Chapter Text
Dr. Fate was just as elusive in this world. Wally anxiously waited for a call from Fate that never came. This Fate may have possessed a phone, but he did not return calls. Despite that, life was as good as it could be, he supposed. When Wally wasn't at the Watchtower he was at the Flash's apartment, possibly asleep on the couch. The Justice League offered him a real bed at the Watchtower, but Wally preferred to be on the ground where running away was much easier.
Not that Wally did much running: Mr. Terrific kept Wally on a strict schedule about the running. He had to be monitored even though every one of his vital signs was reading normally. It meant Wally never had too much energy and needed more to do.
So Michael started to let Wally work in the lab. It gave him something to keep his mind occupied. Wally wasn't a lab kind of guy back on his earth. Typically, Dick would handle all of the science stuff. Not that Wally couldn't but compared to his best friend, he was a bit of a novice. Wally still wasn't allowed near the super technologically advanced stuff, probably for the best, but Michael let him tinker away at some of his smaller projects. It took a lot of convincing to convince Michael that Wally was perfectly capable of working on some of the larger projects and equations. Wally may not be able to graduate college, but he still took those classes, and Wally refused to believe that they couldn't count for anything. Again, Wally was more than glad when Michael handled all the technical programs but happened to listen because it gave him a problem to solve, something to work on that could feasibly be fixed, instead of sitting around all day twiddling his thumbs and avoiding superheroes.
However, working with Michael was on a whole other level. It was harder and easier; harder because Michael was way smarter than Wally, Information consistently went over his head, and Wally would have to ask Michael to slow down and explain. Despite this, Michael still treated Wally as an equal, and easier because their technology was behind Wally's. He could understand more than the average Joe. But for Wally, a scientist at heart, it was a whole new level of mathematics. No longer was the discussion about alternate dimensions hypothetical. The theoretical quantum physics about bridging dimensions wasn't theoretical.
Michael eventually trusted Wally to work on some of the equipment. The monotonous challenge of assembling the machines from Michael's blueprints helped keep Wally's mind busy, effectively distracting him from thinking too hard about much of anything. Wally knew repressing his emotions like that wasn't healthy, but he told himself it wouldn't matter if he could just get back home. In any case, Wally didn't know what would give out first: his patience with the machine he and Mr. Terrific were building to get him home, or his mental fortitude. Wally was undeniably homesick.
For the same reason, Mr. Terrific wouldn't let Wally run without monitors, he wouldn't let him work at an abnormally fast pace, not that Wally was planning on it. Getting his speed back didn't change the fact that speedsters only remember what they read at superspeed for a few seconds.
Michael let Wally practice occasionally in the lab under heavy supervision and monitoring. Under the watchful eyes of Mr. Terrific, Wally used the treadmill to get up to speed while Mr. Terrific watched for any irregularities in Wally's biosignatures. So far, so good. Still, Wally expected to be disappointed. Everything else in the multiverse worked against him, so why shouldn't his body, too?
Wally began to lose track of the days, but he suspects it may have been a week, possibly a week and a half, of his zombie-like behavior and vehement denial. His constant vigilance helped keep the grief and homesickness at bay. Every day was worse because each day felt a little less like he would make it home.
Then the Flash threw him a curveball, or more accurately, the Justice League rocked his universe. The Flash found Wally working on something in the lab and dragged him readily away. Mr. Terrific didn't even watch them leave. "Where are we going?" Wally protested as the Flash dragged him by the collar of his shirt. The Flash, in response, sent Wally his signature grin, which was not as charming the other way around.
Wally followed into a conference room with the Justice League's symbols emblazoned on the back of some of the chairs. Wally gulped. Not everyone was there, thankfully. Not-Hal Green Lantern was gone as was Hawkwoman, which was a relief but still intimidating. "Whatever you think I did," Wally explained. "It wasn't me."
Superman laughed, and the Flash supersped himself into his chair. He beamed at Wally. "Can I tell him?" He addressed the Justice League. Batman waved his hand at the Flash, which he interpreted as the signal to start. Wally stood there, hands awkwardly held at his sides, wishing nothing more than for it to be his uncle under the Flash hood.
"We're sending a team to space. I'm going," the Flash began. "Do you want to be the Flash while I'm gone?"
