In A Blink ➳ Barry Allen/The Flash

36.

chapter thirty-six ; the trap

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Every ticking second that passed felt like hours as the two cousins sat anxiously awaiting Dr. Wells' arrival. Caitlin's hand gripped tightly onto Natalie's as they sat side by side, Caitlin using her free hand to fiddle with her dress as Natalie settled on watching her. The younger girl slipped her hand out of the elder's grasp and kicked her feet up on the desk, "We have to attempt to look normal, Cait. The death grip we had could be a dead giveaway."

Caitlin nodded and began to type away on the computer, deciding that running scans on Barry's recent blood work would suffice. "We should probably have a conversation going," Caitlin began, "The two of us being silent isn't exactly normal either."

"Right," Natalie noted glancing every so often behind her.

"What was Barry talking about? You thinking about something. Did he propose?" Caitlin asked as she looked over at her cousin, a small smile playing across her lips. Natalie shook her head frantically and waved her arms, "No, no, nothing like that. No proposal. It was just something Captain Singh had suggested and Barry agreed with."

The smile on Caitlin's face fell, "I see. It was about your dad's release wasn't it?" Natalie nodded her head. "What did Captain Singh suggest?" The younger girl took an exaggerated breath, "He suggested that I make temporary living arrangements and Barry wants me to stay at his and Joe's place."

"But that's a wonderful idea. You'd be safer and get to be with Barry. From what you tell me, you spend half your nights over there anyways. I don't understand the problem, Nattie?" Caitlin asked, a concerned look on her face.

Natalie frowned, knowing her cousin would ask that question. "It's that damn A.I. from the future. Me being future Mrs. Allen. Everything is just happening so fast and all of the problems we've been having, I don't want to rush into anything. I want to take my time and enjoy all of the moments, but knowing within the next ten years we get married.. it scares me. I know I'm just going to keep thinking, as time goes on, when is it going to happen. It's the fear. It's daunting. I just.. I don't know how to put into words how I feel."

She took in a breath to gather her thoughts, her eyes fluttering closed to try and focus, "Hearing that we get married, it makes me so incredibly happy because I love him. I love Barry Allen. But I'm afraid that it's going to change, the future. If we, in the end, don't end up together, I am going to spend the rest of my life wondering how we changed it, what moment changed it all."

In her pause, Caitlin pulled her frustrated cousin into a hug. Her hand rubbed soothing circles into Natalie's back as the younger girl tried to regain her breath. "Listen to your heart, Nattie. It's strong, it's beating, and it's full of love for your family, your friends, for Barry.. Let that rule your life. Not spoken words from an A.I. kept in the Reverse-Flash's secret room."

Natalie let out a shaky laugh as she pulled away and smiled. "Thanks, Cait. You always know what to say." At the mention of her words, Caitlin shrugged, "Well what can I say, I'm the best cousin there is."

"I forgot to ask what happened while Cisco, Joe, and I were in Starling City," Natalie piped up after the two girls' laughter had faded. The elder cousin stiffened and glanced away from her cousin's eyes, focusing back on the computer, "Oh nothing much. Just Barry and I taking on another metahuman."

Thinking she heard the whirring of a wheelchair, Natalie spun in her seat towards the entrance of the Cortex but found nothing. "It was the shapeshifter, right? This EveryMan you called him. Who did he shift into?"

"Oh you know, people.." Caitlin said, her eyes widening and palms clamming. Natalie nodded her head, "Did he change into you or Barry? Cause that would be really freaky staring at a clone of yourself."