A/N: I ended up writing a second part after all, so maybe there'll be a third oneshot later. Merry Christmas!
"Okay, Caitlin, be honest with me. Are you and Harry dating?"
"No, Cisco, we're not dating. We're just friends," Caitlin maintained, lips tugging into a smile.
Eyes narrowing, Cisco kept his stare riveted to her face. A minute slowly ticked by with no sign of her cracking, so he reluctantly leaned back and sighed. "Maybe you're not dating – yet, but you can't deny there's something there. You guys meet at Jitters every week, you're invited to his exclusive Christmas party, and that's not even getting into the way you two stare at each other and get all flirty." He held up a hand. "Granted. I know some of that is meant to annoy me for all my teasing, but not all of it."
Shrugging a shoulder, Caitlin pulled out her phone to check the time. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Sure, you don't." Skepticism colored Cisco's words, and he frowned at the side of her head. "I'll get the truth out of one of you two eventually."
"The truth about what?" Harry walked over to Caitlin and said, "Sorry for running a bit late. One of my investors kept me on the phone for a progress report, and it took a while to shut the conversation down without ruffling feathers."
Caitlin shook her head and smiled up at him. "It's fine. I'm not in any hurry."
"Cute," Cisco snarked, crossing his arms. "As for what I meant by 'the truth', I meant all this." He wildly gestured between his two companions.
"Do you have any idea what's he's talking about, Caitlin?"
"Not a clue."
"Fine. If you two want to be sneaky, I'll just catch you in the act one day – strike that! I don't wanna walk in on anything." Cisco grimaced and shook his head. "Nothing like that – just something you can't explain away."
Rolling his eyes, Harry gently steered Caitlin towards the doorway and called back, "Good luck with that!" He let his hand bump into hers as they walked side-by-side.
A groan sounded behind the pair and muttered complaints followed it.
Harry smirked.
"Maybe we should ease up on annoying him," Caitlin suggested once they were out of earshot. The reluctance in her voice ran in contrast to her words.
"I think we both know he's playing things up more often than not, and, if we didn't, he'd just find something else to complain about." Harry swiveled his head to face Caitlin and studied her expression. "While you don't sound fully set on stopping our game, do you have reservations about it now?"
Realizing the underlying meaning of his question – if she felt uncomfortable, Caitlin shook her head. "Nothing like that." The right corner of her mouth turned up. "I just have the occasional worry about going too far. When I'm having a lot of fun, it's easy to get carried away, and this is one area I'd like to avoid that. Cisco's usually good about an exchange of teasing and needling, but he's also one of my best friends. I don't want to accidentally do something that'd really bother him."
Harry paused in front of the elevator and gave Caitlin his full attention. His early amusement shifted into solemnity. "I don't think either of us would let it get that far. He and I bicker most of the time, but we're friends and know which things would cause problems. I assume it's the same with you, too." Once she nodded, he continued. "Even if we both did somehow miss the signs, he'd tell us." He reached out a hand to press the down button. "Besides, we already have his approval in the case we're really together, remember? It only annoys him that our words and actions don't align."
"You're right." Blowing out a breath, Caitlin smiled sheepishly. "Most of me knew that, I swear. I just sometimes get hyper-vigilant about avoiding anything that might push people I care about away."
"Well, you don't have to worry about that with Ramon." Harry watched the doors slide open and gestured Caitlin inside first. As he stepped in next to her, he added, "Or with me."
Caitlin's eyes flitted over his face, and, upon seeing the sincerity and conviction, a smile blossomed onto hers. "Good to know."
The doors slid closed.
~CS~HW~
"I think that about covers the planning for the Christmas party," Caitlin said, closing her notebook. "Is this weekend a good time for me to come over to help decorate and shop for supplies?"
Harry began nodding absently. "Yeah, that'd be fine."
Eyes squinting over at him in concern, Caitlin paused in the act of slipping her notebook into her purse. "Everything okay? Are you having second thoughts about the party, or…?"
"No." Harry came back to himself, and his frown smoothed out. "No, I don't mind that. You've been an exceptional help already, and I'm looking forward to it even." He scratched at his chin as his gaze dropped for a moment. "Related to that, I was wondering if I could ask one more favor."
"I'm intrigued now. What's the favor?" Caitlin rested her elbows on top of the table and leaned in.
"You know the Christmas Eve party I'm attending – the one with the Wests?"
"Yes."
"Well, my invitation allows for a plus one, and it somehow escaped my attention that the Christmas Eve party is part of my first impression. That's the first time I meet them, but the Christmas Day party is a first time hosting." Exhaling harshly, Harry paused to gather himself before finishing his thought. "If you don't have plans, I was wondering if you'd go with me."
Caitlin's mouth parted in shock as she wondered how she hadn't thought of that reality sooner, and a warmth pooled in her stomach once she processed his request.
Interpreting her silence as uncertainty about his expectations, Harry quickly pressed on. "It's fine if you don't want to or have other plans. I was just thinking we could go as friends, and you'd be there to let me know if I'm putting my foot in it and help make things less awkward. However, if that's not an option, you could just give me some pointers ahead of time."
"The Wests wouldn't mind? They'd be okay with you bringing a friend?" Caitlin checked, her voice returning to her.
"Yes," Harry assured, "Jesse made sure to let me know that she told the Wests I was unlikely to bring a significant other and that they said bringing a close friend was fine, too."
Lifting her mug of coffee to her mouth, Caitlin hid a smile. "She actually told them that – that you'd be single?"
Harry narrowed his eyes at Caitlin's laugh lines crinkling, but his mouth twitched. "She tried pushing me to date before, but I was never interested. The idea of deliberately seeking out random strangers just to see if things worked out doesn't appeal to me. I'd rather meet a person, get to know them, and, if something's there, see where it goes. It's how things went with Tess. We went from friends to something more, and I knew that was it. For a long time after she died, I thought I'd never feel that way again – like I couldn't."
"And now?" Caitlin's expression sobered, and she set her mug down.
"Now…I'm open to it." Letting his gaze linger for a moment, Harry smiled and leaned back. "I know a part of me will always love Tess, but now I know that there's room for someone else." He averted his gaze briefly and chuckled. "Sorry. I got sidetracked."
"No, it's okay." Shaking her head, Caitlin smiled. "I get what you mean. I felt the same after I lost Ronnie. The loss becomes a part of you, and most people don't understand." She cleared her throat and switched topics. "Yes."
Harry blinked – thrown by the change. "Yes, what?"
"I'll go to the Christmas Eve party with you."
"You're sure?"
"Yes." Caitlin gave a firm nod. "Usually, I've gone with Cisco to his family Christmas events since he needed help dealing with his parents and his brother, but he has Cynthia now. I think he's introducing her to his family because they went to hers for Thanksgiving."
Holding back a laugh, Harry confirmed, "That they are. Ramon didn't want to deal with her father so soon after their first meeting. Apparently, the man is intimidating and hard to please."
"I'm sure Cisco will win him over in time."
"He's Ramon."
Caitlin nodded as if he'd made an argument in her favor. "Exactly. I'm betting it'll be three or four more meetings max."
"I'll take that bet. What are the stakes?"
"If Cynthia's father has warmed up to Cisco by their fifth meeting," Caitlin began, rubbing a thumb over the lip of her mug, "you have to take me out for a victory dinner – not necessarily anywhere fancy but a sit-down restaurant."
"Okay," Harry agreed. "What about if I win?"
"I don't know. What would you like as your prize?"
Gaze boring into hers, Harry considered the matter. His attention briefly dropped to her lips before he yanked it back to her eyes. He shook aside the distracting thought and tried to come up with something similar to what she'd decided. His thoughts turned to his plans in the distant future – at around the time the bet would end. "Depending on how things play out, I have two options."
Intrigued, Caitlin leaned in. "What are they?"
"If it happens by August of next year, I have a speaking engagement at a conference, so you'd accompany me. If it happens after August, I guess I'll leave it as a vague commitment to be my plus one at some other business and/or social engagement," Harry laid out, carefully watching for any sign of her finding it disagreeable. He relaxed as she smiled.
"I see no problem with that." Caitlin held her hand out. "You have yourself a bet."
"Be prepared to clear out a space in your calendar," Harry stated, closing his hand around hers.
"Funny. I was just about to say the same thing to you."
They shook on it.
~CS~HW~
Moving a few boxes and totes off to the side, Harry brushed a hand against the top of the dusty container. "I found more of the decorations." He wiped his hand off on his jeans before lowering into a crouch. His fingers found the clasps on both ends, and he worked it open. "I don't remember everything we have in here since I mainly use the ones we already set out. These are the older ones – the ones Tess and I bought early on and those left to me by my parents."
"Do you think it will be enough to decorate the rest of the first floor?" Caitlin crossed the storage room floor and peered down at the decorations. Bits of red and gold peeked from beneath the garland.
"Maybe," Harry hedged, shifting things around to take stock. "We have garland, table cloths, some centerpieces…I think that's a tree skirt…some ornaments…and a banner." He rocked back on his heels and glanced up at Caitlin. "I think there's another tote nearby with more decorations. We can maybe add to one or two more rooms with what's here."
Offering Harry her hand, Caitlin helped pull him back into a standing position. She watched as he moved the tote of decorations out into the hallway for a moment before rummaging around the other storage containers. Her attention stopped on one particular box. "You have a guitar? Do you play?"
The sounds of Harry heavy footsteps ceased, and he called back, "A little – well, I used to. Haven't had much time for it."
"You'll have to show me some time." Caitlin turned her attention back to her search and soon found the right tote. "I found it!" She popped off the lid to peek inside. "It looks like there's a small village in here, and some ornaments."
"Yeah, that sounds right," Harry stated, coming up beside her. "A couple of those pieces for the village came from my parents, but Tess and I built on it. When Jesse came into the picture, we had a year where one of the pieces almost fell on her. We decided to put it away until she was older, but then…" He heaved a sigh. "Well, it never happened."
Pressing the lid down until it locked back into place, Caitlin gently asked, "Should we just leave this one then?"
"No." Harry shook his head. A sad smile pulled at his lips. "I think it's long past time to put it back up." He coughed to clear the emotion from his throat and continued, "Since we've already decorated the tree, we won't bother with the ornaments in either of these." He held out a hand when Caitlin moved to pick the tote up. "That one's probably heavy, so I'll take it."
"I'll get the other one then." Exiting the room, Caitlin found where he'd placed the first tote and leaned down to pick it up. She turned slightly at the sound of Harry's grunt. "Are you sure you don't want my help?"
Voice strained, Harry answered, "No, I've got it, but thanks."
