Ice Queen (Five Hargreeves)

chapter four

"klaus? is that you?"

klaus turned from where he was standing and stopped talking to what looked like a photo of their father and an ash pot.

klaus blinked back in surprise, not sure if he was seeing things correctly.

he wasn't completely sober,
after all.

he rubbed his eyes to make sure that the image in front of him would stay there.

and to his surprise, it did.

moving.

blinking.

breathing.

"hey, aren't you supposed to be frozen?" klaus asked whilst tilting his head to the side.

florence giggled and ran into his arms. she didn't care that he smelt of pure alcohol. all she cared about was that her brother was stood right in front of her.

almost sixteen years without them.

klaus embraced the smaller girl. she had only been a little bit smaller than him when they were children, but now she was tiny compared to him.

"i've missed you, klausy." florence used the nickname she had given him when mom first gave them their names.

"i've missed you too, flo. it's good to have you back."

"what's that, klaus?"

diego came into the living area to see klaus' back facing him. he had his arms wrapped around something.

or someone.

florence and klaus pulled away from their hug to turn around.

they were met by diego's confused, stoney face.

"oh, you know. just our sister who was frozen for a hot minute. shouldn't you recognise her?"

diego couldn't believe what he was seeing.

or who he was seeing.

"florence?"

"klaus is right, diego. shouldn't you recognise your favourite sibling?" florence rhetorically asked diego with a smirk on her face.

diego hopped over the sofa to lift his sister off her feet. he span her round and held her tightly before putting her firmly back on the ground.

"wait, does this mean dad found a cure before he died?"

"pogo told me that dad had wanted me to be unfrozen and cured when he was dead. he didn't give me a reason though." florence shrugged her shoulders that were covered by diego's hands.

"that bastard." diego said with a grin on his face. "it's so good to have you back, flo. did they tell you about ben?"

florence's eyes started to well up at the thought of not being able to see her brother again.

she nodded her head slowly.

diego could see that she was getting upset. klaus had disappeared, probably to tell whoever he came across that number eight was back and cured.

"look, there's a statue of him in the courtyard." diego pointed to the black statue of the sibling, still having a hand placed delicately on her shoulder.

"what are we doing for dad?"

"we've decided on a short memorial service. it won't be too long, just a few words and his ashes will be placed somewhere. it's later on today, i'm sure he would've liked you to be there."