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Barry pushed himself to run faster. He was going to do this. He’d go back in time and save his mom. he had to. He saw blurred images in the vortex of the speed force, but they all flew by so fast that he couldn’t see most of them clearly. He heard voices echoing in his head. Child like voices of Iris and him as they grew up. Older voices of himself in the future. Screams of help, statements of confusion. He even heard the voices of some of the villains he’d fought. Barry glanced to his left by chance, and saw a group of them turning to fight something.
Leonard Snart? Barry thought. They were working together again?
He closed his eyes and tried to focus. Save my mom. Save my mom. He chanted in his head, but there was a nibble in the back of his mind. Why was he working with Snart again. He’d lied to him, hurt him, betrayed him the last time they met. Barry opened his eyes and with a yell ran into the vortex. Barry skidded to a stop. He was in his room, but not in his room at the same time. It wasn’t his room when he was little, but his room from when he moved in with Joe.
He looked around. Daylight shined from through the window. A single sound broke the silence of the room. Barry looked down to find a vibrating cell phone on the side table. He pulled off his cowl and lifted the phone. A picture of himself shown on the screen. Barry raised an eyebrow. Why would he be calling himself? He dropped the phone back into it’s place and dashed into his closet when he heard footsteps jogging up the stairs.
He looked up and down the closet door to find it had changed. It had the shape of blinds now. He was able to see through the door a bit. The door creaked open and a large man hurriedly walked in. Barry pushed forward a bit more to get a better look. The man was wearing a dark navy long sleeve and dark washed jeans. He picked up the phone and answered the call.
“Barry?”
“Yeah, I can come get you.”
“I’m watching Aideen.”
“Don’t forget the milk.”
“Okay, see you soon.”
Barry listened in on the conversation. The voice was so familiar, but he couldn’t pinpoint it exactly. He shrank farther into the closet when a little girl barreled into the room.
“Come on, Aideen, let’s get you back to mommy.” the man picked the little girl up and walked out the door.
Barry slowly ventured out of the room and made sure he didn’t make any noise. He pulled on his cowl as he pulled open his door the rest of the way and turned into the barrel of the Cold gun.
“Who are you and why are you dressed as the Flash.” the voice demanded gruffly.
Barry’s eyes widened. For one, now he recognized the voice, and two, the voice belonged to none other than Leonard Snart.
“I won’t ask again.” Leonard pressed.
“Snart?” Barry asked tentatively, hands up. It was Leonard Snart, but he was different. The man’s face looked older, his short hair a bit greyer. Who's presumed as Aideen was held in his left hand as Snart aimed the cold gun with his right.
Leonard pressed the gun closer to Barry who’d backed up a step. Barry moved his hands slowly so Leonard could see them. He carefully brought his hand to the edge of his cowl and slowly pulled it off.
“Barry?” Snart looked surprised. He lowered the Cold gun slightly and Barry took the chance to grab it away from him with his flash powers.
Leonard nodded as he shifted Aideen into his right arm. “Barry.”
“What are you doing in my house, Snart?”
“You asked me to come pick something up. I was watching Aideen so I had to bring her with me.” Leonard replied.
“Aideen?”
“Aideen Rory, Kid.”
“Heatwave has a child?” Barry asked, surprised.
“Yes, Barry, Aideen, daughter of Mick Rory and Caitlin Snow?”
“Daughter of Caitlin?” Barry spluttered. “No way.”
Leonard opened his mouth, but a wind blew down the hall and Barry stood there holding a bag of toilet paper.
“Len, you took too long!” Barry said as he pulled him into a kiss.
“Len?” Barry said scandalized.
The Barry kissing Snart pulled away and it was like Barry was looking at a doppelganger. He hadn’t aged a day.
“Barry?” the other Barry asked.
Barry nodded dumbly.
“What are you doing here, Barry?” the other Barry exclaimed. “This is so cool. Were you time traveling? What year are you from? Was it cool?”
Barry shook his head to make sure this wasn’t a dream. “I- I uh.”
“How old are you?” the other Barry asked.
“25.” Barry answered.
“Huh, 2015 me. I was still known as the rat at CCPD.”
“They stop calling me rat? I mean you.” Barry asked hopefully.
“Yeah, Kid, you’re the head honcho of the CSI division now.” Leonard winked.
