I promised I would start it soon, and so I did!
I'll say now that I don't wanna hear any whines on time skips D: I HAVE to skip some time. I am not going to write out every single day of his life _
Add in the following: I am changing quite a few things. In YJ, I feel that they made everyone save KF and Rob LACKING D: Seriously lacking. Artemis is in constant PMS I hate the world mode and Superboy reminds me of the goddamned hulk. I love them too much for that so I will explain IN THE STORY why they changed a bit. I don't mean to offend, if anything I just want to make them more likeable ( I asked for opinions on this, everyone agreed, if you don't, blame them)
Right now, this is going to be my drag Wally through the mud portion of the story. It's going to last a little while. He needs to hit rock bottom so he can rebuild himself and grow up a bit from the idealistic life which is Happy Harbor :3
I love Wally more than the sun itself so know that everything I do to him I do with love and hurt in my tiny heart =/
Again, thanks to anyone that actually stayed with me for this, I am more than open to suggestions but don't make it a whine fest D: no " WHY DID YOU DO THIS AND NOT THAT!" Just, suggest it to me, stories can be changed. We writers are like GOD, we roll that way xD
I'll be waiting for the rage fest you guys are going to throw at me in the reviews ^~;
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It had been a week since Dick had left. No one at all had heard from him and I'm sure the only person worse off than me was Bats. He was all over the place with his anger. He wouldn't even look at me. Heck I wouldn't even look at me. Not like I could. After 3 days of not getting out of bed or eating, I'd been hospitalized. Uncle Barry found me not too far from having my own metabolism eat my muscle tissue down to the point where I'd die and literally ran me to the emergency room claiming I'd been starving myself for weeks as opposed to days to hide my powers.
I hated hospitals and despite being in one, I didn't even have the energy to protest. I lifted my thinning wrist to look at the iv and dropped it with a thud back onto the hospital bed. The news was on, no surprise there since that was the only channel that seemed to get something other than static in this place. My team was out there, fighting the Injustice League and I was here, being useless drowning in my own self pity but, how could I not? My everything kinda jumped out of a window and left me in the middle of the night.
Bats wasn't being much more useful than me. He at least made up with Roy in time to have support through it. Best I had, which really wasn't so bad, was Uncle Barry, Aunt Iris and Artemis. The others came by now and then to say hi but it was obvious how disturbed they were by my weight loss. Artemis was especially concerned. She came by almost every day, and sat there talking to me, even when I didn't respond. She even went so far as to feed me when the nurses lost patience. I couldn't keep anything down, not even the stuff I was fed through a tube which made it harder for everyone.
The entire time I was down, Artemis would make fun of me and laugh at her own jokes as though nothing had happened. She didn't pity me in the least which in all honesty, helped. I had enough pity on myself for the world. Didn't need more, at all.
"Hey Kid Moron, hurry up and get annoying again. I don't have patience for you sulking around. You're starting to get ugly to boot, you don't even have a nice ass anymore. Eat something and go work out." Artemis said ruffling my hair, pushing it into my face playfully.
I gave her a weak smile and nodded. I wish it were that easy.
It took a little over a month before I was able to eat a full plate of food and not vomit, even though I still couldn't feed myself. At this point, I was allowed out of bed and into a wheel chair which again, Artemis pushed me around in without a single word of complaint. She knew how much I hated it, looking at my legs and seeing the skin practically glued to my bones. I gripped my thigh as hard as I could with my hand, squeezing it and crying when I couldn't feel it. I continued squeezing until my nails broke skin and cried shamelessly in frustration because I still couldn't feel it. Artemis didn't say a word; she just pulled my hand away and replaced the blanket on my lap, holding my head to her shoulder as I cried like an idiot.
Around the second month I was finally released into physical rehab. I'd lost enough muscle mass that moving in any way was painful. Aunt Iris set a plate of food on the hospital tray built into my bed and sighed handing me the fork. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath working hard to lift it to the plate. I finally got it high enough and pressed it into the plate, feeling tears of pain build in the corner of my eyes at the strain. Aunt Iris sat by my side and lifted the fork with me, helping me for the next few weeks until I could hold the fork without shaking it so much that the food fell off. Despite the rehab, I couldn't even feel my legs properly. Every single moment of it, every little conquest was slow but I managed to slowly get back to being independent enough to at least eat and drop into my chair so I could shower and use the bathroom.
