My name is Gordon West. I have short strawberry blond hair, blue eyes, and I'm of medium height. I wear a pair of running shoes, red pants, and a red sweatshirt. My parents are Wally West and Atlanta Hunter. I live in Central City. I am known as Flashboy.
My parent's romance was one to remember. They met six months before the League disbanded. It was a simple routine mission. A gas main had exploded in Central city. Three entire blocks had been demolished. The orphanage in particular was heavily damaged. Anyways my dad was working in the downed orphanage recovering the kid's stuff when a piece of debris fell towards him. He was totally unaware of the danger. He would have died if someone hadn't pushed him out of the way at the last minute.
"What? Who? Hey what's going on her?" Flash demanded. He looked around searching for some sign of his savior. But no one was there. Not one of his teammates, not a civilian, nobody. He only caught a glimpse of a blond hair maiden out of the corner of his eye. Before he could go after her his communicator beeped. "Flash do you read me? Are you in need of assistance?" J'onns voice asked urgently.
"No, I'm fine J'onn. By the way was anyone else here a moment ago?" Flash asked innocently. He received a negative. He went back to work knowing he could get back to his dilemma later. Later back aboard the Watchtower he reviewed tapes of the incident trying to determine who had saved him. All he was able to get was a fleeting image of a young woman in a business suit pushing him out of harm's way and doing it at super human speeds.
Using all the latest technology and begging assistance from other members of the League my dad was finally able to blow up and fully reconstruct the picture of the women. He then ran her image through the Watchtower's mainframe hoping to get a match. Two hours later the computer had one for him. The computer identified the young women as Atlanta Hunter. She worked as a junior associate at the Webster Lawfirm in Central City. The building was located just five blocks from the orphanage. She was in plainest terms a defense lawyer who was highly intelligent, beautiful, and rich. She was way out of my dad's league. But he was determined to meet this woman and if possible date her. After talking to everyone on the subject and a little research he was off to meet her.
Atlanta was in her office reviewing her latest case. Her office was very simple. It consisted of her desk, computer, bookcases, and her diplomas. Her secretary Stephanie entered the room. "Ms. Hunter you have a very important visitor. Should I send him in?"
Without glancing up from her work she said, "Tell whoever it is to come back tomorrow. I'm very busy right now and I can't be disturbed." She then refocused her attention on the file on her desk. Suddenly there was a slight breeze in the room and a bouquet of orchids landed on her desk. Glancing up from her work she was surprised to see Flash standing in her office grinning. "I won't take up more than a few moments of your time."
"Mr. Flash isn't it?" She asked skeptically. "May I ask what this is all about? More to the point how did you know that orchids where my favorite flowers?"
"A little birdie told me. I hope you like them there fresh. I just wanted to thank you for saving my life the other day. I very much appreciate it." Flash told her.
Atlanta pushed herself away from her desk and stood up. She walked around the desk till she was right in front of him and spoke quite clearly. "Mr. Flash or should I say West? Yes I know your identity it wasn't that hard to figure out when you put together certain facts. Anyways I have no idea what you're talking about nor do I really care. All I want is for you to leave and don't come back to my office unless you are in need of my services. I shall be keeping the flowers, but you should know I don't date period in case that's what you where hoping for. Now good day!" Atlanta said shoving him out the door and slamming it in her face.
"Don't worry she's only like that when she's busy. Otherwise she's perfectly nice. It was an honor meeting you." Stephanie said to Flash as he sulked out of the office. He raced away defeated but he was still determined to win her heart no matter what.
The next day when Atlanta arrived at the office Stephanie greeted her all bubbly like. "You must have a secret admirer. A delivery boy dropped these off a few minutes ago. A box of genuine Swiss chocolates!" Stephanie exclaimed handing her the heart shaped box. There was a note attached to the box. In flowing gold script it read, "To my elusive princess. May this hunter be worthy of this hunt."
"Charming really. Connecting my name with the myth. Stephanie what did this delivery boy look like anyways?" Atlanta asked slightly annoyed. Obviously Mr. West didn't understand she wasn't interested. She was sure he thought the chocolates where from him.
"Oh he was a boyish looking man with red hair and freckles all over his face. I thought he was really cute, but he didn't seem interested in me."
Sighing in disgust she entered her office to work. Hopefully Flash would get bored with her rejections and leave her in peace. She shouldn't have saved him even if it was the right thing to do. Over the next two weeks she received a dozen gifts. The most surprising of them where a trio of golden apples just like the ones from the myth. That was it. She had had enough. She was going to catch Flash in the act and get him to leave her alone.
