Hours Earlier...

Though Claire only saw a small glimpse into her uncle's stormy world of addiction and drugs, a world that both Allison and Dusk struggled to keep her from experiencing firsthand, nothing could've prepared her for seeing this side of her uncle. The uncle who worried about her getting hit by a car every time they were outside, the uncle who brought her herbal tea every time she was sick, this was not the man she grew up around. And watching him walk out the door with the TV in hand broke her heart into a million pieces.

Her phone call to her mother was met with stuttering and tears as she explained the situation. Allison rushed home as fast as she could, shocked to see the damage. Her daughter was sobbing on the floor, knees pulled up to her chest as she tried to muffle the noise. As the day turned into night, and neither of them received word from Klaus, Allison knew deep in her gut that he was either strung out of his mind in a back alley somewhere or was once again caught in a rocky situation with one of his dealers.

To Allison's surprise, Claire had heard her uncle mention the name and location of one of them. With this new information, the need to find her brother only grew as they drove through the damp and busy city streets. And just as the sun was starting to rise the next morning, they finally arrived outside of Quentin's building. "Is this the place?" Allison questioned her daughter. "It's his favorite," Claire confirmed. Allison's eyebrows furrowed as she looked over her shoulder, asking her daughter if she had been there before.

"No, no," The tween shook her head. "Well, I've never been inside," She eventually admitted. "So... you have been here before?" Allison's eyes widened with surprise and anger. "In a cab, Mom, to get Uncle Klaus!" Claire clarified. "God! For once in your life, you need to just chill!" "We're going to talk about this later. Wait here," Allison warned as she unbuckled her seatbelt and stepped onto the pavement. Slamming the car door shut behind her, Allison knocked on the metal door. "What do you want?" One of the bikers opened the sliding peephole, glaring at The Rumor. 

"Open up!" She commanded. "Piss off!" He snarled before sliding it closed, leaving Allison to enter the hard way. Her eyes glowed yellow as she kicked the door in, knocking it straight off the hinges and hitting the biker in the back. He fell to the ground, letting out a huff of air as the door collapsed on top of him. Claire's jaw dropped open as she watched her mother step into the building, having never seen her do that before. Back inside, Allison stepped over the unconscious man, looking down at his crumpled-up form, barely able to brace himself from the heavy impact.

"Now, where are your manners?" Allison squinted. Walking down the winding corridors, she peered into every room, hoping to find her brother, only to be met with glaring tarot card readers and sex workers who had no interest in talking unless they were being paid to do so. To the farthest left, Allison finally approached an open door, and as she pushed the door the rest of the way open, she called out to Klaus, hoping to hear his voice or see him fast asleep after another drug binge. 

But Klaus was nowhere to be found. "Klaus?" Allison called out again, only to be met with a hard smack to the head with a metal baseball bat. The Rumor faceplanted onto the ground, her lungs and torso burning at the impact with the concrete floor. Her head spun as she turned onto her side, looking up at the man who had just swung at her. "Seek and ye shall find," Quentin chuckled, watching as Allison, still in shock, touched her head as blood seeped down her face. "So, Klaus is your brother, huh? I guess pretty and stupid run in the family," he sneered.

Allison struggled to regain control of the impact, her ears still ringing as the lights flickered on and off, focusing her attention on a nearby chair. It slowly inched closer to Quentin, but not by much. And it didn't take long for the biker to follow her gaze and chuckle at her pathetic attempt at a "magic trick." "Yeah, that was cute. I had to let Klaus go, but seeing as you're a woman with such special talents, perhaps you'd be interested in filling his vacancy." Quentin threw the baseball to the side and clasped his hands around Allison's neck.

As she looked in the biker's eyes, the lights began to flicker on and off again, Quentin chuckled, still taunting her as he claimed she would be a valuable asset and posed a question. "But I gotta ask, are you a ballbuster?" He inquired. "Cause one thing I cannot abide on my crew is a ballbuster," "Hey, asshole!" Claire's voice rang out from the doorframe. Allison's gaze sharply turned towards her daughter, yelling at her to run. But as Claire attempted to swing at Quentin with the discarded baseball bat, he was quick enough to overpower the young girl.

"Oh, you little brat! That was a mistake!" But before he could lay his hands on her any further, Allison grabbed a nearby lamp and swung it at his head, watching as he crumpled onto his knees momentarily, but still struggling to fight back. With Allison's powers fully functional, she threw Quentin against the wall, the force of her powers binding him and making him hover about two feet off the ground. "Goddamn bitch!" he strained. "You know, I think you might be right," Allison said. "I am a ballbuster,"

Allison's glowing yellow shifted down to Quentin's lower regions as he shook his head and started protesting to no avail. Blood spurted out from his jeans, and he groaned at the pain as he threw his head back from both the gravity push and the inability to protect himself from the Hargreeves telepathic grasp. "Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!" Quentin hissed as Allison put a finger to her lips. "Now, where's my brother? Or the next time, it's going to be your heart," The Rumor threatened. 

