Barry Allen had only had one love in his life, Iris West, but as time went on and Iris was in love with Eddie Thawne Barry realized Iris just wasn't meant to be with him. And after the particle accelerator explosion, Barry found a new love that he didn't know he loved. Until Caitlin was taken and he realized just how much it hurt him to have her taken again, he was lost without her and not having her around was killing him. He had to find a way to get her back from Jay…Hunter; he would do just about anything to get her back, but he didn't have his speed. How was he going to get Caitlin back without his speed? How was he going to defeat Hunter?
Barry sat at his work station at the police station, partly thinking about how to save Caitlin and the other part was working on his case files for the current cases that the police were working on. He was working on one case files when he thought about how helpful it would be to have Caitlin with him to help him with the biochemistry parts of the case. He was worried about her, sure Cisco had said that she was fine just scared, but Barry didn't know what Hunter would do to her now that he had her. What did he want with her? What was he going to use her for?
Hunter had taken Barry's speed-force before taking off with Caitlin and Barry wondered why he would take her in the first place. Why would he want to take her with him? He had gotten what he came for, Barry's speed-force, he didn't need Caitlin and that worried Barry even more. Did Hunter really start to feel something for her like she had said to him? Did Hunter really fall in love with her, like he had? Barry just wanted more than anything to go back in time and fix this, to have Caitlin safe with him and Hunter defeated or even dead. He had to find a way to get his speed back and Wells had given him an option of that.
Wells wanted to create a particle accelerator explosion, but on a smaller scale; one where only Barry would receive his gift again. Barry was all for it, getting his speed back so that he could save Caitlin and defeat Hunter. But Henry Allen, Barry's father, had come by to help and told Barry that it was too dangerous to do this and that he could most likely die from doing it. He and Joe had had a big fight about putting Barry in danger with agreeing with him about doing this. And that even if they did re-create the particle explosion they weren't guarantied the result that they wanted.
Barry stood up from his desk, having finished all his reports, and headed back to S.T.A.R. labs where Wells and Cisco were finishing up on the contraption that would hopefully give Barry his speed back. He had to do this, he had to get Caitlin back, and when he did get his powers back he was going to tell her just how much she meant to him, how he couldn't live without her, and how much he had fallen in love with her. Barry hated how slow he was now, how he couldn't just speed over to S.T.A.R. labs anytime that he wanted, how he couldn't be the hero that he once was.
"Barry were just about finished." Cisco said as Barry entered the room where they were building the contraption that would create something similar to the particle explosion.
"Good. I'm doing this. I need to get my speed back, rescue Caitlin, and then finish Hunter. I'm not going to let him hurt anymore people. He will pay for what he's done." Barry said as he walked over to Cisco and looked over the contraption.
"And you will. We are going to help you." Wells said as he and Jesse worked on the device.
"Barry?" Henry said as he entered with Joe and Iris. "Don't do this. You could die."
"Henry, you and I both know that when Barry's mind is made up it's impossible to get him to stop." Joe said putting a hand on Henry's shoulder, who brushed it off and moved closer to Barry.
"I have to do this. I need to get Caitlin back. I have to defeat Hunter. He isn't going to hurt anymore people. I will defeat him." Barry said turning to his fathers and Iris.
"Barry, Caitlin wouldn't want you to risk yourself for her." Henry said trying to reason with Barry.
"Don't talk about what she would want for me! I can't do this without her. I need to get her back." Barry said getting angry with Henry for trying to stop him and using Caitlin as a tool to get him not to do this.
"Barry go get your suit on, I configured it so that it would help absorb the particles." Cisco said knowing just how much Barry needed to save Caitlin. He knew that Barry was in love with Caitlin and how much she loved him too, after all they were his best friends. Barry nodded to him and then left the room and Cisco turned to Henry, Joe, and Iris and said, "I know that you don't want Barry to do this, but he is in love with Caitlin and he will do anything to get her back. You are hurting him more by trying to stop him. He is going to do this whether we like it or not. He would do anything for Caitlin."
"He loves her?" Henry questioned.
"Yes, he does. If you could have seen him all the times Caitlin was taken, how he wouldn't give up no matter what, how much he worried about her when she got back. You would know how much he loves her."
