AN: Alrighty. This is a story that I've had done for a while but I've never gotten around to posting it. Mostly because I do not have internet at home. This was inspired by the song "Life After You" by DAUGHTRY. (Which I do not own.) This really meant as a "Robin and KF are best friends" story, but it sorta seemed a little more mushy than that to me after I wrote it. Oh well. Interpret it however you wish. Enjoy! Reviews make me happy! ^_^
I DO NOT OWN YOUNG JUSTICE!
~Story Start~
Robin snarled and kicked the motorcycle in frustration where it sat on the side of the deserted highway, acrid smoke pouring from every possible opening. He should have known Batman would do something like this. Before the machine had gone up in smoke Robin had found that its innards had been almost completely melted, a small device fixed to the inner mechanisms clearly the cause.
'He knew I'd ignore him, so he decided he'd sabotage my bike so I'd break down in the middle of no-where and have to call him for a pick up. Well, that's not gonna happen. I've gotta fix things with KF, whether Batman likes it or not.' At the thought of his best friend, Robin was given a painful reminder of why his halfway-across-the-country trip was necessary.
The Boy Wonder sighed and sat on the dusty Kansas ground, leaning against the wreckage of the motorcycle as he thought about what had happened nearly three days ago. It was really Artemis' fault. If she hadn't figured out that he was Richard Grayson, he and Wally would never have had the fight in the first place.
"Rob! Big trouble! I think Artemis knows your secret ID!"
"She does know," Robin muttered sullenly. Wally stopped dead and stared at Robin in shock.
"You told her your secret ID?"
"Don't be stupid!" Robin snarled, "Of course I didn't. She figured it out on her own." The speedster was quiet for a few seconds.
"Batman-"
"He knows." Wally jerked to a stop, his face incredulous.
"And he's still letting her run around? Why doesn't he have her locked up somewhere? Does he seriously trust her to keep your secret?"
"Apparently he does. As far as I know he hasn't taken any action other than to give her a stern warning." The taller boy lapsed back into silence for a time as the two walked. After a few minutes he spoke up again.
"So, does this mean that I can know now?" Robin gave a tired sigh.
"KF-"
"Oh, come on!" Wally interrupted, "You're gonna let Art run around with your secret in her brain, but you don't trust me with it? I could help cover for you if she decided to use it against you!"
"KF, you know it's not my decision. Batman-"
"Screw Batman! Why shouldn't it be your choice? It's your secret! How long are you gonna follow his orders about this?" Robin tensed in anger and turned on his best friend.
"You know full well that if Flash told you to keep something secret you would until he told you otherwise!"
"Not if it was something I thought you deserved to know! The fact that you know my secret ID is proof of that!"
"You told everyone on the team your ID!"
"Because I trust everyone on the team!" Robin's eyes narrowed.
"You trust blindly! What happens when someone turns on us, or gets captured, or brainwashed and tells every villain in the world your Secret ID? What happens to your trust then, KF?" Wally's voice dropped to just above a whisper.
"Are you saying you don't trust us, Rob?"
"I'm saying that I, at least, am showing some caution with my most important secret!"
"If you can't trust me with your ID, how can you trust me to keep you safe in a fight?"
"I guess I can't," Robin snarled. Wally stiffened, pain and betrayal flashing in his eyes. Robin felt guilt twisting in his chest, but he refused to take it back or back down. He was too stubborn for that. It took the older boy several moments to pull himself together enough to respond. When he did, his voice shook and he couldn't look Robin in the eyes.
"I guess, if that's the case, then I shouldn't be on the team anymore. I mean, if you can't trust me, what's the point? I should just quit."
"Yeah, maybe you should," Robin's voice was cold but his mind was in a frenzy.
'NO! Nononononono! Take it back! He's your best friend! He's gonna leave forever! TAKE IT BACK!' Wally looked up into Robin's eyes now, his own green orbs glaring. His body was wracked with subtle tremors as he looked at his best friend.
"Fine. I guess if that's how you feel about it, I'll leave. Wouldn't want to stay where I'm not welcome." And with that, Wally turned on his heel and walked towards the exit of Mount Justice. He glance over his shoulder, pain and barely restrained tears shining in his vivid green eyes before the scanner flashed and he was gone, the machine announcing his departure with a hollow:
Departing: Kid Flash B-02
Robin stood alone in the common area of the headquarters, not quite registering what had just happened. When his brain finally caught up he gave a snarl and stalked toward the scanner as well, but with a different destination in mind. It was time he confronted his mentor. Wally was right. Sometimes trusting your friends was more important than following orders.
After that, Robin had gone immediately to the Batcave to confront his mentor. Needless to say, it hadn't gone well. It had actually gone quite badly.
"Batman, listen…I want to tell KF my secret identity." The Dark Knight didn't even bother to look up from his computer screens when he answered.
"Absolutely not."
