Love Me, Tolerate My Brother

"So how are things going between you and Danielle," Tera asked her brother
as he walked her to where the mid-night blue Sundellath was waiting for her
rider. 

"Oh we seemed to have worked things out between us and are doing good," he
replied. The smile on his face let her know he was telling the truth. 

"How's everything else going."

"You mean with Sandor don't you?" Trap turned to her and asked.

"Yes I did, but didn't want to just come out and say so," his sister
grinned. "I had heard... somewhere... That you asked Dinnan to keep Sandor
in his apartment for a few days."

Trap nodded his head. 

"I couldn't think of a better place to keep him until he dried out," trap
told her. "Then I think I'm going to keep a close eye on him after that."

"He took her death hard didn't he?"

"Yes he did...and I wasn't around him much since I came home to see what was
happening. I'm not going to make that same mistake now."

"And how are you and Ga'brin and that wonderful nephew of mine doing?" Trap
asked to change the subject.

"Oh Treb is walking up a storm right now. We've got a new gate that sits
across the door leading out into the dragons ledge because we found him out
playing with Sundee and Preston one day," she sighed at the memory, and how
scared she'd been when they had found him. 

"I think we really should start looking for a ground floor apartment just in
case he learns how to open the gate."

They had been standing next to Sudellath for a few minutes talking when Red
Sabbith joined them and moved quickly to snuggle up to his hatch mate. 

Tera looked around until she saw Sabbith's rider standing off a ways and
kept looking at him until he saw her. 

Tera beamed, *Hi Kay!*

He smiled at her and wave, still avoiding Trap's eyes.

Tera looked back and forth between the two and sighed waving good-bye to her
brother as he excused himself. Kay still didn't bother to acknowledge the
man even as he left.

This didn't go unnoticed by the girl standing there.

He turned back around as she touched his arm. *Kay .. about Trap ..*

Kay looked away quickly, not wanting to discuss him. *Better go.* he signed,
moving toward Sabbith, and climbing up on the dragon's back.

But when he turned in his seat to see if she was ready, he found her still
standing there staring at him.

*Get down her!* she ordered.

*We should go ..*

*This is just a short warm up, until I'm cleared for patrol, and not
important. So get down here now.*

He shrugged, *I'd rather not discuss this.*

*Kay!* her signs snapped. *Get down here, before I start looking for a new
partner!*

<<Sundee you tell Sabbith to tell his rider that I am very serious about
his. It has to stop.>>

Finally the deaf rider did as she ordered, seeing no way around it. *Now
what?* he asked, trying to look annoyed.

*I want you to stop this silliness with Trap!* her green eyes were flashing,
lips curved up in a frown.

*What silliness?* Kay asked. *I'm not doing anything ..*

**You're not doing.... HA!!** Tera chortled. **All anyone has to do is look
at you to know that Trap is around! You always get that *look* on your face
like something smells rotten.**

*Who ...me?" he flash her a smile and she lifted her hand up in a fist
before him.

**Yes you! Sometimes when I see that look I just want to hit you for being
so pig-headed and not even trying to get to know the real Trap.**

*I know all I want to know about him.* Kay shrugged. 

**You don't know anything about him!** Tera signed angrily. **You're just
upset with him because he came back here and Danielle left you for him. But
come on Kay... She's one of my best friends... but even I know she never
would have stayed with you long. It's just not in her. Her heart has always
belonged to Trap and the two of them are happy together. And that bugs you."

*No!* his hands snapped. *He treats her like shit! He doesn't love her! He
just wants her for an adornment!*

**How can you say that... even you have seen how happy they are together.
Trap loves Danielle and would do anything for her!!**

*Sure, and he didn't run out on her during that whole mushroom thing!* Kay
shook his head, *Look, we are never going to agree on this. he's your
brother. You love him. You don't see him the way he is.*

**Run out on her!!! What would you have done if you found out that Kitty had
slept with *YOUR* best friend and then slept with her old mate.... and no
one knew at the time why or how it happened?? Huh?? How would you have felt
if you came home and found her in your bed with someone else right after
they had made love!?!**

*I would have trusted her .. I would have believe her!*

**I don't believe you!!** Tera singed. **You would have been just as upset
as Trap had been when he walked in on you. Especially if it had been Trap in
your bed!!**

*I wouldn't have hurt her .. not like he did.* Kay's eyes teared up a bit.
*I would not have hurt her, Tera ..*

**How did he hurt her!!! And what of him... don't you think he was hurting
to... or do you really believe Trap has no heart?**

**Cause if that's what you're thinking you're wrong... very wrong.**

She took several deep breaths to calm herself before going on. 

