Just the Six of Us Ch. 30

Danni buried her face in his chest, weeping uncontrollably and begging him please over and over. He leaned down and pulled her face up to his. "I love you all, so much. This is the hardest thing I've ever had to do."

Mike pulled away from Danni.

"FUUCCCK!" she screamed, collapsing into a pile and wailing in anguish.

Emma moved over and laid down with her, pulling her sister to her and holding her gently, rocking softly back and forth.

Sarah wiped her tears away, and Mike saw anger replace them. She walked over and slapped him three times in rapid succession.

Sighing, he turned and pulled Beth to him. "I love you," she whispered to him.

"I love you too," he replied.

Turning, he grabbed his keys and left, Danni still wailing in Emma's arms, Sarah with fury stenciled across her face and Beth heading up to her room. He went to his truck and drove to Emily's. As he began to explain what had happened, he began to cry again. She pulled him to her and held him as he wept.

That evening, Matt cracked open a beer and handed it over as the two sat on the couch at Matt's apartment. He was flipping through the channels and stopped on Last of the Mohicans. It was the battle scene where the Huron ambushed the English. He wasn't really paying attention and only looked up from his beer when they got to the waterfall. Hawkeye, Cora, Uncas, and the others were underneath the waterfall trying to hide from Magua and the other Hurons.

"I will find you, no matter how long it takes, no matter how far," Hawkeye said, holding Cora. "I will find you..."

Mike sniffed quietly and stood heading to the stairs out front, twirling Danni's red ribbon in his fingers. She'd given it to him one night when they'd made love. It was his most prized possession, but it was simply a frayed red ribbon. Matt came out silently and sat beside him. He didn't speak, he just sat next to him, a comforting presence as his best friend wept softly beside him. The two men sat for a long while, and then finally Matt put a hand on his friend's shoulder. The two went inside and got thoroughly hammered.

Mike eventually found a small, one bedroom apartment on the other side of town. He hadn't seen Emma for a while and honestly didn't know when he would again. He figured he'd give it a month or so before trying to talk to any of them.

Beth came by after a week to say goodbye.

"I'm all packed up and headed to the airport. I figured I'd come by and wish my little brother well."

"Thanks," he said, resisting the urge to ask about his other sisters.

They chatted about her arrangements, where she was going and what she'd be doing.

"They're still pretty upset with you. Sarah is angry, but she's getting better. Danni has been sleeping in Emma's bed, but she's always crying. She's going to be okay though. I wish I could say that it would be okay to go see them, but it might take a while for them to be okay with seeing you again."

He smiled and hugged her. She raised his face to hers and kissed him on the lips. "I'm really going to miss fucking you," she said. "I like to think back to how much I wanted it that first time, how much we loved teasing each other."

He smiled and nodded. "I fought so hard not to just jump you in the shower all those times."

She smiled back at him. "I'd like to say that I wish you had, but I wouldn't change the way it happened for anything. I'm so glad that you were my first time."

He hugged her close.

"So, I'd like to give you one last thing before I leave."

She reached into her purse and pulled out a leather bound book. She smiled and handed it to him. "It's a collection of my favorite times with you, in graphic detail. I was planning on giving it to you to remind you of me while I was gone, but this seems more fitting."

He smiled and kissed her. "Be careful in South America, and thank you for the naughty novel."

She smiled and stood. "I'll see you in six months," she said.

She stood then and winked at Matt as she sashayed her way to her car.

Mike smiled. 'At least she doesn't hate me,' he thought.

"Well, that's just one person," a familiar voice said.

'Thought you were outta here,' Mike thought.

"I'm in your head, shitsack. I can't fucking leave."

'It was the right thing to do, and I'm not going to argue about it,' he thought.

The voice fell silent.

Emma finally showed up and began doing the books again, but didn't say much to her twin. He was content to let her be pissed off at him.

He stepped out of the shower and sighed at the reflection in the mirror.

"Enough dwelling on the past. Focus on the business," he told himself.

"If this is the right idea, why do you still feel like shit? What the fuck is this pain in your chest?"

'Heartache, I suppose,' he thought.

"Great idea. Asshole."

He sighed and got dressed. He was just pulling his shirt on when his doorbell rang. He wondered briefly who was at the door as he walked to unlock it.

