Steps

Step 18.4: Hope in the North

"Stay here." Vibe had said before he had portaled away again.

Leah stood in Cisco's lab utterly confused by everything that had just happened. She stared down at the hand Vibe had been holding. So, she wasn't dead. That was nice. But why in the world was she in Cisco's lab? How had he known to bring her here of all places?

She glanced around the lab for a minute and saw a blanket tossed haphazardly onto one of the workbenches. So, he'd be sleeping in his lab again. Something in Leah's gut twisted. Because of her. She'd done this, this was her fault.

Run.

"Run" was the only thought that swirled through her head as her feet started to carry her to the Cortex. Get to the Cortex, get out of the building, go home, forget this ever happened. Run.

Running was something that Leah knew well. After all, hadn't she run to Korea after Jae Yone died? Hadn't she run to community college instead of Georgia Tech when her program failed to do the lifesaving work it was intended to do? Hadn't she run away to Star City when memories of her past haunted her too much in Steele? Leah knew how to run, and she'd be damned if she wasn't about to run again. All of this? The metas, the stupid advanced technologies, and the secrets were too much for her. And Cisco. She couldn't stand to hurt him again.

Maybe she could go back to Star City – stay with Adam and Jamie for a bit. That would help, right? Transfer back there, run away.

As she entered the Cortex, she caught sight of Caitlin in her small enclave off the side of the main Cortex. Maybe if she could sneak past quietly enough...

"Leah!"

Leah squeezed her eyes shut and let out a quiet sigh. The tapping of heels grew louder as Caitlin approached.

"What happened to your face?!" Leah opened her eyes to find Catilin staring at her with a stark look of worry. Before she knew it, there was a firm grasp on her wrist and she was being pulled to the small enclave. "Come on, let's get you patched up before Cisco sees, otherwise he'll freak."

"Actually..." Leah tried to muster up some sort of courage to say something, ANYTHING. To get out of this situation and get home where it was safe. But was it really even safe at home anymore? TWO metas had broken into her house in the past twenty-four hours. Star City was starting to look like an even better plan the more she thought about it. "Actually Caitlin, I was uh, just leaving to head for the doctor," she lied.

"It'll be quicker here, promise." Caitlin pushed her down into a chair, leaned her back, and started to gently peel off the bandage on her cheek. "How did this happen anyway? You always seem to be getting in trouble."

Leah's eyes stung as she fought off the tears that so desperately wanted to form at Caitlin's words. "Ha, I do...don't I?" She glanced down at the circuitry pattern that had permanently etched itself onto her arm. Why did this keep happening? What was going on?

"Look up." Caitlin tilted Leah's head up as she turned to get something from her cart of instruments behind her. What would it be this time? Stitches? Hopefully not. A scar on her face too? How many more times would this happen if she continued to stay in Central City?

Rushed, heavy footsteps echoed from the hall to Cisco's lab. Leah's heart squeezed as she closed her eyes to avoid looking in that direction. Anything she could do to make it feel like she could disappear. That would be an awesome power to have at the moment.

"CAITLIN," came Cisco's harried voice. "HAVE YO-"

There was a quick pause before the determined footfalls started to come in her direction. There was no escaping this. No running. No way out. Leah winced, eyes still closed as something cold stung at her cheek.