8 ○ Umbrella Academy

Screw L. H. Oswald

As much as I wanted to search all of Texas to find Diego, my body had other plans. For starters, I didn't wake up until four in the afternoon. When I finally was conscious, everything in my body ached. Dear god, talk about a hangover, I thought with a loud groan. Not only did my head pound and my body throb with every movement, I was also sick to my stomach. I guess that's just what happens when you drink five glasses of bourbon on an empty stomach. My groan seemed to have carried through the house because it didn't take long for a knock to come to my door. As much as I tried, I couldn't find the strength to speak, a short grunt of pain falling from my lips in response.

Isaac wore a sympathetic expression when he opened my door, looking me over a short moment before leaving. He quickly returned with a glass of water and something cupped in his palm, setting down the glass and helping me sit up slowly but surely. It was only after the churn in my stomach felt less threatening that I could take the water he offered and even longer to take the painkillers he'd brought, hoping to a higher power that I'd be able to hold it down. With a soft sigh, Isaac sat on the edge of my bed, resting a hand on my thigh. It wouldn't be as bad if there was a blanket separating his hand and my leg, but I could feel his warmth on my skin, my pajamas too thin to block out the side effects of physical contact. 

The addition of his emotions made my skin crawl, pulling my knees up to my chest and resting my head on them. "You were pretty drunk last night," Isaac informed, resting his hand in his lap. "I stayed home from work because you weren't doing too well this morning." He nodded to his right and I took a small glance over his shoulder. I'd spent enough nights with Klaus to recognize a puke bucket and judging by the dry, burnt feeling in my throat I've used it. I don't even remember anything past going to bed last night. Everything aside from finding Diego had fled from instant recall.

"I didn't embarrass myself again, did I?" I groaned, slowly smoothing my hands over my shins.

"Not really," Isaac chuckled. In the back of my mind, I heard a faint, Though, I might have. I wanted to remain normal, not to let anything about my powers interfere with what I had here. I was adamant that I wouldn't screw up like that again. So I forced a chuckle from my own lips, hoping it didn't sound too broken.

"That's a relief," I breathed, impatiently waiting for the painkillers to do their job. I would kill to have drugs the same strength as the ones Dad had given Vanya and I, anything for this pain to fade quickly.

"You should try and relax today, Ada," Isaac advised. "I know you want to keep looking for your family, but one day wouldn't hurt anyone." I wanted to argue with him, to plead with him until he understood that whatever Five had screwed up, he'd screwed up with all of us and not just me. I wanted to so badly get out of bed and search for Diego, but the hammering of my skull wouldn't allow me to get very far. The only reason I could hear Isaac's thoughts was because he was right here, I'd be faced with more difficulty using the link to track Diego down.

So, as much as I hated myself for it, I decided staying home today might not be such a bad idea.

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We both took the day off as I recovered, as much as I insisted Isaac could get at least some work done he stayed by my side and helped me with everything from brushing out my hair to laying out clothes for me to change into after I left the shower. Honestly, he was so good to me it almost broke my heart. Currently we both sat on the couch watching the nightly news, getting coverage on President Kennedy's latest speech. Shortly after the reporter made his closing statements, a the camera panned back to display a mugshot set up to his left. "There was a commotion on North Beckley Street today when a man of Hispanic descent was arrested outside of a house carrying multiple knives. Upon his questioning, the man claimed he was stopping the resident, one Lee Harvey Oswald, from assassinating the President."