"Pet cemetery on Sycamore. He's buried there," Quentin finally cracked. "Which grave?" Allison crowed. "What the hell are you?" Quentin squinted down at her, a part of him still thinking he was strong enough to take her on. "I'm an actor, you motherfucker," Allison spat before grabbing Claire's arm and leading her out. As they stepped out of the room, Allison's glowing eyes faded as Quentin fell back to the ground, clutching at his shattered crotch. "Well, he was rude," Allison remarked.

~~~~~~~~~

Weeks had passed since Five and Victoria settled into their temporary home, but it didn't feel like it to them. Their days and nights together in this little paradise felt like a never-ending loop of romance and intimacy. It had been so long since they finally felt at peace, without the fear or annoyance of being interrupted and pulled away. Nothing else mattered; the subway trains, the different timelines, the risk of death at every turn, all that mattered was just the two of them together in each other's arms.

As the sun set on another glorious day, Victoria was hard at work on tidying up the greenhouse. All the ripe strawberries had been picked, and all the fresh herbs sat in the kitchen, waiting to be used in their dinners. Hanging from the metal in between the slats of glass were candle holders on thin, clear strings. From a distance, making it look like they were floating in the air. As Victoria carefully balanced herself on one of the dining chairs, she slid another lit candle into the holder, slowly pulling her hand away as she watched it spin for a brief moment, but it remained lit.

In the center of the greenhouse was a rusty gramophone that sat on top of an empty blue drink cooler. A bit smaller than the player, but it worked just as well for a makeshift table. Bending down, Victoria flipped the few albums she had found scattered throughout the house, all of which were from the 50s to early 70s. But one faded cover caught Victoria's eye, and as she wiped the dust and grim away, a nostalgic smile formed on her face. 

The cover was a bright, glowing green, having turned a dusty jade over the years, the title written out in red and white lettering. But it wasn't the aesthetic of the cover that caught her attention; it was the person on the cover that brought a glimmer of a tear to her eye. Judy Garland, looking so perfect and wistful as she clutched onto her basket, stood at the front, while the cowardly lion, the tin man, and the scarecrow were right behind her, all of them looking wistfully into the distance.

Judy had been her idol for as long as she could remember, and during her time in The Commission, besides the assignments and the longing glances at her beloved, all Victoria ever wanted was to see Judy in person, even if it was for a brief second, even if no words were spoken. That dream made her giddy with excitement. She carefully slid the record out of its sleeve, set it on the player, and dialed the needle into the groove. It crackled to life as the music played through the speakers.

On the other side of the greenhouse, Five smiled as he caught a glimpse of his girlfriend gently swaying to the music. He stepped inside, wiping his boots on the doormat before bringing his latest catch inside. "Hey, someone did well today!" Victoria smiled. "It was those snares you made. Exceptional," Five hung the rabbits up on one of the hooks before walking towards the redhead and embracing her warmly.

"Look what I found!" Victoria grinned, holding up the album for Five to see. "Is that..." He trailed off, not needing to finish that sentence. He knew full well what she had found, and it brought back some of their earliest memories together. "Judy," Victoria whispered. Almost as if on cue, the record crackled as it changed to the next track, Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Five watched as Victoria set the cover down, her body slowly moving to Judy's angelic voice. The final rays of sunlight disappeared behind the trees, leaving the two of them in the middle of the candlelit greenhouse.

"May I?" Five offered his hand to her, pulling Victoria out of her trance and back to reality. She slipped her hand into his, taking him up on the offer, and as Five drew her in closer, his free hand resting on her hip, hers wrapping around the back of his neck. The candles flickered and danced around them, encapsulating them in this nostalgic dream. It wasn't Luther and Sloane's wedding that made this feel so familiar, but rather something far more intimate. The night when the sparks of interest grew into a burning fire pit of love and passion.

FLASHBACK BEGINS...

It was the Commission's annual gala, and even though they had been throwing them ever since the beginning, this was the first time Victoria was ever able to attend. She had always been sent out on missions involving galas and balls throughout the timeline, just like Lila had been sent out to kill a target during prom night in the early 1990s the previous year. But rarely did she get the chance to enjoy herself without focusing on killing her intended target. She stood next to Lila as The Handler made small talk with some associates, while the other members were on the dance floor or grabbing some appetizers and drinks from the table.

But right across the room, there he was, nursing a glass of aged rum as he leaned against the wall. But the moment Five made eye contact with her, his introverted demeanor slightly shifted. As if her being at the gala encouraged him to step out of solitude, even if it was just for the briefest moment. Victoria nodded in acknowledgement at him before turning back to Lila, trying to mask that her cheeks were turning pink the more she thought about him.

As the current song came to an end, the band played a livelier tune compared to the slow dance that was on the verge of putting Lila to sleep. And as the guests rushed to the dancefloor, Victoria looked back over to where Five was standing, only to be surprised that he was no longer there. Where did he go? the redhead wondered. But she didn't have to search for too long, as Five reappeared, walking from the center of the dancefloor over to her. Victoria held out her hand, and he placed a gentle kiss on her knuckles.

"May I have this dance?" Five asked. "Of course!" Victoria smiled, following Five to the center of the dancefloor. Victoria could hear Lila yell something to her, but over the music and chatter, it was a faint echo. Victoria's eyes nearly lit up at the lyrics to Get Happy. And as she and Five danced together, the feeling of Five's hand in hers and his body weight pressed against her back sent shivers up and down her spine. 

When she first met him, she hadn't paid much attention, thinking he was just another average recruit. But the more he stayed with the company, the more his reputation preceded him and the more respect he gained in the workplace. There were countless women who wanted to date him, inviting him to lunch outside of work, or other female assassins offering to go with him on his next mission, but he turned every single one of them. While he could never bring himself to admit it out loud, especially with how close Victoria was to The Handler, this wasn't just a friendly offer to dance...

This was his way of getting closer to the girl he silently fancied from the moment he laid eyes on her.

FLASHBACK ENDS...

