I wish that I could stay forever this young

Unafraid to close my eyes

Life's a game made for everyone

And love is the prize

-from Wake me up! By Avicii

Wally West knew they were talking about him. His teenage radar detecting adults and their "I'm concerned about him" tone was reading off the charts. The conversation was muffled by the garage door and sloshing sounds of Aunt Iris washing the dishes, but his instincts were on point. Uncle Barry had just surprised his wife with Chinese food for dinner (he'd had time to swing by Hong Kong after work), but she was worried.

"He's been sitting there for an hour. Won't tell me what's wrong."

"He's fifteen. He's a surly teenager."

"Honey, I'm a reporter. I know a story when I see one."

"Mmm hmm. How long did it take you to realize I was the Flash?" The good-natured blonde chuckled.

Wally couldn't see, but he could tell his aunt was crossing her arms in that "I'm not amused" attitude gingers everywhere were so famous for. Barry's chuckle screeched to a halt.

"Uh, sorry. Do continue."

"Barry, you're his mentor, but more importantly you're his uncle. Talk to him. You know, man-to-man."

"We work together almost every day. Heck, we talked earlier, I didn't notice anything bothering him."

"Barraging the Trickster with witty banter is not considered normal communication. Even by a stretch of the imagination."

Barry sighed. Wally was aware of the back screen door opening, of his uncle's heavy footsteps. He didn't look up as he sat next to him.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"We gonna work on the engine today?"

"Maybe later, kid."

Wally toyed with the engine part he was repairing.

"Careful, you put the bolt in wrong."

His nephew put down the engine part. Another thing I can't get right, he told himself. His unreadable expression was an enigma to his uncle. For a brilliant forensic scientist and member of the Justice League, Barry Allen looked downright out of sorts. You could tell he had no idea how to have a man-to-man, soul-searching chat with his nephew. But being the saint that he was, he was going to try anyway.

"So, big scoop at work this afternoon. The Trickster is going to jail. Again."

"Big surprise. I think he likes attacking us with snot guns. Almost like he thinks we're friends."

"You got that right."

Hmmm. Barry was used to his nephew's sarcasm, but his smile seemed forced. His green eyes normally sparkled with mirth. But they were different. Iris was right, he thought. He cleared his throat to continue, as casually as possible.

"Your aunt thinks we don't communicate. Weird, huh?"

"Yeah. We joked about how lame the name Weather Wizard is. That was definitely a topic for conversation."

"I know. But your aunt seems to think it's time for a serious talk."

Wally groaned. "We already had 'the talk' in science class. Please don't make me go through it again."

Barry instantly blushed. "Oh my gosh, not that talk. I'll leave that to your dad."

Wally's countenance darkened. Leave it to him, all right. "Yeah. Sure."

Barry wasn't sure where to go from there. He could have gone for the subtle route, but Wally was eyeing him like he knew something was up. Smart kid. Barry proceeded in all bluntness.

"Your aunt thinks something is bothering you. So, is it?"

"No, it's nothing." Wally rubbed his arm, wincing a little.

"The wall again, huh?" Hitting the wall was their term for superhero growing pains. Unlike his uncle who received his extraordinary powers in adulthood, Wally received his powers as a child. As he matured into a teenager, he experienced pains as a side effect from using his super speed.

"I'm fine. Is the interrogation over, Officer Allen?"

Barry had the patience of a Buddhist monk, but he gave Wally a warning look for his petulant remark.

"Sorry. You're not gonna sidekick-ground me for that, are you?"

Barry actually smiled. "Didn't even cross my mind."

"Good. Grounded at fifteen would be downright embarrassing."

They both sat in silence for a little bit. Suddenly, Barry pieced it together.

"Say, what day is it?"

"Another Tuesday in Central City."

"November sixteenth, right?"

Wally looked at him like he was crazy. "Yeah."

"Sixty days before your sixteenth birthday." Barry looked thoughtful. "Old enough to get a driver's permit."

Wally eyed his uncle. "Didn't think you'd remember."

"Seriously? You only talk about cars more than Pokémon and girls. In that order."

Wally opted for a nonchalant-sounding tone. "Think I'll wait. You know, when I'm more mature."

His uncle scoffed. "Like when? You've been hanging out with Speedy too much. Say, let's drive down to the DMV and get your permit today. The car could use some actual driving."

Wally quickly shook his head. "We don't have to. And plus, the DMV needs documents, like birth certificate and proof of driver's ed. Too much of a hassle."

"Please, high school bureaucracies are a piece of cake -"

"No, it's fine."

" - The secretary loves me. What's her name, Alice? -"

" - Uncle Barry, it's not a big deal -"

" - Get the birth certificate, and boom! The road is yours."

