A Broken Family Ch. 02

-

"So three brothers. That had to be crazy growing up."

"It was." The wind blew my hair and I smiled up at the stars, one hand holding my shoes, the other in Michael's. "My parents aren't alive anymore and Alex stepped up as our parent. JT I think has kinda tried to be a second parent to me, but I don't listen too well. Eli and I are close though. He still feels like my normal little brother."

"What happened to your parents?" He looked over at me, his gaze gentle, as if afraid he wasn't supposed to ask.

"They were murdered." He squeezed my hand and I squeezed back. "I was fourteen. They still don't know who it was. But I know they're watching over me right now, and I'm okay. My brothers are all I need as family for now."

"For now?"

"Well, I mean, maybe someday I could have a family of my own. That would be nice."

"You seem like you have your life figured out, Holly." It was his turn to look up at the stars as he pulled us to a stop, pulling me in front of him.

"Not really. Wishful thinking is all I've ever had." I looked up with him.

"You're beautiful." I looked back at him at the lowly voiced words to see him watching me. He placed his hands on my hips, checking my reaction before leaning forward and kissing me. It was sweet and he pulled away after a couple seconds, wrapping his arms around me. I stepped forward and laid my head against his chest and watched the waves coming in.

"I like how comfortable I am with you."

"Maybe it's because we're a lot alike." It was true. I'd pointed it out earlier as we learned we liked the same music, TV, and just general topics of discussion.

"Maybe." He pulled me back and kissed me again, this time a little firmer. He was a good kisser and I had no complaints until after a few minutes his hands slipped down closer to my ass, and I pulled away. "I'm not having sex with you."

His hands returned to my waist. "I'm not asking you to. What happened to drawing your own conclusions?"

"I just want you to know. I'm not ready for that."

"I understand." He kissed my forehead and pulled me to walk again.

-

When we finally got back in his car and he took me back to the restaurant to get my car, the parking lot was thinner and my car was gone. "Where do you think it is?"

"Alex probably took it home to make sure I knew we're talking about me going out without his permission."

"You are over eighteen, right?" His expression made me smile as it showed his fear that he'd tried to seduce an underage girl.

"I am. But I live under his roof. It's hard to explain. He's kinda worse than a father."

"Ah." His face relaxed. "So would you like me to take you home?"

"That would be nice, thanks."

I told him where I lived and as we pulled up, the entire house was dark, but every car was home. Well this wasn't intimidating at all. Why wasn't JT out at least?

Michael started to unbuckle and I touched his hand. "It's probably best if you don't walk me to my door. I want to keep you out of the line of fire. But thank you for tonight. I enjoyed it." I leaned in and gave him one last kiss before getting out and walking quickly to the door, fear of scary things in the open night still entered my thoughts at eighteen.

I tried to silently unlock the door and close it behind me, and I felt that I had succeeded as I heard nothing and stepped up onto the stairs. I relaxed and continued another step when a hand caught my ankle and I screamed.

"How nice of you to return at a decent hour, Holly," Alex said from down below and flicked the entranceway light on. I looked down at JT who had a hold of my ankle and wondered where Eli was.

"I didn't have sex." I sounded guilty, automatically putting up a defense, but I wanted to talk myself out of things as quickly as possible.

"You're awfully quick to say that," JT pointed out and I kept my gaze even on his as he let go of my ankle.

"Even if I was lying, you wouldn't know for sure." His eyes dipped down to the hem of my dress, and I snapped my fingers in his face. "My eyes are up here. Or are you too drunk to tell your sister from a conquest right now?"

"He's sober, Holly. Don't talk to JT like that." Alex took a hold of my wrist, and I closed my eyes as he pulled me towards the living room.

"So what will the lecture be this time? I'm fully dressed, my ass is covered if I lean over, my cleavage isn't showing, and I made the choice to not have sex. What on earth did I do wrong now?" Alex pushed me down onto the couch and I looked up at him and JT.

"You are supposed to let me know where you are so I don't worry."

"I planned to be home before twelve, which is what Eli's curfew is so I didn't feel it would be a problem. Besides, Eli knew where I was." They both looked at each other. "Ah. My bad. I figured you would have beaten it out of the poor boy."

"I have never laid a hand on Eli." Alex's voice was ice, but I smiled.

