He couldn't sit still for two weeks. Marnie wouldn't let him help out around the ranch, Harvey had written him an excuse for two weeks, and Maeve wouldn't let him work at all. Being so... useless... made him hateful and... dammit, he needed a drink. Grabbing his stash under the bed, he snuck out late at night and headed towards the river at the dock, his usual drinking place when he wasn't at Stardrop Saloon. Now that summer was here, fireflies flickered across the horizon, barely lighting his way to the dock. Thanks to his help, as impatient as it may have been, Maeve had finished the fence, and was letting the chickens out every day. Shane would go over and help her with the calls, but she wouldn't need his help for much longer, as she was a steady learner. Gracie and Cooper trusted her undeniably, even letting her pet them and hold them. The eggs they laid, she used often or sold. Despite him not doing much, she fed him nearly every time he was over, even if it was just a sandwich.

And it wasn't good. Because it was becoming a part of his daily routine.

Before, it had been work, drink, sleep. Day in and day out. Now, it was wake up, get ready for the day, head over to Maeve's, boss her around, then eat with her before returning home and going to bed. He'd sneak a drink every now and then, but never got drunk enough to satisfy him. He needed a good shitfaced night.

Taking his shoes and socks off, he sat down on the dock and let his feet soak in the water. Can in hand, he brought it to him lips and took that long, satisfactory gulp, the coolness of the liquid felt from his tongue all the way to the pit of his stomach. He sat that way, a good thirty minutes and a third beer in, when he heard the most unexpected voice.

"Shane?"

Shit, he thought, taking the can away from his lips. He looked to his right to see Maeve standing there, filthy from spending a day in the mines. Without thinking it through, he tossed a beer can in her direction while asking if she cared for one. She caught it and stared at it a second before pulling the tab to open it, making her way to his side and sitting down next to him.

"What are you doing out here, drinking by yourself so late at night?" she asked.

"I was bored."

"Bored?"

"Everyone is constricting me from doing anything, Maeve. I had to do something."

"And that was drinking?"

"Don't be such a mom."

"There you go again, with that insult."

He took another drink. "Yeah, well. Suits you."

She said nothing this time, taking a sip of the beer. It had been so long since she had drank anything alcoholic, not since... It tasted bitter in her mouth, in more ways than one.

"A girl after my own heart, huh?" she heard him joke.

"Shane..."

He looked down into the water that was being disturbed by his moving feet. "You ever feel like... no matter what you do, you're gonna fail?"

The question hit her like a ton of bricks. Where was this coming from?

He moved his feet again, a firefly landing on his knee. "...Like you're stuck in some miserable abyss and you're so deep, you can't even see the light of day?"

She remembered Linus' words, about how silence could sometimes say more than any amount of words could. So, she kept quiet and chose to listen.

"...I just feel like no matter how hard I try, I'm not strong enough to climb out of that hole." He was quiet himself for a moment before looking at the can in Maeve's hand. "...Just don't make that a habit, okay? You have your whole future ahead of you."

"Shane...?" she whispered. "Where is this coming from?"

He then stared ahead, his fingers making dents in his can. "...Nowhere." He then stood up. "Well, my liver's beggin' me to stop. Gonna call it a night. Want me to walk you home?"

"No, I'm okay," she answered. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. O' course." Lie. He wasn't drunk enough. He could still think.

"Care if I walk you home?"

"I'm fine, Maeve. Really. You should get some sleep."

She locked eyes with him for just a brief second, and he could have sworn she saw through his bullshit.

"Bullshit."

And that, she had.

"I'm not an idiot, Shane. Something's wrong."

"Maybe I don't want my mom of a friend to pry."

He'd said it. Friend. Even if it was a backhanded comment, it made her somehow happy.

"That's what friends do when they see someone hurting. They pry."

"Maeve, please."

He turned his back on her and walked away without her. She stared after him but didn't follow. If he wanted her in, he'd have let her. And that was seemingly further and further away than she thought. Of course, they'd only been speaking a couple of weeks. Friendships don't blossom like that overnight. It takes time. She kicked herself for being so pushy and ignorant of his feelings before heading home herself.

XXXXXX

That weekend, it was storming. She stayed inside for the most part, other than taking care of Cooper and Gracie, and thought about going to the mines at one point but shrugged that off. She was tired. She decided to call James and Danielle that night then hit the hay early. Making some instant noodles, she chose to be lazy after working all week on the fence, farm, with chickens, and cooking for Shane. Not that she hated cooking for him. He thoroughly had enjoyed her food. She was about to dig in when she got a call from Lewis, who seemed to be embarrassed due to his tone.

