Project Cadmus, six levels underground, Lab 616.
Deep underground was a large room of computers and monitors that were connected by wires to several servers, which were in turn connected to a machine attached to the head of a stocky, brown haired man in a black shirt and trousers. The man's eyes were closed as he lay on a table, the connecting wires were all feeding information directly into his brain, including the fight that had just occurred involving Supergirl and Flash. In fact, the man had been receiving untold amounts of information on Supergirl and Superman, the two known aliens who had the power to end the world. The man wasn't just being fed information about them, he was also being fed information on how to defeat them while plastic tubing from medical machines all around him were slowly injecting him with liquids of different colours.
The man seemed to be in peace; but in reality, his dreams were all nightmares. Nightmares that have been conditioning the man for years to hate; to hate Superman, Supergirl, and any other Kryptonian. From one of the computers, there was an electrical discharge that shot out into the air, coalescing into a blue skinned figure with red hair and three dots in the shape of a triangle on her forehead.
Indigo, part of a race of living computers used by the Kryptonians a long time ago, was imprisoned in Fort Rozz when it was in the phantom Zone all those years ago. She spent years hacking into Kara's pod when it accidentally entered the Zone following the destruction of Krypton; then once she hacked into it, Indigo made sure that Fort Rozz was pulled out of the Zone when Kara's pod fired its thrusters.
She was finally free.
Once the pod and Fort Rozz crashed landed on Earth, Indigo infected whatever computer she could find; she then using the internet to learn about Earth culture and customs, about the people and their war-like tendencies. A year after she crash landed on Fort Rozz, Indigo encountered the computer systems of the secret organization known as Project CADMUS. Infecting their computers, she 'saw' their files on alien experimentation and cloning, even projects where they tried to graft alien and human DNA to create weapons.
Those were mostly failures.
The more she found out about Superman, and then about Kara who for many years never used her powers, the more Indigo looked into Project CADMUS. She secretly helped them create weapons by inserting important, missing pieces into their computer files. She chuckled as she 'watched' the scientists working on various projects have their eureka moments thanks to her subterfuge. For years she was working behind the scenes, and then came the day Jeremiah Danvers died. The DEO sent his body to Project CADMUS since he was the one who encountered the alien that they were searching, and because he was the one who had a young Kryptonian girl as an adopted member of his family.
He was her weakness if she ever went rogue. He was nearly activated during the recent red kryptonite crisis, but the President decided to let the DEO handle things for now… at least until they were beaten or dead. Eventually, he wasn't needed.
Years earlier, the man was placed into cyro-storage until CADMUS advanced their cloning program which at that time had created only misshapen form that can't be called anything human. Then Indigo intervened a year later and suddenly, the scientists found what they were looking for. It took a few more years before CADMUS advanced their genetic engineering program to a point where they finally got Jeremiah's body out of cold storage. They then created a genetically engineered clone of Jeremiah Danvers using profiles of a few aliens from the Fort Rozz database they received from the DEO.
Including a dead Kryptonian they found after a small team infiltrated the Fort following the prisoner escape. The day the dead body was taken out of the ship; Astra and her cohorts were woken up from their hibernation pods by Indigo. She watched through the security Camera's at Cadmus as the Kryptonian body was harvested; all finally falling in line with her plan years later as Cadmus creating the being that Indigo was now standing in front of with a smirk on her face.
She looked at the clone who was lying still with his eyes closed, and walked towards the angled table before placing a hand on his cheek.
"I convinced Non to hold off on activating Myriad," whispered Indigo as she played the camera's on a loop that showed the large room as being empty, except for the creature on the table, "convinced him that his niece and Superman would stop him no matter what, and this new hero brings something new into the mix. Myriad is tuned to the minds of humans, not Kryptonians.. which is where you come in, my dear."
Indigo then walked around the body while looking at the servers and computers that were feeding information into the creature in the form of Jeremiah. She then looked at Jeremiah again before a grin was plastered onto her face.
