Barry Allen usually woke up tired, but as he saw the red of day light behind his eyelids, he felt like he had a spark inside him, a new fire ignited that wasn't going to fade. A wave of realization rushed over him as he opened his eyes. Last night something had gone incredibly wrong in Central City.

His glasses were cracked and he cursed inwardly at them, those were his favorite. Now he'd have to wear his tortoise-shell pair his Aunt got him last Christmas. He sighed and looked around his apartment turned lab. There were pieces of wood scattered around him like fallen leaves, he could even hear birds but that must have been his imagination. Was it?

Barry sat up, pushing his cracked glasses further up his nose. He'd slept on what appeared to be his old bookshelf that had fallen last night. He remembered seeing the lights in the city go out like falling dominoes. He remembered all of it until the light of the storm struck his window and everything went dark.

His windows were nearly all completely broken, his floor had been rained on, he had been rained on, yet he'd had the best sleep he'd had in years. His phone rang from his pants pocket and he pulled it out, seeing Felicity Smoaks name appear on the screen.

"Felicity?" He said eagerly, wondering if she had taken him up on his offer from last night. He shook his head, clearing the thought; she's not interested, she's infatuated with Oliver.

"Barry!" She cried, "Are you okay?"

It dawned on Barry that the storm must have made the news in Starling City. "I think so," Barry replied, "My apartment isn't though, I've not got a panoramic view of the sky from every room in my apartment."

"Oh my god," she said. "Are you injured?" He could hear the worry in her voice.

"I feel fine," Barry reassured her, "I feel great actually." He clenched his spare fist, watching the veins in his arm flare up.

"Oh, Barry." She huffed, "I saw it on TV, ninety eight people died. I was so worried."

Ninety-eight people? Barry thought and wondered if he knew any of the newly deceased. He had to call his father and tell him that he was okay. A dreadful thought dropped into his mind at that moment.

"Do you know if the prison was affected?" Barry asked, worrying for his father's safety.

"A couple of people escaped in the chaos of the storm, it got pretty knocked about- but I don't know about your dad." She said, sounding like she was typing away at her keyboard in Arrow's lair. "I'm running a search now."

"His name is Henry Allen." He said, waiting for news that his father was safe.

"He's okay," She said and relief crashed over him. He sat down on what was once his bed but was now a pile of rubble. "Oh," Felicity said in surprise. "They've transferred all inmates out of Central City while they rebuild the prison."

Barry's brow furrowed as he listened to Felicity. "Does it say where they've moved my father?" He asked nervously. Wherever his dad was, Barry had to see him.

"He's on his way to Starling City." She sounded surprised. "He's coming here."

"I'm taking the next train out." He said, getting to his feet as he searched for his travel bag that he had yet to unpack the day before.

"Call me when you're on the train and I'll meet you at the station." Felicity said and Barry couldn't help but feel a smile spread across his face. He liked Felicity, she was smart and the most beautiful girl in the world. She was too good for Central City's uninteresting Barry Allen who now- didn't even have a safe apartment to live in.

Barry Allen, he thought, Homeless Bachelor.

Felicity Smoak put her phone down and leant back in her chair, sighing in relief. Verdant was being set up for this evenings event which Thea had planned and themed conveniently to 'Villain's and Superheroes', much to Oliver's dismay.

"Looking at the screen too long, Felicity?" Oliver's voice startled her. He moved around the basement so quietly and he just loved to sneak up on her.

"Actually, I just got off the phone with Barry." She said, not noticing Oliver stiffen at the use of Barry's name. No matter how nice the guy was to Felicity, he still didn't like him.

"Did the teachers let him out of school early?" He remarked, turning towards his punching bag and wrapping his fists.

"Oliver," Felicity scowled, "Barry could have been seriously injured last night. His apartment has no roof, he's on his way here and he needs a friend." She said, noticing him pause his actions. He turned around slowly.
"Why is he coming here?" He said stiffly, "This isn't a home for strays."

"His father has been transferred to Starling City Prison. I'm going to pick him up from the station in a couple of hours." She said, choosing to ignore his last comment. "It would be a great opportunity for you to thank him for the mask he made you."

