The Sparks Between Us | Five Hargreeves x Reader

TWENTY-FOUR

—————༻☂︎︎༺—————
༻ Y/N'S POV ༺

The longer we drove, the more the night stretched on. The sky had deepened into darkness, and rain began to patter against the windows, streaking the glass with a steady rhythm. I turned my head, watching as the drops slid down, illuminated by passing headlights. Allison gripped the steering wheel, her eyes focused on the rain-slicked road ahead. The silence between us was heavy, broken only by the soft hum of the car's engine and the occasional sound of the windshield wipers.

Allison gripped the wheel, her eyes fixed on the winding road ahead. The quiet between us felt fragile, like it might shatter with the slightest sound. But eventually, I spoke.

"Tell me about your daughter," I said softly, turning to look at her.

Allison glanced at me, caught off guard by the sudden question. "Claire?"

I nodded. "Yes, Claire. What's she like?"

A small smile broke through her otherwise tense expression. "She's... everything to me. Beautiful. Bright. She talks a lot, just like her mom. Loves to tell stories about her aunt and uncles, all the old missions." She let out a soft laugh, her voice filled with warmth.

I nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corners of my lips. "She sounds wonderful. I imagine she gets that from her mother."

Allison's smile faltered slightly, and I noticed the change immediately. My systems registered the subtle shift in her demeanor—the tension in her grip on the wheel, the faint downward tilt of her lips.

"And her father?" I asked gently.

Allison hesitated, her eyes flicking briefly toward me before returning to the road. "Patrick," she said quietly. "He loves her, too. She's staying with him right now... for the time being."

I tilted my head, scanning her face as her voice wavered. My gaze dropped to her hand, resting on the gear shift. No ring.

"I'm sure once all this is over, you'll have her back," I said, my voice steady. "A mother's love isn't just for the mother."

Allison smiled faintly, her eyes glistening in the dim light. "Thank you," she said softly.

We fell silent again, the weight of unspoken thoughts pressing down on us both. The rain continued to fall, heavy and relentless.

"Once we get Vanya back and keep her safe, this will all be over," Allison said, breaking the quiet.

"Everyone will go back to their lives," I added.

She glanced at me. "And you? You'll stay with Five?"

I hesitated, turning my gaze back to the window. "Of course. It's part of me to follow him, to keep him safe, to ensure his life is... better. Until he decides he doesn't need me anymore."

Allison frowned, her brow furrowed. "Do you think that will ever happen? That he won't need you?"

I didn't smile. "That's not an answer I can predict. I've been with him for years—through time, through chaos—and not once has he spoken about a future without me. In his mind, there is no future where I'm not a part of it."

"That's a good thing, right?" Allison asked, her voice tentative. "That's what you want—to be with him, to keep him safe."

I turned back to the rain. "I would do anything to make his life better," I said softly, my voice hollow, as if the words were heavier than I could hold. "But I'm afraid... that's not possible for me anymore."