A distant midnight ring echoed across the room, churning a pit within the ex-hitman.

Five recalled the redheaded brute. He pictured his arms tied to the wall, a knife twisted in his stomach. The man would be just alive enough as Five cut off a piece of skin for every ounce of blood Mara spilled. He would watch with utter satisfaction as he writhes underneath his blade until eventually he would be nothing but a pile of flesh.

Five turned away from the window and towards the aftermath still existent within the complex. He'll get his chance sooner or later.

The living room was dim, making the pool of blood in the middle of the room stand out more. A red trail stuck out of the puddle and lead towards the bedroom, reminding him where Mara was carried to. On his far left, a trash can was filled to the brim with bloodied bandages that Vanya had used to clean up the puncture.

I don't want any more death on my hands.

Her blood was just everywhere. Surrounding him. Tantalizing him. 

He should've seen the drips on the pavement. He should've listened to her remarks before he left. He should've came back sooner

I should've never left.

A small figure took the spot beside him, and Five didn't need to look to know who it was.

"Are you okay?" Vanya asked quietly, almost hesitantly as if anticipating that he was going to shut her down.

"Just tired." Five exhaled heavily through his nose.

His bones ached, just begging for the time they can finally rest. Five had been running on sheer will and caffeine to do whatever it takes to save his dysfunctional sibling, and God only knows how many sleepless nights he had whilst carefully planning and enacting his mission.

But most importantly, he was tired of seeing death everywhere he went.

"She's lost a lot of blood, but I think she'll live." Vanya glanced at her hands, stained with Mara's life source. She was the only one out of the three of in the complex who knew at least the basics. She had taken the opportunity to learn during her stay with Sissy in case such an event that Harlan would hurt himself or others just so she wouldn't feel entirely useless to the family.

Five looked at his sister and the stains she loomed over. She along with Ben, was the closest to him out of all their siblings when they were kids, even if they didn't understand his expressions for his favorite philosopher or mathematician.

He truly did love her as much as the rest of his siblings, even if he isn't one to show it. 

His hands had snuffed away life worth more than the years he has lived through just to get back to his family, and Five wasn't sure how much more he can take away.

Maybe Luther sometimes had the benefit of the doubt, but Five knew that he would still kill as many as he has to for them no matter how tired he was,.

"Its okay." Five gave her a small smile, one that he hasn't shown in years, and it felt nice for once to be able to do it. "You did your best."

"You should rest." Vanya returned the gesture with a dimple of her own.

"I know."

The two shared a look, a comforting one that calmed Five's boiling nerves. Vanya awkwardly gave her brother a side hug before she  decided to take her leave and give Five some space.

"Thank you." Five spoke softly. He wasn't even sure if she heard it, but she nodded silently and left his side.

He watched as she stepped out the apartment, probably to take a breather, and he didn't blame her. A part of him wished he could stop time and gather his thoughts every once in a while without consequences.

Five stood from the wall. He trailed the bloodied floor and stepped inside the bedroom where Mara laid.

She looked the most peaceful he had seen her as the deep slumber consumed her. Her chest rose steadily in time with the soft ticking of the clock, and her face was free from the furrows of her worry. She almost looked like a different person from it.

Her sweater was long gone, leaving her torso with just a black undershirt. The bandages that him and Klaus stole from a nearby pharmacy prior peeked from underneath the fabric as it covered almost her whole abdomen, and her injured shoulder was positioned in place so that it would heal properly.

Klaus had taken refuge inside the bedroom as well, planting himself in a chair by her side and braiding a strand of Mara's loose hair. In his face was an expression Five couldn't seem to read in the poor lighting, but after some considerations, he decided not to pry.

He took a step forward, his shadow looming over her sleeping figure.

The tips of his fingers brushed over the top of her bare hand, almost aching to just curl themselves underneath her palm. Her skin felt soft and warm under his touch, but he drew back, afraid of what the effect of his action would be not only on her, but on his already incessant thoughts.

Mara felt like something of an enigma to him. A mystery. A puzzle. There was always something drawing him towards her, a hidden connection. It almost otherworldly.

And Five was just dying to figure out why.

"So what happened out there?" Klaus asked quietly, not looking up from his work.

Five blinked, snapping himself out of his head.

"Can't say for sure." He sighed. His whole trip had been for nothing and it almost even cost him Mara's life. "The alarm went off before I could find anything."

"You guys weren't together?" Klaus perked up.

"We only met up in the end before we had to run for our lives."

"Well speaking of," the taller man leaned forward in his chair, "What're you still doing hanging with little miss bundle of sunshine over here?"

