November 23, 2010. 22:34
It should've been easy, it was supposed to be an easy patrol. Wally just got back from Qurac, after they met the Logan family. Just an easy run between the two speedsters still in the hero business. 2 of the three speedsters alive, or so they thought.
"Who is this guy?" Wally shouts as he runs away again, dodging another strike. He could see the guy was holding back, but he wasn't about to complain. And at the same time, it terrified him. He was already able to hit him, and obviously holding back. Who was this guy?
"Asks questions later" Barry grits his teeth, head throbbing but it was clear that he had no idea who this guy was. It wasn't Reverse Flash, that was for sure. Reverse Flash didn't wear black. The speedster just stood there, quietly observing them, looking at the both of them.
Wally was faintly aware of the camera's recording them, people watching their every move, the occurrence special, it wasn't often another speedster was introduced. He had been the first in 5 years when he first debuted, and only the third to ever do so. Reverse Flash not included.
"You should know me Flash" The figure spoke, his voice almost broken and changed by using his speed. A feature the two other speedsters could as well, but choose not to at all times.
"Who are you?" Barry spoke, taking one step forwards to inch closer to Wally, in front of him to shield him.
"You can call me Zoom" He spoke, the voice yet again haunting, sending shivers down Wally's spine. "And I am the only reason you are still alive"
"What do you want from us?" Flash screamed, Zoom chuckled, the sound even more terrifying than his voice alone. The menacing sound resonating through the street, and even citizens seem to be taking a step backwards.
"Not us" Zoom shook his head slowly, raising a hand and pointing a finger at Barry. "You Flash, I want you to feel pain" Before anyone could've seen it coming Zoom charged, running straight at Wally.
November 23, 2010. 22:58
"Hey what do you think you're do-" Artemis shouted but Robin sent her a glare that made her shut her mouth. The Boy Wonder had grasped the remote right out of her hand, starting to change the channels while she was still watching a movie.
"Robin what is the matter?" Kaldur asks and Robin grits his teeth, an almost desperate look on his face.
"Roy texted me.. he said something about Wally on the news" He explained until he froze, getting to the right channel. Not even the best camera's used by the reporters could capture the moving speedsters, not Wally, not Barry and not… "A third speedster" Robin muttered to himself, eyes narrowing.
Artemis was now standing as well, standing next to Robin and watching the screen as well.
"This is bad" Robin mutters, wincing as Wally was suddenly thrown onto the ground, ripping his costume near his right shoulder and exposing skin. He was panting slightly and he slowly rose to his feet.
"I thought.. his villains were nice" M'gann whispers.
"It seems this is a new villain" Kaldur voices, his gaze resting on the youngest member of the team for a moment. M'gann whimpered as the figured introduced himself as Zoom, and even Artemis was admittedly jolted by the voice.
"Not us" The team watched as Zoom pointed his finger at Barry. "You Flash, I want you to feel pain" And then Zoom was moving towards the two, too fast to catch on camera. Too fast for them to notice he had snatched Wally, too fast to notice Barry running after Zoom.
"What should we do?" M'gann whispers and Rob grits his teeth walking away and putting his finger to his ear.
"Have you seen the news?" Rob immediately asks as Batman responded on the other side.
He turned around again, pacing. "They are going too fast" Batman responded, a silent order hidden in there. Don't go after them, you won't be able to help Wally and Barry right now.
"I know that!" Dick cried out in frustration.
"..- receiving confirmation from .." Dick whirled around again, sprinting towards the TV again where another reporter was currently seen on screen. "Both Flash and Kid Flash were caught on camera presumably running alongside the other speedster. Moment ago they have passed the border of Ohio"
Robin stilled, feeling terribly helpless right now. He remembered the last time another, evil, speedster had come to Central City. And Barry was left almost critically injured, Wally hadn't fought him, Barry had kept him out of it, because he was still too new to the hero gig to be fighting the Reverse Flash.
And that did the opposite of comforting him. Reverse Flash and Flash were equally as fast. This guy however, if Barry hadn't caught him already..
The rest of the team was too shocked to respond, all watching the television.