Cracking in open, he peered out, seeing his eldest sister standing outside.

"Hey," he said, opening the door wider.

She didn't say anything as she entered, but immediately began to look around.

"How are..." he started, but realized how dumb that question was.

Sarah wordlessly walked around his apartment, no doubt judging his cleaning job.

"It seems nice enough," she said finally, having gotten her mothering out of the way.

"Thanks," he replied. "Can I get you a drink? Coffee maybe?"

"Sure," she replied, heading to his small kitchen.

He poured her a cup and then pushed the sugar bowl towards her, retrieving the milk after that. He wasn't saying anything, however, wanting to let her speak at her own pace.

"I understand what you were thinking," she said. "As always, you were trying to protect us."

He nodded softly.

"I was driving to get groceries this morning when I remembered that time we fooled around at the store. I tried to think about something else, but pretty much everything I thought about reminded me of some crazy place we had sex."

He smiled and chuckled softly.

She turned and looked at him. "I don't hate you," she said. "I love you. You're my baby brother and I'd never want you hurt." She turned then and saw an apron hanging off the sink. Smiling, she walked over and picked it up.

"I remember the first time we fooled around," she said.

He smiled, immediately picturing wet bluejeans and an accidental cock slap.

"You hit me in the face with your penis, and then I caught you jerking off."

He nodded, a smile finding its way to his face.

"I still remember the way it felt having you so fascinated with my boobs." She sighed, smiling wistfully.

He saw a look of sadness and felt a lump in his throat, but swallowed it.

She came up and put her arms around him, pulling his face to hers and kissing him.

"I'm sorry I slapped you," she said. "I really do understand, and I'm trying to get to where I'm okay with it. That doesn't mean I like it."

"I don't like it either," he said. "I hate it."

She nodded and brushed a tear away. "I'm really going to miss making love to you," she said, hugging him again. "You are undoubtedly the best I ever had."

He smiled again and kissed her cheek and escorted her to the door. "I'll see you soon," she said.

Brushing away a tear a few minutes later, he moved away from the door he'd been leaning against, fighting against running after her. He walked over to the kitchen counter and went through yesterdays mail. Inside he saw a small cardboard card and looked at it. Smiling, he flipped it over and tucked it into his pocket.

A few hours later, he was sitting in front of the Marine recruiter at the Mall.

"Well, you graduated, so you could definitely be an Officer. The first step is that you have to take the ASVAB. You can probably find a study guide online that will tell you everything you need to know."

Mike stopped him there. "Back when I graduated, my best friend and I took the ASVAB already."

"Oh yeah? Excellent, then based on that score you can judge what field you would be able to go in. After you get your physical, then you'll want to talk to the Officer Selection Office to see if you can get accepted. From there, it's Basic Training. You look to be in pretty good shape. Did you play ball in high school? College?"

Mike nodded. "I was a wide receiver in high school. I work out pretty much every day. But I was thinking of just going enlisted. My dad did, and I kind of want to follow in his footsteps, you know?"

"Good. I'm sure you'll do fine as enlisted. Army, Navy, Air Force don't really require much preparation in terms of Basic Training. The Marine Corps will run your ass through the ringer if you aren't in good shape, though. It's good that you are, but make sure you up your workout schedule. The more in shape you are, the better off you'll be at Basic."

"Is there anything specific I need to be working out?"

"Running. Pure and simple. Run, run, and run some more. Throw in a bunch of pushups and you'll be golden."

"So where do I sign?" he asked.

*****

"You're going to what?"

"The only way I can make this right, to make it easier for them, is to get away."

"The Marines?" Matt asked. "Are you fucking crazy? I know we already took the ASVAB but I didn't think you'd actually do anything with it!"

Mike sighed. "Dad was a Marine when he was my age, it's a tradition."

"Your sisters are going to flip." Matt said. "Not to mention you might get shoved into a combat unit."

Mike shook his head. "You can't dissuade me from this. I'm doing it."

Matt sighed. "Well, I think you're crazy. What about the business?"

"I trust you. Emma's back working the books. I'll promote Javier to lead the third crew. You can schedule them to work on smaller projects."

Matt shook his head. "I still think you're crazy."

"I probably am," he said, but shrugged. "I'm still doing it." He clapped Matt on the shoulder. "Watch after my sisters for me, brother."

