Alma Hargreeves could remember the last moment she was at this building. She could see every intricate detail in her brain. Despite having been three years, it looked the exact same: lifeless, intimidating, and over-the-top.

With a heavy sigh, she walked up the steps and opened the gate before finally entering the house. The mansion within looked as it always did as if it was stuck in its own little pocket of time, protected from ever changing. The slap of her shoes echoed against the tile flooring of the foyer. Her eyes swept across the room, her body turning with her as she looked around.

"Miss Alma," an aged voice rang from behind her, causing the young woman to jump. A relieved breath escaped her lips at the sudden revelation of who was talking to her. She visibly relaxed at the sight of Pogo, a small smile pulling across her face.

The chimpanzee smiled back politely, pleased the see her once more. Despite the three year distance from when they had last seen each other in person, the two had kept contact through monthly letters.

Alma whispered his name quietly before the two enveloped in a hug, her height staggering over his. The two separated shortly after, smiling fondly at each other. "It's been too long, Pogo. I'm so sorry I haven't come back sooner. I wish it wasn't for these circumstances."

Pogo shook his head in disagreement, "No, Miss Alma, it is quite alright. After what you have been through, I understand your hesitancy to come back. Although, I'm quite grateful for our correspondence. Your letters always brought Grace and I joy."

Alma laughed lightly at that, her lively voice reverberated throughout the house, filling it with a noise it had not heard in years. "I'm glad you were able to respond. Having you and Vanya by my side helped to make things a little easier to manage."

The two made their way out the foyer and towards the living room filled with elaborate decorations that only enhances its luxuriance. Animal heads and gold-framed paintings covered most of the walls, one side overflowing with a library of books. Alma's eyes met the painted ones of Number Five, her portrait seeming watching her, taunting her. She shook her head, pushing those solemn thoughts to the back of her mind as she followed the chimp completely into the room.

There were her remaining siblings. Luther and Vanya sat on opposite couches, Allison and Diego were in neighboring chairs, and her twin Klaus was raiding the liquor cabinet. "Look who finally arrived," Diego scoffed, rolling his eyes at his seemingly late sister.

"I'm sorry, there wasn't actually a starting time for this whole thing. Dad didn't exactly send out RSVPs," Alma retorted. "Either way, it's good to see you all, although I wish it was for a better reason. You haven't changed one bit."

At this statement, Klaus coughed, pointing at their fearless leader, Luther, who had visibly changed. Alma resisted the urge to roll her eyes at her brother, trying her best to be respectful, "Ever the kindest, brother."

Luther cleared his throat, ignoring the judgment and attempting to change the subject to something more important. At that, Alma moved to sit beside Vanya, a small smile gracing her angelic face, to which the young women returned. Alma grasped Vanya's hand and gave it a squeeze.

Out of any of her siblings, Vanya was the only one whom Alma had contact with after the Umbrella Academy had disbanded. For four years they had grown closer and had become the sisters they should have been all those years ago. They had made up for lost time and had been there for each other in any time of need. Her relationship with her other siblings was a different story.

Luther stood awkwardly, his eyes glancing between all of his siblings, "It's good to see you, Alma, but I guess we can get started... So, I figured we could have some kind of memorial service in the courtyard at sundown. Say a few words, just at Dad's favorite spot."

Confusion filled Alma and her fellow siblings, their eyebrows scrunching. "Dad had a favorite spot?" Allison asked.

Luther nodded, unaware of the lack of knowledge and experience the other five had, "Yeah, under the oak tree. We used to sit there all of the time. None of you ever did that?"

Alma rolled her eyes at the obvious favoritism her father held for the almighty Number One. It wasn't a surprise, out of any of them he was the most compliant. Although some would consider that Alma was one to try to appease everyone, the fact that she was the second one to leave spoke volumes.

Her brother, in his usual fashion, spoke with an interest in potential food being at the memorial. No matter how long they all were a part and had time to grow as people, Alma couldn't help but maintain her annoyance towards her brother and other siblings.

Luther shook his head in aggravation and shot his brother a definite "no." Alma looked over at Vanya in displeasure, blocking out the bickering of smoking and borrowed skirts. She could tell Vanya and Diego felt the same way from their occasional glances and scowls that pulled on their faces.

"Listen up," Luther barked, pulling the dysfunctional family back to what was at hand. "Still some important things that we need to discuss, all right?"

"Like what?" Diego asked, his voice finally being heard after his comment made towards Alma when she first arrived.

"Like the way he died."

Diego rolled his eyes, mumbling "And here we go," before looking away once more.

Klaus plopped down next to Alma, the stench of alcohol and smoke lingering on him. She looked over at her twin, her nose scrunched as she watched him sip his drink before taking a drag of his blunt. They were complete opposites in every sense of the word.

Even with their similar physical appearance – dark, almost black hair, angular faces, and dimples  –  everything else about them was opposing. Klaus liked being rebellious and getting wasted, while Alma preferred staying at home and staying sober. Alma kept a steady job and owned her own place, Klaus's only form of income was selling objects to pawn shops while his place of residence was either on someone's couch or a rehabilitation center. Even their powers were like yin and yang.

Klaus had the ability to speak to the dead and summon them whenever he pleased. Alma, on the other hand, could heal things and bring beings back to life.

