I've had the idea for this fic since I first watched Supernatural about a year ago. Thanks to icky junior year, I wasn't able to really work on it. I've written bits and pieces here and there, but this is the first "chapter" I've finally gotten to really focus on. Sunshine is more of a collection of stories that all tie into one, so I honestly have no idea how many there will be. This is also an opportunity for you guys to suggest some stories! If I can kick my procrastination in the butt, I'll write as many as I get!

So, thanks for reading that stupid author's note! I hope you enjoy!

Sunshine

Part I- Pilot

For Natalya, the answer would always be death.

However, to her uttermost annoyance, destiny seemed to always have a different plan.

She was not in the least suicidal- Natalya valued her life more than anything, for she knew how many people had given up theirs to ensure her safety. To throw that all away would be a disgrace to the fallen, and Natalya reviled the mere thought. Her often reckless decisions were often not her decisions anyway. Everything she did was for her brother, the only remaining family she had left. Natalya had given up on the notion of friendship long ago- what was the point of getting attached if her "business" always led to their deaths? It merely tore at her until her heart was a hardened, shredded mess.

But, she figured, so long as it retained its sorrowful rhythm, she was okay with that.

Ever since she was a child, Natalya's sole mission in life was to look for her brother after he left. It was a path of vengeance, he claimed. A path with only enough room for one person, and even then it was often narrow and hazardous to traverse. It was his duty, though. The monster that had killed their parents and older sister must face its death as well. Thus, Ivan left her, at the impressionable age of seven, with a Belarusian family in order to face death's beast.

Natalya never feared her brother was dead. Although he never showed his face, traces he had left behind to reassure her of his safety were everywhere. When these hints began appearing farther and farther from Minsk, Natalya knew it was time to begin chasing him. She left when she was fifteen. She didn't want her caretakers to know, because they wouldn't understand and would definitely try to hold her back. Natalya cared enough for them to leave a note apologizing for her sudden leave. She didn't say anything regarding her return.

Ivan thought that he must walk alone, but Natalya had other ideas. She had been raised to be stubborn and strong-willed, and not even her brother could take that away from her. Even when Ivan stopped leaving behind bits of his presence to bait her, Natalya persisted. She crossed all of Europe, discovering and defeating ancient evils, witnessing the aftermaths of her brother's identical work. Her journey led her into deserts of Western Asia, then to the steppes, mountains, and rainforests. It wasn't until she arrived in China that she lost trace of him.

There was no way this could deter Natalya from her mission. Using all means available to her, she made her way to the next continent. North America was a place full of wonder and cruel, underground horrors. Towering monstrosities in the Northwest only barely hindered her. Old spirits nearly forgotten hounded her in the Midwest, but she easily shook them off and continued.

In New York City, she picked up his trail again. It was a stale trail, and perhaps unreliable, for most of the local hunters were unsure if it had indeed been the infamous Ivan Braginski they had seen. It was her only lead, however, so she accepted the possibility that she may have finally caught up to him.

Since it didn't seem like Ivan would be leaving "the Big Apple" (what a stupid name, she mentally grumbled), she decided to find a place to stay.

The hunters all had the same location in mind for her, considering her age and occupation. Apparently a "school"- all used the term lightly- had been set up for young hunters around the world. It was quite prestigious in the underground, and several hunters knew others' children that attended.

"It's all run by one of the finest, too," one had proudly boasted. "Arthur Kirkland himself. They say he's single-handedly brought down twenty Wendigos by himself and-"

Natalya didn't need to hear anymore.

She'd be enrolled in that "school" within the hour.

((((()))))

"ARTHUR! ARTHUUUUUUUUUUR!" the young man screeched, lithely zooming at his top speed through the night. His coat whipped with the air he sliced through during his reckless sprint to the dean's office where Arthur Kirkland always was.

Arthur was calmly waiting outside the office building, illuminated by the street lamps surrounding the building. He regarded his companion with a nod. "Gilbert's already alerted me to the break-in. The intruder tripped one of his security charms."

"She didn't just break-in, Arthur. That's the thing," he said. "She's got years of experience on her. She's almost as good as you."

At his disbelieving expression, the young man opened his coat. Arthur's eyes widened at the knives stuck in him, hitting nearly every vital organ except the heart, which he was sure to dodge. Grunting, he pulled one out. "I don't think she realized I was a vampire or these would all be in my chest right now."

