AUTHORS NOTE: Hey everyone here's the second part. I have a few fans
who want me to continue and so I shall. Thanks for the support guys.
Begin Story~~~
It was around noon and sun was streaming through out the apartment. The girl was still asleep. Caine was in the kitchen mixing herbs, and Peter.well Peter was sitting on the floor still staring at her. He just couldn't believe that she was there.
"Peter," Caine called from the doorway. "If you look away she will not disappear."
Peter looked over to his father and smiled. "I know that Pop, but it's just..
Peter didn't finish his fraise. As he turned his head, he caught glimpse of something light blue lying by the door. It was the girls back pack.
"I forgot all about this!" he said jumping up and grabbing the bag.
"Ahh yes," Caine said. "The girls bag."
"Maybe it will have her ID or something that will tell us who she is inside."
Caine raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps you should wait till she wakes up. She may not like it if you go through her personal things."
"She may not like it pop, but it might help."
Caine shook his head and returned to the kitchen. Peter opened her backpack and started rummaging through it. There was a black jacket, a small baby blue journal with a white tiger on the cover, and a navy blue wallet. He pulled out the wallet and started to open it.
"Wouldn't it be easier to ask me?" a groggy voice asked.
Peter looked over to the window seat. The girl was sitting up staring at him. Her raven hair fell in a mass of curls around her face, bringing out her amber eyes. Despite the cut and bruise, he realized she was a very beautiful young girl. Peter felt a little embarrassed going through her things, but then again he hadn't expected her to wake up.
"Umm, well I wasn't expecting you to wake up so soon."
"Well I did, so you can ask me whatever you want to know," she replied with a bit of an attitude.
Peter replaced the wallet in the bag. He walked over to her and handed her the bag. She ripped it from his grasp. "Take it easy kid. I'm just trying to help."
"Well I didn't ask for it!"
Peter put his hands on his hips. "If you want to be technical you fell into my arms asking for help."
"That is enough, both of you." Said Caine as walked out of the kitchen, prematurely ending the argument. He was holding a cup in his hand.
The girl glared at Peter, who wasn't intimidated. Caine handed the drink to her.
"Drink this. You will feel better."
She took the cup from him, but looked at it skeptically.
"It is an herbal tea. That is all," Caine told her feeling her hesitation.
Finally after another moment, she did as he asked, drinking it all in one gulp.
"Thank you," she said, handing the cup back to him.
"You are welcome."
"I'm Peter Caine, and this is my father Kwai Chang Caine. What's your name?"
She looked at Caine while she answered. "Aurora, Aurora Ramirez."
"Ramirez?" Caine asked. "Your father, his name is Raine Ramirez?"
Aurora jumped up, dropping her bag to the ground. "It's true then," she exclaimed. "You knew my father. You can help me!"
Caine rested his hands on her shoulder, and she quickly pulled away, as if scared of him.
Caine could see the fear in her eyes. Peter was surprised at her reaction.
"I will not hurt you," Caine told her.
"I..I know," Aurora stammered, wrapping her arms protectively around herself. "I just don't like people touching me that's all." She looked up at Caine. "Will you help me?"
"What is it you need help with?"
She didn't respond. It seemed as though she wanted to, but was afraid to. Like something terrible would happen if she told her secrets.
Peter looked at Aurora. She wasn't very tall. Five four at the most. She still had her arms wrapped around her. Someone had hurt her. Peter knew that much. He just didn't know bad or for how long.
"Let us go in the kitchen and talk," Caine said, breaking Peter from his thoughts.
He put his hand out for Aurora to go first. She walked by, with her head down. Peter and Caine followed, all three sitting at the table.
"Aurora, please tell us what's going on," Peter urged her.
She took a deep breath, pushing her hair back out of her face.
