November 9, 2006. 14:15

It wasn't the best day, the best month, to be having this kind of thing right now, but Wally was ready to testify, and he had. It had just taken a week and a half for it to move to court officially. Barry and Iris were just glad the court was today, and not in two days. He didn't need that kind of stress on his own birthday.

Luckily that wasn't the case, and sadly, Wally hadn't even realised that it was his birthday soon, and hadn't celebrated it before, so he didn't know what the hype was all about.

Still, that didn't make this situation any less difficult.

"You okay?" Iris whispers, squeezing Wally's arm, bringing him a little closer towards her. Wally nodded without speaking, shaking slightly against her. She looked up, catching the gaze of Barry for a second. He was sitting behind them, smiling at them to encourage them.

She smiled right back, returning to the front of the room. The jury was already seated again, and so was the judge.

"Thank you all for coming out here again, please take your seats" The jury spoke, causing the last few remaining people to sit down as well. Iris looked over to her left, their attorney was sitting next to them, a woman with short, nearly bleach blonde hair but natural. She wore minimal make-up and was 37 years old.

She had two kids, one Wally's age.

On the other table, left to Iris, were three people as well. Her table consisted of Wally, the attorney and herself. The other of the other attorney, Rudy and Mary. She heard the judge talking, debriefing on what had happened so far, but she didn't look to the front, she could only stare into the eyes of her brother.

Green eyes piercing hers with absolutely no regret in them.

"I would like to put Wallace Rudolph West as witness" Their attorney announced and Iris took her eyes off her brother, looking down at her nephew instead, who in turn had tensed slightly at the sound of his old name, but he had long agreed to doing this. Iris unhooked the arm that was around her nephew, her hand lingering around his.

He stood up without a sound, his hand lingering for a second before it slipped from his aunt's grasp and he walked to the front, sitting down next to the judge.

His voice was soft but loud enough for it to be heard through the courtroom, which was already small to begin with. "I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth" He said, a vulnerability to his voice that Iris still didn't like hearing, and would probably hate hearing for the rest of her life.

"Wally" The attorney starts, speaking softly and smiling at the child for a second to put his mind at ease as much as she could. "Can you confirm that the statement of Iris Ann West-Allen about your father is correct?"

For a second Wally looks at his aunt, and almost desperate look on his face before he turns his head down. "Yes" He speaks quietly, looking up. "It is true"

"How did he hurt you?" There was an underlying tone in the attorney's voice, a pain at knowing what Wally had gone through. Which was even harder for her as she had a kid as well.

"First he hit me" Wally started, taking a shuddering breath. "He would later kick me, push me.. and then he.. with a belt" Wally finishes, taking another difficult breath and hunching in on himself, making himself as small as possible.

"How many times a week did he do it?" The voice was soft, even if she knew she was allowed to ask these questions, she felt bad for doing so.

"4.. 5, sometimes less, sometimes more" Wally answered honestly, rubbing his fingers anxiously.

"Did your mother hurt you as well?" Wally shook his head. "Did she protect you?" Again Wally shook his head, looking at the direction of his mom, who was staring back at him with lost eyes. Conflicted between feeling betrayal and feeling sadness.

"Did your dad threaten you or your mom?"

"Only me" Wally whispers. Because he did, occasionally, Wally didn't need much more reminding. Nobody would believe him, he deserved it, it would get worse if he told anyone. You better hide the bruises or else..

"Objection your Honour, a child cannot be certain that Mary West was not threatened" The attorney working for Rudy's and Mary's side shouted, standing up. The judge immediately turned to him.

"Objection granted" The judge said and Iris winces slightly. "Wallace's story does not hold value over Mary West's story." The story wasn't that she was being threatened, it was neglect, Mary had no idea what was happening to her son. That was the story they went with.

Iris was almost seething in her chair, glaring at Mary for staying silent. But she stayed put, watching Wally answer a few more questions before the judge deemed it enough, and sent him back to sit next to Iris again.

