Word count: 3020

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐗𝐓 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆, Elizabeth was hastily awakened against her will as someone shook her furiously.

With a groan, she opened her eyes to see Five standing next to her, expectantly waiting for her as he clasped her arm and continued shaking her. He was already changed into his uniform, and his hair was neatly combed, so she assumed he had woken up much earlier than she.

"I'm up! I'm up! Stop!" Elizabeth whined, pushing his hands off of her. "I'm awake!"

"Come on, we've got to go," Five insisted, grabbing her arm once more and now pulling her.

"Okay!" she groaned as she rolled off her bed. "Let me at least get ready!" 

He gave a stiff nod before stepping over to the corner of her room, waiting as he crossed his arms. 

She gave him a small glare as she walked over to her dresser. She opened it and grabbed a random uniform—they were all the same, anyway—and turned to face him. Her eyebrows quickly furrowed at the sight of him. 

He seemed to be deep in thought about something, his shoulders rigid as he stared intensely at the empty wall opposite to him. His knuckles grew white as he gripped the sides of his arms, slightly shaking his head as he thought.

"Five?" she called.

He unfroze from his position and looked towards her with raised eyebrows. "Yeah?"

"Can you leave?" Elizabeth held up the hanger that held her clothes as she told him, "I gotta change."

He soon teleported out, and she swiftly changed into the uniform. Once she had brushed her hair and teeth, she went over to Five's room, where she assumed he was, and knocked on the door. 

"Finally, that took forever," Five groaned as he opened the door. "God, could you have been any slower?"

Elizabeth scoffed as she entered the room. "It took me five minutes."

"Six minutes too long."

"Shut up." She rolled her eyes. "What are we even doing?"

"That Biggs guy. He's hiding something," Five explained as he adjusted his blazer and walked over to the fire escape. "We need to find out what."

Elizabeth followed him, her eyebrows furrowed as she asked, "And how are we going to do that?"

He gave an exasperated sigh as he pushed up his window, letting in a refreshing breeze of the morning air. "Isn't it obvious? We'll wait in front of the building until his shift is over and then threaten him."

Elizabeth wrinkled her nose as she stared at him; he was being rather prickly today.

Nonetheless, she continued to question him, "We're going to wait until he leaves work? That could take the whole day!"

Five, who had already lifted one leg over the edge, paused. He raised his eyebrows as he looked up at her and shrugged. "So?"

"So . . . isn't that a waste of time?" she questioned as he sat down on the ledge.

"Not if it gives us what we need," Five answered with a shake of the head. 

"And if it doesn't?"

"It will," he replied flatly. "Don't doubt my plan."

"All right," she sighed, not wanting him to become any more bitchy as she gestured for him to continue escaping. "Let's go."

With a frown on her face, she followed him out of the window and down the rusty fire escape steps. 

Klaus was right below them, rummaging through the trash bags in the dumpster and grumbling to himself. A few bags of trash were scattered across the pavement, and Elizabeth assumed Klaus had thrown them out to help him find whatever he was looking for. 

"I'm trying to find whatever priceless crap was in that box so that Pogo will get off my ass!" Klaus shouted to no one in particular, obviously frustrated.

Five began to climb down the ladder before pausing halfway down as he looked towards Klaus. "I'd ask what you're up to, Klaus, but then it occurred to me: I don't care."

"Hey!" Klaus chuckled as Five and Elizabeth made their way to the ground. "You know there are easier ways out of the house, dudes?"

"This one involved the least amount of talking." Five jumped off the second last rung, putting his hands in his pockets right after as he continued, "Or so I thought."

"Hey, hey, hey, so . . ." Klaus rushed to the edge of the dumpster as Five and Elizabeth approached, a tall, metal flask in his left hand (which, coincidentally, was the same wrist that wore the rehab bracelet). "You two need any more company today? I could, uh . . . , clear my schedule."

"Looks like you've got your hands full," Elizabeth commented as she nodded towards the dumpster.

"Oh, this? No, no. I can do this whenever. I just" —Klaus began to step backward, then falling down as he tripped over something. His muffled voice came from inside— "just misplaced something. That's all. Oh! Found it! Thank God!" The rustle of glasses filled the cool air as Klaus grabbed something and jumped to his feet. He showed off a half-eaten bagel before taking a slow bite of it, a look of regret developing on his face as he swallowed. "Delicious."

"I'm done funding your drug habit." Five shook his head before grudgingly gesturing for Elizabeth to follow him down the opposite way of the alley.

"Come on! You don't . . . Maybe I just wanna hang out with my siblings. ¡Mi hermano! ¡Mi hermana! I love you guys!" Klaus exclaimed as they ignored him. His voice became choked up as he continued, "Even if you can't love yourself!"

"Ugh. So fucking annoying," Five muttered to himself.

They approached an empty van that belonged to a plumbing company, which was parked at the end of the alley. 

It seemed as though the owner of the van hadn't been afraid of anyone hijacking their vehicle; the van was unlocked, leaving the two easy access as they opened the doors and entered. 

