Brielle's P.O.V.

I was sitting between Niall's legs, watching the football game. He was fiddling with my hair, but I really didn't mind. Earlier, Niall had called and invited me over, saying that Derby was playing and that the boys were coming over and Harry was bringing his new girlfriend. I didn't really want to, but it was Niall. He doesn't take no for an answer, so here I am.

"Guys?" I heard Harry yell.

"In here," Niall called absently, pulling a tangle out of my hair.

Harry burst in, dragging a pretty girl behind him. He stood in front us, beaming, his dimples showing. The girl looked kind of awkward. She was really pretty, with shoulder length dark hair and brown eyes. She looked Philippino, and compared to Harry, she was short. I mean, I was probably only a couple inches taller than her, but Harry was like 6 feet tall. Strangely enough, they suited each other.

"This," he said, "Is Lacey."

"Hi," I said, standing up and smiling.

"Hi," Lacey said, smiling slightly.

Just because I was miserable didn't mean that I was going to be mean. "Hi," I said, stretching out my hand. "I'm Brielle."

I looked pointedly at Niall. "I'm Niall," he said.

Lacey shook my hand. "Nice to meet you," she said.

"Let's leave the men to their stuff, and let's talk about girl stuff," I dragged her into the kitchen while the boys yelled at the TV.

"So," I said. "How did you and Harry meet?"

Lacey grinned. "It was really cliché, actually. I was buying coffee at Starbucks and he ran in to me. He helped me clean up, thought I was cute, asked for my number and asked me out."

"Awwwwww," I cooed. "Its like a romance movie!"

Lacey smiled at her hands. "He's really sweet," she admitted. "I thought he would be stuck up, being a celebrity and all."

"The boys are really laid back," I said. "They just like football and singing."

We talked for a while, just about random stuff. All of a sudden I heard Niall and Harry yelling from the living room. I walked in, holding a bowl of popcorn.

"What's wrong?" I asked, munching.

"The idiots just let them score! Start playing football!" Niall yelled at the TV.

I rolled my eyes and sat on the couch. Niall looked at my popcorn, begging with his eyes. I sighed and slid it over, knowing that I probably wouldn't get it back. Niall caught my eye and patted his lap. I shook my head. He frowned, then reached over and pulled me onto his lap.I tried to get free, but he wrapped his arms around my waist.

Harry smiled, then got a devious glint in his eye. He reached out and pulled Lacey onto his lap. She squealed as she collapsed on his lap. She wriggled around before relaxing. Harry whispered in her ear as she watched the game. Niall got angry and shouted at the TV, blasting in my ear.

"Ow," I winced, putting a hand to my ear.

"Sorry," Niall said."Here, I'll kiss it better."

Niall kissed my ear and I giggled and he blew air into it.

"You two are so cute," Lacey said, smiling at us. "How long have you two been together?"

My eyes widened and I choked on my own spit. Niall, who was drinking from his beer, spit it over the back of my head.

Lacey stared at us as we tried to recover. Me trying to breath and Niall trying to clean my hair.

"We're not dating," I managed to choke out. "We're just friends.

"Oh," Lacey blushed. "You guys just looked like it."

I stood up and stretched. "I'm going to go clean up a bit."

I walked to the bathroom and started toweling my hair dry. "What's up Niall?" I asked without turning around.

Niall took this as an invitation to come in. He tried to help me clean up. "I'm sorry for doing a spit take into your hair."

"It's okay," I sighed, a really big one.

Niall studied my face. "Something's wrong," he decided. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I said instantly.

Niall frowned. "You know you can talk to me, right?"

I nodded. Niall waited. I weighed my options. Tell Niall- probably cry. Not tell- he'll keep bugging me. I sighed and sat on the toilet. Niall sat on the counter.

"It's just that... a month ago my brother was murdered," I said, looking up at him.

Niall's mouth fell open before he wrapped me up in a hug. "I'm so sorry," he mumbled, as his face was buried in my shoulder.

I cautiously hugged him back. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. I pulled back and wiped them off. "Sorry."

"It's okay," Niall said. "Do you want to go home?" he asked, looking at his hands. "I feel horrible that I made you come when you were upset."

"No, I wanted to come. I thought it would take my mind off things. It didn't, though."

Niall's face twisted in one that I hated to see. Pity. I hated the fact that people looked at me with sympathy and the other half looked at me with disgust. No one looked at me normal anymore.

"Don't," I spat. Niall looked surprised. 'Don't look at me with pity. I don't need your sympathy."

Niall quickly tried to arrange his features into something other than pity. He failed. I instantly felt guilty.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, then burst into tears.

Niall immediately pulled me into a hug. He pulled me onto his lap and let me sob into his shoulder. "I never g-got to go to his f-funeral," I cried. "The police had me in jail and they wouldn't let me leave!"

Niall held me tighter and stroked my hair. "I know," he mumbled into my hair.

"I never will get to apologize and I never will get to tell him I love him," I wailed, crying harder.

"Yes, you can," Niall said suddenly.

I blinked and pulled back. "What do you mean?" I asked, wiping my face.

"Come on," Niall said, standing up and pulling me with him. "We're going to talk to your brother."

Niall walked me out of the house. "We'll be right back!" he yelled as he walked out.

I didn't say a word. Niall put me in his car and drove off. Soon, I recognized were we were going. The cemetary. Niall parked and opened my door for me. I mutely walked out and started walking. I knew were my brother was buried. I kept walking until I reached my brother's gravestone. Niall stood behind me, giving me space. I sank to my knees in front of the stone and traced the letters.

James Derek Williams, born 7-6-89 died 1-04-14 Beloved son, brother, and friend

"Change is never easy, you fight to hold on and you fight to let go."

I sighed as I finished reading his gravestone. They should have put something more personal that that. All of a sudden, I started crying again.

"Hi James," I said. "It's Brielle. I miss you. I'm sorry I couldn't come to your funeral. The cops wouldn't let me come. They think I killed you. I didn't though. I'm sorry that you died. If I didn't leave, maybe you wouldn't have died. I'm sorry I fought with you. I didn't mean what I said. I love you. You aren't a waste of space. You are perfect the way you are. I was just mad. And I'm sorry I never got to tell you this in person," I started crying harder.

"I know you're hearing me, though. Helping me through this. I wish you were still here. I'd tell you all about my dropping out of college. You would have thought it was funny. I threw stuff," a smile began to trace my lips.

'You know that professor, the one I told you hated me? It was her. She deserved what she got. She called me a murderer. Why would I kill you, though? You're my brother. I want to know, though. James, who killed you?"

I stood up and Niall came up to me. I looked at him and he smiled sadly. "Thank you," I told him.

Niall nodded. "Anytime."

I reached out for his hand and held his hand. Niall was surprised at first, but then his fingers tightened around mine.

I looked at James' gravestone. "I love you," I told the gravestone.

I knew, somewhere above, James was smiling at me.

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So whatcha think? Holy crap I updated. It's a miracle! Sorry guys, I was feeling a litte depressed lately. Family issues. Kinda reflected in this chapter. Anyway, hope you like it. Special shoutout to Totally_Weird, who is featured in this chapter. Hope you enjoy it, Totally_Weird. Don't know if you wanted me to say your name, though I kinda used it in the chapter. :/ Tell me if you don't want it in there, I'll change it. So, enjoy! :) and 290 reads? You guys are awesome thanks so much xx