The last witness to be put forward was the neighbour that was living on the right of their home, the other not willing to testify in court. There wasn't much the woman could provide, apart from the fact that she had never felt.. right around Rudy. She stayed out of his way as much as possible.

But she had never heard anything, or saw anything, that hinted at child abuse. Which could only be seen as a verification of Mary's story of not hearing anything. If the neighbour had heard something, Mary's story could've been proven to be a lie, but unfortunately that wasn't the case.

"What if they don't believe me?" Wally whispers, looking at his aunt with scared eyes. Barry sighs, looking at his nephew. The judge and jury were currently gone, debating on the punishment they deemed right for Rudy and Mary, and what would happen to Wally after this, if they could adopt him, or if he had to go back to his parents.

"They will, we have evidence remember? You won't have to go back" But even Iris was unsure, despite the almost guarantee their attorney had given them. She still feared that the judge would hand her nephew back to her brother.

"Besides, the Flash would never let that happen" Barry smiled and Wally grinned shyly. Wally was about to respond the door to the court room opened again, showing the jury and the judge walking back in, the door closing. Barry glanced at the two redheads in front of him, reluctantly walking back to his seat.

The jury, all except one, and the judge took their seats, a piece of paper in the hands of the jury.

"I have received a note that the jury has arrived at a verdict" Both Iris and Wally stood up, followed by their own attorney and the other side. The spectators stayed seated. "Please publish the verdict" The judge continued, handing the paper over to the jury standing, who took it with an apologetic smile.

"In the superior court of Blue Valley, Wallace West versus Rudolph verdict. On one count of child abuse and neglect in the first degree, the defendant is found guilty and will be serving 25 to life in nobles county jail Minnesota" Wally sucked in a breath, not daring to look at his father right now.

"In the superior court of Blue Valley, Wallace West versus Mary West verdict, on one count of child neglect in the first degree, the defendant is found guilty" Wally could feel his stomach turn, his aunt squeezing his aunt, knowing what was coming. "On one count of child abuse in the first degree, the defendant is found not guilty"

Wally winced at the sentence, child neglect, his mother was going away for child neglect alone. He looked to the right, hating the smug expression his father tried to get off his face, before whirling his head towards the judge again.

"She will be serving 3 to 10 years in Woodbury county jail in Sioux city" The jury continued. "Furthermore, both Rudolph and Mary West are unfit to take for their son Wallace West and will lose custody, which will be given to the plaintiff Iris Ann West and Bartholomew Henry Allen"

It took another 2 weeks for the papers to be filled out and for it the legally arranged, but Wally was officially theirs.

September 23, 2006. 02:25

Barry had barely lifted the covers to finally crawl in bed, the Flash costume lazily on the ground and not caring to properly stash it away for the moment when a scream resonated through the house. He snapped his head up, glancing back to Iris, who was now slowly blinking her eyes.

She seemed confused for a moment before she suddenly sat straight up in bed, wide eyes looking at Barry.

"Wally" She gasped, scrambling out of bed. She threw her door open, running straight for the guest room, or rather, Wally's new room. When she entered the room, she stopped right in her tracks, looking at the figure of her nephew, twisted in his own blankets and tears running down his cheeks.

He whimpered, biting back a scream and curling up on himself even more, face twisted with pain. She felt Barry stop behind her as she slowly walked into the room, dropping to her knees in front of the bed and reaching out, using her finger to tuck a piece of hair out of Wally's face.

Wally blinked sluggishly, tears blurring his vision and iris stroked his cheek. "It's okay Wally" She whispers but Wally flinches away from her, crawling backwards.

"I'm sorry" He gasped breathlessly, and before either Iris or Barry could stop him he crawled backwards enough to meet the end of the bed, tumbling off and hitting the floor with a loud thud. Wally cried out in pain, curling into himself again.

"Wally" Iris whispered, rushing over to the other side of the bed but freezing in place as Wally whimpered, staring at her with wide and terrified eyes.

