𝐑𝐚𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭.
Finally, here was Harry Wells from Earth-2, a beacon of hope in the multiverse.
He was completely different from the other Wells she had watched. His development, his demeanor, everything about him was something to look forward to. And when he tragically passed away, Rae's spirits plummeted.
She wasn't the happiest camper in the office back home...
To Rae, Harry Wells was more than just a fictional scientist; he was a role model, someone to look up to and admire.
Rae hoped Harry wouldn't disappoint her in the morning, but she realized she shouldn't expect reality to match her idealizations...
As Cisco and Caitlin entered the Cortex early the next morning, they were immediately greeted by a sight that stopped them in their tracks. There stood Harrison Wells, seemingly as if the events of five months ago had never happened.
Barry had called them earlier, but they hadn't believed him until now. Rae, however, seemed to be studying Wells intently, her gaze unnervingly intense. She stood beside Barry, her arms slightly crossed and her legs crossed at the ankles, a faint grin playing on her lips as she observed Wells.
Rae could practically see the thoughts going through Barry's and Harry's head from their expressions, though her interpretations were quite exaggerated...
To her, Barry's frustration practically radiated from him, manifesting in an internal scream of "Arghhhhh, not this B*TCH again!" His eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched, and Rae could almost sense the thunder storm brewing in his mind.
Meanwhile, Harry's reaction was one of subtle disdain, his lips tightening imperceptibly as he regarded Barry.
In Rae's imagination, his thoughts rang clear: "Oh God... he's the Flash? Guess I ain't seeing Jesse again." She imagined a hint of resignation in his expression, as if he had anticipated yet another complication.
Wells spoke first, his tone as ominous as ever. "Very strange to be holding your autobiography, especially when you didn't write it and it's not about you," he remarked casually, setting down the book he had been holding.
Meanwhile, Rae's stare bore into Wells with such intensity that Harry couldn't help but feel uncomfortable and suspicious. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was something off about her demeanor.
Rae's eyes lit up with excitement as she leaned towards Barry, her voice tinged with a hint of madness. "He's just like I imagined... I can't tell if he's gonna be a problem or just my new source of entertainment," she whispered eagerly, her gaze locked on Harrison Wells with a mix of fascination and anticipation.
Barry shot her a bewildered look, unsure whether to be concerned or just wrap her around his arms to stop her from latching onto this doppelganger's back.
"Dr. Caitlin Snow, Cisco Ramon, and Rae..." Barry hesitated, his voice trailing off momentarily as he struggled to find the right words.
"...meet Dr. Harrison Wells from Earth-2." As they took a couple of steps into the room, the atmosphere grew tense, with questions swirling in their minds.
"So let me get this straight," Cisco interjected, stepping forward. "You're the doppelganger of the man who murdered Barry's mom?"
The words hung heavy in the air, causing Barry to glance down at the floor, his grip tightening on Rae's arm as if seeking comfort and a reason to distance himself from this stranger. Rae instinctively placed her hand on Barry's arm,
"And is responsible for both Ronnie and Eddie's deaths?" Cisco added, his tone laced with disbelief and accusation.
"Yeah, but he's not even the doppelganger of the Dr. Wells that we knew because that Dr. Wells' body had been taken over by the Reverse Flash, who was really Eobard Thawne and Eddie's distant relative from the future," Caitlin explained, her own confusion evident as she nodded to herself while trying to make sense of it all.
"Yeah, I didn't follow any of that. I'm my own man," Harrison Wells asserted, his tone less than friendly. "I had nothing to do with the murder of your mother or your friend Ricky."
Rae couldn't help but snort, quickly covering it up with a hand as Caitlin shot her a glare. "Sorry, sorry," she hushed.
"His name was Ronnie," Caitlin corrected irritably.
"Him either"
"You told me you have proof of your identity?" Barry's usually lighthearted tone had shifted to one of seriousness, his eyes fixed on the man's face
"This almost hit me when I went through the portal," Harrison Wells replied, holding up the bag that Professor Stein had thrown into the breach weeks ago.
Something Rae wasn't a part of because she was too busy mopping over the loss of her job.
Damn.
"Your stabilized breach downstairs connects directly to the S.T.A.R. Labs on my Earth," he continued, prompting Harry to glance at Rae, leaving her worried.
It was brief, but it was enough to make her wonder what he was thinking. Was he suspicious of something? Or was he merely acknowledging her presence in the conversation?
Rae's mind raced with doubts and questions, trying to dismiss the possibility that Harry had somehow seen through her.
"There's no way he figured me out that quickly," she thought, her thoughts racing almost as fast as Barry. "He's not the Thinker or some mind-reading meta. At least not yet. Maybe he was just acknowledging my presence, nothing more."
