THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY
fractured || five hargreeves x reader

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN: THIS ALIEN HAS NO HUMANITY IN HIS BONES.

Written By: peachyhxlland

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A heavy silence covered the room, the weight of Jennifer's revelation pressing down on everyone like a physical force. The air felt thick, charged with the kind of tension that came from knowing something you could never know.

"So..." Lila finally broke the silence, her voice cutting through the thick air. She leaned back against the wall, arms crossed, her usual snark momentarily subdued. "Is no one going to say anything?"

"Still trying to, um..." Allison cleared her throat, rubbing her temples. "...process everything."

Viktor's brows knitted together as he shook his head in disbelief. "So, this whole time... there's been a prophecy about the Cleanse, and we're only knowing this now?" His voice carried frustration, but there was something else beneath it—fear.

Luther sat forward, his knee bouncing anxiously as his fingers drummed against the table. His gaze flickered to Reginald, who seemed to be in deep thought. "Dad, did you know all about this and just didn't think of informing any of us?" He accused.

Reginald glanced at everyone who turned their attention to him. "As much as I appreciate your persistent belief that I possess knowledge of all things, I assure you, Luther, I was unaware of this prophecy."

"But... the Cleanse won't happen because we just saved Ben and Jennifer." Klaus pointed out, his voice rising slightly as if convincing himself. "They do not simply cease to exist because we wish them away."

"Klaus, my boy, prophecies tend to manifest regardless of our efforts to prevent them," Reginald replied. "There's no way to stop them."

"But we just took care of the Ben and Jennifer problem," Viktor argued. "And I doubt the Keepers can even make the Cleanse happen without two vessels for it."

Five, who sat with his chin resting against his fingertips, thought of the prophecy. He was never one to believe in fate, yet something about this prophecy gnawed at him. He'd lived through multiple apocalypses, yet this was the first time he was hearing about a prophecy predicting one. He, too, was clueless and unsure of what to do.

'One shall rise with ties to both creation and destruction...' Five thought, his mind working through the words carefully. 'In their hands lies the balance: to reshape or destroy all that was, all that is, and all that could be. Beware the harbinger masked in virtue, for salvation and ruin walk hand in hand...'

"The giant squid possibly told me the Prophecy when it saved me," Jennifer explained to everyone. "But, I also remember the squid mentioning 'The Catalyst' to me."

"The Catalyst?" Diego repeated, his brow furrowing. "What the hell is that?"

Jennifer exhaled, her fingers tightening at her sides. "At first, I thought it was just another word for the Cleanse, but I was wrong. The Catalyst is the one who unleashes the Cleanse."

"But you and Ben are the Cleanse." Klaus frowned. "I'm so confused."

"Well, from what I understand," Five interjected, his mind piecing things together and bringing everyone's attention to him. "This Catalyst's mission is to unleash the Cleanse, which is tied to Ben and Jennifer." He met Jennifer's gaze, his expression unreadable. "And the Catalyst will make sure it happens—with or without you two. The Catalyst also decides whether the world burns or survives."

A thick silence followed. The implications of his words settled over the room like an impending storm.

Jennifer slowly nodded, agreeing with Five's deduction. But Five wasn't done yet. He studied her, his blue-green eyes narrowing slightly as if searching for something deeper. "What else do you know?" He asked, his voice quieter but laced with authority.

Jennifer hesitated. She glanced at Ben, seeking reassurance, and for a moment, she looked vulnerable. Ben gave her the slightest nod, a silent encouragement, and she finally returned her gaze to Five's piercing stare. "If the Catalyst loses control..." Jennifer began, her voice barely above a whisper.

"The consequences would be catastrophic," Abigail finished, her calm demeanor replaced by grim understanding. She turned to Reginald, gripping his arm as if trying to ground herself. "Reg, this exceeds our initial expectations. We lack the necessary knowledge to fully comprehend this prophecy."

Reginald, for once, seemed at a loss for words. His usual calculated expression faltered for just a second before he straightened, adjusting the cuffs of his suit. "But we know the squid."

Ray, who was beside Allison, blinked in confusion. "The giant squid is a big deal?" He asked, looking to his wife for answers. Allison rubbed his shoulder in comfort.

"The Prophecy could be a lie," Luther suggested, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "You know, hoaxes and stuff."

Reginald's gaze swept across the room, his tone turning sharp. "The Squid, or as we call it Ο Προφήτης (O Profítis), does not deceive, nor does it indulge in falsehoods. Every prophecy it has uttered has come to pass."

