Number Eight {The Umbrella Academy} -- [On Hold]

What Could Have Been

{AN: Double update because it's been ages. Apologies. I gift you this sentimental chapter in hopes that you can forgive me.}

"I gotta get my knives."

"What, you don't have enough on you?" I joked. Diego sent an annoyed glare at me as we climbed the stairs.

"Meet you at the front door in ten?"

"Sure."

I didn't have much in terms of weapons to bring, so I just stuffed one of the several knives I had over the years stolen or been gifted from Diego into my jacket pocket then sat down and searched through the stack of books on my nightstand for a good one. I settled on a science fiction one Ben had recommended I read when he was still alive, and left my room to find Klaus and Diego heading up the stairs before our bedrooms, the former holding a large coil of rope.

"What happened to taking out Hazel and Cha-Cha?"

"Klaus, uh, wants to sober up before we all die," Diego said. I followed the two up the steps, rubbing a hand across my face in exasperation.

"Great timing."

"Look, I gotta, I gotta talk to someone before I die. It's important." As we started up the second flight of stairs, I caught Klaus' attention by waving my hands around violently. Once he was looking at me, I mouthed a question.

"Ben?"

He shook his head, and I wondered who the hell he wanted to talk to so badly that he was willing to go sober.

"Alright." As I came into a room of the attic, Diego pulled a chair to the center of the floor. "Sit."

Klaus handed me the rope then followed Diego's instructions, letting out a groan as he eased himself into the chair.

I tied the rope to one of the armrests of the chair, then began to circle my brother, slowly but surely attaching him to the chair.

"Yeah, yeah yeah." He muttered, blinking as I pulled the rope tight. Diego sighed and sat on one of the boxes that were scattered around us.

"I hate this room."

"Oh, it got me high enough." Klaus smiled. " I picked it clean of anything of value after Daddy kicked the bucket. That's it, tighter and higher."

I paused, then yanked on the rope with all my might, causing Klaus to yelp.

"If I see a boner, I'm out," Diego said, leading me to grimace as our brother laughed.

"So the end of the world comes, and it's the time to get sober and talk to whoever you need to talk to?" I asked, continuing to wind the restraints around the chair.

"Yeah, I mean, good by you, but I'd think you'd wanna pop every pill on the planet," Diego added, rubbing his shoulder where his sling was digging into it. I'd been meaning to ask him what the hell happened to his arm, but I figured I'd give Klaus the spotlight to spill his guts.

"Oh, the thought did cross my mind, believe me, but the conversation I need to have is much more important than being high."

I knelt down, threading the rope under the chair to keep his legs down. The whole thing was reminding me way too much of when Klaus and I were restrained by Hazel and Cha-Cha, and I just wanted to get it done as fast as possible.

"Is this about the 'lost lover' you told me about earlier?" Diego asked, and my gaze snapped to Klaus' face, which was full of guilt.

"Yeah," he responded, avoiding eye contact with me.

"What was her name?" I snorted.

"He was a him, if I'm not incorrect. And Klaus, you're supposed to tell me these things," I whined out the last part, and he sighed.