Despite her attempts to reassure herself, a lingering sense of unease remained, tugging at the edges of her mind.
This is season 2 not season 4 people!
Get it together.
"Technically, this could be mine, but I want to run some tests on you," Caitlin stated, reaching out awkwardly to take the bag back.
"I'll be genetically indistinguishable from my Earth-1 counterpart. Your tests will reveal nothing," Wells countered.
"Great!" Caitlin exclaimed with forced enthusiasm. "Still gonna run 'em."
"Be my guest."
"Why are we even listening to him? How do we know he's not evil like the other guy?" Cisco's disbelief echoed through the room, his voice pitched low as he leaned in next to Barry's ear, attempting to keep his skepticism contained
"He saved my life last night, Rae's life," Barry interjected, his tone firm as he glanced towards the new version of Wells. His eyes then flickered to Rae, a concerned glance passing between them.
Rae met Barry's glance with a slight roll of her eyes, annoyed by his concern.
"The question is why. I'm guessing you didn't travel between dimensions just to meet The Flash," Barry continued.
"That's exactly what I did. I came here to help you, Barry, to stop your greatest enemy," Wells explained, his tone robotic and rehearsed, as if he had practiced this speech many times before.
Which he probably did.
He adjusted his jacket and straightened his gun, his movements precise and calculated.
"He already did that," Cisco chimed in, earning an annoyed look from Wells.
"I'm not talking about Reverse Flash. I'm talking about Zoom." The mention of the name caused everyone but Rae to look over at him questioningly. "I see you've already heard of him."
"Zoom has been sending meta-humans from your world through the breaches to fight him. Big guys with ugly faces," Rae informed, finally finding the opportunity to talk to Harrison Wells as she motioned over to Barry.
"Well, they're the symptoms. Zoom's the plague, one that's infected my world, and now he's coming for yours," Harry answered, dismissing Rae's input, which offended her as she felt treated like a pest.
"What do you know about Zoom?" Barry asked.
"Everything. I created Zoom. I'm responsible for all the Earth-2 meta-humans, a fact I've ignored for far too long, but now I'm doing something about it," Wells responded, his tone serious.
As Harry continued to adjust his jacket and fidget with his gun, Rae couldn't help but feel annoyed. She hadn't even noticed these habits while watching the show. Was this his nervous tell? Or was he trying to seem intimidating?
Either way, Rae found the whole display unnecessary.
His words caused Cisco to roll his eyes in annoyance. "Yeah, well, we're batting a thousand against these breachers."
"You're batting a thousand, Crisco?" Wells asked, mispronouncing Cisco's name.
"It's Cisco, you d*ck," Rae corrected sharply, still offended by his dismissive attitude.
(So maybe she had grown accustomed to Barry treating her well, making Wells' behavior all the more jarring)
Cisco felt validated by Rae's correction, snapping his fingers and pointing at her in agreement.
Harry continued, ignoring Rae's interruption. "What's your sample size? Ten? Less? Zoom is obsessed with speed. He will never allow there to be another speedster in the multiverse, and he's gonna keep sending these metas here, one after the next, all with the same goal, to kill The Flash unless we stop him together."
Rae couldn't help but scoff, knowing who Harry was really working for. Her reaction earned an annoyed glance from Wells, who seemed irritated by her skepticism.
"Good, guess we're both annoyed." she thought.
"Last time we listened to a guy with your face, some bad things went down," Cisco said, his tone haunted.
"We lost people we cared about," Caitlin added solemnly, causing the whole room to fall silent for a moment.
"Everyone loses someone they care about, Snow," Wells replied calmly, setting down the weapon he had been carrying with him.
Rae's mind wandered to thoughts of his daughter. She couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness for him, about what might be happening to his daughter back on Earth-2.
"The real test of character is what you do once they're gone."
Suddenly, three gunshots rang out, startling everyone in the room. Before anyone could react, Barry was on one knee beside Wells, holding the bullets in his fist.
Rae's heart skipped a beat, a momentary fear gripping her as she realized how close the bullets were.
For a fleeting moment, she found Barry's swift action undeniably attractive, but she quickly shook off the thought, mentally scolding herself for such a trivial reaction and slapping her cheek lightly to snap out of it.
"Joe!" Barry exclaimed, placing his hands on Joe's chest to prevent him from getting any closer to Wells.
"Put the gun down!"
"How is he still alive? How are you still alive?" Joe demanded, his frustration evident.
"I don't know, because you missed?" Wells retorted, seemingly unfazed by the situation.
Barry intervened, trying to calm the tension. "Hey, I'm trying to keep him from shooting you. You're not helping."
