.:21:.

Cadence leaned into the bathroom and sprayed it with enough Febreeze to create a visible avalanche then pulled the door shut to trap in the smell. Then she turned around and sighed heavily, bringing a hand up to rub the back of her head. "Okay, Cade, is anyone actually going to care if your bedroom isn't completely clean? No? I didn't think so." With that, she walked out of her room and placed her hands on her hips, surveying the floor of the living room. Her eyes landed on the basket of clothes that sat on the floor, wondering if she truly did want to take the time to do the load at the moment.

"I'll just shove it in my closet; no one will look for it there." Tucking the basket under her arm, Cadence headed back into her bedroom to find more clothes to put into the basket. As she dug through her basket for dark clothes there was a light gust of wind that blew her hair around her face. She didn't have to turn around to know who it was.

"Hey, Barry," she greeted him, back turned to him.

"Hey, Cade," Barry replied.

"What's up?" She placed the now full basket of clothes on the ground and kicked it into the closet, hoping he didn't see the massive amount of Vans she had stacked up inside. Then something caught her attention and she tapped her chin. "How come you never use the front door?"

"You mean other than actually finding out that I can get bored of running?" Barry stretched his legs out along the length of the window sill. Crossing his arms over his chest, he appeared contemplative, tilting his head to the side. "It was fun at first, being able to get to Europe within a few minutes of running but now that I've been nearly everywhere, there's not so much to look at."

"Poor you." Cadence laughed. "You can go anywhere you want in the world within seconds and you're complaining about being able to do it."

Barry ignored her dig and decided to answer her second question. "The last time I used your front door I got kidnapped," he explained. "And for my own apartment it's hard to go in and out at all hours at a walk let alone a speed run." He swung his legs to the floor, resting his hands on the windowsill. "Actually, now that Iris has moved out, Joe's offered me to move back into my old room."

"Really?" Cadence's eyebrows rose in surprise. She walked over to the window and sat on it as well, turning so that her legs were hanging out the window, resting on the metal of the fire escape. "You moved back?"

"Yeah, it makes sense." Barry cleared his throat. "I mean, Joe knows about me so it makes it easier to change into my suit. I don't have to worry about waking up with one of my neighbors rummaging through my stuff. And," he gave a shrug and a silly smile. "We're millennials, it's what we do."

"I'll agree with everything but the moving back home part," Cadence said, laughing again. She brushed her hair back out of her face and leaned back, kicking her legs back and forth. "But I could've told you about your apartment ages ago. It wasn't safe let alone sanitary. And it's placement near skid row wasn't very inviting."

Barry started to nod then stopped, turning to her with a suspicious glance. "How'd you know that?" He asked. "You've never been there." His eyes slowly narrowed. "Have you been following me?"

Cadence thought for a moment before replying, trying to figure out how to explain it. "When I was in the Assassination Bureau I was a mercenary," She explained. "So it was my job to know everything about every one of my targets. At one point you were my target, I had to know everything about you, including where you lived." She bobbed her head back and forth. "Though some of it I'm not so sure of because of Breathtaker and Mindboggler having mind controlled me for a bit, but the information I do have is really up to me to decide what to do with."

At Barry's horrified expression, probably thinking of things he had done in the privacy of his apartment, Cadence laughed. "I'm kidding, Barry. The only thing I did was make sure I knew what your schedule was other than the metahuman things that went on. In other words I had to know when you started and ended work with the CCPD and to figure out how often you went to Jitters or the bar with Caitlin and Cisco. And that was before I even met you."

"Oh." Barry frowned. Then he nodded, rubbing his palms on his jeans. "I guess it's a good thing you're on our side now. It's a great thing, I mean. I don't mean to question it or anything." He changed the subject. "So I guess Brady's excited for his birthday party today."

