The next couple of days rendered nothing from Savitar. No texts, no attacks on the city. Just nothing. Iris thought she would be relieved but instead she was anxious. Why the sudden silence? What was he up to? Had he truly meant what he'd said at their last meeting?

"I won't ask to see you again."

She'd made it clear to him that she only loved Barry—her Barry. If not in words definitely in her actions that evening. He'd made a point to remind her that he remembered as much.

So what was he doing? Was he laying low? Plotting? Purging her from his heart and mind? It would make killing her much easier. It would also make saving him a lot harder.

Why was she thinking of saving him?

Iris went back to work, Barry resumed his usual as well. Julian's flight was delayed due to weather so he'd be gone a little longer. H.R. was being H.R. She did notice Harry hanging around though. Upon inquiry she discovered that he was assisting Cisco with the project they'd discussed after that night. Which was a good thing: two genius brains were better than one. Unfortunately her genius fiancé could not add his brain to the mix as anything he knew would become a direct memory of Savitar's.

She also noticed that Cisco was acting a little strange. Avoiding eye contact, keeping a spacious distance from her. Like he was almost embarrassed or something. She wasn't sure what to make of it so she decided to approach him on it.

"Cisco, can I talk to you for a sec?"

Barry was down at the station with her dad and Harry was trying to sort something out with H.R. so they had a moment of privacy.

"Umm sure," he kept his eyes on the keyboard as he entered whatever algorithm into the system.

"Hey. I'm over here."

His fingers paused. He managed to look up in her direction but failed to lock on her face. Okay, she hadn't been imagining it.

"What's the deal with you lately? Did I do something to weird you out?"

Cisco was already blushing uncomfortably.

"Uh no. W-why would you think that?" he sputtered.

"You're not weird. You're Iris. Barry's fiancé. Our friend. Who is not weird at all."

She folded her arms under her chest.

"No, but you're acting weird. Cisco what's going on?"

He shifted uncomfortably.

"Going on? Nothing. Why does something have to be going on? Nothing is going on. Except work I mean. Those metas you know. Keeping me busy with their shenanigans."

He released a nervous laugh that nearly made her cringe. Using her cop father's technique, Iris leveled a stare at him. Again Cisco shifted but was no match for a detective's daughter.

"You vibed something didn't you?"

His eyes found the wall.

"Vibe? No, no what do you think I just go around vibing things? Like uncontrollably or something. Pssh! I don't—I don't vibe things."

His face was growing redder. His arms crossing his chest defensively. Iris recognized when someone was hiding something. Again, detective for a father. She would just have to be firm.

"Cisco cut the crap. We're supposed to be a team here. How can we work together if we can't trust each other? If we're keeping secrets?"

He began biting his thumbnail anxiously, still eyeing the wall.

"I don't think I'm the only person in this room keeping a secret."

She studied him. What was that supposed to mean?

"What are you talking about?"

He was still unable to say. His unease worried her.

"Cisco—"

"I think I hear Harry calling."

He hopped up from his seat, ready to bolt. Iris used her own body to block his path. He froze, tried to dodge her, but she was quite agile and met him head on. Given no other choice, the young engineer had to finally face her.

"Okay, okay maybe I did accidentally see something," he reluctantly admitted.

"But I haven't told anyone because I don't want Barry hurt."

Barry hurt? Now she was alarmed.

"Wait, you're vibing about Barry getting hurt and not telling anybody?!"

That didn't make sense.

"No—no Barry's not the one in the vibe. You are."

Her heart nearly choked her in fear. Cisco had vibed something about her. Something that had shaken him to the point where he couldn't even look at her.

"Me?" she barely whispered.

"What could you have vibed about me?"

Cisco's eyes found his feet. He opened his mouth to answer but it was H.R.'s voice that called her attention.

"Oh hey Iris! Glad you and Barry made up."

He entered the room with a very annoyed Harry trailing him.

"You know, if you and Barry need, I once did a stint as a couple's counselor in Bermuda. My Earth Bermuda, not yours. There was this lovely elderly couple—"

"Do you even have a license?" Harry interrupted.

H.R. shrugged.

"Well no but—"

"Then you're as much a counselor as you are a scientist. Now shut up and let us get back to work."

He turned toward Cisco.

"I think I have something. We'll have to test it out but it may work."

Relief washed over the engineer's face as he hurried after the retreating Wells. Iris stared after them, still processing what she'd heard about the vibe. She was in it. And Barry would be hurt. Could it be something more about her death?

"Guess that leaves the two of us," H.R. was smiling.

She glanced up at him.

"What?"

He came beside her, wrapped an arm around her shoulder congenially.

"The two non-scientists. Hey, while they're busy tinkering away with the Savitar detector you want to grab a Big Belly Burger?"

She started to say no. She wanted to remain at Star Labs and question Cisco further on his vibe. But he was working on something important, something that could save her from making the ultimate mistake…again.

Knowing the difference didn't matter at WentCorp did it?

She shut that thought down, refused to remember how she'd responded to Savitar's angry body against hers. Participated in the kiss. At least she'd stopped herself.

"Sure. I could use a break from here," she accepted.

