8 ○ Umbrella Academy

September 1963

I hated the separation I felt from the rest of my family, in eleven months I hadn't heard a single one of their thoughts, despite my daily walks through Dallas. In their absence, I'd shacked up with the man who found me mid panic attack. I felt bad for Isaac, I could feel the way he pined after me, even without the obvious way he provided me with anything and everything he felt I needed. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't reciprocate. Thankfully, he lived in the outskirts of Dallas on a farm he'd inherited after his parents passed so things in my mind were relatively peaceful. 

The only animals he had were horses and I found I was as happy as I possibly could be when I was around them. Maybe happy wasn't the right word; relaxed seemed more fitting. I was constantly reminded that I didn't belong here, that life here with Isaac was just my life with Carter all over again. It was partly why I couldn't bring myself to feel for him the way I felt for Carter. Besides that, I had someone I was, literally, far more attached to. He just wasn't here.

I snapped back to attention when the back door closed, Isaac's boots sounding on the linoleum. "Hey, I didn't think I'd catch you before you went on your walk," he greeted, coming around the counter with a small smile.

"I didn't sleep well last night, slept in later than usual," I excused. I poured Isaac a cup of coffee before finishing off my own, closing my eyes when his hand came to my head and setting down my mug. My head was flooded with his concern, needing to take a deep breath to steady the influx of emotions.

"Another bad dream?" I frowned and tilted my head down, him touching me didn't help my conflicted feelings. Isaac came into my room on a bad night, watched me experience a night terror that he had trouble waking me from. He'd treated me as though I was fragile since then. At least, more than he usually did. 

"Yeah," I breathed, not wanting to go into detail. Isaac thought I was normal, how could I explain that I was scared of my own memories, that when I closed my eyes I saw my brother and sister bleeding out in my arms, that Vanya could be anywhere in time and without support in such a difficult time? "This has been the first one in a while."

"Are you sure you should be going on your walk this morning, Adelaide?" Isaac checked, thankfully dropping his hand from my head and taking his emotions with him. 

"I'll be fine," I assured. "I'm just tired is all." I tucked my hair behind my ears and opened my eyes, meeting his stare and matching his small smile. "Thank you for being so supportive."

"My father fought in Germany, ended up a POW, I know something or two about handling episodes," Isaac shrugged. It took a moment to prepare myself, hesitantly laying my hand over his as I shook my head. 

"It's more than handling my episodes, Isaac," I informed softly. " You do a lot for me and I'm not sure how I'm going to ever repay you for that." I gave his hand a short squeeze and stood from the stool at the counter, leaving my mug in the sink and making my way out the door.

Just the same as every other day for the past eleven months, I turned up nothing in my search of the city, looking for some clue of my siblings' presence and coming up empty handed. There were so many people on the street on a nice day that it was near impossible to single out one voice at a time, to search among the voices for a familiar one. At this point I was about ready to stop searching. Isaac was a lawyer, a damn good one at that, so sometimes he stayed late in his office dealing with his cases. 

I had poured myself a glass of bourbon, about the strongest thing Isaac allowed in the house. Even though there weren't many minds to tap into here, I still didn't feel quite right when I was sober. I played a record from Isaac's collection while I drank, trying to lose my thoughts in the music. It was too bad I didn't enjoy any music from this decade, it sucks when you miss songs that won't be created for another twenty years. I was maybe five drinks in and had switched albums several times over before Isaac came home, finding me sat on the floor with the bottle of bourbon cradled in my lap. "You okay, Ada?"

I closed my eyes, for a minute there I thought I was hearing Diego's voice. "I'm... I'm okay," I breathed slowly. "It's just...it's been a year and I still haven't found them. I think I'm losing hope." Isaac took a deep breath and sat beside me, holding out a hand with a knowing but firm expression. With a subtle reluctance, I handed the bottle over, pleasantly surprised when he took a slow drink. 

"Your family is out there somewhere," he assured with a tense breath. "You just haven't found them yet. That doesn't mean you never will. Didn't you tell me your family always came back together, one way or another?" I nodded with a deep breath, trying to force myself into having the same strong belief Isaac did. He had seen so much ugly in this world and yet he was overwhelmingly optimistic. He gave me every reason to feel something for him, I just couldn't; not even when I was drunk. 

I opened my mouth to speak but there was a new pressure in my head, so faint I could barely feel it from how much I drank. My head already felt like it was swimming, this pressure didn't help anything feel clearer. Then there was a gentle tug on my mind, one I hadn't felt in so long I was barely able to recognize it. Diego. I attempted to stand, but as soon as I got to my knees all the drinks I'd had fully set in, Isaac taking hold of my wrist to steady me. "Adelaide, what's wrong?"

"Diego," I mumbled, never having named any siblings to him before. "I can feel him." Tears sprung to my eyes and I fell into Isaac's lap, a smile I couldn't fight pulling at my lips. "I can feel him," I insisted. Though it seems the only convincing I'd managed was convincing Isaac I'd had one too many.

"Hey," he chuckled, getting his feet under himself. "Why don't we go lay you down, hm?" I shook my head but as Isaac helped me to my feet, I found myself in no place to argue, the alcohol rushing to my head and causing it to spin.

"O-okay," I breathed, clinging to his arm and fighting to find hold of Diego's mind. Sadly, I drank too much and my powers were stunted, at least for a little while, barely able to maintain my upright stature as Isaac guided me to my room. I would rest easy tonight, if not for the bourbon at least from the piece of mind knowing I wasn't alone anymore; that tomorrow I could actually find my brother, and hopefully the rest of my family. "Thank you, Isaac," I slurred as he helped me into my bed. "For everything."

"You don't have to thank me, Adelaide. I enjoy helping you." My smile had softened out by now, but it relaxed even further at his words, eventually dissipating all together as his eyes trailed over my face. Even inebriated, I could feel how badly he wanted me, I didn't need telepathy or empathy to see it now, however. He debated with himself for a long moment before leaning down to kiss my forehead, leaving me fighting a grimace. If I did make any difference in my expression, it wasn't an alarming one, for he pulled only slightly away and whispered, "Get some rest," before leaving my room.