Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

She was done after this one. She had to be. She had to take a step back and see that he was right. Right? He wasn’t sure that she would. She loved the chase of a story. The high she got when she published an article that led to the arrest of drug dealers, human traffickers and corrupt politicians. But it had become much too dangerous for his liking. She was investigating big names and with that came bigger security stakes.

Her last story saw her go toe to toe with an arms dealer named Keith Williams aka Goldface. Her dad and the police force had tried unsuccessfully for years to pin down Goldface and she somehow got him. She somehow managed to destabilise him, taking down his entire operation. That story won her her second Pulitzer Prize. Now she was going after his girlfriend, Leslie Jocoy aka Amunet Black. Amunet was the most notorious human trafficker in the country. Hell she was notorious worldwide. There were international warrants out for her arrest. Amunet was no small fish.

Barry wasn’t sure how much more he could take. It seemed like at every turn, his wife was in danger. She’s had so many close calls in the past and nothing seemed to phase her. Her first big story after she left CCPN was exposing Eobard Thawne for corruption and the murder of his sister, Shelly, Eddie’s mother. Iris didn’t mean to get involved in that story seeing as how it was connected to Eddie. But when he reached out to her asking for her help in uncovering his mother’s mysterious death, she couldn’t help herself. Shelly was killed in what police said to be a random drive-by shooting. But she had no known enemies so her son was not buying the police’s story of her death. In spite of the years of emotional and physical abuse she endured during the last half of her 8 year relationship with Eddie, his mother had always been sweet and kind to her, a stark contrast to her son.

He had sent her a letter to CCPN, not knowing she had left to start CCC Media better known as The Citizen, three months prior. Linda, who was the Sports Editor at CCPN, handed her the letter at their weekly Saturday brunch date. Iris was so thrilled to reconnect with her best friend again. They were definitely making up for lost time. When she read the letter, Linda encouraged her to burn it and forget it. She wanted to at first, but something in her gut told her not to make any hasty decisions about it. She took the letter home and showed it to Barry. Like Linda, he was leery about the connection to Eddie.

Barry had seen first hand the evidence of Eddie’s abuse towards Iris when he found her beaten and bruised at his cottage. She had managed to escape him and heal. When he somehow managed to track her down and made his way into their home and attacked her, she put him down, flat on his ass, like the badass she was. She got to take down her abuser all on her own. And then when Eddie was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole, Barry thought that was it. They were free of him. She was free of him. That was the last time he would have to hear about Eddie fucking Thawne. The asshole didn’t know a good thing when it was standing right in front of him, evident by the abuse he unleashed on Iris for 4 of the 8 years they were together. 8 years that he could have been loving her, mind, body and spirit. Worshipping her like the damn goddess she was. And now he had the audacity to ask for her help? As far as Barry was concerned, Eddie could go fuck himself and leave his damn wife alone.

If it were him, he’d say no and take great pleasure in doing so. But this was Iris. His beautiful wife with an even more beautiful heart. She was able to compartmentalise better than he could. “Shelly was always so sweet and kind to me. I’m doing this for her. I’m getting justice for her. Because she deserves it. I’m not doing this for Eddie. He got his justice.” Barry knew he couldn’t talk her out of it. Once she got a story she was passionate about, he stayed out of her way. He’d help her with any forensic questions she had for her articles but other than that, he was her supporter on the side.

So she investigated Shelly Thawne’s death, at the request of her son. Once she began to pull on that thread, she came across Eobard’s political history and uncovered a motherload of corruption. Shady dealings with contractors with ties to the mob. Backdoor dealings to grant his friends government contracts, paying them millions of dollars with shoddy work being done or not at all. She had dismantled Central City’s most corrupt mayor’s 10 year long run and got justice for Shelly Thawne, who was brutally murdered when she unfortunately discovered her brother’s backdoor dealings and had planned to report him to the police.

“Is everyone in that family a fucking mess?” Barry asked her once he read the final copy of her article before it went to print.

“Seems like it was restricted to the men of that family. Shelly was wonderful.”

“Well your article is great, sweetheart.” He leans over to kiss her. “As always. Great work my love.”

“Yeah? You think so?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if this is what gets you your first Pulitzer.”

“What? I don’t know Barr. This is my very first article written under my own company. The Citizen isn’t as established or prestigious as CCPN. I'm nobody.”

“Hey! Don’t talk about my wife like that.” He gently chided her as he pulled her to sit in his lap, wrapping his arm around her back. “Because my wife is brave and smart and can stand toe to toe with the best of them. Okay? Don’t underestimate her. She’s a force to be reckoned with.”

She leaned forward and kissed him. “Thank you, Babe for always believing in me.”

“Always! I’m your number one fan.”

Barry was right. That exposé she wrote did win her her first Pulitzer. There was only one other person who believed she would win a Pulitzer. Her former editor Scott Evans, whom she met on her “freedom hike” with Patty a few years ago. She remembered their conversation when she walked into his office to hand in her resignation.

“Hey Scott. Do you have a moment to talk?”

“Sure. Come on in. Shut the door.”

Iris closed the door behind her and took a seat. She was nervous to tell him although she didn’t know why. She took a deep breath and was about to hand over her letter of resignation, when he interrupted her.

“You’re leaving CCPN, aren’t you?” He looked at her dead in the eyes.

Iris kept it together although she was surprised by his guess.

“What? How did you know?”

“Because Iris, you’ve outgrown us here.”

“Well, I wouldn’t exactly say that.”

“Well I think you have. Look, when you first started here, you were green but you absorbed everything that was taught to you by myself and some of the more seasoned reporters here. You excelled every assignment given to you. You’ve immersed yourself in every story, reporting them from your own unique angle. Your colleagues here and all over the state recognize your brilliance. And if they haven’t yet, they’ll all see it soon. In all honesty, I’ve been expecting this day for quite some time now.”

“Wow! Scott. I don’t even know what to say. That’s quite the performance review.”

“It’s all true, Iris.” He stood up and extended his hand out to her. “Tell you what. Finish up whatever it is you’re working on and go conquer the world. Just don’t forget us little folk when you accept your Pulitzers, okay?”

Iris laughs and shakes his hand. “I promise I won’t.”

As she turns to leave, Scott calls out to her, “Hey Iris, I wish you the best of luck. I know you’ll do great. And hey, maybe someday, I’ll be working for you.”

When she was nominated he sent her a beautiful bouquet of flowers with a card that said, “I knew you could do it! Don’t forget us!”. When she won, she did remember to thank him when she gave her acceptance speech at the ceremony.

But that was 4 years ago. She had since won another Pulitzer Prize. Still chasing stories she was passionate about, no matter how high the stakes. Barry learned from her take down of Eddie that she was not one to be underestimated. She may look tiny but she could hold her own. She kept up at the gun range and her self defence classes. She was braver than ever. She took risks that always made him nervous. But she was smart. As brave as she was, she knew when to back off and when to sally forth.

They had talked about starting a family several times. Barry didn’t want to rush her. She had to get there in her own time. And after being held back by Eddie, there was no way in hell Barry was going to prevent her from living the life she was born to live. Since she was 10 years old, her dream had always been to write, have her own media empire and win a Pulitzer. She had done all those things, winning not one but two Pulitzers, by the age of 30. And as proud as he’s been of all she’s accomplished, his heart couldn’t take much more of her running into dangerous situations and confronting extremely dangerous criminals. He so badly wanted his wife to be safe. To start their family. To be able to pamper her while she grew new life within her, anticipating the day that they’d meet their baby who was the perfect mix of them both. But she had to come to that decision on her own. The last time they talked about it, he told her whenever she was ready, he would be too. When it came to starting their family, she would be doing the heavy lifting so the timeline for when that would happen would be up to her.

Chapter Text

Iris came home exhausted from the day. She had been working nonstop for the past two years, working closely with the DA on the Amunet Black case. All that teamwork paid off when they finally caught her, shutting down one of the largest human trafficking rings in the country.

“I swear, Barr, I’m going to need a vacation now this is over. I can’t keep doing this much longer.” She hangs her coat up, kicks off her shoes, dropping her bags on the floor. She walks over to kiss him and plops down on the chair at the kitchen counter. Barry hands her a glass of wine as Hank walks over to greet her, resting his head in her lap.

“Hmm.”

“Maybe somewhere tropical and off the beaten path where I can sit, relax, recharge and do nothing.”

“Nothing?”

“Nothing but eat, sleep and make a baby with you.”

He smiles at that admission although truth be told, she said this same thing 2 years ago, right after she’d helped put Goldface away. But when she heard about his girlfriend, the international human trafficker, she just couldn’t help herself. He didn’t want to get his hopes up again. So he stayed silent, nodded his head and continued to stir the sauce in the pot.

“Babe? Did you hear what I said?”

“Yes my love, I did.”

“Are you sure? Because usually the baby making part gets you all smiley and goofy.”

Barry chuckles and turns towards her. “It still is my favourite part. And I’ve told you, whenever you’re ready to have a baby, I’ll be here.”

“But I just did. I’m really ready this time.” She gets up and walks over to him, snuggling into his back, leaning her head onto his back and wrapping her arms around his waist. “I don’t want to wait anymore. I want to start our family. I called my doctor to schedule an appointment for next Tuesday to remove my IUD.”

He stopped stirring the spaghetti sauce. She hadn’t done that before. He turns to look at her.

“Wait? What? You did?” He asked, trying not to sound too eager.

“Yes, Babe I did. I’m not getting any younger. I'm serious this time.”

“But you know that if you get pregnant that means that you can’t be chasing down dangerous stories like you have anymore, right?”

“Yeah. I know that and I’m okay with that. I’ve spent the last 4 years chasing down really bad guys. And it was fun for a while. But I think I’m ready for a change.”

“Are you sure?”

“Babe, I’ve excelled at being Investigative Reporter Iris. I have two freaking Pulitzers. Now it’s time for a change. The Citizen has grown into the empire I’ve always dreamed it would be. I’m ready to move into a more managerial position to let my staff take on the heavy stuff. And since Scott is now at The Citizen, I can take some much needed time off knowing that it’s in good hands. I mean we haven’t had a vacation since we’ve been married.”

“That’s because you’ve been killing it being a Pulitzer Prize winning investigative journalist. Winning two in 4 years. That’s got to be a record. You’re at the top of your game. Are you sure you want to take a step back now?”

“Yeah I am. I’ve accomplished everything that I initially wanted to. I have some ideas about how else The Citizen can grow. There’s space for me to still be a journalist but also become a mom.”

“Yeah? And you feel like now is the right time?”

“Yeah I do. I feel like I’m about to burn out and I need to take a step back for a bit. I want to start the family that we’ve been dreaming and talking about since high school. And I want that for you too. Because I know you’ll be the absolute best dad in the entire world.”

Barry smiles at his wife. She looks at him happily, smiling widely, meaning every word that she had just said. For as long as he can remember, all he’s ever wanted was to marry Iris West and start a family with her. He moves the sauce off the hot stove and covers it, turns off the burner and embraces his wife and kisses her hard. Supper can wait for a bit. He’s going to celebrate this good news right now. He’s aware there was still time for her to change her mind and cancel her doctor’s appointment. But for now, he just wants to stay in this moment.

Iris could tell that Barry was a bit hesitant about her declaration and he had every right to feel that way. They had put off starting their family before because she came across a story that she just had to investigate and couldn’t put aside. They had talked a lot in the past about what their future family could look like. She wanted one kid, he wanted three. They compromised on two. They would stay where they were after their first child was born and then they would look for their forever home with a backyard big enough so that their kids could run and play. Maybe something with a pool and enough space for a small garden for Iris. A large porch where they would have a swing to sit in and enjoy the sunsets.

She tried to imagine what her body would look like pregnant. Would she be one of those women who didn’t look pregnant until you saw their profile or would she pop almost immediately? What would her cravings be like? Would her cravings for brownies intensify or decrease? She knew that Barry would dote on her, even more so, once she did get pregnant. She could already see him wanting to cater to her every need. She imagined him singing to her baby bump every night before going to bed. Kissing her and her belly before closing his eyes at night and doing the same the minute his eyes opened in the morning. The thought of him doing that made her smile wider than she ever had before.

She tried to picture what their kids would look like. Would they have brown eyes like her? Or beautiful green eyes like Barry? Perhaps they would have hazel eyes? Would they have thick curly hair like hers or loose wavy curls? Would their skin be a smooth, buttery caramel colour, a perfect mixture of them both? She hoped they inherited Barry's smile because his was her favourite in the entire world. What would their voice sound like? Would they inherit his beautiful singing voice? Would they grow up to be tall and slender like Barry or on the shorter side like her?

If they had a girl, they’d name her Nora Francine after both their moms. If they had a boy, they’d name him Bartholemew Henry II or Bart for short. Iris would share her love of reading and brownies with them. Barry would do endless science experiments with them. They would take them to their family’s cabin during the summer months at Happy Harbour, continuing the Labour Day tradition of three scoops of ice cream. They would have weekly Sunday dinners with Joe. They would do all the things they did when they were kids with their own children.

Iris had been thinking a lot about their future family lately. Particularly more so during this Amunet investigation. She had had so many close calls that petrified her to her core. She didn’t share them all with Barry because she knew that he was already terrified for her. Although she enjoyed the chase of a good story, she couldn’t continue doing what she did forever. She needed to take a step back, breathe for a bit and enjoy life with her husband.

She had been going nonstop ever since she took Eddie down. She somehow convinced herself that she was making up for lost time. He held her back from really pursuing journalism. Said he was doing it to protect her. But that wasn’t the case. He wanted to control her and he had. He stymied her growth as a journalist. But now with Barry, he didn't prevent her from pursuing her goals. In fact he encouraged her to do her best and be the best she could be. And she did. She had found herself in extremely dangerous situations for her stories and he never told her to stop. Just to be careful. And she always was. She had gone from one extreme situation to the complete opposite. She needed to find balance in her life. These past 4 years of constant adrenaline were starting to catch up to her. Something had to change. She didn’t want to wake up one morning and hate being a journalist. It was her passion. Her calling.

She thought of Barry and their life together since they were reunited. Life has been wonderful. More wonderful than she could have imagined. She wasn’t sure why she had been so afraid of getting married. Barry was the best husband she could ever ask for. Aside from the craziness of her job, life was good. They were both fulfilled in their respective careers. Barry got promoted to Director of CCPD’s CSI Division and the Citizen had grown and expanded in ways she hadn’t even imagined but was so grateful for.

Barry had always been vocal about wanting a family of his own. Even when they were dating in high school, she knew he’s always wanted a family. And she did too. She wanted to have a family with him. Maybe now was the time to start. She needed to step back and slow down. And yet there was still more she wanted to do at The Citizen. She wanted to start a podcast, talking about issues that mattered most to the citizens of Central City. She could do that and still have a family. It would be far less dangerous than what she had been doing. It was the best of both worlds.

But first, they needed to go away on vacation. She needed to reset and recharge. She was sure she could convince Barry to go on a pre-baby vacation. They hadn’t gone away for their honeymoon after they got married. They did spend a few days at their cabin but that was it. They needed a proper vacation to prepare them for this next step.

Chapter Text

As she stepped off the airplane into the warm tropical breeze, Iris felt free and at peace. This is just what she needed. They needed it. She couldn’t help but smile widely as she took in their surroundings as they made their way over to baggage claim. Once they got their bags, they were greeted by a driver of the resort they were staying at. After a 20 minute drive, they pulled up to the resort. The door opened beside her and a gentleman in a suit helped her out. Barry made his way beside her and held her hand as they were guided in. A jolly fellow named JJ introduced himself to them as their butler for the length of their stay. As they made their way over to their accommodations in a golf cart, JJ gave them a run down of the place they would call home for the next two weeks. It was off season for them so the resort was much quieter than it normally was during peak season. As it turned out they were the third couple on that side of the resort for the first week and the only couple the following week. It just meant that they were going to have even more privacy.

As they pulled up in front of their cabin, Iris took a deep breath in and whispered “Wow!” under her breath. Their cabin was beautiful, painted a brilliant white. A wide wooden staircase greeted them up to the porch that hugged the entire cabin with a swing for two to the right of the door. The bright yellow front door opened wide to welcome them inside. The modern beach décor gave them a sense of sophisticated relaxation. As they entered the cabin, the living area greeted them with a large comfortable couch, coffee table and a tv mounted on one of the walls. Tropical plants and flowers scattered all over the cabin. The large windows opened up to the view of the coconut trees dancing to their own beat, swaying in the tropical breeze against the ocean in the background. At the back was a chef's kitchen, in case guests wanted to have a meal prepared for them at their cabin instead of dining at the restaurant. The powder room was off to the side of the kitchen and further back a washer and dryer and utility sink and back door. Upstairs they were greeted by a large king size bed covered in crisp white sheets that screamed luxury. The adjoining bathroom with the jacuzzi tub and large marble shower with a waterfall showerhead and a built in bench to one side was stunning. Barry watched as his wife took it all in. JJ dropped off their bags just outside the door of their bedroom and explained how their meals worked. If they wanted to dine at the restaurant, they just needed to call to the front and he would be there to pick them up. Barry thanked him for his help and he left them while they unpacked.

Once everything was unpacked and suitcases put away, Iris made her way downstairs and out the front porch. She leaned against the railing and took a deep breath in. The mid morning sun beating down on her. She turned her face toward it, allowing its rays to kiss her face. She could smell the salt water coming off the beach. She couldn’t wait to dip her toes in the ocean. To feel the sand between her toes. To walk in the moonlight along the beach as the waves crashed to shore, hand in hand with her husband. This is exactly what she had envisioned. This was the vacation they needed. This is where she needed to be to reset and recharge. All the stress and tension she had felt chasing leads and helping to catch the bad guys was slowly leaving her body. Barry walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her and whispered in her ear, “Welcome to paradise, my love.” She turned her head to smile at him, leaning up for a kiss.

“Thank you for this. This is exactly what I pictured. It’s so peaceful here. So perfect.”

“I’m so glad you like it. There were a few other places that looked good but this one seemed to fit our criteria best. Want to go check the place out?”

“Yes. I’m going to grab my hat. And you should put sunscreen on. Don’t need you getting burnt on our first day.”

They spent the latter part of the morning exploring the resort. They checked out the pools and facilities and even stopped to have a late lunch at the restaurant. This side of the resort was busier than where they were staying. Families with young kids crowded the pools, filling the air with shrieks of joy and laughter. Barry smiled to himself, hoping that one day they would have a family of their own, filling the air with laughter too. They made their way back to their cabin and decided to take a little detour down the beach nearby. It was quiet and secluded for midday. It was as if they had this piece of paradise all to themselves. JJ had mentioned that this part of the island was designated for couples only and there was access to a family oriented beach on the other side. They made their way back to their cabin for a nap. It had been a long day of traveling. They made plans to have dinner at the restaurant at 8pm, hoping to be able to have a quiet dinner then.

When they crawled into bed at 2pm, they only expected to sleep for an hour. When Barry opened his eyes 5 hours later, it took him a while to remember where they were. He looked down to see his arm resting on Iris’ stomach, his leg between hers and her butt pressed up against him. She has always been a clingy sleeper and truth be told, he loved it. The feeling of waking up every morning entwined in the arms of his wife, always put a smile on his face and started his day off right. She stirred as he attempted to quietly shift to get a look at the time.

“Hey.” She said softly, smiling at him.

“Hey. How was your nap?”

“Too short. Yours?”

He chuckles at her answer. “Perfect.” he answered, leaning over to kiss her.

“What time is it?” She asks, with a yawn.

“I don’t know.” She grabs his hand and tries to adjust her eyes to see the time.

“It’s 7pm. We have to get up and get dressed. Dinner is in an hour.” He kissed her again before moving off the bed and headed over towards the bathroom. “You stay in bed a bit longer. I’m going to go get started.”

The heat in the air didn’t stop her from covering herself in bed and she grunted a response and slid further down under the covers, making her way over to where he was just a few minutes before, enjoying the warmth from his body, with a smile on her face.

Barry jumped into the shower. It was hot on the island, even in the evening, although the breeze off the ocean did help to cool things down at night. His shower cooled him down and woke him up. He quickly got out and dried off, walking over to the bed to awake his sleepy wife.

“Iris, sweetheart. JJ will be here soon to pick us up for dinner.”

She groaned, reluctantly pulling the covers off her head and begrudgingly stomped over to the bathroom. Barry laughed. His wife hated being woken up for anything, except Christmas. He smiled when he heard her satisfied groan as the water hit her body.

He quickly got dressed in a light long sleeved crisp white linen shirt that he rolled up to his elbows and light brown khaki pants and casual slip on sneakers. He grabbed his watch and called out to tell her that he would be waiting for her downstairs if she needed him. He made his way down to the kitchen for a glass of water and then headed out on their porch to enjoy the evening breeze. He listens to the sounds of the waves crashing on the shore. He could hear the music of the steel drums playing in the distance. He has a feeling that Iris would want to go dancing after dinner tonight.

He looks at his watch. JJ would be there in 10 minutes to pick them up. He heads back in to put his glass away and stops dead in his tracks. Iris is making her way down the stairs and once again, she’s stolen his breath. Her dress is a short red chiffon high low spaghetti strap dress with a deep V neck that reached the waist of her dress, showing off her enticing cleavage. Her hair is pulled back in a messy ponytail with a few wisps of hair framing her face, accentuating her gorgeous neck, where he was dying to place his lips on and never look back. He swears she’s trying to kill him. He’s always loved her legs on display. They were sleek and toned and exhibited her hard work at the gym. His breath hitched in his throat as they made eye contact. His mouth grew dry as if stuffed with cotton balls. She smiled at him and did a small twirl when she reached the bottom of the stairs.

He stares at her, not knowing what to say. His cock responded to her, twitching in his pants causing him to shift his stance, hoping not give himself away.

“Shit!” he mumbled to himself in awe.

“How do I look?”

“Like a dream that I never want to awake from.” He reaches out to pull her to him and kisses her softly on the lips. He moaned against her when his arms wrapped around her back and felt her bare skin against his fingers. He pulled back and said, “Maybe we skip dinner tonight and just head straight for dessert.”

She leans over to kiss him again and hums against his lips. “That would be wonderful but I’m actually really hungry right now.”

Just then JJ knocked on their door.

“I guess dessert will have to wait.” He holds out his hand to her and opens the door.

“Good evening sir. Madam. Are you all ready?”

“Good evening JJ. We are. Thank you for picking us up.”

“It’s my pleasure, sir.”

Barry wrapped his arm around his wife, gently dancing his fingers on her shoulder, writing out ‘I love you’ and drawing hearts on her skin. Her nipples hardened at his tender touch and heat spread through her body right to her core, forcing her to squeeze her legs together. She evades his eyes, knowing that she most likely wouldn’t be able to stop from throwing herself onto him and giving him the ride of his life in front of JJ.

Chapter Text

Once they arrive, JJ directs them to their reserved table. Walking through the restaurant, Barry notices that all eyes are on them. More specifically on Iris. The men gawked at her, lust filling in their eyes while the women looked on with envy. Barry couldn’t help but smile. He had the most gorgeous woman there and everyone knew it. After their meals were ordered and the wine was poured, Barry reached over to his wife. He was smiling from ear to ear.

“What are you smiling about, Mr. Allen?” She asked in a flirty voice.

“Nothing. I’m just happy that the most beautiful woman here right now is sitting with me, making every man in here jealous and every woman wishing she looked half as beautiful as you do.”

“What are you talking about? No they aren’t.”

Barry chuckles at her denial. It still baffles him how she could never see how gorgeous she was at times.

“Baby, all eyes were on you when we walked in.”

“What?” She looks around and sees a group of college guys eyeing her from the bar. Even the bartender stared at her a minute too long before ducking his head once he realized she saw him staring at her. The women she made eye contact with looked envious. She begins to blush and looks up at Barry.

“Does it not bother you that other guys are staring at me like that?”

“As long as they look with their eyes and not with their hands, no. Because they’re seeing what I get to see everyday of my life.…the most beautiful woman in the world.” He reaches over and brings her palm to his lips and kisses it.

“Well it bothers me when other women look at you like you’re a juicy steak they can’t wait to sink their teeth into.”

Barry bursts out laughing as Iris takes a sip of her wine, with a small grin on her face.

“Well I don’t notice anyone else because my eyes are always fixated on you. Always have been. Always will be.”

She smiles widely at that admission and leans back just as their food is brought out.

They take in their surroundings during their dinner of local cuisine. Every bite was delicious.

“Thank you again, babe for this. I really needed this.” Iris says to her husband in between bites.

“Anything for you, my love. I’m glad it worked out for us to be here.”

“Me too. It’s nice to be here relaxing instead of dodging bullets back home.”

Barry’s eyebrows raised at that admission as Iris silently curses herself for that slip.

“Excuse me? Dodging bullets? When have you had to dodge bullets? Please tell me you don’t mean literally dodging bullets.”

Iris sighs. It was just a matter of time before the news came out.

“Well, a couple of days before we caught Amunet, I almost got caught in a crossfire.”

“What?” He exclaimed a little too loudly. He looked around and apologized to the table close to them. “What?” He asked her again in a hushed voice, worry and concern covering his face.

“Babe, I’m obviously okay and didn’t get hurt. One of my sources was a gentleman whose pregnant sister was gunned down by one of Eobard’s men and since I uncovered his dirty dealings and got him put away for life, he was grateful and had been helping me with my investigations. He had some intel for me regarding Aumnet’s people so we met at a safe place to talk. As I was getting ready to leave, a member of a rival gang noticed him and opened fire but I managed to get away, thanks to him.”

“Oh my god, Iris! Why didn’t you tell me about this?”

“Because I didn’t want you to worry about me and I was fine. I’m sorry, babe. I swear, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

Barry takes a deep breath and looks at his wife. Her eyes were wide and pleading, begging him to not be upset with her. Fuck. He couldn’t stay mad at her. Even though that story really scared the shit out of him, he couldn’t be mad.

“It’s okay, love. I’m not upset. It’s just that hearing something like that worries the hell out of me. If anything happened to you, I…”

“I know, honey. I know. Which is why I wanted to come on this vacation and hit the reset button. I really do want to start our family. And I know that I can’t do that type of journalism anymore. Not if I’m pregnant and especially not after we have kids. I promise you, from now on, I’ll be safe.”

He nods his head and kisses her hand again.

As the waiter came and cleared their table, Iris looked up at her husband and asked, “Hey wanna go check out where that music is coming from?”

“Sure. I had a feeling you might want to go dancing tonight.”

She smiles at him as he helps her up and leads out towards the music by the hand.

When they got there, most of the families were gone, probably off to get their little ones to bed and all that were left were single people and couples. Barry pulled his wife onto the dance floor, staying close to her as he noticed she had caught the attention of a few men hoping to get their hands on her. They stayed on the dance floor for a couple hours, enjoying the music and each other. Just as they decided to make their exit, the DJ began to play “Lady in Red” by Chris de Burgh. Barry looks over at him and he gives Barry a nod. He takes his wife’s hand and whispers in her ear, “This song is dedicated to you, my love.” He holds her close to him, one arm wrapped around her back, the other grips her hand and holds it close to his heart. They close their eyes swaying to the song, Iris listens on as Barry sings along in her ear and she swears she falls in love with him all over again. When the song is over, Barry leans down and kisses her, taking her hand and leading her off the dance floor. He gestures a thank you to the DJ and they make their way outside to where JJ was waiting for them.

As JJ dropped them off to their cabin, Barry hung back to speak with him while Iris went inside. A moment later, he reappears and walks over behind her at the kitchen sink. His lips immediately find their way onto her neck and shoulders. He presses into her and she leans back onto him, feeling his erection on her back.

“I’ve been dying to do this all night.” He growled onto her skin.

Iris leans her neck over to one side to give him greater access to it.

“That was the idea behind this dress.” she whispers.

“Come. Let’s go upstairs. I need to wash the sweat off of me.”

“Mmm. Good idea.”

Barry grabs a couple of bottles of water from the fridge and follows his wife upstairs. He placed them on the bedside table and walked over to her. He reached out and slid his fingers underneath the straps of her dress, allowing them to fall off her shoulders. He bent down, taking one breast in his mouth, his tongue teasing her nipple while his fingers caressed the other, mimicking his tongue. Iris moaned at the sensation, needing more. He takes a step back to admire her, using the small break to rid himself of his clothes. Iris follows suit causing her husband to stop mid way when her dress fell to the floor to reveal she wasn’t wearing any underwear.

“Did you go commando all night?”

She gave him a devilish smile and shook her head no, pulling her discarded underwear from her dress pocket.

“No. I took it off when we got home to give us a head start.”

Barry hummed his approval and smiled at her. “That was very thoughtful of you but tonight I plan to take my time loving every inch of you. I want to watch you enjoy yourself because tonight, I’m putting a baby in you.”

Chapter Text

Iris' eyes widened with joy at his words and she wasn’t sure if she would survive slow tonight because what he just said made her hot all over and wanting him right now. He takes her hand and leads her to the bathroom, grabbing four towels with him. They walk into the shower and he turns the water on to a temperature more to his liking. When Iris tried to change it, he grabbed her hands and kissed it. She looks into his eyes questioningly. His beautiful green eyes have darkened, filled with desire. His voice dropped an octave as he whispered in her ear, “With what I have planned for you tonight, you’ll probably get a heat stroke if you change the temperature now.” Iris gasped. The thought of what he could possibly mean running through her mind. She swallowed hard as he guided her under the waterfall shower head.

They stood there for a while making out like lustful teenagers as the water poured over them. Barry kept a hold of Iris’ hands, not allowing her to roam over his body like she wanted. Tonight he was on a mission. He took a step back and gently pulled her away from the water and turned her facing away from him. He grabbed her shampoo, pouring some in his hand and began to massage it into her hair. He’s watched her do it a thousand times and has assisted her a few times when she sprained her arm during one of her investigations. Her soft moans indicate that she was enjoying this as much as he was. He guides her back under the falling water to rinse her hair out and repeat with her conditioner.

Once her hair was taken care of, he grabbed her face cloth and squeezed a generous amount of her body wash onto it and began to wash her. He turns her so that she’s facing him, kissing her softly and gently washes his way down her body. He washes her neck and shoulders, moving in tender circles across her body. He reaches over and washes her arm and moves over to the other. He washes her breasts, skimming her nipples with his thumbs. He moves down her body, washing every part of her in silence. He moved to her back and continued his work, taking the time to playfully squeeze her ass as he made his way down.

He guides her again under the water to rinse off and then leads her over to the bench. He grabs a towel and places it down for her to sit on. She follows his lead and sits on the towel. He looks down at her. She’s eye level with his cock and looks like she’s having a hard time restraining herself. He smiles and nods at her, giving her the go ahead to touch him. Barry thought she would use her hands to stroke him first but it was her sweet, hot mouth he felt around him. His head fell back as his eyes rolled to the back of his head. God he loved the feel of his cock in her mouth. He stood there in awe as she stroked him and massaged his balls, taking him as far as she could in her mouth. He rocked into her slowly, not wanting to take over but it was all becoming too much. He felt his balls tighten and as much as he enjoyed this, he wanted to come inside her. He pulled back much to her disappointment and grabbed another towel and set it down on the floor between her legs.

He knelt down and kissed her lips, softly and tenderly. He moved to kiss her neck, his mouth traveling down over her breasts, giving each of them the proper attention they deserved. He moved down to kiss her stomach. Each kiss and lick shot electricity through her down to her core. When he finally reached where she wanted his lips, she opened her eyes to take him in. He spread her legs further apart and gently kissed her inner thigh, making her whimper. He was so close to where she wanted him. He kissed and sucked on her inner thigh teasing the hell out of her. Finally, he lifted her legs over his shoulder, pulling her down slightly and dove in. She was so wet and ready for him. His tongue reached her clit, making her squeal in pleasure. He sucked on her clit and lapped up her juices like a starving man. He added two fingers to her channel, driving her crazy, coaxing her orgasm on. She called out his name in ragged breaths of bliss, the only sound echoing through the room. Iris felt her stomach tighten as her orgasm rocked through her body hard, her walls clamping down around Barry’s fingers like a vice grip. She screamed his name as her orgasm washed over her. He pulled back and replaced his tongue with his thumb and watched as another orgasm quickly rolled over her again, smiling at the way her face looked in the throes of ecstasy, loving the sound of his name on her lips.

He kissed her thighs again and placed her feet on the ground in front of her and stood up to shower, watching his wife as she came down from her high, a satisfied smile plastered on her face. Once he was done, he turned off the water and dried off. He steadied her to her feet and dried her off as quickly as he could. Once they got out, he took another towel and wrapped it around her hair. He applies her leave-in conditioner to it and sits her down in front of the vanity, parting her hair to make two French braids. He’s had lots of years of practice when they were growing up, she taught him a few different ways to style her hair. Doing a French braid was always difficult for him and it surprised her to see how well he mastered it since then. Once he was done, he wrapped her hair up to protect it because he certainly wasn’t finished worshiping her body. He got her body lotion and again in silence, slathered her with it, not missing a single inch of skin.

He did all of this in silence, which made things even more erotic for Iris. His actions and lack of words made her feel like she was the centre of his attention. Like he was so focused on her and her pleasure that words would only get in the way and ruin the mood. She had never felt so fully loved as she had in this moment. Barry assaulted all of her senses and had her completely aroused. And that was before they had even had sex. She wondered if she would survive the night if their shower was any indication of what the rest of their night entailed.

Once he was finished applying her lotion, he hands her the bottle and motions for her to do the same to him. She takes the bottle and proceeds to cover his body with lotion. Barry rarely let her touch him like this because according to him, “Her pleasure was all that mattered to him.” As she moved her hands over his body, he could help but smile. The look on her face said that she was thoroughly enjoying this and he decided that he wouldn’t stop her in the future. He had to admit, it felt good feeling her hands massage lotion all over his body and her lips as well. She licked and kissed each and every one of his freckles from his face to his neck and down his body. The feel of her soft lips and her wet tongue on him was driving him mad with pleasure. Once she was done, she handed over the bottle to him, not making a sound. He picked up their toothbrushes, placed toothpaste on them and handed her hers. They brush their teeth in silence. She’s not entirely sure how it was possible but the simple, mundane act of brushing their teeth side by side managed to turn her on, causing her to squeeze her legs together to stop her wetness from rolling down her legs.

Once their teeth were brushed, he picked her up, locking their lips together and carried her to their bed, gently putting her down. He places her hands above her head and entwines their fingers together. His lips travel up and down her body, making her writhe with desire. Anytime she cried out his name, he covered her mouth with his, kissing her hard and silencing her into submission. Normally this would frustrate the hell out of Iris but she thoroughly enjoyed the second part of their night so far and decided to play along. It could only get better. Barry reaches down between them and teases her clit. She’s so wet and ready for him. He lines himself up to her entrance and teases her some more with his tip. She bucks into him just as he pulls back. He’s enjoying this game of cat and mouse. Just as she was about to protest he entered her in one swift motion. She moans as he pushes past her walls, satisfying her immediately. He retreats and enters into her again deeper than before. They both moan their pleasure of the feel of their bodies uniting as one. Iris wraps her legs around his back allowing him to go deeper still. They get into a rhythm that satisfies them both. It doesn’t take long before Iris feels her orgasm building in her again with Barry not too far along behind her. He reaches down between them and rubs her clit, egging on her orgasm. Her breathing begins to quicken as she tightens her hold on him and screams out her orgasm, her body shaking as it overtakes her. Barry lifts her hips up to him and thrusts hard into her, spilling his seed and filling her up with himself.

He drew a deep breath before collapsing on top of her. As he tries to move so that he doesn’t crush her with his weight, her hands and legs tighten around his body. He settles himself between her legs, with his head on her chest. They’re both breathing wildly, satisfied with their love making, hoping it produces the result they were looking for. Only time will tell. Iris begins to play with Barry’s hair, coaxing him to relax in her arms. Before he drifts off, he pulls the covers up over them to ward off the chill of the night. It’s now 3am and the sun will be up soon enticing them to get up and greet the day.

Chapter Text

When Barry finally opened his eyes, it was 9:35am. Over the course of the night he and Iris switched places with her head on his chest and his hand firmly planted on her ass. He smiled thinking about their night. Even if they didn’t manage to create a new life last night, it sure as hell was a night he wouldn’t soon forget. His cock twitched at the memory against her belly pulling a low moan out of her.

“Give me ten more minutes” she mumbled against his chest.

He chuckled. “I was just thinking about last night but if you’d like a repeat of last night’s performance, I’d be more than happy to service you, m'lady.”

She snorts at his comment. “Well seeing as I’m deliciously sore right now in all the right places, I’ll take a rain check.”

He pulls her up to him for a kiss. He caresses her back, holding her tightly as she listens to his heartbeat.

She startled when she heard the door to their cabin open and tried to sit up. Barry holds her close to him and kisses her forehead.

“I asked JJ last night if he could have brunch brought over to us this morning because I knew we were going to have a late night. I also asked him to bring a few things over so that we could have a picnic on the beach later today if you’re up for it.”

She looked up at him and smiled, placing her hands on his chest. “How exactly did you know we were going to have a late night?”

“Because that dress you were wearing screamed ‘Seduce me Barry!’ so I had to comply.”

Iris laughed out loud and quickly covered her mouth remembering that they still had guests downstairs.

“It did not! That dress said I felt great in my skin and hoped my husband would appreciate it.”

“Well your husband certainly did appreciate it.” He leans over her and begins to kiss her neck. “So much so you left me speechless.”

“Barry, I’m still pretty sore from last night. I need to recover this morning so we can do that again tonight. Plus I need to pee.”

He reluctantly pulls back and loosens his grip on her for her to go to the bathroom. He heard JJ leave and decided to venture down to see what was brought. JJ had everything laid out for them on a tray, including two cups of coffee, ready to go. Barry grabbed the tray and took it upstairs just as Iris was entering the room again. She crawled back into bed, carefully taking the tray from him so that he could sit beside her.

“Looks good, doesn’t it?”

“Looks amazing, babe. That was so thoughtful of you to think about this.”

“Anything for my favourite girl!” He smiled widely at her as she leaned over to kiss him.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Iris takes a bite out of her waffle and stares at Barry for a moment.

“What?” He asks.

“I was just wondering if our mission was a success last night.” Her voice was soft and shy and a huge turn on for Barry.

He smiles at her. “Time will tell. We’ll just keep practicing until it happens.”

“What if it doesn’t?” She asks, solemnly.

“Hey. Look at me. We’re not going to stress ourselves out about that. Let’s just take things one step at a time. This trip was for you to relax and reset. If we manage to make a baby while we’re here, it’ll be a bonus. Okay?”

“You’re right! We’ll cross that bridge if we ever get there.”

“Good. Now what would you like to do today? I was thinking a lazy day at the beach.”

“Sounds perfect!”

Once brunch was done, Barry pulled a tshirt and his swimsuit on and took the tray downstairs. He found a note from JJ explaining where everything was for their beach picnic. There was a picnic basket all set aside for them with everything they would need. Not that they had far to go if they ever needed anything but it was still nice to not have to worry about it. JJ even packed a separate bag with a couple of swim towels for them as well as complimentary sunscreen. Barry makes a mental note to thank him for that. That was above and beyond his services. He grabbed the basket and bag and placed them by the door. He ran back upstairs to get his hat, sunglasses and watch and to see how Iris was coming along.

“Hey!” He pauses to take her in. She’s wearing a peach coloured one piece swimsuit that covers her front but is open at the back. It reminds him of the dress she wore for their wedding. “You look amazing! I love that colour on you!”

“Aww! Thank you babe. But I’m pretty sure you’d say the same thing if I were wearing a garbage bag.”

He grins at her. “That’s because you could make a garbage bag look like haute couture!”

She laughs, rolling her eyes at him.

“We should grab some towels for the beach, babe.”

“Oh no. All taken care of. JJ packed us a bag with beach towels and sunscreen. And our picnic basket is all ready to go too. All I’m missing is you.”

“I’m all ready! Let’s go!” Iris squealed in delight, as she grabbed her hat, sunglasses and sarong and followed Barry downstairs.

She took the beach bag and threw it over her shoulder, while Barry picked up the picnic basket and they strolled to the beach hand in hand.

As they approach the shore they notice four sets of beach loungers laid out.

“Must be for one of the other couples staying on this side of the resort.” Iris says, looking around for them.

“Well, let’s get set up with these two here in the meantime.” Barry points over to the two loungers on their left. He placed their picnic basket between their two loungers as Iris placed a towel on each of their chairs. She pulls out the sunscreen and motions for Barry to sit so that she could put sunscreen on him. He sits in front of her, waiting to feel her hands on him. Instead her lips are on him, kissing the freckles all over his back.

“Mrs. West-Allen! What are you doing?” He asks in a pretend shocked voice.

“I’m just appreciating my husband’s hot bod!”

“Well you’d better hurry because I’d like to return the favour before we have company.”

“Oh no! If you get started we’ll be naked and fucking right here for the world to see.”

Barry throws his head back in laughter.

“That’s only because you find me irresistible!”

She tickles his side, making him jump up away from him. She gets up and begins chasing him until he turns around and begins chasing her. When he caught up to her, he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her into him for a kiss. Iris jumped into his arms, wrapped her legs around him and passionately kissed him. He kissed her back and then suddenly pulled back with a smirk and said, “Told you you find me irresistible!”

She leans back slightly, legs still wrapped around him, her arms still around his neck and tilts her head to one side. “Yeah I do. I find you very irresistible.” She kissed him again and then jumped down. “Come on. Let’s get sunscreen on before you turn red like a tomato.” She pulls him to sit in front of her and slathers his back and neck. He turns to face her so she could cover his chest and face. Once she’s done she hands over the bottle for him to do the same for her. Once he finishes, he tosses the bottle in the bag and pulls her to sit in his lap. He puts his arm around her and nuzzles her head under his chin. She slides down to nestle between his legs, soaking up the sun while basking in the arms of her husband.

“Well don’t you two look cozy!” They hear a voice call out behind them.

Iris sits up and turns around to see who addressed them. It was an older couple in their mid to late seventies by her guesstimate. He’s around 6’ 5”, well built with grey hair and shockingly blue eyes. She looks to be about 5’9” tall, darker skinned than Iris with shoulder length grey hair and deep, soulful brown eyes. They both appear to be in top shape and very friendly.

“I’m sorry. We didn’t see you coming.” Iris responds to the gentleman, getting off of Barry’s lap to sit in her lounger.

“Oh honey don’t move on our account. You sit back down and snuggle with your man. Henry, why did you have to disturb them? You made them uncomfortable now.”

“Oh no. It’s okay. We get a little clingy sometimes.” Barry responds. “Hi. I’m Barry. This is my wife, Iris.”

“Nice to meet you, dear. I’m Betty and that’s my husband, Henry.”

Henry walks over to shake Barry and Iris’ hands.

“I’m sorry to have disturbed you. Are you guys on your honeymoon?”

“Well sort of. Barry and I have been married for five years but we didn’t go on a honeymoon right after.”

“How come? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“Well Iris here is a reporter and growing up she wanted to build a news empire. So after we got married, she just hit the ground running and never looked back. She’s even won two Pulitzers so far.” Barry beamed as he boasted about his wife’s accomplishments. He couldn’t be prouder of her and all that she’s accomplished.

“Impressive! Congratulations! And what about you, young man? What do you do?”

“I’m a CSI with the police department in our city.”

“He’s actually the CSI Director. Started as the youngest CSI in the history of CCPD and worked his way up as the director.”

“Well my father in law is the police captain so I kinda have an in there.”

“Absolutely not! My dad would be the first to tell you he doesn’t play favourites. He got that promotion because he deserved it, fair and square! His dedication to finding justice for the victims of a crime is what made him the best.”

Barry begins to blush as his wife sings his praises. He hates being the centre of attention.

“Your wife is very proud of you, young man. That’s a wonderful thing.” Betty says to Barry.

“Well I’m very proud of her too.” He leans over and places a kiss on her cheek.

Chapter Text

“So how long have you two been together?” Henry asks Barry.

“Iris and I have known each other our whole lives. Our moms met while pregnant with us. My mom was a realtor and sold Iris’ parents the home that she grew up in. They became close friends and so we’d often have playdates together and then we became best friends. We dated all through high school but lost track of each other during college but fate had other plans for us. And we reunited six years ago and haven’t looked back.”

“So you were friends first before you got together.”

Iris looked over at Barry and smiled. “Yeah we were. I think that is what helped us once we reunited again.”

“Sounds a lot like our story, doesn’t it Henry?”

Henry smiles at his wife, nodding his head in agreement.

“What do you mean?” Iris asked. The reporter in her wanted to know their story.

“Well Betty and I met in med school. I had seen her in a few of my classes but was too intimidated to approach her. She was brilliant and stunning. Still is. Luckily for me, we were paired up for an assignment and I was forced to talk to her. She kept me at arms length at first but I charmed my way through her well built walls.”

Henry smirks at his wife waiting for her reaction. She rolled her eyes at him, waiting for him to continue.

“We got to know each other a lot during that assignment but she made it clear it was strictly professional. Which was fine with me because she didn’t know that I had a major crush on her anyway but was too nervous and intimidated to do anything about it. But after we finished our assignment, we kept running into each other in study hall. We finally decided since we worked so well together during the assignment, we may as well study together. Slowly that friendship turned into love. But that ended when I met her father at our graduation. I had pulled him aside to ask for his blessing to marry her and he shut me down…hard.”

“What? Why?” Iris was fully invested in this story.

“Well times were different back then. Couples that looked like us weren’t as common or accepted as they are now. Daddy was afraid that I would have a hard time finding work at a hospital if we were together. So Henry joined the army and I went back to my hometown and started working at the hospital there. We tried to keep in touch but phone calls were really expensive back then. Henry wrote to me every week but I didn’t know because Daddy intercepted his letters and kept them hidden in a box. I just assumed he wasn’t interested anymore and decided to move on with my life. A year after moving home I got married to a fellow doctor and a year later gave birth to our daughter Lucinda.”

“What happened next? How did you guys reconnect?”

“Well I had been overseas for a while and on one of my furloughs, I decided to pay her a visit. Needless to say, I was heartbroken when I found out that she had been married with a toddler by then. So I went back and finished my tour. In the end, I got hired at the hospital in my hometown and lived a quiet life.”

“He never married or had kids either.”

“Why not?”

“Because my dear, when you find the love of your life, it’s hard to move on with someone else and act like everything's okay. It wouldn’t have been fair to any other woman because I would have been comparing them to Betty constantly. And that would have made us both miserable.”

“I totally get that. I can honestly say that I’ve loved Iris my entire life and no other woman would ever make me as happy as she does.” Barry looks over at Iris, rubbing her back and sweetly smiles at her. He leans over and gives her a quick kiss on the lips. She turns back to Henry and Betty, wanting to hear more of their story.

“So when exactly did you reconnect?”

“Not until fifteen years after my daughter was born. My first husband John died in a car accident. Fell asleep at the wheel after working an 80 hour shift.”

Iris audibly gasped. “I’m so sorry.”

Betty reached over to pet her hand. “It’s okay dear. It happened a long time ago.”

“I heard about the accident and found out when his funeral was. He was a well respected cardiologist so there were a lot of folks at his funeral and I thought I could blend in. But Betty saw me and came up and thanked me for coming. She suggested we meet up for coffee sometime.”

“But he didn’t reach out until a couple years later. He gave me the space to grieve John and get to a place where I needed to be in order to try loving again.”

“When I finally reached out, there was no going back for me. And I told her right out the gate. I was all in if she was willing to be too. I didn’t care about the fact that she didn’t respond to my letters or that she moved on and started a life with someone else. I just wanted to be with her for the rest of my life.”

“Which was news to me because I had no idea he had been writing to me. And I always felt a bit guilty for not being strong enough to wait for him. But I couldn’t make any rash decisions because I wasn’t alone. I had my daughter Luci to think about too. She was 15 years old when her father died. She was a daddy’s girl, through and through. So I had to weigh her feelings as well as mine into this new relationship if I wanted it. Fortunately for us, Luci was the one who encouraged me to take the leap. She saw me greet him at her dad’s funeral and said she saw a spark between us that she had never seen before. She asked about our relationship and I told her everything.” At this point Betty begins to tear up. Henry gently squeezed his wife's shoulder. Betty took a deep breath and continued.

“Luci looked me in the eyes and said to me that I should take a leap of faith and follow my heart. She told me that she knew I loved her father. And I did. Deeply. But then she said that I was one of the few lucky ones to have found two great loves and I shouldn’t let Henry get away. So we all met up for dinner and they clicked instantly. Three months later, we got married. Nine months later our other daughter Sofie was born.”

“What did your father have to say about that?”

“Daddy came around quite quickly, thanks to Luci. When he saw how accepting she was of Henry, he sat me down, handed me a box of all Henry’s letters and apologized for not being brave enough to trust our love. I still have all his letters today. Luci found them and had them bound into a book so I’d have them forever.”

“Wow! That was a beautiful story.”

Iris suddenly became overwhelmed by everything she had just heard. Her own story with Barry flooding her mind. Guilt like she had never felt before began to creep up. She needed to clear her head. She shot up out of her chair.

“Sorry. Will you excuse me? I just have to go to the bathroom.”

“Baby are you okay?” Barry stood up, concerned about his wife.

“Yes, babe. I’m fine. Just really need to use the bathroom. I’ll be quick.” She leans into give him a quick kiss and then turns towards their cabin.

“Okay. I’ll be here.”

Henry and Betty looked at each other, knowing that something about their story resonated with her.

“Henry, why don’t you and Barry go get us some fresh coconuts to drink?”

“Oh, Iris would love that.”

“Alright. Let’s go get some then.”

“I’ll let Iris know where you are when she gets back.”

Henry and Barry leave to get coconuts for the four of them. Five minutes after they left, Iris returned.

“Where did the guys go?”

“I sent them to get us coconuts and to give us a chance to talk. I know something about our story upset you. Want to tell me about it?”

Iris sighed and told Betty all about Barry’s proposal after high school and her subsequent rejection of that proposal. Her relationship with Eddie and the abuse she endured at his hands as well as her escape and renewed relationship with Barry.

“Even though we’ve been married for five years now, I still feel guilty for how I treated him after high school. He loved me. So much and I feel so bad all the time for how easily I let him go and turned to someone else. I feel like my punishment for treating him so badly was Eddie.”

“Oh Iris. You need to forgive yourself honey. Because from the little I’ve seen of you two, Barry has forgiven you and loves you with every fiber of his being. He reminds me a lot of Henry.”

Iris chuckles. “That was his dad’s name. And his middle name too. Actually, Barry told me about one of the last conversations he had with his parents. His mom told him that a love like ours was once in a lifetime and he should hold on to hope that I’d find my way back to him. His dad told him to not waste any time dwelling on the past and to forgive me.”

“And has he?”

“Yes he has.”

“So then why can’t you forgive yourself?”

“Honestly? I feel like I don’t deserve it. And I think that’s why I’ve been working so hard these past four years and delaying having a family. I don’t want to tie him down further only for him to realize down the road that he could do better. My ex and I had four really great years before everything went to shit. I guess I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. Even though I know Barry’s different from Eddie I’m still waiting for something bad to happen.”

“Let me ask you something, did he move on after you turned down his first proposal?”

Iris paused. She had no idea. They never actually spoke about what his life was like after they last spoke until they reunited again.

“I’m not sure. We’ve never talked about his life in college. I’ve been too ashamed to ask, especially knowing how I treated him. When he found me, he was seeing someone for 3 weeks but things ended with them not too long after.”

“Well maybe you should find out. That may help you to heal. It was one of the things that made it easier for me to move on with Henry. Knowing there wasn’t someone else that I may have had to compete with for his attention. I know our situations are different but they’re more similar than you think. And like Barry said, you have always been the love of his life. Take his word for it and let it sink deep in your heart. Because that man of yours isn’t going anywhere.”

Chapter Text

“So, what’s your story Barry? You and Iris? She seemed a bit shaken by our story.”

“She did, didn’t she? I knew something was wrong. I should have followed her back to the cabin.”

“What happened between you two?”

“Well like I said we were best friends growing up and then were high school sweethearts. And I’ve always loved her and knew I always would so I asked her to marry me. But her mom and dad married young and I sensed that her mom always wished she had experienced more in life before settling down. I’m not sure if she outright said this to Iris or if it was just implied over the years. I think Iris felt that even more so after her mom passed away our senior year of high school. Anyhow, she said she didn’t want to make the same mistakes as her mom and told me to ask her again after college. Like you, I didn’t date anyone else, except for one person my friends had to basically force me to date but she didn’t last long. Anyway, midway through her second year, she met this guy, Eddie and our entire relationship changed. He was controlling and manipulative. Isolated her from me, her dad. Basically everyone she knew before. They moved out to the middle of nowhere and she said for a while, things between them were good. They were together for eight years. But when his career stalled halfway through their relationship, he began to take it out on her. Started out with verbal abuse and then the physical abuse came and escalated each time. She managed to escape the third time he hit her. When I found her at my family’s cabin she was so badly beaten and bruised. He had almost killed her. Gave her a concussion and a broken rib.”

“Holy shit! I’m so sorry.”

Barry shuddered at the memory of Iris’ face that day. He took a deep breath before he continued.

“I took her back to my place for her to heal. Eddie told her that her dad and I wanted nothing to do with her which couldn’t have been farther from the truth. So she had to learn to trust me again. I took a sabbatical from work. Couldn’t tell her dad why because I knew if he found out about her, he’d go looking for Eddie. So we waited until her bruises healed and she was ready and then we told him. He was obviously pissed but understood why we didn’t tell him until she was fully healed 6 weeks after she returned. She started to become the person she was before she met him. So happy and full of life. She was the girl I fell in love with when I was nine years old. But then Eddie found out where we lived. He came looking for her. Shot the security guard at our building in the head and made his way up to our place. I had asked her to marry me hours before he entered our home. I was on my way home when he arrived. I had taken our dog, Hank, to his vet appointment. I got the call as I turned onto our street that he was in the suite with Iris. He attacked her but she managed to knock him on his ass and shoot him in the knee before he could hurt her. I’ve always felt guilty that I didn’t keep in touch with her after they got together. Maybe I could have in some way protected her from him. I still feel like I failed her for not being there again when she really needed me to be. He had almost killed her before and he could have easily killed her when he broke into our home. Even though she clearly didn’t need my help. And I’ve been struggling to forgive myself for that. I keep thinking what if he had hurt her again or worse yet, killed her? I keep playing that over and over in my head.”

