AN: Hi guys, I'm finally back! Sorry for the long wait, but I've finally turned out another story! Yay! Once again any review, however negative (though it's always nicer when they're positive) is massively appreciated! Also please please point out any spelling/grammar issues so I can fix them as soon as possible! Thanks!

Disclaimer: No matter how hard I wish I did, I do not own the Justice League in any way, shape or form. All characters belong to their respective owners.

Family Comes First

Zzzzzzzzzzzt!

Wally was jolted awake by the familiar flash of pain. Grimacing he pushed himself up so that he was sitting on the slab of rock generously labelled as his 'bed'. Looking up at the source of the pain, he forced a grin and spoke

"Morning! Y'know, that shock felt stronger today. You been working out?"

As always he got no response, his tormentor merely waving the cattle-prod like weapon in a threatening manner at him. Wally kept his expression bright regardless, mentally shrugging. Everyone's a critic.

Having been given a signal, Wally stood up and followed his tormentor down the winding corridors away from his cell. The long corridors, grey and white colour schemes and sense of despair that hung around the compound Wally now called home were so familiar he was pretty sure he could navigate it with his eyes closed. In fact, he thought it reminded him a little of the school he used to go to as a kid. Same atmosphere, same attitude among the inmates.

The being in front of him stopped before a large door, and began to enter the complex code required to unlock it. Wally used this time to analyse it (Him? Her? It never spoke, and although Wally never 'looked' as per say he was pretty sure there weren't any telling parts). The creature was humanoid in shape, but had a malleable form. The scientist within Wally was desperate to run some tests on tissue samples, to determine the secrets held within the chalky white skin. They'd come from Mars, and so employing his impressive intellect Wally had (in his opinion quite superbly) dubbed them "White Martians".

As the door began to click, Wally quickly averted his gaze. Just in case, you know, it was naked or something and he was accidentally staring at something very private. He honestly didn't know what that could be, but he wanted to at least try to be a gentleman. Especially if the white martian was female. No female could resist the charms of Wallace Rudolph West for long, whether from this world or another. He didn't want to ruin his chances.

The door having opened the white martian gestured again with its weapon. Flashing what he hoped was a smile that could charm the pants off any warm-blooded female, Wally stepped into the familiar room. As with every other day he walked up to the contraption in the centre of the room and stepped inside. It was roughly spherical, and if he moved it rotated with a slight whirr. He'd named it "The Hamster Ball of Death", another of his linguistic masterpieces.

He stood waiting for the familiar click, watching the White martian. Hearing it he felt the familiar surge of energy flow through him. He remembered the first time he'd felt the power, back with his uncle all those years ago. The speed force, he'd called it. Wally liked the name, it sounded cool and dangerous. In reality it was more of a comforting presence, a faint warm glow he could feel from within. Knowing having the nullifier deactivated was his cue to begin, he began to run.

Round and round he ran, turning the hamster ball of doom at close to mach 3. It seemed like hard work, high energy and monotonous, but Wally enjoyed it. Running have him a chance to think, and helped him feel like a hero again. Like the Flash.

He missed being a hero so much. It physically hurt, knowing he was no longer out there saving lives, that little children no longer raced around pretending they were him. Most of all though he missed Central City, his city. Sure, Superman had the bright lights of Metropolis and Batman had the endless dark alleyways of Gotham, but Wally wouldn't have traded Central City for the world.

Sometimes as he ran he imagined he was once again patrolling those familiar streets, but this time he found himself thinking back to that day. It had started out normal enough. Wake up (late as usual), dash to work. Analyse three blood samples, swab a gun, ID a car from tyre casts. Grab a bite to eat with Linda (why oh why hadn't he told her how much he loved her just one last time) then Captain Cold had kicked up a fuss.

The Flash had just been returning the cold-themed villain to his cell when he heard the news. Strange devices had been falling from outer space, landing amongst every major city. Governments were alarmed, especially after their recent nuclear disarment at Superman's request, however reports stated that both the Man of Steel and indeed the Dark Knight himself were dealing with the situation.

As the objects hadn't landed in Central City, Wally had decided the Flash wasn't needed. After all, Superman and Batman were on it. Everything would be fine.

But then the invaders came forth. Thousands of three legged, white craft and millions of shape-shifting soldiers within them. Superman was overwhelmed by sheer numbers; Batman's plan failed and he too was taken down. At that point Wally already knew in his heart the battle was lost, but the Flash couldn't give up. As a hero, he had to make one last stand.

As he raced towards the largest object, what he hoped was the mothership, he listened in on police reports. All across the world police and military efforts to repel the invaders were proving fruitless. It seemed super-powered efforts were similarly failing. The current Green Lantern of earth had been spotted trying to take down the ships near his hometown of Detroit. He'd managed to save the local hospital, but had been surrounded by invaders and not seen again. The mysterious winged woman of Midway, dubbed "Hawkgirl" by the media, had similarly gone down in a blaze of glory taking several ships and fighter robots with her.

Wally remembered that as he approached the large pulsing object (he hoped that it had been the mothership, that he'd at least made the right plan) he saw the body of a woman soar past him. She'd been dressed (if that was the right word) in a red, white and blue outfit that left little to Wally's more than capable imagination. Battered and beaten, she was nevertheless beautiful; a fighter and a looker, at any other time Wally would have stopped to ask her out.

But, as it was, he stayed focused on his target. Pushing his body to the absolute limit, running so fast his legs screamed at him to stop, he'd rammed into it head on. He remembered how pain had washed over his body, and how the last thing he saw before the blackness took over was yet more white bodies streaming towards him, the mothership (he was so certain it was the mothership) damaged but far from destroyed. He'd failed.

And so now here he was, a slave to the invaders, his White Martians. Judging from the many other cells in his prison, several others were their slaves too. Wally was struck with a strange thought. Maybe the people in the cells were those heroes who had fought like him and lost, the metas and aliens and rich guys with issues. What a motley crew they would make. Heck, maybe if they had somehow been brought together they could have all worked against the invaders. Maybe they would have even won...