A/N: Wow. It's been over two years since I've posted any fic here. Mostly because I lost interest in Justice League and was off chasing other fandoms, but for some reason I've rediscovered this one and am back with a vengeance. Well, back with fic, anyway. Had to write this after watching "The Great Brain Robbery" about a billion times.
Speaking of which, this fic takes place immediately after that episode, and I'm not even sure it will make sense if you haven't seen it. Also contains references to "Divided We Fall." And a stray reference to "Eclipsed."
Rated T just for a little bit of language. Oh, and a mention of sex. Nothing big.
OBLIGATORY DISCLAIMER: Me no own. You no sue. So there.
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(I Don't Want This To Be) The Way You See Me
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Wally couldn't help but wince as he walked down a long hall of the Watchtower, people staring at him like he had single-handedly brought on the apocalypse, some even making sure they were as far away from him as possible as they passed him.
The same "Oh, God, we didn't know you could do that." vibes he got after the whole Braniac/Luthor ordeal. He thought he had been done with it. He didn't want people afraid of him.
It was enough that sometimes he was afraid of himself. Who wouldn't be, with all that power? It wasn't like he didn't know what he was capable of.
Well, okay, so the speed force had been a bit of a surprise and, no, he didn't want to do that again. He remembers tearing up streets around the world, destroying everything in his path...just to get to Luthor. Waking up not knowing exactly where he was. Shayera holding his hand, softly explaining that he was in the infirmary and, no, he wasn't dead. The doctor saying that his body hadn't known what it wanted more: sleep or food, and it almost completely burned out.
Being incredibly relieved that no one else had been hurt. Nothing short of a miracle there, he was sure.
Suppose it would have been too much to ask for another miracle here. Some people were still in the med bay, for God's sakes. Wally wasn't nearly as strong as Superman, but put enough speed behind a punch and it could even be worse than the Man of Steel. Stargirl and a few civilians hadn't even woken up yet.
And, yeah, he's a little bitter that both times these "vibes" have been caused directly by something Luthor had done. He's even more bitter that Lex isn't rotting in prison right now, but running free with his fellow supervillains (who should also be locked up, goddammit) and that creepy hot chick with the...
No. No, he wasn't going to go there.
He has a feeling that GL was pretty disappointed that he didn't actually find out anything useful (which is why he did his very best puppy eyes when he said he had no idea where the headquarters were). But he can hardly be blamed. First he wakes up surrounded by supervillains, then realizes his mind has been transferred into Lex Luthor's body (he was bald!) and then...well, he never could think straight after sex.
Hmph. So much for not going there. He has a feeling that one day he'll make some therapist very happy. Not to mention rich.
But, come on, how is it even fair that he finally has some unbelievable sex and it's while he's in someone else's body?
Of course, that's not all. Oh, no. Lex had to go and batter his body. He has bruises where there definitely weren't any before. His muscles are all strained and feel overused, suggesting that Luthor didn't stop at all until Mr. Terrific finally knocked him out. Speaking of which, damn, his head hurts. And, on top of it all, he's starving. Starving like he's burned about a billion times more calories than he's taken in. His stomach is actually hurting.
Thank God he's finally reached the ---
The completely destroyed cafeteria.
If he doesn't kill Luthor the next time he sees him, it'll be a miracle in itself.
Wally notices the kitchen staff is gone too. Probably had to be evacuated. He sighs tragically, then zooms into the kitchen area, which was mercifully spared any damage, and starts digging in the industrial-sized fridge. Stuffs a few random things in his mouth to hold him over while he searches for the ingredients for the Best Sandwich Ever. Makes five of them and they're gone in less than a minute.
He's halfway through a bucket of Ben and Jerry's Chunky Monkey when Green Lantern finds him.
"Figures you'd be here."
"Aw, were you looking for me? Didn't know you cared, G."
John rolls his eyes. Wally was definitely back. "Just wanted to make sure you were all right."
Wally actually hesitates as he sets the ice cream down on the counter in front of him. He remembers right after the speed force incident, banging on John's apartment door in the middle of the night, breathing hard from running full out Missouri to Michigan, needing someone to reassure him that he wasn't as stupidly alone as the nightmares made him feel.
He knows damn well that John cares.
But this time he just plasters on the trademark Flash grin. "Now that there's not much of a chance of me starving to death, I'm just fine." He pats his stomach for effect.
John opens his mouth to reply, but before he can call Wally a liar, the speedster is on the other side of the caf staring at the forks imbedded high on the wall.
"You guys just had to pick the cafeteria, didn't you? Couldn't do battle somewhere I don't care for quite as much...like the conference room, maybe?"
GL raises an eyebrow at him. "He was the one who ran in here. Besides, it was interesting to see you throw food away from yourself for once."
"Yeah, I bet." Wally absently picks up and straightens out a knocked over chair. He pauses for what would usually count as an eternity to him, then just before John could ask if he was okay again (Wally could sense it was coming), he says, "There's more, isn't there?"
