Aster awoke with a slight headache. He groaned and turned over in the amazingly soft bed, wanting to fall back asleep until his headache went away. Wait…this isn't my couch. Aster felt around strange new habitat hoping to find some clue as to where he was. He felt a piece of paper an arms length away. He snatched it and brought it to his face to read. He blinked several times before his eyes adjusted to read the words properly.

Aster, I've left for work.
Help yourself to some food when you wake up.
Also, If you have a headache when you wake up, I'd suggest a banana with your breakfast.
See you soon,
Jack.

As Aster read the note he had remembered what had happened last night. Which wasn't the most exciting night, but it had been one of the nicest nights in a long time for him. HE smiled at the thought until his headache reared its ugly head to the forefront of his mind. He winced and sat up. He looked around for a clock while holding his head. Does he really not have any clock in here? Aster took a second look around and deciding that Jack really didn't have a clock in his room, stood and made his way to the kitchen slowly. His headache wasn't bad enough to incapacitate him, but it sure felt like hell.

When he entered the kitchen he saw Eathan sitting at the table eating waffles with a cup of coffee.

"Mornin', Mate." Aster said to Eathan groggily as he saw the pot of coffee.

"Yup." Eathan gestured with his cup of coffee for Aster to freely have a cup.

Aster searched every cabinet for a mug before he found one in the last one he checked. He poured the hot coffee into the cup and sat across from Eathan at the table, composure holding back the fact he had a killer headache. He glanced around the countertops. Seeing the bananas Jack had mentioned that he have, he stood and grabbed one. Sitting back done he peeled it and began to eat.

Eathan finished the waffle he had been eating and gulped down his now cold coffee. He stood and put the cup in the sink. He sat back down at the table and watched Aster intently.

Aster had ignored the staring eyes of Eathan until he had finished his banana. He threw the peel away and sat back across from Eathan. They watched each other do nothing for a few moments before Eathan spoke.

"What are you doing today?"

Aster leaned back in the chair, "Nothing, head home soon, finish a paintin' or two I guess. What'a bout ya?"

"I have no idea. Draw I guess." Eathan said nonchalantly.

Aster raised an eyebrow quizzically, "Ya draw?"

Eathan nodded, "Yeah, not much though. I work too much to do it regularly."

"Can I see?" Aster asked, genuinely curious.

Eathan stood, "Sure, Let me get my sketchbook."

Aster waited patiently until Eathan got back. Eathan sat next to Aster at the table after handing him the sketchbook. Aster flipped through the pages, astounded by how well detailed each one was. Every picture made Aster feel some kind of emotion for the scene or portrait. Towards the middle of the book Aster stumbled across a picture of Jack. His expression was fearful, no joy in his cerulean eyes. The background was a dark gray and surrounded Jack's portrait. His shoulders had on a very familiar blue hoody, only it was ripped and tattered. Hands seemed to be reaching out of the darkness from the background. Black grotesque hands, with fingers too long and nails looking as sharp as blades. His hair wasn't as fluffy and bright as Aster knew it to be, instead it looked ragged and dull. Aster noticed, faded within the gray of background above Jack, was a terrifying face. Its teeth were thin and jagged, eyes held no mercy within their iris-less pupils of an endless abyss, nose-less as if it had been torn off. The picture made Aster feel frightened with the portrait of Jack.

Aster turned the page and found one of a dark ring. It had been done in ink. It resembled the one Aster had seen on Jack's back. It held an ominously light glow around it.

Aster turned the page again and found a forest. It looked peaceful, until he realized what he was feeling. It was fear. He looked hard at the picture, trying to figure out what was making him feel this way about such a peaceful looking picture. He found the source, in a lightly colored in face. It was almost like the one he had seen above Jack. Except this face wasn't smiling nor frowning. It was just staring placidly at the onlooker.

