Walking On Eggshells

Kara and J'onn arrived at the dimly lit Leviathan warehouse, their gazes locking onto Lex Luthor. His hands were stained with blood. Before either of them could speak, a gust of wind signaled another arrival—The Flash.

"I knew it was him," Kara muttered, her fists clenching at her sides.

J'onn turned, raising an eyebrow at the speedster. "I thought you returned to Central City?"

"I wanted to stick around for a bit," Barry replied, his eyes never leaving Lex.

"Okay..." J'onn exchanged a glance with Kara before stepping aside.

Kara didn't waste time on pleasantries. She strode toward Lex, J'onn, and Barry, who followed close behind. "How is Lex the real hero in all of this?" she asked, her voice laced with skepticism.

Lex smirked, tilting his head. "If you weren't so obsessed with trying to persecute me, you might see the truth. On this Earth, I've always been a hero. Ask anyone." He gestured around dramatically. "But I suppose we're all heroes today, considering you and your friends handled the big blackout. Not going to pin that on me, are you?"

Kara folded her arms. "No. That was... Leviathan."

"Ah, the same Leviathan I warned you about months ago?" Lex's smirk widened. "Perhaps if you had listened to me—tried working with me—we could have stopped them before they attempted to blot out the sun."

He then turned his attention to Barry, his expression shifting to mock sincerity. "Flash, I didn't see you standing there. Didn't even know you were in town. Is everything all right in Central City? Last I checked, there was some big ugly monster making people into zombies."

Barry's jaw tightened, folding his arm. "Since when do you care about Central City?"

"I don't just care about National City and Metropolis, you know," Lex said smoothly.

Barry sighed, arms crossing. "Everything is fine. Bloodwork is at Iron Heights. Ramsey Rosso is not going to be able to hurt anyone else."

"Good, good. Now, about Leviathan... do you have any leads?" Lex pressed.

"Not yet. But we will," J'onn stated firmly.

"We're going to stop them," Kara added, eyes narrowing as Lex made his way toward the exit.

As he disappeared, Barry turned to Kara. "How did this even happen?"

"We don't know. But we'll get to the bottom of it," a voice chimed in from behind them.

William stepped forward, his presence earning a glare from Kara. She hadn't forgotten what had happened the other night.

"Alright," she said, her tone laced with annoyance. "We need to figure out what Lex is really up to and what Leviathan's endgame is because something about this doesn't add up."

J'onn nodded. "I'll see if anyone knows exactly what went down."

As he turned to leave, William hesitated before speaking. "Uh, Supergirl."

Kara exchanged a look with Barry before turning back. "Yes, William?"

"Is Kara okay? Did she tell you what happened the other night?"

Kara's expression hardened. "Yeah, she told me. And she's still mad at you, William. You hurt her friend. What if he had been seriously injured? He could've ended up in the hospital—or worse."

William looked down. "I know. And I'm sorry. Can you tell her that?"

"She already knows. You apologized once, but she needs space. Be grateful her friend wasn't badly hurt, or she'd be even more furious."

"Yeah... I just wanted to say it again," he muttered before walking away.

Barry watched him go before turning to Kara. "You want my help with Lex?"

Kara hesitated, glancing toward the exit. "I think you should check on your team. You've been gone a while. We can talk about that other thing later. At my place. If you want."

Barry smiled. "I'd love that."

Their hands brushed and then intertwined without either of them realizing it. They both glanced down, cheeks flushing at the sudden contact.

Kara cleared her throat, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Uh... I guess I'll see you later, Flash."

Barry smirked. "Talk to you later, Supergirl."

With a wink, he vanished in a streak of lightning just as J'onn reappeared beside Kara.

"Everything alright between you and Barry?" J'onn asked, eyebrow raised.

Kara just stared at the now empty spot. "More than okay..."

Barry sped toward Central City, the wind whipping past him as he ran. His mind was already occupied, thoughts swirling between the past twenty-four hours and the uncertain future ahead. He almost didn't hear the familiar crackle of his comm unit until Cisco's voice broke through.

"Barry, are you there?"

He slowed slightly, his focus shifting. "What's up, Cisco?"

"Cecile needs to talk to you. Something about Iris."

