Five lead Y/n to his bedroom, letting her sit on his bed as he began his calculations. "Do you know where Klaus is? I promised to make him something to eat." She asked beginning to stand up as she remembered. "I think he left with Diego. Besides I don't even think he would want to eat." Five explained. "Oh." She stared at the floor blankly as she sat back down on the bed, hurt that she couldn't fully take care of Klaus. Five stared at her with a saddened expression. He wished he could help her, or even distract her enough to where she didn't hurt so much. But he didn't know how. The only thing he knew to do was to write out the equations in hopes of saving their world. Her world.
He grabbed a piece of chalk walking over to a free space on the wall. Y/n watched as he began to write elaborate formulas on the wall. Somehow she found herself understanding most of what he was doing but she was still a little fuzzy in some spots. She sat quietly watching as he wrote across the wall, taking up every bit of space he could. However in his haste he missed an error that ultimately threw off the entire equation. "Five, just below the graph, check that formula again." She informed making Five furrow his eyebrows and look back at it. "What's the matter with it?" He asked and she stood up making her way to him. He stepped down from the chair letting her take his place before handing her the chalk. "P=586 not 578, which makes the probability of this equation wrong." She explained, scuffing out the wrong answer and writing in the correct one. Five looked over the equation, recalculating with the new information. "How do you know how to do this?" He asked helping her down from the chair. "I don't know. What are these for anyways?" She asked.
"I'm calculating possible people who deaths could prevent the apocalypse." Five answered. "Oh wow, ok." She said stunned. "Would you like to help? I could use it seeing as I've already messed up." He explained holding out the chalk to her. "I don't know. These are people's lives in the balance, Five. What if I mess up, that means an innocent will die." She said, troubled. "That's exactly why I want you to help me." He persisted. She looked at the chalk before slowly taking it from his hand. He stepped down, allowing her to pick up the equation as he moved to the other side of the room to continue else where. She looked over the problem, trying to fully understand exactly what was happening within it before continuing on.
She was nervous about having this much pressure on something she wasn't really good at. However she came to realize she dealt with a pressure like that when they had missions as kids. When she was still getting used to her powers, she was so anxious. This thought gave her a little more confidence, allowing her to pick up pace as her hand scribbled across the wall. Soon she began to move to every free spot available, finding that space was beginning to decrease. Once she exhausted all the space she had she turned to Five, seeing he was on his final wall. "Looks like we're out of wall, baby." She called across the room, as Five continued to scribble on the wall above his bed. "It would appear so, love. But I don't think we'll need it." He mumbled becoming engrossed in the equation. Y/n sighed, dusting her hands and moving over to Five.
"What do you mean?" She asked, stepping up onto his bed, beside him. He put up a finger and his gaze intensified as he wrote out four names. "I mean that I've figured it out." He said, turning to her and smiling. She smiled too before turning to the names. "So who are these people?" She asked as a heavy set of footsteps trailed down the hall towards them. Y/n turned to face Luther in the doorway, who stared up at the two confused. "What is all this?" He asked. "It's a probability map." Five answered, looking over all the work to make sure it was correct. "Probability of what?" Luther asked stepping into the room. "Of whose death could save the world." Five answered. "We've narrowed it down to four." Five said scribbling a circle around the names. "Are you saying that one of these four people causes the apocalypse?" Luther asked.
"No but one of their deaths may prevent it." Y/n explained calmly knowing Five was becoming agitated with having to explain himself. "Oh." Luther said softly as Y/n took the chalk from Five, writing out a smaller equation below the four names. Five watched as she did so, catching onto what she was forming. "I'm not following." Luther complained, as Y/n handed the chalk back to Five. "Time is fickle, Luther. The slightest alteration in events can lead to massively different outcomes in the time continuum." Five explained waving his hands around. "The butterfly effect." Y/n cut in, putting Five's hands down. "So all I have to do is find the people with the greatest probability of impacting the time line, wherever they may be, and kill them." Five described as Y/n climbed down from the bed. Five climbed down as well, pulling out a small notebook and writing down the circled names. "Milton Greene. So who's he, a terrorist or something?" Luther asked. "I think he's a gardener." Y/n said looking at Five, who nodded in agreement. "You can't be serious." Luther said looking at Five in disbelief.
