The Lost Years

Waking Up

Caitlin POV

It's been 12 hours and Barry still hasn't woken up yet. His body is back to normal temperature, his wound is pretty much healed with the scar tissue left, which is slowly disappearing. I'm getting worried that he hasn't woken up yet with how his injuries are practically all healed. 

"Shouldn't he have woken up by now?" Cisco asked.

"Well he wouldn't have been in this situation if it wasn't for you, now would he?"

"Guys. Cool down." Joe added in.

"Really Joe? A pun?" 

"BARRY! Oh my god you're okay? Thank god." Caitlin prayed.

"Are you okay Bare?" Joe asked.

"I'm a little sore and in need of some water. But other then that I'm okay."

"I'll go get you some water." Cisco suggested.

"I'll go check on the kids for you." Joe told.

"Thanks. How are you really?" Caitlin asked after everyone left the room.

"Better now. You don't need to check on me, everything is all good."

"You've been unconscious for the past 16 hours and practically frozen solid for 8 of those hours.... You scared me. I almost thought you weren't going to make it with how cold you were. It's not humanly possible, so I wasn't sure what was gonna happen."

"Cait. I'm okay. There's nothing wrong with me. In a couple more hours it's gonna be like nothing's happened."

"That's not okay or normal. I get this whole thing isn't normal. But you acting like getting hurt is not a big deal. Think again, because it's not just on you. There's so many people in your life that are affected with what happens to you. Our son is hurting right now because he feels like he's not going to get the chance to call you dad because you had to do something stupid."

"I know that there's people that get affected. But if I hadn't done anything there wouldn't be 3 lives that would've ended. If I am able to stop something I will because I will feel the regret of I should've been there."

"You should've been there? Maybe think about the 'you should've been there' for Josh because if something bad happens to you, he's going to lose his dad who he just got in his life."

"Whose fault is that?"

"You know I'm sorry for that. But even if you had been there his whole life, you'd still be thinking of those thoughts cause you would've been in a lot of moments and thinking that you're going to miss bigger ones."

"I know. I'm sorry for bringing it up again. If something happened to those innocent people, I would've felt so guilty..."

"That you would be trying to make up for it with other people. I know. Cause I know you. But Josh doesn't so well and he would like to continue getting to know you. So, just remember before you send yourself to save someone, that there are so many people that need you in their lives. "

"I know. I'll try to be more cautious from now on."

"Good. Now there's some other people that want to see you other than just me."

"Send 'em all in." He chuckles.

I walk just outside and around the corner cause I knew everyone was eavesdropping.

"You guys can come in now." Everyone slowly comes out of their hiding spots looking guilty. Walks back into the med room. Both Josh and Melanie ran to Barry's bedside jumping up at him, smothering him in hugs.

"Are you otay?" Melanie asked.

"I'm much better now. You guys don't need to worry about me." Barry stated looking at both kids then making eye contact for me to take a hint.

"Mom said that you heal fast, is that true?" Josh wondered.

"I heal faster than anyone you'd know. But it's just something the people in this room know, no one else does. Okay?"

"So it's a secret?" Barry nodded. "Cool." Everyone laughs.

"Who wants ice cream?" Joe butts in.

"MEEE!" Josh and Melanie exclaim simultaneously. 

Joe took the kids and left, leaving me and Barry alone. 

"Hungry?" I asked him.

"Starving. What you thinking?"

"Head home, order in pizza?"

"Sounds like a plan."

"Okay, then you get dressed and we'll head back to my place."

"It's a date." We shared a look. "I mean.. not a date date. Unless that's what you want it to be?"

He's asking me out on a date. I feel like we're back in high school when he first asked me out. Oh those were the days, no drama, no metas, just us. 

"Cait?"

"Oh sorry. It's a date."

"Okay... Is it just me or do you feel like I'm asking you out for the very first time in high school."

"I was just thinking that. You get dressed and I'll be just outside." Barry nodded. I walked out of the med bay and headed to my car. It was only about 5 mins before Barry showed up at my car. 

"Ready?"

"Ready." Then we drove off home for our date.

Joe POV

I decided to take the kids for ice cream to let Barry and Caitlin have some time alone after this incident. I also wanted to see how Josh was handling it since he probably wouldn't tell his parents and Melanie is too young to understand what's going on. 

"So how you guys holding up with everything?"

"We're okay. She also has no idea what's going on. So, it's better for her not too."

"What about you?"

"I don't know what to think. I'm not really sure what's going on cause mom never let us see him or actually know what happened."

"She's just trying to protect you. The shape he was in. We didn't even want to see him that way, if it makes you feel any better."

"It was that bad?"

"Yeah, so don't be so gloom about not seeing him in a really rough patch."

"Is he really gonna be okay then?" 

"He's going to be just fine. He's got a lot of people that love and care about him so he's going to make sure that he survives and doesn't get into any really bad situations."

"Okay. I just hope nothing happens. We haven't gotten to do everything I wanted."

"What's that?"

"I want those father son moments that almost everyone gets. I want to have a better reason for why I might finally call him dad."

"Any reason that is good for you, will be good for him."

Josh nodded and went back to eating his ice cream. Melanie was still lost in her ice cream it was all over her face, that she had no idea what we were talking about. At least I got an honest answer out of him, that'll get the worry out of Caitlin and Barry for now.