Hunger Games 2

Aimée looked over at Willow, and she managed a small smile. Maybe they would come back in bits and pieces, but she still couldn't help but feel for the little kid. She was probably terrified. She took Willow's offered her a half smile. "It's just like any other medicine. Give it a little bit to kick in," she said.

Josh nodded for her clarification when she mentioned the pie. "Yeah. I'm sure you have had some of those that my mom makes from scratch," he said. He remembered how she would make them for Noah's birthday sometime or whenever she just felt like it. "I think that's all I can think of right now."

Willow bit her lip nervously and nodded slowly, even though she was still worried about it not working. Dayton ruffled Willow's hair as a way to calm her down. "It's okay," he assured her; he at least hoped so. He then glanced at Aimee uncertainly. "How quickly do you think it works?" he asked after a pause.

--

Peyton cracked a smile and nodded at his statement. "Yeah, I've had them before," she said before she dipped her head to stare at the ground. She was a bit scared about how things would go, or if it would even work out. "All right, I will keep that in mind," she murmured, then paused. She had just stuck her foot in her mouth, figuratively of course. "I mean, for reference of course."

Aimée tried to think of how fast it could work, but she had no idea. This stuff wasn't her thing. She looked over at Dayton when he spoke, and she bit her lip. "I have no idea. It could only take thirty minutes or it could take hours. We just need to be patient," she said.

Josh smiled to himself. He could already picture there date. Maybe we could bring Noah and Astrid and Felix along. Noah and Felix just for reassurance. Wait, Noah for reassurance. Felix wasn't good with girls. "I've got it planned out," he said with a small smile. Hopefully it would work.

Dayton nodded and tried to take her advice, but being patient had never been his forte. "Hopefully it is sooner than a few hours," he muttered, but he knew that the chances were unlikely. He reached out and took Aimee's hand in his own. He sure was glad to have her. He didn't have really anyone else to turn to.

--

Peyton rose a brow and pressed her back against the wall. "You do, huh?" she asked, tilting her head. She couldn't help but be jealous of whatever girl he was talking about. She would have to get to him before he got to her. "Well I hope it works out for you," she continued with a small smile over at him.

Aimée felt horrible for Dayton. He was probably terrified, and she still thought that it was all her fault. Whose else would it be? She looked up when he took her hand, and she kissed his cheek in return. "It's going to be okay," she said. She closed her eyes, trying to calm down a bit. She had to believe her words.

Josh smirked, and he nodded. He bit his lip before speaking. "Hey, I was wondering if you wanted to come over soon. You know, you, me, Noah, Fe, and Astrid. Maybe you and Astrid can bond a bit, and I know how much you love the lake," he said with a smile.

Dayton only nodded and rubbed his forehead. He threw a quick glance over at Willow before he gave Aimee a quick kiss. "I want to go check on Mackenzie. I haven't yet," he said before he stood. Maybe Willow would be better when he got back. He knew the idea was a bit far fetched but he just needed to get out of the waiting room.

--

Peyton tilted her head to the side thoughtfully at his suggestion. "Uh, yeah, sure," she agreed, then paused as he brought up Astrid. "I doubt I want to bond with her," she muttered, glancing over at her. She hadn't moved a muscle, and she only seemed to be staring into space. "She probably doesn't even want to talk to anyone but my brother," she continued.

Aimée nodded and she kissed him lightly. "If you can, ask her about the pill," she said, and she gave his hand a small squeeze before she let him go. She was hoping so much that Willow would remember by the time Dayton got back. It would make him so happy. She couldn't seem to do it much.

Josh sighed, and he took her hand. "Please, just try for me. If she become your sister-in-law, I don't want you to hate her. She'll be stuck to you like glue for the rest of your life. That is if you don't pack your bags and move," he said, and he smiled down at her. "Please, just this once."

Dayton nodded and leaned down to kiss her cheek quickly. "Yeah, I will be sure to," he agreed before he headed off to Mackenzie's room. He let out a long sigh before he slowly entered her room. "Hey Mack," he greeted, taking a seat by her bedside. "How are you feeling?" he asked, giving her a quick once over.

