So here's the next chp. Based around ep. 9 of season 2. Writing it... feel like its a lot shorter than what I usually write, or maybe I feel that way coz it took less time to write. Not sure but anyways.. It's not so episode heavy but I hope you guys enjoy nontheless.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Flash nor its characters.
Barry's POV
*Barry's Apartment*
Lying next to her, Barry began tracing little circles on her bare shoulder. Afterwards he leaned down planting a dozen tiny kisses from her shoulder to her neck until he found her lips.
"You know we won't be able to get out of bed if you keep doing that." She giggled between short chaste kisses.
Barry laughed, a small grumble leaving his throat feeling a smile stretch across her face as he pressed his lips to her neck.
"It's not entirely my fault." He teased pulling away.
"Babe you do realize that you did initiate that?" she smirked.
"Are you complaining?" he flirted, his eyes smouldering as he devoured every detail of her naked body.
Caitlin didn't say anything. She just reached out for his hand, threading her fingers through his and leaned in to kiss him square on the lips before pushing him back down and chambering on top of him.
"No." she grinned.
As Caitlin rested her head on his chest, her eyes angled out towards the window. Barry soothed his hands over her arms his head turning to watch the same setting sun cross behind the buildings far away.
Mesmerized by the fading colours of daylight, Barry didn't realize that all that while Caitlin had been staring quietly at him. Feeling her warm breath on his skin, Barry turned to face her, a lazy smile spreading across his face.
Barry felt his heart soar, as he took in the beauty of the woman he loved. A picture of perfection as the orange and yellow shades of light, highlighted the soft and delicate features of her face. Ever so slowly, Caitlin slid her body up towards him, her body hovering over him as she kissed him hard. Barry slid his arms slowly across her back before pulling her down into him. Their kiss deepening with a hungry passion. With the heat rising between them, Barry used his speed to flip her over so that she was beneath him.
A low hum escaped from Caitlin's mouth, exciting him. Just as things began heating up, the doorbell chimed. Neither of them stopped, hoping that if they ignored the sound… it would just go away. For few seconds it worked until it chimed again. In that moment, Caitlin burst into laughter. Barry pulled away his forehead leaning against her shoulder. Seriously? He yelled silently. Barry felt the rumbles of her laughter radiating from her chest. Barry pushed himself up so he could look at her.
Her laughter was infectious, Barry couldn't help but laugh.
"You should probably get that." She patted him on the chest as she bit down on her lip to stop her from laughing.
Barry nodded as Caitlin pushed him to her side, gathering up the sheets she wrapped around her as she slid out of bed.
Barry huffed out into the mattress as he watched Caitlin scramble away from him and into the bathroom. As the doorbell rang out once again, Barry scurried around the room, throwing on his discarded clothes from the previous night back on before answering the door.
Just as he finished buttoning up his shirt, Barry caught a glimpse of Caitlin as she dropped the bed sheet from her body, exposing her soft skin. Barry swallowed hard as he saw her step into a deep blue skin tight dress.
With the doorbell incessantly buzzing, Barry's attention was pulled back. As he reached out to open the door, Iris came barrelling almost knocking him to the ground. Barry's expression turned into a deep concern as he saw his best friend begin pacing up and down the walkway.
"Oh hey Iris." Caitlin welcomed as she leaned against the couch slipping into her high heels.
Barry noticed as Iris immediately stopped. A little surprised to see Caitlin there. There was a brief moment where Iris' eyes darted back and forth between the two of them, piecing things slowly together.
"Oh I'm sorry." She apologized, her voice low and soft.
Suddenly Barry was growing more concerned. She didn't seem like herself.
"No, it's okay." Caitlin smiled standing back up straight with two feet firmly back on the ground.
"I'll leave you two to it. I should get to S.T.A.R Labs."
"I'll see you at Christmas." She said waving good bye as Caitlin grabbed her coat off the counter.
"Yeah okay bye." She smiled, waving back kindly.
Barry caught Caitlin's eye, smiling apologetically, his hand brushing against hers as she made her way out. As Caitlin shut the door behind them, Barry turned his full attention to Iris who was watching him wide eyed.
