Everyone Makes Mistakes

Remember when I talked about how I would have several one shots up involving different characters? Well I decided to connect them into a collection. This one takes place before Just Tonight All of them lead up to a Legion of Doom story so enjoy the prequels while I finish up Drained at last!

Flash was always considered…childlike. He was naïve, immature and was incredibly impatient. He was a senior member of the League but he was still considered a child. It was not until his single handed victory over Brainiac and Luthor that he received true respect. He had even caught the attention of the beautiful Fire, a junior member of the team.

Wally West finally seemed to become a true hero, worthy of the name Flash. However, there is not a single hero without a tragedy in his life.

It was about 2 weeks after the Black Hawk island incident and something truly horrible had occurred. It had happened at 7:30 P.M., Central City on March 19th. Flash had been patrolling Central City, his day off from League duty. Flash had heard sirens several blocks and a trail of smoke rising into the night sky.

"Oh boy," Flash said under his breath, rushing to the scene. It had only taken a second for him to get to the scene. When he had arrived, he saw Heat Wave and Dr. Polaris were right in front of a burning building.

"Well if it isn't Flash," Heat Wave said, as if he was almost happy to see him. "What took you so long?"

"Well I had to stop for some hot dogs," Flash said, pointing his thumb over his shoulder. "Mind telling me what's up with the bonfire?"

"No reason, just thought we'd have some fun," Dr. Polaris said as a streetlight ripped from its stand and was thrown like a javelin toward Flash. Moving quickly he easily dodged the streetlight, which ripped through a nearby car.

Flash ran for the two villains, his speed sending lightweight objects flying everywhere. Heat Wave brought out his gun and he fired a jet of flame right at Flash. Flash curved his direction, outrunning the gun's beam of heat.

"Flash, do you need any help?" Mr. Terrific's voice came over Flash's earpiece. "I have Aquaman and Fire on hold."

"I can handle it," Flash answered confidently. Dr. Polaris generated a magnetic field around car, dragging it right to the Scarlet Speedster. Flash jumped on top of the moving car, running along the roof, the beam of flame trailing behind him. He jumped off the car quickly, right before it exploded. "See?"

"I can respect that Flash but I still insist that you get some backup," Mr. Terrific argued from the League Tower.

"I'm fine, relax," Flash said, still outrunning the flame erupting from Heat Waves gun. Flash was finally able to reach Dr. Polaris. Flash smacked his enemy with a powerful punch, sending him sprawling to the floor. He then ducked under a torrent of flame, still keeping his momentum. Flash ran for his remaining enemy, but stopped short when a metal pipe burst from the ground. Heat Wave shot his flamethrower through the pipe, its heat piercing through the metal. Flash stepped back, avoiding the attack, just barely.

Flash looked behind him, where Dr. Polaris was lifting up a car with his magnetic powers. In front of him, Heat Wave approached his gun in hand. Heat Wave let out a wave of fire immediately but Flash was quick to retaliate. He rotated his arms quickly, generating a current of wind. The wind clashed with the fire, each one struggling against the other.

As the two struggled with each other, Dr. Polaris lifted the car into the air and flung it at Flash. Flash ducked as quick as he could, the car missing him and heading straight for the burning building.

"Mommy! Mommy!" a little girl cried from the building, the car heading straight toward her.

"No! No!" Flash cried, running for the building. Not all the speed in the world could've stopped what happened next.

XXXXXXXXXX

The girl had not survived the explosion and Fire and Aquaman had arrived and they finished off the two villains. Unfortunately, the entire battle was merely a diversion. The Key and Cheetah had broken into a bank, having no problem at all. The police were all preoccupied with the fire.

Flash stayed cooped in his room in the Metro-Tower, staring at the wall. He threw a paperclip at the wall, which bounced off and fell to the floor. Behind him, the door to his room opened and Fire entered, her arms behind her back as she did.

"Hi, Flash," Fire greeted gently, a sad smile on her face.

"I shouldn't have been so stupid," Flash muttered. "If I had just listened, maybe she wouldn't be gone right now."

"You couldn't have known Flash," Fire said, sitting down on the bed next to Flash.

"That's still not an excuse. I shouldn't have been so overconfident. I should've asked for help. Then that girl would be safe and maybe that robbery could've been stopped.

"Please Flash, don't beat yourself up over this," Fire said through her heavy Brazilian accent. She put her strong hand on Flash's shoulder, leaning close to him. Flash looked up to face her, who had tears in her eyes. "Everyone makes mistakes," Fire whispered and then, they kissed. It was gentle, not too passionate, something like a young boy's first kiss.

"I already reached my limit," Flash said, breaking off the kiss. He got up from the bed and left the room, leaving Fire alone, wiping away her tears.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Flash dropped a bouquet of flowers onto the patch of dirt in front of the gravestone in Central Park Cemetery. With a solemn face engraved in his masked face, he gently touched the headstone, reading the name slowly.

"Lisa Bower 1999 to 2005. Beloved Daughter and Sister. 'We Miss You Everyday."

"I'm sorry Lisa," Flash apologized, "I know that I messed up and that you died for nothing. I bet you hate me now. I don't blame you. I mean I was so overconfident and if I hadn't been, you'd be here right now. Please forgive me." Flash kneeled onto the ground and just stayed there, not saying a word.

Not too far away stood Fire, who had followed him all the way to the graveyard. She gently pushed her hair back, watching the masked man with sad eyes.

"How often do you follow him?" Shayera asked, getting up behind Fire. She jumped and quickly turned around, with an embarrassed look on her face.

"I…" Fire started to explain.

"Don't bother explaining," Shayera said understandingly as she lifted her hand to silence Fire.

"I've never seen him like this. He always used to be so happy, making jokes and hanging out. This is really new to me," Fire said

"Me too. But everyone bounces back. I'm not sure for how long, but he will. After all, he is the Flash, Shayera said, laughing slightly.

"I know but…will he really be the same when he does?" Fire asked worriedly. Shayera was never able to answer the question.