Important note regarding this chapter!
This is the first chapter in which the ending will diverge, or 'split'.
This chapter and the following ones you read will be the real, canon ending (the same as the show and also the ending I will follow if I write a season 3 for this story).
The 'happy ending', which is just like a side-story for those of you who were sad for Ben's end and wanted something fluffy to read in addition will be added at a later date as bonus chapters, whenever I can find the time :) (Just keep in mind this 'happy end' is not the one season 3 will be following!)
"Now what?" Luther was the first to ask once it dawned on them that the briefcase had truly disappeared.
"Now nothing, Luther! All right? Make your peace with God!" Five yelled in frustration, pacing back and forth and scowling as he spoke.
They hadn't seen the boy's temper escalate this badly before, even during the first apocalypse. Thea guessed it was a combination of anger, adrenaline, disappointment and simmering guilt at being unable to get them home.
This wasn't something you could have predicted, Five. Please don't beat yourself up over what you can't control.
"Well, what about Allison and Vanya?" Luther asked.
And Diego, Thea chimed in mentally but thought better of interrupting them both after seeing their expressions.
"Screw them all!" Five declared angrily. "They should have been here."
"What about Diego?" Klaus spoke her thoughts and for once, Thea was glad. "He's quite the responsible young man, no?"
At the reminder of yet another sibling who had failed to meet the simple deadline set out for them, Five lost it and kicked the side of the dumpster, taking his frustrations out on the boxes littered around.
"Something must have happened to them," Luther tried to reason, echoing Thea's earlier words.
"Screw Diego! No, screw everybody! I was better off on my own in the apocalypse!"
Five's words hit Thea hard, who couldn't hide her wounded expression when the boy's sight fell on her.
Logically she knew he was only taking out his anger, saying things he didn't mean in the effort to vent – after all, hadn't he sacrificed so much already just to give them the opportunity to return home? – but that didn't lessen the sting.
"Z, that's not- I didn't mean..." he tried to backtrack before sighing, evidently annoyed at digging himself into a deeper hole. "Forget it."
He kicked the ground before turning around and heading towards the building's backdoor, muttering loud enough to barely be heard. "It's every sibling for themselves now..."
Thea scrambled to her feet to follow after him but paused upon hearing Klaus groan from the floor. She blinked and whipped her head back and forth between the two directions; conflicted at which route she should choose.
Stay with Klaus or run after Five?
She glanced down at her twin, asking tentatively, "Klaus? Ben? Are you both okay?"
Klaus only groaned in reply but it was Ben who gave her a solid answer.
"Okay wouldn't be the word I'd describe my current situation..." he muttered, only confusing the girl further.
"So you're not alright?"
"No, no. We're both fine, trust me. Just suffering the consequences of being forcibly ejected from his body."
Thea screwed up her face, still unwilling to look in the direction of the puke. "Harmful consequences?"
"Nah...just gross."
She chuckled at his carefree tone, relieved. "Okay...well then can you keep an eye on Klaus while I go after Five? I don't like the thought of leaving him so angsty after this kind of fuck up."
Ben hummed his agreement. "Sure, he looks about ready to blow, anyway."
"That's why I'm worried," Thea mumbled, looking off where Five had disappeared only a moment ago.
"Then go," Ben encouraged her and she could hear the smile in his voice. "I'll be here, watching over the idiot, as always," he drawled and she laughed.
Luther butt into their conversation then, with a sheepish glance her way. "Klaus, go find Allison alright? Make sure she's okay."
With that said he ran off in the direction of Five and while that might normally assuage Thea's worries, it did the opposite. With Five so riled up and Luther as obliviously dopey as always, they were bound to clash. She sighed.
"Okay, follow what Luther said. I'm guessing by his words you already know her address?" she asked, getting a barely-there nod from Klaus in reply.
"Right...then while you two are doing that, I'll go and try defusing the ticking time bomb that is our homicidal brother."
Ben chuckled at her words and the fuzzy feeling in her stomach caused Thea to say something.
"I love you."
The almost deep-seated need to say those three words came from a place she couldn't explain. Regardless, she felt better at saying them.
"Love you too," Ben repeated softly. "Always."
"Love...ya..." Klaus mumbled sleepily, barely awake so that the two could continue talking.
They both laughed and Thea shook her head, only hoping that Klaus was somehow able to make his way to Allison's in one piece. Though she supposed with Ben by his side, he'd manage.
