Ben trudged back through the Academy doors. He was sore as hell. Channeling nether beasts from your abdomen was never easy, but when the shoot-out with the mob got out of hand, he had no choice. It was either unleash the beast or watch his family get picked off one by one.
"Nice, Ben." Diego slapped a hand on his back, rubbing him comfortingly through his shirt. "I know it's not easy."
Ben gave his brother a small, appreciative smile. Everyone filed up to their rooms, emotionally and physically exhausted. Ben did the same, his mind on his bed and his bed only.
Then he saw Klaus's door. He thought about what had happened at the dining table earlier that evening. Ever since then, he felt awful for not jumping in. It wasn't that he didn't want to, he just didn't feel like the timing was all there with the clock ticking with the mob meetup. Maybe he had been lumped into the group too…
Ugh. He had promised himself he wouldn't do that. He always told himself that if he had been alive, he wouldn't feed into any of the BS his siblings did. That included everybody.
Luther's tendency to over or under lead. Diego's hot temper. Vanya's passiveness. Allison's ego-wall built around a mesh of insecurities. Klaus's dismissal of his deeper problems. Five's cocky stubbornness…
And overall, their lack of empathy or overflow of ignorance for one another- specifically Klaus. He knew how Klaus felt. He knew the shit he went through. He knew that somehow, his heart was secretly bigger than his mouth but he never cared to make sure anyone recognized that- he was subtly sensitive, but unlike everyone else in this damn family, he didn't ask for anything in return.
So, yeah… Ben felt like shit. He felt like he was blinded by his own happiness behind his new acceptance back into the group- into the "clique".
"Klaus?" He softly called for his brother, rapping on the door gently. He waited for an extravagant "Eintreten!" or "Yes dear?".
…Nothing.
"You awake?" Ben tried again. Nothing. Was he sleeping or was he mad? It was anyone's guess. "Dude… I'm sorry. I should've backed you up earlier. I don't know what's been going on lately, but- Klaus, can we just take please?"
Waiting…
Waiting…
Waiting…
Nothing.
Ben sighed and pounded on the door definitively twice with his fist.
"We'll talk tomorrow. You're not getting out of it." He said before walking back to his room.
But there was no talk tomorrow. Because when Ben went back to Klaus's door, not once but three times, he finally started to get a little worried. At first, he imagined that maybe his brother was brooding, but that wasn't Klaus's style. His attention span was tinier than a pinprick- he forgave and forgot pretty quickly.
When 3:00 PM rolled around, he started to get fidgety. Not even attempting to knock, Ben ran to a drawer and pulled out a paper clip, bending it accordingly to shove it into the small lock hole in Klaus's doorknob. With a few twists and jiggles, the door popped open to exactly what Ben was afraid of-
Klaus wasn't even there.
"Shit…"
Ben bounded out of the room, making his rounds throughout the house.
"Have you seen Klaus?"
"Mm… No? Should I have?" Allison asked, eyebrows knit together. Ben didn't answer. He ran to Diego's room.
"Have you seen Klaus?"
"Nope. Thought you guys were attached at the hip."
Ben moved on.
"Klaus?"
"Probably scoring some smack."
"Shut up, Five." Ben rolled his eyes. Vanya and Luther had no idea either. Jesus… Had he been out all night and day? "Alright, family meeting." Ben said, tapping Luther's doorframe before leaving to announce the same to the others.
"Wha- Ben!"
"Now!" Ben called back.
It didn't take long for everyone to join in the living room, but it was still too slow for Ben's urgency.
"Klaus is gone." Ben announced once he had everyone's hesitant attention. Diego threw out a hand.
"And? He's a big boy."
"You guys don't need to do everything together anymore, you know." Vanya tried to sympathize reasonably.
"No, I- I know that. This is different. He's been missing ever since the mission."
Luther sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly.
"I'm probably to blame for that one. I shouldn't have come across so dismissive. He's probably just upset. I'm sure he'll be back soon."
"You don't know Klaus. He's… erratic. Unpredictable."
"We know that. We know Klaus, Ben. He's our brother." Five tried to argue.
"You really don't though!" Ben kept pushing. They glanced at each other, surprised at his uncharacteristic apprehension. "Did you know Dad locked him in a mausoleum constantly when he was younger? Did you know it still traumatizes him? Did you know he still goes there in his head, screaming in his sleep and trembling while awake and that's why he can't stand ?"
