It's longer. It's stranger. It's somewhat sad. Somewhat romantic...and the characters still don't belong to me.
What could it be? It's Chapter 12 of Under the KNEE!
Whoo!
11 review for Chapter 11! GAH! THAT'S LIKE THE MOST I THINK I'VE EVER HAD! And I almost passed out when I got 8! Guys, I'm so happy! Thanks for your kindness!
Enjoy,
The words. Those three words. They tore him apart, poisoned him, and chewed away at the last morsels of sanity that remained inside of him. He tried to breathe, but is was like sucking through just a straw. He felt the world spinning, and faces were becoming dark, but he held on. He had to stay brave, he had to stay alive...he had to say something. Choking back tears, Wally cleared his throat, and with a rattled voice, hoarse, he spoke, all the while staring at his feet; "Well, I guess that means, we'll just have to live every minute like it's the last." Wally sounded somewhat robotic towards the end of his sentence, but he stood his ground, and forced a smile to etch onto his dull face. Barry looked profoundly shocked; he grabbed his nephew's hands, just to make sure that it wasn't a strange illusion in his thoughts. Wally was taking it way to well.
The teenager sighed, and tugged his hands away from his uncle's grasp, "I'mfine," The coarse voice was uneven, the 'hope' from before non-existent. Wally couldn't hold the tears in for much longer; he was afraid of breaking down before the people he loved. "I'm fine." He stated once more, trying to reassure himself. "I'm fine." His voice came as a whisper, his eyes shut, tears flowing freely, and before his Uncle could bring him comfort, the boy was gone, in a flash.
Black Canary, trying to hold back her own emotion, looked to Barry. He seemed to lost, and so frightened, "Give him time. That's the most we can do for now,"
"I'll go research therapy methods and doctors that will treat him. I'm obviously not an oncologist." Batman sounded off, but still gruff. His cape waved in the breeze from the ajar window to his left. He rushed away from the glowers before he could be questioned.
Barry whimpered, and looked around the room. His eyes were blind to everything, and after a quick facade, his eyes set to the air, away from the team. Sighing, he got up from his knees and left the room, pausing at the door, to glance back; "You should...um...probably go." The statement was meant for the team, but it seemed so machine-like, so unlike any human wording, that the team had to re-think what had been asked of them.
For a few moments, the group of teenagers just stood in the therapy room, staring blankly into mid-air, as if they were re-watching the entire happenings of the day on an invisible screen. Megan tore through the silence, with a quivering voice, "I'll go...make something." She seemed uncertain, but strode away. Superboy followed without words, nostrils flared, breathing heavy, fists clenched, teeth gritted.
Megan was un-sure of how to react, on her planet; cancer was mostly un-heard of, though she knew what it meant. Wally annoyed her at times, many times, at least once a day in truth, but she felt like he was her brother...or cousin in a way. He always cheered her up in her times of need, always brightened the mood, constantly stayed true to the team. She couldn't bring herself to think of what would happen to Wally during the years to come...the months...maybe even the weeks. Holding back tears, she strode into the kitchen, and physically found and brought each ingredient to the counter, "He'll be fine." She chanted over and over to herself, while mixing the batter. He was Wally, after all. She couldn't understand why it had happened to Wally though, of all people, of everyone she knew; why Wally? Salty tears landed in the mixture, and after a few moments, the Martian was sat, knees to chest on the floor, enveloped in waves of sobs.
Superboy couldn't contain his rage. He had wanted to follow Megan, but found himself in the training room. He began punching the shit out of a dummy. A strange substance formed in his eyes, he didn't quite understand what it was. He blamed himself for Wally's disease. And in a way, in truth, it was his fault. He had been able to see, from the very start, what was forming, what Wally had, what was killing Wally from the inside, and yet, he had stayed silent, just because some sad excuse for a 'father' had told him to do so. The dummy fell to the floor with a thump. Superboy kicked it, sending it flying through the air. He was so perplexed. The news was out in the open; Wally had cancer...now what? He'd never felt so stupid, clenching his jaw, he started on some new equipment. At that point in time, he was sure of only one thing; the Justice League was going to have to purchase new training props.
