☂
ILLICIT AFFAIRS
"You'll be fine without me, right?"
☂
1993
"Your brothers and sisters have all finished their oatmeal and begun their training for the day." The woman said, holding the spoon that held the oatmeal. "Do you want to join them, Number Seven?" She watched as Vanya said nothing and sat in annoyance. She clicked her tongue. "Is someone having a tough morning." Vanya stared at her in the face. The kettle on the stove began to whistle. Even though it wasn't even on. The woman didn't seem to notice the sound. "You know what cheers me up when I'm down? Singing." She started singing the French song, 'L'Empereur, sa femme et le petit prince'.
The whistling grew louder. And louder, until the kettle started to shake. Vanya squinted her eyes, and the woman was flown back. The spoon falling from her hand. She landed in the small land field of plastic building blocks.
Vanya was being nice.
The whistling faded as Reginald walked in. "Number Seven!" He scolded. Her small head turned to him. "Hm." He watched as she looked down. But deep down she didn't care. She was happy. And to her, that was all that mattered.
Next.
"Hi, Number Seven. I'm your new nanny, Mrs. Cornwallis."
The kettle whistled.
The shelves shook.
And down the stairs she went. Her neck snapped.
"Number Seven!" Reginald warned again. She looked down.
Next.
"Bonjour. I'm Miss Stevenbaker and I am your new nanny."
The kettle whistled.
The utensil holder rattled.
She was thrown out the window.
"Number Seven!" Reginald scolded once again. She looked down.
Next.
"Hello, Number Seven. My name is Grace. I'm your new nanny." She said animatedly. "Your father tells me you don't like oatmeal, but we need our breakfast to grow up big and strong, and you have to train with the others after you eat. Here, let me help you." She picked up the spoon holding oatmeal and began to slowly move it towards the little girl's mouth.
The kettle whistled
The rack of plates and bowls rattled.
She was thrown back against the see-through refrigerator. The glass cracked and she fell to the floor. Her neck snapped as it hit the bottom of it. Vanya sat back in her seat. Unfazed at her action. She wondered why Reginald hadn't walked in yet. Maybe he gave up lecturing with her about manners.
But then she saw the woman stand up. A grin on her face. Her head was backwards, and it all looked like it came out from a horror movie. Vanya grimaced at the sight. She grew afraid. Grace started walking forward (backwards) towards the table. Vanya stood at the edge of her seat. Preparing herself if she ever needed to run. Grace's neck snapped as she twisted it back in its proper place. She moved her head to settle the discomfort. She turned to Vanya with a smile and adjusted her top. She picked up another spoon. "Shall we try again?" She placed the spoon in the bowl. "Better eat that oatmeal before it gets cold."
This was the first time Vanya had no choice but to eat her oatmeal.
Grace put a hand on her hip. A smile on her face as she looked to Pogo and Reginald who stood in the doorway and looked at one another with success.
***
Vanya and Leonard walked into the house. Vanya felt emotionless. Though her guilt never subsided. The blood stains on her shirt never disappeared. Leonard turned on the lights as she sniffled. "We're safe here for a bit." He said. "We can't stay long. We gotta pack our things." He started walking around and gathered some of his things, acting like there was no tragedy to begin with. "Vanya." He called softly and went to stand in front of her. "Vanya." He called again and put a hand on her arm. All she did was looked down at the white tiled floor. "Let's clean you up." He said. They walked towards the bathroom, and Vanya stripped herself of her clothes. One hand, held her knees against her chest as she sat in the now blood colored water, while the other hand was in Leonard's, as he took his time to clean the blood of her hands. "Your family," He started. "They'll be coming for us soon. It's okay. You don't have to worry. We're a team now. Take the fight to them."
"Why would they be coming for me?" She asked, emtionless.
He stopped scrubbing. "Vanya..." He chuckled softly. "You killed Allison."
"No, I..." Vanya went inside her head, trying to find the few specks of sanity she had left. "I lost control. Everything just happened so fast."
"I know. I know. It's not your fault. You were protecting yourself. That's not how they'll see it. And neither will Y/N. Not anymore."
