[07] drunk as a skunk

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chapter seven: drunk as a skunk

When the girl got back to the Academy she was shocked to see the once grand chandelier in pieces on the floor. She gripped the knife Five gave her as she slowly walked into the sitting room. The glass in the cabinet had been shattered and the furniture was riddled with bullet holes.

"What the hell happened here?" Nova whispered to herself as she bent down to pick up one of the shell casings on the ground.

"We were attacked," A crude voice said from behind her. She spun around defensively with her knife out only to see Diego and Luther standing there.

"By who? When?" She asked frantically. Concern for all the Hargreeves filled her. Despite what she has told herself she has grown to really care for this family.

"Last night by some people in suits and children's masks," Luther answered and Nova cursed under her breath.

"You know those guys?" Diego asked.

"It's complicated. They're the ones who almost killed me the other night," Nova said quickly as she hurried out the door.

The boys followed her confused as she left the Academy. The girl didn't even bother to get the books that Five wanted she needed to tell him what happened.

"What's going on? Nova? Who are those people?" Luther asked. Nova got a sense of deja vu as they walked down the street and Luther tried to interrogate her.

"It's none of your business!" Nova snapped as she picked up her pace. It was a struggle having short legs. No matter how fast she walked Luther and Diego were able to easily catch up with her.

"It became our business when those guys attacked our family, our home!" Diego exclaimed and Nova rolled her eyes.

"What the hell have you been up to with our brother? What did you two do in the future to make these people want to kill you guys?" Luther exclaimed and Nova felt anger flare through her.

"I told you to shut the hell up, Number One. We've been through this. Five and I did incomprehensible things in the apocalypse. Things, that as I said before, would make you question your humanity. Now I suggest you stop asking questions about things you don't understand," Nova snapped as she stopped walking and pointed an angry finger in Luther's face.

"You killed people didn't you," Diego said slowly and Nova turned to him in slight confusion. "You have that look. That haunted look of guilt and anger. I've only ever seen those eyes in someone who has killed."

Nova's face hardened into a blank look as she ignored Diego's comment and continued toward the library. His words hit a nerve in Nova's heart and brought tears to her eyes.

Of course, he could see that she was a murderer. Five only worked for The Commission because he wanted to save his family. Nova on the other hand chose to go work for them. Even though she was tricked she still chose to work for them. What kind of a person does that make her?

"What are we doing at the library?" Luther asked confused.

"Five is here somewhere. Split up and find him," Nova commanded before walking away from the boys.

She searched every level before she came across Luther and Diego again. Their paths crossed on the top level of the library. The two brothers were arguing like usual. The girl couldn't help but roll her eyes when she realized they were arguing about growing up and Diego accused Luther of being a virgin.

"We all know Luther's a virgin. We have more important matters to focus on. Have either of you found Five?" Nova asked in annoyance.

"Where are his parents? I'm gonna call security," A woman's voice carried down the hall.

Nova didn't wait for either of the boys to say anything. Instead, she spun around to follow the voices. When she rounded the corner her anger flared again. Leaning against the wall was a very drunk Five who was passed out with Delores in his arms. Books and notes surrounded him not to mention the empty bottle of hard liquor she knew he got from the van.

"Is he..." Luther started before Diego interrupted him.

"Drunk as a skunk," Diego chuckled.

"I'm going to kill him," Nova seethed angrily as she started forward.

"Homicidal rage, yeah no," Diego said grabbing the girl and holding her back. Meanwhile, Luther closed all the books and picked up Five and Dolores.

Nova was beyond pissed. First of all, she was livid that Five had gotten this drunk. Especially when he knows how she feels about alcohol and because of their conversation the night before.

Second of all, she was furious that Diego refused to put her down. Both he and Luther were worried that Nova was going to hurt Five so Diego was carrying her over his shoulder.

"We can't go back to the Academy. Those psychopaths may come back at any moment," Luther told Diego.

"My place is closer. No one will look for them there," Diego said as he picked up his pace.

"If you vomit on me..." Luther growled as Five made a drunk gagging sound.

"You know what's funny," Five slurred with a chuckle and Nova huffed in annoyance. She couldn't believe he drunk that whole bottle of liquor. Her blood was boiling in her veins. "I'm going through puberty. Twice!"

"Five, you're shitfaced. Shut the hell up," Nova snapped and Five frowned looking around for the girl.

