End of the Beginning [Five]

Seven

Most underrated disney movie?

Another three hours after the whole hurling debacle, Emery had finally given up.

Seeing that he couldn't very well claw his hands into his head and rip his brain out or detach his auditory canal, he had opted instead to bang his fist roughly on the dash, just above the radio in a poor attempt to place his irrational anger at hearing Baby Shark again.

Mercifully, whatever he did, whatever reverberations from his show of anger had emitted, the previously stuck radio turned off and everyone cheered, thanking to god that their prayers had been answered at last.

A very-much-healthier-looking Diego took over driving another hour later just before the sun dipped down the horizon and Emery settled in the middle row with Five, letting his body slouch and head use Five's chest as a human pillow. They watched together silently as the sunset illuminated the sky before being replaced by the dark blanket of night.

It was here that he fell asleep to the dull murmurs of Five and Diego talking about something he didn't care to make out.

He fought to remain awake; to try and enjoy the moment. It seemed that any time he was with Five, they were always moving to the next thing or running away from yet another apocalypse. He wanted to feel what it felt like to simply just exist but the heat of Five's body paired with the rhythmic beat of his heart in his chest pulled Emery under.

For seven hours he slept before waking when the sun shone blatantly in his eyes. He squinted, suddenly angry at the prospect of a new day waking him. Five let out a silent laugh at seeing his distress, shoulders raking as the laugh traveled down his body. He pressed a kiss to Emery's head and greeted him good morning.

Two hours after that, and the welcome sign for New Grumpson was passing them by, announcing their arrival.

They all piled out of the van and stood on a street corner that looked to be relatively in the middle of nowhere.

Emery put Adele down, letting the dog sniff, frolic, and go about her business as he crossed his arms to protect himself from the bite of December cold and looked around at their bleak surroundings as Five used the payphone to search for Sy.

"No Sy Grossman listed." He announced after hanging up. "No Jennifer Grossman either."

"Well, we'll have to look around. If she's here, we'll find her." Allison said.

"This is why you do recon, assholes," Ben grumbled, glaring as he gazed outward.

"Recon?" Viktor echoed. "Why are you saying 'recon'? We're not the A-Team."

"Oh, really." Ben said sarcastically. "Shit. You fooled me."

"Hey, at least we still have a team." Diego defended.

"And Emery!" Lila pitched in, burying her hands in the pockets of her light pink parka.

"Yeah! That's gotta count for something, right?" Klaus added, trying to find the silver lining.

"Thanks, guys," Emery said, holding himself back from pointing out that he was practically useless at the moment— that he couldn't bend the light of even the smallest sliver properly anymore.

"Okay, everybody!" Luther announced, calling their attention. He stood before them and held a camera in the shape of a compressed rectangle and held it up. "Look over here and smile!"

"What?" Allison cursed as Luther snapped the photo, pointedly gazing away from the lens.

Lila covered her eyes, Diego pulled Ben close into a half hug, Viktor got caught in the action of scratching his head, Klaus looked at Luther with the upmost disappointment, and Emery just crossed his arms as Five glared at the man from beside him. Adele managed to just be in the frame as she bounded in, grin on her face.