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Summer's End Ch. 01

By: chargergirl



As always, thank you Mused, for all of your help with this.

~~**~~

Brandon entered his sister's room and frowned when he saw she was still packing. "Aren't you ready yet? I want to leave soon."

Emma turned and made a face at her older brother, then went back to her closet. "Damn tank top is in here somewhere." She rummaged around, pushing aside turtlenecks and sweaters.

"Better watch it or that pretty face of yours will freeze that way, Em."

"Yes, Mom, whatever you say," Emma mumbled from the back of the closet.

"I'm outta here in ten, Em. With or without you. You'll have to come with Mom and Dad on Saturday if you miss the bus." Brandon pushed away from the wall and went back to his room to finish his own packing. He knew it would take her forever to pack everything if he didn't toss an idle threat or two her way. Brandon was pretty sure Emma thought he was serious; though, he wouldn't really have left her behind.

Brandon was anxious to get up to the cottage. Each year since he had turned eighteen, he'd been allowed to go up a day or two ahead of his parents and open up the place, provided he took his baby sister with him. That was the only drawback, but it was worth it to have those few extra days. The cottage was an amazing place; tiny and cozy, it was a familiar comfort that Brandon and Emma reveled in. They'd been going up ahead of their parents for the last four summers.

It sat high up on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan, near the Silver Lake sand dunes, and it had been in the family for three generations. At the bottom of the ancient wooden stairs that led to the water, there was a decent little beach, the result of five years of low water. Before the low water, Brandon and Emma had made do with jumping into the lake from the cement sea wall. Having the sandy beach was great. It was like their private little cove.

Emma laughed to herself as Brandon walked away, and rolled her eyes. Brandon and his threats, he tried to sound so convincing, threatening to leave without her; he said the same thing every year. Her brother was too sweet to do anything like leave her behind. But she humored him anyway and quickly finished packing.

Brandon stuck his head in her room as he walked past. "Ready Em?"

"Yep. You got the money Mom left this morning?"

Brandon patted the back pocket of his jeans. "Yeah. Holy crap, Em, she left us two hundred."

Emma snorted. "Why? They'll be up in three days."

"Who cares? She left a note that said to go shopping and stock up."

"That doesn't mean beer and pizza, Ace." Emma grabbed her suitcase and hauled it off of her bed with a grunt and a groan. Jeez, didn't think I packed that much.

"Here, I'll get that. Go find Scooter before he realizes what's up and hides in the rafters again."

Emma laughed out loud, as she remembered the scene from a year ago, when she and Brandon had tried rounding up Scooter for the drive north. After one glance at his cat carrier, Scooter had retreated to the basement, hiding himself in the protective cover of the ceiling rafters. Brandon and Emma had spent the better part of the morning coaxing him down. "Did you put the carrier in the car already?" Emma asked her brother.

"Yeah. Bring him out and we'll put him in."

"Why don't you just let me hold him for the ride? You know how he is, Bran; he hates the carrier."

"It's up to you, Em. He's your baby," Brandon said with a shrug. He hefted her suitcase. "Christ, what'd you pack?"

Chewing on her lower lip, Emma ignored her brother and thought about the Scooter dilemma. She went to the linen closet and grabbed a huge bath towel, then went in search of the over-sized grey tabby. She found Scooter curled up in a furry ball on her parents' bed. "Hey Scoots. Come here, baby," she crooned. Emma hoped that by wrapping him in the towel she could avoid being scratched to pieces.

Scooter raised his head and blinked his pretty green eyes at Emma. Why are you holding that towel, Emmie?

"Hey sweetie, how's my little Scooter?"

I was great 'til you interrupted my nap. What're you going to do with that towel?

"Time to go, baby. Brandon has the car ready, so I'm just going to wrap you in this towel and carry you out, okay?"

Like hell you are! Scooter jumped up and made a beeline for the bedroom door.

"Scooooterrrr! Get back here!" Emma gave chase down the hall. He was heading for the basement. "Brandon! Shut the basement door!" Damn it, why hadn't she thought of that beforehand! Emma cursed herself.

Unfortunately for Scooter, Brandon was just coming in through the back door when he heard Emma shout. He slammed the basement door shut, seconds before Scooter came tearing around the corner. "Hah! Caught you!" Brandon bent down and swept the cat up in his arms. 

Emma rushed over and wrapped Scooter in the towel. "You little stinker," Emma scolded him playfully, as he struggled to free himself from her grasp. Wrapped snuggly in the towel, escape was a useless effort for the tabby.

"I can think of a few other names that would be more fitting than stinker." Brandon grumbled as he walked away. "C'mon, Em. Everything's ready."

Fifteen minutes later, they were on the highway, heading north.

Emma unleashed a barrage of worries about what they may have forgotten back at home.

"Mom and Dad will be home in like," Brandon glanced at the clock, "six hours. Relax. If we left a light on, or if the house is unlocked, which it isn't, everything will be fine. Okay? Relax."

"Did you get the keys to the cottage?" Emma asked, the panic rising in her voice.

Brandon reached down and jangled the key chain hanging from the ignition. "Got 'em." He reached over and squeezed his sister's hand, the one that wasn't busy stroking Scooter's head. "Take it easy. Look how beautiful it is today. It's summer, we're out of school, and we're heading to the cottage for eight weeks. I'm leaving at the end of summer, Em, so I plan to enjoy this last one. I hope you do the same." He glanced down at Scooter. "He looks like he's starting to enjoy himself."

Oh great, the fucking cottage. Why the fuck can't they just leave me home? Scooter shook his grey head and hissed at Brandon for touching his Emma. Brandon jerked his hand away and settled it back on the steering wheel. Emma had always been Scooter's human, from the time she had found him in the field behind the house. He had been a skinny, halfway frozen stray kitten when she'd rescued him from the cold three-and-a-half years ago. 

Brandon and Emma made it to the cottage in just under two hours. Their mutual excitement grew as they turned onto the little dirt lane. Passing some of the fourteen other cottages in the group, Brandon turned into their drive and guided the car up the steep incline. He threw the gearshift into park and sighed. Damn, it's good to be back. He looked at Emma and smiled. She was trying to juggle a sleeping Scooter and open the door at the same time. "Hang on, I'll get it." Brandon jumped out and went around to the passenger side to help Emma out.

Scooter woke up as soon as his Emma began to move. He took one look around and jumped out of her arms. He knew where he was, and he wasn't too pleased to be there. With a yawn and a stretch, he began to sniff around.

"Let's unlock the joint and take a look around," Brandon suggested.

Emma nodded and followed her brother to the front door on the north side of the cottage. Brandon opened the outer wooden screen door, unlocked the inner one, and entered. Emma was right behind him. They loved opening up the cottage for their parents. It was something that never grew old for them, the first look. And the first smell, that musty cottage smell was like nothing else. Those initial steps into the cottage were always like stepping back in time.

Emma immediately went around and threw open every window in the cottage, letting in the fresh lake breeze. Not only did the breeze help to air the place out, it also carried the sound of the waves crashing on the beach below. The two windows on either side of the fireplace were always first; they looked west, out over the lake. 

Brandon went around and tested the lights. He flipped them all on, then flipped them back off. It was a bright, sunny June day and they really weren't needed. He began to peel off and fold the sheets that covered the comfortable old rag-tag couch and mismatched chairs. Slowly, the cottage came back to life, after lying silent and still during the long Michigan winter.

"C'mon Emma. Let's go down and see if the beach is still there," Brandon said eagerly. He knew there was still a lot to be done inside, but he was dying to see if their little spit of sand was still there.

At the cottage, Brandon and Emma could be kids again. For this, their final summer together, they could forget school, jobs, and life in general. The cottage was far removed from their lives back at home, and reality could be suspended, at least for a little while.

Emma laughed at her brother's enthusiasm. Sometimes he was just like a big kid, and she loved that about him. "Help me open up the sleeping porch, first, Brandon." The sleeping porch was located on the south side of the cottage. It was where Brandon always slept. A half-wall, shutters, and a louvered door closed it off from the rest of the cottage.

They cranked open every window and pulled the sheets and blankets off the bed. Brandon unlocked the porch's screen door and stepped outside; Emma followed right behind. The view was absolutely stunning. Side by side they stood, gazing out at the vast expanse of water. They had never grown tired of watching the lake. Twenty feet in front of them was a crooked split-rail fence, and five feet beyond that was the bluff that dropped nearly straight down to the piled concrete seawall. Their dad, grandfather, and a neighbor had put the seawall down there years ago in an effort to prevent further erosion. Beyond the edge of the bluff was Lake Michigan. Blue-green near the shore, it blended into a dazzling sapphire further out. 

The day was fairly calm. A light breeze blew from the southwest. Brandon judged the waves as being one to two feet, at most. "Let's go, Em." As he turned and headed for the stairs, Emma playfully ran ahead of him and took off down the steps. Brandon started to panic. "No, Em! Wait! I need to check the steps for rot! Fucking hell!" He took off at a dead run.

Brandon pulled up short when he got to the steps, expecting to see his little sister sprawled down there on the jagged concrete seawall. But there she was, down on the little sandy beach, laughing up at him. She waved.

A third of the way down Brandon found a rotten board. His anger grew as he yanked the board out, nails and all. How she managed to miss it, he didn't know. When his foot went completely through another board halfway down, he exploded. "Emma!" he roared. He flew down the remaining steps, paying no heed to his own safety.

Emma pranced over to Brandon. "What? What's the matter?" Without waiting for an answer, she danced away. "Look, Bran, the beach is still here." She turned in circles, her arms spread wide.

A little of the anger left Brandon, but only a little. He tossed the rotten boards near Emma's bare feet. "That's what's the matter, Emma. You could have fallen down the steps if you'd landed on one of those just right. You're damn lucky you missed them," he snapped. His pounding heart was just beginning to return to normal.

Emma heard the anger in Brandon's voice. She hated it when he was mad at her, though she knew why. "But, I was careful, Brandon." She knew it was a lie, and knew her brother did, too. She hadn't been careful at all.

"No, you weren't, Emma," he responded harshly. "You're fortunate you're not lying on the seawall with a fucking broken neck."

Emma saw his jaw muscle working and knew just how angry her brother was. She'd been so anxious to get down to the beach she'd forgotten to let Brandon go first and check for loose and rotted boards. Some years the steps were fine, other years he'd find one or two that needed replacing. She whispered, "I'm sorry, Bran," then looked down at the sand separating their feet. Her long, dark hair fell forward, shielding her from his scorching gaze.

Brandon looked out over Lake Michigan, trying to will himself to be calm. He looked back at Emma. She didn't know, couldn't have known, why he was so upset with her. "Be more careful, Emma, please," he implored.

Emma nodded. "I will, I promise. I should have waited, but I forgot. Honestly, I did forget." She was relieved when Brandon began to smile; he was scary when he was angry. She gave his waist a big squeeze.

"Okay, okay, no need to get mushy," Brandon grumbled, his anger rapidly dissipating.

Emma laughed at him and pulled away. "Now, look at our beach, would you?" she demanded and laughed again.

The beach was not where Brandon wanted to look, but he pulled his eyes off the small, eager girl standing in front of him and pretended to inspect the beach for her. He still wasn't over his fright, but he covered it up as best he could. "I think it's a bit wider than last year. Looks like the water's gone down further. That'll play hell with the freighters," Brandon predicted. "There's a few large pieces of driftwood that we need to take care of, but otherwise, it looks good."

"Oooh, look at this one!" Emma bent down and picked up a small piece of the wood. She held it up. "It looks like a bird. I'm keeping it." They walked around a few minutes longer, then Emma continued, "We better get back up there. We still have to go shopping, strip and remake the beds, bring in wood for the fireplace." June mornings at the cottage tended to be chilly, and there was no furnace.

"The western windows are a mess, too," Brandon added. They were every year, as they received the brunt of the harsh winter weather and brutal spring rains. There was so much to do before their parents got there, but the hard work was worth it to Brandon and Emma.

They retreated back up the stairs; Emma was more cautious on her return trip. Brandon made a mental note to try and convince their dad to replace the entire stairway. In the meantime, he would fix the two bad boards he'd found.

They unloaded Brandon's car first, so they'd have room in the trunk for groceries. Emma hated grocery shopping, so they got that out of the way immediately. Unfortunately, they hadn't eaten anything prior to hitting the store.

"What does Mom always say about going shopping on an empty stomach?" Brandon asked his sister, as things flew off the shelves and into their cart.

"To not to." Which was exactly what they were doing.

"I want hot dogs for the fire tonight. We're doing hot dogs, right?"

"Of course, it's a tradition on our first night. C'mon, let's go get the buns." Emma turned with the cart and began to walk away.

Brandon couldn't help but look down and admire her little buns. They were perfect and round; he longed to give one a squeeze. He reluctantly tore his eyes away and felt guilty as hell for checking out his sister's ass.

They were in the checkout line when a familiar voice from behind spoke up, "Hey, guys. When did you get here?"

Emma turned around and nearly gasped. She recovered quickly, though, and hastily stuffed the tabloid she'd been browsing into the slot beside the counter. Adam Gerhardt, from three cottages down, stood two feet from her. Though he was Brandon's friend, Emma had crushed on him for years. 

Brandon stuck out his hand and gripped Adam's. "Hey Adam, we just got here this morning. What's going on? When did you get here?"

"This morning, too. I'm just here for a long weekend. Have to head back to work on Monday." Adam turned and looked at Emma with a smile. "How's Emmie?" 

Emma tried not to blush, but she figured she probably did it anyway. "Good. I'm good."

Adam's smile widened at her awkwardness. She was such a sweet little thing, he'd wanted to fuck her for years, but he knew Brandon would've killed him if he tried. He turned back to his friend. "Your last e-mail said that you're heading to law school in August. That still happening?"

"Oh yeah, definitely," Brandon nodded. "I still can't believe University of Chicago Law accepted me."

"Why? You had the highest GPA of your entire graduating class," Emma reminded him.

"No shit!" Adam laughed. He knew Brandon was pretty smart, but he didn't know he was that smart. "Congratulations!" Adam pounded him on the back.

"Thanks," Brandon muttered, embarrassed. He changed the subject. "We're doing a fire out in the pit tonight, so come on down, if you want."

"Your parents up yet?"

"Nope. Just Em and me. They'll be here on Saturday."

"Great. See you tonight, then. Gotta run and get some stuff for my mom." He winked at Emma. "Bye Em."

With a smile, Emma nodded and turned towards Brandon. She wanted to hide behind her brother; she was so shy around Adam.

"He's got the hots for you, and I don't like it," Brandon grumbled as he tossed food onto the conveyor. He was already regretting the invite.

"What!" Emma squeaked. "Brandon! He does not."

The hotdogs were slammed to the belt. "Like hell. Didn't you see him looking at you?"

"N-no, I didn't. He talked to you the whole time."

Brandon forced a laugh. "He might have been talking to me, but he couldn't take his eyes off you."

Emma's eyes widened. "Really?" She began to smile.

Brandon didn't like the look on her face. "Stay away from him, Em. He'll eat you up and spit you out without a thought."

"I thought you were friends." Emma's smile turned to a frown.

Brandon fished a hundred out of his wallet and handed it over to the checkout girl. Generous to a fault, their mom always gave them way too much money. He glared at Emma. "Just stay away from him, okay? He'll cause you nothing but grief. I've seen him do it before." Frustrated, Brandon took the change and stuffed it in his pocket. "C'mon. Just forget Adam for now. We can talk about it later."

The rest of the afternoon flew by. Emma and Brandon had the cottage pretty well put together by dinnertime. Brandon even found the time to replace the rotted steps. During the process, he found a third step that was just beginning to decay, so he ripped that one out and replaced it, too.

"I'm going to start the fire, Emma," Brandon called, as he went out through the sleeping porch. He'd just made his bed with fresh linens and he couldn't wait to crawl in between the sheets. The first night was always the best. Laying there listening to the waves never failed to lull him into peaceful dreams. He never slept better than when he was up at the cottage.

When he went out to light the fire, Brandon found Scooter napping in the fading June sunlight. He was in his favorite spot, the corner of the double swing. Brandon had washed it down earlier and put the cushions in place.

Brandon had the fire going in no time. He sat next to Scooter in the swing. "Hey buddy." He reached out and scratched the cat between his ears. Brandon smiled when he heard Scooter start to purr. Scooter was only nice to him as long as Emma wasn't around. Brandon thought that was kind of odd, but Scooter was an odd cat. Possessive of Emma, Scooter hissed and growled at anyone that went near her.

