The shrill sound of the alarm cut through her slumber like a knife. Lush pouty lips parting to let a groan be heard. Slowly opens breathtaking greens only to squeeze them shut against the glare of the sun. Moving from beneath her covers she threw out a hand to hit the off button on her alarm clock. Sighing she stretched out her frame beneath the covers before sitting up. Running a hand through her dark locks to push them out of her face she listened to the hustle and bustle that was her house busy at work. Smiling she threw back the covers and swung her feet so her toes could wiggle and curl into the carpet. Slowly standing up she stretched once more. The only thing she had slept in was a white tee featuring the ADP logo on it and gray sleeping shorts to match.

She didn't have class today but that didn't mean there weren't things that needed to be done. Oh no. This president was a workaholic. Always either working on getting more funding or donations for her house or being attentive in the classroom. Speaking of grades and class she wondered where Owen was. She was proud of her little sister. Really she was. The fact that Owen had actually talked to people at her urging last night in the Inn spoke worlds for her. Smiling she picked up her cellphone and called the bakery that wasn't far. She quickly ordered a dozen of Owen's favorite doughnuts and had them delievered to the house.

Leaving her room and in a good mood she smiled to the girls that were busy either studying, working on trying to figure out what their president was brainstorming next, or cleaning the house. All in all they were a sisterhood. A family. And they functioned as one. PJ didn't want them to not feel welcome in any way. Still with that smile on her face she stopped at Owen's door and knocked, "Owen? Are you awake yet? Come on sleepy head! Up and at 'em! We got so much to do and so little time to do it sister!"

He mumbled something incoherent and reached in vain for the blankets that had been yanked from him. He needed more sleep, he always needed more sleep, but it was especially needed this morning. Last night Owen had reminded him of another reason he had missed her so much. The girl never seemed to get tired. He found himself smiling at that particular thought.

He curled up into a ball, hoping for maybe just a few more minutes of sleep. It wasn't going to happen. More pounding on the door followed by Owen pretty much telling him that she wasn't getting up. To make matters worse, Owen used that voice, the one he could never resist. Besides, it was the least he could do after last night.

Still, it wasn't easy to move himself from the warm bed. The thought occurred to him to scoot back over to Owen and drift back to sleep. That wouldn't stop the pounding on the door. He pushed himself to his feet with a sigh and wandered, eyes half closed, to the door.

There was another knock just as he reached for the door knob. "okay already, hang on," he grumbled. Yanking open the door, his eyes finally opened, and they opened wide. "Oh, umm, hello PJ, nice to see you again." PJ didn't say a word, she just looked at him with that trademark Rodes' sneer. It was only then that he realized that he was wearing nothing but his boxers. A quick look to the bed let him know that Owen would be no help here. With his best boyish grin he turned back to PJ. "Would you believe I slept on the floor?"

Her sister yelling snapped her to it. She rolled over just in time to see her sister going in. Owen didn't remember the last time she had gotten out of bed so fast. She managed to stop her before the family jewels bid," Not uh, those are my jewels sister, lay off em." That's right. No hitting his nuts.

She then turned, looking at Trace. She frowned a bit, bringing her hand to his poor face. She warned him it wasn't going to be a warm reception what so ever. Slowly she leaned in and gave him a kiss where her sister had hit him," Are you okay?"

That was proof enough that perhaps, P. J. was going to have to understand that Owen was going to have Trace in her life. She turned back to her sister and glared at her. Rodes' glare vs. Rodes' glare. Trace was sure to be able to note the chill in the air.

Owen fingers rose up and she shook her finger at P. J," Since when have you given a damn what that white trash woman raised us to do or not do?" They had just fought over him coming with her. Even P. J. had to understand if he didn't want to go.

The younger Rodes sister turned back to Trace and sighed," Seeing as how I'm second here, I'm gifted with a private shower... It's that door over there." She pointed to the door on the furthest left before admiring him in his boxers," We'll grab a bite to eat and go on that date you promised."

That's right, another new change to Trace. He was actually making date plans with her as if he was a solo man. Her man. Another look was shot, this time to the other girls. It was clear,' Touch one hair and you're dead.' She wouldn't let her sister tag his jewels, so none of the other was allowed to do so either. In any way. Another first. Owen staking 100% claim.

Things usually happened pretty quickly in his life and this was no exception. One moment he had opened the door and the next he was sitting on the floor with blood oozing from his nose. He blinked through the cobwebs as he gently pushed Owen away and glared at PJ. "Never could keep your hands off me could ya PJ?" He dabbed a finger in the blood now dripping over his lip and to the floor. He shrugged a little "and if I had known you liked it rough, well..." he stopped there, with a wink. He had never laid a hand on any woman and wouldn't start now but he knew which buttons to push with PJ. He looked at the other girls standing around, some of them smiling, some looking a little shocked.

