𝐍𝐎𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐎 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 → 𝑭. 𝑯

𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍: 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒎 𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏

He gasped, "You don't mean that."

"I don't." She smiled. Messing with him was surprisingly funny. Unbeknownst to her, she was unlocking another attribute that had been locked away – she liked to tease. If Five wasn't affected by his psychosis, he would have caught on to it and played along. Right now, his wife wasn't believing him and he took offense to that.

Luther fell into step with them as Older Five went ahead of them, revisiting his plan.

"Hey, brother. How you doing?" He chuckled forcefully as they reached the edge of the bridge and a group of stairs appeared.

"He's gonna – me, isn't he?" Five said, looking towards his other self.

"What?" Both Luther and Ella said – Luther was shocked that he knew and Ella's was by the absurdity of his question.

Luther scoffed, "Him? He's gonna — you? Yeah, right. That's ridiculous."

Ella wasn't so convinced, "Luther I meant what I said back at the pub. Seems like you don't understand. Anything happens to him under your watch and I will make due with my threat." 

"You know, you're a terrible liar, Luther. You're a worse liar than you are a spotter." Five said. "Ella is over here not believing me when it should be you who isn't believing in me. No offense, dear." He directed the last sentence at Ella, who was just recovering from the previous compliment.

"Okay, whose fault is that?" Luther admitted. "What good is having a spotter if you won't even listen to him."

"So you admit you're conspiring against me?" Five asked, whispering this time.

"Do you admit you're suffering from paradox psychosis?" Luther jabbed.

"All I'm suffering from is bracing clarity about you and your murderous intentions." Five began scratching himself once again.

"Look, it's not like he's gonna "-- you, – you". He just wants to — a...um...version of you."

Ella looked as if she was about to hurt Luther any moment now.

"But I am that version of him." Five snapped back, walking down the stairs with Ella still restraining him. She laughed internally: before she needed Five to help her, now he needed Ella to help him.

"Hey, I don't love it, either but he's actually got a pretty good plan." Luther defended.

"What?" Five got snappier. "The one where you guys off me and then jump to 2019 to save the world?" Five asked as he began touching his forehead.

"Yeah." He nodded. "Wait." He paused. "How do you know that?"

"Because I'm him and that is exactly what I would do if I were trying to kill me!" Five's temper was rising along with his irrationality. He tried to tug his arm away from Ella, but one glare at him and he relented.

"Okay, all I know is we've got one Five too many and you're the one acting like a maniac." Luther said.

"Maniac?" Good grief, Ella thought, pinching the bridge of her nose with the other hand. "Luther, you have seen nothing. If you want a maniac, I will show you maniac." 

Ella had enough. She let go of Five and jogged forward to Older Five. She kept up with him, rolling her eyes at Five and Luther's loud argument.

"Psychosis is really getting to him." Older Five nodded. "Feel bad for him."

He wouldn't...

"So, uh...I don't know if he told you, but the last time we saw each other–"

"A fight. I know." She nodded. "He told me. And I forgave him, therefore I forgive you." She smiled. "He's been a big help, albeit a tiny bit secretive still. I guess that's just you."