(Words: 493)

(First in a series back-dated to post-dystopian meta)

Even after the nightmarish vision had ended, Natalie could vividly recall the most painful details as though she’d actually lived them… which, in a way, she felt like she had.

But she couldn’t have. Because here she was sitting at the table with bacon and eggs in front of her. Her young brother was tossing his food around like he always did, and her mother was scolding him. Her father was reading the newspaper, sipping his coffee, and remarking how perfect it was today. He said that every day, more like a habit than a true compliment.

It gave Natalie a strange sort of comfort, because she swore she remembered a time when that chair stood empty and there was no coffee and --

She didn’t know who to talk to about it. She didn’t really know the other senshi well enough to call them about something like that, and even if there was Ash, she… how was she supposed to start a conversation like that?

Panic rose up in her throat just thinking about what they would think of her. Look at the new senshi with the big mouth, cracking under pressure already and dreaming up some freakish daydream. Nightmare? Daymare? Did it really even matter? She sighed and dropped her chin onto the table, barely glancing up even when her mother shot her a questioning glance.

There was one person, though. She glanced at her father, nibbling her lip nervously between her teeth. Her father caught her gaze and just smiled back, trying his hardest to look reassuring even though she knew he had no idea what he was trying to make her feel better about. Natalie didn’t actually know if it made her feel better or worse, but… ever since the whole weird thing, the incident, she couldn’t help but get to thinking.

Part of the problem with the ‘then’ she had seen was that she had hidden herself away. Even when her father was under attack, she hadn’t lifted a single finger to help. He had never even known why she’d gotten that burn, that awful ******** burn that had turned her flesh to a mess of blisters and --

Natalie drew in a sharp breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, and sat up to shove a piece of bacon into her mouth so no one would think she was any more crazy than she already was. Maybe other senshi or cats would think she was nuts for talking about some weird vision thing, but her father was never like that. He was like any other dad where he punished her if she’d done something wrong, yeah, and he got sorta protective, but… he always listened, no judgement. She was his little girl, and he made sure she knew that.

If she came clean with him, then maybe, just maybe… Ash had said to be careful who she told. But who was safer than her own father, right?