The Umbrella Academy is not mine.

We Only See Each Other at Weddings and Funerals

iii

"Istanbul was Constantinople

Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople

Been a long time gone, oh Constantinople

Why did Constantinople get the works?

That's nobody business but the Turks."

- ISTANBUL (NOT CONSTANTINOPLE) - They Might Be Giants

HALYN STOOD ALONGSIDE THE OTHER UMBRELLA ACADEMY MEMBERS, fully decked out in a green tracksuit, the same garb the others were wearing. She fidgeted anxiously, Sir Hargreeves standing a few flights above the teens at the top of a staircase. His nose was in his red notebook, the one he was constantly writing in but never letting anyone see what was written.

It was his most coveted possession.

Lowering the notebook to spare a glance at the anxious teens below, Sir Hargreeves then faced Vanya, who was stood beside her father with a clipboard and a whistle. At his command, she blew the whistle, and suddenly the teens had sprung into action.

Luther had easily pushed his way to the front of the pack, having always been the one with the most physical prowess. Diego was close behind his brother but was bound determined to not come in second again.

Halyn had always been rather agile and spry, and she easily maneuvered herself into the third-place spot, mere seconds behind Diego. If she wanted to play dirty, she could easily have grabbed the back of his tracksuit, but she feared he wouldn't hesitate to stab her if she did just that.

Five and Juliet were right behind the three, with Klaus, Ben, and Allison taking up the rear. The latter three weren't the most physically adept, though they tried their best to keep up.

Diego had suddenly overtaken Luther, as Number One chose to use up most of his stamina right off the bat, and even Halyn managed to push past him. Five was suddenly beside Halyn, and when she glanced over at him, she didn't like the coy smirk that danced on his lips.

In a sudden flash of blue light, he was gone, and when he reappeared, he had taken the lead from Diego. This upset Number Two, who then called out, "That's not fair, Five's cheating!"

"He adapted." Sir Hargreeves brushed off Diego's concern. Halyn should've known he wouldn't care if they used their powers. After all, he was always testing them in new ways.

Realizing powers were on the table, Juliet suddenly floated into the air. She pushed off the nearby railing, gravity around her light and flowy, and with a light giggle she floated past all the stairs and up towards Sir Hargreeves. When she passed Diego on her little flight, she tossed him a cheeky wink, and the boy scowled before pushing himself even more.

Juliet arrived to the top just as Five appeared in a flash of blue light, the two ultimately tying for first-place. Sir Hargreeves didn't congratulate the duo, instead jotting down a few things in his notebook while Vanya took notes, but the girl did congratulate her brother and friend.

Finding herself right behind Diego and with only two more flights of stairs left to go, Halyn focused on the air around her, and suddenly her legs took on a translucent hue as they shifted into air. With newfound lightness in her step, Number Four managed to push past Diego, the boy scowling at her back as she practically flew past him, the air boosting her speed.

Juliet held her hand up for a high-five as Halyn came to a halt besides her and Five, legs shifting back to normal. Sir Hargreeves jotted down this new discovery as Halyn celebrated her second-place win, as he had only seen the girl mimic material objects, and not something in a gaseous state.

A few seconds later, Diego finally joined the group, Luther right on his heels. Diego doubled over, taking in deep breaths before glancing up at the three who came before him, "I hate you all."

A sharp pain tore through the nerves in Halyn's wrist, and she grimaced, whimpering softly. Behind her, she could hear Allison sniffling, Klaus doing his best to comfort his sister, and Diego stood beside the duo, a stoic expression on his face, though he kept clenching and unclenching his fist, a sign his wrist ached.

Halyn felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes as the tattoo needle continued its assault on her skin, the umbrella logo she despised so much slowly being etched into her skin permanently. After a particularly sharp jolt of pain, Halyn vocalized her discomfort in sharp yelp, and Five nearly bolted to his feet to be at the girl's side, but he made no move. His father had already yelled at him for getting up to be at Halyn's side before, and he was now commanded to stay put- so he did just that.

Juliet watched on with concerned and anxious eyes beside Five, Luther and Ben wearing similar expressions. They watched with pained eyes as their friend flinched in the chair, and suddenly Halyn's wrist was overcome with wood.

The tattoo needle stopped, the tattoo artist sighing heavily, and Sir Hargreeves narrowed his eyes at the girl in the chair, "Number Four, you will stop that this instance."

Halyn swallowed thickly, a stray tear trickling down her cheek, and she managed to splutter, "S-sorry." With some mild concentration, her wrist returned to normal. The tattoo artist eyed the young girl skeptically but returned to his work as she squeezed her eyes shut.

The response Halyn gave to Sir Hargreeves was very unlike her, and it made those still waiting for their tattoo all the more anxious. Halyn was always quick to backtalk the eccentric man, and for her to apologize so quickly meant she must've been in a world of pain.

And that world of pain was waiting for them next.

Halyn's fingers absentmindedly brushed over the tattoo on her wrist, an aching feeling throbbing where she was permanently marked. The tattoo stood as a gruesome reminder of the childhood she grew up with, and though Sir Hargreeves touted it as a sign of unity, the umbrella logo imprinted on her wrist was nothing more than a brand inflicted upon her so she forever knew who she 'belonged' to.

A box of donuts from Griddy's sat on the kitchen table, a gift from Juliet who brought everyone their favorite donut. Of course, she hadn't been prepared to see Halyn, nor had she been prepared for Five's return, and she apologized to the two profusely for a lack of donuts for them. Five could care less, and Halyn promised her friend that it was absolutely okay. Before Juliet left to talk to Diego to make sure he was okay after his fight with Luther, she promised the Sioux teen that she'd bring her her favorite donut. For the time being, however, she could take half of Juliet's donut.

Klaus had been the only one to actually eat the donut Juliet picked out for him, and the empty napkin filled with donut crumbs that sat before him was evidence to this. Everyone else, though appreciative to her face, had been rather preoccupied with funeral drama and paternal murder conspiracies to even tough there's, which left a full box of them. Halyn had snagged half of a plain donut, which was the chosen donut for Luther, and she could really care less that it was meant for him as she absentmindedly picked at it.

