Summary: Barry knows better than to get angry. When he gets angry, he does stupid things – stupid, stupid, reckless things like setting Harrison back another few months or throwing himself through a breach into another world full of well-meaning do-gooders. (Set between Season Two, Episodes 14 & 15)
Author's Note: Since this has actually become a fic, rather than a one shot, I've changed the summary. As I'm crap with summaries, if anyone has any suggestions, I'm open to them.
Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.
-Present (One Year, Three Months and Two weeks After the Tidal Wave)-
Earth-Prime
They'd been back from Earth-2 for two days now. It was a rare moment of downtime and they'd taken advantage of it, congregating in the cortex for a lunch of Big Belly Burger, something both worlds had in common. Well, everyone except Harry, who was in Cisco's work room doing… something. Honestly, Barry just wasn't in the mood. This wasn't necessarily a pity party, but it was a close thing. Jessie missed home, Caitlin was mourning Jay, Cisco was tense and on edge for reasons he didn't feel like sharing, Barry felt guilty for leaving Earth-2 and the masked man in the hands of Zoom, and no one wanted to be alone at the moment, not even Caitlin.
They had to push forward eventually, but Barry kind of figured they'd earned a few days to process and heal. A week, at most, to come to terms with everything that had happened before Jessie tried to make this home, before Caitlin tried to come out of her silent shock, before he had to push Cisco into talking about what was bothering him, and before Barry had to start trying to get faster. To get back there. One week. It didn't feel like he was asking for much.
Then the metahuman alarm went of and something barreled into his chest, sending Barry flying back out of his chair and across the room.
His first thought was Zoom. Zoom had found a way to open a breach and either he was being attacked by Zoom or Zoom had found another speedster to send after him, or… wait, was he being hugged?
He looked down, confused and found himself staring at a head of mostly brown hair, streaked through with ice blue. Bellow that was the Flash suit, but darker than his, dingier and less well taken care of. There was faint mumbling, indistinct words that he couldn't make out coming from the person currently pressed into his chest.
"Uh, hey?"
"Barry!" The head popped up and Barry knew, he knew who it was, because that particular gleam on his own face was unmistakable. It was his less than sane doppelganger, grinning up at him happily with a split lip.
He'd put that other Earth – collectively agreed to as Earth-3 so Harry would stop complaining and, to be fair, they had met Jay first – on hold for now, because while another Eobard Thawne wearing another Harrison Wells' face, running around another Earth doing unspeakable things to another Barry's person was disturbing, there were more pressing, immediate threats to deal with. Threats like Zoom and Zoom's meta-human henchmen and Jessie being held captive somewhere and Harry betraying them, only not, and Kendra Saunders and Vandal Savage and now Jay's death and… and…
It was a lot. For all of them, it was a lot. He'd intended to get there eventually. Apparently, the universe had decided that eventually was now.
From the other side of the room, Cisco stood up to get a better look at what was going on. "Bro, not to interrupt, but should I be calling for backup, or…"
"Cisco!" The blur shot off Barry and Cisco was embraced before he could defend himself, with arms wrapped around his shoulders and Barry-3's face practically buried in his hair. "Missed you. So much, missed you. You look the same. Except the shirt. I like the shirt. It's new. Cisco. Cisco? Caitlin!"
Caitlin had her arms half up, but was unable to stop the onslaught of overenthusiastic Barry-3, who picked her up and spun her around before hugging her as well. "Caitlin! Missed you, too. Sorry about Ronnie. You look good."
Cisco and Caitlin both looked at Barry, who was trying to get up off the floor. He nodded at the computer to Cisco's left that had been set to monitor the one breach they'd left open, because as far as they could tell, Zoom didn't have a grip there. Cisco glanced over, his eyes widening as it clicked.
Barry-3 let go of Caitlin suddenly and moved the few feet over to Jessie, grabbing onto to her for a second before pushing her back to arms length, frowning. "I don't know you."
Jessie shook her head, wide eyed. "No. Who are you?"
"I'm Barry."
"Barry who?"
A slow grin spread over Barry-3's face. "Who's on first."
"What?"
"What's on second."
"Huh?"
Barry-3 giggled as Cisco took Jessie by the shoulders and pulled her back. "That would be Buckets a' Crazy Barry from and an Earth that sucks even more than yours."
Jessie looked vaguely offended, but before he could defend the statement, Cisco was pushed back several steps with the force of another hug. "Yeah, okay, that's…" He awkwardly patted Barry-3 on the back addressing Barry. "This you is a lot more tactile."
"You're funny. Always funny. Clever. Missed that. Missed you." Barry-3 inhaled sharply. "You smell the same."
"Oookay, that is enough of that." Cisco stopped patting and pushed Barry-3's shoulders, gently, then a little more insistently. "Barry, little help here."
Barry came around the desk, entirely unsure what to do. Barry-3 hadn't been this bad a few months ago. He hadn't been good, but he hadn't been running around hugging people and talking in fragmented sentences. He also hadn't had blue hair and Barry wasn't sure why that bothered him, but it did.
"Barry, hey, how are you?"
Barry-3 cocked his head to the side, eyebrows raised.
"Right, sorry, stupid question. Why are you here? Is it… Dr. Wells? Is he here? Did he…?"
"No!" Barry-3 shook his head frantically. "No, no, he's not coming. He can't. He promised. It's off limits. He promised he wouldn't…"
"Okay, okay, I believe you. He's not here, but then why are you here? Did something happen?"
"Yes. No. Eddie said run, I ran. I wasn't thinking. Shouldn't be here." Barry-3 looked down at the floor, then back up at Barry. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I just need a day, need to sleep, need food before I…"
He hit the floor with a startling thud. No one moved at first, momentarily stunned by the abruptness of his collapse. Caitlin was the first to react, dropping down at his side to press two fingers to his neck.
"His pulse is thready. Help me get him to the bed."
[]
Barry was having a really good dream. Not, like, the best dream ever, because that one involved a beach and Harrison and a sudden, inexplicable ability to get at least moderately buzzed on Mai Tai's, but, still, a really good dream.
In the dream, his eyes were closed, but he knew where he was by feel and smell. He was in Caitlin's medical lab off the cortex, the one that was always sterile and smelled like the chemicals she used when she was running samples. The bed he was in had a stiff mattress with a protective plastic cover under soft cotton sheets. The air around him was cool without being outright cold.
The best part of the dream was Caitlin. Her small, delicate hands working softly to check his IV line, adjust the clamp on his finger that took his pulse and the band around his arm to check his blood pressure. She pulled the sheets back and gently ran those same hands over his torso and when they pulled back he heard the familiar tap of her fingers making notes on her tablet.
Then it got better. "Hey, Cailtin, how's patient zero?"
Cisco, his voice barely above a whisper because he didn't want to wake Barry.
"Still asleep, but his heart rate is up, so it shouldn't be long now."
"How about our other patient?"
She huffed. "Asleep. He insisted on staying the night in case he woke up. I think I lost him around three."
There was a pause. The room wasn't quiet, too many machines working for that. The cuff tightened on his arm, hissing softly as it inflated.
Cisco broke the semi-silence. "It's weird, though, right? Tell me I'm not the only one that thinks it's a little freaky."
Caitlin sighed. "You're definitely not the only one."
"So, is he… I mean, he looks better, but is he…?"
"I finally got his blood pressure and heart rate normalized late last night. The exterior and muscular bruises have healed. The broken bones are at about ninety percent, but his third and fourth left vertebrosternals are still mending." Her hand touched his side, so softly he barely felt it. "His kidneys are still bruised, but functioning properly. There was a small rupture to his spleen, but that seems to have healed itself quickly enough."
Dreams of S.T.A.R. Labs before were usually memories of things that had happened, but he couldn't place this one.
"If he rests? He should be good in another few hours at most, but you know Barry."
Cisco's laugh was forced. "And that's normal Barry."
Wait, what?
Somewhere to his right there was a grunt, followed by a pained groan that sounded… familiar?
"Hey, man, what are you doing here?" Him? That sounded like himself.
Cisco chuckled. "Dude, it's like nine in the morning."
"For real? Last thing I remember it was only two thirty." Definitely him, but that didn't make sense. What kind of dream was this?
"Totally, but check it, I brought donuts and coffee. Figured you'd need a little pick-me-up and, pause for affect, I also brought you a change of clothes."
"You are my favorite person in the world right now."
He opened his eyes and immediately closed them against the overhead light, reaching a hand up to cover his eyes without thinking and the movement caused a flare up of pain that had him clutching his side instead, turning over on the bed. Not a dream. This wasn't a dream. Dreams didn't hurt this much. He was in S.T.A.R. Labs and that was another him talking to a Cisco and Caitlin who were alive and that meant…
He opened his eyes again and everything was so… bright. And loud. No boarded up windows, all lights on, instruments everywhere, beeping and ticking. Barry sat up, still holding his side and looked around until he found them, standing together near the door – Cisco, Caitlin, and himself. He was in the other universe. "What am I doing here?"