Flash was racing towards the law firm with his latest gift when someone intercepted him at super speed. It was Atlanta. She caught him by the scruff of his neck and dragged him into her office, threw him in the chair, and glared at him. "What does it take to get rid of you? Why do you keep tormenting me? What do you want to know about me so much that you ignore my wishes?" she demanded.
"In order to get rid of me is impossible. My friends and countless enemies have tried. I'm sorry if it seems like I'm tormenting you, but I just have to talk with you, be with, see you. What I want to know is everything about you, but first are you descendent of the Princess Atlanta from Greek mythology. You know the story don't you? The princess was raised by a she bear then forced all her suitors to a foot race for her hand in marriage. A race that if they lost they forfeited their lives. I hope to be more successful with you." Flash told her.
Atlanta looked at him long and hard. He had really done his homework. Sighing in defeat she nodded her head. "Yes what you say is true. The reason I'm so fast is because I am a descendent of Atlanta. I don't use my gift unless it's absolutely necessary. Look, I'll make you a deal Wally. I'll go on one date with you and answer all your questions then. If and that's a big if I decide to pursue a relationship with you we may continue dating otherwise you leave me alone. Deal?" Wally shook her hand and left calling out that he would pick her up at seven. "Lord what have I gotten myself into?"
That night they went to the movies and a comedy club. Atlanta had a lot of fun. She realized Wally wasn't just some luck fool. He was a sweet, funny, caring man. She told him all her secrets of super speed like how she could control her metabolism so she didn't need to recharge or that the gift was only passed down through the females in her family. Over the next several months they went on more than a dozen dates including a double date with GL and Vixen. When the League broke up they stayed together. She even gave up a job as partner in a firm in Cincinnati for him. That's how much in love they where.
After they married my dad moved into mom's house. Mom had finally made partner and worked long hard hours while my dad just struggled with holding down one job. Because of his powers his mind was constantly being pulled in 20 different directions. It was hard for him to focus on one thing.
My mom was in the middle of a very important court case when I made my presences known. She was trying to prove her client was innocent of a manslaughter charge and was doing a heck of a job. She was in the middle of cross examining a witness when she felt a dull pain in her abdomen. She clutched her stomach in distress and winced in pain.
"Mrs. West are you alright?" Judge Hollen asked her concern in his voice.
"Yes your Honor, I'll be fine oww!" She screamed in agony. She fainted to the floor with judge calling for order, an ambulance, and my dad in that array.
My dad arrived ten minutes after the ambulance brought my mother in. He was ushered into the exam room where the doctor was waiting. "I've just completed my examination Mrs. West. You fainted because your three months pregnant and taxing your body too much. If you don't want to lose the baby I suggest you lessen your stress level by reducing your workload." The doctor recommended.
When they got home Dad ordered Mom to rest. "Really Wally I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me. Isn't this exciting? Were going to be parents!" my Mom exclaimed happily. She looked down at her belly in wonderment.
"I'm happy to Atlanta, but you heard the doctor. You got to take it easy or we could lose both you and the baby. Promise me you'll reduce your work load and not overtax yourself." Wally asked her.
"I promise Wallace. Nothing is going to happen to our baby boy and before you say it, I just have a feeling. Our son is going to be just as special as his mom and dad." Atlanta promised.
She really did try to keep her promise, but soon work became too much. Six months along she went into premature labor in her office. If Stephanie hadn't called the hospital my mom would have died along with me. The doctor put her on immediate bed rest for the remainder of the pregnancy.
That caused a problem my mom's firm would only pay for her maternity leave not bed rest. Unable to work they had no source of income. My dad searched frantically for a steady job to help pay bills and help take care of mom. He found one working double shifts as a janitor at my mom's fir. It was the best he could do under circumstances.
After I was born and my mom had to return to work my Dad cut down to one shift to take care of me. My first year of life my parents struggled to find time to be together and raise me. But after my first birthday things where worked out.
I began showing signs that I could manipulate the "speed field" as my dad called it almost as soon as I could walk. I could sprint from one end of the house to another in a blink of an eye. I could stop on a dime. Unlike my dad who's unique metabolism forced him to recharge constantly I could control mine like my mom.
I loved my parents dearly. I knew it was hard for them to raise me with their kind of life. With my mom working so hard and my dad was teaching me the joys of super speed. I couldn't have been happier. Still even I couldn't escape the taunting of my classmates.