Wally's ears started ringing. Him? The Flash? But the Flash wasn't finished yet.
"If you do it, then none of the criminals in Central City will have to know I'm gone. Also, you already know Central City's rogue gallery, so you're better prepared to deal with them than anyone else."
Wally stammered and scratched the back of his neck. "Oh, well, I-" but the Flash still wasn't finished.
"Flash is more than just a crime fighter to Central City. I know you understand that. So, I can't think of anyone to fill in for me, then me or you, or you get the point."
Wally's mouth was dry. "How long?"
"A few days, at most," Flash explained, while Batman said, "Four days."
Wally continued to stand there, stunned and having difficulties processing what was occurring. "To be clear," Wonder Woman said, "we noted and decided we could trust you enough to take care of this."
Wally nodded like an idiot. He wanted to say "No, thank you," but it was hard when the Justice League stared at you like that. Wally rubbed the back of his neck anxiously. Could he do this? He thought about what he was feeling, a trick Dinah taught him. He was anxious and afraid, but there was a bit of thrill also, at the chance to be a superhero again.
"Okay, I'll do it." Besides, it was only four days; how hard could it be?
Earth-12
Central City
Two days later
So apparently, the Flash never caught Harley Quinn after her escapade in the Flash Museum, or maybe he did, but she broke out of jail. Whatever the reason, she was back in Central City and Wally's number one problem. Wally never fought Harley Quinn personally and never wanted to; however, sometimes dreams must die. He was the Flash, whether he liked it or not, and Wally had a job to do. Wally ran to Central City's Professionals in Psychiatry Conference and saw the storm of people fleeing out of the conference hall. As Wally raced through the crowds he people frozen in ice, their faces trapped mid-scream. Wally sighed and ran into the building, carefully avoiding fleeing civilians.
The call came in through Flash's police scanner, but there wasn't a whole lot of detail in the message. Mostly just that Harley Quinn was back and freezing people. Basically, Wally didn't know what he was getting himself into.
The conference hall was a mess, with tables strewn about and confetti everywhere. Harley was on stage, holding a golden clipboard and mid-monologue. "—Said I was crazy, well, all I have to say to that is—" Wally cut her off. He mustered up his old kid swagger and all the mannerisms he picked up from his uncle. He leaned casually against the wall behind Harley —which Wally later reflected was an unstrategic move—and clapped. The sound of his claps echoed eerily in the nearly empty conference hall. Only a few frozen civilians remained frozen-solid while Harley clutched Captain Cold's gun. That explained why she broke into the Flash Museum. Harley spun around when she heard Wally's clap, ready to fight with the gun aimed at him.
"I'd say congratulations, but we both know you didn't earn that," Harley huffed and lifted the gun. "I expected you to show, Speedy, that's why I picked up this little thing from the gift shop," and she fired.
Wally reappeared on the other side of the hall. "For the last time, that's Green Arrow's sidekick," he huffed, but quickly moved again when Harley fired. She was quick.
"Shouldn't you be beating up monkeys or something?" Harley looked around for the Flash, but Wally tapped her on the shoulder before dancing out of the range of her kicks.
"That's not nice," he said playfully. "If you're going to visit someone at least make sure you know their name, first!"
Harley grunted and fired the cold gun rapidly, aiming at everything, which admittedly, slowed Wally down considerably. Additionally, the cold seeped into Wally's bones and slowed him down.
So, instead, he got close and tapped her shoulder again; however, instead of running away, he waited until she turned and then pushed her forward, so the momentum from Wally and her spin continued, twirling her off the stage.
"Whoa," she said and dropped the gun. She bared her teeth angrily. "You'll pay for that, Speedy!"
Wally would have apprehended her there and then, but with the ice coating the ground from all the shots getting around was a little more tricky. He didn't make it in time.
Another figure burst through the ceiling in a trail of gold, snatching the golden clipboard out of a stunned Harley's hands. She sat on the ground, eyes wide, following as the golden figure made her exit. "Oh, come on!" she exclaimed. "This was my caper! Mine!"
