Now that Savitar was defeated and Alchemy was gone forever, Barry felt like he could take a breath and really enjoy life. Yes, there were metas that still needed to be caught as well as regular bad guys, but that was just par for the course with the line of work he was in. With things having evened out, he continued training Wally, helping the young speedster become the best he could. The nights and any other free time he had was devoted to loving the woman who would be his wife.
Wife. The word made his heart speed up from it's already accelerated pace, excitement and anticipation coiling in his gut. He, Barry Allen, was going to marry Caitlin Snow. He was going to be her husband. They were going to have a life together, have children together, grow old together. He knew villains would always be after the Flash's head, but with Kid Flash, Vibe and Ice at his side, he knew that things would be taken care of no matter what.
Speaking of the team, he flashed his way into the cortex at S.T.A.R., lightning trailing after him. It was time for his training session with Wally, helping to hone the younger speedsters powers as well as push his to new heights. Kid Flash was learning quickly, reaching milestones at a quicker pace than Barry had originally. Cisco was tinkering in his lab, working on who knows what. Caitlin wasn't in her lab across the room from Cisco, and that gave Barry the perfect opportunity to ask Cisco a question.
"Cisco!" Barry knocked on the doorframe to his friends lab, making the other man jump and shriek like a girl. Barry burst out laughing as Cisco wheezed,
"That's just rude. That ain't right man. See if I let you take my suit out for a spin ever again." The shorter man pouted crossing his arms, screwdriver sticking out of a fist.
"I thought we agreed that it was our suit." Barry tilted his head and waited to see what his overly melodramatic friend would say.
"Keep telling yourself that, but without me, you really would be The Streak."
Snorting Barry rolled his eyes, glad to have a friend like Cisco in his corner. Crazy smart and deadly sarcastic, he was known to lighten the mood with his witty remarks. Add to the mix a fiercely loyal Caitlin, and the core of Team Flash was unstoppable. It did his heart good to know that through everything they have been through the last few years, they would always be a family.
"Anyways, I didn't come here to make you scream like a little girl." The speedster replied.
"Yeah, sure." Cisco was just like the little brother Barry never had, and loved to upstage the skinny man.
"Anyways," Barry rolled his eyes with a grin. "I came to see if my best friend wanted to be my Best Man at my wedding."
Cisco lit up like a kid in a candy store, eyes bright and grin large. He started hopping in place and clapped a hand on Barry's shoulder. The world suddenly went still and Barry wondered what his friend was seeing. Just as quickly as it happened it was over.
"Dude, yeah. I will totally be your Best Man, and Godfather to your cute kids."
"Kids?" Barry felt the wind leave him, excitement bubbling under the surface. "As in more than one?"
"Yep." Cisco popped his 'p'. "But I'm not going to ruin the surprise by telling you how many. Just that they are healthy and happy."
"That's all I ask for man."
Barry had known he was going to be a father one day, but to hear Cisco tell him made Barry realize it was going to be a real reality. One he was looking forward to more than he knew. Visions of a life full of laughter and love filled his mind and heart.
Meanwhile, Caitlin was sitting at the dining room table of the apartment she and Barry shared, surrounded by bridal magazines. Iris, Thea and Felicity sat in the other chairs at the table, helping her sort through ideas. All Caitlin knew was that she wanted a larger, more lively wedding than her last. Her wedding to Ronnie had felt right but rushed; she wanted this one to be absolutely perfect. She wanted more than Dr. Stein presiding over a ceremony in the grassy median in front of S.T.A.R. Labs.
Wine flowed freely between the three woman with her, making them giddy and punch drunk. Caitlin smiled at them, wondering at the turn her life had taken since the particle accelerator explosion. She went from a solitary being to a woman with friends and family, people who loved her and she loved in return. Soon she would be adding to her loving family.
"Not in the mood for wine today Cait?" Felicity asked as Caitlin flipped through a magazine, looking for inspiration for her bouquet. Trust Felicity to bring up a subject that was delicate and blab it out loud.
Blushing and smiling Caitlin stared at her friend, ice prickling on her fingertips and edging onto the pages she held in her hands. She really hadn't wanted to tell anyone until she told Barry when he came home that evening. She felt he should know first as to why things were beginning to change. For the last few days she had felt swollen and worn, choking it up to training. When her breast became tender and the queasiness hit, she knew what was going on. The test in the bathroom trash confirmed it.
"Caitlin!" Iris shrieked, apparently able to read between the lines. "Are you not saying that you and Barry are -?"
Nodding Caitlin dropped both hands to her abdomen, glad to be able to tell someone.
"All three of you better swear that you won't say a word to anyone. I don't want Barry finding out before I can tell him."
"How far along are you?" Thea asked with a wrinkle on her brow. "The fight with Savitar was only three weeks ago."
"Yeah," Iris added. "You weren't pregnant then, or it would shown up when you were in the med lab at S.T.A.R."
"I think it might have been then, but since no one was looking for the baby, the monitors didn't pick it up." Caitlin shrugged. "Besides, I'm two weeks late."
"We're going to be aunties!" Felicity reached over and hugged Caitlin tight, Thea and Iris following suit. "You know this means the wedding will have to be pushed up."
"That's not so bad." Caitlin shrugged, not concerned about it. "We were going to have the wedding in the Victory Plaza where they have the Flash Day celebration. Professor Stein said he would officiate again, we just needed to let him know which day."
"We're going to need to do it soon; otherwise people will be able to tell you have a baby bump." Thea pointed out in her usual blunt manner.
"Let's focus on the flowers and music today." Caitlin suggested. "Let me tell Barry about the baby and then we can look for dresses."
After picking a mix of scarlet roses and light blue hydrangeas for the flowers they agreed upon light, classical music. Nothing trendy and brash, but elegant and clean. Something that could be pulled together quick but didn't look or feel cheap. After the girls left with the promise to keep their secret a little longer, Caitlin collapsed on the couch, ready for Barry to come home.
"You are going to have the best daddy in the world baby. You'll also have the craziest, most loving family you could ever ask for." Caitlin felt peaceful rubbing her still flat abdomen and talking to a baby who didn't have ears yet. She couldn't wait to tell Barry they were starting a family of their very own.
