TWENTY SEVEN. I love you, I'm sorry

      When McKenna saw the damage that Vanya had done to the guy in the hospital, she was shocked. Diego always told her about how their father kept Vanya in the dark even when they were children, that she was of no use to them and the academy because of her lack of power. None of them had any idea how powerful she actually was until now.

"Mr. Luntz?" Said Officer Cheddar. "Mr. Luntz, can you hear me?"

The man in the hospital bed groaned. His face was a scarred and bruised and his arm was in a sling. "Who, um. . .who are you?" He questioned.

"I'm Sergeant Cheddar, and this is. . ." He paused, eyeing Allison and McKenna. "This is my, uh, associates. Just have a couple of questions for you."

"Am I in trouble?"

"No trouble, nothin' like that," Cheddar shook his head. "I just. . .I want to ask you about the accident in the Bearskin Tavern parking lot last night."

The guy, Luntz, sighed. "You're a cop."

No shit, McKenna said in her mind. She stood with her arms crossed.

"You gotta protect me no matter what, right?"

"It's my sworn duty." Cheddar declared.

Luntz shook his head. "It was no accident."

McKenna and Allison looked at each other.

Cheddar shifted. "What do you mean?"

"This guy. . .hired us to start a fight. He wanted us to rough him up in front of his girlfriend."

McKenna had to hold back a gasp. It all made sense now, she thought again.

"He paid real good, up front," Luntz continued, "we got drunk. Took it a little too far. Started to hassle the girl, too. And then, all hell broke loose."

"The guy who paid you, what did he look like?" Allison asked him. "Brown hair, light scruff, slight build."

McKenna closed her eyes and rubbed her hands against her face. Way to ruin our cover.

"Yeah. Yeah, that's him." Luntz confirmed.

"Well, that's a. . .a really good guess," Cheddar said quickly.

McKenna was ready to send her through the hospital wall when she pulled out a photograph of Vanya from her book cover. "Is this the girlfriend?"

"Allison."

"Hey, uh. . .Just, um. . .Just a moment." Cheddar stammered and pulled on the privacy curtain. He stood in front of them, hands on his hips. "Hey, by any chance, is your movie called Small Town Cop Falls for Hollywood Superstar's and Tiny Assistant's Bullshit?"

McKenna titled her head side to side. "It's not a bad title."

"McKenna." Allison said incautiously.

Cheddar blinked. "I thought your name was Daisy?" He said.

She shrugged. "That was bullshit, too."

"Look, I'm sorry for misleading you—"

"I believe the word would be lying."

"We didn't have a choice here, Cheddar. The girlfriend he's talking about is her sister." McKenna stepped in aggressively.

Allison held up her hand slightly, saying she could handle it. She looked at the cop again. "She's right." She held up the book cover again. ""This is my sister. And I think the guy who put him in the hospital has her. We have to find her."

Cheddar stared at her. Then he eyed McKenna who only raised her eyebrows, a signal that said she was telling the truth. "I could get fired for just bringing the two of you down here with me."

"Please. I think shes in trouble. I need your help." Allison begged.

There was a moment of silence. "Protect and serve, right?" McKenna reached with another eyebrow raise.

At that, Cheddar laughed and slid the curtain back. "Answer the lady's question. Is this the girlfriend?" He asked the man.

Before there was an answer, a nurse came into the room. "Sorry, but the doctor's ordered more tests." She explained. "You're gonna have to ask him questions later."

"Of course," McKenna grumbled and slipped out of the room, sighing annoyingly. When they were out in the hallway, she took Allison's arm and walked them further down the hall so that nobody could hear them. "Look, we obviously know it's her so why don't we just go back to the house and get Vanya." She whispered.

"What, and risk getting killed by Jenkins?" Allison whispered back in disbelief. "We don't even know if she's at the house. What happens if we go there and she's not?"

McKenna stared up at her like it was obvious. "You can rumor people to do literally anything and I have teleportation, invisibility, and telekinesis. He's a nobody who's been obsessed with you and your family for years. You really think he stands a chance?"

Allison was quiet.

"I've also been an assassin for nearly twenty years."

"Look, even if you're right—"

They were cut off by Cheddar. "Oh, are we conducting more lies over here?" He said sarcastically.

McKenna narrowed her eyes. "Why, you gonna arrest us?" She smarted off.

Allison's eyes widened. "Ken!"

"I bet you don't even have a hormone deficiency."

"Wow, can't wait for the day you say that to an actual sick person." McKenna argued with him.

"Uh, Dale?" The nurse from before stepped in, awkwardly looking between the three of them.

Cheddar looked her way. "Yup?"

"Have you seen Mr. Luntz?"

"No, why?"

"I took him to X-ray, and then he disappeared."

McKenna furrowed her brows and looked up, meeting Allison's eye.

