𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐈𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐄
⋆⋅✧⋅⋆
(visiting past relations)
𝐓he color white was one that Nyx had been forced to severely hate. Despite the brightness and warmth that appeared to radiate off the color, its soothing appearance did well to cover the harshness beneath. She knew the dangers of the light all too well. All the color ever did to her was bring back enormous terrors she had spent years building walls over. But even then the crumble in their foundation was inevitable. Not only was white the color of her brother's power and a constant reminder of what he had done to her, but it was also the color of the room she'd spent her youth imprisoned. She remembered it vividly, even if it had been a few years since being locked in it before her untimely death. The cold, empty, tiled room was one that haunted many of her dreams. A straightjacket was always wrapped around her and the lights so bright that not even an ounce of a shadow could break through. The room forced her mind into a spiral and even if she could break free from the confines around her, all she could ever do was sit on her knees and claw at the floor until her fingers bled and she screamed her throat raw.
The Handler had always proclaimed how the room helped her. She was under the impression that the padded walls would somehow ease her mind to peace and better enforce the use of her power, but Nyx had learned her real intentions early on. It was a way to control her. The room sent her in such a spiral that she couldn't think logically, her heartbeat was too fast to focus, her panic heightened to the point where she feared for her life, and her power forced out of her. Control was never learned in that room. Nothing was ever learned in that room. It was all a ruse so that the Handler may remind her that she will never break free and that she will always have the upper hand on her.
So now as Nyx sat in the bland white room of the mental institution Diego had been locked up in since his early arrival in the 1960s, she was helpless to push down the growing panic taking hold of her chest. The unease was beginning to spread to her mind, dulling her will of conscious and leaving the tapping of her foot against the floor unnoticed. Everything within the small room had been painted white; the walls, the flooring, the vents, the windowsills, and even the curtains. The only thing keeping her mind from completely shattering to pieces was the brown wood of the table and the tiny window that gave her a view of the hallway outside their room.
She sat beside Five in a creaky wooden chair that faced opposite where Diego was meant to be joining them. In an attempt to regain full control over her mind and emotions, she forced herself to examine the picture of event number six once more. It was easier that way, for her mind to focus itself on a task rather than sulk in how bright the room was.
The blood had long since been washed from her skin and her hair was now braided back into a halo that encompassed her head to cover where it still clung to her hair. The curtains of the window peeking outside had been drawn back, allowing the sun's rays to enter the room. Nyx had almost thought it to be funny when she felt the sting of one of them casting upon her hand. She imagined it to be the sun's way of antagonizing her for what she had stolen from it. No longer did it walk among the Earth, banished back to the on-looker. But Theo had his laugh now, reminding her that no matter what she did to be free of her past, it will always remain closely in her shadow. However today she paid no mind to the stinging warmth of the ray. The sun wouldn't get such satisfaction from her. Not when she despised it as much as she did the color white.
Five's gaze drifted over to Nyx, his eyes softly roaming her face as she analyzed the image in her hand. He couldn't help the gentle smile pulling up his lips as he watched her concentrate. Her brows were furrowed just enough to leave a crease in her brow and her lips pursed. He could tell she was even biting the inside of her cheek as her eyes scanned over the image. "Do you know who that is?" He inquired, speaking up for the first time since they had entered the room.
Nyx spared him a quick glance, her gaze softening at his curious expression. A faint smirk pulled at the corners of her lips as she mused, "I was wondering when you'd take notice of our event number six."
"I've always taken notice," He reassured her. "But I see no reason in worrying about something we have yet to face. Not with what's at stake here."
Whatever build her smile had, shattered at his words. Her eyes fell back to the image before lifting only slightly to spare him a quick glance. "If I recall correctly, that strategy didn't go too well for you last time. Did it?"
Five's brows pulled together in confusion. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Nyx couldn't help but scoff. "My brothers. Me." She stated as though it were the most obvious thing ever but that only seemed to cause his confusion to grow. "You didn't care to try and stop us no matter what we did or threatened."