"What's the matter, Lewis?"

"My roof has sprung a leak, and I'm out of copper bars. Do you have any?"

"I don't, but I can go mining from some ores and make some bars. Is that okay?"

"I suppose it'll have to do... Please hurry."

Without another word, she put on her boots, got her mining gear and sword together, and headed towards the mines.

XXXXXX

Shane sat at home, gaming on his console, when he saw lightning flash and heard thunder roll. Hopefully, the chickens would be all right. He then pictured Maeve in her rain boots, slipping and falling in the mud, poor Cooper and Gracie getting away from her and making it all the more difficult for her. He sighed, a tinge of guilt lighting in his chest, as he pulled on his waterproof boots, his hoodie, and headed to the door. Marnie poked her head from out her bedroom, confused.

"Where are you going?"

"I don't know if Maeve knows how to care for chickens in this weather. I'm gonna see if she needs help."

"Oh. Yes, that would be nice of you. Be careful, dear. The wind is picking up."

"Mm-hm. Tell Jas I'll be back soon."

He left the house and started his way to Maeve's farm, the wind certainly rough enough to make the rain sting his face. He put his arm in front of him to shield himself as best he could. Already, he was getting soaked, but he trudged on until he got to her farmstead. Once there, he knew something was wrong. The door to her house was open, banging loudly as the wind tossed it to and fro, the glass window shattered. Inside the house, he saw her cat huddled up under her pet, scared to death. Running, he entered the house and shut the door behind him, then tenderly bent down under the bed, extending his hand out.

"Hey, Soleil. C'mon out, sweetie. I won't hurt you."

Experimentally, she sniffed his fingers and gave one a lick before nudging her face up against his palm and crawling out. He took her in his arms and pet her, feeling her fur set back down.

"Where's Maeve? Huh?"

He heard a phone ringing, and he saw her cell phone sitting on the nightstand beside her bed. He looked to see the name "James" on the caller ID, and he remembered her telling him that was her brother. Hesitantly, he answered.

"Hello?"

"The hell? Who is this?"

"This is Maeve's neighbor, Shane."

"Okay, so why do you have her phone? Is she with you?"

"I was hoping you could answer that question for me, actually," Shane tensely spoke. "It's storming rather badly here, and I can't seem to find her."

"What? Really?" he heard a female voice ask.

"She didn't say anything to you about going somewhere?" he asked the two of them.

"We called because she usually calls around this time on the weekends, like clockwork," Danielle uneasily answered. "She's not in the coop?"

"I haven't checked there yet. When I find her, I'll have her call you."

"Yeah. Thanks, Shane. Scold her for us, okay?" James said, then they hung up.

He looked around the house and noticed quickly that her boots and backpack were missing. After placing Soleil on the bed, he left the house and checked inside the coop to see not only were the chickens fine, but that Maeve wasn't there, either. He rushed out and gave the farm a quick look-over before thinking of all the places she'd go... the mines entering his head first. A hollow dread filled in the pit of his stomach. She wouldn't go there on a night like this, right? Without another assumption, he started running- something he hadn't done much of in his recent years- to the mines. Passing no one, he wondered what in the seven shades of hell had possessed her to go out. The wind blew so hard, it made him stagger backwards, blowing the hood off his head. Nearing the mines, he thought to see a figure near a tree when lightning flashed through the sky. He could see the blue of the red of the backpack, and he sighed, happy to have found her.

"Maeve, the fuck? You crazy?" he voiced, closing in on her. Her hand was up to her shoulder, and she was leaned on the tree on her right side. It was as though she hadn't heard him. "Maeve?"

She started to turn, slowly, and his heart stopped. She moaned out his name, and her hand was trying to stop the bleeding to a laceration to the area that connected the shoulder to the neck. Crumbling forward, Shane reached her quickly, taking her into his arms.

"Maeve?! Maeve, oh shit..." he panicked. She had somehow made it outside the mines but couldn't walk any further. Had he not found her... He hooked one arm under her legs, the other picking her up and letting her back rest against his arm. She was heavier than she looked, but he paid no mind. "I'm gonna get you some help, okay? Just hang on."

XXXXXX

When she opened her eyes, she didn't recognize where she was. An slight panic fluttered in her chest, but it was calmed when Harvey put his hand on her shoulder. She was at the clinic? But how had she gotten there? The last thing she remembered was nearly crawling out of the mines, then nothing. Then, Lewis' request entered her mind, and she sunk back in the bed, feeling like utter shit to have let him down. Her head spun, and Harvey began checking her temperature, her pulse, and then he moved her sheets to the side and inspected the wound that somehow, she had forgotten all about. Her entire chest, neck, and shoulder area was wrapped up in bandages, and she could barely recall how she had gotten hurt.

