She won't admit its tear drops rolling down her face – even when he asks. For Briar is calm – reserved almost, and Tris, well she is not. When she cries so do the heavens, when she is mad lightning surrounds her, when she wants to shout she has no choice but to shout over the lightning. But no one, well no one besides Briar has ever seen her cry. There 'sisters' say how nice it is to always be a family, but they aren't really. After all they have been through neither Sandry nor Daja have ever seen her break. Briar on the other hand knows every time she cries because it feeds his plants, he knows every time the wind because it rustles the leaves, and he will forever know when she is upset because the plants can sense the change in weather. Her happiness allows the sun to shine, allows the plants to grow. And Sandry and Daja speak of being brothers and sisters but Briar and Tris don't call each other that anymore.

"Tris, stop that! You are upsetting the Plants." Briar didn't anticipate the Slap, though he probably should have. "Hey, what did I do?" He reached for her hand and held it despite the lightning bolts coming from her hair and the shocks now coursing through his veins. Now he whispers because he sees the tear tracks, this time however he is wiser and doesn't ask if she is crying. "What's wrong?"

"You, this, us. I don't know, I feel sad and upset and I don't know why. I also don't know how, but somehow it's your fault." She tried to yank her hand away and only suceded in pulling him so close to her that they fell, him on top of her. "Get. Off. Of. Me. Briar!" She tried pushing him away but he only smirked – putting his knees on either side of her he leaned down to her face.

"I think you like someone, do you have butterflies in your stomach, and your hair looks very well kept today, and I notice you are wearing your other glass thingys, did Keith make those for you?" She decided kneeing him would be better then slapping him this time, not to mention he currently was holding her wrists down. He quickly let go and rolled off her, she stood brushing herself off and walked away, not bothering to offer him help. He however had to have the last word. "I think you don't like being my sister anymore, you want to love me in a different way. Don't you?" The lightning from her hair got bigger as she walked calmly up the stairs before slamming the door to her room. Briar meanwhile was still in the fetal postion on the floor.

He got up a few minutes later, only to fell his plants be watered, he looked out the window only to see it was indeed raining. He couldn't hear the rain, nor could he hear Tris but he assumed that's where the rain came from. At her door he stopped, he had made it up the steps and now he didn't know what to do next. Slowly he turned the knob and walked in only to see Tris – not thrown on the bed crying her eyes out but at the windowsill, silent tears running down her face. She didn't turn around to face him so he went to her and reached out softly to run his hands on her check – stopping any more tears from falling.

"You know it's ok if you don't want to admit it, but I think you are the most beautiful weather mage I know."

"Briar I am the only weather mage you know."

"Oh. . . right, umm I hope you don't hit me. Again that is. I think I like you and not in the sisterly way." He closed his eye waiting for impact however when it didn't come he opened one eye then the other. Tris was still sitting there – a small smile gracing her lips as she looked out the window. Briar took this as a good sign, and inched closer, slowly. When he got to where his lips almost touched her check he moved his hand to tangle in her hair and he kissed her check. She finally turned around, meeting his lips this time with hers.

They didn't eat dinner that night, and the next morning when they were eating break feast and Daja commented on having such great sisters and a brother, Tris and Briar shot each other a quick look from across the table. He ran his foot against her leg. "Briar why are you kicking me?!" Only to find out it was not her leg, but Sandry's. He laughed and soon the others joined in. He had finally been taught at least one lesson by Tris, never ask her if she is crying – especially when it is obvious she is. He even remembered this one, he had a feeling he wouldn't ever forget.