A/N: Sorry for the long absence! Turns out MCAT prep takes all your free time and creativity, who knew?

She was finishing up her English paper when there was a knock on the door. She glanced at her watch, Henry was early. "Come in," she called out.

"So you just let any stranger into your room?"

Elizabeth turned around, "What are you doing here?"

"A brother can't come visit his sister?"

"A brother can but you don't."

"You didn't come home for Thanksgiving or Christmas."

"Geez I wonder why." She muttered under her breath.

"Hey you almost ready? I tried to be late so you could finish your paper." Henry said entering the room. Paused when he saw another man in there. A quick glance between them, told him Elizabeth wasn't too happy about this stranger being there.

He crossed the room quickly, one arm wrapping around her while the other stuck out in front of him. "I'm Henry." He said, never breaking eye contact. He didn't like the amusement in the other man's eyes.

"Ah so you're Henry," he said, shaking Henry's hand.

"Henry, this is Will. My brother."

Henry physically deflated a bit. Oh. He was her brother. Now that he saw the two of them again the resemblance was hard to miss. He felt silly now for posturing, for jealousy getting the best of him and jumping to conclusions. But in his defense he thought Elizabeth didn't want the man there and he was just trying to help. "Nice to meet you."

Will gave him an understanding nod, "You too."

They stood there staring at Elizabeth for what to do next.

"Henry and I were going to grab a bite to eat would you like to join?" She asked realizing this was happening whether she wanted it to or not.

"Lead the way."

They went to the campus café because the dining hall was for students only.

Will watched as Henry put some ketchup next to her fries just how she likes. She took the onion from his burger while giving him her tomato.

"So I heard you got Lizzie to go to a school football game."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, leave it to Will to bring that up. "I don't know why you act so surprised, you know dad wanted sons."

"Honestly, she put me to shame. I was trying to impress her but she ended up impressing me."

She blushed, "You were trying to impress me?"

"Of course, I had to get your head out of the books somehow."

Henry shifted in his seat, Elizabeth automatically moved too. It was subtle, a touch on the hand here, a graze there. It seemed to Will that no matter the situation there was always a connection between them.

Her eyebrow quirked, "And you thought football was the way?"

He smirked back, "It worked didn't it?"

"Just don't let her take you fly fishing."

"Still bitter that I hold the family record for most fish caught?"

"You won't be holding that record much longer, we got a lot more time left."

"Keep dreaming. I'll be right back" She stood up, her hand grazing Henry's back. She stared Will down, "Don't tell any embarrassing stories while I'm gone."

Will saluted her in agreement, "So you're a senior, any college acceptances yet?"

"A few acceptances. UVA, Boston, Yale and…" he stopped himself. He shouldn't tell anyone until he talks to Elizabeth about it first. Will just sat there, waiting for him to continue. Yep, they were definitely related. "Oxford."

"Wow in-"

"England, yep."

"How did Lizzie handle that?"

Henry shook his head, "She doesn't know. Didn't even tell her I applied."

"Didn't tell me you applied where?"

He didn't answer her; this was not how he wanted to tell her.

"Henry?"

"Oxford. I applied to Oxford."

Her breath hitched, "Did you get in?"

"Yes."

Her heart sank, "Oh my god. Were you ever going to tell me?"

"Of course I was."

"When? Cause it sure as hell wasn't when you decided to apply or were accepted. What were you going to wait until graduation? Or maybe until you were halfway across the country?"

"No. Will you just listen please?"

"I can't right now. I need some time."

"Elizabeth, Eliza-" He called after her but she kept walking.

"If you want some advice, don't let her run. Go after her." He learned that firsthand.

Henry searched all over campus for her, her room, the common room but no one had seen her. Oh god he really screwed up. He should've just told her when he applied and definitely as soon as he received his acceptance letter. He justified not telling her when he applied because he really didn't think he'd get in or if he even wanted to go. He stopped and sat on an empty spot on the grass. What did he want? He rolled his eyes, that was easy. Elizabeth. Beyond that he couldn't base his decision that would affect the rest of his life on a girl. Could he?

A shadow fell over him, "Earth to Henry."

"I'm sorry what?" He looked up saw Joey standing in front of him, blocking the sun.

"Everything okay?"

He was about to say everything was fine but realized Joey may just have what he's looking for. "Actually, no. I'm looking for Elizabeth; she's not in her room or anywhere else on campus. Do you know if she has any secret spots?"

"Check the roof of Sukaly Dorm."

