Just a oneshot. Hope you like.
Severed
Iris lay on her bed, not because she was tired, but because the weight her stomach seemed a thousand times heavier.
No tears came. She begged for them to appear, but they didn't. They would've brought relief: she did love Barry. She would miss him. Most of all, the aching pain inside would find a way out.
Instead she turned her head, staring out the window at the flickering lamppost. The house next to theirs was quiet and dark. Everything was the same it had been the night before. Except for...
Barry!
One baby gave a small kick, and Iris lost it. She buried her face in her hands and cried. She was just Iris. She couldn't run around the world in eight minutes, or vibrate through walls. She couldn't keep her emotions bottled up all the time. She'd wanted the tears, but now she wished they'd go away. They hurt more, and they seemed like confirmation that Barry really was gone.
Maybe this was why heroes never cried, because it would mean admitting that the bad guy had managed to win something from them.
Iris sniffed, turning back around to face the wall. She placed her hand on her stomach, gently rubbing the stretched skin. She needed to be the hero. She had to be strong. The babies...what if they had Barry's speed? It would make sense, if Impulse had gotten his speed from his father.
Iris would have to take care of them alone. That would require more strength than Batman himself could muster. Iris giggled to herself, thinking of Batman trying to raise twin speedsters.
She sat up, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. She had to be strong. Slowly she pushed herself off the bed, and walked downstairs.
Iris stepped into the kitchen, opening the fridge and pouring herself some tomato juice. She swallowed in pain, smiling, remembering Barry asking her why the heck she was buying the nasty stuff.
"Can I have some?" A small hand tapped her on the shoulder. Iris turned around, raising an eyebrow, to see Bart, the biggest grin in the world on his face. His hair was messy, Wally's too-big pajamas making him look even scrawnier than he was. She nodded, pouring some into a plastic cup and handing it to the time traveler.
Bart took a huge gulp before spitting it back in the cup. "Aw, yuck! This stuff's nasty!"
Iris snorted, shaking her head as she took the cup from him and drank the rest. He was her grandson.
"Erm, Grandma? Can I call you that?"
"Yes." Iris whispered.
Bart became serious, his eyes lowered to the ground. He put his arms around her, in a half hug, not squeezing her aggressively. "I'm sorry."
Iris put her arm around his shoulders, swallowing. "You're a hero Bart. I know you tried."
"You - what?" Bart backed away, looking up at her in alarm.
"I know you tried. Don't feel guilty." She kissed him on the forehead, taking the carton of tomato juice with her as she walked back to her room. She was strong.
Bart stood there in silence, letting it sink in. Iris had known the whole time. And, she wasn't mad.
He ruffled his hair, trying to understand.