Chapter 14

"Barry!" Iris Allen's voice rang out over the deafening noise, providing one more distraction to the fastest man alive as he balanced a screaming baby in one arm and tried to warm a bottle of highly enriched protein formula in the other. He held the bottle under the warm tap water, while Dawn Allen cried in hunger. His twins were still years away from manifesting their abilities (hopefully), but that knowledge did little to quench the hunger their bodies craved as the tiny engines inside them began to grow and develop.

"Barry!" Iris yelled once again.

"What?" he answered frustrated.

"Get me some wipes, Don exploded in his diaper again, and I mean exploded!"

"Were out!" he yelled back while his daughter wrestled him for the bottle. Barry gave up trying to get the formula to room temperature and the toddler calmed down as soon as the smooth latex nipple touched her lips.

"Well bring me a damn dish towel! It was on the list, why do I even bother making one, you never read them!"

Barry walked into the twin's room, to the vision of his wife wresting with their son, trying to pin him to the table while disposing of the extremely soiled diaper.

"I get distracted in the pastry aisle sometimes," he smiled handing his wife the floral covered towel.

"Don't you smile at me mister, those baby blues aren't getting you off the hook this time, and guess who's doing the laundry today. Have fun with that hero," she grinned taking Dawn from his arms and handing him the darkened dish towel.

"Whoa," he yelled, grimacing through the smell

"What is in that stuff you feeding them," she asked bemused at her husband's impending nausea. Recently Iris had relented, realizing they were in over their heads, and allowed Barry to seek outside help for their children's metabolism issues, just another hurdle for a Meta - Non-Meta coupling.

"It's a high protein soy mixture STAR developed especially for them. Helps fill them up a little more because of their high metabolism, and it's all organic to boot, isn't that right," Barry spoke with a funny voice trying to get his son to laugh while he secured the new diaper on him.

"Well if it's going to do that to them every time, I might just go back to feeding them 14 times a day."

"Your funeral baby," the blonde smirked.

"Yours two fleet feet," the red head replied.

Barry reached over and kissed his wife on the cheek as her daughter cooed in her arms. Life was good for the Scarlet Speedster, and after the last few months he needed more days like this. Fatherhood was everything he hoped, but he knew he wasn't doing his fair share, leaving his wife to care for two young Meta-babies. That was about to change, starting this weekend.

"Your phone rang a few minutes ago," Iris announced.

Barry picked it up and glanced at the caller I.D. quickly putting it back on the counter disregarding it.

"Who was it?" she asked.

"It was Bruce, I'll check the message later."

Iris sighed. "Barry its ok you can…"

"No," he answered determined, "This is our weekend, you, me the kids. No Central City CSI, no Justice League, no red tights, just us. I would have hoped they would have gotten the message when I left the communicator duct taped outside my locker with a huge do not disturb sign. If it was earthshaking we'd known about it by now. This is Bruce micro managing, but not this weekend my love. Besides Bart's on duty if they need a speedster.

Iris snuggled up to the handsome blonde. "I love it when you get to so authoritative Mr. Allen. Very take charge, like that dream boat Superman."

"Iris that's not even funny."

She wrapped her arms around him and planted a loving kiss on his lips. "I've always been more attracted to the nerdy brainy types; especially when they get us the Vanilla ice cream they promised."

Barry rolled his eyes, "That was on the list too?"

"Yep," Iris replied popping the p.

Barry sighed "Be back in a Flash."

Iris shook her head looked down at the happy baby in her arms. "Your daddy's goofball, yes he is," she smiled ticking her baby's nose.

Barry's phone rang again and Iris glanced at the ID. She pushed the power button and shut off the phone.

"Sorry Rudy, this weekend he's mine," she grinned, before hearing a crash in the other room. "Awww Don, come on," she sighed and left to find the newest mess her son has made.

"Speedster babies I swear, what was I thinking?"

xxx

Mary West stood outside for an hour holding on to her son, not letting him move an inch for fear he would leave her, disappear into some void. She never left his side of the next 18 hours, even falling asleep next to him when the weary speedsters closed his eyes for a while after the tumultuous journey that had brought him to them. She would listen to his chest, touch his head, hold his hand, checking on him the same way she did when he was a baby. For the rest of the night tears flowed freely and often. When she tucked him into the coach, she pulled up the recliner next to him and watched him sleep until slumber took her a well.