"I-I'm sorry. please d-don't hit me. please. I-I'l be g-good." He whimpered, wrapping his arms over his head and shielding his face from her. Iris blinked, looking up at Barry with terrified eyes. Barry was still, silent as he looked at his nephew but didn't dare to approach him, knowing that would only freak him out.

Iris frowned when Barry didn't say anything, turning back to her shivering nephew.

"Wally" She tried again, reaching out and placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Wally it's me, aunt Iris. I won't hurt you, you know that" She spoke gently but Wally refused to look at her, body tense and muscles almost snapping at the tension he unconsciously put on them out of fear.

Wally merely whimpered, still hiding his face and Iris scooted a little closer, rubbing his back and ignoring how it was drenched with sweat, continuing to comfort him. Eventually he went limp and Iris carefully placed his head on her lap, running her fingers through his hair. She glanced at Barry before starting to sing softly.

She didn't have the best singing voice, but it seemed like Wally didn't care as he relaxed in her hold, but still numbly staring ahead of him. Barry sighed, running a hand over his face and sitting down on the edge of the bed, not disturbing his wife as she continued to sing to her nephew.

His nephew.

"I'm sorry" Wally mumbled after a few minutes and Iris looked down with a sad expression on her face. But the tone in Wally's voice was different, and Iris immediately understood that he wasn't apologising for whatever his father taught him was wrong, he was apologising for waking her up, for bothering her.

He wasn't seeing Rudy anymore, but Iris. And he wasn't afraid, but guilty and embarrassed instead.

"Don't be" Iris whispered softly, still running her fingers through Wally's hair. The latter blinked a couple of times, wiping away his own tears and sluggishly getting up, looking away from the two adults. "Do you think you can go back to sleep?" Iris whispers, looking at Barry for a second.

Wally bites his lip, wincing before shaking his head.

"I-it's okay, you don't have to stay. I'll be alright" Wally mumbled, looking up at his aunt but Iris shook her head.

"I won't, ever" Iris spoke sternly, stroking the side of his head with a small smile. "That's not how it normally works Wally. Mary may have, but I won't leave you like this" She explained him and Wally winced at the mention of his mother, still fifty fifty on the whole situation. He knew his parents did something wrong.

But at the same time he couldn't just let them go, carry on with his life.

"Let's get you cleaned up first" Iris spoke, a little hesitant herself and helping up her nephew. "I know you have work tomorrow, you don't have to stay" Iris whispers softly and Barry looks at Wally with an almost hopeless expression before he nods, following Iris and Wally but walking into his and Iris' bedroom instead of the bathroom.

Iris started the shower, placing a towel next to the shower before turning back to Wally. He had already lost his shirt and Iris winced at the display of his back, old and new wounds running up and down his back, scars littered across the skin. Wally noticed Iris' stare, shuffling uneasily.

"I will be right outside" Iris whispered, walking out of the bathroom. She closed the door but never heard Wally lock the door from the inside. She waited for a few minutes before the door opened again, Wally looking at her.

"This is new to me" He whispers, and Iris understood what he was talking about. Someone caring for him. "Mom would just ignore me.. if she even heard me" He continued, looking down again.

"I am not your mom" Iris whispers, and Wally looks to the side, setting his jaw.

"I don't want you to be, aunt Iris." He whispers before finally looking at his aunt. The latter smiled, wrapping her arms around the younger ginger, bringing him closer. She was cautiously, the movement slow and the hug not too tight but Wally didn't struggle or tense, relaxing in the embrace.

September 9th, 2018. 20:34

"Don't look so weird Damian" Dick laughs as Damian gazes at Artemis' stomach with mild disgust. Both Wally and Dick laugh at Damian's expression but Artemis just smirks knowingly.

"Dick's right, you were made the same way" Artemis says, rubbing her swollen belly with a smile on her face. Damian clicks with his tongue, the frown still present on his face.

"Mother grew me in an artificial womb, I was not made like 'this'" Damian scoffs and Artemis rolls her eyes with shake.

