Permanent Vacation - a Justice League fic
Story time. The lack of Flash so far in the JLU got me thinking, and thus this little ficlet was born. Post 'Starcrossed', so spoilers. Rated G.
Six boys played an impromptu game of baseball in the quiet dusk hours at the Central City park as boys often do. Wally stood on the outskirts of the playing field and watched. The innocence, the freedom - almost a year ago it would have all been destroyed.
The crack of a bat sounded in the still followed by cheers as the child ran around the makeshift bases: a rock, a tin can, a baseball cap. With a wide grin, he rounded third and threw himself into a bone-breaking slide as one of the other players heaved the ball towards home with an audible grunt of effort. The boy and the ball were neck and neck. He stretched an inch farther. “Safe!”
There was whooping and hollering as the boy’s friends crowded around him, backslapping and enthusiastic. A team always supports its own.
At least that’s what Wally used to think.
Ducking his head, Wally turned away from the celebration and walked the park’s path further in. The sharp pain of emotion always hit him when he least expected it. What it all boiled down to, when you got past the cloud of betrayal and group politics, what he really felt the most was that he missed her.
He missed her smile; he missed her diehard attitude; he even missed her threats. Still reeling over the revelation of her romance with GL, he could admit to a small stab of jealousy, but realistically he knew the two powerful warriors were more suited to each other. Though now he felt more pity for his friend than envy.
It had all ended so badly. He still found it hard to believe they voted her out, though it hardly mattered since she’d taken things into her own hands, like she so often did.
“Everyone deserves a second chance,” he’d told the group when they sat down to vote. Wally had been the first one to voice his opinion. “She helped us in the end.”
“She helped only herself,” Diana had sneered. Wonder Woman’s vote of no wasn’t a surprise, nor was Superman’s concrete denial.
And while Batman could hardly shock him anymore, Wally’s heart had sunk at his quiet but firm no.
It was J’onn’s ballot that floored him like none of the others. Perhaps he’d expected more compassion for a fellow alien, but the Martian was not to be swayed.
He could hardly look at the Green Lantern’s face, couldn’t bear to see the wash of relief; his vote wouldn’t matter, even if it was no.
Wally felt punched in the stomach. They weren’t a team anymore. He alone had stood at her side. They might as well have voted him out as well.
Batman had caught him on the way out, cowl pulled down and looking like a normal man - as normal as someone voted Fad magazine’s most eligible bachelor three times in a row could look, that is. “Flash, wait,” he said.
“What?”
“Nothing’s changed.”
“Yeah. They have.”
He could have sworn he’d imagined just a fleeting look of disappointment cross the Bat’s face, which only made him feel worse. But he left anyway and hadn’t looked back.
Through the grapevine he’d learned of the bigger and better Watchtower and the call for all superheroes to join the cause. They weren’t just a League anymore; they were a legion, an army of superpowered soldiers.
Looking up, Wally saw a jogger moving steadily closer. She had a ponytail that swung with each stride and well-toned legs. Idly he watched as she passed. The jogger looked up and smiled at him. Any other time he would have caught up with her and schmoozed for a date, but now he just walked on, towards the duck pond.
Thoughts of Batman made him shiver. How vividly he remembered the sacrifice Batman made. He remembered at the very moment he understood the plan how his legs just collapsed beneath him. “Gentlemen, it’s been an honor.” The words still ran through Wally’s head. Batman had said them sincerely, knowing it was going to be then end. It was with the greatest of luck that Superman had done what Superman had always done, but it didn’t lessen the sacrifice, the gift that Batman had given to the world.
The Flash could only aspire to be half the hero of the Dark Knight.
At the edge of the pond he bent down and picked up a small stone, tossing it to skim across the reflective surface and causing a series of ripples to break apart the picture before settling back to normal.
A rock had been dropped in the middle of the Justice League, but they would never be normal again. What had he contributed anyway? A dozen of the newcomers had speed in their arsenal of powers. All he had to offer in addition was minute in comparison.
The others must have felt the same way, since none of them had come looking for him.
The sound of children’s laughter caught his attention. He glanced over his shoulder to see a boy and girl chasing each other with glee. A few yards away stood a woman smiling the way a mother does. They were all right. No more martial law, no more threat of annihilation. It should have put his mind at ease.
Sticking his hands in his pockets he turned back to watch the slowly setting sun as the light danced off the now-still water. His eyes shifted down to the water’s edge at his feet. He could see his own vivid reflection, and right next to it a darker shape, one with white eyes and pointed ears. Surly his mind was playing tricks on him.
“You’re late,” a voice growled next to him.
Jumping with a gasp, he turned and saw the Batman staring at him with arms folded over his chest, the cape completely surrounding him.
