CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE: THE SEVEN BELLS

---

You and Five entered the hotel with Reginald.

"Woo! Five ! Yeah" Klaus said as the others except for Allison, Reginald and Ben were cheering and whistling at Five.

"Here he is" Luther said as they were all clapping "Yeah" Klaus said "That speech last night! Wow!" Diego said "Brought me to tears, you big softy" Lila said as she jumped off the couch.

Five tucked his hands into his pockets as he stared at his family, regretting the speech and the singing his drunken self have given.

"I especially liked when you referred to us as a family bound by destiny and love" Viktor said as Five walked past them after you.

Lila opened up her arm, offering a hug as Five walked closer but he pained no attention to her as he walked past her "Okay. Enough. It was the booze talking. In the light of day, you're all still deplorable" he said before he looked at you "Except you of course" he said which caused a small smile to appear on your face as Five sat down next to you before he put his arm around your shoulder and you fell back into him, settling your head on his chest next to his heart.

"And your day's about to get worse. The Norse had seven sleepers. The Blackfoot, seven stars. As a boy, I heard the legend of the seven bells. All these stories are the same. The village is under threat by flood, by fire, by a night that never ends. A shaman brings his disciples to a sacred cave. He tells them if they can ring the seven magic bells, the village will be saved, and all will be restored just as it was" Reginald said and you furrowed your brows while you had your head rested on Five's lap as he was gently and slowly stroking his hand up and down on the right side of her head.

"Reggie?" Lila asked as she raised her hand and Reginald looked at her "Can we get a little less Brothers Grimm and more 'What the hell does this have to do with us'?" Lila asked as she was laying on the couch with her head leaned up against Diego.

"Wait, hold on" you said and everyone looked at you as you sat up.

"There's 11 of us. Including you Reginald. Meaning four people will be left out. You, the person you're supposedly make a deal with and someone else" you said as you had your left side leaned against Five while he had his right arm rested behind you.

"Five, what is she talking about? Shut her up" Allison said but Five just shook his head.

"Most fairytales have stories of the person having something special about them. What if the seven bells are seven of you guys and that creates some sort of sigil" you said "Five, shut her up" Allison said "Even if I wanted to, I couldn't" he said to her before he looked at you "Please continue, my Love" he said "Thank you, Hon" you said as you looked at him before you looked forward again.

"As I was saying, what if we're the seven bells that creates some sort of sigil to restore the universe. And there's always a opponent to prevent the heroes from saving the word. So...what if the thing that cut Diego's fingers off is some sort of creature that we have to get past somehow" you said "Great observation, Y/n! But that may possibly be incorrect. Do not assume something you don't know" Reginald said "That was a stupid assumption" Allison said "I was trying to read between the line and use my brain, think outside the box" you said.

"It's clear you don't understand anything" Allison said "I understand more than you" you said "Stop wasting precious time. Sometimes you can be completely useless. Just stay quiet" Allison said causing Five and you to look at her "My girlfriend's point make perfect sense" he said.

"I have been doing my best in trying to help you guys, almost died, losing my dad" you said "Well, you're not helping when you spew utter nonsense. If you want to help, then sit there and be quiet" Allison said "That's the thanks I get for everything I have done for you guys" you said "Her point was completely valid" Five said "If you want to talk about someone acting useless Allison. Then that'll be you causing arguments everywhere you go" you said "If you want to agree with Reg. You do that. But don't dare come for my girlfriend as she's the only one engaging and putting her mind towards the situation. Do you understand" Five snapped at Allison and she nodded with a scoff.

"Well, let's continue" Reginald said and you all looked back at him "There is a truth to these myths. None of you can deny what's going on around us. All of existence will be gone by the end of the day, but whoever or whatever wove together space and time, they left a way to put things back together if the universe ever faced total annihilation. There is a portal in the universe. I built this hotel around it, and on the other side is the answer" Reginald said "And...we're supposed to, what? Just stroll in there, ring some bells, and fix this shit?" Luther asked "Sarcasm aside, you are mostly right" Reginald said "Sound a bit simple, so there got to be something" you said "Except for the guardian" Reginald said "There is it" you said.

"What kind of Guardian?" Viktor asked "Kinda a guardian that does this" Diego said as he held up his hand where he was missing two fingers.

"He has a sword" he said "It is a force to be reckoned with" Reginald said "See? Yeah. This is where you lose me" Luther said "This is where he loses you? I checked out at the sacred cave" Lila said.

