—chapter thirty-one.

 ❛ haven't you ever heard of teamwork? ❜  

THERE WERE TWO NEW PIECES OF INFORMATION THAT ELODIE was given by a certain Klaus Hargreeves, about the infamous Hargreeves family that sunny morning.

One was that everything she thought she knew about their emotional and honestly, physical abuse dealt out by their heartless father was just a fragment of the devastation. Klaus' voice was as airy as a cream puff as he regaled her with 'fun childhood memories', but each tall tale ended with a waver and the realisation for both of them that everything had a horrifically red glaze to it. Even the so-called good times. 

Sure, she knew Diego's pain and what he did not share she could only assume -- but it took meeting Klaus for her to realised the full extent. And it terrified her, knowing she was very nearly in that same place eight years prior, barely surviving without a foreign substance pumping through her veins and terrified of what happened when she fell again. But she at least had Ellis to keep her sane -- none of the siblings shared as close a bond. Nothing even close. They were pushed out into the world as alone and broken as they came in and no one had given a shit. It was a wonder, they had come as far as they had.

The second, was that Klaus really loved his brother -- and his family as a whole. Even after everything that had happened. Maybe that one hurt more.

"...and you know," he continued, a small laugh echoing through the otherwise silent vehicle, "before, Luther wasn't even that big! Just bigger than the rest of us...but then he went off to the moon, and came back, ha -- came back a giant. A giant moon-lover! C'est drole!"

Elodie's brows furrowed in thought. "I think, actually...was that the behemoth guy at your place, that time I dropped off your coat? That was Luther?"

"Yep." Diego's voice was cold.

"Mm-hmm."

Klaus whistled in the back. "And here I thought this was a long-lost romance! Diego, you didn't tell me you two had rekindled--"

"--we hadn't," the two echoed in sync. "And we're not."

His eyes narrowed, glancing between the two of them like he was waiting for one to break. "And...so you've met more of us lovely disasters, Elodie?"

"Uh, not really, no. I've only met you, and Diego of course."

"Oh, of course," Klaus assured, his words dripping of syrupy-sweet sarcasm. "And Luther."

"And...I s'pose Luther, though I never spoke to him." Elodie's forehead puckered. "Gotta be honest, I didn't know much about this whole Academy thing before I met Diego. Guess I moved too late, missed the hoop-la."

That got Klaus' attention. Suddenly he was eager to drop the idea of Diego and Elodie and more interested in the half-tossed comment made about her moving. His eyes grew round, bloodshot and glazed, studying her. "Well, why'd ya...why'd ya come here? To this shithole?"

Only then did Diego move to speak on his own accord. He glared at his brother in the mirror. "Klaus."

"It's fine," Elodie mumbled quickly. Her hand rose to touch his forearm, lingering in the air before dropping back to her lap with an exhale. "I came here to deal with a problem. And then, it turned out being here instead of back where I came was easier. No one knew me or my family here." Or, what any of them had done. "So I just decided to stay."

Klaus' nose crinkled in fresh confusion. His eyes were going very slightly cross-eyed, but still he stared trying to take in whatever it was he saw to read on her. She knew he had questions to ask, surely, but either he was hesitant because of Diego or because he did not know how to ask them -- whatever the case, he did not say anything back for that.

So Elodie did instead. "Family, right? One way or another, they're screwed up somehow."

And the other man smiled there, genuinely and sadly, in a way that made her just want to give him a hug. She did not know Klaus past snippets of old conversations and the way Diego had alluded to some substance abuse issues, but there was clearly a lot there that had not been worked through. She wished she could offer more support; he looked like he needed a friend.

She did not, though, linger on that feeling anymore. Instead she just turned back and folded her trembling fingers in her lap. Elodie tried to will them cooler, begging the heat to diminish in the hands. Still though they remained reddened and almost glowing, as though a fire iron just pulled them out. Eager to find an escape and focus on something else, she looked to the man beside her.

"Are you okay?"

Diego did not spare a glance. "Fine."

"You don't seem it."

He snorted. "Thanks."

"Look, Diego, I know you're upset that I'm here. But I can't just let you rush off to your death and wonder just what the hell happened."