"Okay." Mentally shrugging, Caitlin navigated her way back to his living room. She walked down a few corridors and crossed one room before arriving at her destination. Her feet carried her to where they'd left the other boxes that had held decorations, so she could set it next to them. Immediately, she busied herself with removing the lid and pulling out decorations they could use.
By the time Caitlin emptied out half the contents, Harry rounded the corner of the room. He cautiously made his way into the room, and, once finding a suitable place to set his cargo down, bent down to lower it onto the floor. Straightening up, he wiped a hand across his forehead. "I could maybe use some help when putting that away again," he admitted, tone weary.
"Noted." Caitlin stared down at the banner and hid a victorious smirk.
Harry, seeing the curve of Caitlin's lips, nudged her foot with his. "Yes, you were right. I needed help."
Rather than gloating, Caitlin wordlessly bumped into him with her shoulder and gazed at him fondly. She offered him one end of the banner.
They worked together to untangle the paper and string. Once they'd finished with that, they discussed the best locations to place the decorations. It was decided to set up the village on the larger coffee table in the living room, garland on the staircase railings, the red tablecloth on a hallway table with the banner in a different hallway, and the centerpieces scattered on various table surfaces around the first floor. Together, they made quick work of setting things in their place and meticulously arranged the village.
"That's all we can do for now," Harry announced. He took a step back and craned his neck to check the time. "We've been at this for a little over two hours." Surprise laced his words, and his expression became abashed. "Sorry, I didn't think it would take this long."
Smiling, Caitlin shook her head. "I knew it'd take a while. I expected it." She glanced around at their work, and her smile brightened. "Besides, I think all that time was worth it."
Blue eyes swept over the living room and its tasteful but festive display. "It certainly looks like Christmas in here now."
"I think the rest of the house looks great as well. Sure, there could maybe be a few more touches here and there, but it's more about what you think. Do you want to add more decorations or leave it like this?"
"I don't know. It looks perfect to me, but I don't know what expectations all the guests will have." Furrowing his brow, Harry faced Caitlin. "What about you? What are you thinking?"
Biting her lip, Caitlin considered the decorations in the rest of the house where the guests would most likely see. "I'd go with adding a few more touches, but it's nothing we have to worry about today." She gestured at the empty and mostly empty boxes and totes. "We still have to put those away, too."
"Don't worry about that," Harry said, waving a hand. "I'll handle putting those back in the storage room. Right now? We deserve a break. How do you feel about pizza?"
"It's one of my favorite foods."
"Do you know that little place by the newspaper?"
"Yes." Caitlin groaned. "They have the best pizza."
Harry grinned. "I'll call in an order. After all your help, dinner is the least I can do."
"How gallant."
~CS~HW~
"I'm not sure how much help I'm going to be here. I can make semi-decent chocolate chip cookies, but baking is not really my specialty – especially not from scratch." Caitlin eyed the flour, eggs, and assorted baking ingredients in concern.
"You don't have to help me bake, you know. You're already helping enough by accompanying me to the Wests." Setting a hand on her shoulder, Harry gentled his expression. "Besides, you're going above and beyond just by agreeing to help prep the Christmas lunch for tomorrow."
Caitlin's lips stretched into a smile as she gave him a pointed look. "It's a potluck, Harry, and, as your plus one, I see it as my duty to assist in making the dessert we're bringing."
"If I'd known you were going to insist, I would've just went to La Vida Dulce then," Harry joked, dropping his hand. "This makes it – what? Four favors from you to my one?"
"I think it's more like two since you not only attended the Thanksgiving dinner with my Mom, but also helped me avoid her meddling." A proud grin settled on Caitlin's face as she added, "She hasn't brought up dating once this past month or suggested I attend her Christmas get together. I think it worked."
Chuckling, Harry went over to preheat the oven. "Okay, so it's a little less imbalanced then. I'm still going to find a way to make things even. If you get hounded for New Year's or Easter, let me know. I'll gladly keep up our pretense to annoy your mom." He turned around and matched Caitlin's grin. "I have a few ideas on how to really get under her skin."
"I'd love to hear them." Caitlin laughed. "But, first, let's make it through Christmas." She wandered over to the kitchen island and looked between the two organized stations. "What's the plan?"
"Christmas macarons and brownies," Harry announced. "Since we already decided to go to La Vida Dulce for Christmas lunch's dessert because the meal itself takes a lot of work – outside of how we both wanted to have those desserts again, I figured it'd be best to show off my baking skills for the Christmas Eve party."
"How long should this take?"
Harry mentally tallied the various cook times. "Anywhere from an hour and a half to two hours. It depends on how smoothly the process goes. These recipes are fairly advanced, and it took me a few years to get them down." He locked eyes with her. "Are you sure you want to help with all this? You can get the chocolate pie and apple cobbler from the bakery and handle the shopping for Christmas lunch instead. It'd be mostly finished when you got back, but there'd be some decorating left to do."
"Would you rather I did that?" Trying not to let her disappointment show, Caitlin idly fiddled with the plastic of the M&Ms bag.
"No, that's not what I meant." Shaking his head, Harry's gaze softened. "I just meant that there's no pressure to help with this. If you don't mind the challenge, I'd love to teach you and give your baking skills an upgrade."
Caitlin's shoulders relaxed, and her eyes brightened. "Challenge accepted."
With those two words, Harry settled into teaching mode. He placed the recipe card for the brownies in front of Caitlin, so she could measure out the right ingredients in their respective quantities. His eyes tracked her progress as she used the mixer on the ingredients in the large bowl. "Okay, now the cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder need to be combined in this bowl before being added to that," he directed, pushing a medium-sized one towards her. "Once you do that, you add the mini M&Ms."
"Okay." Poking out her tongue in concentration, Caitlin worked on blending the flour mixture. "I seem to be doing a lot of the work here. What are you doing?"
Harry chuckled at her teasing words. "I'm going to handle the buttercream filling for the macarons right now, and, when the brownies finish baking, I'll make their ganache. After that, I'll take care of the macaron batter."
Pausing in her stirring, Caitlin asked, "You don't need my help with the batter?"
"Do you know how to use a food processor?"
"No."
Nodding, Harry didn't seem surprised by her answer. "It'll be easier if I do it, and you can frost the ganache on the brownies. When you're done with that, and the macarons have baked, you'll help me assemble them and pipe snowflakes on the top."
"Deal."
Conversation flowed easily as they carried on with their tasks. Caitlin had Harry check the brownie batter and confirm it was mixed properly before she gingerly poured it into the greased pan he'd set aside. She used the spatula to scrape out as much as she could. By the time she placed her dirty dishes into an open sink, Harry was securing seran wrap over the bowl of his stand mixer.
"What's the best baking time?" Caitlin crossed the kitchen to pick up the pan and carried it over to the oven.
Harry glanced over. "Twenty-five minutes. We can check it then and see if it needs to bake longer. You can always add more time, but you can't reverse the process of baking."
Bending down, Caitlin opened the oven door to place the brownies on the center rack before closing the door. She straightened up and set the timer. "Okay, done. Is there anything I can do now?"
"We have a while before anything else can be done, but you can set some parchment paper on the baking sheets. I didn't get a chance to do that after taking care of the brownie pan," Harry said, removing the beater.
"And where is the parchment paper?" Brown eyes flitted over the surface of the counter and under it.
Harry gestured to one of the island's drawers. "It should be right next to the aluminum foil in there."
Following his directions, Caitlin soon found the paper and placed a strip of parchment paper on each of the baking trays resting on the counter. "Done. What now?"
"Now, we take a break."
Caitlin watched as Harry ran a finger over the buttercream mixture on the beater before tasting it. At his silent offer, she stepped forward to try some for herself. She gathered a bit on her index finger and brought it to her mouth. The sweet flavor burst along her tongue. Biting back a moan at the rich taste, she smiled. "That's good. Is that a bit of peppermint flavor?"
"It is. I figured it'd fit the holiday." Resting his hip against the island's counter, Harry tilted the beater towards Caitlin. "Do you want more, or can I put this with the other dishes?"
"I'm tempted, but I think I'll refrain. We're going to be eating these desserts later tonight anyway."
Nodding, Harry moved over to the sink to free his hand. "Are you thirsty? I can get you a glass of water."
A smile blossomed on Caitlin's face as she said, "Yes, please." She watched him pull two glasses from a cupboard and bring them to the refrigerator's water dispenser.
"Do you take your water with ice or no ice?"
"No ice."
Harry filled both glasses with water only and, crossing the kitchen, held out one for Caitlin. "Here you go."
"Thank you."
As they waited for the brownies to finish baking, Caitlin bridged the subject of work. The earlier mentioned joint project between their labs had received official authorization, and it didn't surprise him to learn that she'd been assigned as one of the project leaders. The discussion inevitably turned to how both Tina and Cisco enjoyed teasing them about their Jitters outings and the rumors started due to what had happened at Thanksgiving. Despite the eye rolling, neither appeared distressed or embarrassed at the thought or how their Christmas plans would only exacerbate things.
The rest of their afternoon baking went by smoothly – with Harry even showing Caitlin how the food processor worked. The brownies and macarons came out perfectly and were quickly stored for later. A check on the time let them know they'd ran on the longer side of the estimate time, so they had to rush out to La Vida Dulce before they could clean up after themselves. Thankfully, they made it a few minutes shy of their pick-up time.
Harry stacked the boxes on top of each other, so he could carry them all at once. "These look amazing, Luisa."
"Aw, thank you." Luisa beamed at them. "Since you ordered two of each, I take it these are for more than you two?"
Laughing slightly, Caitlin nodded. "It's for Christmas tomorrow. We have a Christmas Eve event tonight we made dessert for, so we decided we'd take one thing of the meal preparation for tomorrow – well, that and how we love your family recipe for these."
A knowing sparkle entered Luisa's eyes. "You went to my cousin's hotel, and someone told you about me, didn't they?"
"They did. A waiter named Steven recommended you when we mentioned how much we loved our dessert," Harry confirmed, pulling out his wallet. He slid a twenty-dollar bill onto the counter.
"Oh, he's a lovely boy. He comes by regularly." Luisa's smile became confused as she looked down at the money. "You've already paid."
"I know. That's for the excellent service and the fact it's Christmas Eve." Not wanting her to give her a chance to decline the money, Harry hefted the boxes into his arms and, making eye contact with Caitlin, inclined his head towards the door. He slowly began backing out as Luisa picked the money up. "Merry Christmas!"
A wide grin overtook Luisa's face, and she briefly shook her head before smiling up at them. "Merry Christmas!" She waved at the two while they made their exit from her shop.
Sliding out the door after Harry, Caitlin gazed at her companion in wonder. "I think you made her day."