"All the same. I did nothing, I promised Eli I would be home, and here I am. You're welcome to come and smell me for signs of sex, but I promise nothing happened." I wanted to laugh as JT actually stepped forward, but Alex put an arm out in front of him.

"Go upstairs. Next time you need to tell me when you're going out." I stood up and he held our even gazes together. "Tomorrow we're going to pack if you're still wanting to camp on Tuesday."

"I do." I looked over at JT who wasn't showing his signs of anger like usual. Actually, neither was really angry; it was a little unsettling. "Well, I'll see you guys in the morning." I quickly left and took off my shoes before taking the stairs this time.

I knocked on Eli's door as hushed voices started downstairs and he pulled me in before shutting it again. "Way to sell me out, Holly."

"Way to eavesdrop, Eli." I ruffled his hair and he stepped away from me.

"Hard not to whenever I hear a scream. What the hell happened?"

"JT grabbed my ankle when I tried to sneak up the stairs. Scared the shit out of me." I sat down on his bed beside him and leaned into him. "Now I'm tired from my nerves jumping."

"It's a good thing you didn't have sex then. You might have died when the rest of your energy was zapped."

"Thanks for visualizing me dying. You're not supposed to know what sex is like. If I can't, you can't."

"I already did."

"Even more reason for why I should hate you three."

"They're going to come up here and get on to me for lying to them earlier when they asked if I knew you were going out. I should hate you."

"Then I'll sleep in here and keep the evil men away." I poked his side and he pushed me away from him. "But for real, Eli. I've got your back. I'll stay in here with you, and they can talk to me if they've got a problem."

"Thanks." He pulled back the sheets and patted the bed. "Go ahead and get in."

"I have to go change and wash the beach off my feet. I'll be back in like two minutes." I hopped up and did as I said, returning a few minutes later as Alex walked up the stairs. He looked at me as I walked into Eli's room, and a minute after I'd closed the door there was a knock on it.

"Come in," Eli called as he lay down on top of the covers beside me, flicking on the lamp.

"You are not to follow your sister's example, no matter how much she sweet talks you."

"Is that what you call sweet talk? Man, I thought sweet talk would actually be nice." He grinned at Alex, but Alex didn't smile back as he flicked on the light.

"I'm not joking. Holly, get back to your own bed. You two are too old to be sleeping together."

"We're brother and sister, Alex. Get over it and stop being a pain. I'm comfortable and not getting up." I rolled over and put my back to them.

"Holly. I'm not kidding."

"If I ever slept with you and made you feel less lonely would you stop being a pain?"

I heard him walk around the bed and he crouched down right before my face. "Get your ass out of this bed, or I will carry you to your room and spank you."

"You don't intimidate me, Alex. You annoy me." He flipped back the covers and put his arms under my knees and shoulders, picking me up. "Sorry, Eli. If JT bothers you, tell him to fuck off. Goodnight," I called as Alex walked us into my room.

He dropped me onto my bed and rolled me over, quickly landing four smacks onto me. "Fuck, Alex, get a hold on your temper why don't you." I rubbed my ass and sat up to glare at him.

"You need to start acting your age." His brown eyes were darker because of his frustration.

"I try to act my age, but I'm not allowed. Tell me, do most girls wait until they're eighty to date and have sex?"

"Stop acting like a smart ass."

"I'm not. I'm smart-minded and red-assed right now. But not smart-assed. That would make no sense." He narrowed his eyes at me. "Seriously, there's nothing wrong with me sleeping in Eli's bed."

"It looks bad."

"Well no one sees us, so I don't see the problem."

"It can cause dependency and you need to be able to lead separate lives."

I looked at him with this 'are you shitting me' look. "Stop reading parenting magazines, please."

"It doesn't matter where the words come from, Holly. You need to stop."

"You're like a broken record in my life, always saying stop and don't do this or that. I want an I love you and you're a good sister. I get that from Eli and try to protect him from you two ripping him to shreds," I nodded at JT as he came to stand in my doorway. "I did nothing wrong tonight and he let me make a choice for myself without involving you two, which I appreciate greatly. He's grown up and not being a tattle tale. Be proud. I'm able to go on dates and not fuck everything in sight like JT. Be even more proud." I held up a hand as JT started to protest, his anger coming out now, too. "I don't want to hear it. Get out of my fucking room."

JT turned and walked away, but Alex stood there a second longer. "You are a good sister and I love you, but I want you safe even more."

