A few weeks passed after Nora left them, the days getting easier and easier to work through. Caitlin still felt some guilt on her part, for being the one Barry professed love to, but in the end she realized none of this was her fault. She just plugged away at pretending everything was normal, even though they weren't. Every other night or so Barry would stop back by the lab after work, to check in on Caitlin, knowing that she would be working late like always. They would sit and talk, a lot of the time spent with Caitlin filling Barry in on how Killer Frost had managed to take over after Caitlin died, on what Savitar had been like, and the struggles she'd had after they defeated the future version on himself. It was a quiet time for them both, slowly feeling their way around their budding relationship.
"When are you going to tell Iris about the change of heart?" Caitlin asked one evening as they sat eating Chinese take out. "I don't think we should continue this until that situation is resolved."
"Tomorrow night." Barry replied. "She'll have the night free from her blog and I can sit down and talk to her then."
"Promise me, Barry." She demanded, not wanting to drag this out any longer than needed.
"I promise." He reached over and kissed her on the lips, a gentle press that they both knew that they wanted to turn into something more.
The next night Caitlin was a nervous mess. On the one hand she was over the moon that Barry said he loved her and wanted to see where their relationship could go, but on the other she hated being the reason a marriage failed. Everything in her wanted Barry, and a good portion of her didn't care what hell broke loose to have him. Sitting curled up on her couch in her pjs, she waited to hear from Barry, but in the end, it wasn't Barry who came knocking. It was Iris.
"Iris!" Caitlin opened the door to her apartment, completely shocked. "What are you doing here so late? Is Barry ok?"
"Well I wouldn't know, would I?" Iris snarled. "After all, you're the one my husband thinks about day and night. He's barely home and when he is, it's like he doesn't even want to be there."
"I have no idea -"
"Cut the crap Caitlin." The other woman shoved her way into the apartment, and Caitlin closed the door behind her. "I've gone back and watched the security videos from S.T.A.R. I've seen you interacting with Barry. The kisses, the touches, the time spent together. I never would have expected it from you."
"I honestly never asked for any of this." Caitlin replied crossing her arms across her chest. "I admit I have been in love with Barry ever since he woke up from his coma, but I also knew that nothing would ever happen. You were his obsession and I was just his doctor."
"Apparently Barry has moved on from me." Iris faced Caitlin with a sneer. "Just when I thought our marriage was beginning to heal, you and Killer Frost come along and change the game."
"Really?" Caitlin's temper began to flare, fuse having been cut shorter thanks to Killer Frost's personality having blended with her own. "So you are just going to blame me? Until the night Nora faded, I had no idea Barry was trying to decide between you and me. All I knew is that he was unhappy and questioning his future."
"If there is anyone to blame, it's you. And Barry. It's your marriage, you and Barry are the only ones that can make it work or not. Leave me out of this."
"Excuse me?" Iris sounded like she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "How can you claim to be blameless in this situation?"
"Because I am, Iris. Barry is unhappy with you, not me. You're the one he's thinking of leaving, not me. You're the one making him miserable, not me. I'm just here waiting to pick up the pieces and put them back together, just like the doctor I am."
Caitlin moved to the door, opening it for Iris to leave. Barry stood on the other side, hand raised to knock, suitcase in hand. Silence filled the space between them all, no one quite knowing what to say. Barry slipped inside and after putting his suitcase down he shut the door softly, shutting the three of them in. Seemed like now was when things were about to be decided.
"How did you get here so fast Iris?" Barry asked, voice strong despite the bad situation they were all in.
"Right after you told me you don't love my any more, I left and went to S.T.A.R. I watched the footage from the cameras and saw exactly who you've decided is more worth your time compared to me." Iris seethed, fists clenched.
"I shouldn't be surprised; there has always been this connection that the two of you have shared. I was honestly jealous of it, but once we got married, I fully expected it to go away."
Caitlin felt her heart flutter. So it hadn't been her imagination all these years, there had been something that was flickering between them. She wondered if in the original timeline they got together so much sooner, avoiding all this pain. It hurt to wonder, but this timeline has definitely given her a bad hand. She pulled her arms tighter, wanting this night to be over.
