Why did Wally trash his room? Why did he race off to the doctor's office? What is he keeping from his friends? Behold, loyal readers: The Answers!

Disclaimer: Where's that damn rental card…?

Chapter IV

Wally hadn't spent much time in the Crime Lab. He'd seen it every once in a while, but only when Robin needed his help with something. There were countless newspaper clippings on the walls, most of them from past cases. A small table sat in the center, with a single lamp hanging above it.

Robin grabbed a chair and placed it by the table.

"Sit down."

Kid Flash, surprised by the forcefulness of his friend's voice, did as he was told.

Robin leaned against the table and crossed his arms. "Okay, Wally. Start from the beginning. What's going on?"

The red-headed speedster sighed deeply. He was obviously uncomfortable, but Robin didn't much care. Although Wally was his best friend, he wanted the truth, and he wanted it now.

He wasn't the only one.

As quietly as she could, Raven levitated to the closed Crime Lab door. She put her ear against it, hoping to hear their conversation. Nothing. She realized that the door was sound proof. 'No problem,' she thought. Using her mental abilities to amplify her sense of hearing, she replaced her ear on the door. This time, she could hear as clearly as though she were inside.

Kid Flash inhaled sharply…and began his story.

"Okay, Dick. You're my best friend, and you deserve the truth. I told you how I got my powers, right? Well, there's something I didn't tell you. After a while, I started having a problem. A big problem. Every time I used my speed, my body would vibrate out of control." He paused. "I swear, sometimes it got so painful, I could've killed myself." Kid Flash looked at the ground, trying not to remember the times he almost died because of his own body.

Robin's eyes narrowed with concern. Why hadn't he said any of this before? Why would he keep something like this to himself? Robin wanted these questions answered…and so did Raven. Her ear was glued to the door as she continued to listen in.

Kid Flash went on. "The vibrations would happen randomly, and sometimes they would last even after I stopped running. I thought I was gonna die, Dick. I really did." Raven's grip tightened around her tea cup when she heard that. "But then my Uncle Barry's friend Jay introduced me to a guy named Max Mercury. This guy is unreal. Jay said he was the first speedster…ever. He says he used to be a cowboy in the Old West, or something, and he traveled through time to our era and…"

"Wally!"

Kid Flash shook his head and refocused. "Sorry. Anyways, he said he could help me with my…uh, problems. He got together with some of my uncle's friends at S.T.A.R. Labs, and they did all kinds of tests so they could figure out what was wrong. I'm not sure of the details, but they said it was my metabolism that was the cause. It was accelerating, too fast for even me. Apparently eating like a horse wasn't enough. After I'd get through digesting, my body tried to extract energy from my muscles, which caused them to vibrate."

Robin shifted his weight and asked "Did they find a way to stop it?"

Kid Flash looked to the floor again. "Yeah, I guess. Max made some kind of serum that slowed my metabolism back to normal. Well, normal for me, that is. He said to take it once a day for three months, so I did. And for long time, the vibrations stopped…" his voice faded.

"Until last night," finished Robin.

Kid Flash nodded slowly. "I can't explain it. I was dreaming about us. The Titans, that is. You guys were off somewhere fighting, and I was running as fast as I could to get to you. And as soon as you came into view, BAM! But it didn't just happen in the dream. I woke up, and it seemed like the whole tower was shaking. As it turns out, it was me. It wasn't too bad…at least not until I stood up. Once I did, the pain hit me like a damn eighteen wheeler. It was blinding. I remember rolling around the floor, yelling for help. I guess the sound proofing in the walls are better than I thought, since no one answered."

A twinge of guilt ran through both Robin and Raven. 'I should've heard him. I should've been there,' Robin thought. The eavesdropping empath was thinking similar thoughts.

'I should have sensed it. I could have helped him.'

Raven felt her emotions resurfacing, this time even stronger than before. She tried to focus, and concentrated on what Kid Flash was saying.

"After the pain settled, I decided to head back to S.T.A.R. Labs, in Central City," he continued. "I didn't think I'd take so long there. I figured they'd just give me some more of that serum and call it a day, but instead they ran a few x-rays and tests to see if this was the same. According to the results, it wasn't."

A look of confusion came across Robin. "Are they sure about that?" he asked. "From what you just told me, it's sounds like it's the same thing."

The speedster shrugged. "I dunno. They said they would call if they found anything." Kid Flash scratched the back of his head, then looked his old friend right in the eye.

"I'm sorry, Dick. I should've told you sooner. A lot sooner. I guess…I don't know…"

Robin looked back at his friend, and decided not to push the issue any further. He put his hand on Wally's shoulder, and said "It's okay, Wally. You know I'm just concerned." Wally knew, but that didn't make him feel any better.

Frustrated and confused, he buried his face in his hands. 'God, tell me this isn't happening again,' he thought.

Raven couldn't help but hear his thoughts. At that point, all she wanted to do was go in there and comfort him. To tell him that everything would be all right. As her mind wandered, she let go of her emotional reigns for a split second. Her hand started to glow with black energy, and the cup she was holding shattered, spilling tea everywhere. Regaining her composure, she quickly used her power to clean up the broken pieces. Deciding to make herself scarce, she softly chanted her magical words "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos," and phased through the floor.

Just as she disappeared, the door slid open. Kid Flash walked out, followed closely by Robin. "Dick, I don't want this leaking out to anyone else. At least not yet," replied Kid Flash.

Robin agreed. "Okay, buddy. I promise I won't say a word." Kid Flash raised his hand and smirked.

"Shake on it."

Robin returned the smirk and the two teen heroes shook hands. Robin turned and walked towards the lounge. As Kid Flash began to follow, he heard a slight squish under his boot. He looked down to find a small wet spot in the carpet. The speedster cringed.

"Aw, man! That better not be what I think it is!" he exclaimed.

He raced to the bathroom, grabbed some paper towels, and zoomed back. As he started to clean, he noticed something different. First of all, it was very recent. Second, it didn't reek as if it were…well, you know. It smelled kind of, well, sweet. Wally took a sniff. He didn't recognize it at first, but after another whiff, he knew what it was. His eyes narrowed.

"Herbal tea."

I really hope that satisfied your curiosity…cause it's time to get things moving. In both departments. Up next: Things heat up when Wally confronts Raven. And later: Our mysterious "bad guy" makes his presence known. But first, a word from our sponsors…