Pre-reboot, AU Batman/Flash.

I own nothing but the idea.

Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep… Hehehehe…

Damian peered over the edge of his book, irritated. He hadn't been worried when he'd been instructed to be on his best behaviour this afternoon, since Grayson and West were visiting to talk to his father about some league business or something along those lines, but he hadn't counted on one thing. Both West and Grayson had children; children that apparently had to accompany them to the manor. Grayson's daughter Mar'i and West's son, Jai, were using Tim's old game cube to play some video game that consisted of driving cars in circles. The other one, West's girl, Iris or whatever, had escaped his line of sight, which worried him only a little since he'd heard her giggle only a second ago.

His eyes flicked back to the page of his book. He wasn't really reading, but if it looked like he was, people were less likely to disturb his thoughts. He knew his father was frustrated with him; he couldn't understand why Damian didn't want to act like other children. Damian couldn't care less about making friends or playing sports and when he did try these things, he usually ended up hurting someone.

"Hi!" He jumped, slamming his book closed as the cheerful, girly voice chirped right next to his ear.

Turning slowly, he glared at the red haired girl, "What?"

The girl, who was around his age, didn't look fazed by his scowl, "I'm Iris. You're Damian, right?"

"Yes." He ground out shortly.

Still seemingly unfazed, she plopped down on the bench next to him, "We're going to be best friends."

He blinked, startled out of his anger, this was news to him, "What?"

"You're a member of the Batfamily," She informed him, "I'm a speedster, we're going to be best friends, it's destiny."

He couldn't help looking slightly amused, "Destiny, huh? And what if we're not best friends?"

She looked surprised, her big green eyes fluttering, like she hadn't even thought this possible, "I guess… terrible things would happen. The world wouldn't be right. I guess we can start as regular friends, though. It would be a little rash to just jump straight in as best friends."

He stared at her for a good long minuet, something about her rattled his cage and he found himself nearly speechless. Finally, picking his words carefully, he managed to offer a comment, "I don't have friends."

"Well," She shrugged, "Now you do."

He paused again, "Destiny?"

"That's right," She nodded, beaming, "We don't have a choice."

"You lied to me." There was a quiver in Damian's voice, so quiet that it wouldn't have been noticeable to anyone but his closest friends. He was with his closest friend now and though he thought it unlikely, he managed to hope that she could hear him. Iris lay still in the hospital bed, not reacting to his accusing words. Part of him wanted to grab her shoulders and shake her until she woke up, as if the body laying in the bed could suddenly be her again. Her beautiful green eyes would open and she would laugh at him, call him silly names, kiss his forehead gently and promise to never leave him. The other part of him was slightly more rational, only slightly because he kept talking, "You told me we didn't have a choice. That we had to be friends, but it wasn't true."

Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep…

"You chose me." He whispered, taking her small, pale, almond hand in his larger, slightly browner one, "We chose each other."

Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep…

"Why?" His voice was barely audible as he relived the events of the day in his head again and again, reaching up to stroke her cheek, for once, not ashamed about the tears that stained his face, "Why couldn't you be selfish? He was after me, Irey, that sword was for me. Why'd you get in the way?"

Beep, beep, beep…

"I'd do it again. If I had the chance to go back, I'd pick you again every time." He smoothed the hair off her forehead, "You hear me? I wouldn't change a second of our time together. Not a second. So you listen to me, Iris West, I need you to wake up. I need you to be okay, because I love you and I want to have the rest of our lives to figure out what to do with that. I need you with me while I figure things out. Please?"

…

In case this wasn't clear, while out on a mission, Damian was attacked and Iris jumped in front of him to save him and was stabbed. While sitting with her in the hospital, Damian remembers the day they met, and confesses that he thinks she was wrong about them being destiny, that he thinks they chose each other. Then she dies. I'm sorry. ~ Tygger