You Make Me Feel Home Again

Evening Romance

"Here we are, your surprise," Barry announced after walking her her to their destination with his hands shielding her eyes. She smiled and gasped when she saw the scenery before her. 

They were standing on the top of a hill with trees surrounding them. Underneath the shade of the biggest tree, a blanket was laid out with pillows and a picnic basket with a champagne cooler with a bottle inside beside it. There were lights all around the area so when it will get dark It was about eight PM in mid-June so the sun was just starting to set. It was so romantic and she was certainly surprised.

"Barry... This... this is amazing. I can't believe you did all of this," she murmured breathlessly, throwing her arms around him for a hug. "How did you do all this when you have been with me all day?"

"Well... I asked Cisco to help me out a bit," he replied, kissing the top of her head. She pulled away smiling and took his hand and led him to the blankets and picnic and they sat down and cuddled up together. "Champagne?" he asked, uncorking the bottle. She nodded in reply and he poured some into each glass and handed one to her.

"Thank you. With all the studying this is really what I needed. It's nice for us to just relax and spend some quality alone time together. I really do appreciate it and you always do such amazing things for me. You really are the best boyfriend ever. Not that you have much competition but you are still the greatest person I have ever met and I love you with all my heart. With all my heart," she thanked softly, her head leaning against his shoulder as they cuddled sipping from their glasses watching the evening skyline.

Rather than replying, he lifted her chin to face him so he could gaze into her eyes and caress her cheek and kiss her forehead to tell her without words how much he loved her and that she did not need to thank him for anything. Just simply being with him was enough.

She closed her eyes and leaned further against him lovingly, just sitting and cuddling and enjoying the moment they were sharing. 

"I love you too. With all my heart," he replied and slowly leaned over her, laying her down so her head was lying om the pillow, and connecting their lips softly, his fingers brushing her cheek and her hands around his torso meeting at his back. 

He pulled away and smiled down at her, brushing her soft hair from her face to gaze down at her beautiful face. She was an angel, his angel. She was glowing with beauty and grace. She was the epitome of all that was good and beautiful in this world. His world. After a few moments, he pressed his lips back to hers and felt as she pulled him closer so their bodies were completely pressed against each other with no space between them.

They stayed like this for a time no one knew, it was impossible to tell. Their minds were too fuzzy and dizzy to keep track, the butterflies and crazy heartbeats had taken over completely and any logical or coherent thoughts had been totally thrown out the window. But soon enough they pulled apart, but still kept each other close, and began to eat through their picnic.

...

They ended up cuddled together, laying down watching the now observable stars, Caitlin's head resting on his chest and Barry's arms tightly wrapped around, her legs curled up under her.

"Have you ever heard the story of Perseus and Andromeda?" Caitlin asked curiously, eyeing her companion with a smile that warmed his heart.

"No, why?" Barry replied, stroking her cheek.

"Well, there was this king and queen of a kingdom. An ancient Greek one. And the Queen boasted hat she was the most beautiful woman in the whole world. This angered the Gods, especially Zeus and Poseidon, because they had created themselves in the image of their beautiful sea nymphs so they created this sea monster. The Queen had to take it back if she did not want their kingdom to be destroyed by the sea monster but she refused. She refused to take back her claim that she was the most beautiful. So the king and queen decided to sacrifice their beautiful daughter Andromeda to the monster. They chained her to a rock by the sea so she could not escape, waiting for the sea monster to come and eat her instead of destroying the whole kingdom. As it happens, Perseus, who was returning home after just slaying Medusa, you know the gorgon who has the snakes for hair and she turns people into stone statues if you actually look at her, I am sure you have heard of her. Well, he was returning, home after slaying her and he found Andromeda in distress and saved her, cutting her free from her chains. Because of how beautiful she was he asked her to marry him but she was already promised to marry her uncle, I know the Greeks were a little messed up back then, so Perseus killed her uncle so he could marry her instead. And Perseus and Andromeda got married. And that is why Andromeda's constellation is known as The Chained Lady. They are a very famous Greek mythology love story. I always like studying different mythology. It might not be true but it is still really interesting to learn about. I love different cultures and just new things to learn about. I don't know why but I just love to learn stuff about people and the world and astronomy may not be completely scientifically accurate but it is still pretty cool. Did you know that Virgos and Capricorns are one of the most compatible star sign couples? And I am a Virgo and you are a Capricorn. Isn't that cool?" she explained, rambling a bit towards the end.

