1950 // The Commission

With Five's suitcase, he, Riley and the little girl traveled back to the Commission.

"Okay, let's get you out of the cold," Riley spoke to the little girl and stepped onto the stairs.

"Are you hungry? I'm sure you are. I am for sure–"

"Wait a second, what's your plan now?", Five wanted to know.

Riley stopped in the middle of the stairs and turned to their husband.

"Go into the building. More specifically, I'm going to my office."

"I knew that," Five replied, rolling his eyes. "I was talking about the girl."

He also stepped onto the stairs and stopped on one of the lowest steps.

Riley looked down at the little girl who was now sleeping in their arms, before looking back to Five.

"For now she stays with Robert. People won't suspect her there," explained Riley. "And then I will bring her to distant relatives. If they are some."

The Handler will not like that the girl "escaped", but Riley guessed that she would forget about her anyway.

"Robert? Are you sure?" asked Five, raising an eyebrow.

Riley nodded. They couldn't think of any reason why they shouldn't trust Robert.

"Yeah, why not?", Riley asked.

"Because he's an idiot", Five answerd like it was obvious.

Riley rolled their eyes.

"I'm glad we talked about it," Riley said and turned around. "While I take care of this, you can get us something to eat."

"I don't like this plan."

Riley stopped and slowly turned back to Five one last time.

"And I don't care," they replied, stepping down a flight of stairs closer to their husband.

"You Job as my husband is supporting me, no matter what. Like I support you, no matter what", said Riley dangerously calmly. "So, just let me save the girl and get the food. And it better be Chinese food."

Five nodded without saying another word and Riley smiled.

"Perfect."

They turned around and ran up the stairs without stopping.

"Chinese food?" Riley muttered to himself. "Why Chinese?"

"And what am I supposed to tell The Handler?"

"I do not care."

"Of course you don't," Five said once Riley was out of earshot. "His is why I do the planning. Your plans, sorry to tell you, Love, but they suck."

Riley brought the little girl to Robert, hoping their plan would work.

The younger man was irritated at first, but quickly agreed to keep an eye on the girl until Riley returned.

~~~~

1960's // Dallas

"You want me to protect Five and Riley?" Lila repeated what her mother just said.

"It's not that complicated, honey," assured The Handler, eating her pancakes.

"If anyone deserves to die, it's them."

"That's true, but–"

"Aren't they the most wanted people in the Commission," Rhea asked

The girl stood up from her seat to get some more syrup for her pancakes.

"Yes, they are."

"Now you want me to protect him."

"That's correct."

"After everything he's done to you?" Rhea wanted to know and sat down again. "I mean, after all, they are the reason you got demoted."

"Be that as it may… they are worth more to me alive," The Handler said. "If you want to kill somebody, why don't you kill Diego?"

Rhea stopped in her movement and looked back and forth between her sister and mother, wondering why The Handler would suggest that.

"No," Lila refused and Rhea put the syrup on the table next to her plate.

"You sure? I think it'll make you feel better."

"Nah."

"Suit yourself", said The Handler and then addressed Rhea. "Pass me more syrup, will you?"

The girl picked up the syrup and poured some more onto her mother's plate.

But apparently that wasn't enough for her and Rhea's mother poured even more syrup onto her pancakes.

"Mm, we ran into some trouble at the asylum, during the escape," Lila changed the subject. "These three blonde guys. Total cowboys."

"They're here already?"

"What, you know them?", asked Rhea.

"Commission muscle. Triplets. Like Huey, Dewey, and Louie, only a little more meshugahs."

"But you sent them?"

"Of course I did."

"Why? They nearly killed us."

"Well, they have to make it look good. Right? Otherwise, people might suspect that we're working together."

"So they know I’m on the job?", Lila wanted to know.

"It's all a performance. Look, if they wanted you dead, you would've been long gone by now, little one."

"You need to stop calling me that."

"Aww."

The Handler put down her knife and fork and stood up from the sofa.

"Listen to me. No one is trying to kill you. We're all working towards the same goal."

"Which is?", Rhea asked, putting her emty plate on the table.

"Well, that's the thing about the Commission, isn't it? Some things just don't make sense… until they do. I like the fringe," The Handler gave the bold answer and walked away.

"Protect Number Five and Riley at all costs."

Riley and Rhea looked at each other as their mother left the Room.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

~~~~

Riley and Five waited at the car.

Vanya was in the building in front of them, hopefully leaving the building with Luther.

Because, you know, Luther wouldn't listen to Five or Riley and they hoped Vanya could convince him to help them.

"This is taking too long," Five said after a while.

"It doesn't. Give Vanya some time. I'm sure–"

Riley stopped the sentence as Luther punched a hole in the wall.

"Forget what I said," Riley commented and Five scoffed.

A few moments later, Vanya left the building– without Luther.

"Well, that clearly went well," Five said to her. "You ready to go?"

He and Riley stepped towards her, but Vanya walked past them.

"I’m going back to the farm," she explained.

"Hey. Unacceptable, Vanya. Remember, we need to stick together."

"Oh, why, so I don't end the world again?"

"Stupid..." Five hissed and turned briefly towards the building.

"Were you even going to tell me?", Vanya wanted to know.

"You know what? In my defense, no. All right? And can you blame me? When you... you get angry, shit blows up."

"Great. Are there any other family secrets you failed to mention?" Vanya asked, got into the car and closed the door.

"A boatload, which I don't have the luxury of sharing them with the..."

Five sighed and knocked on the window. Vanya opened it.

"The clock is ticking on doomsday. Just tell me that when we need you, you'll be ready."

"I can't help you, Five. I don't even know who I am."

"You're our sister," Five reminded Vanya, who now started the engine.

"And a member of the Umbrella Academy," Riley added.

"Like it or not, that's who you are."

"Look, that's who I was, okay? New timeline, new me," Vanya replied and drove off.

"No, that's not how it was—"

"Drive carefully," Riley called after her, but Vanya couldn't hear her pushing anymore.

They sighed, turned their heads and saw Luther through the small hole in the wall– he was giving Five the middle finger.

"Wonder if it's too late to be un-adopted."

Riley chuckled at Five's comment and the two walked away.

~~~~

1950 // The Commission

Riley was halfway done with their paperwork, when someone knocked on their door.

"Yes?"

Five walked in and put the Plastic bag on Riley's desk.

"Your chinese food. And before you ask... yes, I brought fortune cookies."

"I love that you know me", meinte Riley.

Five sat down and the couple started to eat in silence for a while until–

"I talked to the Handler", said Five.

"Already", Riley asked surprised and Five nodded.

"Yes, she wanted to talk to me eminently. And let me tell you, she was not happy that the girl escaped."

Riley scoffed.

"She also told me about my next job–"

"We just came back", Riley reminded him frowning.

"I know, but this job is so important it cannot wait", explained Five and cleared his throat before he continued. "It's in Dallas."

"Dallas?", Riley repeated putting the box with their food on the desk.

"You do not mean the Kennedy Mission."

"Exactly the Kennedy Mission."

"Oh, shut up", meinte Riley. "This is amazing Sweetie. I'm so happy for you."

"And it gets even better", Five added. "You are coming with me."

Riley smiled, happy that they could accompany him.

After all, they would not be away for long... right?