“Really?” Barry asked in disbelief.
“You sound so surprised, Barry. Didn’t think you can do it?” Other Barry said with a smile.
“Let’s catch up downstairs. Dad should be back in a little while.”
“Dad? As in Joe?” Barry asked.
Other Barry chuckled. “You’ll see.”
Barry handed other Barry the Cold gun. Other Barry handed it back to Len and set the bag of toilet paper down in the hallway. Other Barry motioned for Barry to follow them downstairs. Woah. The living room had changed, a lot. A box of children’s toys lay in the corner of the room. New furniture filled the house. Nothing was the same. The curtains were different. The lamps were different. The setup of the house had changed as well.
“It must be a shock for you.” Other Barry said as he motioned for Barry to sit down. “Seeing that everything's so different.
“Only a bit.” Barry said as he sat down.
Snart walked in a minute later with coffee. He stopped to give Barry a mug and Barry took it awkwardly. He looked down and it was his favorite mug. His eyes snapped back to Leonard and Barry sitting on the couch next to each other. Aideen was now on the floor playing with one of the many toys in the box.
It felt strange to look at himself and Snart as a couple, but looking at the two, it felt so right. They were only sitting next to each other, but their thighs touched. Other Barry was leaning ever so slightly on Leonard’s shoulder. Other Barry’s hand was laced into Leonard’s hand and settled on his thigh. The two looked like the perfect couple. What Barry wanted to know is how they ended up that way. He didn’t expect to forgive Snart so quickly after what happened at Ferris Air.
“What year is it?” Barry asked after taking a sip of coffee.
“2030.” Leonard replied.
Barry choked slightly on his coffee. The heat burned his tongue and throat on the way down as he coughed.
“I jumped into the future 15 years?”
Other Barry and Leonard looked at each other.
Barry watched the two have a silent conversation.
“You’re probably wondering how this happened.” Other Barry said motioning with their laced hands.
“Um. Only slightly. Maybe.” Barry replied.
The door suddenly opened and Barry heard the very familiar sound as the man greeted the house. He looked at the other Barry who encouraged him and Barry stood up and walked to the front door. What he saw made him tear up.
“Dad.” he said softly as the man took off his coat and hat.
“Barry!” the man greeted happily.
“Dad!” Barry said louder as he ran up to hug his dad tightly.
“Barry? Son, what’s gotten into you? You left Star Labs 2 hours ago. I just saw you.” than man said laughing.
“I’m right here, Dad.” Other Barry said walking up to the two, hands still clasped in Leonard’s.
“Barry?” Henry looked down at the Barry in his arms in surprise. “Why are there two of you?”
Barry pulled away and wiped at his eyes. Henry toed his shoes off as the headed back into the living room.
“Your dad, Barry, now works with us at Star Labs. He’s Caitlin’s right hand in the medical field.” Leonard said as they all sat down.
“What? Really? How did you get out?” Barry asked.
“It’s a long story, Barry.” Henry said. “But Leonard, actually helped out.”
Barry’s eyes shifted to Snart. He sat on the couch comfortably, his face less cold, his posture softer, safer, more trusting of those around him. Was that how they got together? Barry wondered.
Other Barry smiled. “We were together before then.”
“Oh.” Barry said quietly. “How are you at Star Labs?”
“Caitlin and Cisco run it now along with Hartley.”
“Hartley helps run Star Labs?” Barry asked, eyebrows raised.
“Yeah, he and Cisco have been in a relationship for almost 6 years now. He’s Cisco’s right hand in mechanical engineering and physics.” Henry answered.
“You- you mentioned Caitlin and Mick.” Barry said as he motioned to Aideen who was giggling as she played with a stuffed bear dressed like a doctor.
“Mick and Caitlin have been together for almost 10 years. They’re married and expecting a second child soon.” Leonard said.
“Ten. You said ten?” Barry asked. “How did they even get together. She just got married to Ronnie.”
