"Diego this has to be a setup." Esme told him, holding the piece of paper as Luther looked over her shoulder, nodding as he agreed with his sister.
"Maybe. But we should go anyway." Diego put his shirt on and started to button it.
"Says the guy who's already been stabbed once this week." Luther gave him a look while Vanya sat on a chair opposite of the three.
"Oh, don't worry, me and him are gonna have words."
"Diego." Esme said in a warning tone, looking over at him before setting the piece of paper on the table.
"Would you tell him that he's nuts." Luther asked Vanya.
"I think we should go." Vanya agreed with Diego which made Esme and Luther groan.
"See." Diego looked to the two that didn't agree with him, Esme grabbing a pillow from behind Luther and throwing it at Diego who just laughed at her.
"Vanya, of all people, you should hate Dad the most." Luther tried to get her to side with him and Esme.
"Come on, can he really be that bad?"
"Okay, well, let's see. He isolated you from the rest of the family. Kept you hoped on pills and brainwashed you into thinking you had no powers." Luther stabbed his food with his fork.
"Jesus, this guy..." She looked down slightly.
"Yeah." Esme nodded.
"Come on. I have to meet him." Vanya smiled a bit making Esme give her a look while Diego looked amused.
"You already know how this is gonna go." Luther pointed up to Diego.
"Dad is gonna play all his little mind games on us, get into our heads and he's gonna turn us all against each other. You watch."
"Luther is right. Like, this isn't the first time." Esme agreed with him.
"Luther, Esme, we're not twelve anymore. All right? We're grown ass men and women." Diego said calmly.
Luther let out a deep breath while Esme bit the inside of her lip, bouncing her leg up and down nervelessly.
"Hey...hey." Diego walked over and placed a comforting hand on Esme's shoulder while he looked at Luther.
"Wanna know what's different this time?" Diego questioned.
"We have Esme's weirdly dressed boyfriend?" Luther asked.
"Hey!" Esme turned to him, giving him a look.
"No, you two got me. Especially you Luther. No more Number One and Number Two bullshit." He let go of her shoulder and took a seat.
"From now on, it's...Team Zero."
"Team Zero?" Luther questioned, sounded good to him.
"Team Zero." Diego nodded, happy he came up with it.
"Yeah. Sounds cool, no numbers and all, but I'm zero." Esme told them, making the two brothers look at her.
"Right. Right, ummm. Team Negative Zero." Diego confirmed.
"I don't think it can be a negative." Esme pointed out.
"Sounds bad." Luther commented.
"Hey! I tried." Diego groaned, clearly annoyed.
"We'll just keep it to Team Zero. Esme can be our mascot." Diego told him.
"Hey. I'm up for that." Esme smiled widely.
"All the way." He held his fist out for them to punch, Luther and Vanya just stared at him while Esme happily tapped her fist against his. Diego stood back up about to go in another room when Thomas' voice broke out.
"Hey, Esme. I made you a sandwich-" Thomas made his way over with a plate that held a sandwich, slightly bumping into Diego. Thomas quickly put his hand on the sandwich, not wanting it to fall.
Diego had an obvious annoyed look on his face when Thomas bumped into him, while Thomas looked a bit scared, clearly intimidated by this sibling. Thomas heard many stories about Diego, and there was no doubt that Diego was protective over Esme. It was also clear that Diego didn't like him one bit.
"Sorry." He apologized and made his way around Diego and handed Esme the sandwich.
"Thank you." Esme smiled and gently grabbed it.
"So, when do we leave?" He asked and the rest of the siblings including Esme looked at him.
"You're not coming." Diego straight up told him.
"Diego." Vanya gave him a look while Diego just shrugged.
"It's a family thing Thomas, I don't want you to get really involved with it, especially since it's Dad." Esme told him softly, placing a hand on his arm.
"But, what if something goes wrong and you need help?" He asked, clearly worried that if something went wrong he wouldn't be there to protect Esme.
Diego rolled his eyes at the question, before leaning against the banister.
"She has her siblings, more importantly me Anakin." Diego gave him a new name.
"Diego is right. I have them and please, his name is Thomas." Esme gave her brother a pleading look.
