++++++ This is mostly a filler chapter.

I hope you enjoy.

I do not own ++++++

Twenty

To be honest I'd never actually been on a date before so I have no idea what the dating etiquette is in today's society. The whole time I found myself laughing at Jess's continual stream of jokes and comedic charm.

It turns out Jess was born and raised in Coast City by a single father, he loved to surf, every spare second of free time he had he was at the beach. He was that guy in high school that I hated-the jock-but he had brains in his head and was funny. When he learnt that I was able to surf, Jess invited me to Coast City in a few weeks to come visit his parents and their fantastic beaches.

I said yes in a heartbeat.

After the date, Jess walked me to my apartment door and kissed my cheek softly before leaving me. As the elevator doors closed he gave me the thumbs up and I dissolved in a fit of giggles.

Oh it was fantastic. No bars, no crime fighting, no questionable morals just a movie and dinner with lots of laughter. I had a shower and plopped down on my bed to Skype Suki. The girl in question was packing some boxes and listening to music singing poorly at the top of her lungs in her underwear.

I cleared my throat. "I had no idea you were such a horrible singer."

Suki spun around. "Did anyone ever tell you what a stalker you are?" she chuckled.

I shrugged. "Possibly…but hey I wanted to tell you a few things."

"Me first! Suki grinned. "I was gonna email you but I might as well tell you. We've brought a place in Blüdhaven-two bedroom apartment. It's got this adorable garden terrace. I'm going to grow veggies."

"So it's really working out, huh?" I asked her.

She had this huge goofy grin on her face. Suki was happy, happier then she had been in a long time. "A few days isn't anything to go on but he's trying. Brought me breakfast in bed with a bouquet of roses this morning before he left-"

"I'm gonna have to hit you," I told her.

She grinned. "Well I'm not exactly sorry, little fish. We're packing now. Some of our stuff has already gone and he's gone with it to set up the warehouse lair. Says the apartment is all mine to deal with."

I sighed. "Well I had an actual date tonight."

"Oh do tell," she grinned. "What about Leonard?"

"We parted ways, I think for the last time," I confessed. "But the guy's name is Jess. I actually work with him. He's a surfer which I think is amazing-he even asked me if I could go to Coast City with him one weekend. I said yes."

Suki grinned. "Fantastic! So I've booked you a train ticket to come and spend some time here for next weekend. Can you come? I'll send you the ticket."

I nodded. "Absolutely. I'd be more than happy to go see Blüdhaven and your new place."

Suki grinned. "So tell me what happened with Snart. I can't imagine you parted ways on the best of circumstances."

I sighed and told her everything that had happened in the theatre and afterwards, debating whether or not I should tell Barry or not. River was right in a way but I didn't want him to stop trusting me. We spent a few hours talking and laughing, listening to each other's music-Bruce Wayne's butler came in a few times for various things.

Apparently Suki would miss having a butler.

"There is one more thing though," I frowned, "before I finally go to bed. There was a woman-she was wearing a mask just like the one Slade Wilson and Isabel Rochev wore in the Undertaking."

Suki turned pale at that news. She sat up in her bed. "I think I better call Waller and make sure that my father is still in prison. God I can't wait to get rid of the Wilson name. I hate it, little fish it makes my skin crawl."

"Soon, volk," I told her. "But right now, we'll talk later-I want to go to bed. Night?"

"Night," she smiled before hanging up.

I shut my laptop and went to the kitchen for some water.

"You really should lock your door," Barry spoke from the open apartment door.

I glanced over to my brother who stood at the door holding a bag full of what smelled liked Mexican. "Is that food?" Truthfully I was starving even after how much I'd eaten at dinner.

"Sure is, from The Greasy Mexican," Barry replied. He shut the door and came into the kitchen for plates. "Didn't know how well you're date went so I thought I'd come and bring food."

"My date was amazing," I told him. "But I can never say no to a burrito. Wanna watch TV and eat bad food like we used to when you were at MIT?"

Barry grinned. "Heck yes."

I grabbed the plates (and the beers), joining Barry and the food on the couch. "Working?" I asked, making small talk.

Barry sighed. "Look-I know you've got the experience on me but I want to be honest with you, Charlie. There was kind of an accident tonight and I derailed a train."

I raised an eyebrow. "You derailed a train? Blood hell, how?"

"Snart," Barry confessed, "he's smarter than what I thought he would be. Joe says he has an eidetic memory-I'd believe it now."

I started setting the food out on the plates. "Oh yeah?"

Barry leant forward. "I know, Charlie…about you and him. The bar tender-Jimmy told Joe about you and him. Joe's pretty angry."

I sat back on the couch. "I don't know Barry-honestly I don't. I was angry after everything that happened before you went to STAR Labs and I did it to stick it to Joe. Thing's just went on their own way from there. I was going to tell you I just didn't know how."

Barry put his arm around me and pulled me into him like he used to do when we were little. "I'm not angry, Charlie. I do admit that I was angry when Joe told me but you did nothing to help him. Just promise me that you will stay away from him if he comes back to Central?"

I nodded. "Sure-you don't need to tell me more than once." I reached out and grabbed the plate of food, returning to lean into my brother with the remote.

Barry grabbed it off me and turned the TV on. "I got my invite to the opening for Bìnàn. I was gonna ask Iris if she'll go with me."

I rolled my eyes. "You are totally clueless when it comes to Iris. You should totally just tell her that you've been in love with her since you knew what love was."

"You gonna take anyone?" Barry asked, changing the subject.

I shrugged. "Jess is going. He's taking a reporter friend who he asked already. I might go alone-not everyone needs a plus one, dude."

Barry shrugged, accepting my answered. The two of us sat there in silence and ate, watching a crap movie on TV.

"Hey Barry?" I frowned.

"Yeah," he replied.

"Will you take me to see dad?" I asked him. "I think it's time."