New chapter, who's excited? No one? Fantastic, LOL.

Enjoy!

Angel sat back and sighed, a smile on his face as he watched Evy and Jake fooling around at the end of the table. Jake had taken to his new cousin with something bordering on religious zeal. Inside, Angel marvelled at the fact that a girl who had been through so much was still capable of the gentle happiness of being around a loving family. It was astounding that she even had the ability to love anyone anymore.

"Whatcha thinking about, baby?" Sofi asked, reaching over to hold his hand as Bobby got up and started clearing off the table.

"Nothin' really," Angel replied. "It's just nice to see her smiling."

Sofi smiled down at her son and niece. "Her smile is just like his," she ventured gently, a sad edge to her voice. "It must be hard for you," she added, her eyes looking deep into his, her face understanding.

Angel drew a quavering breath. "It feels like he's suddenly here again," he muttered, looking away from them as his eyes filled with tears. Blinking furiously, he continued, "I thought we'd lost him forever, but now Evy's here and it's like he was never gone. She brought him back somehow."

Sofi squeezed her husbands hand and got up. "Alright you two," she said, gathering up the dishes. "Finish your food. Jake you've still got homework and we don't want to tire out Evy. Tomorrow's going to be busy and I want all your homework done."

"Aw, Mama," Jake said, turning his liquid brown eyes up to her, his face pleading. "I have all Sunday to finish it. It's Friday and I only have a little bit, can't I wait and do it later?"

Sofi fought back a smile. Jake had lighter skin than Angel and was short like her, but he was thick-set and his face was a thinner version of his father's. It was always hard to make him do as he was told when Jake turned those big puppy-dog eyes on her. Sighing, Sofi forced herself to ignore it this time. Even though Evy was obviously enjoying herself, the girl's eyes still looked bruised and her skin was pale. She needed to wind down a little and rest.

"Not this time, baby," Sofi said, batting her son lightly on the head. "Finish up and go do your homework. Evy, why don't you go watch some TV and relax?"

Evy smiled. "Thanks Aunt Sofi," she said. "But I never got into TV. I'm more of a reader."

"Really?" Bobby said as he came back into the dining room. Somehow he hadn't expected that.

"Yeah. I love fantasy books and poetry," she said, her eyes lighting up the same way that Jack's had when he talked about music. "That's one thing I regret about coming here," she added wistfully. "I had another bag that was full of my favorite books that I lost somewhere along the way."

"If you make a list, I could go get copies for you," Sofi offered. "There's a second-hand bookstore a few blocks from here, I'm sure I could find them."

Evy smiled so widely that Angel was shocked. It was probably the most openly innocent smile he'd ever seen on her face. "Would you really?" she asked, hardly daring to hope that things could be this good.

"Of course, baby," Sofi answered with a smile before she went into the kitchen to start the dishes. Once she was away from them, Sofi felt tears start to fall. Evy's happy voice echoed through the house as she joked with Jake about his homework. This girl was so happy over something so stupid. Second hand books. She'd come here with nothing, running away from God-knows-what and she had almost passed out from the joy of getting her book collection replaced.

Angel came up behind his wife and wrapped his strong arms around her waist. "It's so awful, Angel," Sofi whispered. "I feel guilty when I make her that happy. I'm afraid that I'll mess it up and hurt her somehow."

"I know, babe," Angel whispered, his breath tickling her ear. "I feel the same way."

- - - -

Bobby and Evy sat in the living room, the only sound coming from the hockey game on TV and papers rustling as Jake did his homework in the dining room. Evy was curled up in a chair by the fireplace, her face buried in a book of poetry that she'd found on the bookshelves. Bobby looked over at his niece, considering her as she read.

New clothes and a few square meals had done a lot for Evy. Bobby had almost laughed at the choices she'd made at the mall that day. She wore the same styles that Jack did, the punk-rocker stuff that Bobby had always teased him about. The long-sleeve flannel shirt she wore was black with little white skulls covering it and tight black jeans had shown that even though she was thin, the girl was obviously athletic. The muscles that showed through the tight fabrics confirmed that she was no lazy homebody or strung out crack addict. When Bobby had asked her, Evy had admitted modestly that she played soccer and hockey, and was fantastic at both.

