Disclaimer: The following is a nonprofit Fan based story; The FLASH and all related characters are owned by DC comics, the CW and anyone I may have missed.

Hi everyone! I'm back! (Again). I definitely sound like a broken record because of how long it is taking me to write these chapters but in all honestly, it's because it feels like I am being told the story by the characters. They want me to tell the whole thing but to be completely honest it is long and epic! I might make a third part turning this into a trilogy. No matter what I do after this the finale I know will be epic.

As I usually do special shout outs to all of you who Reviewed, favorited and followed and of course I have to that everyone who read this story even though I have no way of knowing who you are.

Thank You so much for your patience.

The Flash: Survival of the Fastest

Chapter 30: Strangers

"What did Godspeed mean when he said Caitlin will be dead in my arms?" Barry demanded as he stormed into the Cortex. Everyone could tell he was directing his question at Dawn and Don. Eyes were shifting all over the cortex, no one knew who should speak first.

"Could we get a moment," Dawn tenderly spoke.

"Come on Eddie." Iris said gently guiding her husband out of the Cortex and practically screaming at her Father and Cisco to follow with her eyes alone.

"Dad… listen…" Dawn spoke quietly choosing each word deliberately. "That is knowledge of the future we cannot tell you."

"Why not?" Barry demanded. "Godspeed already told me I will be holding her dead body! And we have already been successful in changing the future before! If we hadn't, Iris would be dead!"

"Maybe we should tell him." Don said. Unlike his sister he believed this might give their father closure with Doctor Snow allowing him to move on. "In the future, where we are from, well it's hard to say since no one knows for sure what happened, but all we know is you went out to confront Killer Frost one day and, well, Cisco arrived only to find you cradling the deceased body of Dr. Snow."

"Whatever happened that night" Dawn cut in. "it changed you Dad. You barely talked after that, hardly went out in the field anymore. Uncle Wally basically had to become the Flash overnight."

"Who killed Caitlin in the future?" Barry asked.

"We don't know dad…" Dawn responded. "You were the only one there and you never spoke of that night."

"When was it?" The Flash asked.

"August 23, 2038." Dawn answered quietly.

August 23, 2036

Heart Residence

Catherine Heart sat at her desk with her laptop. Ever since she met that boy yesterday her head had been filled with questions. She had tried to find him on all the social media sites but those she did find him on it turned out he wasn't active all that much. All those gave her was a glimpse into some of the things Charlie liked. That and his hair seemed to shift between black and brown as if it were dyed.

There were also some pictures of his family. Just a small family of four, his mother a beautiful woman with raven colored hair, his father he seemed older brown hair cut military style while sporting a beard, and an older brother, who must have been about three years older than him. What caught Catherine's attention is that neither Charlie nor his older brother looked like their parents. While the two 'brothers' looked sort of similar there were obvious differences. The older of the two had wavier hair while Charlie's was straight and he had light freckles where Charlie had none.

"Who are you?" She asked herself aloud for the umpteenth time. "Why do you seem so familiar to me?" It could not be a coincidence that she would meet a young man who looked strikingly like her and Savitar on the sixteenth anniversary of her son's birth. Well not only that but She felt like they had met before, a long time ago.

"Cait?" She heard her husband call out her name. Quickly she closed out of her tab and responded to her husband.

"In here!"

A moment later Savitar entered the room. Almost immediately he noticed something off with his wife. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She said. "Why do you ask?"

"You were just biting your lip." He said as he sat on the edge of her desk. "Usually that means something's bothering you."

"Really Barry I'm fine…" She said.

Savitar sighed. Despite his desire to not be called that name Killer Frost was the only one he allowed to call him Barry, though in public she'd call him either Savitar or Henry. "You're thinking about our son again, aren't you?"

"Even though it's been sixteen years I just feel like… I don't know… I just know he's out there."

"I know Cait… but it's been sixteen years. I think it might be time we let go."

