Kara remembered you. She practically crushed you in a hug when she found you. As for you, it was a mystery who this super gal was but she was beautiful and she gave great hugs. You’ll see where this relationship takes you.
Barbara Gordon / Batgirl
You both find yourselves back at square one. Friends. But over time, love blooms as does little memories that seem like a whole life with one another.
Bailey Allen / the Flash
Bailey sought you out, just hoping she didn’t erase you from time itself. She found you working at the newspaper now as an intern. You didn’t know why this strange young woman was so interested in you but you found her quite beautiful.
Diana Prince / Wonder Woman
Diana couldn’t remember her life with you. But you never forgot. You found each other and you slowly worked to rebuild a life with her. Luckily, she still found herself falling for you, even if it was for the second time.
Allison Currey / Aqua Woman
No longer queen of Atlantis, Allison still found you. Nothing much changed really. You still love one another and tussle around.
Mary Marvel / Shazam
You were no longer the apprentice to Doctor Fate. But yet some small part of you could never forget her face, her smile. Like fate itself, you ran into her. Some small part of her remembers you too. “Hey” she offers you a smile. “Hi” you answer back.
"Come on, ladies! Let's go, let's go!" Coach Simmons bellowed from the sidelines, pacing with her hands on her hips, her ponytail swishing behind her.
Bailey stood near the dugout adjusting her helmet as she watched her teammates on the field. The Central City Stars were leading by a single run, the energy was high and the game could turn at any moment.
"You're up, Bails," Dani, the catcher, said with a grin, nudging her shoulder. "No pressure, though. Just, you know - win the game for us, yeah?"
Bailey rolled her eyes, laughing. "Oh, just that?" She took a few practice swings, trying to shake off the growing nerves. Her eyes flickered to the stands where she saw Joe waving, his broad grin catching her attention.
"You got this, Bails!" Joe called out, his voice carrying across the field. "Knock it out of the park!"
Bailey gave him a thumbs-up feeling a warmth in her chest. Barry and Iris were missing the game but Joe was here and that was enough for her. She knew the particle accelerator launch was a huge deal and Barry had been buzzing about it for weeks. Still, she couldn't help but wish her brother and Iris were in the stands too.
As the game continued, Dani jogged back to her place behind the plate and Bailey stepped into the batter's box, locking eyes with the pitcher. The tension was palpable but she felt confident. The first pitch came in fast but her bat connected with a solid crack. The ball sailed toward the outfield and Bailey sprinted down the baseline, her cleats digging into the dirt as the crowd cheered.
She rounded first, pushing herself toward second base. As she slid into second, safe, she popped up with a grin, brushing the dirt from her pants. The game was going well and everything seemed perfect for a moment.
But just as she finished dusting herself off, she spotted Joe standing up from his seat, answering a phone call. Her heart sank a little as she saw the shift in his expression - serious, focused. She knew that look.
Joe caught her eye and mouthed, 'work. Gotta go.' He gave her an apologetic look and held up his phone before hurrying out of the stands, waving goodbye as he left.
Bailey's heart dipped in disappointment, though she tried not to let it show. She understood Joe's job was important but it was the last game of the season and she'd really wanted him to see her finish it out. She swallowed hard, forcing herself to stay in the zone.
"Keep your head in the game, Allen!" Coach Simmons yelled, clapping her hands from the third-base line.
Bailey took a deep breath and nodded, adjusting her ponytail.
As the next batter stepped up to the plate, the air seemed to shift. The wind began to pick up, cold and sharp, swirling around the field in an unnatural way. Bailey glanced up, noticing the sky had darkened, thick clouds rolling in faster than she'd ever seen.
Coach Simmons followed her gaze, frowning deeply. "That storm's moving in quick...but it's not supposed to rain tonight."
As if on cue, the stadium lights flickered, sending a murmur of unease through the crowd. The wind howled louder and Bailey's unease grew. Her heart pounded in her chest as she watched the sky swirl. Something wasn't right. She could barely hear her coach call for a timeout.
The lights above the field suddenly blew out with a sharp pop, plunging the stadium into darkness. At the same time, across the city, a bright light flashed on the horizon followed by an earth-shuddering boom.
Coach Simmons was quick to act, her voice straining to be heard over the ensuing commotion. "Everyone off the field! Move, now!"
Bailey ran toward the dugout, her breath coming in quick, panicked bursts. Her mind wasn't on the game anymore - it was on Barry. He'd been so excited about the accelerator launch. He was supposed to be there for the big moment. If that explosion was what she thought it was-
As she reached the dugout, her eyes darted to the dark clouds swirling overhead. Lightning crackled, striking dangerously close and she felt a chill run down her spine.
