Earth-2

In a blur, Wally appeared in S.T.A.R. Labs, stopping just short of the Cortex. He took a deep breath, steadying himself after the sprint, when he noticed someone ahead.

"Morning, Wallace!" HR called out enthusiastically as he strolled down the hallway, a bright grin on his face, his coffee cup in hand, and a holiday-themed scarf draped around his neck. "Feeling the Christmas spirit yet? Got your holiday socks on?"

Wally chuckled, amused by HR's endless energy. "Holiday socks? Really, HR?"

"Hey, it's all about the details! Gotta spread the cheer!" HR pointed to his own fuzzy red-and-green socks, proudly poking out from his pants. "See? It's contagious. Get yourself a pair!"

"Yeah, maybe I'll get right on that," Wally said, shaking his head with a smirk as he moved past him. "But, uh, you might want to cut back on the coffee. That's probably your third cup this morning, right?"

HR raised his eyebrows, feigning innocence. "Third? More like my fourth. Gotta keep the holiday energy going somehow!"

"Yeah, don't say I didn't warn you if something happens to you," Wally called back as he walked into the Cortex.

HR waved his cup after him. "I'll have a pair of socks ready for you by lunch!"

With a lingering chuckle, Wally shook his head, ignoring HR's antics. *"What a funny guy. I can't let him die this time around,"* he thought, his expression shifting more serious.

Entering the Cortex, Wally spotted Barry and Cisco deep in conversation. The tension between them, once thick, had been melting away over the past few weeks. The sight put a smile on his face.

"Going somewhere?" Wally asked, noticing Barry was donning his suit.

"Yeah," Barry replied, adjusting his cowl. "I'm heading to Earth-3 to see if Jay knows anything about Savitar."

"Cool. Then maybe Cisco can drop me off at Earth-2?" Wally added, a grin creeping across his face.

Barry and Cisco exchanged knowing glances, cheeky smiles spreading across their faces, making Wally rub the back of his head sheepishly.

"Okay, lovebird, but don't tell me you're going empty-handed," Cisco quipped, crossing his arms, the familiar smirk playing on his lips.

Wally blinked, then groaned. "Oh, right."

In a blur, he sped out and returned almost instantly, now holding a giant red-and-white teddy bear in one hand and a bouquet of red flowers in the other.

Cisco raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Wow. Going all out, huh? You're making the rest of us look bad, man."

Wally chuckled, shrugging. "Gotta keep the standards high."

"Okay, time to go," Cisco said, shooting a vibrational beam from his hand. A breach appeared shortly after. "Come on, go already!" he shouted, prompting Wally.

Without hesitation, Wally dashed into the breach. Speeding through it, he caught glimpses of other realities, other Earths he'd been unaware of. It was like a hallway with many doors, but only two were open — Earth-1 and Earth-2.

The next moment, he felt a strange pull, and without resisting, he followed it, soon exiting the breach.

The hum of machinery brought his attention to the room — a space that resembled S.T.A.R. Labs. There, Earth-2 Harrison Wells was standing, plasma gun raised and aimed at him.

"Hold up, it's me!" Wally quickly blurted out, diffusing the tension as the plasma gun powered down.

"What do you want?" Harry asked coldly, his eyes lingering on the presents in Wally's hands. Wally could've sworn Harry's hand shifted back towards the trigger.

"I'm here to see Jesse, and I thought it'd be nice to invite both of you over for Christmas at Joe's," Wally explained, feeling an odd sense of dread under Harry's scrutinizing gaze.

"We're not interested. We have our own plans with friends and family," Harry replied curtly, snuffing out the excitement Wally had carried with him like a candle in the wind.

"But you haven't even asked her," Wally challenged, frowning.

"I don't need to. She already has plans with friends."

Wally felt a tight knot form in his stomach. Harry's coldness wasn't what he expected. Maybe he'd been too hopeful, assuming that their relationship with Jesse would be enough to get them all in the same room for the holidays. But Harry wasn't budging.

"Okay, I get it," Wally said, trying to mask his disappointment. "I just thought it'd be nice. You know, family and all." He shifted awkwardly, clutching the bouquet and teddy bear a little tighter. "But if you change your mind, the door's open."

Harry's expression softened slightly — barely, but it was there. A flicker of hesitation crossed his face before he turned his attention back to the console.

"Jesse's in the training room if you're here to see her. But keep it brief, Kid Flash. She's got a schedule," Harry muttered, without looking up.

"How did you know?" Wally asked with a furrowed brow, knowing Barry hadn't informed Harry of his powers.

"With the wind burn on your face and your worn-out sneakers, it's not hard to figure out," Harry replied dryly.

'Damn, that's some serious IQ,' he acknowledged for a few seconds.

Wally nodded, grateful for at least that acknowledgment. Without another word, he made his way through the corridors of Earth-2's S.T.A.R. Labs, wondering if Jesse really had other plans or if Harry was just keeping him at a distance.

