Hi guys, thanks for all of the reviews, favs and Follows. You guys rock. Please let me know what you think of this chapter.
"It's sad when someone you know becomes someone you knew"
-Unknown
Only the plot is mine
Irey was still fuming as she made her way home. The moment she reached her apartment she slammed the door shut and sank to the floor and buried her face in her hands. The speedster felt crushed by the weight of everything. She was angry, sad, hurt, lonely, resentful and scared.
She just wanted to scream until air would no longer fill her lungs. Her heart felt sore and heavy in her chest as she fought the tears burning in her eyes. Irey felt so belittled after she stormed out of the watchtower. It angered her that they wanted her to be a full time league member still yet they forget to even mention that they were building another cosmic treadmill to her. She was the Flash for goodness sake, not Kid Flash or Impulse. Nevertheless they still treated her like she was a reckless headstrong teenager, not like the mature controlled speedster she was today. Usually it didn't get to her, but today was different. The league thought they knew what they were doing building another treadmill, in fact, they had no idea what horrors such a device was truly capable of.
The league was a small problem compared to her other issue; confronting her father. Seven whole years had passed since they last talked. A lot can change in seven years. Irey hated how he thought he still knew her. She may be his daughter but she was not the 17 year old he once knew, not anymore.
Every time she looked at him she couldn't help but feel abandoned. The tragic memories from after his death came back to haunt her every time she looked at her father's face. Seeing the empty seat next to her mother at high school graduation. Patrolling the city without him. Putting an empty casket into the ground. Looking into the mirror to only see his reflection instead of hers. Hopelessly looking for him, denying the fact he was dead. Watching his absence slowly tear her family apart. Everything.
She wanted to be happy that he was alive, she wanted to be happy that he was back, but Irey couldn't find it within herself. So she retreated, built up her walls, put on another mask to hide her feelings. Maybe Jai was right, deep down she was just a scared little girl. That's what it felt like. At that moment she just wanted to throw in the towel and admit defeat.
The young woman sighed, fighting to suppress the sob rising in her chest. Her miserable emerald gaze pinned on the floor with her eyes brimming with tears. The weight of the despair pressed her against the cold floor. Irey felt as if she were about to break. Her mind screamed for her to give up but amidst all the pain her heart refused to yield.
Slowly, she pushed herself to her feet. The speedster shoved all thoughts of resentment, anger and sadness to the back of her mind. Irey peered at her reflection in the darkened window barley recognizing herself. The person she saw was a sad, weak, pathetic, helpless, stranger. Irey was not weak. She was not pathetic. She was not helpless. Determination sparked in her eyes and her expression hardened. The speedster vowed never to lose herself. No matter how bad things got, she would not become a stranger to herself.
The speedster threw her house keys on the counter and broke out a TV dinner from the freezer. Carelessly she tossed the meal into her microwave. Irey was preoccupied with thought as she went through the messages on her answering machine. Most were from work, Milagro and a few from her mother, but there was one that grabbed her attention.
"Irey, it's your Father. I know that you want nothing to do with me right now, but it would be nice if I could get a chance to talk with you again, to get to know you again. Please Irey, let me take you out to lunch. I know you're busy, but can you find it in your schedule and in your heart to play 20 minutes of catch up with your old man? I Love you…Bye."
Irey stood there paralyzed. She waited until all the other messages were through to grab the phone. The speedster stared at it for a minute contemplating whether or not to dial in the familiar number and call him back. Part of her wanted to, but the other half still wasn't ready to forgive him. Irey started to dial the number but she stopped herself realizing she couldn't go through with it. She wasn't ready to face him. Bitter tears silently streamed down her cheek as the inner struggle with her demons raged on within her sore heart.
0o0o0o
"Looks like Irey put away the Icicle yesterday." Wally mused from behind his paper.
"Which one?" His wife asked while pouring herself more coffee.
"Jr. Senior. Since when did he cause mayhem in Keystone?" The speedster still wasn't caught up yet. Wally knew he had a lot to learn.
"Since he broke out of Belle Reve a year or two ago. I really don't know why he never went back to Star, but I'm glad that asshole is back in prison." Artemis detested Cameron Makhent.
"Is Jr. number two still on the loose?" Wally remembered the days when Izzy Makhent was one of the twin's greatest nemeses.
"I'm not sure, haven't heard her name in a while." The archer answered.
Wally nodded vaguely and continued reading the news. Artemis noticed the slight crestfallen look tracing his features as he continued to read. "Wally, what's wrong?" he couldn't fool her.
