Chapter 12: Mission, Perdita, Tiger, Guyliner

An hour later, both Kid Flash and Nightwing were beamed up to the Watchtower. They walked down the halls—and no one was being subtle about staring. Wally couldn't help but wonder if it was because his costume was always this blindly condiment-themed, or if the shock of seeing him onboard was that necessary.

Everyone looked at him. Wally trudged behind his best friend, expression thoughtless and mind running in the circles he was too afraid to. His legs still felt numb. Everything below the knee felt like it'd collapse at any second. Dick had flashed him hesitant looks—from when Wally volunteered to run them toward the zeta-beam tube, and now, when he had a better look of Kid Flash.

The costume fit perfectly, but he still felt like he was suffocating. Each boot felt like skin, and Wall zipped them up one-handed. Like the past few weeks, Dick stayed out of the room when he changed—just like how he ducked out of Wally's kiss.

Nightwing could protest all he want, but Wally knew Dick had been avoiding him. Given the circumstances, it was probably better that way. Even if it did hurt that his best friend who once wanted him back under the cowl now wanted him to stay in retirement.

"Wait." Wally tugged on Nightwing's arm before they entered the Main-Ops room. They froze, standing parallel to each other with Kid Flash's attention fixated on his best friend.

Nightwing arched an eyebrow, evidently surprised. "You alright?"

"Are you?" Wally watched the steady line of Dick's lips and decided they weren't going to respond. He took his good arm and ran the hand through his hair self-consciously. Green eyes stared at his feet. "I mean. You and I…about this Kid Flash thing. We've been going back and forth about it since—"

"I still want you on that field."

"You sure?"

"Well…yeah." Nightwing frowned, for the first time staring at Kid Flash in the eye like he was a crazy man. He tucked both hands beneath his armpits and stared at the other man. A quiet smile quirked upon his lips. "Dude, you dropped the coming-out-of-retirement bomb on me after I gave you a cupcake. If…you really want to be on the team permanently—"

"I do," Wally cut him off. He shifted on his feet and narrowed his gaze to his best friend. "I mean. I am back permanently. This isn't just me picking up the mask for the hell of it. I…I want to be here."

The words registered in Nightwing's mind, clearly holding more weight than the first time Wally'd declared it. The younger man ducked his head and pink glowed in his cheeks. "I'm glad to hear that."

Wally grinned, his heart skipping a beat in his chest. "Partners?"

He held out a hand for emphasis.

That gorgeous smile curled across Dick's lips and he looked back up. "Partners."

As soon as the doors opened, Wally found himself dragged far down the hallway. "Whoa—"

WOOSH! Bart yanked him by the arm until they hit a wall and looked up to him, arms crossed. They stood parallel to each other at an empty part of the Watchtower—not a hero in sight. "Whatdoyouthinkyou'redoing?"

Blinking, Wally scanned the menacing glare across his baby cousin's face. The scowl was deep, Bart breaking his "character," and even his post-apocalyptic self looked terrified. He glared. The Kid didn't look like a kid, but Wally was still older. "I'm joining the mission."

Impulse's eyes widened four times their size. "Noyou'renot."

"Bart—"

"Can you even feel that?" Bart yanked the elder speedster's dead arm and glared at him. He bared his fangs, fingers pressing into Wally's flesh, then threw it away. Green eyes glared at him in absolute disgust—enough for Wally to rethink his impulsive move. "You're this close to death and you think it's okay to chance it?"

He wasn't chancing it. He was going after it. "Bart, you have to remember that you don't control my life—"

"No!" Bart scowled hastily and yanked Wally by the other arm. This time, Wally realized hard the younger speedster was clawing him. When Wally opened his mouth to speak, Bart faltered back, attitude and demeanor small.

Blinking, Wally stared at the once-aggravated form of his cousin.

Bart grew timid, with his hands coiled into fists at his sides. Fear enveloped the other speedster's face and his entire body trembled. Wally's baby cousin was holding back tears.

Drawing a breath, Wally raked a hand through his hair.

Bart cared too much.

"Hey." Stepping forward, Wally placed a hand over his cousin's shoulders. "Hey, look at me."

Green eyes stared at the ground for what seemed like ages before peering up beneath that yellow visor.

"I'll be alright." Squeezing his cousin's shoulder tightly, Wally's lips curled into a smile, and he leaned over.

Bart didn't budge.

