Sarah was sitting on a chair at a family-friendly restaurant where she stopped with her husband and her twin daughters. She looked exhausted, battered, and bruised. Her left wrist was wrapped in a makeshift bandage after an injury left by a monster a couple nights ago. Her bottom lip now had a deep cut, a permanent scar left by another monster she hunted months ago. Her hair had thinned out and was now minimally cared for. A shampoo here and there when needed, a couple minutes of combing, and then tied on a ponytail. She switched her fancy dresses for a more practical look, a pair of denim jeans, t-shirts, and a leather jacket with boots.
Her husband was no longer the naive man she used to know. Discovering the supernatural world and encountering monsters on a day-to-day basis forced him to become far more wary of his surroundings than before. He learned how to defend himself and his family in most monster attacks, the rituals and sigils to use to protect their peace of mind. He took it upon himself to teach their twin girls the same basis, usually as a game so they could easily remember the safety measures but they were too young to fight, way too young to defend themselves against the bigger and scarier threats.
Daniel was exhausted too but he remained cheerful in the face of adversity, taking it as yet another family adventure they were able to share together. He didn't mind sleeping less than before, he didn't mind moving around now that their house had been targeted by swaths of monsters from the time Oya and Joshua were working a huge case in the area. He found joy in this new life, he took pride in showing his little girls the wonders of the world and even managed to find a job he could do remotely. A regular job for a family dealing with monsters? Sarah didn't know what to make of it, but somehow they made it work.
< I remember when you told me that I had to protect my white-picket-fenced life. I was perplexed that you wouldn't let me return to being a hunter back then. I'm starting to see why you said it. Life's fucking hard, O. Right now... the only house I have is with them.>
She texted Oya and took a deep breath. She knew that it would be foolish to expect her life to be the same as those blissfully ignorant humans but Sarah was raised to become a hunter, she couldn't ignore the supernatural world. She couldn't afford to let her family become a target of monsters. One way or another, they would have had to fight and hit the road, so why not do it when they still can have some control over it? Her eyes averted from her phone to her husband who yawned and pinched the bridge of his nose. Daniel smiled at his wife and glanced at the twins who decided to focus on their food. Sarah shrugged and mouthed "I love you" to Daniel who returned the favor before her phone buzzed again.
<Yeah? I'm sorry. It really sucks. I was wrong when I said that because the supernatural world doesn't forget or forgive. No matter how hard we try to escape this world, it always finds a way to pull us back in. I'm sorry Sarah. I didn't want this for you.>
The blonde hunter looked at her phone and sighed at Oya's reply. What else could be said in such a situation? It was better to be prepared than to be collateral damage. Monsters didn't discriminate and she would be damned if she didn't give her family the tools to fight back. Sometimes, she wondered if her desire to have a family didn't doom them to an unhappy life? Could it be that she made a mistake in bringing these children into the world and forcing their innocent father into a nomadic life? There would obviously come a time when Daniel would not be able to work remotely. There would be a time when they would have to find a way to get some money and feed their children. Could they send the girls to school? questions kept filling her head and she typed her reply to Oya.
<I regret having the twins. Kinda. I don't know. I feel guilty for bringing them into the world. O... If you didn't drink that potion and could still have kids.. would you have them?>
<Without a doubt. It would have been challenging, for sure. It would have been fucking hard but...I would have tried my best for that kid, you know? Just like I know you would do the best for your twins. They love you and I know you'll find a compromise for them. They'll be ready for whatever comes next. I just know it!>
Sarah couldn't help but smile upon reading Oya's answer. She was right! She would find a way to raise her girls right. She would find a way to make this life worth living. Oya's encouraging words managed to make her feel much better about her decision. She met the love of her life and they both decided to bring into this world, two new lives. It was an act of love. Teaching them about the supernatural world was also an act of love, a way for them to ensure their safety and survival. Sarah realized that compared to those blissfully unaware of the dangers lurking in the dark... Compared to them, Sarah and her family could make a difference, they could save lives... And they would just do it! Daniel looked at her and gently put his larger hand over hers. He gave her a soft smile and stroked the back of her hand.
"Hey, babe. It's going to be alright. How about you rest today and I take care of the twins?"
"Oh, Daniel, I do need to sleep for a while. Are you sure you want to keep doing it with me? This life I mean?"
"Always. I'll go wherever you go, Sarah. This is our life now and I'm fine with it as long as I am with you." -She smiled and lowered her head so she could leave a couple kisses on the back of his hand.-
"I love you."
"I love you too."
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