Here's ch 7 guys!

Quick question: does anyone know where I got the title of my story from? It's from a song, but I was just wondering if you knew which one.

Okay, just a warning, this chapter is like really long. I know you won't mind, but it's double what my chapters usually are so I tried to evenly split it up in order to make it easier to read :) I am absolutely loving all the reviews and follows and favs! Thank you guys so much for taking time out to read whatever crazy ideas come into my mind!

And for the A part of our Q&A (you guys are hilarious btw)

ArabianForest- Aww thank you! I hope your Fourth of July went well also

Airsay- Thanks so much for the positive feedback! It's good to hear that you all think I'm doing these characters justice!

Raquel- I actually stole a few lyrics from the song "Can't Say I'm in Love" from Hercules! It was stuck in my head and writing it was kind of an outlet to get it out of my mind! haha I really hope you do laugh because I definitely did ;) Haha I totally get it! I am such a spazz and I get excited so easily and just go on and on (like right now...) haha I love your reviews! Your funny :)

snnowfrostt- Haha yeah I love big sister/mother/wife Caitlin. She's such a badass. Lol "Snowbarisco"! Ughh you're so lucky! haha I want to catch up on all these movies but I'm taking summer classes and working in the afternoons :( it really puts a damper on my summer vacation. Yeah, I could definitely incorporate Caitlin singing. But since I'm working on a later chapter, it might be a little while before you're able to read it! And i'll definitely make sure she still can't sing because, well, neither can I and it makes her more personable! Haha ;) Thank you for the support!


Chapter 7

~Caitlin's POV~

"Barry, is everything alright?" I ask

"Yeah. Why wouldn't it be" he immediately responds

I quirk my eyebrow at him

"Because we're here…and you haven't put me down yet"

Breaking out of his trance, he looks down as if just now noticing I am still locked tightly in his arms

"Not to mention the fact that you've been staring at the building like a little kid about to walk into a haunted house" I add

Barry instantly sets me down on my feet and takes a small step back

"Sorry, sorry. I'm just…thinking about the things I need to work on"

Jeez, he's as bad at lying as I am at singing.

A quiet sigh escapes my lips and I wish he could just tell me what's going on.

I won't judge him; he knows that and he is usually so open about coming to me for advice on everything.

If I'm being completely honest, I take a small amount of pleasure in being Barry's confidant; knowing my input is something he places in high esteem.

That's why it's a tad bit frustrating that he feels the need to lie to my face instead of telling me what's on his mind

'Almost as frustrating as you not being able to tell him what's on your mind'

I honestly wish I could perform a lobotomy on myself during times like these

Shaking it off, I start walking towards the precinct, Barry following behind hesitantly.


The doors to the elevator open and I step out, taking in the flurry of activity unfolding before my eyes.

The CCPD is always busy, regardless of the time or day. Crime and chaos tend not to be very considerate towards minuscule occasions like holidays or the untimely hour of the day.

I scan the precinct full of detectives, cops, analysts and search for a familiar face

"Dr Snow!"

I turn my head as Captain Singh approaches me with a rare smile

"Nice to see you drop by. I was beginning to wonder when we'd see your face around here again" he says, referring to the times I used to drop by and help Barry or assist on cases that fall in my area of expertise.

I greet him with a smile and shake his outstretched hand with firm professionalism

"Hi, Captain Singh. It's nice to see you again"

"Is there anything we can do for you?"

I shake my head "No not today," I turn my head slightly as Barry materializes beside me and gently places his hand on my lower back, the heat of his palm seeping through my dress and sending a small shiver down my spine "I'm just here to help Barry with a few things"

Captain Singh's smile erases and the familiar stony expression returns as he glances at Barry and I try to stifle a small giggle

"Well, then. I'm sure with your help Barry will actually finish his work on time" he emphasizes

I can almost feel Barry resisting the urge to roll his eyes

I throw a sideways glance at him, a silent warning not to do or say anything stupid, and address Captain Singh

"Of course. We'll get right on it"

The captain smiles at me once again "Okay, and if you ever need our help with anything over at S.T.A.R labs, don't hesitate to ask. We owe you a favor after you're help in stopping that psycho with the cold gun"

I thank him and begin walking as I feel the pressure of Barry's hand guiding me towards the stairs

"I don't understand why you always complain about Captain Singh" I say to him as he continues pushing me towards his lab

"He's a sweetheart" I say playfully, knowing full well he is about as sweet as black coffee

Barry looks down at me and frowns "Singh is not sweet. He's always finding something to yell at me for"

I chuckle "Do the majority of those tirades have to do with your being late?"

