Snowbarry: Chapter Four

Alchemy

After finishing their honeymoon, Barry and Caitlin returned to Central City right in time for Cisco's announcement. He had found Alchemy and was planning on capturing him.

So, there they were where Alchemy was and then they saw him. He was attempting to use the stone to give all the people who had powers before powers.

After a short fight, the OTF managed to take him down and unmask him.

"Julian?" Barry and Caitlin said in unison, both doubting that this was really the identity of Alchemy.

________

"It doesn't make any sense. The whole time I've worked with him he's hated metas. And then what happened with Killer Frost," Barry said.

"Yeah, something doesn't add up," Caitlin agreed. "Maybe, you should go talk to him. Perhaps, he's not aware of what he has been doing. Maybe, if he's been blacking out then..."

"He might have some kind of split personality," Barry finished then went down to the pipeline to interrogate Julian.

After having to reveal his identity to get Julian's trust as well as the information they needed, Barry uncovered that the box had called out to Julian and his body was being "possessed" by Savitar and used to do his bidding and that he had no control over it.

Cisco was able to make a device so they could communicate with Savitar through Julian. And after a short discussion consisting of threats, he told the group of a prophecy.

"One will betray you, one will fall and one will suffer a fate worse than death," he revealed, scanning each of their faces coldly.

________

"Savitar is connected to that box. If we get rid of it then he can't manifest here," Barry stated.

"How?" Caitlin asked.

"Okay. This is just an idea but if you could run fast enough, maybe you could throw it into the speed force," Cisco suggested.

"How fast would I have to run?" Barry asked.

"Well, I'm going to do some calculations but it'll be fast," Cisco replied, he walked to the desk and started typing. "I'm thinking you'll need another speedster running in front. You could use some of their exerted speed to make you faster then throw it in," he continued.

"So you think Wally is up to this?" Caitlin asked, turning to face Barry.

"He hasn't got a choice. He's the only other speedster we know of. Other than Nora but she can't.."

"I know, you should go get them. I'm gonna go put the kids to sleep," she interrupted then smiled, kissed him for a second then walked over to the children who were playing on the cortex floor.

A few minutes later, Wally and Joe came into the cortex and the OTF explained what they had to do. And in a few minutes, they had executed the plan perfectly and Barry threw the box into the speed force but then he saw something...

It was night and a news report was on a nearby screen. Plunder had been found guilty in his trial. There were other headlines too and Barry read through them.

He walked a little and saw himself and Savitar who had the most terrifying thing he had ever seen. Caitlin. As a hostage.

"Barry! I love you," Caitlin cried as tears streamed down her face.

"No, don't say that! You're gonna be fine, okay!" The Other Barry replied with just as many tears as his wife.

"Barr-" then Savitar got ready to stab her and The Other Barry ran forward to stop him but failed. She was stabbed. He wasn't fast enough.

Then Savitar disappeared.

Taking off his mask, The Other Barry sat beside Caitlin, who was lying on the floor and cradled her body in his arms.

"I'll always love you," she choked on her tears.

"No! No! No! Not again! Keep your eyes open, okay Cait!" he cried.

"It's okay,"

"Cait! Cait!" then she closed her eyes. "No!"

Barry watched from a distance with tears forming in eyes. He couldn't believe what he just witnessed.

His wife.

The love of his life.

His soulmate.

Dying in his arms.

He ran back to the present.

Right now, he needed to see Caitlin alive and well. Hear the steady beat of her heart and feel her alive body with his.

The second he saw her, he ran towards her and kissed her passionately before embracing her tightly.

No matter what he couldn't let that be her future. Their future.

_________

Later that night, the couple were back at home lying in bed, trying to sleep. But, Barry couldn't get the image of Caitlin dead in his arms out of his mind and Caitlin could sense something was bothering him.

"Barry, babe. What's wrong?" she asked softly, cuddling up to him further.

Tears gathered in his eyes and he tried to fight them but they fell down his face before he could stop it. 

He breathed out shakily and started to explain.

"When I threw the box into the speed force, it took me to the future. Five months into the future. I saw you and I, and Savitar," he paused, struggling to get the words out and she caressed his cheek to comfort him and in return he smiled weakly at her before continuing. "He had you hostage and... He... He killed you. I saw you die in my arms. I couldn't save you, again,"

"Oh, Barry," she sighed softly and pulled him in for an embrace.

"I can't... Lose you again. Not again," he wept, tears falling uncontrollably from his saddened eyes. "But... We can save you. It hasn't happened yet which means... We can change it,"

"Barry... This is the second time this has happened. Maybe, it's time to accept that maybe..." Caitlin sighed.

"No, don't say it. It's not true," Barry interrupted sternly.

"Maybe, I'm meant to die," she continued, tears escaping from her eyes too. "I don't want to go, I don't want to die. Of course, I don't. I don't want to leave you but..." she paused as more tears fell. "But, messing with the timeline has done so many bad things and if we do it again, it could create more. If sacrificing my own life means saving countless others, then we have to do it,"

"No. No. No, Cait. I love you and you can't leave me, not now, not ever. I can't live without you. I need you and our kids need you too. We're parents. Natalie and Nora and Henry need you. Please, we can stop this," he begged.

"We can talk about this more in the morning. We both need sleep," she replied and he nodded.

The couple fell asleep in each other's arms not wanting to ever let go. But they might be forced to. And that was the scariest thing in the world...