"It's what I want, okay?" Through the fear, frustration, nervousness, and the nagging voice in the back of his mind screaming that this mission was a bad idea, Wally was glowing with excitement.

It didn't matter what Shriver told him. Six months of not running—not doing what he loved just so that he could stay alive wasn't worth it. All the plans he made failed in comparison.

Impulse looked ready to cry. "But—"

"I'd rather go down running than hide. After this mission I'll tell everyone the truth." Including Bart himself. It dawned on Wally that he hadn't explained how thoroughly the doctors broke down the problem. Instinctively he went to shove both hands in his pockets—then remembered that he was in uniform.

The fact didn't go unnoticed by Bart. The younger speedster raised his head, pulling his tiny physique into someone that looked too old for that face. Brown eyebrows meshed together, and Bart bit his lip. "I've…gotta tell you something. About the future."

"Later." A smile graced Wally's lips, small and weary, and he ruffled the young teen's hair. "It's my first day back. I wanna stay whelmed for the mission."

xxx

M'gann greeted Wally with a hug as soon as Bart and he returned to the monitor room.

Dick held his breath and tried to best gather his thoughts while their teammates for the mission—Miss Martian, Artemis, Bagirl, Superboy—all greeted Wally with good thoughts. The other four on Alpha would be Dick himself, Aqualad, Kid Flash, and Impulse.

"What is he doing here?" Kaldur asked softly. He arrived at Dick's side and frowned.

"Last minute addition. He'll be useful, Kal."

Unconvinced, Kaldur eyed him.

Dick shrugged and turned back to the co-leader of Young Justice. "He really wants to do this. Besides—Perdita means a lot to him. I bet all it's going to do is light a fire under his ass."

A wry snort could be heard under that Atlantean breath. Good. Kaldur pressed his lips together firmly. "Perhaps you're right."

"If this is about the fact that you and Artemis have chemistry, I don't think that'll be a problem." Nightwing smirked as the red glowed in Kaldur's mind. "Just…don't let personal feelings run amuck."

"I could say the same to you." Clearing his throat, Kaldur assembled the team. "It is time that we brief for the mission."

Everyone gathered. Dick almost felt like…Robin again. Kid Flash stood between his cousin and a best friend that Kaldur, Wally, and Dick had all helped to find. Part of him was eager for this mission, but it didn't suppress the nausea in his stomach.

Pushing that thought away, Nightwing summoned holographs—of Kaznia, Vlatava, and their political leaders. "Princess Audrey is the eldest child of the Royal Family of Kaznia. She is to marry the Queen of Vlatava to settle political differences and declare peace. There have already been assassination attempts beforehand by those who are against the peaceful union. One guard has already been murdered."

"Queen Perdita?" Just like Dick predicted, Wally's attention immediately focused to the holograms. Green eyes widened in disbelief and he dissected the information as fast as he could. "Someone is trying to murder her?"

"What else is new?" Artemis snorted. "Royal Family, remember?"

"We can't let that happen." Kid Flash grimaced.

"Clearly," she responded with ease. She smirked when he rolled his eyes—and then he smiled back.

Dick couldn't help but notice the fidgeting and lack of fidgeting in Wally's hands. Hand. KF looked like he was conflicted about being excited or worried—which only bounced back to Dick himself. Ignoring it, Dick pulled up a holographic keyboard. Fugitives appeared next to the images of Kaznia and Vlatava. "Guards have already found a bomb planted in the castle. Surprisingly, it wasn't even on. The Royals suspect that it was only a threat. A real bomb may be hiding somewhere in the depths of the castle. Once we get there, Batgirl and I will be disassembling the first one for clues. Aqualad, Tigress, Miss Martian, and Superboy will be undercover as wedding guests—"

"Doesn't it make more sense for you and I to examine the bomb, Nightwing?" Kid Flash cut in without a second thought. He placed a hand on his hip and narrowed his eyes. "I mean—if anyone has experience disassembling and assembling tech, I do."

Silence.

Batgirl looked over to Nightwing, unamused, before she turned to the speedster. "Sorry, Kid. We've had this planned for months now since we caught whiff of a rebellion. Nightwing and I are prepped for the task."

"But…" The look on Wally's face tugged at Dick's heart, and he had to resist going against his own words. He wasn't sure if Wally was doing it because Wally was serious about the mission, or…because Wally wanted to spend time with him.

A mission wasn't a place to socialize. Dick was so confused about his own feelings that his mind felt like a never-ending labyrinth.