They exchanged glances before the other Barry stepped forward, taking the lead. "I was hoping you could tell us? You came barreling in here yesterday, rambling about Eddie telling you to run and then you passed out. Caitlin patched you up, but you were in really bad shape. What happened?"
What had happened? He closed his eyes and tried to work through it. He remembered…
Harrison had said he'd finished running diagnostics on the accelerator, his time machine was ready, he just needed Barry to run and Barry had refused, as usual. They'd starting fighting, first with words, and then…
Oh, then Harrison had started to say things about the people Barry had lost. He'd said if Joe had been smarter, he wouldn't have gone after Mardon on his own and then Barry wouldn't be alone and Barry had gotten angry. Really, really angry. He'd said it was too bad Harrison wasn't smarter or he would have been able to stop the tidal wave himself and then maybe Barry would have something to fight for.
Then, because Barry had been angry and he did stupid, stupid things when he was angry, he'd driven his fist through a panel and obliterated one of the four primary circuit boards for the accelerator, sending a shock through it that may very well have fried some of the minor ones as well.
They'd fought. The kind of fighting they didn't normally indulge in anymore, the kind that did real damage. Harrison hadn't been thinking clearly and neither had Barry. They both just wanted to hurt the other, but Barry was holding back. Harrison wasn't. To make it worse, he'd run out of Cisco Bars the week before and not managed to sneak back to Eddie's to make more yet. One of Harrison's bars that morning wasn't nearly enough. He'd already been feeling the effects of low blood sugar before they'd started in on each other.
Then…
Then?
His eyes opened wide as he remembered Eddie running into the cortex and getting between the two of them. Harrison had stopped, at least having the presence of mind not to kill his own ancestor. He had a fuzzy recollection of Eddie telling him to run and hide, which didn't make sense, because there wasn't anywhere in the world he could hide from Harrison. Not in his world, anyway. Everything after that was missing, but somehow he must have made the connection that he'd have to leave his world to hide, so he'd come here.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't be here. I wasn't thinking."
He pulled the IV out and ripped off the pressure cuff, pushing the covers away. He had to get back, make sure Eddie was okay, make sure Harrison didn't accidentally erase himself from history. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
"Wow, there." His feet had barely touched the floor, though, when familiar, long gone hands were pushing him back. Cisco, with concerned eyes and a careful smile. "Yeah, that's not happening, man."
Caitlin stepped forward as well. "You nearly died and we're worried that you're not ready to… get back in there."
When he opened his mouth to argue, his other self spoke up. "You're not going anywhere until you tell us what happened."
He glared at the other Barry, who had his arms folded stubbornly over his chest. "I picked a fight I couldn't win. My fault. I know better. Eddie interrupted. I have to get back before Harrison does something to hurt him."
"That was yesterday. Anything that happened was over a long time ago."
"No." He should have realized. They'd said he showed up yesterday and it was light out. What had they said when they'd though he was sleep? Nine? That was seventeen hours. Harrison would be worried by now. "No. No, I have to get back."
This time, he didn't bother being slow, he used the Speedforce to launch himself at the door. Shirtless and barefoot wasn't the best way to get around the city, but he was desperate and, hey, at least he had sweatpants on, so he wouldn't be racing through the streets of Central City in broad daylight completely naked.
Or at all, because the other him was in the way before he made it halfway across the room. "You have to let me go!"
"Like I said, you're not going anywhere. I made a mistake walking out last time and I'm not doing that again. You need my help, whether you want it or not."
Oh, screw this. He reached for the Speedforce again, felt it crackle through him… then nothing.
[]
Cisco stared, wide eyed. "What the hell, Caitlin?!"
"Oh god!" Caitlin dropped the bedpan she'd hit Barry-3 over the back of the head with and fell to her knees, checking his skull under his hair. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, I just thought… a possible skull fracture was better than letting him run back to Thawne?"
Barry shrugged at Cisco who was giving Caitlin an incredulous look. "You're right, but, we can't just knock him out every time he wakes up. So…"
He didn't want to say it, but thankfully, he didn't have to. Cisco said it for him. "Pipeline?"
He nodded and between the two of them, they carried the unconscious Barry-3 through the halls of S.T.A.R. Labs and secured him in the same cell they'd designed for Eobard Thawne. Then Barry grabbed one of the boxes of donuts and two coffees. He slipped the entire box through the door as well as one coffee and sat back to wait.
A minute later, Barry-3 inhaled deeply and sat up, rubbing the back of his head while he glared at Barry through the glass and grabbed the food. Neither of them said anything as five of the donuts were practically inhaled and the entire cup of coffee was empty. Finally, Barry-3 broke the silence. "This doesn't make us even."
Barry didn't bother explaining he hadn't been trying to settle any score with food. "Caitlin feels bad about that, by way."
"That was Caitlin?" Barry-3 gave a thumb up to the side, where the camera was looking down at him. "Respect. They're listening right? They were always listening." He sighed.
Barry wasn't sure what he'd expected, but it wasn't for Barry-3 to be this… calm. Of course, when they'd been on the other Earth he'd seemed pretty normal at first. A little inappropriately involved with his food, but considering the way he was licking the icing off the donuts before he ate them, that hadn't changed.
A tongue dragged across the chocolate topping as Barry-3 grinned. "So, you wanna talk? Let's talk."
"Okay." Barry sat up a little more fully and crossed his legs, trying not to be disturbed by the borderline lewd display, but then he was pretty sure that was exactly what Barry-3 was going for. "What's with the hair?"
"For real? That's what you're gonna lead with?" Barry-3 smiled fondly. "It was a fit of rebellion. I made Cisco Bars in his kitchen, he cut off my left index finger, I dyed my hair blue. It started out bright, kind of an electric, but faded out. I think this shade actually pisses him off more. Not sure why. Funny story, did you know that if you get the limb reattached quickly enough, it'll mend itself back together? Nerve, bone, and everything. No stitches necessary, not even a scar – like it never happened."
Really didn't sound funny. "Is that why he beat you half to death? Because of your hair?"
Barry-3 laughed, a little too loud. "You really don't know anything. For the hair, he gets kinky in bed. No, what he did yesterday was a little more…. like I said, I knew better. My bad. Now let me go home so I can make it up to him."
"We're not letting you go anywhere, not until we know you're safe."
The mask of humor dropped instantly. "What is wrong with you people? I. Don't. Want. Your. Help. How many times do I have to say that?"
"It would be more convincing if you hadn't literally run into my arms yesterday with multiple internal injuries and then collapsed on the floor from hypoglycemic shock."
"Dear God, was I always this nosy? Seriously, I don't even remember yesterday, but if I'd realized you were gonna lock me in the pipeline and make me talk about my relationship, I would have just found a secluded section of road and let myself die."
"You don't mean that." The donut hit the glass, followed quickly by Barry-3, who bounced off it and into the other wall. "It won't work. Cisco made that cell to contain the Reverse-Flash. You can't phase through it."
"Let me out!" He hit the wall again, then again. The glass shook, but remained firm.
He wanted to stay and wait it out, but watching himself like that felt… wrong.
In the cortex the video feed was still running, but the sound had been turned off. Barry-3 was alternating between running into the glass and beating on it, yelling and shouting. Cisco, Caitlin, and Jessie looked about as uncomfortable as he felt. Harry looked… curious. Or maybe interested was a better word.
Joe was there, too, pale and clearly upset. "Barry, what the hell was that?"
"Joe, I told you not to come here."
"No, you texted me saying something came up at S.T.A.R. Labs, cover for you, and you'd explain later. Guess what time it is?"
"Later?" Joe nodded and Barry sighed. He gave him the rundown of the last seventeen hours, from the moment Barry-3 came running in, to the discussion in the pipeline that Joe had apparently only heard the tail end of.
"So, what are you planning to do about this? You know you can't just keep him locked up in there indefinitely. We've tried that, it didn't work. That's why we have a prison specifically designed to hold them, Barry."
"Yeah, but he's not a criminal, Joe."
"I'm not saying that. What I am saying is that you can't keep him down there against his will. If he's as unstable as you say, solitary confinement is only going to make it worse."
"I know that! But he'll run right back to Thawne."
"And that would be his decision." Joe put his hand on Barry's shoulder. "Barry, we have enough to deal with here, you can't take on the problems of a third Earth."
He looked around the room at the others, who were pointedly not getting involved in the conversation, then rubbed a hand down his face, already feeling exhausted and worn out. "I know. I do, but I can't let him go back when I don't know what he's going back to. He won't even tell me what the fight was about."
A knock on the side of the wall startled them and they all turned in unison to the door where Eddie Thawne stood, his hand still raised. "I think I can help with that."
[]
The city was alive.
That was the first thing Eddie thought when Wells dropped him on the other side of the wormhole and left.
There were cars and people everywhere and Eddie self-consciously pulled the hood of his jacket over his head as he stepped out of the alleyway into the street. Wells had warned him that the Eddie Thawne of this world was very publicly dead. He needed to keep his head down and get to S.T.A.R. Labs as quickly as possible, but it was just…
There were so many people. He'd forgotten how full Central City had been. How loud.