Hopefully, I didn't just jinx that.
Thea turned to leave, following Luther's footsteps and running after Five, disappearing into the building.
She didn't know it at that moment in time, but her decision would be something she'd regret later. A fork in the road to which there were two continuations and Thea, with the foresight to look back on her decision would ultimately say she'd chosen wrong.
But for now, blissfully unaware of the future and the fate of those around her, disappeared through the door and hurried on after Five, feeling like she'd chosen right.
That what she'd left behind would remain even once she returned.
Thea had entered the dark hallway unaware of where exactly it led her, navigating her way up the stairs until she came to a doorway that she hoped was to Elliott's room. She was right and sighed upon entering.
Sitting on the sofa was Luther, who turned to face her upon hearing the door click shut.
"Where's Five?" she asked, looking around the empty room.
It looked just as it normally did, only one thing, in particular, stood out to the girl...
"Wait, where's Elliott?" she asked again, frowning when she realised that what stood out most in the room was the distinct lack of noise.
In the short time she'd been there, it was commonplace to see Elliott shuffling around, hearing him tinkering away at one of his many gadgets or mumbling conspiracies to himself. Even clanking going on in the kitchen as the man made himself his tenth bowl of cereal.
"Oh," Luther muttered with a surprised expression, one that turned down into a sad frown. "He...died."
"What?" she gasped and came to sit down beside her brother. "What- I mean, how?"
"Those Swedish thugs that you said went after Vanya? Turns out they came here, likely looking for us. Unfortunately, Elliott was the only one here when they arrived."
Thea felt absolutely horrid for the poor, sweet man that had been letting them stay in his home whilst they ran about, uncaring of the burden likely being put on his shoulders.
"Oh god," Thea whispered, putting her head in her hands.
The guilt she felt was heavy, as despite not being responsible for his death, she couldn't help but realise that simply by association to them all, an innocent man had been killed.
"Was it at least...quick?" she asked hopefully.
"Yeah, of course. I mean, Diego and I found him here when we arrived the other day and it seemed he'd been killed with a single gunshot wound to the head. I'd bet it was over quickly," Luther lied straight from his ass and gulped in relief when Thea seemed to buy it.
"Thank goodness for small mercies, I guess..."
She pursed her lips, taking a wary glance around the room. Now, the almost hoarded feel of the man's home felt oppressing – less charming and more sorrowful, as though evidence of the life once lived within these very walls.
"Where's Five, Luther?" she asked wearily. Rubbing her eyes to try and relieve herself from the oncoming headache; remorse too heavy a burden.
"I don't know," he admitted. "I tried following him but he shut the door on me before disappearing."
Thea sighed, long and drawn out. "That's Five, alright. Has a bad habit of doing that, doesn't he?"
Luther chuckled lowly and Thea was glad to hear it was only a little strained.
"Yeah...it seems our family is meant to always be split up," he said.
"I'm sorry about Allison."
Her words seemed rather out of the blue, regarding their situation, but Thea felt like it was the ideal time to say something about it. Klaus would have already left to find Allison while Five had disappeared on them.
Right now, it was only Luther and Thea left to sit and wait, hoping one of them would return with good news.
"I'm sorry?"
"You know, about her being married and everything. I'm sorry you had to find out – well, I guess I'm also sorry she even got married in the first place - or would it be the second place? Because I mean, technically this is her second marriage-"
"Thea," Luther cut off her rambling with an amused smile. "It's fine. You don't have to worry about me."
At her sceptical look, he laughed and shook his head. "I'm being serious. It did hurt at first, turning up to her house and meeting the guy...but honestly, if she was happy then it eases the pain."
His words while sad, were remarkably mature and Thea smiled wistfully, letting her head fall so that it leant against her brother's arm.
"That's a very mature way of thinking, big-bro," she commended before continuing in a completely innocent tone.
"If Ben were alive and moved on with somebody else I'd likely be jailed for committing double-homicide."
Luther guffawed at her bland admission and she watched in amusement as he pounded against his chest in an effort to get his breathing back. At the alarmed look thrown her way, Thea blinked innocently, looking to the world as though nothing was wrong with her statement.
"What? I'm openly a possessive and low-key psychotic individual. Can you blame me?" With her head tilted to the side and her big blue eyes, she even managed to look cute despite her murderous admission.
Luther shook his head and gave up that line of questioning, deeming it not worth the effort. "You can be very scary sometimes, you know that, right?"
