Chapter 10

Eight months later…

Soft music drifted through the air, the band playing a tune that sounded familiar to Barry but eluded him all the same. Overhead, twinkling fairy lights shone amidst a canopy of branches, many only starting to bloom after a brutal winter. Below him, the river's water shone, reflecting moonlight up at him.

Barry sighed happily, gazing into the darkness of the night, his sigh inaudible as he leaned against the railing of the bridge. A loud cheer tore his gaze from the water and he smiled as his eyes settled on the entrance to the pavilion not too far from him.

After months and months of planning, the day had finally come. Iris' wedding day.

Before today, Barry had only ever been to one other wedding in his life, his buddy Oliver's, but he hadn't been part of the wedding party then. He'd never had the chance to stand up there alongside the bride and groom, to see the happiness on their faces up close.

Today, he'd had that opportunity. He didn't think he'd ever seen Iris look as beautiful as she did walking down the aisle on Joe's arm. When he'd glanced at Eddie, the look on his face had been one of pure love and awe. It was an expression that Barry had seen often on his father's face and reflected in his mother's.

The ceremony had been a long one, ending just as the sun had begun to dip on the horizon. The reception, having started almost three hours ago, was proving to be even longer and much more lively.

Turning back to the river, Barry took a sip of his drink, reveling in the loose feeling in his limbs, the way the alcohol seemed to bubble in his veins, warm and golden. It felt good to unwind, shirk off his responsibilities, enjoy himself in the company of friends and family.

The past eight months hadn't been easy. In the aftermath of Hunter's attack, the department had been left thoroughly short-staffed and demoralized. Everyone was stretched thin, trying to take on multiple caseloads, working overtime to cover the shifts and routes of those officers who had since passed. It was a stressful time all around.

But the preparations for Hunter's trial were a unifying cause. Everyone in CCPD was itching to see the bastard nailed to the wall on every charge and put away for life for what he'd done. Barry had spent hours upon hours with Joe, Eddie and Captain Singh working to unravel how Hunter had access to the CCPD database. Their efforts had uncovered an extensive network of informants, mostly low-life criminals and hackers but also some crooked officials Hunter had used for information and access over the years.

It explained how he'd been able to disappear off the grid for so many years. At long last, Hunter's luck had come to an end.

At the trial, Caitlin's testimony had been the most damning piece of evidence against Hunter. Barry had seen the reactions of the jury as she was questioned under oath, the creeping horror, the anger, the disgust. He had watched as each one came to the same conclusion, their minds made up long before any guilty verdict had been uttered.

Found guilty on every charge, Hunter Zolomon had been sentenced to two life-terms without parole at Iron Heights.

The only thing more satisfying than seeing months of work pay off, his fallen colleagues avenged, was seeing Caitlin's reaction after the verdict. The way her eyes had slipped close in relief, the tremble of her lips as she repeated the verdict back to herself, trying to believe it. Amidst the chaos, she'd turned, her eyes seeking his.

It was as if a veil had been lifted, the verdict chasing away the shadows that lurked in her eyes.

After that first panic attack in the gardens, Caitlin's recovery had become a treacherously slippery terrain. Her initial desire to get out of the house and explore Central City was replaced with a nagging sense of paranoia that haunted her every step out of the house. Hard as she tried to not let it rule her, some days were harder than others.

On good days, Barry and Cisco were able to convince her to step out, even ease her into group outings once they'd introduced her to Iris and Eddie. On bad days, the days where she seemed most distant, haunted by her memories and the spectre of Hunter, they were content to keep her company inside; indulging in movie marathons, board games and long winded discussions about science and whatever else struck their fancy.

At times, it felt like Barry spent more time over at Cisco's than he did in his own loft which left him feeling guilty a lot of the time. Caitlin too. After all, it wasn't just Cisco's space they were encroaching on but Cynthia's too. She'd insisted she didn't mind but she still seemed somewhat relieved when Caitlin had announced back in November that she was going to start job searching with the intent of moving out as soon as she found something.

On top of that, Barry had been corresponding with Child Services, keeping tabs on Jade's case. It had taken a while but in January, they'd finally found her a foster home; a sweet couple in National City by the name of Alex and Maggie. Barry had met with them after the final home interview, explaining the circumstances behind the deaths of Jade's parents and how invested he was in ensuring the system didn't fail her.

They seemed to understand, having seen plenty of tragedy and loss in their own line of work, knowing the sense of responsibility that weighed on you after a particularly difficult case. Barry had left their meeting feeling more than confident in the knowledge that the two of them would give Jade the warm and loving home she needed and deserved.

Last he'd heard, Jade had been settling in well. A bit shy and far too quiet for her age, Alex reported, but that was to be expected.

Behind him, soft and familiar footsteps alerted him to the presence of his date.

