No need to thank me buddy, in the end this is about you and him and finding a resolution. Take the time you need, but remember to reply to him within the 5 day time frame as stated in the PM he sent you (it may be 2 or 3 days left by now). You only hurt yourself by letting that 5 day period pass, so I would absolutely re-read this thread tonight, specifically what the community's insight on this is. Since your making a thread asking the community to get involved, it's absolutely important to take the communities un-bias responses seriously.

As for your brother, IMO, there's nothing more he needs to add at this point. It's between you and you alone to read and respond to the sellers PM and seriously see the options he is giving you on how to proceed.

Don't worry about the reputation thing now. A + or - on a computer screen isn't the main situation right now, you getting what you are entitled to get per your agreement is bud! Let's get this resolved and dropped, then we can go back on the reputation situation. But it's almost impossible to solve a reputation dispute while the important situation of your BTC and Items is still on going!

I realize your brother has been speaking on your behalf more then you have been speaking for yourself in this thread (I know your on vacation though so I understand!). Its better if you take 45 mins - an hour tonight and resolve this yourself, meanwhile have your brother just sit on the sidelines for a bit while you do so, and once resolved he absolutely has a right to then address the reputation situation!