"Why would the builders of this 'black door' need to have a guardian?" Viktor asked "Ah! To protect it from people who want to use it for nefarious means" Sloane said "Correct, Sloane" Reginald said "So it's gonna take all of us to defeat the thing protecting the bells" Allison said "You're actually buying his crap?" Five asked as he pointed his thumb at Reginald. 

"How is a guardian and bells any crazier than time-traveling briefcases and assassins with cartoon masks?" Allison asked as she looked at Five "Actually, she's got you here" Luther said to Five.

You were all silent for a moment. This plan was either another chance to survive and life, or you would all risk it for nothing. The unknow taunted you all,with the idea of saving the world one last time.

Ben stood up and walked over to stand next to Reginald "I'm in" he said while Five started to ponder in the effort to remember who it was that was talking to Reginald in the Suite last night.

"Me too" Diego said as he got up causing Lila to fell back onto the couch where he had been sitting "Ow" she said and Five looked at Diego while wondering if it was him.

"But I think some of us should stay back. Like Lila" Diego said as he looked at Lila "Uh...or you can stay, and I can go" Lila said as she got up "No. This is much bigger than all of us. Nobody can stay back" Allison said as she glanced at each of you causing you to look at her weirdly. How could she know how big this is? They all just got told about Reginald's idea now together.

"You, my children, are all that stands between us and oblivion. Are we ready to go?" Reginald said "Well, I say we vote" Viktor said "This isn't a democracy. Dad's calling the shots" Ben said.

"I'm with Viktor. We vote" Five said "The world is ending, and you want to count hands?" Reginald asked "You're asking us to risk our lives. I think it's only fair you give us time to discuss it. Privately" Luther said and Reginald sighed before he walked away "Why don't we meet back here in an hour?" Luther asked.

"Agree" Five said "Yeah, sure" Diego said "Whatever" Lila said.

---

"'Lila should stay back' Since when do you make decisions for me?" Lila asked Diego "I was just trying to make sure--" "Is this about the baby?" Lila asked, cutting him of "Of course it's about the baby, all right? I go in there, I may die. But if we go in there, succeed, and things go back to normal, I want you here with our baby" Diego said "I'm better in a fight then you are" she said "First of all, no, you're not. And...this isn't a contest, okay? We barely made it out last time, right? I thank God that I was able to shut that door. Can you imagine being trapped on the other side with him?" he asked "I don't have to imagine. I was there" she said "Good. So you'll stay" he said "Not a change. I'm going" she said "Why can't I be right? Just...Just...Just once?" he asked and she sighed "Look, Diego, you said you choose me, right? Well, this is who I am. I'm a fighter. Just like you" she said "I only said that because I thought you'd be nice to me" he said "If you wanted nice you'd be with someone else" she said.

---

"Viktor, wait" Allison said to Viktor who was walking away from her and he stopped "For what? So you can hand me my ass again?" he asked as he turned around to look at her "Look, I was really drunk last night" she said "You don't have to make excuses. I get it. I am your least favorite sibling. I ruined your life..." "Okay. No that's not" she said, cutting him off before she sighed "Will you just stop and listen, please" she said and he nodded "Last night you were right. Claire and Ray are gone. But...hating you won't bring them back. And my pain...doesn't give me permission to hurt you. But it's real. And it's something that I have to carry. Which is why if I don't...If I don't do something, if I don't...if I don't act now...it's just another thing that slips into nothingness. If we stay here, we die. But if we go through the portal, we could...we could save the universe. We could save...everybody. So can we just put our past behind us and move forward together? Can you give me that?" she asked and Viktor nodded "I love you" she said "I love you too" he said and she hugged him.

---

Luther was sitting in his room on the bed looking out the window when you and Five entered the room "Hey" you said "Hey, how long do we have left?" Luther asked "A couple hours. Could be more, could be less" Five answered "Where's Sloane?" you asked "Raiding the wine cellar for our end of the world party" Luther said "So I guess you guys know which way you're voting" Five said as he put his hands in his pockets "You two are more than welcome to join us" Luther said "I'm still on the fence on that one" Five said as he began walking around in the room.

"I saw something last night that I was not supposed to see" Five said "Diego and Lila. Yeah, they do it on the stairs sometimes" Luther said "No, I saw Dad. He was in his room with someone. He was making some kind of deal. Before you ask, I don't know what the deal was or who it was with. Everything is a blur" he said as he was walking around the room.

"Wasn't me or Sloane. We were, uh, busy doing other things last night" Luther said with a smile "Yeah, I get it Luther, thank you. Everyone was boning everyone last night" Five said "Even you" Luther said which made you and Five looked at him.

"I know that you two hook up last night" Luther said "How do you know?" Five asked "Sloane and I heard it on our way to our room. You two were really on fire, way to rock her world" Luther said which caused Five's face to turn red in embarrassed while your face also turned red in embarrassed.

