R2-D2 beeped impatiently. I ignored his protests.

   "Barry. Where are you?" I asked again.

    "I'm on my way to-" he stopped mid-sentence, but I knew where he was going.

   "Alright. I'll meet you there."

   Everyone back at the lab started asking questions at the same time. All of which I ignored. I readjusted R2-D2 in my arms and kept running.

   My hood and hair flared out in front of me when I slid to a stop in the Cortex. I set R2 down and Cisco instantly ran over.

   "Whoa! You built this? That's so cool! It looks just like R2-D2!"

   R2 made a protesting squeal. I winced and covered my ears. "R2! Mind your manners!"

   "And now you're like Luke," Aiden said with a smirk. "What did he just say?"

   I shook my head. "You don't want to know. What happened to Barry?"

   "Ah yes," Dr. Wells drove his wheelchair around the desk and stopped about six feet in front of me. "How did you know something had happened to him before we did? There's a slight delay in the technology, but you knew the instant it happened. Whatever it was that happened."

   I glanced at Buck, who was the only person in the room who knew exactly what had happened. He gave me an encouraging smile. I took a deep breath. "Barry and I have a... connection."

   Dr. Wells clearly wasn't satisfied and Cisco was clearly not paying attention.

   "And how did this connection happen?" Dr. Wells pressed.

   "For goodness sake Skye." Barry walked into the Cortex. His red suit was burned in places, his hood was down and he looked exhausted. "You can tell him. It won't kill either of us."

   "Which question do you want answered first Doctor?" I asked.

   Dr. Wells gave me a reproachful look. "The one that I just asked please."

   "We're twins."

   "Well," Caitlin said. "That would explain the dark hair and sarcastic aura."

   "Ha ha. You're hilarious," I said sarcastically. "Now Barry. What on earth did you do?"

   Barry walked over to one of the hospital beds and sat down on the edge of it. He looked really down and I could feel his mood affecting me. "I decided I would go to the power plant, the one near the edge of the city... There's another meta-human. He can control electricity. Somehow he managed to... suck the speed out of me." Barry shivered. "It hurt."

   "A lot," I added. "I felt an ache so it must've been bad. And my speed faltered, that must have been when your speed left."

   Barry tilted his head at me. "It faltered? Huh. Interesting."

   Aiden clicked his tongue. "I think we should all get some rest. It's pretty late. We'll talk tomorrow. Besides," he grinned at me. "I believe you and Barry are going to Joe's for Christmas?"

   As Aiden, Caitlin, and Dr. Wells left Barry sighed and got up. "So much for a calm Christmas. Aiden's right. We'd better get going before we're any later."

   I walked to his side and put a hand on his shoulder. "We'll get your speed back Barry. I promise. We'll figure something out."

   Barry met my eyes and forced a smile. "I know. It's just... so weird now."

   "Get changed and we'll go. We'll borrow Cisco's car." I looked over my shoulder. "Right Cisco?!"

   "Yeah sure. Wait what?" Cisco looked up.

   "We'll borrow your car."

   "Okay. Keys are on the desk. Don't crash it please."

   I grinned and Barry laughed. "Alright then. I drive." He snatched up Cisco's keys on the way out of the Cortex to change.

   "Skye, how did you wire the neuropathways so R2-D2 could learn?" Cisco asked.

   I paused. "The neuro-whats? I don't know. I just kind of built it without thinking."

   "Huh. Ever read Heroes of Olympus? I think you're a daughter of Hephaestus."

   "Somehow that wouldn't surprise me." I shot to the other side of the room and grabbed my clothes. I ran out the door and into the closest closet. I changed quickly and then returned to the Cortex.

   I carefully put my suit back on the mannequin and sat down to wait for Barry.

   Christmas at home is always the best. The house was full of laughter. Buck had decided to join us rather than return to the apartment he was sharing with Aiden. It had been a surprise when we walked through the door and found the entire S.T.A.R. Labs team except for Dr. Wells, even though Cisco hadn't had his car, sitting in the living room.

