Abigail and Jayson finally got the group of kids to, what they call, the Village. All of the kids, even Bart and Derek, had their heads down, not daring to look up at what used to be Gotham. It only took a few minutes to get to the apartment building that served as the orphanage and home to any children under the age of seventeen, who were able to even make it to the three story building without being caught by Blue Beetle, or any of his 'cops'. The blonde haired Abigail walked through the narrow door way first, while the red haired Jayson held the door open. All of the children went through quickly.
Jayson looked down the torn up street, where many injured, dying, and scavengers were to spend the night. He sighed and went inside and shut the door tight. Bart finally looked around at the crowded home. "Hey CJ!" yelled Derek who was beside him. Derek ran over to a black haired, light blue eyed guy, who had a small tattoo of the superman symbol on his left bicep. CJ looked up from the worn table that had many different papers on it, all containing something different. Bart and Derek walked up, CJ quickly hid the papers. Derek opened his mouth but CJ said stopped him, "It's no one's business but Maddi's, Jay's, Abbie's, Will's, Damian's and mine. Got that?"
December 21, 2016
Central City
12:00 PM
Nightwing sat on the top of a three story building. It has been almost an hour since he contacted Wally. He didn't expect him to come but he hoped that he would. Finally Nightwing stood up, just as Wally appeared on the roof. Nightwing looked at Wally and sighed, "I know I'm not your favorite person right now-" "Gee, what makes you think that" said Wally cutting him off and his voice full of sarcasm, anger and worry. Nightwing took off his mask revealing his baby blue eyes. "Listen, Wally. I need your help," said Dick. Wally let out a snort but Dick ignored him, "Its Bart. He apparently didn't show up at Barry and Iris's house last night." That got Wally's attention. Dick continued, "Bart hasn't been himself lately. Well, ever since we found out about the Reach. He isn't telling us something, and I'm going to guess it has to do with the Light's partner."
Wally had heard enough, "Dick, I'm done with the hero stuff. I don't want to know about… that," he sighed, "Do you even have an idea where Bart went." Dick thought for a moment, "I looked at the security cameras at the Hall and all I know is that he headed toward Happy Harbor. I don't know why he would go there but still…" Dick trailed off. Wally nodded and turned to leave but stopped, "Have you heard anything from Artemis?" he said softly. Dick nodded, "Yeah, the mission is still going on. Aqualad is trying to find a weak spot but-" Wally held up his hand, "I heard all of it already. I'll go to Happy Harbor and see if I can find Bart."
Wally looked up to the sky and saw it was dark. Dick also looked up and put on his mask, "You should probably bring a jacket. It's about time it starts to snow," said Nightwing, "I don't think Bart has a jacket either. Last time I saw him he was in his jeans and green hoodie. And if you remember what it looked like when he first got here-" Wally interrupted, "There was nothing left of that thing." Wally sped home and quickly grabbed his coat and another smaller coat that he bought Bart when it started to get cold out. Before he left, he looked at a picture of him and Artemis at Jade and Roy's wedding. He felt something rub up against his leg and smiled down at the little bull dog. He quickly patted him on the head and rushed out the door.
It didn't take Wally long to get to Happy Harbor but by the time he got there was already three inches on the ground. He knew he had to find his cousin once-removed soon before he froze. The red head sped as fast as he could to find Bart. After a few minutes he did find Bart, who was huddled under a tree, shivering uncontrollably. Wally shook the little speeder. Bart opened one of his eyes, "W-w-w-wal-ly?" asked Bart before he closed his eye again. Wally quickly sat Bart up and slid the winter jacket over Bart's green sweater. Then he picked up the fourteen year old and sped to his house.
Soon after everyone was in the make-shift orphanage, Madison walked through the door. CJ turned his attention from the two boys who were trying to look at the papers on the table, to the nineteen year-old girl, who had many dark tattoos along her arms, and crawling up her neck, finally stopping at her jaw line. Abigail and Jayson also looked at Madison as she walked in. Madison sighed and knew what was coming; she grabbed the worn leather pouch from her belt and looked around. She had a brand new cut under her right eye. She looked up, "Hey Abbie, Jay, Conner," she said smiling. CJ groaned, "What did I say about calling me 'Conner'? That is the original Superboy's name. Not mine," he almost yelled. Bart and Derek watched. It wasn't odd for everyone to tease each other and argue constantly, an apocalypse can do that to people.
Madison sighed, "Fine, Junior." CJ opened his mouth to argue but nodded his head to the side, "That's better. I guess," he said as he shrugged and backed up from the table. Madison cringed and looked to the ground as CJ backed up his wheel chair from the table, gathered the papers from the table, and started to head out of the room. He stopped half way and grabbed Madison's arm, "As soon as the little scavengers are asleep, we need to talk," he paused then added, "with everyone. And I mean Damian too." CJ let go of Madison's arm and headed took a left down a short hallway into his room.
Madison continued to look at CJ's bedroom door, but then was snapped out of it when Derek ran up and gave her a hug, buried his head into his big sister's side. Madison smiled and hugged Derek back, "I'm glad to see you are safe," said Madison. Derek let out a little chuckle and backed up from Madison, "I was worried about you," said Derek, "You do have anger issues." Madison shrugged and opened the leather pouch. She waived her hand over it and metal scales, about the size of dollars, and about two inches in length floated in the air, with little blue sparks going through the empty spaces between them, "The anger comes with the powers," said Madison.