Thea grinned wide; perfectly white teeth on full display in a disarmingly innocent grin. "I don't have a clue what you could be referring to, Luther."
Her tone was light and playful and Luther sighed, suddenly weary from the whiplash his family sent him into. He patted her on the head before reclining against the sofa and closing his eyes.
"I'm going to try and get some rest until Five comes back – If he comes back."
"I'll be sure to let you know when he does," Thea nodded her head. "Though if the world ends before that can happen, it was nice knowing you, brother," she joked.
"Shut up," Luther groaned, falling into blissful oblivion.
It was an indiscernible amount of time later when Thea was jolted from her light sleep by a noise in the next room. Understandably concerned, she rose from the sofa and quietly walked towards the kitchen from where she'd heard the thud, cautious in case it was one of those Swedes coming back to finish the job.
Instead, she was relieved to see it was only Five chugging a generous gulp of water straight from the fridge. He was drinking it like a man dying of thirst and Thea watched him with a half-amused, half-concerned expression.
"Thea?" Luther mumbled from the sofa, feeling the lack of warmth from beside him.
"In here," she called.
He saw her standing in the kitchen doorway and harried over. "Five? What are you doing?"
Five glanced at them both from the corner of his eye, barely pausing in his actions to give them attention, only the sound of his slurping could be heard.
"Need to stay hydrated," was all he said.
"Hydrated?" Thea repeated.
"Hydrated for what?" Luther asked in confusion.
Five finally stopped drinking almost his entire body weight in liquid – something Thea was relieved for – only to turn around and begin pouring a large amount of talc powder down his shirt.
"What's with the baby powder?" Luther asked again, becoming increasingly more worried for Five's sanity.
Thea watched on with a tilted head as her little brother doused himself in baby powder and jumped around in little circles.
Truly, what has the world come to? Did the apocalypse come sooner and we're all dead? Did I actually arrive in purgatory and this is some kind of fucked-up delusion?
"It'll help with the itching."
"Itching?" Thea asked.
"There'll be itching?" Luther finished.
Both blondes were almost perfectly in-synch with their responses, their heads tilted to the side like curious puppies as they watched Five scurry around the kitchen.
When Five poured the baby powder down his trousers, Thea finally snapped out of her amused trance and the clogs in her mind came to a resounding click.
"You do have a plan!" she announced in happiness.
"He does?" Luther baulked, glancing pointedly at Five who was now performing jumping jacks in order to spread the powdered talc evenly across his body.
"Admittedly, it's a desperate move – but of course I have a plan," Five responded, sending them both a look that screamed, 'Who do you think I am? Of course, I'm prepared.'
"And, since our brain-dead siblings are incapable of meeting a simple deadline," Five drawled, shucking on his blazer jacket. "I've been left with no choice."
"No choice about what?" Luther asked, both of them following the boy into the living room.
"I have to find myself," Five declared.
Find yourself like...spiritually? Because trust me, Klaus has been trying for years and it's never worked out well for him. Oh, wait! He doesn't mean...
"Your old self?" she guessed.
Five smirked, eyes shining in mischief. "Spot on as always, Z."
Five checked his pocket watch, the likes of which Thea had never actually seen him use before. She blinked, a little taken aback by the old-fashioned accessory but realised it suited him pretty well; fitting his 'old man vibe'.
Though, I should probably keep that last part to myself.
"I just arrived in Dallas fifteen-minutes ago," he announced, clicking the pocket-watch shut decisively.
"Should I be worried about you?" Luther asked before turning to Thea. "And you, too? What are you both going on about?"
"Luther, if your monkey brain can remember that far back – I was once sent to 1963 on a job by the Commission to ensure the assassination of the President."
"Your old self? You mean, like the 'you' from the future? I mean...from the past?" Luther struggled to comprehend how exactly to explain his words. "You know what I mean," he huffed.
"Close enough," Five drawled, doing little stretches in the middle of the room.
"Wait, like, just walking around Dallas?"
"Walking around Dallas with a briefcase-"
"- that can send us home!" Thea finished his sentence, excitement colouring her tone.
Her eyes were bright with pure excitement and pride at just how clever her brother continued to prove himself to be. She did a little jump in place, ignoring how childish it was of her and simply basking in the moment.
Our hopes aren't completely lost! There's still a chance to get home!
"Precisely," Five smirked her way.
"Five! You're a genius!" Luther complimented with utmost sincerity.
