CHAPTER FORTY: MAY WE MEET AGAIN

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Herb and Dot appeared on the field and they looked around as they saw all the agents laying on the ground "Yowza" Herb said "I should've brought my parka" Dot said "Yeah" Herb said as the two started walking forward.

"Oh, wow. Excuse me, pardon me" Herb said as they stepped over the bodies "Ooh--" Dot said "Watch your step" Herb said.

"Herb. Dot" Five said as him, you and Diego approach the two.

"Hi" they both said as they stepped closer to them, trying to step over all the bodies that were scattered out around the field while they apologizing to them.

"Sup, Herbie?" Diego said as the three of you stopped in front of Dot and Herb.

"Hey my man" Herb said before him and Diego gave each other a handshake.

"Good you see you guys" Five said as he put his hands in his pockets

"I can't believe it. Is she...?" Herb asked "Really dead this time?" Five said as he know that he was referring to The Handler "Oh, yeah" Diego said "Oh" Herb whispered.

"Now that The Handler's gone what happens at The Commission?" you asked "Eh" Herb said and Dot looked down at him causing him to turn to her "Just tell them" she said "We need to elect a new board of directors. But, until then, I, um...I've been voted in as acting chairperson" Herb said.

"No shit. Congrats, Herbie. That's huge" Diego said "I'm so goddamn nervous" Herb said "You'll do fine" you said "Oh, thank you" Herb said before he looked at you "That reminds me, Y/n. Everyone wants you to take AJ's place as head of the board of director" he said "What really?" you asked "Yeah, after everything you have done. Everyone grew to like you a lot. They have always seeing you as a leader and also because you're The Handler's daughter, but they still think that you will become a better leader than your mom would ever become" Dot said "Even your dad is coming back to the Commission" you looked at Herb "Really?" you asked and he nodded "He told us that now with your mom gone, he can return and he promise that he would help you and guide you when you become the head of the board of director" Dot said.

"So what do you say Y/n?" Herb asked and Five glanced at you.

"I think I will have to decline that offer. Commission isn't really my style anymore" you said and Herb nodded "But if you change your mind, the offer till stand" he said "I will keep that in my mind" you said with a nod. 

"Herb, we need a favor" Five said "Oh, sure, anything" Herb said "A briefcase. Get us back home, where we belong" Five said and you looked at all the briefcases that was laying around the field "Take your pick" Herb said.

---

Vanya stepped into the house "Sissy" she called out "We gotta get Harlan packed" she said.

Sissy was sitting on Harlan's bed stroking her son down his cheek as he was asleep on the bed.

Vanya opened the door to the room "Hey" she said and Sissy looked up at her "The sooner we leave, the safer it is for everyone, and we can figure out the next steps from there" Vanya said as she enter the room.

Sissy let out a sigh before he leaned forward "We can't go with you" she said "Why not?" Vanya asked as she sat down on the bed next to her.

"To the future?" Sissy said, her voice trembles "Vanya, that's crazy talk. I mean, what would that even look like?" she asked "Well, we could be a family. I mean, just the three of us" Vanya said as she put her hand on Sissy's knee "We could have a whole life together" she said "What about Harlan? What if something happens to him? And what if we're separated?" Sissy asked and Vanya looked at Harlan.

"I can't risk losing him" Sissy said and Vanya looked at her as tears was showing in her eyes "What if they, like blame you for Carl or--" "Vanya..." Sissy said cutting her off "I saw you. Outside the barn. I...I saw you fl...float" she said "So, what, you're...you're scared of me now? Is...Is that what this is?" Vanya asked and Sissy shook her head "No. no" she said as she put her right hand on Vanya's left cheek "Scared for you" she said and she wipe Vanya's tear away before she lower her arm.

"Tell me we could have a normal life there...and no one would ever come after us for being with you like they did today" she said with tears in her eyes.

"I can't" Vanya said, her voice was breaking as a tear felled from her eye "Vanya, I would do anything for you. To protect you. But Harlan has been through enough. I can't...I can't put that child in any more danger. I can't" Sissy said and Vanya closed her eyes as she let out a sob before she opened her eyes again.

"You have given me the greatest gift of a lifetime. You let me feel alive for the first time" Sissy said with tears in her eyes and the two smiled to each other as they let out a softly sob while a tear felled from Vanya's eyes.

"You helped me find hope again. That's a wonderful thing" Sissy said with a smile.

