[✓] 𝐼𝑁𝑇𝐸𝑅𝐿𝑈𝐷𝐸 | 𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐒

𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞. 𝑔𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑔 ℎ𝑜𝑚𝑒. 𝐜𝐨𝐝𝐚

The other two nodded, not seeming to upset by the news.

"Now that the Handler's gone, what happens at Commission?" Five questioned, his eyebrows furrowing as he looked between the two of them.

Herb began to stammer, his mouth moving in all sorts of directions as he awkwardly tried to speak.

Dot nudged him with a small smile as she encouraged, "Just tell them."

"Eh . . . Well . . . we need to elect a new board of directors. But, until then, I, um . . ." He gave them a grin and shrugged. "I've been voted in as acting chairperson."

Dot gave an excited squeak, clapping her hands together lightly as Diego grinned. "No shit. Congrats, Herbie. That's huge."

"That's great!" Valerie smiled before leaning towards Five and whispering, "I'm so confused."

"Just go with it," he whispered back, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"I'm so goddamn nervous." Herb trembled with excitement, his grin practically taking up half of his face.

"You'll do fine," Five reassured him, and Valerie tried to keep in her surprise; Five was being nice—unprompted, too!

Herb seemed a little surprised as well. "Oh, thank you!"

Five gave a small nod before sighing, "Herb, we need a favour."

"Oh" —Herb nodded— "sure, anything!"

"A briefcase," Five elaborated as he glanced over to Diego, who nodded in agreement. "Get back home, where we belong."

Herb gave a small finger gun before both he and Dot turned to look at the hundreds of dead Commission workers that had free briefcases laying next to them. "Take your pick."

—♫—

Valerie sat at the kitchen table about twenty minutes later, her head in her hands, sniffling slightly as tears rolled down her cheeks.

She wasn't all too sure why she was crying, but it was either due to the happiness that they were going back home or from the pain of the pounding headache that had finally hit her from her lack of energy (let's be honest, it was probably the latter).

She felt a presence take the seat next to her, and a warm hand placed itself on the side of her face and turned it towards them.

"Hey," she murmured, sniffling.

"Hi," Five said softly, his eyes worriedly wandering over her face as he wiped her tears away. He shifted his chair closer so that there was practically no space between them before asking, "You okay?"

"I'm fine," she reassured him with a small smile. Her eyebrows furrowed as a question came to mind. "Hey, Five . . ."

"Hm?" he hummed as he tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, his eyebrows knit tightly together.

Valerie's brown eyes focused on his green ones in an attempt to distract herself from the pain, and she chewed on her lower lip for a moment before murmuring, "Back at the barn . . . how'd you know that the Handler was coming?"

"I, um . . ." Five sighed as he interlaced his fingers with hers. "I went back in time."

Valerie's eyebrows furrowed even further as she uttered, "You . . . huh?"

"The first time around, the Handler came in, and killed . . . everyone," Five began, his voice low. "You and I . . . You were still alive; your healing helped, and I . . . Well, the bullet didn't hit anywhere fatal," he explained as he gave her a small smile. "And just before the Handler finished me off, the Swede came and killed her."