"It's only fair since I'm sure these desserts will play a huge part in tomorrow's success – along with your influence," Harry said, heading for his car.
"Oh, so does that mean I'll get a tip, too?" Caitlin cocked an eyebrow at him.
Harry stopped in front of his trunk and sent her an amused glance. "Do the meals, desserts, and baking lessons not count towards that?"
Pretending to think it over, Caitlin opened up the trunk and hummed for a moment. "I guess it could count."
"You guess." Lips tugging upward, Harry arranged the boxes in his trunk before closing it. "How about this? I'll take care of cleaning up the mess in the kitchen, so you can go home and do whatever you need to do before the party in a few hours?"
"Well, I do have some emails to send out…"
"Then that's what we'll do." Harry waited until he was at the door to the driver's seat, and then added, "And, I suppose I should mention I got you a Christmas gift. It's not exactly cash, but it is an expression of my gratitude for all of your help and appreciation for your friendship."
Coming to a stop, Caitlin dropped her hand from her door's handle and leaned on her side of the car. A soft smile stretched her face. "What a coincidence. I got you something, too. I'll bring it with me when you pick me up for the party." She lifted a finger in warning. "No peeking or trying to figure out what it is."
Harry laid a hand over his heart. "I promise not to look – not in the car and not during the night." His hand fell back to his side. "Are you still staying the night tonight?"
"Yes. Even if the Wests' party doesn't go too long into the night, I know we have lots to do for tomorrow. It makes more sense to stay over." Opening her door, Caitlin got into the passenger's seat. Her eyes tracked Harry as he joined her. "As long as you're still okay with it."
"Trust me. I am. The roads are pretty icy this time of year – especially nights and morning. I'd feel better knowing you're safe."
Caitlin relaxed back into her seat. "While I can handle winter driving, I'm glad I won't have to. The roads get so busy I'd have to leave extra early, and I'd like a little more sleep."
"I can understand that." A smile eased onto Harry's face. "Now, let's get you home."
"You're picking me up at 5:30, right?"
"Right."
~CS~HW~
A knock came at Caitlin's apartment door. She took one last look at herself in the mirror to check her make-up before turning off her bathroom lights and leaving. She grabbed her phone off the nightstand on her way out of her room. Her pace increased as her feet led her down the corridor and through her living room to the front door. Unlatching the deadbolt, she turned the doorknob and pulled. "Hi, Harry. I'm almost ready. Please come in."
Harry stepped into the apartment and looked around. "Take your time. I got here a little early anyways." His eyes traveled over her décor. "You have a lovely home."
"Thank you. It's not as big or fancy as your place, but I've made it my own," Caitlin stated, voice filled with pride. She closed the door behind him. "I just need to grab my purse and put on my shoes. Then I'll be done."
"I'll just wait here then." Once Caitlin disappeared into a hallway, Harry's attention drifted to where she'd placed her luggage on the couch. He wandered over into her living room and noticed a wrapped box next to the laptop case and suitcase. Intrigue settled into his mind. Before he could contemplate what she might have bought him, his peripheral caught the lights turning off in the hallway. Caitlin emerged a moment later. "Need some help with these?"
"Sure." Playful suspicion colored her next words as Caitlin grinned at him. "But I'll take your present."
Chuckling, Harry agreed. "Fair enough." He looped the laptop case's strap around his shoulder and picked up the small suitcase.
Caitlin placed her purse down by the present, reached out a hand to grab her coat from where it lay draped across the back of the couch, and slipped it on. "As comfortable as your suit jacket was and how warm I'm sure your coat is, I figured it's too cold to share in December."
"Maybe so." Harry huffed out a laugh. "I do dress in layers, though, so we would've been able to work something out if you didn't have a coat."
"Such a gentleman," Caitlin teased, gathering her things.
Shaking his head, Harry grinned. "Not exactly. This is more of an exception to the rule kind of situation."
Caitlin fought a smile. "So, I'm special then."
"Yes."
"Good to know."
Light conversation followed them as they left her apartment, took the elevator down, and walked over to his car. Harry placed Caitlin's belongings in the backseat – informing her that the desserts were stored in the trunk. She placed his present by her luggage, and then got into the passenger's seat. He slid in next to her a moment later. Putting the car into gear, he steered them out of the parking lot.
Luckily for them, the road conditions were fairly good by winter standards, and they didn't run into a lot of traffic. The GPS steered them right, so no hiccups hindered their timely arrival. Once confirming they had the right house number, Harry pulled into the driveway and switched the engine off.
"We're right on time," Harry announced, eyes moving from the clock to Caitlin. "I was kind of hoping to be a little early, so I could run over advice one more time."
Gently squeezing his wrist, Caitlin assured him, "You'll be fine, Harry. Just focus on getting to know them." Her lips pulled into a kind smile. "Remember: they're meeting you for the first time, too. You won't be the only one trying to make a good first impression."
Harry nodded. "Right." He lifted a hand and placed it on top of hers. "Thanks." Taking a breath, he pulled away from her and exited the vehicle. He rounded the front of it to open the door for Caitlin.
"Thank you." Caitlin accepted his hand and eased herself out. As she shut her door, Harry left to grab dessert from the trunk. "Need any help?"
"Yeah. Could you take the brownie tray?" Reaching into the trunk, Harry extricated the wrapped tray from on top of the macaron boxes. He passed it to Caitlin, who'd joined him. "I'll get the boxes." He stacked the boxes and balanced them on one arm while he used his other to close the trunk. Pausing only to lock the car, he followed Caitlin to the front door. "It looks like everyone else is here." His eyes lingered on the other vehicles.
Caitlin ascended the porch steps and stopped to wait for Harry. "Just the six, right?"
"Right. Wally has a stepsister, but she decided to spend the holidays on campus since it's out of state. His sister's boyfriend invited his parents since they're friends of the Wests, but they opted for a more tropical locale this year," Harry explained. He held up his free hand to halt any reply. "I only know this because of the group chat Jesse added me into, and then made me promise to stay in."
"So, you've talked a bit with everyone?"
"Not exactly." Harry rocked back on his heels and studied the porch ceiling. "I just confirmed my attendance, let everyone know what I'd bring, and mentioned you agreed to come with me. There was no small talk or side conversations – only what related to this party and details about tomorrow's."
Grinning, Caitlin nudged his shoulder, and, once he looked at her, asked, "So, this really will be a first impression then?"
"Yes." Harry felt his tension fade in the light of her encouraging look. He walked up to the welcome mat and knocked on the door – avoiding hitting the wreath. "Here goes."
The conversation inside paused for a few seconds, and then the sound of eager footsteps approaching the door took over. A few moments later, the door swung open and a young woman beamed at them.
"Dad! I'm glad you could make it!" Jesse dove forward to wrap her dad in a hug, which he returned with his unoccupied arm. She stepped back after a moment. Her blue eyes swiveled over to Caitlin, and her smile widened. "You must be Caitlin. My dad's told me a bit about you. I'm Jesse." She extended a hand.
Caitlin accepted the handshake with a smile. "Hi, Jesse. It's nice to meet you." Dropping the contact, she readjusted her grip on the tray.
Seeming to finally notice their laden arms, Jesse stepped aside to give them room to enter. "Please, come in!" She ushered them forward with a hand. "We have some snacks and appetizers set out, and dinner will finished in just a half hour."
"Ladies first." Harry nodded at Caitlin. He waited until she was fully inside before following after her.
"Mr. Wells! It's good to see you!"
Turning to greet the room's new arrival, Harry gave a slight smile at the sight of the cheerful, young man. "Young Mr. West."
Wally laughed. "You can just call me Wally."
"Only if you call me Harry."
"Okay, fine…Harry." Face scrunching up a bit at the unfamiliar address, Wally reached out a hand for a handshake and chuckled. "Everyone else is in the living room." He shook twice before dropping the contact. His eyes fell on Caitlin. "So, you're Caitlin. I'm Wally."
Caitlin accepted his handshake. "Nice to meet you, Wally."
"Likewise." Wally gestured at the doorway behind him with his thumb. "Follow me, and I'll show you where you can set those down."
Harry watched as Jesse sidled up next to Wally and walked beside him. He trailed a few steps behind them. They walked through a short corridor that cut by the living room and crossed into the dining room. A small table stood off to the side – running parallel to the main table.
Coming to a stop, Wally pointed at the table. "That's the dessert table."
"Thanks, Wally." Harry carried the macaron boxes over and placed them onto the table. His hands moved to arrange them aesthetically while allowing for enough space for the brownie tray. Sensing Caitlin step beside him, he made room for her. "There's enough for eight people, right?"
The whispered question drew a smile from Caitlin. "Yes, there's plenty." She pulled her hands back from where she'd aligned her tray with the boxes. "Don't worry."
"Oh, right! Coats!" Jesse clapped her hands together – drawing their attention. "Sorry. Let me get those, and I'll put them in the hallway closet by the entrance."
"And I'll take care of introductions," Wally offered.
As Jesse went over to gather coats, she said, "Fair warning, Dad: Iris's boyfriend Barry is a big fan of your work. He promised to play it cool, but…"
Caitlin's eyes cut over to Harry, and she fought a grin as she removed her coat. "There's a pen in my purse, so, if you need to borrow it for autographs, just let me know." The grin surfaced as he sent her a deadpan stare in response. She handed her coat to Jesse. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Jesse said around a chuckle. Bundling the coats in her arms, she smiled. "I like her, Dad."
"Glad to have your approval." Harry kept his tone dry, but his eyes revealed some truth to the sentiment.
Rolling her eyes good-naturedly, Jesse directed her next words at Caitlin. "You'll have to tell me about how you two first met and became friends. I tried asking him, but he's been evasive – never giving any details."
Harry crossed his arms and sent her a pointed look. "I already told you we met earlier, but only became friends when a mutual friend had me help her out during Thanksgiving."
"Yeah, that explains everything," Jesse deadpanned before facing Caitlin. "Please?"
Glancing between Harry's carefully hidden amusement and Jesse's pleading eyes, Caitlin nodded. "Okay, I suppose I could tell you a little more – later."
"Thank you!" Shifting the coats to one arm, Jesse jumped forward to give Caitlin a one-armed hug. She held the contact for a few seconds and then stepped back. "I'll just go put these away." She spun on a heel before marching back down the hallway.
Tearing his eyes away from his girlfriend's retreating form, Wally sent the two a smile. "Right this way." He led them down the hallway and around the corner to the living room. "Hey, everyone, this is Jesse's dad, Harrison Wells." His arm swept up to gesture at Harry, and then moved to indicate Caitlin. "And this is his friend Caitlin Snow."
