CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN: INVITATIONS.

---

The plan to save the universe hadn't worked and instead it had speed up the end of everything.

Fei and Christopher had being lost to the Kugelblitz and Five and Andy had risked their own life to save Ben before they were also lost to the Kugelblitz.

The Kugelblitz have grown so big that it have absorbing everything.

Lucky, the Hotel Obsidian was still standing, so they all have settled down there to think about what to do now.

Five were standing by the railing thinking while Sloane and Luther was sitting on a couch leaned up at each other as Viktor and Lila was sitting on the a chair each.

Viktor was sitting normal on the chair while Lila was sitting upside down while both Mitch and Andy had their back laying on the small coffee table that was in the middle of the two chairs and the couch and Lara was sitting on a chair next to Viktor.

"So, how is it that we're still here, but the whole of the universe is going down the cosmic shitter?" Allison asked "Maybe we're the last to get flushed" Viktor said "Wasn't talking to you" Allison said to him as she crossed her arms over her chest while looking away from him.

"Hey, has anyone seen Klaus?" Luther asked "Or Dad" Sloane said.

"They'll be there" Diego said "Really? Did they...hit traffic?" Ben asked sarcastically and Diego looked at him as Ben turned to face the others "Look, people, we're alive because we're special, right? We're the only ones who can save the universe" he said.

"Uh, question" Allison said as she raised her hand "Yes" Ben said as he turned to her "Didn't we just try that and fail miserably?" she asked "Yeah, it's because his plan was stupid" Diego said as he pointed at Ben "Mm" Allison said.¨

"I got a better one" Diego said "'Course you do" Ben said annoyed "We go with the large hard-on particle accelerator. You guys do some science, and..." Diego said and clicked his tongue while he mimicked a bat hitting a ball "...we launch the Kugelblitz into outer space. Didn't think I knew that, did ya?" he finished as Lila sat up in the chair before Diego looked at Ben "It's in Switzerland" he said "It's 'hadron' not 'hard-on'ya moron!" Ben shouted "Oi!" Lila shouted and Ben looked at her "At least he's trying you shitty little squid. What have you contributed?" she asked.

"Actually, he did blow up half his family" Diego said as he pointed at Ben "Oh, you wanna talk about family problems?" Ben asked as he walked towards Diego "You know what should have blown up is your face on that neck!" he shouted "I wish I had a cake to hit you with it in your face!" Diego said as they were inches from each other.

"What are you talking about?" Ben said in Korean "You better cut that out..." Diego said in Spanish "Shut up" Ben said in Korean as they both continued to argue in their native language causing the others to roll their eyes.

"Jesus, they fight like kids" Andy said as him and Mitch sat up.

"Hey!" Five shouted shouted causing Ben and Diego to look at him "You guys done?" he asked as he approached the group "The universe is disappearing outside" he said as he pointed towards the large windows above the hotel doors "So you can keep rearranging the desk chairs of the Titanic if it makes you feel better" he said before he put his hands in his pockets "But the fact remains that we are too late" he said and both Diego and Ben scoff before they walked away from each other and back to the place they were standing before.

"Five, come on" Luther said "It's over, Luther. We failed" Five said "Come on. It can't be over over" Viktor said as he took his feet from the coffee table "Yeah, come on, Five. We gotta figure this out, man" Diego said.

 "Okay. How about we take a step back?" Five said and clapped his hands together "Look at the big picture here. Most of us have spent the last 28 days trying to stop the world from ending. What exactly have we accomplished?" he asked and nobody responded, realizing that they hadn't accomplish anything.

"Well, we found you dad" Mitch said "And you found you three" Five said as he glance at the twins and Lara who smiled.

"Well, we also made some friends along the way" Luther said and smiled as he looked at Sloane next to him "Incorrect!" Five said as he pointed at Luther who smile faded "You know what we've done? Nothing. We made things worse every single time" Five said.

