DCU The Flash #27 A Thousand Reasons (The Forgotten)

Creed trudges through the dense forest north of Central City. He'd been able to keep standing before, but the adrenaline had long worn off. Every part of him aches. If it weren't for Heatmonger and his fire, he doesn't think he'd have lasted against Flash. He makes a mental note to thank the pyro, if he isn't being dragged back to Iron Heights at this very moment.

 

 

Creed would break him out, of course, but he'd really rather not go through the trouble.

 

 

Pushing aside lush greenery, he finally comes to a stop at his destination. In front of him stands a small, run down church. Its walls are covered in moss, and the roof is barely visible with the foliage. Grabbing onto the handle, he pulls the tall wooden door open and slips inside. The interior doesn't fare much better than outside. Windows are broken and the ground is overgrown. There are six rows of pews on either side of the singular aisle, all leading to the altar, where an old, bald man sits. He reads scripture aloud to the few people seated.

 

 

"Eradicator," the gruff, but charming voice of the bald man calls out upon noticing Creed, closing the book in his hands. "Welcome back."

 

 

"Monger come back?" Creed is quick to ask, signing in relief at the nod he receives.

 

 

"Just a little while ago, in fact," the bald man confirms, stepping down from the altar. "He didn't stay long, however. He said he needed some time to himself. Did something happen?"

 

 

"He… burned down his old cell block… with everyone in it," Creed says, pulling off his cloak and laying it over one of the pews. "At the time I didn't think anything of it, but I was wrong."

 

 

"You should've seen him," a voice from the pews calls, more chipper and youthful than the bald man. "His whole 'nothing bothers me!' attitude was completely gone. Totally flipped script."

 

 

"Spencer," the old man sighs, shaking his head. "Please, be considerate of your comrades feelings. Both Eradicator and Heatmonger took a giant leap for us all, and it will soon pay off."

 

 

"Sorry, sorry," he quickly apologizes.

 

 

"Did he debrief with you about the… change?"

 

 

"Heatmonger informed me of your communion, yes," he says, placing a hand atop Creed's shoulder. "I am glad you followed through with his will. Heatmonger may be anxious, but his heart is in the right place."

 

 

"Yeah… I know it is."

 

 

"Anyhow, you deserve proper rest," he says, leading Creed towards the back of the church. "Doctor Rosso will be here in the morning to check up on your wounds. I'll also make the call to get you a new costume."

 

 

"Thank you, Cicada," Creed says, nodding.

 

 

"Do not thank me, thank Raijin."

 

 

-^-

 

 

Barry stands at the front of the room, back turned to Joe's closed casket. He scans the room, spotting a multitude of friends and family, heartbroken expressions on their faces. Eddie sits with Jay and Joan near the door, Wally and Rudy are seated beside Ira, while across from them are Daniel and Iris. His eyes lock onto the seat beside Daniel, empty.

 

 

"The lightning that struck him… it's unlike anything we've ever seen."

 

 

Barry stands outside the hospital room, Daniel by his side. Inside said room lies August, body riddled with dark burns, ones the doctors can't tell the origin of.

 

 

"I'm terribly sorry about this streak of bad luck, Mr. Allen," the doctor says, "and I'm sorry for your loss, Mr. West."

 

 

Barry nods at the man, mouthing a thank you before he departs. Barry stares through the window, biting his inner lip at the sight of his best friend.

 

 

"Twice…" Daniel mumbles, clenching his fist tight. Barry turns to him, frowning. "Twice he chose to save me over them… what makes me so special? Why were they forfeit over me?"

 

 

"Daniel…" Barry sighs.

 

 

"They've saved so many lives, they've brought so many bad people down," he says, slamming his fist against the wall. "What good am I!? What did I do to deserve being alive!?"

 

 

"You don't have to 'do' anything, Daniel," Barry says, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I can't say for certain what went on… but I know Joe and August, and neither of them would want you to be like this… putting blame on yourself."

 

 

"I don't care what they'd want," Daniel mumbles, shrugging Barry's hand off. "I just want them standing here, with you."

 

 

Barry takes a deep breath. "I would like to thank you all for being here and showing your love and support in these… these difficult times. These last couple weeks have been… tough, to say the least, so I really do mean it, thank you all for being here.

