This chapter was probably the hardest one of the story to write thus far, so I hope you guys enjoy it.
Guest 2.0: Ew, no, just no. Why did you have to remind me of that horrible crossover? Yep.
Guest: Thank you for pointing that out to me, I have fixed it.
Barry's eyes snapped open, a little disoriented at first. He sat up, realizing with a start where he was. He was back at Joe's house; somehow, he had been sleeping on the couch. Barry had barely wrapped his head around this when Joe came down the stair, dressed for work, with Cecile behind him, holding Jenna.
"Hey Bar, sleep well?" Joe asked.
"Are you alright Barry?" Cecile asked concerned, feeling Barry's confusion.
"I-I don't know how I got here," Barry said bewildered. "I was in Ohio."
"Yeah, two days ago. You just got back last night," Joe said as he and Cecile exchanged a concerned. "Iris wasn't happy you had decided to stay away without telling her, especially when you told her you had been with Patty, so she kicked you out of the loft for the night. You crashed here with us. Is any of this sounding familiar?"
"No. The last thing I remember, I was with Patty and…Morpheus," Barry said as it came back to him. "This is Morpheus."
"Who?" Cecile asked confused.
"Long story," Barry said as Joe's phone went off with a text.
"Well, you feel up to work? They need us down at the hospital," Joe said as he read the text.
Barry had half a mind to say no, but until he could figure out what was going on, it might be best to just play Morpheus' game for now, he mused.
Central City Hospital
Later in the morning
"Okay, so why are we here?" Barry asked as he and Joe walked down the hall.
"Someone called in a bomb threat," Joe explained and Barry nodded.
"Okay, so why were we called? Wouldn't a bomb squad be better use?" Barry asked confused.
"Well, it helps that we have a doctor who knows about your other life," Joe said with a grin and Barry stopped short.
"What? Wait, a doctor knows I'm…him?" Barry asked, aware of other people who could overhear.
"Well I certainly hope so."
Barry froze as the familiar voice spoke up behind him. It couldn't be, Barry told himself as he turned around, coming face to face with a ghost.
"What's the matter Slugger? You look like you've seen a ghost," his dad said with a grin.
Because I'm looking at one, Barry thought numbly as he stared at his father, his mind whirling. His dad was standing right in front of him, alive, dressed in an attending Doctor's scrubs.
"Barry?" Henry called out after a moment, a worried look crossing his face. "Are you alright?"
"Y-yeah. Just been a long time," Barry said honestly, deciding he needed to figure out what Morpheus was playing at before he dropped the bomb on his dad.
"A few weeks maybe. You're looking at me like it's been years," Henry said before looking over at Joe. "Thank you both for coming."
"You never have to say thanks Henry. Mind telling us what happened?" Joe asked and Henry sighed.
"Someone called in about 6:30 that someone was gonna blow up the hospital. I didn't wanna cause a panic, so I texted you first thing," Henry said grimly.
"You did the first thing, the last thing we want is to cause a panic if there is a bomb here or get a media circus outside," Joe assured him before looking over at Barry. "How long will it take to search the building?"
"Not long," Barry said, putting his focus onto this task. "A few minutes, maybe. I'll be back."
However, before Barry could take a single step, he felt something clamp around his leg and shock him. Barry cried out in pain before he went down, his vision whirling. Henry and Joe whirled around and saw a man holding what looked like the world's biggest railgun as a man next to him was holding the detonator.
"I told you what would happen if you called the cops," the man with the detonator sneered.
Frantically, Barry tried to vibrate his body to phase through the metal clamp around his leg but, to his shock, nothing happened. Barry could only watch as the bomber activated the detonator and the entire building went up in a blast of fire.
Then Barry opened his eyes, breathing heavily. He was back at Joe's, lying on the couch. He sat up, looking around in confusion until Joe and Cecile came down the steps.
"Hey Bar, sleep well?" Joe asked.
"Are you alright Barry?" Cecile asked concerned, feeling his confusion.
