Resequencing DNA

Ashleigh headed to the bathroom before making her way into the living room where she found Elijah, already dressed in the clothes Ashleigh had given him the previous day. Elijah was standing in the kitchen making two cups of coffee.

Ashleigh sat down on the sofa and picked up her pack of cigarettes,

“Must remember to go and buy more,” she thought as she took one of the remaining few from the pack, placing it to her lips before fumbling around for her lighter, noticing the red polish that still decorated her nails.

Elijah walked over to the sofa, placed the two cups of coffee on the table and sat down beside Ashleigh.

“So…today is finally here huh?” muttered Elijah, sounding a little downbeat.

Ashleigh simply nodded as she took a drag of her cigarette.

“So…you’re really doing this?” asked Elijah, taking a sip of his coffee.

Ashleigh turned and looked at her friend who looked really upset about the prospect of Ashleigh turning back to Aaron.

“Elijah…I…I’m sorry…but as I explained before…I have to do this…I…I already have a life…as the other me…I have a job I can’t just walk away from…people know me,” explained Ashleigh as she sipped her coffee. “It’s not like…it’s not like I have hated this whole experience…”

“So stay Ashleigh…please…stay,” pleaded Elijah, “I don’t wanna lose you.”

“You aren’t going to lose me,” stated Ashleigh, “I’ll still be here…I’ll still be here for you…I am your friend…the best thing to come out of all this…is…is… you and Pippa.”

 Elijah simply stared into his coffee cup, looking deep in thought.

“Do you think this nail polish will disappear…once I change back?” asked Ashleigh.

Elijah never spoke a word, instead, he simply glanced across before shrugging his shoulders.

“Elijah…you’re acting like a petulant child who isn’t getting his own way…please…stop this,” thought Ashleigh, stubbing out her cigarette before downing the rest of her coffee.

“I suppose I had best go and get dressed,” stated Ashleigh as she got to her feet. Elijah chose to deliberately look away from her as she made her way back to her bedroom.

As Ashleigh got dressed, she decided to call Wes, to let him know that she was on her way.

A few moments later, Ashleigh emerged from the bedroom, wearing a black T-shirt and a black pair of jeans along with a pair of trainers. It was clear that these were Aaron’s clothes due to them not fitting properly around her waist, instead, the only thing keeping the jeans from falling down were Ashleigh’s wider hips and the T-shirt being tucked in at the waistband.

Ashleigh stood in the hallway and looked at her friend who hadn’t even noticed her return. Instead, Elijah sat where Ashleigh had left him, however now he looked as though he was lost in thought, staring off into the distance.

“Elijah…” called Ashleigh, to which her friend looked rather startled, spinning around to look at her. “We had better get going,”  she added.

Elijah got up and placed his cup on the table,

“I guess…” he muttered as he reluctantly followed Ashleigh’s lead, his hands firmly in the pockets of his hooded sweatshirt.

The pair headed downstairs, climbed into Aaron’s car and began to make their journey to Wesley’s lab.

The journey there was made in almost complete silence, every time Ashleigh spoke, she was met with a single-worded answer or in some cases, just a shrug or a grunt, all the while keeping his hands tucked firmly in his pockets.

Ashleigh pulled up the car not far from the lab and sent a text message to Wesley, letting him know they had arrived, before setting off on her way once more. As she pulled up to the security hut, she wound down her window as she noticed Frank, the security guard, standing by the door.

“I’m here to see Mr. Ashton-Burns…he’s expecting me,” stated Ashleigh.

“Yeah, Mr. Ashton-Burns already said to look out for you, head on in, I’ll let him know you’ve arrived,” replied Frank as he raised the barriers.

Ashleigh drove the car into the car park, which was still looking rather empty.

“Guess not everyone has arrived for work yet,” thought Ashleigh as she brought the car to a halt.

Ashleigh took a deep breath as she turned the key in the ignition and the car fell silent.

“So…you’re really doing this Ash…this really is what you want?” asked Elijah.

“I…yes…yes I am…and it’s for the best,” replied Ashleigh, as she opened the car door and stepped outside.

As Ashleigh climbed out of the car, she noticed Elijah begin to fumble with something, taking it out of his pocket. However, before she had noticed what it was he had in his hands, she heard a familiar voice shout to her from across the car park.

“Ashleigh,” shouted the voice.

Ashleigh turned to find Wesley approaching her. As she looked back at the car, Elijah had gotten out of the passenger side and closed the door behind him.

“Oh…Eloise…what are you doing here?” asked Wesley sounding surprised to see his cousin standing beside the car.

“I promised my best friend that I would be here…you know…that’s what best friends do,” quipped Elijah, “And it’s Elijah…by the way…not Eloise.”

Wesley looked at his cousin, noticing the way they were dressed,

“Oh…okay…does Aunt Bridget and Uncle Jasper know about…well you know?” asked Wesley, “Are you…wanting…I mean…I can do it for you…if you want.”

  “Oh…I would love that Wes…I mean…it had crossed my mind to ask…but…” mumbled Elijah.

“But what?” Wesley asked.

“I’m still mad at you…we all are…and well…don’t think this would change anything between us…because you know…it won’t,” snapped Elijah, “And yes…as a matter of fact they do know who I am and what I want,” she added in a stern tone.

“I understand…” replied Wesley before turning back to Ashleigh, “As I said in my note…I’m so so sorry, Ashleigh…I’m sorry for everything…and whatever punishment you deem fit…I understand.”

“Come on…let’s just get this over with,” muttered Ashleigh “Right now….I don’t wanna be here… and Wes…Wesley, you are the last person on the planet I want to be speaking with or even be within one hundred miles of right now.”

Wesley nodded and began to lead the pair inside the building, past the reception desk and through to his lab.

“Deja vu,” thought Ashleigh, as she entered the lab, seeing the familiar sight of the chamber she had been locked inside of as she changed from Aaron to Ashleigh.

“Well…Ashleigh, you know the drill,” stated Wes, pointing towards the chamber.

Ashleigh handed the car keys to Elijah and smiled.

“I…I guess this is goodbye, Ashleigh,” said Elijah softly.

“I…I know…but I’ll always be here for you…no matter what I look like,” replied Ashleigh with a smile.

Elijah threw his arms around his friend as a tear rolled down his cheek.

After a few brief moments, Ashleigh made her way towards the chamber and stepped inside and the door closed and locked into position as she did so. She felt goose bumps all over her body as she watched Wesley begin to click away at the computer without even giving her a second look.

“Beginning the sequence…now,” stated Wesley through the speaker inside the chamber.

Elijah approached the chamber, sobbing as he put his hand on the glass. Ashleigh in response, placed her hand on the same position that Elijah's hand was.

“Ashleigh…please don’t go…” mouthed Elijah through the window that separated the two of them, it was obvious he was crying as the whirring sound of the machine began to get louder and louder.

One final time, Ashleigh looked at her friend and smiled, before closing her eyes for the last time. “Am I doing the right thing? Is this what I want?” Ashleigh asked herself as the light-headed sensation and the full body tingling which she recognised from last time had taken over her. “...I...I have to do this,” she thought to herself as the sound of the machine whirring away faded away into silence.