Based on the characters from Les Miserables Eponine and Marius.
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Even though she despised the cold, Caitlin Snow found comfort in it.
The cold was an escape.
It could easily numb the pain of any wound or thought.
Maybe that's why she decided to go out tonight, to distract her mind, but deep down Caitlin knew that was impossible.
The wedding was in a week and the closer the date got the more miserable she became.
She would be up there beside the alter, front and center of everyone's attention, and forced to watch the man she had feelings for marry the woman of his dreams.
Caitlin had no idea how it happened.
Was it when he comforted her after Ronnie's death? Maybe when he took care of her after their disaster of a karaoke night?
She tried to distract herself. Jay and Julien were meant to distract her, but it never seemed to work.
The cold would have to do.
Caitlin continued down the back streets of the city as it began to rain.
She sighed and knew that her team would eventually realize she was missing and would worry.
Deciding to call it a night, Caitlin turned to start back to STAR Labs.
Amongst the darkness and rain she sensed someone following her.
Caitlin spun around with her hands raised in defense and coated in frost.
Amunet Black stood before Caitlin with her bucket of precious metals at her side.
"Hello Caity! Lovely evening isn't it?" Amunet said with a grin.
"It never was," growled Caitlin.
Killer Frost began to surface, but before she could completely take over something imbedded itself into Caitlin's neck.
The frost from her hands disappeared and she felt weaker.
She quickly felt around and the doctor pulled a small syringe from her skin.
Amunet stalked towards Caitlin with her arm coated in spiked armor.
"Now now, you didn't think I would come prepared this time? Thanks to some special connections, I have a new drug designed to block the genes of any meta from transforming. Couldn't have you going frosty on me Caity."
Caitlin stumbled and fell to her knees feeling the effects of the drug.
She felt so stupid now for leaving her phone back at the lab along with her com.
Amunet reached out and gripped her chin with her ungloved hand.
"I told you I would take something from you," she whispered.
Blacksmiths armored hand swung back and struck Caitlin across the face.
The metal spikes cut into her skin, drawing blood.
"I'm not sure how valuable your life might be to you, but I bet your friends value it more," said Amunet.
Another blow to the face and one to the gut knocked the wind out of Caitlin.
"I'll be sure to alert them when we're finished here."
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STAR Labs was empty.
Cisco was on a date with Gypsy. Joe was at the station finishing up some work, with Iris there to help him. Ralph went out to get a drink and pleaded for someone to join him. Harry went with him only because the elastic man said he would pay (for once).
That left only the scarlet speedster himself.
Barry was busying himself with researching DeVo, attempting to find evidence to prove how he's manipulating the team.
The flash ran a hand through his hair and rubbed his face in an effort to keep himself awake.
'How long have I been sitting here?' Barry thought.
'Caitlin had left a while ago saying she would be back soon.'
He looked at the clock and realized that was at 7 and now it was 10. She had been gone for 3 hours and hasn't returned yet.
Barry pulled up her com link and tested the connection, only to find static.
Next he tried her phone, but ended up with the same result.
"All right Cait, where are you?" Barry muttered to himself.
He pulled up the labs facial recognition software and entered her name.
The results weren't reassuring.
"Last seen 8:13pm on Juncture St."
Barry frowned and clicked around refreshing the screen.
With no luck he was about to throw on his suit and look for Caitlin himself when a video popped up on the screen.
There was nothing that indicated the source of the video, but Barry clicked on it anyway.
At first all Barry saw was scarlet, like the color of his flash suit.
He came to realize that the red color was blood, and its source was the body lying on the pavement.
The focus panned away from the body and onto the face of Amunet Black, standing proudly next to her work.
"I know she didn't care much for herself, however I know you did. Come and get your Caitlin, Flash."
The camera feed was cut and once again all Barry knew was static.
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Caitlin laid in the cold waiting for it to numb her pain, but there was too much.
It overwhelmed her. Practically consuming her.
Multiple fractured ribs, possible punctured lung, internal bleeding, lacerations and more. Caitlin mentally calculated her injuries and the extent of them.
Amunet had made good of her word and Caitlin could feel herself slowly fading.
She knew that Amunet had left her, but not before sending a video to STAR Labs, having her friends be a witness to her death.
'Did anyone even see the video? It's too late for anyone to actually be in the cortex right now,' Caitlin thought.
A sudden flash of lightening and a familiar face answered her question.
"B-Barry?"
Her best friend slowly crouched down in front of her crippled form, eyes wide and full of fear.
"It's going to be okay Cait, I'm here now," Barry said.
The Flash moved to pick her up, carefully placing his arms under her legs and behind her shoulders, but stopped when she cried out.
"N-no Barry don't," Caitlin pleaded.
Instead of placing her back down onto the blood covered asphalt, Barry kept her in his arms and sat with his back resting on the side of a building.
Caitlin curled in on herself, placing her head in the crook of Barry's neck.
"I didn't think anyone would come," she whispered.
"You're always there to save me and I will always be here to save you," he replied.
But not this time.
They sat in silence and Barry realized that not even The Flash could save Caitlin now, but Barry Allen could at least be there for her.
He yanked off his hood and pulled her closer.
"H-hey Barry?"
"Yeah Cait?"
"Will y-you stay with me? Until I f-fall asleep?" Caitlin struggled to get out every word.
The question brought Barry's mind back to a time where Caitlin had a little too much to drink, but they both had a lot of fun.
Singing karaoke and forgetting about their problems.
Dr. Snow and Mr. Allen; they were, and still are, quite the pair.
"Of course." Barry says with a sad smile.
As Caitlin's breaths grew shallower and her body lost its tension, Barry began to hum the song from that night.
'Summer lovin', had me a blast
Summer lovin', happened so fast
Met a girl crazy for me
Met a boy cute as can be
Summer days drifting away
To, uh oh, those summer nights'
He would never know how she felt, but it didn't matter, because he held her and kept her safe up until she finally fell asleep.