Too Slow
Genre: Angst
Rating: K+
Pairings: Spitfire
Guest Stars: None
NOTE: None
He'd been to slow and she had died because of it.
He had watched as his spitfire had been caught in the golden beam and had turned transparent and then vanished into thin air.
Nothing had been left to remind him of her.
Everything had been taken from him in a single flash of light. The light that had encased her and carried her away to death.
He remembered how his anger and grief had combined and he screamed out for her. He wanted her to hear him, for her to come back and tell him not to be such a baby, but she wouldn't, she couldn't and all because he was too slow.
Her death was his fault, if it had been Flash he would have saved everyone in seconds, but he was a second rate, no third rate, copy of the originals. He had no title to himself, just a sidekick stumbling to keep up with his mentor. People couldn't even get his name right.
He had been given false hope and had suffered through the grief again as it ate away at his soul, slowly driving him insane.
He had stumbled down his very own rabbit hole that day as he lay on the cold steel table. The rabbit hole of nightmares and unhappily ever afters.
He had found an Alice and worthy spitfire and discovered love only to have it slip away from him. Disappearing like the Cheshire Cat, leaving nothing to track or follow.
That day he changed, inside him he was worried every time he watched the archer leave his line of sight. He worried that he'd lose her again except this time it wouldn't be a dream, it would be real. She would be gone forever and all because he was too slow, but he never showed it on the outside.
To everyone who looked at him he was perfectly content, he taunted the archer, like always, joked, like always, hung with Robin, like always, no one would ever notice he was different. That sometimes his smile never reached his eyes or that he'd back down from an argument when he saw the green clothed hero's eyes widen in hurt.
No one, except Arty when she caught him, knew that he slept outside her door, afraid that some horrible light would come and swallow her again if he wasn't there. Afraid that he would wake up and the whole nightmare would be a reality.
Sometimes she'd ask him if he was okay, and he'd just laugh and with a forced grin tell her she does care and she'd leave him alone, like always.
Only Black Canary saw through the mask completely. She had called him out on his denial and he had just leaned back flashed a smile and admitted he was fine with it.
Because he was, the longer he stayed in denial, the longer Artemis would be happy. She'd be happy with Ethan, a boy who she loved and he loved her back.
No one would realize how horrible the speedster felt over the loss. No one would see past the jokes and yellow cowl and that was fine with him, because then no one would realize that he was too slow.
So I actually really debated over whether or not to post this chapter….mainly cuz the next chapter is a follow up with Wally sleeping outside Artemis's door and it seemed redundant, but I like the Wonderland part a lot so I decided to go with it
Also guess what! Ethan and Arty's break-up chapter is finally edited and done (…for the most part) it's almost here! :D
REVIEW REPLIES (Speeding)
Conjera: Lol, thanks :D
MysticSpeedForce: Crap, crap, crap….I forgot Roy *face palm* *sigh* well he was in the orginal rough draft (that was in my head) his line was originally gonna be up there with Superboy's and how Wally couldn't prank Roy without having to hide for days something along the lines of "and Roy was much better." So ya…
Anyways thanks for the kind words
Forever Frosted: Thanks! Glad you like it :D
XxNeonShadowsxX: First and foremost I have to say that you are one of my favorite reviewers, I always look forward to them, so thank you :D
Also thanks I'm glad Barry was okay I was worried for a while he was a little OOC :D And wow three times :D Thanks for liking it that much :D
Colerfulldarkness666: Thanks :D
I Want To Remain Anonymous: :D Thanks I thought it was clever (Wally filling Kaldur's bed with fish) also I know! Avengers Rocks! :D
READINGhearts17: Yep, I mean it takes major skills to prank a ninja, skills Wally just doesn't have…yet XD
Guest: It's Artemis she probably has a blow torch arrow XD
Guest: Thanks!
Irenerb: Well Pranks had some spitfire in it, but yes more major spitfire is coming up in this chapter and upcoming ones. :D
A Note From Me To You Guys
Hey guys I'd like the ask something and while I know that many of you will ignore this I will ask anyway
Could you maybe not swear in your reviews? I mean I can handle a few here and there (you kinda have too XD) but I got an F-bomb in a review and I don't know it made me feel icky…
Please just try not to swear, it will make me really happy :D
Thanks.
GhostDog401