"Let's take a walk, all right? It's all good," Barry suggested, attempting to diffuse the situation.
Barry led a furious Joe out of the Cortex, knowing that their presence would only escalate the tension in the room. As they left, Caitlin turned towards Rae and Cisco with a hint of uncertainty, but a small smile formed on her face.
"We know someone who can verify everything that this guy just said. Be careful," Caitlin murmured, her words tinged with caution.
Rae couldn't hide her annoyance. "Are you seriously leaving us with him?"
"Sorry," Caitlin shrugged, recalling Rae's less-than-subtle reaction to her dead fiancé's name.
With only Wells, Cisco, and Rae remaining in the room, the tension was palpable. Harry, however, seemed unfazed as he made his way toward them.
"I don't suppose you have a Big Belly Burger in this universe, do you?" Wells remarked casually, attempting to break the tension.
"This isn't happening," Cisco muttered under his breath as he quietly began to walk away.
"Go get a drink with Barry. Go. Go. Go," Rae urged Cisco, quickly taking the lead, her words tumbling out rapidly as she practically shoved him toward the exit
As Rae hurriedly ushered Cisco out of the room, she couldn't help but mentally replay the scenes from the show in her mind, trying to align the events with what was happening now. If Cisco had already asked Kendra out on a date in the show, did that mean he couldn't do it again? She hoped not.
After all, this was a different universe with just an extra person, her, right? Things could be different.
But for now, she had to focus on getting some alone time with Harry to gather more information on what to do next, and what to possibly change.
Rae thought about it last night, she realized she didn't have superpowers like her. . . friends. But she believed even small changes could make a big difference. She hoped that by tweaking minor details, she might save Henry Allen.
Her main concern was getting Harry's input without raising suspicion. The fewer people who knew about her presence and intentions, the safer she would be.
She needed to tread carefully and ensure that her interactions with him seemed genuine and innocent, all while subtly gathering the information she needed to make her plan work.
As Cisco and Rae made their way out of the Cortex, hand in hand, they almost collided with Barry in the hallway.
"Oh dude, I'm not coming—" Rae protested.
"What? You're not staying with him—" Cisco interjected.
Aw Cisco's protective—not the time for this!
"Where are you guys going?" Barry questioned as he caught up to them, confusion evident on his face.
"Getting some drinks," Cisco replied hastily.
"I am not!"
"Wait," Barry called out, but Rae and Cisco were already on their way, with Rae trying to free her arm from Cisco's grasp.
-
After somehow slipping away from the boys™, Rae returned to the Cortex with hurried steps and a plan.
Yet, as Rae returned to the Cortex, the opportunity to question Harry evaporated. Caitlin had taken over the adjacent room, engrossed in her tests. The thin walls provided little privacy, and Rae couldn't risk Caitlin overhearing their conversation.
Instead, she found a way to amuse herself in the meantime...
Seated comfortably in the Cortex, Rae indulged in her Big Belly Burger that she ordered in with exaggerated relish, making loud, satisfied noises with each bite.
"Mmm, Harry, you have no idea what you're missing," she taunted between mouthfuls, a smug smirk playing on her lips.
Harry shot her a pointed glare, clearly annoyed by her antics. "I think I have a pretty good idea," he retorted dryly, his hunger evident in his tone. However, he paid no attention to the new-found nickname 'Harry,' his focus solely on his own irritation.
Rae remained undeterred, relishing in her obnoxious enthusiasm as she continued to savor every bite of the burger, making sure to emphasize each chew with exaggerated delight.
Ignoring Rae, he withdrew to a corner of the room, isolating himself with his gun. With meticulous precision, he began to deconstruct and reconstruct it, his movements deliberate and focused. Rae watched him from afar, uncertain whether his actions were meant to be intimidating or if it was just Harry being Harry.
And then out of nowhere, Caitlin speaks up
Caitlin shifted nervously, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her lab coat before she finally mustered the courage to speak up.
"Rae, do you mind if I add Jay on our group chat?" she asked, trying to sound casual but unable to fully conceal her underlying anxiety.
It was clear that Caitlin had been contemplating this request for some time, but she had been hesitant to bring it up, wanting to avoid seeming too eager.
Rae's expression turned incredulous as she fixed Caitlin with a pointed stare.
"What? No. Absolutely not. That group chat is reserved for staff members only. Barry isn't even on the group chat. No Flashes allowed, including those from another earth," she stated firmly, using the curly fry in her hand to emphasize her point.
Harry's attention was piqued. He hadn't been aware that Jay was present on this Earth as well, the disappearing hero. Subtly, he tried to listen in on the conversation, his curiosity getting the better of him. However, Rae, always vigilant, caught him out of the corner of her eye, sensing his attempt to eavesdrop.