"You don't think she's after anyone here, do you, Tavian?" he worriedly asked, eyes flickering to the residence halls, hands straying to the gun and knives at his sides. "But more pressing than that- if she was able to get past you, we have an emergency on our hands. I'd like you to alert the others. Do not wake any of the children. If any of them- particularly the Vargas brothers- hear of this, there will be a mass panic. I'll start looking for her-"

"There's no need."

The two men snapped their heads around to see Natalya walk up. She looked Tavian over, pursing her lips. "So you are a vampire. I didn't know there were any in New York. Aren't most hives in Eastern Europe?"

"I came to America a few centuries or so ago with some immigrants," Tavian hesitantly answered. To see her suddenly so calm after that earlier attack completely threw him off balance. "And I've never really worked well with hives."

"I see," she murmured thoughtfully. Her eyes strayed over to Arthur next, looking over his appearance. He didn't seem like anyone particularly special, in her opinion. But then again, those who looked the part of a seasoned hunter were usually the idiots that got killed in their first real encounter. Stealth was the number one rule to any hunter, no matter what they specialized in.

Arthur didn't break his gaze away from her face. "Natalya Arlovskaya," he said. "I've heard much about you."

Tavian gaped. "Arlovskaya?"

It was either a miracle or her mercy that saved his life, then. He put a hand on his chest, though his heart hadn't worked in a very long time. It was just a habit he'd found himself picking up after spending so much time with the humans. Effectively blending in was rule number one for any vampire, of course.

Arthur and Natalya ignored the flabbergasted vampire standing stone still in their company. "What, might I ask, are you doing here?" Arthur asked. He didn't let his uneasiness flow into his voice, but Natalya could tell he was nervous by the way he stood so stiffly. "Anyone with your experience would have no need to come here."

"I haven't come to enroll in your silly school, Mr. Kirkland. Well… not for that reason, at least. I need a place to stay while I'm in New York. I figured that I could help out if you required me to pay you, though I really don't expect myself to be that endearing." Natalya crossed her arms, wearing her best no-nonsense face. Actually, it really didn't matter what Arthur decided. Natalya would be staying here regardless of whether or not the dean approved. During her walk to the dean's office, she had already talked to a nice young man named Isaiah that welcomed her and commented on how nice the dorms was. Of course, this guy was probably mental, for he continued to comment on how they were much better accommodations than the barracks at Fort Sumter.

But, much to her surprise, Arthur smiled. Tavian's gape only widened. "Of course you may stay, so long as you do not pose a threat to any of the students or faculty here. Also, I'd like to ask you to apologize to Mr. Lupei."

She blandly turned to Tavian and, in the most unapologetic deadpan ever, said, "Sorry about brutally stabbing you eight times. Now give me back my daggers."

"What, were you just going to leave my dead body back there so you could pick them up later at your convenience?" he grumbled, handing them to her.

"Probably." She turned back to Arthur before Tavian could spit out an angry retort. "Where will I be staying?"

(((((())))))

The girl had yet to shut up. Natalya predictably ignored her new roommate, a bright and cheerful Taiwanese girl named Xiao Mei, with every fiber of her being. This didn't seem to bother Xiao Mei, for she continued twittering away at how glad she was to finally have a roommate, and how she would show her around campus first thing tomorrow morning, and how she was sure they would be instant best friends.

Needless to say, it was one of those days that Natalya wished she had chosen to sleep out on the street, screwing the idea of comfy and safe accommodations. She regretted the thought almost as soon as it crossed her mind. "You need stop that," she muttered to herself.

Xiao Mei finally paused her planning, noticing- to Natalya's irritation- that she'd spoken. She sat down at the edge of her bed with a concerned frown. "Hey," she began, starting in a more thoughtful tone. It surprised Natalya- she was beginning to think the only emotion Xiao Mei had was extreme and obnoxious happiness. "I know how it feels to suddenly move in here. I didn't have a choice- my parents shipped me off here as soon as word about this place came to them. It was that way for a lot of people here. Our parents would never say it, but to them, we are physical and emotional burdens until we're properly trained. Even then it is difficult to let us go into the world and join the fight. Even the best eventually lose."

"Not always," Natalya quietly murmured. "My brother is the best hunter in the world. He has dispatched of everything that he has targeted or has targeted him. The only thing he hasn't gotten yet is the monster that killed our family."