Its amazing how much we take the dumbest of things for granted. I realized that as I tried to sign my name to a release form and could barely form the 'W' without using every ounce of focus I had. Even then it still looked like a two year old wrote it. After a full forty minutes, I managed 'Wally' which they settled for and got in the car to head back to Uncle Barry's place.
From then on, Aunt Iris was with me every day and when the three month mark rolled around, even Superboy was in on it along side Artemis. Kon, as we'd taken to calling him instead, was there during the harder parts of my recovery. Once he got past his fear or losing me, since he didn't cope well with any loss at all, he began making a point of being there beside me. During the physical recovery and muscle building routines I was assigned, Artemis bitched for me to get past the pain in her own caring way while Kon would silently help me through it. We'd meet every day at the pool and he'd push on my legs making me force them even more when I walked from one end of the pool to the other.
Originally I was concerned about how this would affect him and M'Gann, Last I saw they were inseparable but recently… He and M'Gann seemed to be a little distant from each other but they didn't seem bitter over it so I wasn't really sure if they'd just lost the fanaticism for each other or if they had simply ended it well. She'd always bring us snacks during hydro-therapy and watch over us patiently until we needed towels which confirmed that they were at least friends. It was kind of cool to know that my friends cared; even Aqualad did his best to be supportive when he wasn't being crushed under Bats' thumb.
x-x
Finally six months had passed and I was walking somewhat normally again thanks to my accelerated healing. I could even run short distances now with a little effort. My muscle tone had returned for the most part and the hurt of losing Rob was safely tucked away inside. It never left me alone but I had at least kept it down enough to function and be part of the team again.
"Nice ass Wall-man" Artemis cooed, walking by and giving my right cheek a firm squeeze.
I rolled my eyes and stuck my tongue out at her. "Yeah can't say the same for yours."
"Whatever Kid Loser, my ass is fabulous. If you were into chicks you'd so do me." she replied with a wink.
"Not even if you were the last living being on any galaxy."
I heard Kon laugh from the living room and snorted along with him, working my way towards the fridge. I took some of the fruit salad M'Gann had made and crashed on the couch next to Kon just as the alert went off. I groaned and sped ate as we made our way into the debrief room.
I froze when I saw that this was no normal debrief. Batman was there, staring silently at us, more so, at me. This was the first time I'd seen Bats in person since Dick's birthday. Up until now he hated me so much over Dick leaving that he refused to even be in the same building as me so all debriefing had been done over video. But now, standing here, he looked… small? He seemed so grim. We all stood, silently waiting for whatever he had to tell us.
"There have been explosions set off by the Joker. I need you to do damage control and... Assist the surviving victims. I have a funeral I must attend... I will not be present." he informed in an even icier tone as he turned to leave.
I looked around the room and froze at M'Gann's face. She looked horror stricken. Once Bats was gone, she fell into a sitting position and began to cry. I rushed to her side and pulled her into my chest as she sobbed anxiously.
"M'Gann, what is it?" Kaldur asked placing his hand on her shaking shoulders.
"His second Robin... He's dead. I saw it in his mind. He was beaten and then left to die in the explosion... It was so... Batman was so hurt... He stood there holding his corpse in his arms like he was expecting him to just, come back…. Make it go away! Please!" She squealed clutching on to my shirt.
I held her tight against my chest and the rest of the team sullenly joined us on the floor to hold her.
No wonder Bats had come in person. He'd lost two Robins now. Two that he loved like they were his own kids. I didn't know much about his second Robin since much of his year and a half alongside Bats was during my hospital time so I can't really hurt as deeply over it but... Hearing M'Gann's broken whispers against my chest describing how badly he was beaten was enough to make me cry too.
x—x – eight months later-
"Seriously, you don't see it KF?" Artemis asked propping her head on my lap as she stared at M'Gann in the kitchen.
"Well, regardless of what I don't see, I don't think we should be discussing it here and now." I replied rapping my knuckle on her forehead.
She rolled her eyes. "If you're worried about her hearing, don't worry, I'll say it loud enough so she can join in the action too."
"SO KF. M'GANN IS TOTALLY TAPPING KAL." Artemis yelled, cupping her hands around her mouth for the added flare.
I smacked my forehead with my hand and heard pans clatter and clang in the kitchen as they fell to the floor.
"Happy?" She asked smugly.
"Ecstatic." I replied daring a brief glance at the kitchen.
M'Gann stood, a bright red spreading across her horror stricken face.
