SHORT FIRST CHAP, but guys I can't wait to post more.

SUNNY WAS GIVEN a camera last year for her 5th birthday. He got it from a thrift store. Probably not the best gift to a kid who just left toddler-hood, but what did Klaus know?

She loves it though.

While Klaus was in rehab she will decorate it with different little stickers that she has, specifically unicorn stickers. Sunny loves unicorns, even more than she loves bunnies.

She only loves bunnies so much because her dad had so many nicknames for her but 'Bunny' is his main one. He said it is because she always hops around like a tiny little bunny.

Speaking of her dad, he kinda sucked. But Sunny loves him so much it's crazy. No matter what he does, no matter what he takes, Sunny is always next to him, holding his hand.

And today he was getting out of rehab.

Yay!

Thirty days.

Klaus had been counting down the days until he could leave rehab, not because he believed it had "fixed" him, but because he desperately needed to see Sunny.

Thirty days without his daughter had felt like an eternity, and every second he was apart from her gnawed at him, a constant reminder of how much he hated himself for being the kind of father who needed rehab in the first place.

But despite everything, Klaus knew one thing for sure: Sunny would be waiting for him, with that camera she adored and those big eyes that always looked at him like he was some kind of hero. He hated it.

Sunny beamed up at him, and Klaus felt like the lowest scum on Earth. How could she still look at him like that, after everything? He didn't deserve it. Didn't deserve her. But here she was, clinging to his hand like he was her whole world.

And he hated it.

Hated how much this tiny little human adored him despite everything. Despite how many times he'd let her down, despite all the times he'd stumbled through the door, reeking of booze and whatever else he'd gotten into that night. She still looked at him like he was her hero.

But he wasn't. He was far from it.

But he also loved it. Loved her. More than anything, and that's what made it so damn hard.

"Sunny-bunny!" he called out, his voice a bit too loud, a bit too eager. "Look at you, all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. How's my favorite girl?"

"Hello!"

Oh that made Klaus melt. Her little wave.

Klaus couldn't stop himself from pulling her into a hug the second he reached her, lifting her off her feet as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Missed you, Sunny-bunny," he murmured into her hair, his voice rough with emotion he didn't want to acknowledge.

"I missed you too, Daddy!" Sunny exclaimed, squeezing him tightly. "It felt like forever!"

Klaus set her down, ruffling her hair. "Yeah, it kinda did, didn't it?" He said with a smile, trying to ignore the way his heart twisted painfully in his chest. "But hey, I'm out now, right? No more boring rehab."

As soon as he set her back on her feet, Sunny was shoving the camera into his hands, her face glowing with excitement. "Look, Daddy! I put more stickers on it! Isn't it pretty?"

Klaus glanced down at the camera, now completely covered in rainbow-colored unicorns with glittery manes and tails.

It was the kind of thing that should've made him cringe, but instead, it just made him feel that uncomfortable tightness in his chest again. "Oh, yeah, I really like that. It's fancy."

Sunny beamed up at him, her eyes shining with that pure, unwavering love that Klaus couldn't stand. He didn't deserve it, but she gave it to him anyway, every single time.

"Wanna take a picture?" she asked, holding up her camera, the unicorn stickers glinting in the moonlight.

Klaus hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "A picture? Bunny, I fear I might break the camera with how amazing I look—"

"Come on, daddy!" She said crossing her little arms.

Klaus melted. "As long as you let me do a silly face."

Sunny grinned and snapped a photo, giggling as the camera clicked. Klaus couldn't help but smile at her, but that smile quickly faded as the reality of what he was about to do next settled in.

Sunny giggled, and Klaus couldn't help but smile. It was moments like these that made him almost believe he could do this whole dad thing. Almost.

As they made their way to the exit, Klaus glanced down at Sunny, who was skipping along beside him, her hand firmly wrapped around his. He knew he should be focusing on her, on keeping things on track, but there was that itch, that gnawing need clawing at the back of his mind. He could feel it growing stronger with every step they took away from the rehab center.

"Hey, Sunny," Klaus said, trying to keep his tone light, casual, "how about we make a quick stop before we go, yeah? Just need to grab something."

Sunny stopped skipping, her steps faltering as she looked up at him with wide, knowing eyes. "Grab something?" she repeated, her voice tinged with worry. "Like what?"

Klaus waved a hand, trying to brush it off. "Nothing big, just... y'know, something to take the edge off. Been a long thirty days, Bunny. Just need a little...boost."

Sunny's face fell, her grip on his hand tightening. "No, Daddy, you don't need that. Please don't do it. You just got out..."

Klaus let out a heavy sigh, his smile fading as he crouched down to her level. "Sunny, listen. I know you're worried, but it's fine, okay? Just calm down, alright? I'll be quick, in and out, and then I'll even get you a lollipop from the gas station. You like those, right?"