   I smiled. "Well! It's a good thing I left everyone's presents here!"

   Everyone laughed and Joe handed everyone but me a glass of eggnog.

   The tree sparkled with light. Barry flopped down on the couch next to Cisco and raised his glass. "To spending time with friends," he said, looking directly at me. "And family to encourage you in hard times."

   Everyone raised their cups as well. I sat down on the floor and leaned back against the couch. Buck sat down next to me.

   "Barry," I said, looking up at him. "When did you become eloquent?"

   Barry laughed. "I didn't. My sister did."

   I smiled and rested my head on Buck's shoulder. "When are the presents and who's handing them out?"

   Joe smiled. "You always were the most excited for presents. I'll hand them out now."

   Barry set down his glass. "I'll help."

   I raised my hand. "And I'll be lazy!"

   Iris shook her head. "No you won't. We're going this way."

   Uh oh. I got up and grudgingly followed her into the kitchen. I was a little worried that she was going to ask about being Spark. I actually found myself hoping that she would ask about Buck, as awkward as that would be.

   "So," Iris said. "You never answered my questions about Bucky."

   "And I don't intend to either," I said. I couldn't help an amused smile.

   Iris rolled her eyes at me. "Okay, fine. Just one."

   I hesitated. "Alright. One."

   "Do you like him?"

   I glanced back out to the living room, where Buck was laughing at something that had been said. I smiled and looked down at the floor. I felt like I was doing the same thing as Steve one of the only times I'd seen him embarrassed. "You could say that. We've been through a lot together."

   Iris looked smug. "Thanks. Let's go get presents now."

   We both returned to the living room, where Iris sat down on Eddie's lap. Buck smirked at me when I sat down. "You do huh?" he whispered in my ear.

   "Darn your super enhanced abilities," I hissed back.

   Buck handed me my presents with a small smile. He didn't have any himself, but didn't seem to care. 

   I tore open my three presents open as fast as I could without arousing suspicion. The one from Barry was a glass paperweight with a green flame inside. It was a little risky to give me my symbol as a present, but we could always make the argument that I liked fire, which was totally valid. 

   The one from Iris was a silver cross necklace along with two bracelets. They shimmered in the light and had an odd feeling to them, like they were vibrating really fast.

   The final one I opened was from Cisco, who had watched with a huge grin when I opened it. After I tore off the paper it was a medium sized box without any labels on it anywhere. I opened it up. A pair of knee high boots lay sideways in the box. A net of silver lines covered the long part. They were made of a soft and extremely flexible material. I didn't need to ask to know what they were for.

   "What is it?" Iris asked, pausing halfway through opening one of her presents. 

   I pulled the boots out. They had the same humming feeling that the necklace had. "Thanks Cisco!"

   Barry leaned down. "Cisco said it's a fabric he made out of vibranium. He got me a pair but thought it would be a little suspicious if I got a red pair of knee high boots."

   I nodded. "That would be a little odd." As odd as getting a necklace made of vibranium. 

   I looked at the necklace and bracelets Iris had given me again. "Where'd you get these Iris?"

   Iris grinned. "A friend gave them to me. He asked me to get them to you. I figured giving them as a present would be good."

   I nodded and turned the cross over. There were tiny words written on the back. Buck leaned closer to see. They were too small for me to make them out so I handed it to him.

   "New high tech," he murmured, scanning the words. "Had to one up Cisco."

   I'd have to test them after Iris and Eddie left. I looked at the bracelets as the sounds of ripping paper continued around me. The words on them were a little bigger.

   I know we were enemies a couple years ago, but that's no reason to hate you. The other bracelet was clearly meant to be read after the first because it said, And you can thank me later.

   I smirked. Well, well, well. The mighty Iron Man on my side. Who would have thought?

__________________

Hey everyone! Sorry I didn't add Midnight in this chapter. Next time. Unless I forget, which in that case I'll edit it and force it in there.

If you have any characters you want me to add let me know!

May the wind blow strong in your sails! I'm in a hurry now because family just arrived!