My Snowbarry One-Shots

Moving On

One-Shot request by CleJake99

The loft is quiet, still even. The place looks untouched in certain rooms while dishes and trash pile up in the kitchen with take-out containers splattered across the coffee table. There in the mix of it all is Barry Allen, laying across the couch with a blanket for warmth. The only sound that rings in his ears are the sound of his own breathing as his arm lays across his face. 

A loud knock on the door grabs his attention. He looks over but, groans in frustration as the banging continues. "Go away!" he shouts then resumes his previous position. However, it doesn't last long when the doorknob starts to jiggle revealing the man behind the knock. Barry sits up as he looks over at the man. "Joe," he barely whispers as he grabs the couch to hold him up. "Wha- what are you doing here?"

The older man closes the door then faces the young man - staring at him. He stuffs his hands into his pockets while a heavy sigh leaves his lips. He takes in the appearance of the long-lost stranger whose face now looked similar to when Barry got out of the speed force. This time his facial hair was a bit more grown out while his hair was getting longer - the ends curling up. He shakes his head in disappointment then slowly makes his way over. 

Joe takes a seat on the adjacent table stand, wipes his mouth, and licks his lips. "I'm here to check up on you. How are you holding up?"

A heavy sigh leaves Barry's lips as he looks away from his father-figure gathering his thoughts before looking back at him.  "As best as I can," he shrugs his shoulders and shakes his head. "I'm here... she," he breathes as the tears build up in his eyes, a few falling down his cheek, as he lays back on the couch. "She's not," he chokes, shutting his eyes tightly with his arm laying across his face.

Tears fill Joe's eyes as he watches the young man break down before him. He reaches forward, giving his leg a gentle squeeze - a sense of comfort. "I know Bar, I know," he responds giving him a nod. "But, Bar it's been months. Months that you have locked yourself away in the loft. Months that you have avoided everyone. Months since you have disbanded the team-"

"WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM ME?" Barry yells in frustration, sitting up. "MY WIFE IS DEAD AND IT IS ALL MY FAULT," he cries as the tears fall faster down his face. He shakes his head, "You of all people should understand," he bitterly talks back. "She was your daughter-"

"Yes, she was. She was my baby girl," he interrupts, his voice booming through the loft. "I loved her a lot longer than you had and more than you. I lost someone very important to me too." Joe watches as the anger and frustration slowly starts to fade from Barry's face. The sound of Joe's voice and the words somehow soothing him. "I'm grieving to Bar. I understand where you are coming from but, I need you to understand it's time to move on son."

The words echo in Barry's head. He can't fully comprehend the idea of moving on - it felt too soon. Was he right? It had been six months since Iris died in the mirrorverse. His world shattered after that. Nothing made sense - his life didn't have a purpose anymore. His world moved slower now - mentally and physically. He shakes his head, "If I had been faster... if I had my speed I could of-"

Joe holds his hand up, "No Bar. Even if you had your speed I would never ask you to run back in time. We," he sighs really considering his next words before licking his lips. "We can't change the past to make our world a better place. Not at the cost of losing others along the way."

"But what about what we lost," Barry bargains. "Doesn't that matter?" his eyebrows crinkle together.

"Of course it matters son but at what cost?" Joe pushes then wipes his face with his hand before standing up, pacing the floor. "Don't you remember the last time you tried to fix the past? Cisco lost his brother, Iris and I had a strained relationship, and Caitlin got ice powers," he counts off his hand. "All for what Bar?" he shrugs his shoulder as his hands slap against his thighs.