I saddly don't own the show nor the characters. Any mistakes that could be found are mine as I'm not a native English speaker, yet I hope thery're not to big. I couldn't find Tracy in the characters list.

if have a moment, please live a comment - I would love to hear your thoughts :)

His chest was on fire. Everything hurt- moving, talking but especially breathing. He tried to gasp for air time and time again but his mind didn't want to work properly. Someone was holding him - that person had strong, big hands and for a moment he wondered if he screw something up again and it was Randolf who held him. Did he touch the wrong piece of equipment again? Was he electrocuted or something? But it didn't feel right. Those hands… they weren't Randolf's, he knew that now. They were smaller and clad in leather; Randolf had never worn gloves, not even when he had burned his palms.
He finally manage to take a deep breath and ond oh God it did hurt. There was a voice above him, a male one, filled with tears. And then he remembered:
Freeing Iris, taking her place… it all came together in a flash. Oh God, he was stabbed by Savitar and Barry thought…
His hand moved to grasp the face changing device in his pocket. It hurt, it hurt so much and his vision was getting darker minute by minute. But they needed to know, Barry needed to know. Iris was safe, he made sure of that - someone had to do it and he knew he was the only available option at that time. He didn't regret it, not in the slightest. How could he? Those people have given him a home, they became his family and HR wasn't a man who would turn his back on the family.
Through his pain filled vision he saw confusion on Barry's face mixed with relief that he couldn't really hide. HR didn't blame him - he would be relieved too, hell, he was relieved. He made peace with himself the moment he took that claw.
He constantly tried to tell his brain that, but it was hard when every breath he took hurt like a thousand knives were plugged into his chest. His body was tense and he was squeezing Barry's arm so hard that he was afraid it will leave bruises and he didn't want to hurt Barry more than he already had. Yet he couldn't help it.
Then he heard another voice and his heart broke. Tracy… oh God, she didn't deserved any of this. In a matter of seconds she was beside him cradling his body in her arms. Her strong arms that were shaking uncontrollably. She was crying and HR's heart broke into a hundred pieces at this sight. It was hurting him more than the gaping wound in his chest that was slowly oozing blood, straining Tracy's clothes.
Tracy… His beautiful, brilliant Tracy Brand. There were so many things he wanted to tell her, yet he knew they didn't have that much time. So he used it for something much more important - he told her that she needed to stay strong. She couldn't let his death to destroy her, she deserved so much more. Yet even now he didn't regret his choice.
She made him so so happy. He had never felt so happy as when he was with her. He hold onto those memories, those shared laughs and missteps. He have never wanted her to be sad, never ever. He wanted her to remember him as he would remember her. Because even if he found his family on this earth, she was the one who gave him his sense of purpose. Now, they will never grew old together, there will be no children nor grandchildren for them, no late nights spent curled together on the sofa somewhere in their apartment. He wanted to scream how unfair it was but he knew it was useless, he made his choice and he wanted for Tracy to understand this, that he loved her more than anyone else but he had to do it.
She was crying and shaking her head, her beautiful wavy hair obscuring her face. He hold his hand on her cheek and told her that she would be brilliant. Because even as he felt the cold slowly overtaking him he knew as much and she needed to hear it from him. His breathing was getting more ragged and he could feel the worm liquid leaving his body both from his chest and his back. He didn't have much more time left, even if he wished he had. This was how the story of HR Wells across the Multiverse ended - a fitting even if tragic end if he had to admit. And as he looked at Tracy he felt like crying, not only from pain but surprisingly from happiness too.
On his Earth he had money, he had fame and fangirls following his every step. Here he had none of it, yet he felt so much more fulfilled. He was grateful to the God, the Speed Force or to the Multiverse - for all he cared - for giving him that second chance.
Because in those couple of months, HR felt more alive than for his whole life.
His vision was getting darker, so much darker. The image of Tracy in front of him blurred and if not for her firm grip on his neck he would think that she was just a mirage.

"I love you..." He choked out. There was so much more hidden behind those words, some much more that he hoped she would understand:

I love you - I'm sorry for hurting you, for falling in love, I don't want to leave you.
I love you - I will always be with you, don't be sad, you can't be sad, I don't want you to be sad.
I love you - be happy, don't look back, I will always believe in you, I wish we had more time…

He was so cold now. The noises around him were duller than before. In one moment he was seeing Tracy and in the other his vision went dark for a moment and he couldn't feel anything below his waist anymore. He felt a spike of fear and looked blindly around. He couldn't go yet, he needed to find Barry. He needed to tell him.. Cisco... He deserved to now.
He must had called out, because Barry's hands were around him yet again. HR whispered in his ear and slowly felt the last bit of his strength leave him. He felt at peace. His job was done and the team would keep marching on. Everything would be fine now.
HR felt no more pain and smiled. Another voice reached his ears but he didn't understand the words. The last thing that his mind registered before it all went black, was the feeling of air rushing through his already disheveled hair.

