"The Less-Talked-About Part Of Something That May At Some Point Be Valor"
Starring: Wally West, Sanderson Hawkins
Date: Sunday, Sept. 26, 1999 (between 1 and 3 AM)
Setting: SoHo, NYC

So sue him, he's the Flash and he's five minutes early. Thatt's his job,
to keep one step ahead, you know? But he's sitting there, on the bench,
not in his costume but just in his plain clothes, waiting and checking his
watch. Not to see the time, but to make sure it's still working, damned
thing always seems to run slow...so, okay, he is being impatient waiting
for you, but that's because he's curious. Over the phone you didn't tell
him why, just that you needed to meet, and so, here he is? People notice
him, point and smile and he waves back, but for the most part, out of
costume, eh's left aloe.

Walking up casually, holding a cup of cheap, terrible coffee from a diner
(ever the sour rebel), Sanderson lifts the brim of his hat to the Flash.
"Wally," he says, holding his hand out, "thanks for coming, making time."
He waits a second before he starts, letting the international hero
acknowledge his greeting and return it; he cuts to the chase. "I'm sorry
to contact you to ask you for something so soon after I've met you,
but...well, you know Jack Knight, right? Starman? Batman had indicated he
was affiliated with the Titans, and I know you are, so..."

"Sandy!" He adopts the name for you already, as, well, it's how he knew
you all those years growing up, in his head, reading about you, those
telling him stories about you calling you that. So to him, that's who you
are. Hope you don't mind. But he jumps up to his feet, eager to shake your
hand. "Hey, when you're as fast as I am, time is not only an option but a
convenience that you can use as you wish. I'm always glad to help." He
still looks ta you with those fanboy-like grins, and listens to every
word. "Yeah, I know Jack well," he says, commenting when he can. "Well,
maybe not well, but well enough, I think. we have a lot in common... but,
I think h's a Titan? I'm nto sure if he's made up his mind yet. But
Batman? What do you and Batman have to do with Jack?"

He doesn't mind 'Sandy' from Wally. Some people - some people, he'd pound
their faces in, but from Wally it feels like a bizarre compliment of some
kind. He nods. "Good, I don't want to keep you from your job or anything."
He sips his coffee, winces, and lowers his arm. He looks calm as he
listens, then he smirks - kneejerk reaction. "Batman and I, huh? Don't
ever let him know you're lumping me in there with him. I was in 'his' city
a few days ago, just checking it out, feeling it out. After pleasantries,
he and Robin wondered if I knew anything about the arson case being
brought against Jack - they wanted to know if I could convince the TItans
to look into it." He pauses. "And, well, I'm not a Titan, so I came to
you."

Is that a shocked look on Wally's face? Bruce... Bruce cares? About
something outside of Gotham, and something that doesn't directly relate to
Dick? (Like Bruce actually cares about Dick..) But he tries to recover,
shaking his head a little as he looks to you, still stunned. Wow, Bats
asking them to look into it? It's kinda' like an honor for the guy to let
you do something you should do yourself any way. "Well, I'm sure we'll
look into it, well, like we should be already. I know we are. It's
completely bogus, as there's no way he could have done it, on top of the
fact that he just wouldn't. It's impossible, so there's got to be some
other connection, something we're just not seeing. A villain, no doubtr."
he sighs, having been down that path many times. But, well, forgive him
for asking, but...."Batman. How did he seem to you?" Dick's had Gotham
alone for the past two years, and well, he's wondering if Dick will be
that busy still, if the Bat is back.

Simply nodding to Wally's summary of the situation, Sanderson idly takes
another pained sip of the black coffee. "I thought you might be, but I
wanted to make sure. Not that I don't trust you to have a handle on it.
You're the heroes, all of you Titans." He finally glares at his cuppa joe,
face twisting in distaste, and tosses it in a nearby trashbin. With his
now-unoccupied hands hooked in his pockets, he continues. "I also wanted
to offer my help. I've known Jack a while..." Another pause, as he averts
his gaze and looks almost embarrassed, "...and I should really lend a
hand. I've kept to myself for too l-" Sanderson interrupts himself again,
looking irritated. "I should lend a hand. <pause> How was Batman? What do
you mean?"

