Legacies: A Young Justice one-shot/drabble collection

Messenger
He knows someone's got to do it. He just doesn't want to be the one to break the news..
Word Count: 1,280
Pairings: Wally/Artemis
Rating: T for some languange
Notes: EDIT:
So...I didn't finish the episode when I'd first written this as my friend so kindly informed me on Sunday.
Just think of this as an AU chapter?

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Dick's heart is heavy as he approaches the home in Palo Alto. It's night and the stars are shining, not a cloud in the sky as the moonlight spills out. He wishes he was here on better terms and he shuffles uncomfortably. By all other means, he'd want to see his best friend, if he can even call Wally that. So much has transpired between them and the team in the past five years, Dick wonders if he can still attest that label to the retired speedster.

His footfalls are slow and deliberate as he finally reaches the door, though every part of Dick has wished to postpone this as long as possible. And he raps on the door, once, twice and lets the echo carry as he calls Wally. There is no doubt in Dick's mind that the redhead is awake; he knew that Artemis was going on a mission and he would have stayed to wait for her return.

A return that will come only in a casket.

There's the sound of a lock unlatching and Wally pulls open the door, allowing more light to spill out and confusion colors the freckled face of one Wally West. The appearance of his old teammate and sort of friend has him faltering. His brows furrow and come together as his green eyes take in the fact that it's Dick, not Artemis, in front of him. His stance changes and he finally asks, "Dick?"

The once Robin smiles, though it feels forced and somewhat saddened. "Hey,Wally."

"Uh, not to be rude, man, but what are you doing here?"

"It's about..." Dick swallows heavily, "Artemis."

And just like that, Wally knows without Dick saying anything else. The weight of the news takes an immediate toll on the redhead and he slumps along the door frame, eyes unfocused and body sluggish as he shakes his head slowly.

"No...no...nonononononono!" The disbelieving smile on his face is replaced by anger and hurt as he slams his fist against the door, knuckles white.

Dick takes a hesitant step forward and lifts his hand to try and comfort Wally. The retired speedster slaps it away and turns into the house, his hands running through his red hair and gripping it tightly. Without an invitation, Dick follows, letting silence fall between them as Wally tries his hardest to accept the news.

The retired speedster is walking circles in the middle of the living space and Dick feels as lost as he does right now. "Wally…."

"She's not dead! She can't be!" Wally exclaims and there's a hysterical tilt to his voice as he stops his frantic pacing and grabs Dick by the shoulders. "Dick, she can't be dead. This- this is just a super elaborate early April Fool's Day prank, right?" His green eyes are pleading and that hopeful smile is back.

"Wally…" The raven haired young man sighs heavily and places his hands on Wally's own shoulders, gently pushing him away and guides him to the green couch. He sits the retired speedster down, keeping his hand on his shoulder. "Wally…she's gone."

"No. I refuse to believe that." He shakes his head and fixes Dick with a glare. "How are you positive? You've been wrong once, Dick."

"Connor couldn't hear her heart and M'gann couldn't pick up any traces. We took her back to the Cave for confirmation. She's not coming back, Wally." His grip on his shoulder tightens slightly. "I'm sorry."

The silence falls between them once more and Wally stares forward, twiddling his fingers as the seconds tick by. In his mind, Dick knows, that Wally is going through all the scenarios that could have occurred and the possible perpetrators. The almost undetectable flicker in his green eyes gives it away. The retired speedster is thinking at too fast a rate for Dick to keep up, so he stays and keeps his friend company.

"Who was it?" Wally's voice is cold, but there's the hint of something beneath it and Dick knows all too well what it is: the need for revenge.

"I can't tell you that." He replies calmly, coolly. He knows the situation; he's been in Wally's shoes before, but unlike Wally, Dick had to watch the people he loved die before him. He knows what is going through Wally right now. The redhead will feel anger at the death, hurt towards himself at whatever issues he and Artemis may have left unresolved before this night and he will always regret not telling her more what he felt for her. He will always wonder what would have happened if he did one thing differently.

It's the same feeling Dick felt as he watched his parents fall to their death.

"Why?" There's a growl in Wally's voice and Dick refuses to bend under the anger.

"You know why." Dick knows Wally as well. He knows that the retired speedster will put on his costume and run; he'll run until he finds Kaldur and won't stop running until he brings their ex-teammate to justice. But Dick knows that it won't do Wally any good. Revenge isn't the answer to anything and if Wally completes this revenge, it will only make the redhead a lesser person. Because revenge changes people. It morphs and twists them into something dark and evil. Makes them worse people.

Wally yells in frustration and punches the sofa, his eyes full on glaring at Dick. "You're supposed to be my friend, Dick! And you were supposed to be hers!" He grabs the raven haired boy by the collar and grip tightly. "TELL ME!"

Dick wraps his hands around Wally's wrists and pries him away. "I can't tell you and you know that this is the reason why. She knew what she was getting into when she did this. I didn't want her to die either, Wally."

"You bastard." Wally snarls and he pushes away Dick and stands, grabbing a book off the table and chucks it at the wall. "Stop acting so damn heartless and tell me who killed her! It's what she would have wanted!"

"No it's not. So don't even try to guilt trip me." Dick snaps back. "Artemis wouldn't want you to know because she wouldn't want you to be consumed by this!" He's on his feet now and the two are glaring at each other. "She'd want you to accept her death and move on! Not be overtaken by revenge and ruin yourself!"

Wally stops and narrows his eyes at Dick. "Is that Artemis talking or you?" He asks coldly.

Dick falters. "Both." He finally answers. "Wally, I really am sorry. About everything. But you know that I can't tell you." He says it as a whisper, but it's so quiet in the room that it comes off as completely audible anyway.

Part of Dick thinks Wally should be grateful. He wasn't there when the blade pierced her skin and bled her to death. He wasn't there to see the heartless look on Kaldur's face as he watched his ex-teammate bleed to death by a wound he caused. He wasn't there when Dick tried his damnedest to keep her alive with CPR. He wasn't there when Connor and M'gann confirmed the death with disbelief in their voice.

He makes for the door when Wally stops him with five words: "It was Kaldur, wasn't it?"

Dick doesn't ask how he reached that conclusion and he doesn't confirm or deny it. All he does is leave the house.

Tonight, Dick won't mourn the loss of just one teammate. He'll mourn the loss of a teammate and a friend. Because they've lost more than an archer tonight. They've also lost Wally.

Review?

.chary