#fivehargreevesxreader

Banners and streamers littered the courtyard of the Umbrella Academy.  The bright laughter of children echoed through the air, as the adults sat around the table sipping cocktails.  (Y/n) was perched in Five’s lap, his head rested on her shoulder.

“I really don’t know how you guys do it.”  Allison laughed.  “I am SO glad that Claire wasn’t born with any powers.  Must be a recessive gene or something.”  Luther’s huge hand rested on her knee.

“Yeah, Claire is a handful without her being able to rumor us into getting literally everything she wants.  I can’t even imagine.”  Klaus deposited another tray of drinks on the table, taking a seat amongst his siblings.

“You guys haven’t even had to babysit yet, consider yourself lucky.  Last weekend, she reversed time FOUR times just so she could eat the pizza we ordered again. And again, and again.”  Klaus laughed, glancing over at the young girl, playing with a group of her schoolmates.  “She’s probably going to rewind this whole party so she can do it again, you can tell she’s loving all of the attention.”

“Oh come on guys, we don’t give her free reign over time travel.  We can’t help she’s a prodigy.” (Y/n) rolled her eyes, sipping her drink.  “She hasn’t even started doing time jumps yet, thank God.  I’ll probably have a head full of grey hair when she does.”

Five squeezed his wife gently.  “You know I’ve got it under control when she does.  She’s learning from the best.”  She elbowed him playfully, pressing a quick kiss to his temple.

“With my luck, you’re going to get her stuck as a five year old and we’ll be dealing with THIS for the rest of our lives.”  She gestures over at the child, who was now in a tug of war match with another child, screaming all the while.  Vanya rose from her seat, making her way towards the children.

“Aunt Vanya’s got this, you guys stay put and enjoy the party.”  The couple watched as Vanya crouched down, consoling the crying child.  Scooping her up in her arms, she made her way back to the table.  “I think it might be time for little D to take a nap, what do you think sweetheart?”

“But it’s my party,” the dark haired girl hiccupped through her tears, outstretching her arms towards Five and (Y/n).  “Mommy I want more cake, can I have more cake?”  (Y/n) stretched out her arms, cradling the child, and Five reached down to ruffle her hair.

“In just a little while, I think you’re getting cranky because you’re tired.”  Five murmured over (Y/n)’s shoulder.  The little girl peered up at them.

“Okay, so if I take a nap, I can have more cake?”  She yawned, snuggling further into her parents’ embrace.

“Of course, you can even take your nap in the special hammock if you want. You’re the birthday girl, after all!”  (Y/n) carefully stood, carrying the weight of the child, placing her gently in the brightly colored hammock.

While (Y/n) tucked the child in, Five peered over at Diego.  “So, dear brother.  How many more months til we meet your little one?”  Diego grinned over at (Y/f/n) as she rubbed her swollen belly.

“We’re in the last trimester.  Probably three or four more weeks before our little asskicker is born.”  He beamed.  “I can only hope our kiddo gets the badass gene.  I’ll have her throwing knives before she can even say her first words.” (Y/f/n) rolled her eyes, and peered down at her belly.

“You better not.  Our little Grace can choose if she wants to use her powers or not…That is, if she’s born with them.  Seems like kind of a crapshoot, since we’re one for two with the Hargreeves spawns right now.”  Klaus and Vanya look at one another.

“We’re both going to adopt. No freaking way are we trying to pass this down to anyone.” They share a laugh, as (Y/n) makes her way back to the table.

“What’d I miss?”  She says, glancing at the family, sipping on her drink.

“Oh, just discussing the…What did she call it? The Hargreeves spawns?” Five patted his lap and (Y/n) plopped back down comfortably.  “I wonder if our next one will have any abilities.”

“Oh slow your roll, Five.  There’s no way we’re having any more for a WHILE, maybe ever. Dolores is a handful enough. Can you even imagine?”