"I'm so happy for you. Truly." She said genuinely as she dropped her things on the couch behind her.
"Thank you I… It means a lot to me. I don't know… its Wells left me that message where he said that I'd never really be happy and for a while I was really starting to believe him and now… I'm the happiest because she said y-" Barry began to say when he caught a glimpse of Iris from the corner of his eye. She seemed to be in her own little world. Her mind far off thinking.
"Are you okay what's wrong?" He asked reaching out to her concerned.
"I'm so sorry, I can't keep this in anymore Barry." She said as she turned away pacing up and down the room.
"What?" Barry asked, moving himself in front of her so she'd stop and tell him what was bothering her.
"I know that I was so mad at you and dad for not telling me that you were the Flash, but when I found out about this… I didn't know what to do." She blurted out fast.
"Wh—What's going on?" he repeated, his voice more heavy with concern.
"When Francine came back, my dad told me not to trust her and he was right. I didn't know how much… when my mother left us she was pregnant. She had a son. Joe's son… my brother." She confessed with a heavy sigh.
It seemed as though telling lifted a massive weight off her shoulders and she could finally breath again.
Barry didn't really know what to say but "What's his name?"
"Wally… Wally West." She stammered.
"When I found out I told her to leave and never come back and never tell my dad but Barry I feel… I feel like this is hallowing me out every time I look at dad. I feel like I'm hurting him. I don't… I don't know what to do." She began to cry.
"I think you know what to do." Barry whispered as Iris fell into his arms.
"I can't… It's going to kill him." She sobbed harder at the guilt eating away at her conscience.
"No it won't. You don't have to do this alone we can do this together." He cooed as he tightened his arms around her.
"Thank you."
Pulling away, Barry adjusted himself so they were both looking out his floor to ceiling window view.
"Hey look snow… Maybe it'd be a white Christmas." He said squeezing her shoulder.
"That would be nice." Iris whispered wiping away her tears.
Caitlin's POV
*S.T.A.R Labs*
After quickly changing into the spare clothes at the lab, Caitlin straightened herself out before joining Cisco and Jay in the cortex.
"Hey Caitlin, take a look at this." Jay greeted as he popped back into the other room.
Caitlin waved across the room towards Cisco before following Jay into the other room. She found him staring intently at the screen monitor in front of him. Reaching his side, Caitlin focused on the screen, assessing what he had been working on.
"I was just thinking that if we could inject an unstable neutrino burst into the individual breaches it might cause them to seal on their own." Jay began explaining.
"And stop Zoom from travelling back and forth between our worlds." Caitlin concluded excitedly at the prospect of hindering Zoom from travelling back to their Earth.
"Least then wouldn't have to worry about him sending anymore metahumans over for Barry to fight." Jay smiled as he watched her bounce up and down a little excited.
Catching him staring at her, Caitlin cleared her throat turning to him a serious look on her face.
"It means a lot." She smiled warmly at him.
"What does?" Jay muttered.
"You looking after Barry. He's been through a lot these past few weeks. It means a lot to him. It means a lot to me. So thank you." She said turning away.
"Barry's not the only person I want to keep safe." She overheard Jay whispered softly.
Caitlin wasn't sure if she was meant to hear that but Jay knew she was involved with Barry, but in case she felt like she was obligated to set things straight. She considered Jay a dear friend but nothing more. She just needed to make sure he knew that too.
"Look… Jay..." She began taking a step closer to him.
"Hey guys there you are. Oh did I interrupt something?" Cisco said throwing his hands up apologetically.
Caitlin rolled her eyes. Her best friend could have the worst timing.
"No. Is everything alright?"
"Yeah I keep checking but all is quiet on the metahuman front. Hey do you think Zoom decided to take Christmas off?" Cisco shrugged optimistically.
"What's Christmas?" Jay asked looking between her and Cisco.
Caitlin was suddenly lost for words. It kind of stunned her that Jay didn't know what Christmas was. Looking to Cisco who was no longer standing in the door way, Caitlin huffed out unsure of how to explain so began rambling the best description she knew.
"Oh well it's this holiday we have here where we cut down trees and sing songs to celebrate the birth of a baby 2000 years ago and the romans killed him so we give each other gifts." She breathed out after she finished walking them back into the cortex.
