13 YEARS AGO, PRE TIME-TRAVEL

"A mission just days after the last one? This is torture," Klaus grumbled as they waited by the entrance for Dad.

"Tell me about it," Allison sighed, crossing her arms.

Luther rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on, you guys, lighten up."

Prime noticed Ben struggling with his suit zipper again. Shaking her head, she walked over. "Seriously, is this going to be an issue every time we leave?" she whispered.

Annoyed, Ben retorted, "No, because I'm never buying anything with zippers again. Final decision."

Prime chuckled. "When we're free of this, we'll just stick to t-shirts and pants."

He smiled faintly. "Can't wait to get this mission over with," he admitted. She nodded as they joined the others.

Their father descended the stairs, addressing them as they lined up. "Today, we'll take the lead against a large group of criminals planning to disrupt tomorrow's government officials' rally. We've located their hideout and aim to thin their numbers before law enforcement steps in."

"Wait, you're saying we're the frontlines?" Diego asked, clearly uncomfortable. Prime didn't like the plan either.

"Yes, Number Two. You're old enough to take on this responsibility."

They exchanged uneasy glances. "How many criminals are we talking about?" Luther asked.

"Just a couple hundred. Nothing excessive, Number One."

Prime's jaw dropped, but Diego beat her to it. "Two hundred?! That's way too many for us!"

"Yeah, Dad, there are only six of us! If they're armed, we—"

"Enough! No more arguments. To the car—now. Understood?" Reluctantly, they nodded and followed.

The car ride was tense and silent, everyone exchanging worried looks. Missions didn't usually rattle them like this. They weren't invincible—just kids with powers, still human.

Prime bit her nails, Klaus fidgeted, Allison twisted her fingers, and Diego muttered under his breath while clutching a knife.

Prime glanced at Ben, who sat with crossed arms, frowning. In the mirror, she caught Luther's worried expression.

Everyone felt it.

Eventually, Reginald turned down a dirt road, stopping near an abandoned factory. "This is their hideout," he said, shutting off the engine.

As they got out, he drove off, leaving them behind.

Luther turned to the group. "Right, we—"

"This is ridiculous!" Diego cut him off. They all looked at him. He wasn't wrong—seventeen-year-olds with powers but limited training had no business taking on such a dangerous mission.

"Diego, enough—" Luther started, but Allison interrupted.

"No, he's right! Two hundred people? Our missions have always been small-scale—robberies, escapes, petty criminals. This is completely out of our league."

"Yeah," Prime added. "We might as well be walking targets with these suits on."

"Well, Dad thinks we can handle it," Luther said, crossing his arms.

"Easy for him to say!" Klaus snapped. "He's not the one risking his life!"

"Klaus is right," Diego muttered, still in disbelief. "I never thought I'd say that."

"Enough, guys," Luther interrupted sharply. "The more time we waste complaining, the less time we have to focus on the mission." Everyone turned to look at him, but his gaze remained firm.

"You know, even you're not invincible, Luther," Prime retorted, her frustration boiling over. "If they have guns, we're in deep trouble."

"I know that, Prime," Luther said, his tone calm but commanding. "But we have a mission to complete. Focus."

The others reluctantly nodded and fell in line behind him. They moved through the forest with purpose, using the trees as cover. Perimeter guards were posted, and Luther motioned to Diego and Prime. "Prime, you take the left. Diego, the right. We'll handle any stragglers."

They silently scattered, each of them taking out their targets with precision. Prime swiftly incapacitated the a few men on her side with deadly grace of her flames, each of them dropping without a sound. She glanced over to Diego's side, where he was expertly using his knives, his movements fluid and swift. Once the area was cleared, they regrouped with Luther and the others, who had subdued three more men.

"See? We've got this handled," Luther said, his tone self-assured.

Prime rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Luther, you do realize that's not even 25% of the criminals we need to take down, right?" she snapped. Luther ignored her, his eyes scanning the horizon.

They moved cautiously behind some makeshift barricades, their eyes widening at the sight of numerous groups of armed criminals waiting to be taken down.

"Prime, you take the far left. Allision, you go far right. Ben, left with Diego on the right. Klaus, stay here and take care of any stragglers. I'll take the centre," Luther ordered.

"Are you out of your mind?" Prime protested, her voice filled with concern. "Even if you are strong, the centre is going to be way too much for you to handle!"

"Just follow the plan," Luther insisted. He raised his hand, signalling for them to get into position. The team moved with practised efficiency, and at his signal, they all sprinted forward.

