Kid Flash's Not So Easy Path

APRIL 2050

That one morning he knew things were wrong. Usually his dad was already back and preparing him something to eat. Being a speedster in their time was very difficult. There was very little food to go about and with their incredibly fast metabolism they were no strangers to the feeling of starvation. He was starting to feel weak. He moved as little as possible. He ate the few crumbs around their little room hidden at the edge of what used to be an apartment complex in Central City.

"Don?" someone called at their door after a short knock.

"Mr. Grayson?" he called opening the door without a pause.

"Bart!" the old man answered with his good eye open wide. The kid knew better than to open the door without making sure who was on the other side "where is Don?" but before the kid could respond he saw how frail he looked, "come here" he said taking off his pack and taking out some of the provisions he had brought, "don't eat them too fast, or you will make yourself sick"

Bart ate as the man walked to the window and watched outside with an intensity Bart hadn't seen before.

"The Reach is combing through this area" he said before Bart felt sick, "I think he went to confront them"

"Dad wouldn't do something so crazy" Bart said as he swallowed the remains of the food.

"I am well aware of your father's opinion in the whole matter Bartholomew" he said in a stern voice that had the boy staring, "sorry kid… is just that you know about that special connection you dad and Dawn have…"

"They are faster together," he said with a nod.

"And your father would never leave his sister alone, though I hope he decided to make an exception"

His aunt Dawn was part of the resistance where his father wanted nothing to do with it. Still, they were siblings, twins at that. All their lives they had been looking after each other.

"Mr. Grayson," the young boy started, "he is not coming back, isn't he?"

"Bart-" the old man started to say

"He isn't" the boy declared.

"He might," the old man tried to offer some hope, "we will leave him a letter so he knows where to find you"

The boy nodded before rushing to pack only the essentials, and then writing the letter.

"I am ready Mr. Grayson," Bart said as the old man turned away from the window.

"You know, I think you might be as fast as your grandfather," the old man offered a smile before leading the boy outside, "take it slow with me kid, I am not as fast as I used to"

And them along with other survivors walked out of the dilapidated city before the Reach could capture them. Bart made sure to stay close to the old man as they walked in the dessert that most world had become. They reached a cave from which the old man brought out a motorcycle. He was actually a little excited to get on it as they were very rare. They made it to the crater that used to be Gotham before entering the woods and then what used to be a mansion. Bart imagined it had once been a magnificent place, but now the remains of the shattered walls screamed of a terrible event.

They went down a long set of stairs into an underground cave. The place looked like a mess with inventions thrown here and there, but it also felt safe.

"Go rest kid" the old man said as he collapsed on a chair by what was once a top of the art computer.

Bart didn't waste any time and went to lie down on a bed nearby.

As he fell asleep he heard someone enter the little sanctuary.

"Where is Don?"

"I am sorry Richard… he…"

He wanted to wake up then, but his body refused to listen.

"What I am going to tell him?" it was his aunt Dawn.

"That he died a hero,"

And then he was able to wake up.

SEPTEMBER 2017

He was lying in the couch of his grandparent's house. He sat up which made the blanket at top of him slip off. When had he fallen asleep? They had all being watching a movie and that was the last thing he remembered.

"Are you okay Bart?" Barry Allen, his grandfather asked from the couch across from him. In his arms he held a little bundle.

"Yeah," he said picking the blanket and then looking at the clock in the living room.

"I called Jay, he knows you are staying" he said before seeing the boy relax, though he still looked pale "are you sure-"

"Is that…" he said trying to pick.

"Dawn," Barry said before Bart noticed at least three bottles of formula lying empty on the couch.

"She is so little," but where there should have been tenderness, Barry could only hear sadness.

"Isn't she?" she was not even a year old, "Don is bigger than her though"

"He was very tall," Bart said before looking away, he had looked like a giant that no one would ever be able to take down to him, "sorry," he said standing, "I think I should go"

"Bartholomew," before he could reach the door Barry was in front of it, "they are going to be fine, we all are"

"I am not worried" he said throwing his smug smile, "is just a bit weird for me" to experience someone's death before their birth was weird indeed.

"Then stay, please. There is something we need to talk about" Barry said before Bart went to sit again, "thank you for everything you have done. I wouldn't even had known I was going to be a father, any less hold my children if it wasn't for you"

"What's family for?" Bart said trying to not recall his memories.

But then Barry's expression became somber as he struggled with his next words, "but I am also worried about your involvement in their lives, like you said, it is a little weird"

"I understand," he said knowing what his grandfather was referring to "we can tell them I am a distant cousin or something"

"That wouldn't bother you?" that was what he was planning but didn't think Bart would be so willing to disguise his ties to them after what he went through.

"Of course not," he laughed, "growing up knowing you had a son in an apocalyptic future that then came back to the past seems a bit too much for a little kid to handle. You can tell them the truth when they are old enough if you like"

"Don was a great father, wasn't he?"

"The best" and wished then he could say more but knew from a long lecture from Kaldur that he was not to reveal anything else from the future. He wanted to tell his grandfather; Don was almost a carbon copy of him but for exception of his blue eyes which were like his mothers. He wanted to tell him Aunt Dawn was considered to be one of the most beautiful women in their time though she felt conflicted by it since she had a deep scar on one side of her face.

Eventually Barry went back to sleep. As Bart lay on the couch again he wondered how different they would be now that they had their father to guide them. He hoped things were indeed a lot different.

APRIL 2050

"I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!" his throat hurt from screaming but he found he couldn't stop. He had never felt anger like he did then.

