Tiffany Eaton

Family Means Forever

I wake up around noon that day, still in Eric's arms. My face feels dry and I know I have tear streaks down my cheeks. I get up and walk over to his bathroom and get in the shower. The water is boiling but I don't care. My life has been ripped to shreds for too long. And I want pay back.

I gasp for air as I feel a cold hand slip around my waist and a hand reaches to turn down the shower heat. I see the tattoo on the arm and breathe out.
"Eric, you made me jump!"
I hear a chuckle.
"No, I did that on your first day"

I giggle and look up to kiss him. He turns me around and kisses me properly. "You know Shad, I've been thinking about what you said last night and I have a conclusion."

I look at him confused and see him smiling so perfectly, water running over his toned chest and his...
Woah. He. Is. Big.
"Eyes up here girl."
I chuckle and peel my eyes back up to his face.
"As I was saying, I've come to the conclusion that, I love you too. I love how you take shit from no one, not even me, I love the flicker of determination in your eyes any time you start a fight or make a bet. I love everything thing about you, right down to your scars. I love you"

I smile and kiss him

(Later on, at lunch)

I sit on my own, poking my food. After Eric had finished with me (yes I mean that) he had to go to work and well, i haven't made many friends. I hear a tray slam down in front of me and look up to see the scowling face of four.

"I'd ask how you're doing but I'm sure I know the answer" I joke, taking a sip of water from my bottle.
"Training room, five minutes" he hisses back, before dumping his food and walking off.

Trying to make as little noise as possible, I slip through the training room door and scale the cupboards and on to the banisters. Running across the beams I see Four beating the shit out of a punching bag.

I crouch and stare for a moment, before jumping down.

"You wanted to see me?" I ask, walking towards him.

"Are they lying?" He turns to me, sweat beading on his forehead. I stand there, a look of utter confusion slapped across my face.

He chucks me the Erudite report, dated today, with my account of what happened.

We have spoken with Miss Tiffany Eaton, discussing her childhood. After a while we asked her about her father, more specifically the accusations that he Beat her.

"Beat is the wrong term. Beat implies I let him win and i haven't. This war will be going on until his life lays in shards around him. Hurt. Whipped. Those terms are the ones I'd use. And yes my brother was hit like me"

I finish reading the page and smile to myself before looking up.

"Do you really need to ask me if, this report is true?"

His face floods with emotions, before he returns it to a scowl.

"So what you said on here is true?"

I nod, realising what I've done...

He knows what I said about him. He doesn't care about our dad. But he does have self respect. But he is not my brother. My brother was loyal, and would have saved me.

"So I'm dead to you?"
"Your not my brother."
"I was."
"My brother's dead."
"No, I'm here."
"Your not my brother because my brother PROMISED. HE PROMISED ME THAT FAMILY MEANS FOREVER AND HE WOULDN'T LEAVE ME WITH OUR DEMON OF A FATHER. YOU ARE NOT MY BROTHER. MY BROTHER IS DEAD."

I stare Four in the face, and see tears fall silently down his face.

"Family Means Forever Four. You should know that by now."

I feel him stare at me as I walk out of the room and up to the apartment block, where Eric is.

----++++----++++----

I drop onto the bed and curl up. I am too stressed for this.

I hear a click and look up to see Eric holding a tray with two mugs and a plate with chocolate cake on.

"Heard you had a bad day." He gives a small smile and puts the tray down, before jumping, yes literally jumping, onto the bed next to me, rolling me over. He moves his hand to find mine and strokes his thumb on the back of it.

"You wanna talk about it?"

I shake my head and move closer, snuggling up so my head is in the crook of his neck.

"Why do I feel bad. They hurt me. They left and I... I want to forget."  I lift myself up, and drink from the mug next me. Coughing slightly, I turn to see Eric's smug looking face.

"I thought you needed something stronger than coffee."

I laugh, and down the cup.

"I want a fucking tattoo. Maybe a piercing" I walk to Eric's side of the bed and play with his head. He sat up and places a hand under my shirt on my stomach.
"Maybe a belly button piercing, or a tattoo?"

He lifts up my shirt and kisses it, placing tiny sucks on the skin around my belly button. I run my fingers through his hair and smile.

He looks up and smirks. "Let's get that tattoo."