"I'm sorry," he says, his hands around her back, pressing her close to his body, as if he could keep her safe just by keeping her close to him.
"Barry, I'm fine—" she protests, her voice muffled against his red suit (normally she'd scold him about wearing it in public without the mask on, but they're in an abandoned alley). And, really, she is fine. A bit shaken up from being used as another stupid villain's leverage against the Flash, but, other than that, she's fine.
"I'm so sorry." Barry says again, one hand moving up to her head, cradling it closer to his chest.
"It's okay, Barry," she tries to soothe her boyfriend, "Really. I'm fi—"
He interrupts, again, "I—I can't believe I put you through that—" he thinks of the way she's always put in danger because of him—because of the Flash. All because he's too selfish to give her up, even though he knows it's for her own safety, "I'm sorry, Cait. This is all my fault…"
"Barry Allen!" Caitlin pulls back from their embrace, looking at him sternly. "This is not your fault, alright? Don't be stupid about this. This is not your fault."
He gulps, because, while part of him knows she's right, another part of him doesn't care. Either way, he's the one who put her in danger. That means he's the one to blame. "Caitlin—"
"No," she responds immediately. From her expression, he knows that she realizes what he's doing.
"Cait," he tries again, "I can't put you in danger like this again. And…" the next words are the most difficult to get out, because they mean the end to the best thing that's ever happened to him. "…and as long as you're involved with the Flash, then you'll be in danger. I…can't do that."
"No," she says again, setting her jaw and lifting her chin a little, a gesture he's learned means she's determined and she's not giving up. "Listen to me, Barry Allen," she says fiercely, "I don't give a damn about the danger. I knew all about how dangerous this was when I started going out with you—I knew all about how dangerous this was when I even decided to be your friend. But I still decided to be with you. It was my decision back then, and it's still my decision now." An unsaid so there hangs on her sentence.
"But—" he protests.
She's not hearing any of his nonsense, "Oh—and I'm not involved with the Flash—I'm in love with the Flash—no, I'm in love with Barry Allen. There's a difference. And it means that I don't give you up, even if it's the logical thing to do. Got it?" She pokes him in the chest for emphasis.
But something else popped into his mind as she talked—there was a way. A way to keep her safe. She was in danger as long as she remained in Central City. So…so they had to leave. They had to leave Central City. In his mind he sees how brilliant their plan is: they'd leave Central City, and go to some normal city, somewhere safe and without any stupid superhero drama, like Chicago or New York. He could get a job in forensics and she'd get a job working at another lab (a completely normal lab that did completely safe expierament). They could share a small apartment until they got enough money for a bigger one or a house, and at some point, they'd go to Town Hall, get officially married. He doesn't realize the word he's looking for is elope.
"There—there is another way," he hears himself mutter to Caitlin, his heart speeding up as he rethinks their plan. She looks at him quizzically, her hand moving up to the lightning bolt symbol on his chest. She traces it absentmindedly, her eyes still searching his face for an answer.
As her fingers run lightly over the symbol, he's reminded of what it means—it means he's the Flash. And it means that the city needs him. Central City needs him. And, as much as he loves Caitlin, he knows neither of them is selfish enough to give up on this city.
He wants to run away with her. He really does. But he knows he has a duty, as a hero. He has a duty to the city—to protect Central City. Oliver would tell him the same—as a hero, they have to make sacrifices, and they can't be selfish. And he, Barry Allen can be selfish sometimes, but Caitlin is anything but selfish. She's never agree to it, not while the city still needed them.
So, in response to Caitlin's still confused face, he just pulls her close again, and says the only thing he can, "You're right." Because he know, in his heart that she is. And even though being with him is dangerous, it's her choice. But he also knows that he has a responsibility not only to his girlfriend, but to his city. And sometimes responsibilities come before feelings.