~~~~~~~~~

Klaus's fingertips grew bloody red as he clawed at the top of the coffin, screaming until his lungs were sore, waiting for Thunderbolt to return, but as time slowly passed without a bark or growl from the ghostly dog, Klaus was starting to lose hope of being rescued. "Nobody's coming for you," He murmured to himself. "You've got to fight for your right to live." His hand slipped back into his kimono pocket as he flicked on the lighter, continuing to encourage himself to break free from this wooden prison and escape back into the daylight. Back to his wife and family.

"Find Bruce Lee... Find Uma Thurman..." Klaus muttered, his free hand began pounding at the wood, lifting little by little as the boards began to shift and cave in. Above him, Allison and Claire had just arrived at the pet cemetery, practically dashing out of the car as they ran past the gates into the vast burial lots. "Uncle Klaus, where are you?" Claire called out. "Klaus?!" Allison shouted. "Oh goddamn it, Klaus! Where are you?" Allison pleaded, hoping that they weren't too late. 

"Oh god, what if he's..." Claire couldn't bring herself to say that last word. Nobody ever wants to imagine a family member or friend so close to them is no longer a part of the living. And while there was a voice in Allison's head telling her that they were too late, she refused to believe it until she saw for herself what happened to her brother. "No, he's not! Okay? We just have to find his sorry ass, alright? Come on!" Allison grabbed her daughter's hand as they ran down the small road, deeper into the cemetery.

The further they ran, the more they heard a dog barking in the distance, and while a passerby could most likely hear it from the front gates, the sound only now caught Allison and Claire's attention the closer they unknowingly got closer to Klaus's tomb. "Claire, look! Come on," Allison gestured to one of the graves, where a fresh layer of dirt had already been laid out, rising about an inch or two above the grass. "Klaus! Klaus!" Allison called, nearly tripping over her feet as she finally reached Thunderbolt's grave. She reached for the nearby shovel, scooping up the dirt and tossing it to the side.

Below the dirt, Klaus continued to pound on the top, sending small bits of dirt into the coffin. But even as he nearly choked on the dust and soil, he kept banging and banging on the door until finally one of the boards broke loose, and light poured in, nearly blinding him. When Klaus's vision finally adjusted, he slowly inched himself out of the opening, looking up to see the silhouette of someone offering their hand to him. "God?" Klaus questioned. "Close enough," Allison responded as Claire also peered over the edge, offering her hand.

"Allison? Is that you?" Klaus asked, still feeling disoriented from the lack of oxygen. "Yes! Yes, it's me!" Allison nodded, tears of joy and relief streaming down her face as she and Claire pulled him out and into their arms. "Claire bear, you came back for me!" Klaus sobbed. "Of course we did! Of course we did!" Allison nodded. "How did you find me?" Klaus questioned. "We heard this barking, and it led us right to you!" Claire explained. A breath of relief escaped Klaus's lungs as Thunderbolt had proven to be useful after all.

