Epilogue: weeks later

Wally pounded a hand against the smooth, clear wall, but it didn't shatter, didn't so much as quiver. He shivered violently, as much from speed made unstable by hunger as from fear and cold. Everything was cold, pressing up from the cement floor against bare feet, through his thin ratty shirt. He slapped the wall again, shrill voiced, as the people in long coats opened the door to the next Cell, dragging the limp form inside up and out and away.

"No! Un'le Barry! Bring him back! P'ease!" It was as if no one heard him, not even Barry, the hallways stretching so long and far until they were gone. The clear walls got closer, but Wally kept crying, kept trying, screaming.

The Bad Man who'd been at the Ice Cream parlor stood in front of him, smiling like ice on old slushy puddles, thin and nasty.

"Where's Uncle B'rry?" he asked, terror filing him but—he had to be brave. Had to be Brave, like his Family.

"You'll never see him again, so don't bother waiting. He won't be coming back."

"No!" Lightning crackled, the man's face twisted, sneering, dark patches flickered—

"Hey, hey Lightning Bug, hey little one," came a soothing voice. Uncle Barry. Wally blinked in the semidarkness, lit by nightlights. Strong arms closed around him, tugging him into a blanket wrapped hug. He pressed his head against Uncle Barry's chest, listening to the hummingbird fast heartbeat, sniffling. "It's alright. Just a nightmare. You're home, you're safe."

Auntie Iris stood in the doorway, peered in. Wally reached out to her, fat tears dripping down his toddler cheeks.

"Hey, Baby," she whispered, "brought you something." She helped him take and hold a mug of warm milk, the one remedy besides human contact they'd found to his nightmares. Caitlin had suggested it, but it had been Kendra (Auntie Bird Angel) who'd taken to adding a splash of hazelnut syrup to it, and sugar on top of that. Wally drank, snuggling closer.

"He took you away," Wally whispered into Barry's shirt. "The Bad Man. I was in the box, and they took you away, an' he said, you were—weren't—"

"I'm right here," Barry murmured. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Promise?"

"Uh-huh. I'm staying right here. I got you."

Short, but it's only meant to be a glimpse of what came after. this was a separate prompted mini-fic through my tumblr, but because it's set in the same universe, I'm putting it with this. Hope you've enjoyed the story, leave a comment if you like.