***Six Weeks Later***
***Mary POV***
"Yes, I'm doing much better," I reassured my mother over the phone as I walked down the hallway to the door of my small studio apartment, "Even though I still have a month of physical therapy to finish, the doctor has given me the ok to return to work."
"Are you sure it's not too early?" she asked, concern clear in her voice, "Maybe you should take it slow, go back part time while you finish up the therapy."
"Mom, I am going stir crazy here," I sighed with a smile, moving the parka that I kept finding myself carrying everywhere to my left arm, unlocked the door, and went inside, "My shoulder is doing fine. I need to get out of this apartment!"
"If you think you are ready," she replied, still sounding hesitant, "Just be careful."
"I will and I'll see you at Christmas," I replied turning to shut the door and turned on the light, "Love you too, bye."
I hung up the phone with a shake of my head, as I pushed the door the rest of the way shut and turned the deadbolt to lock it.
"You're welcome," a familiar sarcastic voice suddenly came from behind me the minute the deadbolt slid into place.
I whipped around and found myself facing a man that I was sure I would never see again.
"Leonard," I gasped, feeling my jaw literally drop out of shock and stood there staring at him sitting on the arm of my couch next to my sliding glass doors.
"You going to say anything or just stare?" he drawled out, shaking me from my shock.
"Ho… how did you get in here?" I asked numbly, vaguely gesturing toward the door as I knew it had been locked when I had entered.
"Really?" he asked, a smug smirk coming to his face as he lifted his hand and twirled some kind of tool between his fingers, "The locks on these older places are child's play. You really should upgrade."
"I… I'll remember that," I said uncertainly as I dropped my purse in my recliner, "What... are you doing here?"
"Read your interview," he replied with a smirk, gesturing to a folded up newspaper on my end table, "Wanted to give you my response."
"Oh," I replied lamely. Leonard merely snorted and shook his head.
"I… I meant it," I said in a rush, causing him to look back at me, "Thank you for what you did."
Leonard just shook his head at me again, before he got up and turned toward the sliding glass doors as if to leave.
"Wait!" I called and walked quickly toward him.
Leonard turned back to look at me and I stopped within reach of him, holding out the parka that was still in my arms.
"You may want this back," I said softly.
He stared at me intently for a moment, causing me to shift self-consciously, before he reached out and wrapped his long fingers around my left wrist instead of grabbing the parka.
"Keep it," he replied softly, "As a reminder."
"A reminder for what?" I asked just as softly, unable to tear my gaze away from his.
"For the next time you find trouble," he answered, giving my arm a gentle pull, causing me to take a step closer as he bent his head until we were nose-to-nose, "To run faster."
I could not help the small laugh that escaped me as I ducked my head slightly.
"Because there may not always be a hero around to rescue me, right?" I responded, looking back up at him.
Leonard's expression hardened as his hand tightened slightly around my wrist.
"I am no hero," he said emphatically.
"That's not true…" I tried to say.
"I'm a criminal and a liar," he cut me off abruptly, leaning down until we were face-to-face again, "I hurt people and I rob them. Don't make me out to be something I'm not!"
I stared back at him, unable to believe his words; because there was something in his tone that made it sound like he was trying to convince someone other than me. Causing me to look at him sadly while shaking my head.
Leonard leaned away and scoffed, before turning as if to leave. Acting on impulse, I reached out with my right hand and grabbed the front of his shirt to stop him. He reached up and grabbed my hand, as if to remove it, but I clenched my fingers tightly in the fabric.
"It does not matter if others, including you, don't believe you can be a hero," I said in a firm voice, "You will always be one to me."
Leonard stopped at my words and looked back at me, his brow pulled together in confusion, as if I were a puzzle he could not solve.
"After what you went through and knowing that I had a hand in it. Yet you still insist on believing that there is good in me," he said softly, "Why?"
I was taken aback by the look in his eyes. For the first time in what I would guess was years, Leonard dropped any pretense and I could see the real man he hid behind the cold façade. The one that actually cared and had a heart. A heart that seemed to be hurt and searching.
"Because everyone needs someone that believes the best in them, even if they cannot see it themselves." I answered with a soft smile, "If there wasn't good in you, you would have left me in that foundry."
Leonard stared at me for another minute before he released my left wrist. He then unexpectedly lifted his hand and gently stroked his knuckles down my cheek once before nodding his head and giving me a slight smile in return. A real smile, not a sarcastic smirk.
He then turned and quietly left through the sliding doors. The last thing to release were our joined hands. I stood looking through the blinds and watched until his dark clothing made him blend into the night.
***Snart POV***
Leonard stood and watched as Mary locked the door behind him. He watched until her shadow was no longer cast upon the blinds, her words still ringing in his ears.
"Because everyone needs someone that believes the best in them, even if they cannot see it themselves."
Those words had caused a feeling to rise within him, one he had not felt in years. A warmth that had settled in his chest and a want to show her that she was right. Leonard shook his head at his own wayward thoughts and feelings, and then turned to leave before a familiar voice stopped him.
"I wondered how long it would take you to come check up on her," it said and Leonard turned to face The Flash.
"Been following me again, Barry," Leonard replied, putting emphasis on his name as a reminder.
"Just heard you were back in town and knew it would be a matter of time," the scarlet clad speedster responded.
"You're wasting your time," Leonard drawled, "I did not come to check up on her, but to talk some sense into her. She is causing me trouble with her hero talk."
"Uh huh," the hero responded with a disbelieving look on his face, "Did it work?"
Leonard just glared at him in response, as there was no way he was going to tell anyone what was said between him and Mary.
"Ah well you know what they say about the life you save," Barry said with a wide grin, "You could have just left her in the foundry if you wanted to avoid the trouble."
"Yes and leave her to the CCPD's infamous response times when it comes to the warehouse district," Leonard snarled, "Someone worse would have found her first and all that would be left are pieces. You know that as well as I."
The only response that his rant got was another wide grin from The Flash, causing Leonard to glare at him again before stalking off to the parking lot and his motorcycle.
***The Flash POV***
Barry watched as Snart stalked off and could not help the wide grin that was plastered across his face.
"Who knew it would only take one ordinary woman for Captain Cold to see the good in himself," Barry thought, turning to look at said woman's apartment, "Who knows, maybe this will be a turning point for him."
Barry could not help one last chuckle before speeding off into the night.
I have decided that this is where I will end this story. But, on the advice of a reviewer I have started a sequel to this story called Hero's Return. Please read and review to see the rest of the story!