This chapter is longer than any of the others, but I hope it doesn't bore you guys too much.

Thanks for all the reviews; it's so nice to know that people like this story. Between you an me, the rest of my fanfiction is total shit, so it's nice to know that I can write something worth reading on this site :)

To Iris Knotwise- If only I had the power to promise Garrett covered in whipped cream in return for reviews. Alas, I am but a nobody. Still, one day when I'm a director, I'll do a movie where he has to do a scene like that . . . :::evil laugh:::

Disclaimer: Four Brothers is not my property because I am not a money-grubbing studio who wants to scrape up every penny possible.

Enjoy!

Evy sighed and turned back to the closet, going over her wardrobe for the millionth time in the last hour. It was almost noon and she still had no idea what she was going to wear.

This is so stupid, she thought, gritting her teeth in frustration. This is a family dinner, not a fucking ball.

Yes, a family dinner. Evy was of two minds about that. Last night, after she had made sure that Bobby and the others were asleep, she'd gone down to the dining room and stared moodily at the portraits on the wall. Her family, ranged out there for her to see, but they were still strangers. She was so happy at the thought of having a family, at being able to finally call people "Aunt" and "Uncle" and "cousin", but she was so sad at the thought.

She hadn't been able to tear her eyes from her dad's picture for nearly an hour. She'd memorized his face and she could call it into her memory at a moments notice, but seeing him there, frozen in time hurt more than any memory. That wasn't her Jack Mercer in the picture. That was the Jack Mercer that Bobby, Angel, and Jerry had teased, that Evelyn had saved . . . that her mother had loved. Evy's Jack was never frozen: he was always moving, laughing, playing his guitar and singing. Her Jack was alive, more alive than anyone she'd ever met.

But her Jack wasn't here anymore, he'd never be here again. Daddy, Evy had thought longingly, running her fingers over the cold glass, tracing her father's young face. His last gift had been this family, this place where she was right then. Even though he had never intended for Evy to miss so much time with them, she knew that Jack would have wanted her here.

This is my family, Evy told herself sternly. I don't have to put on a show for them, I just have to be me.

Reaching down, she grabbed a pair of jeans and a long-sleeve black shirt with red flames decorating the cuffs and neck. After she got dressed, Evy considered herself in the mirror. Grabbing some scissors, she cut holes at the top of the sleeves so that her shoulders showed through and then added thumbholes in the cuffs so that there was no danger of her sleeves riding up and revealing the bruises. A studded belt and spiked bracelet finished her outfit.

Evy hurried to the bathroom, pausing to tickle Jake as he ran downstairs to play hockey with his friends. She part her hair and swept a chunk of it across her forehead so that it covered the cut and bruise over her left eye. Neither of them was very noticeable, but Evy would rather be safe than sorry. A little black eyeliner and some mascara finished her make up.

The finally result was perfect. Evy had always tried to look nice when she was going someplace, but she prided herself in the fact that it didn't take much to make her look pretty. She had to have gotten that from Jack. Every picture she'd seen of him had just reinforced how handsome he'd been. Besides that, her mother, Grace, had been utterly helpless without a lot of make up and the perfect clothes. Evy smiled softly at the thought of her parents. Grace had loved Jack so much that she'd never given up hope that he'd come back. She'd died still waiting. Jack had loved Grace, but he had never been in love with her. Looking back now, Evy could tell that she was the real reason that he had stayed. He loved her far more than he had ever loved her mother.

"You were the promise I get to make to the world," he told her once. "Because of you, I'll be able to leave something wonderful behind, someone who has the power to make things better."

And then he'd died, along with every promise he'd ever made to her. Evy forced herself not to cry, gulping and blinking her eyes so quickly that she got dizzy. Turning around, Evy locked the bathroom door and went to the medicine cabinet. She rifled through it until she found the razorblade she'd hidden there. Without another thought, she rolled up her sleeve and sliced three deep cuts across her wrist. She grabbed a washcloth and shoved it under her sleeve to keep the blood from running down her hand or wetting her sleeve.

Opening the door, she slammed right into Bobby. "Sorry," she said quickly, putting her hand behind her back so he wouldn't see the thick bump of fabric.

