Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Cait,” she heard someone call out gently to her, prodding her lightly. She tried to block it out, hoping they’d give up. “Caaaaait,” the person persisted, this time doing so while caressing her cheek.

She blearily opened her eyes to come face to face with Barry Allen. She groaned, turning away from him and snuggling further in the center of their warm bed. “Go away, Barry. It’s too early.” She actually had no idea what the time was, but her heavy eyes didn’t care.

She heard Barry chuckle affectionately. The bed dipped as he cuddled up behind her, smoothly running his hand up and down her arm. “Come on, Cait. It’s Christmas.”

“Can Christmas wait a little longer?” she pleaded tiredly. “We were out really late with that satanic meta-human last night.”

“But I really want to show you what I got you,” he excitedly insisted, nuzzling his nose against the column of her neck, making a chill run up her spine.

“Bartholomew Allen, I am about seconds away from turning you into an ice cube,” she threatened, but the threat fell on deaf ears as she felt Barry chuckle against her.

“Come on. Pleaseee,” he begged sweetly, peppering kisses along the underside of her jaw.

She turned over to glare at him but was met with big doe eyes and a pout, diminishing her whole resolve in an instant. “Arghh,” she let out, frustrated by how his adorableness was such a weakness of hers. “Fine.”

His face instantly brightened, bringing out those laugh lines on his face that she absolutely adored. “You won’t regret it,” he promised, leaning down to steal a short kiss on her lips. “Meet me out in the living room,” he instructed before flashing away.

Caitlin begrudgingly sat up and slowly made her way to the edge of the bed, where she took a moment to stretch and yawn out her tiredness.

“You coming?” she heard Barry’s voice yell from the living room.

She rolled her eyes at his impatience. “I’m coming, I’m coming,” she grumbled, though a small smile surfaced as she thought of Barry’s enthusiasm. She found it so remarkable that with all the bad that had happened in their lives, he still found a way to be excited about things and be happy. She’s not entirely sure if she’d be able to do the same without him.

Caitlin pattered her way down the hallway that led to their living room but, as she turned the corner, found it empty. She hiked an eyebrow in confusion. “Barry?” she called out, rising on her tippy toes to see if maybe he was in the kitchen, but she didn’t see him there either. “Barry!” she hollered again.

The breeze of his running was sensed behind her, throwing her already tussled hair up and over her eyes. “Barry…” she whined, fixing her hair. “Where were…” she started, turning around, but stopped, taking in the scene before her with wide eyes. “Why are you holding a dog?”

Barry’s smile was still plastered wide. “It’s your dog – or our dog,” he said holding the little white husky, complete with a red bow tied around its neck.

Caitlin titled her head to the side, still mildly confused. She felt like she was still dreaming. “You got me a dog?” she questioned skeptically.

“Yeah!” Barry enthused, before noticing her lack of glee. His face soon deflated. “You hate it, don’t you?”

“No!” Caitlin was quick to assure. “It’s just that – Barry, you’re literally running around the city saving lives every day, and I’m holed up in STAR Labs helping you. How are we going to find the time to not only train this puppy, but continue to take care of it?”

“He can stay at the lab during the day – it’s not like anyone is going to tell us we can’t,” he reasoned with a smirk. “Plus, when it’s my turn to take him out for a walk, I’ll speed right over,” he continued to bargain.

Caitlin shook her head. “A dog has no place in a lab, let alone an untrained puppy,” Caitlin logically said back. “What if he gets contaminated or gets hurt, or worse?”

Barry sighed as he placed the puppy down on the floor. “You’re right,” he reluctantly admitted, walking to stand in front of her, grabbing her hands. “You’re always right.”

She leaned back, studying his face suspiciously. “But…?” she added, sensing there was a ‘but’ with the way he was acting all sweet.

He shamelessly grinned. “But,” he added, “if any two people could do this under our circumstances, it would be us.”

“Barry…”

“Come on,” he begged. He then stepped away to go and retrieve the dog again. “Just look at this fellow. Tell me you can say no to this face,” he said, putting the cute little puppy right up to her face, letting its bright blue eyes do all the persuading.

She melted under the dog’s innocent gaze. “Awww, I can’t,” Caitlin confessed, reaching out her arms to take the dog from Barry. “Hi, little guy,” she baby-talked to the dog. “You’re just so handsome, aren’t you?”

Barry snickered. “Does that mean we’re keeping him?” he wondered optimistically.

Caitlin took a moment from cooing over the dog to look at Barry. “You better train him fast, Barry. I can’t have a disobedient dog messing with our equipment in the lab.”

“They don’t call me the Flash for nothing,” he boasted with a small puff to his chest.

Caitlin rolled her eyes. “I mean it, Barry.”

“I know, I know,” Barry proclaimed, sidling up next to the pair, slinging his arm around his girlfriend as he gazed down at the dog in her arms. “So we’re definitely keeping him?”

Caitlin leaned her head down on his shoulder. “Why not?” she relented with a shrug. “Cisco would probably love the company, and the dog might actually be useful when it comes to security around there.”

Barry chuckled as he went to kiss Caitlin on the side of her head. “You know, we need to name it,” he mused. “What about Snow?”

Caitlin scrunched up her nose in disapproval. “Just because the dog is white and my last name is Snow, doesn’t mean we’re naming him anything of the like,” Caitlin said. Barry went to open his mouth, but she interrupted him before he could voice his thoughts. “And that includes my meta-name and abilities too. All off limits, Mr. Allen.”

Barry pouted. “Fine,” he said sadly. “What about Ollie then?” he joked. “I’d be the only Oliver that actually listened to us. And could you imagine Oliver’s face?”

Caitlin snorted. “Funny, but no.”

“You could come up with some names too, you know. Instead of shooting all my names down,” Barry teased, stepping to the side to hold her from the back.

Caitlin leaned into his embrace, while outstretching the dog in her arms to get a proper look at him. “Maybe we should name him after something in science,” she suggested, side-eying Barry as best as she could over her shoulder. “We both can relate to that.”

She felt Barry nod against her, agreeing. “I like it. Just as long as it isn’t Einstein – that is sooo overused.”

“Of course,” she quickly agreed. “Oh!” she began excitedly. “What about Mendel?”

“You want to name our dog after the father of modern genetics?” Barry asked in astonishment, laughing lightly.  

Caitlin sputtered. “It is my area of expertise,” she pointed out matter-of-factly, setting down the dog so she could face her boyfriend, hands on hips.

Barry bit his lip, looking at her amusingly. “I know, Dr. Snow,” he let out with mock seriousness, pulling at her hands and drawing her close to him again so that their chests touched. He stared at her with such adoration that she was feeling light-headed.

Slowly they both leaned forward, eyes blinking closed, letting their lips find each other like two opposite poles of a magnet. Caitlin’s hands immediately looped around Barry’s neck, pressing against it in an effort to lure him closer.

They walked backwards, Barry only slightly stumbling as he tried to find the couch. His knees eventually found it as he fell back, bringing Caitlin down along with him. They both giggled against each other’s lips at the action.

As their laughter died down, Caitlin continued to stare into Barry’s ocean green eyes. “I love you,” she expressed softly and deliberately, hoping he was feeling as loved as she felt. She didn’t always show it as obviously as Barry – like this morning – but the love she had for him was seared into her bloodstream, a part of her, forever.

Barry leaned his forehead against hers, theirs noses touching gently. “I love you too,” he echoed back, snaking his arms around her stomach, holding onto her just a little bit tighter.

A small bark then forced them back into reality.

Chuckling, Caitlin looked down at the little noisemaker. “Looks like Mendel is ready for his first lesson,” she voiced, smirking at the speedster as she got up from the couch.

Barry groaned. “Are we actually calling him Mendel?”

Caitlin looked pointedly at him. “Yes, we are,” she stated. “Now, chop-chop,” she commanded, “Mendel isn’t going to train himself.”

Chapter Text

Caitlin woke up as the sun’s light streamed directly into their bedroom. Blinking awake, she turned to look at their alarm clock to read that it was almost 9am. Mentally, she knew she should get up – it was Christmas and they had things to do today. However, it was so warm and cozy under the covers; it was one of the many perks that came with sharing a bed with a speedster.

Thinking of him, the doctor looked over at the lump next to her, still sleeping soundly. He looked tired, but that was expected when she knew he essentially worked two full-time jobs to keep this city safe.

She reached out, running her hand delicately through his hair. He moved briefly, leaning into her and letting out a sigh of contentment, but didn’t wake. Her heart squeezed at the action, manifesting into the adoring smile plastered on her face as she watched him.

Retracting her hand, she carefully got up from the bed. She walked over to their bedroom door, grabbing her robe from the hook and tying the garment securely on. Mendel, who had been sleeping at their feet all night, perked his head up.

“Come on, Mend,” she quietly called, motioning to the dog to follow her out of the bedroom. She didn’t want Mendel to wake up Barry if he had to go out. The dog jumped off the bed and happily trailed after her into the kitchen.

“You think Barry would like French toast for breakfast?” Caitlin asked the dog, who only looked at up at her curiously. “I think so,” she answered herself, already walking around the kitchen to get everything she needed.

It was Christmas, so she turned on a radio station that was playing holiday music, letting it play quietly as she warmed up the griddle and created the egg mixture to dip the bread in. Meanwhile, she threw some bacon on a side pan and started brewing the coffee.

It wasn’t until she took the bacon off the pan and was halfway done the French toast when she heard their bedroom door opening. Mendel heard too as he finally left her side to go greet his other master good morning.

“Hey, buddy,” she heard Barry greet the dog groggily, making her smile to herself as she flipped another row of their breakfast.

“Mmm, smells good,” Barry told her as he entered the kitchen. He came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist as he laid his head on her shoulder to watch her cook. “Merry Christmas,” he murmured into the side of her neck before placing a delicate kiss there.

Warmth spread throughout her. “Merry Christmas,” she dotingly replied back, craning her neck to give her boyfriend a small peck.

“Did you take Mendel out yet?” he questioned when she turned back to the task at hand.

She shook her head as she checked the brownness of the bread. “Not yet.”

“I’ll take him out then,” Barry said, dropping a kiss to her cheek before slowly separating himself from her. “Come on, boy,” he lightly hollered, clapping his hands to gain the dog’s attention.

The pitter-patter of the dog’s paws against the kitchen’s tiles were heard scurrying to Barry’s direction. Caitlin looked over just in time to see her two boys leave the apartment, bundled up and ready to weather the cold.

She flipped the last of the French toast on a separate plate and one by one took everything they needed for breakfast out on the table. Only after preparing her and Barry’s coffees did she hear the front door open, signally their return.

She walked over to the table, setting their hot beverages down. “Cold?” she asked with a chuckle, seeing the speedster flushed pink from the frigid weather outside.

“Oh yeah,” he expressed, shivering as he hung up his coat and then made his way over to the table, sitting down next to her.

“You can vibrate, you know?” she told him, watching as she stacked his plate high with the food and doused them all heavily in syrup – he was lucky he had such a fast metabolism. “It’ll warm you up.”

