Harry

My Immortal, Evanescence

Caitlin screamed, opening her mouth widely as Rachel stroked her just like the other woman liked, driving her absolutely insane and making her come fast and hard.

Then she fell on the pillow right next to her, needing a break. Yes, she felt pretty winded and tired, but on the other hand now she didn't have enough distraction for her thoughts and it was right back in there…

Eventually, she opened her mouth and just let it out, "He did it with me, too, you know."

She could feel Caitlin turning her head to the side and looking at her questioningly.

"After work… in the empty office…" Rachel barely managed to confess before she raised her hands and placed them on her face, mortified. "I wasn't anyone special to him, was I? Just another body to fuck."

"I honestly don't know about that," Caitlin said in a soft voice in response. "Like I said, he really seemed different with you."

"Well, he certainly didn't act like it in the end…" Rachel only bitterly commented.

She felt comfortable, happy, safe. Why wouldn't she when she was just now lying in bed in the arms of the man she loved, her head placed just above his heart as she was listening to its steady and strong beat.

She felt him kissing her and she looked up at him, meeting the radiant blue of his eyes…

Rachel woke up with a gasp and immediately covered her face with her hands because she'd had, yet, another dream of her being in a happy relationship with Harrison. It'd actually felt more like a memory than a dream, but then again, had he truly ever been so loving towards her or was it just her wishful thinking…?

She immediately got up, not wasting any time in bed. Truth be told, she never slept longer those days, too eager to shed the dreams that always haunted her in favour of welcoming the day and pushing the morose thoughts of betrayal and broken heart away. Instead she chose to bury herself in work, finally having the inspiration to write her next book. She wasn't sure whether the topic of it was a good idea, but it was what her heart wanted her to write, a way for her to cope with everything that had happened and would still happen. Her own catharsis, simply dealing with the pain that would surely follow.

She hadn't been to the Labs for a long while now, needing this time for herself, needing to be away and quite frankly, she wasn't sure whether she would be back at all. Barry had tried. He'd really tried calling and texting, once even showing up to make sure she was ok, but she'd honestly told him that she needed to be alone, that he shouldn't come looking for her. What she hadn't told him was his fate, because she'd thought it would be rather cruel.

The only person she saw regularly was Caitlin, her best friend. One could say they kept each other sane, that they kept one another whole. Otherwise they would both shutter after everything that had happened. Rachel couldn't stand being around anyone else in this dark period of her life; definitely not Barry since that would only bring more pain along. Yes, at the beginning she and Cait had fallen into another affair, but that slowly ceased and now they remained good friends, not even feeling the need to talk about it as they both hadn't been themselves.

There were also two secrets Rachel now had and still kept, even from Cait. Her visions – a bit less painful now thanks to the doctor always being close with her medicine – very often showed her Cisco, which only confirmed her suspicions that he was, indeed, a meta. Still, she ignored it. She couldn't come back to the Labs now. It was as though both she and Caitlin needed a long break because things were just too painful for them.

As time flew, the next few weeks brought interesting developments with a rally for the Flash and the mayor offering him the keys to the city. They weren't supposed to go, yet Cait confessed that she couldn't resist and went to see it during her lunch break. She had also been visited by Cisco and a device he'd showed her had picked her interest. Rachel teased her friend that she would be back at the Labs in no time if that was truly her calling, but it was also all right. As long as her friend was happy, she was happy as well, though still postponing her own trip there further and further away. Probably indefinitely.

The following afternoon, Caitlin called to inform that there was a tape Harrison Wells – or rather Eobard Thawne – had sent Barry with a message in case of his death. It turned out that he'd confessed to the murder of Nora Allen, all of it just proving how twisted this man had truly been. On one hand, a cold-blooded killer who hadn't hesitated to push his vibrating fist through Cisco's chest in another timeline and on the other, spending all this time with them had clearly formed some kind of an attachment.

"No matter what his motives were, Rachel, Henry can go free now. I thought maybe… that you maybe wanted to be there with us. And… um… if you would like to see the tape…" Caitlin offered.

"No. I'm sorry, but I'm still not ready," Rachel refused immediately and shortly after that, she hung up. There was one more thing she hadn't told Cait, regarding her vision about Barry himself. Right now Rachel couldn't handle seeing Harrison's face on tape just as much as seeing Barry when knowing what would eventually have to happen.