It didn't take long for Wally to realize this was his home, that this stranger keeping constant vigil by his side really was his mother, one that loved him more than life itself, draped with the same green eyes as the speedster. He tried not to feel uncomfortable accepting their kindness, like some fraud pretending to be someone he wasn't, but Mary West read that right away and pushed it out of his mind as often as needed. It was the textbook example of unconditional love, and despite the strangeness of the situation, he was beyond grateful

He slept soundly that evening, but thoughts of a girl form Gotham haunted his dreams.

The next morning Wally shared the story as best he could of his arrival, waking up in a what he now knew was San Francisco, the empty apartment, the shining bridge over the bay, searching for a girl he didn't know, but foremost was he could not remember anything prior to waking up in the city by the bay.

He had stolen clothes, the strange golden outfit he had woken up in – in tatters, and then spoke of the blur everything around him became as he first realized his gifts.

His mother quickly realized who the woman he had sought out was, and she felt hurt and resentment, not comprehending how Artemis couldn't have called, hadn't contact her the moment she found him. She and the archer had been close once, almost a daughter to her, but like most of the people who were once her son's closest friends, they were strangers now.

Wally refused to share his experience with the assassin Deathstroke, too frightened as to what this family would think, still in denial himself of what he had done. He prayed he wasn't this person in his former life.

His mother in turn told him stories of the experiment he had recreated, one that had gone horribly wrong and right at the same time. She told of the days he spent in a coma, the 2nd degree burns and his miraculous survival. She spoke of the lineage of speedsters he had come from, how he used his gifts, and how he had died, Wally was relieved someone had finally been honest enough to provide the information he had assumed all along, not believing the Keystone High obituary, not for someone as fast as he appeared to be, a car accident just never made sense.

He wished Artemis had been honest with him from the beginning, had trusted that he could handle the truth, one he'd suspected all along. She wasn't the person he'd hoped she'd be, and that knowledge was crushing to him.

"More pancakes Wally?" the voice of his mother shaking him from his thoughts

"Yes please Mrs. West…..sorry…Mom," he replied uncomfortably.

"It's ok honey, it's going to take some getting used to."

Wally took an oversized bight of his pancakes, his eyes never leaving the table, unable to look at his mother. "I can't imagine what this is like for you all, I wish I could go back, stop this from ever happening

"Wally the most important thing, the only thing is you're here right now. It's a miracle Wally. I stopped believing in them, almost lost my faith as a result, but here you are," she said holding his hand fighting back the tears.

She loaded a new stack onto his plate and set across the table from him as he devoured another plateful, the same ferocious appetite she had seen his whole life.

Once again tears formed in her eyes. Wally stopped eating and went over and knelt down by his mother.

"I'm sorry Wally, I know this must be hard, I'm a stranger to you, some crazy women who keeps shoving food on our plate and bursting into tears, I'm sorry I just….my god Wally," and she fell apart, the speedster holding her tightly as tears dampened his shirt.

"It's gonna be ok….Mom. I'm home. I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

Mary had a brightness about her that Rudy had not seen in ages, and it troubled him. He prayed to God this was not a hoax, knowing his wife could not survive another heartbreak. He had buried his son, regardless of the lack of a body. He had wept at his gravesite, watched all the interviews and official records of Wally's death multiple times, often crying in private at the fear his son must have felt in his final moments. Rudy would carry the guilt, the feeling of utter helplessness for not being there for him that one final time to his grave. That guilt, that sickening feeling of a child calling for his father haunted him, and the fact that Wally spoke of his parents' mere seconds before the end did little to wash that feeling away.

Rudy was no scientist, but anyone with the internet or cable was more than familiar with the new Federal Cloning Act that passed Congress after the Cadmus fiasco went public years ago. Cloning had become part of the national conscience now, another controversial subject between church and state questioning the very existence of God and the morals of those people who attempted to play him.

He wished for the joy and lightness his wife felt, but he remained cautious, suspicious even. Something about the man sitting next to his spouse was not right, and he felt so incredibly guilty for feeling that.

