Love and Reveals

(Please enjoy)

Barry and the others returned from Starling city after the news of their friend Oliver Queen died at the hands of Ra's al Ghul, Barry stayed in the shadows thinking about his friend and how much he had sacrificed for the city that would never know of his death, his pain was twofold as the untimely event of Eddie proposing marriage to Iris. After the events on Christmas where he told her how he felt had left the friendship on the edge, she had not been as close to him anymore.

Joe noticed Barry's behaviour and grew increasingly concerned for him.

Before Barry left with Caitlin and Cisco, he pulled Felicity aside "As soon as you get a beat on this Ra's Al Ghul, let me know as soon as you can" she nodded her head and smiled, her lip quivering to keep the tears at bay.

Caitlin, Cisco and Doctor Wells did their best to pull the friend up but the young speedster was not responding, he no longer went into work but instead spent his time going from crime to crime as the flash, pushing his body as far as it can go. Not eating was taking a serious toll on him until he passed out upon return to STAR LABS.

Everything changed for him the one day when a Meta-human attacked and kidnapped Iris and Joe, his strength was un-paralleled to other Meta-humans that Barry faced and Barry had not eaten for quite some time, he was weaker than ever.

Barry arrived at the scene where Iris and Joe were being kept prisoner and he found them tied to a chair "Iris" "Joe" his voice vibrating so not to reveal himself to Iris.

"The Flash" a deep voice sounded from behind him and Barry turned to face the owner of the voice hitting him with a large piece of machinery sending the speedster flying back into a pillar.

"B- Flash" Joe yelled luckily catching himself, he had watched the young speedster he took care of struggle to his feet.

Iris whimpered to herself as she watched the speedster she once considered a hero and now a menace get to his feet before being bombarded with punch after punch to the body and face, Barry was getting beaten to a ragged pulp, blood poured from his mouth and nose as he was thrown all over the place by the incredibly powerful opponent.

Barry was disoriented when it happened, all it took was one mighty hit from the Meta-human to rip the mask off his face, Barry twisted in mid-air and landed flat on his face, the remains of the mask floated to the ground, dried blood standing the fabric.

Joe's heart fell when he realised what was about to happen, doing his best to get free he tried hard but failed as he watched his daughters face, Iris watched as the Flash with his back to her got to his feet with his hands covering his face, her heart was pumping in her chest as she knew this was it, she was about to see the true face of her once hero.

Barry knew Iris would still see him even while he was vibrating so taking in a deep breath he turned to face Iris, Joe and his opponent. Iris gasped in shock, Joe looked with concerned as Barry's face was battered and bruised, the Meta-human smirked and advanced, Barry waited for him to finish him off when everything froze, his mind flashed back to last Christmas, Joe's words echoed in his ears "The world may need the Flash, But I need my Barry Allen" He smiled at the memory.

Oliver Queen stood before him, supporting his arrow suit with the hood down and mask off.

"What are you doing?" Oliver asked.

"Oliver" Barry muttered.

"You lost your will" Oliver walked closer and placed a hand on Barry's shoulder.

"I don't know what to do" Barry whispered brokenly looking to the ground.

Oliver smiled sadly and chuckled "You know, you were wrong"

Barry looked up to Oliver confused and Oliver continued "You once said to me that you couldn't do what do what I do, be some vigilante… You are so much more than that"

"Oliver…" Barry tried to interrupt.

"You are a hero to Central City, you inspire people in a way I never could" Oliver walked backwards "you are the light in the darkness, the world may need the Flash but Barry Allen is needed more" he faded from sight echoing "Don't ever lose yourself"

Barry snapped back to reality in time to see the incoming fist and dived to the side sending 2 super speed combo punches to the Meta-humans ribs, Joe smiled bright seeing his kid's new will to fight, Barry sped away from each incoming and sent more 1-2 combo's to the face and gut, the Meta-human was getting seriously pissed off at the Flash's new found strength.

Barry was starting to slow up having not eaten for a while and super-sped to the other-side of the room, Joe looked to Iris who was on the verge of tears: hurt was obvious in her eyes but also worry as Barry looked ready to collapse.

The Meta-human smiled and run at the speedster and the Barry launched himself towards his opponent bring his fist back, the 2 impacted with a loud 'Bang' sending the Meta-human flying back through a wall. Barry struggled to keep standing as he stumbled over to untie Joe and Iris before collapsing from exhaustion.

"Barry!" Iris cried as she pulled him into her lap, cradling him as Joe grabbed his gun and shot the incoming Meta-human before he had a chance to kill them all.

