Episode 18 - Flash Fanfiction

Chapter 1

Caitlin sat at the foot of Ronnie's grave, replacing the flowers. She had been here every day since his funeral to tell him everything that had transpired and today was no different.

"So last night was Halloween. There was a man from Gotham City who invented a poison that caused everyone to receive horrific visions. I saw you, Ronnie. It felt so real. You helped me out of the elevator... but then you burnt up before my eyes... It was like losing you all over again." She said.

"My dear, might the fire in your hallucination be a representation of the part he played as Firestorm?" Martin's voice came from behind her, as he knelt down beside her to place some flowers on Ronnie's site. He made her jump, but she was relieved to see him visiting the grave.

"I apologize for the intrusion, Dr Snow. I haven't been feeling all the best so I felt it proper to come here and visit him." Martin explained.

"No apologies necessary." Caitlin replied, "I'm just glad that people do come and visit him. You said that you haven't been feeling all that well?"

"I don't mean to be of any concern, but I feel that it might be a side effect from Ronald's passing. I feel as if I am getting..." Martin stopped midsentence and collapsed to the floor.

"Martin!" Caitlin exclaimed. She knew that Barry had awoken from his coma that morning and that Cisco and Astrid had bombarded him with a series of questions. Which is why she had left in the first place. She sent out an SOS alert, and within an instant Barry had retrieved Martin and Caitlin, bringing them both back to STAR Labs.

Barry laid Martin out on the bed. "He mentioned that he hasn't been feeling all the best since Ronnie passed away... I think that this has something to do with the Firestorm Matrix!" Caitlin declared.

"I know exactly what is going on!" Barry exclaimed, "Cisco, I need you to look up the name Jefferson Jackson. Please, it's an emergency!"

Cisco who seemed rather annoyed by the speedster at that point got right into action searching the Central City's database for the name that Barry had just given him.

"I found him, Barry! He lives at..." before Cisco could give him the address, Barry had put on his red suit, disappeared and reappeared again, with a very surprised young man by the name of Jefferson Jackson.

"What the hell is going on here? Who are you people! Why did the Flash just kidnap me?" Jefferson asked shocked.

"Look, I'll explain everything to you, but first I need you to attach this to your chest and take hold of this man's hand!" Barry said, in a rush, handing him the matrix which Ronnie once wore to his own chest.

"er... No! I'm outta here!" Jefferson said as he went to leave.

"Astrid? I know that the two of you are mad at me... but can you please help?" Barry pleaded.

Astrid shook her head and rolled her eyes angrily, "Whatever." But she approached Jefferson and put her hand on his shoulder, "Look, Jefferson, is it? that man over there is dying. And while we will explain everything to you afterwards, his life rests in your hands. So right now you have the choice to either suck it up and be a hero, or let a man die. So just humor us, Ok?"

Jefferson shrugged as he realized that he was defeated, "Okay... I'll do it. but the lot of you owe me one hell of an explanation!" he took the matrix from Barry and then took hold of Martin Stein's hand as instructed. Within an instant, Firestorm emerged, though in the physical form of Jefferson Jackson.

"Wow, how is this happening?" Jefferson asked. Cisco and Astrid left the room, still very angry with Barry. Which left Caitlin, Barry and Martin to answer the young man's questions.

"Now, Jefferson..." Barry began, "When my friend Astrid asked for you to be a hero... she meant it in the literal sense. What you are currently a part of is..."

"Yeah, Firestorm! I get it! this guy came to my school a few months ago to deliver a lecture... what I need to know is how is this happening to me? Why did you pick me?"

Martin probed a similar to question to Jefferson, how did Barry know that Jefferson was the right person. Barry went quiet. Even Caitlin was wondering what he was hiding.

Suddenly, Sara entered the room. "So that's Firestorm. I didn't realize that just anybody could fill Ronnie's shoes." She hadn't noticed until she saw the look on Caitlin's face that it was the wrong thing to say. "No, Caitlin. I didn't mean it that way, of course no one can fill Ronnie's place... I just meant..."

"I get what you meant, Sara. It just hurt, that's all!"

Sara put her arm around Caitlin's shoulder and asked, "Where did Astrid and Cisco go?"

"They're angry at me." Barry replied, "It's good to see you again, Sara. They told me that you were to thank for helping with our escape from Gotham City."

"None of this is explaining why I am the right person for the job!" Jefferson snapped. His body was still alight.

"Actually, it's all related..." Barry said as he removed his mask, "...Caitlin, Martin... I've been keeping a secret from everyone. It turns out that my speed gives me the ability to go back through time... which I did, a couple of times. It actually changed the course of everything and that's how I knew that Jefferson was the right fit. Ronnie died in the other timeline, as did Cisco. Caitlin you were accused of Ronnie's murder... But then Eobard Thawne, who I was told is down in the pipeline, convinced me to go back and prevent my mother's death... which I did, but then that created an alternate timeline. It was chaotic! Astrid and Cisco were working for the lords of chaos... as was Oliver... and even you – Sara!"

"I'm sorry... me?" Sara asked, "You and I have only just met! How is any of that possible?"

Martin and Jefferson unmerged, leading to Martin taking to the board with a marker, "it all makes sense... with the velocity from Barry's speed, it is very possible for him to quite literally run back through time, changing the course of events, and in doing so causing a flashpoint, if you will, bending the rules of time and space itself. My question is, Barry... what did you change? Considering your mother's death was not avoided..."

Barry sat down at Cisco's desk, "It turns out... Astrid should have died when she was ten years old... but apparently it wasn't the first time that I've done this... Apparently I did it in a different time line, when I was much older. But when she died this time... when she had sacrificed her own life for mine, there was a man who helped me put everything back the way it was... provided I went back through time and save her again..."

"...Wow..." Caitlin said sitting down beside him, "it's no wonder that Cisco and Astrid are angry with you... Why didn't you tell us, Barry?"

"This man who helped me do it asked me to promise not to reveal any of this. He said something about my friends never having lived this time line..." Barry replied.

"...That is entirely correct Barry. You never should have revealed any of this to any of us. It might be possible that in doing so, you may have once again altered time." Martin said.

"Well, if it wasn't for Cisco's visions and Astrid's ability to read his mind... I never would have told them."

"I'd hate to break up this touchy-feely scene, but it seems that the boy Jefferson might have made his escape." Sara broke in.

They looked up. Jefferson had indeed disappeared.