Here we are then! At last! I've taken wayyyy too long to get to this point but I've finally made it. After a few weeks since the last SnowWells fanfic with a bit of writer's block, some other fics in between, I'm finally back! This is a sequel of sorts (I like this phrase :p) to "Once Upon A Dream" but whereas that dealt with Caitlin, this is focused on Harrison! I hope you all enjoy, there's plenty more coming up soon! ^_^
"When I suggested that we go outdoors for a date, this wasn't exactly what I had in mind." Harrison mused out loud as he couldn't stop the smile that was forming on his lips.
"Well what better place to have a picnic than your own backyard?" Caitlin knew very well that in spite of how he sounded, Harrison was most certainly smiling in that moment, even if she couldn't see it yet.
He couldn't fault her logic there; his house was just as big on the outside as it was on the inside, in fact, it was spacious enough to have a private garden with its own gazebo and fountain and a giant oak tree which was where he and Caitlin now sat under, with their backs to each other. The two of them had spent a whole week stuck indoors ever since he had been injured in a tiny accident. And so, when Caitlin had ordered a complete bed-rest with her 'moving in' to take care of him, Harrison had decided to arrange a small date for her as a way of thanking her; after all, there had to be some perks of dating the in-house Doctor at S.T.A.R. Labs. He also knew that it wasn't the location which mattered the most, if there was one thing he knew about Caitlin, it was that she believed in the beauty of simplicity and small gestures which came from the heart.
"You didn't have to bring that outside with you though." He tried not to let his displeasure show when he heard a very familiar sound coming from Caitlin's side; being that he was taller than her, Harrison could feel her head tickling the nape of his neck and felt her breathing against his back.
"Oh come on Harry! You were the one who wanted my opinion on this." Caitlin feigned sounding upset when she felt his shoulders stiffening as she stifled a giggle; it was slightly amusing to see him reacting in such a way.
"Yes, I did. I still do." Harrison let his voice drop to his normal tone as he debated whether he should simply reach back with his hand and get rid of that ridiculous thing. On second thought, he also knew that Caitlin considered this was something very special to her and so decided to humor her. "Are you finished yet?" He asked Caitlin, for what seemed like the tenth time that hour.
"Someone's getting impatient!" Teasing him in a singsong voice, Caitlin wondered if it was time to get down to business. "I am almost finished. One more chapter to go." She replied back before he could say anything else.
The thing in question was of course a book, but it was not just any regular book that Caitlin held in her hands as she stretched her legs out on the soft grass, it was Harrison's biography. A simple looking white hardback book with a photo of Harrison in his regular black t-shirt on the front cover, his blue eyes remaining as blue as ever, the name "Wells" printed on the side of that picture and at the back, alongside a second picture which was positioned in the background, were the words 'The story of a mastermind who has changed the face of science and tech.'
"Good. That's good." He was relieved to hear that she was almost at the end of his book.
Harrison never quite liked reading it and wasn't extremely interested in how the critics felt about this new bestseller, but when Caitlin had first spotted a copy that he'd kept on his bedside table one night, they talked a little and somehow he had blurted out that he wanted to know what she thought of it. Even if she had been taken by surprise at this honest and sincere request, Caitlin was touched on hearing his words and agreed to his offer.
"It really isn't as terrible as you keep reminding me." Caitlin chimed in as she propped the book in one hand and reached behind to take a hold of his hand in hers.
"Cait, I did tell you not to be biased. No favoritism remember?" Harrison teased her just as she had only moments ago, surprising himself with a soft chuckle.
"I'm not! Seriously, it is quite... informative. And... interesting." She wasn't sure of what words to use because to her, this book did not seem 'insightful' and there was plenty which had been left out.
"What about the opinion that all these critics have of me?" He put forth the question before continuing, "What was it again? I come across as 'arrogant, prickly and brusque' if I'm not mistaken." Harrison grimaced at how true that rang in his ears, maybe asking Caitlin to read the book wasn't a good idea after all.
