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Haylee walked into Star Labs with a tray of coffees in her hand, her mind was running wild after her talk with her brother from the future as it had been a week since it happened. She had been training harder than before and now her speedster ability was practically second nature to her. "Hello!? Haylee, you in there?" Cisco teased as he noticed Haylee staring off into the distance in the doorway. "Huh? Uh, yeah... Sorry, been a bit distracted lately," Haylee told him before handing him his drink.

She placed Cailtin's drink on the desk by her before spotting Barry on the treadmill with Harrison watching him. Haylee internally cringed with some guilt as she looked at the man she once claimed her idol, she wasn't sure why she never noticed anything off about him but now it's like her inner Raven alerts are going off like a tsunami heading to shore. She made her way over and smiled kindly at the man in the wheelchair when he turned to her, smiling back as she handed him his coffee.

"Thank you, Haylee," Dr Wells nodded before taking a sip enjoying the taste as Barry stepped off the treadmill sending Haylee a bright smile that made her heart melt. He walked up to her and took the empty tray from her hands before wrapping his arms around her waist, leaning down and kissing her softly before pulling back. "Have you spoken to Iris?" Barry asked her, the brunette nodded with a sigh. Eric had been on both Iris and Haylee's backs about realising articles about The Flash, the former was clueless on what to do.

"I told Iris to let me handle it and she can focus on the Benley group about saving kids from violent homes, which she's glad to write about," Haylee told him as Dr Wells excused himself leaving the two meta's alone. "I've noticed she isn't as suspicious about all of us as she was before. Did I ever tell you how much I love your excuses?" Barry asked as he leaned down and kissed her lips softly. "You have but I'm happy to hear it again," Haylee replied against his lips.

"So what was the emergency at Iron Heights?" Haylee asked Barry with furrowed brows. "Are you asking as my not-girlfriend, as a journalist or as a hero?" Barry asked with a smirk on his face using the term that Haylee often used to correct Joe who, at this point, just says they are boyfriend and girlfriend. "All of the above. Either way, we know you'll tell me," Haylee teased with a smirk of her own before pulling Barry into a more passionate kiss.

Barry slowly pulled away in a dazed state, a lopsided smile on his face as he admired the woman before him. The way her eyebrows crease together when she is deep in thought about who knows what most of the time, the way her resting face had a small kind smile resting on her face as her eyes focused on every detail in the room. He adored her brown eyes that many would claim as dull yet there were little golden specks, slight green surrounding the pupil which is only noticeable up close.

"There was a prison break, Clay Parker. But there was some sort of organic particle residue on the floor that leads outside," Barry explained to Haylee who nodded listening to his words. "So are we thinking there could be a meta involved?" Haylee asked straight away, Barry nodded with her words before they headed out into the Cortex. "Not even Barry or Haylee's cells move this fast. I've never seen anything like it," Cailtin told them.

"So Clay Parker is a metahuman?" Haylee asked with furrowed brows. "Not so fast. The particle residue Barry gathered at Iron Heights does contain Clay Parker's DNA, but also DNA of a woman," Caitlin told Haylee. "Run her DNA against the CCPD criminal database. See if you get a match," Barry told them, his arms resting around Haylee's waist from behind. "Yahtzee!" Cisco called out with a proud smile on his face, "Her name's Shawna Baez. Mostly petty crimes and this girl likes to party, apparently."

Haylee rolled her eyes at the smirk on Cisco's face before stepping out of Barry's arms not noticing the pout of his face when she did so. "Long list of disorderly conducts at local bars. You're right, she is a party girl," Haylee spoke before letting out a breath noticing the familiar names of some of the bars. "So I'm guessing we find her, we find Clay Parker," Joe spoke up with Haylee nodding in agreement. Cisco had left the room and Haylee raised a brow at his strange behaviour before looking back to Caitlin and Barry.

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"He's your dad, Barr. Of course, he's gonna help however he can," Haylee told Barry, the speedster was worried about his father. Barry told Haylee about how he got to see his father, face-to-face with no glass or phone and she couldn't help but beam at his excitement. But now Barry was worried about his father's involvement with finding out information knowing the consequences of a snitch or a cop informant. "I know but I don't want him to get hurt," Barry told her, his head resting on her shoulder.