"Well then I guess everyone was boning everyone last night" Five said "Wait, Ben hooked up with someone?" Luther asked "Klaus, maybe?" you said "Focus, please" Five said as he stepped closer to him.

"The story about the Bells? There's something Dad's not telling us. Think about it. When has the old man ever been straight with us?" he asked "I don't know. He was pretty ruthless in out performance reviews" Luther said "He always gave me five stars" Five said "Really" Luther asked "Look, I'm old enough to trust my instinct and it's telling me this is a trap. Food for thought" Five said before you and him walked out of the room.

---

"I don't think there is no way to save the world" Five said as him and you were in a hotel room "Wait...you're giving up?" you asked "Even if we try, I end up an one arm old man that failed to save the love of his life" he said "Maybe the paradox killed me" you said "If it did, I would've died too. Someone or something must have taken your life since you weren't there" he said "Maybe that version of you haven't met me since you told me that he didn't mention me. So what will you choose?" you asked Five "I don't trust that old man for a second, beside my future self told me to not save the world and I will listen to that. So I will stay" he looked at you.

"Why?" you asked him "Because I've spent my whole life trying to beat the apocalypse and no matter what I did to beat it, the outcome never changed and I always end up on the same path. I'm tired. I have being running in circles and ending up back at square one again for years. Now I just want it to be over, I'm exhausted from all the stress that had weighed me down. I'm done from trying to save the world, I can't go through it again, I'm tired. And even if it means that we only have few hours left. I'd rather spend those hours with you peaceful, than fighting for our lives. Beside what's the point of saving the world when it means that I have to lose you over and over again" he said before he looked at you.

"What about you?" he asked "I don't know. I mean maybe Reginald is right, and if there is even a small chance that we can continue where we left of and retire together, then I want to take it" she said "Darling--" "No, we just got each other and I'm not ready to give that up" you said before you took a step closer to him.

Look into my eyes, and you will see
What you mean to me
Search your heart, search your soul
And when you find me there you'll search no more

"Maybe this plan will work. Even if he does have a plan, it won't work the way we wanted, it would have work the way he wanted" he said "And what is it you want?" you asked "You" he said and you froze "The universe is ending and the only thing I want at the end of it is, my best friend, my soulmate, the love of my life, my darling, my Y/n, my love, my girlfriend" he said and your eyes widened.

Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for
You can't tell me it's not worth dyin' for
You know it's true
Everything I do, I do it for you

"When I talk with my 100-year-old self, he warned me about not saving the world. I lost you once. I'm not losing you again" he said "You won't lose me Five, okay. Not this time. I promise" you said as you stepped closer to him "You have really gone more soft" you said and he smiled "Shut up" he said and you smiled while you nodded.

Look into your heart, and you will find
There's nothing there to hide
Take me as I am, take my life
I would give it all, I would sacrifice

Five kissed your forehead as he saw a tear running down your face which you hadn't noticed. He wipe it off with his thumb and puts his hand on the back of your head, pushing you more into his chest and rested his head on top of your.

Don't tell me it's not worth fightin' for
I can't help it, there's nothin' I want more
You know it's true
Everything I do, I do it for you

He pulled away from you and held her face in his hands as he looked into her eyes.

There's no love like your love
And no other could give more love
There's nowhere unless you're there
All the time, all the way,
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah

 "So if half your family go, you'll stay here?" you asked "That's the plan" he said with a nod "What about you?" he asked.

Oh, you can't tell me it's not worth tryin' for
I can't help it there's nothin' I want more
I would fight for you, I'd lie for you
Walk the wire for you, yeah, I'd die for you

You knew that when your time did come, you hope that you would see your dad again in the afterlife.

You know it's true
Everything I do, oh, I do it for you

"What about you?" he asked "I don't know. Maybe we should ask Reginald more about his plan" you said "I thought you hate Reginald" he said "I do. But if there is even a small chance we have to take it. I don't want to throw a chance like that away" you said "Listen" he said as he took a step closer to you "Back at the farm I watch you die together with my siblings. You all only still alive, because I rewind time, but I can't keep doing that" he said, his voice breaking a bit

"I'm not gonna watch you die again. It will break me. Therefore I'm staying" he said.

You know it's true
Everything I do, oh, I do it for you

"Listen, maybe it wouldn't hurt to hear his whole plan. If there is even a small chance that we can survive this. We have to take it. Isn't it worth fighting for?" you asked "Why is it that you all of a suddenly trust a plan coming from someone you don't like?" he asked "'Cause maybe this plan can save us all" you said "I don't think it's gonna save us, beside I rather listen to my future self and Pogo, and also I don't trust Reginald" he said before he looked at you.

