Chapter 6 – Promises & More

Tiva's eyes stared at the bathroom door. She was pulled from her worried thoughts of her sister as she looked down and felt the rough hands of Jon touching her forearm gently.

"Hey beautiful, you want to talk about it?" Jon asked. Honestly he wanted to help Kopus hunt down this piece of shit foster brother and beat him so bad every one of his ancestors got bruises.

Tiva frowned as she watched the bathroom door open and her sister wrapped in a towel emerged before going to her bedroom and closing the door and locking it. She knew she had to leave her sister alone. She needed her space, but she also knew it would be a couple of days before she came out of the bedroom.

"Not really." Tiva stated softly as her frown deepened.

Jon wasn't sure what to do for this beautiful woman who had opened her home and life to him. She barely knew him, but over the last few weeks they had slowly started to get to know one another. He'd taken her on a couple of dates; always sure to remain respectful. He too heed to Phillips warning of Tiani being the ass kicker in the family if he stepped a toe out of line with her baby sister.

Jon opened his arms wordlessly and watched as Tiva nodded and burrowed herself into his t-shirt covered chest. He wrapped his arms around her pulling her closer then he imagined he could get her. Her feet and legs were tucked up under her butt as he let his hand run up and down her back; attempting to give her some form of comfort she was desperately looking for.

"Tell me something…" Tiva requested.

"What do you want me to tell you?" Jon's gravelly voice asked as he looked down at the beautiful woman in his arms.

Tiva shrugged. "I don't know…anything please. I just want to get my mind off Tia."

"I always thought I should be with a Native American woman." Jon smirked. "I always tell everyone I was raised by wolves, so it would be fitting for you to be Indian."

Tiva shook her head as she chuckled softly into his chest. "I guess it is good that I am Indian then huh?" She asked with a smirk on her lips.

"You bet your cute ass it is." Jon chuckled as he leaned down and pressed his lips first to her forehead, then to her nose before he pressed them to her lips softly. He felt her arms wrap around his torso as her head went to his chest. He reached over and turned the light off next to the couch as he kissed the top of her head and allowed her to pull strength from him.

It was clear that the bond between the sisters was as strong as any bond. When one was hurting the other was hurting just as much. They'd been sisters long enough to know when to leave each other alone. Jon would do all he could to comfort Tiva; hell he'd do anything he could to comfort both sisters. He didn't like the frown that marred Tiva's face.

Jon sincerely hoped Phillip didn't do anything stupid to get himself thrown back in prison. With the pissed off gleam he had in his eye and as much as Tiani's upset state had affected his friend he knew holding it in would make the explosion that much more dangerous down the line.

There were few people in the world Phillip Kopus gave a shit about and Jon could see that Tiani had been placed on that list a long time ago…even if Kopus was trying to fight it.

Jon slouched down into the softness of the couch as he rested his cheek against Tiva's head he finished his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed Phillip's number. When there was no answer Jon left a message. "Kopus…don't do anything stupid – blow your steam off and get back to me." He flipped the phone closed before he tossed it onto the coffee table.

Jon got even more comfortable as he moved himself and Tiva around on the couch as he laid down placing her between his body and the back of the couch but never relinquishing his hold on her as she slept peacefully on his chest. He would stay like this all night if that was what she needed.

Dark eyes followed the road around the reservation until he got to the right parking spot. He had dropped off the boxes with the unassembled baby furniture at his moms while she was gone. He left a note and told her he'd be back in a couple of days and get right on getting it pieced together for Paige.

Once he reached the spot he'd been looking for he pulled over onto the side of the road and locked his truck up and headed through the trees until he got to the lake. It was the same spot where Mike had put the college kid's body after accidentally killing him. The body had since been recovered by the police. It was also the same place where he'd let his temper get the best of him and he spouted off at Tiani hoping she died. That was a stupid thing to say.

stupid – Stupid – STUPID

He combed his hand through his hair before scratching the back of his head. He exhaled heavily as he pulled his t-shirt off and kicked his boots off before wading into the icy water of the lake. He could suddenly see why Tiani came here a lot to swim. The water chilled him but helped clear his head.

The vile and disgusting things that Thomas had done to Tiani were not lost among his thoughts. He wanted to hunt that asshole down and beat the piss out of him…Actually what he wanted to do was blow his dick off so he could NEVER do it to anyone ever again.

Phillip let his body fall all the way into the lake water letting the icy water consume him completely.

An hour later he finally pulled himself from the water before he went to his place and took a warm shower. Sleep evaded him for several hours, but Tiani and the terrified look on her face while they had been at the store was stuck in his brain.

Sleep finally came around 3 A.M.

Tiva woke from her sleepy haze as she looked up at Jon's content face. He was in a deep sleep. This had been the 3rd morning she'd woken up wrapped in his arms on the couch of her and Tiani's home. Tiani still hadn't come from her room and if she did Tiva and Jon had been dead to the world so neither of them heard a peep.

