Y/N'S POV

I was trembling. I didn't know what to do. I watched the man I loved with all my heart leave the room with a gun pressed to his chest.

What does one do in a situation like this one?

I burst into tears.

Certainly, not that.

But I couldn't help my fear. The thought that it could've been the last time I saw him, the man I was just picturing my future with. The man without whom, I could not breathe. It was devastating.

I took a few deep breaths and wiped the tears away. Shaking uncontrollably, I ran to Ezra's room. He was sleeping. Safe and sound. Thank God. Yet my heart wouldn't stop racing. I caressed him gently, but my hand was trembling so much I couldn't keep it in place. I didn't know what to expect. These men could come back and shoot us both. I felt so shattered. I just got Five back, I couldn't lose him once again. If I could, I would do anything to get Five back. Anything. I grabbed my phone from my purse and hardly managed to dial the only number that came to my mind.

"Well, well. To what do I owe this call?" Diego's voice rambled through the speaker.

"Five got kidnapped," I blurted, trying to catch my breath. The fear was suffocating.

"What?" Diego's tone changed; it was more serious now. "Are you joking?"

I shook my head, struggling to speak. "Please help me, Diego. You're the only person who can do something. Please."

"I'll send our men from Miami to get you. They'll take you to a safe place," he stated with a solemn tone. "Lock the door and don't open it to anyone else."

I nodded, though he couldn't see it, and ran to the door with the phone still to my ear.

"They'll tell you our secret code, blue sky. Only open the door after they say it, you hear me?"

"Yes." My voice cracked.

"I'll be with you soon, Y/n," he said and hung up the call.

What an irony that the only person who could help Five was his enemy number one, his brother.

The men working for the Hargreeves's arrived, all in black and armed to the teeth. Their presence felt ominous. With no time to spare, they escorted us away, each of their moves swift and calculated. We hurried towards the waiting car, and I felt a sense of dread washing over me. The black coat and velvet scarf they told me to cover myself with made me feel like a fugitive on the run. Holding Ezra tightly in my arms, my heart raced in my chest faster and faster. Just as we drove away, the column of police cars arrived, and the loud sound of the sirens woke Ezra up.

"Mommy?" he mumbled, still half-asleep.

"It's okay, I'm here." I tried to sound as reassuring and calm as possible, but my voice was cracking. My hands were still shaking.

"Where are we going? Where's Dad?" He rubbed his eyes.

"He had to go to work for a while, and we're going to meet Uncle Diego now." I smiled through my pain.

Ezra looked at me, and I kept smiling, but tears were involuntarily dripping down my cheeks. He adjusted himself in my arms, wiping away my tears. "Are you sad because Dad left?"

I nodded, trying to hold back the tears so badly.

"Don't cry, Mommy. He'll come back." Ezra caressed my hair. "Daddy promised he'll be with us forever."

Once again, he proven he was just like his father. A four- year-old boy was trying to cheer me up in a moment like this when it should be the other way around. "You're right, baby." I took a quick breath. "He promised, and Daddy keeps his promises."

Hours passed in tense silence as we drove through the night. The only sound was the steady hum of the engine and the soft breathing of Ezra in my arms as he fell asleep again. With each passing mile, the weight in my chest felt heavier and heavier. I recalled a conversation I had with Allison in the past. Her warning echoed in my mind. Now I knew what she meant when she said that marrying the heir to this family held some responsibilities. Now I knew the perilous reality. But would I back out? Never. I loved Five more than I feared this kind of life. I was ready to lead the dangerous life as a Hargreeves wife because I knew it couldn't have been the end of our story.

We arrived at a secluded house hidden deep within the woods. One of the men helped me get out of the car, still holding Ezra in my arms. I looked around the isolated surroundings, heading toward a familiar face. A face that if someone had told me just yesterday I'd be happy to see, I'd laugh in their face. "Diego," I said, my voice full of pain, assessing his outfit.

He looked different than usual. I'd never seen him before like this, in a black turtleneck, thick pants embellished with hanging chains, and a black jacket. He looked like he was ready to go to war.

Diego didn't say anything. He just enveloped his arms around me and pulled me closer for a hug. Reassuring, comforting hug I had not expected from him, and I had not realized how much I needed it.

"Y/n." Viktor concerned voice grabbed my attention. I moved away from Diego's embrace and glanced at her. "Viktor I didn't expect you to be here too," I said, barely able to stand on my feet. I was drained, going on full adrenaline for hours.