"I've seen it too. He notices things about her that no one else other than Cisco does. Like when she bits her lip when she's worried or troubled." Iris said knowing that Cisco was right, she had missed her opportunity with Barry, but she couldn't be angry with him for it. All she wanted for him was for him to be happy.
"How did you know that?" Cisco asked.
"Barry told me. He was watching Caitlin one day and he turned to me and said, 'Do you know what's bothering Caitlin?' I said, 'I don't know. Why do you think something wrong?' He told me she only bits her lip when she's worried or troubled about something."
"He really loves her." Henry said finally seeing why Barry wanted to do this.
"You guys ready?" Barry said as he entered and headed for the contraption.
"Yes." Wells said, "Barry I must warn you this will hurt."
"I got it. But I'm doing this."
"Okay. Cisco go get prepared upstairs."
"Got it." Cisco said as he grabbed with weather wizards wand and headed upstairs.
"When I give the command we'll switch it on. It will feel similar to the actually explosion, but you will stay conscious for this one unlike last time." Wells explained to Barry.
"Let's do this." Barry said as he settled himself in the contraption, Wells moved to the controls, while the others stood behind him.
"Ready Ramon?"
"All set." Cisco said over the com.
"Okay. Ready?" He asked Barry, who gave him a nod, "Okay three, two, one!"
Wells turned on the machine and a bolt of lightning came from the ceiling and struck the structure Barry was in. Barry was jolted by the lightning and they kept going till Barry was suddenly surrounded by his yellow lightning again.
"Cisco it worked I'm turning it off." Wells yelled into the com.
"Got it." Cisco replied.
Wells turned off the machine and the lightning stopped come in through the roof opening, Barry sagged against the bars. Jesse and the others all ran to Barry, but Jesse went up to him to let him out. She checked him over before releasing him.
"Did it work?" Iris asked.
"Barry, how do you feel?" Jesse asked him.
"I feel like I used to." Barry said as he stepped out of the contraption.
"Guess the next thing for you to do is try to run."
"Okay."
Barry got off the platform and got in a start running position and then suddenly he took off, running even fast than he used to. He ran to Cisco who was coming down the stairs from the roof and grabbed him before returning to the room.
"Whoa!" Cisco shouted once he was back on solid ground.
"I'm back! Now we need to figure out where Hunter is holding Caitlin." Barry stated.
"We will, but we need to find out if he is on this Earth or if he went back to Earth 2." Wells said joining the group.
"All right let's do it. We need to get her back."
Barry lead the way out of the room and back to the cortex, the group had devised a plan on just how they were going to get Caitlin back and take down Hunter. Barry and the team had found out that Hunter was back in Central City wanting to take over their world; they wouldn't and couldn't let that happen. They set up a place where Barry would confront Hunter, save Caitlin and take Hunter down; Cisco had vibed Hunter and Caitlin to find out where they were on this Earth. Barry knew what he had to do, he was going to go in his suit that had dwarf star alloy that would help protect Barry's body damage, Felicity was able to get them enough to last at least a few years, though she didn't tell them how she got it.
"You can do this Barry. We closed the breach left at the hospital. He's stuck on this Earth." Cisco said knowing that Hunter was now stuck on this Earth and if they didn't defeat him he would do his worst.
"I'm doing this. We are going to get her back and he will pay for hurting her and all those people." Barry said as he flashed and he stood in front of them with his suit on. "I'm going to need a ride to his lair."
"Joe and I will drive you. Cisco, Jesse, Iris, and Henry stay here and try to get video signal on that location." Wells said as he and Joe headed for the van with Barry.
"We can do that." Jesse said as she and Cisco headed to the computers.
"Do you need any help?" Felicity said as she entered from where Barry and the others left.
"Felicity! We always need your help. Are you here alone?" Cisco asked.
"Nope. Oliver, Thea, Diggle, and Nyssa headed out with Barry. He called us a couple days ago asked for some help. And since Barry helped us with our problem, The Arrow said we would help."
"Awesome."
"Here let me get those cameras going."
"You are the best Felicity."
"Thanks Cisco. So who are you two?" Felicity said looking toward Henry and Jesse.
"Henry Allen." Henry said introducing himself.
"Oh Barry's father. Hello. Felicity Smoak."
"Nice to meet you."
"You too.
"I'm Jesse Wells." Jesse answered when Felicity looked toward her.