"What?"
"More of..." Wally waves an arm vaguely towards the damage. "...this."
By the look on GL's face, Wally knows there is. Has a feeling they're all lucky the Watchtower is still floating in space, right where it's supposed to be. "Show me."
"Flash, I don't think --"
"Fine. Then you can wait here for the thirty seconds it'll take me to --"
"No." GL crosses his arms in front of his chest. "Let's go down to the planet. I'll buy us some Chinese food and we can watch some of that show you're always going on about...what's it called? Office something?"
Now it was Wally's turn to roll his eyes. Sometimes he thinks John lives under a rock. "The Office." And he did not always go on about it. He had just gotten a bit excited when Jim and Pam had finally started dating, is all.
Wally's eyes narrow as he realizes John has succeeded in distracting him, if only for a moment. He knows the man is only trying to protect him. Probably remembering the late night visits himself.
But the speedster really isn't in the mood to deal with an over-protective Green Lantern. "John, I just want to know why everyone is looking at me like I've suddenly started kicking puppies for fun."
"They know it was Luthor."
"But he was doing it in my body! Things only I could have done. Right? Like when the evil snake guys took control of all of you and Superman tried to fry my brain with his frigging eyes." Wally turns away, continuing in a softer voice. "Didn't you want to know what happened? The time you lost?"
Okay, maybe that was pushing it. It wasn't like he had actually lost time, he had just been spending it elsewhere. While his body was here. With someone else.
A very happy therapist. Right.
John's expression softens just a bit. "All right, hotshot. Let's go."
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Wally isn't sure what he's expecting as they get closer to the Javelin Bay. Luthor was obviously trying to get out of the Tower and back to Earth.
He takes a moment to be incredibly grateful he didn't succeed. The looks from his fellow heroes are bad enough; he'd hate to think what the people would do.
"Hey," GL's voice breaks through his thoughts. "Here."
They had stopped at the completely demolished bay doors. It looked like a bomb had gone off. Wally's afraid it was actually much worse.
"He vibrated the doors so hard, they exploded," GL offers helpfully.
Wally reaches out to touch the melted, twisted metal. Still warm. "Well, that would explain the bruises," he mutters. Vibrating through things had always sucked. No matter how careful he was, they always exploded. And that only meant pain for him and those who happened to be nearby. It's why he pretty much never does it.
"What was that?" John looks at him sharply, knowing there's something Wally isn't telling him.
The speedster just shakes his head. "Nothing." He takes a chance at looking beyond the doors and into the bay itself. His eyes widen in disbelief. If he'd thought the cafeteria was bad…
"Holy shit." …then the Javelin Bay was a freaking warzone. "I call dibs on being on the other side of the universe when Batman finds out."
"He'll know it wasn't your fault, Wally. No one is going to blame you."
Wally sighs. "Let me guess: F-5 tornado?"
"Pretty much. Well, I tore the top half of that javelin off…and Red Tornado did something to counter what you did. Er, what he did. Sorry."
Wally shrugs. Probably won't be the first time someone does that. It's not like he can really hold it against them.
He tears his eyes away from the damage and turns around. "I've seen enough." Doesn't even bother asking if there's more. He no longer wants to see it. There's been a lot of talk about Superman and the rest of the League going rogue, but somehow that never seemed to include him. He feels like he's going through a "What If?" scenario, and it scares him more than he cares to admit.
GL puts a hand on his shoulder. "You okay?"
Wally manages a weak smile and gives the most honest answer he can. "I will be."
John gives his shoulder a reassuring squeeze that says volumes of things: don't worry, everything will work out in the end, don't hesitate to drop by tonight if you need to. "Now how about that Chinese?"
The weak smile turns into a grin that lights up the room as they start walking. "Absolutely. I feel like I haven't eaten in –"
"Minutes? Seconds?"
"Ha ha. Very funny. You wouldn't last a day with a metabolism like mine."
John shakes his head. "Probably not."
Then there's a silence that stretches out a bit longer than normal, especially with Flash there. Until he speaks. "Hey, John."
GL glances at him. "Yeah, hotshot?"
"Thanks."
John smirks. "You can repay me by never going evil on us."
Wally smiles, but doesn't reply. Knows he doesn't have to.
It's an easy promise to make.
END.
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Notes:
1. Title from the song "Ordinary" by Train.
2. Wally runs "from Missouri to Michigan" because in the comics Central City is located in Missouri and (I took this from other fics I've read, so I apologize if it's wrong) John lives in Detroit. Don't think that was ever mentioned on the show.
Well…yeah, that's all I have to say about that. Please get my new year started off right by reviewing! It would make my week. Possibly my month. Oh! If you're like me (I know I am) and are a big Flash fan, I highly recommend the song "The Ballad of Barry Allen" by Jim's Big Ego. I know it says "Barry Allen" but I hear 100 percent Wally in it. It's like a little angst fic wrapped in a song!