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Caitlin Snow ran through the streets of Central City. She was dressed in a black skirt and a white blouse, while her high heels prevented her from walking any faster. In her right hand she held a transparent folder containing some documents for an interview for a position as a biochemist at S.T.A.R. Labs. Three months ago she had returned to the city where she was born. Her mother also worked here, but she had not told her about her return, nor about the fact that she was running away from her violent and abusive husband.She met Steve at a small party hosted by her friend a few years ago and they immediately hit it off. Caitlin was still finishing her studies at the time. He was friendly, funny and supported her in what she did. After that, the two of them met again and again until they went on a date and then before she knew it, they got married. But four weeks into their married life, Steve showed his true colors to Caitlin. He would beat her, sexually abuse her whenever he felt like it, and force her to do horrible things that would make her vomit afterwards. She was no longer allowed to leave the house unless he was there. To her friends he was the sweet and good husband, but Caitlin knew better. She had tried to tell her mother, but she wouldn't hear about it. And so, in the middle of the night, Caitlin took her bag, where she had already put a few items of clothing, and fled.Now here she was in Central City. Three months later and was living in a small apartment that she could barely afford while looking for a job. She had no previous experience in her job and so it was particularly difficult to gain a foothold anywhere as most people only wanted people who already had experience. That's why this interview was so important for her. When she read the job advertisement, it also said that they were apparently looking for people who had no professional experience. Caitlin immediately sent off her application and received confirmation the next day that she had been invited for an interview. On a Thursday, October 10th at 11:00 a.m. Caitlin looked at her watch and saw the time: 10:54. Shit!Completely out of breath, she stopped in front of the large building to catch her breath. S.T.A.R. Labs. Caitlin fixed her hair and took another deep breath before entering the building. People came towards her or walked around. Phones were ringing and some seemed engrossed in conversation."Can I help you?" Snow heard a female voice ask. Caitlin looked forward and saw a woman sitting behind the counter, looking at her with a friendly smile."Oh… uhm… Yes," she stammered and walked over. "My name is Caitlin Snow and I have an interview with Dr. Harrison Wells.""I see. His office is on the fourth floor. Just to the left here is an elevator that will take you to the 4th floor.""Thank you," Caitlin said and gave her a friendly smile before she went to the elevator.Seven other people were also standing there waiting for the elevator doors to open. Caitlin stayed in the background, leaning against one of the pillars. Her pulse was still in her throat and she still didn't have her breathing fully under control. Her eyes went to her watch, 10:57 a.m. Damn it! She would be late! She nibbled nervously on her bottom lip. Snow was toying with the idea that maybe she should take the stairs when the elevator doors opened. A few people came out first before everyone else waiting squeezed into the elevator. Caitlin included.She heard quick footsteps and then a man came into her view, stopping in front of the elevator. His short brown hair was tousled, while the rest of his black suit and white shirt had no wrinkles whatsoever, but hugged his slim figure perfectly, as if the suit had been made for him. His clear blue eyes were hidden behind glasses."Damn!" he swore with a coffee mug in his right hand and a briefcase in his left.Caitlin tightened her grip on her folder of documents before stepping out of the elevator. "Here. Take my spot," she offered."Are you sure?" the man asked skeptically and yet there was surprise in his eyes."Yes. I can wait for the next one," Snow assured him with a smile."Okay."He took her place in the elevator and Caitlin took his in front of it. His blue eyes wandered over her and lingered for a brief moment on the documents she was holding against her body before his eyes returned to her face. As the elevator doors closed, Caitlin looked at her watch, 11:00 am."Oh no! I'm late!" she said and ran to the stairs.Caitlin took the stairs two at a time and arrived on the fourth floor, completely out of breath and exhausted. Her legs and hands were shaking. In front of the waiting room, which consisted only of glass walls, she paused to compose herself before opening the glass door and entering. Four other women were present and, like her, had a folder in their hands. Caitlin greeted them warmly with a smile before sitting down on an empty chair. Her folder rested in her lap while her right hand rested on her chest, where her pounding heart beat. She felt a bead of sweat move across her temple. Caitlin cursed internally. She was completely soaked in sweat. That certainly wouldn't get her any points in the interview. Her attention briefly shifted to two women who were whispering to each other with their hands held in front of their mouths, their eyes repeatedly flickering towards her.Caitlin swallowed and looked away. She suddenly felt so out of place. Maybe she should go? There would still be an opportunity to do so. Nobody wanted to interview someone who was completely sweaty and had no professional experience whatsoever. Caitlin felt tears stinging her eyes, but she blinked them away. Now was not the time to cry! She had to be strong! Her fingers gripped the folder in her lap even tighter so that her knuckles turned white. This interview was her last chance before she was thrown out onto the street. Her money was only enough for last month's rent and if she didn't find a job now... Her thoughts were interrupted when the glass door opened and a woman entered."Ms. Caitlin Snow?" she said her name and looked around at the five young women."That is me," Caitlin said, raising her hand."Come with me. Dr. Wells would like to speak to you."Her eyes widened slightly. Panic, nervousness and fear spread through her and paralyzed her for a few seconds. She swallowed all her emotions and rose to follow the woman. Caitlin's thoughts wandered to the situation of the oncoming interview, how it would go and what questions would be asked so that she would have some answers ready. The woman stopped in front of a locked double door made of dark wood and Snow did the same."Just a moment," she said and disappeared into the office, where a male voice came from that didn’t sound at all happy. The loud angry voice frightened Caitlin. Memories came back to her of Steve always screaming at her and hitting her. Snow narrowed her eyes and tried to push the memories away. She held the folder to her chest as if it could protect her. Steve is gone. He can't hurt me anymore. He doesn't know where I am. He's gone. He's gone."Ms. Snow? Ms. Snow?" Caitlin opened her eyes and looked at the woman in front of her, who was looking at her with some concern. The blood rushed to her cheeks. "Are you okay?"Snow nodded and swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. "Yes, I’m alright."The woman studied her for a moment longer, as if waiting for her to say something else, before stepping aside. "Dr. Wells will be with you shortly, but you can already go in.""O-Okay." Caitlin entered the office and behind her she heard the door being closed. Her hazel eyes focused on the desk and the chair with the back turned toward her, making it not possible to look at Dr. Wells. Her attention turned to the interior of the office. It was simply furnished. A bookshelf stood against the wall to her right, while to her left, further ahead, there was a black sofa with a glass table with a few brochures on it. Two large windows on the right, which reached from the ceiling to the floor, allowed the sun to illuminate the office in a warm light."…then find a competent person to do your job!" said the angry voice of Dr. Wells which returned her attention to him. "I don’t have time to discuss your job with you now! Do it otherwise I will look for someone new who has the knowledge that you seem to have lost!" With that the chair turned and the man who was so upset came into her field of vision.Caitlin's eyes immediately widened as she recognized him. Dr. Harrison Wells was the one she made room for in the elevator. "You…" she stammered.A friendly smile graced the face of the man behind the desk. "Hello, Ms. Snow. Don’t you want to come closer and sit down or have you grown roots there?" she heard him say and couldn’t miss the amusing undertone in his voice."No, I... uhm..." she stammered, moving to sit on one of the two dark wooden chairs in front of the desk."You seem a little out of breath. One second." He got up to go to a small table that was on the right behind his desk, where there were various drinks. Dr. Wells took one of the upturned glasses and filled it with a clear liquid. When he got back to his seat he put it in front of her. "Here you go. A glass of water.""Thank you," Caitlin said in a whisper. She grabbed the glass with a shaking hand, causing some of the liquid to spill onto the desk. "Oh no. I'm sorry. I didn't want that... I...""It's okay. No problem," assured Dr. Wells in a calm voice and took out a tissue from the desk drawer to wipe up the water. He picked up the glass, which she had quickly put down, and then put it back down after drying everything."I'm sorry, Dr. Wells. I didn't mean to..." Caitlin started to apologize, but Harrison cut her off."Everything is okay. You don’t have to apologize," he replied. Snow swallowed and looked into his clear blue eyes, looking at her kindly behind his glasses. "How about we start again?" he suggested after a short silence."Hm?" Caitlin blinked."My name is Dr. Harrison Wells and you must be Ms. Caitlin Snow who applied for the Bio Chemist position in our lab, right?""Yes, I... I found your job ad on the Internet," she said slowly, mentally cursing herself for giving a stupid answer. It was obvious that she had found the job advertisement online."I saw in your documents that you have no experience. How come? You are 28 years old and went to a very prestigious university. Plus, it looks like you graduated with top honors, as I saw in a picture on the university website."Caitlin looked at him with her mouth slightly open. He had been on the university’s website? But how could she explain to him that she had married after completing her studies and that her husband had kept her in the house and she was not allowed to go out without him."Ms. Snow?"Her gaze returned to Dr. Wells, who looked at her questioningly. She hadn't noticed how her eyes had wandered to her lap, where she was tugging nervously at the corner of her skirt."I…" She swallowed hard and shifted a little uncomfortably in the chair. She felt uncomfortable talking about it. "I got married after graduating.""I understand," said Dr. Wells. His clear blue eyes rested on her face. Caitlin tried to read something in them, but she couldn't make sense of them."B-But now I’m alone here. I have a small apartment not far from here. A-At least until the end of the month," she added quickly, not understanding why she was saying these things to him. It was none of his business that she was in financial trouble and desperately needed a job. On the contrary, he had probably already checked her off and declared her not worth mentioning for this position. To him it probably looked like she was a young woman in crisis, which was true and with this statement she was begging for this position. His face blurred as tears sting her eyes and began to flowing down her cheeks before she could stop them."Hey, don’t cry," she heard Harrison say. She heard the chair being pushed back and then she saw his blurry silhouette crouching down in front of her. Harrison took out a white cloth that was in the breast pocket of his suit and put it into her hand. "Here.""Th-Thank you," Caitlin whispered in a choked voice and began to dab at her tears and runny nose.He looked at her worriedly. "Would you like to have a moment to yourself?" he asked sympathetically."I... I..." Snow stammered."Or would you rather go home?"Her eyes widened in shock. "No, I... I can do it..."Dr. Wells exhaled audibly as his eyes rested on her folder, which she held tightly in her lap. "How about you leave me your documents here and you go home to recover. I'll take a look at the documents and then call you, okay?"Caitlin looked at him. She wanted to tell him that she would be able to continue the conversation, but when she noticed how more tears were streaming down her cheeks, she realized that it wasn't possible. She nodded dejectedly. With shaking hands she held Dr. Wells the folder. He took it without a word and stood up. He held out his right hand to her. At first Caitlin didn't understand why, but then she understood that he was trying to help her up even though she wasn't sitting on the floor but in a chair. With a quiet "thank you," she carefully placed her hand in his to allow herself to be pulled up. He walked her to the door and out in the hallway he snapped his fingers, causing an older woman behind a table to look up from her work and immediately come over to them."Mrs. Albert, please take Ms. Snow downstairs and make sure she gets home safely. As far as I'm concerned, one of the security people can drive her home.""It'll be done, Dr. Wells," said the older woman, putting an arm around Caitlin caringly. "Come on then, child. We'll take you home."Caitlin just nodded. When they reached the corner, she turned back to see Dr. Wells, but the door to his office was locked and he was nowhere to be seen. Snow looked down sadly and let the older woman lead her downstairs. She left Caitlin there alone for a brief moment to get one of the security men to take her home. She wanted to tell them that it wasn't necessary, that they shouldn't go through such trouble, but she just couldn't find the words. A young man even younger than her, probably in his early 20s, greeted her with a smile and walked her to the car. There he asked her for her street and Caitlin gave it to him. After twenty minutes of driving and almost endless silence, during which the young man tried to cheer her up every now and then, but gave up when she didn't react, she was now standing in front of her apartment door and unlocking it.Dejected and tearful, Caitlin closed the door behind her and shuffled into the living room to sit on the sofa. There she buried her face in her hands. This was the worst and most humiliating interview she had ever had, and she had only had five. The job would have been perfect for her, but then her emotions had to come up and screw everything up just because there had been memories of her nasty ex-husband in her head before. She removed her face from her hands as an unfamiliar smell of aftershave hit her nose. Her eyes widened slightly when she realized she was still holding the tissue that Dr. Wells had given her in her hands. She had forgotten to give it back to him, although she was sure that he wouldn't want it back if it was full of snot. The job at S.T.A.R. Labs had been a chance for her to finally gain a foothold in her professional life and she had missed it. Caitlin lay sideways on the sofa, holding the tissue in her hands. She had blown it. She was alone and she wanted to start a new life here. Far away from her nasty ex-husband. However, this dream seemed to have just vanished into thin air. Caitlin fell asleep on the sofa, crying and exhausted. At the same time, Dr. Harrison Wells was sitting at his desk in the office and had Caitlin Snow's folder in front of him. His secretary had told him that there were four other applicants waiting. He then told her to wait a moment before bringing in the next one. Harrison had made many women cry, but only when he was loud and angry as hell about why they couldn't do the job he'd hired them to do. But the fact that an applicant was suddenly sitting in front of him crying and he had said almost nothing to her except for asking a few questions was something he had never experienced before. This morning he was late because he missed his alarm. He actually didn't care if he was late because he was the boss of S.T.A.R. Labs, but then he remembered that today was the interview for the vacant position as a biochemist, so he hurried not to be late. When the young woman offered him her seat in the elevator... Those hazel eyes full of emotions…Harrison took off his glasses to massage the bridge of his nose. Caitlin Snow had given up her seat for him, so she would have been late for her interview. He had taken a good look at her documents and had to say that she was truly qualified for this position. She might not have any experience yet, but he could shape her into whatever he wanted. She was able to learn a lot and working at S.T.A.R. Labs was like winning the lottery for some. His gaze moved from her folder to his computer screen. The lounge was shown where the four other applicants were waiting to be called. One of the women was applying more lipstick to her lips while the other was checking in a small hand mirror to make sure every strand of her blonde hair was in the right place. The third had her breasts almost falling out of her blue blouse and the fourth had such an uninterested expression on her face that he wondered if she even wanted to be here. Sighing, he ran a hand over his face. He knew who he wanted for the position, but he forced himself to call his secretary to invite the next applicant in.
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The shrill sound of her alarm clock woke Caitlin from her deep sleep. With her eyes closed, she reached for the alarm clock and muted it. She slowly sat up to stretch and turned her gaze to the alarm clock. 8:00 a.m. She threw away the covers to go into the bathroom and take a shower after changing out of her pajamas. The warm water pattered evenly on her shoulders as she hung her head to let the cozy warmth lull her. Tears flowed with the water and her trembling body was hidden from the view of others.She hadn't made it. The next rent payment was due in two weeks, which she couldn't pay. Her landlord would throw her out of the apartment and then she would be on the street. Angry at herself, Caitlin balled her hands into fists and punched the tiled shower wall. Why was she so scared? Why? Why? Why?! If it wasn't for her husband... If he hadn't turned her into the scared woman with low self-esteem, she certainly wouldn't be in this situation. She would still live in Canada, organize parties with her friends and just live her life to become a great bio chemist... But the reality was different and Caitlin couldn't do anything about it. She slid down the wall of the shower, crying. She sat there with her arms wrapped around her legs until the water got cold.After an hour in the bathroom and another ten minutes in the bedroom, Snow shuffled into the small kitchen. She wore a red cozy sweater with gray sports pants and thick socks. The heating didn't work quite right, which is why it was usually only 15 degrees in her apartment. Caitlin boiled a pot of water for tea and made herself toast for breakfast, on which she put jam on. Her eyes were still slightly red from crying. After pouring the hot water into her cup and adding a tea bag, she sat down on the sofa and stared out at the tiny balcony, lost in thought, when her eyes caught sight of Dr. Harrison Wells’ tissue cloth, which was folded on the wooden table in front of her.After she woke up again yesterday afternoon she washed the cloth with a few other of her things. Caitlin wanted to give it back to him. It would be best if she handed it to the friendly woman behind the counter who had helped her yesterday. She held the cup of hot tea to her lips to blow when suddenly her mobile phone rang. Startled, Caitlin jumped, causing some of the hot tea to spill into her lap and over her fingers."Ouch, ouch, ouch!" she cried and immediately put the cup on the table, paying attention not to spill the hot liquid in Dr. Wells’ tissue. She quickly took off her pants to relieve the burning heat from her legs. Caitlin then picked up her mobile phone and looked at the number. She swallowed. What if it was her husband? No. It wasn't his number. He wouldn't get a new mobile phone just to call her from that phone. Or maybe it is? What should she do? Should she accept or reject the call? What should she do!? Her heart was pounding in her throat. Her pulse was beating in her ears again as she pressed the green button to answer the call."H-Hello?" she asked anxiously in a quiet voice.
"This is Dr. Wells from S.T.A.R. Labs. Am I speaking to Ms. Caitlin Snow?"
Caitlin's eyes immediately widened as she heard Harrison Wells' voice in her ear. Relief flooded her body for a moment, but the next moment fear and panic rose within her again. What would he say to her? Presumably that he had chosen someone else from the applicants."Hello? Ms. Snow? Are you still on it?" Dr. Wells’ voice snapped her out of her thoughts."Uhm… Y-Yeah. I’m still here," she said, stuttering. Her hand holding the phone was shaking. What would he say to her now?
"I wanted to tell you that I chose you. You will take up the position as a bio chemist in S.T.A.R. Labs. Congratulations, Ms. Snow."
Caitlin's eyes widened as his words sunk in. "W-What?""You got the job", she heard Dr. Wells repeat. "Unless you've already found something else and...""No, no I’ll take the job," Caitlin shouted, interrupting him and making her completely panic. "I’m so sorry, Dr. Wells, I didn't mean to interrupt you. I’m sorry, I’m sorry.""Everything is okay. You don't have to apologize. I'm glad you chose my lab and me, Ms. Snow," said Dr. Wells. His voice was warm and calm and Caitlin felt her previous panic slowly easing. "When do you have time to come back here so we can discuss the rest of your work?""I don't have anything planned all day, so…""I would say 11 o'clock right again?" This time it was Dr. Wells interrupting her."Uhm… Yes. I-I'll be there at 11 a.m.," Caitlin assured him."Alright. And this time please use the elevator." Snow could hear the amused tone in his voice through her phone. He was probably smiling right now. She felt the blush rising in her cheeks."I will."
"Then I'll see you later, Ms. Snow. Goodbye."
"Goodbye, Dr. Wells." Caitlin hung up and stared into space. What had just happened? Was this a dream? Was she still sleeping? The smell of her tea said otherwise, as did the loud honking of drivers' horns. Dr. Wells’ call slowly began to penetrate her consciousness. She had done it! She had the job! But she said almost nothing, just cried. Did he just hire her because he felt sorry for her? No, definitely not. Or maybe…? Caitlin began nervously fiddling with her phone in her hand when her eyes fell on the clock. It was already 9:34 am. If she wanted to get the train she had to get ready now, otherwise she would definitely be late again. An hour later, Caitlin was in the S.T.A.R. Labs building, sitting on a bench as she waited for the time to move faster. Her stomach growled. In all the excitement she had completely forgotten her breakfast and tea."Hello."Caitlin jumped when she heard a male voice. She looked up. A young man with short blonde hair and blue eyes looked at her with a friendly smile. He was dressed in a white coat."H-Hello," Caitlin stammered quietly, rubbing her hands nervously."My name is Hunter Zolomon," he introduced himself to her and held out his hand. "I’ve never seen you here before. Are you new here?""Uhm… My name is Caitlin," she introduced herself quietly and tentatively took his hand. "I applied for the position of biochemist.""Really? And how did it go?" Hunter asked cheerfully and curiously. He sat down on the bench next to her, causing Caitlin to sit slightly away from him."I got the job. Dr. Wells wanted to go through the rest of the formalities with me today," she replied."Does that mean you’re going to work here? That's great! I work here too. I am a physicist. That means our workplace will be on the same floor.""Oh uhm… that sounds great." An unsettled smile spread on her lips."Hunter!"Caitlin jumped again when she heard a loud voice. They both looked in that direction and saw an older gentleman standing there."Oops! I have to go! We will definitely run into each other more often. See you soon, Caitlin."Before she could say goodbye to him, Hunter had already gotten up and walked in the direction of the man who had called him. Both disappeared around a corner."Ms. Snow?" Caitlin turned her attention to the woman behind the counter, who looked at her kindly. "Dr. Wells is ready for you. You can find his office on the 4th floor like yesterday.""Okay. Thank you."Snow stood up, stroking her black skirt and white blouse that she had worn yesterday before making her way to the elevator. The silence in the elevator made Caitlin nibble on her lip nervously. She tried to swallow her nervousness, but didn't quite succeed. Slight nausea had set in, but this had to be related to her lack of breakfast. Hopefully she didn't vomit in front of Dr. Wells. As the elevator doors opened, a woman stood there and greeted them warmly before leading them to Harrison Wells' office. There she knocked briefly and when they hears a brief "Come in," from Dr. Wells the woman opened the door."Dr. Wells, Ms. Snow is here.""Ah good. Please let her come in."The woman made room for Caitlin to enter the office and closed the door behind her again, so that Snow was now alone with Harrison Wells. The CEO looked at her with a small smile on his lips, like yesterday, when she didn't dare to come closer."Would you prefer to stand or sit during this matter?" asked Dr. Wells and then added, "I heard the chairs in front of my desk are quite comfortable."The blood rushed to Caitlin's cheeks. "Sorry, I…"Harrison raised his hand, which immediately silenced her. "The first thing you should get out of the habit is to apologize for every little thing, Ms. Snow. Okay?" Caitlin swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat and nodded. "Good, now come closer and sit down."Caitlin slowly came closer. Her high heels clicked on the tiled floor. She didn't miss how Dr. Wells' blue eyes roamed over her body before returning to her face. Did he notice that she was wearing the same clothes again? What would he think of her now? Did he think she couldn't afford other formal wear? Which was true since she couldn't pay rent or really buy anything. Caitlin sat down again on one of the two chairs in front of his desk and nervously tugged at the ends of her skirt."First of all, I want to ask you how you are, Ms. Snow. Were you able to recover yesterday?" asked Dr. Wells, his fingers intertwined on the desk in front of him.Caitlin nodded. "Yes. Thank you." Her voice was quiet and shy. "I-It wouldn’t have been necessary for someone to drive me home. I could have taken the train or the bus.""It didn't bother me, and you looked like you didn't even get on the bus or the train, but rather walked home, didn't you?"Caitlin swallowed. "Yes. I'm sorry."Harrison looked at her in silence for a few seconds before speaking, "Now let's get back to the topic of why you're here, Ms. Snow." He pulled out a document from his desk drawer, where "employment contract" was written in bold. Harrison placed it in front of her. "Everything you need to know is here. A 40 hour week, 30 days vacation, vacation pay, paid overtime and 70,000 euros per year. Also a place to park your car if you have one and some other formalities."Caitlin's eyes widened as she heard all of this. It was only then that the situation really seemed to burn itself into her mind. She now had a real job! She was sitting there, so close to signing the contract to finally start her professional life. "Uhm… Dr. Wells?""Yes?"She lifted her eyes from the document to look at him. His clear blue eyes looked at her curiously from behind his glasses. "I-Isn’t 70,000 euros too much? I have no experience and I didn't say anything in the interview yesterday except that I found the ad on the Internet. I also read that the starting salary is…""Ms. Snow," Harrison interrupted, leaning forward slightly. "Let me get something straight, okay? I did not choose you out of pity, but because I know that you are good, very good in fact. In the documents from your superiors where you did an internship it says that you approach your work carefully and diligently and we need someone like that. I need someone like that here. And don't worry about your salary. I wouldn't have given you such a sum if I didn't know what you were capable of. Okay?"Caitlin swallowed and nodded. "Okay. Sorry, Dr. Wells."He looked at her in silence for a millisecond. "Good. In your cover letter you wrote that you could start next month." Snow nodded. “It's a bit unusual, but would it be possible for you to start tomorrow? You would receive your full monthly salary at the end of the month."Caitlin’s eyes widened in surprise. She could start work tomorrow? "Yes, I-I can start tomorrow. No p-problem," she stammered, managing a small smile. Dr. Wells held out a pen so she could write her signature at the bottom of one of the pages. A smile spread across his face as she handed the pen back to him and he signed it next to it."Very good." He put the documents away and stood up to get out from behind his desk. Caitlin stood up too. Harrison held out his hand. "Welcome to S.T.A.R. Labs Dr. Snow."A little hesitantly, she took his hand to shake it. His hand was warm and strong. "Thank you very much, Dr. Wells, for giving me the opportunity.""I know you will do great things," he said with a smile.They both looked at each other and didn't realize that they were still holding each other's hand. Caitlin tried to see in his clear blue eyes something she had seen in her husband's eyes: hypocrisy, hatred, mockery, or anger. But she couldn't see any of that in his eyes except: goodness, kindness and honesty. He really wanted her to work here. A knock on the office door made Snow jump and let go of Harrison's hand."Easily scared?" asked Dr. Wells and could see a small smile twitching at the corners of his mouth. She looked down and tugged nervously at her skirt again. She could have heard mockery in every voice at the comment, but there was none from Harrison. It was just a little comment he wanted to tease her with."Yes.""Come in." The door then opened and Caitlin looked surprised at Hunter Zolomon, who came into the office. "Dr. Zolomon. What gives me the honor of your visit from your lab?" Snow looked at Dr. Wells and felt the fear rising within her. His warm, friendly voice had become cold and derogatory."We need your insight on a project," Hunter replied coolly, but when his eyes fell on Caitlin, a friendly smile appeared on his lips. "Hello Caitlin.""Hello," she said in a quiet voice."You know Dr. Snow?" Harrison asked, turning to Hunter. His voice still cold."Do I know her? No. But I met her briefly down in the entrance before she was sent up to you," Zolomon replied and Caitlin saw his hands balled into fists.Her eyes wandered between Dr. Wells and him back and forth. Fear slowly began to turn into panic and before she knew it, she was clutching the sleeve of Harrison's black suit. Her hand was shaking slightly."P-Please don't fight," Snow pleaded quietly. She had come to the city to escape her husband and the violence she had suffered for months. Tears stung her eyes and threatened to flow down her cheeks. "Don’t fight. Please?"Surprised, Dr. Wells and Hunter look at her. She jumped slightly as Harrison gently closed his hand around hers, still shakingly holding his sleeve. The warmth of his hand enveloped her like a blanket. Hunter's gaze shifted from his hands to his boss and his knuckles turned white."How about I will show you where you'll be working tomorrow?" suggested Dr. Wells suddenly.Now it was Caitlin who looked at him in surprise. "I don't want to cause any trouble. I…""You’re not causing me any trouble," Hunter replied, smiling. "I could give you a tour of your lab and show you everything.""Dr. Zolomon, I think you're forgetting that you have work to do," Dr. Wells replied coolly, but when he turned back to Caitlin, he looked at her with a warm smile. Snow looked between the two men until her eyes met Dr. Wells’ again."Okay, if it doesn’t bother you." A little later the three of them walked through a hallway of S.T.A.R. Labs. Hunter talked non-stop with Caitlin while Dr. Wells walked in front of them with one hand in his pockets."And there is the laboratory where I work with a few colleagues," Hunter said proudly and pointed to it."You’d better go back to work then, Dr. Zolomon." Harrison had stopped and turned to the two of them, and Caitlin almost ran into him. "I'm not paying you to do nothing."Anger was written on Hunter's face, but Dr. Wells left it cold. "See you tomorrow, Caitlin. I'm looking forward to it," he said goodbye to her with a smile and gave his boss a dark look before disappearing into his laboratory."Come. I’ll show you your lab," Harrison said and continued walking. Caitlin followed him silently. She wondered why Dr. Wells was so cold towards Dr. Zolomon, but she didn't give it any further thought because it wasn't her business what had happened between the two of them. "Here we are."Snow's eyes widened as she entered the lab. There were instruments on tables and shelves on the walls everywhere. There was another room with two beds and a few things in there that Caitlin couldn't quite make out."Back there is the room where you and your colleague Mrs. Sullivan treat people who have accidentally injured themselves at work." When Dr. Wells saw her look on her face, he quickly added that this happened very rarely and when it did, it was only minor injuries. "Dr. Sullivan however will not be here for a few months because she became a mother a month ago and therefore went on maternity leave.""That means that...""...that you will work here alone," Harrison finished her sentence. "I hope this isn’t a problem for you, Dr. Snow.""No, I... It's just... I..." she stammered nervously."You're unsure if you can do this alone, right?"Caitlin swallowed and nodded. She looked up from her fingers, which she had been kneading nervously, and looked into Harrison's clear blue eyes. Once again she could see nothing but kindness and goodness in them."It doesn’t matter. It's your first job, after all, and if you have any questions or don't know where something is..." He pointed his finger behind him. "There are a lot of employees who would definitely help you. But if you have any questions for me and you don't always want to walk to the fourth floor…" Harrison went to a black telephone hanging on the wall and Caitlin followed him again. "Dial 1 and you will be immediately connected to my office phone.""I understand."He gave her a smile. "Good. Then I'll take you back upstairs."Harrison turned around and Caitlin followed him again. A few minutes later the two were standing at the entrance to S.T.A.R. Labs and Caitlin said goodbye to Dr. Wells."Then I’ll see you tomorrow, Dr. Snow.""See you tomorrow, Dr. Wells," she said goodbye with a small smile and couldn’t help the slight blush on her cheeks when he gave her a warm farewell smile. Snow turned and walked towards the platform when she again turned back towards the entrance, however Dr. Wells was nowhere to be seen.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Caitlin was on her lunch break, sitting at an empty round table with four chairs, three of which were unoccupied, with her nose buried in a book. Many of the staff on her floor had given her a warm welcome, especially Hunter Zolomon. He had given her a bouquet of flowers and immediately put them in a vase of water to place them on her desk. She hadn't seen Dr. Wells yet, but she probably wouldn't since he was the boss and had so much to do. She placed the book on the table next to her tray with an empty plate where a salad had previously been on it. Her right hand went into her blue jacket pocket to hold the handkerchief she had received from Dr. Wells that day. She had washed it to give it back to him, but so far she hadn't had the chance."Hey Caitlin."She jumped in shock and looked at whoever the voice belonged to. Hunter Zolomon sat down across from her with his tray."Oh. Hello Mr. Zolomon," she greeted him with a small smile."Please call me Hunter. We’re colleagues now," he replied, grinning."Okay... Hunter.""What's in your hand?" His blue eyes looked curiously at her hand with the white cloth."That's..." She thought for a moment whether he should tell him what happened to her at the interview two days ago. "Uhm... I was crying and Dr. Wells was kind enough to give me his handkerchief. I washed it and wanted to give it back to him when I had the time or maybe I ran into him here.""I wanted to talk to him after lunch anyway, so I could give it back to him," Hunter offered and was already reaching for the cloth, but Caitlin pulled her hand back."No, I-I want to give it back to him myself," she replied."Hey guys!" Caitlin looked from Hunter to the newcomers who came towards her and stopped in front of the table. There were two young men their age."Hey Barry, Cisco," Zolomon greeted the two with a smile. "This is Caitlin. Caitlin, these are my colleagues and friends Barry Allen and Cisco Ramon.""Has he asked you out yet?" Ramon asked with a grin and sat down between Hunter and her, while Barry sat down in the last empty chair."D-Date?""Cisco!" Hunter snapped."What? You pretty much haven't stopped talking about her and…" Cisco couldn't continue because Hunter covered his mouth with his hand. Caitlin couldn't help but smile in amusement as she saw the two arguing and laughing together."Is it your first day here?" she heard Barry ask, so she turned her attention to him.Caitlin nodded. "Yes. Today is my first day. To be honest, I'm a bit excited and nervous because I'm afraid of doing something wrong. My colleague is on maternity leave because she had a child and Dr. Wells entrusted me with the laboratory.""Trusted you with an entire laboratory alone?" Barry asked, raising his eyebrows. Snow nodded again. "This is something completely new."She frowned in irritation. "Something new? Why?""Well, Dr. Wells isn't exactly the type of person to trust someone with an entire lab on day one. He's only done it very, very rarely and then usually only when he got an update every hour from that person," Hunter replied in a disapproving voice."An update every hour?" Caitlin asked. All three nodded. "But he hasn't called me yet and it's already 1 p.m..""He'll probably stop by in person later," Cisco guessed, biting into his sandwich.Caitlin swallowed. Now she was even more nervous. Her boss would probably visit her personally and check that everything was in order."Caitlin?" She blinked and looked into three pairs of eyes looking at her with concern. "Is everything okay?" Hunter asked her. "You suddenly look so pale. Do you want me to bring you a bottle of water?""No thanks. It's okay. I-I'm fine," she assured him, managing a small smile."Don't worry, Caitlin. Dr. Wells may be cold and brusque at times, but he's actually a really nice guy once you get to know him," Cisco assured her, stealing a chip from Barry's plate."Tsk…""What? It's true.""He's not the least bit friendly to me," Hunter said, taking a sip of his coffee."Well you probably know the reason, Hunter, especially since you were the reason why one of the projects went completely wrong and Dr. Wells lost millions.""That was two years ago," he defended himself. "He can't still hold a grudge against me.""You should be glad you're still working here," Barry replied. "It could have turned out completely differently.""Yeah, with me working down in the basement while you have a great view," Hunter muttered, his gaze then settling on Caitlin. "But it's not so bad now, because now you're here, Caitlin, and together we can do great things.""Uhm... I don't know. This is my first job and I don't know if I can do it all," she said quietly, tugging nervously at her black skirt under the table."Have faith in you, Caitlin," Barry said, smiling. "Dr. Wells certainly wouldn't have hired you if he didn't have confidence in you that you could do it.""Exactly," Cisco agreed with his friend. Snow felt herself blush slightly and lowered her eyes in embarrassment. No one ever really had trust in her, except maybe her friend, but she didn't have that anymore."Oh damn! We have to get back to work," Barry said, looking at his watch."What? Already? Is the hour over already?" He looked around and saw the other employees standing up and others already leaving the room. "Then we should get back to work." They got up from the chairs and put the trays away before leaving the room. Late in the evening, when everyone in the other labs had already gone home, Caitlin stayed behind because she wanted to finish a few things. Dr. Wells hadn't shown up for the rest of the day, so her nervousness had slowly subsided. Twenty minutes ago, Hunter Zolomon had also left, suggesting a ride home, but Snow had politely declined. He had left her his cell phone number for emergencies or if she ever wanted to call him to talk to him. Now Caitlin sat alone in her laboratory. The large round clock hanging on the wall read 8:44 p.m. She tiredly rubbed her eyes and yawned. She turned to the next page of the book when suddenly a clacking sound echoed throughout the entire floor. Caitlin jumped in shock and turned around in fear."Hello?" she asked loudly into the silence. Snow got up to walk to the entrance to her lab and looked out into the dark hallway. She swallowed and tried to push away the growing fear within her. "Hello, is there anyone there?" She heard the clicking noise again and jumped in shock.
"You will stay here! You won't go outside! You won't call anyone unless I let you!"
Her hands went to her head and Caitlin narrowed her eyes as she heard Steve's voice in her head. In her mind's eye she could see him repeatedly hitting the empty plate in front of him with a fork, telling her what to do and what not to do. Her breathing suddenly quickened and she began to tremble. Small beads of sweat spread across her forehead. She couldn't breathe anymore, her throat felt tight."No. No." Caitlin’s hand clutched at her blouse. She stumbled over to the table to grab her phone. With trembling fingers, she tried to type Hunter's cell number into her cell phone, but her vision began to blur and it became increasingly difficult for her to breathe in and out. Panting and panicking, she looked around when her eyes, which had cleared for a brief moment, turned to the telephone on the wall. Dr. Wells!
"Dial 1 and you will be immediately connected to my office phone."
Caitlin stumbled over to the phone to take the receiver in her shaking hand and pressed number 1. Was he still in his office or was he already...?"Dr. Snow, are you still here at this late hour?" she heard her boss's amused voice."Help..." was all Caitlin could manage before her legs collapsed and she fell to the floor.
