All The Time in the World [1] // the flash

14: Leaving Home

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Gen and Delilah were in the middle of throwing clothes in a suitcase when the front door opened and footsteps could be heard.

"Gen? Hey Gen I'm home." Barry called out. He took off his coat and put it on the couch.

Gen glanced up at Delilah, who nodded her head towards the door, "Go, I'll finish packing."

Gen nodded and made her way downstairs. She turned the corner and saw Barry come out of the kitchen with a soda.

Once he saw her his spirits lifted. A big smile grew on his face, "I thought you left the house. I was about to go crazy."

She chuckled, "No need to worry Barry, where would I really go?"

He shrugged and plopped on the couch. He looked up at her, "Come and sit down, I want to talk."

"Uh oh, is this going to be some type of some weird advice talk because I think I'm okay." She walked over and sat down next to him.

He chuckled, "No, nothing like that. It's just I feel like we haven't talked, like really talked, since my accident."

The smile on her lips slowly fell, "Well, what do you want to talk about."

He rubbed the back of his neck and sighed, "How about how you barely slept or ate while I was in my coma."

Gen's gaze lowered to her hands, "So Joe told you about all that huh?"

"Not all of it," He gently lifted her chin up so their eyes met, "you know you can talk to me about anything right?"

Gen nodded half-heartedly, "I know."

He gave her an encouraging smile and she began her little story.

"I remember getting the call from Iris that you were in the hospital. I was sitting at a bar, talking with some guy I met." Gen sighed, "Iris' hysterical crying sobered me up. I actually think I spilled my beer on the guy because I was in such a rush to get to the hospital."

Barry watched her intently as she retold what happened to her suring his coma.

"The first couple of weeks you were in the hospital was probably the easiest for me. Everything was so hetic and I was occupied with work and helping out Joe and Iris," she said, "and then they moved you to Star Labs."

She chuckled, but all Barry got from it was sadness. Her eyes were dull and she held a fake smile he knew too well.

"I would visit everyday. But after a few months it just grew harder to see you. Same thing with Iris and Joe. Soon enough I cut myself off from them and I stopped visiting you."

Tears stung the back of Gen's eyes and a lump was forming in her throat. Barry noticed and took her hand.

"I didn't know if you'd ever wake up, and I thought about all the things I should of told you. All the secrets I kept from you. Barry I'm so sorry."

And for probably once in her adult life Gen let her guard down. Tears fell down her cheek and her lip loghtly trembled. She roughly wiped them away, but more just fell.

Barry's eyes widened in shock. He'd never seen Gen like this before.

"Hey, no no there's no reason to be sorry," Barry wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a warm hug.

Gen rested her head on his chest as tears continued to roll down her cheeks. Soft sobs escaped her lips and Barry only pulled her closer.

Gen's sobs could be heard from upstairs. Delilah stood at the top of the steps, her arms crossed. She listened to their conversation, her own grief clawing at her heart.

Gen raised her head up and looked at Barry. She wiped some of her tears away, "I'm sorry."

"There's absolutely no need to be sorry."

She sat up and wiped the remaining tears away. "Yes there is. And I just want to tell you that no matter what you'll always be my best friend."

Barry immediately placed his hands on her shoulders, panic slowly rising in his heart, "What are you talking about? Gen what are you saying."

Gen shrugged him off and stood up. "I'm leaving Barry. I've gotta get out of Central City for a while."

She started to head back upstairs, but Barry quickly ran around the couch and steppedin front of her. "What? Gen you can't leave. Where would you go? Gen there's no reason to leave."

Barry frantically rambled on until Gen placed a finger on his lips. She cleared her throat and blinked back more tears. She didn't want to make this any harder than it had to be.

"Listen Barry, I just don't feel safe here anymore. After the shooting and all these meta-humans popping up left and right I just need to get out of here."

Barry swallowed the lump forming in his throat. He honeatly couldn't believe what she was saying. Guilt began gripping his heart. He began to believe this was all his fault.

"Gen you...you can't," his voice slightly cracked, "I mean what about that streak guy. With him running around the city I'm sure you'll be safe."

Gen shook her head and sighed, "Barry you said it yourself, he isn't real. Just...you're not making this very easy."

Delilah took this as her que and, bags in hand, made her way downstairs. "Time to go Gen."

Gen nodded and made her way towards the door. Barry grabbed her shoulder, causing her to stop.

"What about Iris and Caitlin and Cisco and all your friends here. Do they know at least you're leaving?"

Gen slowly shook her head, "And its best that I just let them find out."

She turned around, "If you're truly my best friend you won't say a word until two days from now. Barry please."

He sighed and slowly shook his head, "Gen, don't ask me to lie to them. I can't."

Gen suddenly got tense and her eyes grew hard, "Then I guess we're not best friends."

"Gen, I am your best friend." Barry exclaimed.

"So act like it." She said harshly.

She needed to be mean to him. If she didn't, he would of never let her go. It broke her heart, truly it did, but if this was going to be the last time she saw him it would be easier if he was mad at her. Maybe the blow of her death won't be as rough.

Barry wanted to say something, anything, to convince her to stay but his words were stuck in his throat.

"Goodbye Barry." Gen slowly backed away and turned around.

Delilah was already in the car, the bags sat in the back. Gen climbed into the passenger's seat and slammed the doors shut.

Gen glanced towards the front door, still open, and saw Barry standing there his eyes full of pain.

Gen looked away and said, "Okay let's go."

Without a word the black truck pulled out of the driveway and sped down the street.

Minutes later, Gen broke down for the second time that day.
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Oh god Barry being sad makes me sad. I hope you guys thought this chapter was rad. I really wanna know what you guys thought.

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