"Everything started going wrong about two years ago. Mom and daddy were fighting. They had been doing that for a while. I wasn't stupid I knew they were going to get a divorce, and they did, not too long after that. Anyways I went to live with my father. We were always closer than I was with mom. I don't think she cared for me much ever. She was always doing her own thing, but daddy, daddy always had time for me. Always cared for me. Always loved me."
Aurora swallowed the growing lump in her throat, and blinked back the tears in her eyes. Peter reached out to touch her hand, causing Aurora to jump back knocking the chair over. Peter and Caine stood up, and Aurora backed into the counter.
"I..I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" she said with fear in evident in her amber eyes.
"It is alright," Caine told her. "No harm has been caused. Please sit back down."
Peter picked up the chair and put it back in it's place. "It's my fault anyways," he told her. "I didn't mean to scare you."
"Please," Caine asked again.
"I'm sorry," she said again, sitting down. "I'm just a little jittery."
"You have nothing to be sorry for," Peter said, taking his seat. "I should apologize for frightening you."
"Please continue," Caine said sitting across from her.
Aurora looked back and forth to both of them. She began again once she realized that they weren't mad at her. "Dad and I found an apartment, not far from our old house. He wanted me to continue seeing my mother. I didn't understand why. I mean when I went to see her she was always to busy. Anyways about six months after the divorce, I went over for one of my weekend visits and a man was there. Moms new boyfriend, Tom." Aurora said with a bitter laugh.
"I take it you didn't like him," Peter said.
She shrugged. "He was alright at first. Nice and everything. There was just something about him I didn't like. He was the total opposite of everything I loved about my father. I guess that's the reason my mom liked him."
"That would be my guess," Peter said.
Caine gave Peter a look, that told him to shut up.
"About a year ago," Aurora continued, not noticing anything. I came home from school and my dads car was home. That was unusual. I mean he was normally at work. I ran inside, and started calling his name, but he didn't answer. I was really starting to get worried. I ran into his bedroom and.." she trailed off.
"And what?" Caine asked.
Aurora balled her hands, and put them on her mouth. She was trying extremely hard to keep the tears back.
"He was dead," she whispered. "A gun was in his hand. He killed himself."
"Raine killed himself?" Caine questioned, not sure he heard her right.
She nodded. "I didn't want to believe it. I still don't, but it's true. The gun was in his hand. Everything matched up. Just in my heart something didn't feel right."
Caine didn't believe Raine would do such a thing. Especially not when he had a daughter to take care of.
" By this time Tom and mom had gotten married," Aurora continued. "She didn't wait very long after the divorce. I think she cheating on my father with him. So anyways I got to go and live with them. Things were bad straight off. I mean mom was never around, and Tom was always yelling at me. I was the one who got stuck with the chores, even though I rarely made a mess. I felt like a modern day Cinderella. I didn't care though. Nothing mattered after my father died."
"You miss him," Caine said, he made it a statement.
"Extremely, but that doesn't matter right now. My father told me about you Caine. Told me how you helped him. Told me if I ever needed help that you would help me. I need your help now."
"I do not understand why."
"Neither do I," Peter said.
"You haven't heard everything yet."
"Then please tell us," Caine told her.
"At first Tom would only yell. Then he started to hit me. I don't mean a slap hear and there. He beat the hell out of me. I'd have welts, bruises, broken ribs."
"Is that his handy work," Peter asked pointing to her face.
Aurora nodded.
"What about your mother?" Caine asked. "Did she do nothing to stop this?"
"I told you she doesn't care!" Aurora jumped up. She leaned against the counter, putting her back to them. "He would beat the hell out of me right in front of her! I'd call to her and she'd say I deserved. She'd say that if it wasn't for me, she's still be with my father. That if it wasn't for me..he'd never have died." She finished the fraise in a whisper.
Peter looked at her with sympathy flooding in his heart. This kid had been through hell these last couple of years. He got up and slowly approached her. He gently put a hand on her shoulder. She flinched, but didn't pull away. Aurora turned into Peter, wrapping her arms around his waist, she began to sob uncontrollably. Peter embraced her, stroking her hair.