An older man with a distinguished beard stood up, made his way over to them, and reached out a hand. "Hi. I'm Joe West – Wally's dad." A beautiful, diminutive woman joined his side. "This lovely woman next to me is my wife, Cecile Horton."
"Nice to meet both of you." Harry kept his handshake firm and nodded at Cecile. He watched as Joe extended his hand to Caitlin. "You have a nice home." He shook Cecile's hand.
"Thank you." Pride filled Joe's voice. "We had a different one before – from my first marriage, but decided to get a new place together. This one has enough rooms for all the kids to stay over for the holidays."
The two women finished greeting each other, and Cecile leaned into Joe's side.
Wally glanced over at the couch with a commiserating look. "We're all adults, and still he calls us kids."
"You better believe it." Joe let out a laugh. "You'll always be my kids – no matter how old you get. It's called being a parent. I'm sure Harrison gets it."
Harry nodded.
In perfect timing, Jesse walked into the room. "What did I miss?"
"Just how our dads will always view us as their kids," Wally informed her. "I haven't introduced Iris and Barry yet, and my dad took over his and Cecile's introduction."
"Got it."
Wally gestured to the young lady on the couch. "That's my sister Iris West. She's a reporter – one of the best. That guy next to her is her boyfriend, Barry Allen. He's a CSI."
Iris waved at them from her seat, and then pushed herself off the couch. "It's nice to meet you." She linked her arm with the tall, thin brunette and walked over. "Hi, Caitlin, Harry." A smile formed on her face. "As my brother said, Barry here works in crime scene investigation, so he knows a thing or two about science. Maybe you three will have something to talk about."
Flushing red to the tips of his ears and down his neck. Barry chuckled awkwardly, but couldn't stop from gazing warmly at his girlfriend. He gathered himself and jutted out a hand. "Dr. Wells. It's an honor to meet you. I'm a fan of your work." He kept his handshake firm and short before turning to Caitlin. "Dr. Snow, right? I've read a bit about you, too. It sounds like you're doing some amazing work at Mercury Labs."
"Thank you. We try." Smiling brightly, Caitlin shook his hand. "I'd love to know more about your work as a CSI."
"Of course!" Barry mirrored her smile.
Harry caught Caitlin's prompting stare and nodded his head in agreement. "Important work, I imagine – not just finding out what happened but sometimes preventing further harm, right?"
"Right!" Bouncing slightly on his heels, Barry jerked his head into a nod.
"Miss West." Extending his hand, Harry shifted to face her. "I've read your work, and I have to agree with your brother's assessment. Your article's are well-written and informative."
They shook hands.
Caitlin chimed in, "You really do have a way with words in addition to digging up incredible stories."
"It's all a part of the job!" Despite the casual tone, Iris positively radiated at the compliment. She shook Caitlin's hand. "Maybe I'll even interview you about one of your projects." Her eyes darted between the two.
"Maybe."
"I'm sure you will."
As the couple returned to their spot of the couch, Jesse indicated the loveseat against the wall running adjacent to the couch. "That spot's free – if you'd like to sit." She led Wally by the hand over to sit next to Barry and Iris.
"Yes," Caitlin agreed readily, feeling awkward standing in the middle of the room. Her lips curved when Harry gestured for her to walk ahead of him, and she navigated her way around the coffee table. Coming to a stop in front of the loveseat, she turned around to settle on the right side. The dipping cushion beside her signaled that Harry joined her, and she relaxed at his close proximity.
"We have meat, cheese, and crackers on the coffee table along with some fruit," Cecile said. "Feel free to get some if you're hungry."
Joe added, "We also have hot chocolate, eggnog, and coffee in the kitchen. It's just down that hallway and through the dining room."
Shifting to face Caitlin, Harry asked, "You want a drink?"
"Hot chocolate – with marshmallows if they have them out." As he stood up, Caitlin turned grateful eyes towards him. "Thanks, Harry."
"Of course." Flashing her a brief smile, Harry then crossed the room and disappeared down the hall.
That left Caitlin alone amongst new acquaintances, and her eyes flitted around the room in search of a subject matter. The faint familiarity she'd had when Wally introduced Barry reared its head. The connection dawned on her, and she turned her head towards him. "Are you related to Dr. Henry Allen by any chance?"
Surprise flickered on Barry's face before he nodded. "Yeah, he's my dad. Do you know him?"
"I do. Back when I was torn between practicing medicine or research, my advisor – who was a friend of your dad's – arranged for me to shadow him for a few weeks."
"Oh, yeah." Recognition dawned on Barry's face. "That would've been around 2010, right?" At her nod, he chuckled. "I remember my dad telling me about a promising doctor, who decided to go into research rather than act as a physician. He understood, but was a little disappointed since he wanted to hire you right out of school."
Remembering him sharing a similar sentiment with her back when she'd told him her decision, Caitlin smiled. "Yes. It was a good experience, and I think I probably would have chosen that path in a different life – it was a way to help people and your dad would have been an excellent mentor, but I felt I could do more in the long run on the research side of things."
Barry nodded. "You have to follow your calling."
"Hey, where was this support when I wanted to be a racecar driver?" Wally joked, playfully scowling at the other man.
Iris leaned around Jesse to swat her brother's knee. "First of all, you were drag racing and could have gotten arrested. Second of all, need I remind you of your close call?"
Sobering, Wally sent an apologetic glance at her and then his dad. "Yeah…you don't have to worry about that again."
"I should hope not," Joe said, voice carefully light.
Caitlin quickly pieced together what most likely happened with Wally – especially with the way Jesse instinctively moved closer to him. She had a moment to idly wonder if they'd been together at the time or if it was before they met. Then, a movement in her peripheral vision grabbed her attention, and she looked up to see Harry approaching with two mugs of hot chocolate in his hands.
"Here's yours." Harry held out the one with marshmallows with his right hand while he cradled a plain one in his left.
With a smile of thanks, Caitlin reached out to take the offered beverage.
Jesse watched their interaction with interest, and her gaze became scrutinizing once she caught the soft way her dad regarded the woman. She formulated her question as he sat down. "So, now that you're back, can I have the full story of how you two became friends?"
Harry sighed and set his mug on a coaster. "This counts as later?"
"Yes."
Noticing the intrigue on everyone else's faces, Harry resigned himself to it. His blue eyes searched out Caitlin's brown, which were widened slightly as she'd paused in taking a sip of her drink. "Okay, fine," he agreed, making the words sound like they'd been dragged out of him.
Caitlin placed her hot chocolate down on the end table and took over. "I don't have the best relationship with my mother – long story, and she sometimes throws these business dinners and invites me. Since she works in a related field, I usually go as a way to represent Mercury Labs. My friend Cisco has helped out with that in the past, but, since he had plans with his girlfriend and Thanksgiving wasn't the typical time when my mom scheduled things, he asked Harry to help me out. We'd met a couple times and were friendly, so I was okay with it."
"So, you were her emotional support," Cecile put it together, looking at Harry.
"I was."
Sensing Caitlin didn't want to go into detail about her mom, Jesse asked another question. "How did the dinner go?"
"The food was good, but the company was mixed. We got stuck with one of my mom's ruder employees, but then also one of her kindest. Ultimately, it went a lot better than many of the other dinners I've gone to, and that's thanks to your dad," Caitlin stated, voice warm. "We kept in touch after since we got along so well."
"Yeah, Cisco's told me you've been around, but I always seemed to miss running into you." A glint appeared in Jesse's eyes. "He also told me – right after Thanksgiving – that he thought you two might be more than friends."
Harry barely resisted rolling his eyes. "And, as I told you, that was just Ramon being annoying as usual."
"Granted," Jesse agreed. "He does like annoying you. However, that doesn't explain why I've heard it elsewhere." Gaze turning shrewd, she eyed them both and arched a brow. "Is there a detail you've neglected to mention?"
Shifting uncomfortably at all of the attention on him, Harry turned to Caitlin. He silently asked if she'd be okay with him sharing, and, once she gave a slight nod, he faced his daughter again. A deep breath steadied his nerves. "Her mother was being awful and prying into her personal life, so we both decided to…play it like things were more friendly between us since the woman hates me, so she'd back off. It worked, but it seems like we ended up convincing more than just her."
"Who's your mom?" Iris glanced at Caitlin in interest.
"Carla Tannhauser."
"Oh, yeah, Tannhauser Labs," Barry said, "They do some work in cryogenics. I've heard a lot of people say it's fitting because of how cold the CEO is." Wincing, he looked at Caitlin apologetically. "Sorry."
Amused, Caitlin shook her head. "Don't be. People aren't wrong." A grimace flickered on her face.
Jesse looked at her dad curiously. "Why does she hate you?"
"I never told you the story?" Harry's brow furrowed.
"No."
"Well, it was a few years after your mother passed, but Carla came to me with the proposition of merging our companies. She seemed to think we'd make good partners and insisted that together both of our companies would succeed in a way they couldn't previously. Naturally, I said no. She pressed and said some things I took as an insult – both to myself and your mother's memory, so I," Harry paused to cough, and then continued, "said some pretty harsh things and torched that bridge. We haven't really interacted much since, but, whenever our paths cross, it's clear to see the animosity is still present. It's mutual, though, so I don't mind."
Knowing how her dad could get when someone had really managed to get under his skin or spoke ill of those he cared about, Jesse almost found herself feeling bad about the volley of insults and ire unleashed on Carla. Almost. Everything she'd heard about the woman only made her sure she'd also loathe the woman. She struggled to find a way to turn the mood lighter. "No wonder."
Harry sensed the drop in mood and spoke again. "Thankfully, her daughter is the exact opposite. I could tell how different they were from the first moment I met her, and, in spending more time together and becoming friends, it's only proved my first impression correct." Gaze lingering on Caitlin's face, he found himself smiling back at her. He missed the look his daughter sent her boyfriend.
"So, what was your first impression of my dad, Caitlin?" Jesse didn't bother disguising the level of her curiosity.
"I should preface by saying I wasn't in the best place at that time, so I was wary at first. I knew him mainly as my friend's boss and a friend of my boss. A lot of people in a similar position – in the field or in business – don't tend to be upfront about their motives." Caitlin's face lightened. "While I still didn't know what to think of him back then after our first meeting, I did realize his introduction was simply that. I, of course, found him to be smart. What surprised me a bit was how polite he was – since Cisco, who'd recently started working for him at that time, told me he was grumpy."
"Well, you've never annoyed me like he does. I've never had a reason to be grumpy with you."
She smiled.
~CS~HW~
After more getting to know one another and discussions about Christmas, Joe announced that the food was done. He declined Caitlin and Harry's offer to help bring things out, so they sat down while the others set dishes around the table. Jesse took the remaining seat by her dad, and Wally sat beside her. Pretty soon they were all gathered around the table. The aroma from all of the food left more than one mouth watering.