Tiva's memories of the night before came flooding back:

"What do you mean you'll be no help to her Phillip? You're the only one she's been hanging around other than your mother. You have to go in there and talk to her. She can't stay in there for much longer; she hasn't eaten or come out since she locked herself in there two nights ago." Tiva pushed.

Phillip turned around and looked down at the younger Blackwater sister. "Look I said something stupid to her a couple of weeks ago and after the way she reacted to what that guy said and did to her in the store; I'm convinced there is nothing I can say or do to make her come out of that room."

Tiva's eyes narrowed as she looked at Phillip with her hands planted firmly on her hips and her head cocked to the side. "What the fuck did you say to her?" She asked with venom in her voice.

Jon reached out and grabbed Tiva's elbow and wasn't surprised when she jerked away from his touch…This was about to get all bad in 2.3 seconds.

"When she left Junior's party my mom thought she had been drinking and asked me to follow her to make sure she got home. Long story short I followed her out to the lake and watched as she swam in the ice cold waters. When she came back towards the bank I jerked her out of the water, we argued for a few minutes and I ended up letting my temper shoot my mouth off without my brain's permission and I…I sort of told her the next time she wanted to go swimming in near freezing waters drunk I hope she died from hypothermia." Phillip finally got it all out.

Tiva's hands went to her sides as they doubled up into fists. "YOU WHAT!"

"See this is why I shouldn't have come by. I should've just left well enough alone." Phillip stated as he stood looming over the younger sister.

"No Phillip what you should've done is APOLOGISED! Do you even KNOW how to say you're SORRY! SERIOUSLY! I don't know what it is about you that makes my sister happy, but I've noticed a change in her since you've been back in town and since she's been trying to get you involved in Marie's health and well being. Whatever you are doing to her either keep doing it and continue to make her happy or stay the fuck away from her until you're ready to grow the fuck up!" Tiva punctuated her threat as she pulled back her fist and pushed forward effectively snapping Phillip's head back.

"Son of a bitch." Phillip cussed as his hand covered his mouth and nose. She really packed a good punch. If she punched like this he could ONLY imagine what Tiani felt like.

Phillip rolled his shoulders and neck as his eyes slid back down and looked at Tiva. He could feel trickles of blood coming from his nose over his mustache and over his lips into his goatee. He wasn't bleeding enough to be alarmed and knew his nose wasn't broken or he'd be in more pain. He couldn't help as he chuckled.

"Okay fine; you win. I have some shit I need to get done, if she still hasn't come out by tomorrow I'll go in and drag her out myself. I'll fix it Tiva." With that he turned and left the Blackwater house.

Jon laughed hard as he wrapped an arm around Tiva's waist and lifted her from the floor and spun her in circles before he stopped and took her into the kitchen and wrapped her hand in ice. It was definitely going to be swollen for a few days.

Tiva blinked a couple of times as she came back into the present day as she looked up at Jon's face again. She slowly moved herself up as she softly kissed the base of his throat and heard him grunt a couple of times. She laughed softly as his blue eyes fluttered open and looked down at Tiva because he smirked.

"Something I can help you with beautiful?" Jon's raspy sleep laden voice asked as his arm tightened around her waist. He watched as she stated to say something before she was silenced as lightning flashed three seconds before thunder cracked loudly rumbling the sky and shaking the house nearly from its foundation. Jon felt Tiva jump in his arms as she burrowed further into his side. "Nothing is going to hurt you. I promise." Jon's voice stated as he inhaled the scent of strawberries from her hair.

Tiva smiled softly as she gripped his t-shirt in her hand as thunder shook the house again. His hand covered hers as he squeezed it softly trying to give her the re-assurance she needed. He sat up as another clap of thunder made her physically jump. It was no secret Tiva was scared to death of lightning and thunder storms.

Jon stood from the couch as he stretched. He turned towards the beautiful woman lying on the couch as he leaned down and scooped her into his arms; he carried her to her bedroom. "It's too early for this shit and this rain is telling me today is a lazy day." Jon stated as he laid her on her bed and climbed on the bed next to her before pulled her into his arms and flush against his body. He looked down. "Relax beautiful, I got you."

"You're not going anywhere right?" Tiva asked. She honestly hadn't gotten much sleep since Tiani had practically barricaded herself in her room; the little sleep she did get was when Jon was around.

Jon looked down. "Nope." He loved that she smiled before she kissed his lips and burrowed into his chest and he tightened his arms around her. He liked the fact that she enjoyed the comfort of his arms but knew eventually he was going to have to tell her about being in prison. He didn't want her to think he didn't have a past and he didn't want her to think he was hiding it from her.

His eyes closed of their own accord and soon he was sleeping as deeply as she was.

Phillip pulled up to the Blackwater house. He told Tiva he'd be back and fix things and he didn't lie. He put the GMC into park and killed the engine. It was around 11 AM but it looked later because of the thunder storm warnings. Everything was coming off the East Coast and it was going to pour down from the heavens on everyone. It had already started raining, but not like it would be once the storm went more main land.