He walked half the way then took a cab the rest, because he'd been up all night and he was exhausted. Mama Chaos, the Chinese restaurant he'd eaten at the night he met Iris was still there and Iris herself was somewhere in this throng of people. Would she still work at Picture News? He wanted to look for her, just to see her alive and healthy, see her smile, but couldn't risk her seeing him. He was there for Barry, to make sure Barry was okay.
S.T.A.R. Labs looked as bright as ever. The chain link fence around the parking lot stood firm, but it didn't take him long to find a hole. The building on the other side of the parking lot was intact. No boards on the windows, no hazard tape.
In fact, with the exception of the blown out tower, it looked well maintained. He half expected to be stopped by security or, at the very least, to hear alarms go off when he entered through the garage, but there wasn't anything. The building appeared to be primarily empty and just as accessible here as it was in his world. Actually, more so, because in his world, it was a hazard zone and no one was eager to cross that threshold.
As he walked through the pristine halls, he tried to remember the things that Barry had said, things Eddie had thought were just manic ramblings.
A world where everyone was alive. The tidal wave never happened. Barry had stopped it and Iris and Joe and Caitlin and Cisco were happy and saving the city as part of Team Flash. It had sounded too much like a dream. It still didn't feel real, despite seeing the city, until he heard Joe's voice from down the hall. "And that would be his decision. Barry, we have enough to deal with here, you can't take on the problems of a third Earth."
Barry? He stopped a few feet from the door and listened. "I know. I do, but I can't let him go back when I don't know what he's going back to. He won't even tell me what the fight was about."
That was Barry, but not the Barry he knew now, one he remembered – one that didn't ramble and go off in tangents and get distracted halfway through what he was saying because of something someone said down the hall – usually food related. This sounded like the Barry from before, the one that wanted to help and Eddie needed that now more than ever. He pulled his hood down and stepped around the corner, knocking against the glass wall as he did so. "I think I can help with that."
[]
Barry looked exactly the same, minus the blue streaks and exaggerated facial expressions. Joe was… Joe was a sight for sore eyes. In his slacks and button up, badge hanging off his belt. He hadn't known Caitlin or Cisco very well, but he knew them from the stories Barry told on his good days.
It had taken a few minutes for everyone to get over the shock of seeing dead people. Eddie might have known what he was going to see when he walked into the room, but he really hadn't been ready for it and the others, once they'd settled down, confided in him that in their world, he had become a part of the team before his death, which had apparently been at his own hands because he was Harrison Wells', or rather, Eobard Thawne's ancestor, and by killing himself, he'd erased Eobard from history. Of course, he'd also created a paradox that opened a singularity that could have swallowed the world if Barry and someone named Firestorm hadn't stopped it.
"Oh." Cisco pulled a chair over to him and Eddie sat down with a grateful nod. "That… actually explains a lot."
Barry and Joe exchanged looks. "It does?"
"Well, they kept saying they had a deal about not killing me, but that just… it didn't make any sense."
Joe sat down across from him. "What do you mean?"
Eddie stared at his hands rather than the room full people that were supposed to be dead. God, it was surreal. Good surreal, but surreal. "After I found out what was going on, I took Barry to see a psychiatrist. He didn't want to go, but I convinced him and, by convinced him, I mean I brought a bag of Oreos." He paused, giving Barry a chance to interrupt at the mention of food, but, of course, he didn't, because this Barry wasn't like his Barry.
"Anyway, I thought we were making progress, but Wells found out. He came into one of the session and physically injured Dr. Holt. He said it was to remind me that when he told me not to involve anyone else, that included professionals."
"The thing is, Barry wasn't surprised, he wasn't even upset, he just sat there like it was the most normal thing in the world, so I started digging and it became clear that every so often, someone connected to Barry – either directly or indirectly – disappears; a forensic scientist that was bothering him, the guy that ran the food truck he always went to, the barista that gave him her number, Officer Spivot. There's never a body, they just vanish and it's not that uncommon right now for people to pack up and leave Central without saying anything, but it feels like too much of a coincidence. When I asked Barry, he didn't deny it. He just said 'Harrison likes to make a point.' I started wondering why not me? If he wanted to hurt Barry, why not go after me? And especially now, with the accelerator being finished…"
"He's finished it?" Barry stood straighter, focused and engaged. It was strange having him this close and this… sane.
"That's what the fight was about. Dr. Wells is ready to go home, but Barry won't do it." Eddie looked down again. "I don't understand what's going on between them and I know it's a lot to ask, but if I take him back, Wells will eventually kill him and Barry won't stop him. I can't let that happen. Barry may not be willing to ask for help, but I am."
He dug into the pocket of his jacket, taking out a protein bar sealed inside an evidence bag and handed it to Cisco. "This is one of the bars that he makes for Barry."
Cisco opened the bag and sniffed it, then held it out a foot away from his face with a cringe.
"I know Barry has an accelerated metabolism and medication doesn't have any lasting affect, but I thought with Dr. Wells, being from the future and a speedster, might know something I don't. Barry's been making Cisco Bars at my place and when he's eating those, he's… not normal, but better. When he runs out and has to live on these for a few days before he can get back to my place, he gets worse. A lot worse. I thought there might be something to that."
Caitlin took the offending bar from Cisco's carefully pinched fingers. "I'll look into it."
"Thank you. Wells said I have until six to get Barry back before he comes looking for us."
As she walked over to her lab, Cisco pulled Barry aside, his voice low and hushed. Barry's eyes widened in alarm and he turned to Eddie before taking Cisco by the arm and walking him farther away.
Joe put a hand on his knee. "Hey, don't worry. They'll figure it out."
"It's really good to hear you say that." Since the disaster, he'd felt so lost. His new partner was a rookie, always looking to him for answers and Eddie just didn't have any.
Barry called out from across the room. "Joe, come here!"
Joe patted his leg and went over, leaving Eddie alone. Next to him on the monitor, his Barry was sitting in the small cell leaning against the glass. While Eddie watched, Barry clenched his fist, slamming it against the glass partition half heartedly before going back to sitting with his arms crossed over the tops of his knees, petulant frown on his face.
Eddie didn't begrudge this other Barry and Joe talking behind his back. He understood. This wasn't his world and they weren't his team. As nice as it was to see Joe again and as refreshing as this Barry was, it wasn't his Barry. His Barry was hurt and confused and he thought he was alone.
"Joe, I'd like to talk to Barry. My Barry."
[]
Barry wanted to go home. He was going home. It was a matter of time. He needed to play along, except Barry wasn't good at playing along anymore. Maybe he never had been. Things got muddled, confused. If he wanted to get back to Harrison, he had to convince them to open the cell or find a way to get through it himself. He elbowed the glass he was leaning against, let the pain jar his arm and rattle his shoulder. Screw them and their good intentions.
Behind him, the door opened and he sighed. Was it going to be Barry again, or would they send someone else to try and talk sense into him? Cisco or Caitlin, or, worse, Joe. He didn't want to see Joe. It had hurt enough losing him the first time and this was temporary. He needed to get home.
"Barry?"
"Eddie?!" He whipped around, crouched on the balls of his feet, confused. Eddie was dead here, Barry had said, but if this wasn't their Eddie, then that meant… "No. No, no, no, you can't be here. You have to go back."
"Barry…"
"No! You don't understand. You have to go back now! You can't be here." Eddie flinched and Barry sucked in air, trying to think of a reason that wasn't the reason. Couldn't tell Eddie that reason, or it would give Eddie ideas. If the other Eddie had done it, this Eddie would, too. They were too much of the same person.
"Eddie." He licked his lips, relaxed onto his knees to make himself smaller. "Eddie, I don't like this. I don't want to be here. I want to go home, Eddie. Take me home."
Eddie's face tightened, which was never a good sign. It meant he was trying to do the right thing and that rarely lined up with what Barry wanted. "I can't do that."
"Why?!" Breathe. In. Out. Stay calm. "They can't keep me here. I haven't done anything wrong."
"I know you haven't, but they're going to help me find a way to help you."
"I don't want their help!" Calm. No one listened to him when he wasn't calm. Eddie never listened to him. Right, because Eddie didn't think Barry knew what he wanted, or he didn't think Barry wanted what was best for himself, but what did Eddie want? "I want your help. You can help me, just take me home. Me and you. Now."
For a moment, one fleeting moment, it looked like he was wavering, but then he shook his head and Barry wanted to scream. He wanted to cry. If something happened and the breach collapsed with Eddie on this side of it, Harrison would be erased. He'd be gone.
"You can't. Eddie, you can't…" Except that short of telling Eddie the truth, Barry wasn't sure there was anything he could say to convince him. In fact, even the truth would only make Eddie more convinced that staying was the right decision. Eddie had been so intent on finding a way to save Barry the last few months and Barry had let him do what he wanted, because it didn't really matter. He liked Dr. Holt and, sure, some of what he'd said made sense, but it didn't matter.
Eddie sighed and took a Cisco Bar out of his pocket. "Just for now. Barry and I are going out for food. Any requests? Tito's is still open here."
