00 'ORIGENS'
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IT WASN'T UNCOMMON FOR THE ORPHANAGE TO RECEIVE UNIDENTIFIED CHILDREN. It was a place where kids entered but didn't always find a way out. As they reached a certain age, prospective parents would seek to fulfill their vision of the quintessential American family. If you weren't a baby or a child under five years old, your chances dwindled rapidly.
That little blondie was one such case. Upon arriving at the orphanage at age five, she felt out of place. Her arrival was abrupt. It was early morning, just past midnight, when cries echoed from the neighboring building. A young volunteer at the facility was the first to encounter the girl. The street lay deserted and dimly lit, and while Central City wasn't as perilous as some, it wasn't safe for a young girl to wander alone so late.
Approaching her, the volunteer found the girl inconsolable. She was scared, and when the volunteer tried to guide her indoors, she recoiled.
"It's okay, sweetheart. You'll be safe, I promise. I'm Lizzi; what's your name?" The volunteer spoke gently, offering a small smile as she crouched to the girl's level.
Though the girl backed away again, her tears seemed to subside. Lizzi could sense the orphanage guard and caretaker approaching, likely to inquire. She signaled them to wait, not wanting to overwhelm the girl. Turning back to her, Lizzi found her tearful eyes dimmed, her blonde hair disheveled, and her clothes worn. Yet she seemed willing to communicate if only she could. Observing her closely, Lizzi realized the girl was older than anticipated, around four or five, making her silence puzzling. Yet, in her studies, Lizzi had learned that a lack of speech at this age could stem from various factors: lack of stimulation, trauma, or even hearing impairment.
"How about this: step forward for 'yes,' and don't step back for 'no,' okay?" Lizzi proposed. The girl stepped forward in response. "Good. Do you know your name?" No movement. "Do you know where you are?" Stillness. "Are you cold?" A step. "Would you like to come inside for some warm food?" After a moment's hesitation, another step.
Opening her arms, Lizzi invited the girl closer, and she complied. Lizzi cradled her gently, feeling her tense but yielding to the embrace, seeking warmth. "Elizabeth, what's happening here?" Her boss interrupted, finding them in the orphanage kitchen. The girl eagerly devoured the cookies Lizzi had offered, pausing to sip milk, revealing she hadn't eaten in days.
"I'm not sure, Mrs. Jefferson. I heard her crying outside and found her there. Someone must have left her."
"This is problematic. We can't take her in," Mrs. Jefferson fretted. "We're stretched thin as it is!
"We can't abandon her either! She can't even speak, who knows if she's ill or has family out there? Leaving her would be condemning her."
"Of course, we won't abandon her, Elizabeth. But we need a plan. Social services—"
"Are bullshit! You know how it is. With all due respect, ma'am."
"We can't afford another mouth to feed."
"Please, Mrs. Jefferson. Let's care for her for a few days, at least. To see if someone out there cares for her." Reluctantly, Mrs. Jefferson agreed, and that night, the little girl slept beside young Elizabeth.
Sadly, no one came to claim her.
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Days passed without anyone reporting the girl missing. It was as if she had no presence on any records. Elizabeth, accompanied by the young blonde and Mrs. Jefferson, decided to investigate if there was any trace of the child. To their surprise, the girl wasn't even officially recognized as a person. Realizing this, Elizabeth couldn't bear the thought of the child not having a name to be identified by. She knew it would be challenging to register her with the government without information about her parents or the girl herself.
After a challenging year and a half for Lizzi and the little girl, the blonde was finally given a name: Alana Dawson, adopting Elizabeth's last name. It seemed like the most fitting choice. With Alana now legally recognised, she became eligible for the adoption process.
However, luck was not on their side. Alana soon realised that few people were interested in adopting a seven-year-old girl who couldn't speak.
