Chapter Twenty Seven:

"You want to know why I'm upset? Why I'm always mad or sad or— or"

Lotus was sixteen, standing across from her mother in their living room. She was done being treated like shit, and decided that she'd turn it around and force it back, giving her mother a taste of her own medicine. All she had done was ask why the women was upset, a mood that had been sticking with her for months on end.

"Yes." Lotus was staring at her, "And I want the truth. I'm sick of being treated like shit, every since I was little you've always looked at me like I was- like some sort of disease. I want to know why."

Her mother laughed, "Do you really? Because once I do you'll never see me again, you understand? I don't want to be apart of any of this anymore."

"Apart of what? Being a good mother!"

"You have no idea what I've lost because of you! You'll never have any idea—"

Lotus was fuming, "Because I have nothing! Not a thing to lose. I live in a disgusting apartment that's falling apart, and has been for as long as I can remember. I've been stealing money so I can pay for grocery's for us to eat! Where have you been?"

"Don't you dare—"

"What? Huh? You don't even act like a Mother, and I'm having trouble even remembering the time when you did."

The women shook her head wildly from across from her, "You don't have a right to tell me that. You don't know—"

"Stop saying that! I don't give a damn, ok! Because I can't change that, and if you thought about anything you would've known having a kid was actual hard work."

"If I had a choice, Lotus. I would've never had you. And maybe that's why the universe did what it did, because any sane man wouldn't want you either."

Her daughter frowned, listening, despite her mind telling her to leave. But if she left, that meant that her mother won. And she was sick of losing.

"My parents disowned me, all because of you. I dropped out of school, to take care you. I tried to be a good mother, but I can't. Not to you. You're not normal, you hear me?"

Lotus blinked, what was this argument turning into.

"What the hell do you mean, not normal?"

"Someone told me you were special, but I wouldn't call it that." Her mother laughed, tears welled in her green eyes. "You're nothing but a mistake—"

"How could you say that?"

"Because you wanted the truth. And it hurts, doesn't it."

Lotus took a deep breath, "You are a horrible women and I'll never stop hating everything about you." She never meant that, but in that moment she did. "I don't need you! I can survive on my own, way better than I do now. Without you."

"Do you really mean that?"

Her daughter nodded, holding back tears. "You always talk about wanting to be free. Go flap your damn wings and get out of here."

The women chewed on her lip, nodding slowly. She took once last look at her daughter and frowned, "You want me to be free? If that something you want, flower?"

Lotus froze, her mother hadn't called her that since she was little. Yet, she nodded anyways, not backing down.

"Then I'll go be free." Lotus watched as her mother marched to the front door, only glancing back once. "You've set me free."

The door slammed shut behind her, and that had been the time she had seen her mother.

The room was freezing as Lotus threw the covers off of her and swung her legs over the side. She pulled herself up and turned to see that Five was gone, and the bedroom door was shut.

Something ran down her cheek, she wiped away a tear with a sniff and rushed to the door. Her head was aching as she walked down the hall, nearly falling down the stairs. She caught herself at the bottom and rightened herself, with a deep breath she made her way into the kitchen for a cup of coffee.

Luther was sat at the table, with his hood covering his head. Klaus was standing up, pacing back and fourth

"Lotus!" Klaus beamed, worry flashing in his eyes. "Are you ok?"

"Yes." She pulled up a chair and flopped down.

"When did you get the shiner?"

Her brows furrowed, suddenly remembering her time at the Commission with the women with white hair. Lotus had completely forget about their exchange, and had no time to think about it with everything going on. She supposed the shiner that Klaus was taking about, had started to settle under and around her eye.

"When did you get into this good mood?" She asked, changing the topic as Luther groaned loudly. Lotus looked over to their number one, he had dark bags under his eyes and every move he made seemed to hurt. "Hard night?"

Klaus came in with a pot of coffee and four mugs. He poured a cup and slid it towards his brother and poured one for her as well. She gratefully took it and took a swig before placing back into the table, only for a hand to swoop in a steal it from her. Someone plopped down next to her and she glared at Five who took a long sip of her coffee before holding it further.

"That's my coffee."

He looked at her, "And you snore when you sleep."

A small, dramatic gasp sounded from Klaus as he stared between the two, "Talking about nights, did you two have a fun one?"

Lotus snorted, letting out a loud laugh. "Wow." She glanced at Five who was staring at her, looking offended but she continued nevertheless. "Don't you have some humour. Very funny, Klaus. But no."

"Was the laughing necessary?" Five questioned, drinking her coffee again. She shrugged taking it from his hand and chugged the rest. She placed the empty mug onto the counter, ignoring the burning sensation filling her mouth and slid it towards Five with a smug smile on her face. He only glared, "Who do I have to kill to get a decent cup of coffee?"

Klaus poured more into a mug and handed it to Five before taking a step back, running a hand through his messy hair. "Can we get started?" He took a look around, "Has anyone seen Diego or Allison? No? Alright, this is the closest thing to a quorum—" His hands hit the table, "That we are gonna get. So, listen up! There is no easy way to say this, so I'm just gonna spit it out."

"Klaus—" Luther began but was cut off.

"I conjured Dad last night."

That seemed to get everyone's attention, Lotus leaned forward, mimicking the other two men. "You said you haven't been able to conjure anyone in years." Luther didn't seem fazed as he lifted his own mug to his mouth.

"Ah, yes, I know but I'm sober!"