"Dr. Snow? Dr. Snow!“
Her body was shaking and she didn't know how long she had been lying there, because a little later she heard the worried voice Harrison Wells."Snow. Snow!" He carefully took her shaking body into his arms and pressed her against his body."I-I can't..." Caitlin tried to say, her hands clinging to his arm with her eyes wide in fear."Calm down, Snow, do you hear me? Do you understand what I'm saying?" Harrison asked in a calm voice. She nodded. "Good. Now breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose until your stomach has filled with air, and breathe out through your mouth."Caitlin tried, but she shook her head in panic. "I-I...""Easy, we'll get through this together," he encouraged her, placing his hand on her stomach. "Breathe in slowly and breathe out through your mouth. Concentrate on the rise and fall of your stomach."Caitlin looked at the man in front of her. She looked into his clear blue eyes that never left her. She breathed in and out again and again, just as Harrison had told her, and slowly she felt herself getting her breath back."Very good, just keep breathing," said Dr. Wells.The trembling continued to subside and the feeling of dizziness that had started also disappeared. After a few minutes, Caitlin was able to breathe properly again and closed her eyes for a moment."Are you okay again?" Harrison asked in a calm voice.She just nodded, not quite trusting her own voice again. She felt his hand on her back and he was making small soothing circles with his thumb. Only then did Caitlin realize how close she was to Dr. Wells at all. Her fingers still clawed at his arm, the hand still resting on her stomach. The left side of her face was pressed against his chest while his chin rested on her head. She felt his chest rising and falling slowly and steadily. His cologne went up her nose. Caitlin closed her eyes for a moment, feeling so tired and exhausted, when suddenly the clicking sound echoed through the floor again. Startled, she jumped and clung to Harrison's arm again. She felt the panic rising within her again."Shhh… Everything is alright. I'm here," she heard Dr. Wells say. He pulled away from her so he could look at her. "I'm going to see what that noise is about."He started to stand up, but Caitlin stopped him. "No, please don't. Please don’t go."Harrison smiled and picked up a stray strand of hair between his fingers to tuck it behind her ear. "I'll be back shortly. I promise.""Really?" she asked anxiously."Really."Caitlin reluctantly let go of his arm so he could get up and leave her lab. She looked ahead, trying to organize her thoughts. Her legs still felt like jelly and her hands wouldn't stop shaking. She jumped when she suddenly saw movement in the corner of her eye, but immediately relaxed when it was Harrison Wells. He sat on the floor next to her and held out a bottle of water."Here.""Thank you," Caitlin said in a quiet voice, unscrewing the cap on the bottle and taking careful small sips."It was a metal can hanging on a rope and an open window that let the wind blow in," Wells explained to her after a moment of silence. "I closed the window. There won't be any more noises now."Snow nodded. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to keep you from work," she murmured quietly."You didn't," Harrison replied, and when Caitlin looked at him, he gave her a smile. "I was just about to get up and go home anyway. However, I'm surprised that you're still here, Dr. Snow. You've actually already been off work for two hours.""I know, but... but I wanted to..." Caitlin hesitated and felt the blood rush to her cheeks. "I wanted to learn and understand as much as I could so that when you come down here to see how I'm doing, you won't be disappointed and I can show you what I can do."Dr. Wells chuckled, making Caitlin look at him in surprise. "Snow, you don't have to prove anything to me," he replied, smiling. His clear blue eyes did not radiate any mockery, but were full of kindness and warmth. "I've told you before and I'd like to tell you again. I hired you because I know what you can do and what you will be capable of when you keep working here. However, you shouldn't overexert yourself on your first day, okay?" A small, embarrassed smile spread across her lips and she nodded in agreement. "Okay, then I'll take you home now.""What?" Caitlin asked with wide eyes, not sure if she had heard him correctly."I'll drive you home," he repeated, getting up."No, no, I can do it. I'll take a train or a bus to get me home.""I insist.""B-But I don't want to cause you any trouble, Dr. Wells. You've been working all day and you're probably tired and my apartment is definitely in the opposite direction from where you're supposed to go home," Caitlin tried again."That doesn't matter. I don't want anything to happen to you on the way," he replied, holding out his hand to her as he had done before at her interview. "You had a panic attack and are probably tired and exhausted. Please. I just want to make sure you get home safely."Caitlin swallowed. Her eyes were focused on his face before they settled on his outstretched hand. She hesitantly reached out and placed her hand in his, only to be pulled up by him. For a brief moment she came so close to him that their bodies touched, but she immediately took a step back so that there was some distance between him and herself again."Okay," she said quietly.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Caitlin stood in front of Dr. Harrison Wells' locked office door. It had been a week since her panic attack and she hadn't seen him since the incident. Harrison had driven her home; neither of them spoke during the drive. Caitlin had just looked out the window with her hands clenched into fists in her lap. Every now and then she could feel Dr. Wells' gaze on herself. When they arrived at her apartment, he had to wake her up because she had fallen asleep due to exhaustion and tiredness. She had jumped upright and pressed herself against the car door in a panic, away from Harrison, who was holding his hands up to signal that he meant her no harm.Caitlin immediately apologized to him and felt bad for how she had reacted since he only wanted to wake her up, but how else could she react when Steve had brutally woken her from her sleep almost every night and done whatever he wanted to her. Embarrassed and ashamed, she thanked Harrison for driving her to her apartment before disappearing into it. Her eyes were on the white cloth tissue she was holding in her hand. It was still the cloth tissue he had given her the day of her interview where she had had an emotional breakdown. Caitlin swallowed. She was nervous and didn't know if she should even stand here and disturb him while he was working.The nice older lady who had helped her get downstairs that day had just told her to just knock. The door was always open, even if it was closed now. Caitlin looked behind her again. Everyone was engrossed in their work. Nobody noticed her. So it didn't seem so bad to stand here now to give something back to him? Of course she could have done it after work, but she didn't know if he would still be there or if he might have a meeting. A meeting?! What if he had a meeting right now? Then she would burst into it and completely embarrass herself in front of him and the others! Caitlin narrowed her eyes. She didn't know how long she had been standing in front of this locked door, but she knew that if she stood in front of it any longer, she would never dare to knock.You can do it, Caitlin! she encouraged herself in her thoughts. You can do it! She raised her shaking hand and tentatively knocked on the door, thinking he probably didn't hear. But after just a few seconds she heard him say "Come in". Caitlin swallowed. You have to push down the doorknob so you can open the door, Caitlin! she told herself in her mind. Her still shaking hand gripped the cool metal doorknob that suddenly felt so difficult to push down. She slowly lowered the handle and gave it a light push, causing the door to open and reveal Harrison Wells' office. Her boss was sitting at his desk as usual. His gaze was cast down over a few papers spread across his desk. Caitlin was still standing in the doorway, unsure whether she should come in or leave."Uhm… Am I disturbing you? If-if it doesn't suit you right now, I can come back later..." she said quietly and held the cloth tightly in her right hand.Harrison lifted his eyes from the papers to look at her. A soft smile immediately spread across his face. "Dr. Snow. You're not disturbing me. Please come in." She stood there, undecided. "Not so shy. Come in."Caitlin entered and closed the door behind her. Her nervousness slowly faded as she continued to walk towards him and she couldn't take her eyes off his. This crystal clear blue. Dr. Wells had come out from behind his desk and was now standing in front of it, his hands in his pockets of his black suit, which, as before, was tailored to his figure. The first two buttons of the white shirt were open, allowing Caitlin to see part of his bare chest."Dr. Snow, what gives me the pleasure?" he asked."Uhm…" She blinked and pulled away from his eyes, hoping he hadn’t noticed her staring. But the smile that twitched at the corners of his mouth told her that he had noticed. "I wanted... I wanted to give this back to you," she stammered, holding out the white cloth tissue to him, which she was still holding tightly.Her hand was shaking, which Harrison didn't miss. His eyes traveled from her hand up to her face. She had her eyes directed towards the ground so that she wasn't looking at him. She was nervous and unsettled. Did she think he would yell at her for returning the cloth he had given her so late? And so Harrison held out his hand, watching her. Caitlin flinched slightly. Her shoulders were hunched slightly, as if she expected him to do something to her at any moment. She had already prepared herself for the worst with this body language. Snow, what has been done to you? His hand rested gently on her outstretched hand, in which the cloth tissue lay. Caitlin slowly raised her head. Her hazel eyes were wide. A gentle smile spread across his lips."Keep it. It's a gift," he said in a soft voice.Snow stared at him in disbelief. Then she slowly shook her head from left to right. "No. No, I can’t accept that."Harrison chuckled. "Why not?"Caitlin swallowed, thinking he was trying to laugh at her when he chuckled, but there was only warmth and kindness in his eyes. "It-It certainly cost a lot of money and...""I have more at home," Dr. Wells interrupted her and gently stroked the inside of her wrist with his thumb. He wanted to reassure her, to let her know that she had nothing to fear, that she was safe. "It's mine and I give it to whoever I want. And that person is you, Dr. Snow."She swallowed again and couldn't stop the blood rushing to her cheeks and suddenly feeling something deep inside her. Something she hadn't felt in so long. Warmth. His thumb made small circles over her wrist and she felt herself slowly relax and all her tension slowly disappear. Dr. Wells wouldn't hit her. He wouldn't yell at her."Dr. Snow?"He would... No... No, she couldn't know that. Even though Harrison was nice to her, he could also get angry. She couldn't let her be lulled by his kindness towards her. She knew what would happen if..."Dr. Snow?"Caitlin jumped in shock and pulled her hand away from him. Oh god, how long had she just starred at him like that without saying anything? How long had he been saying her name? She felt the blood and heat rush to her head and she blushed in embarrassment."I'm sorry, Dr. Wells. I-I didn't hear you. I was... I was in my thoughts," she stuttered out her apology. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."A soft smile was on his lips and she couldn't see any irritation in his eyes that she hadn't heard him. "It's okay, Dr. Snow. But what did I tell you about apologizing?"She cast her eyes down and nervously tugged at the white cloth tissue in her hand. "You told me to stop apologizing so much.""Exactly.""I'm sor..." Caitlin's eyes immediately widened as his finger gently pressed to her lips to stop her from continuing."What did you want to say?""O-Okay. I'll try.""Good." Harrison removed his finger from her lips and looked at her for a few seconds, not realizing that his eyes were on her lips for a brief moment before he looked back into her eyes. "Was that all you wanted or did you need something else?""I… uhm…" She licked her lips briefly with her tongue. Why did her mouth suddenly feel so dry? Caitlin shook her head. "No, that-that was all. I'll go back to work. Thank you for your time, Dr. Wells.""My door is always open to you."Snow nodded and turned around. As she walked out of the office she felt his eyes on her. "Caitlin?"Snow turned around, startled, when she heard Hunter Zolomon's voice behind her. It was already evening again and shortly before work ended."Hello, Hunter. What is it?" she asked kindly, putting a stray strand of hair in her ear."I am sorry. I didn't mean to scare you," he apologized immediately.Hunter had taken off his white work coat and was now dressed again in a black shirt and blue jeans. In the last few days he had always been with her to help her or just to look over her shoulder. They usually sat with Barry and Cisco during their lunch break to eat together and Caitlin was starting to feel comfortable. All three had grown fond of her and she began to call them her friends. At the weekend she went clothes shopping with Iris, but it turned out that she was Barry's girlfriend and they had been together for a few months. Iris had welcomed them warmly and joyfully, just as Barry, Cisco and Hunter had. Caitlin was initially hesitant about going shopping with her because she didn't have much money in her account. But Cisco said that Dr. Wells had already transferred her the money for this month. Caitlin then immediately checked her account and her salary for this month was already there. She then went shopping with Iris full of joy."I wanted to ask you something," Hunter began. He rubbed his hands together nervously."O-Okay?"He took a deep breath. "At Christmas, the employees of S.T.A.R. Labs go to the Christmas market to celebrate a little. There's eating, drinking, dancing and so on." He scratched the back of his head. "I wanted to ask you if you would like to go there with me."Caitlin's eyes widened slightly. Did he just ask her on a date? "Hunter, if you want a date, I-I don’t…""No, no not a date," he quickly assured her. "We would just go there as friends. Definitely not a date."Snow laughed in amusement. "Okay. Then I'd be happy to come with you.""Really?" His blue eyes lit up when he heard her answer."Yes. I would love to go to the Christmas market with you.""Great!" He wanted to hug her, but Caitlin backed away, scared. He immediately took a step back and lowered his arms. "Caitlin, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you or…""No, it's my fault. I'm... I..." she stuttered and swallowed. Her lungs constricted and she could hardly breathe. The room began to spin slowly. "I-I need some fresh air."That was all she managed before running out of her lab. She heard Hunter calling out to her, but she ignored him. She needed fresh air. Snow pushed open the thick glass door of the lab entrance and the cool evening air hit her. Her hand was pressed to her chest as she took a panicked breath. Her eyes wandered across the open space and stopped on a bench. She headed for it and sank down on it. Caitlin was hunched over, her hand clutched in her blue blouse as she tried to catch her breath. Hunter wasn't to blame, she had to tell him that again. She knew he probably felt bad now. But the way he had approached her... with his arms outstretched. Her husband immediately popped into her mind again. Memories had been brought back of him coming towards her, then tying her up and doing horrible things to her for satisfaction or to take out his own frustrations on someone. Tears stung her eyes and she felt acid making its way up into her mouth. Nausea took over her body. She raised her head. In a panic, she looked for a trash can so she could throw up. Luckily there was a trash can right next to the bench she was sitting on."Dr. Snow?" she heard Harrison Wells' worried voice.No, no, no. He can't see me like that! she shouted in her mind in a panic, but before she could do anything, she leaned over the trash can and threw up. Caitlin felt hands gently holding her hair away from her face and Harrison Wells’ cologne wafted up her nose. His hand ran soothing circles over her back. After emptying the entire contents of her stomach into the bucket, she sat back down on the bench, exhausted. Dr. Wells let go of her hair, which he had been holding the entire time, to take a pack of tissues out of his jacket pocket."Here. I'll get you another bottle of water," he said when she accepted the tissues with a quiet "thank you". Before Snow could stop him, Harrison had already gone to the bottle machine and ordered a small bottle of water. "Here." He held out the bottle to her when he was back and sat down next to her."Thank you, Dr. Wells," she said in a rough voice. "I'll give you the money back right away.""That's not necessary," he replied with a small smile.Caitlin wanted to say something back, but the nausea came back again and she turned back to the bucket. Harrison placed his hand on her back again to rub it soothingly. Snow closed her eyes and focused on his hand rubbing her back. Calming movements as the warmth spread across her back."Take a deep breath," he said in a soft voice. "Breathe in." She breathed in. "Breathe out." She breathed out. "Very good. Breathe in and out." Caitlin repeated it until the nausea went away. Her hands were still shaking as she tried to open the water bottle. "Wait. I'll do it." Harrison gently took the bottle from her hand and unscrewed the cap and held the water bottle out to her. "Here you go." Their fingers touched as Snow reached for it. She slowly brought the mouth of the bottle to her lips to take small sips. The cool water filled her mouth, washing away the disgusting taste of vomit."Did something happen at work that made you throw up?" Harrison asked after a moment of silence. Caitlin shook her head. Her gaze was focused on the ground in front of her. She was far too embarrassed to look him in the eyes now. First she had had an emotional breakdown, then a panic attack, and now a bout of panic attack which resulted from her vomiting, which he now had to witness as well. What did he think about her? Caitlin wished she could sink into the ground here and now. "Do you want to talk to me about it? What led to this situation?"At this question, Snow raised her head and her hazel eyes looked at him. She could see concern and compassion in his crystal clear blue eyes. Concern for her? He-He was really worried about her. When was the last time someone worried about her? When was the last time someone showed compassion? Caitlin didn't know. Still, she didn't want to tell him. The scars and pain of her past were too deep. Her hand gripped the water bottle a little tighter."I... I... I can't," she managed to say, looking away from him to look back at the floor. "I'm sorry." Caitlin bit her tongue. She had told him that she should try not to apologize all the time for every little thing. But it was difficult for her because if she hadn't done it every time with Steve, she wouldn't have gotten off so lightly. Suddenly his fingers gently touched her cheek and turned her head towards him so that she had to look at him. She felt a tingling feeling where his fingers were at that moment."That's okay. If you're not ready to talk about what's happened to you, you don't have to, Snow. But know this, that when you're ready or you need someone to talk to, I'm always here for you, okay?"Caitlin swallowed and nodded mechanically. His thumb gently stroked up and down her cheek before removing his hand. And so Snow came out of her sudden paralysis again. "I-I should go now. "It's certainly late." She stood up and Harrison followed suit. "Thank-Thank you for being here." I felt safe. she wanted to add, but the words got stuck in her throat.Dr. Wells gave her a warm smile. "I'm glad I could help you and I hope you're feeling a little better now."Caitlin nodded again. "Then... uhm... Then we'll see each other tomorrow?""We will, if my schedule allows it. I just generally wanted to stop by and see how you were doing," he said with an amused smile on his face. She immediately began to panic, which Harrison must have seen on her face because he replied, "Don't worry. I just want to ask you how you've settled in and how you're getting along with the staff.""O-Okay." Relief spread through her body and the panic faded."Would you like me to drive you home?" he offered."Thank you for the offer, but I'll take the train or bus.""I understand. Well then… see you tomorrow, Dr. Snow.""See you tomorrow, Dr.Wells." Caitlin walked towards S.T.A.R. Labs while Harrison walked to his car, which he had parked on a sidewalk.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Caitlin looked up from her work when she heard a knock at the entrance to her lab. A shy smile spread across her lips as she saw Dr. Harrison Wells standing there."Hello Dr. Wells," Snow greeted him. She played with her fingers nervously."No worries. As discussed yesterday, I'm just here to ask you how you've settled in here and whether you're getting along well with your colleagues," he said with a smile and slightly raised hands as he entered the laboratory."Right."Harrison walked over to her and leaned against the edge of her desk, his left hand in his pocket. He let his gaze wander around the laboratory in silence before his eyes found Caitlin's face. She stood there uncertainly, playing nervously with her fingers. Her eyes looked everywhere but at him. She didn't know how to answer the questions he had. What if he didn't like her answers? What would he do then? Would she then lose her job? But she couldn't lose her job. What if he didn't like the way she... She jumped slightly when a hand suddenly placed itself on her fingers to squeeze them gently. Her hazel eyes looked up and met the clear blue eyes of Harrison Wells."Take a deep breath and release your tension," he said in a soft voice.Caitlin swallowed and nodded. Her eyes were on Harrison, who was staring at her, but no matter how hard she tried, her body wouldn't relax. Dr. Wells removed his hand from her fingers."Can I put my hands on your shoulders?" he asked.She looked at him in surprise. “Uhm…” What was he planning to do? Unease spread through her body."I just want to relieve your tension, that's all," Harrison promised her.Caitlin looked at him. She couldn't see any ill intentions in his eyes. He wouldn't grab her and push her against a cupboard or table. He wouldn't handle her roughly and... Caitlin dismissed the dark thoughts. She was in Central City. Her husband was in Canada. He didn't know where she was. Standing in front of her was her boss, Dr. Harrison Wells. Caitlin swallowed and nodded slowly."O-Okay.""I'll just put my hands on your shoulders, I promise," he repeated his words, reassuring her that that was his only intention, before Dr Wells carefully placed his hands on her shoulders. "I'm going to move my fingers up and down now, okay? It's like a massage."Caitlin just nodded because her voice was failing her. She couldn't tear her gaze away from his eyes. It was as if she was sinking into this beautiful blue that reminded her of the sea. It was as if he was wrapping her in a blanket that surrounded her, protected her. As Harrison began to move his fingers, she felt a tugging and slight tugging in her muscles."You're tense. Try to relax," Caitlin heard him say. She closed her eyes. "Try to surrender to the feeling."And so she did as he told her. She tuned out everything around her, just like she always did when Steve yelled at her. All she could feel was the gentle, steady pressure of Harrison's fingers on her shoulders. It felt like she was falling gently into a soft bed. Her tension began to ease."Very good. That’s it. Relax." Caitlin opened her eyes again and looked into Harrison's face, who was looking at her with a soft smile. This beautiful clear blue. He removed his hands from her shoulders. "And? How do you feel?""Uhm…" Blinking, she tore her gaze away from his face and shifted her shoulders. Her tension and tension were gone. "It has disappeared. Thank you… Dr. Wells," she said shyly."Very good, then we can now start with the two questions," he said with a smile and winked at her. Caitlin felt a sudden heat rise within her and her cheeks flushed. She lowered her gaze and quickly put her hands on her cheeks to hide it. It was lucky that Harrison's gaze was wandering around the lab at that moment, which made her hope he hadn't seen it. "So, Dr. Snow," he began, turning his gaze back to her. "How are you getting along here? I know it's definitely been hard, especially since you're here alone at the moment.""It was actually a little hard to find your way at the beginning, but of course that was because I had no idea where everything was."Didn't anyone show you where everything was?" Harrison asked with a raised eyebrow. "Some people know…""Of course. Hunter was very accommodating and…" Caitlin's eyes widened as she realized she had interrupted Dr. Wells. "I'm sorry, Dr. Wells, I-I didn't mean to interrupt you. I'm so sorry." The fear was written all over her face, as evident in her eyes. But when she saw Harrison's grin, some of her fear disappeared."It's okay if you interrupt me, Snow," he replied with a small smile on his lips. "If you disagree with me or have something to say like you just did, don't hesitate to speak up, okay?"Caitlin nodded. "So-So it's not bad? You're not mad at me?""Mad? No. No, not at all." A few seconds passed when his eyes fell on her wrist and he frowned. "What's that around your wrist?"Snow lifted her arm to take a look herself and felt the heat rush to her face. It was the white cloth that Dr Wells had given her. She had tied it around herself because it gave her a feeling of security."I… uhm…" she stuttered, nervously twirling one of the two corners between her fingers. "It-It's the cloth you gave me," she answered in a quiet voice. Caitlin raised her gaze to look at Dr. Wells' face, who gave her a soft smile."I see." He looked away from her and let it wander around the lab. "Have you seen the storage room where you can go if you're missing something?"Caitlin shook her head. "No.""Okay, then I'll show you this one. Follow me."Before Snow could reply, Harrison left the lab and she could do nothing but follow him. A little later they came to a stop in front of a door, which Dr Wells opened and, with a wave of his hand, offered her to go in first. Caitlin swallowed. Fear crept up her body and panic spread. She felt her heart beating faster and her hands starting to shake. For a blink of an eye, Caitlin closed her eyes to take a deep breath. She was in S.T.A.R Labs with her boss. He wouldn't hurt her. He would not hurt her. He wasn't like her husband. He wasn't Steve!"Dr. Snow? Is everything okay?"She looked at Harrison, who was looking at her questioningly and she could see a brief hint of worry in his eyes. "Y-Yes, sorry." Caitlin walked into the room, which was flanked by shelves on the left and right. These were filled with instruments for every laboratory department. There were books, test tubes, screws of all sizes and types and much more."You can pick up what you need here," she heard Harrison say behind her. Snow turned to look at him. He had put both of his hands back in his pockets and was smiling at her. He had also left the door to the room open, as she noticed with a quick glance over his shoulder. Relief spread through her. If anything happened, she would be able to escape. "Don't worry, I'm not locking us in here," Dr. Wells assured her, following her gaze.Caitlin swallowed and lowered her gaze in shame. "It-It has nothing to do with you. It's..." she began, feeling tears welling up in her eyes. "I... I..." The lump that had formed in her throat prevented her from continuing."Hey." Harrison’s hands gently rested on her upper arms. "Look at me, Snow." Caitlin raised her head and looked into the clear blue of his eyes. "I don't know what was done to you in your past and I suspect that's why you haven't had a job yet." Caitlin swallowed and felt the tears streaming down her face. "But I promise you... no, I swear to you that I will protect you, that nothing like that will ever be done to you again, Snow." He removed his hands from her upper arms, only cautiously and hesitantly placing them on her cheeks and wiping away her tears with his thumbs. "Do you believe me?" Do you trust me? he had actually wanted to say, but he decided against it. He could clearly see the fear and panic in her eyes every day, even when she tried to hide it. She was his employee, part of his team. He would protect her. From the very first day she gave up her place for him in the elevator, he had seen so many emotions in her eyes. Fear, panic, sadness, nervousness and pain.Caitlin swallowed. In his eyes she looked for betrayal, that he was lying to her, that he wasn't serious. But she found nothing but kindness in his eyes. Deep inside her, she felt something that had been broken slowly coming back together. "Yes," she whispered in a quiet voice. "Yes, I believe you." A soft smile spread across his lips."Dr. Wells."His smile faded slightly as he heard Hunter Zolomon's voice behind him. He stood at the entrance of the room, which meant he couldn't see that Harrison still had his hands on Caitlin's cheeks. "What is it, Dr. Zolomon?""We need your help with a project.""My help? I thought you knew something about your job. That's why I hired you," Harrison replied coolly.Hunter balled his hands into fists. He took a deep breath and replied in a slightly trembling voice, "I know, but we need your knowledge and advice for this project."A small smile twitched on Dr. Wells' lips. "Of course. I'll be there soon. You can go now." Hunter stood there for a moment, then turned and walked away. Harrison slowly lowered his hands from her face. Her cheeks were flushed, although Caitlin hoped he dismissed it because of her tears and not because he was touching her. Harrison cleared his throat and took a step back and it was only then that Caitlin noticed that they had both unknowingly gotten closer. "We should… go back. You certainly still have a lot to do and I…" For a brief blink of an eye, his eyes wandered to her lips as she ran her tongue over them. "I have a project to look into."Caitlin could only manage a nod. He stepped aside to let her go first again, which she gratefully accepted. On the way to her lab, the two didn't speak to each other, which was a good thing for Caitlin because she couldn't get a word out. Her cheeks were still slightly pink from his touch and she could still feel his hands on them. Warm and gentle. He hadn't grabbed her roughly like Steve had. Harrison had carefully placed his hands on her cheeks, as if he wanted to convey to her that he didn't want to hurt her. When he promised her that he would protect her, that he would never allow what had been done to her to happen again, her heart had beaten wildly."Well then, Dr. Snow." Caitlin blinked, snapping out of her thoughts. They had arrived at her laboratory. Dr. Wells looked at her. "We part ways here, but maybe we'll see each other again later in the day.""Okay," she replied with a small, shy smile. He gave her a soft smile as he turned and walked into the lab of Hunter Zolomon and his colleagues. She stood in the hallway for a brief moment before she also went into her laboratory to continue her work. In the early evening, Harrison Wells was sitting in his office typing something on the computer when he paused and thought back to the morning he had been in the storage room with Caitlin Snow. He had promised her that he would protect her. He had gotten too close to her. He was her boss and she was his employee. Why had he told her? Why had he swore to her that he would protect her? Harrison ran his hand over his face. Why did he always feel this need to protect her from everything when he was with her? Harrison was pulled out of his thoughts when his mobile phone, which was on his desk, lit up. He picked it up and looked at the display. The name Caitlin Snow was visible. She had sent him a message. Frowning slightly, he unlocked his phone to read the message.
Dr. Wells, I'm in the storage room and I need your help. I wanted to finish something quickly and now I'm standing in front of two jars with the same colored powders and I'm not sure which one is the right one. Unfortunately there is no name on it.
Harrison smiled and typed his answer that he would come to her. He stood up and left his office. On the way to the storage room he passed Caitlin's lab and took a quick look inside. She wasn't there. Harrison continued walking and saw the open door to the storage room in the distance. When he entered he frowned because she wasn't here either."Dr. Snow?" he asked confused. Harrison turned back around and only saw a tall figure with a silver thin pole before it hit his head and he fell unconscious to the ground.
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His fingers roamed over her bed covers and over the pillow. He grabbed her pajama top and held it to his nose, inhaling her scent. Her scent aroused him and he felt himself getting hard. Again. He sat up to get out of her bed and put the blanket he had put under him and which was now full of his cum into his bag. He went to her laundry basket after he adjusted his pants. There he rummaged through it until he found an undershirt and one of her underwear. He also held this up to his nose to inhale its scent. He groaned. He quickly packed the clothes he had in his hand into the bag and took out her freshly washed clothes to put in her closet. He quickly and quietly left her apartment as if he had never been there. At the same time:"Dr. Wells? Harrison? Dr. Wells?" The female voice echoed into his consciousness as he came to. Harrison slowly opened his eyes, blinking. Everything was blurry and suddenly he felt a sharp throbbing in his head. Groaning, he closed his eyes again."Dr. Wells? Dr.Wells can you hear me?" he heard the worried female voice again. He blinked and carefully turned his head slightly to the side as the outline of a face blurred into his field of vision. He blinked again and slowly his vision cleared and the face became recognizable. Hazel eyes looked down at him full of panic and worry."Snow," his voice was a rough whisper. Wells squeezed his eyes shut as the stabbing pain in his head increased."You are awake. Thank God. I was so shocked when I saw you lying here."What happened? His fingers went to his head and he felt something wet. He looked at his fingers. Blood. Harrison thought for a few seconds when it came back to him. He had been in his office when Caitlin had sent him the text. He then went to help her. Groaning, he tried to sit up, which he managed with Caitlin's help."You must have a concussion. I'm calling an ambulance," she said, starting to run to the phone that was beside the door, but Harrison's hand wrapped around her arm to stop her."No," he managed, narrowing his eyes again as the room began to spin before his eyes."But…""No ambulance," Harrison said. "If they show up here, it will be in the newspaper tomorrow." He took a deep breath as he felt saliva collecting in his mouth and nausea spreading through his body."But you have to go to a hospital so they can examine you," Caitlin replied."I know. That's why you're going to drive me there." Harrison managed to get up, but he leaned heavily on Caitlin, otherwise he would have fallen to the ground again. She looked at him with wide eyes."M-Me!?" she asked in disbelief. "I-I haven’t driven a car in years. What if I get into an accident?""Then I’d buy a new car," Harrison replied with a small smile. "Please, Snow."Caitlin swallowed, but she knew there was no point in arguing with him now, especially not when he was in such a state."Okay. Lean on me," she said, putting his arm around her neck and her own arm around his waist for support.Slowly and carefully they stepped out of the storage room and into the hallway. Every now and then they had to stop because he became dizzy or threatened to lose his balance."Snow, wait," he said in a quiet voice as they passed her lab. "I think... I think I'm going to throw up.""There's a sink right here."Carefully, but as quickly as she could in his condition, they went to her lab, just in time before Dr. Wells threw up. Caitlin rubbed his back soothingly, just as he had done to her. They stayed at the sink for a moment until Harrison was sure he wouldn't throw up again."That's not a good idea," Snow said quietly."What's not a good idea?" Wells asked as they got outside of the building and headed towards his car."That I’ll drive you to the hospital. You should have to be taken away in an ambulance. I could just make your concussion a lot worse and…""Snow." She stopped when he stopped. She hadn't noticed how her grip on him had tightened. "If my concussion worsens, it will be on me. It's not your fault, okay?" Caitlin looked at him silently. "Do you understand?" She nodded, even if she didn’t want to. "Words, Snow.""Yes, I understand," she said quietly."What did you understand?""It's not my fault.""Again. What isn’t?""It's not my fault," she repeated her words again."Good," he said with a small smile, which disappeared as he narrowed his eyes and groaned in pain.They immediately went on to his car. There, Caitlin helped him get into the passenger seat before getting behind the wheel. She nervously put the key in the ignition. Trembling, she turned it around, causing the car to come to life, and gripped the steering wheel convulsively with her hands. She jumped slightly when Harrison's hand came over hers. She turned to look at him."You can do it," he said in a tired voice. "I believe in you."I believe in you. These four words gave her something she hadn't felt in so many years. Confidence. It wasn't much, but it gave her strength and courage. Caitlin smiled shyly and nodded. She took a deep breath and carefully pressed the gas pedal. The car started moving and it wasn't long before they were in traffic."Things aren’t going so badly," she heard Harrison’s quiet and tired voice say."We haven't arrived at the hospital yet," Caitlin replied and couldn't suppress a small smile. She heard him chuckle softly. They stopped at a red light and she dared to take her eyes away from the traffic to look at Dr. Wells. His eyes were closed, but his eyelids were twitching. "Dr Wells? Dr Wells!""Hmm…""Dr. Wells, you mustn’t fall asleep. You have to stay awake."Harrison slowly opened his eyes. "Talk to me," he said in a quiet voice."T-Talking?" Caitlin stuttered."Yes. Talk about yourself. Anything. What are your hobbies?" Dr. Wells narrowed his eyes as the stabbing pain in his head increased."U-Uhm…" Caitlin pushed the gas pedal again as the light turned green. She thought feverishly. What were her hobbies? What did she like to do? All those years with Steve had made her forget what she liked to do. And now her boss wanted to know what her hobbies were. What was she supposed to answer? She nibbled nervously on her bottom lip as something came to her mind. A memory. "Dancing.""Dancing?" Harrison repeated. "Really?""Yes. At least… I think so," Caitlin murmured. She knew deep down that she loved it. She remembered dancing with her father when she was little. "Yes, dancing. My father and I always danced together. Whenever he put on a record we danced to it."She looked briefly to the side at Harrison and saw a small smile on his lips. "That is nice. A nice memory. Are you still dancing with him?"Sadness tightened her chest and she had to hold back her tears. "No. My father died in a car accident on the way home.""I'm sorry.""It's been a long time.""But still...""We're here," Caitlin interrupted him, stopping the car in front of the entrance to the hospital. She jumped out of the car and ran inside. Dancing. A smile played on Harrison's lips as he imagined a five-year-old Caitlin Snow dancing with her father to the music on the record player. His vision kept blurring so he couldn't really see the figures coming towards his car. He heard the voices and someone opening the door to the passenger seat. "…and what were you thinking driving him here!? You should have called an ambulance!" he heard the angry voice of a nurse."I-I know. I’m sorry," Caitlin said in a quiet voice.It was my decision. I wanted it that way. Harrison wanted to come to her aid, but the sharp throbbing in his head didn't let him say a word."Oh my God! Dr. Wells! We'll help you immediately!"He felt himself being placed on one of those rollaway beds before he finally lost consciousness. As Harrison regained consciousness he heard the steady beeping of the monitors he was connected to. He opened his eyes and looked at the white ceiling of his hospital room. There was only a slight throbbing in his head and the nausea had disappeared. He carefully turned his head to the side and his gaze fell on the female figure who had made herself comfortable on a sofa with a blanket and seemed to be soundly asleep. Why was Snow still here? Was she here all night? Had she stayed here? Why didn't she go home? He looked away from her as the door to his room opened. A nurse came in. She smiled kindly at him. "Dr. Wells, how nice that…""Shh!" The woman fell silent immediately. He put his index finger to his lips and pointed at the still sleeping Caitlin. She understood and quietly came over to the bed with him."I’m sorry. I didn't realize there was anyone else here besides you, Dr. Wells," she said in a whisper. Her cheeks were slightly flushed. "How are you today?""Better than yesterday," he answered shortly."Do you feel nauseous? Dizziness? Headache? Or other pain?""Just a headache, but it's not as bad as yesterday.""That's a good sign. You have a concussion, but like I said, the fact that your headache has already subsided is a good sign," she repeated to herself and when she placed her hand on his, he wanted nothing more than to pull his hand away. He knew women like her. They were only interested in his money and looks."What’s your name?" he asked, having already seen her name tag on her white coat."Melissa Bower," she said in a sweet voice, where Harrison immediately felt like vomiting. "You can call me Melissa, Dr. Wells.""Ms. Bower," he began, seeing disappointment in her eyes that he hadn't called her by her first name. "Who was the nurse who hit on that young woman so harshly yesterday?""Oh..." She cleared her throat. "I was."He raised an eyebrow. "I would like to clarify something first. She…" He looked briefly at Caitlin, who still appeared to be sleeping, and then back at the nurse. "...had nothing to do with the fact that we didn't call an ambulance. It was my decision for her to drive me here as I know that otherwise it would have been all over the paper today.""Dr. Wells, I'm sorry, I didn't know... But she should have..." Ms. Bower stammered, but Harrison didn't let her say anything further."Don't apologize to me, apologize to my girlfriend.""G-Girlfriend." She immediately removed her hand from his and stared at him, dumbfounded."When I leave the hospital with her, I want you to apologize to her or have already apologized, do you understand, Ms. Bower?" he asked, his clear blue eyes piercing into her brown ones."Yes, Dr Wells.""Now go. With all this talk my headache has returned. I want to sleep.""Yes, Dr. Wells. Of course, Dr. Wells." The nurse left the room almost hastily.Harrison closed his eyes and took a breath. He hadn't really wanted to say that she was his girlfriend, just his employee, but it had slipped out. He carefully turned his head back to Caitlin, who was still sleeping on the sofa. Harrison smiled when he saw her like that. She looked so peaceful, no worries plaguing her beautiful face. He wanted to stay awake, watch her sleep, but tiredness caught up with him. When Caitlin woke up the sun had already risen. She sat up and rubbed her eyes sleepily. Her body ached. Sleeping on that sofa probably wasn't such a good idea, but it was a lot better than sleeping on the floor like she had done for so many years. Her eyes turned to Harrison Wells, who still appeared to be sleeping. His face was turned towards her, as if he had been watching her sleep. She could have taken the train home yesterday, but she didn't want to leave her boss alone. What if he needed her? But a small voice in her head transformed that question into another. What if he didn't need her at all? What if he found her a burden? What if he was mad at her for staying here and not going back to work? Caitlin shook her head to clear the dark thoughts from her mind. Pulling back the covers, she rose from the sofa to sit in the empty chair next to his bed. There was a bandage pad stuck to his right temple where his wound was. He was a good-looking man, Caitlin had to admit that. He was in his fifties and not many men had a full head of hair back then. She wanted to run her fingers through his hair. She didn't know why, but deep inside something compelled her to do so. Before she could stop herself, her fingers were running through his hair across his scalp. His eyelids fluttered for a moment, making Caitlin freeze, but then they relaxed again and she started to run her fingers through his hair. Between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. Caitlin came back into the hospital room. She had her hands full of steaming coffee and two bags that contained sandwiches and croissants. She almost dropped both things in shock when she saw her boss sitting in an upright position in bed, watching her with a small smile."D-Dr Wells. You're awake," she said joyfully, her eyes shining, and walked over to him, still holding the things in her hands. "How are you?""Better," he answered and took the two coffees on the small cardboard pallet out of her hand to place it on his legs and gestured for her to do the same with the two bags. "I see you've already brought breakfast.""Yes. I... uhm... I didn't know what you like or how you like your coffee," Caitlin stuttered shyly. "I bought the coffee without milk or sugar.""Then now you know how I drink my coffee," Harrison replied with a wink and gratefully accepted the cup from her. He took a small sip. "Uh! hot!" He took the lid off the mug to let the coffee cool down a little."There are sandwiches and croissants in the bags. I figured I couldn't go wrong with that.""Definitely not," Harrison replied with a smile.Slowly the tension and nervousness in Caitlin dissolved and she smiled too. They both ate breakfast in silence and only when Caitlin sat next to him on the bed did Wells speak."Snow. Do you know why I was in the storage room yesterday?" he asked cautiously."Yeah, I saw your text on my phone as I was cleaning up and leaving," Caitlin replied, nervously playing with her fingers. "B-But I didn’t send that text message you received, Dr. Wells. I didn't even know your mobile phone number until today.""It's the number of my mobile phone that I use for work, not my personal one," Harrison replied. He could sense that Caitlin was scared and tense. "You didn’t know my mobile phone number?"She shook her head. "No. Well, yes. Cisco once gave it to me and said I could reach you that way if it was urgent. But I had forgotten that I had saved it, which is why I found it so strange to suddenly see a message from you on my phone.""I see." So it must have been someone else who sent that text message. This was obvious as he didn't believe Caitlin was capable of such a thing. Furthermore, her height did not match the figure that had struck him down."You have to believe me, Dr. Wells," Caitlin pleaded, on the verge of tears. "I didn’t send you the message. I would never want to harm you. You gave me a chance and I am eternally grateful for it." She could no longer hold back her tears. "I wouldn’t just throw this opportunity away. I…""I believe you, Snow," he said in a gentle voice, raising his hand to wipe the tears from her cheek. "I believe you.""You-You believe me?" she whispered with wide eyes. Harrison nodded and before he knew it Caitlin had wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. Completely stunned, he sat there for a few seconds before gently putting his arms around her and returning the hug."Shhh." He stroked her back soothingly. "It's okay, Snow. It’s okay."Caitlin suddenly pulled away from the hug and stared at him. "Oh no! I'm sorry. I... I'm sorry, Dr. Wells. I…"His fingers placed gently on her lips to stop her from continuing. "Snow, you don’t have to apologize. Okay?" She nodded slowly. "Good.""I..." she began and lowered her gaze. "No one believed me when I told them..." Caitlin stopped and wiped the new tears from her face. She looked at her boss with red cheeks and puffy eyes. "You don’t know how much those words mean to me, that someone believes me."Harrison smiled and resisted the urge to hug her. Caitlin had a fragile personality. She had very little self-confidence, but he knew that somewhere deep inside she had a lioness inside of her. Harrison wanted to help her wake her from her deep sleep, but he knew that this might take a long time. So there was only one thing he could do... baby steps."Oh no! I turned off your phone because I didn't know how to put it on silent and now I haven't turned it back on!" Caitlin said, shocked."It doesn’t matter," Harrison replied. "It’s good not to be called by someone, but just to have some peace and quiet.""You get called at any time?" asked Caitlin, surprised. He nodded. "But what about weekends? Vacation?"He shook his head. "I honestly don’t know when I last took a vacation. It must have been… wow… years ago."They both looked at each other in silence as the door to the room opened and another nurse came in."Good morning Dr. Wells, Ms. Snow," she greeted them both with a friendly smile before turning to Harrison and holding out two rectangular boxes. "This is one medicine for nausea and one for headaches. Take the medicine if one or both apply.""Okay." He accepted the boxes."You should also rest for a day or two. You should especially avoid working. Stimulating conversations or even reading can potentially worsen the concussion.""I understand. When can I be released from this hospital?""If you feel better by now, then you can go now. But I advise you to take it slowly.""I will.""Good, then I wish you a speedy recovery and Ms. Snow please take good care of him."Caitlin blinked in surprise, but before she could ask her Whatever this meant, the woman had already disappeared from the room."Then I'd say we get out of here," Harrison said, pulling the blanket away to get up. But with too much enthusiasm, because suddenly the room started to spin and he looked for one of the stands where the drops were hanging."Dr. Wells!" Caitlin was with him immediately. He could see panic and concern for him in her eyes. He smiled."I got up a little too quickly.""You'd better not do that for the next few days, Dr. Wells," she said, also with a small smile on her lips."Noted. Thank you, Dr. Snow."Caitlin helped her boss put on his jacket and then left the room with him. They were walking slowly down the hallway when Harrison suddenly stopped to steady himself against the wall. He felt Caitlin's hand on his arm."Dr. Wells is everything okay?" she asked worriedly."Yes. I just need a little breather," he said with a smile."Ms. Snow?" He closed his eyes when he heard the voice of the nurse, Ms. Bower."Uhm... Y-Yeah?" he heard Caitlin's unsettled voice.It was mean to leave her alone with the woman who had treated her so harshly. But it should appear that the woman was doing it of her own volition and that her eyes weren't constantly darting back and forth between her and him. He felt Caitlins fingers tighten a little around his bicep."I…" Ms. Bower cleared her throat. "I wanted to apologize for last night. I shouldn't have been so harsh with you.""I... uhm... thank you. I guess…?" Caitlin stammered, not really knowing how to respond."Okay. Then I'll leave you alone with Dr. Wells. Take good care of your boyfriend."With these words, the woman turned around, leaving a completely puzzled Caitlin Snow behind."M-My boyfriend?" she repeated confused. When Harrison opened his eyes he looked into two hazel eyes. “What does she mean by that? Does she think that we...""That we what?" asked Harrison."Well, that we're a... a couple," Caitlin stammered."Oh that." Now it was he who cleared his throat. "It could be..." he cleared his throat again, "that I meant that you were my girlfriend instead of saying employee.""W-What?" She felt the blush rush to her cheeks."I'm sorry, Snow. When the nurse came in, I had just woken up and wasn't quite back to my senses," he explained to her, although the last part of the sentence was not at all true."She’s not going to pass it on like that now, is she? I-I…""Take it easy, Snow. If you want, I'll talk to her, okay?" Caitlin nodded her head vigorously. "Would it be so bad if I was your boyfriend?"They both looked at each other and Harrison couldn't help but smile when he saw how red her face was."N-No," her voice squeaked. "But I-I can't get into a relationship because..." because I'm afraid of what might happen. What if maybe you just pretend and turn out to be Steve 2.0."Snow?" She blinked and only now realized that she had been staring at him the whole time. "Because what?""B-Because you're my boss." Caitlin thought he was going to continue arguing, but he just nodded."I understand. Come on we need to get to the car."They were silent the whole way to the car. Harrison had spoken to Ms. Bower again and as soon as it was sorted out, she had almost jumped on his neck and probably kissed him, but he had fled first."Your phone, Dr. Wells," Caitlin said from outside the car, holding it out to him."Ah, yes... Thank you." He grabbed it and simply put it in his pocket without turning it on. "Snow?""Yes?""Would it be okay if you could drive? I don't think I should try it if I still have a concussion.""Of course," Caitlin said. "I just hope I don't cause an accident.""As I said before. I believe in you, Snow, and that won't change." He gave her a soft smile and she couldn't help but return it.
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Caitlin came out of the house where her apartment was. She had changed quickly, as her boss had insisted. Now she was on her way to her boss's car when she saw Dr. Wells talking to someone on his mobile phone. He didn't seem happy at all and the closer she got, the louder she could hear his voice. He was upset and the nurse had clearly told him not to have stimulating conversations as they could worsen his concussion."…then do something about it! What did I hire you for!" she heard him say angrily as she sat back in the driver’s seat. Harrison hung up and threw his phone forward against the window, where it remained. He groaned, his face contorted in pain. Caitlin quickly took one of the two small boxes to take out a pill for the headache."Here," she offered.Wells opened his eyes and looked at her outstretched hand. He looked at the pill for a brief moment, only to turn his eyes to Caitlin. He could see so many emotions in her eyes and none of them radiated joy. Without a word, he took the pill to put in his mouth and grabbed the water bottle that Caitlin held out to him. After he washed the pill down with water, she spoke, "Is-Is everything okay? The nurse said that…""I know what she said!" Harrison snapped, instantly regretting saying those words. Caitlin flinched and backed away from him. Tears had immediately formed in her eyes. Fuck!"I-I'm sorry, D-Dr. Wells," she whimpered, unable to hold back the tears."No no. I'm sorry, Snow," he said immediately, turning to her. He reached out to her but stopped halfway. "You are not to blame. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. I'm such an asshole." Caitlin looked at him wide-eyed as he said it. "You're absolutely right that the nurse said it and thank you for reminding me, Snow. I…" He sighed and closed his eyes for a few seconds. "I've just been told that the power is down across S.T.A.R. Labs and there's still no solution for half an hour.""Oh, that doesn't sound good," Caitlin said in a quiet voice."You are right. It doesn’t sound good at all," Harrison replied. "Snow.""Hm?""I'm so sorry I just snapped at you. Please forgive me. I definitely didn't want to take my anger out on you. I shouldn't have turned on my phone in the first place. Here." He turned off his phone and held it out to her. She looked first at the phone and then back at him. "Take it." Caitlin took it hesitantly. "The nurse told me to rest, and if I carry this phone with me, there's no way I'm going to."Caitlin swallowed. She didn't know how to answer that. Her boss entrusted her with his mobile phone, which was very important to him. He confided it to someone he had only known for a few weeks."I trust you, Snow, something I rarely do when it comes to people. Besides, the nurses said to take good care of me, right?"Trust. He had just told her that he trusted her. Dr. Wells not only believed in her, but trusted her. Sobbing, she nodded and felt new tears streaming down her cheeks."No, no, no don’t cry. Please. I've already apologized." She felt his fingers around her wrist and the next moment Harrison carefully dabbed the tears from her cheeks with the white cloth he had given her and which she wore around her wrist. "Please, Snow. I'm sorry. Fuck! I'm just such an asshole!" he swore, angry with himself. Caitlin couldn't hold back her giggle. Her boss looked at her in surprise. "What's so funny?"Caitlin shook her head. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh.""You don't have to apologize for laughing. Laughing is good, Snow," Harrison replied, smiling and refraining from adding how much he had liked hearing her laugh. He gently dabbed away her tears with the cloth and couldn't miss how she blushed. As he tried to dab away another tear, Caitlin's hand came over his to gently press it down."I... I'm happy that... that you trust me," she said with a sniff. Her hazel eyes sparkled. "No one has ever really believed in me or really trusted me." Wells's eyes softened and he smiled. "You really don't know what this means to me."New tears filled her eyes. Before Harrison could stop himself, he placed his hand on her cheek and gently stroked it with his thumb. Caitlin looked at him with wide eyes and she felt the blood and heat rush to her cheeks. She felt a warmth spreading inside her that she had never felt before. Caitlin wondered why she didn't shy away, why she didn't press herself against the car door in fear. Perhaps her conscious mind was beginning to accept that Harrison Wells really wasn't like Steve. Yes, he had snapped at her, but he had never raised his hand at her and he had immediately apologized for his behavior. She could see how sorry he was for speaking to her like that. The moment passed and became seconds. Only then did Harrison seem to realize what he was doing. Blinking, he removed his hand from her cheek and cleared his throat. Caitlin lowered her eyes shyly, still feeling his touch on her skin."Okay... uhm..." he stammered. "We should go to S.T.A.R. Labs. I have to tell my secretary that I won't be coming into the office for the week.""S.T.A.R. Labs? But Dr. Wells, you should go home and rest there.""I will do that, but as you know the power is out so I can't reach her and it looks like she's turned off her mobile phone too.""Oh, I understand. Okay, then we're going to go to S.T.A.R. Labs," Caitlin said with a smile and started the engine with a little more confidence and drove into traffic.It took them half an hour because the traffic had become heavier. Harrison had gotten a headache again and his vision was blurry every now and then, but he kept it a secret from Snow so she wouldn't worry again. When Caitlin got out of the car, he narrowed his eyes and took a deep breath before getting out too. For a brief moment he leaned against the car as the world in front of him began to spin again."Dr. Wells? Dr. Wells, are you okay?" he heard Snow's worried voice.No. "Yes, I am okay," he said and managed a smile. "Come on."They both walked into the building and were immediately greeted by the woman behind the counter."Dr. Wells! Oh my God! What happened to you? We were all so worried about you!" she exclaimed in shock, seeming to completely ignore Caitlin who was standing next to him."I had a little accident yesterday. Dr. Snow drove me to the hospital. We won't be staying long either, since I'll be taking the rest of the week off." We?! Caitlin looked at her boss silently and with wide eyes. "The nurses insisted that I rest," Harrison told her. "I just want to know where my secretary is so I can have her send out an email letting everyone know I'm not coming this week.""O-Of course," the woman stuttered, a little taken aback by this request. "She will probably be on the fourth floor. Some people have gathered there to discuss what they should do now that the power is out."Harrison sighed in annoyance and rubbed the bridge of his nose. The headache continued to bother him and he didn't know how much longer he could stay on his feet. To make matters worse, the nausea had returned."All right." He turned to Caitlin, who was looking at him. "Then we should go to the fourth floor.""Dr. Wells, you'll have to take the stairs because the elevator isn't working because of the power outage," the woman said."I know." Without giving her another look, he walked towards the stairs. However, he stopped at the steps and held on to the railing. He had placed his hand on his stomach. He had to concentrate not to give in to the nausea."Dr. Wells?" he heard Caitlin's worried voice next to him and the next moment he felt her hands carefully wrap around his arm. He raised his head to look at her. "How about I bring your secretary down here. You're in no condition to go up those stairs."Harrison looked at Snow in silence for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Yeah, that would probably be best.""Okay. Wait here, I'll be back with her in a moment."With that, Caitlin sprinted up the steps while Harrison sat on the bottom step, leaning against the banister. So much for him being fine... He closed his eyes to block out the bright light and concentrate on not throwing up. A few minutes later he heard quick footsteps running down the stairs and the next moment he felt two hands gently lay on his, which he had lying in his lap."Dr. Wells?"Harrison slowly opened his eyes and looked into Caitlin’s slightly blurry face. "Snow..." his voice sounded tired and exhausted."Your secretary is on her way here. She will be here in a moment. I'll help you up."He wanted to thank her for not letting anyone see him here so helpless and sick. Caitlin had to use almost all of her strength to pull her boss back up. His face was very pale. As soon as they were finished here she had to drive him home so he could get some proper rest."Dr. Wells." Her attention turned to the secretary who was coming down the stairs. "Dr. Snow told me you're sick and will be taking the week off.""That's correct," Harrison replied. "I want you to send an email to all important people so that they are aware of my absence.""Don't worry, I will do everything necessary.""Also, during these days when I'm away, I can't be reached either." The secretary's eyes widened slightly in shock. "I think you can manage my lab for a week without me, or am I wrong?""O-Of course, Dr. Wells. We can do this," she stammered."I also want you to find a solution for the people who think they can just ask what they are doing now since the power is down. No one is going home. Everyone got enough of work to do even without power online. Do you understand?""Crystal clear, sir.""Good. Then we have everything sorted out. However, I want the power back on today, do you understand me?""Yes, Dr. Wells.""You can now go back to the work I'm paying you for.""Yes, Dr. Wells."She turned around and quickly ran back up the stairs. Harrison clawed at the terrain and groaned in pain. His hand went to his head."Should we go back to the hospital? You really don’t look well, Dr. Wells," Caitlin said worriedly.His eyes were closed as he answered, "No. Not in a hospital again. Drive me home."Caitlin wanted to say something back, but decided against it. "Okay. I will drive you home."All the way to the car, Caitlin held his hand tightly in hers, while her other hand held his arm for some sort of support. With Harrison back in the passenger seat and Caitlin behind the wheel, she looked at her boss. His eyes were closed and his head turned towards the window. If she drove him home now, she doubted he would be able to take care of himself. Caitlin made a decision, even if it was scary for her. Still, she didn't know what else to do. She carefully touched his arm."Dr. Wells? Dr. Wells?""Hmm..." was all he could say."I will take you to my apartment so that I can look after you there. Is that okay with you?" Caitlin asked cautiously."Hmm..." She doubted he had even understood her, but she simply took his answer as a yes.Forty-five minutes later, Harrison Wells was lying on the sofa in her small living room. He only had on his white undershirt and pants. Caitlin had helped him take off his jacket and shirt and had seen that he was somewhat muscular. There was a bucket on the floor next to the sofa in case he vomited again like he had when they got out of the car. She had already drawn the curtains over the windows so that it was dark in the living room to make it a little easier for him. The lamp above the small kitchen island illuminated her apartment with a warm light."Where are we?" she heard Harrison's rough voice ask as she was about to cover him with a blanket. "We’re not… at my house…""No. We’re at my apartment," Caitlin replied. Wells had opened his eyes, but she could see how much effort it was taking. "You were barely conscious and I don't know the way to your house, so I thought that it would be better if I brought you to me. I can take care of you here."Caitlin waited nervously for his answer and when she saw a small smile, she felt relief spread through her."Thank you, Snow."She felt a blush rise to her cheeks as she heard his rough voice say her name. Embarrassed, she immediately lowered her gaze and hoped he didn't notice. She was about to reply when Harrison suddenly turned sideways and vomited into the bucket next to his head. Hardly anything came out of his body, but his gag reflex was repeatedly challenged by the concussion. Coughing, he lay back on the sofa and Caitlin carefully cleaned his mouth with a tissue."I'll bring you another pillow so that you can lie with your head slightly elevated," she said and quickly disappeared into her bedroom to get a pillow from there. She carefully placed it under his head. "Would you like to rinse your mouth for a moment?"Harrison nodded slowly. Caitlin carefully helped him into an upright position before holding a cup to his lips and he took a sip. He rinsed his mouth and spit it out into the same bucket. He repeated it twice more before lying back down on the sofa."Shall I give you the nausea and headache pills?" Caitlin asked as she placed the cup on the dark wood table in front of the sofa.Harrison shook his head almost imperceptibly. "I'm afraid I won't be able to keep the pills in.""Okay. Try to get some sleep. I'll be there if you need me, Dr. Wells," Caitlin said with a small smile.Harrison didn't answer but closed his eyes. Caitlin stayed with him for a moment before getting up to empty the bucket and clean it. She then wet two small towels with cold water to carefully place one on the back of Harrison's neck and the other on his forehead. She sat in front of him and looked at him. He was still very pale. His eyelids twitched slightly. Her attention went to her phone on the small kitchen island when she heard it vibrate. She stood up and took it in her hand. Five missed calls from Hunter Zolomon and a total of 20 new messages from Hunter Zolomon and the group The Fantastic Five. She unlocked the phone and read Hunter's messages.
6:33 a.m.: Caitlin, where are you? I haven't seen you yet today.
6:37 am: Are you okay? Why don't you answer?
6:40 a.m.: Do you want me to come over to your place? Although… scratch that. I don't even know where you live. *laughing emoji* Do you want to give me your address in case something happens? Then I can come to you immediately.
10:45 a.m.: Caitlin please answer me. I'm really worried.
Caitlin smiled and quickly typed her answer.
3:23 p.m.: I'm so sorry I'm just getting back to you, Hunter, but there was...
Caitlin paused and looked at her boss, who was asleep on her sofa. Should she tell him what had happened to Harrison? Would he want it? She thought about it for a moment before finishing her answer, deleting the last three words to start a new sentence.
3:24 p.m.: ... Dr. Wells had a minor accident and I went to the hospital with him to make sure there was nothing wrong with him. The nurses told me to take care of him. He took the rest of the week off. If he feels better tomorrow I'll come back to work.
