Hunger Games 2

Leaning back on her elbows, Piper stared out at the scenery. The light breeze shifted past, ruffling her hair ever so slightly. Imagines crept over her memory in flashes; the forest in the arena, the fire. She had to quickly blink the way and physically shook herself as if to rid of the horrid memories that the arena had imprinted on her. Everything about that place gave her the creeps. "Sounds like one messed up sitcom. It might be a hit though," she commented. "And beautiful huh?" she inquired as she listened to his words, arching a brow as she took a dried leaf between her fingertips; it crumbled with even the lightest touch. Perhaps the leaf was symbolic to Piper in a way; she was almost as dainty as the leaf. Though she had a rough exterior, she could crumble with a single prod. Brushing the thoughts away, she mentally scolded herself for thinking such things. She was stronger than that, or at least she had to learn to be. "Leonardo...will it ever get better?" she asked after a moment, shifting her gaze to him. "The memories, the nightmares, the...heartbreak?" Situating herself back on the arm of the couch, Peyton hid a small smirk as he retold her parent's love story. "Quite interesting," she began before she paused. "But what I am more interested in, Uncle Asp, is you and Aunt Ann's story," she mused, leaning forward expectantly. "That is one I haven't heard before."

Leon lied on his back on the rock, looking up at the sky and the cloud. He always did love watching them go by as a child. He remembered the days he would lay with his mother and have a picnic. Why didn't he bring food! Well, that was a date for another day. He blushed a bit when she commented on what he had said. "I-uh-yeah. Beautiful," he said a bit shyly, but he still said it with some confidence. He really did like this girl more than any other one he had met. She was different. He couldn't say just how yet, but he knew that she was perfect to him. Aspen rubbed the back of his neck nervously when he heard Peyton. "I would think they would teach you this in your classes. I guess it sounds too cliche to be real. It's kind of dark, I will warn you," he said, and he closed his eyes, taking a moment. "Well, My father was the president at the time, and he hated Drake. Always had. He thought it would be a smart idea to train me to fight, to kill Ann. I pretended to be a career, and they rigged the games so Ann would get picked. Then we met, became allies, and fell in love. It also explains how much your grandfather hates me, but that's okay. If I was him, I would too. Drake is a very smart man," he said. He really did aspire to be like him, but he wasn't getting very far. "Any other stories you would like to hear? I have tons."

Following Leon's gaze to the open sky, Piper weaved her fingers together as she watched the fluffy, pillow-like substances cross the sky. She felt another small pang hit her, as if someone had punched her right in the abdomen. She couldn't help but wonder if her parents missed her; they perhaps didn't even notice her absence. Forcing the thoughts away, she instead focused on Leon and offered a hesitant smile at his words. "I wouldn't say beautiful, but I guess it is nice to hear," she whispered finally; though she knew she looked a whole lot better than she had the day before, her appearance seemed to have changed over the course of the months. Scars, physical and mental, had been left on her. These changes, although subtle, were just enough to make her feel slightly insecure, which she had never been before. "What are your parents like?" she pondered. Shaking her head, Peyton smirked in Aspen's direction. "They never really delved into the romance. It is school after all," she pointed out as she crossed her arms over her chest. As she listened to his thorough story, a half smile tweaked on her lips. "Uncle Aspen, have you ever thought of what it would be like if you had a twin. I mean, Noah and I are twins, and Aunt Ann and Dimitri...," she named off, pursing her lips thoughtfully as she awaited his answer.

Leon gave her an odd look when he heard her. "My family? They aren't all that cool, I swear," he said, and he closed his eyes, pausing for a moment. He wasn't all that proud of what he did, but it wasn't like she had anyone to run away from, taking a moment to take in a deep breath. "Well, to start off, I have an older brother. He's amazing-sort of. He's at some rich Ivy League school studying to be a lawyer. He's smart, played football, basketball, and baseball, a total chick magnet. My parents wanted me to be just like him, but I didn't. I hated him. They - mainly my dad, my mom was okay with me doing what I wanted as long as I was happy- kept pressuring me to apply for medical school, but I guess I finally broke. I left them a note and said don't come looking for me. They couldn't really since I was an adult. I packed my bags and went here. My parents are kind of loaded so I just bought this house with the money I had. I haven't seen them since I left, though," he said. His mother didn't deserve it, but he couldn't stand another minute in that household with his faith comparing him to his brother. Aspen smirked a bit, and he rolled his eyes. "What do they even teach you about us? I think this would be rather intriguing to know what the schools think of me," he said. At her next question. he shrugged in response. "Before Ann and Dimitri, no. After them, a little bit, but it was being an only child that brought me closer to my mother. I wouldn't have it any other way."

