Caitlin's week had been long and stressful. The conference had ended late the night before and though it had been a success, by the end of it all Caitlin had wanted was to go home. She'd hailed a cab from the airport and made her way across town, back towards her apartment. The sun was setting as the cab pulled to the curb and she got out. Happily she looked up with a smile at the sign above Jitters. Coffee was her one and only priority at the moment.

Entering the coffee shop, Caitlin scanned the counter for Iris but wasn't surprised when she didn't see her because she usually only worked mornings. Stepping up to the counter, she ordered her drink and waited for it to be ready. As she waited, Caitlin realized a sense of relief had settled into her since she had gotten back into the city. The four days that she had been away for the conference were busy, and she really never had a chance to relax until the end. Somehow in between the full days and overfull schedule, the feeling of missing something had been a constant companion.

Or missing someone.

Caitlin frowned, staring blankly down at her feet as she pondered the thought. Try as she might to fight it, one person kept passing through her mind and when he did she felt...almost relieved. She missed him and wasn't that the strangest thing? They'd had a handful of interactions, starting with their first unpleasant run in and Caitlin had continued to bump into Harry, usually there at Jitters, where the two exchanged friendly conversation, but it hadn't really gone beyond that. And that left Caitlin feeling a little regretful. He'd even been there the day she'd left for the conference. Harry had wished her good luck and reassured her gently when she'd expressed her doubt again and Caitlin had wanted to say something, anything to try and draw out their goodbye. But she hadn't been able to justify a reason, so she'd hailed a cab and left. If she'd tried to pinpoint it, sitting in the cab, driving away from Harry, was the moment her anxiousness had started.

Lost in thought, she didn't hear the barista call her name until the third time. Apologizing quickly, Caitlin took her drink and then made her way out onto the street. She only had a few blocks to go before she was home, could unpack, and try to unwind. Sipping her coffee, she let her mind drift back to Harry, and smiled at the warmth that rolled through her when he appeared in her mind.

Caitlin couldn't explain why she reacted the way that she did when he was around, or the loss she seemed to feel when he left. All she knew was that for the first time in a very long time, his presence brought a sense of completion and it drove away the feeling that something vital had been absent from her life. But knowing that and accepting it were two different things. It made her uncomfortable to feel like she was so reliant on a other person for her happiness, especially when she couldn't explain why. Add to the fact that she had no idea if he felt anything other than mild annoyance in her presence, it was a hard thing to accept. It troubled her that it felt right, inevitable almost. But what bothered Caitlin more than anything was the idea that she knew Harry, or should have known him but didn't now.

She wanted to. Almost desperately.

She had talked to Iris about it when her friend had cornered her the day after her first impromptu coffee with Harry. Iris could see Caitlin was unsettled, and quickly pulled her to a quiet table and demanded all the of details. Caitlin had been hesitant at first, wondering how much to disclose, but suddenly she realized she needed to get it out, to acknowledge it and she did. For her part, Iris had been an attentive listener, staying quiet and letting Caitlin work through everything she'd kept on her mind since the day she had met Harry. When she had finished, Caitlin waited for Iris to pass judgment or offer advice but the woman was silent and thoughtful for a long time. When she pressed, Iris put her hand on Caitlin's and gave it a supportive squeeze before speaking.

"Barry and I clicked instantly; I didn't have to question it. We just had to get there. Maybe you're not quite ready."

"I don't.. I'm not sure Iris. Barry obviously adores you."

"I know. I know what you're saying Caitlin. I don't think I have it as bad as you, but I felt like I found my other half when Barry and I finally got together. And it was a relief. Like it was meant to happen, even though it's been like three weeks." Iris continued, trying to explain and Caitlin looked surprised.

"You never said anything about feeling the same way I am though", Caitlin said, puzzled. Iris shook her head and offered a smile.

"I didn't. It just felt... right Cait. There wasn't any other idea that made sense."

Caitlin frowned when she'd heard what her friend was saying and something in her mind would not accept it. The sense of being incomplete, of missing something had been a constant companion for days now, and it wasn't something that felt like it would just disappear because she... liked someone. She was somewhat jealous at the ease in which Iris had described her situation, but she couldn't be upset with her friend. No, Caitlin was unhappy about the idea that one person could change her life as irrevocably and as easily as just showing up in the right place, at the right time one day.

But each time she tried to think about how impossible it was, or how unlikely the situation was, she found her mind clearing and Harry suddenly there. The feeling of it being right, of it being inevitable left her both comforted and afraid. Before Iris had left, she'd given Caitlin a long hug and offered a final piece of advice.

"Maybe the reason you're having such a hard time is because you're fighting it. Maybe he is too. Give in, go with it. Maybe you'll find what it is you're looking for."

Sighing softly, Caitlin looked around at the street, seeing it for the first time since she'd left Jitters. It took her a good ten steps further to realize she had gone the wrong way out of the coffee shop. She stopped abruptly and threw an exasperated look around and turned to head towards her apartment.

