Flames danced erotically in the darkness, illuminating the boyish joy etched into the stone of his face. Vibrant sapphire blue dulled slightly to spicy red and mingled with rich orange streaks, casting shadows over the titanium walls surrounding him. This particular oxyacetylene torch was a gift to himself and it was a new favorite. So far, he'd nearly eviscerated his bedsheets and thinned his eyebrows more than was fashionable. The small fires he'd started left a sooty residue on his cheeks and the smell of smoke lingered in the air. A noise just beyond the door startled him and he abruptly stood, poised to melt whoever dared interrupt his solitude…
"Mick?"
His thumb slipped away from the switch almost immediately and his throat went dry. "What do you want?" He growled.
A soft knock and a whisper of fabric were his reply. "Do we have to do it like this?" There was no immediate answer and she tested the knob to find it unlocked. "I've come such a long way. I'd like to at least wish you a happy birthday in person." The door opened only half an inch before she was met with resistance. Her sigh was audible. "You can't still be angry with me…"
"Yes, I can," Mick grunted. His booted foot kept the door from moving any further forward, but he made no move to slam it in her face. Not yet. "I asked you a question, doc. What. Are. You. Doing. Here?" His teeth clenched tightly as he ground out each word like a curse.
"I already told you, I'm here to give you your birthday present," her soft, feminine voice was thick with innuendo. Leaning her shoulder against the metal barrier, she inhaled and her stomach instantly ached. Mick always smelled like woodsmoke, as if he'd just stepped away from a log cabin to gather more firewood. Then, there was something sharper underneath, like electricity that crackled beneath his skin. If she didn't know better, she'd have sworn he had some sort of cologne which mimicked that very note, but she knew very well every inch of him was natural. "Mickey—"
"I've told you not to call me that!" Throwing the door open, Mick looked positively murderous as he closed the distance between them.
Dr. Caitlin Snow was no wilting flower. She was almost as tall as Mick Rory and with those heels on, he was forced to tilt his chin up to look into her hazel eyes. Yet what he lacked in height, he made up for in sheer mass. One blast from his meaty fist and he could've put her through a wall…Mick couldn't say he wasn't tempted. After the way she'd reeled him in, used him to do her dirty work, and then pushed him aside, he'd burned down two city blocks in retaliation.
The truth was, Mick didn't have it in him. He could recklessly destroy property, steal jewels, and melt away Vandal Savage's cult following like they were nothing, but he couldn't hit a woman; especially not one as captivating as Caitlin. The anger boiling in his veins only heated his blood further and he had to physically stop himself from letting the flame of passion consume him. It would be too easy to fall prey to her again. "How'd you even know I was here?" Silence hung between them for a moment and he scoffed; he knew the answer simply by reading the expression on her face. "Snart's got a big fucking mouth."
"Don't blame Leonard," Caitlin pled. "I made a very persuasive argument." Nervously, she shifted on her feet. "Don't you want to open your gift?" Reaching out, she caught his arm. She very nearly hissed at the zip of heat that seared through her and was forced to bite her lip to keep it at bay. Mick wasn't letting Snart's betrayal rest, and Caitlin needed him to table it for the moment. There was so much more at stake here. "He was only trying to help."
"I don't need help, especially not from you!" Mick roared, tearing away from her. The room was too small for him to put any real distance between them and it only made him angrier. Tightening his grasp on the torch, he flicked the switch and the flame erupted instantly as the accelerant hit the air. He held it between them, as if he were warding off an evil spirit.
Caitlin averted her gaze. "Fine," she murmured. It was useless trying to get through to him. Mick was stubborn as they came and she was running out of time. She reached into her jacket and pulled out a box perfectly wrapped in gold paper with a red bow, only slightly crumbled from being carried beneath her coat. It was lightly snowing and she hadn't wanted it to get wet, since Mick would inevitably want to burn the paper and having it moistened would only frustrate him. "Happy Birthday, Mick…"
He watched her set the box on the edge of the bed before walking out the door. There was only a little trickle of hurt that she didn't fight harder…despite his bluster, Mick was honestly happy to see her. He had an affection for the good doctor that he couldn't shake even with weeks of distance between them. After the way things ended the last time, he couldn't bring himself to believe any of this was true. Mick paused, staring into the flames as he replayed their brief affair in his head. A slow smile crept over his lips.
Caitlin Snow had shown up on his doorstep, begging him to help her get her nerdy friend out of trouble. Her plan was genius really, not that he intended to tell her that…the vessel they'd hermetically sealed Cisco in had less than twenty-four hours of oxygen and they'd already wasted ten finding out where he was being kept. Time was running out and they needed a blast of firepower to warp the seal and free the dork. Apparently the Flash had been on his period that day and wasn't able to tear himself away from whatever rom-com currently airing on the Hallmark Channel. Heat Wave was their only hope…
But Mick Rory didn't do anything that didn't suit him. He also didn't cross Leonard Snart. Captain Cold was peeved that Cisco had been tooling around with his sister as of late. Lisa could do better than some dark-haired hippie who called himself 'Vibe'. Mick was fully prepared to turn Cait away, but there was a secret place inside of him that needed to know. When he'd held her captive in that warehouse and she struggled against him, he felt…something.
