Fastest Woman Alive (Barry Allen - The Flash Story)

Chapter 2

"Can't read my, can't read my no he can't read my...."

What is that sound? Where am I? I open my eyes and come face to face with a familiar face. "That always works" he says. "Cisco!" I jump up and pull him in for a hug, "man am I glad to see you."

He lets out a chuckle, "well hello to you too." "You remember me?" I ask, hopeful. "I'm sorry, but I don't." Oh.

"It's-It's okay. Clearly something is off here. Where is Barry?" I ask. "Let me tell him you're awake" Cisco says while walking out the door. I'm in Star Labs, I finally realize.

"Hey...." I hear after a blast of wind shakes everything around me. I stare at his face and smile, "hey." "So uh I"m sorry but you must be mistaken. I'm with Iris and we have two kids of our own. Nora and Bart... we've met them." Barry says. "Well, I don't understand how that is possible." I say, taking a pause for a deep breath. "You cannot have two separate lives that exist in one timeline. Unless something changed and that's why Linda and Max disappeared. I started disappearing too... wouldn't I be gone now. I-I don't want to go. I want our life" I say, becoming more distressed by the moment.

"The thing is, I've never met you before. Even if something changed wouldn't I have known you by now? You ran to 2021 for a reason, right?" he asks. I nod, "yes, I ran here because you asked me to be your girlfriend last night. If my memory serves me well..."

He looks confused again, "I don't know an Eliza yet. Are-are you from another universe?" he asks. I shake my head, "no. This is my earth. I-I cannot travel through the multiverse. Only you ever could..."

"Maybe you unleashed the power to save yourself" he says. I shake my head, "no... this is Earth Prime is it not?" I ask. He nods, "it is." I steady myself on the bed before swinging my legs over the edge. "Something is wrong. Someone is changing the timeline and hiding it." I say, "we tell each other everything and you've never mentioned Iris. There was Patty, but she was right before me."

He laughs, "I knew Patty months ago. I've known Iris my whole life.. We grew up together." he says. "What do you mean? You grew up with Wally and Joe..." I trail off. "Wally is Iris' brother..." he says.

"Listen Barry, I don't know what is going on or why I have not disappeared yet but one of these timelines is wrong. I need to show you" I take a step that glides me towards him, in a flash. "Show me how?" he asks. "Do you trust me?" I ask. He scans my face before looking into my eyes. I know he is assessing his gut feeling about me. I know that he knows he can trust me. He nods.

I bring both hands to his face, and cup his cheeks. I close my eyes and feel the lightning vibrating through my body. We are encased in lightning as I bring my lips to his.

"Hi, I'm El" I say, extending my right hand to the handsome man in front of me. "I'm Barry Allen" he says, shaking my hand. "I know." I say with a smile. "And you're also the flash."

His face drops, "wh-what are you talking about?" I bring my pointer finger to him,"don't worry. I'll keep your secret if you can keep mine." He gives me another confused stare. I take a step back and run as fast as I can. I make it to Milan in 9.5 seconds. Another 9.5 seconds later and I am back in Central City. "Pizza from my favorite spot in Milan" I say, handing him the pie.

I feel his eyes begin to open, "not yet" I say.

"Barry, this place is perfect. I love it!" I say, my face beaming with joy. "I'm glad. Anything for my favorite girl" he says, wrapping his arms around my waist. "Speaking of being my favorite girl..." he pauses, "how about you be my girlfriend?"

I whip around. "Barry Allen, did you just ask me to be your girlfriend?" I ask, teasing him a little. He blushes,"yes." My smile widens, "well, there is your answer." He titles his head to the side, like a confused puppy. "Yes, I will be your girlfriend."

I wrap my arms around his neck and pull his body closer to mine. I feel his heart rate quicken as I bring my lips to his. "How about we break in our new bed?" I ask, winking at the end. "Oh-oh... I'd like that very much."

He pulls away from me. "Stop. Just stop! That is not real. It's not real to me and I don't know who you are. I'm sorry, but I can't help you. You need to leave."

Before he storms out I run to face him at the door. "You realize if you do not help me then I will cease to exist. Some version of you loves me, and besides that you are the flash. You help people."

His face softens, "if this is some sick mind trick..." I shake my head, "it's not. Everything you saw and maybe might have felt is real. It may not be real to you, but it is to me. I love you and I want our kids back."

He sighs, "even if I can help you what happens to Iris? Nora? Bart? They're my family too. I want my future with Iris, not you. I do not know you." His words hurt. My body must have a physical reaction as I see regret fill his eyes immediately.

"I do not know what will happen to any of us. All I know is that I want to live. I want my kids to live. If I can have you too, then my life will be complete. You are my lightning rod, bear. Please don't let me do this alone."

"How-" "that's our nicknames for each other. I'm guessing you and Iris...?" He nods. "Tell me something, those memories did not bring up any feelings for you?"

He hesitates to answer my question. "Even if they did, I am with Iris. I want her."

I nod. "Tell me, how did you get your speed?" he asks. I wince at the question, painful memories filling my head. "I.... Right now?" I ask, hoping to be spared from painful feelings on top of painful feelings. "Yes, please."

"You know this story bear. You lived it too." I say. "I do not have the memories of your Barry" he says. "I know... but still you lived it too."

He does not budge, so I continue. "It all started one night when I heard a scream coming from downstairs. I was a kid and ran to see what was going on. I saw yellow lightning surrounding my mother who was laying there with blo-"

Barry takes a step back, "stop." I pause and wait for him to give further direction. "You-you're playing mind games with me." I shake my head, "no Barry I am not. We both became speedsters the same way. That is what drew us together in the first place. Thawne?"

Then it clicks. "Oh my gosh" I say. "What?" Barry asks. "How did I not see it before? It's so clear" I yell. I begin pacing around the lab. "It's him... it's been him all along. The black particles, Linda... Max.."

"Are you saying Thawne messed up the timeline in secret? Without me knowing?" he asks. "He had to!"

Red lights begin flashing in Star Labs and an emergency alarm goes off. An intruder. Yellow lightning fills the room along with the same evil laugh that I despise.

"You finally figured it out."

Barry and I click our rings, our speedster suits coming on immediately. "It took you long enough," Thawne says. "What did you do?" I ask.

"Well, I grew bored of our back and forth. I wanted to see both of you suffer... suffer a loss so great that you could not recover from it. I went back and made sure your lives were fated. I created a timeline where you were together, while figuring out a way to keep the present timeline alive. That way our friend, Flash, would be so torn between choosing you and Iris."

"How?" Barry asks. "You'll have to figure that out on your own. Tick tock, your fated love is going to be erased from this universe forever" Thawne says.

With that, he is gone.