"A doomsday weapon created by humans to be used in the event that Superman goes rogue," said Indigo as she looked at the clone's body while firing off bolts of electricity at the computers and servers, "and with Supergirl, the danger has grown. With this new hero helping her, the danger has grown. He is an unknown that must be taken care off. I wanted to wait until the anniversary of her arrival to this mudball two days from now, but you will awaken sooner than expected; you will take out the threats of Superman and Supergirl. You are the doomsday weapon against all Kryptonians. You will destroy Superman, Supergirl, and the other Kryptonians… and then I'll use the Myriad device on this world, and then the rest of the galaxy. Now… enjoy your accelerated conditioning, Jeremiah. The time of reckoning for the Kryptonians will be soon at hand."
As the eyes under the creature's eyelids started to move rapidly back and forth, Indigo turned into electricity and left the room. Leaving the clone with its hands tensing up as its feeling of hate increased.
The West Household, thirty minutes later.
Nora was seated at the dining table near the living room nursing a cup of already lukewarm coffee. She was looking into the black liquid with her forehead resting in the palm of her hand while Francine was sitting next to her while rubbing her back. Nora could hear her voice in the distance, but right now all she could hear was the sound of the gust of wind, and then the crackle of the yellow and red lighting that encircled her that fateful day at the living room of her old house. Nora closed her eyes and she was immediately brought to that day, she had tried to put it behind her, but seeing what she had just seen on the TV… everything crashed right back into her.
She saw herself back in the living room on her knees screaming as two distinct blurs; one red with yellow lighting, and a yellow blur with red lighting circled around her like a tornado. She remembered that her hair was flowing all of her the place thanks to the wind being generated by whatever beings were circling her at an extremely fast speed. Nora recalled screaming as she saw a yellow figure in the tornado, a figure that turned when she heard Barry calling out for her at the bottom of the stairs.
"Barry! Run!" screamed Nora with tears in her eyes as Henry pulled Barry away and knelt down while the figure in the tornado vanished as the wind speed increased. Nora looked at Henry and Barry, the former shouting at Barry to run as fast as he could. The next thing she knew, Nora saw a blur heading towards Henry and Barry; and then they fell onto the floor followed by a bright flash of light that made Nora scream and cover her eyes. While covering her eyes, Nora couldn't hear anymore sounds… the house was now peaceful and quiet.
For the next few seconds anyway.
Nora opened her eyes to find her living room a disaster, but what was even more disastrous were the two unmoving bodies lying one on top of another; Henry lying over Barry, and the both of them were not breathing. Nora walked over to them with unsteady feet as she called out for the both of them, hoping that this was just a trick… that they were really okay and just in shock.
But when she saw Barry's lifeless eyes looking back up at the ceiling, Nora collapsed to her knees and screamed.
Joe West was the first officer on the scene after a neighbour had called the police after hearing Nora's scream. He and his partner ran up the porch stairs and then through the door with their guns up. Once they saw Nora sobbing as she cradled Barry's body with one hand, and placed a hand on Henry's lifeless body with her other hand, they put their guns down and looked at the disaster area around them.
"Call an ambulance," Joe told his partner, who nodded his head, while he rushed to Nora.
"Nora," said Joe gently as he kneeled down and saw the lifeless look on his friend's eyes, and then at Barry who Nora was holding on to while sobbing. She was hanging her head down while her hair was covering her face and humming a song between sobs. Joe's mouth dried up as he called for Nora again. And this time she looked up at the man with red, tearful eyes, as she told him that she saw lightning in her house, that the people in the lightning did this.
"They killed Henry and Barry," said Nora sobbing as she looked down at the two bodies again, "they killed my family."
It was two days later that Nora Allen had been taken off the suspect list, and since she was the only suspect, the case quickly went cold. The autopsy showed that there were no stab wounds, but the two hearts were essentially ripped apart. A toxicology test was also carried out on the bodies, and the results showed there was nothing in their bodies that shouldn't be there, and with the only explanation from their sole witness being that two blurs surrounded by lightning wasn't going to be entertained by the D.A's office.
So the case went cold for several years. A mystery that would never be solved.
Until now.
Nora was shaken out of her thoughts as Detective Joe West rushed into the house and called for Francine.
"In the kitchen, Joe," shouted Francine as Joe hugged Wally who rushed down the stairs and then the both of them entered the kitchen. It was there that Joe was surprised to see the state that Nora was in as her hands trembled while she held the coffee with one hand. Joe then looked up at Francine who asked the man to sit down, that there was something that Nora wanted to tell him.