I heard a snicker coming from behind us on the couch and turned to see Kon standing with his head cocked to the side in amusement, joining in my stare down of M'Gann. Kon had loosened up a lot in the last year. He'd gotten over his daddy issues which oddly enough led to Supes taking him in and moving him permanently to Kansas with his parents. Now he was just kinda… smug. Like he had some kind of inside joke no one was in on but him. I'm going to take a shot in the dark and guess this was one of those.
"What, not like I didn't know." Kon said, pointing to his ears before joining us on the couch, using Artemis' thighs as a chair.
Artemis choked back a laugh and I bit my bottom lip to do the same as all three of us stared at her. She turned even redder and floated out of the kitchen with her hands balled up at her side. Artemis, Kon and I looked at each other and let out the laugh we were holding in. I was gasping for air trying to kill the laughter but every time we looked at each other again, a whole new round kicked in and left us all in extremely funny pain.
"Ok, ok enough!" Artemis whined, wiping her tears as she shoved Kon off of her so she could sit.
"Yeah, enough." I agreed.
"So, what are we doing for your birthday?" Kon asked twirling the remote in the air.
"Dude, just because you realized you have TTK doesn't mean you need to rub it in." Artemis snapped pulling the remote down.
Kon gave one of his cocky smirks and shrugged kicking his feet up on the table.
"Dude, doesn't it bug you that Kal is, doing 'y'know what' with M'Gann?" I asked
"Don't avoid the subject Wally, birthday first, M'Gann tapping Kal after." He replied
"I don't know, can we just, watch something on tv and eat?" I sighed.
"No, you didn't celebrate your twenty-first, this year we're going to do something." Artemis replied thumbing rapidly through the channels.
"Fine, lets watch a movie - in public." I added for good measure.
"Better. Not perfect but, it is progress man." Kon replied snatching the remote back with his TTK and putting on some old eighties action movie.
"Oh come on, you have got to be kidding if you think I'm watching some shitty eighties re-run."
"Door is right there babe, help yourself." Kon replied with a smooth flick and wave of his wrist in the direction of the door.
"Ugh. I liked you better when you were angry all the time." She replied bitterly crossing her arms over her chest.
"And I liked it better when you vocalized your feelings about how hot I am." He said with a wink.
I snorted thinking back to how weird we all were at first. If anyone told me this day was going to happen back then, I'd have them locked up in Arkham from the pure blasphemy of the words they were saying. Kon, Artemis and I, on the couch, being friends. I never thought it was possible, that's for sure. Especially given how much Kon reminded me of the goddamned Hulk. ' KON ANGRY, KON SMASH!'
I snorted in amusement at the thought. Good thing Kon and M'Gann didn't have kids, they'd be the spitting image of the green man in question. Actually, that brought on a whole new wave of laughter which I failed to hold in.
Kon and Artemis turned to glare at me, demanding in on my joke with their eyes.
"The Hulk!" I snorted between laughs.
"Yes, that totally makes sense." Kon replied narrowing his eyes even more.
"You and M'gann. If you… had kids back w-w-when you were… angry." I forced out nearly choking on my tears.
Artemis' eyebrows arched up and Kon choked on his air. It was all of three seconds before Artemis joined me laughing and Kon snorted giving me the finger.
"May I ask what is so humorous?" Kaldur asked stepping into the living room.
"The Hulk!" Artemis squeaked between her laughs.
"They say if I had kids with M'Gann back then, they would have been something like the Hulk." Kon amended with a shrug.
Kaldur broke a smile out and shook his head in disapproving humor. "I see. May I also ask why you feel as though you must scream of my relationship with M'Gann?"
Kon cracked an invisible whip in the air and smirked at Artemis. "Bussteedd."
"Oh come on Kal, I was joking. It's not exactly a secret." She huffed, tossing her hands in the air.
"Besides dude, you know Artemis and her big mouth. Since no one making use of it, she's spewing crap, as always." I said giving her a crooked smile.
"Fuck you Wally."
"No thanks. We've been over this. You're so not my type." I replied patting her head.
Kaldur chuckled and gave another head shake. "So I see, now if you'll be so kind as to excuse me."
Kon gave him the thumbs up with one hand and made a half cone around his mouth with the other. "Get it Kal!"
Artemis snickered and Kaldur cringed before speeding his pace up a little.
"You guys are terrible man." I said holding my hands up for high fives.
