CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE: BACK TO WORK

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Luther had a sparrow jacket on as him and Sloane was in the gym running next to each other on a treadmill each.

"This place is incredible!" he said with a smile "We had the old lounge taken out and had this put in" Sloane said as she smiled "You know, I thought the home theater and the Zen garden were impressive, but this is just next-level" he said before they both turned off the treadmills.

"You know, I always wanted the Umbrella Academy to be like this" he said as he walk off the treadmill "You guys actually do stuff together!" he said "You don't?" she asked as they both walked over to a small table where some water, glasses and white rags were.

"Uh...Nah, no really" he said as they both took a glass before they filled it with water.

"So, our brother died when we were kids. Number Six. Our Ben" he said "Oh, I'm so sorry" she said as she was holding her glass while looking at him.

"Yeah, and after that, nobody really gave a shit. Everyone had their own agenda, and it's like pulling teeth to get anybody to actually care" he said as they walked over to the large white table.

"And then, I guess after a while, I stopped caring myself" he said as they sat down on the same side in front of each other and Sloane took a sip of her water.

"You know, about training, the missions..." he said and she nodded as she put down her glass on the table "About...being Number One" he said before he scoffs "You're not what I was expecting" she said with a smile "I'm not?" he asked confused "No" she said with a smile as she shook her head "You're actually really sweet" she said and Luther let out a soft exhale before a smile appeared on his face.

Sloane looked up at the camera to see it moved to the right, filming the other side of the gym, so she leaned forward towards Luther a bit "If I could, I'd get out of here in a heartbeat" she said and he leaned towards her too "Why can't you?" he asked.

"This house, it's all I've ever know my entire life. And I know there are better places out there in the world, and one day, I want to see them all" she said with a smile "Then why don't you just go?" he asked "Why don't you?" she asked "Fair point" he said with a nod.

"You know, I, uh...I spent a little time on the moon" he said with a shy smile, like he was nervous of what she would say.

"What? This is so cool!" she said with a smile and in voice like she actually think it was cool causing Luther's eyes to widened "You think so?" he asked "Yeah! The moon?" she said "My God. No one ever thinks that's cool" he said "Yes!" she said as they both let out a laugh.

"The moon, yeah!" he said with a big smile on his face. Sloane was the first one he have ever met who actually think that it was cool.

Sloane then noticed the camera turning back to film them, so her face quickly changed into a seriously look.

"So, tell me a little bit more about that family of yours before they decide to come and rescue you. Where are you guys staying anyway?" she asked "Oh, just some dumpy hotel downtown. Uh, the Hotel--" he said but stopped himself.

"You're trying to honey trap me" he said "No, no, no" she said, shaking her head "No, of course. Luther, you're so stupid! Oh, wow! You really think the moon is cool" he said "Luther, I wasn't--" "Duh!" he said, cutting her off "I'm such--"

But then they heard a crow caws before flying into the gym and Luther turned around to see Fei behind him "Ben would like a word. Go get cleaned up" she said.

Luther let out a sigh before he got up "Luther, I wasn't trying--" "Sloane" Fei said, cutting her off and she looked at her as Luther walked past Fei.

Sloane let out a sigh before she got up and walked over to the huge windows.

---

While Zach was holding Luna as he was standing over by the cows so she could pet them, Natasha and Five was sitting by the blanket, feeding each other with strawberries.

"This is nice" Natasha said "Yeah, no worried about the Commission or end of the world. It's finally to get some peace and quiet with you and the kids" Five said "Retirement, here we come" she said before the two looked at each other.

Five kept his eyes on Natasha with his heat beating fast and she could feel him melting by just looking at her.

This guy who acted all tough and a jerk to others, yet when he is around Natasha, he acted more like a lost child or a lost puppy who wants all her love.

Natasha didn't see a stubborn heartless cold irresponsible person, she saw a broken but handsome, kind and soft guy that need to feel loved and that he is enough.

She think that it was funny, that Five could be an asshole to others, but to her and the kids, he was sweet and kind, he was the guy that stole her heart, just like she stole his.

"You know that you are my strength, my motivation, my future and my other half" you said "I think ofte of you whenever tomorrows comes, you're my hope, my light, my happiness, my future, my home, my other and better half, my one and only, my world, my tomorrow and my everything. I love to love you because loving you is the most beautiful feeling in the world, you make my heart smile in ways I never thought possible, loving you feels effortless and natural, I love you because life with you is a beautiful journey I never want to end" he said before he stroke a piece of her hair away from her face and behind her ear.