“But that’s what you’re for,” he joked around a forkful of food, winking at her.

She laughed, shaking her head amusingly, blushing only minimally. “So, do you want to exchange our presents after breakfast, or wait until Joe’s tonight?”

His face broke into a big grin. “Do you think I can honestly wait until tonight to give you my present?”

“No…you don’t have the best track record,” she admitted with another giggle, vividly remembering their last Christmas when he gifted her Mendel.

“In fact,” he started, getting up from the table, “why wait until after breakfast?”

Before she could say a word, Barry jogged to their bedroom. She could faintly hear draws shutting and closing and the rustling of bags. A moment later, he called for the dog, which confused Caitlin even further.

“Cait?” Barry called out to her a few minutes later. “Come here!”

Furrowing her brow, Caitlin got up from the table and made her way to the bedroom. When she entered, she was greeted with Barry by their bed and Mendel sitting on top of it. She laughed once she saw Mendel, or rather what the dog was wearing. “Is Mendel wearing jeans?” she humorously asked.

She walked over to their husky, scratching him behind the ears. “Your daddy thinks he’s funny, huh?” she baby-talked to the dog.

Barry snorted, standing next to her. “I thought it was quite ingenious, myself,” he commented with a proud grin. 

“It was, honey,” she complied, smiling teasingly at him and affectionately rolling her eyes. She leaned up on her tippy toes to give him a gracious kiss. “Thank you.”

“While I appreciate the kiss,” he said as they separated, “that wasn’t your gift.” Caitlin looked up at him puzzlingly. “Check the pockets,” he instructed, tilting his head towards where their jean-clad dog was still sitting.

Caitlin turned back to Mendel who was sitting obediently on their bed, mouth opened happily with his tongue hanging out. He licked the side of her face as she leaned down to pat the jeans, looking for the pockets. She giggled and gave the playful dog her own kiss. “Oh, here, I found it,” she said, finding the pocket.

Inside she felt something made of glass. Confused even further, Caitlin fished out the mystery present and saw it to be a small test tube that was decorate with snowflakes and lightning bolts. She gasped however when she saw the pristine diamond ring suspended from the cork stopper at the top.

She turned to Barry, surprised and awed.

“Marry me?” he asked nervously as he got down on one knee, smiling unsurely.

Caitlin’s eyes immediately watered, like the amass joy she was experiencing had to pour out of her because there was too much for her body to contain. “Yes,” she answered waterily, nodding in case he couldn’t understand her.

Barry’s unsure smile immediately turned into a radiating grin as he got up from his knee and engulfed her into his arms. He happily peppered kisses all over her face before giving her a heart-soaring kiss on the lips that made her toes curl.

He broke away, but only to rid the ring from the test tube and place it on her finger. “You like it?”

Gazing at the ring, knowing what it meant and knowing what was now in store for her and Barry, Caitlin swore her heart grew due to the magnitude of its beat. She looked up at her fiancé, starry eyed. “I love it,” she softly answered, cupping his face to peck him. “I love you,” she spoke against his lips, before diving into another kiss.

The speedster smiled against her lips as they kissed, his arms wrapping around her waist to hoist her up on the bed. Stepping in-between her legs, he leaned over her, letting his lean frame press gently against her own. Her moan was muffled under his lips, but it had the desired effect.

He tugged at her robe string, freeing it after a few tries and opening it to reach a new expansion of her skin. Barry tore his mouth away from her lips to kiss and suckle down her throat and across her collar bone. As Barry started to descend his attention elsewhere, however, Caitlin noticed something in the corner of her eye.

“Barry,” she let out breathily, her voice suffering from the effects his ministrations were causing within her.

“Mmm,” he only murmured, his lips now at the edge of her cleavage while his one hand was starting to hike up her night blouse.

“No, no, Barry,” she tried again, this time pushing against him.

He immediately stopped and looked down at her worriedly. “What? What’s wrong?” he asked apprehensively, like he was afraid he had done something bad to her.

“Nothing,” she quickly reassured him, then nodded her head in the direction next to her. “It’s just that Mendel is still here and I’m not too keen on my dog witnessing where this is headed…”

“Oh,” Barry let out, relieved. He then laughed, looking over at their dog just lying next to them a foot or so away, seemingly oblivious to what his owners were doing. “I’ll get right on that,” he said as he quickly got off the bed and went to their door. “Come on, boy,” Barry called out.

The dog obeyed, jumping off the bed and following Barry.

“Mommy and Daddy just want a little alone time for right now,” he told the dog as he ushered Mendel out. Caitlin giggled.

“Now, where were we?” Barry asked as he shut their bedroom door, making his way back to the bed where his beautiful fiancé was sprawled lusciously out for him.

Caitlin reached out to him, guiding him to his previous position. “I think you were about to show me why I’m marrying you,” she said with a playful quirk.

And that he did.

Chapter Text

Barry woke up to the sensation of kisses being peppered up his neck and across his jaw. His eyes blinkingly opened, trying to adjust to the light of the morning. Thankfully, his wife’s head came into view, blocking the sun, and ultimately looking like an angel with the way the light haloed around her.

“Merry Christmas,” she greeted happily, straddling his waist and leaning down to give him a proper kiss on the lips.

He looked up at her confusingly, mind still ladened with sleep. “Is this a dream?” he honestly wondered, furrowing his brows.

Caitlin giggled cutely. “No,” she whispered amusingly, stealing another short kiss. “Why? Is this what happens in your dreams?”

Barry cheekily smiled as he lifted his hands to her waist, letting them wander down and over her bottom. “Sometimes, though usually you’re not wearing so many layers,” he pointed out, eyeing the blue satin cami and shorts she was currently wearing.

She bit her lip, trying not to laugh. “What am I going to do with you, Mr. Allen?” she asked, shaking her head humorously.

“You could give your husband another kiss, Dr. Snow-Allen,” he stated, pointing to his puckered lips.

She rolled her eyes, but complied, sliding her lips expertly over Barry’s. The speedster immediately deepened it, pulling her closer, forcing her body to fall flush against his own. Her already pert nipples poked through the thin fabric of her blouse, grazing his chest and eliciting a heightened groan from both of them.

Placing a hand on her back for support, Barry then flipped them over, laying his wife gently on their soft bed as he hovered over her. He stopped for a moment, however, taking in her beauty. There was just something about her lately that seemed to have her glowing, and their dark sheets against her pristine skin was only amplifying that radiance further.

“What?” she asked, her tone giving away to her brief self-consciousness.

He happily smiled down at her, eyes soft as he regarded her. “Nothing,” he insisted, leaning down to press a kiss on her lips before trailing his lips down her neck and over the swell of her breast. “I’m just the luckiest guy in the world,” he told before lifting her night shirt up and over her head.

…

“Merry Christmas to me,” Barry let out, panting as he rolled off his wife, spent. “That was your Christmas gift, right? Because I really wouldn’t mind.”

Caitlin let out a booming laugh. “No,” she said, shaking her head, crawling into her husband’s arms. “This hadn’t been my intention when I was waking you up,” she admitted, drawing lazy circles on his bare chest.

Barry turned his head to look at his wife properly. “And what had been your intention?” he asked, tucking her hair behind her ear and caressing her cheek delicately.

She smiled contently, leaning into Barry’s hand. “I wanted to give you your present,” she told him, kissing the inside of his wrist.

“This early?” he asked surprisingly, knowing it was only just past 7 in the morning. “Look who’s impatient now?” Barry teased, referring to previous Christmases when he was the one impatient to give Caitlin her gift.

“I’ll be right back,” she whispered, detangling herself from Barry’s hold.

He watched happily as his naked wife reached down to steal his shirt from the floor and then scurry out of their bedroom excitedly.

To waste time, Barry reached down to grab his boxer briefs, putting them back on. Just as he hoisted up his briefs, Caitlin came back into the room, holding a rectangular-shaped box with Mendel following after her.

“Here we go,” she said, crawling back on the bed. “Come on, Mend,” she hollered, hitting the mattress to indicate to the dog to jump up. Barry raised an eyebrow at the action. “I want us all to be here when you open the gift,” she explained once she noticed his questioning expression.

Barry shrugged off the weirdness, taking the bag from Caitlin. She seemed so excited, her eyes so big and starry, that it was rubbing off on him as he tore through the gift wrap eagerly.

He popped off the lid of the box, but furrowed his brows as he looked at his gift. It was a simple, white t-shirt, really. However, it was what was printed on the shirt that puzzled him: “World’s Best Dad”.

“Wow…” he let out simply, smiling (though a tad forced due to his confusion) to not upset his wife. It wasn’t until he noticed Mendel laying peacefully on the bed that the gift finally clicked. His smile turned a little more genuine. “I am a great dad, aren’t I, buddy,” he asked the dog, scratching it behind the ears. 

The speedster then picked up the shirt to get a better look at it, but heard something fall back into the box. Setting the shirt aside to see what it was, Barry immediately froze. There, laying in front of him was a pregnancy test with a positive sign staring right up at him.

Barry covered his mouth in awe, feeling pressure building behind his eyes. He couldn’t look away from it. He couldn’t believe it. He was going to be a dad – an actual dad – with a baby that was going to have half his genes. Barry couldn’t help but wonder who the child take after more, like if they would have her nose or his. A whole assortment of possibilities about what the kid would look and be like were blurring though his mind and he fell in love with each one of them.

“Barry,” his wife’s loving voice spoke, breaking him out of his ravine. He looked over at her, a lone, but happy tear escaping his eye. “You’re not mad I waited to tell you, are you?”

He immediately shook his head. “No. No, of course not,” he assured her, smiling so brightly up at her as he cupped her face into his hands. “We’re gonna have a baby?”

The corner of Caitlin’s lips lifted high. “Yeah, we’re going to have a baby,” she confirmed softly, raising her hands to rest against his own.

Barry let out a shaky breath, a few more happy tears falling. “This is the best Christmas gift ever,” he told her sincerely, before giving his wife a kiss that he hoped poured all his love for her and their unborn child in it.

He laughed happily as he rested his forehead against Caitlin’s. “How far long are you?”

She rubbed her nose gently against his. “Almost 2 months,” she told him. “But I’ve only known for a couple weeks.”

He nodded gently against her, his whole body bursting with joy and love. He was going to have a child in 7 months and he couldn’t be more excited. “I love you,” he told her, backing on a fraction away to give her a lingering kiss on her forehead.

“I love you too,” Caitlin said watery, fighting her own happy tears.

Barry looked down at her still flat stomach, running a curious hand over it. He then lifted Caitlin’s shirt up to expose her stomach, kissing the space above her belly button. “And I love you too,” he whispered to the growing child inside her belly. “So, so, so much.”

Chapter Text

Barry woke up to a nudge to his shoulder. The speedster hummed out, eyes still firmly shut. "Five more minutes, Cait." A small, child-like giggle then erupted next to him, and he instantly knew who had woken him up.

Smiling to himself, Barry opened his eyes only to enlarge them comically wide. "Caitlin, you've shrunk?!" he exclaimed dramatically, holding his little girl by the waist as he tickled her sides.

