Author's Note : This is an angry story. I think I am feeding of the betrayal I feel for the hiatus. Because I am an insecure attention hustler, I always appreciate your reviews. The more I get (good or bad) the more motivated I am to release the next chapter. I really appreciate positive or negative criticism so don't hold back. Anyway thanks for reading, feel free to check out my other stuff, and hopefully enjoy. Here we go…

What Could Go Wrong

The red headed speedster looked out over the great falls of Yellowstone and stared at their majesty. His bags were unloaded and he waited for his ride to arrive, but he was in no hurry as he gazed at the spectacle of what was nature at its finest. He had been to Yellowstone before, but that was for a mission and there was little time to sightsee. No matter how many disasters were averted, there was never enough time to savor the victories, the next mission always lay waiting.

Ben Adams and Rudy West had been army buddies and lifelong friends. They had literally faced life and death together. Rudy had settled into a comfortable life as an educator in the mid-west while Ben had chosen to follow his passion for nature into one of the head Rangers for the National Park Service. This allowed he and his family to travel the states working at the most beautiful locations the country had to offer. Up until Wally was 14, every summer the two families would meet and vacation together, the Adams having one girl, and the Wests having one boy. The two awkward kids forced together by their families eventually formed a genuine friendship of their own. Every year they would come back taller, more attractive, and more mature. They both noticed it. Though they would never speak of it, they had become each other's first crushes. There was a kiss, and for two young kids it had been incredible. Letters were exchanged; snuck long distance phone calls were made, but even at a young age they both knew the distances were against them. Finally one day Wally stopped accompanying his parents on vacations. There had been an accident. Excuses were made, he was doing rehab with his uncle, he had joined an outreach group with some friends in the Northeast, but the young girl still hurt. Her parents moving from park to park had prevented her from making long lasting friendships and connections. So when Wally West was met by the image of Lauren Adams driving her father's pick up, the feeling of nostalgia and history washed over both of them.

"As I live and breathe, Wally is that you?"

"Lauren," he smiled as he hugged one of his oldest friends. "I'm kind of in a haze I'm sorry. You look great. I thought your dad was the one coming."

"You know my dad," she answered "Overcommits to everything and everyone. He is dealing with a wildlife intrusion in one of the upper parks. I'm going to take you to the residence. "

Wally dropped his bags in the trunk bed and was about to sit in the front seat when he was greeted by the giggle of a one Amelia Adams.

She just laughed at the startled red heads expression that quickly turned into a grin

"Wally this is my daughter Amelia. "

Wally reached out his hand and took the young girls and kissed it Prince Charming style. The girl laughed and hopped in the back seat at her mother's urging. The name pulled at Wally's heart strings, but he would not show it openly. Amelia was Lauren's mother's name. She had passed away 8 months ago after a three year battle with cancer. Wally had actually made it up to see her before she passed, but Lauren had been living out of state and they had missed each other several times.

The child was no secret, Wally had known of Lauren's pregnancy right out of high school. The news had shocked the West family, but they always remained supportive. So much of Lauren's carefully planned college plans had been ripped away from her, but she carried on. Giving up the child was never an option, but Lauren would be lying if she said she wasn't crushed when she had to say goodbye to the dream of going off to a big college and starting a new life away from the small towns she had been cast in her whole life.

Due to his own dalliances with a certain blonde archer, Wally would never had cast judgment. If anything it reminded him to be careful. He had always been grateful to her for it, but would never be able to tell her, especially not when the beautiful laughing outcome sat behind them. Wally had no interest in kids at the moment. One day sure, but the only person he would ever consider having them with lay in a coma across the country in a hospital Wally was forbidden to enter, protected by assassins ordered to dispose of him on sight.

As they drove Wally's mind once again wandered back to Artemis. Scenic views passed by the speedster's eyes unknowingly as he remained lost in thought.

"Kind of surreal isn't it?"

"I'm sorry what?" Wally said shaking away from his daydream.

"It's surreal you and I sitting her, driving through the park, when just a few months ago the earth was being invaded by aliens. Kind of makes you feel pretty small and insignificant doesn't it?"

"You have no idea," he smirked kindly.

At her father's home Wally unloaded his belongings and made it out to the small guest cabin behind the Rangers residence. He had been offered a room inside, but preferred the privacy.

After dropping off his bags and examining his surroundings, He joined Lauren on the swing and talked of the old days as Amelia ran around and played. Lauren was more beautiful then he remembered, and the years and motherhood had been extremely kind to her. They spoke of friends and family each other knew. He told her stories about Stanford and living in California. Both of them had been small town kids, but Wally was now branching out, living the dream. She asked about a friend named Dick he had spoken so much of in his letters, but Wally played it off not really knowing what to say.

"I have to run into town for a few, but I'll be back in time to cook dinner this evening, anything you in the mood for?"

