CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: SIBLING ROAD TRIP

---

The song 'Baby shark' by Pinkfong was playing over the radio of the van as it was driving down the long and empty road.

"Baby shark, doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo Baby shark, doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo" a child sang over the radio.

"Baby shark, doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo shark. Mommy shark, doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo Mommy shark, doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo. Mommy shark, doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo Mommy Shark" the child sang as Diego was driving down the snowy road as Maddie and the others was all sitting in the van.

"Daddy Shark doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo. Daddy Shark"

"God! Will you please turn that song off?" Viktor asked "I can't. It's stuck" Diego replied "Grandma Shark, doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo, Grandma Shark, doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo" the song continued and Klaus moved his head to the music which caused Allison to roll her eyes.

---

ONE HOUR LATER.

"Grandpa Shark, doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo Grandpa Shark, doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo" the song kept playing on repeat.

As the song kept playing Maddie looked at her husband and she could see that he was not feeling well "You okay?" she asked "I'm fine, just taken it slow" he replied.

"Grandma Shark, doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo Grandma Shark, doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo"

Five turned his head to lok at Diego as he could feel he was getting worse. He felt nausea.

"Let's go hunt..."

Ben's stomach started gurgling.

"Let's go hunt, doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo, let's go hunt!..."

THREE HOURS LATER

"Run away doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo, run away doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo" the song kept playing and just like the others Maddie was about to lose her mind.

"Run away doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo, run away"

The sound of turbulent gurgling was heard as everyone except for Maddie and Klaus was getting worse.

"Diego will you change that song?" Luther asked out a little loud "I can't!" Diego snapped.

"This would never have happen if we have taken mine or Maddie's car" Five said "We can't all fit in that car" Maddie said "But at least we wouldn't have that song going on repeat" Five said.

"Safe at least, doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo"

Klaus then opened something to drink he have brought with him "Oh my God, that smells rancid" Lila said as she was sitting in between Allison and Klaus while Ben was sitting behind them and Luther sitting in the trunk.

"What? You don't like my kale-kiwi-carrot-cabbage kombucha?" Klaus asked and Viktor made a face in disgust while Ben smell to himself "It's good for the soul and great for the bowels" he said.

"Diego?" Five said as the sound of wet gurgling was heard "Uh...Maybe, uh, pull over" Maddie suggested as she could see that Five felt worse and he felt like he was about to throw up just like the rest.

"Can't" Diego shook his had "We're making good time" he said "Okay. Well, I'm gonna hurl" Five said "Can you pull over? I need to pee" Lila said "Please pull over Diego, I need to stretch my legs, and the others are not feeling well, they look worse than me when I was pregnant, so I think they are gonna throw up, so unless you want vomit all over your van, I suggest you pull over" Maddie said.

"You don't want a sippy of this potenit elixir?" Klaus stretched the bottle forward to Five who was sitting in front of him "So good for you" Klaus said "No" Five push it away with his left arm.

"All right" Diego lifted something up from his feet "Heads up. Here" he showed them a bottle "Oh no" Viktor said.

"You what it is. Right. Use it" Diego said "Not the pee bottle" Lila said "Have you even clean it?" Maddie asked.

But Diego just throw it back to Lila, Allison and Klaus and all made disgusted clamoring as they past it each other, trying to get rid of it.

"Pull over man" Five said "We are sticking and shaking to the itinerary" Diego said as the song kept going.

"Five, open the window" Luther said "Open the window" Ben said "Oh God!" Allison hold her nose.

"Open it!" Luther snapped "Please" Viktor said and Five started rolling down the window.

But by accident the handle came off which caused Five's eyes to widened.

"What the---Did you just break the window, man?" Diego hissed as he reach over to Five's side to grab the handle which cause him to turn the wheel and that made the van began to veer to the left which made Klaus spilled his drink.

"Hey, you spilled my kombucha!" Klaus said but then Lila threw up and the same did Allison "Hey" Klaus said.

Then Five started throwing up "Aww, Sweety" Maddie started rubbing her husband's back while Diego let out a yell "Told you" Maddie hissed at him.

