Siblings and Lovers

As this is the second part in a series, it is recommended that you read Chapter 1 before reading this. As always, your comments and votes at the end are much appreciated.

Also, a special note of thanks to my editor, MsRoseEvans, for painstakingly going through my work.

"Kyle, please open the door. I need to talk to you."

Dana kept banging against the bathroom door, hoping, praying, that the damage was not as bad as she thought. Her brother had locked himself inside. The only sounds she could hear were those of occasional violent retching. The shock had hit him hard.

She kept imploring for several minutes, until finally she heard the vomiting stop. The silence that followed was uneasy. Finally the door swung open and her brother came out. He looked unlike she had ever seen him before.

His hair was tousled. His face was sunken and sallow, covered by a fine mixture of tears and remnants of vomit. He wiped it clumsily with his shirt sleeve. His eyes, those childish eyes, were red from crying and now just stared blankly into space. Kyle had become a different person over the last few minutes.

He didn't even look in her direction as he headed off towards his room. Dana purposefully moved so that she was blocked his way down the corridor. She was going to speak to him, no matter what.

"Go away," said Kyle, without even looking up at her.

"I just want to talk. Can you do that for me?"

Kyle looked up now, his face a mask of anger, hurt and resentment. He felt betrayed in the most intimate way possible. She had literally brutalized his soul. He would take some time getting over that.

He tried to push her out of the way. In one swift motion, she pinned him against the wall using both hands. He struggled for a while, before realizing he stood no chance of getting out. So, he just looked her directly in the eye.

"Are you going to rape me?" he asked.

Even as he said this, his eyes widened in horror. Give how much stronger she was, it was a possibility. But she would never? Would she? Keeping in mind the events of the last half an hour, he didn't seem to recognize her any more.

"No. I won't," said Dana trying to keep her tone as even as possible. "I just want to talk to you."

"Talk. Talk about what? How you tried to seduce your brother? How you tried taking advantage of his vulnerability? How you utterly abused his trust?"

She took a deep breath.

"I know you are feeling hurt and angry right now. I want you to cool down, and think this over carefully. What I did was wrong. It was a crime for which I hate myself more than you can possibly imagine. If I could take it back, I would. It was a desire I should have never entertained. I can't begin to describe how sorry I am, but I need you right now."

"Do you need me, or my mouth to stick your tongue down again?"

"I need you, all of you. You are all I have and I cannot see you drift away like this."

"Do you know what you are? You are a toxic influence. You have poisoned the strongest bond I had in the world and turned into a breeding ground for your sick, debauched desires. Just let me go now. I don't think I want to talk anymore."

She listlessly moved aside as her brother stormed into his room and slammed the door shut.

In a dull haze of guilt, she slowly made her way back to her room. Each step seemed heavy and labored as she somehow struggled into bed. A tempest of thoughts and bitter regrets swirled around inside her head. She loathed every single risqué fantasy she had about him. She abhorred her rationalization of her depraved desires. Most of all, she could not get over the fact that she had hurt her little brother. Years earlier, they had made an unspoken pact that they would always be there for each other.

Looking around, she spotted a bottle of Ambien on the shelf. Sleeping pills. They seemed like her way out. She willed herself up and moved towards the bottle slowly. She picked up the bottle and surveyed its contents. There were about 10 pills left. That should be enough.

Taking a deep breath, she swallowed the entire bottle contents in one go. She retrieved the photo of her and Kyle at Lake Crawford and mentally apologized to it. She went on for about half an hour before feeling the first effect from the pills. The world seemed to sway a bit. She blinked. Now it seemed distinctly darker. She could finally feel parts of her body giving in to the urge to go down. She vaguely remembered knocking over the coffee table before the blackness enveloped her.

Slowly but steadily, the blackness lifted. She seemed puzzled as she surveyed her new surroundings.

"Is this hell?" she wondered silently. She half-expected to see a big, red guy with horns and a pitchfork, but this seemed different.