A low, guttural rumble echoed beneath them, barely noticeable at first. The chandelier above swayed ever so slightly, its delicate crystals jingling softly. Then, the floor trembled. It was a subtle quake, more like a warning than a catastrophe, but it was enough to make everyone go still.

The silence shattered as objects clattered against the walls, a few picture frames crashing to the ground. Luther braced himself against the table, his eyes darting toward the others. "Tell me that was just a coincidence."

"It's never a coincidence," Five muttered, rising to his feet, his sharp eyes scanning the room. The tremor wasn't strong enough to do real damage, but it was enough to send a clear message.

Jennifer, her breath quickening, wrapped her arms around herself. "No... it's starting." She whispered.

Viktor looked around, his expression hardening. "You mean the Cleanse?"

Jennifer's lips parted, but before she could respond, the floor beneath them gave a violent jolt, sending Ray stumbling into Allison, who caught him with wide eyes. Clair clutched onto Danielle. "Dani, I'm scared," Claire whispered as she buried her face on Danielle's hips.

"Shit—" Diego cursed, gripping the back of a chair for balance. "What the hell is going on?!"

The rumbling deepened, the tremors intensifying for a few long, agonizing seconds before suddenly ceasing. The silence that followed was almost worse than the quake itself.

Reginald adjusted his cufflinks, his face eerily composed. "It appears we are out of time."

Klaus let out a nervous chuckle, rubbing his arms as he glanced around. "Okay, so, just throwing this out there—anyone else feeling severely unprepared for an end-of-the-world event that may or may not involve a giant squid?"

Jennifer turned to him sharply. "The squid isn't the cause of this," She explained to Klaus. "Ο Προφήτης only warned me about it—it's not the one bringing the Cleanse."

"Then who is?" Ben asked, who had remained silent for most of the exchange, finally spoke.

Lila's gaze flickered to Five, who stood frozen, his expression unlike anything she had ever seen before. Five never panicked. He never hesitated. Yet now, his face was pale, his breath shallow, and his hands clenched at his sides as if trying to keep himself together.

Lila's stomach twisted. He knows.

"Five..." she called softly, her voice almost hesitant. The others turned their attention to her, sensing the weight behind her words. "You figured it out... didn't you?"

Every eye in the room was on Five, but he couldn't bring himself to look at any of them. His mind was spinning, caught between denial and the horrifying realization that had finally locked into place. His hands felt clammy, and his throat was dry. Then, finally, he swallowed hard and lifted his gaze. His voice was barely above a whisper. "I..."

Diego stepped forward, his posture tense, his fists clenched. "Spit it out, Five." His voice was firm, but there was something beneath it—uncertainty. Even fear. He had never seen Five look this shaken before.

Danielle, who had been watching him closely, suddenly stiffened. Something in Five's expression made her stomach twist violently. She could feel it, the dread clawing at the edges of her mind. Five's gaze flickered to her for the briefest moment. And that was enough.

Her heart dropped.

Five took a deep breath. "We have... to get to (Y/n)."

The silence that followed was suffocating.

It took a few seconds for the weight of his words to sink in. Some of them furrowed their brows in confusion, but they understood one by one.

Luther let out a nervous chuckle, shaking his head. "No way." He stared at Five, waiting for him to take it back, to say he was wrong. "Five, I don't like this. Tell me you're kidding."

Five didn't look at him.

Luther's uneasy smile faded, replaced with growing alarm.

Viktor stepped forward, shaking his head, his voice laced with disbelief. "Five, we both know that's ridiculous," He argued, his tone pleading, as if saying it out loud would make it untrue. "You can't just accuse her of... ending the world."

Five's jaw tightened. His hands clenched into fists. "You didn't see her," he said, his voice colder, harsher. "I did." He exhaled sharply, forcing himself to say it out loud. "She was different. She confessed to helping the Thibedeaus. To know about other timelines. To make sure the Cleanse happens."

"That's not (Y/n)," Viktor snapped, his voice shaking slightly. He refused to believe it.

"You're right," Lila spoke up, crossing her arms. "Well... half-right." She glanced around at the others. "Like we said, the real (Y/n) is fighting to get back in control. Probably trying to stop her other self from ending the world too."

Ben, who had been silent the entire time, finally spoke, his voice low and heavy. "Then we're not just up against the Cleanse," He murmured, the realization settling in. "We're up against her."

"Gee, I wonder who started it all?" Viktor snapped, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he shot a glare at Ben.

Ben frowned, taken aback. "I've been quiet this whole time. Why the hell are you looking at me?"

"You spiked our drinks, you moron!" Viktor yelled, his frustration boiling over. "You couldn't control yourself for just one day, or even one second, from taking that stupid Marigold! You spiked (Y/n)'s drink and made her take even more!"

