Important! On any other occasion I wouldn't ask you guys but I have a problem. I have to do a research paper, and this paper will determine whether I'm allowed to take my finals or not. So it's really important for me. However, for the last part I have to hand out a survey; and both Dutch teens and American teens have to fill it out. But I don't know any Americans to whom I can give it D: So I was wondering if there are any American teens (15-24 or so) who would be willing to help me out. It only takes around three minutes and it would mean the world to me!

(And save me a lot of stress which means faster updates..? *Hint hint*) If you want please PM me and I'll sent you the survey. But if you don't want to, that's fine.

Not onto the real story:

Edit: I changed the year, from 2012 to 2011. So Wally is 16 right now. Sorry if it confuses people.

29th October, 2011. 20:03

He was tired, exhausted. Yet, he didn't feel anything at the moment. He was running, running as fast as he could. He wasn't even aware of the few injuries that were on his body at the moment. He could only feel the wind whipping past his cowl and the anxiety trying to destroy him from the inside.

Slowly, for him at least, Central City came into view again and it took him a few seconds to reach his house. Without stopping he opened the door and quickly shut it once he was inside. Only then did he allow himself to stop. His legs were quivering beneath him and he slid down against the door.

"Honey?" A light voice called out and Wally looked up to see his aunt standing in the hallway, watching him with sorrowful eyes. "You're hurt!" She gasps, rushing towards her nephew.

"I'm okay, it's healing" Wally mumbles but allowing his aunt to look at all the scrapes and cuts that were on his body, cutting through his red suit. Iris scolds as Wally waves off his injuries like that and Wally immediately shuts his mouth.

"You may be but this needs stitches" Iris commands, already ready to leave but Wally reached out for her arm, stopping her from leaving.

"Don't bother" Wally says with shaking head, getting to his feet once more. "I'll get patched up at the cave."

"You're leaving already?" Iris asks, unable to hide the desperate tone in her voice, and Wally nods.

"Artemis asked me to help her with chemistry" Wally elaborates, standing straight in front of his aunt. They lock eyes for a few second before Iris sighs in defeat.

"What are you doing to yourself Wally? You're stressing yourself out"

"I'm not…-" Wally starts to protest but Iris cuts him off by lifting his cowl off his face. Immediately messy ginger hair fell out of the tight cowl and deep bags revealed themselves under Wally's eyes.

Wally scowled at the worried look in her eyes, taking a step back until his back touched the door. He knew what was going on, and he knew that Iris knew how busy he suddenly was. He had more responsibilities, he had to be more serious, patrol more, even more than Barry himself because he didn't have a Kid Flash at his side.

"Get some sleep Wally, you can't keep this up" Iris whispers and Wally shakes his head.

"I promised Artemis, and I have work in two hours" He said before quickly wrapping his arms around his aunt. "I love you, but I gotta go" He said and quickly sped out of the door again before his aunt could say anything. Because he knew what she was going to say.

You don't have to take that job, I can work a bit more to finance all the costs, to cover the lack of income coming from Barry's side. Because he wasn't here anymore, which meant one less speedster mouth to fed, but more than half of the income gone. And what Iris earned wasn't enough.

So he had to, he had to help out his aunt.

And go to school, and go to the meetings with the justice league, and patrol the city every day. And it was exhausting him. A few months ago he'd been excited to be in the watchtower again, and now even talking with the justice league. but all he could think when he sat there was that he was in Barry's seat.

And how exhausted he was.

So he left before she could tell him the obvious, what he already knew. His mind swirled and his legs just ran, numb to everything else. He directly ran towards the next zeta tube, transporting himself to the cave.

"Recognised: Flash 04"

Ran through the mountain and his heart jumped slightly, even after all these days he wasn't used to hearing his name being called out. But granted, he hadn't been at mount justice that often after Barry had died. He mostly stayed in Central City or fulfilled his duty as the new Flash.

"Baywatch!" Artemis called out with a smirk on her face, immediately wrapping her arms around him. Wally smiled, wrapping his arms around Artemis' waist and pulling her close, foreheads touching.