“I mean, I never imagined having kids at all. Now I have a beautiful wife, my daughter is the next head of the Commission, and the family is back together sharing cocktails in the courtyard of the home we hated.  Of all the impossible things that could have happened, I think anything is possible now.”  He placed his hand on her cheek, turning her head towards him.  Placing a firm, loving kiss to her lips, she smiled warmly at her husband.

Setting her steaming mug gently on the table, she thumbed over a copy of her favorite book. “The Time Traveler’s Wife” emblazoned in large white letters across the front, the book was obviously well loved and well read. Her eyes flicked over to the calendar that hung on the wall: February 2nd 2019, circled in bright red marker. Today was one of the days, one of the final ones marked on her calendar. It was raining all day, but it would clear up by this afternoon, at least that’s what he had told her. She trusted this strange omniscience, the knowledge of things that would happen, the absolute certainty and resolve. She retrieved a second mug from the cabinet and poured a cup of rich, black coffee from the French press. He had told her she made the best coffee of anyone in any timeline, and she was inclined to believe that. Where he came from, coffee was a sparse and sought after resource. The ticking of the clock counted down the seconds, and she found herself syncing up her breathing. “Why am I so nervous?” she whispered out loud to no one in particular. A blue light flashed brightly on the opposite side of the room, and her breath hitched in her throat. The illuminated man composed himself, this time much older than she was used to. “Five?” She stepped forward, voice wavering. “February 2nd, 2019?” His face stern and weathered. Her head nodded in confirmation. Face softening, he strode towards her, wrapping her in a warm embrace. “Five, you’re filthy, is everything okay?” “Let me take a shower and I’ll fill you in.” He glided past her towards the bathroom, knowing precisely where he was going. She no longer felt hurt at the lack of affection when he first arrives, but had rather come to expect it. They had done this countless times in different locations: her parents’ home, her first apartment, once while she was on vacation. Five could seemingly always find his way to her, regardless of the time stamp. She sat quietly on the couch as the low hum of the shower started down the hall.

The first night he came in 2002 had been tumultuous. Her parents fought loudly in the living room, like they had done countless times since her sister had committed suicide. Those nights she found solace in lying on the roof of the house, staring at stars. The serenity was broken by a loud ‘pop’ from her bedroom. Wiping away her tears, she snuck back in through her window, to be greeted by the form of a boy around her age who appeared very shaken up. The girl began to scream, and the boy rushed over and placed a hand gently on her mouth. “Shhhhh. Please wait, listen. I need you to tell me the date.” He removed his hand, placing it on her shoulder. “It’s January 3rd 2002.” His mouth curved into a sly smile. “I’ll be damned, I DID IT.” Her eyes traced the emblem on the front of his neat sport jacket. “I came from two days in the past!” “You’re from the Umbrella Academy, aren’t you?” “Five Hargreeves, spatial jumper and now, officially, TIME TRAVELLER. Oh, father dearest is going to love this…”He paused, holding out his hand. “I’m sorry, I really don’t know why I showed up here of all places.” She reached out and shook his hand. “I’m (y/n),” she replied quietly, still attempting to mask the fact that she had been crying. Their friendship soon became a constant in her otherwise bleak life. He began visiting in the normal timeline, for the better part of a year. He would occasionally pop up in her room, asking what the date was: she could tell he was practicing for a bigger jump. One night, when they sat on the roof, she broke down. “I’m sorry I’m so boring. We sit up here nearly every night, I know this has to drive you crazy. You could be honing your time jumps, or literally doing anything else, than sitting up here with me. You’re extraordinary and I’m just…ordinary.” His hand brushed hers, so gently she thought she had imagined it. “Hey, you’re wrong. You’re definitely not ordinary. You’re like a beacon, or a lighthouse. If I ever get lost in the timeline, I think I’ll always be able to find you. That must be why I showed up here after the first jump!” He paused, staring at the sky. “You’re my best friend, (Y/n).” That night, he had left in another loud ‘pop’. At first light, she rolled over in her bed, noticing some items missing from her room. A picture frame that held a class photo, a necklace from her nightstand, small things that would seem mundane to an unknowing eye. Beside her head on the pillow, a letter was conspicuously placed. “(Y/n), Today I am going to attempt the furthest time jump that I’ve done yet. I know my father will protest, but I think I’m ready. If something happens, just know I’ll find you eventually. I promise. Yours, Five”