Lotus beamed over at him, "That's amazing, Klaus! Good for you!"

A foot hit her leg from under the table and she glanced at Five, sending him a glare.

"Ta-da! I know right. I got clean yesterday, to talk to someone special, and then ended up having this conversation with dear old Daddy himself."

Luther placed his head in his hands and sighed, "Has anyone got some aspirin?"

Five shifted in his chair, "Top shelf, next to the crackers."

Lotus snorted as Klaus shook his head, "Hey, hey, hey— this is important, ok! This really happened, I swear."

"Okay, fine. I'll play." Five said leaning forward, "What did the old man have to say?"

"Well, um. He gave me the usual lecture about my appearance and failures in life. Yada, yada, no surprise there. Even the afterlife couldn't soften a hardass like Dad, right? But he did mention something about his murder- or lack there of because, wait for it..."

"Your Dad was murdered?" Lotus questioned, "That's horrible."

"You literally killed someone the day I met you." Five looked at her. She only shrugged, "That was the first time, and it will never happen again. But that's besides the point."

Klaus raised his hands, "I said wait for it!"

They all paused, staring at him, waiting for him to continue. He lowered his hands and frowned, "Because he killed himself."

Luther gave Klaus a are you kidding me? look before shaking his head, "I don't have time for your games, Klaus."

"No, no! I'm telling you the truth, Luther! I'm telling you the truth."

He stood up, "Why'd he do it, then?"

"He said it was the only way to get us all home again." Klaus rubbed his eyes, "And that Five finding Lotus was just a lucky incident—"

"No. Dad wouldn't of just killed himself."

"Ah, you said it yourself. He was depressed, holed up in his office all day and night."

Luther shook his head, "There weren't any signs. Suicidal people exhibited certain tendencies, strange behaviours."

Lotus crossed her arms, glaring at Luther. "Or he was exhibiting them and you all were just to caught up in your own life. You would've had no idea, not really. And didn't you all leave?"

"You've never even met the man, so you don't get an opinion in this conversation."

She stood up, trying to match his intimidation levels. "I've made the mistake of thinking the same damn thing, big guy." She raised her voice, "And sometimes they do, but you're to busy worrying about yourself, about what it is you are going to eat next or where you are going sleep. You're to busy feeling sorry for yourself that you don't give a shit about what you say to them! That when it's to late and it's all your fucking fault and you can't take anything back—"

"Lotus!" Five's voice shattered something in her head. She froze, finding herself standing directly in front of Luther, staring in his cold eyes. Her fists were clenched at her side, and she felt a few tears slip.

Dammit. She thought, You need to learn how to control your temper. And your ghosts.

"You're setting me free."

Lotus whipped around, staring wide eyed at Klaus. His eyes were squeezed shut, and when they opened they met hers.

"Excuse me?"

"You set me free." He whispered.

"Where did you hear that?"

"I- a women—" He shrugged, "Saying it's not your fault? But I've never met—"

"Lotus—" someone said, "Klaus— What the hell is wrong with you—"

Lotus sucked in a breath, turning on her heels and rushing from the room. Her feet carrying her up the stairs, finding herself in Five's bedroom once again. She slammed the door shut and let out a frustrated scream, letting the tears fall.

You're setting me free.

The girl walked in circles, trying to calm herself down. The bed was now made and the window shut, someone must've been here after she left, cleaning up the mess. A sob escaped her lips and she closed her eyes, hearing a soft knock on the door. She moved against the wall, putting a hand over her mouth, hoping whoever was there would just leave.

You set me free.

Lotus dropped her hand, giving up the ability to care. She had kept this in for so long, and now it had tipped and she was drowning alone in her own head.

Something thumped in the middle of the room and she opened her eyes to see Five staring at her, his face a sad expression.

"I'm sorry." She mumbled heading for the door, another sob escaping her lips. Her face was burning and she needed to be alone. "I'll go somewhere else—"

"Isabella."

Lotus stopped, letting her head drop.

That name was supposed to be hers and only hers. Nobody else should've known, she'd never told anyone of them. The girl raised her head and turned, any dignity she had left in front of Five was now gone as her face was red and puffy and it took all her might for her not to just breakdown completely.

"How—"

"Klaus told me."

Lotus nodded slowly, her voice cracking. "It's all my fault."

The tears fell freely now, her shoulders shaking as she broke down. Five was next to her an instant, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close.

"It was all my fault." She hiccuped, "I set her free."

"It's going to ok."

"What kind of sick saying is that?" Lotus questioned, holding onto him. "For it all to be my fault."

She felt his head shake, "It's not your fault. Whatever it is, it's not."

Lotus sobbed, trying to pull away. "You're terrible at this."

He held onto her tighter, "Then you talk. Tell me everything."

"We need to save the world first, ok. We only have like a day left." She took a breath and let out a laugh when he didn't reply, "What happened to serious Five who wouldn't stop to live life until the apocalypse was stopped? I need him back."

He held her go, the glare in his eye and the edge in his jaw back. He nodded, "We leave in five minutes."

Lotus snorted wiping her eyes, "I'm sorry about this, about what just happened."

He shrugged making his way out, "After we save the world, you're telling me everything. Ok?"

She pursed her lips, following him. "Fine. But you're telling me your story too."

He glanced back at her, "Whatever you want, Lotus."

She laughed, taking a deep breath. She was getting used to this version of Five, but it was still very much unlike his usual self it still took her by surprise. But the girl supposed she'd get used to it. If they survived this thing.