"But-"
"Robin, we have already discussed this numerous times. The less people who know who you really are, the better. And I do not trust Kid Flash to keep his mouth shut."
"But I do! Besides, it's my secret! And if you're letting Artemis run around with my most important secret in her head, then I should at least be able to tell KF! He could help cover for me if she decides to turn on us!" The irony was not lost on Robin that he was now arguing the same point with Batman that Kid Flash had argued with him not twenty minutes ago. He wasn't fairing any better than the young speedster, though.
"Robin, you and I both know that that is not the true reason you wish to tell West your identity. You want to tell him because he is your friend and you believe he has a right to know. However, you are wrong in saying that it is only your secret. It also affects me and anyone who is close to us. Should your identity be revealed, it would not be any great leap in logic to connect Dick Grayson to Bruce Wayne and from there, connect Bruce Wayne to Batman. I am not willing to take that risk, Robin."
"But I am! I know I can trust Wally with both of our identities! I know that you don't know him as well as I do, but I'm telling you, Bruce, we can-" Batman rose to his feet and turned to level a glare at his protégé.
"Robin, that's enough. Wally West will not know your identity and that is final. This discussion is over." Robin narrowed his eyes at his mentor and stood with his fists clenched.
'One way or another, I'll-' But his eyes must have betrayed his thoughts because Batman spoke once again.
"You are not to see West again until I tell you to do so. You will not have any contact with the rest of your team other than assigned missions. Do I make myself clear?" The Dynamic Duo glared into each others' eyes for several long, tense moments before Robin lowered his head and snarled:
"Yes, Sir." And without another word between them, Robin stalked up to his room in the Wayne Manor, already planning his escape.
After that Robin had snuck out his bedroom window, slipped into the garage, stolen his motorcycle, and started his mad dash for Central City. He knew that Wally would stay away from the team for a while so Robin's only real hope was to catch him in his home town. The only problem now was actually getting to Central City. He had made it most of the way before his bike had melted, courtesy of Batman, but he was still a good thirty miles from the home of the Flashes. The chances of him hitching a ride around here were pretty slim so he'd have to figure something out. If nothing else, he could walk the rest of the way, but he didn't know how long Kid Flash would take to finish pouting and return to the team and Robin didn't want to miss him because he had taken too long to get there.
Just as Robin was about to stand up, the com-link in his ear crackled to life and he heard his team leader's voice through it.
"Robin, are you there?"
"Yeah, Aqualad, I'm here. What's up?" There was a hesitant silence for a moment before the Atlantian spoke again.
"Robin…I am not sure what you and Kid fought about, but I don't believe that what was said was truly meant. I think it would be best if the two of you tried to talk things out, and quickly."
"Already on it. I'm broke down about thirty miles outside Central City." Silence again. Robin wasn't usually the type to get nervous but his leader's behavior was beginning to make him worry.
"Kaldur? What's going on? Why do I need to talk to KF so urgently? Is something wrong?"
"Robin…Kid is leaving." Robin scoffed.
"He already left, that's why I'm going after him, remember?"
"Robin, you don't understand," Kaldur said quietly, "Kid Flash is not just leaving the team. He and Flash are leaving for Europe. They won't be back for quite some time." Robin froze, staring with wide eyes at the barren landscape as he let this sink in. Kid Flash…was leaving for good? Going to Europe for who knows how long with his Uncle and mentor? But…
"Whatever problems the two of you have should be resolved before he leaves, as they may be irreparable by the time he returns if they are not addressed now."
"What time are they leaving?" Robin snapped, already pulling up the holographic computer attached to his wrist and searching for Barry Allen's home address.
"They are leaving at some time this evening. If I had to guess, I'd say within two hours." Robin's heart clenched in panic. There was no way he'd get there in two hours on foot!
"Thanks for the tip, Aqualad. I'll check in later."
"Good luck."
"Thanks." The com-link went quite and Robin stared at the Central City skyline. He never stopped to think how impossible it would be to get there in time, he just started running. His feet pounding against the asphalt as he pushed himself to go faster, faster, FASTER! The scenery flew by him almost in a blur as he ran, making him feel as though he was the Flash himself, reaching speeds that no normal human could. Desperation urged him forward even as he started to tire. He couldn't afford to stop, not for anything. He wasn't going to lose Wally just because he'd been too stubborn to admit that the Speedster had been right. He knew Kaldur was right, too. Knew that if he left this until Wally got back from Europe it'd be damn near impossible to get their friendship back to anything like it was.
He was breathing hard now, his lungs starting to burn even as he tried to push himself faster. No matter how far he ran, the city never seemed to get any closer. He'd been running for a little over an hour now and he was running out of gas and out of time.
Eventually he just couldn't go anymore and he was forced to stop, panting heavily and doubled over with his hands on his knees.