"We all came," he said as he hugged me, patting my back before he reach his hands to take Ezra from me. "Here, let me take him."

I was scared to let Ezra go of my sight even for a moment, but I knew I needed help now, and I knew he would be safe here, surrounded by an army of Hargreeves members.

"How are you holding up?" Klaus asked as Viktor headed with Ezra in his arms inside.

I took a heavy breath, my fingers running through my hair. "I'm trying not to lose Ezra. It's the only thing that keeps me sane."

"We'll bring him back," Luther stated, though his gaze dropped momentarily. "And Charles Moretti will pay for this betrayal with his life."

"Will you give us a moment?" Diego said as he turned to Luther. Luther gave him a single nod, and after a fleeting glance at me, they headed back inside.

"Five proposed to me," the words blurted out of my mouth. "And I said yes." I felt like I needed clarity. Like he deserved it.

Diego's sand-brown eyes widened, and his pupils grew so big his eyes seemed black. His gaze flickered between mine, his temples pulsed, and his jaw clenched. He let out a heavy sigh, wiping his mouth with his fingers. "You chose him before you even gave me a chance, Y/n."

"For me, there was never a choice to make. It's been always him."

Diego's expression darkened, his eyes filled with genuine pain. He wanted to reach for my hand but hesitated. "Y/n, I know that if it wasn't for my brother, we could've had something special. If only... you gave me a chance." His eyes bore into mine, his brows furrowed. "I promise I will bring Five back to you, and I promise that if you still choose him, I will step back. But please, consider it again. Consider us."

I didn't know what to say. I knew the answer already. I didn't have to make any choices, didn't have to think it through. For me, it was Five. Only him. Always. Invariably. Inevitably. Invincibly. But seeing the genuine pain and affection in Diego's eyes... I didn't know how to tell him that, reject him once again. I didn't know how to break his heart.

I simply nodded softly, switching the topic, "For a moment, I was scared you wouldn't want to help me save Five. I was scared that you'd be happy he's gone."

"For a moment, I was," Diego admitted. "I would lie if I said it didn't cross my mind. For a moment, I saw his kidnapping as a blessing. As a chance for me." He took a step closer to me, sliding his hand at the back of my neck. "But I didn't want to win you like this. I wanted you to choose me because you want me. Not because he's gone and I'm a backup option. A substitution."

I looked into Diego's eyes and, yet again, had no idea what I should've said. Perhaps, in another life where Five Hargreeves would never exist, I could see my future with Diego. Perhaps, in a different universe, I could fall in love with him. But not in this lifetime. Or any other where his brother existed. Now, all I felt was sympathy and guilt that I had to break his heart because my heart belonged to his brother. Irreversibly and irrevocably.

"I'll bring my brother back to you, Y/n," he added, caressing my cheek with his thumb. "I'll bring Ezra his father back."

"I thought you were a villain, but now you are my hero, Diego." I barely held back the tears welling up my eyes again.

"If we go separate ways, I'm glad that at least you'll remember me as a hero, and not merely a twisted villain." His tone was low. "Besides, he's my brother. No matter what, he's still my blood. I may hate him, but I will not let anyone else kill him. That is a pleasure reserved only for me," he joked, and I couldn't help but chuckle.

"You are a tad bit twisted, though," I said, and he shook his head while fighting back a smile.

For a brief moment, I forgot about the vile reality. I forgot that Five was missing, that his life was in danger. For a moment. Because soon enough the reality hit me, and I felt the darkness engulfing me once more. I felt as if I was falling down that black abyss once again and the only thing I could hold onto was Ezra

I cleared my throat, stepping back and Diego inhaled deeply.

"You should head inside now." His gaze darting between mine with a weird trace of concern.

"Why? What happened?" I got alerted.

"You'll see. Know, I was against it," he said and walked inside, and I rushed right after him.

I followed Diego through the long hallway of the house with an odd hunch in my chest. Anxiety. I had no idea what he meant but I knew it couldn't have been anything good. Then I saw them.

"Y/n..." my sisters whispered with tears in there eyes.

My heart sank, eyes grew wide. They were the last people I expected to see. The last people I wanted to see. "Where's Ezra?" I asked, agitated. I didn't want them to meet my son. Especially not without me being around. I started panicking, looking around the spacious living room.

