Chapter 1

Planet Etheya, Capital City Norsam

Outside, the world was on fire. Nightmare stood before the panel, watching as the last-minute calculations raced down the screen. She ignored the wailing of alarms, the screamsof panic, the sounds of the last few ships launching off world. Their own team were in ships in low orbit but she, and a few others, remained behind. They had another mission. She glanced at her watch.

Where are they? Desperation clawed at her chest, talons ripping her chest open. She stifled the rushing sense of fear and focused on the task at hand. Finally, the calculations finished. She yanked out the drive and sprinted across the cavernous room to where the portal pad sat. The domineering silver pad, a silver arch looming over it, dominated its corner and dwarfed the small control panel off to the side. She shoved in the drive and initiated the start up when a thundering explosion shuddered through, sending her staggering back. Arms suddenly wrapped around her, guarding her fall and steadied her. She didn't have to turn. His mind brushed over hers, familiar and comforting. A balm to the demons that had been hissing in her mind all day.

She rushed back to the console. "You're late, dear."

Wally West, their own Flash, blurred to her side, a swaggering smile on his mouth. "A speedster is never late."

She held up her watch in answer. In the corner of her gaze, the remaining two, Time Queen and Shockwave arrived; the former was leaning heavily against her tall obsidian staff, wincing. Shockwave, hovered close by, ready to catch her.

"Everyone ready?" Nightmare asked. "We only have one chance at this."

"Isn't Empress in low orbit?" Shockwave asked her, glancing over at Time Queen cautiously.

Nightmare shook her head. "The planet is too unstable. She dropped back. She's out of range."

Time Queen forced herself to stand free of her staff and stood straight, though the action caused pain from her face. "No time. Let's go."

The two women shared a look. If Time Queen had seen their future, she gave no indication how it all ended. Her oldest friend betrayed very little when it came to such things, even when their lives were on the line. There were some lines that were never crossed, much as it pained them all.

Nightmare's hands flew over the controls and then she stepped back, her hand touching her hidden ring on the other hand. Her gaze flickered to Wally and without speaking, his hand slipped into hers. He leant in close.

"Where it leads us, I'm here. Always."

The portal arch burst to life; bright blue light rushed to fill the room until it bathed every inch. The watery looking portal flickered for a moment, then stabilized. Nightmare glanced at the controls, then looked to the others.

"It's ready. Now or never." She turned to Wally. "Your friends have probably detected the portal by now. Best if you go first."

"You right behind me?"

She nodded. "Go, I'll be right behind you."

He hesitated, just for another second, then blurred right through the portal. Her heart seized in her chest. Gods, please let him be okay. She watched with her heart frozen as the other two followed, then she double checked the controls before she stepped up onto the platform. The room suddenly let out a shuddering groan as metal was cleaved from above her, bright light flooding in. Panic rushed through her. She ran straight at the portal and dove through, praying that she'd hopefully ran the correct calculations.

Darkness rushed over her and swallowed her whole.

Gods, please let this not be the end.

The first thing he saw was Happy Harbour, complete with the remnants of their old base and the night-lit beach, which he'd spent years on with. Some times it was Artemis, sometimes on his own; at that moment, however, it was accompanied by half the Justice League. Old friends, family. Shock should've registered but the roaring noise from the portal wrenched his attention back.

Wally West wanted to turn around to look at the heroes – old friends, really – that were gathered behind him, ready to fight him, as if he were a threat. He didn't blame them. He wore a black suit with a yellow bolt on his chest. A far cry from his old suit or the one of his mentor. He couldn't focus on them, or the fact he was back on his old earth after all those years. Everything was focused on the portal.

Leia, where the hell are you?

Time Queen staggered through, Shockwave at her side, his hand on the small of her back. Her face flushed green and she suddenly wretched out onto the sandy beach, falling to her knees. Shockwave dropped to his knees, protectively by her side, speaking to her. Wally didn't hear any of it. He stared at the portal, his heart racing a fanatic drum. The ring hidden beneath his seat burned hot. Panic roared in his mind and suddenly the past five years flashed through his mind; his arrival, meeting Nightmare's rebellion, meeting the woman beneath the mask, falling for her, marrying her. The thought of losing her screamed in his mind. He couldn't lose her. Not after everything they'd been through, after how hard they'd fought to be together. First from his own hope at going home, at returning to Artemis; then to accepting his new life, to realising what was in front of him, whom was by his side whenever he looked.

Who fought like hell for him and saw every flaw and loved him anyway.

