Godmother
They take the overnight train to Starling City after they get Diggle's text. Cisco remains behind with Dr. Wells to monitor for meta-human threats, better safe than sorry, and Iris makes them promise to send pictures as soon as they can (with baby Joe still sick, she's had to change her plans to go with). Caitlin reassures her they will and promises videos as well, before grabbing her already packed bag and meeting Barry in her living room (she's sure he's been waiting throughout the entirely of the phone call, practically vibrating with excitement).
He reaches for her bag, more to tame his nervous energy then chivalry (he knows better than most that Caitlin doesn't need it). "I take it Iris doesn't trust me to take pictures?" he teases. He'd popped over by the Thawne's on his way to her apartment, only to be given the same news Iris had called to share with Caitlin.
"I think she's just disappointed she's not coming and wants to cover all her bases," is the reply she gives as she shrugs on her coat and they move to leave. "But it could have something to do with the fact that you cried so much when Joey was born that she doesn't think you'll be able to manage." It had only been a few tears, she knows, but she can never resist giving him a hard time about it-she supposes she'd cry too, if her best friend gave birth and named her godparent.
"Funny Cait," always mature, he sticks his tongue out and grins.
They continue to chat and banter though the short walk to the train station, Barry still pulling both their bags along. Hands free, Caitlin pays for their tickets and rolls her eyes at his protests while they find a free set of seats away from the main crowd.
"Thanks for taking the train Barry." They're just starting the long ride, one she knows he could easily skip, ensuring he's there with the others in the waiting room as Felicity gives birth to her and Oliver's first child.
His facial expression turns puzzled by the comment, maybe a little hurt. "You know I'd never leave you behind Caitlin," and it's teetering on the edge of a level of sincerity they've both been tiptoeing for months now. In the years that have passed since they met, since he became the Flash, since Ronnie came back and Firestorm left, since Barry's confession to Iris and her eventual marriage to Eddie, since the birth of little Joseph Edward Thawne, since everything that has happened between those moments, they've been moving closer and closer into one another's gravity. Sometimes he thinks they're inevitable, sometimes he's terrified they aren't.
Iris berates Barry constantly about the situation, the way a lifelong friend who's tired of seeing their friend alone will do ("You love her Barry, you need to man up and do something about it" "She's everything you want and deserve, and you could be that for her, if you'd just tell her how you feel.") He's just so afraid of screwing this up, of losing the forever he's sure they could have, that he ignores her advice and they remain stagnant.
Before she can say a word in reply, Barry barrels on, covering the intensity of the comment: "besides, I'm okay with missing the messy part."
She laughs to hide the inkling of disappointment that cascades over her insides. (Iris spends plenty of time working Caitlin's side of the story too, enough that is makes her hopeful every time he says something like that, and horribly disappointed each time he covers it with something else). "How on earth can you process crime scenes, yet find babies being born disgusting, is beyond me Barry."
They lose themselves in light conversation and speculation about whether baby Queen will be a boy or a girl and what their name will be. Eventually, the long train ride gets to them and they fall asleep, side by side (and if Caitlin's head finds itself against Barry's shoulder well, he's not one to be bothered-not all saving the day involves beating bad guys.)
By the time they make it to Starling City, it's mid-morning and both their phones have been filled with "it's a girl!" messages from the various members of Team Arrow for the last hour. A follow up call from a very sleepy Diggle (who, like the others, had waited at the hospital all night) assures them the moment they step off the train that both mother and daughter are doing well and they'll be ready to meet their family from Central City as soon as they both get cleaned up.
Caitlin smiles softly into the phone, laughing at the way Barry presses close to hear without having to wait. "A little girl," she breathes as she hangs up, feeling light and hopeful. It's wonderful to live in a world filled with reassurances that everything works out, that those who deserve happiness get it.
"She's going to have Oliver wrapped around her finger," Barry jokes, smiling down at Caitlin, his chest tight and warm at the sound of her voice and the news they've been given. Oliver had once told him that guys like them did not get the girl-it gives him overwhelming hope to know that his friend was wrong in this case (now if only he can prove it for himself). "Since it sounds like we need to stall a little, breakfast?"
He doesn't wait for her reply (knows too well how poorly Caitlin functions in the morning without at least a cup of coffee), instead linking his arms with hers and pulling them both in the direction of a coffee shop down the road.