"Just stop! I'm not good enough for a driver's permit, or a license. I'm not going anywhere, I'm not gonna be anyone, so why bother?!"

The engine part and screwdriver flew across the garage, metallic parts shattering as they hit the far wall. The broken bolt rolled across the ground in the silence. Barry watched his nephew fuming from his frustrated outburst, sitting with his arms crossed defensively. Barry was pained. He'd never seen him act like this. Captain Cold, yeah. The Pied Piper, absolutely. But his young sidekick and friend? How the heck did Batman raise two teenagers without going gray? He rubbed his face, feeling ancient and way out of his depth. Since he couldn't read minds like J-onn, in true Batman-esque fashion Barry tried to deduce what his young protégée and nephew was thinking. With purposeful care, he picked up each fragmented piece of the engine part. Barry cleared his throat as he reached for his tool kit, searching for the right tool for the job.

"This is kind of weird for me, you know. My dad was in jail for most of my life. When we talked, it was through a grubby prison telephone."

Wally didn't say anything.

"But he always said, 'I'm here for you.' And he was. I'm here for you Wally, and I'm not going anywhere." He continued to work on the engine for several minutes, piecing the bolts and metal back together with patient scrutiny. Wally eventually came down from the stairs, watching the engine take shape.

"Sorry I broke it."

"Nothing's really broken."

That earned a wry smile from Wally, just for a second. It disappeared just as quickly. He watched his uncle work in silence, every once in a while passing him a wrench or other tool. He began nonchalant.

"Chinese food, huh?"

"Yep."

"From the little grandma in Hong Kong?"

"Uh-huh."

"She makes the best orange chicken."

"Too true."

"Guess Aunt Iris isn't gonna let us have any without talking, huh?"

"You know it."

"Minus the grubby telephone?" Wally remarked sarcastically.

"Well, I could always borrow one from Iron Heights if you prefer. The Trickster won't miss it, I'm sure."

Wally took a deep breath, calmer now. He did want to voice his thoughts, but was unsure where to begin.

"I've always wanted to be like my hero, the Flash. You know, before I found out he was actually a boring old square." He said this with a splash of humor, and Barry smiled. Besides being the Flash, he was, admittedly, pretty darn boring. "My Dad thought it was a pipe dream. 'Get your head outta the clouds. Quit daydreaming. Work at the plant like a normal person.' I've had superpowers for what, a couple years now? And it's amazing. But I can't ever be like, 'Look Dad, here I am, I did it.' "

"Anonymity is our best defense. You know we can't reveal ourselves."

"I know, I know. It's just. . .I thought once I had superpowers, everything would be perfect. Better. My Dad would quit acting so disappointed in me, calling me lazy, never gonna amount to anything."

Barry paused in disbelief. He'd met Rudolph West before. Thought he was gruff, taciturn. Not friendly or warm-hearted like his sister Iris or Wally, but this. He didn't know he was capable of such cruelty in the form of verbal abuse. Certainly not to his own son.

"He said those things? Does Iris know? Why didn't you tell me?"

Wally shrugged. "You get used to it. Usually I don't let it get to me. Plus, you said it yourself: anonymity is the best defense."

He went on.

"I was gonna go to the DMV right after school. I could have ran there, but I was so excited I told my parents where I was going." He shook his head, thinking about that mistake. "Dad couldn't believe it. He says to me, 'Why bother driving? Not like you have anywhere to go.' "

Barry didn't know what to say. His fists clenched in anger.

"Is that what he tells you? That you're worthless? Stupid? Lazy? Going nowhere?" Something occurred to Barry. "Has he ever hit you?"

Wally didn't answer, but the truth was plain.

"Anyway, guess I finally wised up. Realized superpowers or not, I would never be enough. Even if he knew I was the world's greatest hero, he'd still be disappointed in me."

Saint Barry's normally calm demeanor was broken. His brow furrowed in anger.

"Wait until I get my hands on him. . .speed force punch to the face! . .when the League hears about this - "

"See, this is why I didn't want to tell you. You'd go all 'Justice League police officer' and make it worse."

"I'm not just the Flash, I'm family. I'm supposed to protect you!"

Now Wally was angry. "I'm not a kid anymore, I can fight my own battles!" Man, this was stupid. He was thinking about the fastest way out of there. He felt a hand on his shoulder, halting him. Barry's kind eyes stopped him.

"You don't have to fight alone."

Barry let him think about that. He raised his voice, calling to the kitchen.

"Hey Iris, honey?"

"Yeah?" she responded quickly. Wally rolled his eyes. Of course she was listening. Reporters have no guilt whatsoever for eavesdropping.

"Wally's staying for dinner."

