Chapter 2

My Only Sunshine

Sarah opened her eyes with a sudden jolt just as she did every morning. Her head raised off the pillow but just as quickly sank back down. Her immediate thought was that she'd been in a car wreck and this must be the hospital as her entire body ached far too much for her to be anywhere else.

She grimaced as something struck her between the eyes, and lashed out blindly at the darkness instantly regretting it. She hugged her right arm to her chest as a series of nonsensical curses left her lips, and even if it hadn't been pitch black Sarah suspected all she would've seen was red due to the burning sensation in her shoulder.

Again she was violently struck, this time on the forehead. However, the assault was cool against her feverish skin and not entirely unpleasant. More gently this time and conscious not to make any sudden moves, she touched her forehead and groaned as realization finally hit.

There had been a steady rain last night, and another leak had decided to appear over her bed as if as a reminder that the roof was in desperate need of repair.

She gave a miserable whimper and threw the sheets over her head wanting nothing more than a couple more hours of blissful unconsciousness. She'd gladly take reliving nightmares over her body's lurid protests and thinking about how the roof was supposed to get repaired when they didn't have the money.

Going over the same pessimistic thoughts she seemed to realize sleep wasn't going to come. They just kept repeating until they felt like their own special kind of nightmare. Living hell...

She needed to get moving, that much Sarah was sure. Her mind was always clearer on the move, and the prospect of finding something edible in the kitchen sounded as invigorating as it did challenging.

The sheets clung to her clammy form as she crawled out of the bed, her bones creaking and popping just as much as the floorboards underneath. If it hadn't been so dark she was fairly certain she would've been able to see her breath in the chilly air, and was both appreciative and rather surprised when she realized she'd gone the extra mile to put on a top and boy shorts after staggering out of the shower last night.

'Shower...'

At least that explained why her hair was damp and plastered against the side of her face, but the thought of soaking in a hot bath almost made her consider turning left down the hall where she would've without a doubt have spent the better part of the day.

More than once she stumbled and nearly lost her balance, but luckily navigating through the minefield of dirty laundry, dishes, and stacks of magazines in the darkened room was much easier than when she came home feeling a little tipsy or woke with a hangover.

She still slammed her face against the door however as it appeared without any warning, and let out a couple of her favorite curses as it was yet more proof that stealth wasn't her forte. Of course the door would creak open, and with light streaming in down the hall she saw the chaos she'd left in her wake last night.

Discarded clothes with dried blood on them led from the stairs all the way to the bathroom. She found her sister's yellow towel in the middle of the hall, along with her ruined jeans and a sock. Making her way toward the stairs she found her ripped shirt resting on the handrail and her bra hanging from a fake potted plant as though it were a Christmas tree. Something she had actually done for real last December in lieu of not having enough ornaments, which went totally unappreciated.

From the top of the stairs she found her boots at the front entryway. It seemed even in her exhausted state last night she'd had enough sense not to track mud through the house. The missing sock was at the bottom along with her work belt, but as try as she might she couldn't locate her underwear. This annoyed her as for some reason Annie didn't particularly appreciate finding her sister's panties laying around the house, and Sarah wasn't too keen on being lectured this morning.

"Let's see how fast you get naked when you're the one covered in dead werewolf blood and soaked in drool, sis," the girl grumbled to herself, already preparing her argument, her witty comeback, and her promise not to do it again. At least until the next time. "I can still feel it on me..." she gagged.

Each step down she took was gradual and slow as the stairs groaned. The wood was cold against her bare feet, and with the light peeking in she could see the dusty house looked as empty as it felt.

Sarah normally didn't meander around the stairs as she preferred getting away from them as quickly as possible. But in not wishing to wake her hopefully still sleeping sister, she couldn't help letting her eyes linger on the bare wall and the patches of the original paint that showed where picture frames had previously been resting for years. She even had to brush her fingers across the spot where one particular photo had rested since before she could remember.

They had been daily reminders of everything they had lost, and after seeing Annie spend sometimes hours just staring blankly at them, she had decided to take every single one of them down and pack them in a box in the room at the end of the hall, the one place her sister wouldn't go looking for them. Annie hadn't said a word when she got home from school that day, and neither of them had talked about putting them back up.

While contemplating whether replacing the family pictures with photos just the two of them was a good idea or not, Sarah forgot to skip the second to last step going down which popped loudly and seemed to echo throughout the house.