"I know but… yesterday, I don't think it was a mere coincidence, I ran into someone." Caitlin said catching her husband's attention. "He looked remarkably like you," Savitar flinched thinking Caitlin was talking about his younger self. "except he had my eyes."

"Who?" Savitar asked curiously.

Catherine never got to respond because of a roar of thunder followed by several rapid heavy knocks on their door followed by three words that changed their lives forever.

"COME ON OUT!"

Unknown Time and Place

Caitlin felt a soft hand brush several strands of her hair away from her face. "Stop…" She mumbled into her pillow.

"Can't help myself Cait. You are just so beautiful in the morning." Barry replied making Caitlin smile to herself.

"That's sweet but I want to go back to sleep." Caitlin groaned. She nestled into her pillow but before she could fall asleep she heard the creaking of their door open and the tiny pitter patter of little feet trying to silently creep to their bed.

"Our son is awake." Barry whispered to her.

"Before noon he's your son." Caitlin mumbled back. She tried to ignore the rustling of a small child climbing into their bed but when the little boy snuggled right between them she could only smile. Reaching out she wrapped her arms around the boy and held him close.

"Morning Mommy." He said quietly.

"Morning baby." Caitlin replied before kissing his forehead.

"Hey that's not fair." Barry pouted.

"It's not my fault he's a momma's boy." Caitlin argued as she pulled their son a little tighter. "Isn't that right?"

Their son flashed Barry and Caitlin a partially toothy grin. "Yep."

"Awe, my two boys." Caitlin said as Barry pulled her and their son closer. "I could stay like this forever."

"But mommy, it's time to wake up."

Caitlin blinked, slightly confused.

"Wake up mommy." Against her wishes the world went dark until Caitlin couldn't see or hear her boys anymore.

Caitlin slowly opened her eyes and immediately noticed she was not in her bedroom, and this was not her bed. "What?" She looked around frantically. "Where am I?" She was met with silence. She sat up and got a good look at the room she was in.

That was when she noticed her belly. It was larger than before. For a moment she stared at it blankly trying to figure out what was happening. Just by judging the size it looked like she was around seven months which should not be the case.

"What?" She was at a complete loss for words when she felt the baby kick much to her surprise. She couldn't help but to smile when she felt it. This was the first time she felt the baby actually move. "Oh my god!" She said with glee. "You kicked!" She felt another kick. "If only your daddy could feel you kick." That thought caused her smile to drop. Caitlin looked up from her belly to get her bearings.

She was resting in the medical lab she had known for so long. Several wires were connected to her monitoring her vitals which were visible on the nearby monitor. She even had several IV bags hooked up and connected to an IV in her arm providing her with nutrients from what she could see.

"Oh!" Caitlin turned to see a young beautiful brown-haired woman not too far from her. "You're awake!" Immediately she rushed over to Caitlin.

"Who-" Caitlin never got to ask the question.

"Eyes reacting normally to light. Pulse slightly elevated, but that's to be expected." The woman said as she put her pocket flashlight away and glanced at the monitors.

"Where? Where am I?" Caitlin asked "Who are you?"

"Jen." The newly named Jen answered. "And you are currently in S.T.A.R. Labs."

"What?" Caitlin definitely did not recognize this woman, she did not work at S.T.A.R. Labs.

"And to answer your follow up question, No, I do not work at S.T.A.R. Labs." Jen anticipated. "It's far more complicated than it looks." She looked over several notes. "Also, your baby is fine. Though I recommend you take it easy for the next few days."

Caitlin tossed the blankets aside and swung her legs over the side of the gurney. Quickly she disconnected the wires and IV yet she still took it slowly.

"Oh no no no no no." Jen placed a hand on Caitlin's shoulder. "We can't have you going anywhere yet. "You're still recovering."

"Recovering? Recovering from what?"

