Dysfunctional ~ F.Hargreeves

9} Trips Down Memory Lane

"Stephen!" Jenna yelled to her son from the patio, "It's time for dinner, sweetie. Dad and I made spaghetti."
"But Mommy!" He whined, "Can't I just play for a few more minutes?"
"Fine. Only five more minutes, though."
"Come play with me, Mommy!"
"Darling, I can't right now."
"What about Daddy?"
"He's finishing up the food."
"Please!?"
"How about after dinner?"
"Yay!"

After his five minutes were up, Stephen came rushing into their home and jumped right into his seat.
"Daddy!" He yelled, holding out his hand, "Look what I found!"
"That is one really cool lizard, bud," Five ml smiled, "You gotta let it back outside though."
"Awwww. Why? I named him Stevie. After me."
"Your Dad is right," Jenna commented, "you have to put him back. You can see Stevie after dinner."
"No."
"Stephen-"

He stopped listening and bolted for the door. They lived in a simulated housing complex that the Commission built. It was all connected back to headquarters as you headed back down the central road. Jenna and Five chased after him, but they were old and their son was very fast. He'd inherited their powers to a certain extent; he was able to move fast, almost cheating time like Five and breaking the laws of physics like Jenna. He made his way down to the headquarters and busted through the door. By the time Five spatial jumped and he was within reach to grab, Stephen walked into a room and shut the door, locking it.

"Stephen!" Jenna yelled as soon as she caught up, "Open the door, please. It's not safe in there."
Before he could respond, Jenna and Five were left watching their son's fate through the tiny glass window in the door.
"No..." Jenna started to tear up as she melted against the door trying to phase through it. She couldn't and Five couldn't jump in either. They were too old and tired and worn out.
"Mommy..." He whimpered, "I'm scared. Help me get out. I promise I'll put Stevie back outside and eat my dinner."
Jenna banged on the door and gave her all to open it, but she just couldn't.
"I'm coming, baby. Mommy's here."

She finally got the door open, but it was too late. They were left to watch as their son crippled to the floor from gas exposure in the room. It was used for experimentation, but he was too young to know that. Jenna ran for her son and held him in her arms while stroking his hair.
"I've got you, baby. I'm here. Stay with me. Please..."
The last thing he ever did was place one of his hands overtop Jenna's and smile at her.
"Mommy? What's happening?"
"Just stay with me and Daddy, okay? We'll go play with you when we get home."
"I love you, Mommy."
"I love you too, baby. Stephen-" She cut herself short when he went limp in her arms.
"No, no, no, no..."
Five was right behind her hugging her and crying into her shoulder as she clung to her son's body.

Guards started to flood the room and pulled Stephen out of Jenna's grasp.
"No!" She screamed at them, "Give me my son back! Don't take him away from me!"
All Five could do was hold her. He was shaking and was starting to lose his own grip on the world. They were left only with each other and the sounds of their sobs.

~

"Noooooo!" Jenna bolted awake.
She'd had the same dream for the millionth time now and it wouldn't stop haunting her. Her favorite little person in the whole fucking world dying in her arms while she couldn't do anything to help him. She hated being old and frail then. Seeing as her and Five were on missions all of the time jumping around while Stephen was on a set timeline, they aged more. He was seven when that incident happened and she was 57. She was 39 when she'd had him, so at least she got to spend more than seven years with him.

Five immediately turned around from where he was sitting on the bed and pulled her in for a hug.
"Are you okay? What happened?"
"The dream. Again. It's haunting me. Just how Eddie's death haunted me in the apocalypse. I miss him so much..."
"Shhhh. I've got you. It's okay."
Luther just looked at them in confusion.
"What dream?" He asked
"None of your-" Five was about to snap before Jenna cut him off with, "It's fine, Five. I keep reliving our son's death. I have the same vivid dream two to three times a week, just like how it happened. I need a change of topic. What were you two talking about before I scared the shit out of you both?"
"The apocalypse, what else," Five chuckled while still holding her.