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Their latest hideout was a dump. Some half-abandoned apartment building that should have been condemned years ago.
Something in her still itched to write about this. To tell the city the truth, to draw attention to the landlords exploiting their tenants, to force someone to do something.
Iris had turned her back on that path the day she’d walked into that bar.
Murdering a man had kind of put a stop to her career options.
Caitlin lounged on the stolen armchair, seemingly entirely nonchalant about the whole thing, but Iris knew her well enough to see through the act now.
Sometimes Iris wondered what it would have been like to meet her before. To meet the kind, awkward, happy Caitlin, the one Cisco was still so determined he could bring back.
But that Caitlin had had Ronnie Raymond. She would never have looked twice at Iris.
She would still choose him. Iris was certain of that. What Wells had said, that Barry time travelling would be able to bring back Ronnie, she knew Caitlin would have chosen it without hesitation.
“You’re thinking about him,” Iris said.
“And you’re thinking about him,” Caitlin said, a hint of bitterness in her voice. “What was the date Wells told you?”
Iris didn’t say anything.
“Do you think he’ll forgive you?” Caitlin asked.
“I don’t think he’ll ever forgive me,” Iris said. “I took away his only chance to free his father.”
“You took away his chance to save his mother.”
“He lied,” Iris said. “He was the Man in Yellow, he was lying. He would have killed him. What he said, about bringing Ronnie back-”
“Nothing that man said could be trusted,” Caitlin said. “But this would be a way. This would bring Ronnie back, this would change everything, this would-”
“This would change who you are,” Iris said.
“Isn’t that what you all want?”
Iris didn’t say anything. Didn’t know what to say.
“Even the Flash couldn’t find us if we run out there,” Caitlin said. “We both know he’ll catch up eventually if we stay in the city. The only reason he hasn’t is he’s been distracted by Zoom.”
“Is that what we’re doing?” Iris asked. “Running away?”
“Isn’t that what you want to do?” Caitlin asked. “Run instead of facing your father and the best friend you’re supposed to marry? The boyfriend you almost wanted to? Instead of deal with your unknown mother and brother, instead of facing what you did? You can take it away again. You can fix things with Barry Allen, you can get your happy end-”
Iris dragged her into a kiss, letting her feelings turn into a fire burning around them both, pulling Caitlin in and keeping her close.
She felt the ice trying to form as Caitlin drew the heat into herself, her own breath filling Iris and seeping into her lungs, frost forming from her inside out.
Iris pulled back; her lips numb just like Caitlin’s were red.
“I made my choice,” she said. “Besides. You saw Wells’ paper. I don’t get a happy ending with him. I can find one with you.”
“I think I ruined my option for having one in this timeline,” Caitlin said. “But we can fix it. We can change all of it, Iris.”
“I don’t think that’s how it works,” Iris said. “But if you’re going, I’ll follow you anywhere.”