The tension was pretty high in the room.
No one's fighting or anything, but everyone was a tiny bit more sensitive with everything that's happening. It wasn't the first time they've had this kind of mood. Everyone's head hurts, but it's probably from all the thinking. After being trapped in the same room with the same people for several weeks, there were moments where they just knew that everyone had to stay in their own corner and shut the fuck up.
Most recently, it was the incident with Five and other-Five that brought them to feel that way, or rather what happened after. Five genuinely thought he could figure out a way to use the trick his counterpart showed him to get him and his siblings out. It just somehow slipped their minds for a second that they didn't have access to their powers at all. Rita coming in after that fight and openly putting them all in timeout again just reinforced that.
(The word 'openly' has to be said because they realized early on that during some of Rita's visits she just secretly redid her power with only a faint, barely seen, unnoticeable violet glow flashing through their irises as an indication. She didn't even have to touch them like she did before. Five thinks it's because she already knows them, like the way it's easier for Five to jump to places he's been to compared to ones he hasn't.)
At Five's declaration of possibly getting out, it was like there was hope again, but it was quickly squashed down and everyone was snappy for the rest of the day until Klaus, of all people, pointed it out and told them all that they needed to calm down and maybe have another one of the fun, infamous Hargreeves Children Support Group meetings. Five mumbled out a disheartened apology, which his siblings tackled him with hugs for, before trying nonetheless. (He rolled his eyes, but he didn't pull away from the group hug.)
Now though, it was Klaus' claim that he saw a ghost that's giving them hope. That irritating emotion that brings everyone to the edge of their wits because they think they have a chance again but, really, no one knows. If he had been able to think just a tiny bit more properly, Klaus would have thought twice about telling them because it was obvious things would come to this and that there's a huge room for disappointment (well, nothing new). But he didn't, so he just blurted it out and now he could feel his siblings' gazes on him when they think he didn't know.
He's near one of the corners for maximum view — he looked over the entire room and the hallway outside. If the ghost (they don't even know if they can trust him yet) somehow appeared again, he'll see it. None of the others approached him, talked to him, or bothered him, because he was staring into some point in space and he was genuinely trying. The level of focus has gone through the roof. It was honestly exhausting to keep doing it without knowing when or how he's going to get results.
How did his counterpart do this? He made it sound so, so easy, but it has been weeks, and Klaus just wanted to give up. But he can't do that to his brothers and sisters. This was one of the few times they're actually counting on him, and he's messed up some times, but he's going to make this work.
He blinked at the door.
Nothing.
He has to make it work.
He stared at the floor.
Nothing.
Oh, this was getting really irritating.
He glared at the ceiling.
Still nothing.
Klaus huffed in frustration, pressing his palms against his closed eyes before scratching his head, pulling at his hair which has grown way too long, then folding into himself and hiding his face in his arms. His head hurt.
"Klaus," Vanya's soft voice cut in through his thoughts. "Don't beat yourself up too much about this."
He only hummed in response, not bothering to look up or open his eyes. For a while, all he could hear was his own breathing. It felt too fast, so he willed himself to slow down. It went on like that for a while and Klaus suspected he actually fell asleep at some point but he lifted his head back up, opened his eyes, and bit back a scream.
The ghost — the child — was standing right in front of him, waving a hand.
His spluttering of incomprehensible words called his siblings' attention to him. Klaus stood up in a rush and stumbled back, almost impaling himself on one of the spikes on the walls.
Five was suddenly in front of him. "Do you see him?"
Klaus mercilessly pushed him with a hand on the other's face. "Not when you're blocking the way." He set his eyes on the child again who watched him back with wide eyes.
What he saw the first time was right. The kid looked like he was around 14 or 15 years old, wearing a blazer of a different design than what he had seen Rita wear once in a while, but there was the same mark of a sparrow embroidered there. There was no visible sign of his cause of death the way some ghosts would have, which calmed and stressed out Klaus at the same time. One one hand, the boy looked perfectly normal, but on the other, how did this young boy die then?
His mouth was moving, but there's no sound reaching Klaus' ears. "I can't hear you." He told the boy (and it still amazed Klaus how easily he can escape the ghosts with Rita's power but that was not the goal here). "I'm sorry, I'll try to focus better. Or we could play charades?" He suggested, but the kid ignored him. "Oh, you're a bit of a rude one, aren't you?"
Allison nudged him from his side. "Maybe not annoy the ghost who might help us?"
"He looks weirdly familiar." Klaus wondered, ignoring his sister in favor of watching the boy curiously. "Why is that?"
The boy, who seemed to hear and understand him well enough, perked up at his words and moved away before pointing excitedly at the space beside him and mouthing some words. Klaus' eyes following his movement towards where Vanya sat on the floor was the only indication the others had, and Vanya just froze in her seat.
The boy mouthed a few more words and pointed at himself, and Klaus wasn't sure if he could hear faint sounds of the vowels. "'Our land'?" He guessed based off the movement of his lips. "Are you saying 'our land'?" Klaus looked at the area where the kid was pointing a second ago and assumes that he had been pointing more to the ground than he was pointing at Vanya. "Yes, alright. This is your land. What could you tell us about it?"
