Okay this chapter is a whopper in more ways than one. I really hope you enjoy it! You guys are the best! Your comments and reviews are so supportive, I could not ask for better readers! :D Thanks for reading!

Chapter 15

"He was such a big man, but so quiet. He could go for hours without speaking, and you'd forget he was there. I didn't mind that so much, but when he started acting strangely around the jewelry I had to let him go. I hated doing that." The woman was well dressed, in her fifties, with elegantly coiffed hair. She sat next to Joe's desk with her handbag in her lap, ankles properly crossed.

Joe was seated at his desk, nodding as he took notes in his notepad. Eddie was standing nearby listening in.

Barry was leaning against a nearby file cabinet with his arms crossed, trying to seem less interested than he actually was. He'd run out of work to do in the lab, and neither Joe nor Eddie minded if he spent time listening into their interviews. He studied the woman and wondered if she might actually provide a lead for their chameleon jewelry thief. He made a mental note to check with Cisco for a name that would take less time to say. Anything was better than brick-wall-covered-in-sand-man. Remembering the night in the alleyway led to thoughts of Iris, and the fact that he hadn't heard from her since they talked last night. He ignored the knots of tension in his gut and forced his attention back to the conversation. He'd been repeating the last few steps every few minutes all day.

The woman was looking slightly flustered. "I'm so sorry, this was a year ago and I just didn't think about it when the robbery first happened. It didn't seem connected."

Joe pressed his advantage. "But now you think it is?" She hesitated, and then nodded. "In what way, ma'am?" Her bright eyes dimmed for a moment before she continued. Barry leaned forward to catch every word.

"Well, when I hired Cameron to work in the store, I knew he had no training or background in sales. But he seemed so earnest and willing to learn, even though he was about my age. He was moving on, looking for a new career. So I gave him a chance. He was so grateful; sometimes I think he saw more to my kindness than there was. He always loved the beauty of the jewelry, and he used to compare them to my eyes." She laughed, blushing slightly. Joe smiled, keeping her at ease. Her smile faded. "But after a few months he became…different. He was always quiet, but after I turned him down for an actual date, he went even quieter. He became fascinated with the jewelry. I'd catch him taking them out of the display cases and just holding them. But that is against policy. Too easy to just pocket some, you know." Joe and Eddie were both nodding by now. Barry's brain was in overdrive. "It didn't matter how many times I reprimanded or warned him. He just kept doing it. He would hold them to the light and watch them sparkle. He…worshiped them. He was fixated. It became too uncomfortable, and I had to let him go. I felt bad doing it, but…" Her voice faded away.

Joe glanced at Barry, who gave an almost imperceptible nod and twitch of his eyebrows. Joe got the message and leaned toward the woman. "Ma'am, of the jewelry taken from your store, were any of them ones in particular that Cameron was fascinated with?"

She nodded a bit sadly. "Yes, almost all of them. They were my most expensive pieces, and those take some time to sell. They'd been in the store for a while."

Joe was busy writing again. "Ma'am, do you have any idea where Cameron might be hanging around nowadays? Did he mention anything about…construction sites or concrete companies?" She was shaking her head. Barry's head drooped. "Okay, thank you so much for coming back in, you've been very helpful. Eddie, would you escort her to her car? Thanks." Eddie looked slightly nonplussed to suddenly be an older lady's escort. Nevertheless he offered the lady his arm with a winning smile and headed for the elevator.

Barry pushed away from the file cabinet and approached Joe's computer. Joe was already typing Cameron Mann's first and last name into the database. "Gotcha!" He crowed as he got a hit. "Arrested for assault two years ago, charges eventually dropped. Barry, does he look familiar?"

Barry took a look at the picture, trying to remember the night he'd been slammed against a building. "I think so. It all happened pretty quickly. But what she said about him holding the jewelry makes a lot of sense. I told you, he wants it because it means something to him, not to sell it."

Joe was nodding so fast in agreement he looked like a bobble head. "Yup. I think this might be our meta. Eddie and I will do some background work and see if we can find a connection to a concrete company. We're getting close, Barry. I can feel it."

Barry nodded too, trying to look more excited. Joe gave him a look of understanding and clapped his shoulder. "Hang in there, Bear." Barry said nothing. Joe looked like he wanted to continue, but was interrupted when Eddie stormed back in, looking disgusted.

Joe gave Eddie a questioning look. Eddie did not look like he wanted to share, but leaned forward to do it anyway.

"She just asked me out! Told me my eyes looked like sapphires!" Eddie gave them a look that clearly said the idea was crazy, but Joe and Barry were too busy laughing to notice.

