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༻ Y/N'S POV ༺

The rain outside drummed against the windshield, soft and rhythmic, as if time itself was slowing down. The sky had begun to turn a deep shade of gray, creeping closer to darkness. Allison was still inside with the cop, and the faint hum of hospital activity carried through the air.

I glanced down at my arm. The bandage I'd wrapped earlier was loose now, frayed slightly at the edges. Slowly, I began to unwind it, careful and deliberate. As the fabric fell away, it revealed pristine skin—or what passed as skin for me. The wires beneath were no longer exposed, the circuitry repaired itself seamlessly, leaving no trace of the damage that had been there hours ago. I flexed my fingers experimentally. No resistance. No fault lines.

I dropped the bandage onto the floor of the car, but my eyes were drawn instead to the dark fabric crumpled at my feet: Five's academy blazer.

Reaching down, I picked it up carefully, holding it in my hands as if it might shatter under the weight of my touch. The material was small, tailored for the boy he once was. The edges were worn, faint scuffs from countless missions. A couple of bloodstains stood out starkly against the dark fabric—remnants of battles fought, struggles endured.

For a moment, I simply held it, tracing the lapel with my fingertips. Then, as if compelled by something beyond me, I slid it back on. The weight of it settled over my shoulders, not heavy but significant. As soon as the fabric brushed against my skin, I closed my eyes.

Initiating Memory Retrieval Sequence.

The code flashed behind my eyelids, lines of green and white light streaming across the darkness.

SEARCH PARAMETER: FIVE HARGREEVES
LOADING...

Flashes of moments came like echoes in my system.

• MEMORY FILE 172: Commission Headquarters.

Five was younger, smaller—angry, always angry. His voice sharp as he barked orders, but his hands trembled ever so slightly. He never let anyone see it, but I did. I always did. "You stay close to me, no exceptions," he'd said. His eyes burned with a determination that made it impossible to argue.

• MEMORY FILE 204: Abandoned Timeline Loop.

It was just him. The world had collapsed into static around him. the remnants of a failed mission. He was sitting on the edge of a ruined building, the faint glow of a dying sun casting long shadows. "I didn't ask for this," he said, his voice quieter than I'd ever heard it. "But if I don't fix it, no one will." He said sitting by himself offering no words because none were needed.

• MEMORY FILE 291: The Umbrella Academy, Current Timeline.

The first time we arrived back here. The others stared at me like I didn't belong, like I was something foreign in their chaotic family. But Five had stood beside me, his gaze sharp, daring anyone to question it. "She's with me," he'd said simply, and that had been enough.

ERROR: MEMORY FILE CORRUPTED. REPAIRING...

A sudden glitch. A burst of static in my system. My head tilted slightly as I processed it, my internal coding scrambling to restore the corrupted file.

REPAIR FAILED. FILE UNAVAILABLE.

I opened my eyes abruptly, my systems jolting me back to the present. The blazer was warm against me now, carrying the faintest trace of his scent—a mix of coffee, gunpowder, and something unnameable but entirely him.

I placed a hand over the fabric, right where his heart would be if he were wearing it. My processors hummed quietly, the residual echoes of those memories still lingering. Every moment spent with him was etched into my code, woven into the very fabric of my existence.

I leaned back in the seat, my fingers brushing the edge of the blazer's lapel. Whatever came next, I would carry these moments with me—both the ones I could recall and the ones I had already lost. Because they weren't just memories.

They were the reason I existed.

I noticed movement in the rain-soaked parking lot and turned my head just as Allison emerged from the hospital. Her pace was quick but deliberate, the weight of her thoughts visible in her expression. She slipped back into the car, shaking off the cold drizzle before shutting the door with a heavy thud.

"Any sign of Vanya?" I asked, breaking the silence.

Allison exhaled sharply, her hands gripping the steering wheel for a moment before answering. "They were here earlier this morning... but they're already gone. That explains why the cabin was empty when we got there."

I nodded, my mind already processing this new information. "They must've gone back to the cabin."

"Only one way to find out," Allison said, determination sharpening her tone as she turned the key in the ignition. The engine roared to life, and she guided the car out of the hospital lot, the wipers working overtime to clear the rain from the windshield.

As we pulled back onto the road, the tension in the car was palpable. The faint sound of the tires splashing against the wet pavement filled the space between us.