"Wells, like Harrison Wells?" Felicity said catching that right away.
"He's my father."
"Oh. Okay. Nice to meet you."
"You too. So how do you know Team Flash?"
"Long story, but I think I can make it shorter. I met Barry, when he came to do some forensics for Oliver. Barry and Oliver have teamed up several times to take down some criminals. And I work with Oliver so we come as a package, Team Arrow I mean."
"Hey guys were almost there. Did you get that video feed up?" Joe asked over the coms.
"Yep up and running. Hi Joe." Felicity said as she typed a few things in to the computer.
"Felicity we're getting into position." Oliver said in to the coms.
"All right. Cisco you want to add us in to your coms."
"Yeah, I can do that." Cisco said adding Team Arrow on to the coms.
"Barry are you ready?" Oliver asked.
"Yes. Everyone set?" Barry asked Team Arrow and Team Flash. Barry heard a few yes answers before he said, "Okay. I'm walking in."
Barry entered the facility where Hunter was holding Caitlin, when he was suddenly engulfed in a hug; Caitlin wasn't handcuffed to the bed, when she saw Barry enter and she quickly ran over to him and hugged him. She couldn't believe that he was there and that he was risking his life for her again; she had fallen for him just like he had for her and him being there to save her made her love him even more. Hunter had told her that he loved her, but she didn't love him she could barely be in the same room as him without feeling sick to her stomach. Even after he killed Killer Frost for trying to kill her, it just made her hate him more even though Killer Frost would have killed her.
The man in the mask knocked against the window again and she knew that he was trying to warn them about something. She and Barry both turned to the man in the mask, then looked around them to see what he was trying to warn them about.
"Flash!" Hunter yelled, "Get away from her!"
"Hunter, you need to let Caitlin go." Barry said putting himself between Caitlin and Hunter.
"She's mine."
"Caitlin is not property to own, she is a person who deserves the best of everything."
"I knew I should have killed you when I had the chance."
"Please, don't kill him." Caitlin cried grabbing hold of Barry's arm.
"Caitlin, I only do this because I love you." Hunter said to her as he flashed away suddenly.
"Caitlin, you need to get out of here. Joe and Wells are outside waiting for you." Barry said as he took Caitlin's hand in his, then he pushed her toward the door.
"Barry please don't do this. I don't want you to get hurt." Caitlin said to Barry hoping that she would be able to convince Barry not to fight Hunter.
"It's going to be okay Caitlin, now go. Please."
"Please come back to me. I can't lose you too."
"I'm going to be fine. You're not going to lose me. Just like I'm not going to lose you. Go Cait."
Caitlin ran off leaving Barry to find Hunter and take care of him; Hunter suddenly flashed in front of Barry grabbing him by the throat.
"She is mine Flash and you are not going to take her away from me." Hunter yelled in Barry's face.
"She's not yours. She doesn't belong to anyone. And you are not going to hurt her every again." Barry said letting Hunter hold him against the wall.
"You don't have your powers Flash. How are you going to defeat me?"
"We are together." Oliver said as he dropped in shooting several arrows at Hunter.
"Too slow." Hunter said grabbing hold of the arrows.
"Shooting you wasn't my intention."
Suddenly the three arrows exploded in Hunter's face, Hunter screamed in pain before trying to flash over to Oliver to take him down, but he couldn't flash.
"What have you done?" Hunter screamed at Oliver.
"I gave you a serum that prevents you from using your powers." Oliver said as he shot another arrow that wrapped Hunter tight so that he couldn't get out.
"Hunter it's over. You have the opportunity to live. If you keep fighting I will end you." Barry stated.
"I will never go down without a fight. You can't defeat me Flash. Caitlin is mine. She will learn to love me." Hunter said with an evil grin on his face. "She's already been mine and she will learn to love me the way that I love her."
Fury could be seen on Barry face as he flashed toward Hunter and pushed him against the wall; he then yelled in Hunter's face, "You will pay for hurting her!" Barry held Hunter up by the throat like Hunter had had him before he took Caitlin.
"You have your powers! How?"
"That is none of your business. You say you love her, but if you truly loved her you wouldn't have hurt her the way you did. And I will make you pay for it." Barry yelled in Hunter's face applying pressure to his throat.
