A/N: Thank you to those who have added this book to your libraries, reading lists, etc.... It makes me really thrilled when I see that kind of notification in my feed! This took me a little longer today to update, mainly because I have been so busy with working and just recently got laryngitis. Not fun at all. At least with writing, I don't have to speak!
Wally awoke to bright lights, and an incessant beeping in his ear. He wasn't sure what it was, but all he knew, was that he ached all over. Blinking a few times, his emerald eyes got used to the bright lights, and he heard several voices. A face came into view, and said, "Ah, you're awake, Wally. Sadly, we're going to have to put you back under, since we're only partly finished, but when we're all done, you'll be fine. Just rest now, okay? You're in good hands." The ginger tried to nod, and say something, but he soon felt whoever it was, put something small and plastic like over his mouth. He breathed, and soon his eyes closed, and darkness fell again, because of the anesthesia.
Before he could even see, Wally heard Artemis' voice. Opening his heavy eyes, he stared up at his girlfriend, admiring her outer and inner beauty. Artemis looked back at him with a smile, and said, gently tossing his red bangs from his forehead, "Hey Sleepyhead... Glad you're awake." He asked, mumbling, "W-where am I? Arty, you look like an angel. I like angels." Artemis gave a soft laugh, and replied, "Hey, shhhh... Try to stay quiet, okay?" Wally groaned, "Ugh, can't do that, gorgeous." Artemis put a finger on his lips, and said, "How does this sound... I'll answer your questions, if you keep quiet, alright? Just nod, don't say a word." In response, the ginger gave a weak nod, and Artemis continued, "Wally, you're at Central City Medical Center. You missed practice with the Team, and we all came to find you, at your house. You were unconscious and barely breathing on the scene, and we didn't know what else to do, but bring you here. We also called your uncle...er Flash, and he came as soon as he learned. He's here now. Do you want to see him?" Again, Wally nodded, even though all he wanted to do, for the first time in his fast sped life, was go back to sleep. He felt exhausted. Artemis stroked his hand for a few seconds, then said, "I'll go get him." She stood up, and walked out the door, soon returning with his uncle.
Barry was practically buzzing from both worry and excitement, when he entered the room. Wally watched his uncle come over, and say, in speedster talk, "Kid, I am so glad you're okay! They wouldn't tell us anything! I was so worried! Are you hurting? Are you hungry? You've got to be hungry! Your levels are down, and you're thinner than a flagpole! Oh man, if I had lost you, your Aunt Iris would have had my head!" Wally blinked, and just watched. He could feel the specially speedster made pain medications messing with his head, making him dizzy and his body fuzzy and warm. Without any hesitation, he closed his eyes once more, and went back to sleep.
That was just about all the ginger could handle for the first few days. He'd wake up, watch his friends and family look at him, and talk about him, then he'd go back to sleep, because the pain medications were heavily taking their toll. Wally hated it. He wanted to talk with Artemis. He wanted to tell his uncle to stop worrying. He wanted everyone to stop thinking about him. Finally, a week later, the doctor came in, and removed the tube from down his throat, that had been put into place. Wally was ecstatic!
Having been asleep, Wally woke up to the sounds of chatter. He opened his eyes, and looked, seeing his teammates all around him, their eyes filled with worry. He whispered, "Hey guys, what are you all doing here?" Robin turned as M'gann let out a girlish squeal of delight. Before he could say anything, M'gann blurted out, "Oh my gosh! Wally! You're awake! Hooray!" Robin frowned, and said, "M'gann, keep it down, please." Wally tried to laugh, but pain stiffened in his legs, and his chest. He felt like he had been run over by a bulldozer, and had three tons of bricks piled onto his chest. He groaned, and tried to sit up, but Robin pushed him back down gently. "Dude, chill! You just had a major surgery, and you don't need to tear the stitches.", he told Wally. The ginger, confused, asked, "What do you mean? I feel fine. I have to get up. I have to-" Looking down at his body, he shakily pulled back the covers, and saw his whole right leg in a cast that went from his ankle to his hip. His stomach, where his abs were, was covered in a large white wrapped bandage. Even his wrist, that had been previously bandaged, had a new cast on it. Finally, his head was wrapped in white gauze, all the way around his red hair.
Wally stared at his casted leg, and his eyes grew wide with fear. He uttered, "W-what happened? Did something happen on a mission?" Artemis stepped up, pushing past Robin, as she said, "Babe, remember we found you unconscious in your house? You took quite a beating." Artemis' words pounded into Wally's head, and made it hurt. He touched his forehead, and rubbed it, trying to relieve the pain, but it wouldn't subside. It just made it that much more worse, and he had no idea why.
Just then, Barry and Iris entered. Iris went straight up to Wally, and gave him a strong hug. She hissed in his ear, "Don't you ever scare me like this again, you hear me, Wally?" Iris stood up, put her hands on her hips, and said, "You boys always scare me when you're out there! I don't want to lose either of you, ever!" In sync, the two speedsters replied, solemnly, "Yes, Iris..." The redheaded woman smirked, then moved over to Wally's other side. The younger ginger asked, "So why are you all here?" Artemis replied, "We're here, because we want to know the honest truth, Wally. Have you been eating like you're supposed to? How did you get these injuries? But more importantly, we care. So tell us... How'd all this happen?" Wally gulped loudly, and looked into the faces of his family and teammates. He was so petrified, and knew if they knew of the real reason he was injured, they would call him weak, like in his nightmare. He'd be called exactly what his father had told him they would. He didn't want that at all....so he lied, to keep the shame of failure inside.
A/N: Thank you again, everyone! Your reading support keeps this book moving!
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The Silent Speedster (AU Young Justice)
Fanfiction"It wasn't like I was trying to be bad. The mental scars from the harsh words blurred in my mind, and I couldn't let them know of the physical ones either. It would scare them, and bring more embarrassment onto myself. I couldn't let them escape. If...
