"I don't like this," Vanya says. She casts an apprehensive look over her shoulder, as though Dad might already be lurking there, having caught wind of their plans.
Predictably, nothing lurks but the empty alleyway. A few stray scraps of paper blowing listlessly in the gentle breeze.
Just beyond the alley, she can see the normal hustle of cars and pedestrians, but, where they are, it's just them.
Even so, she can't help but feel remarkably conspicuous.
She wraps her arms around herself.
"Yeah, well, you don't like anything," Diego dismisses.
"That's not true." Vanya wrinkles her forehead, hurt.
"Likes and dislikes aside," Klaus waves his hands for emphasis, "are we really just gonna knock on the door? Ask for little Number Five back? Isn't that more Allison's expertise? You know, with the whole rumor thing?" He twirls a finger through the air.
"Allison is halfway across the country right now, living her own perfect little life. I doubt she'd come, even if she knew."
That's not entirely true- Vanya has made an effort to keep up with her sister's life even if neither of them has ever made an effort to reach out to the other. Allison is entrenched in the middle of a nasty divorce from Patrick, but it doesn't seem like it's any of her business to bring it up right now.
"Listen, I agree with Klaus," Vanya interjects.
"Thank you!"
Diego rolls his eyes. "Whatever."
"I'm serious," Vanya presses. "I'm not saying we should forget about Five, but we left the academy for a reason. And now we're just going to bust back in? It's not a good idea."
"Well, if you've got a better one, I'm all ears, Vanya."
"What about Patch?" she asks. "Couldn't she find a way to help us?"
"How? By getting a warrant?" Diego shakes his head. "There's no way that will ever happen. Not with the kind of influence Dad has. The only way we're getting Five out of there is if we go in there ourselves and drag him out."
"I think I'm getting tired of this conversation… Aren't you?" Klaus shakes his head, addressing the space to his right.
A ghost…
She knows she's imagining it, but a chill sweeps up her back anyways.
"Klaus," she whispers.
"Sorry. It's just that someone can't leave me alone."
"Knock it off, both of you." Diego peeks his head around the corner, eying the academy.
Vanya can't deny that her heart is in her throat.
She'd told herself that she would never come back here again, that never again would lay eyes on the imposing building that had been her childhood home.
Deep down, she had always known she'd been lying to herself, that sooner or later, fate was going to draw her back to this place.
She just hadn't thought it would be sooner.
For Five, she tells herself. I'm doing this for Five.
Klaus is bouncing nervously, looking like he'd rather be anywhere but here.
Vanya can't say she blames him.
She'd also like to be anywhere but here.
…that's a selfish thought.
Five would be doing the same thing for her, wouldn't he?
"On three, okay?" Ignorant to her turmoil, Diego goes over the count with his fingers. "Three… Two… One…" He steps out of the alley, flexing his fingers.
Vanya follows his lead.
Behind her, Klaus mutters, "Negotiate with Dad. What could go wrong?" This is followed by a mildly hysterical chuckle.
"We're not negotiating with Dad," Diego says, eyes on the prize. Vanya doubts he's even really listening to what Klaus is saying. "I told you. We sneak in through the back. We get Five and we leave. It's that simple."
Klaus stumbles into her and she catches his arm, steadying him.
Bringing him along was a mistake.
The door swings open and Diego stops so abruptly that Vanya crashes into him. "Oomph!"
"Children." Mom stands on the threshold, smiling brightly. "It's so nice to see you again! Come in. You're expected."
"Oh, this is so not good," Klaus groans, turning away and putting his face in his hands. "We're dead. We're so dead."
"Expected?" Diego frowns.
This is already going south. Dad isn't supposed to know they were coming.
(But of course he'd known. He always did. He's always one step ahead of them, even now.)
"Of course." Mom doesn't seem to think anything is amiss. Then, baiting the trap, however unintentionally, she adds, "I'm sure your brother wants to see you all very much."
They exchange a glance.
Any thoughts they may have had of leaving are now dispelled.
Because Five is the one they came for. They're not leaving without him.
Diego is the one who starts. Vanya and Klaus follow behind him, little ducklings falling into line.
This is a bad idea. This is a bad idea. This is a bad idea.
It's a mantra, playing over and over again inside her head.
Not that it's doing any good.
She's still following her brother who's following Mom right into the lion's den.
She expects Dad to be waiting for them.
He isn't.
"Where's Dad?"
"Your father didn't want to see you." For the first time, Mom's smile dims and she seems uncertain. "I… tried talking to him, but…"
"No. That's okay." Diego brushes Mom's arm. "The feeling is mutual."
"Oh. Okay." Mom still seems confused.
"Mom, where's Five?" Vanya interrupts.
"Your father disowned him." Mom actually looks dismayed. "I tried talking to him, but his mind was made up."
"What? Daddy dearest actually… disowned him?" Klaus gives a disbelieving guffaw. "Maybe he could do that for the rest of us. Wait, no, nevermind." He shakes his head. "Gotta have my inheritance, y'know?"
"Yeah." Diego actually smirks. "I know."
"I know your father was a difficult man," Mom says.
"Is," Diego corrects. "Still is."
Diego tries and partially succeeds at schooling his expression. "Sorry, Mom." He clears his throat and Mom sighs.
/
Five is on his feet when he sees them.
His face twists, something like relief, pain, fear flashes across his face before it's gone.
He's small- so much smaller than Vanya remembers him being- but that's the only thing she registers before a cry leaves her lip and she's rushing forward. She crushes him to her chest, holding him tightly.
His arms slide around her, his shoulders shaking, but it isn't until she hears that first hitched breath that she realizes he's actually crying.
