Chapter Two: Here We Are

For disclaimer, see chapter one

A/N:Thank you so much Kitty-Kat4life for being my first reviewer and I am so glad that you like my story. I hope the rest meets your expectations.So, without further ado, here is chapter two. (Tee hee hee, no rhyme intended, but it did sound cool! Sorry...I'll be ok)

"Here we are. Make yourself at home. I'll just let Aunt Ava know you're here". Bradin said, holding the door open as they entered the beach house.

"Aunt Ava! I'm home and have a friend here!" he yelled from the bottom of the stairs.

A moment later Ava and Susannah appeared to meet this 'friend'.

"H-Hello. Thank-you so much for having me over. I can leave if it's an inconvenience for you". Kaitlyn rushed.

"No, sweetheart, it's fine that you're here. Make yourself comfortable. I'm Ava Gregory and this is my partner, roommate, and best girl friend Susannah Rexford". Ava said warmly. "would you like to stay for dinner. I assure you it would be no extra trouble in this zoo of a house".

"Thank-you Ma'am. I would enjoy that. If you want me to leave though, just tell me and I will".

"Honey don't worry about it. You're welcome here anytime" Susannah said.

"Come on Kaitlyn, lets get working on homework" piped up Bradin, who had silently watched the three women interact.

They walked into Bradin's bedroom and sat on the bed.

"So who else lives in this house? Your aunt said it was a house full" Kaitlyn said.

"Well there is Aunt Ava, Susannah, Jay Robertson, and Johnny Durant, and then there is me, my little sister Nikki, and my little brother Derrick. Plus any number of friends that are over. It's kinda cool to have so many people around". Bradin said, lounging lazily on the bed.

It was rather overwhelming for Kaitlyn to meet everybody at dinner that night. Once grace had been said, people broke off into groups of conversation. Johnny, Susannah, and Ava were discussing a new idea that Ava had come up with, Nikki was listening to Derrick talk about an activity he did in class today, and Jay was telling Bradin about the great waves out on the beach that afternoon.

"I'm gonna head out again after dinner, you should come Brae" Jay was saying as Kaitlyn tuned back in.

"Sure thing…oh wait, hang on!" Bradin replied, turning his full attention back to his friend. "Do you surf?"

"Um, no, not any-…no I don't. But I like to watch". She smiled softly at Bradin but was mentally kicking herself for the slip-up.

"Great, we'll head out once we're done eating. We can get at least an hour's worth in before dark". Bradin replied happily, returning her smile.

Kaitlyn sat on her sweater on the beach, watching Jay and Bradin out on the water. Her mind drifted back to that day three years ago.

"Kait! Let's go, get your butt out here!" Kaitlyn's older brother Thomas shouted from his position perched on his surf board, waiting for a good wave.

"I'm coming! Hold on a second, sheesh!" She called back, grabbing her board and running into the water.

It was a perfect day in Southern Florida. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and the waves were perfect. Kaitlyn sat on her board, admiring her brothers flawless technique as her did some incredible tricks that she could only ever dream of doing. Suddenly Tom lost his balance and fell under the water when a nasty wave struck his board at a weird angle. Kaitlyn scanned the surface for her brother's face to appear, looking disgruntled because he fell off, a rare occasion for him. A few moments went by and still no sign of him, Kaitlyn began to panic. She lay forward on her board and paddled to the spot that Thomas had gone under. Desperately trying to see any sign on him, she caught a glint of red in the corner of her eye. His board! Taking a deep breath, she dove in and groped around, frantically trying to come into contact with Tom. Her oxygen started running out and in a final desperate attempt she lashed her arm out and grazed something. Securing her hand around it she pulled herself and what she hoped was Tom to the surface.

"Hey Kaitlyn, did you see that! That was freaking awesome eh?" Bradin yelled from his board.

"Yeah, that was really cool, good job" she called out, giving him a thumbs up sign.

Swimming with all her might, Kaitlyn managed to get herself and her brother to the shore before a bystander helped her carry Tom up the shore a little, and lay him down.

"Somebody call 911, NOW!" She yelled at the top of her lungs. "Come on Tommy, you can't do this to me. Not now, not after everything with dad just ending. I need you here, with me, please…wake up." She mumbled, shaking his chest as hard as she could.

Sirens approached and a moment later someone was pulling Kaitlyn aside so that the other medics could work.

"Miss, are you related to him?" the medic said

"Yes, that's my brother Thomas Morranis"

"OK, what happened?"

"He was surfing. He fell off of his board and got stuck in the reef. I dove in and got him back to shore, but he won't wake up."

The medic started to say something in reply, but Kaitlyn's attentions were focused on her brother being covered by a sheet, and one of the other paramedics there looking at his watch and saying "Time of death; 15: 26".

Tears streamed down Kaitlyn's face, unknown to her. When she snapped out of her daze she started because Jay and Bradin's faces were right in front of her. Before they could say anything to her she jumped to her feet, grabbed her sweater and ran off down the beach.

"Oh my God, what was that all about?" Jay asked, Kaitlyn now almost out of sight.

"I haven't got a clue" Bradin said out loud, but muttered to himself "But I'm going to find out".

A/N: Ok, I hope you liked chapter two. Please R&R with comments, suggestions, anything like that. Thanks so much!

Love, Ally