"Please stop trying to be a father. I don't need that anymore, Alex." I pulled back my sheet and pulled it down over me, putting my back to Alex. A moment later the light went out and he shut my door.

-

A sharp coldness registered on my cheek and I jerked to alertness, finding a hand holding an ice cube to my cheek. I knocked it away and sat up, rubbing my eyes before looking at JT who was sitting on the edge of my bed. "Why the hell did you wake me up at...?" I looked at the clock, "Nine AM?"

"Alex decided we'd go camping early. So get up, pack clothes, come down and help us pack everything else, and we'll head out to the store to pick up everything else."

"What happened to him needing to be at work tomorrow?"

"He said he'd just call and check in on Patrick. I don't know." He got up and walked towards the door and turned around. "But really, get up."

"I am." I rubbed my eyes one more time and stretched before standing up out of bed. JT nodded; satisfied his job was done, he walked towards his room.

I hurried and shoved my two swim suits, five changes of clothes, and a couple pairs of PJs in my bag. Satisfied I was packed, I hurried across to the bathroom, finding Alex shaving inside. I paused in the doorway and he leaned away from his razor. "What?"

"I want to shower." I tilted my head. "Don't look at the curtain." I proceeded to step into the shower and strip down, throwing my clothes out before starting the shower.

"I would have been done in a couple minutes."

"I'm not one for waiting." I stood under the water, wetting my hair and waking up. The water in the sink started running as he washed the excess shaving cream off his face.

"Well, come down and help once you're done."

"I will." As soon as the door was shut I moved around and started washing my hair and body. Ten minutes later I was awake, clean, and wrapping a towel around me. I hurried across to my room and dressed in a tank top, shorts, and chucks, pulling my hair into a pony tail so it was out of my way. I grabbed my makeup and travel shower kit and stuffed those into my bag, too, before picking it up and dragging it down the stairs with me.

"Eli, Alex, JT," I called into the seemingly empty house.

"I'm in here," Eli's voice came from the kitchen and I saw him packing food into an ice chest, marking things off a list as he did.

"Where's the other two?"

"Alex is hunting down the two tents in the garage. JT might still be upstairs."

"Oh okay. Need help?"

"Sure." He ripped off the bottom half of the list and I set to work on it. Five minutes later, we had our part done as Alex walked in from the garage.

"Find the tents?" I asked.

"Sure did." He dropped two boxes onto the table. "Do you mind sharing a tent with me?" I looked at Eli. "Or you could share with Eli."

"I don't care." I closed the lid to the ice chest and snapped the latch. "Ask JT who he wants to share with."

"I want to share with the girl to be the less gay."

"You're not sharing with her." Alex looked his brother up and down, and I wondered at the exchange as JT ignored him.

"I'll share with the little one then." He flicked Eli's ear, and Eli slapped at his hand, real irritation showing at the gesture.

"Maybe we should put him with himself," Eli muttered, picking up the ice chest and walking out the door with it.

-

"I don't know how to put this thing up." I sat on the ground with instructions in my hand and the tent pieces splayed out in front of me. Alex sat down the ice chest he was carrying and walked over, lowering himself down onto the ground beside me.

He took the paper from me and started putting things together as I just watched on. After a few minutes he handed it back to me and pointed at the rope and spades. "Stick those into the ground and tie the tent down."

He went back over and pulled other ice chests from the back end of his truck, while JT and Eli both messed around with their tent. Apparently Alex was the only one old enough to remember putting tents up when Mom and Dad were around.

I quickly secured the tent and went and found our sleeping blankets and pillows, putting them in the tent along with our bags. By this time, Alex had wandered over and was helping the other two put their tent up. I just watched and plucked at the grass as I sat in front of Alex's and my tent.

"I'm hungry." Eli plopped down beside me as the other two secured the other tent.

"Go make a sandwich. We packed the stuff."

"I'm a little too lazy for that." We sat and watched them finish with the tent. "He's going to do something terrible to me tonight."

I laughed. "He will not. I'll threaten him to make him behave though if you'd like."

He looked down at me. "What could you threaten him with, Holly? You're this little thing compared to him. I'm kinda small compared to him."

"Good point. Ask Alex to say something."

"Ask Alex to say what?" Alex came over and tugged on the ropes I'd tied to check them.

