, you can tell me how they taste."

I followed Joe into the kitchen, and I glanced at the pictures throughout the house. I smiled because it showed such a happy family, and a house full of love.

"Barry is lucky to have you, Joe, you have given him such a great life."

"No Kara, I'm the lucky one. He made our house just that little bit brighter just by being here. Anyway, try this. What do you think?"

"Oh my god. That tastes amazing, your Grandma Ester was a great cook."

"Thanks, you should try her eggnog. I swear that the woman was an alcoholic. Talking about drinks, would you like a glass of wine."

"Sure, I'm not driving."

I didn't mention that alcohol has no effect on me. I walked back into the lounge and Barry was sat on the couch smiling at me.

"What are you smiling at?"

"You. Joe likes you, and that makes me happy."

"Well, I am glad."

As I leaned in for a kiss, I could hear a voice at the front door and turned to see who it was just as the door opened. A beautiful dark-skinned woman walked in and I could tell immediately that she had had a bit to drink. She was dressed rather provocatively, and I could tell by Barry and Joe's reactions that this must be Iris and that they were not expecting this.

Iris walked over and gave Barry a huge hug and kissed him on the cheek, and whispered in his ear not knowing that I could hear them.

"Like what you see Barry?"

"Get off, you're drunk. Go say hi to Kara, and then sober up."

And with a huge fake smile on her face, she stalked over to me and looked me up and down. Like she was judging me for a beauty pageant.

"So you must be Kara. What a cute outfit you are wearing, it must be so comfortable."

Suddenly I was so nervous, I haven't been looked at like this since I became the freak at school with the dead parents. "Umm, yes. My sister says that blue is my colour. You must be Iris, it is a pleasure to meet you, Barry has told me so much about you."

"Has he now. Well, he has told me next to nothing about you."

She sauntered off to the kitchen and I released a breath that I didn't even know I was holding. Barry looked at me sympathetically and followed her into the kitchen.

I am bulletproof and a human scares me. I know it is wrong but I listen in to the conversation in the kitchen.

(Barry Joe Iris)

Iris what the hell. You come in here, drunk, dressed like someone I have arrested, and insult our guest.

Look, I just want to make sure that she is the one for Barry.

Like hell you are. You are putting on a show to get me to look at you.

For god's sake Barr. She dresses like a librarian, a middle-aged librarian. And she seemed terrified of me.

Well, she wasn't scared of me. In fact, we had a pleasant conversation before you arrived. Look, Iris, we spoke about this. You can't bring a steady stream of men through here, and then get jealous of the first person Barry has brought home in years.

Iris, we are about to have dinner together. Just make polite conversation and don't pass judgement until you have got to know her.

Barry POV:

I walked back to Kara and reassured her that everything was going to be alright, and informed her that dinner was ready.

We all sat at the table in an uncomfortable silence. I looked at Joe as if to say, say something. He smiled and nodded.

"So, Kara, Barry tells me that you are a scientist. What is that like?"

"I suppose I am more of an engineer than a scientist, but I love my job, and, I wouldn't change it for the world."

Iris looked up at Kara, I knew she had been assigned the science and technology section of the paper. Suddenly her interests have been piqued.

"Oh, so do you work for STAR Labs?"

"No Mercury Labs, I was offered a position at STAR but I turned it down."

"Why?"

"Well I have a great lab, great coworkers, and my research is coming along nicely. At STAR it would all be about the large hadron collider."

"Do your family approve of your chosen profession?"

"Ha, ha. Yes, I come from a family of scientists. Eliza and Jeremiah were both bio-engineers, Alex is a bio-engineer and a doctor. Even my father was a scientist. In fact, the only person who wasn't was my mother, she was a Judge."

Iris suddenly looked at Kara with this curious look in her eyes, and I knew the reporter in her was coming out.

"What do you mean 'was'?"

"My parents died when I was thirteen, Jeremiah and Eliza took me in. Unfortunately, Jeremiah died a year later in a plane crash."

"I am sorry to hear that. You and Barry have more in common than I thought."

"Yeah. This is the one thing that I wish we didn't, for both of us. But I got lucky, Eliza and Jeremiah are good people. I even got a sister out of it, and Alex is one of my favourite people."

I could see the sadness in Kara's eyes, and I recognized it as the same look I have whenever I visit my father. But Kara soon changed the conversation away from sad topics and back to Iris.

"So, Iris. Barry tells me that you're at college, what are you studying?"

"Journalism, I have always wanted to be a reporter."

"Oh cool, my cousin and his wife are both reporters for the Daily Planet. Clark Kent, and Lois Lane."

"I idolise Lois. You don't think I could meet her do you?"

"When there next down sure."

As dinner went on Kara relaxed more, we spoke about everything from bowling to space. And Kara was spectacular, and her pies went down a storm. When dinner was finally over and we were all stuffed we layed on the sofa and vegged out.

I decided to stay at Joe's for the night, but Kara had to go home as she had work in the morning.

She said her goodbyes, and hugged both Joe and, much to my surprise, Iris. After thanking us for dinner and a quick kiss she left. It was only a few seconds later that I realized that she had left her coat behind. I ran outside hoping to stop her before she got in her cab but there was no one there. It was like she vanished.