Regarding Vanya

Reflections

Vanya kept trying to speak, the water scratched harshness of her throat and lack of breath prevented her from doing so after her first few sentences. Poor Diego. Watching him now caused a surge of guilt in her stomach. He was never easy to deal with, but his face right now was twisted with guilt and a burning anger in his eyes. Not a rage directed at her though, it was clear he held himself to blame. In the silent breeze, Vanya's senses drew to her pulse, which still has two glove covered fingers pressing down on it. Hard. Her head lowered to the ground. Vanya's neck was sore from the forceful tugs of the current (though she'd never admit that) and her final surge of power left her drained. It was time to rest.

Her eyes lit slightly as she relied on her power for strength. "Got a story?" She'd learned from Klaus that Diego sometimes needed a distraction. They all did.

Diego blinked at her. Vanya pondered if this was the right approach. Part of the reason they'd been so strained was because of a story (hers, of course) and he didn't seem to enjoy recounting his tales. Klaus had always cheered him up by acting out, but that wasn't Vanya's style nor did she have enough patience at the time. Watching her brother chew on his lip, she prepared for a blatant rejection.

Instead, he sighed and repositioned himself, no longer hovering directly over her. He got a funny gleam in his eyes as he began to try and orate a tale about a bank robbery that he so valiantly prevented with the aid of a beautiful cop. Diego knew he wasn't cut out for storytelling. He paused too often, lacked a natural rhythm, and slurred his "r". He also added extra details he knew were regretful, such as the odd addition of the color of Eudora's jeans. What he didn't notice was the appreciative smile on Vanya's face. It was a nice gesture.

After he finished, Vanya pushed off the ground to shakily hoist herself up. "Thanks Diego, I enjoyed the lengthy comparison to Batman, by the way."

He shook his head. "I am Batman."

"So what does that make me, huh?"

He stopped to argue, but noted the softness in her eyes, the more playful nature. He tilted his head, "I guess you could be Mr. Freeze or something. You've got a scary coldness."

She let out a genuine laugh and the air around them picked up a bit. Maybe this should have been concerning, but the air did feel refreshing in the burning Dallas sun. They continued out of the clearing, slowly edging their way to Main Street (the group's meeting point) while comparing each sibling to a hero/villain.

"Okay... Five?"

"Iron Man. He's got that arrogance and sciency crap."

"Luther?"

"Donkey Kong."

"That's not even a superhero!"

Diego beat his chest and scrunched his arms, "still fits."

Vanya contemplated the options. "No... how about the Hulk?"

"So Allison's Black Widow?"

She scrunched her nose. "Let's not get into that."

He gestured outward. "Thank you! I knew I wasn't the only one who thought that was weird!"

"I think we all do. It's not a normal thing."

Diego paused for a moment, pacing on the sidewalk before turning to face Vanya. He was never one for eye contact (he hated the false sense of trust) but in this instance it felt necessary.

"When you remembered... what was the first thing that came to mind?"

She shifted her feet, studying the aglets hanging over the laces. "Leonard."

Diego nodded, clearly displeased by this answer. He never really talked to Harold, but the amount of animosity he held towards him made his hair stand on edge (without hair gel). No one messed with his family but him. He just wished he could have had the opportunity for revenge.

Vanya tried to steer the conversation. "The second thing I remembered was your stupid fishing pole dance!" She playfully poked him and smiled falsely.

"He was a bad guy Vanya." It seemed Diego refused to be distracted.

She appeared much calmer than he was, slowly extending her arm to pat him on the shoulder. "I know," she whispered a bit softly, "but I do owe him a lot. I feel... so much more. I'm not on those pills, I'm more whole, I guess. You knew what I was like before."

"Never really there..."

"Yes! And now I'm awake and ready to start living."

"But you gave us a deadline for that, Vanya!"

She wasn't concerned enough, it frustrated him. "I've been listening to Five all my life, Diego. I'll still be alive if you save the past version of me."

"That's not the current you..."

"Close enough. I only have a few days difference in memory, I can get to this point again... without Armageddon."

Diego's hand clenched around his knife, "So much can change in that time! We should have intervened earlier but we sat around with our thumbs up our asses while you ran around with a serial killer!"

"Then get the others and intervene in the past!"

"Intervene in what?" Five popped next to them as they turned onto the street. Diego swore loudly as he jumped a foot in the air while Vanya hyperventilated for a minute.

Vanya didn't miss a beat, raising her chin up at Five. "Allison and Luther."

Diego raised an eyebrow. Reggie must have trained her in interrogation too. Weird, she had always been so much more innocent than the others.

Five didn't want to continue that, a bit nauseated. "Ah, irrelevant." He then glanced at Vanya, seemingly noting the affects of her near-drowning, from her more translucent skin to the dilation in her pupils. "How was swimming?"

Diego grunted. "Fun."

Five scrutinized his expression carefully, forehead creasing, before turning back to Vanya. "I came to tell you that Allison tried to use her voice."

He had Vanya's rapt attention. "And?!"

"She can whisper now, she wants to speak with you."

Vanya lurched forward and hugged Five, who stood shell shocked on the pavement. Looking back, he hadn't had many hugs over the years. Sir Reginald looked down upon physical affection and the apocalypse didn't offer any chances, besides Dolores of course. It was nice. He extended his arms and reciprocated, squeezing a bit too hard before ending the embrace just as quickly. They then pivoted and continued the journey.

Diego was laughing on the inside. "Where's my hug?" He whispered, leaning over Five, who was now scowling.

"Ask me again and you lose your throwing hand."

Author's Note: I bing watched season two on the first day. It was awesome and if you want me to incorporate any elements from it let me know. Also, I have a few ideas for an ending to this in mind (still far off, just plotting out the narrative) and I want to know how anyone would want the resolution to be (happy, sad, specific ideas...). Feel free to reach out and thanks for reading!