Five merely shrugged. "I knew you wouldn't hurt me."
"You'd bet your life on something so stupid?" She asked, but ultimately shook her head in the realization that she already knew her answer. "Who am I kidding? Of course, you would."
Five's brow lifted slightly in questioning, a faint smirk taking to his lips. "Are you saying you wish me dead then?" The question was meant to be more of a joke than anything but he would quickly come to realize that to her, it wasn't funny.
"For a while, I did." Five's face was quick to deadpan at her words. Nyx rolled her eyes at his shock. "Don't act all surprised. If you thought anything different you were fooling yourself. This is exactly what I mean, Five. Had the truth surrounding my death not arisen, I would have killed you. No matter what it took or who I would have had to go through, I would have killed you." She sternly stated, her words only adding to his growing frown. "Your family almost paid for your recklessness with their lives once before. And while I sorted the biggest threat to you and your family, you continued to allow Hazel and Cha-Cha to roam free. These bets you're making with your life and the lives of those around you will get everyone killed."
Five's frown continued to deepen at her disapproval. "If I hadn't placed that bet, you'd be dead right now. I don't regret anything."
"Well, I do," She firmly stated, her gaze returning to him. He was taken aback by the emotion in her eyes. Heavy and raw. It was so overwhelming that he couldn't help but feel a twinge of pain in his heart. "You may be able to live with your actions but because of them, I will spend the rest of my life in agony. I cannot clean up your mess this time around. I-I won't do it."
Five hung his head, unable to meet the heavy weight of her stare. Her face showed no signs of the agony coursing through her heart, but her eyes showed every emotion she felt and he couldn't face them knowing he played a part in it. "I didn't have time to focus my energy on the Commission before. And we don't have any to spare this time around either."
"Then we make time." The harshness of her voice forced his gaze to meet her stern expression. "We don't know who this is or what he's capable of. Not to mention the three albinos who hunted us down earlier. The Commission let you slip by once, Five. They will not let it happen again especially not with me. I am their prized possession. They will stop at nothing to have me back and if they cannot do that, they will kill me."
Sincerity took to Five's features as he gently placed his hand over her own. Nyx pursed her lips together as she looked down at his hand and then back up to meet his gaze. "I won't let them have you. I promise you that." His eyes searched her own as he spoke. "We will deal with them when the time arises."
Nyx shook her head, her mouth opening to spew words of protest but ultimately closing when the door to the room slowly creaked open. She quickly tucked the photo back into her pocket as she turned her gaze to the doorway. Despite the little care she had for Five's family, she couldn't help the small traces of relief from taking to her heart at the sight of Diego. He didn't look how she would coming out of a place like this. There were no wounds on him, no insanity placed in his eyes, and no shackles binding him down. She took quick notice of the overwhelming relief and joy placed in his dark irises as well as his drastically different features. His hair had grown dramatically since she'd last seen him and now exceeded a little ways past his chin, and a beard now lined his jaw. It was a reminder that her yesterday was years ago for him. "Five. Nyx." She could tell he was fighting the urge to allow his smile to win as he stepped further into the room to occupy the chair across from them.
"Hey, Diego," Five greeted with a sad smile. His gaze roamed across the clothing his brother had been forced into as he took in his new appearance. "You look good in white," He humored his brother.
By the time Diego had fully settled in the chair, his relief and joy at first seeing them had morphed into anger. He was furious at Five for leaving him stranded alone for so long and as for Nyx, well, he was always mad at Nyx for something. "About time you showed up," Diego stated, irritation heavy in his tone as he glared at Five.
"How'd you know I'd be back?" Five inquired, the question only seeming to draw more rage from Diego.
He leaned forward in his chair, causing the air around them to shift into a hostile silence as his gaze switched back and forth between the two of them. He continued to gift Nyx a nasty look to which she quickly returned before settling his anger on Five. "Because that's the kind of shit you pull."
Five, who remained unphased by Diego's outbursts, simply asked, "Where are the others?"
