I gripped the necklace Barry had given me a year ago in my hand, the cold metal warming up as I did so.
"It's crazy isn't it, Bar? How a year has come and gone by so fast." I said as Barry chuckled, wrapping his arm around me as we walked up and down Central City, which was now covered in christmas decorations.
"I've been the Flash for a year..." Barry said with a smile as I hummed one of the Christmas songs that was playing in the distance.
"It's insane. And hey." I said, nudging his shoulder. "Soon, once we defeat Zoom, I can go out there and save people with you."
"You want to do that now?" He asked, skeptical.
"Of course! My previous powers only brought destruction. I'm a speedster now, Barry. I can use my powers for good, just like you." I said with a grin as Barry hummed a smile.
"You're right. Yeah definitely. I'd love to be out there with you." Barry said as we stopped, turning to one another as we smiled like idiots. Slowly, Barry pulled me into a short kiss before it was cut off by my phone buzzing.
"Ah. It's Iris. She needs help with gifts." I looked up to see Barry frowning, no doubt wanting the moment to last longer. "I'll be back soon."
"Wait Cora don't-" I started to speed off before slipping on the snow and landing on my back, gasping. "Run in the snow..." Barry finished as I slowly sat up, Barry brushing off the snow on my back.
"Thanks for the warning." I said sarcastically as Barry chuckled.
"I tried to but you ran off before I could." I ended up laughing as Barry and I just walked to Jitters before he left to go to CCPD.
"Cora! Great you're here!" Iris said as she set our hot chocolate on the table. "Extra extra whipped cream, your favorite." Iris said with a smile as I did.
Every since she had bought that dinner for me and Barry as a way to apologize, we had finally gotten over the things we've done/said to one another, and we're finally on good terms.
"I can't figure out what to get Barry." Iris said as I frowned. "Last year absolutely sucked. With you getting him things from his past and me a damn microscope." Both of us burst into laughter.
"Actually, I was going to do that again, but I was thinking it can be from both of us." I said as Iris tilted her head and frowned, curious as to what I was thinking.
"I was searching through Barry's old belongings in the storage unit Joe got for when Barry was old enough but forgot, and I found this." I pulled out an old camera, Iris' eyes widening as she became more interested.
I opened the camera, searching through the photos and videos until I got to the one I found. "It's a Christmas video for Barry, by his mom." I said as Iris burst into a smile.
"Cora, where did you come from?! You're literally the perfect Christmas... gift.. person ever." Iris said as we both got up, Iris giving me a giant hug. "Barry will love it."
"I hope he does. I spent two hours searching through dust and spiderwebs to find this because Henry told me to use it."
"You visited Henry?" Iris asked as I nodded.
"Mhm. Invited him to the West Christmas gathering thing, if that's what you guys call it." I said with a laugh.
"Barry will probably love you for that."
"He already does." I joked as we grabbed our hot cocoa and walked out of Jitters. "Listen, Iris. I want to give you an early Christmas Gift." I said as I prepared myself to tel Iris the truth.
"Alright. What is it?" She asked as we walked to the park.
"Actually. The gift is me. Well, more of who I am, I guess." I said as we stopped, Iris raising a brow.
"Huh?"
"Okay, this is actually really difficult for me so, bare with me but um.. do you remember an old elementary school friend of yours? Daisy Gopper?" I asked as Iris sipped on her hot cocoa and nodded.
"Yeah. Me her and Barry were inseparable until she moved to Star City." Iris said as I looked down at the pavement sheepishly. "What about her?"
"Um, this is gonna sound a little weird but... Daisy is... me." I said as Iris scoffed a laugh, giving me a 'oh my god you're serious' look as she gasped.
"Holy shit! I can't believe I didn't see it!" Iris said as she pulled me into a hug. "Did you tell Barry?" She asked as I nodded.
"A while ago, actually. And um... I plan on changing my name back to Daisy, after I tell everyone who I am, of course." I said, still unsure if what I was going to do would be the right thing.