"That's nothing new. I already set out an extra plate."

"And the night."

"A spare blanket and sheets are in the dryer."

Barry was impressed. Iris came out into the garage, wrapping Wally into a hug. "You know, I looked over the spare room. There are some heavy boxes to move, but something tells me Flash and Kid Flash are willing to do some heavy lifting and help out their favorite ginger."

"Sure." Wally paused. "Wait. Are you moving or something?"

"Not us."

Iris eyed her husband. He nodded. For a supposedly average human, she could always read his mind. He winked. "With a new coat of paint, it would make a decent bedroom."

Wally's eyes widened, daring to hope. "You mean. . .move in with my favorite people in the world? Like, for reals?"

"That's what we mean."

Wally's smile was almost too big for his face. It flickered. "What about my Dad?"

"Let me handle him. You get washed up for dinner." He zoomed into the kitchen, water splashing. Iris looked at her husband with one of those grateful looks. "Thank you."

Barry looked at his wife with apprehension. "Are we ready for this? Raising a teenager?" he whispered.

She kissed his hand, holding it tight. "Hey, we're in this together. It's not going to be easy. . ."

"The right thing isn't always easy."

Iris smiled. "I love it when you get all hero." She kissed her husband. Wally made gagging noises from the kitchen. "Seriously guys, I'm within earshot. Gross. Plus my hands are washed, can we eat now?"

Iris laughed. "You too Mr. Barry Allen, your hands are covered in car oil."

They said Grace. The mountains of lo mein and orange chicken looked delicious. Iris was baking cookies from the smell of chocolate chips wafting in the air. The table was full of food and family. The kitchen was small even by Midwestern standards, but it was enough.

"Hey, Uncle Barry?"

"Yeah?" He was busy loading his plate full of egg foo young.

"Can you drive me to the DMV tomorrow?"

"Sure." He looked up. "You're a pretty brave kid, you know?"

Wally accepted the compliment, the mischievous, mirthful sparkle returning to his eyes. "Takes real courage, beating up the Weather Wizard and everything. Seriously, a toddler could defeat him with a spoon."

Barry chuckled. "Pretty soon we can fix up this old Rolls Royce. Bet we can have it ready by your sixteenth birthday."

"Yeah?"

"No stopping you then."

Iris chuckled. "Until then, the streets are safe."

Wally rolled his eyes. "You may be a square Uncle Barry, but you're a stand-up guy. Way cooler than Batman says you are."

Barry rolled his eyes, in the way that made his nephew laugh. "Puh-lease. Batman wishes he was me."

"Said no one ever," Iris retorted.

They laughed and talked long into the evening. The first of many good days to come.

He was first aware of the sound. A dripping, like a leaky faucet in an empty kitchen. Wally West blinked. No, he wasn't in Central City. The stalactites dripped eternally into the cavernous pool of water below. He blinked. Then he saw them. The bats winging overhead rejoined their family noiselessly, without ado.

"What the. . ."

Pain stopped Wally from moving further. The IV in his arm tugged.

"Careful. Your hyper-metabolism processes the morphine almost too fast. It will kick in shortly."

The dripping of the IV was soon welcome. The morphine did kick in, and he relaxed into ease. He settled into the hospital gurney he seemed to be lying on, covered by (what was left of his) burned clothing and a blanket.

"I take it I'm in the Batcave. Slightly less awesome than I imagined."

Batman was busy monitoring the health sensor readings. Wally almost didn't recognize him with the cowl back, as he intently listened to the stethoscope in his ears.

"EKG stabilizing. Brain waves normalizing. Breathing average. Pulse fast, but that's to be expected from a speedster. Must have been dreaming."

Wally smiled, a little sadly. "More like a memory." Fragments of the last few hours hit him. Flashes of fire. Green hell. The Firefly's cackle. "What happened?"

"Gotham PD reported no bodies from a mysterious fire at the old orphanage site. The Firefly is no more."

"Remind me never to visit Gotham again. Like, ever." Wally caught sight of the police reports and photos on the giant computer screen. One photo caught his attention: a teenage boy at a theater.

"That's him, isn't it. As a kid."

"Gary doesn't exist anymore."

Without Barry, I could have been like that, Wally thought. He should have felt a great deal of anger for the one who almost killed him. But looking at his picture, seeing the innocence that once was, he only felt an overwhelming amount of pity. He turned away.

"Good thing Batman saved the day."

"If I recall correctly, Flash saved the day. You saved countless children at the carnival."

He didn't want to think what would have happened if he had made another choice. He changed the subject.

"This morphine stuff is pretty good, Batsy. You must tell me the recipe."

"You're lucky. You suffered one hundred percent third degree burns, and the speed force healed you in under two hours. Curious."