Barry sighed. The weight of that name still pressed against his chest, even if it didn't quite cut as deep as it had before. "I'm not in the mood to talk about Iris."

"Why? Everything okay? "

Barry hesitated. Cisco was one of his best friends, someone who had been through the highs and lows with him. Maybe he deserved to hear it. "She kicked me out of the loft because of what happened with Joe."

Cisco exhaled sharply. "Damn. You sure you're okay? Want to talk about it?"

"I'm fine," Barry assured him, even as his mind drifted to the previous night—the quiet laughter, the way Kara had looked at him, the understanding in her eyes.

"You know, you could crash at my place if you need to," Cisco offered, his voice laced with concern.

Barry smiled slightly despite himself. "Thanks, man. I appreciate it."

"No problem. But you still need to see Cecile. She's at Joe's house."

Barry didn't argue. Moments later, he arrived at Joe's doorstep, the familiar home offering little comfort. As soon as he stepped inside, Cecile stood waiting, arms crossed, her expression unreadable.

"Where were you last night?" she asked, her tone sharp but not unkind. "You look... happy."

Barry tensed at her observation. "I was with a friend. In National City."

Cecile's eyes narrowed. He could feel the shift in her as she subtly tapped into her meta-human abilities, probing his emotions. He had no defense against it. His mind betrayed him, flashing unfiltered images—Kara, her laughter, the warmth of her presence, the undeniable pull between them. It wasn't just a moment of weakness. It was something real.

Cecile's eyes widened in shock, and she took a step back. "Oh my God… Barry. You didn't."

Barry stiffened. "Cecile—"

"You and Kara?! Seriously?! Right after Iris—" She stopped herself, shaking her head in disbelief.

Barry exhaled, his shoulders sagging slightly. "We were drunk," he admitted, his voice low but steady. "It just... happened."

Cecile folded her arms, her expression unreadable. "And then?"

Barry met her gaze without wavering. "And then I told her how I felt. And she told me."

Silence stretched between them. Cecile's expression softened, shifting from frustration to something closer to understanding.

"Okay, but what about Iris? She still loves you," she said carefully.

Barry's jaw clenched. "If she still loved me, she wouldn't have kicked me out of the house."

"She was mad."

"Mad about what? That I lost my speed? That she ignored my calls? That I took Nora back to her timeline? She worked with the person I hate the most! She wouldn't understand that. Guess who does?" His voice was steady, but there was an unmistakable edge to it. He turned toward the door, but Cecile reached out, stopping him.

"Barry... I felt how you feel about Kara. I know how much you care about her. Just... don't forget about your wife."

Barry's expression darkened. "After she took off her ring, she became my ex-wife."

Cecile sighed. "Maybe so, but if you're going to be with Kara, at least tell Iris. She deserves that much."

"I was going to," he admitted, his voice quieter now. "But I'm afraid. Of how people will react."

Cecile studied him for a moment, then nodded. "If you care about Kara that much, it shouldn't matter what people think."

Barry exhaled. "Thanks for understanding, Cecile. And I will talk to Iris tonight—with Kara. Don't worry."

He opened the door, but Cecile's voice stopped him one last time. "I'm still mad about all of this, and you better talk to Joe before he finds out on his own. Pray he doesn't kill you."

Barry offered a faint smirk. "After we take down Carver, I'll tell him."

"You'd better," she muttered as he disappeared from view.

Hours later, Barry and his team engaged in another attempt to stabilize the Artificial Speed Force. However, his focus remained elsewhere, preoccupied with the weighty matter of how he and Kara would disclose their feelings to Iris. His thoughts spiraled, preventing him from fully engaging in the task at hand until an abrupt voice snapped him back to the present.

"Allen, are you even listening?" Nash inquired, his tone laced with irritation.

Barry blinked, refocusing. "Uh… yeah, sorry. I was just thinking about something."

Nash eyed him skeptically but chose not to press the issue. "Alright. We're wrapping up for today. We'll resume tomorrow. I have somewhere to be."

Barry simply nodded in acknowledgment, watching as Nash exited.

"Hey, bro," Cisco called.

Barry turned. "What's up, man?"

"I'm heading back to my apartment. Do you want me to set up the couch for you?"

Barry smiled, shaking his head. "No, it's fine. I need to talk to her."

