Oh Brothers

Chapter 22

I pull myself together and lean back to look at Cole.

"I.. I can't go through hell again, Cole," I stammer out. He looks intensely at me and I can't help but notice the glint of determination within his eyes.

"Ara, I promise, nothing is going to happen to you," Cole promises and hugs me again. I take a shaky deep breath and calm down. I nod my head into his shoulder.

"Okay," I breathe.

Will, Ryder and Carter come back into the room.

"What's going on?" I ask in a normal voice.

"Ara," Carter says in a relived voice and hugs me quickly. Hugging Carter almost feels like hugging a part of me and it makes me feel at home.

My phone starts ringing and I break the hug and pick up my phone. I remember grabbing it in my trance-like state. I glance at the caller. I hand it to Carter and he answers for me.

"Jason what's happening?" Carter asks. I watch his face carefully and it contorts into utter confusion, "Grandpa? What do you mean he's at the apartment?"

My eyes widen and I realize I forgot to tell my brothers that Grandpa's coming.

"Oh yeah, Grandpa called earlier this week and, you know nobody told him we moved, anyways he said he wanted to talk to us about a lot of things, including the YouTube video," I explain.

Will walks towards me as Carter heads into the other room to finish talking to Jason.

Will suddenly pulls me into a tight hug and I blink in surprise before returning it.

"You are going to be fine, your brothers and you can all stay here for as long as you need to. I called Clint, Lu, and Lynn and they're all on their way over."

I smile and break the hug, "thank you, Will."

"It's what best friends are for. You're in trouble so we've all got your back," Will smiles back at me.

The front door flies open and Lucy comes flying in.

"Dear god, Ara," she runs over and hugs me so tight I can't breathe.

"Lu.... can't.... breathe," I squeeze out.

"Oh shut up. Yes you can, stop whining and let me hug you. Jesus, when Will called and told me you'd almost been kidnapped I felt like I was having a heart attack," Lu says and her voice breaks and she starts to cry. At hearing her cry I start to cry and then Lynn runs in crying and joins in on the cry-hug fest.

I look over the girls' shoulders and see Clint walk in.

He looks really confused and points behind him, "there's someone trying to get inside the gate."

"LET ME IN GODDAMN IT!" a voice I would recognize anywhere.

"Grandpa," I breathe and let go of Lucy and Lynn and sprint out the door. There at the gate is Grandpa.

"Let him in," I call out as I race down the driveway. The gates fully open when I get there and I pull Grandpa into a tight hug and start crying again.

"Ara," I feel Grandpa sigh and hug me just as tightly back, "you're okay."

I sniffle and force myself to stop crying I wipe my eyes and nod at Grandpa.

"Ara," I hear shouts behind me. I turn around and see Carter and Ryder rush over.

"My boys," Grandpa hugs Carter and Ryder tightly as the gate closes shut behind us.

As we walk back inside Jason calls my phone again, apparently I was the only one to think to bring a phone even when I was in shock, and tells Carter that they're on their way over from the police station.