"It's not - " bullshit, Rufus started to interject but Sloane's words came out a tirade that slammed into him. People that honestly cared about her? Didn't they, her family, care about her? And she had been in love? Bloody hell. Rufus's hand ran through his hair, spiking it in every direction.

He took a deep breath, steeling himself, working his tone until it was even, until he no longer was tempted to shout. "No, I don't get it Sloane. But I'm trying to help. To figure it out you have to at least try to spend time with Ma and the family." He was tempted to cut his eyes away to Alvin, but instead he kept his gaze on Sloane. "You can be whoever you want to be. Just don't avoid something because it's hard." His voice fell, reminded of watching Alvin when he returned from America, of Wally arguing with him from a wheelchair in the garden, of Tuni when he thought he'd lost her. He couldn't bare to let those he loved feel hurt, not to help mend them. He killed him to watch his siblings give up, to take the easy path, to avoid life. He wasn't willing to let Sloane, his only sister, the baby of them all, the one he was supposed to protect as he did his own children, make such a huge colossal mistake as giving up, giving in, and not coming to reality with not only the Sadie side of her life but also the Sloane side.