Chapter 8

Iris had decided to try and get along with Caitlin and invited her out for drinks with them the next day. It had taken a bit of begging from Barry to get Caitlin out of the house. She had only been back a week and still had stuff to unpack, but she couldn't say no to Barry. Iris had practically begged Eddie to come with her for support to meet Barry's perfect best friend. Never really having a choice, he had agreed. To outside eyes looking in, it would seem like a double date, but none of them would ever call it that.

There they were at a small bar in downtown Central City sitting at the table talking, while watching Iris and Eddie throw darts. Iris had no aim and Eddie kept hitting the bullseye. It wasn't much of a competition but they both looked like they were having fun.

Neither Barry nor Caitlin saw the glances Eddie and Iris were sending their way.

"So, do you like it here, Cait?" Barry asked, taking a sip of his drink.

"Yes, it's... nice. The bar is nice. The company is nice, very nice."

Barry lifted his brow in confusion at her tone. "Nice?"

Caitlin turned around to stare at Eddie and Iris. "He's sooo hot." She turned red, forgetting briefly who she was talking to. "I mean genetically speaking because I'm a geneticist of course." Taking a large gulp of her drink, "Oh my god, I sound like Felicity." She spoke mostly to herself.

Barry felt the familiar burning green monster flare up inside of him again. He was become awfully familiar as of late. Showing up at inconvenient times, but always around Caitlin. Barry rolled his eyes at her fumbled response.

"Not what I meant but okay."

She gave him a sheepish smile. "Sorry, usually I have Ollie keeping a very calculated score of how many drinks Lissy and I have before we start acting too wild."

Just then Iris and Eddie walked back to the table. Barry's arm found itself around Iris's waist. "Wild? The Caitlin Snow acting wild? I find that hard to believe." Barry chuckled.

"Yes, lets share some drunken stories!" Eddie placed a hand on Caitlin's shoulder, giving her an easy smile. Caitlin sent him a bright smile in return. This didn't escape Barry's notice as his eyes lingered on the hand resting on Caitlin's shoulder.

"Caitlin first. Since you mentioned something wild. Tell us a wild story." Eddie continued.

"Oh my goodness!" Caitlin mumbled trying to think of a good one, "Okay so this was the first time and only time we ever went out without Ollie. Lissy and Laurel were at my house hanging out. We were bored watching movies when Sara called and told us she has a table saved for us at Legends. It's a famous club on the South side of the city, Sara knows the owner, Rip Hunter. So, she told us to come. Knowing how much fun Sara is and how much she likes to party we probably shouldn't have gone but we were bored and Ollie was working late at the Company. So, we got dressed up and headed out. Now one rule we have in my group of friends back in Star City is everybody must do a shot before we go out. We found Sara easily enough and she had already gotten us our drinks. Even though I told Sara I was only having three drinks she brushed me off, which was probably our first mistake. I was supposed to be watching Lissy and Laurel. I needed to make sure the made it back to my place okay. Well a drink and a half in Lissy climbed onto the table we were sitting at a spilled the glass I was drinking all over me. Lucky for me Sara actually works there part time as a dancer. She took me to the back and let me borrow one of her dresses. Unfortunately, it was white and I was wearing a very vibrant, very red bra. I was so embarrassed! I hadn't had nearly enough alcohol for this yet but Lissy came to find me with a bottle of 'liquid courage' she called it. I swear, I took like five shots. When I finally came out from the back there were these two guys that were talking to Laurel and Lissy at our table. They had just asked them to dance when I walked over. You guys don't know Ollie but he gets so mad very easily and he hates, I mean hates when Lissy drinks without him. So, I pulled her away from the guy and offered to dance with him. I had to protect her somehow, she was way too far gone at this point. Tommy usually doesn't care if Laurel dances with other guys so long as it's only dancing. So, I danced with him. Two more drinks and he has me pressed up against the wall practically tearing the dress off me. He was kissing my neck, chest, face, everything. And of course, I'm participating. This guys was like an easy four out of five. He's got a body, and basically everyone in the club has lost their shirts. And I mean everyone. So, he started nibbling on my neck and I could barely catch Lissy dancing on a table in the background. He placed one hand between my thighs and BLAM! He was on the ground sporting a black eye. Blood leaking from his nose, moaning and groaning in pain. I look up and Ollie is standing over me. Lissy is clinging to his back, arms and legs wrapped around him yelling 'weee!' He has one arms slung around Laurel, who is half passed out, and he grabs me with his free arm. Sara is laughing in the background and Rip is shaking his head with a smirk on his face. Ollie carries us all out of the club, throws us in his limo, points at Lissy and says in this strict fatherly voice, 'You are not touching alcohol ever again!' He gives us this long speech about 'needing someone responsible to watch our alcohol intake.' Laurel and Lissy are already asleep, so I told Ollie that it was my fault for going out without him. We wanted to experience a girl's night out on the town. And he looks me dead straight in the eyes and says in this all-knowing voice, 'You have been spending too much time with Sara.'" Caitlin finished her story laughing loudly with tears in her eyes.

"I swear Ollie didn't let us drink for months after that happened." She smiled at the memory of having sneak alcohol around Oliver for a while.

Eddie and Iris were laughing at how fun Felicity, Laurel and Sara all sound. Barry didn't laugh at all. He had a perplexed look on his face. He looked at Caitlin and he was worried. All the time they had spent together since she came she had always acted the same. The same Caitlin that left him, left Central City. The same fifteen-year-old young teenager, but not looking at her he wondered how much she has changed.

