”That’s a very good point,” Lee said, glancing at Tarin before looking at Robert again. ”For some reason, Tarin decided to have the spirit get you out of the building rather than save himself.”

Lee shook her head at her brother again before looking down at her coffee cup in her hands. ”Ok, yes,” Lee allowed after a few moments, her voice quieter. ”How I was trying to rush back in immediately was reckless. That was 100% emotional reaction. But by the time that search and rescue were ready to go in…that house was a lot less dangerous than the building in Columbia.”

Tarin looked steadily at Robert as Lee spoke, it had been a bit of a low blow to bring up what had happened at the build site, but dammit Robert just didn’t know when to stop.

Lee brought up Colombia again and Robert just shook his head. Tarin didn’t think that Lee had told her brother about the building collapse, but he kind of seemed like he had heard enough.

Lee admitted that rushing in had been an emotional choice and Tarin shot her a quick smile before looking back at Robert.

”It’s not that I’m not grateful and I know what you did, but I’m not just going to ignore everything else.”

Tarin just shook his head, ” The thing you refuse to get is that there is no everything else” he just didn’t know what else to say.

Lee took a deep breath as Tarin responded to Robert first. And it was just that: Robert did not seem to understand that there wasn't ‘anything else’ with Tarin. Yes, he had the same power as Kevin's father, but they were completely different, had done and experienced completely different things.

”Give me ONE example, Robert,” Lee finally said, exacerbated. ”One example of what ‘everything else’ includes relating to this man. And the collapse, where he had to deal with a traumatic phobia yet still managed to keep his powers in control isn’t an example.”

”IF you can, then maybe I’ll even let you continue acting this way. But when you can’t, it stops. Now.” That said, Lee crossed her legs as she stared at Robert, wondering if he would even be able to come up with something.

Robert sat there and he thought, he really really tried to find something he could say to Lee about the Tarin Brooks that was sitting down the couch from him. Tarin could see the wheels turning in Robert’s head as he tried to bring up anything that he could use in his argument. Tarin could also see the way Lee was sitting and the look on her face and it almost made him smile. She was so confident.

Tarin could think of one thing that Robert might know, but it all hinged on how much Rachel had said to Robert about that first weekend. It wasn’t right to lie about it, but they didn’t have a choice. Tarin also thought that Lee was giving him too much credit, but there was next to nothing he could do about that.

Robert shook his head a few moments later, but he didn’t say anything.

”I get that things were complicated before…but I’m not that person. I know I don’t need it, but I just want a chance.”

After the words were out of her mouth, Lee realized her potential mistake; Rachel knew about the merge that Lee had found Tarin in that weekend, even if she didn't know any details. It was possible that she'd told Robert. He had known about Rachel and Kevin's impromptu visit to Canada that same weekend.

However, Rachel had also figured out that first day back that Tarin was moving in, yet Robert had only found that out when Tarin had gone to his room after the hockey game a week later.

Lee had to hope that Robert hadn't been told about that merge.

And based on how hard he was thinking, while not saying anything, it appeared that he hadn't.

”That’s what I thought,” Lee said after Robert shook his head and Tarin told him that he just wanted a chance. ”Kevin was able to figure out that those from the other side of the Rift were completely different people when he was 7. Surely you can after it's been pointed out so many times.”

“And all this,” Lee continued, waving her hand vaguely at Robert. ”Stops now. I've had enough. You don't have to be friends, but there will be no more of this.”

Why did he feel guilty? Robert did not deserve for Tarin to feel guilty for the lack of full disclosure. Tarin didn’t show the guilt, or say anything to change Robert’s line of thinking but still…

Tarin supposed you couldn’t have everything.

It would be enough if Robert could manage to stop being blatantly hostile. It would be enough if Lee could somehow find a middle ground with Robert and things got better there.

It was also really funny when Lee gestured at all of Robert and said that ‘all of that’ needed to stop.

”Alright Em, I get it.” Robert said, studiously not looking at Tarin.

Tarin, for his part, looked over at Lee and smiled.

It took a little bit, but Robert finally said that he got it, that he understood there was no rational cause for his behaviour and that she wasn't going to put up with it.