Allison walked into the kitchen, depositing her jacket on the chair beside Halyn, and Klaus strummed an out of tune cord on a guitar he had found, "Where's Vanya?" She questioned, gaze falling to the only other girl present.

Halyn peered up at her friend, "Gone." Was her simple response. Diego had scared Vanya off. Despite the Sioux teen trying to persuade her to stay, Vanya just didn't feel like she belonged here- but she promised Halyn could stop by later.

Halyn had half a mind to leave as well, but a certain teleporter who was currently tearing apart the kitchen cabinets had her thinking otherwise. She had tried to seek him out to continue their conversation from earlier, as she felt she still deserved answers from Five, but no one seemed to want to give either of the two any space.

"That's unfortunate." Five spoke, walking over to the dining table with an empty French press, a frown on his face.

"Yeah," Allison agreed with the boy, only to pause and eye him curiously when she realized they were not talking about the same thing.

"An entire square block. Forty-two bedrooms, nineteen bathrooms, but no," Five ranted as he slammed the empty French press on the table, looking up at his sister with an irked frown, "not a single drop of coffee."

Allison furrowed her brows, looking at her brother like he was crazy, "Dad hated caffeine." She reminded.

"Well, he hated children, too, and he had plenty of us!" Klaus laughed morbidly, cradling the guitar in his hands. Halyn rolled her eyes at his comment, not that he was technically wrong or anything. Allison shook her head, and Five shoved his hands in his pockets.

"I'm taking the car."

Klaus uncurled himself, interest peaked as he set the guitar down, and curiosity gnawed at Halyn as well, "Where are you going?" He questioned slowly, almost excitedly.

Five stared at his brother like he was an idiot, "To get a decent cup of coffee." He spoke as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Do you even know how to drive?" Allison questioned the boy, arms folded over her chest.

Five's jaw ticked and he sent a glare in Allison's direction, "I know how to do everything." Halyn didn't like the tone of his voice and the darkness that laid within it. It sent a shiver down her spine, and she wondered just what the future had done to her best friend.

Without a further moment's hesitation, Five spatial jumped away and Klaus immediately leapt to his feet. He swept his hands out, Halyn snorting as he tried to feel around the room for his brother, "I feel like we should try and stop him," He paused for a brief second before changing his mind with a chuckle, "but then again, I also just kinda want to see what happens."

Allison quirked a brow at her brother, and Halyn stood from her chair with a head shake. The motion drew the attention of the two others in the room, and she cleared her throat, "I'm gonna head out as-"

There was a familiar whooshing noise and a flash of blue light, Five suddenly reappearing behind Halyn. Allison and Klaus startled at his abrupt return, but the Sioux teen was unperturbed. Growing up, Five would always randomly pop up around her, and she had just grown accustomed to him showing up.

Nearly having a heart attack every time he surprised her with a spatjal jump was a surefire way to cut her life short- so she adapted.

Slowly, Halyn turned to face the boy. The close proximity between the two caused her heart rate to spike, but Halyn did her best to shove aside any nerves she felt. If Five was back, she was hoping it was for good, which meant she better move past her stupid feelings if she wanted things to return to some semblance of normalcy between the two.

"Halyn, care to join me?" Five quirked a brow.

She thought her answer over slowly, "Are you inviting me or commanding me?"

"That depends on what your answer is." An arrogant grin pulled the corners of his lips upwards, and Halyn figured he had already decided for her.

"Fine."

Five extended his hand towards the girl, a triumphant grin on his face, but it shifted into a frown when she brushed it off. Halyn may have been used to Five's powers when they were younger, but it had literally been over a decade since he last teleported with her, and the Sioux teen did not feel ready for the nausea and vertigo that came with being his teleporting buddy.

"I'll just meet you at the car, okay?"

Five's expression looked almost hurt for a moment, but it was gone so fast that Halyn wasn't quite sure she had even seen it in the first place. He never responded to her compromise, instead disappearing once again in a blue flash. A car engine turned over, a snappy honk following the noise, and Halyn huffed.

Five had always been rather impatient.

When Five pulled into the parking lot of Griddy's Donuts, Halyn had honestly been surprised. The old building looked worse for wear, having aged not-so-gracefully all these years, while she had stayed the same. The parking lot was empty, dead in the night, and if it weren't for the bright, neon 'open' sign that hung in the shops window, Halyn might've assumed the place was closed.

"Who taught you how to drive?" Halyn quipped as Five slammed on the brakes, the girl propping her hand on the dashboard to steady herself from the sudden motion. The car jerked into park, tires screeching, and Five rolled his eyes.

"I did." The response was short, and Halyn knew better than to prod him anymore.

Five was quick to exit the car, taking rapid and purposeful strides towards the entrance. Halyn was less impatient, closing the car door softly behind her as she stared up at the giant, neon donut with mild nostalgia. A sharp snap refocused her attention, and she frowned as Five looked at her expectantly. She rolled her eyes with a light huff, jogging across the parking lot to catch up with her fellow teen.

A customer exited Griddy's, and he was kind enough to hold the door open for the two teens. Five barely looked at the man, pushing past him briskly, and Halyn offered the gentleman a soft 'thank you' before crossing the restaurant after her impatient companion.

The interior of Griddy's had barely changed, Halyn noted, eyeing the faded 60's décor, and the obviously self-done photos of coffee and donuts that sat on faded yellow walls. A jukebox sat in the corner, and she remembered all the change her and the others had spent on it when they were younger. The place was clearly outdated and in need of a good makeover, but as the smell of fresh donuts wafted towards Halyn, the girl found the place strangely comforting- it was nice to see some things never changed.

Five had placed himself on a stool at the countertop, and Halyn silently slipped into the open stool beside him. He slapped the bell that sat on the counter impatiently, dinging it rapidly until his companion slapped his hand away. Five flashed her an irked look, but she paid it no mind as she moved the poor bell just out of his reach.