Natasha was happy. They have stopped the apocalypse, and even so there has being a few changing, another end of world was not going to happen and she could now finally live a life with Five, that life she always wanted.

Five was more than happy, the apocalypse was over, he couldn't sense any danger coming their way. Which mean that he could retire, and live a wonderful, long, peaceful, and beautiful life with the love of his life, with his girlfriend Natasha Romanoff.

Both Natasha and Five have gotten everything they always wanted but never thought they could have.

They had found love and someone who love all of them even the parts they struggle to love themself. And now they have created a family together. They have their own blood, they couldn't be more happy.

The two was ready to live a peaceful, beautiful, happy and long life with each other and their kids.

The two looked out on the field to see Zach with Luna on his shoulder who was giggling.

"It's nice to see him act like a teen. He have being acting like an adult since his training started" Natasha said "Yeah, it's nice to see him act more like a normal teen and I'm glad that he have chosen to try to live a normal life. Beside he is great with Luna. A perfect big brother" Five said and Natasha nodded.

"Well I assumed that the five of us will continue the road trip we plan when Klaus had met this mother" Five said "Well, that is the plan" Natasha said "Then I will get the map so we can plan where to go next" Five said before he got up and walked over to the car to get the map.

But then suddenly the sound of energy pulsing and distressed mooing was heard and the family felt a shockwave of energy surging all around the area and it was like an energy wave hit the car making it shake a bit causing Five to jolted a bit to the side.

"What is...?" Five asked as he turned around to see Natasha get up "What the hell just happen?" she asked.

"Mom, dad" Zach said as he approached the couple "Are you okay?" Natasha asked and Zach nodded "All the cows suddenly disappeared" Zach said.

Luna started whining as Zach gave her to Natasha before the three looked out of the field.

"Oh, can't I get one fucking day off?" Five said "Nope, you can't" Natasha said "Well, time to figure out about this" Five said.

---

While Luna was sitting on the blanket, playing with her stuff penguin, Five, Natasha and Zach had writing down equations all over the car's windows, except for the driver's window as they were trying to figure out what the hell was wrong.

Every 30 seconds, the three would glanced at Luna, making sure she were alright and she wouldn't disappear like the cows did.

Even so Five didn't really understand it, he tried his best and he would do whatever it take to protect his girlfriend and their kids. He was not going to lose the three of them. He was not gonna lose that little family he have made.

"Do you two understand this?" Zach asked "Nope. I can't see what is wrong" Natasha said as she was looking at the equations.

Then suddenly they heard Klaus shouting "FIVE! NAT! ZACH!" he shouted and Natasha and Zach turned around to looked towards the voice to see Klaus come running up a small hill out on the field.

"Start the car, would ya?" Klaus asked he was being chase by a herd of Amish people while they were clamoring "This look oddly familiar" Zach said.

While running Klaus turned his head to look behind him to see the Amish chasing him "Oh my...Shit, shit, shit! Natasha, Zach! Five" Klaus shouted as he kept running "It seems like we have our very own Captain Jack Sparrow" Zach said.

"Start the car!" Klaus shouted as he was waving with his arms "Hon, start the car, our Captain Jack Sparrow has pissed off Amish people" Natasha said "What?" Five asked as he looked at his son and girlfriend who pointed behind him causing him to turn around to see Klaus being chase.

Natasha grabbed Luna while Zach grabbed the blanket and the other stuff.

"Five, start the car. Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry!" Klaus shouted as Natasha quickly put Luna in her child chair and put her seatbelt on while Zach ran over to the other side of the car to take the wheel.

"Why can't you jut get alone with people" Five said as he ran over to the other side of the car to get into the backseat "I tried. Really, I did. I tried" Klaus said while Zach opened the driver's door.

Klaus was about to open the door when he saw a woman came running towards him from another side with a book in his hand.

"Hold on a second" Klaus said as he looked at the woman which was his mother's sister.

"Take this" she said and handed him a book "What is it?" he asked "Rachel's death was unusual, and she wasn't the only one" she said.

"Come on! Get in the car, Klaus!" Five shouted as they saw the men got closer to them "KLAUS, LET'S GO!" Natasha shouted.

"You have her eyes" the woman said as she looked at Klaus' eyes "Klaus, come on" Zach shouted as he got into the driver seat before closing the door and the sound of a car engine starting was heard.

