Disclaimer: I own nothing. The plots and stories of The Flash belongs to CW and DC. I'm just playing in the universe that the creators created.

The Allen Household, Several Years earlier.

With the death of his father at the hands of Zoom, and with the then defeat of the aforementioned murderer, Barry felt empty inside. He told Iris, the person he thought of as the love of his life, that he couldn't love again… at least not after everything that had happened in his life. Barry looked into the eyes of the young woman who was about to go back into her house, and told her that he'll be coming into the West home in a few minutes… that he wanted some time alone.

As he watched Iris walked into her house through the back door, Barry fondly remembered that kiss they just shared. It was the kiss of two people in love as his heart now raced. When they separated, Barry looked into her eyes, and his hearth broke at the decision that he already made. Barry knew it was stupid, he knew that changing the timeline carried a great risk. But what he had planned would ensure the survival of the two people he loved more than Iris, more than Joe, even more than being the Flash.

His mother and his father. He could have simply gone back in time by a day, and then saved his father. But his plan called for something different, his heart demanded something different. He wanted both of his parents.

Once Iris was back in her home, Barry walked down the stairs, and then around to the front of the house where he looked through the window, and pursed his lips together. He felt something rising in his throat as he watched his friends laughing; Cisco, Caitlin, his adoptive father, Joe, and Iris.

All of them were happy, and celebrating the end of Zoom.

But Barry couldn't celebrate. The emptiness in his soul kept on growing.

The young man then whispered his apology to Iris. Turning around, Barry then took off down the street. Yellow lightning trailing behind him, the young man better known as The Flash ran down one street after another. He kept on moving faster, and faster until he saw the very blue hued tear in space he was looking for. Making his final decision, Barry ran into the tear, and entered the Speed Force. The very source of his powers.

Running in the blue tunnel, Barry saw his past and present all laid down in front of him. However, he couldn't see his future. Shaking his head as he kept on running, hoping that he wouldn't literally run into a Time Wraith, Barry finally heard the words he was longing to hear.

It was his younger self calling for his mother; the sounds of lighting crashing and glass breaking. Barry looked up at the moving image, and ran towards it. Eventually he found himself outside his house just after his older self ran out with his younger, eleven year old, self. Barry looked down the street and saw the yellow trail of lighting vanishing into the distance, and then he looked at the house.

Then he heard a bloodcurdling scream, and he put on a face that showed his resolve. Barry ran into his home, he ran towards the Reverse Flash who was just abut to stab his mother, and he pushed him away. Enraged at the audacity of his tormentor, his betrayer, at Eodbard Thawne, at daring to come after his family… Barry hit him at super speed multiple times. His speed boost from being in the speed force just after the Harrison Wells of Earth-Two tried to return his powers to him was useful in beating the Reverse Flash now. Nora Allen's sobs were ringing in Barry's ears as he continued to punch Thawne with his left hand, and then his right. And then he super-sped him into another wall, and glared into his red eyes.

"You'll never kill her again," Barry hissed before punching Thawne a few more times. The final punch was delivered with all his speed as lighting trailed behind his fist. Stepping back as Thawne fell onto the floor, Barry panted before turning around and rushing to the crying Nora. On the way, he noticed movement out the corner of his eyes. Turning his head, he saw himself… it the old Flash from a year ago when he first made his way back in time. Barry watched, with a hint of worry on his face as his younger self vanished. Shaking off this feeling that just erupted in the pit of his stomach that something was very wrong, Barry continued onto Nora, and crouched down. He put his arms up, telling her that she was safe.

"You will always be safe," whispered Barry as Nora slowly stopped crying, and wiped her tears. She then looked at Thawne, and then at the masked Barry who was standing up. He took a step back, and gave a small smile to his mother. As he looked at her face, he couldn't help but imagine the life he would be able to lead now, and the memories he'd have once he was back to his own time.

"Who.. who are you?" asked Nora, her voice still shaking before she looked around, and saw Henry laying on the floor. She screamed his name before scrambling over to the unconscious man. Barry rushed to his father, and felt for a pulse, before telling Nora that he was alive. It was then that a great fear grew on Nora's face, "Barry.. my son. He.. he's only eleven and… and… where is he?"

"He's fine, mo… Mrs. Allen," said Barry who stood back up, "he'll be coming home soon and… and when he does, he'll have two people who love him. I have to go back now… and.. and maybe I'll see you and your family again."

"Wait," said Nora while she was looking up at Barry, "please bring my son back, I… I can't live without him and…"

His heart breaking at how upset his mother was being, Barry nodded his head. He remembered exactly where he was brought to by his older self, 'all I have to do is bring him back, and then I go back in time to my new future.'

However, things didn't go the way he thought they would. Barry took a few steps at super speed before he suddenly stumbled and fell onto the floor. From Nora's perspective, all she saw was a red blur, and yellow lighting behind it fizzling out before the figure that saved her fell onto the floor.