She kept her eyes tightly shut, gritting her teeth in hopes if she stayed still long enough then perhaps maybe that would cancel out the sound. She listened for a few moments but when she didn't hear a door slam open or someone come running down the hall she took it as a good sign.

Her feet skipped the bottom step landing rather gracelessly and she turned the corner to turn the heat back on. She didn't care if it meant a slightly higher bill at the end of the month. She was getting paid today and freezing her toes off only strengthened her resolve. But it wasn't like Annie would notice a difference.

"Why didn't I put something warmer on?" she complained, before pointing out to herself she was lucky she'd put on anything last night. "And where are my friggin' slippers hiding..."

When she made it to the kitchen she immediately started the coffee pot but snuck out as it was one of the worst insulated rooms in the house, something their dad had always been meaning to fix. There also wasn't much food to be found, and despite being hungry she knew a free meal fit for royalty was on its way. Cal always made the best burgers and fries for her after a job.

The walls were mostly bare wherever she looked but at least in the living room she found some semblance that someone else actually lived there. The fireplace had been recently gone out, and a couple of blankets as well as a pillow rested on the nearby couch that she vaguely remembered seeing the night before. A pile of old books and newspaper articles were strewn about the coffee table, all research and possible jobs Annie was looking into, and had no doubt been pouring over to feel useful and keep her mind occupied while her sister was hunting.

Most of the articles appeared to be dead ends or paranoid homeowners thinking they were being haunted by the deadliest poltergeist in all of Texas, when in reality it was most likely just rats or old pipes making odd sounds late at night. Or they were just nuts hearing things that weren't there. Still though, Sarah made a mental note as they very well might be the only jobs she'd get.

That brought her back to where she was standing, scowling at her many cuts and bruises and her paler than usual skin. She would need to at least look presentable today, which meant her best pair of black jeans and her favorite v-neck that matched the highlights in her hair, and maybe even her cowgirl boots. It might not exactly be 'professional' in her line of work, but wearing a rapier on your hip with dried werewolf blood tended to earn you people's respect regardless of how much skin you showed or how well your clothes hugged your body. Plus, if she convinced the boss to let her wait tables for a few of hours, she was sure at least some of the guys would show their appreciation when it was time to leave a tip. And without much of an oversoul this morning, she'd need all the help she could get...

Picking up a book that had fallen on the floor, it was as if the blinds had suddenly been opened and the sun that was supposed to be hiding behind rain clouds decided to shine brighter than ever.

An overwhelming sense of worry then relief wrapped around Sarah like a warm, familiar blanket, and just as she turned, gold streaked across the room and collided with her chest, nearly knocking her onto the couch.

"Hey, Annie," she breathed into the blonde mess of hair, the embrace more than worth her discomfort.

"You came back..." sobbed a small voice, sounding almost devoid of emotion due to being overcome by it.

"Of course I did." Sarah ran a hand through her long, silky locks that fell past her shoulders. "I always do, and I always will."

The young girl in yellow pajamas sniffled, and Sarah kissed the back of her head. "Who else was gonna tuck you in last night?"

"Hmm," Annie sighed pleasantly. "Your underwear's in the bathroom sink by the way..."

Sarah chuckled, and the warmth spread throughout her body and she had to close her eyes as the sunlight became too harsh.

"That's enough, sis." She patted her on the back. "I know you're just trying to make me feel better, but honestly I'm fine, and you need to save your strength."

The young teenage girl looked up with violet eyes that were so bright they seemed to glow in the darkness, but soon dimmed as did the sunlight. The warmth that surrounded her was ever present however, along with the feelings of relief that had only gotten stronger and now tickled Sarah's skin.

"Have I ever mentioned that you're the best portable heater ever?" She hugged her tighter.

Annie giggled. "Maybe you should put some clothes on." A disturbing look crossed her face, which with her tiny nose and round cheeks was cute, and with her soul being freely shared, Sarah could effortlessly pick up what she was thinking. "Wait, you weren't naked when you-"

"It took all my willpower but I promise I still had on at least some of my clothes when I carried your sleepyhead upstairs last night. I was even careful not to get any drool on you. You're welcome by the way. And actually, you're to blame for me coming back down and giving me enough time to give the neighbors a strip show instead of heading straight into the shower. God, I can't wait til I can just in the pool after a hunt..."

When all the girl did was raise a puzzled, slightly disturbed brow Sarah pointed with a serious expression. "Somebody fell asleep with a plateful of snacks still on the table. And somebody must've known they are my favorite because they were only half-eaten."