"Maybe Wally and I can go as each other's dates instead." Conner's demeanor was straight-faced when everyone looked at him. His eyes darkened, almost feral, and he crossed his hands over his chest.

If Dick were younger, he would have laughed.

"But—you and I were going to…you know." M'gann's eyebrows furrowed. "Attend a wedding together."

Conner shrugged. His eyes met Dick's perfectly, as if challenging Dick to refuse. "We all know that M'gann is the best in stealth, rivaling even you and Batgirl. She could teach Impulse a thing or two about the mission."

KF sighed in exasperation. "But you and I are guys."

Everyone looked at Wally, deadpanned. The speedster in question—realizing how stupid that sounded—retracted.

"I, uh…mean. I'm not against anything if my history with—we're not exactly trying to make a political statement here, are we?" Kid Flash stared at Dick, almost…pleading him to go against Conner's idea. "Besides, Bart's my cousin. If anyone can teach a thing or two to him, it can be a founding member of Young Justice."

"Founding member, yes. Active member, no." Artemis suddenly shook her head and eyed her ex-boyfriend. "Batgirl's right, Wally. We've had this mission planned for months now. Impulse would work in much better hands with someone who was up-to-date with what was going on."

"Well then," Kaldur said, interrupting all of them. "What would your preference be, Bart?"

The poor brunet looked at a loss. His façade was broken—instead replaced with concern. Those green eyes flitted back and forth like ping pong balls, with Kid Flash and Superboy as their paddles. He scratched his head and shifted between his feet before staring at the ground. "I. I'd like to team up with my cuzzo."

Dick didn't know why, but it occurred to him that Bart hadn't looked this shaken since the invasion. The statement was thin in the air.

"Wally and I have seen each other more recently. I think our skills won't have a problem bouncing off each other." Why was Superboy being so possessive too?

Hesitating, Kaldur explained, "I would not say that stealth is one of your strong suits, my friend. I suppose you're right. It makes plenty sense for M'gann to teach Impulse the art of stealth while we are on the field. You and Wally would do best hiding in plain sight."

The air of the briefing room was strangely tense.

"Great." Wally's jaw tightened and he looked back at Nightwing—almost mirthful. Seconds passed before he shifted to stand closer to Conner. "Nothing below the belt, alright, Tiger?"

"Tiger?" Bart cocked his head to his cousin and suddenly grinned. The ire in his voice was chilling. "Ooh, pet names! I love pet names! Could I get a pet name? I bet I'd be a great flamingo—flamingos are pink! So are Clefairy! How about I get a PokePetname and you can be a penguin?"

Wally rolled his eyes. "Watch it, Pixie Dust."

The smartass comments between two speedsters didn't make the situation any less edgy.

Dick split his glance between Bart and Conner. Just what were they hiding?

"Hopefully things don't run amuck," Kaldur said once again.

"Yeah," Nightwing responded reluctantly. "Hopefully."

xxx

Once they were at the location, the Bioship was escorted to a private bunker and put into sleep mode. Several guards greeted the team as they dispatched, and all of them were brought into a room that was decorated and lavished like the royal palace of Vlatava itself.

Queen Perdita was now fifteen. It'd been five years since the last time they helped the young ruler. She was a beautiful young girl—and you could tell that she was very much in love with her wife-to-be. Both had beautiful, long blond hair. They reminded Wally of being fifteen again himself—back when he'd first saved Queen Perdita. (Well, plus one year, but…yeah.)

Those years were so long ago.

Guards placed two chairs beside each other, where Princess Audrey and Queen Perdita sat. A table was carried to the middle, fit with eight more seats for the team. The chairs looked more expensive than Wally's college tuition. No—seriously.

Chefs arrived and unveiled several different delicacies—ranging from several European dishes that Wally recognized, along with American food and East Asian food. He sat to the right of Perdita as Dick sat to the left of Audrey, and they all said their hellos.

"It is a pleasure to be working with you again, Kid Flash." Queen Perdita smiled to Wally, clearly exhausted. She let go of Princess Audrey's hand for the first time and placed it on top of Wally's. It was shaky. "I have never felt safer, with you by my side."

"The honor is all mine, your majesty." Bowing his head politely as possible, Wally couldn't believe how out of place he felt. Not…just in a lavished bunker with two royals, dozens of guards, and the finest turkey he'd ever seen, but with his teammates too.