"None of that's gonna happen," he gritted out. His hands gripped the steering wheel a bit tighter. "And you should have stayed back at the bar. Safe."

Elodie clenched her jaw. She knew he meant well, that his heart was in a good place -- but the lack of trust spoke louder than her belief in his good intentions. "I'm not stupid enough to go somewhere where I can't take care of myself. I'm not a dumbass and I'm definitely not a damsel in distress."

Klaus muttered in the back, but no one paid much attention. 

"I know you're not stupid. And I know you can take care of yourself--"

"--do you? Do you really know that, or are you just saying that to get this conversation over with? Because you're gritting your teeth so hard, I'm worried you're going to break a tooth. And I've known you long enough to know you really don't want me here right now."

Diego swallowed hard. He dared not look her way, but one glance into the mirror and she could see his expression. It had darkened, but more than that, there were tears bubbling in his eyes that she had not expected to form. Elodie faltered, then, unsure just what she could say then.

"I just," he paused, pursing his lips more as though they were going to hold the sobs back. His tone lowered, softening so just she could hear him. "I just don't want to lose you. I can't lose anyone else."

Anyone else?

Doubt flickered in her mind, reigniting as he watched his face compose and nearly break again. His mom meant a lot to him, but that sort of remark usually meant more than one something had happened to reach that point. And maybe...

"You don't have to worry about me," Elodie finally said, half-whispering the words so Klaus didn't catch them. "I promise."

"You can't--"

"--I am promising that," she cut in, and with that, raised her little finger up. Her lips twisted and flattened into a thin pink line. "I promise you, I'm going to be just fine, and we're all gonna make it out of this fine."

Diego stared at her. The car had stopped at that point, and he just sat frozen against the wheel, watching her pinky finger waver in the still air. There was nothing but the sound of the trio's breathing as they watched one another, waiting until the other made their move.

Elodie finally broke, cracking a hair-line smile and nudging his arm with her pinky.

"This is where you pass over your pinky, and we complete the promise, F-Y-I."

She heard Klaus made a noise behind her -- actually sounding more sad than mocking, but she dared not peek. Just nudged him again and pleaded with her eyes in hopes that he gave her this one thing.

Unfortunately, it would be Klaus again who interrupted their bittersweet moment as he let out a low cry that immediately had Diego craning his head. "What? What?" Elodie's hand fell down and slipped out of sight.

"There he is," Klaus breathed, jabbing a bony finger at the window pane. "The guy, that's him."

Elodie shuffled her weight so she, too, could see the figure. She didn't recognise him, but there was certainly something a little nefarious about him -- anyone in a well-pressed suit and only barely disguising their gun couldn't be trusted. But the briefcase looked suspicious too, especially as he clutched it tight and glanced in every direction before moving again. At least the trio went unnoticed and were able to watch as they disappeared around the corner.

"We gotta go," Diego called, throwing a hand back and pulling the car out of its parked spot. The engine began to splutter again. "Buckle up -- Klaus, put your damn seatbelt on!"

"Since when do you make the rules," the wiry man grumbled back, though he did in fact heed his brother's warning. 

They zoomed off in pursuit, keeping a careful distance while still maintaining sight of the newly-made duo. Elodie held tight to her seat with clenched teeth, trying to calm her mind -- though it was hard considering everything being thrown at her. And the way Diego looked, with pure fury churning in his eyes and just waiting to be released, worried her. She'd seen it before, and it had never gone well.

She glanced down at his tapping hand rested on his thigh. In a moment of brashness, she lunged for it, taking it in one of her own. Before he could pull away Elodie threaded their pinkies together and clutched tight. When he glanced at her, shocked, she only managed a tight nod. Silently, her eyes reflected the same promise she'd made to him moments before, swearing that they would in fact, get out of this okay.

She might have imagined it, but it did feel like his grip tightened around hers after that.

A moment later, Elodie pulled away again. But their heartbeat moment of peace, however brief, still stood.

"BINGO."

Diego's eyes tore from the motel window and down to where he had rested a few choice knives. He stuffed each one into his harness, double-checking each to make sure they rested secure against his chest. 

