Chapter one. Too late.

Barry ran as fast as he could, the cold wind beating at his unmasked cheeks. "Guys," he groaned, his legs and lower back beginning to ache from the strain. "How much farther?" He asked.

Zoom had been spotted in a small suburban area on the other side of town, but for some reason, Barry could seem to get there fast enough.

Barry skidded to a stop as he saw the lights from emergency vehicles. "Guys." He whispered. "We're too late."

···

He quickly changed into a spare set of clothing, going into Barry Allen mode. He wiped the tears of frustration and worthlessness off of his face. He could have caught Zoom, he was so close.

One of the officers, Noah Miller, stopped talking as he saw Barry walk by. "Barry, you don't have to be here." He told him hesitantly.

Barry frowned. What did that mean? "This is my job, I'm supposed to be here." He said, continuing to make his way through the throng of law enforcement officials.

"Captain Singh!" He called, trying to get his attention.

The older man turned around and winced as he saw the boy. "Allen, it's alright." He said, putting his hand on Barry's shoulder. "We've got Davis on this one. Go home." He told him gently.

Barry was taken aback by gentle manner the captain was treating him with, there was something strange going on. "Sir, what's going on?" He asked, his stomach twisting uneasily.

Captain Singh sighed. "Double homicide." He explained, then looked to the ambulance. "That monster Zoom murdered them in front of their three month old daughter."

Barry bit his lip as a wave of sadness washed over him. He could have saved them, but he was too late. He was always too late.

"Hey," Singh started, trying to get Barry's attention. "Go home, don't worry about this one."

Barry nodded. "Thank you, Sir." He murmured, looking towards the house one last time. It looked like all other houses on the street, what made Zoom choose this one?

He weaved through the crowd, trying to get far enough away from them to use his speed. He sniffed, fresh tears forming in his eyes. Why did Zoom.. why was Zoom..

Barry gave up trying to figure out Zoom, the tears beginning to cascade. Was this a direct stab at his past? Was that why he did it?

He looked up as the sound of someone else crying became audible. He had somehow wound up right beside the ambulance.

"Barry?"

Barr turned around, he was face to face with Vivian Taylor, one of the paramedics who he had seen at a few crime scenes. (He had heard she was actually one of the paramedics to take him to the hospital when he was struck by lightning.) "Oh, hey, Viv." He greeted, wiping the cold tears off of his face.

Vivian frowned, the lights from the emergency vehicles casting an eerie glow onto her features. "What's wrong?" She asked.

Barry shook his head. "I'm fine." He said, then his eye caught a small bundle of blankets in her arms. "Is that her?" He asked, pointing the the bundle.

Vivian smiled and looked down. "Yeah, that's her." She confirmed. "Poor thing, she only calmed down a few seconds ago."

Barry sighed. "Can I hold her?" He asked, feeling an almost magnetic pull between him and the child.

Vivian nodded. "Sure." She said, putting the baby in his arms. "Just, try not to upset her."

Barry gasped as the baby yawned and opened her dark eyes. "Hi there." He cooed, bouncing her gently trying to keep her content. "Hi."

The baby squeezed her eyes shut and whimpered.

Barry felt his heart break at the sound of her whimpers. "Hey, shh.." He soothed, rocking her back and forth. "It's okay. I gotcha."

Vivian smiled. "You're doing amazing with her." She commented as the baby quieted again.

Barry looked up. "What's her name?" He asked, refocusing on the child in his arms.

"Charlotte Olivia Williams." She told him, then sighed. "But I guess that's about to change."

He nodded, then his head shot up. "Who is she staying with?" He asked, absentmindedly holding her closer.

Vivian shrugged. "I dunno." She relied. "Normally the first people to be contacted are family members, and if they don't want the child or children then they normally go into the foster system."

Barry froze in terror. He had been lucky enough that Joe had been a friend of his family years before his father was wrongfully convicted, and that Joe was willing to take him in. Almost completely sparing him from the system. "Who is she staying with until then?" He asked.

Vivian shrugged again. "I'm not sure, it's possible you could. You should probably talk to someone first." She told him. "I-" She was cut off by another paramedic running over and saying something to her.

"I gotta go, it was nice seeing you again, Barry." She told him.

···

Captain Singh sighed. "Are you sure about this, Allen?" He asked, looking down at the bundle in the forensic scientist's arms. "You know taking care of a kid isn't easy, right?"

Barry nodded, resisting the urge to look down at the baby in his arms. "Yes, I know, Sir." He said. "Please, let me take her in until we figure out who she's going with. I know it's going to be difficult, and I'll probably have to meet with a some sort of social worker or something. But please, Sir."

Singh sighed again. "Okay, you can take her in for now." He agreed.

Barry smiled and looked down at Charlotte. "Thank you, Sir!" He exclaimed, then wrapped the blanket more securely around the baby. "Lets get you home."

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I hope you enjoyed! 

I don't know anything about the foster system. So I'm sorry if I get anything wrong. (I looked it up, but still didn't get anything.)

Please vote and comment! (It would really make my day.)