"Where will you go?" Vanya asked "I'm not sure. Um...I have, um..uh, a friend in California" Sissy said "You go there, and you live a beautiful and wonderful life" Vanya said and they smiled to each other before Sissy put her hands on Vanya's cheeks.

"You ever find a safe way back to me, you take it. You hear me?" Sissy said before they kissed.

They both pulled away as they had their hands on each others cheeks and they smiled to each other before kissing again.

They pulled away and they both sob as they hugged each other.

---

Axel was walking down the long empty road when suddenly a small bus full with peace logos on, stopped next to him.

The door to the bus opened and a bald guy with a beard and glasses on stood by the door "Hey, fellow traveler. You need a ride?" he asked Axel.

Axel let out a heavily sigh before he entered the bus.

---

Diego walked out of the house to see Vanya sitting on the stairs that lead up to the door to the house.

He sat down next to her and the two looked at each other before they looked forward again.

Vanya leaned her head on Diego's shoulder and he looked at her before he leaned his head on top of hers.

---

Ray walked into his kitchen to find a letter from Allison on the table.

He grabbed the letter before he sat down to read it.

'Ray: We should've know I'd find a way to get the last word in. The good news is...we did it. The world is safe again. But the president is dead. And I am long gone. I wish I could be with you right now, in your arms. I don't belong in 1963, but my time here has changed me. It's changed all of us. I wish I could tell you it's gonna be easier from here...but it's not. It's going to get worse...before it gets better. So, I need you to hold on. Keep faith. Believe that good things will happen. Because the fight for a better world is never over. And we all have choices to make. And we have to live with the consequences...before we find the right way home'

---

While Five's siblings need to do some stuff before they were ready to leave, you were standing out on the field, enjoying the sunset.

"Hey" a voice said and you turned to see Five approaching you.

"Are you all ready to go?" you asked "Yeah, we... the others are taken everything in, they have people to miss and say goodbye to. It's only right I give them some time, since there is no imminent threat from the timeline anymore, all we have to do is go back and hope we stopped the apocalypse there too" he said and you nodded before looking at the sunset.  

"You okay?" he asked "Physically or emotionally?" you asked "Well, both" he said and you let out a sigh.

"I know she was a horrible person. And I know she did horrible things to me that traumatized me since I was a kid. But without that, I don't know what would be going on. And even though she was the worst person I've ever met, she was still my mom. Whatever I like it or not, it'll always be true" you said "Blood doesn't make you family, loyalty and love does. But I'm here for you, you know that right?" he asked and you nodded "I know" you said before you looked down at your fingers.

"You know what's weird?" you asked and he looked at you "After everything she has done. I don't hate her. I don't. I try, but I just don't. No matter how hard I try, there is always a small part of me that can't hate her" you said before you let out a quiet sob.

"Is that wrong?" you asked "Well, some would say yes and some would say no. But no matter what else she is, she's your mom. Now, you're not responsible for the things she did. But you can't change the fact that to you, she is still your mom, still the woman that gave birth to you, raise you" he said as a tear fell from your eyes "I just feel like she's winning if I don't hate her" you said as another tear ran down your cheek.

"No, Y/n" he shook his head lightly "There's no winning. There's just living. Moving forward. And if you keep doing that, you'll be all right" he said "Is that true?" you asked "It is for me" he said "Thank you" you said with a small smile before you look forward again.

"Why didn't you tell me?" you looked at him "About your powers?" he asked "It happen after our divorce and after you left. My mom sent me on a suicide mission and I almost died. She experimented on me, put me in my younger body, gave me super abilities. Made sure that I aged slowly while I also could make myself age slowly. That was the reason why I didn't stay" you said and he nodded before silence took over again.

"So that force that push myself and the other me away from each other was..." you nodded "Yeah. That was me" you said and he nodded "Well, thank you for that" he smiled.    

"It's funny. I haven't being this cold since the apocalypse" you said as you had your arms cross "Shall I find a jacket or a blanket for you?" he asked "No. I like feeling this like, it made me feel alive" you smiled.

"Ready to go?" he asked and you looked at him "I'm not going with you Five. I think I'm going to stay here for a while and maybe find somewhere else to live, maybe travel around the world" you said "What?" he asked "I told you from the beginning that I was not going with you" you said.

"I thought..." "I'm sorry for giving you false hope" you said "So you don't love me anymore?" he asked "A part of me never stop loving you or caring about you Five and it never will, but I need time, okay" you said and he nodded.