As Allison and Claire wrapped their arms around Klaus and led him out of the cemetery, Thunderbolt barked and yipped at him, almost as if he were saying, "What about me?" And with his body still aching, Klaus whispered a soft thank you to his ghostly savior as Thunderbolt peed on his tombstone before chasing after a squirrel.

~~~~~~~~~

Another few weeks passed living in the greenhouse, and as much as Five enjoyed settling into this small and quiet life with Victoria, part of him knew they couldn't stay here forever. They would have to go home eventually, even if it took them another seven years to get back to the main timeline. One afternoon, Five decided to go out hunting for more scrap metal. With his flashlight in hand, Five treaded down the damp stairs back into the subway station. With only the company of squeaking mice and skittering spiders, Five began searching high and low for the scraps.

Hanging low were a few swinging electrical wires just a few feet away from the platform's edge. As Five stepped closer and tried to pull one of the wires free, it instantly fell out of its place, sending falling sparks towards him. Five jumped back to avoid the electrical charge, but in the process, dropped his flashlight right next to one of the metal railroad beams. "Shit," he murmured. He slowly crouched down before hanging off the edge for a second and jumping down by the track.

But just as he was about to pick up the flashlight, its light shone on something that caught Five's attention. Sitting on top of an electrical box was a small, worn leather notebook. Five grabbed it and flipped through the pages, but as he read on, his eyes grew wide as he recognized the handwriting. "This is my handwriting," He realized. Throughout the book were countless diagrams and sketches from the different stations and timelines, some of the sketches eerily similar to the universes he and Victoria found themselves running away or hiding from the danger.

"Holy shit. This is... this is it!" Five murmured. "This is, this is our way home," But just as relief began to sink in, so did dread. How was he going to tell Victoria, especially when they had begun building a life together here? That question kept swirling around in his head as he continued his search and returned to the greenhouse around sunset. For two weeks, he kept trying to come up with a way to tell her but seeing her so happy and so full of life and light he hadn't seen since the beginning of their fourth attempt at saving the world. The smell of their freshly cooked anniversary dinner awakened his senses and briefly distracted him from his predicament as he sat at the dinner table inside the greenhouse. "This looks amazing, Vic," Five nodded in approval as Victoria sat across from him at the table. "You better! I worked all day on this!" the redhead smirked playfully.

The two of them ate their dinner, making conversation throughout. While Five smiled and reached for his beloved's hand across the table every so often, the feeling of the bulky notebook in his back pocket threatened to tear the foundation of everything they had built here apart. "Is everything alright?" Victoria questioned, noting the slight discomfort on his face for a brief moment. "Everything's perfect, love," Five answered. As dinner concluded, Victoria took their plates into the kitchen before returning with a delicious batch of crème brulee.

But as Victoria set the dessert down, Five couldn't help but notice that her right hand was hidden behind her back. "What do you have there?" Five inquired curiously. "Now, I know that we said no gifts this year, but..." Victoria smiled, handing him a glass jar of his favorite blend of coffee. "Here's to seven years in Shitsville with you, and thirteen years of rekindling our romance," the redhead grinned.

Five grabbed the jar of coffee, smiling at the nostalgia and Victoria's never-ending mission to make him feel so happy and at peace with the woman he loved. "Bloody hell, you're not gonna cry, are you? It's just instant coffee," Victoria smiled, perhaps a little more excitement than one normally would when it came to surprising their partner. But as the notebook once again bumped against him, reminding him of his need to tell his beloved of his recent discovery.

"Vic, there's something I should tell you," He started slowly. Victoria's smile slightly faded as she realized just how serious Five was about this conversation, and she took a small step back. "Okay..." She gestured as she sat back down. Five reached into his pocket, pulling out the faded notebook and handing it to her. "What's this?" Victoria looked confused as she flipped through a couple of pages. "A way home, it's a cipher," Five explained, carefully watching Victoria's face shift from confusion, to hesitation, to complete shock all at once. "H-how long have you had this?" She questioned.

"I'm not exactly sure..." Five answered, but the redhead wasn't satisfied with that answer, asking again how long he had been holding onto it. "Two weeks," Five admitted. "And you tell me... why?" Victoria stammered, looking from the book back to Five. "You know why," Five replied. Victoria shook her head in shock as she slammed the notebook closed, her vision growing blurry with tears that threatened to fall, the ringing in her ears growing louder and louder as she stood up from the table.

"What are you doing?" Five questioned. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm going home!" Victoria's voice grew low and cold as she stormed back into the house. "Vic, we should talk about this!" Five called after her as she struggled to grab her coat from the stuffed closet. "There's nothing to talk about! We're going back!" Victoria snapped. "To what? Another apocalypse? Another broken timeline?" Five raised a brow. "We've had a way to get home for weeks, and you keep this shit hidden from me?! What kind of partner hides that shit?!"

"Jesus Christ, I've been here with you the past seven years, watching your back. Nursing you when you were sick, holding you when you were sad, and now you think I'm a bad person because I didn't know how to tell you?" He rolled his eyes. "It's not the way you told me; it's the fact you kept this from me for two weeks and waited till our anniversary to bring this up! Whatever happened to communication is key, huh?" Victoria retorted. "I just don't understand why you want to go back. You're happy here, I know you are. We both are," Five tried to reach for her hand, but Victoria pulled away.

"THIS isn't real, Five! NONE of this is real! It's just some fantasy you helped concoct to keep me here while everyone is fighting for their lives and wondering where we're at!" Victoria's voice cracked. "Vic, please..." Five was never one to plead for anything but seeing Victoria about to walk out that door broke something in him. "If you want to stay here and keep living in this delusion, that's fine. But I'm going home," She wiped away a falling tear before disappearing into the woods, back into the dark subway. But as she stepped into the train and sat down, her hands began to shake uncontrollably, and as Victoria tried to warm them up by sliding them into the pockets of her black cardigan, a sudden green spark erupted from one of them, something she hadn't seen in a really long time.

