"old soldiers never die, they just fade away"

★・・・★・・・★

Klaus and I walked out of the room and down the hall. As we were walking down the steps, I noticed Grace and a monkey, Pogo was it? It looked like he was stitching her arm. Pogo shared a mournful expression with Klaus as we passed them and continued walking down the steps.

"Hey Klaus?" I asked softly. "What happened to Grace?"

He glanced over his shoulder quickly, "The other night, Hazel and Cha-Cha shut her off."

I had no idea she was a robot. She seemed so realistic, so human-like.

Klaus and I reached the bottom of the stairs. The once beautifully, candle-lit chandelier was smashed on the floor. It was like a dark cloud had covered the Hargreeves's home; everyone just seemed so gloomy lately.

"What happened here?" Klaus asked Diego, who had just walked into the room.

Diego didn't answer his question, but instead said, "You look like shit."

"Oh, why, thank you." Klaus said happily. "Hey, where are you going?"

"Nope." Diego said.

"What?" Klaus asked.

Diego halted and turned around. "I'm not babysitting."

I crossed my arms, "Fine, I'll watch Klaus while you drive."

Diego rolled his eyes and laughed slightly.

"Come on man," Klaus pleaded.

"Fine." Diego gave up.

Klaus patted his brother on the shoulder. "Okay great, I'll just get my things. Two minutes."

★・・・★・・・★

I leaned my head on my arm, and watched raindrops stream down the window. I started to feel bad for leaving Five, but maybe I just needed a break from the whole apocalypse thing. Also, I was upset that he was secretly planning to go back in time. I didn't want him to erase our friendship.

Diego broke the silence. "You guys okay?"

I shook my head. "Yeah."

Klaus didn't answer, instead he just drank some alcohol from a bottle he had been holding.

"Wow. This is a first. My brother Klaus is silent," Diego stated. "Last time you were this quiet, we were 12. Ran down the stairs wearing Grace's heels, tripped over, and broke your jaw. How long was it wired shut again?"

"8 weeks." Klaus replied breathlessly.

"8 glorious weeks of bliss," Diego retorted.

"Hey, just.. just drop me off here." Klaus said, pointing towards a bar for vets.

Diego drove his car over to the curb. "You sure you're okay, man?" He called after Klaus, but he had already left the car.

"I don't think it's a good idea to leave him alone right now," I spoke.

Diego agreed and drove away to find a parking spot for the car.

When we entered the bar, Klaus was crying over by a picture-covered bulletin board.

"He's over there." I pointed to him.

Diego nodded and started walking over to Klaus. I was about to follow him, but a muscular man stepped in front of me.

"You're not allowed in here missy." The man spoke sternly.

"Get out of my way." I replied aggressively and walked through him. The man gasped and covered his stomach with his hands.

I walked over to Klaus. Diego placed his hand on Klaus's shoulder causing him to jump.

Klaus turned around sadly. "Just go away, please."

"Not until you talk to me." Diego replied.

"Is that a threat? You threatening me?" Klaus asked, probably shocked that his brother even cared.

"Hey, guys," a man addressed us. Diego and I turned around as the older man continued talking. "This bar, it's for vets only."

"I am a vet." Klaus announced.

Diego and I both looked at Klaus with confused expressions.

The old man chuckled. "Really? Where'd you serve?"

"None of your business," Klaus fired back.

"You got balls comin' in here, pretendin' you're one of us." The vet was becoming angry.

Klaus slowly turned around from the picture he had been staring at. "I have every right to be here, just like you. Asshole."

"Oh shit." I stepped in front of Klaus defensively.

Diego stepped in front of me and put his hand up to stop the man. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Hey. Slow down, Marine." The man paused. "All right? My brother's just had a few too many."

Other veterans slowly started to circle us. I looked around at them with menacing eyes trying to get them to back off.

"Let's just call it a day, all go our own way," Diego reasoned.

The man calmed down. "Sure thing. As long as you apologize."

Klaus giggled. There was no way that man was going to get an apology out of him.

"Fine." Diego answered. "I'm sorry, he's sorry, she's sorry. We're all sorry. So, are we good?"

"I wanna hear him say it." The man pointed at Klaus.

"Hey, man, I'm just trying to—" Diego began, but was cut off by Klaus.

"No, no. He's right, Diego." Klaus stated a little too creepy.

"Not again," I whispered under my breath.

Klaus walked around Diego and I. He stepped right in front of the man. "I'd like to apologize." He put his hand over his heart. "That you are depriving some village of their idiot!" He screamed right in the vets's face.

In one swift motion, the man attempted to punch Klaus, but he ducked and head butted him instead.

Another man came forward, so Diego punched him right in the face.

I ran over to the pool table and grabbed the pool cue. I went after one of the two men that were approaching Klaus. I took the wooden stick smacked him in the gut and then on his head.

I continued whacking anyone that came close to Diego and Klaus, while they fought their own opponents. Klaus jumped on a man's back and punched him, while Diego kneed a different man in the face.

The fight ended as quickly as it had started. All of the men laid unconscious on the tiled floor.

I huffed and dropped the pool cue on the ground. Diego, Klaus, and I stepped over bodies and left the bar.