Love Rewritten

Chapter 46

Just because I know some people are probably wondering about the status of Earth 2 right now, I finally came up with a solution to that. In the original earth 2 particle accelerator explosion, Jesse Wells was struck by lightning and became Earth 2's flash and she defeated Zoom, rather than him kidnapping her.

"Hey dad, can we talk?" Iris asked Joe when he got back from work that night.

"Yeah baby, what's up?" Joe asked.

"Why didn't you tell me the truth." Iris said, taking Joe aback.

"The truth about what?" Joe asked, confused.

"About mom?" Iris asked.

"What are you talking about Iris?" Joe asked.

"I know mom's alive dad." Iris said and Joe sighed as he sat down.

"How did you find out?" Joe asked.

"Barry and Kara were investigating the claims of a new speedster out in Keystone. They found him and it turns out that when mom left, she was pregnant." Iris said, shocking Joe.

"I'm guessing you didn't know?" Iris asked and Joe shook his head.

"No, I didn't." Joe agreed.

"Well, she was and she had a boy. He's a speedster now, just like Barry." Iris said.

"What's his name?" Joe asked.

"Wally. Wally West." Iris said.

"It's short for Wallace. It's what we were going to name you if you were a boy." Joe said.

"Dad, why did you tell me my mother was dead?" Iris asked.

"Iris, your mother wasn't all the things I told you about her. She was a drug user and she had a lot of close calls when you were a baby. I got her into rehab after rehab, but it never lasted. So when she finally left, I thought that the best thing for you was to tell you that she died and make you think that she was a great mother so you wouldn't feel abandoned. I never told you because I was scared of how you'd react." Joe said, just to have Iris place her hand on her father's shoulder.

"I would've been just as understanding then as I am now. You were trying to protect me. But dad, I don't need you to protect me anymore." Iris said.

"You're right. You don't. But because I chose to believe that Francine was dead all these years, your brother had to grow up without a father." Joe said.

"Dad, you can't put all the blame for that on yourself. Mom also lied to Wally, made him think you were dead it sounds like. Wally didn't know about either of us until Barry made the introduction." Iris said.

"Wow, so where is he now?" Joe asked.

"Star Labs. Barry's training him." Iris said.

"Okay then." Joe said, but Iris was surprised when he didn't make any moves to get up.

"Aren't you going to go see him?" Iris asked.

"Iris, the boy just found out he has a father. I want to make sure that he's ready to meet me before I just start inserting myself into his life." Joe explained.

"I guess I can somewhat understand that. But promise me that you will be there for Wally." Iris said.

"Iris, Barry was great, but you know how much I wanted to have my own son. Now it turns I do and of course I'm going to be there for him." Joe said, honestly a bit insulted that she'd even think otherwise.

"Also, if Wally decides that he wants to be a hero like the rest of us, promise you'll support him and you won't be like you were when you first found out about my powers." Iris said.

"I can't really object to Wally being a hero without being a hypocrite since I've come to terms with you doing the exact same thing. Just promise that you'll wait until he's gotten some real training in before he gets in the field. Barry sort of had to learn on the fly, but now Wally has an actual teacher." Joe said.

"Don't worry, that's the plan. And even when we do start letting Wally into the field with us, if that's what he wants, then we'll start him off with normal level crimes, you know, stopping muggers and thefts and then let him gradually work his way up to metas and aliens." Iris assured him.

"Good. That's all I ask." Joe said and Iris nodded gratefully at her dad.