As Leon spoke of his family, Piper vaguely listened; however, she couldn't help but think of her own family. She picked a rock up from the side, replacing the leaf she had once had in her hand. "If it makes you feel better, my parents didn't expect much out of me at all. At least yours believed in you, expected more from you. Mine were hoping I would marry a billionaire, because they never believed I could make it into Yale or Princeton," she muttered; her dejected words flowing like a steady stream from her lips. "My sister was always the favored child. She never partied, never disobeyed, and was practically the perfect teenager. I am sure at home, they rejoiced when she wasn't the one chosen for the games. They probably didn't even watch the games. They might not even know whether I am alive or not," she commented with a simple shrug. "Astrid always thought I had the perfect life because my family was wealthy and 'happy'. She was wrong. You would think rivalry between my sister and I would sever our relationship, but it only made us bond even more." Shrugging her slender shoulders, Peyton commented effortlessly, "Just the basics. History isn't particularly my favorite subject." A smirk tugged on her lips before her gaze drifted to the ceiling, soaking in his words. "I guess you make a valid point," she whispered, her voice dropping to a quiet whisper. Because of Noah, she always seemed to be on the sidelines, especially regarding her father. He probably didn't even know that she was seeing someone—someone as in Josh.

Leon looked over at her for a moment, shaking his head. "But the thing is, they wanted me to be someone I'm not," he said quietly. He paused a moment, thinking to himself. Could this plan he just came up with really work? He bit his lip nervously before speaking. "Would you be willing to make a deal with me?" he asked, and before she could answer, he went along with telling her his deal. "If I come with you to see your parents, just once, I'll go and face mine alone," he said, sticking his hand out to shake, signifying their deal. He just hoped that she would agree and go with him. He wanted her to realize that her parents probably weren't like that. "And if your parents think that you can't do something like that, they are dead wrong. You are beautiful and smart, and they just don't know what they are even missing out on," he said, looking into her eyes. Piper was inimitable, an original. No one could be quite like her. Aspen sighed a bit to himself, sighing. "That sucks. I wanted to see if I was in a history book. I bet I would be cute. If you ever have to do a paper, do it on me. I can see it now! Aspen Ledger: Man, Myth, Legend."

After what seemed like forever but was merely a few seconds, Piper shifted her gaze from the rough textured pebble to Leon. Though the plan could go horridly, she reached out and shook his hand. A part of her knew she would regret this agreement. "My parents won't care," she whispered, her voice barely loud enough to her own ears. "But I'm not going for you, or for me even. I am going for my sister. She will be the only one who will care to know," she continued before she chucked the pebble, watching it disappear into oblivion. "But if I ask to leave, we will leave right?" she probed, cutting her eyes to him once more. Even though she barely knew Leon, a part of her held a sense of trust towards him. He wouldn't lie to her, at least she dearly hoped that he wouldn't. Rolling her eyes, Peyton nudged Aspen lightly with the palm of her hand. "I don't know if I would label it that," she commented jokingly, shaking her head lightly. If she were to write a report on anyone, it would be someone obscure, who was underrated and who perhaps had more to her story than she lead on. Someone like Caroline.

Leon was a bit surprised when he felt her handshake, but he smiled anyway, shaking it with her. She seemed a bit hesitant, but he could see why she was. He didn't want to meet his family at all, and he promised to go alone. He took a deep breath, trying not to think of what would happen. "Of course. I wouldn't want you to be uncomfortable. All you have to say is that you want to leave, and we will leave right then and here," he said, looking in to her eyes. He suddenly stood, smiling a bit. "Let's go. According to my watch, if we leave now we have about four hours at each house," he said. His parents lived about two hours away. He tried to get as far away form them as he possibly could. He smirked a bit, taking her hand. "Let's go on a terrifying adventure." Aspen thought for a moment, placing his hand on his chin. "You're right. You always have to add the middle name to make it sound amazing. It shall be Aspen Edgar Ledger: Man, Myth, Legend." He chuckled before thinking for a moment. "What do you want to know that the textbooks won't tell you?" he asked curiously.

