𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍
—𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚟𝚒𝚘𝚕𝚒𝚗—

     𝐈𝐅 𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐖𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 have asked Mariana Carson how she imagined her last day of living would be, she would have told them that she pictured a day of complete bliss and tranquility, in which she would reminisce in her past decisions and every memory she had ever made. But most importantly, she would specifically mention the people she wanted to spend it with — her family, Spencer and his father, and the Hargreeves family. As of this very moment in time, they were the only ones that Mariana knew; and although her time with the Umbrella Academy group had been limited, she still wouldn't give her short time with them for anything in the world. They had ultimately changed her into the person she wanted to be: controlled, elegant, and confident. So, with her mind set on how she would die, the girl decided that she would suffice only if she were to leave the world while staring into the eyes of the boy she loved, being enraptured into the effervescent tendrils that swirled like chocolate syrup within his eyes as she faded away into the darkness that she believed came after death. But as she did so, she imagined that she wouldn't be fearful of what would become of her . . . Five would be holding her delicate hand, and that would be the only thing she focused on until the very last moment.

But it's unfortunate that sometimes we don't always get what we imagine.

The day had started off as any other; Mariana woke up early, stretching her limbs in an attempt to soothe her aching muscles. But there was something in the atmosphere that was different — she just couldn't quite place what it was. With heavy eyelids, the girl made her way out of Five's room, confused as to where the boy would possibly be. Perhaps he was occupied at the moment, she thought, and was completing some important task or visiting Allison. And although she didn't know the circumstances under which Allison was being held, Mariana decided that Five was probably with her; he would be standing by his sister's side, soothing her with his gentle words to try and ease the pain. As she stepped into the kitchen, she found nothing . . . it was almost as if the whole family had disappeared off the face of the earth.

Perhaps they had found Vanya, she thought — and they were gathered in the basement as a family, to talk over everything that had happened within the past week. And since she assumed that was the immediate case, Mariana smiled, and decided that she would leave them be. If what she thought was true, they could be celebrating right now without a care in the world, and who was she to barge in because she was worried? It would have been selfish of her to pry them from their excitement and the newfound family bonding. And, in fact, she would have the chance to see Five later on in the afternoon; this day would be one she would cherish, seeing as how overly exhilarated her father had gotten because of the upcoming performance.

And so Mariana grabbed her backpack from Five's room, retrieved her cell phone, and called her father to tell him that she was ready to be picked up from the Hargreeves residence.

But, if she had known exactly what was coming for her family that day, she wouldn't have picked up the cell phone at all.

She would have stayed to protect the world from the impending doom that came from Vanya Hargreeves' harsh and unrelenting grip.

The ride home from the Academy was filled with chatter from her father, to say the absolute least. Mariana merely grinned the majority of the time, loving the simplicity that somehow managed to bring out the happiness that resided in her father's heart. And once home, she was met with a beautifully wrapped gift box that held a dress from her parents. Time was moving quickly, and soon enough Mariana found herself being shoved into her room with the request to begin getting ready.

If she was being honest, she felt a bit of anxiety for the upcoming performance. Perhaps it was because she knew how close it lied to her father's heart, and she worried that someone would ruin it. For his sake, she prayed that nothing would come along to destroy his moment. Or perhaps she was frightened of the second in which she'd see Spencer . . . only hours ago, she had faced his uncle. Would she be able to hold her tongue?

Only moments after Mariana slipped on the satin blue dress her mother had purchased for her, there came a knock on her bedroom door. The teenager chuckles at the familiar series of taps against the wood, and chooses to focus on the barrettes in her hand instead of Spencer's antics. She secures the pins in her curled hair, examining her work in the mirror — this was be the first time in a year that she had taken the extra time to put on makeup. It was a special occasion after all, and only her best would fit such a rarity as this one.

"Don't tell me you're putting on makeup," Spencer groans from the other side of the door. "What a girly thing to do. You know, that actually isn't good for your pores, it clogs—"

Mariana opens the door in a swift movement, sending her best friend sprawling onto the floor. He huffs in exasperation, lifting his face from the floor to meet her eyes with a disappointed expression. "That was not nice. Do you — oh wow, Mariana."

The boy recollects himself, his eyes taking in her every feature. Pushing himself from the floor, he places a bouquet of wildflowers in her grasp. "You look beautiful," he retains his breath, fumbling over words.

