After a busy day at CCPD, and being the very one and only The Flash, Barry makes his way to Star Labs. Earlier that day, upon waking up, he banished the thought of him and Caitlin and everything romantically stringing them. They're bestfriends. They are right?
Arriving at Star Labs, he noticed Cisco on the table but no Wells and Caitlin on scene.
"Wells said that he wants to go home cause he's not feeling well. Caitlin's been standing outside the PA for hours now. I try contacting her using the intercom but she's not answering."
"I'll check on her."
With that he climbed down towards the particle accelerator where he finds Caitlin slumped down on the floor. Fresh tears on her face.
"Cait?"
Caitlin whipped her head on Barry's direction. Since she's on the floor wailing like a child, and he's standing, she looks up at him like a pauper begging for alms. But alms is not what Barry gave her but his arms. He encapsulated her immediately in his arms and hug her. Seeing her so vulnerable like this makes him want to kill himself so he can bring Ronnie back.
"I'm afraid."
"What?"
"After the explosion, I'm still afraid to go there. That's the reason Ronnie died. He saved me but he died."
"Well, he's a hero."
"But I don't want him to be a hero. I just wanted him to be my husband."
Her husband. Right. Him not you Barry. Now, he's finally made up his mind that it's still Ronnie who owns Caitlin's heart and he will never win hers ever. But if friendship is the only thing that Caitlin can offer to him, then friendship it is. It's better than nothing.
"What if I went with you?"
"What?"
"You told me that you're afraid. They say fight your fears. So we will go inside there and you will be okay."
Caitlin was hesitant but when Barry said something, it puts her straight into a win-win agreement. She nod her head and she let him take the lead. Inside the particle accelerator, it was very cold, very dark. Images flooded back into her mind and she shuts her eyes but no avail it's still there. Barry holds her hand, notices that her engagement ring is no longer there, tell her to open her eyes and look at him. She did what she was told to do. The assurance in Barry's warm eyes ease her and they didn't realize that they were inside that God-forsaken machine for 2 hours now. Cisco's voice is booming on the intercom, jesting.
"Make-outs usually ends in seconds and wild hot sex finishes by 10 minutes, so for Christ sakes? What the two of you are still doing there?"
"Shut up Cisco we're not doing anything so pull your head out of the gutter."
"Yeah Barry yeah. Can still smell it though."
Catlin snickered and told Barry not to mind him.
"Cisco is acting like a cow in heat because he's totally horny and celibated."
"I heard that Caitlin."
"Just my plan."
And the whole lab erupted in laughter. Barry and Caitlin soon emerge and the three of them grabs some dinner and drink at the bar, but since Barry is tolerant now, Caitlin promised him that she'll make him a drink that will buzz him. Barry sends Caitlin home. She tucks an auburn hair behind her ear, tiptoe to Barry's height then kiss him on the cheeks.
"Thank you for today Barry!"
It really caught him off guard, for the fastest man alive, it slows his world that gives him hope that maybe.. then Caitlin dropped the F word. Not just the F word but the hyphenated word B-F.
"You're the best Boy hyphen friend in the whole universe. I'm not scared to go there anymore Bar."
"You're welcome Cait."
And then when he looks in her eyes that old magic is on it again. Before he do something stupid that will make him regret it later and worst ruin his friendship with Cait, he kissed her on the forehead then walked away.
That night both of them have fitful sleep. Both of them wondering but decided to wave it off and do nothing about it.