I swear, I don't always put Wally in danger so much o_0 completely forgot about this one actually.
Not sure when I finished it, though I'm thinking sometime in 2010. Technically, there is a sequel to it but it's loose and I'll only post if there's enough interest. Hopefully this still reads well :)
"Al-right!" Wally exclaimed, dashing out of the car.
He left Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne, and Dick Grayson behind in a small sandstorm.
They were at the beach mid-morning, and as with every area within 15 miles of any beach, a thin layer of sand coated everything. Dick ran up ahead to catch up, sporting blue and white trunks and his usual sunglasses, as well as an oversized surfboard.
"Kids these days," Bruce said, shifting slightly uncomfortably in his own swimwear as he dusted himself off.
Alfred nodded with a sumptuous smirk, holding a cooler and umbrella properly upright. "Can't live without them, sir. I must say though it was rather kind of you to invite Mr. West along for the annual trip."
Bruce accepted the compliment stiffly, as usual. "Bart's hands are tied, it won't compromise much."
He then walked up to meet the boys, and Alfred followed.
Minutes later, the group was setting up.
While Alfred situated the lavish umbrella and Bruce the chairs, Dick lathered on sunscreen next to his friend Wally.
"Dude, this is gonna rock," Wally stated decidedly, his hands on his hips as he surveyed the public beach. He had already prepared himself with sunscreen, although his skin still glowed healthily underneath.
"I still can't believe Bruce let you come," Dick said, still a little baffled, "I thought you two were…"
"Not close, eh Robby?" Wally slipped him a sly grin. He elbowed him, "Come on; let's hit the waves."
He jogged off but this time, Dick was prepared, and so they jumped in together.
An hour passed. And then two. Wally and Dick were having a blast, as usual.
"So I got a question for you, Rob," Wally said, popping up to the surface of the water. Dick was snorkeling so Wally had to prod him.
"What?" Dick spattered some as he was startled to the surface.
"How far's Atlantis?" Wally cocked his head.
Dick's expression went from annoyed to curious. "I don't know. I mean, we're not at the usual place I come to every year. But this is the Atlantic Ocean…" Dick surveyed the sea. "I'll go check." He moved to get out of the water.
"Wait, you brought your computer?" Wally said. He smirked, "Dude I'm whelmed."
Dick laughed, "Never leave home without it. Be right back," he let the next passing wave carry him toward the shore.
Wally watched him go, swim gear and all, and suddenly realized he had to use the bathroom. So he swam out, ran to the bathroom, and then ran back to the chairs and umbrella. Dick wasn't around however, but Bruce, Alfred, and a line of beach goers behind Wally that were now covered with sand, were.
"Lower profile next time," Bruce stated coldly without looking up with any interest.
Wally looked back, frowning some as he thought how different Uncle Barry's reaction would have been. He rubbed the back of his head as he did, "Well…sorry."
"Where has Master Dick scampered off to?" Alfred prompted, changing the subject.
Wally looked back at him. "Oh, he's checking something on his computer in the car. I was wondering if you had the keys-"
"He has him," Bruce replied shortly, flipping the page of his Business Week magazine.
Alfred even looked surprised this time. Everyone who knew Bruce as close as they did knew he would never leave the house without a spare set of keys.
A moment of silence occurred during this time, but was thankfully saved by Wally's ringtone. It rang: "I get it in 'til the sun rise...Goin' 90 in a 65…Windows rolled down screamin' "Ah!"…Hey-ey-ey, I'm so paid."
He knelt, taking the excuse, and dug through his t-shirt and a couple of towels until he retrieved his cell phone.
"Y'ello," He answered, ignoring caller ID. Ever since Barry had gotten sick a month ago, many visiting friends and relatives used his phone to call. So Wally had grown accustomed to not getting his hopes up.
That's why he was surprised to hear the familiar warm voice come back on the other end, "Was I always this boring to you, kid?"
"Uncle Barry!" Wally said incredulously, grinning. "I thought you were sick."
"That's what they keep telling me," Bart joked back, "How's the trip?"
"Fun," Wally turned away from Bruce and Alfred, the latter of which was the only one looking up.
Barry stifled a laugh, "That bad?"
"Well it's not all that terrible, it's just-"Wally stopped when he heard voices in the background. "Who's that?"
