Serenity Angel: One of my favorite movies. I couldn't help it. This is one in a long line of fictions that are coming out for it! Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own four brothers or its characters, except Alex, and her friends.

Detroit.

My home.

The only one I've ever known and it didn't feel like that right now. I was planning to come back earlier this week but not for the reason I'm here today. City-wise nothing's changed. They put up a new building here and there but that was it. But when it came to my life the most important thing was missing and gone forever. It was reason I was here in the last place I'd want to ever be. I would have to be saying goodbye to my mother for the last time. Evelyn Mercer, the only woman to take me in and care for me was dead. I sighed as I got out of the warmth of my car and into the frigid cold. I tried to blink back the tears from shedding. I took a deep breath and walked out in the cemetery. The final ceremony was about to begin.

I stayed to the back of the crowd of people and looked around. I wasn't really surprised by how many had come to pay their last respects. My mother was a well known and liked woman. As long as I've known her she's never had an enemy. Evelyn Mercer was a kind and gentle soul that cared about others. That's why she adopted me and my brothers. The preacher began his sermon bringing me out of my thoughts. I scan the crowds that were huddled together. I spotted the youngest of my older brothers, Jack quite easily. Though he was the youngest, he was also the tallest and his messy dirty blonde hair made him stick out a little. He wasn't really holding up well. I just really wanted to go and be near him, but I knew if I got any closer I wouldn't be able to stand much less hold in my tears.

Jerry was sitting down I guess, probably with his family. Then there was Bobby, stone-faced and always hiding his emotions. So the oldest of my brothers had made it back after being M.I.A for quite some time. We were all close to Ma and he loved that woman more than the world, I knew that. One's missing. I swear the next time I see Angel I owe him a smack to the head. How are you going to miss your mother's funeral? He better have a good freakin reason. I look at the coffin in the middle of the crowd and swallow hard. In the coffin was the body of the only mother I knew, the only grown up that's ever cared for me. The person that gave me a home and a family that will always care for me, and I for them. The person I was so afraid of loosing when I was younger and now I did. I sigh and let the tears I've been holding in run down my cheeks. I bite my lip so I won't make a sound. It just didn't make sense. Who would kill the sweetest woman in the world? What possessed them to do that? What did they have to gain?

The preacher had ended his sermon and it was time for the casket to be buried. Buried. I can't stand this. Why can't I wake up from this horrible nightmare? That was the problem. You can never wake up from the nightmare called reality. You just have to live with it. I had learned that lesson all to well when I was younger, but forgot it when Ma took me in, thinking that reality couldn't hurt me as much anymore. How wrong was I? The crowd began to disperse, all heading to Jerry's house. I stayed behind and walked toward the casket that was now in the ground. I bit my lip again to prevent from crying out and drop the single white rose I was holding onto it.

"Bye, Ma. I love you." I say through the tears. I stood there silent and alone. After I couldn't bear it any more I walked away. I walked back to my car wiping the tears from my face. I get there to be surprised to see someone waiting for me. Two people actually.

"Hailey Mathers and Andrea Johnson as I live and breathe." I say trying to manage a smile.

"Alexandria Mercer." Andrea said trying to hide the emotion in her voice.

Hailey was crying, her arms folded on her chest and giving me a weak smile. She moved her hand to wipe away the tears and then came over and hugged me. I let go of it then and just hugged her back and cried. Andrea came over to us and hugged us both, crying. You see these two girls are my best friends from my childhood. The best I ever had. Andrea is Bobby's age and Hailey was Jack's, who I was two years younger than. Though they weren't Mercers by name, Ma treated them like her own daughters, and my brothers made them apart of the family. So I knew for a fact they were feeling it as bad as I was. Hailey, probably worse since she was the only one living with Ma and was home at the time it happened. Long story short Ma took Hailey in after some "problems" concerning her father. She didn't want to loose us so her only living aunt and uncle let her live with us and sent money for her to Ma.

