You're in Denial
Lauren was the first to notice the change. She noticed the smile that came easier and more often, the darkness in his eyes giving way to the piecing emerald ones she remembered from a lifetime ago, everything about him seemed slightly different. It was a welcome change.
She and Wally had grown close again despite the years. He was still the flirtatious know-it-all she remembered growing up, but now so much more. She'd be lying to herself if she didn't admit her feelings were borderline romantic. Sometimes young love stays frozen in time and never completely goes away. Her mind could easily regress back to the young girl who had her first kiss with the red head under Devils Tower during a summer camping trip when their families would meet. She loved the way that Wally played with Amelia, the way he still called her father Uncle Ben, the way he was as respectful at twenty-two as he was at ten She loved his humor, his intelligence that bordered on nerdiness, and the fact that he never judged her. In the small towns and parks she had grown up in, being a teenage parent was a stigma she carried even after those places were long in her review mirror.
Despite her growing feelings, she knew she could never tell him. It didn't take a Stanford physics degree to know his heart belonged to someone else, and that was probably one of the unspoken reasons he was with her family now.
They met for lunch every day at the picnic area of the Upper Falls. Since he was a kid, Wally had always been infatuated with water falls, mesmerized by the raw power and energy they signified. During their vacations, he would hike all day long without complaint as long as there was the promise of seeing one along the way.
From where they ate, they could feel the refreshing mist and breeze of the falls in the air. They would have to literally yell at each other over the thunderous roar of the water to be heard, but Lauren didn't care, it was just nice having a friend to share a lunch with. They weather had finally changed for the betterment of the park with a 50 percent chance of rain forecasted to hopefully end the emergency drought conditions.
The two were enjoying the conversation and the camaraderie when the first lightning bolt struck. Disappointed visitors and ecstatic park personnel made their ways towards the cover of cars and shelters as the dark clouds promised a soaking rain. The thunderous light show continued for a half hour as the storm front pulled through, but no precipitation had come with it.
Wally, Lauren, and Amelia finished their lunch inside and she gave the speedster a ride back to the trail loop he had been assigned to clear. He got out of the truck, thanking her for the meal and the ride when they both noticed the slightest scent of smoke, and that's when their radios went wild. Garnet Hill was burning.
xxx
Fires were very rare in Yellowstone. Precautions were constantly taken to ensure park safety. Controversial controlled burns were initiated from time to time, but with the park as dry as it was, all the safeguards in the world could not protect it absolutely. Lauren's father and a few other rangers had been sent to an area near Garnett Hill to look for some lost hikers possibly violations of campfire burning regulations, when they came across the small blaze. Strong winds had caused a rather benign campfire to spread into an adjoining grassy knoll and that's when the blaze took off. One hundred and fifty yards due West a bolt struck in the heart of a dry wooded trail head and caused another eruption. Now the fires threatened to meet, and the smoke form each, combined with the gusty winds, made finding the hikers extremely dangerous.
Com chatter on all channels exploded into life as the Woodland Fire Protection Services began sending out coordinates of the last known locations of the lost hikers and the Ranger rescue team. With the storm clouds still present, the hope for rain was still held, but the lightning precluded the use of fire choppers to spray flame retardant materials near the growing blaze.
Nervous glances were exchanged as Wally and Lauren jumped in the work truck and sped down the main road towards the burn zone. As they listened to the radio, the voice of Ben Adams finally broke through advising the Garnett Ranger Station of their current whereabouts.
"We have the hikers, but the smoke is too thick and we can't reach our vehicles. We are about half a mile from Elk Creek and are trying to reach it for cover, but the fires are blocking our way, looking for an alternate route. Please advise WFP."
The Woodland Fire Protection dispatcher began searching for alternate routes out and giving safety instructions that all the Rangers already knew by heart.
"Guys," Adams continued. "The blaze is spreading faster than we can move, what are the chances of a chopper fly over with some retardant. It's getting toasty in here."
"Negative on the copter," the dispatcher replied. "Winds are too strong and the smoke is going to block out all visuals. Stand by."
Lauren screeched to a stop as ahead thick smoke covered the road. She pulled the truck off to the side and frantically removed the map from the glove box and spread it across the hood. She and Wally anxiously glanced over it until she found the approximate location where her father and the rest of his group last reported from.
Wally looked around nervously, trying to formulate some sort of plan when Lauren grabbed his face and drew his eyes to hers. Tears slid down her cheeks at the fear of losing her father began to manifest itself. She didn't hesitate; it was time to reveal a few family secrets she had kept inside for so long. Her father's life depended on it.
"Wally look at me! I know who are and I know what you can do. Please Wally. Please save my father!"
