EMBERS : the umbrella academy [2] [COMPLETE]

III

     CARLA HADN'T USED HER POWERS in a very long time. Living with the Wilsons meant that she simply didn't have the need to use them aggressively.

     However, two or three times a week, Quentin would lead her through a training session of sorts. It was mainly to keep her physical fitness maintained, and to make sure she remained comfortable with her abilities.

     As Carla stared at the two men, her hands caught fire, flames licking at her skin.

     Her bag dropped to the floor.

     She lunged at the taller of the two, her hands setting fire to his tux sleeves, and he yelped in alarm, stumbling back.

     Being burned alive wasn't the nicest feeling.

     Of course, Carla wouldn't know for sure, but judging from the screams, she assumed it felt quite horrible.

     The two men tried fighting back, and Carla took them both on for a few seconds as Diego regained his breath.

     A smile worked its way onto her face as she parried a blow one of them threw at her, before hurling a small ball of fire at his abdomen.

     The shorter waiter stumbled back, furiously patting at his lit blazer, and Carla looked over her shoulder at Diego.

     "I'll take this one," she called, referring to the shorter or the two waiters.

     Diego nodded, before charging at the taller one.

     Carla strode forward, throwing another ball of fire at the man.

     He staggered back again, stumbling down the hallway, and Carla just raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.

     In all honesty, she knew she could burn this man alive in three seconds flat. However, a twisted part of her liked toying with him, watching him struggle, like a cat to a mouse.

     Carla ducked to avoid a right hook, before grazing her burning fingers across his exposed ankle and revelling in his scream.

     She watched as he pressed himself against the window pane at the end of the hall, chest heaving as he tried to regain his breath.

     In a split second she had lifted a leg, placing the tip of her heel against his throat, and she narrowed her eyes.

     The man's breath stuttered, eyes wide and almost pleading.

     Carla just smirked, before lowering her heel to his chest and kicking him back with such force he crashed through the window and fell on the ground below.

     "Carla, c'mon!" Five yelled, and Carla saw him standing by the top of the stairs, waiting for her.

     She ran after him, the pair descending the stairs, and beginning to push past the crowds.

     "Hey-" Horace stood in front of them both, blocking their path, "Carla, I was wonderin-"

     "Take a hint," Five sneered, before physically shouldering him out of the way, and grabbing Carla's hand in order to pull her along quicker.

     They burst out of the doors and into the night air, stopping dead when they spotted Reginald and Grace about to get in a car.

     Five lurched forward, calling out words in a language she didn't recognise.

     Lila and Diego were just behind Carla, the three of them watching Five in interest. Reginald stared at the boy for a few seconds, before getting in the car and driving off.

     "Was that him?" Diego asked.

     "Yeah," Five sighed.

     The headlights disappeared into the darkness, and Five turned to face Carla with a defeated look.

     "You know, I'm starting to get the feeling Dad's avoiding us," Diego mused.

     "Hate to be the boring one, guys, but, uh, it's time we get the hell out of here," Lila told them, and Carla began to wonder who the mysterious woman was.

     However, she didn't have time to ask, as she remembered something, "Wait a sec, guys, I just need to talk to Marie and Quentin."

     She started backing towards the building again, before Diego called out her name.

     He offered out her bag, "You left this upstairs."

     Carla took the bag warily, nodding her thanks before walking inside, trying to fight off the paranoia gnawing at the back of her mind.

     The small bag of cocaine seemed to weigh tons.

     Once inside, she spotted Marie and Quentin right by the doors, clearly about to leave.

     "Carla, there you are!" Marie placed a hand on either side of Carla's head, pressing a kiss to her forhead and no doubt leaving a red lipstick mark.

     "Five and Diego-"

     "Are here, we know," Quentin smiled, "And now you're going to go with them to catch up and try to formulate a plan to stop the disaster that has probably followed you back here."

     "How did you know?" Carla asked.

     "We may not understand much," Marie said, "But one thing we do get is the space-time continuum."

     "That Five has no doubt disrupted by bringing you all here," Quentin finished.

     "Right," she said, "Is it okay if I catch up with them tonight, though?"

     "Of course," Marie smiled, "But make sure you visit before doing anything drastic. Or if you need to get away from those emotionally stunted adults."

     Carla laughed, "Sure."

     She briefly hugged Marie, then Quentin, before jogging off to join Five and Diego again.

     The Wilsons watched her smile over her shoulder, Marie raising her hand in a small wave, before Carla was out of sight.

     The couple exchanged a glance, Marie's bright smile fading to something sadder. They knew Carla was beyond happy to see Five, and didn't want to bring down her spirits.

      "How do you think she'll react to seeing Klaus again?" Quentin asked eventually.

     Marie just sighed, "Not very well."

     She placed her arm on the inside of her husband's elbow, leaning into his side slightly for comfort.

     There was another long pause, before Marie spoke up again.

     "It's feeling a lot like the beginning of the end, isn't it?"

a/n: that ending made me a bit sad ngl 😥

tomorrow ill drop playlist no.3 and after that you guys get to read about carla and klaus reuniting again 😈

because im nosy let me know how u think its going to go 😎

love you all! MWAH!!!!