“Oh Barry. You can’t do that to yourself. She’s safe. Let it go before it eats you alive. Keep your focus on your future.”

“I know. When we got married, I wanted to start a family with her right away. We had been apart for so long and missed out on so much I didn’t want to waste any more time living life with her. But she had been controlled for so long that I didn’t want to push anything on her. She was finally free to pursue the stories she wanted to. Her dream was always to be a Pulitzer award winning journalist like Christiane Amanpour. No way in hell was I going to be the guy who stunted her dream. So I encouraged her to chase stories. She’s so brave and fearless. She is my definition of a hero. But she’s taken some risks that scare the hell out of me. She’s had a few close calls too. She just told me last night she was almost in a shootout a week ago. But she says she’s ready now to start our family and she’s going to be more careful but I know Iris. If she gets a story she’s passionate about, it's going to be hard for her to pass it on to someone else. And I know she wouldn’t knowingly put herself in danger, I just worry about her. I won’t survive if anything were to happen to her. I’ve already lost both my parents. I’ve lost her once before and I barely made it through life. Losing her again would honestly kill me.”

“Have you told Iris any of this?”

“No. I don’t want her to feel guilty for doing what she loves. And she’s said that she knows she has to step back and take on a different role. I guess I just have to trust her.”

“Barry, if you’re this worried, you should tell her before you start your family. You two seem to have a pretty strong relationship. Talk to her. Lay it all out on the table. She might surprise you.”

“Yeah. You’re right. I will. Thanks for the talk. I really appreciate it.”

As they return, the ladies are laughing as if they’ve been friends for a long time. They each hand their wives a coconut and sit beside them, enjoying the delicious fresh drink.

“Mmm. This is amazing! I might become addicted!”

“Wait until you try the jelly after you’re done. It’s my favourite part.”

Betty wasn’t lying. The coconut jelly was so refreshing and tasty as it slid down her throat.

“Thank you guys. Today was really amazing. I’m so glad we met you both.”

“We feel the same way, my dear. And as lovely as it has been chatting with you, I think we should head back to our cabin dear. I think I’ve been roasting in this sun long enough.”

Henry helped his wife up and gathered their things, said their goodbyes and left.

Barry looked over at Iris and asked, “Hey. Want to go for a quick dip in the ocean?”

“Sure. But I wanted to ask you. Do you mind if we had supper back at the cabin tonight? There’s something I want to share with you and I’d rather it be just the two of us.”

“Sure. I think that’s a great idea because I have something to share with you too.”

“Yeah? Should I be worried?”

“What? No! Absolutely not. Wait? Should I be worried?”

“No. It’s just something that’s been weighing on my mind and I want to share it with you.”

“Okay. Well I should go call the front desk so that they have enough time to get everything prepared for us.”

“Why don’t we just pack up and head back? Maybe we could take a moonlight stroll later tonight instead.”

“Are you sure? Cause I don’t mind.”

“Yeah. Yeah. This is only our second day here. We’ll have plenty of opportunities to come back another day.”

“Okay. Sure.”

They were quiet on their short walk back to their cabin. Neither of them knowing what the other was thinking but both feeling quite nervous.

“I’m going to call the front desk about dinner tonight. Shall we say 7? That’s a few hours from now.”

“Sure. Sounds great. I’ll put everything here away.”

They go their separate ways, nervous energy filling the air. Iris moves swiftly across the kitchen placing everything in their proper place.

Once Barry got off the phone, Iris turned to him.

“Babe, can we actually talk now? I feel like if we don’t, the night will be ruined and I don’t want anything to ruin our time here.”

She sits on the couch in the living room and smiles as he sits beside her.

“Yeah sure. I agree. Why don’t you tell me what’s going on?”

Shit. All the courage Iris was feeling a minute ago has suddenly left her. How was she going to tell her husband that she was nervous he’s going to change his mind and leave her. She’d better say something quick before he starts freaking out.

“Well I’ve been feeling these things for a while now and I’m just not sure how to say it. But I need you to let me say everything without interrupting me. Okay?”

“Sure. Okay.”

“First let me start off by telling you that I love you. So much. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like you’re real but you are. Five years later and you’re still here. And I love you for that. For sticking beside me through everything that I’ve been through. You’ve been so incredible and amazing and I love you.” She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and continued. “But there’s a small part of me that’s terrified that one day you’ll realize that I have too much baggage and decide to leave.”

She kept her eyes closed, afraid that if she opened them, she would see him nodding his head in agreement with her. If he were, her heart couldn’t take it.

Chapter Text

“Can I talk now?” He asked after a moment of silence.

She nodded her head. Her eyes still shut.

“Iris. Sweetheart. Look at me. Please.”

She slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him. He tenderly touches her face with the back of his fingers, wiping away a tear she didn’t realize had escaped. She curses herself for her traitorous emotions.

“My love, I’m never going to leave you. Never. You’re it for me. I’ve known that from the moment I started developing feelings for you at age 9. We’ve known each other our whole lives and there’s nothing in your past that could ever keep me away from you. There’s no one else in this world that I would ever want more than you. You’re my past, present and only future.”

Whoa! Are we sure he’s not the writer in the family because that was just…wow! His words hit Iris like a tonne of bricks. She looked into his eyes. They were so full of love and truth. She felt his words deep in her heart. He meant them. Still she needed to get the answer to a question she’s avoided asking him for 6 years.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Anything.”

“What was life like for you after we broke up? Did you ever date or go on dates during college?”

“No I didn’t. Cisco tried to get me to but I just couldn’t bring myself to pretend to be interested in anyone who wasn’t you. I just went to class, the cafeteria for meals and back to my dorm to study and sleep. Patty was actually the only person I dated after you. And Cisco, Gypsy and Linda had to actually talk me into agreeing to go on a date with her in the first place after she asked me out a couple of times. And I never slept with her. I just couldn’t. She wasn’t you.”

“So you stayed single the entire time?”

“I did, yes. Iris, listen. I don’t ever want to do anything that would make you feel like I’ll leave you one day. Because I could never make the choice to leave you. Okay? I love you so much. You’re my one and only. My life. My love. Which brings me to what’s been weighing me down.”

She sits up and looks at him, waiting for him to continue. She reached out to hold his hand in hers. He brings her left hand to his lips and kisses her wedding rings. He blows out a deep breath before he speaks.

“I’m terrified to my core about losing you. I mean the risks that you’ve taken for a story have had me petrified. But I didn’t want to hold you back and tell you not to do your job because it’s what you’ve always wanted to do. And I’m so proud of you and all that you’ve accomplished. I really am. I’m just so afraid of one day getting a call that you’ve been badly injured or worse because you were following a lead. I still feel so guilty for not doing a better job of keeping in touch with you, especially after we had our falling out. I keep thinking if I had been persistent, I could have prevented Eddie from ever hurting you. And that guilt has only increased after he broke into our home and I wasn’t there to protect you. I’ve been rattled with guilt and worry ever since that day. Because losing you will honestly kill me. Not figuratively. It literally will. I’ve already lost my parents and honest to God, I can’t lose you too. I just can’t. I won’t survive it.”

Barry’s entire body begins to shake as he sobs. Iris had no idea how much guilt he felt about what happened. She knew he worried about her safety but guilty? He had nothing to feel guilty for. She needed to reassure him that things were going to be different. If she were honest with herself, she didn’t want to lose him either. She scooted closer to him, holding his face in her hands.

“Babe, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize you felt guilty about any of that. Please hear me when I say that you have no reason to feel guilty about what transpired between Eddie and me. I also had a part to play in our friendship failing when I was with him. That’s not all on you. As for his break in, neither of us could have predicted that would happen. Who knows, maybe seeing you would have sent him into a blind rage and he would have killed us both. We don’t know what would have happened if things played out differently. So please don’t feel guilty about that. As for reporting, I promise you, things are going to change. I’ve been thinking of ways to expand and grow the Citizen and one of the things I’ve been thinking about is starting a podcast. Talking to the citizens of Central City about issues that matter to them. That’s something safe that I can do while pregnant and after giving birth. I wouldn’t be chasing stories like I have been, but I’ll still be reporting on things that matter. Things that I care about. It’s actually something that I’ve been thinking about for a few years now.”

“That’s a great idea, Iris. It sets you apart from CCPN. It’ll put you even more ahead of the game. Look at you in all your glorious brilliance!”

“That’s all because of you. You allowed me the space to chase my dreams and supported me all the way. You never held me back. You always told me that I could do all the things I wanted to do. So now I want to do this for you. You’ve helped me achieve my dreams. Now I want to help you achieve yours.”

She leaned over and kissed him with all the passion she could muster. She had nothing to worry about. He wasn’t going anywhere.

Barry’s heart felt lighter. It felt good to let Iris in on his deepest, darkest fear. And as Henry predicted, she did surprise him.

Iris broke their kiss first, looking up at him with an inquisitive look.

“Are we okay?”

“Yeah we are. We have the same fear of losing each other. But I think we just need to focus on our future and not let past hurts and traumas hold us back. We’re stronger and better together. I’m sorry for not sharing this with you earlier. I’m glad to know that we’re on the same page.”

“Yeah. Me too.” She looks at his watch.

“Hmm.”

Barry tilts his head to the side and looks at her. “What is it?”

“Well, it looks like we’ve got a couple of hours to spare before supper gets here.”

“I know a few things we can do within that time frame.”

“Oh yeah? Care to share with the class?”

“Come with me. It’s more of a show and tell.”

“Okay. I like where your head is at Mr. Allen.”

They raced upstairs thanking their lucky stars they had less clothes to strip off. They quickly head into the shower and turn the water on.

Barry reached over to grab Iris’ ass and quickly pulled his hand back.

“How did you get sand on your ass?”

“I’m not sure. I didn’t even go into the ocean today. Damn, it’s everywhere!” Iris felt around the back of her legs and thighs. She even found some under her breasts and in her belly button.

Barry couldn’t help but laugh at her.

“What’s so funny?” She asks as she reaches for her body wash and hand towel.

It takes him a while to catch his breath, holding his side before he speaks.

“It just reminded me of the project we had to do in third grade on the solar system and you insisted on using glitter for the stars and planets and you ended up with glitter everywhere.”

“Oh my god. I forgot about that!” She laughs as the memory comes flooding back to her.

“You had glitter in your hair for weeks!”

“Yeah, my mom was not happy about that. I had glitter in other places too for a while.”

That admission brought about another fit of laughter from Barry.

“We did that project at your house around Christmas time. Remember ? And your dad took two Christmas balls off the tree and hung them on my ears. And then he grabbed the tinsel and wrapped it around me.”

“And he took a bow off of one of my presents and placed it on your head and said that you were my Christmas present.”

“I think your mom took a picture of me afterwards too.”

“I’m pretty sure I have that picture in one of my old albums.”

They laugh together, the picture of Iris decorated clearly at the forefront of their minds.

“After we cleaned up we went to the Santa Claus parade and then skating in the park.”

“Yeah and then back to your place for your mom’s fresh baked Christmas cookies and hot chocolate.”

“I’m pretty sure that night was our first sleepover too, right?”

“Yes. I begged my mom to please let me sleepover because your dad mentioned taking you to that maple farm for breakfast in the morning and I really wanted to go.”

“Oh yeah. That was a lot of fun.”

“You ate five pancakes and three sticks of maple taffy that day and had a stomach ache on the way home.”

“I’m just happy I kept it all down on the ride home.”

“When we got back we sat on the couch and watched Christmas movies until my dad came to pick me up after his shift.”

“You held my head in your lap and kept a cold cloth on my head because sitting up made me woozy.”

Barry’s voice hushed as he recalled that sweet memory. He rinsed his body under the water. His movements slow and solemn.

“That really was a great day. And my dad was right. You were the best Christmas present I could ever wish for.” He kissed her softly, smiling sadly at her.

“Babe, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you sad.”

“No. No. It’s not that. I’m just thankful that they knew and loved my future wife and mother of my children before they died. Knowing that we have these memories of them together makes me happy.”

“Me too.” She pauses for a bit, apprehensive about whether she should continue her train of thought or not. She turns to rinse the conditioner from her hair.

“What’s going through that beautiful mind of yours?” Barry asks, pulling her attention back to him.

“I was just thinking that it’s going to be hard not having them or my mom around when we have kids. I know my dad’s here but our moms aren’t. I have no one to ask if what I’ll be feeling during my pregnancy is normal or not. Or if my ankles are really supposed to swell up that much? Or I’ve heard of some women having intense sex dreams while pregnant. Did they have them too? What cravings did they have? Maybe I’d have the same ones. Exactly how painful is labour.”

“Baby, hey. Hey. It’s okay. I’ll be here for all of it. I swear. You’re not doing this alone. Besides, I’m pretty sure our moms kept all of that in our baby books so we can reference them. Maybe not about the sex dreams which I really don’t want to think about. I know it won’t be the same as actually having them here but it’ll be okay. We’ll be okay because we’re a team. Okay?”

She smiles up at him. “You’re right. As long as we have each other, we’ll be fine.”

“Exactly.”

He bends down to kiss her and pulls her tighter to himself.

“Now this was supposed to be a show and tell.” He grabs his cock in his hand and strokes himself, watching as her eyes widen and she bites her bottom lip in anticipation.

“I’m going to take this…and put it here.” He reaches between them and strokes between her legs. “Any objections?”

Iris widens her stance and shakes her head no, humming at the sensation.

“I need verbal participation otherwise the tell part doesn’t work. I need you to tell me how it feels. Okay?”

Iris’ head snaps forwards, her eyes trained on Barry and she breathlessly waits for the show to begin. “Okay! No object…” she gasped as he entered her before she could finish the word. It was the best ‘show and tell’ she had ever participated in. And she made sure to tell Barry just how much she enjoyed it.

Chapter Text

After a wonderful dinner, Barry and Iris decided to take a stroll on the beach. It was quiet and peaceful. The only sound to be heard was the waves crashing onto the shore. The air was still and smelled sweet. A welcoming breeze disrupting the day’s hot temperatures.

“I know I keep saying this babe, but I really needed this.”

“Yeah. It’s been nice to get away and slow down for a change.”

“Yes but I also meant I needed this time alone with you. Without any distractions. No phone calls about leads to follow up on or crime scenes to go to interrupting us. Just you and me alone where no one can reach us.”

“Well Joe can if he needs to.”

“Yes but I told him, unless it was a matter of life and death, to pretend he doesn’t know where we are or how to get a hold of us.”

“Are you serious?” He asks with a smirk on his face.

“Dead serious. We missed out on a lot of time together after high school and once we did get together we were consumed with the situation with Eddie. And once that was done, I was working nonstop. And so were you. So to be able to both take a pause on real life together completely uninterrupted is necessary.”

“This trip may spoil you. Or make you sick of me.”

“Pfft! I don’t need the trip to spoil me. You already do!” She turned to him and stuck her tongue out. “And I could never be sick of you. You’re my fuck buddy!”

Iris giggled as Barry feigned being offended.

“So you’re just using me for sex, is that it?”

“Not my fault you’re so damn good at it!”

“It’s because you bring out the sex beast in me. Totally your fault.”

“Well I could say the same for you. Being with you is like an outer body experience every time. It’s like you have a manual to my body that you’ve memorised by heart.”

Barry smiles at that admission. “You know why I think that is?”

“Why?” Iris stopped to look at him.

“Because I’ve been blessed to have known you my entire life and to love you just as long.”

She whispers his name and smiles as he draws her in for a kiss. As she opened her eyes she noticed the vibrancy of colours surrounding them.

“Barry. Look!” She turns Barry to face the ocean, wrapping her arms around his waist. They managed to catch the sun setting beyond the horizon, seeming to disappear into the sea. Iris whispers, “How beautiful is that?”

“So incredible. I’m glad I got to see this with you.”

“Me too, Mr. Allen. Me too.”

The rest of their vacation was exactly as they wanted. They spent their days at the beach, drinking coconuts, enjoying the sights and sounds of the beautiful island they were on. At night they went dancing after dinner almost daily. Of course Operation ‘Let’s make a baby’ was in full effect and they took every opportunity they could to see that mission come true. Barry and Iris reconnected on a deeper level than they ever thought possible. Physically they had always been in sync with each other. Their holiday had awarded them an opportunity to deepen their emotional connection to each other. They were able to share their fears and hesitations about becoming first time parents. Their dreams for their family and each other and their hopes for their future. It was the reset and recharge they both needed. The best two weeks of their lives.

It had been five weeks after their return from holidays, and things were busier than ever. Before Iris left on her vacation, construction had been underway to renovate the building that housed The Citizen to accommodate their growth. She and her editors were all getting new offices while others were getting facelifts and they were due to be complete by the time she returned. Iris was excited for her new office. In anticipation for her potential new lifestyle, she asked for her own bathroom just off of her office. That way, if she were to get pregnant and had to take several trips to the bathroom, it wouldn’t be noticeable to her staff, especially in the first trimester when they weren’t ready to share their news. When she returned, construction was complete and all that was left was for the decorators to put their finishing touches to the place as well as decorate the lobby for Christmas.

It had been busy but she and Barry slid back into their routines quite nicely. Sure they missed their alone time in paradise but it had been nice being back home. They were conscious to carve out time for each other during the day as well. They checked in with each other frequently too. Whether it was a simple ‘I love you’ text or a drop by with coffee, they made sure to connect with each other before they got home at the end of the day. Sometimes if she had to leave really early in the morning he’d drop by with breakfast. Depending on how crazy her day was he sometimes stopped by with lunch or dinner. If her staff didn’t know who her husband was before, they certainly did now.

Iris got a message from Barry one day saying he was going to be home a little later than planned. There had been a gruesome murder suicide at home near where they grew up, so all hands on deck were required. Iris told him not to worry she would get supper started. She had been craving chicken parmigiana all day and couldn’t wait to get started. She got the ingredients out on the counter. She preheated the oven and greased her baking tray. She added eggs and seasonings in a shallow dish and whisked them together in order to coat the chicken. She opened the chicken from the package and gagged. It smelled awful. She looked at the front of the package to make sure it wasn’t expired. It couldn’t have been. Barry picked it up just yesterday at the store. It was fresh. Why the hell did it smell so bad? She quickly wrapped it back up and placed it in the fridge. She’ll let Barry deal with it. He had a better nose for these things than she did. She shut off the oven and cleaned up the kitchen, putting everything away and sighed. She scrubbed her hands to get any smell out of it.

Disappointed that her dinner idea was a bust, she sent Barry a message saying she would order them pizza tonight. She walked over to the patio door and opened it. The cool December air immediately chilled the suite. She had to get the smell of that chicken out before Barry got home. Hank pulled his bed between his teeth and placed it in front of the fireplace.

“Sorry boy. I know it’s cold but the smell is going to make me sick if I don’t get it out.”

She ran upstairs quickly stripping her clothes off and jumped into the shower. It was as if the smell was still lingering on her. She quickly showered and washed her hair. She applied her leave in conditioner and got dressed and back downstairs just as security called to let her know her pizza delivery had arrived.

Five minutes after the pizza arrived, Barry walked through the door.

“Why is it so cold here? Is the furnace broken in the building? Is the fireplace not working?”

“Oh sorry!” Iris got up and closed the patio doors. “I had the patio doors open to get rid of the chicken smell.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well I was planning on making chicken parmigiana for dinner tonight but I think the chicken’s gone bad.”

Barry gives her a look. “That's impossible. I just picked it up yesterday. There’s no way it’s already bad. I made sure it was fresh. Is the fridge broken?”

“No it’s not. But when I picked up the chicken to coat it in the egg mixture, it smelled horrible.”

Barry walks over to the fridge and pulls out the chicken in question. He opens it and takes a sniff. Nothing. It smelled like it should. Fresh.

“Sweetheart, there’s nothing wrong with the chicken. It smells fresh like it should.”

Iris took a step back and covered her nose. “Ugh! Barry please put that away. I’m gonna be sick.”

“Okay.” He quickly covers it and places it back in the fridge. He washes his hands and turns to look at her.

“Are you going to be okay, love?”

“Yeah, I am. As long as I don’t have to smell that anymore, I’ll be fine.”

They got plates out, served the pizza and got caught up on their day.

Iris tells Barry about the progress they were making at the Citizen to incorporate the podcast.

“You should come by and see it, babe. It’s exactly what I had envisioned. I’m so excited to get moved in.”

“How about I stop by with lunch tomorrow and you can show me?”

“Sounds like a date!”

“Don’t take this the wrong way, love, but you look beat. Why don’t you head upstairs and I’ll clean up.”

“Thank you babe. I am pretty tired. Who knew returning from two weeks of vacation would still make you so exhausted?” She stood and kissed him. “I’m going to read for a bit before I head to bed. I love you.”

“Love you too. I’ll be up in a minute.”

Barry got things put away and checked around to make sure things were locked. He noticed the curtains in front of the patio doors move. Iris was supposed to close that. He walked over and locked it closed. When he got up to their bedroom, Iris was in the bathroom. He could hear her gagging as she brushed her teeth. He walked over to the entrance of the bathroom, folds his arms and looks at her inquisitively.

“You okay? I don’t think I’ve heard you gag that much brushing your teeth.”

“I know. Weird, right? It’s a new toothbrush so maybe I’m just not used to it yet.”

“Okay. Well be careful. You don’t want to accidentally make yourself throw up.”

Barry got ready for bed and as he was brushing his teeth his mind drifted to his wife. He had noticed a few odd things happening to her lately. She complained about having heartburn after drinking coffee the other day when he handed her a cup of her favourite dark roast. The gagging while brushing her teeth. Her sudden heightened but way off sense of smell. The last couple of nights she kicked off the covers complaining she was too hot for them…in the middle of December? If it’s one thing about his wife, she was always cold. And she looked more and more tired every day. At first he just chalked it up to being back into her busy routine of running her business and overseeing the construction process of her building but they’d been back for five weeks. He would have thought she’d be back to herself by now. He wonders if their mission had been a success. He quickly shook his head. She would know if she were pregnant. Technically she could already be. But again, she would know that. He would know if she did. Her periods were always so painful and had her doubled over and crying. He had always tried to help her as much as he could. But she hadn’t gotten her period yet either. Her doctor did say that it might take three months to get her period after her IUD was removed though. That doesn’t mean she couldn’t be pregnant. He quietly closes the bathroom door and begins to look around. He looks through the trash to see if maybe she did take a pregnancy test and hid the evidence in order to surprise him. He came up empty. He looked through the drawer for any new tests and again came up empty. Maybe she doesn’t realize she’s pregnant. One way or the other, he had to find out.

Chapter Text

Barry was excited for his lunch with Iris. She hadn’t mentioned the possibility of being pregnant to him so he kept mum about his suspicions. They went about their day, confirming plans for lunch.

He kissed her goodbye as they made their way to their separate vehicles.

Barry couldn’t contain his excitement all morning. He was humming to himself as he worked away on a few reports.

A voice calls out to him, “You’re in a good mood!”

Barry looked up to see Patty at his desk, smiling at him.

“Huh?”

“I said you’re in a good mood. Like you got some good news or something.”

“Nope. Just happy. Christmas is a couple weeks away and it’s Iris’ favourite time of year and so it just puts me in a great mood.”

“Okay.” She doesn’t believe a damn thing he just said but she’ll leave it at that. “Just came to get the Jamison file.”

“Oh. Just finished it. Here you go.”

“Thanks. Oh listen, Matthew and I wanted to know if you and Iris wanted to come over for dinner one night. He just brought back this amazing bottle of wine from his trip to Australia and I thought Iris would enjoy it with me.”

“Oh. That would be nice. Thank you.” Barry just realised, if Iris was indeed pregnant, there’s no way she’d be drinking. Quick Barry! Think of something. “Actually, Iris isn’t drinking anymore. She had a terrible reaction to some wine we had on our vacation and she hasn’t had a drink since. Broke out in hives and was really uncomfortable for a couple of days. So now it’s strictly sparkling cider for her I’m afraid.”

“Aww that sucks! I was hoping she would be able to indulge with me. No big deal. Still come for dinner and we’ll have sparkling cider instead.”

“Sounds good. Just text Iris the details.”

“Okay great! I will.”

As soon as Patty is out of hearing distance, he fishes his phone out of his pocket and calls Iris.

“Hey handsome. Please tell me you’re not calling to cancel?”

“Absolutely not. I was calling to see if you were wanting anything special for lunch today.”

“Big Belly Burger. The greasier, the better.”

Barry laughs. “You got it. Fries and a coke, right?”

“You got it!”

“Okay. I should be there in 30 minutes or so. Oh hey, Patty is going to text you about dinner with her and Matthew. Don’t read it or respond until I get there. Okay?”

“What? Why?”

“Do you trust me?”

“Of course I trust you, yes!”

“Okay. Then ignore it until I get there.”

“Alright. I will. See you soon. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

Barry gathered his things and made his way downstairs towards Joe’s office. He knocked on the door before sticking his head in.

“Hey Joe. Here are those files you needed from me.” He hands them to him and tries to temper his excitement.

“Hey. Thanks Barry.”

“So I’m heading out now to meet Iris for lunch. I might head home after unless you need me for anything.”

“Nope. If something comes up, I know how to reach you. Say hi to Iris for me.”

“Will do. Later Joe.”

Barry made a beeline for his vehicle. He had a couple more stops to make before picking up lunch. He looked at the time and prayed there wouldn’t be any delays. Thankfully the roads were clear and he managed to get in and out to gather everything he needed in record time. He picked up their meal and headed straight for the Citizen.

He parked his car and carefully gathered everything in his hands and made his way into the building.

As he got off the elevator on her original floor he was greeted by one of the reporters he had seen around the office a couple of times.

“Wow! Looks like someone’s trying to get out of the dog house!”

“Umm, excuse me?”

He turns around to see a smug smiling Taylor Downs looking him over. Aside from lunch, Barry had a bouquet of peonies in his hand and a small gift.

“Come on. Flowers, gift and food. You’ve clearly done something you’re trying to make up for.”

“Uhh, no. I’m doing this because I love my wife and this is how I show her that I love her. Not that I have to explain myself to you.”

“Whatever you say to make yourself feel better.”

Before he could answer, a voice behind her snaps her to attention.

“Talyor! Can I see you in my office now please?”

Barry looked behind her and smiled behind the flowers while Taylor’s once snarky face turned to fear as she turned to see Iris standing behind them and clearly heard their exchange.

Iris motioned for the both of them to follow her up to her office. Taylor entered and stood by the door as Barry walked by her, placing the flowers on Iris’ desk while Iris shut the door behind them.

“Iris, I’m…”

Iris raised her hand, motioning her to be quiet before she could finish her sentence.

“Taylor, what I just witnessed was completely out of line. Barry is my husband and because of that, he deserves your respect. You and I aren’t colleagues nor are we friends. We didn’t grow up together or go to school together so this familiarity you seem to be so comfortable with confuses me. I’m your boss and the owner of this establishment and my husband by extension is also. You will show him the same courtesy and respect that you show me. Understood?”

“Yes Iris. I’m so sorry. It won’t happen again.”

“See to it that it doesn’t.”

Iris opened the door and stepped back for Taylor to leave. She whispered a quick “Sorry” again to Iris as she slipped by her.

“Barb, I’m on lunch right now. Please see to it that I’m not to be disturbed for the next hour.”

“Of course, Mrs. West-Allen. Not a problem.”

“Barb, please call me Iris.”

“No can do ma’am. You’re my boss. And if it’s all the same to you, I like to keep things professional.”

Iris smiled at her secretary and nodded. “Okay. Thank you.”

Barb had been Iris’ secretary for the past five months. Iris hired her once she decided she needed to make a change in her lifestyle and career. Barb was a stout dark skinned woman in her late fifties. She came to Iris over qualified for the job. But something about her drew Iris in. She was a no nonsense type of person who told it like it was. Within the first couple of weeks working, she had Iris more organized than she had ever been. And that’s saying something because Iris prided herself in being a fairly organized person. And she wasn’t one for tomfoolery either. She protected Iris fiercely, respecting her lunch breaks and alone times like a closely guarded secret. No one made it past her. Except for Barry. He was the only exception.

When Iris closed the door behind her, she didn’t expect to find her husband two inches away from her face. He immediately pulls her into a kiss that was soft and sensual, drawing out a purr from his wife.

“Hi sweetheart.”

“Hi yourself. That was some kiss!”

“Seeing you in boss lady mode turns me on. What can I say?”

She laughs at him. “God I love you.” She leans in and kisses him again.

“So would you like to eat first or would you like your present?”

“Actually, I need to pee first otherwise my bladder is going to burst.”

“Then I insist you open your present first.”

“What? Why? I can do that after. I really need to pee.”

“Trust me Iris. Open your present first.” He hands it to her and looks on in anticipation while she tears away at the wrapping. She looks at him in confusion.

“A pregnancy test? You think I’m pregnant?” She looks at him with hopeful but questioning eyes.

“I do, love. I’ve been reading up on the first signs of pregnancy and one of the things was an aversion to raw chicken. Well the smell of raw chicken. I could be totally wrong but I thought we could do this together. At least find out together. You’re gonna have to do the peeing yourself.”

“I love you! Okay. I’ll be right back. And I’ll show you the bathroom once I’m done.” She kissed him and ran to the bathroom, taking the test with her.

Barry in the meantime unpacked their lunch on the coffee table in front of the couch in Iris’ desk. He looked around her new space. The space screamed Iris. He especially loved the large print of Ida B. Wells that hung prominently behind her desk. He remembers how excited she was when she came across it and ordered it right away and smiles.

“You have an amazing smile, you know that?” She stood in the doorway, hands clasped together staring at him.

“That’s all because of you, love.” He stood up and held a hand out to her. “Let’s eat while we wait.”

Barry hands her her burger and Iris dove in right away.

“Ugh, so good!”

“Guessing you were hungry?”

“Yes. I skipped breakfast this morning. I forgot about a meeting I had first thing this morning and used my breakfast time to prepare for it instead. Don’t say it! I know I have to take better care of myself.”

She took a sip of her drink.

“Thank God for Barb though. She brought over a croissant and a ginger tea to me and made me eat it as soon as the meeting was over.”

“Thank God for Barb!”

They tried their best to distract themselves until it was time but the suspense of not knowing if they were pregnant or not was killing them. As soon as the last bite was chewed and swallowed, they raced to the bathroom.

“No matter what it says, we’ll be fine. Okay?”

Iris nodded at him. She was too nervous to look and clung to his side, holding on tightly and her face turned away. Barry put his arm around her waist while holding the test in the other. He would be able to soften the blow and comfort her if it were negative.

He took a deep breath before turning it over. He splurged on a digital test because he wasn’t in the mood to try to decipher if there was a line or not. He looks down at the stick in his hand, his eyes filling with tears. He puts it down and turns his body into Iris and holds her tightly. She kept her face buried in his chest, too afraid to turn to see for herself. He runs his hands up and down her back, his body beginning to shake as tears flow down his face. Iris looks up at him, unable to read him.

“What does it say, Barr?”

Chapter Text

For as long as Barry could remember, there have only been two things he’s wanted more than anything else in life. The first was to be known as the husband of Iris West and the second was to have a family with Iris West.

But life can be cruel sometimes. He spent nine long, agonising years without Iris in his life. They were by far, the worst years of his life. Nine years he spent not seeing her face or hearing her voice. Nine years he hadn’t seen her smile or heard her laugh. Nine years he spent missing her touch and yearning for her lips. Nine years of missing her body on his. And as if the daily torture of missing her wasn’t enough, his parents were brutally taken away from him. He was alone without his heart and his foundation had been taken from him. Life could be a cruel bitch sometimes.

But then as if life had had its fill of kicking him around, it smiled on him and brought Iris back to him. Could this be the turn of events he had hoped and prayed for? Yes. It certainly was. Life finally decided he had suffered enough. He had suffered more than any man should have to suffer and brought back his beating heart, the love of his life, his Iris. His smile returned. His steps were lighter and instead of sadness, there was a song in his heart, a dance in his step. When they got married, Barry felt invincible. His heart was finally where it belonged.

And now life was at it again. He had just looked at the pregnancy test that Iris just took and it was all too much. But he had to pull it together. He had to be strong for her. She was terrified of what he saw, not knowing if the news was good or bad. He had to try to get it together for her. The trepidation in her voice snaps him back into the present.

“What does it say, Barr?”

Barry tries to wipe the tears from his eyes before looking at his wife. He just couldn’t stop crying. He leans down, holding her face and kisses her ever so gently. He brings their foreheads together and looks at her with clouded vision and whispers, “Pregnant.”

“Pregnant? We’re gonna be parents?”

“Yeah, we are!”

He nods his head and smiles widely at her. She’s just as shocked as he is. She grabs the test, looking at it in disbelief. Pregnant. They were going to have a baby! Holy shit! She was pregnant! She looked up at her husband and everything around her stood still. She couldn’t believe it. Their dreams of starting a family were coming true. She instinctively placed one hand over her stomach and touched her husband’s face with the other.

“We’re gonna have a baby!” She whispered as she blew out a sigh of relief and she finally allowed the tears she had been fighting back to flow. Iris couldn’t begin to describe the feelings that were threatening to burst through her chest at any moment. She looks up at him with a smile and kisses him deeply.

“We need to go!” Iris exclaims suddenly, breaking their kiss.

“Go where?”

“We need to get out of here. Right now!”

“Wait. Hold up! Iris what’s going on?” Barry was confused by her abrupt declaration. “Why do we need to leave right now?”

“Because I need to make love to you right now and I don’t think it would be appropriate to do so while I’m at work seeing as I’m the boss and all.”

“Let’s go.” He grabbed her hand, leading her out of the bathroom and quickly began to gather the remnants of their lunch.

Iris turned back and snatched the pregnancy test and the packaging and slipped them into her purse. She yanked her coat off the rack and took her drink from Barry’s hand. She swings the door open.

“Barb, I'm taking the rest of the day. Please inform everyone I’m not to be disturbed. If anyone needs anything, they can direct it to Scott.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Barry followed Iris to the elevator, nodding to Barb as he walked by. Iris pulled out her phone and sent Scott a text saying that she was leaving for the day and if anything came up, he was in charge. They stepped into the elevator just as Taylor was approaching them.

“Can I join you guys on the ride down?” She asks hesitantly.

“Not right now Taylor. I’m sorry. We need this one for ourselves.”

“No problem.” Taylor stepped back and did a double take as the doors were closing. It looked like they were crying, especially Barry. His eyes were red and puffy. This was a juicy tidbit she needed to investigate.

As soon as the door closed, Barry said to her, “She noticed we were crying. Tongues are going to be wagging!”

Iris just shook her head. “She’s a great reporter but a terrible person. But she’s young so I guess that’s to be expected.”

“So my car or yours?”

“Both. I don’t plan on letting you rest much tonight and you can’t afford to be late again. My dad will have your head.”

Barry’s mouth grew dry and his cock twitched for joy at her words. They hadn’t had an all night sex romp since they returned from their vacation.

“Fuck me!” He drew out the words, staring at her, salivating behind her.

She looks back at him and winks as the doors open and whispers, “I plan to. All night!”

He quickly got out of the elevator and raced to his car. Iris had gotten held up by Scott and Aariz just as she got off the elevator. He managed to make it home without speeding…or at least without getting caught speeding.

He raced up to their suite and greeted Hank. Looks like their dog walker had recently returned and refilled his bowl with fresh water and food. He takes Hank and leads him up to the guest bedroom to sleep so they wouldn’t have any interruptions or spectators. Barry gathered all the battery operated candles he could find and turned them on. He closes the curtains to darken the suite to help set the mood. He turns on the fireplace, setting up a few pillows and blankets on the floor in front of it. He goes through his Spotify playlists and selects old school R&B slow jams. He runs upstairs and rids himself of his clothes, throwing on his robe for warmth until Iris gets home.

Thank goodness he didn’t have to wait long before he heard her keys jingle in the lock. As soon as she walked in she muttered under her breath, “Barry Allen you’d better be naked and ready for me!” She quickly took her boots off and hung up her coat. She heard music playing, pausing for a moment to listen…old school slow jams. Maxwell’s ‘Fortunate’ just ended and Boyz II Men ‘I’ll Make Love to You’ is currently playing. He’s really set the mood. She tossed her key in the bowl and locked the door behind her. She grabs a hair elastic and pulls her hair up into a quick ponytail. She started to head upstairs, shedding her pencil skirt to the floor by the time she got to the first step when she saw him sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace out of the corner of her eyes. She slowly turned to look at him and smiled.

“Hey handsome!”

“Hi my love.”

He stands and extends his hand to her. She takes it and steps towards him. He pulls her close to his body and begins to sway to the music. He leans over and kisses her slowly and passionately. He reaches in front of him and begins to unbutton her shirt, his lips in full communication with hers. She shrugs out of her shirt allowing it to fall to the floor. She feels her bra clasps become undone, quickly finding its place on the floor beside her shirt. He broke their kiss to trail kisses down her neck to her breasts. He lingered there for a moment enjoying the feeling of them heaving in his mouth, her nipples hard and erect. He slipped off her underwear and kissed his way back up to her ear and whispered, “Take what you need from me, my love. You’ve given me the ultimate gift,” his hand slipped down over her stomach, setting her body afire once again, “so now I’m all yours for the taking.”

Every time Iris thinks she couldn’t possibly love Barry anymore than she already did, he says or does something to prove her wrong. She fumbles with his robe, quickly tossing it aside with her things and palms her way over his body. He worked out, adding muscle over his lean stature. She kissed her way down his body, ever so lightly. She felt his stomach muscles tighten as she made her way over them and down to his cock. She felt his ass clench and then relax the moment she took him in her mouth. He stared at her as her head bobbed against him, loving the sight of his cock disappearing in and out of her mouth. She looked up at him, smiling as his head began to roll back as she worked his balls with her hands and his cock with her mouth and tongue. She could see he was getting close. She could feel him tense up as his release was near. He looked down at her as he began to lose control and spilled into her mouth. Iris loved the taste of him. She always did. She smiled seeing the satisfying smile on his face.

She pulled him down to her and gently kissed him. Her movements are slow and deliberate. Barry seemed to have a map to her body and knew exactly where to kiss, touch or lick to get her fully aroused. Little did he know, she had one to his body too. She knows that when she lightly touches his lips with her fingers, his cock twitches, every time. She knows that kissing him behind his ears causes him to hum a deep low hum from his belly. She knows he’s got a sweet spot just between his chin and neck that when her lips make contact there, his hips instinctively bucks against her and he groans long and low. She knows that when she plays with his hair at the top of his head, his eyes turn from green to hazel and he’s fully turned on but playing with his hair at the back of his head, puts him at ease and causes him to relax. Just as he knows her body and what makes her tick, she knows his as well. And so she does as he said. She took from him what she needed. And as he always does, he left her fully satisfied.

Chapter Text

Iris couldn’t move. She and Barry had sex in every single possible position they could. Now all she wanted to do was to rest her head on his chest and listen to his heart beating. She was sore and throbbing all over but thoroughly satiated. Her lips were no doubt swollen and dry. His hands gently caressing her back as their breathing slowed.

“I made an appointment with my doctor for tomorrow to confirm that I am indeed pregnant. Although if I wasn’t before, I sure as hell am now after today.”

She smiles as she hears his chuckle underneath her, echoing in her ear.

“That’s a good idea. A blood test will give us a definitive answer. I just couldn’t wait to find out and you didn’t seem to think you were pregnant.”

“Hmm”

“Oh I picked up some more prenatal vitamins for you. What you have right now won’t get you through to the end of your pregnancy.”

She lifted her head to look at him. She studies his face and can tell his mind is in overdrive right now.

“Barr?”

“Hmm?”

“Relax babe.”

“I am relaxed.”

She reaches up and taps the side of his head lightly.

“Relax your mind. I can see worry swirling in your head already. You’ve already got a mile long list of things to do for the baby, on top of all the things you’ve already started to research, don’t you?”

“Wha…How?”

“I know you. You’re my husband and my best friend since we were five. I can tell when there’s a silent storm brewing in your mind. Look at me.” She waits until his eyes connect with hers before continuing. “We’re in this together. Remember? So I need you to promise that you will lean on me when you need to. Because if you begin to spiral, I will too. And we can’t have that. Okay? Promise me!”

“I will. I promise.”

“Good. Now what does a pregnant lady have to do around here to get some food. I seemed to have worked up an appetite.”

“No kidding. It’s 6:30? Already?” He stood up looking at the clock behind him.

She starts singing ‘Funny how time flies when you're making love, It goes on and on, and on we just can't go wrong’.

Barry looks over at her and smiles. She’s got a great singing voice and it makes his heart smile when she sings. He finds the song on his playlist and turns it on. She stands up and starts dancing seductively around him, singing along to the words. Barry for his part enjoys this side of Iris. She doesn’t often let loose. Not like she used to before Eddie. But when she does, it’s usually when it’s just the two of them. And if he’s being honest, he loves that he’s the only one that gets this part of her. Her hands are now all over him and she’s dancing and gyrating on him even closer than before. And there’s the signal. She’s ready to go again. She’s biting the right corner of her bottom lip. That’s her tell. He’s seen it since they first started having sex at age sixteen. He knows what she wants. What she’s asking him. She won’t verbalise it but he knows what to do. He backs her up against the wall and fulfils her unspoken requests.

“Hey you got a minute?” Linda asks Iris as the rest of the editors filed out of her office.

“Sure. What’s up?”

Linda gets up and closes the door behind Scott and takes a seat opposite Iris.

“Is everything okay with you?” She asks hesitantly.

“Yeah. Why?”

“Oh nothing. Just wanted to make sure.”

“Linda? What is this about?”

“Nothing. I swear.”

Iris sat up, interlaced her fingers in front of her on her desk and gave her best friend a stern look. “Linda, I’ve known you since we were five and you’re stalling. What’s going on?”

Linda sighs. “Don’t kill me. I’m just the messenger here. There's been a rumour going around here the last couple of days that there might be trouble in paradise between you and Barry.”

Iris sits back in her chair. Barry was right about Taylor. “Un-fucking-believeable!”

“What?”

Iris sighs. She wants to tell Linda why Taylor saw them crying but it was still too soon.

“It’s all a misunderstanding. There’s no trouble in paradise.”

“So you and Barry are…?”

“Good. We’re good Linda. We’re actually really great.”

“Are you sure? You’d tell me if things weren’t good with you two, right? I mean, I know I’m friends with the both of you but you have to know that you get me in the divorce.”

“What? Oh my god. No one is getting divorced. Barry and I are very much together.” Iris’ train of thought drifted to their time together last night. She could still feel Barry all over her. The thought of him made her squeeze her legs together and shift in her seat.

“Oh shit! I know that face. That’s the ‘I got fucked really good last night and can still feel it’ face. How far off am I?”

“Not far off at all! The last three nights. Started the day I left work early. Oh my god, Linda. I have never been so thoroughly satisfied in bed as I am with Barry. It’s like he just knows what makes me tick.”

“Wow. Way to go Barry Allen! It’s always the quiet nerds that are really good in bed and the jocks are so terrible.”

“Right? I slept with this football player my first year in college and he was over and done in under 10 minutes. So sad.”

Linda laughed uncomfortably. As much as she loved Iris, she knew that her breakup with Barry was really hard on him. Hearing her so nonchalantly talking about sleeping with someone else not too long after their breakup made her uncomfortable. She knows that they’ve forgiven each other and have moved on but it was really hard seeing how broken Barry was. And Iris just didn’t seem to get it.

Iris noticed the shift in her best friend’s posture and quickly realised her faux pas. “I’m sorry Lin. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Iris. It’s okay. Barry’s obviously forgiven you and I have too. It’s just hard to sometimes forget how broken he was back then. But it doesn’t matter now. That’s under the bridge and now you guys are married and having incredible sex that’s making me super jealous.”

“Thanks Lin. Just know that Barry and I are not splitting up, in spite of what anyone here thinks they may have seen.”

“Okay. Just thought I’d come directly to you.”

“Thank you.”

Iris sends Barry a text: “You were right. Linda just came to ask if there was trouble in paradise.”

B: “I knew it.”

I: “Yeah. I’m going to have to keep an eye on that one.”

B: “Any word from your doctor yet?”

I: “No but I should be hearing from her soon. I’ll call you as soon as I do.”

B: “Okay. I’ve got to head out now. Talk to you soon. I love you.”

I: “Love you too.”

B: “😘😘😘”

Just then her phone rings. It’s her doctor. Iris takes a deep breath before answering.

“Hello. This is Iris West-Allen.”

“Mrs. West-Allen, this is Dr. Camden calling with your test results. The pregnancy test came back positive. You are indeed pregnant. Congratulations!”

Iris blew a huge sigh of relief. “Thank you so much Dr. Camden. I appreciate you taking the time to call me.”

She hung up and immediately called Barry. He answered on the second ring.

“Hey daddy!” She greeted him with a sultry voice.

“Daddy? For real?” He asked flirtatiously.

“Yep. You’re going to be daddy!”

“Oh! Right! Pregnancy test results came in! You’re pregnant!”

“Oh my god. Barry Allen get your mind out of the gutter for once!”

“I just thought…You just said ‘Hey daddy’ in a very sexy way. What was I to think? But that doesn’t matter anymore. What’s important is that you’re pregnant! Yay!” He was still whispering which meant he couldn’t talk at the moment.

Iris giggles. She could just imagine him trying to keep a straight face at the moment.

“Iris West-Allen, I love you so much. I’ve got to go but just know that I love you with all my heart.”

“I love you to babe. I’ll see you later tonight.”

Iris hung up the phone with a smile on her face. She still couldn’t believe that she was pregnant. She leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes and placed her left hand on her stomach. She said a silent prayer for what was happening inside of her. According to her calculations, she was about eight weeks along and even though the rate for a miscarriage was about 1.5% there was still a chance it could happen. She clings to hope that she would be one of the lucky ones.

She imagines her belly growing and her husband singing sweetly to her stomach. He’s going to be such a great dad. He had already researched the top 3 midwives in Central City and left their information for Iris to whittle it down to her favourite. He began looking into car seats and strollers which then led him to look at a larger vehicle for Iris, even though she told him that the hybrid suv they got a couple years ago was in perfect condition and big enough to accommodate a new baby so a new larger vehicle was not necessary. He just kissed her and continued his research. He’s already begun to declutter the guest room, which had been sparsely decorated to begin with, to transform into the nursery. He was so excited about this next chapter in their lives.

Her thoughts of Barry and their baby were interrupted by a knock on her door. It was Barb bringing her a cup of ginger tea. This had become her twice a day routine every day for the past month. Every day at 10:30am and 2:30pm, Barb brought Iris a cup of ginger tea with a splash of milk and a drop of honey. It was perfect. When Iris asked her about it, she just said ginger tea gave her an energy boost and thought she’d share it with her. Now that her pregnancy was confirmed, Iris wonders if Barb somehow knew and gave it to her to ward off morning sickness.

“Thank you Barb. These have been a lifesaver.”

“You’re welcome Mrs. West-Allen. Glad I could help.” She looked down at Iris’ hand still on her stomach, smiled and went back to her desk.

She totally knew. She had been looking out for her all this time. She’s definitely getting a generous Christmas bonus this year. Iris sat back and enjoyed her tea, skimming over her notes for her meeting in half an hour. It was about their annual office Christmas party. Even though she could have someone else oversee this, she just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to plan a party for her staff at her favourite time of year. They had everything in order. This was just a meeting to finalise everything before the party on Friday evening. She makes a note to mention purchasing a non alcoholic drink for the party. She and Barry discovered this sparkling pear drink that was just perfect for the occasion. It was light, sweet and bubbly and could easily pass for champagne just by looking at it. She managed to find a Caribbean store that stocked it and ordered three cases of it for the party.

Iris called it a day once the meeting wrapped up. She was tired and wanted to go home to rest. As amazing as her past three nights with Barry had been, her pregnancy fatigue was catching up to her and there was still lots to be done for Christmas.

Chapter Text

As they’re getting ready to attend The Citizen’s Christmas party, Iris walks over to Barry to help adjust his shirt collar. He’s wearing a hunter green suit jacket, crisp white shirt with the first few buttons undone, dark grey pants and black wingtips. Iris settled on a collard, long bell sleeved, V-neck sequined jumpsuit with a tie waist detail in a similar colour to Barry’s jacket, pairing it with her gold heels. She left her hair down in its natural curls, skimming over her back and shoulders. She wore dangly gold earrings and sporting gold smokey eye makeup paired with a nude lip.

“Babe, what do you think about having Dad over for Christmas this year? I was thinking maybe we could tell him that we’re pregnant.”

“Yeah? You’re sure you want to tell him already?”

“Yeah. I mean we’ll have to swear him to secrecy until we’re ready to tell everyone else but I do want to tell him first.”

“Okay. Sure. He’s gonna lose his mind.”

“Yeah I know. I can hear him right now. ‘Baby girl! You’re making me a Poppa?’ And of course there’ll be tears and lots of hugs and he’ll probably start talking to my belly too.”

Barry laughed at her imitation of her dad.

“That was pretty good!”

“I’ll give him a call now.”

She calls his number as they head out the door towards the elevator.

“Hey Dad.”

“Hey Baby girl. What’s up?”

“Well Barry and I were wondering if you wanted to spend the night of Christmas Eve with us? We’ve got the spare room set up here and we can do our Christmas morning pancake breakfast tradition here at our place.”

“Uhh, how about I just come over for brunch on Christmas Day instead?”

“Brunch? Why can’t you come over on Christmas Eve and stay the night?”

“Because I have a date on Christmas Eve.” He said hesitantly.

“Wait? You have a date? With who?”

Barry perks up as he listens to Iris on the phone. Joe’s finally got a date.

“Cecil Horton.”

“Cecil Horton? As in the D.A., Cecile Horton?”

She looks over at Barry who gives her a surprised look.

“Yes, that Cecil Horton.”

“Well okay. I guess brunch on Christmas Day will have to do then. See you around 10?”

“Sounds good.”

She hangs up and turns to Barry.

“Did you know about this?”

“Well I saw them flirting a little here and there but didn’t think anything of it.”

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me! They’ve got a date on Christmas Eve.”

“Christmas Eve is an interesting day for a first date.”

“Right? Anyhow, he suggested brunch instead of sleeping over and breakfast so I guess we’ll have to wait until then to tell him.”

“Looks like Joe’s going to have a merry Christmas after all!”

“Gross! That’s my dad. I don’t want to hear that!” She playfully swats at him.

As they enter the art gallery where their Christmas party was being held, Barry takes in the decorations.

“Iris, this looks amazing! Great job, my love.” He pulls her into a quick kiss.

“They did a great job, didn’t they?”

Aside from the Christmas decorations at the art gallery, Iris had the best articles from each of her employees enlarged, with their photo suspended from the ceiling. It was her way of showing her appreciation for them. She even had photos and a write up of all her other employees, from the janitor to the secretaries to the I.T. staff suspended from the ceiling.

Iris beamed as she walked in and noticed everyone looking up to find themselves. She hadn’t told anyone in the office of her plans to do so so they were all pleasantly surprised.

Scott and his wife, June were the first to greet them.

“Iris West-Allen, I can’t believe you!”

“Whatever do you mean, Scott?” Iris replies, feigning surprise.

Iris and Scott quickly embraced before she turned to greet June, while Barry and Scott shook hands.

“June. You look amazing! So glad you could join us tonight.”

“Iris, Scott is right. This is incredible!”

“How did you come up with this idea?”

“Well, when Barry and I went on vacation we went on a day excursion outside our resort to check out the island where we were. One of the places we went to was the local market. It was in this huge barn type building. And in there they had banners of everything that they sold. So one had fruits and vegetables. One had beef. Chicken. Fish. Fresh flowers, etc. So I snapped a picture of it and when we decided to have our Christmas party here, that popped into my mind again and I thought what better way to acknowledge all the hard work that everyone here has put into making The Citizen what it is today.”

“Well Boss, this is hands down the best office Christmas party I’ve been to. By far! You truly know how to make your employees feel appreciated.”

“Well thank you. Nice of you to say. You guys enjoy the night. I’m going to make my rounds.”

She takes Barry by the hands as they greet her employees and their significant other. Everyone praises her for the uniqueness of the decorations. She sees Barb and makes her way over to her, asking to speak with her in private.

“Barb, I know that you know my little secret and I want to thank you for not revealing it to anyone. You have no idea how much it means to me.”

Barb looks at her with a sly smile.

“I thought I was being discreet.” She says to Iris in a hushed voice. “Congratulations by the way”.

“You were. Thank you. I wanted to give you this as a thank you for being everything that you are to me. I value you and what you do, more than you’ll ever know.”

Iris hands her a card. “You don’t have to open this right now. Just know you are very much appreciated.”

As they walk back over to Barry, he leans in and gives her a hug. “Thank you for looking after my wife for me. I’m glad she has you when I can’t be there for her.”

Barb pats his hand and smiles at him. “It’s an honour.”

As Iris mingled with her staff, Barry set about to get her something to eat. It had been a couple of hours since she ate and nausea would threaten to rear its ugly head. He gathered an assortment of hor d'oeuvres on a plate along with a glass of the sparkling pear drink she loved and brought it over to her. Much to his annoyance, she was chatting with Taylor and some of the junior staff.

“Hey. Thought you might be a little hungry.”

She turns and smiles at him sweetly. “Thank you.” She turned back to her employees. “If you will excuse me.”

Barry places a hand on her lower back and ushers her over to a quiet spot for her to rest and eat.

“You’ve really done a great job here, sweetheart. I’m so proud of you. You really made all your dreams come true.”

Barry looks around at all his wife has attained since starting her journalism career. He always knew she’d be amazing but she flourished and grew beyond his wildest expectations. And it showed. Her employees all loved and respected her. Her journalism colleagues all admired her. She was a damn force to be reckoned with. And she loved showing the people in her life how much they meant to her. It was one of the things he loved most about her. She always made sure to let the people she loved know that she loved them.

“I couldn’t have done it without you, you know. I don't say this enough but I really appreciate you for always sticking by me and encouraging me. You’ve been my rock my whole life and I just couldn’t love you enough for always having my back.”

“It is my greatest pleasure being your best friend and husband and getting a front row seat to see you achieve all your dreams.”

He leans over and brushes a soft kiss on her cheek. As he pulled back, the look in her eyes told him that they needed to find a quiet place.

“Let’s go for a little walk.”

