The Finish Line
By Sandra Miller (smiller@lonestarcomics.com)

***


"I'm supposed to be the 'Fastest Man Alive,'" Wally West muttered to himself, 
"So why wasn't I fast enough to stop this!"  He watched as the doctors and 
nurses methodically tended to his best friend.  He knew they were working as 
quickly as they could, but it still looked as if they were moving in slow 
motion.  How had this happened?  How had Nightwing been shot with him standing 
not twenty feet away?

They had been having such a great time, too.  Wally had called Dick yesterday, 
after a burglary spree that just had him stumped.  When Wally couldn't give him 
the answers he needed, Dick offered to come to Keystone City to help out.  Now 
*this* had happened.  He couldn't help thinking about Batman's probable 
reaction.  "I'm doomed!"

What was he supposed to do?  He knew what Dick would prefer -- home to Gotham, 
and let Alfred take care of things.  That had been his way since they were kids.  
But Wally didn't want to take that risk.  Even at his top speed, it would take a 
while to reach Gotham, and he couldn't safely carry a passenger at that speed 
anyway.  Well, Dick could just yell at him later, Wally decided.  He had 
picked Nightwing up and taken him to the nearest emergency room.

Flash stopped his pacing as he watched the medical team still working on his 
friend.  He had already had one battle with them over Nightwing's mask.  Wally 
had insisted that it remain in place at all times.  They hadn't liked that, but 
the doctors finally gave their word that it would stay.  As Wally continued to 
watch, one of the doctors turned away from the table and walked toward him.  
Wally met him partway as his heart tried to climb into his throat.

"Well?" he finally got out.

"I think your friend will be all right," the doctor replied.  "We're going to 
take him into surgery now to remove the bullet and patch up the damage, but it 
wasn't as bad as we had feared."

Wally just nodded in relief as he watched the team prepare Dick for surgery.  
After they left, he continued pacing.  He was so deep in thought that it took 
him awhile to realize there was a strange sensation coming from the remains of 
Dick's Nightwing costume that he held in his hands.  One of Dick's gauntlets was 
*vibrating*!  Oh, wait a minute, that's where Dick's communicator was!

Wally found the gauntlet, and flipped up the little panel on the back of the 
glove as he had so often seen Dick do.  Somehow, he wasn't surprised to see the 
familiar Oracle symbol on the tiny display.

"Flash?!  Wh...where's Di..Nightwing??"

Wally took a deep breath and then forced himself to continue, "Nightwing's been 
shot."

"... How is he?" Oracle managed to reply, but Wally could hear the tension 
behind the question.

"He's in surgery right now, but the doctors I spoke to think he'll be all 
right."

"What happened?"

"He had come out here to help me out on a burglary spree that was giving me 
fits.  Of course, Nightwing was able to figure out their pattern; we made the 
bust; everything's great.  We had just turned them over to the authorities when 
I heard Nightwing cry out.  He must have seen something, because he had thrown 
himself in front of a little girl, and there was blood everywhere.  There was a 
silencer on the rifle -- that's why I didn't hear the shot."  Wally paused as 
the scene replayed itself in his mind.  

They had been standing in front of the police station, Wally remembered; he had 
turned to talk to one of the officers in charge of their prisoners.  Where was 
Dick?  That's right, one of the other detectives had asked him a question, and 
they were discussing something.  When Wally heard Dick call out, "Flash!" he 
turned, just in time to see Nightwing's body picked up and thrown backwards by 
the force of the gunshot.  No sooner had he realized what had happened when he 
heard a second shot -- from the roof of the building across from the police 
station, in line with the shot that must have struck Nightwing.

Wally shook his head as he remembered the sad scene.  Apparently, the man had 
been aiming for a little girl who was in the crowd around the station, but 
Nightwing had pushed the little girl aside and taken the bullet instead.  The 
man then put a handgun to his temple and shot himself.  The Flash had heard 
several of the police saying something about a custody case and child abuse, but 
that had been peripheral to getting his friend some medical attention.  

Wally's reverie was broken by Oracle's insistent voice asking, "You said he'd be 
all right, though?"

Even through the electronic distortion, Wally could hear the worry in her voice.  
"Gee, I didn't know you cared."

"Of course, I care!" the voice replied angrily.  "Nightwing's one of my closest 
friends."

"Sure he is," Wally replied sarcastically, "That's why you won't go out on a 
date with him."

"..."

"Don't worry," he continued, still sarcastically, "your big secret -- whatever 
it is -- is still safe."

"Then why ..."

"We got to talking last night, and I made the mistake of teasing him about you 
once too often."

"Teasing him about me?"

"Sure.  All of his friends do -- about how his voice changes when you two talk; 
how even *your* voice sounds different; when are you two going to realize what's 
going on and get together -- stuff like that.  Anyway, he finally lost his 
temper and told me the problem wasn't on his end.  You'd turned *him* down.  
When I tried to get more details, he just said he couldn't tell me any more, 
but that he'd appreciate it if I'd stop riding him about hooking up with you."

