Author's Note: I haven't been back to this story in what feels like forever! I have a bunch of stories for this that I've half-started, but aren't yet finished. Someday, I'll get around to finishing all of them, and then there'll just a be a rush of stories flowing it. That'd be nice :D

KINDS OF IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION: This story is set before Caitlin and Julian's kiss in 3x15- in other words, they haven't kissed yet.

The whole, slightly ridiculous, mess started with a measly battery. Technically, it was Cisco's fault, for creating the battery in the first part, but as Cisco always protested whenever the story was shared with friends and family and team flash: "Dude, you were the one who put the battery in in the first place!"

That, at least, was true. It had been Julian's job to find Caitlin in the Cortex and present her with the new battery for her power dampening necklace. It charged much faster and held the charge longer then her last one, and would hopefully help in the fight to keep Killer Frost at bay.

Julian stepped into the Cortex and smiled when he saw his favorite doctor at her desk, sipping at a Jitter's coffee cup. He took a few steps toward her and extended his hands.

"I come and peace. And I bring a gift."

Caitlin glanced up and smiled, getting out of her chair so she could greet him properly. "What's the occasion?"

Julian shrugged, placing the box in her open hands. "Nothing, really. Cisco and I just thought it'd help."

Caitlin opened up the box and raised her eyebrow, unsure as to why he was giving her a small, round battery for a gift. "Um... thanks?"

"It's for your necklace." Julian elaborated, grinning at the adorably confused crease between her eyes. He reached around her neck and slowly pulled it off, keeping his eyes on her face the whole time. He trusted that she wasn't going to lost control.

As soon as the necklace was off, they both reached for it at the same time. The delicate chain rested for a second on Caitlin's fingertip, but then it slipped of. Lunging to catch it, Julian accidentally batted it with his hand, sending the blue power-dampening snowflake charm skittering under a desk and hitting a wall somewhere underneath.

Julian slowly straightened up, meeting Caitlin's horrified gaze. "Well. That's not very good."

Panic seeped into her face, and Caitlin clutched at his arm. "We have to get my necklace back. Now."

Julian nodded hurriedly, falling to his knees and grabbing his phone to shine the light beneath the desk. The dark floor was covered with dust bunnies and cobwebs, which caught in his light and made his visibility quite impaired.

The beam caught something blue and sparkly. It glinted, way in the back, and Julian squinted. "I think- I think I see it."

"Then get it out, quickly, please." Caitlin commanded, her voice tight and tense.

He got to his feet, knees cracking in a way that should not have been happening in a 20-Year-Old body. "I'm going to need something long and able to knock it towards me so I can grab it."

Caitlin nodded, taking a slow breath. Julian's back tensed almost imperceptibly as he watched a slight flicker- so small he might have imagined it- turning her eyes from brown to a bright, unearthly blue. He balled his hands into fists and focused on the trust he had in Caitlin's ability to resist her evil alter-ego.

"Come on." She urged, leading him into her lab. "I'm sure I've got something in here that we could use."

They searched around her office for something long enough for nearly 5 minutes. Caitlin's skin was beginning to pale, and Julian could have sworn he had caught sight of the faintest trail of frost flowing out of her hand. Everything that they came across was either too short or too valuable, or just too big or heavy to move.

"We could move the desk." Julian brainstormed, trying to stay calm. They were in STAR Labs, for goodness sakes! If they couldn't find something to get a necklace out from under a desk, then how on Earth had they managed to stop dozens of metahumans over the past few years?

Caitlin shook her head. "It's nailed to the floor. We wouldn't be able to move it."

Julian let out a puff of exasperation and ran his hand through his hair. "Alright, then. Let's head down to Cisco's lab-" He broke off, once again seeing that almost nonexistent trail of frost filtering from Caitlin hand. Swallowing hard, Julian wrenched his gaze back up to her eyes. "And, uh, look for something long."

"You go." Caitlin said quickly, hands clenched into fists and face a mask of fear. "I'll, uh, stay here."

"It would go faster if we went together-" Julian started, not wanting to leave her alone without her necklace and her fading control."

"GO!" Caitlin hissed, her eyes flashing to a dangerous blue.

Julian froze by the door, eyes tracing a single strand of hair as it's reddish brown hue faded into something lighter.

Something white.

"Caitlin- don't-"

A burst of frost shot forth from her fingers and Caitlin cried out in panic, warm brown trying hopelessly to win a battle over cold and ice.

Unable to leave the room with her in this state, Julian jolted foreword, grabbing her arms. They burned cold, even through her sleeves, but he forced himself not to let go, eyes boring into hers. "Calm down. Just because you don't have your necklace doesn't mean you're not strong enough to fight Killer Frost." He said, trying to keep himself calm, even as he told her not to panic.

"Please- run." Caitlin groaned, trying to loosen his grip and shove him out the door. "I don't want to hurt you."

"I trust you, Caitlin." Julian said, dead serious. "You can win this."

Caitlin chomped down on her lip, distressed. Julian made a split second decision.

He crashed his lips down on top of hers in a frantic attempt to distract her. To get her thoughts away from Killer Frost and turning evil and even the fact that she wasn't wearing her necklace. (and, yes, kissing Caitlin wasn't strictly to save both their lives. He got quite a bit of enjoyment out of it as well)

Caitlin wrapped her soft, icy hands around Julian's neck, and goosebumps exploded across his skin- for more reasons then just the cold.

Air became a necessity before Julian could figure out what to do next. Caitlin pushed backwards, drawing in gasps of air. Her eyes flashed from blue to brown to blue and then back to brown.

Julian released his breath in one giant gasp. Caitlin gave him a look, half exasperated, half terrified, half relieved.

Twenty minutes later, Julian had located a long, metal measuring tape and was wiggling the end into the tiny under-desk space. With a few scrapes, one bumped head, about eight curses, and a cup full of dust bunnies, Caitlin necklace was sliding neatly out and into the light.

Julian sat back with a sigh of relief, watching the light gleam off of the blue power-dampening mechanism in the necklace. Caitlin reached down with trembling fingers and slid the chain over her head, letting the charm fall with a light thump to her chest.

Their eyes locked as they breathed out simultaneously. Caitlin's skin turned back to it's normal hue, her hair all brown now.

Julian just hoped that it was for good.

Author's Note: Weeeeell... that happened. Like it? Hate it? It was supposed to be a bit fluffier and lighter and funnier then that... what can ya do, huh?