Flash's Father Figure

“And the answer, even though you find yourself doubting it, is ‘Nothing.’ Sometimes, babies die, and it happens suddenly. But grieving parents will latch on to any explanation, no matter how far-fetched. They’ll blame the other children, blame the crib manufacturer, blame their pets, anything to keep them from blaming themselves.” Joe looks to Cisco. “You did the right thing by telling them.”

Joe stands up, wrapping his arms around Cisco and pulling him in tight. “Hey. You’ve been through so much, and keeping this bottled up has only hurt you over the years. But whatever’s going on, Cisco, you can always talk to me about it.”

“Ok, this one’s a bit shorter. What do you call it when the Red Baron flies into the Grand Canyon?” This is one that both Barry and Iris beat him to the punchline on, so he’s hoping it takes Wally it bit longer to figure out.

“…Red Baron…The Pizza guy?” he shook his head and tilted it a bit at his Father’s idea of humor. Sure his Dad had a different take on things but he was going to give it some time and see what he was getting at with the joke of the hour. “Okay hold on..Hmm..Uhm…I’m stumped” he admitted honestly.

“Nope.” Joe shakes his head. He has to admit, this is one of the lamer jokes in his book. But he has to finish the punchline now. ‘You get an Ace in the Hole.”

“And the answer, even though you find yourself doubting it, is ‘Nothing.’ Sometimes, babies die, and it happens suddenly. But grieving parents will latch on to any explanation, no matter how far-fetched. They’ll blame the other children, blame the crib manufacturer, blame their pets, anything to keep them from blaming themselves.” Joe looks to Cisco. “You did the right thing by telling them.”

“Wally’s my dad. Barry’s my uncle.” She stated quickly, bouncing a bit on her heels in excitement. “I love ice cream! Mint chocolate chip is one of my favorites! Are we gonna get ice cream!?”

“Come on then!” He smiles, walking towards the ice cream parlor with his granddaughter. “Do you have any brothers or sisters, Irey?” He asks, holding the door for her.

“Yeah!” She moved through the doorway quickly, but not too quickly to seem abnormal, turning around and holding the door open for her grandfather in turn. “I’ve got a twin brother! His name’s Jai. He loves superheroes. He’s got this collection of t-shirts with their symbols and stuff.” Irey explained, trying to give Joe an idea of what her absent twin was like. “He’s kinda shy, but when he likes something he really likes something. I think he’s a giant nerd.” 

“Well, Jai would fit in fine with his uncle Barry and Cisco. They’re both huge nerds, and it’s part of what makes them so much fun to be around.” Joe notices a poster advertising the new “Flash” and “Green Arrow” shaped sprinkles the ice cream parlor serves and he makes a note to order Irey’s ice cream with them.

“You did a good thing, but right now, you need to be treated.” Joe sighs. “Just let the nurse do her job and stay in the hospital overnight for observation.” He knows the young man is probably not going to stay that long, which is why there’s an additional guard posted on the hospital room.

She giggles, relieved that he accepted it so quickly. “Pop-pop! I’m Irey! Well, my real name’s Iris but everyone calls me Irey so we don’t get confused. You can give me a different nickname if you want!” 

“Well, Irey, the first question is, are you Barry or Wally’s kid? Second question, do you like mint chocolate chip ice cream?” Joe asks, running a gentle hand through her hair.

“Wally’s my dad. Barry’s my uncle.” She stated quickly, bouncing a bit on her heels in excitement. “I love ice cream! Mint chocolate chip is one of my favorites! Are we gonna get ice cream!?”

“Come on then!” He smiles, walking towards the ice cream parlor with his granddaughter. “Do you have any brothers or sisters, Irey?” He asks, holding the door for her.

Young girl, calling him grandpa. Check. Superspeed. Check. There’s only one thing that this means. “Hey. didn’t your mom and dad ever tell you? Don’t call me grandpa. Call me Pop-pop!” He welcomes the hug, not caring about timelines and any other things that might ruin this moment. “So, does my granddaughter have a name, or should I just give you a nickname?”

She giggles, relieved that he accepted it so quickly. “Pop-pop! I’m Irey! Well, my real name’s Iris but everyone calls me Irey so we don’t get confused. You can give me a different nickname if you want!” 

“Well, Irey, the first question is, are you Barry or Wally’s kid? Second question, do you like mint chocolate chip ice cream?” Joe asks, running a gentle hand through her hair.

Young girl, calling him grandpa. Check. Superspeed. Check. There’s only one thing that this means. “Hey. didn’t your mom and dad ever tell you? Don’t call me grandpa. Call me Pop-pop!” He welcomes the hug, not caring about timelines and any other things that might ruin this moment. “So, does my granddaughter have a name, or should I just give you a nickname?”

“Believe it or not, there are people in this city who are willing to give other people a place to stay, in exchange for doing chores, or caring for their pets. There’s a bulletin board in here…” He holds open the door to the Salvation Army for Emory. “And you can find temporary housing. I’m sure of it.”

