Iris West teetered back and forth on her heels, as she peered around Royal Isle Park, which was just a five-minute walk from her father's house. Barry had asked her to meet him there, yet, he was already almost an hour late. She knew that he'd got caught up with something at work, but she hadn't thought it was going to take this long.

She'd had one hell of a day with Scott in court, and was beyond mentally wiped. She'd filed, citing alienation of affection and verbal abuse. In return, he'd contested her request for alimony, considering he'd paid for all of her expenses over their marriage since she'd stopped working, and that she willingly overspent to the point where their necessities were neglected, the latter of which was news to her.

She expected nothing less from Scott, though. He'd gotten so used to pulling her puppet strings, and controlling her every move, he wasn't going to give up that control without a fight. It was a fight she was fully willing to see through to the end, which was something she wouldn't have been able to say this, even six months ago.

But she'd been able to draw strength and courage to find her voice and stand up for herself from being around her family again, and through her therapy sessions. That didn't make things any easier though.

Facing the man she'd left her family and friends for, devoted five years of her life to, who she'd laid with, confided in, and who she tried to honor in every single way a wife was supposed to honor and respect her husband, in court would never be easy.

What had gotten her through it, besides her father's support, was knowing that she'd end the day in Barry's arms.

If he ever showed up, that is.

She sighed, then pulled out her phone to check in on him again. Just as she pulled up their message thread, she heard the familiar whoosh and crackle that caused a defiant smile to curl across her lips.

"I was this close to sending you a strongly-worded text message, Barr," she teased, as she turned to face him. Her eyes danced with delight when she saw Barry, standing there in black slacks and a white button down, in front of a full picnic spread laid out on a tablecloth in the grass.

"I don't doubt it."

"What's going on?" She asked smiling, as she walked towards him. The closer she got, the clearer the pain on his face was. She frowned. "Are you okay?"

"I'm...something. Better now that I'm with you. You look beautiful, by the way," he said, eyes trailing down the spaghetti strapped white dress she was wearing.

"Thank you, Barr." She blushed. "I just wish I'd dressed for an outdoor date," she said, eyeing the set up to the left of him. "What is all of this?"

"Well," he said, as he removed his jacket, "I figured that, with everything going on, heading to my makeshift place in STAR Labs, or Joe's sofa, didn't really seem like a viable option tonight. Like Grandma, Esther used to tell us, "When life beats you down-"

"You owe yourself extra kindness, gentleness, and nurturing," Iris said, completing his sentence. "Wow, can't believe you remembered that."

He smiled. "So that's what I'd like to offer you tonight if that's okay," he said, as he slipped his jacket onto her arms.

"Of course it's okay, what exactly did you have in mind?" Iris said, laughing gently. "

"Well, as you can see, I thought we could have a little dinner, a little wine under the beauty of the stars, and just talk and unwind."

"It sounds amazing, thank you so much," she said, as her eyes grew misty.

Barry was so good to her, and though his kindness was, once again, becoming a fixture in her life, though she felt silly for admitting it, it overwhelmed her.

For a time, she'd convinced herself that the mediocre affection Scott provided her with when they weren't at each other's throats was all she had to look forward to in life. It still angered her that she'd lost herself so deeply, the reasons of which she was still uncovering through her therapy sessions but what she did know is that there was no one other than Barry, whom she wanted by her side on her journey to recovery.

"You're welcome," he said, wiping his thumb over her cheek, as her hand found the back of his neck. Leaning up on her tiptoes, she pressed a firm kiss to his lips, then pulled him into a tight embrace.

"So what now," Iris asked, looking lovingly up into his eyes when they parted.

"Now? We eat. And then…"

"Oh, there's more?"

"I booked us a room in this cozy little resort a couple of states over for the weekend since we're both off."

"Oh, did you?" Iris asked, cocking her brows. "Taking initiative, I see," she said a hint of scolding in her voice.

"I'm not trying to seduce you, I promise. I just thought we could use a couple of days alone, away from all of our problems, and obligations, and just bask in each other's company."

"You know, that sounds perfect, Barr."

BREAK

Iris fell backward onto the picnic blanket and groaned. She'd eaten her weight in various cheeses, cold cuts, crackers, grapes, and petit fours, and was physically unable to sit upright anymore.

"I take it, you enjoyed dinner," Barry said laughing, as he settled in behind her.

"Yes, the food was amazing, You remembered all of my favorite little indulgences." Iris said, turning on her side to face him, "but just being with you is what made it truly special for me," she added, as he ran his fingers through her hair. "I really needed this."

A rush of wind enveloped them on all sides, and Iris pulled Barry's jacket closed. Barry scooted closer to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, and soon, liquid streams of warmth spread out in every direction of her body.

"Is that better?" Barry asked, pressing a kiss to the side of her neck.

"Every moment with you is better," she said, as settling into his arms.

"Wow," Barry drawled feigning offense.

"What?"

"You stole my jacket, now you're stealing my words too?"

Iris laughed. "If I recall, you gave me this jacket. Also, stolen or not, I mean it. Having you back in my life is exactly what I needed. Even if your tardiness has only gotten worse since before I moved away," she said, jabbing him slightly in the ribs.

