A/N: Long time no update. I had a lot of trouble putting this one together. Hopefully you'll like the end result though. Next chap will be more Iris-centric.

*Many thanks to sendtherain for beta'ing. :)

*I own nothing. No copyright infringement intended.

Chapter 10 -

He probably should have seen it coming.

If he'd analyzed the way Joe had casually mentioned his dilemma or how he had set aside time in his day to do so, especially following a conversation about whether Barry was really done trying to fix things with Iris, he would have seen it clear as day.

Because while it wasn't out of the ordinary for Joe to share his concerns with Barry on just about everything, or simply to tell him how his day was going, the issue of missing crime scene evidence was hardly his expertise.

Sure, you take Barry to a crime scene, ask him what happened, in a few short minutes – less than that now that he was a speedster – he could tell you. And it certainly never hurt to have another pair of eyes. Plus, Barry would never complain about being separated from Julian from any amount of time.

But after doing his own speedy search around the precinct, Barry found all he needed in the security footage taken that morning. His ex, Iris West, sneaking into her dad's desk, emptying some of the drug into her own zip lock bag, and dashing out of the station as if no one had been the wiser.

What's worse was Barry could see a man running to find Joe in that same camera view moments after he'd left. Barry recognized him as the security guy that ran the cameras during the morning hours. There was no doubt what his mission was because after he'd gotten a moment of Joe's time and they'd conversed and parted, Joe looked straight up into the camera that had been recording them with disappointed resignation, and then what appeared to be an 'aha' moment. Barry could practically see the light bulb forming and turning on above his head.

He'd been set up.

What's worse was he didn't even get the chance to tell Joe he knew and that he wasn't going to fall for it because their eyes met once when he stepped out of the security cameras room and immediately Joe left the building.

There was no way for Barry to know if Joe had shared his secret plan with anybody else in the station – or out of the station for that matter. All he knew was that the drug was still missing. He'd seen the pictures before the drug had been tucked away into his desk, and he saw it before he checked the security cameras. There was clearly product missing.

All he could do now was track down Iris way sooner than he'd ever meant to and retrieve the drug before it was inhaled into her system. Not the usual way, of course. Iris was no druggie, even if she liked to get creative with her favorite sugary treat. Barry just had to make sure he snagged that unique ingredient before it was dumped into the brownie mix she probably already had in her possession.

He tried to focus on a lecture he could deliver, how he could be all business, just coming to collect, the pick-up delivery guy for the CCPD; not the ex-boyfriend who was incredibly tender with her the last time they'd seen each other and who was still achingly, devastatingly, madly in love with her.

He didn't want to have to face her publicly though. He'd go to her apartment instead of CCPN.

Or maybe…

He stopped, remembering something Joe had told him a few days after they'd first broken up.

"Iris has Linda to confide in and help her cope."

He shook his head and scoffed, then pulled his phone out of his pocket.

"Of course," he muttered, quickly finding his other ex's name in his contacts and pressing the call button. One ring, two, and then she picked up. Her initial silence on the other end told him loud and clear that she was very hesitant to answer. Maybe Iris was already with her.

"Hello?"

"Linda. Is Iris with you?"

She cleared her throat, then her voice became muffled as she made some sort of excuse to someone she was obviously with. Next thing he knew, there was the near slam of a door and then her heated voice on the receiver again.

"Barry, what are you doing? Why are you calling me?"

His brows furrowed.

"I'm…I'm with Iris." She paused for a sec and all her anger seemingly melted away. He knew she was suddenly contemplating the very thing Joe had probably been hoping for. "Wait, are you going to try to-"

"No." He shut that down. "I'm calling because Iris stole some drugs from the precinct, and I need to get them back before anyone other than Joe notices."

He could practically hear her frowning on the other end.

"She told me she only took a little."

He was amused. "She took half the bag, Linda."

A shocked silence, then, "Damn."

"I need it back, Linda," he said, breaking through the sheen of pride welling in her voice. "She tampered with evidence. A detective's daughter or not, she can't just break the law."

"Why not, Barry? Don't you guys do that all the time?"

He scoffed. "For the greater good. And not all the time."

"Well, this is for Iris' greater good. And it's only once."

"Linda-"

"Come on, Barry-"

"It's evidence!" He forced himself to lower his voice since he was outside. "This isn't something you can just put back when you're done with it," he said, softer now.

The shocked silence on the other end told him that maybe she was starting to take the situation seriously.

She sighed, resigned but understanding, and he knew he'd interpreted correctly.

"What do I tell her?" she asked.

He ran a hand through his hair, grateful she was cooperating, but still not sure how to proceed with the situation.