"Thank you," she smiles, gently brushing the petals of the flowers with her fingertips. Spencer straightens his tie; he had worn a suit, which was quite an occasion within itself. She had rarely saw him in such attire, and enjoyed how poised and mature he seemed. "I'd enjoy seeing you in a tux more often," she comments, "you look all grown up."

It was a bittersweet time, and Mariana found herself swallowing her own breath. They really were growing up, and time would never slow down to grant the two any special requests. And although the girl regretted nothing in her time of living, she wished for a brief moment that she could return to a day in their past — to the day in which she met him, only so she could see just how far they had come. They had traveled a long road while holding hands . . . and yet now, standing here and getting lost in his eyes, she felt as though she was letting go.

"In a way, I guess I am," Spencer bites his lip, averting his gaze. "I think we both are. After everything, I mean. These past few days have changed everything — including us."

"And after all this time, you somehow found your way back to me," Mariana interjects. "Here we are, preparing for a day that proves just how far we've come together."

"So why does it feel like we're saying goodbye?" His voice fades as he gazes down into her golden eyes. He finds the same worry lying in them . . . the same that lies below the surface of his own eyes.

"We're saying goodbye to an old chapter," Mariana replies, placing the bouquet onto her bed so that she can place her bare hands within his. "And turning the page to a new one. One where I'm not scared to be who I'm supposed to be."

"Your gloves," Spencer mourners, staring down at her cold grip in realization. "I . . . I've never touched you without your gloves."

Of course there had brief moments in time when he had — but this was the first instance in which Mariana had fully enraptured her power and had allowed him to feel the vibrations that came from her soft touch.

She only nods, closing her eyes. "Close your eyes, let me show you something."

And so he did.

He embraced the cold that overcame his being; it was not one like that of a blizzard that wreaked havoc upon small towns, or anything of the arctic. It was no longer the touch of the girl he had grown with — instead, it was the touch of a gentle breeze on a warm summer day, or the chill of a short wave in the river just outside of Mariana's house. It was the cool embrace of snowflakes falling from the sky, only to melt once it touched his warm skin. It was safe, and beautiful. It was everything he imagined home would feel like . . . a place in which he could be wrapped in the wholeness of serenity and tranquility. It traveled through his warm veins and traced the lines within his chest, making his lips part as he concentrated on the feeling. And although he knew this was a figment of Mariana's power, he imagined this was exactly what love felt like.

Because, much like he felt towards her, Mariana loved him too.

When Mariana finally relented her power, Spencer opened his eyes to find her looking at him with an expecting gaze. "That was amazing," he breathes, reaching to place his hands on either side of her face. "You are amazing."

"I've missed you," she places her hands on top of his. "So much."

"I missed you too," he grins, flashing his perfect teeth and the dimples in his cheeks. "Now let's get downstairs, you have a boyfriend to visit."

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

The opera house was significantly smaller than what Mariana had remembered; she spent occasional moments of her childhood in the castle-like structure, in which she'd hide behind the curtains and pretend that she was preparing for a performance. On special days, she would haul her easel and a canvas into the back room, and would paint as she listened to the practicing musicians. The calming music they produced was more than enough to inspire her heart-filled creations, and made her feel more peaceful than the time she spent by the river. But now that she was here, for the first time in nearly a year, she felt breathless.

The crowd that had gathered at the entrance was nearly too much for her to bear, and she held tightly onto her father's sleeve as they made their way to the front. She was as close to the stage as anyone could get — her father had requested that his family have special tickets, seeing as how he wanted them to have the most enjoyable experience. There was a vacant seat to Mariana's right, one that was reserved for Five. She looked forward to his arrival because despite the fact that she had seen him the night before, she missed him dearly. The separation was enough to make her feel uncomfortable. But there was more than just discomfort practically begging for her attention . . . why was she so on edge?

"There's only a few more minutes left before the performance," Peter tells his family, staring down at his watch with fret. "Goodness, we should have left earlier. I have to get going."

He was dressed in a royal blue suit, one that matched the elegant dress of her mother. They were a match made in heaven, and the color

Mariana stands to embrace her father, holding him tightly. "Good luck," she smiles brightly before placing a chaste kiss on his cheek, "knock everyone's socks off. I love you."

Her hold on him was tighter than what it normally be — not because she just felt it in the moment, but because something in her heart told her to keep him close for just a second longer.

"I love you too, kiddo," he releases a breath, contented with her soothing actions. His heartbeat resided to its normality as he felt the coolness from Mariana that radiated beyond her body. "I'll see you after the show. Then we'll all go get ice cream, how does that sound?"