The place was brilliantly lit. There were small wisps of smoke in a few places. It had an ethereal feel to it. She couldn't see any discernible structures anywhere. She heard footsteps approaching. Curious to see who it was, she turned towards the noise. Her jaw dropped when she saw Kyle coming out of the mist. He was in his usual cheerful mood.

"Kyle, I..."

"Surprised to see me here? I told you once that I would always be there when you needed me. That was a promise I intend to keep."

Unable to control herself, she lunged at him and held on to him as tightly as she could. He gently put his arms around her and comforted her as she cried uncontrollably into his chest. She finally looked up at him and tried to apologize.

He just looked back with that caring, understanding look which she had grown to love, and told her that it was all going to be okay.

"How can you say that? I tried to seduce you."

"And then tried to kill yourself. How do you think I will feel when I see you sprawled on the floor? One indiscretion can't outweigh all those years you have been there by my side. Am I enraged? Obviously. But does that mean I want you dead? Never."

Dana just stood there trying to make sense of what was happening. Finally she formed the words in her mouth.

"So you forgive me?"

"You know me better than anyone. You know that, however angry and disconsolate I may feel, I will always forgive you. The bigger question is this: Can you forgive yourself?"

She pondered the meaning of this for sometime before Kyle spoke again.

"I know the last time I was in your dreams I gave you some really bad advice, but trust me this time. Seeing you die is something I can never do. I will do what it takes to see you out of this. You know it."

Finally he left.

All alone in this surreal place, she did not know what to do. But then from somewhere, she heard this sound. It was faint at first, but gradually grew louder and more distinct. It was a monotonous, periodic beeping. It was growing louder, and gradually this place was dissolving under her feet.

Bewildered, she took a step back, away from the rapidly enlarging black abyss. Now the beeping was very loud as she clutched her ears to shut it out and then she could feel herself being sucked into the vortex that was now all around her. Finally, the darkness claimed her once again. It was not as bad as she thought. She seemed to be sleeping with that beeping in the background.

"Sleeping? Does that mean I am still alive?"

She forced her eyes open to see the ICU of Trinity General Hospital. The ECG machine kept beeping to her immediate right. She shrugged off her sleep and looked around. She was hooked up to a ventilator and a stomach pump. Still groggy, she tried to make a sound. It was loud enough to get the attention of the nurse just outside.

She rushed in and checked her. Her pulse was a bit sluggish but still close to normal. She could finally breathe on her own. The nurse took off her breathing tube and then gave her a typical disapproving look.

"Just what were you thinking, taking that many pills? Whatever your problem is, it's not worth dying over? Just ask your brother."

"My... brother."

"Yes. You should be thankful to have a brother like that. He probably broke the land speed record dragging your lifeless body here. Any later and you would not have made it."

The words hit her hard. Kyle had saved her life. The nurse went on.

"He's been waiting outside all night. He won't go to sleep, insisting that he wants to speak to you the second you wake up. I'll go get him."

Stunned at this revelation, she started thinking. He brought her to the hospital and then waited all night, after how he felt. The dream started to feel more like a premonition. She was trying to think of what she was going to say, when Kyle entered. He looked tired. These last few hours had aged him several years.

"Hi Dana," he said tentatively, seeming unsure what to say next.

"Hi."

He stood like that for a long time, before he finally took a step forward. It wasn't a big step but substantial in the context.

He came over and sat on the stool next to the bed. There was so much that they needed to talk about, but neither of them could find the words to start. Finally Dana broke the awkward silence.

"Look, about what happened last night..."

"Don't say anything. Do you know how it feels to have to drag your sister's body to the hospital, hoping she isn't dead? I was in my room when I heard the crash. I ran over to find the coffee table upturned and you sprawled on the floor, your mouth frothing. The empty bottle on the floor told the whole story. For some reason, my rage vanished, and all I could think about was everything we had been through together. Suddenly, you mattered to me again and I could not see you die."

"Have you told Mom and Dad?"

"No, and I don't intend to. Seeing you lie there, lifeless, I had an epiphany. I can never lose you. I am willing to do what it takes to keep you with me. Even if it means..."