"English, go!" she said "Klaus, it's now or never!" Five shouted and Klaus turned around before he got into the car and they drove away.

"Did you do something to them?" Natasha asked "I didn't do anything" Klaus said "It seems like you did?" she said.

Luna then started whining "It's okay, it's okay. Buttercup" Five said as he was sitting next to her, comforting her.

Klaus opened the book the woman had giving him and he started scanning over each page before stopping on a page that had a newspaper article of a woman's death.

He kept flipping over onto the next page until he saw his mother and he read her article about her death.

"This whole timeline's chock-full of riddles. Get this. My mom died here before I was even born" Klaus said and Zach hit the breaks hard causing them to make a screeching sound and the four to jolted forward as the car stopped.

The three then looked at him "What did you just say?" they asked "Yeah" Klaus said before showing the book to Zach.

"Let me see this" Zach as he took the book from him before he flipped through the pages "This is just your mother Klaus, it's other women too" Zach said "Let me see that" Five said and Zach gave his dad the book.

"This isn't just your mother, is mine too and the others'" he said as he skimmed the articles "And they all died before we were even born" Five said.

"So, mothers died before we were born, different timeline, missing animals. Shockwaves, disappearing of animals" Zach said, thinking for a bit "Oh my god. Grandfather paradox" Natasha said "We created the Grandfather paradox" Five and Zach said "Great" Natasha said sarcastically before she leaned back.

---

Ben, Sloane, Fei, Chris, Alphonso and Jayme were all in the living room.

"You were basically screaming for help" Jayme teased Alphonso.

Her and Alphonso had walked into Diego and his son at a store.

"I wasn't screaming. I was kicking his ass" Alphonso said.

Sloane was sitting on the couch, looking down sad and she looked up as she saw Luther entering the room.

"You couldn't breathe, but..." Jayme said.

"Doesn't look like your family is coming anytime soon" Fei said "Oh, no, I'm sure they're just, you know, working out the final details and...such" Luther said and Ben got up from his seat.

Luther got nervous as Ben walked closer to him "Relax. You're free to go" Ben said to him with smile and Luther looked confused at him "Why?" he asked "Gesture of goodwill. But I want you to pass along very important message to your family" Ben said "Yeah, of course" Luther said with a nod and Ben took a step closer to him which got Luther to widened his eyes in fear.

"Let Marcus go. And if any of you hurt one hair on him, we'll come for you. All of you. And I promise we won't be so hospitable next time" Ben said "Super don't like being threatened, Ben" Luther said.

Fei stood up from her seat before she walked over to stand next to Ben "You'll do as we say or else..." she said before a flock of cows flew out of her back with a screech "Birds. In my brain. Got it" Luther said.

"Don't forget your tote bag" Ben said before he snapped his fingers to signal Alphonso to get Luther the bag.

Everyone except for Sloane got up and walked to Luther as Alphonso gave him the bag "Hope you enjoyed your stay" Ben said and Luther turned around.

Sloane watch Luther leaves with a sad look on her face.

---

Jazz piano was playing in the background as Diego, Allison and Viktor was sitting on the couch at the hotel.

"I mean, who does that? Who does it?" Diego asked "What are you mumbling about?" Allison asked "Lila. Dumping Stan on me after all these years? I mean, that's not right" Diego said and Viktor chuckled "Hey, man. If you did the deed, don't blame her for the consequences" he said "That's not the point" Diego said "Oh, what's the point?" Viktor asked "He's cramping my style. I need to be able to react to danger on a moment's notice. How am I to do that when I'm playing wet nurse to a 12-year-old?" Diego asked "You're his dad!" Viktor said as he leaned forward while looking at him "Alleged dad" Diego said "Well, at least you have a kid" Allison said before getting up "Can I get another one?" she asked as she walked over to the bar.

"I can't believe that I don't get one fucking day off" Five said as he was holding the book with one hand while holding Natasha's hand with the other as assassin family entered hotel with Klaus following behind them.

Natasha was holding Luna with her right hand while holding Five's hand with the other.

Natasha squeezed Five's hand and he squeezed it back. He knew exactly how she felt because he was feeling it was well. The feeling of their every wish, hope and light they both thought they wanted in world, suck out of them.

"Okay, gather round, people" Five announced as he approached the bar "Where is--Where's every--Where's Luther?" he asked as he looked around "Haven't seen him" Allison said in a voice like she was not interesting "Who knows?" Diego said "Anybody know where--Okay you know what? We got bigger problems to worry about right now" Zach said as he opened the book and put it on the counter by the bar as the others gather around, "Like what?" Allison asked in a tone like she was not interested at all.

