Run: 2026-02-19-01KHTQV68MCJ9DPY62CBB22454

The old wooden floorboards creaked under Aurora's boots as she pushed open the heavy door of The Raven's Nest. The familiar scent of stale cigarette smoke and spilled beer washed over her, taking her back to a time long ago. Her eyes scanned the dimly lit interior, the green neon sign casting an eerie glow over the scattered patrons. She made her way to the bar, weaving through the worn leather stools and small round tables. The bartender, a distinguished-looking man with greying auburn hair, caught her eye and nodded in recognition. "Rory, haven't seen you in these parts for a while," Silas said, pouring a finger of amber liquid into a glass and sliding it across the worn mahogany counter. "Whiskey, neat. On the house." Aurora accepted the glass with a grateful nod, relishing the familiar burn as the liquor slid down her throat. "Thanks, Silas. It's good to be back." She allowed her gaze to wander the bar, the flickering candlelight illuminating the faded maps and black-and-white photographs that adorned the walls. Her eyes settled on a lone figure hunched over the far end of the bar, nursing a glass of what appeared to be scotch. As if sensing her scrutiny, the figure turned, revealing a face Aurora hadn't seen in years. Her heart skipped a beat, and she felt the air leave her lungs in a sharp exhale. "Evan..." The name fell from her lips, a mixture of disbelief and trepidation. Evan's eyes widened in recognition, and for a moment, Aurora saw a flash of something akin to regret in his gaze. He slid off the barstool and made his way towards her, the limp in his left leg more pronounced than she remembered. "Aurora." Evan's voice was low, laced with a hint of uncertainty. "I... I didn't expect to see you here." Aurora felt the weight of the years between them pressing down on her chest. She remembered the pain, the betrayal, the scars that still lingered, both physical and emotional. And yet, she couldn't ignore the small part of her that ached to reach out and close the distance. "It's been a long time," she said, her tone carefully neutral. Evan nodded, his eyes searching her face as if trying to reconcile the woman before him with the memory he carried. "Too long," he murmured, his gaze momentarily dropping to the scar on her wrist. The silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken words and unresolved history. Aurora couldn't help but notice the changes in him – the greying hair, the lines around his eyes, the limp that spoke of a life weathered by time and circumstance. "What are you doing here, Evan?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Evan's lips curled into a humorless smile. "Drowning my sorrows, it would seem." He raised his glass in a sardonic gesture. "And you? What brings you back to this place?" Aurora considered her response, weighing the gravity of the moment. "Life," she said simply. "Or perhaps, the pursuit of it." Evan nodded, his eyes reflecting a depth of understanding that surprised her. "I see." He paused, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. "I'm... I'm sorry, Aurora. For everything." The words hung in the air, weighted with the years of pain and regret that had passed between them. Aurora felt a flicker of emotion, a struggle between the scars of the past and the desire to forgive. "I know," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I know you are." They stood there, two ghosts of their former selves, caught in the intersection of time and fate. The noise of the bar faded into the background as they searched each other's eyes, the weight of their shared history palpable. "You look good, Rory," Evan said, a hint of sincerity in his voice. "I'm... I'm glad to see you're doing well." Aurora felt a pang of empathy, a reluctant acknowledgment of the man he had become. "As am I, Evan. As am I." Silas, who had been discreetly observing the exchange, approached them with a gentle clearing of his throat. "Rory, I'm afraid I need to close up shop for the night. You two look like you have some catching up to do." He fixed Evan with a pointed stare. "Don't do anything I'll regret." Evan held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "No need to worry, Silas. We're just... reminiscing." Silas nodded, a hint of concern in his eyes as he glanced between the two former friends. "Very well. I'll be in the back if you need me." Aurora watched as Silas retreated, leaving her and Evan alone in the dimly lit bar. The weight of their shared history hung heavy in the air, a tangible presence that demanded acknowledgment. "So," Evan began, his voice laced with a hint of trepidation. "What have you been up to all these years?" Aurora took a deep breath, her mind racing with the events that had unfolded since their paths had last crossed. "A lot, it would seem. I left Cardiff, just as you suggested all those years ago. Ended up in London, working a few odd jobs to make ends meet." Evan's brow furrowed, a flicker of guilt crossing his features. "I'm... I'm glad you got out of there. That place was never good for you." Aurora nodded, her gaze drifting to the scar on her wrist. "No, it wasn't. But I suppose that's all in the past now." She paused, her eyes meeting his. "What about you, Evan? What have you been up to?" Evan's expression darkened, a shadow of pain crossing his face. "Nothing good, I'm afraid. I... I made a lot of mistakes, Rory. Mistakes that cost me everything." Aurora felt a pang of sympathy, the familiar pull of their shared history tugging at her heart. "I'm sorry to hear that," she said, her voice softer than she intended. Evan let out a humorless chuckle. "Don't be. I brought it all on myself." He took a long sip of his drink, his gaze fixed on the amber liquid. "I've been trying to find my way back, you know. To make amends. But it's not easy, not after..." His voice trailed off, the unspoken ending hanging in the air like a weighted silence. Aurora reached out, her hand hovering hesitantly over his arm. "Evan, I..." But before she could finish, the sound of the heavy wooden door creaking open drew their attention. Silas emerged from the back room, a solemn expression on his face. "I'm afraid I must insist you both be on your way," he said, his gaze sweeping between them. "The Nest is closed for the night." Aurora and Evan exchanged a final, loaded glance, the weight of their shared history and the uncertainty of the future etched on their faces. "Very well," Evan murmured, finishing the last of his drink and sliding off the barstool. "It was... good to see you, Rory." Aurora nodded, a bittersweet smile playing on her lips. "And you, Evan." With one last, lingering look, the two former friends made their way towards the door, their footsteps echoing in the silence of the empty bar.