Saturday morning. Normally this day and time was far from Lee’s favourite. Mornings were never good for her in general, though they had certainly gotten much easier recently thanks to Tarin.

This particular Saturday morning, Lee was actually excited. Robert and Kevin had made plans for the day, ‘guy time’, they called it since otherwise Kevin had been stuck with Lee and (until a year earlier) Rachel all the time. But because they were going out, that meant that Lee and Tarin were actually going to get some time together. Alone. During the day.

But it wasn’t time for that yet. Lee would have to make sure that Kevin was up soon so he would have time to get ready before his uncle arrived. At the moment, though, she was sitting at the table still in her pyjamas, a red tank top and pair of boxers, as she sipped her coffee. Though, like every morning now, Tarin had helped her wake up that morning and she wasn’t sitting there with no energy.

Tarin himself was sitting on the other side of the table eating breakfast. ”Hopefully Kevin and Robert will be gone and off doing whatever they’ve got planned today by the time you’re finished your run,” Lee told him with a smile. If that was the case, it meant that they wouldn’t have to pretend that there was nothing going on between them until that afternoon.

Before either Lee or Tarin could say anything else, there was a knock on the door. ”It can’t be that late already, can it?” Lee asked, because surely it wasn’t time for Robert to be there yet. Still Lee got up out of the chair, coffee still in hand, and went to answer the door.

To see that sure enough, it was her brother standing on the other side of the door. ”Morning Em. Is Kev-” Robert started, then stopped dead as his eyes widened staring at her face. Then darting down to her left arm.

”What the hell?” Robert exclaimed as he pushed past Lee and stormed into the apartment. ”Where is he?!?” .

Today…was going to be a great day.

It was the weekend, neither he nor Lee needed to do any work, and Robert was planning to take Kevin for the day to do guy stuff. Tarin thought that things had been going a bit more smooth on that front, thought that him and Kevin were getting more comfortable in each other’s space, maybe starting to enjoy spending time around each other more…but the prospect of having Lee to himself for an entire weekend day was just too much to pass up.

It was also Tarin’s birthday. Not that he had mentioned it or had any plans to do so.

So there Tarin sat, admiring Lee in her boxers and tank top and getting ready to go for his run.

It had taken a while after what had happened in the park, but Tarin had gotten his workout routine back in order and was starting to actually feel like himself again. The nightmares had mostly stopped as well…but there could have been multiple reasons for that.

A knock sounded at the door and Lee was up and crossing the space before Tarin had a chance to say anything, and opening the door.

Sure enough if it was Robert and at first Tarin was just curious why it was that he got to call Lee, “Em” when she hated the name so much.

Then he remembered the state that Lee was in from the impromptu sparring match/prize fight that she’d had.

Uh oh.

Realizing that Robert was heading straight for him, Tarin held his hands up defensively, I swea…’ he didn’t even get two words out before Robert’s right fist connected solidly with the side of Tarin’s face.

God damn that hurt, and almost as soon as the punch had landed, Tarin felt Robert’s hands catch up the front of his shirt and haul him to his feet.

’I’ll be damned if I watch this happen again, you son of a bitch. You’ve got ten minutes to get the hell out of here and if I ever see you again, I’ll make you wish you’d never even heard of that rift.”

Well. Tarin thought, vision still swimming as he tried to focus on Robert and stay on his feet. Had Robert been this large when they’d all watched hockey together?

”I completely understand where you’re coming from…but I didn’t do that. You need to ask your sister what happened..” he said, resisting the urge to hit back. Anger in this situation would not be helpful.

Yes, Lee had more energy now in the mornings than she normally would have. But she had also somewhat gotten used to the bruises over the previous week, and didn’t actually think about them much unless she actually saw them or one of them was bumped into by something.

Like the door as Robert pushed past her and into the apartment.

A moment after the pain registered from the bruise on her left arm hitting the door, Lee realized exactly what was happening. Which is why she had planned to be dressed when her brother showed up (though that wouldn’t have done anything for the one on her jaw), but he was early.