"You have no idea. I don't think I've ever seen anyone as excited to turn nine as he is." With that, Cadence pulled herself back into the window and resumed cleaning. She walked into the kitchen and pulled open the freezer, counting the different kinds of desserts that were inside before checking the cake that was being finished in the oven. "I don't doubt you've noticed I still have a hundred things I need to do, too."

"Yeah, I can see that," Barry agreed. "Do you need any help?"

"Not at the moment." Cadence closed the freezer door then snapped her fingers, turning to face him. "But I want to make sure of something. Do you mind at all if I put you down as one of Brady's emergency contacts for school?" She chewed her bottom lip. "I mean, just in case there's a time where you can get him and I can't."

"Yeah, that's fine," Barry replied. He crossed his arms, looking at his feet for a moment. Then he uncrossed them and rubbed the back of his neck. Then crossed them once more. "A-are you going to add Ryder as an emergency contact?"

"I haven't decided." Cadence replied dismissively. She left the kitchen and went to the living room closet, pulling out a pile of wrapped presents. "I have Caitlin down, though. I think she would be good to have, since she's probably get there on time. No offense."

"None taken," Barry said easily.

"I was thinking of adding Harrison, too, but that might not be a good idea considering how well known he is with the Particle Accelerator explosion."

"What about your Mom and Dad?"

Cadence haphazardly dropped Brady's presents onto a table that was set up and crossed her arms. Her eyes flashed as she turned back to Barry, trying to hold down the anger and frustration she was hoping to keep at bay for the day. "Why would I want to do that?" She asked.

Barry blinked in surprise at her suddenly hostile tone. "Because they're his grandparents?"

"So?"

Now Barry's face screwed up into an expression of concern. "I don't mean to step on your toes, Cade, especially because I'm not in your position. But I had the feeling that you got over your issue with your parents when you went to Metropolis."

"Yeah, I'm over that," Cadence agreed. "I'd be very petty if I weren't." She scratched the back of her head and let out a long sigh. "It's a whole other thing entirely and I don't want to bore you with the details."

"I have time. The party doesn't start for a while."

Cadence studied him for a long moment and seeing that he was being sincere she relaxed. "Okay. Well, it's not that my parents didn't care about me," she explained. "Clearly they did or else they wouldn't have adopted me. But as I grew older it became less about that, then it was caring about what I could do. I know a lot of people think that I'm good at a lot of things, and I've even been called perfect and accused of having the perfect life at one point. But my Mom and Dad put me into as many sports and clubs and extracurriculars as they could. On top of that, they made sure that I got good grades to the point that they eventually didn't like it when I got a B. It didn't help much that they're wealthy and well known in Metropolis so I felt that I had to be perfect in every way."

Cadence shook her head at the memories of the pressure put on her, a bitter smile coming to her lips. "So around my Mom and Dad I was that perfect kid they wanted, when I was around my friends I did whatever I wanted. I drank, I got into trouble, and I basically got away with whatever I wanted because I knew either my parents or my friends' parents would take care of whatever problem we got into. I wasn't out of control or anything, I only drank when I felt like it and the trouble we got into was nothing more than racing cars or playing pranks on people. But when we were doing that I felt like I was being myself, like I could be a person. Of course I didn't ever plan on getting pregnant but then knowing that they cared more about their 'perfect little girl' and their 'perfect reputation' than anything else pisses me off. I can handle them kicking me out, now. But everything else, all of that pressure they constantly put on me, I don't think I can forgive that.

"So I'm trying to be different with Brady. I won't ever let him run completely wild or anything, but whatever he wants to do I'll generally let him do it." Cadence frowned. "Except get a motorcycle, maybe."

"Why? What happened?"

"I crashed mine, which wasn't my fault, by the way." Cadence sighed and now used both hands to push her hair out her face. "And now I'm in Central City planning a birthday party to the circus and I have a million and one things to do and it doesn't look like I'm getting anything done." Her eyes shifted around the bare room then back to Barry with a pleading look in her eye. "Do you think you could…?" Cadence watched as Barry zipped around the small apartment, putting up the rest of the decorations she hadn't had time to put up yet. He came to a stop with a pleased grin, dusting off his hands.

