It's here Chapter 25! And just in time for the 2 year anniversary of Sisters and Brothers! I can't believe it's been two whole years since these girls first came into my life and this story came to be and I know it's been a rough two years seeing how I was so spotty, but I am trying my hardest to work on that and attempt at getting on a chapter a week schedule. Please bear with me on that. Well I do hope you enjoy this chapter. It is very sister centric which I thought the girls really needed seeing how we haven't gotten to see them all together just being together since the ball which has been FOREVER AGO! Just a few side notes: We are currently in about mid November in the story (Dates are very important to me as you will see as the story progresses, again bear with me) I will not be doing a Thanksgiving or Christmas chapter, might mention it, but nothing really big. I have 2 big storylines coming up and I'm trying to fast forward to them while getting into some more light hearted chapters to progress us along. If you didn't read it in the last chapter I am working on a re write of the earlier chapter's so keep an eye out for that and if something doesn't quite add up in some of these new chapters that's why. Thank you and please read and review!
"Alright Ben, we have waited long enough," Lila's voice echoed throughout the house as she climbed the stairs with Isabelle on her tail. It was early the next morning and both girls had already been out to do their morning chores around the house. They became suspicious, well Lila had, when none of the boys had been out. "Move out of the way boys." Lila demanded shoving her arms out to make an opening for her and Isabelle to pass through. Hoss and Joe were standing right in the door way with Ben just a little ways inside. Adam sat perched on the edge of the bed. "Time's up boy's, her favorite people are here." Lila proclaimed with a confident grin. Isabelle was standing passively behind Lila with a soft smile of her own. She waved at Kathleen who was grinning brightly herself. She looked tired with bags under her eyes, but her face lit up as soon as she heard Lila and Isabelle coming.
Ben laughed and shook his head at the girl's declaration. "Come on boy's the girls are right, they have waited long enough for some alone time with their sister." As soon as Ben and the boys had left the room and shut the door both Lila and Isabelle leapt toward the bed and embraced Kathleen. "Oh my God Kath, I thought I would never get to see you again. You're actually okay, I mean yeah you are still healing, but you're going to be okay." Isabelle pulled back from the hug just slightly to look at her. She was on Kathleen's left with an arm around her neck and chest. Lila was on Kathleen's right with her arms wrapped tightly around her sister's waist and her face buried in her side. Kathleen had her arms around both girls pulling them to her. Yes it hurt and she could feel the stitches tugging slightly, but that didn't matter. It had been almost a month since she had last laid eyes on her sisters, or even spoke to them. All she wanted was them right here and right now. "Doc Martin said I'm going to be just fine. I should be able to get up and start moving around by the end of the week." She explained, pulling back to look at both Isabelle and Lila. Kathleen was grinning from ear to ear, one of those grins that lit up a person's entire face and reflected in her emerald orbs. The rare kind of smile that came straight from her soul and burned its way all throughout her body, taking with it every bad memory that Duke had tried to imprint on her. While scars would be left, some that she was not even aware of yet, she knew now that she could survive this.
Isabelle sighed, enjoying the soft and easy silence and company of her sisters. They were all together again, and Kathleen and Lila weren't at each other's throat. She was smiling herself, but it was a tired smile, one that looked like it was taking every ounce of her strength to just keep up. She hadn't been sleeping much and when she did try she was tormented by nightmares. The same one every night, Duke haunting her, his corpse raised from the dead and that bloody hole, angry and dripping from where she had shot him dead right in her face. The spirits of his men swarmed her and dragged her into the darkest pits of hell where He was waiting for her, taking out his revenge for tearing him away from his wife. Isabelle would wake thrashing and screaming in a cold sweat and lie awake for the rest of the night too traumatized to even shut her eyes longer than it took her to blink. Hoss was usually the one to run to her rescue and comfort her from her hysterical state, and had even taken to sleeping with her to ward off the nightmares. That had worked for a few days till the nightmare had changed…. Now they forced her to watch them murder Hoss then drag her away to continue like normal. Isabelle didn't have the heart to tell Hoss that they had returned and actually gotten worse with his presence, so she told him that they had stopped and started sleeping with a gag in her mouth to muffle her screams. Lila had caught her a few days ago and she had been forced to tell her about the nightmares. Lila had sat and listened attentively and offered to try staying with her, but Isabelle had refused saying that it would all be okay. It was one thing watching the man she loved die, but her baby sister as well? She just didn't think she could stomach that.
"So…" Kathleen spoke up breaking the silence," What have I missed?" She was eager to find out what all had taken place in her 2 week long coma, and even her time in captivity. Thoughtful looks were shared between each girl before Lila spoke up," Well... a lot. Isabelle is apparently crazy. Of course we already knew that."
