Rain drummed softly against the window, the pitter patter rhythmic and steady.

  Emily y in bed, staring at the ceiling, pying with the bedsheet, the events of Madame Zara’s tent pying on repeat in her mind.

  "Feels like the world is taking a bath, Danny," she murmured, half to herself, half to him as she turned to observe the rain striking the window.

  Everything always felt cleaner after a storm—the world felt temporarily reborn.

  It mirrored her own emotions - as if something had washed over her, clearing away an unspoken weight. She turned onto her side, as she considered that in a way, her retionship with her ‘big brother’ had been reborn too?

  He wasn’t pretending anymore—wasn’t holding up the illusion of being some all-knowing guardian. Now that he had abandoned that facade, she could feel the difference - something felt different, as if a giant, previously unnoticed obstacle had finally been removed from the river that was their life, letting it flow more smoothly than ever before.

  Misaligned, Madame Zara had called it - she had said their bond would only grow stronger now.

  Her thoughts drifted back to Daniel’s real form in the Dreamscape—his actual self.

  He had looked so - normal? A little nervous, a little awkward. Limbs slightly too long, as if he hadn’t quite grown into them yet. His voice wasn’t deep or commanding, just a kid’s voice. Still gentle, still her brother, her soulmate.

  "Hey big bro, are you still awake?” she whispered.

  No response. He was asleep—really asleep.

  It still baffled her how that worked, how they could both rest separately. However, she had learned to accept that not everything in the universe could easily be expined.

  Such as how she and Daniel existed together in the first pce. They still didn’t know how or why he had been brought to this universe from his own, why had he been merged with her. She had accepted it with quiet grace, in her own easy-going approach to life. She had given this soul, this presence cohabitating with her room to grow, heal, and recover from his trauma - accepting him as family without a second thought. Where most would have panicked, resisted, been resentful or ft out raged against this perceived ‘intrusion’, Emily had, in her simple, pure hearted way welcomed him - welcomed this bond, not once questioning the gifts this bond brought her.

  Daniel, of course, kept trying to figure it out—his sometimes incessant overthinking and theorizing wearing him out until he finally gave up... for a spell, anyway. It didn’t help that he had a propensity for guilt—far too easily. Emily had come to realize this was a trauma response from his previous life; he had shared hints, fshes of memories, enough for her to piece together that, by the end, he had been alone.

  Hurting.

  Today however, a grin crept across her face as she thought about their dynamic, how they banced each other, she the naughty, sassy self appointed little sister - him the overly protective, overly cautious, sarcastic older brother.

  What a stereotype….

  Her smile faded however as another memory surfaced.

  "You were so close to the void, little one” - Madame Zara’s words echoed in her mind, sending an involuntary shiver down her spine.

  The accident. The moment st year when she had nearly died saving Lily.

  No—when they had saved Lily - together.

  She had never thought much about it, how close she had been to disappearing. Her focus had been on recovering, reintegrating, and moving on with life. One of her strengths as Daniel had called it - not being bogged down by the past.

  Emily swallowed hard as the rest of Madame Zara’s words to Daniel repyed - "I can see it—the way you nearly extinguished your own life force to save Emily. A few more moments, a few seconds, and you would have been gone."

  Her fingers tightened around the bedsheets. She had known that Daniel had given his energy- to keep her alive, to sustain her, help her recover and return from the brink. He had given some of what made him him even though neither understood how this could have taken pce.

  They had fought about this, argued and discussed it, but the truth still gnawed at her. That her brother had, and still would willingly give every ounce of himself if it meant keeping Emily, or their family out of danger.

  No hesitation.

  Martyr syndrome? Gratefulness?

  Love? Was it that simple?

  Her attention was momentarily drawn away as she felt the humming at the back of her mind grow slightly louder, before fading away. She smiled again - she could still feel him in the back of her mind. Dreaming about food most likely.