The bell above the door rang once more, signaling the arrival of another customer. An elderly gentleman sat down on the other side of Five, Halyn offering him a friendly smile while the boy rolled his shoulders and faced forward. The man seemed momentarily confused by their presence but exhaled heavily as he pulled the cap off his head. He set it down on the counter before flipping through the newspaper he brought with him

Halyn didn't like the silence that lingered as they waited for service, but with the random gentleman directly on the other side of Five, she felt as if they couldn't talk about anything. After all, their lives were not for the average person, and it'd be a mildly uncomfortable conversation to have in front of someone so normal. That, and she wanted to talk to Five in private.

Just as she felt she was about to burst from the silence, an older woman with a friendly face and a faded hot pink and white 60's style uniform shuffled in from the back. She pulled out a notepad, brushing a few stray hairs behind her ear, a pleasant smile on her face, "Sorry, sink was clogged. So, what'll it be?"

Halyn noted her nametag read Agnes, and the waitress immediately turned her attention to the older man that sat beside the two.

"Uh, give me a chocolate éclair."

"Mm-hmm. Sure." Agnes hummed, quickly jotting down the man's order. She then gestured to the two teens present, "Can I get the kids a glass of milk or something?"

Halyn scrunched her nose at the comment, clearly put-off and Five scoffed, "This kid wants coffee. Black." Agnes looked a bit apprehensive at his order, clearly slightly shocked, before jotting it down and turning to Halyn for her order.

"Uhm… just an-"

"She'll have an apple fritter, warmed up and a glass of milk." Five interjected, finishing Halyn's order. She felt her cheeks flame slightly, but she did her best to cool them down as Agnes glanced at her. With a slight nod to confirm her order, the waitress slipped her notepad and pen into her pocket.

Halyn didn't think Five would remember her order after all these years.

"Cute kids." She chuckled awkwardly to the man. He stared up at her with a perplexed expression, unsure exactly what Agnes meant, and the poor woman was beginning to look just as puzzled. Halyn found herself harshly nudging Five as he flashed Agnes a wide grin, and her brows furrowed, "O-okay."

Five's smile turned melancholic as Agnes turned away to fix up their orders, and he faced Halyn, "I don't remember this place being such a shithole." She snorted and glanced around. Well it was true this place looked worse for wear; she wouldn't exactly call it a shithole- it just needed some extra TLC is all.

"Remember when we use to sneak out and come here all the time?" Despite still being irked with the teen beside her, Halyn couldn't help but reminisce about the past.

Five chuckled, "Klaus and Juliet would always stuff their faces with donuts until they puked."

"I think we all did, Five." Halyn murmured fondly, remembering all the times they'd come back from Griddy's, minds happy but stomachs ready to burst, "We never were allowed sugar growing up."

"It could 'stunt our growth'," The teleporter responded, voice dropping to mimic Sir Hargreeves, and Halyn had to suppress a harsh snort at the imitation.

A comforting feeling of familiarity washed over the Sioux girl, and her eyes were bright as they made contact with Five's. His own expression was soft, gentle even, and they traded melancholic smiles as they continued to reminisce over their shared childhoods. An air of obvious fondness surrounded the two, and for the first time in a while, Halyn felt genuinely light, a feeling further amplified with Five at her side.

It almost felt as if he had never left, and she could savor this feeling forever.

"Here you guys go." Agnes's gentle voice burst the two's reminiscing, drawing them back to their darkened present as she placed their orders before them. Halyn offered the friendly waitress a soft thank-you, Five immediately grabbing his hot coffee.

The man pulled out some cash, eyeing the two teens as they enjoyed their orders, "I, uh, I got theirs."

Halyn quickly swallowed the bite of apple fritter that was in her mouth, "Oh, uh, thank you!" The man nodded at the girl, and Five offered him his thanks as well, before his eyes took notice of a patch on his jacket. It indicated he worked for a towing company, and the teleporter quirked a brow.

"You must know your way around the city."

The man glanced at the younger boy, nodding his head in uncertainty, "I should hope so. Been driving it for twenty years." Halyn listened to their conversation with mild interest, taking a sip of her milk just as Five nodded his head.

"Good, I need an address."

Five leaned forward, the man flashing Halyn an uncertain look, before the teleporter whispered something in his ear. The Sioux teen felt mildly off-put at the interaction, brows furrowed, and she watched as the man quickly scribbled something down on a stray napkin.

Five pocketed the note before Halyn could look at it, and the man grabbed his éclair before standing up. He bid the two a goodnight, and once he was gone, she turned to her companion, "What was that about?"

"I'll tell you about it later."

The fondness she had felt earlier was suddenly tainted with ire as Five's secretive tendencies came back once more. She frowned at his comment, irritation blocking out the fact the front door opened behind them, as she spoke, "Or you could te-"

"Do you trust me?"

The question caught Halyn completely off-guard, having come straight from left field, and she spluttered momentarily, "I- what?"

"Do you trust me?" There was more urgency in Five's voice this time, though he tried to mask it with confidence, and Halyn's mind flickered back to their earlier conversation.

"How can I trust you, Five? When I feel like I don't even know you?"

A figure moved out of the corner of Halyn's eye, and Five's hand clamped down on her wrist. His green eyes searched hers desperately, and she nodded her head as a barrel of a gun lodged itself against her temple. Her heart hammered at the contact, but with Five staring at her so calmly, she felt more at east than anything.

Yes, she mouthed to the boy before her, and whereas most people might panic with a gun pressed to their head, Halyn felt the opposite.

Because, despite everything, she would always trust Five.

"That was fast." Five kept his gaze focused on Halyn, tone nonchalant as he spoke, "Thought I'd have more time before they found me."

The teleporter's voice was conversational, and he subtly shook his head as he watched curiosity swirl within Halyn's eyes. It was obvious Five knew these men, and she wanted to know how.

"Okay, so let's all be professional about this, yeah?" The leader of the group held his gun up, pointing it at Five's head, "On your feet and come with us. They want to talk." His voice was demanding, but Five didn't even flinch.

"I've got nothing to say."

"It doesn't have to go this way." The armed man tsked, and Halyn felt the barrel press harder into her temple. Five thumbed at the steel bracelet that circled her wrist, eyes still focused on her own, and the man continued to speak, "You think I want to shoot a couple of kids? Go home with that on my conscious?"

