𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐍𝐉𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐍 𝐁𝐔𝐓𝐓𝐎𝐍 𝐄𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓 ━ five hargreeves¹

1│THE END. . .

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❛ ᴛʜᴇ ʙ. ʙ. ᴇꜰꜰᴇᴄᴛ​​​​​​​​​​. ❜ ° . ༄
- ͙۪۪˚   ▎❛ 𝐎𝐍𝐄 ❜   ▎˚ ͙۪۪̥◌
»»————- ꒰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅ. . . ꒱　


❝ I LOVE YOU ❞

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Often, the correct chronological order for a story is to start at the beginning in order to explain how the events led up to the end. Sometimes, however, the story doesn't have a clear beginning. For example, take mine. Would it start the eight days before the Apocalypse, at my father's death? Or before that, when The Umbrella Academy abandoned each other in pursuit of their own interests and desire to forget their beginnings? At my birth, perhaps, when my mother sold me to Reginald Hargreeves? Or even earlier, before my father even came to have the idea of crime-fighting superheroes? 

So, you can see my dilemma— which is why I think my story would be best started from the end rather than the beginning. 

☂☂☂

Alexa ran up the theater steps with her siblings as her heart pounded in her chest. While she wasn't necessarily at risk for being shot by the gunmen, having bullets flying around was definitely a good way to get one's adrenaline going. Out of breath, the five Hargreeves siblings reconvened on the main floor. Alexa's sister, Allison, stopped and put her hand against Luther's chest before she lifted her notepad for him to see what she had written: I need to go alone. The remaining siblings slowed to watch the exchange. 

"Allison, I can't let you do that, alright?" Luther protested predictably. "She's beyond reasoning."

Allison shoved him, trying to get him to understand. Diego spoke loudly over the noise: "do you hear the music? It's started!" 

"Do you want us to think she's going to listen?" Luther continued. "After everything that's happened?" 

Alexa looked at her sister's hurt expression and felt something tug in her chest. It wasn't that she wanted to hurt Vanya— they were sisters! But what choice did they have to save the world? The blonde bit her lip and glanced at the theater doors. They were losing time.

Klaus seemed to have the same idea as he said urgently, "we don't have time for this." 

A sudden thought occurred to the last Hargreeves and the idea lit up her expression. Stepping between Allison and Luther, she said, "I'll go with her and make sure Vanya doesn't hurt us." 

The ape-man (Alexa still couldn't believe it) gave her a look through narrowed eyes which she met with her own blue ones. After a moment, he nodded and she turned to her sister, who gave her a grateful look. The blonde reached out and gently touched Allison's shoulder to allow a connection to open between them. Alexa's blue eyes became more intense and her surrounding siblings watched as a thin blue film seemed to peel away from Alexa, move across her arm, and spread over Allison's body until the blue faded away like nothing had changed. But, if one were to look in the other woman's eyes, they would see a light ring of blue around the brown irises. It wasn't much protection but it was certainly better than nothing. 

"Let's go," Alexa said and she gently grabbed her sister's arm to pull her into the theater. 

The two women made their way quickly down the aisle with their eyes fixed on the stage where Vanya played with the orchestra. They stopped several feet away as they listened to their sister's playing. Alexa had to admit that it was very beautiful and she wished they were there under different circumstances. The violinist glanced up from her music and when the two sisters on the floor met her eyes, all three smiled. Maybe this won't be bad, Alexa thought.