"We. . .You better let security know. I'll call it in." Cheddar spoke seriously.

Before the nurse took, Allison quickly stopped her. "Oh, wait, one more thing." She showed her the picture of Vanya. "Do you recognize this woman?"

The nurse studied the photo. "She left with Mr. Peabody this morning." She answered and walked away.

"This morning?" McKenna repeated.

"They must've been here when we went to the cabin." Allison realized. "Do you think they're back there now."

"Only one way to find out. Let's go."

Cheddar stopped them. "Whoa, hold on. We got a missing vic, and this guy might be dangerous. I need y'all to stay here."

McKenna gave him a look of disbelief as he walked away. Slowly, her and Allison met eyes again. "Come on." She motioned down the hallway.

She rolled her eyes. "Oh now you want to listen to me?" She mumbled and followed her.

By the time they arrived back at the cabin, it was close to being dark. Neither of them had a game plan, really. Just go there and talk to Vanya while hoping Peabody/Jenkins wasn't there. That's what Allison was hoping for anyway. McKenna's fight or flight mode was turned on and she was ready to use her powers for anything.

"You ready for this?" Allison asked her when she stopped the car.

"Not really." She answered truthfully.

"Yeah, me neither."

They got out of the car. McKenna made sure to crouch down. Even if it was dark she didn't want to risk anybody, especially Jenkins, seeing that she was there.

"You ever thought about becoming an actress? You were pretty good today." Allison asked her, crouching as well, and she grinned.

"Please, killing people's easier than having to remember a shit ton of lines."

She laughed. They made their way up the long road that led up to the cabin. McKenna looked at her from the corner of her eye. "I wasn't completely lying today," she brought up, chasing Allison to look at her, "Daisy's my middle name."

Allison's eyebrows shot up. "Really?"

"Yeah. I don't know where it came from, but, the Handler told me it was on my birth certificate." McKenna explained.

"Huh. . . McKenna Daisy Barlowe." Allison said and smirked. "It's actually kind of cute."

She gave her an evil look. "Tell anybody and I'll tear all of your limbs off." She threatened.

When they reached the cabin, McKenna's eyes widened when she saw all of the outside objects moving, including the hanging lights and rocking chair. The sound of a violin was playing meaning Vonya was there.

"Vanya? Is that you?" Allison asked loudly over the clamorous violin.

McKenna walked past the window and she saw Vanya standing in the middle of the living room area playing the violin, the lamps flashing and the chairs rocking back and forth. "Vanya!" She exclaimed and Allison opened the front door.

"Vanya, there you are. What is going on?"

Vanya stopped playing and her eyes went wide when she saw them. "Allison, McKenna, what are you doing here?"

"We came to find you. Are you okay?" Her sister asked with a tone full of concern.

"Yeah." She answered oddly.

"What hell was all of that?" McKenna questioned, motioning her finger to all of the once moving objects.

There was a silence and the fair sound of crickets chirping from outside. "Me." Vanya answered with a hint of a proud smirk.

Allison blinked her eyes. "What do you mean, me?" She walked closer to her.

"I mean. . .I made those things happen. With my powers."

McKenna looked shocked.

"Turns out I've had them all this time. It's weird, huh?"

"Weird? Sure." She replied. "Cool? Definitely."

Allison was still in a state of awe. "It's in – it's incredible." She managed to say.

Vanya's face fell in the slightest. "But?"

"Ca – Can we do this in the car?"

"Why?"

"You're definitely not going to want to hear it." McKenna answered, crossing her arms.

Vanya scoffed a little. "Believe me, it's never stopped her before. Or any of them." She said and looked back at her sister.

Allison looked away for a second and then she sighed. "Leonard Peabody? His real name is Harold Jenkins." She confessed.

McKenna somehow expected Vanya to yell right then and there but instead, she stood there with a gaped mouth, looking confused.

"Remember when I couldn't find anything in the library on Leonard?" Allison continued. "It's because Leonard Peabody doesn't exist. Harold Jenkins does. He was in prison for twelve years. He murdered his father when he was thirteen."

"This is. . .insane." Vanya said after she'd heard enough.

McKenna stepped forward. "It's insane but it's true, Vonya. There's a whole police report on him and everything. It's in the car." She explained to her.

"I don't. . .I don't understand."

"Leonard, Harold, I—" Allison cut herself off. "I know it does make any sense, and I know it sounds crazy, but we were in his house. He has pictures of all of us with our eyes gouged out."

Vanya blinked. "Wh – What? I—"

"I promise I will tell you everything in the car, but it's not safe."

The hairs on the back of McKenna's neck stood up. She got a bad feeling in her stomach. She always had a good intuition when it came to danger being near because of how much danger surrounded her her entire life. "Guys—"

"No, stop." Vanya said unwillingly. She sat down in the closest chair.