"Hey babe" He teased and gave Artemis a quick peck on the lips.

"I saw you on the news, you took quite a beating" Artemis suddenly changed, breaking free from their embrace and checking him over. "These need stitches" She says after a few seconds and Wally sighs, reaching for her hand and squeezing it slowly.

"Figuring you knew I'm sure you set up the medbay already" Wally conducts with a grimace on his face but Artemis shakes her head.

"Library actually" Artemis smiled, taking his hand and leading him towards the room. Wally followed suit. "You should probably change out of your clothes first" The blonde archer pointed out and Wally grinned lazily before quickly, too quick for Artemis to process, changing back into his normal clothes.

Artemis didn't even bat an eye as Wally deliberately didn't put on his shirt, because it wasn't like she had never seen it before, and she knew that it was because of the stitches he'd need.

"We can do this another time" Artemis whispers as she takes a step forwards, putting a gentle hand on his face, finger brushing along the bags that were under his eyes. Wally sighs, turning his head away.

"I promised I'd help you. It's okay" Wally brushes her off, sitting down on the chair. Artemis sighs, knowing there was no way she could make Wally reconsider. He was too stubborn to do so, she had learned that one the hard way already.

"Stay still" Artemis orders and Wally nods, not even going to rub his victory in her face. So they stayed silent as Artemis starts to stitch Wally's back and stomach while Wally tries to explain the subject as thoroughly as he could, hoping his girlfriend would catch on quickly.

Even if he was fully willing to help her, he was still in a rush.

He had to work, go to a meeting in the morning just before going to school again.

And his eyes kept dropping as fatigue was getting to him, especially when Artemis sat down next to him to stitch up his shoulder.

YJ

29th October, 2011. 21:43

"He's not whelmed at all" Robin mutters, leaning in close and Artemis rolled her eyes, pushing Robin away with an angry scowl. "You of all people should know that he doesn't wake up easily" Robin teases at the worried look on Artemis' face.

"That doesn't give you the right to try his luck. Besides, I actually think you two have the most experience. You've been best friends since he was like what, fourteen?"

"Twelve actually, just after he became KF" Robin corrects her with a grin and Artemis scowls. He didn't even bother to defend himself against the claim, because it was true. They had numerous sleepovers when they were younger, and even now. Despite the large beds they possessed at the manor, they fell asleep in the same bed more than often.

Even despite that fact that Wally basically had his own bedroom at the manor. It wasn't weird for them to end up in the same bed, or sprawled on top of each other. They were best friends after all. Though he highly doubted that he would top Artemis with the 'experience', Wally's girlfriend for a whole year nonetheless.

"Same difference" She glances to the side, watching as Wally was asleep on her shoulder, unaware of Robin's teasing. She glares at the boy wonder again, and Rob cackles, checking the library before taking off his glasses.

Artemis doesn't even blink, already familiar with the fact that she knew who Robin really was.

At first she had been surprised of course, and kicked the crap out of him when she remembered all the pranks he had pulled on her at school without her knowing it was actually Robin and not just a rich kid who thought he was above everyone else. Not to mention the fact that Robin trusted her enough with his identity, and Batman's.

"You called his boss already?" Artemis changes the subject and Dick grins, putting his hand on his heart in mocking hurt.

"I'm hurt by the lack of faith" He cackles but nods in confirmation. "He could switch shifts with another employee, it's during a league meeting now instead but Batman said it was okay. It isn't an important one anyways"

Artemis frowns, pushing her fingers through Wally's red hair. "He's not going to be happy" She snorts and Dick shakes her head.

"He's overdoing himself" He states, eyeing at the obvious bags that were under his eyes. "Has he talked to you at all about y'know"

They both wince slightly but eventually Artemis shakes her head. "He hasn't, he's been too busy to accept that Barry isn't here anymore. I can see he's still hoping for him to come back, take back the mantle."

Dick sighs, sitting down on a chair as well. "We always talked about being in the Justice league y'know. Me, Wally and Roy. Bruce was reluctant, said I wasn't ready. And when I got older he explained how straining it was. A normal life, and being a superhero" Dick starts, looking away from Artemis.

