In A Blink ➳ Barry Allen/The Flash

19.

chapter nineteen ; working out the kinks

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"Nat. Natalie. Nat! Wake up!" Pounding on the door followed Chris' shouts. "Come on, Nat. Wake up!"

Nat groaned as as slipped out of bed, pulled on a T-shirt and shorts and opened the door, "What?"

Her brother leaned back, "Wow, you look terrible."

Natalie squinted her heavy eyes. "Thanks," she said flatly. "What do you want?"

Chris' smile rapidly regained its place and he held up a bowl filled with donut holes and Muddy Buddies. "I wanted to warn you that if you don't wake up soon, there won't be anything left for you."

Natalie stared at the bowl. "Where did you get those?" she asked as she pointed at it.

Chris tilted his head and drawled out his words, "From the kitchen counter. You bought snacks last night."

All of the events from the past night came rushing back in a flood. The attack at Jitters, Ronnie alive, S.T.A.R. Labs, Barry being the Flash, everything. Natalie nodded her head slowly, "I'll be right down."

Chris states at her but ultimately headed back downstairs, leaving Natalie alone in her doorway. Closing the door, Natalie leaned against it, closing her eyes going through every detail. Her eyes snapped open when she remembered that everything she had bought from the store fell and was left at Jitters. Staring blankly around the room, she wondered how they had gotten in the kitchen.

At that moment, Natalie's phone buzzed on her night table. Pushing herself off of the door, Natalie jumped on the bed and grabbed her phone, unlocking it to see several texts from Barry. Smiling, Natalie shifted on her back and called him.

"Hello," Barry said, picking up on the 2nd ring.

"Hey, I saw you texted. Several times, I haven't checked them yet though," Nat admitted with a small laugh.

Barry chuckled, "You saw them but you didn't open them? I just wanted to tell you that Caitlin and Ronnie told me you dropped some groceries at Jitters so I picked them up and left them in the kitchen."

"Yeah, I know that. Chris woke me up just to tell me he's eating all of the sweet stuff. How-How did you get into the house?" Nat asked rolling around so that she was lying on her stomach.

"Caitlin let me borrow her spare key. I gave it back though. I mean, of course I wouldn't keep it cause that would be weird. Well it wouldn't be that strange since we're dating, but we haven't been dating that long so-"

"Barry, Barry! I get the point," Nat laughed, stopping Barry's babbling.

After Natalie's laughter died, Barry spoke again, "Caitlin and Ronnie are safe and sound at Joe's, but Iris came and we had to tell her that they were staying because there was a gas leak at Cait's place."

"Wait, Iris doesn't know that you're..that you guys.."

Barry sighed, "No, she doesn't. Joe doesn't want me to tell her." Natalie nodded to herself.

"But if you talk to Iris, Ronnie is Caitlin's other cousin, Sam, and he lives in Coast City," Barry informed her.

Natalie couldn't help but laugh but assured Barry she would support that lie. "I should probably go. It's the last full day I have with my brother so I have to make the most of it."

"Alright. I'll call you if anything happens."

"I think if anything happens, just tell me. I don't think I'm ready for..missions, or whatever you guys do."