After sending the message, she tapped into the group chat where Cisco Ramon, Barry Allen, Hunter Zolomon, and Iris West were members. They had been having this chat for three years and Hunter had insisted that she join it too since they were friends now. She agreed to him hesitantly and shyly. Caitlin smiled as she read the messages from Cisco and Barry as the two were upset about the power outage and then just seconds later were talking about a movie where the same thing happened and then murders started. Hunter even wrote to the group asking about Caitlin. Iris also contacted him briefly and wrote to him that she was certainly fine and could take care of herself. Caitlin quickly typed out a reply saying she was fine and would hopefully be able to come back to work tomorrow.Afterwards, she put her phone away and went to her bedroom to take her full basket of laundry to the washing machine, which was also a dryer. Afterwards she went into the kitchen and decided to defrost the chicken soup that she had been made a few days ago and had been frozen. In the pot on a low flame, the frozen soup slowly began to thaw. Afterwards, Caitlin decided to take a shower and change into some comfortable pants and a t-shirt. Between 6 and 7 p.m., she carefully woke up her boss. He opened his eyes and blinked a few times as her face came into view."Snow," he said in a rough voice and could see her cheeks turning a light pink."U-Uhm… I-I thawed chicken soup. It will be ready in about 10 minutes. Do you want something too? It would just be liquid. Maybe then your stomach won't rebel as much as if you were to eat something heavier that your stomach would have to process first.""Yes, that sounds good," he replied and smiled weakly."Does your head still hurt or do you still feel nauseous?""No more nausea, but my head is killing me," Harrison replied, his eyebrows twitching slightly as a sharp pain shot through his head."I'll give you a tablet for the headache. One second."Caitlin took a tablet from the box that was on the table and gave it to Harrison, who put it in his mouth. She removed the small towel from his forehead and carefully placed her hand on the back of his neck to support him so he could take a few sips from the glass. Afterwards, Caitlin went into the kitchen to prepare a bowl of hot chicken soup for him. A few minutes later she was sitting on the sofa with him again. Once again her hand was on his neck to support him while she carefully fed him the soup with a spoon that had the soup on it. She kept blowing so that the soup wasn't too hot for him. After a few minutes, Harrison had eaten half of the soup. Now he was lying covered up on the sofa again with his eyes closed. He felt Caitlin carefully lift his head and the next moment he felt a cool towel on his neck and then again on his forehead. Thanks to the tablet, his headache had subsided somewhat, but he still felt weak and exhausted.Harrison heard something clinking next to him and opened his eyes. Caitlin was leaning against the sofa, facing the television, which she had turned on, with the volume turned down very low. She had a bowl of chicken soup in her lap and a few slices of bread on the table. Very carefully, his fingers moved towards her hair. He wanted to touch her, but stopped halfway and left his hand there. Baby steps he reminded himself. With a small smile, Harrison closed his eyes again and was fast asleep in a few minutes.A few hours later he woke up because he thought he heard someone screaming. When he opened his eyes he saw that the light above the kitchen island was still on. There was no sign of Caitlin. It must have been at night, because he could no longer see the light from the sun on the wall. He closed his eyes again and chalked it up to his imagination when he suddenly heard someone screaming again. He was immediately wide awake and slowly sat up, although the throbbing in his head clearly prevented him from moving too much."Snow?" He heard her scream again. "Snow!"Harrison got up from the sofa much too quickly, causing his legs to buckle and him to support himself on the table. His hand went to his head. He was heaving, but he forced himself to get up again and walked, swaying slightly, in the direction from where he heard Caitlin's screams.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Harrison came running into her bedroom. A bedside lamp next to her bed illuminated a small part of her bedroom with a warm light. Caitlin lay on her side with her hands balled into fists, wincing every now and then. She screamed again and immediately Wells was at her side."Snow. Snow. Snow!"He said her name again and again, trying to gently shake her awake by placing his hand on her shoulder. It took a few seconds before Caitlin opened her eyes in shock. She immediately backed away from Harrison to the other side of her bed, not really getting much distance between the two of them since the bed was quite narrow."Stay away from me! Stay away from me! Don't hurt me! Please!", she cried desperately, close to tears.Everything inside him contracted when he saw Caitlin like that in front of him. Cowering, desperate and completely scared. Her otherwise quiet and tender voice full of fear and panic. But the worst thing was that she believed that he was apparently the tormentor she had dreamed of. He could see it clearly in her hazel eyes. Very slowly he raised his hands to show her that he meant no harm and this movement already made her jump in fear. Tears flowed down her cheeks."Snow, it’s me. Harrison. Harrison Wells," he said in a soft voice. "Remember? You took me to your apartment because you wanted to take care of me because of my concussion."There was silence for a few seconds. Neither of them moved. And then Caitlin seemed to slowly recover from her shock and she realized where she was."D-Dr. Wells." Her voice was just a whisper. "I thought you were... I didn't want to wake you. I-I'm sorry, Dr. Wells."Harrison shook his head. "There's no need to apologize, Snow," he said in a soft voice, still keeping his hands slightly raised. "Besides, I've been awake for a few minutes because of a slight headache."He lied so that she wouldn't feel guilty about waking him up. Although the latter was the truth. His eyes fell on her hands, which had been clawing at her blue shirt and were now shaking slightly. He didn't want to do anything other than hold her in his arms and tell her that everything would be okay. But he couldn’t. Firstly, she would probably run away from him in fear or even scream again. Secondly, he couldn't take away the bad memories that seemed to be torment her. And so he tried a different approach, even though it might backfire."May I sit down?"Caitlin looked at him in silence for a moment, as if she were considering her decision to let a stranger like him sit on her bed. She nodded. Slowly, Harrison brought his hands down and sat at the end of the bed, noticing Caitlin watching his every move. As he sat down to one side of her bed, Wells stared at the wall in front of him for a moment."You know…" he began, clearing his throat. "I once had a wife and a daughter." Harrison smiled sadly as his memories painfully reminded him of his family. "Tess and my little Jesse Quick. She would be about your age now." His eyes shone in the light of the bedside lamp as he tried to hold back the tears that were forming in his eyes. "I remember her looking at me with her eyes that day and begging me for a big birthday party for her seventh birthday, which was in two weeks. But the most important thing for her was that I was there too, because as always, I worked too much. I promised her I would be there, of course, but I knew I wouldn't be able to do it again because there was too much to do." Tears flowed down his cheeks. "It happened on the way back from school. Tess picked her up 10 minutes later after school because I didn't manage to pick her up again even though it was my turn. I promised her on the phone that I would make it up to her. An hour later I received a call from the hospital." Harrison looked from the wall to Caitlin, who was staring steadily at him. "My little Jesse and her mother got into a traffic accident. Neither of them would make it because the injuries were too severe. The reason was that a truck had driven into them and pushed them against a tree. I left everything and drove to the hospital, but when I arrived I received news that they had died." Harrison wiped his face with his hands. "Of course I blamed myself for their death, because I was the one who was supposed to pick up our little daughter from school. If I had been there on time as agreed, they would probably still be alive today. In the days that followed I lost myself... I didn't let anyone into the house anymore, I hardly ate or drank anything. I just wanted to... die. The immense silence, where there was always loud laughter came from my daughter, in my now empty house… The silence and emptiness of the house had completely crushed me." Harrison fell silent and stared thoughtfully at the wall in front of him."What's changed?" Caitlin asked in a quiet voice.A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Cisco Ramon."Snow blinked in surprise. "Cisco?""Yes. He just came into my house one day. He broke my window in the living room with a rock and without a word sat down next to me on the sofa, where he opened a bag of chips and started eating. He just sat there and... ate his chips. I don't know how long he sat there, even when the bag was empty he stayed there and stared into space. After a while we started a conversation and since then I've been the CEO of S.T.A.R. Labs again." Harrison's gaze returned to Caitlin. "What I'm trying to say is, if you ever need someone to talk to, Snow, I'm here for you, okay? I can only assume what the one who haunts you in your dreams has done to you and every fibre in my body wants to punish this guy." He slowly rose from the edge of the bed, the bedroom spinning before his eyes for a brief moment. "If you're ready, I'll be just one room away." He winked at her and he saw her blush slightly as she cast her eyes down. "Or one phone number away from you, Snow."Wells turned to leave when Caitlin stopped him. "Wait." Her voice was quiet and full of uncertainty. Harrison turned to her and waited for her to speak. "C-Can you stay here?" she asked shyly. "I don't want to be alone."Harrison smiled and his eyes softened. "Of course. I'll just quickly get a few pillows because sleeping completely on the floor would be a bit cold.""Would it be…" Caitlin paused and bit her bottom lip, as if reconsidering her answer."What is it?" Wells asked."Would it be... Would it be okay if you were with me..." She stopped again, but he understood what she was getting at. She needed someone to give her security, to be with her. But he knew what strength she needed to ask him that."Of course."Her eyes widened when she heard his answer. "Only if you want. Y-You don't have to, just... just it would be a little more comfortable than sleeping on the hard floor.""Snow, it's okay," he assured her with a smile. Carefully and slowly he sat down on the bed again, but this time with his back towards the headboard and not towards the footboard, as before. He leaned back against the headboard and stretched out his legs. Then he reached out his left hand to her. "Come on. I swear I won't hurt you, Snow."He knew what thin ice he was on at that moment when he reached out to her. A little hesitantly, Caitlin took his hand and crawled towards him, only to find herself at his side the next moment. The light smell of his cologne and her floral detergent had mixed together, clouding her senses for a brief moment."Are you okay with that? Are you comfortable?" Harrison asked.Caitlin looked up and met his clear blue eyes. They were so close that their breath mingled with each other. Her tongue flicked across her lips and she swallowed before letting out a quiet "yes.""Good." He smiled and looked into her eyes again, having glanced at her lips for a brief moment. "I won't go anywhere, I promise. I'll stay with you until you wake up, Snow."Caitlin felt the blush rise to her cheeks and she felt warm as his breath fanned across her face. She hid her face in his undershirt, causing her to blush even redder as she found herself pressed against his chest. But then she looked over her shoulder at his left arm, which was lying on the mattress a few centimeters away from her."Don't worry. I won't move my arm," Harrison assured her, following her gaze. Suddenly, however, Caitlin felt his fingers from his right hand on her chin, turning her face back towards him. "Try to sleep, Snow. You're safe. I won't let anything happen to you." He lowered his right hand again only to place the blanket over both of their bodies. Caitlin still felt his gentle touch on her chin. "Still comfortable?" Harrison asked and she heard how tired he actually was.She kept him awake even though he needed sleep more than she did. Caitlin just nodded, unable to make a sound. She saw his hand go to the bedside lamp. Her hand immediately shot to his arm to stop him."Please leave the lamp on," she asked. "I-It..." She swallowed. "It makes sure I don't wake up in the dark and… and something… bad happens.""Okay. I will leave the lamp on."Harrison placed his right hand on the blanket where his leg was. He exhaled audibly and closed his eyes. His chest rose and fell steadily, with Caitlin's head rising and falling slightly as he breathed in and out. Confused, she looked for a place to put her hands when Harrison's right hand suddenly placed itself gently on top of her hands to press them against his stomach. Caitlin looked up at Harrison cautiously, but his eyes were closed. Everything inside her resisted him. This closeness. She was afraid of it. What if he took advantage? What if he did the same thing as her husband? Caitlin narrowed her eyes to banish the dark thoughts that were creeping into her head. Harrison wasn't like Steve! He was not like her husband! She repeated this sentence over and over again to make it clear to herself that Harrison Wells wasn't taking advantage of her. He was so kind to her and gave her time. He tried to read her, to understand what was going on inside her. Her boss had opened up to her and promised her that nothing would ever happen to her again. Was it a dream? A dream that he had told her and promised her? A dream that he was now lying with her to give her security? To comfort her? If that was the case, she never wanted to wake up from the dream again."Sleep now, Snow. It's late. Don't let your thoughts steal your sleep." His voice was sleepy and Caitlin couldn't help but smile. She closed her eyes and listened to his heartbeat. Caitlin woke up early in the morning and jumped slightly in shock as she looked at her boss's sleeping face. She was no longer snuggled up against his chest, but they were now lying next to each other in her bed. For a brief moment Caitlin had dismissed what had happened yesterday as a dream, but now Harrison Wells was actually lying next to her in her bed! Only then did she notice that her head was resting on his left arm, while his right arm was protectively around her waist. Her own hands were close to his chest, but not touching it. Apparently Harrison had carefully moved them both into different positions as things had become a bit uncomfortable for him. But now panic spread through her and Caitlin looked down at herself. She was still wearing her shirt and cozy pants. So he hadn't taken advantage of her. Harrison had kept his promise to her.She carefully raised her head to look at the clock that was on the bedside table behind Harrison. 4:12 a.m. So she still had a few hours of sleep before she had to get up. Her hazel eyes regarded Harrison. He had told her about the family he once had. When she had seen his tears, she had wanted to hug him, to comfort him, but she didn't know if he would have wanted it. Harrison Wells was her boss, after all, and yet he was now sharing the same bed with her. She wanted to tell him, tell him what had happened to her, but she wasn't ready for it yet. The pain and memories of the past were too deep. Caitlin felt tears filling her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. When she fell asleep in Harrison's arms, no more nightmares about her nasty husband came back. She had finally managed to stop having dark nightmares after months. Was it because Harrison made her feel safe? If so, what would happen when he was gone again? Would her nightmares return? Caitlin carefully reached out and gently stroked his hair like she had done in the hospital. His hair was thick and soft between her fingers. After a while she felt her eyelids become heavy and she slipped into a dreamless sleep. Harrison was in the kitchen making coffee. He had been awake since just before 7am. His lips curled into a smile as he remembered waking up. Caitlin's hand had been on his cheek after her fingers had run through his hair. He was usually a light sleeper, which meant that he was usually aware of everything and so was Caitlin when she woke up. When she started running her fingers through his hair, he got goosebumps. He could still feel her fingers running over his scalp. Harrison closed his eyes for a few seconds to concentrate and let his erection subside. Was it wrong to have feelings for someone 20 years younger than him? After all, he had told her yesterday that his daughter would be about her age. Harrison sighed. But if it was love, the age didn't matter at all. It was just a number. Right? It was wrong to have feelings for an employee, especially if the employee was the boss. But you couldn't control your feelings. And what Caitlin went through, he knew she wasn't ready for another relationship. Especially not with someone almost twice her age.Harrison stared out the kitchen window and took a sip of steaming hot coffee. He thought he was feeling better now, but when the nausea suddenly came back, he quickly put the cup down and hung it over the sink. His eyes were closed as his mouth filled with saliva. He spit it out because if he swallowed it again he would definitely vomit. He breathed in and out deeply, trying to concentrate on something that wouldn't give in to the nausea."Dr. Wells?" Caitlin's worried voice reached his ears. The scent of flowers reached his nose. He opened his eyes to look at her."Good morning, Snow," he greeted her with a small smile."You're completely pale again. You had some color again last night.""It's probably because I'm trying not to throw up in your sink," he told her in a calm voice. "I just wanted a small sip of coffee and the nausea set in.""Wouldn't you rather lie down?" Caitlin suggested carefully.Harrison just nodded, feeling his knees weaken. He cursed the concussion. Caitlin put her arm around his waist and at the same time put his arm around her neck. They both slowly walked to the sofa where Harrison lay down. Caitlin quickly patted the pillow so he was comfortable and carefully bent his legs."I'll get you another glass of cool water," she said and had disappeared into the kitchen before Harrison had even processed her words. He opened his eyes when he heard Snow place the glass on the table."10:32 a.m.!" Caitlin exclaimed in shock.Harrison narrowed his eyes. "Ugh. Please not so loud.""I didn’t hear my alarm. But how? I never miss my alarm. How...""I turned off the alarm," Wells answered slowly. "I thought you needed sleep.""But I have to go to work. If I don't come to work, then…""Snow calm down," he interrupted her again. "Nothing will happen or have you forgotten that your boss had an accident and is now lying on your sofa with a concussion." Caitlin's eyes widened and she couldn't stop herself from blushing. Harrison smiled. "As you can see, you have nothing to worry about, Snow."Caitlin was about to say something back when her cell phone rang. She excused herself and went to her mobile phone, which was on the kitchen island. The name Hunter Zolomon was visible on the display."Hello Hunter," she greeted him.
"Caitlin, what's wrong? You didn't show up for work again today. I'm really worried."
"I'm fine, I... I just forgot to set the alarm," she replied. "And Dr. Wells is still not feeling better. I…""But Dr. Wells is in a hospital. Have one of the nurses look after him" Zolomon interrupted her angrily."Uhm… Dr. Wells isn't in a hospital. We left yesterday. He wasn't feeling very well and I didn't want to leave him alone." Caitlin felt herself blush as she said the words. "That's why I took him with me, so I could..."
"Wait a second! Dr. Wells is at your house?!"
"Yes, he..."
"Caitlin, you can't just let complete strangers into your apartment. What if he had done something to you that night?"
Her hand clutched her shirt, which began to tremble slightly as images of her husband appeared in her mind again how he...
"Caitlin? Caitlin are you still there?"
She heard Hunter's worried voice. "Y-Yes, I'm still here," she replied, unable to stop the tremble in her voice.
"I'm worried about you. You're all alone with Dr. Wells. What if something happens? Should I come over? Send me your address and then..."
"Hunter, you don't have to worry about me. Dr. Wells..." She glanced at the sofa and when she saw that he had closed his eyes she continued, "Dr. Wells won't hurt me. He's sick and if he wasn't, he wouldn't do anything to me either. He's a very lovely person and needs my help right now. I won't leave him alone. See you next week."
"Caitlin, I..."
But Caitlin hung up before she could hear Zolomon's answer. She exhaled audibly and put her phone back on the kitchen island next to Harrison Wells' mobile phone, which had been switched off since yesterday."Was he very pushy?"Caitlin jumped when she heard Harrison's voice. So he was awake after all! And apparently he had heard everything!"Dr. Wells, I… uhm… I'm sorry."He frowned, opened his eyes and turned his head towards her. "What are you supposed to be sorry for, Snow?""I... uhm..." Now that he asked her and she thought about it, she honestly didn't know either. "I-I don't know.""Dr. Zolomon has always been very pushy when it comes to women he likes," Wells replied. "Don't apologize for him or anything he said, okay?" Caitlin nodded. "Snow.""I won't apologize for him.""Good." Harrison smiled. He slowly sat up."What do you want to do? You have to stay lying down, Dr. Wells," said Caitlin, who was at his side immediately. Her hands placed gently on his shoulder and upper arm."I would, but I need to use the bathroom if that's okay with you."She stared at him for a few seconds as if he had just spoken a completely different language. "O-Of course." She carefully helped him up and accompanied him to the bathroom. "If you need me, I'll be in the kitchen." Harrison just nodded and Caitlin closed the door behind her to go into the kitchen. Two minutes later she heard him vomit and then hear him flush the toilet. Caitlin waited another minute before turning around to go to him when she saw him leaning against the wall."Dr. Wells!"She immediately ran over to help him to the sofa. There he rinsed his mouth and then lay down again after taking the pills for the headache and nausea. Caitlin covered him again. Harrison was breathing heavily. His pale face seemed to have become even paler. He was tired and exhausted."I'm sorry, Snow, for causing you so much work," he said in a scratchy voice. He only had his eyes half open. "I thought that I was already feeling well enough to be able to drive home today. But apparently my body isn't cooperating yet."Caitlin smiled. Her hand was on his arm. "That's okay. You should listen to your body." Harrison returned her smile and closed his eyes. "Get some sleep. I'm just going to go shopping for a few minutes, but it won't take long and then I'll be back here."She got up to go to her bedroom and change. As she pulled some clothes out of her closet, she frowned. Two items of clothing were suddenly back in the closet, where she had thought the washing machine had swallowed them. She looked at them for a while before going back to dressing. After a few minutes she was finished and took a quick look at her boss, who was still lying on the sofa with his eyes closed. With a small smile, she quietly left her apartment, even though her subconscious told her that it wasn't a good idea to leave him completely alone. After all, she barely knew him, but she knew that Harrison Wells was a good person. Caitlin stopped on the stairs in the stairwell. However, she had also thought that her husband was a good person and had turned out to be the opposite. She looked up at her apartment door. Was it really such a good idea? Caitlin narrowed her eyes and once again dismissed her doubtful thoughts about the decisions she suddenly made."I'm going to go shopping real quick. It'll probably only take 10 minutes," she said quietly. How wrong she was. It was Friday and it seemed like everyone had to rush to the supermarket today to do some shopping for the weekend.Half an hour later, she unlocked her apartment door again and heaved her purchases inside. Living on the third floor and then having to walk in so much wasn't such a good idea."Let me help you, Snow." She jumped in shock when she heard her boss's voice. He raised his hands apologetically when he saw her wide eyes. "I'm sorry. It wasn't my intention to scare you.""No, I... uhm... If I wasn't so jumpy, then... well then you wouldn't have scared me."Harrison chuckled quietly. "Yes, you're right. Let me take the heavy bags to the kitchen.""No, please. Let me do this. You're still sick and shouldn't be up, Dr. Wells.""I insist, Snow. Please. It's the least I can do for you. You already take care of me and let me sleep on your sofa. Please."Caitlin looked into his eyes. The clear blue was still a bit cloudy and he didn't really look rested. He was also still very pale, but if he really wanted to help her, he gave her no choice but to agree."Okay, but please just take them to the kitchen, then lie back on the sofa and rest," she said."As you wish, Dr. Snow," Harrison replied with a wry smile and winked at her.Caitlin's cheeks flushed and she felt herself getting warm. She quickly lowered her gaze in embarrassment. Had she just told her boss what to do? She hid her face in her hands. She really needed to apologize to him. She quickly ran to her bedroom to change and washed her hands in the bathroom before heading to the kitchen. All the purchases were lying on the surface, unpacked from the bags and ready to be put into the cupboards."I already put the things that were supposed to go in the fridge in there. I didn't know exactly where. I packed the things wherever there was room," she heard Harrison's voice from the sofa."Th-Thank you.""I'm happy to help," he replied and Caitlin heard a smile.As the day progressed, Harrison's condition improved. The nausea no longer returned and the headaches were no longer as severe. It was still there and he knew that the headache would be with him for a few more weeks. Late in the afternoon, Caitlin and Harrison stood outside his car to say goodbye. She had made him a quick sandwich so he wouldn't have to cook or order anything when he got home."Thank you again, Snow, for taking care of me," Harrison said."Not worth mentioning," Caitlin replied, unable to stop herself from blushing. "You needed someone to take care of you and I happened to be there.""Still... You let me into your apartment, even though it was probably very difficult for you to make that decision."
Caitlin lowered her eyes and rubbed her fingers nervously, because he was right. She looked up as his hands gently wrapped around hers. "I'm here for you if you need someone to talk to, Snow."She swallowed and nodded. Harrison took a small step forward and leaned slightly towards her, but then he stopped and straightened up to get into his car."See you back at work next week.""B-But Dr. Wells, you need to rest. The concussion still hasn't healed," Snow reminded him worriedly."I'm going to take it slow," he said."Really?""I promise you, Snow.""O-Okay, then… see you on Monday then?""See you on Monday, Dr. Snow."Caitlin watched him until he disappeared into traffic. With a small smile she went back to her apartment. As Caitlin locked the door behind her, she stood leaning against the door for a moment. His scent still hung lightly in the air and left her with a tingling feeling.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
It was Monday and Caitlin was back in her lab, typing something into the computer, when she paused. Her eyes fell on her mobile phone, which was lying on the table next to her. She picked it up to unlock it and tap on a specific message that had been written by her boss the night before.
Hello Snow,
I thought I should let you know that I arrived at my house without any complaints. Your sandwich was really delicious. Thank you again for taking care of me. I am in your debt. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call or write to me.
Harrison Wells
When Caitlin got the message, she blushed and suddenly felt warm. But now the question arose: what should she respond to this message? Or should she even answer it? She had started to write something, but then deleted everything because it sounded so strange, which is why she didn't send hers to him until two hours after he sent it.
Hello Dr. Wells,
I'm glad you arrived at your house without any complaints and that you enjoyed my sandwich. You are not in my debt. I helped you when you needed help. You would certainly have done the same.
Caitlin
She stared at her answer, annoyed that she had left off with the last sentence. She could have written more or differently. It sounded so brisk, but she couldn't delete her answer because he had already read the message and didn't reply to it anymore. Was it a bad thing that he stopped responding? She kept wanting to write him something else, wanting to apologize if her message sounded too forward. Should she write to him or should she apologize to him in person? Caitlin dropped her phone on the table to hide her face in her hands. What was she supposed to do? She jumped in shock as someone cleared their throat behind her. Caitlin turned around and saw Hunter Zolomon standing at the entrance to her lab. He scratched the back of his head sheepishly."Hey Caitlin," he greeted her with a small smile."Hello, Hunter.""So..." He approached her with slow steps and when he stopped in front of her, he cleared his throat again. "I wanted to apologize to you.""Apologize to me?" Caitlin repeated, somewhat confused."Yes. When I spoke to you on the phone I wasn't very friendly to you." Only then did Caitlin remember what he was getting at. He was referring to the conversation from last week on Friday. "I was... angry about Harrison being in your apartment.""Angry? But why? Dr. Wells was or is still ill and not feeling well. I just wanted to help him and-""I know, Caitlin," Hunter interrupted, stepping forward to take her hands in his. She blinked. "I just don't want anything to happen to you. You don't know Harrison as well as I do. He'll do anything to get what he wants.""He would do a-anything to get what he wants? What do you mean by that?" Caitlin asked, unable to stop her voice from trembling slightly."I'm sure you can imagine what I'm trying to say," Hunter replied, squeezing her hands. "I just want to protect you from him, you know? If he wants to stay with you again, call me first. I'll help you get rid of him so he won't bother you anymore."Caitlin's eyes widened slightly as she heard the words, but she jumped in shock when she heard the familiar voice of Dr. Wells. She quickly removed her hands from his."Dr. Zolomon, is there any reason for you to keep Dr. Snow from work... and harass her in the process?" Harrison asked, his voice as cold as ice. He stood at the entrance to the laboratory, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest."I'm not harassing her!" Hunter snapped angrily, turning to face his boss.Caitlin winced. She opened her mouth to say something, but Harrison was quicker. "You still haven't answered my question," he said, completely unfazed by the young man's temper tantrum. "Is there a specific reason why you are keeping Dr. Snow from work?""Yes, I am. I just wanted to ask her again if we both still go to the Christmas market together."Harrison raised his eyebrow. "And? Did you get your answer?""She was just about to give me her answer when you interrupted us," Hunter growled, his hands clenched into fists. He turned to Caitlin and smiled at her. "Our date is still on, isn’t it?"Caitlin blinked again in surprise. A date? She remembered him telling her that it definitely wouldn't be a date. Caitlin stared at him and didn't say anything. Harrison looked down to hide his smile."Apparently she's not so sure about it anymore," Dr. Wells replied dryly. "How about you get back to work, Dr. Zolomon. At least you don't get paid to chat with your colleagues."Hunter pressed his lips together to try to stop himself to say what he had to say or rather to throw at his boss. He left the office in silence, giving Harrison an angry look. Wells rolled his eyes before pushing off the doorframe to cross the room and stand in front of Caitlin."Are you okay, Snow? You look like you've seen a ghost," he said, his voice worried when he saw how pale she was. "Come, sit down. Here." He carefully touched her arm with his hand to guide her to her chair so she could sit on it. She intertwined her hands and rubbed them together. "Is everything okay, Snow? Did Dr. Zolomon say anything derogatory to you?""Uhm... He..." She swallowed and lowered her eyes."I'll get you a glass of water, then maybe you'll feel better. One second." Harrison went to a small table where there was a carafe of water and two glasses. He filled one of them with water and went back to Caitlin. She was still slightly pale and her hands were shaking. Harrison placed the glass on the table next to her. He crouched down in front of her."Snow, what's wrong? What did he say?" Wells asked worriedly in a calm voice while he was seething inside. He would have a word with Hunter. Very carefully he cupped her shaking hands in his and only then did Caitlin raise her gaze. He could see fear and uncertainty, but the fear was more obvious. "Please tell me what he said. Maybe I can help you. After all, I am in your debt." He smiled softly.Caitlin shook her head. She didn't want to see Hunter look bad to her boss. "It's okay. I actually haven’t felt very good since the morning."Dr. Wells knew this was a lie, but he didn't want to pressure her into anything. "Would you perhaps like to go home? Not that you caught the infection from me.""You can’t pass on concussion symptoms," Caitlin replied, laughing."That's true, but it was worth it," Harrison replied, smiling."What was worth it?""To hear you laugh. To see you smile."Her eyes widened slightly and she felt herself blush. Embarrassed, she cast her eyes down, noticing his hands that were still clasped in hers. His hands were warm and soft, something that surprised her because he was always tinkering with something himself, or at least that's what Cisco told her."Damn it!" She looked up from his hands when she heard him curse."Is everything okay?" she asked."I have a meeting in five minutes.""Oh... Then I don't want to keep you any further," Caitlin said, gently removing her hands from his. "You should go before you're late.""Are you sure? Are you feeling better or would you like to go home?" Harrison asked, still worried.She nodded. "I'm feeling better. Thank you, Dr. Wells."He looked at her in silence for a moment before standing up. "Okay. My offer stands until I have paid off my debt to you."Harrison turned and walked out of her lab. It wasn't until a few seconds passed that Caitlin understood what he had said to her. She jumped up from the chair and ran to the door, but when she stepped into the hallway her boss had already disappeared. "And how is your girlfriend Iris?" Cisco asked Barry.Caitlin was sitting in the cafeteria with Cisco, Barry and Hunter, enjoying their lunch break."Iris is still sick. But her fever has gone down," Barry told them. Iris had caught the flu from a colleague the week before."That sounds good," Cisco replied. "Just make sure you don't get infected too, because if you infect me, then be warned, I'll stay with you until I'm well again. You'll take care of me then, buddy." Barry laughed and hit Ramon gently on the upper arm."Dr. Zolomon." Everyone looked up from their food when Dr. Wells suddenly appeared at their table. "A word please."Everyone exchanged a quick glance with each other before Hunter stood up and followed Harrison out of the room."Oh man, Dr. Wells wasn't very happy," Barry said quietly."He is never happy when he talks to Hunter. Okay, he never sounded very friendly when he talks to us employees, but with Hunter... Phew!" Cisco replied. Caitlin stared at the exit the two had taken. "What did you say to Dr. Snow that made her suddenly so scared when I showed up?" Harrison asked, trying to contain his anger as best he could.He had gone with Hunter into a small room intended for smokers and was now standing in front of him with his arms crossed."What do you mean?" Zolomon asked, frowning."Don't play dumb in front of me. I'm the smarter of the two of us and by far, so don't even try!" growled Harrison."Oh, I see! Now I remember!" He grinned and this time he also crossed his arms over his chest. "Why do you ask? It's none of your business. Besides, you were there when I asked her if…""You know exactly what I mean, Zolomon!" His head throbbed violently and for a brief moment his vision blurred. He mentally cursed the concussion. "It's my business if my co-worker suddenly appears to be afraid of me after you talk to her."Hunter took a step closer to Dr. Wells. "I warned her about you. I warned her that you would stop at nothing to get what you want."Harrison grabbed him by the collar and pushed him against the wall. "I would never do that! You fucking lied to her!""Oh really? We both know this isn't true."Zolomon pushed Wells away, only to grab him by the collar and push him against the wall. As he did so, Harrison's head hit the wall and he barely managed to suppress a scream of pain as the headache doubled and the nausea returned. He blinked and tried to get a clear vision again, but he couldn't. His hands clawed at Hunter's arms so he could keep himself on his feet, otherwise he would collapse."I just told her the truth and if you don't like someone telling the truth, then that's your problem!" Hunter said, tearing himself away from his boss.Harrison was breathing heavily, squeezing his eyes shut to concentrate on not vomiting. He heard the door slam shut and when he opened his eyes he noticed that Hunter had walked out of the room. He slid down the wall. At the end of the lunch break, Caitlin, Cisco, Barry and Hunter left the cafeteria. When Zolomon had returned, she had carefully asked if everything was okay, to which he had simply nodded."Caitlin is everything okay?" asked Cisco, who had stopped while Barry continued walking with Hunter."Where would Dr. Wells talk to Hunter if you didn't want to go up to his office?""Probably the room used by the smokers. That would be at the end of the hallway on the right and the third door from the left," Cisco answered."All right. Thank you."She went the way he had described to her and just a minute later was standing in front of the room in question, where there was even a sign that said "smoking room". Caitlin grasped the cool handle of the door and opened it carefully. The light was still on and her eyes widened in shock as she saw Harrison sitting on the floor leaning against the wall with his eyes closed."Dr. Wells!" she shouted and rushed to him. She gently placed her hands on his face. "Dr. Wells? Dr. Wells?"He groaned and opened his eyes. "Snow?" His voice was rough and he sounded exhausted. He squeezed his eyes shut as a sharp pain shot through his head. "We have to… We have to stop meeting like this." He managed a weak smile.Caitlin couldn't help but smile too. "I'll call an ambulance, then you can…""No. I have another meeting…" He was breathing heavily. "I can't miss it.""You're in no condition to attend a meeting right now," Caitlin replied. What had just happened here?"But it's very important. It's a project I've been working on for 15 years.""But you're barely receptive, Dr. Wells."He opened his eyes again and looked into her slightly blurry face. "Please Snow. I can't postpone it again."She knew that the decision she made now was the wrong one. "Okay. Where are your pills?""In my office," was her boss’s curt answer."Then we have to go to your office. I'll help you up."Caitlin managed to help him up, feeling him rest almost his entire body weight on her. They both walked slowly through the hallways to a secluded stairwell that was rarely used. Caitlin had insisted they take the elevator, but he didn't want the staff to see him like that. And so they had no choice but to take the stairs up to the fourth floor. After a few minutes the two stood in front of his office door. Harrison was breathing heavily. They had had to stop a few times because he felt dizzy and nauseous, but he didn't vomit. Caitlin opened the door and they both went inside. When she had placed Harrison in his chair behind the desk, she took out one tablet from each of the two packs and poured him a glass of water."Here.""Thank you." He took a few sips and placed it back on the table. He sighed and leaned back against his chair."You're very pale. It would be better if you go home and rest.""I can't, Snow," he answered tiredly and when there was a sudden knock on the door, he opened his eyes. "Come in."The door opened and his secretary entered. "Dr. Wells, Dr. Thawne is here with three of his colleagues.""Good. Give me five minutes." She just nodded and disappeared again. Harrison looked at Caitlin. "Snow. Can you do me a favor?""Uhm… Okay?""Stay here. Join the conversation.""B-But I don't know anything about your project. How am I supposed to help you with it?" she asked confused."You don't have to," Harrison replied, smiling. "I just need you to sit next to me and listen. Please."Caitlin looked at her boss. He was very pale and looked quite exhausted. It was quite possible that he could fall asleep at any moment, but the project seemed very important to him."Just listen and sit?" she asked and Harrison nodded. "Okay."There was another knock and the secretary ushered the group in. A man who appeared to be Dr. Thawne led the way. He had short blonde hair and blue eyes. Like his colleagues, he was dressed in a black suit. A yellow handkerchief could be seen in his breast pocket. Dr. Wells slowly rose from his chair to walk around the desk and shake the man's hand."Dr. Eobard Thawne.""Dr. Harrison Wells. It's an honor to finally meet the genius behind S.T.A.R. Labs in person."Wells just smiled and shook hands with the other men as they introduced themselves one by one."This is Dr. Caitlin Snow. She is my biochemist and will be attending the meeting today," her boss introduced her. "It came about at very short notice, which is why she wasn't briefed on my project, but who knows, maybe she'll surprise us."He winked at her as he turned to her. She blushed slightly and hoped no one noticed. After Harrison sat back down behind his desk and the others had also taken their seats, the conversation began. The name of the project was Particle Accelerator. Caitlin remained silent most of the time, but every now and then she would ask a question that surprisingly interested Dr. Thawne and the others. Dr. Wells answered her questions calmly and she even added one or two things that might make the project a little better or even safer. Three hours later, Dr. Thawne said goodbye and promised them that he would be in touch and that the project was very promising. As the door closed behind them, Caitlin was barely able to keep her boss upright as he threatened to topple over."You really need to go home and recover, Dr. Wells," she said worriedly. "I don’t think you want to go to a hospital, right?""Right," Harrison replied. "I'm so tired. It feels like my whole body is throbbing. But it's just my head."Caitlin looked at her boss. He was in the same condition as when he was released from the hospital last week. "Dr. Wells?""Hm." He looked at her with tired eyes that he could barely keep open."I'll take you back with me if that's okay with you. I can't in good conscience take you home if you feel this bad again.""I don't want to cause you any trouble, Snow," he said, narrowing his eyes for a brief second."You're not giving me trouble. I want you to be okay." I feel safe with you in my apartment.Harrison looked at her for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Okay."Harrison then canceled his appointments and Caitlin drove him to her apartment. Once there, she laid Harrison back on the sofa and gave him the bucket he had used the first time he vomited. Caitlin closed the curtains again to make it easier for Harrison. She put a glass of water and the pills in front of him on the table by the sofa. When she covered him with a blanket he was already asleep. Caitlin devoted herself to the housework and always checked on her boss. In the evening she woke him up briefly and asked if he wanted to eat something, but he didn't take anything other than the tablets that helped with headaches and nausea. He hadn't vomited yet, but the nausea was still clearly present.In the middle of the night, Harrison woke up with a soft groan. His head was pounding. His vision was still slightly blurry, causing him to blink a few times to clear his vision. He slowly turned his head to the right towards the warm light of the lamp hanging over the kitchen island when his eyes fell on the sleeping person next to him. Caitlin Snow sat on the floor with her right and left arms resting on the sofa next to his waist and her head resting on them. A tired smile spread across his face. He reached out with his right hand and gently stroked her cheek with his fingertips. But why wasn't she in her bed? He slowly sat up, although his head was clearly against it. He stood up and carefully lifted Caitlin into his arms. She moved slightly and snuggled into his chest. She slept in his arms so peacefully and without worries. He slowly made his way to her bedroom, where he laid her on her side and then tucked her in. His hand went to his head and he squeezed his eyes shut, a sharp pain shooting through his head. A few seconds passed before the pain subsided and Harrison was able to finish tucking her in. He stayed with her to watch her sleep when he leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss on her hair."Sleep well, Snow," he whispered, before he swayed slightly and went back to the sofa to lie back down and go back to sleep.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Caitlin slowly opened her eyes and stretched. She sat up and was about to pull back the covers when she heard Harrison vomit. Caitlin immediately jumped out of bed and ran into her living room. Dr Wells hung over the bucket on the sofa and vomited again. She walked over to him as he slowly turned onto his back again, coughing."Dr. Wells?"He immediately opened his eyes and turned his head slightly to look at her."Good morning, Snow," he greeted her in a hoarse voice. "I hope I didn't wake you up.""No, I was already awake," Caitlin replied with a small smile. A few seconds of silence passed before she spoke. "Shall I give you the pills?"Harrison shook his head, his eyes closed. "No. I'm afraid I'll throw up again and then the pills will be out again." His eyelids twitched slightly."Okay."She took the bucket to pour it out and wash it out before putting it back in front of him. Caitlin turned around and was about to go back into the kitchen when Harrison's hand gently closed around her wrist."Snow, wait."She turned to him. Concern was evident on her face. "Is everything okay?""Yeah, just... could you do me a favor?""A favor?""I'd really like to get some fresh air. My headache isn't that bad and I think fresh air is even better than taking the pills all the time. Could you go out for some fresh air with me?"Caitlin blinked, expecting something different. "Uhm... Of course, but only if you really feel capable of it.""I do," he said with a small smile."All right, then I'll get ready.""You should eat something first. I'll wait.""No, it's okay. The cool air will be good for you before all the cars hit the streets. It's only just before 6 o'clock, so there shouldn't be that many cars on the road," Snow replied and disappeared into her bedroom.Ten minutes later, Caitlin was back in the living room, fully dressed. She wore a white turtleneck sweater, dark blue jeans and matching shoes. She carefully helped Harrison to his feet."Are you sure you can walk?" Caitlin asked worriedly. Harrison nodded. She helped him put on his coat, but he didn't have a scarf. "I'll give you one of my scarves so it won't be so cold." She was already reaching for a gray scarf when she paused and turned to him. "If... uhm... If you want a scarf.""Yes please, that would be nice," Dr. Wells replied with a small smile on his lips.She quickly turned back to the scarf so he wouldn't see her flushed cheeks. She grabbed it and gave it to him, but she didn't lift her eyes, instead she looked at the ground. Then two fingers placed under her chin to lift it, forcing Caitlin to look Dr. Wells in the eyes. The clear blue of his eyes looked at her and captured her for a brief moment. She let out a shaky breath as his touch sent a tingling feeling through her body."Please don’t hide your face from me, Snow. You are a beautiful young woman and certainly not just on the outside but on the inside as well," Harrison said and as he removed his fingers from her chin she thought he was going to drop them but instead he tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. His fingers touched her ear and again she felt herself blushing and a tingling feeling running through her body. "Don’t hide your beauty."Caitlin looked at him with wide eyes and swallowed. This feeling... This warmth deep inside her. It was the first time she felt it again."Snow?"Blinking, she came back from her thoughts. "S-Sorry, I was in thought," she said."Shall we?" Harrison asked, opening the front door to let her go first. With a shy smile she walked forward in thanks and he closed the door behind her. In the stairwell, Dr. Wells held on to the banister because the headache was still present."Watch out!" Caitlin shouted in shock, grabbing his arm as he threatened to miss a step."Sorry.""Would you like to sit down for a moment?"Harrison looked at Caitlin and once again all he could see was concern. He could beat himself up for it. She was never really happy or joyful. In her eyes he could only ever see sadness, uncertainty, fear and worry. He wanted to take all of this away from her, even though he knew there was still a long way to go."It's okay," he replied with a small smile. "I just need a moment."Caitlin was still holding his arm in case he lost his balance. After a few minutes they made it outside. The cool morning air blew through her clothes and made Caitlin shiver."Are you warm enough?" she heard Harrison ask.She nodded. "The wind is just a little chilly." Dr. Wells closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Is everything okay? Are you all right? Do you want to sit down somewhere? Maybe there's a bench around the corner or maybe…""Don't worry, Snow," Harrison said, gently placing his hand on hers, which was still on his arm, to support him. "The air is good for me."Caitlin looked at her boss in silence for a moment. "O-Okay, but if you're not feeling well or need to rest, please let me know.""I'll do that," he replied, winking at her. "Come on."They both walked slowly through the dark streets of Central City. Hardly anyone was out and about. Caitlin still had her hands wrapped around his right arm to give him some support."Dr. Wells?" she asked after a moment of silence."Yes?""May I ask... what happened in the room between you and Hunter?" Caitlin asked cautiously. Harrison exhaled audibly, his breath coming out in a small cloud. "O-Of course you don’t have to tell me. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked.""No, Snow, it's okay," Dr. Wells replied, his eyes roaming around. "I confronted Dr. Zolomon. I wanted to know what he said to you when you suddenly looked at me with fear." Harrison's eyes briefly went to Caitlin, who was looking at him. "That made me angry because he had said something to you that was several years in the past and I would never do it again. I pushed him against the wall... Well and then he pushed me against the wall, banging my head on it. I was unconscious until you found me in the room.""Unconscious? B-But Hunter told me everything was okay when I asked," Caitlin said, shocked."Mhm, very interesting.""Dr. Wells...""Snow" he interrupted her and she looked at him questioningly. "Please call me Harrison. We're not at work and right now you're not my employee and I'm not your boss.""But...""We're just two people taking a walk on an early morning in November. Okay?""O-Okay, Dr-... Harrison."He smiled and she couldn't help but smile back. He wanted her to loosen up a little, to let go of the insecurities that had been burned deep into her. Caitlin felt a tiny bit of her nervousness disappear. Her boss radiated security and a self-confidence that she also wanted, but was taken away from her. Would she ever be able to get her self-confidence back? Caitlin wished so."So, Snow, what did you just want to tell me?""Uhm..." She swallowed. "Hunter said that… that you would do anything to get what you want.""Sometimes you have to kick down a few doors to get what you want," Harrison answered slowly. "That's how I lived after I..." He cleared his throat. "After I got over the death of my wife and daughter. I worked very hard, harder than before and was quite harsh on my colleagues, which I still am, mind you. But I've learned that it's no use completing a project under pressure, otherwise you'll just make mistakes and probably end up not being happy with it." He exhaled audibly and as he continued, he could feel Caitlin's eyes on him. "I am the CEO of one of the most successful companies in the world, which is why everything has to be perfect. I still work very late into the night to finish something so I can move on to something else the next day. But... I think I'm only doing it because there's no one at home waiting for me."Caitlin looked at her boss silently. So in reality he was alone. He had no one there for him and she knew that feeling all too well. Suddenly Harrison stopped and looked at her."I would like to introduce you to someone.""What? I-Introduce me to someone?" she asked, feeling herself getting a little nervous."Yes. Her name is Mary Lawson, but I think you know her as Old Mary?" Caitlin shook her head. "Then it’s time to get to know her. Come with me."A few minutes later the two of them were standing in a small bakery. On the left there were benches with tables, while on the right there were only tables and chairs. There were old pictures of Old Mary and her family on the walls, as well as various landscapes. It smelled of freshly baked bread and brewed coffee. A few people were already here, some of them looking at Dr. Wells with wide eyes. Caitlin unconsciously pressed herself a little closer to her boss as people started looking at her too."I think it would be better if we went to the kitchen," Harrison said to her quietly, his breath caressing her face."To the kitchen? But we can’t…""It doesn’t matter to Old Mary. Come on," he said and before Caitlin could stop him, he took her hand in his and pulled her back with him. "Mary? Mary?""Are my ears playing tricks on me or am I hearing my dear Harry Wells?" The two of them heard a woman's voice. A few seconds later they came into the kitchen and saw a small, older lady with short, slightly curly hair and glasses on her nose. She was dressed entirely in white and wore a dark blue apron. Her brown eyes were full of kindness."Oh! Bonjour, my dear Harry!" she said happily and the two hugged each other."Bonjour Mary," Dr. Wells greeted her friendly."I haven't seen you here for a long time," said the older lady with a smile when they had separated. "Let me take a look at you." She placed her hands gently on his cheeks, which were now dusted with flour. "My boy, you don't look good. You are very pale and you look exhausted. Are you all right? Are you eating enough too? Aren't you working too much?""I've been feeling better," Harrison replied, gently removing her hands from his cheeks, which were still dusted with flour. "I would like to introduce you to someone. This is Caitlin Snow. Snow, that’s Mary Lawson and the owner of this small but lovely bakery.""Caitlin Snow, oh what a wonderful name and how beautiful you are, my child," said the old woman with a friendly smile. "My dear Harry has finally found someone after the tragic accident. I'm so happy.""Mary, she's not...""You have to be patient with Harry. He can be very stubborn and selfish at times, but he's actually a really nice guy with a heart of gold.""Mary, Snow isn't my girlfriend," Harrison told her, not missing how red Caitlin was blushing. A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth because he had started to like how quickly she blushed and embarrassed. His eyes moved from her red cheeks to her lips. What did it feel like to kiss her lips? To taste them? To swallow her gasp or moan as he occupied her mouth with his tongue. He bit the inside of his cheek."Not your girlfriend?" asked the old lady disappointedly. "That's a shame. You're such a pretty young woman.""Mary, Snow works for me at my company. She's a biochemist there and she never cease to impress me." Embarrassed, Caitlin lowered her eyes when she heard the compliment."It's nice to meet you, Mary.""Would it be okay if we had breakfast here in your kitchen?" Harrison asked."But of course. Come with me. A few months ago I had a small corner built for me so that I could have breakfast there in peace." The old lady led them through the kitchen to a small corner with a bench, two chairs and a round table with a white tablecloth on it. "I'll bring you some fresh croissants and bread rolls straight away. Harry, if you would be so good as to get the jam out of the fridge. The fridge is still in the same place.""I will," he said with a smile as Mary had already disappeared around the corner. Harrison turned to Caitlin. "Sit down. I'll be right back.""Wait." Her fingers gently touched his arm. He looked at her questioningly. "Shouldn't I get the jams instead? You're really pale and look exhausted. You should rest, Harrison."His name. The way his name sounded when she said it shouldn't make him feel like that. He wanted to protect her. To protect her from all those who wanted to harm her or have already done so. He wanted to lead her back from the darkness in which she lived back into the light in which she belonged."It's okay. I'll be quick," Harrison said with a small smile, placing his hand over hers. "Make yourself comfortable. It's warm here."With that he left her alone and as he went around the corner he leaned against the wall. He squeezed his eyes shut as the stabbing pain in his head nearly drove him insane. He stood there, breathing deeply, trying to concentrate on something else, when he suddenly felt a hand on his arm. When he opened his eyes he saw Old Mary standing next to him."My boy, what's wrong with you?" she asked worriedly. "I can see it clearly in you. You're not feeling well at all. Should I call an ambulance?""No, Mary," Harry replied in a quiet, tired voice. "Please don’t tell Snow about this. She's already too worried about my condition and I want to..." He paused, his hand going to his head as the throbbing increased for a brief moment. "I want to see her happy, Mary. Please.""Oh, my boy, you like her, don't you?" Harrison could only manage a small smile, because denying anything to Old Mary was next to impossible. "You know what, I’ll bring you the jams. Just a second." The old lady went to the fridge to take out four jars of jam. "Here, careful," she said as she handed him the glasses."Thank you, Mary."Harrison went back to Caitlin, who immediately went over to take two of the glasses from him and put them on the table. He sat down on the bench and closed his eyes for a brief moment."Here come the croissants and bread rolls," he heard Mary say happily and the smell of freshly baked bread filled his nostrils. With a smile she placed a small basket in the middle of the table as well as two plates, two knives and a few spoons for the jams. "I’ll get the butter quickly.""Dr. Wells? Dr. Wells?" When he didn’t respond, Caitlin remembered. "Harrison?" He opened his eyes and looked at her. "You don't look good." She continued to open her mouth as if she wanted to say something else, but she stopped. "W-Well I don't mean that you don't look good otherwise. I mean… uhm…"Harrison raised an eyebrow. "So you think I'm good-looking?"Caitlin's eyes widened slightly and the blood rushed to her cheeks. She suddenly felt very warm. "U-Uhm... I-I mean... uhm...""Here's the butter," Mary said as she came back to put it on the table. "I wish you bon appétit.""Thank you, Mary," Harrison thanked her and the old lady disappeared back to her work, smiling. He turned his attention back to Caitlin, who was still flushed and rubbing her fingers together nervously. His hand rested gently on her hands and she raised her gaze. "Forget what I said, Snow. I was just teasing you a little." He winked at her with a wry smile. "Let's eat something. Mary baked them fresh and it tastes even better when it's still warm."And so they both ate breakfast in silence, occasionally hearing someone come into the bakery and Mary greeting them warmly before serving them."That was so delicious," Caitlin said with a smile when she was finished.Harrison looked at her with a smile too. Although the nausea was still present, he was able to eat a little. "Mary will be happy to hear that.""How long have you two known each other?" Caitlin asked."How long have we known each other?" Harrison repeated her question, thinking for a moment. "I think I was here for the first time when I was 10 years old. I didn't have an easy childhood. My mother was seriously ill and my father had to work a lot so that we could keep our house. I usually stayed out late so I wouldn't be there when my father came home to get drunk. I always came here to talk to Mary because she understood me and was always willing to listen to me, even when she was busy. Sometimes I even helped her serve." Harrison smiled as he remembered that. "Mary traveled here when she was very young to pursue her dream of becoming a baker after her training. She has five other siblings, but she no longer has contact with them. When she left France to pursue her dream, they no longer wanted to have anything to do with her because they believed that she was throwing her life away. But you see what has become of it. If you have a dream you should stick to it.""That is amazing. M-My mother was hardly ever home," Caitlin said in a quiet voice. Her gaze was focused on his hand, which was still gently cupping hers. "My mother works here in this city. She is also a CEO of her company. She also earns a lot of money, but she essentially forgets about me. For her, the company always comes first and then my father and I came after it. Sometimes she even forgot my birthday and sent me a card two days after. However, my father was there and spent most of the time with me. I always only wanted one thing for my birthday and that was that we would spend the day together as a family, just the three of us, but my wish never came true."Tears flowed down her cheeks and before she realized it, she felt two arms gently wrap around her and Dr. Wells held her close. Harrison knew how dangerous it was to suddenly hold her like that, since she had been through a lot and didn't know how she would react, but Caitlin looked like she needed a hug. He had just placed his arms around her very gently so that she didn't feel trapped, but could break away from him at any time without any problems. They both sat like that for a while. Harrison gently stroked her back. Only when Caitlin slowly pulled away from him did he withdraw his arms from around her, only to gently place his right hand on her cheek."Are you okay?" he asked, brushing away a tear with his thumb.Caitlin just nodded as her eyes fell on his shirt, which was wet with her tears. "I ruined your shirt. I'm sorry.""Let my shirt be ruined while you're feeling better."Embarrassed, she cast her eyes down for a brief moment as she blushed slightly again. When she looked at him again she had to smile because he still had flour on his face. Dr. Wells raised his eyebrow. "What is it?""Y-You have a little flour on your face.""Hm?" He frowned in confusion until he understood. "That must have been from Mary when she greeted me." Harrison began to wipe his cheeks with his hand.Caitlin giggled. "Wait, let me do it."She took a napkin and began to carefully wipe the flour from his cheeks, moving a little closer to him. His eyes were on her, watching her. Caitlin was just about to turn to his other cheek when her eyes met his. The clear blue. It seemed as if he was looking deep into her soul. She swallowed and blinked to break her gaze and turn to his other cheek."Done," she said with a smile and put the napkin back on the table."Thank you, Snow." He smiled too, but it disappeared and was replaced by a painful ache in his head. He groaned and his hand went to his head. He had been able to ignore his headache all this time, but now it seemed to finally be trying to force him down."Harrison?" There was concern in Caitlin's voice and he felt her hands gently on his arm. "Is it the headache?" Harrison nodded. "We should go back home. You need to rest. Maybe the walk was a bit too much and the bright light from the lamps here isn't helping the headache."He just nodded. Caitlin put her jacket back on and her scarf before helping her boss. He swayed slightly, forcing her to support him. The two said goodbye to Old Mary and thanked them for the delicious breakfast. The old lady gave them a bag of fresh pastries and waved goodbye. Half an hour later, Harrison was covered up on the sofa again. He was only wearing his white undershirt and pants. His headache had subsided a little since he took the pill. He had only opened his eyes slightly when he noticed movement next to him. He slowly turned his head and looked at the slightly blurry figure of Caitlin standing in front of him with two small towels."I'll just put a cool towel on your forehead and neck. It'll give you some relief from your headache," she told him. She knelt down next to his head to carefully lift it and place the one small towel on the back of his neck. Goosebumps ran through his body as the cold hit his skin. She placed the second small towel on his forehead."Thank you, Snow," he said in a tired voice.Caitlin opened her mouth to say something, but the loud knock on her front door made her jump in shock. She turned around."Are you expecting someone?" Harrison asked."N-No." Caitlin swallowed. Fear and panic took over her. Who could it be? She hadn't told anyone about her apartment, at least not where she lived. Was it her husband Steve? Had he seen her somewhere? Was that how he found out her address?"Caitlin? Caitlin, are you here?" The two heard a male voice ask. It was the voice of Hunter Zolomon.
