His Only Hope

Mr. Sadness

You and everyone else watched in a stunned silence as Reginald walked stiffly through the room, grabbing a plate of food.

"I swear to God, if he sits here," you mumbled, glancing over at Five and Viktor. Five looked at you and grabbed a piece of cantaloupe, messily biting into it and dripping the juice all over the tablecloth. You rolled your eyes.

Reginald, after Klaus pointed to him, began smiling stiffly, the tips of his curly white mustache tilting upward. He looked around at all of you, his eyes locking on yours after a moment. Your eyes narrowed, but then you remembered that you needed him for a chance to save the world, and looked away with a scowl.

Luther was looking at him in disgust, and Diego seemed shocked and angry. Viktor was just staring. You noticed Lila dragging Diego over to him, and Lila and Reginald began chatting like old friends. At the end of the conversation, Reg kissed her hand, and you wrinkled your nose in disgust. "Are you seeing this?" you asked Five and Viktor, looking over at them in disbelief.

Viktor sighed and looked at his plate. "I don't like it."

Five just kept drinking and stuffing food in his mouth as Viktor stood and walked over to Allison.

Tink tink tink

You looked up from your second glass of champagne to see Reginald tapping the side of his wine glass with a fork, standing and looking around at all of you. He grabbed the mic and moved onto the stage, still clutching his glass. "I... know it is customary for the father of the bride to give a speech. And to reveal all of their unflattering, embarrassing secrets." He paused, and you watched with an uninterested frown. It felt so odd to see your adoptive father talking about another girl as his daughter. "Sloane, ever since you were a little girl, I've always known you were exceptionally bright. And though I can't say I know Luther all that well, from the few moments we have shared, it seems you have found yourself an adequate partner." He raised his glass.

Five began chuckling and looked at you. "He just called Luther adequate."

Adequate. Luther was more than adequate, even with his faults. He was a good guy. You glared harder.

"I acknowledge that, as a father, I was not without my faults. I hope these... shortcomings... will be seen as only a rough patch on an otherwise verdant lawn. I'm proud to call you my children." You scoffed and exchanged a glance with Five.

"Proud. He's proud to call us his children." You snorted and shook your head.

"Even those who I raised in a revenant version of myself." Five leaned forward on his chair and watched Reginald more intently, placing his hands on the edges of the seat. "I hope that tonight we can create a few special memories in whatever precious little time we have left."

He doesn't believe that. He thinks he has a solution.

"And now, in closing... I have prepared something to read to you." He cleared his throat and began. "The sun rises over a lily's field. A mother veiled, her lips concealed. The mourners come in droves of black to bury what their hearts unpack." You heard the elevator ding, and glanced over to see Allison leaving. You frowned, spotting Viktor standing alone by the cake table, his face pressed into his hand. "With shallow breath and time eclipsed, I pray you miss death's gentle kiss."

"And I pray he doesn't," you mumble to a wrinkly-forehead Five.

"That makes no sense," Ben said loudly as Klaus stood and clapped to cover up his voice.

"Bravo! Bravo, Dad! Bravo!"

Diego and Lila began clapping hesitantly as well, and you glanced over at Five, both of you wearing amused expressions. "I didn't think the old man had it in him," he said.