"I think Anakin suits him. Black hood, has some black lines under his eyes. What's next? He has killed children?" Diego questioned.
"Oh, god." Luther murmured.
"Diego!" Vanya and Esme both shouted.
Thomas turned around to face Diego, giving him a glare. "I do not kill children."
"Are you sure about that? Because from your wardrobe. It certainly looks like you do." Diego took a step closer to the man.
"Oh. Don't act so innocent. You've killed people." Thomas scoffed.
"Oh, so you admit. You killed people. Esme where the hell did you even find this guy?" Diego looked towards his sister, fists clenching to his sides.
"Enough!" Esme shouted, making everyone quiet as she made her way between the two, facing Diego. She gave him another pleading look. "Just trust me."
She then grabbed Thomas' arm and pulled him down the stairs with her. "We're going for a walk."
~~~
"He's in my life now Diego. So suck it up." Esme slapped his arm slightly as the two made their way inside Southland Liff.
"I just don't like him." Diego glanced at her.
"Give me one reason why you don't like him."
"He doesn't deserve you." He told her honestly and she smiled slightly.
"Oh. I see. Big brother role." She let out a small laugh and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
"I'm not going to like anyone you date. So..." He smiled as well before letting go and the two going up the stairs.
The two made their way to the elevator, seeing the doors closing, Diego quickly grabbing one of the closing doors.
"Wait up." He spoke as the two saw Five, Five looking a bit shocked seeing them.
The two entered just in time to hear Allison.
"Hold it."
"Hey everyone." Klaus was next, going to the back, next to Esme where she stood next to Diego.
Then lastly Vanya and Luther came in, Five smiling slightly. "Good. We're all here." The bell rang as the doors closed, no one saying anything. The elevator started to rise and soon Esme's face scrunched up along with a few others.
"Oof."
"Luther!" Klaus groaned.
"Oh, my god."
"I'm literally right behind you." Esme turned towards Klaus and buried her face into his sleeve.
"Sorry, I'm nervous." Luther told them.
The doors finally opened and everyone hurried out. Five being the first to exit. "Nasty. I'm choking!"
"None of that." Klaus told Luther as he held onto Esme as the two made their way out. "Ohhh. Klaus. Tiki Lounge." Esme pointed to the sign. "I want to get a Piña Colada." She told him with a wide smile.
"Oh, I missed you." Klaus put his chin on the top of her head as they walked over to the bar, hearing Five in the back.
"All right, when Dad gets here. I'll do the talking, okay?"
"Got a few questions for him myself." Diego walked down the stairs.
"Hey, we don't wanna scare him off." Five stood at the table, looking at Diego.
"I'll get your drink for you my dearest sister." Klaus told Esme as she made her way over to the table.
"Hey, no more numbers. No more bullshit. We're all Team Zero." Diego walked up to Allison.
"Uh, Diego. You don't have the conch." Luther pointed out from his seat.
Diego nodded and grabbed the conch before quickly throwing it, letting it crash.
The doors behind Diego, Esme, and Five bursted open, their father quickly coming through with a few things in his hand. Esme felt her heart stopped as she grabbed onto Diego's arm tightly.
"It's ok." Diego told her softly as no one else said anything. "Sit here." Diego told her, motioning to the chair next to Five while he sat on the other side of her. Making sure she was an extra seat away from Reginald.
"Not only have you burglarized my lab, set my chimp loose, conned your way into the Mexican consulate, repeatedly stalked and attacked me, but you have, on numerous occasions, called me..." He stopped as Klaus made his way over to Esme and placed her drink in front of her before going to the last empty seat next to Reginald and sitting down with his own drink.
"Hey, Pop. How's it hangin'?"
"Dad." Reginald slowly finished.
"My reconnaissance tells me you're not CIA, not KGB, certainly not MI5, so...who are you?" He looked at all of them, no one saying anything, a few opening their mouths but not really knowing what to say.
"We're your children. We're from the future." Five broke the silence.
"In 1989, you adopted us all and trained us to fight against the end of the world. Called us The Umbrella Academy." Five finished as Reginald just looked confused.
