Before the Fall
Gotham City, New Jersey
15:22 EST
April 1, 2006
Dick hadn’t liked what he just heard. That man — Boss Zucco — had said words that seemed nice enough. Protection sounds kind; it’s supposed to keep people safe. But, Dick scrunched his nose up at the stranger’s tone.
He crept up silently behind Mr. Haly after Mr. Zucco and his friends left. “Mr. Haly?” Dick asked quietly.
The older man jumped two feet in the air and clutched his heart. “Dick!” he shouted over the little acrobat’s giggles. “You nearly gave me a heart attack!”
“Da says I can be really sneaky when I want to,” Dick gave him a toothy smile, despite missing one of his front teeth, before sobering suddenly. “I’m sorry I scared you.”
“It’s quite alright, my dear boy,” Mr. Haly chuckled while mussing up Dick’s hair.
Dick lept up onto the crate next to Mr. Haly’s head. “Who was that man?”
Mr. Haly scowled and flexed his fingers, “Just some bully. This city is full of them.”
Dick cocked his head to the side, “Where are we again? Goddum?”
“Gotham,” Mr. Haly annunciated slowly.
“Goth-am,” Dick echoed, trying the word out. “Gotham?”
“That’s right,” Mr. Haly smiled. “Now run along. It’s time for the Flying Graysons to rehearse.”
“But, I have a question,” Dick jutted his chin out. “What did he mean ‘accidents will happen?’ Like an April Fool’s prank?”
“It’s nothing to worry about,” Mr. Haly insisted.
“Are you going to call the police like you said you would?”
“I think I hear your mother calling you,” Mr. Haly picked him up off the crate and set him down. “Run along now.”
“Okay. Devvel, Mr. Haly!” Dick shouted as he scurried towards the three-ring stages.
“Bye, Richard!” Mr. Haly said with a wave. He would handle that Zucco fellow after the show, but the doors open in three hours. Right now, there was simply too much to do over an empty threat.
Dick craned his neck skywards and searched for his parents near the tip of the big top. He saw a shimmery red-and-green-clad figure complete a Backwards Around the World that morphed into a Toe Hang as she locked eyes with Dick. “There’s my little Robin!” she sang as she hung upside down, using only her feet to hold onto the trapeze.
“Hi, Mom!” Dick waved while jumping up and down. With the spotlights catching her sequin, Dick thought she looked like a mirrorball as she spun.
On one of the platforms surrounding the trapezes, his father held his muscular leg above his head in a Scorpion to stretch. “Point your toes, Da!” Dick called up, unable to hide the righteous smirk at being the one to correct his father’s form.
He heard his father’s melodious laughter as he launched himself into his favorite warm-up — a Knee-Hang Departure. Moments before Dick’s mother caught him, John “Giovanni” Grayson added a front tuck and landed with his hands clasped firmly with Mary’s. Dick whooped even though he knew his father was simply showing off for him. Two-thirds of the Flying Graysons returned to the platforms while the youngest climbed up the support beams, nearly leaping from handle to handle, to meet them. He stuck his tongue out at the metal loops where the nets would attach if it were any other troupe. They were the Flying Graysons, after all; nets were for posers.
Dick made a face at his parents as Giovanni kissed Mary’s hand and whispered to her in Romani while she held his face in her other palm. “Eww, Da! Mom!”
Giovanni chuckled, “What’s wrong, chav? Is it so terrible to see two people so in love? Something so beautiful should never be the source of shame or embarrassment — especially when your dai is just as breathtaking as when I first laid eyes on her.”
Dick rolled his eyes as his mother snorted and swatted her husband’s arm. “Oh leave him alone, Gio. He’s still young. He doesn’t get it yet.”
Giovanni smiled at his son and kissed his wife’s cheek before returning to the trapeze bars. His mother crouched down to Dick’s eye level and planted a kiss on his hairline.
“Mom,” Dick blushed.
“I know love is gross and your parents are blech,” she crossed her eyes and stuck out her tongue. Dick giggled. “But know that one day, you’re going to find your person. The one that’s there for you no matter what.” She began walking backward towards the edge of the platform. “That’s all that you can ask for. The one that always catches you when you fall.” With nothing more than a raise of her eyebrows, Mary dove backward into a perfect swan dive.