"That's your explanation?" Cisco laughed from the opposite side of the room.
Caitlin caught his eye, returning him with a glare.
"I know what Christmas is." Jay teased, seeing her uneasiness.
Caitlin took a deep breath. Right. Of course he knew what Christmas was. Laughing off her embarrassment, Caitlin turned back to Jay.
"Oh. Right of course. Um you know Joe and Barry, Iris and I are having people over for Christmas Eve so I know you technically don't have you family here, and they said we could invite whoever we want."
"And... and who do you want?" Jay stammered as he looked at Caitlin with wide searching eyes.
"Well no one should be alone for Christmas so I want to invite you… and I'm pretty sure Barry's inviting Joes new partner Patty… who knows maybe you to might even hit it off." She replied feeling a bit uneasy with Jay looking at her so intently.
There was beat of silence and no reply. Caitlin felt a bit awkward as she saw the disappointment shadow across Jay's face.
"Yeah come Jay…" Cisco encouraged breaking the tension.
Glad for the assistance, Caitlin let out a deep breath as Jay nodded silently before walking away creating a bit of distance between them.
Barry's POV
*S.T.A.R Labs*
"Oh ho ho yeah. Weather Wizard… Captain Cold and the Trickster!" Cisco voiced placing his hands on his hips as he tore himself away from the monitor to face the rest of the team worried.
"There's three of them and one of you. I do not like those odds." Caitlin said shakily.
"And I am going to be no help without my speed so…" Jay shrugged in agreement.
"Oh Oh light bulb… up here I have an idea. Most weather phenomenon's are marked, no pun intended by a change in electric charge in pressure in the atmosphere. We could just map out those fluctuations to…" Cisco began excited.
"Pinpoint his location." Barry finished, realizing that he had heard this all before.
"Right it would just be a matter of rem—" Cisco continued a little surprised by Barry's quick response.
"-Removing all of the electricity from his immediate surroundings. Attracting it to one spot." Barry said alongside Cisco.
"The same way a lightning rod does. Instead a lightning rod we could use a-"
"-A wand." Barry finished with a smile.
"Have we already had this conversation?" Cisco muttered looking at Barry with a very confused expression on his face.
"Kind of." Barry shrugged trying to avert everyone's curious eyes, but to no success.
"What does that mean?" Harry interrogated.
Throwing his arms up, Barry began to explain.
"Ahh, alright so the last time Martin attacked he um generated a tidal wave that destroyed all of Central City."
"So why aren't you all sleeping with the fishes?" Harry eyed everyone in the room.
"Earth two has the godfather?" Cisco asked.
"Every earth has the Godfather." Harry replied flatly.
"So I ran back through time one day into the past and I got a do over and I stopped Martin before he could hurt anyone."
"You shouldn't have messed with the timeline." Harry breathed out heavily.
"That's what the other Wells said. So the good news is, that in that timeline you created the wand and it worked. So you just got to do it again. For the first time." Barry said turning back to Cisco.
"Yeah… no pressure." He laughed nervously in response.
"I could give you a hand?" Jay offered.
"Best of both worlds?" Cisco smiled.
"I like that." Jay nodded.
As the two off them rushed off to Cisco's workspace, Barry sat himself down on the desk, ruffling his hand through his hair.
Looking up, he observed Harry unusually quiet.
"You good Harry?" Barry asked concerned.
"Yeah why wouldn't I be?" he replied bluntly before stalking away.
Barry watched after Harry, unaware as Caitlin made her way over to him until she was standing right in front of him. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Barry locked his fingers together around her waist as she leaned back, her brown eyes looking down at him.
"Holiday blues? Can't be easy knowing that Zoom still has his daughter." She whispered, her head looking over her shoulder to where Harry left.
"Yeah..." Barry huffed out.
Looking back up at her, Barry smiled before reaching up and kissing her.
"Hey babe I'll be see you later there's something I got to deal with." He mumbled against her lips before kissing her again and untangling himself from her to leave.
*Barry's Lab*
Barry sat on the edge of his seat uneasy, as Iris paced nervously up and down the room. Just as Barry opened his mouth to try and sooth her down, Joe walked in.
