Memories that fade like photographs... (All Time Low fanfic)

Lullabies

•Alex's pov•
Effie came running out of the bathroom, tears streaming down her face. I knew this was going to begin our journey.
"How did you know Tom?..." She asked sniffling.

I got up off of my bed and hugged her... Back where I belonged, protecting my baby sister. I knew that she couldn't handle everything at once, she needed a shower first to calm down. Showering would always help Effie calm down, I think it had something to do with the red raspberries.

"He was a close friend of mine... I'll explain more later over dinner. Orange chicken?" I said with a smile, "From China Island..."

Her face lit up and the tears seemed to disappear, "H-how did you know?" She asked half smiling, half still trembling with disbelief.

"I never really took the chance to answer your question... Yes, I did know you before you left Baltimore." I said trying not to let my voice crack.

•Ellie's pov•
I could hear it in his voice, he couldn't handle it all right now either. I smiled and walked back to the bathroom. I shut the door and changed the album to Restoring Force by Of Mice & Men... I couldn't take anymore secret memories from All Time Low.
I grabbed a razor from the cabinet, red of course, and got into the still running shower. I shaved my legs to Glass Hearts and head banged my shampoo through my hair to Break Free. After a shower filled with this overwhelming olfactory of the red raspberries, I completely rinsed off and got out of the shower.

Standing in front of the full length mirror, more things started to come back to me. I started digging my nails into my palm as I became aware of the numbness of my scars. I paused from digging my nails into my palm as I ran my fingers over the scars on my thigh. I trembled as I got a flashback of sitting in front of this exact mirror and running the blade over my skin to create these exact scars.
I got dressed, hoping to forget what I'd remember and rather forget. As I put on my shirt, the last piece of my outfit, I ran over scars on my arm with my fingers. (I know you might find it strange that I'm being so shocked by my scars, but it's the memories coming back that's shocking.)

"Alex!" I cried as I walked out of the bathroom, "We really need to talk about my past..." I said as I looked at my arm.
As I smelt the tobacco rushing off of Alex, I was completely surprised. "I-I didn't know you want smoked..." I said under my breath.

"I only do it when I need to cope.." He said looking me up and down, more at my scars than anything I think... "Let's go talk this out now. The food just got here."
"L&M Reds?" I asked, still smelling the cigarette smoke on him.
"How'd you know?" He asked, slightly embarrassed that I knew.
"Honestly... I don't know. I guess it's something in my past." I said looking at my feet.
I could tell he was nodding at my remark, I need to know why. "That's what you would smoke... Before you left, that is." I could tell he was already struggling to tell me the simple things, like about me smoking L&M Reds.

"I left the night Tom died," I reminded him with a whisper. "But it wasn't my choice." I said, hoping to reassure him.

He looked up from the plate of orange chicken he was serving, "What do you mean it wasn't your choice?!" He asked, I could tell he was trying not to slam the spoon onto the plate.

As calmly as I could, I explained to him how "the cops told me that since Tom killed himself, I guess wherever I was just wasn't safe anymore." I said, trying not to upset Alex anymore than I already had.. "So where exactly was I staying whe-when Tom died?" I said looking down at the granite countertop over the island in the kitchen.
"Here." Alex said to me, every bit of energy was taken from his body with that word.
I blinked in shock. "Here?" I asked, "Does that mean.." I tried to catch my breath, I couldn't believe this. "You're my brother?"