COPYCAT ✾ The Umbrella Academy

{ NINETEEN }

"Welcome. Please make yourselves at home." Fei says as she walks in, a raven flying behind her, Ben, and Christopher. Luther told us all their names on the way over here.

"This is our home." Aunt Allison replies. "Excuse me?" Fei asks, pretending she didn't hear her. "Uh, jellybean?" Luther asks, trying to defuse the argument before it takes place. He grabs a dish of them off the coffee table, holding it out as if someone will take one of the colorful candies. No one does.

"Where are Viktor and Klaus?" Diego asks, looking around the room as mom and I take seats on the couch. "With our luck, probably Kugelblitzed by now." Five sighs. Dad looks at him for a moment before commenting, "You're a dark little dude sometimes."

"Ooh, what happened to your hand?" Fei asks, taking notice of dad's bandaged hand for the first time. Ben claps his hands before dad can respond. "We don't have time for idle chitchat." He says. "Everyone sit down."

Sloane and Five (the only ones not sitting beside Ben, Luther, and dad) sit down with the rest of us without comment, however, Diego can't help himself. " 'Please' would be nice." He says. Mom chuckles. Ben stares at him for a second. "No." He says simply.

I bite the inside of my cheek, stifling a laugh as Diego falls onto the couch next to me. Everyone adjusts, sitting quietly, waiting for someone to start. "So, uh...-" Uncle Luther clears his throat, "-this is kinda nice, right? All of us together. One big happy family."

Luther chuckles, smiling a little at Diego, Lila, and me, who are the closest thing to "family" in this room. When nobody answers, Luther turns to Sloane, who I've noticed he has quite the connection with. "I feel like I'm sweaty? Am I sweating?" He asks her quietly.

Sloane shakes her head, reaching up to touch Luther's cheek. "No, you're fine." She assures him, tugging on his arm to get him to take a seat in the empty chair beside her. I scrunch my nose. Ben shakes his head and sighs. "Look, I know there's been bad blood between us." He starts. "Whatever. Bygones, right?"

Dad raises his hand, getting us all to look at him. "Question?" Ben asks. "Yeah," Diego answers. "If I kill you, do we get our Ben back? Hypothetically." He adds as Fei begins to snicker. "Keep talking, and your hand won't be the only thing that's bleeding," Ben replies. Diego smirks at him.

"Okay, if the testosterone twins are done, I'd like to get back to a plan." Five says before either of the men can continue. However, getting back to a plan isn't the next thing to roll around. "Viktor's here." I look at mom but say to no one in particular as I feel goosebumps run up the back of my neck.

The Sparrows glance at me, and right on cue with my words, uncle Viktor walks into the room, holding a cassette player and a pair of headphones. "Where is he?" He asks, his eyes scanning the room for Allison. "Viktor," Allison replies calmly. Too calm to actually be calm.

"What did you do to Harlan?" Viktor asks, rounding on Ben. Ben tilts his head but doesn't say anything. "They didn't do anything," Allison says. "I did." We all look from Ben to Allison, as she leans forward in her chair, her expression stony and unchanging. She says, "I killed Harlan."

Nobody speaks, and nobody moves. It's like a cold chill runs down my spine, forcing me to sit up straight. With goosebumps on the back of my neck, I can feel a huge drop in Viktor's aura, and a slight spike in Allison's.

"What... I... I don't... I don't understand. Why?" Viktor asks in shock, putting a voice to all of our exact question. "Because he didn't deserve to live," Allison states. I look at my aunt's face, hunting for any hint of remorse or guilt. However, I find none.

"What? Because they said so?" Viktor asks, referring to the Sparrows, who wanted Harlan in the first place. "We don't have to listen to them. They don't get to tell us what to do." Viktor continues. "You coulda talked to me. We could've figured out something else."

"So, what, you could lie to us again and take his side?" Allison asks sharply. "That's not what happened." Viktor defends himself. "Oh, no, that's exactly what happened." Allison disagrees. "I know Harlan killed all of our mothers."

