☂
IT'S A MAD, MAD WORLD
"Y/N?"
☂
Luther walked into a boxing gym. Inside, it was decorated with boxing equipment. Punch bags, a boxing ring, jump ropes. Those kinds of things.
"Focus." He heard a man encourage one of his fighters. He was young. He was practicing fighting with a kick blocker.
"Yeah. Break. Break." The man said. He sounded old, but he was still up and running. "Move your feet."
"Excuse me." Luther called out. The old man walked up to him.
"You're looking to box? 'Cause I may need fighters, too." He said.
"Oh, no, I'm looking for information on one of the guys that uses your gym. Diego Hargreeves?" Luther asked.
"Well, if you see him, you can tell him I'm this far from firing his ass." The elder said with his fingers almost touching.
"He works here?"
"Eh, he, uh, mops the floor in exchange for the back room." The man explained.
"Okay. Thanks."
"Think about the fight game, eh? You got the build."
***
Luther walked down the hall that was used as the locker room. It smelled sort of like sweat, and dust. But that's probably just the mop water, right? He saw posters with people's faces on them. Fight dates, for different people.
Luther opened the door of the back room, which was labeled, 'BOILER ROOM'. As far as he could see, the place was pretty loft like. Of course, not like those girly ones, but the walls were bare with rusted bricks. The windows were a bit dusty, which was what the curtains were for. Diego's small bed laid in the corner of the room, with a curtain on the side of it. There was a picture on the wall. It had a mask, then two knives that crossed each other, then his name. 'DIEGO'.
Luther looked at it closely, and put his face to where as if the mask was his own. It reminded him of what used to be, and what had happened.
He walked over to the stone pillar. A poster like the ones outside was hung up.
'HARGREEVES'
VS
'ROSATI'
It said. Diego was fighting on the day of Reginald's funeral. Subtle.
'What else goes on inside your head, Diego?' Luther thought.
***
Vanya opened the door to the Umbrella Academy. Five had disappeared early in the morning. Y/N had said she knew where to find him. She hoped that the girl had caught up to him by now. Hopefully.
"Five?" She called out. She looked into the living room. No one. "Are you upstairs?" She began walking up the steps. "Five?" She called again. Nothing. She walked into another hallway. With more steps.
Five's room was at a high level in the house. His room was part of the hallway, which had white old walls, and a checker board floor.
She saw Five looking out the window, who was watching Y/N sit on the fire escape ladder. His window closed.
"Oh, thank God. I was worried sick about you." Vanya said.
"Sorry I left without saying goodbye." Five said.
"No, look, I'm the one that should be sorry. Yeah, I was dismissive, and... I-- I guess I didn't know how to process what you were saying. And I still can't, to be honest." She started.
"Maybe you were right to be dismissive." Five said. A calm and sincere look on his face as he scoffed. "Maybe it wasn't real after all. It felt real. Well... like you said, the old man did say time travel could contaminate the mind." Five said with a small grin.
"Then maybe I'm not the right person for you to be talking to. You could talk to Y/N. Or... I used to see someone. A therapist. I could give you her information." Vanya offered.
"Thanks, but... I think I'm just gonna get some rest." He looked out the window. Y/N still there. "It's been a long time since I've had a good sleep." Five said.
"Okay." She said. And turned around and walked away.
Five turned back to window. Only thing was, Y/N was gone. He opened the window quickly and looked. She couldn't have fallen, right? He turned back around and went inside his room. Although he didn't notice, Y/N stood very still on the side of Five's desk.
"You lied to her." Y/N said. Five jumped, throwing one of his knives at the wall. Habit of Diego, which passed onto Five. "That's okay, though. She doesn't need to get caught up in this." Y/N said as she stood straight slowly. Five sighed.
"I thought you left. Or in my mind, jumped." He said breathlessly.
"Do you really care that much for me?" She asked.
"Of course. Why wouldn't I?" Five asked.
Suddenly, the moment was ruined, and Five's closet burst open. "That's so... touching, all that stuff about family and Dad and you and her and time. Wow!" Klaus said as he stumbled over the things he knocked over.