~~~~~~~~~

Not much time left... Dusk could feel herself beginning to slip away as the air began to eat at her bones, surrounding and biting her at every angle. She lay on the ground now, staring at the gray and icicle-covered wall, her hands clasped over her stomach. Even if she couldn't save herself from the freezing cold, she could at least try to protect her child from this suffering. By now, her body had crossed the threshold of shivering and now drifted into a deadly, deceptive calm. And as she let out an icy cough, glancing around the first half of the freezer, she swore she heard the voices in her head that threatened to break her down all her life.

Reginald's constant beratement and telling her she would never unlock her true potential. Allison's comparisons through puberty, telling her that she would never get a boy's attention with her lack of breasts and ass. How Luther was praised as the leader and "Golden child," while Dusk and her siblings struggled to fight for their father's affection. But the one voice that kept echoing in her head was Sebastian's, his constant mistreatment and abuse throughout the years they were together, him blaming her for his shortcomings and failures, but what hurt her the most, even in this moment, was remembering his reaction to her miscarriage.

As her vision grew hazy, she could distinctly remember him bursting into the hospital room, demanding to see her and know what happened on stage. He treated the situation like she froze up onstage and ran off, rather than having a medical emergency in front of an entire audience. As usual, he had placed the blame on her, telling her that it was all her fault. And that she shouldn't be able to carry another baby if she couldn't keep the first child safe. The same nurse from that performance stayed with her the entire time, holding her hand and comforting her in her darkest moment. And the moment Sebastian walked in, it felt like the nightmare had started all over again. And while she couldn't bring herself to say out loud, she knew deep down that if he had not pushed her the way he did, she wouldn't have lost the baby.

Dusk said nothing as she watched him be taken away by security. How could she say anything when she was still processing the news of the pregnancy, only for it to be taken away from her in an instant? Suddenly, a loud creak pulled Dusk out of her hypothermic hallucination, and standing in the doorway was Jean. She shivered slightly as she stepped into the fridge, Bea trailing behind her as she blocked the door, just in case Dusk had any brilliant ideas on trying to escape.

"Have you cooled down enough?" Jean sneered, bending down to Dusk's level as she slowly lifted her head up. That same defiant glare from earlier remained on her face. "You have no idea what you're missing out on! There's a whole other world out there waiting for us! Waiting for you to open the gates and bring about The Cleanse!" Jean spoke. "And look where you are now, cowering on the ground like a scared puppy, decided you'd rather die here than embrace this new way of life,"

"I'm going to ask you this one more time... Are you ready to bring about The Cleanse?" Jean posed the question. For a brief moment, the tremors inside Dusk's body stopped, the ache in her bones temporarily ceased as she gathered what little strength she had to sit up and meet Jean eye-to-eye. A hint of a satisfied smirk lingered at the corner of Jean's lips, believing she had finally succeeded in 'convincing' Dusk to help them. But as the raven took a deep breath, the answer was perfectly clear.

"Go to hell, Jean,"

Jean sputtered in disbelief. How could this happen? By her logic, she had convinced herself that pulling the family card would be enough to make Dusk reconsider. Every mother would want their child to live a better life, right? Even if it meant their mother had to destroy this world to access the better one. But no matter what threats or bribes Jean tried to pull out of her ass, Dusk was not a prize to be won. "You... you selfish little!" Jean snarled, kicking Dusk in the chest and sending her sprawling on the ground, a gasp and cough escaping the younger woman's lips.