She'd left the office early so her day was clear. Lunch would be a treat. The burger joint was its usual mode of busy but she didn't mind the distraction. As kooky as he could be at times, H.R. wasn't bad company either. She actually welcomed his musings about their world, his world and the book the team had inspired.

"But enough about me," H.R. relented after a while.

"What's going on with you and Cisco? I mean awkwaaaaard am I right?"

She glanced up from her fries.

"So you noticed too?"

He shrugged.

"A writer pays special attention to the details of his surroundings. Nothing escapes his eye, not a leaf rustling, a hair blowing, an engineer tucking his tail every time his best friend's fiancé comes within his vicinity. Oh a writer notices everything."

The dramatic wave of his hands actually got a chuckle out of her.

"Yea, I guess. But to answer your question, I don't know."

He took a big gulp of his drink.

"Well whatever it is, I hope you work it out. With the way he's been carrying on you'd think he saw you naked or something."

He went back to his food then, once again chattering about his adventures. Iris listened, picking at her fries as Cisco's words replayed in her head. Secrets. He'd accused her of keeping secrets.

But what secret had she kept from the team? Barry had been the biggest secret keeper lately, hiding her death from her. What had she hidden?

Only one thing came to mind. But Cisco couldn't have vibed that. Could he?

"…I haven't told anyone because I don't want Barry hurt."

A wave of nausea suddenly hit Iris and she had to quickly excuse herself from the table. She found the restroom just in time and after losing her entire lunch she rinsed her face and mouth in the sink.

Had Cisco really vibed what had happened that night? Or maybe what had almost happened the next day? God if he had…

She'd have to get that vibe out of him. Sometime when they were completely alone with zero chance of interruption. Maybe at his place since Star Labs was so open.

It only happened once. And I didn't know he wasn't Barry.

But that didn't make it any less a secret. Nor did it excuse their kiss on her car hood. Yes she'd stopped it from going further but she'd still kissed him.

No need to panic. Maybe he didn't see any of that. Maybe he saw something else.

She had to calm herself. Had to get the facts first. She was a reporter after all. That was what reporters did. With a paper towel she pat her face dry. Yes, that was what she would do.

XXXXXXXXXX

Barry was all smiles as he concluded his work day. Things seemed to be back to normal. Iris was no longer avoiding him, their love life was back on track (maybe even a little better). Though she was still a bit antsy at times he attributed it to the looming Savitar threat. But she was okay with him again. She was his Iris again. He would protect her from the wannabe speed god.

"Earth to Barry, Hello?"

He blinked, realizing that Joe was standing right in front of him in the doorway.

"Huh?"

His future Father-in-law was half amused.

"You're thinking about Iris again, aren't you?"

Barry could only smile sheepishly. Joe laughed out loud.

"Still that lovesick kid after all these years. Some things never change I guess. Listen, while I have you here I need you to take a look at something."

Not giving him an out, Joe took his shoulder and led him back toward his desk.

"It's a case I'm working on. Not sure if it's meta related but either way you're the guy to see."

Barry glanced over at the clock with a sigh. It was one minute after seven. Okay, so he'd have to wait a little longer to get home to Iris. All in the name of protecting the city.

As it so happened, a little longer turned into another hour or so. Joe insisted on going over all of the evidence, possible theories and motives for the attack. He was in full detective mode. Barry listened, added his opinion but when nine o clock hit they both called it a quits. Hopefully it would be another meta-free night.

"So no plans with Cecile tonight, huh?" Barry noted as they bid each other goodnight.

Joe shook his head, exhaustion evident in his shoulders.

"Maybe this weekend. Tonight I'm just going to turn in."

He looked like he could use the rest. Barry left him to it, heading home with the same intention in mind. Hey Speedsters needed sleep too.

Iris had been kind enough to leave dinner out for him and though she'd already eaten she sat with him while he ate. They cuddled after his shower and after making love, Barry found himself content to doze off with his arms full of the future Mrs. West-Allen.

For once, today was a good day.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Iris waited until she was sure that Barry was deep in his sleep. She knew what she had to do but she couldn't risk anyone being around to interrupt. Or to overhear. Star Labs was not a good place because Harry and H.R. were around. And even when Barry was working he could easily speed in for a minute or two. And her dad, well he managed to pop up less since Wally but he was still very much a part of the team. Thankfully she didn't have to worry about Julian for a few more days.

Iris carefully slid from her fiancé's arms. Barry protested slightly in his sleep but nothing more than a groan. She watched him for a minute or two to be sure that he didn't wake. Once satisfied that he was still out, she hurriedly dressed and headed out the door.

She made it to Cisco's apartment in no time. His lights were out, obviously since it was—wow two in the morning! But she had to find out about that vibe. She had to know!

Ignoring the risk of his neighbors waking, she pounded on his door. (They didn't know her anyhow. Just saw her in passing). It took a few times and her yelling out his name before the door finally opened. Standing before her was the groggy, disheveled and pj clad engineer. He looked adorable in the red flannel, reminding her of the little brother she hadn't had the chance to grow up with.

"Iris, what are you doing here? Did something happen to Barry?"

