CHAPTER FIVE: MY FAMILY IS WEIRD

"When we're young, we're taught the distinction between the hero and the villain, good and evil. A savior and a lost cause. But what if the only real difference is just who's telling the story"

---

You were seven years old and you had to stay in the Academy for the weekend 'cause your mom was off on a business trip and couldn't take you with her.

It was your first night in this huge building and you were scared, and the rain and thunder outside, made it all worse.

You were laying in the bed, your whole body was shaking as you were hiding under your sheet, scared of the dark and scared of the thunder outside.

There was another rumbling noise causing you to grab your pillow before putting it over your head, trying to press it against your ears to try and made the sound go away but it didn't work.

You closed your eyes as a tear felled from them while you started crying as you tried to fall asleep but you couldn't.

Then suddenly you heard the sound of a door opened.

"You okay?" a voice asked and you removed the pillow and the sheet to see Five in his pyjamas. His hair was a mess and he look tired.

"I'm scared" you said, sobbing a little bit "It's okay Nat, it's just thunder" he said "I can't sleep" you said before looking down.

"Sorry I woke up" you said "Actually you didn't woke me, I woke up myself 'cause I could feel that you were scared" he said before he closed the door and walked over to you.

You furrowed your brow as you saw him walking over to your bed before he pulled the sheet down.

"What are you doing?" you asked but he didn't answer as he lay down next to you.

"I'm gonna stay here until you fall asleep" he said as he pulled the sheet over him again.

"You don't have to" you said "I know, but I care about you Nat and I can't handle you being sad or are hurt" he said before he lay down.

"Try to get some sleep, I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere" he said and you nodded before you lay down.

Five closed his eyes but suddenly he felt something on his chest so he opened his eyes to see your head laying on his chest.

"Nat" he said "What?" you asked "There is a pillow right next to you" he said "Yeah, but I think you're my favorite pillow" you said as you snuggled more against Five's chest.

"Yeah, you're my favorite and comfort pillow" you said as you took a deep breath before you quickly fell asleep to Five's heart beat, breathing, his touch and his warm.

Five could move you, but he couldn't get himself to do it, beside he also like it.

He smiled before he closed his eyes as he wrapped an arm around you before falling asleep.

---

The next morning, you walked out of the bedroom to see that Five was gone but a pot of fresh coffee was standing on the kitchen table.

You saw a mug standing next to the pot and a note laying next to it. 

You walked over to the table before picking up the note.

Didn't want to wake you. Made some coffee. I went to the lab. Will be back later.

Five

---

Five was holding the prosthetic eye in his hand as was standing in Meritech Prosthetics which was a lab where the eye came from.

While waiting, Five could hear indistinct chatter as he were standing ten feet away from the receptionist's desk, looking around the room he were in.

A man on crutches was being helped walk across the room before entering another room.

Then a man in a lab coat came walking into the room, going towards the receptionist's desk, but he stopped when he saw Five.

"Uh, can I help you?" the man asked causing Five to turn around.

Five took a quick look at the eye in his hand before he stepped closer to him "I need to know who this belongs to" he said as he lifting up the eye so the man could see "Where did you get that?" the man asked "What do you care?" Five asked and the man raised his eyebrow.

"I...I found it...at a playground, actually. Uh, must have just..." Five said before he paused and clicks his tongue "...Popped right out" he finished with a smile and the man nodded.

"I wanna return it to its rightful owner" Five said "Oh...what thoughtful young man" the receptionist said with a smile.

"Yeah. Look up the name for me, will ya?" Five said with a sharp tone while looking at the receptionist with a sarcastic and innocent smile on his face.

"Uh, I'm sorry, but patient records are strictly confidential. That means I can't tell you..." "Yeah, I know what it means" Five said, cutting him off "But I'll tell you what I can do. I will take the eyes off your hands and return it to the owner. I'm sure he or she will be very grateful, so if I can just..." the man said and reach to grab the eye but Five moved his hand where he was holding the eye back "Yeah, you're not touching this eye" he said.

"Now, you listen here, young man-" but then Five grabbed the man by his shirt's collar and pulled him down to his eye level before he glared at him causing the man to grunt.

"No! You listen to me, asshole. I've come a long way for this, through some shit your pea brain couldn't even comprehend, so just give me the information I need, and we'll be on our merry way. And if you called me 'young man' one more time, I'm gonna put your head through that damn wall" Five said "Oh dear" the receptionist said "Call security" the man said "Yeah" she said and grabbed the phone.

Five glanced at the man one last time before he let go of him and walked into the elevator.