The slightly enthusiastic aura the kid had from Klaus noticing him had disappeared and was replaced by a frustrated look. He's shaking his head and repeating the same words, seeming to enunciate each syllable properly, but Klaus' hearing is still very faint.
"What is he saying?" Luther asked softly, as if he might disturb their very confusing conversation.
Klaus scratched his head. "He keeps saying this is their land. Very territorial." He frowned. "No? Never mind, I think I've got that wrong because he just rolled his eyes pretty violently at me when I said that."
"What does it look like he's saying?" Five's tone was determined. He looked at the same spot Klaus was looking at like he could see the ghost too. (He can't, but it did make Klaus feel less crazy that he's the only one who can see him.)
"Our land."
Allison scrunched her nose in confusion. "Why would a teenage child be so concerned about his land?"
"And if he's really from the Sparrow Academy, then why would he ever be concerned about those stuff if Dad was around?" Diego added.
"He's also pointing at himself and the ground by Vanya once in a while." Klaus shrugged helplessly. "I'm genuinely trying but my mind's stuck on the words 'our land'. I guess we could keep waiting cause I do hear him really faintly."
"Our land, our land, our land," Allison muttered repeatedly as she paced back and forth. Klaus and Five stared at the spot where the kid is. (The former trying to focus, the latter trying to think.) Diego closed his eyes and lay back down in thought. Luther scratched his head and faced back to the door, keeping watch.
Vanya was watching Allison pace and mutter before a strange idea came to mind so suddenly, and she turned to face Klaus. "What did you say the kid looked like? Can you describe him?"
"Brown hair, brown eyes, looks around your height or a bit more taller." Klaus listed down. "He seems to really like you. He's been staring at you since the moment you talked."
It can't be. Vanya thought as she stared at the empty spot. It can't be. It's impossible. But it fits so far? 'Our land' is close, the familiarity Klaus can't place, and the fact that the kid most likely had to be special for Reginald Hargreeves to take interest in.
"Harlan?" She whispered unsurely, the urge to start crying filling her up as she took a step forward.
Klaus watched the boy light up and try to move towards Vanya and hug her, but he passed through her and she just very subtly shivered like she didn't realize she did it. The recognition clicked. "Oh my god, it's the kid from the 60s."
"The one that The Handler tried to take?" Diego asked as they all gathered. "How is he here?"
"Harlan, Harlan," Vanya muttered, tears starting to fall down her face, "I don't understand. What happened? How are you here?" She asked her question to virtually nothing but air, but Klaus told them the boy was enthusiastically grinning and actively listening now that he's recognized.
"I don't think that's exactly the question we want to ask." Allison mumbled, unheard by Vanya, but Five exchanged a look with her.
The kid was here, yes.
But the kid was also dead.
"He's not talking much, just…" Klaus trailed off, his tone turning somewhat sad. "He's trying to match where you're looking, so that it feels like you're looking right at him, I guess." And, wow, doesn't that just break your heart?
"Okay, okay," Vanya breathed in, attempting to gather herself. "We will sit down, and, Klaus?"
"I'll try to translate." Klaus sat on the floor first, still watching the kid. "So far, he's becoming more easier to see and I think bits of sounds are coming through clearer."
"He wasn't much of a talker back then, anyway." Vanya added before sitting down and expectantly looking at the air beside her. "Maybe he's much comfortable with signs or actions? Then you could just repeat that?"
"Ah, see?" Klaus looked pointedly at the boy. "I suggested charades earlier and you just ignored me."
"What are we asking?" Luther started when they've all settled down on the floor.
"Where's Sissy?" The question was expected, but Allison moved closer and placed a hand on Vanya's shoulder in support. "Harlan, where's your mother?"
Klaus watched as the kid's grin slowly disappeared as he shook his head and told the others. "He's not shrugging, Vanya." He explained when she insisted Harlan might just not know. "He's shaking his head and looking down. It's been almost sixty years since we were in the 60s."
Their sister visibly deflated and started to fold in on herself until she remembered the audience. "I see."
"Why is he here? In the Sparrow Academy?" Five asked after a moment of silence.
Harlan looked up and only shrugged before staring at his hands as if hoping something would happen. "I think he was brought here to train." Klaus interpreted carefully. "He looks like he's waiting for his powers."
"Can you tell us anything about this place?" Diego directed his question at the empty space, then looked at Klaus for an interpretation. "Maybe about the people? Or just an effective way to get us out?"
The boy tilted his head and said something.
"Sorry," Klaus moved closer, "I can almost hear you well enough. What did you say?"
"—ta."
"One more time."
"—a!" He jumped up and began pacing around the room, Klaus' eyes following him, ears straining to hear him well. "—it—! Ri—!"
"Are you—" Klaus scramble up to stand in front of the boy. "Are you saying 'Rita'?"
"Rita!" Harlan nodded. "Rita, Rita, Rita."
"I can hear him now." He updated the others. "He's saying Rita's name a lot."
