Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Four Brothers characters, but I do however own anyone who wasn't in the movie…
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Four Brothers characters, but I do however own anyone who wasn't in the movie….
Author: Ok, so just a few more chapters are left. Thank you to those who have stuck this story through! You guys are truly amazing!!
Bryant covered her mouth as she turned away from her friend.
"I didn't want anyone to know." Elijah replied.
"How? How is this man your father?"
Elijah turned away from her. "It's complicated."
"What is? I don't understand."
"Malcolm Sweet is my father because…"
"Bryant!" Angel yelled from the door.
"Eli, you can tell me." She ignored Angel calling her. "Because why?"
"Bry…" Elijah started.
"Did you not hear me calling you?" Angel appeared in the doorway.
"Yes, I heard you. I just chose not to listen." She snapped.
"We need to talk to you." Angel replied ignoring her comment.
"I am talking to Elijah right now. Give me some time right now ok, that is all that I am asking."
Angel looked over at Elijah who was staring out the screen window. "Yeah, sure."
She waited for Angel to shut the door before talking again. "Eli, tell me who this man is."
"He's my father."
"I thought your father was in prison?"
"He is."
"Ok, so I am really confused right now."
"My adopted father is in prison. My mother married him after I was born and so he adopted me as his son. He is the only father I have ever known."
"I thought you hated him."
"I hate what he did, I could never hate him."
"Then who is Malcolm Sweet to you?"
Elijah turned away. "My mother was just a teenager when she became pregnant with me. She told me that Malcolm wasn't my real father and so I believed her. She had me change my name to Steven's last name. She only told me the story once but it stuck with me for the rest of my life."
Bryant got up from the chair in the corner of the porch and walked over to her friend. She laid her hand on his shoulder causing him to turn around.
"She was just seventeen when she met him. He was already known around the streets because of his family's last name. She thought of him as someone who could get away with anything and she was right. She was walking along the side of the road one night on her way home from a friend's house. Malcolm had pulled up beside her and was provoking her. She just kept her distance and tried her best to get home as fast as she could. She told me she was almost there, she could see the porch light from where she was. The car had come to a stop in front of her and Malcolm got out and began walking towards her. She didn't know what to do so she turned around and began walking back the other way. She kept saying that he was calling after her and she could hear the anger in his voice each time she didn't turn around and answer him. She could hear his footsteps behind her getting closer and closer, but she never stopped."
Bryant was the one to turn around this time. She knew where this was going and she didn't like it one bit.
"He had finally got up to her and grabbed her by the shoulders to turn her around. She made the mistake of kicking him and running. I guess that pissed him off even more, because he ran after. Before she could even get out a good scream he had her on the ground."
"He raped her?" Bryant jumped it. "Didn't he?"
Elijah looked up at her to see tears streaming down her face. "Didn't he?" she whispered.
"Yeah, then left her there to freeze to death with no clothes or anything."
Elijah walked over to Bryant and grabbed her hands. "You do not want to get involved with someone like Sweet. I don't know this Victor character, but if he is anything like his uncle, it's not going to end well."
"I don't know how to stop it. Bobby is so determined to have him killed."
"Sweet has more men than the government does in the army. Do you not understand that Sweet kills for pleasure, he doesn't care who gets in his way."
"I don't know why you are telling me this, I won't have anything to do with it."
"I don't want you to get into the path of it. He will kill anyone, no matter what."
"What do you want me to do?"
"I want you to come with me. Come stay with me at the hotel until all this blows over. I promise we will not try to take you back to West Virginia. I just want to be safe and you aren't going to get that here."
"You are starting to sound like Kade." Bryant turned away from him.
"Because you know he is right."
"This is my family. They would protect me with their life."
"Is that what it is going to take for you to see? Your family is going into a death trap. They might be able to protect you, but who is going to protect them. Sweet has men in every department, he won't stop sending them until every one of you is dead. Is that what you want?"
"No!" she whispered through her teeth. "I just want this to end."
"It's too late for that."
Bryant heard the door open as she twirled around. "Hey." Jack whispered. "I know you guys are talking but its getting late. I really think you should come inside before you get sick."
"I'm fine." Bryant told him.
"I know that you are, you always are. I just think you need to come inside with me."
