Love Worth a Legacy

Chapter 9

A few days later, Barry was up and walking, the team was impressed with how well he was doing considering that his speed was still depleted. 

On the outside, Barry seemed to be on the mend, but on the inside, he was still hurting, and the only he wanted that would help him...was Y/N...

"How are you feeling?" Caitlin asked as she finished yet another test on Barry.

"I feel fine," Barry told Caitlin for what felt like the hundredth time so far.

Caitlin furrowed her brows, a questioning glance on her face. She could see right through Barry.

Barry sighed, "Okay, yes, I'm sore and I don't feel perfect...but I'm okay," he assured her.

"I'll take your word for it...this time," Caitlin replied.

"How's she doing?" Barry asked, his gaze shifting to Y/N who was still unconscious in a bed beside him.

Caitlin sighed, "She's doing better, but she's nowhere close to healed yet," she answered. "Give her time, Barry."

Barry nodded, "I know, I'm just worried about her, you know?"

"She's okay, Barry. We've done everything we can do for her, now we just have to be patient," Caitlin explained.

"You make that sound easy," Barry mentioned.

"Maybe I can help take your mind off things," Joe said as he walked into the med bay. "Let's go for a walk, Barry," he suggested.

Barry nodded, standing up before he followed Joe into the hallway beyond the Cortex. Joe had spoken with the team and they all agreed that Barry needed to open up about what had happened during his time on Earth-Two.

"Is there a reason you wanted me to go on a walk with you?" Barry asked as he and Joe continued through the halls of S.T.A.R. Labs.

Joe sighed softly, "Barry, you haven't told anyone what happened when you and Y/N were on Earth-Two..."

Barry was silent, he had been avoiding talking about Zoom, it was a touchy subject for him. It was a part of his past that he wanted to leave behind. Forgetting and pushing aside his feelings about what happened seemed much easier than confronting the issue head-on.

"Barr, we're just assuming what happened at this point. Just talk to someone," Joe added.

"Joe, whatever you and the team have imagined about what happened to us, I can guarantee you the reality we faced was worse," Barry replied.

"Then let's talk about that," Joe added. He wanted Barry to open up, otherwise, he feared what would happen if he continued to keep his feelings bottled up.

Barry shook his head in frustration, "Joe you have no idea what it was like, there was no day, no night, just endless beatings and tauntings. Zoom never failed to remind us that he had finally beaten us...that he had won..."

Joe paused for a moment as Barry finally opened up. "The only reason I made it through the months of hell in that place was Y/N, and then I wake up here only to realize that she put her life on the line for me...again, and what have I done in return for her?"

"Barry, you were there with her, you said the only reason you made it out was because of Y/N. Did you ever consider the idea Y/N felt the same way?" Joe wondered.

Barry sighed softly, "Y/N just deserves so much more," he mentioned. "She was there with me because she trusted me...and I let her down..."

Across S.T.A.R. Labs in the med bay, Y/N slowly opened her eyes, squinting at the bright lights above her as she tried to sit up, but not before two pairs of hands pushed her back down.

"Take it easy," Julian warned as Y/N started to gain her bearings.

"Y/N, how do you feel?" Caitlin asked.

Y/N groaned, "Like everything hurts," she answered honestly.

"Do you remember what happened?" Julian asked.

Y/N nodded, wincing slightly as she felt a widespread ache, "Vividly."

"We've been pumping your system with positive tachyons and fluids but your rapid healing is still on the slow side," Caitlin explained.

"Do you want to try and sit up?" Julian wondered.

Y/N nodded as Julian helped ease her into a sitting position, Y/N looked down and saw that her knuckles were still black and blue from her fight with Zoom. She now understood when Caitlin said her rapid healing was on the slow side, what she really meant was her rapid healing was on the non-metahuman pace.

Y/N could feel in the ache in her whole body, it's as if she were on pins and needles every time she tried to move.

"Where's Barry?" Y/N asked.

"He's with Joe, I'll go get him," Caitlin said before she left the med bay.

Y/N turned to Julian, "How long was I out?" she wondered.

"A few days," Julian answered. "We weren't in any rush to wake you or Barry," he added.

Y/N nodded slowly before she looked up and saw Barry standing in the doorway. She smiled as Barry rushed over and wrapped her tightly in his arms.

Julian left the med bay to give the two speedsters some privacy.

Y/N let out a sigh of relief as she wrapped her arms around Barry and pulled him impossibly closer, she tucked face into Barry's chest as Barry nuzzled his face into the crook of Y/N's neck. Tears slipped down Barry's cheeks as he held Y/N in his arms. Y/N too had tears brimming in her eyes, she was simply happy to be home, and with Barry.

Minutes passed and neither Barry nor Y/N said anything, they just continued to hold onto each other, afraid that if they let go, they would lose each other.

Barry slowly pulled back, he cupped Y/N's cheeks in his palms as she smiled weakly, tears stinging in her eyes. "Are you okay, how do you feel?" he asked worriedly.

"I'm okay," Y/N told Barry as she placed her hands over his. "We're both okay."

Barry leaned forward and crashed his lips into Y/N's in a desperate kiss, one they both needed. Barry pulled back slowly, his forehead leaning against Y/N's. "I missed that," he admitted.

Y/N smiled, "I missed this, us being home, and safe," she replied. 

Barry nodded slightly, "I never thought we'd be back here," he told Y/N.

"Neither did I, but here we are," Y/N said as she squeezed Barry's hands.

Barry smiled before he snaked his arms around Y/N and hugged her once more, "I love you...so much..."

Y/N pulled back and met Barry's eyes, she pulled him forward by his chin as she pressed her lips against his. "I love you too," she replied, her lips brushing over his lightly.

"We're home..."