Greetings, dear readers!
I've been very busy and - sadly - lacking inspiration to finish this story... However, I felt a boost again yesterday! I love Little Heart and owe it to Olivia and the others to carry on writing :)
35 followers and 25 favourites - THANK YOU! And thank you everyone who's shared their thoughts! Especially Nicochan11 for commenting on so many chapters. Here you have the next chapter!
"Finally, my savior!" Barry exclaimed as I walked into his office at CCPD.
In a second he took the Big Belly Burger paper bags out of my hands, totally grinning.
"I like the sound of that nickname!" I said, actually feeling like a savior (cause no one should be around Barry when he's hungry).
"Oh, I wasn't talking... about you… being my savior, obviously."
I snorted with a smile.
"Obviously."
For 45 minutes we sat by his desk, eating and chatting like good old times. I was a bit surprised, cause whatever tension there was between us seemed to have gone with the wind! After we'd finished talking about musicals, and decided that we should watch Calamity Jane someday soon, I sipped on my chocolate milkshake.
"And now to something completely different: Do you think Turbulent Bull… I mean, Dr. Kirsch… is no more? I mean, we have the Cup and he's been gone for weeks..."
Barry tilted his head slightly.
"What are they saying at the Museum? Has Lauren heard anything?"
"Only that Kirsch has retired early and moved to Amsterdam."
Barry nodded.
"Someone is covering for him."
"Harper?"
"Maybe." Barry sighed. "I have no idea."
"Should we look into it?"
"I think we should just enjoy the peace while it's here." Barry answered. "Who knows? He might be back."
My phone started buzzing on my left buttcheek. When I picked it up, the suntanned face of my red-haired mother showed itself on the screen.
"It's my mom?"
Barry frowned.
"The one who calls you once every six months?"
I nodded. The buzzing sound kept echoing through the room.
"Then you better answer."
I made an uncomfortable face.
"... I'm not sure I'm up for it…"
Barry started gathering the greasy napkins and wrinkled bags to put them in the bin.
"Go on, take the call! Have it over with. Your milkshake won't go anywhere, I promise."
I pointed a finger at him.
"You better keep that promise!"
So, I hurried off to the closest corridor to talk to my mom. AKA Jenny.
"Hello, sweetie! I'm just sorting some pictures for the upcoming edition of Sunny" (the magazine she works for) "and you popped into my head! How's life?"
Her strong Australian accent made her voice unfamiliar in my ears.
"Fine. Everything's great."
"You're still at CCMA?"
"Yes. I sent you tickets for two of our productions."
"I noticed! But unfortunately the kids, myself and Lee were visiting Nora and Jared that weekend. They don't have wifi, as you know, and there were loads of preparations to do for Tina's wedding, hence I had little time to spare…"
Who's Tina? Nora and Jared are my stepdad Lee's parents, if I remember correctly. But mom always assumes that I'm aware of everything that's going on in her life (even though she knows less than little about mine).
"... Lee says hi! … Oh, you rat, she hates being called Olive!" That's one thing she seemed to remember. "... Yes, I know we have to go. But let me just say bye to her. Honey, we are picking up the kids for a picnic at the beach. You'd simply love the weather here!"
Barry and the rest of the S.T.A.R. Labs team found their way into my mind. Lauren and Adam were there, too. They were laughing, probably at something inappropriate Cisco had blurted out, and I could feel my chest light up.
"It's warm here too, mom." I assured, though she did not really hear me.
"Kiss kiss! Talk to you soon!"
"So!" I sighed while returning to Barry's office. "Catching up actually means listening to people while they talk about themselves?"
Then I saw the expression on his face. Distant. A head packed with thoughts. His slim fingers played with an USB-key on the desk.
"What's up?" I wondered.
He clocked me with a look.
"Did you know I'm the current owner of S.T.A.R. Labs?"
"Wow. No, I didn't."
I walked up behind him and leaned over his shoulder.
"Apparently, in case of his death, Dr. Wells had some kind of living will."
"What's it say?"
He let out a chuckle.
"I haven't watched it."
"Ah."
"I've been too scared."
It wasn't a joke, so I sat down on the chair next to his, giving him my full attention.
"Do you wanna watch it together?"
He looked at me again and his Earth-green eyes peered right into my very soul. He nearly smiled.
"Yes."
Then he quickly cleared his throat and sat up straight.
"Yeah... Let's do that."
The middle-aged man, wearing glasses and a disapproving face, sat down in front of a camera.
Hello Barry. If you're watching this, that means I'm no longer here. Most likely I'm dead, but I hope not.
