In A Blink ➳ Barry Allen/The Flash

20.

chapter twenty ; speeding along

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Natalie ran, the heels of her combat boots hitting the marble stairs as she made her way up to Barry's lab. "Hurry up, Chris. I don't wanna be late," Nat warned, glancing behind her as her brother shook his head.

"I don't understand why I have to go to work with you," Chris whined, picking up the pace and joining his sister as she walked down the hall.

"Because, it's your last day here, I couldn't get out of work, and I am going to spend it with you at least in the same building as me," Natalie said as she dropped her purse down on her desk. Natalie groaned, stopping short when she noticed her empty hands, "Of course I forgot coffee."

Chris walked throughout the lab, running his hands along everything, "I told you that when we were leaving the house but you just kept saying, "We're gonna be late. We're gonna be late." You sounded like that rabbit from Alice in Wonderland."

Natalie lifted her head and glared at her younger brother, "If you hadn't taken so long dousing yourself in cologne and putting that..gel stuff on your head, which you don't need because your hair is buzzed-"

"I do need it! And it's not gel, it's a conditioner for your hair and scalp. It makes it soft and keeps your head protected from sun exposure and it moisturizes it-"

"I do not want to know what the hell you were just talking about."

Both Natalie and Chris turned their head to the doorway where Iris stood. "Well, if the sibling argument is over, I stopped by Jitters and grabbed coffee for all of us."

Nat walked over and took a cup out of the holder Iris was carrying. "You are a life saver," she said with a grateful smile, enunciating every word. Iris nodded and handed a cup to Chris.

Iris took a seat and set down the holder, two cups still remaining, and looked around the lab, "Where's Barry?"

"Late, as usual," Nat said nonchalantly as she leaned back in her seat and sipped on her coffee.

Chris stepped back from one of the computers and turned towards the girls, "Hey Iris, your boyfriend is a cop, right?"

Iris smiled and nodded her head, "Yeah, he's a detective. What about him?"

"Is it okay if I see what his work is like? No offense Nat, but your job is boring," Chris said, gesturing to the lab.

Natalie looked at Iris and then back at her brother, "If you absolutely want to-"

"Great thanks! Love you sis," Chris chirped, kissed his sister on the cheek and ran out of the lab.

Iris looked Natalie once over before she spoke again, "So how is your cousin?"

"Caitlin's good," Natalie said, getting up and checking Barry's desk to see if there were any cases she might have to help him with when he got there.

Iris watched Natalie, her back facing Iris, "No not Caitlin. I mean Sam. The one visiting."

Natalie's muscles tensed, "Sam? He uh..went back home."

Natalie's hesitation didn't go unnoticed, so Iris continued to push, "Where does he live again?"

Finding nothing, she flipped through some random pages to make herself seem busy, "..Coast City"

"Hey, I'm so sorry I'm late," Barry announced, stepping through the doorway, oblivious to the tension in the lab. Natalie relaxed slightly at his arrival but was still on edge.