Our Broken Pieces

29

2040

"How?" Dawn asked her father.

"I can go back and save her before he kills her," Barry replied.

"No, dad," Dawn replied, "Don't you remember the last time you traveled back to a place where you were already there? A black hole nearly broke the city." Barry could tell Dawn grew up to be very cautious like Iris, also very stubborn.

"Then I'll go back to my time and find the person before they do anything. I saw a glimpse of their face when I was watching that memory," Barry responded.

"Wouldn't that cause a ripple effect through time?" Dawn asked, skeptical of her father's plans.

"Not if I'm careful."

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

"Do you have to go now?" Henry asked as he hugged his dad. He didn't get a chance to say goodbye because he was not home at the time of his death.

"I'm sorry to say he has to, Henry," Iris said to her son. "We don't want to mess with the timeline."

As Barry pulled away from his son he held his chin up so Henry looked him in his eyes. They were just like his, a deep green, only they were watering.

"Hey, it was not your fault. None of it was," Barry said.

"I could've been home, and helped and not-" Henry started before Barry stopped him.

"Henry, there was nothing you could have done. As fast as we are, we can't be in two places at once. And from what I heard, you were quite the hero on your mission with the league," Barry smiled at his son.

Barry hugged Dawn goodbye before giving Iris a hug goodbye.

"I'm sorry you didn't get what you came for," she said.

"It's okay," Barry said, looking over to Dawn, before pulling away. "They're beautiful, Iris."

"I didn't do it alone, I did have help for the first 19 years," Iris replied. "I don't know how I'm going to do it without you for the rest."

"You'll do great," Barry assured her. "But you're not alone. I'll always be with you, I'll always love you, remember that."

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

2020

"Where have you been!" Caitlin yelled as she entered the cortex to find Barry searching through the desk.

"What time is it?" he asked, ignoring Caitlin's question.

"Almost 6. Why?" Cisco replied as he moved his piece on the board. He and Mel were playing chess.

"Only gone for an hour, okay," Barry whispered to himself.

"What are you even looking for?" Caitlin asked. "Barry!" she yelled to get his attention.

"Ah hah!" he said as he pulled out a sketch pad and began speed-drawing the murderous culprit from the future.

"Who is that?" Cisco asked.

"Uhh, a person of interest for a case I'm working on at CCPD. I can't say much, it's classified. I just need a location," Barry said.

"Okay..." Cisco got up to take Barry's sketch and run it through facial recognition. "Regina Burke. Her current place of residence. Havenwood Home for Girls, on 6th and" Cisco started before he was cut off by a woosh of air. "Crossing," he finished.

"Checkmate!" Caitlin and Cisco looked over to Mel, as she moved her chess piece and knocked over Cisco's king.

"What?!" Cisco exclaimed. "I want a rematch."