"Make sure JT doesn't do anything to Eli during the night." I watched him pull on each one before coming to stand in front of us.

"Come on, JT's not that childish anymore." Eli and I looked at each other. "Okay, I'll say something."

-

I poked the fire again as the guys told scary stories and roasted marshmallows, having had my fill already. "JT, your story doesn't make sense."

"Your face doesn't make sense, Holly. Shut up."

I raised an eyebrow at him before returning my eyes to the fire. "I'm tired. I'm going to go lay down." I tossed my stick aside and got up. "Night, Eli," I hugged him and kissed his head. "Night, JT, leave my little brother alone," I hugged him, too, and walked towards the tent.

I tugged down my jean shorts and pulled on some pajama shorts instead before crawling in my sleeping bag and listening to the dull murmur of their voices. It was a chilly night and I was starting to wish I'd stayed outside with the fire when I heard shuffling and the light that used to be coming from the fire went out. A minute later there was a zipper sound and Alex crawled into the tent.

"You still awake?"

I rolled over to look at his shadow and he sat down right beside me on his sleeping bag. "Mhm. Thanks for taking us camping."

I saw the outline of his smile as he unbuttoned his shorts. "No problem, Holls." He shoved them down, tugged off his shoes, and then lifted up to get into his sleeping bag. "Goodnight."

We lay in silence for what had to of been ten minutes. "Alex?"

"Yes?"

"I can't sleep."

"I thought you were tired."

"I am. I'm not used to you being beside me."

"Eli sleeps beside you and you have no problem."

"Eli's like a teddy bear. He's different."

I heard him roll over and I turned to face him, too. "Then think of me like a teddy bear, too."

"You're not like a teddy bear."

"How is Eli then?"

"Well, he cuddles you know? And he's so very un-intimidating."

"I'm intimidating?" There was a smile in his voice.

"Just a little bit."

"I'm sorry. I don't try to be."

"Sure you don't." I yawned.

"So cuddle up to me and go to sleep." A hand came up and pushed on my back, so I scooted closer to him and laid my head on his shoulder. "Better?"

"Kind of." He wrapped an arm around me and I curled mine in between us. It was different. His heart beat sounded different and his arm was bigger. I tried to not focus on the differences though, tried to think it was just Eli, and eventually fell asleep.

-

I woke up to a bird chirping right outside our tent. It was bad enough when they did that outside your window, but in a tent, there was absolutely nothing holding back the noise. I frowned and willed the stupid thing to go away, not willing to open my eyes to the light just yet. Alex shifted and pulled me back into his body more. I opened my eyes finally when I felt his breath on my neck giving me chills.

It wasn't very bright, probably only eight or so in the morning, putting me at about six hours of sleep, and I sighed. The arm wrapped around me had a watch on its wrist and I twisted it so I could read the time. 7:58. He twisted his arm out of my grip and pulled me against him tighter, nuzzling his head into my neck.

"Alex," I whispered. He didn't move, so I gently picked up his hand to put it behind me so I could get up. I jumped as it pulled from me and came to lay not even a centimeter from my breast. I just stared at it and wondered if I should just wake him up. I heard a zipper sound and looked up to see JT's face peeking in.

"Damn it."

"What are you doing, JT?"

"You wouldn't let me mess with the kid, so I figured I'd mess with you two." His eyes were zeroed in on where mine had been seconds before.

Alex started stirring behind me as JT had made no move to keep his voice low. The hand removed itself from me and soon Alex's warmth disappeared from my back. "What the fuck are you doing, JT?"

I sat up and looked at him as the two stared at each other. I didn't get to hear Alex swear too frequently. "Like I just got done telling Holly, you wouldn't let me mess with the kid, so I figured I'd mess with you two."

Alex checked his watch and ran a hand down his face. "Well go away. I want another hour or two of sleep." He dropped back and put an arm over his face.

JT looked over at me, running his eyes over me before meeting my eyes and rezipping the tent. I fell back and Alex moved his arm off his face. "Sorry about that. I'm not used to anyone sleeping beside me." He put his arm back.

I just looked at him and realized how lonely he must really be since taking over caring for us. Because of course no woman would want that kind of baggage since she wouldn't get to be a carefree newlywed. I bit my lip and reached over and hugged him. "It's okay. You should go out and date, Alex. We're all grown up now; you don't have to sacrifice anything anymore."