Title: From Lightning to Fire
Chapter: A Flash of Red
Pairing: Birdflash (WallyxDick)
Rating: E for everyone...at the moment...
Words: 1344
Summary: Nightwing never gave up on his best friend, Wally, when he disappeared. Even after two years. Suddenly, a new hero appears under the name Flamebird.
A/N: This will be a multi chapter fic- cause I got delicious ideas from this prompt, which I'll hopefully update every Thursday. I hope you guys enjoy. Feedback is appreciated. I'm just gonna go hide in the corner now.

When the last magnetic field disruptor went chrysalis, Wally didn't even hesitate to go. To add his own kinetic energy to his uncle's and cousin's. Although he wasn't as fast as the other two speedsters, he knew he had to help. What he wasn't expecting was for the chrysalis' energy siphon off onto him because he was slower. His whole body screamed at him to stop but he refused.

Each time it hit, it felt like lightning coursing through his body, like the moment he recreated the Flash's experiment and got his super powers. Faintly he heard Barry telling Bart to slow down but Wally knew it was no use.

"Ugh, it's no good Barry." His whole body felt like he was trying to vibrate through something.

"Artemis is so gonna kill me for this. Not to mention mom and dad," he managed to say. Keep going.

"Just tell them okay?" He asked, staring at his mentor. Don't stop.

Must keep running. The thought played through his head as he struggled to take another step. And another. His legs burned from the strain. A few more steps and his legs gave out, causing the red head to crash into the ice and snow. His suit didn't keep the cold out for long, and it crept into his very being it seemed. The frozen air seared his throat with every breath. Against his will, his green eyes slid shut.

"This better not have been some kind of wild goose chase sending me to the arctic or I swear I'll- whoa! There is someone here. Guess I owe her an apology. That's gonna suck." A voice cut through the air- it was light and airy at first but turned to worried in less than a second. Wally tried to move, to speak, to even open his eyes but his body refused to comply. A second later he could feel hands patting his cheeks- barely.

"Hey, you alright? Right, stupid question. At least he's breathing...kinda." The uncertainty in the voice wasn't comforting. Again, the speedster tried to make his body respond. Nothing. It felt like he was being half hoisted and half dragged onto the voice's owner's back.

"I swear to God I'm taking weight training next year." The grunted promise was the last he heard as his consciousness drifted away.

Dick Grayson thwarted three robberies, two drunken fights and an attempted rape and yet he could not get his mind to focus. For two years he hadn't been able to.

He still had relationships, even if they did end rather abruptly. Still went on patrol. Still ate. Still had what was the batfam equivalent of sleep. His best friend, Wally did not. The once boy wonder had dealt with death before but this one lingered with him. Like his whole body refused to accept it. He went over the footage of the event hundreds of thousands of times. People did not just disappear into thin air, super powers or not. He obsessed over it when everyone else had given up, agonizing over what he could have done differently. Not convinced Artemis to come back to the heroing life? Convinced Wally to? Told the team all of the secrets? Had someone else lead the team?

His comm trilled a couple of times interrupting his thoughts, announcing to Nightwing that he had a call. He had hooked up his communicator so that it would intercept his cell phone calls. Ever since Dick left the team, someone either called or dropped in on him to try and convince him to return. It had been frequent at first but, thankfully, over time they seemed to have given up. He was kinda of regretting it.

With a sigh he answered it, wincing at the tone of the caller. "Geez Dick, sure took your sweet time answering."

"Babs, I'm on patrol, can your sermon on how the team needs me wait?" He asked agitation coloring his words. His eyes scanned the street below, half listening to his friend.

"Self-centered much? Not everything revolves around you, Dick. I called to ask if you had any information on this new hero that's been running around."

"New hero?"

"Yeah. Apparently he's been running around in a really flashy costume." He could hear the regret in her voice at her word choice as soon as she had spoken.

"Is it dark red with a yellow cape?"

"Yeah? You've heard something?"

"No, but I think I see him now. I'll call you back." He pressed his communicator, ending the conversation. On the ground below, the said cape crusader was fighting five men clad in all black, ski masks covering their faces- no doubt up to no good.

One of them advanced onto the hero, head on- fist pulled back. But when he swung, the hero grabbed his arm with both hands, twisted the man's arm and spun around, flipping the attacker over him. Dick whistled silently in appreciation as he caught the next kick, swiping the other out from under the man. It was apparent the new hero had some training, nothing near the years Dick had but a sufficient amount all the same. It was about time he and the newbie got acquainted

Nightwing dropped down to the street below with a sigh as two of the goons- really, what other word could you call them- tried to approach the brightly costumed hero from behind. He made quick work of the unsuspecting men, knocking them out cold as the new hero was dealing blows with the final goon.

This last one seemed more experienced than his comrades. He blocked punches and dodged some others. He even managed to get in a solid punch to the new hero's abdomen, causing the brightly costumed individual to stumble back a few steps.

"Down," Nightwing called out and the hero reacted instantly. He crouched down as Nightwing ran and jumped over him, kicking the goon in the jaw- sending him to the ground. It was then that Dick was able to get a good look at the new hero- who was just standing back up.

A dark red unitard covered his body with knee high yellow boots. On his chest was a golden yellow flame like v shape- kinda like a flock of birds- that went to his shoulders and flowed into his cape- which also had flame like tattered edges. Around the man's waist was a golden belt- possibly of the utility variety. A domino mask of the same color as his cape hid his identity. His red hair was about chin length and slightly messy. The new hero stared at Nightwing with surprise but it was quickly replaced by an eerily familiar smile.

Just as Dick was about to open his mouth to speak, the look on the hero's face changed. Before the 'flashy' could put a warning into words, Nightwing already was acting. His arm swung around and wrapped around his attacker's neck, flipping him onto the ground. He wasn't sure which goon it had been and couldn't care. His attention quickly went back to the new hero only to see an empty spot where he had been.

"How'd it go?" A voice filled with exhaustion huffed out the question. He was surrounded once again by mind numbing cold, though it didn't bother him much anymore. Especially not after what had just happened.

"It was great. Stopped a robbery, saw an old friend, had some chicken whizzes-"

"Hold it."

"Sorry. If I had been thinking about it, I would've snagged you a bag."

"Red," the voice growled warningly. He could feel her glare burning into his back.

"How was I to know he was in that city? He's usually in a different one-" Flamebird sighed at the disapproving silence that answered him.

"Did you at least notice? Each time I was able to stay longer," the red head said, excited. He reached up and removed his yellow domino mask. "When can we try again?" Wally grinned to himself as the girl behind him groaned in frustration.