Little laughter bubbled in the air of his bedroom, bringing a broad smile to his face as he listened to her 4-year-old innocence. "No, Daddy," she told him in between laughs. "It's Nora," she proclaimed, her cute little face scrunching up in laughter in just the same manner as her mother's did.

"Ohhhhh," Barry let out, as if he just considered the possibility, though to be fair, his daughter really was the splitting image of his wife, especially at this age. "Well, what's my Nora Elizabeth doing up so early?" he questioned.

"It's CHRISTMAS!" she yelled, jumping up excitedly on his bed.

"And did Santa come?!" he asked, drumming up his voice to sound just as excited as her.

Nora eagerly nodded her head. "Yes! And he ate ALL of the cookies," she told him, mouth opened in shock. "He must have been REALLY hungry."

Barry chuckled, rubbing his belly subconsciously. They had left a lot of cookies out for 'Santa,' but it was nothing when it came to a speedster with high metabolism. "He must have really loved them," Barry told her.

"Can we open presents now?!" she asked, batting her little green eyes (the only things she seemed to physically inherit from Barry) at him. "Pleaseeee?"

"We have to wait for Mommy," he said, looking around, trying to look or hear for his wife. "Where is Mommy, Niz?"

"Bathroom," she told him simply, plopping down on the mattress.

Barry got up from his bed, helping his little girl down too. "How about I get Mommy, while you and Mendel wait by the tree, okay?" Nora happily nodded, immediately running down the stairs. "No opening any present yet though! Or Santa's not going to be happy," he yelled after her, chuckling at her enthusiasm.

The speedster then walked over to their master bathroom, easily opening the door. And there she was, sexily wrapped up in only a towel, brushing her teeth at the sink. Their eyes met in the mirror, both grinning.

"Good morning," Caitlin said through the reflection. "Nora wake you up?" she asked amusingly, before finishing up her teeth.

Barry came up behind her, wrapping his arms around his wife, chuckling into her neck. "Was that your doing?" he asked, smelling the lavender scent from her body wash still fresh on her skin as he placed kisses along her bare shoulder.

After rinsing her toothbrush, she turned into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck. "She wanted to wake up her Daddy," Caitlin told him softly, running her hands soothingly along the nap of his neck. "Where is she anyway?"

"Downstairs, waiting," Barry said distractingly, eyeing his wife endearingly before he couldn't wait any longer, kissing her delicately. "Mmm, minty fresh," he mused as they pulled away.

Caitlin chuckled. "I wish I could say the same," she teased. Barry playfully frowned, causing the bio-chemist to roll her eyes affectionately but give him another kiss. "Happy?" she asked.

He nodded, smiling against her lips, but his eyes lit with a little mischievous as he his fingers trailed over the edges her the towel.

"No," Caitlin told him, batting at his hand, though her eyes showed reluctance. "Our daughter is waiting for us downstairs, most likely very impatiently, knowing who her father is," she said, eyeing her husband knowingly.

Barry pouted, but backed away from his wife's embrace. Staying any closer to her would be too tempting at this point.

Caitlin shook her head fondly, but smiled. "Later…" she whispered, her words like velvet, before exiting the bathroom to go back to their bedroom and get changed.

Quickly brushing his teeth, Barry then jogged downstairs, finding his daughter sitting in the living room by her presents.

"Daddy!" she running up into his arms when she saw him. "Where's Mommy?"

"She'll be down in a second, Niz," he told her, setting her back down on the ground. Mendel then came over to him, wagging his tail as he greeted his owner good morning. "Hey, buddy," he welcomed the dog, petting him absentmindedly as he waited for Caitlin.

"Did Santa get Mendel presents too?" Nora asked, standing by the dog. "Because he's been a very good doggie," she proclaimed, kissing the white husky on its head.

Barry laughed at how adorable the scene was. "Yup, Santa got something for Mendel too. But we'll open up his some other time."

A minute later, Caitlin entered the living room, donning a creamy sweater dress that made him just want to cuddle her close to him. She received much of the same greeting from Nora as he had once the little tike noticed that she had entered the room. "Can I open my presents now, Mommy?" she asked, bouncing up and down.

His personal physician brushed back her daughter's head affectionately. "Of course, baby, go ahead," she said, causing the young girl to squeal in delight as she picked up her first present.

Caitlin walked over to him, settling herself against him on the couch. He smiled at her contently, bending down to give her a peck. "Mmm, minty fresh," she said, causing him to laugh and give her another small kiss just because.

They then rested their heads against each other, both watching their daughter ripping through the wrapping paper and happily receiving clothes and toys.

"I think I'm done," Nora said, looking wide-eyed at Barry and Caitlin, a mountain of wrapping paper surrounding her on the floor.

The couple chuckled, nodding to each other. "I think there's one more, Niz," Barry said as he and Caitlin got up from the couch, making their way to the back porch.

The little girl followed her parents curiously. When she stepped outside, she immediately noticed the little tricycle on the deck, her whole face lighting up and glowing as she admired the baby blue bike with ribbons hanging off the handles. "Can I ride it?!" she asked, jumping up and down.

"Not yet," Caitlin said, dampening the little girl's spirits momentarily. "Wait until after breakfast. Okay, baby?"

The little girl perked up a little, smiling at her mother. "Okay, Mommy."

Caitlin leaned down, becoming eye-level with her daughter. "Now, what do you want for breakfast?"

Nora's face became animated again. "PANCAKES," she exclaimed. "Can I help? I want to make mine look like a snowman."

"Of course, Nora," Caitlin said, guiding her daughter back indoors.

Barry followed his two girls into the kitchen – Mendel trailing along too in hopes for scrapes. He watched them all from the entrance for a few moments, his heart swelling at the sight of his little family, unbelieving how his life had changed over the years – it all starting with Cait.

"You gonna help, hon?" Caitlin asked over her shoulder, noticing him in the doorway.

He smiled, walking over to his wife, laying a lingering kiss on her lips. He then reached down to pick up his little girl and kissed her delicately on the side of the head. "What do you need me to do?"

Chapter Text

"Daddy!" a young Nora Elizabeth Allen called out to her father when she saw him walk by her bedroom.

Barry poked his head into the slightly opened door, brandishing a goofy expression that made his little girl laugh, causing the speedster's own heart to melt. He then entered her room and sat down on her bed, patting Mendel who was lying at the bottom. "What are you still doing up, Niz?" he asked the 5-year-old gently.

Nora quickly brandished a folded piece of paper from behind her pillow and gave it to him. "Christmas is coming soon and I wrote a letter to Santa," she told him. "You have to make sure you give it to him," she continued, her tone so serious for someone her size that it made Barry want to chuckle.

"I promise, I will give it to Santa as soon as possible," Barry told her, adopting her serious tone.

Nora smiled her million-watt smile towards him, something Caitlin said she had inherited from him. "Thank you, Daddy."

Barry reached over and pulled her blankets a little higher up on her body before placing a kiss on her forehead. "Now get some rest, honey," he said. "It's late."

"Okay." And like the good girl she was, she promptly snuggled in her bed and closed her eyes.

…

Barry walked into his bedroom, seeing Cait already lounging on the bed, reading a book by her bedside lamp. Noticing his presence in the room, she looked up, but only to see him laughing to himself.

"What are you so amused about?" she asked with a curious grin, bookmarking her book and placing it on the stand.

Her husband got into their bed, showing off a folded piece of printer paper in his hands. "Delivery for Santa," he merely said as he passed the note to her, making himself more comfortable under the covers before turning on his side to look at her, head propped up by his hand.

She looked at him, studying his face with playful narrow eyes, trying to gauge from his amusement what their little girl could have possibly asked for this time. "She didn't ask for another pony again, now did she?" she joked.

Barry slowly shook his head, a wide, genuine smile spreading across his fast as he regarded her. "Read it," he lightly prompted her.

Slowly she unfolded the paper and began reading Nora's little kindergarten scrawl.

After reading the short letter to Santa, Caitlin's hand went to her mouth. She wasn't sure if she should laugh or cry at the adorableness of the letter. "She wants a little baby brother or sister," she whispered out, a chuckle escaping her lips while a lone tear shed from her eyes - and darn, she did both.

Barry reached over to whip the tear away for her. "It has been five years," he mentioned. "I know when we first got married we said we wanted more than one, but I can understand if that's changed for you."

Caitlin immediately shook her head. "No," she let out, her voice clogged with heavy emotion, "I've always wanted more, but I think I just wanted to see how Nora developed before we tried again," she shared, offering a shrug. "You know, being the parents of two vastly different metahuman genes…"

"And she's perfect," Barry told his wife, his eyes so soft that she felt that she could swim in them for an eternity.

She nodded, laughing lightly. "She is, she really is."

"So…is Santa sending Nora a letter back saying he's working on it," Barry asked, a wolfish grin manifesting as he leaned up and over Caitlin's body delicately.

Caitlin scrunched up her nose. "That sounds so wrong," she said with a giggle as her hands went up and under his shirt just enough to tease the lines of his abs. "Is this going to be Santa's kid?" she teased her husband.

Barry playfully shook his head before leaning down and peppering kisses along her neck, sucking gently. "Mine, mine, mine," he whispered huskily against her skin.

Caitlin's hands clenched at his sides as her arousal sparked, her hips lifting just enough off the mattress to graze against his own, causing her husband to let out a low moan.

The speedster leaned back, watching Caitlin with her hair fanned along the pillow and her chest rising and falling with slightly erratic breath - she was a vision, and he never could get over how he was so lucky to have her. "Is this it? Are we going to start trying?" he questioned hopefully.

She nodded her head. "I want to start trying," she confirmed.

The million-watt smile that she says Nora inherited from him shone on his own face. He leaned down to kiss her fully on the lips, his mouth still spread too wide in his glee to properly pucker up. "I love you," he told her, rubbing his nose against her own.

"I love you too," she answered back lovingly.

"Now, down to business," Barry said, leaning back to take his shirt off, causing Caitlin to let out a hark of laughter, joining to help him moments after to push and slide off the remainder of their clothes.

Chapter Text

Barry woke in his seat with a start, having heard the gentle cry of their newborn, Nathaniel Martin Allen. He hurried up and gently scoped up his baby boy from his resting place, chancing a glance at his wife in her hospital bed, sighing in relief when he saw that she was still fast asleep and had not heard the wails of their son just yet.

The speedster rocked the child in his arms tenderly to calm him down, talking to him lowly, hoping the sound of his voice would soothe Nathaniel like it had for Nora when she was first born. Soon enough the cries did soften, and when Nate's silence persisted, Barry sat back down in his seat next to Caitlin's bed, coddling Nate close to his chest, watching his son peer right back up at him with so much curiosity and wonder.

A sense of overwhelming, unconditional love swelled up inside of him by just looking at this small little person in his arms - another piece of his and Caitlin's love personified. Barry could already make out that their son shared a little more of his features, like the darkness of his hair and the shape of his lips, but he still looked resoundly like Caitlin, nearly having the same hue of brown eyes, and Barry honestly could care less. Grinning uncontrollably with happy tears welling in his eyes, he brought the boy closer to him, laying careful kisses on his nearly bald head, trying to outpour as much love to him as he could. He was perfect, just like his sister.