"You okay?" Bobby asked with a frown.

"Yeah," she said, forcing herself to smile. "Just fine."

Jake bounded up the stairs behind them. "Hey Evy, the guys wondered-" his voice trailed off and Evy could tell that she'd be caught. "What happened to your arm?" he asked.

She stepped back, but not quick enough. Bobby grabbed her arm and pulled her closer. "Let me see," he said quietly.

"No," she said, trying to pull away.

"What's going on?" Angel asked, coming out of his and Sofi's bedroom.

"She won't let me see her arm," Bobby said.

Angel turned to Jake. "Go see if your mother needs any help." Jake sent a worried glance at Evy, but hurried downstairs anyway.

Bobby pushed Evy into her bedroom and Angel pulled the door shut after him. Evy held her wrist, panic fluttering in her throat. The room was suddenly too small, the men in it far too big. These were her uncles, they weren't going to hurt her, she was safe. Evy repeated that over and over in her mind, but panic was rising anyway, along with the need to run, to hide, to be anywhere but right there.

"Evy." Bobby's voice was gentle, soft and suddenly far too much like her dad's. Evy felt the tears start to fall and she dropped to the floor, her legs suddenly weak.

They knelt down in front of her and Angel gently took her arm. Rolling back the sleeve, Angel handed Bobby the washcloth and looked at the cuts. "I couldn't stop myself," she whispered in shame. What would Jack have thought if he had seen this? Would the same disappointment that filled her uncles' eyes fill his?

"It's okay," Bobby told her quietly. "We understand. I'll go get some bandages." He smiled and tilted her tear-stained face up. "We'll fix it baby, we'll make it okay."

Evy smiled at Bobby as he left the room. Angel held the cloth over the cuts, his big fingers massaging them softly through the fabric. "I'm sorry," Evy said softly. "I never meant for Jake to see anything like this."

Angel shook his head. "Jake doesn't know what happened," he told her. "And if he did find out, he'd understand. His mom made real sure that he was an understanding person. He'd be more worried about helping you so that you didn't have to do this anymore."

Evy nodded as Bobby came back with a roll of white gauze and some medical tape. After they'd wrapped up her arm, Evy pulled the sleeve down, giving a small sigh of relief that it didn't show.

"C'mon," Bobby said, getting to his feet and holding out a hand to help Evy. "We'll let you fix your make up. We'll all be downstairs when you're ready."

Evy nodded and looked away as they walked out the door. She could feel that someone else was there and she looked up. Angel was standing in the door, watching her. His eyes were sad, but a small smile ran across his face. "You're eyes are just like his," he whispered. "They always seemed somehow more beautiful after he cried."

Evy fought back more tears as Angel walked away and closed the door. She'd already fucked this up, she might have tainted Jake by showing him how screwed up she really was. Evy would never forgive herself if she took away any of the innocence her cousin still had.

She sat on the bed, rocking herself gently as she gained control over her emotion. After she had stopped her tears, she stood up and went to the door. She paused, her hand on the doorknob, and frowned into the room. Even though Angel was gone and she had been alone, she still felt like someone else was there.

- - - -

Jerry leaned against the bathroom counter, staring blankly at the mirror in front of him. It wasn't his own reflection he saw there, but Jack's. His mind played a memory, the night that Evelyn had sat them all down and told them that she'd decided to adopt Jack. They'd been so happy and Jack had been shocked by how glad they all were. He had always felt like he was nothing, just a burden on Evelyn and the others. Jack had once told Jerry that he felt like he was one big problem that sucked the life from everyone around him.

"Jerry?" Camille came into the bathroom and wrapped her arms around his waist. Jerry stood straight and turned around so that he could hug his wife to his chest. "This is really hard for you, isn't it?" she whispered to him.

Jerry swallowed hard. "I keep hearing him that day," he choked. "Every time she looks at me, I can see the pain in his eyes before he died."

"Baby, she doesn't want anything from any of you," Camille said firmly. "She didn't come here for apologies or excuses, she came here because we're her family and she had nowhere else to go." Taking his face in her hands, Camille kissed Jerry softly. "Don't confuse the dead with the living, Jerry. She's here now, she's alive now, Jack isn't. Concentrate on Evy because she's your niece and you can help her, not because you feel like you killed Jack just as much as Victor Sweet did."

