Chapter Two
She lied on her back on the hard cold floor, feeling all the movement within the house. The many footsteps that shifted the house as people walked. She meditated lying on the ground. She could feel who was in what room.
Luther was in his room, an unfocused gaze at his childish room. His torn clothes now fully exposing his arms. Something had happened to him while Hex was gone, and she wasn't too keen on finding out any time soon.
Diego has sat in the study with his feet propped up on the coffee table. He counted his knives with his spare time. He sat over the fire making himself seem more like a psychopath as he played with the blade.
Klaus, who was in the kitchen with his brother, Number Five, and his sister Allison, sat in his chair. His knees to his chest, he felt the world shake beneath his feet. He was high— as always.
Allison, hadn't been in the kitchen long, but walked into see her brother with a vacant stare.
Five had searched for something caffeinated, he looked urgently in the cabinets not seeming to find what he had wanted. But then again, Hargreeves hated any of the children to ever have caffeine. If only he had seen them now.
Fighting over his death. Refusing to talk to each one another. Five was back, and he seemed to be the only one who was in a hurry for something.
Hex breathed slow almost peering in the conversation as the three fussed over their normal sister.
Vanya. The only one Hex seemed to understand.
Hex had worked better alone, and even if Vanya had no other choice, she respected her for pulling it off. Writing a book about her siblings and father was pretty ballsy. Surprisingly, Vanya had ceased to write any about Hex. But then again, she wasn't family. She wasn't as lucky as the rest.
She had lived off the street, she found shelter when she could, and ate when anything was available.
Sitting back up, Hex turned to the window.
Klaus was now hitching a ride with his brother Diego, which meant it was time for her to run. If Diego knew she was still here, he would kill her then and there, and asked questions later.
She pushed her hair behind her ears and opened the window, throwing a leg out.
She heard someone click their tongue as she looked back. Stopping she groaned and looked to the door frame to see an old friend.
"The front door is always an option Miss Theodora," Pogo the house butler who was also an old chimp, stood at the door. His lips turned down as she sighed and placed her leg back in the room.
"I'm sorry, Pogo. It's just— Diego. He would kill me if he knew-"
"I am aware of his feelings towards you— and you only stay here when you haven't a choice."
"I didn't have a choice with what I did either," she shrugged. She shut the window as Pogo shook his head. She sat on the window seal looking to the chimp who had understood her more than anyone else.
"It's raining out," he said as she nodded.
"Just as the day you first came to us."
She shook her head.
"Not as hard," she shrugged, "if anything, this is more of a mist."
"I shall bring up some clean sheets later tonight, none of the Hargreeves children will never know if your stay-"
"But Pogo-"
"And do make sure you don't take anything that doesn't belong to you this time," he said before exiting the room as she shrugged and sat against the window. She glanced to the sky and watched the rain as it fell upon the paneling.
Surely they're by somewhere.
She would think as she walked through the alley ways in search of her six hero's. She eventually had given up and found an umbrella that lied on the ground close by and sat under it. Her teeth chattered, her hair on her skin stood up, her breath hung in front of her face.
She clasped her hands over her arms, and then decided to pick up the umbrella and walk again. Walking out of the alley way, the umbrella had now caught wind and pulled the girl a few steps back as she let out a yelp. The wind pulled her umbrella more as she fell on her back, hitting her head. When she had noticed that she had let the umbrella go, she chased after it, where it had stopped at a mansion with the crest she knew the hero's to have as a tattoo on their arm.
All six of them. The same tattoo on their forearm. The one of an umbrella. She straightened her shirt and cleared her throat.
She pushed the gates to reveal a small patio and a huge set of doors with the same crest on them. Before she had knew it, she had felt her knuckle bruise as she rapidly tapped on the wooden frame.
The door opened to reveal a man... a monkey. A man monkey? Her jaw dropped as she rose a brow at him.
"How may I be of service, Madam?"