"Joe left, I need to-" Bailey started but Coach Simmons already had her hand on her shoulder, steering her to her Jeep.
"I’ll drive you home. Come on, kiddo."
Bailey barely registered Coach Simmons' words, her mind spinning as fast as the storm overhead. The suddenness of the explosion, the strange storm, and the absence of Barry, Joe, and Iris all collided in her thoughts. The feeling in her gut told her this wasn’t just a freak accident.
She climbed into Coach Simmons' Jeep, her hands trembling as she fumbled with the seatbelt. The roar of the storm filled the silence between them, the wind howling and rattling the windows as Coach started the engine.
"I think that explosion was the particle accelerator," Bailey blurted out, her voice tight with worry. "Barry was supposed to be there. What if he- what if something happened to him?"
Coach Simmons gave her a sideways glance, her face softening with concern. "We don't know anything yet, okay? Let's not jump to conclusions. Right now, I'm getting you home safe - then we can figure out what's going on."
Bailey nodded but her mind refused to settle. Her fingers drummed anxiously against her leg as they drove, the city streets eerily quiet for a Friday night. The occasional flash of lightning illuminated the darkened roads and every rumble of thunder made Bailey flinch. Her thoughts kept drifting back to the accelerator, to Barry, and to the gut-wrenching fear that something had gone horribly, horribly wrong.
As they pulled into her street, Bailey's heart sank. The power was out here too. Streetlights, traffic signals - everything was dark. Coach Simmons parked in front of the house, turning to Bailey with a serious expression.
"Call your brother as soon as you get inside, alright? And if you need anything, call me. I'm right down the road, I can be here whenever."
Bailey swallowed hard, giving a quick nod as she unbuckled her seatbelt. "Thanks, Coach. I will."
She stepped out of the Jeep and rushed up to the front door, her heart thudding in her chest. The house was quiet, too quiet. Joe wasn't back yet and there was no sign of Barry or Iris. She fumbled for her phone, her hands shaking as she scrolled to Barry's number and pressed 'call'.
The phone rang. Once. Twice.
No answer.
Bailey's heart sank further and she tried again. This time it went straight to voicemail.
"Barry, where are you? Please, call me back when you get this," she said, trying to keep her voice steady despite the panic clawing at her. "I saw the explosion. I just...I need to know you're okay. Love you."
She hung up, staring down at the phone as though it might suddenly come to life with an answer. She tried to calm herself down as she scrolled to Iris's number. If the precinct had called Joe in maybe they'd called Barry too, it would make sense that he couldn't answer.
She pressed the call button next to Iris's picture but her heart sank as it rang and rang only to go to voicemail just like Barry's.
"Iris, it's me. I don't know where you are but I'm um...I'm kinda freaking out. Please, call me back when you get this. I-I need to know what's going on."
Bailey hung up and sat hard on the sofa, still covered in dirt and rainwater, her mind racing. She was cold but she barely noticed the chill seeping through her softball uniform as her thoughts spiraled. What if something happened to all of them? The storm, the explosion, Joe's sudden work call - none of it felt right. The entire city was plunged into darkness and it felt like the world had shifted in some impossible way.
She sat in the dark living room, the silence loud in her ears. The only sounds were the occasional rumble of thunder, the soft patter of rain against the window, her foot tapping, and the steady dripping of rainwater from her jacket onto the floor. She kept glancing down at her phone, hoping that either Barry or Iris would call her back. That Joe would come through the front door, telling her everything was fine.
Morgan would adore Bailey! And they'd absolutely commiserate over losing their birth mothers at a year old 🥺 Bailey doesn't remember Nora at all, and Morgan can relate—all the info she knows about Tess is secondhand, and that's limited. And even if there was more...nothing can replace true memories. Morgan would be a little jealous that Bailey has Barry to remember more of Nora as a mom, though—Tina's great, and Morgan loves the stories she tells of Tess...but she doesn't know Tess as a mom, really (as in, from a daughter/son's perspective), while Barry does. It's different...Morgan wishes she knew her mom that way. It's a mix of "I'm happy you have that in Barry" and also "I wish I had that". But she would truly like Bailey, I think—they'd hit it off!
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Greta van Fleet – The Met – Philadelphia, PA – December 29, 2019
Greta Van Fleet Completes Triumphant Year, Wowing Crowd in Philly.
Greta Van Fleet hit the Met in Philadelphia for the first of two make-up shows to conclude a year of worldwide touring. The show made up for any delay and put an exclamation point on the band’s trajectory.
