The Parent Trap (Snowbarry)

19. Goodbye?

It was raining. The ranch house looked desolate under the torment of the nimbus clouds and it gave a cold atmosphere, not just literally. At the front door, seven people stood looking at the taxi that was to take half of them away.

Barry was hugging Jocelyn tightly and she looked up at him with hopeful eyes, trying to convey the message that she didn't want to go. They both looked around to see Caitlin and Nora hugging tightly. Caitlin caressed her daughter's face and smiled at her. Nora walked towards her sister and they hugged tightly. After that, she got an umbrella and accompanied her to the taxi with an arm around her shoulder.

"Take care of yourself." Barry whispered to Caitlin, stroking her arm.

"Yeah, I will, you too." She nodded and tried not looking at him directly. He leaned in and gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek.

"Bye," she said and took another umbrella. Barry watched her go, feeling helpless that he wasn't able to stop her, again. He looked at Cisco who was hugging Felicity and Oliver before parting.

"Bye Guys" he mumbled before getting in the car.

Finally the taxi pulled away and Barry, Felicity, Oliver and Nora stood staring at it forlornly.

XXX

Five minutes after her mother, sister and uncle left, Nora was lying on her bed, hugging Cuppy tightly and not bothering to wipe away the tears that were spilling down her cheeks.

Felicity came in slowly, her own face a little puffy from crying and sat on the edge of her bed, "Honey, do you want to talk?" she asked softly, her voice a little sad.

Nora shook her head. She knew that once, long ago, talking to Felicity about her problems would have been good enough for her. After all, for most of her life, Felicity was the closest thing she had to a mother. But now, everything was different. Now Nora knew that she had a real mother – her very own warm, wonderful, caring mother. After years of dreaming, wondering and imagining what she would be like, she actually met her face to face. Spoken to her. Thrown her arms around her like she would never let go. How could she possible go back to life without her?

The life she'd had for so long seemed empty to her now. She hadn't been living with Barry, Oliver, Felicity and Sammy. She'd been living without Caitlin, Jocelyn, Cisco and Harry. It was enough to wish she had never gone to camp, never found Jocelyn, and never met her mother. Because if those things never happened, she wouldn't be hurting so much right now. Nora sniffled and let out a hiccupping sob. A few more tears slid down and dropped onto her pillow case. It's all my fault, she thought to herself bitterly, because it was my idea. She remembered that night at camp when she sat up straight in bed, flushed with excitement at the thought of switching places with Jocelyn. My brilliant beyond brilliant idea.

XXX

Ten minutes after his ex-wife and daughter pulled out of the driveway, Barry was rummaging through his wine cellar. He had no idea what he was doing or why he was doing it as he yanked bottles off shelves, read their labels in the dim light, and shoved them back in a different order. He just knew he had to stay busy, that he'd do anything to avoid thinking about what just happened. After years of missing Caitlin, years of not knowing Jocelyn, he came that close to getting them back – only to lose them. Again. Barry was so preoccupied that he didn't notice Nora coming down the stairs.

She was looking for him – He's the one person in the world right now who must feel as bummed out as I do right now, she thought – and she knew he was down here, but she was surprised by the loud noises of clinking glass. She's never heard her dad handle the wine bottle roughly. He's usually so gentle with them. As Nora crossed the floor, Barry didn't even notice her until she was standing right next to him.