Sorry for taking so long! I'll be a bit hit and miss until September, then I can get into my regular update schedule.
Thanks for the wonderful response to chapter one, you guys are the best! :D
Hope you enjoy this one, thanks for reading! This one is a bit slower, but I still had a lot of fun with it.

Chapter 2

"A different universe?! Did you just pull that out of a completely different hole?" Barry was aware that his voice was raised and attempted to lower it slightly, but his next words emerged even louder, if anything. "You're telling me you can just decide that I'm from a different universe because I didn't time travel?"

Older Barry looked like he'd already anticipated this argument. "I read a paper theorizing about possible alternative universes, and the separation between them. I don't remember all the details, but I think this might be what we're dealing with here."

Barry's mind was already racing to the next issue, ready to tackle it before the other could even finish. "And what do you mean 'came out the other side'? The singularity was eating, expanding and a black hole is supposed to be nothingness on the other side."

"Supposedly."

"Then are you telling me the other side of a black hole is just another universe? I don't see even half of the stuff here that was eaten by that thing. I don't see giant building pieces, cars, or Ed—anything else." Barry's speech was starting to catch up with his mind, every word tripping out faster and faster.

Older Barry put up a finger, already nodding. He seemed to be thinking at the speed of light as well. "I think you're right there, but you were deep inside the singularity. You already said that. Somewhere inside there you found an entryway into this universe."

"You said the other side!"

"Does it matter? Either way you're here! We are not from each other's timelines, we are from two entirely different timelines." Older Barry's speech was speeding up as well.

Barry was staring up at the sky. "Fine. Fine! I'm in a different universe. So how do I get back?" He waited for an answer, noting how the sun was setting here, and when he didn't get one his gaze snapped back down to his counterpart.

Older Barry's gaze was there to meet his, but there was still reluctance in it. "Well, that's the thing…I don't know that you can."

Barry had been afraid of exactly that, but somehow hearing it from a slightly older version of himself made it so much more final. He backed away slightly, finally dropping Oliver's bow and arrow so his hands could both run through his hair. "But…I can't stay here. I need to get back to my world. My life! Do you have any idea what I just sacrificed to keep that life? Of course you don't. People have died! The singularity caused massive destruction. Joe and Iris need me, now more than ever! Who will protect the city? There are metahumans and criminals running the streets! Ican'tstayhere!"

By now Barry's speech had sped up to a speed that made him sound incomprehensible to human ears. But the Barry opposite him understood every word. His hands rose to grip Barry's shoulders. The older man shook him slightly, interrupting his frantic rambling and forcing him to look him in the eye.

"Barry, I swear I will do whatever is in my power to get you back home to your world. I promise. We'll go see the guy who wrote the theory I read. We'll look at every possible solution." Barry had stopped babbling now and, while still breathing rapidly, had at least calmed down enough to listen to what Older Barry was trying to tell him. Older Barry slowed and softened his speech. "I will do everything I can to get you home."

Barry stared at the other man. This man that looked like him. In many ways he was him. But now, looking at this hero in a bright red suit, seeing the determined look on his face, all Barry could see was someone he looked up to very much. Someone he wished he could be. He felt his shoulders relax slightly, lowering out of their raised position brought on by panic. Older Barry's grip relaxed as well.

"Okay. Thank you."

Older Barry nodded, flashing him a quick reassuring smile. He moved back a step. "Okay, well it's too late to go see anyone tonight, and I was interrupted when Oliver called—" Older Barry glanced around, just realizing that the last conversation had lacked a third participant. Barry noticed and looked over as well.

Oliver was standing a few feet away from them, by all appearances frozen in place. His face was inscrutable.

"Oliver? You okay?" Older Barry gave the blond man a quizzical look.

Oliver just stared at them another second before he finally replied. "Just…trying to figure out who pushed the fast forward button. And, how to turn it off."

Barry and Barry looked at each other; both realized that their entire conversation had progressed to rapid speech only a speedster could perform or comprehend. The tension fractured as they took in Oliver's befuddlement. Identical grins split identical faces.

"Did you get any of that?" Older Barry's voice was trembling with suppressed laughter.

Oliver's face looked like he was still trying to decipher the previous dialogue. It was almost like he was waiting for subtitles. His voice sounded excessively slow as he replied. "I got an 'a', then a 'you', and maybe an 'ear'."

Both Barrys dissolved into laughter. "Sorry," Barry managed.

Oliver's mouth twitched in what may have been a slight smile before he moved to pick up his bow and arrow. He replaced the arrow in his quiver and dusted off his bow before turning to the other two men. Barry could tell Oliver finally felt back in control of the situation, or as much as he could feel in such circumstances. Oliver gave him a considering glance.

"If you're from an alternate universe, is there an alternate me there, too?"

Barry nodded. "Actually, yeah. We're still friends, don't worry."

Oliver accepted this fact with a nod. "Actually, I was wondering if he was my opposite. He's probably all light and happy." He turned to the older of the pair. "Sorry you get to deal with the grimmer version of me, Barry."