"Distract her," he said.

"With what?"

"I don't know. You've been distracting her for the past week, haven't you?"

"With alcohol."

"There you-"

"She doesn't want any more of that. That's why she decided on pot brownies tonight."

"Go out for a movie."

"She wants to stay in."

"Get take out and take her with you to get it."

"Okay, did you not just hear-"

"Lin-"

"Oh, I know!"

Thank God.

"I'll order pizza."

His brows furrowed.

"And you'll be our delivery boy."

"Linda, I don't think-"

"Don't worry. I'll come to the door, and we can make the exchange."

"Let me guess," he drawled. "I'm paying for the pizza."

"It's the least you could do," she said sweetly, and he scoffed.

"Fine," he managed.

"What are you giving me in exchange?"

He thought for a beat. "Sugar."

"Sugar?" she asked, exasperated. "There's already sugar in brownies. It'll taste all wrong. She'll know something's up. Besides, I'm guessing she's had pot brownies before. She'll taste the difference."

"She's had them one other time in her life years ago," he told her. "In college."

"Let me guess, another bad break-up?"

His brows narrowed. "She failed an exam."

There was a pause on the other end. "Not a bad break-up?"

"No," he said, aggravated. "To my knowledge, her only other bad break-up was with Eddie."

"Right. Eddie."

Her almost fiancé who killed himself to save you and everyone you love.

A wave of guilt washed over him. He wondered if he'd ever stop feeling guilty about that. Not even Flashpoint had prevented that inevitability.

"No other guys then?" she ventured.

He felt his free hand clenching into a fist by his side and knew he needed to end this conversation asap. It was bad enough that things hadn't worked out between him and Iris and eventually she would wind up in the arms of someone who wasn't him. He didn't need the walk down memory lane of all the guys she'd been involved with before him.

"Isn't that something you should be asking her?" he ground out.

"Whoa. Settle down there, tiger. I was just asking."

He pulled away from the phone for a few seconds to take some slow, deep breaths. When he pressed the device back up against his ear, Linda's tone had clearly altered.

"Come by in half hour," she said. "I'll make the brownies, so she won't be suspicious. Maybe the extra sugar will give her a sugar high that will make her think she's on drugs. The idea is for her to think that. That's how a placebo works, right?"

Grateful for no longer having to explain himself, he nodded, belatedly realizing she couldn't see him.

"Right."

"Okay then. See you in thirty."

She ended the call before he could, and honestly, he was grateful. He didn't have the energy to force more polite conversation. He could feel sweat gathering at his temple and back of his neck just at the prospect of having only a door between himself and Iris again.

It took about thirty seconds for him to realize Linda hadn't given him a pizza order. He tried to recall Iris' favorite, but he was even drawing a blank on that. Luckily, not a minute later, without any prodding from him, Linda texted him that she'd called the order in for him to pick up.

He could relax now.

The pounding of his heart inside of his chest that he heard so loudly in his ears told him he wouldn't though. Not by a long shot.

…

To avoid getting sweat all over the zip lock bag containing the sugar, Barry stuffed it in his pants pocket.

Thirty minutes later, on the dot, he showed up at Linda's apartment building. He texted before walking down the hall, just to be sure Iris wouldn't be the one to pop out, but she gave the okay.

One knock on the door, and it swung wide open. His eyes immediately scanned the room till he could see Iris lying on the couch; his heart nearly bounded out of his chest.

"Barry," Linda whispered so Iris wouldn't hear her. She stood directly in front of him in an attempt to block his line of sight. It wasn't super successful since she was still much shorter than he was, especially out of her heels, but clearing her throat seemed to get his attention. Finally, he looked down at her.

"Oh. Right. Sorry." He kept his voice low then pulled the bag of sugar out of his pocket and handed it over to her along with the pizza box. She gave him the bag of drugs in exchange.

"Is this all of it?" he asked, not overly concerned, but he thought he should ask just so he wouldn't have to do a return visit.

"That's all she brought over," Linda said. "If there's anything else, I've got no idea where she put it."

He nodded. "This looks like all of it."

He closed his hand around the bag to feel the weight of it and then dropped it into his pocket.

"Thanks, Linda. I appreciate it."

"Of course." She started to step back into the apartment.

"Oh, can I just ask…"

She halted.

He swallowed. "What did you do?"

Her brows furrowed.

"What did you distract her with?"

"Oh." An amused laugh slipped through. "Turns out she did want wine, after all."

He blinked and then let his own amused chuckle tumble passed parted lips.

"Goodnight, Barry."

She stepped back again and started to close the door once more.