"Jack…" she whispered before looking over at Elijah. "I am going to go stay with Elijah and them tonight. I really think it's for the best."
"For who?"
"Me."
"If this is because of Bobby, he is an ass. You know that, you've known that since you came here." Jack stepped outside onto the porch.
"It's not because of Bobby."
"Then what is it?"
"I just feel like I don't need to be involved in this anymore. I think it would be best if I just got away from it before it's too late."
"We are in this as a family Bry. We all need to be here tomorrow when Jerry comes."
"Why so I can watch Bobby kill him? No thanks, I think I'll pass."
"Bryant stop." Jack demanded.
"Just let me do this. I swear to you, I'm not leaving you. I will come back I swear."
Jack nodded his head. "What do you think?" Jack asked drawing his attention to Elijah.
"I think she needs to be away from all of this. She is just a girl, a girl who doesn't need anymore pain in her life. I don't blame you for trying to avenge your mother's death. I would have done this same if I knew who killed mine, but I do know that she is only seventeen years old. She is my life just as much as she is yours and I don't want her to get hurt in all of this. I know that you say that you would protect her with your life, but who is going to protect her when something bad happens. She really needs to just stay away until it all blows over. Cant you understand that?"
"I do and I agree, but it's not up to me."
Bryant looked at him with tears in her eyes.
"Jack close the damn door! You're letting all the cold air out!" Bobby appeared in the doorway. He looked down at Bryant who just turned away from him. "What's going on?"
"Bryant was just talking to Elijah." Jack replied.
"About what?"
"Bobby…" Bryant whispered. "I think it would be best if I went and stayed with Elijah for a little while."
"Are you serious?" Bobby stepped outside next to Jack.
"Yes. Everyone thinks it would be best."
"Like who?"
"Elijah and Jack…"
"Oh really? And why is that?"
"It's not right for me to be stuck in the middle of all of this."
"All of what Bryant? Explain this to me."
"Bobby stop." Jack replied putting his hand on Bobby's shoulder.
"Don't touch me!" Bobby demanded glaring at Jack who gently removed his hand from his older brother's shoulder.
"Bobby, you know that I am just a girl. I will probably get myself killed if I get involved. It's not right and you know it's not right. You know all the shit that I have been through, why put me through some more?"
"You blame me don't you?" he asked.
"What...No. Bobby, are you serious?"
"You blame me for what happened when you were fifteen and you blame me for Ma's death."
"Bobby, I don't blame you at all."
"Have I screwed your life up this much that you want to leave us…me?"
Tears streamed down Bryant's face as she slowly walked over to her brother. "You haven't screwed my life up at all. I love you with all my heart and I would never leave you. You are in your own world right now trying to find out who killed Ma. I don't blame you, if I knew what I was doing I would be right beside you, but I don't. I don't know what is going on at all and I am scared to death. I am so scared of losing you guys. I am so sorry if you feel that I blame you for any of this, because I would never want you to feel that way. I don't blame you at all, any of you. I just think it would be best if I went and stayed at the hotel with Eli and them, let you guys do what you have to do. I will be back, I swear." She wiped her eyes as she touched his arm. "You are my big brother and I wouldn't trade you for the world. Can you not see that?"
Bobby looked down at his baby sister before jerking her towards him and embracing her in his arms. He laid his head on hers, trying his hardest to hold back the tears. He could feel her jumping as she began to sob in his chest.
"Listen, I don't know what is going to happen tomorrow with Jerry, but I think it will be ok if you go with Elijah. Just promise me that you will come back tomorrow morning ok? I swear Jerry will be still be alive. He might be bleeding…a lot, but he will still be alive."
Bryant couldn't help but laugh at her brother's comment. She nodded her head before sniffing back the tears.
"I'll be back tomorrow morning, I promise."
Bobby nodded his head before kissing her on the forehead.
"Go on, it's late and you need to be in bed."
"Okay, let me go get some clothes and I'll be right back." She walked inside with Jack right behind her. He followed her up to her room before finally speaking.
"You sure this is what you want to do?" he asked.
"Yeah, gua you guys act like I am moving far away. I will be less than five minutes away and plus I have a cell phone. I should be on your speed dial, call whenever you want."