"Honestly Iris, I think it's been Caitlin all along." Barry told his soon to be ex-wife, spreading his arms wide. "There's always been something about her that draws me to her. She's been here for me though everything that has happened to me since I became the Flash. It's just something that ties us together tighter and closer than anything that has tied me to you Iris."
Iris stood silent, tears running from her eyes. Caitlin saw that she was slowly accepting the truth, realizing that the last few years have wound the threads holding Barry to Caitlin tighter and tighter. They were polar opposites in personality and powers, but that is what made the space between them light up brighter than the sun. It was electric and natural, and now they they would be able to explore it, Barry and Caitlin might very well burn the world down.
"Ok." Iris said softly, slowly. "This is really happening. We're getting a divorce then, aren't we Barry?"
"Yes Iris." Barry sighed. "I'm sorry, but this feels right. You've had to have known I've been unhappy in our marriage for a while now."
"I chalked it up to dealing with DeVoe, Cicada and Nora. I never imagined that it was me."
"It was both of us Iris. I think I was still in love with the thought of us, but the truth is, the reality wasn't what I wanted. I was still holding onto a crush, a dream. It's not fair to either of us to try and hold into something that doesn't work."
Nodding numbly Iris moved to leave, opening the door before stopping.
"I'm sorry I wasn't enough for you Barry." Then she was gone, leaving them quietly. Wordlessly, Barry opened his arms and Caitlin stepped into them, the two of them finding comfort in each other.
Soon the divorce was finalized, and Barry was a free man. Caitlin decided to make him supper to celebrate, so she was at her apartment making spaghetti, breadsticks and salad while he finished up at CCPD for the night. She was in the middle of setting the table when he flashed in, wrapping her in his arms, smile on his face.
"Hello Doctor Snow." He murmured into her neck, pressing a soft kiss to her skin. Shivers raced down her spine as she melted into him.
"Hello Mr. Allen." Her arms wrapped around his neck, fingers threading through his hair. They had agreed that until the divorce was final, they wouldn't move past kissing and a few touches here and there. Now that the paperwork was finalized, they could give in.
"Smells good. Is it something that we can heat up later?" His voice was like dark chocolate, green eyes dark with lightning dancing across them.
"Yeah, we can heat it up later." Caitlin smiled up at him, caught up in having her dreams become reality. Yes, she had Killer Frost's memories of her time with Savitar, but she wanted to replace those memories with real memories.
Together they retired to the bedroom, losing themselves in each other. Barry was all heat and strong muscles hidden under smooth skin. Gentle touches and tender kisses covered her from head to toe. She felt desired in a way she hadn't felt in a very, very long time. If ever. It was so beautiful to be held close by Barry, and to finally feel the love that she had craved for so long. He worshiped her like the goddess she was, raising her to higher and higher levels of ecstasy at every touch. He was slow and methodical in his romancing of her body and mind, a pleasant counterpoint to his typical speed. Wave over wave of pleasure washed over Caitlin, drowning her in his scent, his aura. For the first time in a long time, Caitlin felt whole, utterly complete and sated.
Slowly they came down from their high, laying together in comfort, skin to skin, heart to heart. She curled into his side, relishing his arms coming up around her, the two of them fitting together like two pieces of a puzzle. Laying together in the darkness Caitlin felt his chest moving with his breathing, comforting and soothing at the same time.
"Thank you Barry." She whispered in the dark, hand settling over his heart. His hand came up and covered hers.
"What for?" His voice was warm as his other hand cupped her shoulder, thumb stroking her skin.
"For being brave enough to love me."
"I think I've always loved you, I just didn't know it. Now though, I'm glad I did."
"So we managed to change our stars after all."
"Hm?" Slowly Barry was drifting off to sleep.
"Killer Frost told me that we could change our stars if we simply let go, and we did Mr. Allen."
"Yes we did Dr. Snow."