"It's just... we're a team, so there shouldn't be any separation. Right?" Caitlin's voice wavered slightly, betraying her nervousness.
Rae shook her head vehemently, scoffing at the suggestion as she continued scribbling notes in her notebook about the budget for repairing the roof. "Nuh uh. Jay is just... bad."
Caitlin's hopeful expression faltered at Rae's dismissive response. "What do you mean, Jay is bad?"
"I just don't think Jay does enough to be in the group. I mean, he's always away when you guys need him doing God knows what. I wouldn't be shocked if he's sleeping around right now while we're working our asses off," Rae asserted, her tone dripping with disdain.
Caitlin visibly taken aback by her blunt assessment. "I... I don't think that's fair, Rae. Jay has helped us before," Caitlin defended, her voice tinged with defensiveness.
"I'm the only one working right now," Harry grumbled, his tone laced with irritation as he continued to tinker with his gun in the corner.
Rae's blank stare lingered for a moment, her eyebrows furrowing slightly as she processed his words.
"And we applaud you for that, Harry," Rae remarked sarcastically, her tone dry as she glanced over at him briefly before turning her attention back to Caitlin. "Anywho, I just don't like Jay that much-"
"You haven't even been here for that long. We know you the same amount of time as Jay, but you don't see us excluding you," Caitlin retorted, her tone unintentionally cold and defensive, inadvertently implying that Rae's argument lacked merit.
"Oh." Rae's response was clipped, her mind racing with conflicting thoughts. She knew what Caitlin said held some truth. She hadn't been on the team for long, (it's been a day) yet here she was, trying to exert control over the group dynamics. But her intentions were to ensure everyone's safety, that should count for something.
"I didn't mean it like that, Rae, it's just..." Caitlin's voice trailed off, her tone softening with an apologetic note as she realized her unintentional bluntness.
Rae shook her head slightly. "No. You did. I understand. I wouldn't understand all the things you've been through last year,"
(She admitted, though in truth she knew more than she let on.)
"There's a difference between knowing, and actually going through it. I just don't want you to develop an obsession over Jay. I might not be the best person to say this, but having Jay around all the time could be a bit much.
With everything he's been dealing with lately, like losing his powers and all, maybe he needs some space to sort things out on his own. You know, for his own mental health and stuff." Rae said with a dismissive shrug, not entirely convinced of her own words.
Caitlin's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as Rae's words hit her. "I'm not obsessed with him... I'm just trying to make him feel welcomed in our team," she replied defensively.
"Come on, Caitlin," Rae responded flatly. "You're not fooling anyone. I see the way you look at him, and it's not just about making him feel welcome on the team. You were engaged to Ronnie not too long ago, remember? You don't need to rush into anything new, especially with someone like Jay. It's just not like you, it's out of character.
"You didn't even know Ronnie, Rae."
"You don't know Jay either."
Rae felt a sense of urgency as she knew she needed to give the final push. Caitlin had been through enough, and Rae couldn't bear to see her friend end up heartbroken.
"Cisco told me stories about your guy," she began, her voice carrying a tone of urgency.
(Cisco did not tell her any stories, she's pulling all this out of her ass.)
Leaning in slightly, she emphasized her words. "He seemed genuine and real, someone who cared for who you are, and honey... Jay is such a downgrade."
Caitlin seemed slightly overwhelmed by Rae's blunt assessment, her expression betraying a mix of surprise and uncertainty
"...is he?" Caitlin hesitated, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "I mean, I know he's not like Ronnie, not that I'm looking for a replacement, but..."
"Snowflake, let's be real here. Jay isn't even in the same galaxy as Ronnie. Comparing the two is like comparing a flickering candle to the blazing sun. Comparing him, even by the slightest, to Ronnie, is just an insult to his rotting corpse. And who knows, maybe Jay's more interested in men, given how much he's all up in Barry's business."
Caitlin's expression shifted from surprise to discomfort as she absorbed Rae's words.
"Um, that's a bit much—"
"What I'm getting at is you're settling for crumbs just to convince yourself you've moved on, when in reality, all you need is the support of your loving friends, right?"
please work
please work
please work-
"...I guess I might be jumping into this a bit too soon.." Caitlin trailed off
"Now we're talking... and I mean, look at the guy, he's not even that handsome," Rae chimed in, her tone confident and dismissive. "He's like a blond serial killer in disguise acting like a good guy—which is just a detailed description, nothing else, right Harry?"
"Can you shut up?" Harry retorted tersely.
Listening to Rae's words, Harry found himself silently nodding along in agreement. He didn't voice it, chalking it up to his initial dislike for Jay.
