~•0•~ Number 0

Ghosts of Our Past

Present Day - San Juan, Puerto Rico

I walk along the beach listening to the waves crash against the sand. The beach is probably where I feel the calmest like everything is ok in the world. I take a step towards the water one foot in front of the other and then I'm out on top of the ocean kinda far out, being the Hippie as my siblings affectionately called me, walking on water is a specialty of mine. I feel one with the water it calms me and brings me back to center.  I look back to the house and see my person standing on the porch. He is always looking over me worried that something would happen to me again.

"Lyza!" Diego yells. I start walking back to the house to where Diego was. He was wearing a black kevlar suit with all his knives in his holsters.

"What's up?" I ask when I reach him.

"Its Dad, he's dead," Diego says coldly.

"How?"

"I don't know, but Pogo wants us back in New York."

"I don't wanna go," I say as I sit on the stairs, Diego sits next to me, puts his arm around me and pulls me in closer.

"I know you don't and I don't either, but we have to at least go and check on Mom."

"What do you think would have happened if we left earlier?"

"I have no idea. If I could turn back time I would."

 "I wish we would have never left San Juan when we were kids."

"Yeah, that would have made life different. But this will be the last time we ever go to New York so, let's go pack, the sooner we get there the sooner we get back." Diego kisses me and leaves to go and pack his things.

 When we left we only went to Brooklyn and stayed in a hotel for 8 months. When I went into labor we went back to the Academy because we were scared to go to the hospital for fear of them taking her and experimenting on her. Being a Hargreaves people always knew who we were so we thought if the doctors or nurses know who we were they would take the baby away from us because we would be the first people with enhanced abilities to have a baby. So we figured going back to the Academy was bad but it was also the lesser of the two evils.

I go back into the house and pack my things and then we were off. One 4-hour plane ride later and we were back at the place that caused both of us so much pain and suffering. I look over at Diego he was staring at the doors of the Academy.

"Do you think they are all gonna show up?" I ask in a small voice.

"I have no idea. Let's go in." Diego grabs my hand and holds it tight, we walk in together and stand in the foyer and the memories start flooding back.

17 years ago

"Number 0, Number 2, and Number 6 down to the foyer now," Father yelled upstairs. I came running down the stairs and met up with Diego and Ben in the foyer. We all stand in line in front of father. "I have reason to believe the three of you snuck out last night after curfew."

We stood silent with our heads down.

"I have you on surveillance cameras sneaking out, and Number 7 told me that you were planning on leaving." We all looked up at Vanya she looked as if she was crying.

"We are sick and tired of living here. We want a life, a real-life." Diego said.

"You have a wonderful life here. If I wasn't for me the three of you all would be suffering. I saved you. If I had not recused you, number 2 you would be in the slums of Mexico, number 6 would be working in the rice fields, and number 0 would be living as a beach bum in Puerto Rico!" My father yelled. This was the first time he has ever mentioned our families or where we lived.

"That would be better than living here." Ben says back.

"The only reason we stayed was that I couldn't leave Vanya. If I left she would have nothing." I say looking at my twin. She smiles at me through her tears.

"Well you are all in major trouble, but I guess I should expect that from my failure children. Now march." My father sais, we all knew what was about to happen next and were dreading it. Reginald Hargreeves's punishments were against the geneva convention but he never cared. 

"Congradulations Vanya you have just sent us to hell. We'll see you there." Diego says as he walks past her. I know she feels bad already but he didn't have to rub salt in the wound. I wanted to go and comfort her but I knew that wasn't possible. 

I am pulled out of my thoughts by the sound of someone clearing their throat, I look up to see one of the few people I missed from here, Pogo.

"Master Diego and Miss Lyza welcome home." Pogo says.