Sixty-six

With Superman and J'onn gone now, Marty out of the house and Margo in the kitchen, Kali and Wally were finally alone for the first time in hours. Wally had so much he wanted to talk to Kali about, so much he needed to tell her.

"Kali, we need to talk," he said quietly. "Can we go for a walk or something?"

Kali nodded, "Yes Wally, there is a path behind the house that leads to a secluded area near a pond. It's very pretty and very private."

"Sounds like the perfect place," Wally replied, taking her hand.

They walked silently, hand in hand, down the shady path behind the house. The grass was thick and overgrown, swaying gently with the cool breeze. Wally stole a glance at Kali's face, trying to read her mood. Her face was relaxed and she appeared contented and happy. Her eyes connected with his, and for that instant, they both felt it; an unspoken desire so strong, it would impossible to deny it. He could not take another breath or wait another moment, holding in the love he felt for her.

"Kali," he whispered, "I love you," he said, as he pulled her closer into his arms. He pressed his lips against hers, lightly at first and then more forcefully as the feelings within him swelled. She returned his attentions, thereby fueling the fire within them both. For those few moments, they were alone in a world where there was no one else, and nothing to fear or hide. There was no distinction between Flash and Wally, because for the first time since he could remember, he was both; he was fully Flash as much as he was fully Wally.

He loved her so much he could barely contain himself; he was positively trembling from the desire he held back. He had to pull back and release her, before his passion for her grew out of control. As he stepped back, he saw the sadness in her eyes and sensed the disappointment in him for pulling away. She doesn't understand the power she has over me, he realized. She's young and innocent.

"She's just a kid; it's her first time away from home. You know, first year at college… she has a lot of growing up to do. She doesn't know what she wants to do with her life yet," Marty's words echoed in Wally's mind.

Wally had to admit it was true, Kali was young, just starting college. Was she too young to handle a lifelong relationship? as Marty had suggested. Could her feelings for him build toward a sustaining love that would endure? Or, would they extinguish in time, as she tired of him? Wally did not want to push her into something that she could regret later on.

A pang of guilt pricked his conscience. He was pushing her, wasn't he? The other JL members always kidded him about his impulsiveness and irresponsible behavior. Was he willing to take responsibility for her happiness too? Did he even have that right? he asked himself.

He put his arm protectively around her shoulders as they meandered, through the grassy wilderness. She leaned against him, contentedly, as they walked together. This is what he wants, he told himself. This is what he needs, he insisted, trying to dismiss any doubts.

His guilty conscience would not let it rest. Would a life with you make her happy? Or do you want her so desperately that you are willing to sacrifice her happiness for yours?

But she loves me, he argued.

What kind of life can you offer her, living with the curse that comes with hiding Flash's identity? Do you really want to put that kind of responsibility on her? the nagging inner voice asked accusingly. You nearly got both of you killed and, as it is now, you are already looking at a Code 7 relocation. This is your life. This is how you live. How can you have the nerve to expect her to spend the rest her life living under these kinds of circumstances?

I can't, he answered, with a heavy heart; it is too much to ask, too much to expect.

Grief-stricken, he felt driven to tell her his decision. He had promised her 'no secrets' and he could hold nothing back from her now.

"Kali, I love you so much I can't stand the thought of a moment without you. I've never felt this way about anyone else," he said, full of emotion. He was choking on his words but swallowed hard and continued. "I'm afraid I've been unfair to you, by expecting you to feel the same way without understanding what you would really be getting into in a relationship with me.

I know you care for me, Kali, but to love me would not be a simple thing; I am two men, living two lives. Neither is an easy one for a wife to accept as long as the other exists. How could I ask you to share that kind of life with me, knowing the dangers involved? You've only had a glimpse of what that kind of life is; it's not a normal life, and I can't ask you to live your life that way. I nearly died seeing you strapped helplessly to that table because of me. I couldn't bear to see anything happen to you. I don't know what I'd do. Today when, Monocello held that gun into your back, I realized what a fool I'd been by putting your life on the line.

Through my own negligence or foolishness, I have compromised myself, but worse I have endangered those I care the most about, you, and my Justice League family. I am grieved that I have sacrificed your lives right along with mine. Now I have to suffer the consequences of my carelessness. One of those consequences involves relocating and reestablishing a secure place to live to protect my dual identity. I don't know where I'll be living or for how long I'll be gone, but I do know I won't be around for a while.