"Come on, you need to see your brothers." Andrea said after a while, pulling away first and wiping her eyes. I nod and pull my keys out of my coat pocket.

They had been dropped off with Jerry's group but he had already left, the two telling him to go on and they'd go with someone else. He knew who the "someone else" would be so he said nothing of it but agreed. They got into the car, Andrea taking shot gun and Hailey piling into the backseat. It didn't matter who was driving, the older of the other two always took shot gun. I started up the car and drove away from the cemetery, the final resting place of my mother. In the beginning we didn't talk much, but the silence was killing me and I needed to hear something friendly to drive away the numbness I was feeling.

"So Andi, how long you been back?" I say casually, clearing my throat and keeping my eyes on the road.

"Two years." She said as if it was the most obvious answer.

"Two years?" I say ripping my gaze from the road momentarily and looking at her. She looked back at me with raised eyebrow.

"Oh, I didn't tell you I officially moved back did I?" she said sheepishly and Hailey tried to make the snort that escaped her sound like cough.

"No, I don't think you mention that little detail." I say smiling a little.

"I thought you were happy with that ja-, I mean that guy in Chicago."

"Well he turned out to be a bust, like you guys knew." She said the last part in admittance tone.

"She was gonna cut it off of him." Hailey spoke up; looking out the window and out of the corner of my eye I see Andrea give her the only look and smacked her on the knee. I laughed despite myself.

"Whoa, what happen? He went looking for goodies elsewhere?" I say a smile of amusement on my lips.

"Long story short he got rough, and not in the good way. I left after the first hit."

"Not before busting his ass and getting a restraining order." Hailey added in again Andi sighed in defeat and I laughed again.

"What about you Hails? How you been? Still learning to become a MD?" I ask looking at her through the rearview mirror.

"Yup. That way I can replace Bobby's brain with a peanut. It'd be an upgrade." I laugh and see her smirk through the mirror.

"What did I tell you? That can't be done. Bobby's head is as thick as granite. Only thing that keeps it safe in his hockey games."

"Beside the ton of gel he puts in it." Hailey and Andrea mutter at the same time. I shake my head as I pull onto Jerry's street. It was packed with cars, unsurprisingly. I pull to a curb to drop the girls off.

"I'm gonna look for a spot. Go in before me." I said turning to look at them.

"You sure? Not gonna make a run for it?" Hailey said in a joking tone, but I knew she was serious.

"No I can't. Jackie would never forgive me." I say using the him as my excuse. But in truth I didn't have the strength to. I need to see my brothers. I need to make sure I still had family.

"Ok baby girl, we'll see you inside." Andi said using one of the many nicknames I had and opening her door and getting out of the car.

Hailey followed and I watch them walk down the street before finding a good parking spot. I manage to find one that was near Bobby's car. I turn off the engine and sit there for a good two minutes to put up some mental defenses. Seeing my brothers would bring memories back and I couldn't go crying in front of them. I was not only the youngest but I was a girl and for some odd reason Andrea and Hailey didn't count as females. I had to be tough, if not for them, then for me.

I sigh and get out the car pulling my jacket closer to me and set down the street towards Jerry. As I did I got the immediate feeling that someone was watching me. I look to my left to see a two guys in a car. The guy in the driver's seat I didn't know but the other one I did. Lt. Green. That could only mean the other dude was a cop too. Just what we need in our time of grieving. Cops always knew how to brighten up anyone's day. I nod my head to Green, keeping my pace and turn my head to get back to my destination.

Green and Fowler

The two men watched the girl with dark brown hair that ran down her back walk toward the house. It had been evident that she had been crying too, her green eyes rimmed with red.

"This one must take the cake. The Bonnie to their Clyde." Fowler said motioning to the girl. Green looked at her and let a smile escape him.

