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“Shit, Klaus, get down!” Ben’s voice rang in his ears and it was all Klaus needed to dive away from the action. He was pretty good at that to begin with, not used to his powers being of any help in close combat. He narrowly missed the blast coming their way, his mind instantly sent back to Vietnam. Focus, Klaus, focus. Not now.
Blinking away the images of war and dead soldiers, he could hear Ben talking to him. His siblings. They were still cornered on the edge of the roof.
“Ugh, Ben, why do the baddies always have to be so dramatic? I mean, waiting for the Umbrella Academy to be back – I didn’t see that coming, by the way – it just a little much!” Ben shot him a grin.
“Sounds about right,” agreed Ben. Klaus looked back to the rest of his siblings. Five was popping in and out, trying to evade the man and distract him. He was ugly, in a very boring (but very, very dangerous) mechanized suit, shooting at Five. Klaus knew he couldn’t last much longer. Luther was injured, but still defending them, and Diego – well, his knives didn’t pierce through metal, so he was doing as much defense as possible.
Vanya wasn’t there, so that was their strongest person gone (she wasn’t ready for the world to realize who she was, didn’t trust her own powers in high-stress situations). Allison was preoccupied in fighting as well and making sure Luther didn’t bleed to death.
Ben was a ghost.
Things weren’t going too well! “Boy, we’re a little out of practice, aren’t we?” laughed Klaus. “You think you could go in there and help them, favorite brother o’ mine?” Klaus’ voice could never take on a serious tone, even in situations like this. Scratch that, especially in situations like this. But he knew Ben would understand – and looking at his brother’s slow nod, he knew he was right.
Klaus never liked to make Ben release the Horrors, not after so long that he hadn’t needed to worry about them. But when they needed it, he was there. Klaus took a deep breath, channeling his power. He was more than grateful he had gotten far enough away from the fight to focus, it made everything a million times easier. He didn’t need to look to know that it was working, the sounds the tentacles made were enough, followed with the groaning crunch of metal.
Thick thuds followed by sickening cracks, and Klaus knew they had retaken the fight. The Horror threw the man from the building, mangled nearly beyond recognition. The machines had been destroyed.
“Klaus!” shouted Ben, his voice panic-laced. Klaus turned, his stomach dropping as he saw the expression of terror on Ben’s face. He knew it from when they were kids. From when Ben took things too far when he couldn’t get them to stop, from right before he –
Klaus let his powers slip, but the damage was done. The city building was badly damaged, cracking, and Klaus was no architect but he knew that couldn’t be good. His siblings were recovering but Five was passed out and Klaus knew he wasn’t dead, he would be able to tell, but it was so wrong to see five so small and so… still.
The cracks were increasing, Klaus noticed, edges of the building crumbling. Shit, would they have to pay for that? At least there was daddy’s inheritance money.
“Guys!” Klaus ran towards them. “Get out off there! You’re going to fall!” As he ran closer, he felt someone stop him. Ben, looking scared but tentacles safely packed pack in his tummy.
“Stay back Klaus,” warned Diego. Klaus shook his head, struggling from Ben. Why couldn’t he get free? They were his powers and they needed to listen to him, needed to make Ben’s grip ghostly rather than corporeal so he could do anything to stop this.
Allison was walking towards him, slowly, but the ground under her shifted. She fell, and Klaus watched in horror as the building was crumbling.
“Ben, can you grab them?” Klaus turned to his brother. His eyes were frantic, he couldn’t breathe. He felt like breaking down then and there when his brother shook his head.
“I’d kill them if I tried, Klaus,” said Ben. His words cracked under guilt, and it broke Klaus’ heart, but they needed to do something.
“Ben! Ben, let me go!” Klaus shouted desperately, struggling. His brother’s grasp was firm, and Klaus cursed himself for having powers so tied to his emotions.
“Klaus you’ll just get hurt!”
Klaus couldn’t hear him. Tears gathered in his eyes as he tried to yank away, his arm outreached. Everything felt far too fast and yet he could see every detail as his siblings fell away, fell down, he wasn’t going to be able to live with himself after this, dammit, Ben!
“…Holy shit, Klaus,” said Ben, grip loosening.
Klaus stood frozen.
In front of him were his siblings. Floating. Not themselves, but on a giant slab of concrete.
“Klaus? A-are you doing this?” Allision’s voice was soft, but it felt earthshattering all the same. He didn’t understand, why would Allision think it was him? Of course, it was then that he noticed his outstretched hand glowing the same eerie blue that seemed to be in a haze around the concrete.
He looked at Ben, who shrugged.
Klaus burst out laughing. There were still tears streaming down his face and he was shaking, but holy shit. Like, holy shit. He wouldn’t believe it if he couldn’t feel the drain it was having! “Fuck if only dear Father saw me now! I guess that bastard was really onto something, huh!” He couldn’t help the giggles breaking through his bitter tone.
“Klaus, you need to get us – yourself as well – down safely,” instructed Luther. Normally his stupid self-righteous tone was more annoying than anything, but at that moment Klaus would have given anything to keep him talking. Anything to give him direction; distract him from the very real possibility that his grip on this new…. Power, thing, could slip, sending his siblings to a young death.
