Apocalyptic Rebirth: With a repairman system space, she rises again.-Chapter 675: The new grandpa.

"I wish it was that easy but we both know superhumans don’t die that easily. The man is a machine," Hades said, shaking his head. "The docs said Dustin’s body has been through enough stress to kill a normal person ten times over.

He has old scars and new scars from torture. There found a bullet lodged in his thigh. Apparently, it had been there for close to a month. His spinal nerves were crushed by something really heavy. If he weren’t a superhuman, he’d be a memory right now. Or he would be in a wheelchair.

He had a minor operation; they sedated him and hooked him up to body revitalizing supplements. Apparently, his metabolism is already eating the stuff up. They expect a quick recovery."

"Good," Sunshine said, her voice flat. "Great. Fantastic. Now, let’s go home."

Hades blinked, his eyebrows shooting up toward his hairline. "Wait_ home? Now? We’re just... leaving him here all alone?" 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Sunshine stopped and pointed a tired finger toward the reception desk, where three nurses were busily charting and a medical droid was whirring softly. "See those people?" Sunshine asked.

"The nurses?" He raised his brows curiously.

"Yes. Those are professionals. He’s not alone; he’s surrounded by people who are literally paid to care. I, however, I am not going to suffer for any relative that does not see me as family. And my ’care’ battery is at 0% right now. I need a bed that doesn’t smell like antiseptic."

Hades looked back at the tent, then back at his wife. He wasn’t going to argue. This was her parent, her mess, and clearly her limit. "You’re sure? I mean, it’s a big deal, your dad showing up."

"He’s a patient and my uncle," Sunshine corrected firmly. "And the caretakers will take care of him. That’s why they have the word in their job title."

Hades held up his hands in surrender. "Noted. No arguing from the husband. What about the kids? They’re going to have a lot of questions about their grandfather when they hear about him....and they will."

Sunshine folded her lips; she did not have any more answers to give. Dustin was not the children’s grandfather. She did not want that poisonous man near her boys.

"News has already spread around that Dustin Raine has been rescued." Hades added. "Dominic and Leah were here earlier, they wanted to question him about Moon’s whereabouts, but I told them to wait until he is much better."

"Okay." Sunshine said in a nonchalant tone. She started walking toward the car, not looking back. "We will deal with all that tomorrow. Tonight I am going to take a shower so hot it peels off a layer of skin and then sleep for twelve hours."

Hades hurried to catch up, a faint grin tugging at his lips despite the chaos. "Twelve hours? Optimistic. I give you six before a kid jumps on your stomach."

"If a kid jumps on me tonight, Hades, I’m putting them up for adoption."

"Oof. Harsh," Hades laughed, opening the door for her. "Home it is."

******

As soon as she was driven away Dominic and Leah came out of the shadows. They had no plans of letting Dustin out of their sight.

"Aren’t you glad that we stayed here?" Dominic asked her.

Leah smiled coldly. "Yup. If he is here, then Moon is not too far behind. If she is still alive." And it was her biggest hope that the woman was alive and healthy. She hoped so much for it that she had become a faithful mass goer. Her prayers were for Ala, their family, their dead children, the fortress and Moon.

****

Meanwhile, Nimo found herself on sudden aunt duty. The romantic date she had planned with Dwayne was cancelled. Instead, they were both listening to a lecture on Mrs. Long legs and sponge bob!

"I thought she was some kind of genius." Dwayne whispered to Nimo.

Nimo rolled her eyes. "Do you want to listen to a lecture on chemistry or a pineapple under the sea and a doll whose long legs take her on adventures in the galaxy?"

Dwayne’s choice was simple. "Hey Ala, tomorrow, Uncle Dwayne will buy a real pineapple, and we will build it into a house before eating it. What do you say?"

Ala clapped her hands. Then, she waved her hand and a whole bunch of materials that looked like a broken oversized pineapple fell to the ground. "Let’s do it now. Mrs. Long legs wants to sleep inside."

*****

In the morning, Sunshine sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She knew without checking that her goal of twelve hours had not been achieved. Still, her body and mind had been refreshed.

The quiet of the room was quickly punctured by a rhythmic, thumping sound followed by a chorus of high-pitched giggles.

"Earl, stop it! He’s going to eat your ears!" she heard Castiel shriek with delight.

Sunshine sighed, a small smile tugging at her lips. She assumed Earl was being his usual ’beast master’ self, perhaps using one of his makeshift gadgets to trick the household pets, or maybe Zulu had swung by their home early again. Zulu’s visits were becoming a daily occurrence, usually to share some new rumor that was going around the base.

She moved through her morning routine with practiced efficiency, splashing water on her face and pulling her hair back before brushing. The smell of toasted bread and something savory drew her toward the dining hall. She was ready to scold Earl for playing with his animals while eating, but the words died in her throat the moment she crossed the threshold.

There, seated at the head of the heavy wooden table, was a man who didn’t belong in her home. He was leaning forward, his hands animated as he spoke, looking every bit the part of a storyteller.

"Mommy, look! We got a new grandpa!" Castiel shouted, bouncing in his chair so hard his milk sloshed.

"Yeah, Mom," Earl added, his mouth stuffed with a massive bite of pancake. "Why didn’t you tell us Grandpa Raine was so cool? He knows how to bypass an electric lock!"

Ariel nodded solemnly, his expression uncharacteristically grave for a child. "He has so many stories about the outside world, Mom. He says it’s totally turned upside down out there. Like a dark tunnel with no light at the end. And he met cannibals that almost ate him."

Sunshine’s heart did a slow, painful roll in her chest. Her gaze shifted from the children to the man. Dustin Raine sat there, looking remarkably well-preserved for a man who had been a ghost for most of her life. He looked back at her, his eyes crinkling at the corners with a casual warmth that felt like a physical blow.

"Good morning, child," Dustin said. He picked up a fork as if he’d been eating breakfast there every day for twenty years.

The sheer audacity of his tone_ so calm, so fatherly_ made the air feel thin. Sunshine froze, her fingers curling into the fabric of her overall. She looked at Hades, who was already standing.

He caught her eye, his expression unreadable but firm.

"Kids, gear up. School starts in ten minutes, and the transport won’t wait," Hades commanded.

"But Grandpa was just getting to the part about the giant squids which crushed the superhumans!" Castiel protested.

"Later, Cass," Hades said, ushering them toward the door. He gave Sunshine a brief, lingering look_ a silent acknowledgment that he was giving her the space to either scream or talk_ before following the children out.

The heavy door clicked shut. The silence that followed was deafening.