Emma joined Brandon a few minutes later. She carried a tray loaded with the roasting forks, hotdogs, buns, chopped onion, ketchup, and mustard. Setting the tray on the picnic table, she smiled over at her brother. "Help yourself."

Several of Brandon and Emma's friends showed up that first night. Adam, who was the first to arrive and the last to leave, stayed by Emma's side nearly the entire evening. That was something that didn't go unnoticed by Brandon. While he chatted with his friends, he kept on eye on the two, but, to his relief, he didn't see Adam try anything with Emma.


Summer's End Ch. 01



After the party, Brandon and Emma were left alone to clean up. While the temperature outside dipped, the interior of the cottage grew chilly, as well. Brandon went about lighting a fire in the hearth to chase away the cold.

"Adam was certainly attentive to you tonight," Brandon commented, as he stacked the wood just so.

Emma smiled, remembering some of the things Adam had said to her. "Yeah, he was very sweet." She felt the heat rise in her face, when she thought about some of the decidedly erotic comments Adam had made to her. Adam hadn't tried to touch her, though; Emma had been slightly disappointed by that.

"Just don't forget what I said earlier, Em," Brandon warned. "He's a player, okay?"

Her brothers' words forced the anger to swell in her chest. "Knock it off, Bran," she warned. "He was a perfect gentleman tonight. I've waited five years for that guy to notice me," she poked the air with her finger, pointing in the general direction of the Gerhardt cottage, "and he finally has! So quit trying to ruin it for me!"

At her harsh words, Scooter came out from his place under the couch. He circled her feet repeatedly, upset by her tone.

Brandon touched the lit match to paper and watched as the flames began to lick at the dry wood. Satisfied that the fire would take, he stood and turned to his sister. "Emma, look. I know you like him. I understand, okay? Just be careful, that's all I want you to do. Just be careful." He approached her, not wanting to fight on their first night, but a low growl and a warning hiss stopped him in his tracks. Brandon looked down; he knew whom he'd find at Emma's feet. "Fucking hell," he muttered.

"Oh, Scooter, hush!" Emma bent and picked up her furry little baby. She cradled him in her arms as she looked at her older brother. "I appreciate your concern," Emma nodded. "I really do. But I'm a big girl, I can handle it."

Brandon didn't think big girl described Emma well at all. She was definitely on the short side. The top of her head didn't even reach his shoulder. He her height was not what she was talking about, though. She thought herself mature enough to handle someone like Adam. And Brandon knew that was the furthest thing from the truth. Emma was such a stubborn girl. He hoped she wouldn't have to find out about Adam the hard way.

As Emma got ready for bed later that night, her bravado faltered. Adam was a fast talker, smooth, too. He'd said some things that had gotten her very excited, but she wasn't sure she was ready for him yet. Emma hated to admit it, but her brother was probably right.

Emma slipped into one of Brandon's old flannel shirts and thought back to some of the things Adam had said to her. He had called her beautiful. No one had ever called her that, except her dad. Emma didn't think she was particularly beautiful. Cute, maybe. Perky, God she'd been called that more times than she could remember. But beautiful? No, never that.

Adam told her he wanted to get to know her better. He wanted to take her to Silver Lake State Park the next day. She hadn't told Brandon that yet. She suddenly wondered if he would let her go. Emma was nervous about going there with him; some parts of the dunes were very secluded. She thought that maybe she should tell her brother everything Adam had said.

Emma's twin bed was against the half-wall of the sleeping porch, right in the living area. Being where it was, she had the benefit of the fireplace's warmth, unlike the sleeping porch, where Brandon slept. As she slipped from beneath the sheets, she could hear her brother's soft snores through the wall. Beyond his snoring, she heard the waves gently washing ashore. Both sounds were sources of great comfort to Emma.

Brandon was leaving early in the morning with some of his other friends, and they were headed for Silver Lake, too. Emma wasn't sure she'd get a chance to talk to him before then. Pushing the covers aside, she got up on her knees and opened one of the sets of shutters separating the sleeping porch from the rest of the cottage. She stuck her head through and looked down at her brother sleeping directly below her.

"Brandon!" No answer. Louder, "Brandon! You awake?"

A groan, and a mumbled, "I am now," came from beneath the covers.

"I have to talk to you. Watch out, I'm coming over."

Brandon came wide-awake. He knew what that meant, though Emma hadn't done it in a long time. He didn't think it was a good idea, not anymore. "Emmie, wait, no--" The words died on his tongue as her shapely leg came up over the wall, then the rest of her. Christ, she was wearing lime green panties. He scrambled out of the way just as she fell into the bed next to him.

Emma turned her head and looked at him. She smiled. "Hi."

"Hi yourself. You could've come through the door."

"The wall's quicker."

Brandon tossed the blankets over his sister's little body. "It's cold. Cover up." He couldn't stand looking at her, knowing that beneath his old flannel shirt she wore lime green panties. Dammit! His dick was coming to life.

Blissfully unaware of the physical reaction she'd caused Brandon, Emma snuggled under the warm blankets. She released a contented sigh, closed her eyes for a moment, and listened to the waves.

"Um, you planning on sleeping in here with me, or what?" That would be impossible. He knew he couldn't spend an entire night lying next to his sister. No, that was just asking too much. 

Emma opened her eyes and laughed. "Maybe I am. Can I?" She was only teasing, but Brandon took her seriously.

He would have loved nothing more than to keep her there, beside him. He couldn't though. His conscience wouldn't allow it. "Hell no, you can't sleep in here! Are you crazy?" Brandon rose up on one elbow, prepared to order her out of his bed.

Emma laid her small hand on his chest. "Settle down, Bran. I was kidding. I just want to talk to you; that's all. Lie down."

That he could do. Brandon's head returned to the warm pillow, as he tried to relax. He sighed. "Okay, Emma, what's on your mind?"

"Adam. I think he wants to become, uhmm, intimate with me." Emma blushed and ducked her head against Brandon's shoulder. She didn't usually discuss such things with him. Of course, up until now, she'd never had a reason to.

Brandon cringed at her words. "What exactly do you mean by intimate, Em?"

"You know, intimate. I think he wants to do it."

"For the love of God, Em, has he even kissed you yet?" Brandon rolled his head from side to side on the pillow, uncomfortable with where the conversation was headed. "Up 'til now he barely gave you the time of day, and now all of a sudden he wants to get in your pants? What the hell's up with that? Does he think that because you're eighteen now he can do whatever he wants with you? Because I swear to God, Emma, if he lays one hand on you, if he hurts you, I'll tear him apart!"

The more upset Brandon became, the more it distressed Emma. She was frustrated with his reaction; she didn't understand it at all. He'd had sex before. He'd lost his virginity. Why was she any different? She tried to explain it to him. "Bran, someday I want to do it; you know? I mean, why not now? Why not Adam? He likes me Bran, I know he does. He told me he did. You've done it before. I know you have." To Brandon, it sounded like an accusation.

Brandon didn't say anything for a long time. How could he? He turned on his side and looked at Emma. How could he tell her that he wanted to be her first? How could he tell her that he wanted to be the first and only man that ever made love to her? The only one to hold her, to kiss and touch her? To lie between her legs and taste her? How could he tell her that? He couldn't. There was no way to tell her something like that. Instead, he tried to focus on what she was saying to him.

"Emmie," Brandon began softly. "If you're determined to go through with it, I can't stop you. I won't even try. All I can do is warn you about Adam. He'll go through five or six girls this summer; mark my words. You'll only be one of them." He added as an afterthought, "Besides, he's kind of old for you."

"I love you Bran, and I trust your judgment, but I think you're wrong about him. He told me earlier he's been waiting for me to grow up. And how can you say he's too old for me? He's the same age as you. You're not old."

Brandon laughed a little at that. "I know you think I'm trying to interfere, but you came to me, Em. I'm only telling you how I feel." He knew that wasn't entirely true. He wouldn't tell her how he really felt. He didn't think he could ever do that.

"He wants to take me to Silver Lake tomorrow to swim, and I want to go."

Silver Lake was a smaller inland lake, warmer and more suited for swimming than Lake Michigan at that point in the summer. The Great Lake wouldn't be warm enough to swim in for a few more weeks yet.

Brandon nodded. "I'll be there, too, with Lisa, Matt, and John, but we'll be up in the dunes, so I don't think I'll see you. Just promise me, Em, if he tries anything with you, makes you feel weird or uncomfortable, leave. Okay? Promise? Just leave. You can try and find me, or just head home." The cottage was only a mile north of Silver Lake; some days they would walk along the beach to get down there.

"I promise Brandon, and thanks. You're the best." Emma leaned into him and kissed him on the lips.

Brandon closed his eyes as Emma's lips brushed his. His heart pounded in his chest at her touch. The light pressure on his mouth, her soft hand pressing his chest, they made him want to pull her into his arms and hold her tight. 

The moment ended as soon as it began. "Love you, Bran," Emma said, rolling away from her brother.

"Love you, too, Em," Brandon replied, his voice drained of its usual strength. He watched her rise up on his bed and head back over the wall. Another glimpse of her lime green panties made his already hard dick start to throb. He reached down and withdrew it from his boxers.

So many nights he laid awake thinking of Emma, masturbating to pictures of her in his mind. That night was no different; though it felt kind of strange, knowing she was just on the other side of the half-wall.

As Brandon stroked his cock, he thought of her long dark hair and blue eyes, those heavenly blue eyes that curved up slightly at the corners when she laughed. He loved her so much, and not just as a brother. He had fallen in love with her years ago, while she matured and grew into a beautiful young woman. It had been painful and wonderful, being so close to her yet unable to have her as he wanted. It was one of the reasons he had decided to go to Chicago at the end of summer. He couldn't take it anymore. The pain of being around Emma, and not being able to have her, had finally won out.

Brandon turned to his side, away from the wall, and groaned into his pillow as his orgasm neared. He thought of her pretty little mouth, and what it would feel like wrapped around his cock. Behind his eyes, he imagined her lovely, full breasts in his mouth as he suckled on them, pulling at them. His toes curled and his sac tightened, as he imagined himself plunging into his sister's slick pussy. Hot, sticky jets of come shot upwards, coating his stomach. A single word escaped his lips. "Emmie," he whispered.

On the other side of the wall, Emma was just drifting off when something forced her to stir. She sat up in bed and listened. A strange sound was coming from the sleeping porch. She peeked through a gap in the shutters and nearly gasped at the sight of her brother stroking himself off. She stared, momentarily stunned as she watched Brandon masturbate.

Emma's shock quickly turned to interest as she watched Brandon's face contort with pleasure. She wondered what, or rather, whom he was thinking about. She shifted her weight from one knee to the other to get a better look and felt moisture in her panties. Guilt began to overcome her, even as she slipped a hand through the waistband of her underwear and touched her clit. Emma slowly began to work her little bud in circles.

She thought he was done when he rolled over on his side away from the wall, and away from her view. She moved to lie down and finish herself off when she heard her own name on her brothers' lips. Oh my God, he was thinking about me! Emma was taken aback, yet she found the idea thoroughly arousing. 

Emma pictured her brother's hard cock as she rubbed herself to her own orgasm. She thought of him working his hard shaft with his hand, pumping and stroking. Just knowing he had been thinking of her made her pussy start to ache in anticipation of release. She was close. It was so wrong, oh God so wrong, but she wanted to see him do it again. Emma dipped her finger into her soaking pussy, then brought it back to her clit. Closer still, she applied a bit more pressure, then it hit. Her back arched and her pelvis thrust into the air as the first wave of her orgasm washed over her. She remained silent and clenched her teeth, though the urge to yell out nearly overwhelmed her.

Shaken by what she had seen and felt, and by emotions she didn't understand, Emma turned over and curled into a tight little ball. She fell asleep thinking not of Adam, but of her own brother.

***

The smell of coffee pulled Emma from sleep the following morning. She opened her eyes to see Brandon sitting on the couch drinking from a mug. He'd lit another fire, and the morning chill was already gone. Emma tried to turn over but a heavy object on her legs prevented it. She looked down to see Scooter draped across her knees. 

As if sensing Emma was awake, Brandon looked her way. A smile split his face. "Morning, sleepyhead."

Emma stretched, sending a protesting Scooter to the floor. "Morning. What time is it? I thought you'd be gone by now." She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. "Any coffee for me?"

"Yup." Brandon rose and went to the kitchen. He grabbed a mug out of the cupboard and poured for Emma. He glanced at the clock over the stove. "Eight-fifteen. Here you go." He handed her the coffee and watched as she took a tentative sip of the steaming brew.

"Thank you. It's good." Emma had always thought her brother made the best coffee. "I thought you were leaving early?"

Brandon looked down at Emma and smirked. "Trying to get rid of me?" He tried hard not to become aroused at the sight of her, all messy and tousled. She had that sleepy, just-awakened look. He thought she looked incredibly sexy standing there in his old flannel shirt; it fell just above her knees.

Emma laughed. "Hardly, silly." She went and sat down on the couch in front of the fire to drink her coffee. "I'm just surprised, is all. I know you're anxious to get down to the dunes."

"I had one more thing I wanted to say to you, and something to give you before I left."

"Yeah? Got a present for me?" Emma eagerly leaned forward. She watched Brandon disappear into the sleeping porch. He returned a minute later with two small foil squares.

"Here, I want you to take these and make Adam use them, if the need arises."

Emma glanced down at what her brother pressed into her outstretched hand. "Condoms, Brandon? What for?"

Brandon looked at his little sister for a moment, trying to decide if she was serious or not. He decided she wasn't joking. He sat down next to her. "Emma, you've never done it with a guy."

For a brief moment, Emma thought of Brandon stroking himself off, thought of the way her name had sounded on his lips. She suddenly wondered what it would be like if he made love to her. Her nipples hardened, and she felt her cheeks flush.

Brandon's words broke into her thoughts. "Mom and Dad aren't here. It's my responsibility to look out for you, Emma. C'mon, Em, you know that. Look, I know Adam; I know how his mind works--" Emma tried to cut him off with her protests, but he held up his hand to silence her. "Let me finish, please." Emma nodded, so he continued. "Just take these. You may be right; he may have no interest in sex with you, right now. But if he does, if he ever does, for God's sake, make him use one."

"What if he doesn't want to wear it, Brandon?" Emma asked.

"Son of a bitch, Emma, seriously?" Brandon let out a loud snort. "Then get the hell away from him as fast as you can. Do you want to wind up pregnant or worse, with some fucking nasty disease? He's probably fucked half the girls up here." Brandon was getting irritated with Emma's obvious lack of clarity regarding Adam. For some reason she just couldn't see the kind of man Adam really was. Brandon had seen it each summer.

"I get it, Brandon, okay. Thanks. Thanks for looking out for me." Emma leaned over and kissed his cheek, but she didn't move away. He was so close, and he smelled so good. The warmth between her legs grew; the beat of her heart quickened.

Brandon abruptly stood, aware of something that had just passed between them. Was he imagining it, or had he caught the scent of his sister's arousal? "I gotta run, Em. See you tonight," he muttered and was outside before Emma could say another word.

Brandon detested the thought of Emma being with Adam. Usually, Adam kept a girl around long enough to screw her a few times and then that was it. She was falling into Adam's trap, and there was nothing he could do about it, except sit back and watch it happen. He slammed the car into reverse and backed down the drive. Fucking hell, it was going to be a long summer.

To be continued...



Summer's End Ch. 02



To Mused, thank you for all your help with this. You're the best.

*~*~*

The summer cottage was dark when Brandon arrived home from his afternoon in the dunes. He wondered if Emma was back yet. He wondered, too, what had transpired between her and Adam. He went around to the side, where the entrance to the sleeping porch was located, and entered the cottage from there. If Emma was already home and asleep, he didn't want to disturb her with the squeaky front screen door.

Brandon crept through the interior, quiet as he could be, and used the bathroom. On his way back to the sleeping porch, he passed by Emma's bed. His sister was curled up on her side, facing him, sound asleep. He paused and watched her for a few minutes before placing a chaste kiss upon her upturned cheek.

Brandon made it as far as the door to the porch when a snuffling sound hit his ears. A tiny voice spoke, "Bran, that you?"

"Yeah, Em. I'm home now. You okay?" Something in his sister's voice told him she wasn't. Brandon returned to her side. "When did you get in?"

"A while ago," she whispered.