Diego's anger shifted for a brief moment at the question. He will admit, he wasn't expecting Five to be asking him such a thing. This time worry twisted with his anger as he spoke again, "They're not with you?"
Now this question seemed to visually bother Five. Nyx could see the panic quickly arising in him despite his best effort to keep it down. He could handle the thought of assassins hunting him down but what he couldn't fathom was being in the dark on his family's safety and whereabouts. "We'll find them," He softly stated, though Nyx couldn't tell if it were to ease his own nerves or Diego's. "How long have you been here?"
Diego leaned back in his chair, his anger beginning to soften as he responded to Five's question, "Seventy-five days. Landed in the alley behind Commerce a-"
"And Knox?" Five inquired, finishing Diego's sentence for him with a small nod of his head.
Diego looked to Five in surprise. "You?" He inquired.
"We got here this morning," Nyx answered, drawing Diego's gaze to her. She fought back the small chuckle in the lightness he stared at her compared to Five.
"How'd you find me?" He inquired.
A grin quickly spread up her lips and this time she was helpless in the chuckle sounding behind her closed lips. Diego's brows furrowed at her reaction as he watched her intently while she reached into the pocket of Five's blazer and pulled out the newspaper with his mugshot. "You have quite the header in the newspaper," She taunted as she waved the page in the air before him. Disappointment fell upon Diego's hopeful face as he slumped into his chair with a roll of his eyes. "Disturbed man with multiple knives arrested outside 1026 North Beckley." She read out loud. "Sounds quite fitting."
"That's Lee Harvey Oswald's house," Five stated as he pointed to Nyx, his questioning stare never leaving Diego who was now smirking to himself in his chair.
Nyx placed the paper on the tabletop before sliding it out to him. "Little tip, Diego," She advised. "If you're going to disrupt the timeline, don't get caught by the cops."
"Let's just say Dallas Law Enforcement has not been supportive of my attempt to stop the assassination of John F. Kennedy," Diego quietly spoke as though trying to conceal his words from the guard watching over the three in the corner of the room.
Nyx scoffed as she leaned back in her seat, her arms crossing over her chest as she sarcastically remarked, "I can't imagine why." Her eyes spared a glance at the two guards before she whispered, "You really think you can stop that?"
Diego puffed his chest, confidence radiating off him as he firmly stated, "I can and I will."
She shook her head in disappointment at his words. "The Commission would kill you before you even got the chance and then they'd kill him themselves." Her tone dropped to a low warning as she spoke her next words, "Don't be stupid, Diego."
"That is not going to happen. Not on my watch." Five scoffed at his brother's words, unable to even look at him as he continued on whispering, "Look, I've been shaving down the bars in the room." Diego leaned forward at this, his voice dropping even further as a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. Five played along with Diego and presented a fake look of interest. "Another day or two and I'll be out of this place. Then I'm going to stop Oswald and save the president." His gaze switched between the two of them as he offered, "You two want in, say the word."
"Listen to me very closely, you gibbering moron." The words spewing from Five's mouth wiped the smile from Diego's face. "You are not going to do a goddamn thing."
"Why not?" Diego challenged.
Five's eyes narrowed at that. "Because we have to stop the apocalypse."
"No shit," Diego stated. "But that doesn't happen for another sixty years."
"Think again," Nyx chimed in as she leaned forward to meet the both of them. "There's a new one."
"A new one?" Diego asked, confusion evident in his tone.
"It followed us," Five grimly confirmed. As though that weren't enough to convince him, Diego's eyes pried Nyx's for input. It wasn't until she nodded her head that a horrible realization dawned across his features. "We've seen it. Nuclear war, Diego. ten days."
Diego chuckled as he leaned back in his chair, the action causing both Five and Nyx to stare at him in confusion. "And I'm the one they locked up, huh?" He asked himself in disbelief. Nyx let out a groan as she returned to sitting straight up in her chair, her fingers rubbing her temples in annoyance. "Fine. I'll play along. What causes it?"
