Car breaks down hitchhike prompt
Caitlin zoomed down the highway, eyes forward. The wind buffeted her little car and ahead and behind only fields and fields could be seen. It was New Years, no one was around. They were the only car in sight. And she should have been at Cisco's house celebrating with Barry and Iris, relaxing or watching fireworks.
Instead, she was sitting next to the person she had least wanted to start the year off with. A sheepish looking British man who was fumbling with his phone, pretending to be immersed in some online book. The silence between them was awkward enough, but the fact that he thought she didn't see his glances made her want to let him know just how sadly mistaken he was.
She gripped the steering wheel tighter and Julian shifted in his seat, clearing his throat. "Hey… thanks again for, you know, going through the bother of picking me up from the airport, Caitlin…" he began, playing with the silver seatbelt pressed against his chest. "It wasn't a problem." Caitlin said automatically- wasn't.
"I really appreciate it." Julian continued, at a loss for what to say to keep the conversation going. Caitlin just didn't seem to want to talk. "Really, I do and-" Caitlin did not say anything. "I'm getting that vibe you give when you're angry." Julian commented, keeping his voice level. "And it seems directed at me." "Who else?" Caitlin asked at last.
Thunder rumbled in the distance, flashing over the stormy rain clouds that loomed over the green pastures and mini mountains. "What did I do?" Julian gaped. "You know what…" Caitlin said, fidgeting with the sleeve of her sweater.
"No, I honestly don't!" Julian protested. "You-" Caitlin froze. "Did you hear that?" a loud screeching noise was coming from somewhere ahead, cutting off their bickering. "The engine?" Julian frowned. "Stop for a minute. I'll check it out." Caitlin pulled over and Julian unbuckled his seat belt hurriedly while opening the door with a shove of his shoulder. He seemed a little too eager to get out of the car.
Almost a full five minutes had passed when Julian ducked back in. "What took so long?" Caitlin asked. "I searched the entire car, nothing seems wrong." Julian shrugged. "Ok then, let's keep going." Caitlin proposed. Julian nodded, thoughtful. But the car wouldn't start.
"No, not now… please not now…" Caitlin moaned. Julian gritted his teeth. This was going to be a long evening.
"What do you mean, 'not now'? Has this happened before?" Julian demanded. They both flinched as thunder clapped above them and all the sky broke loose. Rain poured down in sheets, completely blocking their vision. "Oh great, now it's raining. Just what we needed, huh?" Caitlin asked aloud and then, "Yeah, this has happened before. Only twice, but then again, I've only had this car for some months."
"Really gives peace of mind, doesn't it?" Julian said sarcastically, rubbing his temples frustratedly. "Shut up, Julian. We all know where you go when you're down on money- Mommy." Caitlin snarked. "For the record, my mother wouldn't give me a cent no matter what I did..." Julian retorted. "But at least our relationship is less rocky since I went to visit her. Unlike someone I know." "Don't make me laugh…" Caitlin said with a roll of her eyes.
Julian dramatically turned away to look out the window by his side, blurred by water.
"You do know you're failing drastically at looking interested in the view, right?" Caitlin asked at last, feeling more than a little restless.
"Maybe, but you should now that you're making me feel like some teenager that just got bailed out of jail by his mom. You're, like, giving me the silent treatment- the wicked eye. At the moment, looking away seems like the way to go." Julian explained with a shrug.
Caitlin bit her lip and smiled.
"Don't laugh." he said resentfully. "Sorry, I'm just not in the humorous mood." Julian continued. "Really, it's not really like I went to bleeding who knows where just to make the cure to your alter ego with your own mother no less and then got rejected for it in public, right?"
Caitlin closed her eyes. "And now I'm the villain? Yeah, right. Although, I'm sure that's what the Team must be thinking of me. The deserter. Coward. That one guy who was around when things were smooth and cool and then turns and goes the other way as soon as real trouble pops up. That's nice. Throwing dirt on my name. As if I wasn't already too familiar with that… I bet not so many people know the true story, what really happened. I'd give pocketfuls of cash to know just what Barry and Cisco told Singh when I left. That'd be sure to give them a good laugh… surely…" Julian shook his head, rambling gradually stumbling to a slow, but just as deliberate, compliant. "Been having a nice time without me I suppose. Poking fun at me behind my back. I'll wager no one even mentions me anymore. It's really not important, though. Not at all."