"Well, I wouldn't worry about that." The calmness of Five's voice sent an eerie feeling through the gathered men, and he used his unoccupied hand to reach for a butter knife. He finally pulled his gaze from Halyn's, levelling the leader with a dark look, "You won't be going home."

Five suddenly disappeared in a burst of blue light, having dropped Halyn's wrist, and reappeared behind the leader, burying the butter knife deep into his jugular. This set things in motion, and Halyn just barely had time to shift half of herself into steel before the man that had pressed his gun to her temple pulled the trigger.

Bullets ricocheted off her steel body, one tearing through the man's gun, and causing it to erupt in his hands. The man cried out in pain, holding his now singed hands, and Halyn quickly grabbed his head before slamming it against the diner's counter. He slumped to the ground like a sack of potatoes, a low groan escaping his mouth, and more bullets ricocheted off her body.

Halyn put all her focus into the steel bracelet around her wrist, focusing on keeping up her steel protective coating. A hiss slipped past her lips as a stray bullet nicked her unprotected shoulder, and Five appeared on a set of tables. He laid on top of it casually, bored expression on his face as he called out, "Hey, assholes!" His expression was smug, and all gunfire was suddenly focused on him.

Taking this as her opportunity to seek shelter, Halyn dove over the counter. Pain flared up in her shoulder, and she shifted her now destroyed shirt to the side. The injury itself wasn't all that deep, but it hurt like no other and blood continued to seep from it.

The sound of gunfire continued to echo in the small diner, and Halyn crawled across the floor to pull some napkins down from the counter in front of the kitchen. Her mind briefly wandered to the poor waitress, who she hoped was safely hidden somewhere, before another searing pain ripped across her shoulder as she pressed some napkins to it to stem the flow of blood.

A nauseous feeling flared up in her stomach, and Halyn had to glance away from her oozing shoulder.

Five, in the meantime, was taking out the armed men with relative ease. The teleporter had reappeared outside the door of the diner, the armed men still firing madly at the table he had once been laid on, tearing apart the poor diner. Five knocked lazily on the glass, trademark smirk stretched across his lips. The men whipped around to face him, and Five mockingly saluted them.

The glass door suddenly erupted as rapid gunfire laid waste to it, but Five was quick to disappear in a burst before a bullet could even catch him. An armed man stopped firing, stepping closer to the door to check it out, and the remaining gunmen glanced apprehensively around the diner in search of their target.

There was a sickening crack as Five reappeared in the diner, having broken a nearby mop before stabbing the sharp end into the nearest attacker. The man cried out at the impalement, falling to the ground, and Five disappeared in another flash of light.

Halyn, for her part, was doing her best to ignore the men's cries of pain and anguish as Five took them out, while simultaneously trying to not pass out from her own blood that coated her shoulder. She had already gone through a stack of napkins, but was relieved to see the bleeding was, in fact, slowing.

Why she ever agreed to go out with Five in the first place was beyond her.

She couldn't even eat a donut in peace anymore.

Five flashed behind one of the four remaining gunmen, tightly wrapping his tie around the man's neck. He dropped his gun, attempting to fight off the smaller boy, but with surprising strength, the teleporter pulled him down onto a table, choking the life out of him before snapping his neck. The other three gunmen could barely react, and once they did, Five was already gone.

A pencil was snagged from a nearby table, Five plunging it deep into one of the men's groins. The man cried out in pain, and the pencil was ripped from his groin before it was buried into his eye. Five heard a gun click, and he chucked a plate at the gunmen before finishing up the man he had stabbed in the eye.

With two assailants left, Five stood in the middle of the diner. They lifted their guns, and just as they pulled the triggers, the teleporter disappeared. Without any time to register this fact, the friendly fire tore into the two remaining men, and with grunts of pain, they fell to the ground, dead as doornails.

The diner was suddenly silent, and Halyn barely paid Five any mind as he appeared at her side, "Shit." He cursed upon noticing the blood, and he gently pried her bloody hands away from her makeshift bandage.

"It's just a flesh wound." The Sioux girl smiled innocently up at him. She flinched as his hands made contact with her shoulder, and he briefly apologized before hesitantly pulling back the bloody napkins.

A sigh of relief slipped past his lips once he realized that it indeed was just a flesh wound, and nothing more serious like an actual bullet hole, "I'm sorry, Halyn." Five muttered softly, his voice genuine, and he reached up for some fresh napkins. Only a little bit of blood seeped from the wound now, but any small agitation could cause it to open up once more, so it was best to keep it covered.

"I'll be fine, Five."

Halyn's smile was gentle as she looked at him, and he was surprised by the softness of her look. Just moments before the fight had erupted, she seemed pissed at him, and he would've thought her getting shot because of him would've made her even more enraged than before, yet here she was, seeming a bit nonchalant and Five wasn't sure if it was because of the blood loss or what.

She was right though. Despite all the bloody napkins that littered the floor, her injury could've been way worse.

Halyn could've been killed because of him.

Five swallowed that thought, removing his hand from the Sioux girl's wound as she reached up to keep pressure on it. He lifted to his feet, offering Halyn a hand and gently pulling her up as well. She kept her eyes glued to him as he led her around the counter and maneuvered her past the bodies of the recently deceased gunmen.

The destruction in the diner was evident, and Halyn felt bad for Agnes, who would have to deal with this mess. Her nose cringed in disgust as the unwelcome smell of blood tickled her nose, and she watched as Five walked towards a gunman that laid lifelessly on top of a table.

Halyn pulled her gaze away, staring at one of the ceiling's flickering lights, as Five untangled his tie from the man's neck, "Who are these people, Five?" She voiced softly.

Her question was ignored, however, and she turned her gaze back to Five as he fixed up his tie. She frowned at his silence, and the two turned as a man groaned. Halyn watched as one of the gunmen turned out to still be alive, and Five stepped towards him.

A sickening crack echoed in the diner, Halyn flinching at the noise, as Five gracefully snapped his neck. Nausea still gnawed at her stomach, and she stumbled to the counter for support.