"Done," He said.

Cadence bit her lip, trying not to laugh. "Actually, I was going to ask if you'd take Brady to get a haircut. But not bad." She tilted her head to the side as she studied a combination of streamers. "Those would look better over there, though."

"What? Are you an interior decorator now?" Barry teased.

Cadence shrugged. "Not really. Just a pregnancy project. I had to do something to keep from getting bored when I was on bed rest."

"I can see that," Barry agreed. He gave a sad smile. "My Mom used to say that I made her hate the taste of apple juice because when she was pregnant with me. I gave her that craving and it was all we had when she wasn't allowed to go to the store because she was on bed rest." He shook his head then looked Cadence in the eye. "If it still helps, I think you're doing a great job as his Mom."

"It does, Barry," Cadence gave a sincere smile. "Thanks." The two looked at each other, smiling until the sound of the door to the apartment opening and closing caught their attention. Barry cleared his throat and turned away as Cadence tucked her hair behind her ear and twisted around to see Brady walking in through the door, a sports bag hanging off his shoulder. He dropped it to the floor and walked over to the two metahumans.

"Hi Mom, Hi Barry," he greeted the two of them. His eyes lit up as they landed on the presents. "Are those for me?" He scurried to them and Cadence grabbed the back of his shirt, holding him far away from the gifts. "Aw, Mom. I just want to look."

"You can look later," she replied. Brady sighed and dropped his arms. He backed away and looked at his mother before glancing at her feet.

"Well?" He asked.

"Well what?"

"Well where's my present?" Brady placed his hands on his hips, copying his mother's stance from earlier. "I always open my gift form you first. Where is it?"

"Oh that." Cadence smiled at the impatient eye roll Brady sent her way. "It's not here yet." She laughed as his eyes widened in a worrying fashion and his hands dropped off its hips. "It'll be here later, bud, don't worry about it. Right now, you need to go get a haircut." As Brady pouted, she motioned over towards Barry. "Barry said he'd take you so I can get the rest of this place ready."

Brady immediately brightened, now causing Cadence to roll her eyes. Now I know who the favorite is. "Make sure you're back at least within an hour," she called to him which Brady called "okay," back over his shoulder before practically dragging Barry out of the apartment. Amused, Barry turned back and caught Cadence's eye.

'Thank you'," she mouthed.

'You're welcome', he mouthed back.

Arriving at the barbershop, Brady sat down in an empty seat in the waiting area and pulled out his Nintendo 3Ds to play a game. Barry sat down beside him, slouching low enough in his seat so that he could comfortably cross his legs at the knee. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and started to look through his texts. He was sure there was going to be a million of them considering Snart and Mick had both managed to escape the armored vehicle that had been transferring them to Iron Heights. No one knew what happened; one minute he and Cade had defeated them enough for the CCPD to come in and take them off to jail, he had even been there at the CCPD headquarters to watch as they came through; Mick snorting and ripping through the place like a bull with Snart walking calmly along behind him.

The next minute the news reports were going crazy saying they had manage dot get away. Barry shook his head as he looked through news reports that continued to say the same thing. No matter how many times he looked at them they were true, Snart and Mick were out of jail and they had somehow managed to escape completely. Maybe Cade can help Caitlin and Cisco track them, Barry thought. It can't be that hard for a former mercenary.

Pulling a stick of gum from his pocket, Barry offered Brady a piece before sticking the pack back into his pocket. He had just unwrapped a piece and stuck it in his mouth when Brady asked "So what's up with you and my Mom?"

Barry coughed, nearly inhaling the stick whole. He sat up and leaned forward, coughing harder, hoping to clear his airways. Finally, the gum moved out from the back of his throat and he caught his breath. "Hey man, are you okay?" A barber asked as he turned off his clippers. He and the African-American man he was working on both looked at him in concern. "Do you need some water?"

