You Are In Love

I. Interruptions

"I'll be fine."

She hadn't heard the end of it yet.

Every time Barry Allen decided to zoom out of the lab, the idiot would never fail to cause a huge mess at S.T.A.R. lab in which Caitlin mostly ended up cleaning afterwards, screaming obscenities in her head after a round of paper-scissor-stone with Cisco.

"You just suck at the game," Cisco would point out.

"Or maybe, you just need to shut up." She would say.

Dr. Wells would watch them entertainingly, his favourite mug in his hands.

"This never gets old," he had cracked a smile.

And when the scarlet speedster raced back, Caitlin would breathe out in relief but sure, she was still mad at the fact that she had to clean the paperwork scattered on the floor or that one time, she dropped her Starbucks (which Dr. Wells wasn't quite pleased at his coffee stained carpet). Caitlin was just relieved that Barry made it back alive...or in one piece.

This had became a routinal thing. Of course, most of the times, Barry would race back to the headquarters tossing Caitlin one of his gigantic egotistical grins. Of course, there was the relief washing over her as she internally rejoiced that Barry had come back without any major injuries inflicted on him.

But there was the occasional bickering as she scolded Barry for his recklessness (and several times he had acted of his own accord). Barry would tease her for getting so worked up over a petty thing and added that he had gotten out of it alive and that she should be grateful.

Oh, she was freaking grateful.

One time, Barry raced back, drenched to the bones and shivering controllably in his "underclothing", claiming that the meta-human he had been dealing with had shredded his suit to bits (much to Cisco's dismay). So he had to rush back to the labs, hoping no one would have to see their scarlet hero wearing nothing but Spongebob boxers.

Caitlin would have this smirk on her face which Barry would later shoot an annoyed glance at her.

"What?" He had said.

"Didn't know you like Spongebob."

Barry had ignored her all day.

It went on like this. Barry would come back with broken bones, scorched-red scalps of burnt skin, nasty gashes and worst, wounds where the bullet had broken through the skin.

Caitlin would always have a mini heart-attack.

It wasn't as if Barry Allen would die. He healed inhumanely fast and the process would only take a few hours. The most fatal wounds would only take a day or two then, the guy was back on his feet. He was back to being the fastest man alive.

Although, the same couldn't be said about his damaged suit. Cisco had complained enough and she was starting to get used to grumpy Cisco. Even Dr. Wells was starting to smile more.

But Caitlin still got worried and she solely blamed it on her recent loss of her fiancée-to-be, Ronnie Raymond, who had died whilst trying to shut down the particle accelerator.

Maybe it was the trauma of the accident which had her extremely worried and concerned about her friends' well being. She wasn't ready to lose one more friend.

Ronnie had been more than a friend. She felt it with him not on a physical level. She had felt it spiritually. Ronnie was her soulmate and her whole being still loved him. But he was no longer by her side...

Moreover, she saw Ronnie in Barry. There had been countless times where Barry had said the exact same things as Ronnie and it freaked her out to endless. It was like rehearsing everything, reliving every painful memory with Barry. It left Caitlin unnerved.

And those thoughts often had her awake at nights as she cradled to sleep with her tear-stained cheeks.She usually dreamt about Ronnie's death; he had sacrificed himself for the greater good of the people in Central city. Ronnie was a hero.

Barry was one too.

Was he safe? Was he okay? What if Barry hadn't made it in time? What if Barry couldn't get out in time?

It'll be okay. It'll be okay. It'll be okay.

.

.

"At least, I didn't die, did I?"

She was tending Barry's wounds with some antiseptics while he was perched on a stool.

She glared at the brunette.

"You could have! You were so reckless back there, Barry. If it weren't for -"

Barry placed a hand on her shoulder. Caitlin's mouth clamped close.

"It's over. I'm okay, Caitlin."

She wanted to argue but the hand on her diverted her attention. Electric sparks shot up from her shoulder to where Barry had placed his hand. She immediately brought her eyes away from the mesmerizing blue eyes, pretending to be busy with the bandages.

Her heart rampaged in her chest, causing warmth to spread through to the tip of her fingertips. She didn't know she could even experience the heart palpitations again anymore since Ronnie's death but there she was, sitting next to Barry Allen trying to slower down her raging heart, who, by the way, was watching her intently now.

"Are you okay, Caitlin?"

Damn you, Allen.

"I-I'm fine."

She could see Barry watching her studiously.

Look away, Barry. Look away.

"It's nothing. I'm just tired, Barry."

But the speedster was persistent. He furrowed his eyebrows which Caitlin found totally amiable. She flushed, feeling the blood rush to her face.

"If this is about what happened earlier-"

"I said I'm fine, Barry." She snapped and then, stopped. She hadn't done it intentionally.

A cloud of emotions flashed through Barry's eyes and then, there was nothing. Caitlin hoped she was just imagining. Barry scratched his nape confusingly.

"Okaaaaaayyy. I have to go now. Iris wants me to help her out with something." He said hesitantly and jumped off the stool.

Iris, of course.

"I'll see you soon."

Barry watched her; her rich auburn tresses fanned out on her pink cardigan and the corners of her lips pulled into a tight grimace. She was stressed out, alright.

So Barry did the only thing he could do before he left. He embraced the girl. Her petite body went rigid in his hold before Caitlin melted into his embrace, encircling her arms around his toned body.

"I'm sorry," he breathed into her soapy scent. Caitlin nodded stiffly, her breath tickling his neck.

"Mmmhmmm," she murmured into his shirt.

Then, Barry pulled back and Caitlin got the gift of his smile.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Cait."

And like that, he was gone. The gust of wind that knocked down some of Cisco's research onto the floor was the only sign that he had been here.

She sighed and started cleaning the mess.

"And that's why you shouldn't have interrupted." Caitlin whispered as she placed her hand to her chest.