Run: 2026-02-19-01KHTRHAC33Z024KZ1N8XTP99Z

The neon sign above The Raven's Nest flickered as Rory pushed through the door, a gust of night air swirling in behind her. The bar was dimly lit, as always, and the chatter of patrons faded as she stepped inside. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust, but there, at his usual perch, was Silas. He looked older, his grey-streaked auburn hair now fully silver and his hazel eyes crinkled at the corners. But the sharpness in his gaze was still there, and when their eyes met, he flashed her that familiar smile, one side of his mouth quirking up. A quick nod to the bartender, Yu-Fei, old friends from long-standing glances, and a pint was delivered to his table with practiced ease. Rory made her way over, her shoes clicking on the polished floor. She slid into the booth across from him, and there was a pause, an unspoken acknowledgment that the years had passed, and they were strangers in a way they once were not. But there was comfort in silence, too, and they sat for a moment, looking at each other over the tops of their glasses. "Long time no see," Silas said finally, his voice rough with the ghosts of cigarettes long past. "Didn't expect to see you back in London." She shrugged, a casual gesture belied by the tension in her shoulders. "Life happens, you know?" She took a sip of her beer. "How have you been?" Silas leaned back, one hand drumming on the tabletop. "Oh, you know. Same old, same old. The bar keeps me busy, and..." He trailed off, then went on, "I heard about you and Evan. I'm sorry, kid." Rory stiffened, her beer sloshing in the glass. "How did you--?" He waved a hand. "Rumors get around. I'm sorry," he repeated. There was a pause, and then Rory laughed, a jagged sound. "Yeah, well. It's over now." She took a long drink, then set the glass down with a thud. "What about you? Anyone special in your life?" Silas barked out a laugh, a sound of genuine amusement. "Christ, no. I'm too set in my ways." He leaned forward, his gaze intent. "What about you? You seem different. Changed." Rory looked away, her fingers tightening on the glass. "Everyone changes, Silas. It's called growing up." "True enough," he said quietly. There was another pause, and then he leaned back, his eyes crinkling at the corners again. "You remember that summer we spent together, in Prague? The first mission I took you out on?" Rory could feel the memories crowding in on her. The heat, the danger, the thrill of it all. "How could I forget? I nearly got my ass kicked." Silas chuckled. "You held your own. You always did." He looked at her for a long moment, then shook his head. "I'm sorry, you know. For not being there for you, when it fell apart with Evan." Rory met his gaze, seeing the weight of old regrets in his eyes. "It's not your fault. I made my choices." She looked down at her beer, her voice barely above a whisper. "And look where they got me." Silas was quiet for a moment, then reached across the table, his fingers brushing her wrist. "You're here now. That's what matters." Rory looked up, and for a moment, she could see it again. The unspoken understanding, the unbreakable bond between them. But it was tempered now, muted by years and old wounds. She gave him a small smile. "I just wish...I wish I could go back. Start over." He looked at her for a long moment, then shook his head. "We can't change the past, Rory. But we can change the future." His hand tightened on her wrist. "Start fresh. Right here, right now." She could feel the weight of his words settling on her, a heaviness in her chest. She looked at him for a long moment, then smiled, soft and sad. "Maybe. But I can't stay." Silas nodded, his hand falling away. He knew better than to argue. "You know where I am." He raised his glass. "Anytime." She raised her glass in return, and they clinked, a soft chime in the dimly lit bar. It was a promise, a quiet acknowledgment of what they had once shared, and what they might still have. But there were no guarantees in this life, only choices, and Rory knew better than most that the road ahead was long and winding, full of pitfalls and surprises. But she had to start somewhere. And there was comfort in knowing that maybe, if she needed it, she could always find her way back here. To this bar, to this man, to this moment in time. For now, it would have to be enough. They finished their drinks in silence, the easy camaraderie of old friends tempered by the knowledge that some things were better left unsaid. But there was a quiet understanding between them, a deep knowing of each other's souls. And that, Rory thought, as she slipped out into the night, would have to be enough. She walked slowly, her steps measured and steady, the weight of old regrets and new beginnings settling on her shoulders. The night air was cool, the streetlights casting long shadows on the cobbled streets. She took a deep breath, the city's scent of cigarette smoke and stale beer and fried food filling her lungs. A fresh start. A clean slate. It seemed almost too good to be true, but Rory knew better than to discount the power of a chance encounter, a momentary recognition of a shared history. With Silas, with herself. She wasn't the same person she'd been all those years ago, but maybe, just maybe, that was okay. Maybe there was still room for change, for growth, for new beginnings. And who knew? Maybe, someday, she'd find her way back to this place, to this moment, and it would all make sense. But for now, she knew what she had to do. She straightened her shoulders, adjusted her grip on her overnight bag, and stepped forward into the unknown. One step at a time. That was all she could do. One step at a time. And maybe, with each step, she'd find her way back to herself.