With that, Caitlin was officially back working at S.T.A.R. Labs and for the next few days - that easily stretched into whole weeks - bringing news of what was happening. Still, Rachel refused to show up. The more time passed by, the easier it actually was for her to stay away. Eventually, she managed to finish her book and send it to her editor.

It was also that very evening that Caitlin informed her about the existence of the multiverse and visitors from earth they started calling Earth 2, which was a little too much for Rachel's mind at the moment, so the visit was postponed indefinitely, yet again. Her friend even asked what was wrong and whether she needed anything, but Rachel wasn't able to answer her. The last thing she wanted was to lie and telling the truth was out of the question as well. She didn't need Cait relaying to the team the real reason behind all of this - that Rachel couldn't, wouldn't handle the fact that Barry was apparently going to die.

However, fate - as it always turned out - had other plans. She refused to go see her friends, therefore she was made to.

It happened one evening when she was coming back from a dinner meeting with her agent, talking about her new book and where they would go from there.

At first she wasn't sure what made her pay attention to the lonely tall and lean hooded figure. Maybe it was her mind, the way it remembered so many details without her even consciously realizing it. Yes, following a man in the dark while being a woman - and alone to that - maybe wasn't such a good idea, but she didn't think about safety at the moment; her heart fastening, her brain not able to recognize the emotions she was feeling for either curious excitement or plain fear.

And then, there was a sudden beeping coming from the stranger and he stopped. He reached to his wrist, turning the alarm - or whatever it was - off while facing her and looking straight in her eyes.

He might be wearing a hoodie and it might be dark, but Rachel would recognize this pair of radiant blues just about anywhere.

"Harrison?" she gasped, her mouth and eyes opening widely at the sight of him.

He looked exactly the same - same body, same face, same eyes.

He didn't respond, but also didn't leave. Slowly, he reached to his hoodie and pulled it back, revealing the one thing that was different – his hairstyle - and in the same time making it possible for her to discern who he really was and what was happening.

"You're from Earth 2, aren't you?" she guessed immediately.

She could tell she intrigued him.

"Earth… 2, you say?" he finally spoke in the very same voice she knew, yet its tone was gruff. He seemed irritated.

"The theory of the muti…"

"I am very familiar with that theory, thank you and I'd dare say it's no longer just a theory, judging that I'm here. I'm more intrigued by the fact that you seem to both know me and somehow… fear me? And yet, you followed me. Do you maybe hold some deeper feelings somewhere in there regarding my person?"

She was plain shocked with this insightful remark, but then again, he didn't seem like a man who would sugarcoat.

"I take it you're not a wanted murderer in your world?" she asked and by the surprised look on his face, she realized that this time she was the one who had the upper hand. "Better be careful in this city. Everyone knows who Harrison Wells was and everyone hates him. A cop sees you and you're a dead man," a warning followed.

He opened his mouth and then closed it.

"I know a place where we can help you, though. If only you're willing to trust me on this," she then offered. She would be forced back into S.T.A.R. Labs just like Caitlin had been, after all. She guessed one couldn't really escape fate.

There was no bigger shock Rachel could bring to the team.

She approached the cortex, immediately seeing Barry, Caitlin and Cisco there. Seeing the first actually caused her heart to squeeze painfully in her chest and the vision she'd had was immediately back in her mind like a short movie she was not able to unsee.

He was also the one who spotted her immediately and she couldn't really decipher the look on his face. Caitlin and Cisco though, both smiled broadly at her.

"Hi, guys, um…"

"What are you doing here?" Barry asked and she flinched, sensing a wave of resentment coming from him.

"Um… I actually…" She clearly hadn't thought how awkward it would be to finally show up and yet, not for the reason they even expected.

"She brought me," a voice from behind her spoke and Harrison Wells came into view.

Rachel wanted to curse under her breath. Revealing himself to them, especially with a speedster in the room and while looking exactly like the man who'd murdered said speedster's mother = bad idea.

"Wait!" she yelled to Barry, reacting as fast as she could and shifting directly in front of Harrison.

She was lucky she had the element of surprise and managed to move before Barry got over his shock and speeded towards the man, ready to grab him. He did spot her trying to protect him with her own body, therefore he stopped.

"Who are you?!" he screamed at the newcomer from a closer proximity now.

"I'm doctor Harrison Wells," the older man slowly supplied, not at all phased by the show Barry had just given him, "from Earth 2. And you're Barry Allen, the Flash of this world."

"How… how do you know who I am?!"

"I've been watching you ever since I came to this Earth. Needed to be sure."

"Sure of what?!"

"That you're nothing like the Flash from my Earth."

