Destiny

Twenty nine

"For the past few days, I've been irritated, even envious of you," Caitlin said, sitting next to Charlie on the low bed, who was bouncing the soccer ball again. "But then I just realized, although you knew dad better and got to see him more in his true colors, you also got all of his burdens and had to live this secret life with him in the dark. I'm sorry."

Charlie continued to bounce the ball and Caitlin sighed. She had found out she had a long lost brother just a few days ago and yet, she already felt comfortable around him. She had dreamed of a family connection like this since her mother cut her and everyone off, there was Uncle Thomas but he technically had been lying to her too. Charlie was a clean slate, he couldn't have controlled if her dad and Uncle Thomas would have faked his death. But just like hers, he had a damaged past.

Impatiently waiting for her brother to reply she stopped the ball with her foot. 

"Charlie..." she said in a soft tone, begging him to open up. She hoped that everyone in her family wasn't emotionally cut off.

"You know, I was the reason you got into soccer when you were younger," Charlie said in a lighter tone, although avoiding the topic. 

"Really, how? And why didn't you get me out of it since I sucked?" Caitlin asked her big brother. 

"Well, there is another memory tape of yours from all the times you found out about me, some of them not much of an accident," Charlie grinned, "Dad would get so pissed."

"Dad getting angry?" Caitlin replied disbelievingly in a silly tone. 

"What can I say, I was the troublemaker child," Charlie joked. 

As the siblings began talking, Barry had gotten back. 

"Hey," Barry greeted Thomas, "Strange is locked up in Gotham and has no idea about you guys, sketchy place by the way. Where's Cait?"

"Talking with Charlie," Thomas replied taking a beer out the fridge and sitting on the dusty couch. He groaned as he sat down, Strange had given him a bad bruise on his side when he knocked him down. 

"You should have Cait look at that," Barry suggested. 

"Nothing I haven't handled before," Thomas mumbled sipping his beer. He sat silently for a bit contemplating, "You take good care of her?" 

"Cait, huh," he let out a small laugh, "she takes care of me more than I do." 

"Not surprised," Thomas muttered, "she's just like her parents." He took another few seconds of thinking before he continued, "You won't lie to her, hurt her, leave her?" 

"Of course not," Barry replied.

"Good. She needs someone in her life who hasn't," Thomas replied, "You must love her." 

"I do," Barry said, now getting a sense of what Thomas was conveying. "Caitlin loves you two also, and I'm pretty sure it would crush her if you were to leave." 

Thomas sighed, "Any trace of our work in Gotham may be gone, but the fact that Strange found out where we live means it is unsafe for us anywhere. Plus, I've hurt her too much to stay."

"No you haven't," Barry started, "You might be Caitlin's Uncle, but I know her, her now. And I know how she would feel if she lost another person in her life. I told you I would protect her, you can't leave."

Thomas nodded, impressed by Barry and his strong commitment to Caitlin, he agreed to stay, "Fine, but where do you expect us to stay." 

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