"Letting you out there is a team decision, you know? You're the only one out there, but it's a team effort. You have to prove that you're listening to what they're saying, you have to follow it. These guys are smart. You're smart, but we have to keep our heads together when you're out there. We have a much better chance of bringing you back safely rather than if we left you on your own..."

Parker's brain hurt almost as much as her legs. From wall to wall in the kitchen of Barry's house, she paced, rehearsing lines for the awaiting argument. 

The front door creaked open. Shoes squeaked against the hardwood. 

"Hello?" he called into the darkness. 

"Yeah, you would be the first dead in a horror film," guessed Parker. "Hi. I broke in. You guys still leave the extra key in the dirt of the plant."

Thoughtfully, Barry pursed his lips. He tilted his head, motioning for her to follow him up the stairs and into his bedroom. 

"Sorry about the mess. If I would have known, I would have cleaned up," he said.

"I don't mind," said Parker. "Look, I came here to address an issue, so can I?"

Barry took a seat on his bed. "The floor is yours."

The words of her speech flew out professionally, as though she had said it millions of times. The only thing Barry didn't know was that she actually had. At the end, Parker curtsied, signifying that she finished. 

"Joe did say I should stop putting my feelings first," admitted Barry.

Parker clapped. "And Joe would be right!"

"I need to start thinking. You're right. I'm sor--"

"No, no, I'm not asking for an apology," she interrupted. "I just want you to promise that you're going to try."

Barry stood. His long legs needed two steps before he was in front of her. He gripped the desk behind her. Their close proximity made her stomach twist. The way his eyes found interest in only her made her heart flutter. 

"I will listen to your advice," Barry promised. "I will be a good boy and follow the rules."

Parker didn't trust her voice. Instead, she nodded, then ducked under his arm. "Uh, how did t-the supersonic punch go?"

"Hurt. Like really bad. But I finally beat Tony, so I'm happy," admitted Barry. "So happy that I think I deserve a victory kiss!"

Barry ran to Parker. His arms swooped down and wrapping around her waist. She had to latch her arms around his neck to avoid being dropped. When her feet were safely planted on the ground --and the headache left-- he puckered his lips.

Shaking her head, Parker wiggled from his grasp, then took his hand, tugging on it slightly. 

"Where are we going?" 

"To bed? Aren't you tired?"

It was Barry's turn to drag her into the bed. 

"Eager to get me in bed, huh?" teased Parker. 

He reached behind his neck and pried his shirt off. 

"Oh, my God," mumbled Parker, sliding her hands over her face. 

"Do I make you nervous?" His tone was filled with cockiness.

"Insanely."

××××

In the middle of the night, Parker's eyes fluttered open.She lifted her head from Barry's chest. The bright red letters of his alarm clock read 3:37 a.m.

"What's wrong?" Barry whispered. His voice was deep, groggy.

"It's too hot," whined Parker. "I pulled off my sweatpants and I'm still hot."

"You're right," he agreed.

Parker whimpered. She had shorts on, Barry was only in his boxers. The feeling of their bare legs intertwined had become hot and sticky. She was desperate to move.

"Did you wanna move..?"

"No."

"Well, it's hot," she repeated.

"It's because of you."

"It's three in the morning and you're going to try to flirt? Barry, move, get out of my bed."

Parker pressed her hands against his stomach and pushed. Barry didn't move an inch. 

She pressed her hands against his stomach and tried to push. He didn't move an inch.

"It's actually my bed. But you're right. It's hot, get out," Barry shoved her, harder than he meant, sending her off the edge of the bed. He laughed hysterically when she hit the floor.

"You're terrible!" whispered Parker. 

She ripped a blanket from their five layers and wrapped it around her body. She trudged through the dark, squinting, hoping to find the door. 

Barry chuckled a pillow at her before she could reach the door. His only pillow. 

Parker's mouth dropped open. She was appalled he would target her sympathy. She watched Barry pout, lazily reaching out to her with his lip popped out.

"My pillow," he whimpered. 

Parker grabbed the pillow from the floor and crawled on the bed. She tossed the pillow on his face. She curled on the very edge of the bed. 

Barry shook his head. He rolled her over by grabbing her hip. Parker scooted closer. She placed her cool hands on his chest, drawing away some of his warmth. Her forehead rested against his collarbone. He placed his chin on top of her head.

"Oddly not hot any more," she observed.

"I might have turned the heat down."

Parker's voice was flat. "When I bent down to get the pillow?"

"Yup."

"So predictable."

××××

Six hours later, the alarm clock beside Barry's bed made the two spring apart. 

Barry threw his arm over Parker and hit the snooze button. He peaked at her from under his pillow, which hadn't left its place from on top of his head.

"Almost forgot you were here," admitted Barry. 

Parker buried her face deeper into the blanket. "How much time?"

"Officially, you have an hour until you're supposed to be at S.T.A.R. Labs. But, then again, everybody just kinda shows up when they feel like it, so..."

Parker pushed herself from his bed. She opened the door, entered into the hallway, where she came face to face with Joe. Immediately, Parker was wide awake. 

