To the stars ((Open)

[Asher]

Asher sat heavily on a park bench. He watched the couples passing by, hand and hand. He wondered if he'd ever be so happy. Every time he thought of Tyler, he felt guilty. Every time he thought of Chase, he felt embarrassed. Really, he shouldn't have let Levi lure him like that. Now... Everyone knew, practically. He'd lost a lot of friends, Chase at the forefront.

He'd missed a lot on his trip to New Hampshire... Hopefully, he'd get filled in soon. He knew Street would tell him everything that had happened in the Bronx, but he was only concerned about one person in particular. Would it really be so hard for him to be normal? For him to find a pretty little girl and fool around a bit. Just like Levi (though he'd changed since getting with Street), or Mush (who was going through a blue period), or even Sean?

Asher sighed and looked up at the clear blue sky. He contented himself to watch the clouds moving. Why, he was so interested in the movements of the clouds that he didn't even notice when someone called his name.

[Brooke]

Brooke walked slowly through the park. She was hoping to find a friendly face. She saw a blonde haired kid sitting on one of the benches that looked really familiar. "Asher?" She called out to him. He made no movement or anything to tell her he heard her. Her face fell in disappointment but she shrugged and kept walking. As she got closer to the bench where he was sitting she realized it was Asher. "Hey." She said smiling. She stood behind him and tapped him on the shoulder. "Ash? Hello. Anyone home?" She giggled. Asher was fun to tease. She sat down beside him and hugged him tightly. She let go and sat back, waiting for him to talk. Brooke'd been lonely when everyone left. Levi, Sean, Asher, Street, they all went somewhere and she'd missed them. Mush was no help. He'd been moping for some time about Ophelia.

[Asher]

Asher jumped. He looked around and cried out in joy. "Brooke!" He almost tackled her with a hug. "It's so good to see you! I've missed you so much. Have you heard from Mom and Dad? What's been going on lately? Got yourself a fellow? Anything interesting happen while I was away?" He asked eagerly, barely pausing for a breath. "Tell me everything... Please!" He clasped her hand tightly.

[Brooke]

Brooke hugged her little brother back with a grin. "I'm so glad yer back, Ash. Ain't not much happened. Mush went a little crazy fer a while; i haven't seen him since two days ago." She thought a while before answering his next question. She avoided the parents question of his because she hadn't heard from them. Not for a long time. "Well, ya took really the only guy i wanta beh with Ash. I missed ya guys so much." She said, slowly looking back at him. Her eyes finally met his and she remembered. "Oh yeah! Chase an'-." Her expression turned from happy to unsure in a matter of seconds. She remembered that Asher had sort of a thing for Chase. She wasn't sure if he should hear that Chase'd gotten a girl. She put a false smile on her face. "So tell meh about yer adventure!"

[Asher]

Asher hugged his sister tightly, he was more then happy to see her. "Come on," he said with a grin, "You surely don't want to be with your baby brother forever?" Asher stiffened when she mentioned Chase, but she skipped over it before revealing everything. He shook off her request and looked her dead in the eyes. "No. Tell me about Chase. Please." He begged. It was rare for him to use that word with his sister, mostly because they ran with different crowds; her with Abby and the other older teens, and him with Levi and Street and the younger teens. "Please, Brooke. Tell me, I gotta know. I just gotta. You'd want to know if someone you were interested in had a girl, wouldn't you?"

[Brooke]

Brooke bit her bottom lip. "Oh Asher." She said playing with his hair. She hugged him tightly again. "Ace got ta him, Ash. They've been tagethar eva since ya left. I'm sorreh." She told him in one breath without letting go. She pulled back and looked at him. "I'm real sorreh." Brooke looked down at the ground. She couldn't stand to see that look in his eyes. It hurt her too much.

[Asher]

Asher leaned into her hug. It was odd, he'd thought Chase was perfect. So adventureous, so daring. The perfect thing to bring him out of his shell, his hopelessness. "Are they... close? Like Street and Levi?" He thought of how Levi had changed since being with Street. That look in his eyes when he looked at her. How they knew what each other were thinking, how they smiled at each other, how Levi said he was willing to die to save Street. How they completely loved each other... If that was Chase and Ace, Asher believed he'd crumple into nothingness. "Brooke... It's like I'm drowning and don't know which way is up. Like that time I fell through the pond at Aunt Aggie's while ice skating... I don't know how... To do it. How to be happy for him... But at the same time, I don't know how to hate him... Somehow, it doesn't hurt as much as I think it should... What's wrong with me Brooke? Why can't I be like Sean or the others and be able to give love freely?"