The only thing that the two had in common (in addition to a telepathic connection the two share) is their incapability – or unwillingness – to use their powers properly. Klaus stuffs his body with drugs and alcohol in hopes of blocking out the dead spirits that would haunt every waking moment of his life if he didn't. It allows him to be numb to the world and have some form of silence. Alma didn't use her powers at all, and if she did it was either because her body naturally healed itself or to exude a small bit of energy to rejuvenate a flower or two. But even then it was a struggle for Alma. Ever since the death of their brother Ben, she's been unable to bring a single thing, larger than a plant, back to life or even heal it. A mental block kept her from doing the one thing she was supposedly put on Earth to do.

Despite this, as time passed, the twin found themselves drifting apart. There were times they'd remember to check in and see if the other was alive, although most of the time that would be up to Alma seeing as Klaus would be too high or drunk to even function. It was hard for her to see her brother deliberately hurt himself in an effort for relief and peace, but she knew of the horrors he faced. When they connected telepathically, they were able to read the other's mind, feel their emotions, and see what they were seeing. So, Alma would hear and see the ghosts. She would feel the terror and she would have the desire to make it end too. Out of anyone in the world, she understood him the most in that aspect.

No matter time or space, they'd always be aware of each other and their life, but physically they'd grow apart. Alma sometimes wondered if he'd forget her, but with family reunions like this, she didn't think so.

"I don't understand," Vanya finally spoke. "I thought they said it was a heart attack."

"Yeah, according to the coroner."

"Well wouldn't they know," Vanya prodded.

"Theoretically," Luther admitted.

Allison quickly questioned the male, disbelief lacing her tone. "I'm just saying, at the very least, something happened," Luther insisted. "The last time that I talked to Dad, he sounded strange."

"Oh, quelle surprise!" Klaus gurgled, alcohol falling from his mouth.

Alma rolled her eyes. "The last time I talked to Dad he didn't say a word, but that's nothing new since he never cared enough to talk to most of his children," she mumbled, earning a glare from Luther.

Allison spoke up in annoyance, ignoring the side-comments, "Strange how?"

"He sounded on edge. Told me I should be careful who to trust," Luther explained.

Alma looked at her siblings in exasperation, not understanding why Luther couldn't just accept that their father was dead from natural causes. She understood his dedication and passion towards appeasing their father, being the favorite had its expectations, but the fact that it blinded him from how terrible of a human being he was unhinged her.

After glancing at her brothers, Luther and Diego, start their usual bickering, Alma quickly grabbed the glass of alcohol from Klaus' hand and drowned it. The male whined at his sister, trying to grab the glass before the last drop was gone.

"Get your own!" he squeaked, finally getting it back from her only find that she had successfully consumed all of it.

She shrugged her shoulders. "At least you have something else to keep your mind from concentrating on this mess," she emphasized, pointing at the blunt within his index and middle finger. Klaus looked between the blunt and her, frowning deeply before taking a long drag in acceptance.

"Look," Luther spoke, directing his attention at Klaus and grabbing Alma's attention once again, "I know you don't like to do it, but I need you to talk to Dad."

Everybody else, including Klaus, scoffed at the suggestion. "I can't just call Dad in the afterlife and be like, 'Dad could you just stop playing tennis with Hitler for a moment and take a quick call?'"

Alma chuckled at this, imagining the sweet image of their wonderful father playing with yet another evil person. It was very fitting.

"Since when?" Luther snapped. "That's your thing."

"I'm not in the right frame of mind!"

Allison rolled her eyes, "You're high?"

Klaus laughed, nodding, "Yeah! Yeah! I mean, how are you not, listening to this nonsense?"

"He does have a point," Alma explained. "Despite how notorious Dad was for being an overdramatic ass, the idea of it being anything but what the coroner said is insane."

Luther glared at the twins, his eyes fuming with rage, "Well, sober up, this is important." Klaus sighed in annoyance, taking a defiant drag of his blunt. "Then there's the issue of the missing monocle."

"Who gives a shit about a stupid monocle?" Diego grumbled.

"Exactly," Luther explained. "It's worthless. So whoever took it, I think it was personal. Someone close to him. Someone with a grudge." Luther went on to look at every one of his siblings quizzically. Alma could sense the underlying meaning of his words, what he was truly searching for, and anger bubbled in her chest.

"Where are you going with this?" Klaus asked, his eyebrows scrunch in confusion.

"Oh, isn't it obvious, Klaus?" Diego scoffed. "He thinks one of us killed Dad." Luther's mouth opened and closed, unable to figure out what to say next without completely denying the truthful claims and to protect himself.

Around her, her siblings were filled with hurt. Shock filling their voices and shame visible in their glares towards Luther. "How could you think that?" Vanya asked.

"Believe me, I think most of us have at least had one thought of killing Dad, but none of us have been here to carry it out," Alma scoffed. "Plus, we've all moved on with our lives in some way."

"Great job, Luther. Way to lead," Diego said, further antagonizing their brother. With that, he began to walk out, ignoring Luther's attempts that fixing his blunder.

"You're crazy, man. You're crazy," Klaus spoke, getting up from his seating and following Diego out of the room. "I'm just gonna go murder Mom. I'll be right back."

Vanya and Alma quickly followed, the two not listening to Luther's pleas.

It was her first day seeing her family after so many years and they were already pointing fingers and detesting each other. If Alma had one wish, it would be to disappear from this place.