Second Chances: Flash

Chapter 5

The first place Barry and Iris went to announce their engagement was to Iris's parents' house, since they wanted Joe to be the first one to know.

What they did not expect when they got there was to find Wally talking with Joe.

"Wally." Barry said with a smile, getting both Wally and Joe's attention as Joe got up to hug them both.

"Looks like there was a way to save you from Crisis after all." Joe said with a smile as he hugged Barry.

"Yeah, I guess so. But Joe, you know this means you owe Oliver an apology for everything you've ever said about him right?" Barry said and Joe sighed, but he knew Barry was right.

"I may not approve of his methods, but I can't deny that if it weren't for him, none of us would be standing here right now." Joe said.

"And you'll get the chance to tell him that yourself, since according to the Monitor, Oliver survived, don't ask me how, I honestly don't understand it myself." Barry said and Iris smiled at hearing that, since she could see that was another burden removed from her fiance.

"I'll make sure I tell him, but I'm guessing that's not why you're here." Joe said.

"No and also, thanks for calling to let me know that you were coming to town Wally." Iris said as she hugged her brother.

"It was a last minute decision that relates to how I survived Crisis, since J'onn didn't restore my memories like he did everyone else." Wally said.

"Then how did you survive?" Barry asked.

"I was in the speed force. Which by the way, we had a close call with due to what you did in Crisis." Wally said.

"What do you mean?" Barry asked, concerned.

"Barry, the speed force nearly didn't make it through Crisis because of how you entered it." Wally said.

"What is he talking about Barry?" Iris asked as Barry sighed, since now he knew what Wally was talking about.

"In order to escape the Vanishing Point to get myself, Oliver and the other paragons to the Dawn of Time, I made Oliver give me some of his spectre energy to give me the boost I needed to get all of us into the speed force, but it sounds like while it worked, there was unaffected side effect." Barry said.

"One that had an unexpected, but very welcomed solution." Wally said.

"What fixed it?" Barry asked, desperate to know what fixed his mistake and why Wally was smiling.

"Barry, when you and the other paragons restored the universe, you gave the speed force a way to survive and it's one I think you'll be happy about, since it solves two problems." Wally said.

"What happened?" Iris asked, wishing her brother wouldn't be so confusing.

"In order to survive, the speed force sought out an actual physical host to serve as its avatar, which stabilized it, but also changed the speed force, making it more human." Wally said.

"I guess that actually makes sense. But what's this other problem you mentioned?" Barry asked and Wally smiled.

"The person the speed force chose was your mom." Wally said, shocking them all.

"What, that's impossible, my mom's dead." Barry said, not daring to let himself hope.

"No she's not. At least not completely. The speed force picked your mom and merged with her in a sense to save them both. Your mom's soul and humanity keeps the speed force stable and in exchange, the speed force keeps her alive. And she wants to see you." Wally said.

"I have to go. I need to see this for myself." Barry said and Iris nodded, since she knew that this was something Barry had to do.

"Just promise me you'll come back to me." Iris said.

"I always do." Barry promised as he sped out of the house and began building up speed until he was finally able to enter the speed force and even then, he didn't stop running until he found himself back in his childhood home.

"Is it really possible?" Barry asked as he looked around.

"It is my beautiful boy." a familiar voice said and Barry turned around to see his mother or the speed force or both of them, standing in front of him.

"Mom, is that really you?" Barry asked, not daring to hope as his mother smiled at him.

"Yes my beautiful boy, it is me. The speed force is a part of both of us now." Nora Allen said with a smile as they hugged.