"I hope you all brought your appetite," Joe said, looking around the table with a smile. "I know I made plenty of roast beef."
"Everything looks amazing," Caitlin stated, looking between all of the dishes.
A gravy boat rested by the roast beef for those who wanted juice with their meat or vegetables. Farther down the table was where Barry and Iris had placed a crockpot of cocktail meatballs, and Jesse and Wally's macaroni and cheese lay a few places down from them. Steam wafted from the dishes and carried with it the tempting scents. Only the butter dish and rolls didn't contribute to the olfactory symphony.
After a brief word of thanks, the group dug into the food. They served themselves from the nearby dishes before passing the tray or basket to the left, or, in the case of getting meatballs from the crockpot, handed their plate over to someone closer to it. It took ten minutes before everyone had a chance to plate up whichever dishes they wanted and all of the trays returned to their original place at the table. Most had chosen a little of everything.
Barry groaned around his bite of roast beef. "You all know how much I love my mom, but, Joe, you make the best roast beef. Hands down."
"It's Grandma Esther's recipe, so it should be," Joe replied, humor intermixing with his matter of fact tone. "That woman was a wizard in the kitchen."
Iris nodded from her seat, but didn't speak since she was focused on eating her own food.
"I wish I'd gotten to meet her," Wally sighed.
"Did she pass before you were born?"
"No, she was still alive by the time I was ten." Seeing how his statement only confused Caitlin more, Wally continued on. "My mom left when she was pregnant with me. She had an addiction problem and wasn't the best mom to my sister because of it. However, she got sober because of me. We struggled for a while – just the two of us – before she gathered up her courage to face them again. I'd only recently turned eleven. From that point on, custody was split…until my mom's accident." He heaved a ragged breath. "She didn't make it."
Jesse leaned over to Wally and gripped his arm with her hand.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know." Caitlin's eyes flickered over to Harry's, but he didn't seem upset at her social blunder or surprised by Wally's story. She returned her attention to Wally, who was shaking his head.
"It's okay," Wally assured her. "It's not something that typically comes up in small talk, and I like to tell people myself. She was a good mom to me, you know? Other people can focus on the bad stuff, and I want everyone to know the woman who encouraged me to keep my grades up and did everything she could to support me."
A bittersweet smile formed on Iris's face. "When she came back, it was difficult for me and my dad, but she'd and worked to rebuild her relationship with me. I was glad I got that chance." Her eyes moved over to Wally. "I was even more grateful to meet my brother. I'd always wanted a sibling, and I can't imagine a better one."
Embarrassed, Wally ducked his head with a smile. "Thanks, sis."
The atmosphere lightened back to its previous cheerful chatter – whenever anyone could tear themselves away from their food. Barry and Iris took great pleasure in telling the story of they went from childhood friends to dating, and Joe and Cecile decided then to share their own story of how they got together. By then, the wine was flowing, and a relaxed edge settled within them all.
"What are you two studying?" Caitlin shifted in her seat to face Jesse and Wally.
"Engineering and mechanics." Shrugging a shoulder, Wally laughed. "All of my aforementioned racing inspired me."
"Something I'm fine with as long as it remains in the past," Joe commented, winking at his son.
Fighting a smile at her boyfriend's sigh, Jesse answered for herself, "I'm pursuing a few different fields – it's kind of a family trait." She paused to grin at her dad. "Naturally, my dad made sure I had an interest in physics and technology, so those are two of them. I also focus in biology – mainly biochemistry."
Caitlin's eyes lit up. "Any leanings on a career once you're graduated?"
"Hold up," Harry interrupted, raising a hand. He turned to Caitlin and put on a betrayed air. "Are you trying to recruit my daughter to Mercury Labs?"
"I'd never," Caitlin insisted, barely hiding a smile. "I'm just curious about which field she loves the most." As he continued to eye her skeptically, laughter broke through. "I promise!"
Jesse shook her head at their antics, but a grin played at her lips. "Dad, you already know I don't plan on working for STAR Labs. I'm too much like you, remember? I have to make my own way."
"However," Wally chimed in, "if there are any open spots for engineers or mechanics, I'd be grateful." He snickered when Jesse elbowed him in the side. "Hey, it's a great company, and I heard they're getting into developing cars and engines!"
Joe shared an amused look with Cecile before meeting Harry's gaze. He nodded at where their kids were playfully bickering with an expression that clearly read, "kids, am I right?" However, the fond glint in his eyes belied the put upon air he tried to keep up.
"You know what?" Harry pretended to think it over and nodded as if he'd come to a great realization. "I think hiring you would be an excellent idea. Just send me your resume."
Wally perked up in his seat.
"Dad!"
"What?" Feigning innocence, Harry stared at Jesse. "He's smart, he knows engines, and, most importantly, I know he's trustworthy. Why wouldn't I want to hire him?"
Jesse's expression eased an iota, but her eyes remained narrowed. "So, this isn't just some way to keep tabs on me, or annoy me? It's a genuine offer?"
Harry inclined his head. "It's a genuine offer." Once he saw she believed the sincerity in his eyes, the right corner of his mouth twitched. "Your reaction was just a bonus."
An aggrieved sigh left Jesse's throat, and she pushed at her dad's shoulder.
Booming laughter came from Joe as Cecile shook her head, and Barry and Iris watched on – both entertained. Caitlin, for her part, gently berated Harry for agitating his daughter. Her scolding stare wilted under his twinkling, blue eyes. Rather than giving him the benefit of seeing just how quickly she'd let it go, she turned her attention back to her plate.
Soon, everyone had finished their meals.
"I'm excited to try these brownies. Jesse told me about them, and they sound delicious," Cecile stated, placing dessert plates down on the neighboring table. She pulled the plastic wrap back to the middle of the brownie tray before opening up the macaron boxes. Reaching out a hand for a plate, she gingerly extricated one of the brownies.
Barry waited for Cecile to step aside, and then he looked between the two options. "Wow, these look great!" He grabbed a brownie and two macarons. "You made these yourself?"
"With Caitlin's help," Harry confirmed.
"Science and baking – quite the skill set," Iris said, accepting a plate from Barry.
Shaking her head, Caitlin chuckled. "Not quite for me. I'm still a novice with baking, but Harry helped me add to my knowledge."
"She was a good student." Harry pushed his chair out and, standing, offered Caitlin his hand.
Cecile, now settled back in her seat, groaned in pleasure and swallowed a bite of brownie. "I'll say! Jesse did not oversell these brownies!" She took another bite.
"Any chance of you sharing that recipe?"
Releasing Caitlin's hand once she'd stood, Harry looked over at Joe and nodded. "Of course."
Wally pulled Jesse over to the dessert table and picked up two plates. "I already have the recipe," he declared happily.
"And you never shared?" Iris playfully narrowed her eyes at her brother.
"It wasn't mine to share." Wally shrugged unapologetically and helped himself to dessert. "Besides, I'm sure there are some Allen family recipes you're guarding."
Iris kept her face carefully blank. "No comment."
Looking between the two, Barry laughed. "Don't worry, Wally. I'll share with you." He ignored his girlfriend's theatrical gasp and accusation of treachery as he bit into a macaron. An involuntary noise left him, and he quickly finished it off. "That offer for recipe sharing was for everyone; not just Joe, right?"
"I'll share it in that group text Jesse roped me into," Harry agreed, sending Caitlin an amused glance. "Maybe we should open our own bakery."
Caitlin held a hand to her face and acted as if she were considering the offer before she shook her head. "As tempting as that offer is, I'd miss my research too much."
"Fair enough."
They went up to the table after Jesse and Wally moved away, and, gathering their own dessert, returned back to their seats. All went up for seconds on dessert. Caitlin felt happiness in seeing the positive response to something she had a hand in creating and could tell Harry felt similarly based off the slight curve to his lips. Both accepted the various compliments thrown their way and shared a satisfied smile. The conversation moved on to favorite holiday desserts from childhood.
Once they all finished eating, Joe urged everyone back into the living room as he and Cecile worked on gathering the dishes and refrigerating leftovers. Barry and Iris insisted on helping, so Wally led the other three back down the hallway.
"Normally, I help out with clean-up, but it'd feel weird to leave you two out here by yourselves," Wally said, sitting down on the couch. "I hope you've been having a good time." His fingers interlaced with Jesse's when she reached over to hold his hand.
"I have. Everyone's been so kind, the food was amazing, and this has probably one of the best Christmas Eves I've had in recent years. I'm glad Harry brought me." Caitlin punctuated her statement with a fond look at Harry.
Harry nodded his agreement. "You have a great family, which isn't surprising considering how well you turned out." Off Jesse's raised eyebrow and amused look, he rushed on to add, "This evening has definitely been an improvement over my usual Christmas Eves. Maybe we can do this next year, too?"
Wally beamed at them. "Yeah! For sure! Both of you."
"Amazingly, I think Wally's family actually liked you, Dad," Jesse teased. "I think you have Caitlin to thank for that."
Already in the middle of opening his mouth to counter Jesse's implication, Harry paused at her mention of Caitlin's influence. His eyes moved over to the woman at his side – almost as if against his will, and he softened. "She certainly helped." He shook himself out of it and frowned over at his daughter. "However, I'm not as much of a social disaster as you're making me out to be."
"How many friends do you have again?"
"That's not the point and doesn't paint the best picture. I'm selective."
"Yeah, selectively having three friends."
Harry leaned back and crossed his arms. He squinted over at his daughter. "I think you're spending too much time with Ramon."
"Speaking of Cisco," Caitlin cut in, "have either of you received an answer on what exactly he did to get on his girlfriend's dad's bad side? I couldn't get an answer."
Distracted from teasing her father, Jesse looked over. "No. I tried every tactic I knew, but he kept evading me."
"I know what happened," Harry admitted, "but I was sworn to secrecy."
Wally's face scrunched up. "How bad could it be?"
Harry's gaze turned serious. "Bad. He wasn't even the one to tell me. I only found out because he accidentally put his phone on speaker when listening to Cynthia's voicemail."
"I'm not so sure I want to know anymore," Caitlin stated, an idea already forming on what might have happened. She forced her mind to cease its speculating since she didn't want to imagine the man who was like a brother to her in any compromising situations. She also had a sinking feeling she'd lose the bet. "Just tell me: does he have any chance of winning the guy over?"
After a moment's consideration, Harry replied, "Maybe in a couple years."
Jesse sucked in a breath and winced. "That's not good."
"What's not good?" Iris smiled as the four seated swiveled their heads to face her. "Everything except the brownies and macarons are stored in the fridge." She turned to Caitlin and Harry. "Everyone else is staying the night here, but, if you'd like, you can take some leftovers home. We have containers."
