Wally opened his eyes, silently cursing the bright sun. Why did it still shine so brightly? His sun was gone, and the big one didn't deserve to shine if his was gone.
Three nights ago, Wally had gotten a call from Uncle Barry. Dick had joined the League on a mission, but something had gone wrong. Dick had suffered injuries too great to survive. Wally had barely gotten to say goodbye before Dick's heart stopped.
Wally hadn't slept well since then. Every night it was just nightmare after nightmare, and he hated it. He wanted Dick back. His heart felt empty without him.
"Walls, it's time to wake up." Barry's soft voice stirred him from his internal destruction of the sun. Uncle Barry was staying with him for a little while, until he got a little better. He probably needed someone there, lest he try to join Dick.
Wally pulled the blanket closer, trying to hide from the sun and his uncle. "C'mon, now. I'm not that ugly, am I?" Barry teased, gently poking Wally's back. Wally didn't respond, trying to melt into the bed. He just wanted to disappear for a while.
"You need to eat something, Walls. Isn't that what Dick would want? He'd want you to take care of yourself." Barry whispered, rubbing Wally's shoulder. Wally knew that's what Dick would want, but that wasn't what he wanted. What he wanted was to destroy the sun in the sky. Maybe he could sneak out and do that. It should only take a few years.
Wally sighed as Barry lifted him out of bed, leaving the blanket behind. There went his plans of destroying the sun. As long as Barry was totting him around, it wasn't going to happen.
"Just like old times, huh? Me carrying you out of bed." Barry said, trying to get a response from the younger speedster. Wally just sighed. Yeah, it was familiar, but it would be more fun if Dick was still there.
Wally was sat on the couch, and Barry went to the kitchen. He'd been helping Iris cook, so he at least had a little cooking ability. It wasn't like the food was terrible, but it wasn't Dick's food.
Barry's phone started ringing, snapping Wally out of his daydream. He wasn't really sure what it was about, he just knew Dick was in it. Barry walked over, pulling it off the charger and holding it to his ear.
"This is Barry." "We need you at the tower, Barry." "Now?" "Yes. I know what you're doing, but this is urgent." "Someone needs to be with him." "I've got that covered. She'll be there soon. You need to go." "I can't leave him alone." "He will be fine. Based on what you've observed, he may just lay down."
"That's not the point I'm making. What happens if I'm gone, and something happens? I don't know if Wally will want to save himself." "That's why we need you here. We need to talk." "Can't we talk on the phone?" "This needs to be in person."
Barry bit his lip and sighed. "Fine, but I'm waiting for this other person to show up first. I'm not going to risk anything." "Just don't take too long." "I don't plan on it." Barry hung up, looking back over at Wally. "Walls, I need to talk to you real quick."
Wally looked at Barry as he crouched down, sitting up. "Bruce needs me at the watchtower. He's sending someone over to fill in for me. I need you to stay out of trouble, okay? Stay away from any blades, don't go near anything that can hurt you. I know it doesn't seem like it, but those things can be enticing if you let them get too close, okay?"
Wally nodded. "Good. I'll leave once she arrives, so don't worry too much. I want you to relax, okay? If you can, try and walk around some. You'll feel better." Wally nodded again, resting his head on Barry's shoulder. For a few seconds, everything was peaceful.
A knock on the door startled them out of silence. Wally watched as Barry walked to the door, already wanting him back. Uncle Barry was his rock right now, and he was about to leave. He was gonna leave, just like Dick did.
"Hey, Artemis. Bats send you?" "Yeah. How is he?" "Doing about as well as I expected." "That bad?" "Yeah. I think he's getting better, though. Not by much, but it's progress. He's on the couch right now." "How long do you think it'll take for him to get better?" "I don't know if he'll ever fully heal from this. It'll be like when Tula died for Aqualad. He won't be the same."
Artemis nodded, walking over to the couch and sitting next to Wally. The redhead barely acknowledged her presence, stuck in his own world. "Will you be alright?" "Yeah, I'll be fine. You better hurry, Bats'll kill you if you don't." "I know. I'll see you two later." Barry closed the door behind him, headed to the Watchtower.
"Well, looks like it's just you and me." Artemis smiled at Wally. Wally didn't answer, eyes foggy. His hands were shaking in his lap, and he looked like he might cry at any moment. "Hey, Walls, it's okay. He'll be back." Artemis gently grabbed one hand, rubbing her thumb over the back.
Everything hit Wally like a train. Dick was gone, and he'd never be able to change that. His life with his husband was over. They would never have kids together, never have a long life, they'd never be able to look back on all their adventures and laugh. The dam broke, and the tears that he'd been holding back for so long were finally released.
Artemis held the sobbing speedster to her chest, petting his head as he cried. She wasn't surprised he was breaking down. Barry might've been the only thing keeping these emotions from coming to the surface. Even though Wally's tight grip was a little painful, she knew he needed to hold onto something while his world fell apart. What did he do? What could he do, now that Dick was gone?
It seemed like all the plans they'd made over the past fifteen years had just fallen apart. They'd never gotten to travel the world as tourists, they'd never made a family, never settled down and passed the mantle on to anyone else. Everything was gone, and done. Nothing could ever change that.
"Hey, Walls, breathe for me. You're gonna choke if you don't." Artemis gently cupped his face, making him hold his head up. Wally took in a shuddering breath, wiping the tears away. His throat was heavy with saliva, and his mouth was dry. "Can I get some water?" "Yeah. Stay here, okay? I'll be right back."
Wally looked out the window, taking uneven breaths. For a second, just a second, it felt like Dick was there with him. It felt like he wasn't alone. Unfortunately, it wasn't real. As much as he wanted to hold Dick in his arms again, it was impossible. His Dickie was gone.