"So this is how it ends" you said "If most vote to stay then yeah" he said and you looked down.

You gave me a shoulder when I needed it
You showed me love when I wasn't feeling it
You helped me fight when I was giving in
And you made me laugh when I was losing it

"I just think we should do more, we have come so far and then we are just giving up" you said "Sometimes that's the best" he said and you looked down.

You gave me a shoulder when I needed it
You showed me love when I wasn't feeling it
You helped me fight when I was giving in
And you made me laugh when I was losing it

He pushed your hair behind your ear and moved his hand to your cheek, brushing his thumb over the cheek and you smiled to each other.

"So what will you choose?" he said and you casted your eyes down to your hand which was holding his.

You had decided that you were going to wait out your death, you weren't going to cry or beg Five to go. You knew that when your time did come, you hope that you would see your dad and again in the afterlife.

"I don't know. What if this plan will work?" you asked "It wouldn't. Reginald is planning using us for his own good" he said "So this is how it ends?" you said and he nodded "Yeah" he said.

Your eyes met with Five's again "Well, I'll stay. I'll stay here with you" you said.

Five was happy with your decision, he wanted you to choose because it's what you wanted not because he wanted to "Well, it's your choice, my love" he said.

"I'm choosing to stay. However long we have left, I want to spend it with the man I love. This is also a nice way to go down" you said before the two looked at each other.

"My world changed when I met you. You looked at me like I was more what I was and you made me feel like I was finally enough. Your love have given me more than I could ever ask for and I could never thank you enough" he said and you looked at him.

"You are the most important person in my life, I love you more than anything, you make everyday so much better. Everyday I'm so grateful knowing I have you and I love how much you do for me, it truly makes me feel special. No one has ever made me feel this way before and I'm so grateful you did. I love you so so much" he said.

Cause you are, you are
The reason why I'm still hanging on
'Cause you are, you are
The reason why my head is still above water

"You mean the entire world to me. I hope you know you are the most amazing, beautiful, most handsome, kind, nicest, loving person I've ever met. I hope you know you are everything to me and am here to stay forever, no matter what, I hope you know that I appreciate everything you do for me and I hope you know that I love you very much" he said "I don't think I've ever felt as comfortable with another human as I have with you. Meeting you has been one of the best things that happened to me and I think about it all the time" you said "You are the only one who can put a smile to my face without even trying and I really enjoy being with you" he said.

And if I could, I'd get you the moon
And give it to you
And if death was coming for you
I'd give my life for you

"I fell in love with you and what I mean by you, I mean by who you are. I didn't fall in love just because of your body or looks, I feel in love with your voice and your laugh, your personality, I fell in love with he way you treat and love me. I love you and you deserve the whole world and I'm sorry that I can't give that to you" he said "You are my world" you said and he smiled "And you are mine" he said.

Cause you are, you are
The reason why I'm still hanging on
'Cause you are, you are
The reason why my head is still above water

Five stroke a finger down your cheek as he was staring at you.

And if I could, I'd get you the moon
And give it to you
And if death was coming for you
I'd give my life for you

"Just being in your presence has made my life so much better and enjoyable. I hope you know that I appreciate you for all that you are and for all that you've done for me. I pray you're in my life forever. I know what I know and what I know is I love you more than words can say and more than I think you realise, I don't want to be a day without you in my life, because I want the rest of my days with you and once my days come to a end, I shall wait in the after life for you and then we shall be together again but until that time comes, I want every day with you, you are the day to my night, the fire in my lungs, the happiness to my sadness, the light in my darkness. My soulmate, the other end of my red thread, you are my life and everything I could ever dream of" he said and you smiled.

He then stroke a piece of your hair away from your face.

You leapt from crumbling bridges
Watching cityscapes turn to dust

"No one could ever understand how important you are to me, you are everything I always wanted in life, my prayers finally came true. Loving you was learning that I could be loved too, with my flaws and imperfections, with my baggage. Loving you was to learning how I unload this baggage so I could be light again. Loving you was learning which parts of me I need to work on and which parts of me should stay the same. It was recognizing that love makes me invincible. It make me a force to be reckoned with. Loving you was learning how to believe in love. It was learning how to trust again. It was learning that love doesn't always hurt. It doesn't always walk away. It doesn't always destroy us. Loving you was learning that love is a personal choice and I'll always choose love...And if I had to do it all over. I would still choose you. Please don't ever forget how much I love you. It's not always easy for me to find the words to express how much you mean to me. Your love brought me back to life. Your love taught me what true security feels like. You make me feel beautiful and smart and worthy of the greatest love of all time. The best decision I've ever made was to trust you with my heart. You are my everything. I've never wanted anyone else and I never will and I don't think words can describe how much I love you" he said as you stared into each other's eyes.

