Jesse had been running on coffee and adrenaline for weeks, and she was quickly running out of both. The Speed Force could only do so much.
After the Flash from Earth-3 had left, her dad was the only person on her team, the only one who knew about her powers. And as much as she loved being a hero, it was exhausting.
And then her dad got captured and she had a whole whole new problem. She was stuck between work, saving the city, and finding her dad. Alone.
With the city wary, even to the point of outright hatred, of speedsters, it was difficult to do her job. She almost expected tomatoes to come flying at her. She was fairly sure the police already had an alert out for her.
So, to come to Earth-1, where speedsters were celebrated, revered even, that was a relief. Being applauded for saving someone was a foreign feeling, possibly addicting.
She could see why Wally liked it so much.
But despite the fact that she was enjoying her halfway celebrity, she had to return home to do her job. Not just as Jesse Quick, but as a scientist at STAR Labs. Develop products that could really help people, when her speed couldn't.
Maybe she could even get people to support her speedster escapades. That would be the day.
"Are you okay?" She looked up to see Wally sitting down next to her.
"Just thinking."
"Yeah, that's new."
She snorted, and looked back at him. "Thanks."
He scooted so that they could face each other. "So… What's up?"
She didn't want to say it, but it was time to face the music.
"I need to go back to Earth-2." She said.
His mouth opened a little bit, and closed, and then opened again. Her stomach dropped. "I- I understand. Totally understand."
"You do?"
"I mean, you need to help your Central City. I mean, you're the only vigilante in your world, you have a lot of responsibility."
"I-I- Yeah." She bit her lip. "I'm sorry."
"You have nothing to be sorry for." He put a hand on her shoulder.
"I really wanted to spend more with you," she said, reaching up to hold his hand. "I wanted-"
"Me too."
She leaned forward to gently kiss him.
"So." Wally said, softly. "Wanna run?"
She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Let's do it."
Wally chowed down onto the burger, practically inhaling it. Beside him, Jesse was doing the same. Barry had a similar appetite, but was being much more polite about it.
"Damn," Iris said, staring in wonder at the rapidly disappearing stack of burgers. "I'm not paying."
Jesse pulled out a red stack of bills.
"Uh- that's not going to cut it."
She looked down at the red paper, as if just now realizing that Earth-1 currency was needed. "Oh yeah."
"Who's this guy?" Iris asked, pulling the square to her. Wally and Barry peered over. At the center was a portrait of a stately Asian man, and there was a numeral five at each corner.
"Oh, that's Hiram Fong," Jesse said, swallowing a mouthful of burger. "He was president for the War of the Americas."
"Whatever that is."
"You know, kettle helmets, Cape Canaveral, Bottom Line?"
"What's that last one?"
"Oh!" Wally snapped his fingers. "It's that movie we watched! About that boat on the Rio Grande!"
"Yeah." Jesse looked pleased. "Way better than Titanic."
"You watched Titanic together?" Iris asked, eyebrows raised. "You need to work on your game." She and Barry shared a look, unfathomable to anyone outside their relationship.
"It's part of Media Switch," Jesse said. "I got some movies from my world, we watched some of this world's movies."
"It's just fun to see her reaction. Did you know, Luke and Leia get together in their movie?"
"No," Barry gasped, shaking his head.
"They're not siblings!" Jesse exclaimed, swatting at him. "I have no guilt."
"I'm still shaming you." His hand darted out to steal a fry, but she caught his wrist.
"Nope." She plucked the fry from his fingers and ate it.
"Have you thought about staying for a little while longer?" Iris asked her.
Wally steadily avoided her gaze as Jesse muttered her answer awkwardly.
"Oh." Iris looked somewhat disappointed.
Jesse cleared her throat. "Um. I'm the only speedster there, I really need to go back and help."
"Why can't Wally go back with you?" she asked.
Despite himself, his heart leapt.
"Iris," Barry whispered, shaking his head.
"Iris, we're trying to save you," Wally pointed out. "I can't leave."
"You have the opportunity to save so many more people on Earth-2," Iris insisted. "What Earth-2 needs is a good team. And I already have a good team."
Barry looked ready to voice another objection, but Iris sent him another of those unfathomable looks that he understood instantly.
"What about Joe? Do you think he'd be okay with it?"
"Dad will understand," Iris assured him.
"You can stay at STAR Labs with us," Jesse offered. "We've basically been working out of our apartments anyway."
"Are you sure?" He asked, not wanting to impose.
