[22] family dinner

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chapter twnety-two: family dinner

Nova returned to Elliott's apartment while Klaus went to face his cult, Allison went to be honest with her husband, and Vanya went to profess her love to a farm girl. When Nova got back to Elliott's all the Academy members were gone. But Elliott and Ronnie were playing chutes and ladders.

"Where is everybody?" Nova asked and the two guys just shrugged.

"Where have you been?" Ronnie asked as Nova made a peanut butter and marshmallow sandwich in the kitchen. She hates to admit this, especially to Five, but these sandwiches aren't as bad as she always judged them to be.

"I had a meeting to attend and then I was at a hair salon with Vanya, Klaus, and Allison," Nova said as she sat beside Ronnie.

"Is the world really going to end in a few days?" Ronnie asked and Nova shrugged.

"The last time this happened to us I had seen the aftermath. This time I haven't seen the aftermath but I trust Five more than anyone else. If he says he saw the apocalypse then he saw it," Nova said.

"What does it feel like to be dead?" Elliott asked and Nova froze as she remembered the awful experience that was dying.

"The process of dying is the worst part. The first time I remember dying I don't remember after. I wasn't dead long enough to experience anything since it was on an operating table. But the second time I remember feeling like I was moving through honey. Everything was dark and I could hear Five talking to me but I had no control over my body. I also talked to Hargreeves because at the time he was dead," Nova explained.

"Interesting so there's no afterlife?" Elliott asked.

"I don't know because I never passed on when you die your soul leaves your body. I'm not sure if you can choose to pass on or become a ghost. But when I die my soul doesn't ever leave my body," Nova tried to explain and Elliott nodded thoughtfully.

"Oh, this letter came. I'm assuming it's for you," Ronnie said as he handed Nova an envelope. When she opened the letter it read:

To my pursuers,

I, Reginald Hargreves,

request the pleasure of your

for a light supper on

the 20th of November,

at half past seven o'clock.

1624 Magnolia Street

Dallas, Texas

"Shit, it's six o'clock!" Nova said as she stood up to leave.

"You might want to change. Your clothes were covered in blood." Ronnie said and Nova glanced down. Sure enough, her striped turtleneck was covered in blood and the black bell bottoms she wore were torn.

"Good call, thanks, Ronnie!" Nova exclaimed as she hugged the boy.

The girl went into the back room and quickly pulled out her green and white skirt with a matching green sweater. Underneath she wore a white button-up so that the color stuck out. When she looked into the mirror she grimaced at the bruises on her face and the matted blood in her hair. She knew if she showed up to dinner with Sir Reginald Hargeeves looking like this he would never take her seriously.

Nova quickly showered and used the makeup Allison went out and bought her to cover up her bruises. Just for fun, the girl did some green eyeshadow, some popping black eyeliner, and a very sixties-style mascara. Once she dried her hair she tied them into two pigtails and tied on her white headband.

By the time she left, she only had fifteen minutes to make it to the dinner across town. It was a good thing she knew all the shortcuts in each alley throughout town. Nova made it to the dinner in record time. When she got to the building she saw the elevator doors sliding shut so she called,

"Hold the door!"

"Nice of you to show up, Nova," Diego said and Nova rolled her eyes.

Everyone else was crammed in the elevator and there was just barely enough space for Nova to squeeze into the space in front of Five. As the doors slid shut Nove couldn't help but smile when Five wrapped his arms securely around her waist. She felt him rest his chin on her shoulder and the girl moved her hands to rest on top of his.

"Ugh, Luther!" Klaus groaned and the nice moment was cut short as the rancid smells of Luther's farts filled the tiny elevator.

"I'm sorry I'm nervous," Luther muttered and Nova held her breath. She knew her lungs would burn but she would rather suffocate herself than smell Luther's farts any longer.

"Nasty, I'm choking!" Five exclaimed as soon as Nova pulled the two of them out of the elevator. "Nove, are you ok?"

"Yeah, I just almost passed out from lack of oxygen," Nova gasped as she leaned against the wall trying to catch her breath.

"What do you mean by lack of oxygen?" Five asked as the others looked at her confused.

"It means I would rather pass out from lack of oxygen than breathe in any more of Luther's nasty ass farts," Nova said as she straightened up again.

"Quit being so dramatic, Genova," Luther rolled his eyes as they all made their way to the table.

"Actually I think that time it was justified," Allison agrees with the girl.

"Alright, when Dad gets here I'm going to do the talking," Five said.

"I've got a few questions for him myself," Diego says as they all grab drinks and whatnot.

"We don't want to scare him off, Diego. He might be able to help us stop doomsday and get us home," Five said as he handed Nova a margarita with very little alcohol since she doesn't like drinking. But weirdly she loves the taste of margaritas.