There was a beeping noise. Very annoying and loud beeping noise. He tried to move but his limbs weren't cooperating, nor his eyes for that matter. His eyelids were so heavy that he only managed to lift them a couple of times before they closed and didn't move back up again. He also could feel something hard stuck inside his throat. He tried to speak, but no voice came out. There was a flare of pain, from where he couldn't really tell.
Someone was holding his hand, squeezing it. Then there was a flood of relief and the darkness claimed him once more.

When he opened his eyes again he was greeted by bright light. A groan escaped his lips and he turned his head to escape the brightness. Or at least tried to as his neck felt so stiff that he only managed to turned it just so slightly. He felt the movement to his right and soon the light has decreased and no longer hurt his eyes.
His eyelids felt so heavy again that he didn't want to lift them again but then there was a hand on his shoulder and the other hand moved his head to the previous position.

"Come on HR, open those baby blues for me," the hand was caressing his brow and hair. He recognised that voice but couldn't place it to the face. Nevertheless he slowly did what was expected from him.

He was greeted by white hair and for a moment he felt a spike of panic, that soon changed into pain in his chest. He grunted and trying to move away but his body had different ideas.

"It's ok, I'm not going to hurt you."

He looked at her face and was surprised to see a smile directed at him and dark eyes. Dark, not striking blue. He felt relief flood his entire body and he sagged into her touch. He opened his mouth to speak but the only thing that came out was a crock and he felt as if thousand needles were pining his throat. He tried to clear it but it only made it worst and he ended in a coughing fit. He felt a hand settling on his windpipe.

"Do you trust me?" He looked into those big brown eyes. He smiled slightly at her and nodded. She smiled back.

"Relax HR, you're safe."

He could see her hands glowing in the corner of his vision. Then he felt cold licking his neck and seeping into his throat. It wasn't hurting, on contrary- it was very soothing and soon he felt he could breath more easily. He swallowed and was happy to notice that the needles were gone.

"Thank you," he whispered. She squeezed his shoulder and stepped back a little. HR finally looked around and realised that he was lying in the Med Bay. A frown appeared on his forehead. He had a distant feeling that he wasn't supposed to be there, that there was something he was missing, something important. He felt something cold entering his veins and looked to the side to see Caitlin holding an serigne in her hand. But was she Caitlin or was she someone different?

"I go by Snow now," she answered his silent question." It seems fitting."

"Yeah, it does." His voice was far from strong but it was better than nothing so he smiled brightly. But then it disappeared and was replaced by a frown yet again.

"How are you feeling?"

"Confused is the best term I think..."

"What is the last thing you remember?"

He looked up to see compassion written all over Snow's face. What had happened to him?

"I...I'm not sure..." There were images flashing through his brain but they didn't make much sense to him. It felt as if he fell into a deep, dark hole and he had an idea that he missed quite a lot. He suddenly felt a chill entering his bones and it had nothing to do with Caitlin's presence. Come to think of it, he didn't know why her presence was so unsettling in the first place. But before he could voice any of his concerns there was a noise of feet coming to a contact with the floor at very quick piece. HR turned his head to the door and suddenly the only thing he could see were the blond wavy locks and a feeling of woman's arms around his torso.

"Tracy..."

His arms came around her middle on instinct, pulling her closer to him. He breathed her in - the smell of fresh coffee mix with coriander was lingering on her hair and he enjoyed that smell more than anything else. There was something soothing in it and HR felt his own mind calming down. Then he felt something wet on his chest. It was getting wetter and wetter and he could feel Tracy's shoulders shaking. A frown of confusion crossed his face as he tightened his hold on her. Why was she crying? What had happened to make her this sad?

"Shhh...Shhhhh Tracy it's ok... You're ok," he started to whisper in her ear, his hand instantly coming to stroke her hair.

His words made her cry even harder. He could hear as she repeated his name again and again as if not believing that he was really the one holding her. Her grip on him tightened even so slightly and he felt a spike of pain blossom in his chest. He couldn't surpass the grunt and tightening of his muscles. Tracy moved away from him as if she was burned.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry! It's my fault! I shouldn't have -" the tears were still staining her face and HR couldn't look at them. He took a hold on her hand and drown her close to him, ignoring the pain that the movement caused.

"It's nothing, it's ok," he reassured her. She was still crying so he took her face between his hands and weeped the tears with his thumbs. "Don't cry Tracy, I can't stand to see you upset..."

A nervous laugh escaped her lips. She sniffed and put her hand on his own, leaning into his touch.

"I'm not sad HR," she creased his cheek with her other hand and smiled through her tears." I thought that I've lost you..."

His brows furrened. Yes, he gathered as much, that something had happened. He wouldn't be lying in the Med Bay if it was otherwise, but it must had been sirious if Tracy looked so spooked.

"HR, what do you remember?" Caitlin asked again and he looked at her above Tracy's shoulder. He thought for a moment and then his shoulders slumped.

"I've messed up and Savitar took Iris..." His eyes winded and he felt a panic rising in his chest." Iris! Where -"

"She's ok, HR. Savitar didn't get her." Now it was Tracy's turn to hold his face. His eyes snapped to her, his mouth slightly agape. "And you didn't messed anything up, don't you dare to speak like that ever again."