“Ronnie couldn’t handle being both Caitlin’s husband and Firestorm.” Other Barry said sadly. “One day he left and never came back. Mick was helping Cisco develop something, and he and Caitlin just hit it off. Caitlin understood Mick’s fascination with fire and even helped him become less pyro crazy. Though every now and again he can get a little crazy. He’s calmed down a lot because of Caitlin though. At the time, they were both scared to enter a relationship with each other. Caitlin was still trying to get over the circus show that was Ronnie. She and Cisco were trying to get back Star Lab’s reputation. It wasn’t until after a drunken one night stand that they decided to talk it out. Mick was already living with Caitlin at the time and after their drunk sex, Caitlin went through a pregnancy scare. She didn’t know what to do, but Mick was there to console her. Nothing happened, she didn’t have a baby, but they got together soon after. It took them a while to settle differences, but they’ve been going strong ever since.” Other Barry explained.
“And Hartley and Cisco? What about Lisa?”
“Cisco and Lisa didn’t work out. They dated on and off for a while, but Cisco had wanted something solid. He wanted stability and Lisa couldn’t offer that at the time. Hartley and Cisco is a fun story though. They let Hartley work in Star Labs about two years after what happened with Wells. It took a really long time until they worked on the relationship problems between Caitlin, Cisco and Hartley. All the grudges you know? Hartley as Pied Piper started helping us out. But eventually Hartley started flirting with Cisco. He took it in stride, you know. Thought it was Hartley trying mess with him as usual. Hartley invited Cisco to come along with him to a few galas and Cisco accepted. Most of it was for show just to piss off Hartley’s parents. It was at one of those galas that Hartley was hurt, badly. A meta had completely shattered Hartley’s ear tech. He was on total pain, screaming, and all that. Cisco didn’t know what to do. So he picked up Hartley and pulled him to safety consoling him the whole time.
They almost died, but we got there in time. Cisco sat with Hartley for hours using his Vibe powers to lessen the vibrations of the sounds around Hartley while we developed new tech to return back to Hartley’s ears. Hartley was forever grateful and touched at what Cisco did for him. They became friends like best friends. They never left each other’s sides after that. A few years later, Cisco asked Hartley out and he replied with ‘what took you so long?’. Other Barry laughed.
Barry nodded. Both those stories made sense.
“Iris, is pretty popular at CCPN nowadays too. She’s one of the head staff there. She’s married to Eddie. They just had their 3rd kid a few months ago.”
“Eddie’s not dead?” Barry asked.
“A story for another time.” Leonard stated.
Barry’s eyes traveled over to Snart again. His eyes wandered over the older man. He could see what his other self saw in him. Snart was boyishly handsome. Looked only slightly older than the Leonard Snart of his time. His hair was almost completely grey though.
“See something you like?” Other Barry smirked.
Barry frowned. Snart seemed to have rubbed off on him.
“How long have you two…” Barry trailed.
“Us?” Other barry asked in delight as he wrapped his arms around Snart’s right arm.
“We’ve been together 7 years, 8 in about a month.” Leonard replied with a soft smile as he looked at Barry.
“Wow.”
“We’re in the process of adopting a kid. I know Len here might be an old man right now, but he can do it. ” Other Barry grinned.
“Just how old is...Len?” The nickname sounded foreign to Barry. It felt weird on his tongue.
“58. I’m 40.” Other Barry smiled.
Barry’s eyes widened. “We have an 18 year age difference?”
“Age is just a number, Barry.” Henry offered.
Barry smiled at his father. He glanced shyly at other Barry and Leonard sitting on the couch. They looked so in love. Other him sounded so excited to have a kid, but he realized something.
“Are we- I mean you married?”
Other Barry and Leonard held up their hands. Gold bands glinted from each of their fingers.
“Customized and everything.” Other Barry removed his band and showed it to Barry.
Barry looked at the band. It was simple and not too intricate. He looked on the inside and something was engraved. He angled it to get a better look and almost choked. Cold as Ice was engraved into the ring.
“It’s our song.” Other Barry smiled shyly.
Barry flushed lightly. That was the song Cold played during that conversation at Saints and Sinners.
“You remember.” Other Barry grinned sneakily.
Barry nodded.
“We became more friendly to each other after we had to team up to save the timeline.” Leonard said curtly.
“I asked him out with a pun.” Other Barry laughed as Leonard’s serious face broke into a smile.
Barry smiled brightly with a shake of his head. “Of course I’d be just as much a dork in 15 years than I am now.”
“Don’t I know it.” Leonard chuckled.
