Grand Theft (The Umbrella Academy)

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT: Gas to a Light

1956

Haddock and Connor cuddled on their brown leather couch, their lips in a slow dance together. "Think we outta go look for the others?" Connor asked him with another kiss.

Haddock chuckled into her jaw. "Absolutely not. Not yet at least. I just got my long lost wife back after two excruciating months of thinking she was dead," he murmured.

The cheap leather creaked when Connor propped herself up. "See, I don't understand that. Explain it again?"

Haddock huffed. "But Consy!" he whined. She rested a hand on his arm. Hadd sighed and propped himself up too. His hand twirled her hair. "I wanted to stop you from tryin' to save the world. Stupid on my part, but the Handler always has somethin' up her sleeve. Li's ma or not, that woman is a..." he bit back his tone, "not nice lady. And I was right. Then you bein' a sneaky lil' thing, said that you were goin' to talk to Lila since we hadn't really talked to her in like three weeks. Handler pulled some strings to kick off the apocalypse a day early 'n not as it was intended either. How else was she supposed to kill you?"

She rubbed her thumb in circles on his hand. "How'd I die?"

He shrugged, but his eyes were hallow. It wasn't exactly a fond thing to recall. "Scorched with the rest of the planet I assume."

Connor hugged him, nestling her face in his neck. "I'm sorry." He stroked her deep red hair then rested his chin on her head.

"All that matters is you're back." He planted a kiss on her hair.

Her grin turned sorrowful. "Wonder where mini-me is right now. Eighteen was the age I was recruited and there's a good chance that she's alone out there."

"Never would've met you though." Haddock kissed the corner of her mouth. She smiled back then they went back to tasting each other's lips.

•••

1963

Five, Diego, and Lila arrived at Dallas Charm Apartments. Diego whistled at the silver 1955 Porsche Spyder parked out front amongst the simpler likes. "How much do you guys wanna bet that they stole it?"

Five rolled his eyes, but Lila took the bait. "I'll take that bet." She skipped up beside them.

They entered the complex finding a person with his feet propped up on the front desk. Five drummed his fingers on the table and gave the receptionist a smile. "We're looking for Connor and Haddock Adamantinus."

The scrappy man's gaze was still locked on his newspaper. For a name like 'Dallas Charm' this place was anything but charming. "Relation?"

Lila rose her hand. "Sister. And this is my boyfriend." She grabbed onto Diego's arm. He grimaced when she smiled at him, but he felt the tug at the title too.

The man behind the desk flicked a finger to Five. "Son?"

"His brother." Five pat Diego on the arm.

The employee took a deep breath. "Alright. I'll buzz you up." He pressed a button then went back to flipping through the pages of his paper—the only noise in the silence they received.

"Now what?" Diego questioned openly. Five sighed, impatient.

"If they want you up there they'll buzz back down." They waited another minute and Five's slim patience broke. He checked his list for what room number they were and blinked up there through the door.

Connor jumped and dropped her coffee mug when he appeared in front of her, the fragments splintering in every which way and ebony liquid staining the rug. "Jeez my forkin' neezers, Five! You couldn't have buzzed?! That was my favorite coffee cup, asshat." She bent down in her navy blue plaid pajamas and started gathering up the bigger shards.