"All's well that ends better."
- J.R.R. Tolkien
>>>·<<<
Author's Note
This Epilogue is totally unnessisary to read, but I want to give a warning about the odd nature of it.
This Epilogue ties-in to Chapter Twenty-Four of the main series from where the character Aspen Penrose originated. She started as a secondary character in Age of Glory and, after her death there, she has migrated to a parallel universe where this story takes place. I basically loved her so much and regretted killing her off, so she lives on in Earth-1.
If you wish to understand the full context of this Epilogue, go to Chapter Twenty-Four of Book 3 in my Gloriverse series called Age of Miracles. I'm afraid that is the third book of the saga, and things might seem a bit out of context if you haven't read the previous two and a half books, but it is there if you want to read it. It's a few chapters where the main character of that series, Glory, crosses into Earth-1 with the Maximoff twins. Yes, Glory as in the former love interest of this world's Aspen Penrose. Parallel universes are confusing, and yet I find myself writing them far too often.
Age of Glory and her sequels are in my works if you want to read them! They're set in the MCU, and they were the first things I wrote on WP. Even if you don't read them, this Epilogue will be fine on its own. However, don't blame me for the serious cliffhanger. Enjoy!
>>>·<<<
EPILOGUE
>>> Aspen's P.O.V. <<<
>>> Eighteen Months Later <<<I'd like to say that life is one, big fairytale. Princesses and princes, kings and queens, fairy godmothers and magic wishes upon the second star to the right. Superheroes, flying people, children with abilities. Faith, trust, and pixie dust sort of thing. I've instilled into my daughter that magic is all around us, that miracles happen, and that wishing upon shooting stars and birthday candles will bring about a change in the world that can rival deity. Or even some Metas.
But nothing could have prepared me for the day I saw her again.
I close the door to the Lab. Cisco's text earlier in the hour told me to hurry back to S.T.A.R. Labs, that Barry had returned from a long trip in another parallel universe. Now, I'm not worried. I promised Barry I would stop worrying about him when he goes venturing into other worlds, but I am curious as to why he was gone so long. We all are.
Seph runs past me, her feet nearly coming off-balance. "Persephone!" I chastise, locking the door behind me. My daughter hurries on, towards room where Cisco often opens portals to other worlds. I hear her shout Barry's name and shake my head. "I'm starting to think you love him more than me, Seph."
I press the intricate code Cisco created, trying and failing to lock the building. We've had to learn the hard way that a lock on the front door is only one part of the security system Team Flash needs to keep unwanted Metas out. Behind me, the long hallway echoes the many voices that are a few rooms down. I hear the familiar tones of Barry, Seph, Caitlin, Cisco, and Joe. Even Iris, her brother Wally, Julian, Eddie, and Barry's father Henry Allen speak a few words.
"Mom told me you were gone for hours!" Seph exclaims.
Barry sounds surprised. "I was gone how long?"
Caitlin replies, "Four hours. We were getting worried."
I hear Barry move, and he speaks to another person, someone new. "Were we really that long? Jeez, sorry guys. We were trying to get the portal open. Their world isn't as familiar with inter-spacial anomalies."
My brows furrow as I finish the code. The screen lights up green, telling me I was successful. I turn and begin my swift trek after my daughter. Who is Barry talking about? Who did he meet in the other world? My quick steps bring me closer to finding out.
"We're glad you're home," Joe says. "All of us."
Barry speaks again, this time to Seph I suspect. "Where's your mother?"
"She had to lock the Cortex up after we entered, but I came straight here." My daughter pauses. "You look familiar..."
I turn the final corner, walking into the doorway of the Portal room. I see many people inside, both family, friends, and strangers. My eyes swiftly find Barry, and I freeze in my steps. "Barry!" I exclaim, a smile forming on my face.
Barry dashes over to me, yellow lightning in his wake. He embraces me, holding me tight to him. "I'm sorry I took so long," he mumbles, stroking my hair as I bury my face in his leather suit. "Lost track of time."
I chuckle, pulling back to lean up to kiss him. "You always seem to do that." He pulls off his cowl, and kisses me again. "Don't do that again, if you don't mind."
Barry nods with his boyish smile. "Okay."
After reuniting with my sweetheart, I look over to the strangers in the room. My breath catches in my throat, and my grip on Barry's arm tightens. My words come out in a jumble as my eyes grow wide at the young woman with curly, unruly brown locks in front of me. Even without the ginger mane, she is as recognizable to me as the sun. She was my sun. She was everything bright and warm and beautiful.
And I never thought I would see her again.
"Oh my goddess," I mutter, unable to tear my eyes away. "Glory."
The woman I once loved, the best and oldest friend I ever had, smiles widely, tears in her Peridot eyes. She looks just as surprised to see me as I do her. She holds the hand of the fair-haired man standing next to her even tighter. Her reply comes off her lips in a soft, choked whisper, and her voice makes my heart sing again.
"Aspen."
THE END
>>>·<<<
Hey everyone!
First of all, Happy New Year! I know this story was supposed to be finished by then, but here's the thing: I got sick. I got the nastiest cold before I could finish writing it. Literally, all I've been doing this past week is sleeping and taking cold meds. So I apologize for the tardiness, but I think this novella turned out great regardless!
I want to thank you all for reading it! I really love how it turned out. Did you? These Christmas Specials are always so much fun for me, as I hope they are for you. They're kind of a thank you from me for you guys sticking with me and reading so loyally over the past three-ish years. I truly can't wait for next year's special. I may already have plans for it when the time comes 😉
Anyways, I hope you all have had a wonderful holiday season, and may the rest of 2018 bring you all things great!
Your friendly neighborhood author,
- Royale Wolf, aka SaveTheBrooklynBoys
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