"Wait, this is madness. You-" Luther paused as Five brought up the cased gun. "Wh-where'd you get that?" Luther asked pointing at the gun. "Dad's room. I think he used it to shoot a rhinoceros. It's similar to the model I used at work. Nice shoulder fit and highly reliable." He said opening the case and examining the gun. He cocked it making Luther shift his weight and point at the wall. "But you can't, this guy Milton is just an innocent man." Luther defended. "It's basic math. His death could potentially save the lives of billions. If I did nothing, he'd be dead in four days anyway. The apocalypse won't spare anyone." Five explained. "We don't do this kind of thing." Luther said sternly. "We aren't doing anything. I am." Five told him, not caring what Luther commanded. Five never really cared that Luther was Number One, even as children. Five always felt more knowledgeable and mature and refused to let a number define who he followed.
Realizing this, Luther began to think of other ways to control Five. "I can't let you go and kill innocent people, Five. No matter how many lives you save." He declared. "Well, good luck stopping me." Five growled beginning to walk away. "You're not going anywhere." Luther snapped, grabbing hold of Delores and holding her outside the window. Five immediately pointed the weapon at Luther making Y/n roll her eyes in annoyance as she walked to Five. "Put her down." Five commanded. "Five, it's just a doll, knock it off." Y/n said as she tapped his shoulder. "Put the gun down. You're not killing anyone. I know she's important to you, so don't make me do this." Luther threatened. "It's either her or the gun. You decide." Y/n scoffed, spatial jumping beside Luther before he could fight back and grabbing the doll.
But as she yanked the doll out of his grasp he was startled and turned quickly, pushing Y/n. In the process Y/n lost her balance and fell out of the window sill, losing her grip on Delores. Luther reached out to grab the girl but his heart dropped when he found his hold on the doll instead. In a heartbeat Five spatial jumped grabbing Y/n and pulling her close to him as he helped her back through the window. Luther stood back, holding the doll in a daze as his jaw slacked. "That-that wasn't supposed to happen." He stammered as Five gripped Y/n tightly, running his hand over her hair. Five's heart raced as he glared at Luther who felt guilty enough. He hadn't meant to use Y/n as leverage. He knew Five would die for Y/n and that using her as leverage was smart even if it was an accident but he felt terrible. He would die for her too and not being able to catch her ripped his heart out of his chest.
"What the hell were you thinking?" Five questioned turning to Y/n, knowing he would probably end up killing Luther if he directed his fear and anger for what just happened at him. "I was trying to get your stupid doll." She mumbled angrily. Five kissed her forehead before shaking his head, "Do that again and I'll kill you." He threatened making Y/n smile. "I'll keep that in mind." She replied. Luther walked over to the gun, unarming it and setting it down. "I know you're still a good person, Five. Otherwise, you wouldn't have risked everything coming back here to save us all. But you're not on your own anymore." Luther said stepping towards the two. Five stared into Y/n's eyes contemplating his words.
He knew he wasn't alone. He always had Y/n no matter what. Even if they were fighting or apart, he had her at his side. She was always going to stand strong beside him. "There is one way. But it's just about impossible." Five said looking to Luther. "More impossible than what brought you back here?" Luther asked. Five turned back to the love of his life, who gave him a soft encouraging smile. "Far more impossible." He said smiling, despite the lack of chance they stood against this.