"I had such high hopes for you. No matter, I guess we'll have to go back to Plan A," Jean looked down at the Hargreeves before turning sharply on her boot heel before exiting the freezer. As silence once again engulfed the freezer, another voice cleared its throat. "So this is how The Phoenix finally falls, huh? All alone in a cold metal box?" The shadow returned, once again eager to taunt Dusk even in her final moments. "Just... leave me alone," Dusk hissed in pain and frustration.

A low chuckle, devoid of humor, vibrated through the metal walls, echoing around the little room. "Alone? But I'm all you have, darling. No one's coming to save you. Not your husband, not Victoria, and certainly not your family. They're too busy chasing their own tails to even notice you're gone," The Dark Phoenix's shadow sat on the ground next to Dusk, looking down on her as her skin grew pale and her lips turned blue. "Look at you, all of this for what? Just because you're too scared to embrace your true destiny? You'd rather let yourself and your child freeze to death? Some kind of mother you are..."

As the Dark Phoenix reached a shadowy hand towards her, Dusk quickly placed a trembling hand back on her belly. "Don't you dare..." She growled. "Don't you ever..." Another violent cough gripped her, refusing to let her finish her sentence. "There it is, that little flame that keeps burning. And yet, you're still stuck in here. You used to be so fearless, so determined to prove to everyone you were the strongest Hargreeves, that you could bend humanity to your will with just a fireball! Now you're nothing but a coward,"

Dusk gritted her teeth, trying one last time to summon the rage that had been burning in her veins ever since she got kidnapped, but once again, her powers faded in and faded out like a dying firepit. "Even if I did manage to get out of here, I'm not strong enough to take them all," Dusk looked towards the freezer, the chatter and frying of food reminding her of just how dire her predicament was. "If I take the deal, I kill everyone. If I stay here, I kill myself and my baby."

The Dark Phoenix cleared her throat, pulling Dusk's attention back to her, her eyes glowing purple, tiny flames dancing near the corners of her eyes. The shadowy figure grew more and more human, transforming into a perfect reflection of Dusk, though more menacing and consumed by the darkness and the tainted marigold. "You forgot option three." The Dark Phoenix gripped Dusk's face with her hand, with her long black claws, the harshness in her tone dissolving into one of a whisper full of lust for power.

"They thought they could extinguish your flame, freeze you into submission. They thought they could break you, but they were wrong. I know the inferno that truly lies within you, Dusk. The one you've been too afraid to unleash," Dusk's body trembled, not just from the cold, but from the venom within her shadow's words. The frustration, the betrayal, the sheer injustice of her situation, all of it curdled within her, and The Dark Phoenix was savoring every second of it. "You know what you have to do, Dusk. What we have to do. We can turn all that pain into an unstoppable force."

"What are you talking about?" Dusk asked, struggling to comprehend it all through her hazy mind. "We can make them all pay," The Dark Phoenix whispered into her right ear. "Every single one of them. Jean, Gene, Jake - if they want a cleanse, we'll give them a Cleanse. Not one made out of their stupid conspiracy theories, but a real one out of vengeance. We don't have to stop at just them. Think of the Hargreeves - Allison, Luther, Diego, Viktor, they all deserve judgment. And we'll be the ones to deliver it,"

Dusk's breath hitched as her mind once again replayed the montage of slights, the face of her siblings when they were younger, taunting her and bickering with her, Pogo's concern about how dangerous she could become if she didn't keep her emotions in check, Reginald's lack of care and worry for her. The dark days of Klaus's addiction that threatened to swallow them both whole, his lies, and his lack of care for himself and her. And then Jake, the friend she had trusted, led her to this freezing tomb.

A new heat began to spread through her, not the comforting warmth of her phoenix fire, but a scorching, searing inferno of pure unadulterated fury. It pushed against the cold, pulsing within her veins, setting them ablaze and igniting a spark within her dying eyes. The spark of rage. She looked at The Dark Phoenix, truly looked at the shadowy entity that was her darker half, offering her salvation, power, and ultimate justice. "So...?" 

