Eagerly ripping through the Santa Clause wrapping paper, Caitlin grinned as her gift appeared. "Barry! You got us a set of touch lamps!" she exclaimed. "I love them, thank you!"
Crawling the short distance between her seat at the foot of the tree and Barry's reclined position on the couch she scooted between his legs and gently pulled him down into a kiss. Slowly breaking apart Barry cupped her chin and gazed into her eyes.
"Cait, I know the next year is going to be hard - but it cannot even begin to compare to how hard this last one was. We're going to make it through, but I need you to know how incomplete I'll be without you there." Nodding towards the gift he continued. "When these lamps are touched they activate their other half, and both will glow for a few moments. Each time I miss you - your smile, your humor, your laugh - you'll know it. I'll remind you in the darkest of nights that I am watching over you as you have watched over me."
Falling silent, he pulled her into his lap and cradled her close to his chest. Unable to speak over the lump of emotion in her throat Caitlin pressed into his strength and used her body to communicate. The slightly faster than average beat of his heart beneath her ear reminded her of the incredible gift he had received only months ago and why he would be leaving Earth-One in two days to study for a year with Jay Garrick on Earth-Three.
A freak thunderstorm had blown in unexpectedly with surprising strength and changed the course of their lives forever. Caitlin would never forget the call from Detective West that Barry was fighting for his life after being struck by a bolt of lightening while closing a window in his CCPD lab.
Rushing to the hospital, she'd been told that he was unresponsive and had slipped into a coma. She'd sat for hours at his bedside asking any higher power she could think of for him to wake up and come back to her. Days had turned into weeks, yet he'd remained blissfully asleep.
Her world began to revolve around the steady rise and fall of his chest and the oddly reassuring beep of his heart monitor. Spending most nights on the sleeper in his room she would read to him or tell him funny stories about their friend, Cisco. Some nights she would lie in the dark and pretend that he was only sleeping. Just as it was starting to seem like this routine would continue forever, things abruptly changed.
Startled from her sleep by the frantic beeping coming from his machine she'd watched as he went into cardiac arrest. Terrified and weeping she'd been pressed into the corner as doctors and nurses flooded the room in an attempt to resuscitate him.
A loud explosion had rocked the building and the lights, which had been flickering, shut off completely. Moments later the backup generator had kicked in, and the still room came back to life with the familiar steady hum of Barry's machines. Having fallen to a kneel in her corner Caitlin could see the stunned look on the faces of the doctors as they looked down on the bed.
Fear had kept her locked in place. If she just stood still, she wouldn't have to know. Not knowing if he was gone was better than the soul-crushing blow that would come from actually knowing. A nurse had gently helped her to her feet and slid an arm around her shoulder as she guided a trembling Caitlin over to the bed. Moving to stand between two doctors she'd looked down into the bed and right into the hazel eyes of a wide-awake Barry.
The soft caress of Barry's warm hands on her back brought Caitlin out of her memories. Lifting her head from his chest, she smiled at him. "I love you Barry, and I love this gift you have now. If spending time away from me means that you are going to learn how to safely use your powers than it is a sacrifice I am willing to make. Besides, I don't think Jay will mind bringing you back for a visit." Quickly pressing her lips to his, she pushed herself off his lap and bounced back over to the Christmas tree. Grabbing her last present for him she turned and dropped it into his lap.
"Open it!" She said excitedly. Grinning Barry tore the paper from the box and slowly lifted the lid. Nestled inside, surrounded by white tissue paper, was a red leather suit with a gold lightning emblem emblazed on the front.