ALWAYS [FIVE: THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY]

0.2 To Have A Home

          It had been a few months since Hope had met Five. Over that time the two continued to meet up. On days when he had any free time and nights when he wasn't being monitored, he would sneak out to see Hope.

         Although, she still didn't have a home or anyone to take care of her. Five would bring food with him whenever they would meet up and she was grateful for it. Even if they were peanut butter and marshmallow sandwiches. When they were together they would talk about anything and everything, most of which included Five's brothers and sisters. He talked about them so much that Hope felt she already knew them. 

           She knew all about them, Number One was super strong and seemed, to Five, to be their fathers favorite. Next was Number Two, he could control anything he throws. Which was, most of the time, knives. Then Number Three, she could alter reality with her words. All she had to do was say 'I heard a rumor...' and then you are under her will. Number Four could see the dead, a power he hates. Number Six had a monster inside of him, on command he could bring forth deadly tentacles from his chest. Last but not least is Number Seven, she had no power. She was ordinary. Five told Hope of how Number Seven would be excluded from the group and how he felt bad for her. 

         Hope dreamed of meeting them. 

        It was sundown and on her way to met him, Hope thought about how maybe, someday, she could meet the Hargreeves in person. She was planning on asking Five if they could arrange something like that, but was scared that he would say no. Maybe he didn't want her to meet them. Maybe, if she did, they wouldn't like her and Five would stop coming to see her. 

        Lost in though, she wasn't watching where she was going and bumped into something, or someone. "I'm sorry." The little girl mumbled. She looked around and saw that she was about ten feet from the entrance of the alley where she would meet Five. Then she looked up and saw who she bumped into. It was a woman, she was pretty and dressed in neat clothing that fit her perfectly. "Oh, it's absolutely fine. Are you lost? Where is your family?" Her voice was smooth and calming. Hope didn't answer, she didn't know what to say. She simply looked at the entrance of the alley and saw Five's head peeking out from around the corner. He watched the interaction with great interest. 

            "My name is Venesa White. Why don't you come with me?" The woman said, crouching down and holding out her hand for Hope to take. She just stared at the outstretched hand, unsure of what to do. The woman slipped her hand in to Hope's and stood up. As she began to walk, gently pulling Hope along with her, Hope looked back at Five. She mouthed the words 'I'll be back.' and watched Five nod as they slowly disappear from each other's view. 

          Hope walked with the woman, Venesa White, through the crowded streets and up to a white gate. Beyond the gate there was a large pale blue house. Together, the pair went inside and Mrs. White led Hope to a small guest bedroom. "You can stay here and rest for now. I'll go get you some clothes." With that Mrs. White left the room, leaving Hope by herself. She took the opportunity to look around. It was a simple room a bed in the center with a nightstand and a dresser. The walls were white, much like most of the things in the room. 

       Mrs. White came back in with a tea shirt, that was also white, and set it on the bed. "It'll be a night gown for now. I'll go shopping for you tomorrow. Okay, let's get you into a bath." 

      After a much needed bath, Hope put on the large shirt and Mrs. White brushed her hair and put it into two braids. Then she tucked Hope in, bid her goodnight, shut off the lights and left. 

      Hope waited ten minutes before she sat up, got out of bed, and snuck down the hallway. Turning herself invisible, she ran out of the house and down the busy streets to the alley where she had last seen Five. As she entered she was immediately engulfed in a hug. 

       "Where did she take you? Are you going back to her? Is she going to adopt you? Please, tell me we will still meet up. I've been here waiting for you." Five rambled, pulling away from Hope but keeping his hands on her shoulders. "I went to her house and I'm not sure what is going to happen now." Hope said in her normal shy voice. 

       Five sighed and dropped his hands from Hopes shoulders. He looked at Hope in the eye and said, "I think you should go with her." 

       "What?"

       "I think you should go back. You've only been there for a little bit and you already look like you're actually being taken care of. You deserve to have a home." Five explained. 

         Hope didn't know what to say. Deep down she did want to go back and sleep on an actual bed in and actual house. To have someone to take care of her and love her. It all sounded so nice, and the opportunity was laid out right in front of her, waiting for her to pick it up. But she didn't want to take the chance of not being able to see Five again. Hope knew that, no matter where she lived, he would always be her home. 

          "What if I can't see you, anymore?" Hope voiced her concern. Five sighed, again gave her the best smile he had at the moment. It was small but comforting. "It's gonna be okay. You'll always have me."

             "It's gonna be okay." Hope repeated.

            Five grabbed her hand and, together, they walked to the pale blue house. One of the main reasons Five walked her there was so that he could know where to find her if he needed to. And, of course, to make sure she got there safely. 

         Once inside, Hope led Five to her room and sat down on the bed, five following her actions. Sitting next to her, he began to play with the bottom of his uniform jacket. Hope noticed and thought of how she couldn't picture five in anything other than the Umbrella Academy uniform. She couldn't even imagine what else he would wear. The Academy seemed to be a part of him, and hope couldn't help but wonder what her would do when he left.

          "Hey, Five." Hope broke the silence.

          "Hmm?" 

          "What do you want to do when you're older?" Hope asked.

         "I want to travel through time and around the world." He said after a moment of thought. Somehow, Hope wasn't surprised by his reply. She was, however, curious about how he planned to go through time.

           "Time travel? How is that going to work?" She had an endless supply of questions, but decided on just the two for now.

          Five smirked, "I can do it. I'm not ready, yet. But I'll be there soon and when I am we can go wherever we want."

         Hope froze at the word 'we'. Was he planning on taking her with him? Or did he mean him and his siblings? Ignoring the questions in her head she turned to Five and asked, "Where, or when, would you go?" 

         "Somewhere far from here, that's for sure." He scoffed. Hope just gave him a curious look. He noticed it and turned to face her. "I don't want to belong to the Academy. I don't want to belong to anything. Maybe there is a place for us out there somewhere. We just have to find it." Hope liked the sound of it and, again, she noticed that he was talking about both of them. She smiled at the thought of not having to sneak to meetups. 

          "Where do you want to go?" Five's voice brought Hope out of her thoughts only for her go go right back in. Where would she go? She seemed to already know her answer. 

         "I think I would go see my mom." She answered truthfully. 

           Five looked at her sympathetically, "Then that's what we are going to do."