Before Dick could entertain a waiver of doubt, Giovanni swung back and tightly held her hands — they always caught each other.
Dick sat cross-legged on the platform, watching how seamlessly the two were in tune with each other. Yes, he knew he should be stretching, but he couldn’t help it. His parents were artists. The two laughed as they soared past each other like they had grown wings.
Dick would never admit it. After all, he had a formidable reputation to keep up around the clowns, but his favorite bedtime story was about how his parents met. His Romani father had immigrated to the United States in his early 20s with little to his name besides his gymnastics skills, the desire to travel the country, and a dream to bring joy to others. His mother was a gaje childhood ballerina turned disillusioned dental assistant with a runaway desire to fly. They met auditioning for Haly’s Circus, and the rest, as his mother says, is history. Now, they were the Flying Graysons, a world-renowned family of fearless acrobats.
A little part of him, observing two people who completed each other so perfectly, thought that one day, in the way far-off future, having someone like that would be nice. Then he shook his head and gagged. Disgusting.
After Dick finished his stretches, the completed Flying Graysons rehearsed their set, and Dick’s laughter bubbled the entire time. As he cut through the air, he cheered. Swinging from his mom to his da, he felt the only thing stopping him from touching the stars above was the tent (and the smog Dick saw earlier. Gotham didn’t look very clean).
“Alright, Dick!” His father bellowed from the platform opposite him. “Your mother and I will practice the closer, so go hydrate! The show starts soon!”
“But Da! Mom!” Dick wailed. “I’m big enough to do the Triple Spin routine!”
“Hup-bup-bup,” his mom called back. “We’ve discussed this. Not until you’re in double digits.” She wiggled all her fingers for emphasis.
“But that’s only a few months away!”
“No death-defying stunts until you’re ten. Listen to your dai,” his father nodded. “Soon enough, little Robin.”
Dick grumbled as he descended the ladder, but he couldn’t help but observe in wonder as his parents performed the Triple Spin. One day. Dick promised himself. One day that will be me.
Keystone City, Missouri
17:44 CST
December 3, 2004
“Wally? You’ve barely said a word since we’ve gotten in the car. What’s wrong, honey?”
Wally ducked his head, trying to avoid eye contact through the rearview mirror. “Nothing, Aunt I.”
“I only just picked you up. What? Sick of me already?” she asked, teasing.
“No! No, that’s not it…” the ten-year-old shook his head violently from the backseat. “I just thought it would, you know, just be us this weekend?”
Iris West turned around at a red light to meet her nephew’s eyes. “Wally,” she spoke delicately. “Look at me.”
Wally gave a long, hard blink before finally returning his aunt’s gaze. “You’re the most important person in my life.”
Wally opened his mouth to argue, but Iris squared her shoulders and jutted her chin. It was the same move Wally had seen her do on TV whenever someone she was interviewing avoided her questions.
“You are my favorite person in the world, and I love you to the stars and back,” Iris said firmly.
“You’re my most favorite person too,” Wally responded softly, like he was admitting a secret. “I love you to the Andromeda Galaxy and back.”
The boy watched the last remnants of Keystone City vanish as the car moved over the Missouri River bridge, connecting Kansas to Missouri. Wally’s shoulders finally unclenched.
“Woah, Andromeda Galaxy! That’s a new one. Can you tell me about it?” Iris prompted.
“It’s from that book you gave me last time,” Wally smiled, breath coming a little easier with each mile. “100 Facts on Stars & Galaxies— A Guide to the Known Universe, one of the parts was all about the Andromeda Galaxy. Scientists used to just think it was just a nebula, and then boom — galaxy upgrade. It’s supposed to be like almost three million light-years away, and it’s the biggest galaxy that’s close to the Milky Way. That’s where we live.”
Despite keeping her eyes ahead on the road, Iris couldn’t help the proud grin spreading. “You memorized all that?” She caught wild red hair bobbing up and down in the mirror. “Don’t tell me you’ve already finished the whole book?”