"Anything is fine Lauren, but I'll help you cook. I came out here to help, not be waited on. "

Oh don't worry, I saw the list my dad has for you, you relax tonight, Camp Benjamin starts at 0500 tomorrow," she said with a wink. "See you in a while. "

Wally unpacked his bags and lay down on the cot. His parents were furious at him for all he had put them through, the lies about Artemis's death, and all the deceit that followed. Barry Allen politely but firmly separated himself, spending more time with Bart Allen than with his protégé. Bart had been his one supportive family member, and Wally sincerely appreciated it, but still kept the young speedster at arm's length, settling for the self-imposed exile he felt he deserved. However parents wouldn't be parents if they didn't love unconditionally. They may be hurt and angry at their only son, but they would always love and care for him and his well-being no matter what. So when Wally had asked his dad to help him disappear for a while, Ben Adams had been his first and only choice. No one would know where he was, not even Dick. His parents would not lie, but they would keep his location private. When the league had finally made their decision, he would come forth to face the consequences. He unpacked, placed his belongings around the small cedar scented room, and laid down on the bunk for what he planned to be a 15 minute power nap.

Wally jolted awake in a pool of sweat as he looked out the cabin window and saw the sun setting. He had no idea how long he had been asleep, and he still felt as exhausted as he did before he lay down. Sleep was a state he despised now. It was when his guard would finally fall and the memories could come rushing in.

He was still having the same terrible vision he had been suffering through for months, Artemis in his arms, bleeding and broken from his own hand. It was no dream, it was a reality.

He could almost feel her head damp with blood, cradled in his arms as he frantically screamed for medical attention, fearful to leave her side. He could still taste her lips as he performed CPR on her, watching her chest rise and fall, not sure if she was receiving the oxygen he was so desperately trying to provider her. He could still remember the sickening sensation of the movement of the cracks on the side of her head he could touch, the damage to her skull that he had inflicted. One of the worst things about super speed is how slow the rest of the world can be. In his mind it took hours for the medical personnel to arrive, when in normal times it was minutes, the excruciating delay of watching the medics put the oxygen mask on her and carry her to the transport. As the ship flew away, all that was left of her were strands of her golden hair and the blood that soaked his uniform. That was the last time the world saw Kid Flash and as far as he was concerned ever would again.

His blood boiled at the thought of the Witch Boy who had discovered the glamour charm she was wearing. He could imagine the smile that crossed Klarion's face when took control of it. Wally's fists began to shake as he remembered the loud and violent explosions that detonated feet in front of him, savagely hurdling him across the battlefield. He remembered his ears would not stop ringing and the blood from his battered forehead running into his eyes. As he finally regained his vision and saw the smiling form of Deathstroke running towards him, he blasted past Dick towards the villain as Nightwing desperately screamed something Wally could not make out. The mercenary seemed completely unprepared as the speedster savagely slammed into him at the fastest speed Wally could generate in such a short distance. He knocked him to the ground and began punishing him, punishing him for taking his girlfriend, forcing her to do perverted unimaginable things. His imagination went wild as adrenaline pumped through his body. It barely registered that the assassin never put up a fight, never tried to defend himself. When Nightwing appeared at his side and shoved him off, he assumed his best friend was about to take some of his frustrations out on the villain as well, when suddenly Nightwing grasped at the medallion on Deathstoke's chest, ripping it off as the being in front of him morphed into the battered and bloody form of Artemis Crock. She was unconscious and unresponsive and had remained so as far as the speedster knew.

In a sad irony the critical injuries to their daughter had brought the Crock clan of assassins back into a family unit, one that blamed Wally for everything that had happened to their daughter. Even though it was not his plan, he'd not been part of faking her death, and had begged her not to go; Wally was the bulls eye for all of their grief and pain. He loved Artemis's mother and stayed with her, helping her through the pain of loss, but that meant nothing to her when Wally's lies became public. She was the first to threaten to kill him if he came around them, if he ever touched her daughter again. It was not and idle threat, but a promise. A small part of Wally wished she would. Lawrence was similar in his threats, but slightly more graphic. Jade hadn't threatened at all. She had remained eerily quiet until suddenly she acted. With friends and teammates surrounding them, Jade struck swiftly, stabbing Wally through the abdomen before anyone reacted. With Wally's abilities he could have easily avoided it, but he didn't want to. He deserved it. No one would ever understand the personal pain and anguish he suffered over Artemis's eagerness to join and help her old team. Wally had been content with them being full time students, full time retired heroes, but that wasn't fate's plan

As a tear rolled down his cheek, He now found himself in an isolated and unpopulated part of the country, not knowing if the love of his life, the center of his world was alive or dead, hated and despised by the very people he spent his life fighting beside, and estranged from his former best friend who was perhaps the only other person in the world who understood what he was going through. Inside him in a small pain filled room in his mind, he discovered he was strangely fine with that.