--

Peyton mentally groaned; giving her a chance was the last thing on her to do list. She didn't want to be the best of friends with her. At his last statement, she smirked. "You know, that doesn't sound like a bad idea. I could move to like where the old Capital used to be," she said with a grin. But then the grin disappeared after a second. "You weren't being serious about that were you?"

Mackenzie looked up when she heard someone enter, and she smiled. "Hey, Dayton," she said, and she moved around to get comfortable. "I am doing okay," she told him, but that was a lie. She felt horrible, but she wouldn't tell anyone. She didn't want them worrying about her.

"Being serious about what?" he asked, but he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Please, just try. If she doesn't talk to you then she doesn't. In all honesty, I think the reason why she doesn't talk to you is because she knows you hate her," he said, and sent her a half smile.

Dayton gave her a careful hug before he retook his seat. "Good, good. I have been worried about you," he said before he clasped his hands together. He could tell that she wasn't okay, but he had his own things to worry about at that point. "Hey, I have a question," he began after a moment. He thought of different ways he could word it.

--

"Just...nevermind," Peyton replied, shaking her head. At his next words, she let out a long frustrated sigh. "I will think about it," she whispered after a moment. She just wasn't so sure. At the end of the day, she wanted to look out for her brother, and she just didn't trust the girl. She didn't see how everyone else did.

Mackenzie leaned back in her bed, and she moved around a bit, trying to get comfortable without hurting herself. "Don't worry about me, Dayton. I am fine," she said, and she offered him a small smile. Dayton was like the brother that she never had, and she was just glad that he was around. when he asked about the question, she nodded. "Go ahead."

{should we ts to when they go to the lake?

Dayton knew it wasn't the truth, and he would have normally pestered her about it. But considering the circumstances he was under, he didn't. Instead, he leaned forward and tried to find the best way to word it. "Why did you have a memory reversal pill with you? Caroline," he paused as he said the name, "gave it to you didn't she?" He still found it difficult to believe that that woman was related to him.

--

{yeah, that works for me. c:

Mackenzie wasn't expecting that question, so it took her a moment to answer. "Yeah, she did. She made a deal with me. If I gave it to you, she would give Willow her memory back. I tried to convince her to give Willow her memory back first, but she wasn't going to give in. I took the pill anyway so I could have Maria look at it. I never had any intention of giving it to you," she said, and she looked up at him. She didn't want him to be mad at her for taking it.

{okay c:

A couple weeks passed before he invited them officially to his house. He had to wait a bit to make sure that they still weren't in shock after the games. Noah was fine, but Felix was a different story. He pretended to be okay, and loud noises made him go in panic attacks. Noah had them occasionally as well, but not as often. He had them regularly anyway. Felix was already over, and Josh was pacing in his kitchen. Noah and Astrid and Peyton were supposed to be there soon, and he was terrified. "What do I say? How do I act?" he asked. Felix gave his friend a small smile. "Just be yourself."

Dayton was taken aback by her answer, but he wasn't surprised after he thought it through. He knew Caroline more than anyone else. She was manipulative. And he knew something he wasn't supposed to. "I probably would have taken it anyway...for Wills," he whispered, sighing. It would have been hard, choosing between his real sibling that he didn't even know and Willow, who was like a sibling to him. But he would have done anything to help her.

--

Peyton was practically bouncing in her seat in the car. She was nervous, but also a bit excited. She turned to Astrid and asked, "How do I look?" Normally, she would have never even acknowledged her. Yet, Astrid was like a...well, like a zombie. She didn't talk much, and when she did, it was only to Noah. Peyton could also tell that Astrid never slept. So, she did expect it when Astrid didn't answer. She knew she wouldn't. But it was easier to be nicer when she didn't actually have to hold up a conversation with her. She checked for herself, biting her lip. Although she was still wearing shorts, she had dressed up a bit more for the occasion. She had even went as far as to put on makeup, which she never did. "Are we almost there?" she asked, peering around Noah's seat to check.

Mackenzie quickly shook her head, and she took his hand. "No, I wouldn't let you. Dayton, we would find a way to help her. I can't let you forget your sibling and Aimée," she said, and she bit her lip nervously. "Where is the pill anyway?" she asked him. She couldn't find it on her when she woke up. She was a little panicked about it.

