Disclaimer: I do not own anything.
Setting: This is set after "Legends of Today" and "Legends of Yesterday".
A/N: This is my first fanfiction. So, I hope you all like it and please feel free to comment and let me know what you think.
Since everyone was tired and tomorrow was Saturday almost everyone decided to stay at the farm house for one more night. According to Felicity, everyone needed a break and time to relax without being interrupted. However, Laurel decided to spend one more night with her Mother and Diggle left early to check on his wife and child. Before leaving they said goodbye.
This left Oliver, Barry, Felicity, Cisco and Thea at the farm house since Caitlyn was looking after her patient. They all decided to order pizza for dinner and watch The Avengers. Once the pizza was delivered and everyone had gotten some and taken their seats (Oliver and Felicity took one couch, while Barry and Cisco took the other. Meanwhile, Thea decided to curl up in the recliner.) they started the movie. Halfway through the movie everyone decided it was time for an intermission and went to clean up from dinner.
Shortly after, cleaning up Cisco and Thea both decided to go to bed and said their goodnight's. Meanwhile Barry, Oliver and Felicity decided to watch the rest of the movie. Now that there was more room Oliver decided to sit in the recliner, while Barry and Felicity took one couch each with their head laying where they could easily see the everyone was settled Oliver hit play and they continued to enjoy the movie until something unexpected happened.
Oliver was the first one to notice it, he leaned over and tapped Felicity's shoulder, the proceeded to point at Barry who was sound asleep. "What should we do?", she asked. Oliver thought for a minute then replied "We can wake him up at the end of the movie and then get him to go upstairs." With that in mind they continued watching the movie until Cisco came downstairs to get something to drink. Felicity and Oliver both motioned for him to be quiet and that was when Cisco noticed Barry. At seeing Cisco's shocked expression, they followed him into the kitchen.
Once their Felicity asked Cisco why he was shocked at Barry being asleep. "I probably shouldn't say- "Cisco noticed both of their expressions at that and not wanting to get on their bad side immediately continued," but it's in his best interest if I do since no one has been able to get through to him yet. For about a month, Barry has been having nightmares and has been acting off." Both Oliver and Felicity immediately looked concerned and asked "Why hasn't he said anything?" Cisco looked torn between not wanting to let anything else out and wanting to make sure his friend would be okay. In the end, he choose the latter and replied "Because Barry doesn't want anyone to know or to worry anyone." After saying this and grabbing a bottle of water Cisco went back upstairs leaving Oliver and Felicity alone to talk.
Both Felicity and Oliver looked at each other in concern and frustration before Felicity spoke: "What should we do, Oliver?"Oliver thought for a moment and then looked over at Barry who was still sleeping peacefully, before turning back to Felicity. "We already know that everyone has tried giving him space, but he needs to talk to someone and get some more rest before he snaps. How about we send Thea back tomorrow and stay another day to help Barry?" Felicity nodded her head in agreement before saying "If he opens up to anyone it's going to be you." Oliver looked puzzled and Felicity continued. "I mean you have both had similar life experiences." Oliver thought for a minute and came to the conclusion that Felicity was right. With that, they both headed back into the living room to watch the rest of the movie.
By the time the credits rolled around Felicity had fallen asleep, so Oliver woke her up and got her to go to bed. Once he had returned to the living room he noticed that something was wrong with Barry. Concerned he rushed over to the couch to wake him, but before he got their Barry had screamed. "Barry, Barry – wake up!" Oliver said while shaking Barry's shoulder. Startled Barry woke up to find a worried Oliver standing over him and Thea, Felicity and Cisco standing near the steps.
Meanwhile Felicity, Thea and Cisco had run downstairs and saw what was going on. Thea and Cisco started trying to go over to check on Barry, but Felicity held them back and said "Oliver's got this. I've got a feeling he'll be able to get through to Barry." They watched as Oliver stepped back and let Barry take in his surroundings. Barry then sat up, took a calming breath and said "I had a nightmare and screamed in my sleep, didn't I?" Everyone nodded their head. Barry scratched the back of his head sheepishly and apologized.