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Caitlin stood up and was about to go to the door when Harrison's hand wrapped around her wrist."He'll go away again," he said."But I'm here and it would be mean not to open the door for him," Caitlin replied.Dr. Wells studied her for a moment before releasing her wrist so she could walk towards the door. She looked through the peephole and indeed saw that it was Hunter Zolomon. She turned the key in the lock and opened the door."Hello, Hunter," she greeted him, her eyes nervously scanning the stairwell behind him. "H-How do you know where I live?""Caitlin why aren't you at work? I was worried when I didn't see you at work today," he said, ignoring her question."I... uhm... Dr. Wells is sick and...""He's sick?" Hunter asked incredulously, raising an eyebrow. "Caitlin, he's probably just playing tricks on you. He-""I found him on the floor after your argument when you told me everything was okay," Caitlin interrupted. She swallowed, uncertain, because she had interrupted him and spoken with such force that she would not have thought possible. Zolomon looked at her speechless. "I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean to interrupt you. I... It's just that... that...""Caitlin, don't you see what he's doing? Dr. Wells is trying to turn us against each other. He's dividing us." Hunter took a step closer to her and Caitlin took a small step back. He raised his hand to cup her cheek, but she flinched away. "I won't hurt you, Caitlin. I just want you to be safe and Harrison is doing the exact opposite. He's our boss and can fire us at will whenever he feels like it. That's why we have to stick together, okay?"Snow swallowed. Hunter was right. Harrison Wells was her boss and he could fire her whenever he wanted, but... Caitlin looked at Harrison, who was lying on the sofa with his eyes closed. Everyone only knew him as a mean boss who threatened to fire them, but she had seen another side of him. A side that was broken… just like her."Caitlin?" Blinking, she came out of her thoughts and looked at Hunter, who had been looking at her the whole time. "Is everything okay? You look nervous.""Y-Yeah, everything's fine.""Really? Can I come in for a moment?""U-Uhm..." Caitlin's heart was beating wildly in her chest. Why did her inner voice say not to let him in? She began to close the door a crack. "No, you don't have to come in. I'm doing well. Really.""Caitlin, is he with you right now? Doesn't he want me to come in to see you?""No, that's not it. Dr. Wells is-""Then let me come in," Hunter interrupted her, putting his hand on the edge of the door, which would prevent her from closing the door properly because his fingers would be between them."N-No, Hunter, I-I don't want you coming in my apartment," Caitlin tried to defend herself, but her voice only came out as a quiet, uncertain whisper."Caitlin, I…" Zolomon sighed almost desperately.Caitlin's right hand, which was resting against the wall of her apartment, was shaking slightly. She was scared. All she wanted was for Hunter to disappear. Memories came flooding back of her husband Steve pushing open the door to get into her room to do whatever he wanted with her. Her throat suddenly seemed to tighten. Panic began to rise within her as she felt like she could barely breathe. But then suddenly someone grabbed her right hand and squeezed it gently. Caitlin looked to her right and saw Harrison leaning against the wall. His hands held her hand while his eyes were on her. He gently rubbed circles over the back of her hand with his thumb. With this small gesture, she felt herself slowly calming down and her pulse returning to normal. Harrison was with her and he wouldn't leave her alone. Caitlin took a breath."Hunter, please. I'm doing well. I-I want you to go now," she said, trying to sound strong, but her voice was shaking.Zolomon opened his mouth, but closed it again and sighed. "Okay. If you don't want my help... But understand, Caitlin. I want to help you. I want to protect you from him.""You don't have to protect me from him," Caitlin replied and began to slowly close the door and Hunter let her, albeit reluctantly. "Dr. Wells is a good man. Goodbye."Zolomon removed his hand from the door and Snow closed the door. Caitlin stopped in front of the door and stared at it."Is everything okay?" she heard Harrison ask.She just shook her head as her legs buckled and Wells was just able to catch her as they both fell to the ground. Her trembling body found itself in his arms, which were gently wrapped around her. Her head rested against his chest while her fingers curled into his shirt."Shhh… everything is okay." His hand gently ran up and down her upper arm. "Everything is okay. Everything is fine." Harrison had an idea why she reacted so suddenly, so scared and almost having another panic attack. He closed his eyes and kissed her hair. "You are safe. You are in your apartment. Nobody can come in here. I am here. I will protect you."Both remained seated on the ground. Harrison didn't know for how long, but when he slowly pulled away, Caitlin had stopped crying and had closed her eyes. He wondered if she had fallen asleep and if he should wake her up, but he decided to sit there for a while. To enjoy her closeness. To feel her body against his."I'm sorry," he heard her quiet voice against his chest after a while."For what?" Harrison asked. Irritated that she apologized."I should take care of you. You're sick. But now…" Her voice trembled and she dug her fingers into his undershirt. "I'm so scared. I don't want... I don't want it to happen again. I don't want to… I…" Caitlin's breathing had quickened."Snow." Harrison carefully pulled away from her so he could look at her. Her hands were still clutching his shirt and shaking. He gently took her face in his hands while her eyes were fixed on him. "Breathe. Breathe…"He took a deep breath and she followed suit, only to exhale again. Harrison could clearly see the panic and fear in her eyes and it hurt him more than he wanted to admit. This young woman in front of him had already experienced so many bad things in her life and she couldn't forget it. She would never forget it. And he wanted to protect her even more. He wanted her to be happy, to smile, to have her eyes shine with joy. He gently stroked her cheeks with his thumb."Nothing will happen to you. I'm here with you, Snow. I won't leave you." Harrison leaned forward and his lips touched her forehead. Three days had passed and Caitlin was back in her lab, typing something into the computer in front of her. Dr. Wells had gone home two days ago after she insisted he stay with her another night to recover. She stopped and thought back to when his lips had touched her forehead. Gently. Cautious. That touch should have made her flinch, but it didn't. She had enjoyed this touch. A tingling feeling had spread through her body as his lips touched her forehead. Caitlin didn't know why, but she wanted to feel that touch again. She still remembered looking at him with wide eyes and flushed cheeks. Unable to say anything, she just looked at him. In the clear blue of his eyes. Harrison had gotten up and helped her up to sit her on the sofa. He had brought her a glass of water and then sat on the table in front of her. Her hands were still shaking when she took her first sips."Caitlin?" She jumped and turned around. Cisco stood at the entrance to her lab."Oh, hello Cisco," she greeted him with a smile. "What’s up?""Are you okay?""Uhm, yeah. Why?""Well, you've been so quiet at lunch the last few days. Okay, you're very quiet most of the time, but this time your mind seemed to be somewhere else. Has something happened between Hunter and you?" he asked.Caitlin swallowed. Hunter hadn't been at work for the last three days. "No. Everything is fine.""Really? You know you can always come to Barry, Iris or me if anything happens, Caitlin. We are your friends. We’re here for you." She nodded. "Okay. Then I have an important question for you.""O-Okay?""Are you coming to the Christmas market tonight?"She blinked, surprised at this question. "Uhm." Hunter had actually wanted to go with her, but since he didn't seem to be here, she would probably come alone. "Yes. I'll come.""Great! Should we meet there at 6 p.m.?""Sure," she said with a small smile. "Should I wear anything special?""Definitely warm clothes, because it's supposed to be pretty cold.""Okay, then I'll wear warm clothes.""Okay. See you there then," Cisco grinned and disappeared back out of the lab. Caitlin's gaze remained focused on the exit from the laboratory for a while. Would Dr. Wells be there too? He didn't exactly look like someone who would celebrate Christmas. She nibbled on her bottom lip as her hand came to rest on her heart. Why did it beat so fast? In the evening she met Barry, Cisco and Iris at the Christmas market. A huge Christmas tree had been put up and beautifully decorated. Colorful Christmas tree balls and a large amount of fairy lights hung around the tree. It smelled of cookies, roasted almonds, hot chocolate, tea and so much more."It's beautiful," Caitlin murmured with a smile. She remembered when she was little, how she used to stroll through the Christmas market with her father."Is everything okay? Why are you crying?" Iris asked her, putting her hand on her upper arm.Caitlin wiped her cheek and sure enough, she was crying. "Yes, everything is fine. I-I'm just so happy. The last time I was at a Christmas market was… years ago."Iris exchanged a quick glance with Barry and Cisco. The three suspected that something had happened to Caitlin, but they always tried to show her nice things to separate her from her dark memories."Okay.""Look! There are roasted almonds!" said Cisco and ran to a small stand where a small line of people had already formed.Barry laughed. "I think we should follow him or we'll lose him."Iris and Caitlin also laughed and followed him. The four of them stopped at almost every stall to sample the desserts until they stopped at a tea stall to sit at a bar table. There was an ice skating rink in front of them."Shall we do a few laps?" Barry asked, nodding toward the skating rink."You don't have to ask me twice. I'm in," Cisco grinned."Me too," Iris replied.The three looked at Caitlin. "Oh, u-uhm... I'm not a good ice skater. I'd rather watch you.""Come on, we'll show you," Cisco said."No no. I'll watch you from here.""If she doesn't want to, then we respect your decision," Iris replied."Well then, let's find the guy who rents out the skates," Barry said."Are you watching our drinks?" Cisco asked. "Not some elves stealing from us.""Yes, I will," Caitlin smiled.The three disappeared in search of the man who gave out the skates, leaving Snow alone. She took a sip of her hot tea when Hunter Zolomon suddenly walked towards her. Caitlin sucked in a sharp breath when she saw him."Hello, Caitlin," he greeted her warmly with a smile."H-Hello, Hunter," she said, forcing a smile. "W-What are you doing here?"Zolomon raised an eyebrow, clearly irritated by her question. "Today is the day we all go to the Christmas market. I was just a little late today. The last few days... I had to do something which is why I didn't show up for work.""I understand." She played nervously with her cup. She looked around and saw all the people around her. Nothing would happen to her, right? But why was she suddenly so afraid of Hunter? He was a nice guy, but why did her body resist him so much when he was around her? Her body and her feelings were trying to tell her something and she always took that seriously because she hadn't when she married her husband after a few months."Where are Barry and the others?" Hunter asked, looking around."They went to the skating rink. They're already on it. You'll see them there," Caitlin said, pointing in the direction where she had spotted the three. Zolomon followed her finger, placing his other hand on top of her other hand that was still on the table."I see them. Why don't you come to the skating rink. Ice skating is fun.""I can't ice skate," Caitlin replied, pulling her hand away from his to wrap both of her hands around the cup. "I tried when I was a little girl, but I always ended up on the floor.""How about I show you?" Hunter suggested, but Caitlin shook her head. "Oh come on. Are you afraid that I'll drop you?""No, I-I..." I don't want to be alone with you."So what are you afraid of, Caitlin?" he asked and came a little closer. "Hm? You can tell me anything. I'm your friend, just like Cisco, Barry and Iris." She shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other and was about to move a little further away from him when Zolomon took her hand. "Tell me, Caitlin."Snow's breathing quickened and panic began to spread through her. She wanted to answer him, but her head wouldn't cooperate. She couldn't think clearly for fear of what Hunter would do."Dr. Zolomon, you should accept a woman's decision and not pressure her like that," she heard a gravelly voice that she had gotten to know all too well over the days. Relief flooded through her body and she looked to her left.Dr. Harrison Wells stood in front of them, just two meters away. He slowly came to the table and stood at the table, standing a little closer to Caitlin. His gaze briefly flicked to Hunter's hand, which was still holding Caitlin's hand. Zolomon immediately let go of her hand. Snow gulped when she saw Harrison's look. So cold and full of anger."What are you doing here, Dr. Wells?" Hunter asked, and she could clearly hear his irritation."Definitely not the same as you.""What does that mean?""You know exactly what I mean by that and if I see it again I'll call the police.""Excuse me?""You already understood me. I also want to give you a Christmas present," Harrison replied. Zolomon looked at him confused. Dr. Wells reached into his coat and pulled out a letter to hand to him. "To take away the anticipation of a raise, I can tell you that it isn't one. However, you should look for a new job."Hunter stared at Harrison, dumbfounded. "What?! Why?""You did a good job, Zolomon, but after a while I realized that you no longer wanted to represent my company's interests. Besides, you haven't been seen for three days. There was no call, no email. Even when you showed up at the company again today, you didn't come to me to ask me why you haven't come to work for the last three days.""I was...""I don't want to hear your excuse, Zolomon," Dr. Wells interrupted. "You're fired."Hunter stared at his former boss. "I worked for your company for 6 years! And you're just going to fire me because...""Exactly. And there's no point trying to talk you out of it or apologize anymore, Zolomon," Harrison replied. "I won't hire you again.""We're not done yet!" Hunter growled."Oh yes, we are.""You'll regret it!" Hunter stormed off angrily.
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Caitlin watched Jay disappear into the crowds of people."Are you okay?" She turned her attention back to Harrison Wells, who was looking at her with concern. "Did he hurt you?""U-Uhm... No," she said, gripping her cup a little tighter. "Thank you."Harrison smiled and turned toward the skating rink. "Don't you want to go ice skating with your friends?"Caitlin shook her head. "No, I can't ice skate. I tried it out when I was little, but I realized it wasn't really my sport.""I understand."Harrison turned his gaze back to the skating rink, his eyes having been on Snow for a brief moment. Caitlin watched him. She had thought that he would now ask her if he could show her too, but he didn't. If he had asked her, she might even have said yes, because she felt safe in his presence."Would you like to stroll through the Christmas market?" Harrison asked, looking at her.She quickly lowered her eyes and she could feel herself blushing as she hoped he hadn't noticed her staring at him."Uhm…" Caitlin nibbled nervously on her bottom lip."If you don't want to, that's okay, Snow," he replied, smiling. "I won't pressure you into anything. I won't do anything you don't want or something you feel uncomfortable with. Never."Her eyes widened as she heard his words and she raised her gaze only to look into his clear blue eyes. She kept trying to read something in those beautiful eyes. Something where she believed he was lying, that he had some dark desire, that he was like her ex-husband Steve. But whenever she looked into his eyes, she saw kindness, warmth, concern for her. Harrison wasn't like Steve. He would never be and she had to start accepting that, even if it was hard. But if she didn't try to move on from her past, she would never be happy. Never be free."I... I would like to stroll through the Christmas market with you." She said the words before she could even think about them."Snow, you don't have to. Really."Caitlin gathered her courage and said, "But I'd like to go with you."Harrison smiled. "All right then. Then let’s go." He stepped aside to let her go first."But I still have to let Barry and the others know, otherwise they'll definitely be worried," she said, hoping he didn't take it as if it was a warning that now the others knew who she was going through the Christmas market with."Of course," was all he said.After Caitlin had told her friends that she was strolling through the market with Harrison Wells, they had wished her a good time and told her that she would probably find them again at the skating rink and if not, they would send her a message of their new location."Look!" Caitlin said cheerfully as they passed a shop window displaying snowy owls, reindeer, elves, Santas and many more stuffed animals. She took a snowy owl from one of the three baskets outside and held it in front of Harrison. "Isn't she beautiful?""Yes, she is," he said, his eyes on her.Caitlin put the snowy owl back in the basket and the two continued on their way. The smell of Christmas was in the air when Caitlin suddenly stopped. Her gaze stares straight ahead."Snow? What is it?" asked Dr. Wells worriedly, following her gaze.In front of them, just a few meters away, was a dance floor where people were dancing to a song. As if in a trance, she walked towards it and Harrison followed her wordlessly with a small smile on his lips. The two stopped in front of the small dance floor and watched the couples dance. A quiet Christmas song was playing in the background. Harrison watched Caitlin from the side. Her lips were slightly parted, causing small clouds to come out of her mouth. Her cheeks were covered in a soft pink from the cold and her brown eyes shone with joy. With a quick glance at the dance floor, he stood diagonally in front of her and held out his hand."Will you give me this dance?"Caitlin looked at him with wide eyes. "I-I… I haven't danced in a long time. I don't know if I can do this anymore," she stuttered, fidgeting nervously with her fingers hidden in her gloves."Don't be afraid, Snow. I won’t let you go," he said with a small smile on his lips.Caitlin felt the heat rush to her cheeks, making them blush. Somewhat hesitantly, she reached out to place her hand in his still outstretched hand. She let Harrison lead her onto the dance floor. She looked nervously from left to right. All the couples were with themselves and didn't seem to have noticed the two of them coming onto the dance floor."Snow." Two fingers gently touched her chin and turned her face to look at Harrison. "Block out the people around you. Just look at me, okay?"Caitlin swallowed and nodded. The tingling feeling inside her remained as he removed his fingers from her chin. She put her arms around him. At the same moment she felt his strong arms carefully wrap around her body and she was gently pressed against him."Is that okay with you?" Harrison asked. "If you're uncomfortable, then...""No, it's fine," she said in a quiet voice and a small, shy smile.Caitlin felt the heat rush to her cheeks again, making her cheeks flush. She lowered her gaze to his chest. The two slowly began to dance to the song. Again and again she felt his arms tighten around her for a brief moment, but then immediately loosen a little, as if he was afraid that she would become afraid if he held her too tightly. Caitlin was as close to him again as she had been when he had been in her bedroom after he had brought her out of her nightmare. His cologne went up her nose. It was a cologne that was used by many men and yet it did something to her that made her slightly dizzy.She felt his hands on her back near her bottom, but they never moved further down, but always stayed in place or moved a little higher. Caitlin slowly raised her head again and looked into Dr. Wells' face. His gaze was on her and traveled to her lips for a brief moment as she moistened them with her tongue. For a few seconds she could see something flashing in his eyes, but it disappeared as quickly as it came before she could interpret it. Deep inside she felt the warmth drawing her to him. She wanted to trust him, confide in him. She wanted to tell him what had happened to her, but when would be the best time? For the first time in months, she felt safe being alone with a man. Caitlin laid her head against his chest and closed her eyes to enjoy his closeness and felt Harrison wrap his arms around her a little tighter. They moved slowly to the beat of the song. "Thank you so much for the dance," Caitlin said a little later as the two of them continued to stroll through the Christmas market holding hands. "I had completely forgotten how nice it is to dance with someone."After the dance they went to the Christmas tree, which was to be lit at 11 p.m. Barry, Iris and Cisco had texted her shortly after 10 p.m. that they were going home. A large crowd of people had gathered in front of them and Caitlin had become nervous. Harrison had noticed and offered her his hand. This time she took his hand without hesitation and he led her through the crowd to the Christmas tree. He hadn't let go of her hand since then."I'm glad you liked it. When you told me you liked dancing, I thought it would be a nice idea.""You knew there was a dance floor here?" Caitlin asked, looking at him in surprise."Yes. We have this dance floor every year at this Christmas market," Harrison replied with a small smile.So he hadn't forgotten when she told him on the way to the hospital that evening that she had loved dancing with her father as a little child."How are you, Harrison? Do you still have nausea or a headache?" she asked, stopping. Caitlin knew she was ruining the moment they had just had, but she cared about him.He smiled. "I'm doing well. The nausea is gone, but I'll probably have the headache for a while, although it's not as bad as before.""That's good," Caitlin replied."Mommy, look. The two of them are standing under a mistletoe, but they're not kissing," the two heard a little boy say."Micah, shh!" The two looked at the child and his mother. "Sorry," she apologized for her son and took his hand to continue walking with him.Harrison chuckled. "The little boy is right."Caitlin tipped her head back to look up and sure enough there was mistletoe hanging above them. As she let her gaze wander, some mistletoe branches were hanging on a few strings and she saw a few couples kissing under them. Caitlin turned her face back to Harrison, who kept his eyes on her."So... uhm..." she stammered, feeling herself blush, but she fell completely silent as his fingers gently curled around her chin to lift it slightly. Caitlin let out a shaky breath. Her eyes widened slightly and her heart pounded wildly against her chest. Would he kiss her now? Harrison leaned forward and their breaths mingled together. But his lips did not rest on hers, but on her forehead. Gently and tenderly. She closed her eyes and felt the tingling feeling take over her body again. It seemed as if time stood still for her, even if it was only for a brief moment. As his lips left her forehead, Caitlin opened her eyes again and looked at Harrison with her lips slightly parted. He smiled at her and lowered his hand that had been cupping her chin. A cold wind blew through her clothes, making her shiver."Are you cold?" Harrison asked worriedly.Caitlin wanted to say no, but now she realized she was really cold and how tired she was. "Yes. I think I can barely feel my toes anymore." They both laughed. "I-I should go home. It's late and I wanted to bake cookies tomorrow. After all, it's Christmas next week.""Oh? You bake cookies?" Harrison asked curiously as the two started moving again."Yes. It's an old recipe from my grandmother. When she died, she left me all the recipes she had collected over the years," she told him, smiling sadly as she thought of her grandmother."This is a wonderful gift.""Yes, it is.""Would you be okay if I took you home?" Harrison asked cautiously. "I would feel better if you didn't go alone."Caitlin nodded. "Yes, thank you very much, Harry. Oh, I mean, Harrison, I'm sorry."He laughed. "That doesn't matter. You can call me Harrison or Harry.""Really?" she asked uncertainly, searching his eyes for anger or annoyance, but she found nothing."Yes.""Can I ask you something?" Caitlin asked after a short silence."Of course.""Have your friends used to call you Harry?"Harrison blinked, surprised at the question. "No. I didn't have very many friends, to be honest I was mostly alone as I was much smarter when it came to my classmates which they didn’t like. Old Mary was the first to call me that and the only one to call me that." His eyes fell on her and he smiled. "But now you're the second person who can call me Harry if you want." He winked at her. A little later the two of them stood at the front door of the building where she lived. Harrison had taken her with him in his car."I wish you a good night and have fun baking cookies tomorrow," he said."U-Uhm… Do you want to…" She bit the inside of her cheek. "Would you like to come up for some tea? To warm you up a bit before you go home?"It was a big step for her and she had gathered all her courage to ask him the question. Harrison was aware of this and it made him proud that Caitlin seemed to be slowly trusting him. He smiled. "I'd like to have tea with you."The two of them went into the building and went up the stairs to her apartment, but then Harrison stopped and held Caitlin back by the arm. She looked at him questioningly."Your apartment was broken into.""What?" She looked at the door and the lock.Her eyes widened as she saw that it had been destroyed and the door was ajar. She hadn't even noticed because she was so excited that Harrison was going to have tea with her. Her eyes widened in shock and her hands clutched his arm."I'll call Joe. He's a police officer and will be here in a few minutes," said Dr. Wells, who had already taken out his cell phone.Caitlin stared at the apartment door in shock. The home she had been able to call her own, the one that had protected her, was now devastated and no longer safe. But where should she find shelter now? Iris! She would certainly let her move in with her and her father Joe in the guest room, at least until she found a new place to live."…Okay. Good. See you soon." Harrison put his phone back in his pocket and looked at Caitlin. "Joe will be here in a few minutes."She could only nod, because she couldn't say a word. Her eyes filled with tears and streamed down her face. Someone had been in her apartment. But who? She would never feel safe in it again. She blinked as Harrison gently wiped her tears from her cheeks and took her gently in his arms. He knew he was crossing the line he had drawn for himself because he didn't want to rush things. He didn't want to scare her, but at that moment he couldn't help but hug her. For a brief moment Caitlin seemed frozen, but then her arms wrapped around him and she pressed herself against him. She sobbed. Her whole body shook."Shhh." He stroked her back soothingly. "The most important thing is that you're okay. You weren't there when the burglar was in there. It's just that time of year again when a lot of break-ins happen." Hot tears flowed down her cheeks as she nodded. "We'll find you a new apartment because I'm sure you don't want to live here anymore, right?" Caitlin nodded. Harrison pulled away so he could look at her and placed his hands on her cheeks. He wiped away her tears with his thumbs. "As long as you don't have an apartment... Would you like to live with me? It's the least I can do after occupying your couch for all these days."It was a risky question, he knew, but he couldn't leave her alone. He wanted to protect her, especially now. Caitlin swallowed. But she was spared an answer because Joe came running up and behind him a handful of people from the station."Good evening, Dr. Wells, Caitlin," he greeted them both. "Are you okay?""We're okay. I brought Dr. Snow home as it was late and she offered me some tea. We didn't even get in because we found the door like that," Harrison described the situation to the police officer."Okay. Are you really alright, Caitlin?" Joe asked, looking concerned at the young woman standing in front of him with her arms wrapped around her waist. She nodded. "It's the shock. It will pass again." She nodded again. "Good. My people and I will comb every room looking for possible fingerprints. Please wait out here."Harrison nodded. With one last look at Caitlin, Joe went into the apartment where his team had already gotten to work. An hour later the team was finished and had found something else shocking besides Caitlin and Harrison's fingerprints, with Caitlin explaining to them why Dr. Wells' fingerprints were there."What-what is that?" Caitlin asked, eyes wide in shock as Joe held a handful of small black boxes with cables in his hand. Harrison closed his eyes for a moment, knowing what those little boxes were."Those are cameras," Joe replied. She stared at him in horror. "We found some in the bedroom, bathroom and living room. They were very well hidden.""Snow!" Harrison was just able to catch Caitlin when her legs suddenly gave way and both of them sank to the ground. She held her left hand over her mouth while her right hand clutched Harrison's arm. She breathed in and out frantically. New tears flowed down her cheeks. Someone had seen her when she was naked! She felt sick."We're going to ask the landlord right away," Joe said, then continued in a gentle voice, "Do you know where you can sleep tonight?"Caitlin nodded and turned to Harrison to bury her face in the crook of his neck."She'll stay with me until she finds a new place to live," she heard him say."Okay. I'll let you know immediately if we know anything new," Joe said, saying goodbye to the two of them. Shortly before 3 a.m., Harrison opened the double doors to his gigantic mansion. After Caitlin felt safe enough to stand again, they left the building and he drove with her to her house. They hadn't gone back into the apartment to take things out. Harrison would take care of that tomorrow so that she had her own clothes, as well as the bathroom with the things a woman needed. Now Caitlin clung to him and wouldn't let him go. He led her straight to the bedroom because he was sure she was tired and exhausted, even if she didn't think she could sleep right now. He turned on the light switch, instantly bathing the room in a warm glow from the ceiling lights. A four-poster bed stood in the middle of the room. To the left and right there was a bedside table with a lamp on each and a gigantic window could be seen on the opposite side of them, which was now covered by dark curtains. To their right a door led to his walk-in closet."You can sleep in bed. I'll take the sofa in the living room," he said.Caitlin shook her head violently. "No. Please stay with me. I-I don't want to be alone."She looked at him with her reddened eyes. Her face was slightly puffy from crying so much. He gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind his ear."Okay, but you should wear something different. I'll get you one of my pajamas. They might be a little big, but at least they're cozier than street clothes. I'll change in the living room and when I'm done I'll knock on the door and wait outside until you invite me in."Caitlin nodded. Harrison pulled away from her to disappear into the walk-in closet and return a few seconds later with pajamas in his hands and a toothbrush. He put the pajamas on her bed."I'll put the toothbrush in the bathroom if you want to brush your teeth. When you leave here it's just to the left down the hall," he said. Caitlin nodded silently again. She looked as if she were in thought and not completely in her right mind. "Okay. When I'm done, I'll knock on the door and only when you invite me in will I come in."He repeated the last sentence again so that he was sure that Caitlin had heard him and she was aware that he wouldn't burst in. As he left the bedroom, he closed the door behind him. Caitlin collapsed on her knees and cried bitterly. Why did something like this happen to her? Hadn't she suffered enough already? The minutes passed as she just sat on the floor and let her tears flow until she finally pulled herself together to undress and slip into her pajamas. The pajamas smelled like laundry detergent and Harrison's cologne. It lulled her like a warm blanket and she felt safe. She had placed her clothes on the only chair in the corner of the room. A gentle knock made her jump around in shock."Snow? Are you done?" she heard Harrison's gentle voice from outside.She exhaled and went to open the door. Harrison wore the same pajamas as her, but the only difference was that the pajamas fit him and she had to turn up the sleeves and trouser ends a few times. His gaze briefly wandered over her body before returning to her face. He swallowed thickly."Come. We should go to sleep."Caitlin nodded and let him in. "I-I turned on the lamps on the bedside tables. Is it okay if we leave them on overnight?""You can turn them on every night, Snow, as long as they keep you safe," Harrison replied with a small smile.They both climbed into bed and he thought Caitlin stayed on her side, but she crawled over to him. When she saw his surprised look, she paused."U-Uhm... I..."Harrison smiled and raised his arm as an invitation for her to come to him. She crawled over to him and snuggled up to him. Her fingers carefully curled into his pajama top. He gently put his arm around her and covered her with the blanket. A few minutes passed before Harrison heard her breathing evenly. He kissed her hair."Good night, Caitlin."
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When Caitlin woke up the next morning it was already light outside. Rays of light shone through the slits of the dark curtains, which were still drawn. She slowly sat up. She had hoped deep down inside that what had happened yesterday wasn't true, but being here in her boss's bed drowned her hope. In her boss's bed... In her boss's bed! Caitlin's eyes widened in shock as she remembered cuddling up to him. Heat rushed to her cheeks and she buried her face in her hands in embarrassment. She had been so scared and winded that she hadn't realized what she had done. All she knew was that she didn't want to be alone, that she needed someone to make her feel safe at this moment. And Harrison Wells was that person."Oh Caitlin, you really need to apologize to him," she said quietly to herself. She lifted her head as the smell of freshly brewed coffee hit her nose. Harrison was in the kitchen preparing breakfast for Caitlin and himself. He had made pancakes, fruit, baguette, ham, tea and orange juice. Right now he was making eggs and bacon for her while the freshly made coffee was already on the table. After five hours of sleep, he had woken up with Caitlin still in his arms. She had been sound asleep and her fingers were still curled into his top. His fingertips had gently caressed her temple down to her cheek. He wanted to lie with her longer and watch her sleep, but he wanted to buy her clothes and some groceries since his current ones wouldn't be enough for two. Harrison remembered carefully removing her fingers from his top and placing a gentle kiss on her knuckles.