"It sounds like a dream," Anastasia smiles at her husband, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Have fun up there."

And as Mariana returned to her seat while watching her father walk away, she felt a little too calmly about her mother's previous words.

It did sound like a dream.

In fact, the pieces of the puzzle were falling together too easily. Mariana's breathing falters, and she felt herself reaching for Spencer's hand before she could stop herself. Things were falling into place, just as she'd always hoped — but was this the calm before the storm? She had always imagined her fairytale, and each time she did, there was always a battle before the happily ever after; the one in which the prince slayed the dragon in order to save the princess from her impending doom. But this princess was too easily gaining her freedom.

Something was coming.

"What's wrong?" Spencer questions his best friend, feeling a difference in her urgency for his touch.

As Mariana leaned towards him in an attempt to answer, the crowd grew silent. The lights in the theater dimmed down to nearly nothing, and spotlights shined upon the closed curtains. Mariana felt as though she suddenly couldn't catch her breath — time was going by too fast for her to function. She couldn't think properly, and couldn't reason with herself.

The curtains drew back, exposing the musicians and her father.

And then the performance began.

Five wasn't here — and to say that Mariana wished he was in his seat would be quite an understatement. Her dread was growing with each passing second, and she thought of all the possibilities of things coming. Why wasn't Five here?

"It's nothing," Mariana shakes her head as she whispers to Spencer. The girl focuses her gaze on the stage, closing her eyes for a brief second to compose herself. And then, upon opening them, she felt a sense of relief.

Her father stood facing away from the crowd, directing the musicians in a way that expressed his love for music. Mariana would have smiled . . . but then her eyes found those of Vanya Hargreeves.

The woman was lovely; her hair was soft with waves, and her body beautifully presented the suit she was dressed in. But her eyes were foggy, and dazed with a look of something that Mariana couldn't recognize. They glowed like nothing she had seen before, and it made her chest tighten. If Vanya was here in the theater, where were her siblings?

The music continued playing, but with each different chord stroke, Mariana felt the need to stop the performance. To leave. To do something other than sit and imagine all of the things that could be causing her worry.

"Mariana, you're not alright," Spencer notices, his voice low. "Tell me what's wrong."

Her eyes were caught on Vanya as the violin solo began; Vanya's graceful movements were filled with sincerity and intensity. Normally, Mariana would have loved to lull herself into a dream state while listening to such, but now she found herself fidgeting in her seat.

A woman stepped in front of the front row, her eyes locked on Vanya. Her attire was anything but formal, and a white bandage covered most of her neck. She was stunning; her hair fell in natural curls down her back, and her skin was a soft mocha — but the harshness in her gaze was what Mariana noticed the most.

"Who is that?" Spencer asks, not receiving a response from Mariana.

Vanya smiles at the woman, a smile filled with a sort of upcoming satisfaction that melded to Mariana's core and made her feel sick. And suddenly, a man — a large one, at that — rushed onto the stage with the intentions of attacking Vanya. Mariana gasps at the unfolding actions, watching in utter horror as Vanya stands from her chair, and sends an earth-shattering flare through the entire theater with the swipe of her bow. The teenager is thrown from her seat, and loses her breath when her head slams onto the floor. The impact was enough to shake the ground for miles around, and Mariana quickly realized that this is what she'd been worrying about.

The audience screams in terror as they rush from the building, trampling over one another to get to the exit.

"Mariana!" Spencer calls out to her, grasping his arm as he frantically searches for her.

Vanya stares at the fleeing group, before turning to the orchestra and forcing them back into their seats. Peter helplessly stays firm in his spot, and Mariana forces herself to her feet as she watches Vanya continue the performance with the orchestra.

Another forceful blast knocks Mariana off of her feet, and throws Spencer just feet away from her.

"Where's mother?" Mariana groans, clutching her forehead as she warring searches.

"She got knocked out from the blast," Spencer tells her, yelling over the chaos as he reaches to touch the large gash on Mariana's head. "We need to leave right now, Mariana, we're not safe here!"

"I'm not leaving," she states firmly, sitting up to stare into his eyes. "Listen to me, take my mother and go get help. I'm going to stay, I know Five is around here somewhere—"

"Are you crazy?" He questions, taking her hands. "Absolutely not! You're coming with us! I'm not leaving you here."

"Please, Spencer," Mariana grasps his hand. "Save my mother. We both know I can handle myself."

"Not against an adult! You have no idea what she's capable of—"

"But I do know what I'm capable of," she pauses, her eyes pleading for his compliance. "Take my mother out the back door, it won't be as crowded. Now go, I have to find Five!"

