"I still can't believe how big Joseph Jr. is getting, " Barry said, as the four-year-old waddled towards him on the couch. Barry scooped up the youngest member of the West family into a tight bear hug."I've missed you so much, You remember my name don't you?"

"Baby!"

"No! Barry!" He shook his head from side to side. "But you're close, little man."

"That's why you need to bring your butt home more often" Joe West stated, tone dripping in seriousness. "You haven't visited us not once since you got married, hell, even I run the risk of forgetting your name, Bradley. It is Bradley, right?"

Barry rolled his eyes. "Joe-"

"Dada his name is baby!" Joseph Jr. Squealed.

"You tell him, brother," Barry laughed. "And he's supposed to be nice to babies, right?"

"Wite!"

Patty stood at the top of the stairs, silently watching Barry interact with Joe and his kid. His face shown unbridled joy. God knows how long since she'd seen him smile like that. Coming back home was exactly what he'd needed – even if he wouldn't admit it.

"If this isn't the cutest sight I've ever seen," Patty said, as she descended the stairs.

"Joseph I mean," Patty said laughing. "Not you, Barry."

"Oh, really?" Barry asked, turning towards his wife. "I thought I was the cutest thing in the world to you?"

"You used to be, but Joseph has Joe and Cecile's genes, he's a stunner, right Joe?" Patty said, patting her pseudo-father in law on the shoulder, before flopping down next to him on the couch.

"Yeaaaghh!" Joe yelled out in pain, as the heel of her shoe dug into his foot.

"Oh, Joe! I'm so sorry! Patty kneeled down to tend to his foot, before inadvertently knocking over his coffee in the process.

"Oh, Not my carpet!"

"Oh my God!" Patty hurriedly grabbed a stack of napkins and attempted to blot the stain. Though Barry couldn't see her face, he heard the familiar sniffling that meant she was trying to hold back her tears.

The speedster set the child down next to him on the couch and kneeled behind Patty, placing a loving hand on her shoulder. "Honey, it was an easy mistake. That anyone could have made. Right Joe?"

"Uh-hh-" Joe stuttered.

"Right Joe?" Barry repeated.

"Yeah, it's all good, Patty," Joe said, forcing a smile. "No problem at all."

"See, everything's good," Barry said he rubbed a reassuring hand up and down her back. "Why don't you got help Cecile in the kitchen, and I'll run to the store and get some carpet cleaner. It'll be good as new."

"Okay, Barry. Sorry again Joe."

The older man forced a smile at Patty through clenched teeth, before allowing his expression to falter once her back was turned.

Barry had traveled to and from the store before Patty's back had fully disappeared into the kitchen. Soon, the speedster was on his knees, scrubbing at the coffee stain, which was being extremely stubborn. Once he was sure that Patty was out of earshot, he turned to Joe. "You could be nicer. Laugh at her jokes when she tries. She already thinks that you don't like her."

"Why does she think that?"

"Because She's smart., I tell her otherwise, but I know you don't like her. Your poker face sucks."

"I like Patty just fine, Barry," Joe said, raising his hand. "I just don't like that you let her made you move 600 miles away," he said, his voiced dipping lower than a whisper. "

"Barry sighed, continuing to scrub the spot. "Patty didn't make me move. I moved because I love her, Joe."

"But, I thought-"

"No, Joe. With all due respect, I'm an adult –not the kid you raised anymore. Please respect my decision."

Joe threw up both hands, relenting. "Fine, fine, fine, you're right," he said, pausing a moment. "Sorry for overstepping"

"Thank you," Barry replied.

"Anyway, speaking of kids, I raised. I didn't think I'd Be doing this again at this age, but honestly, it's not that much harder. Being on the force keeps me in pretty good shape. For now, I can still run around with J2 and keep up."

"Good for you 'pops."

"God help me when he becomes a teenager though. I'm gonna be in my late sixties. I-"

"Will continue to be an amazing father no matter what age you are," Cecile interjected, as she emerged from the kitchen with a large platter of soup and Sandwiches in her hand. Patty followed behind with a pitcher of fresh lemonade.

"Aww, kids, see this is why I love this woman. She always knows what to say. And she's an amazing cook, too," The older man said, heading in the direction of Cecile. "Let me help you with that."

"Thank you, baby." Joe took the platter from his wife's hand and set it on the coffee table.

The scent of fresh tomato soup and grilled cheese wafted through the air, into Barry's nostrils. All done with the stain, Barry rose from his spot on the floor and rubbed his hands together. "This spread looks amazing. You've outdone yourself, Cecile." God was he hungry, but more than that, food meant that he wouldn't have to talk about Patty with Joe anymore. Or talk about Joe with Patty. Or deal with the fact that even with all of these people together in a room that loved him, he still felt this heavy emptiness – a gaping hole that neither Patty, Joe, Cecile of Joseph could fill.

"Did you hear me, Barry?" Cecile asked.

"Hmm?" Barry jumped, realizing he'd been lost in his own thoughts.

"I said it's often that my favorite speedster and his beautiful wife visits us. Lunch is the least I could do."

"Oh," he said, through nervous laughter. "It's very much appreciated."

"I'm so glad that you and Patty got in early yesterday, Barry," she said turning her attention to the blonde woman " The snow is supposed to get bad tonight. If you'd waited, you may not have made it."