She let go of his face and squeezed his hands. He stared at her for a few moments as her confession hit home. An expression of relief and determination spread across his face. He had not used his powers since the day of the final battle, punishing himself for what he had done, done to her, but this was an emergency and he vowed no more lives would be risked to keep his secrets.
"Move the truck down about a mile or so and throw some flares out somewhere so I can see, that's going to be my drop point."
He glanced at the fire growing bigger and gave her a reassuring smile. "It's going to be ok, I'll find them, I promise."
Wally closed his eyes for a nanosecond and centered himself. He searched his body for the energy, the powerful engine inside that had not been used in months. He felt the vibrations begin to rumble, and the electricity begin to flow through his veins. He opened his eyes and smiled when his body exploded into motion leaving a trail of quantum energy and kinetic lightning behind him.
As the plowed through the smoke, he remembered the coordinates and searched the smoke and flames for landmarks that would internally map his destination. Even at his current speed, he could feel his clothes singeing and possibly the souls of his shoes melting. After minutes of high speed reconnaissance, he neared Roosevelt Tower when he finally saw them. They were huddled up in a group laying on the ground, fire extinguishers and water coolers already exhausted. Their faces were covered in wet t-shirts trying to protect their skin. The fire was still twenty five yards away, but there was no open path in sight. Several of the hikers had succumbed to the smoke, and Wally knew there wasn't much time left.
Wally broke through the wall of flame and immediately dove to the ground as his distortion trail behind him stopped and a blast of flames followed back up the opening caused by his sudden change in velocity, almost like a dragon breathing fire.
Ben Adams was the only one still conscious as the singed speedster made his way over to the group. Wally could clearly see his labored breathing and a red tint forming on the skin of the older man, but the grizzled vet had no intentions of cashing it in. Ben never broke expression and never looked surprised, just relived; Wally realized his father may have shared a family secret or two with his best friend, but that would be a topic for some other time.
Over the roar of the flames he yelled, "Lauren has emergency flares out couple of miles down Tower Junction Road, that's my drop point. Give me a few minutes before radioing it in, and maybe you could act surprised the next time I see you, May dad's got a pretty big mouth doesn't he?" he chuckled.
Ben smiled as he immediately began spreading out the unconscious hikers and rangers allowing Wally pretty of room to maneuver. "Be careful son."
"Don't worry I will, and Uncle Ben, Yellowstone owes me some overtime," he grinned.
Wally looked ahead at the task in front of him and smiled. He wasn't afraid, he wasn't nervous; he knew exactly what he had to do. Before his body exploded into motion again, he began to remember why he had wanted to be a hero in the first place.
xxx
The Hall of Justice was more than a tourist attraction. Despite the existence of the Watchtower, quite a lot of League business was actually done there. Right now its primary purpose was to house and heal the former members of Nightwing's covert team. Mt. Justice had been their home, and despite family and friends that had residences they all could go back to, none wanted to leave each other's side. They were more than family now. They shared a bond that could never be broken, but at the moment it was fracturing. They were young and in need of counseling, something that Canary had provided many times in the past. She had her work cut out for her. The Hall's new residents were constantly in motion with work, school, and other personal commitments, but today all team members waited at the main conference room as they prepared to say goodbye to one of their own.
Kaldur's eyes were half open as King Orin and Queen Mera stood by his side and guided his wheelchair through the lobby. His hand weakly grasped La'gann's in brotherhood, all bad blood between them erased. Lagoon Boy was not sure how much of the past months Kaldur would remember, but with the help of the healers that resided in the city under the ocean, his prognosis was hopeful. La'gann was full of regret as he replayed the last few months in his mind, knowing the role his friend; his mentor had to play for the success of the mission. He betrayed his biological father to save La'gann and everyone. He did it not only as a loyal Atlantean, but because he was a hero. He would always remain that way in La'gann's eyes.
The transport ship arrived and Kaldur and his King silently began to leave, never acknowledging the presence of the others who came to see him off.
Kaldur delicately raised his hand, indicating he wanted to stop. He glanced over at the blonde girl in the matching wheelchair and looked at her quizzically, trying to remember the name of his teammate who had sacrificed everything to protect him. He reached out and held her hand while the team watched on.
"Artemis," he whispered and a peaceful smile crept across his face.
"That's right Kal," she smiled "Get well soon ok. I'd like to say I'd visit, but you know how much I love the water. Plus I believe you owe me dinner or three and I plan on collecting, but now it's time to rest"
He smiled and squeezed her hand." Agreed."
They group boarded the awaiting ship and left for Atlantis with everyone hopeful of their friends recovery.