Pushing the door closed, not even bothering to lock it or even make sure it properly closed, Lee rushed back to where she had left Tarin.

Just in time to see Robert punch him then haul him back up. ”What the hell, Bobby!” Lee exclaimed, but she didn’t think her brother heard her because he was speaking, no, he was threatening Tarin.

And Tarin was responding about as calmly as could be expected given the situation.

Lee marched right up to her brother and looked up at him. It didn’t matter that he stood almost a foot taller than her, or that he had played hockey for the majority of his life. She stood there, her attitude indicating that he should be backing down to her

”This had absolutely nothing to do with Tarin,” she told him firmly. ”And if you don’t let him go this instant, I’ll show you exactly what happened to make me look like this.”

Robert didn’t let go of Tarin, but he did turn to look at Lee. ”You can’t go through this again. I’m not going to stand back and let him hurt you again. Especially not with Kevin here.”

Robert was not going to let go, and now Lee was over there and everyone was threatening each other.

Lee was threatening to show Robert exactly what had made her look like that.

Tarin’s brains were still the slightest bit rattled, but there was something there, something that could help.

”The video…Lee…the video..” Tarin said, then looked at Robert, ”I agree with you.” he said, still calm, still trying to deescalate the situation.

”But believe her when she says she doesn’t need protecting.” Tarin said, ”You need to let go of me right now

Robert was not letting go, did not look like he had any plans to let go of Tarin’s shirt. Despite her threat. Despite his own threat to Tarin that he had better be out of the apartment within 10 minutes.

Lee was just lifting her arm to make Robert let go of Tarin when she heard Tarin speaking again. The video? Wouldn’t it be easier to just show Robert personally? He was pretty damn stubborn, after all.

But regardless of how satisfying that would be, it would not be good if Kevin came out and saw that. Any of this.

Turning to the table as Tarin continued speaking, frustrated and upset at her brother, Lee set down the mug she found she was still holding quickly enough that coffee sloshed out onto the table as she reached for her phone.

”Or what, you’re going to hit me like you did my sister, but it won’t be ‘you’?”

”No. If you don’t let him go right now, Robert,” Lee said, her voice full of barely restrained anger. She didn’t even look up at her brother as she clicked on her phone searching for the video Kevin had shown them a week ago. ”I will be the one to hit you. And I promise it will be harder than you hit Tarin.”

Finally, Lee found the video and was about to turn her phone so Robert could watch when she saw that he still hadn’t let go. ”Now.”

With a look down at Lee, Robert finally, slowly, let go of Tarin. Hitting play, Lee then turned her phone around so that Robert could see it.

”And what is this supposed to be?”

”Or what, you’re going to hit me like you did my sister, but it won’t be ‘you’?”

At the words, Tarin stiffened. He knew he wasn’t responsible for what had happened to Lee at the gym, but Robert wasn’t wrong. Tarin had hit Lee. With a chair. Twice. The difference was, she’d been able to hide those bruises long enough that her brother hadn’t seen them.

Before Tarin could say anything though Lee was threatening to hit Robert again, but at least as she did it she was looking for the video on her phone.

As Lee loaded up the video, Robert finally let go of Tarin, but Tarin didn’t move. Part of him desperately wanted to get out of arm’s reach, but would Robert take that as an admission of guilt?

Did a part of Tarin desperately want to take this opportunity to hit Robert back? Yes.

Did he? No. Tarin didn’t do anything. Tarin couldn’t even be angry standing there because he remembered his own reaction when he’d first seen Lee the night of her sparring match. She arguably looked a little worse than that now, though some of the bruises were starting to fade.

Plus, he couldn’t help but think, he’d deserved that sucker punch and a whole lot more.

So, Tarin stood there within arm’s reach of Lee’s brother, and waited to see what Robert thought about the video of his sister kicking absolute ass.

God, his face hurt.

”Just shut up and watch,” Lee told her brother.

Finally, Robert seemed to actually start watching the video in front of him and his eyes widened slightly. Taking the opportunity since he was distracted, Lee turned her eyes toward Tarin, trying to silently ask if he was alright.

