Hunger Games 2

Leon couldn't help the smirk that came to his lips when he heard her sister. Oh, her sister was a keeper too. He followed them to his car, and he sighed a bit, looking down at Piper. "I guess I have to stick to my word as well," he said. He wasn't looking forward to seeing his father or his brother. His brother wasn't as bad as his father, but he still didn't help by being good at everything. The part he was slightly looking forward to was his mother. Aspen listened to her, and his eyes widened. Under the table, he was recording the entire conversation so he wouldn't miss a thing. "Does Riley know? What about Scott? Why...why would he call for his own son to be killed. It doesn't make sense," he said, recalling to how Scott had nearly been killed by Caroline. Nothing seemed to be adding up. "Who would be the best person to tell?" he asked. If this was all true, he was going to have to act against Dominic. It was going to hurt, though. He would have to go against one of his best friends.

It did not take a rocket scientist to see the reluctance in Leon's gaze; he was, perhaps, regretting the deal. However, it couldn't be completely terrible, now could it? Piper climbed into the front seat, and it was only seconds later that Aurora slammed the door to the seat directly behind her. Hesitantly, Piper reached out and placed her hand delicately over him. "There's nothing to worry about," she whispered; though, she was lying straight through her teeth. Dropping her head into her hands, Caroline let out a frustrated sigh. "It doesn't exactly go like that. Xander is the one in control now," she began, roaming her fingers slowly through the ends of her hair. "And Dominic honestly doesn't care what happens to anyone other than himself and me, because he wants to be the last man standing, and he wants to be the one to end my life," she answered. However, her eyes shot open at the last question, and she leaned forward quickly, grabbing Aspen by the shirt. "No one. You can't tell anyone, or he will kill me, if Xander doesn't beat him to it."

Leon was trying his best not to lose his mind thinking of having to go and see his family, but he was brought out of his little world when he felt Piper's hand on his. A soft smile made it to his face, and he wrapped his arms around her, but it was a bit awkward since the gear for the car was in the way. "At least I have you," he said before starting the car. Aspen let out a surprised grunt when he felt his shirt being pulled. Tell no one? Who did she think he was? "If anything, Riley has the right to know that her husband is a psycho and a liar. Besides, if I get the whole gang to believe me, we can take down both Xander and Dominic." Was he really siding with Caroline? He never thought the day would come. "Someone needs to tell Scott too. He looks up to his father way too much. He needs to know the truth."

Dropping her gaze to the floorboard, Piper shook her head and hid a half smile. "Yeah I guess so," she whispered finally; she wasn't sure how things would work out, especially after Felix. Nevertheless, she had to keep an open mind. Perhaps she should listen to her own words. There were other fish in the sea. There had to be. Maybe hers was closer than she even realized. "Let's go," she mumbled, clearing her throat as she cast a glance back at Aurora. She wouldn't want to make her uncomfortable. Letting out a frustrated sigh, Caroline paced the compact space that was her office. "Are you not listening? The moment that Riley finds out, Dominic will know I said something, which will result in me plus gun equals getting head blown off," she grumbled, as she made the popping sound that was supposed to sound like a gun. "Besides, he has taken enough from me already. He isn't taking my life too," she continued, her voice dropping to a whisper as her thoughts drifted to Alfred.

Leon smiled a little bit, and he started to drive. He glanced at Aurora through the rear view mirror. "So, tell me about yourself," he said curiously. It was a long drive to his parent's house, and he wanted to get to know Piper's sister better considering that he was planning on spending a lot of time with her. "Have a job?" he asked, trying to break the ice. Aspen sighed a bit, knowing that she was right. Riley sort of acted a bit strange when she knew thing, and there was no way that she would be able to hide something like that. There had to be someone who wasn't so close to Dominic but could still help. Drake maybe? Sure, he was an old man now, but he could give him some guidance. "What exactly did he take from you?" he asked, leaning closer. He could tell that she was thinking of one thing in particular. He wanted to know what that one thing was.