Brandon sat down on the edge of her bed. "Everything go okay with Adam?" Adam Gerhardt was a summer friend of Brandon's, and a real player when it came to girls. He'd asked Emma to go down to Silver Lake for the day and Emma had excitedly agreed, as she'd nursed a serious crush on Adam for years. It was Brandon's fear Adam would exploit that crush and use Emma for his own pleasure. Brandon was even more afraid that Adam would then toss her aside, the way he had with so many other girls.

"You were right, Brandon,"

Brandon's heart fell at Emma's words. He hadn't wanted to be right. He only hoped that Emma hadn't let Adam go too far. "About what, Em?"

"He only wanted one thing," Emma sighed. She hated to admit it, but her brother had been right about Adam. Emma turned and buried her face in her pillow.

"Well, that was fast." Fucking hell, the bastard! Inside, Brandon seethed with anger; he stayed calm for Emma's sake. He reached over and rubbed his little sister's back. Contact with Emma felt so good, no matter how innocent the touch. His physical reaction took its normal course, and in seconds he was hard. He sighed, and shifted a little on Emma's bed in an effort to relieve the discomfort.

"I didn't give in, but he does want to see me again," Emma ventured, somewhat tentatively. In the filtered moonlight, she saw the muscle in his jaw work overtime. She knew her brother extremely well, probably better than anyone. She could sense how upset he was.

"What? You told him to fuck off, right?" Brandon asked her carefully.

"I--I thought I might give him another chance."

Brandon bolted up off the bed. "Another chance! Another chance to do what? To stick his dick in you? Goddamn it Emma, he doesn't want you, he wants your pussy! You just told me that's all he wanted!"

Emma sat up on her knees in her bed, alarmed at the fury in her brother's voice. "Maybe he just needs another chance, you know, to get to know me better. Maybe, eventually..." she trailed off, uncertain of her brother for the first time, uncertain of the wild look in his eyes.

Brandon spat out a harsh laugh. "Eventually what? He'll love you?" The thought of Adam loving Emma was too much to bear. He grabbed Emma by her arms and hauled her up to eye level. "He'll never love you, Emma! Don't you get it? Not like I--" Brandon caught himself, but it was too late. He saw the look in Emma's eyes, as the dawning realization of what he said, or hadn't said, washed over her.

Emma felt like she'd been struck by lightening, so floored was she by this sudden revelation. But it made sense to her. The way she caught Brandon staring at her from time to time, the loving touches, and the sweet smiles that he bestowed on her suddenly seemed that much more intimate. Emma knew then just what Brandon felt for her. He loved her, plain and simple; he loved her the way she wanted to be loved. Emma felt a rush of emotion unlike any she'd ever known. Her heartbeat increased, and her palms grew damp, as her gaze stayed locked on Brandon.

Slowly, agonizingly, Emma slid her hands up his chest. His skin was warm beneath her palms, and already held a golden hue from the full day spent in the warm June sun. She leaned into him and gently rested her cheek there. The thudding of his heart drummed in time with her own, as his arms came up around her shoulders and held her close.

Brandon couldn't believe he was holding Emma in his arms. He hadn't meant to tell her his real feelings, yet he couldn't help but feel relieved now that she finally knew his secret. Terrified she would recoil in disgust, he tightened his hold, slid one hand up her back into her hair, and cradled her head.

The silence stretched out between them before Emma finally broke it. "How long, Bran?"

"How long what, Em?" His voice sounded strange and foreign to him.

"How long have you felt this way?" she whispered into his chest.

"Too long."

"I never realized..." Still kneeling on the bed, Emma's arms moved to encircle Brandon's waist.

"I never wanted you to know." 

"But why?"

"You're my sister, for Christ's sake. I'm not supposed to feel this way about you. It's wrong; it's immoral; it's--"

"I feel it, too. I can't explain why, but I do, Brandon," Emma nodded against him. Her hand caressed his shoulder and arm. She tenderly kneaded the muscles beneath his tanned skin.

"God, Emma, no," Brandon groaned. Her touch was like a gift from the heavens. He dreamed of holding her in his arms every night. But it was so wrong. 

Emma's hands moved slowly between their bodies. Brandon watched her unbutton the old flannel shirt that she always wore to bed. His mind seemed to work in slow motion; the fact that she was unbuttoning her shirt took several seconds to register in his brain.

Emma sat back on her knees, her shirt unbuttoned but still on. She looked up at her brother with a shy smile. "Brandon?"

Brandon watched as Emma sat back. Her shirt parted enough so he could make out the gentle swell of her breasts. His gaze lowered, treating him to a view of the little mound of dark, curly hair at the juncture of her thighs. Emma was a vision of perfection to him, the embodiment of a primal desire denied for too long. She was his sister and his friend. But he wanted more. He wanted her love.

He was aching to have her but held back. "What do you want, Emma? What are you saying to me?" He knew she was offering herself, but he wanted to be sure. He wanted to hear that she wanted him.

"I love you, Brandon," she said, her words whisper-soft.

Brandon smiled at Emma's sweet declaration. He reached out and touched her cheek. "I love you, too, babe. But it's a lot more serious than that; you understand? I love you like Dad loves Mom. Do you know what I'm saying?"

Emma smiled and nodded. As she looked up at her big brother, she wondered why in the world it took her eighteen years to realize just how wonderful he was. No boy she had ever dated could compare to him, and she doubted any man ever would. Adam had turned out to be exactly as Brandon had described, yet she had been willing to see him again, knowing full well that the only thing he wanted was between her legs. Emma wanted something more than that. She wanted what only her brother could give her. Love, unconditionally. She reached out, took his hand, and placed it over her heart. "Do you feel it? It's racing, Brandon, because of you."

Brandon could feel it, Emma's heart, slamming away in her chest. He looked down into her wide blue eyes, the same eyes he'd looked into a thousand times before. What he'd hoped to see a thousand times was finally there, the love of a woman for a man. He swallowed hard. "Emmie, baby, I love you," he whispered.

Emma took Brandon's hand and pulled him down beside her. Tracing the contours of his face, her fingertips grazed his nose, cheeks, and lips. Hesitantly, her head moved towards his, and their lips touched in a gentle first kiss. "Be my first, Brandon. Please, show me how much you love me," Emma muttered against his mouth.

Brandon pulled back and looked at Emma. He saw the love in her eyes, again. He bent his head back to hers and captured her mouth with his own. His hands pushed her shirt off her shoulders; it fell into a pool around her waist.

Emma was startled when Brandon's tongue pushed its way into her mouth, but she readily accepted it and began to suckle. Her brothers' hands on her shoulders were a gentle caress, and the fact that she was suddenly naked before him sent a rush of warmth to her pussy. She felt herself blush when he broke their kiss and took in her nudity. Emma ducked her head so she didn't have to look up at her brother.

"God Emma, you're more beautiful than ever," Brandon breathed, then laughed when his sister turned shy on him. "Hey you, it's just me." He tilted her head up and looked into her eyes. "Never hide from me, Emma. No matter what, I'm always here for you." He lay down on her bed and opened his arms. "Come here." He bit the inside of his cheek and tried not to laugh again, as he watched Emma carefully lay down beside him, her eyes huge and her body trembling. He reached to give her shoulder a reassuring squeeze; her delicate muscles were as stiff as his cock was at the moment. Brandon pulled down his underwear, throwing them on the floor. He hoped his own nakedness would make Emma feel a little more secure about her own.

Emma's wide eyes narrowed a tiny bit. "You're, uh, big," Emma commented. Ignoring the rest of his nude body, she seemed fascinated by his dick.

"Wanna touch it?" Brandon asked with a wicked grin.

Emma smiled and teasingly shook her head. "It might bite."

"I don't think it'll bite you, but it might spit," he winked.

Emma erupted into a fit of laughter. Brandon always found a way to make her feel better. The muscles in her arms relaxed, allowing her little hand to move down to her brother's most fascinating appendage. Ever so carefully, the tips of her fingers brushed his purple-red cockhead. It was already wet with slick drops of pre-come.

Brother and sister took their time exploring each other's bodies. They knew one another so well, yet they hadn't seen each other naked in years. It was uncharted territory. For Emma, even more so. At least Brandon had experience. The only experience Emma had had was with her own fingers.

Brandon sighed as he felt Emma's hand close around his shaft. He dipped his head to her chest and flicked a nipple with his tongue. He admired the way the pink flesh stiffened into a little peak. He sucked the nipple in and bathed it with his tongue.

"Brandon--oh God--Brandon that feels wonderful." Emma felt his hand slide down her belly into the curls covering her sex. She parted her legs for him and moaned as his fingers began their gentle assault on her pussy.

"Emmie, baby, you're so wet." Brandon's fingers easily glided along Emma's slit, so covered were they in her juice. Parting her folds, he found her clit. "Stroke my cock--Emmm," he gritted out between clenched teeth as his sister pumped him. He pulled away after a minute and pushed Emma over on her back. He moved down her body, opened her legs wide, and buried his face in her pussy.

"Brandon!" Emma gasped.

He stopped for a moment and grinned up at her, his face smeared with her liquid arousal. "Feel good, baby?"

"Hell, yeah. Don't stop now, for God's sake!" Emma playfully bucked her hips, urging her brother on. In all her eighteen years she'd never felt anything as wondrous as her brother sucking on her clit.

Brandon continued to circle her little bud with his tongue. He paused briefly at one point to slide an experimental finger into Emma's pussy. She was so tight inside, like a vise; he worried about the pain he would cause when they eventually joined. Licking and probing with his tongue, Brandon brought Emma to the brink of orgasm time and again, only to back off, much to her frustration.

"Please, Brandon," Emma begged. She couldn't take another minute of his sweet torture. She felt ready to explode when he backed off and nibbled the inside of her thigh. She reached down and pulled on his hair. "Make me come."

"As you wish." Brandon sucked her clit back between his lips and. With both hands he reached up and pinched her nipples.

Just as the surf crashed ashore on the beach below the cottage, Emma's orgasm crashed through her body. Her back arched. She felt herself being carried away on waves of pleasure. Her nerves were lit afire with sensations both old and new. Beneath her scrunched up eyes, bright pulses of white light flashed, powerful in its intensity. The tips of her toes tingled. She was almost unable to bear the sensations. Emma's eyes flew open, she gripped the blankets under her body, and she unleashed a shattering scream.

"You okay, Emmie?" Brandon asked his sister as he moved up to lie next to her. He slid one arm under her neck, drew his other hand up over her stomach and rested it between her breasts. He cradled her close as she came down.

Emma's chest rapidly rose and fell as she caught her breath and descended from her orgasmic high. She nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm good." She turned her head and smiled at her brother. "That was--that was just, wow."

Brandon kissed her then, full on the mouth, and for the first time Emma tasted herself. "I want to be in you, Emma," he whispered. "Can I?" Oh, God, what if she says no?

But Emma nodded. "I want it, too, Brandon."

Brandon looked at her a long moment, then rose up off her bed and retreated to the sleeping porch where his own bed was. He retrieved a condom from his bedside drawer. When he turned, Scooter, Emma's oversized grey tabby cat, stood there staring up at him.

Scooter's brilliant green eyes glittered in the moonlight. And just what the hell do you think you're doing with that, Brandon?

"Hey buddy," Brandon whispered to the cat. He bent down to give Scooter a scratch, but quickly withdrew his hand when Scooter began to growl. Brandon frowned. Scooter didn't like anyone but Emma, though he wasn't normally so aggressive unless Emma was right there. Anxious to get back to her, Brandon moved to go around the cat, but Scooter was having none of it. His ears flattened against his head, and he let out a warning hiss.

"Fucking hell," Brandon muttered. "Emma!" he called out. "Come get your cat, he won't let me by." Brandon rolled his eyes as he heard laughter erupt from the other side of the half-wall that separated the sleeping porch from the rest of the cottage. A shutter opened and Emma stuck her head through. She laughed again when she saw her big brother cornered by her cat.

"Scooter, you naughty boy, let Brandon through."

Scooter didn't budge until Emma appeared in the doorway. Brandon sucked in his breath. He looked at his sister standing there naked. Her long dark hair half covered her breasts; her pubic hair was damp and glistened with moisture.

"Come on baby," she crooned and patted her leg.

Scooter turned and made for the interior of the cottage. Emma closed the door behind him and smiled at Brandon. "I think we better stay in here."

Brandon approached his sister and took her into his arms. He kissed the tip of her nose. "I think he's nuts."

"Leave my baby alone." Emma playfully swatted Brandon's shoulder. "Now, where were we? Oh yeah, right about here." She reached down, cupped his balls in her little hand, and smiled as Brandon growled low in his chest. Now that she had realized and accepted her feelings for her brother, she was ready to go forward. In the back of her mind she was worried about the future, but for that night she pushed it aside. "What else do you like?"

"Do whatever feels right to you, Em." He brushed her hair from her face and leaned in for a kiss. When their lips parted, he continued, "What you're doing feels nice."

Emma moved her hand back to the base of his shaft and stroked upward. She looked down between their bodies and watched as a drop of liquid seeped out. "Sit down, Bran," she suggested, her voice thick with longing.

Brandon walked over, sat on his bed, and watched in anticipation as Emma knelt on the floor in front of him. She placed her soft hands on his thighs. He held his breath as his sister took her first tentative lick of his cock.

With her tongue, Emma traced the ridge under his glans, then put the whole spongy mushroom head into her mouth. She could taste the pre-come he'd leaked.

"Dammit, Emma, that's wonderful. Can you take some more?"

Emma nodded and smiled around the mouthful. She'd never sucked a cock before. Brandon was big, but not so big as to make her uncomfortable. She stretched her jaw and took him further down.

"Easy, babe, don't gag yourself," Brandon instructed. But oh, God, how he wanted to thrust himself into her sweet mouth. He pushed her hair to one side so he could watch her pretty head bobbing up and down. "Oh Em, that's amazing." 

Brandon let her go on like that for several minutes before making her stop. He was too close to the edge and knew if she kept up he'd blow right in her mouth. "C'mon babe. Lay down." 

While Emma settled herself on his bed, Brandon retrieved the condom and rolled it on. He lay down next to Emma and began to work her clit again. "You're so wet, Em. Are you ready? Are you sure?" He gazed at her face, searching for acceptance and finding it in her smile. "It's gonna hurt," he warned, giving Emma one last chance to back out.

"I know, Bran. Come on, it's okay."

Brandon rubbed his cock on Emma's pussy. Gently, he pushed in a fraction of an inch, then another, until he felt the barrier of her virginity. One more thrust pushed him through.

"Aah! Brandon!" Emma gasped, surprised at the amount of pain she felt.

"Sorry, babe, I'm sorry," Brandon ground out between clenched teeth and scrunched eyes. Holy God, she's tight. He pulled out slowly, then sank back in, reveling in the intense sensations coursing through his body. "You okay?"

Emma bravely smiled. "Yeah...yeah, I'm good. It--it's not so bad." It had hurt like fire, but Emma didn't tell Brandon that. A few more thrusts of his cock and, surprisingly, it began to feel good. Her legs came up and wrapped him high on his waist.

It was all Brandon could do to hold out long enough for Emma to enjoy it and reach her own climax. He slowed his thrusting and, still buried within her, rose up on his knees and began to tease her clit. He was rewarded for his efforts by a lusty moan.

"Oh God, yeah, Brandon. Fuck yeah." Emma thrashed her head side to side as she felt her orgasm draw near. Brandon reached out with his other hand to pinch her nipples, once again setting her off.

As Emma came hard beneath him, Brandon finally let go. He fell forward onto her and renewed his efforts, driving harder into her than before. Emma's delightful little mewls encouraged him. "Emmie, baby," he gasped. "Sweetie, I'm gonna come."

Emma grabbed Brandon's ass with both hands and urged him on. "Yeah, Brandon, come on." With her feet planted, she began to buck her hips, meeting him thrust for thrust.

With a final grunt and a loud groan, Brandon unleashed his seed into the protective latex that covered his dick. He rolled to one side, taking Emma with him. He settled her against his side and wrapped his arms around her. Breathing hard, he spoke. "Holy hell, Emma, you're amazing." He turned his head and kissed her forehead.

Emma let out a tiny giggle. "You're pretty amazing, yourself, Bran."

"Emma?"

"Yes?"

"Love you."

Emma felt her heart stop for a fraction of a second. Her stomach flip-flopped, and she knew, right or wrong, she was in love. Her hand came up and brushed Brandon's cheek. "I love you, too, Brandon." A tear, unseen by her brother, squeezed out of her eye, and silently fell to wet his shoulder.