Wally made a split-second decision. He used the stage curtains to tie up Harley and put her in the back of a cop car outside the venue. Of course, Wally doubted that would hold an enraged Harley Quinn for very long, but there were other problems to worry about. He had to buy time to find Golden Glider before she could escape for good. After a few seconds of checking the streets outside the venue in the direction Glider left, Wally found her trail and went up the nearest rooftop, launching himself onto the trail of gold. She looked behind herself, her expression pleased, but that fell when she saw the Flash.
"Not you again! Shouldn't you be dealing with the clown?"
"Oh, but I always have time for you!" Wally went through what he knew about Lisa Snart, and to be honest, that wasn't a whole lot. Oh well, he was fine with improvising. "Give it up, Snart. You know you can't outrun me," even though Wally struggled to stay on Golden Glider's trail. it wasn't easy to stay on, and Wally barely kept up. He constantly adjusted to stay on the flying golden trail, winding through the skyscrapers. Lisa turned, and to Wally's shock, instead of taunting him, she turned all the way around and barreled straight into him. Wally had a split second to consider his options. Option One: try to vibrate through her. Option Two: let her run him over with her razor-sharp skates. Option Three was to throw himself onto the nearest rooftop. He chose Option Three. The second he launched himself off the golden trail.
The Golden Glider grinned wickedly and taunted the prone Wally, who picked himself up. "What's wrong, Flash? Too slow?" Wally grumbled; however, Snart's escape didn't make it far. Harley Quinn emerged off the nearest rooftop on a pogo stick and launched herself, pogo stick and all, at Lisa Snart. Harley dropped the pogo at the last second and threw herself at Lisa. They tumbled off Lisa's path and missed the roof, plummeting to the ground below.
Flash acted fast. He got underneath the woman and ran in circles, generating an updraft that was fortunate enough to slow them in their descent in time, so they landed on the ground with a few bruises rather than a few broken bones
Their lives were still very much at risk. Harley and Glider wrestled over the golden clipboard, and it was Wally's job as the Flash to break it up. "it's mine!" Harley screamed as she yanked it back. "No, it's mine!" Harley screamed as she yanked it back. "No, it's mine!" Glider screamed and wrestled the clipboard back like a sick game of tug of war.
"You're not even a psychiatrist!" Harley screamed back. The Flash watched them go back and forth, both amused and horrified. Glider bared her teeth and yanked the clipboard back. "Everyone knows that I steal all the gold in this city, so just crawl back to whatever circus you came from!"
Harley growled. "What even are you? No, wait, don't tell me. You're one of those statues in the park, aren't you!"
Glider yanked it back. "It's mine!"
Harley scoffed. "Yeah, right," and she kicked Glider in the head, knocking her out. Wally blinked, slightly surprised. That made his job easier. Harley held the clipboard above her head triumphantly before remember Flash. "Oh right, I forgot about Speedy," she faced the Flash. "I just knocked out your villain, so technically, you owe me a favor."
Flash crossed his arms and tapped his foot. "Give it up, Harley."
Wally was fast, but Harley had quick reflexes. She jumped up the fire escape, pulled out the silly string, and aimed it at the Flash all before he could react. Wally knew that was not a silly string, and Harley came way more prepared than he thought she would, so he could only dodge as Harley continued up the fire escape.
But today was Wally's lucky day. Harley crested the lip of the roof when, across the alley on a neighboring rooftop, something was launched at her, whizzing through the air as it wrapped itself around her body.
There was only one family that it could be. Wally ran up the fire escape to see Nightwing on the roof, securing Harley's bonds.
Wally huffed. "I had her." He crossed his arms.
Nightwing snorted. "Sure you did! That's why I had to tie her up."
Flash shrugged. "I had it handled."
Nightwing raised his eyebrow skeptically (most likely because it was under the mask). "I doubt that."
Flash rolled his eyes even though the mask obscured it, he was sure Nightwing could tell what he was doing. "Give me a second." Flash picked up Harley and supersped her back to the security van at the orginal crime scene specifically made for transporting prisoners to blackgate. Wally made sure she was extra secure and extra cuffed so there would be no repeat incidents, and the he stopped, picked up Glider, and dropped her off as well.
One of the caps tilted his had in acknowledgment as the Flash stopped. "Thanks again, Flash."
