From: susanf34@comcast.net   
      
   *NO ARCHIVE*   
      
      
      
   Title: Celebration   
   Author: Susan   
   E-mail: susanf34@comcast.net   
   Classification: a mini-Christmas vignette,   
   Skinner's POV   
   Spoiler: post-The Truth   
   Archive: No archive without permission.   
   Disclaimer: This character's not mine.   
      
   Summary: Tonight he's celebrating.   
   ******************************************************   
      
   Celebration   
   by Susan   
   ~~~~   
      
   Christmas Eve   
   8:09 pm   
      
      
   He's never been one to do much with the tree at   
   Christmas time.   
      
   Put it up by the window in his apartment, throw   
   a few lights on it and maybe a couple of ornaments.   
      
   Even when he wasn't alone like he is now, he never   
   really got into all the holiday hoopla, instead   
   choosing to keep things as simple and low-key as   
   possible.   
      
   But tonight he's celebrating.   
      
   Tonight he went out to a tree lot and bought the   
   largest tree they had left, strapped it to the   
   top of his car, stuffed it into the elevator at   
   his building, then dragged it through the hallway   
   and into his apartment.   
      
   Of course, he doesn't really have room for it, and   
   he doesn't have much in the way of decorations to   
   hang on it. Hell, half the old lights he just   
   finishing put on it are burned out.   
      
   But he doesn't care about that.   
      
   Tonight he's celebrating.   
      
   Sure, there are a lot of other things he should be   
   doing instead, like making phone calls to let the   
   others know, but those things can wait.   
      
   Now he needs time to think and reflect, to let it   
   all sink in.   
      
   After all, it's been a while.   
      
   Seven months and six days to be exact.   
      
   Seven months and six days since everything changed.   
      
   And now tomorrow everything's going to change again.   
      
   But what will it be like once it does?   
      
   Part of him is exhilarated at the thought of having   
   them back, and then there's the other part.   
      
   The part that's terrified.   
      
   What if something goes wrong, something even worse   
   than before?   
      
   No, he's not going to let himself think about that.   
      
   Not tonight.   
      
   Tonight he's celebrating.   
      
   Not only the birth of the Christ child, but the   
   return of a child he thought he'd never see again.   
      
   Finished with the tree for now, he sits down on   
   the couch, picks up the small holiday card from   
   the coffee table, and reads the neatly written   
   words in her familiar handwriting again:   
      
   'We're coming home on Christmas...all three of us.'   
      
   Then he lights a candle, pours himself a drink,   
   and breathes in the smell of fresh pine needles.   
      
   And as he quietly watches the flame burn, he lets   
   himself do something he hasn't felt like doing for   
   months.   
      
   He smiles.   
      
      
   ~end~   
      
   Have a wonderful Christmas and a safe and Happy   
   New Year!:)   
      
   possibilities   
   http://possibilities.bravehost.com/   
      
      
      
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   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)