  Her smile grew wider as she thought back, once again, to the moment she saw him for the first time as him in the dreamscape - no longer the adult projection, no longer a guiding voice in the background - just as Danny, her awkward not-so-older brother.

  She remembered how she shuffled awkwardly, feeling guilty at hiding his identity - overthinking as usual. She had walked right up to him and hugged him without thinking - because of course she had.

  She recalled how her parents had reacted when they saw the dreamscape, and then the emotions when they saw - truly saw, their son for the first time. The way they had hugged him, fussed over him, wept for him and with him, accepted him in a way no one ever had before.

  And Daniel - had let them.

  She thought with a smile about how their father had reacted when he called him ‘Dad’ for the first time. She chuckled as she remembered their mother had fussed and tried to smoothen his moppy hair - unsuccessfully.

  Emily almost ughed, remembering their sibling fight, the ridiculous name-calling spat she had baited him into. How familiar it had felt, how natural, how - them.

  Because that’s what they were - they were siblings. They were soulmates. The most extraordinary, unusual, mischievous, sarcastic, over the top brother and sister that existed.

  Apparently with access to a literal pne of existence for them to do with as they pleased.

  And her brother? He wasn’t some distant, untouchable figure. He wasn’t some ancient protector.

  He was just her big brother. For all his wisdom, all his experience, all his know-it-all lectures— he was a kid like her.

  A slow, mischievous grin spread across her face as she realized what this also meant.

  It meant - for the first time, he was fair game.

  He was barely two to three years older than her at best.

  A slightly older gremlin, just like her, and he was never going to hear the end of it.

  She smirked - she couldn’t wait to rub this in, to take full advantage, to remind him, tease him.

  Tomorrow was going to be fun.

  —

  The following afternoon, both siblings were rexing in the dreamscape, enjoying some quality time. Emily had been nagging Daniel to teach her poker but had relented to a game of ‘crazy Uno’ as he called it - a variation of stacked Uno which could easily result in a draw sixty four if or worse if one wasn't careful.

  Her brother had expressed that he was fatigued and still coming to terms with recent changes and needed something simple.

  Emily stretched and looked around the dreamscape as it settled around her pleasantly.

  Daniel had conjured a simple coffee shop in what appeared to be a Chicago neighborhood from his universe.

  The cafe was empty of course - as the siblings sat on a mat on the ground pying their card game. The smell of freshly brewed coffee permeated the air, cafe music creating a comfortable atmosphere under the glowing lights. As she gazed at the bnk monitors and screens, she once again realized that she was in fact looking at recreations from another universe.

  She carried the bulk of the same memories but sometimes stopping and thinking about it left her in awe. She gnced at a steaming mug of coffee beside her. Thankfully, the coffee in the dreamscape tasted more patable for both of them - with no caffeine high or crash. She quietly shuddered as she thought of the bck, brackish water her parents drank in real life.

  She turned her attention back to Daniel as he sat in front of her, busy shuffling a deck of Uno cards, grumbling as he periodically dropped them and tried to recover. Emily couldn’t help but smile - her brother had apparently struggled with shuffling even in his st life.

  She considered the boy in front of her - as if seeing him properly for the first time again. This boy, perhaps a teenager - a nky, brown-eyed, maybe thirteen year-old boy, with a mop of unkempt hair he refused to comb, sporting a too-big hoodie grumbling about Uno cards.

  Sitting on the carpet like the world hadn’t just fundamentally shifted…

  Emily felt irritation rise within her. She was still slightly grumpy at her brother for having concealed his true identity for so long. She folded her arms, and stared at him. Perhaps - judgmentally gre would be a better description.

  Meanwhile Daniel was completely oblivious, as he dealt the cards - even though Emily’s gaze could have burned a hole in the fabric of the dreamscape.

  “…So,” Emily finally began curtly. He didn’t respond - apparently he hadn’t heard her.

  “SO!” she said, louder, with a cough, her eyes fshing.