But Rae's intense dislike for someone she barely knew piqued his interest. He decided to keep an eye on her, suspecting she might know more than she revealed.
"That's a bit harsh, Rae," the doctor reprimanded her, a hint of disapproval in her voice, though it was softened by concern.
"Just think about what I said, and if I'm wrong and you have, like, five kids with the guy—"
"Rae—"
"—then you can say I told you so. Until then, I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe," Rae interrupted, her tone firm but laced with underlying care.
"You know, I wasn't very happy for a long time, but now I have real friends, and that includes you. I'm sorry for what I said earlier," Caitlin apologized, her voice tinged with sincerity.
Rae pretended to still be annoyed, but an invisible smile tugged at the corners of her lips, betraying her true feelings of gratitude and warmth.
Harry just sighed tiredly, rubbing his temples as he was annoyed by all of this.
-
"You do realize when I said I wanted a drink, I didn't mean a latte, right?" Cisco asked with a hint of exasperation. "I was talking about alcohol. Like, mind-numbing alcohol."
Barry put a comforting hand on his friend's back. "All right, look, you gotta give him a chance, okay? He's not a speedster. He's just a regular, normal guy from another universe."
"I never thought I'd miss time travel," Cisco muttered under his breath.
"Time travel, huh?" a woman's voice piped up from behind the duo, causing them to startle and whirl around.
"Hey! Are you kidding?" Barry replied with a nervous chuckle, his smile widening as he recognized the blonde police officer.
"Hi! Is there, uh, a metahuman who can time travel?" Patty inquired, folding her arms over her chest and casting an intrigued glance up at Barry.
"Time — no," Barry stammered, his cheeks flushing crimson. "Time travel's not real."
"Because that would be pretty cool," Patty remarked
Cisco forced a laugh. "Not so sure about that."
"Patty, you know Cisco Ramon, right?" Barry interjected, gesturing toward his long-haired friend, who grinned warmly at the blonde officer.
"Yeah, you're the scientific advisor on metahumans to the CCPD, right?" Patty questioned, her tone curious.
Cisco's smile widened, and he nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, that's me."
"Nice. Hey, Barr, did you hear? I was right about King Shark," Patty said, turning her attention to Barry.
"King Shark? I like that," Cisco chimed in, shooting Barry a pleased look. "I like her."
Barry's expression quickly shifted to one of caution, subtly warning Cisco not to lean too far into that comment. He raised his eyebrows and gave Cisco a slight shake of his head, lest Patty misinterpret it as a sign of romantic interest.
"Yeah, King Shark almost ate the Flash," Patty added, her expression alive with excitement.
"I'm sure the Flash had it handled," Barry interjected modestly.
"Oh, no, I was there," Patty continued, her voice tinged with awe. "I — I saw it all. Some hooded guy saved his life."
Cisco's eyebrows shot up. "Wait, and you're not, like, traumatized or anything?"
"I just watched a half-man-half-shark take on the fastest man alive. I love this city," Patty replied nonchalantly, her attention momentarily diverted as her phone buzzed in her hand.
Cisco's gaze wandered across the coffee shop, and he spotted the barista he had asked out last time. His eyes softened with longing as he watched her, a hint of desperation creeping into his expression.
He shot Barry a pleading look, one that screamed "help me out here," causing Barry to raise his eyebrows in amusement at his friend's predicament.
As if Barry wasn't in the same predicament.
"See... sorry," Patty stammered, his voice trailing off. "Oh, uh, Captain just texted me. He wants me to write my police report."
Barry's voice wavered as he tried to come up with an excuse. "Uh, I can't. Tonight, I'm busy. I'm... yeah, sorry," he said, then cleared his throat nervously, hoping Patty wouldn't press further and hoping she would want to spend some time with him.
Patty winced sympathetically and reached out to pat Barry's arm. "Oh Barry, you don't need to do that."
"I-I don't?" Barry's confusion was evident in the way he furrowed his brows.
"No, you don't, Barry. It's my fault anyways. I didn't pick up the signs. I mean, I'm a detective for crying out loud!" She chuckled ruefully, her hand dropping back to her side.
Cisco shot Barry a quizzical look. "The signs?"
"Yeah, I mean, I should've seen you weren't interested—" Patty paused, her eyes searching Barry's face.
"Oh, good, oh, you don't know how—" Barry's attempt to interject was cut off by Patty's continued explanation.
"I mean, you really don't need to be shy about it. I wouldn't have judged you for who you like." Patty's words hung in the air, leaving a moment of awkward silence.
"Huh...wait, you know about—" Barry's voice trailed off as he glanced between Patty and Cisco, his confusion growing.