"Ah, Alexandria Mercer. They usually called her Alex. Actually she's a very good kid. A child any mother would have loved to have. Too bad hers didn't live long or care enough to experience it. Straight arrow. Hard worker. A regular Einstein in school. Hell of a fighter street or not. Never gets in trouble. Pushes herself beyond her limits. Always looking out for her brothers and friends even though she was the youngest among all of them. Sometimes the only way to prove she's a Mercer is that the name is on her adoption papers. Only reason she's in the system cuz she stuck her neck out for this girl a few years back. Got beat to hell, her right leg broken in three places, and a whole bunch of other shit done to her trying to protect her and the girl was the one that kill this dude in the end. Chick actually thought she could get away with letting Alex take the fall, till Bobby fixed her. No way in hell was he gonna let his little sister take the rap for only protecting a person that didn't want it. She tries to keep her brothers in check. She's their weak spot. But she's still got a temper that, depend on who you are and who you messing with, ain't too hard to bring out and a left hook worse that Bobby's. She's been around those boys for most of her life. Yeah, she's a Mercer alright, even if she's the only one that doesn't show it." Green said as the girl turned and looked at them without evening slowing her pace. She gave a nod to Green and he returned it, watching her walk toward her brother's house.

"We got one M.I.A. I thought you said there were 5. And the girls' two friends." Fowler said looking at Green who was still watching Alex and the other Mercers.

"Angel? Pretty boy. Ex-hustler. Soldier. Guess he's a no show today." Green said.

Normal P.O.V

Alex watched as the group of old women Jerry was talking to went to the back of the house and he embraced the youngest of his brothers. She smiled at seeing most of her brothers back together. She came to a stop when she was close enough and watched in silence. It was learned early on that she was the quietest and could scare the living crap out of you if you didn't notice she was there. The boys were moving toward the front door. Jerry had put out Jack's cigarette and they were talking about the time Bobby burned down his tree house, but then something caught the corner of Bobby's eye and he stared into the face of his youngest and only sister. Jack and Jerry followed their brother's gaze, once the saw he wasn't paying attention to the conversation anymore.

"I remember you yelled at me too, for laughing too hard." She said offering up a piece of the memory while walking slowly to them.

"Lexi!" Jack said smiling wide. He ran over and picked his little sister off the ground, spinning her once and hugging her tightly.

"Hi Alex. Come on. It's my turn." Jerry said as Jack let go of her and went to hug her himself.

"Hi Jerry." She said while hugging him. He let go after a while and smiled at her.

"Well lemme get a good look at you." He said holding up her right hand and she did a slow 360.

"Look at cha, all grown up." he said.

"Well if it isn't little Alex." Bobby said and the other three turned to look at him. He looked at Alex without out expression at first, and then let a smile onto his lips.

"Come give your big brother a hug baby girl." He said opening his arms wide. She all but ran into them and hugged him tight, taking in the warmth. He held on longer than the others but when he let go he took a lock of her hair in his hand left.

"And here I thought you chopped it off like you promised." He said and she chuckled.

"Oh I did. Up to my neck actually. I just got too lazy to keep cutting it." She said grinning at his raised eyebrow.

"She rocked it." Jack chipped in and she smiled back at him.

"Come on lets get inside outta this cold." Jerry said leading the way into his house. They followed him in. Once inside they made their way to the kitchen where they found Hailey and Andrea talking to Camille. Andrea was the first to notice who walked into the kitchen and smiled.

"Well if it isn't ol' hothead and the flagpole." She said turning to them, but addressing Bobby and Jack. Jack rolled his eyes and grinned. He had been called worse and actually didn't mind this one as much.

"And if it isn't everyone's favorite carnival creature." Bobby retorted.

They had always greeted each other rudely. It was in their nature. At first they couldn't stand each other but only tolerated each other for Alex's sake. Then something changed along the way and they grew to be great friends. No one knows when or where it happened and it was one of the big mysteries that might never be solved. She was as much his partner in crime as was Angel, she more of the time. But that still didn't stop them from calling each other names. He smiled and hugged Andrea.

"Hey Bobby." Hailey said from next to Camille.

