Who: Barry Allen and Bart Allen Where: Just outside the apartments What: A family reunion. Sorta. When: Friday afternoon Rating: Low
Barry couldn't remember how he'd reached the bench just outside the apartment complex, a pretty clear indication that something was definitely wrong. The last thing he remembered was trying to break through the barrier again as he and Bart had discussed in their first ever conversation. Of course, he knew of the dangers behind what he was trying to do, but so far, nothing else seemed to make sense. He felt that perhaps if that barrier could be weakened if only just a little bit, maybe he would be able to squeeze through and...
And what? He really didn't have a clue what was out there. If anything was out there at all. New territory awaited him on the other side of that barrier, and it frustrated Barry to no end that he couldn't figure out how to break free of this makeshift prison. Sure, it looked like a tropical paradise, complete with picturesque beaches and little umbrella decorations on drinks, but to Barry, it was no more than the prison that held his father in for so many years. He was desperate, willing to try just about anything, even let his blood sugar drop down to dangerously low levels. None of that mattered when freedom awaited him on the other side. When Iris awaited him on the other side.
As luck would have it, Barry had managed to get in contact with Bart again. Despite the haze that was now sitting behind his eyes like a sphinx, Barry managed a decent conversation. He couldn't say what he liked most about Bart. Perhaps that he reminded him of a younger version of himself. But it didn't matter. He was family. Past, present or future. It made no difference. And Barry attributed his calm resolute attitude to that fact. Bart was someone he could trust, without even thinking about it. And that was something Barry needed most at the moment. Of course, it also meant that he would have to get Bart's trust as well. That set a dark cloud over Barry's mind as he contemplated the ways to tell his future family member that for a whole year he had taken orders from and worked closely with a man who hated him, who wanted to kill him and would have loved nothing more than to see his entire family burn in a fire.
That was going to take a lot of explaining.
As promised, Bart arrived on time with a familiar streak trailing behind him, and Barry couldn't help but grin even though his head was pounding from lack of nutrition. "Hey man, thanks for coming."