Half Mine

Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12: KITCHEN KAROAKE

3rd Person POV

Barry gets a drunken Iris to bed and rushes back to Caitlin's side where falls into a peaceful slumber. He feels as if something's missing. His eyes flutter open and he realises what's missing – Caitlin Snow is no longer peacefully asleep in his arms.

He looks around and sees her in the kitchen with her earphones in and dancing around to the music. "Hey hey you you I don't like your girlfriend, hey hey you you I think you need a new one. Hey hey you you I could be your girlfriend. Ooh woah ooh woah." She's moving so much that she doesn't notice the dish rag on the floor. She slips on it and braces herself to collide with the floor by using her body to protect her belly.

Barry moves almost immediately and instead of hitting the floor, she's in his arms. He picks her up and sets her on the floor gently. "Thank you." "Anytime," Barry says with a smile that melts Caitlin's heart. "Nice song," He chuckles. "You heard that?" She turns bright red. "It'll be my new ringtone," He jokes. She glares at him but she can't help but giggle. Caitlin clears her throat and moves away. "I'm going to head to work but your pancakes are done." "Wait don't you need a ride?"

"No it's fine. I'm actually meeting Cisco for coffee at Jitters," Caitlin says and Barry raises his eyebrow at the word 'coffee'. "Relax, I won't be having any coffee. I will just be having the muffin of the day and some tea," Caitlin puts her hands up in the air and backs away slowly with a teasing demeanour.

Barry smiles at her playfulness and sips on his orange juice before digging into the four stacks of pancakes that she made him.

Caitlin and Cisco arrive at Jitters. Cisco doesn't beat around the bush. "So you and Barry… what's going on there?"

"N-nothing," Caitlin stutters. "Really now?" Cisco raises his eyebrow, "That must be why he went crazy when you were missing or why he spends every night at your house or always picks up the muffins and donuts you like or why he orders the Killer Frost whenever we go to Jitters or-"

"Okay, okay, I get it," Caitlin interrupts him, "How do you even know that he stays over and what do mean went crazy?"

"Iris is always complaining about it. I know more about that woman than I've ever wanted to know. Do I care that she hasn't been laid since Barry found about the baby? No. But do I have to hear her constantly complain about it? Yes."

"Really? That long?" Caitlin asks shocked, "Wow. That is surprising."

"When you were missing he totally started freaking out. He searched the whole city and put everyone to work. Iris tried talking to him to comfort him and then he yelled her and said he didn't have time to deal with her."

"He was just freaking out about the baby. I'm sure they've patched things up by now." "I don't think so… From what I've heard things have been on the rocks for a while," Then he eyes her reaction, "And you don't seem too broken up about it." Caitlin laughs nervously, "It's none of my business."

"Sure it isn't," Cisco winks at her before taking a sip of his coffee.

Meanwhile Caitlin's thoughts turn to her Barry and Iris. Could it be that they're not meant to be? That they're not some gold standard?

Barry finishes up his work at the CCPD with a little extra speed and heads to Jitters to pick up a 'Killer Frost' for himself and a tea for Caitlin. He notices Cisco and Caitlin having a conversation and goes over to join them.

"Hey guys. Mind if I join you guys?" Barry says.

"Of course not," Caitlin replies with a smile. "I'm always up for some OG Team Flash time," Cisco whispers with a fist pump. They sit together and chat for another hour, falling into an easy conversation and cracking jokes. It feels just like old times and Barry feels content. It's the most free he's felt at Jitters in a long time (probably because Iris and him are usually at Jitters together.)

Just as they are about to leave, a guy walks in and tries to steal money from the cash register. Barry changes into his suit and goes to stop him but the guy aims his gun at Caitlin. Barry rushes towards Caitlin but before he can reach her, she's hit with a blast from the gun. "I'll take care of this," Cisco says, "You take care of her." Barry nods and runs them both over to STAR Labs.

Luckily Henry was there. "She got hit with a blast and I don't know what's wrong. Help her please." Barry blinks back the tears as Henry sets to work. He checks vitals and runs tests while Barry paces and clenches his fists. He wants to hurt that guy so badly for hurting Caitlin. He almost wishes he was with Cisco so he could beat that jerk to a bloody pulp instead of feeling useless while his father does things he doesn't understand.

Cisco shoots a vibe blast towards the intruder and the intruder shoots back. The blast hits a table and it is blown to smithereens. Cisco looks at it shocked. 'Why didn't that happen before? But thank god it didn't!' He vibe blasts him, one blast after another until the man is pushed into a corner then he punches him so hard that he's knocked out. He retrieves the gun and destroys it while trying to ignore the searing pain in his hand.

Cisco arrives at STAR Labs quickly after putting the guy in jail.

Author's Note: What do you guys think? Time for Chapter 13 yet?