Shadows & Mirrors // f.hargreeves fanfic

:::: Sixty ::::

Five clearly wasn't letting Nova go anytime soon. This became apparent to the girl when they returned to the lobby and the others welcomed her back. As she received hugs and whatnot from everyone else Five's hand remained in a death grip around her own. Not that the girl minded at all. Both of them need this physical reminder that they were together again. It wasn't exactly rational but they both feared that they would be separated as soon as their hands separated.

"Klaus, Nova, we thought you guys were dead," Sloane commented breathlessly once everyone had gotten their greetings out of the way.

It had also been established that the other group had managed to kill a second guardian. Nova couldn't help but worry there might be more lurking somewhere in the building. The thought made her uneasy. Five noticed the anxiousness that graced the girl's features and he pulled her tightly to his side. His arm went protectively around Nova's waist, which she was grateful for.

"Yes, yes, we're alive and amazing," Klaus sighed dramatically.

"Despite Hargreeves's attempts to bash Klaus's brains in," Nova commented with a snicker earning a glare from the man.

"But besides that, tearful reunions can be had later," Klaus continued despite Nova's interruption, "What you guys need to know right now is that Dad killed Luther."

"What? Nova, why didn't you tell me?" Sloane gasped as she cast hurt eyes in Nova's direction.

"I would have, but we were kind of busy fighting a guardian," Nova pointed out with a sigh, "Anyways, Luther told us that Dad literally stabbed him in the back. Then that bastard locked us out of the tunnel, bashed Klaus in the head with some blunt object, and rang that stupid ass bell."

Almost as soon as Nova finished explaining what had happened Five was angrily stomping in his father's direction. The expression on his face was downright murderous and Nova knew it was because of her. She had felt the same way when Five was in danger early. The girl was worried about what Five was capable of. Not that she didn't want to see Reginald Hargreeves's head on a silver platter but they needed answers first.

"So, what's your plan now old man!?" Five growled menacingly in his father's direction.

Quickly the girl grabbed her boyfriend's hand when his arm disappeared from around her waist. The boy gave her a questioning glance and she responded with a minuscule shake of her head. It was a subtle movement but the couple had known each other long enough that that simple gesture contained a thousand unspoken words.

"We don't have time for this," Hargreeves said to the group dismissively as they advanced toward him across the lobby.

"You killed Luther!" Sloane cried in anguish.

"I had no choice. You refused to come together as a team," Hargreeves attempted to explain himself.

"All of your stupid myths and stories. There were never any bells or Norsemen. You brought us here to die!" Ben growled in an accusatory manner.

"That's not so," Hargreeves denied, "Somewhere in this hotel is the key to resetting the universe. We just need to find the sigil."

"Sigil?" Nova whispered quietly to her boyfriend.

"Remember the tattoo that the alternative version of me had that I drew for you?" Five whispered back as the group around them began to argue.

Nova nodded as Five began to explain the other places he had seen the sigil. The girl's eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she thought deeply. Her dark eyes drifted to the odd markings on the floor that she had noticed when she first arrived at Hotel Oblivion. At the time the girl had been worried for the lives of her friends so she didn't stop to inspect them. But now, they were catching her attention once more.