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The One Where the Wait is Worth It

"Are you okay?"

Caitlin looked up at the sound of Cisco's voice.

"Of course I am why?"

"You just seem a little…" Cisco trailed off staring at her with narrowed eyes, as if he could see in her face what he wanted to say. "I dunno."

"O-kay," she muttered and turned back to her work.

She was going over some old reports, making sure all notes had been typed up correctly and had been logged in the right folder of the medical database. It was tiresome, repetitive work but it kept her focus, as she had to concentrate completely on the information to make sure there were no mistakes.

She needed to be focused on work right now and as there were no metas or criminals around to take up her attention, this would have to do.

"You'd tell me if you weren't though right? If something was wrong?"

She sighed. She also needed Cisco to not have picked today to be perceptive about her mood.

"I am fine and I would tell you," she answered. "Happy?"

"Suuure."

Caitlin sighed again, knowing she was being a little short with Cisco and all he was doing was looking out for her but she couldn't talk to him about it. She wasn't even sure she wanted to talk to herself about it. Admitting the cause of what was making her feel and act off was a bigger conversation than she was willing to have.

It was stupid and little of her and went directly against what she'd told him herself and she didn't want to be the person she was being right now. But her emotions had been so happy lately it was almost like the second she had something to be sad about it just took over.

"Nice to have another quiet day huh?" Cisco said.

"Yeah, good for all of us," she answered but with her attention still on the reports. Or rather looking at the computer screen whilst trying to force her attention onto its contents.

"I mean it was great for Barry to have yesterday to rest after the Siphon fight," Cisco continued. "But to have today too?"

"We lucked out alright," Caitlin murmured.

"Wonder what he's doing," Cisco said. "I mean he was off today from work and apart from that check-up you ran this morning he's not been here…"

"Still resting I hope," Caitlin replied. "I know the test results came back normal but he's never had to deal with a meta with Siphon's abilities before. His body will still be recovering."

Hmm. You're right. I suppose the closest would be Blackout," Cisco said, deep in thought. "Or Turtle's abilities had a similar effect to what Barry described it feeling like…"

Caitlin smiled as Cisco got lost in memories, almost like he was playing Top Trumps with all the metas Barry had fought. She looked over at the clock with a sigh and saw it was five to ten.

She wasn't working effectively here anymore. Time to call it a day and head home, drop the pretence and wallow there.

"I think I'm done here," she said. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Ok. Caitlin?"

She looked at Cisco as pulled her coat on.

"You'd really tell me?"

Caitlin smiled as best she could. "I really would Cisco."

He smiled back at her although he still seemed unsure.

Caitlin left the Cortex and rode the elevator back to surface level. She headed towards her car whilst giving herself a strict talking to; tomorrow she would be fine and not give Cisco cause for worry. It was being a very poor friend on her part to have his concern and not reassure him of what was going on.

But how exactly could she explain what Barry had been doing?

And that when he had been recovering from Siphon's attack on him he had still managed to get two presents to her but today, when he was as physically fine as all her tests could show, and there was no meta or criminal activity there was nothing?

He'd somehow managed to sneak the present box right outside her door yesterday morning. She'd loved the white snow dog plushie. She supposed it was childish in a way but hardly anyone had ever thought to get her a present like that in her life, even when she was a child, so having one now, and it from Barry, was especially sweet.

They hadn't talked about it whilst she'd got him up and fed yesterday morning. Barry had grinned goofily at her the entire time and she hadn't been able to help the blush that covered her cheeks and so had ducked her head every few seconds. They'd moved around each other comfortably, brushing against each other occasionally and just being as close as they could get to each other without it being 'too' close.

If was a fine line they had been dancing on and Caitlin still wasn't sure if she was disappointed or relieved that nothing had really happened. They were friends at the end of the day, and whatever else she might feel she'd be devastated if they lost that.

Arriving at her building she slowly walked upstairs not at all sure what she was going to do with herself when she got there. Drink the night away? Drive herself mad with these thoughts?

Her phone rang and she fished it out of her bag. She blanched when she saw who was calling and considered not answering. But the doctor in her just wouldn't let her; what if he needed her?

"Hi Barry," she answered. "Is everything ok?"

"Hey, I'm fine. Just wanted to check in with you Cait," his voice sounded raspy over the line and she fought a shiver at the way he said her nickname. "Are you home yet?"

"Just walking down my hallway now," she answered with a frown. "Why?"

"You'll see," he said cryptically. "Thought I'd make it a little different today."

"What?"

He chuckled. "Enjoy ten Cait."

And with that he hung up leaving a confused Caitlin standing in her corridor. Ten? Did that mean he had got her something…?

She quickly hurried the rest of the way to her front door. But there was no box on her mat. Even more confused, and battling disappointment, she let herself in and walked to the kitchen to dump her stuff but before she could do more than take one step into the room she stopped dead.

On her kitchen table was an open wooden box.

Next to it, arranged in the middle of the table, was a little candle in a blue glass pot.

Caitlin hurried over to look at it and smiled when a scent wafted up to her nose. Upon closer inspection though she saw a number 2 was etched on to the side of the pot. She frowned in confusion – today was number ten. Shaking her head she decided Barry must have made a little mistake, and that as everything else had been perfect so far he was definitely allowed one.

She finished taking off her coat and bag and quickly hurried to the drawer where she kept a lighter, eager to have the candle lit and smelling nice. But as she walked she saw something new on her window ledge.

Another candle, this time in an orange pot, and with the number 5 on it.

Caitlin opened her mouth as the idea of what he'd done settled in her mind. Quickly she ran around her apartment and found eight more little candles. All were placed in a different colour of glass pot and each had their own scent.

Ten candles for day number ten.

Caitlin shook her head at herself for doubting him. With Barry Allen the old adage was proving true; it was worth the waiting.

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