"Charming as ever Damian" She remarks and Damian just huffs, plopping on the couch. He looks up at Dick, who was chatting with Wally right now, probably making sure the couple was really okay with looking after Damian for the night, with Artemis being over 8 months pregnant and all, and with his background.

The two first sidekicks chatted for some time before Dick turned back to his little brother, putting a hand on his shoulder, which Damian shrugs off. Or tries to at least before Dick puts his hand on his shoulder again, this time Damian lets it sit. Not because he enjoyed it, which he definitely didn't, but because he knew how annoyingly persistent Dick could be.

"Behave yourself 'kay?" Dick grins and Damian scowls at the bright smile, mumbling a goodbye in Arabic before watching Dick leave, leaving him alone with Artemis and Wally. People he weren't foreigners with, but never stayed over. It felt strange being at their place without Grayson.

"I can take care of myself" Damian says once Dick was gone and Wally laughs.

"I don't doubt that kid" He voices and Damian raises an eyebrow at him.

"Just because Grayson likes you, doesn't mean I do" He comments and Wally rolls his eyes, putting two hands on either one of Artemis' shoulders, massaging it for a few seconds. He wore the same cocky grin on his face like always, knowing Damian too well to take the insult to heart.

Even if they had only known him for a little less than half a year.

"I know you do, don't need to be a bat for that" Wally commented before standing up again. "Come on, I'll show you your room" The speedster said, gesturing Damian to follow him. For a second Damian was tempted to just stay put but he sighed eventually, standing up and following Grayson's best friend through the house

It wasn't a particular large house, it had three bedrooms. One used by Artemis and Wally, one prepared for the twins that were coming, and one still used for guests, like Damian right now. But he knew that once the twins would grow up, they would turn the guest room into one of the bedrooms.

Wally eyed at Damian's bag for a second, surprised to see the kid had brought so little with him. Skip that, he wasn't surprised that he hadn't brought much normal stuff with him. However, what was odd was the lack of weapons that he brought, if he should believe Dick's word.

But that man was probably also responsible for Damian not bringing any weapons in the first place. And sneaking weapons past Dick, however skilled Damian was, was difficult.

"This is your room" Wally eventually announces, allowing Damian to step inside. "Our room is just across the hall but full disclosure, Artemis doesn't sleep that well anymore so don't be startled by any movement or swearing" Wally says with a grin and Damian just stares at him, not amused by the jokes West was trying to make.

"Why are you afraid West?" He suddenly asks and Wally frowns, shaking his head slightly.

"Afraid? What do you mean?" He asks and Damian clicks his tongue.

"Even if I had not overheard your conversation with Allen or Grayson a few weeks back, your face is an open book" Damian states. "I can see you are afraid to become a father"

"Isn't every father-to-be?" Wally asks and Damian glares at him.

"Not like you, not everyone had your past West" Damian points out and Wally recoils at the mention. "That did not come out the right way" Damian muttered under his breath, the lingering apology actually present this time, but he didn't voice it out loud.

"That's alright.. I guess" Wally said, walking over to the chair in the room and sitting down. "How much do you know?" He asks and once again Damian looks at him with a look. Wally chuckles, lowering his head for a moment and running his fingers through his hair for good measure.

"Everything, you're a bat after all" He mutters to himself and Damian clicks his tongue again. "Then you will also understand why I'm afraid to become a father" Wally states as a matter of fact, but it wasn't hard for Damian to catch the uncertainty in his voice, he still wasn't sure of becoming a father.

"You will not become your father" Damian states bluntly and Wally blinks.

"Geez kid, you just solved all my worries, thanks" Wally stated dryly and Damian glares.

"You will not harm your own children West" Damian says again, maybe rightfully ignoring Wally's remark. And despite the sour subject, Wally smiled at the fact that Damian was trying to reassure him, knowing that he must've done something pretty amazing to earn that privilege.