"No, I'm fine," Barry managed to say. "I'm fine." He turned back to Brady, who had paused his video game and was watching him curiously. It was then Barry realized, with slight annoyance, that he managed to perfectly mimic that expression from his mother. "What'd you say?" Hopefully he would be able to bide his time a little bit to figure out how to answer the question.

"It's just a question," Brady said calmly. He turned back to his video game, sticking his tongue out of the corner of his mouth in his effort to defeat whomever he was fighting against at the moment. "My Mom doesn't bring a lot of people home and she doesn't like to bring a lot of people around me. She said so." He paused his video game once more and looked at him curiously. "So what's going on with you and my Mom?"

"Ah…" Barry reached up a hand and rubbed the back of his neck. "We're just friends," he explained to the young boy and lowered his voice so that the barber and his patron wouldn't hear his next words. "We're partners working with Caitlin and Cisco and…" he trailed off for a moment, unsure of whether to refer to Harrison as 'Dr. Wells' or 'your grandfather'. "Dr. Wells. That's it."

Brady twisted his mouth to the side and continued to look Barry in the eye as if he didn't believe him. Then he turned his attention back to his video game. "Okay," he said finally. He pressed the buttons a few times; muttering something under his breath about 'slippery she-devil' then twisted and turned his video game back and forth. Barry leaned over to get a good look at the screen and smiled when he recognized the game.

"Do you want some help?" He asked.

"Sure." Brady handed the video game over and Barry and leaned over to see the screen, watching as Barry easily navigated the side scrolling game to reach the goal. "Wow! How'd you do that?"

"I had an earlier version of this game when I was a kid," he explained, handing it back. "The game play is very similar, to the point I wouldn't be surprised if this game was just a port to the console. Now, what you should be worried about is the next level. Here's a hint, make sure you have your timing right."

"Okay. Thanks." Brady turned back to his video game but continued to ask him questions. "Do you like video games?"

"I love video games," Barry said. "I play the Xbox every chance I get. Though that's not to say that Nintendo and the Playstation can't be cool, too."

"Do you like movies?"

"Yes."

"What's your favorite kind?"

"I like action movies. What about you?"

"I can't see a lot of movies, I'm just a kid, remember?" Brady reminded him, causing Barry to laugh. Brady paused as he waited for his video game screen to move to the next one. "Do you like to drink?"

"Not really," Barry admitted. "I can't get drunk so there's really no point." He paused for a moment, thinking maybe he had really messed up and told his secret to two unsuspecting people in the barbershop but they didn't seem to be paying any attention to him.

"Well, did you like it in college?"

"That was before my powers and I was a bit busy studying for my two degrees."

"But you and Mom and Caitlin and Cisco go to the bar sometimes."

"Yeah, but watching Cisco get drunk is different than trying to get drunk yourself."

Barry laughed as Brady smiled, looking up when he was called to by the barber, who now had an empty chair. Brady turned off his game and went over to the seat, climbing up into it. He kicked his legs back and forth, waiting for the cape to be draped over him and to be raised high enough for the barber to get a good look at his hair. "So what have we got for you today, Little Man?" The barber asked.

Brady through for a moment then turned to him and said. "I want a Mohawk!"

Immediately, Barry's eyes widened and he got up from his seat and hurried over to the chair, holding up his hands. "I don't think your Mom is going to be happy with a Mohawk for your haircut. I think she wanted you to get a trim."

"It's my birthday and I want a Mohawk," Brady insisted. He tilted his head and looked at the barber. "I want a Mohawk, please."

"Whatever you say, Little Man. It's your birthday," the barber said, picking up a pair of clippers and turned them on. Barry watched as clumps of Brady's hair was buzzed off his head, briefly remembering the time he had cut his own hair with a pair of scissors and his Mom caught him.

She wasn't too happy.

"Hey," Caitlin greeted as she, Cisco, and Harrison entered the door of Cadence's apartment. She held up a bright blue gift bag. "This is for Brady; it's from the three of us."

