A/N: Well, guys... this is it. The final chapter of this story. It's been a lot of fun writing it and it became so much longer than I ever thought it would. Originally I thought it might only be around 4-6 chapters, but boy was I wrong! You guys have been so very amazing throughout this story and for that I just really wanna thank you. So thank you! Without you guys this story wouldn't be possible.

I tried to keep going on this story, but it kept sounding "meh" to me afterward, so I just wound up deleting that bit. This chapter is short, but it's the final one, so I think that's okay. I'm not done with this series by any means, but for now, for this particular story... it's over, and it's been so much fun.

Thank you, again. And I hope you enjoy this final chapter.

Until next time!

Chapter length: 1647

Onward, for the final time in this story!

CHAPTER 25 – The Good Life

The Flash has a speedy recovery – of course he does. He's the Flash, and according to the new scans Caitlin took this morning, the spots are still gone, even a week after the procedure. The spots are gone, and his lungs are working normally, for him. He ran on the treadmill a few times, being monitored, and nothing happened – he didn't get dizzy or breathless or pass out. All very good signs.

It's over, and Len is grateful.

His hand is another matter entirely, though. Barry apologized profusely when he discovered what he did to Len's hand; currently it's wrapped in a makeshift cast of white bandaging to keep him from moving it too much. Not broken, Caitlin said – just enflamed from too much pressure against tendons, nerves and bones. It's going to be sore for a while, and this will cushion it a bit but still allow him to use his hand if absolutely necessary.

All in all, things are going particularly well, a week after the procedure.

The paperwork for their new apartment comes through on a lazy Monday morning; Barry arrives at the safe house in a blur Len was not expecting, since the kid's supposed to be at work. He's so excited, with this wide smile on his face as he thrusts the paper into Len's good hand. It takes a second for Len's mind to catch up with what's happening, but when it does he brings the paper up and reads it. It's their lease, and they can move in whenever they want. The apartment is theirs, and it's ready.

They have a home together.

And then he's smiling, too. He can't help it – the feeling arises from a warm place in his stomach and then his lips are yanked back sharply into this wide grin he can't stop as he looks at Barry.

Barry gives a laugh and a kiss, along with a few quick words telling Len they'll start packing when he gets off tonight, and then he's gone in a flash, disappearing as suddenly as he arrived.

Len looks back down at the paper in his hand.

The apartment is theirs, Barry's health is fine again, and they're getting married in December.

Life is good.

xXx

Lisa is thrilled that the paperwork finally went through and they are getting their own apartment. She's going to remain at the safe house, claiming it has become home to her, and now she won't have to worry about having Cisco's clothes on the couch since Len won't be there. Len imagines Cisco will be spending more nights with Lisa after he and Barry move out.

After they both move out.

It reinforces the thought that they are living together. Sometimes that thought takes a bit to sink in, and when it does, it always leaves him with the urge to smile. As he's alone right now, he allows the feeling to fully blossom and he's grinning widely as he packs clothes into a box. He doesn't have many clothes – a lot of long-sleeved shirts, but only a few pairs of actual jeans, a few pairs of sweatpants for lazing around the safe house, and a couple of short-sleeved shirts. Oh, and his parka. Can't forget that.

He gently folds the parka before laying on top of the pile in the box. After sealing the box, he turns and looks around the room.

It's been three days since they started packing. Barry offered to do it all in one go, claiming he's done it before when he moved back home with Joe after Iris moved out, but Len declines. If they are going to move in together, in their own apartment, they're going to do this right. And that means painstakingly packing everything the old-fashioned way, together. It's slow and tedious and Len's not as young as he used to be, but they spend the better part of three days together, packing random things from the safe house and taking it over to the apartment via a moving truck.

Barry grumbles the whole time, claiming they could already be living in the apartment by now, but Len's enjoying this. He's never moved anywhere before; he ran away from his father, and these safe houses are just… a convenience. When he's ready to move cities, or feels the safe house has been compromised, he'll abandon the safe house completely, and that includes all of his equipment and clothing, save for his Cold gear now.

But now… now he has things.

Lots of things, things he's not sure how he's accumulated.