"H-hi, I-I uhm— this is going to sound strange— but someone with the same crest on your gates and doors saved me the other day— and I just wanted to tell them thanks," she shivered as the ape stiffened.
She had worked out the same puzzle each person in the world had. The Umbrella Academy. The seven children that had lived here who's powers were extraordinary, she wanted to be just like them, he believed.
When in all reality, she just wanted to thank them. Thank them for saving her from the only guy she couldn't have taken. The one with the gun.
Noticing her awkward glances inside the house, the girl nodded and looked back to the man at the door, who hadn't shown any emotion since he had opened the door.
"A-Any way— thank you."
She went to turn off the patio as he groaned and almost shut the door. Watching the small girl that clothes were drenched from the downpour. He glanced back inside and back to the girl. He shook his head.
"Miss?" He uttered as she turned. "Would you like to come in?"
"I-I wouldn't wish to intrude-"
"It is quite cold out here, perhaps you could come in and get warm by our fire," he said as she nodded. He opened the door for the small girl who gasped looking around the house. The bright lights seemed almost like home as she walked under the chandelier and looked up.
"It's bigger on the inside," she muttered.
"And your name, Miss?"
"Theodora," she mumbled as he chuckled lightly.
"Well, Miss Theodora, follow me," he began to walk to the middle of the house to a huge family room as giggled walking in the room. She looked to the couch in front of the huge fire that roared. She looked to the man as he nodded.
"Well, go on," he gestured as she ran to the fire, sitting in front of the flames as they calmed her. Her clothes hung baggy on her small body.
He cleared his throat as she looked back at him.
"I should contact your parents, do you have a number that I could perhaps reach them?" He asked walking toward her as she shook her head.
"Wouldn't do any good," she started, "as it would seem, my parents are dead. W-well- my mom of course. Didn't have a dad."
He furrowed his brow and nodded.
"My condolences."
"Thank you," she said as she warmed at the fire. There was a soft giggle as she sat up.
Outside the doors, there were the children that had saved her. All six of them giddily ran through the middle of the house and to a different place.
"Miss Theodora, I wouldn't suggest going anywhere near them at the moment until we discuss your arrangements."
"My arrangements?"
"You will be sleeping here," he nodded as she rose a brow.
"I-I couldn't-"
"Sir Hargreeve's would insist," he said as she stiffened.
"Hargreeve's?"
"The owner of this house," he cleared as the girl nodded.
Why were they being so nice to her? Just a small girl that lived in alleyways. She looked back to the chimp as he glanced to the small girl.
"And what is your name? I forgot to ask," she said as he chuckled lightly at the girl. Her pure innocence. It reminded him just as the other children.
"Dr. Phinneus Pogo," he smiled at the girl as she nodded. She sat near the fire soaking up the warmth. "But you can call me Pogo."
She smiled at him as he nodded.
"I shall get you some warm clothes," he said as she smiled.
"Thank you, Pogo," she grinned.
The chimp nodded at the girl and walked out of the room to the main hall as she stared at the flames. They danced for her, as it would seem.
A simple knock had her knocked out of her trance as she stood up and checked through the cracks in the door to see who was there. Rubbing her face, she opened the door and let in Grace, the mother of all the children. Who doubled as a robot. Ironically.
"Oh! Theodora!" She beamed placing the sheets on the bed.
"It's Hex," she corrected as Grace nodded.
"Right," she said placing her hand on her cheek. "How you have grown!"
"It's been a couple of years," she said as Grace embraced the one child that wasn't hers in this whole house. Grace hadn't changed since the day she had met her. Still, she was a robot.
Grace let go of the girl, allowing her to walk over to her bed and prep it for Hex's stay. However, as Hex would protest, Grace still fixed her bed.
"Your room is still of course here, Pongo said you would much rather enjoy a room far away from the others," she said as Hex shrugged.
"It's better they don't know I'm here," she shrugged as Grace furrowed her brow.
"Why is that?"
"Well— you know how Diego hates my guts-"
"Other than Diego, silly," she laughed as Hex shrugged.