"Julian…" Caitlin said.
"Hm?" Julian's clenched jaw relaxed slightly as he saw her raise her eyebrows. "You know no one's blaming you…" Caitlin pressed.
Rebuke and disappointment was etched on Julian's expression as he looked at her in disbelief. "No, really…" he sighed.
"I really don't care. If I'm just going to be shunned aside, then that's how it was supposed to be. And when everyone just pretends I never did anything in relation with the Flash, for their own convenience, that's fine. I understand. I'm used to it by now. I should be." he forced a laugh and shrugged. "But I understand. I do. Completely. I just wasn't needed anymore. Why take the cure a friend made when you can just follow some crazy meta who takes metas of all kinds as slaves? Sure, why not?" Julian stopped there because Caitlin was staring at him, lips slightly parted. "You know about that?" she demanded.
"What, think I'm too useless to see the news like any other normal human being? Yeah, close enough." Julian answered, stung as he rubbed his jaw.
"Stop twisting my words!" Caitlin said heatedly. "That's not even close to what I wanted to say, if you'd just let me finish-" "You know what, I think we're done with this conversation. I'll walk from here." Julian declared, putting a hand by the handle. "Listen to me! Quit butting in before I can say anything!" Caitlin growled.
"Fine! Fine, talk. Talk all you like. But I'm convinced. Maybe- maybe... I shouldn't have even come back this time." Julian said. "Don't say that…" Caitlin whispered, eyes flashing hurt and anger. "Go on, then. Tell me what you have to say for yourself. For the Team. Please, do tell." Julian sat back, arms crossed over his chest, looking dryly amused, his gaze set on Caitlin's livid face.
"Fine! Fine, I will." she said, voice dripping with furiousness. "Maybe you shouldn't have just assumed we completely forgot about you!" "But you did, didn't you? Cisco texted me once, once after I left- to check on how I was doing. That was it. Wally nor Harry never answered my calls, and Barry and Iris sent stupid little 'we're ok' messages. Was I supposed to believe that rubbish? What kind of an idiot am I presumed to be? I thought I was one of the Team. A- friend." Julian scoffed. "I was a fool."
"That's not what we think of you, and what was the use of Barry worrying you with what really was going on?" Caitlin demanded trying to keep her patience.
"Perhaps because, even though I wasn't considered a friend, I might have been worried about my teammates. That they were in trouble. In Central City. But didn't trust me enough to let me know. Yeah, that's what I am. Untrustworthy." Julian said, voice choked. Caitlin's eyes clouded. "Listen, insulting yourself endlessly isn't helping…" she pointed out.
Julian opened his mouth to answer, the closed it again with a pout. "Thank you." Caitlin said with a kind smile. "For what?" Julian asked grudgingly.
"For letting me finish." Caitlin explained. "Ok?" Julian looked confused. Caitlin half laughed half cried into her hands. "This is crazy, we're having this discussion in a broken down old car in the middle of nowhere." she managed. "Downright ridiculous, I agree. But then again, what isn't in our lives?" Julian asked with a lopsided grin.
They were both quite a second.
"We should get out of here, you know?" Julian voiced his thoughts at last.
"Thanks for that, Captain Obvious…" Caitlin said.
"Maybe call a tow truck?" he suggested.
"In this place? It'd be a shock to stumble on a mountain goat around here…" Caitlin replied.
"Too true. Um… so what do we do… exactly?" Julian asked.
"We wait…. I guess…"
"For what? For us to starve?" Julien demanded lightly.
"What, don't tell me you actually want to walk back?"
"No… I don't. But it appears-"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence, Julian Albert Desmond…" Caitlin warned.
Julian whistled through his clenched teeth. "Really, what is it with you and making me feel like I'm in deep, deep trouble?"
"We'll talk about that later. Right now, we have this car to deal with…" she motioned towards the front of it.
"Right. Yeah. Maybe we could push it? You know, to warm it up- get the wheels hot…"
"We can try… but we're going to get soaked." Caitlin pointed out.
