NO. 3 HAIR'S BREADTH FROM DEATH

This story is partially a prompt request from Marstars on my other fic "Never a day off." With today's Whumptober prompt- this was the storyline that my mind went to.:

Five manages to rewind time, but didn't rewind his own injuries after the Handler had shot them. It doesn't look good for him, and the family prepares for the worst.

NOTE: Due to this taking place second season, Viktor is referred to as Vanya here.

"Maybe your appetite is disproportionate to the size of your abilities"

Five gasped in, struggling to cling to consciousness.

"Start in seconds. Not decades"

The last of the Swedes looked down at him, aiming his gun. Five pulled for energy at the space around them.

Everything started to rewind. As the fallen bodies started to revert back to standing, he pushed himself up.

Time and space at the same time.

His body screamed as the energy of both ripped into him.

He was by the door as the family gave Lila their smiles and nods.

The Handler stepped in and Five grabbed her gun, allowing the Swede to shoot her.

"Enough." Five demanded of him, putting the gun down.

The blond man nodded in agreement.

"Enough."

Lila grabbed the briefcase. Luther rushed to stop her, but Diego tackled him, giving her the chance to escape. There was a flash and someone called out.

"Harlan…" Vanya looked in the direction. She rushed out, Allison and Klaus on her heels.

Luther and Diego got up from their place on the floor and started to follow. Something told Luther to check back.

"Five, you alright?"

He was still standing in the doorway of the barn. His hand went up to his ribs as blood was soaking through.

He moved himself through time to rewind everything, but didn't push any time through himself to undo his own injuries.

What was I thinking?

"Woah," Diego rushed over, followed closely by Luther, as he grabbed onto his little older brother, who was beginning to sink to the ground.

"When were you shot?" Luther tried to get an answer.

"Must have been a stray bullet when the Handler got lit up…" Diego rationed, trying to think over the scene.

Five tried to respond back, but when he opened his mouth, nothing came out but pained gasps.

Klaus crept back into the area. "Vanya stopped the kid from going all energy kablewy on us…" he stopped short as he viewed the scene. "What happened?"

"We need to get him medical attention." Luther informed him. He carefully picked Five up, wincing as he noticed some blood at the corner of his mouth. 'The Boy' had completely gone limp.

-UA-

"I managed to get the bullets out, and used the hot iron on his wounds," Sissy told Vanya. "He should go to a hospital.."

"We can't." Vanya shook her head, looking over at Five, who looked so small in the bed. "Everyone thinks we killed the president."

Sissy nodded, remembering. "I don't know how much blood he has lost, or if there is any further damage…"

Vanya could hear the unspoken message.

You may want to say your goodbye's.

Vanya went downstairs, where the others were in the kitchen. Diego had spoken to someone from the Commission, who let them have a briefcase. Now they just needed to wait for Five.

"The bullets are out, but it's not looking good guys."

Allison turned into Luther and let out a sob. Luther stood quietly, arm around her, with tears in his own eyes.

Diego bit down on his lip to keep from crying as he swallowed hard and punched at the counter.

Klaus was oddly quiet.

"Can we see him?" Diego asked

Vanya nodded.

-UA-

They stood awkwardly crowded in the room.

"This can't be right," Diego said angrily. "We just all got back together… Five brought us back together."

"It…wasn't…easy," Five said quietly, between labored breaths.

"Five!" Allison dropped into the chair next to the bed. "Don't waste your strength. You need to rest."

Five looked over at her and weakly raised a hand for her. She clasped it in her own hands.

"You…are a good mother." He told her firmly. "Don't let past mistakes define you."

She gave his hand a little kiss. The others glanced at each other, understanding what Five was doing right now.

Luther went over to Allison's shoulder and looked down at his brother.

"Luther," Five saw him come into view. "Nothing you have done was a 'waste'. You can't fault yourself for doing what you thought was right."

Luther thinned his lips and nodded. Allison and him stepped back and out of the room, to give everyone else more space.

Diego approached him.

"You're not a complete idiot," Five gave a little smile, which was accompanied by a painful cough. There was a chance it was supposed to be a laugh. "Diego, you don't need to be a leader to be someone important."

Diego placed his hand down on Five's and gave it a small squeeze and moved out of the room.

Klaus approached him and knelt beside the bed, giving a teary smile. "Okay, now say something nice about me."

"I really hope I don't get stuck with you like Ben did," Five told him. "But I suppose it wouldn't be the worst thing."

Klaus took his hand and kissed it as well. "I might need you."

"You don't," Five closed his eyes. "You don't give yourself enough credit. None of you do."

Then there was only Vanya.

"I'm sorry," he opened his eyes again. "I'm sorry I couldn't get to you sooner." He lifted his hand towards her. She took it. "All I wanted was to get back to you. I never should have left."

"No, you shouldn't have," she gave him a small smile. "But I'm glad you made it back."

"I should have done more."

"Stop." She demanded. "These should not be your…" she couldn't say it.

"You were always the person I could count on. As long as I focused on you, I kept a bit of my sanity" He gave her hand a little squeeze. "I love you all…"

His hand started to go limp again as he closed his eyes.

"Rest," She put his hand down and stood up, giving him a kiss on his forehead, a tear slipping from her and onto his cheek.

But he didn't flinch.

-UA-

Three days.

They checked in on him.

Waited.

And then…

"He's awake!" Klaus had called into the hallway. He turned to rush back to the chair. "Mi hermano…"

Five's color had returned a bit. He squinted in the light and his eyes fell on Klaus.

"How long was I…"

"Days… since the, you know, final words."

Five felt sore, but he didn't feel like he was about to die any more.

The rest of his siblings entered the room.

"Looks like you may make a recovery after all, old timer," Diego shot at him with a smile.

"Looks like." Five returned a weak smile.

"So," Klaus started. "You know those nice things you said about us…"

Five sighed. "I said them when I thought I was going to die.."

"Oh you can't fool us," Klaus wagged a finger at him. "You love us."

"You're tolerable."

"Are you hungry?" Allison asked.

"Mildly," he admitted. His body was still recovering.

"We'll make you something that isn't too heavy."

Allison stepped up to give a squeeze to his hand.

He squeezed back.

This family was impossible. But they were his.

Which is why he keeps doing everything he can to save them.

I love writing family moments…

Hope you enjoyed!