Part 18
Caitlin was brushing her hair when the doorbell rang. She looked at her alarm clock and raised an eyebrow. It was five minutes to six. Barry was never on time for anything. She figured she had at least ten more minutes to get ready.
"Caity, Barry is here for your date." Yelled Thomas
"Be down in a couple minutes." Yelled Caitlin
Five minutes later Caitlin walked down the stairs. She smiled when she saw Barry. He was dressed in in a pair of black jeans and blue button down shirt with a black sports coat. He also held a bouquet of her favorite flowers.
"Wow Cait, you look beautiful." Said Barry
"Thank you. You look pretty good yourself." Said Caitlin
"I will put your flowers in water for you Caitlin. Have a good time." Said Carla
"Thanks mom."
Caitlin gave her flowers to her mom and then she and Barry headed out to his car. Or actually it was his mom's car since his dad was working the ER again. Barry the gentleman that his mom raised him to be opened the door for her. Barry got in behind the wheel and they headed for the restaurant.
"I meant what I said Cait, you look beautiful not that you don't always." Said Barry
"Yet you have rarely ever told me that."
"Well I was scared to tell you how I feel. I couldn't tell you how beautiful you are all the time in front of our friends. They would know about my feelings for you."
"They already know how we feel about each other. Iris and Kara have known about my feelings for you for years. I swore them to secrecy. But I know that they told their boyfriends."
"Yeah Cisco and Iris knew about my feelings for you. Though I am surprised that Cisco hasn't said anything."
"Barry last night what made you finally confess how you feel to me?"
"I just realized that I hated the idea of you dating other people. I was jealous of Ronnie. I still am. You gave Ronnie something that no one else can ever have."
"Barry, when I made that choice it was well after you had been with Patty. I know now that it was me you were talking about when you told me you and Patty broke up. I wasn't sleeping with Ronnie then. It wasn't until right after Thanksgiving that I started to have sex with Ronnie. I may not have been in love with him. But I did care for him."
"Cait, it's ok. I liked Ronnie, he was a good guy. That is part of the reason I didn't want to ruin your relationship with him."
"I appreciate that."
Barry parked the car and then got out and helped Caitlin out of the car. They walked into the restaurant together. They were shown a table where Barry pulled out a chair for Caitlin and pushed her in once she was seated. Caitlin opened her menu and to look over it.
"So what looks good to you Cait?"
"I can't decide between Orange Chicken with shrimp fried rice or sweet and sour shrimp with vegetable fried rice. Of course we need to get some pot stickers to share."
"Well you know I love both sweet and sour shrimp and Orange Chicken so why don't we do the combo for two with those two things, and the vegetable fried rice."
"The combo comes with soup right?"
"Yeah a choice between wonton, egg drop or hot and sour."
"Let's go with wonton."
"Do want anything other than water to drink?"
"Ice tea with lemon."
"Great."
When the waitress came over to them, Barry placed the order. Then Barry reached across the table and took Caitlin's hand in his. He smiled as he looked into her warm brown eyes. He had to look closely to even see the small scar about her left eye. Not that it made her look any less beautiful to him.
"So Cait, why didn't you tell me how you felt before last night?"
"I don't know. I was scared that if you didn't feel the same way I would lose my best friend."
"Cait, you would never lose me no matter what."
"I know that now. Bare, you know better then anyone that I still need that reassurance. I am not as confident as everyone thinks I am."
"You and I have been through too much to abandon each other. Even if our relationship doesn't work out I will always be there if you need me. Not to sound like a Disney movie or something. But you got a friend in me, to infinity and beyond."
"That is so corny."
"But you still love me."
"Yes I do."
They spent the rest of the time at the restaurant talking and enjoying each other's company. After eating Barry drove them to a hill just outside of the neighboring city of Keystone. Barry chose to take Caitlin to this spot as it was one they had a slim chance to run into any of their friends. They climb out of the car and sit on the hood and look up at the stars.
"Barry, tonight has been nice."
"I am glad that you are enjoying it."
"I am still not going to sleep with you. Not yet anyway."
"Cait, I told you before that you are in charge of how fast we go."
"I know. It's just I don't know how much control I will have with you. Oh I know that you won't take advantage of me. But you are the one person I feel the safest with."
"Cait, as amazing as it will be to make love to you. There is no rush. I love you and am not going anywhere."
"I know that. Barry, I want this to work. In order for it to work we need to go slow."
"Cait, I can do slow."
"You have never gone slow the whole time I have known you."
"Yeah I know. But when it comes to you, you are worth taking my time for."
"Good cause I am the happiest I have been in a very long time."
"When you smile you make me the happiest man alive."
Caitlin smiled and then leaned in and kissed him passionately.