While the grinning Steven and Selena were getting themselves decent due to just having sex, footsteps could be heard on the spiral staircase a few paces to the west.
Selena retained her smile and shone it at the descending duo. Remembering a certain someone, Steven promptly lost his.
Parting his lips with some sadness, he sincerely asked,
"Is Sasha still-?"
"Unfortunately," Darlene answered, coming off the stairs--alongside Kara--to stand only a few feet away from them, wearing a somber expression very much the same as Steven's.
Realizing something truly heartbreaking, Selena lost her smile as well.
Hands on her hips, Kara--who stood out due to having an average physical appearance unlike the others--scoffed, shaking her head at the man of the house.
"Of course she still is, Steven."
"I... Yeah, my bad, Kara."
Kara sighed, then tensed in astonishment. She didn't expect to be enveloped in a sudden hug by Selena. A pleasant surprise nonetheless.
"I'm so glad you're okay, Kara."
Kara donned a small smile, returning Selena's show of affection and patting her back.
"And I'm so glad you care, Selena."
They both pulled away, looking deeply fond of each other.
"Of course I do. You're like a sister to me."
"Steven, you're..."
Darlene's somber tone prompted the two to set their sights on her, seeing her move forward to wrap Steven in an embrace, closing her eyes and gently caressing his chest with her cheek.
Selena looked shocked, not at all expecting that. Then, she remembered that they'd indeed been having sex. The woman had to show her pearly whites seeing that there were ample amounts of love between the two.
Steven hugged her back, breathing a breath of relief.
"I know you're anxious," Darlene whispered,
"genuinely worried about her mental state; but I assure you, Steven, Sasha will be good again. We only need to give her time, space, and the occasional comfort to let her know that we're still here. That we still care."
She smiled, unfurling her eyes and looking up at him.
"Right, Brother?"
Utterly confused, Selena could only think to get out a,
"Oh?"
Darlene's smiling visage had a profound effect on Steven, causing him to grin like an idiot.
"Right, Sis."
Selena blinked twice before softly asking,
"What the fuck is going on?"
"Oh," Steven said, still beaming while he and Darlene relinquished each other from their holds.
"Darlene's no longer a maid. Today I decided she's our sister, and it'll be official."
Darlene turned toward Selena and locked arms with Steven.
"I'm honored to have you as my sister, Selena."
"I-When did this happen; how did this happen?"
Before Steven or Darlene could answer, an unemotional Kara said,
"They bonded and copulated today, acquiring love for each other in its genuine article."
Darlene gasped while Steven had to blurt out,
"Can you see our memories?!"
Kara shrugged.
"It just seemed obvious to me."
Selena calmly looked between the two, gaining a grin.
"Congrats and welcome to the family, Little Sister."
Darlene let out a low, girlish squeal of delight and hugged Selena, giving her a smooch on the cheek.
"Thank you, Selena," Darlene said, barely suppressing a shout.
When they pulled away, Selena likewise planted a kiss on Darlene's cheek.
"You're welcome."
"So," Kara began, prompting all to eye her,
"I'm quite sure my home was destroyed over in Manhattan, which is-"
"Yes!" Selena yelled, frantic and hopeful at the same time. She cleared her throat, a tad embarrassed.
"I mean: Of course you can stay here, Kara."
Kara's smile thereafter was warm and loving.
"Many thanks, my wise and beautiful bunny."
Steven and Darlene couldn't help but laugh.
Doing the same, Selena started onward and lightly punched Kara on the arm.
In a whisper, Selena told honestly her,
"I'm glad you're still capable of being comedic despite all that happened. You're amazing."
A rumble suddenly came from Kara's stomach, making her say with that same smile,
"And hungry, apparently."
Selena giggled.
Gladly, Steven told Kara,
"It's a good thing Selena's already prepared dinner - you have, right, Sis?"
She flashed him a smug smirk.
"Why of course, Little Brother."
Steven's eyes twinkled with delight, and Darlene--happy as them all--said,
"I'll be fetching Misty and Elaine then."
They nodded, and Darlene teleported just outside Misty's room.
As soon as she went to knock on Misty's door, it flung open, and she beheld the sight of a disheveled-looking scantily clad Misty. Scantily clad due to wearing tight-fitting gym shorts and nothing on top, leaving her small tits exposed.
Darlene blushed, shielding her eyes with one hand.
"Ah, Misty! My sincere and utmost apologies!"
Misty emitted a cute little giggle, dragging a shirt over her head and donning it.
"It's cool, Darlene. Some coinkydink though, amirite?"