She was fourteen the first time he came back, popping up in the kitchen of her house. She marveled at how he was all at once the same, but was somehow different, perhaps a bit older. Once the shock subsided, she threw her silverware at him, unleashing her pent up anger. “You left me, Five. You left me,” she sobbed. He was unphased, standing with arms crossed. “Are you done?” he stared at her from the place she had collapsed in the floor. “You know the drill. Confirm date and time.” Five turned from her, rummaging around the cabinets. “August 15, 2004.” She hiccupped quietly, collecting herself off of the linoleum. “Do you know how to make coffee?” His facial expression didn’t change, but she could detect a hint of a smile in his eyes. Over a cup of French press coffee, he began telling her what he had been doing for the last two years. He had been recruited as a part of an organization that maintained appropriate timelines called the Commission. He dodged most of her questions, noting that his career was secretive. The question sat on the tip of her tongue, waiting for a lull in conversation. “In the future, do you see me?” He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, hands clasped around the mug. “I do.” He answered curtly. “I can’t speak to you though, it would alter the timeline. There are certain variables that have to be met…” he trailed off, a barely detectable sadness settled into his expression. “Otherwise, certain things won’t happen. The Commission says things have to happen exactly in the right order or it ruins the whole thing.” His jaw clenched. His mind goes to a particular fall day in 2014 that the Commission insisted on him traveling to, over and over again. A day in which he would love nothing more than to forsake the timeline and the Commission. “Like what?” cocking an eyebrow, her interest clearly piqued. “You’ll have to wait. Just give me a few years and I’ll have this all figured out. I’m not strong enough to jump too many times by myself. I’m only able to jump now because the Commission has given me the tools to do it with ease.” The coffee cup in front of his was empty. His arm outstretched across the kitchen table, and he grasped her hand. “Whenever I’m not on a job, I’ll come back as much as I can. I promise.”

She waited for four more unbearable years for her best friend to come back. She was on vacation in Mexico celebrating graduation, and a bright blue light illuminated her hotel room. As was the tradition, he requested the date first and foremost. She noted his height, he was several inches taller than her now, and he had the beginnings of unruly facial hair, and appeared to be in at least late 20s. His eyes remained the same. “Handsome” she thought outrageously to herself. He closed distance, placing his hands firmly on her shoulders. “(Y/n), the world ended. I have to fix this.” His eyes were blown out, panicked. “I came from year 2032.” “Well that explains the age gap. Five, you’ve got to slow down. Do you know where you are right now?” He looked around the room, then rushed to the open doors leading to a balcony, overlooking a calm, deserted beach. Whipping around rapidly, his eyes ran over her from the bottom up. His pupils dilated: she had grown into a beautiful young adult. He couldn’t have prepared himself for how she had gotten taller, her features slightly more pointed. “Oh my God, I missed your graduation, didn’t I?” He did his best to avert his gaze, she wore a baggy shirt and underwear, hair thrown in a messy bun. A flush crept over his cheeks. Nervously, she strode over to the balcony. “Five, you’ve been gone for a while…You missed everything.” There was no anger in her voice, just a hint of loneliness. She had rehearsed the moment he would return to her for years now, knowing exactly what she would say. “I can’t believe you’re here…”she paused, noting his somber expression. “It’s all going to be gone. The world ends and I have no idea how to stop it. Do you know how long I’ve been alone out there? There’s no one left…” he thought for a moment. “I didn’t think I would ever find you again after getting kicked out of the Commission. I practiced, and worked, and slaved just to be able to jump again, but I couldn’t. Then I thought of you. Just sat there, and thought about you, and I was here.” “Wait, you left the Commission? What are you talking about??” “Shit, I’m screwing up. I can’t talk about that anymore, otherwise I’m going to muck things up even worse.” Unexpectedly, he wrapped his arms around her, burying his scruff in her neck. Whispering, he murmured, “I don’t have much time. Any minute now I’m going to revert back to where I was. I just had to see. Just had to see….” He stopped himself, knowing if he poured his heart out, it would only make things harder. She didn’t know what he knew. In a quick sleight of hand, he slipped a piece of paper into her palm. He gently pushed back from her, the cool touch of metal brushing her chest. Around his neck, he wore the necklace that he had stolen off of her nightstand, accompanied by a thin gold band. Her eyes widened. “Five, is that my necklace? What’s that ring?” He placed his hands, clad in fingerless gloves, over her flushing cheeks. “I had to take it. I needed something to keep me grounded to guide me back. My lighthouse…” He began pulling her close once more, but just before the inevitable crashing of lips, a flash of blue light took him away from her again. It felt wrong. Five laid on a filthy mattress in the middle of a wasteland now circa 2032, knowing she was back in 2008, feeling miserable and devastated. He wanted to tell her what he did in 2014, just a few years before the apocalypse, but he knew it could alter everything.