She gasped. "I'm so sorry, Natalya. I had no idea-"

"It's alright," she sighed, waving her apologies away. Natalya leaned back against the wall and lazily looked around at the room. Posters of Xiao Mei's favorite music artists were plastered over the walls, but everything else was trim and spotless. The two desks in the room were neatly covered by large calendars and office supplies. Xiao Mei must have been very serious about her work here. Natalya vaguely wondered if all of the classes here related to hunting, or if there was a regular curriculum too. Another of her past regrets resurfaced to pick at her. Natalya supposed she was academically stupid compared to everyone else her age. She had left Minsk before finishing the ninth grade. Now she was nineteen and horrible at any kind of math, science, or history.

Xiao Mei's soft voice pulled her back. "It won't be that hard assimilating. We're kind of a big family here. You'll fit in before you know it."

Natalya shook her head. "I doubt I'll stay here long enough for that. Besides, I don't really like getting attached."

She giggled. Natalya narrowed her eyes at her, but she merely said, "I know at least thirty people who swore they would never get along with anyone here, and now they're the friendliest of all. Lovino's the only one who still keeps to himself, but I've seen him talking with Alice Johannes enough times to tell that he's just shy. Lovi's as loveable as Feliciano."

"Who?"

"They're brothers that go here," Xiao Mei explained. "They're not hunters, but their guardians are. Ludwig's in my class and Gilbert teaches both regular history and underground charms study. Anyway, Lovino and Feliciano were cursed with immortality after a duel between their grandfather and his archenemy, Ludwig and Gilbert's ancestor. Before he died in battle, their grandfather cursed his enemy's first son's descendents to take care of Lovi and Feli. Apparently they've been friends with Arthur for a while. They helped him build this place."

Natalya was a little surprised. She had heard about curses and magic, but she never really came into contact with any of it. Natalya's business consisted of dealing solely with monsters and malevolent spirits. And annoying Lithuanians and Poles, but Natalya really did not like to talk about that. She almost shuddered at the horrible memory. Suffice to say, she wasn't going back to Poland for a long time.

With her interest piqued at last, Natalya found herself carrying on a decent conversation with Xiao Mei. She told her about the teachers and their specialties, the students and their families or unique abilities. "We've also got another pair of brothers that aren't hunters too. They're Alfred Jones and Matthew Williams- actually, they're step-brothers, but they claim each other as blood brothers. It's really sweet. Anyway, I heard they were on vacation and Alfred got possessed by the spirit of a Confederate soldier in Fort Sumter. It's funny, though, because Isaiah only takes over when Alfred is asleep or unconscious."

Natalya's eyes widened. "I-Isaiah?" she burst.

Xiao Mei nodded. "I guess you met him? He's a real gentlemen. I love Isaiah. Alfred's a lazy pig, but you didn't hear that from me. Matthew is just precious. I don't think I've ever met a boy as sweet as him. Arthur ran into them three years ago and agreed to take them in. He promised to find a way to exorcise Alfred, but nothing he's tried has worked yet. Isaiah hates Alfred, so it's not like he's trying to keep a hold over him. I honestly don't know what to think of it."

"Sounds curious," Natalya agreed. "What does Matthew do if he's not possessed or a hunter?"

"He works a lot with Gilbert, gathering legends and verifying them either as true or fiction. With his help, we've gathered a lot of knowledge of different spirits and charms. Like, did you know the original Beauty and the Beast was real? Gilbert found the magic ring in France, and now it's in Arthur's vault. It's both cool and a little frightening to learn that these fairytales really did happen. The Grimm Brothers were some of the best hunters and scholars of their time. Oh, and we usually have Matthew on blood duty for Tavian."

"Blood duty?"

Xiao Mei nodded again, this time enthusiastically. Natalya mentally groaned. "Tavian's sort of the body guard around here. He keeps everything supernatural or threatening off campus. Nothing ever gets past him!"

Until tonight, Natalya mused. Xiao Mei was still in the middle of her exposition: "He's such a cool vampire, though! Tavian used to be a hunter in Romania- everyone knows that's a haven for supernatural stuff, so he's especially strong because of that. One day, he was going after a vampire, but before it fully died, it turned him. He's rebelled against all things vampiric since, except for O negative blood. He loves the stuff. We hold annual blood drives to keep things stocked up for him. One of the rotating after-hours jobs around here is to make up drinks for him. It's not the best job in the world, but most of us just push if off on Matthew. I swear, nothing disgusts that boy. It's probably from living with Alfred."