Darlene simply nodded, still blushing while hiding her eyes.
Misty giggled once more.
"You can look now, Darlene. I'm decent."
"Oh."
Looked she did, seeing the infectious beaming visage of her little sister.
"You seem to be in a good mood," Darlene realized, smiling as well.
"Ah. Steven and I-Wait, why aren't you in uniform?"
She frowned, cute voice going soft as she said,
"Are you leaving us, Darlene?"
"Not at all. What you need to know is... I'm no longer a maid. A few hours ago, Steven decided to make me part of the family - Darlene Price. And it will be official, very soon. You're fine being sisters, yes?"
Misty stared on with her mouth agape.
"Seriously, why is today so weird? All this in one day?"
Darlene lightly chuckled.
"Yes, I can see-"
Misty hugged her, truly tender.
"I've always thought of you as my best friend, you know. This is one thing I'm glad that happened today. I welcome you with open arms, Sis."
Just as Darlene went to hug her back, Misty pecked her on the cheek, running off to gleefully yell,
"See ya at dinner, Sis!"
Throwing a fond smile her way, Darlene whispered,
"See you... Sis."
Momentarily, she frowned.
'You can't be Terrifier... can you?'
Darlene breathed out, teleporting before the door to Elaine's room. Giving the door two knocks, she called,
"Elaine."
"Darlene?" a casual Elaine sounded.
"No 'Ms. Elaine' this time? What's going on, maid?"
"Today our brother decided I'm no longer a maid. I'll soon officially be Darlene Price."
There was silence for a while. Elaine's door opened, and there she stood with an uncaring laziness over her features.
"Well, okay, Darlene. Is it dinner already?"
Darlene was awfully gleeful while responding,
"Indeed. Come eat with us."
Elaine seemed pensive, narrowing her eyes and not looking Darlene in hers.
"I'll... be down soon."
A chill crawled down Darlene's spine and she began feeling distraught. Feeling that something was truly awry, she activated her unique ability; began hearing Elaine's desires.
'I wanna eat with the others, but as I am right now, I'm afraid I'll have them catch on that I'm-'
When Elaine caught on to Darlene's desire-reading, there was no one on Earth that could match her wrath. Time was manipulated in a way that rewinded it with masterful precision and control, making Darlene the only human--with standard relations to causality--to recall moments prior to its rewinding.
The girl was aghast, terrified, seeing that Elaine was nowhere to be seen - her door closed.
"I twisted time," Elaine said from within her room, nonchalant voice reaching Darlene's ears only,
"turning it back to the moment you first appeared outside my door."
The calm, casual way that Elaine had spoken those words made Darlene's knees weak, almost giving out due to the immense pressure she found herself under. Anxiety built in her chest, and tears threatened to stream.
"Get inside my head again and it'll be your time that's rewinded - to absolute negative; making it so you were never even in that retard's womb."
Then Darlene clutched her chest, collapsing to her knees while hyperventilating.
'So it's Elaine! Elaine's-!'
"I'm what?"
Darlene gasped.
"What do you know exactly, Darlene? Oh... I see. Begone and tell absolutely fucking no one of our conversation... lest you face retaliation."
A shaken Darlene teleported into an unoccupied train, sitting down to gather her thoughts and try as best she could to steel her nerves.
After doing so in a span of two minutes, she exhaled and stood.
"Okay. That's that. I... suppose."
She teleported into her dining room, beholding the sight of an emotionless Kara, along with her smiling seated family members.
"Apologies for taking so long, everyone. Spent time trying to convince Elaine to eat with us, but it seems she's quite adamant and stubborn today."
In unison, the smiling Selena, Steven, and Misty, told her,
"It's fine."
Darlene put on a small smile to then ask,
"Has Sasha-?"
"I brought her her share of dinner," Kara said.
"Good," Darlene responded, taking a seat.
"First thing's first," Selena began, a smidge serious while still smiling,
"The procedures for having you legally be our sister are... let's say, because of Terrifier, we'll have to put it on hold until the world gets its shit together. That's fine by you, correct, Sister?"
"Of course. I understand."
Darlene picked up a knife and fork, cheerful--almost--eyes moving 'bout all of them.
"Let's dig in, shall we?"
'Dammit.'
Darlene felt a deep fury for herself, realizing that while the eating Selena remained none the wiser, a now frowning Steven and Kara realized something was amiss.
Steven stared at Darlene for a while before getting his knife and fork. Seemed as if Misty was waiting for him to do so, 'cause she immediately did the same with a huge grin.
Kara, however, felt it necessary to ask,
