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❛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀʀᴛʏ ᴍᴄғʟʏ ᴇғғᴇᴄᴛ​​​​​​​​​​. ❜ ° . ༄
- ͙۪۪˚   ▎❛ 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐓𝐖𝐎 ❜   ▎˚ ͙۪۪̥◌
»»————- ꒰ ɪғ ɪ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ
ᴛᴜʀɴ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ꒱　


❝ IF YOU SAY SO, DEAR ❞

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Five heard the gunshot but didn't see the darkness. 

No! He knew it hadn't been for him. That the faint whisper had been her last, futile act of protection. He'd been shot before this, of course, and that had been distinctly uncomfortable. He'd been hurt and that had been annoying at best. Even now, with bullets buried somewhere in his torso and fire racing through him with every shift of his muscles, it wasn't the worst pain he'd ever felt.

No, that was when the echo of the shot died away and the blonde next to him gave a last little sigh, the hand stretching towards his falling limp against the hay.

"Yeah, well, you're going to say this is stupid but there was no doubt in my mind back then that I would have felt if you no longer existed. I still think that's true, actually."

"I don't think that's stupid, Lexa." He paused. "I think that would happen for me, too."

He had never wanted to be so wrong.

The pain he'd felt before was nothing compared to this, to the aching loneliness that was almost a replica of what he'd felt when he'd seen her body in the apocalypse all those years ago except far, far worse. There was no going back to 2019 to save her this time.

There were no second chances, no redos, this was it. And he'd never told her he loved her. 

The boy squeezed his eyes shut in an effort to prevent the tears from escaping (he was unsuccessful.) His hands clenched into fits as he tried to fight off the pain that sent sharp shards through his chest that wasn't the work of the bullets. They'd been so, so close and now he was too late.

Alexa was right. It wasn't fair.

This doesn't have to be the end. We use my ability to time travel except this time, I bring you all with me. Five's own voice echoed in his ears, almost taunting.

You're the genius who said we should jump, right? You're the one who got us stuck here! Luther's voice, loud and angry, followed close behind.

His vision of the white-haired man before him blurred. Maybe it didn't matter.

Maybe your appetite is disproportionate to your abilities. His father was next. Start small. Blue filled his sight as he remembered every time-portal he'd ever created, too large and vast for what he could do. Seconds. Not decades. He didn't need to jump back ten days and start over.

Blue glowed around his clenched fists as he brought them together to rest against his chest, the light growing brighter and brighter. The Swede backed up, as if in reverse.

The Handler rose from her spot on the ground and her gun lowered. Lila followed the same path as his own body lifted, the strength of his power pulling him up. He allowed the tiniest spark of hope to light.

Please.

He stood slowly as he pushed against the fabric of time and watched as it reversed around him. The blue glow surrounded him completely now as his siblings rose off the floor. There was no time to focus on just one of them.

Please, please.

He gave a final push, jumping out to the current-time barn. It worked.

He didn't have to look to know.

☂☂☂

Diego stepped closer, unafraid of the knife pressed against his chest. "Don't I? I know that we can be your family if you just let us."

Alexa's gaze shot towards the front of the barn where Five had suddenly leapt forward to grab The Handler's gun as the woman appeared out of nowhere. How had he known? Hadn't he just been right next to her?

The woman put her hands up as Five trained the weapon on her.

"It's true, isn't it? What Five said?" Lila asked shakily. Her voice rose when there was no reply. "Answer me! Is it true?"

"Well—" the white-haired woman started, but she never finished as a round of bullets cut off her sentence.

The blonde girl tensed and her fingers buzzed as she tried to access her power. The wall. Five. Diego. The bricks. The urge to protect was there but she wasn't sure if she could manage it if she had too. Too weak! her father's voice sounded once before he was pushed away.

"The case!" Luther suddenly shouted as they recovered from the shock. The dark-haired woman leapt toward it.

"No!" Diego cried as he tried to stop his brother. Lila vanished in a burst of blue leaving the Swede to be the only person by the barn opening.

Five stepped forward, readying the gun. The white-haired man copied him. Alexa's breath caught in her throat. No, not him. Never him. Please.

The boy tossed the weapon to the ground letting it land with a loud clatter. "Enough."

Alexa shivered slightly as the Swede's gaze landed on each of her family members. She'd be too late for every single one if he fired.

"Enough," he agreed in Swedish. While she'd understood him, the man throwing his own gun down was enough of a message for those who didn't. He backed slowly out of the barn and turned away.

"I almost had her," Luther said to his brother. "Why did you stop me?"

"Because I love her," he admitted.

Luther stood and allowed the dark-haired man to get up. As he did, Alexa watched as he picked up a circle of beads that had fallen to the ground.

"Who the hell was that guy?" Klaus asked.

Sissy's cries from below the barn's main floor drew their attention. Alexa made to follow her siblings but slim, cool fingers clasped around her wrist. She turned and gave the dark-haired boy a confused look.

