Hello everyone. How are all of you today?
This one shot has been a long time coming since the "Armageddon" arc from this season's "The Flash". The way Joe behaved when he gave his daughter and Barry the business regarding their decision on Thawne was stunning and I mean that in a bad way.
He was greatly out of order in my opinion and it was almost astounding that Iris was the calm and rational one while Joe was the combative, irrational, and immature one during that scene, notwithstanding that the new writers have cleaned up and matured her character for the most part in my opinion.
And so here Barry and Iris won't take it lying down but instead Joe will be receiving a dose of reality. And speaking of the former two but I have friends and followers here who don't ship WestAllen and I respect that. But the reason I'm keeping them a couple here is because I think it's best for this one shot that things be kept authentic and therefore close to canon.
I hope you guys enjoy this.
Disclaimer: I don't own "The Flash", its characters, or the "Armageddon" arc.
Location: Central City
Setting: Star Labs
Barry and Iris stood in stunned disbelief, jaws dropped, at their respective father in law and father's words and especially the way he jumped on them and so harshly. They couldn't believe how judgmental and sanctimonious he sounded and threatening to disown them? And for literally no reason other than to remove a clearly increasingly dangerous menace from their lives?
It wasn't even as though what was happening to Thawne was their doing and not the consequences of his own actions.
Well they were not going to put up with this nor take it lying down and so Barry was the first one to speak up.
"Now you listen here Joe. I do understand what you're saying and where you're coming from regarding Thawne but right now you are out of order! What's happening to him right now is of his own making and he has no one to blame but himself! But you apparently can't see that but instead have the audacity to question our judgment as if we're the villains here. Seriously what the heck is wrong with you?!"
Joe's eyes widened in astonishment upon hearing his son in law's words and furious tone but before he could counter them his daughter was the next one to speak.
"Barry's right dad. That monster has caused so much chaos and horror in our lives and after all of the crap he's pulled he deserves what's about to happen to him. And how dare you threaten to disown us for making an informed decision to protect our family, friends, and this city how dare you!" she sternly told him with a disappointed glare before her husband resumed speaking.
"In case you haven't forgotten Joe but he first tried to kill me as a child and then murdered my mother, used and manipulated me just to steal my speed and manipulated all of us and our friends for his plans while severely violating our privacy, murdered Cisco in another timeline before I unknowingly fixed that, helped Nazis from another Earth attempt to subjugate ours, and used my own daughter against me which led to her death even though I'm more than relieved she's back despite it being a different version of her.
"And if all of those actions of his weren't terrible enough, as if he hadn't already crossed so many lines imaginable, he finally committed the last straw by first dismantling then hijacking my entire life while very nearly erasing me from existence and all of which in turn set Armageddon, as in the actual end of the world, in motion since I had no other choice in order to reset the timeline. And he murdered you as well don't you get that?!
"And now we finally, finally, have a chance to remove him from our lives and end his madness and without even lifting a finger and yet you suddenly have a problem with that and because of some so called morality?! Seriously?!
"Well guess what Joe? I have no obligation to assist Thawne with anything and most certainly not in regards to saving his life, he's finally about to get what's coming to him and Iris, Caitlin, and myself have made our decision regarding the matter and what's for the best. Furthermore but our decision is final and if you have a problem with it or want to disown me or Iris then go ahead and just get out of here immediately!"
Barry paused for a moment while shaking his head in anger and disappointment towards the man he'd looked up to for so long while his wife rubbed comforting circles around his back.
"I concur dad. And maybe it's you with the issues and while you have the right to your opinion your behavior just now was highly intolerable and you should be ashamed of yourself!" Iris added and firmly told him in no uncertain terms while glaring at her father. "In fact but seeing your attitude here now makes me ashamed of myself since your reaction to our decision just took me back to when I've behaved immaturely and heatedly at times over some of Barry's decisions in the past and now I can see how wrong my own behavior was.
"For me right now but it's almost like looking in a mirror and I don't like that person and how I myself behaved back then. But I'd like to think I've matured for the most part since those times and now it's time for you to do the same in regards to this moment.
"And like it or not but Thawne is going to finally receive his comeuppance for everything he's done to all of us and either you're with us or against us. Either way but the decision's been made and if you're going to throw a tantrum like an angry child then there's the door. For now though and I'm sorry to say but I feel ashamed to be your daughter."
Joe on his part looked down after listening to everything Barry and Iris had just told him, now beginning to feel ashamed of himself and that everything they'd told him was true and that he was in the wrong right now.
"Listen um, I guess I didn't think of it like that and, um, when you put it like that you guys are actually right," Joe admitted awkwardly with regret upon his face. "Thawne has done a lot of damage to our lives and like you said but it's not like any of us are directly responsible for his impending death. In fact but I don't even understand what came over me or what I was thinking.
"And so I'd like to say that everything you both said is true and I was very much in the wrong here. And so I'm very sorry for my words and attitude, you're both right that I was out of order and more than out of order in fact, and I promise that I would never, ever disown you no matter what. And thanks for knocking some sense into me. Both of you.
"Furthermore and you have my word that neither of you nor anyone else will ever witness behavior from me like that ever again and I trust you both, and you especially Bar, will always make the best decisions you can for our family and this city."
Barry and Iris smiled in appreciation.
"Thanks Joe. All of that means a lot to us both and your apology included and we appreciate you're now seeing our side of things. None of us are perfect and we've all made our share of mistakes but please just trust that in this case we know what we're doing," Barry responded gratefully and with emotion before imploring his father in the end.
"Like Barry said, none of us are perfect and I'm as far from infallible as one can get," Iris added. "In fact but we all know I've also made my own share of wrong and stupid decisions or didn't support Barry when I should've and just being annoying in general. But again I'd like to think I've gotten better now in all of those regards. And as for this current matter with Thawne but Barry has my unwavering support. Thawne has got to go dad. He really does."
Joe nodded his head.
"Again guys you're both right. You're more than right and you now have my complete support. He's really got to go," he fully and finally agreed. And so with them all on the same page, the three of them came together in a group hug while Joe apologized once more and Barry with Iris reassured him he was entirely forgiven. And Iris also quietly reminded herself to use what just happened as a reminder for herself to not regress into her old habits.
As for Thawne and with no one to save him he eventually vanished into oblivion, finally erased from existence. And Barry, Iris, Joe, Caitlin, and Cisco, when he heard the news, rejoiced at this turn of events while they all breathed a sigh of relief that he was gone forever and would never harm anyone ever again or mess with the timeline for his own villainous and selfish interests.
The End
A/N So how did I do everyone and was Joe's dose of reality satisfactory for anyone here who was put out by his rage filled rant regarding Thawne within "Armageddon"?
I don't know what the writers were thinking but they really messed up with him in my opinion and hopefully this one shot helped rectify it.
See you next time with my next fic or update and have a wonderful day.
