Arms wrapped around herself in an attempt to keep the cold at bay, Caitlin continued to hover in front of the door. Should she or should she not knock? She had been contemplating this for ten minutes and was sure she was becoming a human popsicle. Maybe she shouldn't have come here, but where else could she go?

Before allowing frostbite to set in, she raised her hand and lightly pounded on the door. It opened within moments, and the smiling face she loved to see was quickly replaced by one of horror and shock. "Caitlin," Barry murmured, mouth agape as he gazed at her bruise and bloodied face. Caitlin had yet to look at her face, but she could feel the blood caked in her hair, the stinging pain from her split lip, and the lack of vision in her right eye gave away that it was swollen shut.

Barry wordlessly pulled her inside his house, the warmth immediately enveloping her. He guided her to the living room and helped her sit down on the couch despite her working limbs. Even if she told him so she was sure he wouldn't listen. It seemed he was in a trance, rushing around to get an ice pack and a damp towel. Who knew what was going through his mind?

She knew exactly what was going through her mind. Flashbacks of his punches, his slaps, his words. His words that felt like a knife to the heart. But he didn't mean it. She knew that.

"Barry," she couldn't just sit there and watch him pace with worry and run around like a crazy person. "Please calm down. Just sit."

"Calm down?" He came to a halt and stared at her with disbelief. "Your eye is swollen shut and your face is riddled with bruises." His swiftly glanced at her neck, and she hurriedly tried to cover it up with her jacket.

But it was too late.

He had already seen the handprints on her neck.

"Who did this to you?" He nearly growled, face filled with a rage she had never seen on him. When she bent her head and pursed her lips- it stung with pain- he knew. "James did this to you?" Barry had never liked her husband, never thought he treated her right. James never liked his wife to hang around her old high school friends rather than him, but she couldn't just erase them from her life.

"I-I'm sure he didn't mean it," Caitlin murmured. "He had a bad day at work and I pushed him to talk about it. He just needs to calm down."

"He had his hands around your neck," Barry said slowly, bewildered at her need to defend the bastard. "He beat the crap out of you, Caitlin!"

"He didn't mean it." Bottom lip beginning to tremble, tears began to pool beneath her eyelids and roll down her bruised cheeks.

Barry truly couldn't believe what he was hearing. Caitlin was sticking up for the man who hit her; who nearly killed her. How hard did he have his hands around her neck that bruises were clearly visible? He knelt in front of her, gently resting his hands atop her shoulders. He needed to push aside his anger for that son of a bitch and focus on his friend.

The woman he loved.

"This isn't okay, Caitlin. It doesn't matter if he's angry or had a bad day at work. Laying a hand on you," he pressed his lips together, his hands clenching at his sides. "he had no right to hit you."

"It was my fault." She muttered, as if she had heard nothing Barry just said. "He'll be fine in a couple of hours and then I'll go home. Just forget I was here, okay?"

"Have you not heard a word I've said?" It took all of Barry's strength not to yell just so she would comprehend what he was saying. "This was not your fault. You did absolutely nothing wrong, Cait. And there's no way in hell you're going back home. You're staying here and we're calling the cops in the morning."

Caitlin's eyes, well, eye, instantly widened as she rapidly shook her head. "N-No, we can't. Please, Barry. You can't call the police. Just let me go home."

His jaw clenched, his frustration bubbling to the surface. How could she not see what was wrong? "Caitlin, listen to me. James hit you. He laid a hand on you, tried-tried to strangle you! That's not love! It doesn't matter if he apologizes after and brings you flowers. If he really loved you, he would never hurt you." Barry gently cupped her face, effectively silencing her when she opened her mouth. "Don't protect him, Cait. He doesn't deserve it."

It was as if the dam had been broken, and all of Caitlin's emotions had finally bubbled over. She bent forward, hands cupping her mouth as her body began to shake. Barry swore his heart split in half when the first sob tore from her throat, followed by another and another. He maneuvered beside her, wrapping his arms around her petite frame and gently pulled her against his side.

"It's gonna be okay, Cait. It's gonna be okay." He whispered, running his fingers through her hair and kissing the top of her head. "He'll never lay a finger on you again."

She wanted to believe him, she really did. But a part of her just couldn't.

Not after enduring it for a year.

She pried herself away from Barry's warm hold, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket. When he noticed her wince of pain, he reached for the icepack and gently pressed it against her eye. "Why didn't you tell me?" His words came out in a whisper, yet they were filled with so much anguish. "Tell Joe. He could've gotten you into protective custody and had James arrested." Or killed. I'd be okay with the latter.