"I could use a little help," She said shyly.
"There you have it," Iris said, leaning back, obviously satisfied.
"Hey, waitwaitwait. Wait." Barry held up a hand. "Wally, are you sure you want to do this? I mean, living on a whole other Earth?"
"Jesse did it for almost a year," Wally replied, confidence building up in him. "I can totally do this. I just gotta go home and pack."
He would make sure to download as many movies as he can.
Jesse had a peculiar spring in her step when she came back to him.
"What is it?" he asked suspiciously. As happy as he was seeing his daughter happy, he knew she would be somewhat morose about leaving her- and the word made him shudder- boyfriend. So this cheer was somewhat surprising.
"What makes you think that?" She asked all too quickly.
"You're smart, Jesse, and I'm smart. So let's not beat around the bush." He crossed his arms, trying in vain to look like an authority figure.
She laughed, actually laughed at that.
"Wally's coming with us."
For all his intellect, he had to blink a couple times to absorb the information.
"Where?"
"To Earth-2. He's going to help us out, the least you can do is be grateful."
"Yes, yes, I'm so grateful- not. We've been doing fine on our own."
But then he remembered the days where she looked like she was about to pass out with exhaustion, but had pushed through. The days she had been doing experiments all day and then been rescuing people all night.
"I'm starting my job at STAR Labs, I need some extra help cleaning up the city. Wally offered."
"Okay, then where's he going to stay?"
At that, Jesse looked a little sheepish.
"Oh, come on," he groaned, realizing very quickly.
"You will still be there," Jesse took care to remind him. "He's not moving in with me, he's moving in with us."
"Because that's so much better- not ." He was aware that his arms are in the air gesturing wildly, but couldn't bring himself to care.
"It'll be fine," she assured him. "Wally's a good guy."
The only time Wally had ever been through a breach was during much more traumatic circumstances, so he didn't exactly have a baseline for the experience.
Jesse, noticing the tension in his shoulders, whispers in his ear. "It's just like going through a tunnel, that's all. Just don't think about it."
"You sure brought a lot of luggage," Harry noted.
"Didn't want to put too much of a burden on you," Wally said, slinging the backpack on and then hefting his beat-up duffel bag.
"At least there's that," Harry said, quite dryly. "Try not to go into shock."
"Call us when you need us," He said to Barry. The other speedster gave a short nod.
"You too."
They clapped each other on the back.
He hugged Iris and Joe, endured a kiss on the cheek from the former, and faced the slowly opening portal.
Don't think about it.
Jesse grabbed her father, and they ran through the portal together.
The first thing Wally West noticed about the place was that it was completely dark.
"Lights," Harry called out, and the contrast stunned him for a second.
There was a computer bank, presumably for Harry, and several whiteboards, but the space was otherwise empty, and smaller than the one at Earth-1.
He was a bit unsure of where to put his stuff, so he carried it around awkwardly.
"Sorry, it's kind of small," Jesse said. "But, um, we kind of live here, so it was just easier this way."
"You live at STAR Labs?" He looked around the She had never mentioned it.
"Yeah." Jesse pointed at a metal door at the far end of the living room. "That goes up directly to Dad's office."
He thought about emerging every morning from Harrison Wells' office, and started to open his mouth.
"There's another door," she said, seeing his discomfort. "Next to the kitchen. That's usually where I run out from. We're at the back of the building."
"Oh, thank God," he breathed, and she didn't bother to hide a smile.
She grabbed his duffel bag and trotted to one of the doors, furthest from the elevator, pushing it open to reveal an empty room with a cot and a bookshelf. After a second, he followed her. He could hear Harry sighing behind him.
"This is your room. I'm at that door." She pointed across the hall, and then at the middle room, obviously the master. "My dad's in there."
"I'm guessing that's off limits?"
She gave him such a disdainful look that he had to laugh.
"At least you get your own bathroom. Get settled." She ordered. "We have a lot of work to do."
In a burst of speed, he unpacked.
"Okay," He said cheerfully. "Now what? You got anywhere to train?"
"Yeah, downstairs. Follow me."
"No time for that," Harry called. "Alert at the First National Bank. Metahuman with the ability to-" he took a second look- "emit beams of colored light. Apparently they're solid though. Sounds interesting."
"Alright, let's go," Wally said, changing into his costume in a flash.
"Wait a sec," Jesse said. "Don't go with me."
"What are you talking about? You brought me here to help you."