Halyn gripped the counter with one hand, frown quirking her lips downwards as she looked at her ruined apple fritter- it was covered in a strangers blood- and she turned to her attention to a cleaner spot on the counter. She blinked as Five appeared at her side, slamming down an electronic device. A red dot blinked on the device's screen, and it mildly reminded Halyn of a radar device.

Just before she could question her companion as to what it was, Five rolled up the sleeve of his blazer. He made sure it was tight around his elbow before he reached over the counter, grabbing a steak knife from a container and handing it to Halyn, "I need you to make a small incision on my forearm." Five used his other hand to give her some rough guidelines, and the girl blinked at him.

"I'm sorry, you want me to do what?"

Halyn was already feeling a bit woozy as is, so the idea of cutting into her friend did not sit very well with her.

Five's lips pursed, "Those people," He harshly nodded his head towards the dead bodies, "are tracking me through a small device implanted in my arm. I need your help in getting it out."

The knife in her hand felt incredibly heavy, and Halyn shook her head, "Five, I don't- I can't-" Her hand began to shift into the plastic material of the knife's handle, nerves on edge.

"Halyn," She was cut off tersely, and Five reached up to grab her jaw. His thumb lightly stroked her cheek, the contact grounding her some, and her hand returned to normal. The Sioux girl swallowed thickly as he spoke lowly, "They will send more people to try and kill me if you don't help me remove it."

The gravity of the situation wasn't lost on Halyn, and she steeled her nerves as she pulled her gaze from Five to stare at the knife. She nodded her head slowly, not trusting her voice to speak, and with her other hand, she held onto the boy's forearm. The teleporter watched the girl intently, Halyn fully aware of his focused gaze on her, and she exhaled shakily as she pressed the tip of the knife to his flesh.

After a brief moment's hesitation, she put more pressure on the knife, slicing into his skin as gently as she could manage. Blood trickled out of the fresh wound as she dragged the knife through his flesh an inch or two. Five barely flinched, and Halyn had to swallow the lump in her throat as his jaw clenched.

The knife suddenly clattered to the counter, Halyn jumping away, "T-that should do it." Her voice was unsure, but Five didn't say anything as he suddenly delved into the incision. His fingers stretched the wound open, more blood trickling over the sides, and Halyn had to look away. She heard Five groan in pain, but a few seconds later he pulled out a small, metallic object with a green, blinking light.

The small device beeped rapidly, and Five studied it for a moment before dropping it onto the counter. Halyn jumped as he suddenly slammed his fist onto the counter, destroying the device. She reached over, pulling out more napkins before handing them to Five, and he wiped away the blood on his arm before creating a make-shift bandage with some fresh napkins.

Now a strange and bloodied pair, Five faced Halyn with a soft look on his face, "Do you know how to get to Vanya's?"

Halyn blinked and shook her head, the question completely out of the blue, "I- yeah?"

"Good, because there's where we need to go."

"Okay? But I'm driving."

After a brief fight with Five over who was going to be driving this time, Halyn had finally managed to convince the boy that it would simply be faster if she drove instead of her trying to relay directions to him while he hastily raced down the darkened streets of the city. The teleporter wasn't necessarily a bad driver per say, but that didn't make him a good one either. He took curves harshly and wasn't gentle on the breaks, and with her stomach already feeling off from their time at Griddy's, Halyn did not want to deal with his reckless driving anymore tonight.

Halyn maneuvered the car into an empty parking spot just outside of Vanya's apartment, the street being relatively empty at this time of night. She shifted the car into park, pulling the keys out of the ignition, and the two exited the vehicle slowly.

The lights were off in Vanya's apartment, and Halyn assumed it meant the girl wasn't home yet. Where she was, however, was beyond the Sioux girl.

"Which one is Vanya's?" Five questioned as he stood beside the girl.

"That one." Halyn pointed to a set of windows on the second floor, familiar dark curtains blocking the inside from view. She reached into her pocket, fishing for the set of keys Vanya had left her, and the Sioux girl made a move to walk towards the front entrance.

Not even making it a step into the street, a hand latched onto Halyn's elbow and, without warning, her world blurred as she disappeared in a flash of light, Five having teleported the two into the apartment she had pointed out. An intense wave of nausea crashed down on the girl, overwhelming her senses, as they landed in the darkened apartment. Bile rose up in Halyn's throat, and she slapped a hand over her mouth.

Five's brows furrowed, but before he could say anything about the sudden change in Halyn's demeanor, she shoved past him. She made a desperate beeline for the bathroom, door harshly slamming into the wall as she burst into the small room. Halyn dropped to her knees before the toilet, and she barely managed to lift the lid up before she emptied the contents of her stomach into the porcelain bowl, retching noises filling the small space.

Hovering tentatively in the bathroom doorframe, Five looked slightly guilty as he watched the girl's body shake, and he eyed her with concerned eyes. With some slight hesitation, he knelt down at her side, reaching forward and gingerly collecting her long hair so he could pull it away from her face.

Halyn didn't think she'd ever eat an apple fritter again.

"I had a key, you know."

With a stomach now completely empty, and voice weak, Halyn leaned away from the toilet, pressing herself up against the opposite wall. Five dropped her hair, fidgeting awkwardly, and he turned to find a towel for the girl to wipe her mouth.

Grabbing the nearest hand towel, he passed it to Halyn, his eyes apologetic. She hastily wiped her mouth, cringing at the taste that lingered in her mouth, and the Sioux girl made a mental note to brush her teeth when her body felt a bit better, as she had a spare toothbrush here at Vanya's.

"Thought spatial jumping would've been faster." Five admitted, voice soft, and Halyn appreciated the tone as a dull ache began to thrum at the back of her mind, "I'm sorry."

The Sioux girl brushed him off, towel falling in a lazy heap on the floor, and Five was surprised by the twinkle in her eye, "You keep saying that tonight, Five." Her chuckle was light, and when Halyn attempted to stand, the teleporter was quick to help her to her feet. She swayed slightly, a flash of vertigo hitting her mind, and Five's hands firmly grasped her shoulders to steady her.

"Yeah, well, I mean it."