Just as Kon pulled his hand away from mine, the system announced Batman's arrival. We all looked at each other nervously and pulled away from the ball we'd grouped ourselves into and turned to see just as it announced an unrecognized user. I felt a huge wave of nausea kick in my gut as a lean, black haired guy, maybe eighteen or so, stepped in behind Batman in an altered Robin suit. I felt Artemis' hand in mine and Kon tensed probably hearing my heart beat shoot into the roof of my mouth.
"Is this some kind of sick joke?" Kon snapped, jumping over the back of the couch.
The anger was rolling off of him in waves, almost worse than when he first joined us. He stomped over purposefully until he was nose to nose with Batman and pulled him down by the front of his suit.
"You get that thing out of here or I will paint my room with your blood." He growled.
The boy flinched at Kon's words but otherwise stood perfectly still. Batman growled right back and brushed Kon away.
"This is no Joke. Superboy, Artemis, Kid Flash, this is Robin. He's going to be working with you. I expect no problems."
"Fuck you. I snapped bitterly.
"That's not fucking Robin. Dick is Robin. That's some homeless kid you picked up to be your next charity case before he runs away or gets killed!"
Batman flinched and the guy backed away. I didn't even realize I'd gotten up, much less that I was almost on top of them. He lifted his hand to his face and pulled the mask off looking up at me expectantly.
"You're right. Batman chose his words poorly. Allow me to amend. I'm Tim. I don the mantle of Robin but I am not, in anyway, Robin. As for your comment, I am quite well housed, my father and step mother are wonderful people so I request you take that back." He said calmly plucking his gloves off finger by finger.
"If you're so well off, why are you even here? How did he suck you in to this fuck fest? Are you suicidal?" I yelled inching closer to his face.
"Wally enough!" Bruce growled pulling me back.
" I didn't want to take him, I know the consequences. This was purely his choice. He found out who I was, he found out who Dick was. He was at the circus the night when Dick's parents died and given his fondness for their act, was able to figure out that Dick was Robin and linked us. You will stand down and be respectful of your new teammate, are we clear?"
"Yeah, as clear as your damned personality. Plus, what do I care, he's going to die soon anyway." I said before turning back to the couch.
I noticed Kon had stopped and was oddly… calm. He'd gone from Hulk mode to… whatever that was. Well not whatever, clearly he was drooling over something. I followed his eyes back to Tim and groaned. This wasn't going to end well. He was already in fully dazed mode, checking the guy out from head to toe. Didn't even know Kon swung that way.
I balled my hands into fists, wanting nothing more than to go back and break them on Batman's face and stormed to the couch, oblivious to the rest of the world as I stared at the crappy movie like it was the sun in my life. This was the last thing I needed. I was slowly starting to not cry every night when I slept, despite the nightmares. This was almost like going back to square one.
"Do you have some freaking endless supply of little boys? What's wrong with you?" Artemis threw out, clearly not satisfied with the way this ended.
"I do not have to explain myself to you." Batman chided coldly.
"The moment you throw some horrible flash back in as part of my team, yes, yes you do."
"Artemis, chill. He doesn't seem that bad." Kon said.
"That's because you're already fucking him in your brain, now shut up before I throw you in the mix."
I had to turn and see Kon's face after that. I twisted slightly to see Kon with a deep set frown and the other little smug shit was blushing. The guy had barely been here and already Kon wanted to take my boyfriend's replacement. How touching.
"You're a shit friend Kon. You know how messed up this is." I whispered low enough so that I knew only he would hear and left the room.
x—x
The next few weeks were tense. You could see the clear line drawn around each one of us as we danced around each other. Artemis and I were no longer on speaking terms with Kon or the new guy and they avoided us like the plague. Kaldur and M'Gann tried to play both sides of the field but eventually tired out and simply kept to themselves. We ended up not celebrating my birthday, not like I was up for celebrating anything after that. All I wanted was for him to be gone and stop being a painful reminder of what I'd lost.
The first mission we had together was a total disaster, amp the dis on it. No one worked together, no one communicated. I told M'Gann that if I heard his voice in my head I'd make sure she never heard mine again so that left us with this. A bunch of aged teens in spandex without a clue as to what we were doing. Kon kept trying to protect the guy as if he couldn't take care of himself which pissed him off, Artemis, Kaldur and I went on while they tagged behind like defiant little kids which left them wide open to attacks; which is exactly what happened.