"Neither do I and trust me when I say, anyone who hurts Henry Allen with face the Raven," Haylee warned, it felt different to connect her past and future self together but future Jesse was right, she felt complete when she did. Barry smiled at her before pulling her into a kiss, his hands rested on either side of her face as they kissed. They pulled apart, Barry slowly opened his eyes as familiar words bounced within his head from his father; Your mother was my light in the darkness, Barry. Haylee Brager is your light, don't lose her in the darkness.

"So at least we know that Clay and Shawna won't be leaving Central City yet and that gives us time to find them and lock them up," Haylee told Barry with a smile before she looked back at him noticing that his gaze was focused on her. "What's up?" Haylee asked with a smile on her face, Barry smiled softly at her. "Haylee... Will you-" Barry began but both of their phones went off causing Barry to groan in annoyance as they pulled out their separate phones.

Barry was receiving a call from Caitlin while Haylee spotted Cisco's contact, she smiled at Barry before stepping away from him to answer the phone. "Hey Co, what's up?" Haylee asked as she adjusted the flowers sitting on her living room window sill. "What are the chances my decision to release one of our meta's for information, for intent to return them... what are the chances it backfires and causes more bad than good?" Cisco asked as he focused his attention on Hartley.

"Cisco... Is this about Hartley knowing about Ronnie and your plan to use Hartley to save Ronnie?" Haylee asked with a small smirk, she had pieced that together considering Hartley happened to be a genius and Cisco would do anything for his family, just like she would. "How, uh, how did you-nevermind. But yeah," Cisco sighed. "Do what you need to Cisco but keep in mind, if it falls apart, I've got your back. Always," Haylee assured him with a smile.

"Thanks. I should go," Cisco told her before hanging up the phone, Haylee put her phone in her pocket before looking to Barry. "Caitlin has summoned me," Barry told her. "It's alright, I got some cleaning to do so let me know if you need me," Haylee told him before they kissed. Barry headed out to Star Labs while Haylee turned to her living room, she sighed at the sight of the take out boxes everywhere. "Jesse and I are terrible adults," Haylee muttered before she got to work cleaning up the mess.

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Haylee walked down the stairs where Barry was waiting for her after he and Caitlin decided to go to one of the bars that Shawna and Clay would go to. Haylee had slipped on a nice black dress that sat at her mid-thigh with a strapless sweetheart neckline, black boots with it. "Wow..." Barry breathed out looking at her, she flushed red as she walked up to him. "I messaged Jesse, he's gonna pick up Caitlin and meet us there," Haylee told Barry.

"We, uh, should get going then," Barry said before opening the door for her, Haylee smirked knowing the reason he was being like that. "Relax Barr," Haylee told him before pushing up on her toes, leaning in close to his ear. "Or we'll never make it out of the house," Haylee whispered, her lips brushing against his ear before she stepped away and walked out of the house. Barry let out a shaky breath trying to calm his racing heart, looking down he noticed his body vibrating from the excitement.

The two sat down in the bar, a glass of whiskey in front of Haylee due to her drinking habits with Oliver and Diggle while Barry had settled with soda knowing that alcohol had no effects on him at all. "Do you know if alcohol still affects you?" Barry asked Haylee as she downed her drink. "Not a clue, tonight's a great experiment," Haylee warned him which made him laugh. "Hey," Caitlin's voice caught their attention, Jesse nodded to the two as he and Caitlin sat down.

"You look good Cait," Haylee told her with a wink, the woman smiled at her. "I don't always dress like a high school principal," Caitlin told them, both Haylee and Barry looked at her in amusement. "So this is where Shawna Baez and Clay Parker used to hang out?" Jesse asked as he looked around, cringing at the sight of karaoke. "It is, according to the files," Caitlin told him. "I thought we could kill two birds with one stone. Look for them and get Caitlin back out there," Haylee told Jesse making him and Barry laugh.

The four of them drank together for a while talking about Jesse's troubles regarding Iris and his destiny to be "just the friend" while Caitlin rambled on about how she was pining after a man who bursts into flames. Haylee however was trapped in her thoughts about her encounter with the Bolt while Barry was focused on Haylee and the question he'd been wanting to ask her all day. It wasn't long till Caitlin had created a tab that lead to Caitlin, Haylee and Jesse getting tipsy.

