Livin'

Disclaimer: A little take on things if Barry had gone abroad for College after Joe offered it up to him.

Summary: Inspired and encouraged by a dream involving his mother, Barry takes up Joe on that offer to go abroad.

Joe West had been honestly surprised but happy when his adopted son Barry Allen had shown up at the house one weekend after his first year of College and asked him if the offer to still go abroad was good. Which it most certainly was and when he asked his son about it, Barry had told him it involved a dream he had about his mother. Who told him to live his life instead of staying in that living room and being afraid. That his doing that wasn't letting her be able to move on and that she wanted him to be happy instead of staying stuck in the past. And despite Joe being a fairly practical man who never took much stock in dreams, hadn't had the heart or the willingness to tell his boy it was just a dream. Hell, he loved that it had happened and was glad the young man was finally gonna try and live his life instead of being stuck in the past and allowing fear to over rule him. Joe would also learn a few days later after Barry had left with a few of his friends he made in College to go to Spain to meet up with a friend of one of his friends that he had told Iris how he felt. Unfortunately, this particular revelation hadn't gone too well due to Iris not having expected it at all. Or even really feeling the same way as him.

But at least it wasn't something Barry was keeping close to his chest anymore and had taken her reaction in an understanding way according to Iris. Guy Gardner, Patrick O'Brian, Tora Olafsdotter, and Linda Park all had been rather surprised Barry had ended up choosing to go with them to Spain to meet up with Tora's friend Bea. Who was there for a modeling shoot and the area would also have a CSI seminar Barry planned on attending. Guy and Patrick especially were damned happy over it since both thought the guy was a good friend. Even if he was slightly closed off and believed in the Impossible as strongly as he did. Linda had long liked to flirt with Barry but had never considered going beyond that considering his feelings for Iris West and had decided to keep things as they were even after she found out he finally told the girl how he felt. Only to be rejected as she didn't feel the same as Linda didn't want to possibly be a rebound for him. Tora hadn't really ever had much to do with Barry despite being Guy's girlfriend and with the fact they would be spending a lot of time together, she decided to do something about that. Which would later see her coming to see him as a little brother and getting him to jokingly offer a shovel speech to Guy.

"So this is Barry Allen hmm? Cuter then his pictures led me to believe." Purred Beatriz da Costa as she came up to the group in a swim suit she'd been modeling prior to their showing up.

The way she was looking at him above the lowered sunglasses was making the young man from Central blush while Linda tried not to show her jealousy of the whole thing. "I uhh… You, you've seen pictures of me?"

"Well, yes, cutie I have! Thanks to Tora and Guy here of course!" Replied the Brazillian beauty with a wink.

Who's most wildest thing about her was her green colored hair. Guy smirked as his girlfriend came and hugged her best friend. "And here I thought I had something to worry about when I showed you his pictures." Tora told her friend.

"I love when a plan comes together."

"You… Planned this?" Questioned Barry curiously while Linda continued to be more and more annoyed.

All three looked at him. "Well, yeah, buddy. I thought Bea here would be a perfect way to help you get over that Iris girl." Guy told his best friend while giving a pointed look towards Linda.

Who narrowed her eyes at him. "Excuse me for not wanting to feel like a possible rebound."

Her words made Barry turn his head quickly to her in shock. "I'd never put someone in a position like that! Never." The future Speedster told his friend seriously and now understanding why she hadn't done anything beyond flirting just yet.

Linda gave him a soft smile. "I know, cutie pie, I know. Its just my own view of things is all." Explained the future Sports Reporter patiently and getting an understanding nod from him.

Naturally, this led to Bea forming a plan that she felt would be fool proof and three days later after some fun at a club, managed to get Barry and Linda into a threesome with her in her hotel room. Even though it had been Barry's first time with a girl, things had been rather fun despite that for the three. And interestingly enough, allow for him and Linda to try their hand at dating for three months as they traveled and did a bit of studying here and there until both realized they were better off as friends. Which suited Bea just fine considering she actually wanted him for herself! Thankfully there wouldn't be any jealousy issues to deal with as the green haired Brazillian beauty and the boy from Central began their relationship. Though a part of Iris for reasons she didn't understand or just refused to think about, felt jealous anytime she saw pics or video footage that Barry uploaded to Myspace and later Facebook when it got to be pretty popular when he got a chance too. Spain and Europe would be the primary places the group of friends would travel through until choosing to head back to Central for a break.

Along with switching from online studies they'd been doing to actually being in a classroom. Bea even came along too because of Barry and because she wanted a break from modeling for a bit. And because of how busy Barry was with College, Bea, and their friends, communication between him and the Wests had been very little much to Iris' extreme displeasure. While Joe felt a bit disappointed, he did understand and was even glad for his adopted son continuing to live life to the fullest as much as possible. Sometime later, the group would end up befriending the likes of Kyle Rayner, Maggie Sawyer, Carol Ferris, and a legit Alien known as Doralla Kon. Who ended up crashing in front of them while they were in Australia. Though what none of them knew is that she had planned it that way as she was actually from the future and had wanted to meet a younger version of her friend and slight mentor Barry Allen. Who wasn't as jaded and the like as he was in the time she came from. Barry's relationship with Bea continued to grow stronger, much like his friendships with the rest of the group and had turned his blog on the Impossible into something of an occasional blog about the places he and the others had gone too.

