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"Did something happen while I was away?"
Caitlin can't help the grimace that crosses her face at Barry's words. The loud thud on the console she's leaning on pulls her attention away from Barry's return to the book of Ralph that now sits on the console as the author of said book drops himself down into the chair with a groan. She gives him a sympathetic smile.
"Guys?"
The scarlet speedster's voice draws her attention back to where he's standing, the now ready cure in hand as he looks between his friends around the cortex.
"What's happened?"
As if luck is not on her side, at the same time Barry repeats his question once more about what's occurred in the time he's been gone, Harry strolls in through the door. Judging by the frown on his face, he's caught the question.
"What's wrong now?"
"Nothing," she rushes to assure him, moving to his side and leaning up a little to press a kiss to his lips in greeting. "Hi."
"Hi," Harry replies slowly but his eyes narrow down at her. She seems off, like she's hiding something. Thankfully for him and not so much for Caitlin, Ralph comes to the aid of the two men asking questions.
"We all died tonight."
Great, she thinks, shooting Ralph a look. Way to go, straight in with the bad news.
"What?!" It's a joint outburst of surprise from both the flash and Harry. Both men immediately turning to the woman in their lives.
During this distraction, no one notices how Nora slips out of the room.
"Are you alright?" Harry asks quietly but no less urgently. His eyes scanning over her as he runs his hands along her arms.
Caitlin rolls her eyes wondering if he's looking for some kind of injury. He obviously wont find any but nonetheless, she's touched by his concern. "I'm fine, Harry."
He doesn't look convinced.
Caitlin glances over to Iris to see she's suffering the same treatment from her husband, she meets her friend's gaze over Barry's shoulder and rolls her eyes.
"I was only gone an hour, how could things progress so fast that you all died?"
Caitlin glances away from Harry who's still staring down at her to Ralph, who offers an explanation of tonight's events. Its then that they notice Nora's absence. When he finishes explaining, a heavy silence falls over the room and Caitlin could clearly feel the tension radiating off of Harry in waves.
She meets his eyes and she knows they need to talk.
Out of the corner of her eye she can see Iris and Barry leaving, the former to her office, the latter in search of their daughter probably to talk about what's transpired tonight. Ralph stays put, sprawled in the chair, not paying them any attention.
"Come on, let's go home."
Harry says nothing, just watches as she heads to the med bay quickly to pick up her belonging. They bid Ralph a goodnight, who's now engrossed in the pages of his surviving love manual.
Nothing is said between them as they head out, walking the familiar halls, riding the familiar elevator, exiting the large glass doors on the ground floor and down the steps. Nothing is said until they're nearly to the car, standing in a near empty parking lot.
"You died and I had no idea."
She turns to him in the dark parking lot, to see him standing a few feet away from her. Like the thought occurred to him and stopped him dead in his tracks as she carried on walking.
"I'm right here."
"Yes you are but... for the space of the hour, you died Caitlin."
It hits her then just how effected he is by this and she rushes to reassure him. "Despite Nora's attempts, once she told us, we were able to fix it. We're all okay, I'm okay."
"What do you mean Nora's attempts?"
It's a catch twenty two situation. If she tells him the truth he'll be pissed, if she doesn't and he finds out from one of the others, he'll be pissed. It's better he hears it from her. "The first time it happened I... or rather Frost went with Nora to stop Cicada after he took Iris. I died. Nora went back to stop it but every time she did someone else was killed."
"How many times?" Harry asks, his voice low and rough. When she doesn't immediately answer, he asks again. "How many times did she go back?"
Caitlin let's out a shuddering breath. "Before we fixed it, fifty two times."
"Fifty two..." he mutters in disbelief. He may not be as intelligent as he once was but even he knows and understands how bad that is, the potential for disaster it holds. He looks away from her, dragging a trembling hand over his face. There's just one thing he can't seem to shake. The knowledge that she had died. He can feel his emotions bubbling at the surface and anger wins over first. "You promised me you would be careful. That you wouldn't needlessly put yourself in danger."
For a moment she's surprised by his reaction but only for a moment. She knows he's upset, that he isn't really angry so she remains calm. "It wasn't needless Harry, Cicada had taken Iris and Barry was in the speed force advancing the cure. I had to help."
"Putting yourself in danger in the process."
"We both know what doing this job means, the dangers it puts us in. Today, thankfully, it all worked out."
She looks at him, taking in his rigid posture, the clenched fists at his side, the intensity with which he's staring at her. Despite her defence of their actions tonight, she gets it. She understands how he feels. Honestly, if it were the other way around, she knows she would feel exactly the same in his position. Letting out a heavy sigh, she moves towards him, closing the gap until she's in front of him. Her hands gently enclose over his closed fists and she moves them to her waist, internally smiling when he pulls her closer. She then moves her hands to cup his face, making him look at her.
"I understand how you feel and I know I promised to be careful but sometimes I'm going to be in a position of danger, just like tonight. Thankfully the outcome was positive but this is what we do. We fight." Caitlin leans forward to press her lips to his. She pulls back slightly after a few moments. "I'm here and I'm okay, Harry."
It's his turn to kiss her. She safe and warm under his hands, solid against his form. She's here. She's okay. He'll admit that maybe he had over reacted to tonight's events but the feelings linger inside of him. The fear. The despair. The hurt. The anger. He knows what is it to lose the person you love, he's experienced that heartache before and he doesn't want to feel it again. Some would say it's selfish, for his own benefit and a part of him agrees, he can't go through that again. Especially not with Caitlin. He can't lose her, he needs her in his life.
His feelings seep into his kiss, his desperation for her and she must feel it because she answers back with feelings of her own. Love and reassurance.
When the kiss finally ends and they pull themselves away, Caitlin meets his gaze head on. "I made you a promise which I fully intend to keep. I love you, Harry and I'm not going anywhere."
There's a fierce quality to her words, solid as steel and it reassures him just like he knew she intended. "I love you too."
Caitlin kisses him quick once more before moving her hand to find his. Linking their fingers she tugs at his hand. "Come on, let's go home. I'm hungry."
Harry nods while walking beside her to the car. The smile she sends his way makes his chest ache with the love he holds for her. He honestly has no idea what he'd do if he lost this women. He has to trust her and believe in her promise. How could he not?
The end.