Part 19

It had been a month since she had been attacked. Caitlin sat in the exam room of her doctor's office waiting for her latest x-rays. Her ribs felt better and she was sick of looking at the cast on her left arm. Even though all her friends signed it. Barry's mother Nora had come with her. Barry had wanted to but he had to go to work. Captain Singh had been very understanding but Barry had no more days he could take off. So he had returned to work a few days ago. Caitlin still hadn't returned to STAR labs. But Dr. Wells had told her to take as much time as she needed. Though she planned to go back to work once she got the cast off her arm. She was beginning to get stir crazy at home.

"Caitlin, have you talked to your mother since this happened?" asked Nora kindly

"No. I called her and left a message with her assistant. But she hasn't returned my call. I said it was important. But not what happened." Said Caitlin

"I have never understood your mother. How she always seems to put her work a head of you."

"It's not a big deal."

"She should be the one helping you recover."

"My mom was never much of a nurturer. It just got worse after my dad died. Nora, thank you for being here with me."

"Sweetie, I love you as much as I do Barry. I have seen you grow from that shy quiet girl, into a beautiful young woman that is the only one beside myself that can put my son in his place."

"He told me he loves me. I think he means it as more than a friend or even a pseudo sister."

"Do you love my son as more than a friend?"

"Yes. He is the only one I have ever thought about being intimate with. But Hunter had to go and take something from me that wasn't his to take."

Nora got up and wrapped Caitlin in a hug. It boke her heart to see this strong and confident young woman so broken. The doctor came in and smiled at Caitlin.

"I looked over your x-rays Caitlin. Your ribs are nearly healed. Your arm has fully healed. So how would you feel about getting that cast off?" said the doctor

"I think that is a great idea. Dr. Knight, can I return to work?" said Caitlin

"You work in a lab?"

"Yeah, I work at STAR labs as the head of their bioengineering division."

"I don't see why not. Just no heavy lifting. Your ribs aren't 100% yet."

"I understand."

Caitlin's cast was removed and Nora drove Caitlin back home.

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Barry sighed as he ran the blood sample for the case he was working on. He much rather be with Caitlin at her doctor's appointment.

"You ok mate?" asked Julian

"Yeah, it's just Cait had a doctor appointment today. To see how her injuries are healing."

"She's going to be ok Barry. Your mum went with her right?"

"Yeah. Julian, you processed the evidence in her case right?"

"Yes. I assure you that I double and tripled checked everything. Made sure that every I was dotted and T crossed and that all of it was handled with the up most care."

"I don't doubt that Julian. I just want to make sure this creep goes away for a very long time."

"So do I mate. Caitlin is a sweet lady."

"Yeah she is."

"You're in love with her aren't you mate?"

"Yeah. I am. But right now she needs me as her friend not as a puritanical lover."

"Just give her time mate. I have learned that if something has as strong as a hold on you like this love you feel for Caitlin, then odds are that it has just as strong of a hold on them. Barry, think about it Caitlin has never had a successful relationship with any of the men she dated. My guess is she already has met and fallen for the man of her dreams. That none of them come even close to that man."

"Thanks Julian."

"Anytime mate."

Barry went back to work. But part of his mind was on his best friend.

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Cisco stuck his head into the bio lab and smiled at as Alex went off on the new lab tech that had been hired two days ago. This tech needed to be put in his place before Caitlin got back. He had made a mess of his work station something Dr. Snow wouldn't put up with. Don't get him wrong he loved Caitlin in the most platonic brotherly sort of way. But her mild OCD did drive him crazy at times.

"Hey Alex, Dr. Wells just told me that Caitlin has been cleared to return to work on Monday." Said Cisco

"That's great! Now David here just better get his act together or she will exile him to that dark dingy basement lab that hasn't been used since Dr. Jonathan Crane was fired for making that fear gas." Said Alex

"Now that was one messed up dude."

"I know. But I will be glade to have Caitlin back. I miss seeing her everyday."

"I haven't seen her since we all went to karaoke. Is she doing any better?"

"Yeah. She is still uncomfortable with being touched. Well she seems ok with Barry holding her."

"Well they have been friends since they were like ten or something."

"She is also in love with him."

"Try telling me something I don't know. She just won't admit it."

"Caitlin is scared that if she admits her feelings that she will lose the one person she has always been able to count on."

"Like Barry would ever walk away from her. He is just as much in love with her as she is him."

"Cisco, we know that, everyone that knows them knows that. But fear is a powerful emotion. Until she has proof Caitlin will not give in to her feelings for Barry."

"Sometimes you just have to have faith."

"Caitlin doesn't have faith in much of anything. The only thing I know she has faith in is that as long as she doesn't give in to her feelings for Barry then he will always be there for her."

Cisco nodded. But he had plans to get Caitlin to admit to Barry that he is the one she wants. He headed back to engineering to get back to work on his latest project. Alex had seen the look in Cisco's eyes and knew he was up to something. Most likely to get Barry and Caitlin together.