"No, I... I've always trusted her, she wouldn't... No. I'll-- I'll... I'll explain it to them." She nodded her head. "Uh, I-- I just need to get to them and I-- I need to explain it to them."
"They wanna hurt you." Leonard disagreed. "I'm the only one on your side who understands... just how special... you truly are. I knew it the first time I met you. I see it now as I look at your face. But they don't see it. They never have. They never will." He continued scrubbing. "Say it."
"I can't." She said. She was always flustered when he said it to her. But now they were just words to her. She had this power she would never understand. The hard truth was it was scary. It is scary. People die in front of her. And no one wants to take it seriously.
Except her.
"Say it for me." He said.
"I'm special." It hurt her. Those words hurt her. She wasn't special. She felt like a monster. She felt like an old worn-out bag that was stuffed with everything bad and messed up in the world.
"Got it." He grinned. "Say it again."
"I'm special."
'You're nothing.'
'You're a monster.'
'You killed your sister.'
'You're a murderer.'
Leonard chuckled. "Now, that wasn't so hard.
She began to listen.
Not what Leonard said.
What Allison said.
'What Allison had said.'
***
The wheels of the car screeched, as they stopped in front of the Umbrella Academy. Everyone got out of the car. "Come on! Let's go!" Five said out of breath.
"I don't think she's breathing." Luther said.
"If we don't get her upstairs, she's gonna die." Klaus said.
They did get her upstairs. Grace was worried, in her own motherly way. They took her to the infirmary, where Grace would put her hands gently around Allison's bloody neck, and explain everything. "She's suffered a severe laceration to her larynx. One of you will have to give blood." She spoke quickly, and looked to everyone.
"I will." Everyone said.
"I will." Five said.
"I'm doing it." Luther objected.
"That's not possible." Y/N said.
"What?" He asked.
"I'm afraid your sister is correct, dear boy." Luther looked to Pogo. "Your blood is more compatible with mine." Luther just stared at him in slight defeat.
"Hey, don't sweat it. I-- I got this, big guy. I-- I love needles." Klaus scurried over to Grace.
"Master Klaus." Pogo started. Klaus looked to him. "Your blood is... How shall I say this? Too polluted."
"Move." Diego said.
"Yeah, go on." Luther said.
"I'll do it." Diego said. He stood next to Grace. But once he saw the big needle in her hands, his eyes rolled back and he passed out as he fell to the floor. "Whoa!" Klaus exclaimed.
Y/N rolled her eyes. "Should've remembered that, Mom." She took the syringe needle from her, and rolled up her sleeve. "How much?" She asked. Everyone stared at her. Diego not included. "What?" She asked.
"Y/N, you don't have to do this." Five said.
"No, I-- I want to. I have to do this. I'll be fine." She said, preparing to stick the needle in her arm. "Y/N--"
"I'll be fine, Five! Stop trying to protect me!" She put the needle in her arm. Luther and Klaus looked at each other. Luther raised an eyebrow while Klaus just shrugged. Deep down, he knew.
Five looked down. He put his hands in his pockets and he walked away.
***
Klaus panted as he started digging through everything in his room. "What are you doing?" Ben asked. "Looking for drugs." He answered. Ben sighed. "Don't do it."
"I'm done listening to you!" Klaus exclaimed. He stood up and faced his dead brother. "Just go away. Go away, please."
"I like the sober you." Ben countered, as he watched Klaus rip open one of his stuffed animals. "Yeah, well, sobriety's overrated."
"Look where it's gotten you, though."
"Well, where has it gotten me? Where has it gotten me? Nowhere. I can't to the person I love. People... still don't take me seriously. I wanna be numb again." Klaus looked down.
"You're a colossal wimp." Ben whispered.
"Oh, yeah, really?"
"Yeah, really! Hey!" Ben snapped his fingers. "Life isn't supposed to be easy. Life is hard. Bad things happen. Good people die."
"Wow, playing the dead card again, huh? You need new material, bro."
"I was talking about Dave. You know, I'm tired of seeing you wallow in self-defeat." Ben walked closer to him.
"Well, then avert your gaze." Klaus said, holding a few pills in his cupped hands.