Spencer squeezes his eyes shut, releasing a faltering breath as he nods. "I'll be back as soon as possibly. Stay safe, okay?" He stands, turning for a moment, before meeting Mariana's gaze one last time. "And Mariana?"

The girl only looks to him.

"I love you."

Mariana's heart nearly stops beating. "And I love you."

And then he was gone.

Mariana's chest clenches as she practically crawls to the back of the theater — she needed to find someone familiar, and come up with a plan to stop Vanya's sudden fit. And although she knew her powers were strong, she was unsure if she was any match for the destruction that came from Vanya's.

The doors are bombarded with armed guards within a minute; they're heavily protected, but Mariana could clearly see that they weren't prepared for what was coming to them. This very moment reminded her of the fateful night in which she met Five, and released her raging powers in a tantrum of vengeance.

"She's talking about the violin, it's her lightening rod," someone says from the distance, hiding behind the back row of seats. "If we can get it and stop her from playing, we might have a shot."

Mariana quickly crawls towards the voice, finding a group of people — more specifically, the Hargreeves family.

"Klaus!" Mariana sighs in relief, throwing herself into the arms of the man. "Thank goodness I found you! I'm here to help."

"Woah!" The man pats her back, before pulling away to stare at her in disdain. "Kid, you shouldn't be here! This is dangerous, you need to go find your parents and get the hell out of this joint."

"My father is on the stage," Mariana explains, unaware of the sudden attention she's gained from the group. "And besides, I can handle this. No gloves, remember?"

Gunshots interrupt the conversation, and the orchestra flees from their spots — including Peter, who runs to take cover from the open fire. Klaus brings Mariana into his tight hold, prepared to shield her from any stray bullets.

"I thought Vanya didn't have powers," Mariana speaks, suddenly aware that the two adults to her left were Allison and Luther Hargreeves.

"That's what we thought too," Klaus shakes his head, "but last night changed everything we thought we knew, so we had to take precautionary measures to save everyone from Vanya. Instead, we fueled her power and turned her into an emotionless shell."

"Where's Five?" Mariana demands, disregarding his precious comments.

But the gunshots continued.

And suddenly, he appeared; Five came from thin air, his hair disheveled from his travels. "What's with all the lallygagging?"

"Five," Diego calls out to his brother, "get down!"

The boy immediately throws himself towards the others, barely missing the unrelenting flood of air-born bullets. This was what hell on earth was, undoubtedly.

"Five," the large man, Luther, sounds surprised. "I thought you bailed on us."

"I had an errand to run!" He goes without noticing Mariana, peeking over a chair to study Vanya. "Did everyone get out alive?"

"Fortunately," Diego responds, nudging the boy. "But your girlfriend is still here."

Five's attention snaps in Mariana's direction, and he's suddenly filled with worry. "What the shit, why didn't you guys get her out of here?"

"I'm staying!" Mariana's tone is strong, and she moves away from Klaus to reach for Five. "I'm here to help. My father is still here, I'm not leaving him."

"Fine," Five compromises, before looking to his brother. "Luther, keep a hold on her, don't let her follow me."

"Wait, what?" Mariana demands, surging forward as Five disappears and begins to attack the shooters. "No! Five!"

The blond-haired man plants his large hand on her shoulder, "Don't, you need to stay with us."

She felt completely helpless; here she was, in the middle of a brawl with nothing to do but to sit back and watch. Her father was here, and she needed to get to him — to protect him from Vanya.

Klaus is on his feet in an instant, his hands glowing blue with raging embers. Out from his body comes someone Mariana had never seen; a ghost steps forward, releasing a completely horrid creature with tentacles from his stomach. It tears away at the armed men, ripping them to pieces as Klaus projects the man. So this was Ben, Mariana realizes.

The monster squeals as a woman steps into the stage with Vanya, her stance y'all and confident. Mariana would have watched the unfolding of the next event, if only it weren't for the yell of her father that caught her immediate attention.

With her eyes wide, the raven-haired girl watches as her father calls out to her from two rows away.

"Mariana!" He covers his mouth as he jogs forward to greet her, relieved to see that she was unharmed. "Thank goodness, I was so worried about—"

If there was a single point in time that Mariana could pinpoint and erase, it would have been that very second; because in one short second, she was jumping from Luther's grasp to run to her father, and in the next, she was screaming his name and watching as a round of bullets penetrated his chest.