Wally got down on one knee, took her hand gently in his, and kissed the back of her hand. "My dear sweet Kali girl, I wanted to tell you how I'd fight to make it work and how nothing could come between us; but I, only now, realize how selfish that is. My love for you tells me to let you go and allow you to find a love that will bring you the good things you deserve without the dangers and heartache a relationship with me would bring." Wally's voice grew thick with despair.

Overcome by grief, he laid his head upon her hand. "Please forgive me," he whispered in a voice barely audible. With a heavy heart, he rose and walked away.

Sixty-seven

Kali stood there stunned. "But Wally… I love you," she said quietly; but he was long gone.

She took a few steps forward, intending to sit beside the pond and digest what Wally had just said, but she couldn't think straight; she was numb. She wanted desperately to feel something, but she couldn't feel anything. What was wrong? Why didn't she want to cry? yell? throw something? do anything!

Kali walked mindlessly along the water's edge of the pond and watched the small minnows flit about in the clear still water. She sighed and gazed into the water. Its surface remained still and smooth, like glass. That's how she felt, without emotion, empty and flat.

Kneeling down, she dipped her fingers into the cool water and stirred it violently with her hand, splashing and creating waves that quickly subdued into tiny ripples that faded away into nothingness, empty and flat once again.

She imagined she was the pond. Wally had come into her life; he stirred something within her that changed her life, bringing joy and happiness she had never known. And now, without him, the stirring stopped and, like the ripples in the pond, her joy and happiness faded away, leaving her feeling empty and flat once again.

Spotting a pebble in the grass, she picked it up and threw it as hard as she could, aiming for the bank on the opposite side. The rock flew high and far, sailing easily through the air before falling and plopping into the water.

As the water stilled once again, a sad, emptiness filled her soul. She hated this dark heavy feeling. She had thought any feeling would be better than numbness, but now that she felt only emptiness and grief, she longed for the numbness to return.

Jumping to her feet, she searched frantically through the grass for stones, rocks, and pebbles, anything she could find to throw into the pond, intent on distorting its smooth even surface. In a frenzy, she threw everything into the water, laughing, delirious with each splash. When she could find nothing else to toss, she watched helplessly as the small waves dissipated, returning to its former glass-like state.

Crumbling to the ground feeling defeated and alone, she burst into tears. Her mournful sobs echoed through the meadow, the sorrowful cries of a broken heart.

Sixty-eight

Wally sped back to Marty's house, wanting to put as much distance between he and Kali as he could. He knew he had to get far away from her, lest his willpower completely dissolve. He wanted to speed back to his apartment, pack up, and get away, and he needed to do those things before he lost his courage and changed his mind, but he couldn't very well abandon his car at Marty's house.

As he opened the driver's side door, Marty pulled into the driveway.

"Hey, Wally!" Marty called. "You're not leaving now, are you?" he asked, stepping out of his car.

"Yeah, I'm afraid I gotta go," Wally said depressed.

"What's wrong? You look upset. Did something happen?" Marty asked.

"I gotta go." Wally looked away and climbed into his car.

"Wally?" Marty said looking puzzled.

Wally gave a quick wave and started his car, peeling out into traffic. He weaved in and out of the fast lane, tearing down the street, racing toward his apartment.

"This darn car!" he said angrily in frustration, pounding his fists against the steering wheel. He hated that his car could not move at super speed, like him. The posted speed limit was 55 and it took all he had to keep the car's speed below a torturous 65 miles per hour. Even then, he felt like he was barely creeping along! This was frustrating and he grew angrier and angrier the closer he got to his apartment.

Wally parked his car along the road near the front entranceway to his apartment; he wanted the closest parking spot that would provide the shortest access to his car. He didn't bother to lock his car, figuring it'd be easier to deal with between the trips back and forth from his car to the apartment and back again.

As he stepped into the elevator, two undercover cops joined him. "Hey Tom… Hey Roy," Wally greeted. "Wrapping up the Monocello investigation upstairs?" he asked amicably.

