A/N: I realise that 15 reviews wasn't likely to happen, and I'm slowly torturing you. So, sorry about that. I think I'll post more of 'The Coma' soon, as soon as I finish it, which I understand isn't really good, but I am dreading school, where I now must take piano, and have less time to do what I jokingly refer to as a job. Thanks for the seven I got anyway, and the reviewers will be listed at the bottom of this chapter. On another note, I have 59 followers for this story! How cool is that?! And forty-three reviews?! You guys are so good to me.

The first thing I feel when I wake up is an absence. It's not in the Ronnie-kind-of-way, but in a he's-alive-just-not-right-here way.

In a flash, I realise this has gone way beyond a crush.

In a flash, I realise I love Barry Allen.

And that is both okay and terrifying.

I think it's late, and my mug of hot chocolate is gone. Instead I'm in my bed, with blankets cuddled all around me in a nest.

My tablet is next to me, on the nightstand, and the time reads 8:47 am. Wow.

There is a post it on the nightstand also.

It reads:

Left to get groceries. Be back as fast as fast as I can. Coffee on the bench. BTW, check your answering machine. There is a message.

-Barry-

Aww, how thoughtful of him!

I get out of bed, still bleary-eyed, and trip over the doorframe, and I brace myself to hit the ground. Where is Superman when you need him?

I close my eyes, to find two arms around my stomach.

Apparently, he is here, and I am Lois Lane.

"I didn't know you fall that easy," Barry whispers in my ear.

"Only when you're here to catch me," I whisper back.

"Come on, I can make breakfast," He lifts me up, bridal style.

"It's pancakes, isn't it," I accuse.

He just gives me a smirk.

"Cookie, please put me down." I ask him, and to my surprise, he does so without protest.

"Okay, so I'm going to check my answering machine to see the message." I pad down the hallway.

The message light is blinking red when I get to the kitchen. I press play to hear it, and surprisingly, the voice is Iris.

"Hey, Caitlin, um, I'm so sorry, that I forgot to invite you to the Christmas Eve party at our place. I've been so busy, that I just realised I only invited Barry, Eddie, my dad, Oliver and Felicity (because they were in town, and I thought, hey, why not). I'll send the message along to Dr Wells and Cisco. Please forgive me and RVSP as soon as you can!"

I pick up the phone, and dial Iris right back.

"Hello?" She says.

"Hi, this is Caitlin."

"Oh my god, sorry for being so rude and every-"

"It's okay. I'm just calling to say I'll be there. What am I supposed to bring, and what time is it?"

"Bring maybe a dessert, and it's at seven."

"Is cheesecake okay? I mean, I don't know if you guys have any allergies or anything."

"Yeah, cheesecake would be great."

I see Barry hopping up and down, miming himself talking on the phone.

"Hang on, Barry wants to talk to you." I hand the phone over to him, and he starts a conversation while I grab my coffee and start nursing it.

I hear a few words, but I try to block out the conversation.

Most of it is gibberish.

I drink it, even though its really hot and I just burnt off a large population of my taste buds, savoring the surge of caffiene that runs through me.

I hear a bleep to my side, and look to see Barry replacing the phone in its cradle. "Done?" I ask. He nods.

"Can I help make the pancakes?" I ask, with a playfully pleading expression on my face.

"Sure thing, pancake." He winks at me.

"I am not getting into this again," I throw my hands up in the air and shake my head in mock annoyance.

"Okay. You mix, I flip?"

I nod. "Hand me the bowl, and the mix, and the eggs and milk." I say, in a secret agent kind of way.

He hands them over, and I read the back of the packet.

-[Five Minutes Later]-

"Is it supposed to be like this?" I ask Barry, stabbing at the weird dough-y sludge in the bowl in my arms.

"Nope." He grins smugly.

"I'm a biochemist, not a baker!" I complain.

"Baking is biochem. You derive the ingredients from plants, mix them, and put it in the pan."

"Oh. Never thought of it that way." I acknowledge I have been bested.

"How about we throw this out, put the ingredients away, and hit an IHOP?"

"That sounds pretty good."

I get the sludge and stick it in the bin.

"It's pretty much solid." He comments from behind me.

I stand up, and whack him with my wrist. "Ow, so are you! And shut up!"

He laughs. "Go get dressed."

"See ya," I salute at him, then go pick an outfit.

It's not recent, I bought it maybe two years ago.

It's a sailor kind of dress, blue spotted with a white collar and red ascot under the collar. There's a thin white belt that fits around my waist, and I honestly wouldn't have worn it if I wasn't going out with Barry.

Like going out, but not going out, going out.

God, I was starting to sound like Felicity.

So I put a coat over it, and put my hair into an easy bun, not rolling it too tight.

I come out, and see Barry has changed into different clothes, and it smells like aftershave, so I fake cough, causing him to turn around.

"Did you crash into a pharmacy?"

"No." He smiles. "Got everything you need?"

"Just let me grab my purse," I say, walking over to the counter, checking both my wallet and phone were in there.

They were, so I go hug Barry. "Do your thing, Mr Fast-Legs. God, I really need to spend less time with Felicity-" And we're outside.

"Thanks," I smile, then kiss his cheek.

He blushes a bit, and I take his hand, leading the way into the building.

I sit at a table for two, and pick up a menu. "Barry, they've got an unlimited pancake thing on." I say.

"Cool, let's get one of those!" His boyish enthusiasm shines through.

So a waitress comes over, and we order that, as well as a soda each.

When the food comes, they insightfully add another plate.

"What's the date?" I ask suddenly, remembering that I promised Iris to bring a cheesecake.

"It's the 23rd, but-"

"Oh crap. Do you know any cheesecake stores open?"

"Um, no, but we can make-"

"Oh great. Can you help me, pretty please?" I give him puppy dog eyes, and he relents.

"Fine, but you have to eat at least three pancakes."

"It's a done deal." I say, loading three onto my plate, from Barry's giant stack.

I finish them pretty slowly compared to Barry. I'm working through the last quarter of the third one when Barry announces he's done.

"What? You've got to have cheated!" I exclaim.

"No, I didn't, I swear. Now, let's go grocery shopping."

"Fine," I drink up the last of my soda and eat the square left on my plate. We pay the bill, then we go outside.

I hug him, then kiss his cheek, pullin back, with my arms still around his neck.

"I think you have a little something right- there," He says quietly, bringing his thumb up, and wiping it off. He licks his thumb.

And I blush like a crazy person.

A/N: This is probably short, but I have a load of stories I was working on instead when I went away for the weekend. Urgh. I basically spent it going outside and getting sunburnt. Can I have eight reviews for the next chapter, or am I stretching it?

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