"Would you shut up? Vanya will hear you." Five snarled. Y/N rolled her eyes and sat on the bed.
"I'm moist." Klaus bragged. Five looked to his clothes. He wore a green shirt with dark green polka dots, which also had ruffles on the shoulders, and yellow buttons. He also had on his black leather pants, which showed a bit of skin on the sides, and his black Converse.
"I told you to put on something professional." Five said.
Klaus looked at him with a hurt face. "What? This is my nicest outfit." He said. Y/N chuckled silently.
The boy sighed. "We'll raid the old man's closet." He said as he walked out. Klaus and Y/N following behind.
"Whatever. As long as I get paid." Klaus said.
"When the job is done." Five said.
"Okay, but just so we're clear on the finer details. I just gotta go into this place and pretend to be your guy's dear old dad, correct?" Klaus asked.
"Yeah. Something like that." Five said.
"What's our cover story?" Klaus asked. 'Oh God, no.' Y/N thought.
"What? What are you talking about?"
"I mean, was I really young when I had you guys? Like, sixteen? Like, young and... terribly misguided." The druggie put his hands over his heart.
"Sure." Five answered. Y/N rolled her eyes.
"Your mother, that slut. Whoever she was. We met at... the disco." He chuckled. "Okay? Remember that." Five raised his eyebrows and nodded his head sarcastically. Klaus snapped his fingers. "Oh, my God, the sex was amazing."
"What a disturbing glimpse into that thing you call a brain." Five sassed and went downstairs. As for Y/N being Y/N, she was already pacing around the downstairs. Thinking.
"Don't make me put you two in time-out."
'This next part will have violence in it, so feel free to skip it if you'd like :)'
***
The tow truck driver drove his tow truck back to his job building. He got off and went inside, putting down his tool box and keys, whilst pressing the button for any messages. And sure enough, there was one. He picked up the newspaper as he listened to the message.
"Yo, Syd, it's Johnny. Hey, look, we got a bunch of extra tows down here, down on Empire Avenue. The whole thing is a disaster. Kids arrested. Trucks as far as the eye can see."
He heard footsteps coming up towards him, so he looked up from his newspaper, but was hit with a crowbar before he could turn around.
***
Syd has his wrists bound up in the air with chains. He was naked from the top half of his body, blood running from his nose, and down his chest. One of his eyes were wounded shut, and his other eye wide open. Cha-Cha was there, who thought he was the guy that she and her partner were looking for.
She put electricity clamps on his nipples. "You gotta tell me how you did the London job in '66. Beautiful work. Really." She complimented the accidental imposter.
"I swear to Christ, I have no idea what you're talking--" Syd began, but Cha-Cha turned the on the machine, and he became electrocuted. He groaned. The electricity died down.
"I am just a tow truck driver. I've never even been to London." Syd cried out.
"Tuna? Delicious. You want half?" Hazel asked Cha-Cha as he held a tuna sandwich in his hand, and sat by the rack of cars.
"I'm fine, thanks." She answered.
Hazel stood up and took another bite. He punched Sid in the face. "That's for no mayo." Hazel snarled. The man started sobbing. He was supposed to have a good a peaceful life. He was supposed to actually be able to go to London and take a picture with the Queen of England. But the universe turned on him. Why?
"Does Number Five seem like he'd be whimperer to you?" Cha-Cha asked.
"Not from what I heard." Hazel answered.
Cha-Cha took out that same photograph from the box of weapons they received, and put it next to Syd's face.
"That seems close enough to me." Hazel says.
"Strong resemblance, I'll grant you that, but... the space between the eyes is different, the chin is not quite the same. There's a dimple." Cha-Cha continues.
"There is a dimple." Hazel murmurs.
"I am not the guy you are looking--" Cha-Cha turned the machine on once again, and then off. "No talking." She says.
"He was the only guy in the doughnut shop, wasn't he?" Hazel asked.
"Was there anyone else in the doughnut shop with you last night, Syd?" Cha-Cha asked.
"I don't know, just the waitress and two kids." Syd answered.
"Two kids? Elaborate." Hazel said.
