A/N: Zatanna is making a cameo, I'm a Robtanna fan! :) Also I dunno why, but I just felt the need to justify why magic can't solve everything with a snap of a finger… though it would have been so much easier… Enjoy!
On the sixth day of our project, the machine was finally up and running. It sort of looks like a big glass canister with a hybrid fish-tank-filter/vacuum-cleaner attach to the bottom side, except seven times bigger.
According to Barry, the Thingamajig – my endearing nickname for it as Ray rambled out its ridiculously long and scientific one – was going to absorb all of the molecules in the cordoned off area and filter out the ones that matches Wally's DNA into the canister. Then, kind of like jigsaw puzzles with chance, if the molecule doesn't fit it continues to float around and bump into another one; if it does, they attach themselves.
This could take a while.
The days turn into weeks, we took turns guarding the Thingamajig and sure enough, a vague shape started to form inside the canister. We grew more and more hopeful. However, the universe still presumably hates us because there hasn't been any indication of life coming from him/it, but M'gann assured us that he is still alive in there, just in a comatose state which the monitors just aren't able to pick up a heartbeat or brainwave yet.
I just finished my shift guarding the Thingamajig and was warming up in the Watchtower's lounge when an angry fist slammed a bill onto the table. "What did you buy? You know I want a report on these things, especially when they exceed your allowance a 1000times over."
"B-batman, I err… was meaning to tell you this but… Heh, must have slipped my mind," I gave him my best 'please don't kill me' smile; fleeting a look to my only escape blocked by the menacing hulking Batman. When I looked back, the infamous bat-glare intensified, "I'm toasted aren't I?"
"Yup, and unless you give me a full account on what you did with that much money…" he didn't finish the threat, which made it much worse. I gulped loudly.
"M'GANN SOS! ANYONE?!" I mentally screamed over and over, praying she would miraculously hear me.
"Batman, I can explain…"
"Then explain!" he growled.
Just then – thank the gods – M'gann flew in, followed by Conner. "Batman, we can explain," she then placed a hand on his shoulder. Bruce flinched from her touch but she kept her hand there. I took the chance to compose myself as M'gann and Bruce's eyes glowed green. After two excruciatingly long minutes, the glow was gone.
"Why wasn't the League notified of this? And was that what Flash and Atom had been up to the past three weeks and not helping the Rimborians rebuild the Earth's reputation?" Batman snarled. I resisted the urge to wince at the flimsy lie I made up spontaneously when I was caught off guard the other day.
M'gann and Conner shrunk down; there's Batman for you, he could intimidate someone who was strong enough to punch him through the floor and another that could literally leave him unconscious in a matter of seconds without even moving.
"Yes, and we didn't tell the League or the Team about this because we don't know when is Wally going to return. We saw that there was no point getting any one else into this matter as it would just blow it up even bigger than it needs to be," I answered smoothly, surprised my voice was so detached and emotionless. I was freaking out inside, "He's gonna kill me, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die!"
"Will the League hear about this soon?" he questioned, still glaring.
"No, until Wally fully awakes no one other then Atom, Flash, Kid Flash, Miss Martian, Superboy, Aqualad, me and you will know." I responded without hesitation. "Unless you want to change that of course," I quickly inserted.
I could see him deliberating about the situation, "Alright, I won't let the League in on this project of yours yet, but I want reports from now on. Is that clear?" He demanded.
"Crystal," I mentally cringed under his scowling face.
Then he swiftly slipped something into my hand and left the lounge. M'gann and Conner visibly relaxed. I looked down at the item Bruce gave me, expecting the bill. It was another credit card. I smiled, "thanks dad". He may be Batman, but under that permanent frown, he's just a great big softie.
"So how did you hear me just now? I thought you don't actively read minds anymore," I asked M'gann, wanting to change the nervous atmosphere in the room.
She shrugged, "It was easy, it felt like you were shouting into a blare horn right next to me and your alarmed reaction helped too."
"Nightwing, alarmed? That I would like to see," a familiar voice drifted into the room.
"Zatanna," I grinned chalantly.
"Hey, Boy Wonder," she seductively smiled. "M'gann, Conner," nodding in their general direction and turned to face me again, "I'm going to visit Blüdhaven tomorrow to pick up a few things, just a heads up," Zatanna winked alluringly, flipped her hair and waltzed out of the room like nothing happened. M'gann and Conner were blinking in surprise. I had to snap my fingers twice to get their attention. A mumble passed between them, then M'gann lit up.
"Maybe we can get Zatanna's help! Her magic could speed up the process!" and took off after her.
I grabbed her hand in mid-flight then motioned her to mind-link us.
(D) She can't help.
(M) Why not?!
(D) This is science, not magic.
(C) How do you know?
(D) The Reach was about science, magic would just confuse the whole process.
Their face fell, another dead end.
(D) Hey, don't give up, Wally is coming back, we just have to be patient.
Hmm, I sounded very upbeat; really amazing what hope can accomplish when you allow it in.
But as the days marched on, letting myself continue hoping began to feel more and more like I was abusing a drug. Though 'Wally' is forming into a more recognizable silhouette now, we are still not able to read any signs of life from him. Despite M'gann persistent reassuring, Barry's fretting grew, often losing his temper and lashing out on anyone who came too close, which was usually Bart. That kid has it really rough; he has to put up with his usually jovial and cheerful grandpa who was turning into an introvert, still has duties to the Team, his friends and not to mention school. Now the project to revive his cousin that he has been putting his heart and soul on for the past five weeks is proving to be in vain. Anyone could see he was coming apart at the seams.
On the thirty-eighth day of our project, Bart broke down.
"I can't do this anymore Nightwing! I'm exhausted, I'm doing all I can but it just isn't enough!" he sobbed on to my shirt; it was heart wrenching to see the typically energetic and vivacious kid so wrecked. I felt a single tear flowing down my cheek. "I'm tired… so tired…"
I didn't know what to say. I just held him tighter like the problem would just melt away if I hugged him close enough. "He'll be ba-" I stopped; I couldn't bring myself to say any farther. Tears sprang out.
"I'm tired too…"
Wally, where are you?
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