'Damn! I'll never get anywhere like this.' Robin's heart sank as it finally started to sink in that there was no way he was going to make it. Not now. He was so close, damn it! So close! The city was right there! It was so close and he couldn't get there!
Occupied as he was with his thoughts, Robin almost didn't hear the rumble of a truck's engine until it was right on top of him. Luckily the driver had realized that the raven-haired boy in the middle of the road was not going to move and he slammed on his breaks just in time. When Robin finally pulled himself from his thoughts he was confused to find a truck parked not four feet behind him. The man behind the wheel leaned out of the driver's side window, concern on his face.
"You alright, Son? Ya' need a ride somewhere?" Robin blinked at the man in shock. It was almost too good to be true that this would happen.
"Are you going to Central City?" The man blinked in confusion.
"Well of course I'm headin' ta' Central. Where else would I be goin'?" Robin was finally daring to hope. If he was lucky enough for one more thing he just might be able to make it.
"Do you know Barry Allen?"
"Course I know Barry! But what in the blazes d'ya want with him?" Robin could have cried with relief.
"I'm trying to get to his house. I'm friends with his nephew and I really need to talk to him." The man blinked again.
"Ya' lookin' fer Wally? Y'know him'n Barry are leavin' soon to go to Europe, don'tcha?"
"Yeah, but I didn't find that out until a little bit ago and I have something really important I need to tell Wally before he leaves. I said something to him that I shouldn't have and I need to apologize." The man smiled and the skin around his eyes crinkled in a way that made you think of kind, old grandfathers.
"Ah, I see. Well then, hop in the back, Kid. I'll get ya' to Barry's. Just leave it to me. Can't be lettin' Wally leave without his apology, now can we?" Against his will, Robin's face broke into a hopeful smile and he quickly pulled himself into the bed of the pickup. The old man wasted no time and soon they were flying along the last stretch of highway, Central City pulling closer by the second. Now that he was finally moving, Robin dared to let hope fill his chest. He was really going to make it!
It took next to no time at all for the blue pick-up to pull up to a house that matched the address that Robin had previously looked up on his holo-comp. He quickly hopped out of the back of the truck, thanked the driver, and walked up to the front door. As he got closer and closer, Robin could feel his insides twisting with nerves. He was about to do something that every good hero knows not to do. He was about to entrust someone with his, and his mentor's, secret identity. Doing this almost literally placed their lives in Wally's hands. Robin trusted KF wholeheartedly, but he was still nervous. It was like going bungee jumping. You knew that the equipment was there and that it would catch you, but you were still terrified to take that first step off the cliff.
Robin finally came to the door and, with shaking hands, rang the doorbell. For several seconds no one answered and Robin was scared that they'd already left, but just as he was about to leave, the door swung open.
Wally stood there, green eyes wide, staring in shock at his best friend standing on his doorstep.
"Rob?"
"Hey, KF," Robin cleared his throat nervously, "So, um, can I come in?" The red-haired boy didn't say a word, but he stepped aside and let Robin enter the house, closing the door behind them. It was silent for a few seconds before Robin finally spoke.
"KF…I'm sorry." Wally blinked in surprise. That was clearly not what he had been expecting.
"What?" Robin sighed and turned to face his best friend.
"I came to say I'm sorry. I was wrong." One of Wally's eyebrows rose.
"Batman doesn't know you're here, does he?" Robin gave a harsh bark of laughter.
"I'd be surprised if he didn't. He sure as hell doesn't want me to be, though. If the melted remains of my bike are anything to go by, anyway. Look, KF, I'm sorry. I don't know how else to say it. I trust you with my life, you know that. I just-" Wally cut him off before he could finish.
"You just can't trust me with your secret identity. I get it. And I'm sorry I pushed you tell me what it was. There are just some secrets you can't tell, right?" Here he gave a sad, almost bitter smile, before turning to walk away. Robin's eyes narrowed and his hand shot out to latch onto the speedster's wrist.
"Wrong." Wally turned to stare at Robin, confusion written clearly in his eyes.
"What are you talking about, Rob?" The younger of the two took a deep breath and locked his gaze with his best friend's.
"There are some secrets that can't be shared, KF, but this isn't one of them. And I should have told you this one years ago, to hell with what Batman says." And with that, Robin released Kid Flash's wrist and lifted his right hand to the sunglasses that covered his eyes and slowly removed them.
'No more hiding. He deserves to know.' Determined blue eyes locked with shocked green ones and Robin held out his right hand to his best friend.
"The name's Richard Grayson. Nice to meet you." Wally was frozen in shock, eyes going from the offered hand to dark blue eyes and back. After a few moments he relaxed, a blindingly happy smile taking over his face as he held out his own right hand and shook Rob- no, Richard's hand.
"Nice to meet you Richard, I'm Wally West. How about we be friends?" Richard Grayson gave a smile just as blinding as Wally's and said:
"Sounds like a good idea to me."
~End