"We're getting a live feed from Pennsylvania where Flash And Kid Flash are seen fighting another speedster. Be warned that this is live and we are not sure what is going to happen"
Both Barry and Wally were panting, standing a few meters away from Zoom. Barry's costume was ripped across his chest and waist, and bruises were already developing. Kid had injuries on his shoulder, dark marks appearing on the exposed skin and he was holding his shoulder painfully.
"Flash do you need assistance?" Robin called out.
"He's too fast, stay out of this Robin, that's an order" Barry growled, turning to kid. "You run" He whispers, link still open so Robin was able to hear the order. Wally's eyes widened behind the cowl, ready to shake his head but Barry charged forwards. The scene became one big blur again but not even a split second later Barry was kicked, rolling onto the ground.
He hit the wall hard, crumbling to the ground and coughing up blood.
"Hold on Flash" Someone else on the link called out but Robin paid no attention to it, Zoom ran away again, away from Barry. It was all too fast for them to process but before anyone could even say something, A blur of yellow had fallen to the ground, meters away from the Flash.
"I can't let you get away" Zoom growled, walking over to Wally instead. Kid Flash immediately stood up, trying to hide the wince and charged at Zoom again. They didn't run, instead they threw punches. The movements were too fast, but Wally wasn't running. Zoom was repeatedly hitting him.
His face, his chest, everywhere.
"Kid!" Barry half yelled half coughed but it was too late. Zoom's fist struck Wally's back and he arched with a silent cry, bones breaking through their ear pieces, unable to be heard on the television but it was obvious what had just happened.
"Now you know what pain feels like" Zoom said as he locked eyes with Barry, lifting Wally up by his arm. His green eyes were shut, face laced with immense pain. He twisted, twisting Wally's arms as he did so. This time Wally let out a shout of pain, raising his other arm but too weak to do anything.
The break was heard once again and the whole team winced.
"Batman!" Robin growled, heart beating violently in his chest.
"Zeta to these locations, now!" Batman snapped on the other side and the whole team received the coordinates.
"Aqualad, Superboy, Miss Martian come with me" Robin snapped. "Artemis change, and come as fast as you can!" The blond archer nods, running off to her to get her uniform, but like hell Robin was going to wait for her. Not while Wally was in danger, not while he was injured.
They all stepped through the zeta's, meeting up with Batman as he materialised at the same time.
"Plan?" Robin hurriedly asks and Batman threw something to Robin, doing the same with the rest of the team.
"We're going to freeze the area, place these around the field" Batman ordered, showing them a map, giving each teammate a different location to place the receiver they had just gotten from Batman.
Another cry was heard, followed by a shout of protest. Robin immediately bolted towards his place, rooting the device in place and opening his wrist computer to show live footage of the battle. Wally was now lying on the grass, crooked in an unnatural position at the waist from the broken spine. And at least a broken arm and a broken wrist.
Zoom was currently looming over Barry.
"You're next" He spoke, stomping down on Barry's leg, breaking it immediately. Barry let out a pained yell but Zoom had run away the second the bone broke, hands around Wally's throat and lifting him up. Green eyes widened behind the cowl, his right arm weakly grasping at the arm holding him up.
His legs dangled uselessly.
"Everyone in position?" Superman asks, receiving positive reactions before the devices were activated. The next moment Robin saw Green Lantern and Superman fly at the battlefield, Superman faster and he fired something.
Whatever shot out of the gun hit both Zoom and Wally and Zoom yelled, releasing Wally, who fell to the ground with a pained wheesh. Zoom tried to run away, realising the danger he was in.
"No you don't!" Barry cried out, propelling himself off the ground, ignoring the pulsing pain in his leg and tackled him. The two speedsters collided with the ground, both trying to get up but only Zoom succeeding as he had no broken bones. Superman pointed the gun at him, Zoom's legs slowly turning to ice. An ice gun. Made to stop the Flash might he ever turn evil.
Or to stop an actual evil speedster.
"GL!" Superman shouted and Green Lantern immediately put an inhibitor collar around Zoom. Robin immediately sprung to life, sprinting over to his best friend. He wasn't the first one to crowd around the speedster, but he quickly pushed his way past both his teammates and the justice league.