Prime immediately unleashed her fire powers, blasting through the enemy ranks, but the sheer number of enemies with guns made it difficult to maintain control. She quickly formed a shield to block incoming bullets, but the energy required to maintain both the fire and the shield was draining her faster than she anticipated. More and more enemies appeared, and Prime was starting to feel overwhelmed.

She glanced over to Ben, who was struggling on his side as well. In a split second, she saw a man sneaking up behind him and shouting a warning, firing a fireball that took him down before he could do any harm.

However, things were deteriorating quickly. A bullet grazed Prime's cheek as she dodged, and she turned to see Allision go down, a pained cry escaping her lips. Diego rushed to her side, trying to defend her. Prime's eyes shifted to Luther, who was also injured, blood dripping down his face after a few punches.

"Shit! We need to retreat!" Prime shouted, barely avoiding a punch to the face. "There are too many of them, Luther!"

"Luther!" Diego yelled, his voice filled with panic.

Prime quickly dodged another wave of criminals, burning them as she went. She turned to see Allision on the ground again, but this time, she was getting up, using the remaining enemies as pawns to help them. It was working, but not enough.

Luther, seeing the urgency, began to fall back, but Prime wasn't quick enough. As she was distracted by a punch to the face, the man who had taken Luther down was about to aim a gun at him.

In a desperate attempt to help, Prime tripped and was sent crashing to the ground. She scraped her face as she rolled, but she didn't hesitate. "Ben! Get him!" she shouted, seeing the danger.

She quickly regained her stance, throwing more fire to push back the attacker and sending him flying into crates. "Shit! Luther, we need to retreat! We can't hold them off any longer!" Diego shouted, urgency in his voice.

"Okay, retreat!" Luther ordered, and everyone scrambled. Ben, struggling to keep up, was suddenly blindsided by a massive man who came from behind.

"Ben, behind you!" someone yelled, but it was too late. The brute swung his arm, sending Ben flying through the air, crashing against a wall with a sickening thud.

"BEN!!!" Prime screamed, rage and fear mixing as she raised her hands, hurling flames at the man. Diego and Allision rushed to Ben's side, but the damage was already done. Luther engaged the large man, kicking him away, but it was clear that Ben was in critical condition.

"Guys! BEN IS BLEEDING A LOT!" Allison shouted, her voice breaking. Luther avoided another attack, his focus now entirely on Ben.

Prime sent another burst of flames, knocking the man back as Luther carefully laid Ben down.

"Ben, how's Ben?" Prime cried, her voice trembling as she knelt beside him. She checked his pulse desperately, but when she couldn't feel anything, panic set in. "NO, NO! NO!!" She kept checking, hoping for some sign of life, but there was nothing. "BEN!! NO!!"

Allision cried out, "Prime he is—

but Prime cut her off, her voice rising in anger and denial. "NO, NO HE ISN'T! DON'T YOU DARE FINISH THAT SENTENCE!"

"Prime, stop," Diego said softly, grabbing her shoulders and forcing her to look at him. "He's gone."

"No!" she screamed, shaking her head furiously. "He's not! He's—"

"Primey, he lost too much blood," Klaus said quietly, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"NO! NO, HE—" Prime's words choked in her throat as Diego pulled her into an embrace. She screamed Ben's name over and over, her voice raw with grief.

The others stood in stunned silence, tears falling as they mourned the loss of their comrade. Ben was gone, and nothing would ever bring him back.

A FEW MONTHS LATER

"AHHHHHHH!!!" Prime screamed as she shot out of bed, her body trembling with the intense emotions that surged through her as the memory of Ben's death replayed in her mind. The vivid images of that moment—the feeling of helplessness, the sound of his final breath—had become a constant nightmare.

The door to her room slammed open, and Allision and Vanya rushed in, their faces filled with concern.

"P! P! It's okay, you're safe," Vanya reassured her, rushing to her side and pulling her into a tight hug. Prime collapsed into her arms, sobbing uncontrollably, the weight of her grief spilling out in waves.

Allision stood nearby, her hand hovering awkwardly before she gently placed it on Prime's back, trying to offer what comfort she could.

From the doorway, Luther, Klaus, and Diego watched their expressions a mixture of helplessness and sorrow. It had been months since Ben's death, but Prime's nightmares hadn't eased. Every night, she relived that terrible moment and the trauma never seemed to leave her.

