"Hank!"

Hank rolled over in bed, giving a groan of annoyance when he heard his brother's voice. Since his phone hadn't gone off, he simply didn't answer and waited to see if Evan would think he was still asleep.

"Hank, get up!" Evan called, his voice coming closer with every word. Hank's bedroom door opened and Evan popped his head through the crack, "Hey, come on, Dieter's downstairs with a message for you."

Hank was about to ask if the butler could just give the message to Evan, but the answer was already apparent since Evan was currently trying to physically drag him out of bed. His little brother, though he was actually taller than Hank now, grabbed hold of his right arm and began to pull, stopping only when he received a yelp from Hank.

It had been four weeks since Hank's encounter with Ivan and the day he'd slugged his father and though the wrist had healed nicely, it wasn't up to one hundred percent yet and so harsh tugs on it were still quite painful. Either Evan had forgotten that or he'd counted on that and was using that to get Hank out of bed.

"Dude, what's with you? You're normally up before me," Evan queried, waiting and making sure Hank was actually going to get up.

"I was out late last night with a patient-"

"Mrs. Mornahan?"

"Yep, and I've only been asleep for two hours."

Showing no pity for Hank's current predicament, Evan walked out into the hall and physically shoved his brother in front of him and towards the stairs.

"Isn't she the one that has asthma and refuses to go to the hospital?"

"Yeah, she also refuses to use the inhaler I gave her so when she started having trouble breathing at one a.m., she called me."

Dieter, Boris' ever patient and loyal butler stood in the patio doorway, neither coming to stand fully inside nor remaining fully outside. It was his habit to make sure that he never fully came into the guesthouse, especially while waiting for a simple answer so that he could return to his duties.

"Yes Dieter," Hank greeted, putting on as warm a smile as he could manage at seven o'clock in the morning. "What can I do for you?"

Instead of talking, the butler handed a plain card to Hank and waited for him to read it and then give his answer. On the card was Boris' handwriting, requesting that Hank join him later on in the evening for a meeting with Ivan. Since Hank had totally forgotten that that meeting had been on the tentative books, he simply stared at the invitation for a minute. He let indecision and apprehension wash through him like they were his own blood and then he let them recede like the waves they truly were.

"Tell Boris, I'll be there and thank you for bringing this over," Hank said, handing the note back to the Dieter. The butler nodded and then left without a word.

"What the bloody hell was that all about?" Evan asked. Curiosity shone brightly in his eyes as he continued to simply stare at Hank, waiting for his answer.

"It's nothing," Hank dismissed, moving to go back to bed. "Boris just wanted a meeting."

Unconvinced that that was all to the story, Evan continued to stare at Hank but when the doctor didn't offer anything else, he sighed. "Okay, fine. You don't want to tell me, have it your way, but you can't go back to bed."

"Ugh, why not?"

"Because you have a very full schedule today and Divya can't handle them all."

"Well she can handle the morning ones while I get some more sleep," Hank waved off, hating that he was depending on Divya so much.

"Actually, she can't." Hank spun around to see his brother looking distinctly uncomfortable.

"You didn't," Hank said, knowing that his brother had. "Evan, I told you not to double book us unless it was an emergency."

"And, according to the patient it was."

"Oh really?" Hank challenged, folding his arms over his chest. "And what was such an emergency that you felt it okay to double book us?"

Evan stared at his brother, obviously determined to give nothing away but when he met Hank's unyielding glare, he sighed. "Mrs. Newburg wants a check-up for some new guy she met. Apparently the guy doesn't have any insurance of his own and she wants to make sure he's healthy or something."

Hank brought his fingers to the bridge of his nose and squeezed, praying for patience while trying to lower his heart rate at the same time. When he felt that he had enough control over his temper he looked back up at his brother and sighed in defeat. "And there's no way we can move her appointment until later?"

"No, apparently she's taking this guy out on her yacht or something right after and she doesn't want to wait."

"Fine, but you're driving so I can sleep on the way."

And with that Hank went upstairs to get ready for the day.

RPRPRPRPRPRPRPRPRPRPRPRPRP

"Dad?" Hank's mouth fell open as he stared at his father, lounging lazily on one of Mrs. Newburg's lawn chairs.

"Boys!" Eddie R greeted cheerfully, getting up and giving them each a hug.