"Well, just after you were brought here, you nearly had a miscarriage." That word was followed by a deafening silence as it just floated there. That word frightened Caitlin. How could she have almost had a miscarriage.

"I… I almost miscarried?" She asked not believing it.

"Yeah, you dangerously close." She said allowing the gravity of the situation to sink in. "We almost lost you… your heart stopped, several times."

That scared Caitlin a lot more. "What?" if her heart stopped was that going to have any adverse effects on the baby? "My baby…"

"Is fine." Jen responded. "But like I said it would be best if you stay in bed for the next few hours." She glanced down at her tablet. "If you'll ever excuse me, I have to go make sure Charlie doesn't hurt himself." Jen turned to leave the room.

"Charlie?" Catlin asked confused but Jen had already left the med bay.

There was a slight chill in the air, enough to make Caitlin shiver slightly and rub her shoulders. She looked down at her stomach and gently rubbed it as well, it felt like the baby was getting restless, despite its miniscule development.

"It's okay baby." She whispered. "We're going to be okay." So long as her baby was safe Caitlin just knew everything would be fine. "We're in S.T.A.R. Labs, but… where is everyone?" She asked her baby, "Why is this place so…empty?"

"I still think this was a bad idea." Caitlin heard as she stood up. The voice that was currently speaking sounded a lot like Harry, only it was not nearly as condescending. "Just her being here threatens the very fabric of the space time continuum."

"What was I supposed to do?" The sound of another man asked. "Let Godspeed kidnap her?"

"YOU kidnapped her!" Jen fired back. "She was supposed to be taken! Remember?"

"Yeah, but…"

"Jennifer is right Charlie. Your reckless actions have put us all in danger." Not-so-Harry said. "I know how much you want to get revenge on Godspeed but this is not the way."

"Oh? And what is the way?" Charlie replied. "The bastard took so much from each of us!"

Caitlin entered in the cortex but only saw two people. One of them was Jen, who she easily recognized and the other, well, she recognized him as well.

"You!?" Caitlin spoke drawing the attention of both Charlie and Jen.

"You're awake! Wait, shouldn't you be resting?" Charlie asked

Jen sighed. "I told her to."

Caitlin found herself staring face to face with Charlie McGrath, the young man she had met what must have been hours ago when they ran into each other. Instinctively she recoiled from him.

"What is going on here?" She demanded.

"I believe I can answer that Dr. Snow." Caitlin heard the voice of Harrison Wells once again. Jennifer, be a good lass and give me a hand."

What Caitlin saw nearly made her lose her lunch and pass out at once. Jen was standing there holding the severed head of Harrison Wells. But it's what happened after that really freaked her out.

"Hello there." The severed head said. Well he wasn't quite the same as the Harry Caitlin knew. For starters he had long shaggy brown hair alongside a rather full beard of the same color. The biggest difference was his eyes, instead of the steely blue she knew they were gold almost as if crystal.

Dr. Snow had no recollection of her scream at seeing the talking head in front of her but the next thing she knew Charlie and Jen were trying to calm her down.

Charlie held out his hands trying to reassure her. "Look Dr. Snow you really need to calm down, stress isn't good for your baby." Caitlin froze. "Relax Dr. Snow. No one here is going to hurt you."

"Relax? How can I relax when I am in the future with a man I hardly know, and a talking severed head? And for the record you are the one causing my stress!"

"Touché." Charlie replied. "But, in my defense, this was the only way to protect you and ensure time's proper course."

"cough… cough…bullshit…cough" The head of Harrison Wells coughed rather loudly and obviously.

"Are you trying to say something head?" Charlie asked rather crudely.

"Well, now that you mention it, yes I would like to properly introduce myself to the Doctor." He cleared what was left of his throat. "It's a pleasure to meet you Dr. Snow. My name is Johnathan Wells, but you can call me Johnny. I'd offer up a hand shake but as you can see from my current predicament that is rather impossible."

"You… you're…"

"A talking severed head? Yes." Jen stepped in.