"Do you hate Alfred or something?"

"Of course not! He's a great guy! It's just… he's really really annoying. Like, a red bull charged puppy kind of annoying. He's hot, too. If he didn't have that obnoxious hero-complex, I'd totally go out with him."

That officially sent Natalya's head spinning. Hot? Go out with? Natalya's English was not the best, but she figured this wasn't an effect of her bad language skills. Even worse, it was an effect of her bad teenage-girl skills. Natalya couldn't help but be cynical and totally unromantic since her prime teenage years were spent traveling around the world after her brother, fighting anything nasty that got in her way.

When Xiao Mei realized this, her excitement shot through the roof. "You don't know boy stuff?" she squealed. "Wait just a minute! I've got to introduce you to Taiwan's hottest!"

Natalya was sure she had never felt this level of terror as she watched Xiao Mei grab an armful of Taiwanese magazines, each a neon color emblazoned with a handsome boy.

((((()))))

Morning classes did not come soon enough for Natalya. She hadn't been able to get a wink of sleep after Xiao Mei's endless lectures on "discovering the right guy for you". They had gone through countless stupid quizzes together, each accented by a squeal from Xiao Mei when they checked their results. According to the magazines, Natalya's perfect man was sweet, caring, but also fun-loving. Another said that although this man would be a challenge to deal with, it would also be a fun experience.

Awful thoughts of Natalya dragging around Alfred- for that was who first came to mind during all of this- plagued her all night long. She was afraid that if she ever saw him (or Isaiah) again, she might decapitate him on the spot. Arthur was sure to be displeased about that, though, and he'd probably kick her out. Then Natalya would be forced to sleep out on the street.

When Xiao Mei woke up at five to get ready for her day, Natalya decided to leave her be and explore a little. To her ever so pleasant surprise, a note had been left on their door some time during the night. With the apparent general letter of greeting was a class schedule attached. On the back, written in a fancy script Natalya could barely read, was a note from Arthur: "Just in case you decide to stay with us longer than expected."

She looked the schedule over with utter disinterest. Normally she would just crumple it up and tossed it somewhere, but after a night with Xiao Mei's endless speeches about how great this place was, Natalya decided she would give it a chance. To her surprise, the schedule was actually… interesting. Arthur had signed her up in classes teaching subjects she had either never really learned or had ever heard of. One she found particularly interesting: Supernatural Identification, taught by Professor Nikolaus Bondevik. According to the description, it went over the classification of spirits and beasts, as well described the best ways to deal with them.

Natalya tried her hardest not to show her embarrassment when she asked Xiao Mei where her first class was.

Xiao Mei was simply excited to help. As expected, because she was always excited about something. The increasingly more appealing thought of New York City street life entertained her as Xiao Mei gave her precise directions. Then, before Natalya could escape, she decided that Natalya's wardrobe needed help. Well… not help. Her exact words were "we need to get you out of a nineteenth century dress and into something much cuter, because today we will be finding you a nice, cute guy to hang out with".

She had to get out of here.

((((()))))

Xiao Mei got her way.

She was an expert in brainwashing. Somehow, she had finally gotten Natalya to change into one of her outfits. It was a tight fit, but Natalya supposed that was because she usually wore baggier and looser clothes for easier fighting. Because that was what Natalya did: fight and travel, then fight and travel some more. She did have the luxury of caring about fashion or boys, because both were incredibly stupid. If Xiao Mei wasn't her friend-

Natalya stopped in the middle of the path, nearly causing the person walking behind her to bump into her. She clenched at her hair in horror. Xiao Mei was right! This place was already making her soft! What was she thinking, becoming friends with Xiao Mei and dressing up like this? Natalya wasn't a student at school! She was a trained professional with a very important mission! If she didn't find Ivan soon….

…If she didn't find Ivan, would it really make a difference? Ivan had been fine without her this long. Would finding him actually prove to be a hindrance? Had Xiao Mei been right about that, too? That family would always be a burden, even after sufficient training?

Our parents would never say it, but to them, we are physical and emotional burdens until we're properly trained. Even then it is difficult to let us go into the world and join the fight. Even the best eventually lose.

