There's a drumming noise inside my head,
It starts when you're around.
I swear that you could hear it,
It makes such an almighty sound.
- Drumming Song, Florence + the Machine
Several items of clothing lay strewn across the bed as the afternoon sunlight warmed the room. Scratching the back of his neck Wally stared discerningly at himself in the mirror. Jeans chosen he now had to figure out what to wear on top, closing his eyes Wally fumbled about blindly as he tried to choose a shirt at random. Pulling on his choice he smiled as his newly opened eyes revealed his selection, a birthday present from his Aunt Iris. Turning to his bed Wally set about putting virtually every item of clothing he had back in his wardrobe and chest of drawers. Skidding to a halt Wally's gaze landed on the reflected red mop of hair on his head, what was it that Dick used, clay? Shaking his head Wally left his room in a storm of wind, five minutes later he returned with a bag full of male hair products. Fishing out the first one he unscrewed the cap and applied a dollop to his head, messing his hair he tried to form it into some sort of discernable style. This did not make him like Zac Efron he repeated as he waited for the product to do its magic. It didn't. Running to the bathroom he returned to the mirror with newly washed hair, another bottle clutched in his hand promising volume and extra stay.
"Bon Appetite!" Linda cried to her empty apartment as she began to whisk butter and eggs into a frenzy, apparently this is what one did to get hollandaise sauce. Glaring down at the pan Linda gagged, it looked like scrambled egg yolks swimming in melted butter. Sighing to herself she emptied the contents into a burnished steel bin, trying to focus she reached out for another load of eggs, why was she doing this again? Right, Marla had suggested asparagus - it was an aphrodisiac. A buzz at the door brought her round; placing the egg she was about to crack onto the cool granite surface she hurried to the door, pressing her intercom button she waited.
"Hey, its me!" Wally's voice was as chirpy as ever, Linda found herself smiling, despite her current hollandaise problem.
"I'll buzz you in."
In what really seemed like no time at all there was a knock at her door.
"Just a minute!" Linda checked her reflection in a pan, before gliding towards the door. Deftly opening the door she smiled wildly at Wally. "Come on in!" Linda exclaimed, her eyes sparkled eagerly as she widened her grin. As the red head walked past Linda grimaced, forcing herself not to hit her head against the wall. Playing it cool only worked if you didn't look like an overeager fan girl when your date turned up. Coughing she turned back to Wally, "I'm just finishing off a sauce in the kitchen, you can sit down if you want."
Linda brushed past and headed towards the stove, Wally was left spoilt for choice in the open plan apartment. The table pushed against the ceiling high windows had been set ready for the meal, to the opposite end of the room several sofas surrounded a flat screen TV and to cap it all off three stools stood lined up against the breakfast bar, dividing kitchen from living space. Wally went for a barstool, Linda smiled, apparently it was the right choice to make. The speedster patted his hair nervously, wondering if Linda could actually notice the difference.
"Dammit..." Linda hissed, hoping Wally wouldn't hear. Unfortunately for her he did and Wally was by her side in an instant, peering over her shoulder.
"Um..." came his remarkably articulate comment.
"I'm supposed to be whipping it into a frenzy..."
"Whipping it into a frenzy?"
"To make hollandaise sauce. According to Julia Child it's supposed to be fool proof!"
"Can I give it a go? Leave you to finish anything off."
"Knock yourself out. I need to blanch the asparagus anyway."
Making sure Linda was busy preparing the vegetables Wally sent the mixture in the bowl a stern look, before taking up the metal whisk and beating furiously as his hand blurred to the eye.
"Is this right?" Wally called out, this whisk cutting through a smooth creamy sauce.
"How did you do that?" Linda questioned incredulously, "Don't tell me your not only great looking, really smart but a good cook as well?"
Wally shrugged modestly, "Beginners luck?"
Linda tried her best to glare but merely came out grinning, "Ok I'll let you do the sauces in the future. Go ahead and sit down. I hope I haven't done too much of everything."
"The more the better," Wally said warmly.
"You're sweet," Linda commented as she placed a plate of spear like vegetables on the table. "But I did cook a whole chicken."
"No, seriously. I have this metabolism thing." Wally smiled apologetically before forking masses of food onto his plate.
After several portions of coq au vin a faint buzz in Wally's pocket alerted him to the arrival of a text message, Linda was too preoccupied as she busily spooned out a dark brown mixture into ramekins to notice. The out of costume hero flipped open his phone and groaned. It was Shayera, a very drunk Shayera. Apparently Green Arrow's birthday hadn't been enough, so she decided to go bar hopping all on her lonesome. Sighing to himself Wally re-read the message demanding that he come down to the Central City bar she was now in and kick some tail. Wally looked over to Linda, ramekins dispensed of she was standing over a bowl melting chunks of chocolate.
"Uh, Linda..." Wally called out, doing his best to sound casual.
"Yeah Wally?"
"I need to make a quick call, do you mind?"