After getting a grand total of 3 hours of sleep the night before, Iris admitted defeat and called in sick. She felt exhausted, emotionally and physically. She waited for her dad to leave for work before she ventured out of her bedroom. She went to the kitchen for breakfast, and then decided she didn't want any. She meandered back to the bathroom to shower, but didn't feel up to it. Finally she settled onto the couch and did nothing.

She closed her eyes and leaned her head on her hand, thinking about the night before. Again. She had spent most of the night tossing and turning and thinking of nothing else. Barry's revelation about feeling shut out gave her lots to think about. Even though that had never been her intention, she could see how he'd felt that way. It hurt her to think of him hurting, which was one reason she'd been up all night.

The other reasons were many. She was shocked at her own behavior, punching him as she had. She knew he'd told her to, and she knew he'd purposely goaded her into it, but she still wasn't proud of it. She had told Barry that it hadn't helped her feel any better, but after a restless night, she had to admit it had helped to be able to express the anger that she'd been bottling up. Apparently there had been quite a bit of it. The ferocity of her outburst still shook her. She'd only realized as she'd said it that one of the main reasons she was still so angry at Barry was because she had been so unaware of the danger he was constantly putting himself in. It was very real danger, and in many ways she now understood why he and her father had tried to keep her removed from it. But Barry had been and still was running into the middle of it every time. What if something happened to him? What if he was damaged beyond his body's ability to repair? Thinking about him getting killed on one of his early escapades while she was so clueless made her feel ill. It was one thing to imagine a larger than life super hero in a suit risking his life. It was quite another to realize that any danger posed to that hero would also pose danger to her best friend. Any loss of the man in the red suit would affect her deeply and personally, not just in a more superficial way relating to the city. At least now she knew what was going on. But she still wasn't ready to lose him again…

The ping of a text on her phone awakened her much later. It was only then that she realized she'd fallen asleep on the couch. She sat up and stretched out sore muscles, remembering a wish for Barry's heartbeat in her ear as she slept. She had thought the arm of the couch was Barry's chest. She shook it off and checked her phone. Part of her hoped it was Barry, but it wasn't. It was a text from Stacey, wishing her well and telling her to get better soon.

Stacey's text reminded Iris of her coworker's words the other night. "I believe that when you know someone you really see what's inside them, inside their soul, you know? And then those other things just don't matter at all. If you know what's inside, that's what's important. When I know their soul, I'll always know them."

Iris rolled her eyes at the memory. Obviously Stacey had never been a best friend with a secret hero who didn't tell her about his powers or the danger or the fact that he was secretly flirting with her behind a mask.

She leaned across the couch to put her phone back on the end table, and as she did she came face to face with the picture Joe kept there. She and Barry were looking at the camera, smiling brightly. Her arm was resting on his shoulder, easy and comfortable. But it was Barry's face that caught her attention. It was so open and kind. Just like it always had been. Even after losing his parents, Barry had always shown such love for others. His final words to her from the night before drifted back. "This is me. No hiding anymore."

Iris picked up the picture and settled back onto the couch, staring at it.

She realized how fitting it was that out of all the different ways she could have discovered that he was The Flash, it had been because of his heart. That big, beautiful heart that wanted to help everyone and always had. Maybe that was why she was so obsessed with it all of a sudden. Besides the fact that it reassured her that Barry was still alive, it also spoke of who he was. With or without his mask. Just like his love for her, this secret had never changed him.

He'd told her about his feelings for her instead of telling her he was The Flash. Did that mean anything? When his world turned upside down, Barry reached for the constant in his life: He loved her.

When he'd been plunged into grief over The Arrow, he had many others he could have talked to; she could see that now. He hadn't wanted to talk to them. He had talked to her.

And when The Arrow was alive again, Barry came straight to her.

He was right, she realized. He had never been able to stop coming to see her. She had been very involved in The Flash's story for a while now, even if she wasn't in on all the smaller details.

She remembered the night in his apartment, lying on his chest. She had never wanted to leave. Barry had always been and was still everything to her. Was it worth giving him up forever just so she could hold onto her anger at being unfairly treated, even if it was justified?

Stacey's ridiculous thoughts and the night Barry had been whammied tangled together in her mind. She remembered his angry, disguised voice "You don't know me! You never did." The anguish under those words broke her heart now. Because she always had known him, with the mask or without it.

Unbelievably, just like Stacey had said, everything else melted away as Iris looked at Barry. Her eyes were moist as she smiled down at the picture. "I know you." She whispered to his smiling face. "I know you."

