"Yeh mum. I'll tell 'im."

Nate ran up the stairs and slammed the bedroom door open. "Hey Mike! Mum says..."

He stood in shock, staring. The room the two boys shared was as messy as always. Clothing lay scattered every where along with cassettes and the occasional book. He picked his way across the floor, shoving things aside before trusting his feet to the floor beneath. "Mike?" He called out softer this time, peering around the open closet door. Forehead crinkled in a frown, Nate turned around in a circle, eyes once again going over the messy but otherwise empty room.

A small sound from above caught his attention and he broke out into a grin, leaping across the scattered bare spots of flooring to the window. Sliding backward out the window he hoisted himself up and over the overhang and up onto the roof. Quickly and carefully he half ran half crawled up the slope to the peek, laying on his stomach he peered over the edge to the other side of the house.

Micheal lay on his side, his back to him. Someone had their arms wrapped around him. Nate grinned, stifling a laugh. He'd caught his brother making out on the roof... right over mum's head so to speak... black mail materiel for sure if he ever wanted it.Or needed it.

"Ohhhh Miiiicheaaaal.." he sing-songed softly, just loud enough for his brother to hear. Micheal rolled half over to look in surprise at Nate's head, peeking over the rooftop. Nate's eyes went wide as he saw who his brother had been kissing and he ducked down, scooting back down the roof, his face turning red in embarrassment. His legs swung out over the edge of the roof as he flipped over to his stomach and felt for his footing on the window ledge.

He felt his eyes stinging as his feet scrabbled for purchase. He glanced up to see his brother crest the roof and start after him. " Nate! Nate wait!"

His toes hit the ledge and he loosened his hold on the roof, throwing himself into the room, his arms scraping against the shingles in his haste, and his head smacked against the top edge of the sill, making him lose his balance, falling to the floor with a thud. He blinked away the little spots of light dancing before his eyes, and scrambled across the floor, staggering to his feet as he heard Michael at the window.

Things crackled, rustled, and crunched underfoot as he fled the room, his shoulder connecting painfully with the door jam as he skidded into the hall and flew down the stairs.

" Nathaniel?" Helena MacDonnell called, emerging from the kitchen to see the source of the commotion. She saw the front door slam closed just as Michael came barrelling down the stairs, narrowly avoiding crashing into her. She reached out and grabbed ahold of his arm, dragging him to a halt.

"Mum, I gotta catch 'im!"

"Wha's going on, Michael? Wha' on earth 'as gotten int' yer brother?! He flew past 'ere!! Did he tell you?"

" I don't know, mum.. I'm trying to catch him t' find out.. tell me what?"

"We're headin' back t' Hawkscliff at five, so make sure yer packed an' ready."

"Sure thing mum." Michael said and slipped free of his mothers grasp with a quick peck on the cheek, then flew out the door after his brother. Helena shook her head and went to packing the perishables for the trip home. " Those boys..."

Nate gripped his arms, hugging himself as he stared down into the water from his hiding place. He froze as he heard his name being called, and gave a soft snif, dragging his arm across his eyes and face, erasing the tears .and the warm stickiness that seemed to cover the one side of his face. His head was throbbing where he'd hit it, and his arms stung where he'd scraped them.

" Nate! Come on, man.. I jus' need t' talk t' ye! Nate!" Michael stopped on the path below and shaded his eyes, looking across the river at the far shore. "Nate! Please! Let me explain!"

" Mike!" Nate narrowed his eyes and bite his lip painfully as he heard the voice and saw his brother's friend Brian jog into view and pause to catch his breath beside Mike. " Mike... let 'im go fer now, he won't understand anyhow."

Mike turned angrily on his friend. "No I won't let him go, Bri! Ye don' understand! NATE! NATE PLEASE!"

Brian reached out and grabbed Mike's arm." Mike.. 'e's just a kid! He freaked out, he won' understand!"

" He's not just a kid.. he's my brother, an' 'e will understand.. I just need t' talk t' him, tha's all..."

Brian sighed and shook his head. Nate felt his eye's fill with tears, and the taste of copper flooded his mouth. He'd bitten through his lip. He could feel the tickle of blood run down his chin, and swiped at with his hand.

"He's still jus' a kid, Mike. He's, wha'? Thirteen? Fourteen?"

Michael, gave a sigh and collasped onto a moss covered log. "Fourteen."

Brian moved and sat beside him, taking hold of his hand. "I know ye love 'im , Mike, but ye have t' keep in mind tha' he is just a kid... 'e's no' going t' accept or understand us. Maybe when he's older he will, but fer now..."

