(Blake's POV)

I have no idea what's gotten into Hunter. I know he wasn't there to hear us talking, and he was too far away to hear us with the dragon senses. I only sensed him last minute, rushing at us at an incredible speed.

Remind me to get him to teach me to fly, later.

Point is, he scared Taelin with how he just appeared like that, and I don't think he noticed when Angie hurt herself on a broken branch.

It took both me and Taelin to stop him, and when I began to yell at him, mentally of course, he seemed to realize what he was doing.

"Bro, what's gotten into you?" I asked quietly as we walked back to ops, that evening. We'd managed to teach Angie some basics, but other than her obvious like of verbal battles, she didn't seem like a fighter, like she said. I knew he heard me, but also knew he wouldn't answer.

Poor girl was limping ahead of us, holding her arm which had taken a couple of hours to stop bleeding fully. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't just a tiny scratch, either.

"Why don't you heal yourself?" I asked louder, directing my question to Angie. I saw Hunter turn in her direction, from beside me, and wince a little with a questioning look. Don't tell me it took you until now to notice? I thought incredulously.

His eyes narrowed at me before he looked away and I could sense his guilt.

"I don't heal myself." Came her quiet response. "Plus it takes a lot of energy to heal even the smallest wounds."

Nodding sympathetically, I felt Hunter grab my arm and fell back to walk with him, leaving Taelin to walk closer to Angie.

I raised an eyebrow at this. Hunter obviously didn't trust her, but he was allowing Taelin that close to her, alone?

It's not that I don't trust her... Hunter stated telepathically. You know me, bro... I don't open up to people so good.

Yeah, I know. I thought with a nod. But you opened up to the others.

He rolled his eyes and made a face. The others didn't just show up in Blue Bay one day, a Dragon Clan member, outta the blue, Blake.

And what's she done to prove she's a threat? You know we can both tell if someone's lying or has alterior motives.

Yeah... I know. It's just... Hunter shrugged with narrowed eyes, watching Angie limp down the stairs, to Ops. Oh boy. I'm so gonna get it now...He thought with another wince and a shake of his head. It's just not easy to let her in.

"Yeah, well, things won't change unless you try." I stated with a raised eyebrow and shrug.

Hunter looked at me and I could almost see fear in his eyes. I knew I could sense his hesitation and sighed, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It'll be ok, bro." I stated softly, moving past him to go down the stairs.

(The Next Day, Hunter and Blake's Apartment, Hunter's POV)

Well, I guess today's what you'd call a messed up day. I mean, on one hand, Taelin finally turned 18 and the collar came off. That, and that she's moving into Ops with Cam, Sensei and Angie. Well, she couldn't stay with us anymore. Only two rooms, remember? She'd been staying on a cot in my room, but it was getting more and more akward with every day.

Then, there's Angie.

I don't really know how I feel about her. I mean, she seems like a nice person, but it's just really hard to let her in. It's like I can't help but snap at her, even though I know she didn't do anything to deserve it. I also know it's really hurting her.

After my talk, or rather, yelling match with Cam, yesterday, I left Ops in a huff. I didn't mean to snap and go after her like that, but all I could think was that he was making us teach her how to fight.

I didn't even notice that I hurt her until well after the fight. We trained all day and I didn't notice the smell of blood, or sense of pain in the air.

And I never once apologized. I knew I should. It was the right and honourable thing to do, but I was almost afraid to go near her. Like I'd snap and hurt her again.

"You're afraid."

Spinning to the side, I watched as Taelin walked into the room. I had to blink a moment to actually believe that the little baby we'd found had turned into a such a beautiful young woman. Her once light voice was still light, but matured and more womanly than it was before, and it held such wisdom.

Adjusting her t-shirt and jeans, she sat beside her, brushing her long black hair out of her face. "Did you hear me, Hunter?"

I blinked, taking in her words, and shrugged. "Yeah, I heard you, but I don't know what I've got to be afraid of." I stated, feelin my wings mantle a little defensively.

She smiled. "Blake. I think, you're afraid of something happening to Blake, or your relationship with him." Tilting her head a little, she looked at the coffee table. "You're like the big brothers I never had." she said softly. "I don't like seeing either of you in pain."

I felt my heart clench at her words, knowing that somehow she was right about the Blake thing, but... "It was never a fear before." I stated softly.

"Yeah, it was. You just never noticed it."

Glancing out of the corner of my eye, I looked at a picture of Blake and me, down by the track. Maybe... "But why would that change? And what is it I'm afraid of?"

"That's what you need to figure out." she said as she closed her eyes and leaned against my chest. Wrapping an arm around her waist, I let her relax against me.

What I need to figure out... I was glad we blocked our link today. It gave me a chance to think without Blake picking up on it. I'm afraid... Yeah, thinking about it, I guess I was.

Surprise, surprise. Big bad Hunter was afraid.