Her eyes twinkled and she clutched his hand tightly and followed him. The art gallery had a lot of curves in the walls making it seem like you were winding down a river with several shoots of nooks and secret lookouts to the floor below. They had been confined to the second floor of the building and were allowed free roam.

Barry found them a secluded corner where they had the advantage of not being easily seen but had a clear view of anyone approaching, also making sure there were no cameras around. He backed Iris into the wall and began kissing her hard. She leaned into his kiss, returning it with the same fervour. He broke away and began kissing along her jawline down her neck, his hand palming and massaging her breasts. Iris could feel his erection hard against her stomach and cursed herself for deciding to opt for a jumpsuit instead of a dress tonight. She would have to settle for breast play for now. Her jumpsuit was cut low enough that Barry could release them easily from her top, have his way with them and cover her back before anyone would notice.

Just as he was about to, they heard voices walking in their direction. They froze. As much as she was into making out with her husband in a public space, getting caught by any of her employees would not be ideal. She had worked too hard to let something like that happen and Barry was going to protect by any means necessary. She was about to say something when he pressed into her more and kissed her into silence. They were definitely out of sight but any sound would divulge their hiding spot. He pulled back from their kiss and motioned for her to be quiet.

“Taylor, I thought you said there was trouble in paradise between Iris and her husband?” asked one of the junior reporters Iris was just speaking with.

Iris stared wide eyed at Barry and listened to the conversation nearby.

“I swear they were both crying when I saw them on the elevator. He looked like he had been bawling. His eyes were red and puffy and so were hers. People who are happy don’t cry like that unless something bad has happened. I think she’s tried to end it with him and now he’s grovelling. He probably cheated and she found out. Did you see the way he’s waiting on her hand and foot? He’s definitely trying to win her back.”

Barry rolls his eyes as Iris buries her head in his chest.

“Why would he cheat on her? She’s like the perfect woman. She’s hot, smart, a really nice person and has her own media empire! He’d be a fool to do that. Besides, they look genuinely happy to me,” said another.

“I’m telling you guys. There’s trouble in their marriage. I can tell. Did you ever stop to think that maybe they’re just putting on a brave face for the holidays? I’ll bet you anything we’ll hear about their divorce in the new year.

“Girl, you’d better tread lightly and stop poking your nose in our boss’ love life.”

“Yeah, I’m not taking that bet because if you’re wrong and Iris finds out, well, I’ll be glad that I’m not you.”

“Exactly! Didn’t she already warn you to tread lightly?”

“Yeah, but guys, I’m an investigative reporter. Just like her. I bet you she’s never backed down from a good story, no matter how high the stakes and neither will I. I’m right about this. I know it.”

“Well, you’re on your own. We’re not touching this with a ten foot pole.”

“Come on. Let’s get some more drinks. So glad there’s an open bar!”

Barry and Iris waited a bit before stepping out. Iris was seething at what she had just heard. She tried to push past Barry to go confront Taylor. Barry knew if he let her go, all hell would break loose. He needed to calm her down and think.

“Iris. Hey. Look at me. Wait! Stop for a second and think. You have the upper hand here. You know exactly what Taylor’s thinking and going to do. Don’t say anything to her. Let her think whatever she wants to and let her reveal her hand. We have much more important things to worry about than what she thinks of us.” He rests his hand on her stomach and watches as a smile crawls across her face.

“You’re right. Yes. You’re right. Thank you.” She draws him in a seductive kiss. “I wish we could sneak out and leave.”

“Too bad you can’t, boss lady. Come on. Let’s put on our happy faces and walk over this way and make our way back around. That way they won’t know that we heard them.

And that’s just what Iris did. She wishes Linda were here to talk through it. She was covering the CC Sharks out of town game tonight. She’ll have to chat it over with her when she gets back. For now, she was going to enjoy her night. After all, it was her first Christmas pregnant.

Chapter Text

Christmas morning, Iris woke up to light kisses on her belly. Barry was whispering something to the baby and every so often would stop to kiss it.

“This baby had better not get more kisses than me, especially seeing as I’m the one doing all the hard work here.”

He looks up at her and says, “And there’s your mama getting jealous again. She knows she’s my favourite girl but she’s going to have a hard time sharing me with you. Just go easy on her, okay?”

Iris laughs. “You say that now until we find out we’re having a girl and then you’ll forget all about me and she’ll have you wrapped around her finger.”

“Never! No one can take your place in my life. Ever! Even if our baby girl ends up with beautiful brown eyes like her mama.”

Iris begins to cry. Damn hormones. They had her all over the place. She cried about everything, at the drop of a hat these days. Yesterday she cried when Hank placed his head in her lap, his tail happily wagging behind him, even though he’s done so every day since he joined their family six years ago. He seemed to sense she was pregnant and stuck to her side more than he ever had before. She cried at Jitters yesterday when her gingerbread latte was made just to her liking. Barry had to assure the barista that everything was fine. She was just happy.

She got off the bed and went to the bathroom.

“Sweetheart, why are you crying?” Barry asked as she returned and sat on the bed beside him.

“Stupid hormones. I’m fine. I swear. I’m just so happy you love me so much.”

“Of course I do! You’ve been my number one girl since our moms met and you will be until I take my last breath!”

That sent her into another cry fit. She didn’t want to think about his death and being left alone in this world without him. He pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her tightly. That always calmed her down. Even when they were kids. If she was really upset, Barry’s hugs were the only things that brought her back.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you today of all days.”

She turns to look at him, giving him a small smile. “You didn’t. It’s my hormones. I’m not upset. I promise.”

She sighs into him, inhaling his scent as she snuggles closer. She pulls his hand and places it over her stomach and holds it there.

“This is the best Christmas gift I could ever ask for. I love you so much for giving it to me.” She says as she leans her head against his chest.

Barry looks down at his wife’s tear stained face and wipes a thumb over her cheek.

“Iris, I should be the one thanking you. You being my wife and now carrying my baby is all I’ve ever wanted in life. I’ve only ever wanted you. To love you every single day. To take care of you when you’re sick. To hold you when you’re scared or sad. To laugh with you when you’re happy and celebrate your victories. Just being with you for the rest of my life is the best Christmas gift I could ever ask for.”

Barry’s hand travelled up her body. Iris had taken to sleeping in the nude since she was always hot at nights. Barry loved it. It made their morning sex romps so much better. She turns to straddle him and reaches between them to stroke his cock. Her thumb slipped over his tip, spreading his precum around. She looks up at him and he nods. Lifting up gently, she lowers herself slowly into him. Barry steadies her at her waist as she gets in a comfortable position. She rocks slowly on him, enjoying the fullness of him inside of her. Barry holds her close to him and brings her mouth to his for a seductively slow kiss.

Iris loves days like this when their love making is slow and sweet. When it feels like she can fully express to him how deeply she loves him. How much having him steadfast in her life means to her. How much his unwavering support has held her down when she felt like giving up. How much he’s nurtured her mind and body. And now he’s given her the gift of motherhood. She could never ask for a better father for her children. What she’s unable to say with words, she does with her body. With each caress. Each touch. Each kiss. And because he loves her so, he understands exactly what she’s saying and responds to her in like.

Once their limbs untangled, Barry sweetly carries his wife into the shower. And just as he had done on their first night of their long awaited vacation, he washes her body, kissing her as he does. He pauses on her stomach, hands wrapped around her back and gently peppers it with kisses. He can’t wait until her belly pops, clearly defining her pregnant status. 10 weeks ago their bodies joined together to create new life. As he vowed on their wedding day, he’s going to take care of her every need. She’s given him so much already. It’s the least he could do. He helps her out of the shower and leaves her to get dressed while he finishes up.

He gets out and gets dressed, stopping to help her strip the bed and put clean sheets on. She smiles as she remembers him proposing to her while making their bed. It was so sweet and so perfect. She looks down at her wedding ring and smiles again. Remembering his promise to her. She gathers their soiled sheets and takes them down to the laundry room to wash. She looks at the time. It’s 7:35am. She walks over and turns on the coffee pot. Soon her dad will be here and she can’t wait to share with him their good news. Telling him before anyone else was important to her. He’s the only family either of them have left.

She decides to throw on a Christmas movie in the meantime. Tyler Perry’s “A Madea Christmas” will do the trick. She pours herself and Barry a cup of coffee each, grabs a banana and sits down on the couch with a blanket over her legs. He sits beside her as she snuggles close. They laugh and cry and when the movie is over, Barry gets up and begins the bacon and eggs, while Iris prepares the pancake batter for their brunch. Barry washes the berries and places them in a bowl and sets the table for the three of them. With Christmas music playing in the background and the fireplace roaring, things are almost ready. He can tell Iris is excited to tell Joe their good news. She’s quietly buzzing with joy.

It doesn’t take long before security alerts them that Joe is here. She races to the door and waits for him with Barry close behind her.

“What’s the plan? Are you going to tell him right away or wait until after we eat?”

“I’m not sure. What do you think?”

“Let’s do it after, otherwise we might not eat for a long time after and I’m hungry.”

“Okay.” She leans up to kiss him just as there was a knock on their door.

Iris opens up the door to see her dad and Cecile standing in front of her.

She’s stunned and confused and it takes her a second before her brain functions again and she says hello.

“Dad! Hi! You brought D.A. Cecile Horton with you. On Christmas Day. What a surprise! Come on in.” She stood back and gestured for them to enter. Barry saw the look on her face and knew she was not at all happy by this turn of events. He doesn’t blame her. Joe should have given them a heads up about Cecile joining them. He had always been cautious about who he allowed to enter into his home, especially after Iris was attacked here. Not that he was concerned about Cecile causing them physical harm. It just felt like an invasion of sorts.

“Yes. Please. Come in.” Barry says, reaching over and placing a calming hand on her back.

“Iris. Barry. It’s okay that I brought Cecile over today, right?”

They looked at each other and awkwardly smiled. “Sure. Merry Christmas to you both.”

“Merry Christmas. You have a lovely home. And please, just call me Cecile. No need to be so formal during the holidays.” Cecile says to Iris.

“Sure. Babe, can you take their coats? I’ll go set another place at the table.”

She turns and walks back to the kitchen, taking out an extra set of dishes for their surprise guest. Iris is livid at her father. She doesn’t understand how he could be so selfish and inconsiderate. Mind you, he has no idea why she would be this upset. Truthfully, if it were any other time, she wouldn’t be mad. But today, she had everything planned out to tell him that he was going to be a poppa and now they’re definitely going to wait to tell him. Because Cecile may be her father’s whatever but she had no relationship with this woman. She barely knows her and there’s no way she’s sharing her happy news with her present. She takes the time away to compose herself and tries not to let it ruin the day. Barry will allow her the time to vent later on. For now, she’ll paste a smile on her face and play the happy host. It’s Christmas after all!

Brunch went off without incident and the rest of the morning was quite pleasant. Until Joe wanted to exchange gifts. Iris gives Barry a panicked look. They had gotten him a mug made by a local potter that said “World’s Greatest Poppa, est. 2023”. He would love it. But with Cecile here, there was no way he was getting it now.

“Sorry Joe. But the gift we had in mind for you hasn’t come in yet so unfortunately we don’t have anything for you today.”

Iris was impressed. Barry came up with the line so quickly. He gave her an apologetic smile.

“That’s okay, Barry. I don’t need anything for Christmas. Just being here with the people I love is all that I need.” He reached over and squeezed Cecile’s hand. Iris felt bile rise in her throat and quickly excused herself. She ran upstairs to the bathroom in their bedroom even though the powder room on the main floor was closer.

She manages to reach the toilet just in time before she throws up. What the hell did her father just say? Did he seriously just include a woman he just started seeing as one of his loved ones? Oh hell no! Forget the pregnancy announcement. He needs a fucking intervention. Perhaps a lobotomy would be better. Iris heaves again and empties the contents of her stomach. She couldn’t blame this on her pregnancy because this hadn’t happened before. 10 weeks pregnant without spilling her guts and now the news of her father’s sudden declaration of love for this woman she barely knows is the cause of her sudden illness.

Barry comes in to check on her and she shoos him away. She wasn’t ready to fully process this yet and she didn’t want it to seem like it was a big deal. She stands up, grabs a washcloth and holds it under the cold water. She squeezes it out and places it on the back of her neck. She grabs her toothbrush and squeezes toothpaste on and vigorously brushes her teeth. She takes a swig of mouthwash and swishes it around and spits it out. She silently curses and tells herself to pull it together. She hangs up the washcloth, takes a deep breath and heads back down.

“I’m so sorry guys. I think I ate way too much at brunch and it just wasn’t sitting right.”

“You sure you’re okay, Baby girl?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I may have a nap later.”

Just then Cecile’s phone buzzed. She looks at it and turns to Joe.

“I’m sorry but we need to get going. That was my daughter. She’s at her dad’s and apparently things aren’t going quite so well. So I need to go get her.”

Cecil stood and started heading toward the front hall.

“Your daughter? You have a daughter? How old is she?”

“Yeah. She’s 16. Maybe you can meet her sometime.”

“Sure. That’ll be nice. Well thank you for coming. It was so nice to see you.” She waved goodbye to Cecile and gave her dad a quick hug. “Dad, thanks for coming. We’ll have you over again when your gift comes in.”

“Sounds good. Bye Baby girl. Bye Barry. Merry Christmas to you both.”

“Merry Christmas to you too!”

Chapter Text

Barry looks at her as the door closes. She avoided his gaze and stomped away. He knew what was coming next. She was going to go on a cleaning rampage. Whenever Iris was really mad, she did a deep clean. It gave her time to process and work through whatever it was that was bothering her. Starting from the top floor she would clean and scrub the bathrooms, vacuum and wash the floors. Every window would get cleaned. No corner of the house would be left untouched by the time she was done. But it was one o’clock in the afternoon on Christmas Day and their first as parents to be so he didn’t want them to waste time cleaning, especially since they had just done so the day before Christmas Eve. Before she could pull out her gloves and cleaning supplies, he picked her up and took her over to their bed.

“What are you doing, Barry?”

“I’m stopping you from angry cleaning.”

“Why?”

“Because we cleaned the suite from top to bottom two days ago. It doesn’t need another deep clean this soon.”

“But I need to do something. He ruined Christmas.” She sat on the bed and began to cry.

Barry knelt between her knees, held her hands and looked up at her. His voice softens, “Only if you let him. I know Joe was completely insensitive to bring Cecile without a heads up and you didn’t get a chance to tell him we’re pregnant but don’t let it ruin today. It’s your favourite day of the year. Don’t let your dad take that away from you. I’ll tell you what. Let’s go tell my parents and your mom the good news. We haven’t visited them since we got back from our vacation. What do you think?”

Iris sighed as she contemplated his suggestion. They had just done a deep clean two days ago and she’s not sure if cleaning again would appease her today. Talking to her mom and his parents would definitely make her feel better. She holds his face in her hands and reaches down to kiss him.

“Thank you for being my rock and voice of reason.”

“Anytime. Shall we go share the good news?”

As they get closer and closer to her mom’s gravesite, Iris felt less angry and was happier than she was thirty minutes ago.

She walks up to her Mom’s gravesite, holding hands with Barry. She steps forward and bends down to talk to her mom.

“Hey Mom! Merry Christmas! Umm, Barry and I have some good news to share with you. We’re pregnant! 10 weeks along.” Iris rubs her belly, smiling from ear to ear. “I’ve been feeling pretty great. My secretary, Barb, has been looking out for me and giving me ginger tea twice a day to keep the nausea away. Somehow she figured out I was pregnant before I did and was secretly helping me. I didn’t even realise I was pregnant until Barry wrapped up a pregnancy test for me as a gift.” They both chuckle at the memory. “I couldn’t believe it when it came back positive. I’m so happy and ready to take this next step. I’m also terrified and I wish you were here with me.”

As Iris begins to cry, Barry steps forward and places a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“I wish you had lived long enough to see your grand baby. I wish you could be there with me and Barry in the delivery room to hear our baby’s first cries and to snuggle with him or her. I miss you so much. Especially today. I was going to tell Dad about the baby but he ruined the moment by bringing his new girlfriend, who he’s already apparently in love with, over without telling us beforehand. Can you believe that? I don’t know her at all. I know she’s the new D.A. and she has a teenage daughter but I don’t know if she’s a good person or not. I’m not mad that he’s got someone new in his life. He stayed single for a long time. He deserves to be happy and I’m happy for him. It’s just he totally blindsided us and ruined our plan to tell him today. It had to be today because I couldn’t think of a better gift than telling him he was going to be a Poppa on Christmas Day. So we didn’t tell him because of her. But then Barry suggested I come and tell you and his parents instead, so here we are. You heard the news first. Serves him right for spoiling the day. I know I’m being petty because I’m hormonal and cranky but he was rude. Anyway, just thought you’d want to know that your baby girl is having a baby. We won’t know the sex yet for a while but if we decide to find out, we’ll let you know. Maybe before Dad again. I love you Mom. Merry Christmas.”

She places a kiss on her mother’s tombstone before turning to walk away. She looks back with tears in her eyes. Barry wraps his arm around her waist as they make their way over to his parents’ gravesite.

Barry holds her hand and walks right up to Nora and Henry’s tombstones.

“Merry Christmas, Mom and Dad! We wish you were here to celebrate with us. Not just Christmas but also to celebrate the news that we’re pregnant. We’re having a baby! Iris is 10 weeks along and feeling pretty good.” He places a hand gently over Iris’ belly.

“Yeah. And of course Barry’s been taking really good care of me. You would be really very proud of him. We really miss you guys and wish you could be here to celebrate with us. You would have been amazing grandparents.”

“Yeah. But know that we’re thinking of you and we love you both. If we decide to find out the sex, we’ll let you guys know. Oh and by the way, you guys and Francine are the first to know. We’re gonna hold off a while before telling everyone else though. Anyhow, we love you both.”

“Merry Christmas Henry and Nora.”

As they make their way back to their car, Iris turns to Barry and says, “Thank you, babe. I do feel a lot better after talking to my mom and your parents. Now we have to decide what to do about my dad.”

“We’ll figure it out, my love. Doesn’t have to be today either. What do you say we head back home and just watch some Netflix. Or read. Or talk. Whatever you want to do on your favourite day.”

“Christmas isn’t my favourite day, you know.”

“It’s not? Since when? You love Christmas!”

“I do love Christmas. Absolutely! But it’s not my favourite day. March 14th is.”

He stops and turns toward her, pointing at himself. “My birthday?”

“Yes. It’s the day my favourite person on the planet was born. Our anniversary is a very close second because it was the day that my favourite person and I vowed to love each other forever.”

Barry lets out a happy sigh and pulls his wife into his arms.

“I love you. So much.”

“I love you too. Let’s go home.”

As they pull up to the gate, the security guard informs them that Joe was waiting for them to arrive in the main lobby.

“Thanks Marcus.” Barry heads into their parking spot underground. As he helps Iris out of the car, he ponders, “I wonder what he wants?”

“Better be to grovel because I won’t accept anything else.”

“Iris, sweetheart. It’s Christmas. Okay. Yes, your dad royally fucked up by bringing Cecile without telling us but he’s still your dad. Let’s just see what he wants and then we can go on and still have a great day. Okay? Plus I haven’t given you my gift yet so at least you have that to look forward to.”

Iris sighed heavily. “Okay. Fine. I’ll try to be nice.”

“That’s all I ask.” Barry snickers and kisses her cheek.

They stopped at the lobby to find Joe anxiously waiting for them.

“Dad? What are you doing here?”

“Hey. We need to talk. Can we go upstairs?”

“Sure.”

Joe follows them back into the elevator for the most awkward ride Barry had ever been on. It was eerily quiet and the tension in the air was thick. Joe waited for them to exit the elevator first and followed them into the suite, still not saying a word. When they got in, he didn’t take his coat off. He just stood at the door, staring at Iris.

“Aren’t you going to come in? Stay for a bit?” she asks, walking toward the kitchen to make herself a cup of ginger tea.

“No, I’m not. I’m not sure if I’m welcomed here anymore.”

Iris paused and looked back at him, eyebrows raised.

“What are you talking about, Joe? Of course you’re welcomed here.”

“Didn’t feel like that earlier today. Iris, you were cold toward Cecile. Made her feel unwelcomed.”

“Well Dad, had you done the polite thing and given us a heads up that your overnight date was joining us today, I would have been a bit more prepared.”

“That doesn’t excuse you for being rude, Iris. Your mother and I didn’t raise you that way.”

“No. You didn’t. But you also taught me to be considerate of others and that’s not what you did today. Today is Christmas Day, Dad. We invited you, the only family we’ve got, to spend the night so that we could all have Christmas together. As a family. But you couldn’t. Which was fine. But then you bring your date with you to join us on Christmas Day, without telling us. I’m sorry. How was I supposed to feel? Or am I not allowed to have feelings and opinions about things anymore?”

Iris didn’t normally raise her voice at her dad but she was furious with him today.

“Don’t you dare take that tone with me, young lady!” Joe yelled at Iris, pointing his finger at her.

“ENOUGH!” Barry shouted and stood up to move between father and daughter, putting distance between them. He then turns to Joe and firmly but calmly says, “Joe, I respect you but please don’t come into our home and speak to my wife like that.”

Joe was stunned but he respected Barry and understood he had crossed a line. Even though she was his daughter, Iris was Barry’s wife and this was their home.

“I’m sorry. I apologise.”

“Look Joe, you really should have given us a heads up that you were bringing Cecile. You know I’ve been leery about having people we don’t know in our home. Especially after what happened here with Eddie. All we’re trying to say is that a heads up would have been appreciated. Especially on Christmas Day. Iris was really excited to tell you something important we wanted to share but we couldn’t. So you can understand her disappointment.”

“That’s it, Dad. Honestly, had it been any other day, it would have been fine for us to meet her. I would have been more open to getting to know her.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry. It’s just that I was excited for you to meet her because she means a lot to me. I didn’t think that bringing her here to meet you today would be such a big deal. I mean what’s so important that you couldn’t tell me in front of Cecile? I really like her and she’s going to be a big part of my life.”

“Do you know her well enough to say that? I get that you haven’t dated a lot since Mom passed away fifteen years ago but I don’t think jumping too quickly into a new relationship is the way to go either.”

“True. We’ve only been on a few dates but I feel like I could see a future with her. And I’m asking you to give her a chance.”

“I’ll give her a chance but don’t expect me to fall in love with her right away like you apparently have. I’m an adult and I will come to my own conclusions about her, after I get to know her. But let’s get something clear, if I find a reason to not like her, you can’t make me. You have to respect my decision.”

“That’s fair. And again I’m sorry for not thinking about you and how you would feel about Cecile.”

“It’s okay, Poppa. It’s okay.” Iris smiles and embraces her father.

“Poppa? Why are you calling me Poppa?”

Joe pulls back and looks at her completely confused. Barry hands him his gift and stands beside Iris, waiting to see his reaction. He opens the gift and is shocked! He looks between Iris and Barry and begins to cry.

“Baby girl. You’re making me a Poppa.” Both Iris and Barry laugh. It happened just as Iris predicted. He gathers them both in a bear hug, crying in disbelief.

“I get now why you were upset about Cecile being here and I’m so sorry.” He looks at Iris again and leans over to her belly. “Hey little one. I’m your Poppa. I can’t wait to meet you.”

He hugged them again. “You two have made me the happiest man on the planet! I swear, I won’t say anything to anyone until you do. I’m so excited about this. But I can’t take this home with me because I’ll use it all the time and Cecile will see it and ask questions.”

“Well then you can leave it here and use it whenever you’re here.”

He kisses her cheek. “Thank you, Baby girl! I can’t believe my baby’s having a baby!”

“Would you like to come in now and have a cup of coffee in your new mug, Poppa?” Barry asks

“Yes please!”

“Here. I’ll wash it for you and bring it over. You guys go sit. Maybe get the fire going.”

That Christmas afternoon went the way they expected earlier in the day to go. Iris filled Joe in on how her pregnancy had been so far. When he left them that evening, things were back to normal between Iris and her dad.

Chapter Text

As Iris neared the beginning of her second trimester, she began to feel a lot better. Nausea still lingered a bit but only in the mornings instead of all day. Her energy levels were also starting to rise and she began to feel like herself again. She still wasn’t showing which was fine with her. Truth be told, she was nervous about transitioning into maternity wear. She and Barry sang to her belly every night. It was becoming her favourite daily routine.

Every night as she settles into bed, Barry crawls up between her legs and lays his head on her leg, wraps one arm around her back and places the other on her belly. He begins by chatting to her stomach, always introducing himself as Daddy. He talks about his day and what he’s most excited about once they’re born. Every day it was something new. Seeing their face for the first time. Their first smile. Hearing their laugh and even their little cries. Kissing their little toes and having them squeeze his finger in their hand. Smelling them and even changing their diapers. Then he and Iris sang a song that their moms learned in one of their baby and me groups and promptly bought the records and played it over and over to them as babies. It was such a tender family moment that they both looked forward to each night.

As Iris expected, Barry was amazing during her pregnancy so far. He did his best to make it home before her to get supper started before she got home, especially since the smell of raw meat still made her ill. If she had a particularly long and tiring day, he would draw her a bath, dim the lights and play soft relaxing music in the background. He packed her enough snacks for her throughout the day, consisting mostly of nuts and fruit, including her new favourite, pineapple. Before pregnancy, Iris hated pineapples with a passion. One night she had an intense craving for them and Barry went to the store and picked up a fresh pineapple for her. He peeled and sliced it up and brought it to her on the couch. Much to his surprise, she devoured the entire serving he brought her and even asked for more. Since then, he picked up a couple of them whenever he went to the store. His hugs and foot rubs never stopped and only seemed to increase the further along she got in her pregnancy.

One night after a particularly long day, Barry drew a bath for Iris. He helped her pull her hair up into a high bun and helped her in. Just as he was turning to leave, she called out to him.

“Barr?”

“Yes my love?”

“Do you want to join me? I could use the company tonight.”

“Sure. I’d love to.”

Iris had had a full day that day. She had her 16 week check up with her midwife and was concerned that she still wasn’t showing. She was almost midway through her pregnancy. They still hadn’t told anyone yet because she didn’t think anyone would believe her. Her midwife assured her that things were progressing well and she had nothing to worry about. She could stand to gain a bit more weight but other than that, she was fine. Because of her body type, it may take a while before she begins to look pregnant. She was in perfect health and so was her baby. That reassured Iris a great deal and she and Barry felt better after the appointment.

After her appointment, she headed over to Iron Heights Penitentiary. Last week, she received a call from Eddie asking if she would pay him a visit. He apparently wanted to thank her in person for helping to capture his mother’s murderer on the fifth anniversary of her death. Today was the anniversary. She was hesitant about seeing him. She hadn’t laid eyes on him since his sentencing seven years ago. Barry voiced his concern at her considering visiting him based on their history. As before, something compelled her to go. And as always, Barry supported her decision. He had said his piece but he respected that she was capable of making the right choices for herself.

As she drove up to the gates of the prison, Iris began questioning her rationality. Eddie was a master manipulator. Why would she think he’d be sincere about anything? Still, she had come this far. Might as well hear what he had to say. She wasn’t the same naïve girl she was when she was with him. She was a badass, twice awarded Pulitzer Prize winner with her own media empire that she built herself from the ground up. She had an amazing, supportive husband who treated her like the queen she was. She had no reason to be intimidated by Eddie or anyone else for that matter. She knew her worth.

She obtained her visitor’s badge as she signed in and waited for Eddie to be brought out to her. She wasn’t sure what emotions would surface when she saw him. She wasn't as nervous as she thought she might have been. She had decided to treat him like she would meeting a criminal informant for the first time. She was not prepared for what she saw when he sat down in front of her. His features had softened a bit and his eyes weren’t as cold as she had seen them before on several occasions. She picked up the receiver beside her and brought it to her ear.

“Hi Iris. Thank you for coming. I wasn’t sure that you would.”

“Eddie. You said you wanted to thank me in person for solving your mom’s murder so here I am.”

“Yes. Thank you for that. I actually was surprised that you looked into her case considering what a complete ass I was to you. But you did. I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate it. I know that I didn’t deserve to get that closure. At least not from you. But I’m so glad that you gave that to me. Mom always thought the world of you.”

“That’s the only reason I did it. Not to give you closure. But because Shelly was a good person and was always good to me. She deserved justice.”

“I know.” He paused for a bit, staring intently at her as if trying to read her.

“Iris, I’m truly sorry for what I did to you. I took you for granted. I humiliated you and treated you far less than you deserved. You’ve always been a sweet, kind person, inside and out and I was a damn fool for making you doubt yourself and an even bigger idiot for ever laying a hand on you. I’ve been in therapy here and I’ve come to see how wrong it was of me to treat you that way. I know I don’t deserve it but I hope one day you’ll forgive me for what I did to you.”

A tear rolled down her face. She was not expecting an apology from him. Shit! She was not supposed to show any emotion. Not here and not in front of Eddie. She quickly wiped her tears away. This was unexpected from him. He had shown no emotion during her victim impact statement or his sentencing. When they showed pictures of her battered and bruised face and body, he didn’t react at all. Everyone else in the courtroom gasped at her horrific injuries. Eddie just stared at them blankly. So after all these years, his apology threw her off. She took a minute to compose herself before responding.

“Thank you for saying that Eddie. I’m not sure if I can forgive you yet but I’m positive I’ll get there one day.”

“That’s good enough for me.”

Iris was going to hang up when Eddie called out.

“Wait. I have something else to tell you and I think you’re going to want to hear it. I promise this is not a trick. Please. Hear me out.”

Iris sat back down and listened to him. She was stunned by what he told her next.

As Barry settled into the tub behind Iris, she leaned back on him and sighed. He immediately wrapped his arms around her and felt her body melt into him.

“Long day?”

“The longest.”

“Want to talk about it?”

“Yeah. I think I need to.”

Iris proceeds to tell him about her visit to Eddie at Iron Heights. She tells him about his gratitude for finding his mother’s killer and his surprising apology to her.

“Do you believe him when he says he’s sorry for all the things he did?”

“I don’t know. He seemed to be genuinely apologetic. Said he had been going to therapy and realised what a complete ass he was to me. He asked for my forgiveness too.”

“What did you say?”

“I told him that one day maybe but not just yet.”

“Understandable.”

“And then he drops a fucking bomb in my lap.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, apparently Taylor has been visiting Eddie every other week for the past two months.”

“What? Why? How did she connect the dots to you and Eddie?”

“Seems like she’s been looking into my past. Came across some of my older articles and saw his name come up in a couple of them. She paid him a visit saying she was interested in his story and went from there. Only when she began to ask him questions about my connection to him after he told her repeatedly he didn’t want to talk about me, did he realise what she was up to. She’s planning to write an exposé on my life. Eddie didn’t think I would come out to see him if he asked and used the anniversary of his mom’s death to get me out there.”

“Wow. So what are you going to do?”

“First thing in the morning, I’m going to contact my lawyer to see if I can fire her ass without her turning around and suing me for wrongful termination. Then I’m going to take back control of the narrative. I’m going to introduce a getting to know you segment on my podcast and have Scott interview me. That way I get to tell my story. Not her.”

“Smart! Wow! I can’t believe the nerve of her. I told you she would show her hand.”

“Yeah. I’m just thankful that Eddie thought to tell me about it. He certainly didn’t have to do that but I’m really glad he did.”

“Yeah. You’re right. Maybe therapy is helping him.”

“Maybe.”

“I’m sorry this ruined your day.”

“It didn’t ruin my day. Just drained me emotionally. But this right here is making up for it. Sitting in the tub with my man with his arms around me. His delicious dick poking me in my back. This is all I need!”

Barry laughs. “Who knew you were so easy to please?”

“Whoa!” Iris exclaimed. “That feels so weird.”

She grabs his hand and places it on her belly.

“What? Is it the baby?”

“There!”

Barry felt it. He felt their baby move for the first time.

“That’s amazing! Hands down the coolest thing I’ve ever experienced.”

The more Barry spoke, the more their baby moved.

“The baby is responding to the sound of your voice. Our baby already knows your voice and loves you!” Iris looked at him with tears in her eyes.

“Our baby. I love the sound of that!” He whispers to her, leaning down to capture her lips with his.

Chapter Text

The next morning, after contacting her lawyer, Iris immediately called an emergency meeting with her senior editors.

Once Linda, Scott, Aariz and Vanya were in her office and the door shut, she turned to them and said, “We have a situation on our hands and I need your help.”

“What’s going on?” Linda asked.

“Well I’m going to preface what I’m about to say by saying anything that is discussed here is not to be discussed elsewhere. Not with your assistants or junior writers. No one. If you think of something regarding what I’m about to say outside of here, come directly to me. No calls, emails or texts. Understood?”

They all looked confused but agreed and waited for her to continue.

“It’s been brought to my attention that one of my employees has been secretly investigating me. Looking into my past personal life as well as professionally. She’s even been in contact with my abusive ex boyfriend and I am not at all happy about it. I had spoken to this employee previously about keeping her nose out of my personal life after she made a snide comment to my husband. At our Christmas party, Barry and I overheard her talking to a couple of her colleagues about continuing her investigation into me even though they strongly encouraged her not to. I’ve spoken to my lawyer and this is grounds for termination. I documented the first time that I spoke to her about her behaviour. Unfortunately overhearing a conversation won’t have any bearings because it would be a she said/she said situation. I’ve asked about getting a record of her prison visits as proof of her continued harassment but I’m told that is up to the discretion of the inmate so I’d have to contact my ex to see if he would agree to release them to me.”

“What the fuck? Who the fuck has been in contact with Eddie?” Linda sat up in her seat, enraged for friend.

“Wait, the ex boyfriend who tried to kill you? Is it such a great idea to contact him again?” Scott asks.

“The person in question is Taylor Downs. Yes, it’s the same one who tried to kill me all those years ago. In a twist of events, he was actually the one who alerted me to Taylor’s antics. Yesterday was the five year anniversary of his mother’s murder. She was murdered by her brother, former mayor, Eobard Thawne. He asked to see me to thank me for catching his mother’s killer but it was a ruse to get me there to tell me about Taylor. He knew I wouldn’t visit him otherwise. He told me everything. So to answer your question Scott, I think I’ll be okay to contact him again.”

“Wait! Was she the one behind the rumours of you and Barry breaking up?”

“Yes she was. In all fairness, we were crying but not because we’re getting divorced. We just cry all the time about everything. You know how we are.”

Linda nodded her head. She loves her friends but they would cry at the stupidest things sometimes. And one would always trigger the other. It was both endearing and annoying.

“Iris, I’m so sorry. I feel responsible for this.”

“Vanya, please. You’re not responsible for what she’s doing. She is.”

“So what’s the plan?” Aariz asked.

“Kick her fucking ass! No one messes with my bestie and gets away with it.”

“Linda, I love you girl but no. We’re not doing that. We’re going to be smart and professional about this. We’re going to introduce a new segment on the podcast. A “Getting to know you” type thing. We’ll interview people from every walk of life. Police, fire, sanitation, mayor’s office, the hot dog vendor on the corner of Fifth and Main, a kindergarten teacher and yours truly. I’ll be the first. She’s planning to write an exposé on my life, hoping to unearth my skeletons. I want to beat her to it.”

“That’s a great idea. If you beat her to the punch, she’ll have nothing. I like it!” Aariz responds, thinking about the brilliance of her plan.

“Yeah! That’s actually brilliant, Boss!”

“Thank you! Now Linda, I know you would want to do this but with the Sharks in the playoffs, you’re going to be insanely busy. Scott, I’d like for you to take the helm on this one. You can interview Linda since she’s one of my oldest friends. I’m sure Barry would be available as well since he’s a huge part of my story. And I will contact Eddie to see if he would be willing to sit with you to give his side of things too and to get his permission to have his visitors’ records released.”

“No problem, Iris. It’s an honour for me to do this for you. How soon are you looking to have this completed?”

“I was thinking about next Friday. That gives us a week and a half to get this done. I know that’s pushing it but I’ve got a few other things happening right now and putting this to bed would be a huge weight off my shoulder.”

“We can do this, Iris. That’s plenty of time for me to get what I need from your ex and interview Linda, you and Barry.”

“So what can we do in the meantime?” Vanya asked.

“Business as usual. Our staff meeting is in 20 minutes. We’ll introduce the idea of the new segment. Get everyone excited and thinking about it. Vanya and Aariz, you two will coordinate the schedule. Who we interview and when. I’ll let you two introduce it to the staff. Let’s set it up so that the “first segment” is the week after mine.”

“Sounds good.”

“Thank you all for being on board with this. Remember nothing changes. We go about our day and treat everyone the same as always. No one is to know about this until after everything is done. Okay? Thanks guys. See you all in 15!”

Iris called Iron Heights to set up a meeting with Eddie for later that day. She had to get a move on things quickly. According to Eddie, Taylor would be there tomorrow for her visit so if she could get in to speak with him before her, everything would work out accordingly. Once everything was in place there, she called Barry to update him on her plan.

“Hey gorgeous. How did everything go with the lawyers?”

“Hey babe. Great! According to my lawyer, I do have grounds to terminate her. The rumours, the snooping, etc. Persistent harassment.”

“Fitting!”

“Yeah. And I’ve got my senior editors in the loop and we’ve got a plan to execute by next Friday. Scott will want to interview you at some point too. Hope that’s okay?”

“Anything you need from me, baby.”

“Great! Thank you! I’m heading over to Iron Heights to see Eddie this afternoon. I need his approval to release his visitors' records and his permission to be interviewed by Scott too.”

“Do you think he’ll do it? Giving you a heads up on a sketchy employee is one thing but being interviewed about your relationship is another.”

“I’m not sure. I guess I’ll find out today.”

“Okay. Well as always, please be careful. You’re carrying around precious cargo.”

“I know that babe. Want to say hi to our little avocado?”

“Of course!”

Iris places her cell phone on her belly and immediately she feels the baby moving. A smile immediately comes to her face. She puts the phone back to her ear.

“This kid of ours loves the sound of your voice. As soon as you started talking, she was moving like crazy.”

“Yeah? Wait? She? You think we’re having a girl?”

“I do. This baby only moves like that when you speak or sing. Definitely a daddy’s girl.”

Barry was silent. It was as if he had stopped breathing for a bit. He was so overwhelmed by the idea of having a little girl, he just couldn’t speak.

“Babe? Are you there?”

“I’m here love. I’m here.”

Iris could hear his voice breaking. He’s definitely crying which triggers her tears as well.

“Oh honey. Are you crying? You know if you cry, I will too. And I have a staff meeting in 7 minutes.” Iris scolds him in between sobs.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” Barry responds, taking a deep, calming breath. “I just got carried away in my thoughts about having a baby girl, that’s all. I’m sorry for making you cry. I love you.”

“It’s okay.” Iris sniffles. “It’s not such a bad thought to have. Anyway, I’ve got to freshen up before my meeting starts. I love you too. So much.”

“Bye my love.”

Iris blew out a breath and stood up to head to the bathroom before her meeting. She wasn’t late for it but she wasn’t as early as she usually was.

Linda noticed she had been crying as she was walking into the boardroom.

“Iris what’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I’m fine. I was just talking to Barry, that’s all.”

“Ah! Barry being Barry. Perfectly explains the puffy, red eyes. Got it!”

Taylor walked by as soon as she said it and made a face to her friends as if to say that her theory about Barry and Iris was right. Both Iris and Linda caught it and pretended not to notice.

The staff meeting goes off without a hitch. Everyone was buzzing and seemed excited about the new segment. Taylor boasted loudly that she already had an idea of who she’d like to interview.

“This person is highly influential and my personal hero.”

She smiled widely at Iris, winked at her and walked away.

“Did she just wink at you?” Linda leans over to whisper.

“Yep. She did.”

“Poor thing doesn’t know what’s coming to her.”

Iris just shook her head and made her way back to her office. When she got there, she found Barry waiting for her with lunch in hand.

“Babe! What are you doing here? What a nice surprise!”

“I thought I’d bring lunch over to you before you head over to Iron Heights.”

“Aww. That’s so sweet.”

He leans over and begins talking to her belly. “I know! That’s because Daddy is the sweetest man that Mama has ever known.”

“And so it begins. I knew I’d be replaced for a younger newer model. Just didn’t think it would happen so soon!” Iris teased.

“Oh don’t be jealous. You’ll always be my number one girl.”

“I know. I’m just teasing. Thanks for stopping by with lunch.”

“So how did the staff meeting go?”

Iris gives him a recap of the meeting as well as Taylor’s comment at the end.

“She really thinks she’ll be able to get away with it, huh?”

“Yeah. And she thinks I’ll be happy with it too. Which is worse! She really is a good reporter. She has the potential to be a great reporter. It’s just that she has no ethics. There’s a boundary that ethically I would never cross. I mean going after someone just for the sake of a story? There has to be a solid reason for doing so. For me, it’s always been about truth and justice. I always ask myself, is there a good reason for this to come out? Does it help anyone else other than my ego? If the answer is no, then there’s no story there. By her looking into our marriage for what she perceives to be a story is just dangerous, you know. She could unknowingly cast unfair doubt about the both of us. Our reputations could get tarnished because if she were to report something a certain way, it could be perceived negatively. And I didn’t escape the hands of my abuser and built my life’s work from nothing to what it is today for her to walk in here and burn it to the ground.”

“Don’t let her. When you tell your story, talk about the abuse and what it taught you. It showed you how resilient and resourceful you were. You came back stronger than ever. You believed that you were better than what Eddie made you believe and you came out triumphant. Be proud of who you are Iris West-Allen. Because I sure as hell am! So damn proud of you.”

“I knew I picked right when I married you!”

He smiled at her. Knowing that he was able to make her happy was music to his ears. After lunch he walked her out to her car, kissed her for good luck and headed back to work.

Chapter Text

Iris’ meeting with Eddie was a semi success. He agreed to release his visitors’ records to her since she and Taylor and his mom were the only people who came to see him since his incarceration. He also agreed to be interviewed by Scott with one stipulation. Barry and Joe had to come see him prior to his interview. Iris tried to talk him out of it but he wouldn’t budge. She knew Barry would go as much as it would pain him to sit across the man who almost killed her, he would endure it because he loved her. She wasn’t so sure about her dad. His love for her would be the reason he’d want to kill Eddie.

She heads over to CCPD to see if she could talk them both into going. As luck would have it, Barry and Cecile were in Joe’s office when she got there. She knocked on the door and stuck her head in.

“Just the people I was hoping to see today. Do you guys have a minute?”

“Hey Baby girl!”

“Hey sweetheart! What are you doing here?” Barry stood up and greeted his wife with a kiss.

“Hey guys. Hey Cecile. I’m actually glad you’re here. I wanted to apologise to you if I came across weird to you on Christmas Day. I was just off that day and hopefully didn’t give you the wrong impression.”

“It’s okay, Iris. I’m sure me showing up caught you off guard. It’s fine. No problem at all.”

“So what do we owe this surprise visit, sweetheart?”

“Well, I came here to ask you guys a huge favour. I don’t think you’re going to like it but it would really mean a lot to me.”

“What’s up Baby girl?”

Iris tells her dad about what’s going on with Taylor and her plans to tell her story in her own words and that includes Eddie’s role in her life.

“Eddie’s agreed to the interview but only if you both go see him. He would like to apologise to you both about the way he treated me since you’re both important to me. That’s his only condition.”

Both men are silent for a bit.

“I know that seeing him will be hard for you both considering what happened but it would mean a lot to me if you did. Please?”

Barry looked at Joe and then back at his wife’s pleading eyes. He understood how important this was to her and knew he had to do it.

“I’ll do it. It’ll be hard but I’ll do it for you.”

“Thank you, babe. Dad? What do you say?”

“No.” Cecile answered, looking directly at Iris. “I don’t think you should do it Joe.”

“Excuse me? That question was directed to my father and it was for my father alone to answer.”

The nerve of this woman! After Iris just tried to make peace with her, she came back to kick the hornet’s nest.

Cecile turns her back to Iris to face Joe. “Joe, seeing this man will only cause you pain and harm. Not to mention it’ll raise your blood pressure. And for what? For a story? No. I don’t think you should do it.”

“Excuse me. I don’t believe that’s your decision to make. And this isn’t just about a story. This is about my reputation and my husband’s reputation and my company that I’ve spent a lot of time and hard work to build from the ground up. If Taylor publishes her story filled with lies and half truths, all of that goes up in flames. Everything that I’ve worked hard for will be undone by someone who doesn’t know the whole truth. That’s okay with you?”

“I think it’s better than raising your father’s blood pressure.”

Iris stood quickly to her feet. “Who the fuck do you think you are?”

Cecile took a step towards Iris and was about to respond when Joe shouted, “Hey! Hey! Both of you stand down! Barry, maybe you should take Iris home.”

“But Dad!”

“Now Iris!” Joe responded through gritted teeth.

“Come on sweetheart. Let’s go.” Barry places a hand on her lower back, encouraging her to leave. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Joe. Cecile.”

Iris pauses to look at her father. He stayed put, staring at her, not saying a word. “Fine. Let’s go.” She grabbed her purse from the chair she was sitting in and left the room in a huff.

Once they left, Cecile turned to Joe, hands on her hips and asked, “Are you just going to let her get away with talking to me like that?”

Joe looked at her and in a calm voice said, “What the hell is wrong with you? That’s my daughter. She’s talking about her and her husband’s reputation. Her livelihood.”

“But Joe, I was just thinking about you? You don’t need to raise your blood pressure over this!”

“This? This? We’re talking about my daughter’s life here. I’m not going to stand by and watch anyone destroy everything that she has worked so hard for. If me having to share the same space as the man who almost killed her for 10 minutes is the only way to save Iris’ company and her and Barry’s reputations, I’ll do it. My blood pressure is fine. And I’d appreciate it if you don’t answer for me without my consent. I get that you’re looking out for me, but when it comes to my kid, I can handle it.”

“Well, nice to see that my opinion doesn’t matter as much as your daughter’s.”

“Cecile, think about what you’re saying here. I am never going to jeopardise everything Iris has worked so hard for. She managed to survive and escape an abusive relationship on her own. She started The Citizen and grew it into the media empire it is on her own. She’s won two Pulitzer Awards before the age of 30. She has done all that without asking for help. She and Barry have been through enough trauma, individually and as a couple. If I can do anything to not add to their trauma, I’ll do it. Me being uncomfortable for 10 minutes is worth it if it means my daughter, her husband and her company are safe. How can you not get that?”

“I don’t know Joe. I just thought maybe you valued my opinion.”

“I do but not at the expense of my kid. Seems like you’re the one who doesn’t value my opinion. If you can’t understand that, then maybe we should call an end to this thing between us because Iris’ happiness and wellbeing will always be top priority for me. She’s my child. My only daughter.”

“Fine. If that’s the way you want to play it, this ends here. But I’m telling you. That daughter of yours is manipulating you for her own benefit.”

“Don’t you ever speak about my daughter like that again. You don’t know Iris and have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Joe sat there stunned, as Cecile left his office. He couldn’t imagine anyone being okay with him not doing the right thing by his daughter. He had to call and apologise to Iris and Barry for what happened.

“Hey Dad.”

“Hi Baby girl. Can I come over? We need to talk. I’ll bring dinner. What are you craving these days?”

“Dad you don’t have to. But since you’re offering, Mama Chow’s please?”

“You got it. I’ll see you guys in about 30 minutes.

“Dad’s coming over with Mama Chow’s. Says he wants to talk.”

“How did he sound?”

“I don’t know. I’m not sure if he’s pissed or disappointed. I don’t know. Cecile seems to have taken over his brain so I really have no idea.”

“Come here.” He calls her over to join him on the couch. She grabs a pillow and places it on his lap to rest her head, pulling a blanket over herself. As she tosses and turns, trying to find a comfortable spot, he asks, “How are you doing?”

“I’m okay. I just don’t understand what Cecile’s problem is. It’s like she’s trying to drive a wedge between dad and me. I don’t understand why she’s against Dad helping me. He’s never had any problems with his blood pressure before. Unless he’s not telling us something.”

“Yeah. But remember, you can’t let things stress you out. It’s not good for you or the baby.” He runs his hand up and down her side and settles his hand on her stomach.

“I know. I know.” She intertwined her fingers with his over her stomach and sighed. “Never a dull moment, huh?”

“Yeah. But we need to be as dull as we can be. I don’t want anything happening to you or our baby.”

“I’m trying. I swear I’m trying.”

“I know you are, love.” His phone buzzes. “Oh, looks like your dad’s here.

Iris greets him at the door and immediately takes the food out of his hands.

“Hi Dad. I’m sorry. I’ve been craving this all day.”

“No worries. You go ahead. Reminds me of when your mother was pregnant with you. She would get these intense cravings for jerk chicken. Nothing else. And she’d eat the whole thing and not share.”

“Well, like mother, like daughter! Hope you got extra for you and Barry.”

As they sat down to eat, Joe looked at his daughter and smiled. She reminded him so much of Francine during her pregnancy. His smile fades as he thinks of how much she will be missing. Barry’s parents too.

“You okay, Dad?”

“Huh? Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. I was just thinking about your mother and Barry’s parents and how they’re missing out on all of this.”

“Yeah. It’s hard some days but it’s okay. Even though they’re gone physically, they’re still with us in our hearts.” Iris reached over to hold Barry’s hand.

“Guys, I wanted to apologise to you both for what happened earlier today. I don’t know why Cecile thought she could speak for me about going to see Eddie. I will go see him. Hear him out. Just know that I will do anything to keep you safe. Both of you. Without hesitation. And please don’t worry about me. My blood pressure is fine.”

“Thanks Dad. And I’m sorry for my outburst at Cecile. I owe her an apology. I know she’s important to you.”

“Not anymore. She said something after you guys left that left a really bad taste in my mouth. Besides, anyone who doesn’t support me, supporting you is not someone I want to share my life with.”

“Dad, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to come in between you guys.”

“Iris, you didn’t. Look, I was lucky enough to have had love in my life. If it’s not written in the stars for me again, then so be it. I’m happy to have you two and my grand baby soon enough.”

“You’re really leaning into the whole Poppa thing, aren’t you Joe.”

“You’d better believe it! I’m going to spoil that grand baby of mine like you wouldn’t believe.”

“Oh I believe you will. You’ll probably try to spoil her for mom, Nora and Henry too!”

“Of course! I have to! You know the four of us talked about this. It was before Francine got sick, the four of us had dinner at your parents’ one night. I think you two had gone to a movie or something. And we talked about how we all thought that one day the two of you would get married and have kids and what that would be like.”

“I remember that. I overheard my parents talking about it the next day. I think we had just started dating.”

“We even settled on what your kids would one day call us. Your parents would have been Grandma and Grandpa, Francine wanted to be Nana and I’m Poppa.”

“That’s so sweet. I can’t believe you all knew we would get married one day. Is that why you weren’t surprised by our impromptu wedding?”

“Pretty much. I knew that once you and Barry reunited, there was no way you would ever leave again and he was never letting you go. The love that you two have was always meant to be for eternity. I can’t tell you how proud both of you have made me. And I can confidently say that your mother and your parents would be equally proud of you both.”

“Thanks Poppa!” Barry says as he walks by.

Joe smiles at his new name. “You guys are going to be wonderful parents. And just know that I’m always here whenever you need me. Whether it’s to babysit or pick up diapers. Whatever you need, Poppa will be there.”

“Thanks Joe. We really appreciate that.”

“Especially about that babysitting part. We’ll hold you to it!”

Joe just laughed. He meant every word he said to his daughter and son-in-law. He was going to be there for them, no matter what.

Chapter Text

The next morning, Iris woke up out of breath and sweating. She had just had her first pregnancy sex dream and damn was it a steamy one. She placed her hand over her heart, praying for it to simmer down and return to normal. She looked over to see if Barry was still asleep only to find him grinning at her. Fuck. He’d caught her.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Why are you so sweaty and out of breath? You just woke up!”

“I’m pregnant, Barry. Pregnant women are subjected to hot flashes and accelerated heart rates.” She didn’t believe a single word she said and neither did he.

“Bullshit! You just had your first pregnancy sex dream, didn’t you? Don’t bother denying it. I heard everything. Saw everything. You have an incredibly adorable sex face.”

“Barry!” She covers her face with both hands and buries it in his chest. He was enjoying this way too much.

“It’s okay. I’ve seen it plenty of times and I love it. I love watching when your orgasm hits you and you squeeze your eyes shut and your mouth forms a soft ‘o’ and then you start panting and calling out my name in these breathless whispers. So fucking hot. Shit! I could come right now just thinking about it.”

“I hate you.” She tries to swat him with a pillow.

“No you don’t. You love when I give you orgasms like that. The ones that you feel throughout the day when you think of me. The ones that make you tune out and daydream during your meetings, replaying things over and over in your head. I bet you’d like me to give you one of those orgasms right now, wouldn’t you?”

He looks down at Iris biting her bottom lip. Her pupils dilated and her cheeks were flushed. Man was she beautiful. She shakes her head yes. He leans over to softly kiss her. His hands roam all over her body. Iris’ toes curl in anticipation of what’s coming next when Barry suddenly pulls back and says, “Sorry. I can’t right now. I have to get dressed to meet Joe in 50 minutes so that we can hear what your incarcerated ex boyfriend has to say. Joe will kill me if I’m late.” He jumps off the bed and runs into the bathroom, narrowly missing the pillow she just chucked at him.

Iris couldn’t believe he would do that to her. She groaned in frustration. She didn’t want him to be late meeting with Eddie. Her dad would only go if he and Barry went together so being late would have made him more agitated than she was sure he already was. She’ll have to be content with her dream for now. She falls back into the bed thinking about her dream. It felt so real and man was it hot. She wonders how long Barry had been watching her. Did she wake him up with her mewling? She laid there with her hands on her stomach daydreaming. She scowls at the fact that the dream would only be a dream right now. Barry came out of the bathroom wrapped in his towel. He really was being a dick teasing her like that. If he weren’t rushing around, Iris would have stripped the towel off of him and jumped him. But he would be late and that would set off a chain of events that would end up with her dad angry at Barry. He kissed her cheek just before he left, telling her he would be in touch later today. Iris smiled and waved at him and proceeded to get up and get going for her day.

