She with The Flowers in Her Hair| Number Five

🌷CHAPTER 7: Intruders🌷

A few weeks after the children's first encounter with little Ellie, the green-eyed girl began coming over more often, joining in their training. Days turned into months and then eventually to years, the children grew closer, bonding through the shared trauma they have experienced, inflicted the one and only Reginald Hargreeves. The days were ruthless, pushing them to their emotional, mental and physical limits. Nights were the escapes, the seven siblings sneaking out as Wulfric instructed and using the key to get their nightly fix of fun and relaxation. To be children for a couple hours. 

Wulfric and Elizabeth Hayes loved having the kids over. As happy as they were with having the green-eyed girl in their lives, their heart just swelled ten times over as they heard them laugh and have the time of their lives, just being kids rather than weapons. From the countless nights that the children spent in their home, they'd treat them as their own, Allison and Vanya warming up to Elizabeth as a motherly figure much like Grace had, warning them about boys, the woman's eyes drifting to Luther that had a blush on his face as she caught him looking at the curly haired, Allison. The boys on the other hand had a soft spot for the woman, her motherly instincts often being expressed as she subtly comforted them whenever she noticed them going through a slump. An action that Reginald restrained Grace from doing as often as she should have. 

Wulfric Hayes was definitely the father they wished their own was. He treated the girls as he would treat his own daughter, they were princesses, and they felt it. He was protective, trying to disregard how Diego and Five would look at little Ellie, and Luther to Allison. The couple always dreaded for them to go back home, they knew that Reginald wasn't really the father type, he didn't care that they were only children, they had powers and that was the only thing that mattered to him. Deep down they knew that their attempts to make something out of their childhood could never fix the trauma their friend has inflicted through the years, but still felt strongly to making them feel the love they so need and deserve.

~~~

Another late night graced the Hayes household, an aroma of freshly baked cookies and powder donuts wafting in the air, as coffee and hot chocolate steeped on the stove and the kettle. The children sat around the counter, telling the adults stories of their training day, Diego and Luther sporting matching band-aids from their duel that afternoon. Vanya spoke quietly to Elizabeth and told her about the new song she learned to play on the violin while the others trained. Ben walked out of the library carrying a few books in his hands, an excited smile on his face. Klaus and Allison talked quietly, sipping on their chocolate, a plate of cookies in front of them. Ellie who didn't feel like having warm cocoa, stood in front of the fridge looking for the bottle of milk, Five behind her holding two glasses sharing the same sentiment.

By the end of the night, everything was gone and the children were sleepy, seven of which still had to trudge home the other one already asleep on the sofa. The couple said goodbye to the Hargreeves, watching them leave before turning to their own daughter. Wulfric laughed silently trying not to wake her up, squatting and placing one of his arms underneath her knees and then to her back carrying her to bed. Elizabeth proceeded to the kitchen, seeing Monique cleaning the mess, pitching in to pick up some of the trash scattered on the counter. 

Wulfric laid his daughter on the bed, her body clinging on to the sheets. His feet lead him to the door, flicking the light switch off before leaving. As he approached the kitchen he heard  the two women converse as they cleaned he immediately padded towards them, joining the conversation, one concerning the children that had just left. A few minutes elapsed, the three now sipping on some tea, warming their insides from the cold breeze of the night that entered through the wide open window.

A muffled shattering of glass was heard, making the adults look toward the saloon. Wulfric stood up, holding his hand up to his wife who followed him, he stood under the door frame of the kitchen trying to peek through the dark halls. "Wulfric, please don't..." Elizabeth whispered placing her hands on his waist, but was dismissed as he pushed her back, his eyes landing onto a discarded bat on the floor picking it up walking towards the origin of the noise.

His wife could only sigh, her breath shaky as she whipped her head towards Monique who stood in her place, shivering from fear. "Monique, please go and keep Ellie safe. Keep my daughter out of it, don't let her out. No matter what. Go now." She watched the maid that ran to the stairwell, her heels left on the ground as she sped out. She could feel tears sting her eyes, her mind made up as she took a knife from the counter, stubbornly following her husband.

~~~

The sleeping Ellie awoke to someone shaking her roughly, her eyes shot open as she saw Monique's face directly in front of hers, fear riddled her expression as she did. "Miss Ellie..." She whispered as she wrapped the girls into her arms, embracing her tightly. "What's going on?" The question rang through her head louder as she heard the woman cry. She felt the overwhelming fear that oozed out of the crying woman, trying her best to understand why she had such emotions while she attempted to console her. Before the girl could ask her again, a boom of a gunshot made them pull away from each other, dread creeping up into their chests.

"Monique. What was that? That was a gunshot. What's going on?" The girl stood up, looking like she was going to stomp outside but was stopped by Monique's hand that pushed her back, and guarded the door. " I cannot let you do that Miss Ellie. Your mama told me not to let you go out there, and I will do as she asks." She said firmly.

"Mama and Papa are out there? We need to help them then!" She cried pushing past the woman only for her to be picked up and clutched tightly in the woman's arms. She thrashed trying to get out but failed, her mind not seeming to work as she did so. Monique's heart broke as the girl pleaded, tears streaming down her face. After a few moments the girl appeared to have calmed down tear-stained face turned stony. Her attempts to get loose stopped, making the woman let the girl sit in front of her. Seconds passed and Monique took her eyes off of the girl, feeling as if she wouldn't try anything stupid, but alas, the woman suddenly felt unnervingly calm, an overwhelming amount of sleepiness washing over her leaving her mind paralyzed, not having any strength to fight it. Before she fell back into the dark abyss of sleep she heard a soft familiar voice speak to her.

"I'm so sorry Monique..." 

EDITED