Nik was disheveled. His left arm was bent at an abnormal angle, clearly dislocated. His right arm was bruised blue, and his head was bleeding but that wasn't the worst of it.

Nik's legs. His legs weren't….. normal, they were sparking. His pants singed and burned a bit at his ankles.

Apparently, the static energy Kid Flash had pent up dislodged into Nik.

But Nik shouldn't be sparking. Not unless he was made out of metal and that's crazy.

So, what the fuck did Kid Flash do? And just how can he fix it?

"I-I didn't mean…" Wally tries to apologize inching closer, desperate to help.

He only makes it four steps before Shala screams at him, "No, stay the fuck back. Stay the fuck away from us"!

"Shala I swear I didn't mean…I can run him to the hospital just let me-

"You've done fucking enough", Shala angrily interrupts and Kid Flash really doesn't have a rebuttal for that. So he just stands there, as seconds feel like eons. He just stands there as Shala slaps Nik's face over and over again.

"Wake up Nik, come on. Wake up, wake up you big stupid fucking idiot", she yells, her voice getting more and more frantic. Her words rushing between accented English and desperate Lithuanian.

"nešioju Nik"

"Wake the fuck up"

"Pabusti idiotas"

Please!

Finally, after a few seconds of both Shala and Kid Flash holding their breath, Nik groans.

"Are you slapping me this hard on purpose or is this revenge for eating the last strudel yesterday.", he mumbled, a tease coating his words but the agony was evident.

He was hurt. Nik was in pain, and it was all Kid Flash's fault.

"Great you still have your stupid sense of humor. Now let's see if you're going to still have a fucking life", Shala sassed, as she ripped Nik's pants even more and stuffs some scraps in his mouth.

Nik slobbers around the makeshift muzzle, still blabbering jokes but none of them really gather a chuckle.

Shala's too busy pressing on his limbs, and trying not to wince as the sparks burn her wrist.

And Wally's too busy staring. Bug-eyed and uncertain as he peers down at Nik's now uncovered legs.

Shit, so maybe it wasn't exactly a crazy idea.

Metal legs. Nik had fucking metal legs.

Granted Wally's more of a chem guy than a tech guy but he doesn't really need to be either to spot metal limbs. They're cybertronic, titanium grafted, and ion-lasered. Scars are littered at the base, deep and harsh ones. This means Nik definitely had legs before, and they weren't exactly amputated willingly.

"I'm fine Shala, just go close the curtain the light is killing me", Nik groans, as Shala resets his arm and fiddles more with the wires.

"Fuck the curtains, you're clearly not fucking fine", Shala exclaims, her hands hovering over Nik's hair as she rigs his remaining pants scraps into a cotton bandage for his head.

And Wally well… he just continues to stare.

Suddenly the metal rod of said curtain sinks inside of itself, similar to a slinky. It then widens, and engorges, carrying the faded material with it.

The curtain closed. The fucking curtain closed by itself!

Okay, now Wally's officially freaking the fuck out!

Nik has metal legs, Shala has the pain tolerance of fucking Superboy and both of them have a moving house.

A fucking moving house!

Before Wally can even wrap his head around that, Nik moves his fingers just the slightest, and the metal around his legs shifts just like the curtain rod. The wires, the titanium, every bit of it moves like molten lava. It keeps shifting until the holes are covered and the cold metal hardens.

Of course, why didn't he see it before?

The concern, the bitterness, the hatred for the Lubyanvo.

Of course, Nik is a Meta.

And here Kid Flash was yelling at him about how he didn't understand.

How stupid could he be?

The minute Nik finishes recrafting his legs, Shala's concern turns back into anger, "I told you! I fucking told you he was trouble, look what the fuck he did".

"Shala-

"You shielded him, fed him, gave him blankets, and he fucking hurts you! You fucking hurt him", she screeches, as she holds her hands up, and races over to Wally's side. He doesn't even try to move for the punch she's bound to throw.

He deserves it.

Seconds pass and Kid Flash finally musters up enough courage to look at Shala. Her fist is still up but her gaze is now on Nik.

He's struggling, groaning as he fiddles even more with his legs. Apparently, his early metal magic trick just made things worse. Now with the metal hardened and the wires covered the sparking is even more evident.

Every so often it leaves Nik jumping and wincing. The meaty part of his flesh redding under the shocks.