"How?" Was all Caitlin could ask.

"It is quite the long story… but the short of it is-"

"I removed his head." Charlie paused before adding. "At his request."

"Way to take the fun out of a good story." Johnny Wells grumbled.

Caitlin ran her hands through her hair barely able to comprehend what was happening. She felt her breathing and heart rate escalate. Too many questions were formulating in her head until she had to ask the first one that came into her head.

"Just where the hell am I?" She asked no one in particular.

She noticed Charlie and Jen exchange looks between themselves and with the head of Johnny Wells. "This may be tough for you to process Dr. Snow but you need to understand I brought you here for your own good. You're probably aware you are no longer in your time period. To save both you and your baby, I brought you here."

"Where. Is. Here?" Caitlin emphasized each word with bits of anger slipping into each

"The Date today is May 24 2044." Johnny said in a somber tone.

Caitlin was twenty-six years in the future. "What?" she asked herself aloud. "That's… no…no, no, no…" She began to repeat that two-letter word to herself like a mantra. She had to be dreaming. There was no way she was suddenly a quarter of a century in the future.

Caitlin paused for a moment, kind of ignoring what Charlie, Jen and Johnny were saying. She had to get back to Barry. She had to return to her time. Before she let Charlie speak another word she took off leaving a wake of blue lightning ignoring the sound of the three people calling out to her.

Barry, had warned her regarding the dangers of time travel, as he had done it multiple times both intentionally and accidentally, and the Speed Force never liked Time Travel regardless of the circumstances. But this was her going back to her own time, surly the Speed Force would allow her to do that. Honestly, she had no idea as she had never attempted to travel through time before. She let the energy inside her flow through as she pushed herself to get faster and faster until she was lapping around Central City. She smiled to herself when a blue portal opened in front of her.

But before she could reach it she felt a hand on her shoulder and immediately she was scooped up and suddenly no longer moving. Charlie had caught her.

"I'm sorry about this Dr. Snow." He said. "But I cannot let you leave." An instant later Caitlin and her companion were gone in a crackle of blue and black lightning.

Caitlin found herself back in the S.T.A.R. Labs medical bay. She felt weak, far weaker than she probably should. "What? What did you do?"

"I wouldn't move so much. You're still recovering." Charlie said gently. "Come with me." He took her hand and led her back to the bed and made her sit in it.

"I can recover when I am home." Caitlin argued.

"I'm really sorry Dr. Snow but I cannot allow you to return home." Charlie counter argued. "even if you could, going back would result in you losing your baby."

"Wha-?" Caitlin froze in fear moving a hand to protect her stomach. "No matter what you do to me, you won't harm my baby."

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" Charlie held out his hands defensively. "No one here is going to hurt you or your baby. In fact, it is quite imperative that both you and your baby remain safe. That's why I brought you here despite the risks, this is the only way to save you."

"What are you talking about?" She demanded defensively

"Oh you know. Typical timey whimy risks." He said scrunching his face. "Because of that you're going to be here for a while so I suggest you make yourself comfortable."

"My friends will come for me." Caitlin said. She noticed Charlie smile at that comment.

"I am counting on it." His smile dropped when both of them felt the earth shake. "Aw damnit." Charlie groaned.

"Charlie, you've got to move it!" Jen called out to him. "Colossus is back!"

"I've got to run Dr. Snow. But I promise when I get back I'll explain everything I can." Charlie gave her one last smirk before vanishing in a flash of blue and black lightning and a deafening rumble of thunder. Leaving Caitlin to stare completely shocked by the color of his lightning.

"Black lightning?" Caitlin asked herself only partially realizing who exactly Charlie was, and it frightened her even more.