Five's eyes snapped to Klaus at his words. The suspicion was practically radiating from him. "Rita? Number Zero? What is he saying? We can't trust her?"
Klaus paused to look back at his brother incredulously. "You are reading too much from just him saying her name. You can't even see him!"
"Rita is good!" The boy shouted with a smile, effectively grabbing Klaus' attention again. "Good! Like Vanya!" He moved around again until he's standing beside her, grinning up at her despite the fact that she can't see. But, luckily, Vanya could take cues from where Klaus was looking though, so she tried to follow where he's looking. (The fact that Harlan was actually here is still messing with her mind.) "Rita will help."
"So, we can trust Rita?" Allison said after Klaus interpreted his words.
"How do we know we can trust the kid ghost?" Diego raised. Vanya glared at him for a second before turning back to the empty space beside her.
"Ghosts don't really lie, unless it's for a reason." Klaus commented. "He seems to really like Vanya, though. I don't think he'd do anything that would hurt her." The boy seemed to have heard his words and nodded very seriously before turning back to Vanya.
"Harlan," Vanya's voice was soft as she addressed the kid again. "You think we can trust Rita?" And Klaus reported the boy nodding in response. "Then I'm sold. I'm trusting Rita now."
Klaus tilted his head. "I can't really say…much. I think I've been trusting her for a while now."
Diego looked back and forth between them, eyebrows furrowed. "We can't just be a-okay with all this because a kid tells us!" His arms were moving around, wildly gesturing.
"But I know Harlan." Vanya insisted.
Luther met her eye after a moment of silence, saying the words no one was telling her yet. "Harlan is a ghost now, Vanya. He's dead." Vanya looked away at his blunt words, but he continued. "We don't know what kind of things he went through or if he's still the same Harlan you know."
"Why don't we just ask the kid?" Five pointed out.
Klaus tilted his head. "Ah, well—"
"Maybe if we figure out what happened, we could—"
"Alright, Harlan, how did you die?" Diego interrupted, ever a man of action. Klaus did a double take and spluttered at his question before slapping Diego's arm and moving forward.
"Hey, no," Klaus' voice was soft as he talked to the ghost only he could see. "It's fine, ignore them. You don't have to— And, he's gone." The change of tone is accompanied by him staring out the door.
Vanya turned to Klaus with wide eyes. "What do you mean he's gone?"
"I mean he's gone. Ran away." He glared at his other siblings, with a bit more focus on Diego. "You asked him about his death, so he freaked out, rubbing his forehead a lot like he was in pain, and ran out the door."
Diego looked at them apologetically. "How was I supposed to know it would be a sensitive topic?"
Klaus hit him sharply at the back of his head. "The kid died! How is that not a sensitive topic?!" He sighed, looking around the room, as if hoping to see him again. "Ghosts 101 for Dummies Like You: not all ghosts have a hard time talking about their death. Some will actually keep talking about it endlessly. But you wanted answers, so you should have been more careful with what you say to them."
"Alright," Allison placed a hand on Klaus and Diego's shoulder. "Next time, we defer to you about ghosts. Is that good?"
"I'd rather not talk to any ghosts if I could help it." Klaus rubbed his face before sinking back to the ground. "At least I know I can see him now. If he comes back, I won't miss it."
"We have to make sure you don't get on timeout again." Luther crouched down to sit with him. "It might be harder for you."
"Hmm," Klaus agreed before leaning on his shoulder. "I can probably talk her out of it and say I've got a headache or something. It wouldn't be a lie, my head really does hurt a bit."
"Harlan said we could trust her." Vanya was still staring out the door. "Why don't we just tell her?"
"Because we don't know if Harlan can be trusted, Vanya." Five repeated, his tone sharp. "I know it's a bit hard to take in, but we need to make sure." His sister nodded reluctantly in acceptance before moving to lie down in the corner, curling into herself and facing the wall.
Five sighed and follows, sitting beside her and tapping her shoulder lightly. "I'm not going to apologize."
"I know."
"What I said made sense."
"I know."
"Are we good?"
"Yeah." Vanya turned to face him and the rest of her siblings who were subtly watching them. "It just… hurts. He was supposed to grow old and happy with Sissy and—" She cut herself off, roughly running her fingers through her hair before sitting up. "Klaus said he looked around 14 or 15. Harlan was 12 when we left them. Twelve."
(Allison watched her sister mourn the death of a kid she knew she cared for and loved. Suddenly, the fact that Claire doesn't even exist in this timeline struck her again for the millionth time since she's been trapped in this godforsaken room.)
"I should have…" Brought them with me? No, Vanya wouldn't have wanted them to be trapped with her here. "Done something." She ended, hopelessly.
"You couldn't." Diego pointed out. Aren't they all just so blunt today? "You couldn't bring them with you and you couldn't have stayed there."
"But we're gonna figure this out, okay?" Allison added. "We can't bring him back, but at least we can try to figure out what happened and you can help him find peace." She looked over to Klaus. "That's a thing, right?"
"Mhm," Klaus mumbled drowsily from his position still using Luther as a pillow. "Like Ben. Don't worry, Vanya. I'll see him again."