"That you like men. Yeah, Rae told me," Patty affirmed with a nod, her gaze steady on Barry's face.
Cisco choked on his own spit, taken aback by the sudden revelation, and he stumbled backward slightly, trying to regain his composure.
"Rae... told you I'm gay..." Barry's voice trailed off, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
"Oh, was she not supposed to tell me—" Patty's words trailed off, realizing she might have overstepped a boundary.
"No! I-I am gay. Yes, I am. This is not news to me," Barry interjected quickly, his tone robotic as he tried to maintain whatever story Rae had concocted.
Cisco struggled to contain his laughter, his shoulders shaking with suppressed amusement.
Patty nodded awkwardly, feeling a pang of guilt for putting Barry in that uncomfortable position. "I'm gonna actually skip the coffee and go get a head start, so... good to see you guys." With that, she turned and hastily made her exit, leaving Barry and Cisco to exchange a bewildered glance.
Barry's mind raced with panicked thoughts as Patty left the scene.
"Does Rae think I'm into men?" he blurted out, his voice tinged with anxiety.
"Dude..." Cisco began, trying to calm him down.
"She probably thinks I'm gay," Barry continued, his thoughts spiraling.
"I'm sure she doesn't think that. Maybe she was jealous and just took Patty out of the equation," Cisco suggested, trying to offer reassurance.
"She wouldn't do that, Cisco," Barry replied, his defeat evident as he buried his face in his hands.
"We could ask—"
"No! Because what if when she sees me, and she notices that I like her—"
"Wait, hold up. Isn't that what you want, man?" Cisco interrupted, causing Barry to pause, caught off guard by his friend's question.
"Well, yeah, but... what if it's too much? What if I can't handle it? What if she can't handle it, and she'll just push me away..." Barry's voice trailed off, his worries weighing heavily on his mind.
Cisco sighed, placing a reassuring hand on Barry's shoulder. "Barry, maybe it's time to take that leap of faith. You've been stressing over this for weeks now." Barry glanced at Cisco,
"I know, I know, but it's just...what if I mess things up?"
Cisco rolled his eyes, "Barry, you're overthinking it. Just go with the flow, man."
Barry's brow furrowed in frustration. "But what's the flow even supposed to be? Rae is just...she's so...I don't know, she deserves more."
"Alright, Barry, listen up. I'm gonna be your wingman on this. We'll figure out this whole Rae situation together."
Barry blinked, caught off guard by Cisco's sudden enthusiasm. "Wait, what? I don't—"
But Cisco cut him off with a wave of his hand. "No buts! We've got this. Just trust me, buddy."
"We? Let's change the subject. Dr. Wells-"
"Okay, can we not use the name Dr. Wells?" Cisco interjected, pleadingly. "I'm just gonna call him Harry."
"Okay. Harry, yeah," Barry agreed, the tension of the previous conversation dissipating slightly
Cisco's eyes then set on the pretty barista behind the counter.
"Let me show you how to ask someone out, and then you could do the same with Rae," Cisco said with determination.
"The same girl. Didn't she reject you last time?" Barry quipped, ignoring the last comment.
"No, she just didn't hear me," Cisco sighed, rubbing his hands. "Just watch and learn."
"Hi," the barista greeted. "What can I get you?"
"Hi, there," Cisco responded, his confidence wavering.
"Hi... again," the barista added, her tone tinged with amusement.
"Uh..." Cisco hesitated, feeling a bit flustered.
"Do you want some coffee?" the barista offered.
"Yeah, I'll get some coffee," Cisco agreed, but then he quickly changed his mind. "No, uh, no, I don't want coffee. You know what I do want, though? I want to ask you this. Do you want to go out with me?"
The barista stared at him for a moment. "Oh."
"To — we - I mean, we could — we could go get coffee or we—"
"No."
Cisco nodded, trying to play it cool. "That's a no. That's totally cool. It's cool. Respect."
However, he then stopped in his tracks and stayed there for a moment, just frozen.
Cisco's sudden pause wasn't just a momentary lapse; it was like he had been yanked out of reality and thrust into a different dimension. His eyes glazed over, and his body tensed, as if he were grappling with something beyond the immediate surroundings.
He vibes.
Barry observed Cisco's demeanor with concern, noticing the subtle shift in his friend's energy. There was a certain intensity in Cisco's gaze, as if he were seeing things that no one else could.
"Yo, dude, you good?" Barry inquired as he approached Cisco on the side of the counter. "It's her loss."
Cisco turned to Barry, his expression a mix of frustration and resignation. "We have another breacher," he revealed, the urgency returning to his voice, making Barry blink.
"What?" Barry asked. "How do you know?"