So, Mick offered her the chance to get on his good side and she'd more than delivered. He burned away the silky fabric of her sweater, watching the pearl buttons melt while he nailed her against the charred table in his workshop. Even as he slammed into her molten center, the real blaze didn't start until he kissed her and he erupted like a volcano into the heart of her. Mick wasn't sure of many things but he knew very well that Dr. Snow was one satisfied customer. It was true what Rip said about him: he was thick. Caitlin never, ever minded though. In fact, Mick was fairly certain that was her favorite thing about him…
After they saved Cisco, he took the good doctor to a no-tell motel to celebrate and they put several new dents in the wall. For weeks after that, Caitlin came to him for assistance with vanquishing villains in Central City. Things were still on fire, but helping her was the closest to a hero Mick had ever been. He liked the attention and the praise, but mostly he liked when Caitlin wrapped her arms around him and they burned through yet another set of sheets.
Then suddenly, the Flash returned and everything changed. Mick didn't hear from Caitlin for two days and he grew stir crazy. He headed to Star Labs and she met him at the door, begging him to wait for her somewhere her little friends wouldn't see him. He complied…but he knew what it meant. When Cait showed up, hours later, he had already worked out for himself that she was using him as a distraction so Zoom wouldn't realize the Flash was gathering power to defeat him.
Mick didn't bother listening to the rest of her story. He gathered up his anger, harnessed the power, and turned his attention to thieving and wreaking havoc all over Central City. He had been in the throes of a particularly nasty binge with Snart when Rip Hunter showed up and tore him into a whole different dimension. Caitlin had never been fully expunged from his system, but he'd been distracted enough to block it out for a while…until the woman showed up on the Waverider and everything Mick had been trying to forget came welling to the surface.
Mick did a great job of ignoring the gift she brought…for five minutes at least. Grumbling to himself, he grabbed the paper and ripped it off. The box beneath was already half-open and his lip curled into a sneer. "What the hell?" He said to nobody in particular as he pulled away the tape holding the side and a small white and purple stick fell out onto the bed. He picked it up, staring at it for a solid minute before he rocketed off the bed and surged down the hall, nearly knocking over Jackson and Ray in the process.
Storming out into the inky darkness, Mick shivered at the cold and cursed bitterly. Snow was trickling down over the landscape and he was wearing a thin cotton shirt that had several burn holes and a pair of jeans. He looked all around, wondering how the hell far she could've gotten in this storm and tried to guess which direction she would've gone in. Suddenly, years of boy scout training kicked in and he looked down at the ground, following the footsteps as they strode forward and then curled back. He whirled around, finding Caitlin leaning against the ship, attempting to catch her breath.
Mick stalked toward her, reaching out to cup her cheek. Her face was damp, but not from the snow…from her tears. Guilt crushed him and he swept her into his arms, carrying her back into the ship. He ignored Snart's breathy snicker and Sara raising her eyebrow at him. It didn't matter what anyone thought: Caitlin Snow was the future mother of his children and deserved to be treated as such. As it was, he was afraid she'd caught a chill out there and was determined to get her warm. Gideon had arranged a fireplace in his particular room and he quickly had a roaring fire going.
Kneeling in front of her with his back turned, Mick took a steadying breath. "How long have you known?"
"I took that test this morning but I've suspected for about a week." Caitlin chewed her bottom lip, her fingers sliding over the bedspread beneath her for comfort. It was soft and smelled like Mick, which was enough to calm her for the moment. "I think it was that time outside Gino's? You asked me out for dinner and I wore that red dress but…we never made it inside…"
Mick's entire body tensed. He had no memory of that event…which meant someone had fucked with the timeline. Mick's money was on Snart. Why else would he help Caitlin Snow find him? Leonard didn't like her and had no issue telling anyone who would listen. He'd deal with Snart later. Right now, Mick had more pressing matters to attend to…like the fact that Caitlin was sitting in front of him, looking small and scared. All the anger he'd been feeling suddenly died away and he crawled toward her.