Noah looked in the mirror of his car, checking on Astrid and Peyton. He was glad that she was at least trying to have a conversation with Astrid. He took Astrid's hand the best he could, and he squeezed it lightly. He looked back at Peyton and offered her a smile. "You look great. Don't worry about how you look. It's only Josh," he said with a small laugh, and he soon came to Josh's house. He opened the door for both Astrid and Peyton, and he helped Astrid out, putting an arm around her. "You look beautiful," he whispered in her ear and kissed her cheek. Josh and Felix soon came out, and Josh smiled. "Hey guys! I've got food and video games inside and the lake is open. I hope you brought your bathing suits," he said, and he sent a smile to Peyton.

Dayton managed a half smile. He knew she had a point, but he would do anything to help Willow. He cared about her just as much as the rest of them. Her question made him pause. "Oh, right...," he began, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand. "The doctor found it and gave it to me. We had your father call for your friend. She reversed it, or at least we hope she did. And we had Willow take it," he said, sighing. He still had his doubts. What if it didn't work?

--

Peyton knew Noah had a point. It was only Josh. But this was a completely different situation. Normally, she treated Josh like a brother. Now, she had to be impressive. There was a chance she would screw everything up, and only make things really awkward between them. Astrid slowly got out once Noah opened the door and smiled slightly up at him. "I love you," she mumbled, before she dropped her gaze down to the ground. Peyton had gotten out and half smiled at Josh. "Sounds good," she said sheepishly.

Mackenzie listened to him as he explained what he did with the pill. She nodded, and sighed to herself. Maybe it would work. She could only hope it would work. She hugged him the best that she could, and she closed her eyes. "You are such a great friend, Dayton," she said, and she gave him a small smile.

Noah held her close, and he smiled brightly. "I love you too," he said, and he hugged her before guiding her inside. When he saw Felix, he smiled and hugged him tightly. "Hey, it's good to see you again," he said, but Felix gave him an odd look. "You saw me two days ago," he said, but Noah shrugged. "It's still nice to see you," he said. Josh smiles down at Peyton nervously. "So, how are you?" he asked before he took her inside. He wanted to take her to the dock, but he was terrified to tell her.

Returning her hug, Dayton let out a long sigh as he slowly pulled back. "Well, I try. We are all basically family. Tyson is more like my brother than my cousin," he said half smile. A few weeks ago, he might not have said that. But things had changed drastically, and the two of them were pretty close. "And you are my only real friend that isn't related to me," he added with a chuckle.

--

Astrid took his hand in hers as she followed him inside. She cracked a small smile at Felix at his confusion. At least Felix hadn't changed too much. She waved and hugged him quickly as she whispered, "Hey Fe." She then returned to Noah's side and leaned slightly against him. Peyton tucked a piece of hair anxiously behind her ear. "Good, uh, great. How are you?" she asked as she headed inside after him. She hoped she didn't look as nervous as she felt.

Mackenzie laughed a bit at his last comment, and she rolled her eyes. "Just say that I am your best lady friend. That sounds better," she joked, laughing a bit. It did hurt, but she was trying her best not to look weak or anything. She really couldn't look weak in front of Dayton. She needed to be strong for Willow too.

Noah gave his cousin a small smile, and he guided them to the table with all the snacks. "So, what are you looking at for collage, Fe?" he asked him. Felix bit his lip nervously. "I am looking at Ivy League schools, but I don't think I can be away from home that much. Plus, I'm not very good at socializing skills. My people skills are rusty," he replied with a small shrug. "I'll go where you all go," he said. Josh almost missed her question. She was just so beautiful. "Good. You?" he asked. He sighed to himself. It was either now or never because he knew that he would back out soon. "Follow me," he said before racing off.

"Best lady friend?" Dayton repeated, chuckling along with her. He rolled his eyes and lightly reached out to nudge her carefully. He knew she was still hurting, even though she was putting up a good front. "If you aren't feeling well, Mack, don't act like you are okay. I know that feeling. It isn't a good one," he muttered, sighing.

--

Astrid seated herself and stared down at her hands. She listened to the two boys talk before she whispered, "Piper should have been given the chance too." She hadn't meant to bring her up, but she always seemed to be brought up. Astrid still felt guilty, and she would continue to feel guilty. She didn't say another word before she quickly left the room. She couldn't talk about college, not when her and Piper had made plans to be dorm mates and best friends for life. Peyton gave him a confused look at his words but quickly followed after him. "Uh, Josh? What is this about?" she asked as she caught up to him.

