Burning Down The House - Snowbarry

Chapter Four

Caitlin blearily opened her eyes, realizing she had fallen asleep in the speed lab. As she shifted and stretched, she quickly realized the temperature of the room inexplicably changed, and it felt as if she was in a suana. She spared a worried glance towards Frost as hushed whispers began to flood her ears.  Her sister hadn't felt the sudden change in atmosphere, and continued to slash away at a dummy.

A burst of flames billowed to life in her peripheral, and she tore her gaze from Frost to Thawne who stood in the center of the room.  Caitlin's skin crawld as she very quickly realized Deathstorm was speaking to her through one of his constructs. "Can I ask you a question, Caitlin?" She narrowed her eyes as the apparition of Thawne smirked. "Oh, pardon the appearance. Fun fact: not only can I appear as those you've grieved, I can form as the ones that have caused the grief."

"Caity?" Frost inquired, noticing her sisters line of sight was focused on the floor, but Caitlin kept her gaze locked on the area before her.

"Are you lonely?" Caitlin furrowed her eyebrows, she definitely wasn't expecting that question, and neither was she answering it. "C'mon, Barry used to have Iris, Cisco has Camilla, Ralph and Sue, Joe and Cecile, hell even Chester and Allegra are getting there, you're the only one who hasn't hitched up yet. Well.. not permanently at least." He flashed his toothy grin. "Why?" Once again, she didn't answer him, and he let out a chuckle.

"Caity, what is it?" Frost took a step closer to Caitlin, whose eyes darted back and forth between the two.

"I have two theories. One, you don't need a partner. You're fine living with Frost in that apartment for the rest of your life, drinking wine and watching sappy romance movies." He said, and Caitlin could tell by his tone he was mocking her. "Or, the man you love, you couldn't have." Caitlin's gaze dropped to the floor, not wanting to look at the faux Eobard any longer, but the ghost knew he had struck a nerve. "Ding, ding, ding!" He belted, slamming his fist into his palm to exaggerate his point.

"What's he saying Caity?" Frost inquired, and before Caitlin could answer, Deathstorm continued.

"You've sat by for years, pining after him, watching him throw himself at a relationship that isn't that good for him, a relationship that, frankly, was toxic, and you never said a thing. Never mentioned how lonely you were, never said how isolated and forgotten you felt amidst the team, that their relationship is what caused you to join Savitar in the first place all those years ago, and yet, Barry was always the one to bring you out of the darkness. Why?"

Caitlin was silent for a moment, and Thawne repeated his question a little harsher. "Why, Caitlin?" And then a little harsher. "Why?!" 

Caitlin couldn't bear to hear him any longer. "Because he was happy!" She forced the words out seethingly, throat strained and tears threatening to spill at any moment. 
 
"Because Barry Allen was happy." Thawne restated breathlessly, shaking his head with a smirk, before he took a step forward. "Y'know, a loved one dying isn't the only way a person can grieve. Wanting them, longing for them, dying a little inside when you see them marry another and realizing you'll never be with them, it eats away at you, and that grief," The figure let the Thawne visage fade away, a burst of flames revealing the large skeleton-like frame of Deathstorm. "Tastes all the more sweet."

He let out a deep roar, eyes growing brighter, unasuming to his surroundings, which let Frost tap the distress signal on her phone. He shot out a stream of flames, but a streak of lightning passed before him, and he found the speed lab absent of Caitlin Snow. Deathstrom turned, shoulders rising and falling in tandem with his ragged breaths as he stared down Barry and Frost.