I do not own any characters, plots, or anything else pertaining to "The Flash", "Arrow", or "DC Comics". I'm sorry about the epic cliffhanger, but I promise, you won't be disappointed with what comes next. Now, onto Barry's POV. As always, thanks for favoriting/following and commenting.
Chapter 6
A Secret Love
Barry watches Cait's expression soften, as she takes in his words. He hadn't intended to say that, it kinda just came out. "Did you mean what you just said about stopping me from leaving?" Barry's heart starts pounding inside his chest and he's not sure how to handle this. Things between him and Cait haven't exactly been smooth, since he got together with Iris. They've spent less time together and that's his fault for pushing her away. Barry's eyes lock with hers and something inside him clicks. "Yeah, I meant it, Cait. I shouldn't have let you walk out, before telling you how I felt." He watches Cait's eyes go wide and gives her a smile. "Ever since, I woke up from that coma, you've been there for me. Always standing by my side and expecting nothing in return, but my friendship. I miss having you in my life and I'm sorry I pulled away from you." Barry takes a few steps towards Cait and stops in front of her.
He grabs both her hands and loves the smile that appears on her face. "You should smile more often." Cait's smile turns even brighter, at the words he just said to her. He remembers saying something similar to her, when he had gone through his initial tests. "The truth is, I need you, Cait. I've always needed you to challenge me, when I'm wrong or encourage me, when I can't get up anymore." He sees the tears welling up within her eyes. "You're important to me and I'm sorry I ever made you doubt that." Cait takes one of her hands from his and caresses his cheek.
The gesture is so gentle, so Cait, that it warms his heart. "I forgive you, Barry, but I won't lie and tell you, that seeing you with Iris, hasn't hurt me." Barry nods at her words, hating that he's hurt her. Cait gives him a small smile. "Ever since we met, I've felt a connection with you. Have you felt it, too?" He takes a sharp breath in, thinking about, the times where he has felt, that inexplicable connection with her. The moment that stands out among the group, is when she sacrificed herself to Jay to save his life. Barry remembers that the moment had stirred something deep within him, that he hadn't been able to explain. She had pleaded for his life and put him ahead of herself. It proved to him, that there was something much deeper than friendship between them. Love, maybe. "I'm sorry, Cait. I shouldn't have put my relationship with Iris first, my own happiness first." Cait gives him a nod, as the tears start falling down her cheeks.
Her green eyes lock with his and he can see something within them shift, something she normally hides from him. "What are we going to do?" Barry shakes his head. "I don't know, Cait, but we can't go back to the way things were." Barry notices her eyes move to his lips briefly, before they meet his eyes again. The air around them is suddenly tense and a warmth spreads across his chest, at the devoted look, she's giving him right now. A loud crash, comes from somewhere behind them, ruining the moment between them. Barry let's go of her and stares down the hallway. Maybe right outside the bathrooms wasn't a great place to have this talk. Barry looks back at Cait, who's standing there, with the guiltiest look he's ever seen her have. Their eyes meet, and he turns back to face her. "What are we doing, Barry? This is your Rehearsal Dinner and we're standing out here like it's not happening." His heart clenches at her words. With everything that's happened tonight, he nearly forgot, that he should be with Iris celebrating their upcoming wedding. "Tell Iris, I wasn't feeling well." With that, Cait begins to walk away, but he flashes in front of her. Despite the circumstances, he can't let her go, not again.
Without thinking, Barry leans in and their lips meet. He's kissed her before, but never as Caitlin Snow. Barry remembers when Killer Frost had kissed him and left him completely breathless. This kiss is soft and full of love, nothing like his kiss with Killer Frost. He wonders now if Killer Frost had kissed him because Cait couldn't. Barry feels her warm arms wrap around his neck and their kiss deepens. Until this moment, he never realized how much, he loves her in his arms. Sure, they've hugged in the past, but this is different. He feels the warmth of her body against his and her heart pounding in rhythm with his own.
Someone suddenly clears their throat loudly behind them and they both jump away from each other. Barry turns to see Cisco standing there, with his arms crossed. "Fancy meeting you here, while your Rehearsal Dinner is going to hell." His eyes widen at Cisco's words. "What are you talking about, Cisco?" Cisco sighs and shakes his head. "Iris saw whatever is going on out here and stormed the Rehearsal Dinner. She went up to the mike and told everyone that the wedding is off." Barry's heart aches and guilt rushes over him. He shouldn't have handled things this way, but it happened, and he has to deal with the fallout. "Caitlin, you should go home, before people put two and two together." He turns to Cait and sees the tears and guilt within her eyes. "I'm sorry, Cait." She doesn't say another word, but makes her way past him, and walks out of his sight. Barry knows he has to figure out a way to fix this, before he loses her, for good.