Later that day Rudy and Wally, at Mary's insistence, spent time together outside while Rudy tore away at the pieces of rotted wood from the back deck. To say the air between them was uncomfortable would be an understatement. Rudy tried to stay busy, preoccupied so he didn't have to face the man whose existence cast so many doubts in him.

"Do you think I died?" Wally asked his father as they he pulled the nails from the braces, the Midwestern sun shining bright in the sky.

"I don't know. I really don't..." Rudy trailed off

Wally looked at his father, trying to understand his pain. He didn't seem to share the same joy his mother did. Rudy still cried, still hugged him, but underneath there was apprehension, something missing. Wally had known it from the moment he walked in the house that first day.

"You think I'm a clone don't you."

"What?" Rudy coughed nervously, the question catching the portly man off guard, momentarily choking on the lemonade he had just picked up. Rudy had raised his son right, and lying to him or anyone for that matter would go against everything he stood for as a parent and a man.

"Wally I honestly don't know what you are, I don't know if you are a clone or my son, but right now it doesn't matter, it's a bridge we'll have to cross when we get there. For now you're Wally West and this is your home. If we find out differently down the line we'll deal with that then, but we won't abandon you, you have my word."

Wally appreciated the honesty, but it hurt just the same. One thing about the West's was abundantly clear, they were honest and loving people, something he hoped deep down he was too.

"Rudy," Mary yelled through the kitchen window, "the air conditioner isn't blowing again."

"Damnit, "Rudy cursed, putting down the crowbar and heading inside to basement.

"What is it?" Wally asked.

"The compressor down in the basement goes out from time to time, it's a 20 year old unit, but as long as I can keep it alive, your moth…." Rudy paused, "Mary and I would prefer not to spend $9000.00 if possible."

"Can I help?"

Mary nodded from the kitchen and Rudy reluctantly agreed, "Yeah sure, come on."

The two made their way down the darkened steps, illuminated only by a single hanging light bulb until they arrived at the bottom stair and Rudy's work shop.

"Wow!" Wally spoke, clearly impressed with his father's immaculate collection of tools and machines.

Rudy smiled proudly. "I tinker from time to time, right tools for the right jobs sort of thing."

"I'd say," Wally agreed, before glancing to his left at the large table and cabinet covered with a white dusty cloth next to one of the few windows in the underground enclosure. In the corner of the basement the concrete block walls around the table were cast in shadow, blackened burn marks shading the surface and the melted cabinet shelves.

"What happened?"

"You did." Rudy replied.

Rudy lifted the cloth off the unit and underneath it rested an incredibly complex chemistry set complete with homemade centrifuge and several burners. Next to it, a chalkboard still stood with formulas and mathematical equations that survived the apparent explosions still legible.

"Is this were I….?"

Rudy nodded. "Your uncle Barry convinced us to keep it, hoping one day he could place it in the Flash museum over in Central City when it was….appropriate."

Wally looked at the melted structure in deep thought, trying to imagine a 13 year old boy being able to contemplate such a thing let alone create it. Seeing the birth place of his gifts did little to validate his existence, instead it made him feel even more of a copy, unable to fathom how he could have accomplished such a task. He shook his head in sadness, dreading the disappointment his parents were sure to feel someday soon.

"Wally can you come here a minute?"

Rudy had the circuit board plate removed and the wiring exposed. "Hold this just a second, I have to rewire the two main leads, a trick we…I…learned to give this old hunk of junk a few more years of life."

Wally held the panel open as his father cut the assumed damaged wires, preparing to splice and re-install them into the proper inputs when suddenly a loud pop and spark sent them scurrying away momentarily.

"Damnit all to hell," Rudy cursed as he stood and stormed off to his work bench to retrieve more wiring and a new ground for the unit. When he turned, Wally had shut the main circuit box and the air conditioner came to life. The speedster stood proudly dusting off his hands until he saw Rudy reaction, as the realization of what he had just done had sunk in.

"I…I don't know how…how I did that."

Rudy's bottom lip crept up and a single tear ran down his cheek as he stood in front of the tall red head.

