Time, Truth, Tragedy

Crisis on Earth-X Part IV

Chapter 16

Crisis on Earth-X Part IV

"Something good comes out of every crisis."

-Dave Pelzer

The water looked beautiful today, Katie thought. She sat on the bench across from the pond with a smile on her face.

"It really is perfect out here."

Katie turned at the voice, the smile on her face widening at the sight of her mother.

"Mom?"

"Hey there, my baby." Grace brought an arm around Katie who dropped her head against her mother's chest. Grace pressed a kiss to Katie's head. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you." Katie didn't dream of pulling out of her mother's embrace. "Did I ever tell you the story of how I ran away to this pond when I was pregnant with you?"

"No, I don' think so." Katie replied as she snuggled her head against her mother's shoulder. She couldn't even describe the peacefulness of this moment. It's how she always felt in her mother's arms.

"How about we tell you before you have to go."

Those words tore Katie from the moment, and she pulled back and looked over to her mother in confusion.

"Go?" she said. "Why would I go?" she looked back over to the beautiful blue water of the pond. "Why would I ever leave."

"Oh, sunshine."

Katie turned to her left, a smile coming to her lips when she saw her father who reached over and took her hand.

"Daddy?" she turned, bringing her arms around him and he let out a slight chuckle as he pressed a kiss to her head. She pulled back, unable to even stop smiling. "You're here." she turned to her mother, taking her hand. "You're both here."

"We are honey, we've always been here. We've never left you." Grace placed a hand on Katie's cheek. "And we never will." she smiled down to her daughter. "It's just you're not meant to be here, not yet. Not for a very long time."

Katie shook her head. "I'm not letting you leave me. Not again." she dropped her head to Grace's shoulder. "Not again."

Oliver doesn't know how long he's been at it. Repeating the same steps over and over again with only one goal in mind. Katie has to open her eyes and she has to breathe. He will not stop until that happens.

"Oliver, mate," Constantine walked over, trying once again to tear the man away. "She's gone."

"She's not gone." Oliver muttered before stopping, tilting her head back and bringing his mouth to hers and breathing. As before, nothing happened, and so he placed his hands on her chest and continued chest compressions. "She's in here, she just needs to wake up. She wouldn't leave. She wouldn't stop fighting. She knows the kids need her. She knows I need her!"

Suddenly the door flew open and in came Felix Faust who tsked with a shake of his head as he looked between Constantine and Zatanna.

"You know I spared your life because I was on tight schedule, but it would seem that no longer matters." the man walked further into the room, lifting his hands and chanting a spell that sent Constantine and Zatanna flying across the room, pinning their bodies to the wall.

Felix turned his eyes to Oliver whose focus did not turn from his wife. He couldn't help but to chuckle.

"It's no use. She's not coming back." Felix said.