During the ride to Vlatava, Dick had busied himself discussing several types of equipment with Batgirl. Conner, the guy who was his partner and of course had an ulterior motive, was busy chatting it up with Miss M. Artemis had politely greeted him when he arrived at the Watchtower and proved she had no hard feelings, but…she was busy with Kaldur.

Bart sat at the far end of the table—not because anyone made him, but because he wanted to. He looked lost at thought, picking at his wanton soup with a fork, and torn in what he wanted to say and what needed to stay a secret.

And Wally hadn't even told Bart that he was dying yet.

"Please, your majesty. Let us know what all has gone on since the last time you contacted us." Dick didn't touch is food. He sat with his elbows on the table, surprisingly enough, and looked at no one but the two royals.

Princess Audrey frowned. Her lips turned into a grimace and she shook her head. "Last night there was an attempted murder in my chambers. I would be dead, had I not chosen to stay with Dita in her own quarters. This morning, when I returned to my room to change and get ready to have breakfast with my parents, I found a chamber maid unconscious. She had one of my pillows in her hands, with intent to change it, and never had the chance."

"It must have been meant for you. A sleep drug." Wally frowned. "They must have wanted to knock you unconscious and then assassinate you in your sleep. No one would hear you scream."

"The room is being examined by Vlatava's best detectives," Queen Perdita replied. She frowned. "But I do not think that they will find what you can find."

"We can examine the room as soon as you'd like," Nightwing assured. "Until then, I think that it'll be safer if you and Princess Audrey remained in this bunker."

"Unfortunately it is not that easy." Princess Audrey shook her head in dismay. Her hand immediately went to her fiancée's, and she curled her fingers around Queen Perdita's delicately. "We are aware that plenty of people are against our marriage—our ancestors have not treated each other kindly. However, we must keep appearances up. Should anyone in the palace know that we are not in our rooms, then the perpetrator and/or accomplices will go into hiding."

"Then they won't know that you're gone," Artemis said instantly. She smirked.

"How would we achieve that?" Princess Audrey arched an eyebrow in her direction.

"Because." M'gann smiled promptly. She morphed into the spitting image of the said princess. "Artemis and I will stand in as decoys. So long as the marriage happens successfully tomorrow, Kaznia and Vlatava are joined together as allying countries."

The plan was formed between all of them without it even being said.

"Kid Flash and I will monitor one room while Aqualad and Impulse monitor the other," Conner said.

"In the meantime, Batgirl and I will take apart the bomb in this bunker while you two rest for tomorrow's big day." Nightwing nodded firmly. "Should anything go wrong, we'll be linked together telepathically. Batgirl and I will promise to get you out of the dangerous situation before it even occurs."

As the events unfolded, Wally couldn't believe what he was hearing. He couldn't believe how cohesive his ex-teammates were. "That's brilliant."

He really…did feel out of place between all of these people.

"There is a rehearsal dinner tonight. We must get through that first, and then proceed to the next plan of action." Queen Perdita's eyebrows furrowed together grimly and she looked over to her beloved. "These will be the hardest two days of our lives, Audrey."

Princess Audrey smiled back, despite the fear in her eyes. "It's worth it if it means you and I are forever."

"Yes." Queen Perdita grinned. "I suppose it is."

Tonight arrived. According to Perdita and Audrey, a Vlatavan wedding proposed a week of celebration, just like Kaznian weddings. That being said, they meshed two cultures together in order to celebrate morning festivities of Vlatava and evening festivities of Kaznia.

The ballroom was decorated with the official colors of each country, curtains hanging on walls with gold trim. The ballroom, of the Vlatavan Palace, had hexagonal patterns and vines at the edges of the floor, closest to the walls. The guests wore sashes, indicating Duke This, Duchess That, Mommy Got Me Invited Here, etc. The Royal Family of Kaznia looked proud.

For the time being, they regrouped. Artemis was with Kaldur as his plus one, while Conner was Wally's.

Honestly, it just reminded Wally of prom all over again.

"Easy there, Tiger. Nothing past first base." Wally wiggled his eyebrows and reached down to move Conner's hand to the small of back. In return, Supey rolled his eyes and snatched Wally by his bad hand. "Whoa—"

"Can you feel that?" Conner asked.

Wally hesitated.

"This is the stupidest decision by far that you've ever made." Conner's gaze narrowed angrily at Wally. The scowl on his lips was a perfect match, and he placed a firm hand on Wally's bad shoulder.