"Bart, plea-" Dawn tried to get hold of him, but he was on the other end of the room a moment later.

"NO! HE WOULD STILL BE ALIVE IF YOU WEREN'T SO STUPID! WHY DID YOU DRAG HIM DOWN THERE!" his father knew they didn't stand a chance against The Reach. He just wanted to make sure they could survive.

"I-" and Bart hated her even more because she looked guilty then. She knew it was true.

"Is all your fault!" he shouted wishing it was not the truth.

"Bart wait!" she tried to reach him again as he went for the stairs.

And then she was after him. He ran as fast as he could for the first time in his life. He had gone beyond the Gotham crater before he knew it and across the dark waters. She was not far behind so he tried to go even faster.

"Bart! You have to stop!" she shouted behind him already sounding exhausted, they had reached the other side of the sea.

"GO AWAY!" he shouted looking back, which was a big mistake to make. He tripped with something and his young body went off flying. He closed his eyes tightly knowing that what would follow would hurt a lot. He hit the earth once (was that his that cracked?), bounced and then something soft caught him.

He heard his aunt gasp as if someone had kicked the air out of her lungs. And then everything stopped. He opened his eyes. She was holding him tightly and gasping for air.

"I am so sorry Bart," she said as tears streamed down her face, "I am sorry" and she held him tighter and cried. He couldn't help a sob that escaped his throat, and soon they were both crying. He didn't hate her but he wished his father was still alive.

OCTOBER 2016

"I am so ready for this!" Bart said barely able to keep himself seated.

"Again, why did you bring that?" the blond man had come to know as John Constantine pointed at him with an accusatory finger, "he has no magic abilities whatsoever"

Bart thought the guy could be considered crash with the long coat and cocky grin, but the moment he opened his mouth he ruined the illusion.

"Madame Xanadu asked to bring someone who was none magic and I couldn't think of someone better than Kid-Flash" Zatanna gave Bart a smile which he returned with a small blush.

"Then you need to do a lot more thinking love" Constantine said before his chair magically disappeared underneath him, "you little-"

"Look, if Nick wasn't so busy I would have him come instead of you" Zatanna said doing her best not to roll her eyes as he sat next to her on the couch.

"Oh please, Necro is too busy with his head up his-"

"Hey, in a more cheerful note Conner is getting better with his powers. Kaldur said he will try to get him back" in a moment the kid was now sitting between them, almost pushing Constantine off the couch.

"That's wonderful! With this mess we could use all the extra hands we can get" she was thankful to get away from the topic of her boyfriend.

"Hero complex gits" Constantine muttered as someone entered the private room.

"Yet you remain," a man with red mid length hair entered the room "well, if is little Zatanna. Not so little anymore"

"Shade" she said with a smile, "is nice to see you again, though I wish it was under different circumstances"

"Isn't it always?" he sat across from Bart.

Though the guy seemed friendly enough, Bart got a bad vibe from him.

"Who else are we waiting for?" Shade asked looking curiously at the brightly colored hero.

"Mindwarp" Zatanna said with a sigh.

"Won't come, that selfish bastard only thinks of himself" Constantine said crossing his arms across his chest.

"and Deadman," Zatanna said with a frown.

"Self-righteous jerk" chipped Contantine before she rolled her eyes at him.

"I thought Doctor Fate would be here" Shade asked and Bart felt like punching the jerk.

"He is trying to break through her barrier at this moment. We will go in and strike" Zatanna kept her composure and said.

"Deadman will be here in a moment"

Bart jumped as a new voice sounded across the room. A woman appeared in the middle of the room. Her eyes fixed on Bart. She stared at him with a frown before turning to the door. A moment later a young blond woman entered the room.

"Is that June Moone!" Constantine stood up, "this is so wrong. Boston what are you doing possessing that witch! Why would you bring her here?"

Bart gave a questioning look at Zatanna before she answered, "Deadman can posses just about anyone" and then she turned to Constantine, "you shut your trap and let him explain"

"June found me, she was free of Enchantress but now the witch is going mad" the blond woman said leaning on the couch.

"Of course she is, you took her host away from her" Bart wondered if John could get any more upset.

"And does June deserve to be her prisoner? Like this I can prevent Enchantress from taking hold of her again until she has been dealt with"

"Dammit, don't you bloody understand? She is a natural force of magic. Just like with Doctor Fate, there will always be someone"

"Hey lady, can we get this start it before I get traumatized for life" Bart said raising his hand. He didn't care the rest of the room was looking at him as if he had already lost his mind. He was starting to understand some of the Leaguer's reluctance to deal with magic.

"Enchantress is starting to act out," the woman better known as Madame Xanadu started to speak, "children had to be restrained from hurting their parents and themselves, riots are being started for the most absurd reasons, and a power plant has gained a consciousness and is threatening to destroy itself and kill the workers inside; all because Enchantress' madness is spreading"

Bart listened to their plan, though he didn't know much about magic by looking at their expressions he could tell it would not be easy. He wondered if he should have accepted so easily Zatanna's invitation to this mission. Of course he could get away fast if needed, but he didn't like the idea of not being able to help the others if things did get too difficult.

"Fine, but if it comes to worse, which it always does, you are to give her back Boston"

Deadman glared at the magician but didn't say no.

"Alright then," said Shade standing before his jacket started to glow, "let's get started" and they were all wrapped in a bright light with odd shaped figures around them. Bart guessed they were runes. The feeling was very similar to that of floating. No one spoke as they floated in white vastness. Only Zatanna gave him a reassuring smile, the rest remained grim as if going to a funeral.