A KillerVibe Fanfic: A Frozen Vibe

Chapter 20: A Decision To Make

It had been a few years since Caitlin had chosen to leave Central City.  The team had tried their best to get her to stay, but she needed time to herself and time to think.  And the only way she thought she could do that, was leave Central City and move on some place else.  Central City had too many bad memories, and she knew those would lead her to becoming Killer Frost and wanting to use her powers.  As she knew that using her powers had helped her dull the bad memories and she didn't want to lose herself too much, as she already had lost a good chunk of it.

Not to mention the fact, she couldn't look at Cisco without forgetting what Vibe had done.  She knew it wasn't his fault.  But she couldn't help it, every time she looked at him, she could only picture Vibe killing her mother in order to save her and keep her alive.  Her and her mother of course never got along, but she wouldn't of ever wished her to be dead.

Caitlin had managed to settle down in a small apartment in New York, New York.  She had even gotten a job in one of the labs doing basically the same thing that she had done at Star labs.  She had just finished work for the day when she turned around and some of her papers had fallen to the ground.  "I'm..  I'm so sorry."  She muttered not realizing whom she had run into.  "It's okay."  Cisco smiled.  Caitlin glanced up surprised as she heard the familiar voice.  "Cisco?  What are you doing here?"  Cisco finished helping picking up some of the papers and handed them over to Caitlin.  "Not Cisco."  Vibe smirked.  Caitlin's heart pounded slightly seeing Vibe again and she quickly pulled back as she felt his hand brush hers as he handed her back the papers.

Suddenly she gave him a cold glare.  "What are you doing here?  How did you find me?"  She could suddenly feel her body temperature drop as the nerves began to kick in.  Not here not now.  Not when I am finally getting everything figured out.  "You're forgetting I can vibe you.."  Cisco kicked himself after hearing him say those words.  There's got to be a better way to say that.  He thought to himself.  "You need to go.  I'm finally getting things settled.  And I am enjoying being here.  I don't want to get all caught up in the fiasco again.  Just please go."  She whispered afraid that her powers were going to surface.  She had been able to finally get them under control the past year and hadn't used them once since.  But seeing Vibe again..  "Caitlin..  Please just hear me out."  "I'm busy."  She muttered.  He gently let his hand rest on her arm and was surprised that she didn't flinch or pull away.

Caitlin took a deep breath closing her eyes.  She wasn't sure why, but Cisco had always been able to calm her down when she was worried and scared.  Cisco waited nervously for her response.  He had come all the way from earth two.  He was hoping she'd at least give him a few moments of her time.  Caitlin slowly opened her eyes again feeling a little more calm.  "Alright.  I am off work in an hour.  My apartment is a block away we can discuss things there?"  She asked glancing at Cisco.  Vibe gave a small smile and a nod of his head.  "I'll be there."

Once Caitlin had finished cleaning up her work area and clocking out, she made her way down towards her apartment to see that Vibe was waiting for her just outside the building.  "Hey.."  Cisco gave her a small smile as she approached him.  "Hey."  She grabbed her keys then opened the door motioning for him to follow her up to the room.

"So..  New York huh?"  Caitlin raises her eye.  "Yeah.  It was one of the places I always wanted to go.  Why?"  "I guess I just didn't expect you to be a New Yorker."  Caitlin rolled her eyes.  "That's because you don't know much about me."  She unlocked the door and opened it stepping inside, Vibe followed behind her and closed the door once they were inside.

"Now why are you really here Vibe?"  Vibe turned so he was facing Caitlin shoving his hands in his pockets.  "I just wanted to come to see you."  Caitlin bit her lip studying him closely.  "I told you I don't want any part of it Cisco.  Being here I am able to move on.  I'm able to forget."  "But that doesn't mean you should forget your friends.  Barry and Cisco were worried about you.  They told me you have been ignoring them.  So they asked me to come and make sure you were doing okay."

Caitlin took a deep breath.  "I'm sorry..  I didn't mean to worry them.  It's just.  Everything of Central City including the people made me remember everything I wanted to forget.  And being here, I have managed to keep my powers at bay.  And every time I see or think of their name, memories want to come back.  Memories I've tried to bury long ago.  And every time I think of those memories, I feel like I could be one step closer to losing control."  She whispered.  Vibe slowly took a step forward placing his hand over Caitlin's.  He could feel the coldness of her body temperature and knew she was worried and afraid with just him being there.

"You don't need to go through this alone.  Please come back to Central City.  Come back to me.  Barry and Cisco miss you.  I miss you."  He muttered the last few words.  Caitlin shook her head.  "I..  I just can't..."  But before Caitlin could say anything else, she felt Vibe pull her closer and wrap both of his arms around her waist.  Knowing what he was going to do she suddenly grew more nervous.  The only person she was ever able to be with like this was Ronnie.  The others she would've had a chance of accidentally freezing them.  She had her powers under control, but that was until he showed up again to remind her of everything.

Caitlin tried to struggle loose from his grip.  "Cisco..  Please let me go.  You have to let me go."  She whispered.  "I.. I can't ever be with anybody."  Cisco glanced at her a moment but kept his arms around her.  "You're only using that as an excuse because you're afraid of losing someone again.  It's why you've distanced yourself from everyone."  Caitlin could feel some tears start to fall at his words.  "You would too..  If you lost everything you've worked for.  Your husband, best friend, job, yourself..."  Cisco lifted his hand to gently wipe the tears from Caitlin's cheek.  "But you're forgetting Caitlin.  I have lost everything.  But yet still here I am.  And you were what kept me from going off too far.  You've helped me even when you didn't think you were.  Please let me help you."

Caitlin didn't say anything for awhile she could only stare.  Everything had been going fine until Vibe had walked back into her life.  Perhaps there was that one small time she thought she could be with someone again.  But that was before he betrayed her.  "I..  I just need more time to think."  She whispered.  Vibe took a deep breath nodding at her answer.  Wiping away some more tears that were falling down her face.  "Of course.  I understand.  Until then, you know where to find me."  Caitlin could only nod then stepped back as she watched him open a breach then disappeared as he stepped through to the other side.