Our Broken Pieces

28

2040

"What happened?" Barry repeated. "I just need to know."

"We don't know who killed Caitlin," Cisco answered. "Whoever or whatever it was, was extremely powerful and we were never able to get a look at their face and identify them. They somehow knew Caitlin but we don't know how or why either. They slammed Caitlin's weak body so hard that it shattered her literally, and it was too much for her cryogenic healing to handle. When it was over and you guys brought her back, Mel was different and went missing for a bit."

"Then five days later," Henry continued, "she killed you... I should've been home to help."

"You know nothing else?!" Barry asked.

"We're sorry..." Iris said.

Barry was about to respond before the girl who was now sitting next to Henry, stood up, and walked out.

"Hey! Dawn where are you going?" Henry said as she walked away.

"She and Mel were really close before everything went down. Bestfriends. She was with you guys during the fight but the guy must have knocked her out good because she doesn't remember anything," Cisco told Barry.

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After Cisco and Dante went home to let the family deal with its affairs, Iris began explaining what it was like living after the deaths of two Team Flash members. And also the events that led up to it. Apparently, Caitlin and Barry never officially made up they decided to tolerate each other for the sake of the team and Mel. Team Flash was different but still functioned. She then talked about the brighter thing like how she and Barry had twins. Henry Joseph West-Allen and Dawn Nora West-Allen and how they were brave heroes just like him, which caused Henry to blush when she said that.

Iris then explained how tough it had been for Dawn. Losing a father is never easy, but losing her father and her best friend had taken a toll on her.

.....................................................

"Hey," Barry said as he entered Cisco's tech lab, finding Dawn fiddling with some gadgets.

"Isn't this breaking some time travel rules, meeting your future kids and stuff. You taught us that," she replied.

"Yeah, well I probably didn't tell you I've gotten away with worse," Barry grinned.

"So, what do you want?" Dawn asked.

"What?"

"What do you want?" She repeated. "You traveled to the future because you want something. So what is it?"

"What really happened a year ago with Caitlin and Mel," Barry replied, slightly taken aback by his daughter's bluntness. Had something happened between them?

Dawn began. "We were a superhero fighting team. You, Uncle Cisco, Aunt Caitlin, Mel, Henry, Dante, and I. Henry and Dante were out of town working with the Young Justice team on a mission, which is why you might've noticed Henry feels guilty. He thinks if he stayed in town he could've prevented it all. He couldn't though."

"What happened?" Barry asked her, "you know don't you." Barry could see it in her face.

"You, Aunt Caitlin, Mel, and I were on the field that day with Uncle Cisco on the comms. And-" she stopped. "Actually this might be easier," she said digging through a box of gadgets and pulling out a small circular object with a button in the center. She closed her eyes and pressed her button. When she was done she handed it to Barry. "This is a memory disc, Cisco made to replicate Jon Jonz's ability to transfer and play memories in other people's minds. Just press the button to see what happened."