Vide Noir | The Umbrella Academy

Four

Chapter Four: Two Birds with One Stone

"I see you're still full of attitude." Della looked over at Five as they left Diego behind, the world outside filled with colour, unlike the dull white that coated the building. "People are still scared of you, at the commission, I mean."

He raised a brow, "Why would anyone be scared of me?"

That made her snort, "You're kidding, right?"

"How would you know?" He asked as they crossed an intersection, "You've been on the run just as long as I have."

Della nodded, "You've been with your family, which you deserve after being alone so long. I was only alone for a few years, but the 1800s isn't the best place. And I suppose now, it's only been what, two weeks since you broke your contract—"

"We both broke that contract as soon as we landed in the middle of the Academy."

"It feels a lot longer than that."

Five sighed, staring straight ahead as he managed the thinning crowd. "Yeah well, impending doom always seems to stretch itself out, all whilst crashing in at ridiculous speed."

They wandered towards downtown, which was a single stretch of road with buildings all lined down the side. Once the last shop gave out, there was nothing but an occasional building until the first neighbourhood came into view.

"I got here just before you did." Della said, sneaking a glance at him. His brows were still furrowed, a mix of emotions coated his face despite the attempts to hide them. "The briefcase was gone, like all my other interactions with them. That's not supposed to happen, I know it's not."

"You think you were planted here, right. Us meeting in 1963 couldn't be a coincidence, nothing we ever do is ever a coincidence."

Della nodded slowly, running a hand through her jet black hair. It reached her shoulders, and was in desperate need of a cut. She caught a glimpse of herself in shop windows as they walked by, each giving her a seconds look, a snippet. Curls framed her face, not tight or loose, but in between. Sometimes it looked like she just never brushed it, but if she did that would be a whole other problem. Her skin was dark, clear of any freckles or birthmarks. Though, she did have a scar planted over her eyebrow, ending just below her eye, she couldn't remember where it came from. It still looked faded, which made her believe she got it when she was only a toddler. But the scar was never the first thing people noticed, it was her eyes. They used to be a dark brown, almost black, to match her hair, but somewhere along the way they changed. Not to a blue, or hazel, but a golden colour. Della never understood why or how, but after the age of thirteen her eyes were a bright shade of gold.

She never got complements from anyone, the first she ever got was from Five of all people, and it was about her eyes. She never liked them, it was the first thing people always noticed and always thought was strange, even unnatural.

"I feel like I shouldn't be here." She added to his guess, which was right. "There's no way we were meant to cross paths. Not ever again."

He looked over at her, "Am I such bad company?"

"You're an idiot, is what you are. And an asshole, and—"

"Okay, jeez." He sighed, "I hear you."

"There's no way in hell we were ever supposed to cross paths again, especially when that's probably what the Handler wants."

Five shook his head, "So she won't find us."

Della laughed, "That's funny. After all the cronies she's sent after the both of us. And since those guys are here after you, who's after me?"

"Maybe it's a kill two birds with one stone situation and they're meant to knock us all off the list."

She took a deep breath, "My life really took a down hill turn the moment we started talking. I had it good at the commission, and now I'm constantly trying not to die. Not to mention I look sixteen again. I think that was one of the worst years of my life."

He snorted, Della looked around, having no idea where they were going but Five looked awfully confident so she opted they were good. "I'm not a fan  of this situation either, I didn't want to be stuck in this body, that wasn't apart of the plan."

"I guess we get a second chance at growing up." That made her chuckle, the thought and reality of that was crazy. "Unless we all blow up in ten days."

"I saved the world once already."

Della's expression was a mix of confusion and amusement, "I don't think that's true."

He rolled his eyes, coming to a stop in the middle of the side walk. She paused next to him, following his glare up the street. It landed on a tall man leaning up against one of the buildings, a crisp blue suit reflected the sun in a dazzling manner. Della's eyes widened, "This is the worst day ever."

"Is that Eddy?"

She nodded slowly, turning around and dragging Five back with her. "Looks like we found the guy who's after me."

"Why would they send him? He's terrible at this job."

Della frowned, "He thinks I ruined his relationship with Marilla."

"Marilla?" Five questioned as they cut through an alleyway, "The tall blonde with a really weird haircut?"

"It wasn't weird, she just needed to trim her bangs."

He snorted, "So what happened."

"I thought you weren't one for gossip."

"I am when it involves someone trying to kill you."

Della huffed, "He caught us sneaking around. Threatened to shoot me right then and there but out of nowhere the Handler showed up and in turn threatened him."

"You and Marilla?" Five blinked, "When?"

She didn't want to get into this, not here, and definitely not with Five Hargreeves.

"A long time ago."

"I thought you liked the guy in accounting."

They rushed across the street, heading south. Della felt sweat prickle her forehead, she didn't know if it was the heat of the Dallas sun or just this conversation alone.

"I did."

His brows furrowed, "Oh."

"Yeah."

"Oh."

She shook her head, "I thought you were the smart one."

Five said nothing, only snuck glances at her every so often as they walked through neighbourhoods and commercial areas. When the silence finally became unbearable he turned to her, "I'm glad we're together again."

She raised a brow, "What?"

"We should start looking for my family." He said instead, nodding to himself. "Before they end up like Diego."