"Nora?" asked Joe as he sat down across from Nora while Francine sat next to the woman and then held her trembling hand. Nora sniffed before wiping her eyes with the hand that her forehead was resting on earlier, and then looked up at Joe.
"It's come back for me, Joe," said Nora.
"What?" asked Joe.
"The blur with the yellow lightning," said Nora as Joe frowned before looking at Francine who asked Joe to just listen. Joe then looked at Nora again before nodding his head to continue, "it's back… he's back. I know that blur and the lightning is back, it's the same thing that was there the day Henry and Barry died, Joe."
"Nora," said Joe gently as he leaned forward, "we've talked about this.. you even talked to your therapist about this, and you agreed… whatever happened was a freak accident, your mind came up with a rational explanation, and…."
"Joe," said Francine, "we saw the blur and the lightning on the TV."
"What?" asked Joe confused, "what are you…"
"It was on TV, dad," said Wally, "I saw it on the news. It… well.. he was teaming up with Supergirl to take down two villains. It was real cool actually and…"
"No, not cool," said Joe shaking his head at Wally before he looked at Nora again, and then did a double take back to Wally, "wait, what do you mean by a 'he'?"
"There was a picture of him after he saved someone from the Catco building," said Wally, "and then another picture of him with Supergirl. There's also videos on every news website about the fight that just happened… Mrs. Allen's right, when he runs… he's a blur with yellow lightning behind him."
"If this guy is with Supergirl," said Joe as he looked at the people around him, "then he's a good guy? Right? Nora? I mean it's been years since… you know. So why would he come out into play now and.."
"Maybe he's playing everyone for fools," said Nora as she looked at Joe, "he was there when Barry and Henry died, Joe. I know it. Please… get justice for my husband and son, for your best friend. Please."
"I…." said Joe as she closed his eyes and shook his head.
"Maybe you could take a trip to National City?" asked Francine as Joe sighed and looked up at her, "it's only an hour away, Joe. You could tell Captain Singh it's for a cold case. And since this… Blur… is allied with Supergirl and a potential danger to her and to anyone around her, maybe it's best if you warned Cat Grant. I mean she's already said she has Supergirl's ear."
"So I ask Miss Grant to ask Supergirl to bring in this Blur for questioning?" asked Joe.
"Please, Joe," said Nora, "I don't know why he hasn't come after me yet, but I feel it in my bones that he will. Maybe he knows that Supergirl is a threat and… and he's hoping to gain her trust and then kill her or something."
"Supergirl's invulnerable, Mrs. Allen," Wally replied as Nora nodded her head.
"But Nora's not," said Francine as she rubbed her friend's back while looking at Wally, and then at Joe, "what if this Blur's faster than Supergirl?"
"No one's faster than Supergirl… well, maybe Superman, but…" said Wally as he went deep in thought before Francine interrupted his train of thought.
"If he is," said Francine, "then Nora's in danger. If Supergirl's going to do anything to stop him in the event he is much faster, than she needs to know what happened and stop him now."
"I guess I could get the crime scene photos and take them with me in case Miss Grants decides she'll rather wait for a warrant for me to talk to Supergirl," replied Joe as he leaned back and looked at Nora's pleading eyes. He then sighed before nodding his head, telling Nora and his family that he'll leave to collect some things before driving off to National City.
The Catco Building 'Super-cave', at that same time.
Barry was wearing some clothes that were loaned from Winn as he listened to Kara who was explaining the reasons for the reaction that she had a few hours ago. It was just the two hero's in the room with James getting a check-up at the hospital since he was one of the people who was blasted by Livewire and received some burns. As for Winn, he was getting checked out for any other injuries since his ears were still ringing; however, Supergirl as Kara already met with the both of them before heading to meet Barry. As for the Scarlet Speedster, he was rubbing his mouth with his hands while listening to Kara telling him about her foster father dying while on a mission with the DEO. She then told him about how for years they thought Jeremiah was dead until a few days ago when 'an ally' and her sister found out that Jeremiah was really alive in a place called Project CADMUS, and what they did according to what James told her.