Elizabeth took it upon herself to learn sign language, which she then taught Alana. Yet, not many others showed dedication to learning it. The other children at the orphanage often mocked her for her silence, leaving Alana feeling isolated. The only people she felt she could trust were Melissa and Elizabeth.
Melissa played the role of a caring aunt or grandmother, always there to support Alana. She taught her practical skills like sewing and baking, as well as providing emotional support. Elizabeth, on the other hand, was Alana's hero and role model. Alana aspired to be like her when she grew up. Lizzi taught her to read, attempted to help her overcome her speech impediment stemming from the trauma of her past, and ensured she received an education. Despite the challenges, Alana made progress, thanks to Elizabeth's dedication.
Alana decided not to let this determine her future, even though it seemed that no one would be interested in adopting her and that she might be forced to spend the rest of her life in an institution. She felt that she could conquer any obstacle if Elizabeth and Melissa were by her side.
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Barry Allen was a promising young man, but he did not have the best childhood, as many might think. That is why, once he had the opportunity to study, he knew that dedicating himself to a law specialty was the best option. He wanted to do justice for his father, and he wanted to do justice for his mother. He was not going to let a child suffer the same fate as him or even suffer just because the authorities did not know how to do their job well.
He was smart; he established his name as a forensic scientist at the CCPD. Then he was hit by lightning and after three years as the superhero, The Flash. Things in Central City were going well. Sure, the villains couldn't seem to get enough; Iris West was getting more beautiful with her curiosity about who was under the hero's mask; and the criminals seemed to screw with his sleep schedule. The rent was a little hard, but he wasn't complaining. Visiting his dad was a little more complicated with his not-so-new schedule, but everything seemed to be going well.
But if he thought the lightning had been the most amazing thing that had ever happened to him, he was wrong.
He'd just stopped a criminal from doing more damage than he'd already done; he'd saved lives. Well, he had almost done it. He didn't know the young woman who had died; all he knew from witnesses was that she had come with a little girl and had decided to stand up to the criminal when he had threatened to shoot the store owner.
"What an idiot, right?" said an officer. He gave him a confused look, and he talked again. "The young woman who died. If she hadn't stood up to the criminal, she wouldn't be in that black bag."
"If she hadn't stood up to him, more people would have died the moment I arrived." Barry was angry. How could it be the girl's fault? She didn't ask to be in that situation; she had risked her life, and no one seemed to value that.
"I guess, but what about the little girl? She's an orphan now."
Barry turned to the spot the officer pointed to. There was a little girl covered in a blanket; her expression hinted that she had cried, but now she just seemed to be in shock. This gave the young superhero a sensation of deja vu. He saw himself in the little girl. No. Not again. He thought.
"Has anyone seen Allen!?" With that call, he knew it was his cue. He waved goodbye to the officers and ran to the nearest alley, but out of sight, and changed into his normal clothes. Once ready, he ran back, but not before stopping again and just running like a normal person. He hated running like that.
"Here I am, sorry. Traffic, you know?"
"Allen, you don't even have a car. And there are no cabs at this time of night." Barry just smiled uncomfortably. He was about to speak, but his boss stopped him. "Just do your job, okay?"
He nodded and did it. After giving the place a scan and working his magic, he stepped aside for the cops to continue investigating the witnesses and collecting information for the paperwork they would do later. After observing the scene as if he had not been there just moments ago, he went back to look for the girl, and she was still alone.
As he made his way to the ambulance where the girl was sitting, screams caught his attention."I don't care if it's a crime scene; one of my girls is in there!" Barry noticed a middle-aged woman; the closer he got, the more he could see her dark reddish hair with some grey hair and a few wrinkles. She didn't look to be past her fifties.
"Officer, let her through. She may be a relative of one of the witnesses."
"I'll listen to you this time, Allen. But I'll blame you if anyone complains."
He nodded to the officer, and the officer then let the woman pass. This one went straight to the girl and hugged her, but she didn't respond to the act until a few moments later. Barry approached again. The girl noticed him and tensed at the sight of him, so he stopped walking and stood just a few steps away. The lady stepped back a little and noticed him. She watched as he looked uncomfortable.
