Little Talks (that i miss so dearly)

Summary: When the errant thought about rejoining the Team ever crossed Wally's mind, he never thought that Artemis wouldn't be by his side. /or: Truth be told, he wouldn't trust himself seeing her again, either. (No matter how much Wally could argue with himself, it still is too soon.)
Rating: K+ for one swear word
Characters/Pairings: Wally West/Kid Flash, Dick Grayson/Nightwing, Artemis Crock/Tigress, season 2 team, slight Spitfire
Words: ~1600

I don't like walking around this old and empty house
So hold my hand, I'll walk with you, my dear
The stairs creak as I sleep, it's keeping me awake
It's the house telling you to close your eyes

He swears it used to be warmer in this apartment. Brucely must agree too, Wally thinks, as the little dog snuggles closer to his leg.

Blue eyes watch him expectantly as he collapses down onto the sofa.

It's the third time Dick has dropped in. It's the second time he's offered. (It was actually more of an order this time, but Wally didn't feel like obeying.)

"Well?"

His best friend's voice— sounding lost and conflicted and mad at something, anything (himself)— is the only thing he can hear, not even the sound of three living beings breathing in the room. He can't help but notice how different he sounds. Back in the good old times, he would sound so much more confident and care-free. The last time he'd heard any semblance to this tone coming from the blue-eyed boy was when he was trying to save Haley's Circus from being shut down.

The green-eyed man (not a boy— he's too lost and angry and too far gone to be a boy right now) shakes his head.

'It's too soon.'

He doesn't have to say it because his friend understands. Their gazes don't meet, and when green eyes finally flick over to the space once occupied, it is empty again.

Some days I can't even trust myself
It's killing me to see you this way

When he finally gives in, Dick isn't there. Only Robin, Wondergirl, Beast Boy, Blue Beetle and Impulse.

Nightwing is on a covert mission with some of the senior members on the team. Kid Flash is to lead the rest of the team to stop an attempt to revive the cobra venom trade.

But Wally knows what Dick has in mind.

So he puts on a grin for the rookies (because none of them had as much experience as he, be it good or bad) and carries on.

Truth be told, he wouldn't trust himself seeing her again, either.

(No matter how much Wally could argue with himself, it still is too soon.)

'Cause though the truth may vary
This ship will carry
Our bodies safe to shore

Wally doesn't miss a beat and if he were honest, maybe he does crave the thrill and danger and adrenaline more than he'd like to admit.

M'gann and Connor are happy to have him back, but he doesn't miss the pitiful glances the they send him behind his back when he instinctively looks to his left when Nightwing is calling teams to split up. His fists clench and he takes a deep breath, and it's okay. (not really)

His cousin or nephew or whatever Bart is to him is often his partner. He talks quite fast (but Wally can understand) and is not afraid to show his affection via countless hugs. Wally supposes that it's okay, though, because he didn't really have anyone in the future.

It's a bittersweet smile behind his bright grin for Bart because the kid has someone now (while Wally still hasn't seen his spitfire yet).

Hey! Hey! Hey!
There's an old voice in my head that's holding me back
Well tell her that I miss our little talks
Soon it will all be over and buried with our past
We used to play outside when we were young
And full of life and full of love

It has been four months back in the life.

Dick is working at a computer (reports of illegal alien weapons being traded in Florida) when Wally approaches him. He knows he's been noticed when nimble fingers freeze on the keyboard.

"Wally," he says slowly, back to the speedster.

"Dick, I—"

"Tomorrow," the dark-haired boy interrupts. Wally is confused for a moment before the word registers.

"T— tomorrow?" he echoes, eyes wide in surprise.

Dick takes a deep breath, shoulders rising and falling dramatically, and turns around to face Wally. He opens his mouth to speak, but no noise comes out. With another deep breath, the blue-eyed boy speaks.

"I'm trusting you, Wally."

Then the computer is shut off and any trace of a blue-eyed, black-haired boy is gone before Wally can snap out of his stupor.

Some days I don't know if I am wrong or right
Your mind is playing tricks on you, my dear
'Cause though the truth may vary
This ship will carry
Our bodies safe to shore

When she first sees him, her eyes widen the slightest bit. But the surprise is gone before he can blink and her gaze hardens once more into that of the merciless assassin.

