Finn sniffles wetly, leaning into that hug. His earlier feelings about not wanting to be tucked into bed and babied were gone. It was complicated. Now he wanted nothing more than to be protected and babied by his big brother, who always knew the right thing to say and what to do.

Still, a hollowness in his chest resisted the easy comfort of his words.

"What if we don't get through it?" His voice was choked and afraid, real anxieties bubbling up now that the dam had broken. "What if I can't be a hero anymore? Maybe I'm just permanently donked up!"

Some dismal, sick with guilt part of him felt like that was fair. Fern wasnt going to be doing any heroing anymore, after all.