I know I've been neglecting my Jack and Jenny collection for a while now. Sorry about that, and here is a story to make up for it. It doesn't star Jack and Jenny, but it is about Cassie and Cory from my other story, "I Want To See You Be Brave."

This is a prompt from Godzilla183.

WARNINGS: INCEST/TWINCEST, MENTIONS OF A GIRLXGIRL RELATIONSHIP

Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my OCs, including: Cassie Ronnie Doorine, Cory Michael Doorine, and Brenda Elizabeth Doorine, as well as their unnamed Mom and Dad and their brother Rex, who are mentioned in the story.


Take My Hand (We'll Find A Way)


Cassie wasn't sure when she knew she loved her brother in a… more than platonic manner. Maybe she'd always known.

Cassie wasn't sure of a lot of things. When her friends were talking about having a crush on that cute guy in class or that sweet boy who helped them pick up their books, Cassie was fantasizing about kissing her brother.

Cassie remembered asking her mom about her feelings when she was younger:

"Mom, is it okay to love your sibling?"

"Of course. All siblings love each other."

"No, I mean like… true love. Like Cinderella and Prince Charming or Rapunzel and Eugene."

Her mother had frozen, hands half way through drying a dish, before she suddenly laughed. Cassie was confused; she wasn't overly smart for her age, but she was smart enough to know that adults only laughed when you said something weird or funny, and she didn't how what she said was funny.

"No, sweetie," her mom had replied.

"Why not?" Cassie had wondered in the innocent bewilderment that only a young child can accomplish.

"Because that's the way things are."

"But why?"

Her mother's voice grew hard. "A brother and sister are not allowed to be in love, Cassie. It's wrong. Do you understand?"

Cassie didn't, but her mother only used that voice when she was frustrated or angry, and usually, that voice meant punishment, which Cassie wanted to avoid.

"Yes, Mommy," she lied.

Loving your sibling was wrong. That was what her mother said, and parents are never wrong. They know what it best for you, and Cassie never questioned that, never dared to question it.

So Cassie swallowed her feelings. She distanced herself from her brother, hung out with her friends and joined their conversations about crushes on Troy Adams or Bobby Quagmire, the two cutest boys in their grade. She even got herself a boyfriend named Isaac Norris, but when they kissed, she felt nothing but a hollow emptiness in her chest, and she knew that no matter how many boys she dated, no matter how many 'crushes' she had, it would never fill the whole in her heart. Only Cory could do that.

It didn't stop Cassie from trying, though. She dated boy after boy, barely spoke to Cory, and never mentioned or implied her feelings to anyone ever again. She didn't want to see that look of disgust in their eyes when the mere idea of incest was proposed.

She was ignoring her brother, treating him like the plague when in reality, she saw herself as the virus, and she didn't want to infect her brother. She didn't want to tarnish him more than she already had simply by having these wrong, wrong, wrong feelings for him.

It was only a matter of time before Cory confronted her.

"All right, Cass, what's going on?"

Cassie didn't even turn around as she resumed stuffing her books in her backpack, wanting to be out the door as soon as possible. She didn't have to go to this study group (she'd already gone to five), but she couldn't be around Cory because every time she looked at him, she was reminded of what she couldn't have. She didn't want anyone to see the heartbreak shining in her eyes whenever she laid eyes on her brother; she didn't want anyone catching on. She couldn't do that to Cory, couldn't ruin him like she'd ruined herself.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Cassie replied. "Now, if you don't mind, I have to go to Rebecca's to study for our Social Studies Test," Cassie stated, trying to hurry out the door, but Cory threw an arm in front of her shoulders to stop her. A spark went across her skin at his touch.

"You've already gone to five study groups just this week," Cory pointed out. "What were they again? English, science, math, social studies. Oh, and what was the fifth one? Art? Why would you need a study group for art?"

"We have a quiz on the artists of the 18th century," Cassie answered, trying to maneuver around her brother. "Where are you going with this?"

