Chapter Text
Darkseid laughed, a true, bellowing laugh, as he tossed Superman’s corpse into the rubble, blackened holes where his eyes once had been. He landed beside the broken forms of Batman and Wonder Woman, the latter of which had been impaled upon her own sword. Below them was the mangled body of Cyborg, what was left of the machine keeping him alive sparking. Aquaman was nowhere to be seen, but Barry knew where his body was: buried beneath the debris.
Hal flew at Darkseid, green energy encasing his fist, and punched him. Darkseid barely flinched. Before he could react, Darkseid’s hand closed around Hal’s throat. As much as Hal struggled against it, he couldn’t seem to break Darkseid’s grip.
Barry charged at Darkseid, but even his superspeed wasn’t enough. Darkseid backhanded him, and Barry was sent flying backwards with the same force he had coming in, careening through several cars before blasting halfway through an office building.
Barry struggled to his feet, out of the rubble. Shards of glass tore at his costume and pricked at his skin. Blood pooled from his thigh where a piece of rebar had embedded itself. Lightning flashed around his body, wreathing him in a halo of electricity.
Hal weakly reached a hand towards Barry, arm extended for a moment before falling limp. Darkseid tossed him at Barry, and the Green Lantern’s corpse thudded to the ground at his feet. Hal’s ring slipped off his finger and hovered before Barry for a moment before flying away with a burst of green light.
Darkseid turned to Barry, red eyes glowing. “Well, well, well. How the mighty have fallen. You’re the only one left, little lightning bolt.”
Superman. Batman. Wonder Woman. Cyborg. Aquaman. Green Lantern – Hal. All of them, dead. And this monster had killed them.
Barry knew he couldn’t win, hell, he’d known since Darkseid had snapped Aquaman’s neck. And even if he did, Earth would be left without its greatest protectors, and the next invasion would wipe out the human population for good. Either way, he would lose.
Which left one choice, loathe as he may be to admit it.
Barry took a few steps back, keeping his eyes on Darkseid, before turning and sprinting. The world blurred around him, but he couldn’t seem to shake the image of his friends’ bloodied bodies or their vacant stares.
“You can run, but you can’t hide! Wherever you hide on this putrid planet, I will find you!” Darkseid bellowed.
But still, Barry ran, faster than ever before, smoke and dust stinging his lungs and the gash in his thigh burning with every step…
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Barry awoke in a cold sweat, sheets a tangled mess around his legs. His heartrate raced far beyond its already rapid pace. Sitting up, he pulled his knees close to his chest and squeezed his eyes shut. Ever so slowly, his breathing began to regulate.
Tonight hadn’t been the first night Barry had been plagued by nightmares. Ever since that battle, two – or was it three? – weeks ago, he hadn’t managed to sleep through the night. Not that he thought he would be able to. Watching your friends die once was bad enough, but when the numbers kept creeping up…
Barry shook his head and struggled to free himself from the sheets. He swung his legs over the edge of his mattress and gripped the edge in his fist, trying to ground himself. Lightning was sparking off his body, and he forced himself to still. It still took longer than he would like to get the Speed Force coursing through him under control.
He grabbed his phone off his nightstand, checking the time. 4:03 a.m. At least this was later than he normally slept. A notification flickered on the screen, indicating a text. He tapped on it to find it was from Hal, sent just before midnight.
hey barr, just checkin in. u doin alright? u left pretty fast after the last league mission
Barry stared at the screen for a long time. The last League mission. Was that Starro or Amazo? It worried him that he couldn’t recall. Still he remembered exactly why he had left. It was hard to joke around with your teammates when every time you blinked you saw them screaming in agony.
And as if the thought were an invitation, the memories sprang forth again. Victor’s mangled body, blood, wire, and oil pooling on the ground. The sickening crack as Darkseid had twisted Arthur’s neck, and the silence that followed. Hal’s hand reaching out to him as the light faded from his eyes-
Barry was halfway to his apartment’s kitchen before he was aware he had moved. His phone was gripped tight in his hand. He needed to get out of here. Maybe a run would help him clear his mind? It had worked in the past. Worth a shot, anyway.
