Chapter One

Killian Jones had no intentions to start his day off quite so early. The sun wasn't even up yet. A high pitched ringing echoed throughout the room. It took him a minute to place the sound. Killian glared steadily at his phone. He wiped at his groggy eyes as the phone continued to vibrate, the sound echoing through the room like a gun shot. The screen lit up with the time.4:04. He couldn't fathom who it would be.

He scrubbed a palm over his face as he debated whether or not to answer. It was his day off. That meant no training, no press. He groaned when he remembered what the press thought he 'owed' them. He refused to make a statement on his record breaking race. Not until he and Liam had a chance to celebrate first.

The phone continued the loud vibrations. Killian could feel his muscles tighten in agitation until he snapped and decided to answer the call. He almost felt sorry for whoever was on the other end.

He stretched out for a minute, allowing his sore muscles to relax as best they could. He reached over to the wooden night stand next to his bed and pressed the green 'accept call' button. "Bloody hell. This better be good." His sleep addled mind warned him that that was no way to start a conversation, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

"Is this Killian Jones?" A female voice asked on the other end. His frustration increased tenfold. If this was a fan calling…

He closed his eyes and tried to stay calm. He took a deep breath before responding. "Depends on who's asking."

There was a slight pause from the other end before, "This is Lily from the Los Angeles Police Department. Your brother…" Killian could feel his stomach sink and his mind suddenly woke up.

"Aye, what about Liam? Is he in some sort of trouble?" Killian prayed it wasn't bad. Liam had probably just gotten a little too drunk watching the football match yesterday. Killian tried to convince himself that it was possible, even if he'd never seen Liam drink more than two beers. Killian knew that he himself was the drinker in the family.

"It seems that he…" The lady on the other end stopped for a moment. Killian could hear paper rustling on the other end of the line.Spit it out already."Is there any way you can stop by the station today? We have a couple of questions for you."

Killian pinched the bridge of his nose. Of course Liam would find a way to get him out of bed before his normal training time. "Of course. What did the ponce do this time?" He asked as he rolled out of bed. He put the call on speaker phone as he began to dress.

There was a long pause on the other end of the line before Lily finally spoke again. "I can't disclose that information over the phone. Whenever you arrive at the station, find Tiny at the front desk and tell him that you're there to speak to Lily. He'll know how to direct you. Thank you for your time, Mr. Jones." The line went silent and there was a soft click.

Killian furrowed his eyebrows, confused. He wondered what questions he would be asked; he wondered why Liam couldn't answer them himself. His worry increased over his brother, thoughts of trials and the details of whatever happened sprawled across the sports section of a newspaper.

Okay, maybe Killian was making it a bigger deal than it was. Most of the world didn't care about what went on in the sport of swimming. Most people hardly knew the names of the swimmers, not to mention how little publicity the coaches got. Liam's name wouldn't be in the paper over a small misdemeanor. Killian prayed that that's all it was.

Killian grabbed a fresh t-shirt and clean pair of jeans before running to the large bathroom that connected to his bedroom. He stepped inside and grabbed a tooth brush, quickly falling into his normal daily routine. When he finished brushing his teeth, washing his face, and combing his hair, he headed back to his bedroom to throw on his favorite set of tennis shoes. He set to work on tying them, but was sloppy in his haste, cursing the entire time. Once he finished, he filed out of his bedroom and headed down the hall, stopping by the front door to grab his jacket and the keys to his brand new car. He would never get over the perks of being an Olympic prospect.

4:34.

He shook his head as he saw the time displayed on his fancy new dashboard. Liam really couldn't wait another hour?

Killian decided to take his time down the LA roads, choosing the slow life for once. He'd tested the speed of his new Veneno Roadster. He already knew it maxed out around 220 mph. He figured he'd take the sleek black model for a slower ride today.

Killian took in the mountains, admiring the soft snow on top of them. He thought back to when he was a child and his mother took him and Liam out to Scotland during the winter. How she complained of the snow, but he and Liam relished every second of it. He thought back to the snowball fights and the igloo they built and how proud his brother was when he made his first snowman, giggling happily, with snow floating through his dark curly hair. Killian remembered his mother yelling at them when they came in, telling them they weren't dressed warmly enough for a blizzard, but he and Liam just smiled broadly at each other, ready for their next tumble in the snow.

Killian sighed softly. Those were the good days. Back before his mom died. Back before he and Liam were alone in the world.

The sky was clear as he drove ahead, the sun beaming down on him. The wind sang softly through the window, enough to change his hair into an artfully mussed style. It was the perfect Los Angeles day.

He pushed all his thoughts away and simply watched cars wiz past him. He acknowledged the occasional motorcyclists that blazed past him, probably pissed at his low speed, but he felt inclined to barely go the speed limit. He was tired of going at record speeds; he simply wanted a soft, slow morning.

4:53.

That's what the clock read when he signed into the police station.

The place was small, but had a spacious layout. It was surprisingly well-lit and clean, something he wasn't expecting out of a government facility.

He currently stood at the front desk, signing himself in for his appointment. People hustled in and out of the building, the stench of coffee filling his nostrils as a small man came from behind the desk to help him. "Hi, I'm Tiny, how can I help you today?" Killian smiled to himself, thinking how rough it must be to have to say 'I'm Tiny' every day.

"Hello, mate. I'm Killian J-"

"Oh, yes, Mr. Jones! Right this way, please." Killian smirked to himself. Of course Tiny knew who he was. Ever so slowly, everyone was beginning to know who he was. He hoped to keep it that way.