Her sister snorted and wiped something from her eye. "I saw the blood when I came down, wasn't really look for drool though. Was that the werewolf's or-" She paused as she noticed the large gash on Sarah's shoulder, as well as the claw mark on her upper thighs and the many cuts across her body, wearing them on display almost like badges of honor. "Oh my God! Sarah, why didn't you say something?"

She immediately released her and raised a glowing hand but it was pushed away, though with reluctance as it was still a bit chilly despite their close proximity.

"I told you to save your strength, sis." The younger girl prepared her large puppy eyes which were Sarah's greatest weakness. "We're not oversoul matches, and I'd rather not spend the rest of the day puking or sunburned. I'll probably be fine by tomorrow anyway, and no I don't need a blood transfusion or anything.

"You didn't get bit did you?"

Sarah rolled her eyes, though rather humorously as she brought her close again. "We're remnants, sis, in case you've forgotten. It's not like either of us have to worry about becoming werewolves."

"Legacies, not remnants..." Annie didn't lower her hand, only her head in defeat. Already she was out of breath and beginning to sweat, and Sarah knew if she kept it up much longer, using her powers would quickly catch up with her just like it had for herself. And she couldn't bare the thought of a repeat of last time.

Sarah regrettably untangled herself from the embrace and the warm oversoul that was now fading, thankfully, and regarded the younger girl. They were both were skinny, but as Sarah noted, her sister always looked as though she could stand to eat more. She had rare shadows under her eyes this morning, no doubt from staying up late and worrying herself to sleep, and even her dark tan seemed as though it had lightened sometime during the night. But as always her wide smile was bright and her very presence calming. Sarah had deeply contemplated carrying her baby sister back to her own bed last night and sleeping together as they'd done as kids, and still on occasion. But Annie had a habit of sometimes thrashing in her sleep, and after a hunt Sarah could be even worse, though that was what the other girl was there for.

She also couldn't help appreciating how adorable her little sis looked in her yellow Scooby-Doo pajamas, and secretly wished she could stay this cute forever. Sarah was tall, at least for a girl, while Annie being only a couple inches above five feet meant she barely reached her chin, and didn't yet have the many curves she had. That would change in another year or two though when her little sister transformed into a knockout. 'Just like Mom,' she always told her, not that Annie seemed to be in a particular hurry about getting the kinds of looks her sister did.

Soon she realized the girl was regarding her under the same sad scrutiny, staring straight into her eyes. "They changed again..." Annie whispered, swallowing a lump in her throat.

Sarah slowly nodded and hid her unease with what she thought was a convincing smile. "Are at least one of them violet this time?" Her sister shook her head. "Dang it! I wanted violet, they're never violet." She sighed before batting her eyelashes. "Well, what color are they today? Please tell me they're at least close to being the same color."

She shook her head. "Sorry. The right's green again, and the left's amber. They're really pretty though, sis."

Her optimism didn't seem contagious. "Thanks. These won't be conspicuous at all..." She looked around the room looking for something to occupy her mind, or at least her sister's. "Find any jobs?"

"Huh?" Sarah pointed at the table covered in newspaper articles. "Oh! Umm, not really." Her shoulders slumped. "That lady with the cat that got stuck in the attic still thinks she has an Echo, and another guy thinks his German Shepard might be possessed."

Sarah laughed which seemed to set her sister at ease, as though she'd been feeling guilty that the lack of jobs was her fault. The mismatched eyes lit up and Annie's body immediately went lax as comfort washed over her.

"Don't worry about it, sis." She stooped down. "Junior will have something. He always does. And I don't care how good Mrs. Ferris thinks her fried spam spaghetti sandwiches are. That cat mauled me worst than any werewolf ever has, and it took me weeks to wash the old lady dust out of my hair."

Annie couldn't help from giggling and a halo appeared around her once again, and Sarah playfully nudged her shoulder. Her eyes no longer glowed, but instead were full of sunshine.

"Besides, this is the first official day of spring break. And I am NOT spending a single day stuck here in Salvation." She rubbed her hands together and licked her lips. "I have an eighteenth birthday coming up which means I'll finally be able to legally drink, and I plan on taking full advantage of it and might even find some guys to help me celebrate."

"That's never stopped you before," Annie remarked, her grin a little lopsided. "And what does spring break matter when you haven't gone to school all year?" Despite her tone she did know however, and also that if the next week went according to plan then her big sis would be far too exhausted from work to enjoy a quiet birthday together, or even take advantage of the new drinking age. Or guys for that matter, thankfully...