Linda nodded distractedly, the chocolate looked suspiciously like it was burning. "Sure, sure..."
Jumping to his feet Wally walked towards the glass door leading to the small balcony, when outside the balmy air caressed his skin and soothed him somewhat. Shayera needed taking home but who could he ask? Bruce Wayne would have absolutely no reason to be in Central City, let alone start associating with a superheroine looking for some R&R. Of course there was John, the guy had no life to speak of and you'd have to be blind not to notice the looks he sent Shayera. But John equalled bad idea; the marine was crossed off the list. Dinah? No, she was busy. Roy? Too messy. Diana! Wally nearly punched the air; it was widely known Diana, Princess of Themyscira, was the costumed do-gooder Wonder Woman. Flipping through his contacts Wally held the phone to his ear; tapping his foot impatiently he waited for an answer.
"Hello?" a faint giggle was quickly stifled.
"Diana?"
"Oh, Wally?"
"Right, yeah. I have a favour to ask you..."
There was more giggling, this time it was a full minute before Diana came back on the line. Wonder Woman coughed, her voice returning to its normal register. "OK, what sort of favour?"
"See, Shayera just text me and she's sort of drunk in a bar in Central City..."
"Don't you live in Central City?" Wonder Woman asked shrewdly.
"That's why its called a favour Di. I'm kind of on a date..."
"You're on a date? But I'm on a date."
"Diana," Wally flinched as a deep rumbling baritone rumoured to cause the mass disintegration of women's knickers could be heard at the other end.
"Diana, are you with Bruce?" Wally veritably demanded of the woman.
"He promised to teach me some escapology..." she petered off.
"So its not a date?"
"Well..." Diana's voice hitched.
"Diana, if he asks you to get into the sack. Just. Say. No."
"I have to go Wally."
The line went dead and the speedster sighed with frustration wondering if Linda would let him borrow a spoon so he could gouge out his brain.
Turning back Wally entered the apartment proper, Linda was standing triumphantly behind the kitchen counter.
"Um something's sort of come up,"
"Oh, but you haven't tried dessert yet." Linda's eyes widened with disappointment.
"Well my friend's in trouble, blind drunk sort of trouble and a mutual friend has a thing."
"A thing?" Linda's voice hardened.
"Right..." Wally replied hesitantly.
"And this isn't?" Linda's eyes were steely; it was then Wally noticed the wooden spoon in her hand.
"No! It is. But she's in a bar in Central City."
"She? Wally, when a girl tells you to come get her in a bar its normally a booty call, if your..." All the rage seemed to evaporate from Linda; instead there was now an indescribable mix of sadness and disappointment about her.
"Booty call? There is nothing sexual about this. Like at all... she's my sister."
"Sister?"
"Yeah, Sha..." Wally paused. He really couldn't say Shayera, "ron." Luckily for him his brain really did run a mile a minute.
"Sharon?"
"Right, my sister. Both of us got Dad's hair..." Wally laughed nervously. He'd been spared the wings he thought wryly. How was he going to explain that? Sharon was actually Sharon the Stripper? One half of the naughty but nice, angel/demon double act?
"Oh, well that's different." Linda visibly relaxed. "Look, if you're worried we can go pick her up."
"You don't have to come, I mean she's been through this weird breakup thing, she's a little. Um."
"Its fine, really..." Linda placed her free hand on Wally's arm. "I don't think the soufflés are going to work anyway."
A 15-minute cab ride later and the couple emerged on the pavement outside a somewhat seedy looking establishment; Charley's was a dive. Walking forward Wally gingerly reached out to grasp the door handle, pushing open the door revealed a dimly lit saloon. A red head was slumped over the worn wooden bar as she grasped at a half empty tumbler. Wally sped forward, his thoughts racing, where were her wings? Was she hiding them? Did she cut them off! Placing his arm round her lower back Wally was surprised to feel the ruffle of feathers beneath his skin. Evidently Mr Terrific had perfected the image inducer he was working on. Linda hung back hesitantly, several patrons were strewn across tables whilst others nursed bloodied faces; the bartender was nowhere in sight. Shuffling towards Wally she grasped his hand.
"Is Sharon ok?"
"Huh? Oh right, yeah she's fine."
'Sharon' or rather Shayera was leaning heavily against Wally, one slender arm flung round his neck.
"Stupid Earth vodka..." Shayera mumbled incoherently.
"Earth vodka?" Linda whispered, still uncomfortable with their surroundings.
"Yeah, that's Sharon. Major Trekkie, pretends she's a Klingon."
Linda nodded slowly, "uh huh." Looking towards Shayera she couldn't help but notice that despite her dishevelled appearance she was beautiful; good looks ran in the family it seemed. "So Sharon, what do you do for a living?"
"Fight crime..." Shayera replied, her eyes dangerously near to closing.
Wally laughed, "Our very own police officer."
Shayera nodded solemnly, "the best."
"I can see that," Linda replied, her eyes raking across the several unconscious bodies.
