Chapter Six:

Those at the house were very helpful of Lotus, especially after Pogo and Five yelled at various siblings to help her. Allison was the first to see her as she trudged in the house, Five trailing behind her. The woman's eyes widened before changing to glare at her brother.

"What the hell did you do to her?" Allison yelled helping her in, "She's with you for what? A day and a half and you've already—"

"Save it." Five said brushing past a confused Klaus who stumbled into the lobby, "Fix her up. I still need her help."

Lotus huffed as he disappeared into another room, "Can somebody help me?" She finally asked, watching the two siblings only stare at each other. Pogo made his way in, walking stick clanging against the ground, his eyes darted around at Allison who was gripping her arm and Klaus who started taunting the woman.

"What are you waiting for?" Pogo had demanded, "Get her upstairs."

Lotus was thankful when they finally got her upstairs and into a large room, but was less thankful when they made her lay down on a bed, having Pogo lean over her with what looked like long tweezers.

"We need to get the bullet out." He told her, "Try to stay still."

"I'll hold her." Allison's voice chimed in, and she did really hold her down. Lotus watched as the women picked up a pair of scissors and began cutting her shirt away.

"Hey-ey." Lotus's eye's widened, "What the hell are you doing?"

"He needs to get it out." She shrugged tearing the fabric away from her shoulder, but the shirt was ruined. She had cut it right down the middle and she didn't like the sudden chill she felt. Lotus tried to wiggle away from her grasp, but she held her down with one hand and slid the sheet of fabric away from under her. The woman was much stronger than Lotus assumed, but she began talking while the bullet was beginning to be fished out of her shoulder. "You'll be fine, ok?"

"Very reassuring." She closed her eyes tightly, trying to ignore the fact that she was shirtless in a room of strangers, bleeding onto the plastic covered bed.

Allison chuckled, "Are you really one of us?"

"So I've been told."

She could feel the metal in her shoulder as the tool dug around under her flesh, it took all her might not to yell out in pain but she bit her tongue to help. Lotus took deep breaths, once again wishing she'd never stayed at that stupid donut shop.

"I've got it." Pogo's voice echoed and she opened her eyes again staring at the small object that had pierced her. Now, the other problem that was arising was the blood still pouring from the hole. "We're going to apply pressure."

Lotus frowned, "I hate this."

Allison only chuckled again, despite what she was watching unfold in front of her. "Welcome to the Academy."

"I'm not apart of this stupid academy." Lotus huffed, flinching as fluid entered the wound and a burning sensation took over. "I'm not good at this shit, alright? We've learned this from tonight."

"Yeah, about that. Where were you two?"

"Nowhere."

The women frowned, still holding onto the younger looking girl with all her might. "You can't tell me you were nowhere—"

"Do you even know my name?" Lotus then asked, knowing the answer to that as it left her mouth. Allison stared down at her, her face expressionless. "I didn't think so. So stop acting like you can demand answers from me, just because I can do stuff like you, doesn't make us the same."

"Her name's Lotus."

Lotus tried to get up to see who had entered, but she recognized the familiar voice that had made snarky remarks all the way back to this place while she bled out.

"What are you doing here, Five?" Allison asked, "Considering it seems like this is your fault."

"You can leave. I'll stay with her."

"No." Allison's voice rang out, her grip on Lotus slipping. "You can't just pop back into our lives after all those years and keep us from conversation. Whatever you're planning, you need to tell us."

Five only stared at his sister, "Not now." And with that, she actually left. How great, she thought.

"You're very rude to your family."

Pogo made a noise under his breath, Lotus looked over and gave him a smile despite the pressure he was placing on her shoulder. She watched as he placed a role of padding on and adhered it to her skin. He slowly began to make his way from the room, "Miss Lotus needs to rest, Mr Five. Leave her be please, at least for the night."

"Got it." Five replied watching him leave, the door clicked closed behind him. Lotus shifted upwards, swinging her legs over the side of whatever she laid on and jumped off. "Where are you going?"

"Getting out of here." She told him, "And to find a shirt."

"Here." He said shrugging off his blazer, she looked at it with curiosity dancing in her eyes. Also, she prayed that if she took it, that it would fit. "Take it. Wouldn't want anybody questioning you in the hall."

Lotus hesitated but took it, she shrugged it on carefully and thankfully it just fit. "Thanks." She told him reaching for the door knob, she swung the door open and stepped out into the hallway when she heard Five cough. She turned to see him watching her, a frown on his young face. "I'm sorry about what happened at the store."

Lotus shrugged, though he didn't come across as someone who apologized very often.

"It's ok. I'm still here, aren't I?"

He shook his head, "Sadly you are, Lotus."

Lotus cringed, "Why do you always say my name?"

She found it weird, that he did that. Nobody else said someone's name as much as he did in conversations. She couldn't even remember the last time she had called him Five within her own side of the conversation, other than to ask why in the world his name was a number. He stood silent again, and she thought he was done talking with her when he shrugged his shoulders once again and pursed his lips.

"I guess I just like the name."