"It's been a week since I called and still nothing." He sighed.
"Baywatch, she just needs her space right now." The blonde tried to assure him.
Wally set his paper down on the table. "I think I've given her more than enough space." The speedster argued.
"Wally, I think you should wait a little longer, be patient with Irey." Artemis insisted.
"I've been more than patient with her, it's time we talk."
"I don't think it's a good idea, it least not yet." The archer disagreed.
"Then what do you think I should do?" He said in a loud tone.
"I think you should wait."
"I'm done waiting Artemis. That's it! I'm talking to Irey now whether she wants to or not." The former flash proclaimed. He left the table in a blur while Artemis shook her head and let out a heavy sigh, sometimes Wally was too stubborn for his own good.
0o0o0o
It was around midday when Wally walked through the doors of star labs. The former flash was surprised they let him in so easily. Soon the father found himself being escorted to his daughter's office.
"I'm sorry sir, she's not here right now. Maybe you should come back later." The assistant suggested as she saw the empty office.
"No, that's fine, I can wait for her." He assured the short mouse like woman. She nodded and made her way back down the hall.
Wally waited there for 15 or so minutes before he decided to look around for her. The speedster followed the sound of voices and found a bunch of people crowded around a TV in what looked to be a break room.
"Has anybody here seen Iris West?" he asked.
"West?" A gruff man barked. "Nah, she left 20 minutes ago on lunch break. Anything we can help you with?"
"No, I just need to talk to her. When will she be back?"
"Probably in about an hour, depends on how late she is getting back from lunch." The man informed Wally before turning back to the TV screen.
Being the curious man he was Wally peered in closer. The news was on showing the Flash fighting Gorilla Grodd. The former hero was shocked to see that the old fuzzbutt was still kicking. Soon he was engrossed with watching the battle like the others. An overwhelming sense of pride swelled up in the speedster's chest as he saw his daughter in action, but at the same time it only made him miss her even more. He noticed the change in her fighting style and how serious she was. Flash was not supposed to be serious or restrained or controlled. That was just not how speedsters worked, it was against their very nature. Wally found it very strange that she was moving so slow.
0o0o0o0o
Flash wiped the sweat off her brow and glared up at the tar colored gorilla in front of her.
"Foolish child, you can't stop me!" He taunted menacingly.
A fresh wave of anger washed over the speedster as she dashed out of the way of a falling car. There was nothing more that she hated than being called a child.
"I'm not foolish, nor am I a child." She hissed venomously as she flew at the enormous primate. Irey was trying to ignore the fact that she couldn't even reach her normal high speed. She was barley managing a villain that she could normally wipe the floor with in 45 minutes.
Flash relied more upon her combat skills rather than her powers as she fought Grodd, it was an uncommon sight.
The large ape let out a harsh cackle, "Child, you're unwise to deny such things. If you were even half the Flash your father was or his successor was, you'd know that-"
Grodd had hit a nerve. Irey didn't even let him finish that sentence. The speedster let out a furious roar and charged the primate. She heard a satisfying crack of bone as he hit the asphalt.
From there she let the cops handle the rest, she knew Grodd wasn't going anywhere soon and Irey had other issues to deal with. Over the past few weeks she had noticed that she couldn't run as fast as normal, but she always thought of it as part of her recovery. That was until today, something wasn't right and she was going to Star Labs find out.
Wally decided that he should come back later as soon as he over heard Irey's boss mentioning to one of the other techs that she was going to be late due to traffic. He knew she was probably not coming back for some time if at all so he headed down the stairs. He never was one for elevators. As the former Flash walked towards the exit he accidently bumped into another person walking in.
As the father turned the individual he was shocked to find it was none other than his daughter in costume. Their eyes met for a second, but to them it was a lifetime.
"Irey…" he uttered in an almost silent whisper.
Flash just turned away, pretending that she didn't know the man beside her. Her expressionless face held strong as she walked down the hall. She could feel his eyes on her back, and it burned, but she didn't show any weakness, not here, not now.
Wally stood there gaping for a moment. Pain was tearing at his insides. When he learned that Bart died it was agonizing. When he heard his son was a traitior it was heartbreaking. When Irey walked away as if he meant nothing to her it was absolutely devastating.
So…..What did you think? What do you want to see next? How do you think it will all turn out? How will Jai learn about wally. How will Wally talk to Irey, What important role do you think Artemis will play in the coming chapters?
Hehehe I wonder if any of you can guess. C'mon, I dare you. REVIEW PLEASE