Different // an Umbrella Academy fan fic

Chapter 14

"The Majestic 12"

The next morning, Eleanor awoke in the spare bedroom of her sister's house. It took her a while to piece together the events of the previous evening, but once she had, she immediately sat up- her body rigid. A panic washed over her as she scrambled to climb out of the bed, unsuccessfully trying to de-tangle herself from the covers. She landed on the floor with a light 'thump' and hurriedly kicked the covers away from her.

Eleanor rushed out of the room and down the stairs to the lower level of the house where she knew her older sister would be. She skidded to a stop in the dining room just as Allison was ending a call.

"Can I borrow your phone?" She asked, an underlying panic in her tone of voice.

Allison hung the phone back on the receiver and crossed out another hospital on her list before turning to face her sister. "Well, good morning to you too, El."

Eleanor ran a hand through her matted hair. "Morning. Look, I need to borrow your phone. Please." She sighed. "I know you're desperately looking for your husband- congrats on the marriage by the way- but I need to call my girlfriend. I need to let her know that I'm okay and explain why I never came home last night. She'll be as worried sick as you are." She stressed, pulling the old puppy-dog face she used to make as a kid when she wanted to borrow one of Allison's tops.

Allison sighed. "It's all yours." She gestured to the phone. "But make it quick, please."

Eleanor nodded as she walked over to the phone. She picked it up and typed in the familiar number, beginning to anxiously bite at her nails as she waited. Finally, the ringing stopped as a voice answered. "Hello?"

"Oh, my God." Eleanor sighed, leaning her back against the wall. "It's me, it's Eleanor."

She heard Alice let out a sigh of relief through the receiver. "Thank goodness. I thought something had happed to you."

"Nothing happened. Well, nothing bad, anyway. I ran into one of my brothers and then my sister and some things happened and I had to stay at hers. I'm so sorry that I didn't call and that I made you worry."

On the other end of the phone, Alice smiled. "Well, I'm glad you're okay, and that you found more of your family. Do you... Do you know if you'll be home later?"

Eleanor glanced over to Allison, taking in how shaken and panicked she looked before turning her gaze to Klaus, who was fast asleep on the couch in the living room. "I'm not sure." She answered honestly. "There's a lot happening right now. But, if I'm not home by this evening, I'll ring you and let you know. Okay?" She anxiously pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and bit into it.

"Yeah, that's okay. I know how family reunions can be." Alice joked. "I love you."

Eleanor grinned. "I love you, too. I have to go now, but hopefully I'll see you later."

"See you later, Doll." Alice said, hanging up the phone so now the only thing Eleanor could hear was static.

Eleanor held out the phone to her sister. "All yours." She smiled, as Allison took back the phone. Allison thanked her, dialling in the number for another hospital as she did so.

Eleanor headed into the kitchen, grabbed some cereal out of the cupboard and poured herself a bowl as Allison began to talk into the phone.

"Parkland Hospital?" Allison asked into the phone as Eleanor opened the fridge and helped herself to some milk, before pouring it over her cereal. "Yes, I'm... I'm looking for a patient, Raymond Chestnut." She explained as Eleanor carried her breakfast back through to the dining room, over to the table and took a seat. "He may have been brought in last night after the riot at Stadtler's." Allison continued. She paused as the nurse on the other end of the line spoke. "Why does that matter?" She asked.