Crisis On Earth-1

Mourning After

[Authors Note: Get the tissue box ready, because we're going on an emotional roller coaster! It was rather hard to write this chapter, as I had to imagine how all of these characters would react to such a tremendous loss. But I feel I captured it accurately, and I hope you all enjoy it. Lemme know your thoughts, and if you wanna stake me through the heart for this one. Enjoy!]

Time was at a complete and utter stand still. Barry would've thought he'd entered Flashtime except for the fact he was sitting on his knees, eyes full of tears, coupled with a thousand yard stare. He couldn't help but wish will all his might that this was a nightmare, and that he'd wake up laying next to Kara who was sleeping soundly, with her arms wrapped around him. It was a nice fantasy, and brought but a moment of comfort for the heartbroken Scarlet Speedster. He saw Alex collapsed to the floor, staring at the blood on her hands, Kara's blood on her hands. Caitlin quickly rushed to comfort Alex despite the tears streaming down her own cheeks.

if it weren't for the insistent beep of the heart rate monitor which signalled the severe lack of a heartbeat, and the blood stains all over her suit, Kara would have looked peaceful. In a way she was peaceful, but in a way that no one could appreciate. Kara Zor-El, Last Daughter of Krypton was dead, and there was nothing anyone could do. Two Earths had lost a major symbol of hope, and it would start to show once the news went public. But that was the last thing on Barry's mind at the moment. He slowly pulled himself to his feet, barely able to stand due to the trembling in his knees.

Stumbling over to Kara felt like it took an eternity, and with every step there was a sudden hope which was quickly quelled that Kara would open her eyes and sit up. But that miraculous moment never came to pass, and Kara laid there still as a statue. He put a hand on the railing of the bed, and clenched his fist around it. The insistent beeping of the heart rate monitor was about to push him to insanity but Harry unplugged the machine, and Barry looked up with a grateful nod, and felt a hand rest on his shoulder briefly.

"I'm sorry, Allen." Harry frowned, and walked out of the Cortex, possibly to process. But either way, Barry appreciate the gesture of kindness. From the other side of the table, Barry could hear Alex sobbing tragically, mourning the loss of her sister. After losing two parents, and several friends, Barry thought he'd heard the sound of heartbreak, but Alex had redefined the word in such devastating way. It was almost too much to bare for the Scarlet Speedster but he couldn't abandon Kara; nor Alex who had more of a right to be devastated than anyone. Kara was the woman he loved, but she was also Alex's sister and they were inseparable, partners in crime, and two peas in a pod.

Barry rested his head on Kara's forearm, crying into her sleeve as the gravity of the situation finally set in, and the hope dispersed like breath on a mirror. He sat there, sobbing into her arm as waves of sadness crashed into him, over and over again. It was an unending barrage of pain, and it hurt like there no was no tomorrow. But that didn't stop Barry from grabbing Kara's hand, desperately begging her to wake up.

"Kara... come on, Kara... don't leave me," Barry begged, squeezing her hand as tight as he could, desperate to feel a flicker of movement. "Kara! O-Open your eyes Kara! Open your.... open your eyes, please I- I can't do this without you!" His words were muffled by the material of her sleeve, but they were still clear as day to everyone around him. Unbeknownst to Barry, Alex was doing the same thing on the other arm, whimpering similar requests which were never fulfilled. They were both so stricken by grief the mere knowledge of the impossible things they'd seen was killing them inside. People had come back from the dead before, it wasn't unheard of.

"Barry, let her go." Barry was more than a little shocked to hear Oliver's voice, so collected but with a hint of sadness seeping through. Most people would think he was cold, and unforgiving but Barry knew better. Oliver was trying to be strong for everyone else, because he could mourn in his own time. He had a way of suppressing his emotions temporarily, and it was both a blessing and a curse.
"I'm sorry, Barry. But she's gone, and there's nothing..." Oliver took a pause, and sighed. "Nothing any of us can do for her." He frowned and squeezed Barry's shoulder but the Speedster shrugged him off, stomping into the centre of the Cortex and digging his fingers into his scalp.