Bravery Requires Fear

17. Potty Mouth

A/N: Yuhhhh, sorry this took so long I have a boyfriend now and completely forgot to write.

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Barry locked eyes with Joe, and the gun in his hands fell to the floor with a clatter.

Barry's bag dropped to the floor too then, and within seconds he was being crushed in a breath-stealing hug. Joe was sobbing against his shoulder and then he pulled back and jammed a finger into his chest, voice still watery, and said " Now I know I didn't raise you like that Bartholomew Henry Allen." 

Barry wiped his eye and laughed, " Yeah, sorry Joe. Living with Elaine Lyn will do that to you."

He reached out and pulled Joe back in for another hug, soaking up everything he said. 

Joe chuckled, and Barry found himself crying harder at the sound of his laugh, and said, " Never thought I'd see you with a potty mouth Bare, it only took you a year."

Yeah, it only took him a year. 

A lot of things can happen in a year.

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" Dad did you grab that- oh my god. Oh my god." Iris's question falls short as Joe walks into the house with Barry on his tail. Barry finds his eyes tearing up all over again when he sees her standing there. Iris looks as beautiful as she's always looked, but he can tell the last year has taken a toll on her. He can see it in the way her face is a bit thinner, the way her eyes have barely perceptible bags under them. 

Iris walks over to them slowly and reaches her arm out in the air like she's going to touch Barry's face and then stops herself. Her face hardens into a mask and she steps back, he can tell that she's forcing herself but she still asks, " What grade was I in when I lost my mothers wedding band?" 

Barry choked back a laugh and crossed his arms, " It was fifth grade and we were on a field trip at the zoo."

Iris threw her arms around his neck and crashed into Barry, breaking into hysterical sobs and blubbering nonsense against his chest. 

" I thought I lost you." 

" I never thought I'd see you again either."

" I missed you so much."

Iris pulled back after a long moment and grabbed his face, something that Barry used to find solace in but no longer affected him much. Her eyes glistened with tears and she sniffled, saying " I never stopped looking. Cisco and Caitlin never stopped searching either, we've all been looking Barry." She stopped and wiped her tears on the back of her hand before continuing, " After what he did we thought you were dead but Cisco said the only one left was..." 

Iris trailed off and let her gaze fall for a second, Barry's heart clenched at the mention of Wally and for a moment he was back there, in that courtyard. He honestly isn't sure if it was a courtyard anymore, he just know there was concrete and blood. 

He's standing there again, splashes of blood all over the ground, Caitlin and Cisco helped on the floor, Wally torn to shreds. Everywhere he looks there's blood, on the ground, on his hands, on his suit. There's even blood on his stomach, when he looks down his intestines are coming out and he has just enough fight in him to hold his hands over them. 

And then he's back and someone else's hand is on his shoulder, it's warm and calloused. Barry turned his head and came face to face with Joe. Barry never realized just how tired he was until Iris brought Wally up. Joe shared a glance with Iris, one Barry didn't catch, and started leading him down to the living room. Joe gently pushed Barry onto one of the sofa cushions and left without another word.