Phoenix under the Umbrella (Umbrella Academy AU) Chapter 42: Into the Void

[Third Person's PoV] 


“Not to mention your body is definitely more toned, and you have a tattoo you didn’t have before. So, I’m curious—how did you manage to time travel? You punched me across the face; I at least deserve an explanation.”


Klaus looked at Five guiltily, noticing the cut on his lip from the punch before sighing. “Your buddies came looking for you. They mentioned you breaking some sort of contract. I was tortured to give up your whereabouts, broke free, they miraculously ended up dead, and I used their magic briefcase.”


“Shit… I’m sorry, Klaus.” Five became pensive as Klaus began to walk away. Five blinked in front of Klaus and grabbed his arm.


“Where is it?”


“Where’s what?”


“The briefcase, Klaus. Where is it? Where did you put it? I really need it.”


“Oh, I destroyed it. I had no use for that box of misery anymore,” Klaus said, waving it off.


Five’s eye twitched. “Klaus, you idiot!” he exclaimed, letting go of his arm and starting to pace around. “I could’ve used that! If we somehow missed the chance to save the world, I could’ve gone back in time and redone everything! Argh! Great going, Klaus!” Five grumbled as he headed back towards his room.


“Ah huh...” Klaus blinked before shrugging and heading back to his own room to change.


However, before Five entered his room, he paused. “Nathan... He was with Klaus. He could probably fix it!”


Five blinked from his room door and appeared in front of Nathan’s. “Nathan, open up! This is important…”


Hearing no reply, Five clicked his tongue and started banging on the door. But as no one answered, Five grew impatient and blinked through the door.


He saw that Nathan’s room was empty, causing Five to clench his fists and look up in frustration. “Great, just when I need him most, he’s nowhere to be found. Where the hell could he have disappeared to…”


...


Above Earth’s atmosphere, Nathan was surrounded by the Phoenix’s aura, flying through space.


“Alright… this is the first time I’m physically flying through time. Wish me luck.”


Phoebe scoffed. “With the Phoenix Force, you don’t need luck.”


Nathan smirked, his green eyes glowing brightly. “I know,” he said as his speed increased, traveling past the speed of light. “It’s skill.”


Everything around Nathan blurred as he pushed past the limit of his speed, twisting the fabric of both time and space. A portal appeared ahead of him due to his velocity, and he slipped right in. As Nathan flew through the stream of time, he closed his eyes, searching for his brother’s connection in the past.


When Nathan found what he was looking for, his eyes snapped open, glowing green as he smirked. “Found you.”


...


Vietnam War, Year: 1969


The sound of gunfire echoed across the battlefield, accompanied by the explosions of grenades. Clouds of dust and gunpowder filled the air, turning the war zone into chaos. Above it, a portal appeared, and a fiery figure emerged, flying by.


Nathan immediately used his telekinesis to bend the light around him, making himself invisible. He grimaced, feeling the war below him.


“Nathan… just like we trained…” Phoebe reminded him.


“I know, I know… I’m doing fine, aren’t I? I just hate feeling all of it. It doesn’t affect me as much anymore, but it’s still a personal issue,” Nathan grumbled.


“Good. Now focus on why we’re here…” Phoebe urged.


Nathan nodded, closed his eyes, and opened them when he located what he was looking for.


He hovered above the ground and looked down to see Klaus lying under some trees for cover. Klaus was using a rock as a rest for his sniper rifle, grinning confidently as he aimed and fired, hitting a distant target.


“Haha! Holy shit, I’m getting better at this! Right, Dave?” Klaus said excitedly to the man next to him.


Though his face was dirty from camouflage and dirt, Dave’s handsome features were clear. He had chestnut-colored hair and hazel brown eyes. Dave laughed and patted Klaus on the back. “Nice shot. Now let’s get moving. Remember, we need to keep changing positions.”


Nathan hovered above them, legs crossed in mid-air with a smile on his face. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Klaus so happy before,” Nathan said, resting his arm on his thigh and his face on his fist.


“Remember, we can’t save him or interfere, no matter how much you want to.” Phoebe warned.


“I know, I know. You’re in my head, so I’m sure you already know the plan I have.”


“I do, but I also know how impulsive you can be when it comes to your brothers and sisters, especially when they’re suffering.”


“Yeah, don’t worry. I’ve got it handled.”


Although Nathan didn’t realize it, Phoebe gave him a doubtful look.