She trudged to the shower, turned the water on and climbed in. The water felt good against her skin. She grabs her body wash and her face cloth and begins to lather her body. Her breasts are more tender today than normal but that was to be expected. As her hands travel down to her stomach she freezes and looks down. She’s popped. Or at least she thinks she has. She quickly washed her hair and body and hurried out of the shower. She stands in front of the mirror and turns to the side. She definitely popped. And her breasts look fuller. She’s so excited. She finally has a tiny baby bump. Even though it just looks like she ate a huge meal, her tiny little baby bump is there! Maybe they can start telling people now. But first she has to let Barry know.

Iris got dressed and headed into work. Linda greets her as she heads to her office.

“Hey! Wanted to check in before I leave for Coast City.”

She studies Iris. “You look different.”

“What? I do not.”

“Yes you do but I can’t put my finger on it. New outfit?”

“Nope.”

“Your makeup is different!”

“No it’s not, Linda. I’m me! Just plain old Iris. I haven’t changed my hair or makeup. This isn’t a new outfit. Everything about me is the same.”

“There’s never been anything plain about you, girl.”

“Good morning Mrs. West-Allen. Ms. Park.”

She greets her secretary, taking a file out of her hands.

“Good morning Barb!”

“Morning Barb!” Linda responds, still one step behind Iris. She follows her into her office and closes the door behind her.

“I know what it is. You didn’t have sex this morning. Hence the grumpiness.”

Iris avoids eye contact with Linda.

“That’s it! You don’t have that morning sex glow about you. Did you and Barry have a fight this morning or something?”

“Why is everyone obsessed with me and Barry fighting? We barely have disagreements. We’re not fighting. He just had to leave early to meet my dad to visit Eddie and we couldn’t do it.”

“Damn! Really? Not even time for a quickie? I’m so sorry. I can see why it’s making you so cranky.”

“Is there something work related that I can help you with, Ms. Park?”

“Not really. Just came by to kill time before I have to leave for my flight.”

Iris hung her coat and purse on the coat rack and shrugs out of her jacket and placed it over the back of her chair.

“What did you have for breakfast this morning? You look a little bloated.” Linda asks, looking at Iris inquisitively.

“Damn! I forgot to eat this morning.”

She picks up the phone and asks Barb to order her a farmer’s plate from the breakfast place a couple blocks down from them.

Linda sits up and stares at Iris.

“Iris, if you didn’t eat breakfast, why do you look bloated?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Linda audibly gasps.

“Are you pregnant?” She asks in a loud whisper.

Iris smiles and nods at her friend. Linda leaps out of her seat and runs over to hug her friend!

“Oh my god, Iris! I’m so happy for you! I guess all that sex you and Barry have been having has finally paid off, huh?”

“Well, this is actually a vacation baby.”

“What? You've been pregnant this entire time? How far along are you?”

“16 weeks but we aren’t telling anyone yet. We weren’t planning to until I popped because I didn’t think anyone would have believed me. This little baby bump just came out of nowhere today. And check out my boobs. They’re fuller than before. Barry hasn’t seen it yet.”

“Honestly, if I didn’t know you as well as I do, I’d just assume you ate too much and was wearing a killer push up bra today. So tell me everything. How are you feeling?”

“Well I’m pretty sure I got pregnant the very first night we were at our resort. We weren’t going to stress about getting pregnant, although that was sort of on the agenda. If it happened, it happened. But I’ve been feeling great. Somehow Barb figured out I was pregnant before I did and kept bringing me ginger tea for my nausea and it helped. So much.”

“And of course Barry’s been doting on you. Right?”

“Yes. He’s also constantly worried about me being safe. He’s such a great dad already. The baby moves like crazy when he starts talking or singing. It’s the wildest thing.”

“Aww! I’m so happy for you guys!” She looks at her watch. “Shit! I’d better go before I miss my flight.” She pulls Iris into a hug again. “I’m so happy for you. You and Barry deserve to be this happy. And don’t worry. My lips are sealed. I love you bestie. Oh good luck on the podcast. I’ll try to tune in live if I can.”

“Thank you. I love you. Have a safe flight! And don’t have too much fun in Coast City!”

Barry pulled into the parking lot and parked a couple spots away from Joe at Iron Heights. Both men got out and looked at each other and sighed.

“You ready to do this?” Barry asks his father-in-law.

“Not in the slightest. Let’s just get this over with.”

They walked into the admin office to sign and get their visitors’ pass. They were escorted to their designated seat where Eddie was already waiting for them.

As they sat down, Eddie took a deep breath and began to speak.

“Joe. Barry. Thank you for coming to see me. I know you’re only doing this for Iris but I appreciate you both taking the time.”

When neither man said anything, he continued.

“Joe, I want to start by apologising to you first. Not as a father because I don’t have a daughter and will never understand that bond between father and daughter. I want to apologise to you, cop to cop. We took an oath to uphold the law. To serve and protect. And I forgot along the way that it starts at home. I didn’t serve Iris and sure as hell didn’t protect her. I never ever should have laid a hand on her. I caused her pain and harmed her in ways that I will never forgive myself for. I understand that you hate me. I understand why you would. I hope that you may be able to forgive me one day. And if you never do, I understand why you wouldn’t.”

Joe looked at Eddie for a while before responding. “You’re right. As a cop, you should have known better. I want to hate you for all the pain you put my daughter through. I don’t know if I can forgive you either. I just don’t know.”

Eddie turned his attention to Barry who stared at him with so much anger and hate, it radiated off of him. He closed his eyes and thought of his wife and took a deep breath and listened to what her ex had to say.

“Barry, I’ve always been jealous of you even though this is the first time we’ve met. When I met Iris, all she could talk about was her best friend, Barry. It was always Barry did this and Barry did that or one time Barry and I did whatever. Even though she was with me it was hard on my ego to know that another man had already taken up so much space in her heart. My jealousy only got worse after I found out you guys dated. It seemed like I was always competing against you even if Iris was unaware of it. It’s why I told her to cut off all contact with you. If you weren’t a part of her life, I felt like I would have a chance to win her over. But that seemed to backfire on me because once you guys stopped talking, she became closed off and wasn’t herself anymore. And once my career went south, I took it out on her, telling her that you wanted nothing to do with her. I figured if I drove a wedge far enough between you two, she would never go back to you. Obviously that didn’t work. I’m sorry about breaking into your home. You’re clearly a better man than I ever was. I should have just let things be. I’m sorry for what I did.”

“First, I want to start off by thanking you for helping Iris and informing her about her employee. You didn’t have to do that and we appreciate it.”

“I felt like I at least owed that to Iris. I know she’s worked hard to get to where she is now and it didn’t feel right for someone like that to take advantage of her. Not again. She’s been hurt enough already.”

“No thanks to you. You know Eddie, I’ve been thinking about this a lot since Iris told me you wanted to apologise. If you had focused on Iris and the amazing person that she is instead of being jealous of me, neither of us would be in the position that we’re in right now. She would have been with you. Fully with you and I would have just been someone she knew in her past. Because when Iris loves you, she loves you with everything. Instead, you wasted your energy hating me instead of loving her. Because you chose to focus on the wrong person, she’s with me now. Fully and completely with me. Mind, body and spirit. I saw what you did to her the day after she escaped from you. You almost fucking killed her. She would be dead right now had I not found her when I did. You took the sweetest and kindest person I have ever known and you tried to break her. You never deserved her. And honestly, I don’t know if I could ever forgive or forget what you did to her. But I’ll tell you what. I’ll spend every day for the rest of my life making sure that she sure as hell forgets who the fuck you are.”

And with that Barry got up and left, Joe right behind him.

“You okay, Barr?” Joe asked once they made their way to the parking lot.

“Yeah. That was harder than I thought. How are you doing?”

“I don’t know. His apologies seem genuine. But it’s going to take some time for me to get to the point where I can think of forgiving him.”

Barry scoffed. “Yeah. I’m not sure if I’ll ever get there. And I think if you saw her when I did, you’d feel the same way too.” He sighed heavily. “I need to go see my wife. Clear my head for a bit.”

“Take the day, son. Go see Iris. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Thanks Joe. See you tomorrow.”

Chapter Text

“Hey babe. How did it go?”

“Can you get away for a bit today?”

“That good, huh? I actually cleared my day just in case you needed me. Are you okay?”

“I will be. It was just a lot harder than I thought it would be. Can you meet me at home?”

“Sure. I’ll see you soon.”

Iris gathered her things, stopping to let Barb know that she would be out for the rest of the day. She stopped at the store to pick up some chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream for Barry and mint chocolate chip for herself.

When she got home, there was a note on the table in the front hall saying he had taken Hank for a walk and would be back soon. She took the ice cream and put them away and went upstairs to change out of her work clothes. She had a feeling she would not be going back into the office at all today.

She made her way upstairs and began to undress. She hung up her jacket and blouse and let out a sigh of relief as she undid her pants. She definitely needed to start researching cute maternity clothes because what she had now wouldn’t be comfortable in the long run. As she pulled her pants off, she stood looking at her profile in the mirror. She gently cradled her baby bump, smiling at her reflection.

“Hey there little one. I see you’re finally needing more room in there, huh? Well, I am more than prepared for you to take as much room as you need. Well maybe not fully prepared. I’m going to need a few things but I will gladly stretch to ensure you’re safe and comfortable. Your daddy and I are so happy you’re here and we can’t wait to see how you change my body and then when the time is right, to finally meet you. You’ve been a dream of ours for so long. Since high school actually. And even though that was a long time ago, we’re happy that you’re here now at the exact perfect time.”

Iris was so engrossed in her conversation with her baby bump she didn’t notice Barry standing in the doorway with his arms crossed staring at her, a tear running down his face. If he was asked to describe his ideal perfect moment, this would be it. The love of his life, cradling her pregnant belly, talking to their baby. He pulled out his phone and snapped a picture.

Iris looked up at the mirror and noticed him staring at her.

“Hey. I didn’t hear you come in.”

He wipes his tears away and walks towards her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

“Babe, what's wrong?”

“Nothing. These are happy tears. I promise.”

“Are you sure? I imagine you had a heavy morning. Want to talk about it?”

“Not right now. Later. Right now I believe I owe you a mind blowing orgasm or two.”

She looks at him with lust filled eyes.

He whispered to her, “What? You didn’t think I would let you go through today without making your first pregnancy sex dream a reality, did you? I aim to please Mrs. West-Allen. You should know that by now.” He kissed behind her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. His peppered kisses over her body were making her weak in the knees. He unclasped her bra, pulling the straps down causing it to fall in front of her. He turns her to face him, pulling her into him for a kiss and grabs her ass, picking her up and walks over to their bed and sits. He falls back still holding her in his arms. He pulls back slightly, tucking her hair behind her ears and in a hushed voice, declaring his undying love for her. She looks down at him with a smile on her face and kisses his sweet spot.

“You have too many clothes on.” She says in between kisses. “In my dream, you were definitely wearing a lot less clothes.”

She lifts off of him and begins to loosen his belt and unbuttons his pants. She drags his pants and underwear down, freeing his dick from its restraints. She licks her lips in anticipation. Barry sits up, pulling his shirt over his head and pulls her back down over his erection. He steadies her by the waist, feeling her stretch around him inch by delicious inch. Iris places her hand on his chest bracing herself against him as she rocks slowly feeling every inch of him against her channel. This was better than her dream. Each movement drew out a breathless and satisfied sigh.

As her orgasm builds, Iris switches from rocking to grinding into him. Barry kept up pace with her from underneath. The friction of their simultaneous movements elicits a deep ardent sound from them. Barry felt her tightening around him as her orgasm rocked through her body causing her to collapse on him. He switches positions moving to stand at the edge of the bed, pulling her gently down near the edge. He places one heel on his shoulder and the other on the opposite side. He slides one finger into her and then another, coaxing another orgasm forward. He swiftly removes his finger and enters her. It didn’t take long before Iris was at the edge, her body trembling from how fiercely she peaked again, with Barry following right behind her.

He gently pulls out of her, lowering her legs and falls onto the bed beside her. He looks over at his wife, her skin glistening from their love making and wildly out of breath. He pulls her into his arms and holds her tight. He takes a minute to catch his breath before he asks, “Was that as good as your dream?”

She shook her head no, causing him to frown.

“No. That was a thousand times better! I definitely will be daydreaming about this for a long, long time.”

“Well, I’m not done with you yet. That was just the appetizer. We still have the main course and dessert.”

He rolls back over her, peppering her skin with kisses, igniting her once again. Iris didn’t care that their bodies stuck together after their first round. All she knew was that this beautiful man she married would do anything for her. Right now he wanted to give her as many orgasms as she could handle and wouldn’t soon forget and that was just fine with her.

The dessert portion of their day had taken them into the shower. Iris smiled as she came down from her high. She was sore all over but thoroughly pleased. Barry kept his eyes on her as he washed his body. She was more radiant than he’d ever seen. Perhaps it was part of her pregnancy glow. His eyes skimmed down to her belly and for the first time, he noticed her baby bump.

“You popped!?!”

“Yeah I did. Did you not notice before?”

“I was more focused on your face more than anything else.”

“I am never going to hear the end of that, am I?” She playfully swats at him.

“How do you feel? Does it feel different? Weird?”

“It makes it feel more real, you know? Like I actually have a tiny person growing inside of me. It’s surreal.”

“So does that mean you want to start telling people now?”

“We could start with our closest friends. Although Linda already knows.”

“What? Since when?”

“Just today. I took off my jacket and she asked what I had for breakfast because she said I looked bloated.”

Barry snickered and shook his head. Linda was a straight shooter, which is what Iris absolutely loved about her friend. There was no guessing as to what she was thinking.

“When I realized I hadn’t had breakfast yet, I asked Barb to order me the farmer’s plate from Joey’s a couple blocks from us and she figured it out. She’s really happy for us and promised not to say a word to anyone. Besides, she's in Coast City for the next week or so.”

“Well, we could invite our usual over for dinner and tell them.”

He shut off the water and handed Iris her towel before taking his.

“Sure. Maybe after the podcast. Kinda need to focus on that right now.”

“Of course.”

He shifts uncomfortably as he wraps his towel around his waist.

“Was it that bad?”

“It wasn’t bad. It was harder than I thought it would be, you know. Let’s get dressed and I’ll tell you about it over lunch.”

Iris didn’t bother with a bra and threw on a tank top and oversized sweater. She was home for the rest of the day and her boobs were sore. She walked over to Barry’s dresser and grabbed a pair of his CCPD joggers and pulled it over her underwear.

“You don’t mind do you?” She asked.

“Seeing you in my clothes? Hell no! It’s sexy as hell!”

She smiled and climbed on the tips of her toes to kiss his cheek and followed him downstairs. Barry motioned for her to sit on the couch while he prepared a couple sandwiches for them to eat. Hank climbed up onto the couch beside her and placed his head in her lap.

Before Barry brought their lunch over he filled Hanks’ bowl and called him over to eat. He hands Iris her plate and sits beside her in front of the fire.

“I think I need to start looking into getting a few maternity clothes. Maybe just a few pants and skirts for work.”

“No tops?”

“Not yet. Maybe some softer bras. We’ll see how things go.”

They finished their meal in silence, mentally preparing for the impending topic. Barry got up, cleared their plates and sat down beside Iris, turning to face her.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it right now, Barr. It’s fine. You don’t have to tell me what went on if you don’t want to.”

“Joe seemed to think Eddie’s apologies were genuine.”

“You didn’t?”

“I don’t know to be honest. I guess I’m having a hard time separating who he is now from what he did then. He hurt you. Bad enough that had I ignored the alarm at the cabin that day, you would have died. He said he has always been jealous of me because you kept talking about your best friend Barry from the moment you guys met and his ego was bruised because another man had taken up so much of your heart already. He said he felt like he was always in competition with me and that’s why he told you to cut off all communication with me. He thought driving a wedge between us would help his case. He’d have a fighting chance at your heart. But he said you became closed off and you weren’t yourself anymore. And when his career stalled, he took it out on you. He apologized for breaking into our home and hurting you.”

“Wow! I had no idea he was so jealous of you. Did you respond to him?”

“I told him that he focused on the wrong person and had he spent his time loving you instead of hating me, our situations would have been very different. You probably would still be with him and I would have just been some guy from your past. Told him he never deserved you and that I wasn’t sure that I could forgive or forget what he did to you but I would spend every day for the rest of my life making sure you forget who he is. And then I got up and left because I couldn’t look at him any more.”

Iris was silent. Taking in everything that Barry had just told her.

“You know you’re wrong right?”

“About what? And please don’t say I’m wrong about not forgiving him because no matter what, I can’t get the images of your beaten and bruised body out of my head. No matter how hard I try. It’s stuck in there like a fucking nightmare I can’t awaken from.”

“No. Not about that. It’s up to you whether or not you want to forgive him for that. I meant you’re wrong about you being just some guy from my past. Barry, no matter what, you were always going to be a big part of my life. We’ve been friends since we were in diapers, best friends since we were five. You were my first real boyfriend. My first love. My first kiss. The first guy I slept with. The first person I said ‘I love you’ to. When I look back on my life, you were there for all of the best parts of it. I would have eventually found my way back to you. Even if it wasn’t in the same capacity as before, you have been and will always be a huge part of my life. Chapters upon chapters in the book of Iris West’s life would have been dedicated to Bartholomew Henry Allen. Probably would have been a series of books dedicated to you and only you. You have been a part of me before we were born. Don’t ever doubt that. Our destiny is to be together. I love you more than anything. And nothing anyone says or does will ever change that.”

Barry smiles at his wife, leaning over to kiss her softly. She was his home and he was hers.

Chapter Text

The weekend flew by for Iris. As the launch of the podcast grew closer and closer, she found herself getting nervous. It was one thing to talk about her past with her close friends. Linda and Cisco had been friends with her and Barry since elementary school. They had all been thick as thieves since they met. If you found one of them, the other three were always close by. They knew her story inside and out. They were there when she and Barry first realised they liked each other beyond friendship. They were their accomplices the nights that she and Barry snuck out to see each other. They knew intimately the heartbreak on both sides when they broke up. They saw the joys in their reunion and celebrated with them on their wedding day. Iris shared with them the gritty details of her life with Eddie, knowing there would be no judgement from them because they knew her well and loved her.

But now, disclosing all of that to the 14 million residents of Central City made her anxious. Was she doing this for the right reason? Did she really have to bare her soul to her city? The simple answer was yes, she had to. If not, Taylor’s half assed report filled with assumptions would be the beginning of the end of her and all she’s worked hard for. Iris wasn’t ashamed of her past. Once upon a time, she was a victim. But today, right now at this very moment, she was a success. She not only survived years of abuse she came out on the other side standing on her own two feet, defiantly living her life as she wanted.

One of the things she did once she was free from Eddie’s tyranny, was helping women who had gotten out of the same situation she was in with their resume. Tweaking it so that they would be employable. Women who wanted to take back control of their lives and financial freedom. But she did it anonymously. Her husband and father were the only ones who knew what she did. She didn’t need or want accolades for that. That’s not why she did it. She knew not everyone was as fortunate as she was. Not everyone had a Barry in their life to graciously give them a safe place to stay until they were physically safe. Some women didn’t have that. So she did what she could to help these women who bravely escaped their personal hell to heal.

She decided she would talk about the abuse she endured but would leave that part out. She didn’t want to jeopardise the organisation she was working with or the women who sought help from them. She did contact her source there to ask about what other organisations she could highlight and bring awareness to for women seeking refuge from an abusive relationship. She was given the names of seven organisations in Central City and the outskirts that would benefit from the publicity. She made contact with the head of each of them personally and got their blessings. She was determined to not only make sure that hers and Barry’s reputations stayed intact but also some good would come out of this.

She and Scott had been working closely all week given the nature of the subject and the secrecy surrounding it. So much so, unbeknownst to them, rumours were being whispered about them, reigniting the ones about trouble brewing between her and Barry. This time Vanya overheard a conversation between Taylor and Allegra herself.

“I told you there was trouble between Iris and Barry. She’s obviously leaving him for Scott.”

“Taylor, what are you talking about? Scott is Iris’ second in command. They’re most likely planning out the next steps for the paper. She’s his boss. And they’re both happily married. We saw both couples at the Christmas party and both of them looked very happy with their significant other. Stop making up shit because it will land you in trouble.”

“I’m telling you, I’m right about this.”

“You also said we’d hear about Iris and Barry’s divorce by now and it’s almost Valentine’s Day. Perhaps you’ve been wrong this entire time.”

“Okay. I’m going to let you in on a secret. I’ve been looking into Iris’ past. She’s hiding something. I don’t know what but I can feel it. I’ve been meeting with a friend or acquaintance of hers for the past couple of months. He’s in jail for murder, I think. He hasn’t given me much yet but I’m getting close. I feel like he’s going to tell me exactly what went down between them the next time I meet him.”

“What? Are you insane? You’ve taken this way too far, Taylor. You need to stop this. You could get fired for this.”

“It’s investigative journalism. Iris has done the same thing. I can’t get fired for doing my job.”

“Secretly investigating your boss’ boss without merit can get you fired. I'm sure Iris has never ruined someone’s life just for a story. I’ve read her past articles. She’s all about truth and justice. Exposing criminals. Getting justice for those who have no voice. That’s what she does. What you’re doing is just vindictive. Mateo and I already warned you about this. I want no part in this and I’m sure if you asked Mateo, he’d say the same thing.”

“Fine. Just remember though, being scared gets you nowhere. Sometimes you have to take the bull by the horns and ride it to the finish line.”

And with that Taylor exited the bathroom. Allegra stayed behind, cursing her friend under her breath, thinking about what she’s just heard. When Vanya opened the door to the bathroom stall thirty seconds later, Allegra turned white as a ghost.

“Vanya! I, uh…”

Allegra stumbled over her words. She knew this wasn’t good.

“Hi Allegra. Before you say anything, I was never here. I heard nothing. Understood?” She looks at the junior reporter in the mirror while washing her hands.

Allegra shook her head. “Yes. Of course. Understood.” She knew that she was to tell no one, especially Taylor that their boss heard their entire conversation. It would be something she’d have to take to her grave.

Vanya turns to her just before reaching the bathroom door and says, “That showed a lot of integrity to stand up for what you thought was right. It will not go unnoticed. The truth will eventually come out. It always does.”

And with that, Vanya left.

Allegra took another deep breath, pulled herself together and returned to her desk. It was Thursday afternoon at 2:30pm. She had two and a half hours left in her day before she could leave. She put her earbuds in and started her research on her idea for the newest segment of the podcast.

After most of the staff had left for the day, Vanya packed up her things and decided to stop by Iris’ office to give her a heads up on what she had heard earlier. She and Scott were still working away. As she got closer to Iris’ office, she saw Barry chatting with Barb who was on her way out.

“Good night Barb.”

“Good night Mr. Allen. Ms. Davis.”

“Hey Barry. How are you?”

“Good Vanya. Yourself?”

“Good. Thank you. I have something to share with Iris that you’ll most likely want to hear.”

Barry’s raised eyebrow told her he was intrigued. He could only imagine what that was about.

He knocked on the door and opened it. Iris’ face lit up when she looked up and saw him, then frowned when she saw Vanya’s face behind him. She did not look happy.

“Vanya? What is it?”

“We have a problem. Well it’s the same problem, just more of it.”

“Taylor? What now?”

“Well I overheard her today in the bathroom talking with Allegra. She’s convinced that you and Barry are over because according to her, you and Scott are having an affair. Furthermore, she admitted to going to Iron Heights to see your ex. She still doesn’t seem to know the nature of your relationship with him. She thinks you’re hiding something and is sure he’ll give her what she needs soon. Allegra told her she was way off base and encouraged her to drop it. Apparently, so has Mateo.”

“She’s never going to stop.” Scott said, looking at Iris.

“Nope. She sees herself as an investigative journalist like you, Iris.”

Barry scoffed. “She wishes!”

“Thank God we’re doing this tomorrow. You know I was considering putting her on probation and having her shadow one of the senior editors for a couple of months. Kinda like what you did for me at CCPN, Scott. But this new news shows she’s out for blood and she doesn’t care about the collateral damage.”

Barry looks at her, a bit confused. “You were? Why would you do that? Especially since she’s clearly demonstrated she doesn’t care about who gets hurt. Specifically you!”

“Because babe. I don’t think that writing people off after one mistake is healthy. We’re all humans and we’re all flawed.”

“But this changes things now, sweetheart. She’s now making up stories that could affect Scott and June’s relationship. You and I? We can handle it. They’re innocent. She’s like a wildfire. Give her dry land and she’ll consume everything in her path. She needs to be put out.”

“Yeah. I know. I think I’ll fire her after the podcast. I want her to hear it before I let her go. She’s still on schedule to be in the control room during the podcast. Thanks Vanya for letting me know about this.”

“No problem. Oh I should mention that Allegra really stood up for you. She’s someone with strong ethics and shows great potential. And her writing is good. With a bit of guidance, she’ll be great. Just something to consider.”

“Good to know. Thank you.”

“Good night everyone.”

Once Vanya left, Iris excused herself and went to the bathroom.

Scott turned to Barry and said, “Barry you know I would never do anything to jeopardise your relationship with Iris. I have nothing but respect for both of you.”

“Scott, you don’t even have to explain anything. I know you love June almost as much as I love Iris.”

“Almost?”

“Well I’ve known Iris my entire life and have loved her just as long, so yeah, almost.”

Scott laughs. “Okay. I’ll give you that.”

“How’s the prep for the podcast coming?”

“Good. We were just going over the schedule of how we wanted it to flow. We’re pretty much done but you know your wife likes to make sure that there are no surprises and we look at it from every angle.”

“Sorry man. I’ll help you out so you can get home to June and the kids. How are SJ and Marlee doing?”

“Great! SJ just made the softball team. Third baseman. He’s pretty excited about that. And Marlee just got her blue belt in karate. In a couple of years, she’ll have her black belt.” Scott pulls out his phone and shows Barry pictures of them.

“I’d love to catch some of SJ’s games. Maybe he could give me some pointers for when we play against CCFD at our charity game. Marlee looks pretty badass there! Wouldn’t want to mess with her!”

“Right? We’re so proud of both of them.”

When Iris joined them, Barry suggested a call to the end of their day.

“You guys have a big day tomorrow and should probably try to get a good sleep. Think we can call it a night, boss lady?”

“Yeah I think so. I’ll just make myself crazy if we go over all of this again.”

“You’ll be fine Iris. We’re ready for this.”

“Yes. You’re right. Thank you Scott for everything these past couple of weeks. You have no idea how much I appreciate it.”

“No problem, Iris. I know you would do the same for me if the tables were turned. Have a good night you two.”

Once they were alone, Barry turned to Iris.

“Alright my love. Let’s get you home for a hot dinner and a warm bath. How's our little pear doing?” Barry leaned over and kissed her stomach.

“Happy now that you’re here. Let’s go!”

Even though she had a deliciously enjoyable meal and a relaxing warm bath, Iris did not get the proper rest she had hoped for. She tried her best to not disturb Barry and after a while decided to venture downstairs. She got herself a warm cup of milk, got a fire going and settled on the couch. Hank came over to her and climbed up on the couch beside her and nestled his head in her lap. She stayed like that stroking Hank’s head, watching the fire and thinking about her day.

It was 1:30am. The still and quiet of the night, though a welcoming presence, also gave way for worry to sink in. She tried to avoid thinking about the podcast. She asked Scott to keep the questions he would ask her a secret in order to get her authentic answers. If she were going to bare herself before all of Central City and the world, she didn’t want to sound rehearsed. She had no idea what anyone Scott interviewed said either. Barry was coming in to do his portion live with her on the air so there was some comfort in knowing that he would be beside her to silently hold her up if things got tough.

She placed her empty cup on the table beside her and slid down on the couch, pulling a blanket over her. Hank positioned himself right near her belly, almost as if he were the guardian of the precious life growing in her. Iris smiled. She’s glad they had a deep seat sofa for times like these.

Chapter Text

“Iris. Hey beautiful.”

Barry was kneeling beside her on the couch, gently stroking her arm, trying to coax her out of the slumber.

“Barry? I fell asleep on the couch. I’m so sorry babe. I was restless last night and I didn’t want to disturb you so I came down for some milk and I must have dozed off down here. What time is it?”

“It’s okay sweetheart. As long as you were able to rest. It’s 4:30. I just wanted to tell you that I’m heading out. I just got a call. I’ll do my best to be at your office by 9. I’m not sure what I’m heading into but it seems to be serious because the mayor called for all hands on deck. I promise, I’ll be there for you today. I’ve set out breakfast for you covered on the counter and there’s fruit for you in the fridge. I’ve also got your coffee set to brew at 7am so you have a couple more hours to rest. Okay. I love you. And I will see you later.”

He kissed her cheek and with that, he left. Hank snuggled even more into Iris, encouraging her to join him for a few more hours of rest.

Iris woke up to the smell of coffee wafting through the suite. It took her a minute to remember why she was on the couch and her conversation with Barry. It must be 7am. She was grateful she was able to get back to sleep. She felt better than she had the night before. She walked over to grab her coffee and the breakfast Barry had set out for her and turned just as she heard the jingle of keys and the soft bark of a small dog. Hank ran over to the door, wagging his tail in excitement. Their dog walker Jenny was here to take him on his morning walk.

“Iris! Hi! Sorry I didn’t know you were down here.”

“Hey Jenny! Just grabbing some breakfast before I start my day.”

“Well, it’s nice to see you. Can I just say you look amazing. Really glowing! I hope that’s not too forward of me to say that.”

“Oh thank you Jenny. I didn’t sleep much last night but thanks for the compliment. So sweet of you.”

“Anyway. I’ll get out of your hair and take our good boy Hank for a nice walk. What do you say, Hank? Ready to go?”

Hank barked enthusiastically.

“Have a good day Jenny!”

Jenny smiled as she closed the door behind her, taking Hank with her for his morning walk.

Iris finished her breakfast and coffee and turned upstairs to get ready. Over the weekend, she managed to find a cute maternity shop and purchased a couple pants and skirts. She paired a lilac, navy and purple graphic print top and a lilac cropped blazer that she had in her closet with the navy blue slender leg maternity pants she picked up. She pulled her hair back in a low messy bun then stood back and looked at herself. She turned at all angles. You couldn’t tell she was hiding a tiny baby bump under there.

As she walked into her building, Iris’ nerves were creeping up to the surface again. She still hadn’t heard from Barry. It must have been quite the call if the mayor was involved. She shook her head. If Barry couldn’t make it, it would still be okay. She and Scott planned for that as well. Scott had actually pre recorded his questions and answers from Barry just in case something like this happened. They were prepared. If only she could get her damn nerves to calm down.

Just as she was approaching the elevator, her phone chirped. It was a text message from Linda telling her that she was thinking about her and to ‘calm the fuck down’. Iris laughed. Linda knew she would be nervous. She always was before a big test or presentation in high school. She sent her back a message thanking her for caring. She walked over to her office and greeted Barb.

“Good morning Barb. Can you follow me to my office please?”

“Good morning Mrs. West-Allen.” Barb got up, scooping the files from in front of her and followed Iris into her office, locking the door behind her.

“Thank you Barb. Now is this everything that I asked for?”

“Yes ma’am. Both letters are in there in two separate envelopes. The one with the sticky note is the termination letter. Everything else you asked for is in there.”

“Thank you, Barb.”

“My pleasure, ma’am. Scott is in his office. I’ll let him know that you’re here.”

“Thank you.”

As Barb turned to leave she reached out a comforting hand, placing it on her arm and said to Iris, “Mrs. West-Allen. Breathe. You’ll know in your heart what’s the right thing. You’ll be fine.” She closed the door behind her, leaving Iris to herself.

Iris took off her coat and hung it and her purse on the coat rack. She sat in her chair and looked at her phone again. Still no word from Barry. She wouldn’t panic. It was 8:20 am and he still had 50 minutes before he absolutely needed to be there. Iris busied herself going over the podcast schedule for the next couple of months. She was quite impressed by the subjects and chosen careers already set. She then takes out the folder with the two letters for Taylor and rereads them. She needs to make sure she’s making the right decision.

Just then there’s a knock on her office door.

“Come in!”

Taylor sticks her head in.

“Taylor! How can I help you?” Iris asks as she discreetly tries to hide the letters out of sight. She looked behind her to see if she could find Barb, but she was nowhere in sight.

“I just wanted to stop by and personally thank you for allowing me to get a behind the scenes look at what it takes to make a podcast. I’m so excited to have that opportunity today to do so.”

Just then Barb returns to her desk, perturbed to see Taylor standing there, Iris clearly uneasy.

“Excuse me? How did you get in here? Mrs. West-Allen has a lot of preparation to do before her podcast today.”

“It’s okay, Barb. It’s okay. Thank you.”

Barb gives Taylor a onceover and returns to her desk.

“Anyway, I just stopped by to say thanks for the opportunity. You’re kinda my hero.”

“Hero? Really? That’s quite the statement. What would you say qualifies me as a hero?” Iris sat forward in her seat and clasped her fingers together.

“Well I guess the fact that you started your own company and have won two Pulitzers before age 30 for starters. That’s super impressive.”

“Hmm. Impressive, yes. Heroic, not so much. All I did was keep my head down and work hard towards my goals. Doesn’t make me a hero. It makes me driven.”

She looked up and saw Scott standing at the door and waved him in.

“Well, thanks for stopping by, Taylor. We’ll see you in the control room in 20 minutes.”

“Yes you will.” Taylor walked out, turning back to eye Iris and Scott.

As she walked out, Barb stood to her feet behind her desk.

“Miss Downs. No one is allowed to enter Mrs. West-Allen’s office without my approval. You will do well to remember that in the future.”

“Pfft! Who died and made you the keeper of the gate?”

“I was hired by Mrs. West-Allen herself to do just that. Don’t try to get too familiar with doing that again. Are we clear?”

Truth be told Barb intimidated Taylor which is why she waited until she was away from her desk to approach Iris’ office.

“We’re clear.” Taylor turned and walked in the direction of the control room.

“So how are you doing today?” Scott asks a clearly nervous Iris.

“I’m nervous and nauseous and I have no idea where Barry is or if he’s even coming.”

“We’re prepared for that though. We’re ready for anything. Remember? Where’s all this coming from? You’ve been doing the podcast for a month now. How are you this nervous?”

“Because I’ve always been the one doing the interview. Not being interviewed. I’m about to spill my life story to all 14 million people in Central City and even more worldwide! I hated oral presentations in high school because I would be a nervous wreck like I am right now and the only two people in the world who could calm me down aren’t here right now and I think I’m gonna be sick!”

Iris was clearly hyperventilating. She shot out of chair and ran to the bathroom, kneeling in front of the toilet. She braced herself as she vomited this morning’s breakfast. She could hear voices talking in her office when suddenly there was a hand on her back rubbing in circles.

“Oh sweetheart! It’s okay. I’m here now.”

She looked up and saw her husband smiling down at her and she began to bawl.

“Barry! You’re here!”

“Of course I’m here, love. I told you I would be. I’m sorry I’m a little late. I had to go home and shower so I didn’t smell like a crime scene.” He helped her up and grabbed her toothbrush, toothpaste and mouthwash. He hands her her toothbrush and stands beside her, rubbing her back as she brushes her teeth. Once she’s finished he kisses the side of her head. “I’ll let you freshen up and I’ll be out here with Scott.”

She nods at him, her eyes still blurry with tears.

Barry closes the door behind and says to Scott, “She’s probably gonna need an extra five minutes. Is that possible?”

“Yeah. Of course. We’ve got a bit of time.”

Iris re-emerges as Scott closes the door.

“Hey sweetheart. Come here.” Barry says to her with his arms outstretched ready to embrace her.

Iris walked into his arms, buried her head in his chest and held him tight. Barry held her until he felt her body relax.

“Thank you for being here.”

“Of course, my love. I’m sorry I didn’t call you to tell you what I was doing. I just wanted to get here as soon as I could for you.”

“I forgive you.” She laughs.

“Oh good! We wouldn’t want more rumours spreading through here now would we?”

She shook her head.

“Are you ready to face your demons now?”

Iris looked up at her husband lovingly and smiled.

“With you by my side, anything is possible!”

He leans down and presses a soft, sweet kiss to her lips.

She took his hand and they walked in to start the podcast with five minutes to spare. Iris sat in one of the guest seats with Barry right beside her.

Taylor, who was looking on from the control room, turned to Vanya and asked, “How come Barry’s here today? I didn’t know he was going to be here. And why is Iris sitting over there and not in her usual spot?”

“It’s a special segment. Pay attention.”

Chapter Text

“Good morning Central City and welcome to another episode of Citizentopia. As always, I’m your host Iris West-Allen and I have a few special guests with me today. First I have my friend and colleague, Scott Evans. Scott and I have known each other for almost ten years. He was my mentor when I first started in this business and was one of two people who honestly believed I would win a Pulitzer for journalism.”

“Hey Central City! Nice to be here with you today.”

“The other person, who I am thrilled to introduce to you, is my life long best friend and I mean I’ve known him my entire life. My husband, Barry Allen.”

“Thanks for having me. I’m happy to be here with you all today.”

“So today, we’re introducing a new segment of the podcast. Sort of a ‘getting to know you’ type thing. We’re going to feature everyday citizens of our beautiful city and get to know them. Could be teachers, those in the medical field, the science and technology community, your local baker, etc. And I figured as the CEO and Owner of The Citizen, maybe we should start with me. Give you, my fellow citizens of Central City who have been with me since my early blogging days and those of you who have recently joined me on this journey, a chance to get to know me. Who is Iris West-Allen? What was I like growing up? How did the Citizen become what it is today? All your questions, or at least some of them, will be answered today. So since Scott was the one who gave me a chance to write as myself, I thought who better to conduct this interview than him. So, I’m going to turn things over to Scott as he’s going to be your host for today.”

Taylor couldn’t believe what she was hearing. That was her podcast idea!

“I thought this segment wasn’t supposed to start until next week?” She asked Vanya.

“It was. But Iris thought we should start with her to give everyone an idea as to what to expect. Now shh!”

As they were talking, Vanya kept an eye on Taylor to see her reaction. She could see her sinking lower and lower in her seat. She clearly was not happy with this. She barely reacted when Barry told the story of how they met or of him climbing on the stage during Iris’ ballet recital to do the routine with her when she got stage fright or the story of them falling in love.

She did sit up at the mention of Eddie’s name though.

“Eddie?”

“Do you know him?” Vanya asked.

“No. Not really.”

When Scott played the tape with Eddie’s voice, she sat up, wide eyed in disbelief. As she listened to him recount his relationship with Iris and the abuse he unleashed on her, she was in shock. She looked over to Iris and Barry, she saw Barry holding her hand, in a comforting, protective manner. She had gotten it all wrong. Oh so very wrong. She remembers the warnings she got from Iris herself and her friends about pursuing her story on Iris. She could get sued for defamation. She could lose her job. Why the hell didn’t she listen to her friends?

She listens on as she hears Iris’ depiction of escaping Eddie and her reunion with Barry. She was definitely getting fired and very possibly being sued. They were so in love and so far from getting divorced. She prayed the earth would open up and swallow her whole right now. She tuned out when Iris told her story of starting her blog and hoping to one day turn it into what it was today. She was so caught up in her thoughts she missed the entire ending of the program. At first she felt fear. Now she was angry. She’s sure she’s been betrayed by Allegra or Mateo. She started to storm out when Vanya called out to her. “Don’t go far. Iris would like to have a word with you.”

Fuck! That was it. She was done. She marched over to where Allegra and Mateo were and pulled them into the bathroom, locking the door.

“Okay. Which one of you stabbed me in the back?”

Mateo rolled his eyes at her. “Taylor, it’s too damn early for this drama. What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about my podcast idea. I was going to do my podcast on Iris and Scott just did it. He even had an interview with Eddie!”

Mateo looks over at Allegra confused. “Eddie?”

“Yeah. Apparently Eddie is Iris’ abusive ex. He was supposed to be helping me with my podcast about Iris!”

“Do you really think you would have been able to pull off doing a podcast on her without her knowing or her permission?”

“So it was you who ratted me out!” She accused Allegra.

“What? I haven’t had time to worry about your bullshit. I’ve been keeping my head down, minding my own damn business.”

“Well it must have been you then!” She turned to accuse Mateo.

“Bitch, you are out of your mind, right now. I have my own shit to deal with without having to worry about yours. Besides, we told you not to go sticking your nose where it didn’t belong.”

“Then how did this happen? Interviewing Iris was my idea!” Taylor wailed.

“We don’t know Taylor. But she’s the boss and she’s fucking brilliant. Maybe she just wanted to lead by example.”

“I mean she started The Citizen from a blog and ended up with a mega media empire and two Pulitzers. It’s not a far stretch to see she’d want to show her junior writers how it’s done.” Allegra adds, agreeing with Mateo.

“Like I said, she’s fucking brilliant! You know it should be illegal for one person to be like her. She’s smart. Gorgeous. Killer body and she’s an amazing boss. It’s like God handed out double portions of all that to her. It ain’t right.”

“Mateo you’re insane.” Allegra laughs at her friend before turning back to Taylor. “Are you gonna be okay?”

“I think I might be getting fired and possibly sued. So no. I’m not fucking okay.” She pushed past them and stormed out of the bathroom.

Mateo and Allegra looked at each other and rolled their eyes, following her back to her desk. Just then Aariz walked by informing her that Iris wanted to see her. She got up slowly, willing her reluctant legs to move. Usually she had a prideful pep in her step whenever any of the senior editors wanted to speak with her. Right now, she just wanted to run away as far as she could. As she approaches Iris’ office, Barb picks up the phone to let Iris know that she was there.

“You can go on in. Mrs. West-Allen is expecting you.”

“Thanks.” Taylor meekly replied.

As she opened the door, she saw Vanya seated and awaiting her arrival.

“You wanted to see me, Iris.”

“Hi Taylor. Please have a seat. So tell me, how was your experience in the control room?”

Taylor was taken aback. She was sure she was being fired on the spot. Maybe she wasn’t being let go and Iris just wanted feedback from her. She relaxed in her seat.

“It was good. Although I was a bit overwhelmed, it being my first time. Vanya had to keep reminding me to pay attention to the board.” She chuckles nervously.

“Was that because it was unfamiliar to you or you were surprised that your idea to interview me was being done without you.”

Taylor’s face fell. She had been caught and she knew it.

“Err. Excuse me? I don’t know what you mean!” She was nervous and it showed.

“Taylor, I know you were planning to do an exposé on me. I’ve known for a while now, actually. The thing I don’t understand is why didn’t you come to me with your idea instead of sneaking around behind my back, talking to my abusive ex and starting numerous rumours about my husband and I having affairs and cheating on each other? And don’t even begin to deny it because Barry and I heard you at the Christmas party and Vanya overheard you recently. At the Christmas party I believe you said you were sure that Barry and I would be divorced by now. And you were sure that Scott and I were having an affair because of the time we had been spending together this past week. You seem to be pretty curious and presumptuous about my personal life. I had already spoken to you about this prior but that didn’t seem to sink in.”

Her face fell as Iris listed off her transgressions. She was caught. She knew it. There was no point in denying what she had done. She could feel the sting of tears pooling in her eyes.

“So I’m fired. No second chances at The Citizen?”

Iris was taken aback by her curt response.

“You have been given chance after chance to stop prying into my life and spreading these lies. From what Vanya and I have heard ourselves, both Allegra and Mateo advised you on several occasions to drop it. Yet you persisted. Claiming to be an investigative journalist like me. Your hero. Here’s what you don’t understand. Yes. I am an investigative journalist. And yes I won’t back down if there’s a story to be told but I also have a moral code that I live by. I go after criminals. Bad people. Not innocent private citizens. What you did was reckless and could have potentially hurt a lot of innocent people and jeopardised quite a few careers, including my husband’s and Scott’s wife’s. Both of whom have worked really hard to get to where they are right now in their respective careers. We have a responsibility as journalists to seek the truth and to seek justice. You did neither. You were willing to not only spread lies but feed into sensationalism. That’s not the kind of journalism we do at The Citizen and I will not tolerate this kind of behaviour.”

Vanya’s phone buzzed in her hand. When she saw it was her husband calling she excused herself. Iris turned her attention back to Taylor.

“I’m sorry Taylor, but I’m going to have to let you go. You really do have the potential to be a great investigative journalist. I really believe that. You just have to find a moral code in which to live by if you want to pursue this type of journalism. I can’t trust someone who willingly ignores or alters the truth to fit their narrative.” She hands Taylor an envelope.

“This is a letter of termination. Please make sure you collect all your things and take them with you.”

Taylor huffed. She couldn’t believe this was happening. She was a damn good journalist. She’ll show them. They’ll all regret this.

As she was about to walk out of her office, Iris called out to her. She stopped and turned to face her, her cheeks burning in anger.

“Just an FYI, Eddie was the one who told me what you were planning to do. He suspected that was your plan when you persistently kept questioning him about me. Allegra and Mateo never approached me or Vanya about you. Like I said, Vanya and I overheard you talking to them but Eddie was the one who tipped me off.”

“It’s nice to know I still have friends here.”

“Taylor, you do have the potential to be a great journalist. Just keep your focus on the truth and justice. Neither of those two things will ever steer you wrong. I do wish you the best of luck. And listen, I’m a firm believer in second chances. Hopefully, you’ll get yours.”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

Taylor hightailed so quickly out of Iris’ office she nearly ran into Barry.

“I guess she didn’t take the news too well?”

“I’m actually surprised she didn’t slam the door!”

“You did good today. I’m so proud of you for being so brave in sharing your story. I'm sure you helped a lot of women who are in the position you were in to find the strength they need to get out of those situations. I’m sorry the Taylor thing overshadowed an otherwise successful podcast.”

“Thank you for being here with me. I really don’t know if I would have made it through today without you.”

“I will always be there for you, my love.”

He pulls her into himself, placing gentle hands on face and kisses her the way that makes her heart flutter and weak in the knees.

“Hey Iris! Oh! Umm, sorry to interrupt.”

Barry reluctantly pulls away from her.

“It’s okay Scott. Come on in.”

“Great news! Preliminary numbers show that the podcast was a hit. Highest ratings since we started and we’ve had to call in IT because our website crashed.”

“That’s incredible!”

“What? It’s only been forty minutes since we got off the air! I don’t believe this!”

“Believe it. You did good today, boss!”

“Scott, thank you for all your hard work. I really couldn’t have done this without you. Also, sorry about earlier.”

“I just asked the questions. You did the heavy lifting. I’ll see you guys later.”

Barry looked at his wife, his chest puffed up with pride. Once again she’s done it. She’s proven to everyone that she’s a damn force to be reckoned with.

Chapter Text

Iris was excited today. She was on her way to pick up Barry to go to her midwife appointment. She had been feeling great 25 weeks into her pregnancy. She was craving sex more than she ever had and thankfully Barry was more than happy to comply. With the podcast long behind her and Taylor gone from the Citizen, things had been going great. The feedback to the new podcast segment had gotten overall positive reviews. Revenue at the Citizen increased by 5% in the last month. Their friends and family knew of her pregnancy and were planning to throw her a baby shower soon. Today, they were hoping that their little one would cooperate so they could find it if she was carrying baby Nora or baby Bart.

She had sent him a text saying she was heading to her car and would be there soon. He had been busy at work this past week and had quite a few reports to get done. Iris suggested picking him up to give him the extra few minutes to finish his work. He was in the middle of a report and asked her to text him once she got to the precinct and he would meet her. So when his phone rang, he assumed she forgot he said text and picked up. Baby brain was a real thing. It hadn’t registered to him that she should have been there twenty five minutes ago.

“Hey sweetheart. I just need 3 more minutes.”

“Mr. Allen? This is Maurice. I’m the head of security at The Citizen. I’m calling about your wife, Iris West-Allen. She’s been hurt and is being transported to CC General.”

Barry’s heart stopped. His worst nightmare was now a reality. This was the call he never wanted to get and yet he just did. The usually noisy precinct was now eerily quiet. It looked like everyone was at a standstill. There was a loud ringing in his ears that he couldn’t get to stop.

“I have to go! It’s my wife! I have to go!” He walked away from the officer he was speaking with and ran in the elevator Joe had just gotten off. Barry didn’t even register his face. All he knew was Iris was hurt somehow and was on her way to the hospital. What about their baby? He had no clue if the baby was fine. If Iris was fine. He grips the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles white as he manoeuvres through midday traffic. He finds a parking spot, throws the car in park and makes a beeline to the emergency waiting room. He runs up to the first nurse he sees.

“Hi. My wife Iris West-Allen was brought in here earlier. Can you tell me where she is please?”

“What was the name again?”

“Iris West-Allen. She’s pregnant. I need to find my wife. I need to know if she and our baby are okay. Please!”

“Barry? What are you doing here?”

Barry spins around and is relieved to see Dr. Wells standing before him.

“Dr. Wells? Iris. I got a call saying she was hurt somehow and was being brought here. I need to know if she and our baby are okay.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

Dr. Well walked over to the nurse’s station and spoke with the head nurse. She looks up at Barry and says to him, “Follow me sir.”

“Your wife was just brought back from observation. She’s resting right now but you can stay with her.”

“And how’s the baby? Is the baby okay?”

“I’m not sure but the doctor will be in to update you shortly.”

As soon as she opens the door to Iris’ room Barry rushes over to her side and stops short as he sees her face. She has a cut above her eye and bruises on one side of her face, her lips were swollen and her left arm was in a cast. Her left foot was elevated in a sling. He gently approached her and softly kissed her lips. He placed a gentle hand on her stomach and prayed that their little one was unharmed.

“Oh my god. What happened to her?” He heard Dr. Wells ask behind him. “Eddie?”

“What? No! Eddie’s never getting out of prison. But I don’t think he’d do this. He apologized to me, Iris and Joe for what he did to her and he seemed sincere. Besides we don’t know if she was attacked or if it’s something else. Her head of security just said she’d been hurt and was being taken here.”

“How far along is she? 16 weeks?”

“25 actually. Baby is the size of a rutabaga. She was on her way over to pick me up from the precinct so that we could go to her midwife appointment.”

As if on cue, his phone rings. “It’s our midwife. Excuse me.”

“Hi Marlize. Yeah I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to call. Iris was hurt in the parking lot at work and we’re at the hospital right now. I have no idea. She’s resting right now and I haven’t spoken with her doctor yet. I’ll let you know as soon as I hear anything.”

Harrison had been looking at Barry as he spoke on the phone. He can tell he was worried. When it came to Iris, Barry was always worried.

“Barry, is there anything I can do for you?”

“Umm. No, I don't think so. I mean, I’m just waiting for the doctor to let me know what happened to Iris.”

“I’ll give you a moment alone with her, okay? I’ll go get us some coffee.”

Barry pulls up the chair right next to Iris’ bed and bows his head, lightly gripping her hand. For the first time since he got the call, Barry was able to stop and take in everything that happened. He allows the tears that were standing at bay to flow freely.

“Iris, I’m not sure if you can hear me or not but I need you to stay with me. Please, baby. I need you. I don't want to go through life without you.”

“Mr. Allen? Hi. I’m sorry to disturb you. I’m Dr. Johnson, your wife’s doctor.”

“How is she? Is the baby okay?”

“They’re both fine. Your wife has a mild concussion and some bruising. She also sprained her ankle but other than that, she’ll be fine. Seems like your wife tripped on her feet and fell. She may want to consider switching to flat shoes from now on. Or at least for the remainder of her pregnancy. We gave her a mild sedative to help her rest. We would like to keep her overnight for observation and if all looks well, she can go home tomorrow.”

“And you’re sure the baby is fine?”

“Yes. Our head of obstetrics came and examined her. Said the baby was fine.”

“I’d like to talk to that doctor myself if that’s okay with you.”

“Of course. I’ll see to it that she comes to see you.”

Something about what the doctor said didn’t sit right with Barry. Iris wore heels all the time and had never fallen before. In fact, she’s been wearing heels for as long as he could remember. Sure she was pregnant but she was still as graceful as she had always been. Is it possible that things happened the way the doctor described? Sure. But he still had his doubts.

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts he didn’t hear Joe come in.

“Oh my god, Iris!”

“Joe! When did you get here?”

“Just now, no thanks to you!”

“Wha…what does that mean?”

“I’m talking about the fact that this is the second time my child has been injured and you’ve neglected to tell me right away! Harrison shouldn’t have called me. You should have, Barry!”

“I’m sorry Joe. I wasn’t trying to exclude you from anything. Everything just happened so fast.”

“That’s no excuse, Barry. I gave her life. I have a right to know when something bad happens to her!”

“You may have given her life but Iris is MY LIFE! She’s MY WIFE! She’s carrying MY CHILD. I’m sorry you weren’t the first thing that came to mind!”

“Alright you two! That’s enough!” Dr. Wells hissed at them quietly. “Joe I didn’t call you to tell you what happened for you to come here to rag on Barry. He’s dealing with enough already. He obviously didn’t mean to exclude you. Put yourself in his shoes.”

Joe imagines how he would have reacted if it were Francine pregnant with Iris. He’d react the same way.

“You’re right! I’m sorry. It’s just terrifying to hear your kid’s in the hospital. I’m sorry Barr.” Joe places a comforting hand on Barry’s shoulder.

“It’s okay Joe.”

“What happened? How is she? How’s the baby?”

“No idea what happened. I just got a call from the Citizen’s head of security saying she was injured and brought here. The doctor said she’s got a mild concussion and bruising. Also a sprained ankle. He thinks she may have tripped on her feet because of her high heels. Both Iris and the baby are fine. They gave her a mild sedative for her to rest. They’d like to keep her overnight for observation and if everything looks good, she can come home.”

“That doesn’t sound like Iris. She’s been wearing heels since she could walk. Francine made sure she could gracefully walk in them. Even run if she had to.”

“I know but pregnancy can throw off your centre of gravity so it could be possible. But I think you’re right, Joe. Didn’t sound plausible to me either. I hate to say this but maybe we should look around the parking lot at the Citizen. Just in case.”

“Okay. I’m going to go check around her vehicle to see if anything looks out of place. Keep me updated on Iris’ progress please.”

Joe embraced his son-in-law.

“If you need anything, call me.”

“You just focus on Iris and my grand baby.”

“Barry, I hate to leave you like this but I’ve got another patient I’ve got to attend to.”

“Dr. Wells, no. It’s okay. Go. You were able to get me here. I appreciate all your help again.”

Barry hugged him tight. Dr. Wells had been there for him more times than he could count. He always took the time for Barry and it meant a lot to him.

“I’m so sorry, kid. But listen, your girl’s a fighter. She’ll pull through. Let me know how things go, okay. Remember, you can call me if you need anything.”

