Prompt from MicroraptorGlider. The police department in general finds out metahumans exist and were created when the particle accelerator exploded. They then suspect Barry might be a metahuman because he was struck by lightning that night and treated at STAR Labs which is suspicious (they don't suspect the Flash). Either Iris finds out on her own or Barry doesn't want her to find out that way and tells her.
"Barry, get down to the station, now. The captain wants to address everyone." Joe commanded into the phone. He looked around to see if anyone seemed to be listening. "Slowly." He whispered.
Barry arrived ten minutes later.
"Nice of you to finally join us, Allen." The captain said. "Now we can begin." He spoke louder now to address the entire station. "It has come to the city's that since the night of the particle accelerator explosion at STAR Labs, people with . . . certain abilities have been seen. These abilities are known to include super speed, shape shifting into gaseous and metallic form, and other things that I'm not sure how to describe. I never thought that I would have to say these words or anything like them, and I don't expect you to believe it right away, but we are now dealing with criminals and even innocents with . . ." the captain struggled with the next word. "Super powers."
Some officers laughed. They all thought it must be a joke, but one look at the captain's shocked face, and they had no choice but to believe it.
"You've got to be careful, Barry." Joe warned.
"We contacted STAR Labs earlier today when the rumors were given backing. They didn't seem too keen on sharing details, but they did admit to the existence of what they call 'metahumans.' We were told that for the most part their minds have not been affected. They have met and studied a few metahumans with positive intent, but they have told us that they have imprisoned some violent 'metahumans' with the help of another metahuman, namely 'The Flash'. The city has told us to find and recruit a team of metahumans to study and potentially train them as police to track down criminal metahumans. We don't know how to fight them, and we don't have the resources to learn how, but if we can find metahumans willing to work for us, we can fight back. They are dangerous, but we need them to fight them."
Barry felt like the captain was staring right at him while talking about recruiting metas.
"Thawne, West." He beckoned them into his office.
"It'll be okay, Barry. I promise." Joe said as he walked into the captain's office just behind Eddie.
"What's up, Captain?" Eddie asked while Joe tried not to look nervous.
"Barry was struck by lightning on the night of the particle accelerator explosion. Then he was treated at STAR Labs. Do you know where I'm going with this?"
"Wait you think that Barry is one of those metahuman things?" Eddie asked incredulously.
"They are still people, Eddie, but really captain? He's my son, I would know." Joe said.
"Exactly. The men out there will not be accepting to the idea of metahumans. These people are different and no one likes change, especially changes that involve potential danger. I think you both know all that, and you're trying to protect him." The captain explained.
"I won't deny that I would do anything for my boy, but STAR Labs treated him because Dr. Wells felt guilty about the seventeen deaths that day and heard about Barry. He wanted to do everything he could to not add Barry Allen to the list of deaths he felt responsible for." Joe retaliated.
"Eddie?"
"I barely knew him before that day. I had only talked to him a couple times. He wouldn't trust me with that kind of information." The man responded.
"But he would tell Iris, wouldn't he?"
"Go ahead and ask her, Captain. Barry isn't a metahuman."
"I got a weird call from your captain today." Iris said to Barry when he came to walk her home from Jitters that night.
"Really, what about?" Barry said feigning innocence.
"He thinks you're like the Flash, someone with powers." Iris stared at him. "It got me wondering."
"Wondering about what?"
"He made some good points. These people were created by the explosion the same time you got hit by lightning. STAR Labs took interest in you. You've been acting differently ever since you woke up, and the Flash showed up about a day later. Nine months after he would have developed the powers. Now, why would the Flash, who seems to love saving people, wait to start saving people until nine months after he could? Unless he couldn't because he was in a coma." Iris looked at her best friend who had stopped walking and turned toward her.
"Iris," he looked down. "I-I really didn't want you to find out like this."
"When were you going to tell me? Were you going to tell me?"
"Iris, I have spent every waking moment thinking about the day when it would finally be safe enough to tell you. It hurt so bad to not be able to tell you, but there was no way I could allow you to be in more danger than you already were. I-" Barry nearly let the three words he had always longed to say out of his mouth, but he was too afraid. "I care about you, Iris. I can't let you be hurt."
"Barry, you don't need to worry about me." She hit his shoulder. "I'm the daughter of a cop, and I've got my own personal super hero. "
Barry laughed. "I'm glad you know. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."
"Oh, Bear, I know you better than you realize. I also know my dad really well."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, I know that he knows about you and made you promise not to tell, but you don't want to tell that he made you promise not to tell." Iris said rather quickly.
"You're doing that thing where you stop speaking English."