The Lightning Gave Me Hope

Unspoken Truths

Barry slowly woke up, the quiet, comforting atmosphere surrounding him. For the first time in days, he felt a sense of peace. He wasn’t sure if it was because of the warmth of the bed or the fact that Kara was next to him. Her arm was draped gently around him, a silent, comforting presence that seemed to ease the weight on his heart.

His thoughts still swirled with grief over Iris, but there was something about having Kara there that brought him a sense of calm he hadn’t felt in a long time. He took a slow breath, the weight of his emotions still heavy, but Kara’s warmth against him made it feel more manageable. He didn’t feel as alone as he had in the past week.

After a few moments of silence, Barry allowed himself to drift back to sleep, the peacefulness of the moment wrapping around him.

Hours later, the smell of garlic bread wafted through the apartment. Barry stirred, blinking awake to the familiar scent of comfort food. His stomach growled, reminding him just how long it had been since he’d really eaten anything substantial. He sat up slowly, careful not to disturb Kara, and noticed she wasn’t in the bed. The sound of a pot clinking and the sizzling of garlic bread coming from the kitchen told him exactly where she was.

With a small smile, Barry pushed himself up, stretching slightly before making his way into the kitchen.

There, he found Kara standing over the stove, focused on preparing their dinner. The soft glow of the evening light from the kitchen window bathed her in a warm hue, and the simple sight of her cooking brought a sense of comfort to him.

“Hey,” Barry greeted softly, leaning against the doorway. He wasn’t sure if he should disturb her or not, but he couldn’t help himself.

Kara looked up with a smile, her face lighting up at the sight of him. “Hey, sleepyhead. How’d you sleep?”

“Better than expected,” Barry replied, his voice still thick with lingering exhaustion and grief. “It smells amazing in here. What are you making?”

“Spaghetti and garlic bread,” she said, her tone light, but there was a warmth to it. She had clearly put some care into making the meal, and Barry could feel it. “I figured we could use some comfort food.”

Barry smiled, genuinely touched by the effort she had put in. Despite everything, Kara had managed to make him feel a little less alone. “Sounds perfect.”

The two of them ate in comfortable silence, the soft clink of utensils on plates the only sound in the room. Barry could feel the weight of the last week still lingering in his chest, but it was more bearable now. The steady rhythm of life, something as simple as sharing a meal, was helping him to heal—slowly, but surely.

As they finished their meal, Kara took a deep breath, her eyes shifting a little uneasily. Barry noticed and raised an eyebrow, a gentle frown appearing on his face.

“Kara?” he asked, his voice soft but filled with concern. “What’s on your mind?”

Kara set her fork down, taking a slow breath. “Barry, there’s something I need to tell you,” she said, her voice quieter now. “Something I’ve been keeping from you for a while. Something I should’ve told you earlier.”

Barry’s brow furrowed in confusion, his mind racing. What could she possibly need to tell him?

“I trust you, Barry,” she continued, her eyes meeting his with a vulnerability that struck him. “More than anyone else. And… I just—I feel like it’s time you knew. You deserve to know.”

Barry stayed silent, watching her carefully. His heart raced in anticipation, but he didn’t interrupt her.

“I’m…” Kara hesitated, looking down for a moment before meeting his gaze again. “I’m Supergirl.”

There was a long silence between them as the words sank in. Barry stared at her, his mind working quickly to process what she had just said. Supergirl. The powerful, masked hero he’d seen on TV, the one who had appeared in Central City just a few weeks ago.

And she was sitting across from him.

Barry’s mind raced, but he didn’t react the way he expected. He didn’t feel anger, surprise, or betrayal. Instead, something else stirred in him—a quiet sense of understanding. He could see the weight in her eyes, the fear that he might be angry or disappointed. But he wasn’t. He wasn’t angry at all.

Barry took a breath and pushed his chair back, slowly rising from the table. He walked over to her, his steps careful but steady, before wrapping his arms around her in a tight, reassuring hug.

“I could never be mad at you, Kara,” Barry whispered, his voice shaky with emotion. “You’re my friend. I trust you.”

Kara’s breath caught in her throat as she hugged him back, her arms wrapping around him with the same sense of relief. She had feared his anger, but instead, she felt him reassuring her. And it meant everything.

“I was scared,” she admitted, her voice quiet against his chest. “I didn’t want you to hate me. I didn’t want to lose you as a friend.”

“You won’t lose me,” Barry said softly, pulling back just enough to look at her. “You’re not alone in this, Kara.”

They held each other for a few moments longer, the weight of her confession hanging in the air between them, but it was lighter now. Barry wasn’t angry, and Kara felt a weight lift from her shoulders.

Finally, after a few moments of silence, Barry pulled away, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Hey, do you mind if we watch your favorite musical tonight?” he asked, the gentleness in his voice a soft contrast to the heaviness of the past week.

Kara chuckled, nodding enthusiastically. “Of course. Let me just get the remote.”

They settled on the couch, the soft glow of the TV filling the room as The Wizard of Oz began to play. It was a comforting familiarity, the kind of thing they both needed in that moment.

But just as Dorothy began her journey down the yellow brick road, there was a knock at the door.

Kara sighed lightly, glancing at Barry, who had tensed slightly at the sudden interruption.

“Oh, it’s my foster sister, Alex,” Kara said, standing up to go to the door.

At the mention of family, Barry’s chest tightened, the wound from Iris’ passing still so fresh. Just hearing those words—foster sister—made him break down again. His breath hitched, tears quickly spilling down his face as he tried to hold them back.

Kara noticed the sudden change in him, the way his body stiffened, and she immediately rushed to the door.

Alex stood there, but when she saw Barry’s tears, her expression softened. She immediately understood.

“I’ll come back later,” Alex said quietly, stepping back.

Kara nodded, a small, understanding smile on her face. “Thanks, Alex,” she said, and then closed the door.

She rushed back to Barry, who was now curled up on the couch, sobbing quietly into his hands. Without a word, Kara sat beside him, pulling him into her arms and holding him close.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered, her voice filled with regret. “I didn’t mean to make you cry again. I didn’t want to… I didn’t think…”

Barry shook his head, his voice choked with emotion. “It’s not your fault, Kara. I just—I miss her. I miss Iris.”

“I know,” Kara said softly, kissing the top of his head. “I know.”

They stayed there, holding each other, letting the world slip away as they found some quiet comfort in one another’s presence.

Before long, the movie continued playing, but neither of them was really watching. The grief was still there, but together, they were starting to heal.