"Everyone, hold it in!" Diego shouted as Five lifted his head "They can't, it's like morning sickness, you can't hold it in" Maddie snapped at her brother before wiping a rag around Five's mouth "Thanks honey" he said "Of course Sweety, anytime" she kissed his cheek.

"Run away, doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo"

Lila and Allison threw up again while Klaus made a face in disgust "Pull over, pull over!" he said.

"We're making good time!" Diego said before Five and Allison threw up again.

Viktor covered his ears as the sound of energy thrumming was heard "Stop puking!" Klaus shouted "They can't!" Maddie shouted back.

Then suddenly some energy sound came out of Viktor which broke all the windows in the passenger seat as the others let out a scream.

"Son of a bitch!" Diego shouted before he pulled over and stop the van causing the brakes to make a screech noise.

"All right, enough! Okay?" Diego said before he turned to look at the others "No more fighting! And no more puking, all right? And no...no more powers. Not until we get to Maine. We'll get there. We'll find this girl. After that, we'll go back to our regular lives. Are we clear?" he asked the group.

"Are we clear?" he asked "Yes" Klaus said "Yeah" Viktor said "Good" Diego said.

But then his stomach started gurgling and he felt he was about to throw up.

"Now is your turn" Maddie smiled to him and some small vomit came out of his mouth "Ahh!" Klaus said.

"Wipe?" Diego asked "We've run our of baby wipes" Lila said.

"Here you go" Klaus lifted up a small wipe "I gotcha buddy" he handed it to Diego who grab it before stepping out of the car.

"Where's he going?" Klaus asked "What are we supposed to do? Turn around?" Allison asked "No. We've come this far" Luther said "It's only another 13 hours to New Grumpson" Maddie sighed "Jesus" Ben said as they all groaning.

---

Day turn into night and while Maddie was asleep on the passenger seat next to Lila, Five was sitting next to Diego on the front seat.

Diego slap himself to keep him awake as he was still driving while everyone except him and Five was asleep.

"Do you want me to drive?" Five asked "No, I'm good" Diego responed and Five nodded.

"How can you keep yourself awake?" Diego asked his brother who was looking like he was wide awake "Spend some of your life alone in an apocalypse, and some of it in the Commission, you get use to stay up all night if you have to. But the kids can take the energy out of you sometimes, but I love them" Five said "Yeah" Diego nodded.

"Do you miss it?" he glanced at Five "The old days, with missions?" he asked "I do a bit, and when you have spend most of your life doing what I did, it take a long time to really get use to the normal life and you kinda miss the old life a bit" Five said before he took a deep breath.

"But I wouldn't trade what I have now for my old life. I love Maddie and I love the kids more than anything else in the whole universe, more than life itself. And I will do anything I can to protect them" Five said and Diego nodded before silence took over again.

Diego then looked over his shoulder to make sure that Lila was asleep "I think she's cheating on me" he said softly as he looked at Five "Lila" Diego said and Five looked at him "She goes places at night. She goes places, and she lies about it" Diego said "You know, she's got that book club" Five said "Yeah, what is it? A book club for two, Five?" Diego asked "What are you talking about?" Five asked "Last night. I followed her. She was in some café with some guy. Some Greek-looking son of a bitch with a creepy mustache" Diego said and Five realized that the guy Diego was talking about was Five himself, but in his undercover outfit and Five realized that Diego must have seen Lila talking with Five about that meeting they were at with Gene and Jean.

"The mustache was creepy?" Five asked "Oh yeah" Diego nodded "Sleazy as hell. Just pencil-thin. You know what I mean?" Diego glanced at him.

Five couldn't tell Diego the truth. He was nervous that Diego would think that Five was the one Lila was cheating with. And he wouldn't believe him if he told him the truth. And Five also think Lila should said it herself, it should come from her and not Five. Also this was between Lila and Diego.

"Diego, whatever this is, trust me...it's nothing" Five looked at his brother before looking forward again "You guys got the house, a family. Just like me" he said before he glanced over his shoulder to look at his wife that was asleep.

