Previously on "Enlightenment"

"That was my mother, she just wanted to stop by. I still don't understand why Barry and Jenny would have to hold her back... I guess I'll ask them in the morning. I think I'm going to hit the hay, good night Cisco," Natalya rushes to get all the words out. Running up the stairs and into her room before Cisco could reply.

Natalya kicks off her shoes and takes out her hair, not even bothering with changing clothes. She lays back onto the bed, before she could get back up again to wash up, her eyes close and she falls asleep...

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THE PONES RINGING WAKES NATALYA UP. Sun coming in from the window just like her first day. There is some good news, and some bad news too this. The good news is that no one disturbed her privacy and took off her covers. The bad news is she has to speak with someone first thing in the morning.

Her hand goes to the bedside table, sitting up in the process of lifting her ringing phone to her face. Natalya knows that caller ID from anywhere... The person she called the night before, asking him for a simple favor. A favor that she will have to return in months to come.

"Why are you calling me this early?" Natalya answers the call. Her free hands rubbing her eye tiredly. The cocky voice from the man from the other line answers, "It's almost twelve! I just called you to remind you to meet me at the cafe."

"Fine, Ralph. I'll see you-" a yawn interrupts Natalya mid sentence. That's when the call went dead with a couple of beeps. Of course he hung up on her... Leave it to Ralph Dibny to do that to you.

After a few agonizing minutes, Natalya drags herself out of bed. Her aching limbs protesting. Right off the bat she new that she slept funny the night before. Luckily, this pain would subside eventually. At the moment, she has larger things to worry about. Things such as dealing with her associate or speaking with her mother. Two things that Natalya is not looking forward too. She may love her mother and respect her friend Ralph, but that doesn't stop her from dreading the moments with them. Something she got from her sorry excuse of a father.

Natalya sighs, now understanding that she herself is a very complicated person. From her random thoughts, mood swings and odd personality that she can't keep straight. Why anyone would want to consider loving her, or be her friend is beyond her understanding. Heck, even how they put up with her from a day-to-day basis!

Shaking the once again random thoughts out of her head, she finally changes. Wearing a white sundress, black tights and white flats. Deciding that makeup is to much for her liking today, she finishes off the look by doing her hair, putting half of it up.

Natalya makes it out of the guest room and down the stairs. Letting her mind go elsewhere because she knows that the house is empty so she won't run into anyone. Her thoughts coming and going in milliseconds. No idea on what she is actually thinking from how jumbled up everything is.

She walks into the kitchen, making herself a cup of coffee knowing that Joe won't mind her using his coffee machine. Maybe in college he would, but now that she's an adult, no, not at all. Natalya watches the coffee slowly drip into her cup, her hands resting on the counter, holding herself up that way. Potential outcomes of her meeting with Ralph clearly showing up in her head. Pushing all the other jumbled thoughts aside.

This meeting can go many different ways. One; he could tell her who Mike really is. Two; he could completely ditch her and not show up. Lastly, three; he could show up, get something to eat or drink than leave without paying or telling her who Mike is. Furthermore, she is hoping for the first option. Knowing Ralph, he'll most likely try to do the third option but Natalya will make him tell her who Mike is no matter what.

The coffee machine stops, her wish to drink coffee being granted. Natalya takes creamer out from the fridge and uses it, along with a couple spoon fulls of sugar. She closes the lid on the to-go cup containing her coffee, cleaning up her mess. She runs upstairs and grabs some papers, coming back down and takes her beverage. Throwing on her jacket, and taking her keys, leaving the West house. Locking up after she steps outside.

The crisp cool air biting at her skin, the sky swirling with grey clouds. If it didn't snow today, it would definitely snow tomorrow when she's on her way back to the orphanage. Natalya gets into her car, shutting and locking the door. She turns it on, letting the warm air blast her in her face.

¥     ¥     ¥

Natalya sits in a booth near a large window in the small cafe. Ralph Dibny still not there, and she is starting to lose hope that he will come. Even if he did call her in the first place to basically tell her to hurry up. The moment Natalya decides to leave, Ralph slides into the booth across from her. A large grin on his face.

She decides not to say anything about him being late. A few moments into their silence, a waiter comes over, asking for their orders. Natalya orders a simple plate of fries, Ralph ordering a double decker burger and drink.