Sunny shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "No, I don't want a lollipop! I want you to be okay! I don't want you to go back to... to being like before."

Klaus felt a sharp pang in his chest, guilt twisting inside him like a knife. But the itch, the need, was still there, gnawing at him, and he wasn't sure how long he could hold out. He hated how much she loved him, how much she depended on him. Hated that he was about to disappoint her again.

"Sunny-bunny," he said softly, reaching out to wipe a tear from her cheek, "I promise it's not a big deal. I'm still me, okay? I'm still your dad, and I love you. But I need this, just this one time."

Sunny looked at him, her lip quivering as she tried to hold back her tears. "You always say that," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "But then you keep doing it, and it gets worse. Please, Daddy, don't..."

Klaus swallowed hard, his heart breaking at the sight of her so upset, so desperate to save him from himself. But he was weak, and he knew it. He was Klaus Hargreeves, the screw-up, the addict, the failure. And no matter how much he wanted to be better for her, to be the father she deserved, the itch was too strong.

Klaus went to say something but when he looked down, she was full on sobbing. "But you said you'd stop," she cried. "You said you'd get better!"

Klaus felt his resolve weakening, but the craving was too strong, the pull too powerful. "I know, Bunny, I know," he repeated, his heart breaking as he saw the pain in her eyes. "But I promise, this is the last time, okay? Just one more time, and then I'll be better. I swear."

Sunny didn't answer, just shook her head as the tears continued to fall. Klaus reached out to touch her, but she pulled away, holding her camera close to her chest like it was some kind of shield.

Klaus felt like he was drowning, the weight of his own failure crushing him from all sides. But he didn't know how to be better, how to stop the cycle. All he knew was that he needed her to forgive him, to look at him with those loving eyes again, even if he didn't deserve it.

"C'mon, Bunny," he said softly, trying to coax her back to him. "Please don't cry. I hate it when you cry."

But Sunny just stood there, her little face twisted with hurt and betrayal. "I don't want you to go," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I want you to stay with me. Please, Daddy."

Why did she have to do this to him?

KLAUS WAS AN IDIOT, he overdosed. First day out of rehab and he fucking overdosed! But when he jolted up he was in the back of an ambulance, Sunny was of course holding his hand.

Klaus jolted awake, his body drenched in cold sweat, his heart racing like it was trying to escape his chest. It took him a moment to figure out where he was, the world around him spinning in a nauseating blur of lights and sounds. He blinked rapidly, trying to clear the fog from his brain, and that's when he realized he was in the back of an ambulance.

"Ah, shit," he muttered, his voice raspy. "First day out of rehab, and I'm already getting the VIP treatment. Go me."

He turned his head and saw Sunny beside him, her tiny hand clutching his with a grip that could probably break steel. Her face was buried in his chest, and he could feel her little body trembling with barely suppressed sobs.

"Hey, Sunny-D," Klaus said, his voice softening as he reached out to stroke her hair. "It's okay, Daddy's fine. Just... a little hiccup, that's all."

Sunny didn't lift her head, her voice muffled against his chest. "You're not fine," she mumbled, her words thick with tears. "You said it would be okay, but it's not. You scared me, Daddy. You really scared me."

Klaus felt a pang of guilt twist in his gut, but he tried to keep his tone light. "Scared you? Me? Nah, I'm just keeping things interesting, you know? Gotta keep life exciting, right?"

Sunny finally lifted her head, her tear-streaked face a mix of anger and worry. "This isn't exciting! It's scary! You could've died!"

Klaus winced, hating the way her words hit him like a punch to the gut. But instead of dwelling on it, he forced a grin and said, "Nah, Bunny, you know me. I'm like a cockroach—can't get rid of me that easily."

Sunny didn't seem convinced, but before she could respond, the small TV mounted in the ambulance flickered to life, catching Klaus's attention. The volume was low, but the headline on the screen was impossible to miss: "Moments ago, police reported the death of the world's most eccentric and reclusive billionaire..."

Klaus felt a cold chill run down his spine, and he leaned forward slightly, narrowing his eyes at the screen. The news anchor droned on about the details, but Klaus didn't need to hear any more. He knew exactly who they were talking about.

Sunny noticed the change in his demeanor and glanced up at the TV, her brow furrowing in confusion. "Daddy... who are they talking about? Is that...?"

Klaus sighed, rubbing a hand over his face before turning to her with a weary smile. "Indeed it is, Sunshine. That's your grandpa. Or, well, was your grandpa."

Sunny's eyes widened in shock, her small mouth dropping open. "But... but I never got to meet him."

"Trust me," Klaus said with a dry chuckle, "you didn't miss much. Old Reginald wasn't exactly the warm and fuzzy type, you know? More like the 'emotionally distant billionaire who likes to adopt kids for his weird science projects' type."

"Oh." Sunny said.

"Yeah, oh."  Klaus said after.