A short while later, with Linda holding open various doors, Wally finally made it up to his apartment. Of the all the times he couldn't use his superspeed and the elevator was out of service. Hefting Shayera further back onto his arms he waited for Linda to grapple with the lock. Finally she had it and the three shuffled into his dark apartment.
"The light, its on the wall." Wally grunted as he tried to avoid smashing Shayera's head against the doorframe.
Linda reached out, her hands feeling their way across the painted walls, her fingers bumped against cool plastic, fumbling for a few more seconds the hallway was soon illuminated.
"I'm just going to put her in bed. Err, make yourself at home!" Wally looked around at his living room, there were several empty pizza boxes piled up besides the TV, a towering pyramid of beer cans dominated one corner of the room and several back issues of Playboy propped up one end of the sofa. Linda perched hesitantly on the end of the sofa, her eyes darting this way and that; Wally it seemed was not used to female company, or rather, female company he cared to impress.
Laying Shayera carefully amongst the blankets and pillows Wally looked nervously down at her trousers and shoes. Those had to come off. Her ballet flats were easy enough but her black jeans clung to her legs and were firmly fastened at her waist. Wincing Wally reached down to the zip, trying to not think about the fact that his hands were now dancing in the vicinity of Shayera's crotch. Closing his eyes and looking to the left Wally yanked down the fly and fiddled with the stiff button, finally he was rewarded with two separate bits of fabric in his hands. Wally looked back down at Shayera, his friend was burrowing herself into the pillows, she wouldn't be waking up anytime soon. Pulling down her trousers Wally struggled, they seemed to stick around her thighs, another firm tug and they were off. He then haphazardly folded them up and flung them over the back of a chair. Smiling at his handiwork Wally carefully turned off the light and pulled the door to, his friend and comrade in arms curling up amongst the duvet cover.
Shuffling out into the living room Wally collapsed onto the couch next to Linda, the Asian woman turned to face him.
"Is she alright then?"
"Yeah, she'll sleep it off. Never seems to get hangovers..." Wally yawned slightly. "I'm really sorry about ruining our date. Next time I wont bail on you."
"Maybe you should cook next time, if your hollandaise sauce is anything to go by. But then the pizza boxes might say otherwise."
"Metabolism thing remember?" Wally replied defensively, raising his hands in mock surrender.
"Sure," Linda gave a little smirk. Since first arriving in Wally's flat she settled back onto the sofa, her head veering dangerously close to Wally's shoulder. "She means a lot to you doesn't she?"
Wally smiled absentmindedly, "Yeah she does, I don't have much family left."
"What happened?" Linda asked.
"Well Dad was around but wasn't exactly the nicest of guys, he tried to hurt my Mom and she never really forgave him. Mom remarried a couple of years ago, I don't see her as much as I'd like to, I guess it might be more my fault. Then there's Aunt Iris, she's my Dad's sister. She half raised me if I'm honest, along with Uncle Barry."
Linda nodded, her hand reaching out to hold Wally's, squeezing gently. "How did he die?"
Wally's jaw clenched for a moment, "I'd like to say he died saving the world." The speedster swallowed heavily, he hated this part - the lying. Barry's memory deserved better; he had after all saved the world countless of times in the guise of The Flash. "He got in the way of a mugging, didn't think twice apparently."
"A hero," Linda commented.
Wally smiled ruefully, "the best kind. He always stopped to help people you know?"
Linda glanced at Wally, before speaking slowly and deliberately. "I'm sure he'd be proud of you, no matter what you do."
"I know... I just want to do my best and well, sometimes I don't think I can ever be good enough"
"Wally your best is always good enough," Linda replied with confidence.
His hand tightened round hers, "Thanks."
"Wally, I think I need to be getting back..."
The red head nodded, before rising to his feet. "I'd offer you the bed but that's sort of taken, I mean you could always use the couch?"
"Its ok, I can take a cab home from here." Linda was very conscious that they were still holding hands.
"Thanks for dinner, it was amazing," Wally lead Linda towards the door.
"No problem," Linda smiled, just about to stand on her tiptoes. It was now or never. Wally seemed to be having the same thoughts, his tall frame leaning over towards her. Within an instance the reporter bridge the gap and placed a small kiss on his lips. "I better go."
With one more squeeze of his hand Linda was out of the door. Taking the steps two at time Linda couldn't help but grin, Wally West was undoubtedly a catch. Finally on the relatively busy street Linda frowned as she hailed a taxi; Sharon looked remarkably like the superhero formally known as Hawkgirl, well minus the wings. The Flash and Shayera Hol seemed to have a great rapport; some would call it sibling like. Linda snorted, dismissing her thought as fleeting fancy.
A/N: Alrighty! Another chapter, I hope this felt less filler-y than the previous one. Erm I know we've got more Shayera but I've always felt she was important to the DCAU Wally and having said that, John will also be making an appearance. Anyway! I hope you liked it, let me know what you think