"Why on earth would I adopt seven-"
"Eight...one of us isn't here." Esme cut him off, looking at the table, not wanting to make eye contact with him.
"Dead...one of us is dead." Diego bluntly concluded.
"Dead, yes, but I'm here. Klaus!" Ben sat in the table behind Klaus.
"Yeah. Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba. Enough of that now." Klaus turned around slightly to shush him while Reginald looked annoyed and confused.
"Regardless, what would possess me to adopt eight children?" He questioned and Five was quick to answer.
"We all have special abilities."
"Special? In what sense?" Now he seemed interested.
"In the superpower sense." Luther spoke for the first time.
"Call me old-fashioned, but I'm a stickler for a pesky little thing called evidence. Show me." Reginald looked to Luther then the rest.
Allison played with a drink scoffing slightly. "Everybody wants to see powers all of a sudden."
"We're not circus animals, okay? We're not gonna do tricks and clap our hands like seals for your amusement." Luther told their father boredly.
"I want to see a seal do that." Esme's face lightened up and Luther gave her a look and she quickly shut up.
Diego swiftly through one of his blades towards Reginald, as it curled and launched itself in a wooden frame. Reginald opened his notebook and started to write something down. Everyone looking confused.
"What are you writing?" Diego asked confused.
"You are zero for two, young man." Reginald answered making Allison laugh a bit as she tried to hold it back.
"Oh, dear." Esme mumbled knowing Diego would-
And he quickly got out of his chair and made his way angrily towards Reginald before Five flashed in front of him, placing both of his hands on his chest.
"Stop." Five whispered.
"Now that is interesting."
"Alright, uh, quick rundown." Five made his way back to his chair as he pointed to his siblings.
"Luther, super strength. Klaus can commune with the dead, Esme can commune with demons; aka the devil. Allison can rumor anyone to do anything."
"Except she never does it." Diego day back in his seat as Allison looked over to him.
"I heard a rumor you punched yourself in the face."
Diego's eyes went white before he punched himself in the face, then quickly held his face in agony, groaning. "Damn it!"
Reginalds nodded slightly before his eyes settled on Esme who was innocently drinking her drink while looking at Diego next to her.
"I want to see yours."
Esme looked up and her eyes widened as she saw her siblings looking at her. "Oh, I don't know. I really don't like doing it and I haven't done it-" she looked to her left and saw Five was giving her a pleading look.
"Ohhhhh. Ok." She groaned slightly before placing her drink down. She started to dig deeper, trying to find someone who would come out until she tapped the table.
"Found one. Would you like to see her?" She asked Reginald as he clicked his pen, placing it on his notepad.
"Yes."
"Your funeral...oh wait." Esme's eyes widened a bit as she realized what she said, making Diego stifle a laugh once he was done groaning in pain.
"You can come out and play Chastity." Esme commented as a little girls laugh echoed throughout the room, making everyone jump slightly in their seat besides Five and Reginald.
Soon a little girl ran down the stairs, she wore a blue ribbon in her long blonde curly hair, while she had a red dress on.
"Awe. She's so cute." Klaus placed his hand dramatically on his chest while the girl looked at Ben, waving as she held a big grin on her face.
Ben smiled to her and waved back. This was a demon that Esme could communicate with? Ben could hardly believe it.
The girls face suddenly dropped before her eyes turned black, her dress ruined and her teeth turned sharp, along with claws coming out of her hands as she quickly flashed forward towards Reginald.
Both Ben and Klaus let out a frightful scream at the sudden change of character. "Get her away!" Klaus shouted as he made a cross with his fingers.
"Go away Chastity." Esme declared and the demon child screamed at Esme. "I said go!" Esme shouted and suddenly the girl was gone.
"Holy shit. That's what you saw growing up?" Allison questioned and Esme shrugged. "Yup."
"Moving on." Five let out a deep breath as he looked back to Reginald.
"Right." Reginald nodded before looking at Vanya. "And you?"
"Uh, maybe we don't take Vanya for a test run." Luther patted Vanya's hand.
"Oh, yeah, that's probably not a good idea." Klaus Lenard back in his chair while Esme nodded in agreement.
"It's fine." Vanya shrugged. "I can handle it." She grabbed a fork.