Cisco studied him for a moment. "Are you sure?"

Barry nodded. "Yeah. And if I need anything, I know where to find you."

Cisco clapped a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Alright. Just know I've got your back."

"I know. Love you, bro. See you tomorrow."

As Cisco departed, Barry pulled out his phone to call Kara, only to be interrupted by a message notification.

"Hey. Do you want me to come over, or do you want to come to me?"

A small smile tugged at Barry's lips as he responded.

"I'd really appreciate it if you could come get me. My speed isn't at full capacity."

"Where are you?"

"STAR Labs. Cortex."

Before he could put his phone away, a gust of wind signaled Kara's arrival.

"Hey, Barr," she greeted warmly.

"Hey, you." He stepped closer.

"Do you want me to take you to my loft?" she asked.

"Yeah, that would be great."

She leaned in, and he met her halfway. Their lips met in a slow, lingering kiss—one that might have lasted much longer had it not been for the sound of something crashing to the floor.

"Oh… my… God."

They broke apart, turning toward the voice. Cisco stood frozen, his expression a mixture of shock and disbelief, tools scattered at his feet.

"Cisco!?" they both exclaimed in unison.

"What are you doing here?" Barry asked, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "I thought you left."

"I was about to, but I forgot some equipment," Cisco explained, still staring. "Then I heard voices and… well, here we are."

Barry sighed and quickly stepped forward, placing a hand on Cisco's shoulder and guiding him aside. "Look, man, I didn't want you to find out this way."

Cisco folded his arms. "Then how were you planning on telling me?"

Barry exhaled. "It just happened, okay? It happened after Iris kicked me out. We didn't plan this. We drank some alien alcohol, things got out of hand, and this morning, we couldn't pretend anymore."

Cisco studied his friend. "Does Iris know?"

"Not yet. But she was the one who took off the ring first," Barry admitted. "It's over between us."

Cisco's gaze softened slightly. "Who else knows?"

"Alex, Cecile… and now you."

Cisco sighed. "Are you happy?"

Barry nodded. "Yeah. I know it's only been a day, but I think these feelings have been there for a long time."

Cisco exhaled, his stance relaxing. "Alright. If you're happy, I'm happy. But talk to Iris. She deserves to know."

"I will."

Cisco gave him a brief hug. "Good. But seriously… tell her."

After Cisco had left, Barry turned back to Kara, who was pacing. "I knew this was a mistake," she murmured. "It was just one night, and now—"

Barry silenced her with a kiss, his arms wrapping around her. At first, she resisted, but soon, she melted into him.

When they separated, Barry placed his forehead on top of hers.

"Hey, calm down," he murmured. "Cisco's fine with it. He just wants us to be honest with Iris. And we will. When you're ready."

She clutched his hand. "I just… I feel like people are going to judge us. And I can't stop feeling guilty."

"Don't worry," he reassured her. "Everything is going to be fine."

She hesitated before nodding. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah. Let's go."

With a deep breath, she grabbed him, and in an instant, they were at Barry's loft.

Inside, Iris stood in front of a mirror, speaking to someone unseen. "I'll talk to the others so we can start the plan."

Barry and Kara exchanged a confused glance as they listened from outside the door. "Who is she talking to?" Kara whispered. Barry shrugged before opening the door and walking into the apartment, finding Iris looking at a mirror.

Before they could speculate further, Iris turned and saw them. Her expression darkened. "What do you want?"

"We need to talk," Barry said.

"It's important," Kara added, stepping off to the side.

Iris folded her arms. "Fine. I'm still pissed, but whatever."

She stepped aside, allowing them in. Barry glanced around. "You haven't changed anything."

"Haven't been here much," she muttered. "Didn't have time to throw your stuff out."

"Iris," Barry began, "we need to be honest with you."

Her expression remained impassive. "About what?"

"Last night," Barry said softly.

Iris's jaw tightened. "What about last night?"

Barry took a breath. "After you kicked me out, I went to Kara's. We talked about... everything. My speed, Ragdoll, Black Hole, the Artificial Speed Force…"

"Lex, Leviathan, my family, Crisis," Barry added. "And… you."

Iris narrowed her eyes. "And?"