Superman and GL were handing Zoom while Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter and Superboy had gone to Barry. Batman, M'gann, Aqualad and now Artemis were around Wally.
"KF!" Robin called out, reaching for Wally's right hand with one hand and placing the other one on Wally's chest. The ginger didn't respond, eyes closed and bleeding from his nose and other wounds in his face. "M'gann" Robin chokes on a sob and slowly he feels the mindlink probing in his mind.
"M'gann, lift Wally up with your telekinesis" Aqualad orders almost quietly, as much as that could in the mindlink.
M'gann nodded quietly, eyes glowing green as she slowly lifted Wally up, lifting herself off the ground as well.
"Miss Martian, let Martian Manhunter take over. Kid Flash will need to go to the Watchtower" Batman orders as MM flies up next to Miss Martian, eyes flashing green and M'gann nods, lowering herself on the ground but Wally was still floating, now held up by Martian Manhunter.
"I'm coming" Robin states and Batman glares at him but Robin glares right back, walking up to Batman, and following Martian Manhunter and Wonder Woman carrying Wally and Barry respectively. Both speedsters were unconscious right now but Barry was in a much better condition.
Robin tensed slightly as Batman ordered to authorise Robin as well and he materialised in the watchtower. He knew what it looked like after hacking Batman's files, but he had never actually been here.
Batman however put a hand on Robin's shoulder, crouching down.
"Wally will need surgery, you can't see him just yet Robin. You can wait in my quarters" Batman said, leaving no room to refuse. So Robin silently allowed Batman to lead him through the Watchtower, ignoring the looks he was getting from some of the other members until Batman stopped in front of the door.
As soon as the door was closed behind them Robin took off his mask, looking back at an equally unmasked Bruce.
"He will be okay... right?" Dick whispers softly and Bruce sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"They don't know Dick" Bruce almost whispers, knowing how much Wally meant to his son. "Fast healing isn't always a gift, they burn through painkillers too fast, and they heal too quickly"
Dick is silent, staring up to his father with a lost look in his eyes and Bruce sighs again, walking over to his son. "Wally's spine is probably already healing right now, it's going to be difficult to get it healed the right way, we'll just have to be patient" Bruce says, ready to walk away but Dick shuffled closer to him.
Then without saying anything Bruce scoops up his son, putting him on the bed and tugging him in. Dick frowns, struggling slightly. "I'm not tired Bruce!" He screams, and instead of glaring like Dick thought he was going to, he kept calm.
"I know you're not, but surgery with an injury like this takes hours to complete.. with Wally's metabolism this will undoubtedly be longer. Rest now so you can be there when he gets out of surgery"
November 24, 2010. 09:27
The sight in front of him shocked him, and he recoiled, as if he was struck by lightning. He could feel a strong hand clasp on his shoulder but he didn't pay attention to it, shrugging it off lightly as he took a step forwards again.
Barry was sitting next to the hospital bed, a hand on the bed but not touching his nephew as he watched the latter with tired eyes. Unlike Dick, he hadn't closed his eyes for longer than a minute after the attack. He was fatigued and buzzing with energy at the same time, dark bags under his eyes already.
Wally was… if Bruce hadn't assured him he would be okay… he just.. he looked horrible.
His whole skin, what was visible of it, was covered in a layer of sweat that didn't seem to be stopping. There was a nurse constantly dabbing the sweat away but it wasn't long before more replaced it. His lips were pale, and his eyes were tinted red all around.
His skin was blue and black in most places, only a minimum part was still his original colour. His freckles were hidden by endless bruises which continued in the neck, hand shaped bruises on it. The exposed part of his collarbones was bruised as well, a sickening mixture of red, blue and black.
His left arm was tightly secured to his body, in a thick cast hidden under the tape that strapped it to his body. Bandages were wrapped around the arm as a whole and his torso, going underneath his right, non-broken arm as non-injured arm wouldn't be right to say right now.