Harrison Wells had always seen Barry as his own son. His heart hurt for him at this moment. He had been through so much in his life. Especially with Iris. Why couldn’t life just be fair to him? Barry was a good man, through and through and yet life had dealt him pain over and over again. And yet somehow, it hadn’t hardened him. Harrison attributes that to Iris. She was always able to ground Barry in a way that fascinated him. Those two were meant for each other. He could see that when they were just toddlers. They were always looking out for each other. He says a silent prayer that everything works out for them because no two people deserved it more.

“Thank you, Dr. Wells. I will.”

Barry turned back and walked over to Iris. He looks at her and smiles. She was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on. He gently caresses her face. He sits down and holds her hand, lightly kissing her fingers. He takes her hand and places it over her stomach, holding it there. He leans over and begins to talk to her belly.

“Hey little one. It’s Daddy. I hope you’re doing okay there. Your Mama got a little hurt today. I hope you didn’t and you’re doing okay. Keep growing nice and healthy. That’s all we ask. We don’t even care anymore if you’re a Nora or a Bart. As long as you’re healthy. Just know that your Daddy and Mama both love you so very much.”

He stood up and peppered kisses on her belly. He sat back down and saw her belly move. He breathed a small sigh of relief. He looked up at Iris and laughed with tears in his eyes.

“Our little one is okay Iris. We just need you to be okay too. Please be okay. We need you.”

He held her hand to his face as tears streamed down his face.

“That was the single sweetest thing I’ve ever witnessed.” A voice behind Barry spoke up.

Barry turns to see a familiar face.

“Dr. Snow? What are you doing here?”

“It’s Dr. Raymond now.” She said holding up her left hand. “I’m the doctor you asked to see.”

“How is the baby? I mean I just saw some movement there but does that mean the baby’s really okay?”

“It does. Movement is always a good thing especially after a trauma like a fall. Iris does have a bit of bruising on her belly but because the baby is surrounded by amniotic fluid, it felt nothing. Good news is that Iris will be okay and so will your baby.”

“Oh thank God!”

“I’ll come back and check on Iris tomorrow before she’s discharged but know that I’m not concerned about the baby’s development. Everything looks good.”

“Thank you.”

Chapter Text

While Iris slept, Barry texted their friend group and Joe with an update.

Cisco and Cynthia offered to stop by their condo to take Hank for the night and to get a change of clothes for them both, knowing that Barry would not want to leave Iris’ side, even for a minute. He was grateful to them both and agreed. He called the head of security at their building to let them know what would be happening.

Patty texted him to say that she and Matthew would stop by to say hello at the end of his shift in an hour.

Linda texted Barry to let him know that she and Scott had things handled at the Citizen and to tell Iris not to rush back. She would stop by the condo once Iris got settled.

Oliver and Felicity told him that they were thinking of them and they’ll stop by once Iris was discharged and to call them if they needed anything.

Barry called Marlize to update her on Iris and the baby and rescheduled their appointment for the following week but Marlize would come to them instead.

Once everyone was informed about what happened, Barry shut the door to the room and sat down. He was exhausted. He leaned forward, placed one arm on his wife's belly, lowered his head on the side of the bed and shut his eyes. He woke up an hour later to Iris smiling at him and gently playing with this hair.

“Sweetheart! You’re awake.”

“Hi. I’ve been up for a little while.”

“Watching me sleep like a creeper huh?” He sat up and gave her a smug smile before leaning over to kiss her.

“Yep.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Sore. Left side of my body hurts like a bitch!”

“I bet. I better call your dad before he bites my head off again. And Patty and Matthew should be stopping by soon.”

“Just wait to call Dad. Patty and Matthew are already here.” Barry looks back as Iris waves them in.

“Oh my god, Iris. How are you feeling?”

“Sore but happy to be alive.”

“What happened?”

“Well according to the doctor, she tripped on her own feet and he strongly suggests she switches her heels for flats until after the baby is born.”

“What? That’s not at all what happened. I didn’t trip and fall. Someone hit me.”

“What? What do you mean someone hit you?” Barry’s heart began beating faster than it should. He knew deep down that Iris didn’t trip but to find out she was actually attacked? That was worse. Way worse!

“What happened Iris?” Patty took out her notepad and began jotting down Iris’ statement.

“I was heading to my car to pick up Barry for my midwife appointment. Just as I get to my door, someone behind me asks if I’m Iris West-Allen. I said yes and turned around to see who I was talking to and got punched in the side of my face. I didn’t get a good look at his face. My ears started ringing and then he grabbed me and tried to get me in a headlock. I bit him hard. I noticed he had a tattoo on his hand. The back of his right hand. It was the justice scale with one side weighed down by skulls. He punched my side a couple times before I let go. I tried to step on his foot with my heel but he was wearing steel toed shoes which is how I twisted my ankle. I managed to elbow him in the face before he grabbed my arm and twisted it behind my back and then slammed me against my car. I heard my arm snap as I fell. Then everything went black.”

“How tall would you say he was?”

“Maybe 6’1 or 6’2. Oliver’s build and size. And he smelled like weed with a hint of cinnamon. That’s all I can remember.”

“That’s okay. This was all really helpful. I’m just glad you’re okay. How’s the baby?”

Iris looked over to Barry for an answer. She hadn’t talked to anyone from her medical team yet. He was still dumbfounded by what he had just heard.

“Barr? Babe?”

“Hmm. Yeah?”

“How’s the baby?” Iris places a protective hand over her belly.

“Baby’s good. The doctor wasn’t concerned at all since there was movement earlier so everything is fine.”

Iris sighed in relief and began to cry uncontrollably. She kept thinking over and over during her fight to be sure to protect her belly. If nothing else, she had to protect her baby.

Barry rushed to her, holding one hand and cupping her face with the other.

Patty and Matthew silently slinked away, giving them the space they needed.

“Iris, it’s okay. The doctor said the baby was fine. Our baby is okay.”

“I was so scared Barr. I was so scared that something was going to happen to our baby. I fought so hard to protect my belly. I did my best to protect the baby but I was so scared that something would happen and we’d lose her. I was so afraid of losing our baby.”

Barry’s heart broke as he listened to his wife’s cries. He brings his forehead close to hers and kisses her bruised lips. Their tears mingled with each other. Iris‘ body shook as she tried to control her sobbing.

“You did protect our baby. I promise. You did good, my love. You really did. Baby’s still here and kicking. I’m so proud of you, Mama Bear.”

Just as he said that, Iris felt a strong kick.

“Ow! She just kicked me. Hard!”

Barry laughs, wiping tears from his eyes. “See? Nothing to worry about.”

“Ow! She kicked me again!”

He reached over to delicately rub her stomach.

“Hey little one. Be nice to your Mama please. She’s had a bit of a rough morning.”

She felt another kick. This last one was not as strong as the first two.

“Well she listened. That last one wasn’t so bad.”

“Good! I feel like I should get a kiss for making her listen, no?”

“You can get a kiss just for being you.”

Barry smiled and kissed her. “Hey, want to hear something cool? I ran into Dr. Wells and Dr. Snow today. Although Dr. Snow is now Dr. Raymond. I guess she got married recently since she made it a point to correct me.”

“Okay, Dr. Wells I know but who is Dr. Snow again? Or Dr. Raymond?”

“She helped Dr. Wells with your CT scan after I found you at my cabin. She’s the head of obstetrics here and examined you. Well the baby. She’ll be by in the morning to examine you again before you leave.”

“Oh good. How’s Dr. Wells?”

“I didn’t get a chance to talk to him for very long. He did help get me to you. I’ll have to call him with an update on how you’re doing.”

Iris grew quiet, deep in thought, so much she didn’t hear Barry asking her if she was hungry.

“Hey. Are you okay?”

“Huh? Yeah. I’m fine.”

“No you’re not. What’s going on?”

“I was just thinking about what happened today. We don’t know who it was that came after me or why? He called me by my name. It has to be someone who knows me.”

“Who are you thinking it could be?”

“That’s just it. I don’t know. It could be any of the people I helped put away in the last 4 years. I’m sure I’ve pissed off a lot of people.”

“What about an ex boyfriend or former employee? Do you think that’s possible?”

“Eddie? No. I really believe he’s turned over a new leaf. And Taylor? I mean. I don’t think so. Sure she was upset that I fired her. Anyone would be. But I also told her that I believed she would be a really great journalist if she focused on truth and justice. I think she took it to heart. I don’t think she would do that.”

“Okay. Well let’s not worry about that right now. Patty, your dad, Oliver and Felicity will be looking into whoever this guy could be. In the meantime, what would you like to eat? Cisco and Cynthia are bringing us a change of clothes. I could ask them to grab us a bite too.”

Barry texted Cisco with their lunch order and sat with Iris, holding her hand.

“How are you doing, babe? I can’t imagine getting a call like that about me was easy for you.”

Barry sighs. “No it wasn’t but it was less worrisome thinking you were a klutz and not a target.”

“Barry Allen, you should know by now that I am as graceful as a swan in high heels.”

That draws a small laugh from him. She squeezed his hand forcing him to look at her.

“Nice to see you laugh instead of worrying.”

“I’ll always worry about you. You’re my incredibly brave wife who has written brilliant articles about very dangerous people who may want revenge. And I worry even more because you being pregnant didn’t seem to deter them.”

“I know. I’m scared too. But you know what? You and I have been through so much, we’ll get through this too. Together.”

“I know we will. Unfortunately you’ll be out of commission for a bit until you’re fully healed. Linda said she and Scott have everything under control at The Citizen so no need to worry there. All I want you to do is get better and let me take care of you.”

“Kiss me!”

Barry’s kiss was soft and delicate. He didn’t want to hurt her. But Iris wanted her husband to kiss her like his life depended on it and parted his lips with her tongue. He welcomed her intrusion and deepened the kiss even more when she snaked her hand around the back of his head and scraped her nails against his scalp.

“Oh my god! Can’t you guys keep your hands off each other for a minute? We’re in a hospital, for crying out loud! It’s like high school all over again!”

Barry and Iris pulled away, smiling at each other and turning towards the voice.

“Hey Cisco! Hi Cynthia!”

“Hey guys! We can’t stay long because we’ve got Hank in the car. Just wanted to drop off pjs, a change of clothes for tomorrow and your toiletry bags. We also grabbed a few snacks for you as well. Do you have someone covering dinner?”

“I’m sure we can get my dad to do that. Thank you guys so much!”

“How are you? Baby okay?”

“I’m good. Mild concussion, broken wrist and sprained ankle. Baby’s fine.”

“That’s your definition of good, West?”

“Come on Cisco! You know I’m a tough cookie. Hard to keep me down!”

“That I do know, my friend. I’m just glad you’re both okay. Anyway, we better go. We’ll be in touch tomorrow to drop Hank off.”

“Thanks man. I’ll call you later.”

After lunch, Barry talked Iris into having a nap. She protested saying she didn’t need a nap but soon felt the pull of sleep overtake her. Her body had been through a trauma and needed the rest to fully recover so she relented. While she slept Barry updated Joe, Oliver and Felicity on the situation surrounding Iris’ accident. Knowing that it wasn’t an innocent fall made the situation more dire.

Oliver and Felicity immediately sprang into action. Oliver increased security in the parking garage at The Citizen while Felicity and Joe combed over the security tapes. Oliver wanted to assign a bodyguard to Iris but Barry didn’t think she would approve that. He was assured they’d leave no stone unturned.

Nurses came in to check on Iris periodically. Her having a previous concussion made them concerned and on the lookout for severe symptoms but she hadn’t shown any signs of long term damage. Still they wanted to monitor her overnight just to be sure.

Barry tried his best to stay positive and upbeat for his wife but Iris knew this attack on her was really bothering him. Her safety was of utmost importance to him. Things had been going well since they found out Iris was pregnant. She wasn’t chasing the same type of stories as before. She stepped back and allowed her junior writers to flourish and they did. After the podcast, their lives had been quiet and they both enjoyed the change in pace.

They had begun planning the nursery. The walls had been painted and furniture was purchased. Iris had begun to accumulate a decent size library for the nursery. Every time she went to the bookstore, she came back with a favourite book that she would one day read to their kid. She had researched the best baby items too. She knew what natural baby wash, diapers and diaper cream had the best reviews. They tested every car seat and stroller combo they could find. They were blissfully settling into life as soon to be parents.

But now to have this attack on her out of the blue put him back on edge. He’d become too lax. He lost focus and became negligent regarding her safety. He’s thankful she was able to fight back but she shouldn’t have to. She should be like every other pregnant woman out there. Enjoying every minute of her pregnancy. Discovering new ways her body was changing to accommodate the new life growing inside of her. Not constantly looking over her shoulders in fear of being attacked. He wouldn’t let her see him worry because he knew she would worry too. Barry would have to depend on his friends and father-in-law and hope they found whoever it was that attacked her soon.

Chapter Text

That night Iris begged Barry to join her on the bed saying she couldn’t rest knowing that he would be sleeping in that uncomfortable chair. It really wasn’t that uncomfortable but he obliged. Truth be told he longed to wrap his arms around her and hold her close since he got the call. As he settled into the hospital bed beside her, Iris seemed to relax right away. She let out a happy sigh and before he knew it, she was sound asleep. He lay awake a bit longer listening to her breathing, feeling their baby move beneath his hand. He closed his eyes and silently prayed that they would both remain safe.

Iris was restless that night. But every time he got up to move, she would pull him closer. He finally gave up the idea of leaving her and stayed close to her body. They’ll sleep better in their own bed tomorrow night. At one point, Iris cried out in her sleep. It seemed she was dreaming about her attack. He kissed her forehead and lightly rubbed her arms.

“I’m right here my love. You’re safe.”

She mumbled she loved him and fell back asleep until morning.

When the morning shift nurses came in, Barry was dressed and ready to take his wife home. They still had to wait for the doctor to sign off on her discharge as well as to see Dr. Raymond one last time for her to check on their little one.

“Barr, I think I want to find out if we’re having a boy or a girl. I can’t keep saying ‘her’ without knowing.”

“Oh good! Me too!”

“Yeah? Do you think the doctor will tell us?”

“I’m sure she will if we ask.”

And as if she read their minds, Dr. Raymond knocked on the door.

“Well good morning! Nice to see you up and about, Iris. Hello again, Barry.”

“Hi Dr. Raymond. Nice to see you.”

“How was your night?”

“As well as can be expected in a hospital bed.”

“Of course. Well shall we take a look and see how your little one’s doing today?”

“Yes please!” Iris exclaimed as she hobbled back into bed, laid back and lifted her hospital gown. “Is it possible for you to let us know the sex as well?”

“If you’re interested in finding out, of course!”

Barry slid beside Iris and held her hand. Even though they were told yesterday that everything was okay, they needed to see and hear for themselves. As the wand moved over her, Dr. Raymond described what they were looking at. They saw two arms, two legs, and a strong spine. At one point, it looked like their little one was waving at them.

“Everything looks good. Brain development looks healthy, beautiful spine and limbs. Organs look great. This little one has got some great genes and it’s showing. Let’s have a listen to the heartbeat to confirm but so far, I’m very happy with what I’m seeing.”

Barry and Iris breathed a collective sigh of relief. They were even more assured when they heard the baby’s heartbeat. It was the most beautiful sound Iris had ever heard. Relief washed over her, knowing that she was able to keep their baby safe. She looked over at her husband who was doing his best to stay strong but he was clearly failing. He held her hand to his cheek and kissed it.

“Heart sounds great. Very strong. You guys have nothing to worry about. She’s growing perfectly.”

“She?”

“Yes. You’re having a girl. Congratulations.” Dr. Raymond wiped Iris’ stomach clean and gathered her things and left.

Barry looked at his wife and smiled wider than he ever had. “We’re having a girl. A healthy baby girl.”

“You get your girl!” Iris replies, cupping his face.

Barry laughed and leaned over to kiss his wife.

“I already got my girl, Iris West-Allen. I’m just blessed to be having another.”

This was the most perfect moment she could ever imagine.

“Aww! I love you.”

“I love you.”

“So Nora Francine West-Allen? It has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?”

“Yes it does, my love.” He smiles again at her. At this point, Iris knows could ask Barry to bring the Kahndaq Dynasty diamond for her, he probably would find a way to steal it and bring it to her. He was deliriously happy at the thought of them having a girl.

Dr. Johnson came in and gave her the all clear to go home, which she was grateful for. Her ankle, just slightly sprained, still hurt so he advised her to stay off of it for a week. Luckily Joe kept the crutches Iris had when she broke her foot during her junior year cheerleading tryouts. Barry helped her get dressed and off home they went.

The week after her attack went by quickly for Iris. Her midwife came over the day after she was discharged and confirmed that all was well with their baby. Cisco and Gypsy brought Hank and dinner for them. Linda stopped by a couple days after to update her on the Citizen. She was surprised Iris hadn’t been keeping in touch with Scott but Barry suggested she take the time to heal and if she was being honest, it was nice to take the time away and not have to worry about anything at work. She had hired the best people who kept her first baby running smoothly if she had to take a step back now and again. This unfortunate circumstance was a good indication of how things would run when she gave birth. She and Barry wanted to be able to have a few months after Nora was born to adjust to their new lives. She was lucky to be able to do so.

Barry relished the week after Iris was discharged and took full advantage of the fact that he once again had her all to himself to take care of. He made sure she ate well and rested. Iris got more back rubs than was humanly possible but she didn’t complain. Her sprained ankle didn’t take long to heal and by the fourth day of rest, she was able to walk without pain.

“Does this mean that you don’t need me to carry you upstairs anymore?” Barry asked her sadly.

“Yeah, I’m sorry babe. But I still need help with my hair until I get this cast off.”

“I can do that!” He smiles at her. “So I made a batch of brownies. Can I interest you in a piece?”

“Yes please! With a couple slices of pineapple please?”

He looked at her with a disgusted look on his face. “Now that’s a weird combo!”

“Baby’s asking for it. Aren’t you Nora?” She felt a small kick. “She just kicked yes.”

Barry hands her a plate with her weird concoction and sits down beside her.

“So how are you doing sweetheart? Are you ready to head back to the office?”

“Honestly, no. I’m still terrified that whoever it is that came after me is still out there. I know that my dad, Patty and Felicity have been working non stop to find this person but a small part of me is still scared he’ll come back again.”

“Maybe you should reconsider Oliver’s offer of personal security then.”

“I don’t know. That seems a bit over the top, no?”

“He just wants you to be safe. To feel safe. We all do. But it’s ultimately up to you.” His phone begins to ring in his pocket. He fishes it out and looks at the name. “Hey Patty. What’s up?”

“Hey Barry. We caught him. We arrested the guy who attacked Iris.”

“What? You did?”

“Yeah. We were able to identify him by his tattoo. We’re bringing him in for questioning right now.”

“That’s great, Patty. Thank you. I’ll let Iris know.”

He hung up and leaned over to kiss Iris. “They arrested the guy who attacked you. They were able to ID him by the tattoo you described.”

“Yeah?” Iris blew a sigh of relief. “Oh thank God! That’s great, right?”

“Yeah it is!”

She placed her hand on her belly. “Did you hear that? We’re going to be okay, Nora. They got the guy who tried to hurt us.”

Barry slid over and covered her hand with his. “Yeah you are.”

“So Cecil came by my office today to inform me that the DA’s office is charging Eddie in your assault case. He’s being charged with assault against you.”

“What?”

“Come again?”

Joe had just walked into Barry and Iris’ home and dropped that nice little bombshell before breakfast.

“How is that even possible? He's got a life sentence without the chance of parole. And he isn't that tall. Plus, I know Eddie’s voice. It definitely wasn’t him that attacked me.”

“Well apparently the man who did, Adam Fells, was once his cellmate. He’s claiming that Eddie still harbours resentment towards you and hired him to attack you. He said that his apologies were just a way to get us to lower our defences.”

“I don’t believe that. Not for a second. He may have been a cold hearted ass towards me at the end of our relationship but the guy who apologised is the Eddie I knew before everything went to shit.”

“Sweetheart, how can you be so sure? Yes he was nice in the beginning but he turned on you. What if that’s been the real Eddie all along?”

“No, Barry. I…I just don’t buy that. I have to go see him. Look him in the eyes myself.”

“Like hell you will!”

Iris looked at her husband, his firm denial of her want surprising her. He’s never once outright told her she couldn’t do something.

“Why not?”

“Because if it’s true, I don't want you anywhere near him.”

“He’s in prison, Barry. There are guards everywhere. He won’t hurt me.”

“Damn it Iris! This is not up for discussion.”

“Since when are you telling me what I can and cannot do?”

“Iris. Sweetheart. I just need you to stop and think for a second here. Eddie doesn’t know that you’re pregnant. If he does still harbour resentment towards you and really wants to hurt you, seeing you pregnant will give him even more motivation to do so. I’m sorry but I have to put my foot down on this. This isn’t just about your safety anymore. It’s about our unborn baby’s as well.”

Iris knows he’s right. Of course he’s right. She promised him she wouldn’t put herself in any more dangerous situations when she became pregnant. Still she didn’t believe that Eddie would do such a thing. He had been going to therapy. She checked. His apologies seemed so sincere as well. Her dad even thought so too. Iris just knew if she could look at him she’d be able to tell if he was lying or not.

“Fine. I still think I would be able to tell if he were lying or not. I know him better than anyone else.”

“I get that my love. But you were hurt and in the hospital. I’m not taking that chance again. Especially now that the stakes are high.” He reached over to caress her belly. “I’ll go. I took a course in college about being able to tell if someone is lying or not by reading their body language and other stuff. It’s come in handy a few times.”

“Is that why you always beat me in poker?”

“Joe, you have no poker face.”

“It’s true Dad. You don’t. Your face is practically a billboard for your emotions when you play.” She turned back to her husband. “Okay. But please try to keep an open mind. I know you hate him for what he did but I truly think he’s changed.”

“I will. I promise.”

Chapter Text

Barry spent the morning making love to his wife. Her hormones were raging today. He had planned on going into work to get a few things done before heading to Iron Heights to see Eddie but Iris wouldn’t let up. She couldn’t get enough of him. This was the first day where she wasn’t in any pain since her attack and it seemed like she was making up for lost time. She still had a cast on her left arm but her bruises had all healed and she was back to her normal sexy self. He didn’t mind at all. They both had a healthy sexual appetite and he loved that pregnancy hasn’t slowed Iris down. Plus he found her pregnant body so irresistibly sexy.

He was also glad for the stress relief. He was going to see Eddie this afternoon about the attack on Iris. He was being charged by the DA and he needed to know if Eddie was involved or not. He wasn’t sure if he would be able to believe him but he would hear him out.

Barry was anxious on the drive over to Iron Heights. Before he left, Iris assured him that he would be okay. She still believed that Eddie had nothing to do with her recent attack but she trusted Barry and his judgement. He did promise her he’d keep an open mind and that’s what he’s going to do.

He had to take a deep breath when Eddie sat down to settle his emotions.

“Hey Barry. How is Iris? Is she okay? I heard she was attacked and now the DA’s trying to pin this on me. I swear I had nothing to do with that.”

Barry stared at Eddie not sure if he should believe his concern for Iris or not.

“Iris is fine.”

Eddie blew a sigh of relief, running his chained hands over his face.

“Oh thank God. You have to believe me when I say, I would never again hurt Iris. I’ve hurt her enough in the past. That old me is gone. I told you that I’ve been going to therapy and when I apologised to you, Iris and Joe, I meant it. I swear on my mother’s grave.”

“Then why the fuck is Adam Falls saying that you asked him to do this?”

“I don’t know. I swear to you I don’t. He was my cellmate a year ago for maybe 2 or 3 months. I hardly know the guy. I certainly don’t know him well enough to open up to him about my deepest darkest secrets or past relationships. And the only person I told about what happened in my relationship with Iris here is my therapist until the podcast came out.”

“I’ll have Joe look into him. But I promise you, if I find out that you did have something to do with Iris getting hurt again, no prison, no guards, nothing will stop me from getting to you.”

“I’d expect nothing else, Barry. I’m not proud of the way I treated Iris. I know you may find it hard to believe but I was a decent person at one point in my life. I was once a cop for goodness sake. A good cop too. My mother, before she died, asked me to look inside myself to find that part of me again. At the time of my incarceration, she was the only good in my life and it took her death to make me realise that I needed to really take responsibility for what I had done. She didn’t raise me to be violent and I’m ashamed that she died knowing that version of me. When my mother found out she was pregnant with me, she left my father. They were together for 3 years and he was physically and emotionally abusive to her. She vowed she wouldn’t raise me in that environment. My uncle, Eobard, helped her escape him and get back on her feet.”

Barry remembers Eddie’s mom approaching Iris at his sentencing and thanking her for not killing him but said she would have if it were her. He always thought it was a weird thing to say to Iris, especially about her son but now it made perfect sense.

“I started therapy here shortly after she died. I’m sorry that it took so long for me to apologise to you, Iris and her dad but you have to believe me when I say I would never hurt Iris again. I swear it.”

“You’d better not be lying to me Eddie or so help me God, I will fucking end you.”

Barry stared at Eddie again before he got up and left. Eddie never broke eye contact with him. He just shook his head, acknowledging that he heard Barry loud and clear.

Barry heads back to CCPD to finish a couple reports he needed to review and sign off on. His junior CSIs were great in picking up the slack when he suddenly had to leave to see Iris at the hospital.

He made his way up to his lab, took off his coat and sat down to text Iris. Before he had a chance to do so, he got called into Joe’s office.

“Hey Joe, you wanted to see me? Oh hey Cecile.”

“Hey Barry. Come in and close the door.”

Joe didn’t sound too happy but it could just be because Cecile’s presence reminded him of their failed relationship. Barry still didn’t know exactly what happened between them for things to suddenly end. They seemed to be so in love over Christmas and then in the blink of an eye, it was over. He tried talking to Joe about it but he pretty much told him to buzz off and mind his business.

“Okay. What’s going on?”

He took a seat in one of the chairs in front of Joe’s desk.

Cecile spoke up. “Mr. Allen, I was just informed by Warden Wolfe that you paid a visit to Eddie Thawne at Iron Heights.” She stood with her arms crossed in front of her, staring at him.

Barry was surprised by that. He just left Iron Heights 45 minutes ago.

“Mr. Allen? Is that true?” She snapped her finger to get his attention.

“Umm, yes that’s true. Is there a problem with that?”

“Well I don’t think it’s wise of you to fraternise with the man who has a history of attacking your wife, now is it? This could jeopardise the case against him and shed doubt on Iris’ claim she was randomly attacked.”

Barry couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“I wasn’t fraternising with Eddie. I just wanted to know for myself if he is indeed responsible for the attack on Iris. And my wife isn’t making this up.” He replied defensively.

“And what? You think he’s just going to tell you the truth?”

Barry couldn’t understand why Cecile was being sarcastic and rude. She rolled her eyes and placed her hand on her hip, waiting for his answer.

“Iris doesn’t believe he would hurt her. She wanted to go ask him herself but I went instead. I had to.”

“No offence, but your wife believing he wouldn’t hurt her is not credible. She was in a relationship with him for 8 years. She may still be harbouring feelings of affection towards him for all you know.”

“Cecile!” Joe interjects.

Barry stood to his feet. He was angry. Nope. Not angry. He was livid.

“Excuse me? You are way out of line here. I know my wife and she’s not harbouring any feelings of affection for the man who almost fucking killed her. Maybe you should familiarise yourself with her case before you make these baseless, asinine accusations.”

“Mr. Allen, I meant no offence here but perhaps you’re too close to this situation to see the truth.”

“You have no idea what the hell you’re talking about here. None!” Barry raises his voice and turns to leave. “I don’t know what your problem with Iris is but trust me, you have it all wrong. I’ll see you later Joe.”

Barry walked out of Joe’s office, slamming the door behind him. Everyone just stared at him. He was always cool and level headed, never raising his voice at anyone so this was out of character for him. He didn’t care. When it came to Iris, his emotions would always be on full display. He quickly made his way back up to his lab.

Joe sat in his chair looking at Cecile in disbelief. “What the hell do you have against my daughter? How could you even say such a thing about her to her husband?”

“I’m just calling it like I see it from the outside. I’m sorry that it rubs you and Barry the wrong way to hear the truth about your precious Iris.”

She turned on her heels and walked out of CCPD.

Barry was seething when he got back to his lab. He couldn’t stand the thought of anyone speaking ill of his wife, especially when they didn’t know her. He opened a file on his desk and tried to focus. He was too pissed to concentrate on work right now and tossed it aside. He had to get out of there and blow off some steam before heading home. He’s too angry and his emotions are too raw right now. He didn’t want to add any stress to Iris right now. She doesn’t deserve this version of him.

As if he was psychic, Oliver sent him a text asking him to join him for a beer at O’Shaughnessy’s in Keystone. He sent Iris a quick text to let her know that’s where he was heading and that he would be home afterwards.

Joe meets him at the bottom of the stairs on his way out.

“Hey Barr. Was just coming to check on you. I’m sorry about Cecile. I had no idea she would say that.”

“I’m fine Joe. I’m heading out to meet up with Oliver right now. I can’t go home just yet.”

“I get it son.”

“Please don’t say anything to Iris about this yet. Let me deal with it.”

“Of course. Not a word. You take care, Barry.”

“You look like someone pissed in your cereal.”

Oliver says, greeting Barry as he walks in and orders him a beer.

“What’s going on? Everything okay with Iris?”

“Iris is great. She’s feeling much better. Bruises are all healed and she and the baby are doing well. It’s everything else that’s fucked.”

Barry explains Iris’ case to him about Eddie being charged with her assault, his visit to Iron Heights to see him and Cecile’s reaction to his visit.

“Do you believe Eddie’s telling the truth?”

“Yeah. I do. Honestly, I didn’t want to because I hate him for what he did to Iris but I also don’t think someone who’s innocent should have to pay for a crime they didn’t commit.”

“But the DA believes he’s guilty and thinks Iris still has feelings for that guy?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you pissed because a part of you believes that could be true?”

“Are you fucking kidding me right now Oliver? Absolutely not. I know my wife like I know the back of my hand. Iris has no feelings of love or otherwise towards Eddie. I’m pissed because Cecile seems to have it out for Iris. I have a feeling she blames Iris for her and Joe’s breakup.”

“Say what now?”

“She and Joe had a thing over Christmas for a couple of weeks. He brought her over Christmas Day without telling us and Iris was upset because she had planned on telling him she was pregnant but she obviously couldn’t. So she was a bit off on Christmas Day but Iris apologised to her. And then things went downhill when Iris asked us to go see Eddie because he wanted to apologise to Joe and me and Cecile threw a fit. Told Joe he shouldn’t go. She and Iris almost got into it in Joe’s office. I took Iris home and after that Cecile and Joe were done. But he wouldn’t tell me exactly what went down between them but it must have been something big because Joe was really into her.”

“Shit! I could see why it would seem that she somehow blames Iris for that.”

“Yeah but Iris would never tell her dad who he should or should not date. She was actually happy that he was finally moving on after all these years. I don’t know man. I wish everyone would just fuck off and leave my wife in peace.”

“Well, the offer for my best bodyguard still stands. Just say the word and Sara will be there. That’ll be one less thing for you to worry about.”

“Thanks man. I’ll talk to Iris about it again.”

Barry felt a bit better after meeting up with his friend. Oliver often gave him advice when he needed it but he also knew how to help Barry loosen up.

Chapter Text

Barry was in a slightly better mood by the time he got home that evening. Cecile really did get under his skin and when he walked through the door of their home, he tried his best to hide his annoyance from Iris. But she knew him just as well as he knew her and could tell something was off when she kissed him.

“Hey. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong, my love.”

“Barr. I can tell something is wrong. Was I wrong about Eddie? Did he have something to do with my attack?”

She stood rubbing her belly, waiting for his answer.

Barry sighed. “No. No you weren’t wrong about him. He said he didn’t do it. I believe he’s telling the truth.”

“You do?”

“Yeah I do.”

“Okay. So then what’s the matter? What aren’t you telling me?”

She reached over and held his face with one hand, rubbing his cheek with her thumb.

“Let’s sit down and eat and we can talk after supper. Okay?”

“Sure. Okay.”

Iris knew when to push and when to back off. Barry seemed like he needed time to work through his thoughts before telling her. So she changed the subject and would let him tell her what was bothering him when he was ready to.

“So, Nora and I have a new favourite snack.”

Barry looked at her. She was excited to tell him about her new craving which he’s sure is going to be gross. He still found her adorable.

“Do I want to hear what it is? Cause I’m guessing it’s gross. And stop pulling Nora into your craziness. Poor kid has no choice in partaking in your shenanigans.”

“Oh, not gross at all. Totally delicious! 10 out of 10! She agreed with me!”

“I doubt that but tell me about it.”

“So today I was craving something sweet, something sour and something spicy all at once. So I got out some ice cream, mint chocolate chip of course and added pineapple on top for my sweet thing.”

“You’re my sweet thing!” He says winking at her.

She blushes and continues. “Then I got out the jar of pickles that my dad made you and sliced one and added it to my bowl and then…” she paused for dramatic effect. “I topped it with the hot sauce Cisco gave us for Christmas.”

She looked at him as if she expected him to share her enthusiasm at her new concoction.

Barry puts his fork down on his plate, turns to Iris and holds her hands in his.

“Iris. Sweetheart. Love of my life. My soulmate and one true love. Mother of my child. Most beautiful and brilliant woman in the world.”

Iris smiled widely and blushed at his descriptions for her. He did it often and it always made her heart soar. He looked at her deep in her eyes and continued.

“That sounds absolutely disgusting. It sounds terrible, my love. Certifiably gross! It should come with a hazardous waste warning. I hope you brushed your teeth after you ate that and before you kissed me just now.”

She pouted. Disappointed he didn’t enthusiastically agree with her. “Hey! Nora and I really liked it.”

He kissed her forehead. “You’re insane! Poor kid has no choice but to eat whatever garbage you do. There’s no way that combination of food could ever taste good. Pregnancy has really ruined your taste buds. And since when do you like pickles?”

He leans over and talks to her belly. “Sweet girl, Daddy’s so sorry Mama’s subjecting you to her gross cravings. When you get out here I promise I’ll make up for it. Starting with ice cream. Chocolate chip cookie dough is a thousand times better than mint chocolate chip. You’ll see!” He peppers her belly with kisses.

“I hate you! No more sex for you.”

“No, you don’t.” He leans over to kiss her. “And I’m not the one with raging hormones waking up at all hours of the night to have sex. So you’d only be punishing yourself by taking sex off the table. Are you sure you want to do that?”

“Damn it!”

“Didn’t think so.” He kissed her again. “Now eat some regular people food. You need it to balance out your crazy pregnancy food.”

She stuck her tongue out at him before picking up her fork to finish her meal. He laughed at her, smiling as she ate. He needed this interlude in his evening before talking to her. He wished their lives could have more fun, light times like this. He hoped the rest of Iris’ pregnancy could be like this.

After supper, Barry insisted Iris moved over to the couch while he cleared the table and prepared them a cup of tea. He handed her her cup, placed his on the sofa table behind them and turned to face her.

“Remember at the end of Eddie’s sentencing when his mom approached you and thanked you for not killing him but then said she would have if she were in your shoes?”

Iris nodded her head. It was such a strange interaction with Shelly Thawne. She didn’t see her much after Eddie’s sentencing. She just wanted to move on with her life with Barry and put everything that had to do with Eddie behind her.

“Yeah. It was such a weird thing for her to say. I never got a chance to ask her what she meant by that.”

“Well it turns out that Eddie’s father was abusive towards her, physically and emotionally, and she left him when she found out she was pregnant with Eddie. She’d been with him for 3 years. He said he’s ashamed that that was the version of him that his mom knew before she was murdered because she did everything she could to keep him away from that. He wasn’t raised in a violent home. Eobard actually helped her escape and start over. He said he started therapy after his mom died because he felt like he owed it to her to be who she raised him to be. He needed to take responsibility for his actions. So therapy was his way of doing so.”

“Shit! I had no idea. He’s never told me that.”

“Yeah. He definitely feels bad that you were hurt and swears he had nothing to do with it. And I believe him.”

“Which means someone is settling him up.”

“Looks like it.”

“Why would someone want to hurt me and set Eddie up to take the fall? It doesn't make any sense.”

“I don’t know, love but until we do, I think you should really consider Oliver’s offer of a personal bodyguard. At least when you’re not home.”

“Maybe. I’m considering working from home until I give birth.”

“You are?” Barry looked up at his wife who avoids looking him in the eye.

“Yeah. Safer that way.” She mumbled.

“Iris, sweetheart, I know you’re scared and believe me, as your husband, I am too but you can’t hide from them. You are fearless. You’re the badass who fought off her attacker…twice! I hate that you had to do that but I’m so damn proud of you. Let Oliver help you. Take the extra security. You can still go about your day but know that you’ll have someone to step in if you need help.”

Iris still didn’t look convinced.

“How about this, try it out for a couple of weeks and if you still don’t feel safe, then you can work from home and I won’t ever bring it up again.”

“I thought you’d be all for me staying in our fortress until Nora’s born?”

Barry chuckled. “You’re right. I would love to wrap you in bubble wrap and keep you here safe and sound but I also know you. You’re not meant to be a shrinking violet. You’re not meant to be small. You, my love, are Iris Ann West-Allen. Badass ace reporter. The world’s greatest investigative journalist. You are the sweetest, kindest, bravest person that I know. You’ve already shown that you’re a kickass mama bear. Don’t let this scare you into yourself. Take the opportunity to show them, whoever it is, they can’t stop you. Besides, you’re not doing this alone. You’ve got me, Oliver, Felicity, Linda, Patty, Cisco, Cynthia, your dad and a whole slew of other people in your corner. You’re not alone even if you feel like you are.”

“But what if this guy escapes and tries to come back again?”

“Your bodyguard will be with you whenever I’m not around. Oliver said that Sara is the best of the best. She’s beaten him a handful of times in hand to hand combat, she’s trained in a few martial arts. She comes highly recommended. Oliver hand picked her especially for you. She’s the best and he knows you’ll be safe with her around.”

“Okay. I’ll think about it.” She paused and looked at him knowing there was something else eating away at him. “What else happened today? I know that’s not the full story.”

“You’re right. It’s not. Cecile found out that I went to see Eddie and she was not happy.”

“How did she find that out?”

“The warden called and told her.”

“Weird! Why would the warden call to tell her that you were visiting Eddie?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe she asked him to inform her about any visitors he may have? I don’t know.”

“Okay. And why wasn’t she happy about that?”

“She said it could jeopardise the case against Eddie and throw doubt to your claims of being randomly attacked. She made it sound like you and Eddie could have conspired to do this together. She thinks you may still have feelings for Eddie.”

“Excuse me? She is certifiably insane. You know that’s not true, Barry. You have to know that I don’t have any feelings for him. At all. That asshole nearly killed me and probably would have if I hadn’t left. I may have forgiven him but that does not mean I still love him. I love you and only you.”

“Iris, I know that. I never once doubted that for a second.”

Barry reached over and caressed her face and pulled her in for a soft kiss. Iris closed her eyes in relief. She was on the verge of tears hearing him believe her. Hurting Barry all those years ago was still something she felt guilty about. Even though he’s forgiven her. Even though Betty encouraged her to forgive herself for it, she just couldn’t. She was always conscious about never hurting him like that again. She couldn’t bear it if she did. Once was more than enough.

“Umm, did she say why she thought that? Or why she thinks Eddie is guilty?”

“No she didn’t. But I think she may blame you for her and Joe’s breakup.”

“Why? I had nothing to do with that! He wouldn’t even tell me what happened between them.”

“I know that, love. Today it just seemed more clear that she really doesn’t think highly of you. I don’t know. Just a feeling.”

Iris paused and thought for a bit. Barry could see the wheels turning in her head. She had the same look she always had when she found a story she had to investigate.

“You don’t think she hates me that much that she’d set up Eddie to take the fall, do you?”

“I don’t know. Maybe. Honestly, Iris, anything is possible. Your determination to report the truth and seek justice has pissed off a lot of people over the years. It really could be anyone.”

“Yeah. I know.”

“Hey look. Who cares about Cecile and what she thinks? Even though she really got under my skin, her opinion of you or me doesn’t matter because she’s not important in our lives.”

“You’re right. I’m just glad Dad ended things with her when he did, whatever the reason may be. He must have had a good reason to.”

“Yeah. Can you imagine having to put up with her for the rest of our lives?”

Iris shuddered at that thought. “Or being around our kid. She’d probably criticise the way we choose to raise Nora.”

“Yeah well no one gets to tell us how we raise our kid. Your dad included.”

Barry was serious. He knew Joe would try to take over under the guise of grandfatherly wisdom and he wanted to make sure Iris knew where he stood.

“Can I say how much I love it when you get all bossy and territorial like that? Kinda turns me on.”

“I’m serious, Iris. I know he’s your dad and all but he’s got to understand that when it comes to our kid, our rules should be followed.”

“Yes sir!” She’s now leaning over him, unbuttoning his shirt and pulling it down off his shoulders.

“Are you even listening to me?

She’s nodding her head, while unzipping his pants and begins to pull his pants and underwear down, freeing his dick.

“Totally. Our kid. Our rules.”

He reaches out and pulls her sweatpants and underwear down, holding her as she steps out of them.

“Good. Cause I didn’t want to have to repeat myself.”

He pulls her in for a kiss as she lowers herself onto him, humming as she rides him.

“You really don’t play fair.” He whispers to her in between kisses.

“I know!” She whispered back, throwing her head back.

Barry watched her as she lost herself in his lap. She was his greatest fantasy come to life.

Chapter Text

The next day, Barry managed to pry himself away from Iris to get ready for work. He was only an hour late. He’ll make up for it by working through his lunch. When he got into CCPD, it was relatively quiet. He was grateful for the reprieve since he had quite a few files and cases waiting for him on his desk.

Barry loved days like this when it seemed like time flew by. He did stop a couple times to check in on Iris to see how she was doing. She had called Oliver and asked to meet Sara beforehand and they were meeting her at their home. Iris was certainly impressed with Sara. They got along splendidly. She was approachable and friendly but could also kill you with one hit. Barry was sure if Iris weren’t pregnant, they would be training together.

As he signed off on his last case, he called Iris to tell her he was stopping by Home Depot after work to pick up a few things for them to work on the nursery this weekend. She sounded happy. She had a surprise for him when he got home.

When he walked into the door, she greeted him with a kiss and promptly dragged him up the stairs into the nursery. Sitting beside the boxes containing the crib, change table and bookcase, was a new rocking chair and matching footstool.

“Where did this come from? I don’t remember us ordering it.”

“My dad had it delivered. It’s the rocking chair and footstool my parents used when I was a baby. He had it reupholstered and it just came in today. Isn’t it amazing?”

“That’s incredible! Looks like it belongs here.”

“Look what else he brought!”

She walked over to what looked like a box covered with a drop cloth and pulled it off. Underneath was Barry’s old toy chest from when he was a kid. Joe had the inside of it restored and recovered with a beautiful cream velvet lining.

Barry’s breath caught in his throat when he saw it, tears pooling in his eyes. Iris came up beside him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

“I forgot I kept this. This is incredibly sweet of your dad to do. Where did he find it?”

“In his attic. I guess you had stored it there and forgot about it. When he went to look for my mom’s baby journals, he found it and wanted to fix it up and give it to us for our baby to use.”

“These two things just made the nursery so much better.”

“I agree. It’s nice to be able to have something from both our childhood to share with our future. Makes it feel like your parents and my mom are here with us.”

The next morning, Iris woke up early to fix breakfast for her and Barry. They were going to get the nursery finished today. She was heading into her third trimester and even though things hadn’t been as smooth sailing with their lives as she had hoped, her pregnancy was going along smoothly. She enjoyed being pregnant. She finally had a bump big enough that you could tell that she was expecting. She loved watching Nora move at the sound of Barry’s voice, even if it felt super weird. Her libido was still fairly high and she always seemed to be in the mood for sex. One look at Barry had her panties wet. She felt more alive in her pregnant body than ever before. She debated taking advantage of Barry’s morning wood but she had kept him up pretty late last night and decided to let him sleep in.

She quietly brushed her teeth, got dressed and made her way downstairs to the kitchen. She decided on eggs Benedict for breakfast with a hearty fruit salad on the side. She started the coffee and pulled the other ingredients out and began to cook. Hank ran to the door when he heard Jenny’s keys jiggle in the front door.

“Morning Jenny!”

Iris motioned for her to move quietly since she didn’t want to wake Barry up just yet.

“Good morning Iris. You look great! How are you and baby feeling today?”

“We’re both doing great. Thank you.”

“Okay. I’ll take Hank out and I’ll see you later.”

Jenny left and Iris moved around the kitchen as fast as her pregnant body would go. She was still pretty energetic but every now and again, she was reminded that she was indeed pregnant and sometimes needed to slow down. Just as she got things plated and set on the table, she heard Barry coming down the stairs.

She looked up at him and damn it she had to stop herself. Barry hadn’t bothered to put a shirt on, his sweatpants hung low on his hips and his hair was uncombed giving off that sexy bed head look that only he could pull off. She backed away as he approached her, confusing him.

“Nope! I’d like us to have a hot breakfast this morning so I’m gonna need you to go put on a shirt and do something about your hair because I’m this close to abandoning this hearty breakfast and fucking you here in the kitchen.” She motioned with her fingers.

Barry grinned and took a step towards her.

“Bartholomew Henry Allen, I woke up early this morning and spent a lot of time making you this delicious breakfast and you will not ruin this for me. Shirt and hair, now!” She pointed to the stairs, waiting for him to go.

He knew she meant business when she used his full government name. He turned on his heels quickly and came back down with a shirt on and his hair slightly combed. She walked to the front hall closet and grabbed one of his baseball hats and plopped it on his head.

“There! Much better.” She kissed his check and pulled out his chair to sit. He frowned at her as he sat in the chair. Breakfast did look and smell great. It would have been a shame to not eat it right away. Iris brought over their coffee and sat beside him.

“Thank you for…”

“Nope. No talking. Your morning voice is too damn sexy right now and I just need to get through this breakfast.”

Barry looked at her and couldn’t help but chuckle. He picked up his fork and knife and ate his breakfast in silence. Iris avoided looking at him. Everything about Barry was making her hot and she felt she needed to show some self restraint today. She felt bad about making him late for work yesterday and completely missing the entire morning the day before. She had turned into the type of woman who dropped her panties every time her man walked by. She was never like that. Pfft! That’s a lie. She was always like that when it came to Barry. But she was never this bad. Was she? She blames it on her raging pregnancy hormones.

After breakfast, Iris got up and cleared the table. Barry just sat back and watched her for a minute. She was avoiding eye contact with him and kept her back to him. He quietly got up and moved behind her as she stood in front of the sink, trapping her there. He pressed his body to her, his erection throbbing in her back. He leaned down and whispered “Good morning, my love” into her ear, and kissed her sweet spot. He knew he had her right where he wanted when his hand made contact with her clit and she sunk back into him.

Iris knew she was fighting a losing battle. The minute she felt his presence and smelled his scent behind her, all the fight in her was gone. She couldn’t resist him. She had to grip the sink to steady herself as she felt his erection in her back. She really was trying her best to stay strong but damn it, he wasn’t playing fair. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck raise when he leaned down and whispered to her. Fuck! There go her knees! She was sure she was sweating because she was suddenly very hot. She stifled a moan when he wedged his knee between her legs, slipped his hands under her tank top and massaged her breasts, gently tugging at her nipples. When his hand found its way into her shorts, she was done. She leaned back onto him for support and gave in.

“Jenny. Hank. Soon.” Was all she could get out at the moment. Barry was too busy working her over to hear and she was too far gone to speak again. Iris’ orgasm hit her just as they heard the elevator ding as the doors opened along with the faint sound of dogs barking and keys jingling on the other side of the door.

They sprang into action. Well Barry did. He quickly washed his hands and pulled open the dishwasher door. He began to casually load the breakfast dishes in. Iris was still coming down from her high and couldn’t quite get her legs to cooperate yet. Hell, she couldn’t get her eyes to focus on the tap in front of her. It was a miracle she was still standing. Iris grabbed onto the edge of the sink to steady herself, grateful she was there so she could at least pretend that she was doing something productive. She really couldn’t move even if she tried to.

“Hey guys!” Jenny greeted them.

“Hey Jenny! Was Hank a good boy for you today?” Barry asked cheerily as if he hadn’t just finger fucked his wife where she stood a few seconds ago.

“Good as always! I’m glad you’re both here. I just wanted to let you know that if you’re ever going on vacation or a trip, I’d be more than happy to watch Hank for you. It would be no trouble at all.”

“That’s really sweet of you, Jenny. Thank you. We’ll keep that in mind.”

“Great! Well, enjoy the rest of your day. Bye!”

Iris managed to wave goodbye to Jenny. She still hadn’t moved from where she was standing.

Barry came up behind her, placed his hands on her waist and asked, “You okay, love?” He kissed her up and down her neck.

“Mhmm.”

“Let’s continue upstairs where you’d be more comfortable.”

“Yeah.” She finally managed to say. Her eyes were coming back into focus and her legs seemed to be working again.

So much for will power. She thought to herself as he took her by the hand and led her upstairs.

They managed to get the nursery finished early enough that they had a few hours left before they had to get ready for their monthly dinner out with their friends. Barry got the crib, change station and bookcase assembled. They arranged the room until Iris was satisfied with the layout of it. Artwork was hung on the wall and the bookcase filled with books. The rocking chair and footstool were tucked near the window beside the bookcase. Barry’s old toy chest from when he was a kid was tucked nicely in the corner of the room. Pictures of his parents and her mom were placed over the change station so that Nora could get to know her grandparents. The closet was filled with dresses and outfits, shoes and hair accessories in every size and in every colour of the rainbow. Knowing they were having a girl ignited Barry’s need to purchase cute outfits every time he went out. It made Iris smile. He really was very excited about having a girl.

Iris was excited about dinner out with their friends. Even though they all talked frequently, she enjoyed being able to get together at their favourite Italian restaurant Giovanni’s. They hadn’t been there for a while and Iris was looking forward to her meal tonight, although she was still a bit nervous leaving the safety of their home. She managed to sneak in a nap after the nursery was set up. When she woke up, she felt better than ever. She tried getting through her shower quickly but was slowed down when she called Barry in to help her shave her legs and they ended up having sex and had to rush getting ready so they wouldn’t keep everyone waiting.

She picked out a short sleeved leopard print jumpsuit that tapered in the legs and paired it with a pair of clear pumps. She had gone shopping again for maternity clothes and just couldn’t resist the cute leopard print jumpsuit. She left her hair down in its natural curly state and threw on her largest gold hoops and some gold bangles. A little bit of mascara and a tinted lip gloss and she was pleased with her look. She grabbed her black clutch and made her way downstairs.

Barry turns, hearing her heels click against the floors and his mouth drops open. It didn’t matter that he and Iris have known each other their whole lives and have been married for 6 years and he’s seen her dress up numerous times before. He always seems to be in awe of her beauty.

“Shit! You look amazing, sweetheart! Love the outfit.”

“You’re not so bad yourself, handsome!” She says, winking at him as she gets her spring coat from the hall closet.

“You keep doing that and we may somehow miss dinner with our friends tonight.”

“No! I’m really craving Giovanni’s Ragù alla Bolognese tonight.” She bats her eyes and pouts at him.

“Okay let’s go.” He holds her hand, kissing her forehead and guides her out to the elevator.

Chapter Text

They arrived at the restaurant at the same time as Oliver and Felicity. When they got to their table, Cisco, Linda, Patty and Michael were already seated.

“Where’s Cynthia tonight?” Iris asked her friend.

“She got called into work at the last minute. One of the guys came down with something and she had to fill in. She sends her regards.”

Linda looks over to him. “Well I’m just glad I’m not the odd man out tonight.”

“I thought you were bringing your new beau tonight?”

“Nope. Too much pressure. Another time, I swear.”

The friends got to chatting and enjoying the appetizers in front of them. Their meals had been ordered and they were having a great time connecting with their friends. Barry looked over at his wife and smiled. This night was good for her. She was in her element among their friends. There was no stress or worry on her face. Her laughter was light and she was genuinely happy.

“I’m just going to the bathroom. Be right back.” She leaned over and whispered to Barry and kissed his cheek. He helped her out of her chair and watched as she walked away.

“Dude, make it less obvious that you’re staring at your wife’s ass!”

“I can’t help it, Cisco. She’s got a pretty nice ass!” Barry looks back, smirking at his friend.

“I swear it’s like high school all over again!” Linda remarked.

“Thank you! I said the same thing when I walked in on them making out while Iris was in hospital!”

“You sound jealous.” Felicity piped in.

“I’m not jealous. I just believe there’s a time and a place for everything.”

“My wife and baby being safe in the hospital after she was randomly attacked seemed like the perfect time and place.”

Cisco rolled his eyes. “Okay. I’ll give you that one. But ogling your wife’s ass in a restaurant is not the place.”

“I think it’s sweet that even though you’ve been together for so long, you’re still checking her out like I’m sure you did when you first started dating.”

“Thank you, Matthew! See Cisco! He gets it!”

“Hey, Matthew didn’t have to see that everyday in high school!”

Before he could respond, Barry sees Iris running back to the table.

“Iris? What’s wrong?” Barry stood to his feet and held her tightly as she plunged into his arms.

“The man. Sara.” She was on the verge of tears and hyperventilating so badly it took him a second to understand what she was saying.

“The man who attacked you? He’s here?”

Iris nodded. Patty shot up from her seat, her gun in hand and made a beeline for the bathrooms, Oliver hot on her heels.

“Call it in!” Patty yelled behind her. Felicity grabbed her phone and called 911.

When Oliver and Patty got to the hall by the bathrooms, they saw a woman with a man pinned down beneath her.

“Sara?” Oliver asked, confused by her presence here.

“Hey! Is Iris okay? This guy tried to attack her. I managed to disarm him before he could make contact. Are the police here yet?” Oliver followed Sara’s eyes to a knife on the floor a few feet away from them.

“Don’t touch anything. I’ll send someone to bag that.” Patty says to Oliver and Sara.

Patty pulled out her handcuffs and placed the man’s hands behind his back and cuffed him.

“She’s the police!” He says motioning to Patty as she pulls Adam Fells to his feet.

“Stay here. Make sure no one comes this way.” Oliver says to Sara as he follows Patty out. He knows the owner of the restaurant and goes over to speak with him.

