-2002:-

Homework was a necessary evil of the Umbrella Academy. The work was never the usual one would find in regular schools. The thirteen-year-olds were currently working on various subjects around the yard. At least most of them were. Vanya, Allison, and Rachel sat together working on their Greek homework against the courtyard wall. Luther hovered nearby with an Anatomy book cracked open, but some kind of magazine was peeking just over the edge of the book. Five sat in a corner away from the others, reading a book on Quantum Physics. He had taken the corner specifically as it was Rachel's favorite, which kept her from having it. She didn't mind since it was one of his more subtle ways of picking on her. Diego, Klaus, and Ben were missing.

"Latin is so much easier," Rachel complained, tempted to rip the worksheet Reginald Hargreeves had made into shreds, "When are we ever going to need to know Greek?"

Allison, who's attention had been on Luther prior to her words, turned to her friend.

"Did your father not teach you the Greek version of The Odyssey?"

Rachel looked between her and Vanya with concern.

"No…I can tell you for certain that isn't normal."

Vanya just shrugged and pointed at the last two words on their worksheet: μεράκι and φιλότιμο.

"Have you translated that one yet?"

Rachel leaned over and looked over the word.

"No. I only just got "φιλοξενία" as 'hospitality.'"

Vanya sighed.

"I guess I'll have to get the textbook from inside…"

Allison looked up at the two other girls.

"Why not just ask Five? He thinks he knows everything."

"That's because he actually might…"

The three girls all looked over at the male in the corner who was deeply focused on his text.

"Well, if anyone could bother him and get away with it its Vanya," Rachel grinned, leaning her hands back on the grass and stretching out her legs.

Vanya opened her eyes wide.

"That's not fair! I asked him the last two times. I'm tired of being told how stupid I am."

Allison put a hand on her sister's shoulder.

"You're not stupid, Vanya. You know he is just rude to get a reaction."

"I won't do it."

Rachel caught the two girls suddenly looking at her. She made a face at them.

"I'd rather take the 80 out of 100."

The two girls began to make sad faces at her. Rachel tried to look away, but she could not help but laugh.

"Oh my, you two are silly! He is your brother."

"Exactly! We have to live with him. You only deal with him for a few hours a day and can go home," Allison sassed.

Rachel could not argue with her there. Sighing, she stood, dusting off her skirt, picked up her paper and pencil, and went over to Five. He was taking up the entire bench, feet outstretched, but there was a small space just behind his back that she chose as a spot to sit.

"I'm not about to move," he informed her, eyes still on his book from what she could tell.

"I'm looking for help, not your seat."

"I'm not a therapist."

Despite that comment, he closed his book and turned so that his feet were now on the ground beside hers. Putting the book on his lap, he took the paper from her hand and placed it on the text.

"Figured it was the last two," he commented, "So, between the three of you, none of you could figure this out?"

Rachel bit her lip, getting an annoyed look from Five.

"None of you actually tried to solve it together, did you?"

The girl nudged his shoulder.

"Come on, Five, we all know you are the smartest in the Umbrella Academy. Can you just help me here?"

Five was unable to hold back a smile.

"You are lucky that I do accept compliments as payment. Both don't translate to English perfectly, that's why you're struggling. μεράκι is…what do you think?"

"I don't know…'steadiness'?"

"How do you mean?"

"Like…consistently doing something…?"

"Incorrect. It means something along the lines of enjoyment for what one does. Like, if someone is wholly dedicated to a job that they absolutely love. That is μεράκι."

Rachel leaned over Five a bit and wrote what he said on the paper.

"Why does your dad have to throw in trick words like these?"

"You want everything to be easy? That's boring. Okay, so what about the next one? Φιλότιμο."

"Friend…honor?"

Five laughed. It was not one of his mean laughs, just pure amusement.

"That is the literal break down of it, but I'm asking the meaning. Here, you do well in history. What do knights hold to?"

"A code."

"Of?"

"Uh…virtue? Righteousness? Oh, the honor! So, it's like being honor bound?"

"There you go. It's also in the context of doing something right for the sake of another, not so much about yourself."

Rachel leaned toward Five again, writing the answer on the paper that still sat on his lap. She then took the paper back.

"Thanks! I should study with you more often. I don't know why the others complain so much."