"Hey Doc." Bobby said. It was a nickname that they had started calling her when they found out her life ambition was to become a doctor. He hugged her as well and Jack came forward as Bobby was greeting Camille.

"Hey Dandy-Andi." Jack said and hugged the older woman.

"Long time-no-see Jackie-boy." she replied as they hugged. He let go of her and turned to Hailey who was smiled softly.

"Hails." He said and embraced the girl.

"Jack-Jack." She hugged him tightly.

Jerry and Alex stood in the background watching the exchange. When the greeting was over Hailey and Andrea became somber.

"How you guys holding up?" Andrea asked.

"As best as you." Jack offered. Alex had swallowed hard and Jerry put and arm around her and squeezed her shoulder.

"Ms. Mercer-" Hailey began.

"Ma." All the Mercer siblings said at the same time. Even though Hailey lived with them and was dubbed an honorary Mercer, she would have to be forced to call Evelyn Ma. They really didn't know why but they never got tired of reminding her. Even Andrea would call her Ma, but would let a Ms. Mercer slip once in a while.

"Ms. Evie was the greatest woman in the whole world and we're all gonna miss her." She said with out getting interrupted. Before anyone could say anything else they heard barking outside and they saw Jerry's two little girls playing with their dog.

"Have you three said hello to the girls yet?" Andrea asked looking between Bobby, Jack, and Alex.

"Nope, but I think we should." Bobby said.

"I'll meet you out there." Alex said and the other two went outside. She turned to Camille and smiled. Camille smiled back and embraced the younger girl.

"Hey Camille." Alex said.

"Hey sweetie. How you doing?" She said as she let go and rubbed her arm. Alex gave a weak smile and nodded at her.

"Ok baby, why don't you say hi to the girls? They miss their favorite auntie." Camille said and gave her another squeeze.

"I thought I was their favorite." Andrea said pointing to herself and everyone laughed lightly.

"We'll see about that." Hailey said from her seat in a near by chair.

"I'll be back." Alex said. She moved toward the kitchen into the backyard and caught a whiff of the brothers' conversation to the girls.

"…And this is your uncle Cracker Jack." Bobby said and she rolled her eyes at Jack's other nickname.

"Don't teach them that man." Jack said but Bobby pretended not to listen.

"You can't be our uncles, your white." Amelia said

"Grandma Evie and Auntie Alex are white." Daniela said. That wasn't really true. Alex had pale skin but she was actually Spanish, Black, Italian and something else mixed together in one. She was proud of her different heritages but not of her parentage. She shuddered, thinking about the times before she went to live with Evelyn. At the sound of her name she went over smiling.

"Did someone say my name?" Alex said to the two little girls, bending down to their level.

"Auntie Alex!" The girls said at the same time and went over to hug her.

"How are my two favorite girls?"

"Fine" they said at the same time.

"Your uncles bothering you?"

"No" they replied again.

"That's good. You're being good little girls?" She said.

"Yup" they replied again.

"You're a policeman!" one of the girls cried suddenly. Bobby, Jack, and Alex looked back to find Green and another guy walk into the backyard.

"That's right your all under arrest so don't move." Green said to the girls. They ran anyway, giggling as they went.

"Hey stop! Were y'all goin?" Green said smiling at the girls.

"You gonna arrest me too Green?" Bobby said standing at full height. Jack and Alex stood up, Alex moving closer to her brothers.

She could already feel the slight tension in the air, and Bobby would be the first to start something. She looked at the guy standing next to Green and immediately got a bad feeling. She didn't like him and he didn't even have to start talking yet. Unconsciously she leaned in on Jack a little. He didn't mind at all because he could feel something wrong with the other guy too.

"That depends Bobby, you been keeping straight?" Green asked looking at him.

"Straight-ish" he replied and Alex chuckled. She knew the fine line between Bobby's straight-ish and the normal thought of straight-ish.

Green and Bobby embraced and he went to Jack next, giving his condolences and then last but not least was Alex. She smiled sadly and hugged him and asked about his family.