"Amen to that" Allison said and Five let out a sigh "Look, when I went to The Commission, I had a conversation with my 100-year-old sons. And their last words were, 'Don't save the world'" he said "'Don't save the world'?" Viktor said "'Don't save the world'" Five repeated as his face felled and it looked like he was going to cry.

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard" Diego said "Is it?" Luther asked as he looked at him.

"Well, whatever we're doing's not working. All we ever do is save the world for a day, pat ourselves on the back and then everything goes shit again" Luther said "Yeah, maybe we're the problem" Viktor said "Oh, yeah. Us" Allison said with a scoffs.

"So, wait. Your big plan is no plan?" Lila asked "Exactly. Conscientious objection. Why the hell not? We're tried everything else" Five said before his eyes met with Lara and the twins.

"Look, maybe this just what the universe needs. I say, embrace the apocalypse. See what's on the other side" he said "What it it's...nothing?" Sloane asked "Then it's been nice knowing you all" Five said with the sound of hopeless in his voice.

Five turned to Lara with a saddened defeated expression painted on his face. What the group didn't know is he was too unsatisfied by this answer. The only thing he wanted was to live a long happy life, with Lara by his side, but he knew he had to listen to his future self.

"Whatever's on your bucket list, I recommend you do that now" Five said before he walked over and sat down on some small steps.

Lara walked over before she sat down next to Five as they grabbed each other's hand.

Then Mitch walked over and sat down next to Lara while Andy sat down next to Five.

Everyone fell silent as you took in his words with your hearts and minds.

Luther and Sloane then looked at each other with a smile "Well, on that...super happy note, we've, um..." Luther said, not knowing how to tell the others "Oh, what the hell" he said before they got up.

"We've, uh, got a little announcement to make" Luther said before they both took a deep breath "We're engaged!" they both said smiling as Sloane showed her finger which had a ring on it.

"Kill me, Jesus" Ben said quietly "Idiots" Five mumbled with dejected sigh.

"Now?" Allison asked "Yeah. Look, we realize the timing is less than ideal. But, obviously, it's now or never. Am I right, Five?" Luther said as he pointed on Five with a smile "Don't drag me into this, please" Five said.

"What...Whatever time we have left, we wanna spend it with all of you. So we're super pumped if you would join us in the banquet hall at 6:00 p.m. for a celebration of our love, and the official union of what's left of our two great families" Sloane said as she looked at the others "Dress code is creative black-tie" Luther said and Sloane laughed.

Luther and Sloane then began handing out the invitations they had made to the others.

"Wow" Lila said with a small laugh as she was looking at her invitations "And you did all of this yourself?" she asked "Luther helped too. We stayed up all night" Sloane said as she gave Five, Lara and the twins a invitation each "Amazing" Lila said.

Then all of a sudden Reginald and Klaus came up the stairs to them.

"Dad?" Ben said in surprise "Klaus" Allison said as their return shock all of them since they all thought that they had been Kugelblitz.

"Hey" Klaus said "Oh, thank God" Viktor said.

"Where the hell have you been?" Mitch asked while Five noticed Reginald looking at the twins and he didn't like that.

"Gather 'round, children. Quickly now!" Reginald said.

Lara was about to get up but then Five grabbed her wrist "Where do you think you're going?" he asked "I'm not one of his children, and I'm also not part of the family" Lara said "You are part of the family now and so are you kids" Five said as he glance at the twins "So stay" he said as he pulled Lara back down while the twins also sat down.

"The hell have you been?" Diego asked Klaus "Oh, Reg and I. We got tangled up in a whole father-son end-of-the-world road trip kinda thing. You know" Klaus said "You two are hanging now?" Ben asked.

"We laughed, we cried, we played in traffic, and long story short, I'm immortal now" Klaus said and grunt dramatically "Whoa, wait. You're what now?" Luther asked "What did he just say?" Mitch asked.

"Klaus, have you gotten into the bath salts again?" Allison asked.

"I think the more pertinent question is, why are you all playing with jars?" Reginald asked as he saw that everyone had small jars filled with rocks in their hands.

