Blake

I glance at the clock, wondering when Hunter will be home. I almost feel like I shouldn't have left him today; as much as he hates to be close to people, when he's alone, he spirals down into endless misery. It's hard to watch as he falls apart, and I know I can't do anything to help him.

I wish I could convince him to go with me to the Thunder Academy. If he finally accepted the reality and learned to face the pain rather than push it down, maybe he'd really smile again.

Sometimes I'd rather not subject myself to the pain, but someone's got to take care of their graves. Hunter hasn't been there since the funeral. Our parents are buried at the Thunder Academy, but separated and secluded from where students normally go. As easy as it would be for him to just stop by every once in awhile, he never has.

My big brother isn't nearly as invincible as he comes across.

I feel like that's the only reason he likes being a Ranger. For once, he can be the invincible hero he's always wanted to be. But, really, he's just a vulnerable as everyone else.

I glance away from the clock to the flickering light of the television. I wonder how things went at Ops. The brooding Bradley with the all-fun-and-games Wind Rangers. The few days we've been part of the team have been the best in awhile…at least for me. The Winds are naturally happy people, and they provide some sun in a world that's been all too dark for Hunter and me. But he's never been great with people. And I can tell Shane and Hunter are going to bounce off of each other like crazy. I want to be there for the day they finally bitch each other out.

I hear the key slipping into the lock, and the door to the apartment creaks open. "Hey Blake," I hear Hunter call.

I turn around to look at him. Something's wrong. Hunter sounded…happy?

"Hey," I say, cautiously, searching his eyes for a legitimate good mood.

"What's up?" He asks, flinging his backpack on the floor and grabbing a soda. He flops down on the couch next to me.

"Not much. How was Ops?"

His lips curve up into a half smile. "Not too bad, actually."

I laugh, because that's such a Hunter answer. "Survived the Wind Weasels?" I joke.

He takes a drink from his soda, then leans back on the couch. "Barely."

I think back to his upbeat answer and his half smile. He's full of shit.

"Oh, yeah, Dustin wants us all to go to the track tomorrow to hang out," Hunter says.

"You going?" I ask him.

"Are you?"

I shake my head. "I want to clean up the Academy a little bit. It's a hell hole there."

"Oh," he says, his face falling a little bit. "Well I should go with you and help then."

I shake my head vigorously. "No, no, no. Go to the track. You need a break."

"From what?" he asks, incredulous.

"From taking care of me for the past ten years," I laugh. "Go to the track. Have fun."

For the first time in a long time, I feel like it might actually be possible for him to have fun. Something about the Wind Rangers is lifting him up out of the misery he's always been stuck in. And there's no way I'm about to take that away from him.