And for the first time since Kid Flash has known her, Shala's anger dies, her arm dwindles down and she almost looks…sad.

"Going to the market", she quickly spits, as she grabs her jacket from the closet and shuffles it over her arms.

Nik's protest is immediate, "It's late, and I'm fine. You should-

"Shut it old man! We already needed more supplies. They're doubling down on morning surveillance, now's a good time…. Besides you're gonna need more steel and fucking wires to stop the shocks right?", she questions, and when Nik does not reply that's apparently all the answer she needs before she drapes her scarf back on her head and turns her attention to Kid Flash. "He knows we're Metas now Nik, don't be stupid and let him land another hit on you. If he tries anything else you better disarm him or I will kill you both".

By her tone alone Wally just knows she isn't bluffing.

As she finishes her statement she has no problem grabbing the knife organizer from the kitchen and placing it infront of Nik. She even puts one of the knives in Nik's hand before sauntering out the door.

In any other circumstance, Kid Flash would welcome her departure. He could literally see himself now smiling ear to ear and, sending a mighty whoop as the she-devil makes her grand exit. But when Shala leaves, she takes the bitterness and anger with her. And something sick and insufferable sits heavy in the air.

Guilt.

It's crushing his throat, leaving his mouth hot and dry. He wants to speak but he doesn't know the words.

And Nik?

Nik is unmoving. His joking tone and his jolly front disappearing the minute Shala leaves. His eyes dimmed, knife forgotten to his side as he stares in almost disgust at his legs.

His metal legs.

Legs that Kid Flash hurt.

Legs that Wally exposed.

The guilt that follows is the worse kind. Loud but at the same time quiet. The kind of guilt that makes every bad thought seem like it was being screamed in your ear. The kind of guilt that suffocates you in silence, crunching down on your throat and making it hard to breathe.

Wally can barely last two seconds of it.

"I'm sorry", he rushes, finally babbling the string of regrets ringing in his head. When Nik doesn't reply or even acknowledge his words, Kid Flash hurridly continues his word-vomit apology.

" I didn't mean to hurt you or say that stuff. I should've controlled my speed better, it was reckless and stupid of me….I- I had no idea you were a Meta, and I know thats doesn't make it better but I wouldn't have said any of that if I did. I don't know what you've been through living here your entire life. I mean that's crazy being a meta in an anti- meta country. All the things you've had to do to stay hidden, I sounded so ignorant. I was so ignorant. " Wally tries again, but still Nik doesn't reply.

He just keeps staring, glaring at his legs as the metal shifts and the shocks increase.

This only makes Wally's grief worse, and his ramble quickens.

" I wasn't thinking and I was angry. And I know that's not an excuse - I just…..", he paused, tries to find the words that burn his throat. He spills the ones burning his heart instead. "I just… I can't sit here and let that happen to those people. I can't let Metas pay for my mistake".

Nik finally rejoins the conversation at that moment, as he looks at Wally with a bewildered stare.

Almost as if he was just now hearing Kid Flash. Almost as if he could not believe the words tumbling out of the youth's mouth.

Then he stands, his limbs straining and making a god-awful noise as pulls himself up. He basically waddles as his legs tic and toc their way back to the speedster. When he reaches Kid Flash, he bends down and stares deep into Wally's green eyes, " This isn't your fault". He pauses then gestures to the television, "None of this is your fault, and it isn't your fight".

Wally shakes his head, "But it is! I was there, I could've saved Sprevrons, I should've-" he swallows, desperately trying to calm his breathing as well as his tears. "I screwed up bad, and I gotta fix it. I have to fix it".

He starts sobbing towards the end, no longer fighting the floodgates as Nik embraces him in a full-blown hug. Shocks hit the both of them, but neither seems really ready to acknowledge it. They just stay like that, hugging as if they were family instead of strangers. Hugging because they both needed each other more than knew each other. It seems to last years, days, and minutes all at once. And when Wally's finally calm, breathing heavily but no longer harshly, Nik breaks away.

"Liberating the camps won't bring Sprevron back, little one. It won't make the voices go away, it won't stop the tears and it won't clear your guilt", he murmurs.

Kid Flash sniffles, "I'm not trying to clear my guilt".

"Good because it isn't yours to bear".

