Shadows & Mirrors // f.hargreeves fanfic

:::: Nine ::::

Before she even realized it Nova was back at the Academy. Part of her was glad that Five and Luther didn't follow her but another small part of her wished Five had run after her and comforted her. Without any real thought, the young girl found herself changing out of her dirty uniform and into a clean one. After that, she wandered the halls of the Academy before stopping outside Klaus's room. Nova was relieved to see he was safe and in one piece but something about him seemed off.

"Klaus?" Nova asked softly as she knocked lightly on his door. "You ok?"

"Yeah, just had a long night." Klaus lied and Nova chuckled as she walked further into the room.

"Looks like more than one night. When did you get the dog tags?" The girl asked as Klaus struggled to put on a clean tank top.

"They belonged to a friend." Klaus groaned.

"Which war? World War One? Two? Korean?" Nova began listing off wars from the twentieth century. She recognized the time sickness he was going through, having experienced it herself on more than one occasion.

"Vietnam," Klaus says quietly.

"That was my next guess based on that tattoo. What is that from the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team?" Nova asked and Klaus paused.

"You know a lot about the Vietnam War," Klaus said suspiciously and Nova's heart drops. Little did he know she had to study the war for one of her missions.

"What can I say? I'm a history buff." Nova shrugged trying to keep her expression light and natural. "How long were you gone? Don't even try to deny it. I can recognize the symptoms."

"Symptoms of what?" Klaus asked as he sat down on the floor.

"You know the jet lag, the full body itch, the headache that feels like someone stuffed a box of cotton up your nose and into your brain. You Klaus Hargreeves time traveled. How long were you gone for?" Nova asked as she moved to sit across from the broken-looking man.

"Your pals, when they attacked the house they couldn't find you or my dear brother Five. So, they took me hostage instead. Nobody came looking for me. Except for Diego's lady cop friend. I didn't expect the others to come but I expected you, Novie." Klaus whispered and Nova's heart broke.

"If I had been here I would have gone for you right away. I didn't know the house was even attacked until last night. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you." Nova whispered with tears in her eyes.

"I thought their briefcase would have money in it or that I could pawn it or something." Klaus continued.

"And then you opened it," Nova said quietly and Klaus nodded. "And you ended up in the middle of the Vietnam War. How long were you there?"

"Almost a year," Klaus said quietly.

"Where's the briefcase now?" Nova asked as a plan formulated in her brain.

"What does it matter?" Klaus asked as he rolled onto his stomach.

"Hazel and Cha-Cha would do anything to get their hands on that briefcase." The girl said as she begins to pace the room. Thoughts swirling around in her head. "Klaus, this is important where is the briefcase now?"

"It's gone. I destroyed it. It gave me the best and worst year of my life." Klaus groans as he pushes himself up.

"You lost someone didn't you?" Nova asked gently and Klaus nodded. "Who?"

"David Katz or Dave as I called him. We fought in the A Shau Valley together in 1968 when he was killed on the front line. That damn war couldn't take enough bodies." Klaus growled as he got up to leave. "Interrogations over."