"You forgot 'at times contemptuous' as well." Caitlin bit her lip as she recalled that line; she knew all too well what Harrison thought of himself and that this book was a touchy subject for him.
"Oh of course. How can we forget that?" Harrison said sarcastically as he sighed, closing his eyes and ran a hand through his hair, mussing it up.
Sensing that he was not in a mood to talk about this in detail, Caitlin closed the book and kept it atop their picnic basket before turning around to face Harrison for the first time since they'd sat down together. Without saying a word to him, she simply rested against the bark of the tree now and tugged at his hand, letting him lie down on her lap as she smiled and caressed his head.
"You do know that this isn't all that's there to you, Harry." Her voice was soft and gentle, but more than that, it was understanding. "And you're forgetting one important detail." She added as an afterthought.
"What's that?" He asked, looking up to gaze into those beautiful brown eyes he'd fallen in love with.
"I know you. The real you, not just the scientist or the visionary or the mastermind. I've seen the good, the bad, the ugly. This book is just a part of who you really are." Caitlin answered, she knew all of his secrets and only loved him more after everything had come out in the open between them.
"Good points." Harrison knew that he was being unnecessarily grumpy about this whole biography issue. Today was supposed to be a day of relaxing for her and he was making things worse. "You're right, I'm sorry." He said at last, sighing in content now, Caitlin's hands were soft and he was starting to feel better already.
"Maybe what you need is someone to write another book." She started to suggest when she felt Harrison sit upright suddenly and stared at her in disbelief. "Let me finish!" Caitlin giggled as she pulled him back. "I was trying to say that if you were to have someone write a book about you, then maybe that would be better." Her hands rubbed his shoulders while she crossed her legs together.
"A book about me... and not just the science part of my life you mean." The idea of that wasn't altogether an appealing one to him but it definitely was better than someone suggesting that he write his own autobiography; that would be a book based more on fiction than fact.
"Yes. We could title it something along the lines of 'The man behind the mask.' maybe?" Caitlin knew it was not a coincidence that she reached out to remove Harrison's glasses when she spoke, "Or we could go with 'Dr. Harrison Wells: An in-depth look into the life of a visionary,' if you want a less mysterious title." She laughed at that thought.
"Why don't you write this new book then?" He said to her, even without his glasses on, Harrison could see those brown eyes widening in surprise.
"Me? Oh no, no. I don't think I could... I mean, I'm not a writer. And this would be something for the professionals. I wouldn't be able to do you justice." Caitlin gave a worried laugh, wondering if he was being serious or a tease again; there were times when she wasn't always certain.
"Weren't you the one who just said that you know the real me? All of me?" Harrison sat up once more, not bothering to wear the glasses, "Cait, how do you still love me after everything you know?" There it was, the question he'd been avoiding all morning, or all week if he was being honest with himself.
Hearing his words, Caitlin smiled at him, finally understanding what it was that seemed to be weighing on his mind for quite some time now. They had been together ever since the start of this year and in all the months that had passed, there was always something new for her to learn about him and vice-versa too; these moments where they both just laid everything out there in the open only helped to strengthen their relationship. She took both his hands in hers and looked him in the eyes as she answered his question honestly.
"Because I know that despite what you believe about yourself, you're still human Harrison. Someone who makes mistakes or the impossible decisions or the inexplicable tough actions - for the greater good, for a better future, for all of us." Caitlin began, "You once told me that sometimes the only choices you have are bad ones, but you still have to choose; the burden that rests on your shoulders is unlike anything anyone can face, and you've been alone in this for so long that I know what it must feel like to suddenly have a second person to confide in. Not to mention, we have been through everything together, all the bad things - betrayal, broken trust, lies, pain, anger, sadness, despair, helplessness, and all the good things too - finding that trust in each other again, happiness, friendship, loyalty, respect, honesty... love."