Nate saw Michaels shoulders moving and realized his brother was crying. "He hates me.. god Bri.. my little brother hates me."

Brian pulled Mike against him and held him as he sobbed. "I don' think he hates you, Mike. He's jus' upset an' confused. Give 'im time, alright? Yer always braggin' abou' him, about how smart he is an' everything... if he's 'alf as smart as yeve be'n saying, he'll come around on his own. He may never like it, but he'll accept it."

" When, Bri? Summer's over.. we're headin' back t' Hawkscliff this evenin', an' next week Nate'll be back at school an' I'll be heading off again. It'll be months before I can get a chance to come back an' see him! I can't leave him like this! " Micheal surged to his feet. " NATE! Come on, Nate!! Please!!"

Brian stood and pulled Mike back around to face him. Nate had to grab on to the tree branch above him as a sudden dizzy spell hit him. Mike wiped around at the creak of the tree branch and the rustle of leaves. " NATE? NATE!!"

Brian stepped around infront of Mike again. "Look, Mike.. ye obviously don' want t' listen t' reason an' I'm tired of chasing ye two all over the countryside. I'm going t' head home. " He leaned in and Nate watched, tears blurring his vision almost as much as the dizzy spell as The two boys kissed good bye. " Ye'd better phone me. And write this time too. I want pictures of ye in all those fabulous places ye wind up in."

Both Michael and Nate watched Brian walk slowly back up the trail, vanishing from sight. Micheal turned back towards the area he'd heard the sounds. " Nate? Y' there?"

The branch creaked again, and Nate felt himself slipping. He grabbed desperately at the tree truck and stopped his slide, but his feet had slipped from their spot and dangled down below the thickest leaves to where they could be seen.

He heard the underbrush crackle as Micheal ran up beneath him, reaching up to steady his legs. "Hold on..." Nate felt the hold tighten." Alright Nate! Come on, down.. I've got ye.."

Nate let himself slip down and felt his brothers arms slide up to steady him as he dropped to the ground. He started to move away when Micheal moved his grip to his arms and spun him around to face him.

" Shit! Nate.. yer bleedin' all over the place! Christ! Come sit down.. shit.. mum's gonna have a cow!" Micheal said, ushering Nate to the log he'd been sitting on earlier, and yanked off his shirt to dab at Nate's forehead. Nate tried to knock his hand away, and Mike grabbed his wrist. "Knock it off... ye should see the size of the gash on yer head.. an' yer lip, christ, it's puffing up .. ye look like someone beat the shit out o' ye!"

Nate didn't say anything, he just looked away as Mike decided the head wound was the worst and pressed the bloody shirt against it. " Come on Nate.. please. Let me explain at least."

" Explain wha'? Tha' my brother's a fag?" Nate growled, refusing to look at Micheal. He gasped and turned an angry and shocked look to Micheal, his hand going to the cheek Mike had just struck.

" Nate.. Nate I'm sorry.. I didnae mean.."

" Fuck you, Mike. T' hell with next week, why don' ye bugger off right now!"

Nate yanked free from his brother and stood up, ignoring the dizzy spell that over took him as his head started to throb, he spit a mouthful of blood onto the ground and suddenly felt his knees buckle.

" Christ! Nate! Nate, can ye hear me?! Nate!!"

He could hear Mike yelling at him, but his voice seemed to be far off, and the forest seemed to suddenly grow fuzzy and black. He was suddenly aware or a loud buzzing noise and then the black surrounded him and Mike was gone, leaving him alone.

Micheal leaned over his brother, shocked at both his own reaction to Nate's words as well as his brother's sudden collapse. The gash on Nate's head was still bleeding freely, and a large lump was already growing beneath it. He wasn't sure if Nate had passed out because of blood loss or a concussion, but either way he had to get the bleeding stopped and get him some help. He cradled Nate in his arms and after rubbing his hands briskly together, he placed them against the wound, feeling the warm stickiness of blood flow over his fingers. He forced his mind clear of everything except the wound and felt the warm tingle of magic flow through his hands and into his brother. He felt the blood flow slow, but it wouldn't stop completely.

Climbing quickly to his feet, he hefted Nate's unconscious form into his arms and headed off at a brisk trot back to the cottage, yelling for his mother the entire way.

* * *

Some one was mumbling and squeezing his hand too tight. He blinked open heavy eyes and saw Micheal sitting beside his bed, his head tilted back, eyes closed, tears streaming down his cheeks. " Please... I'm sorry, please..forgive me, little brother...I shouldn't have hit ye, I'm so sorry... please, jus' wake up... please... I'm sorry I fell in love with him, I never meant too, it just happened...I.. if you wake up, please.. I'll never see 'im again. Just wake up, Nate.. please... I'll do anythin'...."

