Muddled Senses *The Umbrella Academy Fanfiction*

*Chapter Twenty Three*

Edited 3/15/2021

Flashback

Terror. Fear. Vague concepts that as they become real, start to have physical weight on the bearer. The hard cold floors leave my butt sore, the edges of the caskets I am leaning against dig into my neck. "Dad! Let me out!" A boy's voice screams, close enough it is directly in my ear.

"Klaus, please," I whisper out. My arms are wrapped around his waist as I hug him. The fear is just as prominent in me as in him. I can't see what is haunting him but I can feel it. My whole body feels like I have been dipped in ice water. Shivers course through as I try to keep from screaming. Klaus lets out another ear-piercing scream from beside me and I flinch as my voice joins his in a symphony.

"Number Eight! Separate your emotions!" I hear Father yell over the intercoms. The screams do not die down. I knew I was too worked up at this point to even try and separate my emotions. My grip around Klaus' waist tightens as I bring myself closer to him. My own made up demons taunting me in my brain.

Present Day

My body is jostled and I feel my nerves complain in response. I leave my head down, unable to muster the energy needed to move any body part. "Klaus," I hear Ben call. My hearing is foggy and I am unable to concentrate enough to make out full sentences only being able to pick up bits and pieces. "... stay calm." Suddenly the sound of a vacuum cleaner comes through the fogginess like a spotlight. It begins to lift as I hear Klaus muffled yelling. The tape must have been put back onto our mouths. I try to open my eyes, mumble anything, try to help, but I can't. I succumb to the darkness again.

The next time I awaken is when I am jostled again, this time it is from the two moving my chair, I return right back to my prior state once they finish moving me.

"Your sister isn't doing so well," I hear when I come back to consciousness again. My eyelids flutter as I try to open my eyes to see what is occurring. I want so badly to flip them off but I have a feeling I can't control my body.

I feel a hand hold onto mine and the voice attached to it begs, "Klaus, please, you have to help her." Ben. He's still here and I can feel him. That can't be good. A small smile graces my features as I think of the possibility of being reunited with Ben again. There are two pairs of footsteps walking away from us.

"Klaus," My lips mouth the word, my vocal cords unable to produce them. I hear banging as Klaus continues to scream muffled. My head snaps up in a sudden adrenaline rush as I hear an unlocking noise and the door swinging open. I open my eyes to only immediately close them at the light streaming in from the door. I try to crack them open again slowly. I recognize Patch walk into the room leaning over to Klaus.

"Are you Diego's brother?" She asks. He nods his head in response quickly. Patch's eyes have yet to look behind him which is where I reside. I try to command my body to move but I can't. I have no control. "I am Detective Patch," She introduces herself. Klaus struggles against the restraints gesturing behind him with his head. Patch puts her gun away and my eyes widen as I remember the two criminals who are still in the room. She uses a knife to cut off Klaus' bounds and he turns to rush to me. His fear coursing through me the minute he touches me and I flashback to when Father used to lock him and I together in the mausoleum. I shake my head begging that he lets go of me. I wanted to be saved but the overuse of my powers was driving me insane and I wanted to rip my hair out. My skull felt like it was going to split open along with the other pain I was feeling.

I glance back to Patch as Klaus continues to try to untie me. Her eyes widen as she takes in my figure. I want to wave but I can not move my body on my command. I was unsure I could even form words. My eyes widen as I see Ben's figure standing behind her looking worried. "Asha!" She quietly exclaims. I return my gaze to her to show that I heard her. Klaus picks me up, holding me bridal style against his chest. My hands immediately rush to my head to try to push what felt like my skull falling apart. I groan in pain. Another door in the room creaks open and Patch pushes Klaus and I behind her.

A gunshot is heard as Klaus tries to jump behind the bed. My awkward form in his arms causes him to tip over and I land on my back. I scream, the pain too much for me and I feel myself beginning to sink under. I try my hardest to swim back up and be present. We were going to get out. I know this is my last chance. Chest heaving, I felt as if a monster had its tentacle wrapped around my foot and was pulling me down, holding me under the water as I struggled to get up. The picture of my family keeps me trying. I eventually break the metaphorical surface to heat Patch yell, "Police! Drop the gun or you're going down!"

My body is jostled as Klaus begins to crawl to the air vent in the wall. There is an object in the way and he places my body beside the bed to go in first. I assess my situation and glance down to observe my legs. The knife was still in, good. That should have kept the bleeding to a minimum, It was an honest miracle that I was still alive and not having bled out yet. I look between the vent and my leg realizing there was no way I was able to move it. I wouldn't be able to pull myself through the vent either without pulling the knife out. Klaus glances back at me and notices I haven't moved.

Water fills my eyes as I muster up one last smile. "Go," I whisper to him. He looks between me and the path in front of him. He glances back and I nod. His eyes widen but he continues to crawl forward.

"You can't leave her!" I hear Ben yell. He's sitting in front of me now. Looking at me hopelessly. "She's going to die! Klaus! Please! Save her!" He continues to yell. I ignore him and start to try and formulate a plan in my foggy mind. I glance beside me and notice there is nothing under the beds. I lay on my back and begin to shimmy under the closest one. I twist my leg awkwardly to stop the knife from scraping against the bedframe. I place the bed skirt back down and hope beyond all hope that they imagine I escaped with Klaus. I jump as I hear another gunshot and I throw my hand over my mouth, stifling my breathing.

"Hazel," I hear the female captor's voice call.

"Couldn't have gone far," Was his reply.

There was a pause before the female responds, "That's not the only problem."

"The briefcase," Comes a sigh from who I assumed was Hazel. I hear the pounding footsteps as they run out after Klaus. I put my hand back to my side and shuffle out from under the bed. I climb backward, my back to the floor, towards where I saw Patch on the floor. My eyes widen as I see the blood pooling.

Whispering a quiet dejected, "No." I reach to take her pulse. I feel nothing. I lay down beside her. I would be joining her soon. I had defied death for long enough. Klaus had gotten out and I could only pray he remained safe. It was my time to rest.

I awake with a gasp. The sadness flowing through me and awakening me better than any CPR ever would. I groan, unable to filter my emotions. The return of the feeling of small miners banging on my skull drives me to grip my head again. Groaning in pain. I feel movement and the cold air on my face. I can't focus enough to open my eyes or hear anything. My feelings were too jumbled with someone else who was feeling intense sadness, regret, and guilt. My groans get louder until I pass out again.