After a few minutes of waiting for Grace, you stood up, looking around.

"Mom?" you called. "Mom, are you there?"

"She's dead," Diego announced, walking into the living room. "Those masked intruders got her. You know, the ones that kidnapped you." He spun a knife around his fingers casually.

You sat down, shaking your head slowly.

"No," you whispered. "But, you can, you know, fix her, right?"

Diego sighed, scratching his jaw and looking away.

"She's broken, Eight. We can't fix her. You think I didn't try everything?" His tone softened when he saw your face. "Look - I'm sorry about what they did to you. Couldn't have been easy."

You decided to let go of your grudge - after all, the world was ending in, what was it now? Six days? Five?

"You don't have to apologize," you promised, struggling to your feet. "It's not your fault. And Detective Patch, you, uh... knew her, didn't you? She... mentioned your name, when she saved us."

Diego's jaw tensed, confirming.

"I'm the one who should be sorry," you muttered, biting your lip. "I could have stayed and helped her, but I didn't. If I had known-" You broke off, sucking in a breath when you felt Diego's arms wrap around you. Your own hands hovered over his back for a moment, unsure, before you tentatively hugged him back. You memorized his scent - he smelled like outside and metal. You suddenly felt like crying, even though you couldn't put your finger on why.

"It's not your fault," he said, pulling away. "You were tortured. You probably wanted to get out of that place as soon as possible. Now go take a shower - you smell awful."

You scoffed, rolling your eyes.

"Gee, thanks, brother. Nice to know you're as bratty as ever." Still, you couldn't keep a smile from curling on your lips. Diego had hugged you for the first time - ever. And you didn't hate it.

You took a long shower after eating a full package of pretzels you found on the pantry, leaning against the wall, before getting out and changing into a different, less bloody uniform. After that, you scooped water from the bathroom sink and drank it straight from your hands, relishing in the coolness of it. The swelling on your eye had gone down, and now all you wanted to do was sleep - but when you emerged from the bathroom, you saw Klaus racing downstairs.

"Wait up!" he shouted.

"Klaus," you called. "Where are you going?"

"With Diego," he responded, turning around to glance at you. "I... need to go somewhere."

"Wait, let me come," you called, fully aware that either boy could do something reckless. And since you didn't know where anyone else was, you might as well do something useful, even if it meant babysitting your two brothers.

He shook his head.

"You should get some sleep."

"So should you," you retorted, following him down the steps. "I'm coming with."

He didn't protest, which was odd. He was eerily quiet when you got to the car, and Diego raised an eyebrow at you.

"Great. I've got the whole daycare here," he remarked dryly.

"Shush," you grumbled, muffling a yawn with your hand. You settled into the passenger's seat, leaning your head against the window. After only a few minutes, you felt your eyelids drooping, and then everything went silent.

*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:

You were awoken abruptly by Diego's voice.

"Wow. This is a first. My brother Klaus is silent."

You blinked slowly, rubbing your eyes and stretching your arms.

"Last time you were this quiet, we were 12."

"Oh, when he ran down the stairs wearing Grace's heels and broke his jaw?" you asked, remembering. You had been coming back upstairs from the torture basement with your father at the time - you had heard the crash.

Diego chuckled.

"How long was it wired shut again?" he asked.

"Eight weeks." Klaus' voice was quiet, and you glanced behind you to check on him to see that he was staring out the window with that same glazed look from before.

"Eight glorious weeks of bliss," Diego remarked, and you elbowed him.

"Hey, just..." his voice was weak, tired. "Just drop me off here."

Diego pulled into a parking spot, watching Klaus as he got out of the car.

"You sure you're ok, man?" Klaus didn't respond, instead shutting the door and walking through a door labeled 'Veterans of Foreign Wars'.

You and Diego glanced at each other with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah, we should follow him," you said with a sigh, slowly opening your door and climbing out.

You walked in together, looking past all the old men to discover Klaus, his forehead pressed up against a photograph while his shoulders shook. Diego made it to him first, placing a steady hand on Klaus' shoulder and making him jump.

"Just go away, please," he said with a tired sigh, pulling away.

"Not until you talk to me."

"Is that a... threat?" Klaus asked slowly, rubbing his eyes. "Are you threatening me?"

"Hey, you three," a voice said, and you turned to see one of the old veterans. "This bar? It's for vets only."

Before you could say anything, Klaus spoke up.

"I am a vet." You turned to him, brow furrowing.

"What?" you asked, but the veteran interrupted, him and the other men chuckling.

"Really? Where'd you serve?"

"None of your business," Klaus interrupted, and you sighed, wishing he didn't always have to be so provocative.

He must just be high.

"You got balls comin' in here, pretending you're one of us," the man said in a menacing tone.

"Oh, I have every right to be here, just like you. ASShole," Klaus added, and Diego quickly stepped in between him and the veteran when he began stepping closer angrily.

"Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa, slow down, Marine. My brother's just had a few too many."

"He's right," you agreed, not in the mood to watch a bunch of old men get beat up. "It's been a rough day for him - let's just call it a day, all go our own way." A few other men gathered around, looking intrigued and annoyed.

The man turned to you, before completely ignoring you and looking back at Diego.

"Yeah, sure thing."

"Thank you," Diego said, turning back to your brother. "Klaus-"

"As long as you apologize," he interrupted, and you groaned.

"Fine," Diego said after a moment, ignoring Klaus' giggle. "I'm sorry. He's sorry. She's sorry. We're all sorry. So... are we good?"

You bit your lip, waiting for the man to respond.

He opened his mouth, peering around Diego's shoulder and pointing at Klaus.

"I wanna hear him say it."

Diego sighed.