"My favorite boys," a groggily voice spoke, spiking Barry's heart rate with surprise only to remain elevated when his gaze met Caitlin's beautiful opened eyes, who were watching him and their son with tenderness and love.

Barry's smile increased. "Good morning," he said, getting up from his seat with Nate still snuggled close to his body as he leaned over her bed and placed a delicate kiss on her lips. "You look beautiful, Cait."

Caitlin frowned. "I don't feel beautiful," she admitted wearily. "I feel worn and tired and sweaty."

"I dig the sweaty look," Barry told her with a sly grin. "I mean, how else were the kids made?" he said with a shrug, chuckling as Caitlin rolled her eyes at him.

"That's besides the point," she said as she reached out her arms. "Can I have my baby?"

The man complied to his wife's wish and handed over little Nate to his mother. Caitlin's face immediately softened as she held her son and gazed down into Nate's wide brown eyes, and Barry could only think that Caitlin was feeling what he was moments before.

"Our little Christmas gift," Caitlin murmured, letting her one index finger be held by their little boy's mighty grip, her eyes welling up with happiness, just like his were.

"More like Nora's Christmas gift, remember?" Barry brought up with a laugh, letting his one arm rest comfortingly around his wife's shoulders as he reached out to stroke his son's chubby cheek with his free hand.

Caitlin's playfully groaned. "I can't believe we actually had him on Christmas Eve," she confessed. "The little man arrived early - I guess he's not taking after his father in that aspect."

"Hey!" Barry let out, pretending to be offended by the statement.

Caitlin shook her head at her husband just as a knock sounded on her door. "Are we allowing visitors?" Joe asked, poking his head through the entryway.

His wife softly smiled at her father-in-law. "Of course," she breathed out.

"Wally and Iris are on their way over; they can't wait to see their nephew," Joe told them as he entered the room with an unnaturally shy Nora trailing behind him, hiding behind her Grandpa's leg. "Oh, Barr...Caitlin... he's beautiful," Joe expressed once his eyes landed on his new grandchild.

The speedster ducked his head sheepishly but he couldn't deny that him and Caitlin made very cute kids. Barry chuckled as he walked over to Joe. "Thanks, Joe," he expressed, bringing the older man, a man who he essentially considered his father, into a hug.

Barry then bent down to reach Nora, getting to her level. "What're you doing there, Niz? Don't you want to see your new baby brother?"

She moved her head out from Joe's leg to look at her father, her green eyes looking a bit lost and scared. "What if he doesn't like me?" she whispered to Barry, biting down on her lower lip, troubled; the small idiosyncrasy only made her resemble her mother even more, pulling at Barry's heart strings tenfold.

Barry's face caved at her vulnerability, but tried smiling encouragingly at his daughter, his gaze gentle. "Come here," he asked of her, motioning for her to step into his arms.

She timidly looked up at her Grandpa Joe, who nodded his consent, before she walked slowly to her dad. But once in his arms, she clung to him like a koala, causing Barry to chuckle as he kissed her tenderly on the head, wrapping his arms around her securely as he stood up.

He walked the two of them back to Caitlin's bedside. "Look, sweetie, see, it's your brother," he told her.

She raised her head from the space between his neck and shoulder, daring to look at her younger sibling. Her eyes looked at the baby in her mother's arms, her face very contemplative. "What's his name?" she eventually asked.

"Nathaniel," Caitlin supplied, grinning happily.

"Na-Naph-Naphanel?" she tried, frowning since she knew she didn't say it right.

The grown-ups in the room all laughed in adoration.

"You can call him Nate, if that's easier," Barry supplied. "I call him that like I call you Niz - it's a nickname."

"Nate," she tested out, beaming when she was able to say that correctly.

"Do you want to hold him, sweetie?" Caitlin asked their daughter.

Nora's eyes immediately widened in excitement, looking at both him and Caitlin before nodding her head enthusiastically.

"Okay then," Barry said as he gently placed Nora on the seat nearby. He then turned, picking up Nate from Caitlin and pivoting back to face his daughter. "Now, Niz," he began, his tone serious and stern, conveying to her that this was a serious matter, "You have to be really careful, okay?"

Her cute little face scrunched down in determination, nodding. "Yes, daddy," she said, nodding in determination.

"Hold out your arms like Daddy is," he said, which she complied to, mimicking his position perfectly. "Alright," he said, transferring Nate into Nora's arms. "Remember to hold his head securely," he told her, helping her adjust her positioning just a little bit before taking a step back.

Just looking at the two, Barry could feel the emotions inside of him rising and bubbling. His Nora looked so big, holding her little brother, yet still so young, with her feet dangling off the edge, nowhere near touching the ground. His hand was then suddenly taken by his wife's, squeezing it lovingly as they both watched their kids interact for the first time.

"Did Santa leave you good presents, Nora?" Caitlin asked their daughter, knowing that the little girl had been impatiently waiting for Christmas for weeks for precisely that.

Joe cleared his throat. "She said she wanted to wait for you guys to come back home," he told them, shock evident in his own voice, knowing how his granddaughter usually was about it.

"That true, Nora?" Caitlin wondered.

The little girl nodded her head, but her eyes remaining fully on her brother, obviously taking her duty very seriously. "You always see me open my presents," Nora said simply.

"And now I guess we'll see you open them up this year again," Barry said, leaning down to kiss Nora on top of her head. "Thanks for waiting, honey - that means a lot to me and Mommy," he told her and she shyly smiled back up at them, proud of herself.

"What about Nate?" she then asked, her face suddenly becoming troubled. "Did Santa get him anything?"

Barry internally panicked, turning to his wife with wide eyes. Caitlin merely shrugged helplessly. They hadn't expected Nate to show up for another couple weeks. "I...guess we'll have to see," Barry settled on saying. "But if not, we'll make sure to get him something for sure, alright?"

Nora nodded her head before looking down at her brother. "Nate, if Santa didn't leave you any presents, you can have one of mine, okay?"

Barry's heart nearly melted from the cute exchange, and with one glance to Caitlin and Joe, he knew he wasn't alone in thinking that. If not melt, he felt like his heart at least grew double its size by watching his two kids. He just felt so full and content.

"That's really sweet, Nora," Caitlin said lovingly. "You're going to be such a good big sister."

And as Nora continued holding her brother, with Joe standing by happily watching his two grandkids, Barry turned to Caitlin, watching her watch their kids, her expression so soft and content that it made him want to crawl into her hospital bed and hug her forever.

Sensing his gaze, his wife turned her attention from their children to his curiously. "What?" she let out tenderly, her face breaking out into a bemused smile as he continued to stare at her.

He leant down, grinning as he rested his forehead against hers, their noses bumping fondly. He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear before caressing her cheek softly in his hand. He then quietly thanked her, for everything - for being in his life, for marrying him, for being so brave and strong, for providing him with a daughter and now a son. "Just thank you, Cait," he expressed breathily, his smile a tad wobbly as silent tears escaped his eyes.

A laugh bubbled from her lips as she tried to wipe some of the tears away from his face, only to begin crying herself. "Thank you too, Barry," she whispered between them before laying a lingering kiss against his lips, one that told him that she was feeling everything that he was - all the happiness and the thankfulness and the love. "Best Christmas ever," she said against his lips, giggling.

He chuckled as he lightly nodded his head. "Yes, best Christmas ever."

Chapter Text

"Remember, you have to be quiet," Caitlin heard her husband whisper from outside her bedroom door in her half-asleep state. She was all set to ignore it but the door squeaked open with soft pads of feet accompanying it, who only could have been her children. She feigned asleep just to see what they were up to, knowing that if Barry was with him, it was bound to be mischievous.

"1-2-3," Barry counted quietly before shouting, "Kiss attack!"

The bed was then bounced on by her family, rocking her in her place, and she was soon smothered by Barry and her kids who were peppering her with kisses all of her face - she squealed happily, her heart bursting with affection for each one of them.

"Alright, let Mommy breath," Barry instructed, chuckling as he leaned back, with Nora following suit.

But it was Nate who stayed on top of Caitlin, giggling away and spewing out nonsensical words in excitement, something the doctor could only fawn at. She sat up, balancing Nate on her lap. "You still want to give Mommy kisses?" she asked the now 1-year boy.

Nate smiled at his mother before puckering up and clumsily climbing up from his mother's lap to give her a sloppy, wet kiss near the lips. Caitlin's eyes crinkled as she smiled down at her little boy.

"Mom, Mom, Mommy!" Nora then hollered, vying for her attention.

Caitlin looked from her youngest to her oldest. "Yes, sweetie?"

Nora's eyes grew wide with excitement. "There's sooooo many presents downstairs! Can we open them?" she asked, clasping her hands together and pleading with her with those same puppy-dog eyes that Barry had. "Pleaseeee?"

She could almost never say no to those eyes. "Of course," Caitlin said, throwing her blankets off. "Go on, I'll be down in a second," she told the 7-year old, who didn't have to be told twice before she catapulted off the bed and flew out of the room.

Caitlin chuckled as she slid out of the bed, hoisting Nate securely on her hip. "I swear," she said, watching the doorway where her daughter just sped through, "If she went any faster, I'd think she'd have your speed already."

So far neither of the children experienced any signs of manifesting either or both of their powers, but Caitlin had a theory, or rather a slight suspicion, that when they reached puberty, something would give.

Barry rounded the bed, meeting her and immediately wrapping his arms around her waist. "Nora running as fast as me?" he questioned the possibility, his face slowly morphing into horror. "That sounds like a nightmare," he admitted before chuckling and kissing her sweetly. "Merry Christmas," he said as they separated.

"Merry Christmas," she said back to him dreamily, their faces still so close that their eyelashes were flickering over the other's, her free hand tracing the outlines of his chest through his shirt. "So...what did you get me for Christmas this year?"

"I'll be under the Christmas tree soon enough," he remarked, smirking as the hands that had been at her waist slid down lower and lower until they ghosted over her rear.

She snorted, letting her head rest against Barry's shoulder. "You're going to do that right in front of our son?" she teased, adjusting the oblivious boy on her hip since he was beginning to slip.

Barry sheepishly shrugged. "He can't see, and even if he could, he's not going to remember it. Do you remember anything from when you were one?"

Caitlin merely pursed her lips, shaking her head humorously.

"What?" Barry let out, his tone full of laughter. "Honestly, if he did remember this, I think it would be a positive influence - it shows just how much his Daddy loves his Mommy," he said before pressing another kiss to her mouth.

"Smooth," she expressed as they broke the kiss, rolling her eyes at him fondly.

Her husband turned to their son. "Mommy's hot, right, buddy?" he asked Nate, running his fingers up the boy's tummy and enticing a giggle. "See?" Barry then said, turning to her. "Nate gets it."

She lightly swatted at him. "Barry!" she tried to scold, but the smile that she was trying to fight back was breaking through her facade.