We were never truly enemies, Barry. I'm not the thing you hate. And so, I'm gonna give you the thing that you want most, cause it won't matter.
You're never be truly happy, Barry Allen. Trust me. I know you.
As I wondered what he meant by that, Barry stared at the computer screen with closed fists. I could feel his anxiety mixed with curiosity all the way up to my chin. However, what the man did later left us both shocked:
… My name is Harrison Wells.
Being of sound mind and body, I freely confess to the murder of Nora Allen
in her home on the night of March 18th, year 2000…
"He confessed!" I cried, trying to grasp it even though I didn't know everything about that part of Barry's life. "Barry?"
His eyes were sparkling in joy.
"This is it." he said. "This is what I need to free my dad."
A couple of days later Cisco and I fetched a cake (not made by us, cause professionals makes it look better) and brought it to The West's house. The hallway and living room were spotless, decorated with colorful festoons and everyone was there: Iris, Detective West, Caitlin, Ronnie and that Dr. Stein fella. Only the passing thought that Barry and his dad were on their way created a warmth inside my chest. Caitlin noticed the small light.
"Are you nervous?" she pointed out with a soft smile (only cause she knows how I feel about Barry).
I chuckled a little.
"Sure, but it looks like Iris has it worse..."
The girlfriend in question, with the black hair falling curly on her back, was lifting around every glass or cushion she could find - for no good reason!
"Iris." I said and looked meaningly at her. "Don't forget to breathe."
She nodded hastily.
"I know. It's just so hard to relax!" She went on to rearrange the spoons on the living room table. "I'm so thankful for Barry's sake… He's always deserved this. And despite everything with us lately, he will always be my best friend."
My eyes widened and I looked from Caitlin back to Iris.
"Friend?" was the only thing I managed to get out, before making a fake grin. "I should think you're much more than than!"
Iris lowered her gaze.
"Well…"
"Has something happened?" I almost interrupted her.
She didn't hear me, cause a car drove up in front of the house and Cisco eagerly announced that they were here. But I wanted to know why she said that! Alas, my patience had to be tested.
I've never seen Barry as happy as he was with his dad next to him! Just looking at his childish grin made me smile too. When Henry Allen's eyes met mine, I suddenly blushed. My right hand automatically reached out to him.
"Nice to finally meet you, Mr. Allen!"
Barry giggled and Henry chuckled. The latter looked at my hand briefly before giving me a hug.
"The honor is mine, Olivia." he said. "Barry has told me a lot about you."
"He has?"
"Only nice things, of course."
He went on to greet Cisco, Caitlin etcetera and Barry walked up to me.
"What's with that teasing face?" I asked, smiling. "That's my thing!"
He smiled but padded my arm as if he were afraid it might be contagious.
"It's not my fault that you're such an influencer…"
Our eyes locked and he quickly lost his confidence.
"I mean, you haven't influenced me that much but, you know, being around someone for a great amount of time…"
He was babbling himself into an evil circle (and it was my duty to save him).
"I get it, Bear."
The evening consisted of cake, champagne (or non-alcoholic cider for some of us), speeches and laughter. In the room, when someone gave away even the tiniest hint of a laugh, it naturally spread on the rest like dominos of happy sounds! I played a Jack Johnson song on my guitar, Cisco sang karaoke to the Spice Girls and Barry and Caitlin showed a little tap-dance I'd insisted they should learn. All in all, it was the perfect day.
But things changed during a game of charades. I saw Barry and his dad talk in the hallway… It looked serious, or at least Barry did. Like he was about to cry. The spark of hope had disappeared from his eyes and made me feel worried. What was Henry telling him?
"Hey there!" I greeted as I walked into the kitchen. Barry was cleaning up at the sink in an extremely slow, human speed.
"Hey."
"What's up?"
He shrugged his shoulders.
"Nothing."
"Sir, I beg to differ!" I said in a theatrical voice. "The way you're handling those dishes gives you away. How many times have you cleaned that fork?"
Barry went numb and didn't move a muscle. Perhaps I'd hit a sore spot? I took up a plate and dried it with a towel (even if I could've just dried it in my hand).
"At least let me help you."
"He's not staying."
The words hit me like a frying pan in the face.
"What?"
I couldn't believe it. It didn't make any sense! After 14 years in prison, Henry wouldn't stay 24 hours with his son? Not even for Barry's sake? Barry told me that his dad had asked if Barry could be everything he's becoming with him around, arguing that the world does not need Barry to be Henry Allen's son right now.
