The night of the particle accelerator explosion Harrison makes a decision that surprises even himself
He was almost late for his own press conference that big night and he nearly couldn't believe he'd let himself been so careless. Fifteen years he'd been waiting for the night until he would finally create the Flash and yet, all he could think about now was her.
Yes, Eobard Thawne, currently wearing the body of Harrison Wells, was losing it. And it was all because of one seemingly unimportant woman who was long dead from where he came from. Yet, that didn't stop him from caring for her. And all too much as it appeared.
The affair he had with her was spectacular and full of passion. The first time he'd finally taken her, he'd had half a mind that she'd push him away, but she hadn't. It turned out that she wanted him just as badly and she still wanted him till this day. Maybe even more. And damn him if he didn't follow her suit.
Instead of arriving at his press conference early – as he always prided himself on being punctual – Harrison Wells was busy fucking Caitlin Snow in an empty and dark lab, having her pressed against the wall as he was driving into her over and over again, her meeting his thrusts desperately, always in the need for more, always telling him to go deeper and harder as though she wanted him to consume her in her entirety. And he wouldn't mind, really. In fact, there was nothing he'd rather do than be here with her, to have her till the very end.
Only what kind of an end would that be? He thought when his mind cleared enough after he released himself inside of her. Was it this beautiful, brilliant, amazing woman that he was now holding in his arms? Or was it coming back to the future? And to where? To a wasteland of his life? He was here so he could train Barry to be the Flash, so the boy could get him back to the future in return, so… what? So Thawne could eventually kill him and get rid of the problem.
His plan never included him actually falling in love.
So he was basically screwed.
And then he realized what time it actually was and that he really shouldn't have pulled her into this empty lab on their way to said press conference.
"Oh, God, Harrison, we completely lost the track of time!" she squealed in surprise as they quickly adjusted their clothes. Yet, she didn't seem to be worried, instead just laughing merrily at their flop.
He couldn't help but smile at her brightly, loving the sight of her happy, sated, in love… Which again worked like a bucket of cold water spilled all over his head since this was not a part of his plan, was it? And he knew that in the near future he would have to make a choice whether to spend the rest of his life here, making sure she was always happy and always loved him like this or come back to the future, leaving her behind. Thinking of the latter somehow seemed so painful to him that he started having trouble breathing as though something pressed against his chest. He really dreaded tomorrow. He dreaded seeking out the man who would soon be struck by a lightning.
Before he knew it, Caitlin was taking his hand and leading him towards the door and then straight to the press conference, making the choice to move for him.
Nothing went exactly as planned again and it shouldn't really come as a surprise to him anymore. His connection to the speedforce had been weakened ever since he'd made the journey back into the past and now, after the accelerator's explosion, it seemed to be severed completely. He couldn't understand it just yet and needless to say, he was pissed about it, even finding himself having difficulties walking despite hiding in his time vault, protected from the blast.
Well, not entirely as it seemed, a simple step suddenly becoming a very hard task to him.
This wasn't supposed to happen. This was just one more obstacle he hadn't foreseen.
Maybe he shouldn't have given the ok to launch the accelerator in the first place. Maybe he should've abandoned his plan and pursued his life with Caitlin instead. At least then he would still be able to work normally.
And now? How was he supposed to find Barry Allen and train him if he couldn't even move properly?
He forced himself back under control as he already started panicking, his face hidden in his hands.
Finally, an idea sparked in his mind, his focus sharpening helped him find what seemed to be the last ounce of speed left in his body.
Of course. This was a brilliant idea, he thought, a perfect ploy. He could most definitely work that to his advantage.
And then he heard her.
Gideon was programmed to show him anything that might be worthy of his attention and Caitlin Snow was definitely on that list despite him wrecking his brain about the issue on multiple occasions.
None of that mattered, though, because right now Caitlin Snow needed his help.
He saw her on the camera feed brought up by Gideon. She was trapped. And she was calling his name.
He tapped into the remaining speed inside of him without even thinking and was at the right place in no time, ready to help, ready to rescue the woman he loved. There was no denying that part now if he risked what was left of the speedforce energy in his body for her.
"Caitlin!" he called out to her, seeing the pile of debris that trapped her on the other side.
"Harrison! Harrison, please, help me! I can't get out!"
"Are you hurt?!" he screamed back at her when watching the wall of debris carefully, thinking of how to get to her and seeing that she would have to climb over it to him.
"No… Just my ankle, but I can stand."
"Can you climb?"
"What?!"
"I may be a physicist, Caitlin, but I'm also a pretty good engineer, so I need you to listen to me and do exactly what I say, ok? Some of the rubble won't collapse on us if you put your foot right, so just focus on my voice and do what I say, ok? I'm going to walk you through this. Just don't think. Only listen. I'm right here on the other side, ready to catch you, I promise."
And injure himself in the process, he thought, also seeing how he could use the last of the speedforce energy in his veins to create a small accident in which only he would get hurt.
She didn't say anything to that, but it was as though he could feel her nodding at him and then he began giving her instructions and she started to climb, sometimes releasing a moan of pain when she put her ankle wrong, but she held on, knowing this was their only chance, that before the rescue team would even get so deeply into the building and close to the accelerator, the whole thing might already collapse.
It seemed like a whole eternity before he finally saw her at the top of the rubble, shaking and tear-stricken. His heart nearly stopped at the sight as a flood of pure love washed over his entire being. He was doomed, he knew it that very moment, because this woman was everything to him and there was no way he could ever let her go. He wouldn't. Couldn't.
"Jump," he told her, his voice hoarse now, ridden with emotions. "I'll catch you, Caitlin."
"I love you, Harrison," she said for the first time and that caused him to stir again, tapping into his powers, seeing her suspended in the air as he moved faster than everything and everyone around, savoring the moment and knowing there was truly no other way he could respond but by 'I love you, too'.
Only he didn't manage to say that. Because as he finally lost all the connection he had to the speedforce and she was safely in his arms, he lost his balance, his legs giving up underneath him as he caught her and they tumbled to the floor.
He still remembered to push her away so she wouldn't get hurt by the falling rubble.
How was that for a bitter irony that it fell on him despite him not even provoking the avalanche?
The last thought he had before passing out was that he knew what he would do.
He would rebuild S.T.A.R. Labs.
He would never leave Caitlin Snow.
In fact, he would marry her.
If the cut connection to the speedforce would prevent him from walking again, he would find a way. Together they could come up with a solution. Together they could fix him.
He didn't need his speed anymore. All he needed was her, because while he was with her, he felt as though he could run hundreds of miles per hour. She was his beating heart.
Now, how was that for a bitter irony again?
The moment he finally opened his eyes, seeing her sitting by the side of his hospital bed, her hazels boring into his blues, he knew he finally made the right decision. She was holding his hand and he gave it a little squeeze. Then he told her, "I love you, too," and she started crying, in no time getting to his bed and snuggling up into him, thanking God that he survived and thanking him for rescuing her. Then, there were kisses dropped all over his face until her lips finally stopped at his and the tears ceased to flow as she was happy now. Happy that he was all right and that they had each other.
So this was the end of his journey, he thought when cradling her in his arms, never intending to let her go ever again. This was it for him. It was another irony that he had to actually travel back to the past to find what he was always looking for and couldn't even name at first.
It was love. Something no one had ever given him until this gorgeous creature appeared in his life. All he'd known before her was hate and rejection.
He would not waste this change, he knew that much as he tightened his hold on her and told her over and over again how much he loved her.