"You're better than that. And Dave? He knew it, too."
Klaus looked at him and sighed. He looked at his hands. "Yeah, you're right. You're right. I'm-- I'm-- I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
"Thank God." Ben turned away.
"Psych!" Klaus yelled and popped the pill in his mouth. He cackled in victory. Until Ben raised his fist, and unexpectedly touched Klaus's face. The pills fell out of his mouth. "Ow!" Ben looked at his hands in disbelief. Klaus put a hand over his mouth, delicately, and another hand in front of him, as he watched Ben look as at his hands curiously like a five-year-old. "You just Patrick Swayzeed me." Klaus whispered. "How did you do that?"
"Uh, I-- I didn't." Ben said. "You did... I think."
And Klaus stayed confused for the rest of the night.
***
"The bastard that nearly killed our sister's still out there, with Vanya. We need to go after her." Diego said.
"Vanya is not important." Five said.
"Hey, that's your sister. A little heartless even for you, Five." Diego remarked. The sun was up now. Klaus sat on the couch. His elbow resting on his knee as his mind continued trying to wrap around the events of last night. Y/N, next to him, watched tensely at Five and Diego's conversation as she drank her glass of water.
"I'm not saying I don't care about her, but if the apocalypse happens today, she dies along with the other seven billion of us." Five explained. Diego looked away with his eyeballs. He tried understanding that the world was ending. It wasn't a dream. Or a fantasy in some children's book. "Harold Jenkins is our first priority."
"I agree. Let's go." Diego finally said.
"You guys count me out." Klaus said. Everyone looked to him. "I mean, you know, no offense or whatever. It's just... I kind of feel like this is a whole lot of pressure for newly-sober me, so..." Y/N rolled her eyes, and drank a sip of water as she stood up.
"You're coming." Diego said.
"No, no, no. I mean, I think we can all agree that my power's... I mean, it's pretty much useless. I'd just be holding you guys back."
"Klaus, get up." Five and Y/N said in unity.
"You can't make me." Klaus sassed. But before he knew it, Diego threw a knife between his legs. Klaus sighed, as his legs were spread, and his hands were up in surrender. "Oh, then again, a little exercise couldn't hurt. Yeah." He walked towards the door.
Y/N sighed. "Alright then. Let's go, boys." And she followed after Klaus.
***
Vanya sat emotionless at her small kitchen table. The chain of events repeated over and over in her mind.
"I said go!"
"Vanya, I love you!"
She shut her eyes. Her head moved in uncomfort.
"I heard a rumor..."
The slashing.
The blood.
"No! Allison!"
Vanya got up and out of her seat. She went towards the kitchen sink, turned the water on, and splashed her face with water. She turned the water off and breathed. She went to reach for the towel, but she ended up pulling Leonard's pocketbook onto the floor. "Shit." She murmured. She out the towel back on the counter and reached to pick up the things. She noticed a red spine of a book, which had golden linings on it. She could swear she'd seen that book before. When she put it out, she saw the golden initials on the front.
RH
'Why does Leonard have this?'
She opened it. And she read, and she read.
Number Seven.
Uncontrollable.
Secret.
"Oh, God."
She believed.
Everything was crashing into place.
"Vanya? Let's get goin'." Leonard called.
Idiot.
But when he reached the door, he could see her standing in the kitchen with the book in her hands. "Vanya, I can explain." He started walking towards her.
"You've been manipulating me all this time?"
"No, that's not true." He pointed. "I'm only trying to protect you."
"From who?"
"From your family. They're the ones trying to hurt you. Vanya, it's all there, in that journal. Your father... Was afraid of you. That's why he put you on those pills. It wasn't to help you. It was to hold you back." He put his hands on her shoulders. "He didn't trust that you were strong enough to control your powers. But I've never been afraid of you. I embraced you. I'm the only one who ever accepted you for who you really are. Your brothers and your sisters, they went along with him every step of the way. And so did Y/N. You think she loves you? If she does, then where is she now? She doesn't care. No one does. But I do."
She stared at his face in fear and disbelief. "Who is Harold Jenkins?"