"I-- I don't know. Uh... They were weird." He answered.
"This isn't Twenty Questions, old man. Weird how?" Hazel asked again.
"The boy said something about coming there when he was young."
Something clicked Cha-Cha's head. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" She asked Hazel.
"Italian for dinner?" Hazel asked.
"Focus, I'm talking about the boy." Cha-Cha. They took a step away from the tortured man.
"What about him?" Hazel asks.
"Time travel's a bitch." Cha-Cha says.
"Especially without a briefcase." Hazel caught on.
"What if the boy is Number Five?" Cha-Cha said.
"It's sort of hard to wrap your head around." Hazel says.
"You see, I told you, I am not the guy--"
"What else did you and the boy talk about?" Cha-Cha asked him.
"I-- I think that's it."
"What about the other kid. What they look like?" Cha-Cha asked.
"She- She was short heighted. I couldn't notice her eyes very well, she had black makeup on. She was like... like one of those emo people around here." Syd explained.
"Well, did she seem to know the boy?" Hazel asked.
"I- I don't know, I..."
Cha-Cha rolled her eyes and grabbed another pair of clamps.
"Oh, wait, wait, wait... What are you doing?" Syd asked.
"Jump-starting your memory." She placed them on his ears. She turned the machine on, leading him to screaming in pain.
She turned the machine off. "She did. She did know him. They were like siblings. All I remember is the boy wanted directions to some department store. That's it, I swear." Syd stated rapidly.
"Department store? Okay. Elaborate." Hazel took another bite of the sandwich.
***
Allison stood by the vintage phone in the wall, talking Patrick with a tone.
"But I'm leaving for the airport. It's not a big deal if I miss one session. Patrick, it was father's funeral. You know, I'm pretty sure the court recognizes that as extenuating circumstances."
Footsteps were heard walking down the stairs.
"Is Claire there?" She asked him.
Vanya looked toward Allison with worry as she came down the steps.
"Yes, I would like to say hello to my daughter if that's all right with you. No. Patrick." Her voice beginning to break. "Don't--". Patrick had hung up the phone. Allison put the phone back in it's place.
Vanya put her hands in her pockets. "Are you okay?" She asked her.
"Yeah." Allison answered hesitantly.
"Well, I never met your ex-husband, but... he sounds like an asshole." Vanya said. Wondering she should've actually said that.
"That's one word for it." Allison said dryly, as she stared at the wall.
"You know what? You're probably better off here." Vanya said.
"No, I'm probably better off with my daughter." Allison said.
"Of course, um... I'm sorry. I didn't--" Vanya was cut off.
"You know, if I wanted advice, Vanya, no offense, it wouldn't be from you." Allison remarked. Her anger getting the best of her.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"You don't have a child. You've never even been in a relationship." Allison continued.
"That's not true."
"So you know what it's like to love someone like this? Like when you're apart from her, you can't breathe? Like you would-- you would die, and I-- I mean actually... die... to know that she's okay and happy. You separate yourself from everyone and everything. You always have." Allison said. Vanya didn't like any of it.
"Because Dad made me." Vanya said lowly. She really had no confidence in herself.
"Did Dad make you write that book about us, too? I mean, of course Y/N has seen it. I'm sure she just masks her anger. Because that's what she's always done. She never blames you. But she always pities you." Allison said. She walked over to the stairs, and but stopped and turned around. "You're an adult now, Vanya." Vanya looked to her. "You don't get to blame your problems on anyone but yourself." And she turned around and walked away.
Vanya just stood there and looked down to her feet. Maybe she's right.
'Does Y/N even care about me, at all?'
***
"Like I said to your son earlier, any information about the prosthetics we build are strictly confidential. Without the client's consent, I simply can't help you." The doctor said as he sat in his white chair.
Five stood at his desk, while Klaus sat quietly in his seat in one of his father's suits. Y/N just leaned on the window and looked down at the street. Surprise, surprise. She wasn't afraid of heights.
"Well, we can't get consent if you don't give us a name." Five snarled.
"Well, that's not my problem. Sorry. Now, there's really nothing more I can do, so--" The doctor began and was cut off by Klaus.