•••
"Y/n dear, your father would like to see you." Grace said from Y/n's doorway making the girl put down her book. Dread filled her as she stood from her bed, walking over to her mother. Grace lead her down the hall, heading down the familiar route to the dark room below. She hated these tests. "Mommy, do I have to?" She asked sadly as she took hold of her mother's hand. Grace gave her small hand a squeeze, smiling down at her. "Of course, it's to help you dear." Her mother explained, leading her onto the elevator. It slowly sunk down and Y/n nervously chewed her lip as they went down to the dark room. "Mommy I'm scared." She pleaded, tugging on her mother's skirt. Her mother bent down, gracefully plucking Y/n from the floor and placing her on her hip. "Don't be sweetheart. Your father knows what's best for you." Grace insisted as the elevator opened to reveal the room Y/, held so much anxiety for.
Grace stepped out and Y/n rested her head over her shoulder, holding Grace close. Reginald stood before the vault with a table holding various microphones, a monitor displaying the inside of the vault and other types of technology beside him. Y/n hid her face into Grace's neck as Grace stepped into the vault, "Come now, love. It'll be over soon. Afterwards I'll make you some cookies with marshmallows ok?" Grace bargained knowing if the girl didn't let go soon, Reginald would step in. Y/n slowly pulled away, nodding and Grace smiled, setting her down in the chair that stood in the center of the room. "I'll see you after, sweetheart." Grace smiled before turning and going to stand beside Reginald.
Reginald knew she was soft on the girl, her being the smallest and kindest, often times making her appear unable to take care of herself. However Reginald knew better and knew that through these tests he might be able to further analyze and evaluate the strength she possessed. "Number Eight. We will now be beginning test one." Reginald said as he closed the vault door. Y/n's heart hammered in her chest as her father's voice came over the speakers. "Perform your power, just like the previous test." He ordered. "Mommy?" Y/n called scared. "Your mother is right here, now preform." Reginald said agitated. Y/n looked down at her shaking hands, closing her eyes and trying to recreate what she had done last time. Her hands shook more, and her breathing became more rapid as she tried with all her might to do anything. She wanted to please her father, mostly out of fear of repercussion. However when she opened her eyes she found that she had done nothing.
"Daddy, I can't-" She began. "Again. Try again." He ordered as tears pricked Y/n's eyes. "I can't." She cried. "Sir, she's only five, maybe it'll take longer for her powers to develop." She heard her mother's voice plead. "The only way they will develop is through usage. Again, Number Eight." He told her. Y/n looked back at her hands, before letting them fall in her lap. "Mommy, I can't." She cried, hoping her mother would listen, since her father wouldn't. "Number Eight, this is none of your mother's business! Perform the task!" He yelled making Y/n's tears fall harder. She nodded, shakily picking up her hands and holding them in front of her. She tried to steady her breathing as she closed her eyes. She felt useless. She couldn't do it. She was helpless. Stuck in a hopeless position where her only way out was to do something impossible.
She cried harder feeling a small burning sensation on her palms. She opened her eyes to see her hands shrouded in a black fog that moved in rhythmic motions as though it were alive. Y/n began to cry harder as fear coursed through her veins. "Mommy!" She cried terrified of what she was doing to herself. It felt like another being, slowly consuming her. It wasn't apart of her, instead taking the form of a parasite.
"Extraordinary." Reginald said as the black mass sunk to the floor like a gas. It creeped up her arms, turning her hands themselves black little by little. "Thank you, Number Eight." Reginald's voice cut in. Y/n felt a small bit of relief cut through her fear and before she could reply, the darkness that was slowly surrounding her disappeared.
"We'll move on to test two tomorrow. Goodbye, Number Eight."
•••
"No!" Y/n screamed launching up in her seat, her hand ripping through the air to clutch her chest. Five turned around panicked as he stared at her with wide eyes. "Y/n, love what's wrong?" He asked worriedly as she gasped for air. "Huh? Uh, nothing-it was nothing." She stammered her chest rapidly falling and rising. "Just-just a bad dream."
Five stared at her before exchanging glances with Luther. When had she fallen asleep?