Wally stopped his tirade as he saw Nightwing's doctor coming toward him.  "Hey, 
doc!  How's Nightwing?  Is he going to be okay?"

The surgeon raised his hand to stop the flow of questions.  "Your friend is very 
lucky.  His ... outfit slowed the bullets enough so that even though they still 
penetrated his body, the damage was much less than we'd feared.  He will need to 
rest up for a while from the surgery, but he should make a full and complete 
recovery."

Wally broke out in a huge smile as he shook the doctor's hand, "Thanks, doctor!  
Thank you very much!  When can I see him?"

"We're moving him to recovery right now, so we'll let you see him in an hour or 
so."

"And you've kept his mask on?"

"As we agreed, his mask has remained in place during the entire procedure."

"Great!" Wally exhaled in relief.  Now for the next problem.  "When can I take 
him home?"

"I think we can release him in a few days or so."

"Days?!  Doc, I don't think you understand!  I have *got* to get him out of this 
hospital!  The sooner, the better."

"Flash, I assure you, no one is going to try to discover your friend's identity 
..."

"No, doctor, *you* don't understand!  The longer Nightwing is in your hospital, 
the more danger you and everyone else in this hospital is in!  We all have 
enemies, Doc; some of Nightwing's don't really care how many people they might 
have to kill to get a shot at him.  I remember seeing cameras at the police 
station earlier, so I'm afraid news of this shooting will leak out.  I *have* to 
get him to a safer location!"

The doctor finally agreed that Nightwing could be moved once he had come out of 
recovery and left to check on his patient.  Wally suddenly remembered something 
else he had to do.  "Oracle?" he asked hesitantly.

"Yes?"

"Could you notify Batman for me?"

"..."

"Normally, I'd do it," Wally ignored the snort of disbelief on the other end of 
the communicator, "but maybe under the ... circumstances, he'd take it better 
coming from you?"

"You're scared to talk to him."

"NO!  I just, uh, don't think he'd listen to me.  Right now.  Under these ... 
circumstances.  Really."

There was a very loud silence in response to this.  Eventually, Oracle let out a 
sigh whose exasperation was not masked by the electronic distortion.  "All 
right, I'll let him know, but you *owe* me."  She then insisted that Wally bring 
the injured Nightwing to her to recuperate.

"I thought you wanted to keep your identity a deep, dark secret from everyone," 
Flash replied in surprise.

"Nightwing will be fine here -- he'll be more comfortable than at the cave with 
Batman," she replied, and then paused.  "And finally, I think I'd like 
Nightwing's best friend to know why I turned him down, and I don't want to 
discuss *that* over a communicator."

***

Soon the logistics had been worked out, and after considerable argument from 
Dick, Flash and his passenger were soon on the roof of the clock tower in Gotham 
City.

"Dick, for the umpteenth time, I know what I'm doing!  Now get your butt in here 
on the double!"

"All right, all right!  Sheesh!" Dick sighed as he directed Wally through the 
steps necessary to enter Barbara's home via the roof.

Wally was impressed, both by Dick's stubbornness and by Oracle's ability to get 
him to do what she wanted anyway.  As they made their way deeper and deeper into 
Oracle's lair, he was impressed by her more-than-state-of-the-art defenses.  He 
also began to wonder why one woman should require this much security.  When he 
finally met his "hostess," he thought he understood.

"Hi, Wally."

"Barbara Gordon!  Now I understand a whole lot of things!"

"Well, let's get this Boy Wonder settled, and you and I can talk about those 
'things,'" she replied, as she swung her wheelchair around and led them to her 
guest bedroom.  No sooner had they installed Dick in the bed, than her doorbell 
rang.  Wally started, unsure whether he needed to stay or go.

"Hold on, Wally.  That should be Doctor Thompkins."

Barbara may have been sure of the identity of her guest, but Wally noticed she 
took no chances and made sure it really *was* the doctor before she opened the 
door.

"Doctor Leslie, I'm so glad you could come!  He's right in here; oh, by the way, 
this is the Flash.  Flash, this is Dr. Leslie Thompkins," Barbara said in 
passing as she led the gray-haired woman to Dick.

Soon, Dr. Thompkins had examined Dick, decided he would be just fine, and gave 
Barbara instructions for his continued care.  Essentially those instructions 
boiled down to (a) make sure he stayed put, and (b) don't let him do anything 
stupid.  Barbara promised to do her best as Wally rolled his eyes in sympathy, 
at which point the doctor left.  Giving Dick a warning glare, Barbara instructed 
him to get some sleep.

"But Babs," he replied with a small smirk, "don't you think you should check to 
see if I'm running a fever?"

Wally was perplexed to see the blush that rose on Barbara's cheeks.  He saw her 
look at him, shake her head, and then wheel over to Dick.  She swatted him 
lightly on the shoulder, but then smiled and kissed him lightly on the forehead.

"Well?" Dick asked.