"I don't know. Maybe some looney-tuned asshole with a hero complex tried to save the president and screwed everything up," Five seethed. But his accusation only sparked joy from within his brother.
"So you're saying it worked?" He asked with a wide grin. "I saved the president?" Excitement overcame him causing him to mummer a silent 'yeah' and pump his fist. "I knew I could do it." He whispered to himself. "Okay, okay, I'll help you."
"Thank God," Five stated but he would find himself quickly retracting his words when Diego continued to bargain, "After I save Kennedy." Five's face dropped and his eye twitched in irritation. "And then you swing us back a few decades so I can slit Hitler's throat off with a butter knife."
"This is why you don't have any friends," Five remarked causing Diego to stare at him in confusion. "You know what? Guard!" Diego's eyes instantly widened, panic shooting through his head as his pleading gaze followed Five's movements as he stood up. "My brother is plotting an escape."
"Five-" Diego muttered in betrayal.
But Five paid no mind to his brother and continued to stare only at the guard as he spoke. "The bars of his room have been shaved down."
"Piece of shit!" In an instant, Diego had climbed on top of the table in a fit of rage. He was ready to leap at Five had it not been for Nyx punching him in the jaw for getting too close to her. The two guards quickly latched onto him, holding him back as Nyx rose up from her chair.
"Look, this is for your own good, Diego," Five insisted as he stared down at the pathetic sight of his brother squirming in the guard's hold.
"No, Five! Nyx, come on!" Diego desperately pleaded with the two. "Don't let them do this to me!"
Nyx had to look away from the sight of Diego. The sound of his pleas was all too familiar. She remembered spewing words similar to that whenever she was forcefully dragged down the hallway leading to her torture. She could still feel their grip on her arms as they lifted her feet off the ground through her trashing fit. But Five didn't need to look away. Despite the pain it caused him to watch, he knew in the end it was better this way. So he continued on his act where Nyx couldn't, staring at the guards with a somber expression as he continued to speak. "My brother is a very sick man." Nyx squeezed her eyes shut as Diego's yells and struggles of protest continued to emit through the room. Her brain was deteriorating much too fast in its ability to distinguish between reality and imagination. A nurse quickly entered the room, a syringe in hand and ready to stab Diego. "I only pray he gets the help he so desperately needs."
"No, please! Not the needle!" Diego desperately screamed as the woman stabbed the shot into his arm. "No! No!"
Five leaned over his brother who was actively losing consciousness from whatever was injected into him. "I'll be back for you later, okay? Just...Well, nighty night." He whispered. When he rose back to his full height as he looked over his shoulder to Nyx as the staff worked quickly to drag Diego's limp body out. Worry quickly took to his brow when he took notice of her state. Her back turned to him and her fists clenched at her sides. He could even see the creases in her skin at how tightly she was closing her eyes. "Hey," She flinched as his hand gently placed itself on her shoulder, her eyes shooting open as her gaze snapped to him. "Are you okay?"
Nyx was quick to nod, her emotions quickly draining from her face. "Yeah." Her gaze drifted back to see the last of Diego being dragged from the room and sucked back into the halls of the institution. "Yeah, I'm fine."
Five nodded, moving his hand to place it on the small of her back as he inquired. "Well, what should we do now?" He inquired.
"Find the others, of course," She stated as though he were stupid for even asking such a thing. It wasn't like he was going to listen to her and hunt down the three brothers who attacked them earlier or figure out anything relating to event number six. So this was to be her compromise. "But we need to be cautious we could have been followed here."
"You worry too much, Nyx," Five remarked as the two exited the room beside one of the guards.
Nyx shot him a glare despite the playfulness that had laced his words as he spoke. He may not take the target on their back seriously, but she did. "You don't worry enough."
