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CHRISTMAS MORNING
STAR CITY PARK
Drake Lance
I meet up with Slade in the middle of the park by the fountain as he said in his text. Christmas morning was a success but I still have more plans for Will and I. I’m taking today as a day to be with Will. Star City has returned to itself, and everyone has come back. My body has healed from all the trauma I suffered as well as my face. Now that Ra’s is gone there’s nothing left, the city is weirdly in peace with itself?
Will holds my hand while we’re covered up in thick coats and scarfs. It continues to snow as the weather forecasted it to be and we walk right through it. I spot Slade sitting on the bench by a kid’s park where a couple of women sell hot chocolate to kids on a stand as they sing joyful Christmas music. It hasn’t all felt like Christmas till now, I guess I’ve been caught up with trying to stop Ra’s and save Ollie that I forgot about reality itself. The hallucinations of Adrian haven’t come up since the incident, and I’m glad they haven’t.
I sit next to Slade and Will does so too. “Hey kid.” Slade says greeting Will and they fist bump each other. He’s a great father. “What’d you get for Christmas?” Slade asks Will and I stare at them both with a smile on my face as Will is so cute.
“Santa got me a guitar! Which is exactly what I wanted and Drake told me he would teach me!” Will says in excitement and we both chuckle and laugh.
“You’re looking at my future bass guitar player.” I tell Slade and Will smiles and then turns around seeing the kids play with the snow throwing snow at each other.
“Can I go play?” Will asks me and I nod letting him go.
“Aim for the head!” Slade shouts and I look at him confused as this isn’t what Will or anyone should hear.
“Shut up.” I tease Slade and we both lean back on the bench relaxing and watching Will throw snowballs at the kids. I then stare at Slade watching him stare at Will and it’s peaceful.
“I’m no hero, Drake. I can’t stay, you and me both know that.” Slade speaks up and I’m getting a feeling that his text to meet up is more than a meetup.
“I know.” I say disappointed wishing he could.
“I’ve made a lot of countless mistakes in my life that I know I can’t get away with. The only way is to keep running without dragging anyone into it, not even you… You have so much potential Drake, you’ve worked your entire life for this moment. You did this. You saved this city, and I know you will continue being the hero you are.” He says and he’s wrong as I shake my head. I might’ve saved the city, but I didn’t do it the way heroes do. I killed Ra’s Al Ghul to save the city. No, out of spite, anger, revenge.
“They say everyone’s born a hero. But if you let it, life will push you over the line until you’re the villain. Problem is, you don’t always know that you’ve crossed that line.” I confess my own mistakes, my new demon. Hopefully Ra’s is not as annoying as Adrian.
“Maybe it’s enough that the world thinks you’re a hero.” Slade says with a small smile and I’m going to miss him a lot.
“Am I ever going to see you again?”
“I’m sure we’ll run into each other. Doesn’t mean we will be in the same side again.” Slade says closing himself off from me and it almost begins to hurt but it’s what he has to do. Slade digs into his pocket taking out a little picture frame of him and Will together on the night he stayed over. “Its for Will. My Christmas present to him.”
“He’s going to love it.” I say staring at the photo of them and I become obsessed with it. It’s the only time I’ve seen the soft side of Slade and now it’s caught in this photo of him and Will making silly faces in the apartment.
“And this is for you.” He says taking out a necklace box from his other pocket and it only makes me wonder what are in the other pockets and how many things can they fit in them. Slade hands me the necklace box and I open it seeing a silver canary pendant necklace. It means everything to me. “Sara and Laurel would be proud of you… I know you already know that, but I wanted to be the one to remind you because I’m also proud of you.”
“Thank you so much.” I say with a small sad smile not wanting to see Slade go like this.
“Let me put it on you.” Slade takes back the box and takes the necklace out. He puts it on me and then hangs the canary pendant on my chest like a prize. “Beautiful.” He compliments me and I stare at the canary admiring it.
“Where are you going to go?” I ask him wanting to know incase I ever need to find him for emergencies like this.
“That’s an answer that you’ll find out soon enough.” He says and then looks back at Will and we both do. Slade then gets up from the bench and I do too. “I hope the best for you and Oliver.” He tells me as we stand together. Slade crosses his arms staying warm and I do too.
“I have a couple of people in the Justice League that can help recover Ollie’s mind.” I tell him and Slade smiles. “It’ll be easy.” I say and we stare at each other in silence and the time has come. “Goodbye Slade… Stay out of trouble will yah.” I say and kiss his cheek goodbye, Slade doesn’t respond and makes a small smile as he begins to blush.
“Goodbye Drake.” He tells me and I lay my hand on his shoulder and walk away from him. I walk towards Will knowing that this is a new beginning. Will sees me and grabs on to my hand and we walk towards the women handing out hot chocolate and they give me and Will some in a cup to drink out of.
“Careful it’s hot.” I warn Will and take out my wallet to pay the ladies for their volunteer and time for being out here this snowy Christmas morning. As I open my wallet up to find cash, I find a little note that has an address in it from Greece. ‘That’s an answer you’ll find out soon enough.’ I pay the ladies in cash and then turn around looking for Slade to only realize that he’s completely gone this time. I put the address back in my wallet for safekeeping and walk towards the bunker with hot chocolate in our hands to do teach Will some guitar there without disturbing our neighbors in the apartment.
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