And Halyn knew he did.

It hadn't been Five's intention to get her caught in the fire fight at Griddy's, and he was honestly kicking himself for it. All he wanted was a spare moment with Halyn, and a decent cup of coffee, but he should've known the Commission would send hired goons after him- after all no one breaks a contract with the Commission. However, with his sudden age regression back to a sixteen-year old, Five had assumed that would've given him way more time than just a few hours before being found.

Enough time for him to figure out some sort of plan or something.

As for his spatial jumping, Five had honestly forgotten about the effects his powers could have on those he teleported with, as it had been literal decades since he had spatial jumped with anyone- or, more accurately, Halyn, as he never really teleported with anyone else.

That and he had just assumed Halyn would've still been immune, to some degree, to the nauseating side effects of his spatial jumps- but, for the Sioux girl, it had been thirteen years since he last teleported with her.

After discarding her towel into the laundry, Halyn stepped into the kitchen and pulled a glass from a cabinet. She offered one to Five, but he turned her town, and she faced the sink to fill the glass up with water. The Sioux girl gargled the water in her mouth, trying to remove the awful taste, before spitting it into the sink and quickly refilling the glass. This time, she chugged the water, not realizing how dehydrated she had been.

Five watched as Halyn placed the used glass in the kitchen sink, noting how she didn't look as pale anymore when she turned to face him, "Are you feeling better?" He questioned, voice tender.

"A bit." Halyn answered honestly, shrugging. A sharp pain tore through her shoulder, and she immediately regretted the action as she further agitated the wound in her shoulder.

She hissed as she reached up with her good arm to gingerly rub at the wound, frowning when she pulled her hand back to see fresh blood on the tips of her fingers. Blood had begun to seep through the once fresh napkins- the make-shift bandage Five had done up for her- and Five himself could feel blood seeping through the make-shift bandage on his own forearm.

As they waited for Vanya, it was probably in their best interest to clean themselves up.

A few minutes later, the duo sat on Vanya's couch.

Halyn had dug through the medicine cabinet in the bathroom, pulling out some gauze, bandage tape, and some peroxide to clean up their wounds. The Sioux girl had tried to take care of Five's forearm first, but he refused the care, instead choosing to focus on Halyn's shoulder first.

This put them in a bit of a tricky situation, however, as it required Halyn to actually remove her shirt so Five could have unhindered access to the bullet graze on her shoulder. A momentary awkwardness had followed once she took her shirt off, leaving her in her bra and with cheeks tinged red. Five had slipped off his jacket, passing it to the Sioux girl so she could wrap it around her torso while he began to clean up her shoulder.

"This might sting." Five murmured, and Halyn felt a shiver trail down her spine as his breath tickled her ear. The pleasant situation was quickly replaced by a sharp, stinging one, and the girl hissed as a gauze pad soaked in peroxide lightly dabbed at the seeping wound, "I'm-"

"It you apologize one more time, Five, I swear."

The empty threat hung lightly in the air, and Five chuckled as he continued to clean Halyn's wound. Now that some of the blood was cleaned away, he could see more of the damage done. The wound turned out to be a bit deeper than what Five had initially thought, but it didn't look deep enough to require stitches, which made him feel some relief.

Halyn let out another shaky breath, body tense and teeth clenched as more peroxide passed over the wound. Five was quick to reassure her that he was almost done.

As Five began to apply a fresh bandage to her shoulder, Halyn broke some of the silence, "You going to tell me why we're here?" She was itching to get some actual answers out of the teleporter, but he still seemed content with leaving her in the dark- and it hurt.

So she decided to start with an easy one- after all, he should be able to tell her why they were at Vanya's?

"I forgot how impatient you were." Five breathed out, jest light, and she frowned at his avoidance.

"You're ignoring my question."

"Mm-hmm."

A silence settled over the duo, and it wasn't quite comfortable nor uncomfortable. A million and one things flickered in Halyn's mind, as she still had so many questions for the boy beside her, but his avoidance was becoming more and more annoying with each passing second, and it was causing her to have a hard time forming a coherent thought that wasn't anger.

Five had her tongue-tied for some reason, and she hated it. The day's events had taken a slight toll on the girl, and she could feel her anger struggling to stay lit as a tiresome feeling washed over her. His current ignoring of her questions helped keep the fire lit, but with low fuel, it could only last for so long.

Five watched as a flurry of emotions danced on the girl's face, eyes staring blankly at the coffee table. She didn't even react as he finished bandaging her shoulder, one arm wrapped protectively around her torso as the other laid limp at her side. Five frowned at the look on her face, and he dug into his short's pockets.

Everything would be revealed in due time, Halyn just had to be patient, but he could tell something else was bothering the girl, and his mind briefly replayed their conversation from earlier. To hear Halyn say she wasn't sure if she could trust him hurt, but her actions throughout the day seemed to say otherwise, and it left him feeling a bit confused as well.

Cool metal brushed against his fingertips, and Five pulled out the small coin. The penny was old and tarnished, but it was one of his greatest treasures, as it had been the last penny Halyn had ever given him before he disappeared into the future. It was a comfort for him during the decades he spent away, and he often found himself talking to it as if Halyn was actually there with him.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Halyn glanced up, a sound somewhere between a laugh and a sob escaping her lips. Five held a blemished penny towards her, and she hesitantly reached forward, grabbing the old coin from the boy before her.

"Oh, now you want to hear my thoughts?" Five shrugged.

The coin glinted in the dull light of the room, Halyn shifting it in her fingers, and Five watched as her hand shifted into the coppery material before it slowly creeped up her arm. Out of a brief moment of panic, he grabbed her hand. Though he had seen her use her powers a few times during the day, what he had read in Vanya's book in regard to Halyn made him wee bit paranoid. Halyn's brown eyes immediately met his, lips quirking upwards in a gentle smirk.

As her hand returned to normal, Five pulled his back, running it through his hair before dropping it into his lap. He noted how Halyn had seemed to focus some, however, and memories of her playing a therapist of sorts when they were younger danced across his vision.

Halyn found Five sitting on the rooftop of the academy, a dark expression dampening his young features.