"You're…not gonna go on feral on me, are you?"

"Thinking about it." A sigh left Conner's lips. He rubbed his temples and sighed. "Fortunately for you, we can't risk jeopardizing the mission by bringing this up to Dick and Kaldur. I know how much Queen Perdita means to you."

"Thank you." Wally chewed on his lip. "And—uh. About the whole jeopardizing the mission thing…"

He explained everything.

Conner put him at arm's length. "What?"

"I'm dying. D-Y-I-N-G. Do I have to spell it out for you again? D-Y-I-N-G—"

"Wally!" Conner hissed. If this was five years ago, the redhead couldn't help but think, Conner wouldn't have been half this calm. He looked angry before, but—now he looked absolutely furious. "You're off this mission—"

"No. I'm not." Wally reached to grab Conner's hand and—dammit. He couldn't get it to work.

"That should be proof enough that you need to stand down. Wally—" Conner placed both hands firmly on Wally's shoulders. His gaze struck Wally with utter regret. Fear commanded Conner's irises, so honest, raw, and terrified that it made Wally's heart ache along with it. "You're dying. I don't want this mission to be where you die."

"Conner, it's Perdita," Wally seethed. "She's the full reason why I realized being a hero is more than my super speed."

"You mean lack of speed—"

"Mind if I cut in?"

Artemis's voice was enough to make them both jump. Scanning the room, it occurred to Wally that they weren't being as discreet as most missions commanded. It was always a matter of circumstance—which Wally hoped he conveyed in the look he gave Conner.

"We haven't talked in a while. I'd like it, if that's okay." Artemis's expression hurt Wally as much as he thought it would: a lot. Her eyes flashed with the affection and vulnerability that'd been hidden away beneath the wit from earlier. There was nervousness in the present—anxiousness. It only hurt more. How long had it been since they last talked? "Is that okay?"

Green eyes looked to blue. Conner didn't relinquish his grip.

His straight-laced demeanor, however, morphed into something more appropriate. "I do not know if I can allow that, Madam. He is my lover."

Wally nearly choked on the phony accent.

"But Monsieur." Artemis matched the same accent—Wally couldn't even trace it. Her ruby red lips curled into a purr before she yanked the redhead by the arm. "In my country, we share."

"I suppose that is alright. After all, this is a happy occasion." The brunet looked hesitant to budge. He released his grip, but not before giving Wally an unsuspecting unbelievably wet kiss on the forehead. "I expect you in our chambers when the party is over, my love."

"Why yes, yes! Of course." Wally waggled his eyebrows smoothly. "I'll see you later, ahem, Tiger."

Off in the distance was Kaldur, dressed in the same tuxes that both Conner and Wally were given. He mingled with guests like he belonged before said Supey began to do the same. At the other end of the room held several Vlatavan guards, who stood as a barrier for the Queen and Princess. Wally couldn't wait for them to be safe again.

But—a promise was a promise. He didn't want to see his team once they learned of the news. Of all of his old comrades. Of his family.

"Remember, Monsieur Wallace. Your time and attention will be on me. Not on your handsome lover." Artemis took him by the hand. Violins played a new song, something akin to a Kaznian Wedding song. Many Kaznian allies reacted to the songs with several cheers.

"Sorry. Just a lot on my mind." Pulling out of his thoughts, Wally took command and placed his hands on Artemis's waist like the other Kaznians. The touches were as familiar as breathing to him—with Artemis's body pressed against his own. It'd been what he missed when she was away with Kaldur.

So why didn't he feel any better?

"Penny for your thoughts?" Artemis's arms wrapped around him. She looked beautiful—with those ringlets in her blond hair and eyeliner that brought out her always-planning eyes. The sleek black dress she wore brought all of Wally's thoughts back to prom. "You have to admit—beats going to prom any day."

"I only remember how beautiful you looked." Smile gracing his lips, Wally squeezed Artemis warmly in his arms. They followed the melody, dancing like one unit. One person. There was a light in her eyes that hadn't been there in the past year. Wally regretted being the one that took it away. "Artemis, I am so…sorry. For being so angry with you, and for keeping you away from all of this. I know that being…Artemis was what made you feel like your own person."