Upon hearing Leon's words, Aurora lifted her chin and sent a glance in his direction. After a thoughtful moment, she shifted in her seat, attempting to get comfortable. "I do. Nothing too special. I work at an animal shelter. Just until I get out of college," she answered as she knitted her fingers together lightly. "It isn't so bad, thought. I mean, most of the animals are really charming. Much better than my parents," she added on, her words trailing as she did so. Unlike Piper, she had learned to put up with it and do as they ask. It was much easier that way. Caroline's fingers brushed over the handle of the gun, but she eventually dropped her hand back down by her side, deciding it wasn't worth pulling a gun out on him. He knew things that could get her killed. "He took a lot from me," she dodged, drifting her gaze up to the ceiling. "My kids don't trust me, my family avoids me, and...," she trailed once more as she attempted to swallow the lump in her throat. "He just took someone away. Someone I really loved."

Leon listened to the girl, nodding a bit as she went on talking about her job. It was rather interesting, he would give her that. It was better than what h was doing. "What are you studying to be?" he asked. He remembered how he had wanted to be an engineer, but of course his father told him that wasn't good enough. It wasn't good enough to be a Rousseau. Aspen watched her as her hand brushed the gun, and he held his breath. He was waiting for her to end him right then and there, but for some unknown reason, she didn't. "Who did he take, Caroline?" he asked. He knew that he was pushing her, but he needed to know. He needed to know so that he could help her. The more he thought about Dominic lying to them all, the more it made his blood boil.

Staring out the window, Aurora watched as the shapes configured, blending together to form a blur. Though dizzying, it was quite the sight to watch. "Business. I want to open up my own little bookstore. Something quaint," she answered with a sheepish smile. Though she knew she probably sounded like a total dork, it had been her dream for as long as she could remember. Perhaps it was what made her completely different from Piper. Aurora, the quiet, intelligent one, and Piper, the amusing ball of energy. They were completely different but they were tightly knit. In the midst of her frustration, Caroline's hand lashed out at the desk, sending papers fluttering to the floor. She planted her dainty hands over her eyes and hide the tears. "Alfred. He took Alfred from me," she whispered, her voice hoarse.

Leon listened to her, and he smiled a bit, chuckling at the thought. How could the two be so close but yet be polar opposites. "That's a really cool idea. You know what would draw even more people in? Maybe a little shop inside of it that sells coffee, and soups, and sandwiches. Oh, that would be a place worthy of a Friends reunion," he said jokingly. He loved coffee, though. He always had a cup each morning. Aspen's eyes widened when he saw her reaction. Maybe he had pushed her too far. He pocketed his phone, but he kept the recording going. He stood, going over to her and placing a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, Caroline. It's okay. Why don't you tell me a little bit about Alfred. I've never hard of him," he said quietly.

At Leon's suggestion, Aurora arched her brow and cast her gaze over to him thoughtfully. The suggestion seemed forthcoming; perhaps it would work out swell, or not. What little she knew about business was because of college. "Maybe so. Do you happen to have the money to finance that?" she mused, a teasing smile appearing on her lips as she thought it over. It was all a dream for now; one day, however, she hoped that it could be made into a reality. Tensing, Caroline shrugged off his hand and wiped the tears from her eyes. She didn't want others to see her so broken. This wasn't her. This wasn't Caroline. "What do you want to know?" she whispered, not meeting his gaze.

Leon smiled as she seemed to at least think of his idea. Even if she didn't actually do it, it was at least some food for thought. Wow, that was a horrible pun. He needed to work on them quite a bit. When she asked if he had the funds, he smirked a bit. "I might actually. Well, that is if my dad actually likes me," he said. He knew that if his father didn't want to see him, there was no way that he was going to be close to being rich ever again. Aspen closed his eyes for a moment. It was odd to see someone he had always known as being stone cold break. It just wasn't in Caroline to cry. He pulled his chair up by her, taking her hand in a comforting way. "Whatever you want me to know. What was his personality like?" he asked.

At his comment, Aurora couldn't help but glance in his direction and arch a brow expectantly. "I doubt your parents could ever be as terrible as ours," she murmured quietly, folding her hands together as she thought it over. In all truthfulness, she hoped no families were as horrid as hers. It was quite tragic. "So, if you aren't their biggest fan, why are you going to them in the first place?" When Aspen took her hand, Caroline was unresponsive, but at least she didn't pull away. She gritted her teeth, forcing the tears back. For if she did break, she was frightened of what might happen. She had boarded her walls for a reason. "He was intelligent, kind, even a little awkward. But he was an ounce of good in the midst of pure evil..."

