He watched Max, his fingers as they worked, stretching out the coat, tying the bones in, then up to his face, blue meeting blue.

He took a breath, as deep as his injuries would allow, and slowly let it out.

It wasn't smart. And he would never forgive himself if something he did, or didn't do, cost Max his life...

But how did he fight that? How did he fight his brother?

(He couldn't. Even whole, he couldn't go through that again.)

"Brothers," he murmured. He nodded, and reached out. "To the end."