She wiped the tear from her eye. This was it. The moment that their whole lives had been leading to, it seems. Crisis. A word that had taken on several meanings. At first, an ominous omen of doom, promising the death of everything and everyone, but most importantly, her husband's life, The Flash. After a year or two of reading the newspaper, it had lost meaning, especially after defeating Savitar. One change to the timeline meant that time could indeed be changed. But now that the skies rained blood red hues unto the world, the original meaning returned. The end.

Barry hugged her, eyes staring at the skies, knowing exactly what it meant. He gave her a kiss on the head, a promise, a comfort, hope. Hope that he would return to her. That no matter what, even if the world were ending, he would come running home to her.

"I've got to go." He whispered, removing himself from her embrace before being pulled back in, a solid grip.

"Please, don't," Iris begged.

His soul wrenched. His heart cried. This woman had been through almost as much loss as him, and she always found the courage to get back up. It was hard seeing her so vulnerable.

In truth, he didn't want to go either. Despite the fact that he let himself be over taken by Ramsey's virus to later trick him, the words that he had spoken to the SpeedForce still rung true to Barry. He finally felt like he was living his own life, building his own future alongside the woman of his dreams. And now, all of that was coming to an end. He wanted to run, to hide, to let anyone else make the call, anyone but him. But a big part of him knew that he must face the future, no matter how bleak.

"Remember that time we went to our honey moon?" He asked, eyes watering.

Iris nodded. "The lights had gone out in the city. We were on the beach."

"The ocean stretched out before us, the moon and the stars hung above, all for us. And I said-"

"That it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen." "That it was the most beautiful thing you'd ever seen"

She smiled, sniffling. "It was amazing."

"I wasn't talking about the scene." He said, taking her hands into his.

"You were, are, and will always be the center of my universe, the most beautiful thing in my life." He kissed the back of her hand, tears running from his eyes.

"And I want you to know, that no matter where I go, no matter in which universe I may find myself stranded in. I will never be lost, never. I will always be here, with you."

Iris nodded, her heart breaking. "Go." She whispered, not daring to speak any louder in fear that she may try to make him stay. Only one other sentence found itself leaving her lips.

"I love you."

Barry smiled sadly, "I love you."

He made his way to leave, stopping at the door. He took one last glance at her, making sure to engrain every single beautiful detail of her being.

"I'll be back," he said, and with a crack of lightning, he was gone.

Iris turned back to the red skies, wiping the tears from her eyes. Although her heart ached, and she wished to hold Barry forever, she knew she was needed in the Cortex. The big fight would be held in the Celestial Theater, heroes from countless universes banding together, all trying to stop the Crisis. But someone still needed to put out the smaller fires, and damn herself to hell if she were to stand by and do nothing, letting her fear get the best of her.

So with one final sniffle, she turned her back to the skies, rejecting the fear that they instilled in her, and made her way to the Cortex, ready for the fight ahead.