When he was gone, for the first time Artemis faced her old team. She was greeted with acknowledging smiles, and looks of respect and admiration. She and Kaldur had almost paid the ultimate price for their heroism, and their friends and teammates were beyond words to have them back. It was unspoken that they had been forgiven for their role in the deception, as relief took the place of resentment. They had no idea the firestorm that was about to erupt.
Zatanna carefully wheeled her friend over to the group and pensively pulled up a chair and sat down beside her. She and Artemis had already fought this battle once, and was not looking forward to it again.
"You're all a bunch of god damn hypocrites, you know that? How can you let them take the fall for all this? How can you abandon them after all they have done?"
The team stood shocked, caught completely off guard by the attack from the frail archer. Conner, with all the fire he was famous for, was the first to react.
"What are you talking about? What do you mean how we abandoned them, they lied to us Artemis, lied about you, about Kaldur. They stood here and looked us all in the eye and lied to us over and over. Dick sent us in blind on missions that only he understood, and Wally stood by his side the entire time supporting his ass. Your Wally, the one you always said was so god damn special, so honest!" he screamed.
"He didn't even bother to come to the cave the night you died, never wanted to mourn with his old team and I guess we all know why. They didn't trust us. They treated us like fools and you have the gall to come in here and ask us that. Were lucky were all not dead."
Barbara carefully approached Conner from behind and rested her hand on his shoulder to calm him. She continued his train of thought. "Believe me Artemis no one's happy with you or Kaldur, but it was life or death for you two. You were the one making all the sacrifices. They just stood back and pulled our strings."
No one had been assigned the job of team spokesperson, but Barbara and Conner put into words the anger and betrayal the rest of them felt in their hearts.
"God!" she screamed matching his anger. "I hate to be the one to tell you this Conner, but they couldn't trust you, they couldn't trust any of us and you know exactly why. You're pissed that you got lied to, I get that, but we've lied to them so many damn times, big lies. Me, You, Megan, we all kept secrets from them, and they honestly felt they couldn't take the chance with all that was at stake."
"I was there. I sat through all of it, it wasn't an easy decision and they hated themselves for it, but Kal was already in too deep and this was our only chance. Yeah I said ours, but don't kid yourself, if Wally and I weren't together there's no chance in hell I would have been brought into this no matter what my skill set. Dick gambled on Wally's love being enough and I wasn't going to let him down, not again."
Artemis closed her eyes and gently rubbed her temple, the sheer touch of it causing her to wince. She was clearly in pain, but she wasn't about to stop. She should have done this a long time ago.
"We've been lying to each other for years, keeping things from one another; Megan's true form, Conner's real father, his shields, my family. Does any of this ring a bell?"
The team stood silent, glancing over at the mentioned heroes, some hearing this part of the story for the first time.
She thrust an angry gesture Megan's way. "You remember almost lobotomizing Kaldur right? When you found out who we were, you still kept it from the others. And that little mind trick you have been doing for months, only one person noticed didn't they?"
She turned back to Conner. "You knew what she was doing and you said nothing. You covered for her and looked the other way how many times? How many suffered for it?" she hissed.
She was pulling no punches when she turned to her best friend.
"Zatanna gave Dick a very powerful and dangerous weapon that no one, without any knowledge or training, should ever have been able to possess. She never told him what else it could do, or that someone with mystic powers could take control of it.
"You kept that secret to yourself, and I know towards the end you recognized the charm around my neck, but I bet you didn't tell anyone else. Why is that?" she asked rhetorically.
"Jamie kept the scarab secret, Barbara and Tim both knew saw Dick acting out of character, making mistakes and obvious blunders, but they never questioned him."
She turned to Bart next. "You've not stopped lying since you arrived here Allen. All you've done is tell half-truths and spun deception. I don't care if you were trying to preserve a timeline; you kept secrets because you felt you were protecting us. Does that sound familiar?"
"My God look at everything I did to you guys, I attacked, captured, and tortured some of you all in the name of keeping my cover, and I sit here today and some of you think of me as some damn martyr because I got hurt? For the love of God open your eyes!"
"We are all culpable, we are all to blame. And you know what else? We all saved the fucking world when no one else could. We saved everyone on this planet and the lives of all those heroes that were standing trail, and now the League is looking for a scapegoat. Bullshit!"
"Dick and Wally made mistakes, but who else was going to do anything? Batman and the rest of them left us all behind. Someone had to step up, remind me which one here did that? Oh that's right. None of us. I know you feel betrayed. I know I'm part of that, but damnit you don't know what we went through, what they went through. None of us know what it was like carrying that burden, the guilt they had to live with, or what their living through now. They have completely taken the blame and never said a word about all our secrets. If you waiting for an apology fine, I'm sorry. I know you're pissed, I would be too. You don't know how much I wanted to tell you, reach out to you when everything was going down, but believe me Kaldur and I were saving you, the Light would have killed every one of you if we hadn't been there."
