--Thank you so much, everyone, for the reviews! Funny thing is, never sent them to me so I never saw them until I went to update some stuff on a different story. Shows the marvels of modern tech right there.

A bit of an interesting tidbit (for those who may be wondering), the inspiration for the villain in this story was taken from a few hours of me surfing Wikipedia (which is a mixed blessing if you're a fic writer... you get all sorts of ideas, but it can distract you for hours). If you're interested, go and wiki "shadow people." It's an interesting read!

Of course, Wally's shadow man is a bit more malicious than most... but that's what keeps it interesting, eh?

Also... sorry this is so late. I had writers' block issues!

Again, though, thanks for enjoying this!--

Recap: Wally West is the Flash. The Fastest Man Alive. He knows he's fast enough... until a strange entity begins haunting him. Where it comes from or what it wants is uncertain... all Wally can tell is that it wants him dead.

Especially when it leaves him unable to move in the path of an oncoming semi...

--Sight Unseen--
-Part Two - Paper Flowers-

The next several seconds were a blur for Wally... which was unusual. The world never blurred to him. His senses always caught up to him... but for some reason, this time, his mind just wasn't making the jump, and neither would his body.

He heard the blaring of the semi's airhorn, the frantic screaming of people on the street who knew they couldn't move in time, and then... he was weightless.

There had been no pain. Was he dead?

"What the hell are you doin', Wally?!"

That was when he became aware of the green glow that was surrounding him. No, he wasn't dead... but John certainly sounded ready to kill him. Could he blame him? He looked like he'd just jumped in front of a semi for the hell of it!

"I wasn't doing anything!" Wally gritted his teeth. He hadn't meant to sound so irate. "Thanks for helping me, GL, but this wasn't on purpose."

The Green Lantern scoffed somewhat, floating his friend to the sidewalk before coming down beside him. "Coulda fooled me."

Getting to his feet as soon as he was able, Wally dusted himself off. He was trembling faintly, and he realized it was because his body was choosing now to try to accelerate more than out of fear. Frowning, he willed the shaking to stop. This time, there was no joking smile on his face, and he made no attempt to hide the fact that he was extremely unnerved by this incident. "Something isn't right," he stated, heading down the alley, eyes sharp. "It happened again."

"J'onn told us you were having nightmares, not paranoid delusions," his friend stated with a frown. "Wally, what has gotten into you?"

"Look, I don't know! I just... that thing. I saw it again. It came out of nowhere. That is why I was in the street."

The black and green-clad Leaguer watched his friend with a slight frown. Wally was so tense that his entire frame was vibrating, making him look like little more than a human-shaped blur standing in the alley. "I think you need to calm down before you go hunting for answers," he suggested, expression still sharpened by the frown. "You won't get anywhere vibrating hard enough to cause tremors."

Wally blinked, as if until this very moment, he hadn't even noticed he was moving. Speedsters were like that naturally, but Wally always kicked himself when he caught himself losing control over his speed like that. He had more self-control than that. "...I just wanna know what this is and why it's focusing on me."

"Slow down for a sec and we'll go to the Watchtower. Maybe J'onn can--..."

"If J'onn told you I was having nightmares then he should've told you he already tried. I'm confused, I'm tired... I nearly got flattened by a semi because all of a sudden, I couldn't... I couldn't run, GL. I couldn't accelerate. I couldn't get out of the way." He tightened slightly, and his features became clearer than they had been moments before. "I've... when I was younger, when I was a teenager and doing work-study with Barry... and became Kid Flash, I... I couldn't believe I'd ever made it without being able to move. Now, after all this time, I was... powerless. I just couldn't move."

John gave a sigh, folding his arms. "Then let's go to the Watchtower anyway. Maybe this time J'onn can find something. Maybe before you were just too tired."

"Yeah." Wally wasn't looking at him anymore, instead focusing on an obscure spot in the alley. "Maybe."

