Stuck in the Past

Chapter 14

Everything was fantastic ... the food, the environment and especially the company. We haven't had a dinner like this in a long time! It is true that from time to time we go out to dinner for just the two of us, but for some reason tonight is more special.

After dinner, Barry took the dishes inside and brought one of the columns out. He took out his cell phone and looked for a romantic playlist and got up.

"Do you do me the honor of this dance?" Asked Barry, holding out his hand, which I gladly accepted.

We spent a good forty minutes dancing to the sounds of the romantic songs that appeared on the playlist he chose. He helped me pack up the things we messed up in the garden and then we went to sit on the couch to enjoy watching some television.

Ten minutes later our children arrived and after talking for a while, each went to their rooms. In the morning we wake up to the sound of the alarm clock. While I went to the bathroom to do my morning hygienic routine, Barry changed his clothes.

Two weeks later...

Today was a very special and sad day at the same time ... Today was Ronnie's birthday. Every year on this day, before going to STAR Labs, I go to see him at the cemetery and I usually always bring him a small cake and "sing" the congratulations together. It may seem strange to many people, but doing this helps me to keep in touch with him, even after his death.

I like to go to the cemetery at this hour because there are never a lot of people and so I can be more comfortable while talking to my ex-husband. When I got close to his grave, I noticed that the branch that was there, the flowers were already dry, so I removed them carefully so as not to make too much trash and changed to the branch that I bought, at the florist that is at the door.

- Congratulations my love. Another birthday and you are not present to celebrate it with the people you love the most. But a year has passed and I still miss you every day, as if you died just yesterday. I wish you could give me a sign just to tell me if you're okay, but I know that is impossible. My life remains the same, my kids are fantastic and Barry treats me like I'm a queen! But sometimes I still find myself wondering what my life would be like if you never died. Not that I don't love my family, but our history has always been, is and will be very special to me. As usual I brought you a small cake with three qualities of chocolate, your favorite.

That said, I lit the candle and sang the congratulations and as soon as the song ended I blew out the candles and clapped my hands, softly.

- I have to go to STAR Labs, but I want you to know that you are always in my heart and that I have never forgotten you nor will I ever forget you. You were a very important part of my life and I am so grateful to have met you. I love you!

I left the cemetery and headed for STAR Labs, where Cisco and Harry were discussing an invention they had started to design. I sat down at my desk and turned on the computer to start doing my job. Everything seemed to point out that it was a quiet morning, but it seems that I was wrong, because in the middle of the morning, Joe appeared to me with an unconscious woman in his arms and a child who should have been only two or three years old.

- Caitlin, I need your help!

- Cisco, go prepare the infirmary.- I said and Cisco ran to the infirmary.- What happened?

- This morning we received an anonymous tip about a factory that was used for drug trafficking. We gathered some detectives but when we got there, we saw that the warehouse in question was on fire and inside we found this child and his mother, already unconscious.

- Wouldn't it be better to take her to the hospital? They can help her there better than I can.

"Wait, I know this lady," said Harry, approaching us.

- You do?

- She is a well-known metahuman in my Earth. It is called Nightingale .

"So you did well to bring her here," I said, beginning to tear the woman's clothes.

- And the child? Any sign that he is also... a metahuman? "Asked Barry this time.

- I do not know, if there is a possibility, he has not proved to be. But the child has a particularity. He seems to have lost his memory! - exclaimed Joe.

- Oh I see, we do it like this, Barry do you think you can take him to eat an ice cream? This is not the ideal place for him to be here right now.

"I'll go with you," said Ralf and the three left.

This woman had already lost a lot of blood and the fact that she was already unconscious made things worse for her. I administered the anesthesia and started making a cut close to where the first bullet was lodged. Luckily for her, the bullet was millimeters from the heart, a little more to the right side and nothing could be done.

After removing the first bullet from her, I looked for the place where the second bullet could be lodged and found it on her abdomen. This time the bullet was deeper and it would be more difficult to remove it but not impossible. I was getting ready to cut the second time, when the life support machine starts to beep.

Cisco already knew what it meant and quickly went to get the defibrillator. The first two uses had not worked, but on the third, the vital signs of this woman were already appearing again. I went back to my previous task and cut the victim's abdomen in order to get the bullet out, but unfortunately in the middle of the process, she went into cardiac arrest and unfortunately, this time, the defibrillator did not work.

I knew that I had done everything I could but I couldn't think of the fact that if I had tried harder, she would have survived. Cisco went to get a sheet and put it on top of the woman, covering her entire body and I left the infirmary to give the news to Joe, who was waiting in the hall.

- I tried everything I could, but unfortunately it was not enough. Sorry! - I exclaimed, sitting on the floor against the wall.

- It's not your fault, Caitlin! You did the best you could! She had already lost a lot of blood and we don't known how long she was inside without help, before we could arrive.

- We're back, - said Barry. - So how's she doing?

- Unfortunately there was nothing we could do to save her. How is he? - I asked looking at the boy who was playing with Ralf.

- Confused! He's only two years old and can't even remember his own name.

- What do we do now?

- I can investigate the life of this woman and try to see if the kid has more family, but until then he will have to stay in a foster home.- exclaimed Harry.

- We all know that this is not the best environment for him. Besides he doesn't remember who he is, we don't know if he has metahuman powers or not.

"We know that, but that's what we have to do," exclaimed Joe.

- Well, I'm going to call a contact that I have at a reception center and ask him to come, so we can talk carefully and solve things in the best way.- Joe said taking his cell phone and left our bank for a few minutes.

- Everything will be fine, Cait! We will resolve this situation.

- I know, but I feel powerless right now.

"I already called him and in twenty to thirty minutes he is here," said Joe, returning to our side.