He gives a sheepish grin "More or less" he shrugs

We're almost to the staircase when I hear Eddie's familiar voice over the buzz of people around us

"Hey! Caitlin!"

I abruptly stop

Ignoring the incessant pressure of Barry's hand trying to push me up the stairs, I walk to Eddie, meeting him halfway for a hug

"Hi, Eddie" I mumble into his shoulder "how have you been?"

He lets go and looks down at me with those sparkling blue eyes

He really is a beautiful specimen.

"Good! I didn't expect you two to be here" he says with a knowing timbre

"I work here too, Eddie" Barry says, eyeing him with a hint of warning

Eddie just gives Barry a mischievous grin and I glance between the two.

Obviously I'm missing out on something here.

I disregard it for the moment and hold up my sample

"Centrifuge at the lab broke and Barry's letting me borrow the one here"

Eddie beams "How nice of him"

Barry acknowledges the compliment with a tight nod "Yup. And I spend my Saturday's volunteering at the soup kitchen" he mumbles sarcastically

He immediately turns to me, his chest brushing my shoulder "Shouldn't we be testing that sample now?"

I throw him a confused glance

Observing his increased fidgeting, I nod hesitantly "Yeaah..I'll see you later Eddie. Tell Iris I said Hello"

Eddie flashes a dimple "Will do, Caitlin" he promises

As we turn and begin walking away, I fix Barry with a hard stare. This is getting ridiculous.

It takes a few seconds before he notices, but when his eyes briefly skirt mine, he does a double take

"What?"

I huff at his perplexity "What was that all about?"

"I don't know what you mean" he says cooly

I know he's attempting to play coy, but I give him the benefit of the doubt "You were acting all spastic back there"

Barry opens the door to his lab and moves aside to let me in

I give him a pointed look as I walk in "It was weird" I finish

"I always act weird" he shoots back

I turn on my heel as he closes the door behind us and my hands find home on the curve of my hips. They know the drill for my interrogatory stance

"Well, you've been acting weirder than usual all day. So tell me what's wrong. Come on, spill."

"Nothing's wrong, Cait"

I watch as he takes his coat off, avoiding my laser sharp glad, and settles into his desk

If he's hiding something from me, it's most likely because he knows I will kill him if I find out.

I swear, if he's trying to hide an injury caused by his stupidity without telling me, even his speed won't be able to outrun my wrath.

Slowly, I begin walking towards him. The sound of my heels echo through the otherwise silent room

"Barry Allen, if you don't tell me what's wrong, I'm going to have to guess"

He jumps as I grab the back of his chair and turn it around to face me "And we both know you're terrible at lying"

I let the threat hang in the air and note his behavior

Barry's heart rate picks up as I lean in and he averts his eyes, focusing on anything but me

"Have you started getting headaches again?" I probe

"No"

"What about lightheadedness?"

"No."

"Does anything hurt?"

He rolls his eyes "No, I feel fine"

I scrutinize his face, honing in on the reddening of his cheeks, the way he keeps swallowing, and the small beads of sweat forming on his hairline

That's it!

Instantly, I place the back of my hand on his forehead and concentrate

Barry blinks in surprise "What are you doing?"

"Seeing if you have a fever"

I frown and remove my hand a few seconds later "Barry, you feel warm. Have you been drinking a lot of water?"

"Caitlin, I don't have a fever" the exasperation is clear in his tone

"How do you know? Maybe you can't tell because your body is accustomed to running at high temperatures. For all we know you could be severely dehydrated or lethargic!"

