MIDAS ⇾ THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY

~ XXI ~

Vanya was still in the same white suit from before, but she looked almost peaceful now. Five was the only other person in the room.

"You're not dead," he said. "I'm glad."

"Thank you?" said Alexis, laughing.

She sat down heavily as she was hit by a wave of fatigue. Allison looked concerned.

"It's fine," she said weakly.

She looked back over to Five.

"Did we really do it?" she asked. "Are you sure we stopped it?"

He shrugged.

"That's how it seems."

Alexis looked at Vanya.

"Do you think she'll, uh...still be filled with murderous rage when she wakes up?"

Five smiled slightly.

"I would hope not. I think she probably got it all out."

He sat forward.

"I need a favour, though - from both of you."

She nodded, as did Allison.

"Will you stick around until she wakes up? I'm not sure Luther being the first thing she sees would be a good idea. I'd prefer it if it was you two."

Alexis looked at Allison, who nodded again.

"Sure," she said. "I'm not feeling like doing much else."

Five smiled thinly.

"Will the others go home, or what?" she said, after a minute.

Allison tapped her, holding up her notepad.

WHERE?

"Oh, shit," Alexis realised. "I forgot."

"Luther and I - and probably Klaus - don't have anywhere to go," said Five. "The Academy was our home."

Alexis though for a second.

"Well," she said slowly. "There's here... then Diego has a place, and so do I. I'm sure we can work something out for the meantime."

Allison wrote something down.

I CAN GET HOTEL ROOMS

Five nodded gratefully.

"You can have my place, if you'd like," Alexis said to Five. "I've got a guest room, so you don't have to sleep on the couch. Just don't bring any blood in there, if possible."

She rifled around in her bag, and threw Five the keys.

"Promise me you'll take care of the place?" she said.

He smiled wryly.

"I'll try."

Alexis looked at Allison.

"Should we maybe get Luther a room? I'm sure Diego can put up with Klaus for a while."

She shrugged in agreement.

Rain pattered lightly against the window, as Alexis closed the curtains. Allison had worked a miracle and managed to get Luther a hotel room, and was on her way back. She seemed to be managing fine, but Alexis was worried that she was putting up a ruse for her, while she was recovering. She couldn't imagine how it would be to lose her ability to express her ideas in full, and be reduced to words. It must be terrifying, and Alexis was concerned that Allison would lose her confidence as a result.