---

You were sitting on your couch, reading the newspapers while drinking some coffee when you suddenly heard the sound of a whoosh.

"I'm back" a voice said and you looked over at the door to see Five with his hands in his pockets. 

"I know you're mad about me just leaving like that, but I needed to do it alone" he said "Mad" you said as you got up "What could I be mad about?" you asked as you walked over to the sink, putting your mug there.

"So you're not mad?" he asked "No" you said before you turned around to look at him "There is a mug of coffee for you on the table" you said as you pointed on the mug that was filled with coffee.

"Thanks" he said before he grabbed the mug and lifted it up close to his mouth.

But as soon as he tasted the coffee, his eyes widened before he quickly removed the mug from his mouth as he spit it out while you just laugh.

"What the hell, it tasted fine before I left. Did you poured salt in this" he said "That is called payback for just leaving like that, when I actually thought you were different" you said and he looked at you as you put your hands on cross in front of your chest while you raised a brow.

"Okay, I deserved that" he said before he put the mug back down on the table "Sorry for leaving" he said.

"So how did it go?" you asked "Not good, the doctor refused to say anything about the eye" he said "Why is this eye so important?" you asked "'Cause this eye belong to the person who is going to end the world. I found it 22 years ago in apocalypse" Five said and your eyes widened "How do you know that it has anything to do with the apocalypse?" you asked "'Cause my brother Luther, his dead body was holding it. So he must have rip it out of whoever's head before he went down" he said.

"So you need to find out who the owner of this eye is and the one it belong to, is the one that will cause the apocalypse?" you asked and he nodded.

"I just need someone that can get the doctor to give me the name" he said "Maybe one of your siblings can help?" you asked "Who? Allison will be recognized, Luther is dumb, Diego might murder the man, Vanya can't do it and Klaus is a druggie so he would be high" he said before he looked at you.

"Do you think your mom can help?" he asked "She can, but I know she don't want to" you said "Why?" he asked "For some reason, she hate you, your siblings and Reginald" you said "Why?" he asked "I don't know, she kept telling me to stay away from you guys 'cause you were bad people and you would have a bad influence on people around you" you said.

"And you're still near us" he said "Well, I don't judge people by the things I hear about them. I just don't know why she would say that, 'cause until now, even so I have only met two of you. You seems okay in my eyes" you said.

"Well, your mom might have a good reason" he said "I hope. I will ask her about that later" you said before you took a deep breath.

"So what's the plan, how do you expect to get the name out of the doctor?" you asked "Well, I know someone that might help me" he said "Who?" you asked "My brother Klaus" he said "I thought you said he couldn't do it because he is high?" you asked "Well, he is the only one I know that might do it without questions, but I have to bribe him" he said.    

"So let's go, we're wasting time" you walked over to the door before grabbing your jacket.

You put your hand on the handle and as you opened the door, you turned around to look at Five "Come on" you said and he smiled before the two of you left the apartment. 

---

"Listen, since you're gonna stay with me, you better know something" he said as you and him was walking down the street towards the Academy.

"I'm gonna tell you something but you can't tell anyone what I'm about to tell you" he said "What makes you think you can trust me?" you asked "I just feel like I can" he replied "Beside you took it okay calm when I told you that the world was ending in a few days" he said "Well, I thought that freaking out woulnd't help" you said.

"Okay, my family is not how you imagine" he said "Then what?" you asked "Well, I guess you have heard the story of how Sir Reginald Hargreeves adopted seven of us and called us The Umbrella Academy. We were trained to save the world. And we became the finest crime fighting forces in the city. We became quite famous" he said "Yeah, I know that side of the story" you said.

"Well, anyway. All of us have speciel abilities. Except Vanya. And as you already know, I have the ability to teleport both short and long distances" he said "I already know that" you said "Each of my siblings have abilities except for my sister Vanya. She wasn't really in the picture. I never understood why, she wasn't gifted with powers like the rest of us...yet, I don't get why my family pushed her away" Five said "That must be hard, feeling like an outsider in your own family, nobody should be treated differently because of their capability...she must've felt so lonely all those years" you said "Yeah" Five nodded.

"Well anyway, we all have abilities that young children dream of when they watch the superhero movies. Some would say we're lucky, we have a gift that most people would kill for. But I didn't feel lucky and neither did my siblings, well except for a few of us. From the day we learned how to walk, we were trained to be crime stopping heroes. Saving the day like any other superhero, how much I hated those days and the ones that came after them, we never got the chance of being normal kids" he said "So you never had a childhood?" you asked and he shook his head "Not like that. Our dad took that away from us. I spend the most of my childhood, focus to be a hero, and the rest in an apocalypse" he said and you look at him with a sympathy look.