I was launching into full doctor mode

"What if you begin to have febrile convulsions? For a normal person they would only last a few minutes but for you? Who knows!" I throw my hands up

"You could begin convulsing so fast you have a seizure!" I say with alarm

Before I know it, Barry has his hand pressed against my mouth. He stares into my eyes with purpose, telling me to listen to him

"Cait," he begins sternly "I am fine. I'm not hurt. I don't have a fever, and I won't start having a seizure anytime soon"

I try to dispute his testimony, but his hand over my mouth makes me sound like an adult from a Peanuts cartoon.

Barry hinders a laugh at my attempt and his eyes soften

Pushing his hand away, I straighten up "Fine. Maybe you're not sick. But you can't tell me you haven't been rather distracted today"

I cross my arms loosely and match his soft eyes "And if you don't want to tell me, that's okay. But you know I'm always here if you do" I say with finality

His voice is impossibly soft and my heart warms at the sound of it "I know you are, Cait. Always"

Grabbing the sample, I make my way over to the centrifuge and start setting up

"Alright, then. Let's see what makes Reese tick"


*2 hours later*

I sigh and place my head in my hands, fighting off the dull headache growing stronger as the minutes pass

"Still nothing" I grouse "Every test came back normal"

Barry looks up from the pile of papers scattered across his desk "I guess we'll have to see what the QEEG tells us and go from there"

I begin to gnaw on my bottom lip. There has to be something else I can do

Barry's voice penetrates my thought bubble "Hey, you did all you could. Like always"

I look up "Of course. You should always give 100% in all things"

His eyes twinkle "Well, unless you're donating blood that is"

I smirk and lean back in my chair "You seem to be back to your normal self. Which isn't really all that normal now that I think about it.. But I was starting to worry there for a minute"

Barry sits up straighter and takes a breath "Yeah, sorry about that. And you were right, I was acting strange"

I tilt my head slightly, questioningly

"So, want to tell me why that is?"

He looks down at his hands "Well, I agreed to something a little while ago and you coming here kind of complicates that for me. It puts me in a tough position…It's actually kind of awkward"

I don't have the slightest clue what he's talking about, so I choose my words carefully "Well Barry, I don't want to make you feel trapped or uncomfortable. I can leave if it helps, I already tested the sample anyways" I offer

His head snaps up "No, you don't have to leave. I'm not even sure if it's going to happen today anyways. I was just worried that if it does, I don't want you to feel uncomfortable or pressured"

I feel even more bewildered than before, but by the look on his face, he seems relieved to get that off his chest.

Before I can ask him to clarify, we're interrupted by the distinct growling of my stomach.

Barry automatically adopts a disappointed expression "Caitlin,When's the last time you ate?" he questions with conviction

I run a hand through my hair and think

What did I have for lunch again? It feels like so long ago

Oh, yeah. I was cleaning the lab and getting Reese's blood sample. So I opted to skip lunch.

Breakfast? Let's see..

I begin sifting through my memory, trying to recall this morning's routine

This particular morning I was running a bit late because my alarm clock decided I looked tired and needed to sleep in. So I didn't have time to make breakfast and took a granola bar to eat when I got to work

…which is still in my bag.

Barry sees me eye my purse and practically reads my thoughts, immediately scowling

"Err..what time is it?" I inquire

"Caitlin!" he reprimands "You can't ignore the things you need because you're focused on helping someone else!"

Oh, the irony.

Too tired to engage in an argument, I put my hands up in surrender

"Okay, okay. Just let me make a few copies of these results and then I'll run over to the Thai restaurant and pick us up some food"

Barry sighs "Okay. But if you keep forgetting to eat, I'll tell Iris all about your mutual love for shopping"

I crinkle my nose "But I hate shopping"

He gives me a devilish grin "I know. But she won't. And she was just saying how much she needed to find another friend to spend the entire day with. You know, wasting hours going from store to store, trying on all kinds of clothes and shoes and-"

"Okay I get it! I won't forget" I interrupt quickly

Barry smiles smugly at me as I collect the data and stand

I can't believe he just blackmailed me.

