Chapter Text
Iris got out of the lab with the piece of paper that had changed her life forever in her hand, still shaking with her mind going a hundred miles per hour. She reached for the car, stopping to support hersef. Unable to think of what to do next.
She wanted to shout, cry, laugh and most of all kiss her husband. Elated that their most expected news had finaly come to pass.
Last time he had done the testing in his lab because he was so worried about others finding out and if there was any difference between human and meta pregnancies that would make it noticeable for another person but since she had done a piece on labs disclosure and meta policing she knew it was safe to try it the official route.
After five positive clear blue kits stashed deep in her drawers she knew she needed a blood test to ensure it because it was just too good to be true. Not having the heart to get his hopes up before it after seeing how dissapointed he had been the last time. But there it was, the positive written in bold letters for anyone and everyone to see. Showing what she needed to know the most: her daughter was coming. Finally.
She took a deep breath and got into the car, sitting back dazed, still shaking as she sought his contact number.
"Hey babe" he answered after two beeps "Everything ok? I thought you weren't be able to call until the end of the general meeting this afternoon"
"Yeah" she said weakly before clearing her throat, trying to disguise part of her emotional state "I- it was actually posponed because there was some problem at a new restaurant nearby and part of the team was too sick to attend" she lied, actually she was the one who had gotten sick with morning sickness, having thought of this half excuse to explain herself needing to miss the meeting.
"Really? This sucks... Is it the one near Jordan street with the conceptual look? Cause I always thought that place was weird as heck. Anyway I hope your team gets better. So are you going to come home earlier now? I've been tracking Bivolo and the new speedster but I can wrap things earlier and pick you up. Call it a day and maybe give ourselves a break with some junk food and a 'back to the future' session suggling in the couch" he rambled, finishing it in an excitable hopeful tone she couldn't help smiling for.
*beep*
She heard the sound of a message income, an email showing up onscreen with the subject 'art robber update - timeline photos checked'.
"Sorry Bear, I might have to check on a case before calling the night. And maybe we eat a little healthier this time? How about a little romantic dinner with one of grandma Esther's specialties? We can't life off Big Belly Burger all the time" she said, carressing her still unnoticeable bump.
"Sure" Barry said, not expecting that. "healthy... I can do that. I'll even throw some organic vegetables from the market Jay told me about. But how romantic are we talking about? Candlelit dinner or maybe..." he lowered his voice and Iris knew Chester or one of the others was probably nearby, his smirk almost visible in his tone "like our last night in Mallorca? Are going to need a table at all?"
She laughed at his perpetually thirsty mind. Ever since they resumed trying sex was always his default mode. More than eager to get together whenever and wherever they were. Little did he know that their attempts had already paid off. "Candlelit if anything Bear, just you and I time to celebrate right now"
"Oh ok" he replied, sobering up from his previous thoughts. "Us time... Perfect!"
She giggled. "Don't worry babe. I have a feeling it will be worthwhile either way. Maybe even more so" she said knowingly.
He scoffed softly. Slightly outraged she would think he was dissapointed with any opportunity for them to be alone together. "You think a night with you would be anything less? Ever? We may not have a beach date but anytime with you would be worth everything Iris" he lowered his voice again for the last part. "naked or not"
"Good. I'll see you later then. I love you" she said, unable to stop smiling. Both because of her dorky romantic husband and the antecipation of his reaction to the greatest of news.
"I love you. And be careful out there, ring me up if you need help" he continued.
"Will do. Bye!" she said, ending the call.
She stopped for a moment, her mind running wild again with antecipation. Wondering if maybe she shouldn't just call it a day and get to him earlier. Leave this story for tomorrow.
But one more beep from her cel took her out of her musings to focus on the task at hand.
'art robber update - sighing on Fisherman Harbor'
She opened the files to see more pictures of the guy she was investigating for weeks by an abandoned building. The rest of the information was her team delivering the information that the other pictures she had found of him in multiple periods of time all around the World checked out. Always appearing in scattered events where there had been reported missing itens going back decades ago, which suddenly showed up in listing on the black market currently.
The citizen had been the first to notice this pattern when Iris gathered all her sources intel and team research. Staying up nights on end looking through photos from each event trying to spot one familiar face she could run through the City's database.
Patrick O'hara was the name she found, petty thief turned black market big shot after the particule accelerator blew up.
'Coincidence? I think not' she thought, eager to see if her info checked out.
She moved to start the car, her conscience briefly winning out against her recklessness. 'Maybe I should call Barry for back up? I can't go half assed now that she is here' she weighted, her hand moving to her bump again unconsciously.
