Superflash: Destiny

Chapter 16

Earth-Prime, Central City, STAR Labs, Pipeline

Hartley with dry eyes, was on the pipeline sitting down, punishing himself about how he brought Roderick to this mess. And how that mess made him unable to live a normal life. His thoughts were interrupted by Barry entering the pipeline, removing some of the water from his eyes he said

"Get out."

"I know why you're so upset." Barry in a calm voice said, angrily he stood up and walk near Barry

"You don't know anything about me," Hartley said near him

"I know what it's like to be responsible for losing the person I... I used to love," he said thinking about Kara and Iris.

"Roderick... he's not just another hired gun, is he?" Barry asked

"He's my boyfriend... The love of my life," he said sitting beside him, with now more water on his eyes.

"I put him in the line of fire when I fought you, meaning that what happened to him is my fault."

"You're not the only one to blame. I threw the lightning, remember?"

"I gave him the weapon that made you defend yourself," he said right back, remembering every moment like it was yesterday.

"And then when I couldn't help him..."

"You got him the help he needed."

"He was better off at Mercury Labs than with me." He said, retracting about that choice he made.

"I was useless."

"Someone just reminded me that... we're no good to the people that we love if we can't find the strength to move forward and forgive ourselves," he said

"Thanks, Oprah," Hartley said

STAR Labs, Speed lab

"And that's why I don't believe in myself, even though Barry believes in me, I just... I don't know." Kara said after telling Nash everything about Lena

"Well, remember what you decided of not telling Lena, she would be hurt like you told me with that magician or thing from the fifth dimension showed you what would happen if you told her you are Supergirl, everything happens for a reason. Maybe Lex Luthor telling Lena you're Supergirl was the best thing, even if it cost your friendship."

"Yeah... It's just, sometimes I want to talk to someone besides Barry, I want to talk with my best friend."

"I'm sure she will be back with you, and you guys will be the best of friends once again, you just need to be patient, because if you need her, she will need you... Just like I needed Maya..." he said, Kara now put her hand on his shoulder

"I'm sorry about Maya if she changed you she must be a nice girl..." she said

"Yeah... yeah she was..."

"Hey, we got a big problem at Iron Heights," Cisco said through the comms

"Go, and remember, if you want to help Barry... Forgive yourself." he said, still sitting down, she nodded "Thank you, Nash..." she said walking to the cortex

Back at the Pipeline

"You can stay here. Or you can be the person that Roderick fell in love with. It's your call." Barry said standing up and going to the cortex. Hartley just saw how he was leaving, thinking about that offer.

STAR Labs, Cortex

"Hey," Barry said as he and Kara entered the cortex, they saw Cisco on the main computer, waiting for them so he could say what's the problem.