A/N I live! Sorry it took so long to update; I ran into a case of writers' block and then was busy for a while.

~Aiva

The zeta tube had deposited them back at Central City within a matter of seconds, something Wally was grateful for. He was actually starting to feel a bit tired now, something he blamed on the painkillers Alfred had given him. Whatever they had been, they had definitely worked. The previous burning agony in his leg was more of a dull ache now, something he could function with much easier. The pain still grated on his nerves though, serving as a constant reminder to the fact he wouldn't be able to run for at least two weeks. Wally would've much preferred to be shot in the arm or something; he didn't need his arms as much as he needed his legs, not when it came to running.

"You okay, kid?" Barry checked, shooting a quick concerned glance down at his nephew.

"Other than the bullet that was in my leg, I'm great," Wally answered with false cheerfulness, the barest hint of sarcasm edging the words.

Barry chuckled a little. "I know it seems bad, but you'll be healed and ready to go before you know it," he assured as he started the run towards home. He tried to make it as smooth as possible, for Wally's sake; a bullet wound really wasn't any fun and he didn't want to jostle it more than necessary.

Wally didn't respond, letting out a small breath as the world blurred into the familiar smears of colors and shapes that came with traveling at super speed. A brief sonic boom let the redhead know they broke the sound barrier, something his mentor seemed to be able to do much easier than he could. Brushing that off, he focused on picking out different street names and buildings until they finally reached the welcome destination of home.

If Wally had been younger and less experienced, he might have trembled a bit at the sight. After all, he had just been kidnapped. But stuff like that was something he'd become, sadly, very used to in his years as a hero. He wouldn't deny the fact that he smiled though, a wide grin that lit up his face completely. It was always an amazing feeling to come back home, the place where Wally couldn't help but feel the safest.

They went in through the backdoor, which Iris must've left unlocked because Barry didn't have to knock or vibrate through the piece of wood in order to get inside.

Barry set Wally down on the couch carefully as soon as they reached the living room, with slow, tender movements. He ruffled the teenager's fiery locks affectionately as Iris walked in, green eyes brightening when they spotted her nephew. She hugged him almost immediately, folding him into a warm, secure embrace. Wally closed his eyes, taking a moment to soak in the familiar comforting sensation.

His face pressed into her shoulder, he could just make out a whiff of lavender, the scent of her preferred perfume. He could tell when Uncle Barry joined in because the smell of generic shampoo mingled with the original aroma and Wally started to feel a little like he was in the middle of a sandwich being squished together. He didn't complain though; he actually really enjoyed it. Here, in the space between his aunt and his uncle, he felt like nothing could ever touch him. He felt absolutely and completely safe, reassured by the knowledge that they would always be there to support him no matter what. And that was all he needed.

"Wallace Rudolph West, one of these days you're going to give me a heart attack," Iris murmured into his messy red hair. "I'm beginning to think you make it your personal goal to get into as much trouble as possible every day."

Wally grinned, familiar with this routine. Aunt Iris would give him a hug, possibly cook some food, check him for any possible injuries, and then chastise him lightly for making her worry in the first place. Not necessarily in that order. He knew it was just her way of expressing relief and he didn't really mind. It was nice to be fussed over like this every once in a while.

"Sorry, Aunt Iris," he apologized, attempting to shift positions slightly. All it served to do was cause one leg to knock into the other, resulting in a jolt of sudden agony as the wound was jostled. He hissed a little through gritted teeth, barely remembering to keep the sound quiet. It was enough to alert Iris though, and rouse all of her mother-hen tendencies.

"Where are you hurt?" she demanded, pulling away to get a better look at him. She hadn't really bothered immediately because she was preoccupied with welcoming the previously missing teen home, but now she could dedicate her full attention to any possible injuries he had sustained. Her fingers skimmed lightly over the mottled bruise on his cheek almost immediately after, her lips pursing as a worried crinkle appeared by her right eye. She didn't comment immediately, instead scanning the rest of him. Wally braced himself for her reaction to the white bandage around his leg and the stitches beneath.

"What happened?" she asked in a deceptively calm voice. Wally knew she was brimming with maternal frustration inside though and offered her a reassuring smile, thankful that the painkillers were strong enough to mask the worst of it.

