A few days later

"So, I said, 'Ain't no way, bro!' and he said-" Maeve's happy screech cut Simon off and when I glanced over at him he nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! He said exactly that! I was like 'Bro, you can't just do that with a potato!' but he got all offended." Maeve babbled at him and I fought back a smile at the rather strange story that Simon was telling with Maeve's input. "He was all like 'You can't judge me! You didn't judge-" Maeve screeched again and I turned my head as Simon lifted her up. "He did! I'm dead serious!" He was grinning at the little girl as he let her kick at his lap, bouncing her up as if she were jumping.

She laughed and then babbled at him very intently, reaching out to grab him and Simon nodded. "See I tried to tell him that, Mayberry. I did. He's just being stubborn." Maeve made a rather serious sounding babble and he nodded. "Don't we know it?" He bounced her around on his lap before making a funny face. "But what can you do? You can tell them all you want but that doesn't mean they will listen and you can't fix stupid." Maeve laughed loudly and clapped her hands. "And they are stupid." He was chuckling as he brought her closer to his face.

"Boys are nothin' but trouble, Miss Mayberry. Remember that." He settled her back on his lap before he glanced at me. "That goes for you too, little miss big ears." Simon gave me a look and I scoffed slightly, fighting back a smile. Simon was such a gossip that the fact he was saying I was an eavesdropper was hilarious.

"Your ears are much bigger than mine, Simon." I turned back to the blocks I was getting ready to run through the sewing machine. They were looking perfect and I honestly couldn't wait to be able to put them all together so we could see the finalized project. It was going to look so pretty.

"Yes, but you were currently listening to a very private conversation between miss Mayberry and I." His voice was chiding and I gave a small 'ahh' at that.

"If it was private, perhaps you should have lowered your voice." I glanced at him, fighting against the teasing smile that was struggling to cross my face as he put on a rather affronted look.

"Well I never!" He pressed a free hand to his chest while he held Maeve with the other. "Miss Mayberry, do you hear this?" Maeve babbled rapidly and he nodded. "You are so right, that was so rude!" At the words I couldn't help but smile, giving a small chuckle. "We are offended. You hear us? Offended." I glanced at him again and he had arranged Maeve's arms to cross her little chest and he crossed his own in front of her, sticking his bottom lip out as he playfully glowered at me. I couldn't help it and laughed at them both. They both looked ridiculous and far too adorable.

Simon gasped, "Can you believe this? She's laughing at us!" He rocked side to side on the chair, making Maeve giggle as she uncrossed her arms and waved her hands rapidly as she giggled. That certainly didn't make me stop laughing as I looked at the two of them. "Laughing, Mayberry!" Simon lifted her up and kissed her cheeks before he chuckled himself. "Sure, sure. Yuck it up, fluff for brains." He threw me a grin that I returned.

I loved that Simon was allowed to hang around me during the day. There were times I felt guilty that he was stuck with me all day but then he would call me an idiot and glare at me until I apologized for insinuating I was a burden for him. Mainly because he said I was his little sister and he loved me so I wasn't a bother to hang around. That and he said I was a better friend to him than most other people and he preferred my company. Which made me secretly smile. It wasn't often I had someone like me for being me and to me it didn't matter that Simon always said it, it still made me happy to hear it.

I continued with the blocks as I tried to shove away the thoughts of Brochan that slowly tugged at me. He also seemed to like me for me but I didn't want to encourage any thoughts on that. My little crush was turning into a nearly uncomfortable infatuation. I didn't like that at all. I wanted us to stay friends, to keep moving on how we had been because I knew it wasn't good for him to know of how I felt. Plus I felt so guilty for it. I shouldn't have liked him, I really shouldn't. His Chrissie hadn't been gone for long and he was still grieving. I didn't want to interfere with that. Plus I was a female who didn't have worth, it wasn't my place to have such feelings for those above my station.

"Mum and I are heading for lunch!" Ellie called it out and I lifted my hand, waving to her as her and Lisa headed to the front of the building.

"I will see you later." I smiled at her and she grinned back, giving me another happy wave before blowing me a kiss that had me laughing. She was such a boisterous person. I loved it.

I turned back to the blocks and shifted in my seat a bit as I made it ready to run through the sewing machine. "So." Simon said it rather casually and I made a small hum of acknowledgement. "I think we need to have a bit of a talk." At the words I frowned slightly, wondering what on earth he was talking about.