"Just doing my duty, officer," Wally smiled. It was odd to be called the Flash, but he told himself it was just temporary and the real Flash would return soon. Still, it was refreshing to be a Superhero again. Wally knew he msised the adrenaline and the thrill, but he never realized how much he missed the little things like the conversations with the people he saved.
Wally caught sight of a camera crew following a woman with long black hair in the distance and closing in fast. That must have been Linda Park. Wally had other business to attend to, and he really couldn't afford interviews in case he let something slip. He ran away back to the rooftop, but Nightwing was gone.
Wally frowned. he knew Dick Grayson almost better than anyone, so where did he go?" Wally smirked and ran to the tallest building nearby, Big Belly Burger corporate headquarters. Sure enough, he saw a bat-like jet parked on the building. Wally approached it and looked around for a few seconds before he heard the twang of a grapple as it connected with the roof. He leaned against the ship and watched as Nightwing swung onto the roof. "Were you going to leave without saying goodbye, Nightwing?" Wally smiled. In an instant, Nightwing drew a wingding but lowered it when he saw it was the Flash. "How did you know I'd be here?"
Flash shrugged. "It's Central City. I know my city," even if it did belong to someone else and another universe.
Nightwing frowned at the statement but approached the airplane anyway. "What do you want?"
"I want to talk," that's when Wally caught sight of the rat in Nightwing's hair. Seriously? Wally burst into laughter. Nightwing's eyes rose in shock. "What are you laughing at?" He looiked around the rooftops, suspicious that the Joker was somewhere nearby. Wally tried to stop laughingh. he wanted to reassure the man the Joker wasn't involved, but rather, he hunched over, hands clutched around his stomach. he gradually felt tears start to form in the corners of his eyes. "You look like an idiot."
Nightwing stiffened. "What?"
Wally managed to take a deep breath. "Nightwing, Dick, as your best friend from another universe, I feel obligated to tell you that that hair isn't working out for you."
Nightwing blinked. "What?"
Wally held out his hand. "We haven't formally met. I'm not the Flash. I'm his counterpart from another dimension. I'm filling in for him while h'es away.
Nightwing shook the hand skeptically, his hands still hovering around his belt. Wally coun't blame him.
"Did Batman send you to check up on me?"
"No, I was following Harley's trail. It led me here. Are you really from another dimension? This isn't a joke, right Flash."
Wally nodded. "Correct."
"And you know me from your other Universe?"
Wally nodded again. "Correct."
"So, how much do you know about me?"
Wally grinned. "Are you hungry? I know I am!" He started to walk away. "This is a conversation to be had over pizza. What do you think?"
Wally grinned wider when Nightwing followed.
Pizza was promptly delivered and served at the Wally West of this earth's apartment.
Nightwing, now Dick Grayson, pointed aggressively at the Flash, now Wally West. "Let me get this straight: you and I were costumed sidekick buddies, and we joined up with other costumed sidekick children to form a junior Justice League?"
Wally nodded and shoved another slice of pizza into his mouth, courtesy of Dick Grayson's trust fund. "Pretty much."
"Were we any good," Dick took a slice of his pizza.
"Meh, we generally ended up blowing stuff up."
Dick nodded. "That tracks."
"I guess I become Nightwing in your universe, too, since you recognized me immediately. Am I still a badass."
Wally raised an eyebrow. "I'm not going to feed your massive ego, you're already a Dick."
"Ha ha, very funny," Dick mocked. "You don't exactly come across as Mr. Humble yourself."
Wally set his pizza slice down. "Once upon a time, maybe, but not anymore. I guess retiring, dying, being sent to another universe, and getting shown up by your younger cousin from an alternate future kind of does that."
Dick's eyes widen. "That sucks."
Wally shrugged. "Other than that. What's going on with you? Any romantic relationships, supervillains, or siblings keeping you busy?"
"No, always, and what?"
Wally rubbed the back of his neck at Dick's confusion. "You know, like Bat-Family stuff?"
"Do I really call it that?"
"Yes."
"Huh."
"So?" Wally trailed off. What was he supposed to do? What was he supposed to say? Why did it have to be so awkward?
"So what?"
"What's going on with the Bat Family."
Dick shrugged. "I don't really hang around Gotham anymore. Everything with Batgirl and me is just so awkward--"Wally nodded his head--"and don't even get me started on Bruce. I guess I would like to spend more time with Tim, but that kid doesn't need me."