Linda Park was quite possibly the happiest woman alive. Why shouldn't she be? She couldn't say she'd quite expected the turn her life had taken, but she certainly wasn't the sort to look a gift horse in the mouth. She knew better.

It had been a whirlwind romance. After finally giving up on ever dreaming that the Flash, of all people, could be interested in her, she'd lowered her standards a bit to a mild, friendly, outgoing young forensic scientist she'd interviewed after a major criminal investigation. He was attractive, with a shock of mussed red hair and bright, attentive green eyes, and very fit, with a build that rivalled some of the most skilled triathelon athletes she could think of. Why Wally West had decided to become a forensic scientist the way he kept in shape, she thought she would never know.

It shocked her one day when he seemed apprehensive, and even more fidgetty than usual. She'd noticed his unusual habits early on, but never once questioned him. He could hardly ever keep still, always fidgetting or twiddling his fingers or shifting in his seat or tapping his foot, and he had a metabolism so over the top that it seemed he could put away limitless amounts of food and never gain an ounce of weight - a fact she was, understandably, a bit jealous of but never once voiced.

But that day had been different. Something was on his mind, and she'd inquired. He smiled at her, glad she'd asked, and then... wasn't there. For a moment, she thought she was dreaming, and in the next instant he was there again, but...

She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Though his cowl was pushed back, the red costume he wore was exactly the one she'd spent so long chasing after. He was looking at her plaintively, as if she'd be angry with him for being... the Flash. To Linda, however, it explained so much. The constant movement, his voracious appetite, his athlete's physique on a simple forensic scientist... everything.

No, she'd been far from angry. She was almost too giddy. But Wally had understood - he was a good man like that - and then asked her if she would help him. He wanted to go public. Wanted to show people that the man under the crimson cowl was not frightening, but just an average guy. He was tired of hiding. He wanted people to trust Wally West. Not the Flash.

And she'd stood by him, when he'd publicly unmasked to the shock of many. He still wore the costume, mostly because it was a nod to his predecessor, but everyone knew that Wally West and the Flash were one in the same.

Now she was standing in the dress salon, getting her dress tailored. To think! Linda Park, marrying the Flash. Now there was a story for tabloids. As the seamstress worked around the hem of the elegant a-line dress, she sighed somewhat dreamily.

And somewhere in the back of her mind, she became faintly aware of an odd scratching noise in a dressing room ten feet away...

Teleporting to the Watchtower always gave Wally uncomfortable crawling sensations in his skin that brought to mind when he was a kid and terrified of spiders. It was gone almost as soon as it began, of course, but it was a funny thought, and always managed to brighten his spirits just a little bit whenever he made the trip.

Today, however, and last night just the same, he hadn't been able to focus on the silly thoughts that often came with teleportation. Today was a sour reminder that the night before, something had attacked him, and today, it had happened again. Mostly, he was distressed at the thought that he was going mad. What other explaination was there?

"What were you doing in Central, anyway, John?" Wally questioned, glancing at his friend. "Shayera's covering my area today."

The Green Lantern glanced at the man beside him, who was still in his civvies. "There was a situation that Shayera needed help with. They sent Ollie instead, since I had to stop and save your ass."

Wally flinched and sighed. "Yeah... sorry about that..."

He watched for a moment as John's expression softened and he shook his head. "Don't worry about it, hot shot." He paused. "You're lookin' pale."

"Trust me, if you'd had the kind of day I did, you'd be looking pale too." The young speedster sighed. "I don't know, John. I really don't. This whole situation has me on edge, and it's got me worried about Linda. What if this... this thing tries to attack her? What if it does attack her? It's faster than me... if it managed to knock me off-guard, imagine what it could do to her!"

John's brow went up and he laid a hand on the Flash's shoulder, speaking gently. "You listen to me, now, Wally. This is probably all in your head. We'll talk to J'onn, and then--..."

The Lantern was cut off by another presence moving into the hallway. He was barely visible at first, but just as quickly, he slipped out of the shadows that he so often spent his nights in, moving like a wraith, silent and smooth as water. Here was the Batman, and his attention was raptly on Wally West. "Flash. There's a situation in Central City."