"Thank you." Harry nodded at her. His eyes moved over to where the others were filing in behind her.
"We were just talking about Cisco – my dad's employee and their mutual friend. You'll get to meet him tomorrow," Jesse explained to Iris.
Iris moved over to the couch. "So, what's the bad thing?"
"He left a bad impression on his girlfriend's dad." Wally glanced at Harry and smiled. "I don't think I had that problem."
"You didn't," Harry confirmed.
Caitlin noticed Jesse's pleased expression at the blatant approval her father showed her boyfriend, and it left her feeling warm. A look at the others proved Wally's family also appreciated the sentiment.
"Jesse didn't have a problem either." Joe settled in his seat and wrapped an arm around Cecile. "My only other time dealing with one of my kids getting serious with dating was with Iris, and she and Barry were friends long before that. Hell, Barry is practically a second son. I expected it and knew he'd do right by her. It was different with Wally. He didn't have anyone like that, and most of his previous relationships – well, I won't get into that." He chuckled. "It was a relief when he brought her home. You raised a good one."
"She is my joy."
Jesse returned her dad's loving stare and snuggled in closer to her boyfriend.
The minutes ticked by until they turned into an hour and then an hour and a half as the group continued talking. Only a glance at the clock by Harry brought the conversation to a halt. He informed Caitlin of the time before making his excuses and farewells to the others. Jesse wrapped him in a goodbye hug while the rest of the group settled for handshakes and smiles. Caitlin also got a hug from Jesse on the way out of the house.
"I think it's safe to say you made a good first impression." Caitlin smiled over at Harry as he buckled himself into the driver's seat.
Lips turning up at the corners, Harry switched the engine on. "I think so." His blue eyes met hers. "You did, too."
Content, Caitlin relaxed into her seat and let her thoughts drift to the next day. She found herself looking forward to the holiday in a way she hadn't in years.
~CS~HW~
Both crashed almost immediately after getting back to Harry's house – only taking the time to prepare the ham for the next day. They knew they had an early morning ahead of them and wanted to maximize the time they'd have to prepare the Christmas meal and make a few final touches around the house.
At a quarter to six in the morning, Caitlin trudged down the staircase and headed for the kitchen. She found Harry already there. A yawn broke free from her as she tried to ask him a question. She tried a second time with more success. "You're making breakfast?"
"Of course. You got up early to help me, and it'd be rude to have you work on an empty stomach. Besides, it's Christmas." Harry sent her a smile as he finished plating up their breakfast. "I have orange juice in the fridge and coffee over here. I think there are some other kinds of juice, too." He used his spatula to indicate the water dispenser. "As you remember, water's right there."
"I remember," Caitlin confirmed, nodding. She grabbed one of the mugs he'd set out and went over to the coffee machine. "I'll probably get something healthier later, but I need the caffeine."
"Understandable." Placing the two plates down on the counter by the kitchen chairs, Harry then headed over to the silverware drawer and took out a knife and fork for them both. "I hope you like your eggs over medium."
Caitlin paused in filling her mug to say, "I do."
"Good."
By the time Caitlin set down the coffee pot and fixed her coffee the way she liked, she felt more awake. She turned to join Harry, but paused to fully take in the scene before her. Her eyes moved over the plates and widened. "You made waffles?"
Harry shifted in his seat and looked between her and the plates in concern. "Yeah. Is that a problem? Are you allergic to strawberries? I can make a new batch for you with something else."
"No." Caitlin shook her head vigorously and smiled. "It's perfect."
Expression easing, Harry settled back into his seat. "I figured we could exchange gifts after breakfast. I don't know how long everyone will stay for the party, and no one else is opening gifts then. They're doing that at the West house."
"Did Jesse get her gift from you?" Caitlin asked, sitting next to him.
"Yes, I dropped my gifts for her and Wally off a few days ago, so they could bring those with them when they spent the night at the Wests."
Bobbing her head in understanding, Caitlin said, "I gave Cisco his gift earlier, too, and a little something for Cynthia. I've only met her a few times and we're not exactly friends yet, but I felt I should include her."
Harry leaned back with a cryptic smile. "I have a hard time believing someone wouldn't want to be your friend."
"It's less of us not wanting to be friends and more because we always meet in passing."
"Like we used to be," Harry offered. His smile brightened as gestured between and around them. "And look at us now."
Chuckling, Caitlin picked up her fork and brought it down on an egg. "We did become close friends fairly quickly, didn't we?" She popped a bite into her mouth.
"We did," Harry agreed. Rather than focusing on his eggs or bacon, he moved to cut up his waffles. "Guess that's one plus side to keeping Ramon around – it gave me a chance to get to know you."
"You should thank him."
Harry made a face. "That's going a little too far, don't you think?"
Playful banter and pleasant conversation carried them through breakfast. A pleased grin formed on Harry's face when Caitlin took her first bite of her waffle and couldn't keep the appreciative hum from leaving her throat. She finished it in quick succession – making sure to mop up every bit of the strawberry and whipped cream. Once he realized she was finished, Harry gathered their plates and bid Caitlin to get their gifts from under the tree while he tidied up.
A smile lit Caitlin's face when Harry emerged from the living room's entryway. "I thought you'd prefer opening gifts on the couch rather than on the floor."
"Is that a comment on my age?" Harry questioned, eyes narrowing.
"No." Caitlin took note of the careful way he tried to maintain an appearance of upset, but the way his mouth twitched gave him away. "You're only – what? Fifty?"
"Not quite yet!" Knowing she saw right through his act, Harry chuckled and joined her on the couch. "I wouldn't have minded opening them on the floor, but the couch is more comfortable. Good call." He picked up her gift from the coffee table. "Merry Christmas."
Caitlin echoed the sentiment, and they traded gifts. Gingerly peeling back the wrapping paper, she uncovered a box. The image on the front side displayed a beautiful, ornate music box. A scene from the Nutcracker was painted on the lid while, at the center, Clara held the titular character. Her hands automatically moved to open the box and pull out her gift. After a few moments, she freed the music box and inserted the key. A turn of the key made Clara twirl around the stage as the song played. "It's beautiful, Harry," she breathed. Wonderstruck, she turned her brown eyes towards him. "How did you know I loved The Nutcracker?"
Tearing his own eyes away from his present, Harry blinked a moment before speaking. "You mentioned your desire to see the play as a kid and how you didn't get to until you were an adult. Then there's the fact you seemed especially fond of Nutcracker decorations when we went shopping."
"It's perfect. Thank you." Warmth pooled in Caitlin's stomach at the proof he'd paid attention to her, but it quickly dissipated at the inscrutable look on his face as he took in her gift to him. Worry gnawed at her as a sudden thought hit her. "My gift – it's not overstepping, is it? I know it's something that started with your parents and then your late wife. If it's too much or unwelcome, let me know, and I'll get you something else. I just thought, since you're restarting this tradition for Jesse, it'd be a good addition to the village."
The anxious babbling from Caitlin brought Harry back to the present, and his expression cleared. He placed a hand on her arm – effectively quieting her. "No, it's…it's okay." Coughing to clear the emotion from his voice, he looked up and regarded her in awe. "You didn't overstep." His thumb brushed across the image on the box: a father daughter dance. "It's just…been a while since anyone but Jesse got me something this meaningful." Lips pulling into a smile, he stood up and offered her his free hand. "What do you say we add this to the village?"
"I'd love to." Allowing herself to be pulled up, Caitlin felt the return of her earlier warmth. It only increased when Harry kept hold of her hand even after she stood from her seat.
He didn't drop it until he needed to open the box to get the tableau out.
~CS~HW~
It seemed like time somehow went by slowly and all too quickly before the first guests arrived. They'd spent the majority of the early and late morning preparing the vegetables for cooking as well as making a dough for the rolls. After they'd shaped the rolls, they wrapped the trays tightly and placed them in the refrigerator with the rest of the prepared foods. The clean up hadn't taken too long, so they'd finished before the doorbell rang. They'd even managed to tidy things around more and touch up the decorations.
Winding his way to the entry hallway and opening the front door, Harry greeted Jesse and Wally with a smile. "Hi, come on in." He stepped aside to let them through, and tried to glimpse over their shoulders. "Anyone else here?"
"No, just us right now," Jesse said. When her dad shut the door, she moved to give him a hug. "Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas, Jesse." Harry returned her hug, and, once she released him, accepted a hug from Wally, too. "Merry Christmas."
As Wally pulled back, he echoed the words. His eyes glanced around before settling back on Harry. "Where's Caitlin? She's here, right?"
"She is." Gesturing towards farther in the house, Harry offered, "If you'll follow me to the living room, you can exchange greetings." He swiveled his arm around. "But, first, I'll take your coats. If you'd like, you can take your shoes off, too. There's a shoe rack in here."
"Yeah, that'd be great." After handing his coat off, Wally bent forward and shifted his foot up to pull a shoe off. He repeated the motion with his other foot – adjusting his weight accordingly – before straightening up with his shoes in his right hand. His eyes moved from where Harry was placing their coats in the closet over to Jesse, who was using a stepstool in the closet as a brace while she removed her shoes. "You watched me struggle to take my shoes off and didn't tell me there was an easier method?"
Jesse straightened up and looked at her boyfriend in confusion. "You didn't ask." Once her shoes were on the rack, she turned to take Wally's shoes and place his next to hers.
Snorting softy, Harry ushered his daughter out ahead of him before closing the closet door. "Let's go see Caitlin." He led them down the hallways until they reached the main living room. His eyes immediately zeroed in on where Caitlin stood by the fireplace. The firelight cast her in a warm glow, and he felt his breathing temporarily hitch.
"Caitlin! Merry Christmas!"
Barely had Caitlin reciprocated the greeting before she found herself in Jesse's enthusiastic embrace. "Hi, Wally." When the younger woman stepped back, she moved to hug him, too. "You guys are a little early."
"We thought you might need a little help getting things ready," Wally said, shoving his hands in his pockets. "It seemed only fair since my dad and Cecile had help with yesterday's party."
"We appreciate the thought and offer, but everything's on track for lunch. There isn't anything else to do for a while now." Seeing the way Jesse and Wally seemed to deflate, Harry tacked on, "However, when it's nearly time, some help would be appreciated with the vegetables and bringing everything out to the dining room."
"I guess I should have expected that – there not being much to do," Jesse admitted, grinning. "We'd be happy to help later." Her gazed wandered over the room as she took it in for the first time since stepping into the living room. "Wow, you really went all out." Delighted surprise colored her tone.
Smiling in agreement, Wally pointed a finger over at the table where they'd set up the Christmas village. "Did you recently buy all of that, or did you already have it?"
