Enemy's Embrace

Ch. 12

Ayana quickly made her way down the halls of S.T.A.R Labs, heading towards the exit.

She knew she shouldn't have listened to her brother's conversation with her ex-boyfriend, but she couldn't help herself.

She let out a deep breath as she exited the building, the moonlight shining down on her, making her appear ethereal.

As she walked down the street, taking in her surroundings, her thoughts drifted back to the conversation Barry and Leonard had.

While the world around her slept, she wrestled with the whirlwind of emotions that were raging within her.

Love, anger, fear, confusion, regret... They all danced around each other in a chaotic symphony, making her feel like she was caught in a storm with no end in sight.

Leonard's words echoed in her mind. He had assumed what she wanted. What she needed. He made decisions for her. He had let her go for her own good... or so he believed. But he had been wrong. So terribly wrong.

Ayana clasped her hands tightly on her lap, her knuckles turning white from the intensity of her grip. She regretted not speaking up. She regretted not fighting for their relationship. She regretted letting him walk away from her. And most of all, she regretted losing him.

She stared up at the stars above her, wishing upon every single one of them . Wishing that things could have been different. That they could have stayed together. That she could have convinced him to stay.

A gust of wind blew against her, a shiver ran down her spine as she wrapped her arms around herself. But it wasn't from the cold; it was the crushing weight of all the years lost; of all the words left unsaid.

Ayana sighed, rubbing her temples. "Just when things start to make sense," She murmured to the silence, the corners of her lips twitching up in a bitter smile, "they get messed up all over again."

Her mind drifted, pulling her into a vortex of memories. They flashed before her, images too vivid to ignore.

Leonard is sat in the dimly lit bar, nursing a glass of Jameson. Ayana walked in, her eyes scanning the bar before settling on Leonard. Her expression a mix of annoyance and concern.

She marched up to him, "Why are you avoiding me?" She demanded, trying to hide the hurt in her voice.

Leonard didn't acknowledge her presence, choosing to stay focused on his drink, "No reason." He answered flatly.

"No reason? Are you sure about that?" She shot back, taking a seat next to him.

Leonard felt guilty when he saw the hurt look flash across Ayana's face. He wanted to say something but was unable to find the right words. Instead he just stared at her.

After a few seconds she spoke again, "Leo, what's going on?" She asked, feeling frustrated with how awkward their conversation was becoming.

He still didn't answer her question, "Nothing, I don't want to talk about it." He mumbled, lowering his head so that only she could see his face.

Her voice softened as she said, "Come on Leo, please tell me." She reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder, but instead of meeting her gaze he kept his eyes on the table top.

"Don't worry about it, nothing is wrong." He finally managed to say.

But she knew him, and she knew him well. She knew this wasn't true, so she let go of his shoulder and pushed herself off the chair. Turning to leave, she heard him call out after her.

"Don't walk away from me."

Frustrated, she turned back around, "Why should I stay?" She snapped, walking over to stand in front of him.

Looking into his eyes, she tried once more, "Please, tell me what's going on. You've been acting really strange lately, are you ok?"

He looked down, "You make me feel." His voice was low.

She stared at him open mouthed, shocked by his statement. Unsure of what to say or do, she took a step forward, "What?"

"You make me feel and I don't like it," He turned his head in the opposite direction of her, "I want it to stop."

She stepped closer to him, "What do you mean?" She asked softly.

Looking up, he gazed straight into her blue eyes, "I can't have you looking at me like that, and making me feel things for you that I shouldn't be feeling." He replied in a harsh tone, he pushed himself off the stool he sat on.

Walking towards the exit, he called out over his shoulder, "Just forget I ever told you anything."

A second later the door shut behind him, leaving Ayana standing there alone, stunned.

She looked up at the moon, its radiant glow providing a lonely comfort. Could she give Leonard another chance? Could she allow herself to dive back into the tumultuous waters of their past? The memories were painful; yet sweet; bitter yet loving... And completely hers.

With a sigh she dropped her hands to her sides, wondering if she had any hope of reconciling their broken relationship. She felt an icy breeze rush past her face, causing her to shudder slightly. Pulling her coat tightly around her body, she slowly began to walk home.