A Flash of the Lightning

by Techfish

On April 25th, 2024, the Flash engaged in battle with his oldest enemy: the Reverse-Flash, defeating him before disappearing in a flash of light. That was the second time. This is the story of how that day ended twice, and how, in the world's darkest hours and in the midst of its first true crisis, Barry Allen saved the multiverse. (Short chapters as separated by time and POV.)

23. Chapter 22

T = 24.00.00

A flash of golden light blinded Oliver, but somehow, he wasn't afraid anymore. This, he inexplicably knew, was not what the end of the world looked like. The light encompassed everything, and he felt… new.

After what felt like a long time, the light faded.

The cluster of heroes were no longer atop a crumbling building. Instead, they stood, unscathed, on the street before the white marble steps of the Hall of Justice, just across the boulevard from the Flash Museum.

The group that had driven back the monster from the rift were sitting up from the ground, as if they'd been unconscious moments ago.

But it was not the un-cracked pavement or the buildings still intact, or even the clear blue sky that drew the heroes' eyes. It was the red and gold suit that lay tattered, crumpled, and empty on the street between them.

"No…"

Cisco was the first to speak—the first to approach it.

He dropped to his knees, took the empty red material into his arms, and cried.

Wally was next, kneeling down beside Cisco to hug him consolingly, even as he shed tears himself.

Not one of them was immune, and the heroes clustered together, holding on as if contact and proximity would lessen the pain.

When people started to venture out onto the streets, Oliver dried his eyes, and ushered the grieving heroes into the Hall, where they could mourn in peace.

And they did.

In the aftermath of the calamity which would come to be known as the First Crisis, the new Earth was found to have elements from many (formerly) parallel worlds. National City, from Kara and Alex's world, was there, and the speedsters from Earth-2. There were now more heroes than there had ever been, and only the heroes remembered it ever being any different—in fact, many had memories from two different lives, one from their pasts, where the worlds were separate, and one from the new history together. Both truths were as real as each of them.

Statements were made to governments national and international by the Justice League, explaining what had happened… and what had been lost.

The world loved and mourned the Flash, and the Justice League mourned Barry Allen with his friends and family, but the world was not empty or dimmed in his absence. In fact, during thunderstorms, those closest to him almost felt him with them—their guardian angel.

Time moved forward.

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A/N: God. I swear, writing the later chapters was like emotional self-torture.