CHAPTER ONE
YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED...

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Estelle Hargreeves was annoyed. As she walked down the streets of New York City with her twin brother by her side, their eyes trained forward, she couldn't help but feel annoyed.

After leaving the home they'd grown up in, the twins had established themselves as private investigators, making use of the powers they'd been born with to become better at the job they'd chosen for themselves. Well, they mostly used Estelle's power but Everett had some damn good instincts she wasn't entirely convinced weren't related to his powers somehow, as much as her brother — and their father — didn't believe it. Her ability to astral project meant she could follow people without being seen or get behind closed doors and know what was going on when others in their line of work couldn't.

This was why they were walking down the streets of the city they lived in, following a woman who's husband believed she was cheating.

Everett had picked her up outside of the building their apartment was in and explained the case to her as he'd just met with the client. They had already been following her for the entire day and it had been insufferably boring. Their mark had gone to work exactly on time, had lunch with a couple of her coworkers at noon sharp and then returned to her workplace until the work day was done. She hadn't headed directly home though, now that she was off the clock, which was what brought the twins to follow her down the street when they should be heading for dinner of their own.

She just couldn't believe they were doing another one of these cases. They were Estelle's least favourite to work, probably because they were the most common they got. More often than not, it was an insecure man who was also cheating and just looking for an excuse to divorce his wife without having to give her anything in court. This case was at least a little different. It was a stay at home dad and his reasons for believing his wife was cheating on him were actually valid. She wasn't annoyed at him, she was more annoyed at her brother.

"Stop being annoyed so loudly," Everett said.

"Stop taking these cases and I'll stop being annoyed," Estelle countered.

There were a lot of things about Estelle and Everett their father, Reginald Hargreeves, had never been able to explain. One of them was why they were the only set of twins of all the children who had been miraculously born on October the first, 1986. The other was their twin telepathy. Reginald had always tried to explain it away as intuition or reading body language but Estelle and Everett could carry out entire conversations in their head, sense the other's location, and even tell what the other was feeling.

More a scientist than a father, Reginald wanted to test their abilities, possibly explain them. When he wasn't testing the abilities which made them unique, he was making them find each other blindfolded across the much too large house they'd grown up in. Each and every time they succeeded — because they always did — Reginald seemed to grow more confused, which meant even more tests. It was likely Everett had heard Estelle complaining in her head as they walked.

"If you want to keep affording your ridiculous Starbucks drinks then I suggest you suck it up," Everett told her.

"We could have taken the job to track down that woman's brother..."

"We're not bounty hunters, Stell."

Estelle rolled her eyes before focusing her attention back on the woman ahead of them. She had no clue she was being followed, talking on the phone without a care in the world, and Estelle couldn't help being a little blown away by that fact, the same way she was every other time they'd been in this situation. Maybe it was because she'd grown up in a house with eight siblings, a robot mother, father who was studying her every move and chimpanzee butler, but she always knew when she was being followed.

"I bet she's cheating," Estelle said confidently.

"You always think they're cheating," Everett said.

"Not always," she argued. When her brother stayed silent, his gaze fixed on their mark, she continued. "Loser buys dinner."

"We literally share a bank account, why does it matter who buys?" Everett asked.

"Because it means you lost," she said, giving her brother a smile.

This time, Everett rolled his eyes, shaking his head at her antics. She didn't know why he acted so surprised when she did this, she'd been making bets with him since they were children. Of course, back then they had been betting on things relating to their adoptive siblings and father and instead of buying dinner, they had been betting for who had to help with the dishes that night or clean their shared room, including making the other's bed.

They stopped as the woman they were following turned up towards a house and knocked on the door. She cast a look around her just before the door opened and revealed a man. Estelle raised the camera, aiming it at the pair, expecting them to greet each other with a kiss as she had seen so many times before, but the man simply ushered her inside instead. The door closed, blocking anything else from their view. Swearing, Estelle lowered the camera.

Looking over at her brother, she knew what their next step was going to be. She passed the camera to her brother and glanced around them until she spotted a bench at a little bus stop. Everett put the camera around his own neck as he followed her over, sitting down next to her and putting an arm around her as she leaned into him, closing her eyes.

A moment later she stood up and turned back to look at her brother, gently holding her unconscious body. Everett had always been the only one who could see Estelle when she was in her astral form. They didn't know whether it was because of their twin telepathy or because of how their powers entwined, but it had always been a relief someone could see her. He tracked her with his eyes as she walked across the street to the house until she passed through the door without touching it. Inside the house, Estelle listened for any sounds which would indicate to her where to go. In the distance, she heard muffled talking and turned towards it, walking in that direction.

