The Espresso Pump, 1500 hours.

Barry needed a job.

As he looked at the application in his hand while sitting at a table in the Espresso Pump, the young man sighed before leaning forwards to fill in his name and other information. With the digital worm having to take at least a few days to 'create' his life on this Earth, Barry knew that searching for a job that he wanted would take a few days before he could even begin applying. In the meantime, he needed to do something to keep himself busy until he could apply for a position at the M.E's office, or at the Junior High School that was also doubling as the High School after it was destroyed in a bomb blast. A blast that the newspapers referred to as a gas-main explosion. Barry knew that those positions would require that they conduct a background check, and with his background still being built by the worm, those positions would have to wait.

After filling out his application for a job he knew wouldn't require a background check, Barry handed it back to the manager and was then given a quick interview.

Barry Allen; the former CSI, and the current title holder of the Fastest Man Alive, got the job. And he was due to begin training the next morning. As he walked out of the coffee shop with his hands in his pockets, Barry walked down the stairs and sighed. In either case, whether he had a job or not, he was broke. Barry also knew that he needed to get a place to sleep, and then he needed to get some food.

Those were the second things in his mental list. The first being creating his identity. Which was already being done he reminded himself.

He turned to the right with his hands in his pockets and walked down the street. He had his cap on low. In his mind, he was already calculating what he needed, at least temporarily until he had enough money to take care of himself.

'At least I hope it won't be that long,' thought Barry to himself, 'a few days, max. Cisco's going to find me, and then I'm heading home with Iris being my anchor. Yeah…. a few days. In the meantime, for those few days, I need to sleep. So a sleeping bag and a tent, a change of clothes, and then… well, I can't stay on the different roofs in this city. So… camping?'

Barry walked past some trees as he took out the map that was in his pocket and looked at the overview of the city. He was looking at the outskirts, near the dessert, where he suspected that he wouldn't be bothered by anyone… giving him total privacy until he went home… or received a pay check so that he could rent an apartment.

Whichever came first.

As he scanned the map of the city, the young man crossed the street while being aware of his surroundings. It was a few minutes later that Barry placed the map of the city into his pocket while keeping the backpack slung over his shoulder. He glanced at the familiar voice that was coming out of the Magic Box, the very same shop that he was run past earlier that day. It was the same brown haired girl that he had met the previous night when he appeared on this Earth.

Dawn.

He tipped his cap at her, and at the blonde who was holding onto her arm. As the door to the Magic Box closed behind them, Barry caught a glimpse of an older man and a light haired blonde standing behind the counter, and then he saw a redhead walking towards them. And then the door closed shut while Barry walked one way, and Dawn and the blonde walked the other way.

"Do I really have to stay home?" whined Dawn as Barry looked over his shoulder innocuously.

"Yeah, Dawn," replied the blonde, "mom said you're grounded for running away. And until this whole Glory thing is…"

And that's all Barry heard before a car and then a van sped past. He was out of earshot off Buffy and Dawn, and made him wonder if there was anything going on. At the same time, he could help but chuckle at how he imagined Dawn's face must have been when the blonde, who he assumed was Dawn's sister, told her that their mother grounded her. He played back the end of that short conversation in his mind, and he wondered what Buffy meant that Dawn had to stay at home because of Glory.

Shaking his head, Barry continued walking down the street before looking around, making sure that he was the only one. He then ran at superspeed with lightning trailing behind him as he entered a store and 'borrowed' a sleeping bag, and a tent, before heading out of there and into the desert. Once there, Barry sighed before setting up his camp, and then heading back into town and taking more equipment. With his camp now set, Barry only had to wait until the next day before he started work.

He then went to the local superstore, and 'acquired' some food at superspeed before getting out of there.

"Yeah," said Barry as he dropped two basket full of canned food onto the sand right outside were he set up in tent, with sleeping bag inside, and a gas stove to prepare the food. He looked at the canned food, the coffee, and the prepared meals before sighing, "yep… definitely.. I'm a felon. Joe is going to be so proud."

Sunnydale, two weeks later, 1400 hours.

Two weeks.

That's how long Barry had spent as a barista behind the counter at the Espresso Pump. He was waiting for a response on the applications he had made in the Sunnydale M.E's office, the Police Department, and the Junior High School that was situated in the edge of the city. In the meantime, he was trying to avoid the advances of one of the female Barista's, a recent hire who was studying Anthropology at U.C. Sunnydale. The young man kept on telling himself that he couldn't be involved in any relationships with people, be they as good friends or even dating.

