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We had gotten Caitlin back. Barry has gained his confidence back, and was back being The Flash, what we all really needed. Another problem had sparked up with Kendra, involving someone named Vandal Savage. We had gotten the teams together, and we all worked through it. Barry was very stressed through it, and Oliver's head wasn't much in the game, but eventually everyone figured out how to beat Vandal Savage, as I tried my best to keep Barry out of his stress stage. Today was the day after, everyone had returned to their own cities, as I was walking into Jitters, spotting Barry sitting at a booth right away.


I was wearing yet another oversized sweater, that was covered by my coat, this time in a pair of pants and surprisingly not ripped jeans, my converse hitting the ground as I walked, my footsteps lightly echoing through the huge space, as I walked over to Barry, sitting in the chair across from him.


"You're not wearing ripped jeans? Are those pants? Gosh, who are you?" Barry teases me, a laugh leaving his mouth as I lightly hit his arm playfully, as he sets my drink in front of me, what he already had ordered, knowing my order.


"I decided to actually look like an adult today, and not a high schooler." I sip my coffee, a smile spreading across my face.


"Zee, you're 5'3."


I roll my eyes playfully as I sip my coffee again, as my phone buzzes in my pocket. I set my coffee down, pulling my phone out, answering it, "Hello?"


"Zee-" Iris voice weakly croaks out, as I heard sobs coming from her shortly after, causing myself to react quickly, "Woah- woah- are you okay? Iris, what's wrong?" I was already out of my chair.


"I need to talk to you- I need-" She sobs, it cutting her off, causing my eyes to land on Barry, "Can I bring Barry?"


"Yes-" She sniffles, "Where are you, Iris?"


"Your apartment-" She responds, as I hung up, grabbing my coffee, looking at Barry, "Barry- we gotta go-" I grab his hand as I pull him outside, and to a corner where no one else is, "I need a lift."


Barry hands me his coffee, as he picks me up, running me to my apartment, had hearing the conversation between Iris and I already, knowing where to go.


He sets me down, as I hand him both coffees, walking right into my apartment, wrapping my arms around Iris right as I saw her. She broke, sobbing into my arms.


I held her, looking at Barry, sorrow held in my eyes, as I could see concern flashing in his.


"I spoke to Francine-" Iris weakly says, "My dad told me not to trust her- and he was right."


"What're you talking about, Iris?" Barry asks.


"When my mom left- she was pregnant." Iris says quietly, my breath getting caught in my throat, Barry's eyes widening. "She had a son. It was my dad's son- my brother."


"What's his name?" Barry asks.


"Wally West." Iris says, as she slowly steps back from me, "When I found out I told her to leave and never come back- and to never tell my dad."


"Iris-" I begin to say very quietly in disapproval, as she cuts me off, "I know- I know- I know- I don't know what to do. Every time I look at him- I feel like I'm hurting him- I'm-" Iris sobs.


"Iris, I think we all know what you have to do." Barry says quietly.


"I can't tell him- it's gonna kill him." Iris says, as I take the coffee from Barry, setting it on the counter. "We'll all tell him together." Barry and I blurt out at the same time as Barry hugs Iris, rubbing her back.


-


We had told Joe together, Iris was cooped up in her room, Barry decided for the both of us that it was best that I stayed at the West Household tonight. We were going to be there if either Iris or even Joe needed anything. There was another meta human attack, resulting in two break outs, that everyone was already observing, but Barry and I were calling it a night.


Barry and I both walk in, Barry slipping off my coat for me once I unbutton it, hanging both of ours up, as I turn, standing on my tippy toes, my hands gripping his shirt, planting a small kiss on his lips, a smile on my face, as does he.


I pull away and turn, a gasp leaving my mouth when I spot Leonard Snart sitting in our living room, sipping out of one of the mugs.


"Ho, ho, ho." He exclaims when both Barry and I's gaze lands on him, a smirk on his face.


Leonard takes another sip, then steps the mug down, "Cocoa isn't cocoa without the mini marshmallows, and you're out. I checked."


I glance at Barry, noticing the anger building up in his face. Before I could process it, Barry had ran, pushing Leonard against the wall, his voice raising, anger threaded in his voice, "Are you out of your mind? Breaking into my home?"


"Hot-" I accidentally blurt out before slapping my hand over my mouth. Barry looks back at me, a straight look on his face as I quickly mumble, "Sorry-"


Leonard speaks, "Careful, I made an upgrade to the cold gun. If I release my grip from the handle, the core goes critical. You might make it, she won't." He threatens.


Barry slowly lets go, stepping back as I quickly make my way next to him. Leonard's gaze lands on me, "Report Young. Read your article on another one of your boyfriend's saves- promoting hope for this city doesn't really cut it."


"This coming from a mass criminal." I cross my arms, as Barry cuts us both off, "Why are you here, Snart?"


"I got the Noel spirit, wanted to give you a gift. Mardon broke Jesse and me out to kill you. Jesse's on board, of course, he's shaking with excitement. Me, I'm gonna pass." Leonard explains, as I spoke, "So there's a heart in you after all?"


"Mardon wants revenge, Jesse wants chaos. I'm just not invested like they are."


"If you're not in with them, then tell me where they are." Barry challenges, as Leonard shoots right back, "Nah, consider me as a secret santa. Besides, you and your friends love to solve a good mystery." He walks up to us, looking down at me. "This one can use her pretty little head on this mystery, instead of her next article." He ruffles my hair purposely, Barry's jaw clenching, as he stops Leonard's hand, "Don't touch her."


Leonard walks over to the door, as I fix my hair, that was now a tangled mess.


Barry scoffs, as he turns, looking at Snart, "You are full of it, Snart. I think my friend's and I saved your sister's life, and you just can't stand oweing me a marker." He continues, "I hate to break it to you, but that- that right there, is called honor."


Leonard turns, "Go on, make your pitch. I can see you're dying to."


"Help me stop them." Barry puts out.


"Sorry, I'm not interested in being a hero." Leonard says, as I walk around the couch, stepping onto the stairs, staying on the first step, "But you're not much into being a villain either. If you didn't want to help us, you wouldn't have told us about it. So why not just go through with it fully?"


"Again, I'm not interested in being a hero." Leonard repeats, as Barry scoffs, "Well, you're doing a pretty lousy job of being a villain this week."


"Merry Christmas, Barry." Leonard says, before leaving.


I sigh, as my phone buzzes in my pocket, as I slip it out, my hands landing on the lit up screen, showing I had received a iMessage.


unknown: you're going to feel a lot of regret soon, princess.


I stare at the text message, not knowing what to say. My head snaps up when I heard Barry's voice, "Are you okay?"


I lock my phone, slipping it back into my back pocket.


"Yeah, I'm fine."

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