The arm, laying on top of the covers and spared of the bandages or casts, was horribly bruised as well. His neck was fitted in a tight brace to keep him from moving his neck, while his head was also fastened to the bed by a brace and his body was fastened with a harness as well.
"KF?" Dick whispers softly, walking up to his best friend. Silent tears were continuously pushed past Wally's closed eyelids and he whimpered, a low pitiful sound.
"He can't talk" Barry mutters grimly and Dick snaps his head up. "Not like that" Barry shakes his head, running a hand over his head and rubbing his eyes.
"He didn't damage his vocal cords don't worry, he's just .. in too much pain and too far gone to talk" This wasn't right, Barry should've never spoken of Wally like this. He didn't deserve this, after everything that had happened to him, after everything that had happened to Wally. They didn't deserve to be here.
"Hey buddy" Dick whispers, placing a careful hand on the bed, not trusting himself to touch the younger speedster. Wally blinked sluggishly, eyes evident with a fever, which itself should already worry Dick enough. A few more tears slipped past Wally's eyes and he closed them again.
Not waking up for hours again.
November 24, 2010. 13:57
"It's bad" Robin admits softly, not daring to look at the screen.
"Have you seen him already my friend?" Kaldur asks, even he couldn't keep the panic out of his voice completely. M'Gann was huddled in Superboy's arms, renewed tears at the bad news Rob had just given, not worse than previous updates.. just.. Wally wasn't improving yet, still unconscious.
"I have.. but Barry told me to leave for a while to tell you guys and to .. clear my head" Robin spoke, Roy placing a comforting hand on Robin's shoulder as the younger spoke. Besides Robin, Roy was the only one allowed to go up to the watchtower to watch over Wally. No one else on the team could.
"Keep us updated" Artemis spoke softly, giving Robin a small apologetic smile before disconnecting the call herself. Robin didn't say anything, hanging his head and allowing Roy to wrap his arms around him.
Batman eventually found them two hours later, Roy holding Robin close to his chest while the latter slept, eyes closed and looking really small in Roy's hold. Roy looked up, almost daring Batman to wake up his little brother.
"Wally has been rushed into surgery again" Batman spoke softly again, standing in front of Roy. The archer doesn't respond, mouth open before pressing it shut and tears burning in his eyes. Wally was… in surgery again. "His spine wasn't set correctly the first time, it caused dangerous swelling and infection" Batman offered an explanation, pulling his cowl off.
Roy was too emotionally drained and too shocked to lash out to Bruce, or the doctors for failing to do their job in the first place. And for the first time in many scenarios he stayed silent and thought. Barry had explained the cons of their fast metabolism, the moment Zoom broke Wally's back, it had already started healing.
It wasn't weird for them to miss such a thing when it had already been healed.
One lonely tear was pushed past Roy's eyes and he bowed his head, using Dick to hide his own face.
"Son" Oliver spoke gently, sitting down next to his adopted son. Roy looked up, looking at his father with tears in his eyes, and he didn't have to say anything, Ollie understood just from that look.
"I can't lose him"
November 24, 2010. 18:12
"Kiddos?" Barry spoke, shaking Roy when he got no reaction. The archer blinked warily, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. "Wally is awake, he is responding to us" Barry didn't even need to ask if they wanted to see his nephew, because he knew too well that Roy and Dick were both dying to see him.
Dick was awake by now as well, the first one to stand up.
"How is he?" He asked, unsure if he even wanted to have that question answered. Barry's face falls slightly at the question.
"He's going to be alright they think" Barry spoke quickly as he saw the worried expressions. "But he's still weak and in a lot of pain, they can't fully take it away" Barry explains but neither react visibly, already knowing that a speedster couldn't take pain medication, they burned right through it.
Barry sighed, rubbing the tears away from his own eyes and signalling the two to follow him. Wally was still in the same room as before, and he still looked the same, the only difference they were met with were tired green eyes looking at his aunt, before travelling to Roy and Dick once they entered the room.
A weak smile made its way up Wally's face, disappearing as quickly as it appeared.
Iris looked at the boys, slowly getting up to give them some room to talk to Wally and walking over to Barry, who in turn wrapped his arms around his wife, kissing her head gently.
