chapter fifty-two: sloane's big day

The elevator bell dinged signaling that they had arrived. When the doors slid open Nova noticed that the ballroom had been hastily decorated. Nova had dressed in a two-piece dress. The top was strapless with an ornate green and black pattern over the yellow fabric. The skirt was form-fitting and had the same pattern but in red. Allison and Lila were at the front of the elevator so they were the first to exit. They were followed by Five who had his hand in his pocket and Nova who had hooked her arm through his. Ben, Manuela, Klaus, and Diego came up in the rear.

"Not sure this place is gonna be big enough," Klaus said sarcastically.

"This better be an open bar," Allison muttered moodily.

"Hey, come on. It's for Luther. Let's perk up," Lila exclaimed before she gasped in amazement at the soft spotlights that lit up the room.

They all stood in silence for a moment as they took in the room. That is until the elevator dinged again. This time Luther and Viktor walked out. Luther was worried about his outfit and Viktor was trying to reassure him that his butt looked fine in his dress pants. Nova couldn't help the confusion that washed over her when Allison and Viktor exchanged snarky comments. The last time she had seen them they were finally bonding. She couldn't help but wonder what had happened while she was gone.

"What happened to those two?" Nova whispered so quietly that her boyfriend could barely hear her.

"Short-version is Allison killed Harlan. Harlan killed our moms. Viktor lied about it," Five whispered back in the same hushed tone.

A small gasp escaped Nova's lips and her hand quickly flew up to cover her mouth. Luther was quick to diffuse the argument between his siblings. He wanted everything to go perfectly for Sloane and he'd be damned if Viktor and Allison ruined it. Barely moments after Luther got his siblings to stop fighting the elevator dinged for the third time. This time the doors slid open to reveal Sloane dressed all in white with a wide grin on her face.

"Let's get this over with before I die of cringe," Ben muttered and Manuela frowned as she jabbed her brother in the ribs harshly with her elbow. He let out a small grunt as he glared at his sister.

"Stop it, this is Sloane's day. Behave yourself," Manuela snapped quietly under her breath.

When her eyes landed on Sloane's and noticed that her sister was looking at her with nervous eyes. Quickly Manuela flashed her sister a bright supportive smile and gave her a big thumbs up. Sloane smiled back before her eyes left her sister's and found their way to her fiances. Warmth spread through Manuela as she watched her sister. She had never seen Sloane this happy. She was just glad one of them got to find love before the end of the entire universe.

Ben was still brooding next to her so Manuela looped her arm through his before pulling him towards the area of the ballroom set up for a reception. The others quickly followed. After pushing Ben into his seat Manuela quickly moved to stand behind her sister. Sloane had asked her earlier to be the maid of honor. After one quick glare to her brother ensuring that he behaved Manuela turned back to the ceremony.

"Dearly beloved, we've gathered her today for a good time, not a long time, so let's have a good time, huh?" Klaus cheered from his place under the white archway that was decorated with red flowers, vines, and fairy lights. His brother had asked him to officiate the ceremony and Klaus had happily obliged. "Cause the sun can't shine every day. Can I get an amen?"

"Amen!" Luther and Sloane cheered. Manuela and Viktor both whooped and cheered from behind them.

"Luther, do you be taking this banging hottie to be your lady?" Klaus asked when the room fell silent again.

"I do," Luther smiled.

"And Sloane, do you promise to love and cherish this big hairy bastard for the next 24 to 48 hours?" Klaus asked as his voice cracked with emotion.

"Give or take a day!" Five called with a chuckle.

"Novie, tell your man to be quiet. We're trying to have a ceremony here!" Klaus whined and Nova nodded as she sent the main a quick thumbs up.

"Hush will you?" Nova chastised her boyfriend in a low whisper as she pinched his arm. When she leaned closer to him a pungent smell invaded her senses. "Oh my god, you're already drunk aren't you?"

"Maybe..." Five giggled in her ear quietly as he pulled the girl closer to his side.

"You're an idiot," Nova murmured as she rolled her eyes before turning her attention back to the wedding before her.

"I'm sorry!" Klaus cried as he wiped his eyes quickly before exclaiming, "I pronounce you married as shit! Viva la apocalypse!"

Everyone cheered and whooped as Luther kissed his wife before lifting her off of her feet. Diego let out one of those yelling squeals that you would hear from a mariachi singer. Manuela was clapping excitedly as she bounced on the balls of her feet. As soon as Luther set his wife back onto her feet everyone cheered again. They grinned and pumped their fists in the air as they walked down the red carpet that served as their isle back inside the ballroom.