Wally crossed his legs on the couch and rested his hands on his knees. "You and Barbara?"
Dick crossed his arms. "We dated in college. Then I found out she was Batgirl the whole time, and I got into a fight with Bruce, and then yeah." He shrugged. "No more us."
Wally shook his head. "I don't believe you."
"What?!"
Wally clapped his hands together and got all philosophical. He could talk Dick/Barbara all day. He even prepared a speech for his Dick whenever he actually decided to get serious, the chump. "Look, you and Barbara are, like, perfect for each other. You haven't gotten together yet in my universe, but everyone knows it's bound to happen. But you, sir, you had it. As your best friend in another universe, you can't just throw away what you have or the both of you will regret it for the rest of your life."
"Look, I know you're looking out for me and all, but this is my business," Nightwing took an overly aggressive bite of his pizza.
Wally raised his hands in surrender. "Fine, fine, but if I get back home and the two of you are happily together, I'm coming back here to rub it in your face."
"How can you be so sure that it will work out?"
Wally shrugged. "Because I know them. And from what I know of you, you let Bruce get in the way of your life. Something happened to us when we were kids, and from then on, you vowed to be nothing like Bruce. I think that's why he's better at relationships than you, honestly."
"I am not bad at relationships!"
"Really?" Wally raised an eyebrow.
Dick deflated. "Okay, maybe I struggle a bit, and you're starting to sound like Tim."
Wally nodded. "You should listen to him; he's probably right. Or at least, the Tim I know is usually right."
Dick snorted. "I think getting a big head is the last thing that kid needs."
"Yeah, you're probably right."
They silently munched on their pizza for a minute before Nightwing asked another question. "So, tell me more about this other Dick Grayson who's so good with relationships. What's he like with the Bat Family? Does he work in Bludhaven or Gotham?"
"Bludhaven, mostly. And he's their big brother. I know he feels partly responsible for what happened to Jason, so he's always trying to be there for Tim."
"Who's Jason?"
Wally choked on his pizza, and he had to spit it out. He then promptly muttered a few swears. "Well, uhh," Wally rubbed the back of his neck. "He was the second Robin."
"But Tim is the second Robin."
"Tim is the third Robin."
"Wow, okay, so what happened to him?"
"He died. Tragically." Dick's eyes told Wally he understood. Wally would not be talking about how he died today.
"And Bruce took on another Robin?"
"Tim basically showed up, blackmailed Batman, and never left."
"He blackmailed him?" Dick couldn't stop the incredulousness from entering his voice.
"With his secret identity."
Dick laughed. "Why am I not surprised?" Dick smiled. "So, how did Jason become Robin?"
"He stole the hubcaps off the Batmobile."
Dick's eyes widen. "You're kidding."
"I am not." Wally raised his hand in the air. "I swear it."
"What was he like, Jason?" Dick looked down at his hands, uncertain and afraid he might say something wrong.
"Oh, stubborn, reckless, kind of violent, actually, but he was a good kid."
"I'm sorry."
Wally sighed., and leaned back against the couch, running a hand through his hair. "It feels like a lifetime ago, but well, no world's perfect, right."
"Yeah, I guess."
It was nostalgic, and although Nightwing's presence there was welcome, it wasn't comforting. This was not Wally's best friend. He was more jaded, less of a people person, and far more like Batman. But Wally wasn't going to tell him that, so they spent the next hour finishing off the pizza and joking around like the twenty-somethings they were.
Two Days Later
The Watchtower
When Wally returned to the Watchtower to watch the arrival of the Flash and a few of the other Justice League members that went with him, Wally survived. He dealt with a few B-list villains, but they weren't that much of a challenge. Central City was in one piece, and no one suspected a thing, except for maybe Linda Park and her lack of a Flash interview--but other than that--Wally felt rewarded and normal like there wasn't some gaping hole in his chest that reminded him every second that this world was not his home.
Inevitably, Michael found him. He materialized beside Wally, who nearly jumped out of his suit. "I've got something to show you."
"What?" He followed a giddy Mr. Terrific back into his lab. He began to explain. "I've been fiddling with your old suit, or what was left of it," Michael explained. "It contains things that I never thought I would see outside of me building it, of course. The only person with technology that would even compare to this is, well, me, and maybe Wayne Enterprises, but that's neither here nor there."