"Mr Barry Allen!" Caitlin spoke through the microphone on the stage, Jesse and Haylee both laughed at the wide-eyed look on Barry's face. "Come on down! Or up," Caitlin drunkenly spoke through the mic. Barry continuously told her no but she began chanting so Haylee draped her arm around him and smiled, "Go on Barr. Serenade me." Barry looked down at her, the wide grin on her face made his heart melt so he kissed the top of her head and made his way up to the stage with Caitlin.

Haylee cheered from her spot next to her brother, the two of them were laughing as Caitlin began singing the song Summer Lovin' from the movie Grease. But Haylee went quiet as Barry sang, his key was perfect and his voice was beyond soothing. Jesse noticed the loving look that his sister sent towards Barry, a smile formed at the sight knowing that no matter what happened in the future, they would be happy.

After their song, Barry and Jesse had swapped places, the latter volunteered so Barry could be with Haylee. Caitlin had been chanting Jesse's name as he approached her before the two broke out into a duet of random songs from the eighties, laughing and stuttering over their words completely out of key but the drunk crowd didn't seem to care as they all sang and danced along with the performers.

"You can sing?" Haylee asked him the moment he sat down next to her. "Uh, yeah. Not something I advertise," Barry shrugged as he looked at Haylee. "You know I won't be forgetting that and Jesse recorded it for Cisco," Haylee told him, the speedster glared over at Jesse who was too busy singing with Caitlin to notice. "You wanna know something Barry Allen," Haylee slurred out proving that she was indeed drunk.

"What?" Barry asked with a smirk. "You are still cute when you ramble," Haylee told him before looking towards Jesse and Caitlin as they approached them. Barry smiled remembering the first time she had said that to him, she was someone who never cut him off when he rambled about a topic he knew a lot about and it was one of the reasons he loved her. "You two having fun?" Haylee asked them as they laughed together. "I have to go to the bathroom," Caitlin told them.

"I will accompany you," Haylee told her before kissing Barry's cheek, the two of them made their way to the bathroom leaving Barry and Jesse at the bar. "Can I close out my tab, please?" Jesse asked the bartender who continued to ignore him and Barry. "Hey, Stevie," A girl spoke catching Stevie's attention, "Can my friend here tap out?" Stevie nodded, "Sure thing, Linda." Jesse turned to Linda with a smile as Stevie tabbed him out.

"Uh, thank you, Linda," Jesse said as he looked at her. "You're welcome, Jesse," Linda replied with a smile. "How do you know my name?" Jesse asked with furrowed brows, his drunken mind barely comprehending anything at the moment. "Jesse! Jesse! Jesse!" She faked chanted causing Jesse to close his eyes momentarily, "Yeah... sorry about us up there." The two continued to talk, well Linda was flirting and Barry watched in amusement. Barry watched as Linda gave Jesse her number, the Brager male smiled at her.

Linda walked away after that as Haylee and Caitlin walked back to them. "I don't feel so good," Caitlin told them before she could be sick, Barry grabbed her and rushed her outside while Jesse and Haylee walked out. Barry, being the only sober one, drove the others home which Haylee had almost fallen asleep in the car while Barry helped Caitlin inside. Then they got to the Brager household, the three of them headed inside and Jesse excused himself to shower and go to bed while Barry helped Haylee up the stairs.

"I think we should do things like this more often considering everything we go through on a daily basis," Haylee rambled out as Barry lead her to her room. "I'm sure we can do something about that but for now, you need to get some sleep," Barry told her. "Only if you stay. I sleep better with you next to me, no nightmares," Haylee muttered out the last part but Barry heard her. "I'll stay Haylee," Barry assured her though he planned to stay to look after her.

"Now let's get you to bed," Barry told her before using his speed to change her clothes not taking a peek causing her to laugh. "Did you sneak a peek? At my goods?" Haylee asked with a smirk. "I wouldn't be much of a hero if I did," Barry told her as she climbed under the blankets. "Yeah, but it's okay if you peeked a little. You deserve a peek for all the good stuff you do and I'm your not-girlfriend so like... I'd be okay with it," Haylee slurred out as she closed her eyes saying one last thing.

"I love you, Barry Allen."

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Author Note
I was so excited to write this chapter.
I don't want Haylee to just be "Flash's sidekick" which is why she isn't always present in his little battles but she will face her own battles and assist with others.

How do you think Barry will react?

-Rose <3
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