March 2000

"Mom!" 12 year old Barry Allen screams as he runs into the living room to see his mom screaming on the ground being circled by yellow and red lightning, while his father Henry tries to diffuse the situation, "MOM!" Barry yells again

Henry grabs his son, for maybe the last time, "Run Barry, Run!" Henry says as Barry is all of a sudden swept twelve blocks away from his house.

"Mom?" Barry whimpers as he looks around, not knowing where he is. He starts running everywhere, trying to get back to his house.

When he gets back, he sees his dad being escorted out of the house in handcuffs, "Barry, don't go in the house!" He pleads, "Stay out of the house!" Henry screams as he's forced into the police car.

Barry's curiosity gets the better of him as he goes inside and sees a blanket over his mom. He lifts up the blanket and sees his mom, dead, with a stab wound through the heart. He feels tears come from his eyes as he feels a hand on his shoulder, quickly shrugging it off.

Detective Joe West decides to leave the poor kid alone as he tries to get Barry put in a foster care system.

April 2000

After about a month living in a temporary home, Barry sees what looks to be a fairly rich man with jet black hair walk into the building with a boy who is maybe about four or five years older than Barry. Barry keeps his head down and keeps drawing his dinosaur.

Barry hears footsteps coming towards him. He looks up and sees the teenager smiling in front of him, "Cool dinosaur," he says nicely.

"Thank you," Barry says shyly as he doesn't look up, hard at work.

"I'm Tommy," he says as he sticks his hand out.

Barry hesitantly takes the hand, "Barry," he says with a smile.

"Ah, so the boy has emotions," Tommy says with a playful chuckle as Barry smiles and nods.

"Tommy," Malcom says, "Let's go." Tommy nods and walks over to his dad.

Barry sees Tommy whisper to his dad, and Malcom reluctantly nods and walks over to Barry, "Hi," he says, "My name is Malcom Merlyn," he says with a welcoming smile, "How would you like to come live with my son and I in Starling City?

"So, welcome home Barry," Malcom says as the car pulls into the Merlyn Manor as Barry is looking at the house in awe as his jaw drops to the floor, not knowing that houses could be this big.

"Hey," Tommy says as the two walk out, throwing an arm over Barry's shoulder, "You're catching flies," he says with a chuckle as Barry smiles.

"Sorry," Barry says, "I've just never seen a house this big before!"

Tommy chuckles, "Wait till you see Ollie's, it's massive."

"Who's Ollie?" Barry asks, furrowing his eyebrows together.

"Oh!" Tommy exclaims, forgetting to tell Barry about his best friends on the 'get to know ya car ride,' he gets back on track, "Ollie, well Oliver for most people, is my best friend," Tommy says proudly as he goes on, "And also Laurel and Sara Lance too."

"Oh," Barry nods, not really surprised that Tommy has a lot of friends. He didn't even have one.

"Wait, I have an idea!" Tommy says, "Hey dad?" Tommy asks as Malcom turns around.

"What's up buddy?" Malcom asks his son as he looks at him, "Could we have the Queens and Lances over for dinner tonight? I want the kids to meet Barry."

"Wow Tommy, that is very thoughtful of you," the older Merlyn says, happy about his son's gratitude for the kid he just met, "Of course we can. I'll call Robert and Quinten right now."

"Thanks dad!" Tommy calls out as he turns to see a pale faced Barry, "Woah, what's wrong bro?"

"I'm meeting your friends?" Barry asks nervously

"Don't worry, they'll love you," Tommy reassures the kid, "And plus Sara and Thea are around your age, so it'll be fine! Trust me Barr," Tommy says as Barry nods with a smile

That night, the Lances are the first to arrive as the bell rings, "Quinten, Dinah! Come inside," Malcom says with a friendly smile as he steps aside, "Girls."

"Hi Uncle Malcom," Laurel and Sara say in unison as they hug the older Merlyn

"The boys are upstairs," Malcom says with a smile

"Wait, boys?" Laurel asks, "Is Oliver here?" She blushes as Sara elbows her sister in the ribs, "Ow! Sara!"

"What? Stop fawning over pretty boy Queen," she says with a smirk, Laurel responding with an eye roll as they head up to the second floor, "Tommy?" Sara calls out.

As she turns the corner, she runs into a boy, about her size, "Sorry, you ok?" Barry asks as Tommy comes out with a smile.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Sara says before turning to Tommy, "Who's this?" She mouths

"Girls, this is Barry Allen," Tommy says as Barry waves shyly, "He's my new brother. Well, foster brother. Dad adopted him today!"

"That's amazing!" Laurel says before Sara can say something stupid, "It's great to meet you Barry," Laurel says as she pulls Barry into an unexpected hug.

"Yeah, you too," he says, not used to friendly contact

"Tommo!?" Someone calls as Laurel squeals in excitement as Tommy's smile gets wider

"Ollie! Hey!" Tommy says as he greets his best friend.

"Who's the straggler?" he whispers

"Oh, my adoptive brother Barry Allen," Tommy says, nervous that Oliver might scare the kid

Oliver walks up to Barry, and ruffles his hair, "Welcome to the clan kid," he says with a smile as a young girl runs up and attaches herself to Oliver's leg, "This is my sister Thea," Oliver says as Barry smiles

"Hi Thea," Barry waves, "I'm Barry."

Over the next seven years, Barry and Tommy are rarely at the Merlyn home because of Malcom's negligence over his son and adoptive son, so instead Tommy and Barry practically live in the Queen Estate. Barry makes fast friends with Oliver and Thea while also growing close to a certain Lance sister…

2007

"Hey BA," Oliver Queen says as he walks up to the eighteen year old who's become his little brother, and slings his arm over his shoulder

"What's up Ollie?" Barry asks with a smile as he zips his backpack and walks out with him.

"I'm just wondering when you're gonna ask her out," Oliver says as Barry's cheeks get red

"W-who?" Barry asks, already knowing where this is going.

"Sara you dipshit!" Oliver says with an eye roll, "Everyone knows how you feel about each other except you two, it's gross."

"Coming from the guy who's had sex with his girlfriend almost everywhere in your house," Barry quips as Oliver chuckles, "You do know that's why I started bringing Clorox spray to your house right?"

"Fair point, but seriously, when we go on that trip this summer, make a move!" Oliver encourages, "You helped me with all of my relationship problems with Laurel, it's my turn to help you. If I didn't have you, I'd probably have cheated on her fifteen times and maybe had a kid. I owe you a lot, kid," Oliver says truthfully.

"Well glad I could help," Barry says with a smile, "So are we still going on the Gambit tomorrow?"

"Well, you and Sara, and I are," Oliver says with a smile as Barry gets red again

"Why aren't Laur, and Tommy going?" Barry asks as they get to Oliver's BMW.

"Well, they kinda got TA Duty for mouthing off to one of the professors," Oliver says, "I'd say I've rubbed off on her quite well."

As the two exit SCU, Barry is deep in thought "Whatcha thinking about kid?" Oliver asks with a smile.

"What if I make my move tomorrow night, on the Gambit?" Barry asks with a hint of nervousness.

"Then we'd party," Oliver says as if it's obvious, "What else would we do?"

"I don't know," Barry groans, "Here's a bright idea, maybe tell our parents that we're going on the Gambit with Uncle Robert?"

"Absolutely not," Oliver says, "Uncle Malcom and Lance are uptight about this shit," Oliver grumbles, "And plus, we're adults. We can do whatever we want," Oliver says as Barry rolls his eyes, but with a smile on his face.