Chapter 18 - Nadir

Last Chapter

A soft ray of morning sun slipped between the bulky curtains and danced across the photo album in Wally's lap. He raised a cup of coffee to his lips. Savoring its aroma, he turned the pages that were weighed down with yellowed newspaper clippings and team photographs. Each flip of the pages saw his image grow from a boy in a yellow and red uniform to an adult in full crimson. Some of the newer pictures of Linda and the twins graced the back of the book.

Linda…my anchor, he thought. He looked over his shoulder into the bedroom where she was still sleeping. Keep resting, sweetie. You deserve a late morning.

He lingered over the pictures of the two infants and chuckled at their innocent expressions. A deep sigh of contentment escaped as the rare early morning silence curled around him. I am a rich man. And happy to be alive.

Alive. The word stuck in his head as the visions that Bart had shown him danced in his mind, images that were clearer than the photographs in front of him. He retrieved his wallet from the side table and rifled through the stack of credit cards, expired video rental cards, and torn receipts. He had to thumb through the stack three times before he found what he was looking for. It was worn at the edges, where it curled like every hidden wallet treasure tends to.

"I'd almost forgotten you were there," he confessed to the photo. "But you have always been there, haven't you?"

A young woman in blue stared back at him. She had always hidden mysteries under that cowl, that cowl that hid every feature except for a pair of midnight blue eyes and a set of full lips that seemed molded into the edges of a permanent frown.

So strange, to see you smile. And smile like that at Gar. Gar! Who would've thought…

He heard his own soft laugh, and then covered his mouth to stifle it and let the rest of the family sleep -- and to let himself think.

Alive, he thought again. And now I know I'm alive because of you. And because I'm alive, I have all of this. He closed the album and patted it gently. He slipped the tattered photo back into its leather cave.

Funny, he mused. I used to always feel off-kilter when I did this before. Angry. Confused. Now I just feel…content. Quiet.

The memory of his recent mission with her rang between his ears. And how did I thank you? Oh, God. I take a swing at someone who is defending your honor, and I hit you. Hot salt burned in the corner of his eyes. I hit you. Of all the people…And I don't hit women. I don't. But I did. Even if I didn't mean to, I did it.

He glanced down at his watch. I wonder if she's still an early riser…

(break)(break)

The long low call of a horn rolled through the thinning veil of fog. The tower faded in and out of view of the long observer on the mainland pier. The barest wisp of air stirred soft auburn stands of hair around her face. Shining amber eyes studied the immense steel and concrete structure as one ray of sunshine, then another, reflected off of its windows.

One shaking hand covered the young woman's heart. "My lady," she whispered into the morning air. "My Arjh-no-ree. I am here. And soon, I will bring you home."

A stiffer breeze, edged with crimson, blew past her and left swirling mists in its wake.

(break)(break)

Bart ushered him into the main entrance.

"Hi-Wally-Good-to-see-you-gotta-tell-you-what-happned-last-night-Gar-told-me-they-got-Joey-off-the-disk-and-then-Brother-Blood-showed-up-and-Joey-took-him-over-and-now-they're-both-good-guys-and-Terminator-showed-up-and-Raven-escorted-his-ass-to-Africa-not-sure-when-he'll-be-back-or-where-Joey's-gonna-go-but-they're-talking-about-it-now-and-I'm-making-a-donut-run-whaddya-want…"

Wally processed the barrage of super-speed talk like only a member of the Flash family could.

"Uhhh….just glazed. Please. Can you tell me…tell me where Raven is?"

"Pool-area-weird-days-huh-see-ya-bye."

Wally scratched his chin as he watched Kid Flash blur away.

"Weird days. No kidding," he said to the rush of air that was left in Bart's wake.

He took his time as he made his way beyond the kitchen. Vic's deep voice rolled through its door as he strolled past..

"Trust me, Dick. Stay out of it…yeah, yeah, I know, but it's…Dick! NO!"

I can only guess the other side of that conversation, Wally thought.

He kept going, still feeling a little lost in this west coast version of the tower. Nothing was in the same place as the old "T".