At school I was a brilliant, happy, and funny child. I loved doing puzzles and playing with my friends. But I never could get use to the jokes and snide remarks the other kids made about my dad. He was a janitor, a messenger, and a loser according to them. It didn't matter that he made several contributions a year to the orphanage, volunteered to help out all the time with school events, or he'd been Flash. He never used his powers except in training me so to the other kids he was a loser. And soon I believed it to.
I was nine years old when it got too much for me and I let it all out. It was a warm Saturday afternoon and we were having a picnic in Paris, France of all places. We were going to test my ability to race across water without falling in and drowning. I was sitting on the blanket looking at my parents happily sharing some sandwiches. I couldn't understand why a successful lawyer like my Mom would marry a flake like my Dad.
My mom must have seen my expression because she put down her lunch. "Gordon, honey what's wrong? Why are you so quite?" she asked hesitantly.
"I was just thinking that' all. Mom I don't understand something. You're a highly successful defense lawyer who's serious, calm and well organinized. Why did you marry a complete opposite like Dad? He's a loser." I told her glaring at Dad.
My dad looked at me like I had hit him. "Gordon, how could you say that about me? Why are you even comparing your mom and I? It isn't right to do so. Also I am not a loser."
"Dad you're a janitor for crying out loud! So what if you were Flash a long time ago? It doesn't have any effect on your life now. Mom is more responsible, more respected, more everything!" I said frustrated. "Why can't you have a well respect job? Don't you know how to do anything or did you just waste your talents with your speeding around?"
"Gordon, please that's enough from you. I worked hard to achieve my status in life. I went to Harvard law for four years and graduate class valedictorian. I worked long hard hours to make my way up the ladder. It was hard but worth it. Your Dad never completed collage after the accident. Gordon you shouldn't be ashamed of him." Mom tried to tell me, but I didn't want to listen.
"I'm going home. See if you can keep up with me." I yelled at them. Then disappeared as I raced home. I nearly fell into the ocean, but managed to stop myself. As soon as I got home I plopped down on my bed and screamed into my pillow.
I knew I had been rude and hurt my Dad's feelings. I was being very unfair and difficult. My dad was far from being a loser. He was always there for me, supporting me in everything I did, caring for me when I was sick. He helped me with my powers and encouraged me to pursue my dreams. How many kids have dad's who are always around and help you out like that? But my classmate's taunts stayed with me. I couldn't banish them no matter how hard I tried.
I was grounded for a month, but life moved on. My dad eventually forgave me, but I couldn't forgive myself. I soon had more control over the speed field and was doing remarkable things. Things that neither my mom nor dad could do. Both of my parents took turns teaching me.
In Junior High I joined both track and cross country teams to help maintain my powers. It was so much fun and it helped me stay in shape. It was my mom's idea. The best part was no matter how busy she was she always came to my meets. Even during an important case I was the most important thing in the world to her. My dad would cheer loudly from the stands and at home give me advice on running.
When I started High School I got the shock of my life. My Dad had applied for a coaching job at my school and got it. He was the assistant coach for both track and cross-country. It seems that after my rude comments all those years ago my parents decided that he should return to collage and get his masters. He had been doing night school for years now. I should have been embarrassed to have my dad working at my school, but I wasn't. I was proud of him.
When I was sixteen something happed to me that made me the way I am today. My dad was dropping off things at the orphanage, my mom was at her office working, and I was finishing up sewing a special home economics project.
"It's done! Oh yes in your face Ms. Visate. I so can sew. I can't wait to try it on." I said excitedly slipping on my costume. It was identical to my dad's except I had two lighting bolts crisscrossing in the center. I had just finished admiring myself in the mirror when a police chase blew past my house.
Without thinking of the dangers I zoomed out of the house joining the pursuit. The suspects fired at me, but I merely side stepped out of the way. I sped up finally catching up with the car I placed my hand on it. Concentrating hard I extended the speed field around the car and reversed its speed bringing it to a standstill. Before those creeps knew what happened to them I had dragged them out of the car and tied them up with their seat belts.
The police were amazed and grateful for my assistance. Turns out these two were drug smugglers. I told them I was happy to help out and my name was Flashboy. They be seeing me a lot more often. After saying goodbye I went home praying my parents wouldn't kill me for what I had done.
I thought my parents would be furious or at least ground me for my little adventure. I was wrong they couldn't be more proud of me. All the asked is I be more careful and try to be regular teen. Kind of hard to do after the League formed and I met Athena. She's unlike any girl I ever met.
Being a member of the League is great, but I would have never managed it without the support of my parents and all their love. They taught me you don't have to be spectacular to succeed in life. All you need is confidence and the drive to survive. That's a lesson I'll be sure to pass on.