What If? - Horrible Price

Summary- Story takes place after Endgame. Although, with slight changes. Wally is alive, and had saved the world, but with a horrible cost, as they lose their mentor, Barry Allen. Wally is trying to cope with his uncle's death, but with a little help from a certain spitfire.

Wally slouched down into the couch, ran his hands through his ginger hair and sighed. He desperately hoped that those gruesome images of Barry Allen erased from his thoughts. This is what he got for returning into the heroic life. This is what he deserved for being so...slow. He just wasn't fast enough. During the intense moment, while Wally was being blasted by the Chrysilis energy, Barry's first thought was to slow down, so he'd become the target. Wally watched as his uncle vanished, and for the sky to become clear again. He blinked back his tears, and tried to think positive, but the memory slowly appeared into his mind.

Flashback

"Barry! Why are you slowing down?!" Wally yelled, as he realized that the Flash was slowing down on purpose. It took a moment for the young speedster to realize that he was fading back into the world. He looked up back at his mentor, who was being struck by what seems to be lightning, with each time making him grow more dim. Wally was just about to halt to a stop to help him, until a voice was heard in their communicators.

"It's working! Keep it going!"

Wally continued running, taking one last glimpse of his uncle, until he vanished, after he told his ex-sidekick his one last request.

"Just tell them, okay?" Those were the last and only words he was able to make out, before he gradually disappeared.

That was when it all ended- all the mayhem. The young speedsters suddenly stopped as the area was cleared. They were congratulated by their teammates, until the team realized Wally's expression, and realized that the Flash was no where to be seen.

End of Flashback

My choice, my mentor, my uncle, my fault. I should've never tried to help, Wally thought, with his head cupped into his hands.

"I am such an idiot", he said to himself, with his eyes shut.

"You're right about that", Wally looked up to find his little spitfire, smirking with her right hand placed on her hip. Her smile disappeared as soon as she saw the frown on her boyfriend's face and sat down beside him, taking his hand and squeezing it, in the process.

"Wally", she paused to lift his chin up to make him look at her, "You have to stop blaming yourself," she continued, "You know there was nothing you could do to save him..,"

"If only I was fast enough...or at least stopped for me to become the targ-"

"And what? Leave me? Leave Dick? Leave everyone who loved you? Wally, there's a reason why we left the hero life. I-", Artemis paused to correct herself, "We can't live without each other! If you left...I wouldn't know what i'd do..." She finished, crossing her arms, and letting tears fall down her cheeks. She was suddenly interested in her shoes, wondering what life what be without her dork. What if-...what if he left me?, she thought as tears were streaming down her face. She looked up as a pair of hands cupped her cheeks, and wiped a tear away.

"Hey, hey...i'm here. I'm sorry i've been acting like an idiot lately-", Wally was interupted by a snicker.

"Lately?" The archer asked, as he rolled his eyes.

"I don't think I can ever leave you, Artemis. That's why I was so...distraught when I heard the news. I didn't think i'd admit this after our first meet, but I can't live a life without you, Arty", he whispers as he brings her in for a hug. He rested his head on hers, as she nuzzled into his shoulder, and continued, "But Barry...i'm sorry. He's just...he takes a huge role in my life, Artemis," he sighs before pulling himself away the hug. "He's been my role model, ever since I was young, and I wouldn't be here right now, if it wasn't for him. He's...he's family, and losing a member of it is hard to get over." He admitted, holding tears back, as he held her hand.

"I'm sorry about him, Wally...but at least there's still you and Bart. If it was you or Impulse who died, who else would take Barry's place in the future? As a certain idiotic 15 year-old once said, It doesn't matter how many fall- for new heroes will always rise to carry on, bringing all the resources, their skills, their talents to defeat the enemy," she intertwines their hands.

Wally smiled, "To be honest- I missed life as a hero, despite all the risks we take. I'm okay with it, actually, as long as we stick together and don't do anything stupid."

Artemis smirked and raised a brow, "Just like what you did when you found out about the energy in the Arctic?"

He rolled his eyes, and then placed his lips onto hers, with his hands placed on her waist, while hers are wrapped around his neck, and hoped to be together for eternity, as they knew they couldn't survive without the other.

Author's Note: I hope this one shot was enjoying! Definitely gave me lots of feels ;-; Anyways, this is my first fanfiction and I hope everyone enjoyed it!