Leon smiled a bit, and he shook his head. "I don't think my parents, or at least my dad, are that bad. My mother is great. My father just expected too much of me, and he didn't care that I didn't want to follow in his little plan," he said, running his hands through his hair. He had't spoken to them since he left. Not even a single Christmas card. No happy birthday phone calls. He didn't see a reason in it when his father didn't both looking for him when he left. Aspen was more than surprised when she kept his hand on hers, but he didn't comment on it. "How did you two meet?" he asked. By the way she was describing this guy, there was no way that he could have fallen for her when she was being a little crazy and killing people.

As he described his parents, Aurora nodded in understanding; she could see where he was coming from. Though, it was merely the other way around for her. She despised her mother with every fiber of her being. "At least you had the will to say no," she mumbled under her breath, directed more to herself than to him. Shifting once more for she had grown uncomfortable, she gazed out the window expectantly. "You shouldn't have run away from your problems, though," she mused, casting her gaze in his direction. "But at least you are finally facing them." For a while, the silence descended throughout the room. All of the memories seemed to flash before her eyes, as if she were in her own little movie. Eventually, she shook them away and managed to whisper, "We first met when we were kids. We were pretty inseparable. Us and...." She trailed and wrinkled her nose in disgust.

Leon sighed a bit to himself. He knew that she was right. He needed to face all of the problems that he was facing, and he needed to stand up to his parents. Sadly, that wasn't a very good skill of his. "I know...I was never good at facing my problems," he said sadly. He could just never seem to look them right in the eye. He though too much about things and crafted his own fears out of thin air. Aspen squeezed her hand softly, nodding in understanding. She had know this Alfred guy for quite some time. It must have been really hard on her when she lost him. He didn't even want to think about it. "How did you lose him?" he asked in a soft voice.

A half smile appeared on her lips as she tilted her head up to gaze over at him. Though, as she shifted her attention to Piper, she noticed that she had dozed off, her head leaned against the window. Her hair meshed against the glass. "If I could stand up to my mom, who is a literal beast, I think you can handle it," Aurora stated finally as she leaned back against the cushioned seat. She could use a nap as well; however, it wasn't a total waste of time getting to know Leon. "So how did you meet Piper? Are you two dating?" she probed, expectantly leaning forward in her seat. With a hesitant glance, Caroline pressed her lips into a thin line. It was like a slap to the face, reliving the memories. "If I am honest," she began with a shaky voice, "I don't even know. I don't even know if he is alive."

Leon chuckled a bit as he heard the girl. She was quite right after all. If she could stand up to that woman he met, he could stand up to his past. After all, she was far worse than that. As she started to ask question about him, he blushed nervously. "Well, it's a rather funny story, really. You see, there was this party going on, and I was going to ask them to turn down the music, but then I tripped over Piler. She was just laying on the forest floor so I picked her up and brought her home," he said. He knew it sounded odd, but he was just helping her. At her next words, he blushed, and seeing that she was asleep, he as we're honestly. "I want to be." Aspen looked down at her, and he managed a soft smile. "When was the last time you saw him? I mean, maybe I can help you find him. If I can't do anything else, I at least want to be able to do that," he said.

As he recounted the story to her, Aurora rested her chin against the shoulder of the seat. Her hair fell across her face slightly, but she brushed it away with nimble fingers. "That's quite...odd," she mused, hiding a small smirk. "But it definitely sounds like Piper," she added, exasperation flowing through her words; she wouldn't expect anything less from her sister. Yet, she had a feeling she hadn't consumed any alcohol, at least not this time. She was only pulled from her mind babble when he answered the next question; as her eyes scanned his face, she noted the red coating his cheeks. "Looks like you might have to fix that. But let's start with one obstacle at a time. Wouldn't want you to get big headed and think you can conquer anything," she commented, a teasing smirk tilting her lips up lightly. As she mulled over her thoughts, she eventually whispered, "After this, we should do something exciting. Piper needs it. I think it would help bring back the old Piper."

Leon chuckled as he heard her sister speaking. So maybe Piper was more clumsy than he thought she was, yet, that seemed to make her even more adorable than she already way. He couldn't even put into words how cute she was. When her sister spoke, he managed a small smile, nodding a bit in agreement. He couldn't even seen to describe how much he wanted to be her boyfriend. "Whenever I saw her for the first time, she was looking for someone. Someone named Felix. Did you know much about him?" he asked curiosity. He hoped that mentioning the boy wouldn't bring up any bad blood. When she suggested doing something after, he nodded in agreement. "There is a go-kart place just outside of where I live," he suggested.