His thoughts were interrupted when he saw Caitlin walk into the kitchen out of the corner of his eye. He bit his bottom lip as she stood there in front of him. She was still wearing the pajamas he had given her, which were a few inches too big for her. While he stood there in his usual black clothes."G-Good morning," she said shyly, lowering her eyes."Good morning, Snow. Did you sleep well?" he asked with a small smile.Caitlin nodded. "Uhm... I wanted to apologize to you."Harrison frowned. "Apologize? For what?""I-I shouldn't have been so pushy. I should have slept on my side of the bed," Caitlin told him, her voice growing quieter by the end of the sentence. Harry wanted to answer something, but she continued. "But I was so scared. I-I…" She began to hyperventilate. Tears flowed down her cheeks. "I thought… I thought it was him. That he found me.""Shhh." Harrison was there immediately. He carefully took her in his arms and rubbed soothing circles on her back. "No one is here except the two of us. We are in my house. Nobody will be able to harm you here, I won't allow that. You will be safe here. Always!" I swear this to you, Snow!Caitlin had buried her face in his chest and he could feel her shaking hands on his back, pressing tightly against him. His chin rested on her hair until he slowly pulled away to look at her. His fingers curled around her chin to lift it and her eyes rested on his face. He gently wiped her tears from her flushed cheeks."You have nothing to apologize for, Snow," Harrison said softly. "Besides, I would have said something if I didn't want you so close to me." He winked at her and gave her a wry smile. She lowered her eyes in embarrassment as her stomach grumbled."Oh.""Someone's hungry. I've already prepared breakfast," Harry said, stepping aside to reveal all the food. Caitlin's eyes widened in amazement as she saw all the food on the large gray marble kitchen island."Did you do all that? But it's so much. Neither of us can eat that.""I didn't know what you liked and I thought you deserved a proper breakfast after tonight," Harry told her, his eyes on her. "You can start now. I'm just going to go change quickly.""Okay."Caitlin sat down on one of the four bar stools, where one of two plates was. A few minutes later, Harrison came back changed and was now wearing a white t-shirt with cozy gray sweatpants and socks."Breakfast is incredibly delicious," said Caitlin, biting into a piece of the baguette."I'm glad to hear that," Harrison replied, smiling and taking his plate to sit across from her at the kitchen island and help himself to some of the food."Did you do all that?" she asked curiously."Yes. Well, not everything. I bought the baguette from a baker," replied Harrison.Caitlin smiled. "You did all that this morning?""Yes.""But why didn't you wake me up? I could have helped you.""Snow, you had to sleep. After that night you needed rest. Besides, I didn't mind. This isn't the first time I've gone shopping. I also bought you some clothes for you. I hope they fit you. And if you tell me you're going to pay me back, I won't accept it. It's a gift to you."Caitlin blinked at him in surprise and disbelief. "Y-You bought me clothes?""Yes. I wasn't sure..." He cleared his throat and paused for a moment before speaking, "I'm sorry if I offended you with that. I thought… I thought that you might want something fresh to wear, but of course if you want to put your clothes on when we get your things from the apartment then…" Harry stopped mid-sentence as he saw tears forming gathered in Caitlin's eyes. "No no no. Please don't cry." He jumped up from his chair to walk around the kitchen island and get to her. His hands placed gently on her upper arms. "Please don't cry. I'm sorry, Snow.""I'm not sad," she said in a quiet voice. "I'm happy." She lifted her head and looked at him. Now it was Harrison who looked at her in surprise. Caitlin took a shaky breath and swallowed. "When I was…" She swallowed again. She fought for her courage to tell him part of her past. Harry gently took her hands in his and squeezed them gently, as if he wanted to give her strength and courage for what she wanted to tell him. "When I still lived in Canada... I was completely alone. Nobody was there for me. I-I had a best friend, but…" She bit her bottom lip. "But she didn't see what was going on. I-I tried to give her hints, but she didn’t notice or didn’t want to believe it wasn’t true."Harrison could only guess who she was talking about, because she had briefly mentioned in her interview that she had gotten married but was now living alone again. Her husband must have done bad things to her and the realization hurt him to the core. How could this man do such cruel and unforgivable things to a woman as wonderful as Caitlin? He bent his knees slightly so that he was at the same eye level as Caitlin. He gently wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs. He didn't want to see her cry again, never wanted to see her sad again. He wanted to give her a future where she would only smile and be happy. She had experienced too much pain."I know I've only known Barry, Cisco, Iris and... and you, Harrison, for a few months, but..." Her bottom lip trembled. "But I feel like I've made friends for life."Harrison placed his right hand on her cheek and for a moment she closed her eyes to enjoy his touch. "No matter where your path takes you, I will always be there for you, Snow." Caitlin smiled gratefully. She didn't know what to say. She had never experienced such helpfulness or even compassion from anyone. "Where's your cell phone?""U-Uhm..." She blinked, surprised by the question. "In my pocket. Why?""Can you get it?" he asked her."Uhm, yes. One second." Caitlin stood up and disappeared into the bedroom for a brief moment, only to come back into the kitchen seconds later where Harrison was waiting for her. She looked at him questioningly."Could you unlock it for me?" Caitlin did. "May I?" He pointed to her cell phone. She hesitated for a moment, but then she handed him her cell phone. Harrison typed something and then held it out to her. A number was visible and his name. "This is my private cell phone number. Now you can reach me privately if there's anything or you just need someone to talk to." Caitlin looked at him with wide eyes. He gave her his private cell phone number! "If you're in doubt..."Harry tapped the green call button and just a few seconds later his own cell phone rang. He took it out of his pocket and held it out to her. Caitlin saw her own cell phone number on the screen of his phone. He put it back in his pocket and gave hers back to her."I have another surprise for you," he said with a mischievous smile."Another surprise?" she asked curiously."Mhm." He circled the kitchen island again to pick up a shopping bag from the floor and place it in front of her. She could see flour, sugar, eggs, chocolate and many other things needed to make cookies. "You said you wanted to bake cookies today and I thought we could do it here in my house. T-Together." Harry cleared his throat and waited for her answer.Caitlin looked up from the groceries to look at him. A smile spread across her face and she nodded. "Yes. I would like to bake the cookies with you."Harrison exhaled slowly, having held his breath for the short time he had waited for her answer. He didn't want her to feel pressured or think he was trying to get to her. He wanted her with every fibre in his body, but he would wait. He would wait for her to make the first move and he didn't care how long he had to wait. Maybe this step would never come, he was aware of this, but he wanted it that way. Caitlin should be sure of her feelings and not have his forced upon her. His train of thought was interrupted when Snow's cell phone rang. The name Iris West could be read on the display."May I?" Caitlin asked."But of course. You don't have to ask me about that, Snow. You can do whatever you want here," Harrison replied. You're not a prisoner. "I'll prepare the cookie dough in the meantime.""I'll help you as soon as I'm done talking," she promised him."Take your time. No stress." He began to pull out the items needed to make dough when he heard Caitlin talking to Iris in the background."I'm fine, Iris, really," she assured her friend. "Dr. Wells offered that I could live with him until I had my own apartment again."Dr. Wells. He knew she didn't say his first name because it might sound too personal. With a sigh he turned to the eggs when he paused and groaned."Oh. Yes. I-I see." Harrison was now listening intently to the conversation when he heard her somewhat sad voice. "Yes, I will. Okay. Goodbye." Caitlin hung up and stared at the large sofa in the living room for a moment before turning to go back to the kitchen. "What's wrong?"He turned to Caitlin, who came over to him and had placed her cell phone on the kitchen island. "I just realized I don't have a recipe for cookies," Harry told her, scratching his head sheepishly."You don’t have any recipes for cookies?" she asked, incredulous."I... I gave everything away or threw it away after..." he said in a thick voice. He cleared his throat. "After the deaths of my wife Tess and my daughter Jesse."Caitlin placed her hand on his arm sympathetically. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…""It's okay," he interrupted her, forcing a smile. "Besides, there's the internet where we can look up the recipes.""Or we could use my grandmother's recipes," Caitlin suggested."That's a great idea!""But-But the recipes are in my apartment.""Oh..." Harry knew what that meant. "If you want, we can go to your apartment and get the recipes, as well as a few other things." He gently placed his hand on hers, which was still on his arm. "I'll be with you all the time," he promised her, seeing the fear in her eyes.Caitlin nodded. "Okay.""Do you want to wear your clothes or do you want to pick out some of the clothes I bought?" Harrison asked."Harry y-you didn’t have to buy me anything. I…""Snow." She looked at him as he removed her hand from his arm and took it in his, gently stroking the back of her hand with his thumb. "I want you to be well and happy." Is it too much to ask? "Please, Snow."Caitlin looked into his blue eyes, which looked almost pleadingly at her. She had experienced so much pain from her husband and friends who had abandoned her. And Harry wanted her to be okay. However, it was so difficult for her to accept anything from someone who had something good in mind. She had been too disappointed and broken by the man she had once loved who had turned out to be a monster. Her gaze moved away from him to briefly wander over the breakfast and then back to him. Harrison was so good to her. He never asked her to do anything except do her job well, which of course was a given. Job! Harrison Wells was still her employer. He was her boss! She couldn’t… Caitlin carefully removed her hand from him and took a small step back. He looked at her questioningly. She could see the confusion and fear in his eyes that he had done something wrong. To had come too close to her and now she was afraid."I-I’ll wear my clothes from yesterday. Then I'll pack up my things from the apartment and look for a small hotel room where I can stay until I find somewhere to live again."Harry frowned, confused. "Hotel room? You won't find a free room now, Snow. It's just before Christmas.""I really appreciate your hospitality, but I can't," Caitlin said. "I'm sorry, Dr. Wells."Dr. Wells. Harrison flinched slightly when he heard it. He looked into her eyes, trying to read in them why she suddenly decided not to live with him anymore, but she lowered her eyes. He wanted to tell her so much to make her stay, to make her change her mind, but he didn't want to force her or force himself on her. He nodded slowly. He would respect her request, how could he not."Okay. You can change your clothes first. I'll wait here for a while." Harry began to put the eggs in the fridge. Caitlin nodded and went into the bedroom, closing the door behind her. An hour later, just after 12 p.m., the two of them stood in front of Caitlin's locked apartment door. She swallowed. What would await her behind the door?"Don't be afraid," Harrison said in a soft voice. "I'm here with you."Caitlin took another deep breath before using the key to open the door and enter the apartment. Everything had been devastated. Pictures on the walls that she had bought were lying on the floor and had been destroyed. Her clothes were scattered on the floor. The couch in her living room had been slashed with a knife. There were broken pieces of dishes and glasses in the kitchen. The sight of this devastation brought tears to her eyes. She felt Harry's hand place compassionately on her shoulder to give her strength and courage."Want me to help you with anything?" he asked quietly."U-Uhm…" Caitlin sniffed and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Yes. My grandma's recipes are in the kitchen. In the top right of the kitchen cupboard in a can.""Okay."Harrison walked past her into the kitchen and heard the broken glass crunching on the floor under the soles of his shoes. Caitlin went into the bathroom and slowly began to pack everything she needed into a small bag."Snow."She turned around and saw Harrison standing at the entrance to the bathroom with a large flat cylinder can in his hand. She smiled."Yes, that's the can. You are welcome to open it and look at the recipes. My grandmother always kept them there." Her smile faded a little when she saw his look and made no move to open the can. "What is it?""I already opened the can because I was curious, but..." Caitlin didn't let him finish and grabbed the can to open it and then dropped it in shock. It clattered to the ground and with it the black ash that was found inside. "I'm sorry."Her eyes were wide and she felt the nausea taking over her body. She turned to the sink and vomited. Harry's hand ran gently and in soothing circles over her back. Someone had not only broken into her apartment, but had also destroyed the thing she held most dear. Harrison was simmering with anger and pain. He wanted whoever did this to Caitlin to be punished and he didn't care how. He wanted to take her in his arms, hold her close, to show her that she wasn't alone, but he didn't know if it was too much for her at that moment.After half an hour, Caitlin had packed everything important into a small suitcase that she could pull behind her. Now they stood outside the building to say goodbye to each other."Don't you want to reconsider?" Harry asked, still hoping.Caitlin shook her head. "Thank you, Dr. Wells, but I really can't accept your offer."He exhaled. "Okay. But if anything happens, you can always reach me, Snow." She nodded and began to walk away from the building and him. Harrison stood there and watched her go. Not once did she turn back to him. Late in the evening, when it had started to snow outside, Harrison was sitting on the sofa in his living room with a glass of whiskey in his hand. His gaze was focused on the television in front of him, a few meters away, while to his left a fire crackled in a fireplace. But his thoughts weren't on the film, but on Caitlin. He wondered where she was. Whether she was okay. Whether he should call her and just ask. Harry picked up his phone and looked at the screen. No message or missed call. Nothing except the lock screen background and the time could be seen on the phone. 11:24 p.m.. He raised his eyes when the doorbell suddenly rang. Who would...? Harry placed the glass on the table and jumped up from the sofa to run to the door. He opened the door and out came Caitlin Snow with her suitcase. Her cheeks were red from the icy cold, as were her eyes. It looked like she had been crying."Snow.""I-I'm sorry, but-but I didn't know where to go," she sobbed. "No hotel had a room left. Iris and Joe are invited to dinner with Barry and his parents and Cisco is with his family. I wanted to go back to the apartment, but I-I don't feel safe there anymore." Tears flowed down her cheeks. "I-Is the offer still there?""Of course. Come in."Harry made room for her and carefully took the suitcase from her. When the door was closed, Caitlin turned to him."I...""You don't have to apologize or explain yourself," he said, giving her a smile. Caitlin nodded and smiled as more tears streamed down her face. "May I?"She nodded again and so Harry wrapped her in his arms to hold her close. Her fingers curled into his shirt and she buried her face in his chest. He stroked her back soothingly while his chin rested on her head."I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Harry," she whimpered."Shhh. It's okay. I'm just glad you're okay. I would never have forgiven myself if something had happened to you," Harrison whispered, relieved that she was using his name again and that she was okay. He pulled away to give her a tender kiss on the forehead. He gently placed his hand on her cheek to stroke it with his thumb. Warmth met cold. "You're ice cold. Wait a moment. You didn't just walk here, right?"She cast her eyes down. "My phone didn't have enough battery left and died two hours ago. I also didn't have enough cash for a taxi and the driver didn't have a device for my card.""Snow, what are you doing? Not that you're going to get sick!" he said, now clearly worried about her. "Do you want to use my shower?""Really? I-I can?" Caitlin's eyes widened.Harrison chuckled. "Of course, but please don't come out until you're really warm again, okay?" Caitlin nodded. "Good. I'll make you something to eat in the meantime.""That's not necessary. I…" She stopped immediately as his fingers pressed gently to her lips to stop her from speaking."Snow please. Do it for me, okay?"Caitlin swallowed and could only nod her head, because if she had used her voice all that would have come out was a small squeak. His fingers were warm and rough in a few places, which probably had to do with his job as he not only sat behind a desk but also helped out from time to time. She felt very warm all of a sudden and the tingling feeling took over her body again, leaving goosebumps on her cool skin. He removed his fingers from her lips again, only to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear and she already missed that touch."I'll leave a pair of pajamas outside by the door for you to wear. When you're done you'll find me in the living room with your dinner," Harry said and before Caitlin could reply he disappeared into the kitchen.She remained rooted in her place for a few seconds until she decided to go to the bathroom to take off her clothes and take a shower. She stayed in the shower until there was no more hot water and her skin was all shriveled up. With a white towel wrapped around her upper body, she carefully opened the bathroom door a crack and peeked out. No one was to be seen in the hallway. Her eyes fell to the floor and, as promised, there was a pajama lying there. However, the pajama was not blue like the one she had gotten from Harrison, but were a delicate pink tone. She quickly took it and closed the door again to put it on. The pajama were a little too big, but she liked it because the sleeves weren't so short and she could hide her hands in them.She opened the window to ventilate before leaving the bathroom to go into the living room, where she heard quiet voices. Harrison sat on the sofa and watched TV. On the table in front of him was his glass of whiskey and next to it a bowl of pasta and minced meat. A glass of water was also available, as was cutlery. Harry looked at her, noticing her in the corner of his eye. A smile spread across his face when he saw her."I hope you like and fit the pajama. I estimated your size when I was shopping for clothes.""Yes, the pajamas fit perfectly," Caitlin said with a small smile and sat down. "Thank you.""My pleasure. Please eat. I warmed it up. If you don't like any more, I'll eat the rest," Harry replied.She picked up the cutlery and began to eat. She wasn't really that hungry, but after she took the first bite, her stomach seemed to want more. Neither of them spoke while Caitlin ate. Harrison was engrossed in the news as she watched in silence. When Caitlin was finished and noticed that she had eaten the entire plate, she leaned back against the sofa. Only now did she realize how tired and exhausted she was from today. She closed her eyes and told herself that she just needed a moment to rest before talking to Harrison about today.Five minutes later he felt Caitlin's head fall against his shoulder. Harry turned his head to her and a small smile played on his lips when he saw that Caitlin had fallen asleep. He turned off the television and lifted Caitlin into his arms to take her into the bedroom and lay her on the side of the bed where she had slept the first night. His fingertips gently stroked her warm cheek. With a small smile, he left the bedroom to go back into the living room to put the used dishes and glasses in the kitchen. He went into the bathroom to brush his teeth. He then changed his home clothes into pajamas and lay down on the sofa. Harry pulled the blanket over himself, closed his eyes and fell asleep after a few minutes.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
When Caitlin wakes up the next morning it is still dark outside. If the lamps on the bedside tables were not turned on, the bedroom would be in complete darkness. One of the two clocks on the bedside tables read 8:03 a.m. It was early in the morning. She sat up and looked at the other side of the bed. Surprise crossed her face when she saw that the other side of the bed was empty. So Harrison hadn't slept with her, but where...? But not on the sofa in the living room when he could have been sleeping in his bed?! Caitlin pulled back the covers to get up and leave the bedroom to go into the living room. The lamp that stood on a small wooden table by the sofa was turned on while Harrison lay on the sofa, apparently still asleep. The lamp was at the foot of the sofa, meaning his head was only slightly illuminated by the warm light from the lamp.Caitlin wanted to go back into the bedroom, but her feet carried her closer to Harrison until she was standing in front of him. She crouched down, a small smile on her lips. His mouth was slightly open and she could hear his steady breathing while his right arm hung down on the sofa. Caitlin's fingers gently touched his right arm, which was completely cool. Being very careful not to wake him, she took his arm and placed it on the sofa. The blanket he used as a bed cover only reached his hips. Caitlin rose and disappeared into the bedroom, only to return moments later with a larger, fluffy cashmere blanket. She carefully covered him with it and pulled the blanket up to his neck so that he was warm. She froze when Harrison suddenly moved slightly and closed his mouth, but she let out a quiet sigh of relief when he made no move to open his eyes. With a small smile she went back into the bedroom, not noticing how Harrison had opened his eyes and was looking after her. "Good morning."Harrison looked up from his laptop on his lap when he heard Caitlin's voice. It was already light outside and a thick layer of snow covered the garden, suggesting that it had snowed during the night. He sat on the sofa and saw her coming towards him. A shy smile on her lips."Good morning, Snow," he greeted her. "Would you like some coffee?"She followed his gaze to the two cups and the coffee pot that were on the table in front of the sofa. She nodded. "Yes, please."Harrison closed the laptop and placed it next to him to pour Caitlin and himself a cup of the hot coffee. He had folded the two blankets neatly together and placed them on one of the two armchairs so that the sofa was free. Caitlin took the cup he offered her and sat a few centimeters away from him."How are you?" Harry asked as she took her first sip."I'm feeling..." Caitlin couldn't finish her sentence because she sneezed, causing the hot coffee to spill over and some of the hot liquid to fall onto her thigh and onto the sofa. "Ouch! Ouch!"Harrison put his cup back on the table to pick up her cup and put it next to his before quickly running into the kitchen to get two rags."Here. Put the rag between your skin and the fabric," he said, holding out one of the two rags for her. He could see the uncertainty and fear in her eyes. "I'll turn around and when you're done, you'll tell me, okay?" Caitlin hesitated. "I promise you I won't turn around until you tell me, Snow."She swallowed. "O-Okay."She grabbed the rag from his outstretched hand and then Harry turned around. Now he had his back to her. Caitlin waited a few seconds, testing him to see if he would actually keep his word and he did. Harrison didn't turn around, but looked out into the snow-covered garden. She quickly placed the rag on her aching skin where hot liquid had spilled onto it, her eyes never leaving him. Caitlin waited again for a minute and when Harry still didn't turn around, she released him from his promise."I'm done. You can turn around again," she said.At her words, Harrison turned back around. He smiled before suddenly crouching down in front of her, making him level with her knees. Caitlin's eyes widened in shock and panic."No!" she cried in fear, kicking Harrison.She hit him in the shoulder, causing his back to hit the table and the two cups to sway dangerously, not falling over, but some of the hot liquid spilling onto the surface of the table. Caitlin had her legs drawn up anxiously and her arms wrapped protectively around them. Her eyes closed tightly. Harry looked at her in shock as he processed her reaction. He had scared her, reminded her of her past, because why else would she suddenly be afraid and push away from him. Harrison reached out to touch her arm, but stopped halfway and withdrew his hand. If he touched her he would probably only make things worse."Snow?" His voice took on a soft tone. "Snow." But she didn't move or make any move to open her eyes. "I'm sorry. I should have told you what I was doing first. I wasn't thinking. Please forgive me, Snow." She didn't move. "I promised you that you would be safe here, that I would never do anything you didn't want. Please look at me. Please. Caitlin."And then, very slowly, she opened her eyes and looked into the face of Harrison, who was staring straight at her. He hadn't moved a millimeter, hadn't moved any closer to her. He had raised his hands slightly so that she could see where they were and not have to search."I'm sorry. Really. The next time something like this happens again and I'm this close to you, I'll tell you what I'm going to do. I promise." Caitlin could see regret in his eyes. "Can you forgive me, Snow?"Slowly she nodded and loosened her arms around her legs and relaxed again. "I am sorry. I-I didn't mean to kick you," she said in a quiet voice, feeling guilty. "Did I hurt you?"Harrison smiled and shook his head. "No. I'm alright. I was just shocked when you kicked me so suddenly, but I think you were shocked too, right?"Caitlin nodded again. "I-I thought that you..." She swallowed and Harrison didn't need to hear the last part of the sentence because he could finish it himself. "He had me... He always..." Caitlin winced slightly as Harry gently took a hand in his to give it a gentle squeeze."You don't have to tell me, Snow. I see how much it hurts you and I don't want you to relive it by telling me.""But-But what if... what if I want to... tell you one day?" she asked cautious.Harry breathed out. "Then I will be by your side and listen to you. If you cry, I will wipe away your tears." Kiss them away. "If you need a hug, I will be there for you. I can't take away your memories of your past, but I want to try to take away your pain from it. I want to see you smile like I've seen you smile a few times before. I want to see you happy. Let no dark thoughts cloud your beautiful face again." I love you, Caitlin.Her eyes were slightly wide as she listened to his words. But then she lowered her eyes and felt herself blush slightly."I'm going to wipe the coffee off the floor and table, that's all I'm going to do, Snow." Harrison was about to let go of her hand when Caitlin held on to it."Wait." He looked at her questioningly. "Let me do this. I spilled the coffee, then I should be the one to clean it up.""I'll do it, Snow.""But... I spilled it and oh no. It's even on your sofa... I... I'm sorry.""It doesn't matter. It's okay," Harrison assured her with a small smile.But she shook her head. "No it's not." She sneezed. "I'm your guest and I haven't been here for two days and I'm already making a mess.""Snow look at me," Harry asked and she raised her head. "Everything is okay. You don't have to apologize or feel guilty. It can happen to anyone. Got it?" Caitlin nodded. "Words, Snow.""Yes, I understand.""Good." He wiped the spilled coffee from the floor and stood up to place the rag on the table. "Come. You certainly don't want to walk around in dirty trousers all day."Harry held out his hand to pull her up from the sofa and pulled her with him to another room. It was an empty room except for a few small boxes sitting on the floor."Are those…?" Caitlin asked, her eyes wide."If you don't like something we can always send it back. There should be some comfy pants in one of those boxes," Harrison replied. "I bought everything except…" He cleared his throat. "Except for your underwear. I thought you might want to buy it yourself."She felt herself blushing. She rubbed her fingers together nervously. "Thank you, that wouldn't have been necessary. I'll give you the money...""Snow." He gently placed his fingers against her lips. "I told you it was a gift to you.""But...""Please just accept it." Caitlin looked at him for a moment, then nodded. "I'll be in the living room if you need me."Harrison left the room, leaving the door behind him ajar just to show her he wasn't locking her in. He stopped in the living room and looked at his fingers that had recently been on her lips. He stroked his fingertips with his thumb. He could still feel her warm breath on them as she exhaled and spoke. He closed his eyes for a brief moment and tried to let the growing erection subside by thinking about other banal things and not what Caitlin's lips would feel like on his. How her naked body would feel pressed against his. He groaned and began to wipe away the coffee with the rag on the table, hoping that Caitlin would need a little more time before she came back into the living room. A little later the two of them sat at the kitchen island and had breakfast. Snow wore a white shirt and cozy blue pants."Harry?""Hm?" He looked up from his breakfast."I wanted to apologize for... leaving yesterday even though you offered to let me stay here with you until I got my own apartment." She swallowed. "When I talked to Iris about staying with you, she told me that I'd better look for a hotel room instead of staying with you. After all, you are my boss and now you have bought me so many great clothes. I-I don't want it to seem like I'm taking advantage of you. Like I'm just after your money.""Snow, I would never think that of you. Never! I'm giving it to you willingly because I want to see you happy," Harrison replied. "If anyone else sees it differently, they will have to answer to me."Caitlin looked at him. He was so good to her and it brought tears to her eyes. "But I still want to contribute something while I live here with you." Harry opened his mouth, but Caitlin continued. "When we go back to work tomorrow I'll pay for the gas and I'll keep the house clean and I thought we could take turns cooking."Harrison smiled and then he chuckled. "Okay. I agree to everything except the thing about going to work tomorrow.""Aren’t we going to work tomorrow?" Caitlin asked, confused."No. We won't be back to work until next year. We have two weeks of vacation now."Her eyes widened. That would mean she would be in his house with him for two weeks. "Oh. O-Okay.""I'll probably spend most of my time in the study working. Which means you can be alone for yourself. If you want something, all you have to do is call me and I'll come.""Work? But aren't you on vacation?" She was now visibly confused. First he told her that she didn't have to work because she was on vacation, but now he told her that he had to work? Harrison smiled in amusement."Well, I'm the boss of S.T.A.R Labs and unfortunately for a boss, work never stops."Caitlin opened her mouth to say something when her cell phone rang. The cell phone was next to Harrison's on the kitchen island. She looked at the screen and saw the name Hunter Zolomon. Harry immediately saw the fear in her eyes and noticed her shifting uncomfortably in her seat."You don't want to answer him?" Caitlin looked at him and it pained him to see the fear and anxiety in her eyes. She shook her head violently. "You don't have to. We'll just let it ring."Caitlin stared at the screen, where the scientist's name was still displayed and the bell was still ringing. Only when it stopped and the display went black again did she relax. But then the bell rang again and the name Hunter Zolomon was visible again. She jumped in shock when Harrison's hand suddenly placed itself on hers. His blue eyes looked at her softly."It's all good. We'll just let it ring." Caitlin nodded. "How about we bake your grandmother's cookies?""But we don't have her recipes anymore," she said sadly."I know, but you've probably done them so often that you've internalized them.""Yes, but I'm not so sure about some of them anymore.""You'll definitely remember it, just don't stress about it. I'll get you a pen and paper and then you can get started," Harrison replied and disappeared for a moment.Caitlin's eyes went to her phone, where Hunter's name was still on it. She didn't want to talk to him. He had scared her that evening at the Christmas market. Hunter had reminded her of her ex-husband Steve. She looked up as Harrison came back with a pen and a pad of paper."Here. You can write the recipes there. While you're writing, I'm going to make some simple cookie dough, okay?" Caitlin nodded. "Good. I even bought some little cookie cutters."He winked at her and Snow lowered her eyes as she felt herself blush. When she looked up again, Harrison was gathering the ingredients and had his back to her. Inside she felt her heart beating faster with joy and how excited she was to bake cookies with Harry. With a smile, she started writing down her grandmother's recipes. At lunchtime the first cookies were ready and Harry just took them out of the oven while Caitlin cut out more. She kept sneezing and had to blow her nose. When her cell phone rang, she turned around but froze. Hunter Zolomon."He'll probably never stop until you answer him," said Harry, placing the rags on the kitchen island."I-I don’t want to talk to him," Caitlin replied.He looked at her for a moment before picking up her phone. She opened her mouth, but he put his finger on his lips and so she closed her mouth again. Harry answered the call and pressed the speaker, allowing Caitlin to hear what was being said as well."Caitlin, thank god that you're finally answer me. I was so worried about you when I saw what happened to your apartment. Are you all right? Where are you? Should I pick you up? You can stay with me as long as you want." Hunter became quiet and waited for her answer, but when she didn't answer, he spoke, "Caitlin? Caitlin, are you still there?""Hello, Zolomon," Harrison greeted him coolly. "Dr. Snow is unavailable at the moment."
"Harrison?!"
"Yeah, but for you it's still Dr. Wells.""Where's Caitlin! What did you do to her?" The two of them could clearly hear the anger in his voice."I didn't do anything to her, Zolomon," Harry replied in a calm voice. His eyes were on Caitlin, who was looking at him eagerly. "Dr. Snow is here with me and safe. Nothing will happen to her here, not as long as I'm with her." Caitlin swallowed and felt that tingling feeling rise up in her body again. His blue eyes bore into hers. She saw something in them, something primal. Almost posessive."Where is she? I want to talk to Caitlin!" Hunter's hissing voice cut through the brief silence."I can’t do that. She's sleeping."
"She's sleeping? Where? On the sofa?"
"No. In my bed," Harrison replied, and Caitlin could see his clear blue eyes darken for a brief moment, making her shiver. "She won't call you back, Zolomon, and she won't want to talk to you again in the future."With that, Harry hung up before Hunter could say anything and put the phone back on the kitchen island."Problem solved."Caitlin tried to answer, but she sneezed again. Concerned, Harrison’s hands rested on her upper arms before his right hand placed gently on her forehead."You're warm," he said. "You have a slight fever, Snow.""I'm fine.""Snow...""Please, Harry. I want to keep baking cookies with you," she begged him.He saw in her eyes the joy with which she had started cutting out the cookies. Harry sighed. He couldn't refuse her anything. "All right then. But please go slowly."Caitlin nodded. "I promise." That evening Caitlin was in bed with a high fever and a runny nose. There were tissues on the bedside table next to her and a glass of water. She was shaking under the covers. When she heard footsteps, she opened her eyes and saw Harrison coming to her bed, placing a cup of hot peppermint tea next to the glass of water. Worried, he squatted down and took her hands in his to rub them. Her fingertips were completely cool."Are you cold?" Caitlin nodded. "I'll get you another blanket." Harry briefly disappeared from the bedroom, only to come back with a cashmere blanket that he had had earlier in the morning. After he had spread the blanket on the bed cover he carefully touched her forehead with his hand. "You're still very warm.""I'm sorry," Caitlin whispered, her voice slightly rough. "I should have listened to you.""Shhh. Tomorrow you're just going to stay in bed and recover, okay?" She nodded. "Promise?""I promise."Harry smiled and gently stroked her hair. He was about to stand up when Caitlin stopped him."Harrison?""Yes?" He looked at her questioningly."I-I was awake early this morning looking for you when... when I didn't find you in bed," Snow said in a low voice and blushed slightly, which Harrison didn't miss. "I found you sleeping on the sofa and uhm...""You're wondering why I'm sleeping on the sofa even though the bed is big enough for two?" Harry answered her slowly. Caitlin nodded. "I wasn't sure how you would react if you woke up early in the morning and found a man in bed." He wanted to protect her. He didn't want her to be reminded of her bad past."U-Uhm..." His gaze returned to her, having been looking into the distance for a moment. "I-I wouldn't mind if you slept in the bed with me. I trust you, Harry."Harrison’s eyes widened slightly. She trusted him. A soft smile played on his lips. "This really means a lot to me, Snow.""I know that now might not be the best time to be in bed because I'm sick, but...""In the future I'll lie with you, I promise," replied he.They both looked at each other in silence for a while, enjoying each other's presence, until Harry's eyes fell on the cup that was still untouched on the bedside table."I think the tea is warm enough to drink now." Harry helped Caitlin into a sitting position and handed her the cup. "Careful. Hot."She carefully sipped the hot liquid and took small sips. She felt the hot peppermint tea running down her throat. "Thank you for looking after me, Harry, but you know I could have done it on my own.""I know, but you looked after me when I was sick," Harrison replied. "I'm returning the favor, and even if I hadn't been sick, I would still have taken care of you right now, Snow.""Thank you.""No need."Caitlin finished the tea and then snuggled back under the covers. Harrison leaned down towards her, causing Snow to tense slightly, but when she felt his lips on her temple she relaxed again."Goodnight, Snow," he whispered and she felt his breath on her ear. When he straightened up, he gave her a smile and took the empty teacup with him."Good night, Harrison," she said before he had completely disappeared from the room, leaving the door ajar behind him. In the middle of the night, Harry was startled awake when he heard Caitlin's screams. He jumped off the sofa and ran into the bedroom. Her fingers had curled into the covers as she lay on her side. Her eyes narrowed. Harrison walked over to her bed and gently shook her shoulder."Snow. Snow. Snow." He kept saying her name until Caitlin opened her eyes and tried to get away from him in a panic. "Caitlin, it's me, Harry. Harrison Wells. You are with me. You're safe.""H-Harry?""Yes." He carefully reached out his hand to her and she recoiled. "Take my hand. I won't hurt you. Never."Hesitantly she took his hand and then the veil on her eyes seemed to lift and she recognized Wells."Harry," she whispered in a strangled voice before wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing herself against him. Harrison carefully wrapped his arms around her body, but not too tightly so as not to scare her."It felt so real," she whimpered, crying as he held her shaking body. "I thought he was here again and…""Shhhh. He will never harm you again, Snow. I won't allow it."The two stayed like that for a while until Harry felt Caitlin slowly getting heavier. He carefully separated himself from her and laid her back on the mattress. She had fallen into a light sleep again. When he had covered her again, she looked at him sleepily."Can you stay here? Please?"He hesitated for a brief moment, not knowing how she would react the next morning. But then he nodded."Okay."Harrison climbed into the bed and under the covers. Caitlin snuggled up to him and he put a protective arm around her."Good?" he asked.She nodded with her eyes closed as her body was pressed against his. "Yes." He gently made soothing circular motions with his fingertips over her back and he felt her slowly relax. "Hmm... Harry..." she murmured quietly. Harrison smiled and kissed her hair. The next day, as promised, Caitlin stayed in bed while Harry looked after her. When he came into the bedroom with a small afternoon snack, Caitlin stared at the covers, lost in thought. She had barely said anything all day. He slowly placed the tray on the bedside table. Her fever had gone down, but she still had a cold. Caitlin blinked and was pulled out of her thoughts as the mattress tilted downward as Harrison sat on the edge of the bed."Is everything alright? Are you okay?" he asked, unable to keep the worry from appearing in his voice. "You've said almost nothing all day."Caitlin turned the cup she was holding in her hand back and forth. "I... I don't want this anymore." Her eyes filled with tears."What don’t you want anymore?""To be afraid. To be afraid to go to sleep every night, that I..." She swallowed hard. "That I see him in my dreams using me, beating me. It always feels so… so real." Tears streamed down her cheeks. "I don't want this anymore."It hurt Harrison to see her so hurt, so helpless. He took her hand to squeeze it gently. "What can I do to make you feel better, so that you can sleep peacefully?" he asked in a soft voice.Caitlin blushed and shook her head. "No, I can't ask for that."Harrison took her hand with both hands. "Tell me what I can do.""I... I feel safe when..." She blushed deeply. "When you sleep by my side, when you hold me." Harry looked at her silently, which made Caitlin blush even harder, if that was possible. "I shouldn't have said that." She pulled her hand away from him, leaving the cup in her lap to hide her face in her hands. Blinking, Harry came out of his stupor again."No, please don't. Don't hide, Snow," he asked in a soft voice, carefully placing his hands around her wrists to move them away from her face. Caitlin was still deeply red. Carefully, Harry placed his fingers under her chin to lift her face so she could look at him. "If it keeps you from having nightmares, I will lie by your side every night, Caitlin." He gently stroked her cheek with his thumb to stop another tear from streaming down her face. "But in return you have to promise me something." She nodded. "If I get too close to you or you feel pressured by me, then you tell me, Snow. Will you promise me that?""Yes, I promise."Harry smiled. "Here. I prepared a little snack for you." On the tray was a small bowl with small tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers and a sandwich. "It's not very Christmassy, but I thought it was quite good for your immune system... I guess. Unfortunately, I'm not a doctor, but I've been told that vegetables are healthy."Caitlin giggled. "Yes, that's true. Vegetables are healthy. Have you eaten anything yet?"Harrison shook his head. "I'll have dinner with you later.""Harry."He breathed out. "I haven't eaten anything yet.""When was the last time you ate?""This morning with you.""This morning?! It's been eight hours," Caitlin said, aghast. She held out one of the small tomatoes to him. "Here.""No. This is for you. You have to get well again.""Just the one, please, Harry," she asked. "For me."He looked at her. Her brown eyes looked at him with conviction. A wry smile appeared on his face before he leaned forward to take the tomato from her fingers with his mouth instead of his fingers. His blue eyes were focused on her face, allowing him to see her reaction. Surprise was clear and he could also see her blushing again."I'm going back to work now. If you need anything just call me."He stood up and winked at her before walking out of the bedroom, leaving a stunned Caitlin behind. She looked at her fingers, which had touched his lips for the briefest of moments. How they had brushed over her skin to remove the tomato from her two fingers. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest and that tingling feeling filled her again. Just what was it? Should she give in to this feeling? Should she follow her heart? Listen to what it was trying to tell her, or turn a blind eye to it, as she had done for so many years? Close it, so she wouldn’t get hurt again? The next morning, when Caitlin woke up, she clearly felt heat coming from a body behind her. Very slowly she turned around and looked into the sleeping face of Harrison Wells. He had told her after dinner, which they had shared in bed, that he still had to work a little bit but would come to her then. She had stayed awake for as long as she could, but then fatigue had overcome her and she had slipped into a dreamless sleep. Now the two were only a few centimeters apart. She could clearly feel his breath on her face and hear him breathing evenly. As if of its own accord, her hand rose and she ran her fingers through his hair. It was so soft."Hmmm."Caitlin smiled as he murmured relief again. Her fingers continued to gently run through his short hair for a while until her eyes suddenly found his. The clear blue of his eyes looked back at her. Startled, she took her hand away, moving her legs and her right leg brushed against something hard. Harrison sucked in a breath."I'm sorry." Caitlin moved her leg again, causing it to brush against the hard one again."Stop. Don’t move!" Harrison ordered and she immediately lay still. She felt him move his body slightly away from her. Caitlin realized that the hard part pressed against her leg had been his cock and he had an erection."Did I hurt you?" she asked cautiously."No," he chuckled, exhaling when he could no longer feel her leg against his cock."Isn't it uncomfortable?" Harrison looked at her and could see the slight blush on her cheeks.He smiled. "Don't worry. It will go down eventually."Caitlin looked at him. Whenever Steve had an erection early in the morning, he would come to her, waking her up harshly before forcing his cock down her throat, choking her, almost suffocating her. After that she would throw up every time, which resulted in Steve hitting her, angry that she couldn't keep his seed inside her and that was probably why she still hadn't given him children whenever he did had sex with her."Snow? Snow." She blinked back to reality. Harrison looked at her worriedly. "Is everything okay? Does it make you feel uncomfortable? I can go and sleep on the sofa.""No, I don't feel uncomfortable. It's just…" She bit her bottom lip."What?" He gently placed his hand on her cheek and stroked it with his thumb. "You know you can talk to me about anything, Snow.""I-I'm trying to forget my past with my ex-husband, but... but it's so hard. Even now, I think about what he did to me almost every morning when…" She swallowed, tears welling up in her eyes. "When he had an erection. I-I'm so scared, Harry. Even though I know, deep down, that-that you would never do something like that."Harrison wiped away a tear that flowed down her cheek. "You will never forget your past, what you experienced, what was done to you." He could see the sadness in her eyes. "But I will be with you. I will never force or pressure you into anything you don't want, Snow. I promised you that I would protect you, even if it meant against myself."Caitlin placed her hand on his, which was still resting on her cheek, and closed her eyes to enjoy his touch. She didn't notice how Harry's eyes moved to her lips. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to show her how much he loved her, how much he cared about her. However, he couldn't. Harrison leaned forward and pressed his lips gently against her forehead. When he pulled away from her again, Caitlin had opened her eyes and was looking at him. He smiled."I'll freshen up. You stay in bed as long as possible. When I come back I'll show you a little surprise.""A surprise?" Caitlin asked curiously."Yeah, but you have to stay in bed for that, okay?"She nodded excitedly. Harrison winked at her and climbed out of bed to leave the bedroom. Caitlin's heart beat excitedly in her chest. What was the surprise? After a few minutes Harry came back dressed in comfortable clothes. He reached out his hand to her."Come on." Caitlin got out of bed and put on a warm jacket because she was still not completely well. She stopped in front of him. "I will cover your eyes with my hands and be behind you. It's only for a few steps, I promise."Caitlin nodded. "I trust you."Harrison came up behind her and she could feel the warmth radiating from him on her back. When she saw his hands appear in front of her eyes, she closed her eyelids. Very carefully he led her from the bedroom into the living room. The smell of resin and forest filled her nose and then she felt Harry's breath caressing her ear."Merry Christmas, Caitlin."His hands moved away from her eyes and Caitlin opened them. A large Christmas tree appeared that had already been decorated and there were four presents under it, two of which were larger than the other two. She turned to Harrison, who had a smile on his face. Her eyes lit up with joy."The guy who was supposed to bring the Christmas tree was late yesterday, which is why I couldn’t come early to bed," Harry explained. "But I would do it again to see the light in your eyes again."And then Caitlin did something she usually only did out of fear or anxiety when she had a nightmare. She hugged Harrison and pressed herself against him."Thank you," she whispered.He smiled and returned the hug. "Would you like to open your presents or have something for breakfast first?" he asked when he had pulled away from her."You got me presents, but I didn't get you any. If I had known…"Harry gently placed his fingers on her lips to stop her from speaking. "Seeing you happy and smiling is enough for me, Snow." Caitlin lowered her eyes in embarrassment and felt herself blush. His fingers curled around her chin, lifting it so she could look at him. "Please don't hide your eyes from me. If I don't see them, I can't read what's written in them. Your emotions are of great importance to me, Caitlin. I want to give you a life that has been denied you so far." Full of love and affection. His knuckles gently stroked her cheek, leaving fine goosebumps on it. He leaned forward to give her a kiss on her forehead. The two ate some breakfast before Caitlin began to open the presents. She started with the smallest one first. It was a red notebook with a gold curved title ‘Cookbook‘ on it. She opened it and Harrison had written on the first page: For every recipe to come. ~ Harrison. Caitlin looked up with a cheerful smile on her lips. Harry sat in one of the two armchairs with a cup of hot coffee."I think this little book is more efficient than writing the recipes on a pad," he said with a wink."Thank you."She placed it on the table in front of the sofa and picked up the next largest gift to unwrap it. A black flat box appeared, which she opened and when she saw what was in it, her breath was taken away. A fine gold necklace lay inside, as well as an equally fine gold bracelet and earrings shaped like a teardrop, but made of glass. She looked at him with wide eyes."Harry, I can’t accept that. Surely that cost so much."He chuckled. "Nothing is too expensive if it makes you happy. Plus it would look lovely on you with the last two presents."Caitlin looked at the two unwrapped presents. She carefully placed the second gift next to her cookbook and turned to them. She unpacked them both and opened them. Her eyes widened and she looked at Harry, who just gave her a soft smile."I hope you like them and I hope you might wear one of them someday."There were two dresses. One a deep red and the other black as night. Caitlin pulled the red one out of the box to look at it. It had a plunging neckline and her back was visible, up to her middle."It's beautiful," she said with tears in her eyes.After Caitlin had looked at the second dress, she sat on the sofa with a cozy blanket and wrote down all the recipes that she had already written on the pad in her little cookbook. Harrison had excused himself and gone to his study to work. In the afternoon Caitlin decided to go to him. Outside the study, at the door that was ajar, she heard him typing something into the laptop. She gently knocked on the door before opening it. Harry looked up from his work. His desk was full of papers and to the left there was a shelf with lots of folders, while behind him was a large window that went from floor to ceiling."Caitlin. Is everything okay?"She nodded. "Yes. I uhm…" She rubbed her fingers together, a little nervously. "I wanted to ask you if I could cook something for us today?"Surprise crossed Harrison's face. She was about to say if he was okay with it when he smiled."And what would you cook if I may ask?" She shook her head. "Are you surprising me?"Caitlin nodded. "I have one condition."Harry raised an eyebrow. "That would be?""You're wearing a suit."He grinned, already having an idea what she was referring to. "I'm looking forward to it."Caitlin blushed slightly. "Okay, then I'll let you get back to work in peace."She disappeared from his study and went into the kitchen to start cooking. At 6 p.m., Harrison changed in his walk-in closet. He looked at himself in the large mirror. Except for his white shirt, he was dressed entirely in black. He felt good, but he was still a little nervous. Harry took another deep breath before coming out of the bedroom and stopping immediately. He stared at the picture that stood in front of him. Caitlin stood next to the kitchen island, which had been lovingly set. There were even two candles burning and he could hear Christmas music playing in the background. The smell of fresh duck was in the air, as was fried potatoes. A salad and wine stood also on the kitchen island.But Harry noticed all of this in the corner of his eye, because his attention was completely focused on Caitlin. She wore the deep red dress that reached to the floor and spread out a little around her. She also wore the jewelry he had given her. She had put on some make-up, which made her lips shine red and her hair lay in light waves on her shoulders. A slight blush adorned her cheeks. Harry swallowed thickly and felt something stir beneath his belt."How-How do I look?" Caitlin asked in a quiet, nervous voice. She had dug her fingers into her dress.Harrison slowly walked towards her, only to stop centimeters away from her. He gently removed her fingers from her dress to take them in his hands."You're beautiful," he breathed. His gaze was fixed on her lips. The air between them suddenly seemed thick. Full of electricity. Caitlin felt his breath caress her face and when his clear blue eyes suddenly looked into hers, she shuddered. His gaze was intense. She swallowed and licked her lips nervously with her tongue, which caused his eyes to wander back to her lips for a brief moment and follow the movement."F-Food…" she whispered. "The food is getting cold."Harrison took a step back and cleared his throat. "Of course. I’m sorry. Please."He pulled the chair back for her to sit down before sitting across from her. The two began to eat and Harry praised Caitlin for her cooking skills, which she shyly accepted. They chatted a little about work and Caitlin talked about her childhood. Harrison listened to her patiently. After eating he stood up and held out his hand to her."Will you give me this dance?" he asked, giving her a smile.Caitlin blushed slightly and nodded. Without hesitation, she took his hand and let him lead her into the living room. He gently placed his hand on her bare back, causing Caitlin to shiver slightly at the touch. His hand was warm and big. She placed her hands on his back and then they both began to dance slowly to the music."Are you comfortable like that?" he asked after a moment of silence, alluding to the fact that his hand was on her bare skin.Caitlin nodded. "Yes. Very much so."Harry smiled. "I'm glad to hear that."The two of them began to sway slightly, with Caitlin pressing herself against him. Her head lay on his chest while Harrison's hands were now both on her bare back. He breathed in her scent. So delicious. Caitlin lifted her head to look at him and they both stopped. Harrison looked at her questioningly. She stood on her tips and gave him a kiss on the cheek. A small smile touched her lips when she saw his stunned face and she laid her head back on his chest. They both began to slowly sway to the music again.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
When Caitlin woke up in the morning on December 27th, she felt Harrison's arm around her waist, his warm body against her back. She felt his breath caressing her neck. She carefully tried to pull away from his gentle embrace, but when she tried, Harrison pulled her closer to him again. For a moment the panic rose within her again, but she closed her eyes and took a deep breath and told herself that Harry would never harm her. Very carefully she tried to break away from his embrace again and this time it worked. Caitlin moved to her side of the bed and turned to face him. Harry was sleeping on his stomach and his left arm was now slightly away from him as he had used it to gently hold Caitlin close to him. She quietly sneaked out of the bedroom to go to the bathroom and take a shower. A smile spread across her lips as she remembered dancing with Harry. Her cheeks flushed as Caitlin remembered kissing his cheek. Her fingers pressed to her lips, as if she could still feel the way his skin had felt on her lips. She had dared to open up a little, to show him that she liked him and sincerely hoped that she hadn't crossed any boundaries. Harry was her boss after all, but she wanted to do it again. Caitlin wanted to kiss him on the cheek again because it made her heart beat faster, but what if Harrison didn't return her feelings? Uncertainty rose up her body and she decided not to do it again for now. After all, she was the guest in his house and if he didn't reciprocate her feelings, things would get strange between them. With a soft sigh, she got out of the shower and wrapped herself in the robe Harrison had bought her. She slowly began to comb her hair and then blow dry it. After a few minutes she was finished and went to the kitchen to make breakfast for both of them. Her cold had improved, which meant she was able to sleep more soundly, especially since Harrison was now sleeping with her. Harry slowly opened his eyes and sat up as the smell of toasted bread hit his nose. Caitlin was apparently in the kitchen since the bed next to him was empty. He threw away the covers to go into his walk-in closet and change into some comfortable clothes. He stopped at the corner of a wall that led to the kitchen and leaned his shoulder against it. A smile appeared on his lips. Caitlin was just about to get the coffee out of a kitchen cupboard above the work surface, which unfortunately she didn't really manage to do. She jumped up and down slightly to get a hold of it, but to no avail. He pushed himself off the wall and stood behind her."I’ll help you," he said, reaching for the coffee packet. His body pressed against her back and pushed her forward slightly, trapping her between him and the work surface for a brief moment. His left hand placed on the work surface next to her so that he could briefly support himself. "Here you go."Caitlin's cheeks were covered in a light blush as she took the pack. "Th-Thank you." After breakfast the two decided to go shopping. Harrison insisted that she get new underwear because he could tell she was uncomfortable wearing her old ones. She tried not to show it, but whenever she tried to change, he saw discomfort and a hint of disgust on her face. Caitlin assured him that she could use her old underwear, but he insisted and refused to argue."Snow I want you to be well and I see it in your eyes that you don't want to wear your underwear and I understand why. I wouldn't want to wear my underwear if I didn't know if that person took it or did something with it," Harrison said as the two of them stood a short while later in the women's department, where you could buy a variety of clothing - including underwear. Caitlin stood in front of him, looking at him with her brown eyes while he held her hands in his. "Please Snow. I don't want to pressure you into anything. I just want to see you happy. You've been denied it for so long. Please allow me to give it back to you." One step at a time.Caitlin swallowed. She could only see the silent pleading in his eyes. And he was right. She didn't want to wear her underwear because she didn't know what this stalker had done to it and how much... he had already used or taken of her underwear just to put it back on her. She nodded slowly. She finally had to step out of the shadow that had surrounded her for so long and find herself again. Her boss wanted to help her and she had to accept this, even if it was difficult for her."Okay. Do you want to do it alone? I would then be in the men's section back there. All you have to do is come to me when you're done," Harry said, pointing behind him."Uhm... I wouldn't mind if... if you came with me." She twirled her fingers nervously.Harrison smiled. "All right, then I'll come with you."He was waiting a little distance away from her while Caitlin was choosing her clothes when a woman approached him."You're Dr. Harrison Wells," she said."Yes, I am," he replied, his gaze briefly falling on the woman and then back on Caitlin.The woman tucked a strand of her dark hair behind her ear and batted her eyelashes. "It's really a coincidence that I'm meeting you here."Harry raised an eyebrow and looked at her skeptically. Why did he have the feeling that the woman was about to come after him? "Oh really? And why is that?""I am a great admirer of your work and have dreamed of meeting you so many times. And since you're single and so am I, I thought we could..."Suddenly Caitlin was standing next to him. Her arm wrapped around his waist and he felt her body press against his. How her right breast pressed against his chest."My love, can you help me choose?" she asked, her cheeks turning a deep shade of red.Harry stared at her, perplexed. Did she just call him…? He blinked and looked from Caitlin to the woman who was staring at Snow in complete disbelief. He smiled and kissed her hair. "Of course."The two of them simply left the woman standing there and went to the bras where Caitlin had been standing before. Her cheeks were still red even after the woman had left."I-I'm sorry," she babbled. "I didn't know how else I could have saved you from her. I-I just realized that-that…"Harrison chuckled in amusement. "You don't have to apologize, Snow. Thank you for your help.""Really?" she asked nervously."Yes. Really."Caitlin breathed a sigh of relief. "And about m-my love… I-I didn't know… It won't happen again. I promise."I could get used to you calling me that. Harrison winked at her. "It's okay. Don't worry about it." He cleared his throat and turned to the bras. "Have you found anything yet?" Half an hour later, Caitlin and Harrison entered a supermarket, with Harry insisting on pushing the cart while she bought everything she needed, although, like buying clothes, money was no object."Can I pay for it with my own money?" Caitlin asked."Snow…""Please, Harry. You've already done so much for me. Please." She wanted to become self-confident again, stand on her own two feet and no longer be dependent. It made him proud. He smiled."Okay. So what do we need?""I wrote everything down on the piece of paper. Here, look." Caitlin held it out to him, with the few groceries they needed for the small New Year's Eve meal written on it. "How about you get the wine and I take care of the meat?" she suggested, smiling.For a brief moment Harrison looked at her. He didn't want to leave her alone, but nothing would happen to her in here, especially when there were so many people here. "Alright. When I have the wine I will come to you at the meat counter. If you're faster than me, please wait for me right there.""I will," she promised with a small smile.Harry nodded and took the shopping cart with him. Meanwhile, Caitlin made her way to the meat counter in question. She kept walking, avoiding people and their cars, but the further she walked, the more uncomfortable she became. She had the feeling that she was being watched. She turned around again and again, but Caitlin couldn't see anyone. Panic rose within her and Snow turned to run to the wine. She walked through the rows of groceries and saw the rows of different types of wine. Caitlin immediately ran there and looked in the various aisles until she found Harrison in the fourth one, who was looking at a bottle of red wine."Harry!" she said, panic in her voice.He turned around when he heard her voice and looked at her in surprise, but the surprise was overshadowed by concern."Snow, what's wrong? Is everything okay? What happened?"Caitlin didn't answer him, but ran to him and into his arms. She pressed herself against him anxiously, her face buried in his chest. Something must have scared her. He put his arms around her protectively."It's all good," he whispered close to her ear. "It's all good. I'm with you.""I thought someone was watching me," he heard her say.Harry looked around, but he could only see older couples and families shopping. Nothing unusual. He pulled away from her and lifted her chin to make her look at him. "Everything is okay. You're safe with me."Snow looked around and then looked at the ground. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have reacted like that.""Look at me, Caitlin," Harry asked and she did. "There's nothing to apologize for." He put his hand on her cheek and gently stroked it with his thumb. "How about we choose the wine together and then go to the meat counter together?" Snow nodded. "Okay." He protectively put his arm around her waist as they both began to choose the wine.When Caitlin was buying the vegetables, Harrison observed a small family. A little boy asked his mother to buy him a small cake. A sad smile graced his face."Harry? Harry?""Hm?" He looked at Caitlin, who was looking at him."Is everything okay? You look so sad all of a sudden," she said, looking at the son and the mother."It's nothing. Do you have everything?""Harry, it's not nothing when I see that you're sad. What's wrong?"Harry exhaled. "When Tess and Jesse were still alive, we always baked a small cake together on December 31st, which we then ate on January 1st of the new year." He swallowed thickly and blinked away the tears that were forming in his eyes had collected. "I can still remember Jesse's eyes shining with excitement and joy."Caitlin placed her hand sympathetically on his shoulder. "If-If you want, then we could... How about we bake a little cake together for her? Then your tradition would live on. It-It wouldn't be the same, of course..." She let the rest of the sentence hang in the air and waited for Harry to answer.Harrison smiled. "That would be nice. Thank you, Snow."The two paid for their groceries at the checkout and began to put everything in the car, not noticing a man watching them. His hands were clenched into fists and his eyes flashed with anger. "Snow?"Caitlin raised her eyes when she heard Harrison's voice and gratefully accepted the glass of wine he held out to her. They sat on the sofa while a show was playing on the television."Is everything okay? You seem so lost in your thoughts since we got back here," Harry said as he sat down next to her. "Do you want to tell me what's going on?""I..." She paused. Should she tell him how she felt about him? But what if he didn't return her feelings. When she saw the woman with him and she made a move on him, she felt jealous. "I…"Caitlin tightened her grip on the glass in her hands until it shattered and the shards pierced her skin. The wine spilled to the floor. She screamed in fright. Harrison clasped her wrist to stop her from moving as he carefully removed the stem of the glass on her hand."Open your hand," he said in a calm voice. Caitlin did so and lots of bloody shards emerged. "Snow." She looked up from her hand to look at Harry. "I'll get a rag and then clean up the pieces."She nodded and Harrison disappeared into the kitchen for a few seconds before coming back with a rag in his hand. He placed the rag on the table and sat down next to her. Very carefully he took her hand in his."I'm going to remove the pieces now, okay? It might hurt, but it'll be over in a moment." Caitlin nodded, wincing slightly as Harry removed the first shard and placed it on the rag."I'm sorry. All I can do is make a mess...""It can happen to anyone," he told her with a small smile as he removed another shard.His hand was gently around her wrist and his thumb had begun to trace soothing circles on her skin. After Harry had removed all the shards, he asked her to briefly hold her hand under the water before wrapping her hand with a bandage."Thank you," she said, blushing slightly."You're welcome." Harrison reached for another rag, but Caitlin stopped him by placing her hand over his."This time I'm going to clean up the mess," she said."No, Snow, I'll...""You already cleaned up my coffee mess. At least let me get rid of the wine,” she asked.Harrison looked into her brown eyes, which looked pleadingly at him. He smiled. "Okay, then I'll get you a new glass."Smiling, she took the rag and went into the living room to clean up the puddle of wine. Harry got a new glass from the cupboard and almost bumped into Caitlin when she suddenly stood next to her."Oh! Sorry," Snow said."Nothing happened."Caitlin had her hands clutched in his shirt to protect him from possible recoil. She wanted to let him go again, but when their eyes met she couldn't. It seemed as if time stood still. She was so close to him again. He had placed the wine glass on the counter. His fingertips trailed from her temple down to her cheek. Caitlin held her breath for a brief moment as his clear blue eyes settled on her lips."I shouldn't have these feelings," he whispered.She swallowed thickly. "W-What feelings?""Whenever I see you, I look into your eyes, my heart goes crazy. I want to hold you and never let you go." His fingertips touched her lips and he felt her hitched, warm breath. "I want to kiss your lips, feel your naked body against mine, hear your moans of pleasure when I show you what true love means," he breathed and his clear blue eyes looked into her brown ones so intensely that the tingling feeling inside Caitlin collected in a certain place. Between her legs. "But I'll wait." His hand came to rest on her cheek. "I'll wait until you decide whether for someone else or for me.""W-What if..." She licked her lips with her tongue because her mouth was suddenly so dry and she could see his eyes wandered over to them for a brief moment. "What if I don't want to wait?"His gaze shot back to her and she could see his eyes darkening and lust reflected in them. Caitlin slowly approached him until she was only a few centimeters away from him. She could feel his breath on her face and he could feel hers so clearly. And then she crossed the last few centimeters and their lips met. Her lips were soft and delicate, just as Harry had imagined. He carefully returned the kiss and pulled her slightly towards him by placing his hand on her waist. But then he pulled away from her and looked at her. Her cheeks were flushed and she let out a ragged breath. He could see the lust in her eyes, but also something else, something that made him stop - fear. Understandable after what she had experienced when she had been intimate with her abusive husband. Harry smiled softly and stroked her cheek with his thumb. He leaned forward to place a kiss on her forehead. He wouldn't rush into anything, even if it would be difficult for him, since he now knew that she wanted him.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
When she opened her eyes she found herself in a bed, but not her boss's and Harrison wasn't lying next to her like he had been the last few nights. Caitlin's eyes widened in shock as she realized where she was.
