Yay, I finally finished another chapter! Sorry about it being so late. I PHAIL D:
"Leo?" Cassi's voice was soft as she spoke to the turtle. He stood with his shell to her, staring blankly into space but obviously ignoring her. "Leo, it's been four days. Talk to me? Please?"
"What is there to say?" He replied, still turned away from her. "I told you that if you went through with it you'd lose all respect I had for you."
"I know, but I'm alive aren't I?"
"Only thanks to a power you didn't even know you had!" Leo snapped, turning around suddenly and making her jump.
"I get it; you're mad," she sighed, "and you have right to be. I messed up, okay?"
"Cassiopeia, that is an understatement." Hearing her whole name made Cassi wince.
"I'm sorry, all right Leonardo?"
"No, it's not all right!" The anger in Leo's voice was still present, but now there was also sadness mingled in. "If it hadn't been for a mistake, you'd be dead. Dead!" As she looked at the ground, Leo sighed. "How did you not know about the regeneration power anyways? Didn't you ever notice that things healed faster for you?"
She shrugged and sat down on the arm of the couch. "I grew up alone, Leo. I thought it was normal. I don't think I was ever with you guys when you were hurt. Or if I was, I just assumed you healed a little slower."
"We do, not only physically though."
"In other words, you're not ready to forgive me?" Her eyes met his, and he looked away. "I think you should know something, Leo. I did die when we were seventeen. At the time, I had planned how I was going to leave if I didn't die for real, but…I did. I guess the whole regeneration thing brought me back. All I knew is that I woke up inside the coffin."
"Why didn't you tell us this?" His brown eyes were once again fixed upon her, making Cassi uncomfortable. She shifted her position somewhat and looked back down at the ground.
"Would you have believed me? And I didn't know, not until I died the other day. Before, I assumed I had just passed out."
"And the man waiting for you?"
"It looked like one of Chris's brothers to you, but he wasn't really there. A friend of mine 'sensed' what was going on and she made a projection with her mind, to fool you. Yes, she's not human." Cassi gave her head a shake. "I know I've lied so much, but I couldn't tell you the truth. None of you would have believed me."
"You don't know that. You could've tried to tell us, but you didn't."
"Yeah, and have Don pronounce me insane? You know he would've if I came up and said something like, 'hey guys! Guess what? I died, then came back to life to become a pop star with you guys!' That would've gone over well," she couldn't help the sarcasm that slipped naturally into her words.
"In case you haven't noticed Cassi, our lives have been anything but normal," Leo pointed out turning back away from her.
"Believe me, I noticed," She mumbled back, rubbing the back of her head subconsciously. "Think you could forgive me one last time? And we don't have to go back to being a couple, even though I still love you and you love me."
"What?" He looked back at her. "Are you…"
"I'm not in your head, Leo. I can read you like a book without having to read your thoughts," Cassi stated, then looked down at the ground. "That, and I found the ring," she added softly. Leo turned to face her once more, but before Cassi could read his expression, he faded away. "Aw, Kelly!"
A voice laughed from beside her. "I think that is enough, Cassiopeia. You must go and talk to him." Cassi turned her head to the side to see her friend sitting on the couch as well. Makeup lined eyes sparkled back at her.
"I don't know, Kelly, I'm scared."
"Cassiopeia, have my projections ever failed to be correct? Aside from your Sensei. He is impossible to predict."
"Don't be so cocky, Kelly. They may have been right, but Leo's a lot like Sensei. He's hard to predict at times too!"
Underneath her long magenta gown, the girl crossed her legs then gave Cassi an unamused look. "You are stalling now."
"Alright…I'm going…" Cassi replied, taking a shaky breath then walking to the other room where Leo really was.