" Shut up, Mike...I've got a head ache... and yer hurtin' my hand..."

Mike's head jerked down and he was suddenlly on his feet, leaning over Nate to hug him. "God... Nate! Thank god...." he said, then stepped back as Nate weakly pushed him away. "I'm sorry, kid.. I don't know wha' came over me... I didn't mean .."

" I said shut up... I heard ye the first time."

Mike swallowed hard and sat down, looking down at his hand in his lap. "I meant wha' I said, Nate...if it really bothers ye.. I won' see Brian any more. Ye mean more t' me then anyone."

Nate closed his eyes and sighed. "Get out, Mike." He said softly. "I don' want ye here right now." He kept his eyes closed, not wanting to see the hurt expression he knew would be on his brothers face. He heard Mike stand up and walk softly to the door.

" I'm sorry, Nate... please believe me." The door swished open. "I'll get mum."

The door clicked closed and Nate rolled over onto his side, facing away from it.

It seemed like only seconds later the door swung open and his mother hurried to his bedside. "Nathaniel?! Oh thank heavens.. ye gave us such a scare! If I ever catch ye up on tha' roof again, I'll skin ye alive, do ye hear me?! " she said, reaching over him to brush her fingers against his cheek. "An' what on earth were ye thinkin' running out like that?! If Michael hadn't of chased after ye, ye'd have passed out an' bled t' death somewhere! Why didnaet ye come straight t' me when ye'd gotten hurt?"

Nate stayed on his side, blinking away tears.

"Nathaniel... Nathaniel.. Young man ye answer me or ye will be very glad there are doctors close at hand."

Nate sighed and rolled over onto his back and looked at his mother. Her eyes were red and puffy looking, and he realized she'd ben crying over him. " I'm sorry, mum... I wasn't thinkin'... "

Helena sat down on the edge of the bed and took her sons hand. "Micheal told me wha' happened.. why ye ran off." Nate looked up in shock. "I can't say I'm thrilled about it either, but.." she gave a sad, tired sounding sigh. "I love my sons, an' I know I've done m' best to raise 'em an' teach 'em right. And, as much of a fool I feel for it a' times, I trust 'em. I can only hope it's something he'll change his mind abou' later on.. but I'll accept it an' support him none th' less."

She reached up and stroked his cheek again. "I hope ye can too. Yer opinion of him means everythin' t' him, Nathaniel. Thinkin' ye hate him.. it's crushin' th' soul out o' him."

Nate blinked away the tears that gathered. " I .. I don't know, mum... I.."

"Shhh. " she said, patting his cheek. " Jus' think on it fer now." she fussed with straightening the blankets as she talked to him. "Ye hit yer head pretty badly on th' sill.. ye must 'ave been goin' a right good clip t' do th' damage ye did. Took twenty two stitches t' close that gash. Three more on yer lip." she reached over and fussed with his pillow. "Yer a mess of bruises an' bumps an' scrapes.. I have no idea how th' protection spells failed so badly! Have ye be'n messin' around with them again?"

Nate offered a weak grin and shrug.

"Nathaniel! Ye silly fool! Ye don't have th' ability t' handle those spells yet.. all ye do is weaken th' ones already in place!! Ye know this! An' now look what it's done..." She sat back in her chair and glared at him, but he could see that she was actually more scared then angry. The thought of his mother scared and crying was very unnerving. He couldn't every remember her being anything but strong and fierce and brave...

" I'm sorry, mum. I won't mess around with m' magic again. Don' cry no more." He said, swallowing hard. His throat had been dry when he first awoke, and was now scratchy and sore from all the talking. "When's Mike leavin'?"

She was pouring a glass of water from the bedside table, and turned with a sigh, " Now tha' yer awake, I suppose it'll be soon." She said, tilting the straw so he could have a drink. "I hope ye talk t' him before he goes, Nathaniel." She set the glass down and kissed his forehead. "Get some rest."

He watched her leave, closing the door softly behind her. He turned back over onto his side, his back to the door, and tried to think of anything except his brother...

Nate felt the butt of the rifle punch back into his shoulder as he fired another round. He squinted over at the target, then sighed and began to reload. He stopped suddenly and turned, seeing Micheal leaning against a tree watching him. He felt a lump get caught in his throat at seeing his brother for the first time since that night in the hospital. He had refused to see him off to the airport, and between Micheals work and the weather, several visits had been cancelled or postponed.

