Sunshine is sure this is the sickest she's ever been in her entire life.

Her body feels like a vessel of heat. Flames lap the inside of her chest and scorch her lungs. She can't force any breath between her teeth, so resorts to sucking in air through her nose, gasping for life, hanging in the balance between conscious and unconscious.

It's been like this for days. Four, she thinks, but can't completely recall. Tonight has been the worst, though. Sunshine can hear the rain pelting outside, splashing against her window, keeping her awake. Her green eyes slide across the dark room, and panic eats away inside. Why is she alone? Where is Kat? Tommy? Nolan?

She begins to sob. The headache is pounding, pulsing angrily in her temple, forcing its way out in a horrific scream. The pain is unimaginable. Sunshine feels something clawing against her throat and jerks up, scratching her skin to try and tear it out. Blood dribbles down her hands and drips on the covers. She's dying. She's dying. Something is taking over. She's not herself!

Soft hands suddenly steer her own away from her neck, and a breath stirs in her ear. "It's okay. Sunshine. It's okay."

Nolan.

She sobs harder and throws herself into his embrace, tears flooding down her cheeks. "I- I can't-" Sunshine shakes her head desperately. "What's happening to me?!"

"You-" Nolan's voice breaks as he holds her tight. "Sunshine, you're possessed. We- we're doing the ritual tonight. Now. Can you walk?"

Shock. That's all Sunshine feels. She blinks slowly, but the world is blurry, darkness fleeting behind her eyelids. She's possessed? How long has Nolan known? There's almost a sense of betrayal, but then comes the terror. She's going to end up like her mother. End up like a demon. Sunshine begins to scream again, trying to wrench herself out of Nolan's grasp, but it's useless.

"Sunshine-" He pants and practically drags her off the bed, trying to keep both of them steady, "stay- you have to stay strong, okay?! Everyone is here, we have to go downstairs."

"NO!" Sunshine yells, voice shaking as she fights him. "I- I-" Something comes over her and her arms are suddenly moving against her will, fingernails clawing at her arms. Pain. Pain. Pain. That's all she can feel.

"Stop it. Stop, please." Nolan's voice breaks and he rips her arms away from her body, holding them tight. She screams again and fights against him, trying to claw his wrists in order to free herself. Nolan won't budge.

He begins to pull her out of the room and to the stairs. Sunshine shoves her heels to the ground to stop him, but Nolan is stronger and manages to force her down the stairs with him. In the kitchen now, Sunshine begins to cry in pain when she feels something like- like fangs split through her gums. She yells and thrashes harder, head jerking forward uncontrollably to snap her jaws at Nolan.

Muffled voices fill her ears and she recognizes the living room. Sunshine is pushed on to a couch in the middle of the room and feels handcuffs click on her wrists, strapping her to the back of the chair. Two more are put on her legs and she realizes she can't get out of this situation now.

Then, out of the corner of Sunshine's eye, she sees her mother crying. Somewhere deep inside wants to tell Kat that she's sorry — she doesn't know why this is happening. But nothing will come out of her mouth except inhuman snarls and hisses, something she's never heard before except for the first ritual, when Kat had been possessed.

But now.... oh, god. Now she's possessed.

Sunshine tries to fight the darkness inside, but it's spreading, filling up her soul, forcing her hand. What she doesn't see is the horrified expression of her family when her eyes flicker black and claws slide from her fingers, scratching the wood of the chair.

"O-okay," Victoria stammers, voice shaking as she stands in front of Sunshine. There's a book in her hand, a silver cross necklace in the other. "It is time to begin the ritual."

Tommy holds harshly on to Kat. Nolan watches with worried eyes, muscles tight, like he wants to jump forward and rip the handcuffs off of her. Victoria stands in front of Sunshine and Mentor rounds the chair, beginning to say something in a foreign tongue. Victoria echoes the words.

Hot, white pain sears the inside of Sunshine's skull and she screams in anger. Her legs kick desperately and she tries to free her hands, but it's to no avail. It feels like her forehead has cracked and is bleeding flames, but there's nothing there. Nothing at all.

Objects in the room begin to shake. Nolan whips his head around nervously. "U-uhm- guys-?"

He's cut off when a vase flies across the room and crashes into the wall. Kat screams and Nolan jerks back, caught off guard. Tommy drops to the floor and covers his head with hands. Sunshine continues thrashing, and with each scream that rips from her jaws, more objects begin to clatter over like an earthquake is rumbling beneath them.

Kat shakes her head and runs forward, trying to pull Victoria's arm. "Stop! Stop it! You— you're hurting her!"

"It must be done," Victoria snaps back, then continues reciting the words.