Summer's End Ch. 02



***

Emma was roused from slumber the following morning by Scooter pawing at the door. Slowly she came awake to find Brandon's heavy leg and arm draped across her naked body, his handsome face mere inches from her own. With a tiny sigh, she gently brushed his hair back. After a kiss on the cheek, Emma managed to slide out from under his body.

Emma threw on Brandon's old flannel, fed Scooter, and set the coffee to brew. She found her discarded panties and a pair of sweats, then took her coffee out to the double swing that overlooked Lake Michigan. With Scooter on her lap, she settled in to watch the great lake come to life.

Emma could tell it was going to be a gorgeous early summer day. Though only seven-fifteen, there were already boats bobbing along on the waves. Further out was a freighter. It looked to Emma like one of the thousand footers. She wondered about its destination.

Predictably, Emma's thoughts turned to Brandon and what they had done. "Oh God, Scooter, what will we do?" she whispered to her beloved tabby. He looked up at her and blinked his green eyes. Emma wondered if he understood how she was feeling.

My poor Emmie. You've done it up good this time. He butted her free hand with his head, the one that wasn't holding her coffee mug. Pet me, Emmie. That always makes you feel better.

Emma laughed at her little baby's effort to get love. "Ah, Scooter. You always make me feel better," she sighed as she stroked his soft, grey-striped body. He began to purr.

Most of the summer, their mom and dad came and went, only spending weekends at the cottage. In mid-July, they would stay for a two-week vacation. They were coming later that morning, and Emma was worried about that. Even though they were only staying two nights, Emma was afraid they might sense something, especially her mother. 

"Morning." Brandon spoke into her ear. He leaned over the back of the swing and nuzzled her neck.

"Morning yourself. Come sit." Emma patted the spot next to her.

"I don't think he'll let me," Brandon said, indicating Scooter with a wave of his hand. But he made his way around and sat next to his sister. Surprisingly, Scooter didn't move a muscle, growl, or hiss, not even when Brandon slid his arm around Emma's shoulders. He glanced at his sister and raised his brows in surprise.

"I think he senses something's up, Bran. Mom and Dad are coming today," she stated unnecessarily.

"I know, babe. I meant it when I told you I love you. But I don't know where this is all going, or where it's going to end up."

Emma surprised him when she answered. "Don't think about it, Brandon. At least for now, for the summer. Can we at least have the summer?"

Brandon smiled and nodded. "Yeah, Em. Yeah. We'll worry about the rest of it at summer's end."

To be continued... 



Summer's End Ch. 03



As always, Mused, thank you for all you've done. You're the best.

To the readers, my apologies for the length of time between the last chapter and this one. Life issues got in the way. ~Chargergirl

*~*~*

"Mom and Dad are here, Em," Brandon whispered into his sister's ear.

Emma's head snapped up; she looked at her brother with wide eyes, as her heart pounded a wild beat. What would they see? Would it be obvious to them what their son and daughter had done? Would they know immediately the sin that had been committed? "Bran, what if they--"

"Hush, babe. It'll be okay." Brandon cupped her face with his hands and kissed her for a long moment. He could feel her trembling beneath his touch. "That's going to have to last for a couple days. Come on, it'll look strange if we don't go out and greet them." He took her by the hand and led her to the front screen door of the family's summer cottage. With one last glance at each other, they let go and went outside.

They emerged from the cottage to see their mother getting out of the back seat. Emma's heart leaped. That could only mean one thing.

"Nana!" Emma yelled, and raced around to the passenger side of her father's car. She opened the door to see her grandmother smiling up at her. Emma took her hand and helped her out. "Nana, I didn't know you were coming up here."

"Well, hello to you, too," their mother laughed.

"Hey Mom," Brandon and Emma spoke in unison. Brandon kissed her cheek and said hi to Dad, but Emma only had eyes for their grandma.

"It's all your mother's fault, child." Ruth laughed and glanced over at her beloved daughter. Margaret returned the glance with a laugh of her own. The two women had always shared a close relationship. Ruth had only born one child, Brandon and Emma's father, Bruce. When Bruce decided to get married, instead of resenting her new daughter-in-law, Ruth embraced Margaret as the daughter she'd never had.  "She forced me to come."

Brandon smiled to himself when his grandma called Emma child. His eighteen-year-old little sister was no child; she'd thoroughly proven that to him last night, then again less than an hour ago. He was pleased to see how happy Nana's presence made Emma. Out of the entire family, Emma was closest to Nana. She was the one Emma turned to when she needed help. And it was Nana that knew all of Emma's secrets. Brandon hoped their grandmother's presence would make Emma forget her angst, at least for a little while.

Brandon watched as, arm in arm, his grandmother and his sister set off for the front of the cottage set up high on the bluff overlooking the lake. Nana hadn't been up since last summer, and she, like everyone, was eager to see Lake Michigan. Ever changing, yet always the same, the lake held an incomparable natural beauty. The cottage, beautiful in its own right, had been in the family for three generations.

"Tell me, Emma, how have you been?" Ruth asked her granddaughter as they made their way over to the crooked split-rail fence that guarded the edge of the bluff.

"I've been fine, Nana," Emma spoke quietly and turned to smile at the aged woman.

"It looks beautiful today, doesn't it?" Ruth looked out across the vast expanse of water. The sun was at its zenith, and the water sparkled like diamonds below.

"The water is still low, Nana. Brandon and I went down earlier, and the beach is still there."

"I can remember, oh thirty years ago or better, water lower than this," Ruth smiled, as her mind carried her back in time.

Enraptured, Emma listened on as her grandmother spoke. She always loved her grandma's stories.

"The beach down below was probably forty feet wide, and the bluff jutted out much further. We could wade all the way out to the third sandbar and the water only reached our waist. The water level rises and falls in cycles, Emma, just like everything else. It's reaching its thirty-year low, I think. You will see it drop further before it begins to rise again. But it will." She patted her granddaughter's hand and changed the subject. "And how is that handsome brother of yours? Staying out of trouble? Or is he driving all the girls up here crazy?"

Emma nearly groaned at her grandma's question, but managed to hold back. "He's fine Nana, and staying out of trouble, for the most part, I guess."

"Well, good. He's always been so responsible."

Emma winked at her grandma. "Unlike me, Nana?"

"Now child, I didn't say that." 

It was true that Emma had always been flighty, with her feet never quite firmly planted on the ground, and her head always among the clouds. To Ruth, Emma's free-spiritedness was an endearing quality. Brandon had always been the level headed one, and it was no surprise to anyone that he had graduated with top honors from University of Michigan and had been accepted to the University of Chicago Law for the fall semester. 

"It's okay," Emma laughed.

Brandon came around the corner of the cottage just then, making Emma's heart jump a little. That particular reaction to her brother was a new one for her, but she knew what it meant. He was holding what looked like a letter in his hand. He waved it at her and their grandmother.

"Got my acceptance letter for the student housing in Chicago."

Emma's heart sank at the reminder of what would happen at summer's end. Brandon would leave, and that would be that. She pasted on a smile for him. "That's great, Bran. Did you get the one you wanted?"

"Yup. Hyde Park, Ingleside." he grinned.

"That's wonderful, Brandon, dear. I'm so pleased for you."

"Thanks, Nana." Brandon bent and kissed his grandmother's cheek. In a spontaneous moment, he also kissed Emma.

"When will you move in?" Emma quietly asked, looking up with sad eyes.

"Mid-August, probably. No later." Brandon's voice turned just as quiet, his eyes sad. Brother and sister had momentarily forgotten their grandmother's presence.

Emma didn't say anything, only nodded, her light mood decidedly dampened by thoughts of Brandon leaving.

"You'll miss him, Emma?" Ruth asked her granddaughter after Brandon left to help their dad unload the car.

"Of course, Nana." Emma turned to her grandmother. "He's my brother."

"But he's only going to Chicago, dear."

"He won't come home until Christmas. He thought maybe for Thanksgiving, but he's not even sure about that." Tears threatened to spill over Emma's lower lids.

"Emma, he just spent the last four years in Ann Arbor. That's nearly as far as Chicago," Ruth pointed out.

"But he came home nearly every weekend. He said his load is going to be too heavy, and he won't be able to come home 'til Christmas, Nana." Hot, salty tears coursed a path down Emma's cheeks.

"What's the matter, Emma? Is there something else bothering you, other than your brother leaving?" Ruth asked, her voice laced with concern.

"No. No, I guess not." Emma sighed and made a vain attempt to wipe her tears away. She couldn't let Nana know just how upset she was. She couldn't make it obvious that the thought of Brandon leaving was killing her.

Ruth looked at her granddaughter closely. Something was obviously wrong, and it was so unlike Emma not to confide in her. Ruth thought there had to be more to Emma's emotional state than just her brother leaving, though she knew the siblings were close. "When you're ready dear, I'm here." She reached out and patted Emma's hand.

"Nana, I don't--"

"Hush child. When you're ready to tell me, I'm here," she repeated.

Emma looked at her grandmother in amazement. How the elder woman did it was always a shock to her. She knows something's up. How can I hide this from her?

"Help me up, Emma, and let's go help your mother in the kitchen. They brought up quite a bit of food and supplies."

"Yes, Nana." Emma rose and helped Ruth to her feet.

On the way to the cottage she saw her father and brother by the stairs to the beach. Brandon was gesturing wildly and Emma tried not to laugh. He was no doubt in the midst of telling their dad how Emma nearly killed herself on the steps the other day. Emma gave an involuntary sigh. Brandon was so protective of her. It hadn't been that bad; hell, she'd made it all the way to the bottom without going through any of the rotted steps. But he had come unglued when Emma had failed to wait for him to check the conditions of the boards. She realized now that his reaction was due in part to the depths of his feelings for her.

***

It was during lunch when things grew tense, with Margaret inadvertently the cause of it. 

"Emma, have you seen anything of Adam yet?" she asked her daughter with a knowing smile. Margaret knew how much her daughter liked Adam, even though he hadn't paid a lot of attention to her over the years. Margaret and Bruce were good friends with Adam's parents, John and Sue Gerhardt, and spent many a summer evening with each other.

"Uh...a little," Emma stammered, not wanting to think back to the day before when she had finally realized Adam's true nature as a user.

Margaret looked up. "Oh really?" she asked, her interest piqued. 

"Well, yeah. I mean, we just went to Silver Lake for the day. It was no big deal," Emma shrugged. "He was kind of a jerk."

"He's such a sweetheart, Emma. How can you say that about him?" Not waiting for her daughter to answer, Margaret continued, "They're coming after dinner tonight for a fire. I'm sure he'll be thrilled to see you again, dear. Now that you've grown up a little, I'm sure he'd love to spend more time with you."

"I couldn't care less, Mom," Emma grumbled, not pleased with the news at all. She cast a furtive glance at her brother. He looked none too pleased, either. Then his jaw muscle began to flex. That was never a good sign.

"Now, Emma, the Gerhardt's are our good friends. It won't hurt you to pay attention to Adam if he comes, too." Margaret gently chided her daughter. "And anyway, it's not like you're dating anyone up here or at home."

"Thanks for pointing that out," Emma whispered under her breath, earning a little chuckle from her brother, who was sitting next to her. She looked up at him and could now see a twinkle in his eye. Emma playfully stuck her tongue out at him.

"Better watch what you do with that tongue, Em," Brandon laughed, then leaned over and whispered in her ear. "You might catch more than flies."

Emma let out an inelegant snort at her brother's remark, then looked across the table at her mother. "I'm really not interested, Mom. Sorry. I know you guys like Adam, but I've decided he's not my type."

"Well, it sounds like you haven't given him much of a chance." Bruce replied.

"What is this? The third degree?" Emma's temper began to boil. "I don't want to see Adam, okay? I think he's a jerk. Why do you keep pushing me at the boys, anyway?"

"Well, you haven't dated anyone in quite awhile, and you've always had your eye on Adam," Margaret noted.

Brandon sensed Emma's ire and did his best to diffuse it, but it was too late. "Mom, I really--"

"What is it with you people and dating? You're always on my case about boyfriends! I don't want a boyfriend, okay?" Emma burst into tears and jumped up from the picnic table. She wanted to yell out that the only man she wanted was her brother and just shock the hell out of them. That would shut them up, but wisely, she held her tongue. Emma took off and fled down the steps to the beach.

"What's gotten into her?" Bruce wondered, looking over at his son.

"Don't know Dad," Brandon lied as he stood. "I'll go talk to her."

Brandon made his way down the steps to where Emma sat in the sand, her head tucked down on her knees. Always respectful of each other's space, he asked, "Can I sit?"

Emma looked up at him and smiled. "Of course."

Brandon sat next to her, put an arm around her shoulder, and pulled her close. They didn't say anything for several minutes, just stared out at the white-capped waves. Brandon spoke first, not really knowing quite what to say, but he managed to muddle his way through. "This isn't going to be easy, Emma. I love you, you know. But...I just--Mom and Dad are here, and they're pushing you at Adam, now, and that bothers me and not just because of how I feel about you. He might be my friend, but you found out what he's really like. I'm trying to set aside my feelings for you and tell you, please, don't let them push you. I know I have my own selfish reasons for wanting you to stay away from him--I know," he nodded.

"Brandon, I don't want Adam. I don't want anyone. I want you. Don't you know that? I love you, Brandon James Reed. You, okay?" Emma paused and poked him in the shoulder. "Mom and Dad can push me at Adam all they want, but I don't care. He's a jerk. Sorry, I know he's your friend, but still..." Emma shrugged as she trailed off.

"No, it's okay. He is a jerk. But then, he's not trying to get in my pants, so it doesn't really matter." Brandon laughed, and Emma giggled along with him. "Speaking of getting in your pants. Do you know how hard it is to keep my hands off you in front of everyone?" He leaned over and nuzzled at Emma's neck, making her pull away with another giggle.

"That tickles, Bran. Besides, someone might see."

Brandon stood, then helped his sister to her feet. "Come on, let's take a walk." He grabbed a beach towel off one of the lounge chairs.

From the top of the bluff, Ruth observed her grandchildren, as they headed off down the beach. She watched them until they disappeared from view, hidden by the outcropping seawall. With a deep sigh, she turned and headed back inside. She was tired and only wanted to sleep for a while. 

But sleep would not come for the elderly lady. Worried about the scene she witnessed, she could only lay on Emma's bed and stare up at the ceiling. Alone with her thoughts, she rose and headed out through the sleeping porch, which also served as Brandon's room, and went to sit on the double swing with Emma's beloved grey-striped tabby cat, Scooter.

***

Brandon wanted to hold Emma's hand, but he didn't. There were just too many people around that knew them. They kept walking south along the beach. Emma took off her sandals so she could walk in the wash. She gave a little screech as the first wave sluiced over her feet. "Yikes! It's still freezing!" she laughed and knocked into Brandon. Catching her around the waist he pulled her in for a hug, then quickly released her. Still giddy from their newfound love, it was hard to keep from touching.

After a time they reached the rolling dunes that butted up against the backside of Silver Lake. They turned inland and followed a faint path through the dune grass that led in twists and turns and came out just above the smaller inland lake. Brandon spread the towel out and sat down. He reached up and drew Emma down next to him. Hidden as they were among the tall dune grass, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply.

"Brandon..." Emma sighed against his mouth and pressed against him.

Brandon cupped Emma's face in his palms. His mouth slanted repeatedly over hers and his tongue repeatedly stabbed and thrust. His cock grew in his shorts and begged for release. He broke their kiss and gazed into his sister's eyes. 

"I want you Emmie, now." Brandon ran a hand over her breasts and watched as her nipples hardened against the thin material of her tank top.

"Here?" Emma squeaked.

"Where else? We can't do it back at the cottage." He brushed her hair back with the back of one hand as he spoke quietly, trying to reassure her. "No one's gonna see us here, Em. Come on; it's okay. Trust me."

"I do trust you," Emma whispered as her brother slid his hand up the inside of her leg. With his other hand he undid the single button of her white wrap around skirt. He slid a finger into the leg hole of her underwear and brushed the lips of her sex.  

"You're already wet, Em," Brandon growled and gently pushed her down on the oversized beach towel. He unwrapped her skirt, then slid her panties off. More than anything, he wanted to bury himself is his sister's pussy. "I just want to be in you, baby." He lowered his face to her and slowly stroked her sex with his tongue. "You taste so sweet and smell so good." Brandon invaded her, thrusting his tongue in as far as he could, then withdrew it and found her little clit.