"More like the two of them," Cisco said, causing Caitlin to glare over at him. Cadence's eyebrows lowered in confusion as Cisco grinned brightly, holding up his hands. "I don't fit anywhere in that equation."

"O…kay…" Cadence said slowly. She reached out her hand and took the gift bag from Caitlin, noting the weight of it as her arm shot towards the ground. Caitlin rolled her eyes and moved closer to her, bringing a hand up to cover her mouth as she whispered, "his name is on the card, I have no idea what's wrong with him."

"Hmm, did he get drunk already?" Cadence joked back. "Because nothing seems better than having to deal with a bunch of screaming banshees at a circus than getting drunk beforehand." She rolled her eyes, walking the bag over to the gift table. "I'm kidding. If I know Cisco as well as I do within the last couple of months, this guy is as excited as everyone else that's coming."

"Speaking of which," Caitlin said, looking around the room. "Where are all of the other kids?"

"They're meeting us at the circus," Cadence explained. "I thought it would be a better idea to have them meet us there rather than come here because I wasn't sure how the parents would react to—"

"—To Harrison?" Caitlin guessed.

Cadence paused then her eyes narrowed. "No, I was going to say how the parents would react to knowing that Ryder was here to," she said slowly. "It's bad enough I'm already being blackballed from PTA meetings and told that I made such a monumental mistake in my life, I don't need them to judge me for not being married to his father either." She pouted. "What's up with everyone putting words in my mouth today?"

Caitlin's eyes widened and she held up her hands. "I'm not trying to. I'm just saying that I can understand how people may not be accepting of Harrison. I mean, Dr. Wells. And the choices he may or may not make in his personal life."

"Are you okay, Cait? You're acting more uptight than usual."

"I'm fine, I promise." Caitlin's eyes shifted behind her. "Oh is that punch?" She walked over to the table that was set up with cake and a bowl of punch. She gave Cisco another glance, along with an elbow to the ribs as she passed him then greeted Iris, Joe, and Eddie at the punch bowl.

Cadence let out another breath, looking at her watch as there was another knock on the apartment door and opened it to find Ryder standing there, hands in the pockets of his leather jacket. He smiled and gave her a quick hug before stepping into the apartment. "Hey, Cadey," he greeted her.

"Hey, Ry," Cadence replied, hugging him back. She kept the apartment door open, hearing the sound of footsteps and familiar voices coming up the stairwell behind him. "Thanks for coming, I know Brady's going to like that you're here." She gave him a half smile which he returned.

"Yeah, well, I'm trying to make up for lost time," he replied then looked her up and down. "Speaking of, do you want me to keep answering the door while you get dressed?"

Cadence planted her hands on her hips. "I am dressed!"

"Oh!" Ryder grimaced. "Sorry, I thought—"

Cutting him off with a laugh, Cadence shook her head. "You always were terrible with things like that, Ry. Especially when I got a haircut; you looked like you were going to have a heart attack every time I asked how it looked."

Ryder shrugged. "I didn't want to say anything wrong in case you liked it and I didn't."

"And by the end you figured out it was better not to give your opinion one way or the other." She smiled and turned to the door as Conner and his mother appeared in the doorway. "Hi, Conner," she greeted the young boy then thrust her hand out to the young woman that stood behind her. "You must be Conner's mother."

"I am," she replied with a smile and shook Cadence's had. "I'm Sandra Hawke. I've heard a lot about you from my son. He and Brady have really hit it off since Brady came back to school. The two are already inseparable. I haven't seen Conner have such a good friend in a while."

I can definitely say the same about Brady, Cadence said, thinking about all of the older adults she had in her apartment and briefly wondering if that was a bad thing. Then again, that was how she grew up as well; having to be shown around to all of the social gatherings and events her parents were invited to. Maybe she was unconsciously doing the same thing. God I need to get away from my parents.