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The drive back to the cabin felt heavy, as if the very air around us was thickening. The wind picked up as we neared the house, howling like an ominous warning. Allison gripped the wheel tighter, her knuckles white as the tension between us grew. The sun had begun to set, casting long shadows that danced along the woods.

As soon as we parked, I scanned the area, noting the rapidly shifting atmospheric pressure. The wind rattled the chimes on the porch, sending them clanging against each other in chaotic dissonance. Allison stepped out of the car, her hair whipping around her face, and I followed, my systems on high alert.

The closer we got to the cabin, the more unstable the air became. Chairs outside tumbled across the porch, and the hanging light swayed violently. My sensors picked up a faint but piercing frequency, a sharp tone reverberating in my head. I froze, clutching my temple as the noise grew unbearable.

"Y/n!" Allison noticed instantly, rushing to steady me. "What's wrong?"

I shut my eyes tightly, trying to override the interference. When I opened them again, I whispered, "Vanya... she's inside."

Allison's face shifted, her concern deepening as she helped me regain my balance. She took a deep breath and moved to open the door, but the moment it creaked open, an unsettling sight met us.

Vanya stood in the center of the room, her back to us, a violin tucked beneath her chin. She was playing a haunting melody that seemed to pulse through the air, bending it to her will. The room vibrated with her power, objects shaking slightly as the bow moved across the strings. The sound wasn't just music—it was alive, charged with an intensity that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

"Vanya?" Allison called gently, stepping forward. "What's going on?"

Vanya stopped playing abruptly and turned to face us, her eyes wide but guarded. "What are you doing here?" she asked sharply.

"We came to find you," Allison replied, her voice soft yet measured. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Vanya said, though her tone betrayed her unease.

"There's something... strange happening," Allison continued, glancing at the still-vibrating room. "What's causing it?"

Vanya hesitated before answering, her voice low. "Me."

Both Allison and I exchanged a quick glance, processing her admission. "What do you mean?" Allison asked carefully.

Vanya stepped forward, her expression unreadable. "I mean, I'm the one who's been causing all of it—the wind, the lights, everything. It's my powers. Turns out I've had them all along." She gave a hollow laugh, her eyes scanning our faces. "Weird, huh?"

"It's... incredible," Allison said cautiously, but I could detect the tremor in her voice. She wasn't sure if she believed her own words.

Vanya's eyes narrowed. "But?"

Allison hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "Can we—can we talk about this in the car?"

"Why?" Vanya's tone grew sharp, suspicion creeping in.

Allison swallowed hard. "You're not going to like what I have to say."

"That's never stopped you before," Vanya shot back, her voice dripping with bitterness.

I finally spoke, stepping forward. "It's about Leonard," I said plainly, cutting through the tension like a blade.

Vanya's face tightened, confusion flickering in her eyes. "Leonard?"

"His name isn't Leonard Peabody," I said. "His real name is Harold Jenkins."

Vanya's expression faltered. "What are you talking about?"

Allison stepped in, her voice calm but firm. "Look, Vanya, remember when I couldn't find anything on Leonard in the library? That's because Leonard Peabody doesn't exist. Harold Jenkins does."

Vanya's eyes darted between us, her breath quickening. "This is... insane."

"He was in prison for 12 years," Allison continued, her voice steady but tinged with urgency. "He killed his father when he was 13, Vanya. He's dangerous."

I stepped closer, scanning Vanya's increasingly erratic breathing. "He's been manipulating you, Vanya," I said softly. "Everything he's done, everything he's told you—it's all been a lie."

Vanya's hands trembled, and for a moment, the room seemed to tilt with her emotions. The air grew heavier, the vibrations in the room escalating. "No," she said, shaking her head. "You're wrong. You're lying."

"I have the police report in the car, Vanya. I can show you," Allison said, her voice soft but urgent.

Vanya didn't respond immediately, her gaze distant as she processed the words. She looked down at her hands, gripping the armrests of the chair as though holding on to something stable. After a moment, she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't... I don't understand."

Allison leaned in closer, her eyes never leaving Vanya's face. "Leonard, Harold, I— I know it doesn't make sense, and I know it sounds insane, but we were at his house. He has pictures of all of us. Pictures with our eyes gouged out."

