[For Matt]
Though Daphne had little luck with the box in the basement, she and the bookshelf in the rec room had established something of a rapport; Fargo hadn't taken particularly long to find. Taking her cue from Harry Potter, she left the hastily wrapped reel at the foot of Matt's bed before he awoke. Wedged underneath the makeshift bow -- a green shoelace she'd gotten from the box back in her first week -- was a small note, written in her cramped scrawl, that read , 'From D - Merry Christmas.'
Finished moonlighting as Jolly Old St. Nick, Daphne tiptoed out of the crash room so as to not disturb the other people. Once she was in the hallway, she slipped into her red and yellow snowsuit and put on her boots. Being able to run -- however slowly -- was the best gift she could have asked for and she intended to make the most of it. She silently made her way outside, eavesdropping shamelessly on early morning conversations, and a somewhat sad smile graced her lips as she pushed open the heavy door. It was hard not to think of the family she left behind on a good day, but Christmas, it seemed, made it all the more difficult.
She didn't bother with a warm up. Her hands balled into fists, she ran as fast as her feet could carry her. She ran until her lungs burned with every shuddering breath. She ran until her legs collapsed from under her, sending her flying, face first, into the snow. She didn't move for a very long time. After what seemed like hours -- but was really only minutes -- she stood.
Daphne walked with leaden feet to a nearby tree. She threw out a hand against the tree's trunk to stabilize herself, her breath still coming in short, sharp bursts. With her teeth, she ripped off the glove of her free hand. She fumbled with one of her pockets' zippers for a moment before she finally yanked it open. From the pocket, she withdrew a photograph.
It was obviously a candid shot; no one looked at the camera and the only light source was the thirty or so candles burning on top of a round and overly frosted cake. It was Daphne's birthday. They were crowded around a small table. Matt had Daniella cradled in his arms and Molly had only just set down the cake in front of a laughing Daphne. Everyone was smiling.
The photograph fell from her trembling hand and a sob escaped her throat as she sunk to her knees.
Finished moonlighting as Jolly Old St. Nick, Daphne tiptoed out of the crash room so as to not disturb the other people. Once she was in the hallway, she slipped into her red and yellow snowsuit and put on her boots. Being able to run -- however slowly -- was the best gift she could have asked for and she intended to make the most of it. She silently made her way outside, eavesdropping shamelessly on early morning conversations, and a somewhat sad smile graced her lips as she pushed open the heavy door. It was hard not to think of the family she left behind on a good day, but Christmas, it seemed, made it all the more difficult.
She didn't bother with a warm up. Her hands balled into fists, she ran as fast as her feet could carry her. She ran until her lungs burned with every shuddering breath. She ran until her legs collapsed from under her, sending her flying, face first, into the snow. She didn't move for a very long time. After what seemed like hours -- but was really only minutes -- she stood.
Daphne walked with leaden feet to a nearby tree. She threw out a hand against the tree's trunk to stabilize herself, her breath still coming in short, sharp bursts. With her teeth, she ripped off the glove of her free hand. She fumbled with one of her pockets' zippers for a moment before she finally yanked it open. From the pocket, she withdrew a photograph.
It was obviously a candid shot; no one looked at the camera and the only light source was the thirty or so candles burning on top of a round and overly frosted cake. It was Daphne's birthday. They were crowded around a small table. Matt had Daniella cradled in his arms and Molly had only just set down the cake in front of a laughing Daphne. Everyone was smiling.
The photograph fell from her trembling hand and a sob escaped her throat as she sunk to her knees.