TRUTH UNSEALED (BARRY ALLEN/MAGNUS BANE)

Chapter Six

One week. One whole week. That's how much time has passed since his dad was murdered right in front of him. The funeral was today but Barry wasn't sure if he could handle it. Regardless of what he was told, he still went in to work because if he didn't, there would be nothing to stop him from venturing into the deepest parts of his mind. Mostly everyone just treated him like he would shatter at any given moment and the truth was he probably would.

Following Henry Allen's murder, Barry retreated into himself and stayed away from pretty much everyone, including his friends. He knew they all wrote it off as it being normal but the truth was, Barry was finding it very difficult to control his powers. On top of that, his emotions were all over the place and he figured if he ignored and avoided everyone, it would be fine. He had also found the letter his dad had told him he'd written lying on his bed at home but he didn't open it. He tossed both the letters into his nightstand and hasn't opened it since. He didn't plan to anytime soon.

Barry sat at his desk, staring at the computer screen and trying to find any information on what those things were that killed his dad. He wasn't going to go on a dumb ass rampage to find any others like them and kill them, even if it did sound pretty satisfying. He just needed to know what they were, he was curious and it was killing him. There was nothing on the internet about his description of them. It was pretty frustrating. That was why he was sitting here now, staring at the computer.

"Allen?"

Barry turned his head slightly. Julian was standing in the doorway, his face bearing pure exasperation. "Oh, hey Julian."

"Don't 'hey Julian' me!" The CSI said. "It's your dad's funeral today. Aren't you going?"

"No." Barry's response was short, curt, and immediate. He had made up his mind, he wasn't going to go. It would be like reliving that day all over again and that was something he just couldn't handle.

"Why bloody not?" Julian demanded.

Barry shot him a look from under his lashes before going back to what he was doing, ignoring him. This was something that he was struggling with as well. Lately, he's been having these mood swings that run hand in hand with his raging emotions such as anger, sadness, confusion, worry, concern, curiosity, rage, fear, despair, and helplessness. At the moment, deep down he was feeling a little bit of anger and sadness but on the surface, all Julian could see was irritation. The mood swings and his raging emotions have already caused him to have three major fights/arguments with Joe, Iris and Ralph.

"Don't ignore me, Barry. Why aren't you going?" Julian's voice is softer, more concerned. Barry ignored him, hoping he'd drop the subject and leave him alone. He could feel his irritation starting to turn into anger as Julian walked over to him and turned his office chair around. "Barry, answer me. I want to help."

Barry huffed and stood up from the chair, making Julian back up a step or two. "I can't go even though I want to. I just...I can't handle it, alright?"

"But you have to." Julian stated.

"No, I don't."

"He's your dad, Allen. He--"

"Thanks for telling me something I already know, Julian." Barry says sarcastically. He shook his head, trying to push down the rising anger he knew would only make more problems. "Look, I can't do it. So, if all you're going to do is lecture me about how I should go because he was my dad, please don't bother."

Barry grabbed his chair and moved it back to his desk, picked up his jacket and left the lab. He needed to leave before he said something he'd regret.

OoO

He went back to the house, to the apartment his dad had rented out while he was staying in Central. Something drew him there, what it was he didn't know, but he wasn't fighting it. Sure, being in the place would bring memories he didn't want to re-experience but at the same time, it calmed him in a way he wouldn't have been able to do for himself. He went there to get away from everyone, to deal with his dad's death alone and in his own way. He should have known that his friends were too stubborn to let him deal with his dad's death by himself.