"I didn't believe him, I was already his protegee back then, so how hard could it be?" Artemis watches him, a sad expression on her face. "I just accepted his explanation, never really understanding. But I do now." He slowly looks at Artemis again and the blonde archer feels her stomach sink.

At moments like these she remembers just how young Dick really was, just 15 years old. And already carrying such a burden. but he was just a kid, they all were. And now it was more obvious than ever how broken they really were beneath their masks, constant horror and pressure every day.

Artemis swallowed, she didn't know what to say. I mean, what could she even say? It was true what he said, he was telling the truth.

"Worst part is that he doesn't want to accept our money to help him out" Dick mumbles, snorting softly. "He has no idea that we already do, always have. Feeding two speedsters with 2 jobs? No way"

"Ollie mentioned that once but it makes sense. They do eat a lot" Artemis says. "Every time mom invites him for dinner he has to eat beforehand otherwise there wouldn't be enough"

Dick snickers at the statement. "Ollie made that mistake the first time me and Wally ate with Roy. Had no idea that his metabolism was that bad."

"He's an idiot" Artemis states with a smile on her face but it falters as Wally starts to move, slowly awakening.

"What time s'it?" He slurs, blinking viciously and rubbing his eyes.

"Bedtime" Dick whispers with a smirk before Artemis can reply, and she sends him a death glare before turning to Wally again, who in turn grumbles, placing his head on Artemis' shoulder again. Artemis laughs, pushing him off again gently.

"Let's get to your bedroom, you'll be more comfortable" She says, hauling him up. The ginger stumbles but complies as Artemis drags him out of the library.

"You won't make the bedroom" Dick calls after them, cackling as he puts on his glasses again, running after them.

As Dick predicted, they didn't make the bedroom, so they eventually put him on the couch in the living room where he peacefully slept, blanket on top of him and Artemis' legs being used as a pillow. Dick was sitting with his back leaning against the railing of the couch, legs lazily drawn up to his chest and his feet next to Wally's ankles.

He was small enough to fit on the couch along with Wally.

"We need to find a way to help him" Artemis mumbles, running her fingers through Wally's hair because she knew Wally liked it, it soothed him, and made him fall asleep if given the chance.

"How?" Dick asks, glancing at the sleeping form of his best friend. "He won't accept Barry's death, you know how much he relied on his uncle" Artemis averts her gaze at the mention of Barry. Because she was also mourning his death; she was sad that he was gone because he was like the father she never had.

He genuinely cared for her and offered a home whenever she needed one, and even when she didn't. She was always welcome in their home and so was her mother. He never judged her for her background, and in the last 10 months she had build up a true and tight relationship with Barry, she considered him family; someone she could go to in times of need.

But Wally… Barry saved him from his father, showed him how a real family could act. He trained him, helped him controlling his powers. Their bond was stronger than any other she had ever seen. He was the reason Wally was smiling again, and learned to live his life normal after his biological father..

"If I knew I would've helped him already" Artemis grumbles, more angry at herself than at Dick, and she knew he wouldn't take the insult as an insult. "He doesn't even feel like he's worthy to carry the Flash' mantle; he feels like a fraud"

"I would feel the same if I took over the mantle of Batman" Dick mutters, staring at his knees.

"Well you certainly wouldn't pass for Batman, not with your voice cracks"

A smile spreads on Dick's face, letting out a cackle at the comment. Artemis smiled as well, before turning to Wally again, Dick notices the concern in her eyes, dropping the smile as Artemis did the same.

"We'll figure this out Artemis, try to stay whelmed" Artemis scoffs mockingly, shaking her head. "I will call Iris to let her know he's staying at the cave for tonight"

Artemis just nods, ignoring Dick as he easily gets off the couch before walking off, leaving her alone with Wally.

YJ

Sorry for the long wait! But I've been very busy with the research paper mentioned above. After that is finished I will try to update more frequently.

(Feed the hungry author by reviewing and filling out my survey :3) I love you guys! xD