The firm shake almost seemed to reestablish their agreement; it was all Piper could do to suppress the uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. After a hesitant nod at his words, she forced a smile in his direction. Yet, it dropped the moment that he continued. "Wait leave? You mean right now?" she asked, her eyes widening ever so slightly. She hadn't expected it to happen right at this very moment, and it didn't seem to help the queasiness in the pit of her stomach. Actually, it was all she could do to remain standing. "Are you sure that is such a good idea...," she mumbled, not liking the sound of that. It seemed that Piper was afraid of something after all. She was afraid of her family. Peyton snorted at Aspen's declaration; she decided not to make the comment of how Edgar sounded like a psychopaths name. Instead, she averted her attention to his followup question. "Well...," she began as she cleared her throat. "Is Caroline truly as evil as everyone makes her out to be?" she inquired. Astrid's eyes popped open at Peyton's words before narrowing into thin slits. "Never mention that name again," she snapped before she stood, with much difficulty considering her head was still pounding, and strode towards the kitchen.

Leon nodded, and he looked down at the girl. He could tell that she was strong, but was she strong enough to do this. "I believe that you can do this, Piper. Besides, I'll be right behind you the entire time," he said, and he slowly reached over, taking her hand. "I've got you," he whispered. He would never let her get hurt. Something about her drove him crazy, and he wanted to get closer with her. He looked into her eyes for a moment, a small smile coming to his face. Aspen bit his lip nervously, and he glanced at Astrid as she walked away. He leaned closer to Peyton. "Sadly, this isn't a world where everyone is nice. Caroline...she is evil, and that is the bottom line. She worked with victor and nearly killed your father and mother, and she did kill me. It was all because she was jealous, and she will forever be that way. Please...be careful saying her name. She has done horrible things to this family."

With a long sigh, Piper's grip on Leon tightened ever so slightly. She needed someone to comfort her and be the rock that she needed in her life. "I hope you are right," she mumbled under her breath as her gaze shifted out to the forest, that weaved its way all throughout. "Let's just get this over with," she continued as she climbed off the rock and stepped her way along the path; leaves crunched under the toes of her shows as she strode along. When Aspen spoke, Peyton couldn't help but shake her head in dismay. She didn't, couldn't, believe that. There was always another side to the story, and Caroline couldn't be completely evil, or she hoped not. "You have to remember that Victor was my great-grandfather. I know all about him," she began as she cleared her throat. "I think there is a difference between Caroline and Victor, who was an inbred psychotic man.

Leon smiled a bit, surprised that she was trusting him so much, but it brought a smile to his face to see that she didn't hate him all that much for suggesting leaving then. He followed her back to the house, listening to the crunching of the leaves behind him. "I always loved that sound for some reason," he said aloud. He soon came to his house, and he grabbed the keys from inside. "Should I change into something better? Actually, when we go to see my parents, I need to be dressed by best. Maybe my father wrath will be lessened by that," he said, sighing to himself. Why did his father have to be so picky? He quickly changed into khaki pants, a blue button up, and some fancy shoes. His Sunday best. His father didn't deserve much better. He might have combed over his hair, but that was about it. Aspen looked down at Peyton, and he looked around the house for a moment. "Follow me," he whispered, getting up and leading her to the back porch. He sat down on the swing beside her. "Caroline is not a subject to be talk about publicly," he said, and he sighed. Was he really about to do this? He had once been told that the young could see right through people. Maybe they were right. "Tell me what you think about Caroline," he said finally.