"No, no, no!" Mariana yells, crawling to his side while trying to hide from the open fire.

"Mariana!" Diego calls out to her, holding out his hand. "You need to come back, it's not safe!"

Once reaching her father, Mariana is rigid with the fear of losing her father. She gently placed her hands over his wounds as he blinks rapidly. "Oh my gosh," she cries, her bottom lip trembling as she furiously wipes at her tears. Her hands stain with blood as she shakes her head, staring into the glassy eyes of her father. "No, no, no."

"You need to go," he says, practically choking on his words. Peter's face had grown pale already, and his frame was shaking — it was clear that the shots were too close to his heart, and there was no chance of survival from the severity of his wounds. "Look at me kiddo, you need to go."

"I can't leave you here," Mariana murmurs, her vision blurry from the tears in her eyes. "Daddy, please, you're going to be okay, do you hear me? You did so good up there today, and you're gonna get to go home and brag about it. Everything is going to be okay."

But as much as Mariana wished, she knew that he wouldn't be okay.

And because of that, she wouldn't be okay.

Her heart was crumbling as she watched him writhe in pain, and she felt helpless. Her body was failing her, and she was unsure of what to do. But what she did know was that  she couldn't lose her father.

The main lying on the floor was the entirety of her world, and always would be. He had taught her how to paint, how to find the beauty in music, how to be free, how to love. And although she loved Five Hargreeves, a piece of her heart would always lie with her father. He was her first love, no one could take that from her — and yet here she was, clutching onto his shirt with a worry that not only was she going to lose her sanity, but that her father was about to leave her.

There were so many things she wanted to do in life: she wanted to wake up from this nightmare to find her father in the dining room with a newspaper in his grasp, only to hear him bragging to her mother about his achievements in the theater. She wanted him to formally meet Five Hargreeves, and for him to visit her room one night to tell her how he approved of her decisions. She wanted him to walk her down the aisle one day — to watch his eyes fill with tears as he sees her in a white lace how gown, or to hear that he was going to be a grandfather. She wanted to bake a pie with him, to go back to a day when she was being taught while her mother was at work, or even when he took her out to the river to practice with her powers.

But he would no longer be able to do any of those things.

And watching him slowly fade away was exactly the thing that Mariana feared even more than her own capabilities.

"You promised me ice cream after this," Mariana cries, wiping the tears from under his eyes. "Don't you remember, daddy? We . . . you have to stay with me, we'll get through this. You're so strong, you can do this."

"I'm so proud of you," he says softly, lacing his fingers with hers. "So, so proud of the person you've become. Don't forget that, Mariana."

"Don't say that," the girl shakes her head as his breathing speeds up. "No, you can't leave me. Please don't leave me."

He strokes her hand, studying the girl in front of him; nothing on the earth could compare to her beauty, her grace. He had raised an angel.

And though their time was being cut short, he had the blessing of loving his angel during his time on the earth.

And then Peter closed his eyes.

Mariana wails as his grip releases from her hand and his chest falls. She places his hand against her cheek, crying into his palm and wishing for a miracle that would bring him back to her.

But miracles didn't exist.

Mariana is pulled away from her father's body, and is wrapped in the arms of Diego as the chaos around her continues.

The truth was that the earth would never truly have mercy on Mariana Carson's soul. It wouldn't allow her fairytale, no matter how much she hoped for it.

"How do you want to end this thing?" Diego asks his siblings, holding Mariana as she sobs.

"I say we surround her and come at all—"

But Luther Hargreeves stopped talking, his eyes falling onto the sudden waves of light that surge from Mariana's small frame. As she cries, her hands begin to glow with an inferno of blue blazes.

"Mariana?" Five rushes forward, taking her glowing hands into his own. "Sweetheart, look at me. Everything is going to be okay, you just need to breathe. Focus on me, focus."

But she had already lifted off the floor, slowly rising as water surges through the entrance. Her eyes burn blue as she rises, only to stop as she raises her arms into the air, and all of hell breaks loose.

Mariana screams as she releases her pent-up power, a tsunami surging through the entirety of the theater. The flames of blue grow larger as she forces all of her might onto Vanya. The projections entrance the entire room, ice covering the walls and every inch of the floor.

Her father was gone — the woman ahead of her had caused a massacre from selfishness, and Mariana wouldn't stand for it.

"Mariana!" Five calls from below, the water rushing past he and his family while it surges towards the stage. "Mariana, stop!"