Even his eyes were bright at the good news and Thea felt a grin tugging at her lips as the positive energy seemed to envelop them all.
"However, a couple of problems arise with this plan," Five began, quelling their excitement for a moment.
"Problems? Are they dangerous?" Thea asked, worried.
"Not necessarily."
"What does that mean? We're not doing this if it's dangerous for you, Five."
"Of course we are – this is our only option to get home," Five stressed.
She sighed, conceding to his point, despite how little it diminished her worries.
"So what are these issues? And don't try alleviating the stakes for our peace of mind – I know enough about time-travel to understand how dangerous interfering with your own consciousness can be."
I'm hoping that by knowing the specifics, we can impede any of the negative or dangerous side-effects.
Five's eyes were narrowed in seriousness as he raised a single finger, beginning his explanation.
"Problem number one; I am a trained assassin," he stressed. "Arguably the most dangerous assassin in the space-time continuum."
"And the whole family is very proud of you," Thea nodded her head like a proud parent.
"We are?" Luther asked, sceptically.
"We are," Thea finished with a nod.
"Forget that," Five waved away their dramatics, trying to stress just how serious they should be taking this point. "If I know me – and who else would know me better? – I won't react kindly to bumping into myself."
"That's understandable..." Luther muttered.
"Problem number two," Five continued. "And this is the real stickler here – you're not supposed to exist in close proximity to yourself in the same timeline."
"Meaning..." Luther trailed off.
"Meaning he's going to suffer the consequences," Thea finished, realising just what Five meant by 'problems'.
"What kind of side-effects?"
Five grimaced before pacing back and forth, a deep-set frown furrowing his brows. "According to the Commission Handbook, chapter 27 – subsection 3b, the seven stages of paradox psychosis are as follows."
He raised a hand in order to list them off, all sounding much more serious than the last.
"Stage one – denial, stage two – itching, stage three – extreme thirst and urination, stage four – excessive gas, stage five – acute paranoia, stage six – uncontrolled perspiration..."
"Those don't sound so bad..." Luther tried to sound placating but Five sent him a deadpan stare as he finished his list.
"Stage seven – homicidal rage."
Thea couldn't stop the giggle from escaping her mouth and clamped a hand to her mouth in an attempt at saving face. Luther quirked his brow and she smiled sheepishly.
"Sorry, but the thought of a tiny Five sweating and itching madly whilst trying to kill us all was too funny."
Luther didn't seem to agree and Thea pursed her lips, feeling wholly underappreciated in this situation. Klaus would find that funny, she tried to reassure herself.
"Five, I'm not sure this is the best idea," Luther tried reasoning, feeling like the only responsible one in the room.
"Well, what choice do we have, Luther? I'm grasping at goddamn straws here."
"I don't know... you've already been acting a little squirrelly if I'm being honest," Luther pointed out, eyeing the boy's form with a critical eye.
"Look, I'm going to need to rely on you guys to get me through this, alright? I need a spotter."
"Spotter? What's that?" Luther asked, clueless. "Like a wingman?"
Thea burst out laughing at that, clutching her stomach at the sight of Luther's befuddled expression. "Why the hell would he need a wingman?" she chuckled, slapping her brother's arm in amusement.
"Scratch that, Z can spot for me instead."
"Hey, I'll do a good job...spotting," Luther argued, sounding wholly unconfident in his own promise.
"I'm practically bursting with reassurance," Five said with as much sarcasm as possible.
"In case the paradox psychosis becomes too severe, I'll need you to help me stay on task, okay?" the boy asked, now looking directly at Thea. "Whatever I do or whatever I say, we need to get that briefcase."
She nodded. "It's my job to pull you back if you start showing symptoms and make sure you stay on track," she repeated to show she understood.
"And I'll make sure you stay on track," Luther said, looking directly Thea's way.
"Me?"
Luther hummed. "You're too biased, you're more likely to let Five get away with things. I'll be there to spot for you both."
"I'm not soft on Five!" Thea denied.
"Who said anything about being 'soft'?" Luther pointed out with a small smirk, having caught her out.
Thea pouted. "Touché."
"Enough wasting time, we need to find myself soon before we miss the window of opportunity," Five brought them back to the matter at hand, once again checking the time on his pocket-watch. "You ready?"
"Yeah," Luther nodded.
"Sure am!" Thea agreed before grinning sheepishly. "Can I just admit how excited I am to meet old Five?"