"Night, Linda."

Alone in the hallway again, he took his time walking outside, then stood still as he breathed in the chilly January air. A heartbeat later he was in the precinct, grateful people were still there but not too many of them. He emptied the contents back into the evidence bag and found Joe staring at him from across the room when he finished.

"You found it?" Joe asked, meeting him at his desk.

"Joe," he said, no explanation necessary.

He sighed. "I had to try, Bear."

Barry thought about the lecture he very much wanted to give, but he hadn't given one to Cisco or Caitlin or Linda. It wouldn't be fair to Joe to make him the exception.

"I know," he said instead.

"I've wanted you two together since you were kids. Since you shyly asked me if you could marry my daughter at nine years old."

Barry swallowed. He'd forgotten that. He wished things were different, that they were reminiscing about his pretend wedding to Iris because he was going to marry her for real.

"I just…I can't believe this is really the end for you two."

Barry wanted to reassure him. He'd been so steadfast and strong in the days when being with Iris was some faraway dream he never thought could become a reality, when she was with Eddie and when she wasn't. It was unfair to Joe too to not be able to reap the reward for being patient for so long, for keeping his secret until he was ready to tell it.

But he just couldn't tell him that they would come back from this. Because he didn't know how they would or could. And no one that had tried to push them back together actually had a solution that went beyond sticking them in the same room to talk things out. They'd tried talking and inevitably decided even that wouldn't be enough. This was just how things were now.

"I assume Iris is with Linda tonight," he said, and Barry was grateful for the slight change in topic.

He nodded.

"Do you want to come over for dinner?"

He'd said no the first time. He was tempted to say no again, just in case Joe found himself unable to resist discussing the unsolvable dilemma that was getting his kids back together again. Plus, there was Wally to consider. Cecile might be coming over too. Joe had been dating the DA for a few months. From all appearances things were still casual, but enough time had passed that that could easily change.

"I don't know, Joe," he said to fill up the silence.

The thought of an empty, cold apartment to go home to wasn't particularly appealing either.

"Come on, son. Cecile is spending the evening with her daughter. I don't know if Wally is back yet, but even if he is, I promise he's not holding some grudge against you for what happened with Iris."

Hesitantly he looked at him. Wally was the one person he hadn't really faced since his break-up with Iris. Barry knew in his years growing up with Iris he'd wanted to make any guy who hurt Iris pay, even if he didn't have the strength to do it. And he and Wally weren't exactly close, even if learning he was the Flash had softened some of the tension between them. Barry berating him for running into the street without speed had created another speed bump.

Of course, that was months ago. Close to half a year. But when you're really mad about something, things you thought you were over and had put behind you had a tendency to pop up again.

"He looks up to you," Joe interrupted his depressing thoughts.

Barry laughed humorlessly.

"He does," Joe insisted. "You know, I hope he is back."

Barry's eyes widened as he turned to look at him.

"I didn't say I was coming."

"But you are," he said. "It's been over a week since you've had a home-cooked meal. What have you been eating? Big Belly Burger?"

Barry opened his mouth but only senseless sounds tumbled out.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. No wonder you're so tired. Running around saving bad guys day in and day out, your heart aching, and nothing but burgers and fries fueling your system."

He threw an arm around his shoulders and guided him toward the elevator. Without really thinking, Barry let him.

"Cisco's been giving me those carb bars at STAR Labs."

"Oh yeah, I heard. We're almost out."

"That's not-"

"Bartholomew Henry Allen."

Barry's mouth snapped shut.

"Let me cook my boy dinner, okay?"

Barry sighed and nodded.

"Oh!" Joe pulled out the buzzing phone in his pocket just as the elevator doors opened. "Looks like it'll be boys."

Barry's brows furrowed.

Joe answered the call with a smile on his face.

"Hey, Wally! Are you back?" A pause. "Great." Another pause. "Of course, I'm making dinner. Just leaving the precinct now." Another slightly longer pause. "Yeah, sure, that's fine. See you then."

"You didn't tell him I'm coming."

Joe smiled to himself and looked at him.

"I thought you weren't."

Barry blinked, confused again, until Joe nudged him with his elbow enough to make him smile.

"There's the smile I've been missing."

Slowly, it subdued.

"Are you sure I should be coming, Joe?"

"Wally needs to see you, Barry," he said seriously. "He needs to know that your relationship with him isn't dependent on the one you have with his sister."

Barry swallowed and nodded. That he understood.

…

The lights were on in the house when Joe and Barry stepped outside of Joe's car in the driveway.