"Well, my dad was the worst dad ever. He never took care of me and our siblings or loved us. Instead of raising us as a single father, giving us a loving and caring home, he created an Academy. I will say that he adopted us yeah, give us roof over our heads and food on the table, but instead of treating us as his children, he treated us like they were lab rats on his little experiment. He only had us because of our abilities. I never deemed Reginald our father. He was a cold and selfish, rigid and bold but most importantly, he never showed us love. His caring towards us could be described as training us, but it never felt as if he wanted what was best for us. He emotionally abused me and my siblings which is why we don't show emotions so good. He only had us because of our abilities. Instead of giving us name, he called us by numbers. He let our robot mother Grace name us" he said.

"Why don't you have a name?" you asked "Well, I actually don't know, I think we and my siblings forgot about the name I was giving. I actually don't care. The rank system had a negative effect on all my siblings, except for me. I didn't care that I was not perfect in my dad's eyes. I know that I have great power. My number don't have a huge impact on me, so I never changed my name" he said before he took a deep breath.

"But no one knew what was really going on inside the Academy. My dad was a sadistic lunatic who's planning on gambling all of me and my siblings lives in another pointless mission. And that he saw us as nothing more than experimental material that could be tested, prodded, and abused in order to accomplish the tasks he set out for us" he said and you looked sad at Five, feeling sorry for him.

"I gotta warn you. My family is a bit weird" he said "How weird?" you asked. 

"Well, Luther, Number One, is a dumbass. He's the big one, shortest hair and is wearing a overcoat. His abilities is super strength. He has being on the moon for four years. He is like superman but much much dummer, plus is a daddy's boy" he said and you get out a chuckled.

"Then there is Diego, Number Two, goth boy, wearing black all the time and he is a mommy's boy. He is like batman but aim lower. His ability is that he can curve anything he throw but most used knife which explain why he carries around knives. He might be rude to you" he explain and you nodded, taking in all the information.  

"Then there is Allison, Number Three" he said "I know her, she is a famous move star and has a daughter name Clarie, right?" you asked and he nodded "Yeah and her ability is that she can rumor anyone to do anything" he said and you nodded.

"Then there is Klaus. Number Four, the weird one, he is always high and drunk all the time. He used to be the fun one of us. His ability is to see the dead and communicate with them" he said "That must be a cool ability but on the other hand it must be hard seeing and hearing all the dead people. Maybe that's why he drink and is high" you said "Yeah maybe. Anyway he is crazy. He might start believing that we're dating and come up with weird comments about the relationship he think we are in, so be aware" he said "He think we are dating?" she asked and he nodded "He comes up with weird comments all the time" he said "But we're not dating. I don't even know if we're friends" you said "Well, after what happen, you can say that we're acquaintance friends" he said and you let out a small smile.

"What?" he asked "I have not had a friend in a long time" she said and he looked at you "Neither have I" he said.

Five could feel that he still had this weird feeling telling him that you and him used to know each other from somewhere and you used to be friends.

"Well, I know most of the stuff you told me, since I had read Vanya's book. I also learn that your ego is extremely high" you said and he rolled his eyes.

"We're here" he said before he opened the door to Academy and the two of you enter.

"Weird, I feel like I have being here before" you said as you looked around the Academy.

"How big is this?" you asked "Big. It's an entire square block. Forty-two bedrooms, 19 bathrooms, but not a single drop of coffee" he said and you smiled "Is there anything else in your head beside coffee?" you asked and he let out a smirk before he looked at you.

"Come on. Let's hope none of my other siblings are here" he said "Why?" you asked "'Cause I don't want them to start interrogating you, asking you a lot of questions, like: Who are you? What you doing here? Are you Five's girlfriend?" he said "Why would they ask about that?" you asked "'Cause they are weird" he replied and you nodded before you follow Five upstairs.

---

Vanya opened the door to the Academy "Five" she called out as she walked towards the stairs "Are you upstairs?" she asked as she walked upstairs.

She then saw you walking out of the bathroom "Hey Vanya" you said with a smile "Hey Natalie, what are you doing here?" she asked "I want to help Five. This Academy is really huge, I almost got lost in finding the bathroom. But then suddenly it was like my legs knew where to go" you said as you looked around "It's weird I feel like I have being here before" you said before you look at Vanya "How do you not get lost in this house?" you asked "I grew up here" Vanya replied "That explains it" you said and the two of you smiled to each other.