"I do," he sniffled, "Because I taught it to you years ago," he sniffled once more and held his son in his arms, his heart breaking in joy. "Because I taught it to my son Wally, my son….You."

Alerted by the burning smell, Mary came down the stairs to check on their progress only to see Rudy crying in his son's arms. Wally West, his only son, had come home.

The same emotions Mary had been experiencing for days, unbridled joy and relief finally invaded Rudy West's heart, and it felt damn good, something he never expected to feel again. The three sat at the dinner table that evening telling old family stories laughing at the misadventures of the pre speedster, intentionally avoiding his life of heroics. There was laughter, joy, and nostalgia. Wally tried to visualize those images in his mind, tried to imagine the story of his life as told by his loving parents, hoping beyond hope he was the man they believed he was.

"Let me get those," he smiled, speeding around the table collecting the dirty dishes from the delicious feast his mom had prepared. I could really get used to this he smiled inwardly. Wally impressively balanced plates, glasses, and utensils at top speed as he made his way swiftly to the kitchen, only to drop the entire load as he slammed head first into a wide eyed hero dressed in scarlet, who just seconds before had vibrated through the West's back door after finally checking his voice mail. Both men stood agape, one in recognition, one in fear.

"My God!" Barry whispered.

xxx

It was a small gathering that next day, only family and extremely close friends, only people who knew of Wally's abilities, only people who had mourned his loss. It wasn't quite a party, but a celebration nonetheless. Mary's child somehow had miraculously returned home.

Names had rushed past him in a blur, to fast even for him. He had met Mr. Allen the night before, except this time he wasn't dressed from head to toe in scarlet. His wife Iris had accompanied him along with their twins. Cute kids he thought. Iris had cried and squeezed him so hard, his ribs ached despite the wound from Deathstroke having already healed.

There was an elderly couple, Jay and Joan something he recalled. A lifelong friend and army buddy of his father's named Ben Adams along with his wife. A young blond, Jesse….Jesse Chambers? he thought she had said, names were getting more and more difficult to remember, and Wally found himself too uncomfortable to ask them again, not wanting to make an issue of his memory loss.

Someone named Max Mercury, which Wally assumed could not actually be his real name, had pulled the speedster aside and spoke at great length about transcendentalism and the nature of spirituality. Wally tried to keep up, but he kept finding himself distracted by the final guest at the West's home. Another redhead with troubled green eyes stared at him throughout the day, the only one who had not come over and introduced himself. For some reason it bothered Wally.

This had been the first joyful event in the West's home in close to two years, and Mary spend most of the day alternating from doting on her son to frying enough chicken to feed an army. Wally was pleasant, constantly thanking them for this and that, and he did his best to hide his discomfort, but being around so many strangers in the confided space of the West's den was beginning to freak him out, finding himself not a fan of small enclosed spaces.

Barry and Iris were standing in the living room with Joan, as the two women watched over the babies that Jay Garrick had amusingly nicknamed the Tornado Twins. The kids seem completely entertained by the wooden train Mary and Rudy had saved from Wally's childhood days, just for them when Iris would come to visit. Observing them laugh and smile as they destroyed the carefully laid out tracks sent belly laughs throughout the house courtesy of Jay and Max. Wally soon realized most of the visitors had one thing in common. Speed.

Barry tried to put the tracks together again as Don grabbed the other end and wrestled it from his father finally breaking out in a high pitched screen, a tantrum imminent if he didn't get his way. Barry rolled his eyes and relented as the toddler victoriously grabbed the piece and began banging it on the floor. They all continued watching the twins dismantle the train, when Barry's phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and his eyes grew tight.

"I need to take this, excuse me."

"Who is it honey?" Iris asked.

"It's uh…Bill Williams from the office." Iris nodded, understanding the unique code the two used when one of his teammates called. First letters for first names and last name were the tell. Barry walked down the empty hall answered the phone.

"You never answered your communicator," the deep voice on the other end spoke.

"I was off." Barry said irritably.

"I assume you know why I'm calling,"

"Yeah I'm looking at him right now," Flash answered watching Wally doing his best to smile as Jay grabbed his arm, undoubtedly telling a story of some Flash family adventure."