(Y/n) moved into her first apartment while attending college in 2009. She had not seen him since he came to her on the balmy night in Mexico. Unfolding a small piece of paper he had slipped in her palm that night, she noted that one of the days, scrawled in what appeared to be blue crayon, was today. Attending her classes like normal, she had a creeping sense of anxiety at the unknown nature of the significance of the date. (Y/n) chose to skip her afternoon classes, and made her way back to her apartment. Immediately upon opening the door, the scent of black coffee hit her. A sense of panic washed over her: she definitely had not brewed any coffee that day. She felt for the light switch on the wall beside her, to be greeted to the sight of Five sitting comfortably on her couch, a briefcase positioned on the floor near his feet. “Christ, Five, what the hell? You couldn’t turn a light on? Why are you just sitting in the dark?” He stood from his seated position: clean cut, with a button up shirt rolled above his elbows and dark dress pants, easily younger than he had been in Mexico. “Sorry,” he smoothed his hair back with his hands. “I didn’t mean to scare you.” She stared at him quizzically, noting the dark circles under his eyes. There were unmistakable indicators that he had been crying. “Hey, are you alright?” Her feet were frozen just inside the threshold of the door. Seeing him in this state was completely new. Five had always been fairly level headed and logical: emotions weren’t necessarily his strong suit, nor were words. His eyes darted around the room, unable to meet her gaze. “What’s wrong?” He shook his head and rushed towards her, wrapping his arms firmly around her. His chin rested atop her head, and his breathing steadied. “I just….need you.” He pushed back slightly to look her in the eyes, his own wild with a flurry of emotions. Her mouth slightly ajar, he reached up and ran his thumb across her bottom lip, an inquiry. There were no words he could use to describe what was happening, he needed to show her. Tentatively, she leaned into him, placing a slow kiss onto his lips, the answer he had been searching for. As if the flood gates had opened, he swept her up against the wall, a flurry of hands and unsure lips. It was nearing midnight, and the two laid tangled together on the couch. No words had been spoken in hours, only the praises of two human beings occupying a rare moment in time. Her fingers pressed idly on his chest, she felt his heart rate increase. She knew that time was up, and instinctively pushed herself away from him, granting him access to leave. “I don’t want to go.” He whispered as he sat up, placing his head in his hands. “But if I don’t make it back before midnight the Commission…” “Will turn you into a pumpkin? Or worse?” He peered up at her and cringed. “They’ll send someone after me. Then it will probably be worse.” He dragged himself from the couch, collecting his clothes from the floor. “Sorry I didn’t have a whole lot to say tonight.” He looked at (Y/n) sympathetically, as she wrapped herself in a blanket. “Well, I think you said plenty,” she blushed as she marveled at him, noting that he was a bit leaner and built, apparent in the ease with which he lifted her from the floor just hours before. He leaned down and kissed her, fighting back tears, and began unlatching the case beside the couch. “You’re not angry that I have to leave?” she looked down at him, his somber expression breaking her heart. She knew that somehow this was hurting him more than it hurt her. “Of course not. You have a job to do. I know you’ll always come back to me” “Okay….I’ll see you soon, check the dates.” In a flash he was back at the Commission, back pressed to the wall. He wished he could have told her that his devastation was from watching her wedding, again, and how he wished that it was him instead: it would be selfish to ruin this for her. The knowledge that she could never be his made it even more painful. He wiped the tears from his eyes, and peeled himself from the floor.

