"...And then my mom died, and I had to go live with the girl I had a crush on..."

"Barry?" Iris called softly, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, "You need to eat..."

Barry sniffled, and weakly shook his head no.

He was still shaken from everything that had happened in the past few hours, tremblinging as he sat on the edge of the bed in the West's guest room, despite the warm air conditioning. Hollows under his eyes, his skin clammy and paler than usual, brown hair matted across his forehead with sweat.

Iris was at a loss for words, knowing whatever she said could never be enough to comfort him, because she knew the feeling.

First, the grief would hit him in waves, each more intense than the last. Then, the hours would blend into days, would blend into weeks, then months, and each passing second would be a tormenting reminder that he was now living in a world that was no longer blessed with his mother's light.

He would feel broken inside when he'd see other children with their own mothers, knowing that he would never see her beautiful, warm smile again, that she would never stroke his cheek with the back of her finger, never lean down and sweep him up in an embrace. That the world was a dark, empty place he couldn't find her solace in.

He would stop eating and sleeping.

He would be devastated, he would be overwhelmed by bouts of utter hopelessness.

The loss would break him.

His mind burned with racing memories. Of seeing the tornado of light barreling powerfully in his living room. His mother's wails as the light trapped her. Henry forcefully pulling Barry back by the shoulders, screaming for him to leave, to run away.

Then - the sudden whip of wind, and Barry found himself outside, in a different neighborhood he had never seen before. The horror was still fresh in his veins, and Barry screamed in fear until he woke up the residents. The police came and collected a cold, horrified Barry off the streets, before they rushed to the more important scene - the Allen home, and Barry screamed again, tears singeing the corners of his eyes, when he saw his father protesting as the police led him away in handcuffs.

He couldn't wrap his mind around how horribly everything had changed so suddenly. Only hours ago, he had come home from school to his mother's hug, the fresh, cheesy smell of macaroni casserole filling his home. His mother sang in the other room as she worked, while Barry finished his math homework, and then he went to go ride bikes with Iris. They both returned to their own homes by dusk, and then Dad came home from the hospital, and Barry ate dinner with his parents, before watching a little TV with his dad, and then Nora tucked him into bed.

His life had been so normal, so routined.

His father, his mother, his best friend - they all had such defined roles in his life. His mother provided love and warmth, reading him stories and counseling him through the social struggles that entailed fifth grade. His father gave off a sense of security and protection, and sometimes took Barry to his medical research lab, letting his son's sense of curiosity guide him through the counters and shelves filled with unique, let him play with the pieces of apparatus, teaching him what they did and how they were used.

And Iris - well, Iris was something else now, wasn't she? She'd been his best friend since the day he first met her in kindergarten, on his 6th birthday. Their friendship had only grown stronger in the years that passed, and even if Barry would never dare admit it out loud, his love for Iris had too. He saw her almost every day, and they always stuck by each other. Barry ordered the other kids to stop when they made fun of Iris's hair, and Iris growled and chased after Tony Woodward when Tony called Barry "a weak sissy". They raced their bikes down the slope in the sidewalk after school, and Iris always smiled because she always won, and Barry never seemed to mind. Barry comforted her when her pet bunny ran away, the two of them visiting the neighborhood park every day for two weeks in a row to find him, and Iris secretly held his hand under the desks when Ms. Crawford put a scary movie on for Halloween, and Barry was getting scared.

Every once in a while, Joe'd take them to the movies, and on Fridays, they would help Nora bake cookies, always giggling when Nora caught them eating spoonfuls of batter.

But that was all gone... Those memories - Barry would never get to live them, feel them in actuality - ever again.

Gone.

It was all gone.

He buried himself in the covers of the bed in Joe's guest room, and wept loudly, sniffling his tears, trembling.

"Barry - hey," Iris cajoled, moving up to sit beside him, touching his shoulder, "Don't - Don't worry, Barry. You'll be... It'll be..."

But she didn't know what to say.

She didn't dare lie to him. He'd just lost both parents, from what she had been able to piece together, and her saying "it'll be okay" would be a deceitful slap to the face for him.

She wondered if this was what it was like for Barry, when he was trying to comfort Iris when Francine had died.

Confusion, overwhelming worry, and a strong desire to protect and care for the other, to heal a wound that would never stop bleeding.

She cleared her throat and blinked her tears away, before brushing the hair out of his forehead and doing her best to brush his tears away. "Do you want me to leave so you can sleep?" She asked quietly.

He sniveled quietly, shaking his head no.

"Um... do you want me to get you water? Or something to eat?"

He shook his head again, crying silently, his tears staining the pillow.

"Barry, what can I-"

"Just stay?" He mumbled faintly, his voice breaking, "Please?"

"O-okay," Iris nodded softly, and she let Barry take her hand in his, as he continued to shiver from the shock.

She tried talking to him, some of her words of comfort actually getting through to him. She promised him that time would heal all wounds - that he would be okay - and that she'd be there for him like he had been for her. Things would work out. They had no idea how at the moment - but there would be light in his life again, Iris swore on it. She would not let her best friend suffer. He would be happy again, he would see positivity again, just like she did.

Barry gradually fell asleep. The murd- the incident, Iris corrected - took place around midnight, hadn't it? It was almost 6 in the morning now.

Outside, the sun was beginning to peak through the dark sky, tainting the sky with light blues and oranges.

Dawn already.

God, they were both so exhausted - but at least Barry was finally getting rest.

Footsteps were heard - and a worn-out Joe entered the room. "Hey- you're still awake," He noted quietly, tired from the night's madness.

"Barry couldn't sleep. I thought I'd keep him company til you got here," Iris explained, and Joe walked over and planted a kiss into her hair.

"He's lucky to have you, then," he advised with a sigh, brushing her cheek, "Come on, baby. You need sleep too. We've got a long morning waiting for us in a few hours."

"Did they find out what happened?" Iris interjected worriedly, and Joe found himself looking at his wide-eyed, terrified daughter. "Dad - is it true? That the police took Mr. Allen away? Will Barry's family be okay? He's so scared right now..."

"Iris..." Joe murmured, shaking his head slowly before he pulled Iris in for a hug, "Sweetie... You've got to get some rest. Whatever happens - it's not gonna be easy. On any of us. And it's going to be the hardest on Barry."

"Can he stay with us until everything is better again?" Iris pressed again, trying to hold back tears.

There's no way they could leave Barry. Not like this.

Joe smiled softly, and embraced his daughter's small form against his chest again."That's what I was planning on, honey...We'll be here for Barry. We're not leaving him."

"Promise?"

"Promise.

Iris looked over her shoulder, at her friend sleeping fitfully, whimpering as he turned his head this way and that against the blankets and pillows, vividly agitated and depressed. "Dad, he's having nightmares-"

"I'll stay with him," Joe assured once more, taking Iris's hand, "But you've been awake all night. Please, Iris. I know you're worried too, but you have to go to bed."

Iris hesitated, before she nodded and hugged her father. She turned around and walked back over to Barry, and softly kissed his forehead, before she left the room.

Sorry for the terribly late update!

Please leave a review if you enjoyed!

- DBV