She told Barry that even thinking about the fact that there was the possibility that CADMUS did something to Jeremiah in order to make him the creature that Cisco told Barry about was enough to make her lose her emotions. That, and coupled with the fact that Cisco watched her kill her own foster father, who in turn killed her, was just too much to take.
"I'm sorry," said Barry as he just put his hands in his pockets, "maybe there could have been a better way to say what I wanted to say, but.. I didn't know how. Cisco saw you die, Kara; and he couldn't let that happen. Which is why I'm here; to help you, and to save you. And hopefully after this mess is taken care off, you could help me take care of Zoom."
"I'll help you, Barry," said Kara nodding her head, "maybe we should go and talk to Lucy. Maybe she'll know about what's going on with CADMUS, and where it is. Maybe I can break in and find out what's going on."
"You mentioned that name before," said Barry, "DEO… what is that?"
Kara then sighed before she told the man about the DEO and what their mission was supposed to be. That explanation left Barry nodding his head before telling Kara that there was an organization on his Earth that went after meta-humans that were using their abilities for reasons other than good; ARGUS.
"Both our Earth's really like their acronyms, don't they?" asked Kara with a smirk as Barry nodded his head. It was just then that Kara received a call on her phone; it was Cat calling her to meet her at the main Catco floor, that she wanted to interview her, and then she wanted the blonde to send a message to Supergirl that she wanted to interview her and the Blur. Kara wanted to get a word in edgewise, but Cat was insistent while saying that this was news and she wanted to get what happened out there before anyone else does.
"And this would go a lot towards the people of this city remembering that Supergirl is a true hero," said Cat on the phone.
"Well, the Blur too, Miss Grant," said Kara as she looked at Barry.
"Yes, well," said Cat as she looked at all the active screens behind her desk while she was being examined by a paramedic who she was pushing away with her free hand, insisting that she was feeling all right, "and get up here fast, Kira… I have an annoying person trying to.. I told you I am okay."
The paramedic just frowned back at her at the last sentence that was aimed directly at him, and then walked away before Cat told Kara that the annoyance was gone.
"Get up here, now," said Cat as she watched various clips of the battle that had just happened on the street, "you have ten minutes, or however long it takes for the camera crew from the nineteenth floor to get here."
"Yes, Miss Grant," said Kara nodding her head before putting her phone back into her pocket and looking questioningly at Barry while telling him that Cat wanted an interview with the both of them. It was that request that left Barry shaking his head and waving his hands 'no', "please, Barry?"
"Kara," Barry replied, "I have no idea if the Reverse Flash is still stuck in this time period on your Earth after he killed me. Just thinking about the time-travel bits hurts my head, but if he's here and see's the both of us together on TV, then…. then he could go after my mom again."
"You've been on TV," said Kara as she took a step towards Barry, "I'm sure that he's seen you and… and if he does anything then I'm here too. Barry, this is the first time I've not only met a superhero from another Earth, but a hero who's not an alien like my cousin. And this whole excited voice I have is because that's just so cool and.. and please?"
"I…" said Barry.
"If the Reverse Flash was here," said Kara, "then he would have seen you, and come after you, Barry."
"Maybe" said Barry, "but I need him to think that this was a fluke, Kara. On my Earth, he lost his speed. But he used a tachyon device to enhance his connection to the Speed Force and…"
"To the what now?" asked Kara.
"I'll explain later, Kara," said Barry, "but… but maybe Supergirl could tell Cat that the Blur went back home, maybe you could make up a city that the Blur could be from… anywhere except for Central City. I don't know how it would go if people knew I was from another Earth."
Kara looked at Barry and nodded her head. She wasn't going to push the issue, but his mentioning of the Speed Force made her realize something; she was excited to have another superhero fighting alongside her, but she still didn't know anything about Barry except that he jumped Earths to help her. As she turned around, Kara resolved to at least get to know Barry himself after her interviews as Kara Danvers, and then as Supergirl. Kara also knew that Barry was right about something else, that she couldn't tell the public that he was from another Earth, especially since if they knew that fact.. then CADMUS would be coming after him.
"Oh," said Kara as she grabbed the doorknob and turned around, "you hungry?"
"Starving," said Barry, "I kinda need to eat at least ten thousand calories a day."