The last thing she wanted was to be a burden for Ivan. Natalya had always wanted to travel with him, helping him fight and hunt down that despicable Wendigo that killed their parents and Katyusha. Two were better than one, no matter what Ivan argued. Surely he knew it was impossible to go alone, right? That's why it was imperative that Natalya find him. She had to save him before he lost himself on this suicidal mission.

"U-um, excuse me, Miss," a voice twittered behind her.

Natalya snapped her head around at the nuisance breaking her train of thought. "What?" she grumbled.

The young Indian man didn't seem perturbed by her attitude. He grinned and stuck out his hand. "Hello! My name is Deshad Hiranandani, and I've been sent to deliver a message to you from Ivan."

Like a cannon ball had just crashed into her chest, her breath escaped her. She swallowed hard, trying to recompose herself. "A-a message? What is it? Is he okay? He isn't hurt, is he? Where did you last see him?"

"Calm down! Ivan's fine. He's staying in New York for a while to regroup with some old friends. He said it's about time for him to take on the Wendigo."

There went her breath and her nerves again. Her wired brain quickly processed the information and then gave her an awful headache. Old friends? Since when did Ivan have old friends? But then again, Ivan had to have acquaintances in the underground, right? That was how so many people knew him, unlike how they knew Natalya only for her reputation. All of the hunters she had met in New York so far hadn't recognized her unless she mentioned her name.

Except Arthur Kirkland. She mulled that realization over as well. How had he known? Had the daggers given it away? They were her primary weapon, after all.

She shook all of that away and refocused herself on Deshad. If he knew so much about Ivan and was able to recognize her, he must have known Ivan well. That definitely meant he knew where her brother was! "Where in New York is Ivan?" she demanded.

Deshad shrugged. "I'm not allowed to tell you that. Sorry, but he doesn't want you to get involved with this. I think he mentioned something about wanting you to go back home?"

"I don't have a home to go back to!" she shrilled. "And what the heck do you mean he doesn't want me to get involved with this? I was there when they were killed! I've trained my whole life to get on Ivan's level so we could take the Wendigo out together!"

At his pitying smile, Natalya felt the urge to strangle him. She only barely restrained herself, reminding herself that if she killed Deshad, she may not find Ivan before he left again. She would always be chasing him. Natalya took a deep breath that did not calm her nerves as she had hoped. "You do not seem to understand, Deshad, how important it is that I see Ivan. I haven't seen him since I was eight years old."

"Don't you think he's changed since then?" Deshad said. He glanced up at the large clock on the Office Building. "I don't have much time left to play Twenty Questions. Any serious things you want to ask me before I take off?"

Natalya racked her brain. She had to know as much information as possible. None of her questions would likely get answers from the Indian man, but she tried nonetheless. "Who are you? A hunter? A friend of Ivan's?"

His smile turned outright cheerful, raising Natalya's blood pressure further. "Like I said, I'm Deshad Hiranandani. I wouldn't call myself a hunter, per se, but I do know Ivan from my business. We've been working together for a long time."

It was true then- Ivan had allies. For some reason, the fact bothered her. She was angry that Ivan had friends- in fact, she was happy for him. But… it also meant that Natalya was perfectly able to make friends too, right? If her brother had given up on his lonely quest, she also had that choice. But just thinking of having friends traveling with her made her sick. Too many bad memories of vicious mortal attacks and loss batted at her. She couldn't let that happen ever again to anyone, especially her friends. Especially the kids at this school with loving families and friends.

Deshad's grin faltered when he gave the clock another peek. "I'm sorry that I couldn't tell you more, Natalya. I really wish I could help you, but if I endanger you, Ivan's sure to kill me." He nervously shrugged and waved. "I'll see you again, I'm sure. If not in this life, then definitely the next."

"W-wait!" she called after him. When she tried to follow him, she smacked into something invisible. A wall? No, what was the English word…. Ah! A force field! Natalya slammed her palm into it, watching the impenetrable wall momentarily glisten in rainbow hues. "What are you?" she yelled at him.

Deshad continued walking, no doubt with that smug smile on his face.

Since it was impossible to go back, Natalya huffily spun around and marched towards the history department. It was time to meet this Gilbert Beilschmit.

((((()))))

"I'm back!" Deshad sang, swirling inside their hotel suite. He theatrically bowed. "Thank you for giving me the pleasure of meeting your lovely younger sister."

