Orion - Chapter Six: Al-Jabbar (Part Two)
Title: Orion
Subtitle: Al-Jabbar (Part Two)
Author: dracox-serdriel
Word count: 13,000 (split chapter)
Chapter notes: The title of this chapter comes from the Arabic name for the constellation Orion: Al-Jabbar, which means 'the giant.'
Note: Due to LJ's length limitations, this chapter had to be split into two parts.
About four months ago in January... Caitlin was alone somewhere dark and cold. She blinked her eyes several times, but they refused to adjust to the darkness. She couldn't see.
Where was she? How did she get here?
She tried to shift only to realized she was paralyzed. Lights came on, blindingly bright, and she was surrounded by people in white scrubs and masks. That, combined with their thick, heavy gloves made it clear that they were surgeons. She was about to go under the knife. Pain overwhelmed her, and terror soon followed. She wanted to cry out for help, but she couldn't speak. She couldn't do anything.
Need to repeat.
Everything went dark again, but this time, she was in a dark, circular room with Grodd. His thoughts echoed in her head.
Need to repeat Grodd.
But she didn't know how to make another gorilla like him, not without another particle accelerator explosion, and she couldn't make one happen, not even if she wanted to. She opened her mouth to explain, but she still couldn't talk.
Caitlin... always kind. Caitlin... will... learn!
She couldn't breath. She collapsed, gasping for air, crawling away. Something heavy pressed into her back, pinning her to the ground.
Flash is my enemy. Now you, too, Caitlin.
No, no, no. She could help Grodd. She'd find a way to help him. None of this was his fault. If only she could tell him...
Darkness descended and the cool air became warmer, almost too hot to bear.
Caitlin woke up and struggled against the sheets, rolling over before sitting up straight, her body covered in sweat and her arms trembling. She threw the comforter off, but it didn't go far because she was tangled up in the covers. She needed to escape his her nightmare just as much as the heat.
"Caitlin?"
The muffled voice startled her, so she flailed even more, wrenching herself from the covers and nearly falling out of bed. The cold night air touched her sweaty, bare skin, and she sighed in relief, though only moments later it proved too cold for her liking.
"Caitlin? Are you all right?"
She turned to see Jay sitting upright against the headboard, his eyes filled with concern. At least, that explained why she had so much trouble getting the covers off. After Ronnie died, she got used to sleeping alone, and she still hadn't adjusted to Jay, who took up more than half the bed.
"I'm fine," she said.
It wasn't remotely true, especially now that she was so cold she was shivering on the floor beside her bed.
Jay got up and came around to her side, lifting her off the floor without a word. She leaned into the warmth of his flesh, curling against his neck as he turned to put her down on the bed.
"You're freezing," he said as he pulled the covers back over her.
"Just a bad dream," she muttered by way of explanation.
He sat down on the edge of the bed, facing her. He brushed her hair out of her face and then cupped her cheek.
"Cait," he said softly. "Everything's going to be okay."
She forced herself to look at him, to really see the man sitting naked in front of her. She thought she might fall into his eyes and lose herself there, so very far away from the dangers in her life and the nightmares they inspired.
"It was about Grodd," she said.
"The telepathic gorilla?"
She nodded her head, yes, and something flickered across his face before he clenched his jaw.
"I should've been there," he said, his hand falling from her face. "But Grodd's gone now, and he won't hurt you again."
"That was the worst part," she said. "He didn't want to hurt anyone. He just didn't want to be alone anymore."
"And thanks to you, he's not," Jay replied. "The sanctuary on Earth-2 is the cloest thing to his natural habitat."
"I had to trick him," she said. "I tried to explain, but... he came to me for help, and I helped shove him through a portal. I don't even know where he is."
"He's free," Jay replied. "Probably king of the jungle by now."
"But what if he's still alone?"
"You think he's the only giant telepathic gorilla on Earth-2?" he asked.
She couldn't help but smile. How did he always know what to say? A few months ago she was just starting to imagine what her future would be like without Ronnie. After she lost him the second time, her heart turned to ice, still and solid through and through. When Cisco lured her back to STAR Labs during the Atom Smasher investigation, she put up a good front and went through the hundred thousand motions that made up Caitlin Snow, back before her dreams revolved around her husband vanishing into a deep, dark nothingness that loomed overhead, slowly but surely blackening her entire world. Then Jay walked into the Cortex, a hero who'd lost something, a better part of himself. Maybe that's why she felt so connected to him when they first met, it was like looking into a broken mirror and seeing countless slivers of herself reflected back.
Now that the same sat nude in front of her, holding her hand and making her forget her bad dreams with a smile. Somehow between then and this moment, her heart thawed, and all those broken shards came together.