He swallowed and sighed. "He's... Someone like us." She looked at him in disbelief. Because Harold Jenkins was who he truly was. "A lonely boy. An outsider whose family was cruel to him. All he ever wanted was to be heard, to be loved."
Vanya looked to him from the ground and shook her head softly. "Allison was right. You're sick."
"I'm not the one who's tried to kill you."
"I need to go." She tried to push past him but she pushed back. "What have they ever done for you?! Hm?" He threw the book away from her hands. "I'm the reason that you got first chair!"
"I auditioned. I earned the spot."
He laughed. "You think that the first chair went missing all by herself?"
Her eyes widened. "What did you do?"
"I did this for you." He went to put a hand on her cheek but she pushed him away. "Stay away from me!"
"Vanya, we are in danger. We're in danger. Your family, they've seen you in action. They know what you're capable of. They will come for us."
"No, they'll listen to me."
"No, they never will! They want you to feel small! But they are the small ones, next you. Compared to them, you are a god!" He yelled. She started to get angry. The given entitlement. And for what? "You just needed your eyes opened to see what they really are. I gave you that. And Y/N, she's like us, too. She's as powerful as you. We can find her, Vanya. She knows people. They are out there somewhere. And with them, we can beat your family. We can beat your disadvantage. So... Let's finish what we started. Vanya, you need me."
"What I need is my family. And if what you say about Y/N is even true, then she needs me more than ever. I didn't... I didn't mean to kill Allison." Her eyes welled up in tears. "And I love her. I love them all."
Harold looked away. "Your father was right. Not strong enough. He knew it." He walked away from her and stood a few feet away from her. His back turned from the dining table. "And now I know it. You're weak!" He clapped his hand onto the book each time.
"Stop it."
"You're pathetic!"
Things began to rattle. "Please don't." The wind began to pick up.
"Look at you. You're nothing!"
"No!"
"You're just ordinary!"
"Stop it!" She held her head.
"Less than ordinary!
"Stop it!"
"You are not special! Ordinary! Ordinary! Pathetic! Nothing!"
"Stop it! Stop it!" She let go of her head. Her skin turned pail. He began to choke on the air. She tilted her head back, making him slowly rise up. Plates, utensils, knives, and every other sharp object in the dining began to float around in a large circle, like a tornado. "No. No, not to me, Vanya. Please. Please!" She moved her head back forward and properly. Things flew off their shelves. Those things hit his head, making it bleed. Knives and scissors flung into his stomach. He looked down at the blood that spilled from his body. He went into shock with pain. His hairline bled, making him look like Frankenstein. He was thrown back by Vanya, who did nothing but watch in anger. Everything, including Harold, landed on the table as it crashed down from the impact.
Silence fell. The sound waves disappeared. She had no emotion, and she walked away to grab her things, and disappear into the night.
***
Crickets chirped and owls hooted outside the nice motel. Agnes hummed as she approached the front door. Her face filled with glee when she heard the toilet flush. "Hey, Hazel! Hey, I wasn't expecting you back to early. But guess what I got for us--" She stopped when she heard a different voice.
A woman's voice.
A voice deep and vengeful.
"Enjoy a free upgrade at the Rain and Quail B and B next door for the purchase of our premium..." Cha-Cha read out loud as she walked out of the bathroom. Agnes gasped and started to run away from her. "Atrium Pass." Agnes tripped over a step and fell. Cha-Cha stood in front of her. "If you're here for Hazel, he's not coming. He left me." Agnes confessed, falsely. Cha-Cha grinned. "Sure he did." And she sent Agnes a punch in the face.
***
Five, Klaus, Y/N, and Diego stared at the dead body that laid in Harold Jenkins' dining room. "It's not exactly what I was expecting." Klaus said.
"The understatement of the year." Five said.
"No sign of Vanya."
"Let's get out of here, before the cops come." Diego said.