“Great plan Luther, anyone have any tips on how the holy hell to do that?”
“Just focus on what you’re doing now Klaus,” said Diego, butting in. He was kneeling, holding Five’s unconscious body, and making eye contact with Klaus. There was something like trust in his eyes, and it terrified him. Still, Klaus nodded.
He was coursing with power, with adrenaline as slowly he attempted to lower his siblings down. He barely noticed when he was starting to follow.
“Jesus, Klaus, you’ve been holding out on us,” muttered Diego.
And oh my God (the bitch) he was floating, he was in the air moving slowly towards the ground with his siblings who were at least on a slab of concrete unlike him actually in the air – Klaus gasped as he slipped, dropping an inch.
“Klaus!” shouted Allison, grabbing tightly to Luther as they dropped. Klaus shook his head, eyes wide.
Less time being surprised about powers and more time spent trying not to die. Ben seemed to agree, or at least Klaus thought he would because while he followed, he didn’t say a thing.
The decent was spent in a thick, tense silence. His siblings watched as his breathing became heavier, body shaking with exertion. When the ex-roof scraped against the ground, Klaus finally let go.
His feet hit solid ground, and he crumpled.
Within moments, Allison was at his side. “Klaus, Klaus, are you alright?” Klaus looked up at her, giving a weak nod. He could hear sirens quickly approaching. He felt his sister’s grip on him, just as tight as Ben’s had been, and thank god she was okay.
“Guys, Five’s awake!” Diego moved was helping a disorientated Five sit up. Already, his forehead had turned a nasty shade of purplish-greenish-blue.
“Five, I’m so sorry,” Ben’s voice cracked, but Klaus knew he was the only one to hear him.
“Five,” said Klaus, gathering what energy he could, “Ben says he’s sorry.”
Five looks up, confused before slow realization finally overcame his expression. Definitely a concussion, at least, then. He waved them off. “No permanent harm done… you saved our ass’s there,” he paused. “Both of you.”
For a second, there was silence in their small bubble of the world, despite the commotion going around behind them as police and ambulances finally pulled up.
“Five, let’s get you to a medic,” said Luther, popping the bubble. Allison returned to him.
“And don’t forget about yourself,” reminded Allison, voice laced with concern. Luther stiffened, then nodded, helping Five out of Diego’s hands.
Klaus watched them walk off from his rather comfortable spot on the ground. It was Diego that came to him next. “Do you need to get checked out, bro?” He asked in a voice so soft, Klaus swears he’s only heard it when Diego talks to Mom.
He shook his head.
“Klaus, they can look you over here, you won’t even need to go to a hospital. No ghosts,” assured Ben. Still, Klaus shook his head.
He smiled softly. “No, it’s alright Ben – Diego. Not hurt, just… exhausted,” he admitted. Diego nodded.
“Alright then, well, you can sleep in the car and Mom will look you over when we get home. And we can talk about… whatever the hell that just was. Not complaining,” said Diego. Klaus could see him come up with the plan, nodding just barely to himself as if to confirm it while he spoke. “Allison, do you think you could…?”
“Deal with the police,” supplied Allison, once eyebrow raised. “I’m pretty sure that’s the most practical thing I can do. Take him home, I’ll be alright from here.”
Diego nodded. “Make sure Five and Luther are alright.”
Klaus felt almost dizzy just trying to keep up with the conversation. When Allison left to give her answers, he stood with the help of Diego. (Well, mostly Diego was carrying him while he went through the motions of walking, and it was cute that his brother thought he of all people might be embarrassed by something like being scooped up like a bride).
“That’s going to take some getting used to,” commented Ben. Klaus giggled.
“What?” Diego asked.
“Oh nothing,” said Klaus, “Just that I never thought Dad might’ve been onto something with the mausoleum!”
Diego’s pace stuttered. “The what?”
Ben was looking at him, concern heavy in his gaze. Klaus stuck his tongue out at his ghost brother. It was the worse way to go about it, but how many times have his powers been induced by stressful situations?
Klaus remembers Diego’s question. Ah, right, the detail where he didn’t actually tell anyone, Just his, Ben’s and their father’s little secret! Well, Dave too. Also Pogo. And probably Mom.
But that hardly counted.
Klaus waved him off, although the gesture was hardly recognizable. He felt too shaky and weak t do just about anything properly. “Long story, not the time,” he settles on.
Diego doesn’t seem satisfied, but they’ve reached his car, but he doesn’t press Klaus on the matter anymore. Some part of Klaus hopes he’ll forget it, but he has a feeling there was going to be a lot of things to talk about once he had his nap.
So for now, he focused on the warmth of Diego’s hands as he helped Klaus into the back of the car. “Go to sleep, Klaus,” said Diego gently, watching him from the mirror.
“They’re all going to be okay now,” reassured Ben.
“Thanks, guys…” Klaus mumbled. Finally, he let the exhaustion sweep over him, and slept.