Barry exhaled. "We drank alien alcohol. It got us drunk. And then… one thing led to another."

"We had a one-night stand," Barry admitted.

Iris remained unreadable. "And?"

"This morning, we realized we didn't want to pretend. I like Kara. I think I've liked her for a long time," Barry confessed. "Iris… I want a divorce."

Inside the Mirrorverse, Iris stood in front of a mirror.

Iris paid close attention to the conversation taking place between the imposter and Barry. As soon as she heard Barry admit that he no longer felt the same way, a deep sadness settled over her. She didn't want to keep listening, didn't want to witness the man she loved confessing to "her" that he no longer wanted to be with her. It felt like she was being punished for sins she had never committed. Tears welled in her eyes, but she continued to listen.

The words struck her like a blow. Her heart skipped a beat, and she could no longer hold back the tears. She collapsed to her knees, crying.

"Why? Why?" she whispered as she heard her "husband" and her friend expressing their feelings for each other.

Siri just stared at them, expression unreadable. It wasn't sadness, nor anger—just indifference. She didn't care about them, not really. All she wanted was freedom, independence, to live a life where she wasn't controlled by someone else's decisions. So she simply said, "Fine. Tell me when you want me to sign the papers. Now go, because I have to work."

Barry hesitated. "Iris—"

"Don't," she interrupted, her voice even but firm. "I don't need an apology. I don't need an explanation. It doesn't matter." She turned back toward her desk, picking up a stack of papers.

Then, just as Barry and Kara turned to leave, Siri scoffed, her voice dripping with contempt. "Figures you'd run to her," she muttered. "Guess it didn't take much for you to move on. Trading me in for some cheap, homewrecking whore."

Kara stiffened, her jaw clenching.

Barry immediately turned back, eyes flashing with anger. "What did you just say?"

Siri smirked, leaning back against the desk. "You heard me. She swoops in, wraps you around her little finger, and suddenly you're throwing away everything we built?" She let out a sharp laugh. "It's Pathetic."

Kara took a step forward, but Barry gently grabbed her hand, stopping her.

He met Siri's cold stare with one of his own. "You know what, Iris? You took the ring off first. So whatever anger you think you have a right to—save it."

Siri rolled her eyes. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Barry." Then, without another word, she turned away, effectively dismissing them.

The door clicked shut behind them, leaving Barry and Kara standing in the hallway.

Kara let out a slow breath. "Wow. That was…" She shook her head. "I don't even know what that was."

Barry was silent, his eyes still on the door. Something felt off. This wasn't the reaction he had braced himself for. He had expected anger, maybe even heartbreak—but not this. Not… nothing.

As they started walking away, Barry noticed Kara had grown quiet. Usually, she was the first to break a silence, to offer comfort or reassurance. But now, she seemed lost in thought, her expression troubled.

"Kara?" he asked gently. "What's wrong?"

She hesitated before answering. "Barry… what happens if the Iris we just talked to isn't actually her?"

Barry frowned. "What do you mean?"

Kara swallowed, finally meeting his eyes. "I mean… if she's not the real Iris, and something—or someone—has taken her place… where does that leave us?" She looked down, her voice softer now. "What if the real Iris is still out there, and when she comes back… you realize you still love her?"

Barry exhaled, stepping closer and taking her hands in his. "Kara, listen to me. If that wasn't Iris, then yes, we need to figure out what's going on. But that doesn't change how I feel about you."

"But—"

"No," he cut her off gently, squeezing her hands. "I meant what I said. I care about you. You understand me in a way no one else does. This—" he gestured between them "—this wasn't just some reaction to what happened with Iris. This was real."

Kara's eyes searched his face. "You're sure?"

Barry smiled, brushing a stray hair behind her ear. "Do you know why my lightning hasn't been red?" he asked, nodding toward the faint golden glow in his fingertips.

She shook her head.

"Because ever since I've been with you, I've felt… calm. Steady. When I'm around you, I can think clearly. You make me better, Kara." He paused, his voice softer now. "And I don't want to lose that."

A small smile tugged at her lips. "Really?"

"Really," he confirmed, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "No matter what we find out about Iris, I know where I stand."

Kara exhaled, nodding as her doubts faded. "Okay," she said, squeezing his hand. "Then let's go find out what's really going on."