Scratch everything I ever said about him being a hero. He just used my hatred for shopping as leverage. The smug little jerk.

"I'll be right back" I shake my head at him in disapproval as I leave

He shoots me a wink and I'm caught off guard by the gesture. I allow my hair to fall in front of my face in order to hide the blush crawling up my cheeks and mentally curse him for easily having such an effect on me.


I weave my way through the throng of CCPD workers and find the copy machine. I start it up and watch the agonizingly slow process of copying begin, tapping my fingers against the machine and willing it to go faster.

It's finally finished when I hear my name yet again

"Caitlin?"

My body programmed to respond, I turn around and find myself face to face with

"Iris, hi!"

Giving her a warm smile, I set down the papers in my hands

"Are you here to visit Eddie?" I ask

She shakes her head "No. Well, I mean I'll probably say hi to him for a minute or two but I'm here for Barry"

Confusion washes over me "Barry? Why?"

"We're supposed to go to lunch… well, I guess it would be dinner since it's already like 5"

What?

Why would he be going to dinner with Iris if he just told me that..

Oh.

That's what he was going on about. Why he feels "awkward" and why me being here "complicates things". Because he wants to spend quality time with the woman he loves and I'm here. Getting in the way of that..

"Oh. I see" is all I can say

"Are you helping with a case he's working on?"

I bite the inside of my cheek and shake my head "No, I was just testing a sample in his lab. I think I'm actually about to lea-"

"Cait," I stiffen and my heart drops as I hear Barry's voice getting closer "there's something I need to tell y - Hey Iris!"

I observe as he glances at the woman next to me, realizes who it is, and lights up like a Christmas tree.

I note his reaction, memorize his facial expression, and store it away for later; for the moments I ever feel like I should just tell him the truth.

I know I said I want Barry to be happy. Know that I would help him attain the happiness he desires regardless of how I feel. God knows he deserves it more than anyone I've ever met. But I'd be lying with every fiber, every crevice of my being if I said it didn't hurt like hell.

Especially after all the affectionate words and syllables he professed only hours ago.

I swallow the lump forming in my throat as I watch the object of my affections completely melt in front of the woman of his dreams.

You can see it in his eyes; he's wrapped around her finger, ready to give her the world on a silver platter if she would only ask. The image will be burned into the back of my eyes so I will not, cannot, shall not forget.

She gives him a carefree smile, one that is untainted and untroubled by the burdens of the world "Hey Barr, you ready to go eat? Wait, I don't even have to ask. It's you we're talking about. Your stomach is a bottomless pit"

Barry looks quizzically at Iris for a moment, then a flash of recognition crosses his face

"Oh! Right. Our lunch date"

Then his eyes fix on me. He's trying to decide what to do next.

I refuse to give in, keeping my focus strictly on Iris

He continues with a tone of uncertainty, still trying to catch my eye "Actually, Caitlin was-"

"Just leaving." I interrupt, taking a stab at nonchalance

Grabbing my copies, I turn to Iris "I recommend the Thai restaurant across the street"

Iris gives an appreciative smile and I spin on my heel, desperate to get out of here and as far away from Barry as I can.


~Barry's POV~

*6 minutes earlier*

I watch Caitlin head downstairs and feel pride swelling in my chest for being the sole cause of the slight pink currently adorning her cheeks

I attempt to concentrate on the work before my eyes, but I can't shake the feeling that I should just tell Cait my reservations about Asher.

She needs to know that Eddie and Joe are expecting me to play matchmaker between the two, no matter how awkward it will be. But her being here complicates things for me because I can't! He's not the right person for her and I'm in a tough position because I have to say something. I'm not even sure if he'll ask her out today, but I don't want her to feel pressured to agree to anything if she's not ready.

I need to warn her before Joe or Eddie introduces them.

Completely ignoring the work before me, I push away from my desk and stand

Rolling my shoulders back, I make my way downstairs to find Caitlin.

'Just tell her how you feel about Asher'

'Just tell her how you feel about Asher'

I repeat this mantra in my head over and over again while I search for the brunette.

Why is this so difficult for me?