"Uh huh, you'll be happy to know I've got it all planned out." he rummaged in his backpack and emerged holding up a big fluffy sweater with a triumphant smile on his face.
"There! We're set- where's your coat?" he asked her.
"I didn't think to bring one today… I mean the sky was all sunny and everything…"
"Not to worry. Here, you take it, then. I think I've got an extra t-shirt around here…" Julian pushed the sweater into Caitlin's arms.
She raised her eyebrows. "You know this won't fit me as a sweater…?"
Julian shrugged. "Sure. More like a poncho." he smirked.
"Aha, found it!" he drew a long sleeve white shirt from his bag and lay it on the back of his seat. "Now the rain won't bother me as much."
"Ok…" Caitlin pulled on the oversized sweater and took a breath.
"Ready?" Julian glanced at her over his shoulder, mutually dreading the split second that they would get drenched.
"When you are…" Caitlin said.
"Okay… three… two… one!" both doors swung open and they got out.
"Ugh… disgusting…" Julian shuddered as his legs narrowly missed a large puddle.
"Now what?" Caitlin asked above the sound of rain hitting the car.
"One second…" Julian sloshed over to the back of the car, got on his hands and knees and examined the wheels.
"Anything?" Caitlin asked from the front of the car she was studying.
"Nope..." Julian got up and dusted himself off. "Shall we?" he cocked his head towards the car.
"Yes…"
"Alright, get set… push!" Julian and Caitlin lurched forwards sliding, and tried to propel the car forwards.
The clumped together pieces of painted metal would not budge.
"Well, that's not good." Julian said cheerfully.
Caitlin cursed. "What are we supposed to do now?"
Julian grunted from the exertion as he furiously tried to make the car move forwards.
"Leave it… it's not going anywhere…" Caitlin broke through his thoughts and he looked at her sharply.
"Then let's get a little rest inside the car before we go." Julian proposed.
Caitlin nodded, tongue in cheek, and headed back in.
Julian shook his hair out like a wet dog and quickly slipped into his dry shirt. "Ok- ok, let's not panic but it's starting to get-"
"Dark? Yeah, it's late."
Julian bit his lip. "Ok… whew…" he rubbed his hands together. "I don't suppose you've got your first aid kit with you?"
"Yes, I do. Why?" she demanded, handing it over.
"Cause I've got a feeling we'll be dining on band aids if we don't wander on some golf club around here…" Julian joked.
"Haha… no, really… why?" Caitlin repeated.
"Ok, let's take it in my pack, yeah? We might need it- for something other than food." he chuckled at his joke.
"Yeah, you've got a point. I'm lost here, though. Which way should we walk?" Caitlin asked.
"Anywhere. Just some place where we can get a fireplace and hot cocoa…"
Caitlin shivered. "You're seriously not helping…" she protested.
"I know, I'm annoying. Anyhow, let's get going. The sooner we make it to the City the sooner we'll be able to send someone back to fetch your car." Julian explained. A text startled them and Julian hurried to take out his phone. "Oh brilliant, that reminds me… I'm going to have to cancel my hotel reservation, since… we're probably not going to be back for a while… and I'd rather not lose any of my rather hard earned money that wasn't given to me by anyone…"
Caitlin nudged him.
"I'll forgive you if you forgive me…" he declared, inclining his head towards her expectantly.
"We'll see…"
Ten hours later…
"Ok, I'm 99 percent sure we've seen all of the world there is to see…" Julian announced.
"Not even close, buddy." Caitlin gasped.
"Is that a-"
"Big Belly Burger!" they said in unison.
They sprinted to it as fast as they could, dripping rain and exhausted.
The workers quickly found them a taxi and in no time they were at Caitlin's house.
"I feel bad…" Julian admitted as he dried his hair off. "First you pick me up, and now I invade your place…"
"It's not a problem, Julian… really…" Caitlin froze as the tears involuntarily appeared in her eyes.
"Are you ok?" Julian turned her to face him.
"I'm fine. It's just- I'm glad that you're back…" Caitlin whispered, eyes firmly set on the ground.
"Oh, come here…" Julian gently pulled her close and hugged her.
"Don't go back to England, we need you, and so do I…" Caitlin said.
"Depends on if you lot will take me...but as for leaving you again- I'm here." Julian grinned.