Rating: T

Time-line: Season 1

Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship

Summary: This isn't the first time Wally's had a panic attack in front in front of Kaulder. The first time Dick was there too and able to hold off all the questions. But Dick's not there this time and it's time Kaukder knew the truth about his past.

Word Count: 2k

Trigger Warning: Mentions of child abuse, panic attacks

Disclaimer: The panic attack that Wally experiences in this is purely based on my own experience with anxiety attacks and everyone's anxiety, PTSD, or panic or anxiety attacks look different. Please be aware that this is just my perspective, and that it can look different for every person, and their own individual needs when they are experiencing an attack. If you're a witness of somebody experiencing an attack, please ask them what you can do to help them, since everyone has individual needs.

Wally stretched his arms over his head, hearing his shoulders and back pop as he released the tension from them. It had been a long couple of days between missions and having just finished mid-terms the week before he was looking forward to some downtime.

He made his way into the cave's kitchen, pulling out the ingredients to make a sandwich. He thought about his plans for the day as he piled on whatever he could fit between the two pieces of bread. He'd probably hit the beach by the mountain for a bit and then he had some school reading he had to finish up before school was done for break. Maybe by the time he had finished that Dick would be free to spar and do some video games. There was one they had been working through for the past few weeks whenever they had the time, but maybe they'd be able to finish it with the few hours of free time they had today.

Wally went to take a bite of his massive sandwich when the lights completely shut off. Wally was left in complete darkness, briefly wondering if this could be another attack like the Reds. Glass shattered behind him and he turned around, standing in a defensive position, cursing his civvies. If he had his Kid Flash uniform on he'd have his night vision goggles. "Who's there?" He called, preparing to bolt if need be. Someone pushed him from the side and he yelped as the edge of the countertop dug into his ribs when he fell over. He rolled to get out of the way of whoever had attacked him when he heard laughing.

"Wish I could see your face, Baywatch."

Wally scowled.

"Turn the lights on Artemis." He growled.

"Okay, okay, geez."

His heart was beating wildly, and his ribs still burned from where he'd hit the corner. It shouldn't have hurt him that much but the phantom pain from being pushed in the ribs, locked in the dark, laughed at, and the sound of glass shattering, blurred the lines of memory, and present a bit too much for him.

"Artemis, turn the lights on," He said, pushing himself up, and yelping when his head collided with the counter.

More laughter followed as he gripped his head, not only from hitting it on the counter but in a vain effort to get his mind to come back to the present. The lights came on blinding him for a few seconds.

Artemios made a face, grabbing the broom in the corner. "I didn't mean to knock the dish off the counter. I hope M'gann doesn't notice. Totally worth it to see your reaction though."

"Not funny, Artemis." Wally ground out glaring daggers at her, the feeling of glass beneath his shoes and the crunch of it on the floor unnerving him more than it should have.

He shouldn't be affected like this. He was just already tired from the long week and it had been a rough patrol last night and his brain was working against him.

"On the contrary, it was hilarious. If you actually had a good sense of humor you'd recognize that," she said with a smirk.

"Please, you're the one without the sense of humor-" His chest felt tight.

"Yeah, well-!"

"Wally, Artemis. What is the issue?" Kaulder's voice cut through their arguments.

Kaulder had just walked in the room and had almost regretted asking, not wanting to get involved in whatever the two heroes' latest argument was, but he also didn't want to have to unstick Kid Flash from one of the archer's foam arrows like last time, so he decided to take his chances.

"Miss Congeniality over here thinks she's being so hilarious by-"

"Seriously, Wally. It was just a joke. You pull jokes on me all the time and the one time that I-"

"That wasn't funny! It's not, It's not-"

"What, Kid Mouth? Cat got your tongue?"

Kaulder was paying more attention to Wally than Artemis' taunts though.

His hands were gripping the countertop hard enough for his knuckles to turn white. He was gritting his teeth and tripping over his words, not in a way that he usually did when he couldn't think of a clever comeback to whatever Artemis had said, but in a way as if his mind was somewhere else.

"Just leave me alone, Artemis!" He finally yelled, speeding down the hallway.

Artemis made a face half caught between startled, and annoyed.

"I will go after him." Kaulder offered.

Artemis just scoffed. "I don't know why he can't take a joke," she muttered.

Kaulder walked down the hallway, wondering what had gotten into Wally. Usually, he was frustrated with Artemis when she pulled pranks just like she was with him. But it was always (most of the time) in good fun. And they always joked around like this. Kaulder had never seen either of them get truly upset over one of each other's jokes until now though.

Kaulder rounded the corner and was met with the sight of Wally leaning against the wall with his back to him, taking deep, shuddering breaths.

Kaulder's concern spiked knowing that something was very wrong and worse than just Wally being moody or grumpy.

"Wally," Kaulder said, trying not to startle him. He put a hand on his shoulder. Wally took another gasping breath, his right hand was splayed out over his shuddering chest.