Wally wants to laugh, but the irony clogs his throat. "Whose is it then? The Lubyanov, the UN? Society? You can spin it any way you want but the fact is I'm the reason Sprevrom isn't here right now. I'm the reason the Lubyanov is on their stupid meta chase".

Nik actually does laugh, though it's bitter and lacks all humor. "The Lubyanov was capturing metas long before you were born. You must understand, your guilt is-

"Oh my god, I told you it isn't about guilt! I'm not tryna clear my conscious or make myself feel better because I know I can't!", Wally shouts, his body frantic, vibrating. His tears the heaviest they had ever been. "I can't get the image-shit I can't get their screams out of my fucking head", he inhales hard, "I fucked up, I screwed up and nothing can erase that. I know that but what kind of hero am I if I don't save them".

What kind of hero is he, if he doesn't try?

Nik apparently doesn't share the sentiment, he scoffs the second the words leave Kid Flash's mouth. "Heroes don't exist here. You fighting the Lubyanov won't change that".

But Kid Flash ignores him, choosing instead to wipe his face, muster up the last of his courage, and look for his fucking shoes.

He has to fix this. He has to at least try.

Nik glares, it was like the boy was committed to getting himself killed. "They won't see you as a hero", he bellowed, too angry at this point to really mind his volume. "You'll just be another meta-rebel giving the Lubyanov another reason to lock us up.

He stops for a second, praying his words get to the youth, but when the boy does nothing but fit the boot over his ankle, he continues his angry speech.

"All this talk of nobility and heroism won't help you here, we don't take hands outs. We don't look out for anyone but ourselves. Lithuania doesn't have any heroes!"

"Yeah and look where that's got you!" Wally snapped. He then paused, immediately feeling regret by his tone alone."Sorry, sorry…. I just…. I can't not do anything. I don't understand how anyone can".

Nik chuckles, "Ar tai mano bausmė vėl pamatyti tave šiame gyvenime, mano drauge"

Wally frowned, "What does that mean?-

But Nik doesn't even bother pretending like he's going to translate, he just stares at the ground for a minute. He just stares and heaves as a particularly bad shock travels up his spine.

And Wally doesn't dare say anything else, too caught up in ignoring his guilt as he fixes his laces.

It's not until Kid Flash's hand is on the doorknob, that Nik finally speaks in the quietest murmur, "There was someone who stood up against the Lubyanov, long long time ago. A young man, boy really. He was so powerful the government bent at his will. When he was around the people of darkness cowered, meta, and man. No one would go up against him, it was like a light had shined on every corner. He liberated me from my camp when I was a teen, helped me see the beauty in being a meta. Helped Lithuania see the beauty in being a meta".

Nik's still not looking at him as he says this, but Wally can see his smile just as clearly. It started off small, but as he continued it grew. This large smile, was one that must be filled with memories only Nik's eyes could truly see. A smile filled with pride, nostalgia, and longing.

Wally couldn't help but try to envision it, "He sounds amazing".

"He was, but not for the reason you think. You see Sebashtion's power wasn't in his meta-skills, though those were great too. No, the lad was powerful for those he had at his side. He was unstoppable because we were unstoppable", Nik finished voice filled to the brink with pride. He then frowned as both he and Kid Flash replayed the scenario in their head.

They were unstoppable?

Wally's next smile is a lot more empty, "What happened".

Finally, Nik spares him a glance, though this time the smile is gone and a bitter frown is in its place, "Eh power is something of a toxin, even men with the purest intentions turn sour at the bit of it. We fought so hard for metas, we forgot we were human. It cost me my legs, Shala her parents and for Sebastion his life….don't make that mistake little lamb… Truth, I wish you would leave it alone, stay far away, and not be burdened with the scar Lithuania is. But my past tells me you won't". He pauses, and chokes out a tearful smile, "People with hearts like yours don't know how too…will you do me this one favor though".

Wally finally lets go of the knob," Anything".

"Learn from us, if you're going to fight the Lubyanov. Never forget why you fight, Never fight without a plan, and never fight alone. Your Justice League, they will be different but they will survive".

The you won't is absent but unmistakably loud

Wally pauses, "You think I'm going to die".

"I think I didn't save your life for you to throw it away", Nik reassures.

A beat skips in the air. Silence permeates the room.

Wally truly didn't know what to say to that. He doesn't agree with Nik's thinking at all, and he doesn't understand it.