I've always been fiercely protective over the people I care about. It's just how I am.

But never have I felt so..frantic about it all.

I feel like I'm on a headlong sprint. Just racing to get to her before something happens and she's ripped away from me forever. I have no clue why I'm in such a frenzy over this.

If my mind could stop and think about this logically, it would realize there's nothing and no one that's going to harm her.

But it can't ,and right now, no 'logical' thinking will squander the tingling extending to every limb or the sound of my heart beating too fast in my chest as I search for her.

Then I see her. Spot the wave of loose curls only about four yards away and my heart leaps to my throat.

The weight on my shoulders crumbles at the sight of her and my lips move on their own accord

"Cait," I call, allowing her name to roll of my tongue with ease

Now, being so close to her proximity and breaking free from the anxiety burdening my mind, I gain the courage to reveal my worries "I need to tell y-" I begin as I approach her

Noticing a movement on my left, I glance at the person next to her and warmth instantly pools throughout every nerve

"Hey Iris!" I attempt to hide my enthusiasm. And fail. I wasn't expecting her here and the way my heart takes off on a high speed chase justifies the surprise.

I watch as she tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear and momentarily forget what I was about to say

"Hey Barr, you ready to go eat? Wait, I don't even know why I have to ask. Your stomach is a bottomless pit"

For a second, I feel like I've missed something and have to remember what day it is, making sure I'm not forgetting her birthday or a planned occasion.

Then last week's conversation surfaces to the forefront of my memory and a surge of happiness flows within me

"Oh! Right. Our lunch date"

I know it's not really a date, but just the word sends a small thrill down my spine

It only lasts a moment before I'm struck like-well, for lack of better word- lightning as I recall why I came downstairs.

My eyes shoot to Caitlin; she was just about to get us food herself

I don't know if Iris is aware of this or if Cait is going to join us or what. She won't look at me so I'm not sure what to say. I guess I'll start with the truth

"Actually" I begin "Caitlin was-"

To my surprise, she cuts in

"Just leaving" slips from her lips

Huh?

I just stare as she snatches her copies and looks at Iris, still refusing to meet my gaze "I recommend the Thai restaurant across the street"

My eyes nearly pop out of my head and I don't know why she's suddenly avoiding me. I don't know why she looks so defeated.

All I do know is that the fear from earlier is hitting me again like a freight train, clawing its way up my throat, throwing me in a state of panic

She turns on her heel and my arm instantly reaches out, fingers wrapping around her elbow

"Cait" I blurt out, her name holding so many emotions

Even to myself my voice sounds foreign, almost urgent for her to stay, to not walk out that door

Thankfully, she pauses. Slowly, she begins turning towards me

Before her eyes can meet mine, however, we are interrupted by Eddie..again.

"Hey, Caitlin!" he calls out.

Both our eyes immediately dart to him and I briefly forget the way my fingers are still pressing into the smooth skin of her arm

My eyebrows slightly crease as I spot someone in tow and then I am suddenly teetering on the edge of anxiety and raging fear

Because the man in tow is none other than Asher.


If there was ever a moment when I wished I could reverse time, now would be that time. I would snatch Caitlin up and sprint at full speed out of this cursed building, as far away from Eddie, Asher and everyone else fast as my legs could carry us.

Eddie and Asher stop in front of Cait and Eddie reveals a wide grin "Caitlin, there's someone l think you should meet"

She tilts her head curiously as Asher steps forward and introduces himself

"Hi, my name's Asher. I've been looking forward to meeting you Caitlin. Or, would you prefer Dr Snow?"

I'm helpless to do anything but keep my hand clasped to her arm, physically anchoring myself to her in hopes of keeping her within my grasp- figuratively and literally.

Caitlin shakes his hand and a slight blush appears as Asher places a light kiss to the top of her hand.