One of Sports Master's men grabbed the new guy (who I will never call by name), and impaled him through the shoulder into a wall while Kon fought off another twenty. Kaldur and M'Gann turned back and dealt with the henchmen and Kon was instantly by his side, in a frenzy to take care of him. I simply took my goggles off and threw them down turning to go back to the base.
"Screw this." I mumbled before speeding off.
Ever since that, I limited more and more of my action in missions until I simply refused to go on missions altogether until that little crap left. Batman clearly had a rage fit every time I told him I wasn't going. He'd pulled me from the team, frustrated when I simply didn't care. Uncle Barry somehow got him to put me back though, each and every time, much to my displeasure.
I didn't want to let him or Aunt Iris down but I wouldn't, couldn't work with a wanna-be of my boyfriend. Dick was supposed to be here with us, not some little Sherlock that kissed Batman's ass for a living.
After the ninth failed mission in a row, Kon came into my room, leaning against the door with a heavy sigh.
"We need to talk."
"You need to go back to your pod until they implant what friendship means into your brain." I retorted.
"Shut up and listen Wally. I get that you're pissed, I do. But it's not like that. He's not trying to be your Rob. He's not Dick and he doesn't want to be."
"Do you have any idea how long it took for me to know Rob was Dick? And that Batman was Bruce? Now everyone knows it like it's on a damned tabloid and he prances in here in a Robin knock off saying I have to take him as a Bro because he's brainy?" I asked dumbfounded.
"No… Wally, at least don't ditch me. I get that you're going to take a while to deal with this, I don't blame you man but come on. Don't hate me. I can't help that I like him." He said sitting with his back to the door.
"We went through a lot together this last year Wally, don't put us back lower than square one."
"Kon, you messed this up the second you put him over us. Especially after what you just said- what we went through this last year. You should know better than to ditch me for some… cheap fuck." I spat out.
Kon snarled and snapped his head up at me. "Wally, don't go there. Just, don't. I haven't touched him. I like Tim, that's all. I went the wrong way when he first got here, getting crazy that way over him and not talking to you about it first but this isn't helping man, this is just stupid. We're friends. Damned good ones."
"Kon, I get that but you can't expect me to pretend that didn't hurt. That you didn't ditch me for him." I replied.
"Can we work on it?" he asked, pleading at me with his eyes.
"He's not allowed near me, I don't want to hear about him, no trying to sway me to him or anything related to him."
"Wally, you're being lame man."
"Kon. No means no. I don't want anything to do with him. This hurts Kon. You don't get it because it's not you. You don't know how much Dick hurt me. Actually, I take that back. You do know, you were there teaching me how to walk again after my own metabolism ate away at my body." I hissed.
He cringed, probably remembering, and nodded. "I'm sorry." He whispered walking over and falling into bed me, drawing me into a tight hug.
I nodded and hugged him back. "Let's try Kon, let's try."
x—x
The next few days went by a little smoother, Kon, Artemis and I were talking again. The kid was completely cast aside much to my relief and I'm going to assume Kon gave him attention when I wasn't around, which I couldn't care less about. As long as it was out of view, it was out of mind. The only time I was forced to see it was late one night when I was walking to the kitchen to get something to eat. Given the hour, Kon probably didn't expect me to be out so he was with his little replacement.
He was sitting on Kon's lap, facing him with Kon's hand sliding up his thighs as they made out nosily on the couch. The only thing saving me from vomiting is that it made me realize how nothing like Dick the kid really was. He was holding Kon's hand in place and trying to pull back from the kiss. He was shy and clearly not ok with being felt up. I gave a smug grin and opened the fridge dramatically letting the little moron know he'd been caught. I heard him gasp and fall to the floor with a thud as he scrambled to get off of Kon.
I bit in a laugh knowing Kon would hear me if I even snorted and took an apple, kicking the fridge closed and practically floating in satisfaction back to my room. Not too long after, there was an all too familiar knock on my door.
"Yeah Kon?"
I sat with my back against the wall, happily crunching down on the apple as he walked in looking an inch from punching me into next week.
"What the hell was that?"
"That was me getting food." I replied casually, holding up the apple.
"Don't mess with me Wally. I know you don't like him and I've been trying really, really hard to keep things separate but… you crossed the line."
"I swear it actually wasn't on purpose. I really was hungry. You guys were making out in the living room. Next time, take it to one of your rooms." I said taking the last bite of my apple.
"He's not comfortable with being in a bedroom. He says it's too intimate."