"Have I told you just how remarkable and extraordinary you are Caitlin?" Harrison had listened to her intently and when she was done, he knew that he only loved her even more.
"Yes you have." Her cheeks turned red when she heard the sincerity in his words and Caitlin moved closer to him as she snuggled into Harrison's arms.
For a few minutes, the two of them sat there together in silence as they listened to the sounds of the fountain nearby, the birds chirping in the trees around the garden, the whistling of winds, the simultaneous echoes of each other's heartbeats... it felt too peaceful to be real but Harrison knew that everything with Caitlin seemed a dream when they were together, but she was here, in his arms and she loved him as much as he loved her.
"It has been a scary road for us, hasn't it?" He whispered softly, knowing that even though Caitlin had reassured him, he still needed to be sure... not for himself, but for her sake.
"Sometimes scary roads are the ones you just have to try." Caitlin didn't hesitate to reply immediately, she glanced up to meet his gaze.
"Why?" Harrison's one question held so much weight behind it that he wondered if there was a part of him which wanted to... keep Caitlin safe... from himself... but he knew that was impossible; he'd already tried and failed to push her away and he was grateful because of it. Being with Caitlin had made him a better man, a better person and he would never give up this life for anything.
"To find the one which is worth it all at the end. And I've found that my path has been worth every second that we've spent together. I have no regrets Harry, I love you." Reaching out to touch his cheek, Caitlin smiled at him, knowing there was no need to say anything else.
"And I love you Cait." He smiled back, feeling all of his doubts disappearing as soon as he heard those three words and eight letters.
Wrapping his arms around her waist, Harrison pulled Caitlin up so that she sat on his lap and as he stared into her eyes, he twirled a loose strand of hair around his fingers, tucking it behind her ear before he closed the distance between them when he captured her lips in a gentle kiss... He could feel her arms circling around his neck as she responded eagerly... Her long hair brushing against his cheek like a soft... cloth? Harrison frowned, opening his eyes to find that Caitlin had vanished and there was darkness all around.
In the quiet silence of S.T.A.R. Labs, Harrison Wells suddenly awakened from his sleep and discovered that he was inside his office, a blanket covering him as he lay on the sofa there. It took only a few seconds for him to realize what had happened; everything he had been experiencing up until that moment... was all a dream... none of it had been real. Of course he knew that this wasn't the first time he'd dreamed about Caitlin but sitting there and taking in his surroundings, Harrison noticed a light shining from the corridor which suggested he wasn't alone. A quick glance at the clock above his desk told him exactly how late the hour was and as soon as he sat down in the wheelchair, he made his way towards the main lab where he found the very person in his dreams standing there, working on the computers.
"Caitlin..." Harrison called out to her softly, trying not to think about the way her name sounded in the dream; he couldn't bring himself to use 'Dr. Snow' because that was too formal for him.
"Oh! Dr. Wells... I'm sorry if I woke you up." Caitlin practically jumped to her feet when she saw him in the lab and came over to where he sat, his hands folded in front of him and an unrecognizable look on his face.
"What are you still doing here?" He asked, choosing not to comment on what she had just said; the meaning behind her words were clear.
Harrison knew that it was Caitlin who had entered his office while he slept and tucked a blanket over him and if he thought more about that then he would remember... remember the way she'd caressed his hair, her kisses, those soft touches, the way she called him 'Harry' when no one else ever did, how her eyes sparkled in the sunlight... he couldn't be thinking about that right now.
"I was just finishing some work that Cisco had left behind; he and Barry went home a while ago." Her voice broke through his reverie and when Harrison looked to Caitlin, he noticed that she seemed a little distracted by something.
"Is everything alright Caitlin?" Pushing away all the thoughts about his dream, for he knew it wasn't important, Harrison focused his full attention on her.
"Yes, yes... I'm fine Dr. Wells, it's just that... well... Cisco is trying to find any signs of where Ronnie might be by searching through all the F.I.R.E.S.T.O.R.M. research, and I don't know if... well... I don't know what I want." Caitlin admitted at last, she had been so caught up in trying to get the words out that she didn't notice a brief flicker of something in Harrison's eyes, something which looked like happiness?