Nate shifted, grimacing as snow trinkled down inside one boot and began to melt. He turned back to the target and took aim, conscious of Micheal watching him. He winced again at the kick to his shoulder, and lowered the rifle, checking his shot and refusing to rub the sore spot.

He glanced behind him out of the corner of his eye and Micheal was gone. He sighed, feeling his eyes burn, and turned back to his target with grim determination.

It was getting dark out by the time Nate entered the manor. His mother had gone into town earlier in the day on some business and hadn't returned home yet, so she wasn't there to berate him for his wet clothing or his red cheeks and nose. He returned the rifle to the cabinet where it belonged, deciding to clean it later on, and began shucking his coat and gloves.

"Was wonderin' when ye'd run outta shells."

Nate felt himself jump a little as Micheal's voice startled him, but he didn't turn around. " Pocket's only hold so many." He answered, trying to make his voice sound as cold as he felt. He reached up to hang up his coat and gave a hiss at the pain in his shoulder.

"Let me see." Micheal said, suddenly at his side, pulling him around to face him. He tugged aside the collar of Nate's shirt and winced. "Tha's a nasty bruise, little brother. Yer lucky ye didn't dislocate it.. come on.. I'll get ye some ice fer it."

Nate overrode his instinct to turn away and followed his brother to the kitchen and accepted the bag of ice.

Micheal leaned against the counter across from where Nate sat with the ice pressed to his shoulder and tried to decide what to say. "Nate... "

"Did ye really love 'im, Mike?"

Micheal blinked, startled at the question. "Yeah, I did... still do, I guess." He moved, yanking out a chair and sitting on it backwards so he could lean on the back. " I'm not gay, Nate.. I like girl's fine. I just like guys too."

Nate focused on the ice pack for a few minutes, digesting what he'd heard. "How...I don't understand, Mike.. what happened? "

Nate's head jerked up at Micheals sudden laugh. " Blame mum. " He winked, then laughed again at the look on Nates face. "It started as something t' irritate her with.. an' I guess I was curious too, otherwise the idea ne'er would have occured t' me, now would it? And Brian... well, I knew he was gay, he'd confided in me.. guess tha's what put the idea in m' head..."

Nate turned his gaze to the floor, studying the patterns in the wood tiles. " I talked t' 'im."

Micheal rested his chin on his hands, watching Nate over the back of the chair."And?"

Nate shrugged. "He's okay. He cares about ye, alot I guess. He's really ticked tha' ye haven't called..."

Micheal smiled sadly. "I promised m' brother I wouldna see him anymore."

Nate looked up at Mike, tears glittered in his eyes. "I told im tha'.. he wasn't mad at me fer tha'.. he said he wasn't really mad at ye either.. just wished ye'd still be his friend at least..." He sniffed and blinked at the tears. "If he makes ye happy, Mike.. ye should be with him.I was stupid fer wha' I said.. I'm sorry."

Micheal left his chair and went to kneel in front of Nate. "Do ye mean tha', Nate?"

Nate nodded then threw himself forward into his brothers arms, hugging him fiercely. "I miss ye so much, Mike! I'm sorry I've be'n such an ass!"

Micheal felt tears of relief slip down his cheeks as he held tight to his brother. "God, I missed ye so much, Natey... I was afraid ye'd never fergive me."

Nate sniffed and pulled back, wiping a sleeve across his face, and gave his brother a half smile. "I tried it, ye know... kissin' a boy.."

Micheal raised an eyebrow." Really? And?"

Nate shrugged. "It was okay, I guess.. girl's is more fun though." he finished with a grin.

Micheal chuckled and ruffled Nate's hair. "An'd just how many girls have ye kissed?"

Nate gave a snort and he stood from the chair and tossed the ice pack to Micheal. "Wouldna YOU like t' know."

Micheal laughed, watching his brother run out of the room and thump upstairs, hollering hello to their mother.

Helena found Micheal tossing the ice pack from hand to hand, a grin on his face as he sat in the chair Nate had vacated. He looked up at her, smiling. "It's alrigh' mum.. he fergives me... he understands.. he really does.."

Helena leaned over and kissed the top of Micheal's head. "Told ye he'd come around. " then she smacked him. "And don' thin I didna see the great puddles all over me floor leading straight t' tha' cabinet! What were ye thinkin' letting him sit out there in the snow all blasted day! "

Micheal ducked as she raised her hand to swat him again, chuckling, and dodged around her and headed up stairs after Nate.