More than thirty years have passed and Five and Amber's marriage was still going strong. The many years together in marital bliss only made them much more eager to escape with time left in their lives. Both of them were getting up in ages at fifty-seven but they were still as smitten with one another as they day they shared their love. Although they weren't teenagers anymore that didn't stop them from loving each other any less as the days went on. Five was already grey with a longish beard, slight gut, and had a bald spot but Amber still found him to be a hot stud even in older age. Amber's hair was starting to go grey and slight wrinkles were forming over her body, but Five still saw her as a knock out that still got his juices flowing.
They settled in an old ruined library in Seattle as their home of sorts since traveling wasn't as easy for them as it once was. If needed, either Five would go off to get supplies with his spatial jumps or Amber would use her temporal flames or flame conjurations to get supplies. Dolores still hung around but the couple didn't mind since she was a dear friend.
They never had any children but they both knew this wouldn't be a life they wanted their children to be in anyway. Though it did sadden Amber at one point in her early marriage that she would have no children or grandchildren since a family was what she truly wanted. The only time she thought she would have been a mother ended in tragedy with a terrible miscarriage that nearly took her life. The pain and blood were extensive and it was one Amber wished to never go through again. Losing her child made her and Five closer since it was another hard moment they went through together. Five, despite knowing the baby wouldn't have had a good life, still mourned the loss of their child as well as Amber. They realized with Amber's body being warmer due to her powers, any fetus wouldn't be able to make it full term in her body. Despite the loss and mourning they couldn't have children or descendants, they still had each other for love which got them through most days.
Five and Amber were cuddling in their makeshift bed while enjoying some nice wine together. The day was slow and they had enough food to last them a week. Dolores looked to them and Five couldn't help but groan. She always complained when they drank alcohol since they often indulged in the luxury.
"We aren't drunk Dolores, we just like a good drink in the afternoon." Five defended.
Amber cackled as she sipped her cheap white wine, they found it in a storeroom a couple of days ago. She kissed Five's cheek which only caused him to grin. She heard Dolores make another snide comment about how drinking is a terrible vice for their minds.
"We all have our vices Dolores. We have our wine and sex; you have your filthy little porno magazines you wrench. Don't think we don't know you read them before we burn them. You're not innocent!" Amber cackled.
Dolores didn't speak and Five grinned.
"That shut her up good dear. She won't bug us for a while."
"Hey it might take a bitch to quiet one up." Amber answered as she cuddled closer to him.
Five grinned and kissed her lips softly.
"You're not that much of a bitch dear, that is bull shit if I ever heard it." Five smirked.
Amber laughed and shook her head.
"You humor me too much darling. We both know we are pretty crude when we can be but we have each other."
Both she and Five looked at their matching rings on their hands and couldn't help but sigh. They felt they were close to escaping but something about the equation still seemed off. Amber hoped their golden years wouldn't be spent in this shit hole of a world but it was looking more like it by the day.
"I won't lie and say I thought maybe we would have found a way out by now." Amber told him.
"Yeah well I feel we are so close to getting the equation right. We will stop the apocalypse and save everyone. Once we do, we will retire somewhere comfortable since you deserve it for all you've done for me."
"For us darling since there is no me in this, not ever." Amber addressed.
Five nodded and he felt as if someone was watching them. Amber felt his tension too and rose up from the bed as well. Five got his gun and Amber got her fire ready and they noticed a woman in black with blonde hair waving at them. She was very posh but Amber saw through the woman's smile, causing her flames to flare up even more.
"Stay back or I'll burn you alive!" Amber hissed as fire flowed from her hands and fired a warning shot beside her.
"Hostile, aren't we? You really know how to pick a wife Five don't we? It makes sense you'd pick her for her fire, smart."
"Just who the hell are you!" Five yelled as he aimed the gun at her.
The woman smiled and simply stated,
"I'm here to help."
"Yeah right to hell you are? What makes you think we believe you huh?" Amber asked.
"Yes, give me a reason why I shouldn't put a bullet through your head or have my wife burn you to a crisp!" Five exclaimed.
She simply smiled at them as she walked with her red heels into their ruins of a home.
"Viens plus près et je te brûlerai là où tu es!" Amber yelled.
The woman chuckled as she was just told if she stepped any closer to them, Amber would burn her alive. The Handler knew all about Amber and Five since she and her organization have been watching them for a long time. Both their tales were connected by time in their own use of their powers, which made for a somewhat sweet romance to her. She saw great promise in these two for her job as a great kill and disposal team.
"Because if you did, you wouldn't hear the offer I am about to give you both. Given your circumstances it would be tragic if you didn't listen." She calmly told them.
Amber and Five looked to each other with a curious look. Amber nodded to Five but he still kept the gun aimed at her. She glanced at the two of them smiling since she almost found it sweet that they made it long together.
