How do I manage to do this. How do I screw up everything. I only want a life where a new family member of mine doesn't have to be killed every year. I run through the time stream, looking for the moment where I can make things better. I see the past present and future in front of me. Tears blur my eyes making it hard to see what everything is. 

Then, as soon as I am about to enter a new time, a yellow streak of lightning hits me. I fly backwards from its force. I land in an unknown time, in a street breached with dusk. In front of me is the source of the yellow lightning- Dawn. She takes her mask off, revealing her soft skin. Her eyes look a bit tired as they were right before Dawn started having symptoms of death. 

I stand stund. How is this even possible?

"What are you doing Barry," she says in a breathy voice. 

"I'm.. I- I was trying to save you," I say, still not fully believing what I am seeing. 

"Bare, I'm dead. I am dead in every timeline. You need to accept that my destiny is to die."

"I won't accept that, Dawn," my voice is stern and serious. "It's not fair."

"Life isn't fair Barry!" she yells. "You think that, right away, I came to terms with the fact that my destiny is to die? No, I didn't. It took me a while to realize that maybe the reason I die is so you can become stronger."

"How do you know you die in every timeline," I ask calmly. 

"Because I tried," she says with a sigh. "I tried to save myself numerous times; I saved myself a few days at most but... eventually I die one way or another. Barry I'm just a time remnant. Dawn-me- I died last week."

"So you aren't really Dawn?" I feel lost in confusion and emotion. 

"No I am Dawn," she clarifies. "I'm just a week younger than when I died. See, I had a feeling that this would happen so I created a time remnant to go into the future to this exact time. I am the time remnant. Okay it may not make much sense but I can assure you one thing: it's true."

I lean up against a lamp post that illuminates the street in a soft, white glow. This is all so much to take in at once. "What do I do?" I ask my sister. 

"Leave things be. Go stop yourself from saving me and everything should turn out the way it was supposed to happen."

"I didn't say goodbye to you, Dawn," I say with a quiet sob. 

"It's okay," she says, walking over to me. 

"It's not," I tell her. I put my hands on her shoulders and look into her sapphire eyes. "You know that I love you right?"

She nods and smiles her pattened Dawn Richards smile. She leans her head against my hand. 

"The other me will never hear what you are saying but she knows. I know. And I love you too. Now promise me you will get everyone on track."

"I don't know if that's possible Pickle," I say. She cringes at the nickname and I laugh. "Cait left. She thinks it's her fault that you're dead. Harry and Jesse left too. None of us can be in STAR Labs with out having a constant reminder that you're gone."

"That's ridiculous," she says with a laugh. "Being in the Labs shouldn't be a reminder that I am gone Bare, it should be a reminder that I'm still there with you guys. On every mission, at every training, in every room. Just cause you can't see or hear me doesn't mean that I'm not there. I am everywhere. I'm like.. like.. like gravity. I will hold everything in place and you will never see me."

I take in what she is saying and smile. Leave it to Dawn to bring science into any situation. I laugh as a small tear slips down the side of my cheek. I pull dawn into a great hug and kiss her on top of her strawberry blonde hair. The crisp air surrounds us like a cocoon. The wind dances around to a symphony of whistling.  

"The world lost a great mind, they did," I say quietly. 

"Damn right they did," Dawn responds. We both laugh. I cup my hand to her face and smile. 

"Now go fix the future to the way it was, and don't screw anything else up," she says to me. 

"Deal." I pull her in for one last hug before I go. 

"And Barry?" 

I look down to her. She smiles once more this time with tears streaming down her face. 

"Never stop running," she says her voice wavering. 

I nod. "Never. Goodbye Pickle." 

"Goodbye Bartholomew," she counters in her snarky tone. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you more," I smile sadly. 

"Yeah probably, I am an impacting person." 

I roll my eyes at her sarcastic tone. 

"Love you, little sis."

"Love you more, big brother."

And with that, I run back in time to stop myself from saving Dawn. I close my eyes, not wanting to watch my little sister get hit by a bus. A few tears leak from my eyes as I wonder how life will be without her. Sighing, I return back to my time.

-*_

Cisco still sits on the floor stunned that Caitlin just left. I give him my hand and help him up. I smile remembering my conversation I had with Dawn, how she said she was always going to be here even if I can't see her. I feel something in the air that I hadn't noticed before. A feeling that someone was watching me. Not in a creepy eerie kind of way, but like someone was giving me guidance. 

"Why are you smiling," Cisco asks almost angrily. 

"Don't you feel her? Dawn. She's still here, we just can't see her. But she is here, looking out for us like she always has."

Cisco looks at me like I have gone crazy for a second. But then  he looks as if he has come to a realization. And I think I see the corners of his mouth move up into a small smile. 

"I'm going to go talk to Caitlin now. I think I know how to make her stay."

I walk out to the parking lot where Caitlin's car is parked. I step inside, sitting in the passenger's seat. Caitlin is seated in the driver's seat of the car, crying. I stare ahead blankly. 

"The last time I was in the passenger seat of a car was when Dawn drove me home. She was listing all of the things she would miss in life- prom, graduation, college. She also was upset that she was going to miss every milestone in our lives as well."

"Why are you telling me this," Cait sobs. I look over at her. 

"Because Caitlin, she was wrong. She may not be hear to graduate or something, but she is still watching over us. Now I'm a scientist and I know you are to and normally we don't believe in this stuff but come on, I can feel her watching us."

"What's your point?" she says bitterly. 

"My point is that being in STAR Labs shouldn't be a reminder of Dawn's absence. It should be a reminder of her life. And it sucks that she won't be there to cry at my wedding or tease me when I get stressed out with my kids, but even though we can't see her doesn't mean she can't see us."

Caitlin sighs still not convinced. 

"You don't have to believe me Cait," I say. "Just don't leave. Dawn wouldn't want that."

I move to get out of the car when Caitlin's small voice fills my ears. "What do you think she would say right now."

I laugh. "Probably somewhere along the lines of 'Oh my God, this is such a cute SnowBarry moment!'"

Both of us laugh imagining the scenario. The laughter dies down and Caitlin sighs. 

"Thank you Barry,"

"Of course," I say. 

 I walk out of the car feeling a little more confident that everything might turn out okay. The brisk autumn air fills my lungs and I feel a raindrop splash my nose. I pull out my phone and decide to text Iris as I walk back to the Labs for rain shelter.  

Coffee?

Sure.

I run to CCPN and pick up Iris. We get to Jitters, order coffee, and sit. She looks at me with sad eyes.

"How are you Barry?"

"I'm actually doing well," I say truthfully. Iris's face is a mask of surprise.

"I'm not going to get too into it but Dawn sort of.. sent me a message. She told me to keep living my life. She said that she would always be with me no matter what. I feel like I can keep her in mind without grieving if that makes sense."

Iris smiles. "That makes perfect sense Barry." Iris reaches for my hand across the shiny, white table. I take it and feel warm inside. I feel loved. My mind flashes back to the time when Dawn called me a girl and I smile. If only she could see me now. 

Iris and I continue to talk for about an hour. It's now pouring rain outside, covering the street in a mirror like glow. The wind taps the windows of Jitters in a smooth and rhythmic pattern, causing the atmosphere to lighten even more. Maybe everything will be okay. Of course more hardships will come, but for every bad thing there is a good thing. 

Maybe it will all be okay now. 

-------

A/N: I gave you guys a bit of fluff for the road:)