"You are too weak to ever do so" Damian adds after a short silence and Wally snorts, still smiling. Despite the insult, he knew Damian was complimenting him.

"People change West, they do not always follow their upbringing" The darker skinned boy continues, Wally wincing at the painfully obvious implication towards Damian's past. "…. I have not killed anyone for a month. Father.." Damian stops himself and Wally looks up.

"Would be proud of you Damian" Wally finishes the sentence and Damian looks up, staring at the speedster. And for the first time actually, Wally understood what Dick had been saying about his eyes. Green eyes begging for acceptance, to find a place in this world.

"You know nothing of father" Damian bites back, and Wally recognises the attempt to hide his feelings with anger.

"I grew up with him Damian, I know him better than you" Damian looks up again, tilting his head slightly. "That.. wasn't the best thing to say probably but he would be proud, and I know for sure Dick is"

Damian looks down again. "He is?"

Despite the obvious uncertainty that was breaking Wally's heart, the speedster chuckles dryly. "Would I be ruining this moment if I pointed out that your fears come from a similar origin?" He says, both fears coming from their upbringing, their parents not knowing them or not loving them.

"Don't test your luck West" Damian scoffs, walking away from the room. Wally just smiles as Damian leaves the room.

Maybe Damian was right, maybe he didn't have to become what his own dad was. After all, he would never, ever, describe Talia as a person who genuinely cared about the people around him, even if Damian tried to hide it, Wally could see right past his outer defences, the hard face and the insults.

Because even if he didn't do the exact same thing, he put on a happy face, he hid his past and traumas as well. And he just hoped that Dick could convince him to be honest with himself, just as he had done with him all those years ago.

December 30th, 2010.

"So.. who's next?" Wally grinned, putting an arm on Artemis' shoulder.

"I am" M'gann whispers and Wally pales.

'I swear I was kidding" He grinds out. Truth be told, he was freaked out when M'gann suddenly shifted into a white Martian, but he had seen far too many off-world creatures to be scared of it, especially after M'gann linked them up, either unconsciously or done on purpose, but her voice gave away that it was still her.

"I figured you'd tell me when you were ready" Superboy spoke, squeezing M'gann's hand, and it slowly turned green again, and M'gann slowly went back to her green Martian self, tiredly accepting the hug Superboy gave her. Wally smiled shyly at them, long over his crush of M'gann.

Which was all it was in the first place.

He looks to the left, both Zatanna and Rocket had left during the silence, but Robin and Kaldur had stayed put for now, and Robin was staring at him with a determined look on his face. Oh no, not happening.

He glared and Dick narrowed his eyes behind the mask, understanding the mental conversation.

"I have something to say as well" Wally says after a sigh, looking at his best friend, before glancing at the rest of his teammates. "Remember back in September? When I went AFK for a few days?" Kaldur en Artemis nod, slightly confused, and slightly anxious about what was to come.

So far, three of the original 6 teammates had revealed themselves to be hiding a dark secret, they couldn't handle a fourth almost-traitor.

"AFK?" M'gann questions almost in a whisper and Dick takes a step forwards.

"Away from keyboard, when he took a few days off the team" Dick explains and Wally flashes him a grateful smile for a second.

"I remember" She whispers, looking straight at Wally. The latter, fidgets slightly, not sure how to continue.

"It isn't like the rest.. I'm not being blackmailed but…" He stops himself, looking at Dick for a second again, but he just gave him a reassuring nod to continue. "I know you were confused about it, but I live with my aunt and uncle, the flash. They're not my parents, like I told Superboy, and I don't live with my parents either"

Like I told the three of you, Artemis, Kaldur and M'gann. Dick knew of course, he and Roy were the only ones besides Iris, Barry, Hal and Bruce to know the secret.

Until now.

"Why don't you live with your parents?" M'gann whispers, too afraid to approach him right now. "They are not.. gone, aren't they?"