Kat's gaze moves from Victoria, to Mentor, to Sunshine, and in an instant she's at her daughter's side, fumbling with the handcuffs. "It's okay. I- I'm gonna get you out of here-"

Tommy finally manages to stagger to his feet and pants out a breath. When he sees Kat, his eyes widen and he grabs her shoulders, jerking her back. "Kat! What the hell are you doing?!"

"I- I have to stop this! She's in pain!"

"If you stop the ritual, Kat, Sunshine will..." Tommy trails off. There are tears in his eyes. "She'll be gone forever."

Kat stares at Tommy for a moment, frozen, truly considering, then finally nods slowly. "Okay. Okay, you're right." She retreats back to the sidelines, shaking terribly.

After a moment, Mentor stops talking, and Victoria continues the foreign lines. She pushes the cross necklace to Sunshine's head and the pain is worse now; it feels like her whole body is one giant burning ember. Objects in the room begin to levitate and swirl in circles, nearly knocking Nolan out as a pot slams into the side of his head. He drops to the ground and Kat rushes over to him.

Something new comes from Sunshine's mouth. Foreign words that match Mentor's and Victoria's snarl something back, and her eyes flicker from black to red, glowing. Every lightbulb in the room cracks and Tommy yells when one shatters over his head. Nolan is helped to his knees and looks at Sunshine. "Sunshine! Please!" His voice breaks. "Don't let it take you!"

But she can't do anything. As the pain worsens, Sunshine manages to free one of her hands from the cuffs and slashes claws over Mentor's face. He cries out in pain and staggers back. Victoria stops mid-sentence, eyes wide, then continues, louder, harsher.

There's a crash somewhere above and a crackle of thunder. Everyone, save Victoria and Mentor, scream and look around. "What the hell is that?!" Tommy exclaims.

Smoke begins to billow into the kitchen, heat flaring from the second story. Kat runs to the fire extinguisher but Victoria shakes her head. "You won't be able to stop it!" Tommy shakes his head and follows Kat, trying to extinguish the fire upstairs.

Mentor pushes himself to his feet but is blown back when Sunshine screams hysterically. She can feel something oozing from her body like black pus, and there's a dark shape that seems to leave the chair, except it isn't her. Sunshine gulps in air and the feeling of freedom returns. Nolan rushes over, shocked. "S-Sunshine!" The claws that had been protruding from her fingers sink back into her skin, drawing blood, as do the fangs.

Victoria watches as the dark shape — the demon, exiting Sunshine's body — throws itself into Mentor. She roars in anger and rears forward, continuing the foreign words, but Mentor is faster. He slams his body into Victoria's and knocks her down, and in the tangle of arms and legs, the cross necklace is discarded to the side.

Nolan ignores the chaos ensuing and shakily shoves the key inside the lock, clicking the handcuffs open. He extends his arms and moves Sunshine's wrists, thumbing over them, and in a second she's throwing herself into his chest, sobbing.

With Victoria on the ground, Mentor's eyes swirl an inky black and claws slide from his fingers. His face morphs into something inhuman and his neck elongates, fangs forming in his mouth. Sunshine, Nolan, and Victoria watch in horror when Mentor plunges the claws into his chest, clawing rabidly, blood staining the floor as he drops to the ground. Victoria screams something and rushes over, but another crack! of thunder stops her in her tracks.

Kat and Tommy rush into the room, about to speak, but stop with their mouths agape, wide-eyed. Immediately both run to Sunshine and hold her in a tight embrace, not willing to let go. Sunshine manages to wriggle her way out and coughs from the smoke, but the blaze is extinguished by rain pelting from Sunshine's broken upstairs window.

Victoria is standing still, looking down at Mentor. He's dead. Sunshine feels a lump in her throat and slowly steps forward, placing a hand on the woman's shoulder, but she jerks out of Sunshine's grasp. "Do not touch me."

She stares in shock. "Victoria-"

She bends down and touches her hand to Mentor's head. Everyone freezes when his body begins to dissipate, lifeless form disappearing right in front of their eyes. Before Sunshine can even comment, Kat yells, "Nolan. Nolan!"

Sunshine whirls around and sees Nolan on the ground, palms face-down on the carpet as he groans in pain. "Nolan." She rushes to his side, heart leaping into her throat. "Nolan, get up!"

"I'm sorry, Sunshine," he says in a shaky voice.

Sorry? She exchanges a glance with Tommy. Victoria turns at the words, watching the ordeal unfold.

"I'm sorry." Nolan leans up and Sunshine slaps a hand over her mouth in horror at the black eyes staring back at her. "But I don't think I can fix it."