───── ✧ ─────
A flinch shook Nyx's body causing her to nearly step back in the short panic that had seized her heart. Her eyes were wide as she stared up at the beat red face of the elder man staring down upon her with crazed eyes in his violent rage. The light of the entrance to the club the duo had tracked Luther down to shined down upon him, drawing extra emphasis on the veins bulging in his big fat bald head. Five had already insisted to the man that they'd be just a minute and all they needed was to get his brother and get out. But the bouncer took no comprehension of his words, the only thing on his mind being to rid of the sight of Nyx. "Can't you read?!" He practically screamed down at her, spit flying from his open mouth as though he were some rabid animal.
Her eyes remained glued to the sign ahead of her, not daring to spare the man even a glance. However, the sign wasn't any nicer to look at and it pained her to continuously re-read the words 'WHITE'S ONLY' but it was better than facing the homicidal rage of the man before her. She merely pursed her lips, forcing her chin up high as she swallowed back the lump building within her throat. "We don't want your kind around here, n-"
"I get it!" Nyx suddenly yelled, her sharp gaze redirecting to him as he stared at her with wide eyes. The man, who was visibly taken back by her yelling at him, straightened his posture as his previous shock returned to anger. "Did you just-?!"
"Yeah, I did," Nyx stated, her own anger quickly rising. "What are you going to do about it? Hmm?" Darkness filled her eyes as she cocked her head to the side.
The man's eyes widened to the point where Nyx believed they'd fall from his head. "Y-You..."
"Go on," She encouraged her tone nothing short of hostile. "Spit it out."
"The D-Devil's in you." He spat at the ground before her, his body vibrating in fear as he backed up against the door.
A sinister smirk curled up her lips as she took a threatening step toward him. "Scared?" She taunted. "You should be."
"Y-you're e-evil!"
"I simply adapted to the environment around me." The shadows dripped from her fingers as she glared at the man. "Run out of here if you want to keep your head attached to your body."
The man took off running without a second thought past them and down the street as fast as his legs would carry him. Five's murderous stare followed the man until he disappeared from view. Not fully satisfied, but content with the fear she had caused the man, Nyx forced her gaze away from him. Not allowing him another thought in her mind. But Five continued to stare ahead, his eyes narrowed and fists clenched so harshly she could see his knuckles shining white. A heavy breath fanned past her lips, the darkness returning to the night as she looked to Five. Her finger lightly brushed his clenched fist, a signal for him to calm down. His murderous stare instantly switched to concern as he looked at her. "Are you alright?" He asked.
"I'm fine," Nyx stated though anyone could hear the rage that still settled in her voice. "Go ahead and get Luther. I'll wait outside."
Five firmly shook his head in protest. "No, we'll go together."
"You'll go alone or you won't go at all," Nyx countered her voice stern despite the quiver that threatened to shake her bottom lip.
Five's eyes searched her own, worry evident in his irises. She hated the heavy weight of them upon her. It only confirmed the negative emotions flowing through her and the last thing she wanted to do was face them. "Nyx..."
"It's fine. I'm fine." She reassured as she turned to walk away from him. He grabbed her arm to stop her. "It's not fine, Nyx." He pleaded with her. But she simply pulled her arm away from him and continued her walk down the street. "I'll wait outside."
On any normal given day, Nyx would have gladly marched in there and beaten any racist scum who even so dared as look at her the wrong way. But today wasn't a normal day and she was tired of fighting, at least for the night. She needed a break.
She couldn't even recall the last time she had a proper moment to herself. This world had fired shot after shot at her, not allowing a single moment for her to just breathe. In the span of one week, her entire life had been flipped upside down. For her, it was just days ago when she stood in the apocalypse tasting the wrath of Theo's anger only to awaken and find out her yesterday was nearly 25 years ago. She had barely a full day to recover from her death before she was dropped into the field to kill Five only to learn she'd been lied to and murdered both her brothers days later. Even now when all was meant to be closing to an end, she awoke in another apocalypse in the 1960s. There was and will be no time for her to grieve or bring herself to accept what had happened to her. She was simply being dragged through life at a speed so high she would never be able to find proper footing.