"I wish" Wally mumbles, visibly shocking the Martian girl. "I was gone because my mom got out of prison and wanted to visit my dad in another.. I needed some time off the team" He continues and Artemis frowns, not liking the fact that both their mothers had been in prison. But she didn't know yet that Mary deserved to be in there still.

"What were they convicted for?" Artemis speaks up and Wally looks at her, green eyes meeting hers.

"My mom for child neglect" He swallows almost painfully. "And my dad for child abuse"

Silence.

The only thing Wally could notice was the silence that fell around them. Dick silently brushed past M'gann and Superboy, walking up to Wally to offer some comfort.

"Why have you not told us?" Kaldur asks in a timid voice, taking a step forwards. Wally looks down, wrapping his arms around himself.

"I don't know, shame I guess, I didn't want you to see me any differently" Wally said. "I knew you did when you found out Robin's ID" He continues, looking straight at Kaldur but nobody reacted. They knew Wally and Dick were best friends, and knew each other's identity, as well as Kaldur knowing.

So hearing that Kaldur knew Dick's identity didn't faze them.

"Where is your mother now?" Kaldur asks and Wally frowns.

"New Orleans, she moved there a few months ago" Wally said. "She says she knows she did something wrong and won't contact me"

"So your parents were actually your aunt and uncle?" Superboy questions, wrapping an arm around M'gann's waist and looking at his teammate.

"I've been living with them since I was eleven" Wally answers before shaking his head. "My parents were still in jail when you stayed at my house after rescuing you from Cadmus. But they're like my parents, they raised me when my real parents couldn't"

"How did you get away?" Artemis asks suddenly, reminding Wally that she was still standing next to him. He whirled around, looking her into the eyes before sighing, turning his attention to the whole room.

"Iris came to my house when dad was.. hurting me" Wally reluctantly explained. "We were upstairs and she tried to defend me but he ended up pushing her down the stairs. He didn't even care that he had hurt his little sister" Wally scowled.

"If Iris is your father's sister, then Flash isn't related to you?" Artemis asks, a soft look on her face for once and Wally almost scowled at the look, he didn't want her pity. But he heard that Artemis was genuinely worried for him, so he pushed back his frustration.

"He isn't, no. Iris was- is my aunt, and she married Barry, making him my uncle" Wally said sheepishly, the sentence sounding rather stupid once he heard it out loud.

"You always seemed so close, and you have the same humour. I always thought he was your dad, or at least related" M'gann whispered, a sad expression on her face, and Wally was glad she hadn't teared up yet but he almost winced at her expression. This is what he had wanted to avoid.

Upsetting his teammates and making them pity him.

"We bonded these last years I guess. First over science and after I discovered his identity over Flash, and eventually becoming partners." Wally said with a shrug.

"And you are good right now?" M'gann whispers and Wally smiled gently.

"I am, I mean it will always be a part of me but I'm good" Wally explains and M'gann smiles shyly at the statement, leaning into Superboy's hold.

"So that's it?" Artemis asks with her arms crossed and Wally snickers.

"I've got nothing else to say, and you all confessed" Wally says, gesturing to Artemis, M'gann and Superboy before looking at Kaldur and Dick. "You're the only two left guys, spill" Wally grinned and Kaldur frowned, not understanding the joke, or the tactic Wally was using to lighten the mood.

"I have not known my parents, I was adopted by my King" He says and Wally smirks, looking at his best friend. Dick narrows his eyes behind his mask and Wally grins again before Dick shakes his head.

"Not happening KF" He scowled, slapping the ginger speedster.

"Then we better start making a plan, our enemy does not know that we can no longer be blackmailed by them. We can use this to our advantage" Kaldur intercepts, looking around the room and earning five nods.

Wally grins, looking down as Dick elbows him, grinning knowingly.

And Wally felt himself not regretting telling the team, he felt relieved.


So there you have it, the final chapter of my story. Sorry it took so long to finish, I was actually busy with another story that is coming out soon I hope. If you liked it, please leave a review to feed the hungry author.
Have an awesome day!