"You know Jay?" Caitlin asked.

"Great, Caitlin, great there on revealing the man's identity…"

"It's not a reveal. I've known who Jay Garrick is for quite some time."

"Let me guess, you're the villain to his hero?" Barry made sure.

"Not exactly."

Can I talk to you alone for a moment? never sounded so ominous.

Having listened to Harrison Wells from Earth 2, his manners leaving much to wish for and only making things more difficult for him; Barry wanted to have a word with Rachel.

She had no idea what to even tell him or how to make sense of all the emotions she was feeling on seeing him again after such a long time. He made it easier for her by starting first.

"We don't see you for… for months and when you finally show up, you bring him in here?!" The last few words he basically screamed, startling her.

"Barry, I'm sorry, but I had some things to deal with. I needed this time apart."

"Oh, really? Would you come here tonight if you didn't encounter Harrison Wells, the doppelganger of your dead boyfriend?!"

"That's just cruel." She folded her arms across her chest, feeling very uncomfortable and as though she needed to protect herself from Barry out of all people.

"You know, I tried everything. I gave you time. I tried being there for you. I tried honouring your wishes and keeping my distance…" he started, shaking his head while saying all of that. "And yet, you decided to just forget about us, your friends! And now you bring Harrison Wells here?! And he wants us to help him?!"

"Barry, I…"

"I needed you!" he screamed even louder, completely startling her, distress showing on his face. "I really needed you, but you weren't there! And now…" He came to a stop and shook his head again, his expression pretty much devastated, pain reflecting in his eyes. She'd hurt him. She'd really hurt him and she didn't even realize how much.

"Barry…" she started with a soft voice, surprised by what she saw.

"No. Forget it." He waved his hand and turned to the other door in the room.

"Barry!" she called out after him and made to follow, but her powers chose the worst moment to strike.

There it was again. Her seeing him die. Painfully. Horribly.

She braced herself against the nearest wall and closed her eyes, screwing her face in pain, waiting for it to stop. That right there was the reason to why she hadn't visited yet. And she couldn't even tell him that.

"You want to tell me something?" she then heard a voice she didn't expect at the moment.

The vision was luckily over, leaving a dull headache in its wake when she turned around to see Harrison standing in the other door.

Was he listening? She wondered, suddenly panicking.

"This," he showed her a very interesting watch he was wearing, "is a metahuman detector. It beeped when we met earlier tonight. You're a meta," he easily concluded.

"Hi. Patty?" Barry was just dialling the number of officer Spivot who was clearly into him. "I was thinking… Do you maybe want to go out with me?"

Rachel didn't have the slightest urge to talk to Harry – as Cisco has christened him to distinguish him from the previous evil version of Harrison – about her powers. He was very curious, but she just gave him the absolute basics and was ready to leave. This day had already been too much and she craved to retreat to the privacy of her apartment and let everything just settle in her mind. She was also happy she wasn't leaving the man homeless since S.T.A.R. Labs had more than a fair share of rooms for one to stay in.

"For what it's worth," she suddenly heard Cisco as he decided to come over to her, "I'm really glad you're back." He briefly patted her shoulder.

She smiled at him, somehow feeling happy about that as well. She hadn't truly realized how much she'd missed her friends. Then she remembered the vision she'd had about the guy and wondered for a moment. In the end she decided to stay quiet. Clearly, no one so far knew about Cisco's powers and she would respect that.

Caitlin joined her on the way out after shooting one last glance at the Wells addition to the team and frowning slightly.

"Yeah… I'm not sure how I feel about that either," Rachel admitted. "It's so surreal and… weird."

"Isn't it hard? To see the face of the man who broke your heart and betrayed us all? I'd think for you and Barry that would be the hardest," Caitlin showed her concern.

"Maybe… I'm not really sure… The thing is…" Rachel started, slightly shaking her head while biting on her lip. "The man I was with wasn't the Reverse Flash… Sometimes I wonder if he could truly act so well all the time… The answer is probably yes, but for what? Why would he be with me? What could he possibly gain from that? You were right, a man like Harrison Wells would never have problems getting laid. That's too simple, too crude, that's not it," Rachel said with conviction, her eyes narrowing as she was thinking.

"Something tells me you've already put much thought into it with that writer brain of yours since we'd talked and… nothing."

"And nothing," Rachel agreed with a nod and a shrug of her shoulders. "Still, this Wells… he looks the same, but somehow…"

"…doesn't exactly feel the same, does he? Like it'd be a twin brother and not the same person."

