Chapter Four

Promise to Keep

"Caroline!" Tyler yelled reaching out, but it was too late, Caroline had disappeared into the growing darkness. Tyler leaned his head against the tree, not sure he could get up-not sure if he wanted to get up. He closed his eyes just as it started to pour down rain. He was soaked in a matter of seconds and yet he still didn't move-he couldn't bring himself to leave the spot-not yet.

"Tyler!" Ally's yell was joined by Aiden's voice and Tyler knew it was just a matter of time before he heard his mother's too, though some how he couldn't bring himself to call out to them, so he just waited. He thought of Caroline, of Michael-even their dad, fresh tears joining the rain drops on his face. He thought of Caroline, of how she had begged him to take her to the park instead of going with their father that fateful day-how he wished he could take that back. He thought of his dad-how he didn't really know him-and now he never would. He thought of what Michael had told him the morning of his birthday so long ago. "Never let our sister go," he had said, "Be there for her, protect her," he had drilled that into Tyler's head before leaving that day, it wasn't until later that day Tyler realized why he had done that. Tyler had promised him, "You know I will Michael, why are you telling me this?" Michael had not answered him, just made him promise to protect her. He had broken that promise. A branch cracking behind him made him snap back to the present.

"Tyler!" it was Ally's voice and it was just a matter of a second before she was beside him, "Where have you been? We've been worried sick!"

Tyler looked at her, her blond hair was plastered to her head from the rain, but she still looked as beautiful as ever, "I've been right here," he said, he wasn't lying, he had been here, just not alone.

Ally pushed some of the hair away from his eyes and called over her shoulder, "He's over here!" She turned back to Tyler who seemed to be focused on something else, "Tyler!"

He snapped back and looked at her, "What?"

"Are you alright?" Ally asked giving him a once over with her eyes as best she could in the rain.

Tyler shook his head, "I think my ankle's broken, I tripped over that branch you just broke."

Ally raised an eyebrow and shook her head, trust Tyler to break something while she breaks whatever broke him, "Can you walk?"

Tyler shrugged, he wasn't sure if he could or not, or if he really wanted to. He leaned against the tree and closed his eyes only opening them again to sneeze.

Ally gave him a concerned glanced, "Bless you," she said and then turned around yet again, "Aiden!"

"What?" Ally jumped when Aiden suddenly appeared behind her.

"Oh-don't do that," she said slapping his arm she motioned towards Tyler, "help me get him out of this rain will you?"

Aiden nodded and bent down so that he was eye level with his friend and blue eyes met green ones that were full of lose once again, "Hey-Tyler-dude you alright?"

Tyler closed his eyes again not wanting to look at anyone and simple nodded.

"He hurt his ankle somehow, it's not looking very good," Ally said pointing at the ankle in question.

Aiden followed her finger and winced in sympathy at what he saw. He could tell through the shoe that Tyler's ankle was at least twice the size it should be, he pulled up the pant leg just enough to see the long bruise that was starting to form on the inside of his friend's ankle, "Okay, you shouldn't walk on that, do you think we can get you to the car without you putting pressure on it?"

Tyler opened his eyes again and blinked several times to clear the rain from his vision, "I-," he didn't really want to leave yet but another sneeze sent a shiver through his body and he slowly nodded, "I think so."

"Okay-just lean on me as much as you need to," Aiden said as he pulled Tyler up gently and pulled his arm over his shoulder.

Tyler took one last look at the spot where his sister and vanished and then with a sigh let his best friends help him home.

…

"It's just a bad sprain, but you were lucky Tyler, a little farther and you could have broken it," Les said as he tightened the hard splint to Tyler's ankle, they were lucky Les was a doctor, it saved them a trip to the ER.

Tyler winced as the splint was tightened around his swollen ankle as his mother place an ice pack on it gently he nodded, "Thanks Les."

"Do you want to tell us what you were doing in the woods?" Diane asked as she sat down beside him, pulling a blanket over his shoulders as she did.

Tyler sighed, "I guess I just-," he stopped, should he tell them the truth or would they think he was insane? He thought for a minute-yep most defiantly insane, he gave the first reason that popped into his head, "I just-needed to get away, I couldn't take it anymore."

Diane's face softened and she put an arm around Tyler's shoulder, "I understand that sweetheart, just next time tell us when you're going to do that, I was worried sick-I can't lose you too."

Tyler sighed, bit his lip and slowly nodded, "I know-I'm sorry mom."

Diane gave Tyler a small smile and gently ran her hand through his still damp hair, "Just don't scare me like that again okay?"

Tyler nodded, "I won't go missing like that again, I promise."

Diane pulled him into a hug and Tyler sighed. He wouldn't go missing but that didn't mean he couldn't still go to the woods. Nothing was going to keep him away from his sister. Not even their mother. Not even a sprained ankle-no not even then-he had a promise to keep.