"What about the fact that he was dragged there when we time jumped back? No one noticed he was gone." Ben pointed out, tersely. Then, his mood shifted. In a small voice, he added, "Including me."
No one added anything so he kept going.
"Did you know he's overdosed and been resuscitated over a dozen times in the past five years alone? Did you know he died trying to help you that night at the club, Luther? Did you know he fought in Vietnam? He traveled back after Hazel and Cha-Cha tortured him. Again- no one noticed. He stayed there for ten months and even-"
Ben stopped midsentence. He was getting heated and unleashing a little more than he felt like he had the right to. Who knows how much Klaus wanted everyone to know. He drew the line at mentioning Dave.
"Just… He's been through a lot that he doesn't voice out loud and everyone gives him shit for what they know nothing about. He's far from perfect. In fact, he's a piping hot mess. But trust me, there's more to him and I'm worried. I think… I feel that something's… off. I think we should take a minute and pay attention to him for once. Real attention."
Ben stepped off of his soapbox and soaked in the reactions. They looked like a bunch of scolded puppies. Good. It needed to be said in order to get them on board.
Diego was the first to speak up.
"How are we going to find him?"
About an hour later, all six of them found themselves at a dingy bar that Ben knew all too well. Klaus had a lot of connections here and often, Ben would be spending the night beside a blacked-out Number Four, making sure he didn't overdose right there on the spot (as if he could do anything anyway).
"Can I help you?" A girl asked lazily from behind the bar. Ben approached, everyone else looking around the shabby joint in a mix of disgust and shyness.
"We're looking for our brother. Klaus Hargreeves? Has he been here?"
"Hell if I know."
"Well… Is Georgie here?"
"Who's askin'?"
"Look- My brother bought a lot off of him, alright? I only-"
"Shh!" The woman broke from her disinterested trance to berate Ben. "Shut your mouth with that stuff around here. You're going to attract unwanted attention. Unless you're a customer, you need to hightail it outta here, buddy."
"Move over, Ben." Allison muttered, sliding into place next to him, leaning over the bar. Ben let her do her thing. "I heard a rumor…"
And from there, they learned a lot… to Ben's dismay, that is. Klaus had been there. They found that out pretty quickly as soon as Diego flashed a picture of him and Allison compelled the bartender (who turned out to be "Georgie's" fiancée).
"Yeah. He was here. He was here last night to do business with Georgie."
Ben felt his heart drop… He was hoping to God she didn't say that… He had a sneaking suspicion that Klaus was on the hunt for drugs, but he didn't want to assume it. He had more faith in his brother than that or… maybe he didn't. Klaus had been on a rollercoaster of sobriety versus high tirades lately. This wasn't exactly surprising.
But, still… Something was… off…
"I'm sorry, dude. He's probably just out on a little bender. He'll be back. He always comes back." Diego put a hand on Ben's shoulder, trying to offer sympathy. Ben thought about it for a second, noting how his siblings all turned and started towards the door in defeat. Ben wasn't ready to go yet.
"Are you sure?" He asked the girlfriend who still looked perplexed by Allison's effect on her.
"Ben, c'mon." Luther called back, halting all the siblings who waited for Ben impatiently.
"Yes. I'm sure." She said, tinged with irritation.
"For drugs?" Ben continued to press, needing her to say it before he believed it.
"No. For a pack of Hubba Bubba. Ben- What are you trying to do here?" Five cut in sarcastically.
"No." The woman answered. Everyone turned to her. Ben's interest peaked. The whole room's did.
"No?" Luther pressed, joining Ben's side. "But you said he did business with-"
"Not drugs."
"Then what?"
"Falsified identification. It's Georgie's side job."
"Like… An ID? Fake ID?" Luther questioned.
"Damn good ones."
Ben looked back at his siblings that looked just as confused as he felt.
"Why would Klaus need an ID?"
"Didn't say. It'll be ready for him to pick up tonight."
Ben looked back at his siblings again. What on Earth was this kid up to?
"I'm staying. I'll wait for him." Ben said, moving to a shabby table and pulling out an equally shabby chair to sit down in. No one knew what to do.
"Well… Do you want us to wait with you?" Luther asked, smartly forfeiting his leading right to someone who knew much more about Klaus than anyone else did.
"Nah… I don't want him to get freaked out." Ben dismissed but he was grateful for the offer.
"That's true. If Klaus left because of us, he may not want to see all six of our smiling faces all at once." Five reasoned.