Caitlin managed a watery smile, her fingertips tracing the close-shaved dome of his head. Mick was tugging her coat open and she wasn't stopping him. She slipped out of the sleeves, leaving her in a simple black skirt and a soft cream sweater. He was staring straight at her belly and it made something warm bubble inside her. "I'm not really showing yet. I've estimated I'm just over seven weeks along." He didn't say anything and everything she'd been wanting to came welling to the surface. "Mick, I'm keeping the baby," Caitlin explained, shifting uncomfortably in front of him. "I've always wanted to be a mother and this may very well be my only chance. I understand if that's too much for you and I'm not asking you to be a part of our lives if you don't want to be. That wouldn't be fair. It's probably not something you wanted…"
Chestnut eyes met hazel and Mick rocketed to his feet. "Fair?" He snarled. "That's my kid, Caitlin. What's fair about you shouldering the burden alone?" He shook his head violently. "I'm going to take care of you, both of you." He began to pace. "No child of mine is ever going to go to bed wondering why his daddy didn't love him or why he didn't stick around." The muscle in his jaw ticked dangerously. He wanted this more than he ever realized was possible, but he was still in shock. "How could we let this happen? You're a doctor for god's sake!"
"I keep telling you, I'm not that kind of doctor," Caitlin offered, but was met with only that blank look. She stood to stop him from wearing a hole in the floor with his pacing. "It doesn't matter…" She expected him to move further away and continue his brooding. Instead, Mick wrapped his arms around her waist, tugging her against him. The embrace was surprising but infinitely comforting. Cait melted against him, resting her forehead against his shoulder. His warm hand snuck under her shirt, palming the sacred space where his baby grew. Tears welled in her ears again at the tenderness with which he caressed her, reverent in his exploration.
The changes to Caitlin's body were minute, but Mick had memorized these curves…he could see her breasts had increased and there was just the barest hint of a bump starting. He'd put this little swell in her belly and he'd never been prouder of anything in his life. "Hold on," he urged, breaking contact for a moment. He hurried to the other side of the bed, searching beneath the mattress before he came up with the item he was looking for.
Dashing around the bed like a kid in a candy store, Mick straightened his posture and held out the Zippo lighter to Caitlin. She glanced down at it, not understanding the significance until he started to explain. "I've always been obsessed with fire…ever since I was kid. I used to buy lighters at gas stations for a few cents and spark them until they were dead. Those cheap pieces of plastic were never enough. When I pulled off my first robbery, I saw this behind a case and I had to have it…" He licked his lips hungrily. "It's solid gold—twenty-four karat, too. I had it professionally appraised."
"Wow," was all Caitlin managed to say. She forced a smile, staring at the lighter he held out to her.
"This is a symbol of my commitment. I wouldn't give this to anyone…hell, I never thought I would even think about letting someone else touch it." Mick shifted his posture. "I want you to have it, Caitlin. Hold it close to your heart, let it keep you warm at night when I can't be there…" He pulled her against him again, more gently this time. "I made a promise to vanquish Vandal Savage and with a little one on the way, it's even more important I keep it. I've seen the future, Snow. It ain't pretty. I need to do something about it…for both of you."
Wrapping her fingers around the lighter, Caitlin smiled sweetly. The Mick Rory she'd gotten to know was a brutal lover and fighter…but this man in front of her was so much more than that. She wouldn't say he was a hero in the traditional sense, but she was filled with such hope for the future of her child and, also, the future of the universe. "Promise me you'll be careful."
Mick grinned toothily. "You're not getting rid of me that easily, princess." He brushed away a strand of her dark hair. "Once I get back, I'm going to make an honest woman out of you. You hear me?" He could see the surprise on her face and he shifted on his feet. "It's not just because I want to keep that lighter in the family. I want better for our kid than I had growing up."
The thought hadn't crossed Caitlin's mind until he said it and she actually laughed. Leaning in, she pressed a soft kiss to his lips that lit a fire in her center that could've consumed them both…they were both flushed and breathless when a robotic voice informed them Rip Hunter had declared they needed to leave and Dr. Snow needed to disembark.
Heavy-hearted and concerned about his future wife and child, Mick followed closely as Caitlin walked to the door of the hangar. "Take care of yourself, sweetheart. I'll send you a postcard from the future." He smirked, stealing one last kiss before he watched the woman he knew he'd never deserve step out into the cold. The image of her with her arms wrapped around her waist, tears in her eyes, and a soft smile on her lips would carry him through anything.
There was a new pep in Mick's step as he headed into the travel bay, settling himself down beside Snart. "I don't know what the hell you did to the timeline," he growled, "but I can't thank you enough." Pulling the harness down around him, he smiled. "I'm going to be a father," he announced to the group. The only thing that moved was the Waverider as it zipped into the sky. Seven pairs of eyes bored into him and he furrowed his eyebrow. "What, no congratulations?" He scoffed.
A chorus of forced well-wishes came next but Mick didn't care. This was the best birthday he'd ever had, hands down. Even without the oxyacetylene torch in his bedroom, he had Caitlin Snow waiting for him at home and a baby on the way. It was everything he'd ever wanted and had never dared dreamed of. Now all he needed to do was vanquish Vandal Savage and he'd really have it all.
With Mick Rory giving it all his effort, there was no way their team would fail this time…