"No, no, no," whispered Barry as he got up and looked at his hands. He tried to vibrate them, and they did… but only for a millisecond before they stopped. Barry tried to vibrate his hands again, but nothing happened this time. He then turned and looked at Nora in shock before he turned towards the door. Barry took another few steps, hopeful that there was simply a hiccup with his powers, but all that happened was that he ran normally to the front door, and then back into the living room.

"This wasn't supposed to happen," whispered the stunned Barry as he shook his head while rubbing his face, "I…"

"Where.. where's my son," whispered Nora as she slowly got up while Henry was still unconscious, "where is my son?!"

Barry flinched while stuttering that he was going to be safe. That everyone was going to be safe.

"He… he's twenty blocks down the street and… and he's safe," said Barry while his heart was pounding in his chest. It was as if it was going to smash through his ribcage, "Barry… Barry's going to be safe and…"

"I'm calling the police," said Nora as she rushed to the phone while Barry put up a hand and asked her not to, that there was an explanation for what happened.

"Please, your son is already on the way," cried Barry while he was wondering what was happening with his speed powers. Nora was already on the phone with the dispatcher when Barry took off his cowl and told Nora who he was, and that her younger Barry Allen was coming back. Nora, her mouth open as the phone slipped out of her hands and hit the floor, stared at the tearful Barry who took a step forward.

"It's me, mom," he said while Nora brought her hands to her mouth when she realized that the young man in front of her looked just like a younger version of her father, "I.. I know it's complicated and… and… it's me. It's Barry."

"Barry?" asked Nora as she just stood there stunned, next to Henry, "I… how… how is this… you.. you can't be, I.. I mean Barry's a little boy and…"

"Mom, I have… or had powers," said Barry while Nora shook her head, "I'm from the future, I ran back in time to.. to save your life. Mom, I lost you.. I lost dad, and I couldn't take it so I came back and…"

"No," said Nora as she stepped back, "it.. it's not possible and…"

Barry then went on to tell Nora things that she knew only her Barry would know. And the longer he spoke, the more Nora's body shook before she fell on her knee next to Henry. Barry attempted to run to his mother, his heart breaking at the pain that she seemed to be in while whispered to herself, repeating everything that he had told her. But Nora asked him to stop, to stand back.

"I… I died?" asked Nora.

"That man," said Barry nodding his head at Thawne, "his name is Eobard Thawne, he's from a far off future… further than my own. He hates me, and… and he wanted to kill you. In my time, he succeeded.. and I grew up without you… and dad."

"What.. what happened to Henry?" asked Nora as she looked down at her husband, and then back up at Barry.

"He went to jail for your murder and.. and I…."

Before Barry could finish what he wanted to say, he turned around upon hearing sirens in the distance heading towards the Allen residence. Barry then turned to Nora, who already had tears in her eyes while she continued to absorb what the man in front of her had been telling her; that he was her grown up son from the future, and that her little boy was still somewhere out there, and on the way home.

"Mom, I…" Before Barry could finish what he wanted to say, the two of them heard tyres screech outside, followed by footsteps running up the driveway.

"Barry, get out of here," said Nora as she stood up. She didn't know if what the man in red was telling her the truth or not, but the fact that he looked like her father, and this feeling of maternal protectiveness she was feeling stirred her to action, "please… I need you to…"

"Henry! Nora! Barry!" yelled a familiar voice as Barry put up his hands while looking at Nora who was shaking her head.

"Joe!" cried Nora as Officer Joe West rushed past Barry and asked Nora if she was alright, before he crouched down and sighed in relief as Henry gave out a groan. In the meantime, Joe's partner headed for the man in yellow who was lying still in a corner of the room, while Joe shone his flashlight at Barry's costume, particularly at his lightning emblem, and then on the yellow accents on his uniform.

"Costume party?" asked Joe before he looked around and then asked Nora where Barry was.

"He… he…," said Nora while shaking her head. Her voice was cracking before she coughed, and then tried to explain in a way that didn't incriminate the older Barry, "he told me that someone took Barry twenty blocks down the street. Joe, there.. there's something that you need to know…."

Before Nora could finish what she wanted to say, Joe held a hand up.. indicating that he needed to make a call to the dispatcher through his radio first. He got on his radio, and asked for two cars to search for Barry. It was then that his partner called for him. Joe, his flashlight still being aimed at Barry, told the young man to put his hands behind his back.

"Joe," said Nora as she grabbed his arm, "you don't understand.. he.. he saved my life."

"Joe!" yelled his partner.