Changing my name back to what it originally was would be strange. I'd have to get used to being called Daisy again after years of being called Cora. I love the name I have now, but I guess it would be nice to have a change.
"I'm so happy you told me, Cora. I always wondered what happened to you." Iris said as I nodded.
"Kinda just... up and left." I said with a small laugh as Iris nodded, chuckling. "Anyway, if you want to get Barry a gift for yourself, you can always restort to a watch because-"
"He's always late." Iris and I said in unison with a small laugh, followed by two sighs before Iris started to cry out of no where. "Oh. Okay we are crying um. Wait why are you crying?"
"I- oh my god- I'm so sorry I didn't mean to start crying about this. When Francine came to visit, dad told me not to trust her and he was right but.. but I just- when she left me and dad.. she was pregnant." Iris said as my eyes widened.
"Oh-oh my god was it Joe's?" I asked as Iris nodded.
"She had a son." Iris continued through gasps of air.
"Holy shit.. Iris if Joe finds out that he had a son..-"
"That didn't grow up with a father he'll be crushed, I know." Iris said as I hugged her again.
"Are you going to tell Barry? Or your dad?" I asked as she nodded.
"I have to tell Barry soon. I don't know how much longer I can keep it from either of them." Iris said as we started to walk again. Was now a good time to tell her I was a speedster? No. Iris can't know. Not until it's safe.
Or maybe I can just keep it from her completely.
"What's his name?" I asked as Iris sniffed.
"Wally. Wally West."
☀︎︎
"Oh dear Lord, just kiss already!" Cisco yelled to Caitlin and Jay, who were practically drooling over one another at this point.
"The thirst is real!" I called out as Cisco and I fist bumped. Even though I still haven't trusted Jay, Caitlin and him looked good together, and she really needed to move on.
"So, is everything alright?" Barry asked as Cisco shrugged.
"Yeah, I keep checking. Everything is quiet on the Meta-human forefront." Cisco answered as I chuckled.
"Do you think Zoom decided to take Christmas off?" I joked as Jay frowned.
"What's Christmas?" He asked as I gasped, my jaw dropping.
"Oh, well, it's this holiday we have where we cut down trees and sing songs to celebrate the birth of a baby 2,000 years ago, and then the Romans killed him so we give each other gifts..."
"That's your explanation?" Cisco and I said in unison, cutting Caitlin off as Jay chuckled
"I know what Christmas is." Jay said as I huffed.
"Oh. Right of course." Caitlin said as she chuckled awkwardly.
"Um, you know, Joe and Barry and Iris are having people over for Christmas Eve, and they said we could invite whoever we want." Caitlin said as me and Cisco looked at one another, raising a brow.
"Who... who do you want-" Jay started before Caitlin cut him off.
"You. I want to invite you, I mean." She answered, eyes wide as me and Cisco rubbed our eyes and groaned.
"This is painful to watch." I said as he nodded. "Has anyone seen Harry?" I asked as Cisco turned to me.
"What's your sudden thing with Harry?" Cisco asked as I widened my eyes.
"Nothing. Him and I are just. God how do I make it sound like I'm not into a guy 30 years older than me?" I muttered to myself as Cisco frowned.
BEEP BEEP BEEP
"Oh wow. Look at that." I said as I ran over to the monitors.
"We got a code- AH!" Cisco yelled as I looked at what he was seeing, frowning.
"It's official. Santa Claus hates us." I said as I pointed to Mark Mardon, Jesse James, and Leonard Snart.
☀︎︎
I ran into CCPD to see Patty talking to Barry, overhearing some of their conversation. "I don't really have time to bring you up to speed." Patty said as Barry and I both said "that's ironic" quietly.
Patty left after seeing me, Barry walking up. "So I wasn't seeing things last night? The three people that have almost successfully killed you the most are back?" I said as Barry rubbed the back of his neck, nodding. "What?"
"Mark Mardon killed Patty's dad, we are trying to get her off the case but... she's not budging." Barry said as I looked to where Patty left.
