Summary: Reese explains to Malcolm why Stevie is and always will be off limits when it comes to any form of bullying in their school.

A/N: based on the episode "the Bully" season 2X10. Hinted Reese&Stevie. Enjoy! Reese will be ooc (but he is for the episode anyway) sorry!

Disclaimer: I don't own Malcolm in the Middle!

"So, you got detention?" Malcolm asked Reese as they walked home from school. The day had been a long one. Reese was just about to give up and join a cult when suddenly, he got back to his normal self and set the school in its place once again. Nobody besides him was ever going to bully anybody again.

"Yeah... Mom's going to kill me. It was worth it though. Hey, I got my status back!" Reese decided with a giant smile. He was unbelievably dumb sometimes. But Malcolm wouldn't have it any other way.

"Congratulations. A lot of kids at school really hate me. Did you know that?" Malcolm decided to bring up what had been on his mind the past few days.

"Oh, yeah. They really do." Reese nodded his head.

"Why didn't you ever tell me that?!" Malcolm shouted at him. He hated being annoying. It was one thing to be sarcastic, it was another thing to have people hate you for it.

"Because you freak out if somebody hates you. It's just easier if I beat kids up that hate you so they put up with you and pretend to like you." Reese's explanation for his actions was actually rather smart. Coming from him at the least.

"Yeah, okay..." Malcolm trailed off as he began to get lost in thought. He watched his feet for a moment then glanced at his older brother, Reese. Reese seemed to be lost in his own mind as well. Which didn't happen that often. Normally, he could pay a small amount of attention to the world around him. This was very odd for Reese.

"Are you okay?" Malcolm asked, making Reese stop in his tracks in the middle of the sidewalk. He rose his head and looked at his younger brother.

"I'm fine." Reese lied through his teeth. He looked upset suddenly. Which was a very abnormal thing.

A moment had passed of silence. Reese couldn't take it anymore. His thoughts were becoming too much. He didn't know what to do with his thoughts.

"It's just that... He's so helpless!"

"Who?" Malcolm had no idea who Reese was talking about.

"S-Stevie." Reese answered with a pale face and a light blush on his cheeks. Malcolm was surprised Reese even mentioned his friend. Then again, Stevie was the reason Reese regained his status as the 'alpha-jerk'.

"Because he's in a wheelchair." Malcolm finished for Reese who nodded his head. Reese was many things. Annoying, arrogant, self-centered, loud, stupid, and erratic. But he was also very kind at heart.

"Yeah, I mean I don't get how anybody could hurt him. He's so helpless. He can't do anything without somebody else helping him. I would never hurt Stevie despite how much of a sarcastic asshole he can be, I just can't hurt him. And as long as I'm alive, I'm not going to let anyone else hurt him either." Reese informed with a straight face. Malcolm nodded his head. Understanding exactly why Reese felt so protective over Stevie. Because he had grown up along side of Malcolm and was nearly like a brother to Reese as well.

"You can be a really nice guy, Reese. Sometimes." Malcolm smiled at his older brother. Reese scratched his head uncomfortably and smirked.

"Not to mention he's kind of cute for a nerd." Reese replied in a sigh. Malcolm only shook his head and continued to walk down the street. Reese smiled to himself at the thought of Stevie. Yep, Stevie was now and forever will be off limits. As long as Reese had any say in it.