"About what?" I glanced over at him, pulling the needle through the fabric and making sure it was tugged snug.

He got off his chair and stood up, holding little Maeve close as he picked up the chair and moved it closer. "I think you might know." He gave me a look that had me turning to him a bit more, my frown growing.

"Believe me, I don't." I honestly didn't have a clue what he was talking about. I watched him sit down with a sigh before he lifted Maeve up, letting her lay on his chest.

"You like that ass of a male more than you should." At the blunt way he said it my cheeks instantly went hot and I turned away, pinching my lips together.

"I have no idea what you are talking about. I don't have any feelings towards him besides gratitude." I made sure to emphasis each word, just to make sure it was clear that I was being truthful. It didn't matter that it was a bit of a lie, Simon didn't need to know that.

"Really?" He gave a slight scoff and I glanced at him from the corners of my eye and he was rolling his eyes. "I'm your big brother, Menza. I grew up with you. And I'm not an idiot so don't expect me to act like one." He gave me a look, his eyebrows rising as if to say 'spill it' and I huffed out a breath.

"I can't help how I feel." I gritted it out slightly, feeling embarrassed and a bit ashamed. I had thought I had been hiding it better than that. My stomach knotted up at the thought that Brochan would be able to tell and I honestly couldn't handle the thought of it. I was just starting to feel like I was safe and secure in my place there. I didn't want to have anything jeopardize it.

"I know you can't." Simon's voice was soft and he let out a heavy sigh and grabbed my arm. "I know you can't and I know how it probably feels but I want you to know you are far too good for him. He's not worthy of you." He squeezed my arm and I shook it off, an old pain rising up in me,

I scoffed heavily. "Father made sure I was beneath him. He made sure to give me that label. To let me know exactly where I belonged and what worth I brought." The words were bitter on my tongue and the anger and pain rose up. "I am worthless. So don't tell me he isn't worthy or tell me I'm too good for him because you and I both know what my worth is and that it has been set in stone, so please don't rub salt into that wound." I couldn't help how the words came out snapped. It hurt. It still hurt that I had spent so long trying to show our father that I had worth and he tossed me away, like I was trash he couldn't wait to get rid of. It made my chest feel tight and made me want to cry.

I tried so hard to give myself value. I tried so hard to give myself worth. I learned everything I could to bring some value to myself and nothing I had done made a difference. I swallowed hard. I tried to make myself something he could give a mediocre fight for and instead he had tossed me away.

Worthless.

The word hissed at me and I flinched under it. Worthless. A burden. The fact that Brochan was so kind and nice to me just highlighted how much worth he had. He didn't have to do any of it. He could treat me however he wanted, could have given me the bare minimum and he hadn't. He was nice to me. Kind. He treated me like I had more worth than was given to me but at times that aching understanding of just what I was worth, struck at the center of my chest and made me want to collapse in on myself.

"Hey. Hey." Simon rubbed my arm, his voice low. "None of that. I won't hear that." He leaned closer to me, grabbing my chin so he could turn my face to look at him. "You're my little sister, the best female I know. And you deserve the world. Never forget that for a second." He said it softly and I blinked away the tears in my eyes as my chin trembled. He was so sincere, he believed it so hard. "And one of these days, I will take the protector status from dad and right that wrong." There was a gleam of anger to his eyes as he spoke but his touch was gentle. "I will make this better, okay?" His gaze seemed to search my own and I fought back the tears and blinked rapidly.

"Don't worry on my account." I swallowed hard and gave him a rather wavering smile. "I am happy where I am." I was. There could have been far worse fates than to be stuck with Brochan. He was a good and kind male. He treated me far better than anyone else would have and I was happy for it.

"That's the problem, Menza. You deserve to be happy and secure. You and I both know your position is precarious." Simon saying it made my chest ache and tighten. I knew how precarious it was. There was so much that could go wrong and Brochan's treatment could switch but I shook my head quickly.

"Brochan is a good male." He had been angry when I first came and he had scared me but I knew he wouldn't do that again. He was a good male, he had just been hurting. I gave Simon a stronger smile and he let his hand drop and gave a slow and steady exhale.

