Snow Falls

Chapter Nine

Over the next two days, Barry and Caitlin found themselves settled into a new normal. Despite having every intention to stay by her side until she'd been discharged, Caitlin insisted that Barry spend the night at home. He agreed, but always came back before the sun rose; bearing comforts from home.

When Wyatt was four days old, the proud parents received some life altering news.

They had been in the middle of FaceTiming with Cisco and Ralph when they were interrupted by the lightest of knocks on the door.

"Come in" Barry said cheerfully.

Violet stood in the doorway with a wheelchair; this time with her honey silk hair done up into a bun.

"Mr Allen, Dr Snow-Allen, I hope this isn't a bad time" she began with that naturally angelic voice of hers.

"Not at all" Barry said.

"Is something wrong?" Caitlin asked, almost too quickly.

"Not at all. Your baby is due for a feeding and Dr Cooper was wondering if you'd be interested in helping" the nurse responded. She made sure not to address the baby's sex; seeing as Barry and Caitlin still had not told anyone.

Barry and Caitlin exchanged an excited glance; a collection of joyful tears nearly forming in their eyes. They quickly returned their attention back to the guys before responding to Violet.

"Go on, be with the flurry. Oh! Flurry, new nickname alert" Cisco said proudly.

"I still say Blizzard works just as well. Snow and speed" Ralph countered.

"Yeah. Okay, Dairy Queen" Cisco chuckled, throwing one hand up in dismissal. But then the call dropped.

Barry and Caitlin nodded eagerly at Violet. As excited as she was, Caitlin was reminded of the painful cost of bringing Wyatt into the world safely. With help from Barry and Violet, the nearly 30 year old mother made it into the wheelchair.

"This is it, Cait. Are you ready?" Barry whispered excitedly.

"More than I've ever been for anything" Caitlin responded with a hopeful look in her eyes as the elevator doors closed.

Despite having been to the NICU before, Caitlin still felt a chill run down her spine as they entered. Last time it had been like finding a needle in a haystack, but today she managed to find Wyatt in a matter of seconds.

"He seems eager to meet you" Violet noted, looking at Caitlin as the baby attempted to kick the air.

"Are you sure you don't want to go first?" Caitlin asked, turning to Barry. She wrung her hands out in a moment of uncertainty. Wyatt seemed so fragile, she worried he would break at her touch.

"This is the moment you've been waiting for, Cait. It has to be you. But it's okay if you don't want to" Barry replied.

That last sentence tugged at Caitlin's heart strings. She was quick to recall the last time she had heard those words. It was moments after she had given birth the first time. The doctor, a kind woman in her mid-forties, had just told her she'd had a boy.

"Would you like to hold him, Caitlin? But it's okay if you don't want to" she said.

Sixteen year old Caitlin shook her head rapidly; too overwhelmed to process anything around her. The doctor nodded her understanding as she cut the cord and a nurse retrieved him to get cleaned up.

"He'll be in the nursery later on in case you change your mind" the doctor said before another nurse transferred Caitlin to recovery.

As the elevator door closed in on them, Carla Tannhauser held tightly onto her daughter's hand. She then placed a stray hair behind back behind the young woman's ear. Mother and daughter made exhausted eye contact for a minute. Carla could tell Caitlin was in deep thought.

"What are you thinking, honey?" Carla asked.

Caitlin was startled back to reality when Barry called her name. As she followed his voice, she found him kneeling in front of her; asking the same question her mother had all those years ago. The brunette closed her eyes for the briefest of seconds and exhaled deeply, unclenching her fists as she did so.

"Everything okay? What are you thinking, honey?" he repeated; a look of concern spread across his face.

"You can do this, Caity" Killer Frost encouraged.

Caitlin cleared her throat before saying, "Yes. I'd love to hold him".

"Hello, little one" Violet said softly as she gently freed the baby from the incubator; his breathing tubes remained in tact.

Caitlin could feel the nerves coursing throughout her body. However, she did her best to steady her arms onto the boppy pillow; which lay on her lap for support. As the baby was placed in her arms, her heart was sent a flutter at what sounded like the tiniest cry; if one could classify it as a cry. The more Caitlin thought about it, it was more like a whimper.

For a moment, the young biochemist was speechless. As she studied her son's delicate features, she turned to Barry with a blissful smile and couldn't help but playfully disagree with his earlier observations. With each passing minute, she strongly believed Wyatt resembled Barry.

"Wyatt Snow-Allen... my beautiful boy" Caitlin sighed in amazement as she gently danced an index finger over the softness of his newborn skin.

As if on cue, the baby opened his eyes ever so slightly to look at his mother. A light path of joyful tears trickled down Caitlin's face in response. She then turned to Barry for confirmation.

"Are you seeing this?" she asked; a love she had never known before suddenly consumed her.

"I knew it had to be you, Cait" Barry replied, equally amazed. The smile on his face widened as he immediately realized the circle of life was complete. He couldn't help but wonder if his parents were this happy when he was first born.

Upon returning her gaze back to Wyatt, Caitlin noted that his tongue kept popping in and out.

Violet gave Barry's shoulder a little nudge; prompting him to look at the object that had mysteriously appeared in his hand. It was a bottle of formula in what resembled a plastic test tube. The new parents couldn't help but grin at one another; seeing as it reminded them of the concoction Caitlin created in the hopes that Barry gained the ability to get drunk.

"Oh, right. I think this belongs to you, slugger" Barry said, handing the bottle to Caitlin.

Mother and son held eye contact for nearly two minutes before Wyatt dozed off while continuing to feed. Caitlin hummed the melody to her favourite lullaby, Dumbo's Baby Mine.

"How do you feel, honey?" Barry asked.

"I love him, Barr. I think I'll keep him" Caitlin chuckled, never once taking her gaze off the miracle in her arms. This time there was no hesitation in her voice. It was pure certainty.