Oh my gosh! Wow, I've never felt so loved! Thank you all for your reviews, I can't begin to explain how nice it feels to be appreciated by people I don't really know! (LOL!) But seriously folks, I'm really happy you guys like it so far!

Reviewers in particular:

WonkaVision: Thank you! It's nice to see someone from the boards. And don't worry; I'll try to fit most of the original characters in somehow!

MlynnBloom: No, I am not related to Mr. Snicket in any way, although we are good pals. Last I heard he was somewhere in uncharted regions of Brazil searching for someone... But anywho, thanks for reading my story!

LadyEmily: Thank you, and You're welcome, I try to update as fast as I can. Partly for the reason that people are actually reviewing, and partly because it's so fun to write!

LunarMoon98: Don't worry! I'll be updating frequently. I'm anxious to see where this goes too...

HermioneBaudelaire: Like, thanks, for, like, the reviews and the shiny sticker! –Grins-

Appreciate all the reviews! Keep 'em coming and I'll keep writing chapters!

Chapter 4: The T r u t h Behind the L i e s

Dear Dairy,

I can't sleep. Suddenly everything seems so... meaningful, I guess you could say. It's almost like when you're a kid and you get a new puppy, and you spend so much time making sure it has a proper bed and enough food, and you look forward to the end of school everyday just so you can come home and spend time with it.

Sunny has gotten so tall. All of her teeth have grown in and I've noticed how she keeps a pack of gum in her pocket, and she's always chewing a stick of it. I guess it's a substitute for just biting random things; she's older now and too mature for that.

It's hard to not stare at her, and think about how many years have passed. The last time I saw Sunny, she was still a babbling toddler, with a small mop of light hair and four sharp teeth in her mouth. Now, she reminds me so much of Violet. Her hair is always tied up in a ribbon and her eyes are constantly gazing into the distance, staring at something I can't see.

...Which leads me to a few concerns.

She's so serious. The way she speaks to you and then understands your reply... It's like there's an adult trapped in her body. She's too thin to be healthy and there's this haunting, hollow look in her facial expression.

I don't think I've seen her smile.

It's been almost exactly ten years... Almost exactly one decade. A lot can happen in such a long period of time.

Klaus looked up from the typewriter. His sorrowful gaze fell upon his sister sleeping fitfully on the sofa. Everything should be normal now. He had Sunny back. They only needed to find Violet. But still... It felt like he had only been reunited with half of his little sister.

The question now is, what's happened?

Sunny warily looked up at Klaus from the steaming cup of tea he had offered her. She didn't like how he was always glancing at her over the top of the newspaper he was reading. It had been risky enough to agree to stay with him for the next few days, but he had said he would help her find Violet, and Sunny had a gut feeling.

Gut feelings had served her well in the past.

Klaus shifted his newspaper once more and Sunny finally saw that it was that day's issue of The Daily Punctilio.

She narrowed her eyes at the headline.

Prospero Departs Ahead of Schedule

Was it the Doing of a Baudelaire?

Sunny glanced at the picture below it. It was an artist's rendering of she and Violet drawn by someone named Eriq Bluthetts. Ugh. Doesn't look anything like us.

Sunny looked back up at Klaus just in time to see him hide his eyes behind the paper again.

Guess that's a good thing.

Klaus must have sensed her discomfort as she stared at the front page. "'Veronica Baudelaire, aged approximately 25 years of age and eldest of the three Baudelaire murderers, was spotted at Daedalus Dock yesterday boarding a ship destined for France,'" he read. "'Susie, the youngest and who was recently sighted with Veronica, was nowhere to be seen. Klyde Baudelaire's whereabouts are still unknown."

When Klaus looked up, Sunny's eyes were wide and she looked as if she were ready to bolt out the door at any second. "Too bad they switched journalists," he said. "The guy who did yesterday's article was a friend of mine."

Sunny relaxed slightly. "You mean...you think we're innocent?"

"Well, you are, aren't you?"

"Yeah," she said quietly. "It's just that nobody believes us..."

Klaus watched her as she sadly dropped her gaze back down to her tea. He wondered if he should tell her who he really was.

No, not yet. She wouldn't understand.

"Do you remember your brother Sunny?" he asked carefully.

She swirled her spoon around in her tea for several moments before finally shrugging. "I don't exactly remember what he looks like. I have a few memories of when I was little, and Violet was always there, along with someone else. I can never see his face, but I've always figured it was him."

She stopped and sighed. Klaus looked down at his coffee.

Sunny was silent for a short while. Klaus didn't expect her to say anything else, but apparently she wasn't done speaking.

"Violet doesn't like to talk about him," she said quietly. "The only thing I've ever been able to get out of her was that he died when I was little. I think she's afraid she'll lose me too."

Klaus continued to stare into his coffee.

"Which reminds me...She's probably going crazy with worry right about now. We got separated in the crowds at the dock. I guess she boarded the ship thinking I was right behind her the whole time."

There was more silence. Klaus was deep in thought. If Sunny had changed so much, what would Violet be like?

Sunny looked up at him. "Klaus?" she asked, hesitantly and meekly.

He directed his stare to her dark liquid eyes. "Yes, Sunny?"

"You knew my brother right?"

Klaus nodded.

Sunny was quiet for a moment. "What was his name?" she asked. "His real name?"

Klaus stared for a long time. When he had told her his name the day before, he had hoped Sunny would recognize it.

She hadn't.

Now she wanted to know who her brother was. Violet never told her. Ten whole years and Violet hadn't even told their sister his name.

Why hadn't she?

It wasn't going to be easy to explain it to her. There were too many questions and not enough answers. How did he know she would even believe him?

Sadly, Klaus realized there was only one thing he could do.

He had to lie to Sunny.

"It was Klyde."

"Oh," Sunny said. "So his name was the only thing they got right?"

Klaus sighed. "Yes."

Sunny stirred her tea for a minute or two, and then finally took a sip. She was becoming more comfortable around him, now that she knew she could trust him.

Yet Klaus still felt like a traitor.