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AS SOON AS LENA STEPPED inside the Hargreeves' mansion, she heard muffled voices coming from the living room. Before she headed that way though, she allowed herself a moment to compose herself as she glanced around the landing. Noting that the house looked exactly how she remembered.
It looked exactly the same it looked in her nightmares.
Only difference was the fact that it had no kids running around or being yelled at by the eccentric billionaire that forced them to grow up far too quick. It also seemed colder. But Lena couldn't tell if it had always felt like that. Whether as a kid she just never noticed the coldness that lingered in the house. Especially thanks to Grace. Who had done everything to give the children the most normal childhood that they could have in the position that they were in.
She looked up at the grand staircase. A small smile tugging itself at the corner of her lips as she remembered the sound of laughter whenever she, Klaus and Five would chase each other on it. Always trying to be the first one to their chosen destinations.
(A trio of eight year old kids ran around the building. It had been a great day for them, with Sir. Reginald Hargreeves having not been at home at all, it allowed them some space to breathe. To secretly allow themselves the simple pleasures that any kid should have access to. Simply being kids.
Klaus, with his longer legs, was out front. Laughing over his shoulder at his siblings. Ecstatic that he was currently winning their pointless – albeit incredibly fun – race.
"Slow pokes!"
Lena rolled her eyes and reached a hand out. Due to Klaus not paying attention to where he was going, he didn't spot a green vine making its way towards him until it was too late. Until he had already tripped over it, allowing Lena to bypass him. Sticking her tongue out as she ran past.
"Hey! That's cheating!" Klaus exclaimed, pointing at her with one hand whilst trying to rip the vine from his ankle with the other. Groaning in annoyance when Five also ran past, laughing hysterically to himself, "Not fair!"
Lena sent him a teasing grin over her shoulder, "We never set any rules!" She pointed out.
As she turned around. Relishing in the fact that she was now winning. She continued to run until a figure suddenly appeared in her path.
She staggered. Slowing her pace. Her eyes widening as she watched Five having used his own powers to cut in front of her. He was facing her and had a hand lifted in the air to send her a wave.
"Wha--" She muttered, shaking her head as she came to a stop.
Five's grin widened, "We didn't set any rules, remember?" He teased before turning around and as he began to run, his power once more kicked in allowing him to teleport out of the hallway and into the living room and onto the couch; their finishing point.
Klaus had managed to get himself freed of the vine and he came to stand beside Lena. Shaking his head in amusement. He threw one arm around his sister's shoulders.
"You're such a bad influence on him," Klaus teased.
Lena grinned from ear to ear, she glanced up at Klaus, giving him her best innocent look despite knowing he could see right through her, "Oops?")
Lena felt the heaviness in her heart at the memory.
She hadn't even realised that she finally moved away from the large double doors and was now standing right at the bottom of the staircase until her hand reached out to touch the bannister. It was still as pristine and dustless as it had been the last time she had been there. The day of her eighteenth birthday. When she finally was able to get the hell out. She had immediately packed up her stuff and left. Being the first one to do so. With the birthday having been incredibly bittersweet. A birthday that she shared with all her siblings par two. Two that out of all of them, should have still been around.
She let out a sad sigh. Her fingers dancing on the intricate swirl at the end of the banister. Her bottom lip embedded in-between her lips until she could taste iron. Only then did she finally unclenched her jaw and licked her lip to soothe it.
"Fuck," She muttered. Her voice barely above a whisper. It was so quiet she almost didn't hear herself, "I miss you Five."
She hadn't gone a single day without thinking about her missing brother.
She, of course, thought about Ben all the time too. She had loved him dearly. And still did. Even without him there in the flesh. And as much as it hurt to have lost him, it was different compared to Five. With knowing that Ben had died it had been more of a closure. It made the grieving process slightly easier. And instead of grief there was guilt. Guilt for not doing enough to ensure his safety. To ensure they all came out of that mission alive. Guilt that made it difficult to think about him and the countless, happy memories that had him in them.
Five, on the other hand, there had never been any closure. Not for Lena at least. He had just one day got up and was never seen or heard from again. There wasn't a day that Lena went by where she didn't wish to receive a knock on her door and where she'd swing it open to see Five Hargreeves standing there. Older but still recognisable as her brother. And although at first she would be pissed off at him – for not having reached out earlier – it wouldn't take long before she would throw her arms around him and welcome him back into her life in a heartbeat.
She was too deep in her own thoughts, ones she wished she could erase from her mind, but knew that there was no way of doing so. At least not whilst she was standing in this house. The house that started them all. She didn't even realise that the voices in the living room had quietened down in shock. The siblings already sitting in there having noticed her entering the house and heading to stand at the bottom of the staircase. Her eyes cloudy as she stayed stuck in the prison of her mind.
It wasn't until Diego called out her name that Lena finally snapped out of it. Her eyes widening as she turned to look at the living room. Spotting almost all of her still-living siblings in there. All apart from Vanya (to which she was certainly not surprised at). She scanned them all. Feeling like her heart was slowly beginning to fill up again now that they were all back together. Some of them looked different to how she remembered. Luther especially, having very clearly not missed bicep and shoulder day at the gym. Klaus looked almost the same as the last time she had seen him, only this time he looked slightly more sober. Allison looked exactly how she did on the last photograph Lena came across of her sister on Instagram.
Then she let out a loud laugh. Her eyes landing on Diego, "Why the fuck are you dressed as Batman?"
