Alternate ending to 'Girls Night Out'

...

Silence reigned as Barry Allen stood motionless, his eyes fixed on Caitlin Snow.

His head was pounding, but he couldn't seem to focus on that anymore. He was too shocked by the fact he had just witnessed her change from Killer Frost as if it were as natural as breathing.

"I can explain everything, guys." Caitlin's voice echoed through the room.

A look of confusion and shock rested on Barry's features. Seconds passed, and Caitlin's gaze drifted over to him. For an instant, their eyes met and he saw a look ghost across her face.

Fear? Apprehension? Anxiety?

"B...but first let me get cleaned up." Caitlin glanced down at her appearance.

That's when it hit Barry, blood was seeping through her jacket, and an array of cuts and bruises riddled her delicate features. He didn't miss the slight limp she tried to conceal as she walked away, either.

After a few moments, everybody else dispersed. Something about getting coffee. But Barry didn't register it, he was too caught up in the wave of anger and fear that washed over him.

Finally, Barry managed to snap himself out of his trance. In less than a millisecond he was down the hall and parked firmly in front of Caitlin.

She was momentarily shocked, her hair blown back by the gust he created.

"Cait, what happened?" Barry question, a note of urgency in his tone.

"It's fine, Barry." She assured quietly.

"It's not fine." Barry answered, briefly reaching out to touch one of the cuts on her cheek, "You're not fine."

"It's alright," Caitlin stated adamantly.

She moved to walk around him, still struggling to hide her limp. "I'll tell you and others in just a minute," Caitlin added.

"Caitlin, please." He called.

She paused, partially turning back to face him.

"You're bleeding," Barry stated.

She was silent for a beat.

"Not anymore," Caitlin whispered, her posture falling ever so slightly.

Barry took a step forward, clearing the district between them.

"Can I see?" He asked softly, putting a hand on her lower arm.

She hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

Caitlin shrugged off the blue jacket, revealing a long stitched up gash on her arm.

Barry felt his stomach drop. One because of the sheer size of the wound. Two, because the moment Barry saw it, he knew. Caitlin had patched him up more times then he could count, he knows what her stitches look like.

"You stitched yourself up?" Barry blurted before he could stop himself.

"Who else was going to?" Caitlin replied.

It hurt how calm it sounded when she spoke, what hurt even more was that Barry knew she was right. After all, this was the woman who had basically performed surgery on herself.

It was at that moment Barry made a promise to himself, a vow really.

He was going to make sure that she never has to fix herself up again, not alone. Given how fast he could read, there was really no excuse for him not to know about the subject. He could read through a whole med-school college textbook in a minute flat, and that's exactly what he planned to do.

Barry leaned down to further inspect the gash. He then realized that a few stitches had popped opened, blood slowly oozing out.

"You're bleeding again," Barry informed.

"Crap," Caitlin muttered under her breathe, as she looked down at it.

"I'll be right back..." She started.

"Let me help." Barry pleaded.

Caitlin stared at him for a second, before nodding once more.

Barry stepped forward to pick her up. Caitlin didn't protest, she just looked tired.

As he put his arms around her she nearly collapsed into him, a testament to how tired she truly was. But Barry didn't say anything, he just looped his arms beneath her legs and sped away with her.

When he stopped and set her down, it wasn't in the main infirmary. Instead, it was a smaller medical room that rarely got used. He knew her well enough to know she probably didn't want to be around the others right now. She's exhausted and the last thing she needed was to be bombarded with questions.

As soon as Barry set her down, he went to work gathering the supplies needed. Antiseptic, gloves, a needle, and some medical thread.

He may not have been as well versed as he wished he was, but he knew enough basic first aid that he could do this. Given how many times she's saved his life, he owed her this much.

Quickly, Barry took off his over jacket and rolled up his sleeves. He washed his hands, scrubbing up to his elbows, and put on a pair of sterile rubber gloves. Within seconds he had himself together and the needle ready. The first thing he did was clean the wound. Once he had all the blood cleaned up, he set to work repairing the stitches.

All the while, Caitlin just sat there calmly, a stark contrast to how he had been the first time she had patched him up.

"Who did this to you?" Barry eventually spoke, breaking the silence.

Caitlin let out a slow, soft sigh.

"Amunet Black. She's a meta-human crime lord."She admitted. "I...Killer Frost, used to work for her."

