Disclaimer : You know the thing...

Author's Note : This story is a sequel of my previous OneShot Hope In Pain. I'm a bit afraid I got out of character so please let me know what you think by leaving me reviews, you'll make my day ! The title is part of the Foo Fighters's song Next Year, music theme of the TV Show Ed, starring Tom Cavanagh, I discovered this week : this is amzing, I love it, you should give it a try, all episodes are available on Youtube ! To conclude, I must say I can't get enough of Harrison / Caitlin, we need more about them. I'd like also to thank my previous reviewers Alisha Winchester Collins, DarkElements10, TheFicusWithSuperpowers : you were really kind and keep writing Harrison / Caitlin stories, we'll win :D (^^') ! Well, it's time to read now :) ! Bye and have a good reading !

While he was going to the kitchen, he hit the couch. Wandering in his flat with a wheelchair wasn't usual yet for him. He left the hospital three days ago and it seems he didn't fit his place anymore. He wasn't used to his new way of… Moving. He couldn't find another word, walking being too much inappropriate and painful, reminding him of what he had lost. Somehow, it was the price to pay after ruining so many lives he thought bitter. At least, he was alive, but he couldn't help feeling some sort of anger and despair about his situation. No one would ever trust him again, he would stay lonely for the rest of his life and he would continue his scientific research on his own. Because still… Even after all that happened, he couldn't stop thinking about new research on new topics, even searching what went wrong with the particles accelerator to build a new one that would work. Thinking about this invention, his invention, his mind drifted to Dr Caitlin Snow. This beautiful and smart young woman would probably stay a silly dream. How stupid he was to have ever thought there would perhaps be some hope between them. After letting it go, crying in his arms, head resting on his chest, she stopped going every day at the hospital. She still kept going, yes, but the time between her visits became longer and longer from his point of view. She was just too broken and she had finally realized he was the monster everyone talked about, he thought. Even if he didn't want to truly admit it, it pained him to see that the only human being he really cared about, the only one who supported him, in his work or at the hospital, was slowly turning away from him. Sighing noisily, he tried his best to push his wheelchair away from the sofa. He would definitely have to work about designing a modern and scientific one. And lift weight more often, to train his arms until he would be finished with this project. Just as his mind was running quickly about this new wheelchair, the doorbell rang. At first, he thought he had imagined things, but when it happened a second time, he couldn't doubt anymore : someone was at his door, wanting to see him. Maybe it was just a mistake, and his evening would go again as uneventful and lonely as it was until now. But when he opened the door, he couldn't believe what he saw. There, standing in front of him, a small smile stretched on her face, was Caitlin Snow, with two boxes of pizzas in her arms.

"Caitlin." He greeted her, surprised.

He didn't know how to react. He hadn't expected to see her again. At least, not so soon. And he was much more surprised to see her here, at the door of his flat.

"Good evening Dr Wells."

"Well, there's no lab anymore, so you can call me Harrison." He paused, and then added "I'd like that."

He mentally slapped himself : here he was, falling all over again whereas, five minutes ago he was so pessimistic and ready to try to get over his feelings for her. But he couldn't help himself : when she was with him, he felt different, though he stayed as stoic as ever on the outside.

She smiled at him :

"Well… I thought maybe you would want some company or… Well… Maybe you don't want company and…"

"It's ok Caitlin." He said, his piercing blue eyes softening. "Come in, we don't want the pizzas to get cold, do we ?" He added trying to reassure her with a bit of humour.

It seemed to have a positive effect because she stopped blushing and entered, as he pushed himself away from the entrance to let her in, though she seemed hesitant, not knowing where to stand, or put down the pizzas or whatever, and the fact that Harrison was being silent didn't help her at all. In fact, he was watching her. It was rare to see Caitlin Snow in such a state, lost without any clue on what to do. He found it quite fascinating in a way, as well as he was mesmerized by her. He was observing the way her eyes were looking everywhere and anywhere to get any clue, when she coughed to catch his attention. She made that expressive big eyes look he loved so much, showing him the pizzas.

"Oh well… Sorry. Come, follow me." He said pushing on his wheels.

As he was wearing a t-shirt, which didn't happen often, he couldn't help but notice her gaze on his arms. He had to train them more yes, but they weren't that bad naturally. A pleased smirk appeared on his face, though Caitlin didn't see it. He leaded her in the living room, next to the couch.

"Well, just put the pizzas on that table, it will be fine. I'll be there in a minute, make yourself comfortable."

"Do you need help in any way sir ?" She asked

"Harrison. Please." He reminded her, before continuing. "Well, I can handle it, just stay here."