Sleep deprivation apparently builds introspection.
"Aren't you cold?" she asked, suddenly aware of the lingering silence.
"No, of course not," he replied. But then he added, "Maybe a little."
She slid one hand up his arm to his neck, then down his chest, while the other wandered to his thigh. His eyes darkened as his pupils blew wide with desire, and he sucked in a hard, sharp breath.
He leaned across her for a kiss, which was surprisingly chaste, a little pressure on her lips, before his forehead leaned against her. She brought them together again, this time nibbling at his bottom lip. She rubbed his inner thigh, and he groaned at the contact, leaving his mouth open to her mid-kiss. She took full advantage, darting her tongue inside his inviting mouth, which was warm, almost too hot, for her. She pulled away to catch her breath.
"Cait?" Jay asked, his voice sultry yet full of concern. "Are you okay?"
She smiled at him and replied, "Everything's going to be okay."
She nudged him away, and he stood up, his hands dropping to cover his erection before he stepped away in the direction of the bathroom. She tossed the covers aside, gasping as the air cooled her skin.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
She felt a rush of pride when his eyes fell on her and he licked his lips in anticipation.
"Nowhere," he replied, tentatively returning to the bed.
She wondered why he was so hesitant about it. It was as if he expected her to reject him and throw him out of her bedroom, hard and wanting, as if they hadn't made love before. Whatever his doubts or reservations, she would remedy them all. She would show him that she wanted him and all his imperfections.
So she reached up and pulled him into her arms, letting their bare skin touch and feeling the fire that burned in his blood. He brought his lips down on hers, hot and heavy, as he climbed into the bed on his hands and knees, straddling either side of her. She gasped in surprise when one of his hands palmed her center. He pressed soft kisses into her jawline, then down her neck, suddenly sucking hard on the crook between her neck and shoulder, only to continue with his sweet, soft kisses into her flesh, down to her hardened nipples.
She watched him as he lapped at the stiff bud before taking it in his mouth and sucking in, the moist and warm sensation of his mouth making her wet and hot to the core. He looked up at her, his expression playful, before he switched to the other breast and repeated his ministrations. Everything he did was so precise, so meticulous, yet at the same time, he seemed so hungry, so lustful.
He was holding back, too worried about what she liked to let her see what he wanted. That would change tonight.
She stroked the back of his head as he showered her breasts with attention, kneading one ever so gently as he sucked at the other nipple. She moaned his name as he shifted away so that he could snake his arm down between her thighs. His fingers teased the skin of her inner thigh, and she opened herself to him.
How was she going to convince him to stop holding back when she could barely think?
The thought was driven from her mind when two fingers slipped inside of her wet core, applying only the slightest pressure where she needed it most. His mouth switched breasts again as his fingers moved in and out, the slow pace and pressure both a delectable pleasure and not nearly enough. She lifted her hips of the bed and grinded against his hand, desperate for more of him.
He took the hint and a third finger thrust inside, making her groan at the added friction. Her back bowed up as he increased the pace, and a few thrusts later, the pressure increased as he added a fourth finger. She was rutting wildly against his hand and vocalizing his name in deep, throaty groans, begging him for more.
Her clit was throbbing for attention, and she kept shifting her hips to get pressure against it. But he didn't touch her there - wouldn't touch her there - not even a little. Was he doing it on purpose, trying to drive her insane?
He quickly kissed his way back up her neck until he captured her lips in his, catching her moan between them. His fingers still working in tandem with her hips, he kissed her till she was breathless, leaning against his free arm for support.
"Tell me what you need," he whispered in her ear.
"You," she replied between gasps. "Just... you."
He leaned his forehead into hers, his eyes boring into hers as deep as deep went.
"Like this?" he asked.
His thumb grazed her clit as his lips upturned into a shy smile.
Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as every muscle in her body tensed with the abrupt flash of pleasure radiated through her. Apparently, that was answer enough for him, as he began to move down her body, gently nipping at her skin before pressing his lips into the same spot to smooth it over. Every so often, his thumb tapped her clit, and her entire body spasmed with pleasure. He kept her on the edge for what felt like hours as he made his way down her neck and torso. She nearly screamed when he nipped at her hip bones, so close to falling off the edge that she brought her own hand over his, pressing down for the tiniest bit of pressure.
He playfully batted her hand away before his head dropped between her thighs, preventing her from trying again.
"Jay," she pleaded. "Jay, please."
