Mercy Me

Up in Flames

Vanya and Allison looked over to see Diego walking through with Kat in tow.

"Ah. What is she doing here? You don't belong here. Not after what you did." Diego asked,walking past them.

"You're seriously gonna do this today?" Allison snapped. "Way to dress for the occasion, by the way."

"At least I'm wearing black." Diego bit back.

Vanya grabbed Kat's arm, stopping her in her tracks.

"It's good to see you, Katherine." Vanya said quietly, attempting a smile.

Katherine plastered a fake smile on her face and ripped her arm from her estranged sister's grasp. "Is it? I distinctly recall you saying in your book that I was "simply a shiver looking for a spine to run up.". That was a good insult, V. Come up with that all by yourself?"

Vanya and Allison both stood with looks of shock and awe on their faces.

"Listen, Kat, I didn't me-" Vanya tried.

Kat quickly cut her off. "No. You know what? Save it for someone who cares enough to hear it. I know where I really stand with you, Vanya."

She quickly made her way up the stairs to find Diego. She stuck her head in a few rooms before hearing voices come from another room. Dad's room.

"There is no mystery here. Nothing to avenge. Nothing to solve, nothing like that. It's just a sad old man who kicked it in a big, empty house. Just like he deserved." Diego's voice rang through.

"You should leave." Luther said to his brother as Kat appeared in the doorway.

"Whatever you say, brother." Diego said, turning to see her standing there. "Come on, gorgeous. Looks like Number One doesn't want us around."

Luther spun to look at the woman in the doorway, shock evident on his face. Rather than greet him, she made a move to grab Diego's hand and pulled him away.

Silently she led him away from the room, towards her old one. She hadn't been in there for years, so it was almost like she was sixteen again, dragging Diego behind her as she snuck him into her room.

She opened the door and sighed. Everything looked exactly the same as it had the day they left. Diego pulled her to him, her back flush against his chest and his arms around her waist. "A lot of memories in this room." He whispered in her ear before kissing her neck.

She gave a breathy laugh and pulled away from him so that she could sit on her bed. "Surprisingly good ones." She said as he sat beside her.

After a few moments of silence, he nudged her shoulder with his own. "Hey. How ya feeling?" He asked.

"Better. I think you were right about the nerves and stuff. It helps keeping my mind on good stuff though." She admitted, laying back.

He did the same, pulling her closer so that her head was on his chest and his arm was around her shoulders. They stayed in that position in comfortable silence, Kat drawing nondescript patterns on Diego's chest with her finger.

They were interrupted by the voice of Allison in the doorway. "Hey. Uh, sorry to bother you guys but Luther sent me up to gather everyone. We're gonna start." She expained before quickly walking away.

Kat sighed deeply and sat up. "Come on. Let's get this over with."

They walked downstairs, hand in hand, ready to face the hellfire that was about to be set loose. They shuffled to the side of the room, waiting for Luther to start talking. Diego sat down before pulling her gently onto his lap.

"Um - I guess we should get this started." Luther finally announced. "So, I figured we could have a sort of memorial service in the courtyard at sundown. Say a few words, just at Dad's favorite spot."

"Dad had a favorite spot?" Allison voiced what they were all thinking.

"You know, under the oak tree. We used to sit out there all the time. None of you ever did that?" Luther asked in genuine surprise.

"Are you shitting me? Dad hated us. We were lucky if he even talked to us other than to bark orders or berate us." Kat scoffed.

"Will there be refreshments? Tea? Scones? Cucumber sandwiches are always a winner." Klaus asked, causing Kat to smirk. She hadn't seen him since they had dropped him off at rehab, and she had undeniably missed him.

"What? No. And put that out. Dad didn't allow smoking in here." Luther barked.

"Is that my skirt?" Allison asked in sudden realization.

"What? Oh, yeah, this. I found it in your room. It's a little dated, I know, but it's very breathey on the bits." Klaus said, smiling all the while.

"Listen up. Still some important things that we need to discuss, all right?" Luther decided to butt in, causing Diego to sigh.

"Like what?" The man demanded, his thumb rubbing circles on Kat's hip.

"Like the way he died."

"And here we go."

"I don't understand. I thought they said it was a heart attack." Vanya finally spoke up.

"Yeah, according to the coroner."

"Well, wouldn't they know?"

"Theoretically."

"Theoretically?" Allison said dubiously.

"I'm just saying, at the very least, something happened. The last time that I talked to Dad, he sounded strange."

"Oh, quelle surprise!" Klaus said as he gargled his drink.

"Strange how?" Allison pressed.

"He sounded on edge. Told me I should be careful who to trust." Luther said, looking around the room.

Diego tapped Kat's hip, and she stood so that he could do the same as he spoke. "Luther, he was a paranoid, bitter old man who was starting to lose what was left of his marbles."

"No. He must have known something was going to happen." he looked at Klaus, who seemed rather disinterested. "Look, I know you don't like to do it, but I need you to talk to Dad."

"I can't just call Dad in the afterlife and be like, "Dad, could you just stop playing tennis with Hitler for a moment and take a quick call?"." Klaus said dismissively.

"Since when? That's your thing."

"I'm not in the right frame of mind."

"You're high?" Allison practically screeched.

Klaus laughed loudly. "Yeah! Yeah! I mean, how are you not, listening to this nonsense?"

"Well, sober up, this is important."

"Hey, lay off him!" Kat snapped at her siblings.

"Then there's the issue - of the missing monocle." Luther says, dismissing the woman.

"Who gives a shit about a stupid monocle?" Diego asked, now pissed that Luther was pressing this so much.

"Exactly. It's worthless. So whoever took it, I think it was personal. Someone close to him.Someone with a grudge."

"Where are you going with this?" Klaus groaned.

"Oh, isn't it obvious, Klaus? He thinks one of us killed Dad." Diego accused.

"And I'm pretty sure he suspects me most of all. I mean, heart attack, right Number One? Seems a little too easy." Kat practically growled.

"You do?" Klaus asked, pissed that Luther would think so low of his most precious sibling.

"How could you think that?" Vanya asked.

"Great job, Luther. Way to lead." Diego bit.

"That's not what I'm saying." Luther attempted to redact his statement.

"You're crazy, man. You're crazy."