"Tito's!" Damn. That had come across way too excited. He tried, but couldn't manage to look as pissed off as he had a moment ago, because… Tito's. Tito's where he'd had lunch with Joe at least once a week. "Oh… Fine. I want tacos, a lot of them."
Eddie nodded, pleased with himself and that was good. Barry needed to let Eddie think he was getting somewhere. For now.
He watched Eddie leave and waited until the door had closed before sitting back down in the center of the cell to wait. He was good at waiting.
[]
It was nice out, so Eddie and Barry walked to Tito's. They talked about football, mostly, comparing who won which games. Surprisingly, the tidal wave wiping out Central City had somehow affected the Superbowl. Go figure.
While they waited for the food, Eddie had a beer to calm his nerves and asked questions about what was going on in a Central City that wasn't consumed with rebuilding. Barry tried his best to downplay Zoom – it wasn't too hard, now that all the breaches were closed – and gave him a heads up on the Wells that was actually Wells lurking in Cisco's lab.
Eddie stared at the beer in his hand, finished it and set the empty bottle down. "So, let me get this straight, there's another Wells here?"
"Yes and no. He's the real deal. No future Thawne, Reverse-Flash, evil-speedster. We call him Harry. And there's his daughter. They're from another Earth, completely different. It's crazy, look," Barry pulled his phone out, careful to make sure he hadn't missed any texts while he showed Eddie the pictures Cisco and him had taken while they were there.
Eddie stared, wide eyed at Barry's phone. "How many worlds are there?"
Barry put his phone away. "Infinite. We call it the Multiverse."
The bartender set the to-go bags down and they each grabbed one, making their way out as they talked. Eddie held the door and Barry slipped past him. "So, how's the rebuild?"
"It's… slow." Eddie sighed. "Most of the city has power, which is good, but a lot of the buildings outside of downtown are still condemned – mold and structural issues. Not that it stops people from living in them. It'll be years before the city fully recovers and even then, it might never be what it was."
That was more depressing than Barry had wanted to hear, but better than he'd feared. He started to say just that when his phone vibrated in his back pocket and he glanced at the text. Iris was there, waiting for him.
"So, Barry, what are we really doing?"
"What?!" Barry cringed as he frantically put his phone away and his voice hit the falsetto it always did when he was caught doing something he wasn't supposed to and like every other time, he ran with it. Mostly, because it was seriously embarrassing. "No, we're just two friends, out grabbing tacos, talking about… sports and… stuff."
"This may be a different universe, but you're still Barry Allen."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means that you still do that thing where you can't look me in the eye when you're hiding something. I don't suppose this has anything to do with what Cisco was saying that you didn't want me to hear?"
Barry sighed and stopped on the sidewalk. He knew they'd been obvious back at S.T.A.R. Labs, but he'd been hoping to avoid this conversation until… actually, until now. If he was going through with this, he needed to give Eddie a heads up before they got back and they were only a few blocks away. "Look, Joe thinks I shouldn't be doing this, but the truth is you can't stay here."
"I know."
"You know?"
"Before he sent me through, Dr. Wells warned me not to even think about hanging around, that you wouldn't let me."
"It's not like that." Barry started walking again, letting Eddie fall into step beside him. "You're genetically identical to our Eddie. You're the same person. If the breach collapses and you're on this side, the Eobard Thawne there may cease to exist. However, it's equally possible that the one our Eddie died saving us from could come back. There's really no way to know for certain, but…"
"You can't take that chance."
"I'm sorry." He wanted to let Eddie stay, but Cisco was right. The risk was too high. "We're going to do everything we can to help you and him before you leave, but for now, there's something else I need to talk to you about. It's Iris."
"Iris?"
"From what your Barry told me, you didn't exactly get a chance to say goodbye and if you don't want to now, I'd understand, but I know she would never speak to me again if I didn't at least give you the option of seeing her."
He watched the weight of that settle on Eddie. He could see Iris again, but it would be to say goodbye, or he could walk away and not have to reopen that wound. "She's here?"
"She wouldn't have stayed away, even if I'd asked. So, I texted her to stop by on her lunch break and I'd fill her in, but I didn't tell her about you and I won't, if you don't want me to."
Eddie hesitated. "Aren't you two…?"
"No, no that… that never happened. Eddie, Iris chose you. Before you died, we found an article from the future that said she was going to marry me, but she chose you. So, no, I'm not with Iris and if I ask her, I know she would give anything to spend even another minute with you, but that's up to you."
[]
"Joe said you refused to talk to him." Barry sat, half hunched on the floor in front of the window, watching Barry-3 work through his thirty tacos. 'Refused to talk' was the nice way of putting it. The more honest way was to say he'd shoved his hands over his ears and yelled the lyrics to the song that never ends until Joe left. They'd all agreed it was better if they didn't try that again.
"He's not my Joe." He didn't know what to say to that, so he didn't say anything. "Where's Eddie?"
"With Iris."
Barry-3's eyes narrowed. "Shouldn't let him do that. He'll want to stay and he can't. I won't let him."
"I know." Barry took a drink of his soda. "You're worried you'll lose your Dr. Wells? We're worried ours'll come back."
Barry-3 grinned, dark and twisted. "Then you really shouldn't let him see her. He loves her. He won't want to leave."
"He will. He understands why we can't risk it."
"You told him?" Barry-3 stopped smiling, eyes narrowing to a glare. "You had no right!"
It was weird seeing that expression on his own face. He'd spent most of his life being blindingly optimistic – he'd believed the best in people and he'd believed that if he worked hard enough, he'd eventually get his dad out of prison. Joe had said that's what he admired about him, what he loved. That confrontation with Wells in the pipeline had been the first time he'd felt real hate. Oh, he'd thought he hated before, but when he'd faced a man he'd trusted, someone he'd believed in, and known, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the same man had killed his mother and taken his father from him? That was real hate. That same hate was directed at him now, from his own face.
"Really? He had no right to know why he isn't dead along with everyone else? Along with Patty?" The anger in his mirrored face faltered. "Yeah, I know about that. When did he kill her?"
"The night you were there. It was my fault. I knew better. Harrison doesn't like competition." Barry-3 sighed. "I liked her, too. She was funny."
"You told Eddie that he was making a point. What point was that?"
"That I'm not you. All your stories about what it would have been like if he hadn't saved me. Harrison can be very… insecure when it comes to my loyalty. He thinks he has to buy it with reminders and tokens. Fear. But I haven't been afraid of him in a very long time." Barry-3's grin came back, spreading slowly. "You are, though. You beat him, but you're afraid to bring him back; afraid he'll take away everything and everyone and then you'll be just. Like. Me."
It almost worked. Barry almost rose to the bait. Almost. "Maybe I am. It's not such a bad thing to be afraid of. I mean, for real, have you seen yourself lately? Hair like that, you could be Captain Cold's sidekick."
There was a moment of surprised shock on Barry-3's face, but then it was gone, replaced with rolled eyes and an annoyed huff as he turned his back to continue eating in silence, which was definitely an improvement.
Barry waited until the tacos were done, the soda finished and the trash passed through the door before heading back to the cortex. Cisco was nowhere to be seen, and Caitlin was alone in the lab, still running tests. He'd barely made it through the door, before she was coming at him, needle in hand. "Barry, just the speedster I needed to see."
Backing away, he eyed the needle warily. "Yeah, good to see you too, not so much the needle."
"Don't be a baby." She took his arm and moved him into the lab. "I need a sample of your blood to run some tests on the components of the protein bar."
"Did you find something?"
"Not yet." She drew two vials of blood, pressing cotton against the already healing wound. "There. All done."
"Where are the others?"
"Eddie and Iris went for a walk and Cisco is in his lab with Harry and Jessie."
"Right, um, you need any help?"
"No, you should go into work before they call again. Oh!" She grabbed a cup off the counter, holding it out. "Fill this with urine."
[]
He tried to focus on work, but it was hard. He couldn't help thinking about the other Patty and what Eddie had said. She wasn't the only one who had gone missing and Barry-3 had said he knew better, which meant he'd known something like that might happen.
It was mind numbing. He didn't doubt losing everyone like that would have been devastating, but he'd like to think he was strong enough to get through it. That he would still be himself at the other end. Or maybe it was more complicated than that. When he'd been in their world, Barry-3 had admitted to finding out Thawne was the Reverse-Flash shortly after the wave. What could Thawne have done without the need for restraint?
Or had he done anything? Barry said the psych eval had him listed as mentally unstable. How soon after the wave had they done the evaluation? Which brought it back to himself and his own weaknesses. As hard as it was to wrap his head around, Barry knew exactly how much everyone meant to him and the truth was, they gave him strength. When he faltered, they picked him up and when he doubted himself, they gave him the courage to try. Without them, faced with all of that devastation, maybe that had been enough.
The more he thought about it, the more he really hoped Caitlin found something in those bars, because otherwise…
His phone rang, startling him from his thoughts and he had to scramble to find it under the scattered papers he'd been working on. It was nearly five, he hadn't realized it was getting so late. "Hey, Caitlin, tell me you've got good news."
"That depends on your definition of good news. Eddie and Iris are on their way. Can you meet us here?"