But then, before the video was finished playing, Lee felt Kevin approaching behind her. Great, just what she needed her son to walk into…

”Uncle Robert!” he said, then rushed forward excitedly when he noticed Lee holding her phone up to him. ”OMG! Is that mum's video? Isn't it so cool what she can do? Have you seen her throw the woman yet?”

Robert's eyes darted to Kevin briefly before returning to Lee rather than the video. ”You've even shown Kevin this video?”[/font] he asked, his tone still accusing, though less angry than it had been.

”No, actually Kevin is the one who showed us that there even was a video.”

”Is it at the throw yet?” Kevin asked again, right beside his uncle as he tried to watch as well, though the height difference made that difficult. ”That's the BEST part! And guess what, uncle Robert? Mum said she'll teach me to fight like that!”

Tarin noticed the widening of Robert’s eyes as the video played.

That was probably the elbow, Tarin had to admit that he had a visceral reaction every time he watched too.

Tarin could almost feel Lee looking at him, but he didn’t make eye contact. He knew she was worried but there was just too much going on, and now Kevin was coming out of his room.

”You've even shown Kevin this video?”

The more Tarin learned about the Smith siblings, the more he realized they all had a defining characteristic.

Lee’s was her almost chronic underestimation of herself.

Rachel didn’t understand boundaries.

Robert didn’t know when to quit.

Again, he was going to let Lee handle it. One throbbing cheek was more than enough.

Turning slightly so hopefully Kevin wouldn’t notice that there’d been fighting in the living room Tarin couldn’t help but smile the slightest bit.

Regardless of what Lee had hoped for, Kevin’s enthusiasm for his “cool Mum” hadn’t waned in the slightest.

Tarin couldn’t help it, he looked right at Robert and said, ”She’s pretty damn amazing, isn’t she?”

Lee couldn't believe that Kevin still thought her sparring match was so amazing a week later, but here he was, telling Robert about it almost little he was bragging.


”Yes, Kevin, we know that’s your favourite part,” Lee said, unable to help the small smile that came to her face as she actually looked away from Robert and at her son.

But hearing this, Robert turned to look at Lee again. ”You’re getting him into this now, too?” Robert asked. Though at least now he just sounded surprised and not mad.

At this, Lee could only look up at Robert in shock for a moment. ”What in the world do you think Kevin’s been learning all these years?” she asked her brother slowly. ”He’s just never thought that I was able to teach him anything until last week.”

”She’s pretty damn amazing, isn’t she?”

It didn't matter that they were in this situation, just the way that Tarin said it, the same way he had said the night he'd first seen the video, made Lee blush slightly.

”It is amazing,” Robert said before returning to look at Lee. ”When did you learn to do this?”

Lee just stared at her brother for a moment. ”Really??” She asked, waiting to see if he would answer that. ”I've been able to since before the very first time I told you that I could take care of myself and didn't need you to protect me, Robert.”

Robert clearly did not approve of the fighting and the violence and Tarin couldn’t help but be a bit irritated by the casual nonchalance of the disapproval.

It must have been nice to have the luxury of a quiet life. It was one of those things that normal people couldn’t ever understand, no matter how many times it was explained.

Things had finally seemed to calm down a little bit and Tarin took the opportunity to take a few small steps back, crossing his arms.

Robert actually agreed with him that the video was amazing, and Tarin nodded his head.

Lee was clearly exasperated with her brother and had clearly tried to explain to him, more than once, that she was capable of holding her own.

”Really.” Lee had said.

Robert looked at Lee for a minute, just stood and looked at her, then he turned to Kevin.

”Go get ready, Kev.” he said, then waited as Kevin bounced off back down the hall.

Once Kevin was gone, Robert had the damn audacity to look at Lee and say, ”Well, you can’t blame me for assuming with him staying here.”

Tarin should have been angry now, but the best he could muster was, ”You do know that I’m an actual completely different person, right?”

When Robert sent Kevin off to get ready for the day, Lee just raised her eyebrow at her brother. He didn’t say anything until Kevin was in his room, but when he did….

