It had four months since Barry and Caitlin started discovering what they felt for each other, they hadn't told anyone yet, they still hadn't said I love you to each other, and although they were as happy as they were now, it wouldn't be enough for them.
Everyone was in the Cortex, they had no goal to seize yet, since Dibny joined the team they still didn't find anything about Devoe , nor did anyone showed to attack the city.
Iris was in Cortex on the computer, doing some research for her next news, because contrary to what everyone thought, she still had a job, Barry came running in what made the brunette look up and smile
-Hey Barry, can I talk to you? -Iris asks getting up, he, who had stopped near Caitlin , puts his cell phone next to her, brushes his hand on the blonde's shoulder and smiling follows Iris
-Sure- he says, following her into the hall. -So what do you want to talk about?
-Peter and I broke up.
-I'm sorry, Iris.
-It also have some time
-How long?
-Three weeks, but I didn't know how to tell you.
-Why not?-
-I don't know, it could be weird.
-Iris, we promised we'd go back to being like we were before, you don't have to think it's going to be weird to talk to me about these things
-I know, I promise I will not let it be weird- She smiles and he hugs her
-Sorry to interrupt, but your cell phone was ringing and it was annoying me- Caitlin says with some anger in her voice, Barry separates from Iris and takeshis cell phone looking into his girlfriend's eyes seeing that she was bothered with something more than his cell phone ringing, he sees it was Joe on the phone
-Joe needs me at the station- He says
-If you need we'll be here- Caitlin says, and he looks into her eyes again and runs off, knowing they would have to talk later- So what did I interruped?" - Caitlin can not help but wonder
-Nothing, we were just talking, I broke up with Peter and I was telling him- Caitlin feels like she was not telling the whole truth to her
-But...?
-I broke up with Peter because of Barry- Iris confesses, and Caitlin counts from one to 1.000.000 so she wouldn't say too much and just listen- I made a mistake when he left the speedforce
-What kind of mistake?
-I gave up on Barry, I need to try with him again
-And you think you have chances?
-Sure -Iris says confidently.
-Don't you think he's already moved on?
-He has not been with anyone in these last few months, he probably isn't completely over me, and we are Barry and Iris I don't think I'll have trouble getting him back
-Is that why you're dressing up more and more to come here?
-It's good that you noticed, yes that's why
-I think the only one that didn't notice was Barry himself
-Maybe you're right, I need to go to the paper, we'll talk more later
-Sure- Iris leaves, Caitlin's eyes turn blue and her hands let out a little mist- Control yourself- She said, sighing deeply and closing her eyes, she returned to the cortex, and for all of them she continued her day as if nothing had happened. But inside she was freezing the whole city.
They were after another meta that was turned in the bus, Black Bison was the name she had given herself, everyone was focused on it, but Iris found ways to throw herself at Barry, which irritated Caitlin every time but she couldn't say anything, Barry realized that the Doctor was not well, but he thought it best to talk to her about what it might be when they were alone and away from everyone.
-So you're going to tell me what's bothering you?" -Barry said sitting down next to her on the couch, she had already changed and was sitting on the couch pretending to pay attention to a documentary about the animals species that lived in Africa
-Nothing
-Cait tells me what happened.
-Nothing Barry, it's only been a long day, after a sleepless night, I'm just tired
-Are you sure?
-I am- She says lying on his chest and he hugs her and the two continue watching the documentary without paying attention to a word, she ends up sleeping in his arms, when he realizes it, he picks her up and takes her to bed , he lies next to her and comes back to hug her, he quickly fall a sleep.
The next day they split up still in Caitlin's apartment so they didn't come together and raise any suspicions, they continued their search for Black Bison , while Harry and Cisco worked on finding who Devoe was .
Iris had found some information about the meta, but the way she leaned when talking to Barry was annoying Caitlin more than she liked to admit, she trusted Barry, she knew he was with her, but the story between them was too long for Caitlin to ignore, but when Iris put her hand on Barry's arm and leaned closer to the speedster the doctor couldn't hold it, she could no longer watch that scene or she would talk too much
-OKAY - Caitlin screams scaring everyone and bringing their attention to her
- Okay what Caitlin? -Iris asks with a slight twinge of annoyance at being interrupted in her "moment" with Barry
-I'll leave you two alone to continue analyzing the clues you found, I need to check some things in the medbay, Iris smiled at Caitlin thinking the brunette was just trying to help her, which irritated the scientist even more, while Barry just frowned at his girlfriend, but didn't argue, at least not there and not now.
The rest of the day, Caitlin ignored everyone, she really didn't want to be in the middle of the others, because everyone had already realized Iris's intentions, everyone but Barry, sly, sometimes he is very slow for one of the faster men in the multiverse. Anyway, everyone had already realized, and Caitlin was sure that everyone would support if the two decided to go back or even hoped for it and she could not be part of it, she would not be able to keep quiet and in control if anyone commented on it with her.
At the end of the day, they managed to defeat the meta and Caitlin had to check Barry, who had been hurt again, and she was extremely quiet, which did not go unnoticed by the brunette's boyfriend since she always talked without stopping when he hurted himself, as if it had been his fault, as if he had asked to be hurt.
But Caitlin had a reason to be quiet, Iris did not take her hand off Barry's leg, which he had not even realized was there since he was too busy worrying about his girlfriend's silence
- Cait ! -Barry calls her and she ignores him- CAit ! -He calls a little louder and she gives a slight jump startled, since she was so concentrated trying to control herself
-What?
-What's happening to you?