Dusk slowly sat up, her left hand bracing herself against the frozen concrete whilst her other gently rubbed her stomach, muttering a silent apology as if this child could even comprehend what was about to happen. Piercing through the Dark Phoenix's purple eyes, Dusk shook her hand, feeling the darkness travel through her body, finally embracing this part of her that had been locked in that cage for years...

~~~~~~~~~

As his wife retreated back to the freezer, checking in on their guest of honor, Gene's suspicion of Mr. Muntz only continued to grow the more he continued to linger about the restaurant, he didn't care what his wife said about Muntz's story checking out, the way he kept lingering about the restaurant felt off, like he was trying to sneak a peek at their plans for The Cleanse. It didn't feel like he was just a curious man anxiously waiting for their plan to be put into action, but rather someone trying to gather intel and use that as a weapon against the group.

"You stay right here, don't move an inch," Gene commanded to Jake before he walked over to where Muntz was grabbing a fresh cup of Astro Fizz. "Hey, what's the verdict, muchacho? Are we finally gonna see what this new weapon has in store? Any word on Ben and Jennifer yet?" Muntz questioned. "That's none of your business," Gene stated coldly. "Well, they need our protection," Muntz tried to reason. But as Gene slipped his hand into his pocket, pulling out a small revolver, Mr. Muntz couldn't help the audible gulp at the sight of it.

"You're the one who needs protecting. It's time for you to go, muchacho," the older man warned. "Oh Gene, Gene, Gene, Gene," Muntz shook his head with a slight smile. "Keep walking right out that door, and don't come back," Gene squinted suspiciously. "What seems to be the problem?" Mr. Muntz looked confused. "I just don't like you, that's all," Gene whispered. "Is that it? What about Jean and Jake? They seem pretty cool with me," Muntz questioned.

"They're not calling the shots here, I am." The tip of Gene's finger began to fiddle with the trigger, fighting back the urge to shoot him at that moment. "Does she know that?" Mr. Muntz raised a brow. Here's what you're going to do. You're going to leave... or I'm gonna blow out your kneecaps," He cocked the gun back, pressing the barrel to Muntz's left leg. Muntz raised his hands in surrender, but rather than look afraid or beg for his life, he just emotionlessly responded with a, "Oh no, wouldn't want that,"

With Gene still pointing the gun, Muntz turned towards the exit, but then came to a stop before slowly turning around. "You know what, Gene? I'm sorry it didn't work out between us. Really, I mean that," "Fuck... off," Gene replied. And without another word, Mr. Muntz walked out the side door back into the parking lot before driving off.

With their little pest taken care of, Gene returned to the table, where Jake kept his head down, trying not to say or do anything stupid. Goddamn it, Jake. Why do you have to go and screw everything up? Dusk is probably dead because of you. While Dusk had every reason to be angry and upset with him, he couldn't bear to imagine her submitting to his parent's plan to bring about the Cleanse. Just their brief conversation in the bathroom was enough proof that she would not cave in so easily. And as his mother walked out of the kitchen back to their table, the look of disappointment and anger on her face answered his question.

"You never mentioned that girl could be so stubborn," Jean muttered, sitting back in her seat. "She's still refusing to cooperate?" Gene inquired. "No, Gene. She's just sitting in that freezer for funsies. Of course she's still refusing! I think it's time we turn our focus back to our original plan..." Jean slowly turned her head back to the whiteboard, where security camera pictures of Ben and Jennifer were walking the streets together hung from it. "Ma'am, we're getting new reports on the Jennifer situation," Bea rushed over to their table, a piece of paper clutched in her hands.

"She's been found. The Overpass Motel five miles outside of town. And..." the younger woman reported. "And what? Spit it out!" Jean raised a brow, the look on Bea's face hinting at something happened. "She was found... frozen, ma'am. Stuck in a block of ice," Bea's voice grew quiet. The words hung in the air, a chilling pronouncement that struck Jean like a physical blow. "How... how's that even possible?" She whispered. But before Bea could utter a response, the lights in King Reg flickered violently, plunging them into momentary darkness before sputtering back to life.

Then, with a deafening clunk, they died completely, leaving only the half-covered windows as their source of light. "Which one of you imbeciles screwed with the power?" Jean looked towards the kitchen staff, all of them assuring her they didn't mess with it. "Gosh darn it, do I have to do everything myself?" Jean muttered as she walked towards the electrical box near the manager's office.

She grabbed the keys that hung from the hook just outside the doorframe, and as she finally got the door open, a loud creak cut through the air; her head quickly swung around like she was being hunted. The loud creaking continued until it finally fell to the ground with a thud that shook the entire restaurant. The freezer door now lay on the ground as smoke billowed out of the tiny room. And just as the lights turned on by themselves, she emerged. Not Dusk, not anymore.