Vanya's expression faltered, confusion mixing with a growing sense of disbelief.

"It's true, Vanya," I added, my voice steady but heavy with the weight of the truth. "I was there too. And I saw something on his laptop—files, research. Research on me. There were notes, diagrams... parts of a plan on how to remove me. How to reprogram me. He's been working on it for months."

Vanya's face drained of color. "Wh-what?"

"We'll explain everything, I promise," Allison said, moving to reach out to Vanya, her concern palpable. But Vanya pulled away, shaking her head fiercely.

"No, stop," Vanya said, her voice trembling as she settled herself back in the chair. Her fingers lightly brushed the neck of her violin, as though searching for comfort in its familiar shape. "I... I don't know what to think anymore."

I stood there, silently watching as Allison knelt in front of Vanya, her expression soft but filled with an undeniable urgency.

"I can't imagine how hard this is for you to hear... how you're feeling right now," Allison said gently, her voice trembling with emotion. "But I... I love you, and I—I just want to be here for you, as your sister."

Vanya shook her head, the weight of confusion and hurt bearing down on her. "There's just no way. I love him. This... this doesn't make any sense. And this power... I—I don't know. I don't know what's going on." Her voice cracked, a sob catching in her throat as she wiped her eyes.

I could feel the heaviness of her emotions, the confusion, the pain, the desperate longing to make sense of everything unraveling around her. I watched the two women, unsure of how to bridge the gap between them.

Allison stayed silent for a moment, her gaze searching Vanya's face. "I understand now," she said softly, her words laden with regret.

Vanya looked up at her, the disbelief clear in her eyes.

"You were so young... he made me an accomplice. And I didn't have a choice," Allison confessed, her own eyes welling up with tears. "I didn't know how to protect you, Vanya. I didn't know how to stop him."

Vanya didn't respond right away. She stared at Allison, her expression a mixture of shock and sadness. The anger, the hurt—everything seemed to be crashing down on her all at once. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Vanya's voice broke the silence.

"You did this to me?" Vanya's words were sharp, laced with disbelief, her eyes searching Allison's for some explanation that would make it all go away.

Allison's face fell, guilt and sorrow mixing in her features. She could hardly bring herself to meet Vanya's gaze, knowing the depth of the pain her sister was feeling. But she didn't deny it. She couldn't.

"You knew this whole time? That I have powers?" Vanya's voice was sharp, and before anyone could react, she stood abruptly, turning on her heel and storming away.

"No, no!" Allison rushed after her, trying to close the distance between them. "I didn't fully understand until today. Until I saw it."

Vanya paused but didn't turn back to face her. "Well, now it all makes sense. This is why you never wanted me around." Her words were bitter, the accusation hanging in the air.

"What? No!" Allison's voice cracked with the desperation to make Vanya understand. "That's not it."

"You couldn't risk me threatening your place in the house, your—your dominance," Vanya spat, her anger flaring.

"That is not true!" Allison's voice shook, her steps faltering as she tried to reach her sister.

Vanya's eyes flashed with pain. "You couldn't handle the fact that Dad might find me special," she said, the words sharper now, like a knife cutting through the space between them.

Allison's chest tightened as she tried to reach for her sister, her voice barely above a whisper. "You are special, with or without powers."

"Don't—don't say that!" Vanya shouted, her face contorted with emotion.

"We have a chance to start over," Allison said, her voice soft but full of hope, reaching for the connection they once had.

But Vanya was beyond listening. "You destroyed my life!" she shouted, her voice breaking through the tension like a jagged edge.

"Oh, please, Vanya. Everything's out in the open. We can move on!" Allison pleaded, her frustration and sorrow intermingling.

Vanya's expression hardened, and she turned to face both of us. "Oh, I'm moving on. But not with you," she said, her voice seething with resentment as she glared at us. "Not with you, or you, with Leonard."

I stiffened at the mention of his name. "With Harold, Vanya," I corrected, my voice low and steady despite the rising tension.

Vanya's eyes blazed as she shot me a sharp, venomous look. "With Leonard!" she shouted, her voice trembling with the weight of her fury. "The only person who ever loved me for me."

The sharpness in her tone softened momentarily, as if a wave of vulnerability passed through her, but it was quickly replaced by cold, defiance.