"I'll be right there."
He took a few seconds to close the last of his files, using his Flash speed to rush over. Eddie and Iris hadn't arrived yet, so they used the time to discuss what she had, or more pointedly, hadn't found, and what that meant. There were still a few concerns Caitlin had, but when Eddie and Iris finally walked in, holding hands so tightly their knuckles were white, the team had a good idea of what Eddie needed to do next and who he was going to need to help him do it.
Caitlin immediately sat Eddie down, stopping his questions with her own. "You said he's worse on Dr. Wells' protein bars. How is he worse?"
"Oh, uh," Eddie looked back at Iris for reassurance before answering. "He's moody? Um, he has manic episodes…"
"Manic episodes?"
"I guess I don't really know if manic is the right word – that's what Dr. Wells calls them. It's hard to describe, but he has trouble focusing or putting his thoughts together. His emotions are all over the place, he rambles, and he can't stop moving. It's like he knows he's about to drop any minute, so he just keeps pushing harder and harder, faster and faster, until he does actually drop or until someone gets food into him."
That explained what had happened when he'd first arrived.
"And then what? When he eats after one of these manic episodes, what is he like?"
"Tired, suggestible. He'll say things he's not supposed to, answer questions he normally wouldn't and if it's bad enough, he doesn't remember everything that happened."
"What's he like when he hasn't been eating them? When he's had Cisco Bars?"
"Normal. Or, well, mostly normal. He's still fixated on Dr. Wells and easily distracted, but you can have a conversation with him. You can reason with him, even if he doesn't necessarily agree with you. Why, did you find something?"
"Yes and no." Caitlin sighed. "There's nothing in the bars themselves that would affect him mentally. The bars are perfectly normal. Actually, they aren't bad…"
Cisco gasped dramatically, holding a hand to his chest, and Caitlin sent him a reprimanding frown before turning back to Eddie. "Barry needs to eat a lot to maintain his blood sugar, as I'm sure you've noticed – more specifically, he needs approximately ten thousand calories a day. These bars only have about twenty five hundred, which would be fine, if he actually ate more than one a day. I don't think Wells is poisoning or medicating him, but I do think he's using Barry's hypoglycemia and the manic episodes to exacerbate his condition and make him more pliable, or, as you put it, suggestible."
Eddie sat back in the chair, his hand still wrapped in Iris's as he took it in. "So, if I get him away from Wells and manage his blood sugar, he'll go back to normal?"
"Not exactly. Low blood sugar doesn't drive our Barry into manic episodes. Whatever happened to your Barry did very real and possibly lasting psychological damage. I don't think he's ever going to be the Barry that you remember from before, but if you can get his blood sugar stable and get him away from Wells and with a lot of therapy, you may be able to do something about his fixation."
Eddie hung his head with a sigh, taking a moment to collect his thoughts, before nodding in resignation. "All right, but how do I do that? I can't force Barry to leave and I've tried talking him into coming away with me. He won't."
Barry pulled a chair over and sat down. "In our timeline, we were able to stop the Reverse-Flash long enough to get him into a confinement cell, like the one we have Barry in now."
"How am I supposed to do that? I'm not even close to a match for him and Barry's not helping me lock Wells up."
"No, but we may know people who can. What do you know about the Arrow, or possible the Green Arrow?"
"The Green Arrow? That's the Star City vigilante. I've heard of him. Wait, do you know who he is?"
There was a deep sense of relief at knowing Oliver really was alive. After finding out Thawne had been picking people off, Barry had been afraid that his doppelganger had lied about that. "I do and so does your Barry. They've worked together before. I don't know what kind of affect this has had on his timeline, but as long as he's still alive, he'll want to help."
Eddie looked more than a little lost, but determined. "How do I find him?"
Barry took a piece of paper he'd prepared and handed it over. "You're going to go see Star City's Captain Lance and give him this. He'll get it to Oliver Queen."
"Oliver Queen? The Oliver Queen? As, in running for mayor of Star City, Oliver Queen?"
Cisco chuckled, "Good to know some things never change. Yeah, that Oliver Queen."
"Why?"
Barry handed the paper over. "Because he's the Green Arrow."
"Oliver Queen is The Green Arrow?!" Eddie sat back more fully in his chair. "I did wonder who would be reckless enough to run for mayor of Star City right now. Obviously, the answer is the Green Arrow." Eddie shook his head. "Okay, but what about Barry? If he so much as suspects I'm trying to get in touch with outside help, he'll go straight to Wells."
Cisco put a hand on Eddie's shoulder in sympathy. "Yeah, about that; I'm sorry, man, but you're gonna have to pull a dick move."
[]
"Hey, Barry."
Barry was lying on the floor of his cells, legs stretched out to touch his toes against the glass. He lifted up onto his elbows at the sound of Eddie's voice and smiled. "Eddie! Ready to take me home yet?"
"Almost." Barry's face lit up and Eddie hated himself for what he was about to do, hated how much this was going to hurt Barry, but he also knew he had to do it. "I want you to understand that I'm doing this because I love you, Barry."
"Doing what?"
Eddie ignored the question in favor of the speech he'd come up with to get himself through this. "When I started looking after you, it was because of Iris. I knew Iris would have wanted me to, so I did, but it's more than that now. You're like a brother to me, Barry, and I can't watch him hurt you anymore."
The light bled out of Barry's face as his head cocked suspiciously. "Eddie, what are you talking about?"
"Dr. Wells is manipulating you…"
Barry dropped back down with a groan. "Not this again. I know! It's our thing. He manipulates me. I fight back. Sex ensues. He manipulates me again and the cycle continues. I. know."
Eddie pushed forward. "Your team here, they've come up with a way for me to help you."
"They aren't my team. My team is dead. They've been dead for over a year. Those are ghosts." Barry got to his feet, glaring up at the cameras. "Nosy, irritating, self –righteous ghosts." He turned back to Eddie, smiling darkly. "Eddie, take me home."
"I will, soon. We have a plan that might work. When I get back, I'm going to go to Star City…"
Barry's entire body tensed. "No."
"…and get in touch with Oliver Queen, the Green Arrow…"
"You can't do that!"
"…and we're going to stop Dr. Wells."
"I won't let you!" Barry's slammed his fists against the glass and left them there, desperate anger driving the red sparks behind his eyes. "I won't let you kill him. I won't let you take him away from me!"
"We're not going to kill him." Barry's expression didn't change, but the lightning stopped stuttering across his vision. Eddie wasn't sure whether that was a good sign or not. He hoped it was. "We… I want to lock him up in one of the containment cells. In this world, they were able to stop him; we can do it, too. I just need your help."
It was unnerving to go from the Barry in the cortex to the one here. If it wasn't for the hair, they could, physically, be the same person, but it would only take someone a moment to know they weren't. His Barry's face didn't move the same. Eddie hadn't realized how different it was until he'd had the original in front of him.
Barry pressed his forehead against the glass, his voice soft, but determined. "Don't do this, Eddie. He'll know. He'll find out and I can't stop him. He'll go after Oliver and Felicity and Diggle and I have been trying to keep him away from them. I've worked so hard to keep them from figuring out what he's doing and you're ruining it! He's going to take them away and it'll be your fault!"
The lightning was back, along with an absolute rage Eddie hadn't realized Barry was capable of.
It would be extremely… inconvenient this late in the game to draw the attention of certain people that Barry is quite fond of. He would do anything, let me do anything to him, to keep them from getting hurt.
Wells had been talking about the Arrow. Barry had been protecting Oliver and his team. That was the Barry that Eddie knew, the Barry that would do anything to protect the people he loved. Any doubts Eddie had about going through with this were washed away. Some part of his Barry was still in there and if he had any chance of getting him back, he had to do this.
When he spoke again, it was with renewed determination. "Either you help me or I will kill myself."
The color drained from Barry's face so fast Eddie was afraid he might actually faint. He did fall away from the glass, backing up to the other side of the cell, shaking softly – not vibrating, just shaking. "No. No, you can't do that. Eddie, you can't… you…"
"I'm sorry, but, like I said, I can't sit back and watch him hurt you. One way or the other, Barry, it stops now. So, if I open this door, are you going to come back with me and help or should I go ahead and put a bullet in my chest?"
"But the singularity! The other me said when you killed yourself it opened a black hole. You can't risk…"
"Cisco thinks that was because their Barry had already caused a tear by opening the wormhole in the first place, making it… I don't really understand what they said, but it should be fine."
The truth was, that no matter what the odds were, no matter the science, Eddie had no intentions of killing himself. He couldn't put Barry through that, but he needed Barry to believe he would. So, he watched him closely, the shifting body language, the changing facial expressions.
Something that almost sounded like a laugh came out of Barry's mouth. "I don't really have a choice, do I?"
Eddie shook his head. "Not really." He started to reach for the keypad to open the door, but stopped. "If we get back and you try to stop me, or lock me up somewhere, I will find a way to end it."
Barry looked to the side, refusing to meet Eddie's eyes. "Always the hero, Detective Thawne."
