This is where Barry's amnesiac adventure ends. It's been fun writing it, really. Enjoy.
Leave a review after reading, please.
Special thanks to Steve993, Superior Tennyson, DarkSuspense, NeoTyson, jessicabiggs16, and Guests for reviewing the previous chapter.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
About what happened with Barry and Crystal in the previous chapter, I have a reason for that. I didn't write it because I wanted to. I have a very good reason for writing that part. I'm afraid you're gonna have to wait to find out what it is.
I take my stories very seriously and I don't just make a boy and a girl jump to s*x without good reasons. Also, "rape" is a word I would never associate in my stories. It's too adult. I'm a PG-13 kind of writer.
Wally and Jesse take Barry back to Mercury Labs' basement laboratory, where they show him a red suit with a yellow lightning bolt on the chest. They told him that it belonged to him.
"So, I am a superhero?" asked Barry.
"Yeah. The best," said Wally.
"You're the Flash," said Jesse.
"You sure 'The Streak' isn't a better name?" asked Barry.
Wally and Jesse once again giggled with each other.
"What?" asked Barry.
"According to Iris, you hated that name," said Wally.
Cisco, Joe, and Crystal arrive at the lab. They all looked worried.
"We have a situation," said Cisco.
Cisco shows a live news report about a burning office building.
"What happened?" asked Jesse.
"According to the security cameras, Lucius Coolidge," answered Cisco. "According to police records, he's an arsonist. He burns buildings just for the fun of it. Basically, he's Keystone's version of Heat Wave."
"I gotta get there," said Jesse.
"You're not going alone," said Barry.
"But Barry, you don't remember how to use your powers," said Crystal.
"I can handle it on my own," said Jesse.
"I can't let you," said Barry.
The looks on everyone's faces changed as they looked at Barry.
"What?" asked Barry.
"You know who you're sounding right now? You sound like yourself," said Joe.
"There's always a part of you who wants to help others," said Wally, smiling.
"But still, you can't just run out there blind," said Joe.
"You guys told me that I'm a superhero. The best, even. Memories or not, I can't just stand by and let innocent people die knowing I can prevent it," said Barry.
"Alright, let's go," agreed Jesse.
Barry and Jesse run out of the lab. A few seconds later, Barry returned.
"I, uh, forgot the suit," said Barry, feeling stupid for forgetting.
Barry puts on his suit and runs back outside, following Jesse Quick.
Authorities and firemen have arrived at the burning office building. Jesse Quick made it there as fast as she could. Before she could proceed, she looks back to see if Flash was still following her. Flash runs towards her, only to crash into a police car.
"Are you okay?" asked Jesse Quick.
"Yeah, I'm good," said Flash, trying to recover from the pain. "Stopping's hard."
"You might wanna move fast, Barry," said Cisco. "There are hundreds of people inside. It's only a matter of time until the building comes down."
"How do we save everyone inside?" asked Flash.
"We run up and use our speed to put out the fires," said Jesse Quick.
"I barely got here myself. How am I supposed to run up walls?" replied Flash, doubting himself.
"I'll handle it," said Jesse Quick.
Jesse Quick started running up the building, trying to extinguish the fire. However, the process was going slower than expected.
"Guys, I don't think I can put of these fires myself," said Jesse Quick.
...
"There's gotta be something we can do," said Wally.
"There is something we can do," said Crystal. "Jump start his brain."
Crystal gestures to the device he and Cisco made in the other lab. It's a little box with two antennas, small dials, and a big silver button in the middle.
"We have not done a test run," said Cisco.
"There's not time for a test run," argued Crystal.
"What is that thing?" asked Joe, pointing at the device.
"This can send electrical charges through the transmitters in his suit and, theoretically, should jolt his memory," answered Cisco.
"You want to electroshock his brain?" questioned Jesse Quick through her comm-link.
"Won't that fry it even more?" asked Wally worriedly.
"If we don't give it a shot, all those people are gonna die," said Crystal.
"When we were building the particle accelerator, Caitlin said something that never got out of my head. 'Life's a game of chance'," said Cisco, agreeing to give the device a try. He tells Barry, "Okay, Barry, you're gonna feel something. It might hurt. It might sting. It might suck. Probably all three."
"What?!" exclaimed Flash, a little scared about what's about to happen.
"Okay, here we go," said Cisco, preparing to activate the device.
Cisco turns the dials and pushes the big button.
...
Flash holds his head with both his hands and screams in pain as he felt thousands of bolts shock his brain. Team Flash could hear his screams through the comm-link. After a few seconds, the pain stopped.
"Barry, you okay?" asked Cisco, worried about his friend's well-being.
"I still don't remember," said Flash, still feeling stunned from the zapping.
"Why didn't it work?" asked Wally.
"We kick-started his temporal lobe. Now, he just needs to access it," said Crystal.
"Gas is in the tank. We just need to turn on the ignition," added Cisco.
"We need a visceral memory to spark his brain," said Crystal.
"You may want to figure something out and fast!" yelled Jesse Quick, still running around the building. "I'm not getting anything done here!"
...
Crystal was thinking of something. She decided not to ponder on it any longer and pushes the comm-link button.
"Barry, I need you to listen to me," she said.
"I'm all ears," said Flash.
"I told you that Iris was murdered, but I didn't tell you everything," said Crystal. "Caitlin Snow... Killer Frost... she killed her right in front of you. You were there in her final moments. But that's not the worst of it. Nora Allen. Henry Allen. Patty Spivot. Harrison Wells. Carla Tannhauser. Mick Rory. They were all part of your lives and Caitlin took them from you. I wish I didn't have to tell you, but I have to remind you why you can't just live your life without your memories."
