For my dearest readers, an update! Inspiration: Watching the movie Pride and Prejudice over and over again until I was satisfied. I will forever love that movie, especially its ending and Mr. Macfadyen's acting (I think I've fallen for "Mr. Darcy"…) Well, in any case, an update for P&P:TOTL… though I don't think it's very good!

--¤--

Upon making their way back to their estate, the Oswald siblings had a most pleasant chat on the subject of a certain Miss Naegino.

"I thought it was enough that you knew that she was an acquaintance of mine, but you wish to know more about her?"

"Why yes, of course! She was so very interesting, I quite like her."

Leon gave her a look of agitation.

"Let us please get off the subject, we are arriving home and I would most like it if I could go to sleep without thinking of this most awkward conversation."

Sophie threw her head back and laughed.

"It only goes to show that she is more important to you than you seem to put off. In any case, it will be a pleasure to perform with her. I wonder if she's any good… she did show excellent balance when scaling the wall of the mountain…"

Though Sophia spoke on, Leon didn't hear a word. His mind was focused on one thing, Sora.

"…goodbye, Mr. Oswald."

Leon sighed to himself. Mr. Oswald never did suit him. Nor did Sir Oswald, or any other name like that. Even though he was of high aristocracy, Leon never did like being referred to so formally. He would have to persuade Miss Sora to speak to him more casually.

"…goodbye, Mr. Oswald."

His eyebrows furrowed. He ran the sound of her voice through his head. Her tone, it was unconsciously rude. She had referred to his sister with such kindness and heedlessly, yet she said Mr. Oswald so firmly and so crossly. It began wearing on his nerves.

"…goodbye, Mr. Oswald."

Had she even noticed her tone of voice when she said his name? She must have! So it wasn't unconsciously, she had done it on purpose! But why had she done that? Did she despise him? Or was it because they were so unfamiliar? His eyebrows furrowed further, crossing his arms and closing his eyes.

"…goodbye, Mr. Oswald."

Leon's eyes opened suddenly. Had he heard her voice? It seemed so… close…

"Goodbye, Mr. Oswald! Seeing as you aren't listening to me… humph! We're home, so get out of the car."

Sophie picked up her dress and stepped out of the car. Leon blinked, uncertain of his own thoughts.

"Had I drowned Sophie talking out with Sora's voice?"

--¤--

"Mother, when I will I see my dearest Leon again?"

A young woman clad in a red and black dress fanned herself with a black folding fan. The elder woman sipped on a cup of tea, reading a book.

"Soon, I hope. I hear they are in Cape Mary, but I don't want to leave Beijing just yet. I mean I just got back."

The raven haired girl sat up immediately.

"Cape Mary? You mean he's in California? ALL THE WAY OVERSEAS?! Why I heard he was in France recently! About a good three weeks ago!"

Lin Wong didn't seem to be disturbed by her daughter's alert attitude. She sipped her tea calmly and flipped the page in her story.

"You heard wrong. He hadn't even traveled home in the past month, he is far to busy for such things. Like I said, I traveled to California just to see my godson, though he wasn't home, and I don't feel like going back just yet. If you wish, May, you can go see him."

The young woman flipped her hair and stood up, placing her hands on her hips.

"I do not need your permission to see him, do I? I mean, it was your intention to get me excited about seeing him, was it not?"

The girl grinned and laughed. Lin didn't look up at her but merely smiled while sipping her tea.

"I will set up a plane for you in the morning. Oh and do be a dear and say hello to your godmother for me? Julian and I only had such a small chat, I do wish we will speak again."

"Of course mother."

A maid walked in and bowed politely.

"My ladyship, shall I arrange your belongings for you?"

May stood in front of the woman and looked her over, a look of disgust on her face.

"No, you mustn't. A thing like you, touching my clothing? Ha, why I have never been so amused in my life! No indeed, I should not have a commoner with dirty hands such as your own touch my fair silks and cheongsams. Now get out of my sight at once!"

"Y-Yes madame."

The maid meekly apologized and scuffled away.

"How atrocious! Even the thought of such a lowly maid laying a hand on my personal effects makes me want to curl up in a ball and scream! Appalling, nauseating, unfathomable! Ha!"

May walked gracefully out the room, dying with laughter. Lin chuckled softly to herself and closed her book.

