(Clark P.O.V) 2 Months Later

I chuckled in amusement as Victor bested Arthur in hand to hand combat training for the 3rd time in a row today, a seemingly easy task for the enhanced cyborg.

I however, had been told to watch since Arthur found it unfair to go up against me, leaving me sitting down on the sidelines sipping a hot cup of coffee and reading an old book.

"Damn it Victor, would you ease up on the robot strength for a second, shit".

I looked up at Victor who was sporting a rare smile.

"Sorry dude, can't turn it off".

"Yeah, no kidding where's Barry when you need him".

I frowned at the mention of Barry's name.

"The kid's always running late, but at least with him I don't have to worry about super strength, just super speed".

I tried to focus on the content of my book, but at the mention of Barry's name my mind wandered to recent memories that worried me.

I hadn't exactly known what was wrong with Barry, last anyone had heard he had moved back into his warehouse, and Project Barry Allen was abandoned from what I was aware of.

What worried me though was that he seemed worse as of late.

He never stayed for long after training or mission's, but when he did he didn't eat much like he used to, or talk as much, or even act much like himself.

I saw the way Diana or Bruce watched him, and I knew there was something going in, but I stayed quiet, helping where I could and backing off where I wasn't needed.

Over the last few week's though I had noticed how weak Barry looked, his already skinny frame, looking smaller and malnourished. His hair was often unkempt and was longer, almost passed his shoulders, he seemed tired and shaky, one time passing out during training for a few seconds. When asked if he was okay though Barry shrugged it off saying his blood sugar was just a little low and would eat in a minute, except that no one ever saw Barry eat any more.

My mind flashed through memories of odd behaviors I had noticed from Barry before latching on to an interaction I had with him just 3 days earlier.

I walked past the halls before turning into the kitchen surprised to find Barry standing in front of an open fridge staring at the contents inside.

"Anything good in there"? I asked, and Barry jumped from the fridge looking terrified for a minute before his face went blank.

"Ugh, no no I was just leaving".

I watched Barry oddly as he began making his way out of the kitchen.

"I'm surprised you're still here, you usually leave earlier, working 3 jobs must take up a lot of your own time I assume".

Barry turned to me and smiled, no longer moving out of the room.

"Yeah, it's killer but I make time, super speed helps and all".

"Yes it does".

We both nod in agreement as silence fills the room and I can tell Barry is uncomfortable.

I remember than that Barry and I don't spend much time together and talking with him now feel's almost foreign compared to talking with Diana or Bruce, which is probably what led to his next reaction after asking him a seemingly simple question.

"Well if you don't have work right now I could make us dinner, I'm staying for the night and we haven't talked recently".

To me the gesture seemed so simple and meaningless, but now thinking back something in that sentence triggered Barry as his body tensed and face pressed together in defence.

"No, no, no, no I can't I shouldn't I, I ugh not hungry have to work and".

I looked at Barry as his breathing quickened and watched as his hands gripped his long hair in clear distress.

"Barry are you alright"? I reached out to him but Barry flinched away panic written all over his pale face.

"I can't, I don't need your help, I can do this, I can do this, I can do this".

I again made an attempt to help Barry but he flinched farther away as he muttered the same sentence over and over again.

"Barry, Barry it's okay you don't have to stay here with me, but calm down you're working yourself up into a panic attack".

Barry shook his head violently, still muttering but his breathing was more even now, and I slowly stepped away from him hoping it would calm him down since approaching him seemed to only make it worse.

A few more minutes passed as I wracked my brain for something to say or do to help but soon Barry had stopped muttering and was just staring at the kitchen, staying perfectly still.

"Barry are you alright do you need me to get anything for you or".

Before I could finish my sentence Barry's eyes had landed on my own and in second's he was gone, seeming to have run away.

I stayed standing there for a few minutes trying to understand what had just happened but the next day when I had asked Barry about it he had dismissed it like it had never happened, leaving me concerned and watchful of Barry just like Diana and Bruce.

The sudden scurry of footsteps approaching awoke me from my daze, and I looked to find Barry pale and out of breath walking through the door.

"So sorry I'm late, the bus got caught in traffic, and some old man stopped me to ask for directions, which took way too long, but I'm here now".

"Finally, Victor's been cheating all afternoon".

Victor's brow narrowed and he scoffed at Arthur's statement but didn't respond.

I nodded to Victor who came over and sat beside me, while Barry and Arthur bickered over what prize the winner of their next few matches should get.

I watched the 2 for a few moments before distracting myself with my book once more, trying to take my mind off of Barry for just a few minutes.

Suddenly Victor's metallic elbow nudged my side and I looked up to see what he wanted.

"Clark, has Barry been acting strange around you recently"?

I turned to face Victor, who looked worried as he watched the kid fight with Arthur and I nodded my head slowly.

"Yes, the young man has me quite worried as of late". I answered honestly and Victor sighed.

"I was hoping it was just me, I mean look how thin he is that can't be healthy especially for Barry".