Jack nodded his head. "Jack, watch out for them ok. You are probably the only sane one in this family now. Don't let him do anything stupid, and you don't do anything stupid either."
"You just need to be back here tomorrow."
"I will. I promise." She smiled at him before grabbing the bag she had just packed and walking towards the door. She turned back around dropping her bag and running to Jack. She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her head into his stomach.
"I love you Jack Mercer, don't you forget that." She told him. She could feel chuckle.
"I love you too Bryant Mercer and I will never forget that."
She let go of him with a smile. "I'll see you later."
"See you later." He waved bye to her before she disappeared into the hallway.
"You ready?" Elijah asked. He was still waiting on the porch.
"Yeah, if you are?"
"Yeah, you got everything you need?"
"Yeah, I think."
"Ok, well say goodbye and I will meet you outside in the car ok."
She nodded her head before turning to Bobby. "Thank you for trusting him. It really means a lot."
"You told me I could, so I am taking your word for it."
"You can." She gently replied. "He is an amazing person if you get to know him."
"You better go. I better see your ass tomorrow or I swear I will come and find you myself."
"Just don't kill anyone tomorrow ok." She winked. "Especially our brother."
"I'll try not too." He smiled back.
She turned away from him and walked outside. It was eleven o'clock at night, nine hours until her life would change forever.
The ride to the hotel was silent. Mostly because Bryant was tired, but also because she was nervous. She was going to be in the same room with Kade for more than thirty minutes. She was actually going to be sleeping in the same room as him.
"What are you thinking about?" Elijah had broken her thoughts.
"I don't know, I guess how weird this is."
"Weird?"
"Yeah, I just feel like my life is actually starting to go the way I wanted it to."
"That a good thing?"
"Yeah, I think so."
Elijah smiled before putting the car in park. "Well, I'm glad I can be apart of that."
"Me too." She replied smiling. "How do you think Kade is going to take me staying here tonight?"
"I don't know. It wasn't up to him."
She smiled again. "And you know I wanted you to stay longer than a day."
She began to laugh. "Do you actually think Bobby was going to let me stay any more than a day? I had to tell him something that he would have believed."
Elijah began to laugh. "I guess you are right."
"But I do need to get back tomorrow morning. I just want to make sure that my brother is still alive and everything is ok."
"No problem. We will have you back by the morning."
"Ok, good."
"Come on lets go inside. I'm sure it's going to be a big surprise that you are staying and I want to get it over with so I can go to sleep."
"Yeah, you and me both."
Elijah hurried around the other side of the car and helped Bryant out before grabbing her bag from the back.
"This is going to be fun." She replied looking up at the hotel.
"Are you being sarcastic?"
Bryant laughed as she turned back to him. "Not really, sort of, the sarcastic part was seeing Kade."
"Oh, well yes, then it will be fun indeed." He put his arm around her shoulder as they began to walk to the door of the hotel. "You ready for this?" Elijah asked looking down.
"I guess so, can't turn back now." Bryant gave a little smile.
"It'll be ok." He opened the door.
"E, dude where the hell have you been? We have been waiting for hours for your ass to get back. I've been bored as hell." Kade yelled from inside.
Elijah laughed. "Had some things I needed to take care of."
"Well can you hurry your ass up, we are starving." Kade appeared in the room.
"Yeah, sure." Elijah looked over at Bryant who just stood at the door. Kade looked up and saw Bryant staring at him.
"What's going on?" Kade asked.
"Bryant is going to be staying with us for a couple of days. Her brothers have some business they need to handle with their mom and she doesn't need to be involved. So I told them she could stay with us."
Kade nodded his head. "You hungry?"
"It's eleven thirty at night." Bryant answered.
"Yeah, so." Kade smiled. She missed that smile. "You know I never sleep."
"I think that's your problem." She replied walking slowly into the room.
"You think I have a problem?"
"We all think you have a problem." Elijah's head stuck out of the bathroom.
"Hey Kade, man, they don't have good drinks downstairs." Skylar's voice sounded from behind Bryant, which caused her to jump.
"Its ok, we are going out." Kade replied.
Skylar looked up and saw Bryant standing in front of him. "Oh sorry. Didn't see you standing there." He replied with a smile.