When did he get a bookshelf and books? When did he get that long-sleeved shirt he likes so much? When did he get that toothbrush holder, or that alarm clock, or his favorite pillow or bed set or-

He just has a lot of things. Possessions. He has a lot of possessions, things he owns, things he wants to take with him.

Barry has things; of course he does. He's always had things. Like his favorite running shoes, and other shoes since he goes through them so quickly, and his favorite pillow and his red toothbrush and his laptop and when did they get a griddle for pancakes…

They have so many things.

The apartment is soon filled with boxes, and Len's not sure how that happened. He thought he'd have to buy everything – or steal it, because he is a criminal, after all – to make this place feel full and like a home should. Now there's boxes everywhere and when the hell did they get this much stuff?

"I could unpack it all, if you want?" Barry offers, practically begging.

"Old-fashioned way, Scarlet," Len chides, casting him a smirk. He knows it's driving Barry crazy going this slowly. Normal pace.

Barry sighs heavily. "Leeen," he complains like a child, "come on, I can have all this done in like three seconds!"

"We're doing it together, Scarlet. Like a normal couple."

Barry brightens at that – he always does when Len mentions their relationship. He tries not to do it too often so it doesn't lose its appeal.

"You know… I don't even know where to start," Barry offers a moment later, staring at the boxes when they're ready to start unpacking together.

Len smirks. "I'll make the decisions, then."

He steps up to a random box and opens it. Dishware. Since when did they even have a complete kitchen set? He does not remember this. Well – he remembers it, because he's eaten off these plates before and hey, that's his favorite mug right there, perfect for his coffee, but he doesn't remember it. He doesn't remember getting a complete set, or when he'd ever think to buy a complete set.

"How about you unload boxes and I'll organize?" Barry offers.

Len scoffs. "I've seen your version of organization, kid. No dice."

Barry pouts.

Len smirks. "How about I tell you how to organize, and it's a deal?"

Barry grins and nods.

"Put the plates on the middle shelf of the upper first and middle cabinets, cups and mugs on the bottom shelf, and pans in the bottom cabinet, under the counter."

Barry disappears in a flash, presumably to do just that. The items disappear from the box almost faster than Len can pull them out, the items instantly snatched from his fingers.

Len reaches for the next box.

xXx

It takes a few days, but soon enough everything is unpacked and the apartment looks like a home should. They'll need to get a better couch, and Lisa kept the TV so they'll have to get one of those, too, but other than that the place is pretty well furnished. They left their bed at the safe house; instead they were given a kind-size, new bed, already waiting for them in the apartment.

A gift from Oliver Queen and Felicity Smoak, according to the tiny note attached to it. Once again apologizing for kidnapping them. Len wants to throw the bed out on pure principle because it's Ollie, but before he reads the note he made the mistake of sitting on said bed, and no. Nope. The bed is too comfy.

Barry definitely agrees when Len drags him down onto it.

All is not forgiven, but it's a start.

"So can they come to the wedding?" Barry asks, warm body flush against Len's side.

"They're on probation, but I suppose," Len grunts.

Barry is very happy about this answer.

He crawls on top of Len, pinning him to the comfortable new bed, and Len's pretty happy about it, too.

Life is so very good.

xXx

Caitlin and Cisco have left STAR Labs.

Len's angry when he hears this, but he knew it was happening. Caitlin already has another job and Cisco finally fully accepted the job offered to him at the precinct. At least he'll be close, Barry says.

Nearly five months after the Singularity, and everyone's disbanded except the Flash.

Barry still runs around saving people, and sometimes at night, slips out of bed to go fix the city when he can't sleep. Len tries to wake up when the kid moves, but Barry can be very sneaky when he wants to be, especially when he's feeling guilty. He thinks it's his job to fix the city, since he broke it.

Random shops and buildings get miraculously put back together through the night.

Barry denies doing it, but suddenly becomes very handy around the apartment if something breaks or something.

He seems to know electrical wiring, and carpentry, suddenly. The kid's a poor liar.

Len does not like the kid sneaking out in the middle of the night to fix the city.

He likes the thought of Barry fighting enemies all on his own even less.

He's just not sure what to do about it, though.

Not yet.

fin