"Wake up. Wake up!" she said to herself, pinching her arm, but she didn’t wake up.
She breathed in panic. Her heart was in her throat when the door to the room opened and her ex-husband Steve was standing in the doorway. He had long brown hair and dark brown eyes. His body was toned and the shirt stretched across his muscular body. Without saying anything he came towards her, like he did every time. Caitlin backed away until her back hit the head of the bed, unable to escape from the bed as if it were a cage.
"No. No. Stay away from me! Harry! Help!" she cried anxiously.
But Steve grabbed her ankles to pull her towards him and then he was on top of her.
"No! Harry! Help me! Harry!" she shouted in panic, even though she knew Harrison wouldn't hear her. It was her nightmare. The past that had burned her forever. Caitlin hit Steve in a panic, but he grabbed her wrists to hold them in place and then pushed her into the mattress to pin them over her head.
"Snow. Snow!"
Steve grinned maliciously as he used his left hand to pull down her panties. Caitlin screamed in panic. She wanted to defend herself. She wanted to get away from him. She wanted to wake up. He leaned down and licked her cheek with his tongue.
"You're mine!"
"Snow wake up!" Caitlin opened her eyes and heard herself screaming. She flailed wildly when suddenly two strong arms wrapped around her and a body pressed against her. "You are safe. Calm down," she heard Harrison’s voice say. "You're safe, Caitlin."She stopped struggling against him and sank against his chest. Her body was trembling and her pulse was beating wildly just like her heart."It's okay." His gentle voice was close to her ear. His breath fanned over it. "I'm with you. I'm with you, Caitlin."Her hands rested on his arms, which were still wrapped around her, and she was able to hold back the tears that were gathering in her eyes. Sobbing, Caitlin cried bitterly. She felt Harrison's arms carefully loosen around her and he slowly turned her towards him so he could take her in his arms properly. He didn't say anything, just held her to show her that he was there for her and wouldn't leave her alone. He gently rubbed soothing circles on her back. Harry didn't know how long they sat in bed together wrapped in their arms, but at some point Caitlin stopped crying and became quiet."Are you alright?" he asked quietly. In response, she pressed herself closer to him. "Don’t worry. I won't let you go. We can stay seated as long as you want."More minutes passed until Caitlin slowly pulled away from him. Her eyes were red from crying. Harry gently stroked her cheek with his knuckles before his hands took hers to squeeze gently."I heard you calling for help and you calling out my name." He tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Would you like to tell me what you dreamed?" Caitlin swallowed hard. Her eyes were focused on his fingers in her hands. "Hey…" She lifted her head as he placed two fingers under her chin. His clear blue eyes looked softly at her. "You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, Snow. I won't force you to do anything."Caitlin swallowed hard again before speaking in a trembling voice, "I-I woke up in my room. At first I was alone and trying to wake up, but then… then my husband Steve came and…" She exhaled. "I fought him like I did every time, but-but he was too strong. He was always above me and…" Tears flowed down her cheeks. "He was close to... It-It felt so real," Caitlin sobbed. "I thought that I would be back in this room, that he could use me again and again for his pleasures.""Shhh..." Harrison gently brushed the tears from her cheeks. "You will never share a house with this man again, nor will you ever see him again. I won't let him harm you ever again. Do you believe me?"Caitlin nodded. "I believe and trust you," she said.Harry smiled as his eyes fell on the clock that was sitting on her night table. 1:24am. He raised an eyebrow. "How about we make ourselves a bowl of ice cream?""Ice cream?" Snow asked, surprised."Yes. It helped me with my nightmares when I couldn't get back to sleep," Harrison replied, climbing down from the bed. "Come on."She followed him into the kitchen, where he opened the refrigerator and four different flavors of ice cream appeared. Chocolate, vanilla, nougat and strawberry. Caitlin looked at him in surprise."Do you always have ice cream?""Yes, I've developed a little sweet tooth," Harry replied with a wink. "Pick a flavor."Caitlin thought for a moment before she chose nougat and he chose strawberry. He got two more bowls and two spoons from the cupboard and drawer before they scraped out the ice cream together."I've never had ice cream at night before," Caitlin said, giggling as she put the spoonful of ice cream in her mouth. The two sat next to each other at the kitchen island in the kitchen. "There's something kind of forbidden about it."Harrison grinned. "Sometimes you have to give in to your cravings or do something forbidden like eating ice cream at night."They both laughed and Caitlin quickly looked at her ice cream when her eyes met his. She felt her cheeks flush."Harry?""Hm?""Can I ask you something?" she asked a little nervously."Of course," he replied, licking the ice cream from the spoon with his tongue."Uhm... Earlier you said something about nightmares you had. May-May I ask what kind?"Harry lowered the spoon and he exhaled audibly. "I dreamed about my wife and daughter's accident." Caitlin's eyes widened in slight shock. "Every night I stood on the side of the road where it happened. I see Tess driving the car. I want to call out to them to wait, but they can't hear me. I want to run to them, but I can't move... I'm powerless... And then the truck comes. I see him hit my wife's car and take it with him." He swallowed hard. "I always woke up at night in a sweat and didn't want to go back to sleep because I didn't want to go through that nightmare again."Caitlin took his hand to squeeze it. He took her hand in his and began to gently stroke her skin with his thumb."I'm sorry.""Thank you." Harry cleared his throat and looked at her. A sparkle had come into his clear blue eyes. He grinned and winked at her. "That's how I fell in love with ice cream and realized that it tastes particularly good at night."Caitlin laughed and put another spoonful of nougat ice cream in her mouth. "How does your strawberry ice cream taste?""Good. There used to be a better one, but they somehow made it disappear and now there is this one. Do you like strawberry ice cream?" Harrison asked, scraping some ice cream onto his spoon."I've honestly never eaten it," she replied.He paused with the spoon in front of his mouth and looked at her in disbelief. "You've never had strawberry ice cream before?"Caitlin shook her head. "No. I've only ever had vanilla or nougat. I-I was never allowed to decide what I was allowed to buy or cook."There was a short silence between the two of them until Harry held out his spoon to her, which still had the strawberry ice cream on it."Here. Try it." Caitlin eyed the spoon skeptically. "The ice won't bite, if that's your concern," he said with a grin. She leaned forward slightly and took his spoon into her mouth. "And? How do you like it?" He held his now empty spoon lightly against his lips and waited eagerly for her answer."Not bad," Caitlin said, licking her lips. Harry smiled and went back to his ice cream in the bowl. "Here." He looked up and saw Caitlin holding out her spoon with some nougat ice cream. "I got to have some of your ice cream and now you can have some of my ice cream." Harrison leaned forward slightly and put her spoon in his mouth. "And? How is it?""Not bad," he answered with a grin and a wink.Caitlin laughed and filled the spoon again with some ice cream when Harry's phone vibrated on the kitchen island. He had received a new message."Don’t you want to check?" she asked when he made no move to pick up his cell phone.Harrison shook his head. "If you send me a message in the middle of the night, you can wait until morning," he replied. Caitlin put her hand over her mouth to hide a yawn. Harry smiled. "Someone is probably tired. Should we go back to bed or eat some more ice cream?""Bed," was her short answer.He chuckled. "Okay."Caitlin slid off the chair and tried to take a step forward, but her foot caught on the leg of the chair. With a scream she fell forward, but Harrison caught her and she fell against his chest."Are you okay?" he asked."Yeah, I... I just tripped," Caitlin stammered, pulling away from him."If that's the case..." She gasped in shock when Harry suddenly picked her up in his arms and slowly carried her into the bedroom. "Then we should avoid, if possible, that you stumble again."Her cheeks flushed and she cast her eyes down. Her hand was on his chest, where she could feel his heartbeat. His heart beat in a steady, calm and strong rhythm. Her fingertips gently traced his chest, which was covered by a T-shirt. How would his skin feel against hers? Her gaze moved a little higher to his face. How would his lips feel on her skin? Harry carefully laid her down on the mattress and was about to turn away from her to close the door when Caitlin's hand came to rest on his cheek. He froze in his tracks and looked at her questioningly with his clear blue eyes. Instead of answering, she leaned forward and locked her lips with his. At first Harry was taken aback by the sudden kiss, but then he returned it. He knelt on the bed and his fingers tangled in her hair. Caitlin felt something ignite within her and boldly parted her lips. She moaned as he received the invitation and his tongue found its way into her mouth. Harry pulled away from her as her trembling fingers tried to remove his shirt. He gently wrapped his hands around her wrists to stop her. He could see confusion in her eyes."Don’t you want to…" she began."I want to. More than anything, but not when you're tired, because when I worship your body, then you have to be rested." He winked at her conspiratorially. "But let me show you something else. Let me show you how beautiful this feeling can be. Sit on my lap."Caitlin hesitated for a moment, but then she climbed onto his lap, with one of her legs on each side of his hips."Like this?" she asked a little nervously."No," Harry answered with a small smile and the next moment she felt his hands rest on her bottom and he jerked her closer to him. She gasped in shock as their bodies pressed together. How her breasts pressed against his chest, how her most intimate area pressed against his. Caitlin swallowed and took a shaky breath."Can you feel it?" she heard Harry's voice whisper in her ear. His hot breath caressed the shell of her ear and she shivered slightly. Caitlin nodded. "Can you feel me?""Yes," she breathed.He looked at her as he moved her hips into his hands and over his erection. "Move with me."Caitlin tightened her hold on his neck and began to find an awkward rhythm. "Like this?""Try to relax, Snow," Harry said and kissed her."I'm sorry, I-I'm just nervous.""Don't apologize. It's my job to take your nervousness away." He kissed her neck, placing small kisses along it as he pushed upwards. Caitlin moaned softly. "Can I kiss your breasts?""You’re asking me?""Of course. I promised you I wouldn't do anything you didn't want," Harry replied, smiling when he saw how red her face was. Caitlin nodded. "Words, Snow.""Yes. Yes, you can kiss my breasts."In response, he claimed her lips again and felt her begin to move against him and he did the same. Harrison let go of her lips to kiss his way down to her breasts. Caitlin moaned again as he took her hard nipple into his mouth despite her shirt. How it would feel if he had her naked in front of him now? What would her breast feel like when he sucked on it without any material in front of it?"Harry." Caitlin ran her finger through his hair, lost in the feeling."Imagine what it would be like if there was no material to separate us." He gently bit her nipple and she moaned tugging on the ends of his hair. "I bet you taste delicious.""Harry, I'm... I'm..." She pushed down on his cock, wiggling over the tip of his cock and creating a devilish friction. "Oh! Oh God!" Caitlin screamed. "Harry!""That's it. Let go."Harrison held her still and began to push against her damp pants. He locked his lips with hers and pushed his tongue against hers as his fingers dug into her hips. And then Caitlin screamed and pressed herself against him as her orgasm washed over her. With one final thrust, Harry came too. They both sat there with each other in each other's arms for a few moments until their breathing returned to normal. Caitlin's body was pressed against his while her face was on his shoulder and her arms were wrapped around his body. Harry's hands were still on her hips, gentle yet with some pressure."That… I…" Caitlin stammered quietly into the crook of his neck. She slowly pulled away to look at him and immediately there was concern in his eyes as Harry saw the tears in her eyes making their way down to her cheeks."Oh no, Snow. Did I do something wrong?" he asked, taking her face in his hands to wipe the tears from her still blushing cheeks. "I thought… I'm sorry, Snow. I wanted... I wanted to try to take away your fear of it a little and I didn't take into account that you might not want it at all. I'm sorry, Snow, I'm sorry.""No, no, I'm not crying because I didn't want to, on the contrary... it-it was wonderful." Caitlin saw the worry in his eyes disappear and his gaze became soft. She placed her hands on his chest, wanting to feel his closeness and his warmth. "I-I have..." She swallowed. She had to gather all her courage to get out what she wanted to say. "When my husb… When Steve wouldn't let me out of the house and… and..." Tears stung her eyes and flowed freely down her cheeks."Shhhh." He held her close, wanting to let her know she was safe with him. It pained him to see her so wounded and scared. So tormented and scarred for the rest of her life. She would never forget what she had experienced. And yet Harry wished he could take all of this from her. All her dark memories from her abusive husband so she would no longer be plagued by nightmares at night. "I am with you. He won't be able to harm you anymore. Never."Caitlin pulled away so she could look him in the eye. "I-I know it might not be the same if we did it... naked, but I'm not ready for that step yet." She had lowered her gaze at the last words."Snow, look at me," he asked in a soft voice, but when she didn't lift her eyes, he added a "please". This time Caitlin raised her gaze and looked into his clear blue eyes. "I promised you that I would give you as much time as you needed. I won't pressure you into anything you don't want to do." At those words, Caitlin felt her heart swell. Harry was always so thoughtful and careful with her. He wanted her to be okay, to feel comfortable. "If you're ready for this, I promise you it will be unforgettable for you."In response, Caitlin pressed her lips to his. He smiled into the kiss, tangled his fingers in her long hair and returned the kiss lovingly. Only when oxygen became scarce for both of them did they break away from each other."I'm going to freshen up and then I'll be back," Harry said after a while, when they had both caught their breath. Caitlin nodded and climbed down from his lap. He kissed her forehead before disappearing from the bedroom. She stared at the open door, lost in thought. Harry had just brought her to orgasm, where she screamed not from fear or pain, but because it felt incredibly good and she wanted to experience it again. When Harry climbed back into bed he was wearing new cozy pants. Caitlin snuggled into him an her head rested on his chest as his fingers absently ran through her hair."Can... Can we do that again?" Caitlin asked shyly after a while of silence."What?" Harry asked without stopping stroking her hair.She lifted her head to look at him. Her cheeks were flushed. "Uhm... What we just... When-When I..." Caitlin stopped when she saw his cheeky grin. "Are you making fun of me?""No, never. I just wanted to tease you a little." Harry leaned in to give her a small kiss on the lips. "We can repeat it as many times as you want," he said against her lips. His arms were wrapped tightly and protectively around her body.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
When Caitlin woke up the next morning she was woken by the smell of fresh coffee and pancakes. She stretched and turned to the other side of the bed which was empty. A small smile crept onto her lips and she buried her face in her hands as she felt herself blush. For the first time ever, she hadn't had a nightmare. For the first time ever, she was able to actually sleep through the night. She slowly pulled herself with her elbows to Harry's side of the bed and rested her face on his pillow. It smelled like him. Caitlin giggled and pushed the covers away to sit up. For the first time ever, she felt free and happy. No dark thoughts lingered in her mind. She pulled her legs up to wrap her arms around them and thought back to the night. How Harry had held her, how he had guided her and what feelings she had felt when she had felt him. It had felt more than good and deep down she wanted to do it again. She wanted to feel that feeling of weightlessness again. The tenderness and love that Harry gave her. Her heart beat faster at the thought of doing it with him again.Caitlin climbed out of bed and went into the kitchen, but she couldn't see Harrison anywhere. A little confused, she went to the stove to turn the pancake there in the pan, otherwise it would have burned. A few minutes later she was making the next pancake when Harrison's body gently pressed against hers from behind and his arms gently wrapped themselves around her waist. Caitlin was slightly startled, but then she smiled and leaned against him. Her head was on his shoulder."Did you sleep well?" Harry asked quietly. His voice close to her ear."Yes, I did," she replied, her cheeks flushed."Do you know how beautiful you look when you sleep?" The tip of his nose ran along the shell of her ear and a tingling feeling ran through her body."No, because I close my eyes when I sleep.""Hmm..." Harrison blew a kiss on her neck. Caitlin giggled. "What's so funny?""I'm ticklish," she said, smiling, her cheeks flushed."Where? Here?" He kissed her there again and she laughed again. "That's good to know." She could hear the smile in his voice. "I wonder where else you're so ticklish.""Harry?""Hm?"Caitlin could feel his lips gently brushing against her neck. "I-I wanted to thank you for allowing me to be with you and be who I am. You take me out of my darkness and give me a part of myself again."Harry pulled away from her to turn her to face him. "And I won't stop helping you," he said with a soft smile, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. He slowly leaned forward and nudged her nose with his. Caitlin smiled as Harrison stayed so close to her face that their breaths mingled."Can I kiss you, Snow?" he asked in a slightly rough voice. She shuddered as she felt his fingers on the hem of her shirt, gently touching her skin underneath. They stayed there. His fingers didn't move higher or further down. Caitlin swallowed thickly."Y-Yes."Harry gently touched her lips with his. It was a tender kiss and Caitlin knew he was holding back for her sake so as not to scare her. She parted her lips and the tip of his tongue traced her bottom lip. Caitlin suppressed a moan as their tongues met. She pressed herself against him, wanting to feel him like she did last night. But Harry pulled away from her again and when she looked at him she knew he could see her flushed cheeks and dilated pupils. Her breathing hitched. He removed his fingers that were on her skin and placed his hands on her hips. The sight of her screaming for more than just a kiss drove him mad, but Harry held himself back. He wanted to give her time, to show her that he not only wanted sex with her, but that he also valued her. He wanted to give her the love that had been denied her all these years. With a smile, he leaned in to give her a kiss on the forehead."I think we're burning the pancake right now," he said with an amused tone."Pancakes?" Caitlin asked irritated. Because of Harrison's closeness and kiss, she had completely forgotten what she was doing. "Pancake!" She turned to the stove and flipped said pancake in the pan.Harry chuckled. "How cute, how quickly you forget something when I kiss you," he said and kissed her hair, not noticing Caitlin's deep red cheeks.A few minutes later the two were sitting at the kitchen island eating breakfast together."Snow?""Yes?" She looked up from the pancake she was spreading with jam."I have to confess something to you." Caitlin stopped moving and Harry could see the fear and panic building in her eyes and facial features. "I forgot there's a party at Dr. Eobard Thawne's today.""O-Okay?" Harry could see her slowly relaxing and breathing out a sigh of relief."It will start at 6 p.m. and will probably last late into the night," he replied. "That was the message I received last night when we were eating ice cream together. He reminded me again because I tend to forget things like that." Harry cleared his throat. "I wanted to ask you if you wanted to go to this party with me. As my plus one."Caitlin's eyes widened because she wasn't expecting that. He asked her if she could be his plus one? She? Her heart was beating wildly and full of joy, but the joy was marred by her uncertainty. "I-I don't know. There are certainly other women, more important women than me, who would want to go there with you. You are, after all, Dr. Harrison Wells. CEO of S.T.A.R Labs, one of the most successful laboratories in the world. I, on the other hand, am just an insignificant person who...""Snow stop!" Caitlin jumped in shock when his voice was suddenly so loud. He stretched his hands out on the table. "Take my hands and look at me." Caitlin did as she was told. He looked at her seriously with his clear blue eyes. "You are not insignificant, Snow. You are an intelligent, beautiful and attractive woman." Harrison saw her cheeks turn a light shade of red. "Own it! I don't want to go to the party with anyone but you, Snow."Caitlin smiled and felt tears streaming down her face. Harrison let go of her hands to get up from his seat and walk over to her. He gently wiped away her tears."Please don't ever think of yourself that way again. You are a wonderful woman Caitlin Snow."Harrison rested his forehead against hers. A few seconds passed before Caitlin said, "I'll go to the party with you."He smiled. "I'm glad."She felt his hands rest on her bottom. Caitlin smiled because she knew what he wanted, but he gave her the time and the opportunity to decide against it. And she liked him even more for that. She pulled away from him and looked into his clear blue eyes, which had become a bit darker and she could see the lust and desire in them for her. Her hand rested on his cheek and slowly she approached him and claimed his lips. Harry wanted to pull away, wanted to tell her he didn't want to seem like he just wanted sex with her, but when she wrapped her legs around his torso and held him close, his restraint broke. Caitlin screamed in shock as Harrison suddenly picked her up to carry her to the sofa, but then she kissed him again and lost herself in her feelings... A little later the two of them were sitting on the sofa and looking at the snow-covered lawn."It's beautiful," Caitlin said quietly. Her head lay on Harry's chest while his arm was wrapped protectively around her."Caitlin?"She pulled away to look at him, as his voice had taken on a slightly worried tone. His face was also wracked with worry."What's wrong?""I don't want you to think that I just want to sleep with you, Snow. I want to take it slow and…""It's okay," she interrupted him with a small smile."Really?" Harry asked uncertainly. "Because if you didn't want it and you were afraid that I…" He swallowed because he didn't want to say any more words."If I didn't want it, I would have told you and I know you would have stopped," Caitlin said after a moment of silence. "I trust you, Harry."Harrison smiled and tangled his fingers in her hair. "Please don't forget it. If you tell me or I notice that you are becoming uncomfortable, I will stop. I will never force you to do anything or become violent. I would rather die than harm you.""No."Caitlin threw her arms around his neck. He gently placed his hands on her back."No?""I don't want you to die."Harry smiled and smelled her freshly washed hair. He kissed it gently."Then I won't die."Snow smiled. It warmed her heart that Harry cared about her so much and wanted to make sure she was okay and wasn't afraid to sleep with him. She giggled as he hid his face in the crook of her neck."What are you doing? That tickles.""You smell so good," Harry replied, kissing her neck tenderly as he heard Caitlin yawn. "You're tired.""Mmh…"Harrison lifted his head to whisper in her ear, "If you fall asleep like that, you'll have problems with your body when you wake up.""But I feel safe with you," she murmured, already half asleep."I'll move us to a more comfortable position."He carefully wrapped his arms around her body to lift her and laid himself stretched out on the sofa. He then laid her half on his own body so that his left thigh was between her legs and her left leg was between his. Caitlin's head was on his chest while his head was on a pillow."Isn't that uncomfortable for you?" Snow asked, looking at him. "I'm lying on you with my entire body weight."Harry smiled and gently stroked her cheek with his finger. "I also had your entire body weight on me just a few minutes ago and did I complain?" Caitlin blushed and he laughed quietly. "Don't worry about it. Go to sleep now. I'm not going anywhere."Snow laid her head back on his chest and exhaled with pleasure. She closed her eyes and listened to Harry's steady heartbeat and felt the steady rise and fall of his chest. Caitlin fell asleep with a smile on her face. "Harry?" Caitlin said loudly as she stood in front of the large dressing mirror in the bedroom a little later and was wearing the black dress he had given her for Christmas. It was off the shoulder and hugged her body. "Could you please help me with the zipper?"Harrison came into the bedroom. He was dressed in a black suit underneath a white shirt with the first button undone. He stopped behind her and Caitlin felt his fingers on the zipper of the dress. She could see his gaze in the mirror, sliding over the small portion of her now exposed back. Did he imagine what her skin would feel like under his fingers if they made love? How their bodies clung to each other when there was no longer any material separating them. A tingling feeling ran through her body as she thought about it. Harrison blinked and seemed to come out of his thoughts as well and slowly closed the zipper on her dress. He raised his gaze and Caitlin could see the desire in his eyes."You look stunning," Harry said, his voice slightly rough. "You will be the most beautiful woman at this party. Everyone will envy you."Caitlin lowered her eyes in embarrassment. "Stop it. You're exaggerating.""I'm just telling the truth," Harrison replied, blowing a kiss on the bare skin of her shoulder. "I shouldn't let you out of my sight tonight, not for someone else to snatch you up and dance with you."Caitlin turned to him. "We're going to dance?" she asked excitedly.He nodded. "Yes. You can dance up to three dances with different men. It's just a shame that you'll already be dancing all three dances with me."Caitlin laughed. "You're impossible."He nudged her nose with his. "You're beautiful, Snow."She beamed and couldn't help the slight pink tint to her cheeks. Harrison straightened and took a step back, clearing his throat."We should get going, otherwise I'll have other thoughts.""Any other thoughts? What kind?" Caitlin asked innocently.Harry smiled and pulled her towards him, causing her to bump against his chest and the next moment she felt his hot breath on her ear. "If you would give me permission, I would help you out of your dress, lay you on the bed, kiss every part of your beautiful body and show you another way I can bring you to an orgasm."Caitlin let out a shaky breath as she heard his words. When Harry pulled away from her again, he smiled and winked at her and she knew that she had blushed deeply."Come on. We should get going now, otherwise we'll be late," he said, taking her hand to pull her out of the bedroom. Two hours later, Harrison and Caitlin were standing in front of a mansion. From inside you could hear music, voices and laughter. Caitlin gaped in amazement."That's...""Gigantic?" Harry finished her sentence with a small smile."Yes," Caitlin replied.Harrison handed a man the two invitations he had received from Thawne and entered the mansion with Caitlin."Beautiful," she dreamed, smiling.It was completely white, while the floors were made of white marble, as were the steps. The railing of the stairs was black. A huge diamond chandelier hung from the ceiling. Caitlin couldn't help but be amazed until she suddenly felt their eyes on her. She let her gaze wander and saw women and most men looking at her. She gripped Harrison's arm, which she was holding, a little tighter. He placed his hand reassuringly on hers and squeezed it lightly."They admire how beautiful you are," he whispered with a small smile, his gaze directed forward."Harrison!"Caitlin's attention was drawn from the gawking crowd to the man who walked toward her with a joyful smile. Dr. Eobard Thawne. He was dressed in a full yellow suit, with his tie and handkerchief being red. The two shook hands."I'm glad you could come." His eyes fell on Snow. "And with such a lovely young woman too! Dr. Snow, you look wonderful."He took her hand and placed a kiss on the back of her hand."Uhm... Th-Thank you," Caitlin stuttered, her cheeks slightly flushed."I was really surprised when you told me you wanted two invitations since you were bringing someone with you.""Surprised?" Snow asked."Yeah. Harrison never brings anyone to my parties. That's why most of the women have always been with him, but I think that's going to change tonight. Am I right?" Eobard said with a wink to Wells."Well, he's a good looking and kind hearted man," Caitlin said before she could stop herself. Her eyes widened slightly and she blushed, realizing she had just said it out loud. When she looked at Harry, his clear blue eyes were on her and a smile played on his lips."Be careful, otherwise you'll fall for his charm," grinned Thawne, looking back and forth between the two. "If I didn't love women but men, I would also be interested in him."Harrison cleared his throat. "I think it's time for me to show Dr. Snow around a bit while you address the guests.""Of course. Make yourself comfortable and don't forget to drink." He leaned towards them a little. "I'm serious. Drink as much as you can because we've ordered so much that you can drink it for the next six months.""We'll see what we can do," said Harrison."That's good to hear. Oh! There's Dr. Stein! Have a wonderful evening and I hope I can dance with the beautiful Dr. Snow afterwards?""It would be my pleasure," Caitlin said with a smile.Thawne disappeared and Harry led Caitlin further into a huge living room where most of the guests were. There were drinks, small snacks, roach where you could sit comfortably and then a large area to dance."Dr. Wells." A red-haired woman wearing a dark green dress that accentuated her slim figure approached the two with two glasses of champagne."Who is that?" Caitlin asked quietly, as the woman was still out of earshot."Ask me something about my job or about projects we still want to realize and I could give you an answer," Harrison replied just as quietly.The woman came to a stop in front of them with a joyful grin, her lipstick already clinging to two of her teeth."I'm so happy to see you!" she said, seemingly not even noticing Caitlin because she only had eyes for Harrison Wells. "I had doubts that you wouldn't come since I wanted to dance with you this year.""Well Dr. Thawne sent me two invitations and how could I say no, Ms…?""Mrs. Ratsburg," the woman replied, visibly disappointed that Harrison couldn't remember her name."Right. However, I'm only going to dance with one tonight. As you can see, I'm here with someone," said Harry and it was only then that the woman seemed to notice Snow. "Mrs. Ratsburg, this is Dr. Caitlin Snow and she is..." He looked at her and Caitlin knew what he wanted to say, but he waited for her permission to say the word. She nodded. "She's my girlfriend."Mrs. Ratsburg's eyes widened. "G-Girlfriend?" she asked incredulously, looking between the two of them."Now if you'll excuse us, I think your husband is looking for you," Harrison replied and simply left the woman standing there."She's a married woman," Caitlin said once they were out of earshot."And?""Well, shouldn't we just leave such conversations?"Harrison chuckled in amusement. "By conversations you mean flirting that later leads to sex?""Yes. Mrs. Ratsburg has a husband.""She's just one of the many people who approached me at these parties who are married. But even if their marriage is going well, these women seem to really enjoy the danger of cheating on someone. It literally excites them. But why talk about women when men can do it just as well as them.""And did you… uhm…" Caitlin licked her lips nervously."Do I have what?" Harrison asked, stopping to look at her properly. He stood in front of her and looked at her questioningly with his clear blue eyes."Have you slept with any women who are here?"Harry looked at her in silence for a moment. "No. I'm not into one-night stands. Yes, they would satisfy me, but they also bring a few difficulties when you're someone like me. The women want more or probably think that I would feel something for them. That's why I never got involved in it after my wife and daughter."Caitlin's eyes widened and she felt a guilty conscience spread through her. "I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean to…""It's okay," he assured her with a small smile. "You asked and I answered. So don't worry, Snow, okay?"Caitlin nodded and smiled. "Okay.""Good." He leaned in to plant a kiss on her cheek.She gasped. "Someone might see us, Harry."Harrison chuckled. "Then let them see that I have the most stunning and beautiful woman at the party." Caitlin's cheeks flushed. He gave her a wry smile and winked. "Come on. Let's get something to drink and mingle with the crowd."He took her hand and led her across the room. Harry introduced her to people he spoke to and everyone seemed happy, especially the men, that he finally had a girlfriend, while the women gave Caitlin a disparaging look."I need to go and make use of a bathroom for a moment," Snow whispered to Harrison as the two spoke to five men."Shall I show you...""No, you stay with them, I'll find it. I'll be right back.""Okay, but if anything happens, you have my number."He gave her a kiss on the hair before Caitlin disappeared into the crowd of guests. He watched her for a moment before returning to the conversation. Caitlin crossed the room and found a waitress."Excuse me, do you know where the toilets are?""Of course. Along the corridor here and then to the right," said the woman, smiling."Thank you very much.""No problem."Caitlin followed the woman's instructions and found the women's restroom. She went in and was looked at by two women who were looking at themselves in the mirror."Good evening," Snow greeted politely with a nervous smile. She wanted to disappear into one of the cabins, but one of them stopped her."So you're the whore who grabbed Harrison," she said, turning to her.She leaned against the sink and crossed her arms over her chest. Caitlin stared at the woman, perplexed. Whore? She opened her mouth to say something, but no sound came out."Tell me how many men did you have to fuck to end up in his bed? Because it's definitely not because of your looks."The woman next to her laughed and put the lipstick in her small shoulder bag and then turned around too."You're right. It's not because of her looks. I wonder if he'll even be able to get off if she's naked in front of him or if she has to help him out by giving him a blowjob.""She wouldn't even be able to do that. Look how small her mouth is," said the woman. "He wouldn't even get it in."The words hurt and cut deeper than any knife ever could. What little self-confidence Caitlin had built up slowly began to crumble under the nasty comments."But you shouldn't wallow in your happiness for too long, because soon Harrison will get tired of you and send you back to the streets where a whore like you belongs."With that, the two women walked out of the bathroom laughing, leaving her alone. Only when Caitlin heard the door close did she allow her tears to flow freely. She locked herself in one of the stalls, which was like a powder room you would find in a house, and sat on the toilet lid. What if the women were right? What if at some point Harry didn't want her anymore and just dumped her on the street?Caitlin didn't know how long she stayed in the toilet before she finally found the courage to leave the powder room. Luckily she had applied waterproof make-up, otherwise her face would now be a mess of smudged make-up. After freshening up a bit, she left the toilet and walked slowly down the path, keeping her eyes on the ground."Snow!"She looked up when she heard Harrison's voice and saw him running towards her. He came to a stop in front of her, slightly out of breath. The worry was clearly visible on his face."Where were you? I was worried about you when you didn't come back and…" He stopped abruptly when he saw her red eyes. He gently touched her cheek with his fingertips. "You cried.""No, I…""Yes, Snow," he interrupted her. "What happened? Who made you cry?""It-It's nothing. The women just…" She swallowed hard. "They were just talking stupidly.""That you had to cry?" Harry asked, feeling his concern for her mixed with anger. "What did they say to you?"Caitlin looked at him with shining eyes that were slowly filling with tears again. "They said that I was a whore and that you would soon tire of me and throw me out into the streets. Where a whore belongs." Harrison's free hand, the one not on her cheek, curled into a fist. In her eyes he could see the fear and insecurity she had had when she first started working with him. "I-I know I…"Caitlin couldn't finish her sentence because Harry took her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers. Her eyes widened in shock, but then she closed them and her fingers dug into his suit. Fireworks went up in her stomach and she felt her insecurities fall away. Harrison slowly pulled away from her again, but he stayed so close that the tips of their noses touched."I don't want anyone else," Harry said and when Caitlin opened her eyes she saw the clear blue of his eyes. "I only want you, Snow. Only you. You will be the only and last woman I will let into my heart." He gently wiped her tears from her cheeks with his thumbs. "I love you, Caitlin."Her eyes widened. Did she just hear it right? Had Harrison told her that… "You-You love me?" she asked incredulously.Harry laughed quietly and rested his forehead against hers. "I don't know what else I can do to show you that I love you other than the things I already do."Caitlin snuggled up to him and he wrapped his arms around her. The two stood there wrapped around each other for a while, enjoying their closeness to each other, when music began to play."The dance begins," Harry said. "Should we go dancing or would we like to stay here longer?"Caitlin pulled away to look at him. "Dance."Harrison smiled and kissed her forehead before taking her hand and heading towards the living room. Caitlin held onto his hand as they pushed through the crowds and onto the dance floor. Before she could react, Harry had taken her in his arms and was dancing with her. Her eyes moved from Harrison to all the people watching them dance."Snow.""Hm?" Her eyes turned back to him."Look at me," Harry said in a soft voice."B-But the people…""Ignore them. What matters now is the two of us, Snow. Focus on me."Caitlin nodded and let the music drift along. She felt Harry's hand on her back, warm and strong. His eyes were on her and she couldn't help but smile. At the end of the dance, he gave her a kiss on the forehead before leading her off the dance floor. Her cheeks were slightly red as his thumb stroked them."How about we grab something to eat before we dance a second time?" Harry suggested."Gladly."She followed him to the buffet, where there was a variety of dishes, with everything to satisfy everyone. With a smile, she filled her plate and then walked with Harrison to a bar table to put their plates there."One second." Harry disappeared briefly, only to come back with a high chair that was for the tables. "A chair for the lady.""Harry, you didn't have to do that," Caitlin said smiling and sat down. She quickly let her gaze wander and saw that others were also sitting at such a bar table."We've been here for three hours and as far as I know, you've mostly just been standing.""But now you don't have a chair.""It doesn't matter," Harry replied with a wink. "Eat, otherwise it will be cold."The two ate together and Harry told her about a few people who were at the party. Every now and then she would briefly point at someone and he would tell her who that person was. The next time she danced the second dance with Eobard Thawne, who had asked her politely."Harrison is lucky to have you," he said as he danced. "I've known him for a few years and I've never seen him as happy at my parties as he is today."Caitlin looked briefly at Harry, who was standing in the audience and his eyes were on her.'Is everything okay?', his lips formed the words and she nodded almost imperceptibly. Harrison winked at her."But if you've known each other for so long, why did you act like you didn't know Harrison when you were there for the meeting?"Eobard laughed. "I always do that with him for fun. I...""Dr. Thawne, can I continue dancing with this beautiful woman?" suddenly asked a man who was a lot older than him.He only had white hair on the side of his head. His blue eyes glittered and his pupils were slightly dilated. His suit was a little tight around the middle. Eobard opened his mouth and was about to respond when he felt Caitlin's hands tighten slightly around him. He looked at her for a moment and then replied,"Mr. Williams, how about you wait until the end of the dance and then ask her if she would like to dance the next dance with you.""It would only be a minute," replied Mr. Williams stubbornly.Eobard let go of Caitlin and half stood in front of her to protect her a little. Snow was slightly startled when an arm suddenly wrapped around her waist and a body pressed against her back. She looked over her shoulder and saw Harrison standing next to her, his gaze fixed on Mr. Williams."You should step away from the dance floor," Thawne replied. His eyes wandered around. "People are already watching.""I'm not leaving here until I've danced with her.""I can also call my guards and then they would dance with you to the door where the exit is," Eobard said coolly.Mr. Williams stared at the scientist for a moment longer before grumbling something and leaving the dance floor. Thawne turned to Caitlin and Harrison."My apologies. Are you okay, Dr. Snow?" he asked."Yes. I'm fine. Thank you. I-I'd just like to sit down.""Naturally.""I'll take you to an empty seat," Harry said.He nodded to Eobard and led Caitlin away from the dance floor to a small area where there were three armchairs and a small glass table. She sat on one and Harry squatted in front of her, her hands in his."Are you really okay?" he asked, concern for her clearly visible on his face.Caitlin nodded. "Yes, I-I was just a little scared because..." She swallowed and bit her bottom lip."Hey... Everything's fine. Thawne's probably about to kick Mr. Williams out," he replied, kissing her fingers. "Would you like me to get you something to drink?""Yes, please.""What would you like?""Just a glass of water.""Okay. I'll be back with you as soon as I can," Harry promised her and stood up to fulfill her wish.Snow was playing with her fingers as she waited for him when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a slim woman stop next to her."Caitlin? What are you doing here?"The blood froze in her veins and she thought her heart had stopped. She slowly looked to the right and looked into her mother's face.
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Caitlin stared at her mother, Carla Tannhauser, as if she were from another planet. After 6 years she finally saw her again. She had never come to see Steve and her except for their wedding. Caitlin knew her mother had called every now and then, but since she wasn't allowed to talk to anyone except when she left the house with her husband, she was never able to talk to her. And her mother seemed to just ask how she was doing and whether she might have grandchildren one day."M-Mother? What are you doing here?" asked Snow, still perplexed."What am I doing here?! I was invited by Dr. Eobard Thawne," Carla replied, crossing her arms over the chest of her burgundy dress. "I'm CEO of Tannhauser Industries, after all, or have you already forgotten who I am and what I had to do to give you the life you now own?""No, of course not," Caitlin said in a quiet voice and cast her eyes down. She began to rub her fingers nervously."You still haven't answered my question. What are you doing here? As far as I know, you don't have the necessary knowledge or prestige to attend such a party of respected scientists."Her mother's words hurt her, but it was nothing new to her. For Carla Tannhauser, she would always be in the shadow of her greatness and would never be able to approach it."I was...""Look at me when you're talking to me and speak louder!" her mother almost hissed. "I didn't raise you to be a miserable little mouse!"Caitlin swallowed and blinked away the tears that threatened to flow down her cheeks. She clenched her hands into fists, resting them on her thighs to give herself strength. Caitlin raised her gaze and looked again at her mother's face, who was looking at her coolly."My boss took me to this party," she replied.Carla raised an eyebrow. "Your boss?""Yes. Dr. Harrison Wells, CEO of S.T.A.R Labs."Her eyes widened in surprise for a brief moment, then turned cold again. "You are an employee of S.T.A.R Labs? Tsk. A second-rate, perhaps even third-rate laboratory if you compare it to my Tannhauser Industries."Anger welled up in Caitlin as she heard her talking about Harrison's life's work like that, but she didn't dare say anything, so she stayed silent."I didn’t know you and Steve moved here," Clara changed the subject. "He must have forgotten to mention that in our last conversation.""Conversation?" Caitlin asked, barely able to suppress the tremble in her voice as fear rose within her."Yes, almost five months ago." Her eyes fell on her stomach. "I see that you still don't seem to be pregnant. Have you ever seen a doctor to check you out?""W-What?" she stammered, because the thought of having a child with Steve made her sick."You should get yourself checked because I'm sure it's not Steve's fault that you don’t...""We broke up," Caitlin blurted out. Her nervousness continued to grow by the second. It slowly felt like she couldn't breathe anymore. Her throat continued to constrict, as did her chest. Where was Harry?Her mother stared at her in disbelief. "I'm sorry, what? You broke up?!""We… We grew apart. I-I moved here and he stayed in Canada," she replied, swallowing hard."And you wouldn't think of telling me anything about it?! Where do you live now?""I-I...""Stop stuttering!" Carla interrupted angrily. "Speak properly!"Caitlin took a shaky breath. It was like someone was sitting on her lungs and squeezing all her air out. "I'm living with my boss at the moment.""What? With your boss!?" her mother said in disbelief. "Don't you have any money to afford your own apartment?""There's been a break-in in my old apartment and since it's still winter vacation at the moment, there are no hotels or motels available. Ha... Dr. Wells offered to let me stay with him until I found a new place to live.""You definitely won't. I will organize an apartment for you since you don't seem to be able to do this yourself," said the mother. Her cool eyes looked at her piercingly. "You should go home. You look like you're going to collapse at any moment."With that, Carla Tannhauser turned around and left her daughter standing there alone. Caitlin wanted to shout after her mother that she was happy with Harrison, that she wanted to stay with him and that she never wanted to see Steve again, but as so often her voice failed when she needed it most. She took a step forward to steady herself when suddenly everything began to spin in front of her eyes. She breathed in frantically and it seemed as if she couldn't get enough air. With shaking hands, she opened the small black robe she was wearing to retrieve the white cloth that Harrison had once given her. She held it tightly in her hands to her chest as if it could calm her."H-Harry. Harry," she murmured and began to move to look for him. Caitlin moved through the crowd, but when she looked at the men's faces, she no longer saw their faces, but only Steve's face. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she walked towards the exit of the living room."Dr. Snow?" She turned around and saw Dr. Thawne coming towards her. Concern was evident on his face as he stopped in front of her. "Are you okay?""H-Harry. P-Please," she pleaded in a shaky voice.Eobard understood and nodded. "I'll go look for him, but you should sit down first." He carefully led her to the stairs, where she sat down. "I'm going to find Harrison. I'll be right back."Thawne disappeared, leaving Caitlin alone. Why did something like this have to happen now? Why did she have to meet her mother here? As soon as she contacted Steve, he would immediately get on a plane and come here. Her dream of a bright future had just been nipped in the bud."Snow!"Caitlin lifted her head and saw Harrison running towards her. She rose to her shaky legs and he wrapped her in his arms, where she let her tears flow freely."I am here. I’m here," he said in a quiet voice, rubbing her back soothingly. When her legs gave way, Harry held her tight and led them both to the steps, where he carefully sat Caitlin down and pulled away from her. His hands gently cupped her cheeks and his thumbs brushed away the tears that were streaming down her face."Here." Harrison turned to see Eobard standing next to them with a glass of water."Thank you." He took the glass of water and held it out to Caitlin, who took it in her shaky hands, a little of the water spilling over and falling onto her dress."Oh no. I can't do anything right either," Snow sobbed."That's not true. It doesn't matter, it's just water and if it was wine it wouldn't be so bad," Harry replied, putting his hands around hers, which were still shakingly holding the glass. "Drink."Caitlin slowly brought the glass to her lips and took small sips. Harry looked around and noticed that Thawne had left and that no one else was walking around. Apparently he had told his guards to keep the doors closed for now so no one had to see Caitlin like that. He owed him."C-Can we go home?" he heard Caitlin's quiet voice.Harry looked at her tear-stained face and her red, shiny eyes. He nodded. "Of course."He carefully took the glass from her hands and placed it on one of the steps before helping her to her feet again. He put an arm around her waist for support while she clutched her left hand into his suit. At the car, Harry helped her in and then got behind the wheel."Is it warm enough or should I make it warmer?" he asked when he found it a bit cold in the car.Caitlin just nodded, but she didn't speak or look at him, just stared ahead. Harrison turned it up two degrees warmer and hit the road. At a red light he looked at her again. In her hands she held the white cloth that he had given her. A small smile played on his lips when he saw it. He carefully reached out to place his hand on hers, which she had in her lap. Caitlin jumped in shock at the sudden touch and looked at him. He could see the fear and anxiety in her eyes. What had happened while he wasn't there? When he didn't protect her? What had made her so scared? He opened his mouth to say something, but just then the traffic light turned green again. Harry looked forward again and wanted to put his hand back on the steering wheel, but Caitlin held his hand tightly. He drove on slowly. It hurt him to see her so withdrawn and afraid again. Her good mood and that happy sparkle in her eyes was gone. Instead, fear had returned and taken possession of her. When Harrison unlocked the door of the house a little later, Caitlin slowly walked to the bathroom as if in a trance. Harry watched her go and was about to go after her when his cell phone rang. Cursing, he took it out of his pocket and saw the name Eobard Thawne on the display."What's up, Thawne?" he asked when he answered the call.
"I just wanted to ring through to see if Dr. Snow was okay. She looked very exhausted and seemed to be barely able to stand."
"It was a long day. I'll take care of her."
"I'm sure of it. Will you let me know how she's doing?"
Harry looked back to the bathroom when he heard something fall to the floor inside there. "Listen, I have to hang up now."
"Of course."
"Enjoy your party."
"I will."
