Arrowverse One Shots

Iris and Cecile - An Orphan and a Widow

"He's gone, I'm so sorry." Although it had been hours, the nurse's words still echoed in Iris's head. As soon as she'd heard them, her vision began to spin and her knees buckled beneath her. Joe was gone. Her dad was gone. Forever. Her memory after that was hazy, she'd mindlessly signed every form that was handed to her and listened to doctors drone on about post-mortem practice. In those moments, all she wanted was to have Barry by her side, but he was still on Earth 2 with no way of contacting them. Iris was alone. She had collapsed in a chair, her mind numb, when the elevator door opened and out came Cisco rushing towards her.

"I came as soon as I heard," he said, out of breath. "Iris, I... I'm so sorry." He took the seat beside her and pulled her into a hug. Iris practically melted into him, grateful to finally have someone with her.

"I can't believe he's gone," she cried into his shoulder. "If I'd gotten there sooner, I... maybe he wouldn't..."

"Iris no," he said, his own eyes brimming with tears. "There was nothing you could have done."

"Cisco, what do I do?" she sobbed.

"I... I don't know. How about we get you home. Okay?"

"No," she sniffled, sitting up straight. "I can't go back home by myself, not without Barry."

"Okay," he nodded. "I know what to do." He offered his hand out to Iris, who placed her own shaking hand in his. She clung to him all the way out of the building and into the car, where her mind went blank again. She was pulled back into reality when the car finally came to a stop. Iris looked out the window to see their destination. Her dad's house.

"Come on," Cisco said gently. They walked hand in hand up onto the porch and he rang the doorbell. At first there was just eerie silence, and then finally the door creaked open and a bleary-eyed Cecile peaked through the crack.

"Iris!" she gasped upon seeing them. She opened the door all the way and immediately engulfed Iris in a hug. The two women stood there clinging to each other and it felt as if the world stopped. Finally Cecile turned to Cisco, reaching out and squeezing his hand

"I'm so sorry, Cecile," he said quietly. He gave her a hug before nodding and heading out the door, leaving Cecile and Iris alone together.

"Iris I'm sorry I couldn't get to the hospital in time," Cecile rambled, dark mascara streaks below her eyes. "By the time I got the call he was already gone, and I... I just froze. I couldn't move. I'm so sorry." Tears were once again streaming down her face.

"Hey, hey it's okay," Iris said comfortingly, guiding her towards the couch where they both collapsed.

"I just can't believe he's gone," said Cecile, shaking her head. "It's not fair."

"It's not," Iris agreed, succumbing to her own tears. "Oh god, I'm an orphan." She buried her face in her hands.

"I'm a widow," Cecile added, breaking down as well. Cecile pulled Iris into a hug and they stayed there for what felt like an eternity, sobbing in each others' arms. A man that they had both loved with everything they had had been ripped away from them, leaving them shattered in the aftermath. After a while their tears came to a lull, and it felt like they had run out. They continued to sit in silence, both of their heads pounding.

"You're not an orphan," Cecile said quietly, her voice hoarse.

"What?" Asked Iris.

"You're not an orphan," she repeated, turning to look at her. "Iris, you are just as much my daughter as Joanie." Somehow slipping into Mom mode made Cecile think clearly again. As she looked at the broken woman sitting in front of her, she was pulled back into reality. "Whatever happens next, I promise I've got you. As long as I'm around you will never be alone. Okay?"

The corners of Iris's mouth twitched, a ray of sunlight cracking through the darkness. "Okay," she whispered.

"We're going to get through this. Together." Cecile added, taking Iris's hands into her own.

"Together," Iris repeated, a lingering tear trailing down her face.

Looking into Cecile's eyes, she swore she could see a piece of her dad looking back at her. He hadn't left her alone, she thought to herself. He gave her one last gift. Family.

I started this back during Armageddon because I wondered what it had been like in the reality where Joe was dead. Discovered it in the deep dark depths of my drafts and decided to finish it. Someone tell me why I always end up writing sad stories??