She couldn't help but smile back. "Its ok." She whispered.
Kade looked up at his baby brother and sister watching the interactions going on. "Hey!" he yelled. "You want to come help me clean this place up. Bryant is going to be staying with us for a little while. So you can be a slob anymore."
Bryant laughed. "Sure." Skylar sounded annoyed. He moved past her without taking his eyes off of her. She couldn't help but laugh again.
"You guys like it here so far?" Bryant asked moving over to the bed to sit down.
"Hell no!" Kade yelled. "What is there to do here?"
"Absolutely nothing." Bryant laughed. "You can play out in the snow, if you like the snow and all."
"I hate the freakin snow." Elijah replied sticking his head out. He was brushing his teeth. "That's one thing I don't miss about West Virginia. Then I get here and there's snow everywhere."
"Well it is winter time." She replied.
"You going to school?" Kade asked.
"Yeah, I've been out since my mom died. The school told Bobby that I didn't have to come back until December. So I took that as an opportunity to sit on my ass."
"Yeah, well you better stay in school." Kade threatened her. "Your ass is going to be taking care of me when I get old."
"Yeah right." She replied with a smile. She looked down at her hands as things begin to get silent.
"Hey, Eli, how about you and Sky go pick up something to eat and bring it back here." Kade requested.
"Do what?" Elijah came into the room with a surprised look on his face. "Dude its midnight. Where would you like me to go get us something to eat?"
"I hop or something, damn." Kade was getting annoyed. "Will you just go?"
"Hey, I don't care about eating anymore. I am tired as hell." Skylar replied.
"Watch your mouth!" Kade pointed his finger at his baby brother.
Skylar lifted his hands in the air as if he had surrendered. "Okay, okay."
"Listen, I know you want to talk. If you want, we can go to the pool or something, let them go to sleep." Bryant replied.
Kade looked over at Elijah who just nodded his head him.
"Ok, let me grab my coat. I'll meet you down there." Kade told her.
"Okay." She got off the bed and looked over at Skylar who was staring at her.
"Quit staring!" Kade told him smacking him in the back of the head. Bryant started laughing as she closed the door behind her.
"Dude, she is gorgeous." Skylar replied just as she shut the door.
"Don't you dare think about it." Kade told him.
"Come Kade, are you serious?"
"Yes, she is basically your little sister."
"We are the same age."
"Shut up and go to bed. I'll be back later on."
Kade shut the door behind him and prepared himself for the conversation he was about to have with Bryant.
"You like keeping a girl waiting in the cold for a long time?" Bryant was sitting under an umbrella.
"Sorry, I was taking care of some things with Skylar."
"He has grown up so much."
"Yeah, that's what he said about you."
"Gosh, its so weird seeing you guys."
"Why's that?" he asked sitting down next to her.
"It seems like it has been forever, but I feel like we haven't even separated. I'll admit I still had some bitterness towards you and Elijah because I always felt that you could have tried harder to keep me from leaving that night. I was thinking about the other night, if what happened to me didn't really happen, then I wouldn't be here in Detroit with the most amazing family. I know that you think that I don't love you anymore because I am with them, but I do. You will always be my big brother and I will always love you and I just want you to know that. You have been there for me through times when I thought I wouldn't make it, through times I wished at the time I didn't make it. You were my best friend through times I wished you really were my brother. I remember when I was little that I wanted to marry you when I grew up." She smiled as tears fell down her cheeks. "I don't want you to think that I blame you for me getting taken away. It was my fathers fault because he hit me all the time."
"My whole life I wanted a little sister to take care of. I didn't know that when I was just seventeen years old, I would get a whole lot more than I bargained for, but I wouldn't change it for the world. You became my life and I didn't want that to change at all. When it did, I didn't know what to do. I looked for you for a year and a half, then they told me it was too late. You had found a family in Detroit. I thought maybe you were happy, so I let it go. There was not a day that went by that I didn't think about you though. I want you to know that, I thought about you all the time wishing you were back with us."
"I thought about you all the time as well. I thought about you everyday, but we are together now for a reason. I don't want to lose this time by fighting about the past that we can't change."
"I agree."
"I want to spend time with you and catch up on old times. I don't want to lose you again."
