Station 126

9 : We Are Family

I don't know how long I've been sitting there, but I open my eyes when I hear a voice.

"Beautiful, isn't it."

"Blake!" I exclaim, whipping around to see him.

"Hey." He walks over and sits down next to me. "Come here to think?"

I nod. "Yeah. How did you find me?"

"I followed you here many times. I used to watch you sit there and talk to your mom, or skip stones, or just stare at the water in silence."

"Wow, stalker much?" I ask, turning to him.

The moonlight illuminates his face, and I am immediately drawn to his cuts and bruises.

"I'm fine." He insists when he notices me looking.

"Blake, you should get those looked at." I say, reaching out to touch them.

He winces lightly as my fingertips stroke them.

"I got them looked at."

I raise my eyebrows. "Yeah? By who?"

"Myself."

"You should go to the hospital."

"I'm a paramedic."

I roll my eyes.

"I know how to make them hurt less." I say.

"Oh yeah?"

I nod. "Mhm."

"Do tell."

I lean in and gently touch my lips to the bruise on his cheek, then the one on his forehead, then, lastly, the cut on his lip. I lean onto him, and we both fall back. I'm on top of him, staring down at him. I gently stroke the side of his face. He closes his eyes and sighs.

He suddenly opens his eyes and pushes me away.

"I love it when you do that, but I came here to talk." Blake says.

"No good conversation starts that way." I say, sitting up. He sits up next to me.

"Lia, you need to talk to TK about what happened."

"There it is." I mutter, pulling my knees to my chest again.

"I'm serious. Look, I knew what would happen if-when he found out, or caught us." Blake says. "Lia, you need to talk to him not just about us, but about you, about Raj, and Robert."

"I can't." I say. "He hurt you. I hate him."

Blake chuckles.

"You know, I punched my best friend when I found out he was dating my older step sister."

"Maddie?" I ask.

He nods. "Yeah. He was a friend. He was a good guy, but the thought of him and my sister was hard," he says. "It's hard for anyone Lia." I look up at him. "When TK punched me, I couldn't do anything, because that shows how much he loves you, cares for you. You might not be his father's daughter, but you are the only sister he knows, the only one he has." He pauses. "As your older brother, he wants to keep you safe. I know it's probably really annoying, but he loves you. You should go talk to him."

"I can't. He lied to me."

"Lia, he didn't lie, he withheld the truth. You need answers, and TK has them. Talk to him. He's freaking out about where you went when you didn't answer your phone."
"Thanks for not telling him." I say.

"I know you, and you needed time to clear your head." I nod. "Please talk to him. If not for him, then for me."

I look up at him.