[]
He followed Eddie sullenly through the well-lit halls of S.T.A.R. Labs. Half way there, he crossed his arms over his chest, then dropped them to the pockets of the grey sweatpants, because it felt too much like sulking. Actually, no, sulking was exactly what he should be doing.
Ever since he'd learned Eddie was Harrison's ancestor, he'd be terrified the detective would somehow find out. It was hard for him to remember what he should and shouldn't say sometimes. The afternoon Eddie told him Len had dropped him off and he couldn't remember what had happened, he'd been sick with the idea that he might have let something slip without meaning to, something way more important than Len's secret, because when it came down to it, Eddie wouldn't turn Len in if Barry asked him not to and Barry knew that, but as sure as he knew that, he also knew that if it became clear that Eddie's tactics for saving him weren't working, he'd get desperate. Desperate people did stupid things, things like shooting themselves in the heart to stop the bad guy.
It was just… In one day these people had ruined everything! Eddie knew he was Harrison's ancestor, he knew killing himself would erase Harrison, and they'd convinced Eddie to get Oliver involved. The whole point of all but cutting them out of his life was to keep them away and… damnit, it wasn't fair!
He glared as they entered the cortex, looking around for the source of his indignation – his other self. It didn't take long to find him, standing at the computers with Caitlin and another girl he didn't recognize.
Focusing his glare on the other Barry, he seethed, "I hope you're happy."
To his annoyance, his other self smiled back at him, a touch bitter, but not entirely dishonest. "Kind of, yeah."
Of course, he was, because he was as obsessed with saving people as Eddie. Barry stormed around the computers and across the room, taking a seat in a chair as far from the rest of them as he could.
Eddie looked around the room as well, seemingly confused. "Where's Cisco?"
Caitlin answered, her smile a little strained as she kept a cautious eye on Barry. "He had to… make some adjustments. He'll be back."
Nodding, Eddie went over to Iris and Barry tried not to watch as they held hands. There was a strange sort of resentment bubbling inside him, but this wasn't his Iris. He couldn't let himself get sucked in by this, any of it. Not Iris or Caitlin or Cisco, or even himself. He couldn't let himself remember what caring this much felt like, because he was going home and if he had his way, they were never coming back here again.
"So," he splayed out in the seat, doing his best to look nonchalant. "What's the plan?"
After a second of awkward silence, Eddie spoke. "I'm going to Star City to get in touch with Oliver. You're going to… um… you'll be…"
As Eddie fumbled, Barry's frown deepened. There were only so many things that made Eddie blush like that. "Going to what?"
The other Barry took pity. "You're going to distract Wells."
"Distract?" Barry's eyebrows went up and his frown melted into a wicked grin. "You mean sleep with him, right? You want me to have vicious, nasty sex with Harrison for a few days so he won't notice Eddie's gone? Kinky."
Caitlin held her finger up. "Uh, no, distract, not…"
There was an interesting hand gesture that was probably supposed to allude to sex, though Barry couldn't see how. Not that it mattered. He shrugged. "I've done worse for less. Then what? Eddie says you want to lock him in the pipeline. How's that gonna work?"
"With these." Caitlin took an arrow off the desk. It had a small glowing ball of something blue illuminating near the tip. "Nanites, developed by Ray Palmer. They emit a high frequency pulse that interrupts the Speedforce. It doesn't last long, only a few minutes, but that should be enough. Cisco's putting together the files so Felicity can make more."
"And how exactly are you going to get those into him? I mean, call me pessimistic, but I don't think he's just going to stand there while Oliver shoots him. Oh, maybe I could tell him it's a role play fantasy."
The other Barry leveling him with an annoyed stare. "You're not helping. Literally, dude, no one is using you to seduce anyone, let alone your abusive… Wells."
"Right, we're calling it a distraction."
"You don't have to sleep with him to distract him. Pretend to go along with his scheme. Tell him you need to train to increase your speed. That'll get all of his focus on you and everyone keeps their clothes on."
"Well, clearly, you've never heard of positive reinforcement." And there was that perfect blend of uncomfortable disgust. Good, they all deserved to be uncomfortable.
Beside the other him, the young girl he'd glanced over earlier leaned in and whispered to Caitlin, "It's like watching one of those reality shows you have. I feel like I need popcorn and a comfy chair."
Okay, almost everyone was uncomfortable. He'd mostly ignored her earlier. She was young, possibly not even eighteen, but pretty and clearly un-phased by the situation. It was strangely appealing, actually; refreshing, after an entire day locked in that stupid cell, listening to the bleeding hearts trying to save him. Been there, done that, bored now.
She squeaked in surprise when he appeared beside her, but didn't step away and she certainly didn't look scared. Not that Barry actually intended to do her any harm, but still… interesting. He grinned down at her. "Hey, what's your name?"
She barely her suppressed her laugh. "Yeah, no, that… no. Not happening."
"Oh, no, it's not like that."
"It's not?"
"No. For real. I'm just gonna stand here, maybe flirt with you a little, make them all really nervous. Besides, I'm taken."
"I heard. Word is you're arm candy to an egocentric speedster."
Arm candy?! That was a new one. He'd been called a lot of things, but never arm candy. That was borderline insulting. And did she just refer to Harrison as egocentric? Barry dropped an arm over her shoulder, leaning in a little too close. "I like you."
"I'm Jessie."
There was something familiar about her, not anything obvious, but a nagging tug in the back of his mind. It was a little in her smile, but not just that. Maybe her eyes?
Before he could really focus in on it, Cisco's voice interrupted his thoughts, desperate in its pitch. "No, you can't go in there. Harry, you need to get back to the lab."
Harry?
"What I need, Ramon, is for you to get out of my way. You asked for my opinion and for that, I need the data."
That sounded like Harrison.
"I'll bring you the data. We agreed you would stay…"
"You agreed. I never agreed to anything."
It couldn't be Harrison. He'd promised. He swore he wouldn't cross the breach. That was why he'd sent Eddie instead, which still pissed Barry off, but at least it hadn't gone against the nature of their agreement. Harrison stayed on their side, where they belonged. Where Cisco and Caitlin and Iris were already dead and the damage was already done and Harrison had promised.
Except it was Harrison, marching around the corner with Cisco behind him like he had every right to be there.
Barry barely made it three steps when the other him got in his way, holding him back with hands on his shoulders. Eddie scrambled to help while Cisco put himself in front of Harrison, like he was protecting him. Anger seared through him and Barry surged forward, managing another step, but Eddie was right in front of him and he couldn't risk hurting Eddie.
"Get out of my way, Eddie!"
"No, Barry, that's not him."
"You promised!" He dodged left of Eddie, only to have the other Barry move with him. "You said you'd stay away! They're off limits!"
Cisco stepped back, forcing Harrison with him. "Not to say I told you so, but I freaking told you so!"
With a burst of lightning, he shoved the other Barry out of the way and shot across the room, only to come up short when he heard Jessie yell, "Dad!"
Dad?
He was inches away from Cisco's wide eyes and heaving chest, ready to push him out of the way as well or maybe go around him. He wouldn't hurt Cisco, he'd never hurt any of them, but Harrison wasn't supposed to be there, he wasn't allowed, he…
Barry frowned at the face of the man staring back at him. The impassive expression was wrong. The worry lines around the eyes were wrong. Barry had spent countless hours staring at those lines.
It took him a second to put it together and when he did, he stepped back – mostly for Cisco's sake, because he looked like he was one short breath away from a heart attack. Further away, the differences were more pronounced. Harrison maintained a carefully casual stance, designed to make him appear unassuming, to put others around him at ease. This man didn't. He was stiff and confrontational.
Barry shook his head, confused. "You're not him."
This man, whoever he was, didn't smile, he didn't feign niceties. He pursed his lips tight and moved out from behind Cisco, giving the younger scientist a scolding look for even attempting to shield him.
"But… How?" He was speaking to Cisco, but he could hardly take his eyes off this Harrison, so similar and so different. "Barry said your Harrison is dead."
"Yeah, but that's not our Wells. He's from another Earth and he's the real Harrison Wells, not Eobard Thawne. We call him Harry."
Another Earth? If there were two, it stood to reason there would be more.
Slowly, he made a circle around Harry, noting every minor difference with growing fascination. Harrison wore tailored suits and slacks. He wore fitted sweaters and top of the line running shoes and styled his hair with select products that maintained the soft, natural appearance. Harry had on baggy cargo pants, scuffed boots, and a long sleeve hooded t-shirt. His hair was dark with product and not so much styled as pushed up and around haphazardly. The clothes, the hair, the posture, the facial expression, everything was wrong, because this wasn't his Harrison, this was Harry.
Barry reached up and tentatively touched the stiff hair, giggling softly as it bounced back up into the unfortunate position. He traced a hand over one side of Harry's face, tight with annoyance, no hint of humor or mirth behind the glare. The shoulders tensed under his touch – not aroused tension that threatened to spring into action, but uncomfortable tension meant to warn people off.
When his hands went lower, checking the tone of the muscle under the t-shirt, Harry shoved them away, not playfully, but abrupt and demanding. "That's enough."
