Au

Chapter 10

******** Cliffhanger warning ********

Their eyes met in a moment of recognition and disbelief reflected in both their faces. Barry opened his mouth to apologise but not a single word came out. He was much too stunned to speak. What on earth was she doing here? He kept wondering as he tried to make sense of the situation.
Iris was in much the same predicament. Speechless, shocked and confused. Silently, they let their eyes travel down eachothers still figures, taking every feature in like body scanners. He was just as she remembered. Same green eyes, same disarmingly charming face, same innocent demeanour and most of all he was real. Lab coat and all. Completely real.

So was she. Barry felt his palm itch with a need to touch her. His eyes glazed over her perfectly shaped curves that were neatly (read tragically) tucked away in her rapidly staining blouse and black high waist pants.

"Ms. West?" came a voice from behind her, interrupting their stare-off and crashing them back into reality. Blinking away her disorientation she whipped around to find an auburn haired woman in a lab coat looking at her with partial concern. The name on her name tag was 'Dr Snow' and somewhere deep in Iris's puzzled mind she knew that this was the woman she'd come to meet.

"Oui? I mean yes?" she stammered. That was unusual. She never stammered. Dr Snow's eyes darted to Iris's blouse and she opened her mouth to respond but before she could utter a single word Iris cleared her throat and asked more forcefully,

"Where are your restrooms?"

Thrown off by her question, Snow blinked twice and simply gazed at her.

"Uh, th-this way Ms West." Barry offered softly, his nervousness taking over his shock. Snow also seemed to regain her senses and in a poor attempt at establishing authority she barked out.

"Yes Allen, show Ms West to the restroom then wait for her and escort her to the meeting room." The tone of her voice while she addressed Barry left a bitter taste in Iris's mouth but she restrained herself from snapping at the doctor. There was a time and place for everything and if the doctor were as arrogantly annoying as Iris pictured her to be then she needed to be put in her place in a much more public setting. Over the years Iris had learned that private settings allowed for a degree of intimacy and vulnerability making it easier for her opponent to best her. That setting was strictly reserved for threats and the ocassional business flirt. Public shamings seemed to be alot more effective when dealing with attitude changes, making of points or simple emposing of respect.

Her train of thought was derailed as they reached the restroom. Barry silently kept his head down, his demeanour timid, and Iris thought he looked cute. As she walked past him into the restroom she caught a whiff of his deodarant. It was a minty, cool kind of scent and she felt an urge to lean into him and take a deep breath but she contained herself (somehow) and walked inside.

Completely shaken and with her body desperately craving his touch, Iris attacked her innocent blouse with a tissue and only succeeded in ripping a few buttons from it. She turned to inspect her image in the mirror and she was an absolute mess. The front of her blouse was completely stained and enough buttons were now on the floor that her lacy bra was in full view. Irritated she screamed and Barry rushed into the bathroom to aid her. Upon seeing her state of almost undress he turned his back to her immidiately and stuttered,

"I'm - I'm sorry Ms West. I - I heard you scream."

"It's alright." She sighed out suddenly drained.
"I'll just have to reschedule my meeting." she decided.

"No!" Barry yelled, louder than he intended to, while turning around to face her then turning back around flustered.

"I mean. Please don't. Dr Snow would have my neck." he explained.