"Why? I'm right here," Five deadpanned, eyeing the way Thea was practically vibrating in excitement, a furrow to his brow.
"I know, but I want to see how you'll look in the future! Klaus bet you'd be super handsome, though I guess you would be in your fifties right now..."
She was interrupted by the sound of Five's retreating footsteps, the sight of his tiny, uniform-clad form moving down the stairway.
Luther chuckled and when Thea looked his way, confused at Five's little tantrum, he seemed to be in on a joke that she wasn't aware of. For once, Thea didn't understand her siblings.
"Boy Problems," Luther said with a smile, patting her head before following after Five. Thea followed suit, shaking her head in amusement.
"Thanks, that explains everything."
Arriving at the bar in no time, the three of them were peering around the heavy door like they were characters in a cartoon show. There was a lively Irish jig playing in the background, accompanied by the sound of men and women chattering; enjoying their merry time.
Thea was pretty sure they were being way too suspicious, especially as she quickly surveyed the thoughts of those around them, quickly determining that there was nobody dangerous around other than the one man they'd come to meet.
She didn't need Five to point him out to her; the almost-complete block on his thoughts said more than enough. Thea's sight focused on the grey-haired man wearing a bowler hat that was sitting alone at the bar and knew.
This was Five.
"There I am," the boy himself confirmed her thoughts.
"Did you age at double-speed or was the stress just too much?" Thea whispered, squinting at the sight of the greying man that somehow, was the older version of the boy stood next to her.
"Klaus said you'd be hot," she muttered, almost like an accusation.
"I'm sorry my future looks aren't up to standards," Five drawled sarcastically, sounding annoyed despite the brief assessing look he sent his older self.
"Concentrate on what we came here for."
They all spied the innocuous black briefcase that sat by the man's feet, seemingly all-too-easy to steal right from under his nose.
"Why don't we just grab the briefcase and run?" Luther asked, once again voicing her thoughts.
Five sighed as though truly put upon. "I would never let that happen," he explained. "It's ingrained into us to protect those briefcases with our lives."
"Right," Luther said, nodding to himself like he understood.
"Besides, this is the trickiest part of the entire paradox. Just by being in the same room with myself, I'm endangering my existence."
Those were the very words Thea least wanted to hear, despite how much she'd tried bracing herself for it. Even a dummy would realise the danger that lay in meeting your future or past 'self', the fact that one of you could go crazy with shock or even screw up something so badly that you ceased to exist.
"What do you mean?" Luther asked and Thea sighed, zoning out whilst Five tried his best to explain the entire paradoxical nature of their situation.
Instead, Thea pursed her lips as she briefly – ever so slightly, just the teeniest, tiniest amount – tried listening in on the old man's thoughts. She almost gasped when the man's eyes instantly shot open and glanced around the room, luckily missing out on looking their way.
The fuck? Since when was he so adept at recognising a mental attack? I'm pretty sure the Five that returned to us wasn't so good...though maybe that had more to do with his sudden regression than actual talent?
Thea could only theorise, as they didn't particularly have the time to get into that right now.
"So, our best chance is to talk with him, reason with him. He'll understand...trust me," Five tried reassuring them both. "I know myself better than...uh, myself."
Thea snorted at his ineloquent way of putting things but was mostly in agreement with his plan.
It did seem like the safest option, and unless she wanted to risk frying her brother's brain and accidentally causing him permanent brain-damage, then they couldn't resort to her handling things forcefully.
"You just itched your neck!" Luther accused and Thea blinked, moving her gaze from the older Five to the young boy beside her.
"He did?" she asked sheepishly, already guilty at not paying attention.
"No, I didn't," Five denied.
"That's stage two of paradox psychosis!"
"I didn't itch!"
"He said he didn't..." Thea tried reasoning but was quelled under Luther's stern stare.
"Biased," he drawled out, pointing a finger her way.
"I didn't itch my neck," Five said, annoyed at their squabbling.
"I mean, denial is stage one," Thea muttered, trying to play devil's advocate.
"You're supposed to be on my side!"
"No, she's supposed to be playing spotter with me," Luther argued. "In fact, perhaps I should go and speak with him first, so he doesn't freak out."
"Because seeing the gigantic version of your long-lost brother isn't cause to freak out," Thea murmured.
"Not at all," Five agreed.
"It can't be any worse than seeing your own tiny doppelgänger."
"Okay, fine," Five relented, taking a deep breath as though to prepare himself for the confrontation that would follow.
