A/N: I'm sorry everyone for not updating on Monday as I usually do. I got very sick and was unable to write. I probably wont be able to update Friday either, since I will be camping this weekend. But I will try and get a chapter out tomorrow to compensate. On another note, school starts up again for me next week. I don't know how often I will update but I will aim for a chapter a week. Enjoy!

Chapter 10

Barry ran into work nearly twenty minutes late. He had rushed home after waking up at Caitlin's house.

"Eddie!" He shouted as he saw the familiar blonde detective, "Have you seen Captain Singh?"

"No?" He questioned, "What'd you do this time, Barry?"

"Just got in. Had to rush this morning. Fell asleep watching movies at Cait's house last night." Barry replied still glancing around for his boss. Once he saw no sign of the familiar Captain he started heading upstairs to his lab.

"Caitlin's?" Eddie stuttered, "Uh... does Iris know?" He followed Barry up the stairs, his voice oddly hopeful. Barry was too distracted to notice anything going on with the detective.

"Yeah I told her I was going to crash there after helping her unpack. I ran back to home to get ready but I didn't have much time to talk, besides she was still sleeping. She must really be getting overworked by Picture News or Jitter or something." Barry said walking into his lab.

"Or something." Eddie mumbled under his breath following Barry into his lab.

"Did you say something?" Barry asked rubbing his shoulder, "Damn, I think I pulled a muscle too."

Before Eddie had the chance to reply his walky-talky went off.

"Well, hope that heals up. Looks like we are going to need you on scene today!" Eddie rushed out of the lab but not after watching Barry sigh in defeat.

"I never catch a break." Barry said to himself grabbing his brief case full of equipment.

Barry came home to his apartment after a rough day running around to three different crime scenes and getting all the test done. Central City is really getting bad, someone should do something about all the crime here. "Iris! I'm home!"

"Hey Barr!" She came around the corner from the kitchen to give him a quick kiss on the lips. "How was Caitlin's last night? What movie did you watch? She started walking back into the kitchen. "I'm thinking of inviting her over for a girl's night and kicking you out for the night. How does that sound?" He rolled his eyes.

"Sounds great for you girls. Maybe I'll make some plans with Cisco." He took his shoes off, followed her into the kitchen. "I'm really glad you are trying Iris. It means a lot to me." He said giving her a hug from behind.

"How can I not try? She's important to you, like Eddie is to me. You two became friends for me. And Caitlin is so nice and funny. What's not to love about her?" She continued cutting vegetables for the salad. He picked up a piece of pepper she had just cut and popped it into his mouth. Smiling cheekily as she ushered him away.

They hadn't been like this in a while. They both noticed a change. It could have been Barry's happiness with Caitlin being back, or Iris's relief with Barry's focus on something or someone other than herself. They were okay with how things were right now.

Barry began walking towards his room to change but decided to answer her previous question, "Well she snores really loud when she drinks too much. She always does this weird thing with her salads and always orders the tomatoes on the sides so she can eat them first but never with her salad. She never wears her hair up on windy days because she loves the wind in her hair so expect a face full of Caitlin hair when you are out with her on windy days." He laughed after listing some unique things about Caitlin most people wouldn't notice.

Iris felt a twinge of something in her chest but she brushed it away.

It had been two weeks since Caitlin and Barry had their movie night and they had only shared four phone calls between them, two run-in coffee breaks and a single lunch date. Barry missed her dearly.

So, on a Wednesday afternoon when he had the time off (he took the night shift) he went to pick up take out from her favorite diner and headed over to STAR Labs for as surprise lunch visit. After he went through security he ran into Cisco on his way to the Cortex.

"Barry Allen! Long time, no see? How have you been, man?" Cisco cheered giving him a hug.

"I've been good actually. Just stopped by to see if Caitlin took her lunch break yet."

"No, I don't think she has. She should be in the Cortex." Barry followed Cisco smiling as he talked. "Still weird that the Caitlin from your past is now like my best friend here at STAR Labs."

"Hey I knew her first! And what about me? I thought I was your best friend?" He laughed.

"You are. Chill out. I'm only saying she is super cool and smart. We talk movie likes all the time and she sticks up for me whenever Hartley says something about my T-shirt by saying a quote from the movie. She is just awesome, man."

"Really? What did she say?" Barry asked curiously.

"I remember the first day she started. I was wearing a shirt with Darth, our Sith lord and Jedi savior on it, and Hartley was giving me shit and she heard everything and yells out, 'May the force be with you, young padawan!' We've been close ever since." Cisco says with a smile.

Barry was laughing as they turned the corner, the scene made Barry's body freeze and stiffen. A man was standing over Caitlin, her back pressed up against on of the lab tables. She looked extremely uncomfortable.

"Yo! Jay!" Cisco announced their entrance into the room. 'So, this is Jay Garrick.' Barry thought, his hands clenching. "Personal space, bro!"

