The Wither's Mansion late Sunday morning.

The curtains being drawn to let in the late morning sunshine had Kylie groaning in annoyance. She rolled over unto her side and turn away from the intrusion. A shadow coming by the bed had her reluctantly opening her eyes, it was Lionel there with a glass in his hand.

"What time is it?" she asked as she pulled herself up in bed and took the glass from him.

"Where were you last night?" he asked instead of answering.

"What does it matter?" she said before gulping the bitter brew that had her grimacing with a shudder.

Lionel took the glass and sat beside her on the bed and stared intently at her. She looked away and stared down at her hands. She did not want to get in an argument with her brother but being carefree was not the way to go about it.

"Are we going to constantly have you being the centre of all the wrong attention," he said with a sigh.

"I just went to a catch up with the girls at the Classique Pallet for a late dinner and few drinks more like a little celebration for my accomplishments...then head on back home when I realized Lizzy had left," she told him deciding that being elusive was not the best way to deal with the situation. "It was not my intention to get you upset or worried."

He gave her a half-smile then said, "I know it wasn't easy going out to the Clinic and having your picture taken or being interviewed, but I am proud of you."

Kylie too gave him a half-smile in return but said nothing. They sat there in silence both of them minds caught up in matters that lead to the same things even if it was constituted by different persons.

"So how are you, Leo?"

He knew what she meant and he would have told anyone else that he was fine but knowing Kylie would know the truth he responded, "I never thought I would see her again."

"And I bet she was wishing that she never saw us again too," Kylie responded. "Seeing her again made me miss the days of our childhood when we were too innocent and naive to know how cruel people could be."

"I wish I could blame mom and dad for the things that befell us but I played my role in hurting Leela," he said his voice husky with the pain of self-loathing. "I let our parents take control of everything knowing that I was causing someone I cared about nothing but pain. I was such a coward riding on the power and authority of our parents that I took Leela's daughter."

"She's your daughter too," Kylie said but knew that did not justify what happened.

"Even if Leela and her parents had not been sent away like some outcast I would still have been the hero. Nathan and the others would see me as The Alpha male. I would not be the one ridiculed for knocking up the hired help's daughter or the supposed girlfriend of my sister."

Kylie looked at Leo and said softly. "I never liked or see Lee like that Leo, she was my friend. She was the only person who I could be myself with and who didn't see me as some wild sick anomaly because I liked girls and not boys.

I remember when I started liking Amy Richardson and Lee realised she did not run away but stood by me and kept my secret. I did not have to bribe her or buy her friendship the way Jess and the others did when they caught Amy and me kissing. I was so scared of what would have happened to Amy but Leela assured me everything would be alright even when she knew it wasn't.

I remember her even giving Jess a black eye when she kept calling me dyke, earned her a crazy fat lip and some nasty bruises but she stood up for me, she never let me down, and it wasn't because she was infatuated with my self absorbed brother but because she cared about me as her friend."

Lionel felt his heart filled with pain and regret at the past. A past where if he was not so caught up in being the jock, the prestigious golden boy of his parents and his friend's image of the perfect rich star boy he would have realized so many of the things that were happening in their lives.

He had thought then that his priorities were to maintain the best grades ever so propel himself into the best university study and gain the right accolades as he groomed himself to take his place at the head of their family company.

He did all this without thinking of any one but himself. He had done it somewhat for his parents who doted on him but in all its majority he did it for himself. He loved being the devotion of his friends, the adoration of the girls that vied for his attention, his father's golden boy and his parent's pride and joy.

He had thought Kylie was alright because he was. His little sister had it all because she was bright, feisty and determined. She seemed happy and contented with Leela always the two peas in a pod driving him crazy with their constant shadowing of him. They followed him around every chance they got. He had even started looking for them around every corner as life never remains just about you alone.

He sighed thinking how as Kylie and Leela grew their bond became stronger. She was the sister that Kylie never had. This gave him more reason to focus on himself than being a brother to her. How many times had he been harsh and short with them when he found them in places he considered to be his private domain?

He thought of the day at the treehouse when he was about to sneak Hailey Burnsworth up for some well sort after hanky panky as Kylie had called it and found them snooping around. A surprise Leela had sent the door careening into his face and busting above his eye. He automatically reaches up and touches the spot where a small scar now sat.

He had always seen them as two nuisances until Kylie and Leela began to grow up. He was more aware of Leela and the way she had blossomed into an appealing and surprisingly attractive young teenager.

Gone was the chubby mousey girl with the unruly curls of brown hair. Even the wide dusting of freckles on her creamy round face seemed to map an attraction that gripped him. He found himself watching her whenever she visited and getting more and more fascinated with her.

He was at first appalled by what he was doing and feeling until she started helping her parents more at the Mansion. He was now seeing a budding attractive young woman who was confident and more secure in herself. He could not get her out of his thoughts and she had started to bring forth a constant surge of emotions in him that intensified his attraction.

He had wanted her so much that he went to an unsuspecting Kylie with a devised plan that would have him getting his way but put in motion a series of events that would in years to come leave their world in rumbles.

He never forgave himself for what happened but he could always make amends and pray that Leela forgives him like Kylie eventually did.

"Hey it's Sunday lets get us some much-needed family time and am sure Bear would love some hot dogs and time spent down at the pool. What you say, aunty."

"Sounds like fun. Think we could invite Lee over?"

Lionel stared at his sister and relax when he saw that she was not being her spiteful self. The years and the things she has been through had left their mark and with it, Kylie was known to be uncaring and bitter and not keen on censoring her feelings or impressions.

"I invited her to your send-off dinner on Thursday she flatly refused so I don't think she'll take up this offer on coming over," he replied.

There was a look on Kylie's face and it was as if she was about to say something but it quickly slips away and she smiled. "Are we having burgers too?"

Lionel did not miss it but he smiled and said before getting up. "Anything you and Bear desire."

The door pushed open and a pyjama-clad girl with curly brown hair, lionine eyes and freckles walked in clutching a worn Elsa rag doll.

"Daddy, aunty Ky? What you doing?"

"We'll be having hot dogs by the pool later," Kylie told her niece who stood looking at them.

"Will there be fish sticks too?" She queried as her eyes glistened with anticipation.

Lionel chuckled as he walked over to her and scooped her up into his arms.

"Sure Bear, it's going to be a picnic and Elsa can have anything she likes too."

"Dad Elsa is just a doll," she giggled as she hugged her father's neck.

Kylie watched them and her heart swelled with her love for the both of them. She waved to her niece as Lionel carried her from the room.

There was something she had to do. Something that fate had finally decided it was time to give.
A few minutes after just sitting there she pulled open a drawer in the bedside table retrieve a folded notepad paper and unfold it. After staring at the number written there for a few seconds she reached for the phone.

When a familiar voice pickup she said.

"Hey, Lee it's Ky."

𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷

Waaazzzuuuppp??? (•̀ᴗ•́)و

The past is beginning to seep into the present, what is going to happen when they both collide? Will Leela, Kylie and Lionel survive it?

Thanks for everything you are really great supporters 💕