Five smirked at her.

"I charge by the hour."

Rachel thought for a moment before shrugging.

"I can afford a compliment an hour. Maybe two."

Five's jaw dropped slightly to retort, but the words stuck in his throat, and he just chuckled.

"Touché, Truesdale. Touché."

The girl laughed as she turned and ran back to her companions. She was just putting her paper down so the girls could read it when Diego, Klaus, and Ben traipsed out of the Academy. Ben held a boombox of all things. The three stopped in the center of the courtyard, just in front of the girls. Ben placed the boombox on the ground. Diego pointed at Rachel.

"You love the Backstreet Boys, right, Rachel?"

The girl awkwardly looked around the courtyard. Luther was confused, staring at the three of them who were now in a formation with Diego in the middle, slightly in front of the other two. Five stood up, his arms crossed, a huge grin on his face. Allison was trying to hide laughter behind her hand while Vanya's eyebrows were disappearing into her bangs. What bothered Rachel the most was the affection and confidence radiating from Diego.

"Uh…yeah…you all know that," she answered, confused.

The Backstreet Boys "Shape of My Heart" kicked on as Ben hit play. Rachel froze, embarrassment rising.

"Oh, no…please don't…" she whispered.

The five in the courtyard were then dazzled by a choreographed dance to the song. Diego, clearly the choreographer, knew what he was doing. Klaus and Ben were another thing entirely. Ben halfheartedly, but somewhat accurately did his part. Klaus, clearly not having taken time to learn the dance, just had some fun by dancing some semblance of what Diego asked from him. It all ended with the three kneeling before Rachel as the song faded out.

The courtyard was silent in the wake of the performance. Rachel looked at the three of them, her jaw slack. Suddenly, Luther began to laugh so loudly it rang through the courtyard. He was soon wheezing from laughing so hard that he could not breathe. Diego was sending him death glares. Allison and Vanya were giggling behind their hands. Five was grinning from ear to ear when he arrived by Rachel's side.

"I believe he expects some sort of response."

Rachel blinked rapidly, embarrassment surging through her at Diego's hopefulness.

"Th-That…ehem."

The girl cleared her throat and tried again. She steeled herself before putting on a convincing smile.

"That was so sweet, Diego, Ben, Klaus. How did you know that I was having such a bad day? That really cheered me up! Thank you so much."

Rachel heard a choked laugh from beside her. Glancing over, she saw Five had turned to look at the wall, his back shaking from contained laughter. Diego looked at her in mild confusion. He then stood up quickly, scratching his neck.

"Y-Yeah! O-Of c-course. Gl-Glad you l-lik-liked i-it."

Rachel leaned down, snatched her homework off the ground, and stood upright once again. She gave Diego, Klaus, and Ben quick hugs.

"You guys are amazing. I have to get home now, though. See you tomorrow!"

The Hargreeves siblings were impressed with how quickly she disappeared inside the Academy. Five, having recovered from his short-lived laughing fit, smirked at his brother.

"Mind if I go get a camera and then you can do that entire routine over again? I think she may get what you were trying to say if you let her watch it again a couple dozen times on video."

Luther came over and shook his head.

"No, that was a flat-out rejection."

"You don't say," Five muttered, rolling his eyes and walking away.

Allison stood up and gave Number One a light punch on the shoulder.

"Luther," she hissed, glaring at him.

Vanya stood up awkwardly and put a hand on Diego's shoulder.

"Maybe it was the song choice?"

Diego nodded at her, his mind racing.

"Yeah…yeah, I'll find a better song next time…"

-1963:-

The car was silent as Diego drove back to Elliot's place. Rachel could feel a lot of negative emotions swirling around in him, but he refused to speak or make any kind of eye contact with her nor Five. Getting upstairs of Morty's, the three found Elliot and Luther passed out beside a large canister, huge smiles on their faces. Five just shook his head.

"Let's leave them there."

Rachel began pulling off her shoes as she walked toward the second bedroom. She had just made it to the middle of the kitchen when a voice sounded behind her.

"We need to talk."

She glanced back to see Diego. Five frowned up at his brother from behind. Rachel tilted her head at the taller male.

"You and I?"

"Yeah, us. Your powers allow you to sense emotions, right? Then how come you didn't tell me that Lila was stringing me along?"