And Five, it felt as though Five couldn't care less about her situation. He never once asked her if she was alright, never once thanked her for what she had done. He couldn't see her falling apart at the seams or the tremble that still affected her hands since leaving the mental institution. All he cared about was finding his family and this stupid apocalypse. He was just as much dragging her through the mud as fate itself. Though she couldn't find it in herself to blame him for much of anything. If given the chance, Nyx would do anything to see Ren one more time. She would have spent every ounce of her energy searching for him in this new world. But he lay dead in an empty street. And he lay dead for Five Hargreeves.
Nyx sat on the curb, her arms hugging her knees as she stared up at the night sky. Her bottom lip trembled viciously, daring to collapse at any given moment and let free the thrashing cries of utter anguish behind it. Her body rocked back and forth as though it were charging up for some kind of explosion. Tears rolled down her cheeks in a steady stream, showing no signs of stopping as the ache within her heart increased to the point of no return. She would not be able to stop what was to come.
A strangled sob pushed past her lips, the start of the breaking of her walls. Her mind screamed at her to stop. To suck it up and turn back before it was too late to repair the walls around her aching heart. But everything was unraveling much too fast. The sob that had been sitting on the tip of her tongue suddenly erupted free. Anger and anguish coursed through her veins all in one with such ferocity that it was all too much for her to handle. She cried gut-wrenching sobs so heavy that they shook her entire body. Her hands had bawled into fists and her nails dug into her skin to try and grasp her emotions but her efforts were futile as her entire heart was poured out for those walking by.
"Ren, baby, where are you going?!" Nyx's breath hitched in her throat as she felt a small hand clasp around her fist. Her head slowly rose from where she had her face pressed into her knees to look into the small brown eyes staring upon her with heavy concern. She couldn't help the startled intake of air or the freeze in her heart. She knew those eyes. "Are you alright?" The little boy asked her, the sound of his voice cracking her heart ever so slightly. The sound of her cries increased as she took in the unmistakable sight of her brother standing before her. "Ren, I told you to stay close to momma-" The woman's scolding voice slowly died out as she took in the sight of Nyx before her.
Nyx's gaze shifted up to the woman approaching them, her hand had been placed over her large stomach and a tired look creased at her brow. Nyx quickly realized she was pregnant. She felt her heartbeat quicken within her chest as her breathing grew more ragged. The longer she stared at the beautiful woman the more she took note of their similarities. She had her eyes, her cheekbones, and her nose. This was her mother. Her real mother. "Oh." Worry laced the woman's tone as she looked down at Nyx. She forced herself to sit down beside her, her hand gently placing itself over her shoulder. "Are you alright, honey?"
A heavy sob, one filled with more pain than any she had let out before wracked her body. She felt Ren's small arms wrap around her. "I'm sorry." She spoke through sobs. "I'm so sorry."
The woman wrapped her arm around Nyx's shoulders hugging her close as her thumb rubbed slow circles on her arm. "It's alright, hon. You don't need to be sorry for anything." Nyx tried to explain. To plead her case for how she had failed Ren, how she had let him die in the heat of her own selfishness to save herself. To show how much she had let her mother down so she could see what a disgrace her daughter will inevitably become. But she couldn't make out words. Not through the cries that never seemed to cease. "That's it, let it all out."
Her mother simply sat there. Her arm wrapped tightly around her while her other hand wiped the tears as they fell from her cheeks. And Ren, little Ren, sat on the other side of her with his arms wrapped tightly around her waist and head snuggled into her side. Nyx wasn't sure how long she sat there like that but the woman who was to become her mother never once complained or tried to leave. She simply sat there despite the discomfort it caused her with her stomach and she held her. She soothed away her pain without questioning why or yelling at her to suck it up. She didn't even know who Nyx was or the weight of how much this meant to her. She just held her like her own child until the sobs quieted into cries and the cries disappeared into sniffles.
Nyx looked up from Ren's sparkling eyes to her mother. "Thank you." She said, swallowing back the ball that was beginning to form once more within the back of her throat. She had cried enough for one night.