Klaus had a sly smile plastered on his face, his fingers tapping rhythmically as he rested his head on his palm.

The action annoyed Five and he rolled his eyes in response.

"You really want to do this now when Mara is just there unconscious and hanging on for dear life?"

"Normally, you would have already killed her. "Klaus placed a hand on his chin and looked up as if trying to remember something. "Or left her on the curb to find her own way back."

"That was one time." Five gritted his teeth, raising his voice slightly. "And she's an asset. I'll be done with her as soon as I get what I want."

"Good god, could you be any louder?"

Five and Klaus looked at the brown eyes that glared at them intensely.

"Someone's cranky." Klaus laughed.

"Only because you're here." Mara glanced at her swollen shoulder and grimaced. She tried to sit up, putting most of her weight on her good arm, but Five stopped her with a firm hand on her shoulder.

"I don't think you should be doing that." he said

Mara only sighed, too exhausted to fight back as Five lightly pushed her down. She stared at her bandaged torso and looked back at them.

"How long was I out?" She asked.

"A few hours." Five glimpsed at the clock on the wall.

The Sparrow groaned. She collapsed back into the bed, the mattress dipping as she did so, and stared up at the ceiling with an arm over her forehead.

Five shifted his eyes the other way. The air around them felt uneasy, and Five wasn't quite sure why he felt uncomfortable.

To make the situation worse, Klaus saw the opportunity and decided that now was the perfect time to take his leave.

"I'll leave you two catch up." the taller man said, waving off, "Its technically morning so I'm off to grab breakfast."

"But nothing's open." Mara said, questioningly.

"I'll find a way." Klaus winked before he closed the door promptly. "I always do."

Prick.

With now only being the two them in room, Five could just about suffocate in the uneasy tension. He rubbed his neck uncomfortably, and glanced back at Mara, who only had the same expression and confusion as him.

Neither of them spoke, both just waiting for something, or someone, to act upon.

"I should go too." He coughed, finally breaking the ice. "I'll let you rest."

The boy quickly turned on his heel, not daring to look back and risk the temptation of staying longer.

He had accomplished what he came here for anyway.

"Hey, by the way." Mara's low voice echoed behind him, and Five immediately stopped.

Though he still didn't pivot towards her, Mara continued anyway.

"Thanks for coming back." He heard her say, "Because of you, I get to live another day to see you assholes."

Little miss bundle of sunshine indeed.

Mara seemed to have a habit of masking her true emotions with something vulgar.

"I still need you." he turned his head slightly towards her, letting her see his face as he spoke. "So look alive, sunshine."

The main difference between her and Five, he will hide his sentiments completely.

Mara said nothing, and Five continued to walk away.

He opened the door almost harshly, and just as abruptly, the ground beneath him rumbled violently.

Five stumbled into the doorpost with the unprecedented turn of event as he tried to remain upright.

Thankfully the shaking didn't last long; it stopped just as quickly as it began. Everything was still in place, nothing broken or fallen off.

He looked back at the Sparrow, who could only clutch her bedsheets in her position, and released a breath when he saw that she was not injured further.

"Are you okay?" Five asked her, regaining his posture.

"Yeah." Mara said warily, removing the covers and carefully moved her legs to the side of the bed. "What was that?"

"Earthquake?" He walked over and helped her stand, careful not to place his hand on her injury as he supported her.

The pair crossed the open door. Five had almost forgotten they were the only ones left within the apartment.

The living room was darker than he had left it, lending a contrast to the bright city lights outside. But something was different. Something was definitely wrong. And he knew that Mara could see it as well.

A deep crimson danced on the walls and floor of the vicinity, everything glowing a tangent red. From where he stood, Five could see a portion of the light's source through the gaps of the shutters.

He led Mara to the table and set her down, before he made his way towards the glass opening.

Five opened the window shutters and poked his head out.

A fire was consuming a building not far from the complex. It raged on hellishly as the smoke reached up towards the sky. The blinking lights of firefighters winked back at him annoyingly and he could hear more incoming.

Wait.

Five recognized the burning building. The location was just right. The structure of the building was perfect down to the slightest details, and its insignia was something he will never forget.

The front door suddenly bursted open, and Five instinctively set himself Mara and whoever just came in.

But only Vanya and Diego rushed through, panting heavily with dirt covering their faces. Diego checked around the apartment, looking for anyone else other than the two already inside

"We need to go." Diego spoke. He took out one of his knives as he handed a coat to Mara. "The Academy is under attack."