Frostbite

Chapter 7

…..

I blushed as Barry and I locked eyes from across the lab, he was talking to Wells about the latest meta we had caught and I was discussing with Cisco our plans for the weekend

"There's this cool bar in the city that has flash themed drinks that we could all go to… Caitlin? You listening?"

I zone back in to the conversation, "What? Sorry Cisco, I just zoned out for a second"

He looks over to where I staring and rolls his eyes, "Come with me" he says, tugging me into another room.

"How long has it been going on?" he asks when we are alone.

"What? What are you talking about?" I ask, trying to act confused

"Don't play dumb, you two aren't exactly subtle. How long have you been seeing Barry?"

I sigh, biting my lip "A few months"

"A few months! Caitlin! How did this happen? He has a girlfriend, how could you do this to Iris?" he asks, confused and disappointed.

"I don't know, it just happened" I try to explain, fidgeting with my hair.

"How? How did it happen?"

"It was just after you found out about my powers, he was helping me through it and… it just happened"

He's still confused "So what? Is he leaving her? Are you guys getting together?" he asks

"I.. I don't know, we haven't exactly discussed it" I mutter, looking down at the floor.

"I'm so disappointed in you Cait, you're ruining a relationship and for what? A fling? And the worst bit is that you won't ask him to choose, you're just going to keep this going on until it breaks you."

"It's not like that!"

"Why? Because you love him? Because it's so obvious that you love him Caitlin and frankly it's a little pathetic" I flinch, hurt by his words and look back up.

"Look Caitlin…. I'm saying this because you're my friend and I love you. Please, just ask him, figure this out. I don't want you to get hurt" he says, his face softening when he sees my pain.

I hesitantly nod and go to hug him when the sound of the alarms interrupt us. Another metahuman in the city. We rush in and Barry and Wells are by the monitors, watching as a large explosion goes off in the middle of the city.

"What's going on?" I ask as I go beside Barry to have a look.

"Metahuman, seems to have the ability to cause large tremors, he's already wiped out a couple of shops downtown" Barry says before flashing into his suit. I quickly change into mine and meet him and Jesse outside.

"You sure you're up for this?" he asks hesitantly, this would be my first time out with them and I knew he was worried about my powers consuming me.

"I feel fine, This is what I've been practicing for Barry. I'll be ok"

He nods hesitantly before picking me up and flashing off towards the city.

…..

"Owww" Barry groans as I help him onto the medical bed. His suit is a little torn from being thrown by one of Aftershock's (cisco's name for him) tremors and he is a little bruised up but otherwise fine.

"I think you may have broken a few ribs, I'll need to check them to see if they're healing properly so suit off" I say, ignoring the smirk he sends me despite the pain he's in. I help him take the suit off and press my hands against his ribs, feeling to see what position they're in. He flinches when I touch him and I immediately raise my hands "What? Does it hurt?"

"No, it's not that… your hands are cold" he mumbles and I blush, looking down.

"Sorry, I live up to my name" I say, going over and grabbing the cuffs Cisco had made that would nullify my powers and slip them on before going back to check him over.

"You doing okay?" he asks as I check the already healing cut on his forehead.

"Uh… yeah, I mean I'm exhausted and a little sore but I'm doing okay" I say

Of the tremors had thrown me into a wall and Barry was being especially cautious, I was fine just a little banged up. Barry of course had freaked out when he saw the first sight of blood.

"Can I at least look at your head? You hit it pretty bad"

"Barry, two of your ribs are broken! You won't be moving from this bed for at least a couple of hours. I can take care of myself" I say exasperated

"I'm sorry if I'm being overbearing, I just worry about you" he apologises

"Well don't! It's not your job to worry about me!" I snap, the tension I feel inside snapping.

He frowns, looking away as if I'd slapped him. I feel bad when I see the hurt look on his face and sigh, the anger dissipating as I sit down on the bed next to him.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't be snapping at you. Not after how great you've been the last few months" I apologise

He turns back, "It's okay, something is obviously bothering you. Now are you going to tell me what that was all about?"

I look down at the bed, focusing on the clean white sheets draped over it "Cisco knows. Apparently, we're not very subtle… It just…he asked what this was" I say gesturing between us "And I couldn't say because I don't know and I don't know what this is to you and I didn't know where we stood and I-"

He hushes me, stopping my rambling as he takes my hands "You're not some meaningless fling Caitlin… I don't know what we are exactly and there's a lot to figure out but you mean so much to me. Can you just give me a little more time?"

I hesitate, how long was I willing to wait? Would it just be easier to let go of whatever this was? To just move on? I can feel his pulse under my palm as he squeezes my hands and I look up, immediately drawn into his green eyes. I picture everything from the last few months. Falling asleep on his shoulder on his couch at his apartment, having a popcorn fight as we watched a cheesy superhero movie, making love in my bed and falling asleep together.

I nod and he gives me a smile, embracing me. I could wait, I told myself. Everything was going to be just fine.

So why did it feel like a storm was coming?