Wally shuddered. He didn't want to know what he looked like. He made a wry smile. "Freaking speed force. The more I know, the less I understand. Kinda like eighth grade math class."

Batman didn't join in the humor. He looked serious. "You were burned so badly I thought you were dead."

Wally remembered Barry's face.

"You always did like to be early. . ."

His brow furrowed. "Thought I saw. . ." He shook his head in confusion. "But it couldn't be. He was lost in the Crisis."

Batman opened his mouth to say something, but instead he looked thoughtful. "Interesting," was all he said. Batman pulled out the IV as Wally flexed his arm, thinking. Maybe Barry was alive, and not only in memory. That thought brightened his eyes, but made him grave at the same time.

"All readings are normal. You can go if you like, but I'd take it easy for at least another thirty minutes, just to be sure."

Wally rolled his eyes. "Yes, Dr. Batman."

Batman cracked the ghost of a smile. "Take two pills and call me in the morning." Wally looked. He was offering Altoid breath mints from some pocket in the utility belt. He couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Oh my gosh. First we save the world from a literally flaming lunatic, now you're cracking jokes. The world has literally gone insane."

Wally chuckled, stretched, testing his feet. His boots were completely burned away, but the cold floor felt good. With feet planted firmly on the ground, he was ready to go. He was handed a slightly dusty, yet neatly folded bundle of clothing.

In a swirl of speed, he changed into the clothing in the blink of an eye. Khaki slacks, a button-down blue shirt, matching plaid skinny tie, and penny loafers. Not his usual look, but nice. The clothes fit him perfectly.

"Thanks for the duds Bats. I'll return 'em ASAP."

"Keep them. Barry kept a spare change of clothes in the Watchtower. I didn't have the heart to throw them out, so they've been in storage here. Along with this." Batman's gauntleted hand held up a golden ring. The Flash icon of lightning gleamed. "I believe this belongs to you."

Wally held the ring in his hand. These were priceless treasures, mementos of times past. This dank cave full of giant coins, creepy dummies and darkness, maybe it wasn't as abysmal as it appeared. Maybe it was more like a closet. Dark inside, but full of memories and untold stories of times past. Times, somehow, kept alive.

"Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever be good enough to fill his shoes, you know? He was the best."

Batman tilted his head in thought. "You didn't have to follow me, you know. Not after the way I treated you at the carnival."

"Yeah, well, WWUBD: What Would Uncle Barry Do? Sometimes the right thing to do isn't easy, and/or it downright sucks. Doesn't mean it's any less right."

"Sounds just like him."

"I know, kinda self-righteous, huh?" Wally was joking, but he was somber, too.

Batman looked his younger friend in the eye. "Barry was a great man. But the Flash I know now? He'll go just as far if he doesn't stop running."

Wally appreciated the sentiment. He was never the closest with Batman, not like Superman and Wonder Woman were. But he accepted the compliment graciously. Until he opened his mouth.

"Aw shucks, that was a Kodak moment. I always knew you were a soft cookie. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. Especially not Orion. You got a reputation to protect."

Wally was delighted to see Batman roll his eyes. Must have picked it up from Nightwing. He was the eye-rolling king.

"So what's the fastest way outta here?"

"Straight through the waterfall, down the canyon drop, to the left." It took Wally a second to realize he was serious. He heard the jangle of keys, catching them before they hit the ground.

"What's this?"

"Carnival's not twenty minutes on the highway if you go over ninety." The Rolls Royce keychain jangled. Wally almost couldn't believe it. He wanted to question it, but went along before Batman changed his mind. He hopped in the Rolls, drinking in the plush seats.

"Ninety, huh?"

"Just don't get caught."

Wally revved the engine. Man, it purred like a dream. About to put it in drive, he looked back. "What about you?"

"I have some unfinished business at the Watchtower."

Green Arrow watched the last of the business transaction walk away. The bearded man in a baseball cap may have looked grungy, but he walked away whistling. He may have traded away a kiss with Black Canary, but he was one thousand dollars richer. So it was hard to complain.

The green-clad vigilante slumped down into a nearby chair, exhausted. And he thought battling Deathstroke was awful. Dealing with so many thirsty men in one area was one fight he did not plan on repeating. He didn't even want to think about how much his bank account would be lacking.

Black Canary cleared her throat. "Buying all of my kisses? I thought you were joking, but two hours and millions of dollars later, I realized you must be for real." She slid her arm around his neck, kissing his cheek. "Oliver Queen, you are full of surprises."

He snorted. "Well, I'm not longer full of money, that's for sure."

"That was never important to me."