"Your fever is gone, and your blood pressure is perfect. That's great, Maeve."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

She glanced around the room, her eyes falling on Shane, who was asleep in a chair in front of her bed, his hand that where he had wounded his thumb now completely wrapped up. Confused, her eyes flickered up to Harvey's, who shook his head.

"I had to remove half of his thumb."

"The fuck?" she breathed. "I thought it was doing better?"

"It was, sort of. It still had quite a bit of healing to do. But somewhere along the way bringing you here, he slipped and... I'm not sure. It just got infected really quickly, and there was nothing more I could do."

Maeve buried her face in her hands. He'd been the one to bring her to the clinic? And he'd lost half of his thumb because of her? Harvey gave a look back at Shane and shook his head.

"He was really worried about you. You were out for three days."

"Three? How badly was I hurt?"

"Enough," Harvey vaguely informed. "Shane called your brother and sister-in-law. They're coming down to help you on the farm until you're able to work again." He saw Shane starting to stir, and he patted her hand before walking away.

If a hole opened up underneath her and swallowed her up right now, it wouldn't be a moment too soon. The guilt she felt ate away at her; this had been all her fault. Why had she agreed to go to the mines on that night? Once Shane's eyes were fully opened, they focused on her, and he sat up, and incredulous look on her face. Darting her eyes away, she fiddled with the cover in her hands.

"I... Shane, I'm so sorry..." she softly began. "Yoba, I... I didn't-" She was cut off when she felt his arms envelope her tightly, drawing her into his warmth. The breath no longer in her lungs, she merely sat there, feeling his embrace that was both a shock and a welcome.

"Why did you go?" he whispered the question. "Maeve, you nearly died."

"I'm sorry..." she murmured back, wrapping her good arm around him. "Someone needed help, and I-"

"Needed help?" he asked, drawing back, his hands on her shoulders. "With what?"

"Well, Lewis. His roof had a leak, and-"

"Fucking shit." He pulled away from her completely and put his hands on his head, rustling his hair. "You mean to tell me he asked you to go?"

"I didn't have any copper bars, and neither did he."

"So fucking what?! What gives him the damned right?!"

She'd never seen him this angry. "Sh-Shane, I'm fine. Seriously."

"Horseshit," he spat out. "What kind of idiot also agrees to something like that?"

His words hurt, but they were true. "I know. But I wanted to help."

"He's not your fucking charity case."

"And neither are you," she shot back. The fire in his eyes flickered and died at her words, and instantly, she felt guilty. "That's not... Shane..."

He sat down beside her and leaned into her hear. "And now, I've got a secret for you." He leaned closer. "He's sleeping with my aunt."

The words seemed foreign. Lewis and Marnie? She knew they were kindred spirits, but they were sleeping together? Wait, what did that matter? They were humans, with human needs. The question was in her eyes, and before she could voice it-

"He uses her, Maeve. He makes her keep their relationship a secret. It's fucking disgusting, seeing how happy she is with him one second, then how desolate she is the next."

"I don't understand," she shook her head. "What does it matter if people know about them?"

"That's a good fucking question. One I have yet to hear answers for myself."

"Shane, language."

"Sorry... I'm pissed." He ran his good hand through his already messy hair. "Yoba, it's like... he's ashamed of her or something. I don't know. But the fact that it was because of him that you were nearly killed..."

She looped one of her fingers through his belt loop, pulling slightly to bring him closer. This made him look down at her to see sadness in her eyes.

"I'm sorry..." she whimpered.

"Huh?"

"Your thumb..."

He glanced at his bandaged hand before giving a shrug. "It's fine."

"No, it isn't." Her tears fell. "Shane, I'm sorry..."

"I said it's fine," he repeated. "I don't want you feeling like it was your fault. I shouldn't have put the blame on you like that. I know the kind of person you are, after all. You'd help the devil himself if you could."

He sat down beside her on the bed, his muscles sore from carrying her for so long, and in torrential rains and galeforce winds. She leaned her head on his shoulder, suddenly extremely sleepy. Perhaps it was painkillers Harvey was giving her. Or just the fact she'd been on an emotional roller coaster from the second she woke up. Whatever it was, all she wanted was to sleep, but then the door opened and closed, a taller man and his shorter wife walking into her area. Upon seeing the man, Shane had no doubt it was James.