  Daniel didn’t look up as he continued dealing the cards, humming. “

  So?” he inquired.

  There was a pause as Emily’s irritation grew. She knew that enough lingering traces of her emotions should be filtering through their bond. Was he really so out of it? Or was he purposefully ignoring her? Or was he being a stereotypical boy - was he purposefully trying to live up to some vague gender stereotype in a literal dreamworld?

  “So - you’re like. Barely older than me” Emily replied.

  Daniel looked up for a second, his eyes slightly wide - “Mmhm, yeah? And?”

  Another long pause - he frowned, shrugged and went back to setting up the game.

  Emily growled under her breath. With a deep exhale, leaned forward, braced her hands against her knees and said - “Danny…”

  “Yeah? What is it Shrimp?”

  A pause.

  SMACK! Emily flung her cards directly at his face.

  “You’re three years older than me at best!” she shouted, her hands on her hips in judgemental irritation.

  Daniel yelped and shielded himself from the card assault.

  “HEY—” he squeaked back in surprise? “What gives?”

  “What gives?” Emily scolded back.

  “Three years! YOU ARE THREE YEARS OLDER THAN ME! AT MOST. MAYBE TWO! You made me think you were - I dunno - ANCIENT!!”

  Words came out faster

  Like you were some old being that knew everything! Like you were thirty five or something?”

  Danny, still deflecting cards, muttered, “I never said I was thirty-five, and honestly, you think thirty-five is old of all things?”

  “SHUT IT!” Emily continued scolding. “ANCIENT! You let me think you were ANCIENT!” Emily accused, grabbing another handful of Uno cards.

  “All these deep, wise lectures and acted like some world-weary mentor when you’re a child!”

  She got up, sat on her knee and leaned into Daniel’s face. She saw him shrink, scrunch up a little at the sudden change in posture.

  “Hee - gotcha!” she gleefully thought to herself, proud at having rattled her brother. Nevertheless, she kept her irritated expression intact, hiding the momentary satisfaction.

  A breath - Emily sat, hands on knees, gring at her brother. Daniel’s eyes dance furtively - Emily, the floor, the ceiling, the Uno cards by Emily, back to Emily - not saying a word.

  Finally - he said, without doubt, the stupidest thing he could have - “…Umm - I guess, I would like to formally apologize for the deception?”

  Emily’s face turned red for reasons that escaped her and with a shriek she sat back and flung more cards that she conjured, right at his face.

  —

  Tempers calmed, a tentative peace agreement was brokered after Daniel conjured Emily’s favorite hot chocote. ‘Campfire chocote milk’ he had called it - something he occasionally made when Emily was having an especially bad day.

  Sometimes because life got in the way.

  Sometimes because Emily perceived that he got in the way and demanded recompense.

  A few rounds of aggressive Uno, and pointlessly noisy slurps ter, Emily leaned back against a nearby table leg, arms crossed, considering Daniel carefully. Now that the initial rage at ‘betrayal’ had passed, something else settled in her chest. She once again felt her emotions from the previous night - a combination of excitement and relief?

  Daniel was busy with the Uno deck, idly shuffling,, perhaps to avoid Emily’s gaze?

  “…You really weren’t gonna tell me, huh?” Emily asked, softer now.

  Danny hesitated. Then, with a quick upward gnce - “Would you have treated me the same if you knew?”

  Emily gave him a bnk look. She hadn’t expected - well, this!

  Daniel sighed, finally set the deck down and leaned back on his arms.

  “I felt I had to be strong,” he admitted. “You were going through so much already.”

  He waved his hand, insinuating all the challenges Emily had faced since their merge - “If I had let you know I was just some dumb kid figuring things out as I went…”

  He trailed off, shaking his head.

  He sighed and looked outside the window. It had begun hailing, neither sibling was sure where the rain came from but it smacked against the panes of the coffee shop windows.

  “I wanted to tell you Em” he said with a sad tinge in his voice.