"You don't look like an officer; you look very young," she said.
"That's because I'm not. My name is, uh, Barry Allen. I'm the forensic expert in charge of the crime scene." He replied, trying to sound confident.
"And how may I help you, Mr. Allen?"
"To know who you are, Mrs....?" The police captain, Barry's boss, spoke as he approached the scene.
"Melissa Jefferson. I'm Alana's guardian at the orphanage."
"Are you her legal guardian?"
"She doesn't have a legal guardian, but Elizabeth was her legal representative, as long as she remains in foster care."
"We're deeply sorry for your loss, Mrs. Jefferson." Barry spoke but was interrupted again by his boss.
"But this is a crime scene. You can't be here."
"If you think I'm leaving Alana alone, you're out of your mind."
Barry knew his boss was screwing up, so he decided to handle the situation himself. "She won't be alone; I promise Alana will be safe while we ask her some questions back at the station. Just to see if she can describe what happened. You can come with her; it won't take too long."
He knew his boss wouldn't be happy, but with that said, Melissa stopped showing so much hesitation and accompanied Alana to the police station.
Once there, Barry discovered that Alana couldn't speak, so she answered each question they asked her in writing, once she snapped out of her shock. This behaviour only made the young Allen feel even worse about what was happening; he wanted to assure the girl that everything would be okay, that it was just a bad moment, but from his own experience, he knew it would be all lies.
"You seem very concerned about a girl you don't even know, Mr. Allen." Melissa's voice snapped him out of his thoughts, and he stopped looking at Alana to look at her.
"Because I know what it's like to sit in the police station at night, not knowing whether to cry or scream."
Melissa looked at him sympathetically; very few people did.
"What's her story?" Barry spoke again after a minute of silence.
"Elizabeth found her crying at the entrance of the orphanage one early morning. That's when we realised she couldn't speak. And she wasn't even from around here."
"She's not?"
"It was as if no one knew her, she wasn't registered or anything. It wasn't until just a few years ago that we were able to give her a legal identity. Since then, she's been known as Alana."
"But how did she end up at the orphanage's doorstep? Was she abandoned?"
"There are more questions than answers. But whatever happened to her before caused her to lose the ability to speak. She barely understood us when we spoke."
"This situation won't help her trauma in any way."
"Believe me, I know."
Neither spoke again until Barry moved to walk towards the girl. So Melissa quickly stopped him for a moment. "She's not very good with strangers, it took me weeks until she finally trusted me. Lizzie was the only exception."
"Don't worry, I'll be careful with her."
Once he reached Alana's spot, she stopped eating the candy they had given her and focused her attention on the adult brunette in front of her. She didn't tense up like she did the first time, but she stayed cautious. Barry got down to her level with a gentle smile before speaking.
"Hello, Alana. I'm Barry." His greeting only elicited an awkward nod from the blonde. "Do you like toys?" She nodded. "Well, you're in luck, because I have some. Do you want to play with them?". Alana considered her response; in moments like these with strangers, she always looked for Lizzi's opinion, but she wasn't there anymore. She turned to look for Melissa, who was already watching them; she nodded when she seemed to ask for her opinion. Alana turned back to Barry and got off her chair with her candy in hand.
Barry, in response, was about to stand up to take her hand and lead her upstairs, but Alana seemed to have a different idea. She extended her arms, indicating that he should carry her. He was unsure at first, but after a few seconds, he carried her carefully. He smiled at her, and they headed to his office, which was above the detectives' and officers' desks.
What neither of them noticed was the surprise in Melissa's eyes. She had only seen Alana trust a person this quickly once before, and it was Elizabeth. The parents who visited her, the employees who came from social services, and even the other orphanage volunteers who seemed willing to help her in any way she refused to let them touch her or even ignored them. She didn't trust them.
