Author's Note: Alright! I'm back and a decision has been reached. This episode, not chapter cause I wanna get through this one, is going to be the last one in this story. But not the last one in the tale of Bernice Nora Allen, so worry not. I just decided that fifty plus chapters was prohibitive for new readers. I own nothing.

53. Tis The Season

Barry ended up running home that night too high on life to do anything else. She stopped at a big belly burger and grabbed a few burgers reminding herself to thank Dr. Wells again for the Star Labs card that meant she could afford all the food she needed to keep going on a daily basis. She checked in with Star Labs and found everything quiet. She smiled to herself as she flopped down on her bed, the Christmas spirit had finally caught up to the Flash, three days before Christmas. Barry smiled and kicked off her shoes before yawning. She wrapped herself up in her blankets and fell asleep the lights of the city sparkling in her window.

Barry grinned to herself as she ordered something with an extra shot of peppermint for the morning. She had today off, she was heading over to the West house in a bit to help set up the tree. She hummed a Christmas tune to herself as she wandered over to the other end of the counter. She wasn't looking where she was going and didn't notice someone purposefully trip over her own feet and dump a still pretty hot coffee all over Barry's rare white top. Barry swore shaking out her shirt as the woman a very pretty brunette fussed.

"I am so sorry!" Barry smiled slightly blotting at the inevitable coffee stain.

"It's ok, I honestly should never wear white. This always happens." She grinned at the woman and her heart dropped to somewhere near her shoes when she recognized Lisa Snart, who was grinning apologetically.

"Hi Barry." Barry didn't respond. She heard her name called out from behind the counter and turned to grab her drink, no longer savoring the day like she'd been planning on doing. Lisa grabbed her arm and pulled her back towards the bathrooms, looking to the outside world like she wanted to help Barry clean up. Barry shook her off when they were relatively alone.

"I thought you weren't going to contact me." Lisa rolled her eyes slightly.

"I'm not in the family business Barry, a girl is allowed to run into an old friend." Barry sighed.

"How've you been?" Barry took a sip of her peppermint mocha instead of answering. Lisa rolled her eyes again.

"Listen I'm sorry my brother didn't tell you everything. I wanted him too. Hell I pestered him to." Barry glanced up.

"Why?" Lisa sighed pulling her further into the corner glancing around them, this was a favorite haunt of the CCPD after all, it wasn't exactly safe to be discussing Leonard Snart this openly, even if they weren't mentioning his name.

"Because I think you were good for him. Because I think you brought out a side of him I haven't seen since I left for college. You bring out the light in him Barry." It was Barry's turn to roll her eyes, but Lisa shook her head.

"Whatever you believe I've known Lenny longer than you have. He was happier with you around Barry." She slipped something into Barry's hand. Barry glanced down at it and found a folded up twenty dollar bill.

"I'm sorry about your shirt Barry, buy yourself a new one. Merry Christmas." With that Lisa slipped off out of the coffee shop. Barry took a deep breath trying to calm herself down, but she wasn't having much luck. She dropped the twenty in the tip jar instead of following Lisa's advice but before she could leave the coffee shop Lily called her back.

"You left your photo, it must have been caught in the twenty you left. Thanks for that by the way Barry. Merry Christmas." She pressed a photo into Barry's hands on her way out the door, clearly having finished her shift. Barry frowned, why would Lisa Snart be giving her a photo? Then she flipped it over. It was a picture of her and Len on one of their dates, shortly before she'd found out who he really was. They were on a Ferris wheel, she was laughing, her eyes closed and Len was looking at her not the camera. There was a smile on his face Barry had only seen out of the corners of her eyes before. It was soft and small but so bright. Barry paused the hand holding the photo hovering over the trash can. She shook her head and slipped the photo into her pocket as she left.

Lisa Snart smiled to herself as she watched Barry pocket the photo from a nearby shop. Phase one of her plan had gone swimmingly. She pulled out her phone and speed dialed Mick, he was essential for phase two.

Barry was feeling distinctly more cheerful as she sat back on the couch having just decorated and un-decorated the tree in less than three seconds. Joe laughed at her as Iris came back into the room a tray of Santa mugs in her hands.

"Get a move on you two! Such slowpokes." Barry laughed loudly as Joe accepted the mug from Iris who grinned at Barry.

"Aunt Ester's Eggnog, light on the bourbon." Joe took a sip and sighed.

"I always loved her definition of light." Barry took a swig of her own, the alcohol burned through her system quickly but it still tasted good. Joe's phone rang and he sighed.

"And the Christmas tradition continues." He spoke briefly to the person on the phone then excused himself and left handing Barry his eggnog.

"Make sure there's some nog left for me!" Joe shouted over his shoulder as he left. Barry grinned.

"No promises!" She called after him. Iris laughed and once her father was gone she snatched up the remote and clicked off It's A Wonderful Life. Barry laughed as Iris dragged her off the couch to sit next to the tree.

"We're doing this again? Are you sure you don't want to wait this year? I mean Christmas is only a few days away." Iris stuck her tongue out at her sister before handing her a messily wrapped package. Barry dug under the tree for a minute before she produced a small box wrapped in scarlet and gold. She handed it over to Iris who squealed with delight and tore the paper. She gasped as she opened the box.

"My mother's wedding band?" Barry grinned.

"A replica anyway, I remember how devastated you were when you lost the real one." Iris tackled Barry in a hug.

"God that was years ago!" Iris exclaimed as she pulled the ring on the gold chain out of the box and placed it around her neck.

"Our fifth grade field trip to the zoo. You cried for three days afterwards. Eidetic memory remember, I remember everything!" Iris laughed and hugged her sister again.

"You really do remember everything." She hesitated as Barry reached for the badly wrapped package.

"Mine looks totally lame now!" Barry laughed as she pulled the paper off a brand new top of the line microscope. Barry squealed with delight, her microscope didn't have nearly the lens this one did and she gushed about it as Iris stood to answer the knock on the door. It turned out to be Eddie who hugged Iris and dropped a kiss to her lips with a whispered 'Merry Christmas' before Barry fake gagged from the couch. Iris laughed and snatched up one of the bows she always stuck on her presents, lobbing it at Barry who ducked and laughed.

"Nice ring." Eddie said his smile looking a bit forced.

"Thanks, it's an exact replica of my mom's wedding band. Barry gave it to me." Barry grinned and stuck her tongue out at her sister then she grinned wickedly at Eddie.

"Beat that Thawne!" Eddie laughed as Iris started throwing more bows at Barry who threw up her hands against the onslaught and ended up with two stuck in her hair. They laughed as Iris dragged Eddie into the kitchen to get him some eggnog as Barry teased them from the couch.