He silently laughed to himself, pressing his body against hers as much as he could without squishing Nate. "You still love me?"

She sighed, her smile soft as her free hand swept over the hair at the back of his head. "Always," she answered, and this time she initiated the kiss, deepening it ever so slightly.

"Not again!" a voice then rang out, interrupting the kiss and causing the two parents to turn around to find their little girl looking at them impatiently with her face all scrunched up and arms crossed. "Kiss later! We have more important things happening, like presents!" she exclaimed.

Barry and Caitlin both looked at each other before they fell into giggles. But, nevertheless, the couple followed their daughter down the stairs and to the living room to finally open up all the presents from Santa.

Chapter Text

After finishing up breakfast, Barry and Caitlin retreated to the living room, wanting some time to themselves. Under the pretense of watching tv, a Hallmark Christmas movie was playing. However, it was going on unwatched since the couple were instead tangled up on the couch, exchanging soft, languid kisses and touches.

"Mooooooom!?" she heard Nora yell from somewhere in the house.

Barry and Caitlin pulled back from their embrace enough for their eyes to connect, laughing once they did.

"You're being called," Barry pointed out, plopping a kiss on her forehead.

A soft grin swept across her face at the small gesture. "Yes, I heard," she noted, sitting up and giving her husband a pat on his leg. "In the living room!" Caitlin hollered back into the general vicinity of the house as she tried to straighten her appearance a little before their daughter came rushing in.

Suddenly, both of the parents heard the patter of Nora's feet running towards the living room. "Mom!" she exclaimed as she made her entrance, socked feet sliding along the hardwood floors with her face so bright with happy eagerness; it was in these moments that Caitlin could plainly see just how much alike she was to Barry, despite looking more like her little clone.

"What is it, Nora?"

"Do you want to build a snowman?!" she eagerly asked, practically jumping in place.

Next to her, Barry snorted.

She flicked a displeased look at her husband while elbowing him discreetly. "Did your Daddy tell you to ask that?" she inquired.

Nora furrowed her eyebrows, looking confused. "No...why?"

She waved her hand at it. "It's just a very old joke your father and Uncle Cisco insist is still funny," Caitlin quickly explained, forcing a grin on her face before her eyes looked at Barry pointedly.

The speedster had his lips pressed down tightly, clearly trying to constrain himself from laughing. "You know, honey, you really need to let it go," he said semi-seriously before breaking his facade by laughing.

Caitlin rolled her eyes as she got up from the couch, making her way to her daughter. "We can build a snowman if you want, but we have to do it now since Uncle Cisco will be here soon to pick you guys up," she told her, running her hand down Nora's hair. "Remember? He's taking you guys out for the day."

"On it! I'm going to get Nate!" she excitedly said before scurrying up the stairs where her brother was.

As Nora left the room, Caitlin turned back to Barry. "You going to help too, Olaf?" she asked dryly.

Barry jumped giddily to his feet, his hands snaking around his wife's waist. "I would love to, my dear Elsa," he said, kissing the tip of her scrunched up nose.

She groaned, but her sour mood couldn't last long with his contagious grin, involuntarily making the corners of her lips slowly inch upward. "Remind me why I keep you around?" she asked as she draped her arms around his neck.

"Because," he began, leaning in close, his lips hovering over her ear. He then proceeded to whisper the very naughty things he wanted to do to her once the kids left with Cisco.

Caitlin felt flustered as he finished, her whole body feeling impossibly hot and tingly, knowing red splotches were probably scattered all throughout her body. "Santa is going to put you on the naughty list," she teased laughingly, and a bit breathlessly, since she was still trying to recover from her husband's whispers.

His beautiful green eyes were a shade darker, swirled with a hint of mischief. "I think I can live with that," he told her, lips curling into a smirk as his hands descended from her waist to the back of her jean pockets. "When is Cisco getting here again?" he asked, his tone veily hinting towards his impatience and desperation

A laugh bubbled up her throat as she let her head fall against his chest. "Soon...soon," she promised in amusement, patting his chest lightly, as if placating him.

"Mom! Dad!" they then heard their children shout, prompting Barry to tear his hands from her back pockets with his lightning fast reflexes just as Nora and Nate ran into the living room. "Come on!"

.

After collecting some essentials around the house to accessorize the snowmen they were going to create, the Allen family made their way out to the back-yard, all bundled up in their winter clothes.

"How do we want to do this?" Caitlin asked Nora, since this had been her idea after all.

"Me and Mom vs. Nate and Dad!" she exclaimed.

"Ooh, so a little Boys vs. Girls type thing, huh? Well, boys are definitely going to win this one, right Nate?" Barry said, turning to his almost 5-year-old son, holding out his hand for a high-five.

"Yes!" Nate exclaimed with a wide-toothed grin, slapping his little hand against his father's. "Girls are poopy!"

"Hey!" Caitlin let out, exaggeratedly frowning towards her son.

"Except for Mommy," he quickly amended, to which the doctor merely chuckled at. "But Nora is still poopy!"

"You're poopy!" she fired back. "And we're going to beat you!"

"Guys," Barry cut in right before Caitlin was about to, "if you can't be nice to each other, we're not going to make snowmen at all."

The two instantly quietened, guilty expressions appearing on both of their faces. "Sorry," they both mumbled, and taking one look at Barry, she knew he too could hardly stand their cuteness, but the parents' expressions remained neutral.

"Alright," Caitlin ushered after a few moments. "And then maybe when Uncle Cisco comes by later to pick you up, he'll decide who the winner is, yeah?"

Everyone agreed, and Nate and Nora both scurried to opposite sides of the yard to start building their snowmen, leaving just Caitlin and Barry.

The speedster looked her up and down, sizing her up. "No using frost, missy."

"Then no speed, mister," she responded back with a curt nod.

He shrugged. "Fine."

"Fine," she said breezingly, before standing up on her tippy toes to place a gentle kiss on his lips. "Good luck, but you are going down," she said as she pulled back, smirking and eyes twinkling as she slapped him lightly on the ass before backing away impishly.

Barry's eyes followed her, especially zeroing in on the sway of her hips. "You're on the naughty list," he mouthed to her, shaking his head in good-natured disbelief, causing the doctor to giggle.

"What's funny, Mom?" the young girl innocently asked upon her mother's arrival.

Caitlin tore her gaze from her husband to her daughter. "Nothing sweetie," she said, dismissing it. "Let's win this snowman contest!"

Nora's face broke out into one of glee. "Yeah!"

.

20 minutes later, both teams were still working on their own snowmen.

"Mom?" Nora called out as Caitlin placed the snowman's head securely on top of its body.

"Yes, sweetie?"

Nora's lips pulled downwards. "Our snowman is falling apart," she pointed out glumly, and when Caitlin looked towards the bottom, she saw that their foundation, the snowman's base, was beginning to falter under the weight of the rest of it.

"Oh," Caitlin let out, frowning. "Well…let's try..." she began, picking up nearby snow to try and compact the clumps and sturdy it up again, but the base only sank further.

Nora leaned down. "Use your cold, mommy," she whispered inconspicuously.

Caitlin cocked her head to the side. "That would be cheating…" she said, looking at her daughter adamantly.

"Pleaseeee," she said, jutting out her lower lip and widening those precious green eyes of hers - Barry's darn eyes.

She sighed. "Fine," she gave in, and Nora clapped her mittened hands together gleefully.

Caitlin looked discreetly behind her shoulder at her husband and son. Barry was lifting Nate up so that the little guy could put the head on top of the snowman. Her face broke out into a loving grin, a warmth spreading through her chest at the adorable scene; her love for her boys exponentially growing.

"Mom," Nora quietly stressed, reminding her why she was looking in the first place. 

"Right, right. Sorry," she said, guiltily. Getting back on track, Caitlin figured the boys were still preoccupied, so she deemed it safe enough to let frost emancipate from her fingertips, glossing over the snow and making it sturdier.

"Hey, hey, hey!" she then heard Barry holler from behind her, and she winced - busted!

She turned around innocently enough, plastering on a pleasant smile. "Yes, honey?"

Barry chuckled. "Oh, don't 'yes, honey' me. I saw you! You were cheating. You were using your powers!"

"I wasn't making snow...I - I was just...securing the structure…" she tried to justify herself, lamely, at that.

"That's still cheating," he roused tauntingly.

She pursed her lips and cross her arms. "Well you cheated too. Don't think I didn't see you guys building that snowman a little faster than usual, Bartholomew."

Barry scowled, turning to his son. "Uh, oh. She called me by my full name."

Little Nate's face scrunched up. "Your name is Fart-hulu-moo?" The girls immediately giggled.

The speedster frowned, shaking his head at his son. "No, it's bahr-thol-uh-myoo," he stressed, phonetically pronouncing the name.

"I don't know," Caitlin spoke up, gaining her husband's attention again, pressing her tongue to her cheek, amused, "I kind of like the way Nate said you name. I think it's more apt."

"Oh yeah?"

Caitlin looked him dead in the eyes. "Yes," she said with a quirk of her lips, while Barry looked on at her with a smirk of his own, and knowing by the mischievous rise of his eyebrows and the wicked glint in his eyes, he was planning something. "Barry," Caitlin started with warning, "Don't. You. Dare," she said each word punctually, but it only seemed to spur the speedster into action.

"Ahhh," she yelped with laughter when she saw Barry take off into a sprint. She scurried away as best as she could before easily being captured and tackled to the snowy ground.

"Gotcha," Barry said, sprawled out on top of her, a dopey grin spread wide across his face.

She playfully rolled her eyes. "It was hardly a challenge since you used your super speed."

His grin turned cheeky. "Well you're such a catch, it was hard not to."

Caitlin let her head fall back against the snow. "That was beyond corny," she groaned, but soon erupted into a fit of laughter as he tickled her sides, his smile only growing bigger the more she laughed. "Barry.." she said though the tickles, panting, "Bar-ry, st-o-p."

"Okay, okay," he conceded, chuckling lightly as he seized his tickles. He watched her adoringly as she regained her breath, his eyes bright and full of only her. "God, I could listen to your laugh forever though," he told her, caressing her cheek.

She melted just as easily as the snow did on a hot, sunny day. "That was pretty corny too," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck, her nails grazing against his nape, slowly pulling him downwards. "But I think I'll let it slide."

He smirked, letting her pull him further, his eyes fluttering. "Oh you will, will you?"

"Mmhmm," she hummed out before Caitlin closed the distance between them completely. His lips were a tad cold from being outside for as long as they were, but they warmed up fast under the friction of their kiss. And as he opened his mouth and invited her in, it was like being wrapped up tightly in a comforter and place by the fire - so warm and comforting.

They tore apart after a few moments, giggling breathily against each other's mouths. "Urgh, when is Cisco getting here?" he asked again, his tone even more impatient and desperate than the last.

Caitlin snorted, but blushed, knowing exactly what her husband wanted to do the second the kids were off with their Uncle Cisco. And she couldn't blame him; her own libido was in overdrive.