Aideen squealed in glee as she banged on the blocks she pulled out of the box.
“Our relationship started a bit weird.” Other Barry started. “Apparently, in a different reality, Len and I were star crossed lovers or something. It was such an interesting sight to see.”
“Why?”
“We walked in on ourselves consummating our relationship. This one wouldn’t stop teasing.” Other Barry said point his thumb at Leonard.
“I can’t help if your vocal, Barry.”
“The funniest part? Len was actually a captain in that reality.”
“There was also that reality where Barry was an unbelievable flirt. He happened to be the older one in that reality, and for some reason I was some blushing bride, wallflower.” Leonard said annoyed.
“He was one of my concubines way back when.” Barry informed.
Snart a blushing bride? A wallflower? He stared at Snart and titled his head. He couldn’t see it. How did that even fit?
“We asked the same thing.” Other Barry laughed loudly.
“Oh! There was also one we found when Hartley was a total harlot back in the day. He was a prostitute that caught Cisco’s eye sometime in the 1700’s. Cisco was in total love and Hartley could care less. Of course they got together in the end. But we didn’t tell them of course.” Other Barry said.
Snart’s deep chuckle bounced off the walls and Barry turned to stare at him.
“Something wrong, Scarlet.” Snart asked, adopting his Captain Cold persona.
He noticed Other Barry shiver next to him. Don’t tell me they roleplay. Barry thought to himself as he blushed.
“Nothing’s wrong.” Barry looked away.
“It’s okay, Barry. Len’s hot and sexy. I mean I get it. I have to get it considering I’m you 15 years later. You bagged an amazing man.” Other Barry grinned.
“That’s it, though. I don’t get it. I get together with Captain Cold? My friends are dating The Rogues? We’re together in multiple times and realities?” Was this really his future?
“It’s okay, Kid, you’re trying to comprehend 15 years worth of our history into a half hour. Just let life move for itself when you’re back. You’ve got all the time in the world.” Snart smirked.
Other Barry groaned at the pun.
Barry nodded, but he wanted to know something. “Are you happy?”
He meant to aim the question at himself, but he ended up speaking straight to Snart.
Leonard blinked. “I’ve never been happier. Especially after all of everything else.”
Barry chose to ignore 'everything else' and turned his head to his other self. “We’re incredibly happy, Barry. Your life is fine. Really.”
Their responses made Barry think. He hadn’t changed his past yet, but if this is what he had to look forward to for his future, did he want to change it? Was it worth it? He looked up to ask one more question, but found Snart bent down in front of him.
“You can do it, Barry.” he whispered as he pressed his lips softly against his.
Barry’s eyes widened. His eyes drifted to his other self to find him fading. Snart’s lips pressed firmly against his as Barry felt the phantom feeling of Snart's hand stroking his cheek. Barry closed his eyes and kissed back. He felt Snart smirk into the kiss as Barry tentatively kissed back. Barry didn’t pull away though. He brought his arms around Snart’s neck and they kissed until the reality disappeared all together.
Barry opened his eyes slowly and groaned in pain. The sky was bright, clouds in the sky, sun shining. The wormhole was gone. Central City was still intact, but buildings had been ruined somewhat. Barry sat up and found that he’d fallen from the sky and onto a car which was currently destroyed under him. He rubbed his head and groaned as he felt some sharp pieces of glass pierce his skin.
“Barry!” he heard and found everyone running over to him.
“You stopped the vortex, Barry!” Cisco yelled as they got closer to him.
“Are you okay?” Iris and Caitlin asked simultaneously.
Barry nodded as he pushed himself off the hood of the car. “I’m fine. What happened.”
“You stopped the vortex and your pretty beat up.” Joe replied looking at Barry’s ripped suit.
Barry looked down at himself to find the Flash suit ripped to shreds.
“We should get back to Star Labs.” Stein suggested.
They all nodded and moved to make their way back. Barry looked around him and had to double take. Snart stood in the darkness of an alleyway staring at him. He was donned in his Captain Cold get up, goggles around his neck and Cold gun in his hand. He didn’t say anything, but nodded at Barry and gave him a tight lipped smile before turning away and heading down the alley.
Barry smiled as he watched Snart’s back disappear. He turned to find the group already making their way down the street and jogged to catch up to them. Maybe that future can work for him.