"Hey. Hey—look at me." Artemis's calloused archer hand stroked his cheek. She pulled his gaze onto her. "You wanted to retire, and I supported that decision. Kal and Dick thought it best to incorporate a plan—one that saved the world. You and I went along with it. You know that I made the decision all on my own. Just like you did to stay retired."

"And you let me try and convince you that retired life was the best idea. Why did you stay with me so long?" Red eyebrows furrowed. "Don't say it was because of the mission. Missy, I know you better than that."

"To look after you."

Wally's heart hiccupped.

"Because I know you better." They stopped dancing when the music stopped. In the background, Queen Perdita could be heard addressing the room. Artemis's gaze settled on him, fretful, and the teasing air was gone for good. "You've been off your game, Wally. Dick told me that. He's—concerned—"

"He shouldn't be." Except Nightwing had every right to be worried. Wally loosened his arms around Artemis and took a step back. He resisted the urge to glare at the ground and the defensiveness that'd grown instinctive over the years. Wally couldn't play that game anymore. He couldn't afford it. "Except…he should. Arty, when this is over—"

'Alpha Team. Regroup at bunker to exchange notes and prep for mission.'

The mind-link laced through Wally's mind, feeling almost intrusive. Artemis wasn't bothered by it. Instead, she nodded and smiled weakly at him. "My mom misses you. She wants you to come over and have banh boc loc with us."

Wally smiled back with even less enthusiasm. "It's a date."

He kissed her.

Wait a minute—whoa, whoa, whoa. He did what?

Pulling back, Wally's eyes widened in surprise. "Arty, I am so—I didn't mean anything by that—"

She cradled his face and kissed him more firmly.

The scent of her covert perfume filled his nose. It was the same scent that tainted his bed since she left all the way back in March, feeling as much like home as Mom and Dad and Barry and Iris and Bart and Jay and Joan and Donny and Dawn did. Blond ringlets brushed against his cheeks, much like prom, and the sensation of her body against his almost felt…right.

But it wasn't…flat, like his best friend. Ebony black bangs weren't brushing against the space between his eyebrows or tickling him into sneezing. He didn't feel the intensity and raw passion of Dick's arms wound tightly over him, nor the tongue that would drag on the underside of his mouth, teasing him like one of their little games when they were kids and licking the narrow gaps between Wally's teeth while Wally attempted to do the same.

There wasn't Sweet Pea.

When Wally pulled back, he felt…free. A weight lifted off his shoulders—one that'd been there since he retired from the team with his best girl at his side. The confusion was dizzying. He looked to her in curiosity and effort to form an apologetic response—

—and found that Artemis looked as blank-faced as he did.

"Nothing?" he stepped back from her.

"Nothing," Artemis confirmed. She made a face—something between a grimace and a smirk. "It…felt like one of our kisses, but it didn't…"

"Have us anymore." Wally couldn't believe that it'd been over a month since they officially broke up. "I still love you, Artemis, but I don't think that it's—"

"—what we both want anymore."

The demeanors exchanged between them were mixed. With grief and relief.

Artemis nudged him in the arm and kissed him again—this time on the cheek. She sighed. "Glad to put an answer to that question mark, Baywatch."

"Yeah. Me too. Also—" Wally grabbed her by the shoulders and steered her toward someone that was more deserving of her love. "Go for it. I know you want to."

Once Kaldur came into view, Artemis's grin—if not already happy—looked more delighted. And of course—more like her. He looked conflicted, out of place, and always—self-sacrificing. Conner, Kaldur, Artemis, and Wally all regrouped.

In an instant, Artemis pulled Kaldur down and laid a big one on him.

'About time,' Conner announced.

'Yeah. You were right, man.' Wally wondered if his grin could be felt through the mind link. 'Kaldur and Artemis are so obvie.'

'WOO!' Impulse's shout nearly deafened them. 'Kartemis is a go!'

"Why did you do that?" Kaldur muttered softly. The red in his cheeks were uncanny. He cradled Artemis close and looked like he was trying his best not to smile.

"Because you and I have wanted it for a long time." Artemis smiled at him gingerly. "Don't think for once that anyone is more important to me than you, Kal."

'Hate to break up the new couple,' Nightwing said, 'but rendezvous was mentioned ten minutes ago.'

Kaldur looked between all of them. He nodded. 'Rendezvous will happen as planned.'

Their happiness could be felt from miles away.

xxx

The ETA on this bomb being disarmed seemed perfect. Meaning, Dick and Babs couldn't crack it.