She slipped into the open spot beside him with ease, Five not paying her much mind. Her feet dangled over the edge of the rooftop alongside his, and Five found a strange comfort when her calf pressed up lightly against his.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Halyn voiced, and Five blinked as a copper coin entered his field of vision.

He scoffed at the girl, not accepting the worthless coin as he continued to stare straight ahead, jaw clenched tightly. Five thought her little ploy was rather childish, but Halyn didn't share the same mentality- and the little trick seemed to work on his siblings still as well.

But Five thought it was beneath him.

Halyn was undeterred by his failure to acknowledge her, however, and rammed her shoulder gently into his. This forced Five to look at the girl, and she stared back at him expectantly. She held the penny up once more, brown eyes twinkling in the moonlight and Five felt something in him give in.

With a deep sigh, he took the coin from his best friend. He twisted it around in his grip, coming face to face with Lincoln in the process. Five caressed the coin, staring down at it as he held it in his lap before he glanced back up at Halyn.

Her expression was soft, open even, and she waited patiently for him to say something.

"I want to time travel." Five revealed.

Halyn's head cocked to the side, "Time travel?"

Five hummed in affirmation, glancing from the girl beside him to the starry sky, "Father doesn't seem to think I can do it, but how hard can it really be?" He turned back to Halyn, gauging her reaction to his revelation. She looked pensive, and when she didn't say anything more, Five further justified, "I've pretty much mastered my spatial jumps, so why can't I try to time travel?"

"What? Not happy with our time, Five?"

The quip earned Halyn an eyeroll and a sarcastic laugh, "Ha ha. You know that's not why I want to time travel."

He wanted to prove he was the best. But Halyn didn't dare speak that out loud. Five had enough of an ego as is.

Halyn glanced up at the stars for a moment, enjoying the peace they brought her before she turned back to her best friend, "Time travel sounds dangerous, Five," She started slowly, voice even. He looked ready to protest her words, but Halyn cut him off, "I have no doubts that you could do it one day, but if Sir Hargreeves thinks you're not ready then maybe he has his reasons?"

Five's jaw ticked at her response, and he levelled her with a dark gaze. Halyn matched the look, not backing down and sticking to her words. She knew Five wouldn't appreciate what she had to say, but she also knew when to not encourage her best friend's stupid ideas. He needed someone to keep himself grounded, and that job often fell to Halyn.

Five may have been the brains of their operation, but she was the voice of reason.

But that didn't mean Five always liked what she had to say.

"What do you know about time travel? I-"

"What do you know about time travel?" Halyn quipped back, cutting the boy off. Five's eyes flashed, jaw clenched and he shook his head. "You don't know what to expect, or even when to expect."

"I'm ready. I'm sure of it." He spoke again, but this time his voice seemed quieter, and Five sounded as if he was trying to convince himself of this fact. "What's the worst that could happen? I'd disappear for a few minutes?"

Five felt his chest tighten at the saddened expression that graced Halyn's pretty features at his words, "I'd be lost if you disappeared, Five." Her voice sounded so small, broken even, and his heart clenched at her revelation. A few seconds passed, and when he couldn't stand to look at her pained eyes anymore, Five glanced back down at the penny in his hands.

The urge to time travel was still strong within him, but for the time being, maybe he'd hold off on time travelling- if only to stick around for Halyn.

Five should've listened to her all those years ago, but hindsight's twenty-twenty, and at least he was back now.

"Penny for my…" Halyn trailed off, voice drawing Five back to the present. She didn't finish the saying, however, and instead turned to glance up at the boy before her. A melancholic smile danced its way onto her lips, and Five's heart fluttered at the soft expression, "No one's said that to me in a while." The coin shifted in her hand before Halyn flipped it into the air. She caught it with ease before holding it close to her chest.

"I guess I'm still trying to process the fact that you're… back." Halyn revealed slowly, voice low after a minute or so of silence. Her eyes found Five's for a moment, but they quickly flickered away, absentmindedly tracing the wooden pattern of the coffee table, "I spent months hoping you'd come home, come back to me. And now you're here and I just.. I guess I'm just not sure what to make of things. A part of me wants to be mad at you- is mad at you- but I'm also so relieved to have you back. But…"

Halyn sucked in a shaky breath, and she ran a hand through her dark locks. Five shifted in his spot beside her, and she glanced up at him. Her eyes trailed over his bleeding forearm, and she pulled his arm into her lap, gently removing the old and dirty bandage before working on cleaning it.

A silence had settled over the duo once more, and Five wasn't quite sure what to say, and Halyn didn't bother to finish her sentence. Peroxide rolled over his wound, but the teleporter didn't even flinch, instead watching the girl before him carefully as she dabbed at the incision gently.

Five was waiting for her to feel nauseous or something at the close proximity to blood, and the slightly deep wound, but Halyn seemed to pay it no mind, lost in her own thoughts as she absentmindedly tended to him.

Five took this time to study the girl before him closely, taking in her features and comparing them to the face that haunted him these past forty-two years. Though her features were still that of a sixteen-year old, they were toughened and wise beyond her physical years. Her brown eyes, once young and vibrant, were now hardened and dark, and Five's heart ached for the nonchalance and free-spirit they were once upon a time.

"I'm also trying to figure out where we stand."

Halyn's voice was so soft when she spoke again, glancing up at him through thick lashes, and if Five hadn't been so intently focused on her, he most likely would've missed the look. Her voice was filled with hesitation and unsureness, and he frowned.

"Halyn," Five opened his mouth, only to shut it once more as he pondered over his next words. Despite the persona he tried to put forward, Halyn had seen right through him, and she had even cemented herself as someone important in his life- important enough that she was the one face he could remember perfectly during the forty-two years he spent in the future and the first face he sought out upon coming back to 2019, "You're still my best friend." His voice was soft, and she shook her head.

Though her heart fluttered at his admonishment, and though she was inclined to say the same thing, she couldn't form the words. Though it had been oh so easy to slip back into their friendship, something off nagged at the back of the girl's mind, "Then why are you hiding things from me? From your siblings?"