Now that the ceremony was over it was time for the first dance. Chet had dimmed the lights and turned on the colored disco lights. He also doubled as the DJ. When Luther and Sloane stepped onto the dance floor for their first dance a slow cover of Katy Perry's Teenage Dream played through the speakers.

"It's official, this is worse than the apocalypse," Five sighed as he turned to go get more champagne. Nova rolled her eyes as she reached back to grab her boyfriend's hand and tugged him back towards her. "What?"

"Come be a stupid teenager with me," Nova laughed when she saw Diego pull Lila onto the dance floor.

"No thank you," Five cringed as he scrunched his face up in disgust. "I don't dance."

"Come on, Five, we've only got forty-eight hours left before the end of everything we know. Just come dance with me, please," Nova pleaded while giving him her best puppy dog eyes. He sighed for a second looking hesitant before she said, "If you don't dance with me I'm sure Klaus will."

"I think Klaus is busy dancing with his champagne," Five pointed out as he looked over to see his brother dancing dramatically by himself on the dance floor.

"Just shut up and dance with me you idiot," Nova sighed as she rolled her eyes and held out her hand. Five responded with a cheeky smile before placing his hand in her outstretched one.

They had all danced for a while minus a few like Allison and Ben. At some point in time, Klaus had dragged Manuela and Viktor onto the dance floor. Eventually, they all settled down at their respective tables for dinner. Nova had just finished filling her plate with all the goodies she found at the buffet. As she made her way back to her table the girl noticed that Klaus was now sitting in her seat.

"Klaus, move it. This isn't the children's table," Nova said as she sat her plate down on the table. Her friend quickly moved out of her seat and deposited himself in the empty chair on her left. "What are you boys talking about?"

"Dad," Five began to explain.

"Ew, why?" Nova asked as she picked up one of her fruit skewers from her plate.

"Klaus thinks we should give him another chance and listen to Dad's plan to save the world," Five finished explaining.

"This Dad's different. He's a turtle. Hard on the outside, but all cute and wrinkly and occasionally delicious on the inside," Klaus whined before throwing his arms around Nova dramatically, "Come on, Novie. You know it's true. You spent the whole day with him."

"Bud, I'm not entirely sure why you keep thinking that I'm your best bet at support. Normally, yes, I will back you up, but in the case of Reginald Hargreeves you are barking up the wrong tree. I don't trust Hargreeves, in any timeline, and I never will," Nova sighed as she shrugged her shoulders and Klaus's arms dropped from their position.

"She's right," Five pointed out while looking at his brother. "Old dogs like me and him never change. He has never had our best interests at heart. So, my only plan for tonight is to get fucked up beyond all recognition."

"Sure, have at it," Klaus said disappointedly as the three of them clinked their glasses.

"Don't worry, we shall!" Nova called before she took a long drink from her cocktail. With a sigh, Klaus raised his glass before sulking away.

Manuela was bored. She wanted to be here to support her sister but as she sat silently at the table with Ben and Allison she debated going back to her room. The woman's eyes flitted around the room. Luther and Sloane sat at one table looking happier than they ever had been. Diego and Lila sat at another table stealing smiles and looks from each other as they conversed with Klaus. Then there was Nova and Five who were having a race to see who could finish their respective drink first. Viktor was cheering the two teens on while also acting as a referee. Nova slammed her cup on the table first before exclaiming in victory.

"How long before we can leave?" Ben asked breaking the silence. Manuela's attention was pulled back to her own table as her brother spoke.

"You have to stay at least until the speeches are over," Manuela sighed.

"I don't think I can last that long," Allison muttered before taking another long drink from her martini.

"Oh, also, have either of you seen Dad?" Ben asked the two women sitting on either side of him.

"Have a drink, Ben," Allison sighed while gesturing to his drink. "Relax. For once in your pathetic life."

Manuela's response died in her throat when her father slowly walked into the ballroom. In fact, all the conversations around the room suddenly died. Everyone stared as Sir Reginald Hargreeves side-stepped around one of the tables and continued towards the buffet. After their Dad plated a small dish of food slight conversation began again. As their Dad passed each of them little comments jabbed through the air.

"What is he doing here?" Ben muttered harshly.

"Just suffer with us," Allison responded lowly.

"But who invited him?" Ben snapped.

"No one, obviously he's a wedding crasher," Manuela whispered back.

"Wow, I can't get invited to a bachelor party but he can get invited to this wedding?" Ben snapped.