A part of him would have LOVED to have talked about knowing Doralla but knew it would be a bad idea since the government would probably have an issue with it. At one point, much to Barry and his friedns' surprise, they'd run in to Oliver Queen and his best friend Tommy Merlyn and party it up with the Starling duo for a few days much to Iris' jealousy! As the girl had had something of a crush on Oliver and would have loved to have had a chance to meet him herself. The group would also gain another friend in the form of Carter Hall, which Doralla certainly hadn't been expecting! But found it to be an interesting experience given this was a version of him she never knew and had yet to awaken his true self. One of the perks of knowing both Bea and Carol was that both had access to money while only one had access to her father's flight company. Allowing for them to travel with relative ease through Ferris Aircraft and not pay a great deal for the use of the planes. The group's travels did take them to a few odd ball places and meeting a few people that was perfect for Barry's blog as well. One such occasion when they were in Rome and ended up meeting Superman while he'd been handling a threat in the area. Though if there was one thing they all agreed on, it was to stay well away from war zones and Gotham City.

Since none of them wanted to possibly end up running for their lives in either area or somehow having the luck to run into the urban legend known as the Batman. And once they were all done with College, the group would decide to travel together for one more year before going on to more serious things involving jobs or family companies. Or in Doralla's case, returning to her time period. Which was heart breaking for her in more ways then one considering the relationship she had developed with Maggie in particular. "So, one last hurrah huh?" Began Maggie as the group minus Barry gathered up at the coffee place known as Jitters.

"Looks like it, but I know damn well we are gonna make the best out of it." Declared Guy firmly.

The others nodded in full on agreement. Each of them eager to have one Hell of a time. "I'm surprised Barry isn't here." Remarked Carter as snacked on a muffin while Linda had a pretty good idea as to why that was.

"I bet it has to do with Iris. I know she was pissed he hadn't been around in a good long while."

Tora snorted. "What, the phone calls and the like wasn't enough for her?"

Hell, she's seen and heard those two conversate and Tora couldn't say she was a huge fan of the girl's. As in her view, Miss West seemed entitled to Barry's attention more then anyone else. Something Barry himself had called her out on and Iris had given an apology and a half-assed explanation that she wasn't used to how things were now given the fact it had mostly been the two of them for the longest time. Personally, Tora felt it was more then that. That she possibly had realized her true feelings and was insanely jealous of Bea and the girls he was friends with. A view Guy knew about but stayed quiet on since that was his best friend's business to deal with. "Speak of the Devil..." Remarked Kyle quietly.

His words had him indicating to the new arrivals. Said arrivals being Barry and Bea themselves and neither looked entirely great! As Barry had a black eye and a bruised jaw while Bea herself looked ruffled all over! The green haired Brazillian beauty seemed none too pleased either! "Good Lord, what happened to you two!?" Wondered Tora in shock.

Barry grimaced while Bea's eye twitched. "Let us just say that I will not be sending one Miss West a Christmas card." Declared the girl in annoyance.

"Her father and Barry's father Henry on the other hand… THEY will most certainly be getting one however."

"Cat fight?" Asked both Maggie and Doralla, causing the two to grin at one another for a moment.

"Yep. And my face is the result of me trying to stop it." Barry informed his friends with a sigh.

The whole thing had Joe torn between angry and amused and last either of the couple knew, the man was still reading Iris the riot act for mis-behaving so badly while Bea had been there. A few catty comments from Iris and Bea not reacting like she hoped had essentially led to the cat fight between the two after Barry and Bea had shown up prior to visiting his father at Iron Heights. Who had been happy as can be about his son living his life and hearing a few of his stories from his travels. The group winced in sympathy. "Who gave you the black eye?" Wondered Carter curiously.

"Iris did. Even though it was a complete accident!"

"Me giving you that bruise on your jaw was an accident, darling. What she did was intentional."

Barry wisely let that go as he knew arguing with his girlfriend about that was the wrong thing to do. Earning him a few thumbs up from the others. The group then got on with their big last hurrah, starting it of with Spain as it felt right to do since that was basically where it all began for them. At one point, Barry and Bea would even end up married while in Vegas much to Iris' immense displeasure, Joe's parental disapproval mixed with some amusement, and Bea's father's absolute rage. Practically forcing her to return home after personally coming to get her himself after finally having enough of her shenanigans. Even having the two get an annulment much to their dislike and later Iris' liking a great deal. She'd tell him her feelings about 2 years after he stopped travelling, saying that his time away had helped her to realize how she really felt. Something that had made Barry pretty happy over but Bea would always be in the back of his mind. Which wasn't something he was dumb enough to mention to her about considering her issues with the green haired model. He and his friends had had a huge party for their last night together and even shed a few tears before going their separate ways.

Doralla would even privately admit to Maggie where she was really from much to the future Detective's immense shock. The fact Barry was apparently pretty jaded and the like in her future shocked the future Detective immensely but promised to keep quiet since revealing anything big could be a bad thing. Though she couldn't help but smirk at Barry on occasion, a smirk Doralla had shared too before leaving much to the future Speedster's confusion. His future self however would give the time traveling Alien a huge hug when she got back and she'd also be the reason he and Bea finally re-united as well sometime later. Both versions of Barry would be eternally thankful to that dream of their mother for helping them be able to get past their fear and live life as best they could. And because of all the stuff he experienced, Joe and even Iris to an extent in some cases absolutely loved hearing his stories. Stories Barry later wondered if having his Speed back then would have influenced anything but promised mostly himself to take another trip to see how things would go when he got a chance. Iris even going too along with a old few friends as well!

Author's Notes: I think this definitely has the potential to be turned into a fic that explores all of what they do. But that's certainly in the far future. Hope you all enjoyed!