Iris hadn't felt this peaceful and happy since the night in Barry's apartment. Everything was clear once more. Suddenly she was energized and full of purpose. She got off the couch and hurried upstairs to shower.

"So now we have a name and a face but still not a concrete company?" Cisco's groan was loud and exaggerated. "I was hoping for better than that!"

Barry shot him a long-suffering look. "Give Joe a chance. If there's a concrete company in this guy's background he'll find it. Could be any time now."

Cisco sulked in his chair for a moment, but was unable to maintain it. "Fine. But that means from now on you need to have your suit on you at all times. If I get the exact location and he moves, you need to be there in the next few minutes before he disappears. Again."

"What? I don't wear it under my clothes!" Barry could see Caitlin and Dr. Wells in the next room through the glass, shaking their heads and trying not to laugh.

"I don't mean on you on you! I mean with you. At all times. Carry it in a duffel bag or something. Just for a while, until we catch this guy."

Barry rolled his eyes a bit, but agreed. "I just hope I don't get searched any time soon while I'm carrying The Flash's suit in a duffel bag."

Cisco grinned. "Good thing you're friends with a bunch of cops then."

Barry was about to reply when a text on his phone distracted him. His mouth was still open as he raised his phone up to look at it. And then it just stayed open.

The text was from Iris.

Can you meet me please? At the lake?

Barry felt his already fast heartbeat speed out of control. His breathing seemed to be in competition, because it sped up too. He was excited. He was terrified. He had no idea what she might have decided.

Caitlin had spotted him frozen on the spot and rushed over. She took in his phone and his pallor, and just said. "Is it from Iris?" He nodded, finally closing his mouth. He handed her the phone so she could see. She read it twice but couldn't decide what if anything it indicated about the sender's mood. "Barry. Barry!" She had to raise her voice to get him to focus on her. "It's okay. Go see what she has to say. You can do this." He met her eyes and she could read the panic in them. He nodded but didn't move. His brain was jammed, paralyzed on the edge of something huge but he had no clue if it was going to be wonderful or terrible.

By now Dr. Wells and Cisco were closing in as well. Caitlin gave Barry a gentle nudge towards the door. He collected himself and started off in that direction, but Cisco's voice cut in.

"Wait! Take the suit."

Barry started to argue, and then decided it was better just to do it. He grabbed a nearby duffel bag and headed towards his suit. Caitlin had a sudden thought. "Oh! Barry did you reply?" She held up his phone. Barry moved to take it from her.

"Suit, Barry." Cisco reminded him.

"And phone." Caitlin helpfully put in.

Unfortunately all they ended up doing was put an already discombobulated Barry into a quandary of which to do first. He stopped, shook his head, and then stood for a moment, unable to make any kind of decision at all. He made a motion toward his suit, and then his phone, and back again. The other three watched him in growing consternation as he repeated the motions. It was like he was stuck in a never-ending loop.

"Barry." It was Dr. Wells this time.

"Whaaat?!" Barry bawled out. His voice was beyond exasperated. He looked at Dr. Wells, his face contorted.

Harrison smiled. "Get your suit." Barry hesitated a brief moment, then shot over to his suit using his speed and was back in a second.

Dr. Wells nodded approvingly. "Now answer the text." Caitlin recoiled from the sudden windstorm as Barry's phone was whipped from her hand and the fastest text in history was sent.

On my way.

Barry stood a moment after, looking to Dr. Wells for his next instruction. Harrison repressed a grin. "Now go."

Barry went. Quickly. Caitlin brushed her hair out of her face. "Well, I hope that goes well."

Dr. Wells nodded. "Indeed. His level of distraction could be disastrous. He needs to be able to focus."

Cisco laughed. "That's assuming he can make any kind of words when he gets there. I think his brain has turned to mush."

Cisco's brain was already devising ways to find out how it was going. His eyes darted to the comm. console. Caitlin gave him a threatening look, so he assumed an innocent expression and headed to his own workstation. He plunked down in his chair with a sigh, thinking he probably wouldn't hear anything anyway.

Iris drove out to the lake before she texted Barry. In the end she was glad she did, because minutes after his reply came, he had already arrived. She barely had time to get her mittens out of the car because her hands were cold. In fact, she was still putting them on when Barry came to a stop several feet from her. They looked at each other across the distance, and even though he wasn't wearing his suit Iris was reminded of his visits to her as The Flash, when he made sure not to get too close.