Barry was silent as he processed what was happening. Morpheus had put him in some kind of alternate reality where his dad was still alive. Worse, he was stuck in some kind of time loop.
"I'm living Groundhog Day," Barry muttered.
"What?" Joe asked as he and Cecile exchanged bewildered glances.
"Nothing," Barry said as he threw the covers off his legs and got to his feet. "I need to go talk to Cisco and Caitlin, now. Joe, you're about to get a text from my dad."
Before either could say anything, Barry had sped out the door. Less than a second later, Joe's phone went off as he got a text.
Star Labs
Shortly after
Cisco and Caitlin were in the cortex, Cisco on the computer while Caitlin was going over some charts. Suddenly, a huge gust of wind ran through the cortex as Barry appeared in front of them.
"I'm living Groundhog Day!" Barry exclaimed as they stared at him dumbly.
"What?" Cisco asked confused.
"Okay, Barry, take a deep breath, and explain, calmly, what you're talking about," Caitlin said and Barry took a deep breath.
"I've been put in some kind of alternate reality where my dad is still alive," Barry started.
"Barry, you're not making any sense. Your dad has always been alive," Caitlin said confused.
"No, he hasn't, Zoom killed him three years ago. You just don't remember because none of this is real. I think-I think I'm asleep, put in some kind of dream state where I'm reliving the same day over and over again," Barry explained as he remembered Morpheus telling him to sleep.
"Groundhog Day," Cisco said and Barry nodded.
"Except this time loop ends with a whole lot of people dead. There is a bomb at the hospital where my dad works. And the people behind it seem to know who I am. They have weapons designed to neutralize my powers," Barry explained, to the alarm of his friends.
"Okay, this is bad. How close were to the explosion?" Cisco asked.
"I was caught up in it," Barry said.
"What floor were you on?" Cisco asked as he began typing.
"Fourth. Cisco, what are you getting at?" Barry asked.
"Bomb's in the boiler room on the fourth floor. Only place to put it without anyone noticing," Cisco said as he pulled the plans for the hospital.
Central City Hospital
Not long after
In the boiler room, a Breach opened up and Barry, Cisco and Caitlin walked out of it. Once it closed, the trio spotted the bomb almost immediately.
"Oh boy," Cisco said as he began examining it. "This operates on an oscillating frequency."
"That means you can't disarm it, right?" Barry asked with dread.
"Not in less than a minute. And its gonna go off in about thirty seconds," Cisco said as he eyed the timer.
Suddenly, an icy beam struck the bomb. Barry and Cisco jumped back as the bomb was frozen and depowered.
"Change in temperature disrupts oscillating frequencies," Frost said smugly as she lowered her hands to her sides.
Out in the hall, Joe and Henry were watching as the bomber was about to push the detonator when a red blur sped in, knocking his accomplice out and the Flash slammed him against the wall.
"It's over," Barry said firmly.
"This isn't over until you stop it Barry," the bomber said, taking Barry back in surprise that he knew his secret. "That's the only way out."
Barry was so taken back he almost didn't hear the sound of a gunshot behind him. He whirled around as he saw Joe kneeling over his dad.
"Henry, Henry!" Joe said frantically.
Barry sped over but there was nothing he could do. Henry was dead, his eyes staring lifelessly as blood stained his scrubs.
Then Barry's eyes snapped open, he was back on the couch in Joe's house once more.
He sat up, his mind whirling. Clearly, this wasn't about stopping a bomb, it was about saving Henry. That had to be the way to break the time loop and get out of here. With that thought in mind, Barry threw the covers of and get out just as Joe and Cecile walked down the stairs.
Central City Hospital
Not long after
This time, Barry vibrated his hand through the bomb, disrupting the frequency and pulling out the power source.
The bomb dealt with, Barry sped out into the hall and knocked out the bomber and his accomplice. Knowing what was coming, he just had to wait for the gunshot. When it went off, Barry turned towards the sound as the world seemed to go in slow motion. The bullet had just exited the gun being held by a man a few feet away from Henry. Barry sped over, grabbed the bullet and sent a powerful kick to the man's chest. Normal time resumed as the man hit the wall, hard, dropping the gun as he fell to the floor. Barry kicked the gun away before slugging the man, knocking him out.