"Well, I'm not stranding you here at this… establishment." Diego said, taking a glance of disdain around the room. "We can wait out in my car. Everyone else can go back in Five's van."
Ben nodded. Diego looked at Luther. "If that's okay with everyone…" He added. Lately, they've been trying to bury the hatchet with the 'who's better at leading' thing. It was almost humorous watching Diego reluctantly ask for permission that he didn't truly feel he needed.
"Sure. Yeah. Keep us updated." Luther said, starting to herd the rest of the siblings out of the bar.
"Bring him home." Vanya told Diego and Ben before turning and following. Ben hoped they could do just that.
Hours went by. Most of them were spent quietly, both Ben and Diego deep in their own thoughts as they stared out the windshield.
"So… over 15 years with Klaus, eh?" Diego stirred up the silence. Ben snapped out of his whirlwind of thoughts- he was stuck in a mind loop of guessing every possible thing that Klaus could be planning right now. He was glad for the distraction.
"Yeah. It's been…" How does he describe life with Klaus? He doesn't. That's how.
Diego chuckled.
"So why the secrecy? I mean, especially when we were all still living at home for those few years after… He kept talking to someone but no one ever asked. It was just a Klaus thing, I guess."
"How'd you feel if right after I died, Klaus told you that I'm still around every day?"
"…Freaked out at first, yeah. But-"
"Would you be able to move on? Or would you constantly be hounding Klaus to be mediator? Would you believe him in the first place, or-"
"Alright, alright. I get it. I get it."
More silence followed.
"He won't leave." Diego cut in again. Ben made quick eye contact before turning his gaze back to the building. "Us, maybe, yeah. Not you though."
Ben sighed.
"We'll see… Wait…"
Ben sat forward and squinted through the hazy dusk lighting. Diego followed suit.
"What? You see something?"
On cue, the screeching sound of tires sliced through the air. Smoke rose from the alleyway in between the bar and the diner next door. Ben shoved open the passenger door and rushed to his feet outside, taking a step towards where a car was peeling out onto the street and away from the bar.
Despite the sunglasses and beanie, it was instantly clear to Ben who was driving. Even if he didn't clearly see his brother behind the wheel, the blasting of Cage the Elephant's new album was enough.
"Is it him?" Diego asked, getting out to see the vehicle shoot straight by them and down the street. "Shit! How'd we miss him?"
Ben rushed back into the car.
"He knew. He knew we were here."
Diego took one more look at the car speeding down the street and then fell back into the driver's seat.
"Let's go." He said, bringing the car to life and peeling out after him.
It didn't take long for them to lose him though. Partially because he had absolutely no regard for any type of law or limit. Klaus didn't even know how to drive. That didn't stop him from zooming through the city and over sidewalks and through red lights though.
"Damnit!" Diego yelled, slamming his fists into the steering wheel. "So he has an ID and a car… What the fuck."
They returned home after that. There was no use in roaming aimlessly. They didn't even get to walk through the front door before they were rushed out again though.
"Get back in the car. We're leaving."
"What- Why?" Diego questioned, flipping the keys in his hands and taking a few steps back towards where he and Ben just came from.
"We found Klaus."
"So did we. He sped off though. In a car. An actual car."
"Well, now he's about to speed off in an 'actual' plane. So if we're done with the small talk-" Five hurried, getting into his van while the rest clambered into the back.
"What?" Ben had to question, although he did so while heading back to Diego's passenger seat.
"Five had the idea… I mean, why else would he need ID?" Luther informed.
"Why would he be there now?"
"Because I called and rumored this chick into looking up Klaus's name. He's headed across country. The flight leaves in forty minutes." Allison added before slamming the van's back door shut.
"Shit…" Diego muttered, slamming the keys into the ignition. And off they went once again.
Ben's mind was spinning wildly. He was leaving cross-country? Klaus had barely been out of the state unless he was so high that he ended up in Michigan by accident. Why would he- How did he- Ben didn't even know what to think. Klaus was a drama queen for sure, but this was a bit ridiculous.
Would he just… leave like that? How long was he planning on being gone?
"Ben!" Diego yelled. It sounded like he'd been trying to catch his attention for a while. Ben looked at him. "We're here, bro."
Oh.
"Which flight again?" Vanya asked, all six of them scanning the board of departures.
"8:45 to San Francisco."
