Across Space and Time (Five Hargreeves)

Chapter 7

Greta let out a light yawn before allowing her eyelids to flutter open. She could no longer hear the sound of chalk running along the wall like she could last night and sat up alarmed. Had FIve left her? Greta looked around to see that Five had positioned himself so that he was leaning against the bed with his head resting just short of her feet.

Five squirmed slightly before allowing his eyelids to float open so that he was now staring at Greta. He noticed that the light coming in from the window behind her created a halo effect around her figure, making her look like an angel. For all he knew, she was.

"Morning," he said getting up from the floor.

"Morning" Greta replied softly.

"Come on," Five said offering her his hand to get out of bed before handing her blazer to her.

"Where are going," Greta said sliding on the blazer.

"I have to see a man about an eye" Five said, taking her by the hand and pulling her out of the house. The two walked to the MeriTech headquarters.

"Hello, welcome to MeriTech how may we be of service today?" the receptionist asked brightly.

"I need to find the owner of this eye" Five said flashing the eye to the receptionist. She gave a confused nod before dialling a number over the phone.

"Someone will be down shortly," she said after hanging up. Five gave a curt nod and walked away. Greta and Five stood around awkwardly waiting for a while. Eventually one of the scientists came down. When he saw Greta and Five he did a double-take and glanced at the receptionist to confirm that these were the people he was called down to see.

"Uh, can I help you?" The man asked.

Five turned around to face the man. "I need to know who this belongs to," Five said holding out the eye and walking closer, with Greta following close behind.

"Where did you get that?" He asked concerned.

"What do you care?" Five asked before noticing the look on the man's face and sighing "I...I found it... at a playground, actually." Greta tried her best to hide her smile at Five's obvious lie. "must have just..." Five clicked his tongue "popped out. I wanna return it to its rightful owner."

"Aw, what a thoughtful young man" the receptionist cooed.

"Yeah," Five said with an incredibly fake smile on his face "look up the name for me will ya?"

"Uh, I'm sorry" the man interrupted "but patient records are strictly confidential. That means I can't tell you--"

"Yeah, I know what it means," Five said, annoyance lacing his voice.

"But I'll tell you what I can do" the man continued "I will take the eye off your hands and return it to the owner. I'm sure he or she will be very grateful, so if I can just--"

"Yeah, you're not touching this eye" Five said stopping the man. Greta became very tense as if realising this was the calm before the storm.

"Now you listen here, young man--"

Five suddenly grabbed the man by his collar and pulled his face down to his own. Greta jumped back in fear. She had decided that she didn't like it when he did this, changed moods so suddenly that is. It scared her because this Five was so unlike the one she had spoken to just before she fell asleep last night. That Five had been sweet and caring while this Five was frightening and downright cruel.

"No! you listen to me asshole" Five grunted "I've come along way for this, through some shit your pea brain couldn't even comprehend. So just give me the information I need and I'll be on my merry way. And if you call me 'young man' one more time, I'm gonna put your head through that damn wall."

"Oh dear," the receptionist sighed. At this point, Greta was cowering in the corner of the room. Five's attitude reminded her so much of the scientist back from where she came and it causing her tremendous amounts of fear.

"Call security," the man told the receptionist.

"Yeah," the receptionist said, already picking up the phone. Five inhaled deeply and shoved the man away before turning to leave the building. Greta followed him but this time at a slight distance.

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As the two made their way back to the academy Five kept muttering under his breath things Greta couldn't quite make out. Although this was probably down to the distance that she had now placed between herself and Five.

Five began to notice that Greta had reverted back to her silent ways. "You okay?" he huffed. Greta nodded meekly, not wanting to create another rise out of Five.  Five noticed that Greta's eyes no longer met his own and then it clicked.

"You're scared of me aren't you?" Five realised.

"W-well of course I am, I hardly know you" Greta rationalised.

"No this is new" Five shook his head "you've got barriers up but you still trust me to an extent. But now... you are truly scared that I'll what? Hurt you?" He tried his best to mask the pain that Greta's sudden change in behaviour had caused him but he couldn't help it. She was warming up to him and he had gone and fucked it up like he did everything.

"No..." Greta said faintly. She was embarrassed by how easily Five had been able to read her. Was she really this much of an open book?

"No it's fine," Five said defensively "you should be scared of me. I've done horrible things and slaughtered more people than I can count. You'd be a fool not to fear me. I am a monster in all sense of the word."

An uncomfortable silence befell the pair. Greta slid closer to Five. She felt guilty for judging him after his outburst. She'd just been hurt so many times that she didn't know if she could trust anyone. And even if her heart was screaming at her to trust Five and follow him to the ends of the world, her head had created a wall a mile high out of distrust, preventing her from hearing her hearts calls.

"I...I don't think you're a monster Five" Greta said, breaking the silence.

"Oh?" Five asked sarcastically.

"I just think you've been hurt a lot too" Greta explained "except while I sat back and took the pain as it came, you fought it. I envy your ability to do that."

Five's features softened and he gave her a small smile. They walked in silence until they reached the academy

"So what's your plan now?" Greta asked, hoping to lighten the mood a bit.

Five sighed "I'm finally going to have to ask my brother for help." And with that Five set off to find Klaus.

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A/N: Woooo another chapter finished. Thank you again for your support on the book. It's your enthusiasm that encourages me to keep writing and keep the updates coming.

Well until next time folks

-Isabella :)