JUST published this. I may not be able to update for a while 'cos schools pretty hectic, but review do give me the enthusiasm to zone out in Maths and write the next chapter…
"I have what?" I demanded.
"Diabetes. Type two."
"But... Isn't that for like... I dunno... Fat people?"
"It occurs when the body is unable to produce enough insulin - the hormone that breaks down sugar - and shuts down" Batman explained, biting his lip.
"I- I ate too much sugar? But I thought..."
"Unfortunately your pancreas - the thingy that produces insulin - doesn't have your super speed." Barry whispered. "And... Because you had no insulin there was nothing to break down the sugar in your bloodstream. Your blood sugar... What was it again?"
"23.6 - that's what caused your stroke," Batman muttered, "You should be dead."
"B-but... My blood sugar... That goes up when I eat sugary foods… which I have to do to keep my powers..." I stammered
"Yes."
"Do I- Will I- Do I have to give up being Kid Fl-"
"WALLY!"
I shot around just in time to see Rob charging at me. I braced myself as he jumped on me, hugging me so tightly I thought I would burst.
"Oh my God, oh my God, your alive... Kid, your alive..."
"And breathing!" I grinned, wrapping my arms around the smaller boy.
"Speaking of, where's your tracheotomy?"
"My what?"
"The breathy tubey thingy stuck down your throat"
"Oh. I pulled out"
"Dude!" Robin exclaimed, his voice muffled by my chest, "that thing was in your lungs!"
"I wanted to talk."
"That much? Geese, I missed you, KF. I really did."
"I know you did. You were crying on me"
Rob pulled away, blushing. "N-n-no... I d-don't cry..."
"Sure dude. Whatever you say."
Batman cleared his throat to make it clear that he and Barry were still in the room.
"Richard, can you wait outside? Barry and I need to have a serious discussion with Wallace" Bats said slowly, while I winced at the sound of my full name.
Rob nodded solemnly, trudging out. Before he walked out the rooms door, he looked back, smiling broadly.
The plastic, white doors swung shut, and I watched his blurred figure disappear in the murky glass.
I turned to the two men who stood above me, exchanging shifty glances.
"Wally, type two diabetes has to be monitored carefully. You will have to take special medication to control your blood sugar levels, which may have side effects of drowsiness. But it really depends on the person. You'll have to take your blood sugar regularly and keep to a special diet. It will take a while to get your blood sugar levels back to normal; maybe a few months. " Barry muttered, playing with the lightening bolts sticking out from his cowl.
"Then I can't run, can I? Running sends your blood sugar up." I stated sadly.
"No, that's blood pressure. Blood sugar is the amount of sugar in your blood stream. It goes up when there sugar in your blood – usually the pancreas creates insulin to break it down and keep your blood sugar levels normal but…"
"It's dead"
"It's inactive." Batman corrected.
Barry cleared his throat and glared at Batman.
"I am to, aren't I?" I asked slowly, my voice rising on every word.
"You are what?"
"Inactive. I have to stop running don't I?"
"Using your powers will speed up your metabolism so-" Barry began but I held up my hand to stop him.
"Stop feeding me all this crap and tell me what I'm going up against here. Will I be able to be Kid Flash or not?"
Batman opened his mouth – most likely to scold me - but Barry interrupted him. "Tell him. He deserves to know"
"WALLY!"
Really?
"M'gann." I stated. The pale girl popped into view and I plastered a grin onto my face.
"Hey beautiful. I never did get that kiss…" Mgann's face dropped for a moment.
"Don't. You. Dare." She hissed, stepping back as the rest of the team galloped into the room.
Connor threw his arms around me in a suffocating hug. "lungs!" I yelped, rubbing my chest as the boy pulled away. He went bright red and cowered behind Mgann, whose face was set in a piercing glare.
"Hey, don't worry 'bout it supes. I'm just happy to be back"
Batman murmured something and Barry hit him over the back of the head.
"Hey Rob" I grinned, straining my neck to see the raven haired boy standing near mentor, his smile a little too big for his face. "C'mere" Rob shuffled over and I pulled him into a hug, shoving his head into my chest and ruffling his short black hair. He pulled away, whinging, flattening his hair back into place. "Dude! Not in front of… Y'know" he jerked his shoulder back towards Zatanna who rolled her eyes and stepped forward to hug me gently.
"Hey, Z, still got any of that cake left?"
Zatanna pulled away looking incredulous. "How-"
"I could hear…" I pulled back a bit further to look Artemis in the eye, "I could hear everything"
Artemis frowned and stepped forward, raising her hand. I winced, waiting for the slap – but it never came. She pulled me into an awkward hug, her arms fitting stiffly beside me. I melted into her touch and she seemed to relax slightly, until Rob's trademark giggle sounded and the blonde was on the other side of the room, wiping her hands on her pants as if to rid herself of any germs she may have retracted from me. I stuck my tongue out and she returned the favour.
"Robin," Batman muttered, "You said you'd wait outside"
"I told the others and they wanted to see him right away"
"Yeah, next time don't hit your head. Idiot." Artemis mocked, nudging Zatanna.
"Hit my head?' I looked to Barry who raised his eyebrows. "Yeah… I… hit my head."
Obviously the team wasn't allowed to know about my… condition.
"Kal is still in Atlantis" Connor piped up, wanting to fill the silence.
I wanted to see me friends, yeah, but the thought that I may have to quit the team was stuck on my mind leaving me distracted.
"Hey… guys, do you mind waiting outside for a minute? I need to talk to Bats"
The team grumbled a little before filing out, their heads hung low. As soon as the doors shut I heard a muffled burble of chatter. I sunk back into my pillow.
"So? Am I going to be Kid Flash or not?"
"Wally-" Barry began, but Batman cut him short.
"First you have to survive fourteen hours"
Leaving me to marinate in the fact my life depended on the next fourteen hours, the Dark Knight turned, and walked out of the room.
Oh Batman. You can be such a poo.
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