"Got it. Gate 2." Ben said, already on his way there. His mind flew around the words "San Francisco". What the fuck was in San Francisco?
"There's something… familiar about it. San Francisco." Ben said, rushing through the crowd and glancing back at his train of siblings.
"Yeah! Good job, Ben! It's a city in California!" Five praised sarcastically. Ben rolled his eyes.
"I mean, there's something else. Something… I can't remember…"
"Excuse me, sir. You have to go through the checkpoint and security." A huge guy stepped in front of Ben, hindering his way. There was a long-ass line moving through employees checking boarding passes and ids.
"I- Uh- I don't have a boarding pass. I just need to talk to someone." Ben said, trying to look around the guard's shoulder. He saw the sign staring at him from a just a half-football field length away: Gate 2.
"Nope. Not how it works." The man denied again. Ben clenched his jaw. He was so close and the clock was ticking.
"There he is!" Allison yelled pointing past the man. Ben looked.
He was in fact right there- headphones and all. Klaus sat in a seat near the gate, his knees pulled to his chest and his fingers drumming on his knee. He didn't look upset. He didn't look happy. He just looked… Well, he was pretty unreadable.
"Klaus!" Ben yelled out. Of course, he didn't hear him though. He knew how loudly Klaus blasted his music. Still, he didn't know what else to do as people started to get in line to board the plane, Klaus included. "Allison-"
"Yeah, I got it."
Ben let Allison push past him, approaching the large man who was becoming increasingly unamused.
"I heard a rumor that you let us through."
The man's face turned from steely to blank. He stepped to the side.
"Thanks, Sis."
Ben ran. Klaus was second in line, fiddling with his boarding pass between his fingers. How could he just leave like this? Without a note? Without a call?
"Hey! Stop!" Someone yelled from behind him. Security guards started coming out of all angles. Ben kept running.
"Klaus!"
His brother approached the attendant, giving her a polite smile as she scanned his pass. He saluted her before turning and moving through the doorway.
"Klaus!"
Number Four disappeared behind the line of people who followed him through the gate. Ben had a feeling it was too late, but he didn't want to accept it.
He was kind of forced to accept it when a body tackled him to the ground though. The only reason he wasn't dragged off to some holding cell was that his siblings stepped in and after a big chaotic fight/bargain, they were let go as long as they never returned.
It was a quiet ride home.
"We lost Klaus." Ben muttered when they pulled back into the driveway. Diego looked at him.
"We didn't lose Klaus."
"He walked onto an airplane that's flying across the country as we speak."
"Well, we know he'll be in San Francisco… For some reason."
He didn't know if it was the way Diego said it or just a coincidence that everything clicked in that second, but Ben's eyes went wide.
"Wait… I know exactly where he is."
It was sunny, he guessed. He never really cared too much for sunny, warm weather but it was nice enough. It was different for sure, which Klaus really needed. Not to mention, there were fewer voices trying to attack him here. He didn't know if the trope of more ghosts taking to darker, dreary conditions rather than sunny beach scenes were true, but it was holding up so far.
"Alright- Phone, bathroom, first bedroom, second bedroom, laundry… I don't know. Need anything else?" Klaus's friend Anthony gave him the house tour.
Anthony was one of Klaus's oldest friends. He was his smoking buddy all the way back when he was only 13. They'd grown apart over the years, but they never truly lost contact. Just a few years ago, Klaus saw him at a bar and they got a drink together. He didn't really mean for it to happen, but a woman was following Anthony that night and Klaus mentioned it.
How was he to know that it was Anthony's newly deceased sister?
His friend was freaked out at first, but by the end of the night, they had a long, much-needed conversation and ultimate goodbye with Klaus in the middle as a translator. Anthony told him that he owed him big time. Anytime he wanted to stay at his beach house in San Francisco, he was welcome to- Whenever he wanted, for as long as he wanted.
Anthony had done pretty well as a dealer and had a couple of houses around the country. Klaus never really thought he'd take him up- he was always too high to travel anywhere. Now seemed like the perfect opportunity though. A free house on the opposite side of the country from his ex-family?
Sweet.
"Nah, nah… This is… beautiful. Thanks, man." Klaus chirped happily, excitedly taping his fingertips on the stone counters. "You're sure you're cool with me crashing here?"
"Yeah, I'm headed back home tomorrow anyway. Stay as long as you'd like. Just… don't do any business here. Get what I mean?"
"Oh, I don't think- I'm sober."