"And what about my consent?" Klaus asked. Five and Y/N looked at each other with confused looks.
"Excuse me?" The doctor asked.
"Who gave your permission... to lay your hands..." Klaus made his breath shaky, and pretended to cry. "On my children?" He pointed to the two teens in the room.
"What?" The teens and the doctor said at once.
"You heard me."
"I didn't touch your children." The doctor claimed.
"Oh, really? Well, then how did he get that swollen lip, then? And how did her arm start bleeding?" Klaus asked.
"They don't have--" The doctor began, but was cut off. Once again.
Klaus punched Five in the face, making his lips bleed. Then he looked to Y/N with an apologetic look. He grabbed her arm, rolled up her sleeve and dug in fingernails into her skin. She growled lowly and punched him in the face.
"You're crazy." The doctor said.
"You got no idea." Klaus looked down. A snow globe. This guy must have a collection or something.
"'Peace on Earth'. That's so sweet." Klaus smashed the glass figure on his head. Groaning and yelling as he did crazy things. "God, that hurt!"
The doctor grabbed the telephone rapidly, and dialed for security to show up. "I'm calling secur--" Klaus took the phone from him. "What are you doing?" He yelped.
"There's been an assault... in Mr. Big's office, and we need security, now. Schnell!" He yelled in the phone and tossed the phone. "Now, here's what's gonna happen, Grant." Klaus says.
"It's... Lance." The doctor stuttered.
"In about sixty seconds, two security guards are gonna burst through that door, and they're gonna see a whole lot of blood-- courtesy of my daughter-- and they're gonna wonder, 'What the hell happened?' And we're gonna tell them that you... beat the shit out of us." He sobbed dramatically, and then sighed with a smile. "You're gonna do great in prison, Grant. Trust me, I've been there. Little piece of chicken like you. Oh, my God, you're get passed around like a..." He started moving his hips circles. Five cringed mentally and literally. Y/N just waited to push Klaus out of the way. "You're just-- You're gonna do great. That's all I'm saying." Klaus finished.
"Jesus, you are a real sick bastard." Lance said with fear.
"Thank you." Klaus said, and spit out a piece of glass.
Lance stared at the three in fear. She looked toward the girl. "You- You promised you wouldn't let your brother come back here. You gave me your word!" He stated rapidly.
Y/N walked slowly towards the desk and leaned on the snow white table. "I lied." She whispered. A shiver went down the man's back. From that moment, Y/N felt something change inside her. As she had always felt when she fought someone, or, if you wanna get technical, killed. And she didn't want to stop.
Five saw something change in her eyes. It didn't seem natural. Her eyes became dark. Scary. He felt a shiver go down his spine. It's like she wasn't Y/N anymore. She was someone else. Something else. "You know, I wanted to do this nicely. But I faithfully regret that you didn't leave me a choice, so-" She grabbed ahold of his throat.
"Y/N." Five called. She wanted her to stop. For the first time ever. He heard the sound of his heartbeat loud, as it became rapid.
"Find, the file. Or I will make sure that this office gets a new doctor who won't know your name, because they will never know what happened to you." She leaned closer and whispered. "And they never have to find out." She said.
"Y/N!" Five yelled.
She let go of his throat. Her eyes seemed to change back to the typical sad eyes that she had at the funeral. An unreadable expression on her face. "Just find it." She said calmly, and walked out of the office.
***
Lance began speeding through the files as he looked for the one his so called, "clients" wanted. He pulled the file out and opened it. The doctor wanted to avoid any eye contact with Y/N as much as possible. She was more deadlier than the other two. He looked to Five, then to Klaus who was just staring at him as he sat on the white counter.
"Oh, that's strange." He says.
"What?" Five asked. A desperate look on his face.
"Uh, the eye. It hasn't been purchased by a client yet." Lance explained.
"What? What do you mean?" Klaus asked as he jumped down and moved closer to him.
"Well, uh, our logs say that the eye with that serial number... This can't be right. It hasn't even been manufactured yet. Where did you get that eye?" Lance asked Five.
He sighed in defeat. He was so close. So. Close.
