We Were Falling

four

Laurel's eyes peeled open.

Sweat was dripping down her face and neck.

Barry please come for me. Please.

She was pleading for him to come in her mind.

Help me. Please.

The hours dragged by, and she nears Narco fighting someone. She strained against the straps trying to free herself.

A few moments later, Barry stood in front of her. "Barry!" She gasped, happy to see him.

"Laur, you're free now." He unstrapped her, and she collapsed on the floor. He knelt, and pulled her into him. He held her face in his gloved hands, running his thumb over her cheek. She trembled in his arms. "I'm going to take you to S. T. A. R. Labs okay?" She nodded into his chest, tears falling down her face.

He scooped her up, and she cried out in pain. Barry assumed that the torture hadn't just been mental.

She had cuts and bruises on her face, and she was bleeding from multiple places.

"He bruised your beautiful face." Barry said, holding Laurel close to him.

He had seen syringes full of liquid when he unstrapped Laurel.

She looked skinny, and sickly. "Barry..." She said, her voice weaker than normal.

"Don't talk, Pretty Bird. You're safe now."

He sped to S. T. A. R. Labs, and gently placed Laurel on the hospital bed. She immediately curled into a ball, and fell asleep.

Caitlin came inside, and began hooking Laurel up to a machine that would keep her vitals in check.

Barry sat at the bed for an hour. He had gotten Laurel a bowl of soup, and a glass of water.

When her eyes opened, she blinked a few times. "Barry?"

"I'm here," He said, planting a kiss on her forehead. He took her hand in his. "I have soup for you."

"Okay." She held our a shaky hand.

"No, it's hot. I'll give it to you." Barry said, holding the bowl in his hand.

He put the spoon up to Laurel's mouth, and she ate the soup. He tried not to burn her mouth, and when she finished, the color had returned to her face. "Thank you." She said, smiling.

"You're welcome." He ran his thumb over her cheek.

Her skin was cool, and slick with sweat. The fever she had while she was asleep had broken. She sat up, and tried to get out of bed. "I want to stand up." She whined as Barry gently pushed her back into laying down.

"I don't think that's a good idea." He murmured.

"She can." Caitlin said from the Cortex. "Let her stand."

Laurel stood, and walked around, stretching her legs.

Barry followed her as she walked out into the Cortex. "Can I have clothes to change in?" She asked Barry.

"Sure." Barry said, kissing her cheek.

"Get her baggy clothing." Caitlin said. "Her body is still severely bruised."

"Noted." Barry said, speeding back off to his and Laurel's apartment. He grabbed a pair of his sweatpants and one of his sweatshirts. Be sped back to S. T. A. R. Labs, and handed the clothes to Laurel.

She got changed, and came back into the Cortex. Barry's clothes were a little too big in her, so she rolled up her sleeves and pant legs. "You look pretty." Barry said.

She blushed. "Well, I am wearing your clothes." Laurel wrapped her arms around Barry's neck. Barry gently placed his hands on her hips, and she flinched. He went to move his hands, but she placed them back on her hips. She stared up into his face. "I missed you so much." She murmured.

"I missed you too." Barry replied. Laurel rested her face on his chest.

"Thank you for coming for me." She whispered, and Barry almost missed what she said.

"My goal was to bring you home safe, and that's what I did." Barry rubbed comforting circles on her back.

She pulled away, and sighed. "We should visit my sister."

"She's coming to town?" Laurel nodded.

"Yeah." A smile graced her lips. "Can we go home and clean up the house?"

Barry nodded. "We can." He took Laurel's hand, and pressed his lips to the back of her hand.

When they got back to their apartment, she collapsed on the bed. The bed was soft, and cold because Barry hadn't slept in it for the month.

He would sleep on the couch when he was lucky enough to get sleep.

Laurel looked at him, a smile on her face. "Come here."

He laid down beside her, and she scooted closer to him.

He ran his fingers through her hair. She puts her hand on his chest. "I love you." She murmured.

"I love you too." He kisses the top of her head.

She smiled. She got up from the bed, and ran into the living room.

He followed, laughing. When he appeared in the doorway, she threw a pillow at his head. He picked it up, and threw it back at her.

He ran into the living room, and she threw more pillows at him. He grabbed her waist, and she wrapped her legs around his. He pulled her up to his chest, and he kissed her. They spun, and she laughed in his face, kissing him again.

She had kissed him with so much love. She had been gone for what felt like forever, and he knew she had missed him.

He tripped over a pillow, and they both fell onto the floor.

He laughed, and stroked a piece of her hair away from her face.

She was blushing so hard, he thought she was going to catch on fire.

Sara's voice called through the apartment. "Hello?" She walked into the living room, seeing Laurel and Barry on the floor, in a mess of pillows. "Did I walk in on something?" She asked with a smirk.

"Sara!" Laurel blushed again. "N-no." She got up off the floor.

She hugged her sister. "How are you?" Sara asked.

"I'm okay." Laurel smiled. "How are you?" She saw Sara playing with a ring on her finger. "Is that an engagement ring?" Laurel asked.

"No, it's a promise ring." Sara replied.

"From Snart?" Laurel asked. Sara blushed.

"Yeah..."

"Let me guess, he stole it?" Barry laughed, hugging Sara.

"Actually, yes." She chuckled.

"Let's go catch up." Laurel said.

They left the apartment into the warm May air, and talked, with laughter filling the air.