Jerry nodded and hugged his wife. "It's just so hard to find out that she was alive all this time," he told her. "We didn't help her, didn't love her, didn't even consider looking for Jack's friends to tell them. We could have saved her thirteen years of hell if we'd just looked."

"No one can save everyone, Jerry," Camille whispered. "Not even Evelyn Mercer."

- - - -

"What's she like, Dad?" Amelia asked excitedly from the backseat.

Jerry smiled. "I told you, honey, she's nice. She's a lot like her father. I think you'll both like her."

"Come on Dad, give me more than that," Amelia whined. "Is she sporty? Preppy? Punk? Gothic? Druggie? Come on, give her a title."

Jerry sighed. "Honey, she wears the same punk sort of style as Jack, she's fantastic at hockey, and she likes to read fantasy and poetry, what clique does that make her?"

"Weirdo," Daniela said sagely.

"Shut up, I think she sounds cool," Amelia flared at her sister.

Daniela rolled her eyes and buried her nose in the Chemistry book on her lap. Amelia stared out the window, tapping her foot on the floor. Jerry grinned again as he glanced at her in the rear view mirror. Amelia was a real live wire. She was always moving, always doing something. She'd taken to hockey with a zeal that had made Bobby almost breathless with happiness. She and Jake used to play together until school had taken up too much of Amelia's free time. Deep down, Jerry hoped that she and Evy would become good friends because he knew that Daniela wasn't going to want to become close with her new cousin.

Daniela was everything that Amelia wasn't. She was poised, quiet, even-tempered, and so intelligent that she could outthink teachers. Jerry loved both his daughters, but when it came down to it, he preferred spending time with Amelia. Daniela was stuck-up and far too girly to enjoy the sort of romping fun that Jerry had always encouraged with his kids. Not that Daniela was boring, because they'd had many interesting debates over the years, she just wasn't as much fun as Amelia.

"Shit!" Jerry shouted as he turned onto the street where Bobby and the others lived. A black blur had just shot across the street, tossing a tall boy easily out of its way before spinning around and sending a punk careening into a trashcan a hundred yards away. Rolling down the window, Jerry shouted, "Watch where the hell you're going!" The person turned to face him, and he saw Evy's grinning face under the untidy mass of sandy hair that she'd inherited from her father. She and Jake hurried across the snow-covered lawn as Jerry pulled into the driveway.

"I could've killed you," Jerry fumed at the girl.

She just grinned wider. "I saw you coming," she said. "Besides, I'm still breathing, you only lost about two years off your life, so what're you bitching about?"

Amelia burst out laughing as she climbed out of the car. "She's got a point, Dad," the girl chuckled, brushing a stray strand of bushy hair behind her ear. "I'm Amelia, nice to meet you," she said to Evy, holding out her hand.

Evy looked down at Amelia's hand, and then threw her arms around her cousin. "It's nice to meet you too," she said as Amelia hugged her back.

"Hi Evy, honey." Evy looked up as a short black woman came around the car. This had to be Jerry's wife. "I'm your Auntie Camille." Evy hugged her as well, smiling.

"And this is my oldest, Daniela," Jerry said, putting his hand on Daniela's shoulder.

Evy and Daniela sized each other up and it couldn't have been clearer that they didn't think much of each other. Daniela in a pink skirt, sweater, and matching pink Uggs was a total opposite to Evy in head to toe black. "Nice to meet you," Evy said finally.

Daniela gave a small smile. "Pleasure indeed," she said, before turning to walk into the house.

Jerry braced himself for the sad comment that he was sure would come. Evy would probably be hurt that her cousin had been so short with her. He looked at the girl and felt shock well up as she surprised him again.

Evy looked at Amelia with a wicked smile. "I'll bet she's a real drag," Evy said, jerking her head toward the house.

"You have no idea," Amelia replied.

"Wanna play some hockey while we wait for the food to get ready?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

Jerry and Camille watched the two of them rush back to the street and grab sticks. When the play started, it couldn't have been more obvious that the two girls were made to play together. They turned away and went inside.

