Chapter 4

"You know, I don't think I'd be able to manage living your life." Linda clinked her tiny spoon against her mug before setting it on the wooden table. "I mean, even with the-" she waved her hands at him vaguely "-you know, I don't think I'd have time for everything."

Wally snorted. "I guess." He picked up his own mug. "Coffee helps. I've heard that, if you drink enough of it, you don't need sleep anymore."

"My kind of superpower!" Linda agreed with a laugh.

Over the past few months, Linda had grown to become a close friend. With her help, tracking down criminals was indisputably easier. She had connections, sources to feed her information about all the cartel wars, weapon deals and slave rings across the northern United States. With her help, Wally was exponentially more effective.

"Still," she carried on, "you're something else, Wally West." He grinned. "I've heard your work has started inspiring other vigilantes."

"Is that so?" Wally couldn't say he was surprised. His uncle had been his inspiration. Back home, after the initial founding of the Justice League, more and more heroes had just kept popping up.

"Yea, there's reports coming out of Star City. Some guy's out pinning down bad guys with – get this – arrows." Wally froze. "No public interviews yet. Seems like no one can track him down." Wally slowly set his coffee down, his eyebrows furrowing. Linda lowered an eyebrow at him. "You okay, Space Man?"

"Uh, yea." Forcing himself to relax, Wally flashed her a smile. "Sounds way cool. But I should run, I have class soon."

The reporter watched as he packed up his bag. "You're a weird one, Wally," she muttered as he moved to leave.

"Nice seeing you too, Lin."

The Oliver Queen of this world was nothing like the Oliver Queen he'd grown up with.

For one, he didn't have a goatee. Which, in Wally's opinion, was by far a better look. He was younger, solemn and serious. This Ollie didn't have many friends. There was no Roy Harper, of any age, in Star City (he'd checked). A Dinah Lance had popped up in his searches, but when he'd tracked her down and worked out an excuse to talk to her, he knew she couldn't possibly be Black Canary. Not many 14-year-old girls were martial arts masters.

There was no Artemis Crock here either.

He'd probably talk to Oliver Queen at some point. Or maybe he'd ask Linda to do it. But for now, the guy was too raw and new to the game to be of much help. And though Wally hated to admit it, just seeing Ollie made him homesick in a way that he hadn't been in years.

"Mr. West."

Wally rubbed his eyes, head pounding. Finals started tomorrow. He needed to be ready, but with his three jobs, crime fighting and recent investigations in Star City, he'd had to divide his remaining time between studying and sleep. Which was why he now found himself exhausted at the Central Community College library at 1 A.M.

Looking up from his textbook, Wally started, shock driving all thoughts of sleep from his mind. "Mr. Wayne." Was this a dream?

The elder man smiled, the corner of his mouth wrinkling gently. "Please, call me Thomas. Would you mind if I sat here?" He gestured to the open seat at the table, directly across from him.

"No, uh, not at all." Wally swallowed, pushing a hand through his hair nervously. This had to be a dream. "Uh… how can I help you?"

Thomas chuckled, wringing his fingers together. "You help plenty, son. I had thought, perhaps, it is time that someone helps you."

"Uh…. What?" This could not be happening. This could not be real.

"Do you remember the first time we met?" Wally scrunched up his nose. "You knocked on my front door, asked for Alfred, and then disappeared." Thomas laughed, the sound genuine and full. "I'd thought I was going senile." Wally groaned internally. He'd nearly forgotten about that. Thomas continued. "But then, I saw reports about the Flash on the news, and I knew." This time, Wally groaned out loud.

The speedster peeked at his guest through grimacing eyes. "There's no chance you'd believe me if I said I didn't know what you were talking about, is there?"

Thomas Wayne grinned and shook his head. "Afraid not." When Wally reached up to rub his temples, Thomas continued. "Listen, I'm not here to cause any trouble for you. What you're doing – I think it's great."

Wally nodded slowly. "Uh… Thank you, sir."

Thomas chuckled again. "Don't thank me yet, son." The speedster raised his eyebrows. "As an extension of the Wayne Foundation, I've come to offer you assistance. Discreetly, of course." Thomas gestured around the empty building. "Which is why I've come so late at night. Anything you need, I'd be more than glad to supply."

"Oh, no, sir, I'm not doing this for-" Wally froze, a thought crossing his mind.

"Actually, there is one thing you might be able to help me with."

Two and a half years and one ceremony later, Wally was a full-fledged graduate of Central Community College with a degree in Forensic Science. That evening, he had treated Linda and Ms. Gyeon to dinner at the local buffet, and he'd eaten as much as he'd wanted.

As a graduation present, Ms. Gyeon had made him a recipe book of all her favorite Korean dishes. Hand-written and leather-bound, it was one of the most beautiful presents he'd ever received.

Linda had gotten him a gift basket. It contained a variety of different foods, including a small box of Jasmine tea. "All your favorites," she'd said with a smile. Wally smiled back, and though he'd never tell her that he wouldn't drink the tea, he appreciated it nonetheless.

Two weeks after that, he received a package in the mail. Though it was unmarked, he knew he had Thomas Wayne to thank for this particular graduation gift. When he opened it, Wally discovered a social security card, birth certificate and driver's license, all three real, and all three in his name.