Lillie Braxton - River Girl

4 - Protective Brothers

Brax POV
"Danny! Oi Danny! Get out here you dog!" I roar.
He steps out of the van and I grab him, lifting him and holding him against the van.
"She's your daughter, your fifteen year old daughter! Which of your dog friends did it! Who did it?" I yell, then punch him in the face.
Heath walks over and kicks him in the stomach whilst he's on the ground. He tried to get up, but I punch him straight away.
"It's not my fault your bloody sister is the weakest, little piece of shit I have ever had take my last name!"
Casey comes out of no where and punches his face twice.
"You never come. You ever come near her again, and I'll kill you. Your mates come near her again, I'll kill you" I yell.
"Heath, are you going to defend your father-"
"You're not our father. You're a dog, dead beat, bastard who I should never have brought back into this family! I assure you, if you do go near our sister again, I'll help dig your body so far deep in the dirt" Heath threats mad.
"You boys all think you're tough don't you? You will never beat me-"
Heath's phone ring.
"Brax it's Bianca, she's at the hospital with Lil says her have to go now"
"Lets go" I nod, kicking Danny in the stomach twice as hard as I can, "You never, tell Lillie again that she isn't a Braxton", then we leave.

We arrive at the hospital and all rush to Bianca.
"Where is she? What happened?"
"I need you boys to calm down before I tell you. Lillie is okay, that is the important thing here. She was tested and everything is fine-"
"Tested? Tested for what?" Casey asks confused.
"One of the men, one of them raped her" she announces.
My heart drops.
"I'll kill him" I state and start to walk off, Heath following me.
"Brax!" Bianca shouts, blocking our path.
"I am going to sort this out, these dogs can not get away with hurting my sister!" I shout.
"Brax, Lillie is scared and she is hurt. She has this wild thought that all of this is her fault. But, you know what she told me? That her biggest fear is loosing one of you boys, to jail or death. Be here with her" Bianca demands, "She needs you with her. She is a young, teenage girl that has been through hell and all she wants is her brothers there beside her"
Heath looks to me, pulled two ways.
"What room is she in?" I sigh.
"Around the corner, two-twenty-five" she answers.
"Come on boys, lets go be with our sister" I declare.
We walk around the corner and go into Lil's room. She wakes up and smiles at us. Her beautiful, innocent smile. I smile back as well as I can. I pull up the chair next to her side, Heath and Case doing the same on her other side. I grab hold of her hand and stand over her.
"You, are the strongest, bravest person I know. Me and the boys, we aren't going to leave your side. Lillie, I can not express to you enough, this, is not your fault. None of this" I state, her eyes water and I sniff, pulling myself together, "I love you Lillie"
"We love you" Casey adds, grabbing hold of Lillie's other hand.
"Thank you. I love you too" she says, looking to me.
I lean forward and kiss her forehead. She looks to Heath as he strokes her head.
"Get some sleep pup, we'll be right here"
She nods and closes her eyes. I look to the boys and we all take a seat.
"Heath, go thank Bianca would ya"
"Yeah, will do" he nods.
"Is she going to be okay Brax?" Casey questions quietly, as if he already knows the answer but is to afraid to hear it.
"Yeah, she will. Because we'll be right here"

Lillie POV
I wake up gasping.
"Are you okay?" Casey asks worried.
"Yeah, it was just a night mare, I'm okay" I assure him, shaking my head, "Where are the boys?"
"Brax went to go get us a pizza and Heath went to go get coffees with Bianca"
I nod.
"Anything I can get you?"
"Do you know when I can get out of here?"
"Yeah, they said early tomorrow morning"
"Are the cops involved?"
"No, they only would have got involved if you formally reported the, the incident" he explains.
I nod and lean back relieved.
"You keep on rubbing your right hand, I know that's your punching hand. Did you beat up Danny? Don't lie please"
"We did, but, he could easily walk when we left. We got the call from Bianca saying you were here and we came as soon as Heath hung up"
"Okay" I sigh.
"I'm sorry, I haven't really been nice to you, I was mad at you for not wanting to see Danny. I'm sorry that I was a jerk and didn't just-"
"Case stop, it's okay. I understand, I was never mad at you and I'm still not" I assure him, squeezing his hand tight.
The door opens and Heath walks in with Bianca.
"Ah, you're awake" he smiles, walking over and kissing my forehead, then handing Case a coffee.
"Yep"
"How are you going?" Bianca asks concerned.
"Better" I lie, with a convincing smile.
"That's great" she smiles.
Brax walks in holding two pizzas.
"Morning" he chuckles.
"Yeah" I laugh, rolling my eyes.
He ruffles my hair and then we all sit eating some pizza.

When I walk inside, I see Nick. I smile sadly and rush to him, wrapping my arms around his neck. He hugs me back tightly, then leans back, keeping his hands on my shoulders.
"You okay?"
I nod.
"Wanna go sit out the back?" I ask.
"Yeah sure" he says.
We walk and then take a seat on the back porch.
"I'm sorry you had to go through all that Lil"
"Yeah, thanks"
"If you need anything, I mean anything. You call me okay? I'm here for you"
"I know, thank you. I'll count you on that" I smile.
"Good" he grins.
He grabs hold of my hand and our fingers lace with each other's.
"I'm okay" I say aloud, "I'm okay"
"Lillie" he sighs worried.
"I'll be okay, right?" I plead.
I turn to him scared. I then rest my head on his shoulder, Nick turning around and holding me close to him tightly.

Heath POV
Me, Bianca and Brax all look out the window. Keeping an eye on Lil with Nick.
"Ever since I've met you boys, those two have been inseparable" Bianca notes.
"They always have been" Brax nods.
"He was always looking out for Lil, at times we couldn't he was there, at times we could he was also there. The kid is family"
"I still don't get how they became friends, he's a year older right?"
"Yeah. He was a River Boy, he was always around the house. Brax took a close heart to him when he first joined, Lil and him had gotten along in school. Then he left school but, that didn't stop them from still being best mates"
"When did he drop out?"
"Grade nine, he needed to get a full job for his family"
"Where are they now?" Bianca asks.
"Well, his father died when he was two. His mother lives at the pokies and the local pub. His little brother lives with his aunt and uncle in the city. Nick stays close to his mum in case she needs him" Brax sighs.
"And they're just friends? All these years no romantic relationship?" Bianca questions.
"Nope, but, they love each other. We're all waiting for the day they finally realise it" I scoff.
"You approve?" Bianca chuckle surprised at us approving of the idea of Lillie having a boyfriend.
"If it's Nick, we've approved for years" Brax laughs nodding.