"Thanks for coming Green. Ma would've appreciated you coming to the service." Bobby said after a while.

"She would have been happy that you made it back for her funeral." Green replied.

"I didn't come back for no funeral." Bobby replied in a solemn tone. Green and his partner looked at each other then back at the three siblings.

"Thanks for the offer, but we got it under control." Fowler replied.

"Yeah. I could tell by the looks of things driving in. Place looks completely different. Detroit's finest finally cleaned it up." Bobby said. Alex could hear the hint of sarcasm in his voice and couldn't help but smile a little. They were falling into Bobby's little trap.

"Yeah, be easy Bobby. We got these punks. Kid playing basketball across the street witness two gang bangers running in and shooting up the place." Green said.

"Come on Green. I used to make a good living round here cuz you guys couldn't find tits in a strip joint." Bobby said. Alex and Jack couldn't help but let a chuckle get past them.

"Why don't you come inside, get some coffee and some doughnuts, and get the fuck outta here. Alright?" Bobby said and with that the three of them turned around.

"One of these days were all gonna go to jail for your mouth Bobby." Alex commented as they stepped back in the house.

"Please if they can't catch me on the shit I'm not supposed to do, what's the use to book me for tellin the truth?" Bobby said smirking.

"Your truth equals a very pissed off cop." Alex said taking off her jacket. At that moment someone came from behind and helped her take it off.

"Really? I'm not mad at anybody." The person said. She was shocked at first but immediately smiled after hearing the voice. When her jacket was off she whirled around to look at a guy with shaggy black hair and a very trim beard and mustache. His hazel eyes smiled at her and she hugged him without warning. He hugged her back chuckling a little. After a while she let go at looked at him.

"Sammy boy." She said looking up at him.

"Alex." He said smiling.

"I thought you were in California." She said tilting her head.

"I missed my freezing winters." He said and then his smile saddened.

I'm sorry about Ms. Evie. She was like a mother to me too." He said.

"Thanks. I know. What a reunion huh?" Alex said and he hugged her again.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?"

They turned to see Andrea had joined her brothers who where eyeing Sam warily.

"Ah, yes. You moved back too, didn't you Andi?" He said smiling at her.

"Nice to see you too Sam." She said and went over hugging him.

"Sam." Bobby said looking at the younger male.

"Bobby." He said and held out a hand. He looked at him but then caught the look Alex was sending him and took the offered hand. He turned to Jack who was smiling and shook his hand too.

"Sorry about your mother." He said.

"Thanks for coming." Jack said. Hailey had walked over and let a smile pass at the sight of Sam.

"Well if it isn't Sammy." She said and hugged the younger man.

Sam was also a best friend of Alex. They met in high school and she made his transfer and new kid phase more bearable. He was close to Alex as her Hailey and Andrea, but not in the brotherly form. He was different, but still a great friend. If only two of her brothers would agree.

"Hailey." He said and hugged her back.

"I thought you were just visiting." Andrea said after he let go of Hailey.

"I'm back for good." Sam said and Alex unconsciously widened her smile.

At that moment Green and Fowler came in and saw Sam. They seemed a little surprised and Fowler a little ruffled but he tried to play it off. Sam saw them and immediately dropped from the conversation turning to them.

"Lt. Green, Detective Fowler." Sam said greeting the two cops.

"Detective McCalester. Didn't know you associated with the Mercers." Fowler said and even Green rolled his eyes.

"Well that's on your part Fowler." He said giving them a professional smile so fake it looked real.

"We'll be seeing you in the office Sam." Green said moving away and Fowler followed.

He passed Alex giving her the same look that made her uncomfortable and she bit her lip to prevent herself from lashing out at him. She just let him pass by unnoticed by the others. After he was out of sight she sighed and turned her attention to the conversation of the others, preparing herself for when she'd have to return to an empty home.

To Be Continued

Serenity Angel: Hope you liked! Please review! See ya next chapter!