"Uh…well, while I was tied up, Ugly kind of shot me," Wally explained slowly.

"'Ugly'?" Barry questioned, raising one eyebrow. Wally's cheeks flushed a subtle shade of scarlet.

"Yeah…I was bored and got tired of calling them all thugs, so I named them. That one was Ugly. The others were Moron and Stupid," Wally explained, a bit awkwardly. It sounded a whole lot more idiotic out loud than it had in his head. That didn't stop Barry from chuckling softly under his breath though or the slight grin that appeared on the redhead's face in response.

Iris just shook her head, a smile playing on her lips even as she inspected the wound. "Alfred went ahead and stitched it up and gave me some painkillers. I can run in two weeks, no biggie," Wally went on. It was a big deal, actually, but he wasn't going to say how the idea of no running was pressing on him like a suffocating weight, threatening to drown him. There was nothing either of them could do about it, after all, and he really didn't need to give them anything else to worry about.

Iris leaned forward a bit to press her lips to her nephew's forehead in a gentle, affectionate kiss. "As long as you're sure," she murmured, giving him that soul-piercing look she had mastered within the first week Wally had come to live with him. Her green eyes seemed to bore through all of his masks and layers, picking him apart until she could see what was underneath. It was a bit disconcerting, but not entirely unpleasant since concern was also sparking in their emerald depths.

Wally gave her a slightly crooked grin, hoping it would reassure her that all was well for now. "I am," he promised.

The familiar beep of an oven cut through the air unexpectedly and the teenager suddenly became aware of the most amazing, mouth-watering aroma. It wafted through the air, tantalizing and delicious. Sweet vanilla undertones, half-melted chocolate chips…oh, he could practically taste them already. He realized then he had never actually gotten to eat any of the cookies back at the Batcave and his desire to eat some now was immediately magnified. A pang of hunger shot through his stomach, a rather loud growl accompanying it.

Iris resisted the urge to laugh softly as her nephew's face took on a wistful, almost desperate look as he turned to face the kitchen. "I'll bring you some cookies," she smiled, not wanting him to have to stand yet. She was happy to do this small task for her boy and was rewarded by seeing Wally's face light up.

"Thanks, Aunt Iris," he beamed. "You're the best." A plate supporting a large tower of cookies was soon in front of him, the amazing scent even stronger now. Wally was pretty sure he was close to actually starting to drool now and, not for the first time, was incredibly glad that his aunt baked whenever she was nervous or concerned. That insured that there was almost always some sort of treat to come home to after a mission, something that was greatly appreciated by both of the speedsters in the house.

Not bothering to wait for them to cool or anything, he dug in, shoving cookies into his eagerly waiting mouth. Crumbs flecked the corner of his lips but his attention was solely devoted to the warm, familiar taste of the freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. Incoherent mumbles of pleasure escaped him occasionally as he depleted the store of baked treats in front of him. He came up for air only when they had disappeared completely, the edge taken away from his hunger.

Wally wasn't sure he could ever actually feel full, but he at least felt satisfied now. "Thanks, Aunt Iris," he repeated, setting the now empty plate down on a nearby coffee table to get it out of the way. He licked his lips to make sure all traces of chocolate had been removed, giving her another tiny smile. Wally did feel a bit embarrassed and sheepish that he had to eat so much so fast, but he ignored it, knowing that his aunt and uncle would surely understand. They had been living with his metabolism for quite a while now, after all.

"You're welcome, sweetheart," she responded, glancing over him once more. "Is there anything else you need? Some water? A blanket? A-"

"I'm fine, Aunt Iris," Wally interrupted, cheeks flushing a subtle shade of red. He did appreciate her efforts to watch over him, but he really didn't want to send her running around the house with a bunch of requests until she finally drew a line somewhere. That was just unfair to her. He hesitated a bit before continuing. "Well…actually, do you think you could bring me the crutches?" he asked. That way he'd be able to get up on his own at least.

"I got them," Barry interjected, standing up and moving over to the closet where they were stored. He was back within seconds, leaning them carefully against the couch next to Wally. The redhead took them carefully, checking to make sure they were at the proper height before heaving himself off of the couch. Noticing the questioning glances of both his guardians, he flashed them a wide, reassuring grin. "Just heading to the bathroom," he explained before moving towards the indicated room.

