Apocalyptic Rebirth: With a repairman system space, she rises again.

As the system went off to spend her money, Sunshine wondered how much gold she would be losing. It would probably deduct some points too for running the errand for her. Nothing was free with the system. Even scanning anything took two points.

Her heart clenched as she imagined all the gold she had earned from the simple bag job waving goodbye.

Maybe the owner of that bag needed to give her a job. For what she was willing to pay, working for her was worth it.

The bell rung, sharp against the quietness that filled their home, pulling her out of her thoughts. Sunshine came out of her space.

First, she checked on White, and he was in the chair, hiding in the comforts of his blankets, sucking on a coconut bean, staring at the television without blinking.

"Still awake, huh." She muttered.

The bell rang again, persistent. Sunshine wondered who the impatient guests was as she moved to the door and opened it.

The face on the other end shocked her because it was the last person she was expecting to see

"Alfred!?" Her words came out sharper than she intended. "What are you doing here? You are supposed to be resting, undisturbed. You should not be walking around carelessly. Let alone leaving the house or hospital in this cold weather without a jacket or something to keep you warm."

He was wearing a navy brown shirt and jeans. On his feet was a pair of heavy winter boots with a lot of fur. They had been bought from the stall owned by the villagers. They had just one large stall in the market, but it sold a mixture of things from shoes to dry meat.

Nimo popped up from behind him, waving her hands. "The cold apparently doesn't affect him. Also, surprise...look who I brought to see you."

Sunshine did not reply, she had no words. This was not a surprise she was ready for.

Alfred slowly moved forward, closing the distance between them and he wrapped his arms around her. He had somehow grown taller than the last time she saw him, and he smelled like Nimo's shampoo and coconut beans.

She stiffened at first, her mind shouting a warning that her husband would probably not be so happy to find them hugging. Her first instinct was to push him away.

A reminder of his death in her last life crossed her mind. She recalled the grief Nimo had lived in. How they had mourned him together. As much as she was worried about what Hades would think, she could not deny that it was great to see Alfred again.

It was wonderful that he had survived. They were friends and they had grown up together. He was like a brother to her now. There was nothing wrong with hugging for a few seconds.

Her body relaxed and she hugged him back for a moment.

"I thought I would never see you again, Suni." Alfred whispered his voice cracking on the last word.

Sunshine remained quiet, only hugged him back. She did not tell him that his thought had come so close to becoming reality. That it was actual reality in her last life.

Nimo rolled her eyes, her voice dry as sand as she poked Alfred on the back. "And I hope that it has sank into your head that she is now married."

Alfred stiffened for a second. Sunshine allowed her hands to drop, indicating that it was time for the hug to end.

"Of course....to Hades Quinn I believe." Alfred let go of her as his eyes darted around. "Where is he by the way?"

"Not here." She motioned for them to come in.

After they sat down in the living room, Sunshine offered them drinks. "A beer for Nimo and a hot chocolate for you Alfred."

Nimo shuddered. "Coconut bean please."

White's ears twitched and his paws moved lower in the blanket, hiding his coconut bean fruit.

Sunshine saw his sneaky movements, and she laughed. She pointed Nimo to the kitchen and then lowered the volume of the television.

Alfred had not taken his eyes off Sunshine since being invited inside. He stared at her as if she was a book that he was reading. "You seem different, tense and tough." Alfred stated his observations.

"I am sure that you went through your own changes with this apocalypse." Sunshine replied as she sat down. "Only a few people have remained the same."

Nimo returned and sat down next to Alfred. Her gaze sharpened as she looked curiously at her friend. "You sped off earlier and did not notice us," she carefully said. "Something is wrong somewhere, is it the marauders?"

Alfred lowered his head; his fingers moved to clenched into fists. "It is my fault; I brought in all kinds of wrong people." He said regretfully. "That man slipped in because of me."

Sunshine's eyes softened, but her voice remained firm. "No, Alfred. Do not blame yourself for that, Fortress four was always meant to be your home because I invited you here. The marauders were determined to get in. Fifi Quinn gave them the idea of sneaking in with any group of survivors we allow inside."

"That bitch!" Nimo shouted.

Sunshine filled her friend in on all that she was not aware of as she had been spending her time with her family since Alfred's return. "But that is not why I am unsettled." Sunshine continued. She leaned forward, her voice lowering as if the walls themselves might betray her. She went on to tell them about the mutated bombardier beetles. "I rushed here to think of solutions."

Nimo set the coconut bean. "My God Suni, you should have sent for me. I did not know that all this was happening." She let out a loud sigh. "And have you managed to scan that brain of yours for a solution?"

"Yes, I have a couple. I was about to return to pass by the command center because I need an extra pair of eyes..." Sunshine paused when Nimo flashed her palm.

"Let us go." Nimo told her. "And I am going on this mission too if we are going outside again."

Unnoticed to her, a white paw swiped her coconut bean.

Sunshine shook her head instantly. "No. You stay. Someone has to guard the base; I do not trust the watchers or the soldiers not to slack off. Also, some of the Quinns are too soft hearted to take charge. I need you here to make sure nobody makes a stupid decision like opening the gates for Fifi."

"Then I will go." Alfred said, his jaw tightening.

The silence that followed lasted only a second before the women exchanged glances. Then, despite the fear clenching their chests, both women laughed. It was soft at first, then louder, shaking loose the tension.

"What?" Alfred demanded, confusion flickering across his face.

Nimo leaned forward, her grin wicked. She jabbed a finger into his wounded side. Alfred yelped, nearly leaping from the chair.

"There is your answer," Nimo said dryly. "You are not healed enough to go anywhere. And you need to stop playing hero or mom will kill me and Suni."

Alfred winced, glaring at them both, but even he could not suppress the small reluctant smile that tugged on his lips. His mother had been impressed with his decision to stay back at town hall and save a group of people that were bounced from the base because they proved to be selfish.

"You stay." Sunshine told him.

He shook his head. "We cannot let you go fight these things alone....."

"Who said she is alone?" Nimo asked. "Her husband is going with her."

Sunshine let out a soft sigh. "Actually, he is not. Our children need at least one parent alive and around all the time. He only goes with me for short missions that are close by or hunts. He is a great hunter."

"Children!?" Alfred shouted. "

"Yes, you dummy I told you about this. Ariel, Castiel and Earl. They are Suni's kids, so you are an uncle now." Nimo told him, she was determined to set boundaries between Sunshine and Alfred.

With Sunshine agreeing to give her marriage a real shot, she had to crash Alfred's feelings for her friend, if he still had any left.

Alfred pushed his body up, looking like he had something to say.

"We should go; I left the stove on." Nimo wailed. She grabbed Alfred's arm, pulling him up.

Sunshine's walkie-talkie crackled and she picked it up. "This is Sunshine Quinn." She announced.

Nimo dragged Alfred out of the house, not bothering to bid Sunshine goodbye.

As soon as the door closed, Alfred scoffed softly and whispered, "Sunshine Raine had a better ring to it.