"Hey... hah okay…. So the last time the two of you were looking at me like that was when you both took my convertible for a joy ride and wrapped it around that big old oak tree on Fairmount drive." He laughed as he stood back eyeing both his children.
"Dad I-" Iris stuttered.
Suddenly she was lost for words. Barry looked back and forth between Iris and Joe as she stared up at him, water pooling in her eyes.
"Right Joe we have something we need to tell you." He said stepping in.
"No umm… I have something I need to tell you. It's about Francine." Iris choked, blinking away the tears.
Barry stepped back, offering his support knowing that Iris needed to be the one to tell Joe the truth. At Francine's name, Joe went completely silent. He could only stare unspeaking… unsure.
"When she left us… she was pregnant." Iris confessed.
Barry lurched up out of his seat as he saw Joe fumble, like his legs were about to give way. But Joe held up his hand, turning him away. Joe placed a hand over his mouth as he brushed past both of them looking out the window.
"Did she have the baby?" he whispered.
"Yes. His name is Wally… Wally West." Iris cried, her arms wrapped protectively around herself.
"It's short for Wallace… that's what we were going to name you if you were a boy." Joe stuttered, his back still turned to them.
"I only found out a couple of weeks ago… dad I am so sorry that I didn't tell you sooner. That's why she reached out after all these years. She wanted us to before she -" Iris began to apologize, tears falling down her cheek as she tried reaching out to her father.
Joe turned around to face them, his eyes red rimmed and distant.
"Before she died… And I thought Francine had run out of surprises. I have to get to work." He said hastily as he scooped up the jacket he had thrown over Barry's desk.
"Dad listen… dad." Iris called reaching for Joe.
But Joe held up his hand, stepping away stopping her dead in her tracks.
"I'm sorry. Just let me sit with it." He said and left.
In that moment, Iris collapsed. Crying hysterically, Barry rushed to her side cradling her as she wept.
*Pipeline*
After the unexpected visit from Snart, Barry headed back to S.T.A.R Labs to update the rest of the team. With Joe nowhere to be seen, Barry left the cortex in search for him. Turning a corner, Barry saw Joe leaning against the wall of the entrance of the pipeline with his eyes closed.
"Hey…" Barry called out to his adoptive father.
"I was just thinking about it… a big drug bust me and Singh made about 10 years ago. After we went out for lunch to treat ourselves for a job well done and while we were ordering, I got this feeling in my chest. Like my heart was being squeezed. And I knew something wasn't right. So I called your school and the nurse said to me that she was just about to call me. Iris was on the way to the hospital."
"When her appendix burst." Barry recalled.
"And I knew it. I could feel it…. Right here." Joe emphasised his hand over his chest.
"I knew my kid needed me. So if I have that feeling as a parent… why didn't I feel it for my son?" he asked desperately even though he probably knew Barry didn't know the answer.
"Joe I mean it's not your fault that you didn't know about him." Barry said lightly, unsure of what to say.
"Yeah it was. When Francine left that last time… I should have looked for her. I'm a cop… I could have found her. Brought her back here. Tried again… tried harder."
"You were protecting Iris." Barry defended.
"I've been telling myself that for 20years. A 20year lie but I wasn't protecting her, I was protecting myself. I couldn't stand it anymore. I couldn't… I hated not being able to help Francine. So it was easier for her to be dead… out my life out of our lives. But it wasn't for iris. I was being selfish. And that poor boy paid the price."
"Joe…"
"He never had a father. To read to him at night… to show him how to throw a football… to make him feel safe and loved. Who told him to be a man Barry?" Joe cried, looking away ashamed.
"Him… I can't even say his name… what have I done."
Lost for words, Barry moved closer to his father, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Joe you have been there for me every day since I meet you… you have. I know you would have done the same if you knew. I'm sorry." Was all he could say.
*Moments later*
Strolling back into the cortex with Joe by his side, both Jay and Cisco looked at him with a wide grin plastered across their face. Barry watched them with curious eyes as they stepped aside to unveil the wand.
"Barry how does it look?" Jay asked.
"Eerie familiar." Barry whispered as he picked up the wand.