Time passed, and after two hours, Klaus and Dave were running side by side, Klaus firing his gun. In his focus, Klaus didn’t notice someone in a ghillie suit to his side, slowly rising with a rifle aimed at him.


Dave, smiling as Klaus concentrated, suddenly froze when he caught a glimpse of the glint from the enemy rifle.


“KLAUS, LOOK OUT!” Dave shouted, pushing Klaus aside. As Klaus fell, everything slowed down for him. He watched the bullet travel through the air, hitting the spot where he would have been if Dave hadn’t pushed him.


But it was Dave who took the bullet—right through the heart. He collapsed as he shoved Klaus away.


“DAVE!!!” Klaus screamed in horror, his expression turning to rage. His eyes glowed a green color as he raised his hands, lifting the enemy into the air telekinetically. Klaus clenched his fist in hatred.


“AHHHHHHH!!” The man in the ghillie suit screamed until he exploded in a rain of blood.


Klaus heard coughing. “Dave!” Klaus cried out, holding Dave’s body, seeing him cough up blood. Tears rolled down Klaus’s cheeks as he cradled Dave in his arms.


“It’s going to be alright…” Klaus whispered, rocking Dave back and forth, tears streaming down his face. He kissed Dave’s forehead, trembling.


“I’ll see you again… I swear… This won’t be the end of us…” Klaus sobbed as he held Dave’s head tightly.


Even as blood filled Dave's mouth and trickled down his cheek, he smiled softly and closed his eyes. Klaus, sensing the exact moment Dave died due to his connection with death and his sobriety, began to sob uncontrollably, clutching Dave's lifeless body tightly. But Klaus wasn’t alone in his grief. High above, Nathan, hovering invisibly, shed tears alongside his brother.


In Nathan's mindscape, the Phoenix sighed. Although Nathan had the power to block out Klaus's emotions, he chose not to, allowing himself to feel everything his brother felt. It was his way of better understanding Klaus's pain and agony. The Phoenix, though she would never admit it, knew this deep compassion for his family was one of the reasons she had fallen for Nathan. She alone understood the lengths he would go to for them.


Klaus clenched his fists, his hands glowing green as he gritted his teeth. "Come on, come on... show yourself, Dave."


Suddenly, an apparition of Dave appeared before him. "So this is the power you were talking about... I knew you could see and interact with the dead, but experiencing it is a whole different matter."


"Dave..." Klaus whispered, his voice filled with sorrow.


"I'm sorry, Klaus," Dave replied.


Klaus continued to cry. "You don’t have to apologize for anything... even if you're just a ghost, I would still love you."


"That's not why I’m apologizing," Dave said, shaking his head.


"What do you mean?" Klaus asked, confused.


"The light... it’s calling to me. I died without any regrets. I’d give my life for you a thousand times over. But those who die without regrets are drawn into the light... and I think once I pass through, you won’t be able to contact me anymore."


"No! Damn it, I mean, I’m happy for you, but I don’t want to lose you! I’m selfish, I admit it! I don’t want to give you up to whatever that light is!" Klaus's voice cracked as he spoke, tears streaming down his face.


"That’s why I’m apologizing, Klaus. I know this isn’t easy for you, but I don’t have a choice. The light is calling me." Dave's voice was calm, but his eyes were full of understanding.


Meanwhile, Nathan enveloped himself in psychic energy and the Phoenix’s flames, determined to intervene. With the Phoenix's help, he shifted to the Astral Plane, racing toward Dave as the bright light began to engulf him.


Klaus, unaware, closed his eyes instinctively due to the overwhelming brightness and missed the moment Nathan flew past him, grabbing the back of Dave's shirt. As Nathan sped through the light, dragging Dave with him, they hurtled into the void.


Everything went white.


When Nathan opened his eyes, he found himself standing in a desert-like landscape, sketched in black and white. Dave stood in front of him, blinking in confusion as he surveyed the strange surroundings.


Turning to face Nathan, Dave almost jumped in surprise, instinctively reaching for a gun that wasn’t there, realizing again that he was dead.


"Are... are you God?" Dave asked hesitantly.


"Like hell God would be a filthy ginger," came a gruff voice from behind them.


Dave spun around, and Nathan glanced up as they saw an old man, drawn in the same black-and-white style, riding a horse.


"And who are you?" Dave asked, baffled.


"I'm the real G.O.D.," the man drawled in a thick Southern accent.