"Barry" Joe kneeled with Iris brushing the young hero's hair, Barry never responded.

"We got to get him to Star Labs" Joe went to pick Barry up but Iris wrapped Barry in her arms and snarled to her father "Leave him alone!"

"Iris" Joe placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Did you know?" she looked to her father as tears poured down her cheeks.

Joe nodded his head in reply and she shook her head "Why… Why not tell me?"

"I told him not too, I wanted you safe" Joe whispered to her.

"I can look after myself" she was angry as hell but also worried now her best friend who had confessed his feelings for her not long ago was unconscious in her arms.

"We need to get him to Star Labs" Joe managed to remove Barry from her arms and carried him away, Iris was about to follow when she saw it…the bloody remains of Barry's mask, kneeling down she picked it up and let the tears fall freely.

Star Labs:

Joe carried a battered and bloodied Barry through into the main room where Cisco and Caitlin was working with Doctor Wells, Iris entered not long after causing everyone except Joe to freeze "It's ok… she knows"

Caitlin went over to Iris and smiled "Come on… let's get you some coffee" Iris nodded numbly and Joe gave Caitlin an appreciative smile as she led his daughter to Jitters.

Jitters:

Caitlin and Iris were sat away from the crowded spot so they could chat in private where nobody would hear them.

"How long?" Iris asked knowing the answer.

"The Particle Accelerator explosion, it created the lightning bolt that struck Barry" Caitlin began to go through the whole story from the beginning till the day's events when Iris filled in the blanks on how she discovered Barry's secret, handing her the bloodied mask of her friend when nobody was looking, Caitlin had never seen Barry end up this badly injured.

"Do you know why he attacked my fiancé?" Iris asked knowing Barry would never attack anybody.

"There was a Meta-human with the ability to send people into an uncontrollable rage, Barry was infected when he attacked Eddie" Iris closed her eyes as guilt filled her, she had not given him a chance to explain, Caitlin smiled "You know he once told me that he loved being the Flash, the wind hitting his body and the speed, the power to help people like he always wanted to" Iris smiled "Yeah… that's my Barry" Caitlin nodded "But I could see something else, another reason why he loves being the flash… why he loves saving lives and taking on Meta-humans" Iris looked to Caitlin confused before Caitlin finished "You"

Iris nodded "Because he loves me" she whispered and Caitlin nodded her head "Listen why don't you go home, you had a shock" Iris was ready to argue but knew from what Barry told her that Caitlin was stubborn as hell.

"Can I have the mask?" Iris asked and Caitlin looked unsure before nodding her head and handed her the Blood stained mask of her hero.

Joe watches as Caitlin returned on her own "Is she ok?" he asked and Caitlin smiled to him "Yeah, I sent her home to calm down… she's had a shock"

Iris sat in her apartment where she lived with Eddie, the bloodied mask clutched in her hands as the tears fell freely from her eyes, and all this time she had suspected he was hiding something from her but never thought it was this.

Days past by and Barry was healing slowly, Joe was working and Iris was working overtime at Jitters in order to keep her mind off Barry, she had gone too visit him every day since the incident and now she wanted to keep busy in order not to over think things, Joe tried talking to her but she wanted to be left alone for the mean time.

Star Labs:

"Urgh" Barry groaned and Cisco and Caitlin smiled to themselves "Doctor Wells, he's awake"

"Welcome back to the land of the living Mr Allen" Doctor Wells said with a smile.

"I feel like I hit a train" Barry groaned.

"Not surprising, the Meta-human was able to bench press a plane" Cisco joked.

Caitlin shook her head and began to check Barry over "What do you remember?" she inquired wondering if he remembered Iris seeing his face.

"Not much, bits and pieces… The Meta-human kidnapped Joe and Iris…." His voice trailed off and his eyes widened in realisation "Joe… Iris are they?"

"I'm fine Barry" Joe's voice came from the entrance and he smiled to the young hero "But Iris on the other hand needs to vent her frustration out"

Barry looked confused before he remembered "She knows"

"Yep" Joe replied simply.

I need to see her" Barry got to his feet and headed over towards the suit before Joe coughed "Barry… leave the suit" Caitlin and the others nodded their approval and Barry disappeared in a Flash.

Jitters:

Iris was working to clear the tables, Jitters was extremely busy today and she was tired out from serving that was when a brief gust of wind blew passed her, she froze knowing that feeling from anywhere and the soft voice of her friend "Hello Iris" his voice was no long disguised.