Central City Police Department
Late morning
"How'd you know about the bomb Barry? More importantly, why didn't you tell me about it?" Joe asked as he, Barry and Henry stood in Joe's office.
"Because I am trapped in a time loop. This is the third time I've lived this day," Barry said honestly and his fathers were silent for a few moments.
"Well, what I've learned over the last five years, anything is possible," Joe said with a weary sigh.
"If this is a time loop, how do you break?" Henry inquired.
"Well, I thought I had to save you," Barry said as he looked at Henry. "The first two loops reset when you died. But I saved you and I'm still here, so clearly something else is going on."
"Or it's not over yet," Joe said as he got to his feet. "We have a bomber, let's go talk to him."
Not long after, Joe entered the interrogation room. The bomber was handcuffed to the table, looking up at Joe blankly as he closed the door behind him.
"Willis Todd," Joe greeted and Todd glared at him. "Petty criminal, goes from robbing banks to trying to blow up a hospital. Doesn't fit your MO. Who are you working for?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Todd said with a sneer.
Outside the room, Barry and Henry were watching the interrogation. It was difficult for Barry not to look over at Henry, knowing his dad was right there next to him. If Morpheus was acting under orders from his mother, then what exactly was his mom trying to prove, he wondered. Was this some kind of punishment? Because watching his father die was pretty much Barry's definition of Hell.
"What's wrong Barry?" Henry suddenly asked, breaking Barry out of his thoughts.
"Nothing's wrong," Barry lied but Henry clearly wasn't buying it.
"You won't look at me and when you do, it's like you think I'm going to disappear at any moment. Barry, what's wrong?" Henry asked, concern shining through his eyes.
Before Barry could even begin to figure out what to say, father and son jumped as they heard shouts and the sound of gunfire coming from outside.
"Stay here," Barry told Henry.
Barry then activated his Flash Ring, his suit flying out. Barry changed into his suit and raced out as Joe burst out of the interrogation room, gun in hand as he followed after Barry.
Unseen by any of them, Todd had pulled a paperclip out from under his sleeve and was trying to unlock the cuffs.
Barry sped in, seeing men with guns firing at the officers, who were taking cover as they returned fire. Joe ran out behind him as Barry sped around the Precinct, taking the guns off the men and shoving them on their back, throwing the guns away at the same time.
"Freeze or we will shoot!" Joe shouted as he and his officers took aim at the men.
"You're missing the point Barry," one of the men said and Barry froze.
"What?" Barry demanded.
"You can't outrun this," another said.
A pit of dread forming in his stomach, Barry sped back to his dad. He found Todd on top of him, a knife in Henry's chest. Barry grabbed Todd and threw him off. Todd hit the wall, getting knocked out as Barry knelt down to Henry.
"Dad, Dad, stay with me, I'll get you to the hospital, "Barry said desperately.
"Bar…ry," Henry breathed before taking his last breath.
Then Barry opened his eyes, once again back on the couch at Joe's house.
"Okay, new plan," Barry said as he threw the covers off.
Central City Hospital
Moments later
Henry put down the phone after he got the call about the bomb before Barry sped in, grabbed him, and sped out.
Star Labs
Moments later
Cisco and Caitlin were startled when Barry and Henry suddenly appeared in the cortex in a blur.
"Barry, what-" Cisco started.
"Long story short, I am trapped in a time loop, which I have already told all of you," Barry said hurriedly as they stopped to listen. "The loop resets each time Dad dies; this is my fourth time through the loop. I haven't been able to protect him by myself, so I thought I'd get him out of the situation and bring him here."
"So, you're living a really dark Groundhog Day?" Cisco asked and Barry sighed.
"Yes Cisco, I'm living the most twisted version of Groundhog Day ever. Last time, I stopped the bomber from blowing up the hospital and we were at the precinct when these guys with rifles showed up, so the bomber isn't working alone. I'm gonna go find out who, I need you two to protect my dad," Barry ordered.
