Warning: a lot of non-graphic character death
Don't own Young Justice, don't own Wally, don't own anything.
Good things could only last so long. Good things, like a family who cared and would always be there, by your side. Good things, like friends that always seemed to make you smile. Good things, like the feeling of belonging where you are. Good things, like the feeling of relief and happiness. Good things, like a world where everything was how you wanted it, and nothing hurt. Nothing lasted forever, and good things lasted shorter than that. Especially when you weren't enough to make it last. With every time you screwed up was another hit.
Wally knew. It was basically the summary of his entire life. They all thought he had the best, simplest life. They were wrong, they were all wrong. Wally had fallen the farthest out of all of them.
It was only a matter of time before his father and mother split, frustrated with each other, neither wanting to hold back and become the submissive one of their relationship. That was the end of their once loving family. Wally felt like it was his fault, that he wasn't enough to keep them all together. Cue a sweep under his feet.
The first casualty he had on one of his jobs was when he was barely a month into being Kid Flash. It was just one shot, just one. He could've gotten her out of the way, or if not that, at least disarm the guy. But it didn't matter, it was just one bang and the girl was gone. This time, he wasn't fast enough to save an innocent civilian. A kick to the back of the knees.
When he joined the Team, when they first formed, a new hope blossomed, maybe, just maybe, everything was going to be alright. No one was going to die; they were going to save everyone's lives because, hey, six people were better than one, right? Now, he wished he knew better. Even heroes bleed, even heroes fall, even heroes lose their lives, whether it's in the line of duty or not.
The first one of them to go was Miss Martian. Trapped in a ring of fire slowly closing in, Wally was the one presented with the opportunity to save her. Simply solve a puzzle set up for him, and leave without her, unscathed. Only, time ran out. All that was left was a pile of ashes. Wally wasn't enough to save her, he wasn't fast enough or smart enough. Blow number three to the torso.
After Miss M's death, Superboy drifted farther away from the Team and became distant with any friends he had as Connor. In the end, it was his downfall and another ray of hoped dimmed. Wally could've sped in there, should've stopped that knife laced with Kryptonite embed in his chest, would've saved another life, but didn't get the chance to. That was also his fault, Superboy would've been more on his guard had M'gann survived and Wally hadn't let her die. Not quick enough, not enough to save another life. Knee to the place where it really hurt.
Two deaths and not only was Wally feeling guilty, but Kaldur's burden as leader was weighed down even more. Just like Connor, he became less focused and more conscious of Kid Flash, Artemis, and Robin to make sure they didn't leave as well. Not really as caring about his own welfare, when the four were stranded in the desert, there was no water anywhere. Robin's canteen ran dry, Kid Flash and Artemis didn't bring any, and Kaldur was more willing to give his share to the other three. As an Atlantean, they couldn't last as long without water, therefore forcing their leader to succumb to dehydration. Not caring enough, not generous enough. A punch to the stomach.
The remaining three held each other close, determined not to let anyone go. But even determination cannot trump death. Robin rising as their leader of the trio, they had plenty of successful missions. All chains of luck must be broken, however, and theirs against Sportsmaster and Cheshire was the one to cut it. Robin had been busy with Hook, and Kid Flash was the only one that could help her. After a few encounters with them, as much as he wouldn't admit it, he was sort of scared of them both. Artemis wasn't able to take down her father and her sister, resulting in her death from multiple wounds. The fact that they used to be her family didn't help, they were Shadows, and Shadows had to complete their mission. No matter what. For Artemis, he wasn't brave enough, courageous enough. A push off the chest.
The Team wasn't really a group anymore, just a duo of best friends and bros. Wally didn't worry about Robin as much as he did for the others. Robin was a Bat, and Bats were immortal, never seeming to die, right? Wrong. Wally had to learn that the hard way. Wally's last ever mission as Kid Flash was a supposedly simple one, no villains or crazies to deal with. A fire, and they had to get the occupants out of there. Robin wasn't supposed to die. The teen had pushed him out of the way of a falling beam, but was too slow to make it past the path of the support beam himself. Robin spent his last minutes trapped under there, screaming for Wally to go after the speedster's futile attempts in trying to get it off. The firemen that had also gone inside to help his friend couldn't lift it either, but of course it wasn't their fault. Wally was not cautious enough then, wasn't strong enough to save one of the last people that he could lean on. A stinging slap on his face.
Roy had found Wally on his knees, sobbing into his hands a while later. And after the archer held him and comforted him (not like Roy could understand, he left the Team on their own), Wally resigned from his position of a hero, as Kid Flash, because even wearing the costume, he couldn't save them.
It was all on the guilt that rested in his mind. It was too late, giving up the hero life and getting a normal one at Stanford. He was never going to be enough. His life was torn apart into shreds before his eyes, all because he wasn't fast enough, quick enough, smart enough, caring enough, generous enough, brave enough, courageous enough, cautious enough, strong enough, the list going on forever.
No one was fast enough to save everybody, and Wally learned that the hard way.