Wally blinked. "I'll be down in the minute. Probably just Mirrormaster or--..."

"Linda was attacked at the dress shop, Flash. She's in the hospital."

Superman himself could not have stopped Wally West from getting down to Central City General as soon as he'd gotten the news. What had attacked her? Had it been the same thing? The thought that the beast that had attacked him going after Linda hurt more than the thought of leaving her by means of something it did. She shouldn't have to be hurt because of him, but he knew that being the Flash, the risk was always there.

He was bouncing back and forth from one foot to the other when he asked the nurse where Linda was. She only stared for a moment or two. Most everyone, after all, knew that the Flash was engaged to the perky television reporter from Central City. After her initial shock had worn off, she rattled off the room and off Wally went. He was in the room before the nurse he'd spoken to could blink, and he swallowed when he finally slipped far enough to see his fiancee.

"Linda...?"

The woman laying in the bed blinked, then turned and smiled. "Wally! How did you--...?"

In a quick walk, the scarlet speedster moved to Linda's side, taking her hand in his. She looked fine overall, save for a bandage wrapped about her head. "I was..." He paused. "Got a message from the Bat. What happened, baby?"

He knew she would figure out he was hiding something... but she did not question it. She just squeezed his hand tightly, pretty Asian features distorted by worry. "I... god, Wally, I don't know, it just... the lady at the dress shop was working on my hem and she just... she started swatting at the air around her head and shrieking that there were bees, but I couldn't see a thing!" She paused, free hand lifting to her head. "I heard this scratching noise in the dressing room one over and I didn't think anything of it... I was just trying to help the seamstress when I saw this... this thing jump at me... I ducked, but my foot slipped and I fell off, cracking my head and... that's the last thing I remember." Here, she gave a weary smile. "I apparently needed stitches... but I'll be okay."

Frowning, Wally leaned over to gently rest his forehead against Linda's, hand coming up to cup her cheek. "God, Linda, I'm sorry... this all started with me--..."

"Sweetheart, you're a superhero. It's a dangerous job and I'm well aware there are times I'll be in the line of fire. This is no different. I don't blame you."

Wally's brow furrowed. "It still shouldn't have happened!" Sighing, he lifted his head, kissing her forehead gently. "You just get some rest, beautiful. I've got to go to the Watchtower. We'll fix this. I promise."

As soon as his feet hit the teleporter pad, Wally was in motion. He darted around to the side and up to the control deck, standing behind J'onn, watching as the Martian turned to acknowledge his presence. "Is there something I can help you with, Flash?"

"I know you said you couldn't see anything, J'onn, but you've got to try again. This thing tried to attack Linda this time." He saw the Martian's brow furrow. "Please. I've gotta know what this thing is. I know it's not my imagination now, and the fact that Linda got hurt should be enough proof of that!"

J'onn gave him a level glance, studying him carefully with an expression that read of great concern. Wally didn't blame him, of course. This whole situation seemed absolutely insane. What could this thing be, after all, that was so desperate to attack the Flash like it was? Why would it go after Linda? Why could no one else see it?

At long last, however, the Martian gave a slow nod. "We will try again." He lifted his hands, pausing only when Wally flinched... just a little. "May I?"

Letting out a deep sigh as J'onn placed his fingertips at the sides of his head, Wally forced himself to relax... to focus. J'onn had to see something. There had to be something there. He couldn't just be imagining this. He couldn't be!

He felt the solemn presence of the telepath carefully entering his mind, shoulder twitching slightly. It was uncomfortable having someone else in your mind, but he respected the fact that his alien friend would never look any further than what you were willing to let him see, and that J'onn always did his best to be as unobtrusive as possible.

From the outside, the pair was perfectly still. Nearby, Superman was approaching, prompted by that displaced hum in his nerves and the distinct thrumming in his chest that always signalled the arrival of the scarlet speedster. He had learned, over the years, to more closely identify how Wally moved. The variations in the vibrations his speed caused could be used to determine his moods just as easily as his expression itself.