-What do you mean? –She asks biting her lower lip
-You still haven't yelled at me since I arrived, not once
-Because this time it wasn't your fault
-And since when did that stop you?
-I always fight with you when you hurt yourself because you always hurt yourself because you were irresponsible and didn't think before acting or didn't listen to what you were told because you were stubborn, this time I know it wasn't your fault and the The only reason I'm silent is that if I start screaming at someone, it's going to be with a certain rubber man and then I'll have to test how many degrees his rubbery molecules take before it gets brittle- Caitlin says and looks with a murderous look to the newest member of the team, channeling all her anger into that look, but without letting the iris change color, Ralph takes a small step back, clearly scared
-Well, I guess it's my time- Ralph says and leaves before anyone else says anything, Caitlin gave only a cynical smile, coming directly from her Killer Frostside
-Are you sure that's all?
-Yes
- Abso ...?
-If she said that's all, then it's because she is, isn't she? -Iris says fidgeting a little with the attention she was receiving or lack of it to be more exact, Caitlin turns away to hide her eyes were beginning to change color, she takes a deep breath trying to calm down and Barry realised that had something else, but he saw that it was a conversation that was for them to have alone
- Okay -Barry says, still suspicious and he was not the only one to notice.
-So are you going to tell me what's going on or am I going to have to vibe you?" -Cisco said sitting next to the brunette, who was looking at some data on the screen of her computer
-What?
-You may have fooled everyone earlier when you said you were not arguing with Barry because it wasn't his fault, but you didn't fool me, and I doubt you fooled Barry either, so what's going on? -The brunette is silent considering whether or not she should tell, but she needed to vent
-What do you think of the game that Iris is doing to get Barry back?
-Do not change the subject
-Just answer it
-Well, actually I don't have to think anything, they're adults, they can understand each other, but I think Iris is wasting her time, if Barry had any interest he would have noticed and would be bouncing like he should be, Iris lost her chance when she chose that guy instead of Barry when he came back from speedforce
-Do you really think so?
-Yes, but now coming back to you, without changing the subject
-I wasn't changing the subject-" Caitlin says looking into her best friend's eyes, waiting for him to find out for himself, he frowned for a few seconds and then widened his eyes finally understanding
-You ... and ... Barry ...? -He could not form a complete sentence such was his perplexity- How?
-We've been together for four months.
-Four months? But then it was soon after he came out of the speedforce, why didn't you tell me? How did all this start?
-After he came back from the speedforce, he went to my apartment to thank me and we were in the mood and we kissed, but he was still curled up with Iris and he had to solve this situation so we just pretend nothing had happened, some time later I saw him alone and went to see why he was looking so depressed, we talked and he told me that he had solved his situation with Iris I didn't want to talk about it because I was starting to like him but he needed to talk, so I let him talk and in the end he said he was okay with the ending because he had realized that he was feeling something for me but he was not sure what it was and the same was happening with me, so we decided to try and figure out what we were feeling and that's why we didn't say anything to anyone, he had just finished his relationship with Iris, which everyone thought was going to be forever, I had just returned to the team, it was better to keep only between us
-I can understand why not tell others, but why you didn't tell me?
-For how long do you think you could keep this secret?
-Okay, you're right- he says after a bit of thought- But why are you telling me this now, then?
-Because I needed to vent and the way things going I'm going to lose my temper and scream for everyone to hear
-I'm almost sure there's a song around that says exactly this
-It's possible
-Who would've thoght? That one day Dr. Caitlin Snow was going to lose her temper because of jealousy.
-I still haven't lost, so don't go counting victory just yet- she says, smiling.
-She has been like this for a while, why only now that it really started bothering you?
-Because before it was just speculation of my head and I could classify as paranoia
-And what has changed?
-Iris came to talk to me yesterday, saying that she was trying to him back, that he loved her and that they were Barry and Iris and that they were meant to be together- Caitlin gets up and starts pacing- What if they really do? And I'm just in the way of their story? I mean we all saw that damned paper and Savitar wanted to kill Iris because her death was what would destroy Barry
-Cait , one thing that we have become experts in these last few years was in changing the future, yes we saw that newspaper, but how many times it has changed, as we will know which of those versions will be the one that will actually be published six years from now, Savitar has been deleted from existence and with it all the future that he lived and told us and if Barry is with you it is because he really likes you, we both know that Barry is not that kind of guy
- Okay , maybe you're right.
-Maybe not, I'm right.
-If you say so
-Now let's get out of here before anyone comes and listens to our conversation-Cisco said, and Caitlin started looking worriedly at the sides- What?
-Why did you say that? I'm sure someone overheard and with my luck it was Iris
-If it were for Iris we would know for a fact, do you think she would really stay hidden after listening to everything you said?
-Maybe you're right- The two of them leave, it was late, and there was no one else there, that's what they thought at least, but Cisco could not be more wrong, someone actually listened to their conversation and Caitlin really was a lucky person and with a great power of divination, Iris was passing in the hall when she heard her name in the conversation between the two best friends and her curiosity as a journalist spoke louder and she stopped to listen to the conversation of the two and was surprised by what she heard. She didn't know how to react at the same time she was sad that Barry had apparently moved on, she felt betrayed, because the day before she was talking to Caitlin and she hadn't say anything, even though if she would stop to think a little at no point did Caitlin encourage her to run after Barry, but Iris was not willing to see the reason at that moment. But most of all she was angry Barry was hers, she would marry him in the future, she had his surname registered next to her in that newspaper, it was her that he loved and it was her fate. Caitlin, she was just a stage and she would be happy to get through this phase as quickly as possible so they could get back to be Barry and Iris again.