No one was going to talk him out of it. He'd seen the recruitment postcard and it had all seemed to fall into place. He'd join the military, something he'd always thought about doing since his dad was a Marine.

His sisters weren't very thrilled.

"We haven't seen you for weeks and then you come back with this crazy plan?" Sarah yelled at him. "With all that's going on in the world right now, you're going to join the fucking Marines?"

He thought for a minute he'd get slapped again, but he didn't. Danni was strangely quiet, looking down, but not avoiding him. Eventually Sarah stopped giving him the third degree and saw the firmness in his face. He was doing this. He quickly started working out harder, hoping to make Boot Camp easier.

The night before he left, he had dinner with his three sisters, as Beth was still in South America.

Danni was still quiet, but didn't look like the wreck she'd been before. She even gave him a hug at the end of the night.

"I think you're nuts," Sarah said. "Good luck. Write to us," she said as he headed to his vehicle.

Emma came up and hugged him tightly. "Be careful," she said, kissing him on the lips.

He smiled and looked at her with a smirk.

"What?" she asked. "Brothers and sisters can kiss." She smiled and headed back inside.

Mike drove back home after that and finally felt a little better about his life. His sisters seemed to be doing okay and he didn't hate himself quite so much.

He was just crawling into bed that night when there was a soft knock on his front door. He opened it quietly and saw Danni peering at him, smiling softly.

"Hey..." he started, seeing a red ribbon tied in her hair.

She shook her head and put a hand to her lips as she pushed him inside.

She immediately dove for him, pulling her shirt off as she kicked the door closed behind her. Her lips found his as she pushed him backwards, towards his bedroom.

He started to protest again, but she shushed him once more.

Falling into his room, they tumbled into his bed, Danni immediately finding his zipper and grabbing his crotch.

He moaned softly and let her do what she wanted as he felt her soft hands encircle his swiftly swelling member. She kissed him deeply and then began to wriggle out of her shorts and panties. He followed suit, and they dove beneath the covers.

She looked up at him with nothing but love in her eyes as she spread her legs and let him in. Electricity coursed through the two of them as he slid deeply into her. She moaned and wrapped her legs around him as he pulled out, and then back in again. Sweat mixed with sweat as they passionately kissed, tongues dancing and fingers intertwining.

Again and again he pushed into her, driving her further and further into a pleasurable abyss until finally she began to come. She arched her hips upwards so he was pounding almost directly downwards into her. Her pussy contracted forcefully on him as he began to cum, spurting stream after stream into her.

After an hour, they finally collapsed into each other, and lay there in the darkness. He ran a finger idly through her hair. Then, after what seemed like hours, she wordless got up, got dressed and left. As he walked her to the door, she turned and handed him the red ribbon she'd tied in her hair.

Leaning into him, she kissed him deeply one last time and closed the door behind her.

Mike stared down at the ribbon for a long time.

*****

Four and a half years later, Mike stepped off the plane and shouldered his duffel. He'd just gotten back and was anxious to see his sisters. It had been a long time since he'd seen any of them. He'd gotten leave, of course, but hadn't gone home, electing to give his family the space they'd needed. He'd written letters, and called them when he could, but there were no visits home.

He saw a familiar face as they were dismissed and smiled as Matt came to hug him.

"Brother!" Matt yelled. "Goddamn it's good to see you!"

Mike smiled and hugged him. "Hey bud. How's everything?"

"We'll talk later. We gotta get you home," Matt said. "Your sisters are waiting and if they have to wait on me, then I'll be toast."

Mike smiled and nodded. "It's been too long since I've seen them."

Matt grinned widely and helped him to his truck. As they drove home, Matt kept directing the conversation back to Mike's deployment, his tours in the Middle East and other places. Mike kept the conversation sanitized, for the most part.

"So when are you going to tell me what you're hiding?" Mike finally said.

Matt looked at him surprised. "Look man, I'll let your sisters tell you. You are one scary looking son-of-a-bitch now."

Mike smiled. "Hell, Matt, I'm the same guy that you've always known. I won't be causing a ruckus."

Matt nodded in understanding but shook his head just the same. "I'm still letting them tell you."

They pulled up to the house a few minutes later.

Four sisters shot towards him and buried him with hugs and kisses.