"Central City Bank. You gotta go now!"
"All right," Barry replied, urgency filling his tone as he prepared to spring into action.
-
"Her name is Doctor Light," Harry informed Barry, Cisco, and Rae in the cortex as he pulled up a newspaper article about her. "Small-time thief on my Earth until exposure to the dark matter from the Particle Accelerator and became a meta-human with the ability to derive power from starlight."
"Oh, very cool," Cisco remarked.
"Stars having a temperature of 5,300 degrees Kelvin and a blinding luminosity, I would say, 'Not very cool at all,'" Harry retorted.
"You know, Dr. Wells may have been evil, but you're just a dick," Cisco and Rae said in unison, their synchronized response catching Harry off guard. He furrowed his brow, his suspicion rising at the odd coincidence of their words aligning.
"Okay, so obviously, Zoom brought her here from your Earth like the others," Barry says, trying to steer the conversation back to the matter at hand.
"Mm-hmm," Harry responds, nonchalantly taking a bite out of the burger. "Now that we know that, we can use that to gain advantage."
Suddenly, Rae punched Cisco in the arm and complained, "Dude, he stole my burger and my drink." She whined, while Cisco rubbed his arm in response to the unexpected hit.
"What do you mean?" Barry asks
"We capture Doctor Light and use her to lure Zoom here," he explained as he laid out his plan
"You are insane!" Jay's voice cut through the room as he entered with Caitlin trailing behind. "Okay, we are not luring Zoom anywhere!"
Rae winced, covering her ears at the sudden burst of volume. "God, my ears," she muttered under her breath.
Caitlin approached Rae and Cisco, offering a quick explanation. "Apparently, they know each other, and Jay is not a fan."
Rae couldn't hide her disdain at the sight of Jay, her expression contorting in disgust. It wasn't just the sight of him; it was the knowledge that lay beneath the surface. Every smile he offered, every word he spoke-they were all part of his charade. But no one else seemed to see it, blinded by his evil chiseled face.
Rae couldn't help but feel anger and frustration. She clenched her fists, struggling to contain-
She didn't even feel like this while watching the show, to be honest.
She thought he was a good villain.
He was creepy as f*ck obviously.
Hunter put on such a show.
With his friendly demeanor, no one would think-It made the revelation of his true identity as the villain all the more creepy. It was eerie to think that the same person who portrayed such a monstrous character, breaking Barry's back, dragging him around the city, and ruthlessly massacring cops, was standing right next to you, wearing a facade of warmth and kindness.
For now, she would have to play along, biding her time until the moment was right.
"Huh," Barry murmured, reflexively wrapping his arm around Rae's shoulder, but he quickly recoiled as all eyes turned towards him, including Harry's.
Rae continued to glare at Jay, seemingly oblivious to Barry's brief gesture.
"Well, well, well," Harry began, his tone laced with suspicion. "Like everyone else, I assumed Earth-2 Flash was dead. Why am I not surprised to find Jay Garrick here, still alive and hiding a full universe away from Zoom?"
"I'm not in hiding. Zoom nearly killed me and stole my speed before the Singularity pulled me here," Jay explained.
"Is that right?" Harry pressed.
"Yeah, that's right," Jay confirmed.
"Well, whatever the case, in your absence, Zoom has only gotten more powerful, faster. Barry, you have to defeat Zoom now while you still can," Harry urged, his voice tinged with urgency.
"No, this isn't the time to be reckless. We don't even know why Zoom sent Doctor Light here. She's a thief, not a killer," Jay argued, his tone firm.
"Zoom can make people do things out of character. Thief or not, she'll kill you. This is still some evil minion Zoom sent out; you shouldn't underestimate any one of these people," Rae interjected, casting a pointed glance at Barry to emphasize her point and subtly patronize Jay's reasoning.
Harry fell silent, realizing that once again, Rae's words seemed to echo his own thoughts...
Almost as if she knew what he was going to say before he said it.
Barry intervened, "All right, look, hey, we can decide what to do with Light later." he says as he feels Rae glare,
"First, we have to find her, okay?" Despite his efforts to diffuse the tension, her piercing gaze seemed to cut through him, leaving him slightly unsettled yet oddly captivated.
(not the time)
Rae watched Harry leave in silence.
Barry whispered to Cisco, "Hey, how did you know that she was breaking into the bank?"
Cisco stuttered, pulling his phone out of his pocket. "I got an alert on my phone. There's a little ring-a-ding every time, like, there's a robbery at a bank."
"What?" Barry asked, puzzled.
Rae glanced at Cisco with a raised eyebrow, shaking her head subtly, leaving Cisco in shock.
Oh Rae, what are you doing?