"Dad, what are you doing here?" Evan asked and then asked, "Are you Mrs. Newburg's Beau?"

"As a matter of fact, I am," Eddie replied sounding both proud and a little insulted at his sons' shock.

"You're who I'm supposed to examine to make sure you're fit to go out on the boat?"

Hank couldn't wrap his mind around the idea; the whole thing seemed like a cosmic joke. Emotions swirled through him, angry and bubbling to the surface. As a doctor he couldn't very well say no, but oh how he wanted to. He may have been a bit harsher than he'd needed to during the examination but he somehow couldn't bring himself to care all that much. Hank hadn't seen Eddie since the night he'd punched the man and until today he'd simply assumed that Eddie had simply chosen to leave. It was clear that instead of leaving, however, Eddie had been wooing Hampton's most eligible bachelorettes and using them for their money.

"I still can't believe that you two are together," Evan replied with a huge smile on his face. "Why didn't you tell me when he had lunch?"

"Wait, you knew he hadn't left town?" Hank butted in, unable to stop himself. Betrayal stabbed him, sharp and painfully though he refused to admit it in front of his dad.

"Of course I knew," Evan replied as though the idea of him not knowing was ridiculous.

"Yeah, Evan helped set me up in a hotel and everything."

Hank unwrapped the blood pressure cuff and looked at his brother, "Oh he did, did he?"

At this, Evan avoided his glance and refocused on his father, who was now holding on to Mrs. Newburg's hand.

"Now, don't be angry, Hank," she scolded, giving Eddie a loving glance. "Eddie has told me everything and while I can understand you being upset, you do not need to worry about anything." Hank glared down at his father, waiting to hear exactly what 'everything' meant. "Other than the occasional lunch and outing, Eddie pays for everything." She looped her arm with his and leaned in towards him. "He's a true gentleman."

"Yeah, okay, well everything's fine," Hank informed, packing his supplies into his rundown medical bag, "and you two are free to go on your cruise whenever you want."

With that, he walked away, feeling anger and pain surge through him so hot it burned.

"Hank," Evan called, jogging after his brother. "Hank!"

Hank spun on his heel and glared at his brother. He held up a hand and simply said, "Don't." He didn't want to hear his brother's reasons. He didn't want to hear his brother's excuses. And most of all, he didn't want to fight. There'd been too much of that going on between them once they'd grown up and Hank didn't want to go back to that relationship again.

Evan, knowing when to listen to his brother, clamped his mouth shut and climbed into the car. He pulled his seatbelt as tight as it would go and then proceeded to hold on to whatever made him feel safer. He knew that Hank was pissed at him and he knew, from experience, that Hank's driving got a bit dodgy when he drove when he was pissed. But most of all – Evan wanted something to hold on to in case Hank decided to try and physically throw him out of the car.

RPRPRPRPRPRPRPRPRPRP

The rest of the day passed in silence between the two brothers. Mostly because once they'd finished with their appointment at Mrs. Newburg's, Hank had kicked Evan out of the car at the drive of Shadow Pond and proceeded to fly towards his next appointment.

With Divya by his side, Hank felt his temper cool enough to where he could fake that he was fine in front of his patients. He handled them all as he normally would, with care, patience, and sincerity. Only once they had finished with their last patient, did Hank feel the same feelings as before and this time they almost overpowered him. He walked out to the car and placed his hands on the door where the window usually was. He slammed his hands down as his frustration and anger boiled over and then proceeded to do it again when the first time hadn't really helped. He jumped when he felt Divya put a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Are you alright?" she asked, throwing him a look of concern that made him all the angrier.

Hank took a deep breath to regain control of his emotions and then smiled, "Yeah, fine."

The words were clipped and wholly untrue and Divya could obviously tell as she raised an eyebrow challengingly at him. "I wasn't aware people cried when they were fine."

Almost dumbly, Hank lifted a hand to his cheeks and found them wet. The stream of tears had come without his knowledge or permission and despite him not wanting them around, they continued to steadily fall.

Divya put her hands on his arms and gave them a gentle squeeze. "Talk to me," she asked and the almost pleading note in her voice left him with no other option but to do as she asked. Together, they climbed into Divya's SUV where they could gain some semblance of privacy and there in the growing dark and peaceful serenity of the Mercedes, he told Divya everything.