"Hey I am not crazy!" Isabelle defended, hands on her hips and her lower lip puckered out in a deep pout. Lila chuckled and shrugged at the light hearted joking, just like old times.
"Forget her, I'll tell you what you missed since someone can't behave for even a moment." Isabelle turned a cold, but playful glare to Lila who merely scooted back to the bottom of the bed and propped herself up on the wooden bed post. She kicked her black leather boots off and rested her pant clad legs up on the bed. So Isabelle began, reciting from Kathleen and Lila staying behind when Joe was shot, to them arriving back and getting Little Joe some help. She told of Adam going back, but not finding them and the panic that ensued. Lila jumped in to explain how she had found her way back with the stars, just like Kathleen had shown her all those years ago. Kathleen smiled at the memory; it was one of the few times that she and Lila had actually been able to connect. Isabelle took back the reigns explaining how they had all came together to plan her rescue with Ben following behind with Sheriff Coffee. Isabelle paused as she came to the actual fight, recounting them finding Kathleen on the floor bleeding and well as she said," You know that part for the most part." All three paused, swallowing heavily at the grim memories. Isabelle picked back up with Duke shooting Kathleen and her shooting him. Isabelle didn't hesitate, coming right out with it, in an eerily calm voice; one that sent chills running down Kathleen's spine. Isabelle recounted the remaining past two weeks. Not much had occurred outside of the normal. Just Adam's constant vigil, she skimmed over her nightmares and the unnamed stranger that had come to collect Duke's body.
"I still can't believe you shot him, Is." Kathleen breathed out after what seemed like ages.
"What was I supposed to do? Let him kill you all? Plus he murdered Ma and Pa in cold blood. He almost killed you Kathleen, forced you to marry him and then raped you. He deserved much worse and I would do it again in a heartbeat." Neither Kathleen nor Lila knew how to respond to that. When had their sweet, innocent Isabelle grew up so much? Their silence didn't seem to bother Isabelle as she sat and let them absorb her statement, her legs crossed underneath her lilac dress, she smoothed at unseen wrinkles.
"I know, but…. "Kathleen was once again the one to speak up while Lila stayed silent for once.
"But what Kathleen? I'm not as innocent as you and Lila like to believe I am. I'm not a little girl anymore."
"I know Isabelle, but you aren't a killer. You shouldn't have had to do that."
"Well I guess I am now."
"No." Kathleen was quick to say that. Isabelle was not a killer not like Duke was, or any of the horrible men that just flat out killed people for whatever reason. "You are nothing like him. "
Isabelle paused to consider what she was saying. It was something she had been mulling over ever since she had pulled the trigger. "It doesn't matter anymore, but I think you and Lila both need to realize that I am not the girl you have both believed me to be. I've grown up a lot since we moved here, and even before then… I think it's time you both let me grow up and start seeing me as an equal and treating me as such. "
"I suppose we have both underestimated you." Lila told, dropping her head at the statement. She had probably been the worst in that. She had been the one to tease her and treat her like she was actually the little sister, and using her as a buffer for her and Kathleen's many fights.
"I'm sorry Isabelle, I guess I've been trying to keep you and Lila both those same thirteen and ten year olds that I packed up and brought out into the middle of nowhere to raise." Kathleen sent her sister a sincere smile. "You two aren't children anymore; you've both grown into beautiful and mature young women, for the most part." She said the last part to Lila who simply smirked at the compliment.
"Let's make a vow," Isabelle said with a proud smile at her own ingenious idea," To always stay together in this crazy world. All we truly have is each other, and that's all we can depend on in the end. It's us against the world, family till the end."
"Really a vow? That's so childish Izzy; I thought you wanted us to start treating you like an adult." Lila scoffed and rolled her eyes at the idea; Isabelle the eternal ball of sunshine even in the worst situations.
"Lila….."Kathleen sent her a warning look, telling her to not be rude. Yes it was a little silly, but the message was true. Despite having the Cartwright's now, when it came down to it the only people they could always count on was each other. They were the only ones who knew each other wholly and completely. They knew each other's struggles and battles and they had always stood by each other in them. That's the way it had been for five years now, the Robert's women against the world. "I think it's a wonderful idea Isabelle." Kathleen and Isabelle interlocked their hands and turned to a reluctant Lila who joined in. "No matter what happens, or who comes along, we are family and we will always be that first, even when we are old and gray and sitting out on the front porch watching our grandchildren run wild. We are sisters first and always; us against the world"