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It all started when she showed up at his door, flowers in hand.
“Hey.” Patty Spivot greeted, short and simple.
To say Barry was surprised would be a gross understatement. He hadn’t seen Patty in 3 years, ever since she went to study forensic science hours away from Central City.
When she first left, a part of him hoped that she’d come back, but now? That shop has sailed, he was already married to Iris and he wouldn't have it any other way. Every part of him that ever romantically cared for Patty was gone, but by the looks of the beautiful bouquet of roses she carried, he could clearly tell she felt differently.
Not knowing how to break the news and realizing he’d probably been staring blankly at her for at least 20 seconds, he simply replied with a,
“Hey.”
He then returned to that same blank stare, his face unsure of what emotion he should be expressing.
“Wow, this is a lot more awkward than I thought it’d be.” Patty said after a few seconds, breaking the tension.
“Oh sorry, come in.” He said.
Barry saw Patty’s hand start to move, presumably to hand him the flowers, but he turned away just before she could, locking the door behind him as an escape from looking at her.
“I, um…" He stuttered, "I just wasn’t expecting to—“
“See me again?” She finished.
“Uh yeah. When you left all those years ago, you seemed so ready to move on. I didn’t think you’d ever look back.”
“Well, here I am.” She awkwardly laughed.
He faked a smile, before it dawned on him,
“How'd you find the loft?”
“Oh, I actually went to Joe’s first. A woman answered the door and said you lived here.”
Barry just nodded in acknowledgement.
“Looks awfully new," Patty commented, "When did you move in?”
“Uh, about…2 years ago.”
“2 years?”
“Yup.” He said, popping the p.
“I guess I’ve been gone longer than I thought."
"Yeah about that..." He put his hands in his pockets and he began rocking a little on his heels, unsure how to proceed.
When he didn't continue, Patty took it as her cue to make her move, "I got you these flowers.”
She offered them out to him, but he didn’t accept them. He just bit his lip anxiously, like he didn't want to be there. Before he could explain how ridiculously late Patty was to the game, she added,
“They’re roses, your favorite.”
“Actually, lilies are my favorite.”
"Since when?"
"Since the city planted the community garden last year. The lilies that bloom in the summer are some of the most beautiful I've ever seen."
“Oh.”
“There’s been a lot of changes you’ve missed, Patty. 3 years is a lot to be gone for.”
“I know, but I’m here now. Here to stay. I finished my degree.”
“Really? Congratulations.“
“Thanks, I graduated early at the top of my class. I could've been transferred to any police station, but I chose Central City, Barry. I chose you. I even got an apartment nearby the precinct.”
Aw shit.
He didn’t know how to let her down without breaking her heart, again. It had been 3 years. How was he supposed to know that she held on to him all that time?
Without warning, Nora then sped into the room.
Everything around Barry and Nora froze as Barry entered Flashtime.
“Holy schrap, Dad, you would not believe what just happened!“ Nora said enthusiastically.
“Neither will you.” Barry said sighing as gesturing to Patty.
“Shoot. Sorry, Dad. I didn’t see her on my way in.”
Barry sighed, “How many times have I told you to pay attention while you're running? You could've ran into a wall.”
“I know, I'm sorry. I didn’t mean to reveal any identities—“
“Don't worry, you didn't. She already knows I’m the Flash, she figured it out a long time ago.”
“Oh great, then what are you so worked up about?”
“This is Patty Spivot, the last girl I dated before Iris.”
“This is your ex? Wait, you have exes?! I kinda figured you and mom were like always a thing.”
“Hey, I had a life.” Barry said defensively.
“Mhmmm, sure you did," Nora said unbelieving, "I thought you've loved mom since like elementary."
"I have, but that doesn't mean I've never dated anyone else. Besides, by the time I gathered up the courage to ask her, she was already with Eddie."
"Wait, are those flowers?” Nora said as she looked Patty up and down.
“Yes” he said dreadfully, anxiously rubbing his temples.
“Don’t tell me she wants to get back together...”
“I don't think she's moved on.” Barry replied.
“But doesn’t she know about mom?”
“Probably not, I haven’t seen her in 3 years.”
“Yikes, I guess I’ll just go then…Let you, uh…figure that out.”
“Wait, hold on. You can’t leave now. She already knows you’re here.”
Slowing down a bit, they watched the scene before them in slow-motion:
Patty’s excited expression morphed into surprise as the flowers flew out of her hands and her hair floated in response to Nora’s trail of wind.
“Well, then…what do we do?”
“Tell her the truth.”
"That's gonna suck," Nora said, stating the obvious.
Exiting flashtime they noticed that the roses had set on fire from the friction that came off of Nora as she ran. Thankfully Barry was already on it, whacking the poor flowers with a pillow until the fire went out.
Patty just watched as her roses were destroyed.
“Barry who is this?” She asked once the fire was out.