“You trying to scare me to death!” he cried. After getting his heart under control, he asked, “Late for what?”
“Late for duty.”
“Yeah, well, let’s just say I’m on a permanent vacation.”
“Don’t you think it’s time to get back to work? Self-pity isn’t healthy.”
Wally laughed softly. “You’re worried about me.”
“Diana was.”
“Oh. Okay.” He looked away for a second and then said, “Hey are you two…”
“No.”
“You sure, because…”
“No.”
“I just don’t want to be the last to know again.”
“I said no.”
“Fine.” He kicked at the grass. The night had settled down around them. Several lights flicked on overhead. “I don’t know what good I’d do you,” he muttered.
“We need experienced members to help with the rookies.”
“Experienced, huh?”
“The fight’s not over, Flash. Not by a long shot. If you give up now you’ve forfeited all the good you’ve done.”
“You wouldn’t even give her a second chance,” he told the dark figure. “What does that say about us? One mistake and you’re out?”
“She did a lot more than make a mistake.”
“Yeah, well, coming from a guy that’s made more than his share of screw-ups, I still think it was unfair.”
“Point taken.”
Wally looked down. Fact was, he really did miss it. And he missed his other friends.
“We’ve got a situation,” Batman said to him, gaining his attention again. “One that I think is right up your alley.”
Another mission, another chance to save the world, or at least part of it. He had tried to tell himself it was over, that he was out of the game completely. But why then was he wearing his suit beneath his clothes? He could feel the cowl in the coat pocket. He was ready. He’d always been ready. Batman watched him closely. Inside, Wally felt the fear his intimidating teammate had always instilled had been replaced by respect. It was going to be a new team, a better team.
Slowly Wally nodded and pulled the mask out. After he had changed they began to walk side by side. “Listen,” Wally began seriously. “I’m really sorry about the, you know, thing at your house.”
Batman glanced at him in something resembling surprise. “It’s forgotten. There are more important things.”
“Great.” Wally smiled in relief. A thought suddenly popped in his head. “Hey, do you think I could borrow Alfred for a weekend, you know to impress a lady friend?” Batman’s head barely moved, but the answer was conveyed loud and clear. “Oookay. No butler for the Flash. I’m officially butler-free.”
They were almost to the edge of the park. “So where’s the Javelin?” he asked looking around.
“We don’t need it,” Batman said. “Go ahead, J’onn.”
As the area around them lit up and a tingling sensation spread over his body, Wally thought, Things are certainly going to get a lot more interesting.
Six boys played an impromptu game of baseball in the quiet dusk hours at the Central City park as boys often do. Wally stood on the outskirts of the playing field and watched. The innocence, the freedom - almost a year ago it would have all been destroyed.
The crack of a bat sounded in the still followed by cheers as the child ran around the makeshift bases: a rock, a tin can, a baseball cap. With a wide grin, he rounded third and threw himself into a bone-breaking slide as one of the other players heaved the ball towards home with an audible grunt of effort. The boy and the ball were neck and neck. He stretched an inch farther. “Safe!”
There was whooping and hollering as the boy’s friends crowded around him, backslapping and enthusiastic. A team always supports its own.
At least that’s what Wally used to think.
Ducking his head, Wally turned away from the celebration and walked the park’s path further in. The sharp pain of emotion always hit him when he least expected it. What it all boiled down to, when you got past the cloud of betrayal and group politics, what he really felt the most was that he missed her.
He missed her smile; he missed her diehard attitude; he even missed her threats. Still reeling over the revelation of her romance with GL, he could admit to a small stab of jealousy, but realistically he knew the two powerful warriors were more suited to each other. Though now he felt more pity for his friend than envy.
It had all ended so badly. He still found it hard to believe they voted her out, though it hardly mattered since she’d taken things into her own hands, like she so often did.
“Everyone deserves a second chance,” he’d told the group when they sat down to vote. Wally had been the first one to voice his opinion. “She helped us in the end.”
“She helped only herself,” Diana had sneered. Wonder Woman’s vote of no wasn’t a surprise, nor was Superman’s concrete denial.
And while Batman could hardly shock him anymore, Wally’s heart had sunk at his quiet but firm no.
It was J’onn’s ballot that floored him like none of the others. Perhaps he’d expected more compassion for a fellow alien, but the Martian was not to be swayed.
He could hardly look at the Green Lantern’s face, couldn’t bear to see the wash of relief; his vote wouldn’t matter, even if it was no.
Wally felt punched in the stomach. They weren’t a team anymore. He alone had stood at her side. They might as well have voted him out as well.
Batman had caught him on the way out, cowl pulled down and looking like a normal man - as normal as someone voted Fad magazine’s most eligible bachelor three times in a row could look, that is. “Flash, wait,” he said.