"You won't lose me."
"Good, because I don't know how much my heart will take if I lost you again."
"I'm glad that you are here with us now. I promise that we will catch up on old times now that you will be staying with us."
"That sounds great." She smiled at him.
"Do you still sing?" he asked.
She looked down at her hands. "Not really."
"Why not? You had such a beautiful voice."
"I don't know, I guess I just stopped one day. I still write lyrics, but I just never get to that point where I write the music and sing them."
"What changed?"
"Life."
"What do you mean?"
She looked up at him. "You don't want to know."
"Why not?"
"You know what happened with Elijah's mom?"
"When?"
"When he was conceived?"
"He told you about that?"
"Yeah, its long story and it has nothing to do with what I am about to tell you. It's going to make you angry. It's going to make you want to kill someone."
"Okay you aren't making any sense right now."
"I was fifteen years old and I felt like it was time that I did things on my own, without my brothers beside me. It was my first party and this gorgeous guy had asked me to go with him. We went without Bobby knowing, I knew that he would kill me if he knew I had gone so I make Jack promise that he wouldn't say anything. I met up with the guy and we started making out. We both got really drunk really fast and things just started going out of control. He took me upstairs and basically raped me."
"What do you mean basically?"
"I wasn't in my right mind. My mind was screaming at me to stop, but he told me that my best friend was up there and that I could go get her and we could go home. He took me in a room. I started to feel dizzy so he laid me down on the bed. I kept screaming no the whole time and I kept feeling my side vibrate, but I couldn't move."
Kade got up from the table. "You can't do anything about it now Kade."
"Why the hell not?"
"Because Bobby killed him."
Kade's head shot towards her. "He had taken off after everything and was walking along side the road. When I found him, he was standing on the bridge. Out of no where a car came flying past me and ran straight into him. He fell off the bridge and into the river."
Kade rushed over to her and embraced her in his arms. "That was the day I ever thought about singing."
"What does this have to do with you singing?"
"We met a talent show at school. We had to sing a duet together for chorus. That was when he asked me to go the party with him. You have to understand I was fifteen and he was the hottest guy at school. I never though he was that type of person."
"Oh sweetheart I am so sorry." He embraced her again and began rubbing her back.
"It's in the past now and I am come to terms with it."
"I don't think you should give up that beautiful voice."
"I haven't sung in two years."
Kade smiled at her. "What?" Bryant eyed him.
"Now's a good time as any to begin again."
Bryant laughed. "I don't think so."
"Come on, I have my guitar in the room. Let me go get it. I bet your music in your bag."
"Kade…"
"Please." He begged. "Do this for me. You shouldn't give up something you love. This was your way of letting go when you were little. You use to sing your little heart out all the time."
She smiled at him. "Just this one time." She finally gave it. "But don't you tell anyone about this or I will kill you."
"I won't. I'll be right back."
"Hurry up its cold." She wrapped her arms around her body as she watched him take off running towards the hotel room. She couldn't help but laugh as she remembered times together. She let her mind wonder to Jack. How she missed him. She reached into her jacket pocket and got out of her cell phone. She began dialing his number.
"Hey, I was wondering when you were going to call me." Jack answered.
"I'm sorry, I am outside talking with Kade. I was just thinking about you."
"I was thinking about you too. Are you ok?"
"Yeah, I'm ok. We are just talking about some things. He went inside to get his guitar."
"Why?"
"He wants me to sing."
"Are you serious?"
"Yeah."
"Are you going to do it?"
"I was thinking about it, maybe it will be ok. It's how I cope with things you know. I express my feelings more this way."
"Yeah, that's what music does for me. You let everything go in the lyrics and just playing makes you feel better."
"I miss you already."
"We'll see each other tomorrow."
"I know. Hey I found something the other day that you guys left me alone." She giggled. "Ma had a picture made of all of us on her birthday two years ago. We were all together in one room and she took a picture. She put in a frame and forgot to put it out. Will you put it out tomorrow for me? It's on her dresser and I had meant to put it on the TV stand."
"Yeah sure. I'll put it out right now."
"Thanks. Well Kade is coming back, I just wanted to call and tell you goodnight and that I love you."
"I love you too."