Jake surely thinks so at least, Bobby thought, chuckling to himself. The two kids had played one-on-one in the street and Evy had whipped Jake's ass. Bobby had never seen anyone play like she did. Evy was fast and cunning and always seemed to be three steps ahead of any move that Jake had come up with. He couldn't even win when he started to play dirty. Bobby thought he might convince her to join him, Angel, and Jerry in a pick-up game sometime. She might be good enough to offset the advantage of experience with the other guys in the neighbourhood.

As if sensing her uncle's eyes, Evy looked up and smiled. "Something wrong?" she asked.

"Nope," Bobby replied easily. "Just thinking. Watching you play hockey today, I think you might be good enough to come with me when I head out for a pick-up game. You play like you were made for it. I've never seen hockey played like you do it."

Evy shrugged. "I never got the chance to play much ice hockey," she told him. "I played roller hockey in California. There was never enough ice to play on in the places where I lived."

Bobby laughed. "Maybe that's the difference," he said. "You have to learn different technique with roller hockey."

"Done!" Jake cried gleefully from the dining room, slamming his binder shut. "I hate school," he added as he dropped onto the rug in front of the TV. "So fucking boring."

"Watch your mouth," Sofi said, coming into the living room. "Just wanted to say goodnight. Evy, everyone's coming over around one, what time would you like me to get you up so you have time to get ready?"

Evy watched Sofi and Angel kiss their son, but she couldn't answer. Her heart ached for her father. She wished that he could be in this room right now, kissing her goodnight the way that his brothers kissed their children.

"Evy?" Sofi said, frowning in worry.

"I'm fine, just tired," Evy said quickly, forcing herself to smile. "Ten o'clock should be okay."

"Great, I'll get you up then." Evy stared in shock as Sofi bent down and kissed her forehead. "Night, love," she said with a smile.

Angel hugged Evy and tousled her hair. "Sleep well, kid," he said.

Evy stared at them as they went to bed. Bobby's heart caught at the look on her face. He wondered if she'd received her last kind goodnight before her mother died ten years ago.

"You okay, Evy?" Jake asked, his face creased with worry for his cousin.

She forced another smile. "Yeah, fine," she lied. "I think I'll go to bed." Bobby glanced at the clock, surprised to see that it was nearly eleven.

"You should go to be too, Jakey," Bobby said, turning off the TV and hauling his body up, trying to ignore the cracking joints that told him how old he was.

"Aw, Uncle Bobby," Jake said, his tone innocent and wheedling.

"Don't you 'Uncle Bobby' me, boy," Bobby said, stepping around the coffee table. "It's time for bed and if you don't go right now, I'll have to use force."

"Oh yeah?" Jake challenged.

Evy stifled a laugh as she watched them. Jake was purposely bating Bobby into a game they probably played daily. Sure enough, Bobby pounced suddenly on the boy and started tickling his ribs, filling the living room with happy shrieks of laughter.

Standing there watching her family (her family, God what a thought), Evy felt lighter suddenly. It was the right thing to do, coming here. In a way, her father was still here. She'd been given Jack's old room and so many of his things were still in there. She'd found his guitar in the closet, the same one he'd played for her so many times. His clothes still hung in the closet, that scent of leather and spices still lingering after so many years.

Home, Evy thought as she looked around. After ten years of hell, she was finally home.

The phone rang suddenly, cutting through the laughter like a knife. Evy stared at it, trying to force down the panic that was rising in her throat. It wouldn't be him, he couldn't know that she was here, there was no way.

Bobby frowned as he got up and grabbed the phone. "Yeah?" he rumbled. Evy watched his face become impassive even though the skin tightened angrily around his eyes. "Oh yeah?" Bobby demanded suddenly. "What makes you think that?" Bobby's face was now contorted in rage. "I don't see why the fuck she'd come here, I don't even believe my brother had a kid. So here's what we'll do, you never fucking call my house again or I'll find you and beat your motherfuckin' ass, how's that?"