"This" Five said as he pointed on a page in the book which caught Allison's attention and the siblings surrounded the counter as they all saw a bunch of newspaper article with picture of adult women and the article was about their sudden death.

"Who are they?" Viktor asked "These are our mothers" Five said "Except mine" Natasha said before Five turned the page and Klaus pointed to a picture of his mother "That one's mine" he said as he pointed on an Amish woman.

"They're all dead" Natasha said "They all died on the exact same day, October 1st, 1989" Zach said "That's our birthday" Viktor said "Not anymore, it isn't. They all died before we were born" Five said "That's dumb. If we weren't born, how can we exist? How can Zach and Luna still be here?" Diego asked and looked at Five and Zach who crossed their arms "Exactly" the assassin family said.

Natasha saw that next to the article about Klaus' mom was there a picture of a woman name Efa that was from Dublin Ireland who was a butcher. She quickly realized that the woman was Five's mother. She could see on how the woman looked and how she was described. You also knew it was Five's mother since she held his same eye shape and hair color.

"Apples don't fall from the tree" she whispered with a smile "Like mother, like son" she said before she looked at Zach and Five, smiling over how much Zach look like his dad.

Natasha was wondering about who would Luna be like. Would she be a daddy's girl or a mommy's girl, who would she most look like. Who personality would she have.

"What are you saying?" Viktor asked "I'm saying, when we jumped here, we created a time paradox. All right? Not just any paradox" Five started "This is the grandfather paradox" Natasha finished "What the hell is the grandfather paradox?" Klaus asked and you and Five let out a sigh "Nothing good. It's probably one of the most deadly and complex paradoxes there is" Zach said and the siblings except Five looked at him confused "Let's go to a place more private before we tell you guys more" Natasha said.

---

Distant police siren wailing as Luther walked out of the Academy.

"Psst" a voice said causing Luther to stop "Luther! Hey!" someone whispered and Luther looked to the right to see Sloane up in her room by the window at the end of the alleyway.

Think about it, there must be a higher love

Then a white ball appeared on Sloane's palm and with her powers she lifted Luther up in the air.

Down in the heart or hidden in the stars above

"Whoa! What the..." Luther said as he floated closer to Sloane.

Without it, life is wasted time
Look inside your heart, and I'll look inside mine

Luther had a confused look on his face as Sloane floated him closer to her.

Things look so bad everywhere
In this whole world, what is fair?
We walk the line and try to see
Falling behind in what could be, oh

Sloane put Luther right by her window and he looked at her as she smiled.

Bring me a higher love

"Hey" Luther said as he began crawling through the window.

Bring me a higher love, oh

"Shit" Luther said as he had trouble getting through the window "Oh..." Sloane said "Okay, now what?" Luther asked "Here. Yes" Sloane said as she helps him in causing the window to make a creaking noise.

Bring me a higher love

"Just need to..." Luther said with a grunt "Just..." Sloane said as Luther finally got through "Yeah. Okay" she said.

Where's that higher love I keep thinking of?

"Uh, I'm gonna take this from you" Sloane said as she took the bag from Luther before putting it on the floor and closed the curtains.

Sloane then turned around to look at Luther "We have to be quiet" she said and Luther let out a sigh "What the hell do you want from me?" he asked.

Worlds are turning, and we're just hanging on

"I wanted to apologize for earlier" she said "Is this another one of your games?" he asked "No, you don't understand" she said.

Facing our fear, and standing out there alone

"We were being watched" she said "What? By who?" he asked "My family. They're crazy" she said.

A yearning, yeah, and it's real to me
There must be someone who's feeling for me

"But I want to let you know, I meant every world I said" she said "Even about the moon?" he asked "Especially about the moon" she said causing Luther to smile.

Things look so bad everywhere
In this whole world, what is fair

"Well, um...Is anyone watching us now?" he asked and she shook her head "No. But I mean, we should be--" but she was cut off when Luther press his lips against hers.

We walk the line and try to see
Falling behind in what could be, oh

Luther and Sloane pulled away before she smiled and kissed him again.

Bring me higher love

With her powers, Sloane and Luther floated a little bit up in the air.

Bring me higher love

While floating up in the air Luther put his hands on her wrist while she wrapped her arms around his neck as their lips were connected.

Bring me a higher love
Where's that higher love I keep thinking of?

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