"Fix what?" Sunshine asks, stepping back, gut twisting.

Victoria stares at Nolan, and something in her face crumples, turning to rage. "You're one of them."

Nolan shakes his head, anger swimming in his gaze. "Just because I'm not like you doesn't make me bad!"

Tommy steps forward. "What does that mean? Who are you, Nolan?"

Nolan shakes his head and suddenly has Tommy by the throat, pushing him up against the wall. "I'm not the problem!" he screams. "I'm not!"

Victoria moves forward in a few short strides and yells something incoherent. The ground shakes and Sunshine nearly falls on her ass, trembling badly. Nolan lets go of Tommy and Kat manages to hold her up, but when all three return their gaze to Victoria and Nolan, both are gone.

Silence. Only the sound of rain and the sparks of embers from the now dormant fire fill the room.

What the fuck just happened?

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It's been a week since the exorcism and Sunshine has no idea what to think.

So she was possessed by some demon-Groundling hybrid baby, or at least that's what she's gathered. She isn't sure how that happened, or how Victoria and Mentor didn't know, but she supposes it doesn't matter anymore. Both Victoria and Nolan have been missing for a week, and to be honest, after their last interaction, Sunshine can't exactly say she's sad.

Sunshine still has questions, though. Why did the demon jump out of her? Where did it go after it killed Mentor? Where did Mentor go? How did Victoria make his body disappear like that? And what the hell was Nolan talking about, 'I can't fix it'? What did Victoria mean when she said he was 'one of them'?

She was also filled in on Tommy and Nolan's fight and, well, that's just great.

Also. They're moving.

They're fucking moving.

At one point Sunshine is sure she would've been angrier, but after everything that's happened, she just... can't. Only a year and a half of living here and so much bad shit has happened it's unbelievable. Victoria is MIA, Nolan has fucked off to who knows where (and based on Victoria's earlier judgement he doesn't seem to have the best intentions for Sunshine), Mentor is dead, and the ghosts are gone.

Oh. Not to mention there have been two possessions at this house alone. And that's not even the tip of the iceberg. The cult, the film, Tommy bleeding from the face, Anna's father, the bathroom Sunshine still refuses to enter, LeMaster, Alistair, and more are just a few things that are wrong with the house.

So maybe it's a good thing that they're moving. It's not like Sunshine wants to leave Victoria, Anna, and Nolan behind, but what choice does she have?

It's madness. And it's something Sunshine never wants to go through again.

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So. Uh. Victoria's here.

Sunshine hasn't been using her upstairs bedroom (aka the one that was scorched) and is now sleeping on the couch, so she's the first one to hear the knock on the door.

"It's Victoria," she says, grabbing her camera.

"What?" Kat says.

Sunshine opens the door and blinks back at the woman. "Victoria? Do you wanna—?"

"You need to leave this house," Victoria says immediately, looking grave.

"What?" both Kat and Sunshine say in unison. They kinda already are, but okay.

"You must leave this house, it's not safe here."

Sunshine looks confused. "Victoria, why are you doing this—?"

"Do not call me by my name, girl!" Victoria's voice raises. "Heed my advice, or suffer the consequences." She turns and walks down the steps, making her way to the fence — the fence where it had all started, where Sunshine had first seen her standing that fateful day.

They've come a long way, huh?

"Wait!" Sunshine finally manages, opening the screen door. Victoria stops in her tracks. "What about Anna?"

Victoria hesitates before turning on her heel, entering the house, staring down at both Sunshine and Kat. "Listen to me." The screen door slams shut behind them. "None of this can be undone. But it can be forgotten." A breath. "Anna has moved on."

Sunshine's eyes widen. Wait, WHAT?

"And... I am on my last day here on Earth."

DOUBLE what?

Sunshine's expression must betray her thoughts. Victoria sighs. "The Markons have decided that you are not worth the trouble. They were wrong about you. You are not a Luiseach. You are merely a girl."

Her brows furrow as she looks Victoria up and down. Where is all of this coming from? Why is it so sudden? Last week she's the last Luiseach left, but this week she never even was?

Jesus. This is all so confusing. Maybe she should be glad she isn't a Luiseach.

"...Okay," Sunshine says through her teeth, voice small.

Victoria blinks. "You don't pose a threat to them anymore. And you cannot help me. Your Mentor..." Her voice shakes. "Is gone. Don't ever expect to see Nolan again."

Sunshine looks at her mother. Is Nolan in on this, too?

"I want you to know that..." Victoria hesitates. "This chapter in your life is coming to an end. And all you have to do now is allow it to end, and start a new one. Do you hear me?" Her tone is final.

"Yeah," Sunshine mumbles, gaze hard.

