The Flash: Lost...

Chapter VI

Barry wakes to the sound of a soft beeping coming from his computer.
Blinking to get the world back in to focus he looks at his screen. There is a pop-up blinking with the time; 16:17h
He shakes his head, thinking he's read it wrong.
He looks again, nope it says 16:17h.
He got in to work around 09:30h, after talking to Iris and Wenn he estimates he fell asleep around 10:00h. Which means he slept for...
"6 hours..." He whispers "6 blissful hours of sleep."
A smile forms around his lips. "What the hell did you do to me Anderson!".
He turns to her desk, but it's empty. He searches his desk for his phone, but before he finds it, he sees another bright pink post-it on his desk.

Hey sleeping beauty ;)
Hope you had a nice nap.
Nothing eventful happened.
Iris called, asked me to
remind you about diner.
See you tomorrow!

Wenn

He smiles. This woman...in his life only two days but her presence feels like a warm comfortable blanket.
Then a little voice pops in to his head. One that sounds eerily like the late Harrison Wells. "Careful Barry, do not let her get too close. You know what happens to the ones that het too close..."
Frustrated he crumples the post-it and throws it in the trash.
Damned, the diner with Joe an Iris. Why did he agree to that?
He sighs, maybe he can cancel. Then he remembers the look on Iris' face. And Joe... He misses them both.
He grabs his coat and leaves for Joe and Iris' house.

When he enters the house he's greeted by not just Iris and Joe, but Cisco and Caitlin as well.
"What the..." Barry says as he looks around the room.
Iris rushes over. "I invited Cisco and Caitlin. They just want to know how you are doing."
Barry tentatively walks over to the dining area. "Hi guys!" He says awkwardly. Trying to sound like everything is fine.
Caitlin looks mad. Cisco looks like a lost puppy.
" So uhm..." Barry starts, but before he can finish Caitlin jumps to her feet and starts ranting.
"How dare you Barry Allen. How dare you walk out of our lives like that? After everything we've been through you just vanish! Not a word, not a peep, we didn't even know you were alive until Cisco picked up 'Flash' activity around town and you went back to your day job." She is now standing nose to nose with him.
Barry waits for the inevitable slap that will follow, but instead Caitlin throws her arms around his neck and pulls him in for a hug. Cisco also gets up and walks up behind Caitlin. "We're really worried about you man..."
Barry pries off Caitlin, then looks at her. Tears shine in her eyes. Then he looks at Cisco, Joe and Iris. Sudden dread fills his entire being. The voice is back too, "Barry, Barry, your selfishness is going to get them killed. You shouldn't get them involved!"
He grabs his coat and stumbles towards the door.
"I... I'm sorry... I can't do this... I'm sorry" And he rushes out of the house.
Cisco puts a hand on Caitlin's back "That didn't really go as planned"
Caitlin shakes her head. "No..."
"Why won't he let us help him?! Why is he being so goddamn stubborn" Iris throws her hands up in frustration. "We are his family!"
Caitlin sits back down "Because he feels guilty... Eddie, Ronnie, the things he did and didn't do, the state the city is in."
"He thinks that by distancing himself from us, we will be safe." Cisco adds.
Iris flops down on the couch, Joe sits down next to her.
"Baby I know it's hard, but he's fighting a lot of demons right now."
"But we can help him, dad!"
"Yes, but we can't force him. When he realizes he can't do it alone, he'll come. And we'll be here for him. But it has to be on his terms."
Iris deflates, "Fine"

"Now it's a shame to let all this good food go to waste, lets eat."