"He's upstairs, sleeping. Klaus's with him," Viktor reassured me. He gave me an apologetic smile as he walked past me, patting my back gently before he signaled Diego to follow him, leaving me alone with my sister's.

"What are you doing here?" I focused my attention on my them.

I still couldn't believe Jayme, Sloane, and Fei was there. It was so strange seeing them after all these years. They had aged.

"I don't even know where to begin." Sloane's voice caught in her throat. She wanted to approach me, but I stepped back, keeping a distance, and she hesitated.

My teeth clenched involuntarily, and my gaze dropped to the side. I was breathing heavily. Angrily. "How did you convince them to bring you here?" I hissed harshly.

Jayme let out a heavy sigh, her body quivering as if she was scared of me. Or perhaps, she was scared to have this conversation and face the consequences of her choices. "We're so sorry we haven't been a good sister to you. I know are words will never compensate you for all these years of suffering you had to endure because of Reginald and... us, but we're so deeply sorry."

"You're right. Your words will do nothing. It's too late for an apology now. I've grown to the thought that I have no family. So thank you for coming, it was fun seeing you. Now you may leave."

Despite sarcasm dripping from my voice, I couldn't hide the pain pouring out of me. I headed toward the stairs with the intent to go to my son, but Fei ran to me and grabbed my elbow. "Y/n, please. Just hear me out. Give us five minutes. That's all I ask," she pleaded. "Then you will decide what you want. If you tell us  to leave, we will."

I exhaled heavily. I wanted to leave so badly now. To show her how much it hurt. But I couldn't. "Okay. Five minutes."

Our gazes lock.

"We were all forced to listen to Reginald. It was an arranged relationship of convenience with no mutual love." Her voice grew somber. "I knew he didn't love us from the very beginning, but we couldn't refuse. You know that in this world we live in, the world where money and position take precedence, we have nothing to say. And we're always thinking only about what he would've have done to us. The societal position." She took a deep breath, her brows knitted. "We love you, Y/n. father left us no choice."

"So?" I said sternly. "What does it have to do with me?"

Sloane eyes darted between mine with anguish. "I've always known dad wanted revenge on Five and his family. The Umbrella Academy ." Her gaze dropped as she mentioned the name. I guess it was harrowing for her. "He made me us think they were nothing but enemies too, and that we should always forced to play the bad card, Y/n. We just wanted to protect you." She paused, her face was painted with regret. "When I found out dad used us all, I asked the family, if should go look out for you, and they said no."

"Wh- what?" My eyes widened.

"Ben. He refused," her voice was barely a whisper now. "I thought the family would support this decision, but once dad found out that we wanted to see you, he completely changed. He said we weren't even able to make it out alive because we we're worthless," she barely managed to speak, tears streaming down her face.

I felt so sorry for her. I felt her pain. On one hand, I wanted to hug and comfort her so badly, but on the other... I still couldn't get over the hate that had grown in me throughout all these years. The walls of indifference that I had built around myself, brick by brick.

"And Ben..." She sniffed back tears. "He had always spoken so highly of you and badly us. He would always compare you to us, except, in his eyes, Marcus had enough and start to step up and as number one and told Ben. 'You're her new obsession," he confessed with resentment. "They broke down in a high fight, which cause us to go are separate ways. I kept asking myself, 'What happen to us?' We thought listening to dad would make him change his mine at least respect you, but it didn't." Her voice cracked. "Instead, he treated us and you even worse. And then, after you fake your death, it became even worse. A hell."

"Why didn't you guys just leave him?" I questioned. I felt detached. Numb. I couldn't stop blaming my sisters that despite all they went through themself, they made me go through hell myself.

"That academy was all we knew, Y/n," Jayme sobbed. "We wished to leave and have a real life instead. But Reginald mistreated us are whole life and saw us only as projects of society by putting us all off for a another Academy. Just so he can get his revenge. And... we left, we didn't want to be his pets anymore. We wanna be your sister.

Sounds familiar.

"When he found out about that, he told us that we were useless trash that would disgrace our family. So, we decided to leave that academy and chosen a new life for us, a life that treats like the people who has a whole life, too." She burst out in tears. "We stayed by his side because I let them all make me believe that we we're worthless."

I felt that. Too hard. "I'm sorry." I let out a heavy breath.

"I left the family, Y/n." Jayme wiped the tears from under her eyes. Suddenly, she seemed empowered.