Bobby was sitting on the couch reading the paper while Angel sharpened his skates by the fireplace. Daniela was in the kitchen talking to Sofi, her voice rising in excitement about something. Camille said hello to the boys before going to join Sofi and Daniela. Jerry sat on the couch next to Bobby and stared at his brother until he folded the paper and put it down.

"She looks good," Jerry started.

"That she does," Bobby replied. "We took her shopping, she's been eating, doesn't smoke too much. I think she's well on her way to being healthy."

"She plays hockey better than you," Jerry said with a grin.

Bobby and Angel laughed. "Is that where Amelia is?" Angel asked.

"Yep. Those two are amazing together."

"I'll bet," Bobby answered.

They sat there quietly for a bit longer, before Jerry broke the silence. "Any weird calls lately?"

Bobby groaned and leaned back into the couch. "Yeah, last night."

"Same guy?"

"Yep, Kevin Brown."

"What does Evy say?"

"Evy doesn't say anything," Angel answered.

Jerry looked at his brothers, worry creasing his forehead.

"She told me that he's all talk and no balls," Bobby told him. "She says he doesn't have the money to come out here and look."

"You believe her?" Jerry asked.

Bobby shrugged. "I dunno. She's keeping shit from us, not telling us what the deal is with this guy. I don't think he'd come here, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't be able to make trouble for us anyway."

"That's true," Jerry said seriously.

"So what are we gonna do?" Angel asked.

"I don't know yet," Bobby admitted. "I think we just have to keep letting things play out. And then-"

"We'll wing it," Angel and Jerry said together.

- - - -

Evy couldn't remember the last time she was this happy. In fact, she didn't know if she'd ever even been this happy. She felt like she might explode from the molten joy inside her.

She was sitting between Jake and Amelia and the three of them hadn't stopped cutting up since they'd sat down. Jerry sat across from Amelia with Camille and Sofi to his left and Daniela on his right. Angel sat opposite Bobby at the end near his wife. The room echoed with laughter and chattering voices as they steadily ate their way through ham, turkey, potatoes, salad, and three different kinds of bread since everyone seemed to have their own preference. Talk had paused only for the few minutes it took for Sofi and Camille to get the cake, pie, and cookies for desert while Evy, Amelia, and Jake cleared the table. Now they'd almost finished all of the sweets and Evy thought she'd eaten enough to let her survive for several years.

During a lull in the conversation, Daniela spoke for the first time. "So Evy," she said. "You're sixteen right?"

Evy nodded. "I turn seventeen in March." She laughed. "Nine months to the day after my dad's birthday."

The rest of them laughed, but Daniela didn't even crack a smile. "So you're a junior in high school then?"

Evy shrugged, the smile melting off her face. "I never started school this year, so I'll have to start from scratch."

"Did you do well in school while you went?" Daniela pressed.

Evy frowned slightly at her cousin. "I did pretty well. Not straight As, but I never got below a C-plus."

"Oh," Daniela sat back, looking oddly satisfied. "So I suppose you're actually behind a grade from Amelia. But it's alright, you'll still go to the same school. Not that many people your age will hang out with you, of course. We keep friendships within our classes at the high schools here."

"Shut up Daniela," Amelia snapped. Shooting her sister a disgusted looked, she turned to Evy. "I'll help you through. You could probably start in the second semester and do independent study, then summer school. You'll be at the same level with me for senior year."

"Oh Amelia, don't give her false hope," Daniela said smoothly.

"Daniela," Camille said warningly.

Evy stood up. She was standing sword straight and cold fury emanated from her. "If you think I'm stupid, just say so," she said, her voice cold and quiet. "But don't ever try this embarrassment bullshit again or I swear to God, cousin or not I'll kill you where you stand."

She swept out of the dining room, grabbing Bobby's leather jacket off on of the chairs in the kitchen before going outside and slamming the door behind her.

Jerry and the others glared at Daniela, but it was Amelia who spoke first. "How dare you?" she snapped. "Who the fuck do you think you are? She's your cousin and you treat her like that. Sometimes you're such a fucking bitch." Amelia hurried out of the room and out the backdoor after Evy.

