Author's Note: Shorter this time, I promise. I just wanted to say thank you for your kind support and I really hope you're along for the Christmassy ride! I don't know if I will be able to post a One Shot a day, but I'll try my best to update frequently.

So, what is your favorite Christmas movie? Please let me know, because I love Christmas movies, despite them being cheesy. Mine is the one quoted in the beginning ;)

Little Game: Find the comic book reference!

Please leave a Review, that would truly be a nice present.

Movie Night

Summary: Finding a Christmas movie to watch together seems to become Team Flash's biggest challenge yet.

Couple: None (slight hint to Barry and Caitlin)

Words: 4073

"We're gonna have the hap- hap- happiest Christmas."

Clark Griswold, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)

"It has to be Gremlins." Cisco said waving his new remastered Blu Ray edition around. "It is the Christmas movie."

Caitlin shook her head. "No, no, no. Those things freak me out. Yes, even Gizmo!"

Iris agreed. "Besides, just because a movie is set around Christmas, doesn't mean it is a Christmas movie."

"Come on, guys!" Cisco complained, sounding like petulant child. He turned to Barry who was busy fixing the lights around the Christmas tree. "Help me out here, dude. Gremlins is awesome."

"Good movie." Barry agreed, making his way towards the couch and sitting down between Iris and Caitlin. "But it doesn't really have that Christmassy feel to it. Sorry."

Cisco pouted in the old armchair in the corner. Movie Night was his idea after all, he should be allowed to pick the movie. Who made this activity a democracy anyways? "Hey, Harry. A little help here?"

Wells rolled his eyes. "I'm still trying to figure out what I'm even doing here."

"It's bonding time, to strengthen the team spirit. Geez Harry, you're such a Debby Downer."

Joe emerged from the kitchen carrying two bowls of popcorn. "Can someone explain to me why no one wants to watch It's A Wonderful Life? It is the best Christmas movie that has ever been made. And it's a true classic, unlike the fury monsters."

"Dad." Iris said, taking a bowl from him, "It is a great movie, but they show it on TV every day during Christmas time."

"That just proofs a point. It's that good." He handed Cisco the other bowl, who immediately started eating.

"That tastes weird." He complained.

"It's cinnamon popcorn. Thought we could try it." Joe briefly explained.

Cisco put the bowl into Harry's arms, then started to complain about it and held his Blu Ray up once more. "Really, you people have no taste."

"What is so good about Gremlins, seriously?" Caitlin asked.

Cisco hesitated for a moment. "It was the first time my parents ever let me decide the movie."

The Ramons weren't a family with many traditions. One however they kept over the years, was visiting Central City's old movie theater around Christmas. It was a charming old place, only used for special occasions now and Christmas was one of them. Every year during December the owner would show a couple of well selected Christmas movies to entertain children and parents alike.

The Ramons went there since they've met and fallen in love and continued it with their two sons later on. Dante being the favorite, much to Cisco's dismay, obviously got to choose the family movie year after year after year. The Christmas when Cisco was ten years old ended up being clouded by tragedy. His grandfather died and it hit him the hardest. He loved the old man, loved hearing the ghost and monster stories he always told him and enjoyed being the favorite for once.

He didn't want to go to the movies with his family this year. It felt wrong having a good time while his abuelo was dead and buried. His mother however was having none of it. "He would have wanted you to go." She told him over and over again, even though he didn't believe it.

He trotted behind his family, ignoring their cheerful talk and hoped Dante would at least pick a move that wasn't a snooze fest this year. The odds were clearly not in his favor.

"Can we watch A Christmas Carol?" His brother asked. Cisco rolled his eyes. Again that movie. How many versions even existed? He wanted to find all of them and destroy them.

He looked around. Other kids were cheerful, asking for coke and popcorn and he wished he could go back in time when he was feeling the same way.

A poster caught his attention. Gremlins. He didn't know that movie and it didn't look very Christmassy, but the monsters on the cover intrigued him. "Grandpa would've loved that." He said absentmindedly.

"Would have loved what?" His father asked.