Lila poured her rocks down while Diego threw the jar away "They're invitations" Sloane said as the sound of a jar clatters was heard.

"Nobody's playing" Luther said "Luther and I are getting married" Sloane said as she handed a invitation to Reginald "All of space and time is collapsing, and you are planning a wedding?" Reginald asked "Yeah, and, uh, the things is, um" Luther said as he got up and walked over to Sloane and Reginald.

"Space is limited. So it's kind of a per-plate situation, so, you know" he said before he took the jar from Reginald "Is this how I raised you? To fiddle while Roms burns?" Reginald asked as Klaus walked over to him "Remember what we talked about, Reg" he said to him "Remember to breathe" he said "Quiet, I'm on a roll" Reginald said. 

"Dad, have you been taking your pills?" Sloane asked "As a matter of fact, I haven't. And I can confirm that I've never felt better in my life. You thought you could dope me up and slow me down, take control of my affairs and squander my fortune. Well, Klaus here was good enough to wean me off that wretched poison. And now that the fog is lifting, I can see all your dastardly designs with a bracing clarity" Reginald said and Sloane looked at Klaus "You took him off his meds? What were you thinking?" she asked.

"He's the only one doing any thinking. All of you could learn a thing or two from this impressive young man" Reginald said as he pointed at Klaus and Diego chuckled while he crossed his arms over his chest "The world really is ending! Oh my God" he said while laughing.

"As for you the rest of you, your training is to resume post-haste. We're running out of time. We're have a mission to complete" Reginald said "I'm ready. Let's do this" Ben said to his dad.

"Let me guess" Five said and Reginald looked at him "Project Oblivion?" Five said with a smile "How do you know about that?" Reginald asked him "I heard all about it from Pogo" Five replied

"Now, there's a name I haven't heard in some time" Reginald said "And he confirmed what I've always suspected about you" Five said "Which is?" Reginald asked "That you're a sadistic lunatic who's planning on gambling all of our lives in another pointless mission" Five said.

"And you'd take the word of a disgruntled chimp over that of your own father?" Reginald asked and Five blinked right up in front of him "Every damn day" he said as he looked him with rage in his eyes and a sarcastic smile on his face.

"Nobody wants you here, Dad. You should leave" Luther said "Hey, you don't speak for all of us, big guy" Ben said to him "You're feel free to join him" Luther said as he glanced at him.

"I see. So this is what it's come to. Insurrection" Reginald said and Klaus shushed him "That's not the kind of erection we're driving for here, all right? Everybody just needs to be cool. Clearly, you guys are on a different chakra frequency right now" he said to him before he grabbed Reginald's arm "Hey Pops, let's go have a nice cup of tea in the suite" Klaus said "Let go of my arm" Reginald said "Luther, Sloane. Oh my God. I'm beyond thrilled" Klaus said as he began to walk away, pulling Reginald with him.

"You guys are gorgeous. Amazing. Send me your registry" Klaus said as the two left.

Diego then walked away and Lila followed him while Lara got up before walking away and Five and the twins got up too before walking after her.

"So are we gonna go to this bachelor?" Andy asked "Of course you boys are" Lara said "Cool this is our first bachelor" Mitch said with a smile "You boys has to find something nice to wear" Lara said "Do we have too?" Andy asked "Yeah, it's a bachelor and a wedding, you two are gonna have to look nice" Lara said and the twins let out a sigh before they follow after their mom to find something for them.

---

"Hey, Viktor" Luther said and sat down next to him "Um, I got a question. Well, really, it's more of a request, um...it's totally last minute, and...The whole thing is last minute, but I--" Luther said "What is it?" Viktor asked "Will you be my best man?" Luther asked and Viktor's eyes widened "You don't have to do much. You just have to stand next to me and make sure I don't act like an idiot. You know" Luther said with a chuckled and Viktor smiled "I would love to" he said "Okay. Great" Luther said while smiling "Um, okay, so we're on a tight schedule. The bachelor party is in 15 minutes, and not everyone is invited--" "What was that?" Ben asked, cutting Luther off and they looked at him.