He couldn't shut his mouth. He gazed at her azure eyes and what he saw made his heart melt. Even behind all those tears, there was so much love in them that HR felt completely lost. All those things made his head spin. Tracy must had noticed the change in his behaviour, because she shifted and helped him to rest against the pillows behind him which made him to look down on his chest. His mouth went dry as he noticed the bandages and he felt terribly tired all of sudden, but he needed to know, even if An unexpected filling of Dread took a hold on him. He cleared his throat and looked up.

"What happened to me?" He feared that he already knew the answer but if he was correct... he couldn't really imagine what was he doing here in that case. Tracy opened her mouth but she was interrupted by the voice from the doorway.

"You were in a coma for 6 months." HR head snapped to the side and his eyes locked with Harry's who looked slightly out of place leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed. Weirdly there was no spite in his stare.
HR's eyes winded and then moved to Snow searching her face. She nodded.

"6 months?" She nodded again. He felt so overwhelmed now that he was afraid he would pass out from it. He looked down at his chest again and though he already could guess the cause of his state he didn't expect his doppelganger to speak again.

"Savitar stabbed you from the back." He said bluntly which gave him two nasty stares from the ladies present. "What? He doesn't need to be coaxed about it."

Harry pushed himself from the doorway and moved to stand closer to the bed. He narrowed his eyes and tightened his hold on his biceps.

"You took Iris' place," he said while looking into HR's eyes. "You got yourself a nicely looking hole on both sides of your body. By all means, you should be dead."

"Harry!" Harry didn't even flinched at Snow's angry exclame. HR had his full attention.

"Fortunately for you, Barry managed to whisk you off to the hospital and they did an open heart surgery on you that lasted longer that it should have. You coded twice on the table." HR's eyes winded again and he could feel his heart beating painfully fast.

"Harry, that's enough," Snow moved to stand beside his angry doppelganger but he ignored her yet again. He moved his hands to rest on his hips instead.

"I knew you were an idiot, but it was the most idiotic, moronic thing you could ever come up with. You have no idea, how lucky you are to be even breathing. Honestly, I leave you for one moment and in the next everyone forgets what your brains are for! "

HR felt tired as never before but he smiled. He knew what Harry was driving at, he could read his body language easily enough and that thought filled him with unexpected worm.

"Stop smiling you idiot, you could have died and Brand - if you slap me again to defend him, I will find a way to get back at you," He pointed his finger at Tracy and then without missing a beat he took hold of Snow's hand and steered her towards the door.

"He's obviously fine, you will check on him later."

And even if HR was on a bridge of falling back asleep he caught the quick glance that Harry had thrown in Tracy's direction. He smiled and looked at the woman sitting by his side and took her all in. He knew he was staring, but he couldn't help it.

"I have never laid eyes on anything more beautiful than you in whole my life."

Those words brought tears into Tracy's eyes yet again but she smiled down at him. Her hand was tangled in his hair slowly playing with it.

"I was afraid, I've lost you..."

He bite the inside of his cheek and summoned the strength to move a little, making more space on the cot. She noticed what he was doing but looked abashed.

"I don't want to hurt you..."

He looked her straight in the eyes smiled.

"You could never hurt me, Tracy Brand. Now, come here."

She hesitated for only a moment and then removed her shoes and curled beside him, throwing her hand across his chest, careful not to aggravate his still healing wound. He throw his arm around her and creased her delicately, enjoying the contact. He knew he would fall asleep soon, but he hoped that he could hold on for a little longer. He smirked suddenly remembering one thing.

"Tracy?"

"Yes?" She lifted her head to look at him.

"You slapped Harry?" She suddenly looked very pleased with herself.

"It took me a while to notice that his grumpiness is his way of showing that he cares and well, he named you an idiot."

He smiled brightly at that. His full, toothy grin. He didn't deserved this woman but here she was. He moved his hand and caressed Tracy's cheek fondly.

"I love you, Tracy Brand; you don't even know how much."

She must had seen how exhausted he already was but she moved slightly to elevate herself on her elbow. She looked her gaze with his and then slowly moved to meet his lips with hers. She tried to put every possible emotion into that one kiss and he understood them all. They lips moved against each other and HR shifted his head a little so his lips parted. Their tongues bonded together in a slow dance. Tracy was the one who broke the kiss, not wanting to hurt him more than he already was. HR had his eyes closed, he was lost in the wonderful sensation of having the woman he loved so close to him. Tracy took a hold on his face and rested her forehead against his.

"Promise me you, you'll never leave me."

He opened his eyes, even if they wanted to stay closed and smiled.

"I'm not going anywhere, sweetheart."

She smiled to and he couldn't help himself - he planted a quick kiss so she would understand how serious he was. His body was already shutting down from the overwhelming emotions.
Tracy saw all of it and she shifted from his arm. She shifted, so she was higher than him and then threw her arm around him.

"Go to sleep HR."

He didn't protest and let his eyes fell closed. There was a long and difficult road ahead of him, many more questions that needed to be answered. HR fell asleep with a smile dancing at the corner of his lips - his adventure wasn't over yet, it was just beginning.