4:56.

Killian was led into a small conference room and was left on his own for a few minutes. He glanced around. Carpeted floors, a nice wooden table, red, spinning chairs that looked to have decent back support. Not the worst place to work, he assumed.

As he began inspecting the motivational posters that scoured the beige walls, the door opened and a lady not much younger than he stepped through.

"Mr. Jones, I'm Lily, we spoke earlier." Killian nodded and shook Lily's hand. "I'm so sorry to have to call you in here today," she immediately started with.

"Not a problem, love," he replied with a quick wink. He pretended not to notice the slight blush that set into her cheeks.

A short silence lapsed between the two and Killian took a moment to study her. Her dark brown hair was paired with dark brown eyes. She was tall and thin with her makeup done meticulously. She was pretty, no doubt, but he wasn't interested. Blondes were more his type.

"Mr. Jones, if you would sit, I have a couple of questions about your brother." She gestured to the chair across from her and Killian slowly took his seat.

"Ah, yes, the bloody wanker. What has he gotten himself into this time? A drunken bar fight perhaps?" Killian gave a small laugh and a slight smile, only to see that it was not returned. Instead, it was met by a stern face.

Lily pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at him. Her dark brown hair was pulled back tight and she was wearing a grey pantsuit, giving her a no-nonsense sort of look. She was suddenly cold and distant, the complete opposite of what he had her pegged for. Her harsh eyes met his as she asked, "Did your brother have a history of mental illness?"

Killian shook his head in disbelief. Where was this coming from? "I don't believe so."

The woman across from him nodded her head and began writing on a pad of paper. Killian watched, confused. Where was this going?

"Did your brother have a history of alcohol abuse?"

"No."

"Substance abuse?"

"No."

"Did he show patterns of domestic abuse or was he abused?"

Killian pursed his lips. "No. That's not how this is going to work, officer. Now, I kindly answered one of your questions, so maybe you'll answer one of mine."

Lily straightened up in her chair, tilting her chin upwards. "Sir, I know that you're used to certain privileges, but I must ask you to answer the question."

"No!" Killian grew demanding. Liam was his only family and they thought he was… "No, I want to see him."

"Mr. Jones, you can see him as soon as you answer this question." Lily held her hands up and nodded his head at him, as if trying to persuade him that it would be alright.

"Do you guys think you're going to use anything I say against Liam? I refuse to keep talking. I want a lawyer." Rash decisions started setting in as Killian realized that Liam must've been in a lot of trouble if they were asking these types of questions.

Silence started on both parties, Lily waiting for Killian to give up and Killian waiting for Lily to give up. Killian folded his arms across his chest and stared at her, pulling his dark leather jacket around him a little tighter. He knew he wasn't going to be the one to fold.

5:12.

"Okay, Mr. Jones. I will let you see your brother. But you have to finish answering my questions when we get back. We aren't pressing charges against him," Lily sighed, finally breaking.

Killian grinned triumphantly and hopped out of his seat, anxious to get to his brother. Lily rose from her chair much more slowly, taking a deep breath and arranging the papers on her desk as she pleased. She set her pens back in the correct mug and pushed past Killian, opening the door.

5:17.

Killian's heart shattered. His vision broke. His breath hitched. His voice was caught. His fingers trembled. He couldn't believe it.

The police sounds: Siren, papers, pens scratching wood. The radios, the footsteps, the slamming cells. Everything stopped. Killian's ears shut off, his eyes sharpening, trying to ward off the tears that began streaming down.

Liam. Unblinking. Lifeless eyes staring upwards. Limp hands laying to the sides, toes slowly turning cold. A hole through his temple.

"No," Killian's voice was but a whisper. "No, this isn't real. This isn't happening." His head spun. This didn't make sense. Killian couldn't be alone in the world. They had always been a team. This was a cruel joke the universe was playing.

Lily stepped out of the corner and calmly approached Killian. "It was self-inflicted," she informed him, as if that would help.

Thoughts flooded Killian's mind. The day Liam first taught him to swim, the day Liam took the training wheels off his bike and rushed down the street to take care of him when he fell off. The way Liam read to him after mom died, the way Liam tried to keep him from wondering about their father. The days when Killian came home with a broken heart and Liam forced him to go out and have a good time. All the times his brother was there for him in ways he wouldn't be anymore.

Killian felt his heart rip in half. He thought being stabbed would hurt him less. This was his last person. Liam was his only hope. He rushed over to Liam's side, knocking things over in his haste. "No, no, no," he repeated, a soft sob combined with a desperate plea. "Brother, no, wake up, please, Liam, it's Killian, wake up." He shook his brother, his hope fading slowly from each moment to the next.

Killian felt the plans for the future slip through his fingers, but what hurt most was that Liam made these big dreams while knowing what he would do. Liam knew he would never get to see his brother compete in the Olympic finals. They would never get to celebrate his last big win together. All of Killian's dreams were gone in an instant. He couldn't do this without Liam.

Killian pressed his head into Liam's neck, tears running rampant across his cheeks. Thoughts of getting down on his knees and begging the universe to take it back flooded through his mind. "Brother. We were supposed to fight the world together." His throat closed up. He thought of everything Liam had given up for him. A house, a family, all of his time. He gave his life to him. He gave up everything to get Killian where he was now. And what had Killian ever done for him?

A fresh dose of guilt rocked over Killian. "You didn't have a life because of me, brother. I am so sorry. I should've… I should've noticed your struggles. I should've grown up faster. I should've… I should've been a better brother."