THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY
fragments || five hargreeves x reader

CHAPTER NINETEEN: A BIT BETTER

Written By: peachyhxlland

°•.☆.•°

"You've got a good nose." The Handler said.

"You know, planting her in a psych ward, taking advantage of my simpleton brother, that was smart." Five responded, still not lifting his foot up from Lila's throat.

"Well, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." The Handler replied, looking down at Lila.

Five paused for a moment before turning to the Handler. "She's your—"

"Daughter." The Handler finished. "Yes. And she's my only one, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't crush her windpipe. Lila choked and gasped for air. Reluctantly, Five finally let Lila go as she cried out of pain, panting, and finally standing up. She glared at Five, smirking. "I am so going to enjoy killing you someday."

"Lila, darling, would you give us a minute, please?"

Five nodded. "Yes, the grown-ups need to talk." Lila turned to the Handler and she nodded. Lila rolled her eyes, walking away as Five smirked. Lila threw a metal scrap off in annoyance.

Five turned to face the Handler. "What is it you want?"

"Do you like jazz, Five?" The Handler asked, stomping her cigarette off.

"I'd rather lick a cheese grater."

"Aww. Jazz is like a beautiful woman." The Handler walked around as she talks. "Complex, emotional, hard to please. She doesn't just give it to you... she makes you work for it."

"I'm really hoping that you're going somewhere with this."

"Under my leadership, the Commission would sound more like..." The Handler stepped forward to Five, raising her hands up as she whispered. "... jazz." She mimicked soft jazz rhythm.

"And what about the board of directors?" Five questioned.

"Well, that's where you come in." The Handler answered, poking his nose. Five shook his head in disagreement. "Nope. No, it isn't."

"In exchange for the assassination of the board, I'm willing to get you and your family out of this timeline and back to 2019 where you belong."

"And what about World War III that's due to kick off in just a few days?"

"Once you and your siblings are gone, that goes away."

"And the apocalypse when we get back to 2019?"

"That too."

"I distinctly remember you telling me that the apocalypse had to happen, that it was supposed to happen."

The Handler walked as she stopped behind Five. "Back then I was toeing the company line, but once I'm in charge..." The Handler softly danced as she mimicked the jazz rhythm. The Handler got uncomfortably close to Five. "... we can riff..."

"Jazz." Five finished.

"Exactly."

Five walked away from her, thinking about her offer, his hands combing up on his hair in distress. "What about the board of directors, hmm? I mean, nobody knows who they are."

"Correct. But once every fiscal quarter, they get together for a board meeting."

"Where?"

"The question is when. They meet somewhere in the timeline but never in the same place twice. The exact location and date of these board meetings is the most closely-guard secret in the Commission."

"But you know where it's gonna be, don't you?"

"Would I be any good at what I do if I didn't?"

Five leaned against some boxes behind him, crossing his arms as the Handler approached him. Five sighed. "I need some time to think about it."

"Fine." The Handler watched as Five walked away. "But remember, doomsday's right around the corner, and the way things are going, I'm your only option."

Five stopped in his tracks, looking at the Handler above his shoulder, softly scoffing. "Not yet you aren't."

"Better hurry up or you might not save your little girlfriend."

Five spatial jumped, reappearing in front of her. "Don't. Speak. Of her."

"If you don't think about it quickly you might find her dead again."

Five froze, blinking in confusion, his heartbeat racing. "What?"

"Oh? You didn't know? Your little (Y/n) died. She died when you came with me in the Commission but you just had to go back and rewrite that day, huh?"

Five, his fists clenching and eyebrows furrowing, spatial jumped in front of the Handler. "What happened?"

"Oh, well, one of our employees went rogue. She wanted revenge on a man named Nicholas Russell. So she stole a briefcase, abandoned her mission, looked for her target but killed your beloved."

The Handler smirked down at Five who was speechless and somewhat frozen at this discovery. "Where did you find her body again? The first time you came in the future. When you were just a boy and found her lifeless body?"

"At the Academy... but there was no bullet wound."

"You came back, Five. Your return caused almost losing her life. Good thing you returned again or else... well, she'll probably no longer walking with us."

'I...'

Seeing her former employee speechless, The Handler smirked. She chuckled darkly before walking away with Lila who glanced at Five before following her mother. Five sighed deeply, his head was full of questions and thoughts while his heart aches as his mind showed a picture of how you might have died.

He finally knows who was the person who the employees of the Commission were referring to when he was there.

"I heard that one of his family members died."

He finally understood why his heart ached back at the Commission. You were dead and he didn't know. Although he did save you from being dead by going back, he knew he wasn't able to protect you because he was too far away. Or maybe his return only made things worse for your life.

As Lila followed the Handler out of the building. She began to talk. "Why would you say that?"

"Hmm?"

"To Five. Why did you tell him about the girl, I don't know, dying."

The Handler turned to her, her smirk never leaving her face. "Well, I know Five. He's mostly sure of things but this time, he won't be so sure of his decisions."

"What do you mean?"

"Now that he has knowledge of the girl being followed by death, Five will think about avoiding her for her own safety because he now thinks that he's the reason why she's getting killed or protect her."

"No doubt he'll choose the second option."

"But can he fully protect her? Five can overthink things and most likely, he might choose the first option. And when he does, finish your mission and kill the girl."

°•○●○•°

You laid your head on Vanya's shoulder and a hand above your forehead. Vanya patted your head softly. "How many did you drink?"

"Too many to count I think." You sighed. "But I think I can handle one simple headache. God, why did we have to drink when we're about to meet our 'lovely' father."