"Hey Wally, yep… we've been at it for about an hour now. Stetson wants everything documented in triplicate; he doesn't want Monocello to get off on any possible technicality."

"Yeah, I can understand that," Wally nodded. "Good luck with it," he added.

"Thanks."

The elevator door opened and Wally stepped out crossing the hall to his apartment. He was surprised to find that the door to his apartment was ajar and he heard someone inside. As he lightly pressed on the door, he peered into his living room. There were four uniformed officers, dusting for fingerprints, moving furniture, and examining every nook and cranny of the room.

"What's going on here?" Wally asked, growing annoyed at their invasion of his privacy.

"Wally," Tom, one of the undercover cops from the elevator, responded, "This is a crime scene…" he explained.

"Tom, this is my apartment!" Wally retorted, trying to control his fury.

"Sorry Wally, you can't touch anything until the men are through," Tom commented politely. "We can give you a call when we're done, if you like."

Wally rolled his eyes. "I've got to get my stuff out of here."

Tom nodded, "Okay, tell you what, you can put whatever stuff together you need to take and we'll go through it before you leave to make sure it's nothing we need."

"Excuse me?" Wally answered sarcastically. "This is MY apartment, MY stuff. I'll take whatever I want, thank you very much."

Wally brushed passed the officer and stomped into his bedroom.

Although the living room had looked pretty well torn apart, his bedroom looked as though it hadn't been touched. He raced to his bedroom closet, pulled out an empty suitcase, and began loading his clothing into it, willy-nilly. Wally tossed his Flash costume into the suitcase amongst his regular clothing without regard for its protection. Looking around the room for a few personal items, he added his hairbrush, deodorant, electric razor, toothbrush, and aftershave lotion to the already overflowing case. When he was through, he forced the suitcase shut and set it aside, by the bedroom door.

Returning to the closet, he spotted his photo albums and scrapbook. "Got to take these," he said, aloud. Wally reached in and carefully removed the awkward stack of albums from its shelf, placing them on his bed, laying his scrapbook on top of the pile. He grabbed a belt from his closet and began looping it around the stack of albums to bind them together.

"Excuse me, Wally." Tom said, interrupting him as he was about to buckle the belt around the albums. "You plan on taking this stuff?" he asked.

"Yes," Wally said curtly.

"Just a minute," Tom responded, pulling the belt away from the albums. "I need to have a quick look see," he explained expectantly.

"No," Wally said, laying his hand on top of the stack. "This has nothing to do with the investigation," he insisted.

"That's for me to determine," Tom said, pulling the scrapbook out from underneath Wally's hand and opening to the first page.

"Hold it!" Wally objected, but it was too late. Tom had already seen the first few photos and articles in the book.

"What is this?" Tom wondered aloud. "This is all about Flash."

"Yes, it's just a scrapbook. I'm a bit of a fan and I'll take that now; thank you," Wally said, snatching it from Tom's grasp and snapping it shut.

"I'm afraid, I'm going to need this for evidence," Tom said, taking the book back from Wally.

"No!" Wally objected loudly, "I don't give you permission to take this."

Tom looked directly into Wally's eyes. "Look, Monocello was after Flash; he shot him. These articles might shed some light on this case. Wouldn't you like to see Monocello get what he deserves? I promise that no harm will come to this book and I'll make sure you get it back as soon as possible."

Tom's words, spoken with a genuine kindness, made it difficult for Wally to argue with him. Reluctantly, Wally relinquished the book.

Tom moved quickly on through Wally's photo albums, but eventually dismissed them, finding nothing of relevance to the case.

"Good, then I'll be on my way," Wally said, refastening his belt around the photo albums again.

"What's in there?" Tom asked, pointing to the suitcase beside the door.

"Oh, it's nothing. Really. It is just some clothing and personal stuff. Trust me, nothing you'd be interested in," Wally said, walking over to the suitcase and taking hold of it by its handle.

"Sorry, Wally, but I've got to…" Tom began.

Wally groaned and handed the suitcase to Tom.

At first, the suitcase refused to open because it was so jammed full of clothing. Nevertheless, with a little coaxing on Tom's part, he managed to get the latch to spring open, allowing the case to burst open causing an explosion of clothes everywhere.

"Sorry," Tom said apologetically.

Wally scrambled to regather the scattered clothing tossing everything, one by one, back into the suitcase.