Now that the moment was here Iris found herself much more nervous than she'd anticipated. This felt like a bigger deal than when she'd blogged about The Arrow and met The Flash on the rooftop so she could convince him to keep meeting her. In many ways, this meeting was far more important, to both of them. She could see Barry's guarded look and posture. He was trying to protect himself in case things didn't go in a good way. She could understand that. She could feel her own heart pounding, and drew a shaky breath to gather strength and courage. Her smile came out a bit more nervous than she intended.

"Hey Barry."

"Hey."

He met her eyes briefly and smiled, but she could tell he was busy shutting down emotions. He had a duffel bag clutched in one hand, which was unusual. She glanced at it, and that seemed to remind him that he was actually carrying something. He looked at it, almost surprised, and used his speed to quickly deposit it behind some nearby bushes. He returned to the exact same spot. He stood with his hands in his pockets but made no attempt to move closer. Iris felt equal measures of affection and concern. Poor Barry. She looked for a way to set him at ease.

She gestured to the lakeshore. "Let's walk." Barry nodded and fell into step beside her. Nothing was said until they got to the edge of the lake and had followed it for a short distance. Iris was trying to figure out the right words to say but for some reason they just weren't coming to her. Finally she stopped so she could turn to look at him. The tension rolling off him was killing her. She just needed to come out and say it.

"Look, Barry. I've been doing a lot of thinking since last night. And…well…" Her voice faded away. Barry was already nodding, like she had already told him the news he didn't want to hear and was letting her know it was okay. His eyes were focused on a patch of grass by her feet, and the muscle in his jaw twitched. It was definitely not okay. She switched tactics.

"Barry, do you know why I cried the night you told me you loved me?"

That got his attention, because it was the last thing he expected her to ask him. His gaze came up to her face as he raised his shoulders, hands still in his pockets. "No." He looked like he wasn't sure he wanted to know.

Iris kept going. "I cried because I felt so bad for you. All those years and you never said anything; you just kept it to yourself. That must have really hurt. You were so scared of losing me. It made me sad to realize that. Being in love with your best friend must have been so hard."

Barry was already nodding again. She felt bad for him. She would. Iris was a very caring person. She was trying to let him down easy. He swallowed, a huge weight starting to crush his chest.

Iris was still talking. "But so much has happened recently, and I've had a lot of time to think. And…I've realized that being in love with your best friend isn't so bad."

Barry was halfway through another understanding nod when the words actually made sense to him. His eyes came up to meet hers. She was smiling a tiny bit, waiting for his reaction. But all he could get out was one word: "What?"

Iris smiled a little wider. "I said being in love with your best friend isn't so bad. Right?"

He took in her words, and it was another moment before he responded to them. She felt her pulse accelerate. His face was suddenly unguarded, amazed. All his emotions unfurled from where they had been tightly shut down. His hands came out of his pockets and reached toward her face. He placed one hand on each side, cradling it gently.

She knew what he was going to do before he did it, even before his face slowly bent toward hers. She wanted him to but realized she was slightly afraid of it. She was standing with her hands at her sides, suddenly a bit awkward. She had viewed him as her best friend for so long. What if they had no chemistry?

Their lips met. At first it was almost chaste. A closed-mouth kiss between a boy and the girl he'd loved secretly for so long. Barry was trying to remember every second of it. Every sense was recording and filing away. He couldn't stop himself from trying to put everything he was feeling into it. All the years of loving Iris, all the longing, all the hope. It was too good to be true.

To Iris, it felt almost like a dream. She could feel the emotion pouring off him, and it only magnified her own. This was right. This was home.

Her eyes slid shut as she rose up on her toes to get closer. His hands moved further back, cradling her head instead of her face. Her mittened hands came up to hold his forearms and both of their heads tilted to compliment each other as the innocent kiss deepened into one between a man and a woman.

In that moment, any fears about chemistry disappeared in a blink. Every bit of energy and attraction she'd ever dared feel when she was with The Flash merged with her love for Barry. They were the same, and she wanted him. Only him. Forever. She felt overwhelmed by her emotions as he slowly broke the kiss and separated his lips from hers. She was almost close to tears, but in a very good way. Her eyes were still closed, holding on to the moment, a bit breathless. In the next second she was glad she opened them when she did. Barry's eyes had been closed too, but as he opened them his mouth curved into the most tender, beautifully happy smile she'd ever seen.

He looked into her eyes. "Right." He whispered.

Well, as you can see this fic is starting to wrap up. But it's not over yet! After all, the metahuman still has to be dealt with, of course. If fluff is "accidentally" given out too, it can only be a good thing. :)