A/N: Here's the new chapter! We have a little heart to heart between Barry and Caitlin, because obviously, we can't have a Snowbarry story with those two not talking to each other :P Anyway, enjoy and let me know what you thought about it! I love every single review you guys leave here!

I don't own anything ;)

Chapter 8. Warning Sign

"Come on in
I've gotta tell you what a state I'm in
I've gotta tell you in my loudest tones
That I started looking for a warning sign

When the truth is, I miss you
Yeah the truth is, that I miss you so

And I'm tired, I should not have let you go
So I crawl back into your open arms"

"Warning Sign – Coldplay"

Caitlin balanced the grocery bags on one arm, fishing her keys in her pocket with her free hand and managed to open the front door without throwing everything on the front porch. She kicked the door shut behind her and navigated towards the kitchen. Going through the living room, she spotted her mother sitting on her favourite armchair while reading a book.

"Hey mom, I got you that tea you wanted." Caitlin informed her as she stepped inside the kitchen. She carefully put the bags on the counter and began putting away what was in it.

"That's great sweetheart, thank you." Evelyn replied a few moments later, absent-mindedly.

Caitlin looked up and, from her position near the fridge, she could see her mother through the opened door connecting the kitchen to the living room. Caitlin frowned at her mother's daydreaming features. The older woman was a really down to earth person and the young doctor wasn't used to seeing that look on her face. A small smile was floating above Evelyn's lips and she was staring at the page of her book. Caitlin could've sworn she hadn't turned a page in the past five minutes.

"Is everything okay, mom?" Caitlin cautiously asked after putting away the milk and folding the paper bag.

"Huh?" Evelyn looked up as her daughter joined her in the living room. "Yes, everything is fine. Thank you for doing the groceries."

Caitlin slowly nodded, still a bit worried about the vacant look on her mother's face. "No worries. Well I'll go up to freshen up a bit and then I'll come back to keep you company." She informed her.

Evelyn's smile got brighter. "Oh take your time sweetie."

Caitlin's frown deepened. "Okay…" She trailed off before leaving the room, not without glancing at her mother one last time. There was something off about that smile… As if Evelyn was hiding some big secret.

The young doctor was still trying to understand her mother's behaviour, and to guess what kind of secret she could be keeping to herself, when she stepped into her bedroom. She glanced at her watch – an old big-city-habit she couldn't get rid of even when she really hadn't anything planned for the rest of the day – closed the door, took off her jacket and was about to head to her dresser to put it away when she let out a loud shriek, jumping back against her front door with a loud thump, her right hand flying to cover her heart, her jacket falling to the ground.

"Barry! What the hell?! Do you want me to have a heart attack?!" Caitlin exclaimed. Why were people insisting on scaring the life out of her every single time? Couldn't they just let her know they were here?

There, leaning back against her desk, was Barry with an amused smile on his lips and one of her old books in his hand. He put the book down on the desk and lifted both hands in surrender. "Sorry, I swear that wasn't my intention." Barry apologised.

"Well you should know better than to enter in a woman's room without her knowledge." Caitlin fumed. She absolutely hated being scared like that. And she wasn't really in the mood to deal with him right now.

"Well I assumed your mother would have told you I was here waiting for you." Barry explained, his smile turning into a shy uplift of the right corner of his lips.

"My mother?" Caitlin inquired with narrowed eyes.

Barry nodded. "Yeah, she's the one that let me in. She told me you'd be right back."

"My mother?" She repeated doubtfully. Now she thought she understood the secret smile she had seen on her mother's face a few minutes ago.

"Hum… that's what I said, right?"

Caitlin let out a bitter laugh. "Oh I hate her…" She groaned. "I specifically told her I didn't want to see you."

She hadn't seen him since the high school reunion and she had wanted to keep it that way. He had acted like a complete jerk at that party, like someone she didn't recognised at all. She had realised that, maybe, the Barry she had known was gone. She didn't want to find out if that was really the case, so she just didn't want to see him at all.

Besides, she had had Cisco to keep her mind off her ex-boyfriend. Spending a few days with her best friend had done her a lot of good. Cisco always knew how to make her laugh and could talk about simply everything. In those few days, she began realising that maybe coming back home wasn't the worst thing that could happen to her, that she could actually gain something from the situation. It just hadn't completely settled in. She had been really sad to see Cisco leave to go back to Central City, but unlike her, he had stayed at S.T.A.R. labs, convinced that there was still a huge potential there.

