I was watching Agents of SHIELD and it said "Particle accelerator explodes" and after a moment of completely freaking out I realized that this is a different comic universe. What the heck, Marvel?
Prompts are always appreciated.
They knew it was coming, but that didn't make it any easier. Nothing could make it easier. She was only six years old, far too young to lose her mother.
Her mother had been sick for a long time, in and out of the hospital, but a six year old can hold onto hope for a long time. Iris knew her mother would not be coming home again, but she also knew her mother would never have to go to the hospital again. Her mother hated the hospital.
She hadn't heard a word at the viewing or the funeral. She didn't hear the trumpets sounding or the condolences given. Everything around her was a blur.
Iris held her father's hand as she watched her mother's casket slowly lowered into the earth. Fresh tears flowed down old paths on her cheeks.
She knew her father's face mirrored her own without looking up at him. Iris couldn't coax her eyes away from the casket now six feet into the ground. It would just be her and her father from now on.
Barry stood slightly away from the crowd. He could see that Iris was in pain. She had been in pain since her mom had gotten sick, but now Iris seemed worse. All Barry could think about was going over to her and wrapping her in a hug. Telling her that everything was going to be okay, but he knew he couldn't promise that, and he couldn't lie to her like that. Iris was his best friend, he couldn't bear to see her in pain.
Joe didn't know what to do. He had lost his wife. The woman he loved. But his daughter had just lost her mother. How could he grieve and take care of his daughter at the same time?
Barry.
Barry was a good kid, and he cared about Iris. Joe could see him out of the corner of his eye. He could see how badly the kid wanted to run to Iris's side. Iris was lucky to have a friend like Barry, but it was not lost on Joe how lucky he was that Iris had Barry.
Soon only Joe, Iris, and the Allens left at the gravesite. Iris finally tore her eyes away from the where her mother now laid buried beneath six feet of dirt. She saw Barry standing there and reached her hand out toward him. Immediately he was by her side. She had never seen him run so fast. His arms were outstretched, and she fell into them, needing to feel the warmth and light that was her best friend.
She was grateful for his silent comfort. He just held her close instead of telling her everything would be okay like the grownups did. He was young, but she knew things would never be the same.
Joe looked over to Barry's parents silently asking if he could keep Barry for a little while. Nora nodded, and Barry's parents left the cemetery.
Joe knelt to the ground, knowing that his daughter was currently in good hands.