"He already had it," Jesse answered the question, eyes fixed on the display. Emotions flitted across her face before it settled into something fond but tinged with sadness. "Most of it came from my grandparents, but some pieces were from back when my mom was alive. They continued it, but it was too painful to have up after she was gone." Her feet took her over to the table, and she studied the pieces.
Noticing her introspective state, Harry came up beside her and quietly asked, "Is it okay?" He scratched his ear before crossing his arms. "I know keeping it packed away was more my call, but it seemed like the right time to bring it out again – it was probably the right time a while ago."
Jesse tore her eyes away from the ice rink piece – one she had a faint memory of picking out with her mother, and smiled. "I think you're right. It's about time."
The happy tears welling up in Jesse's eyes prompted Harry to wrap an arm around his daughter and bring her into a hug. "I figured we could start adding to it together, and, later, I'll pass it on to you."
"I'd like that." Sniffing, Jesse pulled out of the embrace and paused upon seeing a piece she didn't recall. A banner in the scene declared it the Father Daughter Snowflake Dance. Duos of fathers and daughters danced together in the tableau while a judging table rested in a corner. "Is that new?"
"It is," Harry confirmed. "I told Caitlin my plan with this, and, knowing I wanted to resume this tradition with you, she picked it out as my Christmas present."
As Jesse absorbed that, the other three practically held their breath. They relaxed when she faced Caitlin and assured her it was a perfect present before embracing her dad again. Wally and Caitlin then joined them as the two began telling the stories of the different pieces.
Fifteen minutes later, Cisco and Cynthia arrived, so the walk down memory lane came to a halt. Cisco introduced his girlfriend to Jesse and Wally since the woman hadn't met them yet.
"You already know my boss and friend, Harry, and you've met my best friend, Caitlin," he concluded the introductions. His attention moved to the decorations, and his eyes widened a fraction. "Wow, this is more festive than I was expecting. That must be your influence." He smiled at Caitlin.
Cynthia lightly elbowed Cisco's side and spoke up. "It looks great in here." Her eyes moved between the two hosts for a moment. "Thanks for inviting me."
"Of course. If I didn't, Ramon would carry on about it far into the new year."
Pretending to bristle at Harry's joke, Cisco kept it up for half a second before he nodded. "He's not wrong."
The others laughed.
"Be that as it may," Caitlin began, drawing everyone's attention to her, "we know how important you are to Cisco, and it was an obvious decision. It also gives us a chance to get to know you better."
A smile stretched Cynthia's face. "I'd like that! He's told me so much about you both and Jesse." She looked at Wally with a slight laugh. "Not as much about you, but he did tell me good things, I promise."
"Likewise." A mischievous glint appeared in the young man's eyes. "He loves talking about you. We sometimes have trouble getting him to stop during his Cynthia Love Hours."
As Cisco spluttered and tried to deny that he carried on for hours, the other five watched on in amusement. The topic of conversation then turned to Christmas Eve – both groups sharing how things went well at their respective parties. Cisco's family adored Cynthia, and it wasn't as bad of an experience as usual. His parents hadn't compared him to his brother once, and they spent most of the time getting to know Cynthia.
Joe, Cecile, Barry, and Iris were the next to arrive. They brought a veggie tray, a fruit tray, and some cheese and crackers as something to snack on before the clock struck one and lunch was ready. After thanking them, Caitlin and Harry accepted the trays and arranged them on the coffee table. The four new arrivals took a seat in the living room and acquainted themselves with Cisco and Cynthia.
Caitlin and/or Harry went into the kitchen occasionally to check on the food, and, when the ham was nearly done, they let Jesse and Wally know it was almost time to cook the vegetables. The timer on the oven went off as a second one above it dinged to signal it finished preheating for the rolls. Caitlin placed the two trays of rolls into the second oven. Once she was clear and closed the door, Harry removed the ham, switched the oven off, and set it on the counter. He then turned his attention to the boiled potatoes in the pot on the sink.
As Harry prepared the mashed potatoes, Caitlin moved onto setting out the necessary pots and ingredients for the vegetable sides. She worked together with Jesse and Wally – occasionally asking for clarity on the recipe from Harry – until the timer went off for the rolls. Leaving the vegetables to them, she switched the oven off and pulled out the baked rolls. The smell of fresh bread made her stomach growl, but she resisted the urge to sneak a bite. She grabbed the container of melted butter by the stovetop and the basting brush, so she could brush a bit of butter on top of them.
The timer for the rolls had also propelled Harry into motion since he left the finished mashed potatoes to start carving the ham.
"Okay, the corn's done," Jesse announced, turning her stovetop off.
Wally stood stirring the green beans. "Almost finished here."
Completing her task, Caitlin swiveled around to face Jesse. "Let's get the serving dishes out and start transferring the food." She walked over to a cabinet and took out three baskets for the rolls. "I think the bowls are in one of the cabinets on the island."
"Yep." Jesse straightened from her search with a bowl held in one hand. She pulled out another one before getting a bigger bowl for the mashed potatoes. "Are the butter dishes already out?"
"Already on the table," Harry called out from his position by the cutting board. "The same for plates, silverware, and napkins."
Wally, done with the green beans, scooped them out into a serving bowl. Noticing Jesse and Caitlin already had things covered with the other food, he asked, "Should I tell the others to get seated?"
Caitlin exchanged a look with Harry, and, seeing he had no problem with it, smiled over at Wally. "That would be appreciated. Tell them it'll only be a few moments longer."
"Got it." Bouncing on his heels, Wally set out for the living room to inform everyone. He came back in time to help get the potholders to set the dishes on and worked with Caitlin and Jesse to bring the food out onto the table. They then filled the glasses with water.
The last food to be brought out was the ham, which Harry carried on a serving platter. "There's more ham in the kitchen, so don't be shy about serving yourselves." Once he set the ham down at the center of the table, he walked over to the open seat beside Caitlin. Jesse sat to his other side with Wally while Cisco and Cynthia were on Caitlin's other side.
"Everything smells so good," Joe stated, tearing his eyes away from the ham. "Caitlin said you made the rolls yourselves?"
"We did." Harry nodded. "When I have the time, I like making things from scratch."
Joe's expression indicated his clear agreement, and he smiled.
The affair of passing food around remained friendly and somewhat organized – some having to speak louder to gain the attention of someone closer to the ham, so they could get a slice or two. When everyone had filled their plates, only a few slices of ham were left on the tray. Harry made a note to take it back to replenish before it was time for seconds.
"Oh, my God. What did you flavor this ham with? It's so good," Cisco got out around his mouthful.
"Brown sugar and pineapple."
Iris smiled in recognition at Harry's response. "That's what I thought it was."
"Another Grandma Esther-ism," Cecile informed conspiratorially as Joe opened his mouth. She laughed at the arched look he shot her.
All who'd heard much about Grandma Esther from Joe joined her laughter or grinned while Cisco and Cynthia stared on in amused confusion.
It was Barry who decided to let them in on the joke. "Joe tends to talk a lot about his grandma's recipes. It's kind of like his cooking Bible."
Cynthia nodded in understanding. "Like my mom with Abuela Isabel."
"Is this a family recipe or one you looked up?" Joe asked, trying to halt any further teasing from his family.
Caitlin looked to Harry, who answered.
"A family recipe – my maternal grandmother's in fact." Harry's lips tugged into a grin. "I guess we all have that grandma who influenced the family's cooking."
"To grandmas," Cisco declared, lifting his glass.
Those gathered around the table echoed the sentiment and joined in the light-hearted toast. The camaraderie lasted throughout the meal while the topic of conversation moved to the events of the morning, notable Christmas presents, family traditions during the holidays, and fond memories from the past. Caitlin chimed in on occasion, but didn't share nearly as much as the rest of the group. Cisco and Harry were the two who primarily noticed, but Harry made the move to lay a comforting hand on her arm – a move that didn't go unnoticed by Cisco or Jesse.
When interest in seconds emerged, Harry disappeared into the kitchen with the tray to get more ham. Caitlin followed him. She went to the fridge to pull out the two apple cobbler boxes while he removed the rest of the ham from the oven. Her legs carried her over to the island where she got out two baking trays. As she sprayed vegetable oil onto the trays before transferring the cobbler into them, Harry carved a few more slices of ham. He finished his task, rewrapped the ham, and put it back into the warm oven in case he needed to get more. Before he walked back to his station, he preheated the oven for Caitlin.
"It should be ready in ten minutes," Harry told her. He went over to pick up the serving plate of ham. "Do you want seconds?"
Caitlin shook her head and smiled at him. "No, I want to leave room for dessert. Once I put a little melted butter on top of this, I'll rejoin everyone at the table." Her smile became warmer. "I think it's safe to say Christmas has been a success."
Hovering in the doorway for a few beats, Harry's gaze turned fond. "Thanks to you."
"You deserve credit, too." Caitlin's tone welcomed no argument.
"Maybe," Harry allowed, "but that's mainly due to your influence. Socializing is easier with you around – less daunting."
"I'm glad I can help."
Flashing her a smile, Harry strode back into the dining room with the ham. Caitlin returned to her seat after a minute, and darted back into the kitchen only after hearing the ding. She set the time for the apple cobbler to reheat before walking back and informing the others that dessert would be served in a half hour. The news was met by cheers.
Everyone who'd grabbed seconds finished eating well before it was time for dessert. As the chatter grew idle while everyone digested their food, Caitlin and Harry got up to clear the dishes. Jesse and Wally quickly stood from their seats to help. They worked together to carry out the plates, serving bowls, and roll baskets. The younger duo volunteered to put the food away into the fridge and take care of the ham in the oven while the other two handled dishes. The extra help resulted in everything being squared away in time for dessert.
Harry sent Jesse and Wally out ahead with the dessert plates, serving utensils, and sparkling grape juice. He and Caitlin then set about getting the dessert. Harry insisted on handling the hot apple cobbler, and had Caitlin get the chocolate pie from the fridge. After slicing the pies into eighths, she removed them from the box. They entered the dining room a couple minutes after Jesse and Wally.
As had been the case with the meal, dessert was a success and secured even more business for La Vida Dulce. The clean-up after dessert took less time than the meal's and the group reconvened in the living room.
Harry walked into the room just in time to hear Barry ask Cisco what it was like working at STAR Labs.
"As much as I enjoy annoying Harry and complaining, it's the best job. I'm not actually the head of our technology department since Harry kept that title, but I am the person people go to when he's not there. I don't think there's a better job in the field, or a better boss," Cisco said. "All the employees I know love it there."
"I figured as much," Barry acknowledged. "Whenever I've gone as a visitor, everyone looks happy to be there."
Cisco grinned. "That's because we are."