Patty walked Fells out to the front of the restaurant, all eyes on them as she walked him towards the front door. As she did, Fells looked over to where Iris was and snarled, “This isn’t over. We’ll get you one of these days, Iris West-Allen!”

“Keep moving!” Patty yanked his arm and led him out the door and handed him over to another officer who arrived at the scene.

Patty walks over to Iris. “Iris, I’m sorry but we’re going to need a statement from you.”

“Yes. Of course. Anything you need.”

“Does it have to be right now?” Barry asks. His hand is on Iris’ lower back and he can feel her shaking still.

“Barry you know it has to be now while it’s still fresh in her mind. I’m sorry.”

“Babe, it’s okay. I’m not hurt. Just a bit shook up.”

Patty guides them outside of Giovanni’s to talk. She made sure that Iris’ back was facing Fells. She didn’t want him to try to intimidate her. Just then Sara walks over to Iris.

“Hey. Are you okay? You weren’t hurt, were you?”

“No I wasn’t. Thanks to you.” She turns to Barry and introduces him. “Babe, this is Sara. The bodyguard Oliver talked about.”

Barry reaches out a hand to Sara. “Thank you so much for protecting her.”

“Just doing my job.”

Patty looks at Iris. “Tell me what happened.”

“Well I left to go to the bathroom and as I was about to go in, I heard something behind me. I turned around and saw this guy looking at me. He must have been about five feet away. I saw the knife in his hand and then he said my name and something about finishing the job. The hair on the back of my neck stood up when I realised it was the same guy who had attacked me before. He lunged at me but before he made contact, he was on the ground and Sara was standing in front of me telling me to run so I did.”

“Sara, how did you manage to be there at the right time?” Patty asked.

“Well it was a coincidence that I was here tonight. My wife and I were out celebrating our anniversary. I saw when Iris got up to head to the bathroom, I noticed that guy stood up right away. He kept his eyes on her and as he got closer, I recognized his face as the man who attacked her. I’m her new bodyguard, starting Monday so I made it my business to know who my clients’ threats are. I told my wife to call the police and followed them. When I approached, his back was to me but I could see the knife in his hand. He said something about finishing the job. That’s when he lunged at her but I managed to take him down before he could get her. I told her to run and held him down until the police showed up. Well I guess until you and Oliver showed up.”

“Okay. Well we’re all glad you were there to protect her. I think she’s gonna need it for sure.”

Patty left them to go speak with the officers who arrived.

“Thanks again Sara. I really appreciate what you did for me there.”

“No need to thank me. Just doing my job. I’d better get back to my wife.” She turns to walk away and pauses, “And not to put myself out of a job but I really hope they catch whoever is behind this soon. See you Monday.”

“You and me both!” Barry replied. He looks behind Iris and sees Fells being driven away. He pulls her into an embrace and her entire body sighs. “You want to go home, love?”

Iris shook her head. “No! I’m not going to let them intimidate me. Plus I’m hungry. And pissed! But mostly hungry.”

Barry smiles at her. “Okay Mama. Let’s get some food in you then.”

He wraps his arm around her waist and they walk back to their table.

“Hey guys. I’m so sorry about that.”

“Why are you apologising? You did nothing wrong.”

“I know. I just feel bad that our dinner was disturbed.”

Linda rolled her eyes at her best friend. She was always more concerned about everyone else when she should be concerned about herself.

“Iris, we're all fine. We’re just concerned about you. How are you doing? Do you want to go home? We can always reschedule.”

“Or we could have them box everything up and we could go to our place and finish our meal there?” Barry suggests.

“Guys no. I promise I’m fine. We all got dressed up to spend this time with each other. Let’s enjoy ourselves.”

“Honestly Iris. It’s okay if you don’t want to be here anymore. Besides, Patty left to go to the station to write up her report.”

“I’m okay. I’m a little shaken up. So thankful Sara was there. I definitely want her as my bodyguard. I had no idea where she came from. But really I’m okay. Actually hungry. And I still need to pee.”

“Well I’m coming with you this time. I think Oliver went to see about our food.” Felicity says, standing up to walk over to Iris.

“I’m coming too.” Linda says, joining the other two women.

“Thanks guys. We’ll be back.”

Iris walked back to the bathroom with Felicity in front of her and Linda behind her. She was grateful for their friendship.

When they got back to their table, Oliver was back with all their food bagged and ready to go.

“I guess we’re taking this to go, then.”

“I’m sorry Iris. I just thought you’d want to get out of here.”

“It’s okay, Oliver. You were just looking out for me. I appreciate it. How about we go back to our place then?”

“You sure?”

“Yes. Come on. We’ll see you all there.” She holds onto Barry’s hand.

“Okay. You guys go ahead. Felicity and I will bring the food over.”

“Rain check? Just got a text from Patty saying she’s going to be late. I’m just going to take our food and head over to the precinct. I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Thanks Matthew. Please thank Patty for me. We’ll set up a time to meet up again.”

As they were about to leave, Iris gets a call from her dad asking her to meet him at the precinct.

“Damn it! I’m so sorry guys. That was my dad. He wants me to meet him at the precinct right now.”

“No worries. We’ll reschedule. Here you go.” Oliver hands Barry their food while Iris hugs everyone goodbye.

As they head over to the precinct, Barry breaks the silence.

“Did Joe say what he wanted?”

“No. Just that we’d better come to the precinct as soon as we can.”

“God, what now?”

“I’m not sure. I’m so sorry babe. I know this isn’t what we had planned tonight.”

“Iris, I’m not upset at you. I’m just frustrated at the situation. Pissed that someone feels it’s okay to try to hurt you. You shouldn’t be dealing with this at all, much less while you’re pregnant.”

“Yeah. I know.”

“Sometimes I wish you were a terrible journalist. But it’s against your nature to be anything but brilliant.” He pretended to be annoyed and rolled his eyes, smiling at her.

“You smooth talker!” She kissed the hand she was holding, squeezing it a little bit tighter.

When they get to the doors of CCPD, they see her dad and Cecile talking to one of the officers. Cecile’s back was to them and Barry groaned when he noticed her.

“Be nice, Barr!” Iris whispered.

“What? I didn’t say anything.”

Iris just looked at him knowingly.

“Fine! I promise I’ll behave.”

Joe looked up from his conversation as he saw them approach and excused himself. He greeted Iris with a hug and Barry noticed Cecile rolling her eyes at them. She quickly looked away once she realised she had been caught.

“So Dad. What’s so important that we had to come here right away?”

“In my office.”

Joe gestures for them to move to his office with Cecile hot on their tails.

Once the door was closed behind them, Iris again asks. “What’s going on Dad? Why did you ask us to come here?”

“It’s Eddie.” Joe answered, reluctantly.

“What about him?”

“He was stabbed tonight.” Cecile answered just a bit too enthusiastically.

“Stabbed?”

“What?”

Chapter Text

“What? What happened?”

“Is he going to be okay?”

“He’ll be fine.”

Iris was relieved to hear that but the coincidence of their attacks happening on the same night and with the same weapon of choice did not escape her.

“You seem to be very concerned about someone who has been so violent with you in the past and is currently charged with your most recent attack, Ms. West.”

“Not this bullshit again!” Barry muttered.

Iris looked at Cecile, stupefied that she would bring that up but not surprised she’d stoop for low hanging fruit. She stood up and turned to face Cecile.

“Firstly, it’s Mrs. West-Allen. Has been for a while. If my name is going to come out of your mouth, at least have the decency to get it right.”

Barry looked at her wide eyed and proud. He couldn’t help the smirk that was plastered across his face. Damn right she was Mrs. West-Allen.

“Secondly, I don’t have to like someone to be concerned about their welfare. No matter what type of relationship I may have had with them. It’s called empathy. Basic human decency. Maybe try it sometime.”

Cecile opened her mouth to speak but Iris cut her off.

“Thirdly, I find it too coincidental that he and I were attacked in the same manner on the same night. And speaking of which, how in the hell did Adam Fells get out of jail? He actually assaulted me. Not Eddie. Yet somehow the man who did was walking around free as a bird, all too happy to come after me again! Where’s the justice here?”

“Watch your tone with me, young lady. I will not stand for the likes of you accusing me of doing something outside of the law!” Cecile spat back, taking a step towards Iris. Both Joe and Barry shifted their positions, causing Cecile to take a step back when they did. Iris stood her ground, not once flinching. Her eyes steadfast on the woman before her. She would not cow down to Cecile. Not now. Not ever.

“The likes of me? You think you’re better than me somehow? Please! Just because you walk around her making an exorbitant amount of noise in your heels to try to intimidate everyone, does not make you better than me or anyone else. Am I supposed to be terrified of you? I’ll let you in on a secret. I’m not. And I never accused you of skirting the law. I asked a simple question. Maybe you need to look inward to see why my question bothers you so much you felt like it was an accusation.”

Everyone was gobsmacked by the verbal take down Iris had just given to Cecile. Fuming and unable to respond, Cecile quickly walked out of Joe’s office, not once looking back.

“Well damn Iris. I might have to arrest you for murder because you just killed her!”

Barry burst out laughing. “It’s true. I’ve never seen Cecile speechless like that.”

“Yeah well, I’m getting tired of always being nice to her and getting nothing back. Sometimes people need to be put in their place.” Iris turned to her dad. “Look Dad, I don’t know what went down with you two but it feels like she clearly blames me for it.”

“Iris, I’m not going to tell you why our relationship dissolved because it’s none of your business.”

“Yeah. I get that. But perhaps you should tell her that so she’d stop being such a bitch to me.”

“Iris!”

“What Dad? She is. And you can’t deny that.”

“I know but damn! Not in front of my grandbaby!” He held out his hands to either side of her stomach as if to cover Nora’s ears.

Iris rolled her eyes at her dad. He was being ridiculous.

“So, is Eddie going to be okay? Like someone’s not going to go after him again and actually try to kill him, are they?”

“I believe they’ve moved the guy who assaulted him into solitary confinement.”

“Who was it that attacked him?”

Joe looks at his notes. “Someone named Clay Parker. Dude’s got a bunch of priors for assault and battery, robbery, and now, attempted murder.”

“Okay. Well, I think we’re gonna get going. Our dinner was interrupted and baby’s hungry. Thanks for calling Dad. We’ll see you around.”

Barry knew Iris had something up her sleeve the way she abruptly left Joe’s office. He waited until they were alone on the way home to ask.

“What are you up to, Mrs. West-Allen?”

“Hmm. Nothing.”

“Iris Ann, I know you better than anyone else and I can see the wheels turning in your head. You want to look into this Clay Parker, don’t you?”

“Not just him. Adam Fells and Cecile too.”

“Cecile? You think she’s involved somehow?”

“Yes babe, I do. I think she’s somehow involved in my attacks. And Eddie’s. Did you hear the way she said he was stabbed? Like she was sharing good news. I can feel something else beneath the surface. I won’t do it myself because I promised you I wouldn’t once I got pregnant but I’ll get people I can trust to do it. If she’s involved in this, it’ll come out one way or the other.”

“I think it should be you investigating this. But not on your own. Get a couple other people to help you. People you can trust. And of course I will help too. Tell me what you need and I’ll help anyway I can.”

“Yeah? You sure you want me to do this?”

“Yes. Because I know you won’t rest until you do and I’d like for us to be able to enjoy the rest of your pregnancy stress free. Plus I know you’d be satisfied being the one to take them down.”

“Hmm. No better high!” She replied dreamily.

“Well maybe there’s one better than that.” He looks at her and winks. She grins at him knowing his meaning.

“Okay. Do you think you can pull both Fells and Parker’s case files? I have a feeling these two know each other. I think we might need Felicity’s help on this one.”

“Sure. I think we should loop your dad in though. He most likely won’t want anything to do with it but we should tell him what we plan to do. Especially if I’ll be pulling case files on cases that have nothing to do with me.”

“Okay. How about we invite him, Patty, Oliver and Felicity over for brunch tomorrow and fill them in on what we’re doing?”

“Sounds good.”

“I think I’m also going to task Allegra to help me with this. There’ll be a few things that I shouldn’t do but she can.”

“Are you sure she can be trusted?”

“I think so. Maybe. I’ll ask Scott what he thinks on Monday.”

Iris texts her dad, Patty and Oliver and Felicity to brunch tomorrow.

The next morning Barry and Iris slept in and woke up within forty five minutes of their guests arriving. The emotional toll this case was taking on them was becoming too much and was starting to affect them physically. They needed to get to the bottom of it and fast.

“I’m going to use the bathroom and brush my teeth and get a start on brunch. You jump in the shower and get ready.” Barry said to Iris, as he rolled out of bed.

Iris decided to serve chicken and waffles for brunch. Barry got started on the chicken. Even though that was Iris’ specialty, he’s watched her make it several times. He wanted to give it a go. He snagged a piece once he was done making it for her to sample, hoping it would get her approval. She came down with twenty minutes to spare.

“Here, try this!”

She looked at him inquisitively as he held out a piece of chicken for her to sample.

“You made the chicken?”

“Yes.” He answered sheepishly. “Give it a try. Let me know what you think.”

He popped it into her mouth and waited for her feedback.

“Is it good? Did I do an okay job with it?”

She nodded her head while chewing. He did pretty good. It was well seasoned with the perfect crunch.

“It’s perfect, babe. Maybe a little better than mine.”

“I doubt that.” He kissed her cheek as he squeezed by her. “You okay to get started on the waffles?”

“Yep. Go shower, stinky!”

“Love you too!”

She smiled as he raced upstairs. Barry had cleaned up his mess and left everything that she would need to make the waffles out for her. She got working quickly on the batter. She got everything together quickly and began pouring the batter into the waffle maker. Before long Barry was back downstairs, working alongside her to get things ready for their guests. He got the table set and the coffee brewing when they got the call from security that they were on their way up. As they walked over to the door to greet their guests, Barry pulled Iris into his arms and kissed her.

“Good morning sweetheart.”

“Good morning.”

“I missed kissing you this morning when we woke up so I’m making up for it now.”

Iris grinned at him.

“You’re such a sap. I love it!”

He grinned back at her and opened the door when he heard Joe and Oliver talking in the hallway. Patty and Felicity followed behind them.

“Something smells good in here!” Joe said as he walked into the suite.

“Yes it does! I’m starving!”

“Well, let’s sit and eat while everything is nice and hot!”

Soon everyone was seated with filled plates.

“Oh my goodness! This is so good!” Felicity said before taking another big bite.

“Iris’ fried chicken is the best anywhere!” Joe bragged.

“Actually, Dad, Barry made the chicken today.”

“Yeah? Well alright then Barry!”

“I’ve watched her do it a thousand times and eaten it just as many times. Thought I’d give it a try! I’m just glad it got her approval.”

“You did good, babe!” She smiled and winked at him, making him blush.

After brunch, once the table was cleared and cleaned, Iris spoke up.

“Okay. So Barry and I want to thank you all for coming here today. Especially after what happened last night.”

“We’re just glad you’re safe.”

“Thanks Oliver. I’m glad I accepted your help with a bodyguard because I don’t even want to think about what could have happened if I hadn’t met Sara and she wasn’t there.”

“I second that!” Joe replied. “So what’s up, baby girl. What are we all doing here?”

“Well, I’m going after Adam Fells, Clay Parker and Cecile Horton. And I need your help.” She paused, afraid to meet her dad’s eyes.

“You’re going after Cecile?”

“Yes I am. There’s something about her that has my spidey senses tingling.”

“Iris, not liking someone is no reason to go after them.”

“Dad, that’s not it. There’s something about the way my case is being handled that I don’t understand and she’s in charge of it. There’s something more than her and I not liking each other. And for the record, she started it.”

Joe looked at his daughter incredulously. He understood where she was coming from. His ex seemed to have an inexplicable bias and dislike for his daughter. It’s the reason why he ended things with her. He just never expected Iris to retaliate like this.

“Iris, you’re grown and you’re capable of making your own decisions. Just make sure your reason for doing this is not out of spite.”

“I swear, Dad. It’s not. And look, I understand if you want nothing to do with this given your history with her and your position on the police force. I just wanted to give you a heads up that this is what I’m planning to do.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I can’t have any part in this right now. If you have something solid, then I will be there for you. But right now, I can’t be here. I already know too much as it is. I’m gonna head out if you don’t mind.”

“No. That’s fine. I never expected you to stay once you heard about this.”

Joe said his goodbyes and headed to the door.

“Baby girl, please be careful. I don't want anything happening to you or my grandbaby.”

“I promise I’ll be safe, Dad. Thanks for coming.”

She shut the door and returned to her friends.

“Alright! Let’s get down to business!”

Chapter Text

As Barry and Iris crawled into bed that night they felt pretty good about their talk after brunch with their friends. Patty would help Barry go through the case files on Adam Fells and Clay Parker. Felicity upgraded the security on the laptop she had gotten for Iris back when she was still hiding from Eddie and provided her with a couple more to use at the office. Oliver was putting his best PIs to follow Cecile’s whereabouts. Sara would be with her from the moment she left home to the moment she returned starting in the morning. Iris sent Scott an email asking for a meeting first thing in the morning. As Barry said the night before, they needed to enjoy the rest of her pregnancy and the only way to do so is to make sure everyone who was involved in her attack can no longer do her harm.

Iris had a good sleep last night and she woke up a bit more relaxed than she had the past few mornings. Barry was still anxious about what they might uncover but he felt a bit better knowing they had a solid plan and Iris had protection.

“Good morning babe.” Iris called out to him while he was in the shower.

“There’s my gorgeous wife. How did you sleep?”

“Pretty good. I feel good about our plan.”

“Yeah, me too. What time is Sara meeting you here?”

“8:30. So I’ve got about an hour to shower, get dressed and have breakfast.”

“Okay. I’m making oatmeal for breakfast. Sound good?”

“Sounds perfect!”

“Okay. You get in the shower and I’ll get dressed and get started on breakfast.” He kissed her and her belly as he hopped out of the shower.

“Oh don’t forget I have my 28 week appointment with my midwife on Thursday. And then another appointment in 2 weeks and then every 2 weeks for the next 8 weeks and then it’s every week until baby pops out.”

“It’s in my calendar. I won’t forget. I promise.”

“Okay.”

“Iris?”

“Hmm?”

“I love you.”

That changed the look on her face from worry to happy which is exactly what he was going for.

“I love you too.” She smiled widely at him before tucking her hair under her shower cap and stepping into the shower. Iris went over her day while in the shower. Since it was her first day back after her attack, she had a lighter schedule to ease her back into things. And it gave her more time to do some investigating.

She got out, got dressed and headed downstairs for breakfast.

“Thank you babe.” She slides into the chair beside him and digs into her oatmeal.

“Of course.”

“Barr, I just want you to know how much I love and appreciate you for supporting me on this.”

“Sweetheart, you don’t have to thank me for that. It’s my job as your husband to support you in everything that you do. Except for the weird food cravings. I can’t in good conscience, for the sake of our daughter, get behind that at all.”

She playfully swats at him while laughing.

“Hey, our kid is thriving and growing well. Thank you very much!”

“That’s because she’s a survivor. Like her Mama.” He leans over, planting sweet kisses on her lips. “Eat up, my love. You’re going to need your energy up for your first day back.”

“Yes boss!” She smirks at him as she puts another spoonful of oatmeal in her mouth.

Sara arrived at the suite at 8:15am with another woman behind her.

“Good morning Sara!” Iris greeted her at the door. “Early! I like it.”

“Yes, sorry. I hate being late.”

“No. Don’t apologise. Barry’s notoriously late for almost everything so this is a nice change.”

“Hey! I’ve been getting a bit better.”

Iris just shook her head and laughed.

“This is Ava. She’ll be your personal assistant from now until our job’s done. And she’s also my wife.”

“Yes, Oliver did mention that yesterday. Nice to meet you, Ava. This is my husband, Barry.”

Barry shook hands with Ava.

“Nice to meet you both.”

“So I’m not sure if Oliver spoke to you about this or not but he’s sent us an armoured car for me to drive you.”

“Seriously? Why do I need an armoured car?” Iris got up to get her cell to give Oliver a piece of her mind.

“What are you doing?” Barry asked.

“I’m calling to tell him he’s crazy and he’s making too big of a fuss over me. I’m not the damn president. I don’t need an armoured car.”

“He said you’d say that. He told me to tell you that you may not be the president but you’re his best friend’s wife and that makes you more important than the president.”

Iris put her phone down and looked at Barry, tearing up.

“That sweet talking son of a bitch!”

“Just take it. You know how stubborn Oliver is.” Barry rubs her back. “I’ll call him and thank him for you.”

“Fine! Please tell him I think he’s ridiculous but I love him for looking out for me.”

Iris stood up and looked at her watch.

“Okay ladies. I think we’d better get going. I have a 9am meeting today. Can’t be late on my first day back.”

“Here. I’ll take this, you just hold your purse.” Ava says, reaching down to get Iris’ laptop bag. Her left hand would still be in a cast for another three weeks so she appreciated the help.

“Thank you, Ava.”

Iris turns to kiss Barry goodbye. “I’ll see you later tonight. I love you.”

“I love you.”

As she’s about to close the door she calls out, “And no more outfits for the baby! She probably won’t be able to wear half of what we have before outgrowing it.”

“But they’re just all so cute. Just one more!”

“Barry!”

“I’ll get a bigger size. For like when she’s two or three! It’ll be cute. I swear you’ll love it.”

Iris just shook her head and closed the door. She had no doubt in her mind Barry was going to come home with two or three outfits for Nora. The man was out of control.

The armoured car Oliver got for Iris didn’t look like she had pictured. It looked like any other SUV except it was reinforced to withstand an explosion, chemical or tear gas and had bulletproof windows.

“I had no idea Oliver had a vehicle like this! You think you know someone.”

“He actually has five like this. A lot of important clientele request this type of service.”

“Interesting.”

Iris was quiet on the ride to work for the most part. She thanked Ava for calling the police during her attempted attack a couple weeks ago. She also went over how her role as Iris’ personal assistant would play out at work. They were prepared. She knew Barb would understand and get on board with their plan. She’d already shown that she cared about Iris like a daughter.

As they approached security in the parking garage, Sara showed her ID and they were let in. Oliver had kept all his employees appraised of the changes in events surrounding her and The Citizen. He really was doing everything he could to make sure she was safe. She makes a note to call Barry to let him know.

As she walked through the offices at The Citizen, all eyes were on her, Sara and Ava as they made their way to her office. Her employees knew of her attack so it wasn’t much of a surprise to see she had a bodyguard or two protecting her, especially now that her pregnancy was no longer a secret.

“Good morning, Barb. Please join me in my office for a briefing.”

“Certainly, Mrs. West-Allen.” Barb stood up to join the three women into her boss’ office and closed the door behind them.

Ava took Iris’ coat and laptop bag and hung it up.

“I’m going to get a cup of coffee and let you guys talk.” Sara said, excusing herself. She used the opportunity to familiarise herself with the layout of the office including the break room and staff washrooms. She checked out the stairwells and even made her way up to the rooftop. She covered every inch of The Citizen. She had been given a blueprint of the building by Oliver beforehand so she was just brushing up her knowledge of the building. If anyone were to try to infiltrate the building, she would be ready.

She made her way back to the break room for a cup of coffee and ran into Allegra and Mateo.

“Good morning. I’m Sara. Iris’ bodyguard.”

“Hi. I’m Allegra. This is Mateo.”

“Oh yeah. I’ve heard good things about you.”

“Wait. You have?”

“Yep. Just make sure you don’t screw up.”

“I’m sorry. Screw up what?”

“You’ll find out soon enough. Have a good day!”

Allegra and Mateo were confused by their interaction with Sara and had no idea what she was talking about. They went back to their desks and continued on their day.

Meanwhile, Iris caught Barb up to speed on Ava and Sara’s presence at The Citizen and as expected, Barb was ready to fully support Iris in whatever way she needed. She left and contacted Scott to let him know that Iris was ready to meet with him.

“Good morning Iris. How are you feeling?”

“Hey Scott. Better besides this cast. Umm, this is Ava. She’s going to be my personal assistant/bodyguard until we find out who’s behind my attacks. And Sara as well. I’m sure you’ve seen her making the rounds out there.”

“Nice to meet you, Ava. I wondered who that strange woman was poking around the building. Glad you have security.”

“Yes. So I’m going to investigate the people behind my attacks but I need someone who can do the heavy lifting. I was thinking that maybe Allegra could handle it. What do you think?”

“Are you sure you wouldn’t want someone with a bit more experience to handle it? I’d be more than happy to look into this for you.”

“I know you would, Scott. But you also have June and the kids to think about. Both Eddie and I were attacked out of the blue Saturday night. Same weapon of choice was used. Thankfully Sara came to my rescue and subdued the guy. Eddie, unfortunately, wasn't so lucky and he was stabbed. He’s in critical but stable condition. And I think some powerful people may also have a hand in both those attacks.”

“I get it. June and the kids could be used as targets to get to me and having someone with no family ties would be able to investigate much easier. I don’t think she could handle it on her own and I would suggest putting her and Mateo together on it. They work really well together. They have different strengths that complement each other and they’re already friends so it would be an easy adjustment.”

“Okay. Thank you, Scott. You’ve given me a lot to think about.”

“Glad I could help.”

Once he left her office, Iris turned to Ava and asked her opinion about what Scott had just said.

“Well it makes sense. Sometimes two heads are better than one. I say go for it but maybe have Felicity do a background check on them to make sure they’re clean.”

“Good point. Could you ask Barb to pull their files for me please? I’m just going to call Barry.”

“Sure. I’ll go grab a cup of coffee too. Would you like one? Or a cup of tea perhaps?”

“Well I’m allowed one cup of coffee a day and I haven’t had one yet this morning. Coffee would be great, thank you.”

“You got it!”

“How’s my beautiful wife?”

“Hey handsome.”

“How are things at the office today?”

“Well that’s why I’m calling. I need your opinion on something.”

“What’s up?”

“Well I talked to Scott about my plans and he was disappointed that I wasn’t asking him to look into things. But I explained to him that because of who I think it is, June and the kids could become potential targets and I really don’t want anything to happen to them. And neither did he. I asked about Allegra and he doesn’t think she can handle it on her own and suggests I pair her and Mateo up together.”

“Well, two heads are better than one. Might be able to get to the bottom of this sooner rather than later which I’m all for.”

“Ava said the same thing. I guess she could sense my hesitation and suggested I get Felicity to do a background check on them both.”

“That’s not a bad idea. You know Felicity would be able to find anything on them. I say go for it.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. You have all these people and resources available to you might as well make the most of it.”

Iris sighed. “Yeah. I guess I just needed reassurance that it was the right call. I’ll give Felicity a call now and get her to do that for me.”

“Sweetheart, if you don’t want to do this, you can always oversee things and let someone else do the heavy lifting. Nothing wrong with that either. I know I encouraged you to do this if you wanted to but there’s nothing wrong in changing your mind.”

“No, I want to do this. It’s just that I don’t want our friends to feel like I’m taking advantage of them, you know? I mean Oliver sent over an armoured car and his best two bodyguards for me. It’s a lot, Barr.”

“Iris, I don’t think any of our friends feel that way. Oliver and Felicity genuinely love you and just want to see you and our baby safe. And they’re willing to help you in any way that they can. And they know that if roles were reversed you’d help them without question. Right now, it’s just our turn to get help. You’ve got to learn to take sometimes and not just always give. Otherwise you’ll be running on empty.”

“You’re right. Absolutely I’d help them if they needed help. Thanks babe. I love you.”

“Love you too. Now go crush this investigation. Patty and I are gonna go over the files over lunch so I should have something for you today. I’ll see you later.”

That was just the push Iris needed. Barry was right. She loved her friends and she would do anything for them and they loved her just the same.

Chapter Text

“Allegra. Mateo. Please have a seat.”

The two friends were just summoned to Iris’ office and had no idea why. Understandably they were nervous. One only got called into the big boss’ office if you were being fired.

“So guys, how are you liking your time here at The Citizen?”

They looked at each other and hesitated to answer.

“I promise I didn’t call you here to fire you.”

They visibly relaxed. Mateo spoke up first.

“I honestly can say that I’m glad this is the first news media I’ve worked at. Not that I’m looking for another place of employment. I just mean that you’ve set the bar high for what a journalist’s job is. Truth, honesty and integrity. Plus, the work environment is so good. I actually enjoy coming into work everyday.”

“I second that. I’ve probably read all of your articles and they’re what inspired me to become a journalist.”

“Well, that’s great to hear because I have a special assignment for you both. Something I normally would do myself but I promised my husband that I would slow down after I got pregnant.”

They sat up straighter after hearing her say that. Iris wanted them to investigate something that she would normally do. They were junior reporters yet she was trusting them with this.

“I have to warn you though, this assignment can get dangerous so if that’s not of interest to you, you can bow out now and I won’t hold it against you because what I’ll require of you is not for the faint of heart. That being said, you can tell no one about what you’re working on. And by no one, I mean absolutely no one. Not your parents, siblings, best friend, boyfriend or girlfriend, the local bartender, priest, not even your therapist. If any of the senior editors ask, you defer them to me. No one outside of the three of us can know the details of this. You both would report directly to me and only me. You will be provided with laptops on which to do your research but you cannot under any circumstances send any of the information you find to any of your personal devices. It’s not only for your safety but also mine.”

Iris paused to give them time to consider what she had just said.

“So, you have until the end of the day to make your decision if you would like this assignment or not. I know it’s a lot to ask, especially since you don’t know what the assignment is yet. But I need people I can trust working on this with me and I feel like I can trust you two.”

“You do? You trust us?” Mateo asked

“Yes I do. So like I said, take your time…”

“We’ll do it!” Allegra interrupted.

Iris was shocked by her enthusiastic answer. She looked at Mateo, who was vigorously nodding his head yes. She looked back at Allegra.

“Are you both sure you want to do this? There’s no pressure to say yes.”

“We’re both absolutely sure. 100% positive.”

“Okay. Then we’ll reconvene after lunch. See you guys back in an hour.”

They left Iris’ office excited and intrigued. They knew being hand selected by the founder and CEO of The Citizen for a secret assignment was a big deal. They had to do a good job. They had to prove to Iris that they were competent, capable and worthy of her faith in them. They had no idea what dangers they would face in taking on this assignment but they weren’t too worried. Iris herself said this was something she would have done on her own if she weren’t expecting. She had faced some very dangerous people in the past and lived to write the story. She would be there to guide them and steer them in the right direction.

Their lunch hour seemed to go by agonisingly slow for the junior reporters. They were anxious to find out what their new assignment was. Knowing that Iris was a stickler for punctuality, they arrived at her office ten minutes early. Barb, however, being very protective of Iris’ lunch hour, made them wait until her full hour was up before alerting her to their arrival.

“Thank you, Barb. Come in you two.”

They walked past her into her office and waited for her to offer them a seat. They sat on the edges of their seats, both with a notebook and pencil, ready to take notes.

“Okay. First things first, I want you both to know how much I appreciate you two stepping up to the plate to do this with me with very little information. I know that you’ll do your best. I want you to know that I will be here with you every step of the way to support you in any way that I can.”

Allegra and Mateo sat eagerly waiting for her to continue, ready with pencils in hand to take record of their assignment.

“As I’ve mentioned before, the most important thing about this assignment is that you are not to discuss this case with anyone except me. If I find out that you have divulged any detail, great or small, with anyone other than me, you will be fired on the spot. This assignment is personal to me so any derailment before it is completed, will come at a great cost to me…meaning your lives as well as the life of my husband, myself and my unborn child will all be in jeopardy. So it is imperative that no one outside the three of us know about it. I’m prepared to offer you security and temporary housing should you need it. I have reserved the office beside mine for you to use during this investigation so you won’t be disturbed and also to avoid any peeping Tom’s from seeing what you're working on. You will be given a key card in order to access it. Each of you will also be provided with a laptop that you are to use for this investigation only. No personal stuff will be permitted on them. I will also be providing you each with a burner phone for us to communicate with. As with the laptop, it’s strictly for this investigation. At the end of each day, you will bring your laptop and notebook into this office where it will be kept in a safe until you retrieve it the next day. It will be kept open if I have to leave early for whatever reason but make sure both laptops and notebooks are in there before it’s locked. I don't expect you to work on this around the clock but I do expect that you make the most of your time while you’re at work. You’re both young. You’re entitled to enjoy your lives outside of this place.”

She took a breath to let everything she just said sink in. She had just unloaded a lot of information on them. She was already impressed because they both took notes about what she told them.

“Any questions for me so far?”

They both shook their heads no.

“Okay. Well since it seems like I was unsuccessful in scaring you off, here’s the assignment. We’re going to be investigating the new DA, Cecile Horton.”

She paused again, waiting to see if she got any pushback from either of them. When she didn’t, she continued.

“We’re going to be looking at her cases and going through them with a fine tooth comb. You’re going to make notes of any inconsistencies or patterns you come across. Anything that seems odd or out of place. Anything that looks too good to be true. We’re also going to be taking a look at her personal life. I want to know who her childhood best friend was, whether or not she was a good student. Her financial statements. What does she like to spend her money on? I want to know everything. Look for any patterns of behaviour or anything out of the ordinary. Any sudden unexplained life changes, make note of it. No matter how small. I want to know what she ate everyday when she was 7, 17, 27, 37 and today. If she ate toast everyday for breakfast, I want to know how brown she liked her toast and what brand of jam she had on it. No detail is too small or unimportant. And like I’ve said before, if you’re not sure, you can always ask me. Yes, you’re helping me with this case, but I will also help you figure out what to look for.”

“Shit! What did this bitch do to you?” Mateo asked, forgetting momentarily whom he was addressing.

Allegra nudged him hard as Iris chuckled.

“I’m so sorry. That was inappropriate.” Mateo's ears and neck turned red, embarrassed by his outburst.

“It’s okay, Mateo. On this assignment, we’re colleagues. I’m still your boss but feel free to be yourself. As for your question, I don’t have any proof yet but I have a feeling she’s mishandling my assault case and framing my ex for it. Not that his hands aren’t dirty but in this scenario he’s actually guiltless. I don’t believe it’s fair to charge an innocent person for a crime they didn’t commit, no matter how much of an asshole he may have been. I just don’t know why or if she really is behind all of this. I could be wrong and it ends up being a major case of baby brain but my gut tells me that I’m not. And it’s never once steered me wrong.”

“I trust your gut. I mean you. I trust you.” He was getting flustered which only amused Iris more and embarrassed Allegra.

“Maybe we should get started on this assignment. What do you say, Mateo?”

“Yep. Let’s go do that.”

“Okay. Here are your pass keys. Don’t lose them. You find the laptops in the office. You can leave them there during your lunch break. Just make sure to lock the door behind you. There’s a phone in that room that connects to mine. Just pick it up and dial 9476 and it’ll patch you through directly to me.”

“Thanks Iris. I promise we won’t let you down.”

Allegra stood up and walked to the door, with Mateo hot on her heels.

“I know you won’t.”

Iris closed the door behind them and sighed. She looked at her watch. 1:15pm. She was tired but wanted to push through a couple more hours before calling it a day. But first, she had to go to the bathroom since Nora seemed to be pressing on her bladder at the moment. That seemed to be her favourite spot lately and Iris found herself in the bathroom more often than she liked. Thank goodness she had her own private bathroom.

She came back and sat down to do some research of her newly acquainted arch nemesis on her own. Before she had a chance to open her laptop, she got a call from Felicity informing her that Cecile had an alert set up for anytime her name was searched that sent a bug to that computer, tracking what they find and then releasing a virus that corrupts your files. Thankfully Felicity being the brilliant computer hacker that she was, caught it and was able to kill the virus before it made contact and sent a false reply that it was successful so that they were free to investigate without problems. She also set up additional firewalls to prevent any further attacks like that from happening in the future.

“Well that doesn’t seem suspicious at all!” Barry replied when Iris called to tell him what Felicity had just told her.

“Right? This just proves that my instincts about her were correct. Anyone who has nothing to hide wouldn’t have something like that. I hope we do find something concrete and I’m not sending these kids out on a wild goose chase.”

“From the sounds of it, I think you’re on the right path, love.”

“Yeah. Did you guys have much luck with your research?”

“Yes we did. It’s a lot to unpack. So we found out that Fells and Parker are cousins through their mothers. Parker has been getting into trouble with the law pretty much his entire life. His dad was a deadbeat and his mother had him while in prison for drug possession and he was bounced around from foster home to foster home and by the looks of it, not great ones either. He practically raised himself. He’d been in and out of juvie since age 9 when he attacked his foster dad with a baseball for beating his foster mom. After that he was sent to ten different foster homes, never lasting more than a couple of months. Ran away from his last one at age fifteen. Laid low for a while until he was arrested for gang related robbery at age seventeen. He was tried and sentenced as an adult given his background, but was released on a technicality after five years.”

“Damn. His life could have been so different if only he had just one person care about him.”

“Yeah. It really is sad.”

“What about Fells? What’s his story?”

“Well, it’s completely opposite to Parker’s. He grew up in a stable home with both his parents and had a pretty good childhood. Things changed when he was a junior in high school and his mom passed away from breast cancer. Apparently his dad, overcome with grief, took his life a week later, leaving Fells alone. He was sent to live with his paternal grandparents in Houston but when they died his freshman year of college, he started getting into fights and eventually dropped out. According to his files he was briefly married to someone named Nikki Daniels but the marriage only lasted for three years. We haven’t been able to find anything on Nikki and since their divorce he’s been working at various odd jobs here and there. Nothing concrete. Seems like his criminal activities in Central City started about seven years ago and he’s been in and out of jail ever since. Nothing big until his assault on you which should have seen him behind bars for much longer than a couple of weeks.”

“This is all good. Thank you for your help. I love you so much.”

“I love you too. Will you be working late tonight? Should I bring over dinner?”

“No, no. I’m actually pretty beat right now. I may just wrap things up and head home in an hour or so.”

“Okay. I’ll see you later then.”

“Bye babe.”

Iris was excited. Things were starting to come together. She hadn’t even really begun her investigation and she already had lots to work with.

Chapter Text

For the next 2 weeks, Iris and her team worked furiously to get as much information as they could on Cecile but they kept coming up short. They also looked into Fells’ ex wife and couldn’t find her either. It was like after their divorce she vanished. No social media accounts to be found, no bank statements, nothing. Still, they persisted.

Mateo did discover a correlation between Cecile and Fells. Over the past ten years he had been arrested, she either reduced his sentence or his jail time was shortened. Iris wanted to know why and it irritated her that she could find no connection between them. As for Parker, it appears he was at one point a low man to a business partner of Eobard Thawne but then that trail went cold.

Iris was impressed with the work that Allegra and Mateo were doing. They were proving to be quite the journalists in the making. They did work well together and they were diligent in their research. A few other journalists wanted to know what they were working on and aside from the three of them, only Barb, Sara and Ava were in the know and they weren’t going to give any information up. Scott made sure to keep leering eyes away from her office, giving everyone a stern talking to at their weekly staff meeting, which Iris appreciated. She knew he was disappointed that he couldn’t work the case but given the fact that she had been attacked twice now, he also wasn’t willing to put the lives of his family in jeopardy.

It seemed as if they were hitting one dead end after another and it was frustrating the hell out of Iris. Allegra and Mateo could tell she was getting flustered and did their best to keep her spirits up.

“Boss, I know this is frustrating but we can do this. I know we can.”

“Yeah boss. It’s just one thing that we’re missing. I can feel it’s right beneath the surface.”

Iris sighed. “I’m sorry guys. I haven’t hit a wall this hard in a long time and it's frustrating the hell out of me.” She pinched the bridge of her nose and thought for a bit. “Here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to step away from this until Monday, work on some other stuff and come back with fresh eyes. Sound good?”

“You sure, boss? Cause we don’t mind staying at it until we get it.”

“Yes. I’m sure. Sometimes it’s better to walk away when you’re stalled for an answer. Take a break and then return. If something comes up, I’ll be in touch. Otherwise let’s take a break from this.”

“Okay. We’ll be back here first thing Monday then.”

They packed up their things and took them over to Iris’ office and locked them in the safe. Barry would be here at any moment to take her to her midwife appointment anyway so the timing was perfect.

At her 30 week check up, Iris’ blood pressure was quite high and her midwife cautioned her to take it easy otherwise she could be looking at an early birth, which comes with its own slew of issues. She also mentioned medication and bed rest but Iris was hearing none of it. She would rather slow down than stop all together. She knew her blood pressure was high because of her investigation being somewhat stalled right now. That was all Barry needed to hear. He had been cautioning her to take it easy the past few weeks. He knew that she was eager to close her investigation but not at the risk of her health or the health of their baby.

After the appointment, he told her she was taking the rest of the day as well as tomorrow off because he was taking charge of her day. Iris really was starting to feel the pressure of her investigation getting to her and didn’t put up a fight. She called to let Barb know that she would be out for the rest of the week and to inform Scott, Allegra and Mateo.

Iris leaned back in the car and closed her eyes as Barry drove them home. He really was worried about her and regretted ever so slightly encouraging her to pursue this case. He reached out to hold her hand and she let out a happy sigh and gave his hand a slight squeeze. She smiled at him when he looked over and blew him a kiss, causing him to blush. Iris loved that after all this time, she still had that effect on him.

“I’m going to plan a special relaxing day for you tomorrow. You can sleep in if you’d like and just relax in the morning. In the afternoon, I’m taking you out to lunch and then a special surprise.”

“You spoil me too much!”

“Never enough, sweetheart.”

“Hey, do you mind if we stop at Jitters? I’d like to take a cup of coffee over to Dad at the precinct. I told him we’d stop by after my appointment today.”

“Anything you want, my love.”

They stopped at Jitters to grab their drinks and then headed over to CCPD.

“Shit! I need to pee again! This kid is pressed up against my bladder and is in no hurry to ease up.”

Barry laughs and takes her iced tea from her hands.

“I just heard someone say Joe’s in my lab so I’ll meet you up there, okay?”

He gives her a quick peck on the lips and climbs the stairs up to his lab.

Iris takes off towards the staff bathroom. Since there weren’t very many female officers, the bathrooms were always clean. It’s empty when she walked in. She sits and empties her bladder, thankful that no one was around to hear her sigh of relief. She still had 10 more weeks left in her pregnancy and didn’t know how she would survive if her bladder was constantly being used as a trampoline. She stood up and flushed the toilet and started to adjust her clothes when she heard Cecile and another woman walk in. Not wanting to face her again, Iris stayed in her stall.

“I didn’t know you went to Houston Law?” The woman said.

Iris’ ears perked up hearing that. There were no records of Cecile attending law school in Houston.

“What makes you think I went to Houston Law?’

“Oh well you mentioned the $5 breakfast tacos from Cheeky Pig Taco House. It’s a staple for Houston Law students. I just assumed you did.”

“Oh! That! No. I, uh. I’ve been there once while I was visiting a friend. Their breakfast tacos are legendary. Am I right?” Cecile chuckles nervously.

“Yeah they are. I’m sorry. The way you described it just sounded like you were a regular there.”

“Nope. Just been there the one time. Excuse me.”

And with that she hurried out the bathroom.

“Weird.” The other woman muttered to herself before following her out.

Iris waited for a bit before emerging from her stall. This could be the breakthrough she needed in her investigation. There was nothing she found about Cecile that mentioned she not only lived in Houston but might have also attended law school there. She quickly washed her hands and made her way up to Barry’s lab. She couldn’t wait to tell him what she had overheard.

She was thankful it was just her dad and Barry in the lab when she got there.

“Hey baby girl! How are you and my little dumpling doing?”

“Little dumpling?”

“It’s just a nickname I’m trying out.”

Iris laughed. “We’re doing fine, Dad. Although my midwife wants me to take things easy because my blood pressure is a wee bit high. She even mentioned medication and bed rest but I shut that down fast.”

“Iris, you don’t want to go into labour prematurely.”

“I know Dad. I promise I’ll be good. Barry told me to take the rest of the day and tomorrow off and I didn’t even put up a fight.”

“Well good. So other than that, everything is fine with my little cupcake?”

Iris groaned. “I think that’s worse than little dumpling. But yes, everything else is fine.”

“Good. Okay well you two should get going someplace other than here.” He reached over to kiss Iris.

“Bye Dad.” Iris says as he turns to leave. “Oh Dad. You’ve been to Houston, right?”

“Yeah a couple of times. Why do you ask?”

“Ever heard of a place called Cheeky Pig Taco House?”

“Does this have anything to do with your investigation?” Joe asks in a hushed voice.

“We’re at a standstill with that right now. Plus, you know.” She says gesturing with her hands to her baby bump.

“Yeah. I’ve heard of it. Been there a couple times myself. A lot of Houston Law students go there. Actually your cousin, Andre, goes to Houston Law. Man, that place has the best breakfast tacos anywhere within a 50 mile radius. And for only $5 too! What makes you ask about it?”

“I just overheard a conversation about it and thought you might have heard about it.”

“Yeah. I followed one of the blue bands there one night after a gig and it was legendary.” Joe got lost in the memory of his younger days. “We should go visit your cousin sometime and go there. Well you two enjoy the rest of your day. Thanks for this file, Barr.”

Barry waits until Joe leaves and says to his wife, “So what’s the real deal with this Cheeky Pig Taco place?”

“I’ll tell you in the car. You never know who’s lurking around the corner here listening.”

“Okay well you can tell me on the way to your mani/pedi.”

“My what?”

“The midwife said you needed to lower your blood pressure. I know this is something you enjoy so I booked one for you while you were in the bathroom. And then I thought we could do a little shopping…for you. Maybe get you a new outfit for your baby shower and a coming home from the hospital outfit for you and Nora. And anything else you want to do.”

“Babe, that sounds amazing! How did I get so lucky to have you in my life?”

“I’m the lucky one to have you in my life.”

As they headed to her favourite nail salon, Iris tells Barry about the conversation she overheard.

“There wasn’t anything in all the research I did on Cecile that mentioned her ever being in Houston, much less attending law school there.”

“Sounds like something went down in Houston that she’d rather keep quiet. Too bad for her, Iris West-Allen is on the case.”

“Damn right. And I don’t intend to leave any stones unturned.”

“Well it’s too bad you’re going to have to wait until Monday morning to turn those stones because this weekend is going to be all about you relaxing and taking it easy. As excited as I am to meet our baby girl, there’s still 10 more weeks for her to cook before she’s supposed to come.”

“That’s okay. I can wait until then.”

“Really? Who are you and what have you done with my wife?” Barry feigned surprise and shock causing Iris to roll her eyes at him.

“What are you talking about?”

“Well beautiful strange lady who looks, sounds and smells like my Iris. My wife normally wouldn't wait to look into a hot lead when she gets it. Everything would get thrown out the window as she chased that lead until she found the answer. You not rushing to do that makes me suspicious.”

Iris laughed. “You’re hilarious. I told you that I was going to do things differently when I got pregnant. This is me doing things differently. Yes, this lead is amazing and I can’t wait to look into it but it won’t change on Monday. So I’m going to enjoy my weekend with my sexy baby daddy and do whatever he says.”

“Wow! I might like this new and agreeable Iris.”

“Don’t get used to it, mister!”

He pulled up in front of the nail salon and got out to help her out of the car. He held the door open for her and ushered her in. Sara and Ava were there waiting for her.

“Hey guys. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised to see you guys here.”

“It's all a part of our job!”

Iris was seated between the two ladies.

“Okay, Mama. I’m going to walk around and check out some of the stores here. I’ll be back to get you in an hour. I love you.”

Iris pulled him in by his shirt and kissed him.

“Thank you for this. I love you.”

“I love you too. Have fun!”

Barry came back fifteen minutes later with three pretzels and iced tea for the ladies.

“Here you go. A little snack to tie you over. Now I’ll be out of your hair until you’re done.”

Iris sat back and enjoyed her mani/pedi beside her two bodyguards. She relaxed even more knowing that she could enjoy this and would be safe.

Chapter Text

Barry walked down the street checking out the nearby stores. He wanted to get Iris a gift but he couldn’t decide what to get her. He had too many ideas. It had to be the perfect gift. Something that had meaning. He walked up and down the block and checked out every store. He got distracted and ended up buying yet another outfit for Nora. It was a navy bomber jacket like the one he has and he picked up a pair of navy low cut Chuck Taylor shoes to also match his. He found a pair of dark navy leggings and matching pink t-shirts. His said ‘Daddy’ and Nora’s said ‘Daddy’s girl’. Even though she’s told him not to get anything else for Nora, he knows Iris won’t be able to resist how cute they’d look matching each other. He needed to head back to the salon soon. He crossed the street and headed back to the first place he had stopped. He looked around inside and then had a brilliant idea.

“Mr. Allen! You’re back! How can I help you?”

“Hello again, Mr. Sterling. I’d like to get something special for my wife and I was wondering if it was possibly something I could order today and pick up in a couple of weeks?”

Barry proceeds to tell Mr. Sterling what he was looking for. Mr. Sterling grabs a piece of paper to jot down what Barry wanted and once satisfied, the men shook hands.

“I don’t carry anything like that but I can certainly make that for you. I’ll give you a call when it’s ready for pickup.”

Barry thanks him and hurries back to the salon just as they were getting their things together. He meets the receptionist to pay for their treatments.

“Don’t you ladies look nice!”

“Thanks to you, Barry.”

“You’re welcome. You ladies are making sure the two most important people in my life are safe. It’s the least I could do.”

“So, where to next?” Iris asks.

“Well I saw a couple of boutiques I think you might like. Want to go check them out?”

“Sounds good.”

“We’ll be close enough if you need us.” Sara says to them.

Barry held Iris’ hand and led her to one of the stores he mentioned earlier. She stepped in and smiled widely at him.

“Go. Pick out what you’d like.”

She squealed in delight and took her time looking through the clothes. Their baby shower was scheduled a month away in the middle of June the weekend before her birthday.

She quickly found a few dresses and called to him to help her narrow down her choices.

“What do you think about this one?”

She asked as she stepped out of the change room, wearing a light green floor length dress with long sleeves.

“It’s cute but I think you can do better.”

“Yeah. Me too. It doesn’t really feel like me to be honest.”

She shuffled back in and came out in another floor length dress. This one was a white floral print with thin straps.

“Well your boobs look incredible in the dress but it still doesn’t feel like you.”

“Agreed.”

Iris tried on a couple more that didn’t quite make the cut. Truth to be told, Barry thought everything she wore looked great on her but she wanted him to be objective and he was trying his best to be. Some accentuated her cleavage perfectly but the rest of the dress fell short. Some looked great but the colour wasn’t what she had envisioned.

The next couple of dresses made Barry sit up and pay attention. The first one was an above the knee soft pink off the shoulder body con dress that hugged her curves in all the right places. Her boobs sat nicely in the dress, showing just the right amount of cleavage. Her ass looked amazing and her baby bump was snuggled comfortably in it. Barry’s eyes bulged when he saw her. He could see in her face she loved this dress.

“Wow! You look…just wow!”

He stood up and slowly ran his hand around her waist, dipping low to her ass.

“I like this one.”

“I like it too. But there’s another one that I also like just as much. Let me show you.”

She turned to walk back to the change room when he pulled her back into him and kissed her, humming against her lips. Iris smiled. She could see his eyes had darkened and could feel his hardened dick against her belly.

“Down boy. We are not having sex in this lovely boutique.”

He groaned as she pulled back and walked back to the change room.

The next dress she tried on was equally enticing to Barry. It was a lilac spaghetti strapped body con dress that hit just below her knees paired with a long floral chiffon cover dress over top.

“Well this style of dress is definitely more you. I don’t know, sweetheart. Which do you feel most comfortable in?”

“Both of them. I can’t decide between them. And they both make me feel hella sexy in them. I mean, my boobs and ass have never looked this good.”

“Well, I beg to differ since your boobs and ass have always looked amazing but who am I to argue with a pregnant woman?”

“Smart man! I don’t know which to pick, Barr. Help me.” She whined at him.

“Take it off. Let’s go!”

“What? Why?”

“Because it’s the smart thing to do when you’re stuck. Walk away and whichever one you can’t stop thinking about, that’s the one and we’ll come back and get it. Besides, we still have to get a going home outfit for you and Nora. We’ll come back. You go change. I’ll put the dresses back and you can think about it while we shop for the other stuff.”

“Okay.” She sounded a little sad. She really loved those two dresses. It was weird that she had such a hard time making a decision. Normally she was very decisive. She had to be to get to where she was today. But Barry was right. Since she couldn’t make a decision right now, walking away was the best thing.

“Here you go.” She handed over the dresses and began to get dressed.

“Take your time, love. You sound a little out of breath.”

“Yeah. I just need to sit and rest for a minute.”

“No problem. I’ll be here when you’re ready.”

Barry took the dresses to the front of the store and handed them to the clerk.

“We’ll take these two please.” He handed over his credit card to her as she rang up his purchase. She handed over the bags with the dresses before Iris opened the door of the change room, dressed and ready to go.

“Thank you.” Barry said to the clerk as he ushered Iris out the door.

The next store had just as many cute outfits as the first but focused more on comfort pre and post birth. This time, she quickly narrowed down the outfits for her and Nora. They paid for them and headed out.

“Babe, as much as I’m enjoying today, I think I need to rest. Do you mind if we called it a day and went home? Maybe we can pick up dinner on the way home?”

“Of course, my love. We can definitely do that. Anything you want.”

“Thank you.”

They walked back to his car and Iris settled in as Barry took their bags and placed them in the trunk. He walks over to the driver side and notices a scratch on his driver door that sends a shiver down his spine and makes his blood boil. It was Iris’ initials in a circle and a line through it. Someone had the balls to mark his car in broad daylight. Whoever it was was sending him a message and not a good one. He tries to compose himself before stepping into the car because Iris would know instantly if something was wrong. He snapped a couple pictures of it, looked around and took a deep breath before getting into the car.

Iris had her seat leaned back and her eyes closed when he sat in the driver’s seat. He pulled out of the parking spot and reached over to hold her hand, bringing it to his lips, pulling a soft smile from her. He’ll encourage her to have a bath and a nap when they get home so that he could make some calls about it while she sleeps. The less she worried, the lower her blood pressure would be.

He picked up Thai food on the way home thinking about his next steps. Iris woke up just as they pulled into his parking spot. Barry hurried and helped her out of the car. He grabbed their bags from the trunk and walked hand in hand with Iris to the elevator.

“So I was thinking I could draw you a nice warm bath and then you can have a nap.”