After several more page flips, he found one that didn't instill fear, it was a family picture. Of what Aster had guessed to be Eathan's entire family. They were all smiling fondly at the would-be camera. The picture had made Aster smile. Jack was standing on the left edge of the family. Nothing was standing near or around him. There was hidden face within the picture.

Aster had reached the last drawn in page. It was of Eathan, Jack and, another boy Aster didn't know. Smiling jovially with each other.

Aster brought the sketchbook towards Eathan, "Who's this?" Aster pointed to the unknown boy next to Jack.

"Oh, That's Mason. One of our brothers. He's the cook of the family. Well, him and Jack." Eathan explained and took the book from Aster.

"I see, well," Aster smiled, "They're all amazin' if I do say so mahself."

"Thanks."

Aster nodded in recognition and saw that his cup of coffee was full again, as well as Eathan's.

"Thanks for fillin' mah cup. I hadn't realized I drank it all." Aster commented.

Eathan nodded and took a drink of his coffee. Aster looked around the kitchen, and saw the clock above the sink. Hmm…ten a.m. huh? Better get going after this cup of coffee.

"Care to join me outside?" Eathan asked Aster.

Aster looked a bit shocked by the question, "Oh, uh, sure."

Eathan stood and opened the sliding back door, He stepped out and sat at the patio table. Aster sat across from him. Eathan pulled out a pack of smokes and a lighter. After he lit his own cigarette he offered one to Aster. Aster declined politely and looked out across the backyard. He was shocked to realize that he hadn't noticed the extensive garden that lined the edge of the large backyard as well as the patio.

There were too many flower types to name offhandedly. Aster perked into a smile and looked on at the well-cared-for garden. Eathan sighed a relaxed sigh, and inhaled from his cigarette. Aster released a breath he didn't know he had been holding. He looked over at Eathan and asked if he could bum a smoke.

With a perplexed look, but giving Aster the pack, "I thought you didn't smoke?"

Aster hummed as he took the lighter and lit his own cigarette, "I don'really. But, they do help get rid of mah hangover headaches."

Eathan tilted his head, "I never heard that before?"

Aster shrugged, "Me either but," He paused to inhale, "it does seem ta work."

Eathan hummed, enjoying the comfortable silence that fell between them. Aster had his eyes closed, listening to the outside. Eathan was watching him subtly, wondering what Aster could possibly be thinking about.
Eathan wasn't happy that Jack was so successful after up and leaving, but after a long night of restless sleep, he came to terms with it. I don't have to be happy about it, I just have to respect it. And he did his best to shove his pride aside, and to respect the things in Jack's life. Like the man sitting across from him, he had to respect Jack for finding happiness in a form other than objects. And although Aster had punched him rather hard in the face, he had to respect the fact he stood up for Jack so readily.

Eathan hummed, bringing himself into deep thought. I have really missed Jack. All those days that I waited for a call like Mother had. Silently hoping that one day he would show back up. I guess I could have found the time to look him up. But, who would want to find out that your brother was dead? Or kidnapped. Jack was too handsome for his own good.

He shook his head and cleared his throat, finding his cigarette had burned itself out and burned his fingers without him realizing it. He flicked it into the yard and reached across the table for a second one.

Jack hopped into his truck and ignited the engine, looking at the dash-clock he smiled at the time. Awesome, two 'o'clock and I'm already out of work.
Jack pulled onto the road and headed for home. Wondering if Aster would still be there or not.

Jack pulled into his garage and walked in the kitchen. He the heard the laughter from an Australian outside and assumed Aster had been talking with Franklin or his mother. He walked through the kitchen not looking outside and down the hall to the bathroom to take a shower.

His shower hadn't taken long, and he stepped out of the bathroom feeling refreshed enough to see everyone. He walked into the kitchen to see Vivian, Franklin and, his Mother all sitting around the kitchen table.

"What's up guys?" Jack asked them all.

Vivian spoke first, "Well, we actually all slept in until about, an hour ago. Come to find those two laughing up a storm." She pointed with her thumb towards the backyard.

