Emotional Connection

until October

Michael had done so much to try and make it up to Ashley after forgetting his birthday dinner, she decided after a couple of weeks she couldn't stay mad at him forever. Besides, she'd noticed he never worked nights anymore so he was home nearly every night to make dinner for her so they could just be together for a bit.

So far, she'd not mentioned the fact that she was considering staying in Romania. Part of her hoped that with recent events (aka Voldy being out in the open) her dad would want to stay rather than risk travelling all over the place, even if they didn't go back to Britain for a while. Of course, she knew better, but Ashley wanted to avoid that awkward conversation, so she tried to convince herself it was possible.

With Michael being home most nights now, she was able to sleep in her own bed now, something she knew she should be grateful for. The only issue was that Ashley was starting to miss Charlie, even though they still hung out, she always felt better in the mornings if she slept at his. She often felt like she was looking for excuses to sleep over at Charlie's instead of at her own place, and it wasn't because of her liking him more than a friend; at least, that's what she told herself. But it was obvious her dad knew something was off with her.

Ashley stared down at the book in her hands, occasionally flicking through the pages without actually reading anything.

"Can we talk?" Michael looked nervous, but his expression changed to one of relief when she put the book down, nodding, unaware her heart skipped a beat, thinking he'd read her mind about staying in Romania. "So one of my acquaintances in Scotland has reached out, with an opportunity for us to go over there and work with quintapeds. It would be on the Isle of Drear, not the mainland, but there are several places for you to find work nearby if that's what you would rather."

Ashley couldn't breathe for a second, trying to put the words in her head in order.

"Of course, I realise you've created quite a home here for yourself, you're more than within your rights to stay here, and I'll go to Scotland. I just thought that maybe you should know so you've got the choice. I only need an answer by October thirty-first, leaving day is the second of November."

Ashley nodded, "th- thank you for letting me know. I... I suppose I'll have to think about it, really. You're right in that I've found a home here but... It's still something to think about. Especially with You-know-who back and causing havoc in Britain."

He nodded, as though he knew he was fighting a lost cause already.

"But that's not a no. It's... I'm going to think about it, I promise." Ashley resumed staring blankly at her book again, trying not to overthink everything. It was difficult, trying to figure out what the right thing to do was, always doing the right thing... But it just seemed to be who she was. This time though, she really didn't know what the right thing would be, whether it would be the right thing to do the selfish thing, or whether to do what she always did and throw away everything she knew and uproot her life for her dad all over again.

She looked up, staring through the windows, towards the mountains that loomed over them from all sides and decided to take a walk, think it over in the free air without worrying about anything apart from what she truly thought was the best thing for her to do. Ashley never did well with confinement anyway.
She wrapped up, walking out, telling her father not to wait up. He didn't look surprised; whenever Ashley was trying to work through something she usually found the most open place she could and walked until her head was clear. She'd been doing it ever since her mum left.

The night was surprisingly cold for early August, but then she supposed being on top of a mountain didn't exactly help matters. Three months to figure out if she was staying or if she was leaving. It seemed like ages, but Ashley knew it wasn't that far away, that she'd have to make a decision sooner rather than later.
Staring ut at the sanctuary, watching the dragons parading around, fighting their restraints, it wasn't somewhere she ever thought she'd end up settling. Ashley never really thought she'd settle anywhere, nowhere ever felt like home, nowhere ever made her feel safe enough to stay.

Turning, she saw Charlie's house in the distance. She'd been there enough times to know exactly which one it was, even from so far away. Charlie made her feel safe enough, made her feel at home. Was that a good enough reason to stay? Maybe.
But could she abandon her dad, the person she'd given up everything for, just for the slightest chance at being with someone who would forget her no more than a minute after she'd gone?

Ashley stared back out over the Pit, eyes catching sight of the hospital in the distance. She loved working there, loved it more than anything she'd ever done before, it made her feel like her becoming a Healer wasn't a waste, that she was genuinely good at something... And Pete. They'd become so close, closer than she'd ever been with someone while working before, he was more like a best friend now than someone just for business or just a colleague. There was so much keeping her here, so much to stay for. Her only question: would it be worth it?