As she always seemed to do, Piper trailed after him. The continuous crackle of the leaves beneath her toes echoed through her ears, continuing to remind her of the inevitable. Once they reached the cabin, she plopped on the velvet couch; she trailed her fingers over the smooth fabric as she awaited for Leon to finish. "Even if I had clothes to change into, my parents probably wouldn't notice. I will be surprised if they are even home," she muttered, more to herself than to him. Eventually, her eyes drifted towards him, and she arched a brow lightly. "You clean up nice," she commented, the uneasy mood drifting slightly. Though she was not looking forward to confronting her parents, she could at least admire how good Leon looked. Without question, Peyton rose to her feet and trailed after Aspen. Leaning back on the rough wood, she gathered her thoughts. The soft creak of the swing was like nails on a chalkboard; yet, she ignored the squealing sound. "I just...feel there is more to the story. There are always two sides to every story after all."

Leon smiled a bit when she spoke, and he turned like he was modeling. "Thank you very much. I do try," he said playfully. He grabbed his eyes, listening to her all the while. He hated that she thought that of her family. He just hoped that they were proven wrong. He followed her out to the car, and he started to drive. Surprisingly, it wasn't that far away. He asked her for the address and everything to make sure they were at the right place. He stopped the car when they came to her house, and he took her hand. "We can do this, okay. You and I together," he said. He had to admit, it was rather intimidating. He hadn't been in a house this big since he left home. He slowly made his way to the door. He then range the doorbell. Aspen looked at Peyton for a moment. He could see where she was coming from, but he just couldn't understand. "What had to happen to her for her to want to do something so horrible? I would ask Dominic, but that wouldn't be a good idea. He doesn't like talking about Caroline," he said, but he paused in thought. He could go talk to her. That was basically suicide, but maybe she would listen and talk.

As he strutted his stuff, it was all Piper could do to suppress her smirk. However, it faltered as they made their way to the vehicle. The ride there only added to the tension, causing her stomach to do somersaults, and she felt the intense nausea swimming its way through her stomach. Once they reached her former residence, the dizziness began to flow as she stepped out of the car. With a few deep breaths, she followed Leon up to the door. A few moments after the knock resounded in the house, the door opened, and she didn't find her mother nor her father. She found her sister, Aurora. It was only seconds later that she was engulfed into a bone crushing hug. "Oh, Pipes, is it really you? Are you really alive?" she whispered, burring her face into her light locks. Once she pulled away, her eyes drifted up to Leon, a mixture of curiosity and apprehension crossing her face. "Who are you." As Peyton roamed her fingers delicately over the charred wood, she shook her head uncertainly. "I am not sure, but I do know that it had to have been bad. I don't think she did all those things out of freewill. It just doesn't add up."

Leon was glad not to see one of the parents at the door and the one person that Piper actually seemed to have faith in. He could see why. She really did seem to care for her sister. He stood a step back, watching the scene with a happy smile. He wished that his family would be like that, but he knew that it probably wouldn't be. As her sister asked a question, he smiled, offering his hand to shake. "Leon. Leon Rousseau," he replied, looking from the girl to Piper. They both looked quiet alike, and he could see where the two could be mixed up at first glance. He peaked inside the house a bit, a little scared that her parents were there. If so, he was going to be in for an adventure. One that he particularly didn't want to be on. Aspen pondered the idea for a moment or two. Could she really be more than what they thought. "She could have motives, or she could be just like Victor," he said to himself. He hated to admit it, but Peyton was right. He closed his eyes, standing. "I have to figure this out," he muttered.

After a moment of inspection, Aurora nodded in his direction, sending him a half smile. Being the polar opposite of her sister, she wasn't quite as outgoing. "Leon...it is nice to meet you," she commented before she stepped aside to allow them access into the home. "Mom and dad aren't home," she continued quietly, her voice trailing as she spoke. Though this might enable a negative reaction from most, Piper couldn't help but sigh in relief. She had been anticipating seeing her parents - definitely in a negative aspect - but now she didn't even have to worry about it. "Are they going to be home any time soon?" she mumbled, praying that the answer would merely be 'no.' The confusion was written on Peyton's face as Aspen stood; though, it soon disappeared as she caught on to what he was saying. "Are you serious? I don't think this is the best idea...," she mumbled. She hadn't meant for him to go on a suicide mission.