"You should have called the moment he was sighted Bruce."

"It's been a very fluid situation," the Dark Knight replied, "Did you listen to the entire message?"

"Partially."

Bruce growled annoyed. "From what we've gathered, he appeared on Artemis Crock's doorstep about eleven days ago, no memories of where he'd been or how he got there. Artemis kept his arrival private until Dick found him wounded outside her apartment."

"Wounded?" Barry spoke loud enough that it caught his wife's attention

"He was attacked by Deathstroke. He has or at least had puncture wounds on his chest and back. He's lucky to have survived it. Evidently he defended himself and it didn't end well for Slade."

"Are you saying that Wally…"

"More than likely yes," Batman answered.

"God almighty. What was he doing tracking Wally?"

Batman continued, "We believe Tigress was the intended target, your nephew…got in the way, Dick discovered him and brought him to the hospital as a John Doe, blood samples were collected, and Ray Palmer and a team of others have been running tests his DNA for the last 48 hours. It's Kid Flash; somehow he survived the feedback from the chrysalis, however…."

"What," Barry asked.

"There have been some significant changes to his DNA."

"What do you mean changes?" Barry asked cautiously.

"It's something Ray is still researching, so I'd rather not speculate, but we'd like to bring him in for some additional testing to confirm the results."

"When?"

"Tonight." Batman answered emotionless.

"I don't think that's going to happen. His mother and father aren't going allow that. Bruce they just got their son back, they're not going to want him out of their sight for a long time, I don't blame them."

"Then you need to convince them. The longer we wait, the greater the risk of something …unexpected happening?"

"Like what Barry asked nervously, sure that Batman was once again keeping something close to the vest.

"Nothing we have foreseen Barry, but him being alive is a prime example, we just don't know. Have you spoken with him?"

The Flash sighed, "Not at length, he …he's not very comfortable around me, with anyone really, other than his parents."

"I understand, but the sooner we can examine him, hopefully we can determine how he survived and if there is anything the Martians can do to possibly restore his memories."

"I'll see what I can do; my communicator is still at the Watchtower, so use the cell to get a hold of me. I'll call you later."

"Barry?" Batman added.

"Yeah?"

I know Slade's death troubles you, but remember Deathstroke would have killed him. Either accidently or on purpose Kid Fla…Wally did the only thing he could do, what any of us would have done in his position. Just be on your guard around him, we have no idea what he's capable of."

"You telling me how to be an uncle now?" Barry answered angrily

"No I'm reminding you how to be a friend; this man had been through a lot in a very short amount of time."

"You're right, I'm sorry"

"I'll contact you soon, Batman out."

The elder speedster came back down the hall, watching as Wally crept outside, away from the crowd and the noise. Barry quietly followed, closing the back door and joining him on the deck outside. Wally rested his elbows on the deck rail gazing out to the mid-western sky.

"You all right Wally?"

"Yeah Mr. Allen I'm good, just needed some air."

"It's Barry." Flash politely corrected, trying to make the younger man more comfortable.

"Sorry… Barry," he sighed. "It's…it's been a long day."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, not really, but thanks, I appreciate it."

"Wally, I know you don't know me, but we were close, and I'm a good listener, how about we go for a walk, clear the air for a while. It'll do you some good."

Wally stared at the rotting wooden floor of the deck, deep in concentration, images of returning to the crowds and noise inside flashing through his mind. His head popped back up. "Yeah I'd like that."

The two men walked back in the house while Mary carried out a new tray of chicken, placing it on the dining room table. Barry maneuvered through the group reaching towards the famous West fried chicken, and took Mary to the side.

"I'm going to take Wally for a walk, just for a while. He's a little overwhelmed and could use a break."

"Barry I'm not sure that's such a great idea right now," she protested.

"Mary he'll be fine. He just needs some breathing room. We'll be back soon ok?"

"Don't let him out of your sight, "she politely but firmly demanded.

"No worries."

The two speedsters quietly made their way out, unseen by everyone other than the smaller redhead, wishing he could find the courage to speak to his cousin.

The two men walked down Maple Lane silently, Mary and Rudy eying them cautiously through the window, until they took a right onto Willow Dr. and out of view. It was a silent trek until Wally finally spoke.

