Title:
Kid Flash-backs

Summary:
Alternate Universe: Where somebody in the team dies in Season One. All written in Wally's point of view, except one part, probably. Take a look in Wally's memories! Can be read as a KF/Robin (birdflash) fanfiction if you squint hard enough. Warnings: Character death (duh).

Author's Note:
Side warning: Feels. Lots and lots of feels. I'm so not kidding.

Disclaimer:
I own nothing. Nada, zero, nothing. 'Cept the plot; now that's mine.

"Kid! I cannot hold on much longer!" Aqualad yelled.

Earlier on, before the team could have called the mission a success, the area exploded, the impact hurting Miss Martian and Superboy the most as they were closest to it, sending them sprawled unconscious on the snow-filled concrete floor.

Meanwhile, the explosion hurled Robin off a cliff, before Kid Flash sped possibly faster than he had ever been to catch Robin by his wrist, sending them airborne, if not for Aqualad, who was surprisingly fast enough to grab the speedster's ankle.

Therefore, Wally can't really blame Kaldur; he's holding on to two people, for Pete's sake!

"Rob, I... I can't pull you up." The realisation dawned upon Wally's face, frightening him.

Wally recalls another time when he had said the (somewhat) same thing to a ten-year-old Robin.

"Dude, you're heavy."

Wally was squatting down on a branch from a tree in Central City, while he held Robin's wrists. They were in their civvies, and in retrospect, the current situation was given to them based on boredom.

Robin scoffs. "You can't pull me up, can you?"

"In my defence, you're heavy."

"If you can lift a triple cheese sandwich, which, by the way, had more cheese than what the title of the sandwich suggests, then you can pull me up."

"Did you just compare yourself to a sandwich, a triple cheese sandwich, no less?"

"Well, that backfired."

Silence enveloped them before Robin sighs.

"I'm going to have to put my acrobatic skills to use, don't I?"

"Heck yeah!" Wally encouraged.

Robin's legs swung back and forth and over again to gain momentum before he twisted and released his hold on Wally to soar in the air, about to land in the next branch, and Wally was filled with awe.

'Majestic. Magnificent.' were the words occupying the speedster's mind.

Wally knew Robin was going really fast, so he was thankful that he was fast enough to process Robin's awesomeness. He could tell Robin was also enjoying this immensely, based on the smirk on his face. And he knew that Robin knew that he was enjoying it too.

His arc was clearly a perfected routine, soaring temporarily through the air. Wally didn't need to look at Robin's eyes (he was wearing shades anyway) to know the glint of thrill in them. The thrill of flying, albeit a while, always brings him joy.

'His grace could be compared to no other.'

Robin finally landed on the next branch.

And Wally could only watch.

Despite what relief the memory gave him, he instantaneously remembered Robin's too injured to do... that.

"Rob, dude, you can't –"

Robin smiles, and it's wrong, wrong, wrong, because Wally knows the instances where Robin smiles, and the way Robin tilts both of his mouth upward, showing some of his teeth, his posture relaxing, he looks too innocent. Too young. Too... Richard. And it leads to one meaning.

"Merry Christmas Wally."

There was one particular Christmas, however, that Wally remembered, especially since the scenario looked somewhat similar to this situation. (Except the part where him and Robin are dangling in mid-air)

Recognised: Robin. B-0-1

"Hey, Rob – what the – are you okay?" Wally shrieked, looking up from his sandwich.

And Wally, in turn, was met with a beaten and tattered Robin, who looked like he's been through hell. Given, it was Gotham, but still. There were different conditions Robin was in and this, by far, Wally decided, was one of the worst.

And then Robin collapsed.

Well, not really. He was about to pass out on the floor, when Wally raced over in time to catch him mid-air.

"Hey, hey. Rob. Stay with me." And he sped over to the infirmary room, latching him with the necessary paraphernalia he needed.

-beep beep beep-

The next day, Robin awoke to the sound of his heart coming from a machine he had annoyingly grew accustomed to, and the smell of hospital in the air greeted his nose. 'Really,' Robin thinks, 'really, infuriating.'

But Wally was there, gripping Robin's hand, who shot awake at the sound of Robin's shift in position.

"Robin, what the hell happened?! You could've died! IalmostlostyouforGod'ssake!" Wally choked.

Realising that although he's bandaged, he was still in his uniform, Robin reached his utility belt and handed Wally a wrapped box.

"What... What's this?" The speedster asked, momentarily thrown off guard, expecting Robin to retort.

"A present. Merry Christmas Wally."

Wally then proceeded to unwrap it, replying with "It's a box."

Robin rolled his eyes, a smirk threatening to overcome his poker face. "Open it, Kid Idiot."

And Wally was greeted with the sight of a really shiny and sparkly silvery watch.

"In all honesty, for one second, I thought it'd be a ring."

"Sorry to crush your hopes, KF, but it's not just a watch."

'Of course it isn't.' was what Wally wanted to reply, but cut short as soon as Robin removed the watch from its box, and wrap it around Wally's wrist.

"See? You press this button over here, and –" Robin pushes a red button. "– and you'll know where I am. No more Mr. Disappear. You'll find me in no time –"

Robin was cut off by Wally crushing him in a bro hug.

"Listen, I love the watch and all, but as sappy as this sounds, I think the best Christmas present ever is the fact that you're alive, and for that, I'm really, really happy."

And Robin could only watch.

And when he was about to reply, Wally gets momentarily distracted because he's letting go, and ohGodohGod he feels as if he can't breathe – stupid, stupid Robin!

Wait, it's Christmas?!

"Rob, there's no way in hell am I letting you die –"

"Send my regards to everyone."

