They were, of course, the first two to arrive at the Super Star, which was a bowling alley. Rachel had been there several times with her parents. She'd even had a birthday here that the Academy kids had been allowed to attend. It was one of those few exciting memories for the siblings. As they stood to the side of the building, just in a side alley, Five pulled Rachel into a tight embrace.

"I thought I'd lost you when I got back and found the building destroyed."

He pulled back and put a hand to her face.

"Are you hurt?"

Rachel shook her head against his hand.

"No…but Pogo and your Mom are dead. I'm sorry."

Five nodded with a heavy sigh. Rachel glanced around and pulled her head away from Five.

"Where's Dolores?"

Five looked away from her before looking into her eyes.

"Thought I was starting new…getting a new chance at life. I figured I'd do it right this time."

Rachel frowned at him, unsure what he was saying. Five let out a chuckle.

"You've said it before…Dolores was a crutch. One that…I am too emotionally attached to, I agree. I didn't need to…focus on her. If I hadn't felt guilty…you wouldn't have had to feel like you were any less of a woman. If we have a future, a second chance, I only need you. If…you still want me for another lifetime."

Rachel's face broke into a smile.

"Five! Is that a marriage proposal?"

He laughed and leaned his forehead against hers.

"I kind of meant it as a way of recommitting myself to you, but if you want to take it as that it saves me from asking later down the road."

Thrilled, Rachel leaned forward and kissed her partner. They'd been kissing for a few minutes when footsteps ran by them before slowing.

"Seriously? Right here, right now?"

They looked over to see Diego looking at them with disgust. The two separated. Five patted his brother's shoulder.

"Jealously is unbecoming."

"I'm not jealous when she looks thirteen. That'd be criminal."

The three of them met up with the others out front before going in and purchasing a bowling lane. Five and Rachel sat facing the lanes, Luther sat to their left with Allison sitting on the back of the chair beside him. Diego was to their right while Klaus sat beside him facing Five.

"Look, I hate to be the one to say this, but everyone needs to prepare," Luther told them.

"For what?" Diego demanded.

"To do whatever it takes to stop Vanya."

Allison hit him with her notebook.

"I—We may not have a choice, Allison."

"Bullshit," Diego said for his sister," There's always options."

"Yeah, like what?" Five insisted.

Rachel looked over at him in surprise.

"I don't know," Diego answered.

"Uh, talking, knocking her out so we can talk, apologizing?" Rachel suggested.

Luther sighed.

"Look, whatever we decide, we need to find Vanya. And fast, okay? She could be anywhere."

"Or…here," Klaus said, shaking the newspaper," Look at this."

Putting it down, he spread it out so everyone could see an advertisement in the paper. Everyone crowded around to see Vanya on a poster for the St. Pluvium Chamber Orchestra with her as the main violinist.

"That's right," Diego seemed to remember," Her concert is tonight."

"Hello."

They all looked up as a worker for the alley stood before them with blonde hair tied back in a ponytail. She wore the company's light blue polo. Her name tag read 'Midge.'

"I hate to intrude, but my manager says if you're not gonna bowl, you gotta leave."

They could all see the manager staring at them in annoyance.

"Whose turn is it?" Diego asked.

"Oh, for…" Luther picked up a pink bowling ball and tossed it.

It flew behind him, about three lanes over from where they were before getting a strike. Rachel have a light clap.

"Remind me not to play seriously against you," she quipped.

Allison tapped her notepad at Luther. As she was behind Rachel, she had to turn to see that it read 'She's our sister.'

"We're the only ones capable of stopping this," Luther told her," We have a responsibility to Dad."

Diego turned around enraged.

"To Dad? No, I've heard enough about—"

"He sacrificed everything to bring us back together," Luther stopped him.

"I'm with Luther on this one," Five admitted," We can't give her a chance to fight back. There are billions of lives at stake. We're past trying to save just one."

Rachel rubbed her knees and rocked back and forth a bit.

"But its Vanya," she looked around at them," Our Vanya. We…there has to be a way to reach her."

"Hey, you know, guys, uh…" Klaus suddenly spoke up," Maybe I could help."

"Now is not the time," Luther started.

"No, let him finish," Diego said to the shock of everyone," He saved my life today."