Nightwing pinched the bridge of his nose with frustration and took a long hard sip of his Vietnamese coffee. The good news was, the longer they took to decrypt the files, the richer the brew. The bad news: there were at least six fire walls and only one done. The latter already took two hours to decode.

"I don't understand the encryption," Batgirl responded. She looked at the same length of paper for the seventieth time, begging for it to make up a pattern for her. It'd printed off the Bioship as soon as the pair did an initial scan of the bomb. "I've tried every decryption program we have in the Batcave's database. Every single one of them fall short on answers."

"That's not what I like to hear." Trying to crack open a bomb usually didn't frustrate Nightwing so much. Especially if detonation wasn't a problem. Maybe Wally was right. Extracting this should have been his thing.

"Don't tell me that Dick Grayson can't handle this situation." The tone of her voice was as cool as ice. Batgirl's demeanor and attention supposedly remained on the bomb at the table. It didn't. "Your mental stability is questionable."

"Personal feelings are to be left outside the mission."

"Unless certain personal feelings should compromise the mission and put teammates at risk."

Sigh. "If you're talking about—"

"I am." Batgirl's gaze flickered upward. Her knowing orbs narrowed at him. "Dick, you came to the Halloween Party looking terrible, and then you left on a week-long mission with Artemis to find the whereabouts of her dad. I know this hasn't been an easy year for you, but Batman and Robin are starting to notice. And I don't mean notice. I mean assess your stability to keep patrolling and your ability to still lead Young Justice."

Nightwing hesitated. It was true. After the Halloween Party, Artemis knew how distraught he was. She asked him to join her on a mission—something to clear their heads—and so Nightwing could assess just what to do. That was when he gave Artemis all the details of Wally's status. Including the fact Wally wanted to propose.

"I'm telling this to you because you're my friend. You and I go way back."

Dick wasn't sure if he could debate if it was a right or wrong decision or not anymore. It was wrong. Accepting Wally's request for this was very much based on personal feelings and it felt right at the time. Dick wasn't even sure what state their relationship was in right now.

"I've hacked into the second firewall." Barbara interrupted his thoughts before Dick could further his escapades in self-loathing.

'Just in time.' M'gann phased through the ceiling and Bart vibrated after her. Amber eyes reeked with urgent news. 'We think we know who's behind those attacks.'

'I checked the halls. Inconspicuously and all that whatnot jazz of course.' Bart nodded like a puppy. 'Guards are with the Vlatavan and Kaznian Royal Families for a fourth meal. The Dining Room is debugged. But man, these Europeans sure like to eat.'

'They know how I roll.' Wally grinned. He, Superboy, Tigress, and Aqualad converged.

'Not all the invited guests showed up.' Kaldur's expression tensed. 'Those who did not arrive protest the wedding. The unity of Princess Audrey and Queen Perdita would strengthen their military forces. While Perdita has claimed that Vlatava is a neutral country, Kaznia would not hesitate to side with France during the war. Almost every guest who declined invitation is a suspect.'

'The Queen and Princess are safe,' Kid Flash announced. 'But the switch needs to happen as soon as possible. With less people in the palace, it'll be easier to pull off an assassination without raising heads.'

'Impulse and I found these in the areas that we debugged.' M'gann pulled off her satchel and levitated objects out of it. Small, circular-shaped objects. 4 x 4 inches.

Impulse nodded. 'We didn't pluck them all. It'd risk tipping off the bad-big Baddie.'

'They're mini explosives. Like my birdarangs and Batgirl's batarangs.' The design held a lot of similarities with the bomb. Looking over to Barbara, Dick and she exchanged firm nods. 'Extracting these will be a lot easier than this bomb.'

'I don't understand though,' Wally said. 'You have to have at least fifteen of those in there. If there are that many planted in the rooms, you have to wonder why no one's ever spotted them.'

'You don't have to wonder if it's possible there are traitors working under Queen Perdita's nose. Double agents.' Impulse tapped his foot impatiently to the ground and gestured to the elder members of the team. 'You know—like Aqualad and Tigress.'

The said pair looked at each other—sheepish, but no one said a word. The gaze extended from them to Dick—who realized Wally was staring at him. The shimmer in Wally's eyes struck Dick in the chest—hard. So curious and…and honest. Dick wanted to know what Wally was thinking and—duh. Mind-link.

Wally arched an eyebrow. His lips curled along with it.

No one commented. Dick cleared his throat and brushed his fingers over the mini-explosive.