"In a minute." Five said and walked towards the body. He pulled the eye out of his pocket. "You're gonna leave fingerprints, Five." Y/N reminded. "There's no record of me anywhere. I'm sure we'll be fine." He said and pealed the contaminated eyepatch off of Harold's eye socket and pushed the eye inside. "Come on, Five, what are you..." Diego started. "Ugh, wow." Klaus said. "Same eye color, same pupil size. Guys this is it. The eye I've been carrying around for decades, it-- It's found its rightful home." Y/N snickered. Klaus nodded his head. Five pulled the eye back out. "We got the guy we needed to kill to stop the apocalypse." Diego announced. Y/N's stomach churned. She felt that this wasn't the end of this story yet. She felt it was far from over. "Yay! Let's go." Klaus cheered falsely, but he was pull back by Diego, who grabbed onto his shirt. "No, no. Wait, wait. It can't be this easy. Look, this is the note that I got from the Commission." Five pulled out the vanilla paper. "The one that says, "Protect Harold Jenkins", A.K.A Leonard Peabody."
"Yeah." Klaus murmured.
"But who killed him? Who did this?"
"Maybe Vanya did it." Y/N said quietly.
"I have a crazy idea. Crazy, but why don't we find Vanya..." Klaus started. Nobody noticed Five disappear as Klaus spoke. "And ask her what happened?"
"If Vanya got away from this asshole, she might be headed back to the academy."
"Okay, great, let's go." Klaus said and headed for the door.
Diego still stood there, as he watched Y/N go towards the body, and hunch down on her knees. She moved her hand across Harold's sleeve. She sighed.
'Oh no.'
She stood back up. "We should go." She started walking when Diego stopped her. "I found your letter." He spoke.
She stopped and turned to him. "So, you know?"
"Yes." He answered.
She nodded her head. "Good. That's all I hoped for all these years." She sighed, and went after Klaus.
***
Grace cut the last stitch on Allison's wound. The heart monitor beeped in a normal temp. Luther stared at Allison's face in worry. Grace opened a wound patch and placed it over Allison's wound. "Is she gonna make it?" Luther asked. "Yes." Grace answered. "But her vocal cords were badly damaged. It's a miracle that, somehow, her carotid artery wasn't severed."
"Will she be able to talk?" Luther asked hushly.
"It's too early to tell." Grace said truthfully.
"More importantly, thank to you, your brothers and sister, she's still with us." Pogo walked towards him. "Grace and I can take it from here, Master Luther." He placed a hand on his shoulder. "Go. Rest."
"You're the last person I would trust here." Luther said lowly. "I'm not going anywhere."
Pogo looked to Grace, who looked down. They both walked away but Pogo stopped to take one more glance at him.
***
"No sign of Vanya." Five said.
"She's not in any of the rooms." Diego said.
"She's not downstairs, either." Klaus said.
"I checked the attic." Y/N said. "All I found was a broken-down tent." She said in confusion. Five raised an eyebrow.
"Well, I'm out." Diego said.
"Wait. Wait. Wait..." Klaus started.
"Where are you going?" Five asked. "Vanya's still out there, and so are Hazel and Cha-Cha."
"I know." Diego looked to them. "I'm gonna get my things and then I'm outta here. I've got some unfinished business with those fools."
"Can you handle it, Diego?" Y/N stepped in. He looked to her. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm just saying that you couldn't handle it the first time. You had me do it, remember?"
"Diego, what is she talking about?" Five asked.
"First Mom, now Eudora. Trust me, it's not worth it." Y/N said.
"That's a surprise coming from you." Diego said. "Where were you when we went to look for Allison? Oh, right. Not here. Because you were, "taking care of business". Well, guess what? I have business, too. And if nobody stopped you, then ain't nobody in hell gonna stop me." And he walked away. Y/N's jaw clenched as she stared at the wall. She rolled her eyes and went downstairs. "Y/N, what happened with Mom?" Five called.
"Doesn't matter. She's fine, isn't she?"
Klaus sighed. "Hey, did Dad say anything about the apocalypse when you spoke with him?" Five asked. "Any clues as to how it happened?"
"No. No clues. Truly terrific shave. But no clues." Klaus said. Five stared at him for a few seconds, and then sighed in frustration. "Jeez." He murmured, and went down the stairs.
"You know, come to think of it, he did mention something about my potential, and how I've barely scratched the surface of my--"
"How did he know about the apocalypse?" Five asked again.