"It's alright," he soothed. "It's not your fault. None of this is your fault."
"Please don't let them take me back! Please!"
Caine walked over to them. "We will not let them take you back. We will protect you."
Aurora pulled away from Peter. "I'm sorry," she apologized for the third time in ten minutes.
Peter put his hands on her shoulders. She tensed under his grasp. Peter would have to learn to be careful around her.
"None of this is your fault. You have nothing to be sorry for." He emphasized on nothing. "Do you understand?"
Aurora nodded. Peter pulled her back into his embrace.
"Good." Peter broke the hug, and looked down at her. "When was the last time you ate?" She shrugged. "A couple days ago."
"What do you say the three of us get something to eat?"
"I don't have any money."
"Money is not an issue," Peter told her. "Why don't you go and clean yourself up a bit, and we'll go."
"Where is the bathroom?"
"It is just down the hall there," Caine told her.
Aurora nodded. She went into the other room, and picked up her bag from where she dropped it. She looked back at father and son one last time, and went to clean herself up.
"Pop," Peter said, after Aurora was in the bathroom. "Why didn't you help to calm her down. That's generally your area."
"It is true that I help people when I can, but I believe that it is you who was meant to protect her."
"She came here for you."
"Yes, but she was in your dreams and as it seems she fell into your arms, quite literally my son."
"So you think that I'm supposed to help her on my own."
Caine put a hand on Peter's shoulder. "I will always be here, and I will help you if you need it, but this is your task, my son. I have confidence that you will be just fine."
He gently slapped Peter across the face, and Peter smiled.
"Thanks Pop."
Aurora came in the room a moment later. She had pulled her hair back into a thick ponytail. All of the tears and dirt were washed away. Her eyes and nose were still a little pink, but crying will do that to you. She was wearing the black jacket Peter had seen earlier, and her back pack was slung over her shoulder.
"Ready?" Peter asked her.
"Yeah."
"Come on Pop." "Actually I will not be able to accompany you. I have some matters to attend to."
Peter eyed his father suspiciously. He knew exactly what his father was doing, but he let it go.
"Alright pop, we'll see you later."
Peter turned to leave, but stopped when Aurora didn't follow him.
"My father said you were the best man he ever knew. He said that he would trust you with his life. I don't know what you did for my father, he wouldn't tell me, but I know it must have been something great. Thank you..for helping my father before, and for helping me now."
Caine bowed slightly. "You are welcome."
Aurora turned to Peter, and they walked out.
"Wow!" Aurora exclaimed, as they walked up to his car. "Is this yours?"
Peter laughed. "Yeah it's mine."
"It's gorgeous!"
"You like cars?"
"Well not normally. I only like them if they look good."
"Well trust me it looks even better on the inside."
He unlocked the door and they got in. Aurora pushed herself as far against the door as she could go, but still made it a point to check out the interior. She didn't think Peter would hurt her, but she also never thought her father would leave her. She knew better than to trust anyone.
Peter checked his back pocket for his wallet, but couldn't find it.
"Dammit!" he yelled, causing Aurora to jump.
This was not unnoticed to Peter. "I'm sorry kid. I didn't mean to scare you. I just realized that I left my wallet at the station."
All the color drained from Aurora's face. "Station? Please tell me you're a fireman?"
"Actually I'm a cop."
Peter grabbed her hand as it went for the handle. She jumped and pulled away from him.
"Don't touch me!" She cried.
"I'm not going to turn you in," Peter said softly, holding his hand where she could see them. "We'll take care of everything later. Right now we're just going to go the station, pick up my wallet, and get something to eat ok?"
Aurora was skeptical, but he was Caine's son. Her father said she could trust Caine, and Caine obviously trusted Peter. She shouldn't trust him, but she had no where else to go.
Finally she nodded.
"Alright, let's go."
He started the stealth and they were on there way to the station.