The shower had stopped running, bringing a thick silence to their sometimes shared home. Five walked out of her bathroom wrapped in a towel, and found his way to the couch, collapsing in an exhausted heap. (Y/n) brought him his coffee and sat down beside him. “So….” She started, unsure of what to say. There usually wasn’t a lull in conversation, but things had been mostly quiet for her, and she surmised, for him as well. “I’ve pinpointed the day when the world ends. All of my calculations appear to point at the same date. I just don’t know the why or the what.” He frowned, rubbing his freshly shaved cheek. “What year did you come from?” She stared down at the vortex she had created in her coffee. “Still 2032. I think I’ve managed to sync everything back up. We’re in the same timeline now, I’m just coming from…a little further ahead.” He frowned. Her hand reached out to clasp his slightly weathered hand, touch starved after months of waiting. “You changed your hair?” Taken aback by his change of subject, she recoiled, running her fingers through her hair. “Oh, yeah. I dyed it a couple of weeks ago.” “Fascinating…it suits you. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it like this before.” He replaced her fingers with his own and she exhaled, reveling in his touch. “All these numbers and figures, and I never even think about how you might be different when I see you.” Eyes pressed firmly shut, “It’s all I ever think about. How someday, you’ll come back, and decide I’m not beautiful anymore. Or you think I’ve gained weight, or my hair isn’t quite right or…” Five cut her off, placing his finger over her lips. “You have nothing to worry about. I feel sorry for YOU,” he emphasized. “I’m getting old and haggard, and you’re even more beautiful than the day I married you.” His strong hand guided her towards him, placing a firm but loving kiss on her lips.