"Yeah, it is, Cait, it is," he replied. There was silence for a few minutes, not awkward, just them watching the stars and each other, neither sure which was more beautiful. "Do you... Do you ever wonder what's up there? In the stars? Space?" Barry asked.

"Yeah. I wonder whether there is life whether there is some kind of higher power up there. Even though science contradicts it and believe me I am a very scientific person but sometimes you just wonder whether there really is something up there compelling us to do things. To meet people, to go places. Fate or destiny, like maybe we were meant to find each other and there is some kind of power that drew us together. Or magical force. I don't know but maybe a part of me wants it to be true. I have always liked the idea of it though, even if it's not real. I think that everyone has a purpose in life and there is somewhere we are supposed to be and end up in life and I think that mine is here, right here, right now. With you," she replied softly, the stars twinkling brightly above them. "You see that big, bright star right there-" she gestured to the brightest and biggest star in the sky that they could see. "-I name that star after us. I know it probably already has a name but I don't care. I name it after us and I think that we should come back here say next year at this exact day and we revisit this star and this place just so we can remember exactly what we did here tonight. Maybe it can be some kind of a tradition that we can have for the rest of our lives. So no matter where we are, once a year, we just come here together and remember this night and all the others before it. No matter wherever in the world we go together, even though we are planning to stay here in this city, we always remember tonight,"

"I think that's a great idea, sweetheart. Then when in like twenty years we can come here with our children and show them where we come every year to celebrate us. I think it's one of the best ideas that we have ever had. Well, you got it so I guess it's your idea so you can take all the credit you want for such a great idea," he replied, smiling down at her daydreaming of their future together. 

"I can imagine it already. I am so glad I found you and now we have the rest of our lives to look forward to. I never thought that my life would be this amazing, I never thought that I would ever find someone like you let alone that you would love me. I still can't believe that we are planning our life together, I never thought that this would happen to me. You are my dream come true and I never thought I would ever find someone so amazing and beautiful to me," she gushed dreamily.

Every day they spent together felt so surreal. It only felt like yesterday when they were two people that were about to start college and begin their lives as adults. And so quick;y, in the space of nine months they were now part of a relationship where they were two people coming together and becoming one soul and one life, planning the rest of their life together. The connection was deeper and truer and purer than either of them or anyone could ever possibly imagine. It was deeper than the ocean, taller than a mountain and wider than the sea. 

Comprehending how they felt for each other was impossible. Death-defying. They shared moments behind closed doors than most people only ever dream of. Things that people wish that would happen to them but stay only as dreams and hopes. And they were living those dreams. How many people get to say that and live that in their lifetime? Not very many at all. 

"I know. I kinda wish that there was some kind of higher power too. I don't really believe that there is one but that doesn't mean I don't wish one existed. Then we could justify the way that we feel, you know. I guess some people don't think our feelings are real which they are. If we were brought together by some kind of higher power and we were put together because we are made for each other, because we are, then people would never be able to doubt us or our feelings. Because I know that we are made for each other, meant for each other. And I want everyone else to know that just as well we do," Barry stated.

Caitlin nodded and suddenly her eyes lit up and she grabbed her phone and played a song. Hallejuah by Kate Voegele. She placed her phone on the ground and asked him to dance with her. He accepted and they slow danced close in the moonlight. Her arms around his neck and his around her waist, their foreheads touching as they gazed into each other's eyes.

From a distance all that could be seen was the shadows of two lovers basking in the moonlight, dancing together looking so in love that they could never be torn apart by anything. Not the sun rising or the night dying along with it. Even in separation and death, they would still be together because not even in daybreak could they be truly apart. Their love and adoration for each other bound them until they met again in the darkness of night where their souls were knit and bound tighter and closer than ever before. The darker shadows jealous of their love, trying to take it away and imprison them in sorrow and depression, but nothing no darkness or shade could possibly come between them. The stars. The shadows. The dark. The dusk. The flame.