"Oh, yeah," Emma breathed and pushed herself up into his face as he began to suck her hard nub. "Eat my pussy, Bran--fuck!" Emma was beyond caring about the coarse language flowing from her mouth. Normally a quiet, reserved girl, she found herself losing control when her brother touched her. "Fuck me, Brandon. Please," she urged and shoved at his bare shoulders.

Their blue eyes locked. Brandon moved between Emma's legs and spread them wide. He gently pushed his index finger into her wetness. Watching Emma's face contort with pleasure sent a fresh surge of lust through him and he withdrew the digit, before sinking in two. 

Brandon tried to resist, but he was fighting a losing battle and he knew it. His sister was so beautiful, and he loved her so much. He pulled his fingers from her body. "I want you Em. I didn't bring anything..."

"I want it, too, Brandon," Emma nodded.

With nothing more than a sigh, Brandon moved between Emma's legs and sank himself into her.

Emma pushed her pelvis up and met her brother's thrusts. She moaned and repeatedly chanted Brandon's name. Their mating was hard and fast, with a desperate urgency that surprised them both. She pulled his head down and kissed him with all the passion she could muster. She wanted to show him how complete her love was for him.

Brandon pulled away and paused long enough to yank Emma's tank over her head. He tossed it down next to her discarded skirt. He twisted and pulled at her nipples, knowing how that pushed her over the edge.  "Cum for me, Emma," he urged her. "I know you're close." Sweat beaded on his forehead as the hot June sun beat down on their naked bodies. He gave a few more thrusts.

Emma did cum, writhing and thrashing beneath her brother's weight, as he continued to drive himself in and out of her pussy. His own release was near.

"Oh God, Brandon!" Emma grabbed his forearms as her orgasm washed over her. 

Fascinated, Brandon watched Emma's face scrunch up and her little nose flare, as her climax consumed her. Right then he thought his sister was the most amazing creature put on the planet. He loved her so much that he would've done anything for her. "Em," Brandon grunted as he pumped his seed on to her flat belly. "Holy shit, I can't stop cumming." His body jerked once more as the final spurt landed on her rib cage.

Emma lifted her head and glanced at the goo covering her stomach. It was warm, and felt kind of nice. She looked up at her brother. "Did you have to be so messy?" She winked at him and they both laughed.

"Here, I'll wipe it off." Brandon used his grey tee shirt to wipe the sticky, slimy mess off of Emma's belly and ribs. "I can rinse it in the lake before we get home." He extended his hand and helped her to her feet.

Brandon couldn't take his eyes off Emma as she dressed. Everything about his sister captivated him. Her tiny ankles as she stepped into her panties, the swell of her thighs and the trim indentation of her waist, all the way up to her small, pert breasts capped with dusky pink nipples. He bent and quickly flicked one with his tongue. It stiffened immediately.

Emma gave Brandon a playful swat. "You stop that right now, Brandon. I need to get dressed and so do you, before someone comes along." They both knew the likelihood of that was slim. That part of Silver Lake State Park was isolated from the rest of the park and the lake below them.

Hand in hand they made their way back down the path. When they reached the vast expanse of dune, and the place where someone might see them, hands parted, as they continued on to the water's edge. Brandon swished his shirt around a little, but it was sticky and the residual come wouldn't completely rinse out.




Summer's End Ch. 03



In no hurry to return, Brandon and Emma took their time strolling along the shoreline. They laughed and talked, just being comfortable in each other's presence. Emma tried hard not to think of what would happen at the end of summer. She would miss her brother so much when he left for Chicago.

***

Emma was sitting with Scooter on the double swing in front of the fire when Adam approached her from behind. She jumped in surprise when a voice whispered right in her ear.

"Well, hey there, Emmie."

Emma's heart sank. She assumed Adam was skipping the get-together at the Reed cottage, when his parents had shown up without him. No such luck, it seemed. There had been a time when Emma would've given anything to have Adam in such close proximity. That was no longer the case.

Several days ago, when Brandon and Emma had first arrived to open up the cottage, Adam had invited Emma to go down to Silver Lake for the day. Emma, who had always liked Adam, had agreed, much to Brandon's chagrin.  Brandon knew the kind of person Adam really was, and he'd been afraid Adam would only use Emma for his own pleasure, and then callously toss her aside as one more conquest.

It hadn't taken Emma long to realize that her brother was right about Adam.

Adam came around the swing and sat next to Emma. He quickly moved away when Scooter growled low in his throat and let out a loud warning hiss.

"What the hell is wrong with that cat?" Adam frowned at Emma.

"Nothing, he's just moody," Emma shrugged. She stroked Scooter's fur in an effort to soothe him.

"Kinda like his owner," Adam muttered.

"I heard that, Adam. I'm sitting right here." Emma rolled her eyes. "Why are you here, anyway?"

"My parents suggested I come for a while," he sighed.

Emma snorted. "Don't sound so thrilled."

"Well, it's not like you want me here."

"True."

Adam burst into laughter. "Jesus, Emma! You're breaking my heart."

Emma laughed in spite of herself. "Adam, there was a time I would have killed for your attention."

"But not anymore?"

Emma shook her head and smiled. "No."

"Is there someone else?" Adam suddenly realized he enjoyed talking to Emma. That was first for him, actually talking with a girl about real things. He kind of liked it.

Emma gave a reluctant nod. "Yeah. Yeah, there is, Adam."

Adam found himself to be genuinely pleased for her. "Anyone I know?"

Emma ducked her head. "Uh...yeah."

Adam sensed she was uncomfortable talking about it and so he let it drop.

Brandon came through the slider from the sleeping porch and pulled up short when he saw Emma and Adam talking on the swing. His heart began to pound. He warily approached, not wanting to interrupt, yet wanting to know what was going on.  His curiosity got the better of him. He flopped down in a wooden Adirondack chair. "What's up?" He looked from one to the other.

Adam grinned at his friend. "Your little sis was just telling me she's met a guy." 

Brandon watched as his sister turned ten shades of red. He gave her a reassuring smile. "That true, Em?"

Emma nodded and grinned at Brandon. "Yup. He's a hottie, too." She laughed and winked. 

It was Brandon's turn to blush. He looked away and gazed out over the lake.

"Well, whoever he is, he's a lucky guy, Em." Adam stood. "Okay. I'm outta here. Tell your parents I said hi, and I'll be around tomorrow for a few hours before heading home."

"Hot date?" Brandon asked his friend.

Adam turned with a wicked grin. "Brenda Pierson got up here today."

"Fucking hell, Adam, I thought she kicked you in the balls last year?"

Adam shrugged. "They've healed." He turned and loped off.

Emma giggled and rolled her eyes. She looked over at Brandon. "He's really not so bad, when he's not trying to get in my pants."

Brandon stood and sat down next to her. "Yeah, he's an okay guy. Just don't be getting any ideas about him," he warned and gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

"You don't need to worry, Bran," Emma whispered and touched his cheek. "I love you."

From the porch Ruth watched the tender scene between her grandchildren with tears in her eyes. They looked so much like a young couple in love that it made her heart hurt. What had they done? It was an impossible situation, one that she knew would only end in heartache. She wanted to go to them, talk to them and try to help. She loved them so much; they were her life. But there was no use in doing so. Ruth knew Emma would come to her in time. Until then, she would wait it out. There was nothing else to be done.

To be continued...



Summer's End Ch. 04



As always, I must thank you, Mused, not only for your help with this, but for your encouraging words. Your support means so much.

And to the readers, thanks for your kind and encouraging notes. I apologize for the length of time it has taken me to complete this chapter. When I started this, I hadn't counted on a severe case of writer's block. I hope you enjoy. ~Chargergirl

*~*~*

Emma sat on the top step of the stairs that led down to the stretch of beach below the cottage. Lake Michigan in all its glory spread out before her. Fifty yards out, she watched a lone figure swimming parallel to the shoreline. Brandon. Her lover.

That they had become lovers still amazed her. Six weeks already. Six wonderful, glorious weeks they had spent together up at the family cottage on Lake Michigan. One week was all they had left. Less, actually, as Brandon was leaving that weekend for Chicago to see the student-housing unit he'd been able to secure a month ago.

Emma rose from her perch and descended the flight of steps, removing her sarong as she went. She tossed it onto a lounge chair and waded into the water. In mid-July the lake had finally reached a comfortable temperature for swimming.

Brandon spotted Emma swimming out to him, so he headed towards her until he could touch the sandy bottom of the lake. Stopping in front of him, Emma tried to touch as well, but it was too deep and a wave washed over her head. Brandon grabbed her and pulled her to him as she coughed and sputtered. "Easy there, babe," he laughed.

Emma pushed wet clumps of hair off her face and grinned up at Brandon. Her arms snaked around his neck, and her legs wrapped his waist as she clung to him. They were far enough off shore that the embrace would look innocent enough to any observer that happened to glance out, so long as they didn't look too closely. Being mid-week, nearly every cottage was empty save the Gerhardt's, who were good friends of Brandon and Emma's family.

"You're looking lovely today, Emma." Brandon dipped his head and kissed her forehead. The black one-piece suit she wore shimmered in the mid-day sun, and droplets of water sparkled on her skin in a rainbow pattern.

"You're just saying that because I'm your sister," Emma laughed and swatted his shoulder.

Brandon rolled his head back with an exaggerated sigh, and then looked down at her with a stern expression. "You never learn, do you?" He bent his knees slightly and with all his strength, tossed Emma over his right shoulder. She hit the water with a splash and a squeal.

A water fight ensued, but Emma couldn't touch bottom and soon grew tired. Brandon took her back into his arms and held her close for a long moment before kissing her deeply.

Emma broke their kiss. "Brandon, we shouldn't. Not out here." She looked over her shoulder and scanned the beach and the bluff above, but saw no one.

"No one's around, Em." Brandon reassured her and pressed his mouth against hers.

"But the Gerhardts--" Emma muttered against his lips.

"Are gone for the day, remember?"

Emma did remember, and she slid her hand up into Brandon's wet hair and invaded his mouth with her tongue.

They clung together as the waves of Lake Michigan gently rolled in. Standing chest deep in the water, with Emma in his arms weighing almost nothing, Brandon hardened as his arousal grew. Emma felt it and a giggle burbled in her throat. 

Brandon pulled away and looked at her. He smiled at the mirth he saw on his sister's face. "What?"

Emma held onto Brandon's shoulder with one hand and slid her hand into his swimsuit with the other. She wrapped her hand around the hard length of his cock. "What's this? Didn't we take care of this a few hours ago?" With a wicked grin, she began to work his shaft.

"Aw hell, Emma," Brandon groaned as she massaged his shaft. He pulled the crotch of her swimsuit aside and slid a finger through her labia. He knew he was done in when, in spite of being in the water, he could feel her oily essence on the digit he slipped it inside. He had to have her. "I want you, baby. Now," he growled and pressed his mouth to hers once more. With his arm under her shoulders, he supported her slight weight and thrust in another finger.

Emma's back arched as Brandon's fingers invaded her pussy. Half-floating in the cool lake water, she had never felt so free and so restricted at the same time. Her arms slid up around his shoulders. She held on as her brother brought her to the very edge of her climax. "Oh for God's sake, don't stop now!" Emma moaned as her head lolled back in the water.

Somehow, Brandon managed to free his penis from his swim trunks and maneuver Emma so she was straddling his waist. Once more, he pulled her bathing suit aside. With great care he adjusted his cock at her entrance and slowly pushed her down the shaft until he was completely buried within her. Emma's legs and arms wrapped his body and they stood in the lake together as one.

Emma pressed her face into Brandon's neck and tried to absorb every feeling, every emotion of that moment. Brandon's strong arms holding her, his scent, the way his cock filled her completely. She tuned out the empty feeling in her gut, and tuned in to the overwhelming love she felt in her heart. The emotions threatened to overcome her when Brandon began to gently thrust his hips. "Oh my God, Brandon," she mumbled into his skin.

Emma turned her head and gazed out over the water as Brandon made love to her there in the lake. She looked south, down a hundred miles to where she knew the city of Chicago sat on the water's edge. She couldn't see it of course, but she knew it was there waiting for Brandon. Waiting to take him from her.

It was suddenly too much. Too many emotions whirled about inside her, threatening to burst forth. Emma couldn't hold her tears inside any longer and she started to cry as she clung tightly to her brother.

Brandon ceased his motion as he felt Emma shudder in his arms. At first he thought she had come, but at second glance he realized she was crying. For a horrifying moment he thought he was hurting her, then immediately realized it wasn't physical hurt she was feeling. 

"Emmie, don't cry," he whispered and squeezed her tight.

"I don't want you to go." The words tumbled out as Emma gasped for breath between sobs. She'd held her angst inside for so long and now it all rushed out at once.

"I know you don't babe. But it's not forever, just the weekend. I'll be back Sunday afternoon." He tried to soothe her fears away and started to pull out of her body.

Emma grasped his left buttock and held him still. "Don't, please. I need to feel you. Brandon, I don't want you to go there at all," Emma whispered, feeling awful for saying the words. "I mean, I do want you to, but I don't. Christmas is so far away."

Brandon tilted Emma's face up to his, but she tried to look away. "No, look at me." She did. "We knew we'd only have the summer when we started this. I love you Emma, but there's no avoiding the fact that I've got to go." He bent and captured her lower lip with his teeth. He gave a gentle tug, then grinned at her. "Okay? You know that, right?"

Feeling miserable, Emma nodded. She knew. There was nothing to change the fact that Brandon did have to go. He would never give up this opportunity, and Emma knew she had no right to ask him. Thoughts of their parents weighed heavily on her mind, as well.

Thus far, throughout the summer Brandon and Emma had been very careful when their parents had been up for the weekends. The two-week vacation in mid-July when the four had all resided together had been torturous for the siblings. They'd grown used to sleeping together in Brandon's bed, and separating for the nights when their mom and dad were around was difficult.

"And don't worry about Mom and Dad," he further soothed, knowing where else his little sister's thoughts lay. It bothered him, too, yet because of his intense love of Emma he was able to push those thoughts deep. Brandon began to move within his sister's body again, his cock having stayed hard the entire conversation. "It'll be okay." He partially withdrew, then sank all the way back in.

Will it? Emma wondered. Will it ever be okay, Bran? She wanted to say the words, but held back for Brandon's sake. She wanted to be strong for him.

And then Brandon was grunting and thrusting his cock deeper into her pussy and Emma forgot everything but that moment. She threw her head back and let out a lusty moan as he reached up with one hand and gave her left nipple a hard tweak. It always sent her right over the edge. Her hands gripped his shoulders; she began to ride him hard and felt her orgasm wash over her in a tidal wave of ecstasy. "Oh God, Brandon! Oh fuck yes!" she shrieked.

Brandon's own orgasm began to churn in his balls, and his gut clenched as he quickly pulled out of Emma. Jet after jet of his hot come spurted into the cool waters of Lake Michigan and harmlessly floated away.

A glance at the bluff above the beach slowly twisted Brandon's stomach into a sickening knot. Someone was standing at the top of the wooden stairs. "Jesus," he swore under his breath.

Emma heard his muttered curse and smiled up at him. She had moved away from her brother and was treading water in front of him. "What? Am I too much for you?" she asked with a playful laugh.

"What? No, Emma. I mean...shit. Someone's up on the steps Em. Someone's watching us." He squinted. "Fucking hell, I think it's Adam." With a resigned sigh he took her hand and they slowly made their way towards the beach. 

"Do you think he saw us, Bran?" Emma asked as her feet touched the hard, sandy lake bottom a moment later. She stood and walked next to her much taller older brother.

"Pretty sure of it, babe," he sighed. 

Emma looked up at him. "I thought the Gerhardt's were gone for the day?"

Brandon snorted. "I thought they were, too. Looks like one of them decided to come back to the cottage." Adam Gerhardt was a summer friend of Brandon's; the two went back many years. Adam had quite the reputation as a player and earlier in the summer had nearly succeeded in making Emma one of his many conquests. They had since formed an understanding of sorts, and Emma now considered Adam a friend of hers, as well.

"Maybe he couldn't tell what we were doing."

Brandon glanced down at his little sister and smiled at her naivety. He shook his head.

"No?" Emma asked and Brandon shook his head again. "Well, it was worth a shot. What do we say?"

"Let's wait and see what he says." Outwardly, Brandon was the picture of calmness, while in his chest his heart was slamming a wild beat. He cursed himself for being so careless. But his Emma was so sweet and so beautiful that he found it increasingly difficult to keep his hands off her. He knew making love to her there in the lake had been an incredibly foolish thing to do.