Still in the back seat, Klaus slipped forward, lifting a bottle to his lips that Elodie was certain he had borrowed from Firebird's. The free hand pressed against his brother's headrest, patting haplessly. "You do know that killing these people is not gonna make you feel any better."

A smart point, but meaningless when it came to Diego's revenge-set mind. He only offered Klaus a half-grin before turning back to the window. "Yeah," he finally said, "but when it's done? I'm gonna sleep like a baby."

Klaus swallowed another gulp of dark brown and wiped at his lips. "Sure you will." He glanced towards Elodie, sharing a glance that said something along the lines of, 'this bitch is crazy and will get himself killed from his stubborn bravery some day or other, hopefully today's not the day but who knows with how he's acting?'. Both smiled wanly.

"Stay in the car."

Elodie's forehead puckered, frown lines digging deep as she processed the order. "Excuse me?"

"What are you talkin' about? This guy tortured me!"

She'd have to ask about that after. But, for the moment -- "you are not going in there alone!"

But Diego was already leaving them with only a quick 'I have a plan' to hold them content. He shut the car door and sauntered off without another word. A knife was already flipping in his right hand. 

Elodie glanced back to Klaus. "There's no way we're letting him go in there alone, right?"

"Oh, yes," he grinned, "it is so nice having someone else with a brain to share these car rides with."

The two quickly fled the car and raced after Diego, who at that point was slipping up the stairs and holding his first knife tight in hand. She had to admit, the way he pretended to be sly and sneaky was half stupid, because the man was walking right up the middle of the stairs - as though he wanted to get caught - and half completely adorable. Though, the latter half of that was probably simply her own heart playing tricks on her.

How he did not hear them, she had no clue, but somehow they made it all the way up the motel stairs before Klaus crept up and spoke. "So, what exactly is the plan here, big guy?"

Diego started and glared down at them, pausing on Elodie. "I told you to wait in the car."

"Yeah," Klaus shrugged, already raising his bottle back to his lips, "but you also told me that licking a nine-volt battery would give me pubes."

She snorted. 

"We were eight."

But Klaus, it seemed, had no interest in entertaining his brother's retort. He stepped forward. Before he could get much more than a step up, however, Diego was yanking at the skimpy fur wrapped around his neck and pulling him right back down the stairs, ignoring his meek cries of protest and forcing them all away from the hallway.

Elodie tried to wrestle herself from the tug, but couldn't until they were already right back down where they first started. She scowled and pushed at his chest. "Stop trying to solo this suicide mission and let us help."

"For once, I need you to listen to me." Diego grabbed her hand before it could jab into him again; she yanked it out of his touch and back to her side, much to his dismay. "Go back to the car. Now."

"Absolutely not!"

"If I don't come out in two minutes, I'm probably dead."

Klaus frowned. "So..."

"That happens, go get help. Okay?"

"No! Not okay!" Elodie tried to move past him again, only growing angrier when he held her back. "Diego, you are not going to do this without me!"

Once more, Diego pushed her back. He was gentle but firm, forcing her back against the haplessly watching Klaus. "I would rather me dead than all three of us."

"And I would rather you fucking alive," she hissed back. But her body deflated and it became easy for him to hold her back. "I don't want to..." There was no need for her to finish the sentence.

Diego sighed and rubbed a hand on her shoulder. She shied away again. "I'll be right back. Okay? Klaus?"

"Yeah," came from behind her. An arm circled around her shoulder and pulled her away. It patted gently in a way she supposed was meant to be comforting, but it felt more of a mockery, than anything. Klaus' swiped bottle sloshed at his other side. "Yeah, okay, okay, okay, okay."

Finally, Elodie let him pull her away, though her glare didn't waver from her ex-partner's face. She relished watching his expression drop into something forlorn. Klaus and her pulled back behind the wall but before she could protest yet again, he was holding her back with a surprising amount of strength in him. He clapped a hand to her mouth and shushed her, letting her squirm as he watched around the corner.

"Just wait," he murmured, "we're just letting him think we're staying out of this. Got it?"

She nodded, glad she hadn't resorted to burning his hand away. He released her and they shared a nod, accepting their somewhat plan readily.