"Barry let him go." Oliver said, "Don't kill him." Oliver knew just how much Caitlin meant to Barry and if he killed Hunter it would change him.
"Barry?" Caitlin's voice came over the coms.
"Cait." Barry said hearing her voice.
"Barry you are so much better than him. He will pay for what he's done. Please let him go. Don't let him turn you in to him. Don't let him change you."
"He hurt you."
"I know Barry, but if you do this you will be like him killing because you thought it was right. Don't let him change you. Please just come back to me."
"You're weak Barry. She will never love you. You will lose her." Hunter said taunting Barry to kill him.
"Barry you are not weak, you are the strongest person I know. You are one of the best people that I know. Please just leave him and come to me." Caitlin begged Barry.
"I've got him Barry." Oliver said taking hold of Hunter, Barry released Hunter and turned to Flash away.
"See weak." Hunter said pushing Oliver away from him, but before he could move there was several arrows through his heart.
"Nyssa!" Oliver yelled.
"He deserves to die. Its better I do it than Barry." Nyssa said as she dropped in, Barry turned back to see Hunter dead on the floor.
"Thank you Nyssa." Barry said turning to her.
"I'm glad I could do it. You don't deserve to feel that."
"We will be having a talk later." Oliver said to Nyssa.
"We will talk now. You let me on the team for my skills, not because you need me. I want to help and if killing that meta-human helps Barry than it is what needed to be done." Nyssa said to Oliver as they grabbed Hunter's body to put in the pipeline just in case.
"Fine, but that doesn't mean I have to like it."
"I know."
"Let's get out of here." Barry said as he walked out with them, Thea and Diggle joined them on the way out.
Team Arrow left shortly after seeing everyone and saying goodbye; leaving Team Flash to discuss what they were going to do next. With Hunter dead and Barry having his powers back they had a lot of work to do since Barry couldn't use his speed to minimize the crime. They discussed what was next for their future and just what needed to be done around the city to decrease the crime.
It was later that night when almost everyone had gone home or to their rooms that Barry and Caitlin had a moment to themselves. Barry wanted to tell Caitlin how he felt and that he would do anything to protect her; while Caitlin wanted to tell him that she was in love with him, but was afraid of what it would do to their friendship.
Caitlin was sitting at her desk going over some of the paperwork that she had missed while she was done, when Barry pulled up a chair next to her.
"Cait." Barry said pulling her attention away from the papers.
"Yes Barry." Caitlin said setting the papers down and turned to face Barry.
"I just want to say that I'm…I'm glad you're safe and with us. I…I was really lost without you."
"I'm glad I'm with you guys too."
"Did he hurt you more than he said?"
"Barry."
"Please just tell me Cait."
"He did, but he's dead now. It's okay."
"It's not okay Caitlin. He hurt you." Barry said as he grabbed hold of both of her hands. "He should have never hurt you like that."
"But you saved me Barry. He's gone and he's never going to hurt me again." Caitlin said giving Barry's hands a squeeze.
"I wish I could go back and fix all of this."
"Barry, don't blame yourself. He is the one to blame. He's the one who took me, hurt me. Not you. You saved me."
"Caitlin I need to tell you something." Barry said finally having the courage to tell her.
"What is it?" Caitlin asked hoping that what he was about to tell her was that he loved her the way that she loved him.
"I love you. I love you so much. I'm sorry it took me so long and that you had to be kidnapped again for me to really realize just how much you mean to me. You deserve to be loved and cared for. You deserve so much more than I can give you, but if you are willing to give us a try I will do everything in my power to make you feel those things everyday of your life."
"I love you too Barry."
"Really?"
"Yes. When Hunter was going to kill you I just couldn't let that happen, seeing you hurt, it hurt me so much. I would have gone with him willingly if that meant that you stayed alive. You make me safer than I've ever felt. And I would spend the rest of my days with him if that meant that you were safe. I love you too much to see you hurt like you were."
"I can't promise that being with me will be easy, but I will come back to you no matter what Caitlin. You are my everything." Barry said then he cupped Caitlin's face before pulling her in to a kiss, pouring all of himself in to it.
That night Caitlin was taken home by Barry, who she asked to stay the night; they didn't do anything neither were prepared for that just yet. But Barry held her through the night making her feel safe for the first time since she was rescued.