Life as We Know it [Five]

Twenty-four

Apples or bananas?

"I know that we can be your family... if you just let us." Diego said. He was pressed against Lila, oblivious to the knife's edge a mere inch from impaling him.

Emery frowned, feeling an overwhelming sense of Deja Vu. He didn't like what happened next, this much he knew. So he stepped to the side, head flitting to the doorway as Lila gaped for an answer and saw Five at the entry.

The Handler appeared and then Five was in action, taking the gun from her hand and turning it on her. His actions were swift and well practiced, a delicate dance done in a manner of seconds. Emery exhaled, somehow knowing this was better than what had happened before.

"It's true, isn't it?" Lila demanded of the Handler who had raised her hands in innocence upon being rendered weaponless. "What Five said. Answer me! Is it true?"

"Well—" The Handler began but then the breath was taken from her by force, a gunshot echoing around the barn as the woman fell with a thud to the earth below, giving way to the final remaining Swede standing there, shotgun in hand.

Five leveled his gun again, this time on the Swede who had entered. Emery held his breath as he remained rooted to the spot. This was the man that had killed Marianna.

The three stared at each other in tense silence. Emery's fingers twitched at his side, shadows crawling in like eager hands in the corner of the room.

Slowly, Five dropped the gun, cocking his head as he suggested the Swede do the same. "Enough." He declared. The Swede looked at them all and considered them for a moment before he too dropped his gun. Emery released his grip, tightness in his chest shrinking.

"Enough." The man replied in Swedish, turning on his heel and leaving them alone.

A visible sigh of relief found its way through the siblings and Emery, a tidal wave of tiredness.

Five glanced at him and Emery forced his face to relax. Murdering the Swede wasn't going to avenge Marianna's death. He could practically hear the girl telling him she would much rather be mourned than she'd blood for. 'If I'm dead, the least you could do is spare a tear or two and make yourself look like a crybaby for my sake'.

"The briefcase!" Luther said, leaping forward to grab for Lila who had picked up the briefcase and disappeared seconds before Luther got ahold of her. "I almost had her. Why the hell did you stop me?" Luther said. He had rolled on top of Diego and looked down on him as he demanded an answer.

"Because... I love her." Came the response. Luther let him go and Diego groaned, pushing to his knees and grabbing at something in the hay littered on the floor.

"Who the hell was that guy?" Klaus said, the first to break the silence.

"Vanya help!" Came the voice of Sissy from somewhere in the distance.

"Harlan." Vanya said, taking off without another glance around her or announce of hesitation.

Emery barely waited himself before he was trading a look with the remaining siblings and then he was moving, following after Vanya as she rushed down a set of stairs and fell to her knees in front of Vanya. She pushed herself into the whirling bubble of energy the boy had made in fear for protection and grasped the boy's shoulders.

"Harlan? Harlan! Whatever it is I gave you, I can take it back, okay? We just, we need to stop this." Vanya said, holding shaky hands out over Harlan's and closing her eyes.

She pressed harder and then orange light pushed against the blue, the swirling colors growing in intensity and speed until a blue orb emerged from Harlan's chest and Vanya was flown backward, the energy exploding outward, and then... nothing.