Gar's voice floated by him as he passed some of the conference rooms: "I just want to—yes, I need an appointment. I'll tell the guys what I need then. Yes. No, not Dr. Sommers. I need a guy – no, not until then. It's personal. So. . .what? A month? I've gotta wait a month?"

And I don't think I want to guess the other side of that one, Wally mused as he kept on walking.

(break)(break)

The sun had finally reached into the tower, and rays of light sparkled against the walls around the swimming pool. Wally padded onto the tiles as he searched the room with his eyes.

Her voice echoed off the tiles. He followed it to a pair of lounge chairs parked in the warm patch of gold spreading through the windows.

"—he will return to the United States within thirty-six hours, most likely." A voice he did not recognize, but, from Bart's little announcement, he was able to guess.

"By then, you will be someplace safe." A voice he did know all too well.

"Raven – I need to tell you – the other one – the other you – she's—"

Wally cleared his throat. "Uh, hi, Raven. Joe?"

"Wally," the colorless young man nodded at him. One of Beast Boy's trademark Hawaiian shirts, with Caribbean-blue surfboards marching across it -- draped across his frame at an awkward angle. "Good to – good to see you."

"Uh, you too, Joey. Long time, right?"

"Too long."

"Uh, can I speak to Raven? Alone?"

"Sure. I'll…" he stammered. "I'll go check on – check on things. If you need me, Raven…"

She nodded and turned her attention to him as Jericho walked away. As Raven's violet eyes studied him, Wally wondered which of the thirty-odd emotions flittering in his stomach she was reading the most.

"Hello, Wallace," she greeted him, her manner circumspect, like a cat padding around a pool of water.

"I – I'm not sure where to start," he stammered.

A slight smile twisted her mouth in reply.

"Uhhhh—what I wanted say is, I'm sorry. About the other day." He sat down on the chair opposite her and slumped down in it. He peeled back his scarlet mask to reveal his eyes to her. "I mean, I'm really, really sorry. I'd never want to hurt you like that. Not on purpose. You know that, don't you?"

She nodded, the twist in her mouth turning down.

"And I'm sorry I took a swing at Gar. If I hadn't – well, if I hadn't been such a dumbass and gotten mad at you for saving my worthless hide –"

"Your anger – your anger is always what hurt me the most."

"Yeah, I know. I know that now. And I care about it, too. I was so mad before – I just didn't get it. And I'm sorry for that, too." He rubbed the back of his neck and gazed down at the golden sun dancing on the tiles below his feet. "Look, I know this is awkward, for both of us. But, I guess that's what I came here to say -- that I'm not angry any more. And that I'm glad you're happy and that Gar seems to make you happy. And I'd like – I'd like to ask you if you wanted – wanted to be friends. We never really got to be that, did we?"

She hugged her legs to her chest and rested her chin on her knees. A slight tremor shook her fingers as they grasped the sides of her calves. Staring out the window at some distant object, she whispered to him.

"But Wallace – you have always, always, been dear to me. You are my friend. You were my first friend. You were the first to show me this world. You helped me start college when I first arrived on Earth. I am so grateful to you for that. I always hated the – the distance between us." Her eyes rested on her trembling hands, as if by staring at them she could stop their quaking. "I-- I never could tell you this before, but I have the strength to, now."

Wally bit his lower lip, and then smiled at her. "I'm glad you did, Raven. I'm glad you did. And I believe it. I believe it now."

She cocked her head and looked at him full-on, her eyes full of questions. "Why – why now? What – what has changed?"

He moved a little closer to her and rested his hand on her shaking fingers.

"It's something – something Bart showed me." He swallowed, hard, and gulped a deep breath before continuing. "I need – I need to tell you a story…"

"A story?"

"Yes. It's a story about a boy, a girl, and a big icy mountain…"

FINIS

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A/N:

Well, I hope you enjoyed it! Write to me and let me know what you think!

If you're wondering about Gar's phone call…just remember their little conversation in chapter 21 of "Coyote". He's got some questions he needs to answer.

Some questions have been answered, and others have been asked. What will happen next? Find out in "Dawn Child", the last planned installment of the "Twilight Child" series. There is no post date now, but I can safely say that it will be a while in coming.