Chapter Twenty - Five:

(Laurel)

Cedric seemed completely at home here. His eyebrows were knitted with thought as he moved around ordering people to action. Finally, he turned to me and Roland and Kiele, calming slightly.

"Let's get to the hovercraft. Time to keep promises."

I jumped up and down with almost excitement, and threw my arms around him.

Roland rolled his eyes, but there was true gratitude in his expression. "Thank you, Cedric. Thank you, Laurel. I really appreciate it."

"So you have three older siblings and three younger, yes?" I asked him.

"Yes. A younger brother, and two younger sisters. Three older brothers." Roland had a distant look in his eyes. "I remember when I was young, Ronan would always take care of me because my older brothers always picked on me."

"What about Faren's siblings?" Cedric asked.

Kiele answered, "Faren had three younger siblings. Two girls and a boy."

We piled in to the hovercraft. It took off, Cedric standing patiently next to Jayna, keeping an eye out for Capitol dangers.

"We'll be there in an hour at this speed," Jayna said, sitting back. "You guys are welcome to sleep, eat, or relax. It should be a safe ride."

True, true. I don't remember the last time I was so relaxed. Finally, we touched down next to Roland's house. Roland was the first out, and I followed closely.

"Mom," Roland rushed up to a taller woman with dark eyes. He hugged her.

"We heard you got out of the Games," she whispered.

"Come with me. Join the rebellion," Roland said, his voice threaded with hope.

One of the older brothers hugged him. He didn't look like Ronan as much as Roland did. He walked up to me. "You are Laurel. And Cedric. You're Ronan's friends." When we both nodded, he said, "I want to join."

"Get in the hovercraft," I said.

The two oldest boys climbed in, but the one closer in age to Roland stepped back, looking unsure. His name was Angus. The three younger siblings grouped around Roland, the youngest girl crying with happiness.

"Roland!" she squeaked happily. "Roland is alive! My big brother! Why you leaving again? Can I go?"

"Yes, come, Kathy. Come on, everything will be alright!" He hugged her. She held his hand as the other younger two walked on to the hovercraft.

"I'm sorry, we don't have time to discuss this. The Capitol might catch us," Cedric interrupted. "Get on the plane, Kiele. Roland."

They both turned and rushed on to the hovercraft, followed by Kathy closely.

Angus looked cautiously at his mother. She looked at Laurel, and finally said, "Allow me to fetch my husband and I'll be right on. Go on, Angus, son."

She soon came back with someone who resembled Angus more than Roland or Ronan, and they came in to the hovercraft.

"I remember you," Ronan's mother said finally, piercing me with the same dark eyes. "Why did you come back?"

"I still owe him," I replied eventually. "I don't know what it is."

Cedric's eyes were dark now, not as warm as they were before. Ronan's mother quietly looked away. "You loved him. He saved your life. You felt guilty. There could be many reasons."

"We're going to save Faren's family as well," Cedric interrupted.

Jayna stopped again. I hopped off first, walking up to the door and knocking lightly. Kiele and Roland reached me, but not fast enough. Eyes identical to Faren's pierced mine, and I tripped backwards painfully.

The small eleven year old girl offered me a hand and helped me up. "I'm sorry if I startled you, Miss Mellark. Roland! Kiele!" She forgot me and hugged the both of them, causing Roland to blush and Kiele to grin at seeing her friend.

"Come with us," Roland said. "We're going to the Rebellion. Laurel saved me."

Cedric looked a little irritated, probably because I was the one getting all the attention. Hey, not my fault. I like being the center of attention.

"Yes, let me get my family," she turned and disappeared in to the house.

"What's her name?" I asked.

"Jaylie," replied Roland. "Faren named her."

Jaylie soon returned, followed by her parents and two little children.

"Come on to the hovercraft," Cedric offered, motioning towards the hovercraft. "Join the Rebellion."

The parents exchanged looks, and then the mother took her children's hands and walked to the hovercraft. Her husband, Faren's father, looking surprised, rushed after his wife.

I sat down between Faren's mom and Ronan's mom, wanting to talk to both of them but not sure what to say.

Ronan's mom, tears in her eyes, handed me something that was wrapped in white paper. I took off the paper and saw Ronan's dark eyes. His picture, the one I had painted of him, looked at me with a mischievous smile and a glint in his eyes as if we had shared a good inside joke.

I pressed it back in to his mother's hands. "You keep it. I think you'd take better care of him than I did."

She didn't reply. Faren's mother pulled something from her purse; a picture. Faren's picture.

"She's beautiful," I said, quietly.

Faren's mother smiled at me through tears as well. "You never get over losing a child, Laurel. I appreciate you trying to stop the Capitol. Still...I think this is reckless. Just remember one thing, when you grow up and have your own children; no matter what they do, whether they break rules, or do something stupid, or be mean to you, a parent always loves their child."

I nodded, glancing up at Cedric, who had a sad smile on his face. He looks so cute with a smile on his face. I smiled at him warmly, hoping to make his expression not so sad, and I held both of his hands in mine comfortingly. Sometimes I forget how sensitive he can be.