Five took the driver's seat with a sigh as Elizabeth went towards the passenger seat, though she was much more tentative than he as she sat down. 

"Why do we have to drive there?" She frowned while she put on her seatbelt, watching as Five started the ignition. "I mean, can't I just make a portal or something? It would be a lot faster, don't you think? And less illegal."

"What, you think I'm fucking stupid? I thought about that already. It's not a good idea," Five snapped back as he began driving. "If you forgot, we're going to be there for who knows how long. We need a place to hide in, dumbass. God, you'd think you'd use some of that intelligence you have for once."

Tears stung her eyes. That last sentence was exactly what Reginald told her whenever she would mess up. She hadn't heard that sentence in a while, and she was not happy to hear it again. All it did was bring back awful memories.

Maybe it was because she never viewed Reginald as her real father, and rather, just a figure she was made to respect. Maybe because she knew she could do better. Maybe because it was just a hurtful insult. Maybe because she knew that he was right. But whenever Reginald would tell Elizabeth that she should use her intelligence at some point, because she was performing so incompetently that it seemed as though she was using none, she always felt at her lowest. He was straight out just calling her stupid but through more complex words.

It wasn't as if Five didn't know how much it affected her. This had happened once before when he had been frustrated with her when they were fifteen. After she had burst into tears, he swore up and down that he'd never say it again.

Obviously, that wasn't true.

She turned to the window, folding her arms as she tried to hold back her tears.

Five immediately sighed in regret, shaking his head as he murmured, "Elle, I didn't—I didn't mean that."

She didn't say anything in response.

"Elizabeth. Please," he groaned. "Elle, I . . ." Five sighed once more, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly as he turned onto a new street. "I didn't—I'm sorry."

She remained quiet.

Five tried again. "Listen, I'm just—I don't really—I'm—"

She didn't bother looking at him as she muttered, "Don't."

"But—"

"Just drive."

He groaned but heeded her wishes. After a good twenty minutes of driving, he parked at the side of the road. The Meritech building stood across the street from them, though there was no one entering or leaving that piqued their interest. 

Five turned to her. He reached out, putting a hand on her shoulder, which she then pushed off.

"Oh, c'mon, Elle," Five murmured.

"You know that's what Dad always said to me," Elizabeth said quietly. "You know how many times I've cried over that, Five."

"I know, I . . ." He ran a hand through his hair as he shook his head. "It just came out, I wasn't thinking . . ."

"Whatever." She stared straight in front of her, squinting her eyes as she got a good look at each person entering and leaving the building. "Just . . . focus on the eye thing. It's the only thing you care about, anyway."

Elizabeth's thumb rubbed the familiar skin that had the tattoo etched on it as she kept her eyes trained on the front of the entrance. She could feel Five's pleading gaze on her but ignored it.

She felt as though the big question that had been looming over her for the past couple of days had now been answered.

Five didn't love her anymore.

There was no way. The Five that had loved her twelve years ago would've never said something like that to her again. Even on accident.

He was always the one who would wipe her tears away and tell her that their father was wrong whenever he insulted her. He would give her hugs, much to everyone else's surprise, whenever she was upset. Every time Reginald said the words along the same line with that sentence, that simply implied she was incompetent and not smart enough, Five would whisper soft reassurances that it was the opposite.

He didn't think that anymore, apparently.

"What are you thinking about?" mumbled Five, his eyebrows furrowed as he watched her thumb rub her forearm more and more aggressively.

"None of your business," she replied distantly.

Not long after did a thumping come from the window that rested next to Elizabeth, causing her to flinch. 

With furrowed eyebrows, she turned her head to see Luther standing at the window, his large fist knocking on the glass.

Elizabeth reached backwards and opened the door to the passenger seat in the back, feeling a fresh breeze blow in.

Luther attempted to squeeze in, though his massive shoulders blocked him as he grunted. He closed the door once he had fit in, and leaned forward so that his head was in between Five and Elizabeth.

He glanced between the two, a little out of breath as he asked, "You two okay?"

"You shouldn't be . . ." Five muttered before furrowing his eyebrows. "How did you find us?"

"Uh . . ." Luther nodded his head backwards.

In the very back of the van sat Klaus, rifling through the junk that was laid around the ground of the vehicle. Elizabeth had no idea when or how he had gotten in, nor how they didn't notice him before as he—very messily—threw item after item to the side.

Five picked up an empty pill bottle from the ground and threw it at Klaus, narrowly missing his head. "Get out!" he shouted angrily. "You can't be here! We're in the middle of something!"

Klaus clambered up next to Luther, staring straight at Five as he put his head next to the large man's. "Any luck finding your one-eyed man?"

"No," Five whispered.

Luther looked at Five with tightly knit eyebrows. "What's he talkin' about?"

"Does it matter? It's Klaus," Five said dismissively with a shrug. "What do you want, Luther?"

"Um . . ." Luther cleared his throat before starting, "So, Grace may have—"

"Grace?" Elizabeth repeated, an incredulous look on her face. "What happened to 'Mom'?"

