Callie snuck in to her sister's room, early the next morning, a small gift hidden in her dressing gown pocket.
"Oi midget, double figures today," She whispered, sitting on the end of Jessie's bed as her sister groaned and looked up at Callie, grinning as she saw her older sister.
"It doesn't feel any different," Jessie replied, sitting up, still keeping in hushed tones so as not to wake her parents.
"It won't Jess, you're only a day older than you were yesterday, still doesn't mean we can't have a dedicated you day," Callie said, hugging her sister before handing over a small package.
Her sister took it and grinned at Callie before opening it to reveal a silver locket, a four leaf clover engraved on the front of it.
"It's for luck, as long as you're wearing it I'll be right there with you, look inside it," she said, smiling as her sister clicked open the clasp. The pictures on the inside were of them, one of them when Jessie had only been 3 and one that had only been taken a few weeks ago.
"I love it," Jessie said before turning around where she sat, "put it on me please." Callie smiled and took the locket from her doing up the clasp at the back of her neck and hugging her sister tightly.
"Happy Birthday!" Her parents called as she and Callie entered the kitchen. Jessie squealed in response and headed over to the kitchen table on which sat pancakes and a few more presents. Callie hung back, leaning on the wall, watching her little sister.
"She really looks up to you," Her dad said leaning next to her as he watched his youngest open presents.
"I know… I just hope I'm a good enough role model. I don't want her to have to deal with everything like I had to," She replied, glancing at her father who put a hand on his eldest's shoulder.
"She won't have to, she has you," He replied, smiling at her before going over to watch the excitement of a 10 year old with birthday presents.
Later that morning Callie leant on the door at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for her sister so she could take her shopping. They had a trip to the shopping centre and a trip to the cinema on the cards, all a treat for Jessie.
The 10 year old came bounding down the stairs a moment later, a big badge on her top with a huge pink 10 on it.
"That is one big badge," Callie said as she opened the door and picked up her bag, heading out with her little sister and locking the door behind her.
"It tells people it's my birthday," Jessie replied loudly and clearly making Callie shake her head before heading to her parent's car and unlocking it. They hadn't bought her a car because they had simply let her borrow theirs.
As the two of them pulled out the driveway, chatting as they went neither of them noticed the black shiny car parked across the street with the black tinted windows. Neither of the two noticed as it started up and followed them to the mall where it parked up near them, neither did they notice as two men got out the car, one older man in a suit and the other a rather gruff looking bulky man, and followed them in.
Jessie quickly dragged Callie in to her favourite shops, making her older sister watch as she tried on headbands and hats and every other accessory she could find.
"Callie, please," Jessie begged as she held up a cute bag to Callie who sighed before taking from her and walking over to the counter, unable to say no to her little sister.
After a good hour of shopping Callie spotted a guy watching them, he'd been trailing them in the last couple of shops and as they headed in to a changing room she bent down to Jessie.
"Jess, there's a guy following us, I want you to stay as close to me as you can, do not let go of my hand," She explained to which her little sister nodded, knowing if Callie was serious then something was definitely going on.
Linking hands with her big sister the two of them headed out of the changing room, deciding on not buying anything in the shop and heading outside to some open space by the food court. Sitting down for a moment Callie kept her eyes on the doors, jumping up as two men walked out, their gazes firmly on the two girl.
"We're gonna have to run," she said, pulling her little sister off the bench and racing towards the end of the park, the two men picking their paces up.
"Callie, I'm not that fast," Her sister shouted to which Callie picked up her sister and ran, full pelt, thankful for the training she'd undergone.
The two of them ducked in to another door of the shopping centre and headed through the crowds before exiting again in a car park. Ducking behind a car she looked at her little sister, noting the fear that now replaced the excitement.
"Stay here, don't go anywhere until I come back for you," Callie said before standing up. A hand on her arm pulled her back and she turned to look at her little sister again.
"Callie I'm scared," She said simply to which Callie pulled her in to a hug.
"I know you are, I'll look after you," she replied, standing up and heading out from behind the car just as the two men appeared from the door.
"Who are you?" She asked, her voice strong and her gaze hard as she watched the men.
"Who we are means nothing to you my dear, just hand over the little one," the older one said, watching the teenager.
"No, what makes you think I'd just hand her over?" Callie replied, her hard gaze turning to one of disgust.
"We don't want to hurt you, we don't want to hurt her either, now hand her over or we might have a problem," The other guy said, his voice rough to match his gruff look.
"Then a problem's what you've got," Callie replied, not expecting the guy to rush her. As he did she back flipped, kicking him in the face before landing on her feet, facing him.
He narrowed his eyes and rushed her again, putting on a burst of extra speed. If Callie had trained against someone this fast before she would have stood a chance, however the speed at which he came at her was too fast for her to counter. Instead he grabbed her by the throat and held her against the wall.
"Callie!" Jessie shouted, jumping up and running at the guy who had her sister pinned. Callie saw Jessie reveal herself and tried to shout to her only to find her airway entirely blocked off and speech impossible. She clawed at the guy's hand, unable to get the force behind her to kick him off, as she watched the older man grab her sister and cover her face with a cloth, her entire body going limp in the man's arms.
"Let's go," The man said to the guy holding Callie. He looked at the teenager in his grips before slamming her head against the wall with what seemed like unnatural strength before letting her fall to the floor.