Run: 2026-02-17-01KHMMETT26P10WY9KPR7DTGH1

The distinctive green neon sign above the entrance cast an eerie glow over the rain-slicked cobblestones. Rory ducked inside, her black hair plastered to her forehead. Silas looked up from wiping down the bar, his hazel eyes widening in recognition. "Aurora? Aurora Carter?" She mustered a smile. "Hello, Silas. It's been a long time." "Too long," he said gruffly, setting down the rag. "What brings you to this part of town on a miserable night like this?" Rory slid onto a worn leather stool, shrugging out of her damp coat. "Chance, mostly. I moved into a flat nearby recently." She glanced around the dimly lit bar, taking in the old maps and black-and-white photographs covering the walls. "I see you haven't changed a thing." "Why mess with perfection?" Silas replied with a wry smile, his neatly trimmed beard matching his grey-streaked auburn hair. He poured her a whiskey without asking, sliding it across the polished wood. "Though I could say the same about you. You look just like I remember." Rory snorted softly, her bright blue eyes crinkling at the corners as she picked up the glass. "You always were a smooth talker, Si." She took a sip, savoring the familiar burn. "But we both know that's not true." He studied her thoughtfully, noting the small crescent-shaped scar on her left wrist peeking out from beneath her sleeve. "We've both got a few more miles on us, sure. But some things never change." "Maybe not for you," Rory murmured, her gaze distant. "Everything's different for me now." Silas leaned against the back counter, crossing his arms over his broad chest. His signet ring glinted in the low light. "How so?" She waved a hand vaguely. "I left Cardiff. Left...him. I'm starting over here." "I see," Silas said slowly, his brow furrowing. "That couldn't have been easy." Rory shook her head, her throat tight. "It wasn't. But it was necessary." She drained the rest of her whiskey in one swallow. "I couldn't stay there anymore, Si. Not after everything that happened." Silas limped out from behind the bar, his left knee stiff. He settled heavily onto the stool beside her. "You know you can talk to me, right? About anything." "I know," she whispered, blinking back tears. "But I'm not sure I'm ready to. Not yet." He covered her hand with his, squeezing gently. "Whenever you are, I'm here. I'll always be here for you, Aurora. No matter what." Rory managed a wobbly smile, turning her hand to clasp his. "Thank you, Silas. That means more than you know." They sat in companionable silence for a long moment, lost in their own thoughts. The weight of their shared history hung heavy between them - the years of friendship, the unspoken words, the paths not taken. "Remember when we used to dream about running away together?" Rory asked suddenly, a wistful note in her voice. "Selling everything we owned and just...disappearing?" Silas huffed a laugh. "I still have my bug-out bag packed. Old habits die hard, I guess." "We were so naive," she mused, a faraway look in her eyes. "Thinking we could just leave everything behind and start fresh somewhere new. No baggage, no regrets." "We were young," he agreed, his tone wry. "And maybe a little stupid." "Maybe," she conceded with a soft chuckle. "But it was a nice dream, wasn't it? The idea that we could just...escape. Be anyone we wanted to be." "It was," Silas said quietly, his gaze intent on her profile. "It still is, if you want it to be." Rory turned to look at him, her heart suddenly pounding. "What do you mean?" He held her gaze steadily, his expression serious. "I mean that it's never too late, Aurora. To start over, to be happy. You can still have the life you always wanted. The life you deserve." "I...I don't know if I can," she admitted, her voice trembling. "I've made so many mistakes, Si. Hurt so many people. I don't know if I deserve a second chance." "Everyone deserves a second chance," he said firmly, his grip tightening on her hand. "Especially you. You have a good heart, Aurora Carter. Don't ever forget that." Rory ducked her head, a tear sliding down her cheek. "I've missed you, Silas," she whispered. "I didn't realize how much until now." "I've missed you too," he said gruffly, gently tilting her chin up with his free hand. "More than you know." For a long moment, they just looked at each other, the air heavy with unspoken emotion. Then Silas leaned in slowly, his intent clear. Rory's breath caught, her eyes fluttering closed as his lips brushed hers. The kiss was soft, almost chaste, but it rocked her to her core. When he pulled back, she could only stare at him, her heart in her throat. "Stay with me tonight," he murmured, his forehead pressed to hers. "Let me take care of you, just this once." And for the first time in a long time, Rory let herself need someone. Let herself be vulnerable. "Yes," she breathed, tangling her fingers in his hair. "God, yes." Silas stood, tugging her to her feet and into his arms. He held her tight, one hand cradling the back of her head as she buried her face in his chest. "Come on," he said softly, steering her towards the back of the bar. "I have a room upstairs." Rory followed him without question, her heart full to bursting. For tonight, at least, she wouldn't be alone. She wouldn't be afraid. And maybe, just maybe, it was the start of something new. Something real.