"Of course. But Barry…are you sure about this?" Caitlin asked uncertainly.
"Right now, I'm not sure of anything," Barry said as he turned and started to make his way out.
"Barry," Henry called out.
"It's gonna be okay Dad, trust me," Barry said, hoping he wasn't lying.
As he walked into the hallway, about to speed off, he stopped as he came face to face with his mother.
"You can't stop this Barry, no matter how much you may want to," Aphrodite said grimly.
"Yeah? Then why don't you tell me what the point of this is, since I'm apparently missing it. Is this some kind of punishment for not being who you want me to be?" Barry asked angrily and his mother looked like she'd been slapped.
"Punishment? Is that what you think? You think it is easy for me to see you in pain? That it doesn't rip my heart out as much as yours to see your father killed over and over again? Because it does," Aphrodite said and Barry could see the pain swimming in her eyes. "Seeing the two people I love most tormented in such ways is my definition of eternal torment. But there is no other way my sweet boy. You've been running from the past your entire life. You can't run from this though Barry."
"What are you talking about?!" Barry exploded, out of patience.
"I'm sorry Barry, but that's something you need to figure out for yourself," Aphrodite said with a sad smile.
Then she was gone, as though Barry had been talking to air the whole time.
Central City Hospital
Shortly after
On the edge of the roof of the hospital, Barry held Willis Todd by his ankles upside down.
"Tell me who you're working for," Barry demanded and Todd laughed.
"Who do you think you are, Green Arrow? Please Flash, we both you don't the guts to-"
Todd was cut off as Barry let go. He let out a cry of surprise as he started to the ground below. Barry stood silently, just watching. If this was just a dream, he wouldn't really die. And if not, he would still be alive if Barry failed to stop the time loop again, he reasoned.
"Okay, okay!" Todd wailed at the top of his lungs.
Barry quickly sped down and caught Todd. Barry then sped to the ground and slammed him against the side of the hospital, holding him by his shirt.
"I want a name!" Barry demanded.
"Guggenheim! Marc Guggenheim! That's the guy who hired us!" Todd finally broke.
Barry let him go and turned away, tapping the Comms piece in his ear.
"Cisco, I need an address," Barry said.
Central City
Later in the morning
In his office in his house, Marc Guggenheim was pouring himself a glass of water when he was suddenly grabbed and slammed against the wall.
"You tried to bomb the Central City Hospital, why?" Barry almost growled.
"It was organic," Guggenheim said, confusing Barry.
"What?"
"Organic, it needed to happen for a good story," Guggenheim said and Barry stared at him for a moment.
"Okay, you're insane. This was a dead-end," Barry said as he tossed Guggenheim to the floor. "Todd just gave me the first name he could think of, it was a misdirection."
"You're missing the point Barry, still," Guggenheim said and Barry looked at him sharply. "You took your father away from the hospital to protect him, but what makes you think he'll be any safer at Star Labs?"
Barry paled as he turned and sped away.
Star Labs
Moments later
It was absolute chaos as Barry sped into the cortex. Cisco was behind the desk, holding a bleeding wound on his shoulder as Frost fired ice blasts, freezing bullets and hitting some of the gunmen. Henry was next to Cisco, holding a gun but not looking certain of whether he wanted to use it. Barry sped around, taking the guns from the men and sending kicks to their chests, knocking them down and sending them all to the floor, out cold.
"Barry," Cisco said in relief as he and Henry go to their feet.
"About time you showed up," Frost quipped as she lowered her hands.
"You guys alright?" Barry asked.
"Nothing that can't be taken care of later," Cisco said.
"Okay, let's get you guys somewhere safe," Barry said.
"There is nowhere safe Barry. I heard one of them call for backup, more are coming," Henry said as he got to his feet. "You can't fight this Barry."
"I will and I can! I will stop this until I save you Dad!" Barry shouted.
"How many times Barry? You said you've already tried three times, how many more times are you willing to watch me die until you save me?" Henry asked.