"I wish you could come with me" he said "I know, but we both know that I can't" you said as you turned to face him "I just thought after..." "I know" you nodded "But I need time, okay, I need more time than what you have at the moment" you said and he nodded in sadness "I understand"

"Thank you for helping me, I couldn't have done this without you" he said "Of course you couldn't" you both chuckled.

"I know that I don't have to tell you this. And I don't doubt that you can handle yourself, but just be careful, okay" he said "I have lived a lot of lives Five, both before and after you, I know how to handle myself and what to do" you said and he smiled.

"Can I ask you something?" you asked and he nodded "Sure. Ask away" he said "Why do you hate me? I have my reasons for you. I could write a whole book with my reasons at this point" you said.

Five's eyes softened. He looked down before he let out a sigh.

"I don't hate you, I never have. I hate everything that went on between us" he replied, not making eye contact with you.

"But I do still hate you" he said "I hate you too" you both chuckled.

You and Five both looked at each other "Y/n, I want you to know that I never blame you for what happen to Sam. It was an accident, it was nobody's fault" Five said "Yeah it was" he narrowed his eyes. 

"It was my mother?" his eyes widened "The accident was not her fault, but Sam dying was, she threated the Commission in not helping Sam" you said "So it is her fault that---" "She told me Sam would have died no matter what, she just made sure that it happen faster. She ended his suffering" a tear fell from Five's eyes.

"So it is her fault that Sam died?" he asked "Both yes and no. Sam would have died no matter what in that accident which was not her fault" you let out a sigh "And our other child that you were carrying?" he asked "That was not her fault" you said.

"So it is her fault that we got a divorced" he said "No" you looked at her "That was our own fault, no one else" you looked at him "Sam died because of the accident, and the baby died because of the accident. The accident is the real reason we lost our kids" you said.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't there" he said "Sometimes bad things happen. And there is nothing we can do about it. We just have to live our lives for him" you said and he nodded "But he will always be with us" he said and you nodded.

"Do you think---" he scratch the back of his head "If that accident haven't happen and we still had Sam and our other kid. Do you think that we would still be---" his eyes locked at yours.

"The chances would have being bigger. And losing Sam and the baby was the main reason we drifted apart" you said "So if we haven't lost Sam, would we still have being together?" he asked and you nodded "If we still had Sam, we would have being a happy family of four" you said and he nodded as he looked down at his shoes.

"I just want you to know" he looked at you "Getting stuck in the apocalypses was the best thing that have ever happen to me, 'cause I get to meet you, and you are the best thing that have ever happen to me and I shouldn't have let you go, I should have fought. It is the biggest mistake I ever made" he said and you smiled "I know. And I feel the same way" you said "So if I have fought more, would we still---" you nodded.

"I need time Five. I need time alone. For myself. I need time to figure some things out" you said before looking down.

"I hope you don't hate me for that" you said with a sigh.

But then he grab your hand, stroking his thumb over your knuckles.

"I understand" you looked at him "It's okay. I don't hate you, take all the time you need and I will wait forever if I had to" he said "So you are fine that I'm not going with you?" you asked "Yeah" he nodded, even so right there, he lied. He really wish you wanted to go with him. 'Cause then you could start over. Try again.

And even so you weren't really ready or sure, and you needed time, he still wanted you to come with him. But he had to accept your decision.

You caught his gaze and felt the warmth of his breath on your face. Unsure and not wanted to pull away.

Five put his right hand on your left cheek as you kept staring at each other. 

Then suddenly you felt Five's lips meet yours.

He pressed his lips more against yours and you wrapped your arms around his neck, sinking deeper into the kiss.

It felt good kissing Five again, feeling his lips on yours, feeling his skin touch yours. It was something you have missed so much.

Five actually thought you would punch or slap him for kissing you. But you didn't and that made him smile.

He put his hands on your back as you kept kissing.  

Even though you had memorized every edge of Five Hargreeves, kissing him felt like meeting someone you'd never met. The foreignness brought nothing but shame as you felt him for the first time in your arms, so close, yet so far.

This brought back all the happy memories you shared and when you had your first kiss.

But you could also feel the love and the other wonderful feelings that you have felt every time his skin touch yours.

To catch your breathe you finally pulled away, looking at him.