"Handle it?" Esme raised an eyebrow, leaning forward a bit.
"Last time you handled it. You definitely blew up the moon." Allison stated next to Vanya.
"No, Vanya don't!" Five shouted as the other siblings backed up a bit in their chairs as she was about to tap the glass, protesting for her not to do it.
Soon enough the fruit bowl in the middle exploded, sending it everywhere. "This was my favorite shirt." Klaus mumbled as Esme pulled some out of her hair.
"Oops." Vanya smiled innocently.
"Look, we know you're involved with the plot to assassinate the president." Diego stood up, leaning over the table. Esme looked between the two while Five was irritated with Diego.
"You were recently hospitalized, isn't that correct?" Reginald questioned. "You still appear to be suffering from delusions of grandeur and acute paranoia."
"Am I?" Diego grabbed the picture from his pocket and set it down in front of Reginald.
"Explain this. That's you, two days from now at the exact spot the presidents gonna get shot."
Reginald picked it up, looking at it before looking back at Diego. "Well...I suppose you've solved it. You've single-handedly unearthed my nefarious plot. Is that what you want to hear? You fancy yourself a do-gooder?"
Esme gripped the edge of the table slightly as she looked at Reginald, she honestly wasn't surprised he was saying these words, but she was worried for Diego at this point.
"The last good man who will save us from our descent into corruption and conspiracy? This is a fantastic delusion. The sad reality is that you're a desperate man, tragically unaware of his own insignificance, desperately clinging to his own ineffectual reasoning. More succinctly, a man in over his head." Reginald finished.
Diego slowly sat down, tears in his eyes as he glared at the man, a tear falling down his cheek. "You're wr-wrong." He stuttered and Esme quickly scooted her chair closer to him.
"It's okay. Don't listen to him." She whispered into his ear, placing one of her hands on top of his in his lap, Diego quickly grabbing it and holding onto it tightly.
"He doesn't know anything about you, he's trying to get in your head." She whispered once again, looking at him worriedly as the table was silent.
"Look, forget about the president. We have a catastrophic war coming in five days. We need to figure out how to stop it." Five leaned over the table slightly.
"War? Men will always be at war with each other." Reginald told the boy.
"No, this isn't just some war. I'm talking about a doomsday. The end of the world." Five elaborated more.
"Well, you're the special ones, aren't you?" Reginald waved his arms slightly before clasping them on the table. "Why don't you band together and do something about it?"
"Alright. Screw it!" Ben quickly jumped inside of Klaus where everyone's heads snapped to the direction of Klaus as he had his arms in the air, shaking a bit.
Esme quickly pulled away from Diego and looked at her other brother worriedly. "Is he having a seizure?" Esme asked worriedly.
"Overdosing probably." Diego suggested with no emotion, just looking at the table.
"Should we do something?" Luther questioned, not really knowing what to do.
"Klaus, stop it." Five whispered yelled, thinking it was Klaus being Klaus.
"Now is not the time. What are you doing?"
'Klaus' continued to gasp before slowly turning towards Reginald who once again looked very confused.
"I'm..."
"Out with it boy." Reginald urged.
"Ben." Suddenly Ben flew out of Klaus' body, laying on the floor with Klaus going right next to him.
"Oh, my god." Esme pushed back her chair, letting it squeak against the floor as she rushed over to her brother, kneeling down.
"Klaus?" She asked, tapping his cheek slightly as he panted.
Reginald looked at Klaus then to the remaining siblings at the table. "Well...thank you for coming." He stood up, grabbing his things. "I've seen about enough."
"Look what you did to me!" Luther ripped his shirt, showing his deformed chest and Esme looked up, rolling her eyes.
"Look at it!" Luther shouted, as Reginald looked at him.
"Luther. This isn't Magic Mike. Button up your shirt." Esme scoffed, before turning back to Klaus below her.
"You in the culottes. A word, in private?" Reginald pointed to Five before walking up the stairs, Five following behind.
"Check please." Allison waved her hand slightly.
~~~
"Well, that went as well as any Hargreeves family function." Allison told the siblings, minus Five in the elevator.
