This chapter focuses mainly on the backstory of Carlton in this story

TRIGGER WARNING FOR CHILD ABUSE AND DOMESTIC ABUSE

Carlton worked and went to class full-time his first semester. It felt good to be out of the house, and to always be busy. For a while, the nightmares had stopped completely. He was always exhausted, so his mind would just shut down at nights. He didn't have a single problem until winter break.

He was so excited to see his sister when he arrived home. She threw her arms around his neck, and he'd swirled her around. They'd never been away from each other for that long before, and even though they kept in touch, it wasn't at all the same. He'd been her protector her whole life, and there was no one he felt closer to than her.

She'd dragged him into the living room, sitting beside him on the couch, and they'd talked for hours about everything. His work and school, her current plans for after high school. She went into great detail about the pay she was going to be in for the spring. Though she was only a sophomore, she'd gotten the lead in her school's rendition of Steel Magnolias.

She was in the middle of telling him - no, ordering him - to come out to see it on its opening night, when there was a knock on the door frame behind them. "Brad!" Lauren darted up out of her seat and practically flew behind the couch, launching herself at the guy who was standing there. They'd had more than a quick kiss when Carlton had cleared his throat, no-so-subtly reminding his sister that he was, in fact, still in the room.

"Oh! Brad, this is my brother, Carlton! Carlton, this is Brad!" Carlton stood to shake hands with him, eyeing him carefully. Lauren had never mentioned a boyfriend, not even so much as hinted at one. "Well, we've gotta get going Carlton! I'll be back this evening. Don't wait up!"

And just like that his sister was gone, out of his sight again. He sighed, going to his duffel to put it away in his room. He took a quick shower, then went about cleaning the house until Lauren Came back. He wasn't going to let her off the hook that easily. He needed to know why she'd not told him. Was the relationship recent, and she'd just not told him yet? Or was there something about the guy she knew Carlton wouldn't like, so she hadn't mentioned him to keep Carlton from worrying?

He ran over every scenario in his head. He felt like he'd been cleaning for hours when he looked at a clock - 0329 h. Holy shit. He immediately started fretting. Another hour passed, and nothing. He went out to his car, and started driving around. Thankfully, they'd taken her car, so he'd at least have something to look for.

He'd finally found her car after about 30 minutes of driving up and down local streets. It was in front of a row of apartments. "Great" he thought, "they could be in any one of these." He knocked on several doors with no answers, before someone finally opened up. It was an older man, and Carlton felt horrible for disturbing him so late, but he had to find his sister. "I'm extremely sorry for bothering you so late sir, but I'm looking for my sister. Her car is parked outside of the building. Would you happen to know if there's anyone living in the building named Brad? A few years older than me, black hair, a bit shorter than myself?"

The man looked him over for a moment. "Is he dating your sister, young man?"

"Yes sir."

The man sighed. "He lives one floor above me, same apartment."

"Thank-you sir-"

"Son, don't let her stay here."

"Sir...?" the man had already gone back into his apartment. Carlton felt a lump rise in his throat. He turned and sprinted up the flight of stairs, taking them three at a time, and pounded on the apartment door.

He heard yelling, and after a moment, bits and pieces of what sounded like an argument. He heard his sister yelling that she was sorry, and then a thud. Carlton began pounding on the door again, harder this time. It opened a small crack, and half of his sisters' face peered from it. "What're you doing here, Carlton?" her voice was obviously shaking.

"Taking you home."

"I have my car, Carlton; I'll be home when I'm ready."

"You're coming, now." He practically snarled at her, nothing about this situation was okay with him. She flinched away at his tone, and guilt washed over him. "Lauren, please, please just come out for a moment so we can talk?"

"Uhm... I don't think that-"

"Someone bothering you babe?" The door opened further, revealing Brad, and Carlton watched as his sister stayed half-hidden behind the door. "I might ask her the same question, Brad." Carlton definitely growled that out. He felt how hot his skin was against the chilled air outside. He'd had enough of this bastard.

"I don't give a fuck scarecrow. Get the hell out of here."

"Brad don't, just-"

"Shut up cunt! I didn't ask you a damned thing!" Brad turned, screaming at Lauren, and Carlton saw the red flash across his vision that people talk about. He flung himself at Brad, intent on beating him within an inch of his life. The sudden attack caught Brad off-guard, but he was bigger than Carlton, and he had him up against a wall in seconds. But Carlton was used to not having the advantage of weight. He used his longer legs to sweep the other man's legs out from under him, and was soon on top of him. He only managed to lay a few solid hits before he was thrown backwards off of him.

"Carlton stop! Stop!" Lauren had ripped him off of Brad. She ran to Brad, trying to help him up, "Brad, baby I'm so sorry, are you-" "God, bitch, get the hell off of me!" He shoved her off of him, and she stumbled back a few feet. Carlton felt himself lunging again, only to be stopped by Lauren once again.

"Carlton, no! Just, just go outside! I'll be there in a second!" She shoved him back, but Carlton wasn't hearing any of it. "There's no way in hell I'm leaving you here with that piece of shit!" He was screaming now, unable to tear his eyes from the bastard who'd dare lay a hand on his sister. Brad looked up at him, smirking as he smeared blood from his mouth across his face with the back of his hand, "You wanna go again, asshole? I'll through your bitch sister in a room where she won't save your ass this time!"

"Oh you son of a -"

"Carlton, Christ!" Lauren was shoving him towards the door, and he could tell she was using every ounce of her strength to keep him from running back into the apartment as she got him close to the door. She finally managed to shove him out the door, and shut the door, just the both of them standing there in the breeze way. He was fuming. "What the hell Lauren? Of all the stupid, ignorant things you've done - you stay with this guy?! No wonder you didn't fucking tell me about him! Why are you still-" He looked to his sister's face, "Lauren..." he felt his heart clench. The tear tracks flowing from her eyes highlighted the deep purple stemming from her eye that cascaded into an angry bruise covering most of the left half of her face.

He reached out to her, taking her in his arms, letting her bury her face in his chest. "Lauren, why?" his own voice was shaking now, almost in tears himself. "You don't know him Carlton, he's not like this..." she sobbed into his shoulder, burying herself even further in his embrace.

"He hit you, Lauren." Carlton tightened his grip on her, needing to protect her now more than ever. "No, no, no, it was an accident. He's had a few drinks tonight. I-I made him angry. It was my fault, really."

Carlton couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Do you hear yourself right now?" he held her shoulder, her out in front of him so that he could look her in the eyes. "That," he touched her face, "...is never your fault. You are not his punching bag." He searched her eyes for any sign of understanding.

She sniffed, wiping the wetness from her face. "This isn't how he normally is, Carlton. You...You don't know-"

"Lauren! Wake up! I know him better than you ever will! He's our fucking dad, Lauren! How can you not see that?" He was shaking now, furious at her lack of understanding. "He's not like dad, Carly...he's just, had a rough time of it. He's turning it around though..."

Carlton couldn't do this with her anymore. "You need to come home - now." He grabbed her arm, but she pulled away. "No! Carlton! I'm not a child anymore! You don't need to protect me!" Carlton felt his heart shatter into a thousand pieces. He'd spent his entire life protecting her. Making sure their father never touched her, and now she was protecting a creep exactly like him.

He didn't know-

He couldn't-

How could she-

He turned away, slowly walking back to his car on auto-pilot. He unlocked it, and got inside, turning on the ignition, ignoring his sister's calls from the balcony as he drove away.

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