In Time | The Flash

Chapter Eighteen | Trillium

"How I wish we could spend a couple of Christmas days together, for instance — I would also dearly like to have you in my studio once more.

I, too, have been toiling quite hard recently, precisely because I was full of the Christmas feeling, and feeling isn't enough, one must bring it into one's work.

So I'm now occupied with two large heads of an orphan man, with his white beard and old-fashioned, old top hat.

This chap has the sort of old, lively face that one would wish for beside a cosy Christmas fire."

- Vincent Van Gogh

>>>·<<<

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

>>> Trillium's P.O.V. <<<
>>> Christmas Day <<<

I take a deep breath in through my noise, closing my eyes as the snowflakes flutter down onto my eyelashes. My mouth pulls into a smile as I shout, "It's Christmas! Finally!"

Julian chuckles beside me, and I open my eyes in time to see him shaking his head. "You get way too excited about snow."

It's been two days since we got Persephone, Abigail, and Teddy back, and I haven't been more relieved in my entire life. It's been two days full of doctor visits, police visits, and plenty of company from Team Flash. Barry has barely left Aspen and Seph's sides.

Julian hasn't left mine, either. He helped me come to terms with the fact that I'll probably never walk right again. The doctor at the hospital, after I came wobbling back in with a half-assed explanation,  told me that my broken leg will heal but never the way it was before. Add on top of that a wheelchair that I'm stuck in for the next two weeks.

I never thought I'd be disabled, but then again, who does? But Julian reminds me every other hour that I'm more than my disability. "You're not limited by anything physical, Tril," he whispered to me, last night, on our way from the hospital to my apartment. "You never let anything stop you before. This doesn't change a bloody thing."

So now, on a very white Christmas Day, Julian surprised me by waking me up early to take me out for hot chocolate in the park before heading to Main Street for the annual Central City Christmas Parade. It's something I do every year, usually with Aspen and Seph, but this year they're spending the morning helping people through Aspen's non-profit. This year, Julian decided to take me, even putting up with my wheelchair in the six inches of snow.

"It's not just the snow!" I shout, waving my hands in false distress. "It's the smell of hot chocolate, the snow freezing my nose off, and the sound of jingle bells! It's the Christmas spirit, damn it."

Julian laughs, and we turn to watch the end of the parade start. A float designed to look like Santa's sleigh pulls around the block. The jolly man sitting on the sleigh--Central City's second favorite man in a red suit--waves to the crowds on the sides of the road as carolers sing "Santa's Coming To Town" all around us.

I take another sip of my hot chocolate, sighing contently. The parade ends, after nearly an hour of floats, performers, and bands from all around the city. Julian rests a hand on my shoulder. I look up at him as he asks, "I'm famished. Want to grab a bite before we head to the Wests'?"

I smile and nod. Julian pushes me back to the car, and we make our way, carefully, over salted roads to a small Mexican restaurant on the North side of the city. I give Julian a knowing grin as he pulls onto the familiar street, parallel parking on the opposite side of the corner eatery. "This is where we had our first date!"