"Listen, she may have had something to do with Dad's death," Luther said as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "So I need you guys to come back to the Academy, all right? It's important."

"'It's important,'" Five mocked. "You have no concept of what's important."

"Hey!" Klaus suddenly exclaimed, drawing their attention to him. "Did I ever tell you guys about the time I waxed my ass with chocolate pudding?" He laughed loudly as he shuddered. "It was so painful!"

Luther turned his head to face him, his eyebrows furrowed. "What are you still doing here?"

"What?" Klaus asked innocently. "I . . . What? I need an excuse to hang out with my family?"

"We're trying to have a serious conversation," Luther pointed out.

"What, and I'm incapable of being serious?" Klaus placed a hand on his chest, clearly offended by Luther's words as he questioned, "Is that what you're saying?"

"Luther's got a point, you should get out," Five said snarkily.

"What?" Klaus's eyes widened. Giving up, he climbed out of the passenger door to the right, yelling out a frustrated "Fine!" before slamming the door shut.

"What the hell are you two up to?" Luther asked once Klaus had disappeared into a convenience store across the street.

"You wouldn't understand," Five said grimly.

"Try me. Last I checked" —Luther shifted in his seat again— "I'm still the leader of this family."

"Well, last I checked, I'm seven years older than you," Five replied smartly.

"Oh, shut the hell up," Elizabeth murmured to herself, rolling her eyes.

Luther stared at Five for a moment before asking, "You know what your problem is?

"Really hoping you'll tell me," Five said mockingly, an irritated smile on his face.

"You think you're better than us. You always have." Luther paused. "Even when we were kids. But the truth is, you're just as messed up as the rest of us. We're all you have. And you know it."

Five scoffed. "I don't think that I'm better than you, Number One. I know I am. I've done unimaginable things, things you couldn't even comprehend."

Elizabeth exchanged a look with exasperation with Luther as he gave a bitter chuckle, "Right."

Five continued, "Just to get back here and save you all."

"Whoo!" 

Their eyes swiftly turned to the convenience store that was across the street as Klaus burst out, his arms full of stolen goods. 

A security guard chased after him as he ran into the street. Klaus sprinted across the trafficked road, not caring as the stolen products fell to the ground one by one.

"Stop! Hey!" the security guard yelled, a hand outstretched towards him. "Stop right now!"

"Hey, bitches!" Klaus screamed to the other three as he passed the van, almost getting hit by a car as he continued to dash down the road. "Out of the way, asshole!"

The three of them watched him incredulously. Elizabeth shook her head, a small sigh escaping her lips as she watched the security guard race after him.

"Now I'm starting to wonder if that was the wisest decision," Five drawled.

"Okay, obviously, Five's not coming." Elizabeth sighed as she unbuckled her seatbelt, letting it slide back to the top. "Let's go, Luther."

"What?" Five's head whipped around to face her, his expression astounded. "You can't just—we have to do this!"

Elizabeth stared at him for a moment, an incredulous expression on her face. "This is important!" she insisted as she gestured towards Luther.

"This is much more important!" Five exclaimed, nodding his head towards the busy building in front of them.

"Well, I care about my family," she insisted. "So, I'm going."

"So do I! That's why I'm doing this!" He ran a hand through his hair as he sighed. "Why can't you just—" He stopped, instead just letting out a loud groan.

"Why can't I just what? Use some of the intelligence I have for once?" Elizabeth mocked, a humourless smile upon her face. 

His expression instantly became an exasperated one as he shook his head. "I wasn't going to say that!"

"Whatever." Elizabeth opened the door, beckoning toward the larger man as she mumbled, "C'mon, Luther."

Luther, whose eyes had been nervously going back and forth between the two like he had been watching an intense tennis match, nodded quickly and opened his door.

"Elle."

She turned around to face him, her hand gripped tightly on the car door handle. "What?"

He looked towards her, chewing on his lower lip before he murmured, "At least promise me that you'll come back once it's over."

She stared at him for a moment before giving a small shake of the head. "No."

Ignoring Five's pleas, she followed Luther into his own car.

Luther glanced over at her, his eyebrows slightly furrowed as his expression became a little awkward. "So . . . uh . . . did something . . . happen?"

Elizabeth put her seatbelt on as she innocently questioned, "What do you mean?"

"Between you and Five," he clarified.

"He just . . ." She sighed as she faced Luther, who was watching her with concern. "He just said something really stupid."

"I mean" —Luther shrugged lightly— "he says a lot of stupid things."

"Yeah, but this time . . . it was not great." She frowned, folding her arms.

"Maybe he's just in a bad mood?" he offered, although he didn't seem to believe his own suggestion.

"Maybe."

The back passenger door suddenly burst open, and Klaus threw himself into the seat, a few treats remaining in his arms. 

"Go! Go! Drive before the security—" He then swore very loudly as the security guard rushed towards them. "He's coming! Drive, Luther! Drive!"