'Cisco will find me any day, and then I'll be able to go back home.' That's what Barry thought to himself every time Kelly was flirting with him, and only just hinting a few days ago that they should go out for some drinks. However, for right now, the only person in Barry's mind was Iris… and he wasn't going to ruin his chances with her.

'I already did,' thought Barry to himself as he made a Mocha Frappuccino for a redhead he had learnt was called Willow. Placing the cover on the two clear plastic cups, Barry then turned and handed the drinks to Willow before taking her money. The young woman was nearly always at the counter with either a young man that she called Xander, or Dawn… who didn't recognise Barry as the Flash from his voice. Something that relieved Barry.

Barry's interactions with the customers didn't go further than the routine regular retail interactions. But he knew that the longer he remained on this Earth, the more he would have to eventually think about the possibility that it would take Cisco much longer to find him. If he could find him at all given the size and scope of the multiverse. Even when Barry would return to his camp at the dead of night after a patrol throughout the city over the next few days, which as a result the local newspaper started calling him the Red Streak, and then take off the costume he managed to repair. He would shower at the gym, then change into a T-Shirt and sweatpants once he arrived at camp. Before sleeping, he would look up at the stars and whisper a goodbye to the girl he loved; Iris West. He ran through the city, but he never found roving gangs on PCP, or killers waiting in the wings to attack unsuspecting victims. So he would run all the way to Santa Barbara which was less than an hour away… but only a few minutes for Barry. He conducted his patrol there too where he stopped a shooting here and there, a few robberies, and even some bank robberies and murders. He though about staying in Santa Barbara where he felt he'd be more needed, but for some reason.. the longer he stayed out of Sunnydale.. the more uneasy he felt.

It was as if the Speed Force was forcing him back to Sunnydale for an unknown reason. Barry believed that it was because the Speed Force was telling him that Cisco would be looking for him there. But Barry had no evidence to back that up, just a feeling. So he went with his gut, and patrolled Santa Barbara for a few minutes before zipping out and heading to Sunnydale. Eventually, in Santa Barbara he was known as the Red Lightning.

In the meantime, Barry hoped with all his heart that Cisco would find him in Sunnydale soon.

Back in the present day, it was nearly two hours after Willow, Xander, and Dawn arrived and left with six cups of coffee that Barry was getting the coffee order for a blonde, older woman, in a white blouse and grey skirt. He glanced at the bouquet of flowers she was holding in one hand, while she reached into her bag and took out a purse with her other hand.

"Nice flowers," Barry said as she placed the bouquet on the counter and chuckled while she used both her hands to open her purse. Barry looked at the card, and then at the woman "from Brian?"

"Oh," yelped the woman as she looked at the message on the card facing Barry. She quickly turned it away, her face red in embarrassment, while telling him that Brian was her date last night and that he had the bouquet sent to her gallery a few doors down, "I know it's ridiculous… I mean me having a date at my age and… sorry… I don't mean to bother you with this. It's just that it's been a long time since I dated, and when I get home my daughters are probably going to make fun of… ok.. look at me. Sorry…. Ummm…"

The woman glanced over at the name tag on the bemused Barry.

"Sorry, Barry," said Joyce as she looked up at the young man, "just forget everything I've said. I'm… just… just… I mean.. excited."

"It's fine, Miss," said Barry chuckling before he asked for her drink order. At the same time, he was thinking that was what he would do.. what he would have done if it was him carrying the bouquet for Iris. Barry told himself that if he hadn't gone back in time, or at least if he hadn't to go back in time, then he and Iris would have gone for their first official date, 'and I would have sent her flowers to Central City Picture News.'

Barry took her order of a Latte, her name, and then proceeded to make her drink while Kelly and another Barista were taking other orders. Barry glanced over at the blonde woman who was leaning on the counter while looking out at the street, with the hand that was pressed on the counter trembling. He then looked back at the machine just as Kelly stood next to him while making a drink for another customer.

"Barry," whispered the twenty-year old, dark haired, and slightly tanned young woman, "I know you said that you're not looking to date… but…"

"But?" asked Barry as he leaned sideways towards Kelly.