"I'm right here," they heard Cisco say from nearby, making the couple jump at the sudden intrusion.

"Cisco!" Caitlin hollered in surprise as her and Barry scrambled to their feet, their faces as red as Barry's Flash suit.

Barry cleared his throat. "So are you ready to take the kids? They've been excited about visiting you."

Cisco looked his friends up and down, his amusement plain as day. "And I'm sure you're just as excited for them to be visiting me too."

If it was possible, Barry and Caitlin blushed even harder.

The mechanical engineer chuckled, taking pleasure in their embarrassment. "You know, I have to admit though, it's sweet - grossly sweet, mind you - but sweet that even after 12 years of marriage that you guys still want to jump each other's bones like that."

The couple briefly looked at each other, smiling awkwardly under their friend's gaze, but smiling proudly nonetheless. They were proud that their love had sustained villains and kids and time itself to the point that they were still head over heels crazy about each other like they were.

"What does 'jump each other's bones' mean?" Nora asked, catching all the adults off guard, having not heard her approaching.

"Cisco!" Caitlin chided, her nose flaring.

The mechanical engineer floundered for a moment. "Uh, it means, you know, kissing...and stuff…?" he let out unsurely, shrugging as he looked to his married friends helplessly.

"Ohhh," Nora drawled out, understanding taking over her features. "Yeah, Mom and Dad kiss A LOT," she shared, her nose twitching in disgust like most kids do about that sort of thing, causing all the adults to laugh.

"You guys ready for the best day ever!" Cisco exclaimed, quickly trying to change the subject, and Nora beamed, jumping up and down. Nate ran over and right into his Uncle's arms, shrieking with happiness as well.

"I think that's a yes," Caitlin commented with a giggle, watching the display so fondly.

Barry placed a gentle hand on her back as he turned to Cisco. "Let us know when you're about to bring them home."

Cisco shot them a knowing look. "Oh, trust me. I will give you plenty of notice, you two wild kids."

The married couple's faces colored, but nodded gratefully to their best friend nevertheless. "Thanks," Barry weakly let out, clearing his throat.

"Alright, let's get a move on," Cisco said, motioning for Nora to follow him, since Nate was still in his arms. "Earth 22 is da bomb! Seriously, you're going to love it," he told Nora, who giggled as the older man opened a breach to said Earth.

"Wait, Cisco!" Barry hollered out. Upon gaining his friend's attention, he had to ask. "Who won the Snowman contest?"

"Oh, that one's easy," he said flippantly. "Nora and Caitlin won," he answered before grabbing Nora's hand and diving into the breach.

As the breach closed, Caitlin turned to her husband with a smug, victorious smile overtaking her face. "I won," she sing-songed.

She saw Barry visibly trying to be upset, but under her gaze he crumbled. Instead, he laughed. "It's because you cheated," he playfully chided.

"It's karma for cracking those Frozen jokes earlier," she volleyed back.

"They weren't even that bad."

"Plus, you cheated too."

"For like half a second."

"Half a second is pretty darn long for a speedster, Fart-hulu-moo," she noted, purposely trying to get a rise out of him.

His eyebrows raised, a shocked smile pulling at his face. "You did not," he expressed exasperatedly, a similar wicked glint in his eyes from earlier resurfacing.

She bit down on her lip, backing away. "Oh, but I did," she said, scampering to the house as quickly as she could.

"Where are you going?" he hollered playfully. "You know I'm gonna catch you."

She stopped by the back-yard doorway, looking at her husband over her shoulder. "I know. I'm counting on it," she said with a wink, before running into the house, giggling as she felt the electricity and wind of Barry's speed almost immediately surround her as he sped them to their bedroom.

Today was going to be good one, indeed.

Chapter Text

It was a little after 2 o'clock in the morning on Christmas Day. The streets were deserted of people and the only cars visible were the vacant ones parked in people's driveways. The air was crisp, his breath coming out in short puffs as he secured his winter coat around his frame a little tighter as he walked up to his home, eager to be in his warm house after a tiring but successful Flash mission.

He quietly unlocked the door and stepped into his home, trying to keep his actions quiet so he didn't wake up Caitlin or the kids from their slumber. The whole place was nearly pitch black, but a stream of colorful light seemed to be coming from the living room on his right, which Barry quickly surmised was probably the Christmas tree lights still on.

"That's weird," Barry mumbled to himself, knowing Caitlin religiously shut the tree lights off before she went to bed every night. But maybe Nate had been a handful getting to bed and she forgot, he reasoned. So he went to go in and shut them off for her, knowing she'd appreciate it come morning.

However, as he entered the area, his eyes immediately saw his wife peacefully sleeping on the couch. Barry's lips instantly fell open into a tender smile as he knelt down by Caitlin side, admiring her as his heart bloomed. He swore every time he looked at her, he somehow loved her more than the last.

Her nose scrunched up and she moved ever so slightly in her sleep, causing a strand of her hair to fall onto her face. The speedster reached out to gently push it back to where it was, but the action unfortunately caused her to blearily open her eyes.

"Barry?" she groggily wondered, her eyes struggling to stay open to absolutely confirm it for herself.

"Yeah, it's me, Cait," he told her soothingly, reaching out to caress her face.

She dreamily smiled, feeling his touch. "What time is it?" she asked.

"A little after 2," he answered. "What are you still doing down here, honey? You should get to bed."

With all the energy she could muster, she sat up, rubbing at her eyes. "I - I was waiting for you," she told him, yawning.

Barry fondly chuckled at his wife, finding her utterly adorable, especially in this moment. "I can see," he said, glancing at her form on the couch, "but why?"

"Because...we always put the presents out together..." she told him, her speech still a bit laggy. "It's your favorite tradition...and I didn't want you to miss it."

Barry quickly looked over his shoulder at the tree, and it was only then did he realize that the presents were not there. He turned back to his wife, a rush of affection overcoming him. For someone whose powers could freeze things in an instant, she nearly melted him. "You're the best. You know that?" he told her before cupping her face with his hands, pressing his lips sweetly to her forehead.

"Mmm," she hummed out. "I've been told once or twice," she answered brazeningly with a small giggle, lifting her head to look him in the eye. The Christmas lights were being reflected back in her orbs, making their sparkle just a little more magical. "Plus, I wasn't going to eat all those cookies by myself," she joked, nodding to the plate on the coffee table that was still filled with chocolate chip cookies - the ones the kids had left out for Santa.

The speedster laughed. "Well, let's get to it then," Barry said, standing to his feet and holding out his hands to help Caitlin get up from the couch.

The duo then took the next several minutes lugging the presents out of the basement and then laying them out under the tree. One side of the tree was for Nora, while the opposite side was for little Nate's gifts. The center was for the few presents Barry and Caitlin had gotten each other.

Standing in front of the tree, admiring their work, Barry put an arm around his wife's shoulders, pulling her closer to his side. "We make quite the team," he commented.

"Because we're quite the pair," she added, craning her head to look at him with a blissful smile pulling at her lips.

Barry grinned back. "That we are," he agreed as he swooped down to lay a small peck against her mouth. "Now for the cookies!" he whispered excitingly against her lips.

Caitlin let her head fall to her husband's shoulder, chuckling amusingly. "I swear, this is your favorite tradition just because it gives you an excuse to pig out on cookies."

Barry let out a small laugh as he sat down next to the coffee table, tugging Caitlin's hand for her to join him. "I also like it because it gives me some quiet, quality time with my favorite person," he shared as she took a seat next to him.

Her eyes immediately softened as she squeezed his hand. "That's why it's my favorite too."

After a moment of staring into each other's eyes lovingly, Barry tore his gaze to look at the plate of cookies. "Plus," he began, plucking one of the circular desserts and taking a bite, "mmmm, you're cookies are to die for."

She giggled at the speedster. "Nora actually helped me make them tonight."

"Oh?" Barry inquired with a raised eyebrow as he polished off another cookie.

"She claimed she was old enough and was very insistent that she help," Caitlin detailed with a good-humored shake of her head. "She's actually quite good – she picked up on everything very quickly."

"Maybe we'll have a little baker in the family," Barry mused. "I'll gladly volunteer to test out all her concoctions if that's the case. For support purposes only, of course."

"Riiight," Caitlin said, her tone humorous but also colored with disbelief, "and not at all because you have a serious sweet tooth," she pointed out, lightly swatting Barry who was already on his 5th cookie while she was still munching on her 1st.

He smirked at her, shrugging his shoulder sheepishly. "Still love me?" he asked, his mouth still slightly full with the dessert.

Caitlin rolled her eyes, but reached out to wrap her one hand around his neck, playing with the hair there. "I will always love you, sweet tooth or not."

Barry beamed. "Good," he said, before letting out a yawn.

Caitlin eyed him. "I think it's time for bed," she said, getting up from the floor. "You haven't gotten any sleep yet, mister, and you know the kids will be waking us up in a couple hours for presents."

"Okay, okay," he relented, standing up to follow his wife. However, when Caitlin was about to go up the stairs, Barry caught her hand, stilling her actions. "Wait, Cait?"

She turned around, confused. "What?"

"Thanks for waiting," he told her sincerely.

A slow and radiant smile made its way across her face before she rose to her tippy toes and laid a simple peck against his lips. "Always."

Chapter Text

Barry opened up the door to his home and was immediately welcomed by the sound of Christmas music blaring from down the hall and the laughter of his family in the next room. He smiled at the sound, his heart squeezing with affection, before he walked towards the noise.

Finding himself in front of the living room, he poked his head through the threshold. He first noticed his wife curled up on the couch, dressed in fitted sweats - her beauty was so transcendent, especially with the glow of the fireplace shining on her; she looked more like an angel than the one they usually put on top of the tree. He then followed her line of sight to their kids, who were by the lit up Christmas tree, hands deep in a box that had all of the tree ornaments in it.

"Decorating the tree without me, huh?"

The kids' heads snapped up at their father's voice before they ran to his side, hugging him tightly. He hugged them just as tightly back. He had been gone for a good week.

"Sorry - we didn't wait," Nora apologized.

"Yeah, sorry, Daddy," Nate piped up. "But Mommy said she wasn't sure how long you'd be and it's Christmas Eve..."

Barry's eyes caught Caitlin's across the room. He sent her a wink before jovially ruffling the kids' hair. "It's fine," he assured them. "You guys have done a better job than I ever could," he said as he assessed the tree.

However, after looking at it a little longer, he cocked his head to the side. "Though, why are there no decorations at the top?"

"We couldn't reach it," Nora said with a shrug as her and her brother went back to the box and resumed decorating.

The speedster turned to Caitlin, lips in a half smirk as he walked closer to her. "And what's your excuse?"

"I couldn't reach up there either."

"In heels you probably could."

"I didn't want to wear heels. Today is supposed to be about relaxing," she said, stressing on the last word as she stretched out her toes, showing off her slippers. "Plus, it allows you some space to still decorate the tree," she pointed out, watching him knowingly.