Barry could feel his heart pounding again. Not like when he'd been on the brink of seeing Iris again and wondering how he could possibly get out of it. It wasn't a heart-aching, devastating pull towards devastation with that little bit of yearning to pretend everything was fine when it so obviously was not. But it was pretty nerve-wracking all the same. Especially since Joe had told him Wally had been with Jesse for the holidays. Way to come home from a high like that to the guy who broke your sister's heart. Barry's presence alone was going to totally ruin his night.

He was starting to feel sick.

Stepping through the door into the warmth of the home didn't reverse the chill in his bones. Instead, it intensified.

"Jesse," Joe said surprised. "Wally didn't tell me you were coming."

Wally was glaring at Barry from across the room.

"Seems you kept something from me too, Dad," Wally said.

"I-I can go," Jesse said quickly.

"No!" All three men said simultaneously.

Her mouth snapped shut.

"Well, I'm going to freshen up," she said and pushed passed Wally before he could grab her hand to stay right there beside him.

Joe shrugged out of his jacket and kicked off his shoes, watching Wally like a hawk as Barry lingered in the doorway.

"I'm going to get started on dinner," he said and walked into the kitchen. "You boys behave yourself."

Neither said a word, but they both knew what he meant – Barry, no running; Wally, no fighting.

Silence lingered for the longest time. Wally kept glaring. Barry kept avoiding eye contact. Joe and Jesse remained far enough away to not interact with without leaving the room but close enough that they could intervene if necessary.

"Are you just going to stand there?" Wally finally asked.

Barry finally met his eyes, but he said nothing, just waited. He waited for all the accusations and for the demand to leave. Because if he told him to go, he was going to go.

"Well?" he demanded, his voice rising a little.

Barry told himself he was the adult here, the mentor, the Flash. He needed to overcome this intimidation and be grown up enough to confront the issue. Whatever happened here, it needed to be dealt with if they were ever going to move forward.

He walked into the living room so that they were standing face-to-face.

"Wally, I'm sorry I-"

"Don't."

He paused, brows furrowing.

"Don't say you're sorry you broke up with my sister unless you mean it."

Barry pursed his lips, his hands slipped into his pockets.

"I'm not sorry I broke up with your sister."

Wally's eyes watered. "On Christmas Eve?" he raged.

Barry winced. "That I am sorry for." He sighed. "I've never had particularly good timing, though."

"So what are you sorry for?" he finally asked.

Barry blinked. "What?"

"You were about to say you were sorry about something. If it's not for breaking up with my sister, what is it?"

He paused a moment, contemplating.

"I'm sorry I've been avoiding you."

Wally's brows furrowed. "Huh?"

"I thought you were gonna hate me," he said. "I broke your sister's heart. I didn't mean to, but I did. I broke my own heart at the same time. I didn't think I could take everyone hating me, so I avoided people as long as I could."

"So what changed?" he asked, somewhat softer than what he'd been moments earlier.

"Your dad promised food."

Wally fought a smile, but it slipped out anyway. One fell passed Barry's lips too, but then he sobered up.

"Do you hate me, Wally?" he asked quietly.

Wally crossed the room to him and stopped.

"I don't like that my sister is hurting. I don't like that it's because of something that happened between the two of you."

Barry nodded, understanding. "I know."

"But…I also know that you love her more than anything."

Barry met his eyes, surprised by that observation.

"I don't think you would have broken up with her unless you felt you had no other choice."

"I wouldn't have," Barry said, still processing.

Wally took a breath, then held out his hand.

"We're family, right?" he asked, his hand slightly shaking, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat as if he was afraid of being contradicted.

Barry took his hand and grasped it firmly, shutting down any doubts.

"Right."

Out of the corner of his eye, Wally saw Jesse watching the two of them with a sweet look in her eye that he knew would later be accompanied with teasing and he'd silence with kisses.

"Don't," he started, but she was beside him in three steps and pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"You boys are so cute." She glanced over at Barry. "I'm glad you made up."

Barry looked at Wally, amused.

Wally held up his hand to stop any teasing from the scarlet speedster.

"Don't-"

"Can I help you with anything, Joe?" Jesse asked, as she entered the kitchen.

Some murmuring followed as Joe gave her instructions on what she could do.

"She's a keeper," Barry said, smiling now.

Wally had a rebuttal on the tip of his tongue. It was about to spill out, and it would've burned Barry good. But the burn wouldn't have been taken lightly, and so he kept his mouth shut. It was too soon after they'd made amends; it didn't match the new peace between them.

So instead he said, "She is," with a bit of a forced smile on his face.

But Barry could see those first words in his eyes even as different ones rolled off his tongue.

So is my sister.