"Geez Cait, you sure know how to make a guy feel wanted." Barry groaned, pushing himself off her desk, his shoulders slumping down.

Caitlin looked self-consciously away from him. "Sorry, it's just that I told you this was a bad idea." She explained softly. She hadn't meant to sound so dismissive.

"Yeah, you told me." He chuckled without any trace of humour. "And I heard you. But I didn't get a chance to convince you that you're mistaken."

"Barry…" She tried to speak.

"No, please…" He cut her off. "I don't know what made me act like a damn fool at the reunion and I'm really sorry. But at least listen to what I have to say." Barry almost pleaded. His green eyes bore into hers and she didn't seem able to look away. Years after and she still knew them by heart.

"Okay, fine… Talk!" She reluctantly gave up. She had never really been able to resist him when he wanted something.

Barry huffed in annoyance and Caitlin realised that she was maybe being too hard on him, too cold – which he wasn't really used to. He just wanted to spend time with her – there was actually nothing wrong with that. And there had been a time when the two off them had been great friends. But Caitlin was afraid for her heart and all her defence mechanisms were up right now. She agreed to listen to him. Nothing more.

Barry pushed his annoyance away and took a step forward. Caitlin eyed him curiously, silently warning him not to come closer and he just shook his head with a light chuckle, but stopped where he was anyway.

He then turned serious again and took a deep breath before speaking again. "I know you're afraid of getting hurt and you say you're leaving anyway but I think I can help you, and…" He paused long enough for his eyes to find hers, locking her gaze in his. "And you once told me that: 'Every song ends. Is that any reason not to enjoy the music?'" Caitlin's eyes went wide and he gave her a shrug. "I know, I know… I'm the bigger dork here for even remembering you quoting a TV-show. But you were right."

Caitlin let out a shaky breath, willing her voice not to tremble. "That was a long time ago, Barry. I was twenty and living on the thrill of the idea of our little romance bubble. The city and college lives were crazy and I wanted some kind of comfort, some kind of normality where I could feel safe." She looked down to her hands as she absent-mindedly played with her engagement ring. "And I knew I could find that in you." Her eyes flew back up to his as she added, "and I'm sorry for taking advantage of you like that."

A loud laugh escaped Barry's lips. "Taking advantage of me? You're kidding, right?" When he saw that she was dead serious, he sobered up. "Cait, you're crazy to think that! If anyone took advantage of the other, it's me! I'm the one who lied to you for four days," he added as he saw the confused look on her face, "I'm the one who asked you if you were single, I'm the one who kissed you, I'm the one who invited you inside my house, inside my room, remember?"

A small blush crept up her neck to reach her cheeks, as she looked away, embarrassed by the affect these words had on her. As if she could ever forget…

"But I let you, I didn't stop you. I wanted you." Caitlin silently whispered, looking everywhere except his face. Her heart was beating like crazy inside her chest.

"And I could never hold that against you. And I don't regret it either." Barry softly replied. "Had the circumstances been different, maybe it could have lasted longer. But I guess the timing just wasn't right."

Caitlin nodded. Their four-days-adventure had been perfect. But life didn't seem to want it to last longer than that. Four days. She had her studies to finish. He had to take care of his sick mother.

"I wanted to thank you." Caitlin finally murmured, realising she had never admitted that to him.

Barry frowned, not expecting her to say that. "For what?"

Caitlin's eyes flew up to find his face. "For pushing me to go back to Central City eight years ago."

Barry nodded softly. "I knew it was what was best for you. You knew it too, you just didn't want to see it."

[Eight Years Ago]

"I'll stay." Caitlin suddenly said, breaking the long silence that had been floating around them, almost making him jump in surprise.

They were still lying in bed together a few hours after Barry had told her about his mother's cancer. Barry's sobs had died down but he couldn't bring himself to pull away from the security of Caitlin's arms. She was his anchor and he was afraid that, if he were to let her go, he would simply drown.

"What?" He asked confused. They had been lying down in silence and he had actually no idea what she was talking about.

"I won't leave tomorrow." Caitlin explained calmly. "I'll stay in Ryker Neve with you. With your mom. I'll help out."

Barry pushed himself off her, sat crossed-legged on the bed and frowned at her. "No Cait, you have to go back."

