"Where's Vanya?" you asked after emerging from your room a while later, having changed back into your uniform, the only thing you fit in.

"Oh, she's gone," Allison responded, and you frowned.

"That's unfortunate. I wanted to talk to her more," you said softly.

"Yeah... listen, Eight, she exposed our secrets," Allison burst. "And I'm really hoping that doesn't bother you, since you don't have a power, because everyone seems to hate her for it. I was mad at first, but now... now I just feel bad for her."

"Exposed our secrets?" you repeated. "How?"

"Wrote a book about us. Our personal lives, our powers, everything," Diego responded, walking into the living room.

"Don't forget daddy issues!" Klaus called from the kitchen, and Allison rolled her eyes.

"Absolutely nothing has changed," she said, smiling softly.

You raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything, instead following her into the kitchen.

"An entire square block. Forty-two bedrooms, 19 bathrooms, but not a single drop of coffee," Five rambled, tipping a can upside down to check if there was anything inside. A ladybug fell into his hand, and he made a noise of disgust.

"Dad hated caffeine, remember? Or have you been gone too long?" you asked sarcastically.

He scoffed, biting the inside of his cheek.

"He hated children, too, and he had plenty of us. And I'm choosing to ignore the latter statement."

Klaus laughed, and you poked him.

"I'm taking the car."

"Where are you going?" Klaus asked, squinting at him.

"To get a decent cup of coffee," Five replied, spinning the key ring around his finger.

"Uhh, do you even know how to drive?"

"I know everything," Five said in his stupidly confident tone.

"I know that we should try to stop him," Klaus told you as Five walked off, "but then again, I kinda just wanna see what happens."

"Wait - Five!" you called before he could flash away. He turned, a skeptical look on his face, as you approached.

"Yes, Eight?" You flinched inwardly as he used your number rather than your real name, even though you had told him never to call you by it in front of other people.

You had wanted it to be something you shared with him, and him alone.

"Listen, Five..." You glanced behind you, spotting the remaining academy members watching, and pulled him into the hall by his jacket. "Nice uniform, by the way," you said when you were finally out of earshot from the others.

"I could say the same for you," he noted, nodding at your skirt and layered tops. "Now, care to tell me why you interrupted my coffee outing?" He smiled wide, and your eyes flicked to the two freckles on his cheek that you had always found adorable. Clearing your throat, you got back on track.

"Yeah, I... listen. I... might have been asleep when you disappeared, but even in my 'dream' you were gone, too. And I - well, I really missed you, all right?" you finally said, keeping your voice low. His eyes found yours briefly, and you focused on a point just behind his shoulder so you didn't get too embarrassed, but not before seeing the small smile that curled at the corner of his lips. "I mean, the others were nice, but there wasn't a day I didn't think about you. Especially when Ben-"

You shook your head, sucking in a breath and meeting his eyes again.

"What I'm trying to say is, please don't do that again. Go missing and not come back for 16 years, I mean."

He bit the inside of his lip, and you narrowed your eyes.

"What?"

"Eight, you know I can't make any promises," he finally said after a stretch of silence, and you sighed.

"Why not? Look, I don't know what you got yourself into while you were gone. But you can tell me, all right? I can help you, and then you can keep your promise," you pleaded, taking a step closer to him even as he shook his head.

"No, Eight, you don't understand. This is my problem, my issue, my fault. I'm not dragging you into this. Or anyone else," he added quickly when you raised an eyebrow.

"Alright, Five. I asked you nicely before, but now I'm telling you - tell me what happened."

He grinned, sliding his hands into his pockets and leaning back.

"You've changed."

"Yeah, 16 years in a dream does that to you," you responded, and then ducked your head, feeling petty. "Sorry, I-"

"No," Five interrupted, stepping closer. "Don't apologize." He swallowed hard, looking to his side. "I... that was probably hard for you. And you have a right to be angry. At me, the universe, whoever you want."

"Five, I'm not angry with you."

"Doesn't matter," he replied, but you saw a flicker of relief cross his features. "My point is, I'm not going to put any of you in danger. I figured this out, and I can get us out of this mess." His eyes fell to your stomach before looking away quickly.

"What do you mean, 'mess'?" you asked. "What did you figure out?"

"Like I said, I've got this," he said, patting your shoulder. "Now I'll be on my way. Don't leave this house."

"Five-" you started, but he had already flashed away. "Ugh!" you shouted, slamming your fist against the wall and pressing your forehead into it. "I get back from a coma just to have him leave again!"

"Stubborn little guy, isn't he?" Luther asked, walking into the hall. You turned around quickly, smoothing your hair down.

"You could say that."

"Before you get all buddy-buddy with him," Allison said as she walked in, "you should know that he thinks one of us killed Dad."

You laughed, but quickly composed yourself when nobody joined in.

"Wait, you're serious?"

"Listen, Eight, it's not how it sounds," Luther said quickly, stepping forward to grab your arm, but you jerked away.

"All right, Goliath, if what she says is true, you're seriously messed up in the head." You stepped away from him, rubbing your temples. "I'm done with this house. I'm done with this family's stupid mind games. Have fun."

"Wait, Eight- look what you did! Did you have to tell her?"

"She had to know the truth, Luther. You don't get to accuse your family of murder and then walk around like nothing happened! She's our sister."

You tuned them out, walking over to Pogo, who sat on the couch.

"Pogo, do you have Vanya's number?" you asked, settling beside him. If Five wasn't going to listen to you, you weren't going to listen to him.

"As a matter of fact, I do," he responded, pointing to a landline phone attached to the wall. You walked over, hovering your fingers above the buttons as you waited for him to tell you.

"7."

You looked at him quizzically before smiling and shaking your head.

"Still got humor, Pogo. Don't change."

He chuckled softly before reciting her number to you, and finally the ringtone sounded in your ear.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Vanya, it's Eight. I was wondering, uh... this might sound like kind of a crazy request, but... can I spend the night at your place tonight? Assuming it's around here, of course. I just can't handle another night in this house, with these people."

"Oh, sure, yeah. Here, I'll give you my address. And... Eight?"

"Yeah, Vanya?"

"I never forgot about you, you know."

You smiled, holding the phone closer to your ear as she recited the address. You asked Pogo for a pen, scribbling it on your hand before walking outside and hailing a taxi.

"Can't believe Dad didn't have an extra car lying around," you grumbled as you waited, shivering.

"Where to?" the driver asked, and you started to recite the address before pausing.

"Where are you going?"

"To get a decent cup of coffee."

"Hey, I called the strawberry filled donut!"

"You can still get one. God, Klaus, you're stupid."

"Says the one buying a cup of coffee at a donut store."

You fiddled with the collar of your stupid uniform, thinking. You had gone there all the time as kids, surely...

"Griddy's Donuts, please," you said, leaning back and closing your eyes. Even after sleeping for the better part of two decades, the day had exhausted you. "And then can you wait? I'd like to make my final stop afterward."

"Here we are, little girl." You shot her a glare before hopping out in the parking lot and approaching the door. Before you even made it to the sidewalk, however, a body slammed against the window, sending you stumbling backward. You fell on your butt, scraping the palms of your hands on the concrete and cursing under your breath.

When you stood back up, Five was walking out the doors. You sucked in a breath when you saw his hands covered in blood, and in a moment he had flashed behind you, a bloody butter knife pressed against your neck.