"Goodbye, Sunshine." Victoria opens the door and walks back outside.

Kat scoffs.

"Wait..." Sunshine whispers, but it's too late. Victoria walks behind one of the trees and disappears completely.

"What did that mean?" Kat asks, turning to her daughter, clearly confused.

"I don't know..."

"Okay, well." Kat sighs. "I definitely want to find us a new home now."

Sunshine rolls her eyes.

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Two weeks later, and guess who decides to show up?

Yeah. That's right. Nolan's here.

They're standing in the living room, Nolan by the door, Sunshine to his left. Kat is holding the camera and watching both of them, brows furrowed.

"Hey, guys," Sunshine sighs. "So... Nolan has something he'd like to say."

He looks worse than usual. He's discarded his jacket, for one, but there are clear dark bags under his eyes like he hasn't been sleeping. His eyes are sad, and his usual confident self has turned into something completely different. Sunshine wishes she could fix him, but at the same time, she doesn't even know what to think about him anymore.

"I'm sorry," he says. Nolan looks down, like he's contemplating on something else to say.

"That's it?" Sunshine demands, looking up at him. "You're done? Two words? I'm sorry? That's— that's all?" She motions toward the camera angrily. "There's a lot of people out there who love you and trust you and like that you're in the videos." Sunshine drops her hands and shakes her head. "I don't even think you can be in the videos anymore."

"I don't think I'd allow it anyway, honey," Kat murmurs.

Nolan looks between both of them, appearing completely defeated. "What, no points for comic relief?"

"No!" Sunshine and Kat say together.

"You lied to us," Sunshine adds.

"I didn't lie," Nolan defends, arms slightly hugging his body.

"You certainly didn't tell the truth," she bites back. "We've been through a lot this past year and a half, and I just kind of accepted all of it that came with you and, all the craziness, but, I don't even think you've been telling the truth about...who you are."

Nolan averts his dark gaze, holding back tears. "I don't know, Sunshine, I don't know who I am." He loosely shrugs his shoulders.

"Why'd you come to the house." Sunshine doesn't look at him.

"I thought I could help," he says.

"Then..." She shakes her head. "Explain the black eyes, and the disappearing, and—" Sunshine gives Nolan a harsh look, "your grandma's house?" Yeah, she's still not getting over that one.

Nolan sighs. "I think I need help."

"Mmhm," Kat mutters.

"I've been trying to help you," Sunshine says, trying to keep her voice even.

"No, I mean real help. Like a... professional."

Sunshine rolls her eyes. "What, like a doctor?"

"Like a priest."

She looks at him incredulously.

"I think she's right," Kat adds, "I think a doctor's what you need."

Nolan glares at her mother. "I don't know, Kat."

"No— no offense, Nolan," Kat continues, ignoring the look, "but it seems like there's a lot of things that you don't know."

"I know that the Markons sent me here," he says.

Kat inhales.

"What?" Sunshine demands.

"So..." Kat shakes her head in disbelief. "So, what, you're a Groundling now?"

"No!" He hesitates. "Not anymore..." Nolan looks at Sunshine then his gaze slides to the ceiling. "I don't wanna be, but..." He swallows. "They won't let me go."

"Let you go?" Sunshine echoes. "Victoria said they don't want me anymore."

"They don't," Nolan confirms, "but... I made a vow to them, and I can't break it. Just like Victoria."

"Why are you telling me all of this?"

Tears spring into his eyes. "Because I want to help," he answers truthfully. "And I..." Nolan wipes a hand down his face. "I don't want to hurt you guys."

Silence.

"Look," he says, "Victoria was indebted to the Markons. Okay? When she found you," Nolan looks at Sunshine, "she thought that you could help her break free. It's become clear that you can't, so things have gone back to the way they were. She's not evil! She just can't get free."

"I... don't believe anything you're saying," Kat replies.

Nolan clenches his jaw. "I get that. And I deserve it. But think about it, it makes sense, right?" He looks between the two. "Right?"

Sunshine still doesn't meet his gaze. "Victoria said it was her last day on Earth."

"It was." Nolan frowns. "She's not exactly human anymore."

She finally looks at him. He looks back. "So you're a Groundling?"

He sighs. "Yes." A pause. "No! I'm not." Nolan slides a hand through his hair, stressed. "Sort of, I... I don't want to be a Groundling, okay? The power is attractive." Nolan looks at Kat and stammers, gaze falling to the floor. "Good people do bad things. They do. They offered me power and I took it, but I don't want it. It's not worth it."

"So.." Sunshine feels emotion well in her throat. "You've been lying to us the entire time."

"I know," Nolan whispers. "I'm sorry."

