Building A Family
Contrary to what everyone believed, Batman was not unpredictable, those who knew the Dark Knight; knew that the man would do everything within his powers to fix the situation. Even if fixing it was not the most moral solution, no, Batman was not unpredictable. When it came to those he cared about, those Batman considered his, that's where the unpredictability came into play.
Bruce loved fiercely, almost possessively; it was Batman's only weakness. A weakness that was both a blessing, and a curse, a weakness that made the man very dangerous.
So it was surprise to the four Founding Members when they see Rudolph West sitting in the interrogation room of their ground base, unharmed.
"I'm not sure if I should be relieved or worried" said Superman, looking from the two-way mirror to Batman.
"Can't get anything out of him, if he's dead" Batman said, eyes on the man sitting in the chair.
Superman noted that his friend didn't sound happy about the fact.
"I feel like he should be bigger" said Diana.
Perhaps it's because this was the man that caused one of the greatest and strongest of Heroes such fear and pain, or maybe Wally's memories are still affecting them (and always will) that they expected this man to be larger.
"His eyes are not right" said John.
Shayera leans forward, her eyes narrowing thoughtful as she stared the man whose eyes were glancing around the room, before they landed and locked with hers. Shayera backed away from the window.
"So who wants to go first?" Superman asked after a moment.
"Me" Batman said already heading for the door, a folder under his arm.
"This is not going to end well" the Man of Steel thought, going back to the window, though if he thinks about it more, he doubts it will end well if any of them went in there.
"Hello Bruce"
Batman says nothing as he sits down across from the man, he places the folder on the table and opens it. "You've been very busy Mister West" he said flipping through papers and pictures.
"How is he? How's Wally?"
Batman pauses for a moment, before sliding pictures across the table.
"Want to tell me what you were doing here?"
Rudolph doesn't look at the pictures; his eyes remained locked onto the man in front of him. When he didn't get an answer he titled his head just slightly.
"Is he here?" the man then asked.
"Answer the question, what were you doing here?"
"Is he here?"
Batman's eyes narrowed, and his lips thinned. "I'm sure you can answer that question for yourself" he then answered.
The corner of Rudolph's lip curled up, "Afraid I can't"
Batman hummed, filing the information away for later, before turning back to the photos. "Tell what you were doing here"
Rudolph finally looked at the photos; he studies them silently before looking back at the Dark Knight, "I was told to go there" he then answered, "Wally's not here then" he then added.
"Who told you?" Batman asked, ignoring the last part.
The man's eyes starting to dance around the room once again, his cuffed hands coming up from underneath the table and his fingers started to drum on the surface.
"Who told you?" Batman repeated, a hint of impatience leaking through.
"Wally is not here" said Rudolph with a slightly frown.
"Answer the question Rudolph"
Rudolph looks back at him, "What was the question?"
Batman's jaw twitched just slightly, he repeated the question and waits, secretly hoping the man would ask again. It'll be a good excuse to punch the man.
"The voices told me" Rudolph answered, "can I have him back?" he then asked, "can I have my Wally back? I miss him and our time together"
Batman goes very, very, still.
The interrogation door opens and Shayera comes in, "I'll take over for you" she said, moving to the Dark Knight and placing a hand on his shoulder.
Batman blinks, looks up at the Thanagarian, he frowns when he replays what the female said. A raised brow and steely eyes silence any of his protests, he nods, gets up from the chair and leaves the room.
John and Superman are waiting for him.
"I want to say he's insane but considering what we have to deal with daily…." John trails off with a sigh.
"I want him to have a psych eval" Batman agreed, "along with a PET scan, MRI and CT"
"And if we don't find anything?" Superman asked, while John went off to start on the protocols and set up the request.
"Then we break him"
A bush rustling alerted him, J'onzz tilted his head at the emotions he felt, fear was the most dominate followed by confusion and anxiety.
"Wally" he called.
Another rustle of a bush, the fear starts to slowly slip away, the confusion and anxiety still there.
"Wally" he called again.
"J'onzz" came the echo of Wally.
The Martian smiled and sent waves of calm and happiness, his smile growing when he feels a tentative touch.