That was when his tongue darted out and teased her clit. He curled his fingers inside her, rubbing the spot he'd discovered she liked so much only yesterday, and then his tongue flicked against her clit again. And again. And again. It took a few tries before he had a steady rhythm going, but Caitlin was already experiencing the white hot surge of her orgasm crashing through her.
Euphoria hit her in full force as he pushed her over the edge and her walls clenched around his fingers. She felt his tongue and hand throughout her high, and as she came back down, he was still there between her legs, still working her over, still pushing her toward the edge.
Her first instinct was to drag him into a kiss, but before she could wrap her arms around him, she felt the pull of another orgasm building inside her, more powerful than the first, only growing stronger as Jay increased the pace. Before she knew it, she was plunged headlong into another climax, and all she could do was scream his name.
She was vaguely aware that he kissed his way back up her body before slipping her fingers out of her. When her senses returned, she was lying beside her, sucking her juices off of his own fingers, the features of his face hungry for more.
She needed to do something, anything, to get him to stop holding back, to make him lose control. She was too spent to be on top, too far gone to exert any kind of control over herself, let alone him.
She turned on her side facing him and cupped his cheek as she brought their foreheads together. She loved how his hot breath caressed her skin in short bursts, still minty from her toothpaste.
"Don't hold back," she whispered.
His brow knit with confusion, but when she flipped over to her stomach, he swallowed hard and his face reflected nothing but raw, unfettered need. His body followed hers, wrapping around her so his stomach was at her back and his head was next to hers. He peppered her neck with light kisses as he positioned himself above her.
His skin was burning hot against hers, and it felt like she was on fire with him, their sweat fueling the friction between them. He slid inside her, practically whimpering as he filled her. She moaned at the sensation, at the satisfaction of him fulfilling the raw, aching need between her legs.
"Cait," he said in her ear, somewhere between a growl and a whisper.
She turned her head towards his, and he immediately pulled her into a long, deep kiss as he began slow, methodical thrusts that took her breath away. She had to break away to catch her breath, and she curled her back up toward him, earning a deep groan against her neck.
He picked up the pace as his had cupped her center, his fingers rubbing her clit in small circles in perfect rhythm with his thrusts. His breath was hot against her neck as he went deeper and deeper, murmuring something that sounded like her name against her skin, too far gone to say anything else.
It was all going to her head, and her body tensed up as her next orgasm built up in her spine. She felt every muscle in his body tighten against hers, and the fact that he was so close made her fall over the edge, her walls clamping down over his cock as she moaned into her pillow. His hand fell away as his thrusts became erratic, and he let out one more moan as he finally spilled inside her, his body barely braced above her as he let go.
At some point, he must've pulled out of her and rolled them over so that he was spooning her, but she was in such a blissful haze that she didn't notice. Not until he was wrapped around her, stoking her hair and caressing skin. She turned and kissed him over her shoulder, savoring his strong - almost possessive - embrace.
She knew she'd wake up in his arms, in this same embrace, and it acted like a tonic. He chased all her nightmares away.
Here and now... Caitlin must've fallen asleep at some point during the late hours of the night, because she opened her eyes to a blindingly bright dawn. She had a headache and felt more tired than the night before, but the sunlight flooding her room made it impossible to sleep any longer.
She went down to the kitchen, dreading the possibility of having to deal with Hunter, only to find it empty. A box of her favorite granola bars was set out on the counter. She poured herself a glass of water and took the entire box up to her room. If she was going to eat breakfast alone, she might as well enjoy the view.
She should've gotten used to eating breakfast alone since Jay's "death" on Earth-1. She had gone from sharing every meal with somebody to skipping most of them all together, subsisting on small bites from the protein bars Cisco made for Barry's Speedster-amplified metabolism. If she put any more effort into something as simple as eating, that would be like stopping and resting, and she couldn't do that. Because if she stopped, she'd have to feel, and that was the one thing she wouldn't handle well. She would've fallen apart.
When she pulled out a granola bar, a folded note came out with it. The majority of the note was typed, with only the postscript written out, and though the penmanship was shaky, she recognized Jay's - Hunter's - handwriting.
Dear Caitlin,
I want to apologize for my behavior yesterday morning at breakfast. I regret not telling you in person, but for your safety, I cannot return to the island until my work is complete.
PS: We will discuss your involvement in a few days.
Did that mean she didn't have to worry about seeing him for the next few days, or was he telling her not to bring it up until then?
She tucked the note back into the box and left it on her bedside table. She showered, dressed, and went down to the Comet, wondering how long she would be here. Would she get used to this routine before she was uprooted again? Or would Hunter relocate her in a few days on the pretext of keeping her safe?
When she arrived at the office, Totem was setting up a monitor.