An hour later, full of coffee and muffins, they walk into the hospital, suitcases still in tow. Roy's there to greet them, reaching for their luggage as soon as he breaks from the hug (Caitlin) and handshake (Barry) they greet him with. "I'll drop these back at their place while you go up. They have to stay until tomorrow, just for monitoring, but Oliver said he'd give you guys his keys." He waves off their protests about their luggage, "It's not a big deal, have to head there anyway. Thea's planning on decorating for their homecoming tomorrow."
Because of course, Auntie Thea is going to host her niece's very first party at the absolute first opportunity. "We'll probably still be there when you get back. You know how Thea is." And they all laugh because yes, they certainly do.
Roy says his goodbyes and directs them to the right floor and room and then they head up.
The waiting room down the hall is empty when they arrive but full of signs of the long night's wait (coffee, snacks, the little rips of paper that were probably from an impatient Roy). "Everyone must be catching up on some sleep now," Caitlin mumbles, a fond smile on her face as she meets Barry's gaze. "Ready?"
He smiles, nods and they knock on the door to room 307, pushing it open when a familiar voice calls "come in".
Barry holds the door open and ushers Caitlin through, both pausing at the beautiful sight before them: Felicity in bed, looking sleepy but grinning wildly, Oliver holding a bundle of blankets and wearing an expression of awe Barry's not sure will ever entirely fade.
"You made it!" Felicity exclaims, reaching her arms out for a hug that Caitlin immediately gives her. Barry steps in next and they both pause to look over at the reason they're here.
"She's beautiful," Caitlin breathes, taking in the tiny, sleeping bundle, her little closed fists over the blanket, a wild array of blond hair sticking up every which way.
"Just like her mama," Barry adds, as totally enamored as he'd been when Joe was born.
Oliver nudges his arms out a bit, an invitation, and Caitlin moves around the bed, arms extended and carefully arranged to accept.
From the bed, looking on, Felicity is still grinning. "Meet Abigail Moira Queen. Abby, this is your Uncle Barry and your godmother Caitlin."
At the introduction, Caitlin pulls her arms back a bit, surprised. "Godmother?"
Oliver nods, solemn but smiling. "If that's alright with you? We decided a few months ago but wanted to wait until she was born to make it official."
Barry resists to the urge to tease Caitlin about the tears pooling in the corners of her eyes (though he stores it away for later), and instead crosses the room to stand behind her, curling his arm around her waist as she allows Oliver to carefully ease his daughter into her arms. The sight of her-glassy eyed, holding little Abby, dark curls spilling over her shoulder, turning to grin up at him, nestled against his side-takes over his every sense for a long, long moment. (Enough that he, like her, totally misses Felicity snapping a picture of the scene on her phone). Barry's overcome with the knowledge that he wants this, all of this, with her. He's had this thought before, fleeting and light as the brush of the wind, but now it's a clawing, breathing, living thing inside his chest that he's not sure he'll ever shake.
It only sharpens a few minutes later when her attention turns back to him, twisting in his arms to ask if he wants a turn with Abby. He does, so they swap positions but stay tangled together, cooing over the baby until Caitlin remembers she promised Iris pictures.
"I just sent a few," Felicity interjects, smiling a bit wickedly (which Caitlin does not understand), "but I'm sure she'll want some a little closer up." So Caitlin pulls out her phone and she and Barry take turns taking pictures, eventually giving Felicity her daughter back, while Oliver tells them about the delivery.
Though she tries to hide it behind her usual boisterousness, Felicity looks exhausted so they linger only a little longer before excusing themselves to head back to the house. They're at the hospital doors, Barry's arm slung over her shoulder, when Caitlin glances up at him. "Not one word about the tears Allen," to which he laughs.
"Of course not," he promises, leaning forward and pressing a daring kiss to the side of her head. He plows forward before she can respond, "I think your goddaughter's probably going to need a little more spoiling before she gets home. Want to hit up the toy store on the way to the house?"
Apparently I have babies on the brain. So I had two queued up, waiting to go and I decided that though I wrote this one second, I'd post it first because it takes place first in chronological order. So in the next couple of days, expect the other one which involves a some Snowbarry baby moments.
This features in the same continuity as for the love of horses, my unfinished Snowbarry wedding fic and, I suppose potentially, Tuesday morning coffee. There'll be more fics in this universe along the way, including my next one-I quite enjoy family fics.
Feedback is always appreciated!
Thanks, take care & best wishes,
A.O.R.