Wally didn't know how to respond to that. "Yeah."
Mr. Terrific shook his head. "It's a shame that with all this advanced technology, your Earth never built anything to study or traverse the multiverse. It would make getting you home so much simpler." Wally frowned. Yeah, why didn't they?
Mr. Terrific scoffed. "A waste."
Mr. Terrific led Wally into the lab and pressed a button on his wrist. A section of the floor rose out of a circle indention in the ground in the corner of the lab.
Out of the ground rose a mannequin dressed in a Flash uniform. It was similar, but not the same. The red was darker, and instead of gold accents, they were silver. "What is this?" Wally asked, approaching the mannequin excitedly, already anticipating the answer.
Mr. Terrific nodded. "While you were off protecting Central City, I used the technology from your suit to create that in my spare time."
Wally whistled and touched it. "Is it made of the same stuff?"
Mr. Terrific nodded. "The Flash graciously gave me some of his suits, and fortunately your suit and his had the same chemical composition and material. I didn't know where you got it, so I had to borrow one of Flash's spares before he left." Micheal continued to walk around the suit. "Of course, it's not completely the same. I salvaged some of the old technology, but I added a few additions of my own. I'm sure you'll figure them out in time."
Wally walked around the mannequin, studying it. "That you."
"What does it do?"
"Most of what it could do before stealth mode: the night vision feature on the goggles, infrared, and wavelength detection. There are no shoulder pads. This suit is reinforced, so it doesn't need them. I added the radio antennas, and by using your energy, you should be able to detect speed force energy. It's something I've been working on for our Flash's suit, as well."
Mr. Terrific shrugged. "I also modified this--" Mr. Terrific pulled out a small black rectangle.
"My Phone!" Wally grabbed it out of Mr. Terrific hands.
"It was dead and cracked, but I managed to get it running again. I replaced the screen and modified the phone, so it should charge from the energy you produce when you run at super speed
"Seriously!" Wally asked eagerly.
Mr. Terrific nodded. "Although, you probably won't be surprised to know that your contacts aren't going to work. You won't be able to call anyone for obvious reasons. I fixed the camera, though, so you can take pictures. I also added something that should help you automatically connect to the internet, if it does exist, from any universe--for that matter--however, we won't know until you go to another universe.
Wally graciously accepted the object. "Thank you." He turned it on and stared at Artemis and him on the lock screen. When he opened it, the faces of his friends greeted him. He smiled and scrolled around before slipping it back into his pocket, aware of Mr. Terrific looking over his shoulder.
That day, when Wally was finally alone on the Flash's couch, he pulled out the phone and flicked through it. His offline apps still worked, and he could see all his old photos and messages. Wally spent some time just scrolling through the gallery. "Are those your friends?" Wally blinked and saw the Flash standing behind the couch with some take-out boxes. He handed a box to Wally who grabbed the box and placed it in his lap. Wally blinked and looked at the photo he had stopped scrolling at. It was an old photo of the team.
"Yeah."
"You guys seemed pretty close." Wally's grip tightened on the phone. Since when did he refer to them in the past tense?
"We were" Wally sighed. He hated to think this way, but all the stuff he filed away to deal with later was rising to the surface. Probably because he remembered what he should feel like, not the detached young adult he pretended to be, but Wallt West
The Flash hopped over the couch, landing next to Wally with noodles in his mouth.
"So tell me, who are these guys? "I see Robin and Green Arrow's sidekick, but who are the rest of these guys?"
Wally explained to him about the team, who they were, and how they worked, and that too was nostalgic. It was harder than Wally thought it would be.
That evening after the Flash was gone, Wally scrolled through his old messages. That filled him with nostalgia and homesickness. Wally didn't even know how long he'd been away from home. He spent weeks in this world and maybe a day with the animal world, and who knows how long he was in the speed force. There was so much Wally didn't know. Did they even know if he was alive? Wally opened his messages and clicked on Artemis's name. With shaky hands, he typed: I love you. I miss you. And with a smile, he added a little winky face at the end. With a controlled sob, he pressed send, and then for the first time since this whole mess began, Wally cried.