She's crying too.
"Vanya…" he chokes, holding her tightly. "Vanya…"
"Holy shit," Diego murmurs, reaching out to touch him, to feel for himself that he's present and real. He's gone pale. "Five… Where the hell were you?"
Five flinches and Vanya winces at his lack of tact. Deep down, though, she wants the answer just as much as he does. "Diego…"
But Five is tugging at her shirt. "Vanya, there's something important…"
"Oh my God." Klaus has his hands over his mouth, eyes shining with unshed tears. "Five… you're actually alive." He takes a shaky step forward, till his hands are clasped on Five's shoulders. "You're alive…"
"Klaus…" Diego whispers. He steps forward, wrapping strong arms around the three of them.
For the first time in a long time, Vanya feels at home.
It's not something she's ever felt in this place, the origin of her personal demons. It's not a feeling she dared to imagine having with her brothers.
Not after all the effort Dad put into isolating her from the others during their childhood and especially not after writing her book.
It doesn't last long.
"We need to go," Diego says grimly. "Before Dad changes his mind."
Vanya agrees, but first, there's something important. "Mom," she turns to their mother, "is there anything we need to know about Five's… condition?" She grimaces. She had tried to put it delicately, but still… it doesn't come out quite right.
"I'm fine," Five says tersely. "You don't need to talk about me like I'm not here." But he doesn't let go of Vanya.
Which is fine.
Vanya doesn't want to let him go either.
For the first time, Mom looks troubled. "He needs food. And rest. Lots of rest."
"I'm fine!" Five repeats, more forcefully this time. He's gone rigid in Vanya's arms.
"Hey!" Diego snaps. "This is important."
Five glowers at him. "I don't need a lecture from you…"
Mom glances between the two of them. "Boys," she says sternly.
Diego immediately appears chastened. "Sorry, Mom."
Five doesn't seem to be mollified in the slightest, but he has the sense to keep quiet at least.
/
"I don't understand how, after everything, Dad would just let us go," Diego mutters. He casts a mistrustful glance over his shoulder, like he still expects to be dragged back.
That gets a wry smile out of Five. "He always said he wanted us to save the world."
"I always thought that was bullshit," Klaus sighs. To no one, he says, "What? You totally did too!"
Five looks at him curiously. "A ghost?"
Klaus actually appears shocked, before a smile slowly spreads across his face. "Yeah. Yeah, you could say that."
They keep walking.
Back then, they all had thought Dad was full of shit.
Not that any of them ever dared to say it to his face.
Still, it leaves a bitter aftertaste.
Always nothing more than a tool to meet Dad's own ends.
Even if those same ends are now Five's.
He's going to stop the apocalypse. He's going to save the world, save his family.
And he's not going to let anything stop him.
/
Her apartment has never felt smaller than when she brings her three brothers home with her.
"I'm sorry," she starts to say, unsure exactly what she's apologizing about, but it's just second nature at this point.
There's always something to apologize for.
"There's nothing to be sorry for," Klaus interrupts her and he's so sincere about it that Vanya doesn't know what to say.
So she says nothing, instead putting a kettle on the stove for some tea. Still, her heart swells inside of her. They're starting to act like a family. A real family.
Maybe this time, they can make it work.
/
Making Five sleep on the couch is unthinkable after what he's been through. He deserves a bed. A real bed.
And one that isn't in the home of the man who called himself their father.
So Vanya decides that she'll take the stiff couch.
Five will get the bed.
Tomorrow, they'll start working on a more permanent (and comfortable) arrangement.
Diego and Klaus are still in the kitchen. She can hear them puttering around, probably trying to cook something.
She doesn't think either one of them intends to leave, but that's okay with her. They'll just have to content themselves with sleeping on the floor.
Vanya finishes making up the bed with new sheets (she'd scraped up some extra money and there'd been a sale…) and turns to leave.
Someone has to make sure the two boys don't burn the apartment down. As the only responsible adult present, that burden unfortunately falls on her shoulders.
"Wait, Vanya-" Five calls out to her, stopping her dead in her tracks. "Don't leave. Please."
Her heart stutters in her chest.
Klaus and Diego can burn the whole place down if they so desire.
She can't leave her brother. Not when he begs her to stay.
"You know, after you left, I thought… I thought you had abandoned me," she says carefully. She isn't sure what compels her to speak. She takes a seat on the bed beside him.
How strange it feels to be saying those words to her thirteen year old brother who clearly has suffered so much.
"I didn't mean to." He won't look at her, repeatedly running his thumb over his knuckles.
"I know." Vanya reaches out and touches his knee. "I know that now, but at the time… I was angry with you, I think. I didn't want to be."
He raises his head, eyes shining with unshed tears, and she just continues talking.
"Back then, I was thirteen too and… I didn't know what else to do," she admits. "I used to leave you peanut butter and marshmallow sandwiches."
Five's face twists in grief and he hastily wipes his sleeve across his eyes, but not before Vanya has a chance to see the first signs of tears. "I'm sorry I wasn't there," he chokes.
"Five," Vanya breathes. "It wasn't your fault."
"But it was. If I had just listened to Dad, I would never…"
She's all too familiar with blaming herself for something entirely out of her hands. "You couldn't possibly have known."
"Maybe I should have…"
"How?" she counters.
Five's mouth drops open as he struggles for words. "I…"
"You were a child, Five," she says. "You were a child and Dad was such… such an asshole and he held us to these standards that were impossible to meet for anyone. Not just us." It feels impossibly good to finally give voice to what she's always known, even before she could fully grasp just how terrible Reginald Hargreeves had been at being a father. Those words mean something to her.
They're powerful.