"You're in good company, Barry Allen," grinned Kara, "donuts?"
"Yeah, sure," replied Barry before Kara nodded her head and then stepped out of the door for her interview.
Catco Offices, one and a half hours later.
Cat was looking at the men replacing the glass wall that separated her office from the rest of the floor, and then looked at Kara's empty desk. She gave her assistant the rest of the day off, so that she could go out with a visiting cousin. At first Cat thought Kara meant Clark Kent, but she was surprised to hear that a cousin had come to visit her from New York, and she was taking him out for some donuts. Nodding her head, Cat let Kara go; with her interview with Supergirl being held twenty minutes later.
'The Blur wasn't with her,' thought Cat as she looked at the pictures that were sent to her of the Blur and Supergirl together earlier that day, 'Supergirl said that he stopped by from Los Angeles, that he was a new hero who wanted to meet the famous Girl of Steel. She said that he's already left the city.. but I wonder….'
"Ummm…. Miss Grant?" asked a male voice from her door as she looked up to see two men in suits, one was a dark skinned man with a folder tucked under one arm, and the other man was Caucasian with red hair waiting behind the glass wall that was being installed.
"This is what happens when I let Kira off for the day," mumbled Cat to herself before she called out to them to come in.
"Miss Grant," said the red-haired man, "I'm Detective Stone with the National City Police Department, and this is Detective Joe West from the Central City Police Department."
"So how can I help the fine detectives of both this city, and Central City," said Cat as she leaned back on her chair and looked at the outstretched hands of both detectives, and then back at their faces, "and please don't waste my time."
"Joe?" asked the Detective.
"Miss Grant," said Joe as he sat down across from Cat, "it's about the man that Supergirl's been seen with; he's wanted for questioning on a murder."
"Excuse me?" asked Cat as she leaned forward, "Supergirl would never associate herself with murderers and…"
"Not knowingly," said the red-haired detective.
"Yeah," replied Joe as he nodded his head, "my best friend's wife saw something that I thought was not possible until my son showed me videos of it actually happening in National City. She really did see something… a blur with yellow lightning just like the one that was with Supergirl, and another blur with red lightning nearly destroy her home before one of them murdered her husband and son. She thinks that the both of them were involved and…."
"What if the mother was the one who did it," said Cat as Joe frowned before opening the folder he was holding in his hand and dropped a few pictures on Cat's desk, pictures which Cat reached forward and grasped in her hand before looking at Joe and then at the pictures before asking what she was looking at.
"The mother was taken off the list as a suspect," said Joe, "the bodies were tested for drugs and poisons, and nothing was found. During an autopsy, we found that their hearts were shredded with no entry and exit marks."
"You mean none that you can see," said Cat.
"The bodies were examined twice, three times, four times," said Joe, "no marks… no wounds… nothing."
"Your company has a connection with Supergirl," Joe continued, "and we'd like to make a request that she bring him in for questioning."
"I…" said Cat as Joe interrupted her again.
"The boy who died," said Joe as he looked at Cat, "he was only eight, Miss Grant; he had his entire future to look out for, but it was taken from him in one night. All I'm asking is for Supergirl's help in bringing in this person for questioning; a mother's just seeking justice for her son. Please?"
The Donut Hole, at that same time.
There was a pile of empty boxes at the side of the table where Winn and James, released from the hospital and given medications to take, were sitting across from Barry and Kara who were both licking their fingers after having their fourteenth box of donuts, something that they had to do without using their powers since they were being stared at by numerous people; with one woman making Barry, Winn, and Kara chuckle when she passed by Kara, and purposely bumped into her before saying that she hated the blonde.
"I can't help it if I have a fast metabolism," mumbled Kara as they received a fifteenth box of donuts which she and Barry then shared.
"Me too," said Barry, "I think Cisco and Caitlin hate me."
"We hate you," said Winn as he looked at both Barry and Kara. He then looked at Barry again, "so you're really a CSI?"