"As many as it takes!" Barry exclaimed.
"Barry, you stop these guys, you'll have to stop more and more. This is one fight you cannot win Barry! You ever think that you're not supposed to, just like before?" Henry asked and Barry tensed. "I figured it out Barry, why you're so desperate to save me. It's because outside of this loop, I'm already dead, aren't I?"
"Barry?" Cisco said when Barry was silent for a moment.
"You died three years ago. Zoom took you and killed you, right in front of me," Barry finally confessed and Henry nodded a look of vindication on his face.
"I thought so. When Zoom had me at our old house, I knew that was it. I knew that I wasn't meant to survive. Like I told you before, there is a natural order to things. I was meant to die by Zoom's hand. I made my peace with that. And I think it's time you did to," Henry said as Barry felt a tear slip down his cheek.
"Dad," Barry said emotionally.
"As much as I'm sure you guys need to have this talk, we have a problem," Cisco said as he brought up security footage of more armed men entering the building. "The backup is here."
"Okay," Barry said, turning away. "Cisco, you take my Dad and get out of here. Frost, you're with me."
"No," Henry said, shaking his head. "You can't outrun the past Barry, as much as we may want to."
To the alarm of Barry, Cisco, and Frost, Henry then put the gun he was holding under his chin.
"Dad," Barry said in alarm. "What are you doing?"
"What I need to. Barry…no matter what happens; you have made me the proudest father. And I love you," Henry said emotionally before he pulled the trigger.
Barry opened his eyes, finding himself back on the couch in the West living room. Barry threw the covers off him and pulled himself into a sitting position, throwing his legs over the side. Barry put his head in his head, taking a deep breath. Barry wiped the tears from his eyes as he got to his feet. Walking over towards the door, he paused as he saw a picture of himself, Joe and Iris back when they had been kids. He stared at it until Joe and Cecile came down the steps, Jenna in Cecile's arms.
"Hey Bar, sleep well?" Joe asked.
"Yeah, I slept fine," Barry said with a tight smile.
"Barry, are you alright?" Cecile asked as she felt his whirlwind of emotions.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just about to head out actually," Barry said before he looked over at Joe. "Before I left, I just wanted to say thank you. I don't think I ever told you what a privilege it was to grow up as your son."
"Barry, why does it sound like your saying goodbye?" Joe asked uneasily.
"I think he is," Cecile realized as she felt Barry's emotions.
Barry smiled sadly before walking over to Joe, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Whatever happens to me…you'll be okay," Barry said thickly before grabbing Joe in a hug.
"Hey, it's gonna be okay son," Joe said as he wrapped Barry in a hug, exchanging a concerned look with Cecile.
"Yeah, yeah it's gonna be fine," Barry said certainly as he pulled back. "See you later."
Barry then turned and sped out before Joe or Cecile could say another word.
Central City Hospital
Shortly after
Henry was going over some charts when Barry walked in.
"Dad," Barry said and Henry looked up, smiling as he saw him.
"Hey Slugger, what's going on?" Henry asked as he stood up.
"There are just some things I needed to tell you," Barry said and Henry raised an eyebrow.
"What do you need to tell me?" Henry inquired.
"You were right, about what you said when I told you about Thawne," Barry said and Henry looked confused. "Every moment of my life, it's been about what happened to you and Mom. I've been running from it pretty much since the day it happened."
"Slugger…what's going on?" Henry asked, growing concerned.
"Someone told me recently I can't run from the past, that I needed to make peace with it," Barry said with a tight smile. "It sucks that we have to keep saying goodbye."
"Goodbye? Barry, what are you talking about?" Henry demanded, growing more worried.
"Don't worry about it," Barry said before he hugged Henry. "I love you Dad."
"I love you to Barry," Henry said as he hugged Barry back. "Are you sure everything's okay?"
"Yeah, everything's fine," Barry said as he stepped back. "I need to go."
Barry turned and began to walk out of the room when Henry called out to him.
"We'll see each other soon Barry," Henry said.