Quickly, Barry changed into his Flash costume, stashing a change of clothes for work into his ring for later. He didn’t plan on returning to his apartment until after his shift at the lab was over.
Barry did a once-over of his apartment before dashing out the door, careful to lock it behind him.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
It was rare that Barry saw Central City at night when there wasn’t crime involved. Still, he found it strange how… quiet the city was. The occasional car would zip by, and there were a few people still barhopping, but the hustle and bustle present during the day was completely gone. Barry wasn’t sure if he liked it or not, but it definitely made running through the business district much easier.
In no time at all, he had zipped through Central City out onto the highway, arriving at his destination: the Bonneville Salt Flats. His dad had taken him here when he was a kid, before his mother had been killed, and Barry had started visiting again soon after getting his powers. This was a place he could really let loose without the fear of hurting anyone.
Barry skidded to a halt in the middle of the plains. He had to admit, the temperature was brisk, but since he would be running, it likely didn’t matter. Barry settled into sprinter’s ready position, feeling electricity crackle around him, before taking off.
It wasn’t long before he fell into a rhythm. The world seemed to blur past him, mountains in the distance flickering in and out of view. Space, endless and vast, stretched out above him, and since there was no light pollution like in Central City, the stars and galaxies were even more defined. If Hal were here, he’d probably be able to name and tell some fantastical story about his time at each one.
Space was never something Barry had much interest in. Going into space meant flying, and Barry was willing to admit he was a little acrophobic. Sure, he was able to put it aside when he was the Flash, but that didn’t mean he liked doing it. While his connection to the Speed Force granted him many abilities, flight wasn’t one of them, and he was grateful for that.
Barry kept running, feeling the cool rush of air against his face. It certainly was helping to wake him up. Unfortunately, that line of thought led into the next, and he was thinking about his nightmare again. Exactly what he’d come out here to avoid.
He hadn’t told the League about what he’d done. How could he? Though he was sure Bruce suspected something, the others seemed to think they’d either gotten lucky or succeeded out of pure skill. Barry didn’t want to ruin that for them, and besides, it wasn’t as if Darkseid would be coming back-
No, no, don’t think about Darkseid, don’t-
Diana’s sword, driven straight through her heart-
His stride faltered, and he stumbled, tripping and falling on his face. He tumbled across the salt until his momentum stopped. Thankfully, his connection to the Speed Force reduced the friction, so he hadn’t received the worst rug burn of all time.
Groaning, he sat up, rubbing his head. “Way to go, Barry,” he muttered.
He pushed himself to his feet and pulled his phone out of his suit, checking to see if it was broken. Thankfully, it wasn’t. However, he had three more texts from Hal, even though it was barely 5:30. Barry had been running for a lot longer than he thought. He swiped open his phone and selected his messaging app.
barry? u there?
i’m worried about u
answer me
Barry sighed and tapped out a response. Isn’t it 3:30 a.m. where you are?
He didn’t expect to get a response immediately, but Hal surprised him. he lives!
Very funny. Shouldn’t you be asleep right now?
i volunteered for some late-night test flights. i’m just now getting out. what do u have to say for yourself?
Barry hesitated. He didn’t want to burden his best friend. So he’d have to fudge the truth a little. Couldn’t sleep, decided to go for a run. I’ll probably head into work a little early.
barry allen, early? say it ain’t so! who are u and what have u done with the real barry?
Barry released a huff of laughter and started writing a response when another text popped up on his screen.
really, though, u’ve been acting weird ever since darkseid. is something wrong?
No, Barry shot back, a little too quickly. I’ve been really stressed with all of the cases coming across my desk. Combined with the League, it’s been a lot.
sure. u can always talk to me, u know that, right barr?
I know.
There was a long pause before another text came through. i’ve got today and tomorrow off. if u’re free, i could swing by tonight and we could hang
Barry considered the proposition for a moment. He also had tomorrow off, and maybe spending some time with Hal would help to quell his mind’s determination to drag up the image of his best friend’s death at the worst possible times. At the very least, he and Hal could enjoy each others’ company without the threat of global destruction hanging over their heads. He’d just have to prevent Hal from finding out his secret.