Cisco was shocked someone listened to him while Dante was rambling about Ebenezer Scrooge and Tiny Tim and didn't know what to reply.

"Grandpa would have loved what?" His father asked again, a gentle smile on his face.

Cisco pointed shyly at the poster. "He loved monster stories."

His father chuckled. "Oh yes, he did." He turned around, calling for his wife. "Honey, how about we see this one today?"

Cisco's heart started to beat faster. Was this truly happening?

"But I want to see A Christmas Carol!" Dante complained. He didn't get it. Of course he didn't. Dante had never been that close to his grandfather, because he didn't worship the ground he was walking on and criticized his music every now and then.

"Cisco likes to see this one." Mr. Ramon said in a strict voice.

His wife gave him a puzzled look. "But Dante already chose A Christmas Carol."

"We watched about a hundred versions already." Cisco whispered. Not that anybody cared, as long as Dante the Great wanted to see it.

"Why would you choose a monster movie for Christmas?" Dante asked his little brother without understanding.

"Grandpa would've liked it." He answered sincere.

Their mother sighed. "Alright boys, let's get our tickets."

Cisco felt the defeat crawling up on him. He felt like crying.

"Four tickets for Gremlins, please." He suddenly heard his mother's voice and looked up again. She actually chose his movie. They were going to see the one that his grandfather would have loved. He smiled all the way through the movie, glad he was forced to come along.

"I'm sorry about your grandpa." Iris said sympathetically.

Cisco smiled. "He would've liked you guys a lot. He also would have loved to see Grodd." He joked.

Caitlin sighed. "That movie still freaks me out."

"What would be your choice then?" Cisco asked.

Caitlin rubbed her hands together. "Miracle on 34th Street!"

Barry raised an eyebrow and handed his friends cups of mulled wine. He pictured her more for the Love, Actually kind of girl. "Original or remake?" he asked.

"Original." She answered quickly, before hesitating for a moment. "But I like the remake as well."

Cisco laughed. "Really? From all the movies you could choose it's that one?"

"At least she chose a true classic." Joe interrupted.

"But it's so cheesy." Cisco said, stretching the last word dramatically long.

Caitlin raised her forefinger and pointed at him, like a teacher at the class clown. "Francisco Ramon" she said icy, "You do not insult Kris Kringle!"

Barry gulped and slid a bit away from her. "She Francisco-ed him, it's serious." Noting was scarier that an angry Caitlin Snow. He once got the "Bartholomew Henry Allen" treatment and it was scarier than getting attacked by a giant human-shark hybrid.

Even at the tender age of six Caitlin Snow was a scientist through and through. She didn't understand why other children would believe in such a nonsense as Santa Claus. There was no evidence that the big man in red with the white beard truly existed. Besides how could one person be able to deliver presents to every child around the world on the same day? That didn't make any sense to her. When her parents told her he could do it because he had flying reindeers she just countered, explaining that reindeers couldn't fly because they had no wings.

At school the others started to look at her funny during Christmas time. They teased her, because she didn't believe in Santa and told her she wouldn't get any presents because she was being naughty. Caitlin of course was convinced that her parents were truly the ones getting the presents, but despite all the logic the prospect of getting nothing distressed her at least a little bit.

So one afternoon she waited in class until the others had gone, she sat down in front of her teacher, good old Mrs. Murray, and asked her why people believed in something illogical as Santa.

Mrs. Murray stared at the little girl in disbelief. She knew from the moment she met her that Caitlin was far beyond her age, smarter and more considerate, but that question alarmed her a bit.

"You don't believe in Santa, Caitlin?"

The little girl shook her head. "He makes no sense to me."

How to approach a child like that? Mrs. Murray was a kind soul, she wanted children to experience their childhood as long as possible, including the belief in something fantastic.

"Does everything have to make sense?" It wasn't a typical question to ask a little girl, but Caitlin was already too smart for her own good.

She thought about it for a moment. "I think it should." She answered quietly.

Mrs. Murray quickly noticed that this girl would proof to be a tough cookie, but she wasn't ready to admit defeat yet. "Do you think the other children shouldn't believe in Santa either?"