"No, Five, we need to figure out why he's trying to kill the president," Diego argued as Nova sits down at the table. She already knew this was going to be a long night.

"This is a matter of life and death, you imbecile!" Five exclaimed and Nova gently grabbed his hand to calm him down. He looked down at their entwined fingers in surprise. The gesture warmed his heart but he wouldn't tell any of his siblings that.

"Maybe we should take turns talking?" Vanya suggested as she picked up a large shell. "Whoever has the conch shell gets to talk."

"We don't have time to debate," Five said in annoyance.

"Maybe I should lead. We all know I'm a better public speaker than the rest of you," Allison said as she took the shell from Vanya.

"Okay, Daddy's girl," Diego scoffed as Nova sipped her drink amused.

"Oh jealous, Number Two?" Allison asked sweetly.

"Hey, no more numbers. No more bullshit. We're team zero. We're all team zero," Diego said.

"Does that mean we have to give Five an actual name cause if so I vote for Nicky or Aidan," Nova said and everyone gave her a weird look.

"Is she drunk?" Klaus asked in amusement.

"No, there is barely any alcohol in this. You guys are just amusing to be around," Nova shrugged.

"Uh, guys none of you have the conch," Luther pointed out and Allison smirked as she held the shell. Diego smiles and holds up a finger before carefully taking the conch shell. He balances it in his hands for a moment before chucking it at the wall.

"Classic," Allison mutters as Nova giggles. Suddenly Hargreeves burst into the room and Nova tugged on Five's hand silently telling him to sit next to her. They all watch as Hargreeves sits straight across from Nova. The rest of the Academy members awkwardly sit at the table.

"Not only have you burglarized my lab, set my chip loose, conned your way into the Mexican consulate, repeatedly stalked and attacked me, but you have on numerous occasions called me..." Hargreeves started before Klaus interrupted him.

"Hey Pops, how's it hangin'?" Klaus asked as he finally joined the group after getting a drink from the bar.

"...Dad." Hargreeves finished. "Except for you young lady. You've called me sir but I know you were planning on robbing the consulate and you have robbed a few of my colleagues."

"I'm not sure if you are waiting for an apology for my actions, because you aren't getting one. I did what I did to survive," Nova said while staring down Hargreeves. The man keeps her stare for a second before making humph sound and scribbling something in his notebook. Nervously Nova glances at Five who just looked confused.

"My reconnaissance tells me you are not CIA, KGB, and certainly not MI5, so who are you?" Hargreeves asked and all the members looked at each other not sure how to respond.

"We're your children. Except for Nova, she's only kind of your child," Five said as he nodded his head towards Nova. "We're from the future. In 1989 you adopted us all and then in 1999, you took in Nova after her mother passed on. You trained us to fight against the end of the world. Called us the Umbrella Academy."

"Why on earth would I adopt sev..." Hargreeves started before Allison interrupted.

"Eight, one of us isn't here," Allison said.

"Dead, one of us is dead," Diego specified bitterly.

"Dead, yes, but I'm here. Klaus!" Nova heard Ben say from behind Klaus.

"Yeah ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba," Klaus groaned as he made nagging fingers at Ben. "Enough of that now."

"Nova, you can hear and see me! Tell them I'm here!" Ben exclaimed and Nova nodded.

"Ben's here. He and Klaus are fighting like an old married couple again," Nova said as she winked at Ben who grinned at her.

"This is why you're my favorite," Ben said to her and the girl giggled as he blew her a kiss.

"Ben stop flirting with Nova," Klaus says to piss off Five, Nova, and Ben.

"What?" Five asked quickly and Nova rolled her eyes.

"Ignore him it's Klaus," Nova said as she squeezed Five's hand reassuringly under the table. She would never tell him but secretly she loved when he got jealous. Honestly, Nova found it super attractive and she wasn't entirely sure why.

"Regardless, what would possess me to adopt eight ill-mannered malcontents?" Hargreeves snapped.

"We all have special abilities." Five said quickly.

"Special? In what sense?" Hargreeves asked.

"In the superpower sense," Luther says slowly.

"Call me old-fashioned but I'm a stickler for a pesky little thing called evidence," Hargreeves said and Nova shrugged as she stood up and grabbed a crab out of the tank in the corner.

"I can kill anything by touch," She said as she quickly killed the crab. "I can also give them back life. And I can see people I've killed or had a part in their death and I'm like 90% sure I can't be killed but I can still age so one day I will probably die from old age."

"We're not circus animals ok?" Luther said as Nova put the now live crab back in the tank. "Nova's just a little tipsy."

"Am not!" Nova glared as she sat back down next to Five. The boy placed his hand comfortingly on her lower back. The next thing they knew Diego had thrown a knife that perfectly curved around Hargreeves head. The man in turn scribbled something into his notebook.

"What are you writing?" Diego asked.