Evy was sitting on a rickety picnic table smoking as she glared down at the snow. "I'm sorry," Amelia said, sitting down next to her. "I don't know why she does that to people."

Evy snickered. "Lapse in an otherwise fantastic gene pool," she said. Amelia laughed. "You smoke?" Evy asked, holding out a pack of Camel 99s to her cousin.

Amelia stole a glance over her shoulder at the house. "Not when my parents are around," she chuckled. "But I'll make an exception because it's either that or go in and murder my beloved older sister."

They sat in silence, puffing on their cigarettes lost in thought. Amelia cleared her throat. "I'm really sorry about your dad," she said quietly. "It's horrible that he had to miss your life."

Evy nodded. "I only got to know him for about a year," she told Amelia. "He went off with his band before he even knew my mom was pregnant. He came back to visit her, took one look at me, and told Mom that he wanted to move in." She smiled. "He was so great. He'd sing to me and read to me. I got more hugs from him in the first month that he lived with us than I've gotten in the last year." She tossed her cigarette into the snow and lit another one, inhaling before she continued. "When he left to come here, he said that he'd bring us back to meet the family when things were safe again. I didn't know what he meant, still don't in fact. When he didn't come back I worried that it was because of me."

Evy drew a breath, feeling the tears rising in her eyes as a memory washed over her. It was the middle of the night and she woke up hearing the sound of a guitar. She'd thought it was Jack, that he'd finally come home to them. Evy had run through their apartment to her parents' room, following the sound of her father's music. When she'd thrown open the door, there had been only her mother, playing one of Jack's guitars in the darkness, sobbing to herself. "I wish you'd come home," Grace had whispered. "We'd be so much better if you came home." Evy had gone back to bed with her three year old mind telling her that Daddy wasn't coming back because they were bad.

"Evy?" Amelia's face was sympathetic, and she hugged her cousin as Evy let the tears fall. "I'm so sorry," Amelia whispered. "I shouldn't have brought up your dad. I was trying to distract you and I just made things worse. I'm such a dork sometimes."

Evy laughed through her tears and hugged her cousin. "It's okay, it's actually kinda nice to hear someone talk about him. I get the feeling they don't talk about him at all."

"You're right, they don't," Amelia said sadly. "But I'm sure you can see why."

Evy frowned and pulled away, looking at her cousin. "What do you mean?"

Amelia gasped. "You don't know?" she breathed. "They didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"Hey, get your asses inside, it's too damn cold out here," Bobby yelled suddenly from the backdoor.

Amelia grabbed Evy's arm and pulled her close. "I'll get Mom and Dad to let me stay the night and I'll tell you, but on one condition."

"Sure," Evy agreed.

"You can't ever tell them that you know," Amelia said, her face serious for the first time since they'd met. "I mean it. They can't know that you know, it's possible that they're waiting to tell you, but you really need to know. Do you swear?"

"I swear," Evy replied, clasping Amelia's hands.

"You two fucking deaf out there?" Angel bellowed. "Get the hell outta the snow!"

Rolling their eyes, the two girls hurried inside, Evy leaving a half smoked cigarette on the table. When the door closed after them, a small breeze picked up and tossed the cigarette into the snow with a soft hiss. For a moment, a hint of bittersweet laughter filled the empty yard and a deep voice whispered, "Evy."

Okay, here it be. I like it. I can't believe that I actually like something I've written. That's damn near unheard of.

So yes, I had to add that strange bit at the end and the weird sense of someone's presence in her room, but get used to it cause it's going to happen a lot all leading up to the grand ending that's going to have you all bawling your fucking eyes out. But, will they be tears of sorrow or tears of joy?

To tell you the truth, I really have no idea, but you'll just have to wait and see anyway. I don't have a clue how this is going to end, I'm just hoping that this won't get pathetically sappy. Warn me if it does.

Please review. This time my bargain is that I'll send Garrett Hedlund obsessive love notes and sign them with your pen names if you read and don't review. Don't push me, I'll do it. :::crazy eyes:::

Hehe, enjoy. Next chapter soon.