"Nova, where are you? The world is going bye-bye. Poof it's gone! Nova? Nove, where are you?" Five rambled and Nova snapped her fingers causing him to look up. The boy couldn't help but laugh when he saw the girl red-faced and hanging over Diego's shoulder.

"Hey bud, we need you to focus. This is important. Hazel and Cha-Cha went to The Academy last night. They destroyed your home and attacked your family," Nova said sternly and Five frowned.

"Who are they? Nova won't give us a straight answer," Luther said to the boy who just laughed.

"They are the best of the best. Well besides Novie and me," Five muses, and Nova rolled her eyes.

She hates when Five gets drunk because he acts like more of a dickhead than when he was sober. Five knows that Nova hates thinking about her career as a hitwoman especially since she had to do it alone for all those years. In his drunken state, he seems to forget.

"The best at what?" Luther asked the two and Nove tensed.

"You know Nova always hates it when I drink. What did you say it made me?" Five asked looking up innocently at Nova who just glared at him.

"I said it makes you more of a dickhead than usual," Nova growled and Five chuckled.

"Hey, I need you to focus!" Diego exclaimed turning around quickly to glare at his drunk brother. Because he turned Nova could no longer see Five or Luther's faces. "What do this Hazel and Cha-Cha want? We just want to protect you guys."

"Protect us?" Five laughed. "Do you have any idea how many people I've killed? How many people Nova has killed? Why do you think Nova doesn't drink, hmmm? We're the Four Freaking Horsemen! She's the Angel of Death! The apocalypse is coming."

Nova couldn't help but tense before she heard the sound of Five throwing up over Luther's shoulder. Diego quickly set the girl down on her feet and she could see the concerned look on his face.

"What is he talking about, Nova?" Diego asked quietly and tears filled the girl's eyes as she was flooded with memories of that dark day.

"The four horsemen thing or why I don't drink?" Nova asked quietly.

"We don't have time to unpack all of that horsemen shit. So, just explain why you don't drink," Diego said quietly crouching in front of the distraught girl.

"After one of our missions Five and I got really drunk and I lost control of my powers. A lot of people died that night," Nova said quietly and Diego's eyes widened.

"Guys, Five passed out again," Luther said awkwardly and Diego straightened up.

"My place is only a few blocks away," Diego said before setting down the alley once again. Luther moves to follow him. Meanwhile, Nova takes a moment to collect herself before following the three boys.

Nova was surprised that Diego lived in a spare office area in the back of a boxing gym. She knew that she and Five had the worst adulthoods of any of The Academy members but seeing how Diego lives makes her heart hurt. Diego's adult life obviously hasn't been all peaches and cream.

Luther set Five down on the bed as Nova sat on the floor leaning against the bed. Without a word to the others, Nova pulled out her pocket-sized sketchbook and a pencil. Wordlessly she began to sketch.

The girl always sketched her victims; it helped her soul rest. Her powers are similar to Klaus' in the sense that she can see and talk to dead people. The catch is that she can only see those she's killed. Nova found that sketching the people helped remind her of her past actions without the torment of the ghosts. Her sketches keep them at bay.

"It's funny. If I didn't know he was such a prick, I would say he was almost adorable when he was asleep," Diego chuckled and Nova looked up to see Luther and Diego staring down at Five.

"Don't worry he'll sober up eventually. Then he'll be back to his normal unpleasant self," Nova muttered as she continued to sketch.

"I can't wait that long," Diego grumbled.

"Who are those people you are always sketching?" Luther asked the girl as he sat down in a chair against the wall.

"Clyde Hill or I know him better as Case 214," Nova said and her ears perked up at the sound of footsteps getting closer to the door. Years of training have heightened her senses. "Someone's coming to the door."

Diego sneaks closer to the door. He signals for the rest of them to be quiet as he pulls a knife from the holster on his side. He swings open the door and as he gets ready to throw the knife a voice rings out,

"You throw another one of those goddamn knives at me, I'm pressing charges," A voice exclaimed.

"What do you want Al?" Diego asked as an old man walked into the room.

"I ain't your secretary. But some lady called and said she needed your help." Al said to Diego. Nova can't help but notice the hope that sparked in Diego's eyes when Al said that.

"A lady? Who?" Diego quickly asked as excitement raised in his voice.

"I dunno, uh, some detective. I think she said her name was Blotch or somethin'." Al said and suddenly Diego was on high alert.

