"You cannot tell anyone. I wasn't even supposed to tell you."
"Oh come on, Wally," Dick grinned sarcastically, "Who would I tell?"
Wally glared slightly, "Everyone."
"Exactly. Except you asked me not to. So, like a good friend, I won't. Even though we all should have known ages ago." The young raven haired man said, eyes shining mischievously behind his sunglasses and lips pulling up at the corners. His friend knew the look too well and he couldn't help but grin along with him.
"Thanks," He muttered, "So I'll see you at dinner with the Team tonight, right? I think she wants us to announce it there."
"I'll be there. Oh, and Wally?" Dick called before the speedster could dart off. "Congratulations."
The biggest grin was placed on the freckled face, "Thanks." and then he was off. He made it home in minutes, crashing through the door with his dopey grin still intact. "Artemis?" he called, kneeling to pet the dog that had come to welcome him. His voice was answered with silence.
"Babe?" He yelled out again, standing and putting his jacket away. More silence. The redheads brows furrowed as he walked through the small apartment. She had been home when he left. "Artemis where are you?" He called, his tone confused. That was when he heard it.
"Arty?" He yelled, beginning to become frantic. She never cried. Not ever. But there was no other way to describe the sobbing sounds that he could hear in the kitchen. He ran to the bathroom and began to pound on the door after he had found it locked. "Artemis, let me in." He demanded calmly. No answer. His stomach had hit the ground, something felt horribly wrong.
"Artemis Crock open this door. Please."
The cry Wally heard did him in. She sounded strangled, devastated. The wood door moved easily by the force of his foot. "Artemis..." he whispered. The first thing he took in was the red liquid by the legs of her coiled body. When she looked up at him her eyes held tears he could not recognize, grey pools full of pain. "What happened?" he breathed as he rushed into the room, kneeling down to her.
She slowly sat up. Her breathing was shaky and she hiccupped before she could speak. "Th-the baby..." she mumbled, tears staining her flushed cheeks. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "I-I tripped over the dog on my way in here. I thought I was fine... Wally the baby." She repeated, her sobs starting anew. He had no idea what to do. "I was just coming in here to have a shower, I tripped... got up and was fine." she claimed moments later through her tears. "I was fine until the pain started... then the blood followed. Why is there so much blood?"
Wally's heart hit the cold ground as he listened to her detached voice. He sat frozen next to her, watching as his anchor to reality slipped away. He felt his body moving, going through the motions as he moved closer towards the blonde girl.
Ignoring the blood around her, he leaned and pulled her curled body to him, hugging her against him tightly. He was afraid she too would be carried away. "It's okay," he whispered into her hair, his forehead against the top of her head. "Everything's going to be okay, Arty."
"How do you know?" She demanded urgently, gripping herself to him. Tables were turned and suddenly he became her anchor on the world. Wally had never seen her like this before.
"Just trust me, okay?" he mumbled. "Everything's going to be okay." She knew he was lying through his teeth.
"The baby is gone, Wally." she spat into his chest. She choked on another sob. "The baby is gone..." she repeated in a defeated whisper.
He shushed her quietly. He wouldn't believe her. Their baby was fine. Everythings going to be okay, he told himself mentally, repeating it continuously.
But he could only lie to himself for so long.