Wally was frightened.

As the Man of Steel stood watch, J'onn J'onzz carefully maneuvered his own mind through the Flash's, watching for any hint or sign of the creature that had so suddenly made itself a nuisance.

Then he felt it. It was an alien presence, not so unlike his own, but so very different. And as soon as it was there, it was like someone boring through his mind with hot needles. Without meaning to, J'onn jerked back with a startled cry, breaking contact with the speedster and tearing from his mind so suddenly that Wally was forced to his knees, the sudden withdrawal sending shooting pains through his head.

Superman was able to catch J'onn before he fell, noting the blank, startled expression on the Martian's face with great concern. "J'onn! What on Earth...?!"

"It is not of this world." His reply was barely a whisper, no small amount of fear rippling through it. It was a tone unlike any the Kryptonian had heard from him before. "It is from a world of dark... of endless night. Where the darkness is the only reality, and to break the light barrier is forbidden... a sin among the greatest sins. Wally has seen the other side. He has been to a place where the world is nothing but speed and light, and it followed him by the residue the Speed Force left upon him. It seeks to destroy him, and all who are near him." Slowly, J'onn's voice was returning to normal and his pose grew steadier. "Whatever this thing is... it will not rest until it has killed the Flash."

Wally did not wake for a few hours after J'onn had withdrawn from his mind. The Martian, more than once, carefully maneuvered back in, repairing the damage he had done when he had forcefully removed himself. He had been unnerved by the whole situation, and more than that, guilty for having even accidentally done harm to his speedy comrade.

But there was so much more to it, wasn't there? There was something in this situation that even the Manhunter could not comprehend. Why travel to a world where light was dominant to kill one speedster? Why not target Superman, who drew his very power from the brilliant radiance of the Earth's yellow sun? Why did it focus entirely on Wally and nothing else?

Why did the claws of the shadow monster feel so very, very real to the speedster?

So many unanswered questions, so many untapped avenues...

And Wally, right at the middle of it.

What did it all mean?

Superman stood nearby, his arms folded across his broad chest, expression grave. He was not sure what was connecting all of this, or what was happening to cause all this insanity... but now it felt like it was futile to try to fight. A creature of darkness... of pure shadows. That is how J'onn had described it.

It was as if the longer it stayed here, the more real to this universe it became. As if it became less shadow and more tangible, touchable thought.

He wondered if there wasn't some sense to that. The thing had left visible marks on him in their past encounter, scrapes just beneath his clothes that they hadn't seen on first inspection. In its first attack, there was nothing... the effect was psychological. In this second attack, it was tangible to some extent, and had even attacked Wally's fiancee. There was definitely something far deeper at work here.

As he watched the prone form of the unconscious speedster, his whole frame twitching just barely on a few very rare occasions as if something was striking him from within.

His brow furrowed as he watched his friend, murmuring softly, "Just what is going on in there, Wally...?"

Wally's mind was in turmoil. There had been some residual psychic damage when J'onn had pulled from his mind so suddenly, but that wasn't what kept the Scarlet Speedster so deeply under. There was something there, something he could see, something he could feel. It had to do with whatever was affecting him lately. It was as if the thing left its mark on him.

It wanted him to know what was coming.

The minutes passed, and just as Superman was asking his question, the speedster's eyes shot open. He was suddenly panting, terrified, and J'onn - being closest - pressed a concerned hand to his shoulder, thick brow furrowed. "Wally?" It was rare that the Manhunter referred to him by name, but it spoke of the level of concern the Martian felt. "Are you all right?"

Even through his panic, even through his fear, Wally managed to focus. He looked straight at J'onn as Superman moved over from the other side, listening just as intently, and he spoke, two simple phrases that sent chills through his teammates.

"It's coming for me," he whispered. "I'm going to die."

To Be Continued