Harrison hung up and walked to the bathroom door was closed. He knocked. "Caitlin is everything okay in there?" He got no answer. "Caitlin?" Once again he got no answer and slowly an uneasy feeling began to creep over him. "I'm coming in now."Harry opened the door and saw Caitlin crouched on the floor. A hairbrush lay in front of her as new tears streamed down her cheeks. He went to her and knelt in front of her. He gently placed his hand on her cheek. His clear blue eyes looked into her brown eyes that looked at him with such sadness and disappointment."I... I feel so dirty..." Caitlin sobbed. "So used…"Harry looked at her in shock. What was she talking about? "That's not true.""But it is true! It's like he's back. I feel it all over me."He could see it in her eyes. This strong belief that was like a huge wall that he had to overcome. He got up to go to the bathtub and left the water running. Caitlin looked at him questioningly as Harry came back to her and helped her to her feet."Let's wash the dirt off," he said in a low voice, gently lifting her chin with his fingers as she lowered her gaze to the floor. "May I?"She swallowed. Those clear blue eyes... It was like they could see deep into her soul. She nodded. Harrison took a step forward, invaded her space and then she felt his fingers on her back. Caitlin's gaze was fixed on his face, as was his on hers, as his fingers found the zipper of the dress and slowly pulled it down. Her hands were on his chest where she could feel his beating heart. Caitlin felt the dress slowly loosen a little and then Harry's hands went to her left arm to free it from the strap. He did the same with her right arm and then she felt Harry's hands on her ribcage, the only thing still holding the dress to her body. He waited for her to agree that he would let it go and then she would stand in front of him half naked. Caitlin swallowed and nodded. Something glittered in his eyes before he removed his hands from her ribcage and the dress fell to the floor. Now she stood in front of him only in a black bra and black hipster panties. A little shy, she put her arms over her breasts to hide them and lowered her head in embarrassment. Harrison's fingers curled under her chin to lift it so she would have to look at him."You're beautiful," he said, his voice slightly rough, and Caitlin felt herself blush.Her eyes widened slightly as Harrison began to take off his clothes and then stood in front of her except for his black boxer shorts. Her eyes were focused on his naked torso, which was slightly muscular. She reached out with her right hand to touch him, but then stopped halfway when she realized what she was about to do. Snow pulled her hand back, but Harry took it and placed her flat hand on his chest. Caitlin took a ragged breath and when she looked into his eyes, she saw the dilated pupils. She could see the desire in them but also the kindness."You can touch me as much as you want, Snow."Caitlin raised her left hand and let her fingers trail from his forehead down to his temple. Harrison closed his eyes to enjoy her touch. She continued to run her fingers over his naked body and every now and then Harry shivered under her touch. Especially when her fingers ran over his nipples."You're so handsome," Caitlin whispered as her fingers reached his boxers.Harry grabbed both of her hands before they could do anything that would finally make him lose control. "Come. Let's wash the dirt off."Harrison helped Caitlin into the bathtub and disappeared for a moment, returning with shampoo and shower gel. Snow sat in the bathtub with her legs drawn up, where the water was already reaching her upper body. Apparently Harrison had also added something else, which covered the surface with a light foam. Harry climbed into the bathtub behind her and gently placed his hands around her waist, gently pulling her towards him. She was now sitting between his legs. Her back touched his chest and her butt pressed against his semi-hard cock. And there was no doubt that Caitlin didn’t feel it, as she shuddered slightly at the touch."Close your eyes and just feel," he whispered in her ear.Harry took the shower head that had been attached to the wall in the middle of the bathtub and turned it on. The warm water flowed gently over Caitlin's hair as she closed her eyes. Harry dripped some shampoo onto his hand and then began running his fingers through Caitlin's hair. He massaged her scalp and she sighed in pleasure. After washing her hair, he spread shower gel on a sponge and began to rub it on her shoulders, arms and hands and then clean it again with water. He gently began to move the sponge over her back and down to the base of her breasts and then down to her stomach. When he had placed the sponge on the edge of the bathtub, his hands rested gently on her arms and his lips moved over her shoulders to breathe a kiss there."I'm scared," Caitlin said in a quiet voice."Scared?" He lifted his head and turned her head to look at her. He could clearly see these emotions in her eyes. "From what?""From what my mother will do.""Your mother? What’s she going to do?" Harrison asked, frowning."She was there, Harry. She was at Dr. Thawne's party and talked to me. I-I told her that Steve and I broke up, which isn't true at all, and that I now work at S.T.A.R Labs and..." She swallowed as new tears found their way into her beautiful eyes. "And I told her that I was living with you until I found a new apartment because my old apartment was broken into. She'll definitely tell Steve where I am and-and then... then he'll come here and want to take me with him." Tears streamed down her face. "I don't want to go with him. I want to stay here. With you."His fingers moved over her bare arms to her fingers, weaving them together. "You will, Caitlin. I won't let him take you away from me. You belong to me," he said in a quiet but firm voice."You don't know Steve. He'll do anything to make me his again," Caitlin said, sobbing.Harry tenderly kissed away the tear that wanted to flow down her cheek. "Well, this Steve doesn’t know me either. And believe me, Caitlin, when I tell you that I would do anything to protect you from him, too."She could see in his eyes how serious he was. "But I don't want him to hurt you," Snow whispered, her voice choked.Harry placed his index finger on her lips to stop her from continuing. "I'll be fine, Caitlin."He removed his finger only to kiss her temple, then the tip of her nose, then her lips. Caitlin closed her eyes and let her emotions take over. She felt his hands move to her hips and as she parted her lips, Harry's tongue entered. As she moved slightly, she brushed her bottom over his cock, making him groan and the grip on her hips tighten. She immediately felt a tingling sensation shooting between her legs. However, his fingers loosened and brushed against her bare skin, making her tremble and aroused."Can I touch your breasts?" Harry asked against her lips."Yes," Caitlin breathed before locking his lips together again. She felt his fingers move to her back to unhook her bra and carelessly toss it to the side. Snow moaned as his hands came to her breasts to knead them. She wrapped her right arm around his neck and buried her fingers in his hair."So perfect," Harry said as his fingers twirled her nipples and Caitlin moaned again, tugging lightly on his hair. His right hand moved away from her breast to travel further down and rub her core, which was hidden by the piece of fabric. Caitlin gasped and shuddered as he applied gentle pressure to her clit."Please... Harry, touch me," she whispered, looking at him with flushed cheeks.Harrison swallowed as he understood what she meant. "Snow, I don't want you..."He couldn't continue because she locked his lips with hers in a stormy kiss and this time deliberately brushed her butt against his cock. Harry groaned and bolts of excitement shot through Caitlin's body down to her core. She felt his fingers move up to her stomach and then disappear into her panties. Caitlin pulled away from him and gasped as his fingers stroked through her folds. It was a completely new feeling for her to be touched like that."Good?" Harry asked with a small smile as he slowly slid his fingers through her folds.Caitlin nodded. "Yes, yes."He leaned her in to kiss her hard and Snow returned the kiss. Harry began to twirl her nipples between his fingers again, while his fingers slowly became faster against her folds and then applied pressure to her pearl. Caitlin moaned into the kiss and pulled his hair a little harder."Still good?" he asked with a grin, but he didn’t stop."Yes. So good!" Caitlin gasped.Her left hand found his thigh and grabbed it tightly. Harrison pulled away to suck on the crook of her neck, causing a hickey there."Harry! I'm... Ah...!""That's it. Cum, Caitlin. Cum for me," he whispered in her ear, sucking on her earlobe.Snow screamed as her orgasm washed over her. Her body shook and convulsed. She pulled Harry's hair painfully, but seeing her in such ecstasy made it worth it. Panting, Caitlin came down from her high and collapsed against Harry. He had removed his hands and used the shower gel to wash them before gently running his fingers over her upper arms."Are you feeling better?" Harry asked quietly with a smile, nudging her nose with his.Caitlin lay with her head on his chest and put her hand on his cheek. She smiled. "Yes. Thank you."She lifted herself up slightly to kiss him, brushing her bottom against his cock again. Harrison groaned and pulled away from her, pushing her away a little."Did I hurt you?" Caitlin asked worriedly, this time turning completely towards him.Harry chuckled and tucked a strand of hair behind her. "No, but I just need a few minutes and my erection should go down.""Oh!" She understood. She nervously licked her lips with her tongue, not missing how his gaze followed this movement and his eyes became darker and desire was clearly visible in them. "I... I could help you."Harry's gaze immediately went back to her eyes. "No. I don't want you to do anything just to get me off. It's okay. Don't worry about it.""But..." She swallowed. "But I want it."Now it was Harrison who swallowed hard. "Really?"Caitlin nodded. "Really.""Do you know what you have to do?"She shook her head. "No, I... I never had the chance."Harry saw the sadness in her eyes again and so he leaned in to kiss her. "Then I'll show you."She looked at him in surprise, but then she smiled and nodded. Harrison leaned against the bathtub to take off his boxers a little."And you’re really sure you want to do it?" he asked again.Caitlin nodded. "Yes.""Okay. Give me your hand." She held out her hand to him and he took it and put his hand and hers under the water. And then she felt his hard, hot erection against her knuckles. "Put your hand around it," Harry instructed. He was breathing faster than before and she did as she was told. Her hand wrapped around his shaft and he hissed. "A little tighter." Caitlin gripped his erection a little tighter and Harry groaned. "Yes, exactly like that and now you move your hand up and down."Again she did as he told her and as she began to move her hand up and down, Harry's head tilted back briefly, against the wall and he closed his eyes. But then he opened his eyes again and looked at Caitlin. His breath was ragged and soft moans escaped his mouth. She leaned forward without letting go of his cock to lock her lips with his. Harrison moaned into her mouth and placed his hand gently on the back of her head. He bit her bottom lip and sucked on it as he felt Caitlin move her hand up and down his cock a little faster. And then his orgasm ripped through him. He thrusted forward and his seed spilled out into the lukewarm water of the bathtub. Harry pulled away, breathing frantically, and looked into her eyes before placing a gentle kiss on her lips."Are you okay?"Harrison smiled. "More than okay," he replied, stroking her hair with his fingers as Caitlin yawned and quickly put her hand to her mouth. "Looks like someone's tired." He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "We should go to bed."The two got out of the bath and Harrison dried Caitlin with a towel before drying himself. The water in the bathtub disappeared down the drain and so did everything else. In the bedroom they changed into their pajamas and Caitlin snuggled up to Harrison once they were under the covers together."Good night, Harry," Caitlin murmured, already half asleep."Good night, Caitlin," he said, kissing her head.
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Caitlin and Harrison strolled through Central City holding hands. People were buying New Year's Eve firecrackers. Today was December 31st and Harry had told Caitlin that he had a surprise for her. Yesterday Caitlin's mood had improved a bit, but he could feel her still thinking about what happened at the party which is why he had arranged something."What's the surprise?" Caitlin asked excitedly.Harry chuckled and squeezed her hand. "If I tell you, it won't be a surprise anymore.""Please. A little hint?"He laughed and kissed her temple. "No. My lips are sealed."Caitlin stopped in front of him and wrapped her arms around his waist. Her chin rested on his chest and she looked up at him. "Please."Harrison took her face in his hands and smiled. He nudged his nose against hers. "I won't tell you anything. No matter how many times you beg, Snow."Snow pushed her lip forward in a pout and wanted to say something, but he pressed his lips lovingly to hers and she returned the kiss."Come on, or we'll be late," Harry said as he pulled away from her.Caitlin took his hand again and the two of them continued walking through the city until a little later they arrived at a shop for small things that you wanted to give away when you no longer needed them and went inside. It was a small, inconspicuous shop with green wallpaper, a counter and two chairs standing by the shutter and a table against the wall with brochures lying on it. A young woman with long blonde hair and blue eyes stood behind the counter. The name "Mary" was written on a small name tag on the left side of her chest."Good morning," she greeted them both with a friendly smile. "What can I do for you?""My name is Dr. Harrison Wells. We spoke on the phone," Harry said. Caitlin looked back and forth between the two, having no idea what was going on."Right. You're here because of the puppies. Please follow me," the woman replied and started moving towards the back room."Puppies?" Snow asked curiously.Harrison smiled and winked at her. "Come. Let's follow her."The two went into the back room and out came a female Karst Shepherd dog with six puppies, all of which were running around and had either brown or black fur. Caitlin's eyes widened."How cute," she said excitedly. Her eyes lit up with joy. "May I?""Of course," said Mary, smiling. Caitlin crouched down and petted one of the puppies that trotted over to her. Harrison studied her for a moment before turning his attention to the woman."Thank you for making it happen so quickly and for bringing the dogs here," Harry said."No problem. I was happy to do it," she replied. "And when can you say that Dr. Wells, CEO of S.T.A.R Labs wants to buy a dog and come to me instead of a shelter?""Well, I wanted a specific breed of dog for a puppy, nothing more. If you hadn't had this breed of dog, I wouldn't have come.""We're buying a dog?" Caitlin asked in surprise, sitting on the floor with two puppies in her lap. One of them sucked on her index finger. Harrison crouched down next to her and stroked a puppy's head."Yes. I thought it would be a good idea to make you feel safer. Karst Shepherd Dogs are very good protectors. They do need a lot of exercise, but I think we can manage that.""You don't have to buy me a dog to make me feel safer, Harry. When you’re with me I feel safe," she replied.He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "Even if you feel safe with me, I want you to choose a dog. Maybe I won't be there one evening and you need someone to feel safe with. Okay?"Caitlin looked at him. "Okay," she echoed and nodded.Harry smiled and stroked her cheek with his thumb. "All right, do you already have a preference as to which one you want?""They're all so cute, I don't know which one to choose," she replied with a smile and stroked the puppy's head, who was still sucking on her finger."I think this one is very affectionate," Harrison said, nodding his head at the little brown-furred puppy."Yes, that’s true." Caitlin scratched behind the puppy’s ear.Dr. Wells turned to Mary. "What's the puppy's name?""It's Odin. He loves to cuddle and sleeps a lot. He's calm and not as excited as his siblings," the woman explained to him."What do you think, Snow? Should we take Odin?""Yes, I can't not take him when he's already so attached to me," Caitlin replied, smiling."Okay, that's settled then," Harry said, straightening up to turn to Mary. "I'll transfer the money to you tomorrow."Snow stood up with the puppy in her arms. "Is it really okay if we take the mother's puppies? Won't she be sad?""Yes, she will. But I don't have the money to keep them all, so I have to give them away," Mary told her as they left the back room. "But I only give the puppies to people where I'm sure they'll be in good hands."The two said goodbye to her and left the store with the little puppy Odin in Caitlin's arms, tucking him under her jacket and it was now sticking out the front of her chest. Harrison clasped her hand in his and they both walked to his car holding hands. Caitlin looked at Harry. He had just bought her a dog just to make her feel safer when he wasn't around. She swallowed. He gave her so much, cared for her, did everything to make her feel good and her?"What are you worrying about, Snow?" Harrison asked, breaking her out of her thoughts. They had arrived at his car and he looked at her questioningly with his clear blue eyes. Caitlin lowered her eyes. "Hey. Look at me." She raised her eyes to look at him. "What's wrong? If you're worried about the dog...""I don't deserve you," she said before she could stop herself. Harry looked at her in disbelief. "You-You’ve done so much for me. You let me live with you, give me incredibly beautiful things and now you've even bought me a dog to make me feel safe." Tears welled up in her eyes. "But I do nothing for you except be a burden. I didn't give you anything that…"Harrison pressed his lips to hers to stop her from speaking any further. "You are not a burden, Snow. You didn't give me nothing. I am in the presence of the person I love, to whom I have opened my heart and to whom I never want to let go. You are a beautiful woman, Caitlin, and I am beyond happy to have found you. Never say or think anything like that again. You give me so much every second you're with me."Caitlin swallowed and blinked back tears. He took her face in his hands and kissed her forehead. She closed her eyes for a moment and let the words settle over her like a warm blanket. She doubted herself so much, but she had to stop it, even though it was hard for her. Harrison carried her in his hands and would do anything for her. She had to step out of her shadow and live in the here and now with Harry. Caitlin leaned in to kiss Harrison, which surprised him slightly since it was always him who kissed her, but he smiled and was only too happy to return the kiss."Where are we going now?" Caitlin asked as she sat in the passenger seat. Odin slept peacefully on her chest."Now we buy everything a dog needs," Harrison replied with a wink and drove onto the road. In the late afternoon Caitlin was whipping cream. Odin slept in his new basket in the living room next to the sofa. Harrison had bought food while she looked after his toys. After an hour they finally went home and Caitlin got everything ready for the little puppy while Harrison had to excuse himself because he had an important phone call. A small cake was already cooled on the kitchen island, while there were a few fruits next to it to decorate the cake with after the cream was on it. Caitlin had decided to cook something special for Harrison and herself."Hmm..." She was slightly startled when Harrison's arms suddenly wrapped around her from behind and his body pressed against her. "I was wondering what smells so good here. You baked a cake. Is there any dough left that I can try?"He nibbled gently on the crook of her neck, which made Caitlin laugh. "Unfortunately there is no more dough, but there is cream that has just been made." She held the bowl out to him and he dipped his finger into it to let it disappear into his mouth full of cream."Would you like to help me spread the cream on the cake and then the fruit? Unless you have to work, then I don't want to stop you," Caitlin said.Harrison smiled and took the bowl from her hand to place it on the kitchen island. He gently placed his hands on her hips, his eyes never leaving hers to see any reaction, whether it made her uncomfortable or not. He pulled her towards him, forcing her against him and placing her hands on his back."I don't have to work anymore today. So you've got me all to yourself all evening," Harry said with a wry smile.Caitlin felt heat rise to her cheeks and she blushed. Harrison leaned forward to place a kiss on her forehead. She gently released herself from his embrace. "We-We have to take care of the cake," she stammered a little and heard Harry chuckle softly."You're right," he said with an amused tone.Harrison took a spoon to put the cream on the cake while Caitlin smoothed the cream. After a few minutes the cake was completely covered in cream and Harrison started spreading some fruit on it while Caitlin was putting the used cooking utensils in the dishwasher. When she turned to Harrison, she just saw him pop a blueberry into his mouth."I saw that," she said, smiling.Harry turned to her and looked at her questioningly. "See what?" he asked, grinning and putting another blueberry in his mouth. "I didn't see anything."Caitlin laughed and Harry wrapped his arm around her to hug her and kiss her. She tasted the sweet taste of the fruit on her tongue as he pushed his tongue into her mouth. Panting, the two pulled away from each other again and Harrison pushed a strand of hair out of her face."I just can't keep my hands off you," he said, nudging his nose against hers. "You have enchanted me, admit it.""Enchanted? With what?" Caitlin asked, giggling."With your smile, your beauty, your bright eyes and just being you, Snow." She felt herself blush.She was about to say something when the doorbell rang. "I'm going," Caitlin said, smiling and kissing Harry on the cheek. She went to open the door and her smile immediately disappeared. She felt sick and fear took over her. Standing in front of her was her mother, along with Caitlin's husband, Steve."Hello dear," Steve greeted her with his snake-like smile."Snow, is everything okay?" she heard Harry call. She didn't answer, she stood at the door in a daze."Who is that?" Steve asked.Caitlin opened her mouth to say something when she felt Harrison's body press gently against her back."Dr. Harrison Wells," he introduced himself. The warmth of his voice was gone, replaced by coldness and an underlying anger. "May I know what the CEO of Tannhauser Industries wants on my doorstep?" His gaze was fixed on Caitlin's mother while he completely ignored Steve."I want to pick up my daughter," Carla announced in her usual cool and distant manner. Her gaze moved from Dr. Wells to Snow. "She doesn't seem to have the decency to afford her own apartment after her first one was vandalized. I apologize for the inconvenience my daughter has caused you, Dr. Wells.""I have to disagree, Ms…""Doctor.""…Tannhauser. Dr. Snow didn't cause me any problems. On the contrary, her presence was very pleasant.""Caitlin is my wife," Steve said with his arms crossed over his chest. "I don't know what she told you, but we have a loving marriage and she just disappeared without telling me. I was very worried about her. We're only here so I can go to my apartment with her and we can talk in peace there."Harry felt Caitlin press lightly against his body."I agree with Steve," Clara said. "Come on Caitlin. Get your things together. We don't have all day and I don't want to waste Dr. Wells' time."Harrison was seething with anger inside. He couldn't believe how Snow's mother treated her. There was no love in her eyes, only coldness. What Snow answered shocked him all the more."Yes, mother, I'm coming. I just need a few minutes to get my things," Caitlin said in a quiet voice.She disappeared into the house and Harry watched her go as the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He turned back and saw that Steve wanted to go into the house too."May I come over please? I would like to help my wife pack," he said in a tone that would have Harry punching him in the face if he were a violent person."You will stay out here with Ms. Tannhauser. If I find you in my house, I will call the police for trespassing on my property. Now back. Off!""Dr. Wells, Steve just wants to... " One look from Harrison made Carla fall silent.Harrison looked into Steve's eyes, which sparkled with anger. Anyone else would probably have stepped aside in fear and let him in, but Harrison remained standing in front of him, unfazed. His clear blue eyes looked at him coldly. The air around them was tense. When Steve realized that Harrison wasn't afraid of him, he stood next to Carla. With one last look at the two of them, Harry disappeared back into his house and went to Caitlin in the bedroom, where she was folding her clothes and putting them in a bag."What are you doing? Why do you want to go with them? You know what happens when you're alone with Steve again," Harry said.Caitlin didn't answer but continued packing. Harrison grabbed her wrists to stop her from grabbing and turned her to face him. Her eyes were filled with tears."I can't defend myself against my mother or Steve," Caitlin said, sobbing. Tears flowed down her cheeks. "I'm too scared."Harry looked at her for a moment before wrapping his arms around her and hugging her tightly. Snow let her tears flow freely, which were caught by his shirt. He knew how hard it must be for her to say the word No in front of her mother and her abusive husband. Especially in front of her husband. When Caitlin pulled away from him, he took her face in his hands and wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumb."I'm sorry. I'm not strong enough," Caitlin sobbed."No. No, that's not true," Harry replied, resting his forehead against hers. "You are one of the strongest women I have ever met, Snow. It is I who feel guilty. I promised you that I would protect you. I promised you that you would never have to see this man again. But now I am failing. I can't keep my promise to you and it breaks my heart. I swear to you that I will find a way so that you never have to see this man again. Do you believe me?"Caitlin nodded. "I believe you."Harrison leaned forward to kiss her lips gently. "I'll give you a suitcase for your clothes. You can hardly fit everything in this bag."He disappeared into his walk-in closet and came out a short time later with a suitcase. Caitlin thanked him and began to put her clothes into the suitcase with shaking hands. Harrison disappeared again to get her two dresses and jewelry. As he laid them on the bed, Caitlin stopped him."No, not the dresses and jewelry.""But…""He would destroy the clothes and sell the jewelry on the black market," Caitlin said, her hand resting on his arm. "Can you keep them until…until I get back to you?"Harry smiled and placed his hand on hers. "I will."They packed everything into the suitcase and then slowly walked to the front door. Harrison stopped Caitlin before the corner they had to turn to get to the door's large hallway. He wrapped his arms around her waist and turned her to face him. Caitlin's gaze was on him, her hands resting on his chest."I don't want you to go," he said in a low voice, putting his hand on her cheek. "Stay with me.""I can't," Caitlin said with fresh tears in her eyes.It hurt Harrison to let her go, especially when he knew what would happen to her once she was alone with Steve."Harry can... can you kiss me again?" Caitlin asked, her voice shaking.He smiled softly. "Always."He leaned forward and covered his lips with hers in a loving kiss. He gently held her close as she parted her lips. They pulled apart when they felt something on their feet. Harry and Caitlin looked down and saw little Odin looking up at them. The little puppy squeaked and the two of them laughed quietly."It seems someone wants to say goodbye too," Harrison said, lifting the puppy into his arms.Caitlin petted Odin and he licked her fingers with his tongue. She giggled. "I'll miss you too." Snow looked back at Harrison who was looking at her and she could see the pain in his eyes. "Harry, I…"Caitlin couldn't continue because he pressed his lips to hers in a longing, desperate and hard kiss. His right hand was placed on the back of her head. As he slowly pulled away from her, he sucked on her bottom lip before kissing her again and then pulling away from her completely. Caitlin looked at him with wide eyes. Her cheeks were flushed. Heat had snaked its way through her body, all the way down to her core. His eyes had darkened. Pleasure was evident in them, but the pain in them was clear."I'm going to do everything in my power to get you out of this. I'm going to call my lawyers and I'm going to ask Joe to have a patrol drive by and knock on your door every day to make sure you're okay."Caitlin could only nod because her voice was failing her. Harry did everything he could to protect her and she was too scared to fight back against her abusive husband. She wanted it, deep inside her a voice screamed for her to defend herself, but fear won out every single time. Odin barked as someone rang the doorbell."They are getting impatient," Caitlin whispered. "We shouldn't keep them waiting any longer."They went to the door and Harry opened it. Carla stood in front of him while Steve stood close behind her."That took quite a long time," Steve said."A woman has many clothes," Harrison replied coolly as he laid his eyes on Caitlin's mother. "You certainly know what it's like."Carla didn't say anything at first because her eyes were focused on the little puppy lying in Harry's arms. Then she turned her gaze to Harrison. "Yes, indeed."Steve gritted his teeth and Harrison could clearly see the anger on his face. He looked at Caitlin when he felt her fingers on his hand, gripping the handle of the suitcase."Thank you for carrying my suitcase. That wasn't necessary, Dr. Wells," she thanked.Dr. Wells. He flinched almost imperceptibly when she addressed him so formally. He could see the fear and anxiety in her eyes as clearly as when he had first met her. He wanted to hug her and tell her again that everything would be okay, but he held himself back. Harrison looked at her husband, who was watching the two of them."You.""My name is Steve.""Whatever. You're her boyfriend. A gentleman carries his girlfriend's suitcase," said Harry, holding it out to him.Steve hesitated for a moment before deciding to step forward to accept the suitcase. Caitlin stepped next to her mother. She had her hands crossed over her stomach and Harry could see her knuckles turning white."Thank you for your hospitality over the days," she said, barely able to hold back her tears."It was an honor to have such a lovely woman like you in my home, Dr. Snow. I'll see you again at work in a week. Monday. 6:00 am. On time." His eyes flickered to Steve for a split second and then back to Caitlin."Of course, Dr. Wells." She reached out to stroke little Odin's head. "Goodbye, Odin. And that you don't cause Dr. Wells any trouble."The puppy barked as if agreeing with her. He started to get a little restless because he wanted to get to her, but Harrison held him tight."Goodbye, Dr. Wells," Caitlin said with a sad smile.She turned around and left the property with Steve and her mother. Caitlin didn't turn around. Once they were gone, Harrison went back into the house and let Odin down, who went to the door and began scratching at it. He ignored him and went into his kitchen where the finished cake was. There were also various foods on the stove and the meat was half thawed in the sink. He ignored it and went into the bathroom, where he grabbed Caitlin's towel to smell her scent. He had failed to protect her, even though he had promised her he would. Harrison hung the towel back next to his and looked in the mirror. Seconds passed... Then he hit the mirror with a clenched fist. Over and over again until it was in shards in the sink. His knuckles were bloody and small shards were stuck in his flesh. He took his cell phone out of his pocket and typed in a number."Thawne, I need your help," Harrison said.
Caitlin walked into the apartment and heard Steve close the door behind him. She swallowed and turned to him. She could clearly see and feel how angry her husband was."Steve, I can..." Before she could continue, his hand shot forward and clamped down firmly over her mouth to stop her from speaking."One more word from you and I'll kill you. Do you understand that, whore?" he asked and Caitlin could do no more than nod. "Good. Now go into the living room and wait for me there."She did as told. The living room was small. It only consisted of a sofa, a television and a shelf with only a few papers inside. Caitlin stroked the white cloth tied around her wrist. She heard footsteps and as she turned around she felt the flat of his hand hit her cheek and her head jerked to the side. Tears stung her eyes as she held her burning cheek, which was beginning to turn red."How dare you just run away? You had everything! A house, food, friends and me!" Steve shouted, yanking on her hair, pulling her head back painfully. "And you gave up everything just to find another cock to fuck you?""Dr. Wells didn't sleep with me!" Caitlin defended herself, even though she knew it wouldn't do her any good."Oh yes he did! I can smell him all over you, but we're about to change that."Caitlin screamed as he threw her to the ground. She held her aching head that had hit the floor. Suddenly Steve was over her. He had pulled his pants down far enough so that he wouldn't have any problems getting inside of her. Now he tore and pulled at her pants while holding her hands firmly to the ground with one hand."Stop! Please! Stop!" Caitlin pleaded, crying."You should have known better before you disappeared. You can't escape me!" he growled angrily and tore down her pants and underwear."No! Don't! Stop it!""Shut your fucking mouth!" Steve shouted and took the white cloth from her wrist and roughly shoved it into her mouth. "Better."Caitlin's eyes widened as she felt his cock at her entrance. She pulled and fought back, but he was too strong. She screamed as he penetrated her hard and deep."I'll show you who's boss here, whore! You're nothing! Not even scum!"He withdrew from her, only to enter her again far too hard. Caitlin screamed. Tears flowed down her cheeks. It hurt so much, but Caitlin couldn't do anything...
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It was Monday morning, the first day of the year when his employees would work again. Harrison had been there since 4 a.m. and had set up a small place to sleep on Caitlin's side of the laboratory for Odin. The last week he had called Eobard Thawne and some lawyers and spoke to Joe West how to free Caitlin Snow from the claws of her violent husband Steve. But the lawyers and Joe also told him that their hands were tied, because as long as Caitlin did not say that Steve hit her, they could do nothing. Harry went to her laboratory every hour, but Caitlin didn't come. Her laboratory remained dark. Caitlin did not appear to work in the next few days.Harrison called under her cell phone number, but only the mailbox went on it. The police officers, who rang the doorbell every day, did not report any unusual activities, only that her husband always went to the door and that Caitlin was a little further back, but had no physical injuries. At least not visible to them. On Thursday, in the second week, Harrison went back to her laboratory with Odin, who ran next to him and had already conquered some hearts of his employees. Harry came into her laboratory and stopped. His eyes widened slightly when he saw Caitlin standing at her desk. Odin barked and immediately ran to her with waving tail."Snow", his voice was rough and a little smile played around his lips. She crouched down and picked the little Karst Shepherd puppy up into her arms to pet him."Good morning, Dr. Wells," she welcomed him.Harrison's smile disappeared when he heard it and only now did he see someone in the corner of his eye who was sitting on a chair. Steve. He had apparently come to watch her at work and that she didn't leave him again."Good morning, Dr. Wells," he greeted him with a malicious smile.Harry's eyes were on the man for a moment before going to the phone, which hung on the wall and tapping a number."Security in the chemistry laboratory. We have an unauthorised visitor."Caitlin’s eyes widened and he could see the fear and uncertainty in them."I'm sorry, what? My wife invited me so that I can watch her at work," said Steve."If Dr. Snow was said to have done this..." What I doubt. "She should have discussed it with me, because I am her boss," replied Harrison and he could see how Caitlin winced at these words."Oh come on, take it easy, Dr. Wells," Steve said friendly and rose to go to him and stop in front of him. "Caitlin has certainly become a good friend for you while she lived with you.""Yes, she has." And so much more. "Then she can put a good word for me, or not?" He asked, turning to Snow. "Caitlin?" She swallowed anxiously. Harry clenched his hands to fists. "Come here."Slowly she started moving. The little puppy she was still holding in her arms growled. Caitlin stood next to her husband, who put his arm around her, with Harry not escaping how her face distorted with pain. His gaze wandered to her waist, where Steve's hand was now."Well?" Snow twitched when her husband spoke.Her brown eyes looked at Harrison and he could see so much fear and pain in them. And when she spoke, her voice was just a squeak like that of a mouse, "Dr. Wells c-can Steve..." Caitlin winced and bit on her tongue when Steve put on light pressure on her ribs, where she had a bruise. "...my husband stay here? It would only be for a few days.""No," said Harrison. Four security guards appeared in the laboratory. Two stood behind their boss and the two others stood at the entrance. "Lead this man to the exit and ensure that he never enters S.T.A.R Labs again." Steve did not move. "Use violence if necessary.""You wouldn't ...""Oh yes, I would," Harry replied his eyes sparkled in challenge. "You are not at home. You are in my laboratory and here I have the say." Steve looked at him and anger was clearly in his eyes. "What should it be now? Peacefully or with violence?"Harrison could see how the man thought in front of him, what to do now, since Harrison was not someone who could be pushed around so easily. Steve sighed."Okay. Then I'll go now," he said, which Harry surprised. Roughly he grabbed Caitlin on the chin to turn her to him and pressed his lips on hers. Snow pinched her eyes together and had to do everything not to push him away. "I'll see you after work, wife."With one last evil look to Harrison, Steve left the laboratory together with the guards. A few seconds passed before Caitlin ran to Harry and he wrapped his arms around her."Snow." Harry buried his face in her hair and smelled her in. Her hair smelled of flowers. He hold her closer to him, which made Caitlin twitch and wince in pain. He immediately released her. "Did I hurt you?"She shook her head. "No. I was just clumsy and bumped into something.""Snow, don't lie to me," asked Harry in a serious voice, but his eyes were soft. Her eyes filled with tears and threatened to flow down on her cheeks. "May I?"Caitlin shook her head. "I don't want you to see it."Harrison wanted to say something so that he could see it, but he didn't want to force her to do something she clearly didn’t want to and see her so frightened again hurt him deep to his inner core. "Okay." He leaned forward to put a kiss on her forehead."Harry. Your hand!""Hm?" He hissed when Caitlin took his right hand with which he had smashed the mirror in his bathroom. To make matters worse, he had only bandaged it half-heartedly and otherwise did not pay any further attention, with his knuckles being slightly swollen."What happened?" Snow asked and put the little puppy on the floor."When you were gone..." he replied in a rougher voice and cleared his throat. "I was so angry with myself… that I let you go instead of just keeping you… protecting you… I smashed my mirror in the bathroom.""You smashed a mirror?" Caitlin repeated with big eyes."Yes.""Were you in the hospital to let it really treat it?" She asked, whereby Snow began to handle the bandage from his hand."No, I... Ah!""I'm sorry, but the bandage is stuck to your hand with your blood. I'm going to use water..." Caitlin couldn't continue because Harrison took the bandage and tore it from his hand, causing the wounds to open and bleed again. "Harry!" She looked at him in shock, tears forming in her eyes. "No..." Snow sobbed, holding his hand tightly in her shaking hands. "Please. Please don't do that again. Please."Harrison looked at her. Caitlin was emotionally exhausted and seeing him hurt now, even if it was just a small thing for him, seemed to trigger her. Harry gently took her in his arms and hugged her to him."Okay. I won't do it again. I promise you," he said in her ear in a gentle voice.The two of them stayed like that for a while until Caitlin pulled away from him and asked him to sit on a chair so that she could take care of his hand. Harry wanted to tell her that everything would be okay, that he would get her out of there soon, but he couldn't, not with Snow fighting against it."Caitlin?" She looked up from what she was doing, in the middle of bandaging his hand. "I… I…" He stopped and closed his eyes. He couldn't tell her, but he had to give her hope. Somehow. Harry opened his eyes again when he felt Caitlin's hand on his cheek."What's wrong?" she asked."Come here." He patted his lap and Caitlin sat down carefully. She narrowed her eyes in pain. "Did I hurt you?" Harry asked worriedly, immediately loosening his arm around her.Snow shook his head. "No. It's just... It-It hurts to sit.""Did... Did he hit you there?" Harrison asked quietly. Caitlin nodded. He swallowed. "And did he..." She nodded again, clutching her fingers more tightly into his shirt as fresh tears flowed down her cheeks. Her head was on his shoulder and he could feel her breath on the crook of his neck. He carefully hugged her a little tighter. "Fight him, Caitlin, please. Without you we can't do anything against him. Joe West's hands are tied.""I can't," Snow whispered. "I'm too scared, Harry.""If you testify against him, he'll go to prison.""You don't know that," she answered, sobbing. "Some people have done so much worse and gotten away with it. I'm sorry. I'm sorry to disappoint you.""Shhh. No, that's not true. You could never disappoint me, Caitlin. Never," said Harry, and it hurt him that she was so afraid of her husband, but the anger towards him was all the greater.Harrison didn't know how long they sat together like that, but at some point his cell phone rang. It was his secretary who reminded him that he had a meeting at 10:30. Harry wanted to cancel it to spend more time with Caitlin, but Snow said she had to keep working. Harrison kissed her goodbye on the forehead, unsure how she would react if he kissed her on her lips. He promised her that as soon as the meeting was finished, he would come and have lunch with her. Caitlin continued to work while Odin slept peacefully in his basket. And in fact, Harry came to her in the laboratory with sandwiches and hot, fresh coffee at noon, closing the door to her laboratory so that they could be undisturbed. Caitlin smiled again and enjoyed the time with Harry. In the evening he accompanied her to the outcome of the laboratory, but before the glass panes came, Harrison held her back."Harry, I have to go. Steve is sure to wait and...""I know, but I wanted to do that before you go," replied Harry, kissing her. Gentle and loving. He could feel how Caitlin tensioned for a short moment, but then she relaxed and returned the kiss. "Until tomorrow, Snow.""See you tomorrow, Harry," she said with a smile and left S.T.A.R Labs. But Caitlin did not come the next day and the next week she didn’t come to work either. Harrison was concerned and rang the bell, but nobody opened. At his request, Joe sent a police officer to the apartment. Steve opened the door for him and told him that Caitlin was sick and could therefore not come to the door when the policeman asked for her.Now Harrison was sitting in his house with Eobard Thawne. Thawne had a bottle of beer in front of him while Harrison had a glass of Scotch in front of him, which he twirled in his hand."She is alive," said Eobard."You don't know that!" Harry snapped angry. "This monster could say everything so that nobody comes into the apartment!""Harrison, we can't do anything. Not as long as...""I know!" He struck his fist on the table."Calm down.""Why should I?!", He said and rose. His fingers drove through his hair. "I've already lost my wife and daughter! If I am now losing Caitlin... then…" He swallowed. "I don't know if I would survive it."Eobard got up to go to Harrison and put his hands on the shoulders. "What did you tell me about Dr. Snow? You told me that she was a fighter. That she is strong. She has survived with this asshole all these years and now she will survive these weeks too, Harrison."Harry swallowed. Thawne was right. Caitlin was strong. She was a lioness, even if she didn't know. "Okay." His cell phone rang and he took it out of his pocket to take the call. "Harrison Wells."
"Harry! Help!"
His eyes widened. "Caitlin!" "Help me! Please!", she said sobbing and fearful. Harrison could hear loud knocking in the background as if someone was going against something. "He will kill me!" "I'm coming, Caitlin. Hold on!" He said and hung up."What's going on?" Asked Eobard, who followed Harry out of the house."Steve wants to kill Caitlin!" A little later, Harrison and Thawne arrived at the building where Caitlin lived with Steve. On the way there, Eobard called Joe, who was on his way to them with a few police officers. Harry pressed each button on the bell until one of the people who lived there, opened the door so they could enter."Harrison wait! West is already on his way here. We have to…""Then it might be too late!" Harry interrupted, running up the stairs to the apartment door only to kick it in. They both heard Caitlin screaming in fear and panic and the loud, angry voice of her husband Steve."I'll kill you! You think you can just leave me like that!? You fucking whore!" he shouted at her.Caitlin's eyes widened in shock as he raised the baseball bat again, but before he could swing the baseball bat, someone tackled him to the ground. Snow looked at the two men. Steve lay on the ground while the other man who had torn him away from her was above him, lashing out at him in anger. Harrison Wells. Punch. Punch. Punch. Over and over again. Caitlin heard her husband's nose break. Then Harry was pulled off him and held back by Joe West."Let me go! That bastard doesn't deserve to live!" Harrison shouted angrily."I know! I know!" Joe replied. "But Caitlin needs you more now."Harry instantly went limp in his arms and looked at Caitlin, who was lying on the floor with wide eyes and staring at Steve, who was whining on the floor. He freed himself from Joe's arms and went to her. She jumped in shock."It's me, Snow. Harry."Now his eyes widened as he saw what Steve had done to her. Caitlin's left eye was swollen and her right was bloodshot. Her lip was split and blood was also flowing from her nose. Since she was only wearing a tank top, he could see the bruises on her arms and more followed, but they were hidden by the shirt."H-Harry," Caitlin stammered in a weak voice. Harrison blinked, trying to control the anger within him to be there for her. "Y-You came.""Yes. I’m here."Tears flowed down her cheeks. "You came for me," she repeated her words."Always. You're safe, Snow. He won't be able to harm you anymore," Harry said, carefully reaching out to her."I didn't doubt you for a second," Caitlin whispered before she suddenly lost consciousness and fell into Harrison's arms."Snow? Snow!""Let's get her to a hospital," Eobard said. "I'm driving.""No. I'll drive," Joe replied. "We'll take my car. It will be quicker with a police car.""Hey! And what about me?" Steve shouted. "That guy attacked me! He broke my nose and beat me bloody!""All I saw was you resisting arrest," Joe said.Harrison carefully lifted Snow into his arms and followed Eobard and Joe out of the apartment."Hold on, Caitlin. Hold on."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Caitlin came to and opened her eyes. The white ceiling of the room stared down at her and she heard a steady beeping, which she already knew too well. Slowly she turned her head to the side and saw the monitors where she was connected. A hospital."Snow."Caitlin looked at him. The man who saved her from her violent husband. The man that had come when she needed him the most."Harry."He was sitting at the bed on a chair and Snow saw how tired he was. Dark rings could be seen under his eyes. Harrison kissed her fingers, whom he gently held in his hands. She looked around and as if he were knowing what she was looking for, he said, "Steve will never do anything to you again, Snow. He will be taken to prison in two days and will serve his years there."Her eyes filled with tears and flowed down her face. "I was afraid of him, but I couldn't stand it anymore. I told him I would leave him. Then he freaked out," Caitlin said sobbing. "I grabbed his cell phone and ran into the bedroom and...""Shhh." Harrison gently wiped her tears from her cheeks. "You are free of him, Caitlin. Free."Free. It was a feeling that she hadn't felt for years. But was she really free from Steve? Probably never. Forever, she would carry the scars and memories that he had left her. A little smile appeared on her lips, but when she thought of her future. A future together with Harrison Wells. She covered his hand with her own, which was still on her cheek."You came.""I will always come for you, whether I'm at the end of the world. I will always come to you, Snow," replied Harry and smiled softly.Caitlin let go of his hand and gently stroked with her fingers over his face. For a moment he closed his eyes as her fingertips brushed over his eyelids."You look tired and exhausted," she noticed. "Is everything okay?""Don't worry about it," said Harrison, taking her hand to score a kiss on her fingers. "The most important thing now is that you will get back to strength and that we can leave the hospital tomorrow to get our flight."Caitlin blinked. "Flight?""Yes. We're going to make a little three week vacation.""Three weeks?" Snow looked at him. "But I can’t just leave. What about…""I already took care of everything," Harry interrupted her. "You don't have to worry about anything anymore, except to get back to health." She skeptically looked at him. "Snow. You don't have to worry. I want you to heal that you will find yourself again before you go back to work. Please."Harrison gently stroked with his thumb over her cheek below her swollen eye that had already subsided a little. He wanted her to be far from her husband, friends and mother to heal, to think of nothing or worry."And where do we fly?" She asked with a little smile.Harrison smiled. "It will be a surprise. Only you, Odin and I disappear in a private jet.""In a private jet?" Caitlin looked at him with big eyes.He winked. "I have already had everything packed up and had it brought to the jet. We just have to check out of the hospital and then we will fly away from here.""Harry...""What?""You do so much for me again and I…"Harry gently put his fingers on her lips to prevent her from speaking. "And I like to do it, Snow.""But I don't want you to think that..." Caitlin was interrupted again, but not by Harrison, but by her mother who walked into the room. Harry heard how Snow took a trembling breath and straightened up, noticing Carlas look, who had briefly rested on his fingers who were still on Caitlin lips."Ms. Tannhauser," he greeted her kindly."It's called Doctor, Dr. Wells," replied Carla cooly before turning to her daughter. "What do you do, Caitlin? What is that all about? Why is Steve in prison and what happened to you?"Harrison stared at the woman who stood opposite him. Was she serious? Anger bubbled up in him and he clenched his hands to fists."It was her husband who did that to her," he said before Caitlin could say something."I'm sorry, what? That can't be. Steve is...""You are Snow's mother! How can you not even know what he has done to your daughter all the years!" Harrison sad and lost his self-control. He saw Caitlin wincing and he would apologize to her immediately afterwards, but now he would talk with her so called mother first. "You call yourself a mother, but are by no means one! You should be ashamed! A mother should stand aside for her child to protect it. But you don't seem to have any of these characteristics. You disgust me!""Dr. Wells, how dare you…""Dare?!", He hissed and Carla took a step back as if he had struck her. Harry wanted to continue talking when he felt Caitlin's hand on his hand. His anger died a little and his gaze became soft when he looked at her."Can I talk to my mother alone?" She asked.He reluctantly wanted to leave her alone with Carla, but in her eyes she saw the request, the courage she needed and Harrison knew that she could do it. Harry led her hand to his lips to breathe a kiss on it, noticing the stunned look of Caitlin's mother."Okay. I will be outside the door if you need me," he promised and Caitlin nodded with a little smile before Harry left the room without appreciating Carla."How can you?!", said Carla as soon as they heard the door closing. "You cheat Steve with Harrison Wells? You sleep with your boss?!""I don't sleep with him," replied Caitlin."Oh really? And what was that? Hm? The kiss on your hand? Was that nothing?" She asked. "He is 20 or maybe even 30 years older than you! Steve has...""Steve did this to me! It is the reason why I am lying in a hospital! Again! Because of him!" Snow interrupted her mother full of anger. "Can't you see that Harrison wants to help me? That he is good for me and gives me a good life? But how can you see it if you just want to see what you want?" Carla stared at her daughter. Shocked about her sudden outbreak of anger. "Have you ever really cared about how I am doing? If I’m happy? You only called Steve to go to bed with a clear conscience, knowing that I am fine, but I was not! Never! But how can you know if you were never there?!""Caitlin, listen to me…""No! You listen to me!" She called, because for the first time in her life she had control over something. "You were never around me or dad! What was important to you was your work. Work, work, work! You always talked about it. You never spoke of anything else! You never braided my hair with me, you never read a book to fall asleep or what a mother with her little daughter does. You hardly participated in my life! Do you actually know how I hoped every year on my birthday that you come home and we celebrate together? As a family?" Caitlin's eyes had filled with tears that flowed down on her face. "There was only one card on some day or even a week later with an apology and the promise that you would make it next year. But you never came. You wanted me to have everything so that I lack nothing, but do you know what I wanted? I just wanted a mother. I wanted a mother who plays with me, who shows me everything that little girls do, who would hug me when I am sad. And when Dad died I was alone. I was all alone." Harry, who was outside the door closed his eyes. It pained him to hear her so hurt. He would have loved to go in to hug her. "Harrison Wells is the first man to take care of me to listen to me who takes me as I am. He was there when I needed him the most and I love him for that," said Caitlin, with the last five words she whispered. "He is absolutely right. You born me, but you are not my mother."Carlas otherwise cool and distant way and the steady poker face crumbled. Her mother swallowed heavily and her eyes shone because tears had gathered in them. Caitlin could see in her eyes that she was deeply hurt, but she didn't care at that moment."Go. I don’t want to see you anymore, Carla.""Caitlin, I...""I said you should leave!" Snow shouted.Her mother blinked and without saying anything else, she turned and left the room. Harrison looked after her for a moment before going back into the room. When he sat down on the bed, he took Caitlin's hand to kiss it."Are you okay?" he asked, gently stroking her cheek with his thumb."I'm sorry," she said, feeling the need to apologize."For what?""I-I don't know." Snow placed her hand over his, which was still resting on her cheek."I'm proud of you for standing up to your mother," Harry said. "I know it probably wasn't easy for you and I wanted to help you, but it was something you had to go through alone and you did it, Snow.""I didn't know if I could do it. But when she doubted you, who I owe so much to... I didn't like it."Harrison smiled. "You are stronger than you think."She had finally managed to be strong towards her mother. She was no longer intimidated. She was no longer the victim. She had found her own voice."Snow?""Hm?""May I kiss you?"Caitlin smiled as she saw the kindness in his eyes. "Of course."Harry leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. His kiss was tender and careful, as if he didn't want to hurt her. Harrison had his arm wrapped around Caitlin's waist as they walked to his private jet. Her head rested on his upper arm while the little puppy ran in front of them. They had left the hospital half an hour ago with the promise that Caitlin would take it easy."And? Are you excited to see where we're going?" asked Harry, smiling."Yes. I can’t wait," Caitlin replied excitedly.The two got on the jet and sat across from each other. A young woman came to them with a tray in her hands with two glasses on it. One filled with water and the other with scotch. With a smile she placed the glasses on the table."Let the pilot know we can take off," Harrison said."Yes, Dr. Wells," the woman replied and disappeared again.Harry saw how nervous Caitlin was, rubbing her fingers together as they rested on the table. He leaned forward and placed his hands over hers."Is everything okay?""I… uhm…" She bit her bottom lip nervously. "I've never been on a plane before," Snow admitted with a small smile."You've never flown before?" he repeated incredulously. She shook her head. Harrison smiled and squeezed her hands gently. "Nothing serious. The start can be a bit rough at times, but once we're in the air it's actually quite pleasant.«"C-Can you hold my hand when we take off?" Caitlin asked quietly."Of course." Harrison looked up from his phone and looked at Snow. She had her eyes closed and was sleeping while Odin was lying on her lap, also sleeping. After the start had gone smoothly, Harry had told her that she should sleep as it would still take a few hours before they got to the destination. A small smile came to his face as he thought about spending three weeks with Caitlin. She was finally free from her husband and she would never see him again. He exhaled audibly and leaned back into the chair. He looked out the window. It would be a long flight and even if he didn't want to sleep, he had to try… "Snow. Snow." Caitlin's eyelids fluttered when she woke up and saw Harrison's face. "Wake up, my love. We are here."She sat up and looked out the window, but she couldn't see anything because it was already dark. "Where are we?" she asked curiously.Harry smiled. "Come with me and you’ll find out."Caitlin grabbed the hand he held out and followed him out of the jet. There was a man in a suit at the end of the steps and a black limousine a little further away. She gripped his hand a little tighter."Don’t be afraid, it’s just our driver,” Harrison reassured her, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb."Monsieur Wells. Madame Snow. Welcome to France," the man greeted her with a friendly smile.Snow's eyes widened. They were in France? Harrison smiled as he saw her look of astonishment and disbelief. He leaned in to whisper in her ear, "Surprise." He kissed her cheek before addressing the driver. "Louis, take us to our hotel.""Of course, Monsieur Wells," he said, and they followed him to the car. “It is a real pleasure to see you again, Monsieur Wells. It’s been so long since you’ve been here.”"Yes, it's been a while," he replied.Snow held the little Karst Shepard puppy in her arms as she watched Harry from the side. A sad expression had spread across his face for a brief moment, but it disappeared just as quickly. As Caitlin sat in the car with him, she snuggled up to him and he put his arm protectively around her."Did you like the surprise?" Harry asked and Snow was about to answer when he added, "Although... There's another surprise."She pulled away from him a little so she could look at him. “Another surprise?”"Yes. It's in our hotel room," he replied.Ours? So they would sleep in one room, like they had already done at his house. She felt her heart beating faster at the thought of finally being in Harrison's arms again. But Caitlin cast her eyes down as she thought of his sad expression."Hey. What's wrong?" Harry looked at her worriedly. "If you'd rather sleep alone, I can...""No, I don't want to sleep alone. It's just... I saw the sad look on your face when Louis talked about how it's been a long time since you've been back," Caitlin answered cautiously. Harrison looked at her fingers and exhaled audibly. "You-You don’t have to tell me. I... I just noticed. I'm sorry.""No, don't apologize, Snow." He squeezed her hand gently and looked back at her. A sad smile was on his lips. “The last time I was here with Tess and Jesse was when she was only three years old. It… It was the last vacation we took together before…" Harry cleared his throat and blinked to hold back the tears that were stinging in his eyes. "But I don't want to think about it now." He put his hand on her cheek. "I'm here with you for three weeks and I want to show you everything.""Everything?" Caitlin asked, smiling."Yes, everything," Harry replied with a grin and leaned in to kiss her. A little later, Harrison opened the door to their shared room and the little puppy Odin padded in. Caitlin had her eyes closed and was holding Harry's hand."Can I open my eyes now?" she asked."One second," Wells replied, closing the door behind him. "Now. Open your eyes."Snow opened her eyes and they immediately widened. The bedroom was huge and warm light flooded it. It had a large four-poster bed with white linens. A cream-colored carpet lay in the middle of the room. There was a round table made of dark wood that could seat four people. A door led to the bathroom, which had a large bathtub, a walk-in shower, a toilet and two sinks. A large wardrobe was also to the left of the bed and a small refrigerator was next to it. A sliding glass door led out onto a wide balcony where a family of five could sit and eat at a table. There were also three deck chairs on the balcony and the view was directed at the Eiffel Tower."What do you think?" Harrison asked, standing behind Caitlin and carefully wrapping his arms around her waist."It's... It's breathtakingly beautiful," Snow said, turning to him. Her hands rested on his chest as she looked up at him. She beamed with joy. "Harry, you didn't have to do that. You're making me feel guilty about the cost. I…"He placed his fingers on her lips to stop her from continuing. "What did I tell you, Snow? As long as I can put a smile on your beautiful face, I'll spare no expense." He nudged his nose against hers and she laughed. "A little extravagant can't hurt.""A little bit?"Harrison laughed. "Okay. Let's forget that little bit. But I'm serious, Snow," he said, looking deep into her eyes. His thumb stroked her cheek. "I would take the stars out of the sky for you if I could, just to see you happy."Caitlin felt the heat rise to her cheeks and she blushed. He did so many things for her and he was happy when she was happy. He didn't ask for anything in return, but she still wanted to give him something in return, something that only she could give him... But what? Harrison leaned down to kiss her forehead."I have another present for you.""Harry...""It's the last gift," he promised. Caitlin shook her head with a smile as he added, "For the next three weeks." Harry kissed her. "It's there on the table."Snow turned around and sure enough there was a white rectangular box with a red bow on it. Slowly she walked over and took the lid off the box. She gasped when she found a dress inside that had a light pink tone. Caitlin looked at Harrison, who was watching her with a smile on his lips. She took it out to look at it."Do you like it?""It's beautiful," Snow said."I hope you'll wear it when we go out tomorrow night.""We're going out to eat?""Yes. Since we've never actually had a first date, I thought I'd take you out," Harrison said, taking a step closer to her. His gaze was focused on her. "Would you like to go on a date with me, Caitlin?"Her eyes filled with tears. She carefully laid the dress over one of the chairs, then wrapped her arms around Harry's neck and pressed herself tightly against him. His chest rumbled as he laughed and held her tightly against him."Does that mean yes?" he asked."Yes. Yes, yes, yes," Caitlin answered joyfully and pulled away from him. "Can we go visit the Eiffel Tower?""Today? No. It's already 9 p.m. and even though you've slept almost the entire flight, we should go to sleep. You may not notice how tired you are right now, but I think after you get ready for bed you'll quickly notice how tired you are. We have three weeks to look at anything you want, Snow."He gently stroked her cheek with his knuckles. Odin's bark made them look down and see the little puppy looking at them with his tail wagging. He barked again. Caitlin smiled and lifted him into her arms."It seems like he wants some affection too," she said, kissing the dog's head, who then began to lick her face with his tongue. Harry woke up in the middle of the night. His chest rose and fell frantically while a fine film of sweat covered his face. Again this dream that had given him no peace for days. He looked at Caitlin, who was sleeping peacefully in bed next to him. The little puppy lay sleeping in his basket on the floor next to the bed. Harrison turned to her and gently stroked her cheek with his fingertips. With a smile, he pushed the covers away to stand up. He was dressed only in an undershirt and boxer shorts. Harry went into the bathroom to wash his face with cool water. He exhaled audibly as he looked at himself in the mirror. Dark circles could be seen under his eyes and he felt so tired and worn-out. But if he went to sleep again, the dream would come back and he wanted to prevent that. Suddenly a scream cut through the silence and Harrison ran to Caitlin. She screamed and had her eyes narrowed. He was immediately with her and tried to get her to wake up."Snow. Snow, wake up! Caitlin!" She woke up and looked around in panic. "Caitlin."She looked at Harry and her eyes immediately filled with tears. Caitlin buried her face in the crook of his neck and cried. He stroked her back soothingly and began to gently rock her back and forth."Everything is alright. Steve is gone. You are with me, no one will harm you." Harrison held her tightly in his arms and kissed her hair."I'm sorry," Caitlin whispered quietly after a few minutes of silence. "I woke you up because I had that nightmare again.""It doesn't matter," Harry replied, avoiding telling her that he had already been awake. "We have ice cream in this little fridge. If you want we can open one and eat it together."Caitlin shook her head. "Thank you, but I'm still so tired."Harrison smiled. "Okay. Go back to sleep, Snow. I will watch over you for as long as possible."She snuggled up to him. Her head rested on his chest and she closed her eyes while her arms were wrapped around his body. Harrison stared straight ahead, his hand absently stroking her hair. He wouldn't be able to sleep tonight...