"Why did you just do that?" you asked "Because we're bound to see each other again, in another universe, timeline and lifetime. No matter what" he said "How do you know that?" you asked "'Cause history repeat itself, for better or for worse. And I know ours will repeat itself. I have faith that no matter what unfolds in our lives, not matter what happens, even if the world our universe ends, our paths will always lead us back to each other, even if it in another body, 'cause our souls are connected, no matter if we like it or not" he said before you smiled to each other.

"I hope that wherever you end up, you will be happy" he said and you smiled "I hope you will be happy too" you said.

"I'm never truly happy without you" Five said inside his head. He wanted to tell you but stop.

He took a step back before he turned around but then he stopped.

"Y/n" he turned to face you "You know maybe, I have thought about something" he said and you tilted your head.

"When I'm back, can I maybe just maybe swing by if that is okay?" he asked and you smiled "Yeah I wouldn't mind" you said with a nod "Then I think I will visit some places and then go to New York" you said.

"I can just drop by, we can drink some coffee together, if you don't mind?" he said "I will make sure it's ready for you" you smiled to each other.

"Then when I know that everything is back to normal and there is no apocalypse I will contact you again" he said "How?" you asked "I have my ways" he smirked at you which caused you to smile as your hands were still connected.

Then Vanya step out from the house as the rest of the family approached her.

"Ready to go?" Diego asked and Five nodded "Ready" he said before he looked at you.

He then pressed his forehead against yours while you both closed your eyes.  

"May we meet again" you said "May we meet again" he smiled before he took some steps back but your hands were still connected like you both didn't wanted to let go.

But as Five walked further away it made your hands to slip from each other. 

You both lowered your hands as Five walked over to his siblings that were all standing in a circle.

"Everyone ready?" he asked as he glanced around at them while he prepared the briefcase "Let's do it, yeah" Luther said "Okay" Five said "All right" Luther said and they all grabbed each other's hands.

Allison grabbed onto Five's shoulders as Vanya grabbed Allison's hand.

"All right" Five said "Wait!" Klaus said and they all looked at him. He tilted his head slightly before running towards the porch.

"Fifty bucks if we leave him here" Diego whispered to Five as Klaus grabbed a black hat before he put it on.

He then walked back to the circle before he put his hands up to his hat and swiped his finger along the edge before nodding.

Luther grabbed onto Diego's hand as Klaus grabbed onto Luther's and Vanya's hands.

Five grabbed the buckles of the briefcase before he clicked the briefcase open causing it to make a charging noise.

Blue electricity flew around them all, touching all of them before the blue light from the briefcase got bigger.

A portal appeared above them quickly and Five looked at you one last time before him and his siblings were all pulled into the portal before it closed and the siblings all disappeared in a blue light which cause you to let out a sigh.

---

After packing your bags and leaving your house, you couldn't help but stop crying as you were on your bike, driving in the rain down the dark highway.

You actually regret not going with Five. Maybe you should have gone with him. You should have.

You were so focus with the stuff that was going on in your own head that you didn't see another vehicle came driving on the other side of the road.

The last thing you remember was you losing control over your bike and then everything went black.  

---

You opened her eyes to see that you were in a bedroom. A needle was stuck into your left arm where a thin tub was connected to the needle that lead to an IV bag.

An nasal cannula was in your nose while an IV needle was stabbed into your left hand while a monitor was standing next to you as it kept beeping.

"The hell" you sat up, getting use to the light. 

"Good, you are finally awake" a voice said causing you to look over at the door to see a man.

The man had a moustache and a monocle on his left eye.

"Who are you?" you asked and he step out of the shadow.

"Reginald Hargreeves" you said "So you remember me" he said "Of course, my ex-father-in-law" you raise a brow. 

"Well, I'm also the guy that save your life" he said "What?" you asked "I saw your bike crash and you were barely breathing. Your condition was serious, so to save your life, I have to put you in a coma" he said "How long was I in a coma?" you asked.

"It is 2000" your eyes widened "So you are saying that I have being a coma for 38 years" he nodded.

"Well, thank you for saving me, but I gotta go" you got off the bed.

"Where are you going?" he asked "Find a place to live" you said before you turned around "Why did you even save me?" you asked "Because you are a very special person. I see great potential in you. And I need your help" he said "The great Reginald Hargreeves need my help" you put your arms on cross.

"I need your help with training my seven kids" he said "The Umbrella Academy" you said "No. The Sparrows Academy" he said and your eyes widened.