They reached the top of the steps a minute later and came face to face with a frowning Adam. Brandon tried to play it casual. "Hey man, what's up? Thought you were gone for the day."

Adam's eyes narrowed as he looked at his longtime summer friend. They darted to Emma, then back to Brandon. "What's up, you two?"

Brandon turned to Emma. "Go inside, Em."

"But Brandon, I--"

He cut her off. "Now, Emma." 

The look in her brother's eyes told Emma not to argue. Slowly, she turned away from the two young men and walked toward the front door of the cottage. Before she entered she cast a final glance over her shoulder. Adam looked like he wanted to murder Brandon. The screen door banged shut behind her as she entered, but she didn't move away from the door. She stayed to listen, but was disappointed. She couldn't hear much.

Brandon didn't even see it coming; he had been too busy making sure Emma went inside. The blow connected with his left cheek and sent him stumbling back, but he didn't fall. He glared at his friend as his face and head began to throb. "Fuck, I guess I deserved that."

"Fuck right you do!" Adam hissed. "What the fuck were you two doing down there?"

Brandon sighed and raked a hand through his damp hair. What could he say? He could try to lie, but he knew it was pointless. Adam had seen most of everything. He nodded. "You know."

"Jesus, man, are you nuts?" Adam's eyes bulged. His voice grew louder with each syllable.

"Shut up!" Brandon warned. "Emma will hear you, and I don't want her more upset than she already is."

Warning bells went off inside Adam's head. He eyed Brandon suspiciously. "Why is she upset? Did you force her?"

"You bastard, of course I didn't force her! What kind of person do you think I am?" Brandon growled. He was rapidly losing his temper.

"One that fucks his sister, obviously!"

That was it for Brandon. He pulled back his arm and unceremoniously slammed his fist into Adam's face. Blood spurted out of Adam's nose.

"Aw fuck," Adam groaned and bent forward while holding his nose. Blood poured over the ground.

The screen door flew open and banged against the wall of the cottage. "What the hell are you two doing, trying to kill each other?" Emma scolded. Then she caught sight of all the blood. "For God's sake! Brandon, what did you do to him?"

"I'm okay, Emmie," Adam reassured her. "Your brother's got a helluva right hook. I deserved it."

"Fuckin' right, you did," Brandon muttered, but felt guilty enough to add, "I guess I did, too."

Emma saw the angry purple bruise beginning to form under Brandon's eye. She sighed. She knew what had happened. Adam had figured it out and called Brandon on it. "Come on, you two. Let's go get you cleaned up. Especially you," she said to Adam as blood continued to gush.

They followed Emma into the cottage and and over to the island that separated the kitchen from the living room. "Sit," she commanded, pointing to the stools that lined one side of the island. She handed Adam a wet dishrag for his nose and to Brandon she gave a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel. "Put that on your cheek," she said softly, giving her brother a loving smile. A small hand came to rest on his thigh.

It didn't go unnoticed by Adam. He looked from one sibling to the other, trying to understand what was going on. "Are you guys--I mean...Jesus. Are you two--"

Emma saved Adam further embarrassment by speaking up. "I love Brandon, Adam. When you asked me way back at the beginning of summer if there was someone else, and I said yes, I was talking about him." She slid her other arm around her brother's waist and hugged him.

Adam swallowed hard, trying to take it all in. This is sick. Yet, they were his friends and he'd known them since they were all kids. He swallowed again and turned to look out at the lake. The waves continued to break in an unyielding pattern. He was momentarily fascinated. Some things never change. An odd thought, considering the enormity of the situation. "I--I don't know what to say, you guys."

"Say you won't tell," Emma pleaded. "Please."

"Emma," Brandon chided, "don't ask Adam to keep a secret like that. It's our own fault."

"But Brandon!" Emma gasped, terrified.

Brandon's maturity surprised Adam. He looked at his friends, suddenly realizing how much they had all grown up over the summer, himself included. "I'm not going to say anything. But, son of a bitch you guys, what the hell happened?"

Brandon and Emma exchanged glances, asking each other with one look how to explain, how to explain something as crazy as what had happened?

"I love her. Simple," Brandon spoke up and put his arm around Emma. But it just wasn't that simple. Nothing that serious could be that simple; they all knew it. "Don't ask us to explain it, Adam. It just happened. I don't think either of us understands."

"I take it your parents don't know?" Adam frowned.

Brandon shook his head. "No."

"Jesus," Adam muttered again. "I'm not gonna say anything. But I hope like hell this doesn't get out. You're my friends," he sighed, "and I don't want either of you to get hurt."

Emma was momentarily stunned by the depth and sincerity of Adam's words. While Adam was known for his sweet talking ways with the girls, he wasn't usually one to let his true feelings about anything show. "Thank you, Adam. That means so much," she whispered. "If neither of you mind, I'm going to go take a shower." She looked from one to the other and they both shook their heads. She gave Brandon a gentle smile, touched his hand, and disappeared into their parent's bedroom, where the full bath and shower were located.

Once Emma was out of sight Brandon set the peas on the counter, put his face in his hands and groaned. With his sister out of the room, he could let his emotions show; he didn't have to play the sure-footed, know-it-all, can-handle-anything big brother. "I'm worried about her, Adam," he confessed. "She's going to have a hell of a time with it when I leave."

"She's not handling the upcoming separation well?"

Brandon shook his head and looked Adam in the eye. "Take care of her for me, will you? This weekend, I mean. I'm leaving tomorrow and won't be home until Sunday afternoon."

"Your parents gonna be here?"

"Saturday morning. Just keep an eye on her."

"I will, Bran, no worries. She'll be okay."

After Adam left, Brandon went through their parent's bedroom and continued into the attached bathroom. Steam billowed out when he opened the door. The shower was still going full blast and the mirror above the ancient porcelain sink was fogged over. 

Brandon approached the claw-foot tub with a smile playing about his lips. He jerked the shower curtain back. "Need any help?"

Emma let out a small scream, then laughed. "Damn you, Brandon, you scared me!" She threw her sopping washcloth at him. It hit his bare chest with a splat and fell to the floor. He bent and picked it up and tossed it back to her. "And no, I don't need any help. I'm done," she sniffed with mock hurt.

Brandon held a large cream-colored bath towel open for her. "Come on, then. Get out."

Emma stepped out of the tub and allowed her brother to wrap her in the fluffy piece of cloth. She looked up at him with trusting eyes. "Brandon?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think Adam will keep his word?"

"Yes, I do." Brandon tucked a wet strand of Emma's hair behind her ear and bent to kiss her forehead.

Emma nodded her acceptance. She'd always had complete faith in Brandon's judgment and this time was no different. But there were a hundred if only's running through her head at the moment. If only Adam hadn't seen. If only Brandon weren't leaving. If only he weren't her brother. If only their parents would never find out. Emma thought about that one a lot. She bowed her head and rested it against Brandon's chest. 

"You gonna be okay, Em?" His arms came up and circled her shoulders.

"I'll miss you. But yeah, I'll be fine."

Brandon thought she sounded unconvincing. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

Emma pulled away from Brandon and let the towel drop into her hands. She hung it up on the rack and then began to comb out her long dark hair, but her eyes kept returning to her brother. How they could keep their love alive and still secret, she just didn't know.

***

The weekend was a long one for Emma with Brandon gone. Their parents arrived Saturday and they had an enjoyable time, though Emma missed her brother terribly. She didn't mope, exactly. But she wasn't her usual bubbly, happy self, either. Her mother noticed it Saturday night and questioned her.

"Emma, dear, is there anything wrong?" Margaret asked as she and Emma put away the dinner dishes.

Emma smiled, trying to look unconcerned. "Nope. I'm fine. Why?"

"Oh, I don't know. You seem down. Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine, Mom. Really. I miss Brandon a little, I guess." That's an understatement. She nearly snorted.




Summer's End Ch. 04



"I thought it might be something like that. It's going to be a big change when he moves to Chicago and only comes home twice a year."

Emma's stomach turned and she felt like she was going to vomit. She tried to make small talk with her mother as best she could, then fled to the sanctity of the double swing overlooking Lake Michigan, and Scooter, her beloved Tabby cat. 

Scooter woke up when Emma sat down and pulled him onto her lap. Ever patient with his owner, Scooter allowed her to do so. With brilliant green eyes he gazed up at his favorite human and stretched a forepaw up to her neck to get her attention. He was rewarded for his efforts with a smile and scratch behind the ears.

Emma sat out on the swing until the sun set and it grew too chilly. Late August days were still warm on the lake, but the nights cooled down rapidly. Scooter never left her as they made their way into the cottage. He hopped up on her bed and curled into her side, and they both fell asleep together.

***

It was to Emma's great relief when her parents left for home around noon the next day. It was hard to pretend she was fine when she wasn't fine at all. And selfish as it was, she wanted them gone when Brandon returned later that afternoon. But their reunion wasn't exactly what Emma thought it would be.

***

The gravel crunched beneath the tires of Brandon's car as he pulled up the drive in front of the cottage. It was good to be back. Unfortunately, he and Emma were leaving for home very soon. There was a lot he needed to do to get ready for the move to Chicago.

Brandon had checked out the university campus and his student-housing unit. He'd spent several fascinating hours in the law library, too, and had been quite pleased with all of it. His little apartment turned out to be perfect, on East Sixty-first, just a short walk east to the Metrarail Line. And even better, the Fifty-seventh street beach was within walking distance, too. He wouldn't be far from Lake Michigan, even while away at school. He'd even met a few of the other students that were going to be living in his complex.

Brandon wanted to tell Emma all about it, but she wasn't in the cottage, so he decided to head down to the beach to see if she was there. She was, but she wasn't alone. Brandon stood at the top of the stairs that led down to the beach and watched as Adam wrapped his arms around Emma and held her close against his chest. Brandon felt a lead weight drop into his gut as he watched his little sister and his friend embrace. He turned on his heel and stalked back to the cottage, letting the screen door bang shut behind him.

It was warm in the cottage from the afternoon sun, so Brandon stripped down to his boxers and, after throwing his clothes on his bed, headed for the kitchen. There were several bottles of beer in the refrigerator, he grabbed one and twisted the top off. Drawing hard on it, he drained half in no time. His mind whirled and he tried with no luck to block the image of Emma and Adam's embrace.

It was obvious what had happened while he'd been away. Adam had taken to heart what Brandon had asked of him, to keep an eye on Emma while he was gone. Only it looked like a lot more than that to Brandon. He drained the rest of the bottle and went for another. He was usually not a heavy drinker, so the alcohol was already having an adverse affect on his thought process.

Brandon paced the small kitchen while he made quick work of his second beer. Did she forget me that fast? What we had meant so little to her? His eyes began to prick and burn, but he refused to give in to the tears. He slammed the rest of the beer and grabbed a third. Slowly, his senses grew numb.

"She's moved on already," Brandon whispered to himself as he flopped down on the couch next to a snoozing Scooter, who woke up and glared at him. "What do you think of that, huh?" Brandon asked the cat. He tipped the bottle to his lips once more, then lowered it. "She's mine, though. She'll always be mine. No matter what."

Brandon was well into his fourth beer when he heard the cottage door squeak open behind him. He didn't have to look to know who it was.

"Brandon! I didn't know you were back until I saw your car out front. I was down on the beach." Emma came around in front of Brandon, ready to throw herself into his arms until she saw the beer bottles scattered about. And then she saw the look on his face. "Brandon? Are you okay?"

Brandon didn't say anything, only drained his fourth beer and set it on the end table next to the sofa. He looked at his sister then, took in her lovely face, drank in her shapely form that was clad in a little white bikini. His cock stirred in his pants and he knew how Adam must have thrilled when she pressed her body against his not an hour ago. Rage began to boil under his calm façade. He stood and swayed a little.

Emma didn't like the dangerous look she saw on her older brother's face. He was drunk or, at the very least, tipsy. The last time she had seen him that way was at his college graduation party, and even then he'd at least been happy. Just now Emma thought he looked like he was ready to kill someone. She backed up a few steps as he advanced on her.

"So, you had a good weekend?" Brandon asked, his eyes narrowing. He took another step towards his sister.

Emma frowned. "Not really. Why have you been drinking?"

"Don't change the subject, Emma," Brandon bit out, advancing further. He watched in annoyance as Emma moved around the island into the kitchen. "Come here." His cock was rock hard now, making an impressive tent in his boxers.

Emma shook her head. "No way. Tell me why you're drunk and maybe I will," she challenged. "Did something happen in Chicago?"

Brandon snorted. "Hardly." He moved left, Emma moved left. He changed directions, and she followed suit.

"Maybe you better get out of here and go sober up," Emma suggested. She was more than a little nervous now.

"I don't think so. You want to know what's up? I saw you down on the beach with Adam a little while ago. That's what's up," he sneered.

"Saw me with Adam? What are you talking about?"

Brandon made his move then. Emma had let her guard down, and he took advantage. He bolted around the corner of the island, but in his drunken state he wasn't quick enough and Emma was able to dodge him. She headed for the master bedroom and the safety of its locked door.

Brandon caught her just as she was about to slam the door. He shoved his shoulder into it and burst though, sending them tumbling to the floor. In a flash he had her pinned.

"Brandon, what the hell's wrong with you!" Emma tried to push him off her, but he was too heavy, and much too strong. His weight bore down on her, and she could feel his erection pressing into her. He looked so angry, as his face hovered inches from her own. They'd fought before, but never like this.

Brandon forced Emma's arms over her head and held them there, while his lower body kept hers from moving. Between clenched teeth, he ground out, "I saw you with him, Emma. He had his arms around you, he was holding you."

"We didn't do anything! Brandon, I swear!" Emma insisted.

But Brandon didn't hear her. "You're mine, Emma, mine. Do you hear me? You'll always be mine. No matter how far apart we are, you'll always belong to me!" He crushed his lips to hers and forced his tongue into the warm wetness of her mouth. One hand stole down to the back of Emma's neck to untie the bikini top while the other held both of Emma's wrists tightly together.

Brandon tore his mouth away and rained kisses over Emma's face, and down onto her neck, while his hand pulled down her bikini top and cupped the soft, pliant globe of her breast. He leaned down and took one pert, straining nipple into his mouth and began to suckle.

Emma moaned with pleasure at the feeling of Brandon's tongue and teeth at her breast. Her pussy began to tingle and moisten with her brother's continued attention. Then he switched to the other side and administered the same treatment. "Brandon." She let out a small sigh.

Shifting his body slightly to the left, Brandon's free hand moved lower, down her flat belly to pause at the edge of her bikini bottom. He hesitated for only a moment before tugging it down. It didn't escape his notice that Emma raised her buttocks off the floor a fraction. Brandon readjusted his grip on her wrists and slid his hand up the inside of her leg to the juncture of her thighs. She was so wet. He cupped her sex with his entire hand and raised his head. He looked at her intently. "You're mine, Emma. You know that, don't you?"

Emma nodded, her eyes wide. "Always yours, Brandon," she whispered. 

Brandon slid a finger through her soft curls and brushed her clitoris. A whimper from Emma spurred him on, and he pushed first one finger, then two, into her pussy. Emma squirmed and arched her back. "Feel good?" He smiled down at her.

"Yes, oh God, so good." Emma rolled her head from side to side.

He released her wrists then and bent to whisper in her ear. "I'm gonna make you come, Emma. So hard. Do you want to?"

"Yes!" She bucked her hips against his hand. "Please, Brandon. Make me come, please!"

Brandon withdrew his fingers and Emma protested. "Shh," he soothed and moved between her legs, spreading them wide. She was so beautiful to him. All of her. After loving her for so long, there was no way he'd let her go now. He lowered his head and licked up her inner thighs, tasting the juice that lingered there. As he worked his way slowly up towards Emma's pussy, he felt her soft hands caressing his shoulders. His sister's touch was so soothing. He relaxed fully and settled in to pleasure the beautiful woman beneath him.

Brandon slid his hands under Emma and lifted her slightly, holding her pussy tight to his mouth. He suckled and licked at her clit and labia, running his tongue over and over her engorged nub. He gently nipped at it with his teeth and smiled when Emma gasped.

Emma's hands gripped his shoulders as she felt her orgasm build, slowly at first, then with ever-increasing speed until she was teetering on the very edge. "Brandon, oh fuck, Brandon--I'm almost there. Don't stop, please," she begged. 

But stop is exactly what he did. Emma's eyes flew open. "What are you doing?"

