Number Eight: Apocalypse (Umbrella Academy)

6

2002

It had been a few hours since Hargreeves left and Heather was now lying in her bed platform, staring a the roof, trying to decide if she actually had precognition, or if this was just another impossible and cruel brain teaser Hargreeves put on her.  Pogo knocked on the door and entered to see Heather still staring at the roof, then he stated, "it is very beautiful roof."  Heather kept her eyes on the roof as she answered, "do I have the gift of precognition?"  She heard Pogo shrug as he answered, "I don't know, I know your father had always suspected you might have more then just enhanced intelligence, but it was all just theory."  Heather rolled onto her side to look at Pogo, "so what do I do?"  Pogo asked, "I don't understand."  Heather rolled back on her back and returned to staring at the roof as she explained her internal crisis, "well, if I stay here, I can learn how to focus my precognitive powers, assuming I actually have them.  But the problem is I kind of hate it here because it's so confining and is a very unhealthy environment for children to grow into stable adults, so I want to go back out there end explore.  But if I do have precognitive abilities, don't I owe it to myself and the rest of the world to learn how to control and understand them?"  Then Heather rolled back on her side facing Pogo as she asked, "so, what should I do, stay here where I hate it and learn this potential power, or be free in the world and happy and risk not perfecting the potential power in time to help people?"  Pogo answered, "I don't know."  Heather flipped back on her back in anger and exasperation, "well I don't know either and I can't make up my mind!"  Pogo suggested, "well, why don't you stay here for a bit while you decide?"  Heather rolled her eyes, "but I don't want to stay here!"  Pogo suggested, mostly to himself, "it sounds like you already made up your mind."  Heather knew she would rather leave, but she knew the responsible choice was for her to stay, so she had to choose either herself or the rest of the world.

It is really easy for one to put their own needs first over the many, but not for Heather, because of her knowledge of the pending apocalypse.  If she did have precognition, and she knew how to control it, she could figure out how to stop Vanya from destroying the world, but in return, she would be dragged back into the life she tried to run away from and all of her progress and personal freedom would be lost in the name of saving the world.  Heather put her hands on her face and and dramatically dragged them down her face as she thought, 'I'm only thirteen years old, I shouldn't have to deal with this'.   Out of kindness, Pogo left the cabin to let her debate with herself in peace, and Heather ended up staying an extra night until she made her decision.

The next morning when Grace came to drop off Heather's breakfast, she found her sitting glumly at the table, looking sad and defeated.  "Is there something wrong, Heather," Grace asked in a concerned tone.  Heather looked up at Grace, whom she didn't actually realized entered the cabin, and put on her best semi genuine smile as she announced her decision, "I have decided to stay home for a bit."  Grace smiled as she set the tray of breakfast in front of her, "I am surprised that you feel that way, you were always such a free spirit.  What made you change your mind?"  Heather responded with a hint of dismay in her tone as she dished herself up some breakfast, "I realized my responsibility to the world was more important then a child's dream of early independence."  Grace said in a hinting tone, "well then, I guess I did not need to pack you a feast for the road.  It had lots of cucumber sandwiches."  Heather smiled, she did love her cucumber sandwiches.  Then Grace said as she handed Heather a rectangular mid sized gift wrapped in umbrella academy wrapping paper with a white ribbon bow on top of it, "I guess you would not be needing this either?"  Heather's eyes widened as she held out her hands like a child, then justified it with, "well, it would be rude to refuse a gift."  Grace smiled kindly and with joy as Heather unwrapped her gift.  Underneath the wrapping paper was a book that contained maps of the area, back roads, food and hotel recommendations, and more.  It was an Atlas book.  Heather jumped up and down and gave her mother a hug as she excitedly thanked her over and over again for the gift.