He offered her something that looked like a smile and it helped her calm down a bit. He went to the kitchen, grabbed napkins and a pizza cutter and then returned in the living room. He found her observing his flat, seemingly deep in thoughts. Thinking about it, Harrison Wells realized Caitlin was the first person to be in his flat for ages. He didn't talk much about him, his private life, if not ever. It has been a long time since anyone put a feet in his place. When he arrived to her, he saw she had already opened the boxes.

"I didn't really know what your favourite pizza was so I just took the easiest with two Margaritas."

"That's perfect, thank you Caitlin." He said, in order to sooth her, seeing her a bit nervous.

He placed his wheelchair next to the small table, and tried to cut the first pizza but couldn't since he was sitting and couldn't do more.

"Oh come on, you won't stay on this for all evening, will you ? You'll be better on the couch, I'll help you, I'll take care of everything."

His eyes lit up. Caitlin was on determined mode and it wasn't usual. After few seconds, he remembered that she had been like this with her stupid boyfriend sometimes, when he was becoming too dreamy. Did he have to see some hope in that behaviour ? His rational mind was telling him no, but the other part, somewhere near his heart, was telling him yes : and that was the part he tend to believe. He approached his wheelchair from the couch and called for Caitlin :

"Come, you'll help me standing up from this stupid wheelchair." He said, extending an arm to her, while his opposite hand gripped the armrest.

She put his arm around her shoulders while she put hers on his back. They counted to three, before he used all the strength he had to push him up from what kept him moving now. Caitlin tried her best to support his weight, taking the hand of his arms that was around her shoulders in hers, to keep some stability. They fell on the couch with a loud thud, catching their breath, pulling their heads on the couch, eyes closed, half smiling. That was when they opened their eyes that they saw they haven't changed their position. Their arms were still wrapped behind each other's back, holding their left hands. There was a short silence, Caitlin looking embarrassed as she pulled away :

"Sorry." She almost whispered, while hiding her blush behind her hair.

He wasn't sure how he was supposed to answer. His sharp and scientific mind was yelling at him for being this weak in her presence, but he couldn't help feeling something more. He enjoyed seeing her helping him, their smiles, the feeling of her arm on his back, of her hand holding his. He watched her with his clear and bright blue eyes : for a brief instant, he could sense it, it was the moment, he was lost in her dark brown eyes and he could have moved just a bit closer to her face and her pretty lips, he had dreamt for ages. He felt silly, feeling like a teenage high school boy going on his first date. And then, the moment was gone, he was back being mysterious Harrison Wells, silent and stoic as ever. He offered her a gentle smirk though and he gave her a slice of pizza after he cut it. They ate in silence for a long time, savouring their meal and each other's company. The silence was then broken by the man with glasses :

"Why are you here Caitlin ?"

It wasn't rude, nor was it soft. This question has been on his mind since she arrived if he was honest, but he couldn't contain it anymore. He had to know. Why on earth would she spend her evening with him, whereas she almost stopped coming to see him in the hospital ?

"I… just wanted to check on you after you left the hospital." She stammered, not sure of what she was saying.

"Miss Caitlin Snow… I want the whole truth." He looked at her directly in the eyes, determined.

She looked away for a moment before returning the gaze he was giving her. She tried to compose herself and to stay calm :

"Okay… Well… It's about last time at the hospital. When I cried in your arms. I…"

"Realized I was a monster ?" He cut her, almost upset.

"What ? No !"

"So what is it about ?"

"I… felt guilty." She paused, and he looked curious. "I mean… I wanted to stay strong since Ronnie… Well… And when I was in your arms, I felt safe… I never felt that safe with Ronnie. So I felt guilty because it seemed to me I was forgetting him, what we had, way too quickly." Tears were now forming in her eyes and rolling down her cheeks. "And… I felt guilty about you because you had so much more pain to deal with in comparison to me, I didn't want to use you or hurt you. I know it sounds silly but…"

"It doesn't sound silly at all Caitlin…" He said, washing away the tears with his thumb, his palm on her cheek.

She lifted her gaze to his, drowning herself in his piercing blue eyes that seemed to know so much more than they were saying.

"You're just broken, but it's all right. You're not meant to cry pretty Caitlin. I know you'll get over it soon and you'll become the most… talented scientist this planet has ever known." He said pulling a strand of hair behind her ear.

He didn't usually say those things out loud. In fact, he never said those kinds of things. But he knew what he said was true. And he knew she needed it, though she was still taken aback about what he had said. Tracing a smooth path on her cheek with his thumb, he tried to calm her down.

"You really mean what you said ?" She whispered her head closer to his all of a sudden.

"Oh Caitlin..." He said, half smirking before moving closer, inches by inches, to her lips. When his mouth touched hers, he couldn't think anymore. When she responds to the kiss, he deepened it while she put her hands on his chest. They continued like this, the pizzas or whatever they had in mind before, long forgotten.