The Future - SuperFlash [2]

Chapter 6: Time To Say Goodbye

Star Labs was quiet, almost all of the lights were out besides the lounge area where the scarlet speedster stood solumly in the dimly lit room. He stood, grabbing a newly put together photo album off a shelf and flipping through the pages.

He smiles as he looks over the photos, at the family he's built over the years since becoming the Flash. He sees familiar photos of him, Cisco, Caitlin, and one he added not too long ago of him and Kara snuggled up on her couch.  He sees his tears drop onto the photo and he closes the book, sealing those tears into the item forever.

He sets the book back on the shelf and heads to the counter, grabbing a bottle of alcohol and popping the top off and pouring himself a drink. Barry downed the shot, then another, then another, and another in quick succession before tossing the shot glass at the wall and slamming his fists on the table. "Dammit!" He yelled, he just wanted the pain to stop.

He picked up the bottle of alcohol and drank the whole thing, hoping for anything, even a slight buzz, but there was nothing. He took a deep breathe before chucking the bottle against the floor, leaving glass shards scattered everywhere. "Why? WHy!? WHY!!"

He looks like an absolute mess, his eyes are heavy, his face unshaven, and his hair messy atop his head. He turns around, looking at himself in the mirror before letting a few more tears loose and dropping to the floor, bringing his knees to his chest and his arms around his legs.

It takes him a few moments, but he finally opens his eyes and looks over the surrounding area. He gets up, beginning to sweep up the glass shards when he hears footsteps approaching. He looks back, seeing Cisco looking at him concernedly. He finishes the rest of the clean up in a flash of lightning.

"So, you gonna tell me what happened in here or am I going to have to guess?" Cisco inquires as he takes a seat next to the scarlet speedster.

"Kara's pregnant." Barry's says and he can't help the smile that grows across his face as he thinks of the woman he loves and their unborn child. "In less than forty minutes this all comes crashing down because of that bastard in the sky." Barry says, gesturing to the enormous skull ship that stills looms hauntingly. "I don't know what to do Cisco, what if we can't stop him? I can't put on a brave face anymore. I'm terrified."

"Well, if this is truly it, if our final attempt to thwart him fails, then go to her now." Cisco smiles. "Make sure she knows how much you love her, and make sure you say everything you want to say."

Barry brought his hands up to his face and wiped away the tears staining his cheeks before hugging his friend. "Thank you Cisco."

Barry vanished in a flash and appeared just as quickly inside the DEO. Kara turned as she heard a rush of wind and was immediately met with a tight hug from the scarlet speedster. "I'm right here Barry." Kara whispers with a tremble, worried as Barry let's loose a shaky breath.

"I love you Kara." Barry let all the tears out and before long, so did Kara. No more brave faces. They didn't need to feign strength anymore, they had each other and that's all they needed. After another few minutes they broke apart, albeit reluctantly.

"It's okay." She said softly. Barry nodded, interweaving his fingers with hers.

"I'm terrified." Barry said, squeezing Kara's hand lightly. "I love you, and I wanted to start a family with you. We might never get to see our kid grow up, never have a Christmas together, what if this is it Kara?" Barry questions.

Kara was quiet, simply running her fingers up and down Barry's hands soothingly. "Its not Barry, we are going to stop that monster." Kara said, fighting the tears starting to surface. "Whatever it takes, we will stop him. Together. I love you." She smiled, and Barry couldn't help but return the gesture.

As they kissed, Alex ran into the room with news. "The League just arrived, we have to move quickly we only have thirty minutes." The director of the DEO said and the couple stood, readying for battle that was to come.

...

"Just as soon as the age of heroes begun, it ends. In the time I have spent in this body, I have learned much about the human race. Excluding a precise few beings, humanity has no justification for carrying on." Brainiac finally spoke after him and Nia had spent half an hour in silence on the foreboding craft. "I am spreading hundreds of pillars around the globe right now. In just under an hour, I will launch them into orbit and bring your planets most valuable knowledge to my fingertips. It's beautiful isnt it?"

"You are a pyschopath!" Nia spat at him. The being turned, eyeing the woman intently as he began to step towards her. Nia moved to the other side of the cell, attempting to gain as much distance from him as possible. It was futile, because with a wave of his hand the mechanical tentacles that made up her cell unraveled and left her sitting against the metal floor of his vessel.

"Earth, birthplace of the human race. A species capable of great compassion yet great violence." Brainiac said informatively. "Tell me Nia Nal, what makes you believe they deserve to carry on?" Nia was silent, unable to utter a word as Brainiac scoffed. "Humans don't deserve to live."

"Its not your choice go decide our fate. It's in no one hands but our own." Nia said.

"So lost you are, Nia Nal. In time, you'll see. I will preserve this worlds beauty before the humans may destroy it further."  As those words left his mouth, Brainiac clutched his chest in pain and fell to one knee. Nia took the opportunity to knee him in the face, hoping that it didn't harm Brainy. She began running, and she heard the Coluan shout in anger behind her.

She soon felt a mechanical wire wrap around her leg and hoist her up into the air. As the alien regained his balance Nia struggled to escape. "My continued use of this body has shown its side effects Nia Nal. This body is decaying quicker than I predicted." Brainiac speaks as he walks past her, pulling up a screen of information. "It appears my initial plan must be expanded. Tell me Nia Nal, what do you know about the speedforce?"

"Nothing."

"It is truly fascinating, and powerful." Brainiac said, sending chills down Nia's spine at the way he spoke. "So powerful it could slow down the decaying process of this body, seems as though Barry Allen is more important that I first calculated." Brainiac's thought process was interrupted as his ship alerted him of the progression of his plan.

Kara, Barry, and several other heroes stood in the center of National City, staring at the seemingly endless number of mechanical pillars forming a circle around the city and several other locations around the planet. "We need to take the pillars out, it's the only chance we have at saving Earth." Kara said as she and Kal took to the skies while the others focused on the ones closer to the ground.

They destroyed one after another, but the Coluan was not phased. As Barry destroyed yet another, a hologram appeared in front of everyone. "Why are you fighting to save humanity? They're a primitive and violent race." Brainiac sneers. "Your planet was once a beautiful world thriving with life until the human race was born, killing everything in its path."

"Were going to stop you." Barry spoke, his fists tight and knuckles white.

"Is it fear or courage that compels you?" Brainiac inquired. "All species are the same. Always fighting, making a mess out of their worlds. Then I've got to clean it up! Humanity's time is up, now I will correct the mistake that was the human race."

The hologram flickered away, leaving the heroes questioning the next move. Barry noticed that the mechanical devices were now levitating in the air, moving towards orbit. "Hurry! He's triggering the pillars! We need to destroy as many as we-

In a flash of light he found himself and Kara standing aboard Brainiac's craft, staring at the monster himself.

...

A/N: Hey, I would love it if you guys gave your thoughts on this chapter. Thank you for reading!