𝙵𝙻𝙴𝚂𝙷 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙱𝙾𝙽𝙴 | 𝚃. 𝙾𝚃𝚃𝙾 𐂃

- Cristine & Hailey -

Hailey always admired her older sister. She was loving and patient, but also so direct and realistic. When Cristine was needed, there she was like a shadow. Available and her readiness was there for those she felt were part of her world and everyone outside of that coldly. During personal crisis, Cristine was there to sometimes listen and other times to give cutting advice that made you angry. Her sister always protected her from danger; shielded her from their dysfunctional parents as best as she could until she chose her own wellbeing. Left for college and got a place of her own. Then, their bond became strained and she barely visited home anymore. Hailey thought it was because of her at first and she was angry with Cristine for leaving her like that. What big sister did that? Their phone calls became infrequent and it felt like talking to a stranger. Then, their parents decided the three of them would move to San Diego, to a Survivalist community and start new, mostly for their father and partially to forget the crazy world. Hailey didn't mind, she had no grand plans like Cristine. Then, the apocalypse happened and it felt like fate that they did what they did. Hailey had hope things would go back to normal, but they only got worse and one unexpecting day, a week or two in the new world, Cristine was here. She'd come to look for them all the way from San Francisco. Hailey had mixed feelings about it at first and the negative emotions returned and she followed her mother's behavior. Until she saw how the people here treated her like a pariah, like something other, and Hailey's attitude changed a full 360 degree.

So many things had happened since then; her sister got her own outpost and things were looking to get better until the Nation happened. Her father became colder and her mother tried to cope. Most of what her sister said came true; the world was only going to get worse and they needed to be ready. She was right, because before they knew their people got killed left and right; Mike and his family were now slaughtered and that changed Hailey's outlook on everything. She had to make herself useful, at least behind the gates and Cristine gladly took her under her wing together with Alicia. Hailey was learning so much and it was all thanks to Cristine. Hailey was so focused on herself and her sister that she hadn't noticed the deteriorating relationship of her mother and father and them returning to patterns she thought they'd healed from. The alcohol, their lack of ownership, and resentment for everything around them. Even towards each other. Her mother took it harder than their father, at least that was what Hailey guessed until she witnessed Cristine and heard people talk.

Hailey pressed the ice pack on Cristine's face as gently as she could. Her sister didn't really flinch, thoughts seemingly otherwise occupied. It was quiet between them and Hailey wouldn't speak until her sister and Cristine mentioned, "nothing's broken, but I need to change out the cold treatment with warmth after today."

"Okay." Sucking in the impatient question on her lips, Hailey just agreed. Moving her jaw back and forth, Hailey lowered the pack after a while gaze between their bodies and she chewed on her pink lips, until Cristine nudged her to stop. "Thanks for looking after mom last night."

"I did it for you." Not for Dolores. That was the true meaning behind Cristine's comment. Hailey nodded in understanding and distracted herself with the ice pack. Her forehead wrinkled together with the deep seated frown between her brows. The unfairness glared her right in the face and Hailey's mouth crumpled together into a scowl. The truth was that even with all the responsibility she wanted to take on and be like her sister; Hailey knew Cristine would always protect her and the shit she got in return wasn't worth it. Cristine didn't deserve any of this. She deserved so much better.