"His female died, Menza." He sighed it out. "You say he is a good male but we still aren't allowed to come over to visit with you. I'm only here because he doesn't trust you with anyone else. He hasn't given you the worth that you have, he's leaving you with the label dad gave you. There are clearly limits to what being a 'good' male is for him but I know for a fact that this is going to end with you getting hurt and I can't bear to see that." The soft sincerity he had was twisting at my chest, yanking and pulling and I swallowed convulsively. I didn't want to hear that, to have someone give voices to all my little fears I had been hiding away inside of me.

"He wouldn't." I said it as firmly as I could and Simon shook his head.

"I wish I had your faith in him but I love you too much to stay quiet about this." His entire form softened as he looked at me, his eyes tracing my face. "I love you, Enza, and it's because I do that I am letting you know this. I want you to brace yourself for the eventuality that he will turn on you. Because he will." The way he said it had my breath hitching in my chest.

"It's not inevitable." It wasn't. I would keep my feelings hidden deep down. I would keep everything tight to my chest and not ever let him know and that way Brochan would never feel the need to once again become cold and mean. He wasn't drinking as much anymore and he smiled more. I was helping him. He wouldn't change now, it wasn't inevitable.

"He lost his female, Enza. He isn't seeking to replace her so when he realizes how close he's gotten to you, he's going to push you away and he will push you hard and he will blame you for it." Simon shook his head as he adjusted Maeve in his arms, the little girl rubbing at her eyes.

I shook my head rapidly, my eyes wide. "We are friends." That was all we would be. I would make sure we were friends, to keep us right in that position. I couldn't lose another home. My feelings didn't matter and if I had my way Brochan would never, ever know.

Simon gave me a rather sad smile, "I wish I could believe that, fluff for brains. I wish I didn't have to say these things. I wish I could tell you that I approve, that he will sweep you off your feet. That you two will be happy together but I know it won't happen like that." The way he was looking at me was enough to make it feel like I was going to crack down the middle. "I wish I had the ability to fix everything and to make this okay but I don't. All I can tell you is you are loved and that if anything happens, I am right here. We can run away together and I can keep you safe for anyone who comes after us." He gave me a half smile.

"I hate that you are here." He looked away, his jaw ticking before he shook his head. "You are too good to be stuck here, in this pack, in this territory. And it sucks that I can't fix that."

I shook my head. "It's okay." I gave him a wavering smile as I reached over and grasped his forearm. "It's okay." He patted my hand, giving it a small squeeze.

"It's not but I'm not going to push anymore. The last thing I want to do is upset you." He gave me another small smile before shifting and holding Maeve out for me to take.

"How are my girls doing?" Brochan's voice was loud and cheerful and it was enough to make my chest hurt as I watched him come across the building, that easy grin on his face. I gathered Maeve up into my arms, holding her close as she fussed a bit.

"Miss Mayberry is a bit tired. So I think it's nap time." Simon's voice was even and he bent down and kissed my cheek. "I pray to Mene that I'm wrong. I really do because the last thing I want is for you to get hurt." He whispered the words into my ear and I closed my eyes against them. The feelings inside me feeling like they were tearing me apart but I shoved it all down as I looked at Brochan, giving him a smile.

"I agree. She needs a nap." I shifted on my stool, standing up right as Brochan made it to the table. His hand moved over the blocks and he gave a rather bittersweet smile.

"It's looking amazing." He picked up a block and stroked the yellow and green pieces. "This one is from that yellow button up." He tilted the block as he pointed to the yellow checkered pieces that was part of the daffodil petal. "She wore that one whenever we went to town. That and some blue jeans." He let out a small sigh as he rubbed the pieces of fabric. "She called it her good shirt, her town shirt." He nodded his head slowly and I swallowed hard, fighting to keep everything down inside me, to push it all back to that little box I liked placing my feelings in.

"Thank you." He looked at me, his dark eyes intent. "What you are doing for me, is worth the world." The sincerity was almost enough to unravel me and I gave him a wide smile, trying to hide behind it.

"We should get lunch. You are probably hungry from training." I kept my voice light and happy, hoping against hope he couldn't hear the waver it had.

"You're right. I am hungry." He gestured with his hand and I swallowed hard as I grabbed the diaper bag and came around the table. I adjusted Maeve in my arms and once I was close enough I held out my wrist but he ignored it and grabbed my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Let's go home." At the words I nodded, ducking my head to work my jaw to keep everything down.

Simon wasn't right.

He couldn't be.