"He's shy." I stated more than asked
"Yeah. Very." Kon replied moving to sit next to me.
"Sorry Kon. I won't lie and say I didn't enjoy him watching him fall flat on his ass when I walked in on you two but I will say I honestly didn't mean to. If you want me to avoid the living room late at night, I'll try."
Kon held his fist up and I pressed mine to it before we slid our hands open and twined our fingers. "Sounds good man. Thanks. I know this is hard."
"Yeah, a little."
Kon chuckled and pulled my head under his arm.
"You sure you won't even talk to him?"
"Why are you so bent on it?"
"Because, you're the only bro I have, I kinda want you to get along with the guy I like." He half whispered.
God, I wish I was more of an ass. I really, really do. As much as I was hurting, it wasn't fair to Kon to have to sneak around. I guess the kid really didn't know what happened either. Only one I wasn't easing up on was Bats. He knew full and well what he was doing. He was still going to get his if I had anything to do with it.
"Kon… Fine."
"Really?" He asked eagerly, almost falling over as the blankets tangled into his leg.
"Really, now hurry up before I change my mind." I said with a half smile.
Kon jumped off the bed and scrambled out after Tim. I was going to have to get used to him not being an object.
Not too long after he'd left, he walked in with Tim's hand twined in his. The kid looked calm but the blush on his face said otherwise.
"Batman is going to have your head if you let your face show how you feel." I said turning my eyes toward his.
He nodded and stood there awkwardly staring around my room, taking it in, inch by inch. When he was satisfied with his evaluation, he reached over taking a picture of me and Dick into his hand with a brief flash of sadness bursting across his eyes.
"I really am sorry for upsetting you. You loved him very much, didn't you?" he asked tracing the frame with his fingers.
"Still do. Hasn't changed. He's not dead… Even if he was, wouldn't change a thing…" I replied holding my hand out for the frame.
Tim handed it to me and I held it to my chest feeling tears drop down onto the legs of my pants. Kon sat down and pulled my head onto his shoulder.
"I…" Tim started taking a step forward then back.
I held my hand up and he slid under my arm, opposite Kon and hugged me, pressing me firmly between them. I cried for a little while longer, one arm around Tim and the other holding the frame to my chest. It kind of hurt a little less when I wasn't alone. I guess for once, Kon was right, I was being lame.
"Tim, s-sorry for being such an ass." I mumbled into Kon's shoulder.
"It's fine. I didn't do much to help the cause."
We sat there, curled into each other for another hour or so until Kon pushed me off and walked over to the door, turning off the light and rejoined us on the bed.
"I know you haven't been sleeping since Tim got here… want us to stay with you?" Kon asked, sitting next to me again.
I nodded my silent reply and shifted to lie down.
"Tim, is this ok with you?" Kon asked, clearly forgetting Tim's shyness.
"Yeah. Just… don't do anything weird."
"Please." I added for emphasis glaring at Kon.
Kon huffed and wiggled in on my right and Tim on my left. Kon reached over and took Tim's hand in his resting it over my chest and yawned turning sideways, resting his head on my shoulder. Tim turned and copied his position, both falling asleep within minutes. I stared up at the ceiling for a while longer until I felt myself get sleepy and for the first time in nearly two years, I didn't have a nightmare.
x-x
In the morning, I woke up to find Tim gone and Kon thrown over me like a broken rag doll. I rolled out from under him and walked into the kitchen throwing in any form of food that came into view.
When Uncle Barry was announced over the system and walked in, I expected to get chewed out for my previous behavior so I instantly filled my mouth with a million and one things to shoot back in my defense and tell him it was over until I saw the dejected look on his face.
"Wally, can I see you somewhere alone for a moment?"
I nodded and deflated my chest with a short puff of air and followed him out to the garage. He set a hand on my shoulder, pulling me against his chest and sighed.
Whatever it was, he was making me anxious with it. He seemed to be searching for words. Uncle Barry wasn't a thinker when it comes to words so this can't be a good sign.
"Uncle Barry?"
"Wally…" He whispered.
"Come on, just, tell me what it is, I hate suspense…"
" Your grandma… she passed away a few days ago… We just found out. Iris called her and after no reply, I ran over and…"
I nodded and pushed him away sitting with my back against the cold wall.
"Please leave."
He nodded and took a few steps away where he was no longer in my line of vision. I knew he was still there but I didn't care. I broke down again letting both of the losses, Dick and my grandma meld into one. Things never get better, do they?