Apocalyptic Rebirth: With a repairman system space, she rises again.-Chapter 696: Violation of Family Rules.

The children were so focused on their ’console Mom’ mission that they didn’t hear the heavy boots in the hallway. The door hissed open, and a deep, gravelly voice rumbled through the room. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"Hey! Why am I not invited to the cuddle puddle? That’s a violation of family rules!"

It was Hades. He looked exhausted from his trip to New Eden, but his eyes were glowing with joy at the sight of his family. He lunged toward the couch, arms wide.

"No! Stay back!" Ariel yelled, laughing.

"You smell like poop!" Earl screamed, diving over the back of the sofa. The new decontamination gas did not have a wonderful scent. It did not smell like poop, but still...there was something about it that just wasn’t right.

What people didn’t know was that it was Ala’s product, not Sunshine’s.

"Stinky Dad! Stinky Dad!" Castiel shrieked, scrambling away as fast as his little legs could carry him.

Hades didn’t care. He went on the hunt. He chased Earl into the kitchen, caught him, and planted a loud, wet kiss on his forehead. Then he cornered Ariel near the balcony. "You can run, but you can’t hide from the love!"

Finally, he scooped up a squealing Castiel and tossed him into the air before hugging him tight. Then it was White’s turn, but the bear was too lazy to run. It settled for complaining verbally and folding its arms across its chest.

Sunshine took a picture and sent it to everyone in the family.

After the chaotic family play session, Cathy_the nanny, came to gather the boys.

"Alright, everyone, let’s get you cleaned up," She laughed, ushering the protesting boys toward the bathrooms.

Earl and Ariel were grown, so they showered in the guest room. Only Castiel needed his back scrubbed. Hades watched them go, his smile softening. He turned to Sunshine, who was leaning back in the chair, watching him with an expression of pure love.

"They told me I smell like poop," Hades said, sniffing his own shoulder. "They aren’t entirely wrong. I smell like White after a week of no showering."

White protested, rose and waddled to the bathroom where Castiel was so that Cathy could give him a bath too.

"Your turn. Go shower, you big ogre," Sunshine teased, leaning forward to smack his butt.

Hades headed for the bathroom, and she followed, dragging a stool behind her. They kept talking through the open bathroom door. He told her about the mission_ how President Finch had taken the ’gift’ of Caesar Rommel and how the trade agreement was signed on the hood of a car.

"Finch is a shark," Hades shouted over the sound of the running water. "But he knows we’re the bigger sharks. The seeds and the tech... it blew their minds. But some of those people are extremely greedy and I cannot say that they will not stop trying to talk him into taking our territory."

Sunshine sipped Vita E water. "Whatever the case, we are ready. I think I found the solution to the rifts.... the small ones at least. It’s been a long day of training to sew the sky back together, Hades. My brain feels like it’s vibrating. Did you know that one of the options for pulling it back together is literally stitching energy back together with tools that look like a needled and thread!"

The water shut off.

A moment later, Hades stepped out of the steam. He didn’t bother with a towel. He stood there, powerful, alert and completely unashamed, looking at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Your brain is tired, huh?" he asked, walking toward her.

Sunshine’s breath hitched. "Exhausted. Mentally drained. Totally spent. Stop saluting, there is no anthem playing."

Hades giggled. He reached out, pulling her close. He smelled like soap now, but he still felt like fire. "Well, lucky for you, I know many ways to relax a brain. None of them involve training. And I am always saluting around you. I have never seen as sexier national anthem than you."

Sunshine laughed, the last of her exhaustion evaporating into the warm air. She reached for the zipper of her dress. "In that case, dear husband, I cannot wait to find out how you want to sing."

********

The next morning, as the gentle rays of the artificial sun swept across the tiled bedroom floor, Hades was already awake. He was leaning against the window frame, watching the light flicker over the fortress walls. A sharp, rhythmic tapping at the glass broke the silence.

Hades didn’t wait for a request; he slid the window open. In flew Zulu, looking ruffled and far too caffeinated for this hour. The bird didn’t waste time with "good morning" or "what is for breakfast." It went straight to business.

"The Watchers are planning something!" Zulu squawked, pacing back and forth on the windowsill like a tiny, feathered drill sergeant. "Big things. Bad things. Shady things! You know what I am saying right?"

Sunshine groaned, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She sat up, her hair a wild nest of tangles. "I figured as much. It’s been too quiet lately. Besides, your morning visits are almost always watcher related. What is it, Zulu? We need more information to go on."

Zulu fluffed her wings. "Don’t know! That is all that Jekyll told me. And the watcher’s energy is sour, like old milk. Anyway, tell one of those many kids you have to bring my seeds to the studio. It’s late, and a working bird needs her breakfast!" With a final indignant chirp, the parrot dived back out into the morning air.

Sunshine stared at the empty window, then looked at Hades. "The animal translators!" she whispered, her eyes widening. "Hades, if we’re lucky, we can find out exactly what they’re saying. No more guessing based on how loud the squeaks are."

She waved her hand, and a big, velvet bag appeared on the bed. Hades picked it up, pulling out a device no bigger than a ring.

"This is it?" Hades asked, squinting at the tiny bit of tech. "What does it do? Tell us their thoughts?"

"Tiny but mighty," Sunshine said, jumping out of bed. "It’s a frequency bridge. It translates animal vocalizations and even some brainwaves into human speech. I was going to test it on White yesterday, but my brain was so fried I forgot. We need to plant these immediately."

She threw on a silk robe, tied it haphazardly, and rushed out into the hallway. She planted four of the devices in the corners of their living and dining area before ducking back into the bathroom for a quick shower.

While the water ran, she started to hear the sound of her family. There were giggles, and then Hades’ deep, booming laughter echoing from the dining area. She frowned through the steam. The last time there was a "guest" making the family laugh this early, it had been her uncle, Dustin, and that had ended in a disaster.

Who is it now? she wondered, quickly drying off and throwing on a simple jumpsuit.