Robin spent the first twenty minutes of his escape out of the room, searching for Wally. He was angry at the boy for running, and he was even angrier at himself. HE SHOULD BE CRYING! His best friend, his somewhat surrogate brother, had cancer, and he hadn't even felt anything when he heard the words. He kinda just let it sweep by. He wasn't sure if this was because he was in shock, or because he had already cried too much due to the recent events. Maybe he was out of tears? He mentally slapped himself, and after a while, took a seat in a narrow alleyway, clearly illuminated by the sun above. Robin was angry. At everything. He was even fuming at the weather; he'd just found out that his team-mate, the Wall-man, the guy who was so full of it, had cancer...and the SUN had the NERVE to shine? That's when he finally started crying. Weeping, howling, whimpering; until the tears were the only things that he knew, and until he was out of breath, laid in the passageway, just shouting and crying, gripping his hair in his hands. "Why do they always leave? Why does everyone Love...leave me?"
Aqualad strode through the cave. The anguish that filled the mountain hurt him deeply. He felt miserable, cheerless...terrible. It was his entire fault. All of it. At least, that's what he was telling himself as he paced left and right, up and down. In truth, he had noticed Wally limping the instant he had come into the cave that faithful morning, as a leader, he should've told someone, anyone, about it, gotten it checked out. If he had done so, Wally would've never been alone home in the first place, he would never have been attacked, and they could already be treating the cancer...they could've FINSIEHD treating the cancer! He had no idea why he had kept quiet. Banging his head against a wall, and breathing deep, the young-man decided to visit the only place where he felt safe...where he could forget. Atlantis.
Artemis knew where Wally was. She had been the only team-mate to know in an instant. In truth, she didn't want to see Wally, at that moment. She was annoyed, and deeply hurt; but she felt it was somewhat her duty to comfort a team-mate during his time of need. She wiped the few tears from her eyes, swept blonde hair out of her eyes, and searched the place where she knew she'd find him. The main Central City Park. Which was huge. She tried to keep prying eyes away from her; she was aware that she looked a mess, from the latest events; she hadn't had time to ready herself for much of anything- especially not an occurrence of THIS magnitude. She stumbled through the park, keeping to the pathways; searching in the most obvious, and then in turn, least obvious places. He wasn't on any benches, nor was he by the playground. He wasn't by the lake, as she had hoped, or in any profound caves that littered the green.
Then, something hit her. Big places like this attracted a lot of people, a lot of tourists. People liked to buy souvenirs, so there would be other amenities, other than the few shops that she had passed. A cafe. Wally had to be in a cafe.
Artemis started her fast paced trot towards the place labelled on the park-map, as Phil's. She wasn't too sure if her friend would be within its borders, but she hoped. And hope was a good thing, she trusted.
When she entered the busy coffee bar, she instantly spotted Wally. He was sat, alone at a dark table. The marbled flooring illuminated from below, but his head was covered in shadows. Artemis knew he was crying by the way that she could see he was trembling. She took a deep breath, something in the pit of her stomach made her whimper, but she held back, and rushed to the seat opposite Wally. He glanced at her, with the same bright green eyes she was used to...which somewhat caused her alarm.
"I don't wanna cry over this." Wally stated, sniffing. His voice sounded light, but obviously strained.
"You can...you know. You don't have to be brave or anything. Everyone's crying over it." Artemis failed at trying to comfort him; so instead, she just looked into his eyes, shutting her mouth.
Wally chuckled, "So what you're saying...is I have the right to cry, and be all upset, over getting cancer?"
Artemis glared at him, "HOW ARE YOU HAPPY ABOUT THIS?" She rose from her seat, snarling.
Wally instantly dropped his gaze, and frowned, "Shut up, Arty, don't make a scene." He nodded his head to his left; Artemis gave a fleeting look to see what he was showing her. Around thirty sets of eyes were staring at her; she apologised and took her seat once more. "I'm just saying, Arty, that I can't be bothered with been all upset about this...this...this little thing!" Wally kept his voice hushed, but the words sounded to Artemis like screams.
She clenched her fists, and growled slightly, and spoke in a furious whisper; "Little? What do you mean...little! It's CANCER!"
Wally gave a light-hearted laugh, "Are you trying to make me feel bad about this or something?"
