OɹǝZ ɹǝqɯnN (An Umbrella Academy Fanfic)

I Didn't Miss This Place At All

---16 Years Later (all kids are 29)---

I took a breath. I cracked my knuckles, feeling the cold touch of the fireproof wrapping bound on them. I opened my eyes, zeroing in on the punching bag in front of me. I swiped at my nose quickly before I began going full force on the bag. It was late, very late. I was in the old gym in my apartment complex, trying to calm the thoughts swirling in my head. The little television in the corner was switched to the news channel. The news reporter was talking about some new addition to the bank in the center of town. I was punching the bag as hard as I could. I was hitting it so damn hard, I didn't realize how hot my hands were getting. Suddenly, I felt the sharp pain of burning flesh.

"Shit," I mumbled as I stopped, catching my breath as I headed over to the ice bucket. I dipped my hands in lightly, watching the steam rise as I plunged them deeper. A sigh escaped my lips as the feeling of relief tingled throughout my body.

"Ya' know, It'd be a lot less painful if you just dipped the wrap in cold water before you did this." A deep voice said behind me. I jumped and turned around, sighing annoyedly at the person who had spoken.

"Can ya' stop doing that? Ya' know it scares the shit out of me!" I said frustratedly as I walked toward none other than Lucifer himself.

"You should be used to me doing this by now, Onyx." He said with a smirk. I hit him playfully on the shoulder.

"You're a jerk sometimes, you know that?" I said. Lucifer simply shrugged and smiled. His smile faltered, however, when he looked over my shoulder. "What is it?" I asked concerned.

"You might want to see this." He whispered as he went over to the television. I turned around confused and followed him to the corner of the room. I dropped to my knees in front of the screen. Displayed was a picture of my "father", it was one taken after one of the missions he sent me and my siblings on. Underneath his picture was a moving caption that read:

'THE OUTSTANDING MAN, SIR REGINALD HARGREEVES WAS FOUND DEAD IN HIS HOME LAST NIGHT'

"Holy shit. The old man finally dropped dead," I muttered to myself with a laugh of disbelief. I turned to Lucifer with a smile of doubt. "Looks like I'm going home."

---Time Skip---

I stood in front of the gates of the place I once called home. I took a deep breath, ignoring the voices in my head. I took a step forward and pushed the gate open. The creak of the gate was loud and prolonged. I headed to the front door and carefully opened it. The cold of the doorknob on my fingertips made me shudder. I entered the large threshold, gently closing the door behind me. I stepped farther into the front room, the heels on my combat boots echoing through the silence. The floor was freshly polished and the stair banister was just dusted. I gazed above my head at the elegant brass chandelier, the one that I used to swing back and forth for my brother Klaus. I smiled a little at the memory. Suddenly, someone cleared their throat. I looked in the direction of the noise, only to smile once again.

"Pogo?" I asked. The monkey, our father's creation, and part-time caretaker was leaning heavily on a cane, his hair graying at the ends.

"Hello, Miss Onyx." He greeted me with a nod. I ran over to him and hugged him gently. He hugged me back with his free arm. "It is so good to see you again."

"It's good to see you too, Pogo," I said as we pulled apart. "Is anyone else here?" I asked him. He smiled and nodded, his amber eyes gentle.

"Master Diego is upstairs in his room." Pogo replied. I froze at the name.

"Diego," I whispered. I quickly turned and headed up the stairs, waving goodbye to Pogo as I did. I headed up two more flights of stairs before reaching the hallway with my brothers' and sisters' old bedrooms. Waves of memories came flooding back as I slowly walked the corridor, heading for the very first room on the left. I stopped in front of the door, my hand hesitated inches from its surface. I took a deep breath, then knocked twice before propping it open.

"Diego?" I questioned tentatively as I stepped inside. Diego spun around. He was clad in an all-black, leather jumpsuit with his knife holster strapped to his back. As he spun to face me, I met the dark brown eyes that I saw every time my training sessions went badly, every time I needed a friend, every time I was alone. I met my brother's eyes and he met mine with a look of pure disbelief. I smiled a little at his dumbfounded expression.

"Onyx?" He asked as he stepped forward and held my left cheek in his hand, running his thumb over the scar running from my temple to my jawline. My smile widened as I held his hand to my cheek, letting my leather gloves cover his rough hands.

"Yeah, it's me," I whispered as he pulled me in for a hug, causing me to laugh a little and hug him back. We held each other for a long time before I finally pulled away. Diego smiled at me.

"I can't believe you're here. I thought you left for good." He said sadly. I sighed, taking in his expression with a solemn smile.

"So did I."

---Time Skip. . . Again----

I was in my old room, sitting at my desk, paging through my old notebooks when my door creaked open. I turned my attention to my doorway, only to be completely caught off guard by the person standing there. Klaus, my third brother, stood in the doorway in a black trench coat and one of my sister, Allison's, skirts.

"Am I high, or is little Nixxie right in front of me?" He asked slyly with a cocked smile. I chuckled and stood up, going over and hugging him. He lifted me up in a bear hug and spun me around, laughing. When he put me down, an awkward silence filled the air. He seemed to be hiding something, but I let it slide because, well, because it was Klaus and half the time he was high anyway. Suddenly, my door was swung open, causing both Klaus and me to jump. Luther, my first brother, stood in the doorway. He was a lot bigger muscle wise than he was before I left.

"There's a family meeting in the foyer, I want. . . everyone there." He said looking at the two of us, his eyes lingering on me longer before leaving down the hall. I rolled my eyes and turned to Klaus.

"I didn't miss this place at all, especially him," I said and Klaus nodded before taking my hand as we both headed out of my room.