"He's so abrasive."
Barry bit his lower lip, chewing it thoughtfully. He shouldn't. He really shouldn't, but then again, when was he going to get another chance like this? Two people with the same genetic makeup, the same DNA, but from different worlds and, really, when he looked at it that way, he was almost doing it for science. Yeah, because Harrison was really going to buy that if he ever found out. Still…
Without giving himself the chance to think his way out of it, Barry grabbed Harry's face and held him still while he mashed their mouths together. Harry was too unresponsive for it to be a real comparison. He was, however, shocked enough that his mouth relaxed just enough for Barry to get his tongue in. It tasted different. Kissing Harrison tasted like spice and mineral water. Harry was cheap take out and soda.
Barry pulled back, the room still stunned into silence and licked his lower lip. Salt and grease. "That is so weird."
At his words, everyone burst into action at once, Eddie, Barry, and Cisco pulled him back – not roughly, but insistent and Barry didn't fight it, just grinned at Harry, who was waving off Jessie's concern. "I'm fine. Jessie, I'm okay. Really."
"But he… he…"
"Kissed me? I'll survive."
Now that he knew, he saw the similarities. Especially now. The glare she was sending him was impressive. Actually, it rivaled the glare Harrison reserved for when Barry had done something exceptionally distasteful in public. If Barry hadn't spent the last year being on the receiving end of that glare, he might have been cowed. As it was, he winked back and she huffed, turning her attention back to her father.
Oh, that was a disconcerting thought. Harrison Wells as a father.
They moved Barry back to his chair on the other side of the room and Cisco and Barry joined Harry, Jessie, and Caitlin at the computers, whispering conspiratorially. Occasionally, Harry glanced up at him. Eddie and Iris stayed by his side, in case he tried anything. Not that he was going to. He just wanted this over so he could go home.
His stomach complained loudly at the sentiment and he looked down at it with contempt. Okay, that, and maybe a few pizzas.
[]
"That's not right." Barry followed Cisco's gaze to where Barry-3 was finishing up the second of three large pizza's they'd ordered at his request. Eddie and Iris were next to him, Caitlin was checking his vitals. "That's not how you eat a pizza. That's just… wrong."
Barry couldn't exactly disagree. Barry-3 looked like he was coming down off an intense orgasm, which was better than he'd looked when he started, which had been like he was having one. Caitlin came back, cheeks pink. "His blood sugar was getting low."
"But," Cisco took her tablet, "he's had more than enough calories. How the hell was his blood sugar low?"
"My guess? He burned through them during his little outburst in the containment cell earlier."
Harrison laced his fingers behind his head and leaned back in his chair. "If he's able to access more of the Speedforce, this could be the answer we need."
Cisco shook his head. "Except we don't know if he's accessing more. We don't know anything and we don't have enough time to run tests. Besides, check it." He motioned to the screen where the footage of Eddie's interaction was paused on Barry-3's face, eyes red. "Look at his body language. He's not even really trying to get out of the cell, he's just standing there; and earlier, when he was trying to get out, there was no Speedforce activity detected. Guys, I don't think he knows he's doing it."
All eyes shifted to the other side of the room where Barry-3 was trying to hand feed a slice of pizza to a resistant Eddie while Iris laughed behind her hand. Caitlin hesitantly asked, "We could… I mean, should we tell him?"
It was a good question. The only other time they'd seen red eyes like that was on the Reverse-Flash. That didn't necessarily mean anything, but it might. Eventually, Barry shook his head. "We can't, not while Thawne still has any kind of hold over him. We'll tell Eddie and he can decide what to do once they have the Reverse-Flash locked up."
Cisco frowned at the footage. "Has it occurred to anyone else that Thawne might not be the only one that needs to be locked up?"
Barry and Caitlin gave him matching reproachful stares and he put his hands up defensively. "I'm just saying, he's got the crazy eyes. It wouldn't hurt to be prepared."
Which was a valid point, but one they didn't have time to explore. They only had ten minutes left on Thawne's ultimatum and, considering how violently Barry-3 had reacted when he'd thought the other speedster had come through, none of them wanted to find out what the fall out would look like if he actually did.
"We have to leave this up to them, but we'll make sure they have everything they need. Are we ready?"
At everyone's nod, they sent Harry over to sit with Barry-3 while they talked to Eddie. There was some protest, but Harry clearly made Eddie uncomfortable and Barry-3 was still fascinated with him. The minute he sat down, Barry-3 started trying to touch his hair again. Harry swatted the hand away, only to have it reach up again, clearly undeterred. After the fourth attempt, Barry shook his head and focused on the task at hand.
Cisco handed Eddie a jump drive. "This has the specs for converting the anti-proton cavity for a speedster. Felicity'll know what to do with it. And tell her no cutting corners. Copper wires mean copper wires, unless she wants it to short out and release an evil, vindictive, murdering speedster on Central City and the world."
"Right." Eddie took the drive, holding it in his fist protectively before slipping into the pocket of his jeans.
"Also, have her make two."
"Two?"
Cisco glanced meaningfully at Barry-3, who was still giggling at Harry's wrathful stare. "Yeah, and make the second one stronger."
"I don't understand."
Barry put a hand on Eddie's shoulder. "Look, I'm not exactly sure what it means, but what he did in the cell – the whole glowing eyes thing – that shouldn't have been possible. That cell isn't just designed to keep a speedster in, it prevents us from accessing the Speedforce."
"Speedforce?" Oh, they really were keeping Eddie in the dark. That didn't make this easier.
"That's what we call the source of our speed. I can't really explain it, not right now, but the point is, we locked the Reverse-Flash in there and he couldn't use it, your Barry could. Now, we won't know how or why until we run some test, which, obviously, we don't have time for right now. Once you have Wells locked up, bring Barry back and we'll figure it out."
"About that, I have a favor to ask." Eddie looked at the ground, then straightened, squaring his shoulders as if bracing himself and Barry got a sinking feeling he knew what Eddie was about to say. "Iris says you can close the breaches. When we go back through, I need you to close ours."
Barry started to shake his head, but Eddie cut him off. "The truth is, Barry, there's a good chance this is going to get worse before it gets better. If it even gets better. If Wells figures out what I'm up to, if he thinks I've reneged on my end of his deal, he will go for blood and I won't bring that here. Knowing there's a world where Iris is alive and has a chance to be happy, that… that's everything. I can do this if I know she's safe here, even if I can't be with her."
As much as Barry wanted to argue with him, it made sense. "We can figure something out, Eddie. We'll find a way to make the breach inaccessible temporarily, but if we close it, I can't guarantee…"
"No, this is our fight. Barry's and mine, but he's not alone in it and now," Eddie smiled sadly, "thanks to you, neither am I."
"Eddie!" They looked back to Barry-3, who had apparently finished pestering Harry and was standing with his arms crossed over his chest, a petulant frown on his face. "It's time to go home."
"Oh, wait, one more thing!" Cisco dug into his pants and pulled out a folded note card. "This one has the recipe for the original bars, as well as a few variations we've come up with in the last year. Don't let him run out. Ever."
"Thank you." Eddie put the note card in his pocket as well and made his way back to Iris, pulling her aside for their goodbye.
Barry wasn't sure if his doppelganger's open glare was because of Eddie or Iris, or maybe both of them. He patted Cisco on the shoulder and went over for a final word with himself. "Hey."
"What now?" Barry-3's voice was dripping with disdain. "You got what you wanted, the least you can do is leave me alone."
"I know you aren't happy with… well, any of this, but they just want to help."
"I don't want their help. I keep saying that and no one will listen to me."
"They didn't listen to me, either, and I'm glad they didn't." Barry-3 rolled his eyes, glancing at Eddie apprehensively, like he was afraid the detective was going to change his mind about leaving. "Look, Thawne doesn't love you."
Barry-3's eyes flashed momentarily as he grit his teeth. "It's Harrison and you don't know anything."
"I know him and I know you, or, at least, who you used to be. Even if he does love you, it doesn't matter. The one thing Harry and 'Harrison' have in common is that when they want something, they will do anything to get it." The anger faltered. Good, at least he was listening. "For Harry, it was his daughter. Zoom had her and he would do anything to get her back. He killed a man – not a good man, but a person – and then he tried to steal my speed. The difference is, Harry has a conscience, and he couldn't go through with it. Harrison doesn't and you know that. So, even if he loves you, which I doubt, you aren't what he wants. What he wants is to go home and he will do anything to make that happen. You will never be enough, not as long as that's between you."
For one second, he thought maybe he'd gotten through to him. Barry-3's stubborn annoyance faltered, replaced by something forlorn and hurt, but then… then he was wrapped in a hug, Barry-3 mumbling, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" in his ear and Barry got the feeling he'd said something very wrong.
Before he could ask, Barry-3 ran to Caitlin, hugging her just as enthusiastically. Harry dropped back in his chair, shaking his head. "Congratulations, Mr. Allen, on being the only person capable of making that worse."
"What'd I do?!"
Cisco went around the desk the long way to avoid going past Barry-3, still latched onto Caitlin. "What was that about?"