"Well, anyway, how are you?" you asked "I'm fine. Do you know where Five is, I'm worried about him" she said "Yeah, he's in his room" you said and Vanya nodded "Go ahead" you said and Vanya nodded again before she walked past you while you were looking around. 

"Fascinating" you said while you kept having this feeling like you have being here before.

But you chose to ignore it as you follow after Vanya into Five's bedroom.

You and Vanya enter Five's room to see Five standing over by the window, looking out.

"Oh, thank God" Vanya said with a sigh as she was standing in the doorway and Five turned around, glancing at Vanya before looking back out the window.

"I was worried sick about you" Vanya said "Sorry I left without saying goodbye" Five said, turning to her.

"No, look, I'm the one that should be sorry" Vanya said and Five turned around before putting his hands in his pockets as he stepped closer to her while you sat down by the bed.

"Yeah, I was dismissive, and...I--I guess I didn't know how to process what you were saying. And I still can't, to be honest" Vanya said "Maybe you were right to be dismissive" Five said before he scoffs "Maybe it wasn't real after all" he said and turned around before walking over to his desk "It felt real" he said as he put his hand on a toy truck that was standing on the desk before he rolled it back and forth on the desk "Well...like you said, the old man did say time travel could contaminate the mind" he said, walking back to Vanya with a smile.

You looked at Five, even so you have just met him, there was something in your body telling you that you could see that he was lying or maybe pretending that it wasn't real.

"Then maybe I'm not the right person for you to be talking to" Vanya said and took a quick look over at you before she looked back at Five "Look, I used to see someone. A therapist. I could give you her information" Vanya said "Thanks, but...I think I'm just gonna get some rest. It's been a long time since I've had a good sleep" Five said "Okay" Vanya said with a sigh before she turned around and walked towards the door, leaving the room.

Once Vanya left, Five walked over to the door to check if she was really gone.

As soon as he reach the door, the closet next to it opened and items felled out with a clatter sound causing you to jump a bit back as you were spooked a bit since you didn't knew that a guy was hiding in the closet "That's so..." a guy said as he felled out of the closet.

The guy put his hand over his heart, tripping over the objects on the floor "...touching, all that stuff about family and Dad and time. Wow!" he said "Would you shut up" Five spat as the he turned to him "She'll hear you" he pointed on the door "I'm moist" the guy said.

"So you have being hiding a guy in your closet?" you asked "Yeah" Five said "And you didn't tell me. I almost got a heart attack, I thought for a moment it was some killer or Pennywise that was hiding in the closet" you said "Well, you were gone for some time" Five said "'Cause I couldn't find the bathroom" you said.

"Am I really that ugly that you thought I was some clown?" the guy asked "No" you shook your head.

The guy then looked at Five "Who is your new friend?" he asked "I'm Natalie Eversun. You must be one of Five's brothers, Klaus" you said "You know my name?" he asked "Well, yeah. I read Vanya's book and Five told me a little about this family" you said "Well, Natalie Eversun, it's nice to met you" Klaus said "You too" you and Klaus shook hands. 

"You look familiar, are you sure that we have not met before?" Klaus asked and you nodded "I never forget a face" you said.

"So are you Five's girlfriend?" Klaus asked "No" you and Five said at the same time.

"But I can sense something between you two, a strong connection" Klaus said as he pointed between you and Five.

"We just met yesterday" you said "We're acquaintance friends" Five said before he eyed him down, looking at his clothes "I told you to put on something professional" he said "What? This is my nicest outfit" Klaus said softly and Five sighed as he rolled his eyes "We can raid the old man's closet" he said "As long as I get paid" Klaus said "When the job is done" Five said as the three of you walked out of the room.

"Okay, but just so we're clear on the finer details" Klaus said and Five sighed as him and you stopped before Five turned around to look at Klaus.

"I just gotta go into this place and pretend to be your dear old dad, correct?" Klaus asked as he looked Five "Yeah. Something like that" Five said "What's our cover story?" Klaus asked "What? What are you talking about?" Five asked "I mean, was I like young when I had you? Like, 16? Like, young and...terribly misguided?" Klaus asked in a overdramatic voice as he put his hands on his chest, dramatically "Sure" Five said, going along with what Klaus said.

"Your mother, that slut" Klaus said in a overdramatic voice "Whoever she was. We met at..." he said, looking around the room before he turned his head back to Five as a smile appeared on his face "...the disco" he said and chuckled "Okay? Remember that" Klaus said and snaps his fingers "Oh, my God, the sex was amazing" he said "What a disturbing glimpse into that thing you call a brain" Five said before he turned around, walking down the hallway. "Don't make me put you in time-out" Klaus said, pointing his finger at him.