"Nothing, man" Luther said and chuckled "Nothing" he said and Ben walked away.

---

Diego was in a room sitting on the couch while flipping his knife when Lila stood in the doorway "Are you still playing hard to get?" she asked "Quiet. I'm brainstorming" he said "Smells like it. Crack a window" she said as she entered the room "Look, I just got a lot of things to think through" he said "Think what through?" she asked "The end of everything" he said "Mmm. Okay. Well, while we're all waiting for the big breakthrough, the boys are waiting downstairs before the wedding" she said "I'm not going to that wedding" Diego said as he threw his knife away "Like hell you're not. You're my plus-one. Get dressed!" she said as she walked over to him.

"I'm not going to no stupid wedding at the end of the world when I'm supposed to be saving it, alright?" he said "Our best bet was a human Rubik's Cube, and he went kablooey. What do you suggest?" she asked "Gotta be somebody's ass we can kick" he said and she took his belt off.

"What are you doing?" he asked "You're going to the wedding" she said "We got a kid to take care of" he said "You think I don't know that? I'm the one incubating that brat--" she said as she pulled him off the couch and down on the floor.

"Then I don't get why you're not fighting harder for this" he said "Not all fights are worth fighting for. Odds are, we don't survive this one" she said "I'll take those odds if it mean I get to spend it with you and the baby" he said and she looked at him while his eyes widened in shock over what he had just said "What happened to Mr. Lone Wolf doesn't need anybody?" she asked "He met a crazy lady. Changed his mind" he said and she smiled before she gave him a kiss.

"I love you, Diego, but I'm not gonna go on some doomed mission with your shaggy brother and senile father" she said "You have to listen--" "No" she said, cutting him off "You spend tonight fighting your bloody apocalypse or being with me" she said "Don't do that" he said "You can't have both" she said as she leaned back while they were looking at each other.

She then stood up and started walking towards the door.

"Lila" he said and she stopped before she turned around and looked at him as he stood up.

He then threw her that bracelet they made together in the Asylum "I choose you" he said and she smiled before she ran towards him, jumping into his arms and kissed him.

---

"So are you going to the wedding?" Five asked Lara as the two was waiting for Mitch and Andy to get dress for the bachelor.

"Of course I am. I might not know Luther and the others so well, but I never say no when I get an invitations to something like this" Lara said before she looked at Five "You?" she asked "Why not" Five said before he tilted his head.

Then the door opened and the twins step out "Woah, you kids look handsome" Lara said "Those really suit you" Five said as he had his hands in his pockets "Thanks" the twins said.

Lara then walked over to her sons before kissing them on the cheek.

"Gross mom, we are too old for that" Andy said as the twins pulled away from their mom before rubbing their cheek.

"Now my boys" she said as she clapped her hands together "Go have fun" she said before she looked at Five "And if you give our boys alcohol you will see absolute hell Hargreeves" she said "Of course Darling" Five said before he looked at Andy and Mitch "Boys, let's go" Five said and the twins nodded before they left the room.

"So are we gonna have an alcohol?" Andy asked "Nice try, but I agree with your mother" Five said and the twins sighed.

---

Karaoke version of 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' was playing as Five, Mitch, Andy, Diego, Viktor and Klaus was sitting down while Luther did karaoke.

"Get it, Luther" Klaus said "Every now and then I fall apart. Every one and then I fall apart. And I need you now tonight. I fuckin' need you more than ever..." Luther sang "That sound terrible" Andy said.

"Doesn't he have the voice of an angel?" Klaus asked "No" the twin said while Diego light a cigar as Five and Viktor was taking a sip of their glass while Andy and Mitch was drinking none-alcohol.

"Yeah, baby, hit those high notes" Klaus shouted to Luther "Sing it, baby" Klaus said.

"Can't believe Luther's the first one of us that gets hitched" Diego said "I can. I caught him marrying my action figures in, like, third grade" Viktor said "Did not" Klaus said and Viktor nodded which cause the twins to let out a chuckled. 