 

 

Barry clears his throat. "Joe wa-" he pauses, head turning to the portrait sitting beside the casket. "My father… was a hero. Whether he had his badge and hat on, or a pair of flannel pajamas, he never stopped being an inspiration to me. He took me in when I was all alone; a time where I was angry at the world and afraid of what more it could take. He saved me. He helped me on the path to recovery and helped me feel whole again after losing everything. He helped make me who I am today; my morals, my ideals, and my drive to help everyone I can." Barry exhales a deep breath. "A thousand reasons," Barry begins, smiling as a tear rolls down his face. "That's a-uh, a lullaby of sorts that my father, Henry, used to sing to me and my brother whenever we couldn't sleep. It was simple, and I think my dad was making it up as he went along," Barry chuckles, earning a few laughs in response, "but even still, 'there are a thousand reasons to wake up tomorrow.' It stuck with me, ever since I was little. I've seen a lot of things and lost a lot of people I hold dear… but I know tomorrow is waiting for us, and there are a thousand reasons we should see it, and one of them is to honor the memory of Joe West; husband, father, and hero."

 

 

Barry thumbs away the tear as he steps away from the casket, returning to his seat beside Daniel and Iris. He feels the sorrow radiating from Daniel's body; the mournful frown, the puffy red eyes… he's in so much pain, but Barry doesn't know what to do, what to say. He knows pain, losing his mom and Malcolm, Francine and Joe… but never has been chosen to live, and forced to watch someone he loves die.

 

 

His head turns to the left as an arm wraps around him. Iris smiles at him softly, a sad but sincere smile. That smile makes him feel okay, but only for a second before he frowns, turning away from her. He knows. He knows it wasn't his fault, and that no matter what he did, he could have prevented what happened.

 

 

His gaze shifts between the casket and the empty chair beside Daniel. He can't change the past… but if they never knew, if his identity was still a secret…

 

 

Maybe they'd still be here.

 

 

-^-

 

 

Creed steps out onto the cliffside about a mile out from the church, basking in the gentle spring breeze. He used to come here often, the rushing flow of the waterfall putting his mind at ease. He hadn't come in a while, however. They were too close for distractions. He figures he's earned it now, however, especially after his fight with Flash.

 

 

As he approaches the edge of the cliff, his eyebrow raises. Sat along the edge, one leg dangling over the drop, is Heatmonger. The man wears the white hoodie he's seen in whenever at the church, as well as dark jeans. Creed watches as the man stares at the birds flying around the waterfall's peak.

 

 

"It's impolite to stare," Heatmonger calls out, eyes never leaving the birds.

 

 

Creed walks up to the edge, taking a seat beside his partner. "When Cicada said you needed time for yourself, I didn't think he meant here," Creed says, taking a deep breath of the fresh air. "Didn't think anyone else knew about this spot."

 

 

Heatmonger is silent for a moment before nodding. "Saw you make your way here back when I first joined up with you guys," he explains, taking in a breath of his own. "It's… nice. Free."

 

 

Creed lets the silence sink in. It's hard to tell by the black reflective sunglasses he has on, but Creed is sure Heatmonger's gaze has yet to leave the birds. Nearly five years the two have been partners, but he's never seen Heatmonger like this. No quippy sarcasm, no brash confidence… but a quiet embrace of his surroundings.

 

 

"The birds… why're you so interested in them?" he asks, looking over at the man.

 

 

Heatmonger frowns, the new scar running along his cheek and lip contorting and leaking blood past the stitching. "It's nothing special, really," he says, wiping the blood off his cheek, staining his sleeve crimson. "Birds are free… nothing can hold them back."

 

 

Creed nods, again letting the silence take over. He too watches one of the birds as it lands atop its nest, beginning to feed its young. He doesn't need to look to see the tear running down his partner's face.

 

 

"You keep to yourself," Creed says, placing a hand on the man's shoulder. "Everything I know about you has been learned in the present. I don't know what happened to you those years you were locked away…" he looks back at the hatchlings in the nest, "or what happened to the people you cared for… but you're my partner. I'm here if you need me."