Estelle headed up the stairs and then walked through the door the voices were coming from and looked around, immediately crying out and turning away. It was a good thing Everett was also the only one who could hear her when she was in her astral form or she definitely would have spooked the couple on the bed across the room. Estelle rubbed her eyes, hoping to get the image of what those two were doing out of her mind.

She really needed to start listening more carefully before entering rooms on these jobs.

Her eyes still burning, Estelle turned away from the couple on the bed and looked around the rest of the room for a way to get a shot of them in the act to show the husband. After finding where they could get the shot, Estelle was quick to backtrack out of the room and the house, returning to her body. Everett was looking at her quizzically as she came back to herself.

"Well, she's definitely cheating," Estelle told him.

"Are you serious?"

"I wouldn't feel the need to wash my eyes with holy water if it wasn't true."

"Did you at least get our proof?" Everett asked.

"Yeah, I brought a camera with me while astral projecting... no, of course not!" Estelle pointed at the spot she'd found from inside the house. "But you can get a good shot if you climb that roof and aim the camera through the window."

Everett handed her the camera. "All right, here you go."

"Uh, no, you're the one climbing to the roof to get the photos we need," she told him, refusing to take the camera.

"What? Why me?"

"Because I just witnessed two strangers having sex and will need Starbucks before I even look at another human again," she explained, trying not to think about what she had seen. "And secondly, because I won the bet and therefore, the loser climbs to the roof and takes the photo."

"I hate you," Everett said, standing up with the camera back around his neck.

Estelle leaned back against the bench, looking up at him with a grin. "Love you too! Now go get our proof so we can get this over with already, I'm starving and you still have to buy us dinner, loser."

"Yeah, yeah," Everett grumbled, turning and walking away.

Still smiling to herself, Estelle watched her brother cross the street until he disappeared from sight. While she waited for him to get the photographic proof for their client, she thought about what she'd pick for dinner. There was always the option to go with a place Everett didn't like since she got to pick, but she knew her brother would already be in a sour mood from losing their bet.

A few minutes later, Everett reappeared across the street and quickly made his way back over to her. In the small amount of time he'd been gone, she had finally settled on what she was going to get to buy him for dinner.

"Did you get it?" Estelle asked.

He nodded, lifting the camera. "I got it."

"Good," she said, jumping up from the bench and hooking her arm around his, "then let's get the hell out of here. I'm thinking chinese food for dinner tonight, extra dumplings this time."

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The sky was just beginning to turn deep shades of yellow and orange as Estelle and Everett arrived outside their apartment building. Estelle couldn't help but appreciate the daylight still remaining despite the hour after what felt like a long winter. Her brother carried the chinese food he had bought, extra dumplings included, and shifted the bag in his arms as they approached the door, opening it for her as he always did. Once past the first door, she used her key to unlock the second door before passing through, knowing her brother would insist she go first.

Regardless of how hungry she was, she made a pit stop over at their mailbox, pulling out everything in it before joining her brother next to the elevator. She started flipping through everything she'd gathered as they waited for it to arrive.

"That big one is probably from a new client," Everett said, eyeing everything in her hands.

Estelle pulled the one her brother was talking about to the front of the stack. It was a larger envelope than the rest and, now that she was looking at it properly, she could see the distinct stamp on the front telling them it had been rerouted from their PO Box. For all of one year at the beginning of their career, they'd used their regular mailbox as their mailing address. Then an angry client showed up at their door unannounced and, well... they clearly didn't know what the name Hargreeves meant as they had been totally unprepared when Everett used his abilities to defend them.

"We can review it while we're waiting for the photos to print," she said.

The elevator arrived and they got inside, Estelle pushing the button for their floor and then leaning back against the wall. She continued flipping through the mail, her brother alternating between watching her and the slowly ascending floor number display. They both stared in disbelief when she revealed a crisp gold envelope, their names and address written in perfect and elegant cursive on the front.

"What the hell is that?" Everett asked.

"I have no idea..."

She quickly flipped it over and opened it, pulling out the single piece of cardstock which was within. This was when she finally gasped as she recognized the names written on it in an instant, partially because she shared one of them.

"Is that what I think it is?" Everett asked.

"I think it might be," Estelle said, pulling it fully out of the envelope.