Barry's jaw dropped in outrage. Older Barry's eyes flicked his way, reading the look on his face before he met Oliver's eyes with sober (if a bit insincere) forgiveness. "Our friendship makes it worth the effort, Oliver." Barry could see the grin the other man was holding back.

Barry snorted. "Yeah, nothing says light and happy like the Oliver in my universe."

Oliver's brows were starting to draw together, and Barry could see the question forming on his lips when his older self moved in and masterfully distracted him.

"Okay!" Older Barry clapped his gloved hands together. "I should head home. Barry, I'm assuming you need a place to sleep?" Barry nodded. "Oliver? You headed back to Starling?"

Oliver shook his head. "Oh no, I need to see how this works out. I'll stay at my safe house in Central for now. Call me when you've got something for me to do."

Older Barry nodded, clapping Oliver on the shoulder. "Thanks for saving myself."

"Yeah," Barry put in "thanks for that."

"Anytime." Oliver pulled out a grappling arrow and took aim. "I need to call Dinah anyway, she's never going to believe this!" Oliver shot his arrow high into a building and lifted away.

Both speedsters watched him go.

"Wow, that is still cool in any universe." Barry looked at his counterpart, who nodded. "And who the heck is Dinah?"


It only took a few seconds for both men to reach the correct house, Older Barry in the lead. Barry was amazed at how easy it was to follow his counterpart through town, considering the only speedster he'd ever run up against was the Reverse Flash. He easily kept pace with and tracked the other man right up to the third floor apartment of an older building just outside of downtown. They didn't stop until they were through the door and standing in the front entryway of a modest and comfortable apartment.

Older Barry turned to Barry immediately. "She's in a bit of a…sensitive stage right now. Do not say anything to upset her, or you get to sleep in the closet." His finger poked Barry in the chest.

"Why would I—" Barry's reply was interrupted by a familiar voice calling from what he guessed was the kitchen around the corner.

"Barry, I needed you here to save me from myself. Sorry, the brownies are gone."

Older Barry gave Barry a look. "That's okay, hon I'm not really hungry anymore." He pulled off his hood and mask, and Barry did the same. They were still facing each other as Iris continued.

"I'm getting text alerts about an anomaly in the sky a bit ago. Is that what Oliver called ab—" Iris turned the corner and caught sight of both Barrys, standing together like mirror images of each other. The finger she was clearly licking the last brownie crumb off of left her lips and lowered slowly to the huge bulging stomach that had preceded her around the corner, palm pressing against the mound in a pseudo-protective gesture.

Barry realized he was staring. Iris was so different. Her hair was shorter, shoulder length and framing her slightly fuller face. She was very obviously pregnant, far enough that she was beginning to waddle slightly as she moved closer. She headed straight for Barry, looking into his face.

Older Barry spoke first. "Iris, um, this is…me. I guess. Bar—" He hesitated just long enough for Barry to shoot him a threatening glare. "—ry," he finished, a smirk of repressed laughter on his lips.

She waved a dismissive hand his direction. "Oh please, like I haven't seen weird before. When isn't our life weird?" She moved up to Barry, the two of them separated only by her pregnant belly as she studied his face carefully. She looked into his eyes. "Past or future?" Barry stayed silent a moment too long. Her brows drew together in a look of concern and sympathy. "Oh. Future, huh?"

"Well, actually, he's younger, but he's me from a whole other universe. We think." Older Barry stepped closer, putting a hand on her back and shifting to stand next to her.

"Really? Oh that's interesting!" Iris' eyes lit up with excitement. She shifted closer to Older Barry unconsciously, her own hand moving around his waist.

"Yeah. Barry, this gorgeous woman is my wife, Iris." Older Barry wrapped his hands around her from behind, hands across her belly, smile huge across his face. "But I think you know some version of her already."

Iris gave Barry a warm smile. "Welcome, Barry-from-another-universe. This is a first for us."

Barry laughed slightly. "Me too. Nice to meet you Ir—Mrs. Allen."

Her laughter pealed out. "Mrs. Allen is your mother. It's West-Allen. But please, call me Iris. We're practically family."

Barry smiled. "Thank you—Iris."

Iris and her husband smiled back at him, arms wrapped around each other.


Iris offered the spare bedroom for Barry to sleep in, but since it was rapidly turning into a nursery Barry declined, offering instead to sleep on the couch. Iris sent her husband in search of linens and some spare clothing, and then escorted Barry into the kitchen, insisting he eat some dinner. Barry decided not to comment on the fact that there was leftover dinner but not brownies.

She sat across the table from him as he self-consciously ate a few bites. Finally he couldn't handle the silence anymore. "So…when's the baby due?" He took another bite and looked at her expectantly.

She beamed at him, sitting back in her chair to run her hands over her belly again. "Babies, actually. Twins! I'm just over six months along, but I'm sure I look ready to pop any day now." She rolled her eyes and gave a small laugh, but he knew her well enough even in this universe to see that she was feeling self-conscious about her size. His counterpart's remarks came back to him.