Artemis fumed, avoiding Wally's gawp, "If you're not upset...then why'd you run away?" She sounded mature...but still, angry.
Wally smirked, "Been shocked, and been upset, are two different things. I just wanted to be alone, to sort myself out."
Artemis stood again, "Oh, sorry then Mr. Happy-go-lucky, how about you call me when the time suits you, then we can argue." She swivelled and made her way out of the teashop.
Wally sighed, struggled momentarily, and then followed Artemis. He caught up with her within a matter of seconds, "All this walking is bad for me, you know." Wally stared at Artemis, who stopped in her tracks, not saying a word, "I'm not sad...coz this is just another adventure. I'll make it through, and even if I don't...at least I'll die trying. Sure...I'm aware this isn't fun and games, this is serious chizz...but...taking things optimistically is sooo much more fun than doing things the 'adult' way." Artemis refrained from smiling, he could be wise when he wanted, she'd give him that, but, her happiness quickly melted away, and she started walking away from the smart-one once more.
Wally grumbled, and sped after her, "I've answered you, Arty, and now you answer me; why won't you talk to me? I mean...I thought..." Wally sighed; he had no idea what he was saying. Artemis mumbled something, and wiped her eyes, turning to face Wally; her eyes gleaming with tears, "Because Wally...Because..." She stopped, why wasn't she talking to him...she didn't quite know, but it answered the question, "I'm confused"
"About What?" He had to make it difficult for her. It was the Wally way.
"I don't understand how you can be happy...even when everyone else is sooo sad for you, Wally. It's actually kinda obnoxious. You're self centred, you don't even care that people are going o-out of their w-way to help y-you. It's plain a-annoying...st-stupid...you're an idiot, Wally."
"Last question." Wally didn't look hurt by Artemis' words; he looked somewhat consoling, kind. "What are you crying for?"
Artemis looked at Wally in shock, "I'm n-"She felt her eyes, sure enough the wet-substance was flowing freely. She didn't quite understand why...but...some part of her knew, "I just don't understand."
"You don't understand why you're crying?"
Artemis nodded, and took at seat on a bench near them. Wally sat down beside her, taking her had. He seemed to be blushing, but Artemis couldn't quite tell, she was lost in his gape, that seemed to wipe away all her bad memories. It reminded her of hot-summers going down to the beach with a loving family, laughing, playing games, making friends. She wasn't quite sure if it was just a feeling or a memory, but nevertheless, she smiled. And that's when, out of the blue, Wally kissed her. She sat in shock for a moment, and then, in turn, finally understood why she was crying, and kissed back.
Artemis wasn't confused. She wasn't angry. She wasn't in pain, and she wasn't going to blame herself. Artemis was afraid. She was afraid of losing Wally. He quickly pulled away from her, looking to the floor, as if acknowledging that he had done something very wrong, but, Artemis kept a grip on his hand, and they sat in silence.
She didn't know for how long, but when they stood to leave, the park was already been locked up for night, and only a few people strode around the grounds.
Wally didn't want to go home. He didn't want to face his parents, or his uncle, or aunt. He just wanted to be happy, for a little bit more. He wanted to seem brave, he wanted to begin his adventure...and keep it...perfect. Artemis also didn't want to go home, for different reasons. A horrible feeling swam in her stomach, and she had the assumption that she was going to throw-up. She was shaking too, latched onto Wally for support, warmth and to make sure he was still beside her. She was dreading the moment when they would part ways...she was afraid, more frightened then she'd ever been. She was scared of losing Wally...and never seeing him again. She didn't care if he had cancer...this was a different thing all together. It was as if, he was perfectly normal, like a huge structure that she felt safe with, she was petrified of losing the person that was beside her, at that moment.
She turned to face him, he did the same. They had reached a T in the road. Artemis had to take the left, Wally the right. They didn't zoom into romance ,or final good-byes, in fact, they weren't even sure if they were together, or angry at one another, but, they looked eye to eye, exchanging no words, and heading their separate ways.
Did you like? Hate? Got any requests? Just wanna talk? R & R people! If you can!
Thanks again to my reviewers, readers, subscribers and favers!
Soph
