Something Unexpected

Chapter One

Five couldn't believe hewas actually doing this. Sitting in his sister's car in the passengerseat tagging along as Allison was on her way to pick up her daughterClaire.

Five sighs before glancingover at his sister driving behind the wheel. "Remind me again whyI'm tagging along?"

"Because." Allisonanswers not taking her eyes off the road. "You needed to get out ofthe house."

"I was fine." Fiveprotests.

"Writing math equationsall over your walls is not considered being fine." Allisoncontradicts.

"Yeah, well..."

"You need to get outmore." Allison continues. "You know, maybe try act the age youlook instead of acting like a fifty-eight year old man with a stickup their ass."

Five glares at his sister."Fuck off."

Allison aggressivelypoints at Five. "See! That right there is what I'm talking about!"

Five scoffs. "Well, I'msorry. I didn't get very many opportunities to be a teenager whiletrying to not die in the apocalypse."

"I know." Allisonsoftens. "That's why we want you to get at least some experience inevery stage of life."

Five shrugs his shouldersand gestures with his hands. "So, what do you want me to do aboutit? Be like Klaus, go out and party and get drunk every night?"

"No. just..." Allisonsighs. "Maybe go out and see if there is anything in this worldthat might catch your interest. You know, find out if you have anyhobbies. Or something else to drink besides alcohol and coffee."

Five sighs softly andleans his head back against the headrest as he thinks over Allison'swords.

"Maybe."

Allison smiles at him."That's all we're asking."

A few minutes pass beforeAllison is pulling the car into the school parking lot. She parks thecar into a parking space before turning the engine off. They staysilent and un-moving for a second before Allison turns to Five andgently lays her hand on his arm.

"We just want what'sbest for you, that's all."

Five swallows hard. It waskind of hard to argue with that.

Ever since they saved theworld, Five had been trying to let his family in a little more intohis life. After being alone for too many years, he decided thatsolitude was not for him anymore. He still has nightmares of wakingup back in the apocalypse and being completely alone. Not evenDelores was there to keep him company.

Five blinked to get awayfrom his thoughts and back to the present.