Here it is. The LAST CHAPTER OF GRIMM! Yikes. I thought thirteen chapters was very fitting for this particular story.
I still can't believe that this is over. It's been the best and worst writing experience of my life! Thank you all for reading!
I would like to add that Grimm is available for loan to anyone who wants her! Aside from torturing cute superheroes, she also does weddings and bar mitzvahs, and is a hired contract killer! So have fun! Go crazy!
No dedications for this one- Too many deserving people!
Just a warning-this chapter is short and does not contain a lot of dialogue. I like to think of it as the 'closure chapter'. Sorry for those of you who like conversations and action.
Disclaimer: Screw it! It's the last chapter!
CHAPTER THIRTEEN: EPILOGUE-REGENERATION
"Sometimes I wonder if it was really the drug doing it. I wonder if it wasn't just me all along."
Wally sighed deeply. He couldn't bring himself to look into the understanding eyes of J'onn the Martian, content instead to stare at his own feet. The two heroes sat across from each other in a small conference room.
"It was not your fault, Wally," assured the Martian, observing the young speedster's actions. "I understand how real it must have felt, but you were not responsible for the images."
"But I was responsible for my actions, wasn't I?" Flash countered, angry at his teammate for not blaming him. "I was the one who tried to off myself."
"You believed yourself to be alone in the world, without anyone who cared about you," J'onn's calm reply suggested that he was not upset by Wally's heated comeback. "A belief encouraged by this 'Grimm' character."
He paused. "…She was never real, Flash."
Wally sighed again at the memory of the girl who'd made his life hell. It was hard accepting that someone who'd had such an effect on his life was nothing more than a figment of his imagination.
Flash 's shoulders drooped. "I know that. You guys keep telling me that she was just a hallucination. But…I mean the things that she told me-they were real. The drug couldn't have made all of it up. Some of the stuff she said-the doubts-they're things I worry about. What if this drug was just digging up a part of me? What if, deep down, I really think like that? Frankly, the idea that I could be capable of killing myself…makes me kind of…scared."
J'onn offered a small, comforting smile. "We all have doubts about ourselves, Flash; doubts about our relationships, our abilities, our friends. Having these fears does not make us weak. The difference is whether or not we give in to these worries, allowing them to control our lives. You have many people who care about you, Wally. It is up to you to trust in that. And in them."
The Martian hesitated before reaching across to lay a comforting hand on his teammates shoulder. Wally gave a thankful smile in return.
"Real or not, it's hard to just forget about all of the stuff Grimm told me," Wally commented.
J'onn nodded. "You will always struggle with those thoughts, Wally. But I have no doubt that you will be able to overcome them, as long as you remember that you are not alone."
Wally left the conference room wearing a content smile for the first time in a while. Nodding to his fellow heroes as he passed them in the halls, he ignored some of the strange looks he received. He was just happy to be up and about again.
It had been nearly a month since 'the incident'. That's how the others referred to it. It had taken Flash longer than usual to recover from his injuries. J'onn had explained that the fever and blood loss had weakened him considerably, and his body just needed time to rest. But Wally had been going stir-crazy inside that small hospital room.
It wasn't as if he'd been alone for the past month, though. On the contrary, he found himself plagued with visitors every hour of the day. John and Shayera hardly left his side that first week. Word had also somehow gotten around to the other Leaguers about his condition. Wally now found himself with more flowers and 'Get Well Soon' cards than he knew what to do with.
Wally had a sneaking suspicion that Superman had encouraged these daily visits in order to keep a watchful eye on him. The Man of Steel was still concerned about Wally's suicide attempts, and was careful not to leave the young speedster alone for too long. This was somewhat difficult, as Batman had stayed true to his word and fired nearly every member of the medical staff. They were still in the process of replacing their doctors. Danny had been promoted to head of his shift.
He'd been discharged from the Med Bay with a clean bill of health after three weeks. But he had been told to stay off of missions for a while. This time, he wasn't all that upset-he knew his friends were just looking out for him.
Flash hadn't been as keen about the therapy.
Superman had insisted on at least two months worth of therapy sessions with J'onn if he ever intended to go on the field again. Wally had reluctantly agreed after some urging from Shayera and John. It had been embarrassing at first, but J'onn was extremely understanding about it.
There were many theories circulating about what had really happened to Wally during those two horrible weeks, as well as what kind of hallucinations he had endured. Unfortunately, these rumors were not restricted to the Watchtower. He got used to seeing his name on the tabloids, complete with inside information from sources claiming that rabid purple bunnies, or other such nonsense, had visited him in his dreams. He got a lot of strange looks from people, almost as if they expected him to randomly dress in drag and do the hula.
The only people privy to the true story were the seven individuals who had been present for most of it. And Wally planned on keeping it that way. After a while, he got used to people thinking he was crazy. It just didn't matter. Not in the end.
Sometimes Wally wondered if it had all really happened, or if it had just been some crazy nightmare his brain had cooked up after eating too many nachos. But the scars on his wrists served as a grim reminder.
He still found himself thinking about Grimm. His friends were constantly assuring him that she'd been a product of the drug, but he wasn't so sure. Maybe she hadn't been so far off when she'd said she was a part of him. Either way, he had the distinct feeling that he'd have to deal with Grimm again some day.
But he wasn't worried. He felt sure he'd be ready for her.
More than anything, he just wanted life back the way it was. But, since that wasn't an option, he'd settle for anything close to normal.
"Wally! For the Fastest Man Alive, you're sure taking your time!" Lantern called teasingly. He was waiting at the end of the hall with his arms wrapped around a smiling Shayera.
"Just a sec!" Wally replied with a grin on his face. Perhaps the best development of the past four weeks was their publicly dating. Wally couldn't imagine two people more perfect for each other.
The three of them were going to catch the new action flick on the surface. Wally was thrilled to be back in the circle again.
"Move it, or we're leaving without you!" joked Shayera.
Wally hurried after the pair, happier than he'd been in a long time. No matter what changes for the League the future had in store, Wally West was just glad to be back with his family where he belonged.
The End.
How's that for a sappy finale? Well, that's all she wrote! Or all I wrote anyway!
I'd like to thank everyone again for all of their support these past few weeks, and for making Grimm my most successful fic ever!
My special thanks go out to(in no particular order): doc-trigger, DianaRulz, Gotham's Princess, M., Taichi Prime, Sokerfreek922, Monty009, Tsuki no Lomelinde, lins, Lady Raiden, Soothing Burn, Lady Jaye1, ccabello, star's dreams, Hersenschim, Lavender Wonder, Eelectric-diva-Nina, Angelic Temptress, ddeath'sdiary, Wind Wanderer, TempestJLU, Miss NeKoChan For their numerous reviews and support!
And thanks to everyone else for adding Grimm to favourites lists, author alerts, C2s, and just for reading it! It means more than I can say!
So far, I still have no plans for a sequel, but I might change my mind. Who knows? Either way, I wont be posting anything for a while!
Now, I'm finally off on vacation! Toronto, here I come!
Goodbye, All!
Keep Smiling! ;)
rogueandkurt