Barry smiled tightly. He hoped that someday, he did see his father again. But for now, he had somewhere he needed to be.
Central City
Later in the morning
Barry stood outside his childhood home for several moments before he walked up to the front door. He turned the knob, unsurprised when the door opened. He walked in, closing the door behind him. It was exactly as he remembered it. Someone was already there, her back to him as she stared at a spot in the kitchen.
"It's eerie, standing at the spot where you died," Aphrodite said as Barry walked up next to her. "You finally got the point."
"I couldn't save Dad, no matter what. This dream, this reality, it was designed so that, no matter what I did, things would end with Dad dying," Barry said and she nodded silently. "I couldn't stop it, just like I couldn't stop Zoom from killing him. Ever since then, I've been trapped in this room, just like with you. Every decision I've made in the last three years…it's all been about Dad."
"Yes," Aphrodite said with a nod. "I'm sorry that I had to resort to such methods to make you realize that."
"I'm glad you did. I don't think I would have listened if you hadn't," Barry said with a sigh. "Looking back…Dad would be ashamed of me. I clung to Joe and Iris because I didn't want to lose them the way I lost you and him. And in the process…I lost myself and the relationships I valued most. I alienated Wally; Cisco's basically a stranger at this point. Even Caitlin…it's just not the same. I don't even know how I let myself get to this point."
"Everyone feels that way at some point. But you have what most don't: a second chance, a chance to make things right, be who you were meant to be," Aphrodite said and Barry looked at her incredulously.
"You still believe in me? How, after everything I've done, all the mistakes I've made?" Barry asked surprised.
"Just because someone loses their way doesn't mean they're lost forever. We all need a little help sometimes," Aphrodite said as she took his face in her hands, laying a kiss on his forehead. "Crisis is upon us Barry; you will be tested in ways you have never been tested before. I've tried to help you as best I can to be ready for it, but it's up to you now my sweet boy."
Suddenly, the frost door rattled, like it was about to be blown off its hinges. Understanding, Barry turned and started walking towards it before pausing.
"I miss you," Barry said as he glanced back towards his mother.
"I'm with you every day. And even if I can't be there with you, know that I am always watching over you," Aphrodite told him.
Barry nodded, a lump in his throat before tuning and walking towards the front door opening. Turning the knob, he opened it and walked through it.
The next thing Barry knew, he was opening his eyes, lying in an unfamiliar bed. Sitting up, he saw that he was in some kind of hotel room. Patty was in a chair by his bedside, sleeping.
"Patty," Barry called out and she stirred.
"Barry?" she said drowsily before she sat up as she realized what happened. "You're awake."
"Yeah," Barry said as he threw the covers off his legs and threw them over the side of the bed. "Where are we?"
"A motel, a couple miles from the park we were at," Patty explained.
"How long have I been out?" Barry asked and Patty checked her watch.
"Sixteen hours, give or take," Patty said and Barry was silent as he digested this. "Morpheus said Aphrodite was trying to give you a message. Did you get it?"
"Yeah," Barry said with a sigh. "For so long, I've been trying to outrun the past and look towards the future. In the process, I lost sight of the present. I've hurt people I love, I lost myself. I can't run from the past anymore, I can only learn from it."
"Crisis is happening soon, isn't it?" Patty asked after a moment.
"I'd guess a few days, at most," Barry said quietly as he got up, walking over to the window of the hotel room.
"So what do we do now?" Patty said as she walked up next to him.
"For now…let's just watch the sunrise," Barry said lowly as they stared at the rising sun.
So, obviously, this chapter was inspired by Arrow 8x06, where Oliver is trapped in a time loop where he is forced to witness Quentin's death over and over again.
Willis Todd is, in the comics, the father of Jason Todd. Just wanted a comic character to be involved.
Considering that Elseworlds showed a cell with the name Guggenheim on it in Arkham, it wouldn't surprise me if the Arrowverse Marc Guggenheim was an escaped inmate. And considering all the stuff he's done, it would be both hilarious and poetic justice.