"Harlan—"

"Vanya can take care of him," he insisted.

"But—"

Her breath escaped in a woosh as he suddenly yanked her closer. Not in a painful way, just with urgency. She stumbled against him and placed her hands on the soft wool of his blazer to keep herself from falling over completely. Underneath her palm, she could feel his heart beating double time, adding to her uncertainty. "Five—"

The glassy look in his eyes was back as he looked down at her and she was startled to see fear flickering in them. In all of the time she'd known him, he'd never been afraid. Her breath stuttered slightly. "Five, what—"

He didn't seem to be capable of speech and instead, his hands came up and cupped her face like they always had as they gently tilted her head just so. Her pulse picked up as her breathing shortened. Then it was just the two of them in the dark space of the library, hidden from the world.

He leaned down then, slowly, as if he expected her to pull away. She did the exact opposite and pushed up on her toes slightly, the boy's height still surprising her. The feel of his jacket was rough against her hands as she grasped the front to steady herself and his fingers were cool against her warm face. The flutter of anticipation that was slowly building in her stomach was achingly familiar as if she'd once felt it in a dream.

There were a million questions bouncing around in her head at her confusion of his actions, most notably why now? but they were all quickly forgotten when Five's lips met hers. She almost froze but her brain quickly caught up with what she was supposed to do and then her lips moved easily against his as she remembered what he liked from long ago.

There was a brief flash of blue as they improvised the familiar space with Five pressing Alexa against the wood of the barn and she shuddered slightly at the familiarity— he'd always been the one against the side of the bookshelf.

One of his hands slid forward to cradle the back of her head as he gently bit her lip to deepen the kiss. It was only when her hands reached up to slide through the silky strands of his hair and tug on them gently did they pull away— but not very much as he leaned his forehead against hers, their fast, shallow breaths mingling together.

"I see you're still into hair pulling," he said, his voice breathless.

"I see you still like it," she shot back similarly. "That was a long time coming."

"Mm," was his last coherent word as he pressed his lips against hers again.

For once, 'dumb blonde' was an accurate description of her mindset right then as there was only one thought circling in her head: more. His kiss was careful, gentle, as if he was aware that their family could walk in on them any moment but she didn't care. She'd waited nearly twenty damn years for this.

His hands slid from her face to grip her waist and she melted against him, the fading memory of the feel of their lips pressed together suddenly resurging in full technicolor. She gave an insistent tug on Five's dark strands and he shifted, the carefulness slowly slipping away—

"Oh, gross!" Diego's exclamation broke their trance. "I mean, seeing is believing but I don't want to see that!"

Five pulled away to turn and glare at his brother, tensing. A gentle tug on his jacket caused him to turn back. Alexa grinned at him. "They're just going to have to get used to it, aren't they?"

The boy leaned down and pressed his lips to hers quickly before he pulled away. "If you say so, dear."

Warmth pooled in her stomach at the lack of sarcasm in the use of the endearment. "I do."

☂☂☂

With her hand tucked into the boy's arm, Five, Alexa and Diego made their way towards the two Commission workers.

"Herb. Dot."

"Hey." 

"Hi."

"Sup, Herbie?" Diego asked casually before he did some sort of fancy handshake with the man.

"Hey! My man."

"All good?"

"Good to see you guys."

The two workers gave the boy and girl a curious glance. "New development," Five explained easily. Alexa rolled her eyes.

"I can't believe it," the man— Herb— said. "Is she—?"

"Really dead this time?" Five supplied.

"Oh yeah."

"Now that The Handler's gone, what happens at The Commission?"

Herb stuttered slightly and the woman whispered, "just tell them."

"Eh— well, we need to elect a new board of Directors. But, until then, I-I've been voted in as acting chairperson!"

"No shit," Diego exclaimed. "Congrats, Herbie. That's huge!"

"I'm so goddamn nervous," he admitted.

"You'll do fine," Five reassured him.

"Yeah, as long as you don't have any apocalyptic tendencies you'll already be doing better in my opinion," Alexa added, earning her an amused look from the boy next to her.

"Oh, thank you," Herb said.

"Herb, we need a favor."

"Oh, sure, anything."

"A briefcase, to get back home where we belong."

He turned and gestured to the fallen Commission workers. "Take your pick." 

☂☂☂

Despite the chilly air, Alexa had managed to persuade Five to take a walk with her around the farm as both of them studiously ignored the dead bodies that littered the space. Her hand was tucked into the crook of his arm again and his fingers on his other hand covered hers in a way that sent shivers down her spine that had nothing to do with the cold air.

"Do you wanna know something stupid?" she asked after she'd gathered her thoughts.

The boy squeezed her fingers gently. "I'm sure it's not stupid, Lexa."