Anthony looked taken aback.
"You?"
Klaus chuckled.
"Next thing you'll be telling me is that you're a virgin too."
"Hah. No, that ship has sailed."
"Well… Have fun, dude. Call me sometime. We've gotta catch up."
He patted Klaus on the back and left him alone in the neatly decorated house. Well this was certainly more of a change than he was expecting, but he felt like it was the right move.
Who cared that he kind of felt like there was a hole in his chest without his brother? Who cared that he wasn't used to this kind of silence? That it was strange without the sound of Luther's record player down the hall or Vanya practicing violin downstairs or Five and Diego in a heated argument over who-the-hell-knows-what.
He could learn to like silence, right? Relaxation. Calmness. Stillness. Quality alone time…
Eh, who was he kidding… He'd go hit the nightlife.
"Ready?" Five looked around at everyone. Ben nodded.
They waited two days to hear from Klaus… gave him space, gave him room. They didn't get anything from him though. Ben was sure of that because he never left the vicinity of the house phone.
Then it took them three days to track down his friend Anthony and make him give up the beach house address. Ben had remembered when Klaus talked to his dead sister and the guy offered up his beach house. Ben had urged for Klaus to go… partially because he himself wanted to see the Pacific, but Klaus ended up overdosing the next day and spent a month in rehab instead.
Anyway… Regarding getting Anthony to talk, Allison may have jumped in a bit. She wasn't happy with how much she had been using her powers lately, but, "Fine. If it's for Klaus." She'd say.
And then, even further, it took another day for Five to practice jumping and get juiced up for a cross-country spatial-jump.
So, it had been nearly a week since Ben had seen his brother. It felt weird. It felt so weird. It was quiet, and uneventful, and just plain lonely. He wasn't really sure how to function without being worried about Klaus tumbling off high places, getting into fights for saying the inappropriate thing at the wrong time or just… drugs.
It wasn't like Ben couldn't have his own life but he just didn't like it without Klaus. It was contrary to what you'd believe, but he couldn't even focus on his book without Klaus rambling about flamingos or something.
The whole house felt his absence. Klaus certainly had a presence. It was one of those things that they dismissed when they had it, but once it was gone, it couldn't be ignored. Without his constant, sometimes irritation attempts to lighten the mood, the place was just a giant brood-fest. People were getting on each other's nerves more easily, Five was becoming even more of an egotistic asshole, Luther was being a bossy prick, Diego was always angry, Vanya just seemed sad and Allison hardly talked to anyone. Well… Really, none of them conversed as much as usual. It was like the fun had been sucked right out of the house.
Ben knew it, but he knew it was harder for everyone else to see- Klaus filtered so much subtle love into the background of their lives that they desperately needed in their dark, edgy, dysfunctional family. Everyone loved one another and whatever, but no one was as open about it as Klaus was. He didn't push it in your face. He didn't ask for anything in return. He was just empathetic but in a way that he hid behind his other traits- Erraticism, impulsiveness, irritating, provocative, inappropriate… He may try to act like he didn't care but Ben knew better.
Why hadn't he called? Was he okay? Was he really that mad?
"Ready." Luther affirmed Five's previous inquiry. They all held hands in a circle, ready for sunny skies and sandy beaches… something Ben never thought of when he thought of Klaus, but here they were.
"Hold on tightly." Five said before a stormy cloud of light appeared above them. The last thing Ben felt was Allison gripping his hand and Five gripping the other. And then, just light… Lots of light.
Okay. ONE more chapter after this since I'm so long-winded.
And guys: Do yourself a favor and go watch "Misfits" on Hulu. Robert is, once again, AMAZING and the funniest, wildest, most adorable show-stopping character… so… Klaus, basically. But different! Klaus looks toned down compared to this kid.
I just keep looking at lil' Sheehan like a lil' Klaus.
On another note… It kind of worries me regarding Robert's own erratic tendencies. He gets bored with things easily and likes to try new projects which is great, but he left Misfits really early because of it. Sometimes I'm worried about him staying with TUA.
Anyway, thanks for all the support and reviews! You guys are truly the best.
asms2: I know! I really wonder how much little-Klaus will be in season 2. I know I had some repeat-ish moments from the last story with Ben unleashing on the siblings but I just love the visual too much haha.
Armi451: Thank you! It's been a pleasure to write so far.
PollyWolly: Thank you! I certainly will.
Guest: THANK YOU!