Within Seconds: Flashpoint Edition

Finding Happiness Right Where You Are

Until he let the car roll to a stop in front of the cemetery, he didn't think to inquire as to if his wife's grave was still going to be in the place his parents were. He started towards the open gates, then had to sprint back the car, forgetting he now had a child to take with. 

Melody was fast asleep in her car seat. He unbuckled her seat belt, careful not to wake her. He zipped up the red jacket she wore to fight against the slight breeze in the October air. He transitioned her from the car seat and into his arms. She didn't wake, other than a few soft grunts as she tried to cuddle back into a warm surrounding. 

Barry walked into the cemetery, following the familiar twisting pathways along the grass to find the spot where his parents were buried. Parker was placed in the ground directly behind them. 

That, coincidentally, was where he did find her. He ran his fingers over his the gravestones of parents as he slid by to sit in front of Parker's. He took a seat on the grass, reading over the words on her gravestone. 

Parker Elizabeth Sylas Allen

Beloved daughter, wife, and friend.

January 14th 1991 - October 4th 2016

"Life is locomotion."

Parker had lived six more months than before. It was another six months of memories Barry would never have experienced. Living them would mean referring to the baby journal Parker kept for Melody. 'Baby's First Year' had only made it to month five when Barry flipped through it the previous night. His wife and daughter spent only five months together before their relationship was no more. 

"I'm sorry for that, too," sighed Barry. "That's how I should start this all off, really. What can I say other than I'm sorry? I'm sorry for changing the timeline. I know it was the last thing you wanted. But, I think, part of you had to understand I was going to do it anyway. It's who I am, isn't it? The guy who listens to you, but rarely follows your advice. That's me.

Flashpoint wasn't the best idea I ever had. I'll admit that. I won't forget it, though. I'll spend the rest of my life remembering that was the only way I was granted a real goodbye to you. Even if it wasn't to you. I feel better, now. I feel like I can go on. That's the best feeling I've had since I lost you. I can move on now because I have a piece of you wherever I go. I have Melody now. She's everything I need to remember you. I know that. 

I've heard, 'I'm sorry,' from people all throughout my life. Between my mother's funeral, my father's, and yours, I've heard it more than you could guess. After coming back, I'm not sorry anymore, really. It's thanks to Flashpoint. 

Don't get me wrong, there are so many things to be sorry for throughout my life, especially because of what I did to Flashpoint, but loving you isn't something I will ever be sorry for. I'm sorry that the timing wasn't quite right for us. I don't believe for one second we were ever lacking in love, though. It wasn't a question of whether we loved each other enough or not. If love was supposed to fill an ocean, we would have needed a whole other world. 

Our love withstood the war of the Flash world. I'm proud of us for staying together through it all. Now, I know I need to thank you for even staying, and for having Melody, even when you knew you weren't going to make it until we grew old together. Our love couldn't win the war against time. 

I'm not going to ask about our past together. I'm going to let you survive within the memories I already have of you. From now on, you live within our daughter. She and I are your legacy in this world, baby, and I can promise you she won't be burdened by my decision to be the Flash. I promise I'll protect her with my life, I'll make choices that ensure I can come back to her, and I promise she will survive. 

It was hard for me to step into the apartment this time, but it was easier than before. Passing through is easy. It's just tough for me to look at the couch and accept you'll never sit there again. My heart's always gonna grieve for you. I know my tears are less for you and more for me, how I'll have to do this alone. 

I hope one day I can look at our apartment and smile. I think, one day soon, I'll be able to look through the apartment, through the West house, the Cortex, and see the good memories. I hope to remember them for what they were, not how I'll never be able to live them again. 

I can show Melody where I told you I had powers, or where you pulled the Indiana Jones move against Earth-2 Parker, or the machine where I found out she was going to be born. Through me, and those books you wrote, she'll know all about you and us. She'll hear stories about the great adventures we went on together. Maybe she'll even get a touch of the Speed Force in her. She is half meta-human."

Melody, having been awakened by Barry's voice, giggled endlessly as he tilted her from side to side in his arms. She reached for his chin, aiming for an anchor to stop the rocking. He saw no speed in the way she did anything. If the Speed Force had blessed her, it wasn't going to be evident for a while, he guessed. 

"All right, Park. I guess that was all I wanted to say, for now. I don't know if you can hear me up there, but I just wanted to tell you where I was at in my head. I love and miss you. Tell my mother and father I love them, yeah? I'll tell Mel the same for you guys."

Barry pressed his fingers to his lips and placed them on her name. He held onto the gravestone, for a moment, wishing it was her skin, instead. He then stood and left his wife behind, allowing a fraction of grief to slide from his shoulders. 

It was a new timeline, a new future, and a new beginning with Melody Nora.