"I don't know, but listen. This whole jumping through time thing of yours, how did... How did you know how to do that?" Klaus asked.
"I didn't." Five seethed. "You'd realize that if you were actually sober." He walked passed him.
"Hey, I am sober. I've been sober for two-- almost two days now."
"Yeah, two days."
"It feels like forty-five years." Klaus said.
"Who are you kidding, Klaus? I've seen you fidgeting all day."
"Well, I guess we're both fighting our addictions, then." Klaus walked towards him.
"I'm not an addict."
"Yeah, you are. You're addicted to a drug called the apocalypse."
"You're wrong."
"First sign. Denial." Klaus pointed and turned away. Five jumped away and appeared in front of him. "You and I, we're not the same."
Klaus chuckled. "I've seen that look in the eye of someone who doesn't know who they are without their high anymore. Trust me. You gotta just let it go." Klaus said, nodding his head. So, Five threw the glass eye against the wooden wall, and it crashed to pieces. Five walked past him again. "Figuratively, but yeah, that works, too." Klaus sighed. "Oh, and your also addicted to a drug called Marie, too!" He stopped. "Oh, wait, no! I mean Y/N! Sorry!" Klaus called out. But a boy in a uniform appeared in front of him once more. "What did you just say?"
"What?"
"The name."
"Y/N."
"No, you dumbass. The first name you said."
"Marie."
Five stopped. "Dad mentioned that name?"
"He... Oh, yeah! He did. He also said that he brought her home, or whatever, and he had her kill him and whatever." Five stared at him. "And you didn't think to tell me this sooner? Jesus Christ!"
"Well, maybe you should find her, and talk to her." Klaus advised.
"No. Not yet. You know how she is. She's sensitive. And when she's sensitive..."
"She's violent." Klaus sighed.
"Yep." Five sighed. "At least that's one thing you got right." He jumped away.
"Hey! I take as an offense!"
***
Luther sat next to the infirmary bed, where Allison laid unconscious. "I know that peaceful dark place you're in right now." He started. "And I know the pain you'll be in when you leave it and wake up... To someone that's not quite you anymore." He took her hand and put it in his. "When I woke up, I was angry. I was angry that you were gone, that you'd moved on with your life. And I was still stuck here, alone with Dad in this shitty old house. But I was wrong, because I pushed everyone away, and..." He started to cry. "That's including the one person I love with all my heart." He sniffled. "Allison, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I wasn't there. And I won't let you wake up alone."
***
Five blended his green margarita. He would've played some tropical music or some James Bond music or Frank Sinatra music, but he didn't have a phone. And his father wasn't a big fan of Bluetooth, so... It was the radio for now. Just another sunny day with him and Delores and...
Margaritas.
"Well, do you think we really did it? Think we actually stopped the apocalypse?" He asked her.
"Well, it's up to you if you think so, Five. So, now what?"
"Now what? I don't know." He chuckled. "I'm open to suggestion."
"What about school? I mean, you're a sixteen-year-old again, but you'll still grow old again. Or travel the world. And you could give yourself a name! That would be nice. Wouldn't it?"
"School? Not really in the cards for me, now. I'd probably make it through one day of that nightmare. And homework? I would do it in a second. Traveling the world? That's a good one." He grinned slightly. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a knock at the door. "Eh, I'll get it." He took another sip of his drink and walked towards the door. He opened and saw Hazel. With a gun in his hand.
"Hey, old-timer." He said.
"Do you have my sister? And... If not, would you like a margarita?" Five asked. He took Hazel's silence as a confused 'No'. "Come on." He turned around and walked back. Hazel followed after him.
"You're here to kill me?" Five asked. Taking a seat at the stools once again.
"Oh. Shit. Sorry. Old habits." He said, putting his gun away. "Well, I can understand why you might feel that way, you know..."
"Well, you attacked our house, tried to kill my family, and kidnapped my brother and best friend."
"Your best friend? What?" Hazel asked in confusion.
"Well, we're not exactly besties. But we make a fine pair."