"Oh, Maeve..." Danielle sighed, walking to her side and placing her hand on top of her head. "We're so glad you're awake."

"Dani... James..." she muttered. "I'm so-"

"Don't," James interrupted, raising a hand. "Do you have any idea how asinine what you did was? How you made us worry, and had a friend hurt in the process?"

"I'm honestly fine," Shane spoke up, but James cut his eyes at him, silencing him immediately.

"You came here to get away from trouble, but you put yourself and innocent others into it? Is that your idea of playing it safe?"

Her head bowed, tears spilling onto the covers, Maeve said nothing as she wrung her hands.

"Maeve Gwendolyn, look at me," James firmly ordered. Her head perked up, and instantly, he wrapped her arms around her. "Don't scare us like that again. Do you hear me?"

Seeing the way James was towards his sister, he suddenly understood where Maeve had gotten her mother-like qualities from. James was, without a doubt, every kind of big brother Shane had always wanted in his life. And he felt claustrophobic in this familial atmosphere, for this was something he had never been given the grace to experience. He rose to his feet to leave, but he was stopped when he felt James' hand on his shoulder. He turned to see an apologetic smile on James' face, his eyes soft and kind; he and his sister were very much alike in both looks and personality.

"So, you're Shane?"

"Uh, yes," he nodded. He held his good hand forward, feeling awkward. "Sorry to have met under these circumstances, but-"

James brushed his hand away and hugged the life out of him. "Thank you for saving my sister."

"I didn't do anything," Shane denied, patting James' back. "I just found her. That's all."

"Bullshit. Harvey filled us in with what he knew," Danielle rejected. "Also, Maeve has told us quite the load about you."

His heart thumped loudly in his chest. "M-Me?"

"Mm-hm. How a certain unfriendly fellow was now helping her on the farm and raising chickens, no longer as unfriendly as before," Danielle teased. This made Shane's cheeks burn, and Maeve buried her head in her hands.

"Dani, please..."

"Can't say I'm not surprised, though. You're handsome, I'll give you that," Danielle winked at him. James' face puffed up, making Danielle laugh. "Oh, stop it, dear. You know I like teasing people."

"Yeah, well... um... it's good to meet you, but I should probably get back to my aunt and goddaughter."

"Oh, by all means, don't let us hold you. But, if you don't mind, we'd like to see more of you," James urged.

Shane rubbed the back of his neck. "I have a job to return to... and my goddaughter to pick up after school."

"You can bring her, too," Danielle nodded. "It would be good practice for us."

"Practice?" Maeve gasped, looking up at Danielle. "Dani?!"

She laughed with a nod. "Found out shortly before leaving. I'm three months along."

Maeve hugged her sister-in-law, and Shane shook James' hand.

"Hey, congrats," Shane smiled. "I remember when my best friend and his wife found out they were having Jas. One of the best days of my life." He then headed towards the door, letting the family celebrate on their own.

XXXXXX

As soon as he opened the door, Jas enveloped him in a hug, tears streaming down her cheeks. Stunned by her tears, he held her tightly, rubbing her back as she cried on his shoulder, her tears dampening his shirt. Marnie watched from the kitchen, tears brimming her eyes as well. For a moment, Shane simply sat there, stilled in time, listening to Jas' sobs and feeling ashamed that he didn't know what they were for. When her sobs broke down into hiccups, he stood up and took a glass from a cupboard, filling it with cold water, and handed it to her. She started gulping it down, so he took it from her and urged her to drink slowly, or she'd have a bellyache. When she drank as much as she could, he took the glass from her and sat it on the table, crouching down in front of her.

"What's wrong, kid?"

"Marnie said that Maeve got hurt real bad, and that you were hurt, too! And I was scared you'd leave me alone!" she answered, trying to wipe her tears away. "I don't wanna be alone! I love you, Uncle Shane!"

Never before had those words shot through him as though an arrow was fired at close range. His eyes wide, he was speechless for a time, Jas' hiccups the only thing he could hear. Marnie took a step closer, ready to step in at any moment, but Shane finally blinked and put his hand on top of Jas' head.

"I'm not going anywhere, Jas. I promise."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," he nodded. He hugged her, feeling her little arms around his neck. "I'm gonna start doing better, too. Okay?"

"Doing better?"

"Mm."

Marnie wiped away a stray tear. It was a beautiful moment that she didn't want to end. And neither did Shane, because for once, he felt loved and useful. Like what he did actually mattered.

Yet, there was still that ever-nagging feeling, in the back of his mind, that whatever he did would break away into nothingness.