"I thought you were my friend."

"I am your friend."

Sunshine has an incredulous look on her face. "I don't have friends who lie to me."

"I've been protecting you this entire time!" Nolan exclaims. "Do you have any idea what the Markons wanted me to do to you? Why do you think I was in the warehouse? I was bait."

Sunshine can't find it in herself to respond. She's too angry and heartbroken.

"Look, you—" Nolan shakes his head. "You may not be a Luiseach, but you're special. Okay? And they know that, and they don't want you to know it. So they're gonna leave you alone. But we don't know what you are. And that scares them."

"Yeah," Kat sighs, "I still don't believe it. Nolan, I think it's time for you to go."

"Look, if I go," he says desperately, "I don't know what's gonna happen to me, Kat. Sunshine keeps me safe!"

"Okay, and that's our problem how...?" Kat asks.

He looks betrayed. Yeah, join the fucking club.

"Nolan, we've tried to help you, we've tried to be your friend, and all you've done is lie to us."

Sunshine sighs, fed up with all of this.

"Not everything is a lie!" Nolan promises. "Okay? This isn't a lie." He reaches forward and grabs Sunshine's hand, closing the gap between them. "Sunshine."

"What are you doing?" Kat asks, eyes wide.

He stares at her eyes, green on brown, and his mouth opens and closes. Sunshine's heart thunders. "I...." Nolan hesitates and drops her hand, stepping back. "I'm sorry. Uh." He clears his throat. "I'm gonna...go. Uh. See you on the flip side." Nolan backs up to the door and opens it, quickly walking out.

"Okay," Kat sighs. "Ohhh, wow..."

"Didn't see that coming," Sunshine mutters.

"Yeah, no. I still don't believe it."

"We get it, okay?" Sunshine snaps, suddenly angry with her mother. "Everybody gets it. You don't believe it, okay? Did you guys catch that?" She looks at the camera.

"Okay, well, Tommy doesn't believe him either, honey," Kat defends. "You believe him?"

Sunshine sighs. "Yes. No. I don't know! I just..."

"Okay, that right there, is a great example of why I don't want people to know where we're living."

"He found out last time."

"Yeah, with help from the Markons apparently!"

"So, what? You believe him now?"

Kat shakes her head. "I don't know. I don't... I don't know what I believe."

Sunshine... she doesn't either.
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Sunshine feels sad. A genuine, throbbing sadness that eats away anything good inside. A parasite.

She's sitting in her room, thinking. Sunshine wants to express how much she appreciates her fans. The ones that have been with her since the beginning. Since the unicorn. Her little adventure is coming to an end. Sunshine hates it.

Victoria really threw her off, though. Seriously. Coming in and telling her all these things to help her with her daughter, then yelling at her and telling Sunshine that none of it was true? She's 'merely a girl.' It's upsetting.

She almost feels like she'll never see Victoria again, or hear from Anna, or even Nolan for that matter. It makes her sad.

But no one is merely a girl.

Her mother always taught her to be strong and positive, and to always speak her mind, even if it got her in trouble. So what if Sunshine isn't a Luiseach? So what if she doesn't have this super cool power that makes her feel stronger or better?

Being her was always good enough before she heard the word 'Luiseach.' And Sunshine knows she'll always be whatever she believes herself to be. So if you think you're merely? You're always going to be just merely. Be strong. Be positive. Make a change in life.

At least Sunshine is Sunshine. And that makes her happy.

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So. They're leaving.

It's not exactly ending how Sunshine thought it would, but... it's probably good, considering everything that's happened.

(Sunshine conveniently doesn't mention that she engraved Dec. 10, 2010 — May 25, 2012 in the wood on the side of the house.)

On one hand, she's sad to be leaving. It's the end of a chapter, y'know? And she's sad to know that Victoria will be stuck working for the Markons forever, and that Anna's stuck here, too.

But Sunshine's really excited. She, Kat, and Uncle Tommy are starting a new phase. She's fallen in love with the paranormal, and she still has a lot to learn, but she's sure they'll have tons more adventures and all of her fans will be there with her.

To new adventures... and hopefully new friends.

i rewrote the exorcism scene of this chapter like three times but that's ok. anywho. yay!!! part six has ended!! didn't take as long as the BEK storyline lol.

but do not worry! we still have much more to come! i'll be skipping over s6 of the series so we'll immediately begin with sunshine rekindling with nolan, and begin the haunted adventure with the scooby gang! definitely fun stuff.

i am starting to realize though that we only have four more seasons left until i end this book... i will definitely be crying by the end guys ): we've made it so far!!!

stay tuned for part seven! love all of y'all!