“Actually that little nap I had on the ride home was just what I needed. I feel rejuvenated.”

“Are you sure? Because you’ve been running yourself pretty ragged these past few weeks. Maybe you should try for a longer nap and in an actual bed this time. Better rest than in the car, right?”

“Why are you trying to get rid of me?”

“I’m not trying to get rid of you. I’m trying to get you to rest. To lower your blood pressure so that you don’t go into premature labour. That’s all.”

“Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Fine. A warm bath does sound nice. It would be even better if you joined me. Maybe we can get dirty while we get clean.” She leaned forward to kiss him. “You know studies have shown that sex lowers your blood pressure. And given how high mine is, I think we need to have lots and lots and lots of sex to get it down. What do you say?”

“Well I can’t argue with science seeing as I am a scientist and all.” He kisses her back and walks her out of the elevator towards their suite. Hank greets them at the door, snuggling close to Iris.

“I’m just going to get a drink of water and fill up Hank’s bowl.” Iris says to Barry.

“Okay. I’ll take these upstairs and meet you in the bath.”

Barry placed the bags on Iris’ side of the bed and began to strip his clothes off. He sent a quick message to Patty with the pictures of his car door asking if she could look into this for him and left his phone on the bed. He began to fill the tub with hot water and added Iris’ favourite bath oils to it. By the time they made it to the bath, the water would be at the perfect temperature. He got their towels and placed them nearby. He heard Iris shuffle around the room and his cell beeps. It was probably Patty. He’ll call her back later. Right now he has his wife’s blood pressure to lower.

He turned off the water and stepped into the bedroom to see her going through the bags. She pulls out her and Nora’s coming home outfits and lays them in the bed and smiles. Then she pulls out the little bomber jacket and leggings and looks over to him.

“Barry! I said no more outfits for Nora!”

“Oh but you have to see the whole ensemble and then you’ll see why I got it. Hang on.”

He pulls the rest of the outfit out and then runs over to his closet, laying his bomber jacket and dark navy jeans on the bed, placing his shoes on the floor with Nora’s beside it. The then pulls out the t-shirts and fashions them under both jackets and then steps back.

“See? Look at how adorably cute that is!” He says pulling her over to him to take in the ensemble before them, a big stupid grin on his face.

“Okay. You’re right. That is definitely cute. And now I’m a little jealous and feel left out.” She pouted.

“We can fix that. We’ll get you a matching jacket and shoes and we’ll get you a shirt that says ‘Hot Mama’ or something like that.” He grinned at her.

“What’s this?” She says looking at the last bag.

He shrugs at her with a small smile on his face.

Iris gasps as she pulls out one of the two dresses she had tried on at the first boutique. “You got this one for me? I do love this one. I could totally wear the overcoat past pregnancy. Thank you babe. This is very sweet of you.”

She leans over and kisses him. She hadn’t noticed the other dress in the bag and picked it up to put it away.

“Is there something else in here?” She pulls out the other dress and looks over to Barry with tears in her eyes.

“You got me both of them?”

“They both looked amazing on you and I could tell that you felt beautiful and sexy in them both. So I got them for you. I figured you could wear one for your baby shower and keep the other one for a special date night that I’m definitely going to take you on before you give birth.”

“I love you Barry Allen.” She said, snaking her arms around his neck.

“I love you Iris West-Allen. Now my darling, if you would kindly disrobe and follow me, our bath is waiting and the water should be at the perfect temperature now.”

Chapter Text

“I think this is my favourite method for lowering blood pressure! Thank you!” Iris breathlessly says to Barry as she rolls off of him and onto their bed.

“Anytime Mrs. West-Allen. Anytime!” He laughs out his response, falling back onto their bed beside her.

They lay there, naked, hot and sticky, trying to catch their breath. It’s quiet between them. Barry seems to be preoccupied with something. Probably has to do with what she saw on his phone. She doesn’t want to wait for him to tell her.

She rolls over onto her side and props her head on her hand, her hair falling around her. He turns to look at her. His breath stolen by her. His heart skipped a beat. She was beautiful beyond words. She reached out and placed a hand on his chest and instinctively he covered it with his.

“So when were you going to tell me about your car?”

He scans her face, questioning how she knew.

“I saw Patty’s text on your phone. When did that happen?”

“Today while we were out.”

She pulled her hand away and sat up. “What? Why didn’t you tell me, Barr?”

“Because I didn’t want to worry you with it. I asked Patty if she could look into getting surveillance tapes to possibly find out who did this. Once we had an answer, then I was going to tell you.”

She got out of bed, walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Barry follows her into the bathroom.

“Iris, I’m doing this for you. I’m trying to keep you and our baby safe.”

“You should have told me Barry.” She covered her arm, got into the shower and turned her back to him. She couldn’t wait to get this damned cast off. She couldn’t wait to put a stop to the threats to her life. Whoever it was, she’ll make them pay. Because it was one thing to come after her. But now they were coming after Barry too. If she was being honest with herself, she was just as scared as she was pissed. Barry couldn’t get hurt in all of this. She would not survive if anything were to happen to him.

She knows him keeping this from her was his way of protecting her. Protecting their baby. The logical part of her brain knew and understood that. Her blood pressure was scarily high and she needed to get control of it without having to go on medication or bedrest. She would have been twice as upset if she saw it with her own eyes and he was doing this to avoid her going into premature labour. She couldn’t be mad at him for always thinking about her. He was doing what he’s always done. He loved her.

“I know, love. I’m sorry. I was going to tell you after I got a handle on things and got more information.” He stood behind her, passing his hand through his hair as he does when he’s nervous or unsure, waiting for her to say something. He really did not intend to upset her.

She wanted to wash her hair and needed help. Her shoulders slumped as she turned to him.

“Can you help me wash my hair please?”

He nodded, smiling sheepishly when she wasn’t looking. He knew she was upset and didn’t want to ask for his help. He understood why she was upset he didn’t tell her about his car right away. He waits for her to say something while he helps her with her hair.

“I know you didn’t tell me because you’re trying to protect me and Nora.”

“That’s all I was doing. I swear!”

“I know. I’m sorry I snapped at you. I’m just terrified and pissed that they’re coming after you now and the thought of you maybe getting hurt. I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you because of me.”

“This is not your fault. None of this is your fault. And I would never, ever blame you for any of this. So don’t blame yourself either. Okay?”

“Okay.”

She pauses as she carefully considers her next words.

“So I know I said this could wait until Monday but this new development changes things.”

“Iris…”

“Just hear me out. Cecile obviously thinks I’m investigating her and that’s why she’s coming after us. I think Houston has the answer.”

“You want to go to Houston?”

“Yes. Well not me, personally. I can send Allegra and Mateo.”

“Thank God because I don’t think you should be travelling right now at all.”

“Yeah I know. I’ll have to get Scott to initiate and authorise it so that it doesn’t look like it’s coming from me. I wonder if Oliver would be able to send someone down with them for protection. It’s their first assignment and it’s becoming more and more dangerous.”

“I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.”

“You should get a body guard too.”

“I can handle myself, Iris. They can’t get to me at the precinct or at home. Only when I’m out and I’m either always at home or at work. Or at The Citizen. I’ll be fine. I promise.”

Iris sighs knowing she wouldn’t be able to convince him to get a bodyguard as well.

“Fine. But if anything happens to you, I’ll kill you myself!”

He leans over and kisses her. “My preferred way to die. I always imagined dying of a heart attack while having sex with you. Just so overcome by your beauty and sexiness that my heart couldn’t contain all the joy of being with you.”

She turns to him, a look of shock on her face. “You’re insane. I wouldn’t bother dressing you before the police come. They can dress your naked ass for dying on me in the middle of sex. I hope you’d have the decency to at least give me a proper orgasm before you kicked the bucket.”

“When have I ever left you unsatisfied?” He whispered in her ear.

Iris opened her mouth to answer but she had nothing. Even though she so badly wanted to wipe that smug look off his face, she honestly didn’t have an answer.

“Exactly!” He gives her a quick peck on the lips and finishes up his shower so that he can help her with her hair. He grabs her towel and his and waits for her to step out of the shower and take a seat at her vanity. He puts in her leave in conditioner and begins to braid her hair.

Iris looks at him in the mirror and smiles.

“Thank you, babe. Our baby girl really is lucky to have you as her dad.”

“And you for a mom. Your tenacity. Your fearlessness. Your bravery. Your kind and beautiful heart and brilliant mind. I hope she gets all of that from you.”

He finishes up her hair and they get dressed, discussing their plans for the weekend. Iris would get everything set for Allegra and Mateo’s investigation. They would leave first thing in the morning and be back early Tuesday evening.

While Barry reheated their dinner, Iris called Allegra and Mateo with their new assignment and then called Scott and had him set up flight arrangements for Allegra and Mateo. She then called Oliver to arrange a bodyguard to go with them to Houston.

“Everything is all set. Allegra and Mateo are excited for this trip. Scott has the paperwork trail started and their flights are booked along with Thea’s. Oliver thought sending Thea would make it seem like three friends hanging out in Houston for the weekend would be more believable that someone older. Plus Thea volunteered to go. I’m going to nail this bitch. She messed with the wrong woman’s husband.”

“Just keep an eye out on your blood pressure, love. Although tomorrow’s events should help.”

“And what exactly are we doing tomorrow?” Iris was hoping to pry some information from Barry.

“Sleep in, lunch and then something special.”

“Come on! Just a little hint. Please?”

“Iris?”

“Yes handsome!” She answers, batting her eyes at him, hoping with a bit of flirting and flattery he’d cave.

“Do you trust me?”

“With my whole heart!”

“Then trust me when I say, you’ll just have to wait until tomorrow to get your surprise.”

She pouts. “Fine! Party pooper!”

“You’ll thank me tomorrow.”

He stands and takes her plate into the kitchen.

“Want to finish watching The Last Kingdom?” she asks.

“Yeah. Let’s do it!”

As Barry suspected, Iris was asleep within the first twenty minutes. Not that she wasn’t interested in the show, she was exhausted. He knew that the cat nap in the car wasn’t enough for her but she was adamant that she was fine and didn’t need a nap. He turns the tv off and she stirs.

“What’d you do that for? Stiorra and Brida were just about to face off!”

“Because you’re sleeping. We can watch it in the morning while we eat breakfast. Come on. Let’s get to bed.”

“I’m too tired to move. Just leave me here.”

“No. I can’t sleep without you beside me.” Barry gently scoops her up in his arms, holding her tightly to himself. She snuggles into him, inhaling him as she does.

“You smell nice.”

And just like that she was out again. Barry ever so tenderly, places her on their bed and covers her body. He returned downstairs to do his last minute check and headed back upstairs. He brushed his teeth and sat on the edge of their bed, checking his phone to see if Patty had gotten back to him.

They couldn’t get facial recognition because the cameras were too far away but the perp did something even better. He had touched the front of Barry’s car without a glove on his hand so he might be able to get fingerprints off his car. Barry was ecstatic. Luckily for him, he had his kit in his car so lifting a fingerprint wouldn’t be a problem for him. He debated whether or not he should go get it now or wait until the morning. It would only take a few minutes to lift the fingerprints. He decided to do it now. He’d sleep better knowing that he had done so.

He quietly got dressed and headed down to the parking garage.

“Mr. Allen, what are you doing down here so late? I saw someone damaged your car. Is Mrs. West-Allen in danger again?” The night guard, Gerald greeted him.

“Hey Gerald. She’s okay right now. She’s had some threats against her recently but we’ve got her covered. Just came to do a little bit of police work. Apparently whoever did this didn’t wear gloves so I came to see if I could get some fingerprints.”

“Glad to hear the Mrs. is okay. She’s been through a hell of a lot. You two be safe.”

“We will. Thanks Gerald.”

Barry appreciated where they lived even more. Although he and Iris talked about looking for a house once they had more kids, he couldn’t imagine leaving the safety of their building. It gave him such peace of mind to know that Iris was safe here, especially after she had been attacked. After the incident with Eddie, security tightened in the building. Bulletproof glass and reinforcements were placed in the front of the building. An extra layer of security was added in the lobby stopping just anyone from going further into the building. ID’s were checked before entering the property and the building. It was a pain in the ass sometimes, Barry admits but it was a necessary and appreciated inconvenience. No unauthorised person was ever going to get into the building without being verified first.

Barry worked quickly to get the fingerprints off his vehicle. He makes a mental note to call the body shop to get this issue fixed right away. Once everything is done, he takes everything back upstairs with him. He takes his kit into his office and sits down to work. He logs into his work account and begins to process the prints. A name pops up. Griffin Gray. He had no priors in the system. He was arrested for vandalism a week ago and was released. Charges were dropped by none other than the DA, Cecile Horton.

Barry sat back in his chair. This could not be another coincidence. There were too many linking Cecile to the recent attacks against Iris for it to be brushed aside. He was determined to help her even more with her investigation. He wasn’t going to let anything or anyone hurt her or their baby. He had waited a long time for his life to be what it is right now and no one was going to take that away from him. Barry decided he’ll share this bit of information with Iris in the morning. He sent Patty a text with Gray’s name and headed to bed. A good night’s sleep was in order. He had to be rested and stress free if he expected to help Iris manage her blood pressure. He tidied up and shut the door to his office and headed to bed.

As soon as he got in, Iris scooted closer to him and snuggled up beside him. He wrapped one arm around her back and placed the other on her protruding belly. He kissed her lips ever so sweetly and closed his eyes as he listened to her steady breathing, thankful for her and their baby.

Chapter Text

When Barry woke up early the next morning, he thought he was dreaming. But it felt so real it couldn’t possibly be a dream. His heart was beating fast and his breathing jagged. He opened his eyes and looked down and saw the beautiful brown eyes of his wife staring up at him, his cock in her mouth. She was naked and her eyes were smiling at him.

“Iris?” He croaked, taking a minute to register that he was indeed awake and not at all dreaming. He lifted his head up and looked down at her head bobbing up and down, feeling her lips and tongue smooth against him. He slammed his head back onto his pillow, his breathing wild. If he really were to die now, he’d die a happy man.

“Shit. I’m gonna come.” He panted her name again. “Iris.”

He reached out to grab the sheets. His breathing became quicker as he felt his balls tighten and his orgasm ruptured, his seed hitting the back of her throat. She stayed between his legs, taking all of him in, licking him dry. Once she was satisfied, she kissed the head of his cock and crawled her way back up to him, laying on her side, resting her head on his chest, listening to his heart pounding in his chest.

“Good morning.” She greeted him sweetly.

“Yes it is. What a way to wake up.”

She giggled and kissed his chin.

“Thought you might enjoy that.”

“Best way to wake up. You can wake me up like that anytime.”

She laughed again.

“My turn.”

Barry rolled over and began to kiss her behind her ear, making his way down to her neck. He made sure to give his wife the same pleasure she had just given him. Multiple times over. Once she was tapped out, they curled back under the covers and fell back asleep.

“Good morning.”

Barry greets his wife with a kiss and a cup of coffee. He had woken up an hour before to make her breakfast and get things ready for their day. He was excited about what he had planned for them and hoped Iris would love it.

“Good morning again.”

She smiled and winked at him.

“Can I help with breakfast?” She asks knowing he would refuse her.

“Nah. I’m just making pancakes. You can set up The Last Kingdom again and hopefully you won’t fall asleep this time.”

“Hey! It’s a lot of work carrying your baby, okay!”

“I know. That’s why I’m going to spoil you today.” He hands her a plate with two pancakes which she quickly devours and holds out her plate for more.

“Just one more…please.”

“A kiss for a pancake.” He says holding his plate back.

She motions for him to come closer and grabs him by the chin and covers her mouth with his, eliciting a deep moan from him. She pulls back, licks the syrup off his lips as he places a pancake on her plate from his, a small grin on his face.

“Thank you!”

She stuffs the last pancake in her mouth and smiles at him. He takes her plate from her and takes it into the kitchen. He’s contemplating telling her what he found out last night. He doesn’t want to wait all day to tell her. He goes and sits next to her on the couch, grabbing the remote and hits pause.

“I have something to tell you. There’s been a development.”

“Did Patty find out who damaged your car?”

“No. But she was able to tell from the security footage that they touched my car with their bare hands and I was able to get fingerprints off of it. And I got a match.”

Iris gasped. They actually had a breakthrough. A really good one this time.

“Fingerprints match to a kid named Griffin Gray. He’s young. Only eighteen years old. He was arrested for vandalism a week ago and was released. Charges were dropped by Cecile.”

“So it’s possible she could have hired him to do this in exchange for the charges being dropped.”

“It’s possible. There have been too many coincidences in this case for me. Still nothing consequential but I feel like you’re on the right path.”

She leans over and kisses him.

“Thank you, babe. For not only believing in me but also helping me.”

“Of course. No one messes with my wife and gets away with it.”

“We make a good team. You and I.”

“Yes we do.”

“So now we just have to find some connection between the two of them.”

Barry paused and thought for a moment. “This seems too easy a catch. Like why would he touch my car without wearing gloves. If you’re going to vandalise property, at least be smart about it.”

“Maybe this Griffin Gray kid was nervous. Maybe he isn’t a seasoned criminal like Fells or Parker. Maybe he was just at the right place, at the right time for Cecile to persuade him to do this. We should see if there was any money exchanged. Maybe he was paid off to do this as well.”

“Felicity would be able to look into that but it wouldn’t be admissible if his financials weren't obtained legally.”

“We could use that information to get him to tell the truth though.”

She picks up her phone.

“Hey Felicity. I’m looking at the Griffin chaise in gray. Can you let me know how much it costs, please? Thank you.”

She hangs up the phone and turns to Barry with a smile. “She’s on it.”

“What was that?” He looks at her confused.

“Oh! We talk in code now. Just in case someone’s listening in. I call her and drop certain hints. She analyses it and then gets back to me.”

“Damn. Just when I thought you couldn’t get sexier in boss lady mode!”

He kisses her because he just can’t help how her brilliance turns him on.

“Okay. So why don’t we go get dressed and then we can head out for lunch and then off to your surprise.”

“Which is?”

“Iris Ann West-Allen. I am not doing this with you again.”

She frowned at him. So that’s what it felt like to be called by your full government name.

“Okay. Sorry. I won’t ask again. I promise.”

“You go on up and get showered. I’ll get the kitchen cleaned up and be up to shower soon.”

“Okay. Thank you!” She turns to him as she heads upstairs. “How dressed up do I need to be?”

“Casual today, babe.”

“Okay. See you in a bit.”

She heads upstairs and into the shower. As eager as she is to find out what Barry has planned for her today, she has no doubt at all that she’ll love it.

She steps out of the shower just as Barry walks into the bathroom. He stares at her for a moment.

“God, you’re beautiful.”

“We’re not having sex again. My back hurts.”

“I didn’t say that because I want to have sex…again. I said that because it’s true. And I mean it. You’re beautiful.”

He reaches out and cups her face before continuing.

“And not just physically beautiful but you’re also kind, honest, sweet, patient, loving and I’m so glad that I get to spend the rest of my life with you. I know that you’re gonna be an amazing mom to our daughter because you’re already an amazing wife. And I just really love you.”

Iris begins to softly cry, touched by her husband’s words. She knows he genuinely means it and well she just couldn’t love him anymore than she does. She begins to speak but he cuts her off, carefully wiping her tears away, drawing her into a kiss.

“You don’t have to say anything back. I just felt like I should tell you.” He smiles at her, stepping back for her to pass.

“I love you too.”

He steps into the shower, leaving her to get dressed.

Since she had no idea where she was going and Barry said casual, Iris decided to throw on a pair of distressed maternity jeans, a t-shirt and a light cardigan. She slips on a casual running shoe and walks over to the vanity to do her hair. She sits and begins to unbraid her hair. Once the last braid is undone, she applies her curl defining mousse to her hair. She applies a bit of mascara and adds the diamond stud earrings Barry got her on their first Christmas together. Barry was in his usual plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, jeans and Chuck Taylor sneakers.

“So, uh, Oliver is lending me one of his armoured cars until I get mine back from the shop so we have to stop by to pick it up.”

“Seriously? You just wanted to drive one, didn’t you!”

“Yeah I did.” He smiled sheepishly as he exited the parking garage.

On the way to Oliver's, Iris gets a notification on her phone.

“Oh. Looks like Allegra, Mateo and Thea have made it safely to Houston. I can breathe a little lighter now.”

“Don’t worry. They’ll be fine. Thea’s great at her job and so are they. Just try to relax and enjoy yourself today.”

“I am. I promise.”

They pick up the vehicle and head on their way. Once on the road, they sing along to the songs on the radio. Iris is happy and carefree. She’s laughing and singing and not really noticing where they were heading until the car came to a stop an hour later.

“Here we are!” Barry says, pulling over and putting the car in park.

Iris looks around, confused. There’s a strong familiarity about where they are but she can’t quite put her finger on it.

“You don’t remember this place?” Barry asks as he’s opening her door to help her out.

“It seems like I should but I’m drawing a blank right now. I’m sorry, babe.”

“This is where I took you the night we said ‘I love you’ to each other for the first time.”

He sees the moment when her memories start flooding back to her as she takes in her surroundings.

“The bistro on the coast! Barry!”

“It’s changed a little but it’s the same place.”

He takes a hold of her hand and walks her into the restaurant.

“Hello. Mr. and Mrs. Allen. We have a reservation.”

“Yes, Mr. Allen. Right this way.”

The hostess takes them to the same table they sat at almost twenty years ago.

“Your server will be out with your meal shortly.”

As Iris sits down, she bursts into tears overwhelmed by her husband’s thoughtfulness. He reached over to hold her hand.

“You okay, love? I hope you don’t mind but I took the liberty to pre-order our meal for lunch.”

Iris nods her head. She really was happy. Barry was always thoughtful with his gifts. They always had a sentimental memory of it. This gesture was just profound.

“You are the sweetest, most romantic husband on the planet. And I’d stake my reputation on that.”

Barry brought her hand to his lips. “Anything to see you smile.”

It took Iris a while to compose herself. Barry left her speechless with his attentiveness and love towards her. He always knew how to lift her spirits and distract her from whatever it was she was facing which allowed her to refocus on her task with fresh eyes. And she loved him for it.

After lunch, Barry suggested they take a walk along the pier. There were a few shops and other places of interest nearby. They strolled hand in hand, enjoying the sights and smells. They stopped every so often to dip into a store to check out the merchandise. Iris found a necklace and a pair of earrings for herself, and a bracelet for Linda’s upcoming birthday. Barry found a shirt that Iris insisted he buy because it brought out the green in his eyes even more and how could he ever deny her.

The next place he took her to made her burst into tears again.

“Come on, sweetheart. Let’s go in.” Barry holds the door open for Iris and watches her as she walks in.

“Welcome to Breath of Life Massage and Spa.”

They’re greeted by a lovely middle aged woman at the front desk.

“Hello. We have a couple’s massage booked today.”

“Yes. Hello. You must be Mr. and Mrs. Allen. Welcome. Today your therapists will be Wendy and Michelle. Mrs. Allen, Wendy specialises in prenatal massage so she will be able to get you fully relaxed all the while helping your body adjust for your growing little one.”

“If you would follow us this way please.”

They follow their massage therapists to the back of the spa and are shown where they could get changed and the room where their massages will take place. Once changed, Iris meets Barry in the hallway before heading into the room. She pulls on his bathrobe and brings his mouth down to hers and kisses him.

“Thank you for today. It’s been amazing.”

“The day isn’t over yet but I’m glad you’re enjoying it so far. Come on.” He kisses her lightly and leads her into the room.

The next hour can only be described as heaven. Yes, she’s had massages before but nothing compared to this. Wendy was a wizard with her hands. Once their massages were done, Iris felt like a new woman. The back pain she had been experiencing was gone. She felt rejuvenated as they walked hand in hand back to their car.

“How do you do that, Barry?”

“Do what?”

Iris stops and turns to him. “How do you know exactly what I need when I need it?”

“Because. You and I are one. I feel what you feel and I was feeling like this was exactly what we needed.”

“Well you were right. This was perfect.”

Chapter Text

Monday morning Iris woke up feeling like a new woman. She and Barry hung out at home all weekend and relaxed. They caught up on The Last Kingdom, sampled too many cakes for their baby shower (thanks to Linda who brought them over), took Hank for walks and had copious amounts of sex.

When she walked into work on Monday, she was ready to look into her case with fresh eyes. Felicity had gotten back to her and just as she suspected, Griffin Gray had five separate two thousand dollar deposits into his bank account over the past few days for a total of $10,000. However, Gray was in the wind. He had withdrawn five thousand dollars from his account and was last seen at the train station. After that, his trail was gone. Patty couldn’t find him at his home and his boss at the bakery where he worked said he hadn’t shown up for work over the weekend and couldn’t get a hold of him. She had hit a dead end.

Iris wanted to talk to Patty about this case so she sent her a text asking her to lunch. Patty texts her back saying that she and Barry already were planning to meet for lunch to discuss the case and she should join them. Iris remembers Barry mentioning that and being in her last trimester her baby brain seems to kick in at random times.

Iris’ morning passed by quickly. She was getting caught up on Friday’s work and before long, it was time to meet Barry and Patty for lunch.

The restaurant where Iris was meeting Barry and Patty was a few blocks away from the precinct. It was a little higher end and quiet, allowing them to discuss private matters without fear of being overheard. They were able to get a table in the far corner away from other patrons. They sat down, ordered drinks and chatted away while they waited for Iris to arrive.

“Barry? I thought that was you. Fancy seeing you here.”

It took everything in Barry to not audibly groan his annoyance. Patty could tell on his face that he was not happy by this intrusion.

“Cecile! How are you?”

“I’m good.” She turns to face Patty, a surprised look on her face. “Hi! I didn’t think you were Iris with the blond hair and all.”

“Nope. Not Iris. I’m Patty. Patty Spivot.”

“Wait. Patty Spivot? Didn’t you two date at one point?”

Barry rolled his eyes, trying his best not to lose his cool in the restaurant.

“What’s your point, Cecile? Not that it’s any of your business who I have lunch with.”

“Well it may not be mine but I’m sure your wife would be interested to know that you’re sneaking around having lunch with your ex.”

“Well I do know they’re having lunch together since I’m here to join them.” Iris says behind her.

Cecile spun around, surprised to see Iris behind her.

“Iris! I didn’t see you there! I’m sorry you have to see this.” She turns and gestures to Barry and Patty.

“Cecile. See what exactly? Two people sitting at a table about to have lunch? You know you seem to have an unhealthy interest in mine and my husband’s love life. The obsession is weird and creepy. And borderline stalkerish.”

“I’m not obsessed. I was just looking out for you. If my husband was having an affair, I’d want to know. You know. Girl code.”

“I’m not having an affair. Patty and I are friends.”

Iris places a hand on Barry’s arm and turns to Cecile.

“You and I have never been and most likely never will be friends so I don’t need you to pretend that you’re looking out for me. And my husband isn’t having an affair. He was trying to have a peaceful lunch with our mutual friend before you came up with your asinine accusations and assumptions about him. Now if you don’t mind, please leave us alone so that we can enjoy our meals.”

“What is your problem? I’ve been nothing but nice to you since the day we met?”

“My problem? You've been anything but nice to me. You’ve been obsessed with me and my personal life ever since we met. You take every opportunity you get to make snide comments about how I must still be in love with Eddie. And now you’re here accusing my husband and my friend of having an affair. Your life must be so thoroughly boring if you’re so obsessed with mine.”

“Don’t you dare speak to me that way!” She screeched at Iris, her face puffed up in anger. She was making a scene. Everyone in the restaurant turned to look at her. If she was seeking attention, she certainly got it.

Just then the manager approached them.

“Is everything okay, Mrs. West-Allen?”

“Yes. So sorry Daniel. Miss Horton here was just leaving. Weren’t you, Miss Horton?”

The two women stared at each other, neither backing down.

Daniel turned and quietly said to Cecile, “Miss, I’m going to have to ask you to leave, please.”

“Fine. Excuse me.”

She walked away from their table. They watched as she gathered her purse and promptly left the restaurant.

“I apologise for that Mrs. West-Allen. I’ll see to it that you’re not disturbed again.”

“Thank you, Daniel. Please let me know if Miss Horton paid her bill. If not, I’ll take care of it. Oh and I’ll also take the bill for that table there as well. Thank you.” She pointed to where Sara and Ava were seated.

“Of course. I’ll send your server right over.”

“Thank you.”

He walks away and Iris greets Barry with a kiss and turns to Patty with an apologetic look on her face.

“I’m so sorry about Cecile. She’s determined to be a thorn in my ass!”

“No need to apologise. She’s awful.”

“And really obsessed with my love life too.”

Barry scoffs. “No kidding.”

“Maybe she has a crush on you, Barry.”

Barry looked at Patty with disgust as Iris burst out into a laugh.

“What?”

“It totally makes sense, babe. She’s accused me many times of still having feelings for Eddie. Maybe she’s hoping that you get jealous enough to leave me so she could have you all to herself.”

Barry physically shuddered at the thought.

“Well that will be a hope unfulfilled because I’m never leaving you. You’re stuck with me forever.”

“Aww! I love you too!”

Barry leans over to kiss her quickly.

As Iris walks into the lobby of The Citizen, a young woman approaches her.

“Excuse me. Are you Iris West-Allen?”

Ava and Sara stood a little in front of Iris, prepared for any sudden attack.

“Yes I am. And you are?”

“I’m Jenny. Jenny Johnson. I’m Griffin Gray’s girlfriend.”

“Jenny. Hi. Nice to meet you.” She turns to Ava and whispers, “Ava, can you take her up to my office please? I’m going to call Barry and Patty.”

She turned to Jenny to address her. “Jenny, this is my assistant, Ava. She’s going to take you to my office. I’m going to contact a friend of mine because I think she’ll be interested in hearing what you have to say. Okay? I promise, I’ll be right up.”

Jenny is hesitant and Iris can tell she’s terrified and unsure if she should be there. She reaches out and places a gentle hand on her arm.

“Jenny, I promise you, everything is going to be okay. You can trust me.”

Jenny gives her a small smile, nods her head and follows Ava to Iris’ office.

She pulls out her phone and calls Patty.

“Hey Patty. Griffin Gray’s girlfriend is at The Citizen right now. Can you and Barry come over? Okay. See you soon.”

The restaurant where they just were was a two minute walk from The Citizen so Iris knew they’d be there soon so she waited in the lobby for them.

“Hey guys.” She greeted them as they walked in. “Thanks for coming. She was waiting for me here when I got back and seemed a bit terrified but I assured her she would be okay. She’s in my office.”

They follow her up to her office and find Ava and Jenny waiting for her.

“Jenny, this is my husband, Barry and my good friend, Patty. She’s a police detective. She’s been trying to find Griffin.”

“Hi Jenny. Nice to meet you.”

“You’ve been looking for Griffin?”

“Yes I have. Do you have any idea where he might be?”

She shook her head no. “Ever since that lady approached him, he’s been skittish. Really jumpy all the time.”

“What lady?” Iris asks.

“A lawyer, I think. I’m not sure who she is exactly. But she came to his apartment early one morning and said if he wanted to stay out of jail he had to do what she said. I overheard them talking. I was in the bedroom when she came over. Griffin thought I was asleep but I heard them.”

“So you didn’t see her face?”

“Not while she was in the apartment. But she almost ran over me coming out of a restaurant about an hour ago and bit my head off for not watching where I was going. I recognized her voice instantly.”

“Can you describe what she looked like?”

“Umm, African American. Maybe in her late 40’s. About 5’2” but she looked like she was wearing three inch heels so she’s definitely shorter than that. She had on a grey pencil skirt, a burgundy top and a grey jacket matching her skirt. Her hair was down to her shoulders.

Iris, Barry and Patty all looked at each other. That’s exactly the outfit Cecile was wearing today.

“If I were to show you a picture of her, do you think you’d recognize her?”

“Definitely.”

Patty pulls out her phone and shows Jenny a picture of Cecile.

“Yep. That’s her.”

“What did she say she wanted Griffin to do?”

Jenny hesitated for a minute.

“It’s okay, Jenny. You won’t get into any trouble. I promise.” Iris reassures her.

Jenny looks over at Patty for some semblance of a guarantee that she was safe.

“Iris is right, Jenny. Anything you say, stays between us.”

Jenny sighs before continuing. “She wanted him to vandalise someone’s car. Said she wanted to scare you,” she says turning to Iris, “and this was the best way. Because your husband would get you to back off. She gave him the make, colour and plate numbers of the car. Then she told him that he should check his bank account over the next few days once she had proof it was done.” She looked between Iris and Barry.

“He did it, didn’t he? He messed up your car?” She asked Barry.

“Yes he did.”

“I’m so sorry about that.” She pulls out an envelope with cash and hands it to Barry. “Here. This is all my savings. To pay for the damage.”

“No. Jenny. I’m not taking your money.”

“Please. I have to make up for this somehow.”

“Jenny, you did nothing wrong. You don’t have to pay for what Griffin did. Okay? Now take this and put it away. Keep saving it for something you really want.”

“I’m so sorry about all of this.”

“Jenny, can you think of anywhere that Griffin might go if he could? Did he ever mention anywhere special that he might want to visit if he ever got the chance to?”

“Umm, not really. He was more of a homebody. Wait! The only place Griffin ever talked about visiting was the Space Center in Houston. We were supposed to go on a trip there in eighth grade but I got sick and couldn’t go and he stayed back with me so I wouldn’t feel bad about missing the trip. He was so sweet to do that. I told him he didn’t have to but he said he wanted to stay with me and we could go on a silly old trip another time. He’s always said that was the one place we would go. Maybe for our honeymoon. We’re not engaged but we talked about getting married someday.”

“Jenny, do you remember this woman telling him why he wanted to scare me off?”

“She said something about you talking to your ex and revenge for locking up her husband.”

“Her husband? Wait, Jenny, are you sure that’s what she said?”

“Yeah I am. It’s what prompted me to come here. I remembered hearing your podcast about your ex and what he did to you. I thought it was so brave of you to share your story. And then I read some of your articles and you really have a strong sense of right and wrong and I didn’t think it was right for someone to try to hurt you again.”

Iris is puzzled. She had no idea who Cecile was talking about. If she had a husband, why did she date her dad? He definitely wasn’t one to court another man’s wife. Perhaps he had no idea himself. Or maybe he found out and that’s the reason they broke up. Iris didn’t know for sure but she was going to get to the bottom of it.

“Thank you for coming in and talking to us, Jenny. It was really brave of you. If you think of anything else, please give me a call.” Patty hands her a business card.

“Thanks. If you do find Griffin, please let me know. I work over at CC Park Florists every Tuesday thru Saturday.”

“I will. I promise. You take care.”

“I’ll get Ava to walk you out.”

Jenny begins to walk out the door and then turns to Iris.

“Thank you for not turning me away earlier.”

“Thank you for being brave and trusting me.”

She smiles at Iris and follows Ava out to the elevators.

Iris shuts the door to her office and turns to her guests and says, “Houston. It all goes back to Houston.”

Chapter Text

“I’m sorry, what do you mean by it all goes back to Houston?”

Iris explains to Patty her suspicions and sending her reporters there on a fact finding mission.

“Good instincts. Well, I should head back to the precinct to see what else I can dig up on Griffin now that we’ve got a bit more to work with. You let me know if you find anything.”

“I will. Thanks Patty.”

“I better head back to work too. I’ll see you later today. Remember two things. Take it easy. And I love you.” Barry kissed his wife and followed Patty out.

Iris pulled up the files Allegra and Mateo had on Cecile reading and re-reading everything. Nothing in there indicated she was married. She looked up her daughter’s father. He was a stock broker named Karl Wilson but they were never married. Another dead end.

Iris pulled up her past articles of the criminals she had helped put away. She was going to find which one of them was married to Cecile. She decided to start at the end and work her way back. She figured since this is all new, it must be someone she helped put away recently. She pulls out her notebook, prepared to take note of each name in the hundreds of articles she’s written. She called Barry to inform him that she was looking at a long night ahead of her at the office.

“Hey babe. So I think I might be here tonight.”

“Absolutely not. You need your rest Iris.”

“I can crash on the couch here in the office. I’ll be fine.”

“Iris, you’re 30 weeks pregnant and your blood pressure is ridiculously high. This case, as much as I’d like to see Cecile held accountable for what she’s done, is not worth your health or Nora’s. You know I rarely put my foot down but this is one of those times that I am. I’m sorry it’s not up for discussion.”

“Barr, I know that but I’m so close to finding out who Cecile’s husband is. It’s just going to take longer because I have to go through all my articles.”

“No. Find someone else to do it or wait until tomorrow. I’m on my way to pick you up now. I’ll see you soon.”

Iris sighed as she hung up the phone. She was doing exactly what she told Barry she wouldn’t do once she got pregnant.

“Fuck!” She yelled at no one.

It was the end of the day and the majority of staff had left for the day. She told Sara and Ava to go since Barry was on his way and there were still a few others working.

“Sorry, is this a bad time?” Scott was at her door.

“Shit! Sorry Scott.” She takes a deep breath and motions him to come in. “I’ve just hit another wall but the plan I have would have me staying here tonight and…”

“Barry’s not having any of it!”

She laughs out a sigh, “Yeah. No. He definitely isn’t. At my last prenatal appointment my blood pressure was really high and I was told to chill out or go on bed rest for the remainder of my pregnancy and medicate.” She instinctively rubs her belly.

“And there’s no way in hell Iris West-Allen is going to go on bed rest.”

“Exactly. Plus I did promise him I’d back off hard core investigating once I got pregnant.”

“How can I help? I know you don’t want me investigating but I’m sure there’s some way I can help you without getting too involved.”

Iris hesitated for a bit. She really didn’t want Scott or his family getting hurt because of her but she also wanted to get ahead of this investigation and Scott could help with this.

“Actually, yes. You can. But it’s ridiculously tedious.”

“That’s okay. Let me do this for you.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes I swear. It’s fine. When June was pregnant with SJ she had to go on bedrest too and she was bored out of her mind. There’s only so much tv you can watch, puzzles you can do or books you can read before the lack of activity gets to you. And truthfully, I don’t think you’d survive bedrest if you had to.”

“Gee, thanks. Okay. Well my plan was to go through all my articles of people I’ve helped put away and narrow it down to married men.”

“Okay. And?”

“That’s it.”

“Are you sure that’s all to it?”

“Well there’s more after that but I can handle that tomorrow if you can get through this part for me. And you can do that at home so that you’re not here late tonight.”

“I can do that.”

“You’re a lifesaver, Scott. Thank you. So much.”

“No problem, Iris. Happy to help.”

Scott sees Barry walking towards them and stands up to excuse himself.

“Scott, wait. I wanted to talk to you about something else.”

Barry knocks on the door.

“Hey Scott. Hi sweetheart. Am I interrupting?”

“Hey babe. Not at all. I was just about to talk to Scott about my mat leave plans.”

“Oh. I can wait outside if you’d like.”

“Barry. It’s okay. I’m sure you guys will discuss this afterwards anyway.”

Barry closes the door behind him and takes a seat on the couch.

“So about my maternity leave. I’m planning on taking the last couple of months off before I give birth. Which means I have two weeks left. After I have this baby, I’ll be off full time for four months and then part time for the following two months and gradually making my way back. So you’ll be in charge when I’m gone. And with all the added responsibilities you’ll have, I’m also giving you a raise. You’ve more than earned it. You already know how to run the paper so I’m not at all worried about you taking the helm starting tomorrow, if that works for you. I want to focus on this case and get it closed before it sends me into premature labour. Barb will have the paperwork ready for you in the morning.”

“Thank you Iris for trusting in me.”

“Thank you for taking this off my plate.” Iris hands him the memory stick with her articles.

“I’ll get this to you in the morning. Have a good night guys.”

Once it was just the two of them, Iris walked over to Barry and sat on his lap. He wraps his arm around her, caressing her lower back and looks up at her.

“I’m sorry about earlier. I was being irrational and stupid. I was going to do exactly what I promised I wouldn’t once I got pregnant.”

She leans her head on his shoulders, fiddling with his shirt.

“It’s okay. I know you want to wrap this up in a couple of weeks but if you can’t, you just might have to let Allegra and Mateo see it to the end. You and Nora are more important than anything else. I need you to be healthy for her. I want when our baby is born for you to be there, present so that we can enjoy the first few moments of her here with us as a family.”

“Yes. I know. You’re right. I want that too. More than anything. Forgive me?”

“Of course, I do.”

She leans down and brings him into a kiss.

“Come on. Let’s go home and get you to bed so that you can do your thing tomorrow.”

Iris slides off his lap and gathers her things, locking her office door behind her.

When they got home, Barry drew them a bath after dinner. He set out some tea light candles and had soft jazz playing in the background. He climbed into the bath and then helped Iris get it. She lets out an audible sigh as she leans back and rests her head on his shoulder. He wraps his arms around her to caress her belly.

“Can you believe in less than three months we get to meet our baby girl?”

“Hmm. Yeah. I wonder which of us she’ll look like.”

“Well I bet you she’ll be a beauty like her mom with beautiful brown eyes and a killer smile.”

“I hope she gets those cute dimples like you when you smile.”

“Whatever she looks like, I just hope she’s healthy. Same for you.” He kisses the side of her head.

“Agreed.”

“I’m glad to hear you’re taking the last couple of months from work off though.”

“Yeah. Had we not had all this craziness of me being attacked and everything that’s followed, I probably would have worked right to the end but I feel like a break is necessary and needed.”

“I couldn’t agree more.”

“You know what I’m looking forward to the most about having this baby?”

“What?”

“Seeing you as a dad. It’s something that you’ve always wanted. Ever since we started dating in high school. And I can’t wait to see it come to fruition. To see your dream come true.”

Barry couldn’t help but smile. Being a dad is something that he’s always wanted. Being dad to his and Iris’ baby is definitely his dream come true.

“Yeah, I can’t wait to change her diapers and burp her. Watch her crawl and take her first steps. Drive her to her first day of school. Teach her how to drive. Watch her graduate. Get married. Have kids of her own.”

“Whoa! Slow down there cowboy. You already have her married off and leaving us and she’s not even here yet. Baby steps, babe.”

Barry laughs. “Sorry. I just want our kid to have a happy life.”

“She will. How could she not? She’s got you for a dad. You’ll make sure that she’s always safe and happy. She’ll have a good life just because of you. I have no doubt about that.”

Barry kisses the back of her head and pulls her in tighter to himself. They sit in a comfortable silence enjoying the essence of each other.

The next morning, Iris couldn’t wait to get into the office to see what Scott had found. After their bath, Iris slept soundly and woke up bright and early, feeling rejuvenated. When she walked into the office at 7:00am, Scott was already in his office, plugging away. She knocked lightly and waited for him to look up.

“Good morning boss!” He stood up and handed her her memory stick and a folder. “I was going to stop by with this later today but I guess you were eager to get your hands on it.

“Morning Scott. Thank you.”

She opened the folder and skimmed through the names. “Hmm.”

“Everything okay? Isn’t that what you wanted?”

“Yes it is. Everything’s fine. Thank you so much for helping with this. I hope you didn’t have too long a night.”

Iris closes the folder and looks at Scott.

“Not at all. It’s my pleasure. If there’s anything else, you know where to find me.”

“Thank you again.”

She turns and heads to her office and is surprised by who she sees in the office beside hers.

“Allegra? Mateo? What are you guys doing back so soon? We weren’t expecting you in until tomorrow.”

“Hey boss. We took an earlier flight this morning. We couldn’t wait to show you this. I think you’ll find it very interesting what we have to show you.”

Mateo hands her a folder.

“Brace yourself.” He warns her.

Iris takes a seat and opens the folder. She’s stunned by what she reads. She looks up at them, speechless.

“Wow! This is great work, you two. I’m really impressed. This might be just what we need to close this case.”

“It is?”

“Yes Allegra. It is. You and Mateo have done a great job here.”

She paused and looked at her watch. “What time did you guys get in?”

“Five o’clock this morning.”

“And you came straight here?”

“No. We went home, showered and changed and then came here.”

“You guys should go home and get some rest. We can finish this puzzle together tomorrow.”

“If it’s okay with you boss, Allegra and I would much rather see it to the end today.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes we are. 100%. We want to do this for you. After all you’ve been through and all that’s happened to you during your pregnancy. We need to do this.”

“Thank you guys. Okay. Why don’t you guys come grab your laptops from the safe and I’ll order us some coffee and breakfast and we’ll get to work on this.”

“Sounds great. Thanks boss!”

Chapter Text

Iris gave Mateo and Allegra the file that Scott worked on the night before and asked them to look into it to see if there was a correlation between what they found and what he had worked on. Once she got them settled, she returned to her office and called in their order.

Fifteen minutes later there’s a knock on her office door and a familiar hand holding out a bagged meal.

“Babe! What are you doing here?” Iris greeted her husband with a kiss.

“You left early this morning and I thought I’d bring over breakfast for you since I noticed you hadn’t had anything to eat.”

“Oh that’s so sweet of you. Thank you but I just ordered from Joey’s for Allegra, Mateo and myself.”

“Allegra and Mateo are back? I thought they weren’t back until tomorrow.”

“I know but they were here when I arrived and they found something.”

She excitedly tells him what her two junior reporters found on their trip to Houston and their insistence on working on it until they closed the case.

“I’m so happy to hear you’ve got help on this, sweetheart.”

“Yeah, me too. I think we may be able to get this case done before my two weeks are up too.”

“Maybe even start your maternity leave early?” Barry asks, hopefully.

“Oh definitely! I think I’ve earned it!”

“You certainly have.”

Just then, Iris got a call from Allegra.

“Hey boss. We think we may have found something.”

“I’ll be right there.”

Iris hung up and looked at Barry.

“They think they may have found something.”

“Let’s go.”

They race over to the office and Allegra hands Iris two folders and points out the highlighted parts.

“So look at that. At first it didn’t seem like anything but that can’t be a coincidence, right?”

Iris sat down and looked over the contents on both folders.

“That’s it! Oh my…look at this babe!”

Barry takes the folders from Iris and looks at the documents. His eyes widened as it was exactly what they needed to close this investigation. He skimmed the rest of the documents that Allegra and Mateo highlighted and paused. It took everything in him to temper his anger. He had to get out of there.

“This is great work, my love. Good job guys.” He runs his hands through his hair. “So, uh sweetheart, I’ve got to get going. I’ll see you at home later tonight, okay?” He pulls her into a kiss. “I’m so proud of you.”

Iris' face softens. “Thank you, babe. I’ll see you later tonight. I love you.”

“Love you too.”

Barry turns to leave, closing the door behind him. He fishes out his phone and calls Joe.

“Hey Joe. I’m gonna be a bit late coming in this morning. I have a quick stop that I need to make beforehand but I promise I won’t be too long.”

“Sure thing, Barr. Everything okay?”

“I’ll know for sure in an hour. I’ll tell you when I get back.”

Barry hung up and quickly made his way to his car. He got in and drove as fast as he could, his heart beating so loudly it echoed in his ears. He couldn’t believe what he had just seen. He hoped and prayed he was wrong. But he needed confirmation and there was only one person right now who could give him that.

“Barry? What are you doing here? Is Iris okay?”

“Eddie. Tell me something, how close were you and your uncle?”

“Not close at all. I mean, he helped my mom escape my dad when she was pregnant with me. My mom said he helped her out financially at the beginning until she was able to get a job and stand on her own feet but after that, he never came around except for my mom’s birthday and that stopped once I turned thirteen. But he never really stayed around long enough when he did show up all those times for us to develop any kind of relationship.”

Barry stayed silent. His eyes searched for any sign of deception in Eddie’s face and body language.

“Why do you ask? What does my uncle have to do with anything?”

Barry ignores his question.

“Was your uncle ever married?”

“I have no idea. Like I said, we weren’t close. Are you going to tell me what this is all about?”

Barry sighs. This was a dead end and a huge waste of time. But at least it was one less thing to hate Eddie for.

“No. Not yet. You’ll find out when the time comes.”

He gets up to leave. “Oh and Eddie? For Iris’ safety, we never had this conversation if anyone asks. Got it?”

“What conversation?”

Barry nods at him and leaves.

Barry heads straight for Joe’s office an hour later and is surprised to find his wife there.

“So is that enough, Dad?”

Joe sighed heavily. Iris had just brought him enough evidence to put Cecile away for good.

“I’ll have to run this by the Chief of Police but yeah I think it is. It’s a lot to unpack. I can’t believe she’s still married. And to the former mayor too.”

Barry enters the office looking at his wife with curiosity.

“Iris? What are you doing here?”

“Hey. I came to show my dad what I found. Where were you? I stopped by your office before to see you but you weren’t there. I thought you were coming here after you left me this morning?”

Barry shifts in his shoes, avoiding eye contact with Joe and Iris.

“Barry? Where did you go?” His wife asked again.

“I went to see Eddie at Iron Heights.” He sighed.

“Eddie? Why?”

“I wanted to see if he knew about this? I wanted to know what kind of relationship Eddie had with his uncle.”

Joe looks at him curiously and asks, “And?”

“Well it turns out their relationship is nonexistent. He said his uncle only came by for his mom’s birthday until he was thirteen. Never bothered to foster any sort of relationship with him.”

“Okay. And?” Iris enquired. He was holding back. There was still something else he had to say.

“I also asked him if his uncle was ever married.”

“You did what? Why would you do that?”

“I needed to hear from him myself, Iris.”

“Bullshit! That’s not why you did it. You wanted to be the hero in this situation. You could have jeopardised my entire investigation, Barry. If you thought that was helping me, it did the opposite. I’ve got to go. I’ll see you later, Dad. Please let me know what Chief Singh says.”

Being 30 weeks pregnant and with a cast still on her arm didn’t allow Iris to storm out as quickly or dramatically as she would have liked. Barry was quick on her heels and followed her out of Joe’s office. Sara stood up quickly when she saw her.

“Iris. Iris please let’s talk for a minute. Please?”

She stopped and stared at him. Barry knew she was pissed. He’s only seen this side of her a couple of times and thankfully it had never been directed at him. Until now. He had to tread lightly.

“Please? Can we talk in private?” Barry motioned for them to talk in his office upstairs.

Iris sighed. She and Barry rarely fought and she hated being mad at him right now but he was wrong for what he did.

“Lead the way.”

Barry held her hand as they walked upstairs to his office in the lab. Sara waited for her outside the lab.

Iris allowed Barry to pull her into his office and sat down as he shut the door behind them. He swiftly knelt before her and held her hands.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gone to see Eddie without telling you this morning. It’s just when I saw his uncle’s name on the list, all I saw was red. I thought that Eddie was once again manipulating you and that he was trying to hurt you for putting him away.”

“Barry, that doesn’t even make sense. Eddie has had nothing to do with any of my recent attacks. He’s actually helped me. Remember? He was also attacked and was badly injured. He had to have emergency surgery that night. Why would he go through all that trouble to help me and then suddenly do a 180 and want to get his revenge?”

“I don’t know. Even though he has been helpful in the past, I still don’t trust him. I don’t think I ever will.”

“That’s fine, Barry. And I get that. But I thought you would trust me. Your best friend. Your wife.”

“I do trust you, Iris. With everything.”

“Then why would you do something like this that could sabotage my investigation? Do you know how easily this could have been all undone? One wrong move and this would be all for nothing. It’s the reason why I kept the circle of help knowing what I was doing small. It’s why I wouldn’t let Scott or Aariz or Vania help me, even though I really could have used their help. You going to Iron Heights to see Eddie could put him in further danger. He was already attacked in prison by one of Eobard’s men. If someone overheard your conversation, it could happen again. Or it could have gotten back to Cecile who we know is in collusion with Warden Wolfe.”

“I know. I know. I’m so sorry. I really was just trying to protect you. I didn’t want to see you get hurt anymore.”

“Barry, I understand that. I do. I really truly do. But you can’t do things like this and interfere with my work. This is my livelihood. And not just mine. I have hundreds of employees who depend on me for their paychecks. Anything that jeopardises me and my job, also affects them. You may be thinking about mine and Nora’s safety but I also have to think about my employees as well. I wasn’t going to do anything in this investigation to harm myself or them. You have to trust me on that.”

“You’re right. You’re absolutely right. I was only focused on you and Nora. You two are my whole world. I forgot that The Citizen and your employees are a part of that as well. It won’t happen again. I promise. Forgive me?”

“Of course I forgive you. Just please don’t do it again.”

“I promise, I won’t.”

He reached up and hesitantly kissed her. He smiled at her and whispered, “I love you.”

She smiled back at him. “I know. I love you too.”

“So what did Joe say about the files? Is there enough to press charges against Cecile?”

“He thinks so. Chief Singh is supposed to be stopping by within the hour and he was going to talk to him about it. He’s pretty sensitive about it all since he and Cecile were once involved and she never told him she was married, let alone married to a criminal.”

“Well she obviously was using him and didn’t really care that much about him.”

“Yeah. Is it bad that I want to stick around to watch her get arrested?”

“Oh can you imagine her face? She’s gonna blow a gasket!”

“I should get one of our photographers down here to capture it.”

She called Scott asking him to send a photographer down to CCPD right away. As soon as she hung up, her dad called.

“Hey Dad. What’s up?”

“Hey Iris. Can you come back to the precinct? Chief Singh has a few questions for you.”

“I’m still here. Just in Barry’s office. I’ll be down right now.”

She hung up and looked at Barry.

“Chief Singh wants to ask a few questions.”

“Let’s go.”

They quickly made their way down to Joe’s office. Joe motioned for them to enter.

“Good morning Chief Singh.”

“Good morning Iris. Barry.”

“Umm, I hope it’s okay if Barry stays for this.”

“Of course. So I’ve quickly looked over the files you gave to Captain West here. Tell me Iris, what made you start this investigation? Because if this is a personal vendetta, I’m not interested.”

Chapter Text

“Well Chief, it is sort of personal. Five weeks ago I was attacked in the parking garage at my company and the person responsible was let out by DA Horton after a couple of weeks only for him to attack me again, this time with a weapon. As you can see I’m expecting my first child and being in this state didn’t seem to deter him. On his second attack, after he was arrested, he said, and I quote “We’ll get you one of these days.” A restaurant full of patrons as well as a few of your police officers heard him utter that threat. There was absolutely no reason why Mr. Fells should have been out so soon after putting me in the hospital and causing extensive injuries to my person, as you can see.” Iris raised her left arm, still in a cast, as proof. “Out of curiosity, I looked into Mr. Fells’ criminal career. Did you know he’s been arrested seventeen times for various crimes and each time he was released shortly after his arrests by Ms. Horton.”

