Chapter One: The Best Friend of My Mother's Husband's Son?

When people die you get casseroles. I'm not even kidding. We have at least fifteen of them in the freezer. It doesn't bother me that the people brought them to me, but who in their right mind thought of giving people casserole when someone died?

Maybe they think that you want to eat, or at least don't want to cook. In truth I can barely throw down a grape, let alone a casserole and I like cooking. Declan however doesn't. You must be confused.

My mom and Aaron were shot. I guess cafés in Washington aren't as safe as they seem to be. A guy, angry about his wife, came in with a 9mm and shot them and the cashier, then himself. Smart? I guess.

So about a year or so ago, Aaron and Janine got married. Aaron had a son, Eric, who hung himself six months, three days and seven hours ago, yeah I keep track. We were close in the time that we knew each other. He managed the band Miserable Motives, in which was his best friend, and not biological brother. So when he died, Declan, who had always been around, still came around.

Declan came for dinner a lot and sometimes spent the night. Aaron treated him like he would have Eric, like a replacement. Declan the replacement. This might still be confusing, so we'll start on the night, they were killed.

Ring. Ring.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Is this the home of Aaron and Janine Mason?" asked the voice on the other end.

"Yes, this is their daughter, what's going on?" I asked.

Declan looked at me questioningly. I shrugged and mouthed 'I don't know.' He was staying with me while mom and Aaron were on their weekend getaway.

"Miss I'm sorry to inform you with bad news."

"What. Is. Going. On?" I said flatly.

"Your parents have been shot, they died on the scene. I'm sorry. Our coroner will have to examine the bodies for further evidence. I'm sure you would like to deal with this with your family, so I'll let you go. We will be in contact, and you are being flown out to Eagle Point with an officer to be questioned. Do you have any other family, other than the deceased?" He asked.

"Yes, well sort of. He stays with us a lot. His name is Declan Charlotte. Should he be questioned as well?"

"Yes, we are making arrangements to fly you both out for questioning as we speak. Your local authorities will be in contact to set up living arrangements and such."

"Is that all?" I asked.

"Not quite, Officer Grezynburn will escort you and Mr. Charlotte to the Eagle Point airport tomorrow and 9 a.m. You will be staying at the Marriott Hotel on Reihn St. Do you need separate rooms?" He asked.

"No."

"See you in the morning Miss. Mason." And the line went dead.

I hung the phone up and sat next to Declan.

"Aims? Aimee, what was that about?" He asked.

I looked at him, I could tell my eyes looked big and scared, and tears just fell out of my eyes. I tried to find my voice, but failed and choked out with a croaky sound, "They were shot. They're dead."

Without a word he pulled me into his grasp and I clung to his chest for dear life. We must have sat there for hours, with my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me, both of us crying. Declan had his own house and what not, but he never really had a family, his family was practically ours. His mom died of breast cancer when he was five and his dad was a dead beat, that's why he practically lived with Aaron since he was young.

I could feel his sobbing in his breathing, it was heavy and thick. I can hear him cooing soft words into my hair, but I can't tell if he's trying to calm me down, or himself.

I guess I had never really thought about what would happen if they died. My mom was an only child and so were my grandparents, and they were all dead. Aaron had no family, he grew up in a foster home, so who am I left with? I suppose I have a distant relative somewhere, but would who ever is in charge of this stuff make me live with them?

I had no one, I couldn't live with any friends, not only because I had one, but because he was a guy. I can't be put in a foster home. Oh, someone please don't let them.

"Aims! Aims, your okay. Wake up."

"Dec, please don't let them take me." I pleaded into his wet shirt.

He looked at me quick. His eyes went into some sort of expression, one that I had never seen before.

"Declan? Declan, what's wrong?"

"Your, your brother. He was the only one that called me that. Ever." He stumbled, his eyes glossy as ever.

I was lost for words. How could I forget? Was I losing memory of the only person I opened up to, the only one who knows my secrets? Eric was the only one who was allowed to call Declan that, because it was their thing. Dec and Mase. I still had no idea why they used our last name and his nickname.

"Declan, I am so sorry, I, I didn't realize. God! I am so stupid!" I scolded myself.

He just looked at me with somber eyes.

"Aimee, it's okay. No one has called me that since, well since your brother, and it just was startling I guess. Really Aims, it's okay." He said consoling my mistake.