“Of course I did! It was so cool!” At this point, Wally was nearly bouncing in his seat, animatedly gesturing with his hands. “I wanna go to space someday,” he said more as an afterthought to himself than Iris.
“Well, I guess that means we’ll have to stop at the bookstore before the weekend’s over. You’ve gotta be one of the fastest readers I know.”
Wally stilled, the troubled frown returning. “Is the boyfriend the fastest?” Iris sighed.
“His name is Barry. I know you know that. And yeah, but he kinda has an unfair advantage when it comes to speed reading,” Iris muttered.
“What is it? I could learn it and beat him. Then we can just hang out and talk about space and books without him.”
Iris blew a raspberry. “Wally…” she trailed off, trying to figure out the best way to navigate the conversation. “He and I have been seeing each other a long time. I love him, and I love you. I would pick you a dozen times over him, but it would be even better if the two guys I love most got along.”
Wally said nothing as he looked back out the window. His gaze locked on the river vanishing along the flat Midwestern horizon.
“I’ve told Barry all about you, and he said that he really wants to meet you,” Iris continued carefully. “He’s a scientist… I know you love science, and I bet he would happily answer any questions he can about his work. I think you two would actually get along super well… if you just gave him a chance.”
Wally still stared out the back window. Iris waited.
He didn’t know how long they continued the drive in silence. Wally watched as a bright red sign with bold yellow writing proclaiming, ‘You are now entering Central City — Home of THE FLASH!’ came and went.
“What if you stop spending time with me because you’re too busy with him? What if you don’t want to see me anymore?” Wally whispered, mind not entirely processing that he vocalized his fear.
Iris’s foot instinctively slammed on the brakes as she veered out of the lane and onto the shoulder at her nephew’s words. Wally yelped at the jolt as Iris whipped around in her seat, accompanied by angry car horns. “Wally, I would nev-”
Her words were drowned out by a swerving eighteen-wheeler truck’s honking, growing louder from behind. The truck drifted off the road and towards the shoulder. Iris gasped and wrangled the car’s wheel.
Suddenly, everything outside of the car became fuzzy and blotted with red. Wally wasn’t sure he was still breathing once everything stilled. He saw the giant truck speeding in front of the window shield as it weaved back into the right lane.
Iris was attempting to stumble out of the car, now on the grassy stretch beside the road, when suddenly large hands were grabbing him. Wally screamed and tried to use his arms to defend his face. When fists didn’t connect, he opened one of his eyes in a wince. White lenses in the place of eyes peered back as the hands lightly gripping his shoulders vanished.
“Hey, kid,” the figure in front of him spoke slowly. “Are you okay?”
It was the Flash.
The Flash was standing in front of him.
“Get out of my way!” Iris bellowed, shouldering past an actual superhero like she was trying to navigate a busy hallway at work.
“Wally, baby, I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry,” she hugged him, petted his hair, and kissed his forehead.
She was still chanting apologizes and asking repeatedly if he was okay, but Wally just stood stalk-still staring at the red-clad speedster in front of him, eyes as wide as the hero’s logo.
The Flash’s gaze raced between Wally and Iris. His arms fidgeted like he didn’t know what to do with them.
“Is the Batman real? Do you know him?” Wally squawked, unsure why that was what came out of his mouth.
The superhero met Iris’s eyes, “Are you ok-” he started, but she shook her head at him. He stepped towards her, but she shook her head again. The Flash’s gaze returned to the child, and Iris nodded. Wally didn’t notice any of the exchange.
“I’ll, uh, leave you two to it then,” he said.
Wally didn’t think superheroes were allowed to sound so awkward.
“Umm, bye,” the Flash waved at him and disappeared in a blink, leaving only a quickly vanishing trail of red.
Wally and Iris sat there, backs propped against the car, watching the traffic go by. Iris was attempting to will herself to stop crying as she stroked Wally’s hand with her thumb.
“Oh,” was all Wally said when his brain finally stopped reeling to process the events of the last few minutes.
Iris’s thumb stilled. “Wally, please forgive me. I am so sorry. I can drive you back home if you-”
“No!” Wally shouted. “No,” he spoke quieter this time. “It’s okay, Aunt I. I’m okay. I’m okay.”