I felt a sudden rush of chaos in my system, a glitching sensation as her words reverberated in my mind. My eyes fluttered shut, trying to regain control as the emotions swirling around us seemed to affect everything within me. My system was locking on, unable to fully process the weight of what Vanya was feeling.

I watched as Vanya's eyes narrowed, locking onto Allison with an intensity that was impossible to ignore. Her anger, sharp and electric, seemed to pulse around her like a dangerous storm ready to explode. I could feel the tension in the air, thick and suffocating.

Target Identified: Allison

Vanya's focus was now fixed. I could see it in the way her chest rose and fell, the way her fingers clenched into fists at her sides. She was breathing harder, her blood pressure rising with each word exchanged. Her body was responding to the emotional overload, a warning signal that screamed for intervention.

Monitor Vanya's Health Status:
• Blood Pressure: 178/112 mmHg (Warning I'm: Elevated)
• Heart Rate: 115 bpm (Warning: Elevated)

The numbers flashed in my mind as I observed Vanya's physical state deteriorate.

I had to act fast. My systems were alerting me to the threat: Vanya is a risk to herself, and Allison is too close.

Action Required:
• Distance between Vanya and Allison: 2.5 meters (Critical proximity).
• Current emotional intensity: High (Anger—Critical).
• Immediate danger to Vanya's well-being: Escalating.

I couldn't let Allison get any closer. I needed to protect Vanya from herself. From this moment.

I moved, my steps precise, my mission clear. Allison, caught up in the conversation, didn't see me approach, but Vanya's glare never wavered. Her target—Allison—was locked in place, and there was no sign of it loosening.

Activate Protective Measures:
• Initiate Intercept: Engage physical barrier protocol.
• Prevent further escalation: Re-direct emotional focus.

"Vanya, stop!" I said, my voice firm yet laced with urgency.

Vanya's eyes snapped to mine, her gaze hard and unwavering. For a moment, she stood there, the tension in the air palpable. She then glanced briefly at Allison before locking her eyes back on me.

"Look at me in the eye and tell me you both aren't threatened now," Vanya demanded, her voice thick with raw emotion. Her words struck with the force of a challenge, a demand for truth in the midst of the chaos.

Just then, the wind began to pick up, its sharp whistle cutting through the heavy silence. The sound seemed to intensify, a subtle warning, an echo of the storm brewing inside her.

Allison, sensing the shift in the atmosphere, looked around, her unease growing. She glanced back at me, but my gaze remained fixed on Vanya, trying to understand the full depth of her pain.

"I don't wanna argue with you," Allison said quietly, her voice soft, almost pleading.

Vanya's eyes narrowed, her frustration and anger boiling over. "Then go!" she shouted, her voice harsh, sending a ripple through the tension between them.

Allison hesitated, but Vanya's command hung in the air, final and sharp.

SYSTEM STATUS:

Operating Mode: Critical Decision-Making
Protocol: Immediate Threat Response

Analyzing Current Situation...

Primary Target: Vanya Hargreeves
• Emotional Instability: 92%
• Heart Rate: 118 bpm
• Blood Pressure: 176/112 mmHg
• Power Manifestation Risk: 85%
• Proximity to Target 2 (Allison): 1.5 meters
• Immediate Risk: High—uncontrolled power surge imminent.

Secondary Target: Allison Hargreeves
• Heart Rate: 125 bpm
• Blood Pressure: 185/120 mmHg (Critical)
• Breathing Rate: 18 bpm (Labored)
• Body Temperature: 38.2°C

I have to make a choice.

Both Allison and Vanya stood before me, their bodies outlined in red. Each a target, each a threat.

-Allison's heart rate—185 bpm. Blood pressure critical.

-Vanya's emotional instability—92%. Power surge likely.

I analyzed the situation. The data was clear, but the choice was not.

I cannot save both.

Allison's survival probability was quickly dropping. Her breathing was labored, and without immediate intervention, she would die.

Vanya's power could destroy us all if unchecked.

The system was split, each target demanding my attention. I had seconds to act. If I didn't stop Vanya, she would lose control. But if I didn't stabilize Allison, she would die.

One must be prioritized.
I must choose.

—————༻☂︎︎༺—————
WORDS WRITTEN:
3235