"Thanks," he said, heading off to find her.

Elizabeth sat on close to the edge, her knees pulled up to her chest. She over reacted, she knew she did. But she's tired of losing her loved ones. Her parents left, Will left, and now Henry's leaving too.

The sound of the roof door opening pulled her out of her thoughts. "What are you doing up here Joey?"

"Looking for you." She tensed when it was Henry's voice not Joey's that answered. He stopped next to her. "Mind if I sit?"

She shrugged.

"I'm really sorry I didn't tell you about Oxford."

"Why didn't you?"

"I didn't think I'd get in, no need to go down the what if path if I didn't. But then I did and I didn't know if wanted to go so didn't seem necessary to worry you."

She rolled her eyes. "Of course you're going to go. It's one of the best schools for religion."

"It's not that simple. There's stuff holding me here." He met her eyes, "People holding me here."

"No, you can't make this decision based on me. You'll end up resenting me if you do."

He caressed her cheek, "I could never resent you."

"You don't know that. I'm happy for you, and if this is what you want then I support you." She interlaced their fingers. "No matter what we'll figure it out together."

He kissed her gently. "I'm sorry about getting territorial earlier. I don't know what came over me."

"Honestly, I found it a bit sexy."

"Oh really?" He smiled, closing the distance between them. Her arms wrapped around his neck pulling him in close while they kissed.

"Would it completely freak you out if I told you your brother is hot?"

"No." Elizabeth said sternly.

"No, it wouldn't freak you out or no, don't go there?"

"Don't even think about it."

Kristin rolled over on her stomach so she could face Elizabeth, "I'm not good enough for him?" She challenged.

Elizabeth laughed, "The exact opposite. You're too good for him."

"So he's a bad boy then?"

"Not bad…he just doesn't do commitment." With girlfriends or family, she thought.

"I could be the one to change that," Kristin teased.

"I don't think he'll ever change." She said, more to herself than Kristin. "Speaking of brothers, how is Nick doing?"

"The doctor's said he doesn't have much time left. I'm actually going home this weekend to be with him before..."

"I'm so sorry."

"I almost didn't come back this semester," She confessed. "Wanted to spend as much with him as possible but he convinced me otherwise. Told me he would kill me if I left school. He's always been my biggest supporter; most of my parent's attention goes to him, understandably. He wants me to have the life he can't."

"You're lucky. Not everyone has that." It sounded silly, here Kristin was about to lose her brother but Elizabeth was the one who was jealous.

"You could, if it's really what you want."

Elizabeth didn't fall asleep that night, too preoccupied with their late night conversation. He's the one that's been running away, not her. She was there all summer and then she went off to school and called him every week for months. Oh. She hasn't talked to him since before thanksgiving. Maybe this was partly her fault.

"Everything okay with you and Henry?"

"For now."

"Good, I really like him. He's a good guy, really loves you."

She ducked her head, hair falling forward hiding her blush. "We've only been together for like a month. It's too soon for love."

Will noticed the way his sister closed herself off from him. They didn't always get along but she never reacted like this. She used to be more open and relaxed. Like how she was with Henry. He mentally kicked himself for not seeing it before, he was her older brother he was supposed to take care of her but somehow she always was the one taking care of him.

"Elizabeth," the use of her full first name caught her attention. "I'm sorry for running away."

"It's okay."

"No, it's not. I was so caught up in my own grief that I didn't think about you. I forgot I wasn't the only one that lost them."

"I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have shut you out after our last phone call."

He joined her on the bed, "Why did you?"

"I just didn't get how you moved on so quickly. It was like as soon as summer ended you put everything behind you and didn't look back. You kept telling me to move on but I wasn't ready."

"I didn't put it all behind me."

"You didn't?"

"No, I know I acted like I was okay but that was just an act. I was scared that if I slowed down then the grief would consume me and I couldn't survive that."

"So instead you did every reckless, stupid, dangerous stunt you could find to make me worry about losing you too."

There it was, the root of their issues. Her fear of losing the last of her family. "You're not going to lose me." She crossed her arms and bit her lip. "You don't have to worry sis, I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

"How can you promise that?" She asked softly. "Our parents made the same one and look what happened."

"I guess I can't," He admitted, "But neither can you. No one can. I don't want to live with that fear."

"Fair enough."

He nudged her, "Want to go get ice cream?"

"Of course." She hopped off the bed, threw on her shoes and coat before throwing his at him. "You're buying."