Once inside, he shut the door tightly and locked it, a slight click indicating that no one would be able to open the door now. Breathing out a small sigh, Wally glanced into the mirror, frowning as he got his first glimpse of the ugly bruise on his cheek. It wouldn't take very long to heal (much less that his bullet wound, anyway) but right now it still throbbed whenever he gingerly touched it. Dismissing it for now, Wally allowed his façade to crumble.

He leaned against the wall, taking deep, heavy breaths as emotions swirled up inside of him. Cadmus was back. Cadmus was back. Repeating it didn't make it any easier to hear and Wally shook his head in an effort to clear it of the memories creeping up on him. It didn't work and they washed over his mind anyway, unlocking a slew of flashbacks and unwelcome emotions. Wally bit his lip, stopping only when he realized it was getting to the point where he was almost drawing blood. He touched the stinging skin with his fingertips before allowing his hands to drop back to their appointed positions on the crutches.

Honestly, Wally was scared. He knew what Cadmus was capable of and didn't want to experience any more of that ever again. They had kidnapped him and Dick, torturing them both. They had killed Hope, his little sister. A dry sob swelled up within him but he swallowed it back down, not wanting to risk his aunt or uncle hearing it and investigating what was wrong. He still had that happy, strong mask to retain, a mask that he needed in order to not fall apart completely.

He had hoped this day would never come, but looking back, Wally supposed it was inevitable. Still, it was a terrifying thought, to know he was being hunted. He wasn't stupid, after all. He knew fully well that Cadmus would be making another attempt on both him and Dick, and they would probably do it soon.

But he couldn't dwell on it right now and Wally forced it to the back of his mind, locking it up firmly. "Get it together, West," he muttered to himself fiercely. "You'll be fine. No sense worrying about Cadmus right now. You're both safe."

Still, he felt slightly queasy inside and he struggled to ignore the feeling. Pasting another grin on his face, he finished in there quickly and walked back out into the living room – well, hobbled back out. It was difficult to do much other than that when one was on crutches. In his mind, Wally managed to convince himself that they were fine and there was nothing to worry about, though it seemed almost like a superficial belief. He clung to it though, refusing to let it go.

They were safe, they were home, and had the entire League and Team backing them up if Cadmus tried something again. There was nothing to worry about.

Still, a small nagging doubt in the back of his mind refused to disappear, a doubt that seemed to revolve almost solely on Cadmus, telling him that this was far from over.

A/N Yeah, I repeated that last line on purpose. I kind of like it, and it's important; you'll see. One more filler chapter after this (I think) and then the action'll pick up again, I promise. I'll try not to take so long to update again.

And we're almost to 200 reviews! That's awesome you guys; this is only the 10th chapter. ^^ I bet we can make it the rest of the way with this update too.

Reviews are greatly appreciated!

Mailbag

Don'tWalkUpStairsBackwards: Saturday's just feel empty now that I'm not waking up to a new episode. *sigh* I have no life...but I'm okay with that. ;) Thank you so much for the review!

fanficfantasies: Thanks for the review! And yeah, he died; sorry, didn't mean to spoil the series finale. He was trying to counter the energy produced by this machine that was disrupting Earth's gravitational field, I think, (which would destroy the entire planet). He was running around it with Barry and Bart, and since Wally was slower, the excess energy was using him as an outlet. Wally literally faded from existence right in front of his uncle's eyes. Since the series was then cancelled, we don't know if he would've been brought back or not, so yeah, it's permanent...

Maddie Seth: It's alright; I ended up crying a bit too. That show really is an emotional rollercoaster sometimes. I swear, he only got to see Artemis again for ten minutes before he died. That's just...cruel. And now we won't know if he'd ever be brought back. Darn. Anyway, thanks for the review! ^^

Guest: I saw that message, and nearly dropped my laptop. Then I proceeded to text all of my friends to ramble about the news. ^^ I'm really hoping things work out; a third season would be fantastic. Thanks for the review and the news!

Guest #2: Thanks so much! ^^

Guest #3: This soon enough? ;) Sorry for taking so long!