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AN:

Your reviews are so lovely. Thank you for taking the time to write them and to anyone who has favourited or followed. I'm so glad everyone is enjoying reading this as much as I am writing it!

AN EDIT:

I'm so sorry. I thought I had posted this yesterday (7th) when all I did was upload the doc. It has been crazy this week for me. But just like if you forget a day on your chocolate calendar and then get two chocs the next day, today will have two chapters.

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The One with a Wake-Up Call

The loud sound of vibrations against wood startled Caitlin out of sleep. She quickly, if a bit disorientated-ly, grabbed her phone and answered the call that was making the disruptive noise.

"H-hello?"

"Where are you? Are you ok?" A voice demanded.

"Cisco?"

"Yeah, it's me. Are you alright?"

"Of course," Caitlin answered. "If by alright you mean rudely awakened. What's going on?"

"Your signal went down. I got an alert from our new system. Then I couldn't locate you, even with Sally maxed out, and we had to make sure nothing bad had happened."

"I'm fine," Caitlin reassured. "A little sleep deprived but otherwise okay. It's really sweet of you to check on me but I'm just in bed in my apartment. Wait, 'we'? 'We' had to make sure?"

This time Cisco was slower to respond. "The new protocols are written so Barry-"

"Did you tell him? Cisco you know he's just going to over-" There was a sudden strong gust of wind inside Caitlin's apartment and she sighed, knowing what had happened.

"Cait!"

"-react," she finished.

"Oops?" Cisco said from the other end.

"Cait?! Caitlin!?"

She hung up on Cisco, knowing he probably deserved it, and quickly flung off her bed covers and padded into the hallway were Barry was pacing up and down.

"Oh thank God," he sighed. "Cisco said your signal was lost. We thought there could be another incident, another meta, like the other day, when you couldn't contact anyone for help."

"Well I don't know what's going on with the signals," Caitlin replied. "But I've been here since I left the lab. I've just been sleeping."

Barry smiled in relief. "Good."

"Are you ok?" Caitlin asked slowly. "You look a little-" she waved her hand at the obvious disarray of his clothes.

"Yeah, I'm good," Barry chuckled rubbing at the back of his neck. "I was in a bit of a hurry to get here. I kind of got dressed in the dark so…."

Caitlin laughed and grinned at him. They stood there like that, just smiling at each other for a few moments. It should have felt awkward but it didn't.

"Did you want to stay for some early breakfast? A pre-morning drink?" she asked.

"Pre-morning?"

"I'm not calling this hour morning," Caitlin replied. "It implies I want to wake up at this time on a normal day."

Barry chuckled. "Thanks. But I should let you get back to sleep."

"Are you sure? I don't mind."

"How about we meet before work?" Barry asked. "An after-we've-slept-proper-time-in-the-morning drink?"

Caitlin beamed. "I'd love that."

"Brilliant," Barry grinned back. "I'll meet you at Jitters? At seven?"

"That'll be lovely," Caitlin said and together they walked back to her front door. "Did you phased through?" she added as she went to unlock it.

"It was the quickest way to get to you," Barry defended sheepishly. "I didn't know what was happening. You could have been taken somewhere or hurt. I was about to search your whole place but you answered me."

"Well technically I answered Cisco first, as it was his call that woke me."

"I do not believe that cell service is quicker than I am."

"I was sleeping, he woke me. You got here and I had time to get out of bed. Clearly one of you alerted me to possible danger before the other. Guess I should call Cisco my hero now," Caitlin teased.

"I would have woken you! And I'd have done it nicely too, no blaring ringtone or anything."

She didn't know what made her say it, some devil on her shoulder perhaps, but her next words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. "And if I'd been sleeping naked?"

Barry jolted and tripped over his own feet.

Caitlin felt heat rise to her face and quickly looked away from him, suddenly very aware of how close they had been standing and that she was only in her tank and shorts pyjamas. She quickly walked ahead of Barry, who had managed to catch himself on her wall, and opened her front door.

And on her doormat was a box with a red and gold 7 on its lid.

"Oh," she said breathlessly.

She felt Barry come to stand behind her but he didn't say anything. Caitlin wasn't sure what she should feel, let alone say. One minute they were teasing and it was comfortable, the next it was awkward but with an awareness, and now? She was caught between surprise, excitement and something else. Something she was terrified to put a name to.

"Are you going to open it?" Barry asked softly.

"Can I?" she asked, not sure of herself with him right behind her.

"It's your advent box."

Caitlin slowly bent down and picked up the box, a medium square one that had a bit of weight to it. She carefully walked into her kitchen and put it down on her table. Barry stayed at the doorway, watching with hooded eyes. She gently unsealed the catch on the box and lifted the lid.

Nestled inside was a flower in a dark brown glazed pot. It was beautiful, with red petals fanned around a yellow centre – the pistil or stamen was it called? – and a long green stem.

"Barry it's gorgeous," she said, gently stroking a finger along the edge of a petal.

"It's a Hellebores Orientalis," he said. "Otherwise known as the Christmas Rose."

"Oh Barry."

"My mum was mad on gardening," he said suddenly. "She used to spout off all sort of flower names and I leant the proper Latin ones too, to please her. This flower is really good at blooming in winter, the cold helps it or something I don't know. But you mentioned ages ago, I think you were talking to Cecile, that your house plants didn't survive when you dropped the temperature in your apartment so I thought… I mean at the time I was just thinking we really needed to get some training for you, to help you feel more comfortable with your powers then I started this… If it works, then there's a pack of seeds at the bottom too so…"

"Barry you're babbling."

"Oh, sorry. I'll shut up."

"I don't know what to say." Caitlin turned to face him and just stared into his eyes, trying to convey everything she was feeling that she just couldn't put into words.

"You like it," Barry said. "That's enough."

They both just stood and stared at each other. Nothing was said and neither moved, caught in a moment that was too precious, too delicate to try and do anything yet.

"I'll let you get back to sleep," Barry said gently, after what could have been an eon to Caitlin. "A-are we still on for Jitters? Morning drink?"

"Yes," Caitlin answered, with a nod and a smile for emphasis.

"I'll see you later then." And with that Barry was gone.

Caitlin turned back to her flower and just stared at it. Oh the things that wonderful man was doing for her. The things he was making her feel…

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