"Oh, my God," breathed Joe. "Oh, my... I-I-I gotta go."

"Joe, believe me, we didn't--"

"Stop, stop, stop," begged Joe. He sprinted past her, down the stairs, then out of the door. 

The encounter brought both Iris and Barry from their bedrooms. 

"Hey, you two," yawned Iris. 

Like two deer in headlights, Parker and Barry froze, praying that Iris would be too tired to realize the situation in front of her. 

The woman slid past them and down the stairs, muttering, "I'm making waffles. See you for breakfast."

"That was..." breathed Barry.

"I should get going," decided Parker quietly.

"Right, of course," agreed Barry. He leaned in. "I can meet you there. I'm speedy, you know."

Parker nodded. "Yes, Barry, I am aware. Look, while you being overly confident is quite attractive, I'm telling you, don't make it a habit of relying on your speed all the time."

Barry slurred a smile. "Meeting you there."

"On time?"

Barry whistled as he skipped back to his bed. 

××××

It took no time at all for Parker to realize it was a terrible decision to leave Barry to awake on his own. An hour later, with no appearance from him, Cisco and Parker sat in the Cortex, debating where Barry could be. 

"Getting donuts as an apology?" asked Cisco. 

"Didn't work when I did it," scoffed Parker.

"Yeah, that's because our attention was on Felicity."

"So you admit it!"

"Who said I was denying it?"

Dr. Wells drove his wheelchair into the Cortex. "Where's Barry?"

"Late," answered Cisco. 

"Late is his signature move," said Parker.

One glance over the Cortex caused Caitlin to place her hands on her hips. "Really? He's still not here?"

"No, but while we're all gathered, I would like to address something," announced Cisco. Obnoxiously, he cleared his throat and pointed at the woman next to her. "Parker is wearing the same clothes as yesterday!"

Parker felt lips press to her forehead. She raised her head. Their eyes met. Ecstasy met disapproval; Barry met Parker.

"Sorry, everyone. I got a little held up," apologized Barry.

"I'm gonna need a moment or two alone with Barry," said Dr. Wells. He wheeled into the treadmill room to wait. 

Cisco giggled quietly. "Ooh, you're in trouble."

"I thought I told you not to be late," recalled Parker. She slipped the coffee from his hands and took a long sip. "I'm going to make you get up with me next time."

"Oh, so there's a next time?" Barry retorted.

"You two were together this morning?!"

Parker pushed the coffee back into Barry's hand. She slipped a catalog from the desk and rolled it up, tapping it against her palm. 

"Don't hurt him too much," Bsrry said.

"No promises," said Parker, set on beating him at least once. 

××××

During his talk with Dr. Wells, Barry had to leave, due to a call from Joe. A burnt dead body was found at the Petersburg Electrical Station. It was strange enough to tempt Barry to bring the folder back to S.T.A.R. Labs. 

Itching to use the new system, Parker snatched the folder from Barry's hand. She slid the photo underneath the computer's camera. 

"Facial Reconstruction," introduced Parker. 

"It was designed for archaeologists, but it should help us ID your crispy corpse," clarified Cisco. 

"You can work this?" asked Barry. 

"Oh," she muttered, realizing he was targeting her. "I always had a curiosity of working in Forensics. This is giving me a chance to taste my dream, without all those college years."

"Parker, you know I work in Forensics, right?"

"Of course. It's why we make a good team," assured Parker. 

She held her finger in the air, momentarily pausing the conversation. She typed in the specific code, giving the computer a command to construct the face from the picture.

"Question is: how did he fry in the first place? Is there a meta-human out there who can control electricity now?" asked Barry. 

"Why didn't we ever take a list of names for people who died that died?" wondered Parker. "Be prepared for everyone who showed up and tried to kill Dr. Wells?"

"That would require hours of work. Going through files upon files about that night, collecting names of all those missing and deceased... Not to mention, you would have to cooperate with the CCPD to get those files," guessed Caitlin. 

"I work in the Station," said Parker. With another thought, she pointed to Barry. "So does the damn speedster."

Dr. Wells ignored the conversation in all. He looked to Barry. "It'd take a serious electrostatic discharge to cause that level of tissue damage."

"There's an eighty two percent chance our victim looked like this," introduced Cisco. 

It was an improvement from the photo Barry had taken. The burnt skin had turned cream colored; the face was a slightly more defined facial structure. However, it wasn't the crystal clear result Barry had expected.

"Eighty two?" he asked, tilting his head skeptically.

"Well, it's more than you walked in with, Allen," said Parker defensively.

"Can you cross reference that with the DMV database? Maybe get a name."

Parker did as asked. "Casey Donahue. No wife, no kids. Used to work at the Petersburg Electrical Substation," she said.

"That can't be a coincidence," said Caitlin. 

"That's weird," noticed Cisco. He pointed to a log on the screen. "Someone just used his ID to enter the substation."

"The Petersburg grid is experiencing a power drain right now," said Caitlin. Her tone clearly questioned the accuracy of her computer. 

"Barry, be--" But he was gone, and so was the suit.