One message settled he indecision for her though, Barry's name flashing on her screen.
Bivolo sighting, I'll have to start dinner a little later. I'll try my best to keep on time. Love you!
She sighed. It was the first time in weeks she had gotten a current location from him and there had been no reports of violence in any of the crime scenes. She just needed to check her intel out before getting to the bottom of this. That couldn't hurt. She couldn't rely on Barry to do her job.
That was what she kept telling herself as she started the car, setting her destination.
She parked a couple of blocks from the harbor, walking the rest of the distance to avoid being seen. The sky was grey as the rained poured softly, dampening her coat.
Iris sneaked into the old building, moving slowly and stealthly. Seeking any traces of wrongdoing from her elusive robber. The strong smell of fish and rain making her stomach turn, already sensitive from the pregnancy.
After seaching for 3 or 4 half dismantled rooms she found the jackpot. Walls covered with old papers about exhibitions and famous pieces of art, from all around the World, along with man clothes and some equipments that could be used for heists.
She got closer to one of them that showed pictures of Degas sculptures, Caravaggios and Monets next to one that read The Crystal Ball.
"Bingo" she whispered, taking her phone out to get some pictures.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you" she heard a voice behind her, making her blood freeze in her veins. Dropping her celphone.
She turned to see the face from the pictures staring back at her, with a malicious smirk on his face. The man in his forties wore a black outfit and cap that covered his brunette hair.
"Mister O'Hara, I take it?" Iris asked, eyeing her phone by her feet. Knowing full well it was pointless to play dumb. She had been caught red handed.
His smirk grew. "Not even gonna pretend, huh? Well I can respect that" he provocked stepping closer to her "Yes, in the flesh. And you are the nosy little thing trying to investigate me. What are you? Rookie cop? Nah if you were there would be back up already. Maybe... Reporter? Seems more fitting to your pretty little face"
"This pretty little face is well connected both in the news and police World so I would advise you to not do anything stupid. You are a thief not an agressor after all" Iris said, firmly. Using everything she had to stand her ground and not take a sped back, away from her celphone. Her right hand flying right to her belly as if to protect her child, while her left one reached for her purse.
He laughed deeply. "Yeah well, that's cause no one had caught me yet" he said, lurching forward only to be met with pepper spray.
"Bitch!" he yelled, grabbing her arm while the room seemed to get out of focus for one second. Suddenly brighter and cleaner.
Before she could notice the changes however she hit him in the crotch, buying time to rush out of the building while he was too disoriented to track her.
She ran faster than her legs could handle, finding shelter in a convenience store blocks away. Breathing heavily from the scare.
"Oh my God... i shouldn't have come here. Barry is going to kill me when he finds out" she panted, trying to calm herself down.
"Are you alright, miss?" the cashier appeared beside her. Looking concerned.
"Yes. No... I-I just got mugged and they took my celphone. Can I use yours?" she lied.
"Oh my God, of course. Want me to call 911? No.. Better you do that right? Here. Take your time. I'll be by the counter if you need anything" the man said, trying to help.
"Thank you" she said, taking his phone to call her husband.
After three failed attempts she started to get uneasy, the eletronic voice telling her the number she had used for years didn't existed.
"This is ridiculous, I've called him a million times" she said, stopping in her tracks when she took the celphone she was using in.
The model was at least 8 or 9 years old which wouldn't have been surprising if it wasn't for the date flashing onscreen. "January 21th, 2016" she read the numbers out loud, dumbfounded.
"Mister, the date in your phone is wrong, right? This can't be..." she asked, her heart beating out of her chest.
"No it's really the 21th already. Time is running fast. Feels like it will be 2017 before we know it" the cashier said, failing to see the dread in her face.
"Right... Thank you. I-I have to go" she said, rushing to the door.
"Miss, what about the pol-" his voice faded as she moved to where she had parked the car. Still dazed by the possibility that she had been moved in time.
By the time she got there the reality of her situation had sinked in, arriving to an empty spot where she had parked less than one hour before.
"Crap...How is this? What do I do?" she spoke to herself, still panicking with the new turn of events. "Barry is never going to let me hear the end of it..."
Then it hit her. "Barry"
Of course she knew that the unknown meta was not the only one who could travel through time. Her husband had done that more and better one hundred times over. She knew there was a risk of messing with the past by finding them by there was no other option, she was marooned 7 years in the past and team flash were the only ones that could help her.
"Here goes nothing" she said to herself, moving towards star labs with the silent prayer that she would be soon together in her time. With her Barry. Hopefully.