Then he rose to one knee as Owen mentioned the shower. Shaking his head, he held both hands out in front of him, keeping her at a distance. "Eat...Date? You must be kidding" He growled. "Haven't we had enough fun for one day?" He pushed past her, grabbing both his pants and shirt from the chair next to the bed. It didn't take him long to dress. He turned back to Owen, shaking his head. "As soon as you get your sister back on the leash, we'll talk."

He could handle a bloody nose and a battered chin, but Trace Winter had just had his ego bruised. That was something he most definitely could not handle. He stormed through the group of girls and out the door. Looking down, he noticed a nice group of blood spots on his shirt. "Damn it" he raged, "this is a new shirt."

It took a moment to register her sister's words. She watched her get up and move around. Finally blinking as reality set in she stood up. Glaring and crossing her arms and giving Owen a look like she had definately said the wrong thing, "Are you out of your f*cking mind!? Jesus H. Christ Owen! You see? Do you see this is why I've never ever let a man get this close to me. Because mama let daddy get close to her. And what did he do? He beat and raped her every night he came home drunk. And I promised myself that I would never ever let a man do that to me or you. But you know what? Fine. Go ahead. Leave. Just whenever he breaks your heart or skull don't come crying to me."

With that she gave Owen one last look before marching out of the room. The doughnuts had arrived and she told the delivery guy he could just shove them where the sun doesn't shine. Announcing to the house she was leaving for a while she quickly threw on some clothes. A off the shoulder tight white scoop neck lowcut midrift top, a jean hiphugging mini-skirt, and black cowboy boots. Putting on her black shades to hide the rage in her eyes as she made it over to the place where they had been slumming lately: the Red Dragon Inn. She could use a stiff drink and the stimulating touch of a man to cool her rage.

PJ returned not that night but the evening after. Sober and coherent enough to get into her own home. She wasn't surprised to find her sister gone. Was she surprised that there was no note? No goodbye whatsoever? Maybe.

What did surprise her was when she found the door locked, "The Hell...?"

This puzzled her. True she didn't have a key. Growling in frustration she roused some of the more athletic girls from their slumber. This wasn't the first time that any of the sisters had been woken up in the middle of the night by their drunken president and it certainly wouldn't be the last. Her instructions were simple, "I want you to break down this God damn door."

She could cover the damages. PJ always made sure that any damages done to the house were covered. Truth was they had a pretty good budget. PJ had enough money raised to ensure the house could thrive comfortably on its own. But that never stopped her from always raising more. Greed and lust were two sins that PJ relished in very well.

Giving her signature flirty Rodes' smile she leaned back against the wall sipping a bottle of cinnamon schnapps she had gotten from the fully stocked bar as she waited for the girls to do what their president had ordered them to do.

PJ sighed when she had recieved the news. Drowning out everything in another bottle. Bordering on functioning alcoholic though no one dared to say anything to their president.

That was fine with her. Voting was to begin in the spring. She throughly encouraged anyone to step up and try to get votes swayed in their direction. Healthy competition was good and would help them later in life.

After spending a few days in a drunken stupor she had made a decision. She was going to apologize. That day she brushed out her dark curly locks. Put on some eyeliner and eyeshadow to bring out those sparkling greens. A bit of lipgloss and lipstick to bring attention to those kissable pouty lips. Upon that curvy frame kissed by the California sun she put on a long sleeved white tight lowcut midrift off the shoulder sweater, a pair of denim skinny jeans, and black high heeled boots ending at the knee. A black scarf to go around her neck to aid against the chill.

She carried a bag with her. A bag of all the things she had hidden once the room had been broken into. Everything was packed with care. She knew Owen would need her things. Heels biting into the pavement she sighed as she walked up the steps. Tanned hand with perfectly manicured nails curling into a fist.

Greens casting a glance around before looking to the door before her. Trace's place. No...Owen and Trace's place now. It was going to take some getting used to. Shaking the thoughts away like shaking off the cold she knocked on the door and waited.

She shivered in the slight chill. Tight thin clothing wasn't suitable for this kind of weather. She'd have to make a mental note of that. To buy thicker clothes that is. Hearing what sounded like someone run into something and curse caused her to wince slightly.

She knew it was late. Or early. Depending on how one looked at it. Looking up at hearing the door open she wasn't surprised to see Trace open it. Blinking away whatever expression she might have shown that could've been negative she looked at him. Now when PJ looks at a man she looks at a man. Truthfully before she never gave Trace a second glance. Seeing as how she was too busy trying to pry her sister away from him. But actually taking a moment to see why her sister had chosen him caused her lips to curl into that signature Rodes smile. Like her Owen had good taste.

