New beginnings

24

"No, no, no, Barry. I can't do this. I'm going to die"

"Come on latte, don't be so dramatic. I'm right here. As if I'd let anything happen to you"

"No, I can't"

"Look latte, take my hand. We'll go nice and slow"

"No! You promised you wouldn't push me. Only when I felt ready"

Barry sighed. Caitlin was being so dramatic. He walked up to her and held her hand

"Look latte, I've got you. I'll stay by your side if you want"

"Ok, I'm ready. I'll try"

Caitlin nervously took Barry's hand and stepped on the ice

"No, I can't"

"Latte, it's only ice skating. Not a matter of life and death"

Caitlin took Barry's hand and nervously tried again. She didn't know how it happened but she felt safe with Barry. She knew he wouldn't let anything happen to her. He was like her personal shield. Caitlin let go of Barry's hand and effortlessly slid around the rink. Barry watched in awe

"What was that?"

"Huh?"

"I thought you couldn't"

"I never said I couldn't. Just that I was scared"

"How?"

"My parents used to bring me when I was little. Guess it just came back to me"

Caitlin hugged Barry tightly

"Thank you for this"

"I aim to please"

Barry intertwined their fingers and Caitlin smiled. She was getting better at this showing intimacy. She never thought she'd find someone after Ronnie. Someone to accept her and all her baggage as she was, and not try to change her one bit. But Barry had come along and was doing just that. He was restoring her faith in men too. Caitlin was realising that they weren't all like Ronnie and that she had just been unlucky.

Barry had covered her eyes and was leading her somewhere. Normally Caitlin would panic at this, but Barry, since they had decided to try again was doing everything right. He never pushed her, always said sorry first, even if it was Caitlins fault, which most of the time it was as sometimes Caitlin pushed him too far, but he never got angry. Just left her alone as she calmed down. He knew she still had issues and was trying his best to make her see he was here for the long term and that he loved her. Suddenly they stopped

"Ta da"

Caitlin looked at what was in front of her and gasped. They were standing in front of Santa's grotto. Caitlin turned around to look at Barry 

"I remember you telling me that you used to love the magic of Christmas as a little girl and you used to love coming to Santa's grotto"

"Barry, that was a long time ago. I'm not that little girl anymore"

"Well today, you can be. Go visit Santa and tell him everything"

Caitlin walked into Santa's grotto

"What would you like for Christmas?"

"To go back to being a carefree little girl and to have my parents back. The magic of Christmas got ruined for me the moment they died"

"I can't do that, but anything else?"

"Nothing"

"Surely you must want something?"

"To be happy"

"And what makes you happy?"

"Him" said Caitlin pointing to Barry. Caitlin was shocked. Was it true?

Caitlin came back to Barry

"Let's go home"

Barry intertwined their fingers as they walked home. Caitlin kept stealing glances at Barry. Was what she said true? There was no doubt how hard Barry was trying to make her see that he loved her and wasn't like Ronnie at all. Caitlin looked at Barry as they reached her place. She couldn't deny that he had wormed his way into her heart and life. She realised she felt empty without him

"What are you doing to me Barry?" she whispered as he kissed her goodnight 

Duff duff duff. What's Caitlin realising? As always feedback appreciated