There, she realised that Alana would be in good hands.
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Months had passed, and Barry and Alana became closer. Initially, it was challenging for him to visit her due to Barry's work schedule, but once he figured it out, he regularly made an effort to visit her. He brought her science fiction books that she would possibly enjoy, bought her whatever fast food he could, and even brought her old toys that he used to play with at her age. Of course, he quickly noticed that she wasn't as inclined towards science; just by looking at her drawings, he knew he would try to bring her colours, notebooks, and art supplies on her next visit to encourage her artistic side.
It went on like this for months, and during those same months, he knew he had to make a decision. A decision that would change his entire life—and yeah, more than that fucking lightning that hit him years ago—was a decision that everyone in his life questioned. He knew it was a crazy idea; it was going to be complicated, with many negatives higher than the positives in the situation. But once he made sure he had good financial stability, he secured a better apartment than the one he had. He decided to make it official.
"Do you want to adopt Alana?" Melissa's voice came out incredulous as she looked through her reading glasses at the young forensic scientist. Barry nodded, a smile spreading across his face. "Barry, I know you and Alana have grown close these last few months. Thanks to you, she was able to go through her grief for Elizabeth as best she could. And I know you're important to her. But adopting a child is much more difficult than you think. It's basically like a Tamagotchi!"
"I know what it involves to adopt Alana" he said.
"Barry, this is a huge responsibility" she responds in a obviously tone.
"And I intend to take it." He responded determinedly. "Look, I know what it's like to grow up without parents, Melissa. My mom was killed, and the blame fell on my dad; now he's paying for it at Iron Heights, being innocent." this statement surprised the woman. Melissa knew Barry was legally an orphan, but she never knew the reason. "I know I'm not a billionaire like Bruce Wayne, but..."
"Even Bruce Wayne himself would have a better chance in this situation than you." she joked.
"Thank you, Melissa." He said bitterly and with sarcasm. "I want to give Alana a good life, OK? She already lost someone important, and I don't want her to continue suffering."
"The process will be very complicated. You know it. You're not married. They'll investigate everything about you, your salary, and your private life. Also, have you discussed it with your girlfriend?"
"Yes, I'm prepared to do that, really, and don't worry, she..." Barry stopped and analysed what Melissa said "Girlfriend? What girlfriend?"
"Oh, come on. Alana has told me about the pretty redhead who comes to say hello to you when you both go out." Melissa looked at him consciously.
"Iris is not my girlfriend; the situation is complicated." He commented nervously. "I don't have time for a relationship right now."
"But do you have time to adopt a seven-year-old girl?"
"That's different" he defended quickly "Please, Melissa. I want to do this."
The dark redhead paused, analyzing the situation. Barry was right; Alana deserved a good life, and she was approaching an age where, for young couples, she was no longer a good option for adoption. She knew that Barry, somehow, would give her the life she deserved.
"I hope you have a good legal team, Allen. Because this could take a long time." That made him smile.
"Don't worry, I have contacts. And I'll wait as long as necessary." He assured
"Barry, I'm not just talking about a couple of months, this process might take years."
"Like I said, whatever it takes for Alana to live with me, it'll be worth it."
While the two adults continued talking, the mentioned girl was outside the office; it wasn't difficult to hear what they were saying; the walls were very old, and other noises could be heard from outside. Alana had heard the entire conversation.
Barry wanted her.
That gave the girl hope again.
After a while, everything would be fine.
mir's talking ─
ohhhhh shiiiit!!! alr this is existing.
finally I dropped the prologue!!!
I already had it writing but not in english so I took my time to translate it ( and try to translate it great bcs ik some pages translate in a shitty way )
I hope you liked, alana and barry had my heart, they're one of my favs father/daughter duo I ever wrote so I hope u love it too.
I'll try to this next Weeks post episode one and two, but university is consuming me so we'll see
anyways, enjoy this, chauuuu <3