Dana raised her head, anxious to hear the next part. She could not imagine what was happening. He took a deep breath.

"Even if it means I have to be more than a brother to you."

She blinked in disbelief.

"That's right. Brother-boyfriend-lover, I can be all of these to you. Just don't try any more stunts with your life. Please."

Her mind was staggering under the weight of this last piece of information. It was obviously something he did not want to do, he had made that clear last night. Yet he was ready to bury that revulsion just for her sake. Her brother's sacrifice and altruism had just broken all limits.

She softly ushered him over. She smiled as well as someone heavily sedated could. He took the hint and leaned over to kiss her. Still weak, she mustered up enough strength to grasp his head and softly guide his lips to hers. Her tongue snaked past his lips and found a willing mouth. This time, he reciprocated fully as their tongues entwined around each other. Soon, they were fused into one as she tenderly savoured the intimacy of his warm, wet, inviting mouth. Finally, he raised his head. There was a look of pure happiness on her face.

"Thank you," she whispered, as it was all she could manage at the moment. "What about New York?"

"I told my agent that I had a family emergency, and asked her to move my schedule back by a week. She complained to no end, but I'm her boss."

He smiled in his typical carefree way and walked out of the room. She felt herself glowing with joy as she had just seen a man transcend what she thought humanity was capable of.

Over the next week, he visited her several times. Sometimes, he brought food and gifts. He sat and read to her on occasion. Dana looked on at the man, who meant the world to her, and almost worshipped him.

At the end of the week, she was fully on her feet. After being discharged, the doctors suggested some counseling with some suicide groups, but she turned it down. They finally put this memory behind them as she climbed into his car.

"Where are we going, Kyle?"

"Lake Crawford. I thought you could use a change of scenery."

Once again, her brother had telepathically understood exactly what she needed.

The scenic road leading to the lake was a sight to behold in itself. The lush green meadows undulating over the horizon, interspersed by beautiful cliffs and rivulets had a natural charm of their own. Finally after four hours of driving they were there. Kyle had booked their favourite cabin for the whole day.

They walked by the hillside overlooking the lake, hand in hand. It was literally a dream come true for Dana. After sitting in the sun for some time, he reached over and kissed Dana on the lips. It was a small token of affection, one which she returned with interest.

"How about we go up to the cabin?"

Once there, she told Kyle to go and get changed. While he was changing, there was a soft knock on the bathroom door. It was her, in just a towel. Even though Kyle had mentally steeled himself for this eventuality, the thought of actual sex with his sister still seemed revolting. He quickly slipped out of his bathroom into his room and shut the door.

"You know you can't avoid this forever."

"Give me some time to prep myself."

Kyle took a deep breath as he composed himself for what was coming next. The time for excuses was up. He was going to have to go into the next room and do it.

Sheepishly, he looked in through the keyhole. She was waiting at the other end of the room, her arms crossed over her chest and a frustrated expression on her face. It didn't help that she was completely naked. He took out a Viagra from his bag and swallowed it. Then, he finally opened the door.

"You took your sweet time. I thought I was going to have to break the door down and rape you."

"Now, now, there's no need to rush this."

He had barely finished when Dana pounced on him and threw him to the ground. She pinned him down as she ripped off his clothes in alarming fashion. She had waited far too long for this. Soon he was lying completely naked on the floor as Dana smothered his entire torso with hundreds of delicate kisses. She moved from one side of his chest to the other and then zigzagged down to his abdomen. Here, she stopped abruptly.

"I don't want the first time we make love to be on the floor."

She helped him on the bed and knelt between his legs, grasping his penis with both hands. He let out a gasp. She proceeded to tenderly guide it to her mouth where she wrapped her tongue around one side and then the other, alternating every few seconds. He moaned suggestively.

She licked his balls, her tongue making gentle circles around his ball-sac as he just lay there, lost in the pleasure. Finally it was time for the first time. She gently slid her body over his until their sexual organs were aligned perfectly. Being the older and more experienced partner, she controlled the process, guiding his engorged member to her soft, inviting folds. Soon he could feel her vaginal walls closing around his organ as she gently moved back and forth.

