An Interesting Night

After a brutal battle against Ragdoll and the waning Speed Force, Barry watched helplessly as the police escorted Joe away to an undisclosed location. No one from Team Flash nor his family knew where he was going. Exhausted, Barry walked Cecile home before deciding to make the trek back to his loft on foot—there was no point in wasting what little Speed Force he had left.

When he arrived, he was met with an icy silence. Iris stood in the living room, her arms crossed, eyes blazing with anger. The tension in the air was suffocating as Barry shut the door behind him.

"I just talked to David," Iris finally spoke after what felt like an eternity. "Is my dad really gone?"

Barry hesitated, his voice faltering. "I tried calling you..."

"That's your excuse?" she snapped, cutting him off. Barry exhaled, lowering himself into a chair beside her.

"He's in witness protection, Iris. I couldn't risk waiting. There wasn't enough time."

She let out a humorless laugh. "You're the Flash, Barry. You can stretch a second into an hour. Where is he?"

Barry rubbed his hands together anxiously. "I honestly don't know."

"And when is he coming back?"

"The second we catch Car—"

"Carver's pocket is lined with politicians, lawmakers, assassins," she interrupted. "It could be years before we catch him!"

"Iris, I'm so sorry. But Cecile was nearly killed. And Joe—he had to leave right away, or else Carver might come after Jenna. Or you."

"Carver already came after me!" she shot back.

Barry's throat tightened. "And I wasn't there to protect you. Look, I'm trying to keep this family safe."

"Then take me to him. Right now."

He sighed, shaking his head. "I already told you—I don't know where he is."

"You don't need to, Barry! They left what, thirty minutes ago? They're probably still within a fifty-mile radius. You could find him in seconds!"

His stomach twisted. "I can't… not anymore."

"Can't?" Her voice wavered between anger and disbelief. "Or won't?"

"It's not that simple, Iris."

"Yes, it is, Barry!"

"No, it isn't!" His voice cracked with frustration. "I'm barely hanging on. I can't catch my breath. My head is spinning. My hands are numb. My feet tingle." As he spoke, his watch flickered from green to yellow. "Every step I take feels like I'm being torn in two. And all I can think about is whether I'll be fast enough tomorrow to save someone else."

Iris's expression hardened. "I trusted you, Barry."

"Iris…" he exhaled, at a loss for words.

"Now we have something else in common. We both lost a parent. I hope it was worth it."

Silence fell between them, thick and suffocating. Then, Iris turned toward the door. The watch on Barry's wrist flashed red.

"Where are you going? Iri—"

"I want you to leave."

His heart pounded. "You can't be serious."

"Barry, you always do this! You make these choices alone, and the rest of us have to deal with the fallout. Flashpoint. Leaving for the Speed Force. Taking Nora into the future. And now this? I'm done."

"Iris—"

"Get out."

Desperation clawed at him. "Please, Iris, we can work through this." He reached for her, but she stepped back, her gaze cold and unyielding.

"You're my home," he pleaded.

Her lips pressed into a thin line. "Not anymore." She slipped off her wedding ring and set it on the table. "If you keep making these choices alone, I won't be here when you get back. Now leave."

Barry stood frozen, pain lancing through him. Something inside him cracked. He didn't know what it was, but he felt it. Hollow. Weightless. Like he was drifting without an anchor. Without another word, he walked out into the night, his thoughts spiraling. He needed to talk to someone. He needed answers. He needed clarity.

And there was only one person he could think of.

Kara Danvers had a lot on her mind. Jeremiah's death. Lex Luthor's bizarre act of heroism. The rift between her and Lena. It was all too much. By the time she got home, she barely had the energy to throw her bag onto the couch before collapsing onto it herself.

Her phone buzzed. She groaned, sitting up just enough to glance at the screen.

Barry.

"Hey, Kara..."

She smiled despite her exhaustion. "Sup, Scarlet Speedster! Everything alright?"

"No… Can we meet?"

The shift in his tone made her sit up fully. "What? You mean right now?"

"Yeah. I really need to talk. And I just… I just want to talk to you. If it's not a problem."

Something fluttered in her chest. She wasn't sure why.

"Of course. Meet me at Al's Dive Bar. Do you know where it is?"

"No."

"No problem, I'll send you the location."

"See you there."

Kara changed into something more comfortable before flying over to the bar. It had been a long time since she and Barry had really talked, especially after Crisis. She needed this. They both did.

She arrived first, securing a table near the back. A few minutes later, Barry walked in, looking drained. Kara's face lit up as she rushed to greet him.

"Barry, hey!" She pulled him into a hug, but the moment she did, she felt the tension in his muscles. The way he exhaled, as if he had been holding everything in for far too long.