"None of this feels real, I don't feel real. It's like I jumped back into someone else's life, like an imposter, a fraud. Do you know how bad that's going to hurt them when they find out the truth?"

Barry just listened, letting the younger man vent the feelings he was sure Wally hadn't told his parents.

"You're not a fraud Wally; you're not a copy of someone else. You're the real deal, and the sooner you acccept that, the easier this will get."

"How do you know what I am, when even I don't?" he laughed bitterly.

"Because people that I work for tested samples of you blood they found back at that apartment in Gotham, I know what happened to you."

"Oh my god, you know?"

Barry stopped and put his hand on the frantic man's shoulders. "Wally he would have killed you, that's what assassins do. They have no conscience, no mercy; you did what any of us would have done in the same situation."

"It was an accident I swear, I just wanted him to let go of me! You can't tell the West's Mr. Allen, please!" he begged, the idea of adding one more ounce of pain to that family more than he could bear.

"Wally damnit," Barry snapped before taking a deep breath and calming down. "Listen to me, you are real, you're not a copy, not a clone. I don't know how you survived, and frankly I don't care right now. You are here, with me, with your family. Those people back there love you, Iris and I love you. No one has been the same since you died, or didn't', that's not important now, what is important is all of us may seem like strangers, but we're your family whether you remember us or not. You're home with people who love and care for you, but most importantly believe in you; maybe it's time you start believing in yourself too ok?"

Wally nodded and paused for a moment. "Did you….did you see me die?"

"Yeah," Barry swallowed hard, "I was there, by your side, and I swear to you, if I could have taken your place I would have in a second. We tried to slow down, but it…it was too late," he answered, his voice breaking near the end.

"We?"

"Your cousin Bart, the short red head back there who can't talk to you because he feels this is his fault. I understand exactly what he's going through, everyone that day does. You're an important part of a lot of people's lives, you're going to find that out the more people you meet, get ready for it."

Wally contemplated that statement. "What am I supposed to do Barry, what am I supposed to be?"

"This is going to sound cliché, but anything you want to be. You love science, you love school. You're about the smartest person I know, and trust me I know some smart people. I think for now you get used to the idea that you're back, you adjust into some kind of normal home life, and you take in from there."

"Normal," Wally laughed, "how can you be normal when you can do what I…..what we can do?"

"It takes discipline, training. You were my partner for years; I can show you everything you need to know…again."

"Do I …put a uniform back on? Do I have to become Kid Flash again?"

"I think you become Wally West again, get used to that, and we go from there. You be who you want to be, not who you were."

For the first time since he arrived at the Wests, Barry saw Wally smile, a genuine one, a smile free from burden and excited about the endless possibilities ahead.

"One thing that always cheers me up and gets my head right is a quick run, just to shake the cobwebs out a bit, What say we dust off the old sneakers and take a couple laps around, kind of show you the city again?" Barry grinned.

Wally eyes brightened, "That would be awesome, but my mom …."

"Let's just keep this between us for now, your aunt Iris would kill me, but men like us need to be in motion. Come on we'll make it quick. Just start out slow; your body will know what to do."

Barry winked and in instant later all that was left was a fading after image. A sly grin crossed Wally's and as he exploded into motion after him."

They ran through downtown Keystone, crossing the New Mississippi bridge into Central City, flying by the Allen residence, the Central City Police Department, the outside of the Flash Museum, even as far as the AT&T Stadium until finally hitting the interstate. They dodged in and out of traffic, motorists never knowing of the blurs that sped by in the blink of an eye, finally ending 10 minutes later in Blue Valley, stopping on top a beautiful hillside overlooking the deep river valley.

"Feel good?" Barry smiled.

"Yeah" Wally answered breathlessly, not in fatigue, but excitement. "Real good. Where are we?"

"Blue Valley, Nebraska, you were born here."

"We're in freaking Nebraska? Holy shit I had no idea I could move that fast."

Barry chuckled. "You and I would come up here and sit for hours, talking about life, hero business, girls…"

"Artemis?" Wally looked up at his uncle, eyebrows raised in curiously.

