Author's Note: Italicized text indicates thought (unless it's a single word in a quote then it's just for emphasis).
xxx TTP xxx
John had sent a message to Cara to have Charlotte meet him on the Uptown A train at Broad Street at 7 p.m. When Charlotte asked what he wanted, Cara couldn't say. John was really vague about why. The most he told Cara was that he wanted to spend some time with Charlotte and that it was supposed to be a surprise.
At first, Charlotte panicked. Surprises were not a good thing to her. On the other hand, it was John, so she was sure it wouldn't be anything bad. After getting over that initial, brief panic attack, she started to look forward to the meeting.
Since Charlotte hadn't mastered the subway system yet, she needed someone to take her. Seeing as almost everybody else was otherwise engaged, it came down to Irene or Mike. Irene quickly volunteered for the job. Cara wanted to do it, but was in the middle of a search for a recent breakout and, judging by the fading connection to said breakout, realized they had limited time to intervene.
xxx TTP xxx
Irene helped Charlotte find the right train to catch so they could transfer to the Uptown A to get to Broad Street. Cara had suggested that they should leave earlier than they needed to just in case they got turned around.
They made it to the rendezvous point with plenty of time to spare ... even though they did, at one point, get on a wrong train. Luckily, Irene realized it at the last minute so they were able to dash out of the car just before the doors closed.
"Whew, that was close," Irene said as she nudged her glasses back into place. "It shouldn't be long now."
A couple of minutes later the correct train pulled into the station. It was a short trip until they arrived at the Broad Street Station. Irene checked her watch.
"And it's 10 to 7, see no problem," Irene told Charlotte. They proceeded to walk to the end of the platform to wait for the next train.
As the A train pulled into the station and slowed down, they checked each car as it passed to see if they could spot John. Cara had said he would be in one of the last two cars. They didn't notice him in the second to last car, so they boarded the last one.
Initially, they didn't think he was there, either, until Charlotte spotted him at the back of the car.
"There he is," Charlotte said to Irene. "At least I think it's him."
Charlotte couldn't believe her eyes. There was John casually sitting on the subway wearing his usual boots, jeans, henley shirt and black leather jacket, but there was also a Santa hat perched on top of his head. As she was trying to figure out what was going on, he spotted her and walked over.
"Charlie!" John said as he wrapped her in a big bear hug. "So good to see you."
"Who are you and what have you done to John?" Charlotte responded, warily looking up at him but not releasing him from the hug.
John laughed and said, "What? I can't be happy to see you?"
"No .. I mean yes, you can," Charlotte said, a bit flustered. "It's just you seem ... more cheerful? What's with the hat?"
"I'm just filled with the holiday spirit," John replied with a smile. "Hi, Irene."
"Hello, John," Irene replied. "Hope you don't mind if I tag along. It's kind of crazy right now at the Refuge and I could use a break."
"I don't know," John answered. "I had planned this as an outing for Charlie, so I'll leave it up to her. Charlie?"
She silently debated the issue, then decided Irene could come along. Since the car was practically empty, they easily found seats.
The rest of the ride to their destination was filled with idle chatter; Charlotte and Irene catching up John on the latest happenings at the Refuge.
John smiled as they told him all about it, but he did feel a tinge of sorrow for his former life. He ignored it for the most part because he wanted Charlotte to have a good time. He tried to update them on what he had been doing, but could barely get a word in with Irene's excitement about finding another TP with a similar background. She feverishly filled them in on their latest debates.
As the subway came to a stop, John said, "Let's go. Charlotte, I want you to meet somebody."
It was the 34th Street Station and it was packed. John maneuvered Charlotte and Irene through the crowd to the exit. Charlotte was holding onto John's hand just a bit tighter. She was not comfortable around so many people. Finally they ascended the stairs and, as it turns out, they were right by Macy's. It was later in the evening, so it was busy, but not as busy as during prime business or shopping hours. Also being there at a later time meant the sun had set, so all the decorations shone brightly.
Walking to Macy's entrance, they passed groups of people gathering around some of the windows. Curiosity getting the best of Charlotte, she pulled John over to see what the fuss was about. There in the windows along 34th Street was the tale of "Yes, Viriginia, There is a Santa Claus."
"Oh, look at that! It's a story," Charlotte excitedly exclaimed and ran over to the closest window. "Wait, this is the end, let's start at the beginning."
She grabbed John's and Irene's hands to pull them along with her to the beginning of the story. As they passed each window, John couldn't help but enjoy Charlotte's enthusiasm. It was such a great contrast to see her eyes opened wide in awe than conveying the fear she had when they first rescued her.
"She's come a long way," he thought.
When they reached the end of the story, they overheard a few people talking about another story in the windows just around the corner on the other side of the building. Irene and Charlotte both looked at John with pleading, "puppy dog" eyes. Of course he agreed and they moved to the next set of windows.
While Charlotte again enjoyed the story, Irene took a particular interest in this one. The story was about a little boy who took a fantastical trip with Santa across the Solar System to see how other planets celebrated the holiday. One moment Irene would totally be into the story, then every so often get pulled out of it for what seemed to be a little nitpick, just to be swept back into the story again. It was like watching Dr. Jekyll and Mrs. Hyde. John just watched her and laughed.
"Okay, now it's time for the real reason I brought you here," John said and led them into Macy's.
He guided them to the elevators and as they were waiting for the next one, it dawned on Charlotte what was happening.
