anew || umbrella academy

O N E

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"Excuse me, Miss, I am gonna have to ask that you put down the spray paint."

Looking over my shoulder, a tall, burly man dawned in a police uniform looks down at me with narrowed eyes. A loud curse word is on the tip of my tongue as I realize my idiocy. Perhaps spray painting a building during the middle of the day was not my best idea.

"May I ask why, sir?" I sarcastically ask, shrugging off the man's grip on my shoulder. After dropping the now empty can of paint, I kick it away and turn to the officer with an innocent smile. "The alley way was looking a little dreary so I thought some color might liven the place up."

"Where is your parents, kid? Surely you were raised better than to disrespect your elders and the law?" Officer Tippit, as his badge reads, crosses his arms not looking at all threatened by my presence or my stiffened frame. I look over his shoulder and see a group of people watching the confrontation, gossiping among each other.

I turn to face the man fully, fists clenching as I try to think of a solution to get out. With the group at the entrance of the alley, my exit is primarily blocked and I doubt this officer will let me run willingly. Officer Tippit's eyes widen as he glances over my face. Shit, I had forgotten about my bandages.

"How did you get that, kid?"

The officer's hand reaches out to touch my face, which I immediately respond to with a quick duck and a knee to the man's stomach. Officer Tippit stumbles back in pain as I hear the crowd yell in fear and anger.

I need to go now.

I dart past the still recovering officer and quickly shoulder through the now dense crowd. Hands try to grab me, but I duck and maneuver under them as I escape the crowd. My bowling shoes slap against the concrete as I run down the sidewalk and away from the scene.

Sharp turns and heavy breaths are taken as I get further and further away. Some people look at me as I run, and I realize how odd I must look; a haggard, fleeing girl with bandages covering nearly two-thirds of her face and odd clothes. I need to blend in, now.

I find a dark alley and turn into it; bending over, I take heavy breaths as my face burns strongly and reminds my brain of my still healing injury. My hands clench onto my pants as my situation seems to crash down atop my soul. Subconsciously, I know know is not the time for a breakdown but my body won't listen.

Breathing becomes harder, thoughts become random jumbles of incomprehensible words, everything just stops making sense.

My hands tug harshly against my bandages as I begin to feel trapped in my own skin. The white cloth meant to aid in healing just feels like it is taking away my breath. Bandages become stained with red and brown as I tear them off my face and throw them to the ground. Liquid runs down my face, both tears and blood make steady trails.

"You need to stop," I mutter breathlessly, curling up in a shadow of the alley way. My hands continue to shake as I clutch my chest in panic. Head dropping to my knees, I tangle my fingers into my hair and try to ground myself. "Please."

I feel a familiar energy running in my veins, recalling a sense of familiarity. The warm, steady energy seems to run underneath my skin. My breathing steadies as my brain hazily follows the energy in a desperate to feel comfort. While the cut on my face continues to throb and bleed, my tears cease and dry in the hot humidity of Dallas. Lifting my head from my knees, my eyes are immediately met with a soft glow chasing away the darkness of the alleyway.

Along my forearms is swirling, purple energy, covering them as if it was armor to defend my skin against an unknown enemy. My eye widens as I bring my shaking right hand to my left forearm and gently touch the energy. Unlike the sharp energy I had sensed every time with Five's teleportation or Vanya's freezing wave of energy, this energy is warm and comforting; this swirling energy reminds me of an unknown home that promised shelter and love. This is mine.