A/N: Say hello to another SnowBarry story! So. I was rewatching episode six of season one, and I couldn't help but wonder how different things would have been if Caitlin had been kidnapped instead of Iris. This is basically a re-imagining of that episode ( AKA the one with Tony Woodwork ), with our favorite pairing: SnowBarry! *jazz hands* Reviews, favorites and follows are appreciated!
It's Caitlin who finds him first.
Barry is sprawled out on the floor, barely moving, barely breathing. With a cry, Caitlin kneels by him, gathering his weak frame in his arms. With unsteady hands, she pushes his mask back and sucks in a breath at the mottled purple and black of his skin. She remembers learning that mice and birds have such high heart rates that their pulses sound like humming. She's never thought that her own heart could take off at a pace that might rival theirs.
With his lips pressed against her ear, he says as loud as he can, "Bad man. Bad." Barry trembles in her arms, barely conscious. "Hard skin." He smells like the wind and sugar and summer nights. "Hurts." Barry whimpers, the sound chipping at her already fragile composure.
Caitlin shushes Barry, rocking him in her arms. She doesn't know who the 'bad man' is, but caring for Barry is her current priority. "It's okay. It's okay, he can't hurt you here. I'm going to move you now, okay, Barry?" She wonders if she is strong enough to make it more than a few steps carrying him.
Her only reply is another whimper of pain. Gritting her teeth, Caitlin puts her hands under Barry's arms, and whispers a quick prayer that she won't hurt him more than necessary. She hefts his upper body against her chest, dragging his weak legs out of the room and towards the hallway. Assurances, pleas, nonsense words all cross her lips as she drags Barry's limp frame onto the hospital bed reserved for him.
Caitlin is freshening the water pitcher and finishing up the last touches to Barry's brace when he finally stirs with a moan of pain that jars her back to reality.
"Welcome back," She says briskly, her hands fluttering over the plastic and metal structure attached to his injured hand.
She touches her fingertips to her temples, inhales deeply and looks down at Barry. He is still out of it, emerald irises shadowed with pain. She wishes she could give him Tylenol, but he would burn through the medicine just as quickly as he runs, rendering it useless. Compassion floods her when Barry hisses out a breath taut with agony; she hates seeing him in pain, knowing that she can't provide much relief. Some doctor she is. She's pressed cold packs to the worst bruises along his ribs and sternum, but it's obvious they aren't doing any good, and Caitlin eases out a breath of frustration through clenched teeth.
"Thirteen fractures. That's a new record." She tries to keep her voice light and soothing, deciding that the inevitable scolding can wait until he's all healed up. "That's just in your hand. You also have cracked ribs and a bruised spleen."
Hesitantly, she reaches out and threads her fingers through his hair, noticing the quick glide of brown over her fingers and how soft the strands are. "Even with your powers, you'll need a few hours to heal."
He nods sleepily, leaning into her touch with a sigh. It must be the concussion, Caitlin thinks, smoothing back disheveled strands of hair with a swipe of her palm.
"What did you run into?" Dr. Well's voice marches ahead of him into the room.
Caitlin jumps back from Barry, as though she's been caught doing something terribly naughty. Busying herself with the X-Rays, she deliberately avoids looking at anyone, trying to cool her burning cheeks. No one seems to have noticed their oddly intimate gesture; all eyes are locked on Barry, including Cisco's, whom she knows would have ratted her out if he'd gotten so much as a glimpse of what they were up to.
She chances a peek through the fall of russet curls that she uses to hide her face from the world. Cisco is hovering in the corner, hands stuffed in his pockets. Dr. Wells' brow is furrowed, frown parentheses bracketing his mouth and eyes. And Barry – Barry is staring at her, visibly confused as to why she's suddenly taken off, his brows pulled downwards, making her feel as though she's just kicked a puppy. Caitlin moves over, tucking a fresh pillow beneath his lax and fragile head.
"A man. A big, bad man." The childish pout in his voice makes the corners of Caitlin's mouth twitch as she tries not to burst out laughing. "His skin changed when I hit 'im. Like, it turned to metal."
"Interesting," Dr. Wells hums, already deep in thought. "A man of steel."
I'm going to scrap that tin man, Caitlin thinks, with a ferocity that surprises even her. And then Cisco puts into words the sneaking suspicion that has been niggling at her. "Wait. You went after a meta-human, alone? Dude, why didn't you call us?"
The accusation in Cisco's voice is as plain as day, and Barry struggles to raise his body higher on the pillows, closing his eyes on a pained exhalation. "I didn't know what he was. 'Sides, I was . . . Off duty."
Caitlin leans over him and adds muscle to his efforts until Barry nods. She makes sure to stare directly at him, telling Barry with her widened eyes that she knows exactly what he was up to when he happened to be 'off-duty'. "Hmph."
"You're lucky he didn't knock out your teeth. Those puppies don't grow back." Cisco comments with a nod of his head, accepting Barry's explanation with nary another word.
Barry opens his eyes, looking faintly puzzled. "The strange thing is . . . I feel like I know him."
"What do you mean?" Dr. Wells' eyes narrow even further, until they are thin, angry slits.
"He said something that was . . . Familiar." Barry shakes off the fog clinging to his brain, and addresses everyone in the room. "But he's going to hurt someone if we don't stop him, so how do I fight someone made of steel?"
"We will find a way. Tonight," Dr. Wells jabs a finger at Barry. The emphasis is made on the word 'we' in a tone that brooks no arguments. "You heal."
"Yeah." Barry settles back on his pillows and drifts off.
Dr. Wells and Cisco leave the room together, their heads bent together as they discuss possible strategies for dealing with the Tin Man. Caitlin lingers by Barry's side for a minute more, using her finger to check his pulse. She feels it flutter against her finger like a humming bird hovering at the base of his throat. Caitlin smiles in relief, pausing to brush aside an errant piece of hair from Barry's forehead, which is unlined and smooth, his eyelashes fluttering as he dreams. She tip-toes away, her heart as light as a feather.