"This isn't about you," she said, changing into her suit. "Trust me. I just don't think they're ready for you yet."
"You mean the people? People love me!"
"People here aren't fond of speedsters," she said, stretching her legs. "Just – hold back on this one, okay? I promise, we'll work together on the next one."
She had already sounded apprehensive, but then there was a flash of lightning through her eyes, and then she had taken off. He was dying to go after her, but there had been something in her insistence that made him want to obey.
"Can I use your computer?" He asked Harry suddenly.
"What for?" Harry was almost cradling his computer.
"Just to check the news." He tried to keep his voice casual. "I should keep up with the current events and all that."
"Okay…"
Wally sped over, but his fingers froze over the keyboard, unsure of what to search for. He decided on just typing in "speedster", which brought a reasonable list of results. He scrolled through the options, speed-reading through dozens of articles.
His stomach dropped further with every new article. At first, he had thought it was an isolated opinion from a single author, but the same phrases kept appearing, over and over again.
Gone for a week...causing a metahuman uprising...unfamiliar with the responsibility of a city…the potential to be a second Zoom…a power no one should have…false hope…following in the footsteps of Zoom…most likely a copycat fraud…
He finished the earliest article, titled "New Speedster Appears: The Hope and The Dangers", and leaned back, hands on his head.
Harry looked at him pityingly.
"Is this seriously…" He searched for the words, but could not find them. "This is what they think of us?"
"Jesse's been trying to ignore it," Harry said, returning to the computer. "You should do the same."
"The cops are here!" Jesse called through the comms. "What should I do?"
"What have you done with the meta?"
"I'm running blind, he stunned me for a sec," she answered. "I'm thinking we should regroup."
On the other side, Wally heard someone shouting, sirens.
"What's going on?"
"Cops are coming after me now." The marker for her on the middle screen was going wild as she wove through the streets to avoid the police cars.
She arrived back in the apartment, hair blown back, blinking intensely.
"I need a mirror," she said immediately. "Curved, if we can get one."
"Ask Engineering," Harry said. "Gamma team is working on a high-powered spotlight."
"Excellent." Wally could see her forcing herself to slow down as she goes up the elevator. Every step is measured to seem more normal.
"Is she going to reflect the lights back at him?" He asked.
"Looks like it." Harry typed in a few coordinates. "She can use the mirror to focus the lights into his eyes, blind him."
"Then handcuff him and take him to prison." Wally finished cheerfully. "It's a good plan."
"Not one she's going to get credit for, mind you," Harry said gruffly.
"But everyone will see what she's done."
"They'll get out of the way once they see the criminal coming," Harry said. "Not like on your Earth."
Wally thought about it for a moment. Though he enjoyed the crowds chanting his name, it was probably not smart for them to gather around a criminal, even one they thought was neutralized.
"Even so, someone has to have seen her defeat a meta before."
"You've read the articles," Harry said, in that tone tone never fails to make him feel stupid. "The moment she doesn't defeat one is the moment she's failed the entire city."
Wally frowned, returning to the computer screen. "How are we gonna find this guy?"
"In this case, we're going to have to wait for him to show up again." He pushed his glasses up his nose. "Not a prospect my daughter is looking forward to, I assure you."
"Is it like that all the time?"
"If the ability affects something unique, we can track it. But not so much with the-" he did some jazz hands- "light powers."
"So she's just gonna have to run over carrying a gigantic mirror?"
"That's the idea."
"I should know this place before I try to save it," Wally said. "Where to first?"
"Big Belly Burger?" She suggested, laughing when he looked at her strangely. "Okay, big guy. Where do you want to go?"
"How would I know?"
"Let's start small. Go around STAR Labs."
"I already know my way around this place." He pointed out.
"People actually work here, Wally," Jesse said, shaking her head. "You do have to know your way around."
"Well, coming from the girl who's lived here all her life," He gave a mocking bow. "Lead the way." He tilted his head, seemingly getting another thought. "What if the alarm goes off?"
Jesse shrugged. "Then I'll just face back down here and pick up this bad boy." She patted the curved mirror lying on the table.
He seemed comforted at the thought. It was nice to have someone with some confidence in her.
"Come on, let's go upstairs." She grabbed his hand, and they went inside the elevator.
"Does anyone go down here?" Wally asked her.
"Dad meets everyone in his office," she answered. "And he's not the kind of guy who hosts sleepovers for his kid."
She could see him trying to imagine the scenario, but he shook his head, trying to clear it from his mind.