"What's this?" Tom said, holding up the brilliant red Flash costume.

"Oh nothing, just some joke pajamas," Wally mumbled, grabbing the suit from him.

"With mask?" Tom looked surprised.

Wally glared at him.

Sixty-nine

Marty carried the groceries into the house. He was surprised to find the living room empty.

"Hello?" he called out. "Anyone here?"

"I'm in the kitchen!" Margo shouted back.

Marty placed the grocery bag on the counter and gave his wife a big hug. "Hi, honey," he said. "Where is everyone?"

"Superman and the Martian had to go back to the Watchtower, but Kali and Wally are around. I saw them go for a walk down the path to the pond," Margo replied. "They look so sweet together holding hands. It reminded me of when we were dating," Margo sighed, hugging Marty tightly.

"The Martian was here? you mean J'onn? Awwww, shucks! And I missed him!" Marty grumbled.

"What does he do?" Margo asked curiously. "I've never heard anything about him."

"He can morph into anyone else," Marty said enthusiastically. "You should see it! He transformed into Wally for me and I swear, I could not tell them apart! You know, that could come in handy…" Marty's voice trailed off lost in his own thoughts.

"Well, he had to leave. Maybe we should throw a party for all of the Superheroes. What do you think? You know, it would be nice to get to know them and all. Wouldn't that be fun?" she asked.

"Sure… but I don't think they do those kinds of things. I mean they are usually busy saving the world."

"I certainly think they deserve a day off, don't you?" she asked, putting the milk and eggs in the refrigerator.

Marty took hold of the lead pipe he had carried into the kitchen with the groceries and began swinging it around like a bat. "Sure, maybe we can talk to Wally about it," he suggested.

"You want to go take that outside?" Margo asked, scowling and trying to avoid a smack in the head from Marty's imitation bat.

"Huh? Oh, I'm going to replace the pipe in the bathroom," Marty explained, lowering the pipe.

"Good, I would like to use that sink again sometime," Margo teased.

Seventy

Wally, dressed in his Flash costume, carried his suitcase and stack of photo albums down the hall to his quarters in the Watchtower. He was in no mood to see anyone today, so he avoided the main areas where the others were most likely to congregate.

"Home again," he muttered, walking through the entranceway to his room.

Since he had moved into his apartment, he hadn't had much occasion to spend a lot of time in his quarters up at the Watchtower. For the most part, he attended the regular meetings and such, but he preferred to be out and about town; and frankly being based way out here in the Watertower was not the most convenient commute to Central City. He still kept a few basics up here for an overnight stay or so, but for the most part, the room was pretty empty.

"Okay, J'onn. Code 7 relocation," he moaned, tossing his suitcase in the corner and setting his photo albums down on his bureau, not bothering to unpack anything.

Flash lay down upon the bed and stared up at the ceiling.

He had hoped the change of scenery would help him keep his mind off Kali. He decided to try to focus on the new life ahead of him. After all, if he had to go on without her, he needed to begin somewhere.

Let's see, I'm going to need a new apartment, he thought. Maybe this time he'd look for an apartment with a swimming pool. It would cost more, but the extra rent would be worth it. He could just see himself doing a series of twists, back-flips, and somersaults in the pool from the 10 meters high platform.

He knew Marty would HAVE to try to outdo him and they would have a terrific competition going. He imagined that Margo would laugh at Marty, at first, but of course, she would do her best to cheer on the guy. Good thing too, because he is going to need all the help he could get competing against him. No matter, he and Kali would have a good laugh at Marty's goof-ball dives. It would be so unfair to bet Marty that he could out dive him in a competition, but he knew Marty would have to go for it, Flash chucked. The poor sap is so competitive!

Flash closed his eyes and imagined the crowds at the pool applauding his perfectly executed triple somersault, done in record time, and blindfolded. Kali would be impressed. Her beauty filled his mind's eye as he envisioned her watching him from the sidelines, smiling sweetly and cheering him on. She'd be a sight for sore eyes, in a bathing suit, he thought, her image beckoning him.

"Uhhh!" he groaned mournfully, rolling over and burying his face into the pillow on his bed. I can't take this! Kali, Kali, Kali! Your soul haunts me even up here!