“What?”
“Nothing’s changed.”
“Yeah. They have.”
He could have sworn he’d imagined just a fleeting look of disappointment cross the Bat’s face, which only made him feel worse. But he left anyway and hadn’t looked back.
Through the grapevine he’d learned of the bigger and better Watchtower and the call for all superheroes to join the cause. They weren’t just a League anymore; they were a legion, an army of superpowered soldiers.
Looking up, Wally saw a jogger moving steadily closer. She had a ponytail that swung with each stride and well-toned legs. Idly he watched as she passed. The jogger looked up and smiled at him. Any other time he would have caught up with her and schmoozed for a date, but now he just walked on, towards the duck pond.
Thoughts of Batman made him shiver. How vividly he remembered the sacrifice Batman made. He remembered at the very moment he understood the plan how his legs just collapsed beneath him. “Gentlemen, it’s been an honor.” The words still ran through Wally’s head. Batman had said them sincerely, knowing it was going to be then end. It was with the greatest of luck that Superman had done what Superman had always done, but it didn’t lessen the sacrifice, the gift that Batman had given to the world.
The Flash could only aspire to be half the hero of the Dark Knight.
At the edge of the pond he bent down and picked up a small stone, tossing it to skim across the reflective surface and causing a series of ripples to break apart the picture before settling back to normal.
A rock had been dropped in the middle of the Justice League, but they would never be normal again. What had he contributed anyway? A dozen of the newcomers had speed in their arsenal of powers. All he had to offer in addition was minute in comparison.
The others must have felt the same way, since none of them had come looking for him.
The sound of children’s laughter caught his attention. He glanced over his shoulder to see a boy and girl chasing each other with glee. A few yards away stood a woman smiling the way a mother does. They were all right. No more martial law, no more threat of annihilation. It should have put his mind at ease.
Sticking his hands in his pockets he turned back to watch the slowly setting sun as the light danced off the now-still water. His eyes shifted down to the water’s edge at his feet. He could see his own vivid reflection, and right next to it a darker shape, one with white eyes and pointed ears. Surly his mind was playing tricks on him.
“You’re late,” a voice growled next to him.
Jumping with a gasp, he turned and saw the Batman staring at him with arms folded over his chest, the cape completely surrounding him.
“You trying to scare me to death!” he cried. After getting his heart under control, he asked, “Late for what?”
“Late for duty.”
“Yeah, well, let’s just say I’m on a permanent vacation.”
“Don’t you think it’s time to get back to work? Self-pity isn’t healthy.”
Wally laughed softly. “You’re worried about me.”
“Diana was.”
“Oh. Okay.” He looked away for a second and then said, “Hey are you two…”
“No.”
“You sure, because…”
“No.”
“I just don’t want to be the last to know again.”
“I said no.”
“Fine.” He kicked at the grass. The night had settled down around them. Several lights flicked on overhead. “I don’t know what good I’d do you,” he muttered.
“We need experienced members to help with the rookies.”
“Experienced, huh?”
“The fight’s not over, Flash. Not by a long shot. If you give up now you’ve forfeited all the good you’ve done.”
“You wouldn’t even give her a second chance,” he told the dark figure. “What does that say about us? One mistake and you’re out?”
“She did a lot more than make a mistake.”
“Yeah, well, coming from a guy that’s made more than his share of screw-ups, I still think it was unfair.”
“Point taken.”
Wally looked down. Fact was, he really did miss it. And he missed his other friends.
“We’ve got a situation,” Batman said to him, gaining his attention again. “One that I think is right up your alley.”
Another mission, another chance to save the world, or at least part of it. He had tried to tell himself it was over, that he was out of the game completely. But why then was he wearing his suit beneath his clothes? He could feel the cowl in the coat pocket. He was ready. He’d always been ready. Batman watched him closely. Inside, Wally felt the fear his intimidating teammate had always instilled had been replaced by respect. It was going to be a new team, a better team.
Slowly Wally nodded and pulled the mask out. After he had changed they began to walk side by side. “Listen,” Wally began seriously. “I’m really sorry about the, you know, thing at your house.”
Batman glanced at him in something resembling surprise. “It’s forgotten. There are more important things.”
“Great.” Wally smiled in relief. A thought suddenly popped in his head. “Hey, do you think I could borrow Alfred for a weekend, you know to impress a lady friend?” Batman’s head barely moved, but the answer was conveyed loud and clear. “Oookay. No butler for the Flash. I’m officially butler-free.”
They were almost to the edge of the park. “So where’s the Javelin?” he asked looking around.
“We don’t need it,” Batman said. “Go ahead, J’onn.”
As the area around them lit up and a tingling sensation spread over his body, Wally thought, Things are certainly going to get a lot more interesting.