"Oh." Hazel sighed. "Well, anyway, there's not much I can do about the past. Don't forget, I'm not the only killer in this room. You got your own bloody history, pal. Speaking of which," Five looked at him. "That job you did in Calhoun, that shit's legendary. Can't believe I'm actually sittin' here talkin' to you, after all--"
"Hazel, why are you here?"
"Well, I'm, you know--" Hazel stopped when he felt something hard and metal touch the back of his neck.
"I'm gonna give you ten seconds to leave. Or I will kill you." The girl said.
Hazel was going to move, but Five stopped him. "I wouldn't move if I were you. She's not someone you want to fight with. At all. Y/N, would you please not kill him today? I don't think this house can handle a blood bath right now."
She grumbled. "Fine. I won't kill him." She put her gun down and stepped to the side where Five could see her. She smiled sarcastically. "Diego, Hazel's in the living room!"
Diego came running and kicked Hazel to the ground. "Diego, stop!" Five yelled. "Y/N!"
"I have my own anger issues, Five. I'm trying to get Diego to let go."
"Of what?" Five asked.
"The past." She looked at the bar in front of her. "You think Dad had a secret stash of bourbon in here?"
"Your search, not mine. Whoever got you into drinking bourbon, I'll never know."
Y/N chuckled. "You know, me neither. I just craved it one day, and then I started drinking it."
"Hmm." Five hummed and looked back at the fight.
Diego flip jumped over Hazel. "Get up!" He punched Hazel in the face, then kicked him.
"You know, before you kill him, you might wanna hear what he has to say." Five said.
Hazel punched him to the ground. But Diego jumped on his feet and pulled out one of his knives. "I'm gonna kill you for what you did to Patch." He seethed. Hazel looked to Five with plead, and quickly jumped back when Diego slashed his knife at him.
"Or don't. See how that goes." Five said.
"Are you gonna--" Hazel was trying to talk to Five, but he kept trying to catch his breath as he kept backing away from the knife. "Come on!" Diego held his arm tight and stabbed him in the leg. Hazel screamed. Five inhaled sharply. "That's gotta hurt."
"Oh, my God! There's gin in here!" Y/N said excitedly.
"Save some for me." Five said.
Hazel punched him in the face and pulled the knife from his leg. Diego jumped up and punched him in the face, then in the gut. He did a back flip and kicked Hazel's feet with his hard and sturdy boots. Hazel grabbed both of his arms, and headbutted him. He lifted him up. Diego felt the oxygen start to leave his lungs, so he bit into Hazel's ear. Five put his drink down. But Y/N stood up front behind the counter. "I'll do it." She grabbed a clear vase and threw it at Diego's head. Diego went unconscious and fell to the floor. "I told him he couldn't handle it. But he wouldn't listen to me." She sighed. "I don't draw the line at biting, but Five does, so..." She looked to Five. "You're welcome." She walked back towards the bar counter, as Hazel spit chunks of glass from out of his mouth.
"Hazel, whatever you came here to say, I suggest you make it quick," Five started, and looked to his unconscious brother, and took another sip of his margarita. "Before he comes around."
"I left my partner, quit the Commission, come to volunteer." Hazel confessed.
"Well, the Umbrella Academy doesn't do charities, so..." Y/N started. Five gave her annoyed look and look back at Hazel. "For what?"
"To help stop the apocalypse."
"Well, that was stupid." Y/N said in tone like the way an entitled, and spoiled schoolgirl would say. Five chuckled.
"What on Earth could be so funny to you guys right now?" Hazel asked.
"Everyone and everything on this Earth is funny, Hazel. It's a shame. There will always be war." Y/N began to sink into her little speech trance. "I guess that's why the universe created people like us. To settle the death score..." Five looked down from staring at her. Deep down, he knew she probably was right. He regrouped back to Hazel's question. "Before I answer that, why do you wanna help us?"
"Let's just say I have a vested interest in a doughnut shop." Hazel said with caution.
"Agnes?" Y/N asked. Hazel gave a silent 'yes'. She nodded her head. "Good choice." She grabbed a whole bottle of bourbon and walked out of the room. Five sighed. 'I guess I'll take it from here'. "Well, I hate to break to you, pal, but you're a day late and a dollar short. The fact that you're here right means, without a shadow of a doubt, that the apocalypse is over."