The Dark Phoenix.

Her hands and eyes glowed a bright purple as she surveyed the kitchen, meeting the horrified faces of the Keepers. Though Jean could only see a fraction of it through a slit in the metal shelves, the Dark Phoenix looked vastly different than the Dusk she saw in Jake's video. Her brown-blonde hair returned to its original natural black, but with small streaks of purple flames crackling through her hair. Her black wings were surrounded by black smoke and were also streaked with purple as blood began to drip from their tips. To the Keepers in the kitchen, the sight was terrifying, but to Jean, it was beautiful. Finally, she's embraced it!

But as a Keeper finally snapped out of his daze, he foolishly lunged at her with a cleaver. But before he could even touch her, one piercing gaze from her stopped him in his tracks, and the cleaver clattered to the ground as the shadows surrounding him, and within an instant, his body dissolved, overcome by the smoke, but he didn't collapse. Instead, the smoke absorbed into his body, as his eyes started glowing the same startling purple, turning him into a mindless drone bound to obey only her commands.

Another Keeper, then another, dared to resist, and they too met the same fate. Screams echoed throughout the restaurant as The Dark Phoenix continued her rampage. No, no, this isn't right! She's not supposed to be attacking us! Jean shook her head in shock. What the hell is she?! Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the fire alarm, and with a mad dash, she pulled it down. The alarm blared loudly as the lights flashed throughout the building. But even with this distraction, some of the Keepers were too busy screaming their heads off or too shocked to escape. But to Jean's relief, she saw a few Keepers bolt towards the exits in the chaos, and as she slipped past Bea and a few other Keepers, she ran out too, hoping that Gene and Jake were able to make their escape.

But as she stepped outside and saw the Keepers frantically driving off in their cars, Jake and Gene were nowhere to be found. And as she tried to pull on the doors, they were both locked. The Dark Phoenix's silhouette approached their table, and Jean quickly ducked into one of the bushes surrounding the patio. Back inside the restaurant, Gene and Jake watched in horror as the smoke consumed their comrades. But while Jake remained in his seat, pale and trembling, Gene remembered he still had his gun on him, and stood up as he aimed the gun.

"What the hell is this?!" He demanded. The Dark Phoenix turned, her fiery gaze locking onto his. "You called for a Cleanse, remember?" Her voice echoed, deeper and more bone-chilling than either gentleman could've anticipated. "Well, here it is!" Reaching towards him and clutching her hand,  Gene's body convulsed, then twisted, shrinking and collapsing inward until he was nothing more than a new, taller shadow in her army. "Dad?" Jake whimpered, trying to reach for it, but the shadow Gene only snarled in response to the foreign touch.

"Don't think I forgot about you, traitor!" Dark Phoenix leaned over the booth, grabbing Jake by the throat and holding him in the air. "Dusk... please. D-don't ki-ll me..." Jake croaked. "Oh, I'm not gonna kill you," The Phoenix smiled eerily. "Not yet at least," She loosened her grip on his neck, sending him plummeting to the ground and coughing his brains out. But she bent down to grab him by his hair, pulling his head against the wall. "You're gonna tell me where the rest of the Keepers are hiding. You will show me every hidden base, every headquarters in this city,"

"And what if I don't?" Jake questioned, not out of sarcasm but pure unadulterated fear. "Do you want to end up like your dear old daddy?" She gestured to where Gene was staring at him blankly. "No, ma'am..." Jake muttered. "Good!" The Dark Phoenix nodded before pulling him up by the shirt. Outside King Reg, Jean watched through the branches, trembling with a toxic concoction of fear for her husband and son, anger that Dusk had foiled her plans and stolen a quarter of her Keepers.

Enjoy your little victory while you still can, Hargreeves. This is far from over...

TO BE CONTINUED IN...

FROM THE ASHES: SEASON 4 FINALE

A/n: I can't believe I'm saying this, but... we're approaching the final episode of From the Ashes. It still doesn't feel real to me, mainly because I've been putting off writing the final episodes for so long, but now I feel ready to close this chapter and finally give the Hargreeves the ending they deserve! Four years of my life have been dedicated to writing this story, and there are not enough words in the dictionary to describe just how amazing and chaotic these past four years writing this have been. 

I know there's still a few chapters left, but I just want to say thank you again from the bottom of my heart to everybody who's been with me on this journey. I never expected so many people to read these, let alone reach a milestone of over 139K! That is absolutely insane! Like I said back in the beginning, this ending will be very different than the ending we got. So buckle in, grab some popcorn, and get ready for the grand finale! Part 1 will arrive during my Thanksgiving break, and Part 2 shall be released during my Winter break (Starting December 6th - January 20th, 2026) (But will definitely try to have it out by Christmas or New Year's at the latest!)

With love,

Dusk Marie ☔💖