It was a good evening with Eric and Sylvia, and I wish it could have lasted into today because Blake’s sour mood is really upsetting Felicity. He’s being a total ass and finds nothing right in the room that she took a long time in getting ready for him. I’m currently biting my tongue from saying something, and I know I will if it continues. I get that he’s frustrated at having his independence taken away from him, but being a dick toward the one person who loves him is getting to me.

She’s my girl and I want to protect her, even from her own brother, but she’s asked me not to, and that goes against everything I’ve been taught.

Blake has always come across as an arrogant asshole. He’d surprised me when he’d so easily accepted my relationship with his sister. He hadn’t really been given any choice considering his condition at the time though.

I just hope that he isn’t taking his anger out on Felicity because of me now that he’s no longer in the hospital. She doesn’t deserve that, but it’s killing me to respect her wishes.

Shouting snaps my head up from where I’m sitting on the sofa. I quickly jump up and making my way toward Blake’s bedroom, I hear Felicity shout, “I’m not doing this because I have to, I’m doing it because I want to.” She sounds close to tears and then she’s dashing out of the room and slamming the door behind her.

She looks up and pain is etched all over her face while tears falls from her lashes. I hold my arms out and with a harsh breath, she’s wrapped around me. Her sobs rack her body and the tears soak through my shirt, but as long as I’m holding her that doesn’t bother me. What bothers me is the asshole behind the closed door.

I pick Felicity up in my arms and carry her into the living room, sitting with her on my lap. Time passes slowly, but eventually her tears dry up and the sobs slowly subside. With some rearranging, I manage to get my shirt off and wipe her tear-stained face. “That’s better.” I toss my shirt to the floor. “Do you want to tell me what brought that on?”

Sighing heavily, she says, “It’s not just one thing. Nothing I’ve done to make him feel more at home is right. He had something negative to say about everything. My breaking point was when he accused me of only helping him because I felt that I had too.” She tears up again so I tug her head back down to my chest.

“He’s my brother, Kasey, and I love him. Why would he think that I didn’t really want to help him?”

I feel like going into the room with Blake and calling him out for his shit. I hate that he’s hurting Felicity, even though part of me empathizes with his situation. I kiss the top of her head. “He’s not used to depending on anyone is he? And he’s going to be frustrated as hell being in the chair. The doctor warned us that he’d have mood swings. All you can do is be there for him, no matter what, so that he knows he isn’t alone. And I’ll be there for you.”

“I’m an asshole,” Blake says, appearing in the living room. “I want everything to go back to how it used to be, and it’s hard accepting that I might never walk again…I don’t want to be a burden to anyone, especially you, Felicity.” He holds his hand out and Felicity clasps it with hers. “I’m sorry I hurt you, and I really do appreciate everything you’ve done for me in that room.”

She moves from my embrace to hug her brother. “Just remember we only want to help you, please don’t work against us.”

“I won’t.” He blinks back tears. “How about helping me onto this sofa.”

Felicity kisses him on the cheek while I shove the coffee table out of the way to make room for his chair. Luckily, Blake has a lot of upper body strength so he doesn’t really need any physical help to get to the sofa, just a bit of guidance with the leg in the cast.

“I’m going to make us some lunch.” Felicity kisses Blake again before moving to give me a quick kiss to my lips. “Omelets and toast I think.”

I watch her retreat to the kitchen, unable to keep the smile from my lips. Feeling eyes on me, I turn to Blake and frown when I see the pain behind the other man’s eyes.

He holds my gaze, and finally says, “When you take Felicity to Montana, I want you to leave me here, in rehab.”

Frowning, I shake my head. “Felicity won’t go for that.”

He clenches his jaw and after a few minutes relaxes. “I know.” His head drops. “I can’t explain how much I hate her seeing me like this. I’ve always been the strong one. The one who protects her even though I might have been a bit obsessive about it.” He smirks. “She’s never had a problem telling me how it is.”

“Neither will I,” I comment, and Blake’s gaze snaps to mine, so I continue, “She loves you. You’re the only family she has until she met me. No way are either of us going to turn our backs on you.” I shake my head when he opens his mouth to speak and continue, “Don’t you get it, Blake? I love her and although I know she loves me, she isn’t going to be settled unless you’re close. Now more than ever, she’s going to want that. You might have raised her from age twelve, but something tells me you both helped each other.

“If you’re thinking about Felicity, then you need to come with us. Dad and my brother Aiden are nearly finished with building a ramp at the back of the house so you don’t have to be stuck inside all the time. A physical therapist has recently moved to Great Falls, and my sister-in-law Sylvia is going to talk to her to arrange therapy at the farm. I think we have all bases covered.” I grin at the stunned look on Blake’s face.

He swallows a few times, and asks, “Your family is doing all that for me?”

“I’m in love with Felicity, and I know myself enough to know that she’s it. The only one I want. So that makes her family, which means that you and I are family, so my family is now yours too.” I grin. “You need to prepare yourself to be fussed over, and fed well. In fact, I’m betting you won’t ever want to leave.” I smirk and putting my feet up on the coffee table, I stretch back and put the sports channel on the TV.