Chapter 2: Wally and Barry

Barry was in shock. He had just received a call from Iris his wife. Their nephew Wally was in the hospital. So Barry did what he did best. He ran. As soon as he got home he changed and picked up Iris before stopping in the alley behind the hospital.

"What happened?" Barry asked panicked but only received a glare from Iris.

"You should know it's your fault!" Iris screeched.

"What? Tell me the whole story." Barry was extremely confused.

Barry finally figured out what had happened. Wally had been found after being hit by lightning doused in chemicals as well. Iris had recognized the circumstances because they were the same one that made him Flash. His nephew must have found journal and copied his experiment.

"Oh Wally!" Barry said, "How could you be so stupid?"

Wally had just woken up the first time after the accident and Barry had decided the boy needed to know it wasn't safe. So those were his first words to the gangly redhead 11 year old in the hospital bed. It was hard to see that those words hurt the boy instead of making him understand.

"Wally, I'm not mad at you. Just upset and scared."

"Really? Mom and Dad are mad. Dad yelled at me." Wally looked like he wanted to say more but kept his mouth shut.

"Why? Wally, you should never put yourself in such danger. You had us all worried."

"I wanted to be like you. The flash is my hero and so are you. Now I know you're the same person. Did the experiment work do I have super speed? If I do can I be your sidekick?"

"Wally keep it down. Secret Identity remember?"

"Oh yeah! Well did it work?"

"We'll have to test it to figure it out. The only sign you show is hyper metabolism. We'll check it out. First we need to tell the truth to your parents."

"No please, Uncle Barry. Dad will be so mad. He hates the Flash. He's scary. Please?"

"Fine." This just confirmed what Barry thought. Wally was having issues with his parents. Judging from the other marks that were found on his body, old bruises and semi healed bones, he was probably suffering from abuse.

Rudolph West had finally been arrested. Barry and Iris were to take Wally home today. They had made up one of their two guest bedrooms for Wally to use from now on. Barry really just wanted to make sure the kid was eating enough. If he had superspeed he could pass out easily with out the right amount of calories. So when he got back with Wally there was a huge meal waiting for both of them courtesy of Iris. Definitely the right way to welcome someone home, because this was Wally's home now. No matter what.

Wally had been settling in nicely. His super speed had been tested as well. He was definitely a speedster, but would never really be as fast as Barry. They had been training together and Wally had convinced Barry to let him become his sidekick. Kid Flash would debut later this year. It was late at night and Barry was returning from a final patrol of the city when he saw Wally sitting up in his bed.

"You ok Kiddo?"

"Uncle Barry, is Dad going to come back? Will he be mad I got super powers?"

"Wally, you are safe now. You live here with me and Iris and are never going back to your parents."

"Never?"

"We can visit them if you want. They are still your mom and dad. But you are never going back. I can't risk you like that."

"Thanks Uncle Barry." Wally smiled but then his stomach grumbled.

"You hungry?"

"Always." Barry laughed at Wally's answer.

"I know the feeling. You up to going to Mexico for some Enchiladas?"

"Ready." Wally had sped and gotten in to his new Kid Flash suit.

"Race you."

"Aw Uncle Barry. No fair! You got a head start."