"Yeah… Besides, I have a bigger problem - Barry. I don't know why my absence hit him so hard."

"Well…" Caitlin hesitated before finally settling for, "He really missed you and was doing his best to give you exactly what you needed regardless of how he felt himself. That's just Barry. And then you only showed up because of Harrison Wells… but just give him time. I'm sure it'll all be alright in the end."

Next time Rachel walked into the cortex, still trying to get used to the recent changes and surprises; she bumped straight into Jay Garrick and Harry Wells fighting. And they weren't only sparing each other, but truly going for painful hits. Eventually, it was Barry who separated them, everyone present just as shocked as Rachel now was. Clearly, those two didn't like each other – or was that an understatement?

She didn't even get the chance to be introduced to the man – she assumed it was, indeed, Jay Garrick as Caitlin had described him well – since he just left in anger, throwing on his way out that he would not work with Wells.

Not a few seconds passed by when Rachel was hit with another vision, grasping her head and hissing in pain.

Oddly enough, the only person who seemed to notice was Harry Wells who, though without much empathy in his voice, threw her way, "Must suck, hah?"

She just saw a very tall and very huge speedster in a black suit - that must've been the infamous Zoom.

"Barry, can I talk to you for…?" she barely started, moving in the man's direction when he waved her off, murmuring that he had a date with Patty - whoever that was - and simply disappeared on her.

Rachel just stood there, quite surprised by the two men leaving in what seemed like a span of just a few seconds and… Who the hell was Patty?!

"And what did you do to him?" Harry wanted to know again.

She found him quite bothering at this point since he was obnoxiously rude.

"I guess you're not Jay's fan?" Rachel asked him instead of answering.

"An understatement," he responded. "I'd also like to know the why."

"The why to what?"

"Why were you so nice to me the other night? What do you want from me? And what's your story? You did follow me on an empty road in the dark. Why? What if I attacked you?"

The last one was actually a very good question, but she guessed she'd been so intrigued that she hadn't thought about danger at the time.

Luckily for her, she was saved from answering since there was another meta from Earth 2 appearing in town and this one was called Doctor Light. Barry got his hands on the woman's helmet and wanted to somehow use it to find her.

"That's easy. Just let him do it." Harry pointed Cisco, starting a stream of questions and shocked responses, which ended with him outing the younger man as a meta while presenting his watch.

Rachel flinched when he swung the object her side in order to prove that it was, indeed, beeping. Still, by now she just felt sorry for poor Cisco and while he was struggling to explain everything to the team, she only scratched her head and looked away.

"You knew about this," Barry suddenly said, clearly having watched her closely.

Great, now every pair of eyes was set on her.

"I… did have a vision about it already, yes," she eventually responded, "but some of us prefer to be delicate about such things and simply wait for the right moment when the person, whom this actually concerns, feels comfortable enough to share the news himself." She looked at Cisco with sympathy.

Harry only rolled his eyes at the obvious jab.

"We have no time for platitudes. We need to fight Doctor Light."

"I… I was actually wondering if our powers could maybe be similar. Mine and Rachel's," Cisco slowly started.

"No," was all Wells said to that. Next, he sighed on the questioning looks showing on everyone's faces. "Your powers have a lot to do with the multiverse and multidimensionality," he finally deigned to explain, "and yours…" he turned to Rachel, "well, you get something like a meta notification. Then again, you didn't get a chance to look under Zoom's hood, did you? Useless."

And there it was – the very moment Rachel finally got angry enough at him to let it show. He was nothing like the Harrison Wells she'd known, even if that man had been a liar. He was only impatient, unemphatic, uncaring and infuriating.

In the end they managed to apprehend the infamous on Earth 2 Doctor Light and Rachel hesitated when Caitlin invited her to join her, Cisco and Barry for a celebratory coffee.

"I… I'm not sure…"

"Just come with us," said Barry and she breathed out with relief on hearing that.

"Barry, I'm really sorry. I've been so caught up in everything… I… I should've just come by earlier, I know. And it's not even that I came because of Harry. I guess I needed a push as not to postpone it any longer."

"It's ok. I was a bit out of line. Let's just all have a fresh start."

She smiled at him, trying not to think about the horrendous vision she'd had, trying not to let it dim what they had now.

"Talking about a new start!" they heard Cisco exclaiming happily. "Check what I got!"

They didn't see Harrison Wells from Earth 2 lurking on outside, watching them all carefully.