Arrow shook his head. "Guess I needed to remember what was important. Do you know how hard that was, watching all those men with you? Willing to say 'I'm sorry' eight million times if it meant you would look at me again."

"Why didn't you?"

"Would you have believed me?"

Black Canary thought about the emotions that swirled her that evening. Rage. Betrayal. Hurt. She took his rough hand and kissed it, nothing but affection in her eyes.

"I believe you now."

They kissed under the stars, shining more brilliant than before.

The lion growled, rearing its head back in a roar. The terrifying beast snarled at the kids, who shrieked in delight. The large feline head snarled, revealing its wicked fangs. The ginger kid and the herd of children around him giggled as the lion roared, transforming into a cloaked green Martian. He finished with a yawn. The kids cheered, proffering their oreos as payment for the performance. The nearby goats and pigs of the petting zoo chewed their feed, unphased. They had no clue what the alien-smelling creature was, but as long as fed them, they were fine.

"Is that neat or what?"

"Way cooler than the goats."

"Man, aliens are the best."

"What about a hippogriff?" a girl missing her front teeth suggested. J-onn accessed her mind, transforming into the creature her young mind imagined. In seconds, a blue-winged creature cantered before them, its horse half cantering restlessly. The eagle beak screeched a greeting. The little girl fed it an oreo, and the eagle gobbled it up, flapping its magnificent wings.

The crowd oohed and ahhed. Even the nearby mothers with their babies couldn't help but gasp in wonder.

The chubby ginger kid pulled his mom's sleeve. "See, told you aliens were real."

Blue Beetle and Booster Gold watched from the fence, sweeping goat poop with diminishing efficiency.

"Cleanup crew, Booster. So this is what we're reduced to while J-onn steals the show."

"Yep."

"We're better than this, buddy."

Booster let his friend talk. He was always monologuing about how they deserved so much more than this, the Leaguers gave them a chance, they worked their butts off for what, they needed a vacation, a chance to relax blah, blah, blah. . .He tended to tune it out. So it took him a second to realize his friend stopped talking. He had one of those looks.

"What?"

Beetle smiled, mischief in his eyes. "You know what we need? A vacation. With slot machines and pina coladas. On a faraway island. Where the League wouldn't know."

"Kooey Kooey Kooey island is like that."

"Exactly."

Booster didn't know where this was going, but he could tell it was an adventure of mischief and money he would not want to miss.

But that's another story.

The floating green hand took aim, cocked back, and released. The banana cream pie sailed through the air, hitting its target in the face with complete accuracy. The gathering crowd of Leaguers cheered. Kyle Rayner pumped his fist in triumph.

"This is cruel and unusual punishment, mates," their target sputtered, banana goo dripping off Captain Boomerang's chin. "I demand a fair trial."

Guy Gardner snorted. "Sure thing, dingo. We are trying you at the fair. So enjoy the free refreshments." He high-fived the cackling James. "Good one, Guy. You're so funny."

"Finally, someone who appreciates my superior sense of humor."

"The world doesn't understand, but I do. At least, that's what my psychiatrist keeps telling me."

John Stewart shook his head in amusement. Who'd a thunk, he thought. The Pie-in-the-Face booth was teeming with Leaguers, all dishing out dollars to slam a bad guy. There were bets going around for who could throw a pie on target from more than fifty feet away. Mr. Terrific was collecting the wager money, Power Girl and Wildcat up next in the contest. Captain Atom was laughing so hard he was snorting.

Hawkgirl was at his side, tallying their funds. "If I'm not mistaken, we've made more money in the past hour from ourselves than all day from the community."

Another cheer rang out as a pie splashed. James could be heard remarking, "Cherry pie. My thirty-first favorite flavor."

"Who knew throwing a pie at a villain could be so cathartic?" a ginger guy remarked, coming up behind John. "Rogue," John corrected his friend Wally, fist-bumping him in greetings. "Where ya been, man? You missed all the action."

"Apparently," he commented dryly. "Say, have you seen the Channel Four news van?"

"I saw them leave right after the generator stated working, that was hours ago," said Hawkgirl. "Why?"

"Uh, no reason," he said coyly. He squinted in recognition. "Hey, is that Captain Boomerang?"

"Yep."

"Where's James?"

"He was re-assigned to crowd control duty." James could be heard taking admission money from the tons of Leaguers coming through, and announcing circus-style: "Step right up, ladies and gents, aliens and metas, the greatest show on earth right here. . ."

Wally seemed quite impressed. "Wow. And I thought I'd seen everything."

Hawkgirl handed him a pie. "Want a turn? No charge."

Wally grinned. "Tempting, but I gotta go. I'm gonna surprise my aunt with Chinese food."

Captain Boomerang fumed at the crowd. "Whaddaya lookin' at, ya lousy ginger?"