[Brooke]

Brooke looked at Asher, sadness welling up inside her. "I'm sorreh Ash. I don't think they're that close yet. Like i said they only got together afta ya guys left." She felt tears escape her eyes listening to him. She felt the urge to hug him tightly again. "Oh Ash. Yer just different. Ya don't wanta beh like Sean or the others. They can't sing worth nothin'." She smiled and wiped a tear off of her cheek. She took a shaky breath. "Ya just wanta beh ya. Nobody else. Trust meh. Everyone else's life ain't for ya." She told him in a quiet voice.

[Asher]

Asher kissed her cheek and hugged her. "Don't cry. Don't cry for me Brooke, I'm not worth your tears. Not yours. I'm sorry. Don't cry. Promise me." He teased half-heartedly. "But Brooke. I do want to be like the others. I want to have someone to share my life with. I want someone like Street or A-Ace. I want that. I want a family. Honestly, I do." Asher murmured. "As for singing, well, that's just a mutation. You got the looks and I got the voice, but not the brains to use it well."

[Brooke]

Brooke laughed through her tears. She knew Asher was only teasing her, but it was hard not to cry for him. He was her little brother, and he was upset, and she was upset with him. She wanted him to be happy, but she couldn't think of a way to help. "Ash, i don't know what ta tell ya. I love ya just like ya are. I think everyone should, and if they don't then that's thier problem." She smiled slightly at him. She knew it couldn't help. He couldn't change who he was. But, maybe he hadn't found the right girl yet.

[Asher]

Asher chuckled heavily, like something was caught in his throat. He was blinking quite a lot. "Thanks Brooke. Thank you so much." He hugged her tight, like he wanted to squeeze her very essence out. "How do you know exactly what to do to make me happy?" He wondered aloud. "Speaking of which... Do you have your eye on anyone? Anyone you're interested in?" He asked excitedly. His sister had helped him, now he wanted to help her.

[Brooke]

Brooke smiled at Asher and looked away from him. She was glad he was happy again. She bit her bottom lip and turned back to him. "Well Sean is kinda nice, but i don't think he likes meh like i like him. It's great bein' friends an' all, but i don't know." Her voice trailed off. She didn't doubt Asher wouldn't talk to Sean, but she was worried. What if Sean didn't like her? What if he had a girl and she was making a fool of herself. Brooke stayed quiet for a long time, thinking. When she collected her scattered thoughts, she looked at her little brother. He was staring at her.

[Asher]

Asher grinned. "Sean? Really?! That's great. Honestly, I think Sean likes you. I mean, he couldn't keep his eyes off you at the Mask..." Asher faltered at the mention of the ill-fated Mask. "You haven't gone to the funeral yet, have you? I was going to go with Street and Levi and the others, but I can't find Street and Levi threw me out last time I tried to talk to him. I heard they got into a huge fight. I heard they might not be together anymore..." Asher trailed off and looked away. If Street and Levi couldn't make it, could anyone? He looked at Brooke. "Maybe they're just rumors. I hope. Street'd be pretty sad if that happened and the effects it'd have on the borough..." He shrugged.

[Brooke]

Brooke looked at Asher. She tried to hid her smile. Does he really like me? she thought to herself. "Nah, i haven't gone yet. I want ta pay my respects. Eli was a good kid, but it's just so sad." She told him, her voice faltering. She looked at the ground, her eyes welling with tears. She blinked them away, thinking of Street and Levi. She was concerned about the borough and everything but... She sighed. "That's aweful. What would it do to Levi? He'd be heart broken. And Street, well she's pretty, ya know. I'm sure she'd be down about it... And Mush. I wonder if he knows. His two best friends.." She talked to herself mostly, her voice trailed off.

[Asher]

Asher thought about this. "Well, it's rare for Levi to stick to one girl for so long. The longest before Street was Moira and that was for a week. That's when they both lost 'it'. You know what I mean, right?" He asked, winking. "I'm sure Mush knows." He said grimly. "Mush and her have been really close for a long time. That was one of the things Levi got so mad about..." Asher sighed. "Yeah, I feel bad for Goldie. You know she never trusted us before... What's gonna happen now? Especially since it's Street's sister and Street's protecting her. She said if anyone hurt Ophelia, she's not going to hold back. But Goldie might freak out on her..."