"Well, there's a fair… a cultural fair in two weeks so… if you haven't heard from…" whispered Kelly nervously as she looked at Barry with her blue eyes, "I mean whoever it is you're waiting for, then maybe you and I could go? I mean as two co-workers going, you know?"

"I'll think about it?" asked Barry before he filled the blonde's cup, and then wrote 'Joyce' on the side. He saw Kelly nodding her head, actually surprising Barry with her nervousness, before he turned and handed Joyce the cup of hot Latte. However, as she reached out for it, Barry noticed Joyce's left eye drooping slightly, while the hand reaching out was still trembling.

"Sorry, I think there's something in my eye," said Joyce as she brought back her hand while Barry was still holding onto the cup as she rubbed her eye with the back of her hand. But Barry could see that the eyelid was still drooping slightly. Joyce then sighed before saying that she'll have to go home and check the mirror so that she could get at whatever it was on her eye. Joyce reached out for the cup again, but Barry continued to look at her with concern on his face.

He knew that there were a lot of things that could be causing the older woman's eyelid to droop, and he knew that he did not like any of them. Barry frowned before setting the cup at the side of the register before leaning in, and whispering if Joyce was feeling alright.

"Yes," replied a confused Joyce, "maybe a little tired, but it's probably because I've been so excited about having met this guy that I haven't slept well the while night."

'Of course it doesn't help when my daughter is the Slayer,' thought Joyce to herself before asking for her drink, "and a crazy lady is going after my youngest.'

"Umm… Joyce," said Barry as he reluctantly gave her the cup before asking her to hold on for one second. He looked behind him at Kelly who was now heading back to the cash register to hand a man the drink she just made. Barry looked at Joyce again, at the same time while he was thinking about some articles he had read after becoming a CSI. They were on autopsies on men and women who had died from sudden bursts of blood vessels in the brain. He remembered the symptoms that preceded the bursts thanks to interviews from the deceased's family members, and it was that which had him worried. Barry turned to Kelly again and told her that he was going for lunch, to which the young woman nodded her head. He then walked around the counter, and asked Joyce if he could talk to her, in private.

"I…"

"Please," pleaded Barry. He thought about the deaths of Nora and Henry, and he didn't want Joyce's daughters to grow up without their mother. Barry gave a small smile when Joyce nodded her head, and the both of them walked towards the stairs that led to the pavement out near the street. They passed a few customers who were walking in before stopping at the bottom of the stairs.

"Joyce," whispered Barry as the both of them moved to one side to let more people into the Espresso Pump, "I don't mean to scare you, but… I don't know how to put this delicately, but you need to see a doctor. Right now."

"Wait.. what?" asked Joyce while shaking her head, "I…"

"Your left eyelid is drooping," whispered Barry as he point to his eye, and then to hers, "I saw your hand shaking a few minutes ago, and… and I've read journals were those were the symptoms before a stroke or an aneurysm. I… I mean it could be anything else but… but ll I know is that it's not good."

"Thanks for your…"

"Joyce, I know this is none of my business," said Barry before he explained the reason he was in Sunnydale, at least the cover story he had given Kelly, the two others who work at the Espresso Pump, and the manager, "I came to Sunnydale to find a new life for myself. I used to be a forensic scientist, but the police department I was with suffered cut-backs and.. well, here I am. I may be wrong… I hope I am. But… but you said you have two daughters, right?"

"Yes," replied Joyce as a sense of fear gripped her heart.

"My mom was murdered when I was eleven, and my dad was murdered only a few days ago after I was fired," said Barry as he looked into Joyce's stunned eyes, "so I know what it's like to live through that pain. And I would never wish it on anyone. Ever. So please, let me at least take you to the doctor. There you could call your daughters and… I'm assuming that they're…"

"Bu… Buffy should be with her friends at.. at…" mumbled Joyce while she looked around, and stumbled back just as Barry grabbed both of her arms. She looked back at Barry's eyes, looking for any deception… but she knew that the eyes looking back at her carried a lot of pain.. a lot of pain for a young man to deal with, "I… I…"

"If it's what I hope it's not," said Barry gently, "it could burst at any time. I can call your daughters from the hospital, but let me take you to see a doctor?"

"Sunnydale Mercy, I… I had my tumour take out there," whispered Joy as she turned and headed to her car with Barry by her side. Barry had thought about using his speed, but he was afraid of what the high speed journey would do to Joyce; instead, he told himself that if Joyce was feeling weaker while on the way to the hospital, then he would have no choice but to use his speed

In the end, Barry didn't have to.