"Diego, this is a setup." Luther pointed out with his mouth full.

"Maybe. But we should go anyway." Diego said as he fixed his orange shirt.

"Says the guy who's already been stabbed once this week."

You snickered, snapping your fingers at Luther. "Aye."

"Oh, don't worry, me and him are gonna have words," Diego replied.

Luther sighed. "Would you tell him that he's nuts?" Luther asked you and Vanya. You nodded, giggling. "He's definitely nuts."

"I think we should go," Vanya suggested earning a nod from you. "That too." You added.

Luther stopped eating while Diego gave him a look. "See?"

"Vanya, (Y/n), of all people, you two should hate Dad the most."

"Come on, can he really be that bad?" Vanya asked.

"Okay, well, let's see." Luther cleared his throat as he prepared his explanation. "He isolated you, Vanya, from the rest of the family."

"Kept you hopped up on pills." Diego continued.

"And he brainwashed you into thinking you had no powers."

Your mouth hung open in surprise, wincing a bit. "Holy shit. That's harsh and cruel."

"Jesus, this guy..." Vanya softly said.

Luther nodded. "Yeah."

Vanya raised her head up. "I mean, come on, I have to meet him."

Luther hung his mouth open before shaking his head and turning to you. "(Y/n), you seriously can't agree with them."

"Alright, monkey boy." You sat up straight and crossed your arms. "What did the old man do to me."

Luther closed his mouth, hesitating before sighing. "He, well, locks you up in a room to practice your powers but it sort of caused opened your fear of small rooms and tight spaces. He's the reason why Allison rumored you a bunch of times. He's also the reason why... you're like this."

"What?"

"He's the reason why you're stuck in that body. He experimented on you and... when the experimentation failed he froze you because your powers grew stronger."

Your nails dug into your blazer, clutching your arms as you stared blankly at Luther. Vanya placed her hand on top of yours. "Hey, you okay?"

"Just..." You shakily breathed. "Peachy. Processing everything that Luther just said."

"Five didn't tell you?"

"I think he was about to." You answered, your voice was still shaky. "But I learned it sooner."

Luther gulped, quickly avoiding your stare and point at Diego, glaring at him. "You already know how this is gonna go. Dad is gonna play all his little mind games on us, get into our heads, and he's gonna turn us all against each other. You watch."

"Luther, we're not 12 anymore." Diego sighed. "All right? We're grown-ass men. And women."

Seeing Luther sighing, Diego knelt down just beside him. "We can handle him. Wanna know what's different this time?"

"What's that?"

"You got me. We go in there as united front. No more 'Number One', 'Number Two' bullshit. From now on it's..." Diego sat down on the couch with you and Vanya. "Team Zero?"

You raised an eyebrow while Luther stared at his brother. "Team Zero?" Luther questioned.

"Team Zero." Diego pushed his fists forward, waiting for fist bumps from you, Vanya, and Luther. "All the way."

Luther and Vanya just stared at his fist while you slightly snickered. Diego was about to put down his fists but you bumped your fist with him. "Ya happy now?" You asked with a smile.

"A bit better. Thanks, sis." Diego stated as he ruffled your hair.

Evening came and it was almost time to meet Reginald Hargreeves. You were on your way to the meeting place where Reginald told on the invitation by yourself. Your two brothers, Luther and Diego, couldn't pick the right time of schedule to go to the place without arguing first. Vanya has to be the referee while you went on your way.

Your hands were tucked inside your pockets, your hood was on, and you were looking down on the ground. A twig snapping caused you to stop for a moment. Instantly, you quickly dodged a flying cover of a trash can.

"Sweet dodge."

You turned around seeing Lila smirking. "Oh, hi." You greeted. "What are you doing here? Kill me?"

"I like how you think." Lila chuckled. "Because you basically read my mind."

"Well, I often do that." You raised your arm up, throwing the full trash can at her. Lila quickly dodged and ran towards you but you quickly gave her a kick in the face. Lila scoffed, wiping some blood off the corner of her lips. "You're better than I thought. Good as Five."

"So you've seen him." You said.

"A few hours ago," Lila admitted. "And God, did he look so fragile before we left."

Thinking she must have hurt him so badly, your eyes glowed red instantly and tilted your head. You flicked your wrist causing Lila to be thrown off into a wall. "You lay one finger at him and I'll kill you."

"Not if I kill you first." Lila stood up and jumped in the dark alley so you couldn't see her. Your glowing mist-like shape figures lit up the alley but a box was flying right into you. You quickly threw the box away with your mind but Lila took this chance to punch you.

"Look at you with your little crush on the little murderer. Being all protective and caring for his well-being." Lila mocked. "Do you ever wonder if he would do the same thing to you?"

You froze on your spot before your eyes glowing dark red and instantly put your hand up to her, floating her mid-air. Lila couldn't move as much as she tried to fight back she couldn't. "As if anyone would even do the same thing to you too. If you're thinking Diego would, well, too bad. You just lost him."

Lila glared but you threw her away as if she was just like a paper. You were sure she was far enough so you quickly took this opportunity to run away. You ran away as fast and as far as you could, not looking back.

Finally and unexpectedly, you stopped in your tracks to find yourself standing in front of the building of the meeting place. You took a deep breath, putting your hood down, and fixed your blazer. You looked back in the direction you came from before approaching the building.

-•-°-•-°-☆

All chapters were made and ready to publish. The chapters will be published every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm (Philippine Time).

The next chapter will be longer!