"Gimme a minute," said Joe as he looked over his shoulder at his partner, who had peeled back the cowl that the yellow suited man was wearing. He couldn't see the unconscious man's face since it was covered in shadow, but Joe saw the sickened expression on his partner's face. Joe then asked Nora to stand back, and stay with Henry who was groaning in pain. Nora tried to plead with Joe not to do anything as he handcuffed Barry while reading him his rights. Barry was confused at what was happening, and then he remembered that Joe was shining his torchlight at certain areas of his uniform. Looking down at emblem, the young man gulped when he noticed small flecks of blood.

Red against a backdrop of white; it would have taken an eagle eye to find it. And Joe did. Barry looked up at his adopted father and opened his mouth.

"Not unless you wanna waive your rights," said Joe before he stepped back. He then grabbed a hold of Barry's arm and brought him to the living room, when Joe's partner stepped back… his face pale. Joe told his partner to hold on to Barry while he then crouched down and shook his head.

"Joe?" asked Nora.

"Call a bus," whispered Joe as he looked at the body in front of him. He then looked up at Barry, and asked why the man's face was mangled, "it's like he was hit by a speeding car."

"I…. I…"

"Joe!" cried Nora from where she was standing, "that man tried to kill me and… and Barry saved my life."

"Nora…"

"Joe," said Nora. She knew that she needed to come up with an explanation about who Barry was. It was going to be difficult given that she was sure they would be running background checks on him if the police were going to book him. So Nora panicked and said the first thing that came into her mind, "he's my son."

"Lock him in the car," whispered Joe as he looked at his partner, and then back at the body that was bleeding onto the floor. "and wait for the bus."

"Joe," said Nora as she took a step forward, but Barry looked back at her and shook his head. He knew that the timeline was already contaminated, and that there was no clue what would happen now. However, Nora didn't care as she told Joe, while Barry was being taken away in handcuffs, that the man was her son.

"Nora," said Joe gently as he frowned and walked towards her, "Barry's only a kid and…"

"You don't understand," said Nora. She had to do something. There was something telling her that it was Barry who was being taken away, and that she needed to protect him. She needed to protect her son. So she came up with a fantastical reason that she was hoping would be good enough to just be true… at least sound true, "before I ever met Henry, I had a son. I gave him up.. and that's the person you're taking away and…"

"You know how ridiculous that sounds," asked Joe as he held onto Nora's shoulder while he looked at her tear stained face, "Nora, two cars are already searching for Barry. Whoever this guy is he…"

"He's my son, and he saved my life, Joe," cried Nora while she held his arms, "he's my son, please… he saved my life.. that man in yellow was about to kill me and…"

"Nora," said Joe shaking his head, "stay with Henry. I know one of the detectives will want to talk to him; we'll find out everything that happened then. Look, I'm sure he saved you… but he savagely beat the guy. I don't think we can even get a good identification on the body"

"Barry said his name is Eobard Thawne," said Nora as Joe nodded his head, and then wrote down the name on his notebook, "Joe, he's my Barry. I gave him up for adoption and…"

"Nora," said Joe after he sighed and put his notebook back into his pocket, "don't… we'll come up with the truth. If you say anything now and then later it turns out to be a lie.. I mean do you know how that would look?"

"But.." begged Nora.

"Let us take care of it now at the station," said Joe gently just as a voice came over his radio saying that they found Barry standing alone several blocks away. Joe then told Nora that her son was coming home, and that she should be with him, and Henry, "look we'll ask this guy some questions, and if he did save you, then it could be justifiable homicide. I'll talk to the detectives in charge."

"But.."

"That's the best I could do, Nora," Joe gently told her as Henry groaned again and opened his eyes, asking what had happened.

In the meantime, while Joe was talking to the Allens, Barry was seated in the back of the police car after Joe's partner closed the door behind him and walked back into the house. The young man placed his head on the seat back and screamed in anguish before stomping his feet on the floor. It was dawning on Barry that he had done something completely stupid; he changed the timeline.. he could feel it in his soul, and he lost his powers.

"No, no, no, no," was the only thing that Barry repeated under his breath while his voice broke at the thought of losing everything he had. And the people he wouldn't be able to save. He thought of Caitlin, Cisco, Harry, Iris, Oliver, Felicity… he knew that everything would change.

He was the cause of the change.

"No!" screamed Barry as tears came to his eyes. It was as an ambulance was coming up behind the police car did Barry notice a figure looking back at him from the side of the house. The former Flash looked out the window as the light from the ambulance hit the figure, and his eyes went wide in surprise; he saw himself looking back at him sadly. Shaking his head, and then back at the figure once again, Barry knew what he was looking at.. it was the part of him that was connected to the Speed Force. He saw the figure become a blurred shadow, just like the shadow he had to catch to be the Flash again just a few days ago, and then Barry cried out as it ran into a blue hued breach that just opened and then closed.

It was over. Barry sat in shock as he watched his future broken, and thought to himself, 'that's why I couldn't see my future… why I… oh dear God, what have I done.'

TBC.