Barry, who had paused with the phone to his chest, returned the receiver to his ear. He summoned up some strength, "Wally, there's a reason to why I called you," He began.
He lay on a white bed in unfamiliar, light, patterned clothes. The doctor who had just warned him he had five minutes walked back to the other side of the room.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Wally was beginning to sound like Dick. Bruce's eyes darted up from his magazine.
"I'm in the hospital. The cancer's spread," Barry finished, finally cutting to the chase.
Wally jumped up, "What?"
"Wally-"
"Where has it spread? When did you get there?" Wally's voice raised two octaves. "The hospital?"
Just then, a little kid ran by kicking up sand. Wally shied away, as if hit by stinging bullets, and put a finger to the ear without the phone, as to blot out sound.
Behind him, Bruce and Alfred were at attention now.
"Kid, it's alright. I'm talking to you aren't I?" Barry paused, but could feel Wally's mounting apprehension and his humor gone away. "Besides," he continued, "I'm going in right now. A quick surgery in the spleen. Nothing big."
Wally could hear the exasperation in his voice now, and could only imagine the pale desperation of his uncle as he tried to convince him everything was okay.
"Okay," he said, cooling down a little bit, "Do you have to go right now?"
At the hospital, Barry smirked weakly, "Afraid so."
Wally suddenly straightened, "I'll come; I can be there as soon as you get out." He found himself walking now, away from Bruce Wayne, Alfred, and, knowing his friend, a potentially lurking Dick Grayson.
"No, you stay there with Bruce, Dick, and Al." Barry said. "I can take care of this."
"But-"
"Wally, just enjoy yourself," his uncle stated simply. "One of us has to."
"Okay…" Wally frowned, with a hand on his hip. He still wasn't sure about this.
"Oh, and do me a favor? Have /better/ fun than you've been having," he remarked.
With a satisfied smirk, he snapped shut his cell and placed it on the side table next to his bed.
"You know, given your condition," Iris Allen commented, from her seated position opposite his bed. "I could've called."
Bart shrugged some, still smirking, "The kid would've been worried. Trust me, the personal call made all the difference."
Just then, the doctor came in asking Iris to leave. She did, after a brief exchange with Barry, to which he left for the surgery soon after.
But Barry was wrong; at least, partly. Wally was even more nervous than if he had called him personally-people did that when they weren't sure if they were gonna to make it, right? So he wasn't getting better after all as Wally had hoped…he was getting worse.
It was during this time Dick interrupted his thoughts with a small, "Wally?"
Wally turned, phone still in hand, to his frowning best friend. He made the instinctive decision to lie. "That was just Tuck, getting lost on his way to Arby's," he joked, even throwing in a fake laugh. "You know how he is."
"It was Barry," Dick said, ending Wally's lie.
"Oh…" Wally dropped off, an awkward silence enveloping the air. "So you know."
"Actually…everyone does," Dick admitted sheepishly, "Alfred, Bruce…some clueless bystanders." He gestured back to their empty beach set up before looking back to Wally, "Sorry."
"Ah that's ok," Wally sighed, and, having nothing better to do, kicked up some sand. "Sorry I lied to you dude. It's just…" He looked at Dick, his eyes clouding. "He's not getting better; if anything he's getting worse. And I can't stop it."
"Not that you'd have anyone to stop you," Dick stated simply. "After what they heard Alfred left to go get sandwiches for lunch and Bruce left for Gotham."
"Great," Wally muttered, looking down again.
"'Great'?" His friend echoed him, with genuine bafflement, "That's it? Dude! You can go. You can be there in the waiting room by the time he gets out." His eyes gleamed with excitement behind his shades.
Wally's eyes widened and he looked back up. "But he wanted me to stay here with you, Al, and Bruce."
Dick shrugged, "Too late for that…" He paused, and then smirked, "And I wouldn't stop you."
"What about you?" Wally blurted out, giving yet another excuse not to go. Suddenly, the thought of first hand knowing if Barry had survived the surgery or if there were any complications was too much.
"Don't worry about me; I'll be fine! I'm at the beach." Dick shot him a dazzling grin. "It's perfect!"
Wally was about to agree to this ingenious plan made by Boy Wonder when he caught sight of something that wasn't right-and would most likely end their fantasies of making it back to Gotham, or any place for that matter.
For on the horizon, loomed a fast approaching monster; a 1500 foot tsunami.