Trailing her fingers along the smooth glass of the window, Aurora watched the shapes mingle, creating an array of colors. The coolness of the glass mended her nimble fingers. "Just give it time," she suggested as her hand dropped to her side. As he continued, however, she furrowed her brows thoughtfully, trying to place him and decipher why he sounded familiar. "I knew of him," she murmured finally, shifting her gaze to him slowly. "I never had a chance to meet him, though," she added, recalling the "death" of her sister. She couldn't help but wonder how she was alive. Yet, that was a question for a different day. The following suggestion brought a smile to her lips. "I have never been before. Is it fun?" she inquired, leaning in once more in anticipation. Though he had never been one for adventure, unlike Piper, she was willing to step out of her comfort zone. Maybe she needed it just as much as Piper did.

Leon thought for a moment as she spoke about the boy. He still didn't like him. He hurt Piper, and anyone that did that could not be trusted. "Did you know that be moved on? That's why she ran into the woods. She saw him kissing some girl and he ran," he said. He remembered when he first saw her. She was a mess, really, but even then there was still something about her that he just couldn't shake. When she asked about the go-kart, a smirk came to his face. "Are they fun? They are some of the must fun things you will have in your life. Even better, there's also an arcade, bumper cars, and maybe a haunted house," he said, chuckling n her direction. It was rather clear that she didn't like getting out of her comfort zone. He would change that.

The news shocked Aurora to say the least; she hadn't kept up with his life after Piper had died, clearly for the whole world to see. A long sigh slipped past her lips as she let this mere thought mull over in her head. "That's what most people have to do. They go through their despair, and then they move on. I hate it for her, I really do. However, he couldn't be miserable the rest of his life," she whispered, taking her bottom lip between her teeth. Aurora was one to think logically, decipher the issues and state her viewpoint. Of course, she would never completely understand, because she had never been in a serious relationship before. As he moved on to the topic about the go karts, and all the other activities it had to offer, she arched a brow. "That will be interesting," she mused with a simple shake of her head. She might end up failing, but she could at least try right?

Leon smiled a bit as he heard her. He knew that she was right. He just wished that Piper could get over the boy. It was one of the best things she could do. "Is there any way I can help her get over this guy? I mean, I wasn't very find of him when he came into my house after seeing Piper," he said, narrowing his eyes a bit at the memory. Just the thought of him made him want to punch something. He hurt Piper. The conversation continued on with talking about the park. "I think it would be good for you to go through one of those haunted houses," he said with a smirk. He wondered if she scared easily. She seemed like a person that would, but then again he seemed like a guy that could smooth talk any woman, and that certainly wasn't true.

Quietly, Aurora mulled over this mere thought. Nevertheless, she just couldn't see her sister getting over someone so quickly, even if it had been a few months. With a few shaky breaths, she eventually turned towards Leon and forced a half smile. "Just give her time, and prove to her that you would never do what he did...give up on her. He had moved on too quickly, and I know that is what Piper said to do, but...she says things she doesn't mean when she wants others to feel better," she whispered, shaking her head. Although, she grasped onto the topic of the activities that they had planned. She would rather have a lighter subject to discuss than the dark past that hung in Piper's shadows. "Oh do you now?" she mused as he brought up the haunted houses. Though Aurora appeared innocent, she was stronger than she would ever lead on. People knew her as the benevolent, innocent woman. However, she had much more depth than that. "I can bet you that I wouldn't scream...at all."

Leon listened to her sister for a moment, smiling as he heard her. She was right. All he had to do was listened to her and make sure she knew that he would stay with her forever. He smirked a bit as he heard the last part of what she was saying. She really thought that she could get through the whole haunted house without screaming. She didn't seem like the person that would be able to do that. She sort of seemed like the girl that would refuse to go in or run out of there as fast as she could. "I would like to see you hold your word," he said jokingly. He paused a moment as he finally came to the mansion that used to be his house. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he parked the car. This could either go amazing or horribly wrong. He hoped that it turned out to be the first option.