Walking through the corridors he couldn't help but marvel at the similar yet stark architecture. "This just confirms it Earth two is at least a decade or so ahead of Earth one in Tech and science."

Making his way through the facility he hadn't encountered any employees, workers of any sort. 'It seems after the incident of Zoom. Harry finally shut down star labs to the public'

As he entered the training room, Jesse, in full speedster mode, was running laps around the facility. She spotted him immediately and stopped, her face lighting up as she pulled off her mask.

"Wally!" Jesse beamed, speeding over to him. "I wasn't expecting you today or...any day!" She said wondering where to pick up the development of their last conversation.

He grinned, presenting the flowers and teddy bear. "Yeah, I thought I'd surprise you. You know, do the whole Christmas thing early."

Jesse's eyes sparkled as she accepted the gifts. "They're perfect. Thank you." Her smile faltered slightly as she noticed something. "Is everything okay? You look... distracted."

Wally hesitated, unsure if he should mention Harry. "It's nothing. Just your dad... being your dad."

Jesse rolled her eyes, smiling knowingly. "He's protective, especially around the holidays. But I'll talk to him. He's still getting used to the idea of me having my own life, you know?"

Wally nodded, relieved. "Yeah, I get that. Anyway, I was hoping you and Harry could come over to Joe's for Christmas. It's not the same without you."

Jesse's smile returned, and she reached out, grabbing Wally's hand. "I'd love that. Let me see if I can talk some sense into him." Her eyes meticulously watching to see his reaction.

As they stood there, hand in hand, Wally felt like things would be okay — at least, for now. But he knew the tension with Harry wasn't going away anytime soon after all a father wouldn't want his daughter to get heartbroken or worst dumped. This part he could truly understand. Harry's trust and recognition was hard to earn.

"Ok, I'll..." Wally began, but before he could finish, Jesse had already dashed out of the room, leaving him smiling.

"I'll just look around," he thought, heading over to the computer. Feeling curious, he entered 'Queen' into the search bar. To his expectation, Oliver Queen had indeed died on this Earth.

"What else," he muttered, before speed-reading through the information.

*So Jesse's already started her superhero career,* he mused, glancing over the reports of metahuman criminals being apprehended.

"Come on, let's go," Jesse's voice interrupted his thoughts, drawing his attention. Judging by her fresh appearance and the absence of sweat, it was clear she had taken a shower.

They both headed toward the breach room, where Harry was still working away. When suddenly he caught some sight of his daughter following Wally which quickly sparked a reaction as he shot to his feet.

"Where are you going?" Harry asked, his voice sharp, standing to his feets, his arms crossed, and the slight narrowing of his eyes signaled he wasn't in the mood for casual conversations.

"Joe's house. For Christmas," Jesse answered before Wally could speak. Her tone was matter-of-fact, but there was an edge to it, almost as if she was bracing for the inevitable argument.

Harry's gaze shifted to Wally, his eyes scrutinizing every inch of him, as if Wally being near his daughter was something Harry hadn't fully accepted.

His voice came out gruff, laced with that unmistakable protective edge. "And you think that's a good idea?" Harry said, his arms unfolding as he took a step toward Wally, standing just a bit taller.

Wally, already feeling the pressure, couldn't help but I admire the man even more before deciding to speak up. "Look, I just thought it would be great to spend time with family for the holidays. That's all. No strings, no expectations."

Harry scoffed, shaking his head. "Right. Like inviting her into your world isn't loaded with expectations." He glanced at Jesse, and his expression softened slightly, but not by much. "You're not ready, Wally. And even if you think you are, you're not. Especially not when it comes to her."

Jesse's expression hardened. "Dad, I'm not a little girl anymore. I can make my own decisions."

"I know that," Harry replied, his voice now softer but still firm. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to stand by and let you make the wrong ones."

Jesse sighed, clearly frustrated, but Wally stepped forward. "Look, Harry, I'm not trying to make this harder than it already is. I get it, you're just looking out for her. But we're in this together. Jesse's important to me, and I wouldn't put her in danger."

Harry's eyes flashed, his voice dropping low. "You might not mean to, but you will. That's how it always happens." His tone softened, and he looked over at Jesse. "Just... be careful."

After a moment, Harry sighed, rubbing his temples. "Go. But don't expect me to play nice if....anything goes wrong." He shot one last hard look at Wally. "You better make sure nothing does."

Jesse smiled, quickly hugging her dad. "Thanks, Dad." Harry grumbled, returning the hug but giving Wally a parting glare.

"Come on, hold on tight," Jesse said, taking her stance, ready to speed them through the breach.

"No need," Wally retorted.

Jesse raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? It'll be faster if I just take us through."

Wally smirked. "It won't be necessary. Just try and keep up."

----

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