"This is actually not that bad" Mitch said "Nope, not how I expected our first bachelor, but it will do" Andy said.

"This isn't how I picture our bachelors' party, you know?" Diego said before he put his cigar between his teeth.

"Well, the world's running a little short on strippers and tea cakes right now" Klaus said "Just surprised you didn't invite Daddy Dearest to come join us" Five said "Oh, come on. He's such a kind and thoughtful soul. He's not like our Hargreeves. Au contraire. But I'll admit I needed a break from the old dog" Klaus said and took a sip from his glass.

"Nothing I can say. Total eclipse of the heart" Luther sang before he let go of the mic "Oh" he said "Woo!" Viktor said "What's you SOBs so down in the mouth about? This is a party" Luther said as he sat down next to Viktor "I'm just so glad we got to go out with a big ol' band while we still can. Hey, here's to us" Klaus said before getting up and he lifted his glass as the others got up "We've had a hell of a run" he said before he looked at the twins "Mitch and Andy, we are so happy over that you kids and your mom have become part of the family, so cheers to that" Klaus said as he lifted up his glass "Cheers" they say as they all cheers before they all took a sip of their glass.

"Who's next?" Luther asked "Oh. That'd be me 'cause I have finally come to a decision" Five said "What's it gonna be, maestro?" Klaus asked "It's gonna be a duet, my friend, with my sons" Five said before he looked at the twins "Come on kids" he said and the twins smiled as he got up "Yay. I feel so special" Klaus said as him, Mitch, Andy and Five walked up on stage.

Five gave Klaus and the twins a mic "Oh. This is gonna be good" Luther said "No karaoke is good. That's the point" Diego told him.

"Now, I've had the time of my life! No, I never felt this way before..." Five sang "Whoo" Luther said while clapping "Yes I swear" Five and the twins sang "All right!" Luther said as he cheered them "It's the truth..." Mitch and Andy sang as them, Five and Klaus looked at each other.

"I'm gonna miss this" Luther said "And I owe it all to you..." Five sang "Not me. These guys are the worst" Viktor said "Had the time of my life" Klaus and the twins sang as Five slid a piece of his hair away from his face.

"That's not what I meant" Luther said "I know" Viktor said "And I owe it all to you!" Klaus sang while Five took a sip of his bottle "I'm gonna miss them too" Viktor said.

Then the instrumental break started playing "Oh! Gettin' funky in here!" Klaus said as he shook his body to the music while the twin chuckled.

"Hey, will you do me one more favor?" Luther asked "Yeah, anything" Viktor said "Talk to Allison" Luther said "No. Come on. I can't--" Viktor said "Viktor, please" Luther said "And...And say what? 'Why did you kill my friend'?" Viktor asked "You really wanna compare body counts?" Luther said and Viktor looked at him "I just...I don't want her to be alone when all this ends, you know? I mean, Five said it. If there's anything on your bucket list, do it now" Luther said "Why does it have to be on my list?" Viktor asked "Because she's always been good to you. Better than the rest of us" Luther said.

"Cause we seem to understand the urgency. Just remember..." Five, Mitch, Andy and Klaus sang and Klaus ruffled Mitch's hair while Five ruffled Andy's hair which 'cause the twins to smile.

Five then took a step forward "Luther!" he called out as a invite to come up to the stage "Oh!" Luther said "Come on. Come on" Five said and Luther laughed as he got up to them.

"Viktor. Viktor, don't be shy. Diego, you too" Five said "You don't want this" Viktor said as he got up "Okay, screw it" Diego said "Get in here, Diego" Five said "Come on! Come on! Look lively!" Klaus said.

"This could be love" Five and Klaus sang "Because I've had the time of my life. No, I never felt this way before" they all sang.

The boys all sang together while dancing.

But they didn't noticed Ben standing up on the second floor by the railing, looking down at them.