Brandon didn't answer her. He shed his boxers and crawled up Emma's body and kissed her deeply, his tongue darting in and out of her mouth. Emma reached down between their bodies and wrapped her hand around the steely hardness of his shaft. She longed to feel it inside her body, to feel herself come as her brother thrust into her.

Emma's hand around his cock caused Brandon to shudder with pleasure. The way she squeezed him just right and jerked him just so--he knew he wouldn't last if he let her continue, so he pulled away. "That feels so good, Em, but I'd rather do this." He knelt between Emma's legs and once more spread them wide. He fingered her slit for a moment to make sure she was still slick and wet, then positioned his cock at the entrance of her pussy and, with a great thrust, buried himself within her. His eyes closed at the sensations already beginning to churn in his balls. She fit him like a glove. 

Brandon fell forward and braced himself over Emma, his hands on either side of her head. He looked into her eyes as he made love to her there on the floor. In those eyes he saw love, acceptance, understanding, and most important of all, trust.

As if she was reading his mind, Emma spoke up, "I love you, Brandon." She paused and cupped his beautiful face in her hands. "You know that, don't you?" She wrapped her legs around his waist and clung to him as he picked up speed, thrusting his cock even deeper.

"I love you, too, Emma," he panted. "I meant what I said. You're mine."

Emma nodded. "I know, Brandon. And you're mine." She grasped his buttocks with both hands to drive him harder. She wanted all of him inside her, every last inch. They were as close as two people could be. They were one, and they came together as one, Brandon shooting his semen deep into her belly with a shout, and Emma calling out his name as the tidal wave of her orgasm consumed her.

They lay together on the floor for several minutes, kissing and caressing one another as they came down from their peaks of pleasure. Then Brandon stood and pulled Emma up into his arms. He carried her through the living room and out onto the sleeping porch to his bed, where he placed her down gently and crawled in next to her. She snuggled into his arms.

"I'm sorry, Emma," Brandon whispered.

She raised her head off his chest and frowned. "Sorry for what, Bran?" 

"For thinking that anything went on between you and Adam." He paused. "Nothing did, did it?"

Emma laughed. "No, nothing happened. He came by several times over the weekend. I think he was checking up on me, or something. We hung out a little, that's all. You actually thought--" It suddenly dawned on Emma that Brandon must have seen her and Adam's embrace. "You saw us hugging down there on the beach, didn't you? And that's when you thought there was something up."

Brandon actually blushed, he was so embarrassed by the conclusions he had jumped to and his cowardly reaction. It was so unlike him. "I was so mad, Emma. I thought you'd forgotten me while I was gone."

"I didn't forget you and I won't forget you, Brandon." Emma stroked his forehead, trying to sooth away the worrying frown he wore.

"I didn't wear a condom." 

"I know."

In the back of his mind Brandon knew he'd done it on purpose, and he thought maybe Emma realized that. The chances of her getting pregnant were slim. He knew she'd just finished her cycle a few days ago, but the risk was there, nevertheless.

***

"C'mon Emmie, we gotta go."

It was Tuesday and they were leaving the cottage for home. Emma stood in the living room looking around, making sure they hadn't forgotten anything when Brandon stuck his head in the screen door to tell her it was time. Scooter was already in the car and they had to go. She only nodded. There was a lump in her throat and she wasn't sure she could talk without breaking down.

Brandon came up behind her and put his arms around her waist. "You okay, babe?" He bent and kissed her neck.

Emma swallowed hard. "I'll be fine." She put on a brave smile and turned to face her brother. She held out her hand. "Shall we?"

Hand in hand they headed for the car, and home.

To be concluded...



Summer's End Ch. 05



Thanks to Mused for all his help.

***

Brandon folded the last of his socks and crammed them into his over-stuffed suitcase. With a resigned sigh he zippered it closed and turned to Emma. He was done, packed and ready to leave. He was excited, apprehensive, and sad. Leaving his little sister was killing him, but he knew he had to go. He'd put off moving into student housing as long as he could, but now it was Friday evening, and he would have only the weekend before his classes started at the University of Chicago Law School.

They'd returned from the cottage Tuesday. Leaving the beautiful family cottage on Lake Michigan was always hard, but this year was especially difficult. Brother and sister had discovered a love for each other they had never known, though Brandon had felt something for Emma long before. More than sibling love, their feelings had turned to true love over the course of the season, and now they had to face Brandon's departure. All summer long they had tried not to think about it and take one day at a time, but summer's end had finally arrived, and with it their eventual separation.

"Guess that's it, Em," Brandon spoke quietly. He reached out and caressed Emma's face with his palm.

Emma was sitting cross-legged on Brandon's bed; she'd been there most of the afternoon, just watching him pack, engaging in small talk with him. They were going out for dinner later that evening with their parents and their grandmother but, until then, Emma wanted to spend as much time alone with her brother as she could. She leaned into his touch and gazed up at him, her eyes full of love. "Guess so," she sighed. "Sure you should leave your car here?"

"I don't want to mess with it in Chicago, and you'll need it here. Don't worry about it, babe."

Emma closed her eyes and nodded.

Several times throughout the afternoon Margaret had poked her head into the room to see if her kids needed anything. If she thought it odd that the siblings refused to be apart since their return from the cottage, she didn't comment. They had always been close and she knew the upcoming separation would be hard on them. She didn't realize just how close they had become, or how difficult it would be. She didn't know her children had become lovers.

At that moment Margaret stuck her head in again. She took in the scene before her, her son's hand softly stroking her daughter's cheek, and she wasn't sure what to think. Emma's eyes were shut and it looked as if Brandon was trying to comfort her, yet there was a certain sensuality to the gesture. "Everything okay in here?" Margaret asked.

Brandon jerked his hand away and Emma's eyes flew open, their hearts slamming a wild beat. Brandon forced a smile and turned to their mother. "Hey, Mom. Yeah, everything's fine. Emmie's just having a moment." He rolled his eyes. "You know how she can be." He turned back to his little sister and winked. True to form, she stuck her tongue out at him and he snorted. "So attractive, Emma."

Amused by her children's antics, Margaret forgot the scene she'd just walked in on, though she would revisit it later with her husband. "We're leaving in fifteen minutes. Be ready. We have to pick Nana up at six."

"Jesus," Brandon sighed when their mom left his bedroom. "That was close."

"Too close," Emma agreed, gazing up at him. She smiled, wanting to kiss him but not daring to with their parents in the house.

Brandon's breath caught in his throat. It always did when Emma looked at him that way. His Emma. She would always be his, no matter how far apart they were, that was for certain. Emma had discovered his feelings for her and somehow, by some miracle or curse, Brandon wasn't sure which, she had returned those feelings with full measure. He didn't know what their future held, whether they would be together or not, or perhaps they would find others. But for now, as it had been over the summer, they could only take one day at a time. He was leaving by train for Chicago in the morning, and wouldn't return home until Christmas.

"We need to be careful, Bran," Emma whispered. "If they start to suspect..."

"I know, babe." Brandon raked a hand through his dark hair, mussing it slightly. He glanced at Emma again, then hefted his suitcase off the bed and set it next to the doorway. "C'mon, let's get downstairs." He held out a hand and smiled when his little sister took it and pulled herself off his bed.

Emma tempted fate once more and wrapped her arms around Brandon's waist. She hugged him close, not wanting to let go. She thrilled at the sensations of his hands moving up and down her back.

Brandon moved his hands down Emma's slim, lithe body, feeling the gentle curve of her lower back. His hands settled there and, in a possessive gesture, pressed her body into his. "I love you, Em," he declared softly.

From downstairs their mother called up to them. They separated quickly and made their way down the hall to the top landing where they could see their parents waiting at the bottom for them.

Everything seemed to move too fast that evening. They all had a fabulous time together, but the minutes flew too quickly and suddenly they were dropping Nana off at her apartment and Emma was getting out of the car to walk her inside.

Ruth tucked her hand into the crook of her granddaughter's elbow as they made their way up the walk to the front door of the apartment building. The two had always been close. It was Ruth that knew all of Emma's secrets. All but one. "Tell me, dear, how have you been? I haven't seen you since you and Brandon came home from the cottage."

Emma smiled at her grandmother. "I've been okay, Nana."

"You were a little withdrawn at dinner tonight," Ruth noted. She could read her granddaughter like a book; she'd always had that knack.

"Did I seem that way? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be."

"You're missing your brother already, aren't you, dear?" 

Emma held the door open and the two women entered and started down the hallway. She tried to make light of how she felt. "Nana, he's only going to Chicago. He'll be home at Christmas."

"That wasn't how you felt over the summer," Ruth pointed out, remembering how devastated Emma had been during a visit Ruth had made to the cottage one weekend over the summer. In tears, Emma had told her grandmother how much she was going to miss her older brother when he went off to school in the fall. Ruth had taken note of their closeness and had filed it away. Now it seemed as if Emma wasn't bothered in the least by Brandon's impending departure. It didn't fit, not in the slightest, and knowing the signs herself, Ruth was instantly suspicious once more. She wouldn't ask Emma outright. She knew her granddaughter would come to her when she was ready.

They reached Ruth's apartment and she dug her key out of her purse to unlock the door. Turning to Emma, she said, "I'm here, child, for anything you need. I'll always understand. Now kiss me goodnight and get back out to your parents and your brother." 

Emma opened her mouth to say something, then snapped it shut. Her heart was pounding in her chest. Does she suspect? She nodded dumbly, hugged and kissed her grandmother goodnight, and beat a hasty retreat back out to the car.

In the backseat Brandon noticed a change in his sister's demeanor. She seemed agitated and disturbed. Their parents had the radio on up front and were talking animatedly back and forth. Brandon reached over and took Emma's hand. He leaned close. "What is it?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.

Emma only shook her head and looked out the window. But she kept a steely grip on her brother's hand during the ride home.

"Best make an early night of it, four-thirty will be here soon," their dad warned when they arrived home. Brandon's train was leaving at five AM.

"But Daddy, it's Brandon's last night home," Emma protested. She didn't want to go to bed yet, she wanted to stay up with her brother as long as she could. And even though she was eighteen and Brandon was nearly twenty-three, their father ruled the roost and could be quite stern at times. "My house, my rules" was his favorite line.

"Nonsense, Emma," he said with a wave of his hand, effectively dismissing his daughter.

"I'm tired anyway, Em," Brandon jumped in. Sometimes Emma and their dad butted heads, and Brandon didn't want anyone upset that night. He and their mother were generally the peacemakers.

"But Brandon—"

"Never mind Emma, it's after nine. C'mon, let's go." Brandon ushered his sister towards the stairs with a goodnight to their mom and dad thrown over his shoulder. "You know better than to argue with Dad. What were you thinking?" he asked as they made their way up the stairs and down the hall to their bedrooms.

"I wanted to spend some time with you before you leave tomorrow. Is that so terrible?"

"Of course not babe, but Dad's got a short fuse, you know that." He sighed and tilted Emma's face up to his. He kissed her on the lips and pulled away, eyeing her carefully. "You could come with me."

Brandon had thought of it often enough but had never voiced it to Emma. He was half-afraid she might agree and that scared him, but only because he was afraid of their parents' reactions.

Emma's eyes widened. "I couldn't, Brandon. They would never understand."

"They let us stay up at the cottage together all summer," Brandon pointed out.

"But all of a sudden I decide to move to Chicago with you? They'd never buy it, and they just wound not understand." Emma shook her head. She knew them well. "Now I know why you were so anxious to get out of here four years ago when you went to U of M. I never really understood why you wanted to leave and go away to school. Now I know."

Brandon chuckled. "Well, they were part of the reason, and that whole pre-law thing," he joked with a wave of his hand. "You were the other."

"Me?" Emma squeaked.

"You know how long I've had feelings for you, Emma," Brandon whispered. He couldn't believe they were having this conversation standing outside their bedrooms. "I left hoping they would fade, but they never did. They dulled a bit, but every time I came home there they were. There  you were."

"I didn't know."

"I didn't want you to know."

Their parents mounted the top step just then, so Brandon and Emma were forced to cut their conversation short. They bid each other good night under the watchful eyes of their father and retired to their separate rooms.

Emma fell into a fitful sleep after tossing and turning, only to reawaken an hour later. She lay there listening to the quiet. Not a sound could be heard. She pushed back the covers and got out of bed.

After a visit to the bathroom Emma intended to return to her own room, but instead found herself standing outside Brandon's bedroom door. She opened it and slipped inside, closing it gently behind her.

Brandon was lying on his side facing away from her. Emma could hear his steady breathing as she made her way over to his bedside and carefully sat down on the edge. The night was chilly. Nevertheless, Brandon slept in his boxers. The covers had been pushed down and Emma could see the broad expanse of his shoulders and back.

It was insane to be in his room in the middle of the night with their parents sleeping just down the hall, but Emma couldn't help it, she was drawn to him. She longed to run her hands over his shoulders and arms, to feel the muscles bulging beneath his taut skin. She shifted a little on the bed to move closer. Her movement caused Brandon to stir in his sleep. He turned over and slowly opened his eyes.

"Emma?" He raised his head off the pillow several inches. "What are you doing in here?"

"I wanted to be with you. I'm sorry if I woke you up."

"It's okay, babe. But you shouldn't be in here. If Mom or Dad catches you in here we're in the shit."

"I'm just sitting here on the edge of your bed talking to you," Emma grinned.

Brandon glanced over at the clock on his bedside table. "I thought it was later. C'mere, Emmie." He couldn't send her back to her room, even though he knew he should. He wanted to be close to his sister one last time. 

Brandon drew Emma down into his arms and held her body tight against his, breathing in her unique scent. He wanted to burn it into his memory so he could recall it while he was gone. He knew that some night, when the loneliness of being away from Emma grew to be too much, he would need those memories to keep him going and to keep him focused. There were days when he doubted he would be able to do it, when he wondered if leaving Emma was worth it. His feelings for his little sister ran so deep it sometimes scared him, and he knew he would sacrifice anything for her.

"Make love to me, Brandon. Please? One more time before you go, make love to me," Emma whispered in the dark, her cheek pressed tightly to his chest. "I need to feel you in me. Make me yours one last time." 

"You'll always be mine, Emma, you know that. I think we worked that out last week," Brandon said with a soft laugh.

Emma joined in her brother's quiet laughter, recalling the huge fight they'd had just days before leaving the cottage to return home. It had merely been a misunderstanding, but had caused Brandon much angst, until he realized the truth. Her laughter faded as his hand began to slide down from its resting place on her hip. Brandon leaned in to kiss her lovingly on the mouth as his hand crept towards her breast. He kneaded it gently and teased the nipple to a hard, erect point with his thumb.

Emma reached over and withdrew Brandon's hard shaft from his boxers. She stroked him gently with a knowing hand and felt a small drop of precum leak out of the opening. She pushed him over on his back.

Scooting down his body Emma's mouth searched out his cock. Her tongue flicked out and lapped up the tiny drops that continued to ooze. She licked up one side and back down the other, then grinned up at her brother as he looked down in fascination. 

"That feels so good, Em," he half-whispered, half-groaned.

"Yeah? How's this?" Emma popped the purple, mushroom-domed head of her brother's cock into her mouth and swirled her tongue all over. She pushed further and felt the tip hit the back of her throat. She swallowed then, and felt it working its way down past her gag reflex. She'd become an expert over the course of a summer. Of course, she'd had a most willing partner to practice on.

Brandon grunted and said nothing. His hands moved to her hair and he grabbed two fistfuls. He fought the urge to buck his hips and force his cock further down her throat.

Soon he felt the familiar tingling in his balls that signaled his impending orgasm. He bit back a groan as his stomach tightened and his toes curled as the first jet of semen shot down his sister's throat. He didn't ask her anymore if it was okay. Brandon knew Emma would tell him if she didn't want to swallow. That was the kind of trust they shared.

"Lay down, Emma," Brandon told her as she released his cock from the warm confines of her mouth. It had been an intense orgasm and now he wanted to give her the same pleasure he'd received. "No, on your front," he continued when she went to lie on her back. She complied.

In the dark Brandon gazed down at her small form. His hands trailed a light path from her shoulder blades down to her perfectly rounded ass. He chuckled softly when she wiggled it at him and gave her a light swat. Emma laughed into the pillow.

"Raise your ass up a little for me, Em," he whispered.

Emma pushed her rear end up and Brandon slid his hand down between her legs. Her inner thighs were slick with her juice, a testimony to her arousal. "Jesus," he muttered when he felt her wetness. She was so ready for him.

