Half and Half

Chapter Thirty Seven

Gently getting Harry to his feet, Harriet positioned herself in front of her brother once more. "Let me be clear, Captain," she spat as she glared at her father. "You do that to him again, and you'll be the one with injuries. I don't want to have to pull a sword on my own father but I will to protect my siblings. Don't force me to choose because neither of us will like the outcome I can promise you that!"

"You didn't need to do that Harriet," Harry muttered as they made their way to their rooms. "He's just gonna be madder next time and all he'll do is do it when you're gone...this isn't my room. My room's on the other end of the hall."

"You really think I'm going to let you be alone tonight?" Harriet asked as they entered her room. "Not on your life Harry! I'd like to have CJ in here as well to be on the safe side but I know your feelings about her and right now, you need to take priority. Come on, lay down. What did he do?"

"Nothing...nothing too bad. I don't think he got the chance to do more than...than backhand me across the face and get a couple of kicks to my stomach," Harry whispered. Normally he'd insist he was fine until the seacows came home but Harriet was his sister. "I'll...I'll probably have a few bruises but nothing major."

"You shouldn't have anything but let me take a look," Harriet said softly. "Come on, shirt off."

Harry sighed but did as she asked, biting back the whimper of pain that threatened to escape his lips as he pulled his shirt off. He knew his sister well enough to know that she wasn't going to take no for an answer. Plus...she was a Captain. He was only a First Mate and while he loved being Uma's First Mate, even at nine, Harry knew the pecking order of a pirate crew.

Harriet sighed as she saw the dark marks on her brother's stomach and lower chest area. Captain...what did you do? You could have broken his ribs if I hadn't stepped in, from the looks of it. I'm going to have to drag him to the new hospital to make sure you didn't! I lost a mother, I'm not losing my brother!

"Okay...it could be worse, seems like I got there before he could do major damage. You don't find it hard to breathe right now, do you? Honest answer, Harry," Harriet asked as she gently prodded her brother's chest and stomach.

Harry shook his head, even as he winced slightly as Harriet prodded one of the bruises. "No...like I said...I just got a backhand and a couple of kicks," he said softly.

"Right...does it hurt to move your arm or shoulder? Right now, it looks like you've just got bruises but I want to be sure there's no internal damage."

"I...I haven't tried to move either of them. I was more focused on trying to keep myself as small as possible so he'd maybe miss me," Harry said softly.

"Can you try for me? And don't hide the reaction if it does hurt," Harriet said.

"What does it matter Harriet?" Harry muttered.

"The fact that we have a medical system that might be able to help you?" Harriet countered and Harry sighed before doing as she asked.

Harriett shook her head as she watched her brother. "It also matters because I need to know whether I need to go give the Captain what for right now or whether he can go through another day without the fear of the Gods in him," she told Harry. "If your ribs are broken, it's also the difference between you walking around and having to stay still. Now does that hurt?"

"Not real—," Harry said before letting out a small yelp of pain as his arm reached the halfway point of his attempt to raise it all the way. He bit his lip, the yelp having slipped out without him wanting it to. "Don't say anything Harriet...please! I've got my first shift at Lord Hades' restaurant tomorrow and if he finds out I'm hurt...that I couldn't stop the Captain—."