Shadows & Mirrors // f.hargreeves fanfic

:::: Forty-Eight ::::

Reginald had refused to turn on the car radio. Instead, he opted for "bonding" with Klaus and Nova. The girl, however, would rather be locked in the trunk than sit in the back seat with Klaus as Sir Reginald Hargeeves asked them questions about their childhoods and their relationships with his alternative self.

"So, tell me, what do we like to do together?" Reginald asked as he kept his eyes on the road ahead. Nova and Klaus glanced at each other as if unsure of what to make of this particular situation that they were in. When they didn't answer Reginald added, "For fun."

"I-i don't understand the question," Klaus said slowly.

"Didn't we take any family trips in your timeline?" Reginald asked.

"With our Dad? Hell no!" Klaus grumbled, "That guy put the dick in dictator."

"With our Reginald, it was all about the missions," Nova said slowly playing along. Her suspicions were still on high alert. She wasn't going to forget anytime soon what this Reginald had done to them.

"Then how is it you don't understand the first thing about your powers?" Reginald asked as he glanced at Klaus before his eyes slid over to land on Nova in the rearview mirror and he said, "And you only ever scratched the surface of yours."

"Well, things kinda went sideways at the ol' Academy early on," Klaus shrugged.

"How so?" Reginald inquired.

"I mean, first Five accidentally time-traveled to the apocalypse where he got stuck. Of course, we didn't know that until much later. But to us, he had stormed off during dinner one day and never returned," Nova began to explain.

A frown tugged at the corner of her lips as she remembered the countless nights she waited up for him but he never returned. She remembered leaving peanut butter and marshmallow sandwiches out with Viktor each night just in case Five returned and wanted a snack. She remembered leaving on a light every night that could have been seen from the street just in case he was lost and needed a guide home.

"Ben died during the Jennifer incident," Klaus continued but when he saw the tormented look that settled on Nova's at the mention of Ben's death he didn't elaborate further on the subject, "And then we lost Nova during the funeral."

"How is it that they lost you, young lady? Surely, you weren't dead," Reginald asked and Nova's throat felt tight as tears threatened to spill over her eyes. She didn't exactly fancy the idea of reliving her worst days but yet here she was.

"No, I wasn't dead, but sometimes I wish I would have died because what came after was worse than death. This lady who we called the Handler took advantage of my vulnerability and convinced me to work for her. In the many years to follow, I was tortured and trained to become one of the most deadly time-traveling assassins to ever live," Nova further explained.

"But that wasn't all," Klaus added when it was clear Nova wasn't going to continue, "They were the ones who didn't have to deal with our Dad after puberty. The rest of us...well you drugged one of your kids for years. You turned Luther into a half-monkey moon-boy freak thing. You locked me in a box full of ghosts. Oh, and you killed yourself so that none of us would ever get any answers."

"I see," Reginald responded.

"What I'm saying is that you were a terrible father!" Klaus yelled as he leaned forward for effect.

"Yes, picked that up, thank you," Reginald nodded. "High time I made it up to you! Starting now!"

"Are you serious?" Nova scoffed as Klaus cackled at the prospect.

"You just murdered us and stuffed us in the trunk of your car," Klaus argued, "I have notes, Dad."

"Let's not quibble over details," Reginald waved dismissively, "A new proposal. I help the two of you master your powers, you stop blaming me for the sins of your other father..."