Nightwing and Miss Martian dodge the incoming manta troopers and head toward the stash of alien weapons. Superboy is taking hits and giving them out, and the rest of the team is plenty busy with dodging laser beams and hard right hooks.

Kaldur isn't there.

Tigress is first to reach Kid Flash. Wally is glad Artemis was on his side, because he doesn't think he could fight her every time they went out on a mission.

And she said she wasn't holding back when they sparred.

His speed barely lets him dodge hits and he can't even begin to duke out any of his own. When she pins him down against the ground, her eyes bore into his.

'What are you doing here?'

'I needed to know that you were still okay (and still alive)."

She starts (almost imperceptibly) and Wally uses that one moment to mouth a quick apology before roughly throwing her off and speeding a safe distance away.

He rushes over to Nightwing, and Nightwing is able to stop Tigress as she tries kick Wally from behind. Tigress sends a glare at the speedster ('This is too dangerous, Wally.') before she is distracted by the punch Nightwing sends her way.

Don't listen to a word I say
Hey!
The screams all sound the same

Her name is on his lips as she topples over the edge of the cliff. It takes everything he has to stay silent (he bites his tongue until the metallic taste of blood fills his mouth). His rage is unleashed onto the poor manta troopers around him and soon the enemy is subdued.

He boards the bioship with a few unconscious teammates in tow, eyes darting back to the cliff's edge repeatedly. (if Nightwing notices, he doesn't comment.)

No golden haired beauty or raven-haired assassin clambers up over the edge and drags herself up, bleeding and bruised and breathing hard.

And they are gone before any of the manta troopers even regain consciousness.

Though the truth may vary
This ship will carry
Our bodies safe to shore

It's three missions later when they see any of Black Manta's forces. Green eyes instinctively search for a flash of gold and orange.

All they see is black and red.

You're gone, gone, gone away
I watched you disappear
All that's left is a ghost of you

Wally stares emptily at the torn shred of a cobra worshipper's hood that Beast Boy had claimed as a souvenir from his first mission back. He hears the footsteps approach him from behind.

"Wally, I'm sorr—"

"No, Dick. I'm sorry I even got involved," he snarls, not even turning around to face his best friend.

"Wally—"

"No," he repeats. "I'm getting tired of all this shit." He sounds so tired and done. Maybe being back wasn't as good as he thought.

One question hangs desolately in the air after Wally's outburst.

'Are you leaving again then?'

Now we're torn, torn, torn apart, there's nothing we can do
Just let me go we'll meet again soon

For the next mission, Nightwing isn't there to brief them.

It's Batgirl and Bumblebee in charge as they navigate through the thick Central American rainforest, looking for the secret hideout to a nuclear weapons dealer.

The unasked question between him and Dick always zooms through Wally's mind at the most inopportune moments. As he is trying to escape the clutches of the baddie's mechanical jaguar, it disorients him and his head is nearly bitten off.

He's a bit out of it for the rest of the mission (he trips over a tree root and later Impulse has to tackle him down to narrowly avoid a bullet) because he finally starts to confront the lingering question.

Now wait, wait, wait for me
Please hang around
I'll see you when I fall asleep

No one mentions the absence of a certain speedster during the next mission.

Hey!
Don't listen to a word I say
Hey!
The screams all sound the same
Though the truth may vary
This ship will carry
Our bodies safe to shore

Wally is running on his treadmill, trying not to break it, when the phone rings loudly. Brucely starts, whining a few times before returning to his nap. Wally lets the answering machine take the call.

There's a click, and he hears his best friend's voice. It sounds urgent and panicked and Wally slows down to a stop on his treadmill.

Don't listen to a word I say
Hey!
The screams all sound the same
Though the truth may vary
This ship will carry
Our bodies safe to shore

"Wally. Wally, I know you're there," Dick gasps out, breathing hard like he just ran a marathon.

"Come to our headquarters now. Everything's destroyed— a fire, I think— but it's her, Wally! She left a note. She burnt down our entire headquarters, but she's alive."

The message clicks to an end as Wally dashes over to the phone and redials as fast as he can.

"I— I'm coming," he stutters, shaking with anticipation as he hangs up and dashes out the door.