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When the doors open to reveal the 600 hundred level, Harry steps out.
Making his way down the hall, he offers a polite nod to the young woman heading in his direction. "Young West-Allen."
"Hey Harry, how are you?"
"I'm fine."
"Schway, well I'll catch you later."
And then she's gone, disappearing in a flash of yellow and purple lightening, leaving Harry alone in the hallway. Not paying any more mind to the young speedster, he continues on his way to the cortex. As he enters the main lab he happens upon Barry and Iris, catching them mid hug as he leans against the wall in the doorway.
"Where is everyone?"
The couple's moment is broken and they break apart, turning to the older man across the room. "Cisco and Ralph has gone with Caitlin to check in with Killer Frost and Nora is..." Iris pauses looking up at her husband. "Actually I don't know where Nora went."
"I just passed her on my way in actually."
Barry nods, looking down at his wife. "I think I know where she's headed."
That has no interest to Harry, what does is what Iris had mentioned before. "Is Caitlin alright? Did something happen with Frost?"
"No," Barry shakes his head, letting out a laugh. "Turns out she's immune to Cicada's dagger. She kicked his ass earlier, it was pretty badass actually."
Seeing the look still on the older man's face, Iris reassures him. "She's fine, Harry. She saved the team."
Harry lifts his to go cup to his mouth, taking a sip of his black coffee as he pushes himself away from the wall, moving forward until he's in front of the main console, staring down at the screen. "So, ruined any timelines lately?"
Barry doesn't have to be a genius to know what he means by that or who it's meant for. "I promise, we didn't interfere with the timeline."
Harry snorts but doesn't comment any further. His words were meant in jest, he knows well enough that the younger man has learnt his lesson in regards to the timeline. Except today held the unknown element of Nora, he counts his lucky stars that on this occasion things are still intact, as they should be. The last thing anyone needed was another flash point. Still, there's still room for a quip. "You could've warned me you know, when you ventured back in time. Popped up and said don't wear the cap of doom." He almost feels bad for saying it the way the scarlet speedster's face falls.
"Harry, I..."
Harry, though rolls his eyes. "That was a joke. Even if you did, I doubt I would have listened." It's something they'll never know, he'd like to think he would have listen but then honestly, back then, he was too stubborn for his own good, Mr right about everything.
Barry though, remembers something from when he'd accidentally bumped into Harry in the past. "Can I ask you something?"
Harry looks up, his face showing his confusion at the seriousness and hesitation of Barry's question. "Sure, go ahead."
"It was always her wasn't it? Right from the start?"
He may not be the genius scientist or engineer he once was but he's intelligent enough to know, who Barry means. "What gave it away?"
"Your face. When you said Zoom has Caitlin and the fact you never called her that. She was always Snow, something that I also noticed you corrected yourself on when you left me in the viewing room."
Iris' eyes are wide, clearly having put the pieces together. "You..."
"Yes," Harry nods, looking at straight back at her. "When I came here, it was for your help. To end Zoom and to get Jesse back but I never-- I didn't expect her."
It's a testament of how he's changed, that he had just told them that. Revealed a part of himself, few people knew.
"That's..." Iris looks back at him, "from the very beginning?" She asks, hoping to clarify exactly what this meant.
"From the moment I met her." It costs him very little to reveal this because it's true and these people, have become his family. "From the moment she stared me down then demanded to run god knows what tests but at that point, getting Jesse back was my only concern."
"Does she know?"
"We've talked about it, yes."
"That's crazy."
Harry snorts, looking amused. "That's crazy? With everything we see?"
Iris points her finger back at him. "You have a point."
"Of course I do."
Barry grins at that, the arrogance in those four words a reminder of the man he used to be, is still is in many ways.
"So, Caitlin?"
"They're probably in your workroom." Barry leans over to kiss Iris on the cheek. "I'm headed out, I'll drop you by."
