~More Than A Program~/// Bart Allen x Reader

Chapter 21

"Bart!" Barry's voice rung out from up ahead, jolting the boy out of his thoughts. "Pick up the pace a little, or we'll never arrive!"

"But I can't!" The younger male's voice was weak and trembling as he cried out, "I've already told you, my appreciation factor is only at-"

"Just because (Y/N) isn't here doesn't mean she doesn't appreciate you!" Wally sharply cut him off, slightly irritated. "And Barry and I are here, we..."

Bart didn't hear the rest of it. He was already back in his own world. ...Wally's right. (Y/N) appreciates me. Yes, she appreciates me. A lot!

Fond memories of your time spent together came flooding back into him.

You, taking the time to give him feelings. She appreciates me.

You, making a stand for him at your school. She's grateful that I'm here.

You, fulfilling his wishes by bringing Wally home despite your fear. I make her happy.

You, stargazing with him that wonderful night. She feels loved.

You, apologizing for not believing him when he had told you about his feelings. She cares.

You, hugging him tightly and crying against him when he came back from Barry's circuits.

She appreciates me, she appreciates me, she APPRECIATES ME!!!

"Appreciation factor is now supercharged at 110%."

Zoom!

"Bart, wait!" Barry's eyes widened in fear beneath his mask as he reached out helplessly toward the boy. "Not so fast! We have to keep a low profile, or the Speedsters Incorporation will detect us!"

But Bart wasn't listening.

He was ending this now. There was no time to lose.

The sooner this was gotten over with, the sooner he'd see you again.

They were in front of a big, tall, dull building. Not much differentiated it from the thriving capital's other palace-like structures, apart from the large inscription that proudly sat on top of it all, watching over the busy city streets; 'Speedsters' Incorporation'.

"This is it?" At Barry's nod, "Lead the way, Gramps."

Uncrossing his arms, Bart followed the two older males into the place, which was... Deserted. Where humans would've usually been working before the Second Industrialisation stood robots.

And the good thing about these robots was, seeing as each was designed for a specific task -welcoming guests, managing secretary work, operating the elevator-, none of them really paid any attention to the three intruders. Why would they? They didn't approach them, so they probably knew what they were doing.

Despite this, not wanting to take any chances, the speedsters went to go hide in the individual piece that contained the staircase. No one would ever bother using them since, well, technology! So their privacy was guaranteed.

Barry's face was dark and serious as he turned toward his two descendants. "You know the plan. Find the computer that powers this place and shut it down. It's found on the building's highest floor, Level 331." He shot a raised brow Bart's way. "And we're climbing each of these steps, one by one, at a normal human rate so the speed detectors won't notice us."

A few hundred stages later, they finally reached their destination. Wally was panting heavily, leaning against the gigantic room's doorframe.

"You should exercise more often Wally," absently commented Bart as he stepped into the place, observing the computers that flanked its entire perimeter. They were operating on their own, not too surprisingly, showing data of all sorts such as annual incomes, Impulse production rates, and how many speedsters had been reset up to date.

"It's funny, (Y/N) told me that too." The redhead straightened himself out with slight difficulty.

(Y/N)! The boy's eagerness to see you again prompted him to get to work, trying to locate the central computer.

Which ended up not being too tough.

It boldly sat in the middle of the room, looming over its machine comrades and intimidating them all with its massive size and pure magnificence. It was definitely a device worth dying for, for any technology freak.

The trio approached slowly, carefully, not wanting to set off a defensive mechanism of any kind. Once they safely reached the mighty system, Wally reached out, about to put his hacking knowledge to use, but...

"There's no keyboard!" The Kid Flash eyed the object in confusion, before starting to circle it, much like if it were prey, obviously searching for the desired console.

Shrugging helplessly, Bart suggested, "Maybe it's digital?"

"It won't be necessary boys." The two looked back over to Barry, and followed his gaze to... A large, red button, which timidly hid near the bottom of the great machine. Below it, in small, white letters; 'Hold to shut down'.

A satisfied smirk played onto Bart's lips. "Well, that was easy!" Caught up in his excitement, he stretched out toward-

"Bart, wait--"

Beep!

Too late.

"Countdown initiated. Computer will self-destruct in five... four..."

A collective gasp from the three of them as they stared, dumbfounded.

"Three..."

And then, panic.

"Bart, let go, now! It's gonna blow-"

"No!!" The boy roughly slapped Wally's arm away. Although, he seemed to be the most scared of them all, horror reigning over his usually-so innocent eyes. He knew what was going to happen if he stayed here, yet, he insisted, both his body and his voice shaking, "I can't! W-What if this button only works once!?"

"Then we'll come back! Bart, please," Barry pleaded desperately, holding his hand out, "Come with us! We'll find another way!"

The Impulse's green, wide orbs were getting dewy as he shook his head quickly. "I have to do this, to save the speedsters. Go, a-and tell (Y/N) that I'm sorry I left her a-alone!" He let out a whimpered sob, messily wiping at his tears with the back of his free hand. His words were not to be taken lightly, for, at the lack of reaction from his relatives, the boy screamed with a newfound frustration, glaring, "Go, now!!"

They knew they had no other choice. There was no convincing him. Barry and Wally sent a guilty, regretful look the sacrifice's way, before speeding off, as far away from the building as they could.

"Two..."

He screwed his eyes shut, biting down on his lip to muffle out a silent cry. Uncontained tears were streaming down his flushed cheeks. His body was trembling like a fragile leaf in the rough autumn wind.

He didn't want to die. He didn't want to break his promise to you.

He wanted to see you smile and laugh some more. He wanted to stay, and to live. Live his life with you.

But that no longer was an option.

"One..."

"I'm sorry (Y/N)...

I love you."