Wells entered the cortex. He tried to figure out where did he see the man before. Although he has been watching closely over Barry and his family for the last 15 years, he felt he was always missing something, a connection between the man he saw everyday and something else. But he never could put his finger on it. Until now. Slowly, but surely, longer and longer flashbacks came to him. Flashbacks from a life long-gone. The life even the original Harrison Wells wanted to forget.
"Ed. I've been calling you for 30 minutes!"
"I'm here! How is my beautiful wife today? Hah! My wife! Never thought I'd live to see the day! Carol Stevens, wife of aforementioned Edward Jeremiah Stevens, married with a sound body and mind!"
"Cut it off, your name is not Jeremiah!" said Carol laughing.
"Can't a man embellish a bit the story of his love?" said Ed as he grabbed her hand for the world to see, grinning from year to year.
"Ed, we really need to talk to Mike. I can't go on like this much longer. I'm always thinking about this and it's interfering with my writing process! I already postponed my editor for a month now, I don't know if I can lie to her much longer."
Ed seemed to not have heard Carol and her plea. He was too happy today, after winning his big case against a big corporation and once again proving that the wit of a small-town lawyer could open doors you never hoped to find.
"Come oooon Carol. No Stevens ever had problems procreating and I'm not about to be the first one. We will have lots of tiny Eds and Carols running around in no-time, we just have to keep on trying. A lot. Like bunnies. Remember how we used to go at it? Like bunnies?" inquired Ed excited about teasing Carol with the embarrassing phrase he first spat on film.
"Oh my God, Ed, lower your voice, we're in a pie shop for Christ's sake!"
"So what, I want the whole world to know how proud I am of doing it. Like bunnies. With my wife, Carol Stevens."
"Ed you are not taking this seriously and I need to talk to a grown-up right now. See you at home" said Carol in a sharp voice and then rushed out of the shop.
"Carol. Come on! Carol, I was...joking."
Ed threw 20$ next to the half-eaten pie and left the shop. He needed to get his mind off things, because he could never get himself to confess to Mike, his life-long best friend, that he was unable to conceive. Because it had to be him. Carol could never do something to cause this situation. She was perfect, inside and out. He went to his office, to look over some cases for next week. Phil welcomed him: "Boscoooo, looking blue. Want to see what is new in Stuckeyville today? A new, unheard of business, that will conquer the US my friend, I have three words for you: banjos, rockets and ferrets!"
"Not now Phil. I'm busy" said Ed. Looking for Eli, he shouted: "Hey Eli, try to keep the place from burning, will you?"
"I'm on it, Stuckeyboss" said Eli as he was rolling around to put Phill in his place, his favourite past-time activity.
As Ed started reading the case notes for the trial he had next week, a man in his early 30s entered his practice.
"Ed Stevens? A friend recommended I come to you. I have some issues with a patient and I need a lawyer. I think my family might be in danger because of this."
"Of course, how may I help you...sir?"
"Call me Henry Allen."
The flashback ended as suddenly as it started. Unlike other vision he had, Wells couldn't tell if this was from his past, well...the body's past or from another reality he never reached. But one thing was certain: this was not the first time he would have to have a chat with Barry's dad.