"Good, you are here," she said. "This has an internet connection with restricted access."
"Thank you," Caitlin replied.
"Blink and I have business elsewhere," Totem explained. "I am leaving Junior and Scout in your care. The prisoners will be on lockdown. Doctor Midnight will take over after six o'clock and continue until you return the next morning."
"How long will you be gone?" she asked.
"Two or three days," Totem replied. "Terra Firma will remain here. If you need anything, tell her, and I'll hear you. Goodbye, Bellatrix."
"Goodbye Totem," she replied.
With that, Totem left, and Caitlin checked in on Junior. She ventured onto a few of the other floors, finding them empty and eerily silent. They must've completed the evacuation yesterday.
She returned to the office and cast a wary glance at the pile of papers she had read through the other day. On Earth-1, she investigated the unknown and the constant danger that came with it, but she always knew who she was and where she stood. She couldn't say the same thing about Earth-2, where she spent most of her time baffled by how cruel people were.
Still, how could she be fighting on the right side when that meant working with Zoom?
Caitlin shook her head. She needed to prepare herself, and the only way to do that was to keep reading. Every hour she went to check on Junior, verifying his health and spending five or ten minutes with him. After that, she returned to the office, where she combed through patient files and cross-referenced information with the database on the computer.
There were case reports about metas who escaped the MTU but died before they could recover. There were a number who survived physically but had to be moved to a full-time care facility referred to as Paradise, which she first thought was a euphemism until she read the file on a metahuman called Zephyr.
Caitlin assumed it was one of the Earth-2 Martin brothers, since the file described a metahuman with the ability to manipulate the weather. Unlike his Earth-1 counterpart, Weather Wizard, however, Zephyr struggled to control his abilities, which flared up when he was under duress. When his nightmares began to cause tornadoes and hurricanes, the Cause relocated him to Paradise to contain him and protect him from the MTU, which was closing in on his location. According to his file, he had to take two doses of sodium oxybate each night to ensure his power didn't manifest during the dreaming stage of sleep. Zephyr left Paradise after he successfully gained control over his powers about eight months ago, but less than six weeks ago, he vanished while on mission on the east coast.
Wherever Paradise was, it must be a facility much like the Comet, only much larger, if the number of patients there was any indication. She had to guess because no file gave any further detail other than the location's codename.
After lunch, she decided to do what Barry would do and began to set up boards, laying out events like a timeline, trying to make some kind of sense of the MTU's activities. Unfortunately, she barely scraped the surface before the alarm for six o'clock sounded.
Caitlin wanted to stay longer, but Doctor Midnight appeared and promptly relieved her of her post, demanding that she leave and rest for the night. No doubt Zoom had been very particular about those orders. She thanked the other doctor and went upstairs, wondering if maybe Hunter had good reason to become Zoom.
Hunter became Zoom because he could. He didn't have a reason, and he doesn't have one now.
She found dinner prepared and the table set. There was corn-on-the-cob, roast beef, and peas, which happened to be one of her favorite meals. There was only enough for one serving, so she didn't wait for company to start eating. None came.
She wondered who was responsible for cooking and cleaning, as they seemed to come and go without her knowing. She ate alone and quickly, and then proceeded to do all the dishes, feeling slightly guilty that some poor minion had been roped into doing basic chores for her.
For the second night in a row, she tossed and turned for quite a while before she was able to fall asleep.
The next four days continued in much the same way. Each day, a phantom chef prepared three meals for her, and she spent her days in the Comet, checking in on Junior and reading about horrors of Earth-2 anti-meta technology and the MTU.
She tried to engage Doctor Midnight - which was actually a title that many people used, as a differ person came in each night - in conversation but was completely shot down. Either part of the title was being terse, or they were given orders not to fraternize with her. She couldn't tell.
It felt unreal. She had never spent so much time alone in her life, and the lack of sunlight wasn't doing her any good.
So much so that, on the fifth day, she brought her lunch outside again, returning to that same spot on the beach. Unfortunately, neither the waves of the ocean nor the rays of the sun made up for the complete lack of company.
She slipped her shoes off so that she could feel the sand between her toes as she walked back to the house. She indulged in the reprieve for a few minutes before she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up.
Someone was watching her.
It was more than that, though. She couldn't explain it, but whoever it was, she wasn't afraid.
"Cisco? Is that you?" she asked.
No response came, and the feeling passed. Which meant she had just spoken to herself or asked the ocean if Cisco was there. She returned to the Comet despondent and lonely, and she doubted it would get better anytime soon.
Yes, the isolation was definitely getting to her.
