Lost Without You

17.

"What the hell are you two up to?"

"Believe me, you wouldn't understand," Five answers.

"Try me. Last I checked, I'm still the leader of this family," Luther says.

"Well, last I checked, I was 28 years older than you," Five points out.

"You know what your problem is?"

"Really hoping you'll tell me."

"You think you're better than us. You always have. Even when we were kids," Luther says. "But the truth is, you're just as messed up as the rest of us. We're all you have. And you know it."

"I don't think that I'm better than you, Number One. I know I am," Five says, making me scoff. "I've done unimaginable things, things you couldn't even comprehend."

"Right."

"Just to get back here and save you all," Five mutters under his breath.

From the corner of my eye, I see Klaus running out of the store with a shit ton of food and snacks in his hands, making me groan.

"Hey! Stop right now," The store owner shouts, chasing him.

"Hey, bitches," Klaus says, running out in front of a car, almost getting hit. "Get out of the way asshole!"

"Now I'm starting to wonder if that was the wisest decision," Five admits.

*back at the Academy*

"I mean, do you really think Mom would hurt Dad," Vanya asks.

"You haven't been home in a long time, Vanya. Maybe you don't know Grace anymore," Luther sighs.

"If he was poisoned, it would've shown in the coroner's report," Diego points out.

"Well, I don't need a report to tell me what I can see with my own eyes."

"Maybe all that low gravity in space messed with your vision. Look closer," Diego says. "Dad had his monocle. Mom stands up. Monocle's gone."

"Oh, yeah," Klaus chuckles.

"She wasn't poisoning him. She was... taking it. To clean it," Diego says.

"Then, where is it? No, I've searched the house, including all of her things. She doesn't have it," Luther points out, making Diego pause.

"That's because I took it from her. After the funeral," He admits.

"You've had the monocle this whole time? What the hell, Diego," Allison exclaims.

"Give it to me," Luther demands.

"I threw it away," He says.

"You what," Luther growls, making him scoff.

"Look, I knew that if you found it on Mom, you'd lose your shit, just like you're doing right now," Diego says.

"Deigo, you son of a bitch," Luther whispers, stepping towards him. I hold up my hand, stopping him.

"Hey. No. Calm down," Vanya sighs. "Look, I know Dad wasn't exactly an open book. But I do remember one thing he said. Mom was, well, designed to be a caretaker, but... also as a protector."

"What does that mean," I ask.

"She was programmed to intervene if someone's life was in jeopardy."

"Well, if her hardware is degrading, then... We need to turn her off," Luther says.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, wait. She's not just a vacuum cleaner you can throw in a closet. She feels things, I've seen it," Diego shouts, angrily.

"She just stood there, Diego, and watched our father die," Luther points out.

"I'm with Luther," Allison admits.

"Surprise, surprise."

"Shut up." Everyone looks at me, making me roll my eyes.

"Honestly, both sides make good points." Everyone looks at Vanya, and she glances around, nervously.

"I-- I don't--," Vanya stutters.

"Yeah, she shouldn't get a vote."

"Wha--"

"I was gonna say that I agree with you," Vanya admits, looking at Diego.

"Okay. She should get a vote. What about you, stoner boy? What do you got?"

"Oh, so what? You need my help now? Oh, "get out of the van, Klaus!" "Well, welcome back to the van"," Klaus says.

"What van," Allison asks, confused, making Luther shake his head, scoffing.

"What's it gonna be, Klaus?"

"I'm with Diego, because screw you," Klaus replies. "And if Ben were here, he'd agree with me."

"So, that's three," Diego says.

"Wait."

"To two."

"Vote's not final yet," Allison sighs.

"What?"

"Five's not here. The whole family has to vote. We owe each other that," I point out.

"Right."

"No, we should wait," Vanya nods in agreement.