"Are you okay, Barr?" she asked gently.

He shook his head. "No."

She guided him to the table. "Alright, tell me everything."

He hesitated before finally speaking. "Iris kicked me out."

Kara blinked. "Wait, what? Why?"

Barry exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "It's a long story. It started with the Speed Force dying, and then everything else just… fell apart."

As he recounted his troubles, Kara listened intently, nodding in understanding. When he finally finished, she placed a reassuring hand on his.

"Barry, you're not alone. Being a hero means making sacrifices, but that doesn't mean you have to carry the burden alone. I'm here, okay? No matter what."

Barry looked at her, really looked at her, for the first time that night. And for a moment, something felt different.

Kara smiled, squeezing his hand. "Now, let's get you a drink. You look like you need it."

She flagged down a waiter and whispered something in his ear. Minutes later, two glasses of golden liquid were set before them. Barry eyed his glass suspiciously.

"What is this?"

"Aldebberan Rum," Kara said, grinning. "Completely toxic for humans, but I think you'll be fine. Your metabolism is ridiculously fast, right?"

Barry raised an eyebrow. "If I wake up with the worst hangover of my life, and Central City is in ruins because I couldn't get out of bed, I'm blaming you."

Kara laughed. "Deal. Now, drink up."

After both of them drank their Aldebberan, both heroes started to feel a little dizzy, but they let it pass by, for a while...

As the warmth of the Aldebberan Rum settled into their systems, both heroes began to feel a pleasant dizziness creeping in.

"Wow…" Barry scrunched his face, shaking his head slightly. "That was… really strong."

Kara chuckled, rolling her shoulders as if trying to shake off the buzz. "Yeah… I forgot how that felt."

They migrated to the pool table, and despite Barry's impressive reflexes, he wasn't much of a player. Kara, on the other hand, was surprisingly skilled. Lining up her final shot on the eight ball, she struck—only for Barry to nudge her elbow at the last second, causing her to miss.

"Hey!" she gasped, turning to glare at him.

"What? I didn't do anything," he said innocently, tossing a glance at the ground. "I just saw a coin near you and, well, thought I'd pick it up."

Kara narrowed her eyes but smirked. "Mmhmm. I'll let you off the hook this time. Your turn."

Barry lined up his shot, eyes flickering between the balls he needed to sink to catch up. Then, suddenly, he pointed behind Kara. "Hey, what's that?"

She turned instinctively—only for barely a second—but when she looked back, the pool table was completely empty. All his remaining balls had vanished.

Her jaw dropped. "Did you use your speed?"

Barry put a hand to his chest, feigning offense. "Kara, I told you, I only use my speed for important things."

"Then how did you clear the table in one second?"

He bit his lip, trying to contain a laugh. "I went to school for physics, you know," he said, tapping his head.

She crossed her arms but broke into laughter alongside him. "Fine, fine, I'll give you this one. But next time, you're toast."

"You know those were just lucky shots."

"I—uh—no," she said, then immediately regretted it.

The dizziness was settling deeper now, but it was more than that.

"Wow, this drink is really getting to me," Barry admitted, blinking a few times. "Everything feels…"

"Floaty?" Kara finished.

Their eyes met, and for a moment, the world around them disappeared. Neither of them moved. Neither of them spoke. Neither of them noticed that, at some point, their hands had found each other's.

Five long seconds passed before reality caught up, and both of them blushed, pulling their hands back.

"Wow…" Barry murmured, staring at his fingers like they belonged to someone else.

Kara cleared her throat, still flustered. "Yeah… uh, you know what? Why don't we get a few more drinks?"

Barry straightened. "Ye-yeah, why not? Besides, I don't have work tomorrow."

"You don't have work, or you don't want to have work?" she teased.

He grinned. "I don't have work."

They ordered another round, and as the second glass of Aldebberan Rum kicked in, their laughter grew louder, their movements clumsier. The night unraveled into a blur of bad pool shots, ridiculous dares, and nonsensical debates about who was the better hero.

Eventually, the buzz turned into something heavier—an exhaustion that made everything funnier, warmer.

They staggered out of the bar, leaning against each other. Barry, in his slightly inebriated wisdom, decided to drape an arm over Kara's shoulders. It was meant to be casual, but the moment his fingers grazed her, he felt a jolt of something unexpected.

Before he could dwell on it, something hard slammed into his back.

Barry hit the ground with a thud, groaning as a wave of dizziness far stronger than the alcohol washed over him.

"Kara!" a voice shouted.

Kara's head snapped up, eyes blazing with confusion and fury. "William?! What the hell is wrong with you?!"

Standing over Barry was a man clutching a wooden plank, his expression wild with panic.

"He was about to kidnap you," William said breathlessly.