"Yep," replied Barry. He and Kara had first gone over to the National City Hospital after Kara, and then Supergirl's, interview to check on Winn and James before they headed for donuts. The two of them were surprised to find that Winn was getting discharged after a quick check-up which found that he didn't have any lasting damage to his hearing, and James was going to be released soon after with some medication for the scorch marks on his body. On the way to the donut place, Kara asked about how Barry got his powers, how long he's been a hero, and numerous other questions that Winn could see was making James slightly jealous.
And then they just sat down watching the two of them scarf down one donut after another, pacing themselves so that they don't freak out anyone else in the shop. Back in the present, as Barry was telling Winn and James about how he wanted to become a CSI so that he could prove his father didn't really kill his mother, Kara received a call on her cell phone. Licking her fingers of the sugar frosting, Kara then picked up her phone.
Barry looked at Kara after she answered the phone, and then noticed the change in her facial expression as she looked at him. Barry heard her say that she'll contact Supergirl immediately before putting the phone down.
"Kara?" asked James while Kara was still looking at Barry.
"Ummm… there's a Detective Joe West who wants Supergirl to bring in the Blur for questioning," said Kara.
"Oh," said Barry.
Office of Cat Grant, a few minutes later.
It had been nearly five minutes since Cat had called Kara, leaving the woman wondering what was taking Supergirl so long. She looked at Joe who was talking to the other detective when she heard the sound of a gust of wind, followed by a thump on the balcony outside her office. She then saw Joe and the other detective take out their weapons and rush out to the balcony, as did Cat who was pushed away back to her office by the redheaded detective before pointing his gun again at the man in the red suit standing next to Supergirl.
"Detective," said Supergirl as she stepped in front of Flash, "Miss Grant asked me to bring in the Blur so that you can question him, please put your weapons down. I swear he's not going to do anything; I'll be right here if he does."
Joe and the other detective looked at each other, and then at Supergirl who gave them a small smile. They knew what the blonde was capable of, and they were certain that she could handle it if the Blur did anything funny. Once the guns were put down, Cat huffed as she walked onto the balcony and then nodded at Supergirl, telling her she was late.
"That's my fault, Miss Grant," said Barry in a distorted voice, something that made Kara look at the Speedster while trying to hide her surprise, "she was looking for me, when she found me… she said that a Detective West wanted to speak to me and.. well, here I am."
"I'm Detective West," said Joe as Barry nodded his head at the man, "and I have a few questions to ask you about the deaths of both Barry, and Henry Allen. We have a witness who says that she saw yellow and red lightning in the house and…"
"I was there," lied Flash as Joe seemed to be surprised that Flash even admitted that, 'well technically not a lie, I was there… but it just wasn't me.'
"I was there that night, Detective," said Flash, 'I was chasing a man called Eobard Thawn, a man calling himself the Reverse Flash and we ended in Henry Allen's home. He was a very bad man, a murderer and it was my responsibility to stop him. But I failed, I wasn't fast enough and he killed Mr. Allen and Barry. I was so caught up on catching him that I didn't find out until the next day about what happened."
"And you never came to the police," asked Joe.
"And what would I tell them?" asked Flash, "I took out Thawne, and then I retired my suit. Then I learned that Supergirl was in trouble and I came running as fast as I could."
"I need you to come in to Central City with me and…"
"Detective," said Flash, "I'd like to explain myself to Nora Allen before you take me in for more questioning."
"No, definitely not… she's been through a lot and…."
"I'll come with you, Detective West," said Supergirl before she looked at Cat, who nodded her head, "it'll be just for a few hours while you and Mrs. Allen talk to him. You can ask him your questions and I'll make sure that he does nothing funny."
"Supergirl won't fail," said Cat.
"Fine," said Joe, "let's go to the car and…"
"We'll fly," said Supergirl as she lifted Joe up into the air and then flew away while she was asking Joe which way to go. Barry then grabbed the folder that had fallen out of Joe's hands, before waving at Cat, and then running down the side of the building as Cat looking over the edge and saw a trail of yellow lighting headed away towards Supergirl who was holding onto a screaming Joe West.
"I know you can hear me, Supergirl," whispered Cat with a smirk, "we have a lot of things to talk about when you get back."
The West Residence, five minutes later.