"You couldn't come home even once?" Sarah asked, kissing his cheek.

They went inside and had supper, and everyone wanted to know what he'd been doing. Mike answered their questions as best as he could, but couldn't help but wonder what the big secret was. He finally figured it out when Sarah leaned over and whispered something to Matt. He nodded and stood to head to the kitchen.

"Oh my God," Mike said, smiling. He pointed at Sarah. "GUILTY!" he yelled and laughed loudly.

Matt turned white and held his hands up.

Sarah tried to act like she didn't know what he was getting at. "What?" she asked, trying to sound innocent.

"You and Matt! You're together!"

"Are you crazy?" she asked, rolling her eyes.

"You just told him to go get something from the kitchen. The Sarah I know wouldn't ask anyone to do something for her, unless she considered him family."

"Aw, fuck," Sarah said, a smile coming to her face.

"I told you he'd figure it out," Matt said, backing up slowly.

"You," Mike said. "You had sex with my sister," he accused, pointing a finger at him.

"Oh shit," Matt said, backing into the living room.

Mike moved forwards quickly and looked like he would hit him, but laughed loudly and clapped him on the back.

"Come on man, I'm happy for you two," Mike said, hugging his still considerably nervous friend. "Sit down, relax."

Sarah sighed and stood. "Mike, stop terrorizing my boyfriend."

Mike smiled. "That's something I haven't heard in a long, long time."

She grinned and shrugged. "It just sorta happened. He likes it when I tell him what to do."

Mike chuckled.

"Babe," Matt protested.

"Shut up," she told him, winking at her brother.

"Well, is that the big secret? Matt said you guys were going to tell me, and refused to say anything."

"That's the secret," Sarah said.

Mike smiled genuinely. "I'm glad," he said to her after they'd finished supper. He was standing next to her at the sink as she did the dishes.

"I was worried what you'd say," she said.

"I've only ever wanted you to be happy," he said.

"I know," she whispered, washing another dish.

"What about..." he started to ask, taking the cleaned dish and drying it.

"Nope, you'll have to ask them," she said, knowing he was asking about his other sisters.

He nodded. "I'm still convinced it was the right decision."

She shrugged. "It was a decision. I'm still not sure if it was the right one. I like Matt. He's sweet when he wants to be and he's easy to make do things for me."

He smiled.

"Plus he knows that if he mistreats me, my little brother will tear his spine out."

Mike laughed loudly at that. "True enough," he said.

Beth smiled and pulled Mike away to talk. They headed outside and sat on the deck as Beth told him all about her trips down to the jungles of South America.

"You wouldn't believe the people down there," she said. "God, they're so friendly, so kind and generous. I love it down there."

"So you've been down to South America how many times?" he asked.

"Oh gosh, like five or six now. I keep getting requested for research expeditions. I'm considered an expert in the field now, I guess."

"So there's no one else in your life? I figured you would have found someone else. You're the most classically beautiful woman I know."

She blushed. "Thank you, Mike. No, there's no one. I'm too busy at this part of my life. At one point, I went out with Paul a few times, but nothing ever happened. He's nice enough, but I leave so often that it makes having a relationship too hard. He's seeing someone else right now, I think."

"Are you okay?" he asked.

She smiled and kissed his cheek. "Always worried about us," she said with a genuine smile. "I'm okay, Mike. I promise," she assured him.

She cleared her throat and nodded over at Emma and rolled her eyes. "I'm sure she wants to talk to you too."

"We'll have to do something before you leave on your next trip, just us."

She smiled and hugged him. "That sounds fun," a wicked grin coming to her face.

Mike shook his head. "Stop," he said.

"Only if you make me," she giggled.

He shook his head and headed off to find Emma

Emma and Mike went for a walk and talked at length. She was the one person he could really talk to about his deployment, about what he'd seen, friends he'd lost.

"There were times of course when I was worried, when I was scared shitless. I've seen my friends blown apart, seen innocents killed. I've killed men," he said, lowering his gaze a bit.

Emma hugged him then, but was silent.

He sighed and shook his head. "That's a conversation for another time. This is supposed to be a happy reunion. So," he said turning towards her. "What about you? I figured you'd be the one to end up with Matt."

"There's something you need to know, Mike," she said. She had a concerned, cautious look on her face.