Eddie groaned in satisfaction as she bit into a slice of pizza. It had everything on it. Just the way she liked it.
"This is so good, Barry, thank you!" she enthused.
"I'm glad you like it," Barry replied, matching her enthusiasm. "It's the least I could do after… A rough couple days." He shrugged and flashed a grin.
Eddie burst out laughing. Her ribs still hurt, but it felt good to laugh. "Well, that's definitely one way of putting it!" she said still laughing.
Barry shrugged. "I was trying to soft-sell it," he admitted with his thousand-watt smile and bright eyes.
Eddie smiled back at him. Barry had picked her up two days before at the hospital after having been shot in the vest and fallen down the flight of stairs. He was attentive and caring towards her, but never hovering or smothering, which Eddie appreciated. And yet, for once in her life, she didn't want to be alone. The lone wolf soldier façade she lived by and often hid behind just didn't cut it this time. Perhaps it never would again. Getting shot and falling down a flight of stairs reveals certain things, showing you what you are made of and what you're not.
Barry straightened up on his side of the couch. "There's uh… Something I've been wanting to ask you."
Eddie could tell he was serious. "Okay."
Barry exhaled the whirlwind. "I know you know this, but I need to say it out loud…"
He paused. God help him, it was too late, now.
"I have strong feelings for you. Up until now, we've kind-of-sort-of dated. But if the last couple days have proved anything, it's that life can be unpredictable. You never know what's going to happen."
Eddie nodded. She knew where this was going.
"I want us to be us," he said looking straight into her eyes. "I want to be with you and I want you to be with me exclusively… I, uh, know you and Jamie have a bond, but – "
"Barry, that's – " Eddie began awkwardly.
"Please let me finish, Eddie," Barry said calmly with his hand raised.
"Sorry," she said, gesturing for him to continue.
"I'm a man, Eddie," Barry continued. "I know what I saw when he came to the hospital... And if you and Jamie have a bond and I'm in the way, let me know and we can end this right now. We can be friends who tried for something more and it wasn't meant to be. No harm, no foul. But… I can't do this with one foot in, one foot out. I want this," he said motioning between him and her, eyes to the brim with conviction.
Barry exhaled the whirlwind, again, staring at Eddie, waiting for her reply. It was obvious Barry cared for her deeply and, in truth, Eddie cared deeply for him. But that deep care had been siphoned off by her also caring deeply for Jamie. She knew Jamie cared for her, but he didn't have the wherewithal to lay it all on the line like Barry just did. In the end, it wasn't fair to all three of them, but especially Barry. She had strung him along and she knew she had to take a stand, yea or nay.
She chose the former.
"I want this, too," Eddie finally said with a gentle smile, her hand grasping his. "But Barry," she continued and turned serious, "you already know my life as a cop can be crazy. I can work a regular 8-hour shift or I can work a 12-hour shift or I can work an 8-hour shift and, in the snap of a finger, I can be ordered to work a double shift. Things can go wrong. I could…"
"You could die," Barry finished. "Like you almost did three days ago."
"Yes," Eddie said. A tear escaped her eye, cascading down her left cheek. Barry cupped her cheek and gently wiped away the tear with his thumb.
"I'm aware of that," Barry said with utmost sobriety, lowering his hand. "But I'd rather be with you than not be with you out of fear of something that might happen. I'm all in on this."
A beat passed.
"So," Barry continued, "will you have me?"
Now it was Eddie's turn to cup Barry's face as she leaned in to kiss him, their lips engaging a tender dance.
"Does that answer your question?" Eddie asked with a smile and raised eyebrow.
"Guess so," he said. Now, it was his turn to lean in and kiss Eddie, to which she gratefully kissed back.
But before anything could get too hot and heavy, she pulled back in pain.
"Ah!" she cried.
"Eddie!" Barry gasped.
"No," Eddie said, wincing. "It's the ribs. Apparently I can't kiss my boyfriend without them getting upset at me." She let out a frustrated chuckle. "I'm sorry."
"Hey," Barry said with a dismissive wave of his hand, "no apologies necessary."
Eddie smiled.
They sat there in silence for a minute, staring off into space, processing what this meant for them.
"So… Boyfriend, huh?" Barry teased, breaking the silence.
"Don't let it go to your head," Eddie said playfully. She then got serious again, looking longingly at him. "Besides," she continued. "Life's too short."