"I would never throw everything I have away for anything else. I have gotten everything I always dream about, something I thought I would never have, and now I have it, therefore I will not change it for anything" Five looked back forward again.

"Only an idiot throws that away. Lila is no idiot" he said "So am I supposed to just ignore it? Say nothing?" Diego asked "That would be correct. Bury it. Deep. Cover that shit with concrete" Five said and Diego looked at him.

"What if it was Maddie?" Diego asked "With the job, I have, there's only so much I can actually share with her without getting fired. But I trust her and she trust me. It's as simple as that. I wouldn't trade her or our kids for the world. I'm sure you and Lila feel the same about each other. You'd have to be an absolute idiot to throw that kind of love away. All I'm saying is your suspicions could be wrong in the end" Five said.  

"You speak like a true love expert" Diego chuckled softly "You've changed Five, in a good way" he said "Well, when you are with the right person they change you into the person you really are deep inside" Five said.

"Do you miss it? I mean, your old job in the Commission?" Diego asked

"The killing? I don't miss that at all. But if I have to kill someone or anyone again to save Maddie, our kids or you guys? I'd do it in a heartbeat" Five said.

"You're good brother" Diego said which made Five glanced at him.

That was the third sibling that have told him that. And still he didn't know what to say or how to react.

Both Lila and Maddie overheard the conversation and Maddie smiled before she put her hand on her stomach and let out another small smile as she felt something inside of her.

---

The next morning, the van drove past a sign saying 'New Grumpson'

Diego stopped the van by a phone booth and the siblings all got out so Five could call someone that could check if either Sy or Jennifer lived in the town.

Five ended the call before he turned to the family "No Sy Grossman listed. No Jennifer Grossman either" he told them.

"Well, we'll have a look around. If she's here, we'll find her" Maddie said "This is why you do recon, asshole" Ben said and the others look at him "Recon? Why are you saying 'Recon'? We're not the A-Team" Viktor said "Oh really? Shit. You fooled me" Ben said sarcastically.

"Are least we still have a team" Diego said "What's that supposed to mean?" Ben asked and Diego grabbed Ben's collar.

"Okay, everybody. Look over here and smile" Luther smiled as he was holding up a small camera as everyone turned to look at him.

"What?" Allison asked "No" Viktor said "Smile!" Luther said and Diego wrapped an arm around Ben who leaned his head on his shoulder while smiling. Lila covered her eyes with her hands while Viktor touch his forehead. Five wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulders and she kissed him on the check while he smiled as Luther took a picture of them.

"You know what? Screw this" Ben got away from Diego as soon as Luther have taken the picture "One or two of you are fine. But all of you together? You're a bunch of drooling stunted toddlers. I'm going back to my penthouse downtown" Ben started walking away from the group.

"Ben, that penthouse belong to the federal government now" Luther said "Shut the hell up, Luther" Ben said as he walked away "All right" Luther respond.

As Ben walked away one of his tentacles came out which caused the other to stifle snickering while giggling "Aw. Poor Ben-arino" Klaus said "We're better off without him!" Diego said as he was standing behind the van, putting his holster with knives on him.

"He's right" Viktor said "All right, everyone. Let's split up and look for this girl" Luther said while Diego was putting his belt with the knives which caused the belt to start straining cause Diego have put on some weight since the last time he had the holster on.

"Let's be discreet. If you find her or the dry cleaner guy, don't do anything on your own" Luther said "I can't feel my legs" Diego said "Let's wait for the team" Luther said.

"Oh, sweet Jesus" Maddie said as she saw Diego came back and she tried to hold her laugh "Like a glove" Diego said "Sure. Like OJ's glove" Lila said sarcastically.

"Diego, you can't fit that anymore, it squeeze you a certain place so you got frog's eyes" Maddie said which made Klaus laugh and Five and Allison chuckled "She is right Sweety" Lila said to her husband.

"Here" Diego threw the keys to Klaus but instead of catching them he jump back "You're in charge of Wanda. Don't go anywhere without us" Diego told him as the others started walking away.