Ben's voice was rising louder than necessary. Hargreeves sat down at an empty table ignoring the comments coming from his children. Manuela rolled her eyes at her brother before jabbing him in the ribs once again. This received her a glare which she sent right back in Ben's direction.

"Geeze, you really can't relax," Allison commented.

"Yeah, relaxing isn't really a thing Ben knows how to do," Manuela sighed before turning to her brother with an icy glare and saying, "Ben, brother dearest, you need to chill."

As Hargreeves began to eat the two academies around the room just watched in silent awkwardness. That is until Lila pulled a reluctant Diego to his feet. She dragged him over to where Hargreeves was sitting and introduced herself. The two bonded over their Britishness before Hargreeves kissed her hand in greeting before sauntering away. As Hargreeves complimented Diego in his own way Allison scoffed as she pushed herself away from the table and made a B-Line towards the open bar.

"Hey, Benihana. Don't hit me!" Klaus giggled drunkenly as he slid into the now-empty seat next to Ben. Manuela sighed when she noticed her brother sulking with his head on the table. He was using his toothpick to stab each shrimp on the plate in front of him over and over again. "Hey, listen. I know we ain't exactly been best buds in this timeline or whatever, but, man, do I have a mission for you..."

"Excuse my brother," Manuela said after Ben interrupted Klaus by belching in his face. "He doesn't exactly have the best table side manners. Especially when he's had a few too many to drink."

"It's all right, my dear," Klaus said with a wide toothy grin, "You make up for it with your charm."

"Twelve people," Ben muttered interrupting the duos' conversation.

"Huh?" Klaus and Manuela both replied in confusion.

"There are only twelve people left," Ben replied as he shook one of his shrimps in both of their faces.

"Okay, uh, Manu, question..." Klaus began. His eyes averted towards Manuela whose concerned eyes met his, "Does Drunk Ben like numbers...and shrimp?"

"Um, honestly, numbers yes. Shrimp...? That part is new to me," Manuela said carefully in response.

"Twelve people and you couldn't even invite me to your stupid bachelor party," Ben finally spit out with a hurt frown forming on his face.

"Awe, have we finally flicked off bad Benny's hard candy shell?" Klaus cooed and Ben pouted like a child as he shrugged off Klaus's hand that had found his shoulder.

"Why don't you like me?" Ben suddenly cried. Manuela's chest ached for her brother. As much of an asshole as he was, she hated to see him in pain.

"Because you're a huge puckering asshole!" Klaus exclaimed.

"Ok, but you like the other Ben," Ben whined.

"Yeah, we love the other Ben," Klaus nodded.

"Why was he so special?" Ben complained. "The only person who likes me is Manu and she's a mistake just like I am. But I even managed to piss her off."

"Wait, Ben, why are you talking about me like I'm not here?" Manuela asked in confusion but her brother just continued to pout down at his plate.

"He's an emotional drunk, ain't he," Klaus nodded. "Look, we all loved our Ben because he was a know-it-all. He was a scold. He was a tiny dark cloud on a perfect sunny day."

"Those...those are all bad things," Ben stuttered in confusion.

"Yeah, but they look great on him," Klaus laughed at his own memories he was no doubt thinking of.

"You know what, I was so much better than that other Ben. I was Number One, twice," Ben argued and Manuela couldn't help but sigh. She felt like she was going in circles with her brother. Nothing seemed to stick.

"That's the problem, Ben. You've only ever cared about missions and our rankings. The only person you've ever shown empathy or really any genuine human emotion around is me. You don't always have to put on your tough exterior. It's ok to be vulnerable around other people. If you open up and put your trust in the Umbrellas I promise they will begin to like you," Manuela began to explain but when she saw the uncomfortable look on her brother's face she sighed once more before trying a different approach, "How about you start by not being an insufferable brooding asshole all the time."

"Exactly! I think you're trying a little bit too hard, Ben-erino," Klaus added, "Look around, nobody's polishing their boots or pressing their tights. We're a complete and total shit show. Ya get it? And our Ben, my Ben, was just that kinda disaster and it made him ridiculously easy to love."

"I could be ridiculously easy to love," Ben mumbled after Klaus had departed from the table.

"You could be," Manuela agreed with a nod, "But you don't let yourself be that way."

Nova's Spotify Playlist: Nova Perez's Epic Time Travel Jams

Manu's Spotify Playlist: Manuela Hargreeves' Post-Mission Jams

First Published: 01/04/2023

Edited: 10/08/2023

Aesthetic Change: 07/07/2024

Chapter Word Count: 2,662

Book Word Count: 128,762