As an afterthought, she added. "Oh, and Rick, when I was in high school."
"Rick?"
The elevator dinged as they reached Harrison Wells' office.
"Bottom floor is Computers, second is Physics, top floor is Bio." Jesse rattled off quickly.
"And below that is your house."
"Exactly."
"Doesn't it bother you that you're living underneath something that could blow up at any time?"
She pondered that.
"Not really," she answered finally. "You lived in your house and didn't think about gas leaks all the time, right? It's the same thing for me." She paused, and then gave a wide grin. "I just live under a cooler house."
Wally just rolled his eyes at that.
"Okay, whatever."
"Come on, you know it's true," She said, nudging him.
He opened his mouth to defend himself, but was interrupted by her watch beeping- the meta had appeared again at the bank. Coming to finish off the heist, apparently.
She bit her lip. "I've gotta go. Uh, you can explore if you want. Call me if you get lost."
He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Good luck."
"Thanks." She ran off, down the stairs back to the apartment, and then to the bank, holding the large reflective metal over her head.
She supposed that if anyone saw her, she would look ridiculous, but only Wally would have perception that was fast enough to see her looking so stupid.
"Hey!" She shouted at him, "Come and fight me!"
Though Wally itched to just run all over STAR Labs to case the place, he had a feeling all these smart scientist types wouldn't be all too happy with a speedster messing up their paperwork. He wandered the halls, watching the scientists working. There were so many people that worked here, so many moving parts.
This was how STAR Labs could have been on Earth-1, if the explosion had not happened.
"Hey!" A security guard rushed up to him, crossing his arms and puffing his chest up. "You're not supposed to be here."
"Naw, it's cool," he said, holding up his hands. "I was invited."
"Yeah? And next thing you know, you need to use the bathroom."
"No, seriously," he said, "I was invited by Jesse."
"Jesse who?" The guard asked skeptically. "There are a million Jesses in this place."
"Jesse Wells." It was shameless name-dropping, he knew, but he hoped that would be enough to get him out of this mess.
The guard burst out laughing, a deep, from-the-gut laugh. "Yeah, right. And I've been drinking tea with the Mayor. Get lost, kid."
Knowing that resistance was most likely futile, Wally let the security guard escort him outside. He seemed to have a vested interest in Wally's hands.
The guard seemed keen to kick him out literally, but he was satisfied with just pushing him out the door.
He sighed for the guard's benefit, and the moment the guy turned around, he ran for the side door Jesse had talked about.
Only problem: instead of a keyhole, there was a screen, presumably for a combination. A combination he didn't know. He could try every combination, but that would take too much effort, and without the impetus of a missile launch, he wasn't particularly in the mood. Staring at it, he decided to cut the Gordian knot.
Jesse braced herself against the blast of red energy, holding up the mirror facing concave so that it would reflect back at the other meta.
"I feel like I should know your name!" She shouted at him, dodging another blast, green this time. He was getting more creative, at least.
"You first!" He replied childishly.
The sound of sirens wailing was fast approaching, and she did not want to be there when the cops arrived.
"You better get out of here," the meta taunted, sing-song. "You don't want the cops to catch you."
Letting out a roar of frustration and abandoning all previous finesse, Jesse charged him, ducking underneath another colored blast. They were moving so slowly, all of them, she could run circles around them.
The convex side of the mirror made contact with the meta's head with a clang, and as he was dazed, she put a set of suppression cuffs on him.
"Sorry." She told him with a smile, "They'll be catching you today."
Before the cops could start chasing after her again, she raced away. But then she remembered, with increasing clarity-
Crap. She'd locked Wally out.
She sped on home, mirror tucked under her arm, finding the plain door she had known was home.
Jesse typed in her code, rushing in- to see Wally, sitting back and watching the news.
"Nice job," he said, nodding his approval. "You're on TV."
"Wally, I'm so sorry! I forgot you didn't have a door code yet and-and- how did you get in here?"
He shrugged, and gave a shit-eating grin. "Phased through the door."
Hey guys! This is kind of my "pilot," and it's cross-posted on AO3 as well. My tumblr is dragonsoftheeast, if you want some updates from there. Don't be afraid to comment.
Here's the preview for the next episode:
Wally saves a train, revealing himself as a speedster for the first time to the city. Central City goes wild at the possibility of another speedster, and Wally makes an attempt to win them over. Meanwhile, Jesse gets a new project from her dad.