After a few minutes of silence where Evy could hear a man yelling on the other end of the line, Bobby spoke. "You and what fucking army? Don't call me again. If some punk kid turned up at my house I don't give a damn if she's the next coming, I wouldn't take her in, so find her on your own."

Bobby slammed the phone down and turned to look at Evy. She was holding on to the chair she'd been sitting in, looking like she might faint. "Jake, bed. Now," Bobby said flatly. The boy didn't need telling twice, in a flash he was up the stairs and his door was closing.

"So," Bobby said deliberately to Evy. "Wanna tell me why Kevin Brown is so eager to find you?"

Evy shook her head, her eyes wide with fear. "He won't really come here," she managed to say. "He's all talk, but he hasn't got the stones or the money to come out here and find you."

"What I wanna know is how he got this number," Bobby growled.

"He didn't get it from me if that's what you're saying," Evy flared at once. "He had a friend who lived in Lansing, but he moved out to Fresno years ago. Maybe he was able to get it. How hard could it have been, he was Union and probably got it from someone who knew Jerry. It's not my fault!" she shouted at Bobby, fear still fresh and deep in her eyes.

"Are you sure he won't come here?" Bobby demanded after a minute.

"Yes," Evy snapped, ignoring the terror in her heart. "Now I'm going to bed. Good night, Bobby."

She swept passed him, trying to mask fear with anger. Bobby stood there for a moment, but he moved when he heard Evy's feet hit the stairs. "Evy," he called. She paused, but she didn't look at him. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I'm just so worried about hurting anyone, even you."

Evy snickered; the sound was like a whip to Bobby. "If that's how you care about people, then I'm a little worried," she replied sharply.

Bobby flinched slightly. "I loved my brother very much, Evy," he said, his voice barely a whisper in the still air. "I died along with him that day and the guilt I feel is bigger than anything. Having you here is very hard for us. You're a living reminder of the brother we lost." Bobby took a deep breath, wondering how to say it. Jerry was the one good with words, Bobby had never felt more stupid in his life.

"Sometimes things won't come out right," he said finally. "I want to protect you, but I want to protect everyone else too. I can't protect me if you lie to me or keep things from me, Evy. Do you understand?"

Evy was still, Bobby wondered if she was even listening. "I understand," she said finally. Her voice was drained and flat. When she turned to look down at him, her eyes were glassy and her face expressionless. "It's just hard for me to believe that you'll help me. I'm just waiting for you to make me leave."

Bobby smiled up at her. "My mom had a saying," he said. "She told it to all of us when she adopted us. 'Sometimes you're born to people, but a family finds you along the way.' We are your family, Evy, and that will never change."

Evy's control crumbled. Tears spilled over and she sobbed once before she managed to master herself again. "How far away is never?" she asked. When Bobby didn't answer, the girl ran up the stairs and shut the door.

Bobby wished more than anything that he could answer her, tell her that "never" would never come for them. Walking back into the living room, Bobby continued into the dining room where he stared at the pictures that hung on the wall. Before it had only been four portraits, one of each of Evelyn's boys, now there were others. Sofi was there, along with Jake, Daniela, Amelia, Camille and Evelyn herself. They'd have to get one of Evy soon: she should be up there with the rest of the family.

Bobby stared at Jack's picture, empty sadness filling his heart. The brother in that picture would never die, would never age, would never be hurt again. Oh, little brother, Bobby thought helplessly. How far away is never?

Come on, you know you wanna . . . . review cause this is the best story ever!

Please review!

Oh, and I must share the good news with people who actually might care. I have officially written 90 poems and stories on my fictionpress account. YAY!! If you ever get bored of fanfiction and feel the morbid urge to read highly depressing poetry, nip over to fictionpress .com and read my stuff. I've got the same name there, so you can just search for me.