"Prime, it's okay," Allision whispered softly, brushing her hand along Prime's back. She began humming quietly, trying to soothe her, but it wasn't easy. The raw grief and loss were impossible to ignore, and every time Prime woke from the nightmare, it was as if the pain was fresh again.

"Ben..." Prime muttered repeatedly through her sobs, the name slipping from her lips like a prayer. It was the only word she could manage, the one that had consumed her since that fateful day.

They all stayed with her, silent and supportive, as the storm of emotions gradually calmed, but her body was still shaking, her breath ragged as she tried to regain control.

Grace walked in quietly, carrying a tray with tea for everyone. She had been there long enough to know the signs, and she had anticipated that they would be up, comforting Prime through yet another sleepless night. Without saying a word, Grace set the tray down, her presence a steady anchor amid the chaos of Prime's emotions.

They all remained there with her, not needing to speak, simply offering their presence as Prime slowly settled into the quiet, trying to steady her breathing. The nightmares weren't over, but at least, for the moment, she wasn't alone.

PRESENT DAY - CURRENT TIMELINE

Prime stood in the doorway, her gaze lingering on the bed as memories of those awful nights washed over her. The nightmares, relentless and vivid, haunted her every time she closed her eyes. The memory of Ben's death was a constant, a deep ache that wouldn't fade. But in this moment, she held onto hope. She had to believe that this time, in this timeline, things would be different. Ben would survive. He had to.

"P?" Vanya's voice broke through her thoughts. Prime flinched and turned to see her standing there, concern in her eyes.

"Hey V, sorry, I was... lost in thought," Prime apologized, trying to mask the storm of emotions inside her.

"Are you okay? You look a little pale," Vanya noted, her voice tinged with worry.

Prime scratched her neck, her mind still swirling. "I was just thinking about those nights, you know when you all came in to comfort me... during the nightmares."

Vanya nodded, understanding immediately. "I know," she said softly. "But P, this isn't a dream. You convinced me of that. We have a second chance. With Five here, and with my powers, we'll make sure none of us die."

Prime nodded, trying to hold onto Vanya's comforting words. "Yeah," she said, forcing a small laugh, "I guess it's back to wearing these uniforms, huh?" She motioned to the outfit she was still wearing, making a face. "I didn't miss them one bit. Did I ever tell you how much I hate skirts?"

Vanya laughed. "Same. I'm definitely more of a sweats kind of girl."

"Only Allision likes the skirts," Prime teased, but before Vanya could respond, they heard a cough from the doorway. They turned to see Allision standing there, arms crossed.

"Are you gossiping about me now?" Allision asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh god, no," Prime said, rolling her eyes and waving her hand.

"What are you on about? I was just saying the skirts are comfy—just miss pants, that's all," she grumbled, adjusting her skirt.

"Well, if you hate them that much, just give it to Klaus," Vanya suggested, and they all burst into laughter.

"I'll meet you guys downstairs. I'm going to see Benny," Prime said, waving them off as she made her way toward Ben's room.

As Prime walked in, Ben was struggling to get his sweater vest on. "The pain of these uniforms, am I right?" Prime said with a grin as he tugged his head through the hole of his vest. "The worst ever."

Ben groaned in agreement. "Still think T-shirts and pants are the best."

"Of course I do," Prime smiled, her voice soft with nostalgia.

Ben looked at her, his face full of fondness. "You remember that?"

"How could I forget?" she beamed, a soft laugh escaping her.

"So, how does it feel to be 13 again, Prime?" Ben asked, his voice teasing.

Prime frowned. "Not fun. Seriously, is this what Five felt like—being 58 in a younger body?" she asked, crossing her arms.

Ben laughed. "Probably. But I think I'm 17, and you're 30. Talk about you being an old lady!"

"Excuse me for being old," Prime scoffed, giving him a playful shove.

Ben smirked. "Imagine telling Dad that."

"Yeah, but you're still shorter than me," Prime teased, standing a few inches taller.

"Oh, be quiet. I'll have my growth spurt by the time we're 15, and you know it," Ben said, walking over to put on his jacket, but he couldn't resist smirking at her.

Prime stuck out her tongue. "Well, you've got two more years until that growth spurt kicks in!"

"Just you wait. Bask in your taller bliss for now," Ben said, walking past her and kissing her on the cheek.

Prime chuckled, following him out. "Well, you better start growing fast, little man," she teased, and Ben snickered as they made their way downstairs together.