Klaus stood up.

"Is that true?" Luther asked surprised.

"Yeah, yeah, I did…take credit for it but, in fact, the real hero…was Ben."

Everyone stared at him in various degrees of confusion and annoyance.

"Today…Listen," Klaus sighed," Today, he punched me in the face. And earlier at the house, he was the one who saved Diego's life, not me."

"You are unbelievable, Klaus," Luther told him angrily.

"You want proof, is that it? All right. I—I'll give you proof."

He picked up a pink bowling ball and turned toward Five. Rachel's eyes widened as Five looked at her.

"All right," Klaus said," it's showtime, baby. Catch!"

He then tossed the bowling ball. Five slid toward Rachel to avoid getting hit, causing her to hop into the next seat over. The bowling ball hit the ground behind where Five had been. Rachel sighed. She'd really been rooting for him. Everyone looked at Klaus. That had been the last straw. No one would ever take him seriously again.

"Is there any way to silence that voice in your head that screams out to be the center of attention?" Luther asked.

"You know, I liked you a lot better before you got laid," Klaus snapped.

Everyone turned to the big guy in surprise. The guy had walked around wound tighter than any spring, so he'd obviously been a virgin until recently. Klaus tried to backtrack.

"Which was a complete…It—It wasn't his fault, 'cause he was ridiculously high, right? And—And the girl, she thought he was a furry…"

"Stop!" Luther cut in, horrified.

"Okay."

Luther slowly turned to look at Allison. Rachel covered her mouth to keep her amusement hidden.

"Allison, wait," he said, following after the woman as she walked away.

Five looked beyond irritated as Rachel moved to sit where he had been previously. Diego and Klaus took their previous seats as well. A heavyset woman came over with a teenage boy in tow. Both had glasses in the exact same shape, showing how related they were.

"Excuse me!"

She was evidently talking to Five and Rachel so they looked over at her.

"Excuse me, it's my son Kenny's birthday today, and…uh…wouldn't your kids be happier playing with kids their own age?"

Rachel glanced at Five out of the side of her eye. Did she think they looked related? They looked nothing alike.

"Assuming it's okay with your two dads."

It suddenly clicked with her that the woman assumed Klaus and Diego had adopted the two of them. Rachel looked over to see the two men staring blankly at her.

"I would rather chew off my own foot," Five snapped.

The woman awkwardly ran off with her son as Five and Rachel heard a familiar whooshing sound of a message tube. Rachel followed Five, hearing his brothers chat behind them.

"If I was going to date a man, you'd be the last man I would date."

"You'd be lucky to get me," his brother responded.

Rachel looked over Five's shoulder to see a tube addressed to them.

"How the hell did she find us?" he questioned.

Rachel shrugged as he suddenly dug into his pocket. He pulled out a candy. Unwrapping it, he found a tracker.

"Oh, Five…" the girl admonished.

"She's good," he said about the Handler before dropping it and crushing it.

Inside the tube was a fortune cookie that Five proceeded to split open. Unfolding it, the note read 'Time Marches On…Or Does It?' in printed text with 'Rain Quail, Rm 12' written in blue ink underneath. Rachel looked at him.

"Shouldn't we say something-"

She then blinked and found herself no longer in the bowling alley.

"…to your siblings. Why do I bother?" she finished.

They were now standing outside some rental motel that had a cottage feel.

"Stay here," Five told Rachel, but she grabbed his arm.

"No. You left me the last time you went to talk to her, and you came back with shrapnel in your abdomen. No. We go together."

Five sighed, but surprisingly didn't argue. The two marched inside to the indicated room. As they approached the door, a cheery voice reached them.

"Five, Rachel, I've been waiting for you."

Going inside, they found the room overly decorated in a cutesy fashion. On a raised dais was the waitress from Griddy's Doughnuts tied to a chair. A spread of pastries lay out on a table with a single candle. The Handler sat cross legged on the bed. While she was her usual blonde with a black dress, a nasty scar on her chin stood out. Rachel had been filled in by Five on what he did back at the Commission. It was nasty to see what the result had been on her face.

"You must really like doughnuts," Five stated, sarcasm in every word.

"It's been a while," the Handler said.

"Three days."

