Part 18
"Iris, we have to go now!" yelled Lex
"Fine. But you are going to explain to me what you were thinking letting Eiling do that procedure on the ice bitch."
"Later, unless you want that former assassin or one of the Bats to kick your sorry ass. Superman is too much of a gentleman to hit a woman. Palmer is a bit of a wimp. Now lets get out of here."
Iris followed Lex into a tunnel and out to a waiting car. They drove off. Sara and Batman arrived at the same time to see them drive off.
"They got away." Said Sara
"For now. But I think it would be fitting if we let Caitlin deal with Iris West don't you?" said Batman
"Of course. Though I am sure Barry will want a piece of her too."
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Barry sat next to Caitlin in the Waverider med bay. He was glad to see that she wasn't as pale as she had been the last time he saw her. He looked at the monitor that had her vitals. Her temperature was still a little high but was slowly moving closer to normal. He felt a gust of wind as Jesse speed in with her dad. Barry smiled at Harry.
"How is she Allen?" asked Harry
"Uh Gideon how is Caitlin doing?" asked Barry
"Dr. Snow is still a bit dehydrated and is showing the beginning signs of malnutrition. But will fully recover by tomorrow morning." Said Gideon
"It's not a surprise that she wasn't eating much. None of us were given food that tasted good. But what she was given I wouldn't have given to a dog." Said Laurel walking in.
"I don't understand why Iris hates Cait so much." Said Barry
"I think that is something you and Snow will need to talk about when she wakes up." Said Harry
"Yeah we will."
"You should know no matter what was done to her she never broke. She refused to do what Iris wanted. She refused to become a killer." Said Laurel
"Cait is one of the strongest people I know." Said Barry
Harry left and headed for the cargo bay. Once there he sealed the door.
"Gideon."
"Yes Dr. Wells?"
"Are you aware of Dr. Snow's full medical condition?"
"If you are asking if I know that she is pregnant then yes."
"Will you tell anyone her condition?"
"If you are asking if I will tell Mr. Allen, the answer is no. Unless he activities the creator protocol."
"Good cause Dr. Snow is unaware of what was done to her."
"Understood."
Harry left the cargo bay wondering how he was going to break the news to Caitlin that she was going to have a baby all because Lex Luthor and Eiling wanted a living weapon they could control.
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Caitlin opened her eyes and smiled at the man sitting next to her. He held her hand in his and his head was resting on the edge of the bed she was in. She looked around and realized she was on the Waverider. She gently nudged the sleeping speedster. He jerked awake.
"Hey." Said Barry
"Hey." Said Caitlin
"How you feeling?" asked Barry
"Still tired but getting better."
"That's good. Cait, how high was that shock collar set?"
"Probably as high as it could be without killing me. Iris really had it in for me."
"Why? It can't be just because of when you joined Savitar."
Caitlin looked away from Barry biting her lip. Barry knew then that Caitlin was hiding something. Most likely had been for a while.
"Cait, we promised a long time ago not to keep secrets. That has gotten us in nothing but trouble. I remember you yelling at me back when I first became the Flash because I kept it a secret that I was passing out. Then there was Flashpoint, and you hiding your powers when you first started to get them."
Caitlin knew he was right. But could she really tell him about her feelings for him? That Iris hates her so much because she is jealous. Jealous because Barry has always done everything he could to protect her. Even giving up his job at one point to prevent her from being arrested. To stop Julian from having her locked up in Iron Heights when she was nothing more then driven crazy with fear over powers she never asked for or understood at the time. But now fully accepted having learned back with DeVoe that she no longer wanted a life without her powers. The part of her that fueled Frost was no longer part of her.
"Cait?"
"I think she is jealous of how close we are. That you have in the past done almost anything to protect me. That I knew about your powers and being the Flash from the beginning. But also she suspects something else. Something that I have tried to hide from everyone even myself."
"That you are in love with me?"
"Yeah. How did you know?"
"Cisco noticed things. Cait, Iris must suspect I am in love with you too."
"Probably. Barry, she is right about the fact I am in love with you. I think I have been since that night all those years ago when we went to that karaoke bar. When you took care of me when I was a drunk mess."
"And saved you from an evil dress?"
Caitlin laughed.
"Yeah. Be honest did you sneak a peak at my goods? Cause you know Frost before she merged into me told me about things she saw before she surfaced. She was convinced you did sneak a peak."
"Cait, as I told you that night I wouldn't be much of a hero if I did."
"I really wouldn't have minded if you had. Remember Hannibal Bates?"
"The shapeshifter?"
"Yeah. Uh when he looked like you he uh kissed me."
"He kissed you! Good thing he is dead. He is dead in this reality right?"
"Yes. Though I got to say right now you are acting like a jealous lover."
"I am not jealous! Besides it's not like you never kissed me."
"As I remember it I was suffering a mental health break at the time. I had just caused you to slip and crash on an icy street. You had knocked my legs out from under me knocking me onto my back next to you. Then I tried to freeze you to death with that kiss. I might have too if Cisco hadn't blasted me."
"Still one of the best kisses I ever got from a beautiful woman. Though I should tell you I do still get pain in my leg where you stabbed me twice when it's cold or it rains. Sort of like where Oliver shot me with those arrows."
"That was over five years ago. Why are you just telling me this now?"
"Well after you helped get me out of the speedforce you still had all that guilt over your part in Savitar killing HR."
"But you could have told me before now."
"Maybe, because part of me believed I deserved you doing that to me. I know your powers are my fault. But until we discovered that it was because of your dad I thought it was."
"Barry, I had stopped being angry about flashpoint after the defeat of Savitar. Did you ever wonder why I joined him and trusted so easily? It wasn't just because he was you."
"Sort of."
"Damn it Barry! You are so dense!" yelled Kara from across the med bay.
"How are you feeling Kara?" asked Caitlin
"Fine. But back to the subject at hand. Barry Allen, Caitlin already admitted that she had been in love with you since some karaoke night years ago. Seeing as I know nothing about that it must have been before we met. She joined Savitar because he was a version of you she could have." Said Kara
"She's right Barry. I understand if you don't feel the same way about me. But I have to make sure you do know that I am in love with you Barry Allen."