"I didn't think the team would be much too keen on seeing me," she shrugged.
"Nonsense! Luther and Allison are still here, might I go fetch-"
"No, Grace," Hex interrupted noticing Grace's twitching left eye. Today was the memorial service for her 'husband' but she hadn't seemed to phased— considering she was a robot.
Hex watched her place the sheets on the bed as she crossed her knees.
"Hey, Grace?"
"Yes, Darling?"
"How come you and Pogo always greet me with open arms? I don't belong to you— or Mr. Hargreeves. Why do you guys care so much for me?"
"Family doesn't mean blood," she said not taking her eyes off the bed.
"Clearly, considering everyone here is adopted," Hex stated. Grace looked back to the girl and smiled. Her eye began to twitch yet again as Hex got up and walked toward her.
"Are you okay?"
"Of course I am okay, silly," she said finishing making her bed. She looked to Hex and smiled again at her. Hex's eyes sparkled as she gave Grace a toothless grin.
"You go get some sleep now, okay Grace?" She said as Grace nodded and walked out the door. "And don't tell anyone I'm here."
"Okay," she said walking down the hallway, "I won't tell a soul that Theodora is here."
Hex shuttered and then shut the door after watching Grace make her way down the stairs. Scoffing, she walked over to the bed and dropped down to it.
And like that. The hair on her skin stood up.
"No!" She whined, "I just lied down."
Her breath hitched as she sat up. Her fingers tingled as she cursed and opened the window, climbing out slowly, she made her way across the roof and looked to her hand. She drifted among the sky to take her to the same donut shop she was at earlier. Griddy's stood there eerily as she heard the sound of gunfire.
"Holy shit," she hissed, running to the window and looking in. Peering over, she saw a boy, sitting at the counter as he grabbed at a knife. She glanced around the floor to see human carcasses all over the ground. Blood pooling around each of them.
She glanced back to the boy as he sliced into his arms taking out something and walking toward the door. It was Five. She cursed under her breath and walked more behind a wall to where he wouldn't see her on his way out. She looked in the building one last time before watching Five drop something before walking off. Flicking her hair over her shoulder she stood up.
She opened the door and walked in the building. Glancing at the pools of blood. She grimaced.
Five wasn't a killer— was he?
"I-I'm warning you!" Someone screamed from behind the counter, "the p-police are on their way!"
"Shit," Hex hissed as she looked to her hand and pointed it to the counter, flicking her fingers around, the women stood up and walked to Hex.
"You're going to tell me what you saw tonight," she hissed, "starting about twenty minutes ago."
"A small boy— and a tow truck driver— they came in separately to come get an éclair and a coffee black. I was in the back before I heard gunshots."
Who knew Five was so cranky without his coffee?
She looked at the pools of blood. How could she divert the attention from Five?
"How did you know they came in separately?"
"The man offered to pay for the kids coffee."
"Are there any cameras?"
"No, we hadn't made enough to get them."
Hex groaned and looked to the men.
"Shitheads broke all your windows."
She flicked her hand as a few windows were put back in place.
"That should help with some of the cost," she shrugged, "make sure to tell them there was also a mugging— get some Insurance money for the cameras."
The lady nodded. Her dazed look continued to look through Hex as she shook her head, finally thinking of what to tell her to say.
"This is what you're going to tell the police," she said harshly, "the man and the— obnoxious kid came in together. His son, perhaps. You don't remember much about the kid, just that his dad drove a pickup. The rest— just is too hard to think about."
"Too hard to think about," she repeated as Hex nodded.
"Good, and you will also forget this conversation ever happened," she said as the women nodded. Flicking her wrist, Hex let go of the spell and made her way out of the donut shop. Quickly, making her way back to the Academy. She opened her window and slid in the room, shutting the window behind her as she groaned and lied on the bed.
What have you gotten into, Five?
Why did you kill all those men?
What happened to you after you disappeared?