"How's Patty? Joe told us she has history with Martin?" Caitlin asked as she joined the boys.
"She is hiding a lot of pain behind her smile." He whispered his eyes focusing on the wand.
"The thing is she only opened up to the Flash, so even if did talk to her I wouldn't know what to say." Barry smiled as he looked back up at Caitlin.
"Well it's been my experience that being around you is a big help." She said warmly as she nudged him in the arm.
"Thanks babe" he whispered in her ear as he pulled her close kissing the top of her head.
*Later that night back at S.T.A.R Labs*
After an eventful night many children will remember, Barry had returned back to S.T.A.R Labs after having dropped Patty back off at her apartment. After everything that has happened over the course of 24 hours, Barry realized in having talked down Patty from killing Martin, that he too hadn't let go of his pain… of his hatred of Wells. And if he was ever going to beat him… if he was ever going to have a future and be happy he needed to let that pain and hate go. As he stared his suit he knew what he needed to do.
"Bar hey."
Spinning around, Barry welcomed Joe with a warm smile.
"Hey." He whispered, shoving his hands into his pockets.
"Everybody's heading over to our place for Christmas. You okay?" he asked concerned.
"Yeah… nothing like some metahuman re-generative healing can't cure. How did it go with Francine?" Barry replied shrugging his shoulders, changing the subject.
"It was good. Really good actually. I mean I spent so long lying about her being dead I start believing it. But those feelings were always there that anger that guilt… I just didn't realize how much I needed to forgive her. And now there's room for another West." He said excitedly as a grinned stretched out across his face.
"Did you meet him?" Barry choked out, trying to hide the fact that it did pain him a little that Joe had a son.
"No he still doesn't know but that will come." He whispered.
"You have a son." Barry reiterated trying to sound excited and to convince himself that he was okay with it.
"I know! Speaking of which…"
Barry's eyes crossed down to Joe as he began working to take off his family's watch he knew had been passed down from father to son.
"oh no I can't take that." Barry said shaking his head.
"No I always said that I would give this to my son. And now I have." Joe argued, placing the watch in Barry's hands.
Barry took a moment, looking down at the watch, he felt the water reach his eyes as he took his father into a strong embrace.
"Thank you." He whispered.
"I love you." Joe said patting the back of his head, holding him close.
"Love you too. I'll see you back at the house." Barry said pulling away.
After Joe left, Barry immediately placed the watch on his wrist. Looking down at it Barry smiled. Wiping away loose tears, Barry made his way over to the treadmill room. Looking in across the panel window Barry, watched over Harry.
"I know that you're not him. But he's not here and I need to say this for me. In that video message you said... you said that I'd never really be happy and I've been trying, trying really hard. And after what Joe said… helping Patty. I realized your still in my heart. How much I hate you. Hate you for what you've done. I don't want to hate you anymore I can't. I can't hate you anymore. I forgive you." He cried.
I forgive you. He repeated.
"You need me for something." Harry's voice cut though the speakers.
"No. No, I'm good. You know you should really come over Christmas tonight, you shouldn't be alone." Barry muttered, trying to regain his composure.
"It's a nice offer but I can't. Not without my daughter." He replied before turning back to whatever he was working on.
"Alright." Barry nodded turning away to leave.
*West Residence*
As Barry got home, everyone was already there waiting for him by the open fire as they chatted animatedly amongst themselves sipping some of Gran's famous Eggnog. The sight of his family warmed Barry's heart as he stepped in unnoticed, watching as everyone laughed and joked happily.
Suddenly he caught the eye of a pretty brunette who without a word, smiled and made her way over to him. With a mug of eggnog in hand, Caitlin slung her arms around him, interlocking her them around his neck. She seemed light and a little tipsy. The sight of her made him laugh. As everyone around them, seemingly unaware of his presence, Barry looked down at Caitlin, her eyes warm and inviting. Leaning down he placed a soft his on her lips.
Pulling away Barry, grazed his hands over her arms, taking her hand in his before dragging her away.
"Come with me." He whispered still tasting the lingering taste of cinnamon on his lips.
Slipping away from the warm lights down stairs, Barry pulled Caitlin behind him upstairs and into his childhood room. Reaching down, Barry pulled the door open to his room, allowing Caitlin to stumble in first.