His companion sighed, sipping at his tea. "Ivan's not in right now." Deshad looked up with a pout. "Don't give me that," Yao chastened. "I know it's your duty to look out for him, but it's not your job to stalk him. I believe that job is currently occupied by Miss Arlovskaya?"

Deshad wilted over to the couch, sullenly biting his lip. Yao was right, of course. Even though it was his cosmic duty to take care of Ivan, Deshad realized he did need to give him from breathing room from time to time. After all, Ivan had taken care of himself for seven years before meeting Deshad. He would be fine on his own.

But, Deshad thought with a deepening frown, New York City was not at all like Europe or even Asia. The spirits here were different from what they were used to. And with so many worldwide hunters gathering here to watch the inevitable show down, plenty of haunting or guardian specters would be following them overseas, too. Maybe Ivan and Yao couldn't see it, but Deshad could feel the heavy air settling over the city. It shook him up every time he stepped outside. So many spirits settling in one area was not good news. With their mission, it was even more dangerous. There could be deaths if they didn't move carefully. Deshad was afraid that confronting Natalya may have even unleashed terrible consequences. If she figured out what he really was and it out-

"Calm down, Deshad. Worrying will get you no where."

"Easy for you to say," he muttered. "You don't feel the pressure."

Yao set down his glass. "I may not feel the spirits, but their arrival has certainly caught my eye. Ivan also knows what we've drawn here, and that's why he's trying his hardest to get Arthur Kirkland on our side. He's the only person who can combat the darkness, because he has witnessed it first hand."

Deshad's hands trembled. "…That's impossible."

"His very existence in the present is impossible, but as you well aware, he is here, is he not?" Yao asked. Deshad looked over at him to see that Yao was just as nervous about this as him. If Arthur was the only person qualified to fight their enemies, then he was something much more powerful than he had expected. But, from what they had observed, Arthur had no special abilities. He wasn't a deva, or a spirit, or anything! Just a hunter.

And that was precisely what vexed them the most.

((((()))))

Arthur Kirkland stood by the large windows in his office over looking the campus in its entirety. The busy students milled about on their way to morning classes, joining up with friends in their usual groups. Even from so high up, Arthur could identify each of them. Kiku walked between Sadiq and Herakles, Alfred was animatedly telling another outrageous story to Matthew and Yong Soo, and Emil and Jia Long stood waiting for Professors Nikolaus and Nianzu to arrive at their usual spot by the water fountains.

He released a sigh, seeing all was well. Arthur certainly did love his job, but when he looked out at the children here- their smiling faces, devoid of worry and pain- the weight of his job fell on him. It was his responsibility to protect them from everything the world had to offer. Arthur had several others on the watch, also charged with the duty of looking out for them, but it all fell down to him in the end. Arthur was terrified to think of what would happen if he let his guard down for just a moment. The peace he had been able to secure for these kids would be stolen, and they would prematurely meet the world's cruelty. They would all become like Natalya, so stiff and heartless.

That was why he had allowed her to stay. Seeing someone so young burdened down with too many years of pain and hardship hit him below the belt. Arthur couldn't possibly allow her to carry on like that. He had seen what became of people like her, and it was not a pretty sight.

"So you see why it is impossible for me to join you," he said softly, gaze never breaking from the peaceful scene before him.

"…That is very unfortunate," Ivan murmured, taking another step to peer more closely at the children. He pursed his lips. "My sister will be more than able to protect them, Arthur."

Arthur shook his head. "You're missing the point, Mr. Braginski. It's not just about Natalya's sure ability to take care of this school. It's about taking care of her, too. And who, pray tell, will do that if I am gone and you continue to distance yourself from her? You are reason she's grown so cold that she shies away from warmth. Do you realize that, Mr. Braginski?"

"I realize that my actions have kept her alive and safe," he coldly retorted.

"But so very lonely." Arthur frowned, locking on to her troubled figure, stalking her way over to the history department. He stubbornly shook his head, looking back to Ivan. "I cannot let her become like me. I apologize, but this is where I draw the line."

Ivan nodded thoughtfully, peering out at his sister with a gaze riddled with sorrow. "…She is more like you than you know, Arthur. And not just because you are both victims of the same monster."

Arthur went rigid. "Pardon my tone, but I must ask you to kindly leave, Mr. Braginski."

He didn't need to say anything more anyway. "Goodbye, Arthur," he sweetly said. "Please continue to watch over my sister."

He softly shut the door behind him.