Only Because I Need You

Chapter 49: Attack!

Caitlin rocked in her seat and nibbled on her lip. Barry had initiated their attack on the old school outside Central City. All she could do was sit with Harry, Iris and Cisco whilst she monitored his vitals. Most nights she found herself doing the same thing and often got distracted or wandered away, but not that night. The Dr's one focus was on the health of the Scarlet speedster. She knew she could rely on the rest of the team to do their jobs, that is what made them dangerously efficient. That is what made them deadly.

The soft spiking of Barry's heart monitor soothed her nerves. Caitlin began to fiddle with her fingers. Cisco was seated next to her at the entrance desk. Iris and Harry had taken up residency on the other side of the desk where they were scanning the school. Harry had already devised a plan based off of the heat signatures and weapon pings he got from the building. Barry was to take the least crowed route to the central chamber, where whole school assemblies took place, which was where the Satellite had picked up the greatest concentration of wounds left in space by breaches. From there, Barry was to use power cuffs to immobilise Tate. "Caitlin, don't be worried, I can practically hear you fidgeting,"

The doctor felt a little smile perk up her lips. Placing her hands flat on her lap she replied, "sorry, I get the jitters when I am nervous," she chuckled.

"Yeah," Cisco snorted, "we know,"

Caitlin let out a nervous chuckle. "Guys, I'm not sure why... but I feel really... nervous. Anyway, I'm getting near the main chamber," Barry hummed. Everything went silent. Something wasn't right. Caitlin could feel it. They must have forgotten some factor, some person. Chewing her cheeks, she sat forwards a little. Something was wrong. A few minutes of tense silence crawled past. It all happened in the span of a second. None of them were expecting it. Barry let out a strangled squeak, "guys, I've run into-" radio silence.

"Barry?" Irises voice was mellow at first, "Barry?" More panicked, "BARRY?"

"His vitals are fine, he just isn't moving at all," Caitlin observed sitting upright in her seat. Anxiety began to gnaw away at her reason. What if Barry was injured? What if the suit was malfunctioning? What if someone else was wearing it? The doctor sent a panicked look at Cisco.

"The suits systems are running perfect," Cisco frowned, "even the mic," he began to click furiously on the keyboard, "the suit's camera is only picking up blackness,"

Caitlin ran a hand through her hair, turning to Harry for an explanation. The genius ran his fingers along his jawline, "he has run into an unexpected enemy no doubt, I could tell by his voice and that his heat signature has vanished, that means he may have been incapacitated,"

Iris was instantly on her feet, she pulled out the large gun attached to the underside of the desk and slung it over the shoulder, "whoa, whoa, whoa, what are you doing?" Cisco raised his hands up.

"I'm going to get my husband back," she replied, her eyes had darkened and her entire body was tense.

"Don't be so hasty," Harry scolded her, "we would be better off sending Vibe or Killer Frost. Not to mention we have no idea what state Barry will be in,"

Iris sighed heavily and thumped  back down into her seat, placing the gun on the desk, "Okay," she replied, "but we need to get him help,"

"Yes," Caitlin interjected, "that's why we send Ethan," Cisco turned to look at her as though she had sprouted another head. Cisco went to say something but Caitlin stopped him with the raise of a hand, "look, Ethan offered to help and he didn't run off last time. I will go with him, as Killer Frost, even just as a backup plan,"

"Caitlin is right, Ethan is our best bet right now," Iris added reclining into her seat. Her jaw was set tight and her features sharp and downturned.

"Caitlin is also right about sending Killer Frost, if Barry couldn't handle whatever attacked him, then that chances Ethan has are slim," Harry added, crossing his arms over his chest and puckering his brows into a frown. Cisco let out a weary sigh and turned to Caitlin, his eyebrows raised, silently asking her how they were going to approach their next challenge.

"Don't worry Cisco," she sent him a sly smile, whipping out her phone, "I've got it covered." Once. Twice. Three times the phone rang as she pressed it to her ear. Caitlin was beginning to fear Ethan wouldn't pick up. Caitlin's heart hammered in her chest, her mind was swimming. What was she going to do if he didn't pick up? She would look like a fool.

"Hey, what's up?" Ethan's crackly voice echoed down the phone sending tickles of relaxation down Caitlin's spine. Hearing his voice over the phone was like a drug she was testing for the first time. It was refreshing from the one she was used to hearing. It was similar but so unique to Barry's, only Ethan's held so much more weight.

"Sooo, do you remember when you offered to help yesterday?" Caitlin asked, the corner of one lip tugged downwards. A rusty chuckle filled her ear, acknowledging his willingness to help, "we kind of have a bit of a situating here..."

*

Caitlin stood by Ethan's side in the cortex. The speedster was wearing a dark suit that Cisco had been secretly designing for a while, it was supposed to be a stealth version of the Flashes suit, but the engineer didn't mind lending it out. Caitlin on the other hand was wearing the outfit the Killer Frost liked to wear, it was her way of coaxing the other woman into cooperating. Cisco, Iris and Harry stared at them intently, two were seated behind the main desk, their attention half focused on Barry's vitals. Cisco was standing only a few meters away from Caitlin, a downward smirk possessed his lips, "you better bring her back unscathed," Cisco pointed an accusing finger at Ethan.

The speedster rolled his eyes, "she can probably handle herself better than I can," he retorted. Caitlin felt a rush of heat tickle her cheeks, but she was quick to turn her head away from the pair. Where had that come from? She had expected him to give some smart-arse egotistical comment, but no, he complimented her. What the heck?

"M'kay," Cisco pursed his lips together, "you better bring Barry back in one piece too,"

Ethan's face turned grave and his eyes lost their life, "I intend to leave him there to rot," his gravelly voice dipped a few octaves, making Caitlin's hairs stand on end.

Cisco reeled backwards and Iris's head snapped up with a nasty glare. Caitlin brought her arm up and connected her palm to the back of Ethan's head with a loud whack, "he's joking," her hand dropped to her side, "don't let him wind you up, I think it brings him pleasure," she informed Cisco with a wink.

The room visibly deflated. Ethan rubbed that back of his head with a pout and a gentle whimper. Caitlin almost said sorry. "Okay then," Cisco chuckled nervously, "for a moment there I was having flashbacks," he gestured to the pair.

"We'd better get going," Ethan turned to Caitlin, "if I know Barry then I know he will be stewing in misery because he can't get back to his team,"

Iris nodded her head with a smirk, "I trust you to bring back my husband safely Ethan, I know you have it in you," a warm smile crossed her face and heated her eyes.

Ethan nodded his head and then turned his gaze to Caitlin, cocking a brow. She dipped her head, they were ready. With that Ethan scooped up Caitlin a bolted into the speed force.