"I have no idea."
Barry-3 suddenly appeared in front of them again, eyes on the bag Cisco was holding out in front of him for protection. With a cautious smile, Barry-3 took the bag, opened it and pulled out his Flash suit. Cisco nervously stepped closer to his Barry, putting them practically hip to hip. "So, yeah, uh, I patched it up for you, cleaned it, and repaired the emblem. I don't know what you did to fry it like that, but those things are not easy to…"
He stopped as Barry-3 blurred into his suit and squeezed Cisco in a tight hug. "Thank you, it's perfect, thank you!" Then a smaller, barely audible. "I'm sorry."
Cisco tensed, even as Barry-3 held tighter.
"He said you remember the other timeline, that you remember Harrison killing you, so you're still kind of my Cisco, even if you're not, so I'm sorry."
After a second, Cisco gave in and hugged him back. "It's okay, man. It wasn't your fault. Hell, I'm sorry. I should have figured it out sooner – I worked with the man for years and I never suspected anything – but please let them help you."
"I will." Barry-3 pulled back reluctantly with a sad, but somewhat mischievous smile. "I've got a plan."
And he was off again, pulled Iris into an embrace that threatened to suffocate her, then Jessie, a hand just low enough on her back to make Harry narrow his eyes murderously.
Cisco leaned into Barry. "Should I be worried?"
"Probably."
Eddie kissed Iris one last time before stepping back, as ready as he was ever going to be. He leveled Barry with a questioning look and Barry nodded somberly.
Before anyone could say anything else, Barry-3 took Eddie and ran. Barry gave them a few seconds head start before taking the reactor they'd prepared, just in case. It felt wrong closing it, but he understood how Eddie felt. If their positions were reversed, he'd be asking the same thing. So, he'd close the breach, but, just like with Earth-2, that didn't mean he was abandoning it. If he could find his way back to one, he could find his way to the other.
[]
Iris wasn't in the cortex when he got back. She was probably getting some much needed space. He'd track her down later to make sure she was okay. Harry had disappeared again, as well, but Jessie had stayed behind with Cisco and Caitlin.
Cisco leveled him with a suspicious frown, arms crossed over his chest. "Okay, spill it. What'd you do?"
Barry pulled his cowl off. "I didn't do anything."
"No, man, because one minute he's pissed, then you said something to him, and suddenly he's bouncing off the walls excited again and he has a 'plan.'" Cisco made sure to emphasize his cynicism with air quotes. "What'd you say?"
Reluctantly, Barry filled them in on his speech, not that it was a long one, as far as speeches went. "And then I told him that he would never be enough for Thawne, not as long as that was between them."
Cisco dropped his chin to his chest, groaning and Caitlin admonished him with a, "Barry!" Jessie actually choked on her soda and it was ridiculous. He hadn't said anything wrong. "Would someone please tell me what I said that was so bad?"
Caitlin shook her head, took Jessie's arm and led her, still coughing, out of the room. Barry turned to Cisco, who finally took pity on him. "You basically just told crazy Barry that if he can convince evil Wells he's never getting back home, he's got a shot."
"What?! No! That's… I didn't…" Except… You will never be enough, not as long as that's between you. Except he kind of had. "Oh god. I didn't mean… that wasn't… I was just trying to help!"
"I know." Cisco stood up and patted his back consolingly. "Come on, I'm in serious need of some bro time. Wrath of Kahn?"
Barry sighed out a, "Yeah."
He could only hope Harry was wrong and he hadn't actually made it worse.
[]
Eddie was never going to get used to traveling by speedster. One second he was standing in the cortex, surrounded by friends, the next he was trying not to vomit in an alley with Wells only a few feet away in slacks and a dark sweater, face set in an impatient frown. Barry left Eddie leaning against the wall and threw himself at Wells, wrapping his arms around the older man's shoulders in a tight embrace.
While Wells maintained eye contact with Eddie, his arm snaked loosely around Barry's waist in a gesture that was as possessive as it was casual. "Two minutes. I was beginning to think you weren't going to make it."
There were a lot of things Eddie wanted say to that, but hey both already knew exactly how insecure Wells really was, or he wouldn't have felt the need to send anyone, let alone Eddie. Words weren't really necessary.
Behind him, the singularity shuddered and closed in on itself, disappearing. Wells sighed at the empty space. "Well, that's disappointing. Although, not entirely unexpected."
Before Eddie could ask what, exactly, was disappointing about it, Barry took Wells' face in his hands and kissed him, not unlike he'd done with Harry, but with more tongue and Wells was much more receptive. He tightened his hold on Barry's waist, moving his hand to press into the small of Barry's back and pull them closer together and Eddie dropped his gaze to the ground rather than watch.
It took Barry a good two minutes to pull away, breathless and flushed. "I'm sorry. Sorry I ran off, sorry I hurt you, hurt the accelerator, set you back. I didn't mean to, I got mad, but I'm better now. All better."
He stepped back a few feet, arms held out from his side. "Look! Cisco cleaned my suit. His suit?" He glanced at the empty space where the singularity had been. "My suit now. He cleaned it and he fixed the emblem. See? Shiny."
Wells turned to Eddie with raised eyebrows. "How much did they feed him?"
Eddie shrugged. "Enough?"
"Lots! I had nutrient bags and donuts and a Cisco Bar and Tito's and double bacon cheese burgers with fries and a milk shake and two large supreme pizzas!"
"Wonderful. It's good to know you've returned to me with your insanity remarkably unaffected."
"Don't be mean." Barry giggled once before his face fell into an almost somber frown. "'Cause I'll do it."
Wells' demeanor changed instantly, from mildly amused to deadly serious in a moment. "You'll do what, exactly?"
Barry worried his lower lips with his teeth. "You promise? Promise I get them back? Promise they're alive?"
"Barry…"
"Promise, Harrison. Promise me that it's better."
Eddie gripped the wall of the alley as the last of the nausea faded and watched, waiting to see what Wells would do, if he would buy it. He had to. The pitch of Barry's voice, the unwavering eye contact – if Eddie didn't know better, he'd believe it.
Wells stayed perfect still, assessing Barry as he spoke. "I promise. Barry, your mother and father, Iris and Joe, Cisco and Caitlin will be alive there."
"But not you."
Wells tilted his head in concession. "No, I'll be where I belong, in my own time."
"Will I remember you? This? Anything?"
After a moment's hesitation, Wells conceded that as well. "Regrettably, yes. There have been cases of memory erasure, but in all likelihood your memories of this timeline will remain intact."
Barry chewed his lip harder. "How long will it take you to fix the accelerator?"
"For the third time?" Barry grinned sheepishly, nodding. "A month, two if the parts are on back order. Though, I suppose, given the urgency, I could just run to get them."
Barry licked the blood from his torn mouth. "No, no, no. No running. Two months. You give me two months and I'll give you back your future."
There was a pause, long and drawn out and Eddie had to fight not to hold his breath until finally, Wells moved forward, pulling Barry into a hug that was nearly paternal in its gentleness. Eddie stayed where he was, unwilling to break the softness of the moment.
When Wells pulled away from Barry, he kissed his forehead, smiling fondly. "You won't regret this, Barry."
The smile Barry gave him in return was as sad as it was bright.
Wells kept a hand pressed to Barry's face as he shifted his gaze just enough to catch Eddie's eyes and Eddie tried to remember to breathe. "Detective Thawne, while I'm sure you had some very interesting conversations with that Earth's counterparts, do try to refrain from doing anything… ill-advised. It would be a fruitless endeavor on your part and I have better things to do with my time than deal with your attempts at bravado."
It took everything Eddie had not to slip his hand down to his pocket and curl his fist protectively around the USB drive.
"As for you, Barry, if this is going to work, you'll need to go faster. Training starts now. Let's see, what shall it be? I know." He leaned over to breath into Barry's ear, so low that Eddie almost missed it. In fact, he really wished he had. "If you can beat me home, you get to name the game. Anything you want, I will do to you. Anything."
Barry shuddered as Wells stepped back. "One second head start. Now, run, Barry."
No one gave Eddie another thought. Barry flashed off, Wells following behind him. Eddie slumped against the wall, breathing deep and uneven. He'd bought it. Wells had bought it. He'd believed Barry wanted to help him. He hadn't even searched Eddie or found the…
Eddie froze as he patted his pocket where the drive should have been and felt nothing. No, no, not good. Had they fallen out? He would have noticed if Wells had searched him. Wouldn't he? He was just started to feel the tight clutch of panic, when Barry came skidding to a stop in front of him, hand up and the folded letter firmly clutched in his fingers. "Looking for something?"
As Eddie took it, Barry pulled the USB drive out from under the waistband of his suit. "I took them while we were running. Just in case. You need a better hiding place."
"I didn't exactly have a lot of options. You should hurry before he suspects anything."
"I already told you. I'm a lot faster than he thinks I am. Besides," Barry winked, "it's no fun if I win."
Then he was gone again and Eddie gave himself a minute, one minute to pull himself together before he started off for a bus that could take him to his car at the station. If he hurried, he could be in Star City by morning.
