The words she gave in the end stung, but not for the reasons one might think. Here, again, his sister was being kind, putting his needs before her own, and here, of all places.... Here, was where she should reach out. And she still wasn't. She was still being strong, all by herself, without bothering another soul. It was lonely. Like this. And he wanted to say that to her suddenly, wanted to tell her how her compassion separated them the way a wall never would. But speaking so bluntly wasn't his way, and saying that here....

"I don't have to do anything," he repeated simply. "And what happened is no one's fault. But Mother and Father and I... We want to support you. We want to be there for you. Maybe it's because we weren't that everything--" He groped for the right words. "...Became so muddled."

He watched her, an edge of pain around his eyes. "It's not a weakness to ask for help." To grasp the hands of those reaching out for you.

He just wanted everything to be okay again. To redefine normal in a way that once again included his beloved little sister.