It doesn't quite make sense. Nik doesn't know him, if anything happens to him why should it affect him? He's just a stranger, just a kid Nik picked up as his good deed for the day.

Doesn't matter that Nik literally had nothing to gain from saving him.

Doesn't matter that Nik literally risked his life bringing him into his home.

But it does matter, maybe it matters too much that Nik is the first man to comfort him in the longest. It does matter that Nik is the first person to tell him the UN wasn't his fault.

So even though Wally doesn't agree, even though Kid Flash doesn't understand, he nods anyway.

Why make the last person to see any good in him upset?

Why hurt the man any more than he already did?

Nik apparently accepts this reluctant agreement and quickly waddles himself over to the table. "…There is a route here the Lubyanov don't supervise at this time. I will draw you a map, make your escape quick yes".

" Yeah… thanks Nik", Wally murmurs, his smile stretching but not quite meeting his eyes. For the next few moments, the duo sit in silence, neither has it in them to really continue the conversation. Both to preoccupied with ignoring the hauntings of the past. The only real sound in the room was Nik's scribbling and the occasional creek from his legs.

It doesn't take long for the map to be finished. It's a crude drawing but Wally's ran with less. He doesn't even bother waiting for Shala to return, he simply thanks Nik and runs.

As he ran, he thought for a millisecond about going to one of the camps and freeing the people. He even made the detour, and traced the outskirts of the metal door but then he heard Nik's voice in his head, he envisioned the UN meeting and quickly turned back around.

He should stay.

He should stop this.

But.

What could he do alone?

How could he go against an entire country?

How could he save millions, when he couldn't even save fourteen?

The smart thing to do would be to tell the League and hope they put him on the mission.

That's the best he could do for them. It's the only thing he could do for himself.

He's screwed up enough already.

Through his turmoil, he forgets that he didn't exactly get permission to leave. He forgets that he was totally supposed to be resting in bed. He also forgets that he hasn't exactly had a heart-to-heart with his teammates yet.

He really wishes he hadn't forgotten that.

"Oh look who finally decided to grace us with their presence. Have a nice stroll Kid Mouth", Zatanna sarcastically quips, as she flicks on the lights and sends Kid Flash a piercing glare.

Fuck, Dick's angry witch.

Could it get any worse?

"Zatanna please calm yourself" a small voice whispers. It sounds tired, overworked, and stressed. It clearly belong to a child but there was something mature in the tone.

Shit Tim, yep that makes it worse. Way worse.

Oh and look he's not alone. As if the universe didn't show how much it hates him already, standing next to Tim looking worried and nervous is Beastboy, Spoiler, and Tula.

Kill him now.

No seriously, please kill him now.

He could run for it.

He should run for it.

But he really is tired, and apparently, the drugs are finally starting to wear off. Which is great for his reaction time, but terrible for the pain. Maybe if he winces harder, they'll take pity and let him sleep it off. "Look uhhh ow…I know you guys have questions but-

"Questions" Zatanna exclaims, the lights flicker just the slightest with her tone." The League's been in the meeting room for hours, the world's under attack, half of our team is injured and our fearless fishboy leader is nowhere to be found! The last person to see him was you so I think 'questions' is an understatement"!

Wally paused.

Half of the team was injured? World under attack? Just what is she talking about?

But before he could even try to ask her, Beastboy shifts into a monkey grabs his shoulder, and slithers next to his ear.

"Dude! Superboy nearly died, Raven broke both her legs, and Meghan is in a coma! Jonn won't let me see her, I'm so freaking out and you know what that does with my control", Beastboy exclaimed. As if to prove his point his scales instantly shifted, feathers grew in their place and suddenly a green bird was hovering above them. Squawking and shaking.

"BB calm down- its-

"Beasty's the last person you need to worry about. Robs not saying much but I'm pretty sure he's freaking out and I'm super sure he's running on 1 hour of sleep", Spoiler quietly whispered in his ear.

But as always with gossip, even the softest whisper is never soft enough.

Especially if you're talking about a Bat.

"Spoilers exaggerating, I'm fine. B just not saying much. I need to account for all variables, and at this moment you know more than I do", Tim quickly insisted.

This time Wally didn't even need to fake his wince, "I'm not sure if I do Robby, look we can talk about the UN lat-", he starts to gush, but stops the minute he meets Tula's eyes.