He heard what Caitlin was saying and yet despite what her last words had been, Harrison knew that there was no time for him to think about childish things like his dream; that had been nothing more than an illusion of a perfect world, one which did not and could never exist.
"I see. It seems to me that... you must figure out what it is that you want... and the only way to do so is by listening to your heart; the mind is much more logical and rational but it will not help you here." His words were strained but he knew that Caitlin's mind was too preoccupied to sense anything in his voice.
"I guess you're right." Caitlin may have been unaware of Harrison's slightly changed demeanor but her thoughts were drifting off to the moment when she had stepped into his private office only several minutes ago.
"Perhaps this is something you should sleep on?" Harrison suggested, not knowing at all what Caitlin was thinking about; he was too busy trying not to dwell on the dream, but just being around her presence was enough to bring up all those memories. "I was about to head home myself, we have an early morning ahead of us." He wasn't entirely sure why he was basically offering to walk out together but the words were already out of his mouth.
Caitlin nodded her head in agreement as she went back to the computers and cleared everything up before grabbing her coat and purse from the chair; within moments, the pair were walking side by side towards the exit, neither of them saying anything but each wrapped up in their own respective thoughts which unsurprisingly were about one another, although they didn't know that. For Caitlin, she was wondering why, in spite of mentioning Ronnie earlier, she couldn't stop thinking about how peaceful and normal Harrison had looked as he slept... seemingly oblivious to the world around... and how she had knelt on the floor in front of him, debating for a second if she dared to run a hand through his hair... but the very idea of doing something like that had startled Caitlin into simply draping a blanket over his legs and up to his shoulders before tiptoeing out of the office, faster than she had come in.
On the other hand, he was thinking about the dream once again. In a perfect world, Harrison could have been free, could have lived the life he wanted to, with whom he wanted; he could have been with Caitlin and shown her the world, he could have taken her to Paris and kissed her under the stars on top of the Eiffel Tower or had picnics in his private garden; he could have taken her to Geneva and introduced her to fellow scientists as his partner or spent nights at home together cooking dinner together. But they did not live in a perfect world; the reality was that their world was broken... fractured... dangerous. Harrison was confined to a wheelchair, closed off, uncaring, unkind, a man with secrets who couldn't afford the luxury to even think about a chance with Caitlin; not when her heart still belonged to Ronnie, who was out there... changed, but alive. In this world, there was no place for dreams and wishes.
"Well... this is me." Caitlin's voice brought Harrison back to the present; the two of them had reached the parking lot and her car stood only a few feet away.
"I'll see you tomorrow morning. Get some rest." He wanted to say something else but didn't know what would be appropriate, not when he was still trying to figure out what was going on in his mind and in his heart.
"Goodnight Dr. Wells." She said to him and smiled the very same smile as she had in the dream but whereas her eyes had lit up on that bright sunny morning in his garden, here in reality, there was a hint of sadness behind the smile.
And as Harrison watched Caitlin walking away from him, he discovered that this night was full of surprises; because as soon as she reached the silver car, he saw her stop for a second and in the moment he took to wonder if she was biting her lip the way she had in his dream, Caitlin turned around and waved at him, a true and beautiful smile on her face that he could see clearly. Harrison didn't know what to think, but raised a hand to wave back, not letting his gaze move from her until she finally left the building. Now that he was alone, Harrison wheeled his way towards the lab again, deep in thought about what had just happened; it might have been foolish to think that was a sign or that Caitlin's gesture meant something more, but the more he dwelled on it, the more he realized that a new feeling started to rise up within him, an emotion he hadn't felt in a long time. A special present that he'd received from her... the gift of hope.
"Goodnight Cait." He whispered to himself, as a real smile slowly formed on his face.
Thoughts? Reviews? Comments?