Let It Be
Summary: Barry's daughter goes to the police station after he gets arrested.
Pairing: Barry Berkman x teen!daughter reader
You heard the news as soon as you woke up. Barry got arrested last night. Heâs being charged with the murder of Janice Moss. You couldnât believe that it actually happened, Barry will finally face some consequences for his crimes.Â
Heâs currently at the police station, but will be transferred to jail soon. Your father going to prison means you have to go back into foster care. Just the thought terrifies you. You canât go back to that.
You reached out to a friend whose mom, Annalise, is a lawyer and asked for some legal advice. Annalise suggested filing for emancipation, which would legally make you an adult. Itâs your best chance at avoiding foster care. Annalise volunteered to take on your case pro bono and quickly drew up the paperwork.Â
There isnât a lot of time. Barry is still at the police station getting questioned. Annalise stressed the importance of getting the papers signed before Barry is arraigned and gets transferred to prison. She was planning to deliver the paperwork to your father but you insisted that you should be the one to do it. This is your last opportunity to talk to him before he goes away.
Annalise drove you to the police station and convinced the police to let you see your father, explaining that he was your only living parent. You watched in awe as Annalise spoke with the police. Sheâs very good at her job and it gives you more confidence that she will get your emancipation granted in court.
You take one final deep breath before walking into the interrogation room. The first thing you see is Barry seated at a table.
âHey,â you shyly wave to your father.Â
Barryâs jaw immediately drops when he sees you. He is in shock. Youâre the last person he expected to walk through the door.Â
âY/N,â Barry breathes, âWhatâŠwhat are you doing here?â
You sit down at the table across from Barry. You donât want to talk about what your father is accused of. You know damn well that the cameras are on and you wonât say anything that would implicate him. You still feel weirdly obligated to protect Barry, even after everything heâs done.
âI, uh, I need you to do something for me,â you bite the bottom of your lip.
Barry gives you a confused look. You put the paperwork and a pen down on the table.
âSign these emancipation papers,â you tell him.
Barryâs eyes widen. Heâs stunned into silence, experiencing major deja vu. This moment almost mirrors the first time you met your father. You went to his doorstep, asking him to sign a permanent release of rights so you could emancipate from the foster system. Thatâs when Barry took you in.Â
You went to court with your emancipation request but Barry was granted custody of you instead. After that, you and Barry became a family. And it was good for a while, but it was never meant to last. Your father has a dark past and was battling his own personal demons. He lost that fight and even you couldnât save him.
âPlease Barry! I need to emancipate or else I go back to foster care. I canât⊠I canât go back. Please,â you try.
Barry is taken out of his thoughts, snapping back to reality. You continue making your case.
âMy friendâs mom is a lawyer, sheâs going to help me. She thinks I have a much better chance of getting emancipation granted this time because Iâm almost eighteen and it would be easier to do that rather than re-house me in a foster home. And I have a plan now, not like before. I'm staying at Steve's until I finish off senior year.â
Barry picks up the pen, glancing down at the paperwork.
âWhere do I sign?â
You let out a sigh of relief.
âThereâs a sticky note on the last page,â you tell him.
Barry sifts through the paperwork, quickly reading as he goes along. He takes a deep breath when he gets to the last page. With the stroke of a pen, heâs no longer legally responsible for you. That realization hits him like a ton of bricks.
After a moment of hesitation, Barry signs the document.Â
âThank you,â you breathe.Â
Heâs doing this to protect you. At least thatâs what heâs telling himself. Your father would do anything to make sure you donât go back into foster care.
âI just want you to be safe and happy,â Barry says quietly.
âI am,â you reply, and then, âI miss you⊠but Iâll be okay without you.â
The color in Barryâs face drains. Being your dad was the best part of his life and now itâs all over. Your life will just go on without him.
âDespite everything, youâll always be my father. You provided me with the first home Iâve ever had and Iâll always be grateful for that.â
Barry slowly nods. He slides the paperwork and pen back over to you. You rise to your feet.
âI should get going,â you sigh, eyeing the exit.
âI love you kid,â Barry tells you sincerely.
Youâre quiet for a moment. Tears begin streaming down your face, you wipe them away.Â
âI love you too⊠Bye dad.â