Rolling my eyes, I frowned. Afraid of something happening to Blake... Or maybe... Afraid that something would happen to change the life I knew? I was used to waking up, Blake and Taelin being the most important things to me, with Blake there first, and going to sleep each day knowing they'd be there when I woke up the next day.

It was...complicated.

I think I started noticing it more when Angie arrived. Another Dragon Clan. Was I afraid she'd become important to me, as well? The only other one of our kind, that we knew of. But what could she change? I knew she was harmless to us...

Our relationship... Blake was literally the most important thing in my life. My baby brother and only remaining family. In a lot of ways, he gave me strength and stability. Was I afraid of that changing?

(At the Beach, Tori's POV)

"Ok, Blake? You're not concentrating." I said with a raised eyebrow as Blake took another header off the surf board.

Standing up slowly, with a frown, he shivered a bit and looked at me with heavy eyes. Walking to the board, he sat on it and gestured for me to sit across from him.

So I did. I moved, straddled my board facing him, and waited quietly for him to start talking.

"It's Hunter." he stated bluntly.

I kind of figured that already. Whenever something bothered Blake, it usually dealt with the older, more broody Bradley. Still, I remained quiet, letting him know I was listening.

"He's been acting weird ever since Angie arrived, and I'm not sure what to make of it. He acts so angry around her, and I know he kinda is, but he's also scared of something." he stated with a frown as he stared into the water.

"I noticed that she came back from training pretty beat up." I stated quietly, careful to keep any possible trace of accusation out of my voice. Not that I felt anyone was to blame, but I knew how that sentence could come out if I wasn't careful.

Actually, I found that I was being careful around Blake and Hunter a lot. The whole new, enhanced senses got me, and I guess I was afraid of hurting them or something.

"Yeah, that was Hunter. He came racing to the clearing and attacked her all out." Blake stated with a frown, running hs hand through the water. "It's me, I think."

I may not have been Dragon Clan, but I could hear the self-accusation and guilt in his voice and didn't like it. Reaching out, I took his hands and held them tightly. "What makes you say that? You know Hunter loves you."

He nodded, clutching my hands tightly. "That's just it. I think he's afraid of something happening to change our lives. I don't know what it is, but when he gets afraid, he pushes people away."

"Kinda like a big loop." I mutered quietly, absently rubbing the back of Blake's hand with my thumb. "Hunter's afraid to let people in, but doesn't wanna be alone, either. So he gets defensive and ends up pushing them away and making his fear come true."

There was silence for a moment and I looked up to find Blake staring at me thoughtfully. Feeling my face heat up, I pulled my hands back.

Or...tried to.

Blake held on to my hands tightly and seemed to stare into my very soul. "You know, it's freaky how well you know us." he stated a moment later, blinking and looking away with a small smile. "And you're right. I mean, after our parents' death, he became afraid to let people in, terrified of losing them, too."

I nodded as I held his hands lightly, looking at them. "You can really see it. I mean, I saw it with us, even." I said softly.

"You sure you're not Dragon Clan?"

I blinked in surprise and looked up to see Blake looking at me with clear amusement in his eyes. Feeling my face heat up, I laughed a little and looked back at my board. Finally, Blake let my hands go, only to change his hold to my chin as he gently raised my face.

I was amazed my face didn't explode, I was sure I was blushing madly by now.

When our eyes met, I could see his shining with such warmth, and then they closed as he leaned in, and I felt his lips brush against mine. His lips were so soft and warm, and I felt myself metling against him, kissing him back.

After a few moments, we brok apart for air and looked at each other silently. I was sure our faces must've been a nice deep red, and bit my lip as I looked at my board again, feeling very shy around him.

Chuckling a little, Blake shook his head. "It's amazing but you always seem to know what to say to cheer me up." he stated lightly.

Then he hopped off the board and overturned it, dumping me into the cold waters.

"BLAKE!!" Jumping to my feet in shock at the cold water, I leveled a mock glare at him and stalked forward silently. "You are so gonna pay for that!" I warned lowly as I jumped forward, latching my arms around his neck and using my body weight to knock us both over.

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Yay! Blake and Tori romance!

Again, I wanted to focus on how I feel Hunter would think and react to having new people come into his life. I mean, he's got Blake, whom he loves and is so loyal to. After losing two sets of parents ( I think ), it only seems natural that he'd be wary of letting people in, because he'd be afraid of losing them, too.

And another thought I was following... Blake is number 1 in his heart, even with Taelin there. That's not gonna change. Now, imagine if a girl comes in, and he finds himself liking her (but may not realize it, or something), his feelings might change, and he'll be afraid that she'll replace Blake. he'll feel guilty if anything changes, and like he's betraying his baby bro.

Does that make sense?

Which is mainly why I am making it go slower. I'm trying to point these things out. I just don't know if it's working. LOL.

Hope you like it.

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"I'm sorry..."

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R+R please.

Thank you.

Tenshi