(Y/n) sat in front of a mirror as her best friend adjusted her veil. A frown plastered her face. “I don’t think I should do this, I mean, we’ve only been together for six months. It’s kind of a whirlwind, don’t you think?” Fingers busied themselves nervously with the delicate beading of her dress, arguably one that wasn’t even remotely her style. (Y/f/n) swiveled her chair to meet her eyes. “This is supposed to be the happiest day of your life, you have to stop trying to talk yourself out of it. You finally have a man that won’t go disappearing on you, it’s literally the best thing that’s ever happened to you.” (Y/n)’s eyes welled up with tears. “But what if he comes back? What if he comes back and I’m married to someone else? I don’t know if I could live with myself.” “Five isn’t coming back. The Umbrella Academy assholes are all maladjusted, miserable people. You know this just as well as I do.” She shot back bitterly. “Just because you and Diego didn’t get a happy ending, that doesn’t mean I can’t.” Her friend passed her a tissue, expression softening. “I’m sorry, (Y/n). I’m not trying to be hard on you, I know this is a stressful day. But this is what it is. This is your happily ever after! Let’s celebrate!” She handed her a champagne flute, and toasted the bride and her bridesmaids. As she sipped her champagne, she began to wonder if Five had ever loved her at all, considering he had never said those words in any exact capacity. Maybe he simply felt comfort in her presence. Her fiancé never missed an opportunity for those words to pour from his lips, like a slow, miserable drip from a leaky pipe. He was even accepting of the fact that she did not want to sleep with him before the wedding, completely oblivious that the only reason was that the thought of another man touching her made her feel sick. Pachelbel’s Cannon in D began playing throughout the garden, and she felt her chest tighten. This wasn’t the song she wanted, but her fiancé was incredibly traditional. She chose to have no one give her away, so she would take this long walk to the altar completely alone and exposed. Her fiancé wasn’t particularly pleased with that either. Plastering on some semblance of a smile, she strode slowly, taking in all of the faces in the crowd, doing her best to not look up at the groom. She knew it wouldn’t be the absentee man of her dreams, the one she had loved since she was 12. No, that man was lost in the aether of time, with an important job of maintaining order in a world made of entirely chaos. This would be as good as it could possibly get. There was nothing wrong with her fiancé per say: he was handsome, had an excellent job and most importantly, was there all the time. Unlike Five, who could only offer middle of the night trysts where fevered hands did the talking, those fleeting moments he could break away from the Commission without being caught. Nights where he couldn’t utter a single word to her, since any moment speaking would be a moment his lips weren’t on hers. The moments that she knew he was a ship without an anchor, the only thing holding him to those hours in time were his desperate hands clinging to her. None of those stolen moments mattered anymore. Her feet planted firmly in front of the man with whom she had every intention of spending her life, she took a deep breath. The string quartet stopped. Cicadas began singing as the sun set. “Does anyone with us today have a reason why these two should not be joined in marriage? Speak now or forever hold your peace.” A bright blue light illuminated the middle of the aisle. “I do.” Five stood there in a slick black suit, looking as though he had just come from a day of work at the Commission. His jaw tense, he stood for a moment as the realization dawned on everyone in the audience. “Oh hell no,” her maid of honor stepped in front of her, “who the FUCK do you think you are? Showing up today of all days, after MONTHS of radio silence. You have DESTROYED her, give her this chance to make it right.” He closed distance, and couldn’t help but laugh to himself at the dumbfounded look on the groom’s face. He probably didn’t even know about them. “Don’t speak for her. (Y/n), please hear me out…I love you. I’ve loved you since we were kids. I should have said it sooner. I couldn’t stand by and watch the love of my life marry someone else, not without telling you my piece first.” Her expression was blank underneath her veil: there was no reading the myriad of emotions she was feeling. She stepped in front of (Y/f/n), placing her hand gently on her shoulder, giving her a knowing nod. Gently, she swept the veil away from her face, and crossed her arms, as if wordlessly telling him to continue. Five swallowed hard. “The Commission was testing me…They’ve sent me to this moment in time over and over again. I’ve watched you be with someone else no less than a dozen times now, and I can’t do this anymore. The first night we-“ he paused, deciding better than to bring up the events of that particular evening”…this is where I came from. I had just watched you marry him, and it broke me.” “But the timeline….the variables, the rules?” She gestured vaguely. “Fuck the timeline, and fuck the Commission. I quit. Nothing in this world is worth it to watch you end up with someone else. Maybe that’s selfish, maybe I’m an ass.” He shrugged, and she did not respond. Peering around the room at the attendants, they all seemed to be weighing what was going to happen next. Five stood in front of her, placing his hands on the sides of her face. “I’m a terrible romantic, always have been, but here it goes. I can’t promise you that things will be stable. Hell, I can’t promise that they’ll even be good. But I promise you, there is no one in any timeline, in any reality, anywhere, that will love you more than I do.” In a swift motion, he dropped to his knee. “Let’s get married instead, (Y/n). You and I.” Gasps and murmurs erupted from the crowd, as she turned her back on him and walked up to her groom, still dumbfounded at the altar. “Sorry…” she said in almost a whisper, removing the ring that she never particularly liked from her finger and placing it gently in his palm. From this vantage point, Five could not make out what was happening, but watched the groom’s expression change from shock to defeat. He found that he couldn’t move, frozen in time, with baited breath. (Y/n) turned on her heels, looking at the man kneeling on the floor. “Five…stand up.” She put her hands out, helping him up. “Are you ready?” His confusion was apparent. “Ready for what?” “To marry me, dumbass. This is all already paid for, if we’re going to do it, let’s do it right now.” She threw her arms around his neck. “This is all I’ve ever wanted. Marry me, Five?” Nodding, he nervously fumbled around in the pocket of his dress pants. “You’re going to think I’m crazy, but I bought this ring in 1921 in Paris on one of my first jobs with the Commission…I’ve had this for years…”He placed in on her finger, their hands steadying one another. “I’ve always known that it had to be you.” The ceremony was filled with laughter and tears, despite the grand exit of nearly half the attendants when the bride dumped the groom at the altar. The event was postponed for an hour, so Five could contact his family to attend. The reception roared into early evening marked by jovial alcohol consumption. “I know I’ve been asking a lot of big questions today, but I have one more thing I need of you, Mrs. Hargreeves.” Five murmured in her ear, surrounded by people on the dance floor. “Anything, for you. What do you need?” She replied back as seductive as she could. “I need you…” he nipped at her neck …”to….” He peppered kisses along her jaw. “cut the Commission tracking device out of my arm.” “The ACTUAL fuck, Five???” She screeched, slightly tipsy. “Yep, then we throw it in the river. After that I’m completely yours. I’ll finally be able to wake up next to you.” Weighing her options, she nodded. “Let’s do it.” The pair snuck into the bathroom of the reception hall, stumbling and giggling. He removed his dress shirt and flung it over the top of the bathroom stall door, removing a small thin blade from a holster around his ankle. Kneeling near the sink, he draped his arm over the drain, placing the blade in her hand. “You know how much I love you, right, Five?” She eyed him nervously. “I’ve always known. I love you, too. Now let’s get on with this, I’m going to need another drink after this.” He pointed at the spot on his arm, indicating the location of the tracking device. (Y/n) gently pressed the tip of the blade into his arm, creating a small incision. A sudden, sharp breath escaped his lips as he took the blade from her, digging out a small pill shaped device from his forearm. He applied a butterfly bandage, and pulled his button up back on. “Let’s start our happily ever after.”