He accompanied Joyce to the admissions counter after parking her car. And it was there that the older woman asked the receptionist on the floor that she had her surgery performed that she needed to see her doctor. Barry described the symptoms he had seen to the nurse on duty, whose eyes went wide momentarily before she asked Joyce to take a seat and picked up the phone. Joyce looked at Barry with worry on her face before looking at her arms and mumbling that the bouquet was in the car, and that the heat would probably ruin it. Barry wanted to say something to comfort her, but before he could, the receptionist said that the doctor was on his way. Barry accompanied Joyce, who was trying to be as calm as possible, to a few chairs in the waiting area. It was there that Joyce sat down, a ton of things on her mind, before she felt Barry sitting down on the other seat.

"Oh," said Barry, "I can call your daughters and have them get here… I mean I can pick them up or.."

"My youngest is in school," said Joyce as she looked at the floor, and then at Barry, "my oldest, Buffy, should be with her friends."

Joyce gave Barry two numbers to call; one was her home, and the other was a number to a place she said that Buffy could be hanging out with her friends. Barry memorized the numbers just as a balding man in a white coat and stethoscope around the back of his neck rushed up to them.

"Mrs. Summers?" said the man as Joyce looked up at him, "the nurse told me that… oh."

The doctor rushed to the nurses station and pulled out a wheelchair before telling them to make sure that there was an CT scanner free. Joyce looked at Barry with fear in her eyes as she was helped up to her feet. The doctor didn't tell Joyce anything, instead he told her not to worry that she would be getting the best care possible.

"Barry," said Joyce, "please call Buffy."

"I will, Mrs. Summers."

Barry nodded at the doctor who rushed off with two nurses and Joyce while Barry ran normally to a nearby phone. Sighing that he didn't have his cell phone with him, Barry dialled the first number.. but all he got was an answering machine at the Summers home. He then dialled the second number, and hoped that Buffy would pick up the phone.

Magic Box, at that same time.

Buffy had just checked in with Giles, Xander, Willow, Tara, and Anya about the robot called April. She had only just confronted its creator, Warren Mears, who tricked April into attacking Buffy by claiming that she was his girlfriend. April, who was programmed to be Warren's girlfriend left her after he found someone else. April was in his dorm room, and when Warren never came back.. she went looking for him. With no choice but to destroy April, Buffy told Giles and the others that she buried April.

It was something that made every stare at her in bemusement.

"Hey," said Buffy shrugging her shoulders, "at the end she was kinda human, I guess. Anyway, I'm gonna go home and get this stench of oil and dirt off me before…"

It was then that the phone rang, and Giles rushed to the counter to pick it up.

"Magic Box," said Giles as Barry opened his eye wide. Barry had passed that shop many times at night, and he would see glimpses of people staying in there until late. But he never thought anything about it.. he figured that they were really into the occult for the fun of it. Shaking his head, he wondered about the odds of calling the store that he always passed on his patrol being frequented by the daughter of the woman he helped, "how may I help you?"

"Hi.. sorry," said Barry as his mind came back to reality, "is there a Buffy Summers there?"

"Buffy?" asked Giles as Buffy turned towards him, as did the others, "yes, she is… what is this regarding?"

"I need to speak to her, it's urgent."

"One moment," said Giles before holding out the phone for Buffy, "Buffy, it's for you. He said it's urgent."

"This is Buffy," said the blonde after she rushed to the phone.

"Buffy, my name is Barry Allen, I'm a barista at the Espresso Pump and.. well, your mom…"

"Mom?" asked Buffy as her eyes went wide, and then others stood up worried before rushing to her side, "what happened?"

"I saw something strange and… well, she's in the hospital," said Barry, "Sunnydale Mercy, fourth floor, and.."

"I know where it is," said Barry, fear in her voice as Giles rushed around the counter, and leaned over to get his car keys, "I'll.. I'll be right there. Just stay.. please.. I…"

"The doctor took he in for a scan, that's all I know," said Barry. He heard the girl's voice crack over the phone before she said that she was on the way, that she'll need five minutes, "I'll be here."

"Thanks," said Buffy, her heard racing before she put the phone down and Giles grabbed her shoulder, telling her that he'll take her in his car to the hospital.