McKenna frowned. Allison crouched down in front of her. "Look, um. . .I can't imagine how hard it is for you to hear this. . . how you feel right now, but I. . . I love you, and I—I just wanna be here for you, as your sister."

"There's no way." Vanya mumbled to herself, in denial about the whole situation.

"It's true, Vanya. You're in danger. We're all in danger." McKenna said, trying to convince her.

"But. . ." She looked up, deep sadness written on her face. "I love him. This just doesn't make any sense."

She felt for her, she really did. McKenna couldn't imagine being in her shoes, meeting someone and falling for them only for them to become a completely different person.

"And this power. . .I—" Vanya continued, on the verge of tears. "I don't know. I don't know what's going on. I don't know what to do."

There was a moment of silence. McKenna looked between the sisters. Allison looked distant as she thought about something, and then she shook her head slightly. "I understand now." She uttered.

Vanya looked up at her. McKenna furrowed her brows.

"When you were four, dad told us you were sick. You had to be isolated. We were so young. None of us knew to question it. But then he asked me to do something I never understood. . . until now. I heard a rumor, you think you're just ordinary. He made me an accomplice."

A hole formed in McKenna's stomach. She covered her mouth and had to look away.

Vanya stared at her sister, a look of shame upon Allison's face, and it slowly took it a minute to gather her words. "You did this to me?"

"I. . ." Allison was lost for words. "I-I didn't realize."

"You knew this whole time? That I had powers?" Vanya raised her voice and stood from the chair.

"No. No! I didn't really understand until I came today, until I saw it!" Her sister explained rapidly.

"Well, now it all makes sense. This is why you never wanted me around."

"What? No!"

"Guys—" McKenna tried to say but she was cut off.

"You couldn't risk me threatening your place in the house, your – your dominance." Vanya expressed with betrayal.

"That's not true." Allison denied.

"You couldn't handle the fact that dad might find me special."

"You are special, with or without powers!" The sister exclaimed.

McKenna became overwhelmed by the yelling. She understood both sides and that was painful. She didn't grow up with sisters or any siblings, but she did understand the feeling of betrayal and that's all that Vanya was feeling.

Suddenly, as their argument continued, the curtains started to blow and the wind chimes clattered. The wind blew through their hair and the hairs on the back of her neck rose again. "Okay guys, we have to go." She finally spoke, becoming more serious."

"I don't wanna argue with you." Said Allison.

"Then go!" Vanya bellowed, throwing her finger towards the door. "Both of you just go!"

There was a crashing sound. "I'm only trying to help you—"

"I don't want your help!"

"Vanya, calm down." McKenna told her, her heart rate increasing.

"Vanya, I love you!" Allison pleaded with her.

"Stop saying that!" Vanya screamed and the chandelier above them swayed, the rocking chair rocked harder, and the wind got stronger.

"Okay, Allison, let's go." McKenna told her, the instants becoming stronger.

It was clear that Allison was starting to get scared. She eyed the moving room and then she looked at her sister again, her eyes beginning to change color. "Are. . .Are you okay?"

McKenna's eyes widened. "Vanya?"

"I said go!" Vanya screamed again and the bulbs above them shattered.

She quickly covered her face.

Allison's eyes watered. "Please don't make me do this." She whimpered.

Knowing what she was going to do, McKenna dropped her hands and widened her eyes. "Allison, don't!"

"I heard a rumor. . ."

With white eyes, Vanya swiped her arm and Allison's throat cut open, blood immediately pouring out. McKenna screamed, the vibration making her throat raw.

Realizing what she had done, Vanya ran up to her. "Allison!"

Allison started choking. "Allison!" McKenna cried out, almost falling to her knees from how weak her leg had grown.

Vanya screamed and held onto her. "Allison!" They both fell to the ground. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry!"

"Allison," McKenna cried again and her legs gave out. Fear and panic filled her eyes and face and she didn't know what to do. "Allison, it's okay. It's okay."

She continued to choke and hold her cut throat, blood coating all of their hands.

"I didn't mean to. . . McKenna, I-I-I didn't mean to!"

McKenna continued to scream and cry. Then, Harold came into the house and saw the scene. "It's okay. It's okay." She tried to calm them down but her cries were so heavy that her words came out as a gibberish.

"I didn't. . .I didn't mean to. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Vanya repeated over and over again while continuing to scream.

"You did what you had to." Harold said as if it was a joyous moment, something to celebrate as an accomplishment.

McKenna only remembered a handful of times she completely saw red. One time when she was still a teenager and she was on a motion; a man had tried to kill her. He shot at her several times a missed, but one bullet almost struck her in the leg. McKenna's thoughts turned murderous, her vision clouded red, and she had killed him, returning to the Commission with red stained clothes and hands.