"Really? How do you know?"
"The mark is dead. Found him this morning. You were the last known unknown left in the equation."
Hazel chuckled. "Shit. Really?" Five nodded his head. "Mm-hmm. And if you're out, then Hellrider ain't riding." He put his drink down.
"Oh!" Hazel exclaimed with glee and looked up at the ceiling. "All right." He laughed. He walked towards the bar counter and took a seat next to Five. He grabbed the blender container and drank the alcohol from it. If Five was being honest, he was proud. Though down in the depths of his emotions, he could feel the overwhelming feeling of freedom slowly rise to the surface. He always felt trapped, and he was used to it. But now that the cage door was open...
He didn't know what to do.
Was he supposed to find himself? How does one even come to do that?
Hazel put the container back on the blender holder. "So now what?"
"You know, to be honest, I don't know. I've been chasing this thing for so long, I... I never really thought about the day after." The assassins looked at one another. "I don't know. What about you?"
"I'm done with all this madness. Time to start over. You should do the same."
"That's easier said than done." Five said honestly.
"It doesn't have to be hard. It's the easiest if you have someone to start over with." Hazel said. Five's eyebrows scrunched together. He knew someone. Someone strong. A little damaged, but she turned out alright. "I mean, think about it like this. If you never time traveled, you never got caught up with the Handler, what would have happened?" Five looked at him, then turned to look at Diego who still laid unconscious on the floor. "I guess I would have grown up to be an emotionally stunted man-child like everybody else around here."
Hazel chuckled. "Well, there you go. Now you can grow up. Good luck." He got out of his seat and started to walk away. Five looked to Delores. Her voice said something in his head.
"Five, what about Diego? His arrest? It's time to move on, right? So, set him free."
Five then took advantage of her advice. "Hazel." The man stopped. "One more thing before you go."
"Shoot."
"Which one of you was the trigger man for Detective Patch?"
"Trigger woman." Hazel answered.
Five sighed. "Huh. That's too bad. That gun could've cleared my brother's name."
"Well, today's your lucky day, amigo." Hazel pulled out two guns from his back pocket. One was fully black, and the other fully silver. "Take 'em both. I'm done with this life." Five gave him a look of farewell and listened to the sound of his steps recede.
He was Five Hargreeves, who didn't know what to do.
But he knew he wanted a break. So, he took his margarita and began to walk away. But he stopped and turned around to look at Delores. "You'll be fine without me, right?" He asked. In his mind, he could see her smile and nod. He chuckled and looked down. "Okay." He took off for the stairs, leaving Diego unconscious in the living room.
***
Y/N walked back to her childhood bedroom. The bottle of bourbon in her hand. She took a large gulp as her hand touched the doorknob. She saw a figure coming from the other direction.
Five's room was right next to hers. Maybe a few feet away, but it was close. He walked tired towards his door. Margarita in his grasp. Before he could touch the handle of his door, his eyes met hers. They both stood there, in utter silence. Unmoving. One of them was too sober, while the other was too drunk.
Y/N looked away. She opened her door and walked inside. Five watched in curiosity and confusion. She'd walked inside, but she'd left the door open.
The boy looked down. He couldn't do this right now. He shouldn't. He won't. The killer inside him said otherwise.
Five Hargreeves had never been in love. Although, there was the exception of Delores, but they were always more like friends than they were lovers. In this case, Five had never felt love. Loved, even. Every day, he noticed how emotionless people thought he was. If he wasn't an old man stuck in a kid's body, the thoughts would definitely affect him, but since that wasn't the case, he didn't really care.
He sighed. Gathering his thoughts, from the stare he got from Y/N, she didn't seem to have a care in the world, either.
This moment would be forgotten. Neither of them would speak of it.
This wasn't love.
It illicit. It was wrong. Especially, when they looked like sixteen-year-olds.
But as I said before.
Neither of them cared.
So, Five walked towards her open door. He walked inside the room.
Closed the door.
And locked it.
☂