Tough Love

Part 5

A sudden loud beeping awoke the blonde from her slumber, and a look to the left revealed that the heart monitor was going berserk. The beats kept climbing and climbing, until they peaked with a loud screeching noise, before the BPM monitor went to 0, and the monitors went blank. With a strangled scream, Artemis slammed her hand on the call button, crying for someone to please come, help him, anyone please come and help. She could only stand to the side, limp in Ollie's arms as the medical team (and Barry) rushed the bed out of the room. She had no more fight in her, her grey eyes glassy and jaw slack as his body was pulled away on the gurney, vainly trying to escape Oliver's powerful arms as he restrained her.
Twenty minutes later, the blonde was sitting on the couch with M'gann , still in a dazed state, tuning out the Martian's incessant chatter. She knew that M'gann meant well, but she wasn't really up to dealing with that. As her fingers curled into the soft fabric of the couch, the foam getting stuck in her fingernails, her mind kept wandering to Wally, and the fact that his condition was completely unknown. Barry was nowhere to be seen, so that couldn't have been good. She remained on the sofa for a few hours, lost in thought, not knowing or caring about her surroundings as the others moved about and went about their business.
Pulled out of her thought train by a small tap on her shoulder, she looked back to see Barry, his green eyes sparkling as his face split into a wide smile. The smile could only have meant one thing. He was okay. He lived. It was just a panic, over nothing. In retrospect, the fact that the monitors went berserk was that speedsters hearts usually beat too fast for the machine to detect, causing it to seem like they had died. Whatever had happened in Arkham had been reversed, and his metabolism was probably back in gear as well, reducing the healing time very drastically. A smile formed on her face, and she leapt off the couch, a bounce in her step, running after Barry at a speed that even he would've been proud of if he wasn't so preoccupied with his protege's condition.
As the door opened to the room, Artemis ran in with a wide smile. Wally was sitting up, beaten up but alive and coherent. She paused, not sure if she should've come in, remembering the kiss that she had placed, and finally remembering that he could still hear and feel. She paled quickly; oh god what if he doesn't share the same feelings? That's gonna be so awkward, and he's going to think I'm crazy. She mused, looking side to side in an attempt to pull out of the situation. Wally's wave and wide smile made her reveal herself from behind the door, blushing profusely as she made her way over to him shyly in a very un-Artemis like manner.
"Hey," she said quietly, sitting down at the edge of the bed as he gestured. "Uh, how are-"
The blonde was silenced by a pair of bandaged hands pulled her close, cracked lips meeting smooth. A surprised squeak came out of the blonde as the ginger pulled her into a kiss, silencing the blonde's next words. She returned it, pulling him closer until someone clearing their throat pulled them out of it. Blushing, they looked up, spying Barry and Oliver at the door. Ollie was smiling widely whilst Barry snapped pictures on his phone. Only the flash of the camera made them realize exactly where they were; Wally was sat up on the bed with Artemis next to him.
"Oh my god, it's not what it looks like!" She squeaked, jumping off and landing not so smoothly on the floor. Oliver's knowing smile made her blush further, crawling away from sight.
As Barry selected the print button on his Polaroid camera, he went over to Wally and ruffled his hair. As the picture came out of the slot, he whipped it out with a smug smile. "Souvenir? Souvenir." He said, holding the photo at arms length. A "That's my line!" came from Wally, who was blushing as red as his hair and trying to hide under the sheets, but failing miserably.
Ollie smirked when Barry spoke. This was too good to not use.
"Barry," he said slyly. "Was that a TFIOS reference?" He said, not even trying to stifle the laugh that came. But Barry is the flash, meaning his brain works much faster than the average human, which unfortunately Ollie was.
"Oh really? How did you know it was the fault in our stars? Is it because you read it? Multiple times?" He said, taking off before Ollie could process what he said. After Ollie had actually figured it out, his face burned red, to the amusement of the two protege's. He quickly exited, muttering about stupid speedsters and dumb teenage books, leaving the two proteges in the room.
Wally's hand was placed on Artemis' and she was smiling contentedly, giggling about what the two mentors argued about. They both knew that the older two were big fans of the book, but refused to admit it. The mentors and proteges had had many a conversation about the book. Green eyes met grey, the two of them sharing a laugh. He patted the spot on the bed next to him, inviting the blonde to sit down, which she did. She sat down gladly, but slightly confused. What if the kiss was just a fling? What if he didn't like her in that way? Wally's next words out her at ease.