"But you know what?" Cisco's voice wavered slightly as he spoke, his eyes darting around nervously. "I think I can get the S.T.A.R. Labs satellite to scan for any irregular solar radiation emissions. That way, we can find Doctor Light's light."
Rae nodded, her expression unreadable as she listened to Cisco's plan. When he reached out to grab her arm, she tensed, but didn't pull away.
"How do you know-"
As Cisco began to speak, Rae cut him off abruptly, her tone firm. "No, I don't", as she zips her mouth
A moment of silence hung heavy between them, filled only with the hum of machinery and the distant voices of their colleagues. Cisco's eyes widened in panic, a sudden realization dawning on him.
He swallowed hard, his mind racing with questions and fears. Did Rae know? How much did she know? Was she going to expose him?
"Uh, right, of course," he stammered, attempting to regain his composure. "Thanks."
Finally, Rae broke the tense silence with a nonchalant shrug, her lips curling into a sly grin. "No problem, Crisco," she said, her tone teasing as she playfully punched his shoulder.
"Ow."
-
In truth, she had been hoping to find some STAR Labs merchandise for herself and her Granny, a small token to commemorate her new job.
Accounting manager for S.T.A.R. labs...super cool.
(GOAL NUMERO UNO : FIX THE ROOF)
However, she quickly realized she had lost track of where she was and was now standing right where Cisco and Harry were supposed to have their confrontation.
She found herself lingering by the doorway, unable to resist the urge to peek into the room where Harry was working on his gadget. She tried to walk past quickly before he noticed her, but Harry's sharp gaze locked onto her.
Uh oh.
(someone stole Cisco's scene)
"I see you," Harry's voice cut through the air, his tone sharp and perceptive.
"No, you don't," Rae countered, trying to brush off her momentary lapse.
"Is this your contribution to the team, then?" Harry's question was pointed, his expression unreadable. "You just give quick quips and leave?"
Rae bristled at the implication, her pride wounded. "I'm new, okay? Sorry if I didn't impress you enough," she retorted, her tone tinged with offense.
Harry raised an eyebrow, his gaze scrutinizing Rae with suspicion as he observed her reaction. There was a calculating glint in his eyes, suggesting that he was not convinced by her explanation.
"Hm, you don't seem that scared of me."
"So?" Rae shot back, her voice laced with attitude. She refused to let Harry intimidate her, even if he seemed determined to try.
"Well, it seems that you're less suspicious of me unlike Crisco," Harry remarked, his tone tinged with accusation.
"Cisco," Rae corrected, a hint of annoyance in her voice. "And I don't have a history with their Wells..." She hesitated, considering whether to share Cisco's story.
"Their Wells caused a lot of damage to Barry and the city, but in Cisco's case..." She paused, trying to choose her words carefully, but ended up delivering the information bluntly. "Eobard shoved his hand through Cisco's chest. Wells stopped his heart."
"Must've hurt. And he survived... how?" Harry inquired, his interest piqued.
"Time travel," Rae answered matter-of-factly, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I see. Your Barry traveled in time," Harry mused.
"Not his first time either," Rae muttered, sounding disgruntled. "Anyways, that's why Cisco keeps his distance. Doesn't want another one of you to stab him in the heart again."
"Interesting," Harry remarked, his eyes narrowing. "And you've been here for how long?"
"...not long, but I pick up on things quickly," Rae replied, her tone strained as she sensed Harry's scrutiny.
"Ironic, since you're working with the Flash," Harry noted dryly.
"Was that a joke?" Rae asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No, " he said flatly, "It's intriguing how well-versed you are in everyone's words, almost as if you've experienced these conversations firsthand," Harry observed, his suspicion evident.
Rae felt a chill run down her spine at Harry's accusatory tone. "Those are quite the assumptions," she replied, attempting to mask her unease with a calm facade.
"Hm"
Rae muttered, barely audible. "You know, your humor was so much better in the show than this."
"What?" Harry asked, not catching her comment.
"Nothing, just help us catch Dr.Light," Rae replied quickly, trying to cover her slip-up. "And keep away from my food."
As Rae hurriedly left the room, her mind raced with frustration at her slip-up. She cursed herself repeatedly under her breath, berating her lack of caution.
Meanwhile, Harry observed her departure with a calculated gaze, his expression inscrutable.
Unbeknownst to Rae, she hadn't stolen Cisco's scene at all.
Harry had orchestrated this conversation deliberately, having already discussed the matter with Cisco minutes ago.
His intention was to gauge Rae's knowledge and awareness, testing her reactions to see if she would inadvertently reveal more than she should.
It was a calculated trap.
. . .One that Rae unknowingly fell right into.
⚡︎
*minimum editing