"For you, maybe. But for me, it's been a lot longer since I've seen those adorable little shorts. And look at you matching, Rachel. It's been even longer since I've seen you…well…in an older version. I should have known your partner's trick when he didn't bring you along."

"It's okay, he didn't tell me his plan either," Rachel gave a fake smile.

"Well, you've had time to heal," Five noted.

She sighed and moved toward them.

"Luckily, for us three, time…is the one thing my organization has an abundance of."

"Got your message, by the way," Five interrupted," Nice packaging, but so much for Commission protocol."

The Handler hummed as she came closer. Five moved in front of Rachel slightly.

"There have been…a lot of changes since you left the Commission."

She stopped in front of the two of them.

"You really did some damage," she told Five," The briefcases were all but destroyed, to say nothing of the…highly trained personnel you killed. After all, what is an institution if not for-"

"What do you want?" he cut in.

"To be happy. To have a simple…unfettered life, to…do the work my superiors require. But…your being here, well, it complicates that."

She moved over to sit on the gawdy orange couch in the room.

"Billions of people are about to die tonight. You can change that."

"Tonight, tomorrow. So little difference in the scheme of things."

Five and Rachel looked at each other. There was no convincing this woman of anything.

"Don't you remember the Commission's raison d'etre? What's meant to be is meant to be, or, as I like to say, que será, será."

"It's bullshit in any language. Why did you call us here?"

She sucked on her teeth for a moment.

"I wanna offer you two a choice. Everyone's going to die tonight, but…unlike the rest of the world, you and your beloved have a way out. You can abandon your family and skip ahead to the apocalypse, take a walkabout for a few decades, wondering if I'll come back and offer you a job again, or you can stay here, with your family, and…die a horrible death. Taking your love with you."

She popped open a champagne bottle and began pouring glasses. Five looked at Rachel then back at the Handler.

"While you weigh your options, just know your siblings are fighting for their lives without you."

"You brought us here to pull us away," Five realized.

Rachel cursed under her breath.

"It's been nice knowing you both," the Handler said before Five grabbed Rachel's arm and they jumped back to the bowling alley.

The entire place was overturned. There had certainly been a shootout. Bodies were everywhere. Rachel sighed.

"Kenny won't forget this birthday, that's for sure."

Five growled under his breath before he jumped them to the orchestra. The place was emptied with the Hargreeves hiding behind seats. Vanya was playing alone on stage, glowing with a white light.

"What's with all the lollygagging?" Five asked.

"Rachel! Five! Get down!" Luther shouted at them.

Commission agents shot at them, pushing them to duck for cover in the aisles.

"Five, what the…I thought you two bailed on us!" Number One continued.

"Uh, we had an errand to run," Five responded," This is not good."

Diego looked over at them.

"You know these guys?"

"Yeah, we do," Five said, crouching lower.

"And?"

"Well…we're screwed."

Diego tossed a couple of knives at the agents who came in. Klaus suddenly ran in from another entrance, jumping the stairs.

"Guys, it's Cha-Cha! It's Cha-Cha, she-"

Luther shouted for his brother to get down. He ducked just in time. Him coming in inspired Five to act, jumping onto one of the agents and turning him around to take out two of his comrades. Five then strangled that one. Rachel ran forward, taking the strangled agent's gun and shooting at two more in the back of the hall with deadly proficiency. She looked over, gun at the ready as she heard strained screaming. Her jaw just about hit the floor when she looked at Klaus and lowered her newly acquired gun. His hands were glowing blue. Before him stood a blue figure that was using Ben's power. Though he should be dead, he was taking out the agents like it was nothing. Rachel and everyone else stood and moved closer together.

"Oh, my God," Luther whispered," It's him. Ben."

Diego ran for the stage and tackled Cha-Cha just as she came around the corner. Looking at Vanya, her outfit began to change to a pure white. The hall was beginning to come down even more. After Klaus cleared out all the agents, Diego came back to them a bit flustered.

"Oh, welcome back. Where were you?" Luther asked as Diego came out from backstage.

"Honoring a memory. So, how do you wanna end this thing?"

"We surround her. All right? We come at her from all angles."

"So, it's a suicide mission," Klaus commented.

