Sometimes, just sometimes, when I was a child, I liked to believe that the people I care for will never leave me. But of course, people did. I liked to believe that the people hurting me and Jacky would be dragged screaming to hell. But of course, they didn't. As I stood in front of my adoptive mother's grave, it wasn't all that surprising. But the tears still flowed. I don't understand. I knew this day would come, because Evelyn Mercer was good to me and my brother Jacky, and the other children she adopted. She was our first ray of light in an abyss of torment and torture. She brought us kids, who seemingly had no future and no right to happiness, together as a family.
And we were happy. And she was happy. And that's the way it should have stayed.
But, of course, things changed.
I felt how I used to, all those years ago, when it was just me and Jacky trapped in That House. Hollow. Like the only thing keeping me up right was my beloved brother. If Evelyn heard me say that, she'd cry. She put so much effort into us, making us human beings for the first time in our lives. But, of course, it wasn't how it used to be when we were kids. We had Bobby, Angel and Jerry now. And more family in Jerry's wife and kids. But Jacky is still holding onto me like he used to before we had a real family other then ourselves. I have to admit, even if it is to myself, I'm holding onto him maybe even tighter. With Jacky plastered to my side, I only had a hand to touch Bobby with. It wasn't nearly enough. But I would never decline Jacky in anyway, because of what he had to go through just to give me a moments pain relief in That House. My body holding up the weight of Jacky, and my hand securely in Bobby's I felt claimed, and maybe even a little peaceful. I think I'm just in shock though, so disregard what I said about peaceful. I felt bad I wasn't near Jerry, but he had his family with him so that was okay. Angel is a no show. But I knew he couldn't make it in time. If Evelyn was the heart in our family, I was the glue. I was the only one in us kids who knew where everyone was, what everyone was doing, and everyone's secrets. When we all went our separate ways after we moved out of the Evelyn's house, I was the only one apart from Ma who they all still contacted. I got calls from Bobby, webcam video feed from Angel, Jerry visited with the family every now and again, and me and Jacky never left each other's sides. We started a band in High School, and it's been rather successful since. It paid the bills, and it also meant me and Jacky never had to be far apart. Just the way we liked it. He was the only blood relative I'll ever acknowledge is my kin. The only family I ever needed apart from him I found in three boys, seemingly beyond help, and a mother in a Saint.
"Des. Destiny? Destiny-Rose?" I jerked, flinching back from the voice, only to find I couldn't move. The whole left side of my body had a gentle weight against it, and was the only part of me I had feeling. Oh right. Cracker Jack. Bobby eyed me, moving forwards so I was plaster between two of my brothers, and wiped a stray tear away "It's time to leave Des". I nodded, throat tightening I didn't move for a little bit, but before Bobby moved away my hand flashed out. I couldn't move with Jacky's weight bearing down on me, so I made Bobby moved to us. As soon as my head hit his chest, I turned into a shivering mess. Jacky made a pained noise in my ear, making just a little room so both brothers held me between them. Bobby stroked my light brown hair, while I felt a wet patch starting on the back of my neck where Jack leant his head. But I didn't mind. Over the years if I had collected the tears Jack had cried on me, I could bathe in it. But the same could be said for him. Bobby kissed my temple, his face dry of tears, whispering comforts he hasn't had to say to me in years and a couple of new ones "don't cry, shhh, don't cry anymore Destiny. Don't worry, no more tears. We'll kill them all baby, we'll kill them all". And I believed him. I was crowded in as Jerry came over, his arms around Bobby's and Jacky's shoulders, but I took comfort in my brother's being so close to me, it's been awhile since we've been together in the same city. It was almost perfect, but that'll have to wait until Angel appears. It was a safety I rarely felt, because I knew the only ones who could protect me, and I them, was my four brothers.