Five ✘ Lila • Survival

#23 Ouroboros

Lila began to slowly wake up in bed, sleepily rolling over to the side where Five was sleeping and opening her eyes when she realized he wasn't there. She looked to see what time it was and frowned. It was seven thirty and it was Saturday. She sat up, stretched, got up and went looking for him. She had an idea where he would be and headed straight for his workroom.

When she walked in, since it was open, her chin dropped in surprise, "oh, wow..." she looked around the room, all the walls were described. And Five was just standing by some notes, wrote something else on the wall.

"As far as I can see, that whiteboard was completely useless... and I was worried the kids wouldn't want to draw on the walls." She uttered, but Five didn't even seem to register that she was there.

He was completely absorbed in his thoughts. He was mumbling something, writing fervently, and now and then he just brushed back his hair, which was a little longer again which fell into his eyes.

Lila watched him for a moment, her expression suggesting that she actually found it quite hot. She tilted her head and bit her bottom lip, immediately thinking of a few things she'd like to do with him. Finally, she turned to the wall and began to examine what it actually said.

There were lots of calculations, but also notes like: Marigold, time jumps, subway, Commission, time portals, energy, time, space, mirroring, and lots of other notes around. And it all went into the biggest note of all: Space-time radiation. It was circled several times.

"Space-time radiation?"

"Amazing, isn't it?" Five echoed next to her. Lila jerked slightly in surprise. This time she was the one who was a little caught up in it all, and Five had noticed her in the meantime. He also watched her intently as she figured out what it all meant.

"Um, do you think that's the answer to what happened? That we're affected by all these jumps in space and time?"

"Yes! Partially. I thought of it during my years with the Commission, the briefcases, the energy in them that was so similar to my powers. Even then, I wondered if my powers were transferable to a living person or just things. Which made even more sense later when I found out I had a lot to do with the founding of the Commission. Or at least my Variant. And then the subway, it worked pretty much the same way there too. I don't know exactly how it happened, but I think the skills I have because of Marigold are transferable. And not just as a mirroring."

"So, thanks to Marigold, the space-time radiation that was initially tied only to you was created, but somehow you figured out how to get it into suitcases and the time subway as well? Or one of your Variants?"

"Exactly! Then it would make sense that there was a diary written by one of my variants that knew how the entire subway worked. So it's possible that in addition to all that, there could be a few other things that make space and time travel possible. And that's not even the best part!"

"Well, I'm all ears."

"It's actually a bit of a paradox, but just the fact that we were both using both the briefcases and the subway, so the space-time radiation was affecting us, and in the long run, I have those abilities in me, so obviously they can connect to each other somehow... and because you were with me for so long, you mirrored the same powers, it was like we both had that ability all the time on the subway."

"Okay, and what does that have to do with what happened a few days ago?"

"Everything, actually. If that energy was real, transferable, and had been in us the whole time. So we transferred all of that to our child."

"So our child is the equivalent of time briefcase and time subway? Plus our abilities? Our child is already capable of time travel and altering events around it like a little bean? Or rather, I was part of it myself, remembering everything?"

"Yeah, you actually said it pretty accurately. Probably because of how highly emotional the situation was for you. It probably had an effect on both of you."

Lila had to sit down on the couch he had there, "You know how crazy that sounds? On the other hand, we have so many strange things happening to us that I guess I shouldn't be surprised. But this? Do you know how dangerous that can be?" Lila paled, and Five moved in a flash to the kitchen and back, just to get her water. Lila drank it almost in one gulp.

Five sat down next to her and took her hand.

"What if it happens again?"

"It wasn't wrong, you did it in a situation where it was more than appropriate and understandable."

"Yes, but still, it's absolutely insane and even worse, it makes sense. God, what if then our child is going to change the events around him and we won't even know it? What if something really bad happens?"

"I think with our experience, we're going to do everything we can to help our child with this and try to guide him in the best way possible."

"You're not worried about that?"

Five thought about it, "Yes, I'm worried about that. But I find it fascinating at the same time. Maybe our child is the answer to a lot more than it seems."

Lila laughed at that, "yeah, our baby saved us from the apocalypse."

Five looked at her and his expression changed, looking surprised and actually quite shocked.

"What?" Lila asked confused.

"You know you're probably right?" He stood up and went to look at his notes again.

"Wait, and in what way?" She followed him.

Five looked at her, "How much do you remember from that day, the day we came back? We were supposed to die... and then, miraculously, everything suddenly worked out and we went on with our lives. Do you remember what actually happened?"

Lila mused, "I... I'm not really sure..."

"That's it! Another piece of the puzzle! What if the course of events was set in motion the moment we decided to sacrifice ourselves? What if we're all alive because of our child? What if something changed so we could survive? But this time in a way that none of us remember!"

"Slow down, this is getting to be a very big fantasy."

"Do you have another answer?"

"I don't know... no... God... I haven't even had breakfast yet and you're dropping bombs like that on me first thing in the morning!"

"Maybe, maybe it's like Ouroboros, a return to the beginning! Imagine if everything happened so we could be at this point right now! We'd have to go through all that, just to solve the apocalypse!" He looked excited, maybe a little mad.

"Right... our child is responsible for everything that happened, and from the future made sure that we got together and sired him," she uttered, more as a joke.

"Don't tell me that wouldn't be brilliant?"

Just then the doorbell rang.

Lila went to see who it was. Luther and Sloane were at the door. They hadn't heard from Lila or answered their phone calls, so they were worried about her.

"This is unbelievable!" Came from the workroom. "It all finally makes sense!" Five sounded so excited.

"Is Five okay?" Luther asked.

"Uh, yeah, he just got too many puzzle pieces to play with and went a little crazy. Would you like some coffee and something for breakfast?"