The old friend smiled faintly. Wally wanted to reject what he was seeing- deny that this was possible. But… being a super hero always showed that even the impossible could happen.

But Tula being alive?

"How- how-" He didn't know where to start, to even begin.

She let out a breathy laugh, looking down at herself as if she just realized how unusual this was. "I'm sure, for someone like you Kid Flash, this is a little hard to take in."

"Oh, only a little," he managed to reply, though his voice was clearly strangled. "Tula, this doesn't make sense; you're- I mean-" They had thought her dead, that she was gone! "Why didn't you let us know?"

At this, her smile grew sadder, wistful. "I know it's difficult to take in, but like you have seen; you cannot easily communicate with our old world any longer. I am no longer Atlantean, just like you are no longer human."

Wally winced at the very raw image of Artemis crying, unable to see him, here him. He didn't want to think about it, he couldn't accept it. "Then what…" he gestured helplessly to her clear, water form.

She held up her hand playfully, and Wally watched mesmerized as some of the water below her eagerly sprang up, suspended in the air and waiting for further direction. Turning back to Wally, she gave another faint smile. "I'm a water Spirit. A Guardian of the oceans."

"So…" He glanced over his shoulder at the two others, who were watching patiently. "This is real, this 'guardian' thing… you're not messing with me?" Wally waiting a few seconds, somewhere in the back of his mind still expecting them to crack up and laugh, saying how they couldn't believe he fell for it. But that didn't happen, they just continued to stare at him seriously. He needed to sit down, if he had anything left in his stomach, he might have even considered vomiting. This wasn't possible. This wasn't possible.

Something must have shown on his face, because Tula's expression grew soft- pitying. She drew closer, gently bringing her hand to rest on his cheek so he faced her. The hand didn't feel wet, perhaps cold, and moving in ways a hand would never, but he was surprised at how solid it felt. "I am so sorry Wally. I haven't been told to the full extent why you were chosen, and I can't imagine how this must feel for you, to have turned so quickly-"

"Quickly?" Wally's brow furrowed at her choice of words.

She lips thinned into a grim line, looking away as something painful danced in her eyes. "I know it's been awhile since I died, or long enough."

"Three in-a-half years." Wally stated, somewhat accusingly.

"Yes," She looked back to him, "But I didn't start my duty as a Guardian until two years ago, when the Reach first began prepping for the invasion by hiding their forces within our oceans."

Wally frowned again, not fully grasping what she was saying. "So you were dead?" This concept of something after death, of being dead and then not dead was really hurting his scientific logic. He was going to have such a head ache later. "Why didn't they make you a guardian right away?"

"This is the way of most Guardians." Wally turned when St. North- Santa spoke up. "Manny knows the change is not an easy one, and works in his own time. I woke to my duty sixty-five years after my death as a human."

Jack gave a somewhat bitter smile, leaning against his cane. "I don't know how long I was 'dead', but when I woke up, I couldn't remember anything, so it didn't matter."

"That is why you are different." Tula joined in again, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We don't even know if you really died, you simply became a Guardian."

This was too much, way too much. "A Guardian of what?" He looked at the two elder Guardians, suddenly feeling lost all over again. "Why would this- this- Manny even choose me?"

"Actually, you came highly recommended." Tula's hand traveled down his arm and pulled it to her, holding his hand open palmed between them. Her other hand reached over and set something in the waiting palm. As she drew away, Wally's breath caught at the site of the object.

"But this is-" he raised the watch till it was dangling before his eyes, remembering vividly the day he watched old Kent Nelson die, the day he put on the Helmet of Fate. "How is he involved?"

"Mr. Nelson is actually quite active in his afterlife." Tula backed away, her smile stretching a bit. "He said that letting you simply die would be a terrible waste, that you could do a lot of good as a Guardian. In fact, you're a bit more than an average Guardian."

That drew Wally's attention away. "What do you mean? Am I going to turn into something like you- a water spirit? Wind spirit?" Not that his brain was really accepting those ideas anyway.

"A Time Lord."

Santa moved forward, also looking at the clock with a twinkle in his eye as he spoke again. "You are a Guardian of Time, a heavy burden for one seemingly so young. But Manny never chooses wrong."

Wally stared at the watch, opening it gingerly and gasping when he saw the interior. The watch was just the same as it had been, though it appeared some hands and notices were added, it was still beautifully crafted, the glass clear and glistening. What caught his breath was the picture. Where before there had been a picture of Kent's beloved Insa, now instead was an entirely different figure.

It captured her perfectly. Though instead of the high pony-tail she usually sported, it was showing her blond locks cascading over her shoulders and back, the gray eyes gazing sternly at the viewer even as her mouth was frozen in a small, genuine smile. She looked beautiful, dressed in a black turtle-neck that he knew was her favorite.

Artemis.

He couldn't look away, and felt tears threatening his eyes as he remembered her face as Barry told her that he was dead. "Where's Wally?" The lost, hopeless look burned over the warm picture. Slowly, fighting not to tremble, Wally reached out and placed the antique back in the water spirit's hands. "I'm sorry. I- I can't."

Tula's eyes widened, pleading. "Kid Flash-"

"No."

"We're telling you the truth! You were chosen for this task. The world is in danger; we need your help for this-"

"No!" Wally yelled, startling himself by how guttural it sounded, how furious. "I am not a Guardian! Not a Time Lord, not a spirit, nothing! I have a life! You are not going to take it away from me!"

"You cannot go back to how things were, hero." Jack bit out angrily; feeling defensive because of the water spirit's hurt expression. "Running away from the responsibility isn't going to change that it's your responsibility now!"

"I didn't ask for this!" Wally rounded on the kid, and Jack was struck by how fearful the glaring eyes beneath the mask were. "My best friend needs to know I'm alive, that I don't hate him! I need to let my mentor know my death wasn't his fault! I have a girlfriend who loves me! I was going to propose!" He stopped, breathing heavily as they all gazed at him with pity. Realizing his words, he felt despair hit him even more sharply. "No, forget this. It's not happening, I'm not the guy, sorry."

"What are you going to do?" Jack shifted his stance, gazing hard at the figure, knowing Kid Flash was trying his best not to fall to pieces.

The speedster, who had turned his back on them, glanced to look over his shoulder, giving a bitter grin. "Run away." And then he was gone- faster than he had ever been as a human.

Tula sighed wearily before turning and giving the watch to Jack. "Please hold onto this until he comes back, he'll need it."

Jack peered at her through his white bangs. "Are you sure he will?"

She smiled, sadly. "Despite how he is right now, Wally is- was one of the best heroes of his age. He knows he has to make this decision, and even if he's running from it now, Kid Flash would never turn his back on those who need help." She gazed off in the direction he had disappeared to. "Perhaps you can borrow a snow globe and meet him outside of Los Palto? He won't know how to get to the North Pole."

Santa looked at Tula curiously. "Why would the hero child go there? Is his home city not Central City?"

"No, he's not going to his home." Tula continued to gaze over the frozen wasteland, her tone heavy with sorrow. "He's going to see Artemis again."

So I know where I'm taking this story, but I gotta ask, what do you guys think? And yeah, I felt nothing would fit a person who has always had time at their fingertips than to become a Guardian of time. Semi new powers galor! I have no clue if he's going to go through a costume change, but I feel like calling him a Time Lord is better than designating him Father time (that just sounds old).

So… thoughts?