[ Another tiny sigh came out, this time of mild relief that he had simply let the subject drop. However the other subject he chose to focus on was hardly better and she swallowed. ]

I believe you are the last person that could talk sense into your brother. [ She stopped herself just before she said 'let alone anyone.' There was no need to further argue, even if that did seem to be where many of their conversations seemed to go. ] An old friend? After all that has happened...[ Did he really think of her that way? What did she think of him as? An old friend or a lost friend. ]