 

 

 

-^-

 

 

"I didn't know what to do…" Wally mumbles, head lowered. "The storm was raging on, August was hit… and you were out cold. I dragged you all out into the mountains away from the plant, but by the time the storm ended, Heatmonger was gone, the pylons were completely liquified."

 

 

"Wally, you did the right thing," Barry says with a soft smile. "Saving people? It's always our first priority."

 

 

"Yeah but… I feel like I could've done more."

 

 

"You shouldn't have had to be up there in the first place," Eddie says, entering the room and taking a seat in the booth. "I'm still not even sure what happened."

 

 

"We're only working off theories right now," Barry says, passing the man an energy bar. "All I know is the lightning that was surrounding me was the same I saw Raijin use. I think he might have attacked us from within the Speed Force."

 

 

"And we think that same attack somehow jump-started my Speed Force connection," Jay explains, leaning against a table. "Either way, it still doesn't explain why the attack didn't affect Wally."

 

 

"I don't really get it either," Wally sighs. "One minute Mr. Jones is about to run into battle, and the next he's on the ground covered in that lightning."

 

 

"You said you were able to move him, right?" Barry asks, earning a nod from the boy. "Joe couldn't even touch me, it was like an electrical field around my body."

 

 

"What if it's his connection to the Speed Force that stopped it from reaching him?" Eddie asks, turning to look at Wally. "We know Wally's connection is stronger than any of ours, what if acted as an immunity to the attack?"

 

 

"That could be it… but that isn't good," Jay says with a frown. "If Raijin can take any of us down for his cronies to finish us off…"

 

 

"Then it's all on me…" Wally mumbles, eyes widening.

 

 

"I won't let it come to that," Barry says, determined. "I was able to push back against it, even if it was only a little. I'll keep getting stronger… I won't leave Wally to do this, not alone."

 

 

"Good, that's what I was hoping you'd say," Jay says as he steps away from the table. "We all have part to play right now, mine… just won't be here."

 

 

"What do you mean?" Wally asks with a raised eyebrow.

 

 

"Lucious, Heatmonger, he's my enemy… if he's a part of this… cult," Jay explains, pulling his jacket on, "he's my responsibility."

 

 

"Heatmonger killed a dozen inmates… people who were serving their time, putting in the effort to be better!" Barry protests, standing up from the booth. He clenches his fist, "He put my dad in a coma… You passed the torch to me when you accepted me as your successor. This isn't your responsibility, not anymore."

 

 

"You being my successor is exactly why it's still my responsibility," Jay chuckles, making Barry frown. "Listen, I have some old contacts from my JSA days; Informants, colleagues, even a few villains living the big life in retirement homes. I'll see what I can dig up about him, maybe even the others involved with Raijin. I'll make sure to be careful, but I urge you three to do the same."

 

 

"I don't like you going alone," Barry mumbles.

 

 

"These days you're never alone, not when I can pull a little dohickey out of my pocket and tell my wife goodnight," Jay says just as Barry's phone begins to buzz. "Speak of the devil."

 

 

"Wait, why is Joan texting him?" Wally asks, earning an exhausted sigh from Eddie. "What?!"

 

 

"I… I'm scared," Barry mumbles, staring down at the message. "Joe found out… and not even a month later he was… and August, he's in the hospital with no guarantee he'll ever wake up."

 

 

"What if telling her puts her in harm's way," Eddie cuts in, arms crossed. "That's what you were gonna say right? It probably will, especially knowing that woman. I'll bet you she's knocking on Captain Cold's door the next time he gives you the sniffles… but this ain't some highschool romance like lover boy over there. This is the woman you love, your future… you really okay lying to her? Keeping a part of yourself hidden deep inside? What happens when you drive her away? When all the lies and secrets build up until it's too much for either of you to handle.

 

 

"Take it from someone who knows," he says, mouth curving into a frown, "there's nothing worse than having no one when you're at your lowest."

 

 

Barry nods, his mouth a thin line as he stares at Eddie's solemn expression. His eyes peer down to his phone, staring at the wallpaper of himself and Iris as he contemplates what to do.

 

 

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NEXT TIME: Revelations, New Faces, and More!

Done