She nudged her way inside, turned to face him as he shut the door behind her.

"You need to tell me what you saw in that vibe."

Cisco was wide awake now.

"W-what?"

He crossed his arms nervously. Uncomfortable.

"There's nowhere to go. No Harry to save you. Cisco, please. If I was in the vibe then I have a right to know what you saw."

She was going to get an answer or she wasn't leaving. Cisco seemed to pick that up and sighed resignedly.

"Iris—"

"Talk!"

He swallowed, not used to her tone. But it worked.

"The other day, when you came to me about how to tell Savitar from Barry…I got the vibe then."

Finally some honesty.

"Okay…" she urged him on.

Cisco was staring at the floor.

"It was…it was you in the vibe…with…Savitar…" he was red in the face as he spoke.

Iris felt her stomach drop.

"With Savitar?" she repeated.

He nodded.

"You have to give me more than that. What was going on? Was he killing me? Were we fighting? Did I scream?"

Cisco's blush deepened.

"Oh you were screaming," he murmured.

She didn't like the sound of that.

"Will you just come out with it already?! What did you see?"

By his behavior she knew what he was going to say. But she wanted to deny it, maybe by some miracle it wouldn't be what he was so clearly hinting at. She needed to hear that it wasn't what she feared.

Her fiancé's best friend dared to look up at her then. Their eyes met and she could deny it no further.

"You were…being intimate. Very intimate."

He cleared his throat. Darted for the kitchen. Iris cursed under her breath. So Cisco had seen the other night. Someone else knew.

"You can't tell Barry."

He was back in the walkway between the rooms.

"Excuse me?!"

Iris looked at him, pleading her case.

"I didn't know. When he came to me, I thought he was Barry. I didn't know until I touched his face. It was so dark…" she felt her eyes begin to sting at the betrayal.

"And after the fight I just…Cisco please. It'll crush him. I don't know what he'd do if he found out. He might go after Savitar and cross a line our Barry should never cross."

Cisco stared, a mixture of disbelief and indignation in his face.

"Iris, the scar covers half his face. That's pretty easy to spot. I certainly did and I wasn't nearly as close as you were!"

She felt shame growing once again.

I should have been able to tell the difference.

"I'm sorry okay! I didn't know until after. I'm not excusing it, just trying to explain. I would never hurt Barry. You know that!"

She wiped her eyes, not meaning to cry. She hadn't come over to cry. She'd come for answers. Well she had them. Cisco didn't say anything. Now it was she who couldn't bare to look at him.

"Are you and Harry having any luck on that devise?"

After Savitar's last words at the factory she might not need it. He hadn't contacted since the text (why did she feel a twinge at that) but just in case.

"We're coming along. We just need to get a scan on him to compare with Barry. Once we isolate their frequencies we can pinpoint the exact difference and use that. We have everything on Barry already. All we need is to get close enough to Savitar."

She sniffled in an attempt to right herself.

"We just have to lure him out, I guess. The sooner this is done the better."

"I think we both can agree on that."

A pregnant silence.

"Barry doesn't know you're here."

She shook her head.

"Weren't you the one talking about secrets on the team earlier?"

She opened her mouth to defend herself. Realized that he was right. Despite her intentions to protect Barry she'd become dishonest. And a hypocrite.

But what choice do I have? I can't let Barry know.

But could Cisco?

"Please don't say anything," she pleaded again.

"You and I both saw what happened to Barry when Savitar beat him before. If he knew about this, what do you think it would do to him?"

No enemy had bested Barry like Savitar. Of course Savitar was Barry in a few years so his improvements were a testimony that Barry would become faster, craftier and (don't think about the bedroom bonuses) even more powerful. Unfortunately they were dealing with the damaged version of him. One that, until the other day, she hadn't realized could be mended.

"When this is over. And Savitar is gone for good, you have to tell him," Cisco said firmly.

"Secrets are what got Wally killed. What gave Killer Frost the edge over Caitlin. No more secrets on our team, Iris."

He had a point but this wasn't a team issue.

"Cisco, I know you mean well but what happens between me and Barry is between me and Barry, okay?"

He shook his head, rejecting her statement.

"You're marrying my best friend. Do you really want to start off that union with dishonesty like this? Barry deserves so much better than that."

Ouch.

"You need to tell him. He can't hear it from anyone else. Have you even considered if Savitar throws it at him in the middle of a fight—"

"He won't do that," Iris was sure.

Again she recalled his eyes that night. The love, the longing.

"You don't know that. He's cray cray! He's trying to destroy Barry at all costs," Cisco argued.

But Iris did know that much at least. Their encounter wasn't about Barry. It was about her. He missed her. He still loved her.

"He's damaged, Cisco. But he won't do that. I just know."

When her friend merely stared incredulously, Iris realized it was time to go. She couldn't explain it to him; he wouldn't understand that Savitar still held the love of Barry Allen deep within his dark shell. He wouldn't understand that as long as that glimmer of light remained there was a chance that…

"I have to get back to Barry."

She stepped around him, letting herself out. She didn't turn around nor did she stop until she was in her car, speeding back home before her fiancé woke.