Kara gaped at him. "What?"

Barry, still on the ground, rubbed the back of his head. "Ow… what?"

Kara sighed, helping Barry to his feet. "Barry, this is William. William, Barry." She shot a glare at William. "My friend."

Barry forced a pained smile. "Nice to meet you, I guess."

William's grip on the plank loosened. "I… I thought he was taking you somewhere against your will."

Kara groaned. "William, I'm not a damsel in distress. I know how to handle myself. And Barry—" she turned to him apologetically, "—would never do something like that."

"I'm so, so—" William started, but she held up a hand.

"Not now. What are you even doing here?"

"I was going to your place. I needed to talk to you. And then I saw you here with him, and he was—"

"He wasn't doing anything, William!" She exhaled sharply, her patience thinning. "We'll talk tomorrow. Right now, I need to make sure Barry's okay."

William looked like he wanted to argue but thought better of it. "Right… okay."

Kara turned away, guiding Barry toward a waiting taxi.

As they both slid inside, Kara gave the driver her address. Barry let his head fall back against the seat, still rubbing the spot where he'd been hit.

"Are you okay?" she asked, concern laced in her voice.

Barry sighed. "Yeah. Just… really dizzy. That guy has a hell of a swing."

Kara winced. "I'm so sorry, I didn't think he'd do something like that."

Barry waved a hand lazily. "Eh, I've been hit worse. Let's just get to your place."

She nodded, resting her head against the seat. The hum of the taxi filled the silence between them, the city lights flickering across their faces as they drove through the streets of National City.

Somewhere between the alcohol, the exhaustion, and the unexpected turn of events, Kara found herself sneaking a glance at Barry. He looked deep in thought, staring out the window as if lost in another world.

The night had taken a turn neither of them had expected.

And something told her… it wasn't over yet.

Barry and Kara stumbled into her loft, still laughing from the taxi ride. The night had been a whirlwind—drinks, deep conversations, and an unspoken ease that neither of them had felt in a long time.

Kara gave him a once-over as she kicked off her shoes. "You sure you're okay?"

Barry nodded, a lazy smile on his face. "Yeah, I'm good."

She raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "Mmhmm."

"I am!" He chuckled. "And since you're not preoccupied anymore…" He pulled out a bottle.

Kara's eyes narrowed. "You brought more?"

He shrugged. "I figured you should have as much fun as I did tonight."

She hesitated. "I don't know… We've already had a lot."

Barry smirked. "What, you scared?"

Kara crossed her arms. "Really? That's what you're going with?"

He waggled the bottle in front of her.

She rolled her eyes, snatching it. "Fine. But if I wake up regretting this, I'm blaming you."

Barry grinned. "Deal."

The clock read 2:17 AM. The bottle was empty, the laughter had died down, and a heavy silence hung between them—comfortable, yet charged.

Barry ran a hand through his hair. "I should probably head back to Central City."

Kara leaned back against the couch, stretching. "Yeah… thanks for tonight, Barry."

He smiled at her. "You know… after we talked, I didn't think about what happened, Iris once."

Kara blinked at him, surprised. "Yeah… I didn't think about William either. Not after… well, that whole mess."

Another silence. This one heavier.

Then, casually—maybe too casually—Kara blurted out, "You could stay the night."

Barry turned to her. "Are you sure?"

She nodded, suddenly feeling self-conscious. "Yeah. It's late. And I don't want you accidently running halfway across the country like this."

Barry hesitated before nodding. "Alright. Couch it is." He got up, but Kara caught his wrist before she even knew what she was doing.

He looked down at her, puzzled. "What?"

She opened her mouth and then shut it. This was a bad idea. A very bad idea.

But then Barry said, "Kara, you know you can tell me anything, right?"

Kara stared into Barry's eyes, and Barry did the same, She searched his face, something shifting in her expression. Then, without another word, she leaned in and kissed him.

It started slow, tentative, but as soon as Barry responded, the hesitation melted away. His hands found her waist, pulling her closer, and Kara sighed into the kiss, her fingers gripping the front of his jacket before sliding up into his hair.

It wasn't rushed. It wasn't careless.

It was warm. It was real.

Barry felt his heart hammering in his chest, his entire body alive with something he hadn't expected. Kara pressed against him, deepening the kiss, and he felt himself losing any grasp on logic or second thoughts.

His arms wrapped fully around her, lifting her effortlessly as her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist. Their breathing grew heavier, their touches more urgent. The world outside faded away, leaving only the heat between them, the way their bodies fit together, the way every touch sent electricity through his veins.

Kara barely registered when her back met the mattress, only that Barry was there, hovering over her, his lips tracing along her jaw before capturing hers again. She pulled him down with her, hands splayed across his back, feeling every breath, every movement, every unspoken emotion passing between them.