She's softly glancing around, waiting patiently for everyone else to voice their concerns. When it gets quiet enough, she gently grabs Wally's arm, and takes her worried bottom lip out of her mouth, "Kid Flash please, My King has requested my return home, but there is no word on if Kaldur'ahm is to do the same… We always go home together, since I've joined the Team. He is not responding to my calls, do you know where he is.",

"I…", Wally's breath hitched in his throat. How was he is suppose to tell them? How is he supposed to tell her? "...I don't", he finally whispers, and immediately the circus starts.

"What do you mean you don't know. You were together", Tula quietly asserts, her voice still unimaginably gentle, her eyes a bit glassy.

They all know the saying.

A hero goes missing, expect the worse.

Kid Flash falters, speeds out of her grip and sight, but that only pushes him closer to Zatanna.

"Fishy has a point, how don't you know. You both were in the same fucking building", she questions, her eyebrow quipped, frown present.

Wally figits away from it instantly, too bad that put him closer to Robin.

"Disregarding Zatanna's tone, the question is valid. The UN building is huge, but that's nothing with your speed…..How exactly did you and Aqualad get separated", Tim questions, his head cocked back, domino mask furrowed.

Wally shuddered, they were all so close, so loud. Suddenly the five voices blended, suddenly he couldn't tell who was talking. And who was angry.

"Did you get split up during the blackout"?

"Is that how you got injured"?

"What happened they're not saying anything"?

"Dude you were with him right"?

"You were together right"?

"What happened"

Say something

"Kid Flash"

Is it his fault?

"Where is he"

Say something

"You didn't leave him alone right"

Say something

"Kf"!

"Hey! Don't you think the last thing he fucking needs is an ambush", A unruly and angry voice grits out, and Wally nearly flinches at the sound of it.

That voice.

That fucking voice.

It's distant and intimate all at once. Gruff in a boyish way, but if you really listen there are small aspects of it that are almost too gentle. It's a voice Kid Flash used to talk to regularly, so familiar he swears he could pick it out in the loudest fucking lineup.

It's also a voice he hadn't heard in days, one he had trouble thinking about.

Artemis.

She saunters into the room as if she owns it. Takes her place near Wally as if she owns it. Then she turns her glare to others, daring them to say something back.

And Zatanna's never been one to shy from a dare. "Sorry, weren't you gone the entire SME mission? I don't think you have enough room to say shit here", she blustered.

Artemis doesn't even blink, "I had another mission that was more pressing".

Zatanna's scoff could probably be heard from the cafeteria, "The world is under attack. I know your new to being a hero, but for the average person there's nothing more pressing".

Immediately Wally can see Spoiler's reluctant nod, he can hear Tim's scandalized reprimand. But Artemis and her temper have always been quicker. "As if I need hero tips, from the girl who left an injured group of civilians because her Daddy didn't recognize her".

Oh, serious low blow.

They all know what Zatanna's dad meant to her.

Despite it not being in his best interest, Wally decides now is a good enough time to intervene, "Hey let's all calm down, we don't need to-

"Do you really want to get into daddy issues", Zatanna spits," Mine doesn't give a fuck about me anymore but at least at one point he did".

Okay, that blow was lower.

And Artemis is no longer gripping his wrist.

"Oh fuck off ", she snarled, inching closer to Zatanna with each breath, "He said he doesn't know! So go find someone who does, or continue to waste time and get your ass kicked in the process".

Zatanna scoffs, hands glowing and frown present, " Kick my ass, please shadow scum I'm begging. Afterward, maybe then KF can explain how the hell he doesn't know where Aqualad is. What they kick your ass hard enough to make you lose what little fucking brain cells you have".

Fuck. Welp Wally's done playing peacemaker.

He doesn't even bother sending Zatanna an apologetic glance as he lets go of Artemis's readied arm.

Both girls probably need an outlet for their anger anyways.

Unfortunately for all of them, Tim has had it up to here with their squabbling.

"Fighting each other isn't an efficient use of our time", he said, after he sends an electric bat wave in between the two teens. When it becomes clear to both angry girls that, he has no plans in stopping the electric barrier he turns to Zatanna and the others, "We should return to Gotham, help Nightwing and the others with clean up."