Barry had never felt such fury from within. His blood was practically boiling beneath the surface, and it took all his strength to not hunt that bastard down and pummel his face in. He was married to the sweetest girl in the world, yet he took advantage of her and decided that hitting her was better than loving her. It made Barry physically sick and he had to swallow down the bile that was crawling up his throat.

Caitlin couldn't stop her bottom lip from wobbling. "I was scared. I'm still scared, Barry. If James finds out that I'm here-"

"He will never lay a hand on you ever again, Cait." The fear in her voice made Barry want to hold her tight and never let go. "I'm gonna call Joe and tell him what's going on. And in the meantime, you're gonna be staying with me."

Caitlin made no objections, just nodded her head and closed her eyes for a brief moment when Barry pressed his lips to her forehead. In that moment, she had never felt safer. Never felt more at home.

Xxx

Caitlin wasn't a stranger when it came to the CCPD, having frequented the police department whenever she visited Barry for his lunch break. But this time was different. She was there as a victim, not a friend. And despite the familiar walls and faces, she felt like an outsider in a space that used to bring her comfort. Barry's warm hand in her own only helped her in the slightest as Joe West, someone she considered a father, sat across from her. He was in full cop mode, taking down her statement as she recalled the past year of abuse she endured.

She fiddled with her hospital bracelet, having been forced to go there first by Barry to make sure she didn't have a concussion or other serious injuries. Caitlin had never felt more exhausted. She desperately wanted to close her eyes and fall into a deep slumber, yet she feared sleep at the same time. Was she truly going to move on from this? Deep down she still loved James. But the relationship was toxic, and she couldn't believe how long it had taken her to figure that out.

If he truly loved her, he'd never hurt her.

Once Joe had finished taking her statement, he gave her a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder before slipping out of the interrogation room. She was grateful that he had taken her into a room where they could have privacy. The last thing she wanted was a room full of cops staring at her while she told them about James and the abuse. She knew every police officer, had conversations with each and every one of them for years. She couldn't bare to have them near as she recounted the past year.

"How're you doing?" Barry gently asked, reaching for her hand to graze his thumb over her knuckles.

Caitlin cracked a smile. "I've been better."

"Yeah, that was probably a stupid question." Way to go, Barry. Nice one. But then Caitlin let out the smallest laugh, and Barry couldn't help but do the same. "Everything's going to be okay, Cait. You'll get through this."

"How can you be so sure?" Caitlin never saw a life without James. Before the abuse, after, she always believed she'd be with him. It sickened her that there was a part of her heart that still held him close, that still loved him. How could she still love the man that hurt her, both physically and mentally?

"Because you're the strongest woman I know." He squeezed her hand, becoming the anchor he knew she needed. "Remember senior year? Gym class? You got smacked in the face with a basketball and your nose broke, but you kept playing. You probably would've played until the end of class if the school hadn't forced you to go to the hospital."

"You also threw me over you shoulder and dragged me out." Caitlin pointed out.

"Your nose was broken." He shook his head in disbelief. "Did you really expect me to just stand there and watch? Wasn't gonna happen. But I'm not bringing this up just to go down memory lane. Believe me, the last thing I want to do is bring up my embarrassing high school days. I'm trying to tell you that you're strong and can get through anything. And you're not alone. You have so many people around you that love you and are here for you."

Caitlin bowed her head, lip wedged between her teeth as tears filled her eyes once again. "What if reporting this just makes him angrier? He'll find me and kill me, Barry."

Barry didn't hesitate in leaning forward and gathering her up in his arms, holding her tight against him. "You're safe, Cait. I swear to God, he will never touch you again." He closed his eyes tightly, desperately wishing that he could take her pain away. He hated this. Hated James. He had broken this sweet girl and made her live in fear.

Caitlin nodded against his chest, taking in her friends comfort. She almost didn't follow through with her decision to go to Barry's tonight and finally reveal the truth. Had almost gone back home where she knew James would be waiting. He would've questioned where she went, gotten angry when he found out, and beat her more. Possibly to death.

Barry saved her.

"Thank you," she whispered, unwilling to let go. She wasn't sure she'd ever be able to.

"For what?" He murmured, lips pressed against the side of her head.

"Saving me."

Thought this was a good place to end. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and so sorry for the long wait! Let me know what you thought!