I didn't feel relieved at all; in fact it made me cry even harder. So now I'm sitting here, face in hands, shoulders hunched all because I called Declan 'Dec'. He grabbed me by the shoulders, and stared at me for a second, and for that second, I swear he could see into my soul.

"Aimee Lynn Mason, I'm not mad. In fact I want you to call me 'Dec' if you will, I know it's hard without him Aims, I know, and if this helps you get closer to him, I'm all for it. You are like, I dunno, but we're close and this will help, I know it." He said a grin creeping slowly onto his lips.

"Oh! We have to go to Eagle Point tomorrow. We are being questioned about the murder."

"Alright, well, let's just relax for now. There's no point in getting worked up about it."

"So, what do you want to do?" I asked.

He shrugged, "I dunno, do you want to watch a movie, or sleep, or something?"

I shrugged back and said, "Can we watch a movie?"

"Sure."

We got up and laughed at the sight of each other. His long brown hair was in a disheveled heap on his head, his eyes were red and puffy and his clothes were wrinkled, wet and stuck to his body. Despite all of the mess, he was still cute.

We decided on a Friday the Thirteenth marathon, and we went to change. I was scared when I looked in the mirror. My dark brown hair looked like I hadn't brushed it in a month, my eyes were puffy too and my makeup was in streaks down my face. My clothes were frumpy and my hair was wet with tears. I am defiantly taking a shower.

I got in the shower and grabbed my shampoo, and soon enough, I was done. I stepped onto the rug and grabbed my towel. I put on my underwear and bra that I had just bought with my mom, somehow it gave me comfort. They were made of dark purple lace and they were comfy as hell. One thing wrong. All my clothes were packed in suitcases that were in the trunk of the Rogue, the one that was currently in police hands.

We were going on a month long trip to England for some thing that Aaron had to go to. Declan had offered to stay home and watch everything, or he would be going too.

I walked down the hall and knocked on his door.

"Yeah?" He asked from behind the door.

"Are you clothed?" I asked with a hint of laughter in my voice.

"Sort of, why?"

I walked in not only to see him in his boxers, but with a pink blush on his face. I hadn't really realized that I had only my underwear on but, I needed clothes.

"Um, can I borrow some clothes?" I asked, turning pink myself.

"Uh, yeah hold on." He replied. "Shorts or pants?"

"I don't care."

He came back with a pair of his pajama pants and his Julliard hoodie. He had been studying at Julliard with Eric, when he killed himself. Now he can't pluck up the courage to go back, even though he is one of the most phenomenal guitarist and pianists there. I understand.

"Just a question, why aren't you wearing a towel or something?" He asked.

"I dunno, I did this with Eric a lot, and he didn't care, so why should you?" I replied with a shrug.

He just chuckled and tossed me the clothes. I shrugged again and slid the pants over my legs, and confirming my guess, they were too long. He laughed at me. I slipped the sweatshirt over my head and before I knew it, I was drowning in his clothes. He slipped on his pants and came over to help me. He rolled the sleeves and pants up enough, so that I could walk.

"I think you look funny." He said, laughing.

"I think I look cute." I said and I twirled around.

"Indeed." He replied.

We laughed and walked downstairs, well at least half way, because I tripped over a pant leg and almost face planted. Just when I thought I would fall to my doom, he wrapped his arms around me and fell too. We rolled all the way to the bottom, and doubled over in laughter.

"I guess I should get you some shorts?" He chuckled.

"Maybe, I'm gonna get the movie. Do you want to order in?" I asked.

"Yeah. Uhm, just get every kind of take out there is, on me." He stumbled. He practically sprinted up the stairs.

I was done ordering the Chinese, Mexican and Italian. I was getting ready to order the pizza, but I didn't know if Dec wanted the usual or something new. I walked upstairs and was just about to knock when I heard talking.

"God, Eric what am I supposed to do? I'm so sorry man, I mean your sister? I'm such an idiot. This is wrong on too many levels. Eric, what if something happens? God man I am so so sorry. You would hate me if you were here." And before I knew it I could hear his quiet sobs.

I couldn't take it any more and I barged in and grabbed him. He wrapped his arms around me and squeezed so tight I thought he would break me. He cried into my hair. I could feel his body shaking and I could hear his heartbeat.

When he let go, he sniffled his apology and got up. As he went to turn away, I grabbed his hand, and he looked back at me.

"Dec, he doesn't hate you, he loves you. Your okay, we will be okay."

He looked at me and barely chocked out, "Okay."