Her mother brushed away a loose strand of her hair from her face and gently wiped the remaining tears from her face as she spoke, "This world is cruel, little one. Especially to people like us. But we will fight this, we will stand strong in their hatred and one day it will be worth it. One day, we will be respected."
Nyx nodded her head, swallowing hard as she looked at her mother's stomach. "You're pregnant?" She inquired.
Her mother smiled a broad and happy smile down at her. Nyx had never seen such happiness in her entire life. "Twins." The woman confirmed. "A boy and a girl."
Nyx couldn't help the smile from spreading up her cheeks as Ren unwrapped his arms from around her and ran over to his mother with open arms. "I'm going to be a big brother!" He exclaimed as she lifted him up into her lap. "That's right. You're going to be a big brother."
Tears clouded Nyx's vision but she blinked them away before they could fall. "Do you have any names picked out?" She asked in her desperation to hold even a minute longer with her family.
Her mother's smile only grew. "My husband wants to name our little boy Theo. He has his heart set on it." She looked down to her stomach lovingly as she said. "But I've always adored the name Nyx."
She found it harder to hold back her tears as she said, "Nyx is a wonderful name."
"I think that's what we're going to name our girl." Her mother nodded. She smiled fondly as her thumb brushed over her belly soothingly. "My little girl, she's going to be strong."
"Strong like me, Mamma?" Ren asked with a hopeful gleam in his eyes.
"Strong like you, Ren," Her mother said with a firm nod of her head. She looked back to Nyx before saying. "We're starting a new life with a new man. One that's going to treat us better than your Pa, huh?" Nyx's smile grew as she watched her mother rub Ren's back. "We're going to all be happy."
"Right." Ren nodded.
A sad smile replaced the joyful one on the woman's face as she said, "I only wish we could have gotten away sooner." Her gaze returned to Nyx as she regretfully spoke. "Would have saved Ren the pain he endured."
If only she knew.
"Well, Ren. It's about time we go. Your dad's gonna be worried about us if we don't come home soon," She gently spoke as she lifted him off her lap. She spared one last glance to Nyx before wrapping her into a hug. "Don't let the world kill your soul, honey." She said before pulling away from Nyx and grabbing Ren's hand. "Say goodbye, Ren."
"Bye-bye!" He exclaimed, a bright smile on his face as he waved at her.
Nyx smiled as she waved back at him. "Bye-bye," She repeated.
She watched them walk off, her eyes following their figures until they were too far away for her to see. Even then she kept her eyes on their shadows until even the darkness lost trace of them. The image of her mother smiling down at Ren would remain permanent in her mind. The gentleness in which she held him and the overwhelming joy in her eyes. No trace of love was left untouched by any of them. Not even lost on herself still inside her mother. She loved them. She truly loved them, dearly and wholeheartedly.
But the painful joy that had taken to Nyx's heart slowly deteriorated into only pain and the thought of what was to come. She had never thought to question what had happened to her mother the night the Handler had recruited her and her brothers. But now all she could think about was the pain her mother would no doubt feel in knowing she was helpless to save them and the fear and suffering her younger self would go through watching it all play out.
Maybe in another life, they could have been a happy family. Maybe in another life, Nyx would have known what true love felt like.
But alas, this was not that life.
"Luther's going to be no help to us," Five declared as he stepped out of the club. But he halted in his steps once he noticed Nyx sitting on the curb a few feet away, her back to him and knees pulled to her chest. He slowly stepped towards her, cautiously placing his hand on her shoulder as he carefully asked, "Nyx? Are you alright?"
"Yeah," Nyx nodded, pulling her gaze away from where she had watched her mother and Ren leave. She didn't know for how long this fading peace in her chest would last. But for tonight it would be enough. A sniffle emitted from her as she sucked in a breath, the last of her tear wiping away with her sleeve as she turned to face Five. "Yeah, I'm alright."
INTRODUCING...
zoe saldaña as the mother