Apocalyptic Rebirth: With a repairman system space, she rises again.-Chapter 602: Sunshine--Ruiner of breakfasts!

By the time they reached the house, Sunshine could barely keep her eyes open. She had not taken a moment to rest since she left on her mission. Now, she was wrung out. She felt like a puppet with too many strings.

"All clear," Hades declared in a tender voice. "You were fine at the medic bay but within minutes, you have taken on the appearance of a panda that lost a fight with a pillow," he teased. Without waiting for protest, he swooped her off her feet and carried her to the bathroom.

He had called home and asked Cathy to draw a warm bath. Hades helped her out of her clothes and eased her into the water, fussing over her like she was fragile porcelain. "I know that you are tired but I have one last thing to say. We have to hit the Walden territory hard enclose Babel city within this week. By the time the darkness comes, we should have three cities under our wing. Heck, every city in the West should be ours before the second year of the apocalypse runs out."

"Hmmm.." Sunshine replied.

Hades chuckled, pulled her up and tied a towel around her. Then he lifted her out of the bath, dried her off and put her in pajamas. She was too drowsy to help herself.

He carried her to bed as though she weighed nothing and tucked the blanket around her, soothing her like a parent might for a child. "Rest now," he whispered, brushing her hair back.

Sunshine drifted off, comforted by his gentle care and singing.

****

The morning sun filtered through the reinforced glass of the mountain’s upper residences casting a warm, golden glow over their furniture. In one house, someone screamed because their ice cubes were missing from the fridge.

Everyone was counting ice cubes since Zulu’s revelation!

In Hades and Sunshine’s home, the air smelled like toasted bread, sizzling bacon, and_ thanks to Hades’ questionable assistance_slightly scorched eggs.

"Hades, honey, you don’t need to supervise the water," Sunshine teased, sliding a spatula under a perfectly folded omelet. "It knows how to boil. I promise."

Hades, standing stiffly by the stove with an expression of intense concentration, didn’t move. "I am adjusting the heat."

Sunshine laughed, leaning over to kiss his cheek. "You’re adorable when you’re trying to help. Just don’t cook anything else, I have Tank for that."

The robot performed a mock salute and took corn cakes out of the oven. They had prepared a larger spread than usual for breakfast because the kids had spent the night with the grandparents. Sunshine had prepared enough to feed a small army: fluffy pancakes, corn cakes, omelets, bacon, fruit bowls, and some new sweet-savory pastries she’d brought with her from the Glacian territory.

"They are here," Hunter announced from the doorway, her voice as stoic as ever.

Hades didn’t just walk to the door; he moved with the speed of a man who had missed his heart. He swung the door open to a chaotic pile of limbs and backpacks. It wasn’t just their kids_ Leo had tagged along, looking hopeful and holding a half-broken toy robot.

Sunshine was engulfed by hugs from every direction before White lifted her up, growling loud enough to frighten the residents within hearing distance.

The house quickly transformed from a quiet sanctuary into a battlefield of clinking silverware and high-pitched chatter.

"I want my baby plate!" Castiel declared, reaching for a pancake.

"Baby plates are for babies," Ariel countered, already digging into the fruit. "You are not a baby anymore Cass."

"That is not what mommy says." Cass replied.

White growled, like he agreed. He was using a baby plate and he was happy with it.

Hades sat at the head of the table, looking slightly overwhelmed by the sudden influx of energy, but he dutifully poured the tea he had monitored so carefully. Leo sat between the boys, happily inhaling a pastry.

It was almost as if everyone had been starving because they devoured breakfast with gusto.

Halfway through, Sunshine decided to raise a sore subject. "So," she started, her voice gentle as she tapped her plate. She looked at her boys, her heart swelling with a love that often felt too big for her chest. "I’ve been thinking... now that things are a bit quieter... do you guys ever think about seeing your birth mother?" 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

The temperature in the room seemed to drop ten degrees. The cheerful clinking of forks stopped.

Castiel looked up, a smudge of syrup on his nose, his expression genuinely puzzled. "But... you’re our mother, mummy. Why would we go looking for another one? Is there a spare?"

Sunshine felt a lump in her throat. "No, baby, I’m your mom. Always. I just meant... your other mother. The one from before....." she smiled at him. "Let you brothers answer this one."

Ariel’s face hardened, a look that was far too old for his small features. He didn’t look at the pancakes anymore. "I heard she caused chaos for dad, everyone heard. She is trying so hard to shame us, in fact I don’t want to talk about her. Not today, not ever. Please mom." He stood up abruptly, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. He grabbed his backpack, his jaw set in a line that mirrored Hades’ most stubborn moods. "I’m going to school."

Earl, who had been quiet, stood up as well. He didn’t say much, but the way he shouldered his bag spoke volumes. "Me too." He followed Ariel without a backward glance.

Sunshine let out a long, shaky sigh, burying her face in her hands. "I shouldn’t have said anything. I completely ruined the mood."

Hades reached over, his large hand covering her arm. "You were trying to be fair, Suni. But they’ve made their choice. They know who their family is." He looked at the table, noticing two small plastic containers filled with the lunch Sunshine had carefully packed. He smacked his lips, trying to lighten the mood. "I’ll drop them off at the school wing while I take Castiel. I’ll remind them to eat the greens you sneaked in there."

Once the house was quiet again_ a silence that felt a little more hollow than before, Sunshine headed out. Day drove her to the Steward residence.

She knocked on the heavy oak door of the Steward house. Dominic opened it, looking slightly disheveled, as if he’d been in the middle of a losing battle with a toddler on a sugar high.

"Sunshine?" he asked, surprised. "It’s barely eight. Is something wrong?"

"Not yet," Sunshine said, stepping inside.

In the dining area, she saw Ala. The little girl was slowly, agonizingly picking at her breakfast. Her mother was hovering nearby, tapping her watch. "Ala, please, sweetheart. Faster. You have lessons, and you’re eating at the speed of a sloth."

Dominic leaned against the door frame, crossing his arms. "So, to what do we owe the early visit?"

Sunshine looked at Ala, then back at Dominic. The heaviness from the breakfast with her sons was still there, but she pushed it aside. She had work to do.

"I came to see Ala," Sunshine said plainly.

Dominic blinked. "Ala? What is this about?"

"Is that Suni?" Leah greeted, approaching with a breezy smile.

Dominic didn’t mirror her warmth. He stood in one place, his jaw tight and eyes darting toward the door. "She’s here for Ala," he muttered, his voice thick with a raw, jagged edge of anxiety.

Leah’s smile faltered, her protective instincts flaring. "If you’re checking her progress, she’s doing great," she said, trying to steady his nerves.

Sunshine’s face remained uncharacteristically grim. "This isn’t about Ala’s progress," she countered. "It’s about the beacons."

After ruining one breakfast, she was about to ruin another.