Grand Theft (The Umbrella Academy)

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT: The Killers and the Killed

Fleur woke up and grabbed Haddock's shoulder. "Jeezers, Fleur." He jumped. "Mind telling us what the heck happened that Connor and you died and Five took off? What did he do to you?" Haddock asked in a gravelly voice like the big brother about to beat up some pour soul for breaking his little sister's heart.

"Where's-Where's Five? Where's Number Five?" Fleur panted as she tried to hurriedly stand but her legs weren't listening to her yet. She never used the 'Number' half of his name before. It felt bitter in her mouth but she was furious and terrified for what he was fixing to do.

"Why? What did the bastard do to you?" Haddock growled. Any version of his love he'd gladly kill for hurting her. He wasn't necessarily a violent person in terms of day to day conversation. Hadd had only used this tone a handful of times. Connor put a cold hand on his chest. His features softened and he took her freshly living hands in his to warm them. "Are you alright?" She nodded.

"I need... I need to find him. I need to find that son of a prolly nice lady," Fleur spat with venom dripping from her words.

"Connor!-Fleur," Hadd corrected. He turned her chin so that she had to meet him in the eyes. "What the hell did he do?!"

"Fish." Connor grabbed his shoulder with narrowed eyes.

"Let me go first and I promise I'll tell you later." After a pause Fleur quirked an eyebrow. He still didn't let her go.

"Hadd. Let her go," Connor told him this time in a more subtle tone.

He tapped his foot and looked at Connor at his side. "No. No I can't do that. I'm sorry." He shook his head. "Not if he's gonna do that again." He lost his wife before and he couldn't let that happen again.

"No. I'm sorry." She used what strength she had and morphed into his equal then kicked away from him and quickly shifted into Five and teleported away.

Fleur sat outside against a wall and focused on reading his mind like she had with Allison and hopefully not pass out this time. She took a few calming breaths and started. There was a whir and occasional screech if she got close. It was a sharp headache that she wondered if he got too with all of this tampering.

Her head screamed and she sucked in air through bit teeth until the chanel clicked. She was Five. It was fuzzy from the distance but it was enough.

The Lonely Lodge Inn
Oshkosh, Wisconsin, 1982

"Sounds cozy," she muttered.

Then his thoughts turned to her and how grief stricken he was. Fleur tried to scoff. Then... coffee?

Fleur hastily morphed back and a tsunami of nausea hit her. Once she managed to sit upright, she instantaneously doubled over and puked her guts out. "Damn you, Five Hargreeves." Fleur wiped her mouth with the back of her sleeve then went to get up but fell back down unconscious.

•••

1982

After only what she assumed was half an hour or so of being unconscious, she arrived at a coffee shop across the street from the inn.

Fleur deeply sighed when she saw the Boy sitting on a barstool impatiently waiting to order then sat down beside him. "You know, I don't think you'll last long when you get back to Elliot's, at least if I don't decide to kill you myself right now."

He stared at her with wide eyes. "Fleur, I—"

"You made the deal. Didn't you," she more of told him rather than asked. Fleur didn't have to look at him to know he was nodding. He was wary of how she still hadn't mentioned him poisoning her. Five knew it was the only way for him to at least get a head start.