Wally wasn’t sure if he was trying to convince her or him that that was true.
“Okay,” Iris said after a couple of deep breaths.
“Okay,” Wally parroted back. “I love you, Aunt Iris. It wasn’t your fault.”
A strangled sob escaped Iris’s lips, and she started crying again. “I love you too, Wally. If anything happened to you, I don’t know what I’d do with myself.”
“Well, it’s a good thing I have you to protect me,” Wally smiled softly at his aunt. “You make me feel safe.”
Iris said nothing for a moment as a wobbly smile graced her face. Using all his scrawny ten-year-old strength, Wally tried to pull Iris up off the ground. She gave a broken chuckle and stood up, leaning just enough on Wally to allow him to believe he was helping. He hugged her, and she leaned over to plant a kiss on the top of his head.
Iris insisted she buckle Wally herself, and once she got behind the wheel, she paused. “I want you to know that no matter who I’m seeing, they will never replace you, Wally. You’re always going to be my favorite person no matter what, and I love you with all my heart.”
“Yeah,” Wally said simply, agreeing. The ignition flared as Iris slowly pulled back into the right lane. The two drove to Iris’s apartment in relative silence until she pulled into her parking spot.
“I still can’t believe the Flash saved us! I’ve never seen a superhero before!” Wally exclaimed.
Gotham City, New Jersey
18:32 EST
April 1, 2006
“Hey Giovanni, Mary, Dick,” Mr. Haly poked his head through the family’s dressing room. He had to raise his voice over the dull murmur of the tent filling up with guests. The show was set to start in less than an hour. Dick was already in costume, dangling his feet off the end of the vanity he perched on, waiting for his parents to finish their stage makeup.
The family chorused their hello’s in response. Dick noticed Mr. Haly had that particular look on his face he got when something unexpected happened too close to the start of a show. “I’m sorry to do this so close to our start time,” he started and scrubbed a hand across his face. “But there’s a family of means, if you catch my drift, offering to pay for a photo with the three of you… I thought we could use the pocket change.”
Mary finished the final wing of her eyeliner with a flourish. “Yes, of course, no problem, right, Gio?”
“Of course, my love,” Giovanni responded, wiping the excess foundation from his hands. “We love meeting people delighted by our performances!”
“We’ll be out in just a moment, Mr. Haly.” He nodded and slid back out.
Mary redirected her attention to Dick while attaching her fake lashes. “Honey, you wanna help Mommy put on the rest of her rhinestones? It always looks so much better when you do it.”
Dick grinned at the compliment and made grabby hands at the stones and makeup adhesive. “Only if I can put one on myself too.”
“But of course,” Gio chimed in. “It only seems fair.”
Dick stuck his tongue out in concentration as he dotted his mother’s cheekbones with the stones. He gently turned his mother’s face from side to side to ensure that his designs looked symmetrical before nodding in approval.
Mary caught her reflection in the mirror behind Dick and gasped loudly. “Why, I look so gorgeous! Thank you, my little Robin!” She kissed his nose, and Dick reddened.
“Mom,” he groaned halfheartedly, making sure her lipstick didn’t leave a mark.
She only laughed and went up to her husband. “Well, what do you think?” She made a face and strutted towards him, imitating a runway model.
“A goddess among women,” he crooned. “Our son is a visionary!”
While his parents laughed and danced to a song Dick couldn’t hear, he fished around for a small stone and pressed it just under the outer edge of his left eye. He smiled at the single freckle of a sparkle.
“Okay, I’m ready!”
Gio picked him up off the vanity and threw him over his shoulder with a huff and a chuckle. Dick passively squirmed in an attempt to free himself but soon gave up. They followed his mother out of their dressing area and looked around for where Mr. Haly was flagging them.
The Graysons found the man standing next to a young family. Gio finally released Dick from his grasp as the boy jumped down and observed the trio. It was a polished couple in fancy clothes with a little boy half-hiding behind his mother’s leg.
