Frostbite

Chapter 15

…..

Now that I was getting through physical therapy I was able to go back to work, not yet allowed to go out on missions until Wells said so. Which meant that most of my time was spent reading through test results, medical articles and doing paperwork. But it did mean that I got to spend more time with Barry and Cisco so I wasn't entirely bored.

Wally had avoided talking to Barry and I at all costs since our relationship had been exposed and I hated that I had ruined that friendship, feeling incredibly guilty. Iris hadn't come by the lab since, not that I could blame her, if it were the other way around I would want to stay as far away as possible.

All of that came to a stop the day Wally was attacked by an unknown meta calling himself Savitar, when Iris arrived to see me looking after him she all but shoved me to the floor, screaming at me to get the hell away from her brother.

Barry quickly intervened but Iris was adamant that she wanted me nowhere near Wally, that I was too dangerous to keep around and that if Barry was smarter he'd lock me up in a cell and throw away the key. I will never forget the look in her eyes as she glared at me, a mix of anger, disgust and fear.

Surprisingly it was Wally who came to my defense first, telling Iris that I wasn't dangerous, that he'd trust me with his life and that it wasn't her choice to make if he continued to work on the team. She wasn't happy to say the least and had flat out refused to come back since then.

Meanwhile Barry was trying to find what he could on this new meta, looking for any weaknesses or vulnerabilities. He'd spend night after night in the lab, training and researching and I'd often find him passed out at his desk, placing a blanket over him as I read through his notes.

Savitar had warned that he would be back and I could see that it was eating at Barry, draining him and leaving him stressed and tense every day. A loud clatter echoed through the lab from where the gym was and I sighed, walking in to find Barry wildly hitting at a punching bag.

"Barry?" I called out, not wanting to surprise him as I walked up "Babe what's going on?"

"Nothing Cait, I'm fine" he says blankly, continuing to hit the bag in front of him.

"No, you're not. C'mon" I say touching the back of his arms tentatively, I wrap my arms around his middle, clinging to his back "Talk to me, tell me what's going on through your head"

He sighs, relaxing slightly "I just… I don't know how I can beat this guy. I have no idea how I'm going to save everyone this time"

"Well it's a good thing you're not alone then. We'll figure this out Barry, we always do" I say, holding him tighter

"I don't know, it just feels…different this time. I can't shake the feeling that something bad is going to happen" he confesses, turning in my arms until he faces me.

"You know you don't have to be the tough one every second of every day, it's okay to be scared Barry. We're all here for you the way you're always here for us"

"But what if I can't beat him? What if I fail?' I hush him, placing my head on his chest and focusing on the sound of his beating heart.

"No matter what happens Barry, we'll handle it. Together…. But you're not doing anyone any good by pull all-nighters and passing out on your desk. C'mon I'm taking you home, doctor's orders" I say, pulling away and dragging him out by the hand.

…..

"You know I don't think I've ever actually taken you out on a proper date" he says later that day as we sit on the couch watching tv.

I think for a second before shrugging and smiling at him "well that came out of nowhere"

"No, I'm serious, every just moved so quickly and you couldn't really do much the last few months but I've never taken you on a real date" he says, frowning as if this is something that is actually bothering him.

I sit up, propping myself up on his lap "Barry, I consider every day that we're together to be like a date. I don't need flowers and late nights at the movies to be with you"

"I know that you don't but I want to anyway, I want to spoil you Cait. I want to show everyone that you're mine"

"I'm guessing that that means you won't want to stay inside on this 'date'. Just please no ice-skating rinks or clowns, they freak me out" I confess, ignoring the snort that he makes at that comment.

"Deal, I'll pick you up tomorrow at 7" he says, getting off the couch to make a call.

"Pick me up?! You do realise we basically live together!" I shout after him.

…

I fix one final pin in my hair as I prepare for our date (think of the way she had her hair in 3x05). I have a simple dark blue dress on with a sweetheart neckline and straps over my shoulder. It ends just on my knees and I'm wearing simple black flats, along with my leg brace and some smoky eye makeup along with a slightly dark shade of red lipstick.

He smiles when I walk outside, a bouquet of red roses in his hands "You look amazing, these are for you"

I take the flowers, smelling their sweet scent for a second before quickly going to put them in a vase "You didn't need to buy me flowers Bar"

"Yeah well, you deserve them. C'mon, I have a surprise for you" he says, taking my hand. He drives through the city, to the surprise location of our date. We end up parked just outside the city, I can see an empty field when we get out and give Barry a confused look.

"Bar? What are we doing here?"

He just smiles and goes to the back of his car, pulling out a wicker basket and a blanket "We're going to have a picnic" he says, holding the basket with one hand and taking mine with the other, leading me into the field.

"Okay? But why in the middle of nowhere?" He lays out the blanket, placing the basket on top and gestures for me to sit down with him "You'll see in a minute" he answers, pulling me down next to him.

We look at the sky for a few minutes before the first shooting star lights up the sky, I gasp, never having seen this before and watch as a few more pass by.

"You can't see them properly from the city, too much interference from all the lights and pollution" Barry says as we watch the night sky.

"It's amazing" I say, relaxing next to him. It's not long before I hear Barry's stomach grumble and I fell mine gurgle in response.

He smiles pulling over the basket "I got it covered" he says as he opens the basket, I can help but laugh when he pulls out the familiar brown paper bag from 'Belly Burger' "I know how much you love them" he puts the bag down and hands me my food with a smile.

"I do love them, I think I love you more though" I say giving him a gentle kiss before tucking into my dinner. He packs strawberries for dessert and we have lots of fun feeding each other before we start to head back. I slowly drift off to sleep as we head back into the city, leaning my head against the window.

I barely feel myself being lifted out of the car, the familiar scent of the person I had been sleeping next to for the last couple of months waking me slightly as I swayed in his arms. Instead of leaping out like I usually would, I snuggled closer, wrapping my arms around his neck as he brought us into our apartment.

"Barry?"

"Yeah?"

"Best date ever"