Another tough question, Caitlin had to think about. "I think they should believe what they want." She seemed confused now, thinking about the next logical thing to add. "I need to see something to believe it. And I don't mean my Uncle Perry dressed as Santa with a fake beard."

Mrs. Murray laughed. The girl was smart and witty. She expected her to have a promising future. "Believing is something different. We do it out of a feeling. It is a kind of hope. Hope doesn't need proof."

Caitlin bit her lower lip. "But believing in something that clearly doesn't exist seems like a lie to me and not like hope." She didn't want to sound like a brat. Her mother always told her to be kind and polite, but her teacher started to frustrate her. Why couldn't she just give her a clear answer? Adults could be so weird sometimes.

Mrs. Murray opened a drawer at her desk. Caitlin watched her curiously. She handed her a movie, an old black and white one as Caitlin noticed. Her grandmother loved those old movies.

"What is that?" She asked.

The teacher smiled. "It is a film about a little girl who learns to believe. I want you to watch it."

Caitlin took the movie reluctantly from Mrs. Murray. She didn't want to watch it, but an assignment was an assignment and she wanted to be a good girl.

The next time Mrs. Murray saw Caitlin Snow she seemed a little different. She was still talking more like an adult than a child, but there was a glow in her eyes that was missing before. She suddenly seemed more innocent and less serious.

When Caitlin gave the movie back to her after class she looked left and right from her, as if she wanted to make sure nobody was watching.

"I…" she held back for a moment, "I think there might be more to this whole Santa business than I thought." She confessed.

Mrs. Murray smiled. Her plan had worked.

"I think when I grow up I want to proof Santa is real. And that other things people only believe in are also real. If it gives them hope, it should be visible."

"You were such a weird child." Cisco commented, still facing Caitlin's death glare.

She turned around, looking at Barry. "I didn't find Santa, but I found proof that hope can very well be visible."

He smiled at her.

Harry groaned in the background. How he wished he was somewhere else. "Please Barry and Iris, I bet you want to enlighten us all with your favorite Christmas movie as well."

Cisco mouthed a silent 'shut up Harry'.

Joe waved his hands around. "Don't ask them –"

It was too late. "The Santa Clause!" They said together, before sharing a little fist bump.

"It is the greatest Christmas movie ever!" Iris exclaimed excited.

"It is for the whole family." Barry jumped in.

"It has so much heart."

"It is funny."

"The elves are super adorable."

"The acting is great."

"I had an Elf Judy costume."

"I was dressed as Bernard once."

"We watch it every year. Its tradition."

Cisco and Caitlin exchanged a spooked look. "Are they tag teaming against us?" Cisco asked.

Joe had almost finished the whole bowl of popcorn by himself. "It's the same with them every year." He got up and went to the kitchen. "I make new popcorn, you better decide on a movie that is not Santa Clause. Just to be the clear, they can speak along to the whole movie and it is annoying."

"Dad!" Iris said. "You once said it was adorable."

"When you were children!" Joe yelled.

Barry Allen and Iris West went to the same school but weren't exactly friends. They knew each other and knew that their parents knew each other.

On a cold November afternoon Dr. Henry Allen was called to see a patient, despite having the weekend off. His wife Nora was out of town for a couple of days, visiting an old friend from High School, and Henry and no one to watch his young son.

To act from necessity he called his friend Joe West, dropping Barry of at his house for the day. The boy was visibly upset he didn't get to spend the weekend with his dad and Joe didn't exactly know what to do.

His daughter Iris wasn't too eager to spend the day with Barry, he was an icky boy after all and she didn't like boys.

"I don't wanna play with him, daddy." She complained.

"I want my dad!" Barry said.

Joe didn't know what to do. He wanted to ask his wife Francine for help, but she was passed out on the couch. Joe could smell the alcohol on her.

He had to get children out of there.

So, what better to do then to take them to the movies?

"I wanna see the The Swan Princess again, can we daddy?" Iris asked. She only had seen this one ten times already.

Joe scratched the back of his head. He had a hard time saying no to his girl. "Well, Barry is our guest, so he should choose the movie."

