Suite 138: Conversations

[alwaysroomforhope]

Steph's sprawled on the couch, watching Wendy the Werewolf Stalker - old episodes, but they're always good for a re-run. There is popcorn nearby. Also, chocolate.

And the door's invitingly open, spilling sound and light into the corridor. Stop by, if you're passing. Her flatmate's randomly vanished, and she could always use company.

Comments

[silverageflash.livejournal.com]

He can tell something isn't right here. He knows that she can be quite emotional, which is sometimes a good thing. Lord knows, he hasn't been, and maybe he should be.

"I am not. I don't want to go. To leave Sara, or my friends. Or you.

"You're family now. Do you know that?"

[alwaysroomforhope]

That floors her, cracking the Robin face like an egg. She looks up, eyes brimming. "I - I'm gonna miss you, Barry."

[silverageflash.livejournal.com]

The tears come to his eyes as well.

"I'm going to miss you, too, Stephanie. I'm glad I got to know you.

"Glad I was there for you. And glad to see what you can become."

[alwaysroomforhope]

Steph bites her lip. "When - when are you going?" She wants to ask if he has to go - but she knows the answer.

[silverageflash.livejournal.com]

"Probably in the next couple of weeks. The Speed Force is not telling me much, but I sense it." He pauses.

"I'd like you to be there when I go."

[alwaysroomforhope]

"I'll be there," Steph promises, without having to think about it. "I'll - yeah. I'll be there."

She wraps her arms around herself. "Where? How - are you just - how?"

[silverageflash.livejournal.com]

He gathers his words. He hasn't even told Sara this yet.

"It will be out by the lake. I will just start running, until the Force grabs me. It almost happened once here."

[alwaysroomforhope]

Steph nods silently. It's hard to grasp.

[silverageflash.livejournal.com]

Barry gets up and steps over to Stephanie, And then takes her hands very gingerly.

"Thanks. It will mean a lot, You're..." He can't make himself say "like a daughter" even now. "You're one of the best."

[alwaysroomforhope]

Steph sniffles, and then throws her arms around him. "You're like family, Barry. It's going to really suck without you here."

[silverageflash.livejournal.com]

What can he say? Anything will just make her cry more. But he hs to say something.

"I know. No one else can run like me." LEt's try being silly, he thinks.

[alwaysroomforhope]

Steph manages a laugh. "Yeah, we'll be screwed when we want a quick lift somewhere."

She shows no signs of letting go.

[silverageflash.livejournal.com]

Neither does he.

"Never mind that. If you need your room painted in ten minutes, you'll have to ask some other metahuman."

[alwaysroomforhope]

Steph can't think of anything much more to say. She doesn't want him to go. She can't even calculate how much she doesn't want him to go, and if she tries to say anything else she's sure it'll come out a pathetic plea. So she just holds on, and tries not to imagine the Bar without that particular source of comfort.

[silverageflash.livejournal.com]

And Barry knows this must be killing Steph. This hurts more than even telling Sara did. Sara, he knows, can take care of herself and has friends to help. And Sara knew he would have to leave before everything else happened. Steph? He hopes and prays she does as well.

But for now, he just holds her, and lets her cope.