•Lambent• {Five Hargreeves} The Umbrella Academy

Chapter 16- Unoptimistic

Dolores looked out the window with great interest, watching the scenery whiz by. It was a drastic difference from the apocalyptic wasteland she was so used to seeing. She held onto Five's arm, occasionally pulling herself closer to him. Her other hand toyed with her necklace, sliding the ring up and down the chain.

Five averted his gaze from his wife to Luther. He felt like he owed his brother an explanation of what he was being dragged into.

"You know, I never enjoyed it." Luther looked in the rear-view mirror at him before bringing his eyes back to the road.

"What?"

"The killing. I mean, I was, I was good at my work, and I took pride in it. But it never gave me pleasure. I think it was all those years in the apocalypse. Solitude can do funny things to the mind." He thought back to when Dolores wasn't there. In all honesty, he had forgotten the way she was before. He had forgotten about her own powers.

"Yeah, well, you were gone for such a long time. I only spent four years on the moon, but that was more than enough. It's the being alone that breaks you. You're lucky though. You had someone." Five glances down at his wife that seemed too lost in thought to hear anything. He smiled sadly.

"Yeah." There was another beat of silence before Luther broke it.

"You think they'll buy it?" Five ran his unoccupied hand through his hair.

"Well, what I do know is that they're desperate. It's like a cop losing his gun. If the Commission finds out, they'll be in deep shit," he said. Luther nodded, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Oh, not to mention the fact that they'll be stuck here until they get it back," Five continued. Dolores tore her gaze from the window and leaned her head on Five's shoulder. He absentmindedly placed a small kiss on her temple.

"Well, I should hold onto it," Luther said.

"Hm?"

"In case they make a move on you," Luther explained. Five nodded, reluctantly.

"Okay, Luther, but be careful. I mean, I've, I've lived a long life, but you're still a young man," Luther gave him a look, "you got your whole life ahead of you. Don't waste it." Five returned his gaze to Dolores who had been poking at the bandage on her leg. It was itchy, Five could understand that, he just didn't know why she was trying to take the fabric off.

Five reached out to grab her hand but she had already taken it off. Her leg had completely healed. The only evidence of the would-be the blood from the bandage. Dolores poked her leg where the stab mark should have been and turned back to Five.

Five grabbed her chin and tilted her face side to side. Sure, enough, all of her cuts and bruises were gone too. Dolores mimicked his expression and furrowed her eyebrows. Five rubbed her cheek with his thumb and looked out the window.

"Here we go," Five said as she saw the approaching car. He opens the car door and waits for Dolores to exit, offering his hand. She takes it and they walk behind Luther, who carried the briefcase as they waited for the car to come to a stop. Five cleared his throat.

"If this all goes sideways, I'm sorry." Dolores tilted her head to the side in confusion.

"Sideways?" Five closed his eyes with an airy chuckle. He didn't want to let her go but it was the only way to ensure her safety. He tilted her head down and placed a kiss on her forehead. Dolores huffed. That didn't answer her question.

"Stay here." Dolores shrunk behind Luther as Five left and Hazel and Cha-Cha stepped out of the car. She peered over at Hazel and she remembered their conversation. Hazel was right. She was wrong. But she was right about him not liking it there. Even from far away, she could see his desperate stature, wanting more than anything to be somewhere else.

•••••

"Probably us too right? So, how do we help each other?" Hazel glanced over Five's shoulder at his giant of a brother. He caught a glimpse of Dolores and a small smile found it's way to his lips. Her hair was braided, just like it was in the pictures the Handler had given them and he caught a glimpse of something shining around her neck. It was too far away for Hazel to see what it was but he did know that it wasn't there before. He had heard the stories of the woman who couldn't remember and the man who knew everything. Of course, he had heard more about Five and his work with the commission but Dolores was always in the picture. She was 'but a mystery' s their superior had put it.

•••••

Dolores perked up as Five walked back. She stepped out from behind Luther and wrapped her arms around him tightly.

"What now?" She asked. Five shook his head and placed his chin on her head.

"We wait." Dolores pulled herself out of his grasp. She studied his face carefully, taking in his features as she had done for years. She could read him like a book. This was a bad analogy considering Dolores had a hard time reading but that's not the point.

"It'll be okay." Five smiled softly at her encouragement, it was one of the main reasons he hasn't given up yet. Dolores was always there to support him.

"Let's hope so," he sighed. Dolores gasped at him and then glared.

"You're being unoptimistic."

"Pessimist," Five corrected.

"You're being a pessimist," Dolores retorted. Five rolled his eyes and wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer. Luther watched them in amusement, the great diversity between the two was what made them work. It was strange to see Five's scowl paired with Dolores's soft expression.