They both watched Luther go and Thea moved her face closer to Five's, whispering softly so that they wouldn't be heard. "It's going to be fine, have a little faith in yourself."
"I wish I had your optimism, Z, but if I know myself, - which I do – that guy isn't going to take this news very well."
"Maybe I should have gone too, then."
"That would make the old man freak out even more."
"What, why?"
Five averted his eyes at her questioning stare, only muttering a quiet 'I guess we'll see soon enough' and Thea was left to wonder just what he meant.
Instead, she joined Five in watching Luther. They froze when their brother turned to face them both, the older Five following his gaze until it fell on them.
Thea did an awkward little wave, a goofy grin on her face while the younger Five stared back, deadpan.
The old man's eyes widened at the sight of his younger self before narrowing in instant suspicion.
Wow, Five was right, he really doesn't trust even himself, huh?
Though, when those familiar eyes – so familiar, even on a much older face – landed on her, they widened again but this time with an emotion she couldn't interpret.
Feeling a little awkward standing there, between two versions of her brother and Luther – who honestly attracted enough attention as it was – Thea bit her lip, sending a fond smile towards the older Five.
"Perhaps we should find a seat and talk this all through?"
...
And so there they were, sitting around a small circular table, drinks in front of them. Thea smiled, simply ignoring the tense atmosphere as both Five's glared at one another from across the table.
When choosing their seats, it had seemed only natural that the two versions of Five be sat away from one another – only now, that meant that both Thea and Luther were essentially nothing more than human barriers.
Tiny little me acting as a shield between two deadly individuals? Sure, nothing can go wrong!
Luther coughed, eyes darting around the room in an anxious bid to find anything to talk about. "Well, this is nice, isn't it? All of us here, together like this."
"No," both Five's denied simultaneously.
Effectively shot down and on his first attempt, no less, Luther looked across the table and sent Thea the most desperate look she'd seen.
His plea for help almost bordered on pathetic and so she sighed.
"So, Five..." she began to speak but trailed off when she was met with two identical sets of eyes. She blinked, taken aback. "Um...older Five," she corrected herself before pausing, frowning. "No, wait – wouldn't our Five be the older Five?"
She tilted her head, confused at her own line of thinking.
"That's true..." Luther mused, just as confused as her. "How can we easily differentiate between the two?"
Both Five's looked annoyed at being spoken about like they weren't even there, even clicking their tongue in-synch and Thea chuckled.
"Wow, Five. You even act the same despite looking so much older. I've gotten too used to your baby-face."
"I don't have a baby-face," Five denied hotly, looking entirely too petulant to be taken seriously.
He was touching his face almost self-consciously while glancing at her. "At least I don't look like that," he said, pointing a finger towards his older self.
"Yet," Luther muttered unhelpfully. He wisely shut up at the young boy's scathing glare.
The older Five took offence and scoffed, brushing down imaginary lint from his suit jacket.
"Better to be old than pre-pubescent," he said sarcastically. "Doubt you'll do well with the ladies when you look like a child."
Luther and Thea shared a look at the duo's fighting, both wondering if Five had always been this petty or if only he himself could bring it out of him.
"Woah, woah. Who said anything about ladies?" she asked with a disarming smile. "Let's just focus on what's important, alright?"
The older Five smiled pleasantly at that, his earlier ire disappearing instantly, as though it was never there. "Of course, my dear."
"My dear!?" Luther and the younger Five blurted out simultaneously – the older in surprise and the younger in bitterness.
Thea chuckled, finding her brother's older counterpart amusing in his mature guiles. He was difficult to dislike, much in the same way his younger self was.
She wondered if it was a consequence of his two forms; as both an old man and a young boy he gave off an endearing vibe that was hard to ignore. Maybe he was more annoying as a regular adult?
Or maybe I'm just biased like Luther said...
Either way, she didn't see the need to act hostile towards him. After all, this was still Five.
Her Five.
"Um...Five? You're sweating," Luther pointed out with an awkward grimace.
His stare was one of trepidation, a nervousness that was warranted as he stared at the perspiration gathering on the boy's forehead.
Thea leant over to wipe at his skin with a napkin from the table, glancing to his older counterpart in case he needed some help, too. However, the older Five looked remarkably more put-together than his younger self.
"Would somebody explain just how it is I'm sitting here, drinking a pint with my younger self," the old man asked, narrowing his stare toward said boy.
"Older, actually," Five corrected petulantly. "I think you'll find I'm fourteen days older."
