S.T.A.R. Labs
In the lounge, Barry stands upright calm in position, awaiting the comer, who's about to make her advent. From the door-sized entrance, Iris walks into the same room that Barry is in.
"Barry?", Iris calls, which got Barry to turn his gaze to encounter Iris's arrival. "Why are we in here? Joe. Cecile. Wally. Nora. Jenna. They're all back. Nora needs us at the medical bay". She advanced to proceed in closing in with Barry, whom also established walking closer.
"Yeah", said Barry, in a tone so dry. Which Iris noticed as her eyebrows slightly punctured.
"Is everything alright?", Iris questions, remembering the trauma Barry obtained when he witnessed Dark Arrow beating her to death. "I know things have gone a lot apostisis. You see, I'm still okay. You don't have to worry".
"I am worried. Worried about you Iris. You almost died. And I was helpless. Something Oliver underwent the traumatic experience twice. Being put down between two choices", said Barry. Tears start to flow down, crossing through the fractured boundaries, on his face. Iris was pondering on what Barry is directing his thoughts at. "I was useless".
"You're not useless Barry. You're still the same Barry I loved since the beginning. And will always be the man I adore, and have many affairs with", Iris remarks. "I love you Barry".
"I do too Iris. I love you in every part in my heart. I love you. You are what gave me a sense of comfort, tranquillity in my pain, and saved me from dropping into the pit. Whilst I carried on being the Flash", Barry deemed.
"Is there something you'd want to share with me?", Iris
"Yes", Barry addresses, briefly rubbing his chin. "It's about you. And Nora. You two are what fills me altogether". He rotates his entire body around. "Without you two, I could've easily be broken. Or forged into a darker depth. I mean, I almost killed Cicada, because he paralysed Nora, broke her. I was mad. Like I wanted to take it all out on him".
"Because your witness drove you to become violent for a short time. It's typical for a parent to express such anger. We use it every time when our child stumbles into something that would agonise them. It's normal Barry. I can understand that you had temptations to kill that lunatic castled-Oliver", said Iris. "I can forgive you because you dear us the best way".
"Yeah. I thought I could be a better father. A better husband. Instead it was the alternative. I thought I could have a life without having to worry about my ego conflicts, because I believed that I will always live happily ever after", Barry expresses. "But the recent brutal torture you went through. What I perceived. It made me realise how far I am pushing my life into".
"What's meant to mean?", Iris asks.
"I'm leaving. I quit being Central City's protector", said Barry.
Iris shortly arose to chuckle, a little narrowed down. "You can't. Central City needs the Flash. They need Barry Allen as well".
"If there's one thing that I am against in Central City, it's putting my family lives at risk. Wally will take over my place to watch over the city. He should be as fast as I am, even not greater enough to reach his own potential", said Barry.
"But-"
"It's better this way Iris", Barry interrupts Iris going against it. "For years, it never came to contact my head to know that togging on as the Flash would bring so many people to enter my team. Because I allowed them to. Gave them the benefit of doubt". Iris nodded, in a followed horizontal line. "Iris. You've been by my side for over a decade, and I have can never go beyond my gratitude. To thank you for all the wonderful things you've done. For me. For our family. And our friends". Barry exerts his head, plunging his lips on Iris's forehead, as his hands on placed on both her arms. As he separated, he took one glance with Iris, giving her a happy smile. "Goodbye Iris". Moments later, Barry instantly vanished in a yellow ablaze.
Iris, afterwards, heard footsteps.
"Barry? Iris?", a known male voice calls.
Once reaching the door line, Cisco and Caitlin become known to Iris of being aware of their presence.
"Where's Barry?", Caitlin questions.
Iris rotates to Cisco and Caitlin's side. "He's gone. Left Central City for his own good".
Caitlin seemed astonished to hear it. But Cisco took a different approach on it as he shows his laughter.
"Come on Iris. April Fool's Day is way past. It's June", said Cisco, but comes to terms to realise it wasn't a joke. Cisco's fabricated face outed lines spread out. "You mean he's...".
Iris sighs to herself, then nodded. "Barry isn't coming back".
"I'm sorry Iris", Caitlin expresses her sympathy for the Iris, embracing her into a folded hug. "I'm sorry". Iris's tears let out, tumbling over the road on Caitlin's shoulder.
Cisco, in his mind, never undergo a feeling left. Barry was his best friend. They were there for each other. And the Flash never gave up on being the hero to Central City, because that city needed their original speedster hero. Now he left, and Cisco is puzzled by what's next to fumigate them.
A/N: In this chapter, I'm not really setting up a permanent breakup between Iris and Barry. I'm bringing in a setup for my future stories, in which this stage could be compelled to instate as part of a story's importance. Although my focus is tendered on Oliver and Kara, including their blood ties.