“Okay, how… how temporary is temporary?” Emory said, chewing on the side of his thumb. He stepped through to the building, looking around the broad area. He could only stay in one place for so long, so maybe that was a good idea. What wasn’t a good idea, was getting used to staying in one place for so long. “You’re not gong to put me in the system, are you?”

“Anywhere from two weeks to two months. It depends on how good a job you do with small tasks.” Joe points to a few names on the bulletin board. “Those two are good people. That one’s looking for someone to help him build an aboveground pool, and she’s looking for someone to take care of her dogs when she goes out for Bingo three nights a week.” He then points to the table where the volunteers are packing up food. “You have no reason to be put in the system. If you just want to lay low, and live off the kindness of strangers, that’s none of my business.”

“Well, that makes this easier. No prior record means you can start afresh.” Joe gestures to the church. “Come with me, and I’ll make sure you get the food you need for the next few weeks. Maybe I can even help you find a place to stay.”

“Yeah. I have… no prior record.” Emory said, shaking his head to himself. He might laugh about that later, considering that he had so little record, he didn’t exist according to paperwork. But for now, he was just in shock that he was following a cop around. “A place to stay?”

“Believe it or not, there are people in this city who are willing to give other people a place to stay, in exchange for doing chores, or caring for their pets. There’s a bulletin board in here...” He holds open the door to the Salvation Army for Emory. “And you can find temporary housing. I’m sure of it.”

“I’m actually paid to make sure people stay out of prison. Sometimes, it takes a lecture, sometimes an act of kindness. But a lot of people out here would much rather be happy than behind bars. Let me show you something.” Joe reaches into his messenger bag and takes out a large manila folder. “You see this? This is all the paperwork I’d have to file if I arrested you. Not just statements of what you were doing, but checking with other cities if you’ve committed crimes there, by your fingerprint record. You’d be in a holding cell for several hours while I wrote this up. It’s better for both of us if I gave you a second chance.”

“I didn’t know that.” Maybe his idea of cops was a little off, but he’d only ever had certain interactions with them, and he always ended up having to run away. That was a lot of paperwork, or it seemed like it was too him. He never had to do any himself, didn’t know what a lot constituted. “You wouldn’t find anything. I’ve never been arrested before, I don’t have any kind of records.”

“Well, that makes this easier. No prior record means you can start afresh.” Joe gestures to the church. “Come with me, and I’ll make sure you get the food you need for the next few weeks. Maybe I can even help you find a place to stay.”

Joe leans back, wrapping up the burger for later. His dad impulses are kicking in and he wants to help. But first he needs to hear the whole story. “Tell me what happened, Cisco.”

“Ok, this one’s a bit shorter. What do you call it when the Red Baron flies into the Grand Canyon?” This is one that both Barry and Iris beat him to the punchline on, so he’s hoping it takes Wally it bit longer to figure out.

“Let’s be honest. Would you rather spend thirty days waiting for trial for stealing thirty bucks worth of food, or would you rather have fifty bucks worth of food given to you and still be free?” Joe gives a fatherly smile. It’s always better to be a friend to those in need than the long arm of the law. “I don’t want to arrest you, and you don’t want to be arrested.” He gestures down the road, past the churches. “The Salvation Army is right down this way. Their food bank is open every Monday and Saturday, so you can go in to get food twice a week if you need it.”

“I’d rather be out.” Because of course he would. If he got trapped in a cell, even if they fed him everyday, it would only be so long before the school caught up with him. And he’d have no way to get away from them. He turned his head down. Free food twice a week almost sounded too good, there had to be a catch of some kind. “Why don’t you want to? It’s your job, that’s what they pay you for, isn’t it?”

“I’m actually paid to make sure people stay out of prison. Sometimes, it takes a lecture, sometimes an act of kindness. But a lot of people out here would much rather be happy than behind bars. Let me show you something.” Joe reaches into his messenger bag and takes out a large manila folder. “You see this? This is all the paperwork I’d have to file if I arrested you. Not just statements of what you were doing, but checking with other cities if you’ve committed crimes there, by your fingerprint record. You’d be in a holding cell for several hours while I wrote this up. It’s better for both of us if I gave you a second chance.”

“Let’s be honest. Would you rather spend thirty days waiting for trial for stealing thirty bucks worth of food, or would you rather have fifty bucks worth of food given to you and still be free?” Joe gives a fatherly smile. It’s always better to be a friend to those in need than the long arm of the law. “I don’t want to arrest you, and you don’t want to be arrested.” He gestures down the road, past the churches. “The Salvation Army is right down this way. Their food bank is open every Monday and Saturday, so you can go in to get food twice a week if you need it.”

Joe just tightens his embrace. “You don’t have to take it alone. You’ve got me, Iris,Wally, Cisco and Caitlyn. You have Oliver, Diggle and Felicity. If you ever feel like the weight is too much to bear, just reach out to one of us and we’ll help you carry it.”