'He got it from the future, dumbass.' Y/N thought.
***
"Well, this is not good." Five said as him, Y/N and Klaus walked out the front doors of the building.
"I was pretty good, though, right? 'Yeah. What about my consent, bitch?' And Y/N. She would make a great actress. That seemed so real. Like, 'And they never have to find out.'" Klaus spoke seriously. Giggling as he finished.
"Klaus, it doesn't matter." Five looked at Klaus with a look of ferociousness.
"What? What? What's the big deal with this eye, anyway?" Klaus asked.
"There is someone out there who's going to lose an eye in the next seven days. They're gonna bring about the end of life on this Earth as we know it." Five spoke as he walked past Klaus. She looked at Y/N as she sat on the steps. What secrets are hiding in her past?
Obviously, Klaus thought he was crazy. "Yeah, can I get those 20 bucks, like, now, or what?" He asked.
"Your 20 bucks?" Five turned around. That same mad ferocious look on his face.
"Yeah, my 20 bucks."
"The apocalypse is coming, and all you can think about is getting high?" Five questioned harshly.
"Well, I'm also quite hungry. Tummy's a-rumblin'." Klaus imitated stomach rumbles.
"You're useless. You're all useless." Five remarked.
"Oh, come on. You don't mean... Y/N's sitting right over there." Klaus said. They both looked toward the girl who was unmoved. Honestly, Five was scared out of his mind that she would come for him and kill him.
"You need to lighten up, old man." Klaus said as Five sighed and sat a few feet away from Y/N on the steps. He looked at the purely green trees. After the next seven days, it will all be gone. Unless he did something. "Hey, you know, I've just now realized why you're so uptight. You must be horny as hell!" Klaus laughed. "All those years by yourself. It's gotta screw with your head, being alone." Klaus said. Taking a seat next to Five. "Especially you, Y/N. Have you ever thought about getting laid."
Y/N silently scoffed at him. Same old Klaus, as always.
"Well... I wasn't alone." Five said. This was the part that Y/N was insecure about. For some unknown reason. Her and Five weren't the best of friends, but they cared about each other.
"Oh? Pray tell." Klaus says.
"Her name was Delores. We were together for over 30 years." He explained.
"Thirty years? Oh, wow!" Klaus chuckled. "God, the longest I've been with some was... I don't know, three weeks. And that's only because I was so tired of looking for a place to sleep." Klaus went on.
Five looked to his side. Y/N was gone. A newly formed habit she had when she came back. But then he saw her put on her jacket and disappear away in the wind. He sighed, until he saw a taxi. He could go on without Y/N, right? Of course.
He spacial jumped away.
"He did make the most fantastic osso buco, though. It was..." He turned to look at Five, until he realized he was gone. And so was Y/N. "Five? Y/N?"
***
Five appeared into the taxi. Scaring the driver as he tried his best to keep his eyes on the rode.
"Don't stop. Just keep going." He told him.
Five rolled down his window and waved at his drug addict brother.
"Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, what about my money?" Klaus yelled.
'Bollocks.'
***
Vanya stood by her window as she played a mournful tune on her violin. Whenever she was stressed, her music would help relieve herself. Especially when you were born unexpected, and taken by a billionaire who made you dress in uniforms your entire life. But she was interrupted by a loud knock on the door.
"He's not here, Mrs. Kowalski." She said. She went to playing her violin, but door was knocked on again. So she set her violin down and walked to the door. "Mr. Puddles isn't here." She opened the door to see a man in his late twenties, early thirties. "Can I help you?" She asked.
"I'm Leonard." The man said. She shook her head in confusion. "I'm your four o'clock." He said.
"Oh my... I forgot. I am so sorry." Vanya apologized.
"I swear I had nothing to do with Mr. Puddles." Leonard said with his hands up.
"Oh, no... Sorry, it's, uh, my neighbor, Mrs. Kowalski. She... Well, she has this cat that always goes missing. She thinks I know where it is. I don't. She's older." Vanya explained. The man nodded his head a grinned awkwardly. "And I should stop... talking. I'm so sorry. Please come in." She moved out of the way and closed the door as Leonard walked inside.