"Down to business," Natalya states with a small smile. Reaching down into her bag and pulling out a supposedly case file.

"Yeah, yeah of course..." Ralph trails off, the cocky grin still evident on his features. He knows something, than again, Natalya wouldn't have hired the private investigator if she didn't believe he wouldn't find anything.

She slides the case file over to Ralph, he opens it and quickly and scans through. Double checking that he did his job correctly. He takes out a pen from his breast pocket, scribbling something on the back of the picture of Mike. He slides the file back over to Natalya, than, their food came. Before she even touched her fries, she slides the file back into her bag. Not daring to look at what he wrote just yet.

Than, Natalya took in her old friends appearance, he has changed since being fired from the CCPD. He has gained weight, his stomach clearly showing that. Brown hair tossled and breath smelt of alcohol. Obviously he is down in the dumps lately. Probably because his private investigator business isn't going so well. He flirts with the woman to much, that is just something that you can tell by looking at him. Probably slapped once or twice...

"How's the business going?" of course Natalya already knew the answer, at least, she thinks she does.

"It's fine, hard to not make people angry though. Always yelling that I did my job wrong," Ralph grumbles angrily in response. Taking a bite out of his burger. Natalya rolls her eyes, knowing exactly what he meant. Many people do not want to hear the truth, especially woman. Than again, she would do something out of shock as well if she was in that type of situation.

With a shake of her head, she takes two salty fries and pops them in her mouth. Not bothering with any sauces. Barely processing that Ralph actually asked her a question, "So, how are the kids?"

Shaken from her thoughts, Natalya replies, "Alright last I checked. Mike is taking care of them at the moment."

The conversation didn't go very far after that. Just them eating their food silently. Maybe a question here and there. They may have been friends back in the day, but Ralph has changed so much that she doesn't even recognize him. He used to be so much fun to be around, now he's just a drunk flirt who is most likely holding a grudge against Barry.

After they finish with their food, the bill came. Just how she predicted, Natalya paid the bill and not Ralph. He was broke, that is obvious about his features. The two leave, going their separate ways. Natalya sitting in her car, case file on her lap. She is contemplating wether or not to open it and see who Mike really is. Than again, if she does find out who he is now, she may be forced to leave Central City right away, without saying any goodbyes.

The last thought got to her, setting the case file in the passenger seat. With no regrets and only curiosity, Natalya turns on the car and drives away. Keeping her attention on the road, and ignoring the nagging feeling in the back of her mind to see who Mike Fullman really is.

¥     ¥     ¥

The night came fast after Natalya got back to the West house. Iris and Joe still not home when she got back. That didn't bother Natalya one bit, knowing that they are working when she is not.

She still does not know if Mike has a different identity or not. The case file is untouched under her pillows. No matter how bad she wanted to go spend the rest of the day in Central City, that case file seemed to not let her. It kept her glued to the house in anticipation. Constantly chewing her nails from the stress of the decision of opening it or not. Thus why Natalya sits on her bed in the guest bedroom. Moonlight coming in from the window along with Central City lights.

Snow gently falling down from the heavens, a heater on in her room knowing that it will be cold tonight. The cold does not go well with Natalya, she much prefers the heat. A reason she dislikes the cold is even with blankets wrapped around your body, that doesn't keep the cold out.

With a huff of air, Natalya can't take it anymore, the curiosity finally getting to her. She reaches under her pillow and takes out the case file, opening it up. The first thing she sees is a picture of Mike with the kids. She flips it around, and her heart stops. Mike Fullmans real name is Mick Rory, a known criminal in Central City who worked along Leonard Snart for a while.

Than it dawned on her... She left the kids alone, with a murderer...

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PLEASE EXCUSE/IGNORE ALL SPELLING AND GRAMMAR MISTAKES, THANK YOU!

OH SNAP! Finally, the chapter where my darling Natalya finds out who Mike really is! I've been waiting to write this chapter for so long! I'm so happy I've finally got to do it.

Also, apologies for updating lately. I have been getting future chapters finished. Besides, I know it may not seem like it, but I edited that chapter and it was so hard to have the inspiration to edit it...

Chapter dedicated to; Mick_and_Hunter

AGAIN, PLEASE EXCUSE/IGNORE ALL SPELLING AND GRAMMAR MISTAKES, THANK YOU!