~~~~~
Thanks everone. New reviews welcome. Please let me know what you think so far.
TTFN
Ty
Begin Story~~~
It was around noon and sun was streaming through out the apartment. The girl was still asleep. Caine was in the kitchen mixing herbs, and Peter.well Peter was sitting on the floor still staring at her. He just couldn't believe that she was there.
"Peter," Caine called from the doorway. "If you look away she will not disappear."
Peter looked over to his father and smiled. "I know that Pop, but it's just..
Peter didn't finish his fraise. As he turned his head, he caught glimpse of something light blue lying by the door. It was the girls back pack.
"I forgot all about this!" he said jumping up and grabbing the bag.
"Ahh yes," Caine said. "The girls bag."
"Maybe it will have her ID or something that will tell us who she is inside."
Caine raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps you should wait till she wakes up. She may not like it if you go through her personal things."
"She may not like it pop, but it might help."
Caine shook his head and returned to the kitchen. Peter opened her backpack and started rummaging through it. There was a black jacket, a small baby blue journal with a white tiger on the cover, and a navy blue wallet. He pulled out the wallet and started to open it.
"Wouldn't it be easier to ask me?" a groggy voice asked.
Peter looked over to the window seat. The girl was sitting up staring at him. Her raven hair fell in a mass of curls around her face, bringing out her amber eyes. Despite the cut and bruise, he realized she was a very beautiful young girl. Peter felt a little embarrassed going through her things, but then again he hadn't expected her to wake up.
"Umm, well I wasn't expecting you to wake up so soon."
"Well I did, so you can ask me whatever you want to know," she replied with a bit of an attitude.
Peter replaced the wallet in the bag. He walked over to her and handed her the bag. She ripped it from his grasp. "Take it easy kid. I'm just trying to help."
"Well I didn't ask for it!"
Peter put his hands on his hips. "If you want to be technical you fell into my arms asking for help."
"That is enough, both of you." Said Caine as walked out of the kitchen, prematurely ending the argument. He was holding a cup in his hand.
The girl glared at Peter, who wasn't intimidated. Caine handed the drink to her.
"Drink this. You will feel better."
She took the cup from him, but looked at it skeptically.
"It is an herbal tea. That is all," Caine told her feeling her hesitation.
Finally after another moment, she did as he asked, drinking it all in one gulp.
"Thank you," she said, handing the cup back to him.
"You are welcome."
"I'm Peter Caine, and this is my father Kwai Chang Caine. What's your name?"
She looked at Caine while she answered. "Aurora, Aurora Ramirez."
"Ramirez?" Caine asked. "Your father, his name is Raine Ramirez?"
Aurora jumped up, dropping her bag to the ground. "It's true then," she exclaimed. "You knew my father. You can help me!"
Caine rested his hands on her shoulder, and she quickly pulled away, as if scared of him.
Caine could see the fear in her eyes. Peter was surprised at her reaction.
"I will not hurt you," Caine told her.
"I..I know," Aurora stammered, wrapping her arms protectively around herself. "I just don't like people touching me that's all." She looked up at Caine. "Will you help me?"
"What is it you need help with?"
She didn't respond. It seemed as though she wanted to, but was afraid to. Like something terrible would happen if she told her secrets.
Peter looked at Aurora. She wasn't very tall. Five four at the most. She still had her arms wrapped around her. Someone had hurt her. Peter knew that much. He just didn't know bad or for how long.
"Let us go in the kitchen and talk," Caine said, breaking Peter from his thoughts.
He put his hand out for Aurora to go first. She walked by, with her head down. Peter and Caine followed, all three sitting at the table.
"Aurora, please tell us what's going on," Peter urged her.
She took a deep breath, pushing her hair back out of her face.
"Everything started going wrong about two years ago. Mom and daddy were fighting. They had been doing that for a while. I wasn't stupid I knew they were going to get a divorce, and they did, not too long after that. Anyways I went to live with my father. We were always closer than I was with mom. I don't think she cared for me much ever. She was always doing her own thing, but daddy, daddy always had time for me. Always cared for me. Always loved me."
