Slow is Not Easy | Superflash

5: ('Twas) The Night Before Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house...

"JINGLE BELLS, BATMAN SMELLS, ROBIN LAID AN EGG!" Barry sung out annoying loud.

"Barry, now that we know Batman is real and could kill you, I wouldn't advise you to sing that," I warned him.

It wasn't the house, though, it was actually the D.E.O.

All day, the Flash, Dreamer, and I had been decorating the normally grey and gloomy building.

Over the circular emblem in the middle of the floor stood a large Christmas tree, decorated with some extra ornaments I had found in Eliza's attic.

The stockings weren't hung by the chimney, since there obviously wasn't one, but I can promise you that Nia put a lot of care into taping the stockings to the bottom of the circle table that stood in the center of the room.

On the second floor, we had decorated each of the rails with sparkling garland, and Barry had set up a hot chocolate station in the med bay.

By the time the sun was setting, there were no halls that weren't decked, no agent gone without Christmas cheer, and still no Alex to be found.

"Kara, are you sure that you haven't heard from Alex?" Brainy asked as we were about to leave.

"Brainy, if I wasn't, I would've told you by now," I told him. "Besides, right now, I'm the last person she wants to talk to. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an article to finish before the tree lighting,"

That night was the annual National City Christmas tree lighting ceremony. Every year on Christmas Eve, the citizens gathered around the humongous tree in the park, and after it got dark, they would light it and put the large star on top. This year, they had asked me to put the star on the top. Usually, Alex and I would go together, but I had a feeling that Alex wasn't going to be making an appearance.

Apparently, I had been bit too harsh on Brainy, because as I walked up the stairs and out onto the balcony, Barry caught up to me.

He lightly tugged on my cape, allowing me to acknowledge his presence instead of forcefully turning my body around.

I turned around to face him. "What?" I asked him. Again, I unintentionally bit his head off.

"Was that about Alex?" He asked with a slight undertone of forcefulness.

"Was what about Alex?"

"Every time someone brings her up, you get upset. Why?"

I honestly wasn't sure why. So, I explained how I felt to the best of my ability.

A few tears fell from my eyes; one from my left, two from my right.

"You didn't see her yesterday! She was miserable! I wouldn't be surprised if she was holding a gun to her head before I knocked! Ever since I came to Earth, she has been my rock, and now that rock is crumbling, and I'm not gonna have anything else to stop me from falling. If something were to happen to her, I would never forgive myself! She has always been there for me, and the one time that she needs me, I can't help her!" At this point, I was sobbing, and I was surprised that Barry could understand a word I was saying.

Barry pulled me into his chest.

"Kara, I know what it feels like for you to not be able to do anything when someone you love is in pain, I really do, but sometimes you need to understand that you can't fix everything. Superpowers can't save everyone... though they do make you look more badass," I laughed.

"The point is that this time, you just need to be patient, she'll come around eventually," He finished.

"Gosh, it's so much easier when I just have to punch a few guys and put them in handcuffs." I smiled, and I could feel Barry's chest move against my cheek as he laughed.