"It's only been two weeks for him?" Luther muttered, too caught up on that point to follow the conversation.
"He can explain," Thea placated, placing a hand upon the man's arm. "Please, just listen?" she implored.
He looked at her and the girl smiled reassuringly, trying to connect with him in some way – after all, this was the same Five that had returned to them all those years ago. It was still her brother, no matter the face he wore.
"Fine," the man relented. "I'll listen."
"One hour from now, on the grassy knoll before the president is killed, you break your contract with the Commission. I already know that you're thinking about it," Five revealed.
The old man stared right back, his shoulders tense.
"All those years in the apocalypse..." Five sent a glance towards Thea and Luther, so quick it was easy to miss. "We never stopped worrying about our family."
That seemed to resonate with the man because he visibly shifted in place, looking caught out and vulnerable.
"Well, today you're going to do something about it. You're going to attempt at travelling forward to 2019. Back home." Five's eyes narrowed at his next words, looking displeased at even voicing his failures aloud, "However, you're going to screw the entire jump and end up in this little twip of a body."
In an ironic sense, that seemed to be the one thing that really caused some concern for the old man, who was eyeing Five's teenage body with distaste.
"Trapped forever; small, pubescent."
"You're cute this way," Thea tried arguing to his advantage but the look he sent her made her think she may have just proven his point. She wisely stopped talking.
"Okay..." the old man shuddered, his face becoming increasingly more perspired as Five continued to list off the facts. "Even if I were to believe you, just what am I supposed to do about it? Not jump?"
"No!" Five denied quickly. "I need you to jump otherwise I cease to exist."
Thea's eyes widened at that, looking between both of them in anxiety. She bit her lip, realising that this time-travel mumbo-jumbo was as complicated as she'd first feared.
"All I need you to do is jump correctly," Five said.
"How can he do that? I mean, didn't you say you had the wrong calculations the last time?" Thea asked, trying to wrack her brain for whatever Five had said on his arrival. "Something about having to instead project your consciousness into a version of you that exists in every 'time'?"
"You remembered," he said, impressed.
Thea grinned, teeth on full display. "Don't sound so surprised! I'm actually quite smart."
"If you say so," he teased, shaking his head and looking back to his older self, who was watching them both with an odd sense of longing.
Thea felt her heart clench at witnessing it, the comprehension that this Five had been away from his family for so many years. Away from people he cared about, and who cared about him, for most of his life.
"It's simple," Five said, a smug smile on his face for the first time in this 'conversation' of theirs. "I know the correct calculation." He said the words deliberately slow, hanging them out there in front of the old man like bait.
"What is it? Tell me." His tone was impatient, and understandably so.
"I'd be all-too-happy to tell you...in exchange for that briefcase you're holding under the table."
Five had finally laid all of his cards on the table, revealing what they'd truly come for and Thea held her breath, biting her lip as they waited in anticipation for the old man's response.
"You can help us," Luther tried, breaking the tense silence. "You can go back to 2019 just as planned, only this time in the right body. Plus, we also get the briefcase that you'll no longer need."
"Timeline restored, paradox resolved," Five finished up nicely.
"...That's quite a lot to take in," the man admitted, glancing between them all a little suspiciously. Likely at how perfectly this entire plan worked out should he agree.
Naturally, as such a bitter and cynical man, especially after spending so long alone, it was only inevitable that he would question this 'miracle plan' that seemed to fall into his lap so conveniently.
Then, in that case, what he needs isn't convincing of it working, but that we can be trusted...
If this was their Five, which it was technically, then surely hearing his family reach out for help would soften his heart? If that was so, then Thea knew what to do. If she could boast anything, it was being empathetic to her family's emotions.
She faced the older Five fully, directing her most sincere expression his way. Hell, she even took the plunge and cupped one of his hands in both of hers, wanting to ground him and hopefully make him realise that they were here – his long-lost brother and sister were really here and they were asking him to help them.
"Please, Five. We want to go home, too. If we do this, we can help each other and everybody benefits. Doesn't that sound perfect?"
The man jolted at her touch, blinking a couple of times like the casual familiarity was a foreign concept.
It probably is. My poor Five. You'll be home soon and then you'll see us all again. You won't be alone for much longer.
"So, old man. What do you say?" Five asked stoically.