“Um, well…”
Barry struggled to find the right words as he was unsure how Patty would react if he told her that the person who just torched her romantic gesture was the future child he would inevitably have with Iris—and not her.
“This is Nora, my-”
“Girlfriend?” Patty asked, trying to hide the disappointment in her tone.
“Ew, no!” Nora replied instantly.
“Definitely not.” Barry added.
Patty’s expression perked back up before getting completely crushed.
“She’s my...daughter, from the future.”
“Pleased to meet you.” Nora added with an awkward smile, although Patty could sense that she didn’t really mean it.
“What?” was the only thing Patty could get out at the moment. She was stunned. No, it was beyond that.
She was mortified.
“Nora inherited my speed and ran back in time to see me. She’s from the year 2049.”
“Yep.” Nora added awkwardly, popping the p and rocking on her heels. Nora's resemblance to Barry was not lost of Patty, but there were also subtle differences: the other half of her DNA.
“Wait, so…who’s your mother?”
At that exact moment Patty noticed Barry’s wedding ring, making her breath pick up and her mind start racing.
“Nora!” A yell came from the door.
They all turned to see the locks unlocking.
“Honey, I know you’re excited to tell your dad, but I would still like some help with the groceries!” They heard as Iris unlocked the last lock and opened the door.
Patty’s jaw dropped a bit as she saw that Iris also had a wedding ring on her finger.
'This can't be happening.' Patty thought, putting two and two together.
“Patty?” Iris questioned, picking up the groceries she put on the floor so she could unlock the door.
“Uh, Iris…hey."
"How have you been? What are you doing here?"
"I’ve recently moved back from university. I’m a licensed CSI now.”
“Wow, congrats.” Iris replied genuinely, unsure of why everyone was acting weird and awkward.
“Thanks.” Patty said back tense.
That’s when Iris noticed the torched roses on the ground as well as the hidden disappointment on Patty’s face.
“I see you’ve met Nora.” Iris commented.
“Yeah, your, uh…future daughter,” Patty said, gritting her teeth, “it was wonderful meeting you Nora and seeing you again Barry, but I should really be heading home.”
Without even waiting for a response, Patty quickly made her way to the door, exiting without so much as a goodbye.
“I’m guessing she didn’t take that very well.” Nora stated what everyone was thinking.
“Yeah.” Barry sighed, throwing himself on the couch in slight frustration.
From what she said, he knew he’d be seeing a lot more of her.
————————
As Patty suffered the humiliating drive to her new apartment, her thoughts ran rampant as tears trailed down her face.
Married? A daughter? It can’t be true. How could he do this? Why would he do this?
She knew she loved Barry from the second she saw him, she just never had the guts to pursue until he asked her out. He’s not that same shy guy anymore.
But he's still Barry under there.
And he loves me, not her.
Right?…
Of course he does.
She thought about the way he used to hold her, the way he used to look at her with such affection, but then her thoughts shifted to the present: to the blank stare he gave her when she greeted him, to his reluctance to let her inside, to the flicker of electricity she noticed as Nora sped in.
Speedster seconds can last hours can’t they? What was he talking to her about?
She then thought about how quick he was to suffocate her roses, which aren’t even his favorite anymore.
Maybe that was her now.
Outdated.
It had been 3 years, but nothings changed for her.
I waited so long…I studied so hard, just to come back.
Maybe that’s what made it so hard to believe. It’s hard to think that while the thought of reuniting with Barry and making him smile again was what drove her for the last 3 years, he had already forgotten about her and became too busy rebounding onto Iris.
Wait, was I the rebound?
“Of course not.” She reassured herself.
There must be something she could do. Something that could make Barry see what she did.
‘But there is.’ A small voice rang out in her mind, startling her a bit and making her swerve a little on the road. Luckily the street wasn’t busy for once.
‘You know exactly what you want to do.’ The small voice continued despite her trying to shut it out.
‘All is fair in love and war. What’s a little __________ in the grand scheme of things…’ the voice trailed off. Even though it was vague, she knew exactly what it was talking about.
She chose herself over her and Barry’s relationship before, but by now she’d realized her mistake.
She lied to herself over and over, ‘he’ll wait for me’, but she knew the truth now. Going off to school might’ve have been the biggest mistake she’d ever made.
Of course she still wanted to be a CSI, but she wanted Barry way more. She only wished she’d had that epiphany earlier before Iris came and stole him away from her.
She felt the anger creep up on her. Although she was enraged with Iris, she hated herself for ever letting him go.
‘It’s not too late.’
She screeched her car to a sudden stop as the ideas began to swirl in her head. She knew she had some terrible impulses, but with the dream of marrying Barry, joining Team Flash, and solving cases side by side that she’s clung onto for so long, maybe all that was left for her to do was give in to them.
Without a second thought, she unleashed her inner demons, letting her desperate emotions consume her.
She stepped on the gas and zoomed her way through the streets.
‘Don’t let him go.’
“I won’t.”
She’d get Barry back. One way or another.
