All the Faint Lights

Chapter Thirty Four
“What is that?!” Asher growled when he saw my cheek, “Caroline!” I winced, he never used my full name, “Gordon!” he called and I wanted to hide, I was about to be attacked with questions.

“Yo, what’s with all the yelling?” Gordon asked as he jogged down the stairs from their upstairs apartment, “Linny, what’s up- What happened to your face?”

“Did that hockey player do it?” Asher growled, looking like he was going to murder someone, “Caroline!”

“No,” I said and then shook my head, “James didn’t do this, he tried to stop it.”

“Then what?!” Asher barked.

“Dad,” I muttered and then suck to the ground and wrapped my arms around my knees.

“What?” Gordon asked as he bent down and wrapped his arm around my shoulder and used his other hand to grab my chin and make me look at him. He looked at me sadly, seeing my tear stained slightly bruised cheek, “Dad did this?”

“I’ll kill him,” Asher growled and then pulled out his cell phone.

“No, Asher!” I snapped and jumped up, not meaning for my shoulder to bash into Gordon’s chin. I grabbed Asher’s phone and jump back, “Please don’t do anything! It’s done, it’s over with, we’re never seeing each other again- He made that very clear yesterday,” I said the last party sadly.

“What happened, Linny?” Asher asked and I sighed.

‘…At least he’s not angry with me…’ I thought as I handed back Asher’s phone and told him and Gordon what had happened yesterday at Jake’s house, “…And then he said that we haven’t been a family since mom died,” I muttered and my brothers sighed and hugged my tight.

-James-
“What are you in a bad mood about?” Sidney asked as he sat down next to me and saw the angry look on my face.

“Nothing,” I muttered and Sidney sighed.

“Did you and Linny get into a fight?” he asked and I shook his head and he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, “Did you do something wrong?” I shook my head, “Did she do-“

“No, she’s perfect, it’s-“ the door opened and I turned to see Trisha storm into the locker room. Some of the guys were still changing, so they yelled at her, but she didn’t budge.

Trisha looked around and then zoned in on my, “YOU!”

“What?” I asked confused and Sidney looked at me.

“I thought you said you didn’t do anything wrong?” he muttered and I shook my head.

“I didn’t.”

“James Neal, you-“ she stopped and turned around and then groaned and walked back towards the door and opened it, “Get in here!”

“But I don’t wanna!” I heard and my ears perked at Caroline’s voice, “They’re changing!”

“In!” Trisha growled and I watched as she grabbed Caroline’s wrist and drug her in. I smirked when Caroline had her hand over her eyes.

“You’re good Linny,” Craig Adams said and Caroline sighed and dropped her hand and I glared at the slight bruise on her cheek.

“You asked what I was angry about,” I told Sidney and he nodded his head, “That,” I growled and pointed towards Caroline’s bruise.

“What happened?” Sidney asked as he stood up and walked over towards Caroline, cupped her face and tilted her head, looking at the bruise, this getting the attention of the others.

“Answers! Now! She won’t tell me a damn thing!” Trisha hissed.

“Because I know you’ll freak out,” Caroline said and Sidney left go of her face.

“I’m freaking out and I don’t know what happened!” Trisha said and I sighed and looked at Caroline, “What happened?”

“James, don’t,” Caroline pleaded and I sighed.

‘…Piss of my manager or my girlfriend? Fuck…’ I ran my hand through my hair and stood up, throwing a shirt on and placing the hat on my head. I grabbed Caroline’s hand and walked out of the locker room, looking back to see Jordan glaring at me.

“James, please don’t-“ I cut her off by leaning against the wall and pressing my lips onto hers.

I sighed and ran my hand down her arms and laced my fingers with hers, “Babe,” I saw a sparkle in her eye when I called her that, “Can you see where I’m coming from here? She’s my manager, and your sister, if I don’t tell her, I can get in trouble with her- Something I don’t want,” I said and Caroline sighed and leaned her head on my shoulder.

“My dad’s gunna get in trouble,” she muttered and I rolled my eyes.

“He should! He’s lucky that I didn’t hurt him right there!” I growled and Caroline looked at me sadly, “I know he’s your dad, but he had no right to do that- He hit you, Car- Look what he did to you!” I said as I rubbed my thumb gently over her cheek.

