Running Wild (a Snowbarry story)

Chapter 1

It was an unusual quiet day in Central City, people running around minding their own business and no metahuman activity in sight. Caitlin loved this day already. She actually wondered what this day will bring, it was too quiet and usually that means something is coming their way. Also Caitlin would be a hypocrite if she'd say that they didn't have free days, they had plenty of those. But she had a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach, she just couldn't place it and it unnerved her more than anything. Brushing all those thoughts aside, Caitlin made her way to her car. With a large coffee in hand she arrived at STAR Labs just in time to witness a fight... was it a fight? between Cisco and Harry. She'll call it a disagreement.

"That's not how you do it Ramon." Harry said, clearly irritated with the engineer.

"Oh do enlighten me Mr. I Know Everything!" Cisco replied with a sarcastic tone.

"Dr. Snow, please care to clarify to me how were you able to work with this person in close quarters." Harry asked Caitlin.

"I... What?" Caitlin was speechless. She wanted nothing to do with this conversation.

"Maybe if I rephrase the enquiry.." Harry replied.

"Don't give him the satisfaction Caitlin! Don't even think of answering!" Cisco practically yelled at her interrupting Harry in the process.

"Now now boys, let's settle down and start working." She tried to calm everybody down. It was a nice day, she didn't need to listen to their bickering.

"Work on what? We have nothing to do. Maybe I should just go home and marathon Star Wars. Actually that's not a bad idea at all!" Cisco replied, getting really excited at the prospect of a Star Wars marathon.

"I'll be going as well, I have some things to do downtown." Harry said, disappearing down the hall.

"Well, what about you?" Cisco asked her.

"I don't know, I just arrived. I can't just leave, not yet anyway. By the way, is Barry at work?" Caitlin hoped Barry would have the day off as well, might go out for a walk in the park...maybe?

"He's not. He's spending the day with Patty, he wants to take her to that fair that opened up recently. He asked me if I wanted to join but I said no." Cisco replied.

"Why? I mean why did you say no? Sounds like fun!" she said in a fake cheery tone.

"Ha yeah no! 1 I can't be the 3rd wheel, I hate when that happens and 2 I'm not that into fairs, today I'm all for my Star Wars marathon. Want to join?" he asked with a smile on his face.

"Nah I'll pass. It looks like we came here for nothing. I'll just phone Iris, see if she's free, have a girls' day out or something." Caitlin hoped Iris would be free.

"Umm she's not, she made Joe take the day off too. She wants him to have a day of bonding with Scott or something along those lines, I'm not really sure, all I know is that she's spending the day with them." He told her with an apologetic tone.

"Oh, that's wonderful!" she said, trying very hard to sound happy for her friend, not that she wasn't! she was, is just... she didn't want to be alone.

"Listen Caitlin, my offer still stands." he replied, obviously worried about his friend.

"No I'll be fine, thank you Cisco." She replied giving him a hug.

"Suit yourself. And you'll find something fun to do, I know you will." He replied returning her hug.

"Bye Cisco, see you tomorrow! Don't stay up too late!" she ushered him off.

"Yes mom!" he replied laughing while exiting the room.

Caitlin was used to being alone, actually that's all she was after the first time Ronnie died. She rarely let people in and Cisco was the only one who really knew her, who understood what she was going through at the time. Not even her parents were so up to date with their daughter, and she tried to include them in her life as much as she could but the distance made it more difficult. What she didn't expect back then, was a one Barry Allen taking her life by storm and aggressively settling down in it, never wanting to leave. And she would never make him leave, as much as she sometimes wanted to. Barry managed to uncover so many parts of her, parts that she kept very well hidden within herself, made her come to terms with things in her life that truly scared her, that truly petrified her and didn't let her function. He helped her with so many struggles, Ronnie, her parents and most importantly herself. They had something in common that made them open up and share with one another things that normally they wouldn't discuss with anyone else. What was that? Ah... there it was... loss. They both lost something dear and precious to them, she lost Ronnie (two times) and he lost his mother and grew up without his father. Caitlin was happy that she found someone that related to her and with all the time spent with him and got to know him, to really know him... Barry Allen, she was thankful for it. She also knew that The Flash was just an extension of Barry and nothing else... Barry wasn't The Flash, The Flash was Barry Allen, a true superhero with a heart of gold.

She wasn't ashamed to admit that Barry managed to know her so well, he read her like an open book, he always took his time with her, he had patience and compassion. He was the one who was there for her when Jay had to go back to his home and leave her behind. She wasn't as heartbroken and she thought she would be, not that she didn't care for Jay, is just that, she hadn't had the time to know him and form some kind of bond with him. The only thing was that she grew accustomed to his presence and now, today, she felt more alone than ever while the others had their own business to attend.

What she didn't know is that a simple phone call from Star City would most definitely give her the excitement she's been hoping for.

The first chapter is a little short, it's just to get us started. The second one will have so much more to offer :)