Just outside the living room, Fiona tapped her fingers on the door frame. She listened to the clank of her brother's glass on the table. With a sigh she entered and sat on the on the other side of the couch, grateful that she wasn't facing him directly.

She lifted her hand to her mouth and pinched her lower lip. "Declan, we need to talk" The words rushed and her voice was weak from nervousness.

Predictably, he immediately looked concerned. "Are you okay?"

"Will you just stop waiting for me to fall apart, please? You're making this much more difficult. Cause actually, right now, I'm not so okay."

"You're not doing anything to make me less concerned, you know?" She impatiently nodded her head to appease him.

"I've been having a hard time recently." Out of the corner of her eye she says her brother's mouth twist. "Don't you dare make a joke? I've been feeling so lonely, and I've… cried myself to sleep more than a few times in the last couple of weeks."

"What's making you feel this way, Sylvia?" He teased.

She knew she often became downtrodden out of blue; and since she had become very depressed and gave her family a big scare, her family has believed her to be mentally unstable. So of course her brother would assume she was letting her depression make her over-dramatic again, and that this wasn't anything serious. "Will you take this seriously, please? I'm trying to tell you something that won't be very easy to hear."

The bemusement fell from his face; he looked wary. "I am taking it seriously, that was in bad taste I'm sorry. Now tell me."

"Look…you're not going to like this. It may even start a huge fight, but I just can't stand this anymore. Declan, how serious are you about Holly J?"

His eyes widened and he moved closer to his sister. "Did she tell you she's going to break up with me?"

"No, No. I just need to know."

"Okay. Well, you know I really like her. She's doesn't fawn over me, and she's independent. It's as serious as a high school relationship can get, I guess." His smile was back but Fiona could see he was still apprehensive.

She paused so she was sure he would hear her, "I want you to break it off with her." She stared down at her hands fidgeting in her lap. There was short pause before her brother scoffed and chuckled.

"Excuse me?"

She made sure to keep her tone resolutely serious because she could not raise her eyes to him. "Break up with Holly J."

"Is this because you don't like her-" She cut him off with a scoff of her own. "What's funny?"

"'Is it because I don't like her?' No Declan, no. It's because I love her. I can't stand to see you two together because I love her."

"Why do I have to break up with her just because you can't stand her? It's not like you have to be around her ever." She could tell he was really lost.

She put her elbow on the arm rest and her head fell into her hand. This conversation is physically painful. "I wasn't being sarcastic." She waited for him to get the message.

"You love her? You must be kidding me. Have you ever even spoken to her?" She felt her face heat up more and hoped it couldn't show too red beneath her make-up. Unfortunately. "This is a joke; a very weird joke that I don't get."

"I don't think I have to tell you the reasons why someone could fall for Holly J Sinclair." Finally, she looked at him, and was disheartened by what she saw.

"I don't believe you." Great now he thinks I'm insane. He's just been waiting for this to happen I know it. It was true; he was looking at her concernedly, obviously thinking she had lost her mind.

"Declan, I know this is weird, believe me, I do. I'm not crazy-this is crazy- but I'm not. I really have feelings for her and I would really appreciate it if you wouldn't go out with her anymore."

"Even if I did break up with her, she'd still be straight, so why should I miss out for nothing?"

"Look, if she was with some other stupid typical teenage boy, I may have had a chance to make her like me. Show her she's too good for him- which she would be. But she's with you. You're mister perfect, you're involved in school stuff, you're smart, interesting, and of course good-looking. When she's with you, I have no chance."

"Who am I going to be with then? Some swooning girl who'll be with me just to prove her own worthiness to herself? No way."

"Well, you have more options than I do Declan. All the girls who are half way decent hate me. Of course, the way I've acted at that school, I kind of deserve it." He began to deny this, but she spoke over his objection, "besides, I love her, and you don't"

He narrowed his eyes at her. "What makes you so sure I don't?"

"Because I know you. I've seen you in love before. You're not there yet with her. So please, break it off before I do have to see you two in love. Please, Declan."

He sat back and looked away from her. She waited with more doubt than hope that he would do it.

After some thinking, he shrugged. "Fine."

What? "…No."

"Yes, okay? I'll break it off with her. But I hope you understand what you're getting me into. Rising to the top of her bad list is not exactly ideal." He was only half-joking, of course.

"Yes, she is a tiger," But she said this fondly, not frightfully, "and she will get me for this. Thanks."

"Don't ever say I didn't do anything for you." He threw an arm around her shoulders and hugged her.

"I would never say that. Even if you refused this, I wouldn't say that. You give up so much for me; I really appreciate you and all you do for me."

"I guess having you for a sister is worth more than a relationship with Holly J." He paused and gave her shoulders another squeeze. "I hope you can be happy," he whispered.

Me too.