And as always when Zatanna hears 'Nightwing' her glare softens just the slightest. She purses her lips but she does follow Spoiler, Tula, and Beastboy out of the room. Tim is the last to go, but unlike what Wally expects, Robin doesn't send Kid Flash a questionable glance, this time he sends one to Artemis.

Wally doesn't have it in him to try to figure out what the fuck that meant.

When Tim leaves, and his stupid bat wave dissipates, Wally finally lets out the breath he's holding. It's hard and stuffy. The kind that makes you gasp for the next one. And when Kid Flash does just that, Artemis doesn't waste a second rushing to his side.

"Shit if your fucking injured why the hell were you running Kid Idiot", she barked, half of her strength shouldering the redhead back to his bed. She didn't mean to sound mad, but her earlier tiff with Zatanna wound her up more than cared to admit.

And maybe she is a little worried too.

"I'm fine", Wally bites back, staggering back on his own footing. Artemis for once doesn't fight him on this, she's never known him to be a liar.

So she waits, thinking his labored breathing was a healing mechanism insted of a panic attack.

He had been shot right? Last time that took forever to heal.

And Wally, well…. Wally tries his hardest to pretend his labored breathing isn't a panic attack.

He tries his hardest to not think of Tula's face.

Or Kaldur

Or anything really.

And when he finally does get to a semblance of calm, he shines that stupid smile at his ex-girlfriend's eyes and prays she can't see the cracks in it. " See I told you, I'm fine".

Artemis has to fight her frown. She's upset, she forgot how to breathe when she heard he had been injured. She's been calling him ever since the Roy news broke out. She's been worried about him since the second they broke up and… he's… fine, he's smiling.

That shouldn't bother her as much as it did.

"Of course you are", she bitterly mutters and for once Wally doesn't reply.

She nearly huffs. She wishes he did have something to say. She wishes he showed he cared just a little. She wants to scream at him to care just a little.

But she doesn't want to fight with him, she doesn't want to yell at him. So she settles for teasing, hoping they can at least fall back into their usual banter, "So how exactly did you get shot, three times. Really living up to the fastest kid alive title".

Wally frowns, he doesn't see her idle attempt as banter. He doesn't even hear it as teasing.

For him, its an echo of the same stupid thoughts he had been trying to avoid.

How could he be such a letdown?

How could he be such a disappointment?

"Deadshot. You know one of the best snipers in the world, unfortunately for me he does live up to his title," he mutters, his answer short and clipped. He'd rather this conversation be over.

Artemis smirked, he was so easy to annoy, "Someone's snippy".

"And someone's annoying.", He snapped, before taking a deep breath and sending her an exasperated glance, "Look if you're trying to interrogate me for Rob or something…your at a dead end. It's like you told the others, questioning me is just wasting your time".

Artemis's response is almost speedster quick, "I'm not interrogating you", she scoffed.

Yes, scoffed.

Because that's absurd.

Crazy even.

Why would she ever interrogate him?

Why would she ever not trust him.

He must be joking.

He has to be joking.

"Then what is this", Wally huffed, finally flopping down on his bed with a groan.

And Artemis just blinks.

He's not…joking.

He's actually angry.

She doesn't understand why he's angry.

She could've said worse, she has said worse. She wasn't even serious, he has to know she wasn't serious. He always knows when she's not being serious. Sure they're broken up… But that doesn't change anything right? It doesn't change what he knows about her.

It doesn't change how she feels about him.

So why is he mad?

After a little teasing.

Just what's his problem?

She huffs, "Why-

"If you're not here to interrogate me why exactly are you here Artemis", he interrupts, a frown etched on his face as he flatly glances back at her.

Huh?

Why is she here?

Is he seriously asking her that?

When she doesn't immediately respond, Wally only continues as if he hadn't said the most ridiculous thing in the world. "I mean you stopped everyone from yelling at me for what? So you could do it yourself. Look I have other things on my mind than fighting with you. So just…. leave me alone. Can you do that, please"

A batch of silence sits in the air.

Artemis doesn't say anything. She can't.

She can't tell him that the last thing she wanted was to fight with him.

She can't tell him she misses him so fucking much, and when Barry called her she nearly ran over here.

She can't tell him, how she fucking cried a river when she made it to the medbay and he was gone.

She can't because he so clearly wouldn't care. And for whatever strange reason she doesn't want him to know she still does.

