A/N: So, this is my entry for the #sgnoromoweek. I know this is the last day of the challenge, but I hope I can enter this story into the challenge! Thank you Curlscat for the challenge and happy birthday SG!
Daphne approaches the bed, holding a blue brush as her sister smiles knowingly as her younger sister. Sabrina sees something in Daphne's eyes that makes her wary; the happy glow is slightly abated. As Daphne begins to brush Sabrina's hair, Sabrina expects the usual bombard of questions, but oddly, Daphne's mouth is shut tight. It feels foreign when Sabrina isn't trying to answer Daphne's moter-mouth of questions.
"Daphne?" Sabrina says tentatively, and Daphne makes a small noise in her throat to acknowledge she's listening. "Do you have any questions you want to ask me today?"
"No," Daphne says in a sad tone, and Sabrina blinks, turning around to look at her nine year old sister. Sadness reflects in her sister's brown irises, so different from her usual self. It makes her feel out of place and slightly alarmed.
"Is there something you want to talk about?" Sabrina asks, expecting an answer, but Daphne shakes her head, setting the brush down. Sabrina watches, a bit hurt, but Daphne gets up and softly lands on her soft, carpeted floor.
"I feel tired, Sabrina," Daphne says quietly, "I'm going to bed." And with that, Daphne leaves, leaving a depressed atmosphere in Sabrina's room.
...
There's a sharp knock on the door, and Sabrina responds with a short, "Come in!" Daphne walks in, holding the usual blue brush, but her eyes are downcast and her hair is out of its usual adorable braids.
"Daphne?" Sabrina says in incredulity. She doesn't know if this is a phase, but she didn't think she's see this until later.
Daphne lifts her head, and Sabrina stares for a long time. It's like without her brown braids, it takes away her vulnerability and innocence. She gets on the bed, and begins to brush her hair. Sabrina's alarmed at this. No braids, no words, no nothing.
She's played good cop, now she's going to play bad cop now.
"Daphne Delilah Grimm," Sabrina says in complete seriousness, "What is going on?" Daphne stops brushing her hair.
"There's nothing going on," Daphne replies in a tight, restricted voice, different from the happy chirp she always hears. "What are you talking about?"
"You know exactly what I'm talking about," Sabrina says coldly. "Is there anything you want to tell me?"
"Sabrina, I'm tired," Daphne says again, "I'm going to bed. Good night." Daphne slides off the bed and leaves, making Sabrina worry even more.
...
The next day, Sabrina's usual serene room is intruded. The door slams open, making Sabrina sit up indignantly. Puck struts in, and he stares at her apprehensively. He juts his chin at her with a short, "Yo, Grimm."
Sabrina raises an eyebrow in annoyance. "What do you want, Puck? You have five seconds."
Puck furrows his eyebrows. "What's up with Marshmallow?" Sabrina licks her lips, glad she's not the only one noticing.
"I don't know, actually," Sabrina confesses softly, "You've noticed too?"
"She barely touched her food," Puck says, "and she's too quiet. Not talking enough. Not bubbly at all."
Sabrina nods slightly, eyes downcast. Right now, she wants to barge into Daphne's room and demand to know what's wrong. But she doesn't know what to do, what to say, this is so unusual for her.
"Well? What are you going to do?" Puck asks bluntly.
"What do you mean?" Sabrina says bitterly, "I don't know what to do...I mean, she's never acted like this..." Puck gawks at Sabrina.
"You're not going to do anything?" Puck demands.
"What?" Sabrina says. "What do you expect from me?"
"Go to her," Puck orders, "She's the one who needs you most right now."
...
Sabrina takes Puck's words to heart. She decides to barge into Daphne's room. She opens it, and fear thuds in her heart when it's empty. She dashes around it, checking under the bed, in the closet.
All empty. She runs out of the room, forcing herself not to call out and worry her grandmother. She crosses the hallway, nerves bouncing, but she thinks she hears sobs coming from across. Whirling around, she stares at the bedroom in front of her and dashes to it.
She puts her ear against the door. She can hear the sobs. Daphne is in the room, and she slightly opens it, peeking through it. Daphne's sobbing on the bed where her parents sleep. Her heart thuds.
She goes into the room, and quietly gets on the bed. Daphne stares at her, still sobbing. She quickly hugs her sister, murmuring soothing words into her ears.
"Sabrina," Daphne whispers, "Why did our parents leave us?" Sabrina forces her face not to crumple.
"We'll find a way to wake them up," Sabrina swears, "We'll find something, I promise, to wake our parents up, Daphne." Daphne doesn't look convinced, but she nods and gives Sabrina a forced, watery smile.
...
"I'm back!" a tired voice calls, and Sabrina bounds out of her room and down the stairs. She's the first one to see Uncle Jake, and she's in relief as she sees his care-free smile. She hopes he has good news; she wants to cheer Daphne up.
"Uncle Jake!" Sabrina cries, hugging him, "Have any luck?"
He nods. "I found your father's girlfriend. I'm sure she's madly in love with him, still." Sabrina's face splits into a grin.
"When's she coming?" Sabrina demands.
Uncle Jake's face falters. "Er - about that 'Brina." Sabrina cocks her head, leaning forward. "She said she's not coming." Sabrina's eyes widen and her heart plummets to her stomach.
"Why not?" Sabrina hisses, outraged.
Uncle Jake opens his mouth, but Daphne bounds down and hugs Uncle Jake tightly with a bubbly squeal.
"Not a word," Sabrina growls into his ear and fakes a happy smile.
When the reunion is over, and they ate Uncle Jake's white cream cake (extra servings to Puck), Sabrina decides to pay Daphne a visit. Jake told Daphne about the girlfriend, and she hopes he hasn't mentioned her refusal to come.
Peeking in, she sees Daphne braiding her hair into her braids.
...
It's midnight when Sabrina sneaks into her parents room. It seems a bit happier in there; she's glad that Daphne is feeling better than before. Clambering onto the bed, Sabrina kisses her father's cheek and brushes her mother's dark hair from her face.
"Mom, daddy?" Sabrina says softly, "I kept my promise. You told me to protect Daphne when she was just a bundle of new joy. And I did that today. But I had to keep the full truth from her. I think I've lied to her. I know you told me to protect her, but sometimes, I wish I wouldn't lie anymore."
A few tears leak from Sabrina's blue orbs.
"Why did you have to leave us?" Sabrina says, keeping herself from sobbing, "I miss you guys so much. It's so painful without you guys; is this just a dream? Where have you guys gone? Who did this to you? Where were you guys when I got my first, ever so decent report card?!"
The tears start slipping down her face faster and faster. Her chokes a sob and puts her head down into the clean, white sheets.
"Where were you guys when I needed you the most?"