He took off his jacket as he spoke. "I'm guessing I look different... than your usual students." He said.
"Um, yeah, you can just..." She said as she made the couch a relevant topic. He set his jacket on the couch.
"Yeah, 20 years or so different." She said casually. They both chuckled.
"Well, the ad didn't say anything about age limits."
"No, no, of course not. It's... most of my students are kids. Easier to learn music when you're young. You know, like a second language." Vanya explained.
"Ich verstehe!" Leonard exclaimed. She thought it was gibberish. "That's German... for 'I understand'. I took three years of that in high school. And that's all I can remember." He said.
It got a little to quiet for the two adult's liking. "Well, it's right over here. If you wanna..." She said as she pointed to the violin. "Let me just... Sorry..." She said as she started gathering up her papers.
"Oh, it's fine." He said.
"...get organized for a second."
Leonard chuckled as he saw the violin sit beautifully in the sunlight on Vanya's chair. He picked up the violin and bow and played a discordant note.
"Oh! You're really just going for it." She complimented... I think.
"Yeah."
"Um, no, I'll actually take that. And we're just gonna start with the basics." Vanya said as she took the violin.
'Just open up, Vanya. Open up.'
***
The gym was full with men and woman. Diego walked inside.
"What's up? Hey, Diego." A man greeted.
"Yo. What up, Nigel?" He answered. He continued walking towards the back room.
"What's up, Diego?" A woman greeted.
"Doing good, huh?" Diego asked the man who stood outside the boxing ring.
"Sí." The man answered.
***
Diego walked down the steps. Passed the locker room, and the poster board. That's when he gasped. There was a piece of tape that was stuck to almost on the bottom of the door rim. Something he put up since he was a vigilante and all. A segment of hair was stuck on it.
He quickly grabbed one of his knives. He opened the door just enough to be able to throw his knife. And then he threw it. It landed on the side of his wooden dresser.
"Ow! What the--" Luther whined as he touched his ear.
Diego walked inside and turned on the lights. "I could smell it was you."
"What the hell?" Luther said loudly as Diego shut the door.
Luther took the knife out of it's landing zone. "You could have killed me." Luther said.
"If I wanted you dead, you'd be dead." Diego said. He walked over to Luther and stuck his hand out for him to give him the knife. Luther was hesitant, but he did anyway. He then tossed his gloves and that knife on the side table.
"It's a nice place." Luther complimented.
Diego smiled at him. "I like it." He took of his vest.
"So why didn't you tell me?" Luther asked.
"Tell you what?" Diego asked.
"That you were fighting the night that Dad died." Luther held up the poster with his brother's face on it. "I checked with the guys out there."
"Well, I shouldn't have to prove my innocence to you... or anyone else in this family." Diego grabbed an egg that was raw. Cracked it, and dropped its insides in his mouth.
"Yeah, you're right. But, I just thought that--"
"Yeah. I know what you thought. Now... you have a nice day, brother." Diego said.
Luther down at the poster, but tossed it aside. "All right."
Diego sighed. "Luther." He said before Luther reached the door handle.
"Yeah?" He asked.
"If you see Y/N... tell her I'm sorry."
***
Leonard was slowly playing the song called 'Frère Jacques' on the violin.
"That's coming along." Vanya said.
"Looks like I chose the right teacher." He complimented.
"Oh..." She sighed. He chuckled. "I don't know about that. My next student could probably lecture me on what I'm doing wrong. She's... She's a bit of a prodigy." Vanya said.
"Well, you can relax. I have never been a prodigy at anything." Leonard stated.
"Well, that makes two of us." She said. They grinned at one another.
"So--" He was cut off.
"So, I will see you next week, and uh, practice the bow hold, uh, and maybe... get a violin." Vanya said. They chuckled.
"You can be honest. Do you think it's weird wanting to learn violin this late in life?" He asked the woman.
"No, no. Monet didn't really start painting until his forties. He did all right for himself. No, if you love music, then you're in the right place." She explained.
"I'd say you're describing my dad more than me. He was the music lover. It's kind of why I'm here. He passed away a while ago." Leonard said.