The new darlings of updated retro rock delivered their recent standard touring set to an energized, capacity Philly crowd. The venue – the newest major addition to the city’s flourishing music scene – was a fitting showcase for this band. The historic 3,500 person, opera-house-style theater (built 1908) on a stretch of gritty north Broad Street, opened last year with a performance by Bob Dylan, after a $56-million multi-year renovation, and provided both the scale and intimacy suited to this returning GVF rock party. (Greta last jolted the City of Brotherly Love at the old Electric Factory, now the Franklin Music Hall, in May 2018.)
Though the band has played to much larger live audiences in their recent travels, an operatic stage particularly fit the exuberant, high-wire vocal style of lead-man Josh Kiszka – the impish singer with a big presence and amazing range. Kiszka opts for high keys that harken to the famous hard- and art-rock bands of recent decades. Burdened and honored with the expectation of bringing back a song-writing style and urgent delivery of the top rock of the 70s, Greta Van Fleet steps through it all undaunted and with their own approach to a new version of the very power rock that they honor and build on.
Only the most casual listeners would deem them imitative, when the catchy riff-based rock songs they deliver feel so original and deftly crafted. But with scarcely a couple dozen tracks released to date, their fast-evolving arsenal cannot yet even be called a catalogue.
Strong Foundations + Hard Work
Concert crowds this year witnessed the second stage of the beginning of a meteoric rise of this group of guys barely in their 20’s. In fact, drummer Danny Wagner was celebrating his 21st birthday on this evening, and all assembled got to join in an a capella rendition of “Happy Birthday.”
Spoken and unspoken by the already loving fans of this band that has endeared itself so quickly to so many is the hope that these boys can weather the popularity that they have gained so quickly. By all appearances, though, brothers Josh, Jake, and Sammy Kiszka have the strength of family, and of a bond cast from playing together since they were kids. Danny has joined the brotherhood, and all seem to have a fallback strength coming as well from the natural world – with this foursome captured more often trekking through national parks, and preferring such outdoors outlets to images of them in rock-life party scenes.
Hey, any band must be down to earth that adapts its name from that of a lovely older lady (Gretna Van Fleet) from the guys’ own little hometown of Frankenmuth, Michigan. If GVF minded leaving that very quaint Christmas-y world and breaking up their holiday and well-earned rest leading to New Year’s, in order to finish 2019 in big, bad Philly, they sure didn’t show it. (Other two make-up dates due to Josh’s fall flu, were in Memphis and New Orleans just prior to the holidays.) Their explosive, romping play kept most of the crowd on its feet through the fast-paced 90+ minute show. They delivered their hits with the same fresh pride that has marked their live act since they broke big and suddenly onto the scene barely two years ago.
Within this serious, hard-working group of players, none puts out better than Jake Kiszka, a figure who is more than an up-and-coming six-stringer, instead a musician making an early bid toward a time-honored list of top rock guitarists. He wears the mantel of erstwhile big-time guitar slinger ably and gamely, bearing down on both big and delicate sounds. In the loud, extended, mostly instrumental “Black Flag Exposition,” which has only been presented live so far, the band gladly puts Jake on display, letting him step forward to demo his endurance, focus, grinding chops, and intensity.
That’s What a Rock Band Should Sound Like
Meanwhile during the evening, brother Sammy’s hands and feet danced naturally at the keyboards and his fingers flew across fretboard of his bass with a fluidity that’s completely natural. As with other foursomes of the past that have had the good fortune of a balance that helped them make history, no member of this one outshines or upstages the other.
History is something these dudes have on their side, particularly their knowledge of it. Great rock bands of the past were always deep students of the music that had preceded them and upon which the genre was built. Those now-veteran acts openly paid tribute to the recent past, even as they continued to re-invent it, and GVF follows the tradition, powering their work on “the fires we've been told,” as the Josh sings in “Black Smoke Rising.”
Add in artfully softer gears (“Age of Man”), an uplifting effect, and passionate lyrical commentary – including about love and the fate of the earth – and it’s all part of the recipe through which this band attracts rock fans of all ages. How rare to see a new band with this range of generations following them and pumping their fists in the air as one!
Some of the band’s most telling and encouraging passages came when they played into and extended their album tracks, thankfully stretching certain of them, as they did in their first encore (“Flower Power”). These moments made it even clearer that this is group of substantive players still in the act of becoming – a point punctuated near the end of the show by a thunderous, Bonham-esque, 10-minute-plus drum solo by Danny.
The best rocking bands of the last half-century or more have each delivered in their own unapologetic fashion just as GVF did at the Met, leaving a buzzed crowd wanting more. Rock must be celebratory and confident. And above all, it must have swagger, of which GVF has plenty to spare.