RPRPRPRPRPRPRPRPRP

Divya was torn. On one hand, she could very much understand Evan's behavior in bringing his father to town and wanting to be closer to him, but on the other, she was hurt and angry on Hank's behalf – not just at their father but at Evan as well. Knowing that neither man was going to work it through with the other, she decided it was time for her to step in and what better time to talk to Evan than when Hank is meeting with Boris and wouldn't be around?

RPRPRPRPRPRPRPRPRP

"Hank, come in," Boris bid, waving the younger doctor in. He'd received a call from the man, letting him know that he'd be late and hadn't minded keeping Ivan waiting. Boris waited for Dieter to close the door before he began the meeting.

"Now then gentlemen. We are here to accomplish two simple things. One, so that Ivan can apologize for how he treated you, Hank, and two, so that Ivan can sign a contract stating that he will never treat a guest of mine like that again."

"What's in this contract?" Hank asked looking uneasy.

Boris smiled. Clearly the doctor knew him well enough to know that there was more to the contract than simply being fired. "Why don't you let Ivan and I worry about that Hank?" he suggested as mildly as he could. "For now, let us start with the apology."

Despite his reservations, Boris had high hopes of considering the matter resolved after tonight. But one look at Ivan's narrowed eyes and defiant stance, however, told him that no such resolution was to come.

"No," Ivan denied in a thick Russian accent. "I would rather die than let this American pig touch me."

"Well I'm sorry, but I can't promise to let that happen," Hank answered, his shoulders squared and ready for battle.

This, however, was a battle that Boris knew Hank wouldn't win. Hank, for all intents and purposes, was a diplomat; he tried to resolve thing s with words and strong hints. Ivan, on the other hand, was more of a physical doer; he preferred to show his preferences in a physical way and he liked to do it as painfully as possible for the other person.

"Well then, I say that we have a problem, pig."

"Ivan," Boris pitched in warning. He stepped in between the two should things get ugly, preferring to be the one injured than Hank, and tried to coerce the Mossad trained man into agreement. He stared coldly at the taller, burlier man, his gaze unwavering and showing no fear as he spoke. "If you do not do this, it will mean your termination from my employ."

"That is fine with me," Ivan answered, refusing to budge. "Like I say, I would rather die than let him touch me again."

"Hold on, I'm sorry, what exactly does leaving your employ entail?"

Boris turned around and gave the doctor a gentle smile. "I think it best if certain details were left out of the conversation," he replied evasively.

Again, Hank's shoulders shifted and his posture straightened so much that it looked like it should hurt. "Well, I'm sorry, but that's not an option."

Ivan scoffed. "Look at little American pig trying to act tough."

"Yeah, and if it wasn't for this American pig, you wouldn't be alive," Hank countered, with just enough venom in his voice to make it a challenge.

Ivan charged; a vicious smile on his face but rage in his eyes. He knocked Boris out of the way, flinging the German nobleman sidelong into the end of one of the couches and leaving him breathless from the impact. For a moment his brain grew fuzzy and he forgot what it was he was supposed to be doing but then he heard Hank let out a yelp as his head hit the wall behind him and Boris was on his feet again. He was in time to see Hank get a rather decent punch on Ivan's jaw, which made him smile briefly to see. Then Ivan grabbed the doctor's hand and wrenched it back before throwing him against the wall again, sending the man into unconsciousness.

It didn't take long for Boris' security team to burst through the doors, but it wasn't enough to save Hank from a couple more blows while he was down. Upon hearing them out the doors, Ivan proceeded to hurriedly kick Hank in the stomach and then slammed the toe of his boot into Hank's unguarded knee. The doctor didn't make a sound, even when a discernable crack rent through the air and Boris felt his worry for Hank's health rise significantly.

Hunching slightly to avoid pressuring his tender side, Boris went over to where Hank lay and knelt beside him. The man's face was a mess and a permanent expression of pain had settled itself onto his features, but he was breathing, even if it was a bit unsteadily.

Soft footfalls echoed through the now empty room and Boris looked up to find Dieter standing close by, awaiting instruction.

"Have Ivan locked in the cell in the basement until he can be dealt with and then call Hank's assistant Divya; she was on the premises earlier and might still be; she can help."

Without saying a word, Dieter walked out of the room, closing the door behind him and leaving Boris alone to convince not only himself but Hank's brother and assistant that this was in no way his fault.

TBC