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Caitlin stretched and opened her eyes. For a moment she was a little confused about where she was, but then she remembered that she was in France, with Harry, for several weeks. Steve was no longer. He would never be able to hurt her again. Caitlin was startled when an arm suddenly wrapped around her waist and she was pulled backwards, feeling Harrisons body on her back. She carefully turned to him and looked into his clear blue eyes, which looked at her tiredly."Good morning, beautiful," he said with a smile on his lips, which made Caitlin blush. He took her hand to breath kisses on her fingers. "How did you sleep?""Better than the last few weeks, except for the dream last night," she said, gently stroking his face with her fingertips. "You look so tired, Harry.""I didn't sleep well last night," he said. "I'd actually check some emails or make some calls, but we're on vacation and I've decided that I won't work." Caitlin smiled. "I told my secretary not to call me unless it's vital." With a small smile, he played with one of her strands of hair. "I want to enjoy the vacation with you, Caitlin, and be there for you, care for you."Snow knew he was avoiding her question, but she didn't want to pressure him. She snuggled up to him and breathed in a pleasant breath. Harry kissed her hair. "I don't want to get up," she murmured.He giggled, amused. "We can stay in bed as long as you want, Snow." Harry stroked her upper arm, where the bruises were still visible but seemed to be fading slowly. "We have three weeks. Enough time to do anything you want."Caitlin raised her head to look at him. "I know, but I feel like I'm missing something if I just lie in bed.""You're not missing anything, Snow," Harrison assured her, putting his hand on her cheek to gently stroke it with his thumb. "Don't worry about it."He nuzzled his nose against hers and kissed her. Their tongues intertwined and Harry gently pulled Caitlin towards him. Caitlin felt his hands wander over her body and under her shirt. His fingertips stroked her warm, soft skin up to her shoulder blades and back down to her waist."I want you, Snow," Harry whispered against her lips."You have me," she replied, smiling."I want all of you." His hand rested on her bottom.Caitlin's smile faded and she swallowed as she realized what he meant. "Harry, I…"Harrison stopped her by putting a finger on her lips. "I'll wait, Snow, until you decide. I won't force you to do anything you don't want to do. Never." A cheeky grin appeared on his lips. "And I have other ways to enjoy you and give you the best orgasms.""Harry!" Caitlin laughed.He kissed her lovingly. They both got up an hour later to get ready and go to breakfast. Harry let Caitlin stroll through the city and took photos of her or of himself with her. He wanted to create a photo book to record their memories together."How big the Eiffel Tower is," Caitlin marveled as they stood in front of it. "I knew how big it was, but now that I'm standing in front of it..."Harry smiled and put his arm around her waist to gently hug her. Caitlin placed her hand on his chest while holding Odin's leash with her other hand. The little puppy sniffed the ground curiously."I can't believe it," Snow murmured."What can't you believe?"Caitlin looked at Harry. "You came into my life and brought me out of my darkness. You saved me from my abusive husband. I..." She exhaled. "Sometimes I'm afraid of waking up and then all of this was just a dream. You were just a dream. I'm still in the room and Steve..."Harry didn't let her finish because he sealed his lips with hers. Hard but loving. When he pulled away from her, her cheeks were noticeably redder than before. "Does this feel like a dream?" he asked. His gaze intense. "Tell me.""N-No," Caitlin whispered. Her breathing ragged.His thumb gently stroked her cheek. "You're here with me in reality, Snow. It's not a dream. It's reality. The two of us, together with Odin in Paris."He nuzzled her nose with his and Caitlin smiled. "Can you kiss me again?"Harrison laughed. "As often as you want."His lips met hers and this time Caitlin pressed herself against him and wrapped her arms around his body. His tongue found its way into her mouth as she parted her lips and placed his hand on her ass to press her against his groin. He groaned."I wish we were still in bed, then I could show you that I could never be a dream," he said against her lips.Caitlin pulled away from him and gently slapped him on the shoulder. "Harry!" she called out in a low tone of indignation, looking around to make sure no one had heard him.He chuckled in amusement and kissed her forehead. "I love you." She smiled and placed her hand on his cheek and he closed his eyes to enjoy her touch. That evening, Harrison and Caitlin went to the restaurant where Harry had reserved a table for them. He pulled the chair back so she could sit down and hung her jacket over the chair before sitting down opposite her. A waitress came and greeted them before handing them the menus from which they could choose."Harry?""Hm?" He looked up from his card."I don't speak French," she said, and Harrison noticed that she was a little uncomfortable and embarrassed. Caitlin lowered her eyes and placed the card on the table.He placed his card on the table, stood up, and placed his chair next to hers. Harry took her hand in his and squeezed it gently. "It's okay. I'm here to help you, Snow." Caitlin looked from him to the other guests sitting in the restaurant and noticed them casting a quick glance at the two of them. "Caitlin.""Hm?"Harry's fingers curled under her chin, gently turning it towards him. Snow swallowed as she looked into his clear blue eyes, which were looking at her intensely. "It doesn't matter what people here think of us. Let them talk. It doesn't matter. The important thing is that you feel comfortable." She nodded. "Are you comfortable?" She nodded again. "Words, Snow."
"Now I feel good. You-you're with me," Caitlin said with a small, shy smile, blushing slightly. Harrison smiled and leaned forward slightly to give her a kiss on the lips, which caused Caitlin's cheeks to turn a deep red. "Harry, we're in public.""So what? Am I not allowed to show how much I love you and that I have the most beautiful wife?" he asked, winking at her with a smile."Stop it," Caitlin whispered, embarrassed.Harrison chuckled amusedly before turning to the menu and opening it. "Okay. Then let's go through the menu and choose what we want to eat."He patiently went through the menu with her and Harry encouraged Caitlin to pronounce the French words to get a feel for the language, even if they were only staying for a few weeks. Half an hour later, they were eating dinner together and talking about what they wanted to do in the next few days. Caitlin was bubbling with energy and excitement and Harry listened to her, smiling, but his attention was waning. He rubbed his eyes. Tiredness was taking its toll on his body and nerves."Is everything okay?" he heard Caitlin ask.Harrison nodded. "Yes. Everything's fine." When she stopped, he looked at her questioningly. "What?""You look so tired. Harry, I..." Snow paused for a moment. "What's wrong? You told me in the hospital not to worry, but I am worried. You have dark circles under your eyes, like something is bothering you.""I'm fine, Snow," Harrison assured her.Why didn't he tell her what was wrong? She just wanted to help him. Shouldn't a couple support each other? "Harry, I...""I'm fine.""But...""I'm fine!" Harry snapped loudly. Caitlin immediately jumped in shock and a few of the restaurant patrons looked at the two of them. He regretted instantly snapping at her. "Snow, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...""It's okay," Caitlin said, her voice shaking, and Harry saw the tears welling up in her eyes. She blinked to hold back the tears as she picked up the spoon to eat some of her dessert. Fuck! It had been such a beautiful day and he had to ruin it because he was too proud or even arrogant to tell her what was wrong. He ran a hand over his eyes."Caitlin, I’m…""C-Can we go back to the hotel?" Snow asked in a low voice.For a brief moment, Harry looked at her and he could have slapped himself. "Of course." He stood up and went to Caitlin to pull her chair back so she could stand up. Then he helped her into her jacket."Thank you," she said, not looking at him, but her gaze on the floor.Harry left a few bills on the table and followed Caitlin out of the restaurant. They walked side by side in silence on the way to the hotel. Harrison pictured every scenario in his head of how he would apologize until she got to the hotel."I…" He cleared his throat. Caitlin looked at him. "I’m going to go for a little walk. I need to... clear my head.""Okay.""Do you have your card for the room?""Yes," said Caitlin, pulling the card out of her pocket. A very brief, fleeting smile appeared on her face."Okay, then I'll see you later."She nodded and disappeared into the hotel, leaving Harry to stand outside for a moment before leaving to clear his head. A little later, Harry opened the door to the hotel room and closed it behind him. He hung his coat over a chair and frowned when he saw that only the lamp next to the double bed was lit and the rest of the room was dark."Snow?" he asked loudly into the silence, but he got no answer. Harry looked outside on the balcony, but she was nowhere to be seen there either and Odin was not in the room either. He took his cell phone out of his pocket and typed in her number. He heard her cell phone ring a few seconds later under the covers, where she had also left her small handbag. Harry typed in Louis' number as he left the room.
"Monsieur Wells. What can I do for you?"
"Caitlin is not in the hotel room with Odin and she left her cell phone here. It's her first time in France. I know you're probably already going home, but I need a favor from you," Harry asked.
"I understand. I'll stop at a few tourist spots near your hotel."
"Thank you."He left the hotel room and asked the staff if they had seen Caitlin, but everyone he asked said no. Harry went out into the street where it had started to rain. Cursing, he rubbed his arms when he realized he had left his coat in the room, but he didn't want to go back up to get it. He ran through the streets and asked a few people if they had seen Caitlin, but they couldn't help him either. Harrison didn't know how long he had been looking for her, but his clothes were completely soaked when he found her. Snow was standing under an umbrella with the little puppy in her arms. Relief flooded through Harry when he saw her standing there and he ran to her."Snow."Caitlin looked at him in surprise. "Harry, what are you doing here? You're completely soaked.""I was looking for you. When I didn't find you in the hotel room, I thought something had happened to you." Snow saw the pain and fear in his eyes, as clearly as she had felt it when Steve had used her. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you like that. I shouldn't have..." Harry ran a hand over his eyes. He was so tired and exhausted and was about to continue speaking when Caitlin stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. Harrison looked at her in stunned surprise when she pulled away from him again, only to put his arm around her waist and pull her towards him to kiss her again."I love you, Snow, so much," Harry whispered against her lips. His forehead rested against hers and his hand rested gently on her cheek. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm so sorry.""I know.""It's just..."Snow put her fingers on his lips to stop him from speaking. "Let's go to our hotel room. You need to get out of your wet clothes and warm up."Harrison smiled tiredly. "Okay."He kissed her forehead before the two of them set off for the hotel. The rain had let up. Harrison sneezed when Caitlin opened the door to the room a little later. The little puppy Odin padded in and ran to his basket to snuggle up. Harry sneezed and coughed again as he was about to take off his wet suit."That sounds like you are getting a cold," said Caitlin as she helped him get out of the suit, which she first hung over the chair. When she turned around, she grabbed Harrison's arm as he suddenly stumbled forward. She looked at him, startled and worried."Harry, is everything okay?""Tired. So tired," he mumbled."Sit down," Snow asked him and sat him on one of the chairs before she began to undress him further, except for his shorts. "I'll make you a bath, then you'll warm up faster."Harrison just nodded. His eyes were closed. Caitlin helped him up and supported him to put him in the bathtub. She took the shower head in her hand and turned on the water. The water was cold, but for Harry it was already warm because his body was cool. When Snow looked at him, she noticed that he was looking at her."What is it?""You're beautiful," he said in a tired voice, raising his hand to take a strand of hair between his fingers. Caitlin felt herself blush. His fingertips stroked her cheek, leaving goose bumps on her skin. She felt her grip on the shower head slowly loosen. Her brown eyes looked into his clear blue eyes. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she thought Harry could hear it. Caitlin blinked and snapped out of her trance. She took his hand and began pouring warm water over it, moving it higher to his shoulder."Don't you want to sit in here with me?" Harry asked, taking her hand and weaving her fingers through his. Caitlin was sitting outside the bathtub on a small wooden stool."I'm dressed and don't want to get the dress wet," she replied."I could help you take it off," Harrison replied with a small smile on his lips.Caitlin felt herself blushing. "No. I want you to warm up and then we'll go to bed.""Can I undress you there? At least down to your underwear?" Snow just giggled and shook her head. When he got no answer and she didn't look him in the eyes, but was concentrating on letting the warm water flow over his upper body, he put his fingers under her chin to turn her towards him so that she could look at him. He looked into her eyes, wanting to see what was going on inside her. "I'm sorry, Caitlin. Really. If I didn't have this nightmare that keeps me awake at night..." He sighed. "It's no excuse for snapping at you." He gently stroked her cheek with his thumb. "I promise I'll make it up to you.""It's alright," Caitlin assured him with a small smile. "I know you lose your temper sometimes, but a lot of people do. And I know you would never hurt me."Seconds passed with both of them just looking at each other until Harrison asked, "Can I kiss you?"Snow nodded. Harry cupped her face and carefully pulled her towards him to gently place his lips on hers. The shower head fell from her hand as she gently placed her hands around his neck. But before it could become anything more, Harrison's cell phone rang. Caitlin pulled away from him."Your phone.""Which phone?" asked Harry and wanted to kiss her again, but she stopped him by putting her fingers on his lips. "We are on vacation, Snow.""But what if it's important?" she asked and pulled away from him to get up and leave the bathroom. Harrison watched her and sighed. He turned off the water and picked up the shower head to put it back in its place. "It's Louis.""Shit! I completely forgot about him. Please tell him I found you. I called him and asked him to look for you too," he asked her and a moment later heard Caitlin talking to him.Harrison got out of the bathtub and grabbed one of the two white towels hanging on a hook. He was just drying his upper body when he felt a strange rising feeling in his stomach and his leg started to tingle."No... No..." he whispered and looked towards the bathroom exit, but he couldn't see Caitlin. "Sn..." Harry fell to the floor and his whole body began to cramp. He squeezed his eyes shut and twisted on the floor in convulsions."Harry!" he heard Caitlin's panicked voice. Snow knelt down next to him and wanted to touch him, but then her brain kicked in and she stopped herself. She took a deep breath and stood up to quickly grab a towel and put it under his head. She looked around and made sure there was nothing nearby that he could have hurt himself. Caitlin looked at the clock above the door. 8:22 p.m. Harrison gasped, gritted his teeth and twisted in the cramps. She wanted to help him, but she knew that there was nothing you could do to help someone who was having a seizure except wait and if it took longer than five minutes, call an ambulance. Her heart ached to see him like this."I'm here with you, Harry," she said, but she doubted he could hear her. When Caitlin looked at the clock again, two minutes had passed and Harrison was slowly starting to calm down again. Very carefully, she touched his upper arm. "Harry? Harry, can you hear me?""Hmm... Snow..." he mumbled, tired and completely exhausted. Harrison opened his eyes and found her face. "Snow… Can… Can you help me to the bed?""Of course." She carefully helped him to his feet and supported him by putting her arm around his waist and his arm around her neck. They slowly left the bathroom. Harrison immediately grabbed the bedpost to support himself and shift his body weight onto it and not onto Caitlin. She threw the blanket to the side so that he needed only to lie down and she had to cover him with the blanket."I should get changed. It's supposed to be cold tonight," Harry said, coughing slightly."Can you do it alone or should I help?" Caitlin asked, blushing immediately when she realized what she was asking. Her gaze slid over his bare torso down to his hips, where he was only wearing shorts. "Uhm... I-I mean... uhm..."Harrison grinned wearily. "I can manage to put on my pants myself, but I think I'll need your help with my shirt.“"O-Okay. I'll change too... uhm... on the other side of the bed," Snow stuttered and walked nervously to the other side of the bed. Up until now, the two had only seen their upper bodies naked, but never completely. They had only felt each other. And even though Caitlin was a little nervous of it, she still hoped that Harry would touch her like that again. The thought of feeling his fingers between her legs again made her intimate area start to throb. After she had changed, she went to Harry, who was sitting on the edge of the bed and was now wearing his dark blue pajama pants. Next to him was the shirt of the same color. Caitlin crouched down in front of him, as Harry had propped his arms on his thighs and was sitting bent over."Harry?" she asked in a quiet voice.Harrison raised his head and looked at her. Dark circles were visible under his eyes. His face was very pale. "Snow.""I'll help you with your shirt now, okay?""Shirt?" He looked at her confused for a moment before finally coming to his senses. "Right. Sorry.""It's fine, nothing to apologize for," she said with a small smile.Caitlin took the shirt and took his left arm to put it in the sleeve and did the same with his right. She adjusted his collar and then began to button the buttons, only buttoning three of the six buttons so that if Harry had another seizure, it would be easier to free him. She carefully laid him on his side and lifted his legs up to put them on the bed. Then she covered Harry with the blanket and gently ran her fingers through his hair. He was shaking underneath them."I'll get you another blanket," said Snow and went to a chest that was under a dresser to open it and take out a thick blanket, which she then put over Harrison's duvet. Then she climbed into the bed on her side and lay down under her own. Harry turned to her."Can we cuddle?" he asked tiredly."Always," Caitlin said, smiling.Harrison lifted his blanket and she crawled under his blanket, tucking her blanket a little over his. Harry gently put his arm around her and pulled her close so that their bodies were lightly touching. Caitlin looked at his tired face and stroked his temple with her index finger. "Snow.""Shhh. Sleep, Harry. You're exhausted and tired. You need rest," Caitlin said in a quiet voice."You told me you don't deserve me..." Harry murmured in a sleepy voice. His eyes kept closing. "But it's me... who doesn't deserve you, Snow." He coughed slightly. "I'm not easy to deal with... and yet you've came into my heart and will never let go. I love you, Caitlin... so much..."Snow carefully leaned forward to give him a kiss on the lips. When she pulled away from him again, she gently ran her fingers over his eyelids to close them. "Sleep, Harry. I'll stay with you until you wake up," she said quietly.Caitlin snuggled up to him carefully and his arm tightened a little around her. A few minutes passed and then she heard Harrison breathing evenly. Caitlin looked at him. Harry was difficult sometimes, but he protected her and wanted her to be happy. She didn't want to admit it to herself for a while, but whenever she saw him, smelled him, she felt like she was home. He was her home. And she never wanted to be separated from him again."I love you," she whispered before closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep.Snow woke up in the middle of the night because she felt Harrison tense up next to her. She sat up and gently shook his upper arm, saying his name over and over to wake him. Harrison opened his eyes and sat up."Harry.""Caitlin," was all he said before he hugged her tightly. "You're here. You're alive."Snow frowned slightly when she heard what he said. Slowly she pulled away from him so she could look at him. Harrison was still pale and looked exhausted. "What are you talking about? Why shouldn't I be alive?"He shook his head. "It doesn't matter. You're here, that's the most important thing for me."Caitlin gently placed her hand on his cheek. "Harry, I can see that something is bothering you. What's wrong? Please talk to me. I want to help you and I can't do that if you're hiding something from me."Harry looked into her eyes, which were looking at him so worriedly. He put his hand on hers and closed his eyes for a moment. He exhaled. "I've been having a nightmare for a few days. The dream changes, but it always comes down to the same thing." Caitlin could see the pain in his eyes. "I'm too late to save you from Steve. I-I always try to stop him before he gets to you, but... but I can't." Tears had formed in his eyes and a tear was running down his cheek. "I'm not fast enough.""I'm here, Harry," Snow said, gently wiping the tear from his face. "I'm alive and you were fast enough to save me from Steve.""I tried to remember that you're with me, that you're alive, but…"Caitlin didn't let him finish, but leaned forward and kissed him. Loving and longing. Harrison moaned as their tongues entangled. His hand went to her neck, his thumb just below her earlobe, and he breathed in. His other hand went to her bottom, pulling her closer to him. His hand, which had been on her face, had buried itself in her hair. Caitlin pulled away from him and ran her fingers through his hair. Both of their breathing was uneven as they gasped for air. She could clearly see the lust and desire in his eyes."I'm here. I'm here with you," she said in a low voice."Yes, you are," Harrison answered in a rough voice, his hand soothingly stroking her back."I'm not going anywhere, Harry. I want to stay with you. Forever." Caitlin cast her eyes down. She had just confessed her love to him, even if she hadn't said the words. Snow felt the heat rise to her cheeks, making her blush. Harrison curled his fingers around her chin, lifting it so Caitlin would have to look at him."What did you just say?" he asked incredulously."I'm not going anywhere, Harry," she repeated her words, nervously playing with a strand of her hair."You said more than that."Snow laughed and threw her arms around his neck to hug him. "I want to stay with you. Forever. I love you, Harry."Harrison wrapped his arms around her body. "I love you too, Caitlin, you can't believe how much."He ran his thumb over her cheek and kissed her again, leaning forward, which pushed Caitlin back onto the mattress. But he immediately pulled away from her and sat up. Caitlin looked at him, a little confused."Harry, what...""I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..." Harrison took a deep breath. "You told me that Steve was always on top of you when he..." He swallowed. "I didn't want you to be reminded of that. I'm sorry."Caitlin smiled. Harry was always so caring and wanted to make her feel comfortable. And for that she love him even more. She reached out her hands to him and he came towards her until he was on top of her. He braced himself next to her with his elbows so that he wouldn't crush her with his body weight. Caitlin cupped his face with her hands and looked into his clear blue eyes."I see you, Harry. Only you," she said, lifting her head slightly to kiss him again."I just don't want you to feel uncomfortable when I'm on top of you. I don't want you to be reminded of him when I'm with you, especially when I want to show you how much I love you," he said, kissing the tip of her nose before his lips brushed against hers and he gently nibbled on her chin. Harry looked at her with a small smile.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
When Snow awoke the next morning, she carefully checked on Harrison, who was still sound asleep. She gently ran her fingertips over his forehead, feather-light, so as not to wake him. He didn't have a fever, but he was still a little pale. Caitlin leaned down and kissed his temple, to which Harry responded with a soft "Hmm," but didn't wake up. Then she felt something soft against her leg and looked down to see that Odin was awake too. The little puppy was sitting on his bottom, looking up at her as if he wanted to say something. Caitlin, smiling, crouched down to pet him."Should we buy some breakfast and surprise Harry with it?" she asked in a low voice. Odin licked her hand. "Okay. I'll get ready quickly."Caitlin crept across the room, quickly finding warm clothes to change into. In the bathroom, she was combing her hair after a shower when she heard Harry's tired voice calling to her."Snow?" His voice was croaky and sleepy. She came out of the bathroom to join him on the bed. He looked at her, frowning in confusion. "Where are you going?""I was going to buy us some breakfast and go out with Odin," Caitlin replied, spoiling the surprise."I'll come with you," Harry mumbled, about to get up, but Snow stopped him by gently placing her hand on his as he was about to throw the covers aside."Sleep a little more. You need to rest. Besides, I won't be gone long. I'm just going to get breakfast and then I'll be back."Harrison looked at her silently for a moment. "Okay. Please take your cell phone with you so you can call me if anything happens.""I will." Caitlin leaned forward to kiss Harry on the lips. "See you soon.""See you soon," Harry murmured, his eyes already closed.Snow quietly closed the door to her hotel room and took the elevator down. It was still dark on the streets, but the light of the rising sun could already be seen on the horizon. Morning was slowly approaching. Odin walked ahead of her, sniffing the ground as she gazed over the still-sleeping city. There were hardly any cars on the road, but this would change in a few hours when people went back to work. A few people who passed her greeted her warmly, and she did the same, as the few words she had learned from Harry were enough to communicate quickly. She stopped in front of a small bakery and took a quick breath before entering. It was like placing a normal order, but in a different language. Caitlin walked into the bakery, where an older couple was already having breakfast at a table and a man was just receiving his breakfast. The woman behind the counter smiled kindly when she saw Caitlin. She had long brown hair and brown eyes. Snow smiled back, but she was now a little nervous."U-Uhm..." She suddenly had a blackout. Adrenaline shot through her body and she felt suddenly hot. She felt her cheeks turn red."English?" the woman behind the counter asked kindly. Caitlin's eyes widened and she nodded. "Okay. What would you like?""Two croissants and five rolls, please," she said with a smile."Coming right away.""What… How did you know I can't speak French?" Caitlin asked cautiously."I have a son who goes to school and always gets very nervous when he has to give a presentation. He has exactly the same expression on his face as you do right now because he doesn't speak French very well," replied the woman who was just packing the five rolls into a bag.
"Oh. I understand," she said, slightly embarrassed. "My boyfriend and I are on vacation here, and he's the one who speaks French. But he's trying to teach me a little bit of the language.""That's nice. Is your boyfriend from France?" Snow shook her head. "French is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful languages. It might be a little difficult at first, but if your boyfriend is a good teacher and you really want to learn the language, it will be easy. If you have the will to learn something new, it will be easier for you.""Really?" Caitlin asked, her eyes shining."Well, that's what my father always said to me," the woman replied with a smile. "Wait here a minute. I'll bring you something else."She disappeared down an aisle and a moment later returned with a small box containing two chocolate muffins. She placed them on the counter next to the bags."I'll give you these too. They're freshly baked and still a little warm.""No, I can't accept that without paying," Caitlin said.The woman waved her hand. "I'm giving them to you as a gift. Enjoy them with your boyfriend.""Really?""Yes.""T-Thank you," Snow stammered incredulously. She took the groceries, said goodbye to the woman, and left the bakery. With a cheerful smile, she made her way to the hotel. Ten minutes later, Caitlin opened the hotel room door and saw that Harry was no longer in bed. She looked around and saw that the balcony door was open. After taking the leash off of Odin, she put the groceries on the table and went out onto the balcony. Harrison was standing at the railing, a cup of coffee beside him. She walked over and gently stroked his back. He turned to her and smiled."Good morning, Snow," he greeted her in a raspy voice and bent down to kiss her forehead."How are you feeling today?" Caitlin asked, unable to suppress the concern in her voice."Better. I'm still tired, but not as tired as the last few days." He gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "So? How was your little trip to the bakery? Did you find something tasty?""The nice lady behind the counter even gave me two chocolate muffins," Caitlin said as they walked back into the room together. They stopped in front of the table. "I just realized we don’t have any plates or jam."Harrison chuckled and kissed her temple. "I’ll sort it out. You go change." She opened her mouth to say something, but Harry gently placed his fingers against her mouth. "You already got some rolls, so let me sort it out."Caitlin looked at him briefly, then nodded slowly. "Okay."She began to change her clothes, while in the background she heard him talking to someone on the phone which was standing on the table in the room. After washing her hands and changing into cozy pants and a Shirt with buttons, she returned to the living area and saw that Harrison had taken one of the two chocolate muffins out of the bag and was just popping a piece into his mouth."Harry!" Caitlin laughed, remembering how he had eaten the berries at home when they decorated the cake together. Her smile disappeared."What's wrong?" Harrison asked, having seen it. He took her hand in his and pulled her toward him. His hand rested on her cheek, gently wiping away the tear that was falling. "Caitlin, what is it? Why are you crying?""I..." She raised her eyes to look at him and smiled. "I'm happy." She placed her hands on his chest. "For the first time in my life, I'm happy. Truly happy. My husband…""Ex-husband," Harry corrected, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear."My ex-husband," Caitlin repeated, "is in prison and... and I'm glad about that. Is it bad to think of it that way?"Harrison breathed in and out and placed his hand on her cheek. "He did terrible things to you, and I would have made him pay, but he'll have a bad time in prison, I'm sure of it. If you ask me, it's not a bad thing to think about it that way." He gently stroked her cheek with his thumb. "And now don't think about him anymore. He'll never come near you again. He won't be able to take you away from me again, Snow." He took her face in his hands and kissed her lips. "You're mine." By the time Harry pulled away, Caitlin's cheeks were flushed and her heart was racing. He chuckled. "Am I embarrassing you?"Caitlin lowered her eyes and nodded. And even some. Harrison kissed her forehead when someone knocked on her room door."That must be room service. Sit down, I'll be right back," Harry said, quickly pulling a simple housecoat over his pajama top before opening the door.Caitlin sat down and waited for Harry. She could still feel his lips on her forehead, his hands on her waist. Something inside her wanted him to touch her like that again, but with no clothes on. Her cheeks flushed, and Snow felt the heat rise in her cheeks as she thought about it."Your breakfast, Madame Snow," Harry said in an amused tone as he stopped next to her with a small trolley containing everything they needed for breakfast."Thank you, Monsieur Wells," Caitlin replied with a laugh.They both enjoyed breakfast and talked about what they wanted to do today. The weather was supposed to be nice, but cold. After breakfast, Harry already looked better, but still tired, and Caitlin knew that if she asked him if they wanted to do something together today, he would tell her he was fine and it wouldn't be a problem."Harry?""Hmm?" He looked up from the muffin he was eating."I was thinking of not doing anything today."He looked at her in surprise. "But didn't you tell me yesterday that you'd much rather do something, because you think we'll miss something if we just stay in bed?""Yes, but then you told me we won't miss anything," she replied with a grin.Harry laughed. "You're right about that." He lowered his gaze to his plate for a brief moment before returning it to Caitlin. "Thank you.""For what?" she asked, surprised.
"For everything." Harrison took her hand in his, which was resting on the table, and gently stroked the back of it with his thumb. "You have no idea what you give me every day when you're with me, Snow." She lowered her eyes in embarrassment, feeling her cheeks flush. Late that afternoon, Caitlin sat in bed and Harry lay next to her with his head on her waist. His left arm was lightly wrapped around her, while Caitlin absentmindedly stroked his hair with her right hand and read a book. Harry slept beside her. He stirred occasionally, but then calmed down and resumed his soft snoring. She looked up from her book as she thought back to their conversation at breakfast. This wasn't his first seizure. Harry had had two before, when he hadn't slept for days, when he'd had nightmares about his wife and daughter. Caitlin put the book down and very carefully scooted forward a little to be more comfortable, gently resting Harry's head on her chest."Huh? Caitlin?" he asked sleepily. He blinked and lifted his head. "Are you okay?""Yes. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. I just wanted to sit a little differently," she replied. "The headboard of the bed was getting a little too hard on my back." She ran her hand through his hair. Her fingers stroked his scalp."Hmmm. I love it when you do that," Harrison murmured, his eyes closed."Harry?" He opened his eyes and looked at her questioningly. He could see uncertainty yet determination in her eyes. "I've been thinking.""About what?""I..." She swallowed and nibbled on her lower lip. Harry could now clearly see how nervous she was. "I want to try it."He frowned, confused. "What do you want to try?"Caitlin blushed as she spoke, "I want to sleep with you." Harry opened his mouth to reply, but no sound came out and he stared at her in surprise. His mouth slowly closed. Caitlin took a pillow and held it to his face with one hand when he still didn't speak. "Now it sounded stupid, like I was…""No," came Harry's muffled voice through the pillow. He lifted the pillow from his face and looked at Caitlin, who was staring at him expectantly. "Snow, please don’t tell me you only want this because I told you yesterday that I'd like to have sex with you. If you feel pressured or uncomfortable about it, please tell me. I don't want you to feel pressured to have sex with me just because I want to."Snow shook her head. "No. I want to of my own free will and because I feel safe with you. I know you're not rushing into anything, that you're giving me time."Harry took her fingers, intertwined them with his, and kissed them. "I don't care when we sleep together. If you had told me in a year that you wanted to have sex with me, I would have accepted it. I want you to be free, to decide what you want and when you want it, especially when it comes to sex. As you know, it takes two, and if one of you doesn't want it, the other should be considerate and accept that decision. I want you to enjoy our first time together, free from worry and completely surrendering to your feelings and to me."He leaned forward and kissed her lips. Caitlin returned the kiss, putting her arms around his neck. When she opened her mouth, Harry's tongue darted into her mouth, and he wrapped his right arm around her waist, pulling her down a little further before positioning himself over her."Is that okay?""Yes.""Can I touch your breasts? Kiss them?" Harry asked, slightly breathless against her lips a bit later. Caitlin nodded. She could clearly see the desire in his eyes and how he was holding back for her sake."Words, Snow," he said in a husky voice as the tip of his nose brushed her cheekbone and he pressed a kiss to her forehead."Yes, you can."Something lit up in his eyes before he kissed her again, lovingly and tenderly. She felt his hand undo the buttons of her top and then the coolness of the room brush over her bare torso. She shivered slightly."Cold?""A little.""You'll feel warm in a minute," Harry promised her with a mischievous smile and a wink before turning his gaze to her torso. Caitlin immediately covered her breasts with her hands. "No. Don't. Don't hide, Snow." He gently removed her arms from her breasts. "You're beautiful."He kissed her again before beginning to kiss her neck, gently sucking on her carotid artery before moving down to her left breast. Her nipples were hard, and Harry licked the tip of his tongue around the nipple before wrapping his mouth around it and sucking on it. Caitlin arched her back, tilted her head back, and moaned. Her fingers found his hair and gently tugged."That's it. Feel it."He moved on to the other nipple, and this time he pressed his erect cock against her core, which remained hidden by her pants, and began to grind against it. Caitlin gasped, moaned, and pulled on his hair."Yes. Harry. Oh!"Harrison let go of her breasts to kiss her while he continued rubbing himself against her. Caitlin felt his hard cock against her core so clearly, as if she were wearing nothing. She could hear his moans, feel his hot breath on her face. His clear blue eyes looking down at her. That intense gaze, full of lust and love. Snow wrapped her arms and legs around him, raised her hips, and began to grind against him in the same rhythm. And that wonderful, tingling feeling between her legs, gathering there, seemed to double. Harrison closed his eyes for a moment, his face contorted in pleasure."Oh god, Snow," he moaned.Harry leaned down and covered his lips with hers, then began to move his hips a little faster. Caitlin tried her best to follow the rhythm, but Harry's panting, moaning, his shirt brushing against her nipples, and his hard cock rubbing against her core in a steady but fast rhythm were too much for her."Harry... I’m..."Caitlin screamed out her orgasm as it came over her like a wave. Her body convulsed, and then she heard Harry groan as he came a few seconds later and collapsed on top of her. She was buried under his weight, but it didn't bother her. She was too tired, and soothingly stroked his back. They both lay like that for a while until Harry pushed himself up with his arms next to her head."Are you okay? I got carried away a bit when you moved your hips," he confessed."I'm fine," Caitlin replied, leaning forward to kiss him on the lips. "It was wonderful.""Yes, it was." Harry kissed her forehead. "I'm going to take a quick shower and then I'll be back with you.""I think I need to get in the shower too," Caitlin said, smiling."You go first, I'll wait.""No, Harry. You go first."Harry chuckled amusedly. "How about we both go, then I can take care of your body like we did when we were in the bath together."Snow blushed, remembering how his fingers had given her the satisfaction she hadn't truly felt in so long. "Okay."They would be seeing each other naked for the first time, and this made her nervous, but also made her heart race with excitement. Harrison sat up, got off the bed, and held out his hand, which she took, pulling her towards him. They both went into the bathroom, and Harry was the first to take off his clothes. When he stood completely naked in front of her, Caitlin couldn't help but stare. She had already seen his torso, which already looked good, but his manhood... Steve's cock had been small compared to Harry's. Unconsciously, she licked her lips and looked into his face, seeing how his pupils had dilated and that desire in his eyes again. Harry took a step forward her to put his arm around her waist and pull her towards him. This time her breasts pressed against his bare torso, and she gasped when she felt his bare cock against her core. She bucked her hips, still too sensitive from her orgasm a few minutes ago."Like what you see?" he whispered in her ear, and she shuddered slightly as his breath fanned over her ear.Caitlin nodded. "Yes," she said, her voice slightly trembling.When Harry placed his hand on her bottom and pressed his groin against hers, moving briefly, Caitlin whimpered and felt heat rush to her core. He pulled away and kissed her on her lips."See you in the shower."Harrison disappeared into the shower, and a few seconds later, Caitlin heard the water running. She waited a moment before removing her clothes as well. Harry would now see her naked for the first time. How would he react? Snow swallowed nervously as she slowly approached the shower. When she entered, it was already warm, and a light mist from the hot water had spread through the shower. Harry stood under the spray, his eyes closed, enjoying the pleasant warmth. As if sensing her presence, he opened his eyes. When he saw her naked, she heard him suck in his breath and swallow hard. Nervously, Caitlin wrapped her arms around her waist and looked down."Come here," Harry said in a raspy voice. She took his outstretched hand and let herself be pulled toward him under the spray of the shower. Immediately, her body was wet with the warm water. "God. You're even more beautiful than I imagined, Snow." His knuckles gently stroked her cheek while his other hand rested around her waist. "Let me take care of you. Turn around."Caitlin turned around without hesitation, trusting him. Harry took the shower head and began washing her hair. His fingers gently stroked her hair like a comb, and she sighed contentedly. Harry blew a kiss on her shoulder. If this were a different situation, if Caitlin didn't have this terrible past, he would have bent her over and buried himself deep inside her from behind. But it wasn't him who decided, it was her, and he would wait until she was ready. But the thought of taking her from behind here and now, feeling her ass against his groin, the slapping sound of their naked flesh and the sounds she would make as he penetrated her deeply from behind again and again, made him groan. He hung the shower head back in its place and wrapped his arms around Caitlin's waist, pressing his hard cock against her back."Look what you're doing to me, Snow," he whispered as he slowly rubbed himself against her. "You've got me hard and longing for you again. God, I can't get enough of you, especially when you're not wearing anything."Caitlin turned to him and placed her hands on his chest. He tilted his head slightly as she gave him a mischievous smile, looking at her questioningly. She leaned forward and stood slightly on tiptoe to kiss him. Harry happily returned the kiss, their tongues intertwining. Caitlin's hand moved further down to his hard, hot cock, and without warning, she wrapped her hand around the base of it. Harrison moaned, bit her lower lip, and staggered backward against the wall, taking her with him."Fuck, Caitlin," he said against her lips, groaning as she moved her hand up and down. "Can I touch you between your legs? Please. I want to feel you.""Yes, please touch me, Harry," Snow whispered, panting, before kissing him again.His fingers traveled down her stomach to her center, and then Caitlin felt his fingers stroking her folds and massaging her clit. Now she was the one moaning, still holding Harry's cock in her hand. But it didn't take Caitlin long for her second orgasm, and when Harrison fucked her mouth with his tongue in the same rhythm as she fucked his cock with her hand, she was pushed over the edge. Her scream was muffled by his mouth, and her hand around his cock squeezed slightly, causing Harry to orgasm. Caitlin felt his cum splash against her stomach and flow down her body. They both stood panting in the shower. Harry's forehead rested against hers as they slowly caught their breath. He gave her a lazy kiss on the lips, sucking briefly on her swollen lower lip."Didn't we mean to clean ourselves up?" Caitlin heard his amused voice ask.She giggled. "Yeah, we can do that now."Harrison laughed. They both cleaned themselves up again before getting out of the shower and drying each other off. In bed, they lay cuddled next to each other. Harry played with a strand of her hair before turning to her."Caitlin?""Hmm?" She opened her tired eyes.He gently brushed a strand of hair from her cheek. "I brought condoms with me. I didn't know if I would need them, and I wouldn't have told you until you were ready to sleep with me. I didn't want you to feel pressured to have sex with me."She smiled. He was always so thoughtful. "Thank you, Harry." Caitlin leaned forward to kiss him before snuggling up to him and sighing contentedly. He kissed her hair, and that was the last thing she felt before drifting off into a deep sleep…