Snapping out of her thoughts she managed to blush and showed him the bag, "Look Trace I'm sorry...For everything. I just wanted to drop off the rest of Owen's things. No I'm not drunk. And I wanted to apologize."

She sighed heavily. This wasn't easy for her. PJ hardly apologized for anything. But she was going to try and turn a new leaf. She was going to try for her sister. Because she loved her baby sister with all of her heart, "I wanted to say I'm sorry for being such a bitch to you. I was just trying to protect her is all. But I know she doesn't need my protection anymore. I now know she's a big girl and she needs to go make her own mistakes."

She hugged herself tightly against the chill and raised a brow at his invitation. She glanced around and behind her before looking back at him. Finally she gave a small shake of her head, "I think she's still pissed at me. It might be best if I just go home. Can you just...Just tell her I'm sorry? And that I love her. I promise I won't invade her privacy by breaking into her room again. I'm sorry I bothered you."

Giving one last faint smile and a small wave she turned on her heel to leave.

Those sparkling greens of hers stared into the darkness. No she hadn't left. Instead she listened to what he had to say. Sighing at his word she dug her nails into her slightly frozen arms to get a grip, bit her tongue, and not interrupt what he had to say. Finally when he was done she sighed heavily and spoke her piece, "I accept your apology Trace. And honestly I don't hate you. I just can't erase the memory out of my mind of holding Owen while she cried her heart out over you. Just...Take care of her and don't break her heart okay? And when Owen decides it's okay I'll swing by. Later."

And with that she left seeing as they had no more to say. Indeed having both Rodes' women in the house would've been suicide.

It was almost too easy. Find a beach, ocean, or a good looking woman and you'd probably find Trace. As he stood in the sand and watched the woman leave, he mentally patted himself on the back.

It had been eight, maybe nine, months since he'd seen Trace. The last time he had seen him, Trace was being released from the same jail cell that he would occupy for another six months. Trace was a friend and they had decided that night, if anything went wrong, it was every man for himself. Well something did go wrong, and Trace had been true to his word. He had taken care of himself and left his friends behind. Although he still considered Trace a friend, it was something that Trick would not soon, if ever, forget.

He smiled to himself as he watched the woman leave. It sure hadn't taken ol' Trace long to get settled in. He already had good looking women coming and going. Some things never changed.

As soon as the woman was out of site, he walked to the door and knocked. It was time to say hello to his old friend.

To escape her problems and issues she had been hitting the bottle again. It was becoming a repetitive process for her. She would get up early and throw herself into work. Or go to class. Anything to keep her mind busy.

But when the sun went down? Oh boy that's when all Hell broke loose. The booze supply in the house already diminishing. They were having to order more. If she wasn't there she was at the Inn.

Drinking away her troubles in any bottle she could find. Blackening her lungs with the cloves she adored so much. Or seeking whatever comfort she could in a man's arms. She never denied what she was. She just went along with it.

What Owen had said that night they fought was right. Her mother was white trash. And PJ wasn't much better. Just your typical sorority girl slut. However she hoped her brains would save her. This was her last year. Then Owen would take things over. She just hoped that baby sister was ready.

PJ was in one of the rooms that she had remodeled and set up with an atmosphere to study whenever the girls didn't feel like being cooped up in their own room. Curled up on a chair with a book in her lap. The room dimly lit with just a few lamps. The fan humming lazily to circulate the air. A bottle of wine along with a half full glass was sitting on the table next to her. An ashtray with a clove burning down about halfway. She glanced up whenever she heard a familar voice. And a familar nickname. Could it really be her?

Frowning slightly she marked her place and closed the book. Closing her eyes and rubbing them. She was really going to have to get glasses sooner or later. Giving the clove a final drag she put it out. Glass of wine was picked up and tossed back in a single swallow.

Uncurling from her seat she rose and leaned in the doorway. Crossing her arms as she watched her sister. When her Owen had walked into her room she pushed away from the door and casually leaned in that doorway. Smiling as she crossed her arms looking over at her sister, "You don't have to apologize baby sister."

Her smile was warm and reached her eyes. Sparkling greens going over to the picture her smile widening as she looked back to Owen, "You are beautiful. Inside and out. I'm the one who has been ugly. I'm the one who should be apologizing."

Ashamed she looked away from her sister for a moment as she uncrossed her arms and reached to wipe away what tears had managed to fall, "I just don't want him breaking your heart. I'm sorry little sister...Really I am. Forgive me?"

She looked up at Owen pleading with her eyes as another tear fell. Nothing mattered more than for her sister to forgive her.