Caitlin let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding when Jay stepped away from her.

"Just getting to know one another better." Jay said, sending a wink to Caitlin.

Caitlin grimaced before turning towards Barry, she grinned walking over to him.

"Barry! What brings you to STAR Labs?" She gave him a long hug once she reached him. Barry was reluctant to let go but he does. He keeps an arm wrapped around her waist, just to prove to Jay that she wasn't available.

"Surprise visit to my favorite Doctor." She smiled, he leaned closer whispering in her ear, "Don't tell my dad." She let out a laugh.

"It'll be one of our many secrets." She teased. "C'mon, I am starving." She grabbed his hand, lacing their fingers together and started to lead him over to her things. "Cisco, can you tell Dr. Wells I'm going out for lunch? I should be back in an hour." As she put on her light jacket.

"I got you babe!" He yelled from his workspace.

Caitlin smiled, taking Barry's hand in hers again, leading him out of the Cortex.

Once they were out of earshot. "Dude, you don't stand a chance!" Cisco said to Jay with a laugh. He didn't notice the look of pure hatred on Jay's face aimed towards Barry Allen.

Caitlin led Barry to a small picnic table outside STAR Labs. It was decently close to the nearby park where they could hear some sports game being played but far enough that she could forget about work for a while.

"So, what really brings you to STAR Labs?" Caitlin asked opening her steaming container. "Mmm... still warm!"

"I haven't seen you in a while. Is it a crime to miss my best friend?" He quirked an eyebrow up at her.

"No of course not! I'm just saying, you could have called and warned me first. Not that I'm not happy you showed up when you did. If you hadn't I'd probably in a very uncomfortable situation. Which I suppose is normal considering my previous life back in Star City. Speaking of which! You will not believe what Felicity told me the other day..." she continued to talk on and on.

Barry was happy she wanted to talk, it's her way of showing him he was missed as well. Barry took another bite when he noticed she wasn't talking anymore.

"What?" He mumbled mid chew.

"You didn't pay attention to anything I just said, did you Barr?" She folded her arms over her chest.

"Umm... yes?" He swallowed his food. "No, not really you lost me somewhere during Felicity's story."

She sighed, waving her hand at him. "That's okay. It wasn't relevant to you anyway. But I did ask you if you were doing anything this weekend."

"Not that I know of... why?" He was skeptical. Caitlin never really avoided a problem. She was direct.

"Oliver wants to meet you..." she trailed off, her bottom lip being chewed between her teeth.

"Why?"

She shrugged, "I don't know. He just told me to ask you if you were busy this weekend. I think they are planning a surprise visit. It would explain why Felicity was asking me about 'good hotels that have little chocolates on the pillows.'"

"That's a bit strange... why would Oliver want to meet me?" Barry was still confused.

She shrugged her shoulders, "He is weirdly protective like that." She ate a few fries. "And I've told him so much about you. Don't you want to meet him too?"

Barry stumbled, "Yeah, I do. I'm just not entirely sure... uh," He fumbled for an excuse not to see the man with the infamous name of Oliver Queen, "what we would do."

In truth, Barry wasn't sure if he wanted to meet Oliver. Caitlin spoke so highly of the rich man. And he was reluctant to admit that he wasn't too keen to meet the man that took his beloved Caitlin's virginity.

"Why do I get the feeling you don't want to meet him?" Caitlin asked a little saddened that Barry didn't want to meet her family.

"I do, Cait!" He reached across the table to grab her hands, his thumb drawing soothing circles on her skin. "I'm just not overly excited about meeting someone that you've slept with... multiple times." He mumbled the last part to himself, but she heard him.

"Oh, Barr..." She blushed, "Honestly, it was a long time ago. I don't even think about it anymore. I wish you wouldn't."

"How can I not?" He released her hands and began to rub his temples. "You say he is like your brother, yet he has gotten farther with you than even I have." He almost pouted.

"Barry Allen," Caitlin smirked, her eyes darkening just a fraction, "Are you jealous?"

Barry didn't deny it. He couldn't.

"Yes." He replied, looking her straight in the eye.

She laughed, getting up to sit next to him instead of across. She draped an arm around his shoulder, her other placed delicately over his heart. Crossing her legs as much as her dress would let her, her bare leg rubbed against his as she sat so close to him. She leaned over and whispered in his ear. Her lips grazing his skin as she spoke.

He refused to look at her. He was affected, as always, by Caitlin's actions, but he fprced his body to remain still. Unintentionally relaxing into her arms.

"Barry, good things come to those who wait."

She kissed his cheek before disentangling herself from him. She cleaned up her mess from lunch.

"Thanks for lunch Barr!" She waved and walked back into STAR Labs.

Barry sat there for a few more minutes in complete shock.