Iris had just gotten back from her classes at the university when she found Nora and her mother sitting together on the living room couch. She saw Francine was just holding a cup of coffee while quietly talking to Nora, who flinched when Iris closed the front door. Iris then rushed to the living room where Nora smiled and then stood up to hug her. Iris felt Nora holding to her tight as she looked at the worried look on her mother's face. It was then that Nora pulled back before giving a sad smile and asking how her day went so far.
"Busy," said Iris as she looked at the two women while Wally ran down the stairs and waved to his sister, "hey,"
"Hey," replied Wally before asking Francine if they've told her yet.
"Told me what?" asked Iris.
"Dad went to National City to ask Supergirl for help in getting that same red blur that…"
"Oh the Blur," said Iris excitedly, "l can't believe that a story like that was…"
"Iris," said Francine as she looked at the look on Nora's face. It was something that Iris didn't miss, the look of anguish and she realized that maybe she said something she shouldn't have.
"What's going on?"
"I…" said Nora when she was interrupted by a scream, followed by the door slamming open and a pale Joe rushing into the house saying that he needed some water. Confused, the entire family, and Nora, looked at Joe walk to the kitchen while Wally walked up to the front door and yelped while putting his hands over his mouth. Iris rushed to her eighteen-year-old brother to check up on what was happening when she looked at the blonde woman standing outside in a blue costume with a red cape that was dancing in the light wind, all the while waving at the two of them.
"Come in," said Joe panting as he finished drinking his third glass of water before he walked to the end of the stairs. Francine and Nora gasped as well when Supergirl gave them a small nervous smile and a wave.
"Wait," said Wally as he turned to face his father, "you telling me you flew here?"
"Yea," said Joe.
"Screaming the whole way, dad?" asked Iris with a smirk.
"No," said Joe as he walked over to Francine while Nora walked around the couch and stood next to Joe and Francine, "just during take-off and landing."
"Sorry about that," grimaced Supergirl as Wally shook her hand excitedly, followed by Iris… both of whom had numerous questions being asked at the same time. However, Joe put his hand up and whistled, and then Iris and Wally were told that Supergirl was here on official business.
"What official business?" asked Francine.
"Nora," said Joe, "I've talked to the Blur, and… and he told me what happened that day. And… and he'd like to talk to you before I take him in for questioning."
"But…" said Nora as her face palled, "I… I…."
"Detective," said Supergirl as she looked at them, "what the Blur told you in front of Miss Grant wasn't the whole truth. And before you say anything, the truth of what happened is for Mrs Allen to hear, not for Miss Grant. And I'll be here the whole time protecting you if he does anything to hurt any of you… which he won't."
"But…" said Joe shaking his head in disbelief.
"That's why he's waiting a few houses down the street," said Supergirl as she remembered what Barry told her as they were getting out of the donut shop, "he had to twist the truth for Miss Grant's sake, and he wants to tell Mrs. Allen the real truth because she and your family deserve to know the everything."
"But you lied for him.. " said Nora with tears, "he was there the day Barry and Henry died and you're lying for him."
"What?" asked Iris as she remembered the day she heard the news that her best friend had passed on, "you.. you mean this Blur.. is… the Blur that…."
"It's not that Blur," said Supergirl, "Detective, Mrs. Allen, if you don't believe what he's going to tell you… then he'll surrender. And I'll make sure he does so that a court of law gets to decide… but please, hear him out."
"Nora?" asked Joe as Nora held on tight to Francine.
"I…" said Nora as she closed her eyes, "alright. I… I… I'll hear what he has to say."
Supergirl then nodded her head and walked up to the front door and raised her hand before walking back in. Nora opened her eyes just as a blur with yellow lighting trailing behind it came through the door and stopped next to Supergirl.
Iris, Wally, and Francine just looking in surprise with Nora, however, looking fearful.
The day that Barry had always dreamt of had come true, although not the way he dreamt it would. Standing next to Supergirl in his Flash costume, Barry looked at the look of fear on his mother. His heart broke when she slinked back slightly while Francine held onto her. He then glanced at Iris and Wally, and then at Francine... the West family together in another Earth while his duplicate's family was broken. Barry then looked back at his mother and remembered the day he went back in time, he remembered holding her hand as she died after being stabbed.
