Static* on hold

Karlee felt like death when she woke up.
No she had not been drinking this was the feeling of a broken heart. She stumbled out of bed and slipped on the black jean shorts she had chucked on the floor from the night before. Karlee made the stupid mistake of looking in the mirror before going downstairs. her blonde curls stood stiffly in the front like a cockatoo, no amount of smoothing kept it down. Finally, she was able to slick it back in a ponytail but her hair was only half the problem.No amount of fake practice smiles could rid the sadness of her face. She gave up and trudged down the stairs to the kitchen.

"Morning," she said to John was standing by the sink washing up his bowl, it was no surprise that she was late to breakfast it was all part of her avoiding sam routine.

"you're a sight for sore eyes" John responded, placing the ceramic bowl on the draining board and taking in the girls appearance.

"damn john you really know how to make a girl feel special"

"I didn't mean it like that. What I meant was are you okay?"

Karlee sighed squeezing past him to get to the cabinet she hides her pop tarts." its fine I know, I look like crap"

"you still didn't answer my question"

"never been better" she sighed putting the pop tart box in the trash."Next time can you tell Sam not to touch my pop tarts" Karlee made a ploy to change the topic

"Maybe if you'd been at breakfast you could have told him yourself. Now can you answer the question honestly Karlee"

"I've just got some stuff to sort out with my family. I came by your office last night to talk but it as occupied"

"I'm sorry, Sonya and I were just talking"

"It's fine John genuinely you're a grown-up you really don't have to make time for my problems " Karlee sat her hand on his shoulder before awkwardly taking it off "now have you seen Lauren."

****

"got a minute " Karlee knocked on the already ajar door.

"no" Lauren snapped when she saw it was her newly found sister interrupting.

"Maybe I should leave, "the dark-haired teenage boy said uncomfortably. He seemed like the type of boy to put on a big front but clearly stuck between two feuding sisters was too much for him.

Karlee relaxed her glare but Lauren was still glaring red-faced with anger.

"you don't have to go because of her she huffed, but the boy was already one foot out the door and in a rush to get the other out.

"see ya" Karlee wave the boy off with a cocky grin. Karlee was annoyed to see Luren scrabbling to get out of the room. with a grunt of irritation, the older sister ran up to the door.

"no hun you're staying right where you are"Karlee raised her arm across the door preventing the younger blonde from leaving. In theory, Lauren was small enough to squeeze right through the gap without an issue but something in Karlee's face told her not to try it.

Lauren took a seat as Karlee backed away from the door. The tension in the air was ripe and most of it, if not all was from Lauren.

"Your boyfriend seems cute," said referring to the sweet looking dark haired teen who she'd just chased off.

"he's not my boyfriend and if he was I definitely wouldn't be discussing with the long-lost sister holding me captive"

"you're not being held captive"

"you shoved a chair under the door" Lauren's eyes cut away from Karlee and looked towards the lethal chair rigged with splinters lodged underneath the door handle.

"It's for privacy, you could move the chair if you really wanted, "Karlee said simply.

"And you wouldn't stop me ?" The younger girl questioned seeing straight through her sister's lie they both knew she wouldn't let her leave.

"Hmm I don't know yet, but I don't recommend trying it" Karlee joked but to no avail. Lauren still looked like she'd rather be anywhere else but here with her and that hurt." if we're not gonna waste time talking about boys how about we talk about yesterday"

"oh about how you selfishly lied to my face for days that should be fun." Lauren snapped and suddenly Karle felt bad for anyone who had to be around herself during her teenage years, full of arguments and melodramatics.

"you were right it was selfish for me not to tell you sooner " calmly in hope that the next words Lauren spoke would take the same smooth flow of a natural stream.

"Do you remember how scared you felt when you discovered your powers ?" Karlee asked. Lauren nodded not where her sister was going.

"I was 16 when it first happened, 1000 volts of electricity tearing through my skin. I didn't know what it was or how it happened. It wasn't that feeling of this is amazing, it was shame and for a long time, I carried that feeling with me."

"It was my fault the school shut down and afterward I went into hiding until these lot found me" She twirled her finger in a spiral gesturing to the people in HQ."I guess what I'm trying to say is you said dad thought I was dead and in a way I was for a long time Karlee Struker was gone.

"I didn't know, " Lauren said the sadness in her voice encouraged Karlee to force smile.

"I never let you know, and that it was my own mistake but I never forgot you and andy or dad"

"look maybe I was too harsh after all blood is blood, I have to forgive "

"blood is blood " Karlee agreed. Lauren stepped forth arms out, causing Karlee to involuntarily back away and squirm."I don't do hugs "

"well, I do get used to it." the younger girl forcing her arms around her big sister he reluctantly gave in and hugged her.

After a minute the pair broke away an there was a loud knock at the door. "Hate to break up the care bear meet and greet, but Marcos called we've  got to get ready." Clarice informed