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"Oh, no, it's fine. We had a complicated relationship. Didn't really get each other, you know? But he loved violin, and that was not my thing. So I guess I'm here to... understand him better, if that makes any sense. Family. It's never easy, right?" He asked. Vanya grinned. Finally. Someone she could relate to. "Sorry for getting heavy on you there. Um, stupid, I know." He chuckled.
"No. No, stupid is not knowing." She said.
"Oh." He grabbed his jacket, and put it on.
"Believe me, uh, I get it." She said.
"Mm-hmm. Well... thanks. I guess I'll see you next week." He said.
"Yeah."
"Uh... I'm a woodworker. I have a shop in, uh, Bricktown. You should come by sometime. You know, check it out." He said.
"This week I'm... busy, but--"
"It's fine. I understand. Another time. See you next week." He opened the door, and walked out.
"Bye." She said. She heard his footsteps fade as he walked.
'You didn't open up.'
***
It was nighttime in the city. Allison sat on the windowsill with a cigarette in her hand. She knew smoking was bad, but after everything that's happened, I think she'd deserve a good smoke. She heard the horns honking in the distance. Thoughts went through her head as she had the memory of her talk with Vanya earlier day on repeat. She kind of lost it. She was lost.
Pogo walked into the doorway. "Ah, Miss Allison. I was looking for you."
She jumped in surprise a bit, and put the tip on the cigarette on the cold damp windowsill. "How did you, uh... How did you know I was up here?" She asked.
"Oh, it wasn't hard. This is where you used to come when you were upset." Pogo said as he limped over to the table by her.
"Who told you I was... Luther." She said.
"Actually, it was Miss Vanya." Allison looked up at him. "She called to make sure you were okay." Pogo stated.
She stood up. "Yeah, I, um... I said some pretty unkind things to her."
"She's your sister. She knows you didn't mean it." Pogo says.
The woman scoffed. "Doubt it. She doesn't know anything about me, which is fine 'cause I don't know shit about her either."
"Language." He warned.
"Sorry." She chuckled softly. "It's just... it's been a while since we've all lived under the same roof."
"Almost 13 years." Pogo estimated.
"How did you do it? Alone in this huge house for so long." Allison asked him.
"Well, one grows used to things, even if, sometimes... one shouldn't." He said. A bit of wisdom in his words. There was an awkward silence until he spoke again. "Come with me. I want to show you something. It might just cheer you up." Pogo said. She start following him. "And make sure you fully extinguish that cigarette. Wouldn't want to start a fire." Pogo advised. She turned around and double checked that the cigarette was fully unlit. She then grabbed her scarf and followed him.
***
Allison listened to the sound of children laughing.
"Your father stopped recording years ago. But I still come in here from time to time. When I'm missing you kids." Pogo said.
"Pogo, this is... Most families have home movies to look back on. We have surveillance footage." Allison said as he watched a young Klaus sneaking alcohol into a cup.
"I hoped it might cheer you up." Pogo said.
"It does." She laughed. "Oh, my God, look how little we were."
"Luther. Luther, quit it." She heard her young self say. "Oh! Ben and I? I miss him so much." She turned to another camera. She saw Vanya playing her violin, and Y/N sitting on the chair as she watched her play. "Y/N. And Vanya." She turned to Pogo. "Why didn't we include her? I mean, Y/N did. But she was the only one." She told him. "I mean, if anybody ever treated Claire like that, I can't even imagine..."
"You were a child, Miss Allison." Pogo reminded.
"Yeah... but I'm not anymore. And neither is she." Allison said.
"If you're not in a hurry, the rest of the tapes are that cabinet." Pogo pulled the room key out of his blazer pocket. "Make sure you lock up when you go. Things have been disappearing lately. These are too important to lose." He then walked out the room, leaving Allison to have her alone time.
She picked up another tape, wondering which one she should put in. But one suspiciously caught her eye. It was just sitting there on the tape machine. She grabbed it. Opened it. Slid the tape in, and pressed play. And what she saw... shook her to the bone.
"Oh, God. Dad..."
"Y/N?"
☂