Iris pouted, she wasn't used to not getting her way with Joe.

"Awesome!" Barry said and looked at the posters. "This one!"

"Eh…Interview with the Vampire?" Joe asked and Barry nodded. "I think you're too young for that."

Barry hated it when adults told him that. "Then what about this one?" He pointed at the poster of The Pagemaster.

That looked family friendly enough for Joe. He wanted to get the tickets when Iris started to scream.

"Baby what is it?"

"I don't wanna see that movie!" She tramped her feet on the floor. "If we gonna see it I scream the whole time!"

He couldn't believe she was being so difficult. She was usually such a sweet child.

Joe was overwhelmed. He had no idea what to do. Maybe he should call Henry and ask if he is done with his patient. He shook his head. No, he could handle two kids at the same time.

"Then I will choose the movie." He declared, shocking both, Barry and Iris.

"We will see The Santa Clause."

Surprisingly neither of them tried to disagree. That was a start at least.

He got them popcorn and chocolate and when the movie started they at least seemed invested enough not to argue. Joe himself was surprised how much he enjoyed the movie, when his phone rang. Work. He had to take the call. "Be right back." He said, hoping the kids wouldn't burn the theater down in the meantime.

"Your dad's pretty cool." Barry said after a while.

"I know." Iris didn't look away from the screen.

Barry tried to concentrate on the movie, but the girl next to him seemed suddenly more interesting. He tried to remember what he knew about Iris from school.

She liked to tell stories and take pictures. She was best friends with Jenny Mathis and Barry didn't understand why, because Jenny was a mean girl and Iris wasn't. He also remembered her love for chocolate.

He looked at the chocolate bars Joe got them. Only one left. He didn't know why but he wanted her to have it.

"Here. For you." He suddenly felt awkward and shy.

"What?" She was so engaged in the movie she didn't even notice what he was holding in his hand for a moment. "Thanks." She said after a while.

She unwrapped the chocolate bar and broke it into two. "We can share."

Barry smiled, showing the new tooth gap he was so proud of.

Iris returned his smile. "The movie is pretty funny." She whispered.

Barry nodded. "Yeah." He knew he was blushing when she smiled at him and hoped that it was dark enough for her not to notice.

"I would love to be one of Santa's elves." Iris confessed with a giggle.

"Yeah, me too." Barry agreed.

"You are not so bad, you know…" She said.

He gulped. She liked him. A girl liked him. "And you're not that gross." Maybe that came out wrong.

"We should do that again." Iris suggested. "Watching a movie, I mean."

He didn't say anything, but hoped she was being serious. For a girl Iris West was pretty cool. Maybe they could be friends and she wouldn't have to hang out with mean Jenny Mathis anymore.

After the movie the two of them could not stop talking about it. Joe decided to take them to Big Belly Burger and thanked the heavens that the kids suddenly decided to get along.

They quoted the film back and forth and much to Barry's dismay Joe called them 'adorable.'

Couple of days later at school Iris West gave Barry Allen a green elf hat and a chocolate bar as an early Christmas present and they have been inseparable ever since.

Barry put a red woolen blanket around a freezing Caitlin and slipped under it as well.

"Aww you two were adorable." Caitlin said.

Barry chuckled. "We watch that movie every Christmas ever since."

Iris nodded. "It has become a friendship ritual for us."

Joe walked back into the room, carrying a new bowl of popcorn. "And I still have to take them to Big Belly Burger afterwards."

Iris laughed. "Don't even pretend that you don't like it."

He tried to look annoyed, but truth to be told, he was glad his kids kept traditions like this alive. Speaking of traditions, the movie problem still wasn't solved. "Santa Clause is your thing." He looked at Barry and Iris, "so we should watch something else. It's A Wonderful Life has the heart and soul a true Christmas movie should have."

Officer Joe West wasn't used to being nervous. He was a confident guy, handsome and strong and the best young police officer at the Central City Police Department. So, why were his hands sweaty despite the cold and why was his beating so fast?"

He was looking at his watch again. She was late. Why was she late? Maybe she ditched him. Yes, that would be it. A woman like that wouldn't go out with a man like him. She was a whole different league.

