The first time Lewis raised a hand to Lisa she had accidentally knocked over a half-empty bottle as Leo added the finishing touches to yet another plan. The unfamiliar sound of shouting not being directed at him broke him out of his trance, his mind still playing catch-up with his body, that was already half-way across the room. That day was also the first time he passed out before finishing a job, though he refused to mourn the loss as he consoled his sobbing sister that night knowing that she was safe and untouched by those harsh hands he knew too well. "I'm gonna' get you outta' here Lise. He isn't gonna' touch you, ya' hear?" he whispered his promises into her hair as she held onto him with all of her strength. He belatedly realised his face was dampened by his own tears, as Lisa slept he quietly panicked over how he would pull it off. He had to get Lisa out of this house.
He paced as he thought, stopping at every creak in the house not caused by him, checking the furniture barricading the door and doubling back to make sure Lisa was still asleep. His breaths came quick and shallow as he realised he was running out of time, the sun was almost up and he had yet to figure out how he would keep Lisa safe from Lewis. He sat leaning against the makeshift blockade, head in his hands chest moving in and out at a worrying rate, for the first time in years he was truly, inconsolably terrified.
As he forced his breath to slow, his heart rate followed as he mentally revised his options. As light bounced around his room through the dusty window his eyes fell on his hidden stash, he knew what he had to do. As he took the money he'd been saving for Lisa to go to college, regret stabbed through him. He would have to find a way to make it back up again. He had to do this he reminded himself, to save Lisa, flashes of memory from the previous night flickered through his mind.
As he left Lisa to sleep until morning he began to remove their protection, as slow as possible, as if another option would be found by the time he finished. Of course, there wasn't, he silently made his room to his baby sister's room, filled bags with all of her meagre belongings. One last look around the bare room with tiny bags in hand his head lowered as he realised it was time to wake up Lisa. He arrived back in his room to find Lisa crying again. He immediately dropped everything, rushing to her side, checking over for any visible stressor, he found none "What's wrong Lise?" he asked as he silently pleads her to tell him she was fine."Y...Y…You weren't here… I thought H...He'd.." as he realised what she was saying he pulled her tight to his chest, muffling the rest of what she was about to say. "It's okay Lise, I got you. I'm going to fix it okay? I won't let him hurt you, I promise" tears of his own streaming as he realised what an idiot he'd been. Why did he ever think this wouldn't happen? Why did he think Lisa wouldn't figure it out? He questioned his failings to protect Lisa. He cleared his mind as he stood, thinking of his failings wouldn't help right now, he had to get her out.