"As soon as I get out of this chair I'm going to go up to that fricking Watchtower and tell them to kiss my ass. They can't decide our fate. Don't think for a second that they don't keep their secrets from each other too."
The pain was beginning to be too much for Artemis to tolerate and she reached for Zatanna and the magician immediately stood and gently strapped Artemis in her chair before heading towards the Zeta tube.
"Some of you probably tuned me out a long time ago, but just listen to this one last thing. If you had done this to them, they would be pissed as hell, but they'd still stand by you. Megan, Conner, and I know that better than anyone."
Zatanna entered in the destination code as Artemis spoke her last words.
"And if anyone thinks for a second I'm defending Wally because he's my boyfriend and I love him, you're damn right I am!" and the two disappeared in a burst of bright light.
xxx
Artemis arrived back at Gotham Memorial to a furious mother and angry doctors. She had defied her neurologist's orders, and left unexcused. She was paying for that decision now. She had over taxed herself and the pain in her head was slowly increasing. Swelling was the biggest concern, but at this point the doctors weren't ruling any possible complications. An IV and sedative were administered and a half hour later Artemis lay silently in her bed holding her mother's hand. The lights were dim and the TV was the only thing illuminating the room.
She drifted in and out of copiousness as her mom flipped absentmindedly through the silent channels.
Paula noticed Artemis's body shake and brought more covers over to warm her fragile body. She noticed a tear slide down the archer's cheek. She could count the number of times she had seen her daughter cry on both hands, but since this incident, the tears came more freely and frequently. Doctors assured her that this would be a normal reaction to the PTSD that she would undoubtedly suffer from, but Paula silently was glad to see them. Artemis had been hardened by both Huntress and Sportmaster to never show weakness, never betray emotion. It was one of a hundred decisions that would haunt Paula Crock for the rest of her life. Once the assassin had been crippled and forced to leave her previous life, she could begin to see her failings as a parent and as a person, specifically in regards to her young daughters. Once clear of that lifestyle, all she wanted was to give them a normal life and be more than they were programmed for. Finally both of her daughters had taken advantage of the chance their mother had wished for - for so long.
Within in the last five years Paula had seen the changes in her youngest daughter as the shell around the archer's heart had been chiseled away, and Paula knew who was responsible, but her hatred and anger at the speedster outweighed any love our gratitude she once felt.
Paula tucked the blankets tightly around her daughter when the groggy Artemis reached out for her mother. Despite her handicap, Paula embraced her daughter and held her tightly, stroking the short remnants of her once long beautiful blonde hair.
In a worn and broken voice Artemis whimpered. "I just want my life back Mom, I want him back. Is that really asking so much after all we did?"
Paula never answered.
Later that evening Jade arrived to relieve her mother and let her go to the hospital hotel for some sleep. She entered into the low mumble of the television when Paula caught sight of the assassin and motioned for her to join her and remain silent.
Artemis was sleeping soundly and Paula directed Jade's attention to the television. She turned up the volume ever so slightly so her oldest daughter could hear the news report.
The young Asian reporter appeared in the small upper box of the screen as the bottom third displayed the amazing images that had been captured on video.
"Repeating our top story tonight, the sudden wildfire that threatened to consume thousands of acres of Yellowstone National Park was abruptly extinguished by what local meteorologists are calling a freak tornado created by the Canadian cold front and the intense heat of the blaze. Experts say this is a one in a million occurrence, noting the phenomenon never appeared on any Doppler radar from the surrounding stations in Wyoming to even the National Weather Service Satellites."
"Trapped rangers and hikers miraculously survived the blaze, but are at a loss to how they arrived miles from their last known location. Local Ranger Benjamin Adams blames the confusion on smoke inhalation and disorientation form the intense heat."
"A few park visitors caught the last seconds on the vortex on their cell phones, and you can clearly make out the funnel cloud and the smoke trapped inside it being forced upwards in this video. There was no loss of life and locals are calling it nothing short of a miracle. For CNN this is Linda Park reporting."
Jade watched the report not sure what her mother intently stared at when Paula grabbed her wrist and pointed at the screen.
"There!" she stated firmly as the blurry footage panned across the crowd and a young red head wearing singed and burned clothes was seen aiding one of the lost hikers, giving them drinks and cold compresses.
"They have been repeating the footage for the last hour. You know what we have to do."
Jade nodded and the two women silently began to put their plan in place.