Chapter 3

Bella watched the tall muscular man with curious eyes. He had been there for over a month now and she still couldn't believe this handsome man was her one and only uncle. Chris was placing dishes in the sink listening to his sister Sarah talk about her job. These moments felt blissful in a way that couldn't be described.

"Sense Erik passed away me and Bella have been on our own, so I kind of just took whatever job I could find. I didn't think I would still be at this damned company years later!" Sarah chuckled pushing her soft curly locks out of her face. "But enough about me, I feel like all we've talked about is my life sense you got here. I want to know about you, what were you up to all this time Chris?" Chris paused for a moment, he didn't know how to tell Sarah all the things he had done to survive for the past 17 years.

"I was working mostly, trying to find you of course." Sarah pouted at the explanation he gave her. She knew there was more to it and sense he had been home he had said very little of his life leading up to this point.

"I know there has to be more to it then that…" but Chris didn't give anymore detail. He just continued to wash the plates that had piled up in the sink. Sarah sighed, "I wish you would open up to us more Chris, we are family after all. If something happened… if you were in some kind of trouble, we will understand."

"It's nothing like that. I was just working is all." Sarah admitted defeat and dropped the subject. 'he will open up when he is ready' she thought as she began drying the dishes Chris had washed.

"Mommy! I want uncle Chris to push me on the swing outside!" Bella whined while tugging at Chris's blue t-shirt.

Sarah chuckled softly at her daughters behavior. "I'm sorry Chris, it seems I'm not the only one excited to have you home again."

"Don't worry, I enjoy this more then you know. Living without a family, without purpose, that felt endless. But this, this feels like.." Chris trailed off trying to find the right word.

"Love?" Sarah said watching him closely.

"Ah, yes, love." Chris kneeled down to be at eye level with his niece, "I can take you to the swings, but I might push you too high because I cant control my strength," Chris smiled and Bella laughed.

"I'm not scared of going too high silly!" Bella said proudly.

"Oh? I forgot my Bella is fearless!" Chris tussled her hair, "Go wait for me outside, I'll be finished up with the dishes in just a second."

"Okay!" Bella hurried outside and positioned herself on the swing, ready for Chris to come play.

"You don't have to give in to everything she asks." Sarah laughed while drying the last of the dishes and putting them away.

"I know, but I'm making up for lost time."

"Ever sense her father passed away she's been very lonely, so just let me know if she is clinging to much to you, okay?" Chris nodded but he saw no reason to think his small niece was clingy. In fact, he loved that she had so much energy and wanted him to be apart of her life. "Chris…"

"Yeah?"

"you wouldn't lie to me right?" Chris became uneasy for a moment.

"No, I don't think I could ever lie to you actually."

"what were you doing these last 17 years…" Sarah wanted answers but Chris noticed that she almost seemed scared to hear the truth.

"Sarah, i-" Chris was cut off by Bella yelling for him to come play.

"It's okay, we can talk about it some other time. I just want you to be straight forward and honest with me. I finally have my family back and I don't want to lose you again. I don't think me or Bella could handle another loss." Chris nodded, he knew he had to tell his sister where he was eventually but he was scared that she would reject him. He didn't want to lose the family he searched so long for.

"I will tell you Sarah, I promise. Just give me a little more time to adjust." Sarah nodded and with that Chris headed outside to push Bella on the swings. Sarah sat in the kitchen watching the two. She smiled softly at the sight of her one and only older brother finally getting to play with her little girl. A dream she had often but is only now coming true.

'Why am I pushing him to tell me what happened?' Sarah thought to herself, 'cant I just enjoy this moment?' however, the questions still burned in the back of Sarah's mind. From what she had been told her parents died in a car accident but her brother was no where to be found. Besides their parents they had no other living family and Sarah was forced to live at different orphanages until she turned 18. she began her search for her older brother only after her husband passed away. She couldn't stand the thought of being alone in the world and wanted Bella to have someone else she could rely on. Chris had been home for a month now. He just showed up at Sarah's door step with flowers and a teddy bear for Bella. He gave Sarah a brief explanation of how he had been searching for her for a long time and only just now found her. He told Sarah that all he has done sense he was ten was train and work. Sarah thought nothing of it at first because she didn't want to question having her older brother back in her life. Now though, she began to worry. She worried that she would lose him again, she worried that maybe he was in some sort of trouble. She worried for her daughters safety, although she knew Chris would never hurt Bella she feared that maybe someone Chris knew would. These questions and fears kept her awake at night. She didn't want to push Chris into reliving his past but she had to know for sure that he was safe for them to be around.

Dinner came early that night and after eating Bella was fast asleep in Chris's lap.

"I'm going to take her upstairs to her bed." Sarah tried reaching for Bella but Chris stopped her.

"Let me do it, I don't want her to wake up." Sarah nodded and followed him upstairs. She watched him carefully lay Bella in her princess bed and tuck her in. "How about we go down stairs and have a drink?" Chris nodded with a soft smile. That smile reminded Sarah of when they were young.

"you much of a drinker?' Sarah asked while getting two wine glasses out of the top cabinet.

"not really, I didn't have a lot of time to drink because of work."

"Oh, so you couldn't even enjoy yourself?"

"It wasn't that, I just preferred to keep busy. Some of the guys would drink often, I just found no use in it."

"Ah, so I'm guessing you had no time for relationships either?" Sarah eyed him with a smile. Chris chuckled lightly.

"No, no girls were in my life. Its not that I didn't have time, its just none of them interested me." he looked away now as if he was lost somewhere deep in thought.

"Chris?"

"Yes?"

"tell me." Sarah crossed her arms and stared at him, he sighed heavily.

"Okay, but I don't want this to change things between us. I don't want to lose you or Bella."

Sarah nodded in understanding. "I was… an assassin for an organization." Sarah stood still for a moment processing what Chris had said. She wasn't sure if she should take it seriously or not but it would make a lot of sense. She had seen the scars he had on his body.

"But listen Sarah, I've left that all behind. I would never put you or Bella at risk." Sarah notice the tears welling up in her brothers eyes.

"shh…" Sarah hugged him tight. "I know you would never put me or Bella in danger Chris, regardless of what has happened in the past we will always be there for you now." Chris let a single tear fall from his eyes as he hugged his little sister.

"I wanted to tell you, I did. But I was afraid you would turn me away. I understood that I'm not the brother you once knew."

"you're right, you aren't the brother I once knew." Sarah backed away enough to look Chris in the eyes. "but I'm not the sister you once knew either. We both have changed, and we both had to do what was necessary to survive." Chris nodded. He was glad his sister finally knew the truth and was still willing to have him around.

"I swear Sarah, I will protect both of you no matter what."

"I know you will Chris." they hugged once again and finally wiped their tears away.

"Well, tell me of your travels then." Sarah smiled at her brother. Chris felt a weight lifted off of his shoulders. There was no greater feeling then having the ones you care about the most accept you for what and who you are.