Leon looked down at the girl for a moment. He could tell they would get along. "Thank you for letting us in," he said, and he looked around the house for a moment. He was drawn to the family pictures. Oh. Her parents looked like they would hate him, even if he came from a wealthy family. He soon found a picture of a young Piper, and he chuckled a bit. "Look at this! Your teeth were pretty cute," he said jokingly. It was clear in that picture she hadn't had braces. He started to wonder why her parents weren't home, but he didn't want to budge too much. Maybe it was best that he kept his mouth shut for most of the time. He looked around the room once more before he looked at Piper. She couldn't happier for her parents not being there. Aspen looked down at Peyton for a moment, and a sly smile came to his face. "Well, how else are we going to get to know her if we don't talk to her?" he asked, and he took a deep breath. "I'll call you when I get there. If I don't send you a text in about ten minutes, call the police...and an ambulance," he said.

As Leon examined the house, Aurora brushed a hand over her hair, which was pulled up securely with a ponytail. "I was cooking a late lunch. Mom and dad should be home any minute," was all she whispered before she stepped back into the kitchen. When Leon mentioned the pictures, Piper placed her hands over her face. "Oh, don't mention that," she muttered as she flipped the picture down. While Piper had always had flaws, Aurora seemed almost perfect. Being the oldest, Aurora always seemed to gather the attention of many without even having to bat an eyelash. "I didn't use to care so much about how I looked," she mumbled, shrugging her shoulders as she pushed all the thoughts away. Though Peyton was still apprehensive, she had a feeling that she couldn't stop Aspen even if she tried. "All right, but just be careful," she whispered finally. She wouldn't mention it to anyone else, that was for sure.

Leon looked down at her for a moment. He could see how uncomfortable she was, and he really hated it for her. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all. All he needed to do was make her feel welcomed. He put an arm around her, smiling a bit to himself. "Hey, it's okay. You shouldn't worry. Do you even realize how beautiful you are? You know, if I could, I would paint a picture of you so I could look at you all the time, but considering I can't really do that, I'll just have to take one," he said, and he pulled out his phone, starting to take a picture of her, laughing all the while. She looked adorable with his arm around her. He would probably be a dead man of her parents walked in on them like that, though. Aspen made his way to his car, and he drove to the warehouse in which Caroline usually stayed at. He went in without a weapon. Was he seriously blindingly trusting a woman that had killed him before? He was. She better have a real good story. "Caroline! I know you're in here! I want to talk!" he called, looking around. He could easily die. Maybe this wasn't a good idea.

Throughout it all, Leon seemed to accomplish one thing; he brought another, now rare, smile out of her. She attempted to hide her face with her hands before he snapped the picture, but it was to no avail. "You are a dork," she muttered, rolling her eyes up at him as she did so. It was all she could do to stifle her laughter. Then, as if the heavens were mocking her, the door opened and her mother, whom was talking animatedly on the phone, strode into the room. It was all Piper could do to hide her disgust. Both of her parents were horrific, but her mother was a first class female dog. "Call you later, buh bye," her mother muttered into the phone. "Aurora, fetch mummy a herbal tea, would you darling? I feel as if my sinuses are acting up agian!" she called out, and finally her gaze rested on Piper and Leon. "Well well. Isn't it the dead daughter and her boy toy maniac killer," she mused sarcastically before she inspected closer. "Oh wait, he isn't that Ledger kid after all. Seems you downgraded sweetheart." Shrugging Leon's arm off of her shoulder, Piper resisted the urge to kick her mother's obviously Botoxed flesh. "Don't call him that. He may not be what you describe as poised and stuckup, but at least he has a heart and he isn't fake," she grumbled, glaring in her direction; oh, how she despised this woman. The familiar echo of footsteps across the cemented floor forced Caroline's attention to skyrocket. She lifted her gun, her fingers poised over the trigger. "Talk? When do you ever want to 'talk,'" she muttered, glaring in his direction. Though no one would be able to see due to the dark overcast of the warehouse, her eyes were red rimmed from tears. However, with her stance and words, no one would be able to detect it. "What do you want, Aspen?"

