Before

"River come down!" yelled Simon, staring with horror at his little sister as she scrambled up the large oak tree, leaping like a squirrel from branch to branch.

River looked down at him and rolled her eyes. Simon shook his head, amazed that even at the age of six his mei mei could still make him feel silly. Still, as he watched her climb higher and higher, he couldn't help biting his lip in worry.

River smiled at him and slowly edged out across the branch, reaching for the broad limb above her head. Just as her fingers grazed the wood, the branch beneath her broke with a sickening snap.

River plunged downwards with a scream, landing in a heap on the ground. Simon fell to his knees next to her, adrenaline and fear turning his blood cold.

"Where does it hurt?" he asked frantically, trying to remember what he knew about first aid.

"My leg," sobbed River. "Fix it Simon, please. It hurts." She let out a small scream of pain as Simon gently prodded the twisted limb.

"I thin it's broken," he said shakily, looking desperately towards the house, hoping one of the servants was outside so he didn't have to leave her.

"Fix it Simon," pleaded River. Simon bit his lip.

"I can't River," he whispered, "I'm not a doctor." River stared at him with blank eyes.

"But you promised you would take care of me," she whispered back, more tears streaming down her white face. "You have to fix it."

"Wait here," said Simon, clambering shakily to his feet. He ran towards the house screaming for someone. All the way back, he could feel his little sister's eyes trained accusingly on his back.

Later, when River was lying in the hospital as the doctor set her leg, Simon promised his father that he would become a doctor, just so he could always take care of his sister.

With his help, she would never be broken and in pain again.