Overwhelmed by the situation; from the intensity of Five's stare, the looming presence of Luther and Thea's familiar touch, the older Five suddenly shot to his feet and announced he needed to use the restroom, effectively cutting the anticipation and resulting in three confused faces watching him disappear through the tables and though the bathroom door.
Thea was left with a fleeting warmth leaving her palms, her hands cupping nothing. She let them drop, splaying them out across the chipped wood of the table and turning to look at Luther and Five.
"Did we fuck up?" she asked worriedly.
Five looked a mixture of amused and irritated, which caused his face to twist into a funny expression; brows furrowed and yet his lips twitching into a dark smirk every couple of seconds.
It was like he found something funny about the man's panicked exit but Thea wasn't sure what.
"I think we overwhelmed him," Luther muttered, staring off to where the man had gone. "Maybe I should follow him? Make sure he doesn't try escaping?"
"Something doesn't feel right about this..." Five muttered and both siblings turned their attention his way.
"What do you mean?"
"I don't trust him."
Five was beginning to look increasingly more paranoid, his forehead glistening with sweat and his form fidgeting every couple of seconds.
Thea could even feel the up and down bouncing of his knee from beneath the table from where it pressed against her own and she pursed her lips, wondering if the signs of paradox psychosis were kicking in.
"But he's Five," Thea argued softly, not wanting to cause her brother any further stress. "Our Five – you, just a little younger."
"Exactly."
Thea blinked at Five's response. Was that supposed to clear things up? Am I missing something?
"Okay..." Luther trailed off. "Well then, maybe Thea could try controlling him once he comes back? Make him give us the suitcase or something? We can even leave the right calculations behind as thanks."
"That won't work."
"Pointless."
Thea and Five said at the same time, blinking at their synchronicity.
"And why not?" Luther sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. It seemed no matter what he suggested, he was shot down.
"What part of trained assassin did you not comprehend? Besides, I grew up with Z, remember? I had decades to come up with ways to keep her out."
"I tried earlier, too. Five sensed me almost immediately – of course, he didn't know it was me," she added on. "Plus, if I force my way in it could cause brain damage, so it's a fat no on that one."
Their biggest brother sighed, taking a big gulp of his pint.
"Luther does have a point, though," Thea mused.
"Well, that's a surprise," Five drawled and she shushed him.
"I do?"
She hummed, glancing towards the innocuous bathroom door. "He has been in there a while now. What if we really did scare him off?"
"Luther, go check on him," Five instructed but Luther turned to Thea, instead.
"Shouldn't you go? I mean, you're the only one of us Five actually likes...plus, you're good at the whole 'negotiation' thing, right?"
"What part of threatening people and demanding answers gave you the impression I'm a good negotiator?" Thea drawled before pointing a finger directly towards the bathroom door, most specifically at the little logo of a stickman.
"Besides, it's the men's bathroom."
Luther looked embarrassed and rather than argue, he simply stood and tried shuffling his gigantic frame through the tiny spaces between tables, muttering his apologies to the drunk patrons as he passed.
Thea chuckled, shaking her head at her brother's silliness. When she turned back to face Five, she laughed even more, picking up another napkin and wiping his forehead and face once again.
"It's like I'm your mother, honestly," she laughed.
"I'm pretty sure I said never to voice that comparison again."
"Are you embarrassed, Five? I mean, looking so young it wouldn't be so impossible..."
"Z, shut up," Five hissed, narrowing his eyes and trying to look intimidating despite the fact that she was still wiping his face like a child. "Besides, you look in your early-twenties, tops."
"You're a flatterer, for sure."
"You know that's not it."
Thea hummed, amused. She put the napkin down and brushed back the fallen hair that was in his eyes.
"I know you don't trust him, but you have to try," she said, recognising the beginnings of his paranoia.
They'd already screwed up every previous plan they'd had in regards to getting home and so they couldn't be picky that another had fallen into their lap. At this point, it may be their only chance.
"...You don't have another plan after this, do you?"
Five's eyes tightened and his lips pressed flat. He didn't say anything, but his answer rang loud and clear regardless.
I know a lot of people will be sad or angry that I chose to have Thea follow along with Five and Luther's side of the story instead of Klaus, Vanya, Allison and Diego - but trust me, this is because it's going to make it all the more crushing when Thea realises what's happened with Ben.
It will all be added drama in season 3 when she sees 'Ben' again, which, for what I have in mind, wouldn't really work if she got the chance to say goodbye properly. (Basically, I can write her as being confused on who to trust during season 3, and conflicted between family, etc.)