"What? No!" Caitlin exclaimed herself as she followed his example and pushed herself up into a sitting position. "Why do you say that? I want to stay here with you."

The young man sadly shook his head and turned his back to her, throwing his legs over the edge of the bed. "No you don't." He whispered.

"Excuse me?!" Caitlin squeaked, not believing what she had just heard. "Okay, what is wrong with you Barry? I want to be there for you, so please let me stay."

"Nothing's wrong with me." Barry huffed in annoyance and stood up, leaning back against his desk, finally facing her again. "And no Caitlin. You have to go back to Central City. You can't stay."

"But why?" She protested, standing up too to join him. Her soft hands immediately went to his waist and his fell to her hips. He couldn't help it; it was physically impossible for him not to touch her when she was so close to him.

Barry looked down into her pleading eyes and almost gave up.

Almost.

"Because I can't ask you to stay." He whispered.

"But you're not asking, I'm offering." She insisted, slightly tugging on his shirt like a little kid wanting something from his parents.

"And I'm refusing." He softly pulled her away from him and pushed himself off his desk. He began pacing nervously in his room under her worried gaze. "I already dropped out of college because of this. I won't forgive myself if you give up your studies because of me. I won't let you do that."

"It's my choice, Barry." Caitlin whispered.

"So?" He suddenly turned to her and snapped, his voice getting harder. "I won't let you. Because my mother is going to die and then who knows what will happen?" Barry threw his hands in the air before pointing a finger at her, making her flinch a little. "What if you can never go back to your studies? What if you never become a doctor? What if you get stuck in Ryker Neve? All because you stayed here for some guy you dated in high school. You can't throw your life away for me."

Caitlin winced at his harsh words. They both knew their relationship had been way more than just a high school crush turned into a fling. Their feelings for each other were real. They had something that some people would look their entire life for. He had been her first boyfriend, her first kiss, her first time, her first love… And even after two years of college, two years away from him, she hadn't found anything that felt like the third of what it felt to be with him.

"You'll resent me forever." He continued, oblivious to her inner monologue. "I won't be the guy keeping you away from your dream. I already gave up on mine. I won't let you do the same."

"But…" She started.

"There's no 'but', Caitlin. I love you." Barry cut her off before she could elaborate her thought. "I never stopped." He admitted and her breath caught. "Even more because of how much you care, about me and about my mother. These last four days together were perfect. But I can't let you stay. You have to go back. I want you to live your life at the fullest. Go get your dream. Be young. Be crazy. Don't wait for me, please."

Caitlin gasped at him, pointing a finger in his direction, her eyes welling up. "Oh that's a mean trick, using my own words against me. That's dirty pool, Barry." She remembered telling those words to him under the rain, both of them standing under a lamppost the day before leaving town for college.

Barry shrugged. He knew he had to do everything to convince her to go. "I'm only using them because, even if I didn't want to believe them at the time, they were true. And they still are today. So please, Cait, believe them."

"But I want to be there for you." Caitlin croaked, tears now streaming down her face.

"And you will be. Right here." Barry pointed to his heart and Caitlin ran into his arms. It felt awfully cliché but it touched her right in the feelings.

And she felt pathetic to be the one breaking down in his arms, considering that he was the one whose mother was dying. Barry closed the remaining very minimal space between them and gathered her into his arms, burying one hand in her hair and the other arm tightly wrapped around her waist. Caitlin snaked both of her arms under his, her hands going up his back and clutching at his shoulder, her face buried in the crook of his neck.

"You have that brightness inside of you that's just waiting to come out to dazzle the world." He whispered against her hair. "And I won't be the guy that keeps you from shining."

She shivered at his words and wondered if she would ever stop loving him like she loved him right now.

"You kept it?"

Caitlin was brought out of her trance and she turned her attention to the object Barry was referring to. With the tip of his fingers, he was grazing a necklace hanging on the side of her mirror. On that necklace was a small locket. His fingers were hovering over it as if they itched to touch it and open it but were afraid to.

"Of course I kept it." Caitlin whispered. She knew that locket all too well. How many times had she laid in bed, tears streaming down her face, looking at what was inside.