Leon's happiness ended the moment the door ended. Her parents sure weren't what he had expected. They were far worse. He clenched his first. If Piper hadn't seen it before, she would know now that he didn't handle his anger well, much like his father. "That is your daughter. Does she not mean anything to you at all?" he said, and he advanced on her, grabbing her probably expensive fur coat. "If you even dare to treat your daughter like this, I will destroy you. I will make sure you don't have a penny left and your only option is to bed in the streets in hopes that you won't starve or freeze," he said bitterly. No one would hurt Piper on his watch. She was too sweet to be hurt. "My father is the richest man in Panem." Aspen took a deep breath since he hadn't seemed to be shot yet. He wasn't sure how long that would last, though. "I want to talk about your past, Caroline. I want to talk about what I don't know and why you have been destroying my family and friends. Mere jealousy can't justify this, and you don't seem to be in need of any mental help like Victor. I have all day," he said, and he put his hand sup, showing he had no weapons whatsoever.

Before Piper even had the chance to lash out, Leon seemed to beat her to it. Her eyes widened in horror as her mother glared daggers at Leon. She wouldn't be surprised if her mother made the executive decision to taze Leon. "Oh honey, you honestly think I am scared of you or your father?" she spat in response; she wasn't keen on the fact that his hands were grasping her clothes. "Fingers off the merchandise. If you are smart, Piper, which I know you are lacking in that aspect, you would drop him before you get in too deep," she muttered. Scowling, Piper strode forward and attempted to pry Leon from her mother. "She isn't worth it Leon. She is not worth our time or energy. You are just giving her what she wants," she muttered, sending a scowl in her mother's direction. Seconds later, Aurora strode into the room to watch the scene unfold. Her mouth hung open for a moment in pure shock before it died away. "Thank you. I have been wanting to do that for years," she commented before she intentionally dropped the expensive china that had been resting between her palms. Examining the room, Caroline waited a moment or so longer before she lowered the gun and placed it in its holster, just in case she needed it later. "Follow me," she muttered before she turned on her heel of the combat boots that adorned her feet and stepped into her miniature office, which was perhaps the best room in the entire building. "You want the truth? Then you best be prepared to listen to me and trust me," she stated, crossing her arms over her chest. "Because if you don't, he will be sure that I die. He is already out to get me."

Leon took a deep breath, trying his hardest not to go insane again. Piper was right. This woman just wanted a reaction out of him, and he wasn't going to give her anymore. He couldn't help but smirk when her sister broke the dishes that had to be at least thousands of dollars. He was tempted to break more, but he restrained himself. "Let's go home...would you like to come?" he asked, looking toward her sister. He could tell that even she was upset with her parent's behavior. Who wouldn't be? Aspen followed Caroline slowly. The more and more she complied, the more it seemed that Peyton was right. "Who is out to get you? Victor? Isn't he sort of out to get everyone?" He asked. He watched her for s moment. Trusting her would come at a high cost, but could he do it? It was better than nothing at all. "Tell me your side of the story."

Once Leon's assaults had come to a standstill, Piper's arms fell to her sides. Shattering glass seemed to echo across the spacial living room. The sticky residue of tea stained the rug, a brown blotch scarring the normally nude carpeting. Aurora, upon the request, scooped up her phone from the counter and nodded once. "I think I have had enough of dealing with her bossing me around," she agreed, and Piper sent her sister a thankful smile. She hadn't realized it, but she had missed her. She was the only ounce of family that she had left. "Then let's go. This was just a waste of time," she agreed as she took Leon's hand and strode out the door with Aurora following close behind. "Oh, you might want to take the casserole out of the oven," Aurora called over her shoulder before she stepped out of the house, the door finalizing the departure with a slam. Slowly, Caroline rounded her desk and leaned against the front of it. "Victor is dead," she stated flatly, eyeing him suspiciously. "Gone forever, and he is not coming back." After a moment, she collected her breath and brought her gaze to the ceiling. "Dominic. Dominic was on Victor's side all along. They made me forget everything I knew, and it worked for a while. But then I figured out they were using me, and I had to get back at Dominic. He knew all along that Victor wasn't his father. He is fake, completely and utterly fake," she began, her eyes narrowing into slits as she spoke. After she let the words sink in, she continued with, "I was only doing what I could to survive. I wasn't doing it out of jealousy. I was protecting myself. If I abide by their rules, they wouldn't kill me. I always tried to look for a way out, a way to kill Dominic."