---

Ben walked into Sloane's room as she was sitting knitting her wedding dress "So it's official. My ears are broken, and the idiot with knives really can't sing" Ben said "Diego. You know his name is Diego" Sloane said "Oh, whatever" Ben said "Maybe you should try and be nice to him and the others" she said "And why would I do that?" he asked "As much as I'd love to work out your anger issues right now, I have to get back to this. The wedding is in an hour" she said "Fei is dead" he said "Yeah. I know. And so are the others" she said "Oh, so that's it? You're just gonna turn back on the Sparrow Academy? I mean, you heard Dad. We have training to do. Something big is about to go down" he said "I wish you were talking about my wedding" she said and he inhale sharply "Okay" he said before he sat down in front of her.

"Sloane, listen to me--" he said but she cut him off "No. You listen to me. I'm sorry they didn't invite you to the bachelor party" she said "I don't...I don't care about that" he said "Yes, you do. You care more about being invited to the bachelor party than you do Fei or the others. Or even saving the world" she said "That..." he said and chuckled "That's--" he said and chuckled "That's...That's...crazy" he said "Is it? You and I, we've never been alone. It's always been the seven of us. Now it's just you" she said and Ben scoffs "So congratulations, Ben. You're finally Number One of one" she said as she got up.

"I'm a Sparrow, and so are you" he said "Not anymore" she said and Ben stood up "What's do damn special about them anyway?" he asked "They're a real family. They don't exist to sell action figures and tote bags" she said "We were more than that" he said "Were we?" she asked and he looked down "Why is it so important for you to be a Sparrow?" she asked and he looked at her before he walked over to the door.

"Because I have nothing else" he said quietly before leaving.

---

The door to Lara's and Five's hotel room was pushed opened and a happy singing voice enter the room.

"Some say you had a nice time" Lara said from the bathroom "I did, it was amazing" he said before he tucked his hands into his pockets as he walked further into the room.

"Are you coming? I need my plus one" he said "In a minute" she said from the bathroom.

Then the door to the bathroom opened and Lara exit wearing a white dress with flowers on.

Five's eyes widened at the sight "So what do you think?" she asked "You look beautiful. I think I just fell even more in love with you" he said and she smiled.

"You know that you sing better than Luther" she said "You heard that?" he asked "The whole hotel heard it. And after being tormented by Luther's terrible vocals, you sing better than him" she said "When did Luther tortured you with his voice?" Five asked "When you were at The Commission with the boys. He was making a love mix tape to Sloane and I heard him singing to the music" she said.

Five tilted his head, letting his hair fell in front of his eyes as he hid a smile. He wish he had spent time with her that moment instead of hunting for answered that didn't exist.

"You know that you look pretty" he said "And therefore I have value?" she asked "No" he said nervously "No, that's not what I meant at all, I was just---" "I'm messing with you" she said, cutting him off and he chuckled "You look pretty too" she said and he smiled.

"In fact you look really handsome in that suit" she said and he smiled "Wait, where are the boys?" she asked "They are already down, waiting for us" Five said before he walked closer to her.

"Can I kiss you before we get going to this wedding?" he asked as he moved his hands to her waist. 

"Only if you make it quick. We don't want to be late" she said and Five's right hand left he waist and as he placed his hand on her cheek, cupping her jaw with his fingers, he pulled her closer by her waist before pushing his lips against hers.

She tore her lips from Five's, pressing her right hand on his right chest and she leaned against the desk that Five had lifted up her onto.

"As much I would love to take this further" she said as they both still had their foreheads rested against each other.

"We have a wedding to attempt to" she said and he pulled away from her with a final kiss being placed on her forehead.

But then the door opened and the twins step in "Hey guys are you---" they said but stopped "EWW" they said as they made a face in disgust.

"That is so gross" they said as they saw their parents kiss.

"Can you guys save that for when we are not around" Andy said "Yeah, that would be great, just come on, we are late" Mitch said before the two walked out again.

Five and Lara looked back at each other with a chuckled.

He then stretched his arm towards her "Miss Johnson" he said "Mr. Hargreeves" she said before grabbing his hand 

A/N: Vote or comment