"Yeah she might have come up once or twice, or a hundred times."

"She's changed hasn't she?" Wally asked sadly.

"We all have Wally, she just taken it harder than most. If you want to know more about her, you really need to talk to Dick…oh damn," Barry winced, looking at his watch.

"What?"

"We need to get back; your folks and my wife are going to kill me."

"Uh ok." Wally responded

"We need to move, you ready to take the governor off and really open it up?"

"Yeah." Wally grinned ear to ear, reminding Barry so much of the14 year old the day he put on his first uniform.

"We need to hit it, think you can remember your way back?"

"Absolutely, and Barry….Thanks."

"Anytime kid. This won't be the last I promise. Now just try to keep up," he laughed and exploded in a burst of lightning.

Barry didn't want to leave Wally too far back, but he also didn't want to face the glaring green eyes of two highly volatile red headed women. If he got there a few minutes early he could stall them until Wally arrived.

He was nearing his top speed, approaching the Kansas state line, when he glanced back with no Wally insight. Suddenly a burst of energy almost knocked him down, and when he turned back all he caught was the after image of his nephew blazing over the horizon in front of him.

Five minutes later Barry arrived at the West's home, Wally already inside eating chicken. He met Barry on the porch with a plate for his uncle.

"What took you so long?" Wally smiled.

xxx

Nightwing and Tigress began their journey around northern California with a very nervous leader of the 14K Triads trying to explain to the assassin why they had failed her. As Tigress grabbed the leader by the throat, Dick kept his hand around his utility belt, ready to jump into action if any members got antsy; they were dangerous, but not stupid, more than willing to let their leader take the fall.

Dick wasn't sure if Artemis was doing this because of reputation or genuine anger, but thought better of it then to call her on it.

A borrowed car from one of Red Arrow's safe houses later, and the two now in civilian clothing, made their way through San Francisco checking favorite locations and landmarks of the speedster, finally arriving on the campus of Stanford, sorting through the crowds of students for a familiar red head.

Hours later the two sat in the parked car, across the street from the second story apartment the two used to share. The home held a lot of memories for the archer, but despite her reconciliation with her friend, she kept those emotions buried deep inside, private.

"It would be too weird for me to go ask Mrs. Sharp if she's seen my late boyfriend, but it wouldn't for you, you can play stupid with the best of them," she grinned.

"Thanks," Dick said sarcastically.

Artemis continued. "She was a great landlady and really understanding when I broke the lease, I'd rather stay out of this."

"No problem, do you think she's home?" Dick said.

"I'm not sure, I don't see her car. Let's give it a few more minutes, I don't know why, but I keep getting this feeling something's gonna happen?" Artemis suggested.

They sat back, drinking their coffee when Dick finally asked a question that had been on his mind for days, "What is he like?"

Artemis paused, gathering her thoughts, blocking out the last few hours she'd spent with the speedster.

"You know those moments when he would slow his roll, cut the bullshit bravado and flirting act, when he would open up and be a little..."

"Vulnerable?" Dick interrupted.

"Yeah, when he was the real Wally, not the person he thought everyone expected. That's what he's like. Funny, caring, sweet…perfect." she whispered losing herself in the moment.

Dick remained silent thinking of his best friend, recalling the person he was away from the crowds and spotlights, but with a little more spunk and smartass than Artemis remembered, as much as Dick loved that part of him, he had no intention of ruining the moment.

A car drove past them, but continued down the street when Nightwing's communicator went off.

Artemis took a deep breath as Dick spoke, presumably to the Batman, but when he looked over at her and nodded, she knew they had found him. He ended the call and looked over at her shaking his head.

"Where?" she asked urgently

"Keystone," he answered unbelieving, "At his house. How in the hell did he find it?"

Artemis smiled, knowing full well when he put his mind to it; Wally could do just about anything.

"Let's go!" she demanded, starting up the car, before Dick reached over and carefully shut off the motor again.

"Artemis, Barry's asked everyone to step back for a while. Give him some space, and let Wally catch his breath and adjust to everything, just for a while."

Artemis nodded in understanding and started the car again, "Yeah to hell with that," and sped off in the direction of the closest Zeta Tube.