Part 22

Sunday morning just after ten Caitlin followed Barry into his parents house. Henry greeted them with a smile. Caitlin looked at Barry's father and smiled. She hadn't seen him since she had been released from the hospital.

"How you doing Caitlin?" asked Henry

"Getting better every day. I am going back to work on Monday." Said Caitlin

"That's good. I know you have been going to Joan's support group."

"Yeah. It's helps a lot. Not that having Barry around hasn't helped. But it's time for him to stop sleeping on my lumpy couch and return to his bed."

"He just wants to take care of you."

"I know. But I need to take care of myself now."

"Caitlin, you should know that Barry told me what that bastard took from you."

Caitlin bit her lip and looked over to where Barry was helping his mom set the table.

"I wish he hadn't. But I understand why he did. He wanted to make sure that you could explain to my doctor and nurses how traumatic what happened really was to me."

Just then there was a knock on the door.

"Uh that should be your mother. Nora invited her after confronting her about not returning your calls." Said Henry

Caitlin just nodded. Nora showed Carla in. Caitlin looked at her mother who stood in front of her.

"Caitlin, I think we need to talk." Said Carla

"Yeah mom we do." Said Caitlin

Caitlin led the way out to the back patio so they could talk in private.

"How are you doing honey?" asked Carla

"Been better. But I am healing. It's slow but I am getting better."

"I am sorry for not returning or taking any of your calls. I just didn't think that you would be calling about something like this."

"I needed you mom."

"I should not have frozen you out after your father died. I hope that you will forgive me. I want you to tell me when the trial starts. I especially want to know when you are scheduled to testify. I want to be there to support you."

"I will make sure to let you know."

"Even if I haven't acted like it I do love you. I am proud of you. I may not like Harrison Wells, but he has kept me informed about what you are doing. That you are the youngest department head at STAR labs."

"Yeah I am. Mom, I know you had wanted me to take the job you had saved for me. But I had to go somewhere else. I needed to make my own name. I couldn't do that working for you."

"I know that. I may not have liked you chose STAR. But I understood why you did. If you were going to work for a different company I hoped that it would have been Mercury labs instead."

"I still would be at a near entry level position if I went there. I interviewed there and I would have had to work for nearly twice as long to be even close to where I am now at STAR. There was very little room for advancement at that time. Dr. McGee was very honest about that."

"I know. I spoke to Tina at a conference shortly after you started at STAR labs. She was honest that you had to much potential to be wasted in the position she could have offered you."

Caitlin bit her lip not knowing what to say.

"Caitlin, would it be ok if I hug you?" asked Carla

"What?"

"I want to hug my daughter. I just don't know how comfortable you are with being touched. I know that women who have been raped aren't always comfortable with being touched. I want to know if you are ok with me touching you like that."

"Mom, it's mostly men I am having issues with touching me. Even men I know and trust. So far only Barry has been able to hold me without me flinching. Even a couple weeks ago when Oliver came to visit I flinched at his touch."

"Oliver?"

"Queen, your cousin Moira's son?"

"You were close to him when you were a child."

"I know. Mom, I would like it if you hug me. I love you."

Carla pulled Caitlin into a tight hug, just holding her daughter.

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Barry watched Caitlin with her mom from the window. He was happy that they seem to be working on their relationship.

"Barry, are you ok?" asked Nora

"Yeah mom. Cait and I talked. We are going to try being more than friends. But it is Cait who will decide how fast or slow we go."

"That is a good way to go. Now why don't you let them know that we are ready to eat."

"Ok mom."

Barry opened the patio and stepped out. Caitlin was the first to notice him.

"Hey." Said Caitlin

"Everything good out here?" asked Barry

"Yeah. Mom and I were just talking." Said Caitlin

"Barry, thank you for taking care of my daughter. I know I should have been there for her." Said Carla

"There is no need to thank me. I love Cait. I would do anything for her." Said Barry

Barry reached out to Caitlin and she melted into his arms. She smiled as he wrapped her in a warm hug.

"My mom said it's time to eat." Said Barry

"I'll see you two inside." Said Carla

Carla went inside and Barry smiled at Caitlin.

"I love you Cait." Said Barry

"I love you too Bare. More then I can ever tell you."

Barry just smiled and leaned down and very gently placed a soft kiss on her lips. Caitlin hesitated at first but soon returned it. She broke it after a minute.

"Not how I imagined our first kiss. You know with our parents watching." Said Caitlin

"If it makes you feel better I think they approve. You mean the world to me."

"Let's go eat."

Barry wrapped his arm around Caitlin's waist as she leaned against him as they walked back in together.

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Hunter paced in his cell. He hoped that his brother goes along with the plan to destroy Caitlin Snow. That girl could not testify. If she did then he was in deep trouble. He should have made sure that she wouldn't be able to open her mouth. Like he did with David's adoptive sister. But the problem was he actually was in love with Caitlin. But once he got out of here and off the hook for these changes he would take Caitlin away so that they can spend the rest of their lives together. He would take her to this cabin deep in the woods and make sure that she would never be able to leave. He smiled as he thought about how she would learn to love him once she was away from all these distractions.