"I feel so violated." Klaus groaned from the ground as Esme sat next to him, dabbing a wet cloth on his forehead.
"I need a herbal bath. You had no right to possess me." Klaus looked up to Ben.
Esme ignored the last part and nodded her head. "You can come to my house, I'll give you a nice bath." Esme told him softly.
"Oh, possession is a strong word. I like to say 'borrowed you'. Temporarily." Ben didn't bother to look back to his brother.
"Are you okay?" Vanya asked from beside Diego as he looked towards Vanya.
"So much for having my back in there, Team Zero, my ass." Diego scoffed as the doors opened.
Everyone walked out, leaving Klaus, Esme, and Ben. "Wait-uh-guys?" Esme looked to the open elevator, removing the damp cloth from Klaus. "I can't move him." She called out as Ben looked down to her.
"You're so lucky Esme cares for you." He told Klaus.
"I knooooooow." Klaus groaned slightly.
Luther walked back and grabbed one of his legs, dragging him out. "Luther." Esme mumbled, standing up. Ben looking at her as she was only a few inches from her.
"Leave me. Just leave me!" Klaus whimpered as he was being dragged.
Ben rolled his eyes at his brothers words, following Esme out. "If you ever wanted kids Esme. You certainly had one your whole life." Ben told his sister, not caring that she couldn't hear him.
Esme continued to watch Klaus be dragged by Luther before her eyes moved upward, a wide smile falling on her face as she ran over to Thomas, basically jumping into his arms.
"How did it go?" Thomas questioned, as he held her tightly, kissing her cheek.
"Well..."
Thomas' eyes moved to Luther who was dragging Klaus, Luther shaking his head at Thomas. "Don't ask."
Thomas nodded slowly as he looked a bit passed Esme, Ben standing a few feet away, smiling at the two.
"Why don't you get in the car. I'll be in a minute." Thomas suggested and Esme nodded, not bothering to ask why.
Thomas turned and watched Esme walk to the car, before turning around again, being met with Ben who stood only four feet away from him.
"Holy shit." Thomas gasped, not expecting him to be so close.
"So you can see me...and hear me." Ben stated.
"Yeah. Why wouldn't I..." Thomas trailed off confused before he realized.
"You're Ben."
"Esme told you about me?" Ben questioned.
"Yeah. Quite a lot." Thomas nodded.
Ben smiled slightly, glancing at Esme who sat in the passenger seat, messing with her hair before looking back to Thomas.
"How can you see me? Klaus has only been the one to communicate with me." Ben asked confused.
"I was gifted with it, along with a few other things." Thomas didn't get much into detail.
Ben's eyes travelled back to a moaning Klaus while Luther was trying to get him not to pass out. "I could use a break from him." Ben looked back to Thomas.
"Have time to chat?" Ben asked.
"Hop in." Thomas gave the ghost a small nod before walking over to the car and getting in the drivers seat.
"Everything good?" Esme looked to Thomas who nodded.
"Yeah." He gave her a comforting smile before turning on the car, looking in the mirror seeing Ben in the back middle seat.
"Oh. Yeah. That's right!" Klaus shouted, seeing Ben in the car. "Go bother Esme and her cute boyfriend for awhile. Consider this your time out!" Klaus groaned, leaning his head back on the concrete.
"Klaus." Luther shook his head, clearly irritated by his brother.
"Let's go home." Thomas turned the wheel and began to drive, Esme turning on the radio.
"I love this song!" She clapped happily and turned it up louder as she began to sang, Ben looking at her happily.
"I miss you, so much."
**Aight. Another chapter done. You know the drill. Answered Questions and memes below**
Is Thomas one of the children with powers:
Yes, his power will later be discussed
How did Thomas get to this timeline:
So the people he used to work for are similar to the Handler where there is an object that helps them time travel
Who does Thomas work for:
I really didn't get in depth with this, just clips from his past. His boss that he worked for was basically just a leader of a mafia. You get a task and you complete it.
Will Thomas tell the Hargreeves siblings that he killed Esme in an alternate universe:
Most likely not, don't really see the point of putting it in since that day really didn't happen. Maybe later in another season, but Diego would honestly tackle Thomas and try to kill him.