"Wally?" Roy asks softly, reaching out for the arm that wasn't strapped against his chest and place his hand on top of Wally's.
"..H-hey" Wally rasped, barely audible. Dick smiles through a few tears that were accidentally shed, sitting down next to Roy. Unlike other times Wally was injured, he didn't dare to climb onto the bed with him, or even touch him.
"I see you're not feeling the aster" Dick says and Wally smiled for a second before it disappears again, too weak to keep smiling.
"N-.. not r-really"
"How's the pain?" Roy asks quietly and Wally closes his eyes for a second, inhaling through his nose before scrunching up his face in pain. That reaction alone gave them their answer. "Have they tried a drip?" Roy asks, directed towards Barry and Iris.
The blond speedster sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. Not out of frustration over Roy's question, but to hide his own tears, and the shaky breath he took.
"You know that won't work Roy" Barry says in a quiet, shaky voice, the voice working better than any yelling or shouting that Batman or Green Arrow could've done. Roy instantly slumped at the sentence, hanging his head. There was a silence for a moment before Roy takes a breath, looking at Wally again.
"You're gonna be okay bud, you better" Roy says, Wally just looked at his older brother, too exhausted and in too much pain to respond verbally.
November 25, 2010. 03:49
"How is the pain?" Dick asks softly once Wally was done drinking, Roy quietly puts the glass away while Iris lowers her panting nephew onto the pillow again, a new layer of sweat on his forehead.
"Better" Wally rasps and Dick glares at him, daring him to continue lying. "I s-swear Dick.. still h-.. hurts like a b-bitch.. but 's b-better" Wally rambles, closing his eyes again as Iris pats his forehead dry with a damp cloth, leaning into the touch.
"The x-ray showed your spine healing fine, no more surprises" Iris informs Wally with a smile, stroking his red hair.
"I hate surprises" Roy grumbles, earning him three set of stares. Roy merely shrugs, turning his attention back to his younger brother.
"Is there anything you need hon?" Iris asks, eyeing at the IV that was continuously providing her nephew with nutrients he needed to heal. Wally swallowed painfully, shaking his head as much as the brace around his neck and face would allow him.
"A n-.. new s-spine" Wally grinned and Dick snorts.
"Be glad you're only stuck here for a few days" He points out with a cackle, eyeing at Roy. The latter seems to catch on on the joke, grinning as well.
"Very" Roy smirked. "You know I always wondered how people peed in the hospital" Immediately the tips of Wally's ears went red, before a weak glare settled on his face. Both Dick and Roy laugh at the expression.
Wally groans, fully knowing what Roy was hinting at, his inability to go to the toilet in his current predicament. Luckily he was spared more torture as the door to his room opened, revealing one of the doctors that had treated him for the last day or so. Wally blinked his eyes open sluggishly.
"Hello Kid Flash" The doctor spoke, despite the hero being out of his costume right now. "I just came to check if everything was okay" At the sentence Dick snorts, causing Wally to send him another weak glare but hissing at the fast movement of his neck. The doctor immediately walked over to Wally, responding to the hiss of pain.
"I must say, I have treated both Flashes, but I'm still amazed at how fast you heal" The doctor spoke. There was more silence, both Dick and Roy falling silent as Wally's sounds of pain were renewed as the doctor checked on the younger speedster, despite trying to be as careful as possible.
"How does your neck feel?" The doctor asks, running her fingers along his throat and moving it from side to side.
"Sore" Wally rasps and the doctor smiles at him.
"I think you can go without the neck brace, no pain if I'm correct?" She asks and Wally grimaces.
"Not the .. neck" Wally coughs, shutting his eyes for a moment.
"That's good news" She says and Wally looked up her with a sceptical look, causing her to laugh. "It is, besides, this thing can't be comfy" She spoke, reaching for the brace and carefully, and much too slow for Wally's comfort, taking it off.
"You may want to clean his neck but I suppose you rather have your aunt do it" She spoke, placing the brace aside. "I'm afraid you will need to keep the back brace on, any jarring movement.." She stops herself but the message was loud and clear. She continues to check some other wounds, and his vitals, but everything seemed okay-ish.