Five stiffened, and Halyn paused in bandaging his arm, "They wouldn't understand."

"Well, maybe I would?" She gently grabbed his cheek so he'd look at her, only pulling away when he flinched at her touch. It hurt, but she shoved the feeling aside. Halyn had no idea what Five had gone through, or what he was even feeling, "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"I know," The teleporter responded, voice level, "but what I have to say isn't the… it's not the easiest thing to hear." Five's voice faltered at the end, a somber look in his eye, and Halyn frowned.

"Nothing really catches me off guard anymore, Five." The Sioux girl chuckled, but there was no humor in it, "After all, I spent twelve years as a fucking statue."

"And I got myself stuck in the future."

A brief moment of silence passed between the two before a bright grin split Halyn's lips, and his own soft smile toyed on Five's. Her laughter was light, lighter than it should've been for their dark conversation, and he reveled in the melodious sound.

"Well, aren't we a fucked-up pair, Five?" Halyn breathed out with a shaky laugh, minty fresh breath tickling his nose. She had pressed her forehead against his own, and if she were any other person, Five would've shoved her away in a heartbeat, but she wasn't just any normal person.

She was Halyn.

The one person he felt absolute comfort with, and her touch was almost reassuring. It reminded him that Halyn was actually there.

And that he was home.

He never got a chance to respond, however, as the door to the apartment suddenly burst open and their conversation was cut short. Vanya stepped into her apartment, pausing in the doorframe as she realized the lights- that she had definitely turned off this morning- were now on. As she had entered her building through the back door, she didn't notice they were on through the front window.

Five and Halyn had immediately separated, and Vanya startled as she realized the two were sitting on her couch, "Jesus!" She exclaimed, recovering from her mini-heart attack. The brunette's eyes flickered over her brother and friend, brows furrowing as she took in their appearance.

Both had bandages on their bodies- Halyn with one on her shoulder, and Five with his forearm wrapped- but she was more perplexed by the fact the Sioux teen did not have on a shirt. It was tossed lazily on the coffee table, and Five's jacket was wrapped around her torso.

Catching Vanya's confused look, Halyn glanced down at her torso, and realization washed over her like a tidal wave, "It's not what it looks like!" She cried out, embarrassment ripping through her body, cheeks reddening immediately. Tearing off Five's jacket, she dropped the piece of clothing onto the boy's head, momentarily blinding him as she stood up, with only a bra on, before hastily slipping her damaged shirt over her head.

The rapid movements caused pain to flare in her arm once more, but Halyn ignored it in favor of tugging her shirt over her chest. Vanya shook her head as the teen sat back down, torso now fully clothed. Her face was still heated, and Five pulled his jacket off his head, an amused smirk toying at the corners of his lips, "I don't even want to know."

"Nothing happened, Vanya." Halyn managed to ground out through clenched teeth, purposefully ignoring the amused teleporter that sat beside her.

Vanya shook her head with a light chuckle, finally shutting the apartment door behind her. She ventured further into her apartment, discarding her bag on her dining table before shrugging off her jacket. Vanya dropped it onto a nearby chair before facing the two teens, "Why are you here?"

"You said I could come over." Halyn was quick to retort.

Vanya rolled her eyes and gestured to her brother, "Then why are you here?"

Five mulled over his thoughts for a few moments, seeking out the right words, and when he found them, he gestured to the empty chair on the other side of Halyn. Vanya took the silent hint, walking around her coffee table before depositing herself in the chair.

Five looked momentarily apprehensive before he spoke his next words cautiously, "I've decided that you and Halyn are the only ones I can trust."

Vanya's brows furrowed, "Why me?" Halyn was obvious, as her and Five had always had a close bond, but Vanya felt as if her bond with him had never been as strong, so why she was included was beyond her.

"Because you're ordinary," There was silence for a moment, Vanya processing his words, before his gaze softened, "because you'll listen- the both of you."

Vanya thought over his words for a minute and nodded, "Okay."

Halyn shifted to face Five directly, giving him her undivided attention. A somber expression tainted his young features, and a compelling urge to hold his hand washed over the girl. After a few seconds hesitation, she gave into the urge, gently reaching forward and pulling Five's hand into her lap, and he didn't fight the contact.

"When I jumped forward and got stuck in the future, do you know what I found?"

"No."

"Nothing." Five's response was instantaneous, and Halyn didn't like the heavy feeling that now sat in the pit of her stomach, "Absolutely nothing." His voice was barely above a whisper, and he stared vacantly off into space. She could only imagine what was playing in his mind, and her thumb brushed over the back of his hand, "As far as I could tell, I was the last person left alive."

Halyn felt a lump form in her throat, breath hitching in the process, and beside her, Vanya felt something similar. The Sioux teen attempted to process what Five was saying, a million and one questions flying around her mind, but she was speechless.

Five's hand suddenly clenched harshly around Halyn's own, the sudden grip tight and pulling a light hiss from the girl. She attempted to get the teleporter to loosen his grip, but his gaze was still unfocused, face hardening as it contorted from sorrow to anger, and his voice was tense when he next spoke, "I never figured out what killed the human race, but I did find something else; the date it happens."

Five finally lessened his grip on Halyn's hand, having tuned back into the world around him, but he still made sure to keep his hand in hers. His gaze flickered from hers and Vanya's, eyes distant as fear radiated off him in waves.

"The world ends in eight days, and I have no idea how to stop it."

Halyn gaped at the boy beside her, shock evident on her face, and she struggled to comprehend exactly what Five had just said. It seemed so impractical and far-fetched for the world to just suddenly end, but she could tell Five believed it with every fiber of his being.

And she trusted him.

"Shit."

Vanya felt something similar as the Sioux teen, and she stared at her brother in disbelief and shock. She cleared her throat before speaking softly, "I'll put on a cup of coffee."

It was going to be a long night.

A/N: And that's a wrap on episode one! I told myself I'd only upload this once I had episode two done but, whelp, I'm a bit behind on writing but I have enough for episode two done for another chapter or two so I won't be too far behind at least!

I appreciate all the love and support so far! Please leave a review and tell me what ya'll think! I'd love to get some feedback and stuff~