Dear Reviewers:

NewbiaTheElf: Glad you liked it! And, believe it or not, when I first thought up Klaus's twitch, I really did go back and reread that scene in The Bad Beginning, to see which side of his face it was. I was originally going to have Violet make a remark about it or something, but I decided it fitted (Fit? Fitted?) in that last chapter, to remind him of what he saw in the dining room.

Lady Emily: Yes, it was a pretty short, but it was very late and my dad was telling me to go to bed, so I didn't have much time to write anymore. And about why Fiona wants revenge…well, I haven't really covered that yet. I know why, but I don't have it written out, so you'll just have to wait!

QQuagmire: I can only submit them as fast as I can type them! I'll try and make this chapter longer.

Runaway6: Thank you! Always enjoy getting reviews from my readers!

LolliPopsAreTears: Thanks! For some reason while I was writing that scene, I couldn't help but think about Gollum in Lord of the Rings and how he would have conversations with himself… LoL, "My precious…"

Phoenix72389: Right, never underestimate the power of typewriter paper!

So, here it is!

Chapter 6: T r a i t o r

"…And so after I reached the top of the elevator shaft-"

"Children!" Brigitte called through the door. "You know it's lights out at nine!"

"But Sunny's not done telling the story!" Rory protested.

"Well then, she'll have to continue it in the morning."

"Alright…"

Sunny flipped the light switch as the children climbed into their beds. Not too long after the sound of Brigitte's footsteps faded to nothing, the children were fast asleep.

Tap!

Sunny rolled over groggily.

Tap!

She squinted and looked up from her pillow. Something was hitting the window, something small and annoying. Slowly, Sunny got out of bed and peered through the glass. Someone was standing on the lawn below her. He had probably been throwing rocks at the window to get her attention.

Sunny frowned and walked out to the balcony, shutting the doors behind her so she wouldn't wake the other neophytes. She looked down and saw someone staring back up at her, waving his arms and calling her name. Sunny gasped.

She knew who it was.

"Klaus!" she shouted.

"Sunny? Sunny is that you?"

"Yes, Klaus, it's me!"

Klaus spotted an ivy-laced lattice bolted to the rock wall. It could work as a ladder. Quickly, he scaled it, being careful not to keep his weight on one ancient piece of wood for too long, fearing that it would break under his foot. Finally, he made it to the top and swung his legs over the balcony railing.

Sunny threw her arms around her brother's neck and hugged him tightly.

"You don't know how worried we've been!" Klaus said. "I looked everywhere for you. I'm so glad you're not hurt. You aren't hurt are you?"

She shook her head, smiling. "No, I'm perfectly fine."

Sunny looked up at Klaus. He was staring at the stone tower, examining the window at the very top. Did he really see something move?

He frowned down at his sister. "Why are you here?"

"What about Violet? Is she okay?" she asked quickly.

Klaus nodded. "Yes. She should be able to use her arm in a couple weeks." He glanced back up at the tower window. "Why are you here?" he repeated.

Sunny followed her brother's gaze. That was the window in the tower room. No one was ever allowed up there. She knew that the punishment would be severe. You listened to what Fiona said. Jacky had told Sunny he knew that from experience.

And suddenly everything Fiona had told her came rushing back.

Sunny stared up at Klaus. He seemed different now.

She took one cautious step backwards.

Maybe it was the way the moonlight glinted off his glasses. Or maybe it was how the wind made everything seem so much colder. But Klaus had changed. Her brother was a stranger to her.

Klaus saw it in Sunny's eyes. Something was wrong. Something about him.

"What is it?" Klaus asked.

Was Klaus really who Fiona said he was? Sunny wondered. A sly grin slowly began to pull at the corners of her mouth, the kind of smirk she had picked up from Fiona. She would test him.

She folded her arms across her chest, partly for warmth and partly for the illusion of confidence. "I'm here to be trained," she began casually. "To be a Volunteer."

Klaus frowned. "You were kidnapped to be trained?" he asked.

"Of course," Sunny said. "When we drive away in secret/ You'll be a volunteer/ So don't scream when we take you… I believe you know the rest."

"…the world is quiet here," Klaus quietly finished. "Okay. But V.F.D. hasn't been active for years. Who would train you?"

"I happen to have a great instructor," Sunny said. "I think you know her."

Klaus gave her a slightly surprised look, one that mostly said, "Please continue…"

"She's, oh, about this tall-" Sunny raised a hand level to his chin- "with brownish hair, bluish eyes, dwindling eyesight…"

He continued to stare. "Sunny, I have no idea who you're talking about."

"Oh, you don't remember her? Would you remember if I told you her name was Fiona?"

Sunny figured that he did, after seeing how wide his eyes had grown in the few seconds it took to register in his mind.

For a moment Klaus just stood there gawking, attempting to re-arrange his sister's words. Maybe he had heard wrong, and mixing everything around would cause her last sentence to make sense. Then it clicked.

"But…how…she…"

Or at least it was trying to click.

"You mean…'Aye!' Fiona?" he finally asked.

"Yes, Fiona who says 'Aye!'" Sunny said. "What other Fiona do you know?"

"Well that's just it! I don't!" Klaus said. "Fiona is dead. She was poisoned. She's not… How could she be alive?"

"Well I don't know about that, but I do know about you," Sunny replied smugly.

"What do you 'know about me'?" Klaus asked. He did a mental double-take. "And what did you mean by 'dwindling eyesight'?"

"Fiona told me all about you. About what you did," Sunny replied. "She said it's your fault she's going blind."

"Blind? She- How is that my fault?"

"She said there was a fire," Sunny said, hiding inside her the desperate hope that his bewilderment was sincere. "It was a fire you started. And because of it she can hardly see."

Sunny turned and stared at Klaus. She worriedly searched his face for some kind of proof that Fiona was wrong, that Klaus was still the same, protective older brother Sunny looked up to.

But there was something there, haunting his eyes. Remembering. Pain. Hesitation.

Guilt…

Sunny felt the color drain from her cheeks. Her mood instantly changed from suspicion to horror.

Oh no.

It was true.

Thunder rumbled overhead. It gradually started to rain again. Sunny began to shiver.

"What did you do?" she whispered.

Klaus swallowed and looked down. Rain soaked into his clothes and chilled his bones. It dripped into his eyes. "I…Well, Sunny…You see…" he began, stammering.

"It was an accident, Sunny," Klaus finally got out. His voice was quiet, and slightly pleading and remorseful. "I didn't mean to start that fire. I had no idea…" His voice trailed off when he looked up at his sister. Rain dripped down her cheeks.

Along with her tears.

"It was all your fault then," Sunny concluded.

Klaus stared at nothing for a long time, seeming to be thinking deeply about something.

Someone.

"Yes," he whispered weakly.

Sunny gave him a very cold, very hurt look. "Then leave," she quietly ordered.

Klaus looked up, shocked. His sister held his gaze for a moment, and lightning flashed behind her. Then she silently turned and opened the doors that led to the children's room. She rigidly walked in and shut them behind her, leaving her brother cold and alone.

Only one other person knew how long Klaus stayed out there on the balcony. Only one person saw him finally climb back down the wall. She stared down through her window, and was the only one who saw Klaus walk back through the front gate, his head tilted down mournfully. She watched him make his way down the dark, wet street, and he looked as if nothing mattered to him anymore.

She watched him.

And smiled.