The Preacher's Daughter

CC's POV
Grace had been texting me on and off for the last week, which was awesome, since we didn't get to talk as much as I'd like to. She was my half sister, but her father didn't like me because of the way I am, so he kept us separated at all cost. Guess she finally found a way to get around the old man's watchful gaze.

She asked me to meet up with her today, when we got back into town, and I happily agreed. It's been too long. Four years too long to be exact. So as soon as our flight landed, I made my way to the carousel to grab my bags and race to meet her.

"Hey, CC! Where you going?" Ash called out to me.

"Meeting up with Grace at Starbucks on Sunset," I tell him, as a huge smile stretches across my face.

"Finally got away from the creep?" He asks, smirking as he walks up to me, his bags in hand.

"Guess so. I can't believe the shit he pulled to keep us apart. She may be his daughter, but she's also my sister and our mom's daughter," I reply.

Her father was a well known preacher of some mega church here is Los Angeles. My mom fell in love with him and married him, even though I didn't really approve of the guy. He was so close minded it was sickening.

Not long after they married, my little sis came along. It was a surprise to everyone and despite the 17 year gap between us, I still loved her the second I saw her. When I held her for the first time, I knew I wouldn't let anything or anyone come between us. I knew I wanted to protect her, no matter what.

Shortly after she was born, my mom called me up crying. She wanted to leave her husband and take Grace with her, so I helped her. When he found out, he divorced my mother and was granted full-custody of my sister. He also used his influence to sway the judge to only grant my mother supervised visitations, claiming she couldn't be trusted not to flee with his daughter.

I hated this prick. He claims to be a man of God, but all he cared about was money and control. He made our lives a complete living hell for the last 18 years and I can only imagine what he did to Grace.

"Mind if I tag along?" Ashley asks, still walking with me.

"Sure. I bet Grace would be thrilled to see you again," I reply, smiling at my good friend, as we walk towards the parking lot and I pull out my keys, "You know, she's always had a crush on you."

"Yeah? I didn't know that," he replies, smirking at me, loading up our bags in the back of my car.

"Don't get any smart ideas, Ash. That's still my baby sister," I warn with a laugh.

"I know, I know. But come on, man. You know I wouldn't do that to her. She's too sweet a girl and deserves to be treated like a queen," he says, holding his hands up in surrender, getting into the passengers side, while I hop into the driver's seat, "Besides, do you really think that jerk-off father of hers would let a guy like me anywhere near her? Now if he wasn't in the picture and you didn't mind, maybe, but until then? No, thanks, I choose life."

"Hopefully the old fucker just leaves her alone after she moves out or kicks the bucket," I reply, popping it in gear, and backing out, "Hopefully she moves out soon too, since she just turned 18 in October."

"Yeah. How ironic is that though? Her name's Grace, she's a preacher's daughter, but she was born on one of the most unholiest days of the year," Ashley says, with a low chuckle.

"Yeah and last time I saw her, she followed in her big bro's footsteps, in regards to her fashion sense and wicked sense of humor," I inform him.

"Oh, I bet the old man just loves that," Ash responds sarcastically, "Gotta give her one thing though. That girls definitely got spunk."

"That's an understatement. My sisters got more than just spunk," I tell him with a laugh, pulling into the parking lot of Starbucks, "She's an all out beast when she needs to be."

I quickly find a parking spot, then Ash and I head inside. I look around for a moment, before spotting her sitting at a corner table with her friend Taylor. As we get closer, my smile fades and my heart falls, as I realize she's crying.

I race through the store, to her side and pull her into my arms. She struggles at first, until she realizes it's me. She looks up at me with large, hazel eyes, then clings tightly to me, but not before I see the deep purple and blue bruise on her left cheek.

"Grace! What the hell happened? Who did this to you?' I demand, pushing her back far enough that I can examine the bruise more closely.

"I-It's n-nothing," She shudders, trying to hide the bruise with her hand and hair, "It's so g-good to s-see you, Chris."

My mind races. What the fuck happened to her? Who did this? Why won't she tell me anything? She always tells me when someone hurts her. Always.

I pull her closer to me, trying to calm her and myself, as I whisper into her hair, "It's good to see you too, Graceland."

"Is she okay?" Ashley whispers to me, looking at Grace.

"I...I don't..." I struggle to form the words, shaking my head, then look down at my baby sister, as she sobs into my chest, clinging to me tightly.

I take a moment to examine her. Black covers what used to be light brown hair. Her skin is paler than it used to be too, like she hasn't seen sunlight in years. Her frame is so thin, I'm afraid I'm going to break her if I hug her any tighter than I am, and when she finally pulls away, I see her cheek isn't just bruised. Her entire face is sunken in, like she's been badly malnourished. The young woman before me, is just a shell of her former, lively self.

"Do me a favor," I ask Ashley, not looking away from my sister, "Grab her something to eat and drink."

"Chris, you don't-"

"Shut up," I tell her a little harsher than I meant to. I close my eyes, trying to calm myself down, before I slowly open then again to say, "Let me take care of you. That's what a big brother does."

Fresh tears fill her eyes and she clings to me again. I glance at Ash, who nods and walks off to do as I've asked.

"Graceland, please tell me what happened. I can't fix it if I don't know what happened," I beg, sitting in the booth opposite of Taylor, pulling her slight frame into my lap. I have a feeling I know what happened, but I don't want to jump the gun just yet. I want her to tell me.

"Grace, you've waiting 4 years for this moment. Either you tell him or I will," Taylor snaps at my sister. Her voice is harsh, but her eyes are full of concern and love.

"You can't fix everything," She murmurs to me, "I...I just wanted to see you."

"Bullshit!" Taylor growls, "You even told that piece of shit father of yours, you would be back with your brother and then he would regret ever laying a finger on you!"

"Wait. Your dad? He did this?" I demand, holding her covered arms, and when she winces, my heart stops.

Slowly I release her, then pull her arm warmers off, revealing old scars and fresh wounds. My sister's been self-harming?

"What the hell?" Ash demands as he sets a tea and two muffins on the table, his eyes trained in on her arms, like mine. He sits next to us and holds out his hand, gently taking her left arm in it, and looking over the wounds. He carefully flips her arm over and I see a bruise that matches a large handprint running along her elbow.

I start putting the pieces together in my head and the more I do, the angrier I become. Despite my anger, when I speak, I sound unusually calm, "Grace...Why are you protecting him, if this is the kind of monster he is?"

"I'm not," She murmurs, not looking at me.

"That's bullshit. You are," I whisper, my voice cracking with emotion, "Does mom know?"

"What? No, of course not. You know how her temper is. She'd kill him and end up in prison for the rest of her life," She scoffs as if it were the stupidest question she'd ever heard.

"That's may be true, but she has a right to know. She is our mother, and just like me, she loves you," I tell her, "I'll take care of that piece of shit. You work on how you're going to tell mom. You're 18 now. You won't be supervised during your visits anymore. I'll help however I can."

"I will too," Ash adds, "You're family. We take care of and protect our own."

The breath she was taking gets lodged in her throat as she looks up at him with wide eyes. Her jaw hangs slack a bit, before it closes and quivers at bit. She then wraps her arms around Ashley's neck and thanks him.

I smile as he wraps her in his arms, then turn to Taylor and quietly ask, "How long has this been going on?"

"When she started becoming just like you. He claimed she needed to repent for her sins, and would do awful things to her when she refused," She explains, "She's been staying with me for the last couple months, while you guys were on tour."

Oh shit...I failed so bad as her brother. I was supposed to protect her, but when it came down to it, I didn't...I have to make this right, somehow...

Notes

Hope you guys enjoy it. :)