"You know, how did he seem? Intense or *intense*?" It's likely no use to
try and talk Wally-speak. Just smile and nod? But he feels like slapping
his hand ot his forehead. First to stop the blushing, as he does have to
comment. "Coming form a true hero like you? Wow, thank you, Sandy. Do you
mind if I share that compliment with the rest of the Titans? I'm not sure
if we're there yet. We're just frineds that like to hang-out together and
do good deeds on the side. Like the Merry Men, only no forest or robbing
the rich." He grins. He also wants to slap his forehead for the jack
think, as Starman = JSA. Guh, he should have made that connection. Hourman
much? "We could use the help, Sandy. heck, it'd be an honor and I'm sure
it'd be a great comfort to Jack in all of this. Please?"

A beat. "Well. Um. I guess he was intense, I don't know. He was pretty
damn rude," admits Sanderson, reaching up and rubbing the back of his
neck, "but Robin was there. Robin was there, so I didn't wanna rip into
him. I hated it when people were disrespectful to Sandman. Hadda stick up
for my partner and all. I didn't want Robin having to stick up against
*me*, if you know what I mean. Kid's got a hell of a lot of guts." He
doesn't even come close to admitting he felt like he couldn't even leave a
cigarette butt on the Gotham sidewalk in Batman's presence - the
protective aura for the city was so strong; Batman's zen is amazing. "I
let him know it, though. Being rude, that is."

"Oh, well, he's *always* rude," says the Midwest boy, well outside Gotham,
outside Batman's earshot. "I mean, I think he wakes up grumpy. Er, scratch
that, actually, I know he doesn't sleep." He grins a little, glad to joke
about this, make light of bruce, because he knows he can't witht he guy.
"Honestly, if he ripped into Barry I know I would lay it on him,
Nightwing's feelings aside. But I agree. Robin's a great kid. I know what
he has to go through, put up with, my best friend having been int hat
exact spot for years. The burden he has to bear..." Remember, Wally was a
long, long time sidekick himself. One that always had to stick up for
Barry, goofy but so adorable Barry. "But should I bring you by the island?
To it? YOu can stay there, and Jack's staying there now. maybe you culd
offer some advice and such to the team?" he's pushing his luck, and he
knows it, but he has to try.

Sanderson pauses *again* - he must be driving Wally nuts. Drive *any*
speedster up the wall. "Sure, bring me by, let me know where it is. I'm
looking into an apartment in the city, though; I won't need a place to
stay. Thanks for the offer. And I'm sure you don't need the kind of advice
I have in general. You're doing wonderfully well."

Wally West is all grins again, as truly, you are a hero to him, and so to
hear you say such things? Well, he does try to play it off a bit. "Well,
we've had our fair share of trouble. We're no JLA and don't want to be
either, so, well, we try. It's nice to know we succeed for some people,
even at least one." He grins, but knows there is the fan support, as
people all over the world helped get them together again. "Ah, it's in the
river. Kind of hard to miss. An island with a big 'T' shaped glass tower."
He winks, one of those michevious Wally teasing winks. But, does this
conclude the meeting? "Have somehwere you need to be fast? I'm more
reliable than the buses."

Sanderson laughs, finally. "No, I never have to be anywhere fast. I'm sure
you do, though. Can you just do me one favor?"

"Anything," he offers freely, without regret and without hesitation.
"Certainly, Sandy. Have mail you need me to deliver?" You'd be surprized
how ofte Wally gets asked to do that.

If Sandy were still drinking coffee, he'd be choking and spluttering now.
"Mail! No, no...no, just tell the Titans I'll be showing up soon, so no
one fires anything at me or stops me at the gate and tells me where to go
for autographs?"

Wally West laughs softly, good naturedly as he nods. "If that's all? Well,
I'll ntell them about the non-shooting thing, except for compliments, but
as for the autographs? You're on your own there. Sorry." He winks, another
one of those mischevious ones and then before you can dispute his 'terms
of agreement' he is gone, the wind kicking up as his image blurs briefly
before fading.

Sanderson just shakes his head, grinning lopsidedly, and heads down the
street.