Reliving The Past ~Ash/Closed~

[RacingBelle]

Ashleigh

~Don't stand up, they'll shoot down the first one who tries.
Try to change the world, they'll think you're out of your mind.~

I left Clearstone a few days after I made the decision to go back to my hometown and visit my parents---and Jisa's breakdown, as I was now calling it. During that time I fretted and tried not to pace my room---or the entire house for that matter, attempting to give my ankle some healing time. I hated being cooped up, even if it was by my own jurisdiction and for my own good. As soon as the swelling went down and some of the pain abated, I left. I didn't say a word to either Jisa or Anya and knew that they would guess where I had gone, leaving in the middle of night as usual.

The going was still agonizingly slow so it took me a few days longer to reach the outskirts of my hometown. Considering that a full day had been lost on the outside of Clearstone and my limp, I had to hide from the EF for most of the day and it was too late to get going once they gave up, I made good time. I traveled most of the way a horse, stopping occasionally to rest and graze and sometimes I was forced to stop when I could no longer bare the pain.

Sure I should have waited until the darn thing was healed but the few days that it took me to get there gave me time to think. For once, I was happy to slow down and think things through, and carefully. I wanted to avoid bringing my parents into the world of Supernaturals but it seemed as if I had to do just that. But perhaps they're already involved..

That would explain they're nervousness every time I went out to a 'study session' after school. It would explain why they didn't want me doing any after school activities like track or the swim team. It would also explain why they freaked when they learned that I had ridden in the local horse shows and therefore gotten my name in the local papers. A thought hit me, suddenly. They didn't want me to attract unwanted attention...

That story made sense, but was it true?

I didn't know that answer. That was part of the reason that I was back to my parent's house, to find out the truth. The second was...well, I've realized that I had been both rash and stupid that night I decided to leave. Leaving the safety of my parent's home hadn't exactly been the worst decision I've made so far in my life, nor the wisest, but perhaps it was for the best.

I shook myself out of my thoughts, melting back into my human form. I yawned widely and stretched before moving forward again. I was about to pass through the heart of my small hometown of Rayborough.

I felt like I had been gone for years instead of months as I walked through the town. New businesses had opened and old ones had closed. There were new houses and new people almost everywhere I looked. I was struck with wonder of just how much this place had changed while I was gone, even if for the normal citizens it wasn't much of a change at all. Shaking my head I was glad went I entered familiar territory.

My wandering feet immediately took me to the stables where I had once ridden. the scent of horses, hay, leather, and so much more hit me. I breathed it in, savoring it. I walked through the stables slowly, patting the horses I knew and getting to know the ones that I didn't. Then finally I came to one mare that I had been partnered to for five years.

I was snapped out of my remembering when a someone shouted, "Hey stay away from her! She---" I reached out and stroked the bay mare, moving her forelock to reveal the perfect circular white star about the size of a golf ball, "--bites." The young man shook his head and I heard his footsteps as he walked up to me. I turned and my brow furrowed as I saw his face.

"I know you," I said simply while searching his face just as he now searched mine. The man had jet black hair and striking cobalt eyes. His tan features were very familiar...then it hit me.

"Will?"

"Ashleigh?"

We blurted at the same time and then burst out laughing and I hugged him, while the bay mare stamped a hoof. I turned back to her. "My sweet girl, they've taken good care of you. Mystic..." I crooned. This was my softer side and I felt as if I hadn't showed it for a long time. I felt Will watch me closely.

"You've changed, Ashleigh," he said.

"So have you," I replied. "Look at you Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome." Will had indeed changed when I was gone. I remembered him as being more boyish looking when I left but now none of that showed. Not to mention that he had grown a good couple of inches above me. I had to tilt my face up slightly to meet his dark blue eyes.

He raised an eyebrow. "You think I'm handsome?" I felt heat started creeping into my face, as I punched him in the shoulder. "Ow! You've gotten stronger too! What was that for?"

"For being the same idiot I've always known," I replied, eyes shining with mischief. Some things never changed. Speaking of changed... "Who rides Mystic now?"

A grin lit up his face. "I do, actually."

I smiled in relief. "I'm glad she ended up getting a decent rider."

"Hey, I think I'm better than decent! Besides you should know of all people that I wouldn't let riding this mare slide past me.
Remember when you first came here? We ended up fighting but let that mare choose who she wanted as her rider!"

I laughed at the memory. "I remember! How could I forget? Mystic strode right up to me without a second glance at you. I was very lucky that day that she deemed me worthy enough to be her partner."

"Ashleigh, where have you been? You just disappeared after your birthday." Will asked, suddenly serious.

I shook my head. I couldn't tell him about Clearstone. "That's not important. Neither is the reason why I left or why I'm back. Will, it's been nice seeing you but I should be getting along to my parent's before it gets much darker. Perhaps you should be getting home too. Danger lurks in the nighttime shadows."

"Ashleigh, you really have changed," Will replied, almost sadly.

I looked down. "I know." I turned to Mystic. "Be good for him girl. I'm sorry that I left the way I did. I'm sorry that I can't come back. But you've helped me so much over the years we were together. I'll always hold a place for you in my heart," I whispered to the horse. I hugged her for a long moment before turning to Will again. "You better take care of her. I'll be back every now and then."

"You're not staying?" Will's eyes darkened. He was confused. I shook my head and hugged him once more.

"I...I just can't. Good bye, Will." I turned and strode out of the stable, trying to hide my obvious limp from his eyes. I knew it was pointless but me being me I had to try.

If I didn't have heightened sense of hearing, I wouldn't have heard Will say softly, "Good bye, Ashleigh. Good luck."

I smiled. I missed him. He was, after all, my best friend. At least he had been anyway.

So I continued on, just as the sun did as it made its decent in the sky, growing closer and closer to the horizon.

The familar-yet-not-so-familar form of my former home appeared before me. I paused, hesitating. This was my chance to turn back. Once they saw me...I couldn't just leave. I chewed on the inside of my lip before striding forward. I had to know. I couldn't spend the rest of my life wondering about my parents.

I knocked on the door and waited. I turned to watch the sun make it's decent, darkness closing in. I heard footsteps, then locks being turned, and finally the door knob turning.

"Hello?" the voice was female. I took a breath to steady myself.

A male voice called from the background, "Who is it, dear?"

The woman that stood in the doorway had curly brown hair and hazel eyes. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw my face.

"Ashleigh?" I could only nod. My mother swept me into a hug and I stiffened slightly before relaxing and giving her a hug back. I felt my mother's shoulders quiver and I knew she was starting to cry.

"What's going on?" a man asked. My mother released me and stepped back into my father, who wrapped his arms around her involuntarily.

"She back," she whispered hoarsely. My father, with his dark brown eyes and wild brown hair that was so much like my own turned his gaze on me. The same shocked look crossed my father's face. Immediately, he pulls all of us into a hug.

I was the first to pull away, there was only so much hugging I could take from them, and broke the silence. "Can we go in?" I asked, turning to scan the seemingly empty street. I couldn't help remember the first time I showed up at Jisa's house.

"Of course," my father replied. His voice was a little choked and my mother could only nod, wiping away tears. So they were worried about me, I thought. I wondered why I felt so surprised.

All of us moved into the house, my mother closing the door and locking it again. The three of us drifted to the living room. My parents sat on a couch and I stood in the doorway, looking around the room as if I had never seen it before. It hadn't changed much.


WIP-Muse running low.

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~Revolutions start when someone crosses the line.~

(Inspired by Jisa! Lyrics from Superchick's Cross The Line.)