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Chapter Six: Al-Jabbar (Part One)
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Chapter Seven: The Heavenly Shepherd
(coming soon...)
Primary Post: Orion
Subtitle: Al-Jabbar (Part Two)
Author: dracox-serdriel
Word count: 13,000 (split chapter)
Chapter notes: The title of this chapter comes from the Arabic name for the constellation Orion: Al-Jabbar, which means 'the giant.'
Note: Due to LJ's length limitations, this chapter had to be split into two parts.
About four months ago in January... Caitlin was alone somewhere dark and cold. She blinked her eyes several times, but they refused to adjust to the darkness. She couldn't see.
Where was she? How did she get here?
She tried to shift only to realized she was paralyzed. Lights came on, blindingly bright, and she was surrounded by people in white scrubs and masks. That, combined with their thick, heavy gloves made it clear that they were surgeons. She was about to go under the knife. Pain overwhelmed her, and terror soon followed. She wanted to cry out for help, but she couldn't speak. She couldn't do anything.
Need to repeat.
Everything went dark again, but this time, she was in a dark, circular room with Grodd. His thoughts echoed in her head.
Need to repeat Grodd.
But she didn't know how to make another gorilla like him, not without another particle accelerator explosion, and she couldn't make one happen, not even if she wanted to. She opened her mouth to explain, but she still couldn't talk.
Caitlin... always kind. Caitlin... will... learn!
She couldn't breath. She collapsed, gasping for air, crawling away. Something heavy pressed into her back, pinning her to the ground.
Flash is my enemy. Now you, too, Caitlin.
No, no, no. She could help Grodd. She'd find a way to help him. None of this was his fault. If only she could tell him...
Darkness descended and the cool air became warmer, almost too hot to bear.
Caitlin woke up and struggled against the sheets, rolling over before sitting up straight, her body covered in sweat and her arms trembling. She threw the comforter off, but it didn't go far because she was tangled up in the covers. She needed to escape his her nightmare just as much as the heat.
"Caitlin?"
The muffled voice startled her, so she flailed even more, wrenching herself from the covers and nearly falling out of bed. The cold night air touched her sweaty, bare skin, and she sighed in relief, though only moments later it proved too cold for her liking.
"Caitlin? Are you all right?"
She turned to see Jay sitting upright against the headboard, his eyes filled with concern. At least, that explained why she had so much trouble getting the covers off. After Ronnie died, she got used to sleeping alone, and she still hadn't adjusted to Jay, who took up more than half the bed.
"I'm fine," she said.
It wasn't remotely true, especially now that she was so cold she was shivering on the floor beside her bed.
Jay got up and came around to her side, lifting her off the floor without a word. She leaned into the warmth of his flesh, curling against his neck as he turned to put her down on the bed.
"You're freezing," he said as he pulled the covers back over her.
"Just a bad dream," she muttered by way of explanation.
He sat down on the edge of the bed, facing her. He brushed her hair out of her face and then cupped her cheek.
"Cait," he said softly. "Everything's going to be okay."
She forced herself to look at him, to really see the man sitting naked in front of her. She thought she might fall into his eyes and lose herself there, so very far away from the dangers in her life and the nightmares they inspired.
"It was about Grodd," she said.
"The telepathic gorilla?"
She nodded her head, yes, and something flickered across his face before he clenched his jaw.
"I should've been there," he said, his hand falling from her face. "But Grodd's gone now, and he won't hurt you again."
"That was the worst part," she said. "He didn't want to hurt anyone. He just didn't want to be alone anymore."
"And thanks to you, he's not," Jay replied. "The sanctuary on Earth-2 is the cloest thing to his natural habitat."
"I had to trick him," she said. "I tried to explain, but... he came to me for help, and I helped shove him through a portal. I don't even know where he is."
"He's free," Jay replied. "Probably king of the jungle by now."
"But what if he's still alone?"
"You think he's the only giant telepathic gorilla on Earth-2?" he asked.
She couldn't help but smile. How did he always know what to say? A few months ago she was just starting to imagine what her future would be like without Ronnie. After she lost him the second time, her heart turned to ice, still and solid through and through. When Cisco lured her back to STAR Labs during the Atom Smasher investigation, she put up a good front and went through the hundred thousand motions that made up Caitlin Snow, back before her dreams revolved around her husband vanishing into a deep, dark nothingness that loomed overhead, slowly but surely blackening her entire world. Then Jay walked into the Cortex, a hero who'd lost something, a better part of himself. Maybe that's why she felt so connected to him when they first met, it was like looking into a broken mirror and seeing countless slivers of herself reflected back.