As okay-ish as could be.
November 25, 2010. 10:16
"Are you… okay?" M'Gann asks the moment her teammate appeared on the screen and Wally chuckles lowly, smiling at the screen.
"I will be fine M'gann" He says in a low voice, still feeling fatigued and weak, not to mention the dull pain that was still bothering him, but he tried not to let it show.
"And your back?" Kaldur asks, putting a hand on M'gann's shoulder as a way to comfort her.
"Healing… they say it's good now" Wally answers and Kaldur winces in sympathy. Batman had called them yesterday to tell them Wally was rushed into surgery again because of his spine not being aligned perfectly the first time, admittedly they had all been very worried, but seeing Wally was better than hearing he was doing better.
"That is good news" Kaldur says with a content smile on his face. "When are you planning to go home?"
"Tomorrow they think" Wally says, stopping for a second to cough, and drink some water to ease his still healing throat.
"Contact us if you are indeed home, we would like to visit you" Kaldur says and Wally nods. "Take care of him" Kaldur continues, looking at Roy who was still sitting next to Wally's bed. Dick snickers, grinning widely.
"Don't worry Kal" He snickers. "We got his back"
"Dude!" Wally scratches, his voice jumping a few octaves and coughing again. Artemis snorts at the joke, shaking her head.
"Get better soon Baywatch" She spoke and Wally smiled at her as she left the screen.
The rest of the team said goodbye as well, wishing him a speedy recovery before the call shut off. Wally groans, leaning back against the pillow.
"You guys suck" The only response was snickering from both Roy and Dick.
November 26, 2010. 15:09
"Wally!" M'gann almost cries out, flying over to the bedridden speedster and wrapping her arms around him.
"Ow .. hey M'gann" Wally winces and the Martian immediately releases him with a worried look.
"How are you feeling?" Kaldur asks, putting a hand on Wally's shoulder. Wally was back home again, laying in his own bed right now as he couldn't move his spine too much yet. It was a struggle to have him upstairs, but the couch wouldn't be comfortable for him right now so they put him in his room instead.
Roy wasn't with Wally right now, but Dick was sitting next to Wally on the bed in a cross-legged position, wearing his sunglasses again as he still had to hide his identity.
"Better, sick of not being able to move" He spoke, voice much clearer right now. His left arm, albeit still being broken, wasn't strapped to his chest anymore, giving him a lot more freedom to move.
"How long?" Artemis asks in a low voice, sitting down on the bed near his legs and looking at Wally. "I mean not like I care" She adds with a grin and Wally returns the grin.
"4 more days they think, my arm two. My spine just needs more time"
"And how is the pain?" M'gann asks and Wally looks at her, almost tempted to lie to her.
"Less" He eventually opts. "Still having trouble breathing, but doc said that will clear up"
"How about a movie night?" M'gann suddenly opts. "Black Canary said we could skip training, I mean if that's okay with your parents" M'gann continues and Wally winces slightly at the mention of his parents, but successfully hides it from the rest of the team, minus Dick. Besides, M'gann was referring to Iris and Barry.
"I like it M'gann" Wally assured the martian, reaching out with his broken arm to squeeze her hand.
"I brought movies" M'gann adds shyly, levitating her bag over to Wally's bed, and showing them. Wally just smiled, allowing the rest of the team to pick a movie. Wally just made himself comfortable on the bed as the rest of his teammates crowded around the bed, Artemis sitting down on the bed next to Wally with her back against the wall.
Wally just smiled, relaxing as he was surrounded by his teammates, for a moment not thinking about his injury, the pain or the terror he felt when Zoom attacked him. And he knew, that he would be alright.
YJ
Finished! Thank you all for reading and let me know what you think!
Btw, for the ones wondering 'Zoom just told Barry he was going to live a long life, yet Wally thinks he died in My Tourniquet, what's up with that?' Note that, at least as I want to see it, time is constantly changing. Zoom telling Barry will survive could've changed everything (For example Barry being careless because he knew he was going to survive). And if you didn't wonder, carry on :D Let me know what you think!