His smile softened, now knowing they had purposely refrained from decorating up there so that he could still contribute to the festivity whenever he came back home. It was the little things like that that she did that just made him love her more and more. He then got down to his knees in front of his wife, kissing her briefly as a thank you, and then kissing her again, but for longer, to properly greet her after being gone for so long.

"How was National City?" she softly inquired as they broke away.

He wobbled his head, trying to find a way to phrase it without worrying her too much. "It was hectic at first, as always, but it all kinda wrapped up a couple hours ago. Everything's fine. Another crisis averted."

She nodded her head solemnly, her hands absentmindedly playing with the front of his shirt. "I'm just glad you're home in time for Christmas," she shared, looking back up at him.

He smiled back, nodding. He knew how hard it was for her to sit these big fights out - that she always felt better when she was present rather than just sitting home, waiting for news.

"Why don't you hang some of the decorations," she then prodded him.

He got up to his feet. "You going to decorate any?"

"I did earlier. You do it now."

"You sure?" he asked again while walking to the box.

"Oh yeah," she assured as he bent down to grab an ornament. "This is honestly the best view," she said, her voice getting a little thick and raspy towards the end, and he knew she only usually spoke that way to him in more alone moments.

Raising a brow, he stood up and turned to look over at his wife, only to find her blatantly checking him out. "You minx," he faux-scandalously mouthed to her, causing her to erupt into giggles.

"Come on," he told her, grabbing her hands and dragging her to the tree with the rest of them. "I want to do this with you, and as a whole family," he told her, handing her the ornament he had previously gotten.

Her face softened, before she complied with the request, taking the little ornament and hanging it expertly on one of the tree branches nearby. And with the whole family now decorating the tree, it was completed in little to no time. To top it off, Barry lifted little Nate to put the angel on top of the tree to officially complete it.

"It looks great!" Barry exclaimed as he stood back with the rest of his family, bringing them in for a big group hug as they admired their work. This really had been the perfect way to come home.

Chapter Text

"Mommy!" young Nora Allen yelled from the top of her lungs up the stairs.

Caitlin quickly sprang to the top of the stairs. "Nora!" she hushedly hollered, putting a finger to her lips when she caught her daughter's attention. "Please be quieter, honey. I just put your brother down for a nap."

The little girl's shoulders shrunk down. "Sorry…" she whispered guiltily.

"It's okay, sweetie," Caitlin said as she craned her neck back into Nate's nursery. "He's like your daddy; sleeps like a log," she said as she started to descend the stairs.

Nora giggled at what her mother said.

"What is it that you wanted?"

The question only ignited more giggles from her daughter, which Caitlin wasn't sure was a good or bad thing. Nora was a good kid, and always with the best intentions, like her father, but that did not mean she never made a mess.

"Look what I did," Nora said, taking her mother's hand and dragging her to the living room.

With dread, Caitlin entered the living room, but thankfully everything still looked to be in place and nothing seemed broken or drawn on. As Caitlin continued to survey the room, her eyes finally fell on their dog Mendel, laying calmly by the fireplace, but with a headband with antlers on his head, nonetheless.

The older woman raised her hand to her mouth, laughing quietly to herself before turning to her daughter. "Nora, who is this reindeer in our living room?"

"Moooom," she drawled out over laughs. "It's Mendel! I put reindeer antlers on him!"

Caitlin looked back at the dog, faking surprise. "Oh dear, it is! Hi, Mendel!" she said, and the dog wagged his tail at her greeting. "Did you dress him up for the party?" Caitlin asked Nora as she gave the dog a good scratch behind the ears for his cooperation.

She nodded. "It's Nate's 1st birthday party, so it's a special occasion."

"Very true!" Caitlin agreed. "And we also have to get the tree decorations on the tree before everyone comes over. Are you going to help me and Daddy?"

Her eyes turned starry. "Yes, I love decorating the tree! When is Daddy getting home?" Nora excitedly asked.

Caitlin looked down at her wrist. "Should be any minute now."

In her excitement, she opened up the decorations box that had been situated in the corner of the room. However, she cocked her head as she picked up a smaller box that was situated within it.

"Mommy?" she let out curiously.

"Yes?" she asked from the other side of the room as she turned on some Christmas music.

"Why does this box say that only Daddy can open it?"

Caitlin turned to find her daughter holding a small box, which indeed said that only Barry could open it written on the top lid. She crouched down, getting on eye level with Nora. "Why don't you ask him when he gets home," she told her, knowing Barry should probably be the one to explain it.

Just then, Barry walked into the living room. "There's two of my favorite people!"

"Daddy!" she happily exclaimed as she jumped into her father's arms. "Did you get the bad guys?"

"As always!" he answered, hugging her tightly before situating her on his hip so he could hug and kiss his wife. "Nate napping?" he asked as he pulled away, repositioning his hold on his oldest as he did.

"Yup, so he should be good for when everyone gets here for his party in a few hours."

"Great," he said before turning back to his daughter in his arms. "What do you have there, Niz?" he asked, eyeing the box in her hand.

The little girl looked down at it, suddenly shy. "Mommy said I should ask you about it, since it says only you should open it."

Barry briefly looked at Caitlin, his eyes soft as he regarded her, before taking Nora over to the couch with him. As they settled onto the seat, the speedster took the little box from his daughter's hands and opened it. He sighed as he wistfully admired the ornament inside.

Holding up the golden, star ornament by it's hook, Barry told Nora its meaning. "This was the last ornament my Mommy gave me before she passed away."

"Grandma Nora?"

"Yeah, the same one you're name after," he told her. "She always said I was her 'shining star' and she happened to give this to me to remind me of it just when I was about your age. It's one of the last things I have from her, so I treasure it greatly, especially since Christmas used to be her favorite time of the year."

Nora had been quiet, listening to her Daddy talk intently. Even if she didn't quite understand the gravity of the situation, she knew enough to know that it was serious.

"But I think I'm going to give it to you now, Niz."

Her green eyes widened. "Really?"

"I trust that you'll take care of it for me, right?"

Her face turned into one with such determination. It was like a mini-version of when Caitlin set her mind on something, so it made his heart squeeze just a little more. "I'll protect it for you, Daddy," she told him with a definitive nod.

He pressed his lips to her forehead. "I know you will. Why don't you hang it up on the tree?"

Excitedly, Nora jumped off her father's lap and ran over to the tree, taking just a couple moments to assess the best position before hanging it delicately from one of the branches.

Barry stood up only for Caitlin to step right into his arms, hers wrapping comfortably around his torso. "You didn't have to do that, but that was really sweet," she whispered into his ear

The speedster hugged his wife back, burying his face into her hair, gathering strength from her love. "I know, but it felt right," he said, leaning back to look at his wife. "Plus, you've allowed me to pass on a little more of my mother into Nora, and even Nate, so I have all of her I'll ever need now."

Caitlin's eyes watered a little. "Ahhh," she quietly let out, fanning her face in an attempt to dry out her eyes as to not ruin her mascara with tears. "Dammit, you're too sweet."

He merely chuckled as he caressed her face. That is, until he noticed something a little peculiar over his wife's shoulder.

"Since when did we have a pet reindeer?" he asked, loudly enough for Nora to hear, and winking at Caitlin.

The little girl's laughter rang throughout the living room, making the parents grin at each other happily. "Daddy, no! That's Mendel!"

"What?!" Barry let out in disbelief, detaching himself from his wife to go over to their dog. "That's not Mendel; Mendel doesn't have antlers."

Nora's giggles intensified. "He has a headband on, silly!"

Chapter Text

Barry walked down the hall where his children's rooms were, wanting to quietly peek in to see if they were sleeping yet.

As he looked into Nora's room, the speedster chuckled to himself as he saw her sprawled out comically with her blanket hanging hazardously off her bed. He amusingly shook his head as he fixed the blanket, wondering how she even managed to get in such a position as he laid a gentle kiss against her forehead.

He then checked in on Nate, and the little guy was curled up innocently in his bed. He looked like he hadn't moved an inch since he and Caitlin had tucked him in earlier. Barry lightly brushed through his son's hair, marvelled for a moment how dark it was getting now that he was getting older, before kissing him too.

Entering the master suite, Caitlin looked up from the book she was reading. "They finally asleep?"

He nodded. "Out like lights."

"Time to put out the presents then," she stated as she swung her legs over the side of the bed, getting up.

"Actually," Barry started, cocking his head to the side, "I was wondering if we could do something a little bit different this year…?" he suggested with a small shrug.

Caitlin raised a brow. "Different...how?" she measuredly inquired.

"I know this is like our thing," he stressed, "but Cisco told me earlier that Nate had asked him for a spy camera to install in the tree. He wants to see if Santa is real…"

His wife sighed. "He is 8, Barry. Maybe it's time he finds out."

"He could still have a good year or two left…"

She strode up to him slowly, wrapping her arms around his waist. "You have to let him grow up, honey."

"But Nora already did," Barry whined.

Caitlin laughed, fondly rolling her eyes, but nodded nonetheless, conceding. "What did you have in mind?"

Barry's face perked with excitement. "Okay, so, I got the full Santa ensemble," he admitted, untangling himself from his wife to grab a red Santa bag from under their bed, "and I thought that maybe if I put this on and deliver the presents with this that Nate will think I'm Santa and continue believing."

She looked at him for a moment, and he could tell she wanted to say something, but ultimately she held her tongue. "Okay..." she said instead, clapping her hands together. "Then you better go get changed. I'll start putting the presents in the bag."

"Thank you, thank you thank you!" Barry quickly trilled, coming forward to cup her face, kissing her mightingly. "You're the best!" he said over his shoulder as he excitedly dashed to the bathroom with his costume.

Getting the costume all on was simple enough. The body suit he got to give him the more traditional Santa bod was the hardest to strap together. Despite all Santa suits looking rather the same, the speedster liked to think his was more authentic looking than the typical mall Santa ones. The suit's material wasn't cheap and the fake beard didn't look like cotton balls.

"So, how do I look?" he asked as he walked back into the bedroom.

Caitlin was kneeling on the ground, nearly done packing the presents in the bag, when she turned to view him. Immediately a giggle fell from her lips as she rose to her feet. "Oh my…" she let out as she slowly made her way to him, her eyes looking over him humorously. "It looks better than I thought it would, but I have to say...I still prefer your other red suit, Mr. Allen," she told him with a wink and a loving pat to his chest.

"Mr. Claus," he corrected, chuckling as she rolled her eyes.

"Well, Mr. Claus, go deliver the presents. I want to get to bed early."

With a nod, Barry picked up the Santa bag filled to its capacity with their presents and slung it over his shoulder. As he took a step forward, however, he teetered to the one side, the weight of the presents throwing him off. "Whoa…" he let out, before righting himself quickly.

"Are you okay?" Caitlin asked, her eyes assessing him with worry.

"I'm fine," Barry assured her, waving it off. "I just wasn't ready for the weight. I'm good now," he insisted as he then walked to their door, showing her that it was fine, though her face still held a sense of unease. "I'll be back soon."