”Good,” she replied simply before sipping her coffee. It was definitely lasting longer than normal with this conversation.

”Was there anything else that Rachel mentioned?” Lee asked Robert, her eyes glancing over at Tarin quickly. ”Or anything else that I should explain while we're still talking about this?”

Robert just shook his head again when Lee asked if there was anything else they needed to talk about or if there was anything else that Rachel had mentioned that needed to be explained.

Tarin couldn’t decide if Rachel just hadn’t said anything else or if Robert had simply heard enough. Hopefully the point would stick though, and Lee’s brother would chill the hell out. Tarin didn’t know why he cared so much, but maybe it was because he knew he would never have the chance to sort things out with his family. It just seemed important.

Tarin glanced at his watch and back over at Lee.

”Well…” he said, ”The game is about to start…”

Robert just shook his head when she asked if there was anything else that Rachel had mentioned that she needed to explain. And Tarin didn't have any suggestions of what else she should add.

In fact, the only words actually spoken were Tarin commenting that the game was about to start.

Lee looked over at Tarin in slight surprise. ”It’s gotten that late already?’ Lee asked Tarin before standing and moving her chair back to the desk where it belonged.

”What game, Em?” Robert asked. ”The hockey season is long over.”

Lee got up to put her chair back and Tarin grinned, ”I mean, it’s still the pregame but the game starts soon.”

Robert wanted to know what kind of game since hockey season was over, ”Mets are actually doing really well right now, probably still don’t have a prayer of making the playoffs…but what can you do?”

Tarin gave Lee a look though, ”Their success hinges on one very important thing though.”

Robert asked what game, which made sense. He had only ever seen her willingly watch hockey, never any other sport. But Tarin quickly answered that by explaining that the Mets were actually playing well at the moment.

”The Mets?” Robert asked, turning to look at Lee as she was turning back toward the two men with the chair returned to its place. ”You’re watching baseball?”

Luckily, Lee was spared from answering that because Tarin continued speaking. What those words were, not so much.

”No,” Lee turned a warning look at Tarin, though it was nowhere near as serious as any of the looks she’d directed at Robert that day. ”It does not depend on that.”

Tarin looked over at Robert, ”Well it certainly isn’t the Yankees.” he said.

Lee gave him a look and Tarin just grinned, then shrugged. ” You can’t argue with results.” he said.

Robert seemed shocked that Lee was watching baseball and Tarin couldn’t help but feel just a little smug about the whole thing.

”I’m not going to tempt fate though…” he said, hopping up to go and grab his hat.

”Well it certainly isn’t the Yankees.”

No, it wasn't. Lee had made that mistake once early on, putting the Yankees on one day when she hadn't been able to find the Mets because their game hadn't started yet.

Lee rolled her eyes at Tarin as he got up from the couch to go get his hat. As he disappeared from the room, Lee sat on the couch in the space that had been open between the two men.

”You don't have to watch baseball just because he likes it,” Robert said quietly.

”I realize that,” Lee replied, her own voice not matching Robert's volume. ”Tarin's been explaining things, more so to start, and it's actually kind of interesting. Kevin even comes out to watch with us half the time.”

It didn’t take Tarin long to make his way back to his room and snag his hat. As he made his way back to the living room and sat on the couch he heard Lee explaining to Robert that baseball was, in fact, interesting.

”I’m marking this down.” Tarin said as he settled back into his spot on the couch, happy that Lee was sitting on the couch now.

”And we don’t watch every game. Lee’s been teaching me how to play guitar.”

As she felt Tarin returning, Lee reached out toward the coffee table to grab the remote and turned the TV on. But then she shot Tarin a look when he made the comment about marking it down. ”I thought you would have done that the day Kevin ratted me out?” Lee asked, still not happy that her son had done that.

”I’m glad we don’t. There are far too many baseball games.I don’t know how anyone could watch all of them.”

As she searched for the game, Lee unconsciously leaned a little closer to Tarin.

”You’re teaching guitar now?” Robert asked.

Lee shrugged as she glanced over at Robert. ”Sure, why not?” she asked. ”I was going to need something else to do now that Kevin’s gone.”