Wally exchanged glances with Hawkgirl. He cracked his knuckles, testing the weight of the pie and wondering how fast he could throw it.

"Then again, I have a minute to spare."

Lois Lane's ears perked up. Another loud cheer and laughter from across the way. The cynical reporter in her shook her head. "Justice League. Bunch of big kids, from the sound of them."

A swoosh and someone shoved her from the side. "Hey, watch it, buddy!" She glared at the unmistakable Clark Kent, pushing up his glasses, then steadying his co-worker with one hand, the other holding a half-eaten pretzel. "Gosh, real sorry Lois, I was focused on following my cousin. Almost lost her in the crowd a few times tonight."

"Date fell through, huh?" Lois dusted herself off, acting more irritated than she was. "Wait, your cousin?"

A pretty teenage girl in plaid, glasses and pigtails bounced back to her cousin, practically yanking his arm off. "Come on Clark, we're gonna miss the fireworks!" She waved to the bewildered Lois and blushing Jimmy. "Hiya Ms. Lane, Jimmy. Isn't tonight the best?" With a "See ya at work next week" Clark left with his cousin.

"So that's Lois, huh?" Kara whispered secretively in Kryptonian.

He blushed. "She's just a friend."

Kara nudged him. "Come on, I may be younger than you, but I'm not an idiot."

Out of earshot, Jimmy was still smitten with the beautiful blonde. "Whoa. She's related to Clark? But she's a total babe. Where has she been all my life?"

Lois shrugged. "Must be from another planet."

Linda Park couldn't help but pace. It was getting late, and the bus still wasn't there. She leaned against the flimsy enclosure. She could have gone home with the Channel Four news van, but no. She was positive the Flash would show up, even if he was late. More than an hour passed, and she kicked herself for being so trusting. Maybe he had to save the world. . .maybe he was in mortal peril. . .but the fact still remained: she had no prime interview. And was stood up, to boot.

She checked the listings for arrivals. The bus en route to Keystone City depot should be passing by, but she'd seen no sign of anything for miles around in the dusky starlight. Great. Stranded in the middle of nowhere with a dying phone and high heels. She could have sworn she heard a coyote howl in the distance. She started walking. Maybe she could hitchhike? Not the preferred mode of transportation, and certainly not for a lady in the middle of the night, but she knew some self-defense moves. Besides, anything was better than sitting in that smelly box.

The warmth of the late summer night was nice. She took off her shoes, feeling the coolness of the grass. The road stretched out before her, curving and sloping into the Midwestern horizon. All was still. No, wait. There was a rumbling, a revving. A car was coming.

A Rolls Royce driving way too fast rounded the curve, shooting by without a glance. She was too disappointed even to yell an expletive.

"Figures. Probably some rich tool coming back from Gotham."

Far ahead, she thought she heard the screech of brakes. The slope of the hills prevented her from seeing anything, but she thought she saw the flicker of a headlight. Weird. She walked on, trying not to get her hopes up. Now she could definitely hear a car coming back. Probably some serial killer or whack-job hoping for some easy prey. She fingered the pepper spray in her purse. The car approached, slowing almost to a stop.

"Hey, lady," called some creep from the car. He was rolling down the tinted window. Linda stared ahead, gripping the pepper spray. She was ready for him.

"You need a ride somewhere?"

"No."

"Come on, get in."

"Step off, jerk."

The guy in the car cleared his throat. "Uh, Linda?" He sounded uncertain, even boyish. Linda stopped. Was that. . ?

"Wally?"

Wally West rolled the window down completely. His freckled face looked a little embarrassed. "Uh, yeah. Getting your attention with 'Hey, lady' was probably a little creepy, now that I think of it." He pulled the car over to the side of the road, walking around to meet her, a little awkwardly. "Sorry if I kinda sped by, I didn't someone walking until I was like a mile down the road. I'm just borrowing it for the night, kind of got carried away. You okay?"

"Uh, yeah. Why?"

Wally eyed the shoes in her hands suspiciously.

"No reason."

He waited for her to speak. When she didn't, he leaned against the car casually, like he had all the time on the world for an explanation. He whistled.

"Fine, the bus didn't show up, so I'm walking home. No big deal," she replied coolly.

"Right. You know it's like thirty more miles to Keystone City?" He folded his arms, amused at her tenacity.

"Yeah. So." Linda was trying to size up the guy next to her. He didn't seem like he would try anything skeevy. But you never know. . .

Wally looked like he was reading her mind, he scratched his head. "Look, I know it's late and getting a ride with some random guy you don't really know is not the best option, but I promise I'm not a creeper. So if you need a ride, I'd be willing to drop you off, no problem."