I couldn't hide my surprise. I scanned her face carefully, searching for confirmation that it wasn't a joke.

"We all left him months ago and have been searching for you. We have hired a detective. We wanted to find you. All this time..."

"What happened that you finally made that step?"

"We..." She hesitated as if the words were too heavy to speak. "I found out the truth about what happened in the past." Her gaze became dark.

"Reginald..." She was trembling. "He wanted to kill the Hargreeves family."

Sloane walk away, desperately crying, covering her face with her hands. I rushed to her, pulling her in an embrace. I didn't know what to say. I was shocked. My father was a monster. The worst kind. I was disgusted that his blood ran through my veins.

"But it wasn't the worst part," Fei choked the words out of her.

"What do you mean?" The hair stood on my skin. Was there anything worse than trying to kill off your family? A family that you trained. A family you play with like a some kind of game.

"He still wants there deaths." Fei sobbed so hard I could hardly understand her.

"What do you mean he still wants there deaths?" I look at my sisters face and looked into her eyes. They seemed so numb and deadly.

"He couldn't stand there rejection, the fact that they won, everything.

"And?" I insisted, my hands shaking and cold chills sweeping through my body.

"He couldn't stand that it wasn't his. He didn't want the other Hargreeves to win again to have his shine, especially not Five, his rival."

"So? What did he do? What happened, Fei?"

"He forced Ben to take pain into his hands. He joined him."

A cold chill ran down my spine.

"That's one more reason for me to kill that piece of shit," Diego's deadly hiss rumbled from behind.

I turned to face the door where he was standing, dressed all in black, exactly in the same manner as Diego who stood beside his side, arming himself with a knife.

I stood up, staring at Diego. His eyes blazed with lethal darkness.

"Why didn't you kill him all these years ago?"

Diego's brow twitched slightly as if with surprise. I couldn't blame him. I couldn't believe I actually asked this question out loud myself.

"I wanted too... but I thought playing with his old mind would set him off more," his voice trembled. "Explaining he did the same with us and my family when we were kids."

My eyes narrowed.

He secured the gun in his knife underneath the black jacket. "A son of an old friend of mine, Sergio Suarez, contacted me and thanks to his help, my soldiers were able to track Five."

"What?" I ran towards Diego, my heart racing. "Where is he?"

"In one of Moretti's hideouts in Miami. With Charles, the leader of the Moretti family, and Reginald."

My heart dropped to my stomach. I felt dazed. "What does Reginald have to do with it?"

Diego's eyes flickered between mine. "We have old scores to settle. We're leaving. We'll bring my brother back, even if it's the last thing I'll do in my life."

I didn't understand why, but it sounded like a goodbye to me. I had an unpleasant chill sweep down my spine and an unsettling coldness enveloped me.

"We're coming with you," Jayme's voice reached me.

I turned to face her, a shock and confusion painting my face, as so did Diego and Viktor.

"We have to face him. I have to face him for the last time." She spoke with so much anger and hatred it made me shiver.

"It's too dangerous. We might all die there," Diego stated calmly as if death meant nothing to him.

"I don't care. We have to. Move." Her and Sloane and Fei pleaded through their pain and rage.

Diego didn't reply. He reached out for one of the guns from the back of his belt and handed it to Viktor.

Goosebumps raised on my skin and my breathing quickened.

"I'm coming too," I said without thinking. My gaze wandered toward Diego who looked at me with some sort of approval in his eyes.

"Five would never forgive me if something happened to you, Y/n. You must stay here."

"But—"

"For Ezra." He placed his hand on my elbow, squeezing it gently. "You must protect your son."

I nodded in agreement. I didn't want to allow this thought even to cross my mind, but the darkest scenario that Five might die kept coming back somewhere in the back of my mind. I would die for him. I would give my life so he could live. I also knew that his life was Ezra, and I had to stay to protect him. So that our son wouldn't grow up without both parents.

Viktor signaled his waiting men, and with one last, "Tell Ezra that we'll be back."

He left, Diego, Viktor, and my sister's, and the men followed.

Klaus approached me hesitantly, putting his shaking hand on my cheek and caressing it with caution. Her eyes were still watery and her voice a breaking whisper, "I'm so sorry, Y/n. I'm sorry you're going through this."

The same coldness as when Diego left enveloped my body. A shiver swept down my back the same way. Again, that felt like a goodbye.

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