Time Queen pushed herself up and looked at the portal. "Come on, Nightmare. Live."

A figure suddenly surged from the portal, wreathed in black ribbons. He blurred forward and caught her, the darkness withdrawing inside her. She looked up at him, smiled; then, she let out a cry and slumped in his arms. He looked down, saw her cradling her side – and the large shard of metal piercing through her lower chest.

"Leia, no!" He cried out and gathered her up his arms, finally looking at the old faces.

With one hand, he pushed back his mask, showing his face. Shock echoed across the familiar faces. One more than the rest. Artemis. He looked at her pleadingly, one arm looped around Leia, whom grew weaker in his arms as her blood dripped onto the sand, staining it.

"Save her."

There would be questions. He knew that but when it became clear that he and his knew team weren't a threat, that there were injuries amongst them, help was offered. Everyone looked at him, searching, as if he might explain. He would, eventually. He had to but his first priority was to Leia. He'd been forced from her as she'd been whisked into surgery at a private hospital; then, once stable, he'd accompanied her to the Watch Tower. That had been a request but once he explained that his team needed the League's focus, that Leia wasn't to be apart from him, everything had happened rapidly. So, there he was, sitting by her bed, as Leia slept soundly, thoroughly bandaged.

TQ was in the next room, along with Shockwave, whom had suffered broken ribs and internal bleeding in his trip to their base. TQ's injuries were purely on her mind, which was repairing itself and she'd recover in a day or so. His own speed healing had fixed all of his own injuries and he walked around with his hood down, not caring who saw him.

He reached across and brushed a stray strand of hair from Leia's face, tucking it behind her ear. As he drew his hand back there was a knock at the door. He glanced up…and for the first time in five years, he finally registered he was back. Dick Grayson stood in the doorway, a little older, and wearing his uniform.

"Hey," he said.

Wally got to his feet. "Hey, sorry I didn't call a head. It was a little dicey getting here."

Dick yanked him into his arms, crushing him but he didn't mind. Wally embraced his old friend, then pulled back and cast a look at Leia, hesitant. She'd be okay, he reminded himself. Leia was a fighter. She'd been that long before he came along and she was on the mend. With a deep breath, he gently ushered Dick out of the room and the two of them set off. For a long moment, neither spoke.

"So…" Dick began, rubbing his neck. "Welcome back?"

Wally opened his mouth, then closed it; a second later, he threw his head back and laughed, brief and sobering quickly. "Thanks. We didn't expect to come here but Leia finished the calculations a day ago, so we had a chance to come here, warn you guys."

"Warn us?"

"I'll brief everyone when the team is awake. It was…rough getting here. The planet was falling apart."

Dick tried to ask but Wally waved him off. He launched into his story, a short version anyway. That he'd appeared on Nightmare's world and found himself in her rebellion, helping her save her world. He told him about what happened her. That they'd formed their own kind of Justice League with Nightmare at the helm…and how, for a time, peace reigned. He talked about his team mates, the cities he saw…but every time, he circled back to Nightmare again. Dick, not missing a thin, raised and eyebrow and smiled.

"So, you and her?"

"Married last year."

Shock etched his friends face. "Married?"

Wally paused for a moment, thinking of Artemis. They'd wanted that, were getting ready for it; then everything fell apart…and he found his way to Leia. He needed to talk to Artemis. He owed her that. Sooner rather than later…but how would he introduce her to Leia? It seemed the right thing to do, once everyone was ready but how was he to know? He floundered for answers,

He sighed as they came to a window overlooking Earth. A strange feeling twisted in his gut. "I never thought I'd go home. I tried to run fast enough but no matter how fast I ran it was never enough. Then I stopped running and when everything finally just stopped, I looked up and there she was." He ran a hand through his hair, reliving a thousand memories in a split second. "I found something there, with her, with that rebellion. Suddenly, sticking around didn't seem so bad…and I fell her for her, man."

Something in Dick's eyes softened. He gave a consolatory squeeze on Wally's shoulder, nodding shortly.

"It wasn't easy when you were gone – for any of us, really – but I'm glad you found her," murmured Dick, whom looked down at Earth with a sombre expression. "A lot has changed since you were gone. You should speak to Artemis soon. She saw you at the beach but when she saw you held Nightmare…I don't think she was expecting it."

He had a million questions but finally settled on one. "She didn't…I mean, she-"

"She and Will are close now, especially since Lin's mum isn't around. It's all kinds of complicated and we've all just let them awkwardly walk around each other. I think she was finally going to do something, then you showed up…and with your wife." Dick laughed. "Wally West, married…and I missed it, too."