"Barry Mark is dangerous. He-he can kill Patty. She doesn't have any powers! She's nothing against him." I said as Barry nodded. I didn't know Patty that well, but I knew that she was a good person that meant well.
All she wanted was justice for her father.
"I know. I know but, I don't know how to talk her out of it." Barry said as I sighed. Cupping his face, I have him a quick kiss.
"You'll figure something out. I need to head back to CCPN, finish this stupid news report I've been working on." I said as Barry sighed, kissing my forehead before I walked away from him.
☀︎︎
"We could just map out those fluctuations... To pinpoint his location." Caitlin said as I walked into the Cortex after finally finishing my report. "Hey Cora."
"Caitlin." I said as they continued their talk.
"Right, it would just be a matter of removing all... The electricity from his immediate surroundings." Cisco said as Barry nodded.
"Attracting it to one spot." Cisco and Barry said in unison, Cisco giving Barry a weird look.
"The same way a lightning rod does. Only instead of a lightning rod, we could use..." Cisco started.
"A wand?" Barry suggested as Cisco once again frowned at him.
"Have we already had this conversation?" I asked as Barry sighed.
"Kind of." He answered.
"What does that mean?" Cisco asked Barry.
"All right, so the last time Mardon attacked, he, um, generated a tidal wave that destroyed all of Central City." Barry informed us as I frowned.
"So why are you all not sleeping with the fishes?" Harry asked as Cisco's eyes widened.
"Earth-2 has 'The Godfather?'" He asked as Harry scoffed.
"Every earth has 'The GodFather' Vito." He answered.
I started to walk to the small science lab as Harry walked in as well. "Holiday blues?" I asked as he sighed. "Can't judge you... with Jesse missing." I said as he shook his head.
"Today is the 11 year anniversary of Daisy's death." Harry said quietly as he grabbed something, my thoughts stopping as I turned to him.
"I'm sorry." I said as he shook his head, walking out as Barry walked in. "So, tell me how this 'time travel' thing worked. What changed and what didn't?" I asked as Barry sighed.
"Before I went back in time, Mardon paralyzed Captain Singh, you and Cisco died, Iris found out I was the Flash after Mardon kidnapped Joe, and a 50 foot tidal wave hit Central City." Barry said as I sucked in a breath.
"Yeesh. Hate to be that timeline." I said as Barry couldn't help but chuckle before going quiet, which quickly got my attention. "Barry?"
"Um... Iris told me about Wally..." Barry started as I made a small 'o' with my lips. "Iris and I are going over to tell Joe now..."
"Oh.. well. No pressure I guess... give Joe a hug for me, will you?" I said as Barry nodded, leaning down to kiss my cheek before running off.
30 minutes later...
"Mr. Jiggle Wiggle." Harry said as we all turned to him. Currently, Jesse James was on tv, wanting The Flash in body parts for Christmas. A lovely gift.
"What?"
"It's a stuffed teddy bear. I got it for my daughter when she was six." Harry continued as I recalled when he told me about that.
"Mr. Jiggle Wiggle was manufactured by Okamura Toys... Yahtzee! Okamura once had a shipping facility in Central City that shut down four years ago; it's been abandoned ever since." Cisco said.
"What if Weather Wizard is there? The Wand isn't finished." I said as Cisco's eyes widened in realization.
"The Trickster is there." Barry said as I turned to see him speeding out with his suit.
"If Barry dies because of the Weather Wizard I'm going to bring him back from the dead just to kill him." I said as I sat in my chair, typing on the keyboard until I was able to pull up the security footage, which miraculously still worked.
"What the hell is Patty doing there?!" I said, standing up as everything went into chaos.
"Guys there's no where for us to run!" Barry yelled as I frowned in thought, I couldn't think of anything.
All of a sudden, Patty was now on Barry's back, something about both of them seeing someone. Patty was in a relationship?
Harry walked out, the urge to secretly follow him in my mind but for now, we had better things to do.