“I know,” she whimpered and I felt my heart break, “He’s going through a lot-“

“Stop making excuses for him, Car, he obviously doesn’t think this much about you!” I said and I saw her eyes start to tear up, “I need to tell- No, ‘you’ need to tell Trish.”

“All right,” Caroline said and I sighed and kissed her forehead, wrapping my arms around her neck and kissing her head, “Can you get her? I’m going to her office.”

“All right,” I said and then watched as Caroline walked down the hall and headed towards the elevator. When she got in and the door closed, I walked back into the locker room and saw everyone looking at me. Trisha was giving me a hard look, I sighed and walked back towards the bench, “She’s going to your office; she’ll tell you what happened in there.”

“Thanks,” Trisha said and I nodded my head and watched as Trisha walked out of the office.

‘…At least her siblings take care of each other…’ I thought as I finished getting dressed after a long day of training.

“So what happened?” Sidney asked.

I waited for Trisha to leave the locker room before I looked at my teammates who were waiting for me to answer, “Her dad hit her.”

“What?!” the guys yell, wide eyed.

“Right in front of me too,” I growled and then sighed and shook my head, “It was a long night.”

“What did you do? If you hit him- Trish can’t call the cops, he can try to press charges on you-“

“I didn’t hit him, though I tried,” I said, cutting my Captain off.

-Caroline-
“Please Trish, I’m begging you! Don’t do anything! Let it go!” I begged as my hand was over her phone, “Please.”

“If he ever comes around you again-“

“All right,” I nod my head.

“I mean it Linny! If he ever comes in a hundred yards of you, I’m calling the cops!” she said and I gulped and nodded my head slowly, “Honestly! Our own father!” she growled and I sighed and looked down.

There was a knock on the door and we looked to see that Sidney and James were walking cautiously into the room. I gave James a small smile as he walked into the room and stood behind me, it’s amazing how much James and I have changed. We both liked each other even though we acted like we didn’t, driving each other nuts to hide our true feelings for each other.

“You ready to head out?” James asked and I nodded my head.

“Linny, why don’t you cover that up?” Trisha asked and I sighed.

“I do have cover up on it,” I said and her eyes widened, “I caked it on there.”

“What does it look like without the makeup?” Trisha asked and I sighed and walked over towards her water cooler, grabbed some tissues and wiped off my makeup, wincing when I put too much pressure on it. Trisha gasped when she saw the bruise for what it really was and then growled and glared at James, “You kick his ass the next time he comes around her! You hear me?!”

James nodded his head and then looked at me sadly. I sighed and looked at Trisha, “Can I go?”

“Go,” she said and I nod my head, turn around and wrap and arm around James’ waist.

James wrapped his arm around my shoulder and then we walked out of the office and headed towards the elevator. He was quiet, I was nervous, “You all right?” I asked as the door opened and we walked in.

“Why didn’t you show me how bad it really was?”

“I was scared that you would hunt my dad down and kill him,” I said and James sighed, cupped my chin and leaned in.

“I’m close,” he muttered before pressing his lips onto mine. The door opened for the bottom floor and we started to walk out but James stopped, “Oh shit, I forgot to talk to Trish about an interview coming up,” he said and I nodded my head, “I’ll meet you at the car.”

“All right,” I said and headed for the doors for the parking lot.

-James-
I didn’t like lying to Caroline, but this if for her own good. I went back up to the top floor and walked towards Trisha’s office; I knocked on the door and walked in to see Sidney and Trisha laughing about something.

“James? What’s up?” Trisha asked and I peaked my head out into the hall to make sure that I wasn’t followed before I closed the door and looked at Trisha, “What is it?”

“I want to call the police,” I stated, knowing full well that Caroline was going to be mad at me, but it needs to be done, this is not all right.

“I already set up an interview, he’ll be at my place in about four hours,” she said, looking at her watch, “Make sure she’s there.”

“I will,” I said and Sidney sighed.

“She’s gunna be mad at both of you,” Sidney said.

“It needs to be done, if my own father thinks that he can get away with hitting my baby sister and leaving ‘that’ mark, he’s got another thing coming! His ass is in deep, I want him in court and his ass in jail! I promised mom I would take care of my siblings- I’m taking care of them!” she growled and I nodded my head.

“I’m in,” I stated.

“Damn girl, you sexy right now,” Sidney said and I rolled my eyes when he wrapped his arms around her waist.

“And I’m gone.”