" we should leave our
lovers and be
with one another "

"It shouldn't feel like this."

His heart rate increased at her words, hands gripping the edge of the sink. There was a moment of silence as he pressed the phone up against his ear before he forced out his next words. "It's going to be okay."

"No, it's not. I can't do this, Barry. I can't go through with a marriage I'm not committed to."

"Then why do you say yes?" He took in a deep breath, anxious for her answer.

"I don't know! I was stuck in a moment."

"For four months?"

"I wanted to settle down, okay? But-" She paused.

"But what?"

"But he's not the right person."

"How can you be so sure?" Barry asked. But he wasn't sure if he wanted to know the answer.

"Tell me you don't feel it."

"Cassie-"

"Tell me you don't love me," her voice shook, tears threatening to spill over.

In that moment, Barry could have sworn time stopped. A sharp pain struck him in his abdomen as his breath got caught in his throat. The birds stopped chirping, the trees stopped swaying. It was like nothing else in the world mattered.

He could have told her he loved her. You can't go through with this, he would say. But he didn't.

"I can't."

" You can't or you won't?" He could hear the sadness laced within her words, his heart aching.

"I'll see you at the wedding, Cass."

And with that, he hung up.

———

Barry fixed his tie, his palms sweating. He was nervous. It's not everyday you see the woman you love marry someone else.

Harold, despite his name, was a great guy. A resident at the local hospital, he had his life set out for him. He was the kind of guy who made girls swoon. The same kind of guy that made Barry jealous. He wanted to hate the man but he couldn't. Harry made Cassie smile, that's all Barry could ask for.

Barry's thoughts were cut off when two arms wrapped around his waist. Amie. The classic girl next door who had taken a liking to him when they met on a case a year and a half ago. He knew it wasn't right, being in love with someone else while continuing on with a relationship he wasn't happy in. The truth was that he wanted to fall in love with Amie. He wanted to finally be able to move on from his best friend. Out of anyone, she would have been able to give that to him. But Amie's endless efforts to steal his heart had failed.

"It shouldn't feel like this," Cassie's words ran through his head.

No, it shouldn't.

Standing there trying to force a smile onto his face as Amie pressed a kiss to his shoulder, it felt wrong.

Barry turned to the girl, whose arms had fallen from his waist. She looked up at him and instantly, she knew.

"Amie, I'm so sorry."

She just shook her head, a genuine smiling forming on her face. Placing a hand on his shoulder, she whispered to him the words he had never thought he would hear her say.

"Go get your girl."

———

Cassiopeia stood in front of the full length mirror, staring at the gown that hung from the hook placed in the centre of the closet door. She dreaded the moment she would have to put in on, that meant that this was really happening.

In two hours, she would be walking down the aisle. At the end of the stretch of carpet would stand her soon-to-be husband. She thought about the unhappy future ahead of her. It could just be nerves, she told herself. But she knew that wasn't the case.

Her makeup had been done, her blonde locks still had yet to be curled. She looked down at her pyjamas and almost laughed. They were surely more comfortable than the dress, if only it would be proper to wear those instead.

A sudden knock at the door made her jump. Turning at the sound, she hesitated. She wasn't ready for her hair to be done or to put on that dress. She wasn't even ready for this wedding.

"C-Come in," she called out.

Cassie let out a sigh of relief as her brother, Percy, walked through the door, closing it behind him.

"How is the bride doing?" He smiled at her but it soon faltered as his gaze fell upon the dress that was still hung up.

Cassie took in a deep breath, "To be honest, I'm a little nervous."

"You're not getting married today, are you?" Percy sent her a sympathetic look as her eyes widened.

"W-Why would you say that?"

" Because I know my sister, the one who doesn't get nervous and never stutters."

"People change," Cassie looked down at her feet, shrugging.

"Not you."

Percy was right, this wasn't like her at all. She spoke with confidence and never feared the challenges life would throw at her from time to time. She was not ready for this.

Before she could respond, there was a knock on the door. Her brother moved to open it, a smirk evident on his face as he saw who it was.

"Allen," he nodded at the man before shuffling past him, leaving the two to talk alone.

Barry walked into the room, shutting the door behind him as he did so. His eyes focused on Cassie, still on her pyjamas, he let out a soft chuckle. He took a step closer to her.

"You look beautiful," and he meant it.

Her cheeks turned crimson and a smile tugged at her lips. She looked over at him, taking in his appearance.

"You look handsome."

They stood there in silence, eyes trained on one another. Tears filled her eyes as she started to speak.

"Barry-"

"I won't," he cut her off.

"What?" She asked, brows furrowed. Then it clicked, you can't or you won't.

"You're getting married in two hours so I won't tell you I love you," he paused, licking his lips. "I won't tell you that every time I see you with him, my heart breaks. I won't tell you that I feel it, too. I won't tell you that I want to be the one to marry you."

  As she moved to close the distance between them, he put his hand on both sides of her face, pulling her in for a kiss.

When they pulled a part, Cassie placed a hand on his. With Stars in her eyes and a smile on her lips, she said the words that would kickstart the future that Barry had always planned.

"Let's get out of here."

———
this is in reference to the eleventh letter and the future Barry had planned with them together. in the end, cassie did get to live out her half.
I wrote this pretty fast so it's shitty but oh well. barry and cassie are in love with each other, accept it.

-mandyxx