"Really? Twins? I never would've guessed. You look—beautiful." It wasn't even a lie, he realized. She did look beautiful. The other Barry, passing by in the hallway behind his wife, glanced in and gave him an approving glance. Barry could tell he felt the same.

Iris smiled at him, shaking her head. "You sound just like my husband." Barry blushed slightly, digging his fork back into his food for a moment. When he looked up, he realized Iris was staring at him. Mouth full, he could only raise his eyebrows as he chewed.

Iris gazed at him thoughtfully as she replied. "You're a lot like my Barry. But you're not my Barry." He met her eyes in surprise, swallowing his last bite. "You've had tragedy in your past, haven't you?"

Barry blinked. "Umm…yes. How am I different?"

"You're a bit more serious, a bit less secure. More unsure of yourself." Her voice was gentle but direct. He couldn't think of any way to reply to that, so he just didn't. "You're still Barry Allen, but I can see it in your eyes. You've suffered more."

"That's why you thought I was from the future," Barry realized.

She nodded. "Your eyes look older than my husband's. Not that he hasn't had hardship, but you're…different."

Barry chewed on the question he was about to ask, wondering if discussing alternate universes was the same as discussing time travel. "Are…Barry's parents still alive?"

Her eyebrows shot up. She opened her mouth to answer, but at that moment her husband leaned into the room from the hallway. "Better not. Just in case. We don't want to blow anything up or change something." He looked at Barry across the room, measuring his reaction. Barry couldn't deny his slight disappointment, but at the same time realized that maybe he didn't want to know. He nodded.

Iris sighed. "Fine." She gave Barry a conspiratorial glance across the table. "Mr. Gloom and Doom." Barry laughed. He couldn't remember why he'd thought she was different. Iris was exactly the same.


Barry Allen finished brushing his teeth for the night and watched his wife perform her nightly ritual of bed preparation. Two pillows for her head, one to help her sleep on her side, one at her back if needed. All placed within easy reach for the night. He smiled to himself, watching her. Sometimes it was like watching a mother bird prepare her nest.

As he made his way to his (much smaller, for the time being) side of the bed, Iris turned his way.

"So that anomaly was the singularity, and it was closed." Iris looked to make sure their bedroom door was closed. Even so, her voice lowered slightly. "So how is he supposed to get back home?"

His face was grim as he replied. "I don't even know. We need to work on it tomorrow, visit someone, find some answers." He shook his head slightly, looking helpless. "I don't know what to do for him if he can't get back. I'd be devastated."

Her hand reached for his. "Me too. But you'll figure it out. I'll do whatever I can to help. We'll get him home. His family needs him, just like we need you."

Her husband squeezed her hand, nodding. "I'll do my best."

"Then that's all we need." She smiled as she kissed his cheek. He smiled too, until she jumped.

"Oh! Somebody kicked!"

He was immediately at her belly. "Where?"

She took his hand and placed it just off to one side. "There. Actually, I think one kicked the other."

He laughed in reply. "I guess they better get used to that." He left his hand on her belly, feeling the movement within as he met her eyes. "I love you, Iris."

She laughed as well. "You're just saying that because I'm giving you a two-for-one-deal. But I love you too."


Barry lay in the darkness of the living room. He could hear murmuring and laughter coming from the closed door of the master bedroom. He felt light years away from the last events in his world, but at the same time they were all around him. He hadn't had time to deal with any of it before everything had changed.

He clutched his blankets to his chest. He wondered if Iris was okay, if she was crying tonight and missing her boyfriend. He wondered how Joe was doing. This was the second partner he'd lost in just over a year. He wondered how many had died before he'd closed the singularity and how the police force was handling such a catastrophe, not to mention Eddie's loss. Were Ronnie and Caitlin okay? Was Cisco? Was Martin Stein still there? Was the city protected, or had his absence been noticed? He tried not to think of all the recently escaped metahumans loose in the city, and what they might do if they knew he was gone. Most of all, he just wanted to be there for Iris. He wanted to be her shoulder to cry on. He hated to think of her dealing with all this alone.

He closed his eyes and tried to sleep, but instead the last 24 hours replayed in his head. Eobard, his mother, yet another version of himself, Eddie, the singularity. The only consolation he had was that Eobard Thawne was gone, and couldn't threaten the people he cared about anymore…

Barry woke suddenly, Eobard's last words echoing in his head. He repositioned on his makeshift bed and realized he was sore. He'd been pushing himself a lot lately. He pulled his blankets back up from where they'd fallen on the floor and tried to force himself back to sleep. He finally managed it, but only by repeating one thought in his head over and over.

He had to get back.


As you can see, next chapter will be back in Central City! :D
For anyone who doesn't know, (but I'm sure most of you do!) Dinah is Dinah Laurel Lance aka the Black Canary, and she and Oliver are an item in the comics. :)