Wait, where was this coming from?

He was glad Fred his new partner, wasn't there to witness him making a fool out of himself.

Checking the watch again. The movie was about to start. He started to walk up and down and up and down. Who in his right mind suggests It's A Wonderful Life as a first date movie? That suddenly seemed so lame.

Yes, she ditched him. She probably went out with somebody else, who took her to the theater and a fancy dinner at a French restaurant instead of seeing an old Christmas movie and Big Belly Burger afterwards.

"Sorry, I'm late!"

He turned around. There she was. Francine Russell, hopefully the future Mrs. West. Yes, Joe knew he was being a bit hasty, but seeing her in front of him, wearing a green colored jacket, a simple pair of jeans and her funny looking red hat, he knew that he wanted to marry that woman.

"I got stuck in traffic." She apologized. "Some business man from Star City had a flat tire and suddenly the world needs to stand still." She rolled her eyes and hooked her arm into Joe's. "Can you believe these rich people? Just because your name is Queen or whatever doesn't mean you actually deserve to be treated like royalty."

She talked on and on as they went inside the move theater. Joe didn't dare to interrupt, didn't want to. She was so lively, so energetic.

"I love that movie!" She suddenly said.

He blinked. Once. Twice. What was that?

"Excuse me?" He asked dumbfounded.

"I love that movie!" Francine said, sounding even more excited the second time around. "It has the heart and soul a true Christmas movie should have."

Iris whipped a tear away from the corner of her eyes. It might have been her decision to cut Francine out of her life, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt anymore. There was a time her parents were happy and in love. Before the lies, before the drugs, before she left.

"I didn't want to upset you, baby." Joe said and kissed his daughter's head.

"It's okay." And it was. It may made her sad, but she liked hearing his good memories with Francine. She had been a huge part of his life and sometimes she wished he would open up more about their shared past.

"Now that you all have shared those cute little stories, can I go home please?" Harry asked, trying to sound less mean than before.

"Well, well Harry." Cisco grinned, Wells didn't like that. "We shared some pretty personal stuff here, you might as well tell us why you're such a Grinch."

"A movie we won't watch!" Barry shouted. He remembered the last time Cisco wanted to watch a Jim Carrey flick, he tried to impersonate him afterwards for three hours straight and Barry swore that would never happen again.

Cisco put him off and focused his energy back on Harrison. "Come on Harry. Tell us!"

Wells rolled his eyes. "No story there. I just think Christmas movies are a time-wasting activity and I could do literally anything better with that time."

"Buzzkill" Cisco coughed.

While Harrison tried to appeal to Joe to let him go, Iris was busy selling Santa Clause as the ultimate movie again, while Cisco argued with the importance of Gremlins. Caitlin's head rested on Barry's shoulder, the warmth of the blanket and his body made her sleepy.

Barry smiled to himself as he watched his team, his friends, his family.

Family.

That was what they were after all this time. A family. A dysfunctional one maybe, but they loved each other unconditionally.

There was Joe the dad and Harrison the grumpy uncle. Cisco the funny brother and Iris the kind sister. And Caitlin…his gaze fell on her, well she was something else.

Maybe it was time to let the past be the past. They could always cherish memories and old traditions, but they needed to make some of their own.

"How about National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation?" He suddenly said, getting the attention of everyone in the room.

They looked confused. It wasn't a movie any of them thought about. No one had a certain memory connected to it.

"Griswolds?" Cisco asked.

Barry shrugged. "It is a Christmas movie, its hysterical, has still heart and has a very dysfunctional family in it. Maybe we need our own movie."

Iris and Joe exchanged a look and then agreed. Wells was tired of arguing and decided to give himself up to fate, while Cisco decided any movie would be better than ending up watching nothing at all.

Caitlin snuggled closer to Barry. "Good choice." She murmured.

He quickly put the DVD into the recorder, before slipping back under the blanket, putting his arm around her.

The Team might have disagreed on Christmas traditions, but the family found their own as they sat together, sharing popcorn, laughing and learned more about it each other.