"May Wong is back, and with ten times the attitude. Ha! My daughter, my daughter…"

--¤--

Back in Sacramento, Leon laid across his bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Why is it that I have this strange feeling about her? That… woman. Sora…"

He sighed exasperatedly and stretched his arm over his eyes.

"Regardless, I won't allow myself to be jaded by this woman. I will get my mind off of her at once and--"

A knock on the door shook him out of his thoughts. Leon sat up abruptly and answered the door.

"Leon, dear. What's the matter, Sophie told me you had ignored her in the car and you've been silent ever since? Did something happen when you went looking for Sophia?"

Sonia looked her son over worriedly. Leon tried to smile, attempting to calm his mother down, but failed miserably. He gestured for her to come in and sit.

"If you have time to worry about me then you must have all the time in the world,"

Sonia smiled, that made him happy.

"and no mother, nothing is wrong really."

"The word really makes it seem as if there is something wrong…"

Sonia had stopped smiling and cocked her head, as if questioning him. Leon sighed.

"You know more than what you put off, mother. What else did Sophie tell you?"

Sonia giggled and put a hand on Leon's shoulder.

"She said you had seen a young woman, and after you saw her your attitude changed immensely. Who is she to you? Is she the one who made you so uneasy?"

Leon stood up and strode over to the window.

"Just an acquaintance…"

Sonia stood up and giggled.

"An acquaintance wouldn't have gotten you so worked up, Leon."

She came to his side and kissed his cheek affectionately. Leon flushed slightly at the way the conversation was going. He had never spoke of women with his mother, and he had even managed to avoid the speech of the Birds and the Bees from both parents.

"In any matter, I hope that you won't stay desolate forever, Leon."

Sonia giggled and walked away, giving him one last reassuring pat on the shoulder. Leon watched her as she left the room, then let out a prolonged sigh.

"I heard that!"

Leon chuckled and sat on the bed once again.

"I wonder though… why am I letting a woman, let alone Sora, get me so worked up?"

He sighed yet again before turning over and closing his eyes, thinking that putting a long night's sleep on top of his worries would solve everything. Little did he know he wouldn't get much sleep for Lucien had called upon him again.

--¤--

"Father, you woke me for something?"

Lucien glanced up at Leon from a newspaper he was preoccupied with, then gestured for him to come closer. Leon gulped and walked towards the desk.

"Did you read the headlines today?"

Lucien let the paper drop from his hands onto the desk.

"Hmph, 'Kaleido Stars Shine Once More' seems like a stupid title, don't you think?"

Leon found it hard to swallow.

"You never told me Kalos had asked you and Sophia to perform again…"

Leon opened his mouth to speak but found no words would come out. Lucien shook the opened letter before placing it on the paper.

"you should already know my answer to this then, I presume?"

Leon felt sweat beads on his forehead. 'Since when was it this hard to talk to father? No, it was always this hard to talk to him…'

"Father, you see--"

"Hmm?"

"Sorry… Sir, you must understand that Kalos called upon his most trustworthy and amazing performers, which would be a great honor to be considered astounding in his eyes, would it not?"

"Yes… go on… state your point."

"I think it would be good publicity if Sophia and I were to take the spotlight once more. Think of all the money we made--"

"This isn't about the money, it's about our family name, Leon."

Leon's eyebrow twitched. Lucien watched him with slight humor, knowing his son, he was probably thinking of what to say next. Leon wanted to choke him, he knew his father liked to watch him suffer. This all amused him.

"I don't see your point father-- Sir."

"Ah, my point is that I don't want a repeat of last time. I made a mistake of letting you two go last time, and I won't make the same blunder again. You are free to go, but Sophia will not perform, I refuse to allow it--"

"But father!"

The men looked at the door with surprised faces. Sophia Oswald made the biggest slip-up of her life when she decided to eavesdrop on their conversation. She busted through the door and put her hands on her hips defiantly, trying to defend herself. Then she noticed what she did, the color draining from her face.

"Ooh… I'm not supposed to be here, am I? Hehe…"

Lucien's expression changed from surprise to irritation.

"Well then, now that you are here, I guess you know what I'm about to say. I forbid you to go back to that place."

"But father!"