"On my count," Klaus whispered. "One...two..."

Gunfire and heavy footsteps rang out over their heads and shattered whatever idea they had. Immediately the pair moved forward. They raced up the stairs only to watch Diego kick open a door and stare inside, seemingly not finding the threat he was looking for.

Elodie's worries soured in her stomach and a bad feeling prickled up her burning arms.

"Klaus..."

Tires screeched and more gunfire erupted -- only much louder that time and too close to avoid. She bolted up the rest of the way with Klaus on her heels, colliding with Diego as he raced from the bullets. It was too late; he was clutching his arm, hissing and cursing at their adversaries.

"See?" Klaus crowed, holding his brother away from the shots. "You used to think I was an idiot."

Diego shot a grimace towards his brother. "I still think you're an idiot."

Elodie's hands fell to his arm, searching for the wound. She hadn't even realised her hands had heated until he was flinching away from her. The fingers glowed and singed at the black fabric already turning wet from blood.

"I -- Diego?!"

"They're getting away!"

"You're welcome!"

Without another word, Diego pulled away from the both of them and rushed down the stairs, groaning as he went. Elodie immediately followed suit with her hands carefully tucked away to hopefully cool -- though, it was a difficult task, considering his blood already staining her fingers.

The trio rushed down and out of the motel and paused in front of Diego's car. All that was left of the mysterious duo was leftover smoke that had billowed from their engine and the black marks of tires. 

Elodie's heart sank.

"Shit. Get in the car," Diego ordered, shoving forward only to cut himself off. Both Elodie and Klaus followed his gaze down to his tires, which had been blown out by the pair to ensure their getaway. She didn't have to look at Diego's face, then, to know exactly what would look back to her -- that crestfallen stare of grief, shame, anger broiling just underneath the skin, wanting to make them hurt so much worse and yet -- being able to do nothing.

It reminded her of herself, so many years back. Maybe a different enemy, different things on the line, but the hurt still stung the same.

"Was this all part of your master plan?" Klaus chirped.

"Shut up."

His brother just hummed, weight fully leant on the ice cream truck they had parked behind.

"God dammit," Diego cursed out, kicking at his car before falling against it. He clutched at his arm, still freely bleeding, his eyes on the horizon. "Dammit."

Elodie shuffled over to him, dragging her feet slightly as she contemplated her options. A part of her wanted to just really piss him off and say something like, 'still think your solo-trip is a good plan?'. But seeing the look on his face, she could already list half a dozen ways he was saying the same thing to himself in his head.

She sighed, brushing her shoulder against his. "We'll figure this out."

"Oh, yeah? How am I gonna do that?"

She bristled. Nevermind; screw the diplomatic approach. "Well for one, you could drop the whole 'I' complex you're carrying, because that's what got us into this shit. If you had just listened to your brother or I, you might not be shot and we might have got them."

"Yeah, so what, you're now an expert on this shit? Do you even know what I'm up against?"

"No, and I wonder who's fault that is," she snapped back. "If you had filled me in, I could have offered at least some help, or made sure I wasn't just here to watch you get your arm blown off!"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Oh, so you wanted to get shot? Kinky, man."

He sighed low, but didn't say anything to that.

"Look, I...I know what's going through your head right now."

"No, you--"

"--I know, 'cause I know you," she interrupted. "And I do get it. You're blaming yourself and you're angry at yourself, thinking this is all your fault. That you're bringing on the age of men and all that as we know it. And that you keep failing because that's who you are, Diego Hargreeves the failer."

"This is a really shitty pep talk."

"But you know what? It's not. That's not who you are."

Diego's glare didn't lessen its intensity for a second.

"But you do have to realise that your brother and I are with you, too. And we care about your stubborn ass too much to let you suffer on your own. So whatever these people have on you, whoever they are, let's figure out a solution together. Eh?"

She reached out and tentatively touched his bloodied arm, frown sinking as he hissed. "And we'll figure out your arm on the way, too."

"Stop being so damn good to me," Diego whispered. He shuddered out a heavy sigh, "please. S'not worth the fight."