"Well, that's…" I felt anger bubbling inside me. "Totally rubbish! I've never heard anything so selfish in my entire life! He totally manipulated you! Saying you can't be both son and Flash at the same time, like you have choice in the matter!"
Barry looked like I'd just woken him up with a pair of cymbals. My flames reflected on his skin. It was really hot in the room by now.
"Oz, he needed me to tell him it was okay."
"Oh don't get me started on that! Using his fatherhood like that! He knew you would have no choice but to say that if you want him in your life!"
The fork splashed in the water, making me stop pasing.
"You're not making this easier!" Barry exclaimed, his eyes watering. "Just… forget about it."
I immediately cooled down.
"Barry..." I said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry."
Barry shook his head.
"Everyone in my life that I love leaves at some point. Kind of getting used to it."
And then I was off again:
"Bullshit! Even if that was true, which it isn't, you should stop wallowing over it! Barry, you have a house filled with people who would do almost anything for you. You are so loved! It drives me nuts that you're also too thick-headed to see that nothing's missing!"
All of a sudden, Barry took a step closer and cupped his hands around my face. He kissed me firmly and his scent hit me at once: Musty jet tender, like a combination of soap and sweat. We stept out of time and I felt wonderfully fuzzy. Slowly, after a while, he pulled back his head and the sound from our lips separating echoed in my ears. He met my gaze. Barry looked like a fish trying to find the words. A cute fish (while I most likely resembled a frog with trapped wind). We both stared at each other for I-don't-know-how-long.
"Olivia, I…"
The kitchen door was dramatically kicked open. Barry's hands left my neck as Detective West and Cisco entered.
"Reports have just come in about a hairy monster roaming the streets." Detective West announced in a hasty, jet stern voice.
Cisco observed the two of us, suspiciously, and I imagined him wondering what had just happened.
"It's Turbulent Bull." he added. "No mistaking it. He's moving in uneven patterns, as if to shake us off his tail, but it's clear that he's heading out of Central City…"
He held up his special S.T.A.R. Labs phone, but I didn't need to look at it to guess his destination.
"Walker." I concluded and turned to Barry. "We have to get there before him."
Barry put his arms around me and a flash of yellow lightning blurred my field of vision.
Before I knew it, Barry dropped me down outside Walker's 19th century-looking house. The fakely green lawn was almost grey in the dark and stars rested peacefully above our heads. Barry was dressed in his red superhero-suit and, to my great surprise, I was wearing my moss green one! I gave Barry a suspicious frown.
"What?" he began to defend himself. "I swear I didn't look!"
There was light inside the windows and we could see Jack Walker's newly shaved face in one of them. That's when I felt it again. Anger. So deep and hateful that it made my shining chest ache. I moaned slightly.
"Oz, what's the matter?" Barry asked, worriedly.
But he didn't need me to answer. Walker had noticed us from inside the house, but his thoughtful look grew into one showing the utmost of fear. In the shadow of a tree behind us, Turbulent Bull rose on its two giant hoofs. Its knuckles all scratched from running.
"I should have known that you would get in my way again." he said in that deep, crisp and threatening voice. "Little Heart and Flash! The ultimate squad! How you tire me…"
With one push from the minotaur, the large tree cracked and started falling on us but Barry quickly moved us aside.
"Kirsch!" I jelled. "Jonathan! This is not who you are! I know! Harming Walker will not put right…"
"WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME ABOUT MY PAST! I'VE PUT UP WITH THINGS THAT WOULD MAKE YOUR TINY LITTLE HEART DRY UP LIKE A RAISIN!"
I had no chance to conduct a fire blast at him, cause the anger harrowed its way into my chest as he towered over me. Barry hit him with super-speed fists from every angle, but Turbulent Bull simply smashed his arms around trying to catch him. Then Barry was hit to the ground, scraping mud all the way to the other side of the garden.
"Come on, Olivia!" I whispered to myself. "Think happy thoughts… It's time to get your Patronus out."
That sounded wrong (dirty, in fact) but it made me giggle and I could feel some strength return. I managed to create orbs of fire, began throwing them and Turbulent Bull immediately stumbled backwards. Barry was back on his feet and jumped at him, feet first, finally knocking him over.
"Nice work, Oz!"
With hands raised and palms burning, I grinned at Barry.
"Not so bad yourself!"
But Turbulent Bull was only temporarily unsteady, cause a second later he was on the move again.
"This is not how it is going to end." promised Turbulent Bull before boosting away in the dark, incredibly fast for a creature so large.
"He's getting away!" I shouted.
Barry looked frightfully determined.
"No. Not this time."
Olivia Zoe
1st of August 2015