"Well I'm glad that you decided to come for the party, Conner," Cadence said, smiling down at him.

"Thanks Miss. Nash," Conner said and dragged is large gift box inside, clutching it with two hands as he did so. Sandra laughed and ruffled her son's hair before turning back to Cadence. "I wish I could stay but I have all of Conner's stuff so he can sleep over later." She lifted a sleeping bag and placed it on the floor. "He's a heavy sleeper so don't be alarmed if he sleeps in a lot the next morning."

"Oh don't worry, I'll just set off a firecracker next to his head," Cadence said. She laughed along with Sandra before her smile faded slightly, scratching the side of her head. "That would be funnier if Brady hadn't done the same to me ages ago."

"Have you gotten cold water thrown on you as well?"

"Yes."

"Cause that's Conner's favorite one." Sandra shook her head. "He wouldn't get away with it if he wasn't so cute." She laughed, tucked her hair behind her ear. "Okay, I think that's everything. Tell Conner I'll pick him up tomorrow and tell Brady 'happy birthday'."

"I will. Thanks." Cadence got one last surprise when Barry sheepishly came through the door with Brady in tow who immediately hurried over to Conner and started to talk enthusiastically with him, waving his game player around. "Hey. Thanks for taking Brady to get his haircut, I'll pay you back." She paused and noticed the slightly nauseous expression on Barry's face. "Why do you look like you're about to throw up?"

"Because I'm not sure how you're going to react," Barry said slowly. "Not that it's a bad thing. It's not that bad, really. Hardly a blip on the radar of things that'd be…bad. You know what? I never should've brought it up. It's nothing. I mean, if you call a haircut nothing."

"Wha—?" Cadence turned her attention towards her son and Barry sucked in a deep breath through his teeth, waiting for her reaction. She grabbed onto Brady's shoulder and dragged him over to the two of them, staring at the shaved sides of his head with the strands of hair that were poked up in the center. "A Mohawk?" Cadence asked. She looked up at Barry with wide eyes. "I send you out with my kid to get a haircut and—"she reached out and placed her hands over Brady's ears—"and you bring him back with a fucking Mohawk?"

"I didn't tell him to get the Mohawk, he did," Barry defended himself.

Cadence tilted Brady's head back so he looked at her upside down and removed her hands from his ears. "Did you ask for the Mohawk?"

Brady blinked once. "Yes."

"Go away." Cadence pushed Brady away from her before bringing her hand up and pinching the bridge of her nose.

"It's not that bad," Barry said, hoping to still appease Cadence. "Actually, I think I had one when I was a kid. When my hair wasn't in a bowl cut, anyway."

"Somehow I doubt that," Cadence remarked.

"What? That I had a bowl cut?"

"No, I believe that. I don't believe you had a Mohawk." Cadence took a deep breath and let it out through her mouth. "It's okay. It's just a haircut. I don't care about a stupid haircut anyway."

"Then what are you so freaked out about?" Barry tilted his head to the side, rubbing his chin. Then she started to grin as he snapped his fingers. "It's the circus! The clowns! They said you're afraid of clowns!" Cadence scowled as Barry started to laugh. "Ooh, the big bad fire metahuman is afraid of clowns. Oh this is going to be great." Cadence raised an eyebrow, watching him. "So what about them do you hate? The makeup? The permanent smile? The way they always pretend to be so happy? Is it how their rubber noses squeak?"

Cadence reached out and shoved Barry on the arm. "Shut up, Tholly."

A/N: Okay, for the people that were waiting, I was purposefully heavy on BarryCade in this one. I'm sorry I made you wait so long but it's a slow burn (no pun intended) for a reason. I hope you guys don't hate me for making you all wait so long for that. Next chapter goes back into Caitlin, Cisco, and Harrison and what's going on with them with some SnowWells.

I hope you guys will enjoy my take on the metahuman circus. Here's a question for you all, do you think Ryder should know about Cade's and Brady's powers sooner or later?

Cheers,

-Riles