Once it was out of the envelope, it was even more obvious what it was. There was no mistaking it.

"Allison and Patrick are getting married!"

"Holy shit..."

"I know," Estelle said, equally as shocked as her brother.

"This is..." Everett trailed off, clearly struggling to find the right words to say.

"I know," she repeated.

The elevator door opened before either of them could say anything more, not that either of them knew what else to say. Even both their minds were blissfully quiet for once as they were rendered completely speechless by a single piece of cardstock.

Estelle followed behind her brother to their apartment door, unable to take her eyes off the invitation in her hand. Sure, she hadn't thought she would be the first among her siblings to tie the knot but for some reason, she hadn't expected it to be Allison either. Everett unlocked the door ahead of her and pushed it open, stepping aside to allow her to enter, which she did.

Her mind was racing now with questions now that it had processed one of her siblings actually getting married. "Of course it's a black tie event... gonna have to find a fancy dress to wear... I wonder if our father approved of her wedding and is paying for it... of course he'd have to approve of anything we do for that to happen..."

As her brother headed to the counter to put the bag of food down, Estelle shook her head to clear it, putting the invitation — along with all the other mail — down and headed to the fridge. She immediately pulled two beers out, removing both caps and passed one to Everett, who was still arranging all the containers of food with the plates he'd gotten out.

She passed back towards the front door, kicking off her shoes before heading into the living room, already wondering what she was going to put on for them to watch.

"Make sure I get those extra dumplings," Estelle called to her brother as she leaned down to grab the remote.

"Yeah, yeah," Everett called back noncommittally.

Laughing to herself, Estelle clicked on the tv and turned to sit down only to immediately shriek and drop her beer, causing the glass to shatter and the contents to start spilling into the area rug. Sitting in their armchair was a stranger, bald, dark-skin and an eyepatch to match his all black outfit.

Everett appeared in less than a second, placing himself in front of Estelle as soon as he saw the intruder who had scared her.

"Who the fuck are you?" Everett asked. "And how the fuck did you even get in here?"

The man stood, not at all bothered by the fire raging in the eyes of Everett Hargreeves. "The name's Nick Fury. I'm from the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division. Or, as we prefer to call it, SHIELD."

"Never heard of it," Everett said. "Now what is it you want?"

"I'm putting together a team," Nick Fury explained. "I'd like the two of you to be on it."

"Yeah, I don't think so," Estelle spoke up. "The last team we were on didn't exactly end very well." She folded her arms across her chest, an irritated look on her face. "Also, why would we join your team when you've ruined my beautiful area rug?"

Fury glanced at the rug, noticing the stain from the beer. With a sigh, he pulled out his wallet and handed over a twenty dollar bill. "That should cover the damage."

Estelle didn't hesitate to take it. "Funny how you think that rug cost twenty bucks. But I suppose it'll do... for now."

"Now, about The Umbrella Academy," Fury said after a moment. "I understand the hesitation after what happened with your family. But I can assure you, this team will be quite different."

"Look," Everett started, his posture relaxing a bit as he let down his guard. Estelle let herself relax a bit, too. Her brother clearly didn't think this man was a threat just yet. "We appreciate being considered for your team. But it's just not going to work out. We don't do that stuff anymore."

Estelle nodded in agreement.

"The way I see it, you both haven't stopped being heroes to this city," Fury said. "Isn't that why you became private investigators? To help people by using the abilities you were born with?"

He was right and Estelle was trying not to resent how well he'd read them. They weren't on a team anymore but they were still using their powers to help people. They may have left the superhero life behind, but they hadn't left behind using their powers for good and that meant something.

"Why do you even want to recruit us to your team, anyway?" Estelle finally asked.

"We've been keeping tabs on your family for a long time," Fury began. "The others are a bit... eccentric."

Estelle snorted within her mind and she knew Everett had heard it. Understatement of the century, she said to him through their twin telepathy and she watched as he fought back a smirk at her words.

"But you two are the most reliable, the most stable," Fury continued. "Not to mention you work well together. We need that."

"That's not what she meant," Everett said. "You're obviously desperate to put together this team, but what for? What is so important you've broken into our apartment to recruit us at what I can only assume is the last possible minute?"

"His name is Loki," Fury explained. "He's... not from around here. I'm sure you remember his brother from the news in Mexico." He pulled out a manila folder and tossed it onto their coffee table.

The news in Mexico? Everett thought, his voice echoing within her mind. Does he mean that guy Thor?