“So I’ve been making all of these calculations, right?” (Y/n) pulled his clothing out of the dryer and tossed it on the couch. He began getting dressed, since he knew he reasonably only had a few more minutes until he had to go back. “And since I know the exact date, my plan is to travel to just a week before, and see if I can nail down the cataclysm that causes the apocalypse. I’ll have to connect with my brothers and sisters…” She stared at him with exhausted eyes. “So if you can prevent it, maybe we can actually go back to having a normal life?” “I think so. We can finally settle down, I can assemble the bookshelves for all the books I’ve been stealing from the Academy and stashing over here, breakfast, lunch, and dinner together every night…and maybe…” “Maybe what, Five?” He turned towards her, smirking. “We can finally start a family?” a guffaw escaped her mouth, as her hands flew up to cover it. “Five Hargreeves, wanting to be a family man? I thought you ‘never wanted to bring kids into this world’ and ‘didn’t want to risk them having powers and ruin their lives’.” He shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess living through the apocalypse has given me some perspective.” His hands rubbed together rapidly, as he prepared to travel back, knowing this version of himself couldn’t remain here permanently. “I’ll see you the week before the Apocalypse, okay?” He disappeared in a haze of blue once again, and (Y/n) collapsed on the couch.

Just a few blissful years: that was all they were able to squeeze out of their marriage, before the Commission inevitably caught wind of their location. The tall blonde woman, the Handler, had appeared in their front yard, ready to strike up a deal with Five. He had two options: stay in the present, and himself and (Y/n) would be killed at a date of the Commission’s choosing. Be sent to the future and continue work for the Commission, and they would allow them both to live. Little did he know that his punishment would be far worse: they provided him a faulty briefcase, their particular method for time travel, which led to him being stuck in time. The years he spent in the Apocalyptic wasteland allowed him to regain some of his strength, and he began the time leaps that brought him back to (Y/n) in various parts of the timeline.