"Maybe a slight fever, Boy Wonder," she replied.  "Which means it's even more 
important that you get some rest."  She patted his hand, and then blushed even 
more when he captured her hand and brought it up to his mouth to kiss.  As he 
lowered her hand back down again, she reached over to brush his hair back from 
his forehead, and kissed him again.  "Now go to sleep."

She quickly turned her chair around and rolled out of the room, leaving Wally to 
follow behind her.

***

Barbara avoided meeting Wally's eyes as she wheeled into her kitchen and fixed 
them both some coffee.  Finally, she blurted out, "I told you, we're friends!  
That's all we are -- just friends!"

Wally sighed in some exasperation, "Dick and I are 'just friends,' Barbara.  The 
way you and Dick were acting, I was about to start scouting the place for the 
nearest fire extinguisher, 'cause you were about to set that bedspread off!"

"You don't understand ..."

"Then explain it to me.  That is what you said you wanted to do, isn't it?"

"I didn't think you'd need any other explanations after you met me."

"You mean, the chair?"

"Of course, that's what I mean!"

Wally replied sarcastically, "I hate to tell you this, Barbara, but I think 
Dick, being the great detective that he is, has figured out you're in a 
wheelchair."  When Barbara just glared at him, he continued, "I'm serious.  
Look, I know Dick.  If he's serious about having a relationship with 
you, he's already thought through the consequences of your, uh, situation.  He's 
knows what, or rather who, he's getting, um, into."  Wally blushed as he 
realized his last speech hadn't quite ended the way he'd intended.

Barbara continued to glare at him for a minute, but then her expression changed.  
"I understand what you're saying Wally, but it's more than that.  What about 
me?"  When Wally stared at her in confusion, she continued, "I sort of thought 
you'd understand more than anyone else.  When you were told to stop running, 
that you couldn't be Kid Flash anymore, what did you do?  Did you still hang 
out with Dick and the others?"

"No, but..."

"I know you couldn't run across the country anymore, but you cut ties 
completely, as I recall Dick telling me.  And I know why you did."  As a look of 
comprehension crossed his face, she nodded.  "Even though they were still your 
friends, it hurt too much to be around them.  It just reminded you of all the 
things you couldn't do anymore."

"But you're still Oracle!  You hang out with the Bat-guys all the time!"

"When you stopped being Kid Flash, you could still be Wally West.  Me?  Being 
Oracle is different enough from my old life that I can deal with it.  But 
Dick..." she paused as her emotions began to get the better of her control, 
"Being with Dick would remind me of all of the things *Barbara* can't do anymore 
-- would remind me of all the things, feelings ... *intimacies* that have been 
stolen from my life."  She sat, tears flowing slowly down her cheeks.

Wally pulled a chair up next to her, handed her a Kleenex, and thought over what 
she'd said.  Finally, he spoke, "I know our circumstances aren't all that 
similar, but I did learn something that you may find useful.  I know it's easy 
to focus on what's missing from your life, but have you stopped to think about 
the life you're missing out on?"  He saw her look of confusion, and explained 
further, "You're only looking at the potential for pain from a relationship with 
Dick; what about the potential rewards?"

Seeing that she understood his meaning, Wally finished his coffee in silence and 
left the way he came.

Barbara sat staring at her coffee as Wally's words went around and around in her 
head.  Memories clashed with one another until she was ready to scream.  As she 
looked across at the still figure in the next room, she finally came to a 
decision.  Emptying her cold coffee into the sink, she wheeled herself into 
Dick's room.  She sat staring at him for awhile until she almost lost her nerve, 
but eventually she rolled over to the unoccupied side of the bed.  She took off 
her shoes, slipped off her sweatpants, and pulled herself onto the bed beside 
him.  She instinctively held her breath as he stirred, but the drugs were too 
strong, and he soon became still again.  Barbara lay down beside him, and the 
regular sound of his breathing lulled her to sleep.

***

Epilogue

Barbara awoke as Dick began stirring next to her.  Sometime during the night, 
she had shifted position and was now curled up with her head on his shoulder.  
She smiled to see him start with surprise as he saw who was sleeping with him.

"Babs?" he asked rather muzzily.  He stared at her for a few moments as her face 
couldn't decide whether to blush or not.  "I thought Red Riding Hood was 
supposed to run *away* from the Big Bad Wolf in her bed, not join him!"

Okay, she was definitely blushing now.  She pushed herself up on her elbow to 
look down at him.  "That was her *grandmother's* bed, former Boy Wonder!  And 
besides," she paused to gather her strength, "I think I've done enough running 
away, don't you?"  She looked down at him, hoping he understood her meaning.

He smiled at her -- not the devil-may-care smile that was his usual stock in 
trade, but the gentlest smile she'd ever seen.  He lifted his hand, and brushed 
her hair back from her face, and drew her head down towards his.  "I think we've 
both done enough running, but I also think we've finally crossed the finish 
line."

She responded, just as her lips touched his, "Together."

***

The Beginning?