Quietly exiting their bedroom, Barry tiptoed down the hallway, listening for any noises that would indicate his kids had woken since he last checked in on them, but all was quiet. He smiled with satisfaction as he reached the stairs, trying to take his time with the tremendous weight of the bag on his shoulder and the heaviness of his Santa boots.

When he finally got to the living room, he was grateful that it was only illuminated by the glowing Christmas tree in the corner. The darkness and shadows might help him pull this off. So, with the confidence he assumed Santa would carry, he walked towards the tree, trying to puff out his chest and walk tall. But just as he was about to take the bag down to begin unloading the gifts, he remembered the cookies that waited for him nearby. He thought he would start with that seeing that he was already growing an appetite from the little work he did - no wonder Santa needed fuel after every house!

However, while turning back towards the coffee table where the cookies and milk were neatly laid out, the momentum threw him off kilter once more, hitting the branches of the tree, making some of the decorations fall off with small thuds.

Barry's eyes widened as he noticed what he did. His attention quickly went to the stairs to see if anyone had heard and was going to come down to investigate. He stood there for a minute, just waiting, but nothing happened. Barry let out a sigh of relief, before gently placing the bag down and away from the tree.

Close one, he thought as he took a much needed bite of the cookies, and nearly moaned from the savory sweetness. Caitlin really outdid herself this time. He really did hit the jackpot by marrying her. And no, not just because she made amazing food, but like her willingness to go along with these ridiculous plans of his. He smiled, taking a swig of the milk to wash the cookies down. He'd have to think of a way to properly thank her later.

Having fulfilled one Santa duty, Barry then turned back to the tree to complete the other. Unfortunately, as he stepped forward, one of the fallen ornaments got caught under his foot, propelling him forward, making him dive headfirst into the tree, creating a huge bang as he and the tree both fell to the ground.

Before he could blink, a swirl of pink lightning was wrapping their extra Christmas lights tightly around him as two pairs of feet thundered down the stairs to see what all the commotion was about.

"Nora!" a hysterical Nate hollered as he ran in. "Stoooooop! You're tying up Santa!"

Caitlin then entered the room, turning on the main light. Once she saw the situation before her, her hand immediately went to her mouth. He thought she'd be mad, but it looked like she was instead holding back a laugh.

"It's not Santa," Nora told her younger brother, before ripping his hat and beard off his head, but instantly did a double take as she did. "Wait, what...Dad?"

"Ow…" Barry briefly whined - the beard had been semi-glued to his face. "But...heh...hi kids…"

Nate's eyes were wide. "Dad?" he started, his voice high in awe, "are you Santa Claus too?!"

Caitlin finally let out the laugh that she was holding back as she laid comforting hands on her son's shoulders. "No, Nate, your father is not Santa Claus."

The little man deflated. "Then...then why is he dressed like that?"

Caitlin sent Barry a knowing look over the head of their son, causing the speedster to sigh. His hand went to nervously rub the back of his neck. He knew he had to fess up.

Phasing out of the Christmas light restraints and taking off the belly, the speedster went over to the couch, gesturing for his son. "Come here, buddy."

Nate padded his way over to his father and Barry brought him to his lap. He couldn't help but wonder how long it'd be before he wouldn't be able to hold him like this anymore, but pushed that to the side for now.

"Uncle Cisco told me about the spy camera you installed."

Nate's eyes widened before he shamefully looked down. "Sorry...but - but Robbie at school said that Santa wasn't real, so I wanted to catch him to show Robbie he was wrong."

"I get it," he told his son, fondly rustling the back of Nate's head. "But I think it's time you knew that…" - and it was hard for Barry to say at first, especially since this truth made his little baby all the more grown up - "Santa Claus isn't real."

Barry's heart nearly broke as Nate slumped in his lap. "He isn't?" he sadly inquired.

Caitlin then walked over, kneeling in front of Nate. "Santa isn't real, but that doesn't mean the magic of Christmas isn't," she told him. "Being with family who love you is the real gift, and you'll always have that, right here..." she said, pointing to his heart.

Nate nodded thoughtfully at his mother, processing it all, before quietly asking. "Do I still get real presents though?"

Both parents laughed, before reassuring the little boy.

"You okay?" Barry eventually asked as Nate grew quiet once again.

Nate nodded his head, shrugging. "Yeah, I guess…"

Barry leaned over to kiss the side of Nate's head. "Why don't you guys go back to bed?" he suggested to Nate, and also Nora, who had been quiet in the corner, fixing the tree, as they talked to her little brother.

The parents watched as their two kids ushered towards the stairs, but not before Barry called out to Nora last second.

"Hey, Niz…" he said, causing the teenager to backtrack into the living room to face her father, "thanks for fixing the tree," he sincerely told her, "but also good job handling the situation. I'm really proud of you."

Her face broke out into a huge smile, beaming. "Thanks, Dad," she sheepishly said, before practically skipping out of the room.

"They're both growing up so much," Caitlin commented, following Barry's gaze as he watched their children go up the stairs.

"I know," Barry said with a sad sigh, before turning to his wife, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "You want to have another one?"

She threw her head back with a laugh. "That boat has sailed, my love," she told him, but her eyes were soft as she regarded him. "Though there is a bonus to them getting older."

"Enlighten me."

"More time for just us. Together. Alone…"

Barry's eyes twinkled as he brought her into his arms. "I like the sound of that very much…"

She smiled into a kiss. "Come on, let's put the presents out, Mr. Claus."

"Lets," he answered her before chuckling. "I'm obviously disastrous when I try it alone."

Chapter Text

Caitlin’s morning alarm beeped, waking her up like usual, but as she had sat up in bed, she paused. She felt both cold yet scorching and her head felt like she was wading through a dense fog. She sensed Barry get up next to her, mumbling something about today’s plans, when everything went black.

She woke back up to Barry shaking her awake, face evident of concern, even through her half-lidded eyes.

“Honey, you’re burning up,” she heard him say as the back of his hand rested against her forehead.

“Am I?” she deliriously asked.

“I think you caught whatever Joe had. Remember, he came to see you about it yesterday?”

She numbly nodded her head, but truth be told, she doesn’t remember it. At least not right now; all she could think about was sleep. It was taking nearly all the strength she had to stay awake to listen to her husband.

She suddenly felt a slap of wind, which felt good against her warm body, but in the next second also made her shiver. 

“Here, I got you some medicine and water,” Barry told her.

Her eyes flickered open but were heavy. “I - I can’t get up, Barr…”

“No worries, hon,” he sweetly told her as he helped get her to a sitting position so she could take the medicine.

Once she had swallowed it all down, he gently laid her back down on the bed, tucking her snugly into the covers. “Now get some sleep.”

“That won’t be hard,” she mumbled out.

Despite the worry she had been hearing in his voice, he chuckled. “I’ll hold down the fort and check on you later, okay?”

“Mmhmm,” she hummed out, already half asleep. The last thing she remembered was the soothing feeling of Barry caressing her cheek.

…

A knock on their bedroom door stirred her awake. It felt like she had just gone to sleep, but a quick glance at her alarm showed hours had actually passed. She rubbed her eyes, happy to feel the pull on them were not as heavy as they were earlier. Hopefully that meant whatever bug she had was on its way out.

Before she could even holler out to the person knocking, however, the door creaked open. “Mommy?”

The sound of her little one instinctively gave her a jolt of energy, at least enough to sit up in bed.

“Is that my Nate?”

Suddenly the beaming little 4-year old was at her bedside. He was holding one of her mugs with both hands, his brown eyes gleaming. “Are you feelin’ better?”

She tried her best to smile. “A little.”

“I know what make you even better!”

“Oh, yeah…what?”

“Here!” he excitedly shouted, extending the mug to her, giggling.

“Thank you,” she graciously said as she took it from his little hands. “What is it?” she then asked, looking into the dark pool of liquid. Or maybe liquid. It seemed a bit lumpy, though it did smell amazing.

“It soup!”

“Ohhhhh, but why is it in a mug?”

“You always say you feel better after drinking a cup of cow thing-y.”

Caitlin furrowed her brows, trying to decipher what he could be talking about. “You mean my coffee?”

“Yeah, that! So I put soup in cup so you will feel better faster.”

She refrained from laughing at how cute his logic was, and instead just reached out to tousle his hair. “Thank you so much, sweetie. That was very thoughtful.”

“Eat up, Mommy! You gots to get better fast!”

She chuckled. “I will, but what’s the rush?” she asked as she took a tentative sip. It was still a bit hot and a little tricky to eat without a spoon, but she managed. It felt nice to have something in her stomach and it tasted pretty good too.

“It needs to be faster though,” he said, before leaning closer to her to whisper, “Daddy misses you.”

Her heart buckled. “Well, I’ll try to get better as soon as I can,” she vowed. “The soup is helping so much!”

He beamed. “Yay! I knew it would work. Daddy even said I was a venus!”

Caitlin snorted. “Do you mean ‘genius’?”

Nate looked at her like she was crazy. “No, that’s not the same thing.”

She pressed her lips together, suppressing another laugh. “Alright, if you say so,” she told him, before a yawn escaped her mouth. “I should probably take another nap to maximize the soup’s healing abilities,” she said as she put the mug on her end table and slinked back down into her bed. 

“Okay, Mommy, sleep tight. Love you,” Nate told her as he reached up on his tippy toes to give her a kiss on her forehead, much like she did to him every night at bedtime, before watching him scurry out of her room and past Barry who had been standing by the door.

“How are you actually feeling?” Barry asked as he walked into the room.

“I do feel better,” she said as another yawn escaped her. “Was everything okay this morning as you saw the kids off?”

He sat down next to her on the bed, his thumb absentmindedly brushing her hip. “Yeah, everything was fine - though Nora forgot to tell us that she needed glue for an in-class project they were doing today, so we had to do a little detour before dropoff, but nothing major.”

“Oh Nora Elizabeth,” she let out fondly, and Barry laughed. 

“Always something with these kids.”

She nodded. “Though Nate bringing me the soup was so sweet,” she confessed. “I’ve never been more glad that the kids have your immune system so I don’t have to worry about them catching anything.”

“When I picked him up from daycare, he insisted we make you some soup, like from scratch, so I hope it tasted alright.”

“It was delicious,” she told him, laying a hand to his forearm to further express her gratitude. “Thanks for all your help today.”

“In sickness and in health, right?” he asked with a smirk, before pressing his lips to her forehead. “Sleep some more, okay? Doctor’s orders.”

She grumbled. “I swear, sometimes I feel like you love when I get sick just so you can say that line.”

Barry chuckled, but was quick to shake his head. “Trust me, I want you feeling better as quickly as possible,” he told her, and she remembered what Nate had told her earlier about Barry missing her. “But I also can’t pass up the opportunity to be able to say it either, you know?”

She rolled her eyes through a traitorous smile. “Yeah, yeah, let me sleep, doctor, ” she said, lazily throwing one of the extra pillows at him.

He chuckled as he easily caught it. “Love you!” he shouted as he exited the room, shutting the door behind him.

She humorously shook her head as she laid back down. “Love you too,” she mumbled into her pillow as her eyes easily fell shut, sleep taking her nearly instantly.