Changes After the Crisis (Snowbarry)

8

A few days had passed and Barry was ready to ask Singh to go back to work, he was expecting criticism for his behavior instead he received an unexpected hug and the kindest line ever said by the Chief  "Allen, I'm glad you're back! We were worried about you."

Barry worked all morning to catch up and get home early and stay with his kids.

That night when Nora was asleep Barry did something he never expected to do, took his cell phone and called Caitlin

"Hi Caitlin!"

"Hi Barry! I hear you're back at work, how are things going?"

"Well thank you, I thought that I have not thanked you enough for what you have done for me and my children, I wanted to invite you to dinner to repay me"

"Sure Barry, I'd love to, when you were thinking?"

"Nora just fell asleep, what would you say about tonight in an hour ... at 9.30pm?"

"Yes, that's okay with me, see you soon Barry?"

"Great... see you later Cait!".

The dinner went incredibly well, Barry and Caitlin had fun exchanging jokes about science, and anecdotes kept hidden over the years, they even discovered that they had attended the same science summer camp when they were in junior high, and they had met but neither had. he had realized this earlier.

When it was time for dessert, the waiter said a sentence that made them both blush: "Sir, do you and your wife want a dessert?" The two answered in chorus "No we are not", an elderly lady sitting at the table next to theirs laughed and said "Boy you better decide, there are few girls like her".

After dinner Barry took Caitlin home, at the door she said: "Thanks Barry it was a nice evening I had a good time, I'm glad you feel better"

"It was only thanks to you and the others, I don't know how to thank you," he replied

"You don't have to, I did the same thing you did for me after Ronnie" she said with her eyes moistened, the two friends hugged, then she entered the house and went to sleep, Barry instead returned to his house and waited preferring to watch little Nora sleep blissfully, thinking back to Caitlin's phrase, "use The power of that love to carry on".

The next morning, Barry receives a special message on his cell phone

Maybe I have an idea for how you could thank me: by agreeing to have coffee with me at Jitters

Barry smiled and wrote

Okay Cait, I'll see you there at 10:00

The two met at Jitters and spent a beautiful morning together, as the night before they laughed at jokes about science, and anecdotes, for anyone it would have been boring  ... but for them it was completely different.

It had been two weeks since the two friends had started spending time together, but now Barry wanted to do something he never thought he would do,

"Hi Cait" Barry said as he entered the infirmary

"Hi Barry" the doctor replied

"Look Cait I wanted to ask you something ..." Barry broke off

"What?"

"Well... I wanted to ask you for a coffee at Jitters' ...tonight" he said in a shaky voice

"We have had coffee several times together... why do you ask for it like that?" she asked

"That's because this time... I wanted it to be a date" he said, and without giving her time to answer he said again "Sorry it was a stupid idea" and walked to the door,

"Wait Barry ... actually I would like that very much" she said blushing, 

he smiled and said "This afternoon at 6pm?"

"Yeah that's fine Barry" she said smiling back.

Barry finished the job, he went to talk to Joe "Look Joe ... I wanted to ask if you and Cecile could spend the evening with Nora and Bart"

"Of course we are fine, I love spending time with them but... why?"

"Well..."

"What's the matter son, do you have a date with a girl?" Joe said jokingly

"Actually ... yes"

Joe was speechless, up until a month ago he was desperate for Iris's disappearance, and now he had a date!

"With who, if I may ask?"

"With Caitlin, this would be our first real date," Barry replied, blushing

"Don't you think it's a little early?" Joe asked

"I thought so, but given everything we've been through together... I want to understand if  what's between me and Caitlin is friendship or something more"

"Okay Barry, good luck tonight I hope you find out" Joe concluded hugging Barry.