Asher Jacobs & Timber Lehmann

I frowned a little, wondering who would be knocking. Sebastien had gone to bed awhile ago and I was wondering where in the world Asher was, he should've been back a long time ago. I went to the door and answered it. "Aurora... hi, can I help you?"

"Hi Timber. Is Asher home? It's Quin....he's gone." I said trying not to cry "He...he went back...he left me a note and I don't know what to do."

"What? Oh my god, why would he do that? Here, come on in," I said and held the door open for her. "I... actually don't know where Asher is. I thought he was with all of you. He said he'd be back, he should've been back by now. I haven't been able to go look for him because the kids are all in bed."

"How long has he been gone?" I asked her.

"Awhile. A few hours," I said, trying not to show my worry but knowing I was failing.

"Quin too...do you think...they left together?"

"I... I don't know. Why would Asher leave though? He said he would be back. He wouldn't leave without telling me... would he?"

I sighed "I don't know...Quin and I were supposed to get married tomorrow and he left anyway..."

I sighed. "I'm sorry. It'll be okay, I know it will. Do you... want to stay awhile? You don't have to, it just... gets kinda lonely when most everyone hates you."

"I don't hate you...you didn't only save Ezra's life. You saved mine and Bastian's too by sponsoring her. Thank you."

I smiled a little. "No need to thank me. It's... well it was my fault... she was in there in the first place. I never got to say sorry to her... to her or Caleb... for what I did. I regret it every single day. I regret a lot of things."

"They're here with us. You should talk to them, Timber. It would clear the air some." I told her and started to finally break down "I can't believe I'm about to do this here..." I said sitting down in a chair "I think I'm pregnant, Timber."

"Oh wow... that's great, happy news to start over with. Does Quin know?"

I shook my head "No...he doesn't know. I wanted to be positive before I told him and...and now he's gone. What if he doesn't come back?" I asked "You know...I can relate to everyone having something against you. When the Capitol sent us to District Six from Two...they weren't nice to me at all."

I reached out and took her hand on instinct. "He'll come back. Don't lose faith in that okay?" I said and squeezed her hand before letting it go. "I remember your dad. Sorry, your step dad. I can see why people would be like that. Doesn't make it right though. At least he never made you do anything to hurt anyone else. The people that hate me have every right to."

"I think with time they'll eventually get over it, they need to consider who your father was."

"It doesn't matter to them. I'm the one that tipped him off, because he made me, but still I'm the one that did it. I can never make up for all the people that were hurt because of me. I'm sure he could've found the information he needed on his own, but it's the fact that I did it for him. I'm a part of all of that. It's something I can't take back. I wish I could, but I can't."

"You caught Asher's attention, of all people. Tell me, how did that happen anyway?"

"That... actually happened... when I was in the woods... spying on Ezra and Caleb. I had to get back by a certain time, dad's orders, or I'd be in trouble. I ran into Asher when I was taking off, he grabbed me and wasn't gonna let me go so... I stabbed his hand. Later when... when dad beat me pretty bad... Allegra took me to his house, to see if they'd hide me. He let me stay in the loft in the barn. Guess he... hadn't stopped thinking about me since I stabbed him," I said and laughed a little. "How did you and Quin meet?"

"Just like him to be turned on by being hurt." I smiled a little "Well, we met in the woods too. I was hunting in his spot and he caught me, we had an argument...he threw a rock at me." I shook my head "It's pretty funny now, we despised each other.'

I couldn't help but laugh a little. "Well it's pretty clear you two were meant to be together, anyone can see that."

"Same with you and Asher, I seen you two arguing earlier. The chemistry was about to catch fire."

I laughed a little. "I love him... so much. He just... he wants to take care of everyone, all the time, and this is just one time he really needs to let it go. He wanted to know who'd been bugging me. It's only been comments here and there, nothing for him to get all worked up over. Going after them for what they've said is only going to make things worse. Especially considering who some of them are. They'll get used to me eventually. I hope anyway."

"Quin's the same way. Once, some of the District Six kids threw me into the river and it's obvious now that I can't swim. Quin saved me, and he's been by my side ever since actually. He's saved me more than once, it's what they do. I do see where you're coming from though, like right now Quin is gone back for revenge. I wish he could be happy here and let it go."

"I don't think he can, to be honest. After all the Peacekeepers put them through, put all of us through, it's not something they can just put behind them."