"Hey, man, I'm just trying to-"

"No, no, he's right, Diego," Klaus said, turning around and waving his hand in the air as he spoke. "He's right, he's right. I'd like to apologize... that you..." He walked closer. "Are depriving some village of their IDIOT!"

You couldn't help but choke down a laugh as Diego pushed the man back when he headed for Klaus. He started attacking the men, and Klaus joined in only a few moment later. You sighed, sticking your foot out and tripping a man that was heading for your brothers, stepping on his back as you walked to the car.

"Idiots," you mumbled when they finally emerged. Klaus chuckled as he got arrived at the car, knocking on your window.

"Children in the back, please," he commented, and you wanted to slap him.

"Um, no. First of all, we're the same age, and second of all, you just caused a scene for no reason," you responded, sitting still while he attempted to tug you out of the car.

"Actually, I'm ten months older, lil sis. And it wasn't for no reason. Those guys were assholes. That briefcase - it took me back in time to the Vietnam war, kiddo. '68. I had a right to be there." He finally succeeded in tugging you out of the car and settling himself in where you had been before.

"Wait, really?" you asked, switching to the back seat. "Klaus?" But he didn't respond as Diego started the car.

That explains a lot, you thought, feeling a bit of sympathy. It was probably difficult - 10 months. Jeez.

"You got a big mouth, you know that?" Diego asked, gripping the steering wheel tighter.

"Oh, wow," Diego said sarcastically. "Truly a shocking revelation, Diego."

"Everything's a big joke to you, right? Would you stop it?" You watched in mild amusement as Diego snatched some sort of drug from Klaus, who slapped his hands on his legs like an angry toddler. "Why are you putting this shit in your body?" Klaus blew a raspberry, and you rolled your eyes.

"Children," you muttered under your breath.

"Check this out." Diego lifted his shirt up, slapping his abs.

"You're... different," you said, glaring at him through the mirror. "And I don't mean that in a good way. 

Diego scoffed before continuing.

"My body is a temple. All this shit you do, it's just weakness."

"Oh, wow, beautiful," Klaus muttered as he spoke, digging another drug out of his pocket and beginning to unwrap it. "Well, weakness feels sooo good."

"What's going on with you, huh?" Diego hissed, knocking it out of his hands.

"Hey - don't hit me, asshole!" Klaus shouted, getting in his face. You sighed, leaning forward and pushing their heads apart before they started yet another fight.

"I'll admit I'm curious, too," you said, leaning back when they had both calmed down slightly. "What happened in Vietnam, Klaus?"

He sighed, turning toward the window.

"And don't tell us everything is all right, because we saw you in there. You were crying like a baby!" Diego spit, and you smacked him on the back of the head as Klaus spoke, making him wince and scowl at you in the mirror.

"Because I lost someone!" Klaus finally burst, huffing a sigh. "I lost someone," he added, this time in a quieter voice as you and Diego sat in silence. "The only person I ever... truly loved more than myself."

Diego turned to face the dashboard, mouth open slightly in shock, and you bit your lip.

"Cheers," Klaus said to both of you, popping a pill in his mouth and gulping it down.

"Well, you're luckier than most," Diego said in a gravelly tone after a short stretch of silence. You frowned as he continued. "When you lose someone... at least you can... see them, whenever you want."

"Stop it. He's allowed to grieve, Diego," you said, temper flaring. "And so are you. I know you're going through a... rough time. But so is Klaus, all right? Don't take it out on him."

Diego spun to face you, lip curling.

"Easy for you to say, lover girl. The boy you love isn't buried in the ground."

"He's got a point," Klaus said as you spluttered.

"What? I don't-"

"We all know you two are in love, so get over yourself," Diego said with a sigh. "We don't have time for this." You were shocked into silence, your mouth gaping open like a fish. Klaus turned to nod at you wisely.

"He's right," he mouthed.

"That's our man," Diego said, pointing to someone behind you. You glanced out the back window, memories flashing before your eyes when you saw who he was pointing to.

"Waterboard her."

"That should teach you not to call me that, little shit."

"Hey, I know that guy."

"How could you possibly know-"

"He and a really angry lady tortured us, remember, Eight? We barely got out with our lives." He turned to face you when you didn't respond. "Eight?"

You sucked in a deep breath, tugging on the collar of your uniform.

"Yeah, I just... it's nothing."

Diego's jaw tensed.

"We gotta get this guy."

A few minutes later, you had arrived at the motel. Diego hid a tracker on their car while you and Klaus waiting in your seats. You pushed the memories down when you saw the hideous building, ignoring the sudden urge to vomit as Diego glared out his window after returning.

"Bingo," he muttered when he saw the curtain move, revealing Hazel.

"You do know that killing these people is not gonna make you feel any better," Klaus remarked.

"Yeah, but when it's done..." Diego broke off, clipping something on his weird outfit as Klaus chugged his drink. "I'm gonna sleep like a baby."

"Sure you will," Klaus said, offering his bottle to you. "Want some?"

You waved him away, shaking your head.

"First of all, I don't drink. Not while I'm this small, anyway. And second of all, I might throw up if I put anything in my mouth right now."

Klaus chuckled, and you glared at him.

"What?" 

"That's what she said." He broke down into hysterical giggles, and stared at him dubiously as he tipped back the bottle, guzzling more alcohol. "Bet you wouldn't say that if Fi-"

"Stay in the car," Diego cut him off, opening the door and standing as Hazel emerged with a bucket to collect ice.

"What are you talking about? This guy tortured me!"

"Us," you corrected. "And I'm not just going to sit around while you go get yourself killed. I want to hurt him, Diego. More than I've ever wanted to hurt someone before."

You remembered him and Cha-Cha choking Klaus, pressing your lips together angrily.

"Wow, Eight," Diego said with a dark chuckle, shutting the door. "As much as I like this new you, these guys would devour you. I've got a plan."