In A Blink ➳ Barry Allen/The Flash

34.

chapter thirty-four ; lots of talk

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The four companions shuffled as quickly as they could into the West household, after Barry had unlocked the door for them, and quickly started to formulate a plan on what they would tell Joe once he got back home. "Why don't we tell him everything? I mean it is pretty dang cool that we know what happens to Barry. Don't you think he'd have ease knowing his kid grows up to be successful?" Cisco asked as he plopped down on the couch.

"I don't see how the big words 'Flash Missing' sound successful," Caitlin deadpanned. Natalie returned to the chair she had deemed her seat and curled up, "Aren't there rules to this kind of thing? Like, don't tell everyone what happens in the future cause you could screw it up? Or the big one, you aren't supposed to know? Marty McFly almost wiped out his own existence."

The excited smile, behind the science of it all, fell from Cisco's face, "Marty went into the past thirty years, we didn't. Big difference." Natalie frowned and shifted in her chair, "Still, all of the information Gideon told us about Barry's life isn't relevant. All that he needs to know is about the article and the Reverse Flash."

"But don't you want Joe to know that you and Bar-"

"I need a drink," Natalie interrupted as she promptly stood up and passed a pacing Barry from the door, "Anybody else want one? You know what, I'll just bring out the whole pack of beer. After tonight, we all deserve one."

Handing a bottle to each person, Barry frowned when she held one out to him, "You know it won't work on me." A sad smile played across Natalie's lips, "Just take the bottle, Bare. I don't know how else to handle all of the information than to drink up."

Barry nodded his head slowly, holding the bottle in one hand, and inched his other towards Natalie's. Her fingers curled around his on instinct yet the same flutter in her stomach she felt in the secret room played again. "When are we going to talk about it, Nattie?" Barry asked softly, mildly aware that Caitlin and Cisco were listening in. Natalie shook her head and mumbled, "I don't know." Caitlin met Barry's graze and frowned at her cousin's reluctance. "Are you.. disappointed about it? Do you not want that?" Barry asked, his voice cracking in merely a whisper.

Training her eyes on her shoes, the brunette girl's eyes fluttered shut as her voice caught in her throat, "You have to understand it's a lot of information to take in, Bare. I just.. need to digest it." Realizing that's not an answer to Barry's question, Natalie stopped herself and sorted through her thoughts before she continued. "In a way, I am disappointed. Not because that happens, but because I already know. I wanted to grow with you, in this relationship, grow with us and now it's ruined because I already know the end of the journey. It's not a surprise anymore, Barry."

"But you don't know when I would propose. It would still be a surprise," Barry said, not understanding what she was saying. Natalie shook her head and blinked back the burn in her eyes as her throat tightened, "It wouldn't be a surprise when I know it's coming. Yes, people usually know but I wanted to go through the hassle of it all. I wanted to discover on our way that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Not anticipate it." She looked up to see Barry, his green eyes brightened as his eyes reddened and grew wet, frustrated and confused on his girlfriend's answer.

Natalie set the bottles down and took both of her hands in his, "I love you, Barry. And I'm not denying that I would eventually want to marry you, in the future. But we still need to grow. I just haven't thought about it because we're still new, still growing. It's all just a bit of a shock really, finding out that we supposedly get married." Barry nodded his head and squeezed her hand tightly as a jingling from the door signified Joe's return home.