How cliche. Cait would never fall for it

She cards her fingers through her hair, the nervous habit of hers only recognizable to me

"Caitlin is fine, thank you" she smiles at him "Nice to meet you, Asher"

Eddie, obviously excited by the prospect of being a wingman, automatically jumps in "Caitlin, who was that one painter you're always raving on about? Because Asher here is a major art collector"

Her interest piqued, Caitlin angles her body away from me and closer to Asher "Really? Is there a certain artist who you're drawn to? I am in love with every painting created at the hand of Thomas Kinkade"

Asher lights up "You're kidding! I own 6 Kinkades. And counting. I'm mesmerized by the way he can incorporate the element of light into every painting he makes"

I tilt my head up to the ceiling and resist the urge to throw my hands up and say "Really?" to the man upstairs.

You have got to be kidding me.

Seeing an opportunity, Iris attempts to use her self appointed wing woman position [ a stress on the self appointed part.]

"Hey, you two should join me and Eddie for drinks this Friday night. You can talk about all the other things you have in common"

Like Eddie, Iris is painfully obvious when it comes to matchmaking

Asher looks at Caitlin, MY friend Cait, and shrugs "I'm free this Friday night. What about you?"

I hold my breath and drill holes into the side of Caitlin's head

'It's okay to say no'

'It's okay to say no' I repeat, hoping that somehow she will get the message I'm trying to send her telepathically

I take in every action as she slowly draws in her bottom lip

I know that face all too well: She's debating over something and I can see the battle waging within her

For the first time since I came down here, her eyes dart to me, so fast I'm almost positive no one else noticed

A sliver of hope begins to shine inside me because maybe she did receive the message I'm trying to send her

It's squandered the next moment when she gives Asher a hesitant smile and nods "Sounds like a plan"

They swap numbers and go through the motions of saying goodbye-for the moment- but I'm suddenly detached from everything around me.

Although I'm only inches from Caitlin, still holding on to her arm, it's as if I'm watching from a distance

This is infinitely worse than anything I ever imagined when I came down here only minutes ago

The feel of her fingers uncurling mine from her arm brings me back to the here and now.

Turning to me and Iris once again, Caitlin stretches her mouth "Enjoy your dinner. And I'll see you this Friday, Iris"

Her smile is forced and I can tell that she knows I'm not buying it. Avoiding my eye again, she turns around and- just like that- walks out of the precinct, everything I wanted to say crumbling under the echo of her fading heels.

I sigh as Iris begins talking about where to eat and I've suddenly lost my appetite.

"Hey," I interrupt her "can we do lunch another day? I've got a lot of work to catch up on right now"

She nods and pats my arm "Of course. I'll go see if Eddie can sneak away for a few hours. See you later, Barr"

Giving her a smile as fake as Caitlin's, I trudge back up to my lab


"Hey" I feel someone poke my shoulder.

I ignore it.

"Hey, buddy" he says, this time shaking my arm "We're closing man" I hear

I moan and slowly open my eyes, trying to bring the world into focus

"Wha..? Where am I?" I mumble, rubbing my eyes in order to clear my vision

The man looks down at me with a hard stare "Central City Thai Cuisine. You've been in here for the past 2 hours.. ring a bell?"

I mentally groan. Yes, yes it does. And now I remember why I came here in the first place.

"You fell asleep. We left you alone, but we're closing now". The 'so get out' is implied

I stand up "Sorry about that."

I leave without another word and start walking towards the direction of home

I link my hands behind my head and look up at the night sky

"What is wrong with me?"


Haha even though I know I'm going to get a lot of reviews in caps lock for ending it like that, there's Ch 7! Wow, can you believe this chapter is over 5,000 words!? Back when I wrote this chapter, I must have had a lot of inspiration haha. But since I'm leaving tomorrow and won't be able to give you the next chapter for about a week, I think this is a good trade off :) Do you guys feel bad for poor Barry, or are you still frustrated with him? Haha for me it's probably a healthy dose of both, but let me know what you think! Oh, and if you've ever seen the Peanuts cartoon with Charlie Brown and Snoopy, you'd get what I meant with the adult thing. For those who don't get it, adults from the cartoon don't have a distinguishable voice, it sounds like "Wha whaaa wha waaa" haha :) I love how much snowbarry fluff and angst is stuffed in this chapter! It was definitely a challenge and a pleasure to write