"No 'ifs', 'ands', or 'buts' about it! I will not have you make us the laughingstock of Sacramento too! We suffered enough embarrassment in Anaheim and I won't go through that again! Besides, you are far to sickly and far to inexperienced to be--"

"INEXPERIENCED?! HOW DARE YOU IMPLY THAT I AM ACROBATICALLY INEPT!"

Leon glared at his sister, trying to shut her up.

"Sophie, lower your voice, he didn't mean it like that. Sir, forgive her behavior, she didn't mean to--"

"Silence, boy. Now you listen to me young lady, I won't have you trotting around some circus tent, making a fool of yourself, you hear me?"

"I won't be making a fool of myself when the crowd cheers for me!"

"Hmph, really now," Lucien's eyebrows furrowed and he snatched up the newspaper and letter, shaking it to get her attention.

"Do you see this? This is your 'promising' career," Lucien stood up and strode over to the fireplace, tossing the whole pile straight into the fire. Leon's eyes widened and he turned slowly to see Sophie's expression. Sophie's head was lowered so he couldn't see her eyes, but he was sure she was beginning to cry. Lucien rose his voice.

"DOESN'T LOOK SO PROMISING NOW, DOES IT? You will never have a future there. Those childish dreams, I forbade you to chase after them. Why go back there and fall again? As soon as you made one mistake up on that stage, the crowd turned against you and jeered as you fell. Not only that, but Dio is--"

"This has nothing to do with Dio…"

She whispered it softly and shamefully. Lucien smirked.

"Oh, yes it does. I know that one of the main reasons you want to go back there is because he's there. That lecher, he's partially to blame for your reputation being tarnished."

Sophie barely flinched.

"This has nothing to do with him…"

Leon gently elbowed her, trying to calm her down.

"Father-- Sir, please. This is only upsetting her more and--"

"SHUT UP! Was I talking to you? No…"

Leon gulped and closed his mouth reluctantly. A tear rolled down Sophie's cheek. Lucien watched as the papers crumbled slightly and burned.

"You have no future there, Sophie. It's over--"

"It's never over…"

She said it low, but not low enough for Leon and Lucien not to hear her.

"It's never over…"

Sophie's voice got a little louder. Her head shot up, tears glimmering on her cheeks.

"It's not over… because… because," Sophie dashed over to the fireplace and shoved her father out of the way, pushing her hands into the flames to grab the papers. Leon gasped and grabbed her around her waist. Sophie coughed and collapsed to the ground, clutching the still smoldering papers to her chest. Leon grabbed her shoulders and shook her violently.

"You idiot! You want to perform, don't you? Well look at your hands now!"

He grabbed her hands and forced her to stare at the singed fingertips.

"You can't perform with injured hands! You foolish, foolish girl, when will you ever learn--"

"it's not over until I give up. Until I give up hope,"

Lucien looked at her with disdain.

"until I give up my dreams, it will never be over! I still have a chance!"

She scrambled to her feet and shoved Leon away from her, dashing out the door and down the hall. Sonia, who stood in front of the door, opened her arms to accept the girl and comfort her but Sophie ran past her and into her room, where she locked the door and cried out. Sonia looked into the study with sad eyes.

"Lucien… you took things way to far… you know how sensitive she can get…"

Lucien sat in his chair and shook his head.

"That imprudent little girl…"

--¤--

Sophie slid down the wall of her bedroom and clutched the newspapers and letter tightly. Her body went into convulsions along with her sobs. She dropped the paper on the ground and looked at the title one last time before standing up slowly and walking into her private bathroom. She turned on the faucet and put her hands underneath it. She winced as the wounds stung under the cold, soapy water. She rubbed her eyes with an arm, then looked into the mirror.

"I'm going back there, whether he forbids it or not… it's where I belong…"

She sighed and looked at her hands, then curled it into a fist. She flinched at the pain, but it was bearable. Leon was right, she was an idiot for putting her hands in the fireplace. She was lucky she hadn't been in contact long enough with the flames or it would have been worse. She tightened and loosened her fist.

"I'm going back home… to the stage where I belong."

--¤--

Aww, poor Sophie! And what does Dio have to do with anything? Are her hands even gonna be okay (of course they will)? And I introduced May and Lin! Ja ne! Oh and there's a poll on my profile, I need your opinion! Arigato gozaimasu!