Iris turned to him and smiled, Barry stood before her… no longer supporting the suit but just Barry Allen, her Barry.

Advancing on him slowly he closed his eyes waiting for the inevitable slap but it never came, instead she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him into a tight hug not wanting to let go "Don't you dare do that to me again" she muttered.

Barry smiled and replied "I'll do my best"

It was then when she pulled back did the slap come hard across his face, stumbling backwards "yep ok I deserve that" he mumbled.

"Yes you do… how could you not tell me!" she half yelled at him as she was getting angrier.

"I wanted too but Joe and everyone told me it was too dangerous for you and they were right…. Looked what happened" she grumbled thinking to herself about the kidnapping and the fight between Barry and the Meta-human.

"You don't need to protect me… I can take care of myself!" she shrieked.

"That day's event kind of points to the contrary" Barry snorted.

"Don't you dare bring that up… and what about you attacking my Fiancé" she knew he could not control his actions that day but it landed a heavy blow on him "I TOLD YOU I COULD NOT CONTROL MYSELF" he yelled at her and soon they were in full screaming match at each over, both tossing insults back and forth at each other until she said something that broke his heart, it filled her with guilt the moment it left her mouth "I would never love a freak like you" she brought her hands to her mouth in shock as tears fell down her cheeks "Barry" she whimpered as he super sped away looking very upset and depressed.

Iris broke down completely, bursting into tears as realisation hit her as her own words echoed in her ears "What have I done" she cried.

Central City:

Barry was gone, disappeared from everything and everyone he cared about, Joe was increasingly worried about the boy who was like a son to him, he loved him as if he was a son, Iris was on the roof of Jitters waiting to catch a glimpse of her speeding hero… she needed to see him badly… Joe was disappointed in her when he found out what she said to Barry in Jitters that night.

Barry on the other hand was broken hearted in his isolation, days turned to months as he remained away from everyone, Caitlin wanted him to come back so they could help… they wanted their friend back with them.

Criminals and street thugs were found bruised and tied up outside the station every day, Joe dialled in Barry's phone one the last day "Barry… please come home… the world has the Flash… Now bring my Barry home" he left the message, Barry was on a rooftop ledge when his phone beeped, pulling his phone out he listened to Joes message, Barry had groan a little bit of a stubble and his hair was a mess, looking at the day on his phone he realised he had been gone longer than he thought, pulling his mask up he sped back to Star Labs first, he needed to tidy himself up.

Star Labs:

Caitlin was working at the computers when a familiar gust of wind startled her, turning to face the newcomer she smiled seeing it was Barry "Barry" she pulled him into a hug, Cisco and Doctor Wells welcome him back and Caitlin handed him a razor and his clothes.

It was only a nano-second when he left to when he came back looking like the old Barry except with the look in his eyes that held heart break and pain.

"I'll see you all later, need to see Joe" He sped back home.

West Residence:

Barry stopped outside taking a deep breath, he was not looking forward to the lecture he was about to get, unknown to him that Joe was not home but instead Iris was sitting at her computer looking for anything new on her blog about the Flash.

Opening the door slowly Barry shrugged his jacket off and hung it up before heading into the main room, Iris looked up and they stopped.

They were frozen in shock as they both stared at one another "Barry" She whispered.

"Iris" Barry nodded his head to her, he was thinking about leaving when something happened that he did not see coming, she launched herself into his arms "BARRY!" she cried out joyfully hugging the stuffing out of him, Barry hugged her back as she began peppering his face with kisses which was shocking him more than anything "I'm so sorry" she held him tight as she repeated "I'm so sorry" he body shook as she sobbed into his neck.

Barry pulled back when he noticed something, her engagement ring was missing from her finger, Iris noticed the confused look on his face and smiled before meshing her lips to his, his eyes widened in shock for, he stood their stunned for a few minutes before kissing her back with equal force, she held him tight as she kisses him with everything she had taking all she can from it.

The kiss ended but she kept their fore heads pressed together "I love you Barry"

"I love you too Iris" he replied kissing her with everything he had, pouring all the love he had into the kiss.

Joe returned home in time to see Barry and Iris kissing in the main room "about bloody time" he whispered to himself before giving a silent chuckle and shutting the door hard, startling the couple from their own world.

"Dad" "Joe" Iris and Barry squeaked at the same time causing the older man to laugh heartily before pulling the young boy into a hard hug "Welcome home son"

Barry smiled bright, he may have lost his way for a while but now he was back where he belonged.

(I hope you enjoyed this Fic, planning on a sequel… if you have any idea's let me know)

Lycanboy666