Thea was the first to reply "It's okay, Barry. It happens to everyone in our line of work at some point. Are you alright now?" Barry nodded his head and Thea went back upstairs after saying goodnight. The others were not as easily convinced. Cisco was the next to speak "You're not fine and before you say you are again; I know that you've been having nightmares for over a month courtesy of Joe confiding in Caitlin and I about how worried he is." Felicity was the next to speak "Barry, you need to talk to someone about what's going on." Barry looked at both of them and then looked at Oliver before saying "I know your concerned, but I'm fine." They all looked at Barry before Felicity caught Oliver's eye and knew what he was thinking: Leave it to me. With that she said "Barry, I'm going to let this drop for now, but I want you to know that I'm not giving up." Cisco who had caught the shared look between Oliver and Felicity, nodded his head in agreement before he and Felicity went back upstairs leaving Oliver alone with Barry.
Barry held his head in his hands and felt the couch dip as Oliver sat down beside the next five minutes, they stared at each other trying to see who would win this battle of wills. Barry finally sighed, "You're not going to back down, are you?" To which Oliver replied "No, I'm just as stubborn as you are. Barry- "Barry turned away, so Oliver grabbed his arm in concern and tried again. "Bear, you need to open up to someone. You're hurting and your trying so hard not to show it, that it's tearing you up on the inside. You know you can always talk to me." Barry smiled at this as he remembered the first-time Oliver had told him that.
Oliver let go of Barry's arm and Barry got up to walk around and rubbed his hands through his hair. Whether it was from frustration or from him being upset Oliver didn't know, but he suspected it was a little of both. Sensing Barry needed a minute, Oliver went to the kitchen and grabbed them both a bottle of water before returning to his position on the couch. After a few minutes, Barry came back to the couch and sat down before taking a steadying breath and starting to speak "This all started after Zoom drug me through the city and broke my back. After that I – I felt powerless." Oliver waited patiently for him to continue and noticed that Barry was becoming more and more upset.
After five minutes Barry knew he needed to continue and took a steadying breath. " I keep thinking I'm going to win and then when I do it always comes at a price. So far, the price is usually me losing the people I care about. Every time I'm too slow to save them and I see them die in front of me. Hell, I couldn't even save you from Vandal Savages' staff. I had to watch you die and know that it could happen again. Now, this thing with Zoom has come and he wants my powers and for me to see that I'm like him." By the time Barry had finished, he had leaned back on the couch with his knees up to his chest and his face hidden in his knees.
Oliver put his hand on Barry's shoulder, knowing that Barry needed someone to help him get rid of all this "it's my his fault baggage" that he had begun to carry around. Oliver thought for a minute:Felicity's right, Barry and I are a lot 've each had a lot of the same experiences. Finally, he took a deep breath and started to try and get through to Barry. "Barry, I know it's hard seeing the people you love die, but it is not your fault." Barry looked up at Oliver not expecting to hear that stern of a tone being used before starting to interrupt" Yes -." Oliver glared at him while he cut him off "No, it's not. Barry your mother was killed in front of you when you were a child, you couldn't have saved her. Your friends knew what they were doing and wanted to help. That goes for me to and I would make the same choice again if it meant saving your life. As for Zoom, you'll beat him and if you need help, just ask. Oh, and like I said before the good you do will far out way the bad. "After finishing his speech Oliver noticed that Barry's walls were starting to come down as he had started to tear up and it was clear to Oliver that something had finally been resolved.
A few minutes later they both looked at the clock and noticed that it was one o'clock in the morning. "I guess we should try to get some sleep." With that said, Oliver got up and made to go up the stairs to join Felicity, only to notice that Barry hadn't left the couch. "You're going to stay down here for a while, aren't you?" Barry nodded and Oliver knowing that Barry was going to be stubborn walked back over to the couch and sat down. "What-?" Barry started to ask. "I'm not going to leave you down here by yourself." Barry knowing that Oliver was going to be stubborn didn't argue and so they both sat there for a while waiting to see who was going to give in first.
Thirty minutes later Oliver noticed Barry had fallen asleep. Finally, now what should I do? I know he doesn't want to go upstairs because he's afraid of waking everyone again. He sat there with Barry for another fifteen minutes before making up his mind and going to retrieve pillows and a blanket. Once he had those he returned o the living room and put some pillows at one end of the couch before gently pushing Barry so that he was laying down. Next, he put Barry's legs up of the cough and covered him up. Satisfied, Oliver started to head back upstairs before thinking better of it. If I'm honest with myself I'm too worried about Barry to leave him alone, after what I just witnessed. With that in mind he grabbed some more pillows and another blanket before returning to the living room and making up the other couch for himself, before finally laying down and trying to get some sleep. Between all of us, Barry is going to be okay. He's too strong not to be and whether he likes it or not I'm not going to let him give up. These were Oliver's last thoughts as he drifted off to sleep.