"What do you mean?" asked Flash.
"I may not have known for as long as the people in this room, but I know you enough to know the tragedies you've suffered through, the dark memories you can never forget, they're what shape you into the man who wears that suit," said Crystal, tears building up in her eyes. "A part of me wishes you can be free of the pain, but remember this. Your life is not all pain and loss. Your life is also full of happiness. Friends. Family. Being the Flash. Please, Barry. I need you to remember."
...
Flash was moved by Crystal's words. Suddenly, he felt a funny feeling in his brain. He closes his eyes and sees a series of images. His mother. Iris. Caitlin. All the good he's done as the Flash. He was starting to remember it all. He even remembers the words his father once said to him the night his mother was murdered.
"Run, Barry, run!"
Flash opens his eyes and lets his father's words replay in his head. Electricity surged through his eyes as he took a deep breath. His attention was caught by shattering glass from the office building. Using his super speed, he dodges the falling shards.
"Barry?" called Crystal.
"I remember," he said.
...
In an abandoned warehouse on the other side of Keystone, Savitar gets off his knees as a bunch of images flashed through his head.
"I remember," he said.
...
"I remember everything," said Flash.
...
"I remember everything," said Savitar.
Savitar scratches the walls with his claws as he prepares to make a move.
...
"Now for this fire," said Flash, preparing himself.
Flash runs up the building and started running around it, trying to put the flames out. He constantly passes by Jesse Quick, who repeatedly shoots a happy look at him. She was clearly glad to see him running by her side.
"Who says you guys get to have all the fun," said Wally.
Flash and Jesse Quick turn their heads and see Wally, dressed as Kid Flash. He was running around the building, putting the fires out. After the three speedsters were done extinguishing all the fires, they head inside and capture Lucius Coolidge, cuffing him, taking his flame thrower away from him, and leaving him on the street.
"Looks like you remembered how to save the day," said Kid Flash to Flash.
"Good to be back," said Flash with a smile.
Back at Mercury Labs, Team Flash were testing Barry to see if he really remembers everything.
"Your mother's middle name?" asked Joe.
"Thompson," answered Barry.
"CODIS is an acronym for what?" asked Crystal.
"Combined DNA Index System," answered Barry.
"What was my metahuman name?" asked Cisco.
"Vibe," answered Barry.
"So, you got your memories back," said Joe, glad. "Now we can focus our attention on stopping Savitar."
Crystal was about to leave for the Keystone Lincoln Hospital, until a certain someone came to see her.
"Hey," greeted Barry.
"Hey," greeted Crystal.
"Leaving for work?" guessed Barry.
"I have to meet up with a poor widow, so I'm afraid I can't stay here and celebrate," said Crystal.
"Hey, uh... I remember last night," said Barry.
Crystal smiles nervously as she looks away from the former CSI.
"I kinda wish you didn't," said Crystal.
"That's okay," said Barry. "I remember it correctly. It wasn't you or me. It was both of us. We let things get out of hand. But if it makes you feel any better, I didn't mind."
"And if it makes you feel any better, I didn't mind either," said Crystal.
"So, uh, I was wondering..." said Barry, scratching the back of his head, sounding nervous. "... maybe you want to... get some dinner... maybe not tonight, but maybe some other time, perhaps..."
"Are you... asking me out?" asked Crystal.
"I think I am," said Barry.
"But, Barry, what about Iris?" asked Crystal.
"Iris is gone," said Barry with sadness. "And I'm gonna miss her for the rest of my life. But you taught me that I can't dwell on her death forever. I have to move forward, and, well... I wanna move forward with you."
Crystal tilts her head a little to the right, wearing a face of uncertainty. "Are you sure this isn't because I look like someone you used to know?"
"I think we both know I've learned to see past that," said Barry.
"Are you sure you want to go down this road, Mr. Allen?" asked Crystal.
"Depends on your answer, Dr. Frost," replied Barry.
Crystal thinks about it. She feels strange about being asked out by a patient, but she knows that Barry Allen is more than just her patient. He was her friend.
"Well, if you really want to, maybe we can..."
Suddenly, a streak of white lightning zooms into the room and takes Crystal away. Barry knows who it was.
"Savitar," he said with fright.
Barry puts on his Flash suit and chases Savitar throughout Keystone. He follows him to the Suburbs until the God of Speed stopped at Crystal's house.
"Let her go!" yelled Flash.
"If you insist," said Savitar.
Savitar throws Crystal towards the wall. She was still conscious, but her hip was hurting from the crash.
"Don't worry, Flash. I'm not here to kill her," said Savitar.
"Then what are we doing here?" asked Flash.
Savitar quickly snatches Flash and holds him against the ceiling. He readies his arm blade, preparing to stab the Flash.
"I thought you needed me alive," said Flash.
"True, but then I stopped to think. Your death will not affect my existence," said Savitar. "And since you're in my way, I might as well deal with you now."
Savitar swings his arm back, preparing to run his blade through his past self. Unexpectedly, Savitar gets hit by a beam of ice, causing him to crash on the TV. Flash falls down to the floor and turns his head, looking at Crystal. There was ice on her hand. His eyes shot wide open at the sight of this. Crystal can see how shocked he is.
The two turned around when they heard Savitar laughing.
"At last, all is revealed," said Savitar.
Savitar runs out of the house. All Flash can do was stare at Crystal, feeling a mix of fear and confusion inside him.
Uh-oh! Flash knows about Crystal's ice powers. What will happen? You'll find out in the next chapter.
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