"She wanted me back, but I wouldn't go. So..." Caitlin trailed off, glancing at the wound.

Barry knew he had heard the name from Joe before, but he committed it to memory anyway. Because now it had meaning, it wasn't just a name in an endless sea of threats that loomed over Central City. It's a person, a person who had now found their way to his personal shit-list.

Caitlin closed her eyes and took a breath, as if the events of the evening were just sinking in. By then, the speedster had finished fixing the stitches. He pulled off his rubber gloves, tossing them in a nearby trash can.

Barry then dropped to one knee, now at eye level with Caitlin.

"Hey, we'll find her," Barry assured, taking her hand in his. "We won't let her get away with this."

"Something tells me we won't have to," Caitlin stated, a deep frown on her features.

"Amunet, She holds grudges." Caitlin added, "I messed up her whole operation tonight. She'll be back. She promised me that much."

"Then when she does, we'll be ready." Barry assured, "I won't let her hurt you again, I promise."

"Thank you," Caitlin whispered, a small smile tugging at her lips. It was the first one Barry had seen all evening.

Barry gave her hand a squeeze before rising to his feet.

"Are you hurt anywhere else? And what about that limp you were trying to hide?" The speedster inquired, giving her a knowing look.

"It's just a bruise, there's nothing that can really be done about it." Caitlin gestured to her leg.

"And I'm not hurt anywhere that I haven't already dressed." She added.

"Can I check anyway?" Barry asked.

Caitlin rolled her eyes, "Sure." She then lifted up the sleeve on her opposite arm. It was painted with cuts, bruises, and another stitched up cut.

Barry didn't know who Amunet Black was, but it was right then and there he decided he hated her. He was going to make sure they caught her.

Barry took a closer look at the injuries, ignoring the odd feeling in his stomach and chest. To the best of his knowledge, they were alright, so Caitlin lowered her sleeve.

"Thank you," Caitlin spoke as she stood, collecting her bloodied jacket.

"It's the least I can do," Barry replied.

Caitlin headed for the door.

"Hey, Cait." He called after her.

She turned back, more relaxed than before.

"Are you okay?" He asked, sincerity in his words.

He knew the answer. He could tell by the way she carried herself, or the way she talked, how quiet she was. It reminded him of how she was the day of HR's funeral. Except it was more subtle, yet somehow worse. It was less like fresh hurt, and more like a deep pain that had settled into her very being.

It made Barry's chest psychically hurt.

He knew the answer, but his question wasn't just an empty gesture either. He was testing the waters because he was painfully aware that they hadn't had a proper talk yet. They hadn't talked about her powers or about everything that happened.

And he knew better than anyone that they needed too.

Barry watched as a war raged within Caitlin, it's like a wall was collapsing and she was desperately scrambling to keep it up. Finally, she relented, her eyes meeting his.

"No," Caitlin answered, her voice horse and fractured.

"No." She repeats, more to herself this time.

Barry didn't waste any time stepping forward and wrapping her in his arms. And she doesn't waste any time in sinking into his embrace. This moment was long overdue anyway.

"I haven't been okay for a long time." She added.

"I know." Barry whispered, stroking her hair, "I know."

Barry felt the tears seep through his shirt before he heard the nearly silent sobs. After a few moments, her knees began to give out, so Barry let himself go with her as she sank to the floor.

He knew it probably looked odd, but he didn't care. He knew that she needed this, knew that she just needed to let it all out. So he let her. He let her cry into his shoulder, not caring how wet it got.

Barry knew they'd talk later, and they'd be all the better for it. He knew that after the tears dried, she would alright, and that was really all that mattered to him. He knew she would feel bad about it later, and say that she ruined his night. But he'd reassure her she didn't, and say that she was far more important to him than some last hurrah to being single. And it would be the truth.

He knew that when she was ready, they would walk out of that room together, and face the others. He'd be right there with her the whole time. Then when they were done, he'd make sure she got home safely, and stay as long as she needed him to.

Barry was mentally planning to crash-course in all things first-aid after Iris went to sleep. At this point, it would worth losing a little sleep.

He knew Caitlin would start the slow process of mending, and he'd be there to help her every step of the way. He'd make sure of it, he'd get it right this time. It was more apparent to Barry then ever that he hadn't been there for her enough. But he's going to change, in every way he can.

But for now, he'd just hold her tight, for as long as she needed him to.

He owed her that much.