"You do realize you're waddling? Yeah" Allison asked Diego who was waddling because his clothes was too tight "Yeah. Just trying to walk like you" Diego said "Hey" Allison gave him a small kick "Guys stop. Let's just find this Jennifer and get out of here" Maddie said "Use one of those knives...." Luther said "Good luck. Don't get killed" Klaus said as he stayed behind.

---

As the siblings enter the town, they started splitting up, Luther, Viktor and Allison went down the street while Lila and Diego went to the place where a carousel was.

"I will go with Allison, Viktor and Luther" Maddie said "Are you sure, maybe we should stay together" Five said "I will be fine, I'm the only one here that can control their powers" Maddie said "I'm not glad to leave you out of my sight" Five said "I will be okay" she said "Still don't like it" he said "I can still kick ass and do I have to remind you of what my powers can do" she said "No, but I'm still not comfortable with us splitting up" he said and Maddie smiled before she put his face in her hands.

"Alright, to calm you down, I will come meet you at the festival in ten minute, how about that?" she asked "Ten minutes and if you are not there, I will come look for you" he said "Deal" she nodded.

"You are really overprotecting" she said "Of course I am, I'm always protected of you, but now since we are in a strange different and maybe dangerous place, I'm more protective, we never know what is coming" he said "I love how protective you are, my knight in the shining armor" she lay a kiss on his cheek before following after Luther, Allison and Viktor.

"Ten minutes!" he called after her "Ten minutes!" she called back.

---

Maddie was walking with Viktor, Allison and Luther down the street past different store "Wow. Talk about a hidden gem. Sloane would have loved it here" Luther said as the four stopped by a store.

"Woah" Luther gasps as he spotted a old picture fame "Oh!" he lifted it up to look at it "Look at the craftsmanship" he said as he was admiring the fame.

Allison and Viktor looked at each other "You know, it's, um...It's good to see you. I'm really happy that you're doing well" Allison told him "Yeah. It's been a minute" Viktor said "Yeah" she nodded "You didn't think to call or..." she said "Phones work both ways you know" Viktor chuckled.

"Fair enough" Allison did a wry chuckled before looking down at the ground "Look" Allison looked at him "You did what you did. I get it. You got Claire and Ray. And things worked out fine for me too. Like, I'm happy. But we're not friends. And that sucks, but it doesn't have to be some huge thing" Viktor said.

Allison then looked at Maddie "Yeah, you're not getting any kind words from me, so save it" Maddie said before she turned away from Allison.

Then a older woman in a wheelchair wheel out of the store "We ship anywhere in the continental USA" the woman said "Oh! Great. Thanks" Luther said.

---

A group of people were signing a Christmas carol while Diego was thorwing axes as a target and he hit right in the middle.

He looked at Lila who was standing next him holding a cup of coffee.

Then while looking at Lila, Diego threw another axe, hitting right in the middle again. But Lila just kept looking at him annoying before rolling her eyes.

Diego covered his eyes before throwing the last axe toward the target and hit in the middle again.

He then pointed at another stuff reindeer wearing a red Christmas shirt.

The guy by the target grab the reindeer before giving it to Diego who already had two "All right. I got Grace and the twins covered" Diego put the reindeer with the other two that he was holding with his left arm "You want one?" he looked at his wife "No, thanks" she said before walking away.

---

Allison, Luther and Viktor was still standing by the store "Do you think there's a market for an erotic dance studio in a town this size?" Luther asked which caused Viktor and Maddie to glanced at him "Doubt it, Luther" Maddie said "Can we just get out of here?" Viktor asked "Yeah, sure. Just give me a second. This place is a gold mine" Luther said.

"Excuse me" Maddie walked over to the woman in the wheelchair "Do you know somebody by the name of Jennifer Grossman?" Maddie asked the woman "I can't say that I do" the woman replied before she looked up at Maddie "Excuse me" she smiled "Oh. Yeah, sorry" Maddie step aside and the woman rolled away before rolling over to a man and whispered something to him.

"Well, I better go check up on Five, see you later" with that Maddie left the three without noticing some people staring at her.

A/N: Vote or comment