Prologue: FLASHPOINT- COURSE CORRECTED

Barry Allen, in a moment of grief had travelled back in time and stopped Reverse Flash from killing his mother, creating an alternate timeline where both his parents were alive and he had a happy childhood. The last three months had been the happiest time in his entire life but that all changed the moment he discovered the cost of creating this new world… the more he used his speed, the faster he would forget his memories of the original timeline.

But the new world was better, right? His father was not only alive but also, he didn't have to spend fifteen years in jail for a crime he didn't commit. And while he was forgetting his old memories, he was getting new ones… of his childhood with his parents.

Yes, things were really different in this timeline. There was already a Flash and Central City didn't need him to save it. Iris and Wally were estranged from Joe. Cisco was a billionaire and owner of what used to be STAR Labs. Caitlin was a meek ophthalmologist. Sure, he missed his friends but they were all alive and happy. They didn't go through the trauma and heartbreak their counterparts did.

Then he found out that Wally was this timeline's Flash and he simply couldn't stay in the side-lines anymore.

His memories started to disappear at random moments and he confronted Thawne about it. He laughed in his face and told him this new timeline was overwriting the old one and slowly he would lose his memories and his powers with them.

"Who's the villain now, Flash?" Thawne snarked at him.

He shrugged it off but on a subconscious level, Thawne's words did affect him. He felt selfish and maybe he was.

Later when Wally got injured and his speed healing didn't kick in, Barry felt lost. Maybe he needed to change the timeline back to what it was.

He wasn't strong enough to do it himself. As always, he turned to Iris, who in spite of not having any memory of growing up with him or loving him, still trusted him and loved him with her whole heart.

He said goodbye to his parents.

"I just love you both."

That hurt a lot. He didn't want to do it. His parents… he didn't want to lose them again but he had to do it. He had to restore the timeline.

"I want to hear you say it." Thawne mocked him cruelly.

"I need you to kill my mother." Barry said, holding back tears and blaming himself for subjecting himself to this torture.

"With pleasure."

"I hate you."

"And I hate you and I sometimes wonder which of us is right."

Barry stood up to unlock the door, when he found another hand on his own. It was Iris.

"You don't need to do this, Barry." Iris said. "You can stay here. I know you feel guilty over what happened to Wally but he'll get better."

"I have to restore the timeline, Iris."

Thawne's eyes narrowed. "It's the only way."

"Hey, I don't understand time travel or alternate timelines but I know a liar when I see them." Iris' eyes flashed dangerously. "What's wrong with this world? Barry's parents are alive and everyone is happy. What's wrong with that?"

"The timeline is not something to tamper with." Thawne said through gritted teeth.

"I thought you are a time traveller too. Maybe this is the timeline as it ought to be without your interference."

"You don't know what you are talking about, girl! Flash, you know what you have to do."

"No. She's right. And as always, you were trying to manipulate me." Barry scoffed, stepping away from the cage.

"NO!" Thawne yelled. "You are doing a mistake, Flash. You'll forget who you really are. You'll forget you were the Flash and you will lose your powers forever!"

Barry wavered.

"You are more than the Flash, Barry." Iris reassured. "You don't need powers."

"Oh, how wrong you are, Miss West! That is his identity! Without powers, Barry Allen is nothing!"

"I guess we'll have to see." Barry glared at him one last time before speeding himself and Iris out of there.

They stopped in front of his parent's house… his house.

"Thank you." He said earnestly.

"Hey I don't get what is happening here but letting you do that felt wrong, Barry. You deserve to be happy." She said, hugging him.

"He was right though." Barry sighed. "I am losing my memories of the old timeline and I don't want to forget. I don't want to forget my friends or Joe and most of all, you. Because once I forget, that'll be it. No one would remember it. Those moments would be gone forever."

"I know that's scary but you'll be making new memories too. And now that I know you, I won't forget you and I definitely won't let you forget me." She promised, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her lips against him tenderly.

Barry kissed her back. They had kissed before but it was technically their first kiss in this timeline and once again, he felt butterflies in his stomach. Barry just knew everything would be fine as long as she was with him.