Me again…this is SORT OF a songfic to 'Love the Way you Lie' although I'm not putting the lyrics in. But listen to the song while you read and you'll get the gist of it. It takes place BEFORE Sweet Surrender, just so you don't get confused.

Oh, and I got so many reviews on the last chapter it was scary. You guys are the best :)

Still don't own…

O-o-O

Sadie could tell her brother was in love.

It was beyond obvious. The way he was always so polite around Zia, how he always blushed when she spoke to him (which was rare) and how he got that pathetic dreamy look in his eyes when she was near. It made Sadie a little nauseous. Even so, there was always a little tension around them, and once in a while their tempers would boil over. But Sadie had never been truly scared of either of them until the fight on the terrace.

She was attempting to repair the damage from one of the students' spells gone awry when she heard the yelling.

Sadie immediately crept to the doorway to watch the argument; it was the only decent form of entertainment in Brooklyn House these days, and she knew it was harmless and would blow over soon. Of course, the fights probably could have gotten much worse, but Carter always stopped them and got Zia calmed down pretty quickly. This time, however, things seemed a little more heated.

"…would just leave me alone!" Zia's voice yelled. "I don't need you always trying to take care of me!"

"I'm not, Zia, would you just calm down for a second?"

"I will not calm down! Don't you tell me what to do, Carter Kane!"

"I'm not trying to tell you what do! I just think you're being irrational!"

"Well, you would know all about that!"

Zia was standing on tiptoe so that she was at eye level with Carter, who had backed up against the railing overlooking the East River. Carter looked a little exasperated, while Zia was just angry.

"I don't need you for protection, Carter!"

"I never said you did!"

This was totally out of character for Sadie's brother, but he seemed to be getting just as angry as Zia. His hands were gripping the bars with all his might, and when he flexed his fingers, she could see the metal bend.

"In fact, I don't need you at all!"

"Fine! Then I guess you would have preferred it if I left you in that tomb!"

"Maybe I would have!"

Sadie cut in. "Guys, you both need to stop. Now," she commanded.

In unison, the not-so-lovebirds turned on her. "Stay out of it, Sadie!" they shouted. Suddenly she understood why Carter was acting so strange—because Carter's eyes were flickering gold and silver. Horus' temper was provoking him, and she had to stop it, but she didn't know how to do it without making them both angrier.

And then it was too late, because they were both yelling again, and Sadie was afraid that Carter might really hurt Zia, but almost immediately realized that wasn't going to happen. Carter was holding himself back with all his might, gritting his teeth and clenching his fists. Sadie could almost understand her brother's thoughts: he wanted to hurt Zia. He wanted her to feel pain, the same pain he felt when she rejected him…but he wasn't going to.

Zia was shouting something at him, and Sadie could tell that she was really mad because there were flames flickering on her palms. And then Carter yelled back at her, and Zia slapped him across the face.

Carter sank to his knees, looking shocked as he cradled his cheek, which had violent burn marks on it. Zia stumbled backwards, choking on her own tears as she reached out and cried, "Carter! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean—" before she wheeled and sprinted into the house.

*#*#*

Carter and Zia hadn't spoken once in the hour since their fight, and it was starting to worry Sadie. All they'd done was sit in the Great Room on separate couches, with Carter icing his cheek and Zia burying her face in a pillow. They did eat dinner together, but never even glanced in each other's direction, and they didn't say a word to anyone, not even when the initiates asked Carter what had happened to his face. Carter vanished inside before he'd eaten all of his food, but Zia lingered out on the terrace long after she was finished and grabbed Sadie's arm as she prepared to leave.

"Sadie? Please. I need to talk to you," she pleaded. She looked horrible, with her eyes puffy and red from crying all day.

"Of course," Sadie said, though she had no idea what this was about. Zia looked so pitiful, though, that she couldn't say anything but yes.

"Sadie, I need you to forgive me," she moaned. "I feel so horrible—I never meant to hurt him—I don't know what happened—please, forgive me," she managed to whisper between sobs.

Sadie blinked. This was not what she had expected. "Zia, I've already forgiven you," she said, "but that doesn't matter. You need to talk to Carter."

"But I can't; he won't talk to me."

"Because you haven't tried! Just talk to Carter; he's not one to hold grudges. It'll be fine."

Zia dropped her eyes and muttered, "I'll think about it."

Sadie sensed that this was the best she was going to get, so she let Zia retreat inside.

*#*#*

She awoke to footsteps in the hallway. And, Sadie being Sadie, had to check it out.

There was nothing—and no one—unusual that she noticed, until she looked at her brother's bedroom door and found it wide open. Carter always closed his door at night, a habit made by a lifetime of living in hotel rooms. Something was up.

Sadie tiptoed to the doorway and carefully peeked around the corner. There was Carter, tangled up in his blankets, his fist tight around one of the sheets and his face contorted in pain. Kneeling over his sleeping form was Zia, in her linen pajamas, with her hair a complete mess on one side, like she'd been twisting it—a nervous habit of hers that Sadie had noticed a few weeks ago. She was staring at Carter, chewing her lip as if she was debating something. Then she sighed, closed her eyes, and stretched out her hand.

Water welled up in her palm, though it had no source, and collected there until it was a tiny shimmering puddle. Then Zia flipped her hand and poured the water on Carter's cheek, placing her palm there and holding it. Strangely, the water didn't run or spill over, but soaked into Carter's blistered skin much faster than what should have been possible. Slowly, Zia's fingers traced patterns over the burns, which faded before disappearing altogether.

Sadie looked on in awe. How had Zia done that?

It is the power of Nephthys, Isis' voice whispered. Water can quench fire easily.

She supposed it made sense. Sadie was about to retreat when there was another movement from inside Carter's room. Her brother reached up and laid his hand over Zia's, trapping hers on his cheek.

"Zia?" he moaned, his eyes fluttering. "What…?"

"It's nothing," she whispered in the dark, "go back to sleep."

Carter nodded, but then leaned up and gave Zia a gentle kiss on the forehead. "Thanks," he sighed, slumping back on his pillow and closing his eyes again.

Zia smiled, waiting until Carter's breathing had slowed before she pecked his forehead and whispered, "You're welcome."

Sadie crept back into her own room before anyone could spot her. As she slipped between the sheets, her last thought was, Not speaking, my butt.

O-o-O

All together now: AAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWW!

Cuteness :)

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