  “We’ve been over this before, but - first I didn’t understand what was happening for a while, and then one thing led to another, there just wasn’t a good time to really tell you what was happening. And then…I don’t know, I sat on it all so long, I guess I just got nervous and started overthinking, and didn’t know how to bring it up? And then mom and dad accepted me and I didn’t want them to start doubting me? Or maybe somewhere I thought they would reject me if I didn’t serve a purpose? That and a million other little things…”

  A pause.

  “I know now that it was dumb, I know they love me, love us both but…I’m not perfect okay? I’m used to hiding. Used to carrying stuff alone.’

  Emily inhaled slowly - Daniel’s words hitting her harder than she had expected. She felt something tighten with her own chest - understanding?

  Empathy? A bit of guilt?

  She looked at the hail outside, the sky now dark.

  When she really thought about it - she had always relied on him, leaned on him, trusted him, listened and learned from him. He had given her near unrestricted access to his memories - barring ones he felt were inappropriate or too personal.

  She had been a scared, timid little child - the perpetual new girl. It had been her brother who had given her the space, the little push, the encouragement and guidance - ultimately the comfort that no matter what happened he would catch her - that had helped her transition into the outgoing, more confident, happy sassy Emily everyone knew now.

  Bluntly - the Emily she knew now - existed in part because of her brother.

  And he had let her, no - he genuinely wanted the best for her, even when it meant hiding himself, or sacrificing his own sense of identity.

  Even when it meant losing the right to just be a kid.

  Emily’s chest tightened - she understood, she would have felt the exact same way.

  She reached out and flicked his nose - “Danny…I know you want to look after me but - you didn’t have to do that, you know?”

  Daniel smiled - his eyes fshing, a mixture of knowing and tired. “I think I did, your highness. ”

  Emily ignored the pyful jab and frowned. “Why? We are a team right?”

  Daniel let out a breath, slow and steady, like he was searching for the right words.

  “Look, when I came here, I didn’t know what happened at first,” he admitted. “I just knew I was here. And as time went by, I realized I had a second chance. That maybe, somehow, I could do something with it.”

  He exhaled - “And then I met you, got to know you . And I knew what my job was - to look after you, to protect you. That was my meaning.”

  Emily swallowed, throat tight.

  Daniel’s voice was steady, but she saw his fingers twitched - emotions evident.

  “Em, you were - you are a kid,” he murmured. “Nine years old. Stuck with me in your head. You were so angry and confused at first. And you should’ve had time to figure that out, to grow at your own pace. Heck, grow without me to be honest.”

  Emily opened her mouth to argue but Daniel raised a hand to request a pause.

  He smiled - “You accepted me as your brother, I will be eternally grateful to you for that. You could have ignored me, shoved me into the recesses of your mind and who knows, maybe I would have disappeared? Gone quiet? But no - you gave me the greatest gift I could have asked for - a sister, and through you a mom and a dad. Sh*t girl, for all your sassiness you are the kindest, most rge hearted person I’ve met in two lifetimes and I am so da*n proud to be your brother…”

  Emily felt tears stinging her eyes - he rarely spoke this bluntly.

  Daniel looked down again, pying with his thumbs. “I was going to tell you stuff, you know? But then the accident happened. And I thought I was going to lose you. Just like that. Just gone.”

  Emily’s breath caught.

  Danny shook his head, still looking down. “So yeah,” he said quietly. “I did it. I acted like I had it together. I made sure you had someone to lean on. I did whatever I could. Because I felt I had to. All the other stuff is true too of course - the confusion, not wanting to be looked at as baggage, all of that. Me being cataclysmic about what mom and dad would think and overthinking and all that…”

  He finally looked up at her, tired but firm.

  “But I thought I was helping you, you know? Dumb as it may sound. I wanted to keep things simple, make sure you didn’t have to look after me after everything you’ve already done, everything you’ve already been through. What kind of a big brother would I be?”

  Another pause.