"Well go on, talk." Amber commanded, her fire growing more heated in her hands.
The women checked her makeup before returning her focus to the two of them.
"I work for an organization called the Commission. We are tasked to preserve the space time continuum. We do this by manipulation and removal." She spoke.
Amber's eyes widened as she threw another warning fireball at her.
"You're not removing us or separating us!" Amber yelled.
Five looked confused and asked,
"What do you mean?"
"Gosh darn it Five! She wants to eliminate us and finish the job of there not being humans left. She's an alien! Why else after all this time someone would be looking for us. We've shown that we don't give up and that's why she needs to kill us or at least one of us!" Amber hissed defensively.
"Someone has been reading too many space operas. But no, you got it all wrong. I'm human and sometimes people make choices that can make a mess of things. So, we send in agents to remove the threats." She answered.
This did not make things any better as Five tightened his grip on the gun.
"You both don't understand. You aren't targets; you're being recruited. We've watched you both for a while now and you look to have potential. Your survival skills have made you famous at the office. Also, both of you possess some time jumping we can make use of and let's not get me started with Amber's firepower. You'd be perfect in disposals and making sure things burn up if you catch my drift."
Amber's face still looked worried but looked at her husband. He looked a bit stunned and asked,
"We would both…be able to leave here? The two of us?"
Amber went to his side and stared down the woman. Something seemed off and this offer seemed too good to be true.
She smoked from her pipe and nodded.
"In return for five years of service. Once your contracts are up, you can retire to any time and place you desire with a pension plan to boot."
Amber didn't show it, but she seemed excited about that prospect. She could soon be eating toast and spicy pasta in no time she thought. Although her mind did think of something since why was their world in ruins if there were people preserving the timeline. Five thought this too.
"If you're supposed to protect the timeline, why didn't you prevent this from happening." He asked.
"That was impossible. This whole thing was supposed to happen."
"Bullshit! How is the end of any life supposed to be?!" Amber yelled.
Five was calmer but questioned,
"That is insane. How can the end of everything be what is supposed to happen?"
"Not everything, just an end of something. Think also that if the world didn't end the way it did, you two might not have met, fallen in love, and be married of sorts. It all falls into place. So, do we have an agreement." The woman asked as she rose her hands up.
Amber and Five looked to each other and were unsure about the whole thing.
"I know you've been through a lot of struggles in your life. We need to see if you and your love could endure this whole thing. We are also sorry for the loss of your little one and that they never got to be, especially you Amber since that must have killed you deeply." she told them,
Amber glared at the woman and shot another warning shot at her. How dare she Amber thought as Five went to her side to calm her down. His face had a pained look on it too, which showed he still missed their unborn child.
"Don't you dare mention my little one." Amber somberly told her.
The Handler just nodded since even for her that was a bit ice cold. She looked over the two of them and asked again,
"If you two work the Commission for five years, you will both be able to retire to another time of your choice. You'll also be a pair since I wouldn't dare cause any distractions. Sure, you both being together might be a distraction on the mind itself, but I think it would only motivate you to do your jobs and not have your thoughts wander on what your lover is doing. Five I can see you eliminating certain people and Amber being a cremator and occasional evidence remover. Now I will ask again, do we have a deal."
Amber, despite not liking Cruella le Bitch, felt hopeful about leaving these ruins forever. Just five years of work to spend her years in peace in a time of their choice...sounded too good but at that moment she would maybe take it only if Five wanted to as well. It was clear they were a combined package deal for this woman's work and that she wasn't going to be happy with taking one. Amber clung to Five's eyes and tried to read his expression. He looked to be thinking that maybe give them the Five years and we might be able to stop the end anyway. Or maybe he had other plans in mind. No matter what his plans were, Amber would be at his side.
"I will go anywhere with you Five, no matter what time has in store for us. I made that promise and I am sticking with it. Whatever you decide I will support…even if it means going with Cruella le Bitch here. My vows and love for you burn brighter than the suspicions I have for this woman." Amber whispered.
The Handler chuckled since despite Amber's old age and maturity, she was acting like a lovesick teenager. Though the Handler liked that since it meant if Five decided to work for her, she would have Amber under her thumb too.
"I heard that Amber and I must say, you really are loyal to Five huh?"
Amber felt a tear fall on her cheek but she nodded.
"A scared girl of 15 I was. Before I realized I wasn't alone, I thought I doomed myself just to run away from an abusive and murderous circus. Five was there to welcome and calm me. I wouldn't be who I am without him. I would do anything out of love for him, even though my heart burns for contempt for you." Amber told her.
Five kissed her lips and he nodded.
"We have to go with her, it's our only chance. Plus, with their resources we can figure things out." Five told his wife, stroking her cheek.
Amber sighed but nodded.
The woman smiled since she had gotten what she came for.
"Welcome to the Commission."