Wally turned so that his back was against the wall as another shudder racked his body, causing him to almost vibrate. He slid to the floor gripping his head.

Kaulder knelt beside him. "How can I help, my friend?"

Wally just shook his head, his chest heaving with every breath, as his breathing turned towards hyperventilation.

"I won't leave you, Wally," Kaulder said. Seeing Wally so eerily silent, except for his gasping breaths, the hunched posture. It reminded Kaulder too much of another time, back on the bioship.

"I'm so sorry, Walls. I've got this, Kal."

Kaulder spared a glance behind him and could see Dick sitting beside Wally, with his arm around him, whispering to him too low for Kaulder to make out what they were saying.

"Is Wally alright, or should I call the cave for medical?"

"No, he'll be fine. It's a panic attack. I know how to get him through it."

"Do you know the cause of it?"

Robin hesitated before answering. "Yeah, I do."

Kaulder positioned himself beside Wally, and slowly, but firmly wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Wally leaned into his chest, still taking heaving breaths. Kaulder could feel tears soaking the front of his shirt and just held Wally tighter.

"I am here, my friend," he murmured, running his hand down Wally's arm. Kaulder wasn't good at the whole physical affection thing. It was never something he learned or did growing up other than the occasional hand on his shoulder from his King or a handshake in greeting once he was on land. But having observed Wally and Dick he knew they both reveled in it and whenever the other needed comfort, they were always there with a hug, or an arm around the other, or one leaning against the other.

Kaulder focused on making his own breaths, steady. "Breathe with me, my friend."

He doesn't know how long they stayed like, but eventually, he noticed that Wally's breaths matched his own, only hitching occasionally.

"'m sorry, Kal."

"It is alright, Wally." Kaulder hesitated unsure of how to move on.

"Would you like me to talk to Artemis about-"

Wally shuddered, shaking his head vehemently. "No, she can't know. She- She'll- I-" Wally's voice wavered, and Kaulder tried to calm him down before he got himself worked up again.

"It's fine. Whatever you do not wish to tell her you don't have to. But I want you to know that you can trust this team, Wally," Kaulder said, his grip tightening slightly. "That you can trust me."

The silence lasted for several minutes, nothing other than the sound of their own breathing breaking it.

"I trust you, Kal. And...it's been a long time, so I guess...I guess you can know."

Wally was silent for another minute, before pushing himself up and dragging himself to his feet. "Not here though," he said shaking his head, his armed hugging himself, tucked into the sleeves of his sweatshirt.

They walked further down the hall to Wally's room and Wally sat on the bed, leaning up against the headboard. Kaulder sat on the edge of the bed, facing Wally.

"So," Wally began shakily. "What do you...know about my home life?"

"I know you stay with your Aunt and Uncle quite a bit, but not much else."

"I don't just stay with them sometimes," Wally said, his eyes trained on a stray thread on his bedspread that his fingers were twiddling with. "I live with them, actually. I don't see my parents anymore. Dad-" Wally shut his eyes for a second. "Dad was abusive," he said, swallowing, still refusing to meet Kaulder's gaze. "It- he lost his job when I was like five, and then he became a drunk and started taking it out on me and it got worse after I got powers because that just made it easier to hide if I ate enough and stuff and I could blame it on patrol or something when Dick and Barry got suspicious. Mom never really cared or anything, I mean she knew about it but I think she thought I deserved it so she never stopped it and-" Wally stopped for a second taking a few long deep breaths. "Mom's off on her own now somewhere and Dad's in jail and...and I've never had to tell someone that before," he said swallowing.

I know Wally trusts you guys. But, I mean, Kal he didn't even tell me about it when it was going on...I found out on my own.

"I never even told Dick or Barry. Dick found out on his own and told Barry and Iris, and that led to a lot of other stuff, so yeah now I live with them and I sometimes freak out with stuff since it lasted for like six years, but I'm mostly fine now, it's just hard to let people help me when I'm injured, and I hate small spaces because dad would lock me in the basement sometimes, and I hate the sound of glass breaking, and I basically can't smell alcohol without having a panic attack-" he said, cutting himself off with a nervous, almost hysteric, laugh. "But hey, I'm fine, pretty much, and yeah. That's basically everything." He said burying his head in his arms, resting against his knees, and shooting Kaulder a thumbs up.

Kaulder put rested his hand on Wally's shoulder, causing the redhead to look up at him hesitantly. "Thank you for telling me, Wally," he said, wrapping him in a quick, but firm, hug. When he pulled away Wally flashed him a shaky smile.

"Yeah, thanks, Kal."

I promise not every one-shot in this series will have a panic attack but that's what I've been dealing with a lot more in the past year so I had a lot of drafts of fics about panic attacks. Annnyway. Yeah. Hope you enjoyed the fics. Stay tuned for more and remember to follow to get notified every time I post a new one-shot.

Love y'all!

-SunahineGirl14