Diego's Old Timey Car | Unnamed City | Day

[knife_bender]

As much as Diego hated to admit it, he was sort of grateful Klaus was with him right now. It distracted him from thinking about Patch and, besides, there was something obviously wrong with his brother. More wrong than usual.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly, keeping his eyes on the road.

Klaus	Klaus ignored Diego, slouching over to put his forehead against the window. He really did not feel like an aborted attempt at a heart-to-heart right now.
Diego	"Wow, this is a first. My brother Klaus is silent," Diego said lightly. "Last time you were this quiet, we were twelve. Ran down the stairs, wearing Grace's heels, tripped over and broke your jaw. How long was it wired shut again?"
Klaus	"Eight weeks." He had looked damn good in those heels though until he fell on his face.
Diego	Diego smiled slightly. "Eight glorious weeks of bliss."
Klaus	They were heading further downtown now, and Klaus sat up when he spotted a bar. Well, not just a bar. "Drop me off here."
Diego	Diego slowed the car and pulled up to the curb. He leaned over to see where, exactly, Klaus wanted to go. A veteran's bar? "You sure you're okay, man?"
Klaus	Klaus once again ignored Diego, getting out of the car without a thanks and heading into the bar. He had had a day (a year, really) and just needed to get a drink. Maybe being around other veterans would help.
Diego	Diego was really tempted to just go, because he needed to find Hazel and Cha Cha, but he couldn't ignore how weird Klaus was acting. After a few minutes of back and forth with himself, Diego got out of the car and followed into the veteran's bar. ...where of course, Klaus was already having some sort of confrontation with a former Marine. Great. He rushed forward, trying to get between the guy and his brother before Klaus could get knocked unconscious. "Whoa, whoa, whoa Hey, slow down, Marine. My brother's just had a few too many. Let's just call it a day, all go on our way." The man's shoulders relaxed some. "Sure thing." Diego looked relieved. He really didn't have time to kick this guy's ass. "Thank you." "As long as he apologizes," the Marine said, jerking his head towards Klaus. Diego sighed. "Fine. I'm sorry. He's sorry, we're all sorry, we good?" The guy shook his head. "I want to hear him say it."
Klaus	"No, he's right, Diego. He's right," Klaus said. Everyone just ignore how he had clearly been crying before this guy started bothering him. It was just dust. Lots of dust. "I'd like to apologize," Klaus said. "That you are depriving some village of their idiot."
Diego	Diego groaned. "Klaus..." He caught the Marine's hand just as he tried to throw a punch. Great, now he had to beat the shit out of a veteran. Like, he didn't have enough to do today.
Klaus	A few minutes later Klaus and Diego were back in the car. They weirdly had to make a quick exit out of the veteran's bar and now they were parked in the alley outside of Griddy's. Klaus wasn't as beat up as he could have been thanks to his brother, but was he going to thank Diego for that? Absolutely not. Instead he was opening a bottle of vodka he swiped from the bar and taking a deep swig.
Diego	Diego looked over at Klaus with a frown. He usually liked a fight, okay, but he was positive Klaus had started whatever the hell that was and probably deserved to be punched. "You've got a big mouth, you know that?"
Klaus	"Oh, wow. Truly shocking revelation, Diego," Klaus said before taking another drink.
Diego	"Everything's a big joke to you, right? Would you stop it?" Diego snapped, hitting Klaus on the shoulder. "Why are you putting this shit into your body? What's going on with you, huh?"
Klaus	Klaus groaned. "Don't hit me, asshole!"
Diego	"Don't tell me everything's all right, because I saw you in there," Diego said. "You were crying in there."
Klaus	"Because I lost someone!" Klaus shouted. He slumped back against the seat. "I lost someone. The only person I loved more than myself." He held up his bottle. "Cheers."
Diego	That made Diego pause for a moment. Out of everything he expected Klaus to say that...well, that wasn't it. "Well you're luckier than most," he said, clearing his throat. "When you lose someone at least you can see them whenever you want." There was movement in the rearview mirror and he reached up to get a better look. The last time he had seen Hazel he had been wearing a mask, but you don't forget a man that big. "There's our guy."
Klaus	Klaus turned to see what Diego was looking at. "Hey, I know that guy."
Diego	Diego scoffed. "How could you possibly know--"
Klaus	"He and a really angry lady tortured me," Klaus said. "I barely got out with my life."
Diego	That explained Patch's message now. Diego saw Hazel get in a car and he started the engine of his own car. "We gotta get this guy."

Diego	It said a lot about Hazel and Cha Cha that they hadn't bothered to leave the crappy hotel that they murdered Patch in. Either they were very confident or very dumb. Or both, like Diego. "Stay in the car," Diego said, even though he knew that the order wouldn't be followed.
Klaus	"What are you talking about?" Klaus asked. "This guy tortured me." He wanted to get revenge! Or watch Diego get revenge for him.
Diego	"I have a plan." He absolutely did not have a plan. But he hoped that would get Klaus to stay in the freaking car while he did this.
Klaus	Yeah, no, Klaus was absolutely following him. "So what's the plan here, big guy?"
Diego	"I told you to wait in the car." He knew that wasn't going to be listened to, but he felt like he'd have a little bit more time before Klaus caught up with him.
Klaus	Klaus rolled his eyes, taking a swig of the bottle he brought with him. "You also told me licking a nine-volt battery would give me pubes."
Diego	"We were eight," Diego said, sighing. "I need you to listen to me, okay? Go back to the car. If I don't come out in two minutes I'm probably dead. That happens, go get help. Okay?
Klaus	"Okay, okay, okay." Klaus lifted up his hands and turned around. "Back to the car."
Diego	Satisfied that Klaus had listened to him once, Diego crept down the hall to the room he had seen Hazel go in before. He took a second to calm himself before kicking open the door to the room. And...no one was in there. "Fuck." There was the sound of an engine revving up, and Diego ran out in time to see Hazel and Cha Cha, masked, driving off. Cha Cha poked her head out of the window and started shooting at Diego. He was fast, but not fast enough to avoid getting shot in the elbow. Annie was going to kill him.
Klaus	Klaus grabbed Diego by his (non-shot) arm and dragged him into the stairwell. Look how not listening paid off! "Oh man, see?" Klaus said with a grin. "You used to think I was an idiot."
Diego	"I still think you're an idiot," Diego gritted out. He took a quick look at his elbow--at least it seemed like the bullet had bounced off a bone. "Come on, they're getting away."
Klaus	"You're welcome!" God, everyone in this family was so rude. Klaus followed Diego out to the car. Where the tires were slashed. "This all part of your big plan?"
Diego	"Shut up." He cradled his arm to his chest, putting pressure on the wound as he tried to think about what to do. That's when he saw the ice cream truck.

[NFI, NFB, OOC is great. Preplayed with myself and taken from 1x05 "Number Five"]