The confusion of secret identities...

[_bird_of_flame_]

Bette slips into the room and leans back against the doorframe, looking toward Jesse and Wally. Pressing her lips together, she looks at them for a moment before she says, "Hey. I didn't mean to be all dramatic like but I wanted to be able to see you two. And, you know, I want to figure something out

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[3x2_9yz_4a]

It seemed to be the order of the night -- Jesse coming back to her house unhappy and discontent.

Coming back in, Jesse heads into the living room, hoping that Wally was still there.

"Wally?"

[fleet_feet]

"Up here!" comes the voice from her bedroom.

Where Wally has just finished brushing his teeth and getting ready for bed, wearing nice monogrammed pajamas she got him a couple Christmases ago.

It's been an exhausting day.

[3x2_9yz_4a]

She's up in the bathroom a second later, cheating a little with the Speed Force to get herself ready for bed.

Dressed in a Gotham University sleep shirt, Jesse literally falls into bed with a deep and tired sigh.

"I'm glad that you're still here."

[fleet_feet]

"No place I'd rather be," he returns, lying on his back and gazing up at the ceiling as he pulls her close and wraps an arm around her.

He stops short of saying 'none of us should have to be alone tonight.' Because it hurts too much to think about how hard this will be on Bette.

If it will be at all... she seemed resigned to the inevitability of this, and apparently grasped the situation better than he ever did...

[3x2_9yz_4a]

One leg gets hooked over his as she sscoots in, throwing her arm over him. A kiss on the cheek and Jesse sighs a little.

"I told her I could stay if she needed me to. But she said she felt like being alone. Didn't want to push it."

[fleet_feet]

"Yeah... last thing she needs right now is to be around us," he says, feeling a lump form in his throat instantly at the words.

He has to swallow a couple of times to force it down enough to speak again.

"You... you don't regret it, do you?"

[3x2_9yz_4a]

"Which part - leaving her alone or starting this up in the first place?"

Some maneuvering and she's now looking at him, head propped up on one hand and half-leaning up against his chest.

[fleet_feet]

"The second one," he says, nervousness creeping into his voice.

"I know we kinda... cajoled you into it. I just hope you never resented that or anything."

[3x2_9yz_4a]

"No regrets, not a one. And you didn't cajole me, silly."

He's obviously distressed about all of it, and Jesse tries her best to reassure him. That her next step isn't going to be leaving.

"If you think back, Wally, it certainly didn't take much convincing. I did it because I wanted to. I just..." Her mouth twists and she looks away, biting a little at her lower lip.

"I feel horrible for having to say No. Now."

[fleet_feet]

He plants a small kiss on her forehead.

"I know. If you'd feel more horrible saying yes, then you made the right call."

[3x2_9yz_4a]

"And you're going to be OK?" This is asked with her own hint of nervousness.

[fleet_feet]

"Sure," he says, reaffirmingly. "I always bounce back. It's... just going to be weird for a while, I think. Uncharted territory. It's all a bit mysterious. I think we navigated it well enough to have no hard feelings anywhere, right?"

[3x2_9yz_4a]

"I think so. Hope so."

He gets a kiss in the middle of his chest, her lips cool against his skin.

"You know, you say that you always bounce back, but sometimes I wonder."

[fleet_feet]

"Well... I'm not saying I don't need some help with the bouncing sometimes. Case in point, you helping me bounce back from Ivy and all..." he says, wondering if that's really what she's getting at.

[3x2_9yz_4a]

"I'm just afraid that you're hiding how deeply some things hurt you, just so that you don't end up freaking the rest of us out. I like carefree, happy-go-lucky Wally, because he helps me not be cranky office-monkey Jesse. I don't ever want you to lose that part of you."

[fleet_feet]

He shakes his head. "I'll be fine. I mean, yeah, I was excited at the idea of giving it a shot, but that was before I found out that I was apparently the only one that thought everybody was feeling the same vibe. I just... feel kind of stupid."