Chapter Text
Joan Garrick opened the door once Irey and Barry arrived later in the day. An aroma of cooking foods wafted through the open door, a welcome scent after hours of working out the details of Irey’s identity with the rest of the League.
“Barry, come in.” Joan smiled, moving aside to allow her guest into her house. “Jay’s upstairs moving a few last boxes from the guest room. He shouldn’t be much longer.”
The two entered, Irey looking around the living room with a look of longing that hurt Barry to see. “Thanks again Joan,” Barry said, putting a hand in the back pocket of the jeans he’d changed into before coming. “This is Irey Park.” He nodded to the girl with a smile.
Irey slightly jumped at hearing her name spoken, but recovered and turned to Joan. “It’s nice to meet you Mrs. Garrick.”
“Call me Joan, sweetheart.” The older woman said with a smile. “Jay and I are more than happy to have you stay with us.”
Irey smiled but was unable to reply as a blur appeared out of the corner of Barry’s eye and Jay appeared in the room.
“Barry, it’s good to see you again.” Jay spoke, a sheepish smile on his face as Joan gave him a disapproving look. “And this must be Irey, welcome to our home kiddo. My name is Jay.”
Irey smiled at the older speedster. She had never met the Garricks before, both having passed away before she was born. “Thank you both for allowing me to stay here.”
“No problem,” Jay replied, his charisma and general air of being making the room seem, if it was at all possible, making the house seem even more inviting. “Joan and I have more time on our hands than we know what to do with,” he paused and leaned closer to Irey and continued in a mock whisper, “and maybe having someone else to look after will get her off my back a little.”
Barry chuckled as Joan exclaimed with a pointedly delivered, “Jay!”.
“Sorry Joan,” Jay replied sheepishly.
Joan shook her head, “Dinner’s just about ready. Jay why don’t you and Irey set the table. Barry you can help me bring out the food once they are done.” She paused and added, “And stay at normal speed.”
“Yes, dear.” Jay replied, “Irey come with me if you’d please.” Irey followed Jay out of the room, Jay kissing Joan on the cheek as he passed her.
“He’s as lively as ever.” Barry mused as the oldest and newest speedsters left the room.
“That he is,” Joan agreed, “Maybe having her with us will slow him down a bit.”
“Retirement isn’t agreeing with him I see.” Barry could never see himself slowing down, and he could only guess what it was like for Jay. After more than fifty years connected to the speed force, slowing down would probably seem like more work than not.
Joan pursed her lips and nodded, “It’s been worse since he retired from the lab. Nothing to occupy his days but the garden he started up last week.”
“I was going to ask,” Barry chuckled, “It’s pretty elaborate. The pond out from looks magnificent.”
“I had to stop him from making a moat in the back.” Joan deadpanned as she started to the kitchen. “What would the neighbors think?”
Barry followed behind, smiling as he heard a small laugh coming from the dining room. “They seem to be getting along. I’m glad to finally hear her laugh.”
“What’s her story.” Joan finally asked, Barry almost positive she’d wanted to pursue this line of questioning from the moment Barry knocked on their door.
Barry paused, thinking of what he actually knew versus what was conjecture. “She’s from the year 2037 and something bad happened. Something bad enough future Batman had to send a teenaged girl to stop. I don’t know much more, but whatever happened is very personal to her. I think J’onn was crying reading when he looked into her head.”
“The poor dear,” Joan started grabbing serving plates from a cabinet.
Barry nodded, “She’s a good kid, almost had to fight Arrow and Speedy when I mentioned you two taking her in.”
“They are more than welcome to visitor.” Joan replied, “Dinah too, I’m sure everyone of them will want to help anyway they can.”
Sometimes Barry forgot how interconnected the current Justice League was connected to the Justice Society. Many of the members of the latter team helped Batman and Superman create their current team; but others like Canary held more legacy. Her mother had been the Black Canary before her, and before her death worked side by side with Jay and the rest of the JSA.
Barry nodded, reaching into his pocket. “Speaking of which, Bats gave me this for you two,” Barry held out a black credit card, “For anything you two will need to take care of Irey. Batman pulled some of his strings with Mr. Wayne. There’s no credit limit and you won’t have to pay anything back...”
“We can’t accept this Barry.” Joan smiled, “We have more than enough.”
“Batman said you’d say that, and he also said that you should keep it for emergencies.”
“That I can do,” Joan shook her head with a smile as she took the card and put it in a drawer full of take-out menus. “Now let’s get this to the table before Jay starts bellyaching.”
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Barry had to leave after dinner and dessert, something Irey had not realized before tonight was the greatest thing on Earth. After moving into the Cave, things were limited and just making sure she consumed enough calories a day sometimes could be hard. She could barely remember the last time she had a real slice of cake.
“You’ll be all right here, kid?” Barry asked for the third time as he and Irey stood outside in front of the Garrick’s house.
Irey nodded, “Yeah, Jay and Joan are nice.” She did not want to mention that she was kind of excited to sleep on a real bed, one that was not a military cot in a room with about fifteen other people.
Barry chuckled, “I’m glad you think so.” Barry looked at his phone and frowned. “I really have to go now, but keep the phone Bats gave you on hand. I should be able to come by the day after tomorrow unless you need me sooner.”
“I’m not a little kid,” was Irey’s, though honestly sometimes she questioned her own validity with that statement. “I think I can handle a few days here.”
“Of course you can.” Barry had a look on his face that Irey found perplexing but then the older man smiled, “Well, I gotta run.”
A gush of wind hit Irey in the face as Barry ran off, a faint smell of ozone reaching her nose. She stood there for a moment, almost fighting back tears as she thought about her father.
She had never been able to meet Barry in her time. He was long dead by then, though her father and aunt Iris talked about him constantly. She even knew about his quirky puns as he had to leave, something her father would do as well. She just never thought he would be almost better in person than in the stories.
“Irey,” Jay’s voice pulled Irey out of her musing as he stepped outside. “You okay kiddo?”
Irey nodded, feeling foolish as she sniffled a bit. “I’m fine, just a little tired.”
“Well, Joan’s making the bed in your room. You can get some sleep when she’s done and tomorrow help me in the garden.” Jay’s voice was calm and understanding, then a mischievous glint showed in Jay’s eyes as he spoke next, “Or, there’s also some more cake if we hurry up and eat it before Joan is done.”