Neither of them stopped to think.

They didn't want to.

For the first time in a long time, nothing else mattered.

Eva McCulloch watched through the glimmering surface of a mirror, her lips curling into a smirk.

"Well, well…" she murmured, tilting her head as she observed Barry Allen and Kara Danvers tangled up together.

At first, she hadn't even needed to interfere. No manipulation. No mind games. They had fallen into this all on their own.

Her fingers grazed the edge of the mirror. "Iris is going to love this."

And then—crack.

A smaller mirror nearby shattered, drawing Iris's attention.

Eva gasped dramatically. "Oh! I'm so sorry, I—"

"Don't worry about it," Iris said, turning toward her. "I'll clean it up."

Eva nodded, then subtly shifted the reflection in the mirror.

And just like that, Iris was staring at Barry and Kara in each other's arms.

Her breath caught in her throat.

Her pulse pounded.

"Kara?" she whispered, barely able to process what she was seeing.

Eva feigned concern. "Do you… know her?"

Iris swallowed hard. "I—I do. But I never thought—"

Then, the reflection shifted.

And now Barry and Kara were nearly naked.

Iris staggered back as if she'd been slapped.

"I-I need some air," she choked out before bolting from the room.

Eva waited until she was gone before her innocent facade melted into satisfaction.

That hadn't even been part of the plan. But it was a delightful bonus.

She turned back to the mirror, where Mirror-Iris, Kamilla, and Singh waited.

"Siri," she said smoothly, "we have a change of plans…"

Kara sat up slowly, the sheet slipping slightly from her shoulders. Her heart pounded in her chest as she tried to make sense of what had just happened—of what was still happening. Her mind screamed that this was wrong, that this was a mistake, that this would change everything.

But if that was true, why didn't she feel the weight of regret crushing her?

Beside her, Barry was staring at the ceiling, rubbing a hand down his face, his other arm still draped lazily across his stomach. His head was pounding, but it wasn't just the hangover making him feel heavy. He had just cheated on his wife.

Except… had he?

He thought back to last night, to Iris slipping off her ring and placing it on the table, her voice cold and distant as she told him to leave. The moment had felt final. And yet, shouldn't he still feel wrong about this?

He glanced at Kara, watching as she combed her fingers through her tangled hair, her expression unreadable. She was clearly processing, just like he was.

"Kara," he finally said, his voice quieter than usual.

She turned to look at him.

His throat was dry. He had no idea what to say. What could he say?

"I should feel worse than I do," he admitted.

Her lips parted slightly. She didn't answer at first, just looked at him. Searching.

"I know," she finally whispered.

They sat there in silence for a long moment, wrapped in sheets and uncertainty, but the weight of their realization settled in.

This wasn't just a drunken mistake.

It wasn't just loneliness.

Something had shifted between them.

Something that had probably been there for longer than either of them had admitted to themselves.

Kara swallowed hard, gripping the sheets a little tighter.

"Last night… it wasn't just the alcohol, was it?"

Barry shook his head slowly. "I don't think so."

Her stomach flipped. "Then… what does that mean?"

He exhaled, running a hand through his already messy hair. "I don't know. But I don't want to regret it."

Kara stared at him, her heart hammering. She should be panicking more. She should be freaking out.

Instead, warmth spread through her chest.

Maybe, just maybe… this wasn't wrong at all.

The thought terrified her, but it also made her feel alive.

She hesitated, biting her lip. Then, cautiously, she reached for Barry's hand. He didn't pull away. Instead, his fingers curled around hers, squeezing gently.

And just like that, everything changed.

The moment stretched, the air thick with something unspoken but undeniable.

Kara took a shaky breath, looking up at Barry. He was already looking at her, his expression softer now, more certain.

Slowly, hesitantly, they leaned toward each other, eyes flickering to lips, drawn in by something neither of them wanted to name just yet.

And just as their lips were about to touch—

The door swung open.

"Hey, Kara, what are you—"

Alex froze mid-step, her eyes widening as she took in the scene before her.

Kara and Barry. In bed. Tangled sheets. Holding hands. About to kiss.

The silence was deafening.

Barry's face drained of color. Kara's mouth opened, but no sound came out.

Alex blinked. Slowly.

Then, Alex crossed her arms.

"What the hell is going on?"

Iris was looking at what Kara and Barry were doing, she was hearing everything, that made her heart crack

"Are you okay?" Eva said, getting near her

"No... I don't know what to feel..." she said

"Don't worry, we will find something so we can get out, and then you will go back with Barry..." she said hugging her, but what Iris wasn't looking for was the evil smile Eva had, and deep down, Iris knew they weren't meant to be...