  “Because you’re my sister, you know?” he said again. “And I crossed lifetimes to find you.”

  Emily stared.

  For the first time in their entire existence together, she had no idea what to say.

  Daniel, clearly not expecting her to go speechless, tilted his head. “…Emily?”

  A quiet sob escaped Emily. Then another. Then she abruptly groaned. She conjured a throw pillow out of thin air, put her head into it and let loose a muffled scream.

  “Shrimp?” she heard her brother call, more concerned, eyes bnk and wide.

  She looked up, her eyes fshing, grabbed the throw pillow and unched it at his face with all the strength she could muster.

  “WHY WOULD YOU SAY SOMETHING SO POWERFUL AND THEN JUST LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT?!”

  Daniel took the pillow in the face, fell over on his back, groaning. “OW! I—what?”

  “YOU LIFETIME-SPANNING SAP!” Emily yelled back. “This was supposed to be a fun scolding session, and now I feel bad for you. GRRR!”

  Daniel got up, stretched his shoulder and gently tossed the pillow back to her. “Uhh - you know this is on you right? I mean you started this??

  Emily caught it, scowling. “Yeah, well, I didn’t expect you to be so—so—” She gesticuted vaguely. “SO I DUNNO - SINCERE!”

  Daniel merely blinked at her.

  “Girls are so weird,” he finally muttered.

  Emily gred. Then—slowly, irritatingly fondly—she smirked back.

  “…Fine,” she muttered. “You’re my brother. And you’re a dumba*s.”

  “Don’t let mom here that” Daniel whispered, cautiously spawning another cup of campfire chocote milk and handing it to his slightly ameliorated sister.

  —

  The room quietened save for the noise of the rain outside. Emily paused, her py rage completely abating as she held the warm ceramic cup her brother had handed her. And for the first time, she really thought about what that must have been like.

  To wake up in a body that wasn’t yours.

  To have all your memories, but none of your form.

  To exist, but not be seen.

  To be something and nothing all at once.

  To be a child, and feel like an intruder.

  To find a family, your soulmate, and almost watch her die.

  To find a pce within the family, but have the trauma of the past follow you - waiting to be rejected at every turn.

  Emily exhaled.

  It would have driven anyone to the brink, made some pull away, some overcompensate.Her brother chose to hide his form.

  Before she realized it, she leaned forward and hugged him - tightly.

  Daniel froze - “Emily—?”

  “You should have told me Danny, but I understand,” she said gently. “I do. Just know, you’re not an imposter,” she said against his hoodie. “You never were.”

  Her brother didn’t say anything. He just hugged her back. Quietly.

  —

  A few moments ter, as emotions abated, Emily took a loud slurp of the st of her hot chocote, and plopped the mug down, as Daniel quietly shook his head, commenting about the offending noises she was making while consuming her dessert.

  She looks at him, expectant. "So... now what?"

  "We see where it goes. We learn, we grow, we evolve..” Daniel replied nonchantly, removing the mug with a quick flick of his finger.

  She frowned - "That’s it? That’s your big revetion? ‘We see where it goes’?"

  He tilted his head - "My job hasn’t changed, Shrimp. I look after you. I help you, I learn from you and hope you learn from me. That’s what I do."

  Emily rolled her eyes, half tempted to throw another set of cards at him. "Ugh. There you go again Mr. Wannabe Mentor. "

  Yet a small smile escaped her - as she knew that her brother would never stop being her guardian, her protector.

  Daniel’s expression became curious, almost excited. "Anyway, we’ve got a bigger task ahead of us for now."

  Emily raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

  An impish smile pyed on his lips. "Madame Zara said we will be able to pull Mom and Dad into the dreamscape right? Well - how about we figure out how?"

  Emily blinked. This was not what she expected. Then she grinned and shook her head.

  “You have a pn…?”

  Daniel merely smiled and shrugged, leaning back on his hands, gazing at the hail outside.