But her tears and grief fuel the power in her veins, and overwhelm every one of her senses. Thunder erupts from outside, and a downpour begins to sweep the city. Vanya continues to play her violin, forcing power back at the hurricane Mariana had created.

"Your father wouldn't want this!"

Mariana's heart drops in her chest at Five's words.

Her father would have wanted her to stay strong — to fight against the demands of her powers and to help Vanya, not destroy her. Mariana lowers her arms, staring down at the boy with frightened eyes.

What was she doing?

She was allowing her emotions to control her actions, and was allowing herself to become the monster she feared she always was. But she wasn't a monster. She was only a teenager . . . one that had been through hell and back, and had managed to lose everything on the way.

Mariana lowers herself to the floor, her glowing hands fading back to normal with the fierce stains of blood. Once touching the floor, she falls into the arms of Five with her hands shaking.

"I—I'm so sorry," she chokes. "I don't know what came over me."

"You slowed her down," Five shakes his head, running his fingers through her hair. "I'm proud of you, Mariana. And I know your father would—"

But Vanya hadn't finished yet.

Releasing a final wave of power into the air, the earth beneath their feet began to crack. And, unseen to most of the Hargreeves family, Vanya had sent her bow flying through the air — just in the right precision so that it pierced Mariana.

Stunned, the teenager stumbles from the sudden impact.

The oxygen was knocked from her lungs, and the immense pain that shot through her spine made her fall to her knees.

"Mariana?" Five looks to her, confused by her actions. But upon seeing the bow that impales her stomach, he, too falls to his knees. "Oh no, what has she done?"

Her blue dress stains crimson as Mariana swallows heavily. Her head grows light, and she falls to the floor. Mariana takes Five's hand as she cries out, clutching the wound.

"Kiddo?" Diego questions from behind Five, his voice shaking.

"Five, it hurts," she cries, her body aching and growing numb at the same time. But, most importantly, she felt fear.

Fear of what was going to become of her, of what would happen to those she loved. She would never get the chance to see Spencer again, or her mother, or Five — now she was the one leaving her family behind.

"You have to help her," Klaus brings his shaking hands to her stomach, unsure of what to do. "W-we need to put pressure, we have to help her."

Mariana gives the man a soft smile, despite the searing pain that rushes through her core and devours the entirety of her feelings. "It'll be okay, Klaus."

"No, don't you dare say that." The man snaps, running his hands through his hair. "You can't die, I — you can't. Do you have any idea how much you've helped me?"

In fact, she did. Mariana knew just how much she had attributed to the wellness of the Hargreeves family, and was glad that I'm the short time she had grown to know them, she had helped them. She had brought Diego back from the pits of despair, helped Klaus fight his addiction, and had been the most precious thing Five could've ever imagined.

"I can't lose you," Five's eyes gloss over, tears filling his eyes. "I've lost so much, I can't lose you. I'm not myself without you, Mariana."

"You could never lose me," the girl places her cold hand on his cheek, blinking past her tears. "A love like ours never dies."

And although she was losing everything, Mariana somehow found the bright side to the situation. In the past week, she had learned to live every day as though it was her last — she had learned not to regret her past, but to learn from every mistake and build her character from it.

And she had found love.

Despite everything she ever thought, she found a boy who saw the beauty in her flaws. Her prince had come to save her — and though he couldn't quite see it at this very moment, he did save her. He rescued her from herself, and from the walls in which she had encased herself in.

For that, she could never thank him enough.

And although her life hadn't been a complete fairytale, she had lived life to its fullest in the time that she was granted; and she would always live on in her own little piece of forever.

A warmth spreads through her abdomen and into her limbs; suddenly the pain was disappearing, and it was replaced with a numb sensation that consumed her. Her hand falls into Five's as she allows herself to relax, and gives into the heaviness that falls upon her.

Five cries out as she finally closes her eyes, and releases a final breath.

Mariana was very pretty from where she lay — even with the harsh fiery red that glistened from her wounds. She was simple, her face was sweet and young. Her wavy hair glistened in the fluorescence, and her lips were parted. Now her rouged cheeks and reddened lips made her seem alive, and sleeping very lightly.

So as Five Hargreeves stares down at the love of his life, he convinced himself just that; Mariana Carson was only asleep.

And if he couldn't reverse the end of the world to bring her back, he knew that one day, when the time came, he would be sleeping right next to her.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐍𝐃.

❝ i am c r y i n g . and i know it's
a super sad ending, but i really needed
to do this. i hope you guys liked this
book as much as i loved writing it!! ❞