Mackenzie looked over at Dayton when he spoke, and she sighed to herself. "I just don't want to look weak," she said, and she looked into his eyes. Dayton could understand where she was coming from being that he had just gotten out. "I hate people taking care of me," she said.

Felix was taken aback by Astrid's words. Somehow when he thought that he was almost over it, she brought it back up. He couldn't take it, and Noah knew it all too well. Noah sighed, and he hugged his friend. "I'll be right back," he said before he ran off after Astrid, calling her name. Josh bit his lip, and he came to the dock. He turned to Peyton, running a hand through his hair. He paused for a few moments, staying silent. "Okay, I can't take it anymore! I know you like some other guy, Peyton, but I like you, a lot," he said finally.

Dayton knew exactly what she meant. He lightly reached out and took her hand in his as a friendly gesture. "Mack, you stood up for Willow and risked your life. There is no way that you are weak," he whispered before he grinned over at her. "I think you are one of the strongest people I know. Give yourself some credit. Not all heroes wear capes," he said as he playfully ruffled her hair. He then paused and couldn't help but laugh. "I sound like Tyson, quoting superhero quotes."

--

Astrid was sitting on the porch steps with her head in her hands. She was trying to control her breathing -- and her tears. She felt like a horrible person. Noah deserved so much better, especially now. He tried so hard, and she felt so hopeless. Peyton was left speechless for a moment. It took her a second to snap out of it, and when she did, she possibly did the worst possible thing she could do. She laughed. "I'm...I'm sorry...I'm sorry," she said in between laughs. "Come here," she muttered, grabbing his hand and leading him back to the car. "Wow, I didn't expect it to go quite like this, but, er, I brought pie!" she said as she pulled the pie out from the car. "Josh, I like you."

Mackenzie smiled up at him brightly. He really did understand her. Maybe he did a bit too well. "Dayton, you are the best friend ever," she said, and she gave him a small hug. When he spoke again, she giggled and rolled her eyes. "Maybe it's not such a bad thing to sound like Tyson every now and then, but don't but just like him. I like the Dayton you are now," she said with a smile.

Noah soon found her, and he sat down beside her. "Astrid, are you okay baby?" he asked her in a worried tone. She had been so different ever since the games, and he just wanted the old Astrid back, but he needed to give her time. Josh had to admit, he felt pretty bad when she started laughing. Maybe it was stupid to tell her. It would ruin their friendship. He followed her quickly, but he stood in shock as he saw the pie that she had, and her words made him look at her. he smiled before hugging her tightly. "You scared me so much," he said with a laugh.

Dayton returned the hug, but tried to be careful. He knew that she was hurting whether she wanted to admit to it or not. "Well, thank you," he said with a small smirk. Her next comment made him chuckle softly. "Oh? No offence but Ty is a dork," he joked, chuckling softly. He was a dork, but he still was one of his closest friends.

--

Astrid bit down on her bottom lip and shook her head. She was trying to stop her constant tears but it wasn't working out too well. "It's all my fault, Noah," she whispered. Peyton laughed along with him and returned the hug. "I am sorry," she said sheepishly. "I just found it ironic, because I was planning to tell you the same today. Wow, I was really clueless," she muttered, shaking her head. Maybe she should have picked up on the signs. Then again, she had never been good at telling when a guy was flirting or not, and this was Josh.

Mackenzie laughed, and she rolled her eyes at his words. "Hey, whatch it. He is my dork," she joked, and she smiled. She looked up at him, and she closed her eyes. She really did need to rest, but she wasn't sure if she could. She was still terrified about Willow, and her dad was probably worried sick.

Noah shook his head, and he hugged her tightly, holding her close. "Astrid, don't you dare say that this is your fault. It isn't, baby. I love you so much," he said, and he hugged her tightly. He wanted her to be okay in the end. Josh laughed, and he rolled his eyes. "It is ironic, but that doesn't mean you have to scare me," he said, and he wrapped his arms around her. "How are we going to tell Noah?" he asked, and he paced for a moment. Noah would probably freak if he found out. He was so protective over his sister it wasn't even funny.