Five then looked at you "Maybe it's best you stay here" he said "Hell no, I'm not staying in some familiar but strange place. So whatever you are planning Coffee Boy, I'm coming with you" you said.

"This is not your business Natalie" he said "You just told me the world is ending and since I'm part of it. Then it is my business. So I'm coming, and is also not your business on telling me what to do, Pretty Boy. I'm coming whatever you like it or not" you said and he smirked as he tilted his head while you both were looking at each other.

"Okay! That's enough lovebirds" Klaus interrupte from yours and Five's long stare "You two can give each other puppy eyes and eye fuck each other later" Klaus said and that caused you and Five to snap back to reality.

"I'm going, like it or not, beside if you didn't wanted my help or around, you wouldn't have asked me to come with you at the diner in the first place" you said before walking past him.

"You like her" Klaus said as he looked at Five "What?" Five snapped his head at his brother "No, I don't. I just met her, but I have this weird feeling in my body, telling me that I know her from somewhere" he said "Well, love can start strange" Klaus said and Five rolled his eyes "Let's go" he said before the two followed after you.

---

You were 11 years old and you were sitting on the bed crying.

Then the door opened and Five enter "Hey, you okay?" he asked and you shook your head.

"What happened?" Five asked as he closed the door before he walked over to sit down next to you.

"Reginald had just told me that I'm weak, useless, a failure because I couldn't do as I were told. And then he told me that one day I will cost one of you guys' death because I didn't want to use my powers. That I would let everyone down because I will give up easily" you cried "Don't listen to my dad. You're not weak or useless" he said "Yeah I'm, Five. I don't like using my powers 'cause they are dangerous, we both know that. I mean what if I kill someone with them one day" you said "You wouldn't" he said "How do you know that?" you asked and he let out a sigh.

You looked down at your hands again "I don't want to use my powers for evil" you said "Which is why you're the perfect person for your power. You shall use your powers to help the people in need and protect the people you care about. I know that you would never take advance of them and you would never hurt someone on purpose unless if you have to or to protect the people you love" he said "How can you know that?" you asked as you look back at him "How can you know that I'm not dangerous" you said before you look down at the floor.

"Because" Five said as he put his hand on your chin and turned your head to you were looking at him.

"When I look at you, I see nothing dangerous or evil. I see goodness, strength, intelligent and beauty" he said "Do you really think so?" you asked and he nodded "Yeah, of course" he said "I guess you are right then" you said "Of course I am. You're amazing just the way you are. You make me smile every time I see you and I can't get enough of your beautiful eyes and your lovely laugh. You light up my world like nobody else, and I hope you never change" he said and you let out a small smile.

"Don't listen to Reginald. You're cool strong, smart, beautiful, funny, a badass and sweet. You shall not let your powers control you, but you controlling your powers. When using your powers, you should think about what you're fighting for. Think about the people you care about. Fight for them" he said "But I'm scared" you said "Don't be afraid to use your powers. They are beautiful. And you shall not let your fear overcome you, but let you overcome your fear. You are the bravest, strongest, smarted, funniest, coolest and the most beautiful girl I have ever know and you can overcome everything if you just believe in yourself. Make your fear afraid of you" he said and you smiled as you looked at him. 

"Will you promise that you will help me if I ever lost control or if I ever turn evil?" you asked "You wouldn't turn evil, I wouldn't let you" he said "But if I lose control, I will turn evil" you said "I wouldn't let that happen" he said "Promise?" you asked "It wouldn't happen, you are too strong for that" he said "But if it did happen" you asked "Alright, I promise that if you turn evil or lose control and you can't do it yourself. I will help you and stop you. I promise" he said and you smiled.

"But I will tell you this, I promise you that, no matter what happens, I will keep you safe and I wouldn't let anything happen to you, ever. I will protect you. I will never leave you or forget you, I will always be here for you and I will never see you as a monster, or a freak, or a weirdo or a witch. I promise" he said and the two of you smiled to each other as he storke his thumb down your left cheek.

Five made you feel safe and he gave you a feeling of peace in your body.

Right there you knew that you were in love with Five, you have like him a little more than the other kids from when you first met. But as you got older, you started having a crush on him, just like he had a crush on you. You thought it just a childhood crush but as you grow older, your feelings for Five grew and you realized that you were in love with him.

You were too shy to tell him and you were also scared that he didn't felt the same way and he would reject you.

You were scared in losing your friendship.

"Don't let a bad chapter in your life stop you from achieving your happy ending"

A/N: Hope you like the book so far.

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