•Lambent• {Five Hargreeves} The Umbrella Academy

Chapter 14- Take Care Of Her

Dolores smiled and played with strands of her hair, twisting them around trying to braid them. It wasn't working out too well because she didn't know how, but it was better than having it fall into her face. Five studied her carefully, almost scared she'd disappear again. He didn't know what he'd do if she did. He almost fell apart trying to accept the fact it was his fault she had disappeared. He knew he should have listened to her.

"Where did you wake up, when I brought us back here?" Dolores squinted and bit her lip, trying to remember the details.

"A white place with bright lights. I don't remember the name but the building was big. And the people had masks on and were dressed in white robes."

"A hospital." Dolores paused and nodded.

"Hospital. Then I left with... my cousin? What's a cousin? Why do I have one?"

"A cousin is someone you're related to. Like me and my siblings." Five helped her to the floor so he could start braiding her hair. Dolores thought for a moment and then remembered why she had mentioned her cousin.

"He worked for the place... The eyeball." Five stopped running the brush through her hair with a confused expression.

"Meritech?" He asked. Dolores started to nod, but quickly stopped, not wanting to mess Five up. He didn't care if she did but she didn't need to know that.

"Mhm, have you gone there? He said you can find the owner by the letters on the back." Five smiled softly at her mistake.

"They're numbers. And yeah, I went there. It was a dead end."

"Dead end," Dolores repeated, "so nothing?" She huffed and leaned back into Five's chest. Luckily her hair was long enough for Five to move it out of the way and finish off the last braid. He pressed a kiss on the back of her head and wrapped his arms around her waist. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out the ring.

"This was in your pocket." He handed it to Dolores who held it tightly in her palm.

"It fell off. I'm sorry, I wanted to wear it." Five smiled softly and shook his head, holding her tighter.

"It's okay. We can put in on a chain," Dolores tilted her head to the side as Five ran a finger along her shoulder and collar bone, "like a necklace."

"Necklace," She whispered, repeating his action.

"Here, I found something." Five shifted and grabbed the coin purse. Dolores gasped held it up, making sure he could see it too.

"The pretty..."

"Purse."

"Purse," she repeated, happily pulling it to her chest. Dolores played with the sequence covering the outside of the purse, watching the light reflect on the plastic reminded her of something.

"Pretty," Dolores turns around, removing herself from Five's grasp to cup his face in her hands, running her thumbs on his cheekbones, "like your eyes." Five smirked at the compliment.

"Are you sure? I think yours are better." Dolores huffs and shakes her head, with a small pout before meeting his eyes again. This caused her to smile and place a soft kiss on his lips. Her head was pounding and the effects of the hours she was being tortured were finally catching up to her.

"I'm so tired, Five," she whispered, rubbing her eyes with her palms.

"I know, baby girl. Let's get you to the academy, okay?" Five grabbed her hands, ready to help her off of the floor.

"The umbrella gate?"

"Yeah."

•••••

Five lead Dolores up the stairs of the academy, hoping to bring her to his bedroom so she could get proper rest. Bloody footprints trailed their way into Klaus's room and the door was cracked open, something told Five he needed to ask him a couple of questions. Dolores tilted her head, recognizing the tall man. Klaus looked up at the squeaking of the door. Seeing Dolores made him smile sadly.

"Oh good. You're okay. And your hair can't fall in your face anymore," he gestured to her braided hair before pulling her into a hug which made her freeze. Five was the only one who did that and the height difference between her and the man-made it awkward. Dolores stood uncomfortably, not knowing what to do with her arms while Five glared at him until he pulled away from his wife.