"So, the truth finally comes out: all the complaining at work is just for show."
Whirling around at his boss's voice, Cisco hastily denied the claim. "No, I'm serious about all of that!" He lowered his voice to a stage whisper. "Come on, man! I'm trying to recruit Barry here! Do you think he'll want to work at STAR Labs if I tell him you're demanding and a grump?"
Harry pretended to consider the validity of the claim and shook his head after a second. "No, not buying it."
"And I know for a fact that you consider Harry one of your best friends. You wouldn't have asked for him to help me otherwise," Caitlin threw out, walking up next to Harry. "That's not getting into how much I've heard you rave about getting to work on projects with him."
"Et tu, Caitlin?" Sulking, Cisco crossed his arms and glanced at his girlfriend for support. "Back me up."
"I have heard you complain about him, but it's more in a sibling way." Cynthia laughed at the scandalized expression on his face. "Sorry. It's the truth."
Jesse called out, "It is, and it's mutual! Dad cares about you just as much, Cisco!"
The group laughed as Harry fixed a mild glare on his daughter, and Cisco perked up once more. To Harry's relief, Wally caught his attention and brought him into a conversation about the job position at STAR Labs. Jesse joined their conversation while Caitlin listened in. After his attempts to derail the discussion were shut down with a glare, Cisco tuned back into the discussion between Barry, Iris, and Cynthia. Joe and Cecile were whispering to each other in their corner and sending the occasional affectionate smile towards their kids.
"Jesse, are you looking to start your own company like your dad, or just work elsewhere?"
Considering her answer for a few seconds, Jesse eventually said, "I might be interested in building by own company at some point, but, for now, I just want to create my own path – one where people won't question if I somehow used advantages from my dad. I know I can't escape people linking our names or even the people I'm associated with because of him, but I can let my work speak for itself. That's what I want ultimately."
Caitlin smiled and nodded. "I understand that. Well, while I don't know which field you're most interested in, Mercury Labs is the best if biology is your focus, but there are a few other great labs out there. As for physics, I know the head of that department at Hudson University. I can give you his number if you'd like."
"Professor Martin Stein?" Jesse's eyes widened in excitement.
"The very one." Caitlin chuckled at Jesse's awestruck look. "He's a friend of mine and of my late fiancé's. You wouldn't have to worry about favoritism being an issue with him. He's kind, but won't hesitate to dismiss someone if they're not qualified or upholding the right standards. If you'd rather not work for him, he'd know which other labs and research projects could suit you."
Wrapping up his discussion with Wally, Harry regarded the two women. "What are you two talking about?"
"Caitlin was just offering her help in my job search."
"You mean getting you to work for Mercury Labs?" Harry shot Caitlin a playful scowl.
"No," Jesse stated. "She did bring it up, but also offered to help me find a different place if it's what I wanted. She took another of my interests into consideration and is willing to give me a chance to work with Martin Stein."
The name made Harry's eyebrows raise, and he faced Caitlin. "You know Martin?"
"He's a friend."
"Despite attending a lot of the same functions, my path has never crossed with his, but I've admired his work for a while now. How did you two meet?" Harry looked at her in interest.
The question brought memories to the surface, and Caitlin's smile turned sad for just a moment. "My late fiancé was a structural engineer on one of Professor Stein's projects. Those two butted heads at first, but then became close – almost like father and son. Ronnie introduced me to Martin, and we got along instantly. When Ronnie passed, he made sure to be there for me. We don't speak as often now, but still check in on each other every now and then. If you'd like, I'll introduce you."
Seeing she wasn't in a mood for consolation over her loss nor did she need it, Harry simply nodded. "I'd like that."
"Great. Depending on how soon you're able, the Steins throw a New Year's gathering every year for close friends and family. I usually make an appearance, but don't stay too long since most of the guests are paired up and it felt awkward. My invitation does, however, allow for a plus one, and, since you'd like to meet him and I know it'd make things less awkward for me, why don't you come with me?" Caitlin proposed, a tempting note in both tone and smile.
"I'd say that would make us more even on the events and favors front, but that one wouldn't really count since we'd both benefit."
Caitlin's eyes shone with good humor. "There's always Easter and Independence Day."
Opening his mouth to send Caitlin a wry retort, Harry glanced over at their audience. The looks on both Jesse and Wally's faces as well as Cisco's scrutinizing assessment made him cough and dial things back. "When you have the date for any trying social obligations, just let me know, so I can put it into my schedule."
"I will," Caitlin promised, half-serious and half-joking.
Joe's raised voice effectively ended their conversation and the moment.
"Hey, Harry, is this centerpiece from Waldorf's?"
Turning his head to see which one the other man meant, Harry walked over to get a glimpse. "Yes, that's one my parents bought. We also have a few of their decorations up on the tree. My parents passed quite a few of their Christmas decorations – my childhood ones – onto me. I don't usually set them all out, but I figured it was about time."
"They're lovely. My family had a few Waldorf decorations, and I remember how much I used to love going to the local shop every Christmas. It was like stepping into the holidays. I can't count how many times I dragged my parents inside," Cecile shared, voice warm with fond memories. "It's a shame they closed."
Joe and Harry nodded their agreement.
Before Caitlin had a chance to wander over to the trio, Cisco grabbed her attention.
"Hey, Caitlin, I think Barry would like to hear about work at Mercury Labs."
Barry squinted at the other man for half a second before shrugging. "Dr. McGee has released some pretty impressive research, too, and it's even helped in CSI work, so why not? What's she like?"
Sitting down next to Barry and Iris, Caitlin told them about her work at Mercury Labs, what Tina was like as a boss and as a person, and some of the type of research her team was working on. The couple both took in her words with interest and asked relevant questions. She, in turn, inquired about their own jobs. Iris took great enthusiasm in sharing the ins and outs of her job as an investigative journalist as well as her hopes to one day win a Pulitzer. Caitlin found herself smiling along and hoped to gain the other woman as a close friend.
She felt similarly towards Barry, who managed to outmatch his girlfriend's enthusiasm while explaining the typical day for a CSI, some of the significant breakthroughs he'd made as well as the people he'd helped, and what it was like working with his girlfriend's dad. It became clear he regarded the other man as a second father figure and respected Joe a great deal. From what she'd seen of the two's interactions, she knew Joe reciprocated the familial affection.
Caitlin had opened her mouth to ask Barry about the necessary steps one took to become a CSI and whether he had interest in pursuing a doctorate in forensic science, but a tap on her shoulder made her stow the questions away for later as she turned to face the perpetrator. "What is it, Cisco?"
"Sorry to interrupt, but Harry needs your help with something. I think it was something about the decorations? He didn't give me specifics, and he would have come over here himself except that Jesse wanted to talk to him about something."
Lifting an eyebrow at her friend's tumble of words and overly innocent smile, Caitlin studied him for a few moments. He didn't crumble under the pressure, so, sighing, she rose from her seat. "We'll talk more later."
"Yeah, of course!" Barry beamed up at her. "I can have Harry give you my number!"
"Mine, too! We should all hang out again some time – you, too, Cisco!" Iris turned her attention to the man next to Caitlin. "And bring your girlfriend."
Cisco nodded, smiling. "For sure!" His attention moved back to Caitlin. "Well? Come on! Hurry!"
Sending her friend an unimpressed look, Caitlin dutifully worked her way through the living room and over to Harry's side. She briefly noted the way leaned against the doorway as he spoke to Jesse, who was holding her phone horizontally. "What did you need, Harry?"
"What?" Harry glanced at her in confusion.
"The decorations," Caitlin prompted haltingly. A feeling in her gut told her she'd been right to be suspicious of Cisco.
While her response only confused Harry more, Jesse shot the two a knowing grin. "You know what? Now that you mention it, there is an unusual decoration. I didn't see it when we first arrived. Who knows where it came from?"
The two looked in the direction she pointed. There, hanging between them above the doorway, was a sprig of mistletoe. Harry froze – his mind racing a mile a minute. He tried to think where it came from, who could've put it there, and how they'd managed the feat. More pressing, though, was how it'd impact his relationship with Caitlin. Whether he declined the tradition or went through with it, it needed to be handled with care.
Caitlin, for her part, stopped breathing. She wanted to scold Cisco for his clear part in the set-up, but couldn't find enough air to even let out a disbelieving scoff. Feeling the eyes of the rest of the party on them and worrying about the lack of expression on Harry's face, she forced herself to breathe again. In. Out. In. Out. Her pulse slowed down into a more normal rhythm.
"Harry?"
Coming back to the present, Harry met Caitlin's brown eyes. Seeing his own nervousness reflected there paradoxically calmed him. Nothing in her gaze indicated a desire to avoid him or their situation, but only slight concern. He found his voice and whispered back, "Yeah?"
"I don't know how you feel about traditions, but I don't mind."
He didn't need any further permission. Bringing his face close to hers, he paused for a fraction of a second before making contact. The anxiety left his lips rigid but not unyielding. A small spark like that of static electricity shot between their lips, and, after a second, he pulled back. His feet refused to move him away from her as blood rushed in his ears.
A jolt of disappointment thrummed through Caitlin. Their close proximity did nothing to curb her strong desire to bring him in for something more than the peck. As she prepared to take a step backwards, she saw something that made her stay still. Harry broke their locked stare to glance down at her lips. His eyelids lowered incrementally in what she could only read as interest and desire. Without giving herself time to think, she lifted a hand and, wrapping it behind his neck, guided his lips back to hers.
In spite of his surprise at the action, Harry went willingly. His eyes shut of their own accord while his hands dropped to her waist to tug her in closer. He readjusted the angle of the kiss and allowed himself to explore. A satisfied noise reverberated against his lips. The distant sound of cheering and one loud whistle broke through his haze. Torn between ecstasy and regret at their audience, he drew away from Caitlin. His hands remained in place even as he turned to regard the group impassively. "Yes?"
No one said anything, but their smirks said it all.
The reminder of their audience made Caitlin flush, and she refused to look at Cisco. Knowing the kind of look he'd have on his face, she fought the urge to put distance between herself and Harry, or remove her hand from his hair – and when had she done that? She instead lightly tapped on his chest with the hand trapped between their bodies. Mindful of their audience and unwilling to let Cisco win, she said, "I think it's best to be thorough in following traditions, don't you?"
"I think I can see the appeal." Briefly squeezing her hips, Harry let her know with his eyes that there'd be a conversation in their future – one when everyone else had left. Her soft gaze told him that not only was she willing to have that conversation, but that she was even looking forward to it. Warmth flooded his chest, and he finally stepped back.
Separating was no longer a problem – not when he knew they'd soon be much closer.
A/N: Feedback is always appreciated! :)
