EMBERS : the umbrella academy [2] [COMPLETE]

I

     CARLA WOKE WITH A GASP, sitting bolt upright and bumping her head into someone elses.

     "Shit!" Klaus cursed, as both he and the teen cradled their foreheads in pain.

     "Serves me right for trying to care about you," he muttered bitterly.

     Carla just rolled her eyes at him, before looking around the room with squinted eyes. There was no pulsating light, no high winds, just Vanya, staring down at them in concern.

     "Are you okay?"

     Klaus looked up at her, "Physically or emotionally?"

     "You're alive," Diego breathed, looking at his sister in wonder.

     "Did we save the world or what?" Klaus glanced around in mild confusion, seemingly satisfied at the lack of any catastrophic or world-ending event about to take place.

     "I think so," Allison sat up, "Building's still here."

     Diego checked his watch, before staggering to his feet, "Kennedy's a few minutes away. I can still save him!"

     "No, Diego, wait!" Allison grabbed his arm.

     "Look, I saw the explosion, I saw the tapes, Allison," his voice was laced with urgency, "The explosion causes doomsday. You're safe now. He doesn't have to die."

     Despite her protests, Diego ran out of the building, not looking back.

     Klaus helped a dazed Carla to her feet, before going to stand next to Allison by the window.

     Carla was going to follow, but hesitated, turning to Vanya, "I think we're more alike than you'd know."

     The woman paused, brows cinching slightly.

     "I'm glad you're alive," Carla told Vanya honestly.

     She seemed taken aback momentarily, before smiling softly, "Thank you."

     Together, the pair also stood by the window. It provided the perfect view of the crowds below, all standing to greet the President as he was moments from his death.

     It was strange, to be stood in the very spot she had seen in books or on TV.

     She spotted the figure of Diego speeding across the grass as the car turned the corner.

     "He's fast," she muttered lowly, "But he is an idiot."

     Klaus turned to her in confusion.

     "He's risking everything to save a stranger," she explained, "If he succeeds, he'll change the timeline forever."

     "It's happening again," Allison muttered.

     Klaus frowned sadly, "Oh, Jackie."

     Diego tackled the man in the dark trench coat, the pair flying to the ground and for a brief moment, Carla thought he had done it, that Diego had actually saved Kennedy.

     Then the shots rang out.

     Kennedy's blood and sinewy bits of brain splattered the car seat he was sat in, and Carla squeezed her eyes shut.

     There seemed to be a second of deafening silence, like the whole world was taking in a deep breath.

     Then chaos broke loose.

     There were screams of terror, the people on the grass below beginning to run away in confusion. Cries filled the air, full of fear, anguish, confusion.