"Wait." Impulse's voice drew them all in. He zipped to the table where the bomb lay and scanned it. Within seconds, Impulse picked apart the bomb—three coats disassembled until he had parts of the shell in his grasp. "I know this crea—"

Wally quickly skidded forward and slapped a hand over his cousin's mouth. Future tech?

'Not future. Family.' Bart hopped onto the table and held the bomb in his hands. 'This has Eobard Thawne written all over it! He's my mom's side of the family! A famous scientist from Keystone City who was one of the rebels of the Reach when they first took over and an avid Flashuh-oh.'

"Fuck." Wally's eyes widened. He took his hands off Bart's mouth and turned to Dick once again. "Fuck—"

"What?" Nightwing's lips morphed into a frown.

"Zoom is Grandpa! I mean—not Grandpa, there's only one Grandpa—well no, not really because Zoom has all the powers of the Flash—is super speed, his molecular vibrations, his everything—and he can timetravel and oh my god, I come from a line of villains, villains!" Bart sped around in circles and pulled at his hair. "I can't pull of guyliner to be the grandson of a villain—"

"Zoom." Batgirl frowned and cocked her head to Nightwing. "You mean the speed devil who caught us off guard at Luthor's facility a few weeks back?"

"Zoom didn't exist in my future." Bart's expression suddenly shriveled. "Eobard Thawne died early on in the rebellion. His daughter, Meloni Thawne, was found by the Tornado Twins and Dad fell in love with her. Zoom must be—"

"From the new timeline. How big of a fan of the Flash is he?" Wally looked back to his cousin.

"Big. As in, sacrifice life in the name of the Flash big." Impulse gritted his teeth and smacked his face. "If Count Vertigo is suspected, then Zoom must be a supplier."

"Then it's a trap." Superboy was the next to speak. He looked urgently between the two speeders and seethed. "We've been playing his hands since we got here."

"No. I've been." Wally snarled and knotted his hair with a fist just like his cousin. Only with one hand. "This is my mission. My mission. Zoom's been trying to pluck me out of the Flash Family since he's first arrived, like I'm worthless. He's playing me, like he did back in Keystone."

"Wait. You've had a second meeting with him?" Nightwing frowned.

In that instance, Wally and Conner exchanged looks. Dick's chest tightened irritably.

"Agh!" Bart stood still. His hands curled into fists and he matched Wally's scowl. "This wasn't in the history books! Flash is in Iceland right now—what the heck are we supposed to do?"

"You don't do anything." Wally pulled Bart back. "I do."

"Wally." Superboy reached out and grabbed Wally by the shoulder. The redhead didn't seem to notice until he was being pulled back by a much stronger being. "Don't be stupid. You can't handle Zoom in your condition. You lost your legs last time—"

Legs?

"Do the switch." Wally whirled around, eying everyone but Superboy, Impulse, or Nightwing. "I have a score to settle."

WOOSH

"WALLY! DAMMIT!" Superboy screamed at the top of his lungs and went to punch the nearest object: the wall. Miss M lifted him into the air—as far away from destruction as possible.

"I can catch him," Impulse said instantly. He pulled his goggles over his face. "With my speed—"

"With your speed," Dick started, "you stay here. That's an order. You too, Superboy."

"What the hell is going on?" Artemis demanded. She crossed her arms and glared at Dick. "Why is my ex-boyfriend trying to settle a score with someone named Zoom, and why was I not informed of this debacle sooner, Dick?"

"Should we follow through with Wally's order?" M'gann asked. She rubbed her temples and went to check her boyfriend. "I mean—I know he's not the leader of this mission, but Zoom aside, we need to help prevent an International Incident before it becomes a war."

"That's all very true, M'gann. But." Nightwing gritted his teeth and stepped forward. He eyed both Impulse and Superboy for the last time before his patience ran thin. "Standard protocol states no personal or emotional trouble compromise the objective of the mission."

Behind him, he could hear Babs's sigh. Whether or not it was relief or frustration, Dick couldn't determine.

"Kid Flash's personal and emotional status is compromising the mission. And I know you two know why." Dick ushered both boys toward him, and neither declined. "No more secrets. Talk."

xxx

Author's Note:

Thanks for all of the support in the last few months! For everyone who's been following my tumblr, you know that I kind of switched fandoms. Can't promise regular updates, but we'll see how far we get. Reviews would be nice! (: