Love In a Heartbeat - Snowbarry AU

Drowning

Barry felt like he was underwater, barely managing to breathe trying desperately to keep his head above water. His thoughts, fears and doubts were suffocating him, no one was around to hear his cries for help.

He shot up in a cold sweat, panting and breathing heavily. He looked around and saw that the time was only 12 o'clock at night. He sighed and climbed out of bed, careful as to not to wake Caitlin up. He was filling his glass up with water until he heard a soft yawn behind him.

"Barry?" Kara mumbled rubbing her eyes.

"You should be asleep miss." Barry whispered. When she realised she wasn't seeing things she opened her eyes wider

"I'm not the one with work tomorrow though." She replied getting a glass of her own.

"True, true." Barry sighed rubbing hsi head and sipping his water

"Why are you awake?" She asked curiously

"Couldn't sleep." He said sitting at the counter as Kara pulled out a seat and sat next to him.

"Wanna talk about it?" She asked, "Trust me i know a lot about not getting any sleep." She added

"I feel like i'm drowning." Barry said blankly, "The Colasanti family has been quiet for these past few weeks, i know they're planning something big and when that happens i don't know if i can protect you, Luke and Caitlin. I'm not strong enough." Barry admitted to his daughter.

"That's not true." She replied as she clenched her cup tighter, "You're strong enough to adopt two messy fifteen year olds. Me and Luke owe you everything." She smiled softly.

"I might of ended up dragging you into something worse." Barry sighed bitterly

"That' not true." Kara argued, "Me and Luke were living in hell before we met you. You saved us Barry." She said giving him a warm hug, "If you're drowning, i'll dive in and save you." She said smiling up at him.

"Thank you Kara." He said hugging her back, "Now go back to sleep." He chuckled as she yawned and nodded.

Barry climbed back into bed and instantly felt Caitlin's head on his chest.

"I love you Cait." He whispered as sleep swept over him.

*   *   *

Barry slept peacefully for the rest of the night, until morning came and suddenly he felt a sharp pain on his stomach. His eyes shot open and saw the wide smile of his daughter.

"Mor-ning." She said smiling as Barry rubbed in stomach in pain

"Did you elbow me in the stomach?" He asked as she nodded

"The water didn't work so this was the only way." She said pointing at his wet pillow and blanket.

"Thanks." He mumbled as he climbed out of bed, "Why did you wake me so early, i've got work in an hour." He said yawning and rubbing his eyes.

"Because.....Cait made breakfast." She said holding her arms out like she was doing a presentation.

"Morning Barry." Luke said with drool spilling from his mouth at the aroma of breakfast.

"Morning Barr." Caitlin said softly kissing his cheek, "I made breakfast." She smiled

"I can tell. It smells amazing." Barry said giving her a side hug as she melted in his arms

"Can we eat now?" Luke asked impatiently

"Yes, Luke you can." Caitlin chuckled.

Caitlin grew up in a loving household with a supportive family. But that paled in comparison to the moment she was living in. She was in the arms of the man she loved while watching her two foster children bicker over breakfast.

Barry planted a soft kiss on her forehead after noticing her small smile on her face.

"I love you Barr." She whispered. Before he could answer there was a knock on the door and instantly Barry got shivers down his spine.

His instincts were never wrong.

"Cait, take Luke and Kara into the bathroom and lock the door." Barry said in a serious tone earning a confused and worried look from Luke and Kara.

"Why?" Caitlin asked concerned

"I've got a bad feeling, i need you to listen to me...please." Barry said hlding her shoulders as she reluctantly agreed. Luke and Kara didn't want to leave but Caitlin dragged them away.

Barry got his gun from under the table and held it against the door as he peered through the peephole. He saw nothing and knew someone was covering it up. Without wasting anytime he wrapped a towel around his hand with the gun in it to silence the noise and shot four times through the door.

He slowly opened the door and saw two men dead on the floor. He searched their coats and found photos oh him and his family and a tattoo belonging to the Colasanti's.

He called it in to his sister who was already at work at the same time he heard footsteps behind him he turned around and saw the faces of his son, daughter and girlfriend. He quickly closed the door so he wouldn't see the bodies. He could have a repeat of what happened last time, he couldn'y handle it.

Instead he found that Luke and Kara were hugging him tightly along with Caitlin.

"I'm glad you're safe." Kara whispered

"I'm sorry you had to see that." Barry said regretfully.

"It's fine Barry, we're safe now because of you...again." Luke chuckled.

"Cait.....?" Barry asked as Caitlin cried softly into his chest.

"Don't scare me like that, i don't want to be seperated from you ever again." She whispered.

"I won't i promise." He said kissing the top of her head.