So she bites back all of it, struggles to glare back at him, and said the last thing she should say, "Roy's funeral is Saturday, just wanted to make sure we didn't need to make it a double."

Wally pauses, his vision fogging almost immediately. With everything, he had forgotten.

Because of everything, he had forgotten.

How could he have forgotten?

Roy.

He inhales, hard. Roy's gone. He's gone.

Artemis feels bad the seconds the words leave her mouth, she knows what Roy meant to him. She knows he doesn't deserve that, "That was..stupid. I'm-

"Get out", Wally murmurs. Not even giving her a second to say more.

She tries to grab his hand, "Wha- No Wally I didn't-

"Get Out"! He yells, speed pushing her as hard he could out of the room and closing the door not a second later.

Instantly Artemis tries to open it. When she finds it locked, she bangs on it, hard. " I didn't mean it", she shouts, but he won't hear nothing of it. He just breathes harder and harder as she loudly bangs on his door.

Kaldur's gone.

Roy's gone.

Was that his fault too?

He hits the door back and screeches at Artemis to leave. But she mimics his knock and begs him to let her back in. It's almost comical how similar they can be without seeing each other.

Wally slumped over thinking of how much he fucked up.

Artemis crouched in thinking of how much she fucked up.

Both of them fisting their suits with bloody knuckles, pushing back their tears, thinking of Roy.

And as they both sink down to the floor, tears heavy and hair askew. Damn near mirror images of each other, one of them whispers, "I'm sorry".

New Chappie ALERT!

Hello Everyone! Hope you are all having an amazing day. This chapter has been on my laptop for the longest and I finally had some time today to get her posted. Happy to say I am in a bit of a writing mood and have some cool stuff coming up.

Now on to the story!

Chapter 24, wheeeww that feels crazy to say but so exciting. Chapter 24 was really the part of chapter 23 I cut. I told you initially it was mondo long. In this chapter we get a kind of conclusion of Wally and Niks tif, I hope no one actually thought I would kill the man lol. And surprise Nik is a meta, how many saw that coming? Nik being a meta was heavily hinted at throughout the last chapter, but I do hope I surprised a few of you. Once again I do want to note Nik is not a throwaway character he is very important to the story, especially for the tidbits of info he gives. Especially with the UN massacre and its effects on Lithuania. Nik also is a good ole wholesome character to give our Lil speedster some love, because let's face it I've been putting him through the wringer.

Chapter 24, was really the chapter to showcase Wally's emotions as well as his guilt. It's no surprise that he has major PTSD and totally blames himself. I also want to note he is still reeling from the Roy news because again Roy was not just a teammate, Roy, Dick, and Wally were friends before the team. They grew up together, and they know each other's secret identities, it's like losing family. I also wanted to showcase a few of Artemis' emotions as well since we haven't really seen her since chapter 10. And ugh poor Arte, she's struggling so hard with communication. I already know many readers are going to see that one line and write her off, but please keep in mind Artemis is a work-in-progress character. As said in Chapter 9, she really never had anyone to show her how to communicate or be vulnerable. She also is dealing heavily with heartbreak from Wally and home, so yeah she lashes out from time to time. She's not a perfect Suzy Q kind of girl, but that's why we love her. Speaking of Suzy Q, our lovely mistress of magic is just a ball of sunshine aint she. Lol I personally love Zatanna's little quirks of anger, because tbh I love the troupe that shes the angery girl but soft af for her cursh. Plus tbh Zatanna anger is so valid and not talked about enough. As for Tula, I hope those of you don't mind that I made her alive in this fic, again I want to stress I'm mushing everything not following Young Justice timeline completely cause well, I don't want to. I also really want her involved in the Kaldur plot because well.. She just adds to the angst in such a delicious way. Of course, she reacted a bit strong but you would too if your reliable boyfriend just up and disappears. And honestly, her reactions have nothing on Arthurs lol. Roy's funeral is coming up, are we excited about it? Dreading it? Do we think our beloved KF will even make it. BTW sprinkled a couple of plot bunnies throughout, did you catch them?

Please let me know which ones you noticed.

Welp enough rambling, thanks a bunches for reading. Please review and let me know what you think.

See you soon!

Review Responses

Guest!

Thank you so much! It warms my heart to see any review, I'm so glad you like the story hopefully you like the new chappie!