Then there a time when she was eighteen. Another mission. A man and a woman had killed a little girl, she couldn't have been any older than ten. McKenna killed they both, stabbing them over and over again until they were almost nothing. That was one of the first killings that made her scared of herself.

When you're trained to become a killer, you're trained to turn off your emotions. McKenna was good at that. She grew up knowing when to care and when not to care and often times than not, she didn't care at all. But she cared about Allison. She cared about her family. And now she was dying right in front of her.

Slowly, shaking, McKenna rose to her feet and gave Harold a look that could put him under the ground, and that's exactly what she wanted. "You son of a bitch!" She yelled and used her powers to throw him across the room and he smacked into the corner wall.

"No!" Vanya screamed again and it was so powerful that it caused the lamps in the room to fly at her all at once.

The impact caused McKenna to fall unconscious, blood seeping from head.

Five was driving so fast that you would think they were in the car from Back to the Future. His hands were wrapped tightly around the steering wheel, his knuckles appearing white. Each time he thought of McKenna and what possible danger she could be in, he swerved on the empty road, causing his brothers to object.

Luther leaned forward. "If you swerve one more time then I'm driving." He said roughly.

"Try and I'll burn you with a cigarette lighter." Five threatened, pressing down harder on the gas.

He would admit to his siblings or anyone that he was afraid but he was all that he was feeling. He was afraid he was going to lose her again. Five had tried everything to forget about her, to move on, but he couldn't. He loved her. McKenna was everything to him and he had to save her. He had to save the world to be with her.

All Five could think the second he walked into that cabin was that in another universe, timing would have been kinder to them. When he saw McKenna and his sister nearly dead on the floor, everything he thought he knew left his mind and body. The excruciating pain he felt seeing his family dead in the apocalypse, all of the years he spent alone, it didn't compare to this.

"McKenna!" Diego said and dropped down beside her. He grabbed her, turning her onto her back and blood trailed down her face. "No, no, no, hey. Hey, hey, hey. Mac. Mac!" He yelled and pushed her hair out of her face.

Luther cried as he held Allison tightly in his arms. Klaus didn't know what to do as he looked between his sister and best friend, tears in his eyes.

Five couldn't move his feet. He watched Diego scream and shake her, trying to wake her up, but her eyes remained closed. He'd lived a long life of pain. A life alone until McKenna came into it and brought back the color. Five didn't believe that somebody like her could ever love somebody like him, someone so cold and closed off.

But yes, there is a place where someone loves you both before and after they learn what you are. "McKenna." Five exhaled and gathered the courage to move him feet. He knelt down by her, watery blue eyes staring her hard in the face, hoping that she would open hers. "Kenna. Kenna, wake up!"

"W-W-We gotta get t-them b-b-back." Diego stuttered uncontrollably in fear.

"Cars! Get em to the cars!" Luther yelled while still crying.

The noise around him seemed to fade away and all Five heard was muffled voices. He watched as Diego lifted McKenna into his arms and he rushed out of the cabin, Luther doing the same with Allison, trails of blood staining the floors.

Five's breathing became shallow and the strength he thought he had was gone. He felt sick. Klaus helped him from the floor and they ran outside. He couldn't think straight or see straight but he ran to the car as fast as his body could carry him and he climbed in the back seat.

Klaus sprinted to the other side of the car, almost falling, and he jerked the door open. "Go, go, go!" He nearly yelled at Diego.

"Five, grab her!" Diego yelled at his brother and he carefully put McKenna into the backseat of the car.

Silently, Five managed to grab McKenna's arms and pull her into him as Diego got her legs in. "Okay, go! Go!" He yelled at Klaus and shut the door.

A shaky breath escaped his lips. Five's hearing was still muffled. His chest was hurting from how hard his heart pattered. He barely registered that he was holding her until he looked down and saw that her head was against his shoulder, her face turned toward his neck. Blood had trailed from the gash on her head down the side of her face and she wore cuts from the glass cutting her face. Was this how she felt when he got hurt? Was this how she felt when she had to leave? Was she in this much pain having to endure his cold shoulder?

His chin wobbled suddenly and Five brought his hand up, brushing her hair out from her face. "It's okay. You'll be okay." He whispered, not sure if he was trying to convince her or himself. His fingers lingered on her skin, his hand shaking.

That's when he realized that the last time he held her close like this was the last time he ever saw her. Their older selves, two master manipulators who managed to fall in love with each other. It was something he could and never would forget, falling asleep with her and waking up alone. Five always said take it all back if it meant he could hold her one last time. Now he was but it wasn't the way he wanted.

He spent so much time trying to hate her that he lost sight of what was most important, that he had her again. Five titled his head down and kissed her forehead to conceal his cry so that his brothers wouldn't hear. "I'm sorry." He whispered and tears fell from his eyes. "I'm so sorry. I love you so much." He quietly cried and held the side of her face.