Sounds good to me. 6 pm work?
yep! c u then!
Barry shoved his phone back into his suit and turned back towards where he knew Central City to be, slipping into a ready stance. Might as well head in to work now. He blurred off towards Central City, where his job at the CCPD awaited him.
It would be good to give his mind something to focus on, he mused. Letting it wander only seemed to lead it back to Darkseid.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
“My eyes must be deceiving me. Barry Allen, here already?”
Barry glanced up from the DNA he was sequencing. Forrest stood in the doorway to the crime lab, evidence from a recently closed case in his arms. A teasing smirk made its presence known on his face.
“Hey, Forrest,” Barry greeted, a smile slipping onto his face. “You need help with something?”
“Just came by to put this in storage. I didn’t expect to see you here.” Forrest strolled in and started shuffling through some of the evidence yet to be filed. “Mind if I ask why you’re working so early?”
Barry shrugged, letting the computer program run its course. He leaned back against the desk. “Figured I’d get an early start, seeing as I have a friend from out of town coming over and I’ve got tomorrow off.”
“I get it.” Forrest paused, turning to Barry. “That why you’ve been coming in early every day for the past two weeks?”
“What?”
“Barry, you’ve been here early every day and left after I did. You trying to work yourself to death or something?” Forrest joked.
“Course not, Forrest.” Barry attempted a lighthearted smile, but it fell flat.
Forrest’s gaze softened. He approached Barry to stand on the other side of his desk, eyes searching. “You doing alright, man? Did something happen?”
Why does everyone keep asking that question? Barry shifted uncomfortably. “What makes you think that?”
“You’ve been acting weird the past few weeks. You just seem… I don’t know what the word would be, just a little off? Does it have anything to do with that invasion a few weeks ago? You know, when Darkseid-”
Barry lost the rest of what Forrest was saying in a blur of images – parademons, smoke, Bruce’s broken body – and Darkseid’s evil chuckle. He tried to force himself to think of something else, which sent a spike of pain through his skull, but the images only sped up, flashing between the timelines that were and the timeline that was. It was getting harder to keep them straight, and doing so only made his headache worse.
It was only when Forrest’s hand settled on his shoulder that he snapped out of it. “Allen? Allen, you alright?”
Barry blinked. He hadn’t realized he was pressing the palm of his hand against his temple. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before opening them, shoving everything down and offering Forrest what he hoped was a calming grin. “Yeah. Sorry. Headache.”
Forrest didn’t look convinced. “Must have been one hell of a headache. Maybe you should go home. I’m sure the lab can do without you for a day.”
“Really, I’m fine.” Barry shrugged. “It’s nothing I can’t handle. Besides, I’ve got a few cases I want to process the evidence for before I head out today.” He kept his tone light, but it was strained.
“If you say so.” Forrest stared at him for a moment, but he seemed to realize Barry didn’t want to talk about it and changed the subject. “Anyway, you finished processing the evidence on the Ramon case?”
“Should be.” Barry shuffled through the stacks of papers on his desk and grabbed a few sheets that had been paperclipped together. “Here. This should be everything. We did have a match in the database, which should make your job a lot easier.”
“I’ll say.” Forrest grabbed the results and glanced over them for a moment. “You’re a lifesaver, Allen.”
“I do my best.” And sometimes that’s not good enough.
Forrest left, still examining the forensics report, which left Barry alone in the crime lab. He relaxed back into his seat. His head still hurt, though he wasn’t entirely sure why. He’d been getting migraines a lot lately. Maybe it had something to do with the chronal effect of living through multiple timelines. He wasn’t exactly an expert on the Speed Force.
Still, he had work to do before he left for the day. He may as well focus on that, and maybe the headache would go away on its own. The others always had.
Sighing, Barry returned to the computer, where the DNA was still sequencing. At this point, he would almost have been better off doing it by hand. He still had another several hours before his hangout with Hal, and he should get as much work done as possible.
Besides, keeping his mind on his work would keep it off other, less pleasant topics.