Merry belated Christmas. I got this prompt after Christmas, but I didn't want to wait to write it until next year. I got really nice pillows and ticket to boot camp, what did you guys get?
Prompt from LycoX. While Barry is out as the Flash, he encounters a group of bad guys dressed as Santas. This just so happens to be seen by a news crew on a helicopter, and they start to live broadcast it. Barry, not realizing that for whatever reason, though maybe it's the large feelings of shock and incredulousness of the situation, starts dealing with them. Iris is one of the many watching the events on screen. She is not even that surprised by the Santas but about realizing it is actually Barry. The fight lands him in another bed stay at STAR Labs thanks to the final Santa being ridiculously huge.
It was nearly Christmas, and Iris was home alone. Her father was at work trying to get everything finished, so he would have at least a slight chance of not having to work on Christmas. And Barry, well she didn't know where he was. Come to think of it she barely ever knew where her best friend was anymore. He was probably out with his other friends, apparently visiting another city for a day, getting struck by lightning, and waking up from a nine month coma made people more outgoing.
Iris turned the tv on to kill the silence before it killed her. She walked into the kitchen to get lunch. Why was it that whenever she had a day off, everyone was busy? She sat down and ate her BLT on the couch. Her interest in journalism was growing so she settled on the news instead of re-runs of her favorite tv show.
She watched live footage of a bank robbery with interest. The Flash arrived a full three seconds faster than she thought he would and a full three minutes before the police were in sight.
Barry was zooming through the streets. There was a faint trace of snow, and he could hear Caitlyn yelling in his ear to be careful not to trip; "It might be slippery! I don't want to bandage you up just because you're clumsy." Barry smiled and shook his head at how easily she got worried about things; it wasn't that slippery.
"Turn left!" He heard Cisco call out. "Santa is robbing a bank."
"Santa is doing what?" Barry laughed. "Why would you nick name a criminal Santa?"
"He's dressed as Santa. He basically named himself." Cisco defended. "Left again."
"He knows where the bank is, Cisco." Caitlyn reprimanded.
"But does he know which bank I'm referring to?"
"Yes." Barry answered, laughing at his goofy friend as he rounded the corner and stopped at the bank in question.
Barry looked around and saw not one but three men dressed up in Santa suits leaving the bank with big red bags of money.
That's not the Christmas spirit. He thought.
He ran towards the men knocking one to the ground before any of them realized they were under attack. He could hear the police sirens screaming on their way to where he was.
The man recovered and the three of them surrounded him and began to close in on the Flash. The Flash let them get closer before running towards one of them again, and sending several swift punches in swift succession into his face and abdomen.
"What kind of person robs a bank dressed like Santa? Poor little children could see you, and you could ruin their little Christmas dreams." The man he was attacking just laughed.
"What kind of coward hides behind a mask?" The largest of the robber Santas retaliated.
The other two Santas closed in and began to attack the Flash. He began to speed up even more as he landed punch after punch into several different targets. Barry could tell that he had broken several ribs, which, unfortunately, was a pain with which he was incredibly familiar. Two of the Santas were lying unconscious on the ground, but the third man was huge and seemed to not be hurt at all.
Barry could feel his brain getting fuzzy, and he knew he was going to pass out from the pain and exhaustion in the not too distant future.
The police arrived as Barry fell to the ground. The third attacker leaned down and ripped off his mask. Barry tried to vibrate his face, but that attempt finally did him in.
"Barry!" He heard Caitlyn call to him as the world went pitch black, and the camera crew zoomed in on him from above.
Iris watched as his mask was removed. She almost turned away to respect his wish to keep his identity a secret, but her curiosity got the better of her, and she continued to watch as the camera zoomed in on . . . on . . . Barry.
"Barry!" She cried out to herself as her best friend passed out on live tv.
She started getting up to the second she saw it. But where were her keys?!
Iris looked up at the tv one more time as she found her keys in the couch. A policeman, her father, she realized, got out of his car, shot the third Santa in the knee, and knelt down by Barry gently shaking him. Iris was still in shock from finding out about Barry being the Flash and was too worried about him being injured to realize or be mad about the fact that her father knew and she didn't.
She watched as her father force fed him some sort of bar out of his suit coat pocket. Barry stirred, but Iris wasn't sure what happened next because she was out of the door on her way to the crime scene.
"C'mon Barry." Joe said as Barry stirred. "C'mon."
"Joe?" Barry asked weakly.
"Do I need to carry you to the car and drive you to the lab or can you run?"
"I'll run." Barry said vibrating and standing up. He took off toward Star Labs where he once again passed out.
Iris arrived at the crime scene, and her father went straight to her.
"Hey, why are you here?"
"What do you mean why am I here? My best friend is severely injured. Where is he?" Iris demanded.
"He went to STAR Labs. I'll meet you there." Joe said sadly. He knew she would find out eventually, but he had truly hoped she wouldn't.
She drove to STAR Labs, breaking numerous traffic laws in the twenty minute drive.
Upon her arrival she ran to the medical room where she found Barry just waking up.
"Iris, what are you doing here?" Caitlyn asked as Iris stormed into the room.
Iris ignored her and sat next to Barry on the medical table. "Barry?"
"Iris! Why are you here?"
"I saw you on tv. You were hurt. Are-are you ok?"
Barry sighed. He wasn't sure whether to be thrilled that she was worried about him or worried that she knew who he was. "I'm ok, Iris." She glared at him. "Really, Iris, I heal fast. Remember when I fought Tony. I broke my hand, but it was completely healed by the time you saw me that night."
Iris smiled and leaned down to hug him. "Don't get me wrong, you're in big trouble for not telling me about this, but I'm really glad you're ok." Iris could not handle losing Barry again. The thought alone would have set off her tears other than the fact she could see Barry, perfectly fine, in front of her. "I need you to be ok."
"I am, Iris." He looked her in the eye and she leaned down to hug him one more time.