Isn't he a God? Estelle thought. Does Nick Fury want us to fight a fucking God?

I think he does.

Lovely.

Let's see what this is all about, Everett said, his voice echoing within her mind as he bent down to grab the manila folder. He opened it up and shifted closer to Estelle so she could see as well. Inside, there was a photo of Loki and a glowing blue cube which was surely of some importance.

"That there is the Tesseract," Fury said, referring to the blue cube. "It was fished out of the water with Captain America some time ago. Loki stole it from us. I can't stress enough how important it is. We want you to help us find Loki and get the Tesseract back."

"If it was fished out of the water with Captain America, I'm sure he'd be of more help to you than we ever would," Everett told him, handing the manila folder back to Fury.

"We used to fight bank robbers and people with guns," Estelle said, folding her arms over her chest again. "Not a God empowered by some magical cube. Now, if you'll excuse me, I haven't eaten all day and you've ruined not only my favourite area rug, but my appetite as well with this ridiculous offer."

Without waiting for anyone to say anything else, Estelle turned and left the living room, heading for the hallway closest to grab some cleaning supplies so she could get to work cleaning the beer stain and shattered glass.

She couldn't believe the audacity of Nick Fury. First he broke into their home and then he had made her ruin her favourite area rug. And if that wasn't enough, he was trying to get them to join his knock-off Umbrella Academy. Clearly he knew who they were and knew a bit too much information for her comfort so how he didn't also know why there was no longer an Umbrella Academy didn't make any sense.

"Give me a call if you both change your mind," she heard Fury say from the living room. "We could use the help."

Estelle rolled her eyes again, probably hard enough Everett could hear it in his own head. A moment later, he joined her and she assumed the stranger must be gone. Her brother helped her clean the carpet with the supplies she had gathered. After twenty minutes of scrubbing, they managed to get the stain out and while he was satisfied with not finishing the job, Estelle could still smell beer in the carpet so they spent another fifteen minutes scrubbing the same area of the carpet until she felt satisfied with their work.

While Estelle put all the cleaning supplies back in the hallway closet and threw all the dirty towels and scrub brushes in both the laundry basket and skin to be cleaned themselves, Everett headed for the kitchen to heat up their chinese food, which had certainly gone cold by now.

After gathering their food, Everett found her in the living room, already lounging on the couch with her feet propped up on the coffee table with a random sitcom playing on the television. He handed over her plate and sat down, the two of them digging into their meal in silence, simply enjoying one another's company and occasionally laughing or commenting on the sitcom she had turned on.

With their stomachs full and the photos printed and sealed in an envelope to be delivered to their client in the morning, Everett and Estelle headed into the kitchen to do the dishes together. As always, he would wash and she'd dry.

"Everett," she said, thoughtfully, while drying one of the plates he had passed to her. He hummed in response, indicating he was listening. "Do you think we've made a mistake?"

He furrowed his brows in confusion. "About what?"

"Not accepting Nick Fury's proposal," Estelle clarified. "I can't help but feel that, perhaps, we should have said yes. And I know you felt something, too."

"You're right, I did feel something," Everett said. "The only reason I didn't kick his ass was because I felt he was trustworthy. But you're the one who said we shouldn't work with another team again. And you were right because I sure as hell don't want to go through all that shit again."

"Neither do I," Estelle sighed. "But you have to admit, this seems like a pretty good opportunity to do something with our powers."

Everett stopped scrubbing a plate, turning slightly to face her. "You seriously want to go through with this?"

"I think I do," Estelle admitted.

"Alright," he said, without any hesitation whatsoever. "If you think we should do this, I trust you. But if anything goes wrong..."

"Then we'll leave and come back home," Estelle promised.

"God, today's been one hell of a day," Everett sighed. "First Allison and Patrick are getting married, now this..."

"Tell me about it."

"I'll give Fury a call, first thing," Everett said, turning back to continue washing the dishes. "But only after we've delivered the photos to our client. I'm getting paid before we leave to save the world."

"Agreed," she said. "I didn't witness two strangers going at it like rabbits for nothing. And besides, I'll need to grab a Starbucks before we go save the world."

Everett rolled his eyes, a faint smirk on his lips. "Of course, you will."

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an. and here's the first chapter, folks! I hope you enjoyed it, I know I enjoyed writing it and don't forget to check out the first chapter from Everett's pov over in Sign of the Times, on pepperronys account!