Phillip got out of his truck and just from his walk from the sidewalk to the front door he was already soaked. Naturally the front door was locked so he walked around the side of the house and found the window that went to Tiani's bedroom. He pulled his knife out of its sheath and slipped it between the window panes and jimmied the lock to the side and quietly pushed the window open. He carefully stepped through into her room and closed the window again.

His dark eyes went to the figure laying in the middle of the bed. He walked over and squatted down on the side of the bed as he reached out and pushed her hair out of her face. "Tiani…" His deep voice barely whispered her name. He watched as her grey orbs blinked open. They were bright red from either crying or lack of sleep. He was putting his money on both reasons.

"Phillip…" Tiani moved around a little as she tried to focus her eyes. She felt as though she hadn't slept in months. "What are you doing here?" Her voice was soft and sleepy sounding.

"You've been in this damn room for three days Tiani. You've got to get up, shake it off and go back to your normal life." Phillip stated gently. "Look I know what that asshole did to you. If you tell me right now, I'll hunt him down and kill the mother fucker for you. A guy like him doesn't deserve to live after the things he's done."

Tiani sat up as she rubbed her face and eyes trying to fully wake herself up. "I never…I never thought I'd see him again. I mean it's a one in a billion chance right? I mean he has been my foster brother since I was six. His mom used to slap us around and lock us in the basement all the time; Thomas included. We used to find refuge together in that cold basement. He would sit between us and wrap us in his arms and whatever blankets we could find to keep us warm. I don't know when something so sweet turned into one huge nightmare for me."

"When did it all start?" Phillip asked curiously; hoping he wasn't crossing the line as he stood up and sat on her bed facing her as she sat with her back to the headboard, folded into herself once again.

Tiani swallowed hard as the memories came flooding back. "It was on my thirteenth birthday and suddenly a hug wasn't a hug from him anymore it was him groping my body. I honestly didn't think anything of it until that night after the party. I was lying in bed staring at the ceiling going over the good time everyone had in the house. Thomas snuck into my room all quiet like and said he had one last present to give me. He leaned over and kissed me on the lips and pushed his tongue into my mouth. He climbed into bed and moved me until I was lying on my stomach. He pushed my panties away and pushed inside of my body. I started to cry out and he covered my mouth. When he was finished he said not to tell anyone because they wouldn't believe me and then he just left like nothing happened."

Tiani pulled her fingers through her hair. "By the time I was 15 he started to go after Tiva and I stopped him. I grabbed him by the hand and lied to him and told him I didn't want to share him with her because she wouldn't appreciate it the same way I had. I lied my ass off to make sure he came to my bed every night and left Tiva alone. The day after my sixteenth birthday I was finally able to get Tiva and myself out of there and we ran through the back woods and through rivers and streams to get back to the Reservation. It took five days and we were dirty cold and hungry, but we got the help we needed. Years of therapy and schooling later and here I am. I'm not as fucked up in the head as everyone thinks for a girl who was raped on a nightly basis for three years straight. I survived it for a reason. I survived it so I could find the man of my dreams and have a happy life."

Phillip reached out as silent tears slid down her cheeks as he caught them with his thumb and index fingers letting them soak into his skin. She was just about the bravest girl he'd ever met in his entire life. It wasn't that he was overpowering her with his kisses; she was enjoying it because he was gentle about it, she was actually kissing him back because she was enjoying it and she was letting herself feel whatever he was making her feel when his lips touched her.

Phillip shook his head. "Enough I don't want to hear anymore and you don't need to talk about it anymore." He stated in all seriousness. "Get some sleep you could use it." He leaned over and softly kissed her forehead and then both of her cheeks down to her nose and chin before he came back up and caught her lips. He felt her hands come up as she cupped his cheeks and held him into place firmly.

One last kiss to her lips and he sat back. "Sleep." He stated to get up and leave when she grabbed his forearm.

"Don't leave…please."

Phillip looked at Tiani. "Do you understand how wet my shirt and top part of my jeans are?"

"I don't care I don't want you to leave; Jon's been leaving clothes all over the place. Tiva did some of his clothes. I'm pretty sure you two wear the same size. There's a stack on the drier. Take your boots off, change your shirt and jeans and come lay with me. You look just about as tired as I feel." Tiani stated softly as she watched him shake his head. She knew she already had him.

Phillip unlocked her bedroom door and found the laundry room. He pulled his boots off and left them by the front door before he shimmied out of his wet jeans and t-shirt and into dry clothes. She had him at 'I don't care I don't want you to leave' after she said that he would've done anything for her. He padded barefoot back to her room as he closed and relocked the door again. He watched as she moved over in the bed and made plenty of room for his big body.

"Promise you'll be here when I wake up…" Tiani all but begged quietly.

"Promise." Phillip stated quietly as he rolled and pulled her back tightly against his chest. She didn't even realize he was promising that and so much more.

The room was soon filled with the heavy breaths of both occupants sleeping soundly.