She stared at him askance. Did he recognise, those same words that had left her own mouth, years and years before? "Don't say that."

"Elodie, I mean it."

"Me too. I don't want to hear that. You..." she pursed her lips, "you didn't give up on me. So I'm not doing that to you, no matter what you do or say."

Tears welled in his eyes; the deep brown iris' glittered in the sun, a melancholy sight fit to be painted. He lifted his head so she couldn't see the way his face screwed up, squinting into the dying afternoon. "I'm sorry. I never wanted things to go this way."

Elodie wasn't sure if he was referring to just that day, or the thousands left as baggage between them. But she took it anyways. "We're going to figure it out," she promised. "And I'm not leaving. Just...I want us to make it out of this, so we can finally work things out. 'Cause I'm definitely not losing you like this."

"I...Elodie..."

"What?"

"Just..." He looked down to her again, eyes glassed and shining. Slowly, his uninjured hand lifted from the other's wound. She stopped him, mid-reach to her cheek; blood quickly found her skin, staining the pale fingers a gruesome wine red. Diego smiled a little and squeezed, bringing their joined limbs to his chest. She moved in with the embrace.

"Thank you, Elodie."

She nodded slowly, watching his expression as carefully as she could. From the way his lips just barely parted (could that be anticipation?) to how the muscles in his jaw rippled, a sign of his deep contemplation. "O...okay."

His smile edged on cocky, even despite the dark red patch spreading across his sweater. "Okay?"

"Fuck off," she breathed, daring to step even closer. She lifted her chin so she was eye to eye with him, noses centimetres apart. A bead of sweat dribbled down his temple and she wondered if her forehead matched. Everything certainly felt hot. Maybe her body was reacting the same. "And you're welcome."

His noses brushed hers, careful and slow. His hand peeled from hers and before she could protest, it found her side, pulling her hip against his thighs. It wasn't that perfect of a move, considering she had to make sure she didn't bang right into his arm and her balance was horribly off. But it didn't matter as his eyes fluttered shut, pressing long lashes into tender skin, and her own lips were just aching to connect. 

Elodie pulled up, reaching so her mouth could finally--

"I hate to break up this moment but -- guys, I think I have the answer!"

Elodie pulled away from Diego as fast as she could, stumbling back into the lot and over to Klaus. Her heart thundered; she tried to not think about it. "What?"

With a toothy grin, Klaus gestured up to the ice cream truck. He looked like he'd just been promised a puppy. "Hello?! I mean, it's not even locked!"

Even with her heart racing and skin heated from the embarrassing moment made a spectacle, she smiled. "See?" she said, glancing back at Diego. "Told you you'd need us."

ELODIE SHIFTED HER WEIGHT FROM FOOT TO FOOT, swaying as the truck shook down the road. She smiled grimly, clinging to the seats and wishing Klaus could avoid even one stupid pothole.

 "You know, I always envied the ice cream man. But if I had to drive this around all day, I think I'd hate myself."

"If you were driving this around, I think everyone would hate you."

She shot Diego a sharp glance. "What's that gotta mean?"

"Nothing," he smirked gently, "just that you can't drive for shit. The kids might be running from you rather than to y-hey!"

"Take that back!"

Diego said nothing, just chuckled and evaded her slapping hands.

Klaus kept glancing over to them with an odd, faraway look gleaming in his eyes. He smiled fondly, "you too are adorable."

Elodie pulled her hands away and clung to the sides of the truck again, avoiding Diego's eyes for the dozenth time that day.

"How exactly did Diego manage to get a girl like you, anyways?"

She managed a derisive snort at that, even through a rather painful stab to her already wounded heart. "Bold to say we're together. But, also, 'get me'? Twenty-first century, man."

"Oh, well my apologises," he chirped, looking anything but sorry, "but also -- I know my brother is a piece of work who thinks romance involves some form of intricate stabbing ritual, and yet you look at him like he's walking sunshine! Incredible."

Diego's frown deepened and the slightest hint of a rosy flush snaked up his stubbled cheeks. "Klaus thinks he's a comedian."