"I'll see you tomorrow."
"Sing your heart out."
Click.
He had hung up. A chill came over Bryant making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She shivered as Kade approached.
"You alright?"
"I just got this really bad feeling in the pit of my stomach."
"You ok?"
"I don't know, it just feels like something isn't right."
"Are you that scared of singing?" Kade laughed.
"No I don't think it's that."
"Listen, you are going to be fine. I found your song book, don't worry I didn't read any of it. You pick a song, give it to me and I will play will you sing."
Bryant looked up at him before nodding her head. "I guess."
"Okay, go ahead pick one."
She began looking through her song book and found the perfect song. She ripped it out of the book and handed it to Kade.
"Okay, whenever you are ready."
She took a deep breath before nodding her head again.
You walked with me
Footprints in the sand
And helped me understand
Where I'm going
You walked with me
When I was all alone
With so much I no along the way
Then I heard you say
I promise you
I'm always there
When your heart is filled with sorrow and despair
I'll carry you
When you need a friend
You'll find my footprints in the sand
Kade looked over at Bryant who had closed her eyes. His mind went back to when she was twelve at the talent show at her school. She sounded so beautiful, all the hurt of her past was coming out in her voice. It was coming out in her voice now.
I see my life
Flash across the sky
So many times have I
Been so afraid ooh
And just when I
Have thought I've lost my way
You give me strength to carry on
That's when I heard you say
I promise you
I'm always there
When your heart is filled with sorrow and despair
I'll carry you
When you need a friend
You'll find my footprints in the sand
When I'm weary
Well I no you'll be there
And I can feel you
When you say
I promise you
I'm always there
When your heart is full of sadness and despair
I'll carry you
When you need a friend
You'll find my footprints in the sand
Kade looked up at Bryant as she had finished singing. Her eyes were still closed. He gently laid his guitar down and continued to stare. After a few moments she opened her eyes as tears streamed down her cheeks.
"You wrote that?" Kade whispered.
"Yeah, did you like it?"
"It was beautiful."
"Thanks." She whispered shyly.
"You see how that helps. You don't need to shut that inside anymore. You express how you feel through music. It's a good coping mechanism."
"Thank you Dr. Sanders." Bryant replied sarcastically.
"You know how to ruin a good moment." He replied with a smile.
"Thanks for this Kade. I really needed it."
"I know that, that's why I suggested it."
"Right." She got up from the table. "Its getting late and I am really tired."
"Yeah, you should probably go to bed. We will pick up tomorrow afternoon."
"Yeah, that was definitely a one time thing."
"I don't think so." He put his arm around her shoulder walking her to the hotel room.
She laughed. "I can't wait to spend more time with you guys. I am so happy you decided to come."
"I am too."
They arrived at the door. "Goodnight Kade, I'll see you in the morning."
"Goodnight." He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead before opening the door. Elijah was pasted out on the couch and Skylar was asleep in the bed. Bryant grabbed her bag and went to the bathroom to change into her pajamas.
"Elijah, hey wake up." Kade shoved his friend. "Go get in bed. You can sleep with Skylar. I am going to sleep on the couch and let Bryant have the bed."
"Okay dude, whatever." Elijah groaned rolling over on his side.
"That means get your ass up and in the bed." Kade replied loudly.
Bryant laughed from the door. "Let him sleep there if he isn't going to get up."
"You need to get in the bed and shut up. Its way past your bed time."
Bryant laughed climbing into the bed beside the door. She smiled at him before shutting the light off next to her. She heard him get in the bed next to her. She couldn't believe she had finally gotten her family back. She just prayed that everything was ok back at home. She never missed home more, but she knew it was for the best that she was there with Kade. She knew he would protect her with his life, what she didn't know was this might be the last time one of her brothers would protect her. She closed her eyes not knowing what the following day was going to hold for her. She didn't seem to notice as the snow began to fall outside, causing the temperature to drop, things begin to freeze over…again.
Author: Ok, so the song is by Leona Lewis 'Footprints in the Sand." It is one of my favorite songs and it is so pretty. So let me know what you think. The next chapter is what you guys have been waiting for, I wonder who I am going to let live and who I am going to let die…hmmm. You'll have to wait and see! REVIEW!