•Lambent• {Five Hargreeves} The Umbrella Academy

Chapter 18- Ghost Of A Friend

Dolores threw the bullet at Cha-Cha landing a hit in her leg. She stopped with a gasp, wondering how that had happened. Luther grabbed her arm causing her to yelp. Last time he had touched her he tried to toss her out of a window. She wiggled in his grasp until she was thrown into the car.

Her chest tightened. She was so caught up in her panic about Luther, she didn't notice that Five was nowhere to be found. Her leg bounced up and down and her hand found it's way to the necklace. She ran the ring up and down the chain in a daze as she attempted to steady her breathing.

"Five." her voice was so soft that only Klaus caught it. He wrapped an arm around the girl in an attempt of comfort but retreated when she flinched away. He understood. Instead, he turned to the window and flipped off the two assassins.

•••••

Dolores wanted to go back into Five's room. She figured if he was anywhere then he'd be there. But then remembered that he had left her once before but promised he would always return. So many things contradicted each other it became too confusing. She didn't know what to believe anymore. She just wanted Five.

"Three days?" Dolores watched carefully as Allison handed a cup of coffee over to Luther. It made her wonder why anyone would do anything nice for someone so horrible. She brought her arms to her chest as she recalled what he had done to her.

"That's what Five said," Allison clarified.

"The old bastard did mention the apocalypse, come to think of it. He just left out the part about how soon." Klaus looked to his side at Dolores and noticed her hair was falling out of her braid. With a gentle hand, he turned her over so her back was facing him, giving him access to rebraid her hair. She stiffened at the contact but didn't stop him.

"But can we trust him? I don't know if you've noticed, but Five's a little..." Allison whistled and twirled her finger in a circle. Dolores frowned while Klaus laughed.

"Our little psycho," Klaus tied off one braid and moved on to the next. By this point, Dolores had relaxed.

"He was pretty convincing. If he wasn't trying to stop an apocalypse, those lunatics wouldn't be chasing him." Dolores shifted at the sound of Luther's voice but no one seemed to notice. The only one that acknowledged the girl was Klaus.

"That's why they were after him?" Diego asked.

"Yeah."

"What did Five even see?" Dolores opened her mouth to answer but Luther cut her off, making her sink into herself. Maybe it was better if she didn't say anything. Klaus and Diego both noticed but Luther took no note of this or he didn't care.

"Uh... Apparently, we all fought together against whoever was responsible... Okay. So, here's the plan. Uh, we go through Dad's research-" The siblings all began talking at once making Dolores cover her ears. She wanted to leave. She wanted Five. A small crash caused her to flinch back. It was just an umbrella.

"We died." Dolores managed to catch the last part of what Luther was saying. Of course, she already knew this, she was too busy trying to avoid eye contact with the large man.

The siblings exploded again in wonder of why Luther had waited so long to tell them. Dolores sighed, tears filling up her eyes. She knew that when she saw Five again she was going to smack him upside the head. She had taken a seat next to Klaus at the bar and rested her head on the table so no one would see her face if the tears decided to fall.

"Hey. What's going on?" Dolores didn't bother to look up at the new voice but she was thankful that it was now quiet.

"It's a family matter." Dolores drew her eyebrows together and repeated the words again. 'Family matter.' Last time Dolores checked she wasn't family. Why was she there? Did that mean she could leave? She sure as Hell wanted to.

"A family matter. So, of course you couldn't bother to include me," Vanya stared at the child next to Klaus. Her long, braided hair made her remember what Five had told her about Dolores. Maybe this was her.

"No, it's not like that. We were-" Luther tried to save the feelings of his sister but Vanya wouldn't let her.

"No, it's okay. Don't let me interrupt," with one more glance at the teen, she turned to leave.

"Vanya, wait. I'll fill you in later when we're alone."

"Please, please, don't bother. And I won't either."

"Vanya, that's not fair."

"Fair? There is nothing 'fair' about being your sister. I have been left out of everything for as long as I can remember. And I used to think it was Dad's fault, but know he's dead. So it turns out, you're the assholes." Dolores listened to their argument. She wondered if Five ever made Vanya feel that way. She recalled him telling her that Vanya was his favorite sibling. Not that he'd ever admitted to saying it. Dolores sighed and waited for a few seconds before slipping away, in search of Five's room. But the house was so big, she didn't know where to start.

•••••

Leonard grabbed his jacket from the railing of the balcony and stopped to admire the action figures. With a quick glance, he reaches into the case and carefully plucks out the Sir. Reginald figurine. He quickly closed the case and turned to leave.

But he was met with his long lost best friend. He halted his stride and stared at her, taking in her features. 

"No," he whispered, "I stopped seeing you years ago. You're just in my head."

Dolores tilted her head to the side at the man's confession before darting past him, disappearing into a hallway.