Anger and jealousy flowed through his veins. The girl form the story was not his Caitlin. He couldn't understand how the wild woman from the story had been the same Caitlin he had just spent hours talking with in the park last night.

Then his thoughts went to the man from her story. The man would probably be worse off if he had been there. He didn't know this Oliver, but he was very, very grateful there was someone watching out for his Caitlin in Star City.

"That is crazy! Babe, I think we need to go to Star City sometime, just to check out the bars and clubs." Iris said turning to Barry.

"Yeah absolutely. We can make a trip of it." He gave Iris a half smile.

"That's be great! I recommend going to the Verdant. Ollie and Tommy own it. I could easily get you guys VIP passes. They usually have specials going on during the week. I'd have to call and check with Thea. She does all the managing there." Caitlin said thinking out loud.

Barry noticed the slight absentminded babble she picked up when she was tipsy. He smiled at her before adding, "Yeah and I wouldn't mind meeting Oliver Queen."

"Wait! The Oliver from your story is Oliver QUEEN?" Iris yelled, ceasing all noise around the table.

"Oh boy, here we go." Eddie mumbled under his breath.

"Yes. He is a big, extremely buff teddy bear." Caitlin emphasizing big with a wink in Iris' direction.

"He is on my 3 List!" iris squealed in delight.

"Uh, what is a 3 List?" Barry questioned out loud.

"A list of 3 people that you can cheat on your boyfriend/girlfriend with." Eddie explained awkwardly to Barry as the girls lost themselves in conversation.

"Really? That's surprising, you usually never meet people on your 3 List." Caitlin said a little surprised.

"How do you know he is big? Have you slept with him?"

Caitlin rolled her eyes at that. "Yeah a few times. I lost my virginity to him. We agreed it wouldn't go anywhere. He started dating Felicity after that and has been like a big brother to me ever since. I know sounds weird but we don't let it affect the relationship we have now."

"Ugh, you are so lucky! He is so handsome! I bet he was so romantic."

"I wish it was. I was in my senior year of high school when it happened. I was studying, he showed up, told me he was attracted to me, and he is Oliver Queen so who wouldn't be attracted to him. We kissed and a week later we had sex. It was good but we didn't love each other in that way. We tried a few more times but ended after the second week. We decided we were better as friends. Don't get me wrong the sex was good, great even but it didn't stop the world from moving. It didn't feel like my entire heart was ready to explode in all of these wonderful emotions like I thought it would with someone you truly love." Caitlin trailed off her eyes locking with Barry's.

Barry was uncomfortable with Caitlin talking about her previous bedtime partners. He was glad her and Iris were getting along but he didn't think they would bond over old sex partners. Knowing that Caitlin has been around makes him envious of those stupid men, letting go of this beautiful diamond for simple clumps of rocks. He wouldn't lie to himself, he has thought about it a lot. Especially in his young adult years. Making love to Caitlin, (because it would never be just sex with her, it would be love) just sounded right in such a wrong way. He knew he loved her, that was a fact, but he was with Iris. He shouldn't be thinking of any form of relationship with Caitlin other than friendship.

So, for now he would keep all those lecherous thoughts to himself. Within his mind and heart, he would allow himself to think of Caitlin that way. It may be unfair in every sense. But thoughts never hurt anyone, not unless acted upon or spoken about. And Barry was being awfully quiet in this conversation right now.

Except when Barry caught her eye when they were talking about love. He felt something else. He felt warm, like a fire had been reignited inside of him. He missed this warmth.

"C'mon Barry, let's go shoot some darts. Let the girls talk about womanly things." Eddie said pulling Barry up by his arm.

There was a time in Barry's past when he was jealous of Eddie Thawne. He was always kind, funny, and gorgeous. He was everything Barry wasn't; or everything Barry didn't see himself as. In the past, before Iris and Barry started dating, she had explained that he was "the entire package." But ever since Barry and Iris had gotten together he never seen a reason to be jealous of Eddie. So, when Eddie and Caitlin began sharing smiles and laughs between themselves, he became jealous and worried. He promised himself he would keep a watchful eye on the two of them when they were together.

The small group were heading out of the bar. Barry had his arm thrown over Iris's shoulder. Eddie was currently helping Caitlin try and not to fall over as she stumbled out of the bar laughing. "Don't worry guys, I'm okay." Caitlin said laughing off her clumsiness.

"Time to head home. This was fun guys! We should do it again sometime!" Iris cheered. She gave Caitlin a hug. "Always good to have another girl around."

"Yes, absolutely." Caitlin responded.

Barry pulled Caitlin into a long fierce embrace. "I'll see you tomorrow." He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Okay..." She mumbled against him.

"I'll make sure she gets home safely." Eddie said pulling Caitlin towards his car.

Barry watched for a few moments has he took Caitlin away. Something felt wrong about that picture. He was distracted with his thoughts until Iris pulled on his hand. "C'mon Barr, let's go home."

They started walking in the opposite direction Caitlin and Eddie headed. "Oh Barry, you were right." She leaned her head on his shoulder. "I do love Caitlin."

Barry couldn't help but think: Me too.

A/N: Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! They all mean so much to me! Movie night with Barry and Caitlin next chapter! Let me know what you think of these four hanging out! :)