“Jack, Janet,” Mr. Haly started using his “work voice” as Dick referred to it, “May I introduce Mary, John, and Richard — The Flying Graysons!” On cue, the three flashed their most dazzling smiles and struck their long-practiced poses. “Graysons, this is Jack and Janet Drake and their son.”
Dick cocked his head to the side at the little boy buried in his mother’s skirt. The youngest Flying Grayson took a small step forward and crouched down to be at eye level with the child. “Hello,” he said gently, like how he would talk to some of the performing animals. “My name is Dick, What’s yours?”
“Oh hon, he doesn’t talk much-” the boy’s mother began but was interrupted by the mop of dark hair poking his head out from behind his mother’s leg.
“My- my name is Timmy,” said a meek voice.
“Hi, Timmy! It’s nice to meet you!” Dick smiled. “Is this your first time at the circus?” The little boy continued scooting past his mother and towards the young gymnast with a nod.
“Jack here insisted we come, but I think Tim might be a bit too young for–” Janet waved a hand. “All this.”
“Janet, the boy can’t be afraid of everything,” Jack huffed in response. “That’s why we’re getting this picture. Calm him down a bit.”
“Well, Timmy,” Dick said, ignoring the boy’s parents. “How old are you?”
“This many,” the boy said, holding up four fingers in front of Dick.
“Wow! Four years old! That’s so big!” Dick smiled broadly, and the little boy cautioned a tentative smile back. “You know, I’m nine now, and I started doing the trapeze at five — just a year older than you. Maybe someday, you can learn to do it too! Then it won’t seem so scary!”
Jack scoffed, but Tim’s eyes went as wide as the ringed stages. “Really?”
“I’ll tell you what,” Dick said, displaying a toothy smile. “Someday, if I ever see you and you want to learn, I’ll teach you myself.”
At that, the little boy launched himself at the young acrobat in a hug. Dick had the wind knocked out of his chest but recovered quickly and scooped the little boy up. Jack and Janet shared mirrored looks of utter shock at their shy son’s attitude, but Gio and Mary just smiled, perfectly content with the son they’d raised.
“How about we take that picture now?” Dick asked the little boy burrowed in his arms.
Tim just nodded while Janet fished a digital camera out of her purse and passed it to Mr. Haly.
“Just make sure this is off by the start of the show,” he instructed with a light tone as he motioned for everyone to get closer together. “On the count of three, everyone say, ‘Grayson!’ One… two… three…!”
The group all chanted the name in response through smiles, and Mr. Haly passed the camera back to Janet Drake.
“Alright Timmy, I’m going to let you down now, okay?” The little boy said nothing as Dick lowered him back to the floor. “My family and I have to go get ready for the start of the show.”
“But… but…” Tim replied, lip wobbling.
“But,” Dick said, “This performance, all my tricks, they’re for you. How about that, Timmy?”
At that, Tim’s mouth dropped open, and he gazed at Dick like the slightly older boy had hung the moon.
Dick smiled one last time at the boy, “Bye, Timmy; I hope you have fun at the show!”
Janet thanked the acrobats for their time, and Dick waved back at Tim before his family and Mr. Haly walked away. As he retreated backstage, he caught Tim’s dad saying, “Great, a boy in tights running around doing flips. The perfect role model for my son.”
Mary and Gio knelt down beside their son and gathered him in a big hug backstage. Dick, confused but happy regardless, asked, “What was that for?”
Two-thirds of the Flying Graysons leaned down and kissed the top of the youngest member’s head, “We’re just so proud of you,” Gio smiled at him.
“And we love you so much, little Robin,” finished Mary.
About 15 minutes later, all the circus performers were huddled backstage with Mr. Haly for the pre-show circle. Everyone held hands, and Dick was just happy to be between his two parents who occasionally would swing him up off the ground.
Dick only half-listened to Mr. Haly since it was pretty much the same speech regardless of what city they were in. The only difference was that he said someone very wealthy and important was said to attend tonight, so we had to put on an extra special show. Dick didn’t care. Every show he did was extra special, and besides, he didn’t even catch the name.
“Alright, everyone,” Mr. Haly concluded. “Let’s give Gotham a show they’ll never forget.”