A dull ache was forming in Emma's pussy. She wanted Brandon's cock in her, she needed to come, but her brother was teasing her. "Brandon, please," she begged.

"What do you want?"

"To come. Please Brandon, put your cock in me and make me come."

Brandon smiled to himself. He loved to hear his sister talk that way. "Not yet." He slipped his index finger a little further down to just brush her swollen clit, and then pulled it away, making Emma squirm with frustration.

He teased her that way for a while and Emma's frustration grew with each downward dip of his finger. He did it one more time and then with no warning he plunged two fingers deep into her dripping pussy. Emma came instantly, writhing and squirming on his hand as her orgasm crashed and undulated through her body.

Brandon slid a strong arm under Emma and pulled her to him as she came down from her orgasmic high. He held her close and whispered to her, telling her how wonderful he thought she was and just how much he loved her. His cock was hard again and he wanted her badly, but he needed to taste her first. 

Brandon laid her down and crawled between her spread legs. He leaned down and suckled her clit, relishing the taste of her pussy. "God, Emma, you taste so wonderful," he murmured between licks. He spread her labia and worked his tongue in and out, pushing it in as far as he could.

Emma grasped at his shoulders as she felt another orgasm approach. "Oh God, Brandon," she panted. "I'm gonna come again. My clit—suck it!" She planted her feet on the bed and pushed up against his face.

Brandon grabbed her ass with both hands and held her pussy tight to his mouth. His tongue lashed out at her blood-engorged nub and, with a few more swift licks, brought Emma to a mind-numbing orgasm. She grabbed the other pillow and slammed it over her face and tried hard not to scream.

"Brandon, oh my God, Brandon," Emma sighed as she returned to earth.

Brandon fumbled in his nightstand and withdrew a condom. He quickly rolled it on and climbed up to lay over his sister. He kissed her forehead, her eyes, and both cheeks. His cock butted up against her pussy, as if seeking entrance all on its own. Emma wrapped her legs around his waist and reached down to guide him home. 

With a sigh of his own Brandon split her vulva with his dick. He sank balls deep with one thrust. "Jesus, Emma," he grunted out. She was so slippery and hot he felt like his cock was encased in molten lava. "Baby, I'm not gonna last." He could already feel his orgasm approaching like an oncoming freight train.

Emma encouraged him with her whispered words. "It's okay, baby, c'mon. Fuck me, Bran. God, you feel so good, fuck me!" She grabbed his ass cheeks with both hands and began to buck her hips in time with his thrusts.

At that rate it didn't take long. The come began to boil in his balls and then his gut tightened and his fists clenched. With eyes scrunched tight, Brandon fired volley after volley of come into the protective latex of the condom. He longed to shoot it off into Emma's unprotected pussy, but he knew that would've been insanity.

Brandon rolled off Emma and slid an arm under her to pull her close. "I love you, babe," he whispered. "I'm going to miss you so much."

"Me too, Bran. I love you, too. It'll be okay. I know it."

Brandon released her for a moment to remove the come-filled condom. He wrapped it in Kleenex and threw it in the trash can next to his bed. He returned to the comfort of Emma's arms, knowing it would be the last time for quite a while.

***

Emma hadn't meant to fall asleep after they made love, she thought she'd only stay for a few minutes, but it felt so good to be held in his arms that she couldn't help drifting off. They had tempted fate one too many times, and the results were inevitable. 

The confrontation was heartbreakingly ugly, as only a confrontation such as that could be.

Light flooded Brandon's bedroom as their father entered and snapped on the light. "What's going on in here!" Bruce roared. But the true nature of his children's relationship was as plain as the nose on his face. Naked, they lay entwined in a lover's embrace with only a sheet covering them. They blinked awake in simultaneous horror as the realization dawned on them that they'd been caught.




Summer's End Ch. 05



Instinctively, Brandon drew Emma into him as the full weight of his father's words came crashing down upon them. It was useless to deny the obvious, and neither Brandon nor Emma even tried. Their mother was directly behind her husband, and she began to weep when she saw her children together in bed. "I suspected as much," she moaned through her tears.

"It appears you were right," Bruce sighed. He turned his attention to his only son. "Get up."

And Brandon did. In all his naked glory he stood up and faced his parents. 

"What do you have to say for yourself?" his father barked.

"I love Emma," he stated, plainly and simply.

"You love Emma," Bruce repeated. "You love her and you've fucked her?" His anger was beginning to get the better of him. "She's your sister, godammit!"

"We're in love and we want to be together. Don't ask how it happened because I can't answer that." Naively Brandon thought that maybe they would understand, but when his dad looked at him like he'd lost his mind, Brandon knew he'd never win. They would never understand.

"You love her and you want to be together. That's impossible. You're brother and sister. It just doesn't happen."

Emma spoke up for the first time. "But Daddy, please," she begged, as if it would help or change anything.

"Go to your own room, Emma. Margaret, take her in there and make sure she stays put," Bruce ordered his wife.

Emma protested loudly. "No! I won't leave Brandon!"

Before their father could turn on her, Brandon spoke quietly to Emma. "Go on, Em. It's okay. Please? Just go on. We'll talk later." He pulled the sheet off his bed and wrapped it around his sister's naked body.

Bruce watched the tender way Brandon spoke to Emma, the way he lovingly wrapped the sheet around her nakedness, and his heart broke for them. But he steeled his spine, determined not to give in.

"Put some clothes on and get your things together. I'm calling you a cab."

"But Dad, I—" Brandon tried to plead. He wanted to explain, or at least try to, but his father would hear none of it.

"Enough, Brandon." Bruce was so angry he could barely form the words. "Do not speak to me right now. Just get your things together and be downstairs before the cab gets here. And whatever you do, do not try to see Emma. One call to the police is all it will take." Bruce held up a finger. "One call. Do you hear me? I can have you both arrested for committing incest."

Brandon swallowed hard and nodded. He refused to give into the tears that were pricking his eyes, even as his heart was breaking. Emma. He would never see her again. What would he do without her? An overwhelming feeling of panic threatened to undo him, but he held it in check.

Slowly he drew on his underwear and the discarded jeans and shirt he'd worn to dinner the night before. As he turned to leave his bedroom for what he figured would be the last time, he spied Emma's night shirt peeking out from beneath the comforter. On impulse he took it and stuffed it into the side pocket of his suitcase.

True to his word Bruce called a cab for his son's ride to the train station. As the vehicle backed down the driveway, Brandon fixed his eyes on Emma's bedroom window. At that moment the shade flew up and Emma was there. The light was on in her room and he could see her perfectly. The image that was burned into his brain would come to haunt him for many a night.

***

For Emma, the days and nights were equally painful. Since the night her parents had discovered her and Brandon, she had to contend with silent stares and mournful sighs from her mother. Whenever she tried to bring up Brandon to her father, he would cut her off, until one Saturday in late October, when Brandon had been gone nearly two full months, she blew. 

"We're adults! Brandon and I should be allowed to make our own decision about this." She couldn't resist a dig. "At least he'll be home for Christmas." That was the one thing that kept her going through it all, the knowledge that Brandon would be home for the holiday. But her father crushed that slim thread of happiness.

"Not under my roof," Bruce bellowed. "My house, my rules. And anyway, Emma, your brother has decided to not come home for a few years in order to put some distance between you two." He eyed his daughter carefully. "It's for the best, anyway, that you not see or speak to him. No visits, no calls, no e-mails. He doesn't want them." It was the exact same lie he'd told his son about Emma two weeks ago when Brandon had called, begging to speak to his sister. Bruce had told him that Emma decided to move on and didn't want any contact from her brother for a while.

Emma gasped. "That's not true!"

"I'm afraid so, Emma. Leave your brother alone to concentrate on his studies and allow him to move on with his life. I suggest you do the same. You'll feel differently about each other in a few years. You'll see this was all a mistake. A horrible, sick mistake."

***

Emma didn't know where to go or what to do. Her dad had just told her that Brandon didn't want anything to do with her. How could her brother feel that way after everything they'd gone through? She grabbed the keys to Brandon's car and jumped in and took off down the road, with no thought as to her destination. To her surprise she found herself on the highway hurtling northward, heading straight for the cottage.

It was exactly as she and Brandon had left it two months ago. She entered through the squeaky screen door, letting it bang shut behind her. Immediately she felt Brandon's presence and was comforted by it. He was everywhere she looked: sitting on the couch in front of the stone fireplace, perched on a stool at the island that separated the kitchen from the living room. Everywhere. She made her way out to the sleeping porch, to his bed, and sat down. His sheets were still there. She leaned down and sniffed the pillow. It smelled faintly of him. She picked it up and cradled it to her and she cried. For hours she sat there, crying on and off, thinking of her older brother and the summer they had shared.

A voice startled her. Someone, a man, was calling Brandon's name. Emma looked out to see Adam approaching. She flew out the door and into his arms, nearly knocking him down.

"Hey, hey, easy there, Em. What are you guys doing here? Where's Brandon? Isn't he in Chicago?" Adam had seen Brandon's car in the drive and came down to see his old friend.

Emma incoherently babbled for several minutes. Adam continued to hold her while he patiently waited for her to calm down, then took her by the hand and led her into the cottage. "Okay, Emmie, tell me again what's going on."

They sat on the couch in front of the cold fireplace, where she told him what had happened with Brandon and their parents. Adam had found out about her and Brandon over the summer and while he was stunned, he had remained true to his longtime friends.

Emma wiped her eyes and smiled at him. "I'm so glad you're here. Why are you here, anyway? You guys closing up the cottage?"

"Yeah, that's it for another year." Adam reached over and tucked a lock of Emma's hair behind her ear. "It was quite the summer, huh?"

Emma grinned in spite of herself. "Yeah. God, Adam, I miss him so much."

"So go to him."

"Didn't you hear me? He doesn't want to hear from me or see me."

"Do you really think that's true?"

"My dad told me so."

Adam was silent, but he raised an eyebrow in question. 

Emma turned to look at him. "What? Why are you looking at me like that? Adam, c'mon."

Adam sighed. He was going to have to call Emma's dad a liar. "He's lying to you, Em. No way in hell would Brandon do that. That's not his style. C'mon, he's your brother. You know him better than any of us. Brandon doesn't run, and he doesn't hide. He wouldn't cut you off. And if he did want to, he'd find a way to do it to your face."

Adam could see Emma still had her doubts. "Remember when I caught the two of you doing it in the lake?" he grinned.

Emma blushed and rolled her eyes. "As if I could forget."

"Your brother didn't try to avoid me or skirt my questions. Remember? He faced me and we beat the shit out of each other."

Emma laughed at the memory and she knew Adam was right. Brandon wouldn't do that to her. She knew in her heart that he wouldn't. She couldn't face the fact that her father had lied to her, not yet. But she made a decision.

"Will you call him?" Adam asked gently.

"No. I'm going to Chicago."

"Want me to come with you?"

"Thanks, Adam, but I can do it."

"I know you can. Be brave." Adam reached out and brushed her cheek.

Adam's concern touched her. She smiled. "I will be, but I've got a stop to make first."

***

"Hi Nana," Emma smiled in greeting as her elderly grandmother swung the door open.

"Emma, dear, what a lovely surprise. Come in, come in." Ruth stepped aside and ushered in her beloved granddaughter. She knew that, finally, the time had come.

***

It was a bleary-eyed Brandon that made his way to the door. He'd been studying, or trying to, when his ears caught the faint tapping. The past two months without Emma had taken its toll, as had the knowledge of what their actions had cost the entire family. Guilt weighed heavily on his broad shoulders, but he accepted it as his penance, as he accepted his banishment for the next four years. 

That particular phone call to his father had been devastating to him. The thought of not seeing Emma for four years nearly drove him to his knees. He would've done anything to see her, but their father had said Emma didn't want anything to do with him, that she was trying to move on, and so Brandon respected her decision. He didn't call or write or e-mail her. He allowed her to move on with her life.

That was why he did a double take when he opened the door and saw his little sister standing there. He blinked once, twice. He heard a familiar hiss and looked down to see Emma's beloved tabby cat, Scooter, angrily staring up at him through the bars of his carrying cage.

"Emma? What..." Brandon didn't know what to say. At a loss for words he simply stared down at her, not daring to believe she was really there.

Like a dam bursting, Emma spoke up. "I had to come, Brandon. Please don't be angry. Daddy said you didn't want me here, that I had to stay away and you didn't want to come home for a few years so we could put distance between us, but I had to, Brandon. I just had to. If you really don't want me, tell me now, tell me to my face." Tears began to roll down Emma's cheeks and she brushed them away with an impatient hand. 

"What?" Brandon looked around and didn't see anyone. "Get in here." He grabbed Scooter and Emma's one bag. Emma followed. He set them both down and shut the door behind her. "First of all, come here little sister." He opened his arms and Emma literally fell into them. "I've missed you so much. I think we've got some talking to do."

It didn't take long for the siblings to figure out what had happened. They knew their dad had done what he considered to be the best for everyone, but it still hurt them both to know they'd been deceived.

"We did our own share of deceiving, Emma," Brandon reminded her when she expressed outrage over the deception. "And we hurt Mom and Dad. Do they even know you're here?"

"Nana knows. And she's also known about us since summer." Emma related to her brother what Ruth had told her.

"Oh my God, are you kidding me?"

Emma shook her head. "She loved him, too, and she gave him up. Their parents discovered them."

"Uncle Hank died in the second world war..." Brandon trailed off as the realization hit him. "He enlisted in the Army after they were found out?" A nod from Emma confirmed his thought process about their great uncle, their grandmother's older brother. "And then he was sent to Europe and was killed over there."

"Nana never saw him again."

"Christ, Em." Brandon raked a hand through his already disheveled hair. He could hardly believe the similarities in the two different sets of lives, lives separated by more than a generation.

"I'll never give you up, Brandon. Never. I want to stay here with you if you'll have me. And Scooter, too, of course." Emma reached down and unlatched the cat carrier.

Brandon eyed his sister carefully. "Seriously, Emma? Are you sure?" It was beyond his wildest dream to think Emma wanted to be with him. He knew how she felt about him. He knew she loved him, but to potentially give up everything to be with him? He was floored.

"As sure as I've ever been about anything, Brandon."

There were complications to work out, to be sure. They could be found out even in the relative anonymity of the University of Chicago where Brandon was just another law student. They still didn't know what the future held for them, if their parents would ever forgive them or not. But they both knew they couldn't suffer the same fate as their grandmother and their great uncle had. A true love lost forever.

Their reunion in Brandon's tiny bedroom that night was full of passion. They were hesitant at first, exploring each other's bodies all over again, as if it was their first time. And Emma cried when her brother gently pushed inside and began to make slow, sweet love to her. She couldn't help it. She'd thought they would never be together again, would never be able to express their love, and when she finally realized that they were destined to be together no matter what, it was like the sun bursting forth and the dawning of a new day.

***

"Look what came today, Bran," Emma said to her brother as she waved a piece of paper in his face.

"If you'd stop waving it around I'd be able to tell what it is," he laughed and grabbed it from her. As he quickly scanned the short note, his heart began to pound. "I can't believe it." Nearly a full year had passed with no contact. He looked up at his sister.

"Do we go?" she asked hesitantly, hoping he'd say yes.

Brandon slowly nodded. "I think we should."

***

Brandon and Emma sat on the couch in stunned silence as they listened to their parents. They'd arrived at the cottage after a tense five hour drive not knowing what to expect.

"We hope you both can find it in your hearts to forgive us," Margaret whispered.

The siblings looked at each other and, without words, stood and embraced their mom and dad.

"Of course we forgive you," Emma insisted. "And we're so sorry for the hurt we've caused, but can you accept Brandon and I the way we are?"

"You're our children and we love you, no matter the circumstances," Bruce managed to choke out from his son's embrace. "We were wrong, so very, very wrong, to send you away the way we did," he told his son, and then turned to Emma. "And I'm sorry I lied to you both to keep you apart. I thought at the time it was the right thing to do. I was so wrong."

It had been a torturous year for all and rebuilding their fractured relationship wouldn't be easy, but Bruce and Margaret knew it was up to them to reach out to their children. They had penned the short note to their kids with the hope that Brandon and Emma would accept their gesture and come to see them. Their efforts had been rewarded in a way greater than they had imagined.

With love and understanding, they were determined to overcome.

The End

Thank you to all who stuck with me through the long process of writing this story. When I started it I didn't think it would take me eighteen months! And thank you for all of your feedback, it really means a lot.