"I'll come with you and…"

"Stay.. stay and.. and… and find something to.. to beat…" said Buffy as she struggled to speak.

"Anya, Tara, and Xander," said Giles, "stay here. I'll call you once we know something. Willow, come with me and Buffy."

Willow gently held on to Buffy's arm and the three of them rushed to Giles' red BMW, while the others could just hope that everything was alright. They then looked at the crowd of people in the store, and wondered if it be just better to close up.

Sunnydale Mercy, Eight minutes later.

Barry was seated in the waiting room when he heard shuffling feet in the hallway, and a familiar voice at the nurses station.

"I'm Buffy Summers, here for Joyce Summers."

Barry looked over his shoulder and looked at Buffy, Willow, and then at the older man he didn't know… but had seen a few times going in, and coming out of the Magic Box. He saw the worried look on the older man, and the redhead who was holding onto the blonde who was demanding to know where Joyce was, and how long she had been gone.

"She is in the CT scanner, Miss Summers," said the nurse whole Barry, whose back was to the nurse, was wondering if it would be better to sneak away. He was afraid that if he did stay, then these people would become close to him.

'It is a possibility,' thought Barry as he looked over his shoulder as the nurse pointed at him after Buffy asked about a Barry Allen who brought her mother into the hospital, 'yeah… great. Just say hello, glad they're here.. and then I'll leave. I can't afford to have friends when I can leave tomorrow, or the end of the week, or.."

"Barry? Barry Allen?" asked Buffy as she walked into the waiting area. Barry rose to his feet as Willow followed Buffy, along with the older man. He looked at Willow, who pointed back at him with a look of recognition on her face.

"You're at the Espresso Pump," said Willow, "I mean you work there… right, you're the one… oh, Barry… right.. sorry. I was trying to place that name and it was between you and that other guy."

"Ralph?" asked Barry.

"I suppose it is up to me to introduce ourselves," said the older man as he extended his hand to Barry, "Rupert Giles."

"Mr. Giles," said Barry, and then pointed at Willow, "Willow."

"Hi," waved the redhead.

"Buffy… that's me," said the blonde as Barry smiled and nodded his head, "you brought mom here?"

"Oh, drove her car," said Barry as he took the keys out and handed it to the blonde in front of him.

"How did you know something was wrong?" asked Buffy.

"It's my job to keep an eye on details," said Barry, "I used to be… I mean I am a forensic scientist.. I mean I'm currently between jobs so… yeah. I notice little things."

"Well it is thankful that…"

Before Giles would finished what he wanted to say, the doctor who had been treating Joyce walked into the waiting room. When he saw Buffy, he walked towards her while Buffy and Giles headed towards him. Willow and Barry stayed back, with the redhead asking if he really was a forensic scientist.

"Yep," replied Barry before giving her the cover story. Nodding her head, she wished Barry luck just as a worried Buffy and Giles rushed back to Willow and Barry. The young man looked on as the doctor rushed off before turning to Buffy who told them that there was a bulge in one of the arteries in her brain, and that it could burst at anytime.

"The doctor said they're going to operate immediately," said Buffy as Willow hugged Buffy, who was staring at Barry with tears in her eyes whispering 'thank you'. Barry simply nodded his head while Buffy sniffled as Giles placed a hand on her shoulder. Buffy stepped back before saying that Joyce wanted to see them before being taken in for emergency surgery, for with she was being prepared.

"I should be heading back," said Barry, "and this is a family thing so… you should see your mom."

"Buffy," said Giles, "there's not much time."

"Thank you," whispered Buffy in a broken voice before she rushed off with Giles and Willow, the redhead looking back at Barry. She saw the pain in his eyes as he watched them run into the hallway that led to the room that Joyce was in. She pushed it out of her mind, and kept on hurrying behind Buffy and Giles. In the meantime, Barry silently wished Buffy and Joyce good luck before she headed for the exit. Once he was in the stairwell and out of camera range, Barry ran at superspeed out of the hospital, and to the alleyway next to the Espresso pump before starting his job as a barista again.

The entire time he was working, Joyce and Buffy were in his mind.. as was Dawn. He didn't know if he managed to save a life, but it felt good that either way Buffy and Dawn were able to be there for their mother. As he continued work with an hour left, Barry decided to check in on Joyce.. make sure that she was alright.

And that's it.

'Can't get too close to these people. I just can't, I shouldn't', thought Barry to himself.

TBC.