As a reporter, Linda was used to dealing with people. Some of them were liars and cheaters, and some were good. The key to knowing which was which was not in the face, but the eyes. They always told the truth.

Linda considered the offer. "I don't want to impose, but. . .I do need a ride. . ."

Wally smiled. "Say no more." He opened the passenger door in true gentleman-style.

Linda buckled her seat belt, feeling out of sorts. She instantly smelled Chinese food from the back seat. There were boxes upon boxes of it.

"Having a party?"

Wally looked sheepish. He starting the car and made a U-turn, making sure to stay well under ninety."I have a metabolism issue."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Silence.

"So, who's the lucky girl?"

"Pardon?"

Linda continued like it was obvious. "You're going on a date, right? The dressy clothes, the Chinese food?"

Wally laughed out loud. "Oh, the tie wasn't really my decision. And my aunt loves Chinese food. It's been hard for her since my uncle passed. Thought I'd surprise her, you know? So she wouldn't feel so alone."

"That's sweet." Linda thought about this stranger guy and who he was. She wanted to know more about him. But one thing was bothering her.

"You know the other day, before the fire? I thought you looked familiar. Really familiar, but I couldn't place your face. The Flash museum, I thought, but how?"

Wally almost choked on his breath. Oh man, leave it to a reporter to figure out my secret identity. He tried to look nonchalant. "Yeah? Weird."

"Yeah, weird," Linda echoed. "Then it hit me, you reminded me of someone everyone in Central City knows. Or rather, sees on a daily basis."

Oh my gosh, here it is. Wally braced himself. "So what do you think? Is that a good thing?"

Linda smiled. "Of course that's a good thing. I mean, everyone knows Iris West-Allen, only the best reporter in the Central City/Keystone area. She's a legend at work."

Wally breathed a sigh of relief, even managing to laugh. "Oh yeah, Aunt Iris and me, people think we're brother and sister."

"She's a hero at work. Pretty cool you're related. Don't know how I didn't see it sooner."

Silence.

"That lo mein smells amazing." Oh my gosh, what kind of a conversation filler is that? Linda wanted to face-palm herself.

Wally grinned. "I know, right? Grandma Chen makes the best orange chicken."

They rode in silence. Now that the girl of his dreams was there, he didn't know what to say. He went for the casual observance-route. "So, how was reporting on the carnival?"

"Pretty eventful, to be honest. The generator malfunctioned, and half the League was in an uproar. Luckily, everything was okay."

"Luckily." Wally tried to act surprised.

"It's strange, though. I was supposed to interview the Flash, but he never showed."

"Maybe he was in mortal peril," Wally suggested. "Or maybe he's really a tool," he said to be funny.

"I guess I'll never know. My boss wanted me to interview him, and possibly get an autograph. I could get fired for messing up this assignment." She was still weirded out thinking about Terry's tattoo.

Wally already felt bad. Now he'd gotten his BAE fired? He felt lousy. "That sucks."

"Honestly, that's not what bothers me the most."

"Seriously? Possible getting fired doesn't phase you?" He sounded incredulous. "Or perhaps this is a common occurrence?"

"Good guess, but no." Linda looked thoughtful.

"Then what?"

The young woman didn't respond at first. "I never got to tell him thank you," she began quietly. "And not like the normal, everyday kind. He saved my life not just from the mirror prison, but. Something more. He cared about me enough to notice me, to risk his life. To take a chance on me. Even if he doesn't remember me, I'll always remember him. That big of a thing, how do you say that? When someone affects your life in that big of a way, how do you ever repay that?"

The fireworks shot up, brilliant flowers blossoming in the night.

Linda was afraid she said too much or didn't make sense, the way Wally was silent. But he replied, in all earnestness.

"Maybe you can't."

It was the darkest time of night.

"So you do what you can to pay it forward."

But in the darkness the lights shone stronger.

"Because maybe someone else needs to be believed in, and only you can do it."

The pink and gold lights reflected off of Warren's awe-struck face. Phoebe held her teddy bear tight.

"So you look around."

Roy Harper lifted his daughter onto his shoulders, grateful for even the littlest time spent with her. Next to him Green Arrow held Black Canary's hand, unwilling to ever let her go.

"Lend a helping hand. Listen to someone searching for a friend."

J-onn Jonzz gazed at the stars, the children around him pointing, his newfound friends full of wonder.

"Open your heart."

Kara sat on the hill with her cousin, feeling like she was finally home.

"And be the person he knows you can be." Wally cleared his throat. "At least, that's what the Flash would say, anyway."

Linda gave him a look. "How do you know that?"

He shrugged. "He told me. After I saved his life one time."