Aurora swallowed the growing lump in her throat, and blinked back the tears in her eyes. Peter reached out to touch her hand, causing Aurora to jump back knocking the chair over. Peter and Caine stood up, and Aurora backed into the counter.
"I..I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" she said with fear in evident in her amber eyes.
"It is alright," Caine told her. "No harm has been caused. Please sit back down."
Peter picked up the chair and put it back in it's place. "It's my fault anyways," he told her. "I didn't mean to scare you."
"Please," Caine asked again.
"I'm sorry," she said again, sitting down. "I'm just a little jittery."
"You have nothing to be sorry for," Peter said, taking his seat. "I should apologize for frightening you."
"Please continue," Caine said sitting across from her.
Aurora looked back and forth to both of them. She began again once she realized that they weren't mad at her. "Dad and I found an apartment, not far from our old house. He wanted me to continue seeing my mother. I didn't understand why. I mean when I went to see her she was always to busy. Anyways about six months after the divorce, I went over for one of my weekend visits and a man was there. Moms new boyfriend, Tom." Aurora said with a bitter laugh.
"I take it you didn't like him," Peter said.
She shrugged. "He was alright at first. Nice and everything. There was just something about him I didn't like. He was the total opposite of everything I loved about my father. I guess that's the reason my mom liked him."
"That would be my guess," Peter said.
Caine gave Peter a look, that told him to shut up.
"About a year ago," Aurora continued, not noticing anything. I came home from school and my dads car was home. That was unusual. I mean he was normally at work. I ran inside, and started calling his name, but he didn't answer. I was really starting to get worried. I ran into his bedroom and.." she trailed off.
"And what?" Caine asked.
Aurora balled her hands, and put them on her mouth. She was trying extremely hard to keep the tears back.
"He was dead," she whispered. "A gun was in his hand. He killed himself."
"Raine killed himself?" Caine questioned, not sure he heard her right.
She nodded. "I didn't want to believe it. I still don't, but it's true. The gun was in his hand. Everything matched up. Just in my heart something didn't feel right."
Caine didn't believe Raine would do such a thing. Especially not when he had a daughter to take care of.
" By this time Tom and mom had gotten married," Aurora continued. "She didn't wait very long after the divorce. I think she cheating on my father with him. So anyways I got to go and live with them. Things were bad straight off. I mean mom was never around, and Tom was always yelling at me. I was the one who got stuck with the chores, even though I rarely made a mess. I felt like a modern day Cinderella. I didn't care though. Nothing mattered after my father died."
"You miss him," Caine said, he made it a statement.
"Extremely, but that doesn't matter right now. My father told me about you Caine. Told me how you helped him. Told me if I ever needed help that you would help me. I need your help now."
"I do not understand why."
"Neither do I," Peter said.
"You haven't heard everything yet."
"Then please tell us," Caine told her.
"At first Tom would only yell. Then he started to hit me. I don't mean a slap hear and there. He beat the hell out of me. I'd have welts, bruises, broken ribs."
"Is that his handy work," Peter asked pointing to her face.
Aurora nodded.
"What about your mother?" Caine asked. "Did she do nothing to stop this?"
"I told you she doesn't care!" Aurora jumped up. She leaned against the counter, putting her back to them. "He would beat the hell out of me right in front of her! I'd call to her and she'd say I deserved. She'd say that if it wasn't for me, she's still be with my father. That if it wasn't for me..he'd never have died." She finished the fraise in a whisper.
Peter looked at her with sympathy flooding in his heart. This kid had been through hell these last couple of years. He got up and slowly approached her. He gently put a hand on her shoulder. She flinched, but didn't pull away. Aurora turned into Peter, wrapping her arms around his waist, she began to sob uncontrollably. Peter embraced her, stroking her hair.