Jack leaned to the side to peer outside to see Aster, laughing with Eathan. He got a confused look and leaned forward onto the kitchen table.

"Seriously, what did you guys drug them with?" Jack asked as he glanced at everyone around the table.

Everyone raised their hands in innocence with a smile. Jack laughed, and said he was going to find out what was going on with the two out back. He walked to the sliding door and opened it dramatically.

"Hi!" Jack exclaimed.

"'Ey, mate!" Aster said cheerfully.

"Hey, Jack. How was work?" Eathan asked with a smile on his face.

Jack cocked an eyebrow, "It was good. How are you two?"

Aster raised a cup of ice tea, "I'd say we're pretty good. 'Ey Eathan?" Eathan nodded in concurrence. "So, Jack, What'd'ya do at work taday?"

Jack shrugged and took a seat beside Aster, "Not too much, fixed several computers and updated the software for the payment system. Oh, and I installed new hardware for the mainframe. It was becoming a bit outdated according the CEO."

Eathan looked surprised, "You call doing all that 'Not too much'? Where do you work anyway?"

Jack smiled at Eathan's interest, "I work down at a branch of CIC FOX PRODUCTIONS."

Eathan couldn't look more surprised, "The same that's practically in every industry?"

Jack nodded, "That'd be the one."

Eathan pulled out another smoke, "I can't believe you work there fixing computer stuff."

Jack laughed, "I do more than fix computer stuff, I also run errands for the CEO and help with special effects that appear in movies. Today just so happen to be a day of technological work. Which is why I got off so early."

"What time ya go in?" Aster piped up.

"Oh…uh," Jack paused in thought, "I'd say I got there around four."

"Your short day was ten hours long?" Eathan asked confused on how that could be considered short at all.

"Oh definitely," Jack laughed slightly at both Aster and Eathan's expression, "I mostly work twelve hour days. Sometimes though I do end up working fourteen hour days. And on the rare occasion only about four to six hours."

"How do you function?" Eathan asked astonished at Jack's claim.

"Well, I do get a lot of days off." Jack paused with a smile, "I'd say of the 365 days a year I work maybe…around 170 days."

"Geez man, I wish I had your job." Eathan said, half honest.

The three laughed, and silence fell upon them. Eathan inhaled the last of his cigarette. He flicked it into the yard. Aster asked how many Eathan had left in his pack. Eathan had only three left. Aster offered to go get more for him since he had smoked some of them. Eathan declined the offer. Jack was surprised to hear that Aster had smoked at all. Aster had informed Jack that it had helped get rid of his headache along with the banana he had suggested. Jack frowned slightly, but didn't object to anything as it was not his place to do so.

Aster left around six 'o'clock saying that he had to finish his three paintings before the month was up and if he didn't get some work done on them today, he wouldn't finish on time.
Jack had re-baked the lasagna from the previous night for dinner, which was just as good as when it was first pulled out of the oven. Afterwards, Jack had suggested he would take everyone out to see the sights of the city. Franklin had asked why go out so late to see them, to which Jack had told everyone that all the sights were prettier when they were lit up. Jack called a cab to take everyone into the city where they could walk to see everything.

HI! I updated! Soon too in my own opinion. All you followers out there who well..follow this story..I can't thank you enough, I'm really glad people are enjoying this story. As said in several reviews as well. I hope you enjoy this Chapter. If I have jumped Or anything, Please Don't Hesitate to let me know. Or if I have Forgotten something Too. Just to let you all know...Imma Skip the whole 'sight-seeing' process. Unless! and only unless I get enough reveiws telling me to do it. I do realize that the creatures weren't in this chapter. Next one though..you should be prepared for lots of it. Am I describing things well? Is The plot progression Good or is it Too slow or too Fast? I need to Know These things guys. Don't be afraid to tell Me how you Feel! I don't bite!