Got the music in you, baby
Tell me why
Got the music in you, baby
Tell me why
You've been locked in here forever
And you just can't say goodbye

"I am the luckiest guy in the world, because I have you. In bad and good situation. That's the best I could ask for" he said "And I'm the luckiest woman in the world because I have you too" you said.

Kisses on the foreheads of the lovers
Wrapped in your arms

"Most of the time. I wish I could just closed my eyes and go back in time. If I did that, I wish I would have listen to Dad and not travel through time and get stuck in the future" he said as you were looking into each others' eyes. "Yeah, but see it on the good side if you haven't time travel, you wouldn't have know about the apocalypse and you couldn't have warn your family and their life would be over, plus we wouldn't have met" you said "I always think about how I got so lucky. How can a heart like yours, ever love a heart like mine" he said and you smiled.

You've been hiding them in hollowed out pianos
Left in the dark

"You're tough but sensitive. You're brave but fragile. And you've got some beautiful eyes" you said as you stared into his eyes "I love the way you love me, you make me feel like I'm enough just as I am. You make me laugh when I'm feeling down. You have a way of turning my whole mood around. I will choose you even when you make me mad. My love for you won't fade simply because we are angry. I know we fight, we will be frustrated. Still, I will go to battle for you. Still, I will choose you. I will choose you, and keep choosing you every single day" he said and you smiled.

Got the music in you, baby
Tell me why
Got the music in you, baby
Tell me why
You've been locked in here forever
And you just can't say goodbye

You both grabbed each other's hand, lacing your fingers together making the two rings touch each other.

Your lips, my lips
Apocalypse

"Thank you for everything you have done for me. For not giving up on me, for helping me, supporting me, for giving me strength and hope. For loving every parts of me, even those parts I struggle to love myself" he said "And I'm saying thank you for the same thing. For loving me all the way and all the time" you said and he smiled "Always and there is nothing I wouldn't do for you" he said.

Your lips, my lips
Apocalypse

He moved a piece of your hear behind your ear, without another wasted second Five's lips met yours in a hungry kiss. This one was not like the others you shared. It was full of desperation, neediness yet passion and love all the same.

Go and sneak us through the rivers
Flood is rising up on your knees
Oh, please
Come out and haunt me
I know you want me
Come out and haunt me

Reciprocating it as quickly as you could, you moved to push Five back so he was sitting on the bed. He assisted in lifting you up so you could straddle his lap. The pushed against each other desperately trying to get closer. Both of your breathing became heavy and shelled as Five pushed you hops back in forth in a quick desperate rhythm, grinding you against him.

Sharing all your secrets with each other
Since you were kids

You whined at the feeling of him beneath you. "Five" you panted heavily as he began to kiss and suck on your neck.

Sleeping soundly with the locket that she gave you
Clutched in your fist

This was so new to the two of you.

Got the music in you, baby
Tell me why
Got the music in you, baby
Tell me why
You've been locked in here forever
And you just can't say goodbye

He put both of his hands beside your head and you smiled as you pulled him closer so that your bodies were pressed up against each other.

He gripped the right side of your jaw, pushing your back more against the bed.

You've been locked in here forever
And you just can't say goodbye

Putting her hands on the back of your neck, you brought him closer to him. He smiled, grabbing your hips.

Ooh, oh
When you're all alone
I'll reach for you
When you're feelin' low
I'll be there too

As you wrapped your legs around his hips, he grabbed it to keep it up. Keeping one hand on the back of his neck, you brought the other one up to his hair to tug a hit.

Got the music in you, baby
Tell me why
Got the music in you, baby
Tell me why
You've been locked in here forever
And you just can't say goodbye

He moved his head down, making his lips move to your jaw before he moved his head again and began kissing your neck.

You've been locked in here forever
And you just can't say goodbye

You then put both your hands on the side of his neck again.

Ooh, oh
When you're all alone
I'll reach for you
When you're feelin' low
I'll be there too

Pushing you more against the bed, he pulled back for a second to catch his breath before he smashed his lips against yours again.

You put your hand on his arm as your other hand went to his cheek, deepening the kiss.

You wrapped your legs around his waistline while he was kissing your neck.

He took off his blazer, before he smashed his lips against yours and he started to kiss you passionately.

A/N: Vote or comment