"It's alright," he soothed. "It's not your fault. None of this is your fault."
"Please don't let them take me back! Please!"
Caine walked over to them. "We will not let them take you back. We will protect you."
Aurora pulled away from Peter. "I'm sorry," she apologized for the third time in ten minutes.
Peter put his hands on her shoulders. She tensed under his grasp. Peter would have to learn to be careful around her.
"None of this is your fault. You have nothing to be sorry for." He emphasized on nothing. "Do you understand?"
Aurora nodded. Peter pulled her back into his embrace.
"Good." Peter broke the hug, and looked down at her. "When was the last time you ate?" She shrugged. "A couple days ago."
"What do you say the three of us get something to eat?"
"I don't have any money."
"Money is not an issue," Peter told her. "Why don't you go and clean yourself up a bit, and we'll go."
"Where is the bathroom?"
"It is just down the hall there," Caine told her.
Aurora nodded. She went into the other room, and picked up her bag from where she dropped it. She looked back at father and son one last time, and went to clean herself up.
"Pop," Peter said, after Aurora was in the bathroom. "Why didn't you help to calm her down. That's generally your area."
"It is true that I help people when I can, but I believe that it is you who was meant to protect her."
"She came here for you."
"Yes, but she was in your dreams and as it seems she fell into your arms, quite literally my son."
"So you think that I'm supposed to help her on my own."
Caine put a hand on Peter's shoulder. "I will always be here, and I will help you if you need it, but this is your task, my son. I have confidence that you will be just fine."
He gently slapped Peter across the face, and Peter smiled.
"Thanks Pop."
Aurora came in the room a moment later. She had pulled her hair back into a thick ponytail. All of the tears and dirt were washed away. Her eyes and nose were still a little pink, but crying will do that to you. She was wearing the black jacket Peter had seen earlier, and her back pack was slung over her shoulder.
"Ready?" Peter asked her.
"Yeah."
"Come on Pop." "Actually I will not be able to accompany you. I have some matters to attend to."
Peter eyed his father suspiciously. He knew exactly what his father was doing, but he let it go.
"Alright pop, we'll see you later."
Peter turned to leave, but stopped when Aurora didn't follow him.
"My father said you were the best man he ever knew. He said that he would trust you with his life. I don't know what you did for my father, he wouldn't tell me, but I know it must have been something great. Thank you..for helping my father before, and for helping me now."
Caine bowed slightly. "You are welcome."
Aurora turned to Peter, and they walked out.
"Wow!" Aurora exclaimed, as they walked up to his car. "Is this yours?"
Peter laughed. "Yeah it's mine."
"It's gorgeous!"
"You like cars?"
"Well not normally. I only like them if they look good."
"Well trust me it looks even better on the inside."
He unlocked the door and they got in. Aurora pushed herself as far against the door as she could go, but still made it a point to check out the interior. She didn't think Peter would hurt her, but she also never thought her father would leave her. She knew better than to trust anyone.
Peter checked his back pocket for his wallet, but couldn't find it.
"Dammit!" he yelled, causing Aurora to jump.
This was not unnoticed to Peter. "I'm sorry kid. I didn't mean to scare you. I just realized that I left my wallet at the station."
All the color drained from Aurora's face. "Station? Please tell me you're a fireman?"
"Actually I'm a cop."
Peter grabbed her hand as it went for the handle. She jumped and pulled away from him.
"Don't touch me!" She cried.
"I'm not going to turn you in," Peter said softly, holding his hand where she could see them. "We'll take care of everything later. Right now we're just going to go the station, pick up my wallet, and get something to eat ok?"
Aurora was skeptical, but he was Caine's son. Her father said she could trust Caine, and Caine obviously trusted Peter. She shouldn't trust him, but she had no where else to go.
Finally she nodded.
"Alright, let's go."
He started the stealth and they were on there way to the station.
~~~~~
Thanks everone. New reviews welcome. Please let me know what you think so far.
TTFN
Ty