Five and his siblings have really messed up the timeline again big time. If Reginald never adopted Five or his siblings, then they never had a life as the Umbrella Academy, therefore messing up the timeline, which mean that when Five and his siblings are back they would have other version of them living other lives and that means paradox psychosis.

But maybe they are not coming back. If they have fuck it up so much that this happen, does that mean that you will never see your Five ever again and he don't exist anymore. And instead another version of him have grown up with different people in a different place, living a totally different life, not knowing who you are, and then it means your version of Five don't exist, meaning that you will never see him again.

---

Five and this family all gasps while they stumble backwards as they all appeared by the main entrance of the Academy, where a small table in the middle was.

Allison let out a sigh before panting "Oh, good God" Luther said as they all was groaning while Five was looking around.

Five put the briefcase on the table before he grabbed a newspaper that was laying on the table in front of them.

"Wh...What day is it?" Luther asked "April 2, 2019. Day after the apocalypse" Five said "Wait, so we stopped it?" Allison asked "My God, it's over?" Vanya said relieved "Did we...actually succeed at something?" Klaus said as he put his arm across his lower chest "That's incredible" he said before putting his hands over his heart while the others let out a laugh while looking around.

Five smiled as he started looking around when he suddenly spotted a black wedding ring on one of his fingers "The hell" he took it off to examine it and he noticed that it was his wedding ring. He thought he lost it at the theater but it was now back. Did he even lost it and if he did why is it suddenly back. He wonder why. But maybe he never did lose it, and it have being in the bottom of his pockets this entire time. But why it is suddenly on his finger instead of his pocket? 

But instead of showing confusing, he show happiness. Happy over that he have gotten the ring back and it was still with him. But he also took this as a sign that you and him are meant to be together.  

Not wanted his siblings to noticed, he put the ring in his inner pocket.   

"All right!" Luther said as they all smiled in relief over that they have done it.

"I don't know about you guys, but I need a drink" Klaus said as he gave Vanya a quick hug while Five put his hands in his pockets as he was looking around and Klaus gave Luther a quick hug.

"In fact, I need several" Klaus said as he looked around "Come on, guys, let's celebrate it" he said "Then let's do it" Klaus said "I'm in. I'm in" Vanya said "You guys go, I need to find Y/n" Five said "Come on bro. One drink. Y/n can wait. She knows that you will come. So just one drink" Klaus said "Alright, one drink" Five said and Klaus smiled.

"I should go find Claire" Allison said as the others followed Five into the living room "Oh, come on, one drink" Luther said to her before he grabbed her shoulder "No..." she said as he started dragging her towards the living room and she let out a sigh as she followed after him.

Klaus walked behind the bar and started grabbing glasses and drinks as the others came into the room.

Diego then spotted a painting of Ben above the fireplace "Why is there a painting of Ben over the mantelpiece?" Diego asked and Klaus ran around the bar, running up to the side of Diego as Allison, Five, Vanya and Luther all looked at the painting.

"I knew you'd show up eventually" a voice said causing them all to turn towards the voice to see their dad Reginald Hargreeves standing up from a chair that was in front of the antler mount across the room from the bar.

"Dad" Diego said as the siblings' eyes all widened in shock over that their dad were alive.

"You're alive" Luther said softly and Reginald looked at Luther "Why shouldn't I be?" he asked "Yeah. Y-Yeah, you're right. I'm...I'm just happy that we're home and...together again" Luther said "'Home'? This isn't your home" Reginald said "What are you talking about?" Allison asked as she furrowed her brows "This is the Umbrella Academy" she said "Wrong again. This is the Sparrow Academy" Reginald said.

The sound of echo footsteps approaching from upstairs was heard from behind them causing the siblings to turn around and they saw in front of a circular window stood five people and a grey cube that was floating next to them.

The five people was looking down at them from the balcony.

Diego pulled out his knife in defense, ready for a fight.

"Dad, who the hell are these assholes?" a voice asked and the siblings took their attention away from the people on the balcony to see a man walking out from the side.

Their eyes widened when they saw it was their brother Ben who was alive.

But he didn't look like the old Ben. His hair was different and he had an almost invisible scar on his face right under his left eye by his cheek.

Five and his siblings all froze in shock "Shit" they said as they realised that they had screwed something up when they travelled back from 1963 to 2019.

A/N: END OF ACT TWO

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