Now that the same sat nude in front of her, holding her hand and making her forget her bad dreams with a smile. Somehow between then and this moment, her heart thawed, and all those broken shards came together.
Sleep deprivation apparently builds introspection.
"Aren't you cold?" she asked, suddenly aware of the lingering silence.
"No, of course not," he replied. But then he added, "Maybe a little."
She slid one hand up his arm to his neck, then down his chest, while the other wandered to his thigh. His eyes darkened as his pupils blew wide with desire, and he sucked in a hard, sharp breath.
He leaned across her for a kiss, which was surprisingly chaste, a little pressure on her lips, before his forehead leaned against her. She brought them together again, this time nibbling at his bottom lip. She rubbed his inner thigh, and he groaned at the contact, leaving his mouth open to her mid-kiss. She took full advantage, darting her tongue inside his inviting mouth, which was warm, almost too hot, for her. She pulled away to catch her breath.
"Cait?" Jay asked, his voice sultry yet full of concern. "Are you okay?"
She smiled at him and replied, "Everything's going to be okay."
She nudged him away, and he stood up, his hands dropping to cover his erection before he stepped away in the direction of the bathroom. She tossed the covers aside, gasping as the air cooled her skin.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
She felt a rush of pride when his eyes fell on her and he licked his lips in anticipation.
"Nowhere," he replied, tentatively returning to the bed.
She wondered why he was so hesitant about it. It was as if he expected her to reject him and throw him out of her bedroom, hard and wanting, as if they hadn't made love before. Whatever his doubts or reservations, she would remedy them all. She would show him that she wanted him and all his imperfections.
So she reached up and pulled him into her arms, letting their bare skin touch and feeling the fire that burned in his blood. He brought his lips down on hers, hot and heavy, as he climbed into the bed on his hands and knees, straddling either side of her. She gasped in surprise when one of his hands palmed her center. He pressed soft kisses into her jawline, then down her neck, suddenly sucking hard on the crook between her neck and shoulder, only to continue with his sweet, soft kisses into her flesh, down to her hardened nipples.
She watched him as he lapped at the stiff bud before taking it in his mouth and sucking in, the moist and warm sensation of his mouth making her wet and hot to the core. He looked up at her, his expression playful, before he switched to the other breast and repeated his ministrations. Everything he did was so precise, so meticulous, yet at the same time, he seemed so hungry, so lustful.
He was holding back, too worried about what she liked to let her see what he wanted. That would change tonight.
She stroked the back of his head as he showered her breasts with attention, kneading one ever so gently as he sucked at the other nipple. She moaned his name as he shifted away so that he could snake his arm down between her thighs. His fingers teased the skin of her inner thigh, and she opened herself to him.
How was she going to convince him to stop holding back when she could barely think?
The thought was driven from her mind when two fingers slipped inside of her wet core, applying only the slightest pressure where she needed it most. His mouth switched breasts again as his fingers moved in and out, the slow pace and pressure both a delectable pleasure and not nearly enough. She lifted her hips of the bed and grinded against his hand, desperate for more of him.
He took the hint and a third finger thrust inside, making her groan at the added friction. Her back bowed up as he increased the pace, and a few thrusts later, the pressure increased as he added a fourth finger. She was rutting wildly against his hand and vocalizing his name in deep, throaty groans, begging him for more.
Her clit was throbbing for attention, and she kept shifting her hips to get pressure against it. But he didn't touch her there - wouldn't touch her there - not even a little. Was he doing it on purpose, trying to drive her insane?
He quickly kissed his way back up her neck until he captured her lips in his, catching her moan between them. His fingers still working in tandem with her hips, he kissed her till she was breathless, leaning against his free arm for support.
"Tell me what you need," he whispered in her ear.
"You," she replied between gasps. "Just... you."
He leaned his forehead into hers, his eyes boring into hers as deep as deep went.
"Like this?" he asked.
His thumb grazed her clit as his lips upturned into a shy smile.
Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as every muscle in her body tensed with the abrupt flash of pleasure radiated through her. Apparently, that was answer enough for him, as he began to move down her body, gently nipping at her skin before pressing his lips into the same spot to smooth it over. Every so often, his thumb tapped her clit, and her entire body spasmed with pleasure. He kept her on the edge for what felt like hours as he made his way down her neck and torso. She nearly screamed when he nipped at her hip bones, so close to falling off the edge that she brought her own hand over his, pressing down for the tiniest bit of pressure.
He playfully batted her hand away before his head dropped between her thighs, preventing her from trying again.
"Jay," she pleaded. "Jay, please."