"Patch? She needs me," Diego smirked.

"Yeah, she wants you to meet her at some hotel. That dump on Calhoun. About half an hour ago. She said she found your brother," Al said.

Luther and Diego share confused glances. They had just found Five and their small brains couldn't think of who Al was talking about. After a moment of silence, Nova looked up at the two pea brains in disbelief.

"She's talking about Klaus, you idiots," Nova snapped and without another word, Diego was quickly out the door.

"Nove, Novie," Five's voice mumbled. His arm shot out trying to find the girl desperately.

"I'm right here, Five. Go back to sleep," Nova said as she patted his hand. He grabbed his hand and impatiently tugged on it.

"Come here," Five mumbled in a child-like voice.

"Sit up," She sighed as she stood up. With great difficulty, the boy sat up so that the girl could sit down on the bed. As soon as she was situated Five laid his head on her lap.

"You're so pretty," Five mused with a chuckle as his Finger traced the side of her cheek.

"You're so drunk," The girl rolled her eyes and Five frowned.

"I'm sorry, I know you don't like it when I drink," Five mumbled and Nova sighed as she ran her fingers through his soft brown hair.

"Go to sleep, Five. We can talk when you're sober," Nova assured him and the boy frowned up at her.

"You're disappointed. I disappointed you again," Five said guiltily as he studied the features of the young girl's face.

When he told her she was pretty earlier he meant it. He had always found her beautiful. Five thought Nova was beautiful when she moved into the Academy when they were ten years old. Even when they worked at the Commission and she was in her fifties he thought she was gorgeous.

Now they were two old souls trapped in the bodies of sixteen-year-olds and he couldn't help but marvel at her beauty. Yes, her hair was in a disheveled ponytail and her face still had ash and soot from the explosion earlier but Five didn't care.

"It's fine, the world is ending and we don't have any leads. I understand," Nova told the boy.

"I don't like disappointing you. It makes you sad and I get sad when I make you sad." Five said in the same child-like voice and Nova wasn't sure how to respond. She is surprised when Five shifts onto his side and wraps his arms around her waist.

"I forgot how cuddly you are when you're drunk," Nova said.

Five gets a determined look on his face before he reaches up and undoes the hair tie holding her hair in a ponytail. The girl's dark locks fall around her face and she looks at the boy in surprise.

"Beautiful," Five grinned before snuggling closer to her and shutting his eyes.

Not even a minute later Nova could feel his soft breaths even out signaling that he was asleep. The young girl was shocked by the boy's actions. She was so distracted by the boy sleeping in her lap that she forgot his brother was still in the room.

"What's going on between you and Five?" Luther asked suddenly. Nova's head snapped up and a blush spread across her face when she realized he had just witnessed the whole exchange.

"It's nothing," Nova said quietly as she glanced down at the boy curled in her lap. Ben's words echo in her head.

You Genova Perez are in love with Five Hargreeves. You've been in love with him since you were ten years old.

"That," Luther said, gesturing to the two kids on Diego's bed. "doesn't seem like nothing."

"He's drunk Luther," Nova responded quietly as she continued to play with the boy's soft brown locks.

Luther doesn't say anything else. He knew that he wasn't getting any more information from the girl. At least not tonight. The man can't help but stare at the two in disbelief. All the Academy members knew that Five and Nova were close.

For those three years, Nova lived with them prior to Five's disappearance the two were inseparable. Even then everyone else could tell the two were in love. They all just couldn't believe that the two smartest people they knew were too blind to see how in love they were.

Nova couldn't help but marvel at Five's sleeping face. He always looked so peaceful while he slept. The girl knew that Ben was right. Now that she had time to think about it she knew she was in love with this psychotic man child. And the weird thing was, she wouldn't have it any other way.

Well, she could always hope that he felt the same way but her insecurities got in the way. She wasn't a good person; she had killed so many people. In her mind, no one could truly love a monster like her. She believed that no one could love a person who could take someone's life force with just one touch.

Little did she know how wrong she truly was.

A/N

I've decided to start doing author notes at the end of my chapters again. I'm also going to start doing a question about the chapter for you guys.

QOTC: What is your opinion on Luther?

I think Luther has a lot of potential but I don't like how he always dismisses Klaus and treated Vanya so terribly in season one. He also needs to get over Allison so they can both be happy. Honestly, he's my least favorite of the Academy members.