Present Day

S.T.A.R. Labs, Pipeline

Godspeed sat in his cell thinking. It was all he could really do at this point after he basically sent Barry to confront the Tornado Twins regarding everything they are hiding. Truth be told that conversation could have gone a different way. He half expected The Flash to try and convince him to help them rescue Caitlin from Speed Demon. Her abduction was quite the monkey wrench in his plans. He needed her, or rather he needed the baby growing inside her. The silence of the Particle Accelerator was only slightly irritating, it did nothing for him. All it did was allow him quiet contemplation, back to when he first encountered the self-proclaimed 'God of Speed,' Savitar, back when he was only sixteen.

August 23 2036

"It's no use hiding anymore!" Godspeed called out as he paced the front porch of the house, clad in street attire as there was no reason to wear his iconic suit. "I know who you are! Or should I say I know What you are!" A moment later the door opened and Godspeed found himself face to face with a man he only knew from second hand accounts. "Huh…" He said "I thought you'd be taller, but you're definitely the one."

"What do you want?"

"I believe you already know the answer to that."

"You have made a mistake." The man said turning around to reenter his house. "You should move on."

Godspeed chuckled "And I though Gods were supposed to be, oh what's the word? Enlightened!" The Man froze midstride. "You're So much better than us mortals, so much smarter, but all I see is a pathetic coward."

The man walked the two steps between them and glared down at Godspeed. "Are you looking for a fight?" he questioned.

"I think I am, and I hope it gets bloody." Godspeed said before striking him across the face.

Henry didn't even flinch. Instead he looked angry as his face flickered revealing a nasty looking scar on the right side of his face. "Leave. My. Home." He said menacingly.

Godspeed glared back at him. "No, The only way I'm leaving is in a body bag." He began punching the man several times until he caught Godspeed's fist.

"I warned you."

"Hehehe." Godspeed chuckled before suddenly he was punched in the jaw and knocked back about five feet. Despite feeling nothing from the punch it still was capable of throwing him oh so far. But Godspeed focused on one aspect of the hit. He was not injured, nor did he feel anything from it. "Damn…" He mumbled to himself. The man violently grabbed Godspeed and lifted him to his feet. "I guess it's my turn." Godspeed moved fast throwing a fast, powerful uppercut into the man's stomach launching him into the air over his house, clipping the chimney of a house behind them before he slid a small way down the asphalt.

Godspeed flashed in front of Henry in a crackle of golden electricity. "Oh, that's disappointing. Never take a punch like that before old man?" He taunted. "Looks like someone has forgotten that Speed is weight."

"Who… are you?" Henry Hart demanded

"The Name's Godspeed." He said. "I'm here for your title, Savitar."

Present Day

Godspeed's focus came back he looked down at his hands. He was back in his cell, captured by Team Flash. Things have not gone as he had hoped, had they?

Despite everything all he really wanted was to feel again, but things were far more complicated than he initially understood. Not even the God of Speed seemed to be capable of lifting his curse. And if he couldn't do it who could?

"Hmm." He mumbled to himself. "I wonder what Team Flash is up to."

Cortex

Up in the Cortex Team Flash had regathered following Barry's impromptu meeting with Dawn and Don regarding Caitlin's fate.

"Barry what's going on?" Iris asked

"According to Dawn and Don… now that Caitlin is missing… things are going to change, and not for the better." Barry said to the shock of the team.

"What?" Cisco asked "That… that cannot be true."

"It doesn't matter if its true or not." Dawn said "What matters is that the Future is shifting. Now that Dr. Snow is MIA things are most likely going to happen that should not happen for two decades."

"Such as?" Eddie questioned.

"The big one is Savitar's return." Don said. "In the original timeline Savitar returned in 2038, the same year that Dr. Snow…" He trails off not sure if he should finish his sentence.

"Basically Dr. Snow left the team." Dawn corrected. "Well, my brother and I are not quite sure when or why she left the team as it was before we were born but Savitar's return is heralded by Dr. Snow's death."

Every member of Team Flash was left completely stunned and completely speechless so Dawn had to continue.