Linda gave him a look. Wally smiled mischievously. "There was a runaway milk truck, and I pushed him out of the way. Call me crazy, but I was kind of a hero."

Linda pushed his arm, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, whatever."

A window of opportunity presented itself. Don't kill it, Wally thought. "You know, you could talk to the Flash."

"Someday, I'm sure."

"I mean, soon." Linda paused. Wally continued, feeling himself blush like an idiot. But he pressed on. "Not to brag, but the Flash kind of owes my aunt for all those years of positive publicity. She could call in a favor. Maybe like, next week on the news channel?"

Linda stared. "That would be amazing. Like, the scoop of the century. But," she blushed. "She wouldn't have to do that for me."

Wally threw in, nonchalantly, "On one condition. You join us for dinner. You like Chinese, right?"

Linda laughed. "Who doesn't?"

"Good, because we gingers are known for our stirring conversational skills and general awesomeness thereof."

"Really? Along with Lindsay Lohan and anger issues?"

"That too, but we try and keep those on the down low."

The two hushed into gratified silence. Linda began coyly. "Chinese food is good. If you're ever in Keystone again, I could show you a great Korean restaurant. I could take you. You know, to say thank you."

"Puh-lease, I wouldn't dream of it." Linda was horrified. Oh man, I blew it! she thought. Wally saw her face and continued, "No, I mean, no way I'd let a lady pay on a date."

"Hmmm. What if we go Dutch?"

"Done deal."

"And check out the new mall? I hear they have Arrow T-shirts on sale."

"What? That is my favorite show!"

"Did you hear they're making a Flash tv show, too?"

"Yeah, I heard Grant Gustin is gonna be in it."

"Isn't he that one kid on Glee?"

The car traveled down the road, full of conversation, laughter and stories. The sky was getting lighter in the distance as they neared their destination together. The sunrise was nowhere in sight, but they could tell it would be a beautiful day.

Wonder Woman gazed out upon the vast expanse of space. The sun was behind the earth, Apollo's chariot making its rounds. Never had she dreamed of such sights on the island of Themyscira. And yet, in such beauty, she was keenly aware of its isolation.

She drummed her fingers. No emergency calls, no situations. The world seemed at peace. So why was she not? She rubbed her temples, aware of the weight of her metal crown. Foolishness to get carried away in emotions, she chided herself. An Amazon warrior does not give heed to such baseness. And yet. . .

A Watchtower voice sounded. BOOM TUBE ACTIVATED. IMMINENT ARRIVAL. Strange. No one else was scheduled for monitor duty. She checked out the boom tube portal. No one was there. The warrior princess narrowed her eyes. The lasso at her side would take too long to grip. She braced herself, turning around, ready to face the threat.

To her immortal surprise, she faced the last person she'd ever imagine to be standing in front of her: Batman. He parried her attack, maneuvering out of the way as only he could.

"You must have been expecting Darkseid, by your expression. Sorry to disappoint."

"No apology necessary."

He did indeed shock her. He was out of the Batsuit, wearing instead a suit and trench coat. He must have been in a battle, judging by the recent bandage on one arm, but his hair was neatly combed back, his face washed and shaven, his eyes clear.

"It's been a while. Though that's undoubtedly hard to tell when you're immortal."

Diana appreciated the humor, motioning for her friend to sit with her at the rim of the window. A place where they had been many times before. They didn't have to say anything, it was enough to know they were near. He proffered to her a red lily.

"This is for you. They're in bloom all along the garden."

"It is lovely."

"They're hard to find."

"Not as near impossible to locate as Batman."

"Only when he doesn't want to be found."

"And now?"

Bruce paused. "A lot of things happened tonight. Too many." There were many dark things reflected in his eyes, but he looked up. "Good friends are hard to find. I wouldn't want to lose them, too."

She reached for his hand. "You never will."

They looked over the earth's shadows in the distance, its shadows and contours.

Bruce cleared his throat. "You know Diana, you are still learning of earth customs."

"True."

"So, as a duty, you should educate yourself in all its events."

"Also true."

"Next week, Wayne Enterprises is hosting a fundraiser charity event. Bruce Wayne is kind of a jerk, but still."

Diana wanted to laugh. The pompous fop "Bruce Wayne" act amused Clark to no end. To see it in person would be an experience.

"Bruce Wayne would be honored if Diana Prince would accompany him," he continued. With earnest eyes, he added, "He doesn't want to go on alone."

"So he never shall."

Under the warmth of the sun, they kissed. The earth continued to spin, to welcome another day. Though, it was curious. Through the continents half-covered in darkness, where the sun did not yet reach, in their cities glowed light. City lights. From the homes of billions of people. They glowed through the darkness and continued on.

Like fireflies.