Derek and Bart both rolled their eyes. Jayson and Abigail both laughed. Then Bart stepped forward, "Why can you use your powers but I can't use mine?" Madison sighed and put the floating scales back into the pouch. "That is a long story. Sit," she commanded as she sat at the table and both Bart and Derek sat down. Abigail looked out the only window, in the house, that still had glass on it and no wooden boards over it. "I need to go find my brother," she announced. Jay nodded, "I'll help. We also need to find Damian too." Madison let out a little snort but the two cousins ignored it and headed out to search for the two missing team members.
Wally finally got to his house, and sat Bart on the couch. He knew that the little speedster didn't stay out in the weather too long and didn't need to go to the hospital, plus he didn't want to explain to the nurse or doctor how Bart is here but not supposed born yet. Bart sat up on the couch and quickly hugged his winter jacket to him, as he still shiverred. Wally sighed, "Let me call Uncle Barry and Aunt Iris to let them know you are alright," he said, "Just because there are two new babies in the house, doesn't mean that they don't care about you less." Bart smiled and let out a little chuckle, "You sound just like-" he stopped mid-sentence. Wally noticed Bart's expression change, and he was going to push it but first he had to let everyone know that Bart was safe.
After letting his aunt and uncle, the Justice League, the Team, and his parents that Bart was safe and with him, he got two bags of freeze dried Chicken Whizees, and two mugs of hot chocolate. Bart didn't move from his spot on the couch. Wally sat down on a chair next to the couch, and put the hot chocolate and Chicken Whizees on the coffee table. Bart looked up to Wally as if to know what was going to happen next. "Bart," said Wally as he saw Bart tense up, "Why where you in the woods? What where you doing out there?" Bart looked up at Wally and sighed, "I wasn't doing anything," whispered the little speedster as he looked at the coffee table.
Wally tried to get Bart to look at him. Bart then shook his head and grabbed one of the mugs of hot chocolate, he took a sip, "Wow," he said cringing, "this definitely warmed me up." Wally opened his mouth but Bart spoke first, "Hey, why don't we watch a movie?" Bart put down the cup and stood up to go get a movie but still held the winter jacket around him. Wally grabbed him and forced him to sit down. "The truth," said Wally, "start talking." Bart shook his head and almost yelled, "I can't! If you find out we will all be moded!" Wally held up his hand, "I don't care!" he said in the same tone as Bart, "You could have gotten yourself killed. Now," Wally's tone was softer now, "what was so important that yo-" "I was calling home! Okay!?" yelled Bart before Wally was finished. Wally sat back in surprise as Bart jumped up with anger, sadness, and tears in his eyes. Bart looked just like Wally when Mount Justice blew up and he believed that Artemis was in major danger.
Bart sighed and looked down at the floor again, "I called back to my time and talked to my friend to know what was going on. I guess I was just getting a bit home sick," he paused and added, "Well, my, uh, family, I guess you could say, is what I really miss." Wally now had his elbows on his knees and his hot chocolate in his hand. Bart sat down and picked up his hot chocolate, "Okay," said Wally, "a couple of questions," Bart nodded, "How did you manage to call back to your time? And what is with the hesitation with family? Aren't your parents still alive? Grandparents? Me?" Bart sighed, "I don't know how it works but Maddi was the one who made the time machine. So, her thinking ahead like all Grayson's do, made a device which you can hook up to the machine and call. Like a cell phone but with times."
Bart took a sip of his hot chocolate. Wally nodded, "Okay, I get it. Now my other questions," Bart nodded, "Fine, but you have to promise to protect me from Maddi," Wally couldn't tell if he was joking or not. He then opened his mouth but Bart quickly continued, "No." Wally froze, and had a look of confusion on his face, "My parents aren't alive. My grandparents aren't alive. Not even you and Artemis are alive." Wally glared at Bart, "You knew about Artemis?" Wally's voice was a mixture of rage and relief. Bart nodded, "And Artemis will be safe. You two have two kids!" he said a little too happy. Wally shook his head, "Okay, that was a little bit of too much information."
Bart shrugged. Wally thought for a moment, "Why, aren't any of us alive?" Bart froze, "Because of the Reach apocalypse. After it the only people I could find who were related to me where Abbie and Will-," "My children," interjected Wally. Bart nodded, "We managed to contact Maddi-," "Dick's daughter?" asked Wally. Bart nodded once again, "Yeah. And she said that she managed to get control of the streets in Gotham. But I'm going to guess that was mostly because anyone who messes with her or her brother are never seen again." Wally smiled to think of one of Dick's children being even close to threatening.
Derek and Bart raced up the stairs to the second floor. They both barged into the same room at the same time. "I win!" yelled Derek. Bart laughed, "You know, if I could use my powers I would have beaten you." Derek smiled, "Which means that you will always win. I'm just enjoying it for now," said Derek. Madison walked through the door, "Okay boys. Bed time." The two groaned as Madison went to the next room, then the next, and three more rooms after that, and finally going back to Derek and Bart's room. When she went back in the two boys laid on their part of the bunk bed that Madison found. Madison leaned against the door frame.
"Good night you two," she said as she started to walk out. "Maddi!" yelled Derek. Madison looked back, Derek was sitting up and leaning on his hands, "I know I'm getting a bit old for this but," he paused trying to make it sound less childlike but failed, "bed time story?" Even Bart wanted to hear one. Maddi smiled and sat down on the floor of their room, "Okay," she said, "I'm going to guess one about-" Bart interrupted, "One about Flash!" he practically yelled. Madison smiled, "There is a lot of shouting going on today, okay," she said thinking for a moment then getting an idea, "Okay, one about Flash," Derek and Bart laid back down and listened to Madison's story. "It was thirty-eight years ago, when Kid Flash, or as his loved ones knew him as, Wallace West, took up the mantle of the Flash-"
Squadron: Thanks! And it is an alteration between present (2016) and future (2056)