”Yes, I damn well can blame you, Robert!” Lee exclaimed.

”You do know that I’m an actual completely different person, right?”

”And then there’s that, too,” she continued. ”But it comes down to you not trusting me. Not trusting what I said about my life, about my relationship. Not trusting my capability of taking care of myself. For years, Robert.

“And honestly, Robert,” Lee continued, her voice dropping to a deadly quiet tone. ”If you think I would have done anything that would have put Kevin in danger, you don’t know me at all.”

”Do the same things happen?” Robert asked, directly addressing Tarin for the first time since Robert had drug Tarin out of the chair.

Tarin stared back directly for a moment and then nodded curtly, ”Some of them for sure, dunno about the rest.”

Robert shook his head, ”Then as far as I’m concerned, nothing else matters.”

Robert turned to Lee now and, to his credit, even after watching the video he stared her down.

”You’ve always had a blind spot where he’s concerned. I know you wouldn’t put Kevin in danger on purpose, but someone has to say it.”

Right that moment Kevin’s door opened and he came flying out, backpack in tow.

”Ready!” he said, joining the adults where they all stood by the table.

As Lee heard her brother speaking, rage started building in her. Not just anger, actual rage. If looks could kill, Robert would be on the floor right now.

But Kevin was in the apartment and this was his uncle, regardless of what she might think of him. So instead of doing something she knew she would regret when she saw her son’s face, Lee gripped the table beside her with one hand - were her hands shaking? - and took slow, deep breaths as she continued to stare Robert down.

Then Lee heard Kevin’s voice announcing that he was ready to go. ”You heard Kevin,” Lee said, her voice quiet as she kept her eyes on Robert’s. ”He’s ready to go. So you should go. Now.”

”Hey, what’s going on here?” Kevin asked, his voice sounding concerned. ”Are you guys fighting?”

”It’s nothing to worry about, Kevin,” Lee said, her voice softer than it had previously been, though she kept her eyes on her brother. ”Your uncle and I were just having a disagreement. But the two of you should go, don’t want to miss out on your guy time.”

”Yeah, Kev, let’s go,” Robert said after a moment. Then he shot a quick glare over at Tarin before turning and heading out of the apartment with Kevin.

Lee didn’t move until she heard the door close. Only then did she lean back against the table, her eyes slipping closed as she took a shaky breath.

Lee wasn’t just angry. Tarin had seen Lee angry, this was what people meant when they said ‘rage incarnate’ in reference to someone flying absolutely off the handle. Lee didn’t fly off the handle though. As Kevin bolted out of his room and came to a stop, she actually looked like she was trying to calm herself down.

When Lee spoke though, the words implied by her tone were very different than the ones that came out of her mouth and Tarin was pretty sure that Robert got the message.

Kevin wasn’t oblivious either and when he asked his Mom if everything was okay, Tarin had to be a little impressed with the way she toed the line between telling the truth and saying too much.

That was tact.

And then Robert and Kevin were leaving the apartment and Tarin and Lee were alone. Tarin didn’t say anything or even give an indication that he had seen Robert’s look but when the door clicked shut he sighed and moved to lean next to Lee against the table, not touching but close by.

”I’m sorry…” he said, knowing Lee probably wasn’t going to like it, but not knowing what else to say in the moment.

Lee was pretty sure her hands were still shaking as she stood there. Maybe her whole body was. She really wasn’t sure. But when she felt Tarin move closer, she shifted without opening her eyes, turning to lean into him.

Then she heard Tarin’s words and she shook her head against his shoulder. ”It’s not your fault,” Lee whispered. ”It’s not even really about you. I just can’t believe …after everything I’ve told him, all of these years, that video...”

Lee took a deep breath, shaking her head again. ”He can’t even be bothered to get to know who I am now. I think, with me anyway, he’s only here out of guilt. He feels guilty about not standing up for me and protecting me when we were young, so now he’s playing the protective big brother and can’t do that if there’s nothing to protect me from or if I can take care of myself.”