Rachel stared at him in surprise, taken aback for a moment by the rage he was feeling. Apparently toward her.

"That's-"

"Or how about how she was spying on us?"

"Emotions aren't-"

"How are we supposed to know whether you actually give a shit about us or are actually in league with Lila or whoever she is with?!"

Rachel caught him off guard by shoving him unceremoniously into Elliot's bedroom. Five rushed into the room after the two just before she closed the door.

"Diego, I get that you are hurting but I have always been your friend."

Diego began tugging off his tie and chucked it at the wall.

"Oh, have you? Or were you some sort of planted agent from the very beginning?"

Five scoffed.

"Your conspiracy ideas are getting way out of hand now," he told his brother.

Rachel held out a hand to Five.

"No, its fine. Go ahead, Diego. Tell me everything. Tell me what you think about me. I'd love to hear it."

Diego gave a fake laugh.

"Alright. I think dad planted you as a spy among us kids. You tricked us into thinking you were this sweet and innocent girl. Really, you just like to play master puppeteer with people's emotions. You feel everything people around you feel and yet you use it against them. You knew I liked you and you purposefully twisted me around back then. Then, you let your accomplice do the same thing. You knew Lila would hurt me and you just let it happen because you don't give a shit about any of us. I think you accidentally ended up with Five in the apocalypse and you used him the same way. You made him think you love him, but I bet you don't care about anyone. So what do you want us for? A science experiment? To join a cult? Hm?"

Rachel nodded at him.

"Wow, Diego. You have always had quite the imagination on you, you but have outdone yourself. I've listened to your view. Now listen to mine. I was a five-year-old child when my father decided to use me as a science experiment on your father's request. I grew up with all of you, genuinely loving and caring for all of you. Even Luther and Klaus who sometimes made it very hard. And fine, you want to bring up your old feelings for me? Yeah, I knew you liked me. You couldn't hide it. But I pretended not to notice because I never wanted to break your heart and tell you that it was never going to happen. I didn't want to ruin the friendship we had because it meant so much to me. But then Five and I left. And you know what? I was asked to not use my powers for years. I had to mentally process my emotions, not be influenced by any around me, and face what the hell was in front of me. And you know what in front of me? It was Five. I fell in love with him. Truly, honestly, and with zero influence between the two of us from my power. Getting back here, finding out that I can use my powers to do more than just see where people are was liberating as much as it was terrifying. I don't yet know what I'm actually capable of. We then have Lila enter the picture. I couldn't stand her. I was told she came from a mental institute, so I figured this swirling mass of emotions from her were from being batshit crazy! Constantly thrilled by everything around her, confused at some of the things we said and did, worried about I don't know what. And you know why I don't know? I am not a mind reader, Diego! The only thing I know for sure is that she gave a damn about you because she actually liked you so I thought she was worried about your relationship. So, screw you for thinking I would sit around watching some crazy bitch fool around with someone I consider family and not do anything. I was so relieved to see you happy after all this time and released from the pain I sensed from you when Five and I came back. I was never Lila's biggest fan, but I ignored my opinions about her because I wanted to support you."

Rachel was breathing heavy by the end of her speech, tears rolling down her cheeks. Diego and Five stood frozen watching her. She shut down the hurt she was feeling that was unintentionally seeping out to them. She brushed at her tears aggressively.

"You're angry. You want to blame someone. I'm an easy target, I get it. I can forgive you for that. Thinking that I lied to each and every one of the people I care about, making a claim that I don't have real feelings for the Hargreeves family and the man I love…That is how you successfully end a friendship. Now I know you lied when you said you consider me a sister."

The blonde turned to leave the room before she stopped and glanced back.

"Why did I bother saving you earlier this evening, again? Hmm…must have been because I don't give a shit."

The two males watched her leave in a blur of pink lace and anger. Five looked over at Diego as the man sat on the bed.

"I knew you were stupid, but that…" Five started, putting his hands in his pockets," That was an entirely new level of stupid I never knew about."

Diego put his head in his hands and sighed.

"How can you just trust her?"

Five sighed heavily and sat next to his brother.