"Are you taking me to see Santa?" Charlotte questioned suspiciously.
"Yes, I am," John stated as he watched for the elevator to arrive.
"I'm too old for that," Charlotte declared.
"Says the girl who just freaked out at the storybook windows," John teased, then asserted, "no, you're not ... trust me."
"Santa? I love Santa," Irene chimed in, surprising everyone. "What? Yes, I know academically, he's not real, but I always get swept up in the lights and music."
Arriving at Santaland in the evening meant there was hardly a line at all. They were practically the last people there, which meant they could really take their time. Charlotte viewed all the decorations with wide-eyed wonder. She stopped to truly appreciate the deer with the forest creatures.
"What are they doing?" Charlotte wondered.
"What do you think they are doing?" John responded, encouraging Charlotte to use her imagination.
"Well, hmmm," she started slowly. "I guess … it kind of looks like the deer …"
"Reindeer," Irene corrected.
"The reindeer are telling a story to the other animals."
"Yeah, it does kind of look like that," John said. "What kind of story?"
Charlotte then went on to animatedly describe the tale of the reindeer helping Santa through a particularly rough journey. John just stood and watched as Charlie in some ways recaptured her youthful innocence.
Noticing John staring at her, Charlotte asked, "What?"
"Nothing," John said, trying to play it off. "It's just good to see you acting like a kid."
Moving on to the next display, they spent almost a whole ten minutes watching the trains. They would also pick out each building in the village, discussing their favorite decorations. Irene idly wondered where she could get one of those little Irene's diners.
Finally tearing themselves away from the little village, they arrived at the entrance to see Santa.
"How many to see Santa?" The elf gleefully asked.
John looked around and didn't see anybody else in line.
"That would be three," John said with a tinge of sarcasm.
"Right this way," the elf replied.
As they walked the path to see Santa, Charlotte enthusiasm grew. She surprised herself with how anxious she actually was to see the Jolly Old Elf. She was sure she was too old for something like this.
Irene was practically skipping, while she hummed along with the carols that were playing throughout the area.
John coolly followed the two girls, grinning at the sight of Irene being more childlike than Charlotte.
Arriving at the door, Charlotte quickly came back to John and grabbed his hand.
"Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas," Santa joyfully greeted the group. "Wait, I believe we have a return visitor ... and he brought more friends."
John was surprised to get the same Santa he and Astrid saw the other day and that the man remembered him.
"Yes, this is Charlie's first time visiting Santa."
"Well, well, well, another first-timer," Santa said as he smiled warmly at Charlotte. "Come and tell me all that you want for Christmas."
Irene just stood at the side grinning, until Charlotte sat on Santa's knee then she ran over and sat next to him.
Again, this was a very good Santa. He seemed to sense the darkness in Charlotte's past and was very kind and gentle with her. Asking her questions, but not being too imposing.
After their little chat, Santa asked, "Charlotte, what would you like for Christmas?"
As she thought about it, she realized she really didn't know what she wanted. Then she had an idea.
"I'd like ..." she started, struggling to find the right words, "... something that was taken from a friend returned."
John, suspecting what she was asking, felt a bit self-conscious. "Now, Charlie ... I'm sure there is some...," he started but was interrupted by Santa.
"Hmmm ..." Santa replied thoughtfully, "I'll see what I can do."
John did a double take. Charlotte grinned and hugged Santa. Even though, he didn't promise anything, she was thrilled to hear that he would try. She then jumped off his lap and ran over to John. Smiling up at him, she wrapped her arms around his waist. He put his hand on her back.
Next it was Irene's turn with Old St. Nick. They discussed the "physics" of flying reindeer and traveling the world in just one night and ended on the topic of how he fits down chimneys and what he does with homes that don't have one.
Just before they left, all three sat down with Santa to get their picture taken. Charlotte and Irene sat on Santa's lap, while John sat beside Santa next to Charlotte.
They finished their visit, received their pins, then left the store and headed back to the subway station. As they stood on the platform waiting for the train, Charlotte, who had been so happy with their time together, started to realize that they would be parting ways soon. She wrapped her arms around John.
"I don't want to go back," she told him as she buried her head in his chest. "I want to stay with you."
"That's not possible," John said as he shook his head and held her.
"Then come back with us," Charlotte pleaded, taking a step back to look up at him. "There's plenty of room at the Refuge."
John closed his eyes momentarily. He would love to re-join the group, but it was just too hard being human around all those TPs. He wished he knew how to make that clear to her. He knelt down to look her in the eyes.
"It's complicated, but I can't be there ... yet," John explained. "The best place for you is with Irene, Cara, Stephen and all the others.
"Tell you what, let's get together once a week and do whatever you want. How does that sound?"
Charlotte considered that for a moment then shook her head. "Not enough. Twice a week?"
"Hmmm ..." John said as he pretended to consider the counteroffer. "Okay, we can do that."
"Yes!" Charlotte shouted then hugged him again.
Irene and Charlotte's train arrived. He received one last hug from Charlotte before she and Irene stepped onto the train. Charlotte stayed by the window waving goodbye to John.
He smiled and waved back as the train pulled out of the station. The outing was a success. He'd never seen Charlotte so happy and having so much fun. That had been his main goal ... to give her something fun that would make her feel like a kid again. He held on to that memory.
Author's Note: This one-shot has gotten out of hand. It's looking like it will be at least one more chapter, maybe two.