"You know I never meant...."

She waved her hand, bidding him to silence as she covered her mouth to stifle the sobs that threatened to come. Gods! How could she have been such a fool! To think he held the same feelings for her as she did him, to think for once she was not merely a sister, a friend, that she had found someone to love her back as much as she loved them.

He wrapped his arms about her, head resting between her shoulder blades and it hurt more than a thousand punches in her abdomen.

"Please, don't." She fought to keep her voice steady, but her raised pitch betrayed her.

He sighed, squeezing her tighter. "This changes nothing between us, doesn't change how I feel for you."

"I know, and that only makes it harder." Her tears flowed freely now, stinging her cheeks. "I know you will always love me- just not in the way I wished."

"I will always be there for you- all you need is call." His own eyes welled up as he felt the warm liquid of her tears drip on his hands. "I will not betray you, will not let you go alone, you will always be beside me and me beside you."

"This I swear." She turned to him, taking his face into her hands. "If ever you or yours come to harm, I will hunt down those responsible and they will rue the day they ever had you in their thoughts."

He smiled as he placed his hands over hers, his heart swelling with pride and emotion on having incurred such loyalty from such an amazing woman. "The same goes for me."