A chorus of "what," "whoa," and a "shit," from Five echoes amongst the Umbrella Academy. Dad sighs, and mom, taking a bite of licorice says, "Bloody plot twist." I glance up at dad, noting the shock and confusion etched into his features along with everyone else. Even Ben looks slightly surprised.

"Who told you that?" Uncle Viktor asks. "Harlan." Aunt Allison replies. "After you lied about it to my face." "Is that true, Viktor?" Diego asks. "Harlan started all this?" "Yeah, but he didn't mean to hurt anyone. He-" Viktor starts, but Five cuts him off. "How do you know?" He asks slowly, leaning forward.

"Because I knew him. And he was sweet and kind until I made him like us. Okay? So, I screwed him up." Viktor says. Not to Five, but rather trying to convince us all that Hatlan meant no harm. "If you need someone to blame, I'm right here-" Allison cuts across him.

"What makes you think I don't?" Allison crosses her arms, scowling. As Viktor stares at her, both of their auras spike, and I rub the back of my neck, trying to ward off my goosebumps. "This wasn't about saving the world. This was about hurting me." Viktor concludes. "Payback for-" Allison shoots up from her seat, halting Viktor before he can continue.

"Go on," Allison says quietly, walking up to Viktor and standing a head and shoulders above him. "Say her name." "Guys, maybe D-" Sloane starts, a worried note in her tone, but Viktor continues before she can finish. "Did killing Harlan bring Claire back?" "Did protecting him bring Sissy back?" Allison counters. "It was just as personal for you-"

"I didn't kill anyone!" Viktor shouts. "But you risked everyone!" Allison shouts back. "Do you know what that felt like? Watching you fight harder to protect the man who helped destroy my daughter than you ever did to bring her back?" "I don't know how to bring Claire back," Viktor says. "Okay? No one does. But I was there for you. I tried. I was-"

"To what? Help me grieve?" Allison asks, cutting across him again. "God, this whole family is so quick to tell me to suck up my pain and so worried about fixing yours!" She glances around at us all, excluding me and the Sparrows. "Somebody had to pay because you never seem to."

Viktor and Allison look at each other, war raging in their eyes. It's like watching two starved lions trying to escape their cages. "Destroy the world, kill Pogo, almost kill me, and for what?" Allison continues. "So we can all run around and clean up your mess? I'm sick of it."

Allison scoffs, placing her hands on her hips. "Who's next, Viktor?" She asks. "Excuse me?" Viktor asks. "Whose daughter are you gonna kill next? Diego's?" I sink into the couch cushions once Allison says my father's name, wishing I could disappear. What is she trying to do? Get sympathy?

Dad shifts beside me, and so does mom, but before either of them can say anything, Five speaks up. "Take it easy, Allison." He says warningly. "Don't drag them into this."

"No, I-"  "Shut your mouth!" Allison yells, her voice echoing and her eyes glowing yellow. Viktor's eyes turn white and his hands shoot up to his throat, clawing at it like he can't breathe. "Allison," Luther says, jumping up from his chair. She ignores him.

"Every time I build a new life for myself, you end the world, and take it from me!" Allison yells in Viktor's face as he chokes for air. "How are you doing this without saying, 'I heard a rumor'?" Five asks in an oddly calm voice, though there is concern in his eyes. "Just a little residual gift from Harlan," Allison replies.

"All right, that's it. Knock off the power shit, Allison. It's not okay!" Luther finally speaks up. Allison lets go of her hold on Viktor, letting him gasp and cough for air. Unsure of what to do, we all watch as Allidin leans down to whisper in Viktor's ear. "We should have left you in the basement." She says.

"Whoa! Allison, all right!" Diego jumps to his feet, having clearly had enough. Suddenly, Viktor punches Allison in the face, and she stumbles back. Luther gasps and Fei exhales sharply as if she's impressed. With blood dripping from Allison's nose, she stands up straight, watching as Viktor walks away.

Allison smirks, almost like she's proud of what she did.