"Quit joking around Rob! This isn't even –"

"Kid! I am losing my hold!" Aqualad interrupted.

"Wally! Wally, I..." Robin took a shaky breath, and continued to smile. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Wallace Rudolph West."

'Where was the League? Where the heck is Supey?' And Wally was left guessing the explosion had some sort of Kryptonite in it while he heard Robin and nonononono, he knows that line meant he was going to... to –

And Wally was enveloped in another memory.

"You're – You're the Dick Grayson!"

Robin sighs.

"And the Boy Wonder!"

Robin sighs.

"My two favourite people are actually one person!"

Robin sighs – wait, favourite? He knew Dick Grayson? Granted, he is the ward of Bruce Wayne, but how did he land in KF's category in 'Favourite People'?

"How'd you know – what do you mean by –"

"But why are we in the cemetery?"

Oh. Right.

"Because, KF," Robin hoped he won't get interrupted. "It's the day where..."

Robin waves his wand over to two graves.

"Mary and John Grayson." Wally read aloud. "The – oh. Oh. These are your... folks."

Awkward silence befell them.

Rob – Dick started. "Do you know why dead people receive more flowers than living ones?"

Wally shook his head.

"Because," Dick continued, placing the flowers on their grave. "Because regret is stronger than gratitude."

"But why would you regret it? It wasn't like you could –"

"But I could have, KF!" Robin growled, and Wally knew he said the wrong thing. "I could have warned them that... the structure was sabotaged. I saw it happen. And I said nothing. How isn't it not my fault?"

Tears spilled through his cerulean blue eyes, regret coming out in waves even after more than two years ago.

"They would have been alive, Wally."

Before Wally could say anything, Dick continued.

"So when I die, don't bring me flowers. I don't want you to regret my death, I'll make sure it wasn't your fault."

And Wally could only watch.

"Rob – no, nonono Rob! You're slipping! I can't hold on –"

He was not going to let his best friend go, let him drop to those rocky... roads.

Funny enough, ('No, nothing in this situation is funny,' thought Wally) it's Robin's favourite ice cream flavour.

"So let me get this straight. Bruce Wayne, the billionaire, one of whom can get anything he wants, gets you video games that will come out in a week, twenty-three computers, and practically anything, but doesn't allow you to get ice cream."

Wally felt shell-shocked.

"It's fattening."

"You're missing out! You'll eat your words after chewing on that delicious sugar!"

Robin sent him a pointed look.

"Again, it's fattening."

"It's cheaper than the cheapest thing you own!"

"It's fattening."

"Could you, like, abandon your strict diet for one second and try ice cream for once? Please pleasepleaseplease?"

"It –" Robin started.

"–can come with chocolate?" Wally finished.

"It –"

"–can come with nuts!"

"It –"

"–can also come with marshmallows!"

Robin hesitated.

"... Really?"

"Really! I practically memorised the menu, you shouldn't doubt the master of eating food."

Robin scoffs. "Of course, why on Earth would I doubt you?"

"So you'll try it?" Wally clasps both his hands together and pleaded in front of Dick.

"... Just one bite."

"I promise Batman will never find out."

"Don't make promises you can't keep, KF. He's Batman. He'll find out."

"Well," Wally suddenly looking sheepish, rubs the back of his neck. "You won't regret it!"

As Robin sank his teeth into yummy goodness, he mentally cooed at how scrumptious the taste is, how prominent the aftertaste was.

As he was about to compliment it to Wally, he saw how Wally was scarfing down his ice cream, and a blech that was heard afterwards.

"Dude, gross." Robin started.

"Hey, I can't help it. It was good. Admit it, you like it too." Wally retorted.

"I've gotta admit, you had me at marshmallow. How'd you know anyway?" Robin asked, as he licked the rest of the ice cream.

"You may be the protégé of the world's greatest detective, but I am the protégé of the food detective. I know my territory."

Robin sent him a pointed look.

"I'm serious! Every time I come over, you request hot chocolate with marshmallows from Alfred. Always. Plus, I taste melted walnuts in the drink anyway."

Robin liked to think of himself as an enigma, a puzzle that can't be solved. He's Batman's partner, for Christ's sake! But even he can't believe that what he ate can be predicted.

So Wally continued to explain how obvious his choices were in food.

And Robin could only watch.

"NO! NONO! Rob, your fingers are slipping – NO!"

"Ironic, isn't it? Last Flying Grayson, death by falling."

"Rob –"

"Goodbye, Wally. If only I had more time to spend with you. Farewell, best friend."

So when Robin fell, fell, fell, he knew Robin can't fly, not... not anymore. His frame was getting smaller and smaller –

"ROBIN!"

He felt himself being dragged up but he can't... can't feel anything, not anymore.

"Superboy, save him! Save him! Robin – Robin –"

So when he saw the sad look on the Kryptonian and his leader's face, he didn't just watch, no. 'Watching,' he realised, 'won't do the situation justice. It won't bring Robin back.'

And so, Wally could only scream.

A/N

And, it's done! Woo! I wanted to do a '4 times Wally watched and the one time he screamed' (It isn't a prompt, if you're wondering. It just came to me.) but I decided to switch from Wally to Robin and back and forth.

It was fun writing in Wally's point of view, but it was a bit hard to keep them in character. I feel like I was missing the element of wittiness and stuff from Wally and I was probably lacking a bit of Robin. I don't know, really. Were they Out Of Character (OOC)?

Tell me your opinion on this story if you want to.

Is it confusing to see the flashbacks? Were there any Grammatical mistakes? I would like to know!

Thank you for reading!