“Some would argue that your ex boyfriend could have motivation to be behind all of this.”

“Sure. But they’d be wrong. Eddie has shown that he’s turned over a new leaf. He's been in therapy since being imprisoned and his therapist can attest to that fact. He’s now a model prisoner. He also warned me that a former employee of mine was planning to write an exposé on my life without my permission. If he was hellbent on getting revenge, he wouldn’t have warned me and just given her information on me instead of warning me. The night of my second attack, he was also attacked badly enough that he had to have emergency surgery to save his life and he was attacked with the same weapon of choice. The person who did it, had connections to his uncle Eobard Thawne who just so happens to be married to Ms. Horton.”

Chief Singh froze for a second and turned to her, not quite sure he had heard her correctly.

“Excuse me? You’re saying our District Attorney is married to the former mayor who is a current inmate at Iron Heights?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying and there’s a marriage certificate in there to back it up. Also, my husband’s car was vandalised as you can see in the pictures at the back. We have a witness who can identify Ms. Horton as the person who instructed and paid her boyfriend to vandalise Barry’s car.”

Chief Singh took in everything Iris had just said.

“I don’t know about you, Chief, but there are too many incidents that have happened to me that involve Ms. Horton for it to be a coincidence.”

“And how did you know she was married to former mayor Eobard Thawne?”

“I’m a damn good reporter and I hire the best. I overheard a conversation in a bathroom that made me suspicious about events that happened in Houston years ago. So I sent a team of my reporters to Houston to investigate. It seems that the former mayor and Ms. Horton met at a strip club where she was working. Shortly afterwards she filed for divorce from her husband, my attacker, Mr. Fells. She changed her name from Nicole Daniels to Cecile Horton shortly after meeting Mr. Thawne and before moving to Central City. When she met the former mayor, she was working towards her law degree. He paid for the rest of her tuition. They’ve been working together all this time. Even when he was Mayor.”

“Which is how he was able to get away with things for so long.”

“Exactly!”

“Do you think Mr. Fells is still connected to Ms. Horton?”

“It’s possible. I mean he’s been released on numerous occasions thanks to her when he should have been in jail much longer than he’s ever served. She could be buying his silence. I believe she’s also working with the warden at Iron Heights as well.”

“As memory serves me, you were responsible for getting Mayor Thawne arrested. What made you look into him in the first place?”

“His nephew, my ex, asked me to look into his mother’s death because he didn’t believe her death was random. When I did, I discovered that Shelly Thawne, Eddie’s mom and Eobard’s sister, was murdered by her brother because she uncovered his dirty dealings at City Hall.”

“And you just couldn’t refuse?”

Iris shrugged her shoulders. “Side effects of having a detective for a father and an overwhelming need to seek out the truth and to see justice done.”

Chief Singh laughed at that. She really did remind him of her dad. Joe West and David Singh came up in the academy together so he was well aware of Joe’s reputation as a detective.

“Okay. I’ll take this with me and if you have anything else, please send it to my office. I’ll review it and take it from there. Now be patient with me because we’d like to do our own investigation in this matter but I promise you it will be kept on the down low. This is good work, Iris. You should be very proud of her, Joe.”

“I am, sir.”

“Oh Chief, I just have one request. Well maybe two. The Citizen gets first crack at the story and I’d like to be there when Ms. Horton is arrested.”

Chief Singh looked at Iris with a raised eyebrow. The second request threw him for a loop. As it did Joe.

“Of course if this all pans out to be true, The Citizen will have first crack at breaking it. As for the second request, are you sure you want to be there?”

“Yes I am. She’s put me through hell during what was supposed to be a stress free and happy time in my life. Plus I want her to know that I was responsible for putting her away.”

“Well, okay then, Olenna Tyrell. You’ll be my first call. I hope everything else goes well for you and your baby. You take care now. Joe. Barry.”

Once Singh left, Joe turned to Iris and asked, “Are you sure you want to pursue this? Because once Singh gets back to his office, there’s no stopping that train.”

“I’m sure, Dad. I’m doing this for both you and Barry as much as I’m doing this for myself. She messed with the wrong girl’s two favourite guys.”

Joe embraced his daughter. “Thank you, honey. I love you. So much.”

“Aww. I love you too, Dad.”

“So do you think Chief Singh believes me?”

“I mean I think so. All the evidence is in the files that you gave him. It would be hard for him not to believe you.”

“So now we wait and see what becomes of it.”

Barry and Iris were sitting on their couch at the end of their day, recapping the day’s events.

“I can’t believe she’s been able to get away with all this for so long.”

“Yeah. Me too.”

“You know I’m really proud of you.”

“Thank you.”

“And again I’m sorry for what I did earlier. I seem to have a one track mind when it comes to you. No one else in this world seems to matter. But I need to remember that your intelligence, your resourcefulness and your heart are what make you special. Your capacity to care for the people around you is just one of the many things that I love about you. And I will do my best to keep that in mind from now on.”

“I know I didn’t make it easy on you sometimes with some of the risks I took for my job but I just want you to know that I always aired on the side of caution. And I’m going to keep my promise to you. No more chasing down bad guys. I have some very important people in my life and I want to be able to live my life with them.”

“Well that’s good to hear. Nora and I both appreciate it. Come on. Let’s get to bed. I don’t know about you but I always sleep better knowing the bad guys are going to get what’s coming to them.”

“Most definitely! Plus I finally get this damn cast off tomorrow.”

As Iris slowly makes her way up to their bedroom, Barry takes the time to appreciate her body. As a scientist, he knew how the human body worked but seeing his wife’s body change and grow was something that still caught him off guard now and again. He’s so lost in his admiration of his wife that he doesn’t hear her talking to him.

“Babe? Why are you staring at me like that?”

“Huh? Oh nothing. I was just admiring you.”

“Oh really? The fact that it looks like I’ve swallowed a volleyball is appealing to you?”

“Everything about you is appealing to me. Always has.”

“Oh well in that case, I’m about to blow your mind.”

“Oh really?” He takes her outstretched hand as she pulls him into the room and plops him on their bed. She then proceeds to strip tease him, slowly and somewhat awkwardly given her pregnant state and hand still in a cast, removing her clothing one at a time. She managed to get her bottoms off without any problems but then got stuck as she tried to remove her shirt over her head. She stood for a moment, unsuccessfully attempting to remove her top.

Barry just sat there with his arms crossed looking at her. He was trying his best not to laugh at her because she really was getting into her strip tease before getting stuck. After a minute of her struggling, she pauses and in the sweetest voice he’s ever heard from her call out to him.

“Barry?”

“Yes, my love?”

“Can you help me please?”

“Sure thing, baby.”

He stood up and helped her untangle from her blouse. Once she was free and devoid of her clothes, she pushed him back onto the bed and crawled over him, pausing to kiss him as a thank you for his help. She began to kiss down his body, pausing at his neck when suddenly she felt a hard kick.

“Ow!”

Followed by another and another.

“Motherfucker!” She rolled over to her side, clutching her stomach.

“What? What is it?”

“Your daughter is pissed at me for some reason and is kicking the shit out of me right now. Ow!”

Barry places his hand on her stomach and gets right down to her belly.

“Hey there sweet girl. Please be nice to your mama.”

“Ow! Holy shit!” Iris again yelled out in pain.

Barry begins to sing to her stomach and almost instantly, Iris feels relief. Her breathing is hard but it begins to slow down as the kicks turn softer and softer until they finally stop. Barry’s hand still on her belly, moves back and forth until he could no longer feel movement.

“You okay, my love?”

“Yes. Thank you. I guess she was not in the mood tonight.”

Barry laughed. “I guess not. She’s not even here yet and she’s cock blocking us already.”

Iris laughs at his comment. He reaches over to caress her face.

“You probably should rest anyway seeing as you’ve been working non stop on this case. I’m sure you’re pretty tired.”

“Yeah. I am. Thank you for singing to her and calming her down.”

Iris got off the bed and headed to the bathroom. She smiled as she brushed her teeth thinking about how quickly Barry was able to settle their daughter just now. He caught her smile as she was putting her toothbrush away.

“What’s that smile about?” He asks as he slides up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Iris looks at him in the mirror and smiles. She turns toward him and wraps her arm around his neck.

“It just makes me happy to know that I have such a good man as the father of my child. She’s not even here yet and already you’re blowing it out of the water as a dad. It just makes me love you so much more than I already do.”

“Wow! That’s sweet of you. Thank you. There’s no one else I’d rather go on this parenting journey with than you.”

He leans down to kiss her but she hesitates.

“I’m scared to kiss you again.”

Barry chuckles, bringing their foreheads together.

“Come here.”

He gathers her face in his hands and gently brings her lips to his. Iris let’s out a soft sigh, bringing a smile to her husband’s face.

“I love your little sighs.”

“My little sighs mean I love you.”

She kissed him softly again and left him to brush his teeth and climbed into bed. Barry was right. She was tired because the moment her head hit the pillow she was fast asleep.

Chapter Text

The next morning, Iris had a hard time stirring.

“Good morning, beautiful.” Barry whispered sweetly in her ear.

She folded her pillow in half to cover her ears.

“No. Not ready to wake up.”

“Okay. You can sleep a bit longer but you do have to wake up to go get your cast off today.”

“I know but I’m too tired right now. Can I just stay in bed until then?”

“Sure. Your appointment is not until 11 this morning so I’ll set your alarm for 9:30 but then you have to get up and get ready cause I’ll be back to pick you up at 10:30.”

“Fine. Just please stop talking.”

“Okay, my beautiful grump.”

Barry kissed her and quietly got out of bed to get ready for work. Barry showered and re-entered their bedroom to get dressed to hear Iris quietly snoring. He smiled at her sleeping face. Once he was dressed, he set her alarm for 9:30 and once again kissed her. He poured himself a cup of coffee to go and sent Sara a message letting her know what was happening.

When her alarm went off at 9:30, Iris was annoyed. She really was exhausted. It seemed like all the stress of her attacks and all the normal pregnancy stresses had finally caught up to her. But if she wanted to get her life back to normal again, it began with getting her cast removed today. So she dragged herself out of bed and got into the shower. Knowing his wife would probably have a difficult time rising this morning, Barry left work early and stopped by Jitters for a coffee and a cronut for her. He walked into their bedroom just as she had gotten out of the shower.

“Hey my love. How are you feeling?”

“Exhausted! I just want to crawl back into bed.” She tiredly whined.

“Well your case on Cecile is wrapped up. I mean, you’re just waiting for Chief Singh to decide if what you gave him was enough to press charges against her, so nothing says you can’t take an early leave now.”

“I can’t just bail on Scott!”

“You’re not. You told him he was in charge as of yesterday. Take the day. Rest up and then you can tie up any loose ends at work tomorrow and Friday. I think you need it. If you weren’t so excited to get your cast off, I’d tell you to go back to bed right now. But once the cast is off and we see Marlize for your check up, we can come home and sleep.”

“Promise?”

“Yes. I promise.”

Iris pulled out a shirt dress with snap buttons to wear and slid into a pair of slip-on sneakers. Barry helped her gather her hair up in a messy bun. He wasn’t sure if he did it correctly but she couldn’t care today. She gave herself a once over look in the mirror, impressed and annoyed that his messy bun looked so good. She grabbed her sunglasses off her side table to cover the bags under her eyes, took the treats Barry got for her and walked out the door. Barry picked up her purse and followed her out to his car.

They managed to get through her appointments fairly quickly and were back home by 2pm. Despite her fatigue, Iris was thrilled. Her cast was finally removed and her arm felt so much lighter. She would have to get used to using it again but at least she was cast free. Her blood pressure, though still slightly elevated, was much better than before. Still she was cautioned to take it easy for the reminder of her pregnancy.

Too exhausted to make it up to her bedroom, Iris sat on the couch and leaned back, propped her feet up onto the coffee table and closed her eyes.

“Sweetheart, why don’t you go upstairs and sleep in our bed? You’d be more comfortable there.” Barry asked his wife.

“Babe, I’m too tired to walk upstairs right now. Besides, the couch is quite comfortable.”

“Okay. Come here.”

Barry walks over to her and leans her over to lie on the couch. He brings a pillow for her head and a blanket for her shoulders as well. Hank took his place at her feet since there wasn’t as much room in front of her belly for him anymore.

“Make sure to stay sleeping on your left side, okay. I’m gonna head back to work. If you need anything, call me. I love you.”

Barry kisses her lips and then her belly, and a quick head rub for Hank before getting up to leave. He would much rather stay with Iris right now, but when he left work to pick her up earlier that day, there were a few files waiting for him to attend to. Although he had a substantial amount of vacation time unused, he wanted to be sure he had enough time to spend with Iris before and after their baby was born, so he wanted to get as much work done as possible before then.

“Thank you babe. Love you too.”

After Barry left, Iris slept for a solid five hours. When she woke up, she noticed their dog Walker had been by to take Hank for a walk and even filled up his water bowl for her. She clearly was exhausted since she didn’t hear her come in or the dogs barking. Since there were no lights on in the suite, Iris knew that Barry was still at work. She gets up, searching for her phone. She sees her purse on the bench by the front door and pulls it out. She has ten missed calls, three of them from work, one from Barry and the other from an unknown number. She also had five text messages, all of them from Barry.

Just as she was about to call him, she heard his keys jingle in the door.

“Hey. I was just about to call you back. I would have sooner but I just woke up.”

“You’ve been asleep this entire time?”

“Yeah. I guess I didn’t realise how much I needed it.”

“Okay. Well I was wondering what you wanted for supper but since I didn’t hear back from you I just picked up shawarmas for us. Hope that’s okay.”

“Yes! I didn’t know I was craving one until now!” She kisses him. “Thank you. I love you.”

As they sat down to eat, Barry looked at Iris.

“You know I’m really proud of you.”

She tilts her head to the side and smiles at him.

“Why? What did I do now?”

Barry chuckles.

“I’m just proud of you. I’m proud of the way you took control of your life and turned your dream into what it is today. You’ve accomplished so much in your life in such a short time. I’m just proud that I get to say that I’m Iris West-Allen’s husband.”

“You’re definitely getting lucky tonight.”

She winks at him and finishes up her shawarma.

Her phone rings but she ignores it. She’s spending time with her husband right now. Whoever it was, she would call them back. But they were persistent and kept calling.

“Maybe you should get that.”

“It’s not a number I recognize though.”

“Here. I’ll answer then.”

She hands Barry her phone and listens as he answers.

“Hello?

“This call is for Iris West-Allen. Tell her to stay away from the Citizen. Someone is planning to bomb it.”

“What? When?”

“Friday.”

“How do you know this? Hello?”

The line disconnected.

“Who was it, babe?”

“I don’t know but whoever it was called to say that someone is planning to bomb The Citizen on Friday and that you should stay away.”

“What? We’ve got to let my employees know. And the police. I don’t want anyone getting hurt.”

“The voice sounded familiar. Like someone I had spoken to before.”

“Who?”

“That’s just it. I’m not sure who it was. But I know that I’ve heard that voice before.”

“Maybe we should call it in.”

“Okay. I’ll call your dad. You call Scott.”

He hands her back her phone and fishes his phone out of his pocket to call his father in law.

They hung up at the same time. Barry sighed, looking over at his wife who was clearly worried.

“I don’t know how much more of this I can take, Barr. We’re in the last few weeks of my pregnancy and all I want is peace. To be able to enjoy these last 10 weeks without any threats or attacks.I can’t do this anymore.” She begins to cry, the stress of it all mixed with her pregnancy hormones was too much to handle. She had been strong through it all and now she had reached her breaking point. She just wanted rest. She falls into Barry’s arms, holding onto him for support.

“That’s it. I’m taking you somewhere for the next couple of weeks where you can get away from all of this. You shouldn’t have to be dealing with this bullshit right now. We haven’t really been able to enjoy this pregnancy like we should.”

She pulls back and looks at him and sighs.

“I can’t Barry. There’s still too much to do before Nora gets here.”

“Iris, I’m not risking your health and the health of our baby. Whatever still needs to be done can wait. Scott can handle things at the Citizen. He doesn’t need you right now. I have a shit ton of vacation days that I have saved up. It’s more than enough for me to take two weeks now and have time off before and after Nora gets here. I’m tired of seeing you like this.”

“Are you sure?”

“About you and Nora? Absolutely.”

“Where are we going?”

“I was thinking we could go to the cabin. It’s quiet and secluded there. No one really knows about it. Dr. Wells is close by if we need him for anything. We could sleep in, walk to the beach, get ice cream and just have some quiet time together. And bonus, in the event that the Chief’s investigation wraps up within that time frame, we’re only a couple of hours away.”

“Sounds perfect. Thank you.” She looks up at him and kisses him.

“Anytime.Go get packed. We’ll leave first thing in the morning. I’m just going to let Joe and my team know that I’ll be unavailable for the next couple of weeks, lock up and then I’ll be up to pack.”

“Sounds good.”

Barry went into his office and emailed his team to let them know that he would be away for the next couple of weeks and he could be contacted only in the event of an emergency. He called Joe to let him know he was taking Iris to the cabin and that they’d be available in the event of any emergency only.

“She’s really stressed out, Joe. I have to get her away for a while. Otherwise…”

“I know, son. The cabin’s a good idea. I know you emailed the team but I think we can handle things here for a couple weeks until you get back. Thank you for always looking after my daughter and granddaughter.”

“Of course, Joe. I’ll see you in a couple of weeks.”

He walks back into their bedroom and sees she’s all packed.

“Wow! Someone’s excited for our little trip!”

He walks up behind her and wraps his arms around her belly, tenderly rubbing it. She leans her head back onto him.

“You have no idea.”

He kissed her neck, holding her, gently swaying back and forth.

“We’re going to have a lovely time. We’ll get up in the morning. We can get breakfast on the road and pick up groceries in Happy Harbour. And once we get there, it’ll be just us and Hank for two weeks of quiet and bliss. We can even christen the new bed and sofa we got.”

She smiled against his cheek.

“Well you’d better hope your daughter doesn’t try to cock block us again.”

He laughed in her ear.

“I’ll have a chat with her. Don’t you worry.”

He gives her a quick peck on the cheek.

“Thank you, Barry. I really appreciate you.”

“Anything for my favourite girl.”

Chapter Text

The two hour drive to Happy Harbour always filled Iris with excitement. As a child, she always looked forward to Labour Day weekend when she would be able to spend that entire time with her best friend. She recalls the elation they would feel as they got closer and closer to the cabin. The air smelled different. It was their chance at freedom. Nora would let them stay up later at night and sleep in in the morning and Henry always built a campfire where they would roast hot dogs and make smores. Now as an adult with their own baby on the way, she was just as thrilled. Sure, she and Barry probably wouldn’t high tail it to the beach as soon as the car parked but she was looking forward to her time there with him. The cabin was the last place that truly reminded her of her late in-laws. They replaced the bed in the main bedroom, the sofa in the main living area and as a surprise for Iris, Barry turned his old bedroom into a summer nursery but other than that, everything else was just as Nora left it.

Iris sighed audibly as they approached the cabin. Barry looked over at her to see a huge smile on her face. This is what he had wanted for his wife the entirety of her pregnancy instead of her having to deal with shady DAs and her thugs. But better late than never. Once he put the car in park, Iris stepped out and stretched tall. The tank top she was wearing lifted showing her baby bump.

“Barry Allen you lucky bastard.” Barry thought to himself as he shamelessly checked his wife out. Her breasts had gotten fuller and her ass a little bit rounder. He kept his eyes on her as she slowly walked to the front of the car. She pauses and looks at him.

“Babe? You coming?”

“Yeah.” He answers, snapping out of it. “You go in and I’ll get the stuff from the car.”

Iris walked into the cabin and took a deep breath. Still smelled like Nora. She walked around the cabin, opening windows to let the beach air in, just like Nora had done years before. She stopped in her old room and opened the two windows on either side of the bed. She sat on the bed for a moment, closing her eyes and remembered the night she escaped here. It was so long ago but the memories were still so fresh. Sitting there now, she’s forever grateful that she was able to find refuge here that night. Particularly the fact that Barry hadn’t bothered to fix that damn lock at the back of the cabin all these years too, she laughed to herself. She stood up when she heard Barry come in. He looked like a packed mule, loaded with their bags of groceries and clothes.

“Babe, seriously? You’re gonna hurt yourself doing that one of these days.”

“Oh no. I’m fine.”

Iris followed him as he placed the bags of groceries down in the kitchen and then took their bags into their bedroom. He went back out to get Hank’s food and toys.

When he came back in, Iris was still in the kitchen putting the food away.

“Oh good you’re still here.” He says.

“Where else would I be?”

“Well I have a surprise for you. And since you’re still here and you haven’t said anything, I’m guessing you haven't seen it yet.”

She pauses and looks at her husband curiously.

“Barry Allen. What did you do?”

“Come here.” He reaches out a hand for her to hold. She takes it and he pulls her toward his old bedroom.

“Okay. Close your eyes. I promise I won’t let you bump into anything.”

Iris closes her eyes and holds on tight to her husband.

“Okay. Open up.”

Iris couldn’t believe her eyes. Instead of his twin bed stood a crib and a small rocking chair with a foot stool.

“Barry! When did you do this? I love it!”

Barry places a hand on his wife’s lower back as she stands there taking it all in.

“I may have taken an afternoon off last week to get it done.”

“Barry Allen. I love you so much. This is amazing!” She grabbed his face and planted a kiss on him. “I was thinking Nora would have to sleep with us until she transitioned to a big girl bed but now she won’t have to. She has her own little room with her own little crib.”

“Yep. There’s a baby monitor too and a little night light. I thought about getting a sound machine but I think hearing the water from the beach would suffice.” He watches her eyes soften as he speaks. “I’ve also got some diapers and wipes in the closet and a few little sundresses and sun hats for her. Don’t worry. I made sure there were lots of sleepers for her too. There are burp cloths and extra blankets in that drawer too. I also got a bug net for the car seat and one of those sun tents that we could pitch by the beach for you to feed her in privacy if you want. I figured we could pretty much spend all summer up here after she’s born if we wanted to get away from the city for a bit.”

“Babe. I love it all. So sweet of you.”

“I’m glad you like it. Here, why don’t you sit and relax in the rocking chair and I’ll finish unpacking everything. Afterwards if you want to take a nap in the new bed you can or we could take a walk down by the beach or just relax here. Whatever you want to do.”

He guides her to the rocking chair to sit and lifts her feet up onto the foot rest. When he leaned down to kiss her, she held his face to extend the kiss.

“You really are the best husband and dad in the world, you know that?”

He kissed her again, smiling as she leaned her head back, closed her eyes and rocked back and forth with a smile on her face. If everything stays like this for the entirety of their two weeks, it would be heaven. Lord knows they could use the reprieve from the chaos. Just as he had that thought, his phone rings. He debated ignoring it and sending it to voicemail but his caller ID showed it was his father in law calling so he answered.

“Hey Joe. Everything alright?”

“Hey Barry. I’m sorry to disturb you guys. But I wanted to run something by Iris. I tried her cell but it went straight to voicemail.”

“That’s because she’s turned her phone off. You could run whatever it is you need by Scott since Iris put him in charge for the duration of her maternity leave.”

“I could but I don’t have his contact info. I’m sorry, Barr. I know this is inconvenient but it won’t take long. I promise.”

Barry sighed, instantly regretting having to disturb his wife.

“One sec, Joe.”

He mutes the call and walks back into the new nursery.

“Hey sweetheart. Your dad is on the line. He wants to ask you a question.”

She quietly protests and asks him to put the call on speaker.

“Hey Dad. What’s up?”

“Hey baby girl. So sorry to disturb you.”

“It’s okay Dad. What’s going on?”

“We want to do a sting operation at The Citizen and need your permission to do so. We want to use a body double of you in the hopes that it draws out whoever may be behind the bomb threat.”

“Sure Dad. That’s fine. If you want to make it more believable, you could ask Oliver if Sara and Ava are available. They’re highly trained for anything.”

“I’m not sure about that Iris. They’re civilians.”

“Sara saved my life in the most impossible way before she became my bodyguard. I trust her with my life. I know she and Ava would do a good job.”

“Okay. Send me their info and I’ll get in contact with them.”

“Will do. I’ll also send you Scott’s info as well in case you need anything else regarding The Citizen.”

“Don’t bother you. Got that message loud and clear. Be safe you two. Hope you get a good rest, baby girl. Love you both.”

“Love you too, Dad.”

Barry hung up the phone.

“I’m so sorry, love.”

“It’s okay, babe. Who knows. Maybe they’ll actually get the person responsible and we can put this all behind us.”

“Well until Cecile and her goons are sporting lovely grey outfits courtesy of Iron Heights Penitentiary.”

“Amen to that! Anyway, no more talk of that woman. We’re here to relax and enjoy the next two weeks of my pregnancy.”

“You’re right! Why don’t you go take a nap in our bed, and I’ll get lunch started.”

“I’m actually not tired at all right now.”

“Want to go for a little walk?”

“In this heat? Not unless you’re prepared to hear lots of complaining about swollen ankles and then spend time rubbing those swollen ankles, no thank you.”

“How about a nice relaxing swing on the deck? You’ll be outside in the fresh air but in the shade and there’s a nice breeze coming off the water right now. I’ll even make you a smoothie with your sandwich so it’ll seem like you’re on a tropical island somewhere.”

“Now you’re speaking my language.” She got up and headed to their bedroom. “I’m gonna grab my book and head out.”

Iris grabbed her book and trotted out to the swing. She adjusted the pillow behind her and opened her book and began to read, swinging in the morning heat. Barry was right. There was a beautiful breeze coming off the water right now and although Happy Harbour was starting to get busy at this time of year, it was peaceful at the moment. Mind you their cabin was a bit secluded from the others around so they had a lot more chances to enjoy peace and quiet.

She closed her book, leaned her head on the back of the swing and closed her eyes. She imagined them being back here when Nora’s a toddler, discovering the world around her. Bright eyed and in awe of the simplest of things like the water crashing onto the shore and the seagulls seeming to float above them looking for scraps to eat. Or when she’s four years old, sitting on Barry’s shoulders as they check out the Fourth of July parade in what’s known as downtown Happy Harbour, sharing her ice cream with him but more likely getting it all over him. Or when she’s six years old with a sibling next to her destroying the sand castle that she just built. But instead of getting upset, she just rebuilds it and builds an extra one for them to destroy. She’s decided that Nora will be a great big sister. Always looking out for her younger sibling. Making sure they’re looked after and cared for. The thought of that made her smile.

She opened her eyes when she heard her husband place her lunch beside her and settle down on the swing next to her.

“You look happy.”

“I am. I was imagining what it would be like here once Nora is a bit older and with a sibling. She’s gonna be a great big sister.”

He put his arm around her and pulled her close to him.

“Yeah. I can’t wait to do all the things with them that we did when we were younger.”

“Some of my best memories growing up are being here with you and your parents.”

“Yeah?”

“Oh yeah.” She got suddenly quiet and Barry felt her shake a little, a small tear trickling down her face.

“Hey. Are you okay? What’s wrong?”

“I’m okay. Just thinking about your parents really makes me miss them, you know? I guess I’m just sad that they didn’t get to experience being grandparents.”

He kissed her head and sighed.

“Yeah. I know.”

“That’s why I didn’t want to fully redecorate the cabin. This is the one place I feel closest to them. Whenever I come here I can smell your mom’s baking and I can hear your dad laughing. Takes me back to when we were younger. I feel like we’d lose that if we changed things here.”

“I had no idea you felt that way, love.”

“I’ve been thinking about them and my mom a lot over the past few weeks. Bringing new life has a way of causing you to look at the past.”

“I love you, you know that?”

“You do? You love little old me?”

“I do. You’re my favourite person in the whole world.”

“Well lucky me. I love you too!”

They sat there on the swing loving this moment. It seems like it had been a long time since they’ve had a moment of solitude between the two of them.

Chapter Text

That evening Barry and Iris decided to have supper at the local restaurant, Jack’s Catch. Iris was craving their fish and chips, more specifically their tartar sauce. Her weird pregnancy cravings had not subsided at all. She asked for extra to take back with her to snack on. Barry just shook his head when their waitress brought back a soup sized container for her, much to her delight.

Jack’s Catch has been a staple in Happy Harbour since Barry and Iris were kids. The owner, Jack Fisherman, opened the restaurant when he was just in his twenties, moving to the area on a whim and opening up the best seafood restaurant within a fifty mile radius. The Allen’s were one of his very first customers. And they were loyal. Every Friday of Labour Day weekend when they got to Happy Harbour, the Allen family with Iris in tow, would have their first meal at Jack’s. He always gave Barry and Iris a brownie if they ate all their meal, making sure to give Iris an extra large piece after he found out they were her favourite dessert.

When Jack heard about a customer who loved his tartar sauce, he had to meet them. He had been perfecting that sauce for the past thirty five years and was happy to know someone appreciated his handiwork. He was surprised when he saw them. He didn’t know they had gotten married and were expecting.

“My god. As I live and breathe, if it isn’t little Barry and Iris now grown up!”

“Jack!” Iris squealed, seeing her friend again, jumping up from her seat to greet him.

“What’s this?” He looked at her protruding belly as she rubbed it.

“Yeah. I’m having his baby!”

“Wait! You two are together?”

“Yes we are. I managed to convince her to marry me six years ago.”

“Lucky guy! I always knew you two would end up like this. I could see it when you kids would come in here with your folks. Especially you. You were awestruck with this girl for as long as I’ve known you.”

“Can you blame me? Look at her!”

“He’s a hopeless romantic, isn’t he?” He looks at Iris, ginning.

“He is.” She answers, caressing Barry’s cheek, causing him to blush. “So Jack, how have things been with you?”

“No complaints. Life is good. How about you guys? What have you been up to besides being a fancy Pulitzer winner? I’ve been keeping up with you through your newspaper and podcast. You’re a hell of a woman, Iris.”

“Thank you Jack. Just the same old stuff for me. Making sure bad guys are brought to justice. Barry is now the CSI Director at CCPD. He’s no slouch.”

“Now that’s what I like to see power couples like you two. Making the world a better place for guys like me.”

“Thanks Jack.”

“Well I should get back to work. You guys stop in anytime and Iris, if you need more of that sauce, you know where to find me.”

Iris excused herself to go to the bathroom before they left.

“Hey Jack. I need a favour from you.”

“Anything kid. What’s up?”

“Iris has had a few threats against her since she’s been pregnant, some that have landed her in the hospital and we came out here to get away for a bit. If anyone comes asking about us, please don’t say anything.”

“Damn. I didn’t know. No one’s been around asking but I’ll keep that in mind. I’m so sorry to hear that, Barry.”

“Thanks. I don’t know if it’ll happen but just in case, here’s my number.”

“You got it kid. I’ll let the other owners around here know. We protect our own around here and you two are one of us.”

“Thanks Jack. I really appreciate it.”

“Don’t mention it kid. We’ve got you. Just take care of your lady and baby. We’ve got the rest.”

Barry plastered a smile on his face once he saw Iris appear.

“Want to take a stroll along the water?” He asks, holding her hand as they walk back to the car.

“Actually, I’d rather go back and put my feet up, maybe watch a movie if you don’t mind.”

“No. Don’t mind at all.”

As soon as Iris walked in the door Hank was at her side.

“How’s my sweet boy doing?”

She reached down to kiss his head. He followed her back to their bedroom when she went to get changed and back out to the couch in the living room.

“He’s really sticking close to you these days, isn’t he?”

“Yeah he is. I don’t mind. He’s always been a good boy.”

She sat down on the couch and he climbed up beside her and laid his head on her lap.

“So, what would you like to watch?”

“Can we watch ‘Singing in the Rain’?”

“Yeah?”

“Reminds me of your mom and I’m really missing her today.”

“Sure sweetheart.”

Barry puts it on and sits down beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as she rests her head on his shoulder. Iris and his mom really did have a strong relationship especially after Francine passed away when Iris was only 14 years old. When Francine got sick, her health deteriorated quite quickly and Nora stepped in, not as a replacement because she knew she could never take Francine’s place in Iris’ life, but as someone Iris could lean on when she needed female influence in her life. Nora helped her with everything a girl goes through during her teen years, including how to deal with boys. Barry was grateful they had such a close and special bond.

Once the movie was over, Barry stood to his feet to put the dvd away. He then walked over to the record player and put on his mom’s favourite record. He then turns to Iris and smiles at her.

“Do you remember this?” He asks, holding out his hand with a twinkle in his eyes. She reached up and took his hand, smiling at him.

“Of course I do. Your parents used to dance to this after they thought we had gone to bed.”

He pulls her as close to him as he could get. Her baby bump was finally starting to get in the way, not that he was complaining at all. Iris smiles throughout the entirety of the song. She closes her eyes and can see Henry and Nora dancing to this song after they thought they had put her and Barry to bed. Iris would open her door slightly and watch them as they danced in the living room of their cabin. Henry would push the coffee table to one side, put the record on and grab his wife and dance. One night when they were about ten years old, Barry heard them and opened his door. He saw Iris looking at his parents and he proceeded to take her hand and dance with her in the hallway outside their bedroom. Once the song was over, he bowed to her while she curtseyed to him. He kissed her hand, said goodnight and they went back to their rooms. Iris remembers seeing Barry in a different light that night. Her feelings for him changed from best friend to something more after that seemingly innocent dance and she smiles at the memory. Her husband had always been the sweet, loving person he is today and twenty years ago, she had fallen in love with him right here in this cabin, even if she didn’t realise that she had.

Their time at their cabin was blissful. They slept in, had breakfast either at the cabin or at Happy Harbour cafe, took Hank for walks along the water, sat on the swing reading, napped and christened the sofa and new bed multiple times. Every time Barry looked over at his wife, she had a smile on her face. This is what he wanted for her. For them. This certainly was the right call. He had been checking her blood pressure every other night and it was lower than it had been in a while.

Barry kept his phone on in the event of an emergency back home. He got a text from Joe on Wednesday morning before they were to arrive home, advising him to get Iris to keep her phone on her because rumour had it there was something big coming from the mayor’s office and the police chief’s office in the next day or two. No one knew what it was but it could be what they had been waiting for.

“Should we go back tonight? Just in case it is what we hope it is. That way, we could get there faster than if we stayed here.” Iris stopped pacing and turned to her husband for an answer.

“I mean, it would be nice to be there within minutes. And I don’t think they’d delay arresting her until you got there.”

“Right. Maybe we should go back then. Plus, I have my appointment with Marlize tomorrow afternoon anyway.”

“Are you sure you really want to be there? That could put an even bigger target on your back.”

“I don’t know. On the one hand I absolutely want to see the smug look wiped off her face when she’s arrested. On the other hand, as long as she’s in prison for a very long time, I don’t care. She’s taken so much of my brain space that should have been reserved for our baby.”

She paused for a moment.

“Fuck it. She’s put me through hell. I want to see the moment that bitch goes down. Let’s go.”

“Okay. Well, do you want to come back here afterwards or not?”

“I don’t think we can since my baby shower is on Saturday and we were gonna be back for that anyway.”

“Okay. Let’s pack up and have dinner at Jack’s and then head home.”

“Maybe let’s not tell anyone we’re back yet. I could do with a few more days of quiet.”

Barry kisses her as he walks back into their bedroom to get packing.

“You got it!”

They were about 20 minutes away from home when Iris got a phone call from a blocked number.

“Hello?”

“Iris. It’s Chief Singh. My apologies for calling so late in the evening.”

“Oh no. It’s not a problem, Chief.”

“So I’m calling because we will be arresting Ms. Horton tomorrow morning, 8am at City Hall and as promised, I’m calling to give you first dibs on the story. After our own investigation, your intel was spot on. She will be charged with attempted murder, assault, intimidation and mischief to start with and that only pertains to what she’s done to you. There’s still a whole lot of other charges regarding what she's done to help the former mayor evade prosecution for as long as she had as well as the crimes she’s committed while holding office as the District Attorney. We also have arrest warrants out for Mr. Fells and Mr. Gray both of whom were employed by Ms. Horton to carry out the attacks against you. And we have the backing of the mayor as well. Congratulations Mrs. West-Allen. You’ve made Central City that much safer by taking down another career criminal.”

“Wow. Thank you Chief. I’ll be at City Hall tomorrow at 8am. Thank you for your call.”

Barry reaches over to hold his wife’s hand.

“So, this is it. Cecile’s going to prison?”

“Yeah. Along with Adam Fells and Griffin Gray.”

He pulled her hand up to his lips and kissed it.

“I’m so proud of you, sweetheart. So very proud.”

“Thank you. Now I can tweak my article to get it out as soon as I get a statement from the chief and mayor. I’ve got to call Scott and make sure we’ve got photographers ready for the morning and to review my article.”

Barry gathered as much as he could take up to the suite with Iris. Once she was settled behind her laptop, he went back downstairs to retrieve the rest of their things. By the time he got back from his second trip, Iris had Scott, Allegra and Mateo lined up to work on reviewing her article and a photographer so that her article could be published as soon as possible the next day. This was it. All the crap that they had gone through over the past few months will be coming to an end. Barry always knew his wife was a force to be reckoned with but he was still in awe at the badass she was after seeing it up close and personal. This was the most intimate he had ever gotten at seeing first hand how she worked through an investigation and he was thoroughly impressed. She was so smart in the way she went about it, even while pregnant, it really was something to behold. Once again, Iris West-Allen did what many only dreamed of. She had taken down another criminal on her own.

Chapter Text

Iris was up at 5:30am the next morning. She managed to get six hours of sleep last night despite the fact that she was shaking with excitement. Cecile Horton’s reign of tyranny and terror in Central City was coming to an end. With all the charges up against her along with the iron clad proof that she and her team found, coupled with more that the police found, was enough to put her away for the rest of her life. The fact that she was supposed to be on the right side of Justice and was committing all of these crimes would not look good on her.

She was in the bathroom brushing her teeth when Barry walked in and placed a kiss on her cheek, before heading over to his sink to brush his teeth as well.

“Good morning. How are you feeling today?”

“So good. I had a great sleep. I’m about to witness justice being served and I have my 32 week check up later today. My blood pressure has been the lowest it’s been in a long time. And to top it all off, I have the best and sexiest husband on the planet. Life is good, Mr. Allen. Life is good.”

Barry paused from brushing his teeth to look at her. She was happy and as radiant as any pregnant woman would be.

“You know, we have time for a little pre-celebratory sex if you’d like.”

“I’ve thought of that. We don’t have time. But definitely later. Because I have a feeling I’m going to be much happier later today than I am right now. Plus I want to be there well before 8am.”

She discarded her robe and walked into the shower, turning the water on. His eyes followed her, admiring how her smooth brown skin stretched to accommodate their growing baby.

She peeked her head out and looked at him with a devious smile.

“Hey. Wanna help me save on water?”

Barry quickly stripped off his underwear, grabbed his towel and placed it near the shower and joined his wife.

“What happened to not having enough time?” He asked in between kisses.

“Blame my damn hormones. But listen, we cannot be late. We only have enough time for 2 orgasms. Maybe 3.”

“Well then we’d better get right to it.”

Barry paused to look at his wife as she was deciding what to wear to City Hall today. He could stare at her all day if he could. With her bump now prominent, it seemed to accentuate all her womanly curves. The roundness of her breasts and ass was made even more beautiful by her protruding belly. She seemed to have been one of the lucky ones who gained her baby weight in all the right places. She looked at him holding up two choices: a crisp white long sleeve shirt with black leather pants or a chiffon mustard yellow top with dark wash denim jeans. Barry picked the latter, explaining that they would only be at City Hall for a short while and she was officially on maternity leave. Plus she wouldn’t be as hot in jeans as she would be in leather pants. She agreed and decided to add a light brown jacket over top pairing with her brown wedges that matched almost perfectly with her jacket.

It was 7:20 by the time she was dressed and ready to go. The five minute drive would turn into fifteen if they didn’t leave right away. Barry had thought ahead and set the coffee to brew last night so they would have a fresh cup before they left. He pre-made a couple breakfast sandwiches for them as well and had everything waiting for her when she got downstairs. Iris was buzzing all the way to City Hall today. She had checked on the ride over that Scott would have a couple photographers and a videographer there today to capture Cecile’s arrest.

As they walked off the elevator on the floor of the police chief’s office, Cecile was standing waiting in the lobby. She saw them and sauntered over to greet them. Well she greeted Barry, barely acknowledging Iris.

“Barry! Iris. What are you guys doing here?”

“Just some journalism business. Barry’s just accompanying me for moral support.”

“You keep him on a tight leash, huh? Let the man breathe a little. The world has a lot more to offer him than just you.” Cecile says to Iris, looking at Barry.

“Excuse me?” Iris gave her an annoyed look while Barry rolled his eyes at her. She was becoming more brazen with her comments.

“Come on! I was kidding! Lighten up!”

Iris just shook her head and shoved down what she really wanted to say. Pretty soon, Cecile will be off to Iron Heights, sporting an ugly grey jumpsuit.

“That shade of grey really suits you, Cecile.”

“Are you complimenting me, Iris? See! I knew we could be friends.” Cecile beamed as Barry snickered behind Iris, knowing exactly what Iris meant and knowing it certainly wasn’t a compliment.

“Will you excuse us for a moment please?” Iris and Barry walked away when she saw the photographers and videographer from The Citizen. Iris wanted to make sure they knew exactly what she wanted and expected from them.

As soon as the mayor and chief walked out over to the podium, everyone hushed and gave them their attention. Cecile also stood on the podium to the right of them, looking smug and completely unaware of her fate. Iris noted the increased police presence at each exit, two at each exit. Chief Singh looked over at her and nodded an acknowledgement of her presence. Iris listened as he spoke and kept an eye on Cecile. The Chief was vague in who he was referring to as he listed all of the crimes he would be charging D.A. Cecile Horton with. The list was long and intensive. Once he said her name though, her face fell. Shock and silence filled the room. She looked over in confusion at Chief Singh as his officers handcuffed her. She tried to thrash around but she was no match for the officers who placed her under arrest. Suddenly the throng of reporters there began asking questions all at once. Chief Singh refused to answer any further questions, nodding again to Iris, indicating he would give her first dibs on the story.

As Cecile walked by she looked over to Iris with tears in her eyes.

“Iris. Please help me. You have to help me prove my innocence. You’re a great journalist. You can help me.”

Iris looked at her dead in her eyes.

“I’m sorry Cecile. Because I’m the one who helped prove you’re anything but. You’ve hurt a lot of people and now you’re going to pay for it.”

“It wasn’t me. I’m a victim here.”

“The hell you are. You came after me and my family. You sent someone to kill me while I was pregnant. As far as I’m concerned, you can rot in Iron Heights for the rest of your miserable life.”

Cecile couldn’t believe she’d been caught. The realisation that her crimes had finally caught up to her thanks to Iris made her angry.

“You’ll pay for this, Iris West-Allen! I’ll make sure you pay!” Cecile shrieked as she was led away.

The journalists from the other news networks looked at Iris hopelessly, knowing there was a great story there but one she wouldn’t give.

Both the police chief and the mayor walked over to her to shake her hand. They each handed her an envelope with their respective stories. They thanked Iris for her dedication to seeking justice for everyone. Once they left, she turned to Allegra, handing over the envelopes.

“Take this and give it to Scott. These are statements from the police chief and the mayor. Tell him to include these in my article. I’ll be by in 30 minutes and we need to have it ready to publish in 31 minutes. Go straight to the office. Don’t stop for anything. Go.”

She turned to her videographer, giving him the signal to broadcast. Mateo gave Central City a breakdown of what just happened, telling them to tune in to The Citizen for more details on the arrest of District Attorney Cecile Horton. Once he signed off, she sent her employees back to work as she and Barry made their way out of the building.

Before they could get to their vehicle, Iris heard a voice calling out to her from behind a pillar. She and Barry were shocked to see Taylor Downs before them.

“Taylor? What are you doing here?”

“I just wanted to make sure that you were okay?”

Barry’s ears perked up when she spoke.

“It was you who called to warn us about the bomb threat, wasn’t it?”

Taylor shook her head, tears in her eyes.

“Yeah. It was. I’m just glad that you believed me and that you’re okay.”

Iris approached her.

“Taylor, how did you know that was going to happen?”

She hung her head in shame, shifting on her feet.

“Just before you fired me, Adam Fells approached me in a bar one night. We talked and flirted and before I knew it, we were hooking up. He started asking me questions about my job and about you and at first I didn’t think anything of it. I had always admired you so I talked about you a lot and I just thought he was being a good boyfriend, taking interest in me, my job and what I liked. After he was arrested the first time, he told me it was all a big misunderstanding. And since he got out shortly after, I believed him. But when he was arrested again and spent more time in jail, I started to find holes in his story. But after I was fired, I was blinded by anger and started to believe him when he said you were a terrible person. And then once he was released the second time, the D.A. came to see him and told him she wanted to really scare you since the other two methods failed. I overheard their plans to bomb The Citizen and I couldn’t let that happen. I still have friends there and I know you’re not a terrible person because even though you fired me, you still believed I could be a great journalist. And you were pregnant and had been through a lot in your life. You’re someone I look up to. And I couldn’t stand to see you get hurt. So I called to warn you about it. I told the police about this already.”

“Taylor.” Iris embraced her former employee. “Thank you.”

Iris stepped back from her, still holding onto her at arm’s length.

“I really appreciate you looking out for me and The Citizen.”

“It’s not a problem at all. I’m just glad you’re okay. Bye Iris.”

Iris stood and looked as her former employee walked away.

“Hey Taylor?”

Taylor stopped and turned to her as her former boss approached her.

“What have you been up to since leaving The Citizen? Have you been writing?”

“Uhh. No. I haven’t. I’m actually leaving Central City. Too much craziness has happened.”

“Oh. Where will you go?”

“I have a friend in National City that I’m going to stay with. See if I can get a fresh start there.”

“Well if you'd still like to pursue journalism, I can put in a good word for you with Cat Grant over at CatCo.”

“You’d do that for me?”

“Yes I would, Taylor. I’ve always maintained that you could be a great journalist. You have it in you. Just stick with the truth. Don’t go around making up stories to fit your narrative.”

“Thank you, Iris. I’d really appreciate that. And I want to apologise to both of you for spreading those rumours about you. And I’m sorry that I was such an awful person to you both. I hope you can forgive me.”

“Of course. Just promise us that you’ll do better and learn from your mistakes.”

“I will. I promise. Thank you.”

“I’ll let Cat know to expect to hear from you. She’s a tough one to impress so make sure you bring your A game and make me proud. Good luck, Taylor.”

Barry held his wife’s hand as they walked back to their car.

“That was very generous of you to give Taylor a second chance.”

“Well, she earned it. She didn’t have to warn us about the bomb but she did. And she seems to be genuine in her apology and actions, so how could I not?”

“Yeah. You’re right.” He closes her door after she got it. “So, now that this mess is all behind us, we can actually celebrate and enjoy the reminder of your pregnancy.”

Iris sighed deeply.

“Yes! Finally!”

Chapter Text

The ten remaining weeks of her pregnancy seemed to slowly go by. Once she started her maternity leave, the need to nest became quite intense. She washed, pressed and folded every article of clothing she had received for Nora, hanging up the dresses and sweaters and putting everything else in her dresser. She arranged her clothing by colour and then size. The next day she arranged them by size and then colour. She vacuumed and dusted the nursery. She made sure all the outlets in their suite were covered. She tested and retested the stroller they had chosen, opening and closing it with one hand, making sure she knew exactly how it worked. And even though Barry had arranged for a cleaning service to clean their suite once a week, Iris still cleaned after they left.

She also became obsessed with making sure Barry had food after they had Nora and began to cook and bake, quickly filling up their freezer. Iris wanted to make sure that once Nora came, they wouldn’t have to worry about anything.

The last three weeks of her pregnancy were especially tiring. She felt bigger than she had ever felt before and her movements were slow. Tried as she might, she conceded that she could no longer keep up with what she had been doing and decided to let Barry take over laundry and meal prep. At her last check up, Marlize estimated that Nora would be a little over 7lbs at birth and since Iris was all belly, she felt it in her back and feet. A few days before she had Nora, Barry arranged for another prenatal massage for her, much to her relief. The night before Nora’s arrival, Iris went through their birthing plan. She had decided on a water birth at home. It felt like the most intimate time of their lives and she wanted to be able to welcome their daughter in a calm and familiar environment.

The morning of Nora’s birth, Iris woke up feeling great. She woke up feeling particularly frisky, knowing that her husband would happily comply. His kisses were soft and sweet and his movements over her were gentle. They were blissfully unaware that this was the day they would meet their baby girl. They showered together afterwards and were able to enjoy their breakfast. Iris did feel some pressure throughout the morning but chalked it up to late pregnancy feelings. However when the pain didn’t subside and were becoming stronger and lasting longer, Barry called Marlize.

Nora’s birth was everything Iris wanted. The natural light pouring in combined with the smooth jazz playing in the background was just as she pictured it. Barry was there for her, holding her and encouraging her. Iris had read various birthing positions and found that being on her knees with her arms around Barry’s neck worked best for her. When Nora entered the world, Barry held onto his wife as Marlize scooped her out of the water. Iris was exhausted but elated. She listened for her daughter’s first cries, as she took her first breath on this side of the world. She breathed a huge sigh of relief, thinking of everything she had been through while carrying their daughter. Barry couldn’t help but kiss his wife’s tear stained face. She was sweating and crying and never looked more beautiful to him. She had just given him the single sweetest gift she ever could. He admired her strength during her labour and once she was done and cleaned up, he snuggled up beside her in their bed as she cradled little Nora, all 7lbs, 5 oz of her. He was speechless as he looked upon his wife and daughter with so much love and admiration. He couldn’t help but feel proud of her. Three Pulitizer prizes later, because yes she won her third with the Horton exposé, and this moment was the proudest he’d ever been of her.

Three months after Nora’s birth

Iris had just finished nursing Nora and handed her over to Barry to hold. She got up and went to the bathroom, telling him she would be right back. She had been exhausted but that was to be expected with a newborn. They had her 3 month check up that morning and Nora was thriving well. She was gaining weight and sleeping like a champ. They had gotten Nora on somewhat of a schedule. The past few nights she had been sleeping for 4-5 hour stretches between feedings. The first couple of nights it happened, she and Barry stood by her bassinet making sure she was still breathing.

Barry and Iris worked well together, dominating the role as parents. They came up with a schedule that enabled them to both get enough sleep throughout the day. Barry took the night shift, bottle feeding Nora with the breast milk Iris pumped. Thankfully, her milk came in and she was able to pump and store milk for Barry to be able to take over night feedings. According to Francine’s baby book, her milk supply was abundant and Iris was a champion feeder. Like mother, like daughter. While Barry slept during the day, Iris was able to breastfeed Nora and spend time with her. As Barry transitioned back to work, Iris shifted towards the night shift although since Nora’s night stretches were getting longer, it meant that she was able to still get a decent amount of sleep at night. More sleep meant she was more rested to resume other activities, including sex. The day she got the all clear from her doctor, she surprised Barry that night by wearing a barely there négligée she had picked up for his birthday a couple years ago. And although sex didn’t happen as often as it had pre-Nora, they made time to carve out sexy time together.

As far as first babies went, Nora was the sweetest. She wasn’t at all fussy, only complaining when she was hungry or needed to be changed. She slept well for her age and was all round a happy baby. Barry and Iris kept up the tradition of singing to her before bedtime. Iris discovered that singing before naps also helped quiet her down. They went for walks in the morning after breakfast and in the evening after supper.

Once Nora arrived, they started their Sunday dinner traditions. Joe’s suggestion, of course. He just wanted an excuse to spend time and hold his grand baby. His eyes welled up with tears the first time he held her thinking of how his late wife was missing out on this experience. He then thought of his good friends, Henry and Nora and once again the tears flowed. He didn’t share these feelings with Barry and Iris, knowing they had probably had these feelings more often than he did.

He was right. Shortly after Nora was born, Barry found Iris staring at Nora quietly sobbing on the rocking chair in the nursery.

“Babe? What’s wrong?” He asked when he saw her.

She quickly wiped her eyes, slightly embarrassed he had caught her.

“I was just thinking.” She replied.

“About your mom and my parents?”

She looked up at him amazed.

“How did you know that?”

“Because I’ve been thinking about them a lot too.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. I was thinking maybe we should introduce her to them.”

“That would be amazing. I think Nora would love to meet her grandparents.”

After breakfast the next day, they took Nora to meet her Nana, Grandma and Grandpa. Iris told them of what a wonderful babe Nora was and how well she was growing. She told them how much she missed them but thanked them both for their baby books which proved to be quite helpful. Nora gurgled away as she was introduced to them, content and happy as could be. That made Iris smile which in turn made Barry smile. Seeing his girls happy was all he could ask for in life. They made it a point to take Nora once a month to visit her late grandparents.

As Iris walked into the bathroom a thought crossed her mind and she reached into the cabinet, her mind on autopilot. She had been so tired. More tired than she really should be. Her iron had been a bit low at her last appointment and she made a note to speak with her doctor again about it.

When Iris hadn’t returned after 20 minutes, Barry came upstairs to check on her. He knocked on the bathroom door.

“Babe, you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine. I’ll be out in a minute.”

“Okay. I’m just gonna put Nora down for her nap.”

“Okay. I’ll be right there.”

Iris was trying her best to keep her voice steady. She didn’t want to alarm Barry or worry him. She realises she had been gone for far longer than she had anticipated. She quickly flushed the toilet, washed her hands and set out to the nursery. Barry’s back was to her as he gently placed Nora in her crib. She came up behind him and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his back.

“You’re such a great dad, Barr. I’m so happy I could give you this. No one deserves this more than you.” She sniffles.

He pulls her to stand beside him to place his hand around her waist. He leaned over and kissed her head.

“Thank you for giving me this special gift.”

They walk out, closing the door behind them and head downstairs to sit in front of the television. Barry sat and pulled Iris’ legs over his. She was unusually quiet right now.

“Iris. Are you okay?”

She stared at him for a moment.

“How much do you love being a dad?” She asked.

Barry’s face softened at their question.

“So much. Best feeling in the world, knowing that this tiny life depends on me for her security and happiness. I love it. And I love you for making me a dad.”

Iris studies him again before reaching back and handing him a pregnancy test.

“Good. Because you’re about to become a dad again.”