"You know when you first disappeared I thought I'd never get over it?" she asked quietly. "I always used to be afraid that when you'd come back, the house would be dark and you'd leave again and I'd miss you by seconds. So after everyone went to bed, I snuck downstairs and left the lights on and made a snack in case you were hungry." Her cheeks turned pink as she admitted to her habits. "It helped, kinda, to think that you would come back soon. I always knew you would but I just didn't know when. Days was easier to think about than years." She sighed. "And then after Ben's death— to help cope with the loss, I suppose— I imagined you were with me so you never really left." She gave a little self-mocking laugh. "Everyone thought I was crazy. I probably was."

Five's feet stilled as he listened, the guilt resurging. He'd never known what, exactly, she'd gone through in his absence. She had always been the one to feel things more fully than he had. Alexa turned as the boy stopped and watched as he failed to meet her eyes. She gave a gentle tug on his arm. "Hey," she said softly. "I'm not saying this to make you feel guilty. I just-I just wanted you to know that I missed you." She paused and felt fear flicker inside of her. "I don't know what I'd do if you disappeared again. I just got you back."

He shook her hand loose from his arm to grasp both of hers in his and finally met her eyes. "I'm not going anywhere," he promised. "Not without you. I won't disappear again." She bit her lip, wanting to believe his words but wasn't quite able to. 

Shifting his grip to hold both of her hands in one of his, he gave her a soft smile. "Maybe this will help." He reached out and gently placed one of his fingers on her nose. "Boop."

Alexa's heart stopped suddenly in her chest and her mouth dropped open. How—?

The boy gave her a slight smirk. "You're not as smooth as you think you are, Lexa. Also, I'm a genius."

She could only breathe out one word: "really?"

Luckily, he knew what she was asking. "I don't think I've meant anything more in my entire life."

The actual words hadn't been said but she didn't care. This was enough for her. There was some unreadable emotion in Five's eyes as he sighed. "God knows I don't deserve you," he murmured. "You've waited years and all I've done is fail you."

The blonde's breath caught. "Wh-what do you mean?"

He shook his head. "I left, for one. I couldn't save you in the first apocalypse. I got the equations wrong when I came back." The boy shuffled around in his pocket for a minute before he pulled out a slip of paper and handed it to her. "I couldn't save you in the second one—"

Alexa glanced down at the crumpled note and unfurled it. I'll be back. Wait— She pulled out her slip of paper and placed both on her palm. Flipping over the one Five had given her, she read the address scrawled in very familiar handwriting on the back. Her gaze jerked up to his. "I—"

He gave a slight nod. "That's how I found you the first time."

He felt the ghost of lips pressed on his, the paper being pushed into his palm and that Alexa whispering I trust you.

"You didn't fail me, though," she said firmly, breaking into his thoughts. "Those Alexas are from other timelines. You haven't failed this one yet. Besides, if you'd stayed in the second apocalypse, you would've done just that," she reasoned. "That's why you needed to leave. At least by going into the past you had a chance to fix everything."

She watched as Five's mouth dropped open slightly and he gave her an almost admiring glance. "That's exactly what you said."

Alexa grinned. "Well, at least I'm consistent." Then she sobered slightly and reversed their familiar positions by reaching up to cup his face. Five bent to make it less of an awkward reach. Her own softened as her heart broke for him. He'd been through far more than any one person should.

Something inside of her squeezed painfully at the action. "Darling," she said, the endearment slipping out before she could stop it, "you're the bravest, strongest man I've ever had the chance of meeting," she told him firmly and watched his eyes widen slightly. "I have never regretted falling in love with you, do you understand? I don't think there's anything you could do to change my mind about that even if you tried."

There was no response— not that she'd been expecting one as he had never been good with feelings— except for his arms to slide around her waist and pull her closer until she was pressed up against him. Her fingers slid into his hair as the boy bent the rest of the way to kiss her hungrily as he tried to express everything he couldn't say. 

☂☂☂

Later that night as the sky turned inky black, the seven Hargreeves left Sissy's house. Alexa wished that they'd had more time to spend with the woman; she seemed to truly care about Vanya and was, in her opinion and as Klaus had said, a huge step up from that jerk Leonard/Harold.

The family formed a circle outside on the grass similar to the one they'd created before being dropped off in the '60s. Alexa stood next to Five and gave him a worried look, "we're not going to get separated again, right?"

He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Briefcases are a much more reliable form of time travel than my portals," he admitted. "We won't get lost."

"Are we even sure that it's our same 2019 though?"

"Of course it is," Five said easily. "Everyone ready?"

"Let's do it, yeah," Luther agreed.

"Wait!" Klaus said suddenly.

Alexa rolled her eyes as he ran and grabbed the hat sitting on the porch. Next to her, Diego leaned over and whispered, "fifty bucks if we leave him here" as Klaus returned to the circle, now wearing the hat. 

She gave a little smirk back. "Only fifty?" Diego grinned at her. 

Then, there was a flash of blue before the yard became empty as if the Hargreeves siblings had never existed before their time.