"Yeah, but one of us could get through. It's the only chance we've got," Five responded.

"We all in?" Luther asked.

Everyone agreed except Allison. Luther sighed and tapped Diego.

"Stage left."

He then pointed to himself.

"Stage right. You guys take the front."

Rachel moved through the center aisles after placing her gun on the floor. Once all the guys were set in place, she looked back at Allison. The woman looked torn on what to do. Rachel whistled at her, getting her attention.

"We can do this without killing her," Rachel reminded Allison before turning around to face the stage," Her emotions are too strong to change, so it's up to you. I'll help them distract her, but you save her."

With that, Rachel waited for the boys to make their move. They all surged forward at the same moment after Luther shouted. Vanya easily caught them with a swipe of her bow. She suspended them in the air before her with her powers, four white tendrils coming out of the white aura around her. Rachel reached out toward Vanya's feelings. Rachel felt herself burning, but she cringed and pushed forward, trying to instill calm and loving feelings into her friend. Vanya's powers pushed back before grabbing her as well. She just hoped that Allison would be able to find a way as she felt like her life was being sucked out of her. After what felt like hours, Rachel felt herself hit the ground. She gasped in deep breaths before getting up and running onto the stage. The guys were doing the same as they recovered. Allison sat holding Vanya in her arms.

"Is she alive?" Luther asked.

Allison was able to whisper a confirmation.

"She is? Yeah?"

"Oh, thank God," Klaus sighed.

"We did it," Luther looked around at them," We saved the world."

They were all checking on Vanya and whispering around her when Klaus got their attention.

"Uh, guys?"

They turned to where he was. Vanya's powers had blown the glass dome off the roof and the moon could clearly be seen in the night sky. What looked like a huge rock from the moon was hurtling toward them.

"You see that big Moon rock coming towards us?" Klaus asked.

"That's not good," Luther muttered.

"So, this is it, huh? So much for…saving the world."

"If only Sir Reginald could see us right now, huh?" Diego commented," The Umbrella Academy. A total failure."

Rachel looked up at Five as he clutched at his hair, trying to figure out what to do. She stood up and reached out to him. His feelings were frazzled as he ran through possibilities and then despair. He looked at her, nodding his head. He'd hit on an idea.

"At least we're together at the end," she heard Luther say behind her," As a family."

"This doesn't have to be the end," Five spoke up.

"What? What are you saying, Five?" Luther questioned.

Rachel could see the crazy glint in his eye of desperation.

"I think I have a way outta here. But you gotta trust me on this."

The guys all protested.

"Well, then, we might as well accept our fate, because in less than a minute, we're gonna be vaporized," Five responded over them.

Rachel snapped at the siblings then.

"Hey, at least listen before you say no!"

They all turned back before Diego looked back at Five.

"What's your idea, then?"

"We use my ability to time travel. But this time, I'll take you with me."

"You can do that?" Diego asked, surprised.

"I don't know. I've never tried it before, but if I can bring Rachel with me it's just a matter of adding six more people."

"What's the worst that can happen?" the knife thrower stated.

"You're lookin' at it. Fifty-eight-year-old man inside a child's body, so there's that."

"Oh, what the hell? I'm in."

"Yeah, whatever. I'm in."

"Me, too. Allison?"

Allison nodded. Luther turned to Klaus.

"What about Ben?

"Great, yeah, he's in."

Five nodded.

"Okay, great. Luther, grab Vanya."

As he lifted her into his arms with Allison's help, he looked around at them.

"Wait, should we be taking her? I mean, if she's the cause of the apocalypse, I mean, isn't that like taking a bomb with us?"

"The apocalypse will always happen," the boys shook his head, "And Vanya will always be the cause, unless we take her with us and fix her."

They all nodded before reaching out for each other's hands. Rachel gripped Five and Diego's hands tightly in her own. Above them, a blue electric cloud formed, pushing wind into their faces as Five attempted to jump them through time.

"It's working!" Luther shouted.

Five looked around at them.

"Hold on! It's gonna get messy!"

Looking around, Rachel could see the Hargreeves becoming their younger selves before they blinked out of 2019.

Author's Note: One or two short stories may come before Season 2 is released. We'll see what happens first! Please let me know if you guys want this story to continue on.