Klaus' wide-eyed gaze softened some as he alternated looking at the road, then back at the two of them. "Look, in my experience, love...love is...well, if you have something good, you should hold onto it and never let it go. You never know when you're going to lose the best thing in your life."

Elodie wanted to ask just what he was talking about, but judging from the look in his eyes and slight tremble tp his bottom lip, it did not seem to be the right time. Instead, she chose to change the subject. "For your information, we did, uh, date for a while. But it didn't work out."

"Oh? Pourquoi not?"

She shrugged and pocketed her hands, feeling them flare and heat. "We were young. Dumb. Wanted different things and at different points in our lives. Dunno."

"Well, that doesn't change what could happen now. I mean considering what's going on, and how little time--"

"--Klaus--"

"--I was saying," he continued, ignoring his brother's warning, "how little time we all truly have on this earth. In my experience, waiting for something good to happen only leaves you lonely in the end. And I know my brother's an idiot who doesn't always realise you're making a move, so Elodie - feel free to just shout it out at him, write it in the sky, just plant one on 'im right now if you want! Trust me, I won't look," he winked.

Her nose wrinkled in fake disgust, but the expression couldn't disguise how her lips quirked, a little tickled by his remark. "Ha, ha. I'll keep that in mind."

Diego glanced back at her sharply but said nothing.

Slowly they moved over the hill and then down the next. As they neared the top of the next slope, Elodie could just make out brief shapes that could be the collection of people they were looking for. There were two others with them, and an extra car -- but she could easily guess they were still the ones they were looking for. After all, it was rare to see a cluster of oddities just standing in the middle of the road, and especially so out of town...she'd bet money at least one of them she'd could burn.

"Faster, Klaus."

"I'm going faster!"

"Go faster than that faster!"

They sped towards them, and Elodie could finally make out some faces. Two of them she did not know -- and actually the little kid she had absolutely no clue about, either. But he stood with the one she did know, Luther, so perhaps that was a sign of him being a good guy. Perhaps he was a child of one of the Hargreeves that Diego just hadn't told them about, or a nephew. Either way, she doubted it was him, the trio were so furiously after.

"Faster!"

The truck roared towards them all, and as they passed Luther and the child, Klaus waved. Elodie clung tight and hoped for all their lives there was a plan -- and more of a plan then just driving as fast and as hard as they could towards the duo and hope that they would run them over before the bullets did them under.

Though, as they rammed closer and closer, she had a funny feeling there wasn't.

"Klaus, do you know what you're doing?"

"Nope!" he shouted back, cackling with a strange glee. "Not at all!"

Elodie stumbled and that time, Diego acted. In one quick swoop he was pulling her in by his uninjured arm, forcing her into a half-lean, half-seated position on his lap. For the briefest of moments, she wondered if she should struggle or even bother with a terrible joke. But as the scenery zoomed past and she was jolted even closer into her ex-boyfriend, all thoughts of that died.

"Hold on," he muttered into her ear. And without thinking (and ignoring the horribly timed shiver that went down her spine at the sound) she did just that. Her arms wrapped tight around him, carefully cradling his injured limb in between her weight so it was protected. Her eyes shut tight and her head fell to his shoulder. Vaguely she recognised he spoke again but in the chaos, she only heard a yell and a shaky exhale as he gripped her tighter.

She clutched to everything she could as she waited for impact. But just as they careened into the two people shooting at them --

-- time stopped.

Literally.

I don't think original me meant for Diego and Elodie's storylines to parallel so much in this book, but reading it back, I'm realising their inner monologues basically switch in parts one and two. Like, she goes from being completely individualistic and eager to push people away with him trying to convince her to let him in, to sort of that same thing here (just way different and not really paralleling in that much...just kind of? sort of?).

Also, I really love writing Elodie's confusion to the Hargreeves -- like, I don't know why, but I just cannot stop imagining her trying to piece together everything she knows about the siblings from what little Diego's told her and what she's seen. Like sure, yeah, one of his siblings would bring their kid into a shootout with two psychos, that makes sense. Who knows why he's wearing a uniform and glaring at her like he's gonna kill her family, that's just how the Hargreeves are, right?? - Elodie at some point, probably.

Thank you for reading, let me know what you thought.