"Please, a little snow is nothing for The Flash," Patty said, walking over to rub Barry's shoulders.

"That's true, I suppose," Cecile lamented. "I hope Iris makes it here in time, though."

"Iris?" Barry turned to Joe. She's coming. Here?" Like Joe, Barry had not seen Iris since his wedding a year ago. She's attended with Scott, who'd ended up having to leave before the reception was over. Before that, four years prior, her own wedding had taken her away to Keystone away from Central City.

For the first year or so, Barry and Iris had made sincere efforts to make time for their friendship. It was hard for Iris to get away from Scott, but Barry used to use his Flash powers to pop in on her at work. At home, when Scott was away. And though it wasn't a perfect set up, the time they made for each other had made swallowing her leaving a lot easier. But that was then.

Over time, something – that he still couldn't pinpoint – had changed. She never had time to hang out. Even though he knew her schedule down to the millisecond. And though it had been hard, he'd just chalked it up to the fact that she had become a married woman. He priorities had to be her new husband, and his family. So he'd tried to forget about her. Tried.

"Barry, you're zoning out again, are you okay?" Cecile said, concerned. "Joe was talking to you."

"Oh, I think I'm just a little tanked from the trip hip," he said, "I think I need some of your delicious food.

Cecile smiled. "I have heard that it does wonders."

"I've heard the same," Barry said, returning her smile. "Anyway, What were you saying Joe?"

"I said, If I'm not mistaken, Iris hasn't been home for my birthday in two whole years. But she promised me she was coming, hell or high water."

"Wow, Iris in the flesh." Patty said, jovially. "I've been wanting to get to know her too," she said, glancing back at Barry. "Looking through his old photo albums, I deduced that those two had quite a childhood, but getting the backstory for those pics, has proven to be quite the challenge."

A smirk spread across Joe's face, and before Barry could protest, the older man had risen from the couch, and walking to the bookshelf behind him. Barry's eyes grew wide in protest. "Not the photo album, Joe!"

Joe silenced Barry with the raise of a hand. "My house, my rules. Besides, what kind of honorary father-in-law would I be if I didn't help your wife dig into your childhood?"

"Not a very good one," Patty laughed, before catching the grimace on Barry's face. "Oh, come on babe. We never do this. Please, let Joe show me the pictures. It'll be good for our bonding."

Barry didn't respond, opting to chew on his bottom lip.

"Okay, baby?" She asked again, cradling his face in her hands.

He sighed and nodded in silence. He loved Patty, but damn was this woman persistent.

"Oh, goody!" She squealed. "Come on Joe! Show me the goods."

"I'm not sure what happened to the picture, but just imagine this one," Joe started pointing to Barry, "With a bleach blonde fade…I tell you, those rotten kids messed up all of my good towels with that bleach! " Joe said, nearly hurling over with laughter. "I think you and Iris were grounded for two full months."

"Three months, I believe," Barry added, as he covertly slipped the photo evidence into his pocket. There were some things that were best left in the past. And if Patty and Joe were deadset on digging it up, he was at least going to retain his dignity. "And you made us pay you back for the towels. And the ruined blades."

"You damn right I did," Joe asserted.

"That's uhh…quite a story," Patty laughed. "You and Iris seem to have had a very special relationship."

Barry shrugged to himself. "I mean…"

"Special is an understatement. They were best friends, thick as thieves, attached at the hip. They even had a fake wedding ceremony as kids." Joe started, before turning to Barry. "Remember that? You even wrote vows!

"Vows, you say?" Patty asked, eyebrows raised. "So I'm your second wife?" Patty put her hands on her hips, pretending to be offended. "So, that's why you never mention Iris, huh?"

"Pretend vows" Barry laughed nervously. "Just dumb kid stuff," he added, fiddling with his palms, which were starting to sweat.

Patty smiled. "Well, I'd pay good money to see my predecessor in action."

"Good thing I have it on tape," Joe said, laughing.

"Joe, Patty doesn't want to see these dumb old movies." Barry glanced at Joe. "Must you torture me this entire trip?"

"We're all just having fun, Barry," Patty said, patting Barry on the legs. "I-"

"Hey guys, Iris isn't picking up the phone," Cecile said interrupting the conversation. panic evident in her voice. "I've tried to call, text, email, facetime."

"Did you try Scott?" Joe asked.

"Scott, apparently stayed behind to work," Cecile revealed, glancing in Joe's direction to gauge his reaction. "She is out there alone."

Barry gulped. "What-

"The hell?" Joe asked, unable to hide the concern on his face. "What kind of man leaves his wife alone in the snow? Does he even realize how cold it is out there? "

"I don't know, but Scott said she left home four hours ago," Cecile added. "That would put her right in the middle of the heaviest part of the storm. She's probably stuck on the side of the road."

Joe slammed his plate onto the coffee table and motioned for Barry to stand. "Barry, suit up," Joe insisted. "We're going to–"

Whoosh.

In an instant, Barry was standing in the middle of the living room in his Flash suit. The motion nearly sucked the soup out of Patty's spoon. "No, Joe. You stay here with. I can cover more ground alone." With that, he was out of the door before Patty could get out her, "Be..safe, Barry."