That was when his tongue darted out and teased her clit. He curled his fingers inside her, rubbing the spot he'd discovered she liked so much only yesterday, and then his tongue flicked against her clit again. And again. And again. It took a few tries before he had a steady rhythm going, but Caitlin was already experiencing the white hot surge of her orgasm crashing through her.
Euphoria hit her in full force as he pushed her over the edge and her walls clenched around his fingers. She felt his tongue and hand throughout her high, and as she came back down, he was still there between her legs, still working her over, still pushing her toward the edge.
Her first instinct was to drag him into a kiss, but before she could wrap her arms around him, she felt the pull of another orgasm building inside her, more powerful than the first, only growing stronger as Jay increased the pace. Before she knew it, she was plunged headlong into another climax, and all she could do was scream his name.
She was vaguely aware that he kissed his way back up her body before slipping her fingers out of her. When her senses returned, she was lying beside her, sucking her juices off of his own fingers, the features of his face hungry for more.
She needed to do something, anything, to get him to stop holding back, to make him lose control. She was too spent to be on top, too far gone to exert any kind of control over herself, let alone him.
She turned on her side facing him and cupped his cheek as she brought their foreheads together. She loved how his hot breath caressed her skin in short bursts, still minty from her toothpaste.
"Don't hold back," she whispered.
His brow knit with confusion, but when she flipped over to her stomach, he swallowed hard and his face reflected nothing but raw, unfettered need. His body followed hers, wrapping around her so his stomach was at her back and his head was next to hers. He peppered her neck with light kisses as he positioned himself above her.
His skin was burning hot against hers, and it felt like she was on fire with him, their sweat fueling the friction between them. He slid inside her, practically whimpering as he filled her. She moaned at the sensation, at the satisfaction of him fulfilling the raw, aching need between her legs.
"Cait," he said in her ear, somewhere between a growl and a whisper.
She turned her head towards his, and he immediately pulled her into a long, deep kiss as he began slow, methodical thrusts that took her breath away. She had to break away to catch her breath, and she curled her back up toward him, earning a deep groan against her neck.
He picked up the pace as his had cupped her center, his fingers rubbing her clit in small circles in perfect rhythm with his thrusts. His breath was hot against her neck as he went deeper and deeper, murmuring something that sounded like her name against her skin, too far gone to say anything else.
It was all going to her head, and her body tensed up as her next orgasm built up in her spine. She felt every muscle in his body tighten against hers, and the fact that he was so close made her fall over the edge, her walls clamping down over his cock as she moaned into her pillow. His hand fell away as his thrusts became erratic, and he let out one more moan as he finally spilled inside her, his body barely braced above her as he let go.
At some point, he must've pulled out of her and rolled them over so that he was spooning her, but she was in such a blissful haze that she didn't notice. Not until he was wrapped around her, stoking her hair and caressing skin. She turned and kissed him over her shoulder, savoring his strong - almost possessive - embrace.
She knew she'd wake up in his arms, in this same embrace, and it acted like a tonic. He chased all her nightmares away.
Here and now... Caitlin must've fallen asleep at some point during the late hours of the night, because she opened her eyes to a blindingly bright dawn. She had a headache and felt more tired than the night before, but the sunlight flooding her room made it impossible to sleep any longer.
She went down to the kitchen, dreading the possibility of having to deal with Hunter, only to find it empty. A box of her favorite granola bars was set out on the counter. She poured herself a glass of water and took the entire box up to her room. If she was going to eat breakfast alone, she might as well enjoy the view.
She should've gotten used to eating breakfast alone since Jay's "death" on Earth-1. She had gone from sharing every meal with somebody to skipping most of them all together, subsisting on small bites from the protein bars Cisco made for Barry's Speedster-amplified metabolism. If she put any more effort into something as simple as eating, that would be like stopping and resting, and she couldn't do that. Because if she stopped, she'd have to feel, and that was the one thing she wouldn't handle well. She would've fallen apart.
When she pulled out a granola bar, a folded note came out with it. The majority of the note was typed, with only the postscript written out, and though the penmanship was shaky, she recognized Jay's - Hunter's - handwriting.
Dear Caitlin,
I want to apologize for my behavior yesterday morning at breakfast. I regret not telling you in person, but for your safety, I cannot return to the island until my work is complete.
PS: We will discuss your involvement in a few days.
Did that mean she didn't have to worry about seeing him for the next few days, or was he telling her not to bring it up until then?
She tucked the note back into the box and left it on her bedside table. She showered, dressed, and went down to the Comet, wondering how long she would be here. Would she get used to this routine before she was uprooted again? Or would Hunter relocate her in a few days on the pretext of keeping her safe?
When she arrived at the office, Totem was setting up a monitor.