"Wait, where are you going?" Iris asks at the same time Harry says, "what? Allen, no--"
But they're both too slow as Barry speeds off taking Harry with him. Seconds later if that, they appear in the doorway of the workroom, Barry let's go of the older man and hands him his coffee before disappearing again. Taking a deep breath, he opens his eyes to find Cisco and Ralph watching him in obvious amusement, Killer Frost staring at him with a flirtatious smile.
"And if it isn't my favourite nerd from the geek squad. Hello handsome."
Harry rolls his eyes, offering her an exaggerated wave. "Hello Frost."
"Oh my..." Frost murmurs, fanning her face. "I feel an overwhelming feeling of happiness at your arrival. Caity's obviously pleased to see you dork, myself on the other hand, I feel is allergic to this level of sappiness."
Harry says just, just smirks right back.
"Well I see where I'm not needed, see you nerds later." And then she's gone, fading away until Caitlin's back, a smile on her face.
"She's lying, she was pleased to see you too."
Frost flashes back just long enough to fire back, "was not."
"Man, this is still so weird how you flash between alter egos."
Cisco reaches beside him to slap Ralph on the shoulder. "You'll get used to it. Come on, I'll buy you a drink."
The boys get up, bickering about the fact that a drink in the staff lounge doesn't qualify as buying a drink.
Harry steps aside to let them pass, smiling at the woman opposite him when their finally alone. "So, I heard you saved the day."
"It was a needed victory and it revealed something we never considered. Because Killer Frost wasn't created by dark matter, Cicada's dagger has no affect."
The implications of what that actually means are all too clear. With Caitlin or rather Frost being immune to Cicada's dagger, she's a line of defence they never had before. A sense of dread fills his stomach at the thought of Caitlin putting herself in danger to defeat this meta human serial killer. It leaves him feeling uneasy.
Something which must clearly be obvious to see across his handsome face as Caitlin shakes her head, taking the few short steps left between them to bring them face to face.
"What?" He asks gently, just for the sake of it. He knows very well what this is about. He knows she noticed his concern.
Her hands rise to gently touch his face, fingertips tracing along his jaw before she cups his cheeks, her eyes trained on him, never wavering. "I know what you must be thinking and you don't have to worry. I can't promise you that I won't face him again, that situation is probable because we're a team. What I can promise you though is that I won't put myself needlessly in the path of danger. I'll always be careful because I have you, I want to come home at the end of everyday to you."
"I'll hold you to that."
Caitlin smirks, dropping her left hand from his face to hold it between them, her pinky finger sticking out. "Pinky promise?"
Harry rolls his eyes. "What are we? Five?" And yet despite his words his right Pinky wraps around her offered one between them. He watches as Caitlin leans forward to press her lips to their joined digits.
When her eyes lift to meet his, he's staring at her with an intensity that's almost overwhelming. It's a look that makes her throb in places, a heat filling here. Despite knowing that it can't go any further because they are in the lab, it doesn't stop her from leaning forward to press her lips to his. His lips are soft as she kisses him slowly, pulling away slightly so her nose nuzzles his before she kisses him again. Her tongue is gently demanding as it chases after his, he tastes like the bitter coffee he's been drinking and an underlining taste of peppermint. Her senses are surrounded by the touch, taste and feel of everything that makes Harry, Harry. Through the haze of the kiss she hears herself moan when he nips at her lower lip, his hands at her hips pulling her tighter against him.
It's at the point when he moves her and she feels the desk bump against the back of her thighs that she pulls away. "Stop, stop, stop." She mutters against his mouth, tearing her lips away from his reluctantly. She could just kiss him forever, he was just that good. "We need to stop," she whispers, trying to be stern even when he's placing teasing pecks to her lips. "Harry..."
Harry groans. "I know, I know." He runs a hand through his hair as his darker than usual eyes flicker across her features. "We'll continue this later."
"We will," she agrees before turning serious once more. "And Harry?"
"Hmm?"
"About what I said, I meant it. I need you to know that."
"I know," he grins down at her. "You pinky promised remember. That's almost a sworn vow."
Caitlin returns his smile with one of her own. "It is." And it's one she's determined to stand by.
The end.