𝐖𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 ━ five hargreeves

16│DOLORES IS NOT THE LIFE OF THE PARTY

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❛ ᴡᴀsᴛᴇʟᴀɴᴅs ᴏғ ᴛɪᴍᴇ​​​​​​​​​​. ❜ ° . ༄
- ͙۪۪˚   ▎❛ 𝐒𝐈𝐗𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍 ❜   ▎˚ ͙۪۪̥◌
»»————- ꒰ ᴅᴏʟᴏʀᴇs ɪs ɴᴏᴛ ᴛʜᴇ
ʟɪғᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀʀᴛʏ ( ɪɴ ғᴀᴄᴛ, sʜᴇ
ɪs ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇ ᴏᴘᴘᴏsɪᴛᴇ ) ꒱


❝ YOU'D BE SURPRISED AT WHAT
BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER ❞

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"Gather 'round, children. Quickly now!" Reginald called to the siblings. "We don't have time for touching family reunions I'm afraid."

Dolores stared at her uncle with wide eyes as he stood proudly next to the older man. In this instance it's the grandfather of all repercussions. God damnit. She must be getting slow in her old age; Edward was right: he had told her that he'd known how the world would end. But how? As she looked around at the reluctantly listening adults (and one teen) she realized something that they all had in common: their birthday was October first, 1989.

Sure, her uncle's birth had seemed to be entirely planned as it coincided with her father's, but what if that was just a coincidence? He'd always said that he'd been a surprise baby— because her grandparents had only been expecting her father. So, that led her to one conclusion: "holy shit! You're one of them, aren't you?"

Reginald let out a disgruntled noise at being interrupted but Edward's smile only became wider. He tapped his nose knowingly before he placed his finger to his lips. The brunette considered the average-looking man with a different lens than she'd had her entire life: one in which her notoriously cryptic uncle had superpowers.

"I think the more pertinent question is why are you all playing with jars?" The conversation had continued around her as the girl's whole world perspective changed.

"They're invitations," Sloane answered. Diego hastily threw his jar over his shoulder.

Luther met his father's presence with a detached tone. "Nobody's playing."

"Luther and I are getting married," the blonde explained as she held out one of the party favors.

Reginald took it from her with a disappointed look on his face. "All of space and time is collapsing and you lot are planning a wedding?"

"Yeah, and, uh, the thing is, um, space is limited," Luther said as he stood. He went over to the older man and took the jar from him. "So it's kind of a per-plate situation so, you know. . ."

"Is this how I raised you? To fiddle while Rome burns?" Reginald questioned them fiercely.

Klaus hesitantly approached his father to remind him in a low voice: "remember what we talked about, Reg. Remember to breathe. . ."

"Quiet, I'm on a roll."

Sloane watched their interaction worriedly. "Dad, have you been taking your pills?"

"As a matter of fact, I haven't. And I can confirm that I've never felt better in my life. You thought you could dope me up and slow me down, take control of my affairs and squander my fortune. . ."

Taking advantage of Reginald's impromptu speech, Edward slipped away from the older man and towards his different-timeline niece. He bent to whisper into her ear: "how would you like to find a quiet spot to. . . discuss any questions that you may have?"

She flashed him a grateful look. "Oh, thank god."

✧✧✧

"Unlike your shrewd, unscrupulous father-in-law, I find it important to share nothing but the truth," Edward began. He stood in front of the brunette with his hands clasped behind his back as he met her gaze evenly. "While I may not be able to answer all of your questions straightforwardly, I find that purposefully hiding things only leads to resentment and distrust. So, ask away, my dear girl."