"Good, you are here," she said. "This has an internet connection with restricted access."
"Thank you," Caitlin replied.
"Blink and I have business elsewhere," Totem explained. "I am leaving Junior and Scout in your care. The prisoners will be on lockdown. Doctor Midnight will take over after six o'clock and continue until you return the next morning."
"How long will you be gone?" she asked.
"Two or three days," Totem replied. "Terra Firma will remain here. If you need anything, tell her, and I'll hear you. Goodbye, Bellatrix."
"Goodbye Totem," she replied.
With that, Totem left, and Caitlin checked in on Junior. She ventured onto a few of the other floors, finding them empty and eerily silent. They must've completed the evacuation yesterday.
She returned to the office and cast a wary glance at the pile of papers she had read through the other day. On Earth-1, she investigated the unknown and the constant danger that came with it, but she always knew who she was and where she stood. She couldn't say the same thing about Earth-2, where she spent most of her time baffled by how cruel people were.
Still, how could she be fighting on the right side when that meant working with Zoom?
Caitlin shook her head. She needed to prepare herself, and the only way to do that was to keep reading. Every hour she went to check on Junior, verifying his health and spending five or ten minutes with him. After that, she returned to the office, where she combed through patient files and cross-referenced information with the database on the computer.
There were case reports about metas who escaped the MTU but died before they could recover. There were a number who survived physically but had to be moved to a full-time care facility referred to as Paradise, which she first thought was a euphemism until she read the file on a metahuman called Zephyr.
Caitlin assumed it was one of the Earth-2 Martin brothers, since the file described a metahuman with the ability to manipulate the weather. Unlike his Earth-1 counterpart, Weather Wizard, however, Zephyr struggled to control his abilities, which flared up when he was under duress. When his nightmares began to cause tornadoes and hurricanes, the Cause relocated him to Paradise to contain him and protect him from the MTU, which was closing in on his location. According to his file, he had to take two doses of sodium oxybate each night to ensure his power didn't manifest during the dreaming stage of sleep. Zephyr left Paradise after he successfully gained control over his powers about eight months ago, but less than six weeks ago, he vanished while on mission on the east coast.
Wherever Paradise was, it must be a facility much like the Comet, only much larger, if the number of patients there was any indication. She had to guess because no file gave any further detail other than the location's codename.
After lunch, she decided to do what Barry would do and began to set up boards, laying out events like a timeline, trying to make some kind of sense of the MTU's activities. Unfortunately, she barely scraped the surface before the alarm for six o'clock sounded.
Caitlin wanted to stay longer, but Doctor Midnight appeared and promptly relieved her of her post, demanding that she leave and rest for the night. No doubt Zoom had been very particular about those orders. She thanked the other doctor and went upstairs, wondering if maybe Hunter had good reason to become Zoom.
Hunter became Zoom because he could. He didn't have a reason, and he doesn't have one now.
She found dinner prepared and the table set. There was corn-on-the-cob, roast beef, and peas, which happened to be one of her favorite meals. There was only enough for one serving, so she didn't wait for company to start eating. None came.
She wondered who was responsible for cooking and cleaning, as they seemed to come and go without her knowing. She ate alone and quickly, and then proceeded to do all the dishes, feeling slightly guilty that some poor minion had been roped into doing basic chores for her.
For the second night in a row, she tossed and turned for quite a while before she was able to fall asleep.
The next four days continued in much the same way. Each day, a phantom chef prepared three meals for her, and she spent her days in the Comet, checking in on Junior and reading about horrors of Earth-2 anti-meta technology and the MTU.
She tried to engage Doctor Midnight - which was actually a title that many people used, as a differ person came in each night - in conversation but was completely shot down. Either part of the title was being terse, or they were given orders not to fraternize with her. She couldn't tell.
It felt unreal. She had never spent so much time alone in her life, and the lack of sunlight wasn't doing her any good.
So much so that, on the fifth day, she brought her lunch outside again, returning to that same spot on the beach. Unfortunately, neither the waves of the ocean nor the rays of the sun made up for the complete lack of company.
She slipped her shoes off so that she could feel the sand between her toes as she walked back to the house. She indulged in the reprieve for a few minutes before she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up.
Someone was watching her.
It was more than that, though. She couldn't explain it, but whoever it was, she wasn't afraid.
"Cisco? Is that you?" she asked.
No response came, and the feeling passed. Which meant she had just spoken to herself or asked the ocean if Cisco was there. She returned to the Comet despondent and lonely, and she doubted it would get better anytime soon.
Yes, the isolation was definitely getting to her.
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Chapter Seven: The Heavenly Shepherd
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