"What are we doing up here?" she questioned, as she swirled around to face him.
Barry gave her a half lazy smile as he took a moment to breathe in the sight of her. Slightly drunk, light on her feet, her hair free falling across her face as she danced free spiritedly on the spot.
Stepping forward Barry took both of Caitlin's hands in his.
"Do you remember when we were last up here? Last Christmas?" he whispered as he placed her hands on his shoulders, and his own gliding down to her waist.
"Yes…" she replied blushing as she looked away.
Barry reached under her chin, tilting her head up so he could see her face. As he spoke he began to sway on the spot.
"Do you remember the Christmas present you gave me?"
"I placed my hand in front of your face." She giggled.
Her chest humming against his own as her laughter escaped through her throat.
"It was one of the best nights of my life…" he whispered as he pushed Caitlin, spinning her out before pulling her back against him.
As they swayed slowly, Barry held her hand over his chest. His heart beating in a sure and steady rhythm as he continued to speak.
"In that moment I knew I wanted to be yours. I didn't know when or how but when I held your hand in mine I promised myself that however long it took, I was going to be the last man to place a ring on that finger."
Caitlin just hummed as she smiled longingly back into his eyes.
"Cait… this time last year I don't know if you realized or even meant to maybe have a forever with me… and the reason I was late tonight was because I picked this up from the jewellers. They called earlier saying that they'd finished cleaning it after… you know what happened." He trailed off dropping her hands; Barry fished out a diamond ring from his pocket… his eyes never leaving hers.
"And so tonight… I'm going to make this promise to you again." He added before kneeling down in front of her.
"My heart was never mine to own. It had always belonged to you. So I promise to be yours... forever. And now all I need to know is will you spend your forever with me?"
"Yes… yes… Again yes!" she repeated as she pulled him up taking him into her arms, her lips crashing into his.
Pulling away, Barry looked down slipping the ring back onto her finger. Where he knew it always belonged. Grabbing her on either side of her face, Barry pulled her lips to his. His lips soft and tender as their lips moulded together.
"Merry Christmas Cait." He breathed against her lips.
"Merry Christmas. I love you." She said kissing him back.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door and Cisco's head came peering through the crack in the door.
"There you guys are!" He exclaimed.
"Well if you two are done making out… dinners just about ready. And I'm hungrayy!" He emphasised as he patted his belly and turned to head back down stairs.
Caitlin leaned her forehead against his chest as they both burst out laughing.
"Come on we better get back down there." She giggled as she intertwined her fingers with his.
Caitlin's POV
As they made their way down the stairs hand in hand, everyone was already gathered into the dining room, dropping their glasses to the table as the last of the food was brought to the table by Joe and Iris.
"There you guys are!" Iris exclaimed as she dropped a dish of mash potatoes onto the table.
Turning to face them, Iris was the first to notice.
"OMG! When?! AAAHHHH!" She screamed as she came running up to Caitlin throwing her arms around her and pulling her into a strong embrace.
"And you didn't tell me!" She scolded glaring towards Barry as she playfully slapped him across the chest.
Caitlin could stop smiling.
"What? What's with all the screaming and slapping?" Joe asked confused and slightly concerned.
Caitlin just laughed as she turned to face Barry grinning uncontrollably.
"Come on let me see!" Iris bounced as she reached for Caitlin's hand.
Catching Barry's eye, both of them shrugged then nodded in agreement. After a beat, both of them turned back to the curious eyes of everyone in the room.
"We're engaged!" they shouted in unison.
Without hesitation the whole room roared with excitement and congratulations. In the next second, Caitlin accepted congratulatory hugs and kisses.
"Welcome to the family." Joe whispered as he kissed her on the cheek.
"Finally!" Cisco teased as he hugged her tightly.
Then Jay came around, looking a little out of place. A smile across his face, he nodded in her direction. Holding up a glass he mouthed a 'Congratulations'. Caitlin feeling a bit uneasy smiled and turned to thank everyone in the room. Brushing away the awkward glance from Jay, Caitlin leaned into Barry side just as the doorbell rang pulling them away from the celebrations.
