I had a fit. Basically. Reread a lot of YJ stuff, remembered my love. etc etc.

Apologies are at the end of this fic, as well as explanations. But here we are. A final chapter. Thank god.

Part Three: Whole

Everything Comes Together

It was understandably difficult to explain the situation to Wally. The child didn't understand what it meant, or why things had soured so suddenly. The worst part was that the Wests had cut the landline, and their house had gone up for sale and they were just gone, gone within the two days it took for Iris and Barry to sort through the betrayal and abandonment that Wally felt.

All that was left was a letter from Mary.

Wally tucked the letter away, and never spoke of what it said.

What happened after that was rather textbook in how quickly things went. Iris shoved her emotions about Rudy down her throat and didn't speak of the Wests. Instead, she and Barry bought a townhome, a block away from the Garricks. Hal helped them move. Helped them set up the second bedroom for Wally, who filled it wall to wall with superheroes and action figures and the Flash.

The Garricks cooked, and they had a small barbecue. They invited Speedy and Robin, both equally boisterous and teasing, but equally eager to get to know the new kid on the block. Wally was thrilled, distracted by their presence.

It wasn't enough to make up for everything that had happened, but it was a step in the direction to being whole.

It would be easy to say that it was magical, the way Wally settled into life with the Allens. As though it was something that was always meant to be. It would also be a lie, and if Barry was anything, he was honest. It wasn't easy. Wally missed his parents, and Bruce tried, he did, to locate them. He probably did find them, but he never approached Barry. The search, after all, didn't matter. Not anymore, at least. The Wests never called, the Allens never tried. It was a lost relationship on both ends, and in this strange custodial hearing, it was Wally that lost.

The Garricks were a blessing. Constantly stepping in to babysit, to help with the homework, to sit and watch Wally just be Wally. That, perhaps, was the strangest thing. Wally learning to be Wally.

There were rumours, the media dogged Flash for joining the child endangerment bandwagon. Several supermodels came out as the Flash's secret lover. Even more ordinary women. Everyone with a splash of red hair was vying for the position as the Kid's baby mother. None of these stories fell through, but the media dogged each speculation. It was different, because the Batman and Robin were too different for the media to assume a relation, and because nobody could confirm if Speedy was indeed the Green Arrow's biological or adopted child. But the Flash's kid, with his exact powers? Had to be blood.

It was a bitter joke in the Allen house, one only made once and immediately forgotten because if Barry was anything, he was honest. And the minute Wally became any bit a speedster, biologically, he was theirs. Iris, of course, hesitated, because she had known Mary. Had liked Mary. They didn't say it, never explicitly. But parental rights were theirs.

Time passed, and the Kid did make an official debut. Captain Cold went easy, used a lighter Freeze Ray, one that wasn't as chilly. Nobody commented on it because Wally had preserved the frozen boot in the freezer. Missions came, Missions went.

Life went on. And slowly, slowly the pieces came together.

The news of the Wests' divorce came down the pipeline, as these things always do. Iris heard first, from an old friend from High School who was now married and wanted all the dirt on the details. Two years too late, was Iris' only remark, before she left work, always a bit tired, but that was a natural state. Wally was now in High School, full time and proper. She didn't know what Mary intended, but it was exhausting just thinking about the woman. Telling Barry that night over dinner worked her into a state, and Barry, sweet, gentle Barry, he took her aside and whispered, concerned, soft words that made her heart soften, as she nodded consent.

Wally listened. The letter remained un-open, as he asked to skip dinner that night.

"He's in Gotham, isn't he?" asked Barry, sitting with Iris as an advertisement for a cruise flashed on television.

"He's with his friends," said Iris, her smile a secret, for them, and only them. "Let him have some fun."

So they let Wally go, and have fun, because that was part of Wally's life, and he deserved that break. That right to be happy without them. For a long time, Wally had been scared, scared he'd never have friends again. Those memories were a distant past.

"Should we go on a cruise, Mr. Allen?" asked Iris, staring at the gaudily clad announcer on the screen, and Barry laughed.

There was a whoosh of air, and a taller, more confident boy stood behind them, grinning as he said, "I could be down for a cruise."

Wally West was no longer the same boy Iris and Barry remembered, the one that clung to his mother's shoulder, the one that didn't know how to speak up. He was more vocal, more confident. He spoke assuredly. Stood taller. The boy that he had been was left behind, clinging to his mother's skirts somewhere. Some days, Barry missed him. Some days, Iris wondered if they'd done right by that boy, if he would have been this happy had she removed him sooner. Had she taken more action. But most days, the small family had some quiet relief, sitting around the television and joking about commercials, as they were now.

"You get to visit the League Hall tomorrow, right?" said Iris, "You should head to bed early."

Wally gave a grin, and accepted the hug, a kiss to his temple, but he found his way, meandering up the stairs, towards his bedroom. It was odd, watching him go, knowing that tomorrow, the same boy that had stumbled into the League in his Jay's arms, half dead from the exposure to strange energy beams, would be joining the League, working with them part time in their Hall. Was working on his way up to the Justice League itself.

"Time flies, huh?" asked Barry, wrapping an arm around Iris' waist.

"It really does," she mused, setting the empty bowl of popcorn on the table, the kernels rattling against each other, "You know we should probably follow him to bed too, you have an early day tomorrow."

"Wouldn't want to be late, now would we? Fastest men on Earth," teased Barry, grinning at the idea - he was building such an unfortunate reputation with that. But it was ridiculously apt for him.

"Come on Flash, bed time," said Iris.

And if the two of them ducked into Wally's room, each on separate times, Barry, taking a full minute as Iris washed her face, to brush a hand on the sleeping teenager's head, and Iris, a full five as Barry showered, to brush her nephew's head, and give him a soft kiss on his temple, neither of them said anything. After all, time really had flown.

Tomorrow would be a new day.

They were coming together, at last.

I'm sort of despicable, updating this with such a short ending. Mostly I hated not having this finished, y'know.

I guess this demands explanations.

Well... I started university. That was a doozy and a half. To say it lightly. I loved and hated it. Warning for those of you that go into university - IT IS NOT LIKE THE MOVIES. I survived nearly failing. Some anxiety. etc etc. It was a hell of a time. Practically dropped off the face of the earth.

I also started RPing on forums, writing a bit there, which has been great on my nerves, and I've made lifelong friendships. That said, it took into a lot of my writing time. And partially I just wasn't feeling the YJ fandom at the time, with all the change and my own issues alongside things. Coming back to this fic, I am appalled and slightly ashamed to admit I don't even remember what I wrote. Had to reread it. But it's finished now. Woo.

In terms of the other fics, I will not be completing them. It's just been too long. If I do complete anything, it may be Bat-Clan. I don't know. Don't hold me to it. I know this had a sequel, but Christ. It's been too long. A lot has changed. I am writing, on another alias, on AO3. I will be writing YJ stuff again, but only on AO3 and nothing is coming, not yet at least. I'd rather be finished it before I post, if I post. My confidence took a beating, and well, eh. Personal stuff sucks. Don't grow up.

In short. This is an ending. It's the best I can do after so long. I'm sorry. But thank you for supporting this fic, and thank you for your affection over the years 3