"Trust, huh? Back when I asked her to not use her powers…she did as I asked. She never once used them until we joined the Commission. Even then, she only did it when she needed to on a job. It isn't just that though. When you are the only two people alive on a planet…you have nothing if you don't trust them. And Rachel…she is blind trust incarnate. She trusted I'd get her home, no question about it, just because I swore I would. I know trust isn't easy for us, Diego. Dad has secrets within secrets. People just break your trust sometimes, but I at least know I don't have to worry about that with Rachel. You should know you don't have to worry about that with her, either."

His brother was quiet for a moment before looking up at him.

"How do you…know she loves you?"

Five let out a soft laugh.

"Never thought I'd be the one giving you love advice. Years and years ago, when she first told me she loved me…I didn't believe it. Only because I didn't want to. I didn't deserve it. She gave it anyway, though, with no regard to my feelings on the matter. Honestly, until a couple days ago, I had no proof aside from forty plus years of taking her words and actions as proof. I'm in the unique position of being with a woman who can actually share her love with me. Admittedly…it can be overwhelming…intense… indescribable. I mean all that positively."

Diego's lip curled and he looked away from his brother.

"And for those of us who aren't with someone like that?"

Five shrugged.

"It goes back to trust. Like she said, she only found out she could share feelings with people a week ago."

"So…How do you know you love her?"

They met each other's eyes. Five thinking what to say and Diego trying to figure out his own feelings.

"You know…like most of our siblings. I was convinced you and Rachel were going to end up together. It was also pretty obvious that Ben quietly had a crush on her."

Diego's eyebrows shot up. He clearly hadn't noticed his brother's subtle crush.

"Ben did?"

Five nodded.

"He did. Anyway, my point is I knew she caught the attention of some of my siblings. Which is why I actively tried not to like her. When we got stuck in the apocalypse, I knew I was in trouble in that regard. So…I relocated my feelings."

Diego's face registered recognition.

"Dolores was a way to redirect the fact that you were developing feelings for Rachel from before you got stuck."

Five's lips pursed at the memory.

"And things developed the way they did from there. I felt I had no right to have feelings for her but…she's impossible to ignore. She became a force of nature. There was this night in the middle of winter where I fell into a pond because it was covered in fresh snow. When I got back, she stripped me down, put me in front of a fire, wrapped me in blankets, and dried my hair. I knew then and there it was love but…I couldn't admit it, couldn't let it happen. Two years later, she told me she had feelings for me and a year after that she told me she loved me. Back when we were kids, I never would have realized she could be so forward or aggressive. She stopped taking no as an answer…eventually stopped letting me trick my way out of facing my feelings."

Diego looked at Five. His brother looked faraway, lost in thought.

"You were the right person for her in the end," Diego said, "And her for you. I think I would have pushed her away at some point, like I do to every woman in my life. We can never know about Ben but…that pairing doesn't seem right, either. You and her…you have something special. You make each other better. You're lucky."

Five gave his brother a small smile.

"I know that. And you'll find the answers one day. Though, if you could get down on your knees and grovel before Rachel in the morning…I recommend you do. I'm fairly confident she could inflict the feeling of physical pain on a person with how hard she hit us with her feelings tonight. I'd rather not accidentally be involved in that, thank you."

Five got up and headed out of the room. Just as he was exiting, he heard the bed creak behind him. Diego had stood up.

"I'm sorry. For questioning her feelings like that. I was angry…and didn't know…"

The boy turned to his brother and shook his head.

"Good. Just like that. But to Rachel while getting to know the floor intimately."

He left his brother in Elliot's room and went to the second bedroom. He found the room in darkness. The faint light from the hallway lit up a chair where a lacy pink dress had been abandoned and long blonde hair peeking out of bed covers. Closing the door, Five undressed before crawling into the bed. He slid up against the back of the warm body under the sheets. His arm wrapped around hers and their fingers intertwined.

"You'll feel better in the morning," Five murmured in her ear.

Rachel turned a bit and looked over at him. He kissed her slowly, softly. She examined his face.

"I know he feels bad. What were you two talking about?"

"Mmm…trust, love, relationships. The guy's pretty dumb."

Turning all the way around to face him, Rachel snuggled up to Five.

"Will you tell me what you said?"

Five looked down, only able to see the outline of her face in the darkness. He kissed her again.

"Every word."