Turning, Barry's breath hitched as he caught sight of Caitlin standing at the foot of the bridge. In the soft glow of moonlight, Caitlin looked otherworldly, almost ethereal. The soft pink of her dress shone, the fabric shimmering with every minuscule shift of her body. Red lips, rosy pink cheeks and soft brown hair offset the smooth pale of her skin.

He could scarcely believe she was real, that she was here. With him.

Iris had been nudging for months on whether he'd be bringing a date to the wedding, all knowing grins and sly eyes whenever Caitlin was around. It had taken Barry the better part of two months to work up the nerve to ask her and even then, he'd rambled on nervously for a good minute.

Caitlin had cut him off eventually, nodding, a grin on her face. "I thought you'd never ask."

"Hey."

Her voice is soft in the hush of night.

"Hey."

She stepped onto the bridge, approaching him slowly, her heels loud on the wooden arch of the bridge. "I've been looking for you. Have you been out here the whole time?"

"Yeah. Just had to get some fresh air."

Caitlin came to a stop beside him, glancing out into the dark night. She shivered, goosebumps rising on her arms as a breeze stirred past. Setting his glass down on the railing, Barry shrugged out of his jacket, draping it over her shoulder. Caitlin smiled appreciatively.

"Here, I thought you'd conspired with Joe to get me out onto the dancefloor," she teased, knocking her shoulder against his. Barry chuckled, feeling light and carefree. Playful.

"You got me. All according to plan." Barry seized Caitlin's hands between his, bringing them gently to his chest. Caitlin's eyes widened. "Except you still haven't danced with me."

"Barry, you know I can't dance."

"Or sing," he added fondly, remembering karaoke night. Caitlin huffed, trying to tug her hands out of his. "But you should dance with me anyway."

Cailtin blinked in surprise as he pulled her in even further, hands settling on her waist. After a moment's hesitation, she reciprocated, resting her head against his shoulder as he began to sway.

Pressing a kiss to the crown of her head, Barry let his eyes slip close. Caitlin sighed, pressing closer. Here, in the semi-darkness with the band's music drifting out into the night air and Caitlin in his arms, Barry could admit it.

He was utterly, irrevocably in love with Caitlin Snow.

Caitlin Snow had known very few constants in her life.

She'd thought her father to be a constant figure in her life; Ronnie too. In their absence, grief and loss became constants. Cisco was another unwavering element, her family in all matters except blood. Even her mother in her perpetual iciness was a steadfast figure in Caitlin's life.

Caitlin had never expected that Barry Allen would become another one of those constants. She'd never expected that from the moment she hugged him down in that basement, desperation clawing at her chest, she'd find safety and security in his arms. Comfort. Peace.

Inexplicably, he'd become her True North. The fixed point in her crazy, spinning world.

He'd been there when she'd renewed her medical license, determined to get back to doing what she did best: helping save lives. He'd been there through the panic attacks, the paranoia, the late-night phone calls when she couldn't sleep. He'd been there when the verdict had come back, lifting a crushing weight from her chest.

He'd been there back in high school too, teasing her from across the tabletop, making her laugh. Staring at her from across the room at prom, waving at her from the track field when she passed by on her way home from a club meeting.

Against all odds, Barry Allen had found her. Saved her. Given her something to believe in.

As they swayed, Barry's jacket snug on her shoulders, Caitlin felt something hot and heavy settle in her stomach. Longing.

For weeks, they'd skirted that invisible line, the one that distinguished friendship from something more. Caitlin wanted it, she knew Barry wanted it too; it was clear in the way he looked at her, touched her, the way the space between them decreased day after day. For some reason though, Barry refused to take that final step.

Caitlin took the plunge.

Meeting Barry's eyes confidently, determination coursing through her, she brings them to a stop.

"Can I stay with you tonight?

Green eyes widen as her words register and begin to sink in. This wasn't her asking him to stay until she fell asleep, this was her asking him to bring her home with him. Stepping clear past that line of no return. Barry must realize that because he looks nervous, tentative hope shining in his eyes.

"Are you sure?"

Caitlin nods. Shyly, she rises up to place a soft kiss at the corner of his mouth. When she pulls back, Barry looks dazed.

"I'm sure. In fact, I think we could be really great."

Barry laughs, eyes bright and wet with tears. Cupping Caitlin's face in his hands, he kisses her hard, tasting of joy and laughter and champagne.

"I think so too."

NOTE: We made it! The end of this story. I want to thank everyone who has supported me throughout this fic, leaving reviews, following/favoriting, it really does mean the world to me. I also want to apologize for the delay, I meant to finish this fic much earlier but things got a bit hectic and it was just hard to sit down and write. But your kind words fueled me and while I'm sad to be saying goodbye to this story, I'm forever grateful that I got to put it out into the world and that it was received with the love it got. I'm also very excited to be moving onto other stories, some of which will be Snowbarry-centered, I promise! Until next time!