*Didn't you see the way she hurt, Tera?* He shook his head. *I thought you
were her friend ..*

**I am her friend, just as I am your friend. But Trap is my brother and I
couldn't stand to see him hurting the way he was hurting too. And none if it
was their faults. They have worked things out between them and have forgiven
eachother. Can't you find it in your heart to maybe forgive him just a
little too?**

*I think you don't want to admit what you see, Tera. That's why you're
attacking me. I never did anything but love her and be her friend .. and
want to see her happy.* He shrugged, *And yes, she hurt me deeply. Gods! I
thought my world had ended. But if Trap truly made her happy, none of that
would matter. but I watched her cry after he refused to listen to her. After
he called her a whore .. and a tramp ..*

Kay turned away from her for a few seconds before turning back. 

*I see no reason to forgive him.  He thinks as little of me as I do of him.
Otherwise he would have respected me. Something he never did.*

**And you yourself never called her any of those names when she left you.
You never destroyed any of the pictures you painted of her? And what about
Trap? Did you ever give him any reason to respect you? No! You've had it in
or him every since you heard he was coming back to the Warren.**

She knew she was being unfair even as the words left her mouth. She wished
she could have pulled them back.. but it was to late.

*I did not have it out for him. No, Tera I didn't ..  Not until he started
sneaking behind my back to take her away from me. And honestly can you blame
me?*

His eyes met hers, waiting for her to answer, but when she didn't he went on.

*I did destroy them .. because it was to painful to look at. But I did not
call her those things as she sat trying to explain something that was not
her fault. I would have immediately been there for her if she had.*

"Look Kay... I don't want to fight with you. You were one of my first
friends when I came here and That means a lot to me.... But I just can't
stand to hear you speaking bad about my brother when you never once even
tried to get along with him...** She held up her hand when he would have
protested. **And yes I know Trap is as much to blame for that as you are...
yes you are... but I want it to stop.!! I need for it to stop. I don't want
to be put in the middle and be forced to chose one of you over the other!!**

*You don't have to choose Tera. I wouldn't make you do that. I mean I feel
like I don't stand a chance when he's around. Everyone thinks he's some
great hero .. that he can do no wrong. Especially you. And I feel like you
feel I'm completely wrong to feel this way. Like I should just go along with
everyone else. Pretend that my heart was never broken .. simply because
'they were meant to be'. Well, I can't do that.* he shrugged, his shoulders
slumping.

**Kay.. no one thinks Trap is any kind of a hero... just the opposite is
true. Most think he did what he did just for the glory and to make a name
for himself. I've heard people talking. And I know it hasn't been easy on
him since he came home. As for comparing yourself to him. I know of a woman
who happens to love you very much and thinks you're the greatest thing that
ever happened to her."

A smile can to Kay's lips, *She's the greatest ..*

**Yes she is and very much in love with you. But even she can't understand
this thing you have against Trap ... and how you always stick up for
Danielle. I've seen the way it hurts her.. and she's been trying hard not to
let it show. Not around you anyway.**

He frowned, *She knows?*

Tera nodded her head. "Yes she does. And is hurt by it. she thinks you're
still in love with Danielle and could never love her they way you do or did
Danielle... she's afraid she'll lose you over it.**

*She won't lose me. I love her to much.*

"Is everything all right here?" they both were startled by the sound of a
voice coming up behind them. Kay may not have heard H'nry speaking, but the
boy had seen him before Tera had.

Tera turned, plastered a smile on her face and faced him.

"What could be wrong H'nry?" she asked at the same time Kay was signing the
same words.

He looked from one to the other frowning slightly.

"I thought I saw you both arguing about something," he said, still not
convinced. 

"Oh..." Tera turned so Kay could see her hands moving. "Were we arguing
about something Kay?"

Kay looked at her for a moment then shook his head, *No ..everything's fine.*

"Yup... everything's fine," Tera agreed with a winning smile. "We were just
getting ready to go out on patrol. Was there something you need to say to us?"

"No..." H'nry was still giving them both the once over. "As long as nothing
is wrong between you..."

"Nothing!" they both agreed at the same time, each one trying to assume a
look of innocents. "So I guess we'll be leaving now."

Both hurried and mounted their dragons before the Wingleader could ask them
anything more.

Both were laughing as their dragon's took to the skies. 

<Kay says it was silly for you both to fight.> Sundee told her rider as they
made a bank to the left, Kay and Sabbith right beside them. 

<<Tell Kay he is right.>> Tera agreed... but deep inside she was worried
still what would happen if the two men didn't at least come to some kind of
agreement. She loved them both and didn't want to be in the middle.

<No sad thoughts right now my rider... We're flying together as it should
be. Let's be happy.>

<<You're right you silly beast,>> Tera suddenly smiled. 
<<Let's fly!!>

==================================  

Nrpg: Thanks go out to Kris who helped with Kay's part in this post :)

*****Submitted by: ******

Tera & Sundellath
Traplin & Diemis
Telnor Warren