In front of the abandoned storage unit, Barry shimmied the door open just enough to slide through. He closed it behind him. Flicking the light switch, he allowed a few more lights to illuminate the glass cell in the center of the room. 

"Dinner," he called, approaching it. 

Eobard Thawne forced himself to stand. Leaning lazily on the glass, he peered at the paper bag in his archenemies hand. He looked exhausted, despite only being able to sleep all day. For Barry, he tried to play it off and revert back to the same old routine of trying to affect him through his emotions. 

"There better be curly fries in there," he said casually. 

"Yeah, human beings can go up to three weeks without food so I'd sound a little bit more grateful if I was you," said Barry thoughtfully. 

"You wouldn't do that to me, Barry. After all, you're the hero. Or did you forget that? Too busy leading your reverse 'It's A Wonderful Life'?" teased Eobard, dramatically sighing. "Reverse, huh. that's irony for you. So, what should we call this brave new world you've whipped up for us? I was thinking: Flashpoint."

Barry held the paper bag in the air, challenging, "So you don't want this?"

"You may have figured out a way to dampen my speed with this glass cage, but I will get out and I will destroy your life, Flash, one way or another," threatened Eobard. 

"No, you won't. You're never getting out of here, and you're never gonna hurt anybody ever again," decided Barry. "I have everything back that you took from me. I have everything Zoom took. I'm finally free. I'm home."

"This isn't your home, Barry, this is a mirage; a fiction that will end us both, unless you let me the hell out of this thing!"

"Well, you're not listening, Thawne. Why would I want to get out of here? I'm whole, here. There's even a Flash, so I don't have to be."

"Yeah, who is this dashing young speedster, huh? Do you know? Do you even care?" sneered Eobard. 

Barry watched him, head tilted, waiting to see what other taunts Eobard could try that would get him to react. 

"While you sit around and hide like a lost, lonely little boy letting someone else risk their live to protect this city, a common enemy is coming for us both."

"What common enemy is that?" chuckled Barry. 

"Time," said Eobard simply. "It's already screwing with you and everyone you love. Pretty soon, it's gonna take me right down along with you."

"Wow," breathed Barry, shaking his head. "You know, you got some nerve. I'll give you that. Warning me about messing with other people's lives... You know, the whole reason I did this is because of what you did to my life! To my family, to my mother!"

"Well, one day, soon, Barry, you'll be begging me to kill her again!" screamed Eobard. 

Barry almost stopped walking away. He almost shattered the glass himself, if only to feel the sensation of his fist against Eobard's jaw. He had heard the crack of his own hand against his most hated foe's face. He yearned to hear it, to feel it, one more time. 

However, when Barry started to give into the urge and he turned his head, his cell phone rang. Staring at Eobard, jaw clenched, he retrieved his cell phone. Immediately, he lost all tenseness in his body. He turned, mumbling a soft, "Yeah?" in response to the call.

"Barry!" gasped Parker. "Ahh!"

"What, what's wrong?" he asked urgently.

"I need yo-"

Barry brought the cell from his ear. The call dropped, from her end. He hurriedly shoved his phone back into his pocket, ready to run to her aid. 

"And her?" called Thawne, smirking. "Pretend all you want, Barry. She's not her. You know it."

Barry couldn't listen to him anymore. As fast as he could, he ran. He left the makeshift prison and ran to Parker's apartment, focusing on the situation ahead rather than leave his mind to decide if Eobard was correct. 

He used his key to open the door, considering he and Parker both decided it best for him to not unveil his speed in front of the kids. Once inside, he was exposed to traces of water on the hardwood floor, causing him to slip and fall. 

Parker, previously chasing the twins, had let her laughter bring her hustling feet to a stop. She, too, ended up on the floor when the twins ran into her from both sides, knocking her over. She desperately tried to reach Barry for defense against the rowdy kids. She was too late.

Evelyn and Nathan took their chance and leaped on top of both, each mercilessly tickling one of the pair. Barry managed to ward off the children from their mother. He held both off with one hand to their chests, letting their feet desperately slide against the floor. He hoped to tire them out. 

Parker tried to catch her breath while Barry distracted the kids. She gasped for breath quietly behind him, head resting against his back. 

"Boy, am I getting too old for this," she panted. 

"What were you two doing to your Momma before I got here?" asked Barry, chuckling. 

In response, the twins were quiet. Barry grabbed and held Nathan to his chest, in such a way so the boy's arms were trapped. Despite so, Nathan continued to try to wiggle from Barry's grasp. When he saw no such luck, he reverted to trying to sleep, instead.

"Looks like I'm not getting anything from this one," admitted Barry. He raised his eyebrow at Evelyn. "Princess."

Evelyn brought her fingers across her lips, zipping them shut metaphorically. She then took a seat on her mother's lap, staring at Barry. She dared to challenge him in the Silent Game. 

"It's time for a bath and they didn't want to," explained Parker, regaining her breath. "I got Evelyn in with no problem, but Nathan wasn't about to jump in there with her, so he ran, and then she joined and it was a mess."

Barry  shifted Nathan in his arms, cradling him as though he was a baby. Uncomfortable, Nathan wiggled until Barry let him go.

"I'm not a baby!" whined Nathan. 

"Then quit acting like one, and let's go shower," said Barry, holding out his hand.

Nathan shook his head. 

"Why not?"

"I don't want Mommy to wash me anymore," he said quietly.

"You want to bathe by yourself?" asked Barry. 

Nathan sneaked a glance at his mother, judging her reaction, then nodded, once he saw that she seemed unaffected by the statement. 

"Why don't you tell Mommy that, honey?" asked Barry.

"That would make her upset," mumbled Nathan. 

"Oh, Nathan," frowned Barry. "Mommy's not upset because you want to be independent. She's upset because you didn't tell her that you want to do that."

"I'm sorry," he mumbled. 

"Don't tell me that, tell Mommy that," encouraged Barry. 

Nathan rotated to face his mother. Timidly, he brought his shameful gaze to meet Parker's, then he trudged into her. He collapsed against her chest, hugging to her tightly in forgiveness. 

Parker pressed a kiss to his forehead. "It's okay, kid. Next time, be honest with Mommy. I'd rather that than you creating an elaborate plan to distract me. Not a bad idea, though. But don't do it to me, do it to other people."

"Parker," scolded Barry. 

She shrugged. "Now, my big boy, let's go take a bath. I'm still watching you, though. You might need help reaching your back, or doing your hair. Deal?"

"Deal," mumbled Nathan. 

Barry and Parker watched the little boy made his way to the bathroom, casually pulling a layer of clothing off as he approached. By the time he made it into the bathroom, he was naked, shouting for his Mommy to turn on the hot water. 

"They grow up so fast," sighed Parker. 

"I'm not grown up, Mommy," denied Evelyn. 

"That's right, bitty-boo. You're gonna be our little Princess forever, right?" asked Parker. 

"Forever and ever!" agreed Evelyn. 

Barry smiled. "Why don't you go finish getting dressed, Princess?"

Evelyn nodded eagerly and sprinted to her room. 

Parker and Barry helped one another to their feet. Hands still interlocked, Parker popped up onto her tip-toes and kissed his cheek. 

"What was that for?" he wondered. 

"I'll never know what my Barry would have been like as their father," she said softly.

Barry, awkwardly, scratched his neck. He didn't know how to respond to such a statement, whether he should apologize or defend his decision. He stayed quiet. 

"Slowly, I'm learning that maybe it doesn't matter. You're the best surrogate father I could have asked for, Barry Allen. A million kisses can't thank you enough for it, but that one's to the start of it, I suppose."