"Has anyone said anything about what's going on with Barry"? I asked leaning closer to Victor in order to conceal our conversation.

"No that's the problem nobody has said a damn thing, and I would ask Barry if he would stick around longer, but he's never here".

I nodded.

"Bruce is here right now, correct"? I asked as Victor watched Barry concern plastered all over his face.

"I think so but he hasn't told me anything, believe me I've tried".

I looked over at Barry, seeing his hollow body work itself to the limit as he fought Arthur in hand to hand and made up my mind in an instant.

"Yeah well I haven't tried, Bruce will talk to me".

"Good luck, if he's going to tell anyone it's you".

"Well see".

I got up from my spot on the floor, grabbed my book and my now empty cup of coffee and exited through a back door, determined to get the truth out of Bruce.

I walked through the long corridor using my X-ray vision before spotting Bruce sitting in the common area reading crime reports on a laptop.

I walked in and greeted him before leaving my cup of coffee on the kitchen counter and sat down opposite Bruce who hadn't looked up once from his work.

I cleared my throat loudly which Caught his attention before I began.

"Bruce we need to talk".

Bruce looked at me hesitantly before putting his computer away and gesturing for myself to continue.

"I'm going to make this simple and just ask straight out, but I need your word that you will answer honestly".

"If I have an answer I give you my word". Bruce obliged.

"What's going on with Barry"? I asked straight out, watching as Bruce's face turned worried and hesitant.

"It's complicated".

"Bruce, I know something's going on everyone does, and I know you have the answer to my question".

"I have the answer but it's not my answer to give".

"And what if the person with the answer is too afraid to give it, what then. Because I know for a fact that Barry would rather run than face the truth, so in order to help him you need to tell us everything".

Bruce looked at me seeming to be unsure of what to say and I crossed my arms to symbolize my seriousness with the situation.

"Barry's got a problem".

"What kind of problem"? I asked wishing Bruce would just trust me enough to tell me the full truth.

"I can't, it wouldn't help, he would only get more upset".

"Bruce you gave me your word".

"I told you, It's not my answer to give".

I could see the war raging inside of Bruce and I ran a hand through my hair in irritation.

"Bruce down the hall is a sick young man, in need of help, and rather than giving him that option you sit here unwilling to try".

"I tried to help".

"Then try again".

"It's not that simple".

" What, what's not that simple, Bruce, what is so complicated that the justice league is ill equipped to help its own member".

"Barry".

I could see the frustration rising in Bruce and the battle to reveal the truth was winning.

"What about Barry, wha.."?

"IT'S AN EATING DISORDER"!

I stopped mid sentence, Bruce's words sinking into my mind as I put the pieces together.

"I tried to help, Diana and I tried to help, but It didn't help and it made it worse. Barry doesn't want help and until he does there nothing we can do".

Bruce's words hurt, and I glared at him in annoyance.

"You're giving up, just like that one attempt and your giving up. Bruce Barry is sick, he's sick and he's alone in his struggle every day".

"You think I don't know that, I see it every day and the effects it's having on him, and believe me I care. I care a lot, but the kid doesn't, and if the victim doesn't care then the cure will go unused".

I watched as Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose looking lost and for once I didn't know what to say to help, so I sat quietly and thought.

"I tried Clark more than once, but every time I take 1 step forward he takes 2 steps back. It just gets worse, and I don't know what to do".

"So we find another way". I suggested hoping to find an answer in solving Bruce's worry and Barry's problem.

"What other way, we can't force Barry to heal, he has to want it, and he doesn't want it Clark he doesn't want it, right now he doesn't even acknowledge that he has a problem let alone talks about it. How do you think he will react to us pressuring him to get better when he's in denial about being sick in the first place"?

I looked at Bruce feeling completely powerless with this whole situation.

"Believe me Clark all I think about is helping Barry, but he won't let me, I've lost his trust and I don't know how to earn it back".

"How long has this been going on"? I ask, unsure of anything else to say, starting with a question feels safe.

"I've known about it for a couple months but I don't know, Barry doesn't talk about his problems so I don't know how long this could have been happening".

I shake my head, both of us sitting still for what feels like too long.

Idea after idea popped into my head as a way to help Barry but Bruce's words kept echoing through my head.

"Every time I take 1 step forward he takes 2 steps back".

Barry didn't want help, didn't think he needed help so what could we really do.

Seeing Bruce so unsure and lost told me that he was thinking the same thing, but I just didn't have an answer to this problem, what could we do for Barry if every time we tried to help he retreated further into himself.

The silence continued but neither one of us moved, neither one of us had the heart to tell each other that we would figure something out because neither one of us knew if that was true.

Barry didn't want to be helped, so what was there to do but wait and hope for a miracle.

A miracle we needed sooner than later.

It's all coming together the team know's something's up, and the secret is a little less then a secret now. I just want to thank everyone for all the reviews on the last few chapters I appreciate every one, and hope to see more in the near future.