Barry let out a deep breath. "Sorry about that, hope you're not too mad."

"How could I be mad when you were planning all of this for us?"

"Well, actually, I've had this planned for a few days."

"Oh? Then what happened earlier?"

Silence followed. A beat later he replied, solemnly: "Patty happened."

Iris scrunched up her fact and swiftly turned to face Barry.

"No, not like that. That was a one time mistake, Iris." There was slight offense in his voice, that Iris's mind would even go there, but he understood.

"Then what was it like?"

"I went to talk to the Captain about getting transferred, and we kind of had a blow-up tonight."

"Oh? I'm sorry."

"Do you want to hear about what happened?" He asked, knowing that, for better or worse, they'd promised to be completely honest with each other.

"Do you think I need to know?" Iris asked, slightly concerned.

"No. I mean yes. I mean, no. I mean yes."

"Okay, you're scaring me, Barr."

Barry sighed, pressing his eyes shut. "Patty told me she was pregnant.

"P-pregnant?" Iris asked, unable to decide if she could trust her ears or not. Unable to decide whether or not she would even accept his words if they turned out to be true.

He nodded. "Yeah, but then, she told me she wasn't."

Iris breathed a deep sigh of relief, one that she couldn't have hidden if she wanted to. "Maybe lead with that next time."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. So she was testing you?"

"I guess, or she just wanted to see how I'd react to the news."

"And how did you?" Iris asked, unable to hold in her inquiry.

"Patty and I had never talked formally about having a family, but it was one of those milestones we thought we'd check off when we got there if we ever did. But I always expected it to happen one day. And when she told me she was pregnant, my mind started spinning with possibilities of what our future would look like, given this news.

"I see," Iris said, as she sat up, unable to think of another response.

"And do you know what?" Barry asked, following her motions.

"What? No. God, never mind. That's not my business," Iris said, which was more about her not knowing if she could handle his response, than not wanting to pry. "We don't have to talk about-"

"All I saw was dysfunction and pain," he continued, cutting Iris off. "I saw her and I attempting to co-parent a child who could sense the discontent between us. And I ached for that kid, or those kids, who might grow up with both parents but would never have a true home, filled with love, to call their own. And suddenly, I felt like I was being suffocated, like the barely standing walls of my life had collapsed on top of me. And before I knew it I was on the floor, clutching my chest, attempting to draw one clear breath, the whole time watching Patty look on in horror, at the fact that the prospect of having a family with her, sent me into a full on panic attack."

"That must have been difficult," Iris offered. "For both of you."

"Yeah," Barry said shaking his head, "It was. When I finally came to, Patty told me she wasn't actually pregnant, and she looked at me in utter disgust, like I was scum on the bottom of her shoe.

"And I deserved every bit of it," he continued. " Earlier today, she told me I stole her life from her, and that's exactly what I did when I married her, hoping that I could learn to love her the way she deserves, but knowing deep down, it would never be enough. I won't ever be able to make this up to her, no ever. And I have to live with this. But do you know what the absolute worst part was?"

"What?"

"The thought of having to tell you that I got her pregnant. The thought of hurting you again after I promised you I'd never do it again. The thought of you leaving me, which you would have had every right to have done. Feeling like I'd just ruined our chance to ever have a family of our own."

"You want to have a family with me, Barr?" Iris gasped, softly. She hadn't seriously thought about having kids since her and Scott's first year of marriage. Truth be told, she hadn't thought about kids since returning to Central City either.

"Of course I do, Iris. That's all I've ever wanted since we were teenagers. I know that we have a shit ton of crap to work through, but yes, of course."

Iris didn't speak. Instead, she simmered on his words, allowing them to permeate through her, softening her stubborn edges.

"I guess what I'm saying," he kept on, placing a hand on her knee, "is that everything always comes back to you. Like I told you yesterday, and the day before that, and probably the day before that one too, you are absolutely it for me. I already knew it, and now Patty knows it without a shadow of a doubt. I don't know what this means for our divorce, of whether or not she's going to continue draw things out, but she knows finally where my heart is. I know it'll take time, but I'm hoping that she'll finally be able to heal now, because I'm 100 percent all in with you, and I have been my entire life, even before you breathed in my direction."

"God, Barry. What am I supposed to say to say to all of this?" Iris asked, eyes heavy with tears.

"Tell me that you're just as sure about me. Tell me that no matter what happens during these next few months, with Patty or with Scott, you won't shut me out, that you won't disappear on me again. Tell me that you'll love me-"

Iris cut him off with a kiss. A world-stopping, earth-shattering kiss.

It was both was an admission of her undying love for him, and an apology for putting him in a position where he had to even question whether or not she was just as devoted to him, as friend or as something more. A kiss that would hopefully numb his everlasting guilt for the choice he'd made, and one that hopefully foreshadow the fact that she was finally ready to put their suite to good use tonight, because there was only so much a kiss could express.

NOTE: To everyone who's commented, know I've seen and appreciate every single one. I just haven't figured out how to reply to them, but I love you for taking time to give feedback. Much more story to come! Also, I'm on Tumblr liquidheartbeats2 and Archive of Our Own liquidheartbeats Come say hi! :)