Ben barely had time to react before Viktor lunged at him.

The room erupted into chaos. Viktor's fists connected with Ben's face, fueling his blows with raw anger. Ben grunted, deflecting some punches before swinging back, his knuckles slamming into Viktor's ribs. The fight spiraled into a blur of fists and fury, each punch carrying the weight of everything left unsaid.

"Viktor, stop!" Allison shouted, but he wasn't listening.

Diego and Klaus rushed in, grabbing Ben and yanking him backward. Meanwhile, Ray and Luther wrestled Viktor away, restraining him before he could throw another punch. Both men struggled against their respective holds, breathing heavily, their eyes burning with anger.

"So much for not giving up on me," Ben huffed, his voice laced with bitter resentment.

"Because you never apologized, asshole." Viktor's voice was thick with venom, seething hiss as he shot a glare back at Ben.

"Guys," Luther said, his voice loud enough to command attention, cutting through the heated words with a calm yet insistent tone. "Don't you see what's happening?" His eyes flicked from one face to the next. "I know Ben messed up here, I get that. But let's take a step back and think for a second. Let's think carefully of who actually started it all."

His question lingered in the air, the silence that followed thick and suffocating. The room seemed to hold its breath. Ben and Viktor froze, their quarrel momentarily forgotten as Luther's words hung in the balance. The tension in the room was palpable, and slowly, the realization began to settle in.

And then, one by one, everyone's gaze shifted.

Reginald Hargreeves.

Reginald sighed, already sensing where this was going. "Now, children," he began smoothly, adjusting his cuffs. "I told you—"

"No, no," Allison interjected, stepping forward, a finger raised. "You don't get to shift the blame onto the old Reggie this time. You still experimented on her in this timeline." Her voice was steady, unwavering. "Face it. You and that other Reggie are the reason all of this happened."

Abigail looked at Reginald with an unsure expression while Reginald's expression remained stoic. "I admit, I was at fault there. But need I remind you that we all played a part in this." He looked at the group, his eyes sharp with authority. "What you fail to realize is that none of you would even be here if it weren't for the path I paved.

"Cut the crap, Reg," Diego interjected. "We know you like to think you're the puppet master, pulling all the strings, but let's not pretend you don't have your own share of blame in this circus."

Viktor, still seething, stepped forward. "Yeah, you may have your fancy theories and plans, but none of them matter if it means (Y/n) or any of us are the ones who pay the price."

Reginald's lips pressed into a thin line. He looked down at his hands, then back at the group, his voice low, a dark promise lingering in the words. "Do not mistake me for a fool. Every decision I made, every calculated move, was for a purpose. But this... this situation was never supposed to get this far." His eyes darted to the others, each word deliberately falling into place. "Yet now that we are at this crossroads, I can see there is no easy way out."

All eyes were on him, the weight of his confession settling on the room like a shroud.

"Then do us a favor and do a good thing for once in your goddamn life," Five spat, his jaw tightening with barely contained rage. His fists clenched at his sides, the frustration building within him as he looked at Reginald. His usually cold, calculating demeanor had cracked, revealing the seething anger and years of pent-up resentment.

Reginald's face remained stoic, though a flicker of something—surprise, maybe guilt—passed over his features before he masked it again. "I'm not in the habit of doing favors, Five." He replied. "I've done one with your brother." Reginald glanced at Viktor and Ben.

"And like what, Five?" Lila scoffed from the sidelines, her arms crossed and a sharp edge to her voice. "This alien has no humanity in his bones... if he even has those." She shot a glance at Reginald, her words dripping with disdain.

Five didn't acknowledge her, though. He didn't spare Lila a glance. His attention remained fixed on Reginald, his eyes narrowing with an intensity that made the air feel even thicker. "He's gonna start by helping us to get through (Y/n)," Five replied, his voice low and filled with authority. There was no room for argument in his tone. It wasn't a request, it was a demand.

Reginald stood motionless for a moment, a slight crease appearing between his brows as he considered the request. His usual calculating expression faltered just for a second. But then, with an almost imperceptible sigh, he straightened up again, his voice laced with an edge of reluctance. "And what exactly do you expect me to do?" His words were still cold, though a weariness there hadn't been present before.

"First, you're going to help me get back to (Y/n)'s mind."

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Hi! Just poppin' in to go and watch the small animation I made on TikTok and Instagram! Both socials are under the username @peachy.hxlland :3

After finishing this book series, I may rest from writing for a bit and try to draw and animate stuff based on this book that will be posted on both TikTok and Instagram ❤️