"Cassandra Ronnie Doorine, you have been ignoring me. What I want to know is why," Cory demanded. (Note: Doorine is pronounced like Door-ene, so it rhymes with Chlorine.) "Did I do something to make you mad? If I did, just tell me what it is."

"Cory, you didn't-"

"Was it because I stole your doll and hung it from the banister? Because I said I was sorry!"

"Cory-"

"Or was it because I ate the last piece of pie? I will buy you an entire pie if you just talk to me!" Cory's voice was pleading, desperate, almost panicked, like Cassie ignoring him had physically hurt him.

"Or is this about two weeks ago when I kept you up all night to help me with my math homework and then you failed your science test because you didn't have time to study?"

"No-"

"Or was it-"

Cassie wasn't sure why she did it. Maybe she wanted to calm her frantic brother down; maybe she wanted to give him an answer; maybe she just wasn't thinking clearly… or maybe she was thinking clearly for the first time in her life.

Whatever the reason, she didn't hesitate when she practically lunged forward and kissed him.

Cory didn't pull away, but he didn't kiss back either. He seemed to be rigid with shock, unable to return the kiss or end it.

It took exactly 3.2 seconds for Cassie to come to her senses, and she yanked herself back, feeling the fireworks the kiss had caused fade away as the situation crashed over her, and she turned away, on the verge of crying.

"I'm so sorry. I don't know why I did that. Now you're going to hate me and-"

Cory didn't let her finish. He grabbed her arm, spun her around, and swept her into a kiss.

The kiss lasted much longer this time, and when the kiss ended, Cory didn't pull away. He simply held his sister in his embrace, pressing his forehead against hers, and he whispered against her lips:

"How could I hate when I love you more than I love myself?"

The two of them stood there like that for who knows how long before the moment was interrupted rather abruptly.

"Oh my goodness."

Both of them whirled around to face their older sister, Brenda, who gaped at them, jaw practically on the floor from astonishment.

They sprung apart, both fumbling to explain.

"Brenda, this isn't what it looks like-"

"Brenda, please don't tell Mom and Dad."

"Or Rex!"

"Please don't hate us."

Brenda simply stood there for a moment, blinking owlishly, before she burst out laughing, startling both of their younger siblings.

"How could I hate you? You're my brother and sister, and I actually think you're kind of cute together!" she practically shrieked before quieting down. "And I won't tell Mom or Dad or our brother… provided you let me plan the first date."

Cory tilted his head. "So you don't think we're disgusting?"

Brenda shook her head. "Of course not. Not everyone thinks like Mom and Dad. They love us, and they want what's best for us, but they don't realize that they're hurting us by trying to tell us who to love. I probably know that better than you do."

Cassie frowned. "You and Rex?"

Brenda chuckled. "No! I have nothing against siblings dating, but I wouldn't date Rex if we were the last two people on the planet. Not because we're brother and sister, but because one, he's my brother, so I love him, but he's also very annoying. Two, he's not my type. Just ask my girlfriend." She giggled at their surprised expressions.

"What? You think you're the only ones hiding something from Mom and Dad?" She smirked. "I came out to them a while ago, but they told me that liking other girls was wrong and left it at that. I won't tell them about you two if you don't tell them about me and Erin."

The twins smiled.

"Deal!"

"Great," Brenda stated, heading for the door, before glancing over her shoulder. "Oh, and I just want to say that… love does conquer all. It sounds cheesy, but you can get through anything with someone you love by your side. Nothing worth anything comes easy, and something tells me this will be worth it," she stated, nodding to indicate their interlocked hands.

"Thanks, Bren," Cassie responded.

"What are big sisters for except to help their siblings hide their relationship from their parents?" she deadpanned before exiting the room.

"At least we have one person in our corner," Cory said before pressing the sweetest of kisses to Cassie's lips.

And for once, the endless cycle of wrong, wrong, wrong didn't ring through Cassie's head.


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