Barry knew it too. He had been the one to offer it to her for their second – and last – anniversary. At that time, they had known that college was approaching really fast and that they would both be in two separate states. But they had blissfully ignored the fact that it had the potential of coming in between them. They had avoided the subject like the plague. Caitlin already knew the safest thing for her heart would be to break things off and Barry decided to just not think about it – it was probably why he had had a really hard time accepting their breakup a few months later.

Finally, Barry seemed to gather the courage to grab the necklace and carefully opened the locket. As expected, inside was an old photograph of the both of them. The picture was small and old, but you could perfectly distinguish the huge smiles they were wearing.

At the back of the locket was a single phrase that Barry had let engraved.

"Forever yours. Barry."

Maybe at the back of his mind, he had known their relationship was soon coming to an end and had offered this to her so that she could carry it around with her and not forget about him. And apparently she had. He could see a few polished areas on the locket where he could imagine her fingers tracing a pattern on it, as she would look at it.

The engraved locket was an awfully cliché gift and way too cheesy but Caitlin had loved it. She hadn't seemed able to completely part with it. She had stopped wearing it, but she had never thrown it away or hid it.

Barry was still staring at the locket, lost in his thoughts, when Caitlin broke the heavy silence. "You have no idea how many times I hated myself for giving up on us." Maybe it was time to come clean.

He looked up at her and saw traces of regret lingering in her eyes. "Cait…"

"I mean… I didn't even give us a chance." She shrugged. "I didn't even let us try to make it work…" Her voice broke little at the end.

Barry let go of the locket, letting it rest back against her mirror, and approached Caitlin. Carefully, he put two fingers under her chin to make her look at him. "You have to forgive yourself." He said very softly. "I think you need that in order to move on. And if you need my forgiveness… you have it. I don't blame you, Cait."

Caitlin frowned as if what he had just said sounded completely absurd to her. "But I broke your heart."

A puff of air escaped his lips as he shook his head and his hand fell back to his side. "I can't hold that against you because we were two in that relationship, and I let you give up on us. I could've fought for you, I could have gone to Central City to surprise you, to show you we could actually keep our relationship. But I didn't. And then 2 years later I did the exact same thing as you. I let you go."

Her brows furrowed. "That wasn't your fault."

"Still, you wanted to be there for me and I didn't let you. I finally understood why you broke things off after high school, it was the reasonable thing to do."

Silence settled in as they both considered the words they had just exchanged. For the first time in forever, they were both confronting their choices from the past. For the first time, they were both admitting their wrongs in their falling out. And it felt like an invisible weight had been lifted from their shoulders.

"I'm sick of being reasonable all the time…" Caitlin finally breathed out.

Barry raised an eyebrow at her but she wasn't looking in his direction. He felt like her quiet admission meant more then what she was letting on. It seemed like she wasn't only talking about their relationship, but her life in general. From what he had gathered since she had come back, Caitlin was still a by-the-book person, never straying far from her initial path, never going crazy or overboard about things. She was always reasonable.

Barry saw there the opportunity to give her a little push towards a different way of life.

"So don't." He replied very seriously and his tone made her look up at him. "Let go of some control. Hang out with me. Because I really want us to be friends and I want to help you in that tough time of your life. Let me be there for you."

"Barry…" she shook her head, but he could feel her resolve weakening.

Barry raised a hand to stop her from finishing her sentence. "Next week we've got holidays, we're going away with Iris and her family for a few days. Come with us. There's enough place in Joe's beach house. It'll get your mind off things."

Caitlin seemed to consider the idea for a moment and a small smile appeared on Barry's lips. He knew how much she loved the beach.

"What about Patty?" She asked.

He waved her question away with his hand. "I explained everything and told her we were just friends, that what happened between us was a long time ago and I just didn't want her to worry about it. She's okay with it, don't worry." Barry shrugged. "She was a just bit angry I didn't tell her before."

Caitlin raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced by his explanation. "I don't know…" The last thing she wanted was to cause problems for him. She didn't want to be a burden.

He stopped her before she could continue. He took a step forward so that he could look straight into her eyes. She immediately got lost in them – otherwise she would've made a snarky comment on how close to her he was currently standing and how Patty wouldn't be okay with that. But she was simply powerless against his eyes.

Oblivious to his power over her, he spoke softly. "I'm offering you a shoulder to lean on. Take it."

Drowning into his green eyes, Caitlin couldn't do anything but say "yes".

Damn those eyes! And that stupid grin that stretched his lips as he heard her reply.

She was in trouble.