'She's alive,' thought Barry to himself as he pushed down the lump in his throat before clearing his throat as Supergirl squeezed his arm. He looked at the blonde standing to his left who smiled and nodded her head before looking at his mother once again.
"Mrs Allen," said Flash without hiding his real voice, "I wasn't there that day, but I know what happened. I know because it happened to me as well."
"I.. I don't understand," asked Nora.
"I haven't found any other reports like this," said Joe.
"Where I'm from," said Flash, "I… I was eleven when I heard sounds coming from inside my house. I went downstairs and saw my mother screaming for me to run while she was in a tornado of red and orange lighting."
"That.. that's what I saw.. and…"
"I saw a figure in the tornado," said Flash as his voice broke for a second, and then he cleared his throat before continuing while Supergirl looked down onto the floor. It was something that Joe noticed, and was about to say something, but the Flash continued to speak, "my dad told me to run… and… and the next thing I know, I'm twenty blocks away from my house."
"What?" asked Nora while she held on tight to Francine.
"I.. I ran back home and I saw my dad arrested, and found my mother was stabbed through the heart," said Barry, "I knew what I saw… but no one believed me about the lightening and the figure I saw. They said that it was impossible, so my dad went to prison for my mother's murder. And I became a CSI to clear my dad's name by finding the one who did it. One day, a particle accelerator exploded and seeded a thunderstorm, and I got struck by lightning. I became the impossible, and eventually I caught the man who killed my mother, and then my dad was freed."
"But what does that have to do with…" said Nora, "with…"
"The man who murdered my mother offered me a chance to save her life," said Flash as Supergirl looked at him, "to travel back in time using my speed which would create a vortex for him to go back to his own time. To the future."
"What… wait," said Wally, "you're talking about going all Back to the Future and…"
"It's complicated I know," said Flash, "I went in through the vortex first, I exited in my old room. I saw myself screaming for my mother.. I saw the tornado and the lightning. I was about to make my move to save her when one of them saw me and signalled to me not to interfere… he then took my younger self out of there and I closed the door. I heard the man in yellow kill my mother again."
"Why didn't you save her?" asked Nora.
"The one who told me not to interfere was a future version of myself," said Flash as Nora looked on stunned, "but I did get to say goodbye to my mother one last time before I went back to my own time; and the one who killed her paid for it."
"But.. that…"
"The one who killed your husband and son," said Flash, "is known as the Reverse Flash, I am the Flash."
"Not the Blur," said Iris.
"Flash," said Barry before looking at Nora who had her eyes wide open as she tried to absorb it all, before coming to a realization that she believed impossible as she slowly left Francine's side and grabbed the couch while she looked at the Flash, "I'm called the Flash. The orange lighting you saw was your Barry Allen from his future, but he wasn't fast enough to save himself and his dad."
"Who are you?" asked Nora as her hand that was grabbing onto the couch trembled while Flash took a step forward. Joe was about to tell Flash not to move but Nora asked him in a shaking voice to just hold off for a little while, "who are you?"
"When my dad was in prison," said Flash, "I was adopted by my dad's best friend, Joe West."
"Huh?" asked Joe as he eyes widened while Nora put her hands over her mouth.
"And my foster sister is Iris West,"
"Oh dear God," said Iris in surprise.
"I'm here from another Earth," said Flash as he took off his mask and looked at Nora as she took a few more steps forward, as did Barry; the woman then placed her hand on Barry's cheek and released a sob as Barry took another step forward, "you'd always tell me that a good heart is better than having fast legs."
"Barry," said Nora putting another hand on his other cheek as a tear trickled down from her eyes when she recognized the face before her, a face that reminded her of her own father.
"Hi, mom," said Barry as he hugged her; Nora sobbing while Barry held her tight as the others looked on in surprise. Supergirl slowly walked over to the front door before she looked over her shoulder as Joe, whose body was slightly trembling walked towards the man in the red suit. Wiping a tear as she watched Barry have a second chance with his mother before leaving this Earth in a few days, Supergirl was happy for him.
'Not everyone has a second chance with family,' she thought to herself as she flew up in the air quietly before she made her way towards National City, wanting to give Barry some privacy. Mid-way through the journey back, Supergirl changed direction.. instead she headed for Midvale.
She wanted to visit her foster mother.
TBC.