"Won't you come out?"
The fear does not return, but it's a near thing as the park slowly begins to fog, "No" echoed Wally's voice.
J'onzz sends gentle waves of comfort until the fogs fades away, even then he doesn't stop as he speaks, "Why?"
"Scared"
There was the fear again, J'onzz keeps up the comfort, "Why are you afraid? Are you hurt?"
"Yes"
"I can help, if you come out, I can help make want ever is hurting you stop"
"Lair"
J'onzz paused, he studies the emotions he feels around him, and is surprised to find underneath all of it was anger. Vaguely wondering how he missed this, the Hero wonders if Wally felt anger towards him, towards them. He digs a little deeper, making sure he is gentle in doing so, he finds the memories that is the cause of the anger.
"We did not come" he said once freed from it, "we promised to protect you and we did not come, just like Barry promised to always be there and he left. Your mother and father promised to never leave you and they did. Promises broken by those you love can hurt the most"
It starts to rain.
Wally was crying.
"I was hurt" Wally sobbed, "and you never came."
"We did, but it was too late"
J'onzz sends a wave and Wally shies away.
"I will not make a promise to you about us being there to make sure you never get hurt again" J'onzz said after a moment, "I will promise you that I, we, will try our hardiest to make sure it never happens again"
There is silence, a long, long silence, then a blinding light.
J'onzz blinks away the bright spots, once his vision clears, he realizes that Wally is in his lap; arms wrapped around the Martian's neck. The Speedster was shaking, and wet drips were splashing on his skin.
With a sound that wasn't human, but comforting all the same, J'onzz wraps his arms around the human and doesn't let go.
It took far longer than any of them would have liked for West to get every test done and get the results back, but their barely held patience paid off and now they were listening to the doctor who had conducted the test tell them his findings.
"He has a tumor?" said John, his voice was a mixture of complicated emotions.
The doctor nods, "Yes, it will explain any sudden change in moods, personalities, and behaviors the man may have had and done; and considering the size, it could have gone on for years. Quite frankly I'm surprised the man is still alive; especially if he hadn't gotten treatment. However, it does not explain the voices"
Here the doctor turns to the psychologist, who takes a step forward and after a moment to collect her thoughts speaks.
"While I would have preferred more time with Mr. West, I was able to come to the conclusion that the voices that he hears and obey, are indeed real"
"Are the voices controlling him?" Diana asked.
"Yes and no, yes because of the fact that Mr. West has told me that he doesn't feel a compulsion to obey them or feel as though he doesn't have control over his body. No, because I am aware of certain mind-controls that can make so that the victim is not even aware of the fact that their mind is being taking over."
"But you're sure that the tumor is not the cause of the voices?" asked Batman
"Yes"
Superman thanked them and as soon as both doctors left the room, the Man of Steel looks at the Dark Knight.
"Now do you want to do?" he asked.
"Talk to Mr. West again" Batman said, "and ask him why he's face showed up on the surveillance camera of several military facilities, also see if you can get Doctor Fate here"
Batman stands, he is almost out of the room, when Blue Beetle's voice comes over the inter-com.
Batman, J'onzz is waiting on transmission.
Leaving the room, Batman changes his routine to a room with a receiving monitor, the others behind him, no doubt as worried as him on what could have happen to Wally. They get to the room, and Batman opens the channel. J'onzz's face comes on scene, and beside him is Wally. Looking tired and a little pale, but was smiling.
"Hey guys"
"Good to see you up and about kid" said John.
Wally's smile grows, "Awww, did you miss me?" he teased.
"Like a zit" grinned the Green Lantern
Wally stuck his tongue out at him; John made a face in return.
"Children, behave" said Superman, eyes twinkling with amusement and relief.
"He started it" John grumbled good- heartedly, getting a snicker from Wally.
With the light air around them, Wally almost doesn't want to destroy that with his request, but he had too; for himself and his family.
"What's wrong?"
Wally looks at Batman, who stared at him; the man's body was straight; far too straight to be the usually Dark Knight posture. The Speedster grins turns into something both gentle and nervous, and Batman's eyes narrow.
"I want to talk to my Dad"
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