In Memory of a Speedster
Iris could not believe what her nephew had told her: the Flash was dead.
Iris had always supported Barry's crime-fighting activities, but it never occurred to her that she would end up losing the one she loved. Barry Allen was the only man who ever treated her with real kindness, unlike any of the men in the news paper company she worked at. He didn't patronize her because she was a woman. He was the best man she ever met. All she could think was: "Why Barry?"
"Iris? I'm so sorry for what happened." said a familiar voice.
Iris spun around to see a blinding emerald glow. Hal Jordan was Barry's best friend in the Justice League. As Green Lantern, Hal was the first superhero that the Flash had ever met. They started the first superhero team-up, the Brave and the Bold, as the newspapers called them. Hal was off-world when he had heard about what happened, so he couldn't help but hate himself for not being at his friend's side.
"I-It's alr-right, Hal." Iris said half-heartedly. This current situation was anything but alright.
"Y' know, he was just like a brother to me. I looked up to him. I know I can't feel worse than you, but I will still miss him very much."
"I know, Hal. I know."
Hal told her about how the Justice League was holding a memoriam in Barry's honor. Since his secret identity had been revealed during the "Crisis," it was in memory of Barry Allen as much as it was of the Flash. Everyone would be there, the Justice League, the Doom Patrol, the Teen Titans, and every other super-being. Iris agreed to show up.
The next day, Iris saw the entire population of Central City seated in front of a large silver statue dedicated to the Flash. The superhero community greeted and comforted her, but she wouldn't stop crying. Yet very soon, she went from sadness to fury when she saw the ones responsible for her husband's death.
"What are you three doing here?!" she screamed at Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Hawkman.
The three heroes were the three that voted to kick Barry out of the Justice League because he had accidentally killed the Reverse-Flash. After being charged with manslaughter, he spent a year on a brutal trial, in the middle of which the League took a vote to decide whether or not he deserved to be in the League. Superman, Firestorm, Green Arrow, and Elongated man understood, but Wonder Woman, Hawkman, and Aquaman were willing to vote him out for the sake of the League's reputation.
Iris stormed up to the trio, with tears flooding out of her eyes. For a moment, the three heroes looked as if they were terrified of the widow.
"How dare you three come here?! I know what you did to him! I KNOW WHO REALLY KILLED MY HUSBAND!"
As Iris raised her fist in a blind fury, a hand shot out from nowhere and stopped her.
"Iris! It's no use. That won't do anymore good." Whispered the Elongated man.
Ralph was one of the other heroes that Barry met early on in his career as the Flash. He kept Ralph honest and professional. They got along very well. The one thing that Barry didn't agree with was Ralph's decision to reveal his secret identity. Still, Ralph was in as much pain as Hal.
Iris was the first to speak about Barry. She told about all of the happiness they shared and the good times she would treasure. Next members of the Justice League mentioned how much they loved Barry and wished that they could have saved him. With the funeral over, Hal used his ring to engrave the words into the statue.
Barry Allen
"The Flash"
Husband
Friend
Hero
After the funeral, Iris went home. She was completely overwhelmed with emotions. She went to the house she and Barry shared for years after they had gotten married. The now empty halls only made her feel worse. How could she live alone?
"Ow!" she exclaimed at two in the morning. She seemed to have felt a sharp pain in her stomach.
Later at the hospital, she wondered what it could be that caused such pain. Was it possible one of the Flash's enemies had done something to her? The doctor, who was an old friend of Barry's, came into the room with a surprised look on his face.
"What is it, doctor?" Iris asked nervously.
"Well, uh… Iris, we took a few tests and found out some startling news: y-you're… pregnant with twins."
Iris' eyes showed full shock, and once again they filled with tears. But this time, they were tears of joy. She now knew that Barry would always be with her.
Many years later, two red streaks of light rushed through the streets of Central City. If a criminal or citizen looked close enough, they could see a man and woman inside the crimson light. Iris West-Allen looked with great pride as she saw the good deeds that her children did. Central City would sleep well at night knowing that the Flash's Tornado Twins were on the job!