"You are zero for two young men," Hargreeves said and Diego stood up angrily as Nova and Allison tried to hide their giggles. Nova felt that Five's hand had her back and he blinked in front of Diego.

"Stop!" Five whispered to his brother.

"Now that is interesting," Hargreeves muttered before scribbling in his notebook once again.

"Alright quick run down. Luther: super strength. Klaus can commune and summon the dead. Allison can rumor anyone to do anything..." Nova began as she pointed to each member.

"Except she never uses it," Diego interrupted the young girl.

"I heard a rumor that you punched yourself in the face," Allison said to Diego with a sweet smile before he punched himself in the face.

"And you?" Hargreeves asked Vanya.

"Maybe we don't take Vanya for a test run," Luther said as he puts a hand on Vanya's arm. Vanya makes eye contact with Nova from across the table and a silent understanding passed between the two.

"Oh yeah, that's probably not a good idea," Klaus said.

"It's fine she can handle it," Nova said and Vanya smiled gratefully at the girl.

"Handle it?" Allison asked wearily. "Last time you handled it you definitely blew up the moon!"

Vanya ignored their cries of protest before she winked at Nova. The woman clinked her fork against her cup and used the sound to resonate and explode the fruit dish in the middle of the table. Bits of fruit splattered on everyone at the table except for Vanya and Nova.

"Oops," Vanya said innocently.

"Wait how did Nova not get splattered?" Luther asked from next to Vanya and Nova sipped her drink.

"I told you Vanya could handle it," Nova shrugged.

"Look, we know you are involved in a plan to assassinate the president," Diego said as he leaned on the table.

"You were recently hospitalized correct?" Hargreeves said to Diego. "You seem to still be suffering from delusions of grandeur and acute paranoia."

"Am I? Explain this?" Diego said as he placed a photo in front of Hargreeves. Nova put her head in her hands. Things were going south fast. "That's you on the grassy knoll in two days. In the exact spot that the president gets shot."

"Well, I suppose you've solved it. You've single-handedly unearthed my nefarious plot!" Hargreeves exclaimed sarcastically. "Is that what you want to hear? You fancy yourself a do-gooder? 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."

The whole time Hargreeves scolded Diego a look of deep pain crossed the young man's face as he slowly sat back down. Nova's heart ached for the man she always considered like an older brother.

"You're wr-wrong," Diego stuttered out and anger coursed through Nova's veins. She knows how hard Diego worked to get rid of his stutter. She knows how insecure he used to be about it. Most importantly she knows that he only stutters now when he is truly distraught.

"That's a lot of talk coming from a man who just radiates pure little dick energy," Nova snapped angrily and from across the table she barely registered Allison and Klaus sputtering out their drinks as the others stared at her in surprise.

"Excuse me, I suggest you watch your tone, young lady," Hargreeves snapped and Nova chuckled darkly.

"I'll talk however I please, sir," Nova said the last word with venom dripping from her lips. "You do not get to talk to these people this way. They have been through hell and back because of you. They even came and paid their respects at your funeral even though you were a shitty excuse for a human being and an even worse father. Despite how crass and cold you were to these people they still managed to grow up and become loving and caring human beings despite the twisted and warped love maps you formed within them."

"You seem to care deeply for a family you aren't even a part of. Is that what this is for you? A desperate cling to what you think family is? You said I took you in when you were ten, I bet you felt isolated from the rest of the children. After all, they had more than a decade to form bonds that you could never be a part of. And since your mother is dead you have no real family. You are an undesirable child who never had a real family and never will have one. You dear are destined to be sad and alone forever because you are a putrid and disrespectful child," Hargreeves spat and Nova could feel her eyes turn black with anger.

At that moment the girl knew that Hargreeves was not going to help them stop the apocalypse. She knew if they wanted to get home there was only one thing she could do. It was one of the last things she wanted to do but she would for the sake of this family she has gained. Because despite what Hargreeves may think Nova knew that she had a family. Even if the other siblings eventually abandoned her she knew Five would never leave her side.

Nova closed her eyes, willing her anger to dissipate so she didn't accidentally kill Hargreeves. Despite how much she hated him she knew they needed him in the future. Without another word, she spun on her heel and walked to the stairwell.

The young girl hated to do this but she knew it was her only option at this point. As she left the building she let her feet guide her to the address scrawled on a small paper that she clutched in her right hand. It was time for her to pay the Handler a little visit.

A/N

QOTC: If you could give Five a name what would it be?

Honestly, I have no idea what name would be fitting for Five. In this chapter, I used the name Nicky as a suggestion to allude to Aidan Gallagher's characters from the show Nicky, Ricky, Dicky, and Dawn. I also used the name Aidan as a reference to Aidan Gallagher who portrays Five. But I am interested to see what names you guys come up with.