Anjo

30

| What do I do? |

"And I promised her- my partner- that everything was okay. That she would be fine and she just- just like that she just.. died. Because of me.. she's gone."

The subtle hiss of the door sounded as Wally left the room. His eyes heavy and his heart heavier as he looked blankly down the hall. Blood stained his clothes as he shoved his trembling hands into his pockets, his feet dragging as he trudged onward until he halted in the entryway of the Mountains living room.

The team sat about the area lost in their thoughts. The silence so strong it felt suffocating as Wally threw himself down onto the couch and leaned into it with a tired sigh. His eyes fluttered closed, but his ears perked up once M'ganns voice called out his name. He merely hummed in acknowledgment. "Anjo.." She began lightly, everyone else lifting their heads and turning their attention onto her, except the exhausted speedster who already knew what this was about. "There's Some thing about him that.. we don't know.. about his past?"

He subtly opened his eyes to glance at her before closing them again with another sigh. "Yeah." He agreed unwillingly. "But we all have something in our pasts we keep secret, don't we?" His mind traveled to memories of his childhood home before he quickly wiped them frim thought. "Dick-" He stopped a moment, his brows furrowed as he thought a moment. Sitting up, he locked his gaze with his feet. "-Dick just hasn't been able to.. accept his past.. just yet."

"I see." The Martian spoke, her gaze saddening as she clasped and unclasped her hands nervously. She stayed quiet a moment longer before voicing her thoughts once more. "He kept saying that he killed-"

"M'gann." Artemis cut in, the other girl flinching slightly at her forceful tone. The Archer looked at the other disapprovingly. "It's just as Wally said; 'we all have something in our pasts we keep secret'. And Dick has a right to keep his."

M'gann nodded gloomily, her eyes focused on her hands. "He was just so sad.." She whispered more to herself, but everyone silently agreed. No more so than the speedster staring down the hall.

Hours continued to tick on, with everyone filtering out of the Mountain one by one. Wally stayed seated in the living room the longest. Only moving to pace the area or to check the room his lover still remained sleeping in. And eventually the day had burned out into night, where one could find the speedster sitting tiredly by the acrobats bed. His eyes dull and tired as he kept his gaze locked on the others face.

"I'm not strong enough to protect you-"

Wally rubbed at his face, fighting the burning in his eyes as Dicks broken screams ringed in his ears. "Shit.." He choked out, his head gripped in his hands as he breathed deeply. His hands did nothing to stop the tears that rolled quickly down his cheeks and the suffocating tightness in his throat as he swallowed down choked sobs. His tired body unable to support his turmoiled mind as he thought desperately of a way to help the man he so dearly loved. " What do I do?" He whispered out painfully to Dick. "Baby, tell me how to help you. Please. Please tell me how to make it better." He looked at the others sleeping face and battered body. The tears falling harder as he choked out. "I don't know what to do. I- I don't-" He stood from his seat pacing the room and pulling at his hair until he stopped at the end of the bed. "What do I do?" He whispered, his body tumbling backwards until his back made contact with the wall. "Shit." He cursed again, sliding to the ground.

He buried his face into his knees as he silently sat there, his thoughts racing faster than he had ever ran before, as he desperately tried to think of some way to ease Dicks pain. But was there really any way to heal someone who had just given up on being healed?

Sleep that night for the speedster was nonexistent as he sat watching over the other all night long. The bags under his eyes darkening as a noticeable redness could be seen. It took a great effort from the team to convince the speedster to at least change out of his blood stained clothes-the debate ending when Flash had been called and forced to drag the ginger away.

"Kid you need to go home and clean yourself up. And get some rest as well, it's obvious you haven't slept a bit since-" Barry stopped a moment before he continued. "I promise Dick will be jusg fine once you get back, okay?"

Wally continued walking sluggishly next to the other as they closed in on the zeta beam. "I don't know what to do, Barry.." He admitted quietly. Both of them stopping as Wally continued to look onward with such a lost look in his eyes. "This isn't just some thing I can tell him to get over. But it's killing him the longer he holds onto the guilt of what happened to her and-" He let out another frustrated sigh as Barry watched sadly. Not even bothering to question who "she" could be.

"Right now." Barry began, placing a gentle hand on Wallys shoulder. "Let's get you home and cleaned up so that you can return to watching over Dick. I'm sure when he wakes up, he'll be wanting to see you." He stated with a gentle smile. Wally only nodded as he let the other escort him home.

Not only his mind, but everyone's minds stilk heavy with the thought of how to help the sleeping acribat.

- To Be Continued-