————————
————————
Weeks passed and Barry heard nothing from Patty. He occasionally saw her at the precinct but it always felt like she was avoiding him.
He felt this overwhelming apprehensiveness every time he saw her office empty and she was right next door so he saw her office a lot.
Although he didn’t love her in that way anymore, he still cared about her.
The last thing he wanted to do was break her heart…again, but he succeeded in doing just that when she first came to his loft. He just wanted to know she was okay, so when he finally got a call from her wanting to talk, he jumped at the opportunity, flashing over to the address she sent as fast as he could.
“Hey,” she said eyes looking anywhere but at him as she welcomed him in, “You’re probably wondering why I called you over?...I have a question for you.”
He simply nodded as a response, not wanting to interrupt her train of thought.
“Look, you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, but…I need to know: do you still love me?”
He sighed, “Not in the way you’re thinking, Patty. I-I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. Your heart belongs to someone else now. I understand that.”
She walked closer towards him, smile absent.
“Did you…ever love me?” She asked, voice breaking.
“Of course I did, Patty.” He confessed, and that was all Patty needed to let all hell break loose.
“Then you can love me again.” She said darkly, all misery leaving her facial expression.
“What?” Barry said taken aback by the sudden shift.
Patty then proceeded to hit him over the head, mumbling maniacally as he fell to the ground with a loud thud that spelled out the beginning of a crappy future.
—————————
When Barry came to, he had a splitting headache and blurry vision. However, as he became more aware of his surroundings, he understood that-that was the least of worries.
He was currently laying on his side, on the solid cold floor. He sat upright, but quickly realized his wrists were chained with thick metal bracelets to the pipes of the wall behind him, the metal clinking with every moment.
He tried to phase out of them, but for some reason, he couldn’t access his speed. He then noticed the meta-cuff on his ankle, glowing a bright blue.
He started to panic. This—being kidnapped—was still kinda new to him. At least this time, he wasn’t on the edge of a tall building.
The first thing he noticed about the room he was in was how bright it was. There was a window at the top side of the wall opposite from where he was sitting. For what looked to be a basement, he was happy there was something other than darkness and gray walls to keep him company.
The basement was very clean and empty, like it was just bought. There was nothing in it, but some empty shelves and a mini staircase that led to what he could only assume was a locked door.
It was an awfully strange place to be. If he didn’t know any better, he’d think this was just the basement of an average citizen, not whoever was currently holding him hostage.
Speaking of, he cycled through a list of potential baddies that could’ve done this as he struggled against the metal. He couldn’t, for his life, remember what happened to him or how he got here. It was all too fuzzy.
It couldn’t have been Cicada, he didn’t know who the Flash was. And although he’d wanna kill Barry for being a meta-human, he had no motive to kidnap him. If it were Thawne, he would’ve been there when Barry woke up, ready to rub his victory in Barry’s face. He knew Ragdoll was still in jail and Amunet would’ve just blackmailed him with his identity if she wanted him for something, so he was pretty stumped on who it could be. Was it someone new? Or someone from the past?
As he struggled, the clanging of the chains echoed in the basement. The noise must’ve alerted his kidnapper because he heard the lock on the door unlatch. Someone was coming through. And he had no clue who it was.
He mentally braced himself before the door opened. The first thing he saw was blond hair and a CSI uniform.
“Patty? Thank God you’re here.” He said relieved, but as she continued walking into the room, she suddenly stopped in front of him, looking down at his face as it slowly morphed into confusion.
“Whoever did this could be on their way right now, help me get this meta cuff off and I can speed us out of here.”
After a short, but chilling silence, she finally spoke up, “Now why would I do that…” she started as he bent down to his level, “when I went through all the work of getting you here.”
A chill ran through Barry as his memories came back to him. He then understood what was happening.
Patty was the one who kidnapped him. It all made sense…in the worst way possible.
He couldn’t believe it, “Patty…why wou...why would you do this?”
“Barry, I still love you and I knew that if you were gonna fall back in love with me, I'd have to separate you and Iris."
“So you kidnapped me?!”
“If I can’t have you, no one should. Not Iris, not Linda, not even the city.“
“Patty, this is crazy. Let me go and let’s start over.” He said, trying to reason with her.
“No! I don’t want to start over!" She exclaimed, "I want to finish where we left off, and if I have to do that by force...” she leaned in closer, “then so be it.”
She got up and started towards the stairs, "It's either you learn to love me again or you learn to live in a basement."
She said the word casually like they were simple and normal.
“Patty! Don’t do this!” Barry called out as she stepped further and further away from him.
"I’ll be back with food later.” She said dryly.
You know this isn’t right, Patty” Barry pleaded as he kept trying at the manacles, “You can’t keep me down here!”
“Trust me, Barry. I can and I will.”
She stated with a conviction that made Barry recoil from the intensity. He'd never seen her like this before and it terrified him.
Something told Barry that she meant every word as she walked out the door, locking it behind her with an indisputable certainty.