Saving Her

T W E L V E

Both girls had decided on a floral blue dress that fell about mid thigh. The simple dress made her feel classy. Simple one inch heels adorned her ankles. A silver necklace matching her dress. Her hair was up a few stray strands shaping Bethany's face. Her light make-up topping the whole outfit off. Unfortunately for her you could still see the small gash on her cheek. Her hair covered it up just enough that hopefully Barry wouldn't notice. Iris just about chewed her head off when she heard what happened. Beth had lied obviously.

"What time did you say he was going to be here?" Iris asked looking through her friends wardrobe once more.

"He should be-" A knock interrupted her. "Here. Okay are you positive I look okay?" Bethany said checking her appearance once more in her full length mirror. "I've never been on a date before. What do I even do?"

"You look great Beth. Just focus on having fun. Barry is a good guy. Don't stress he is probably twice as nervous." Iris giggled watching from around the corner giving Beth a small thumbs up before she opened the door to reveal Barry looking amazing in a suit and tie.

"Wow you look...amazing." Barry said with that killer smile on his face.

"You look really great too Barry." Bethany said blushing. Bethany glanced at Iris one last time smiling at her friend who smiled back. She closed the door following Barry outside.

"So where do you plan on taking me?" Bethany asked curiously.

"You didn't plan anything?" Barry said keeping a poker face as he looked at Bethany. Her heart jumped as she freaked a little on the inside.

"You wanted me to plan everything?" Bethany said wide eyed. Barry burst out laughing at her reaction.

"Jerk." Bethany muttered a smile on her face.

"That was pretty funny you have to admit that." Barry said, "You're pretty gullible."

"You looked too serious!" Bethany said defensively. "And I am not gullible." She pouted looking away from Barry. A silence fell over the two, and she looked over at Barry and noticed him staring.

"What?" Bethany asked stopping to stare at Barry.

He reached out to touch her cheek where that guy had hit her. She flinched when she realized he had noticed.

"What happened?" Barry asked anger written all over his face even though he tried to hide it.

"The guy is worse off then me I promise. He got lucky is all. I was jumped." Bethany said shrugging. Guilt running through her body knowing she almost flat out lied. Although he had gotten a lucky shot in."I would've told you earlier, but I got caught up with getting ready for our date. I'm sorry."

"Did you see who it was?" Barry asked grabbing onto her hand leading her forward.

"It was too dark to see his face."

Barry nodded knowing he would ask more later. "Do you want to talk about the nightmare now, or save it for later?"

"Why don't we save all the heavy stuff for later, and just have a good time right now? I never thought my first date would consist of a bunch of sad stories." Bethany sighed remembering she had wanted to come clean, well almost, about her past. Not the deadly stuff just yet.

"You've never been on a date before." Barry said more of a statement than a question a huge smile on his face.

Bethany shook her head. "I was too preoccupied with more important things. I never really bothered with anything that strayed from what I needed to do."

"And that was what exactly?"

"Why don't I tell you over dinner? I am literally starving right now." Bethany laughed smiling at the fact Barry was still holding her hand.

"Sounds good because we just got here." Barry said opening the door for her.

"Bethany's eyes went wide when she saw the place. "Barry you didn't have to go this far."

"I wanted to take you somewhere special for your first date. I didn't know where to take you so I got advice from Eddie." Barry said shifting on his feet awkwardly.

"You are definitely something Barry Allen." Bethany stated standing on her tippy toes to kiss him on the cheek. He blushed glancing at Beth out of the corner of his eye as the two were lead over to their table. Barry pulled out his dates chair for her. Beth sat down taking everything in. Nothing had ever been this perfect.

"Beth?" Barry asked getting her attention. "You okay? Is it too much? It's too much isn't it."

"No Barry it's perfect believe me. It's better than perfect really." Bethany said her face getting red at Barry's smile. The dork looked so proud of himself. As Beth sat there while Barry ordered a sweet wine she couldn't help it when her mind drifted to the possibility of having the cheesy high school dates she had always wanted as a kid.

Her mind was swallowed up in the past as she realized she never had a normal life. This was normal, and she wanted her life to be full of amazing normal dates like this, but not with just anyone. She wanted Barry Allen.

The more she thought about it the more she had to fight turning into a puddle of tears. This was all just a little too perfect for her. "I have no idea what I want to eat." She said trying to distract herself from her thoughts. "I love Italian food, and there is so much to pick from."

"I think I am just going to go with a classic, and try the chicken parmesan. What do you think?"

"Why don't we share the tastes of Italy? It comes with a small chicken parm." Bethany pointed out.

"I like the way you think." Barry laughed. The noise replaying in Bethany's head as she smiled at the boy who sat in front of her. The only one that kept her on her toes. The only one she ever bothered to get this close to.

The night consisted of swapping high school stories. Bethany avoided talking about the school years she had obviously missed out on. Their food being set on their table saving her from having to explain. Not yet Bethany thought to herself.

"Oh my god this is amazing!" Bethany laughed at Barry who had gotten sauce on himself unknowingly.

"What's so funny?" Barry said totally oblivious.

"You have sauce all over your face." Bethany laughed trying to keep it as quiet as possible. He wiped it off his face slightly pink from being a messy eater. Another glass of wine, and an hour long conversation later the two were ready to leave. Luckily for them Barry needed to eat all the food. Although Bethany didn't know the reason behind it just yet.

They walked down the sidewalk hands intertwined and slightly swinging. A comfortable silence drowning on. 'I guess it's now or never' Beth thought to herself. As they came to stop at a bridge. She leaned back against the concrete taking a deep breath.

"I was kidnapped." Bethany said suddenly her voice so quiet that Barry almost didn't hear her. "When I was around eight years old there was a man who goes by Dr. Siward had kidnapped me. I was coming home from school when he had grabbed me, and put me in his car. I spent the next ten years in his basement. That nightmare I had was one of the nights I had spent there. He hasn't stopped looking for me since I escaped. I was afraid-I don't want to drag you through the mud while I chase after a horrid man who will stop at nothing to get me back." Bethany took a deep breath unable to look Barry in the eye. "If you want to leave I get it. Working at CCPD can be dangerous, but this? This is a whole different ball game compared to your job as a forensic scientist." Bethany didn't look at him. Not when Barry pulled her in for a hug. Not even when the silence seemed to stretch on for hours.

Tears landed on his shoulders when Barry still hadn't said anything. "Bethany I don't care how much danger I will be put in. I will be here. Even as a forensic scientist I will try to help you in anyway I can." Barry cupped her cheeks making her look at him. He wiped her tears from her face. "I'm not going anywhere."

*****

Oh my god. The feels get me every time.

Merry Christmas(=

StayGolden<3

~B