Number Eight: Cassandra Hargreeves
"Did something happen?" Mom asked quietly from Cassandra's side.
Everyone looked at her from where they had crowded around Dad's favourite spot. They looked at her like she was crazy. Cassandra smiled at her encouragingly from Mom's side as she slipped her arm around Mom's as they huddled under the one umbrella, the rain falling meekly around them.
"Dad died. Remember?" Allison asked, staring at her with that same skeptical look that Cassandra knew was so often aimed at her.
"Oh. Yes, of course." Grace mumbled. Her face fell for a moment but a smile quickly formed on her face when Cassandra have her arm a quick squeeze.
"Is Mom okay?" Cassandra heard Allison whisper to Diego. Cassandra smiled to herself as she saw him nod.
"Yeah, yeah, she's fine. She just needs to rest. You know, recharge."
"Whenever you're ready, dear boy." Pogo said to Luther as he came hobbling outside, leaning on his cane and nodding to Luther to begin his eulogy.
Luther nodded in return and walked forward. He opened the lid of the urn and ceremoniously lifted it, tipping ashes onto the floor where they amounted in a pile and stayed there on the ground. Diego scoffed.
"Probably would have been better with some wind." Luther admitted. Cassandra stared at the pile of grey ash on the floor, her expression blank.
"Does anyone wish to speak?" Pogo asked. No one said a word. The only sound was of raindrops hitting the courtyard's stone slabs.
"Very well. In all regards, Sir Reginald Hargreeves made me what I am today. For that alone I shall forever be in his debt. He was my master...and my friend, and I shall miss him very much. He leaves behind a complicated legacy-"
"He was a monster." Diego interrupted. Cassandra looked up at him, her eyes were hollow and emotionless. Klaus let out a breathy laugh. Luther scowled.
"He was a bad person and a worse father. The world's better off without him."
"Diego." Allison interrupted, her voice sharp as a warning.
"My name is Number Two." Diego retorted, indignantly, "You know why? Because our father couldn't be bothered to give us actual names. He had Mom do it." Diego shouted.
Mom looked up, confused at the sound of her name, like she had no idea what was happening until that point. Cassandra took Mom's hand in hers and squeezed it, smiling with encouragement. Mom smiled back, a vacant look in her eyes as if the smile was just an automatic response. Cassandra couldn't blame her. Most of her own smiles were automatic responses these days.
"Would anyone like something to eat?" Mom asked softly. Cassandra nodded enthusiastically and Mom's face lit up.
"No it's okay, Mom." Vanya mumbled. Cassandra watched sadly as Mom's face fell again.
"Oh, okay."
"Look, if you want to pay your respects, go ahead. But at least be honest about the kind of man he was." Diego snapped.
"You should stop talking now." Luther threatened. Cassandra sighed sorrowfully.
"You know, you of all people should be on my side here, Number One." Diego spat sarcastically, walking toward Luther.
"I'm warning you." Luther responded, raising a finger to Diego.
"After everything he did to you?" Diego asked, deliberately provoking him, "He had to ship you a million miles away."
"Diego, stop talking." Luther hissed.
"That's how much he couldn't stand the sight of you!"
Luther charged at Diego, who only just ducked out of the way. He bounced on his toes in anticipation, like a boxer before a fight, as Luther turned on him again.
"Boys! Stop this at once!" Pogo's authoritative voice rung out across the courtyard but neither of them stopped attacking the other.
"Stop it!" Vanya shouted, weakly. Her voice failing to travel the length of the courtyard.
"Hit him! Hit him!" Cassandra heard Klaus shout, encouraging whoever. Cassandra watched, her eyes arched in sadness as their fight grew closer and closer to Ben's memorial statue. Cassandra blinked and kept her eyes shut as she saw a vision. She opened her eyes quickly.
"The statue!" She shouted, her voice hitching in her throat. No one seemed to hear her though, not even Mom.
"We don't have time for this." Five complained, turning on his heels and going inside.
Luther raised a clenched fist toward Diego, who ducked and rolled out of the way. Luther's arm continued heading forward, no longer aimed at Diego, and collided with Ben's statue. There was an almighty crunch as Ben's statue cracked. It slid off the pedestal and it fell, colliding with the stone slabs.
Ben's head was sent rolling along the floor and into the bushed. Cassandra let out a distressing sigh. Mom looked at her and squeezed her shoulder.
"And there goes Ben's statue." Allison mumbled, giving Luther one last look before going inside.
Upon noticing Cassandra's horrified look, Klaus came over and took her by the other arm. Luther stared at Allison as she walked inside. Diego approached Cassandra who had Mom on one side and Klaus on the other.
"Hey, Cass. I-"
"You never know when to stop, do you?" Vanya interrupted. She had stormed over but her angry words seemed to have no effect on Diego. He sighed at turned to face her like he just wanted to get it over with so she would leave.
"You got enough material for your sequel yet?" Diego snapped at Vanya.
"He was my father too." She said somberly, looking at him for one last second and heading inside. Diego walked towards Cassandra and stopped in front of her. Her eyes were aimed right at him but she didn't seem to see him at all.
"Let's go inside." He whispered to her, unaware if she even heard him. Mom and Klaus did and lead Cassandra back inside.
"Cassie, are you-" Diego asked once Cassandra was back inside. Mom had taken her to the kitchen and made her a slice of toast with jam arranged in a smiley face. He couldn't finish his question though as Cassandra cut him off.
"Okay? I'm fine." She insisted, staring straight ahead. She hadn't touched her toast.
"It's just...I don't remember you being so distant."
"You've been gone a long time." Cassandra put simply although her tone was solemn, "Perhaps you just don't remember correctly." She said, rising to her feet and heading for the door.
Diego darted forward and caught her by the wrist, stopping her from leaving. She turned around to face Diego who was staring at her intently, imploring her for a real answer.
"I'm fine. I'm just tired. I should get some sleep." Cassandra insisted and, even though he didn't believe her, Diego had to admit that she was right. He had been gone a long time. He had no right to stop her from leaving. Cassandra pulled her hand free from his grip and headed to her bedroom.