She never once broke eye contact with him during this whole act. The ambivalent expression on his face indicated he still had some reluctance in breaking the final taboo of ejaculating inside her. She knew this and hence ground her hips harder moving him closer and closer to that final release. He tried to tell her to let him pull out, but was too late, shooting several ropes inside her hungry cunt. She had a look of deep contentment on her face.

He got up and got dressed, later getting her a morning-after pill. They made love several times that day in various places, in and around the cabin. He grew into a more and more willing partner with every encounter. She even had her fantasy of kissing him on the boat under the moonlight.

Their parents returned a couple of weeks later, and they had to suppress their affections. Soon it was time for him to head off to New York and catch up on some long overdue work. They didn't get to see each other for the next several months, as he was perpetually buried under a pile of work. They spoke on the phone from time to time but that never really was enough. Finally, Dana called up with some exciting news.

"I just got the job I wanted, Financial Analyst on stocks and derivatives. Mom and Dad pulled some strings from their ex-colleagues in the WTC, I get to start on the trading floor starting next week. Now, I can come and stay with you."

"That's great. When are you coming?"

"I shall reach your place on the night of Monday, the 10th and start work the next day."

"Can't wait for Monday."

Kyle was overjoyed that he could finally get to live with his dear sister. He immediately cleaned out his apartment and ordered a large mattress for the double-bed.

The 10th couldn't come soon enough, as he pined for her all the time. Finally she showed up that night, exhausted from travel, with a huge army of luggage. Too tired to make love, they just unpacked her luggage and went off to sleep.

The next day started in a whirl of activity as she got ready for her first day of work. Their parents had come in especially to see her on the first day. They were already inside, waiting for them to show up.

Dana then had the bright idea of having a quickie before her first day at work. An exasperated Kyle tried to reason with her that she would be late, but she wouldn't listen.

"Look, you can see the buildings from here. It will take hardly 10 minutes to drive down. Besides I'm supposed to be there at 9, not before."

Heaving a sigh of resignation, Kyle undressed and lay on the bed while Dana clambered on top of him and impaled herself on his erection. This had to be done fast without the niceties of gentle movement. She literally bobbed up and down willing herself to an orgasm. Since, the bed was against the window, she could see the metropolitan skyline. Her eyes widened and her mouth opened to scream out her brother's name, but then it stopped, frozen in that instant.

He looked up at her, wondering what went wrong as she stopped her motion and just gaped out of the window. Her eyes seemed transfixed on something. Puzzled, Kyle slid out from under her and followed her gaze out of the window and then he saw it.

It was a plane, flying very low. Too low. Then, they simultaneously gasped as they fully realized what was about to happen. Time slowed to a crawl as the plane inched its way across the void.

There was a sickening sound of metal and concrete colliding, as the plane slammed into the North tower.

They watched aghast as the top section of the tower went up in a plume of smoke, and then collapsed onto the rest of the building. The once mighty tower crumbled to the ground in a matter of seconds.

They looked at each other, identical thoughts running in their minds.

"Mom and Dad were in that building. So were hundreds of other people. We could have been inside had we left already."

It was 8:46 am.

They just gaped open-mouthed, desperately trying to make sense of the carnage that had just unfolded in front of their eyes. They spent what seemed like an eternity looking at each other and then the pile of rubble and smoke. Then they saw the second plane.

Like a sick rerun of a twisted snuff film, they watched this plane fly across the skyline and hit the South tower. Soon, it collapsed like a house of cards wreaking havoc and destruction on Downtown Manhattan.

They looked at each other again. The tears just refused to come out. The grief would come later. For now there was just shock and devastation. Kyle was silently shaking with fear.

Those were times of loneliness, times of fear and they held on to each other tightly for courage.

In memory of a dear friend, who went to work on September 11th, but never made it back. It may have been a decade since, but we still miss you, more than you can possibly imagine.