Sarah seemed to sense what she was thinking and laid a hand atop her shoulder. "Sis, this is gonna be a hard week for the both of us, but I promise I'm gonna get us some money. Don't worry about my birthday, we'll do something special like you want. More importantly though, you're gonna be fourteen soon and-"

"No, Sarah!" She jabbed an accusatory finger into her ribs. "That's not fair! You're not spending money on me when-"

"No buts. Me big sis, you little sis." She tapped her nose and winked before rising. "I'm gonna go shower and get ready. We're gonna need some extra cash so after I get paid I'll ask Junior if I can wait some tables, pour drinks, mop the floor, or something." The girl took a deep breath, her weariness beginning to show. "I don't know when I'll be back, but I'd really appreciate it if you'd find all of your big sis' underwear, do laundry and get us packed up. Just grab whatever you think we'll need and lay it by the door. I'll sort through it when I get back, but I'd like to leave tonight if we can."

"I already rearranged the trunk and oiled the chains and rapiers."

"I noticed." She deadpanned, flicking her forehead. "I'll get Cal to make us something good to eat for the road, and bring home whatever supplies we'll need for the trip, and whatever I'll need for the jobs."

"Aren't I-"

"You're coming along on the hunts like I promised, but the most dangerous thing I'm letting you around is a lurking specter. Anything worse and you're staying in the car eating candy like a good little sister while I do the dirty work."

"But I'm older than you were when Mom and Dad took you on your first hunt! And my oversoul's stronger than your's was too!"

"Yeah, but I've also known about the things that go bump in the night since before you were even born," she said not entirely unkindly, crouching down to her sister who had flinched. "None of us wanted this kinda life for you, sis, that's why we didn't tell you about it until we didn't have a choice anymore. And you know full well why they took me on hunts."

Her eyes flickered crimson and Annie looked away sniffling. "I'm sorry..."

"Don't be." She pressed their foreheads together. "It's just you and me now, sis. And I won't lose you too..."

Emotions and feelings overlapped until their souls became one and shadows around the room danced, but soon after Sarah pulled away as she felt a strain on the other end and her own legs becoming weak.

"We've still got Uncle Quincy," Annie said slightly out of breath.

"Who we haven't seen or heard from since he left on a job," she sighed. "If the old bird's still alive, he's probably passed out in a ditch somewhere."

"Don't say that!" she shouted, hugging her sister tightly to the point it hurt. "Don't..."

"I'm sorry, but I can't lose you."

"How do you think I feel?" Annie sobbed. "You risk your life to take care us, namely me and I can't even help. I just make everything worse. All I can do is sit, wait, and pray that I won't wake up alone..."

She fell to her knees and Sarah followed her to the ground, maintaining their embrace but releasing her just enough so they could look at each other properly while she played with her hair. "Sis, I swear that I will never leave you. The only reason I make it home after every hunt is because I know who's waiting for me back here. You are the best thing to ever happen to me, and you help your big sis more than you can ever possibly imagine, and so do your prayers."

*sniffle*

Sarah didn't say a word as her sister's soul mingled with her own for how long she wasn't sure, only that she could no longer tell whose feelings were whose anymore, not that it really mattered, and knew what the girl was going to say even before she opened her mouth.

"Promise you'll bring back onion rings?"

She kissed her on the forehead. "I'll even make you a chocolate shake myself, sis..."

(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. I'm sure Sarah and Annie's relationship seems pretty familiar for those who've read "The Petals Scatter Now" and "The Patchwork Prodigy" as much of my characterizations of Yang and Ruby and their relationship(s) kinda fed each other. I hope the sisters came off as endearing this chapter, and that they left a good impression on you. The eventual goal is for you to love them as much as they love each other, and I hope this was a good first step forward.

We'll also be learning more about "oversouls" later, but I'll just say they're not really anything like semblances, and are more akin to my fanfics' interpretation of aura rather than canon. It's literally your soul being worn on your sleeve that enhances your physical attributes and reflects who you really are. Annie's gives off sunshine and warmth, but as you can see using your oversoul tires you out very quickly and can be harmful to your body. There also isn't an equivalent of semblances or an "aura shield" in this story. But as you can see the sisters do heal rather quickly and apparently having an oversoul means you can't turn into a werewolf. We'll be exploring this more later, but I wanted to give an explanation to clear up any confusion.

As always, thank you for reading, and for supporting me and this story. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has blessed me with this story and all of you as well. God bless)