Flicker ? Barry Allen [1]

"I let it happen again." Barry said tiredly. 

I looked at the computer screen. Barry was at Joe's house, and we were on Skype, as I wanted to make sure he was okay. 

"It wasn't your fault Bar." I said, continuing to eat my chinese food.

"You are the loudest eater I have ever met." Barry laughed.

My heart lifted at the sound of his laughter and I blushed. 

My phone went off with a ding.

From: Dick Nightwing

You okay?

To: Dick Nightwing

Yeah, I'm fine. How's Gotham and Bludhaven?

"Who ya textin?" Barry asked, jokingly.

"An old friend." I replied with a smile.

"Just a friend?" Barry asked.

I shrugged. His smile faltered, but returned.

"How's the speed research coming along?" I asked, changing the subject.

He appreciated me avoiding an awkward silence.

He went into a ramble, finishing with "Caitlin thinks it's impossible, something about their strides being just a little longer." 

"I'm sure you'll get faster." I reassured him.

"Thanks, Aurora." He smiled.

"Don't push it, Bartholomew." I said, pointed my fork at the camera.

The name wasn't really bothering me as much. With each passing day, my resolve for not to fall for Barry fell little by little.

I heard the door open on Barry's end.

"Hey, I gotta go, Wally's here, but we need to find more out about that black-lightning speedster." Barry promised.

I smiled, saying goodbye and ending the call.

"I sure hope not." I said, to myself.

I was still hoping that with everything going on involving Zoom, that he would've forgotten about Eliza's words.

No more than 10 minutes later, I got a text from Barry.

From: Bartholomew

Meet me at STAR Labs in five minutes!

I hopped up, taking my food with me, locking the door behind me, and running to STAR Labs.

I walked in, eating my food.

"Did you walk here?" Cisco asked.

I shook my head. "No?" 

"Then how is your food still intact?" Caitlin questioned.

"I guess I can run without spilling my food?" I said.

"Huh." Cisco said, shrugging.

Barry arrived just a second later. "I have a plan." He said, breathing heavily from running here so quickly.

~

"Wait, you want the Eobard Thawne Dr.Wells to teach you how to run faster?" I said, apalled. "Barry, that's crazy."

 "Nothing I've read is pointing me towards a solution, and if there's anybody that's figured out the key to getting faster without V-9, it's him." Barry argued. "What do you guys think?"

"Your plan is asinine." Wells said.

I rolled my eyes, listening to Wells lecture Barry about everything that could go wrong.

 "Well, if that's what I have to do to stop Zoom, then so be it, because if I don't, and Zoom gets my speed before I learn how to stop him, everybody I care about, everybody in this whole city, their world will never be the same anyway."  Barry yelled.

Cisco and Caitlin went to work on picking the perfect place in the past for Barry to go back. Since I wasn't here at that time, I just sat in a chair watching, finishing my Chinese food.

"Remember, you can't tell me and Caitlin about Dr.Wells." Cisco warned.

"And you can't change anything with me either." I added.

Barry nodded.

"Alright let's do this." Cisco said. "We'll see you in like two seconds."

I interjected. "Barry, before you go, can I talk to you alone?" 

Cisco gave a knowing smile at me behind Barry's back. He had told me that he could sense the tension between me and him, knowing I liked him.

We went out into the hall. "Um, so, I just wanted to tell you something in case something bad happens. Or in case the timeline changes and I don't remember any of this." I said. "Okay well, um.." I said, not knowing exactly what to say.

"Rory. Don't worry. You can tell me anything." He said, his face softening.

"Okay, well." I said, and went for it.

He froze once he felt his lips on mine, but starting kissing back after a few seconds.

I pulled back. "Okay. Now go learn how to stop Zoom." I said, rushed.

He gave me a faint smile, pulling me in for a hug. 

"I would never forget you, Aurora."

I blushed. "Go, Barry." 

He smiled, before turning and leaving.