Wally smiled. "We did send invitations but you can never really trust inter-dimensional postal."

The two of them fell into an old companionable silence.

Artemis Crock's world was off-kilter. She paced the living room that, only just last night, she'd fallen asleep in Will's arms. His arm had drawn her close and she remembered that he'd kissed her forehead. It had been the first real moment of physical affection and she realised that, somewhere along the way, she'd fallen for him. She didn't feel guilty about moving on, that Wally would've been okay with it.

Then the call had come in about a portal opening up close by…and she'd answered the call, if only because she'd been close by. Will had simply untangled himself, told her to be careful and that he'd be home when she got back. Home. The word burned in her mind. She'd almost stayed, just for that word alone. It had rang in her mind as the team gathered on the beach, poised and ready for a fight…

Then Wally ran straight through the portal, wearing a strange iteration of the Flash suit, with his hood down. He'd looked right at them, at her for a split second and her whole world shattered. She couldn't breathe. Her heart was racing so quick in her chest that she couldn't tear her gaze away as panic was clear on Wally's face. He stared at the portal, his hands closed into fists. After a beat, he'd started towards the portal but two figures shot through; well, the girl staggered, and the guy was right behind her. Still, Wally stared at the portal.

Then she came through and all at once the tension fled Wally's body. No one missed the metal protruding from her chest – and Artemis didn't miss the way he grabbed her, held her like she was the most precious thing in the world. As he'd turned to everyone else there was fear in his eyes.

"Save her."

Those two words, heavy with emotion.

In the chaos, the four arrivals were whisked into the bio-ship. She was asked if she wanted to join them but her voice froze, so she shook her head. When she returned home, she barely registered Roy getting up from the couch…or his hand on her shoulder as she wrenched off her mask, looking at him utterly lost.

"Wally is back."

She slowly pulled away from Will, staggered into her room and shut the door, slumping against the door. Her mind was racing. Images of Wally; the look in his eyes, how he held the woman, the way he begged for her to be saved – like he couldn't live without her. In her mind, he'd remained that young, enigmatic boy she loved so much. The one on the beach had been older, harder, with a thin shadow of a beard and his hair cut short. It had still been him, though, without a shadow of a doubt. She'd seen the way he looked at her, like he hadn't expected to see her again. For a split second it had been like she imagined it would be, the moment he returned. It had been over all too soon and it hadn't ended like she'd imagined. Instead, it had left her shocked, confused…and speechless.

There was a soft knock at the door. "Artemis?"

Will, soft, tentative.

"Not right now," she mumbled.

"Open the door Artemis. Don't shut me out."

She let out a shuddering breath. "I can't right now."

"Which is why you know the best thing is to open this door." He paused a moment and there was a slight pressure on the door, like he pressing his forehead against it. "Please."

It was the way he said it; quiet, pleading. Something inside of her cracked. She slowly stepped away from the door, turned, and opened it. Will was standing there, watching her, waiting for her to act. Everything was in her court. She stepped aside and ushered him into her room, then flicked on the light. As the shadows receded into the corners, she looked at him, feeling exposed and caged.

"Wally came back."

A myriad of emotions rushed across Will's face; shock, confusion, happiness, which darkened as he saw her own tortured face.

"What else?"

"He wasn't alone. There were three others. Two came through after but he kept staring at the portal, like he was holding his breath. Then someone else came through. A woman and he went to her, held her. I mean, it's been five years and I've-" She caught herself, heart racing. "Moved on but seeing him? Seeing how he held her? I just…I don't know. I need…god, I don't know."

Will sat down on her bed, looking up. "Where are they know?"

"Off with the League. His new friends didn't look in great shape. The one he held was impaled by a bit of metal."

"You should be up there."

She turned away from him, looking out of the window. "Should I? Dick called, said our new guests had a warning to deliver – some new threat. They were waiting, however, until the team woke up and he said Wally assured them it wouldn't be long. A few hours, maybe."

"Wasn't one of them impaled?"

"Apparently they recover quickly." Artemis was shocked to find the edge in her voice. "Anyway, it's central League members for that meeting. We'll be told more soon and I'd say Wally will be with her until she wakes up, so I'm staying clear."

He leveled her a long look. "You will speak to him soon, right? I mean, I'm pretty sure he'll come here but you two do need to talk."

She nodded. "I know."