Except her feet didn't want to move. Cautiously, Caitlin turned back the way she had been going and felt the sudden sense that it was the right way to go. Once more she turned back towards home and once more it felt wrong. Thinking back to what Iris had said before she'd left for the conference, Caitlin frowned as she looked back up the way she had been going. It felt like she was fighting something. It felt like she was missing something. She pulled in a shaky breath and turned to fully faced the way she had been going and took a tentative step forward. It felt right. Just as she was about to take another, a hand came up to rest on her shoulder with a gentle pressure and she heard a familiar voice say her name softly.

"Snow."

The rush of relief made Caitlin dizzy, hearing that familiar voice and knowing it was exactly what she needed at that moment. She turned and as she did, Harry's hand slid from her shoulder to trail gently down her arm before he pulled it away. He was watching her intently, hands shoved back into his coat pockets. The mix of concern and relief was plain on his face but his eyes were guarded.

"I think we need to talk Caitlin."

X

The pair walked in silence in the direction that Caitlin had initially set out in. Side by side, neither spoke, neither knowing how. Occasionally one would brush against the other as they wove their way around people and obstacles on the busy city street, but it all faded to background noise as they came back together each time. Harry still had his hands in his pockets where they twitched occasionally as he thought about taking her arm in his and keeping her close. He resisted the idea and unhappiness settled deeper in his mind each time he clenched his hands to to stop himself from doing what they seemed to want so badly.

Harry and Caitlin had said a brief goodbye at the coffee shop the day Caitlin left for her conference. It had been hard to see her go and it was only then that Harry realized the depth of their apparent connection. She was what had been missing, the part of something he'd never even realized he'd been looking for. And from the look on her face as she smiled and said goodbye to him he knew that there was something there for her as well. But a part of him had still not been willing to accept it. He'd known her for a matter of weeks, and despite their first run in, Harry was enthralled by her. Fate seemed to be intent on either torturing him or rewarding him because it felt like he was destined to keep running into her. As the days passed, he'd found himself hoping he'd see her. There had been a few quiet, but quick conversations after the day Jesse had met her, and Harry knew that he had started looking for Caitlin wherever he went. It bothered him at first, the feeling that he seemed to need her to feel complete. Because that's exactly what it felt like. She completed whatever was missing. It scared him too,and when he'd met her the day she'd been leaving, he'd been on the verge of flat out asking her if she could feel something between them the way he could.

But he'd lost his nerve and she'd left him for four days. He'd never been so miserable.

He'd texted Henry that day, casually enquiring about the success of the conference and trying to ask when they would be back without giving away the depth of his interest. Henry had laughed over the phone when he'd called him back, called Harry on his poor attempt at subtlety and told him what time Caitlin's flight was before wishing him good luck.

Harry felt relieved by the information even if it should have felt like an invasion of privacy. He couldn't bring himself to care.

He'd been distracted at work for the entire weekend. So much so that his business partner, Cisco Ramon, had more or less barred him from the building. As he packed up to leave, Cisco had sat on the chair at his desk and fiddled with a few of his things. Usually Harry would tell his partner and closest friend to get lost, but his heart wasn't in it and Cisco knew something was wrong.

"Harry, whoever she is, you need to go and get her because honestly dude, I can't deal with this" he said as he motioned at Harry and shook his head.

"I don't know what you're talking about Crisco."

"Dude, come on." the younger man said, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"It's not that simple." Harry snapped, pacing away from the desk, hands on his hips.

"So make it simple." As if it was the easiest thing in the world.

"Oh make it simple? Why didn't I think of that. You're a genius Ramon." Harry whirled towards at him, throwing his arms up in frustration and glaring at the younger man.

"You know just because you're so good at sarcasm doesn't mean you need to be a dick all the time!" But Cisco wasn't mad, in fact he'd be concerned if Harry had reacted any other way. As it was, Cisco knew that Harry was waiting for something, even if his friend couldn't put a name to it. And he knew Harry would get there eventually, even if the man was stubborn as hell. Maybe he just needed a push in the right direction.

"Look, Harry. Call her. Find her. Do whatever. At least talk to her."

"And then what?" Harry asked, not looking at his friend.

"Dude, whatever is supposed to happen will happen. But you can't fight it."

"I'm not. I.." Harry argued but Cisco cut him off.

"Like the ice queen of Arendale once said, 'Let it go' man." the younger man said with a grin. Harry stared at him, face completely blank, unamused. "All I'm saying is you can't fight something inevitable. It's not like we can change time or anything. You've just got to go with it."

So Harry left the lab and allowed himself to be led where he needed to go. He searched inside of himself for clues, trying to recall the feeling of being less than whole that had been his constant companion. But it didn't work and he was frustrated quickly by his inability to feel anything other than lost.

So he tried to let that feeling go. Cursing Cisco under his breath, Harry had sat up on his couch the night before and waited for whatever was supposed to happen. But nothing did. And he couldn't stop his disappointment with himself.

Then the image of Caitlin's hand in his grew in his mind and he'd jumped slightly with the memory of each burst of static between them whenever they'd touched. The sense of longing had grown in him again but it was purely because he missed her then, and he knew suddenly where he needed to be when she got back.

So he was there, waiting.

X