Oliver pursed his lips, stifling his groan when he suddenly got an idea; he wanted Felicity to see that Barry wasn't the guy for her. Not that Oliver thought he was suitable either, he just didn't trust as easily as Felicity did. He didn't want her to get hurt. She was his girl, not Barry's.

"I think I will do that." He said, taking Felicity by surprise and making her took up trough her purple glasses at him. "I'll invite him out tonight for drinks upstairs too." He turned back to the punching bag with a smirk on his face. "I wonder who he'll dress up as." He thought of Barry's obsession with The Hood. Barry was going to make a fool of himself.

Felicity rolled her eyes, "I doubt he'll be in the mood to dress up." She said, looking up the train timetable on her computer. "I was going to see if he wanted to get take out and a movie at my place." She said, "He's a big Doctor Who fan. Big."

Oliver turned back to Felicity, "Doctor Who?" He said, "I haven't seen that, I wouldn't mind watching it." He said, "I'll come along," he said, making Felicity's eyes widen, "I can thank him for the mask then. Diner's on me."

Felicity sank down into her chair, biting her lip. She knew that Oliver didn't like Barry and she got an uneasy feeling in her stomach that Oliver was planning something she wouldn't approve of.

"Barry!" Felicity called, hurrying towards the tall lanky figure that had just stepped onto the platform with his travel bag. He looked like he'd been in a tornado. "Your clothes look like they've seen better days." She said, causing him to look over himself.

"Oh," he shrugged, "I honestly don't know how I fell asleep last night." He said.

Felicity gawked at him, "You slept through that storm?"

"I think I did, I can't remember." He admitted, as Felicity looked him over once more.

"There's blood on your sweater." Her eyes widened as she reached for his shoulder. Felicity hadn't noticed it before and neither had Barry but he didn't want to worry her.

"It's just a scratch, I'm fine." He shrugged, smiling at her. "Come on, let's go get something to eat. Dad's not allowed visitors until tomorrow." He pulled his bag along behind himself as Felicity walked along side of him.

"Have you got any plans for tonight?" Felicity asked and then thought out loud, "I mean, you probably have a lot on your mind with your apartment and your dad and everything. He's probably worried sick about you and here I am waltzing around and asking you if you want to hang out." She shook her head as Barry gave her a cheek splitting smile.

"I don't have any plans tonight," he said and then corrected himself, "I've just got to check into a hotel, but apart from that." He dropped his shoulders, "Do you know any decent places that might have vacancies? I'm sure most places are booked out with the whole storm that happened last night."

Felicity nodded, wondering how she was going to ask him if he wanted to take the guest bedroom at her apartment. She didn't want him to think she was inviting him back to sleep in her bed, she wasn't easy or desperate, not that getting with Barry would be a desperate move, she just didn't want him to think she was that kind of girl.

"I've got a spare room at my place," Felicity said quickly, looking to the ground, "It's really far away from my bedroom." She added and her cheeks flushed red, "I mean, it's a normal distance away that would allow privacy and you would be comfortable." She bit her lip nervously.

"You want me to stay with you?" He asked, pausing to look at her, "You'd be cool with that?" He stepped back and shook his head, "I don't want to intrude."

"No, you wouldn't be." Felicity said, almost too quickly. She was looking desperate and she knew it, "I mean, it saves you some money." She folded her arms and gaped, "Not that you're poor, that's not what I was insinuating." She paused, "You know, I'm just gonna stop talking now and let you make up your mind."

Barry smiled at her and glanced at his watch, "Most places are probably booked out by now," he reasoned, unsure if he was convincing himself or Felicity. "It would only be for about a week or so," he added, "I'll chip in for the rent."

"No, it's fine. Just watch Doctor Who with me and we're even." She joked.

"Oliver won't mind that I'm staying with you?" Barry asked, picking up his bag with a worried look on his face.

"Why would Oliver mind?" She asked, knowing exactly why Oliver would mind. Oliver didn't trust Barry like she did. There was some kind of quarrel going on between the two of them that Oliver was more serious about than Barry, it would be best if he didn't know about Barry's sleeping arrangements. "It's none of Oliver's business anyway. I don't have to tell him everything."