"My brother and I believe, that it would be best if we find and bring Dr. Snow home."

"But… how?" Iris asked. "we've already established that we don't know where Caitlin was taken."

"True, we do not have an exact time but my brother and I have been thinking." She looked over to Barry. "Don and I are originally from the year 2044. That is also the year Godspeed should be from."

"I still don't see how this helps." Cisco said. "This is my best friend we are talking about. How do we find her?"

"By process of elimination." Dawn responded. "It might be best for us to locate the Legends. That way we can use Gideon to analyze multiple years at a time to locate Dr. Snow."

"And then what? We take the Waverider to whenever she is and bring her home?"

"Yeah, pretty much." Don said while exchanging a look with his sister given how simple the plan was.

"Then let's get a message out to the Legends." Everyone gave Eddie their attention as he spoke. "They have a time ship so no matter when they recieve it they can arrive instantaneously."

"What about those other two?" Iris said "The ones with Oliver's team?"

"Are you talking about Robin and Bobbie?" Dawn asked. "They came here with us."

"Really? That seems awfully convenient." Cisco chimed in. "They were here helping us deal with Lightspeed."

"Yeah, we noticed." Don said "We had a pact to not get involved and only prevent any changes to the time line."

"Doesn't seem like it worked." Wally spoke. "I mean Godspeed and his Speed Legion have been causing us trouble for quite some time."

"Wait, Godspeed was actually working with people? That is very unlike him, especially with other speedsters."

"Yeah his MO is to cultivate them and then rob them of their connection to the Speed Force if not just outright taking it." Dawn added.

"Why?" Barry asked

"We're not really sure, but He's killed, by our estimate, hundreds of other Speedsters by 2044, Multiplying his connection to the Speed Force every time he kills a Speedster."

Everyone instinctively turned to the one camera they had showing Godspeed sitting in his cell looking into the Camera with a cocky smirk.

"He has the power of hundreds of Speedsters?" Iris asked "Is that even possible?

"Originally no, but Godspeed is proof that it can be done." Don replied "Though that does not change how dangerous it is. To be completely honest, Godspeed really should be dead after absorbing form any other speedster."

"But he's…" Dawn scrunched her face a bit. "how do you say, unique compared to all other speedsters."

"How so?"

The Tornado twins shrugged. "No one really knows. He simply is." Dawn continued. "No one has been able to harm him, ever."

Harry scoffed. "Everyone has a weakness."

"Not him." Don said looking at the screen. "I saw him once take a full body punch from Supergirl and Superman to the face. He brushed it off like nothing happened to him."

"Really?" Wally asked. "Supergirl was throwing around those Dominators like they were made of paper. There's someone out there who can take a hit from her?"

Dawn sort of scrunched her face. "You have no idea."

Iris said. "We really are going to need the help of Team Arrow, Supergirl and the Legends."

"Even with all of there we might still not have a chance. Not without Charlie…"

"Who's Charlie?" Joe asked

"Yeah, you guys mentioned him before." Wally noted

Dawn and Don exchanged an uneasy look. "Charlie was a member of Team Flash where we are from. Out of all of us on the team he was the only one who could go toe to toe with Godspeed despite not being a speedster."

"Was?" Barry asked

"Godspeed killed him." Don said. "Wrapped a chain around his neck and dragged him at high speed all over central city."

"Jesus." Joe exhaled.

"That's horrible…" Iris whispered.

"We couldn't even have a proper funeral." Don said. "It was so mutilated."

"Broke his mother's heart." Dawn said quietly. "Enough dwelling on the past. We need to get in touch with-" Dawn was cut off when the alarms began to blare. Team Flash immediately sprang into action with Cisco jumping on the nearby computers alongside Wally.

"What is it Cisco?" Wally asked.

"Proximity alert." The engineer said as he scanned the computer before smirking. "It's The Waverider! The Legends are here!"

"Speak of the devil."

This is the end of the chapter

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