Year One

"What did they mean we're on The Express train? Express train to where?" Victoria paced back and forth, her hand still gripping the metal pole, but the sheer force and weight of the anxiety and frustration coursing through her body was almost enough to pull the pole right out of its socket. Five kept his focus on the subway doors, silently counting the train stops, hoping to mark their way back home. At first, the Bonnie and Clyde couple suspected maybe they weren't as far off, perhaps five or six stops. But it soon became apparent that they were WAY off course, and heading deeper into the great unknown.

Their hearts sank into their stomachs. Five's indirect words of "I told you so," echoed in their minds. But Five knew better than to speak it out loud, knowing for a fact that Victoria's fear could easily turn into rage under such stress. Eventually, Victoria slumped down in a nearby seat, and as Five moved from one metal bar to the next, he sat down next to her, gripping her hand. "Hey, we'll figure this out. We always do," Five reassured. "How do you know that? We're gonna be trapped in this damn station forever!" Victoria buried her face in her hands.

"At least we're together," Five reasoned. "For better or for worse," Victoria slowly lifted her head, feeling Five's fingertips brush against her shoulder. "I swear to god, you can be so cheeky sometimes," She slightly chuckled, leaning her head into his shoulder. "Only for you, Vic. Only for you,"

Year Two

"If we went two stops ago, we'd be in the right station! It's completely your fault! I said we should go Eastbound!" Victoria argued as she and Five stepped onto the next subway. Both were still catching their breath, barely escaping with their lives after being caught in the crossfire amidst the Battle of the Bulge. They'd only been in the 1940s for at the bare minimum of one to two days, but amidst the chaos between the Allied and Axis powers, they found themselves struggling to survive for five straight days. 

They'd hide in the empty trenches as the battle ensued, and during the nights, one would have to keep a lookout as the other one slept. It was one of those rare times when Five actually appreciated being part of The Commission back in the day. At least he had been booked a room and fresh meals, rather than sleeping on tree bark and stealing rations and scraps.

Victoria and Five's argument continued as the doors closed, and the Subway sped off once again. They had lost track of how many timelines they visited, but according to Victoria's map, it was more than either could count, and with so many possibilities left, it felt like they'd be in their hundreds when and if they made it home. When silence finally engulfed the train, Five and Victoria spoke not a word to each other, giving the other what little space they had on this metal box with wheels. When they finally found a station that seemed relatively free of any danger, the couple decided to make camp, feasting on the stray rats that had been scurrying around for their next meal, only to become one for the starving travelers.

Victoria stared at the small fire, watching them slowly roast as Five wrestled with the stray pieces of newspaper and old blankets as they fashioned temporary sleeping bags. "Five?" She called, tucking her matted hair behind the hood of her jacket, patting the seat next to her. Five looked up from his work and muttered to himself before joining her, the tension still thick between them. "Look... I'm sorry. I know I've been a pain in the ass lately, but I just... hate the idea of being so far away from everybody. Who knows how long we've been gone from the group?" Victoria sighed.

"I'm sorry too, I never would've guessed this subway would be so complicated," Five smiled sadly. "I'm just worried about the others. Lila's gotta be freaking out right now," Victoria brought her knees to her chest.  "And Dusk's probably threatening everybody who's ever met us, trying to figure out where we are," Five speculated. "Oh, you know she is," Victoria nodded in agreement. But contrary to the couple's imaginary and sometimes funny impressions of the other siblings, they were far too below the surface to know what was actually going on up above.

Year Three 

1,095 days...

Victoria could barely keep her eyes open as she stared across the table at Five. Her body continued to sway as if she had been standing on the deck of a ship for a fortnight. And for the past few days, the aftereffect of the subway had affected her concentration in this game of chess. They both leaned back in their chairs, carefully eyeing the checkerboard. They were down to the wire, and Five was just moves away from winning the match. But as Five turned his head and coughed into his arm, a small window of opportunity opened for the redhead.

Jumping on the opportunity, Victoria stealthily moved one of the smaller pieces closer to Five's swan. And as the time traveler looked back at the chessboard, the low visibility of the terminal gave Victoria another advantage. She swiftly moved her piece across the board, taking Five's swan as her piece took its spot. Five blinked in utter shock and confusion before nodding at her well-planned mode of attack. "How did you even do that?" Five inquired, raising a curious brow. "Sorry, dear. But a lady never reveals her secrets," Victoria winked.

Year Four

"Okay... what type of world did we just walk into?" Five's eyes grew wider than the size of saucers as they headed back to the terminal. The sounds of merchants and commoners chattering still echoed above them. This terminal had been wedged in between two alleyways in the middle of a bright and chaotic kingdom. But it wasn't just the typical capital of the realm; it was one full of misogyny, the slaughter of innocent passersby, and a blonde teenage King who acted more like a spoiled brat than a true representative of his people.

"And did you see the way he treated those poor girls?" Victoria recalled, having watched the King's guard tightly grab the two young women accompanying the King back to the Red Keep. One girl had hair the color of midnight, and her face was full of pure, unadulterated rage at being pushed around and paraded like a caged animal. The other girl, whose red hair almost looked identical to Victoria's, had tears streaming down her cheeks as the King spoke about how their traitorous brother would meet the same execution as their father.

"I feel so bad for them," Five admitted. "I swear, if he came up to me and started taunting me like that, I'd do more than decapitate his ass, I'd chop him up into pieces and throw him in the canals!" Victoria puffed. If only she weren't so tired and drained, she'd have freed those girls in an instant, protecting them until they ran out of the capital with their lives and their dignity intact.

Year Five 

Snares hung from the metal pole a foot away from Five and Victoria's seats on the train. Finally, they would be able to have something besides the usual dinner of rats and cockroaches. They'd gotten lucky as they spent hours hunting in the dark forests. It hadn't been easy, swearing with every step they took, they were being followed by creatures in black capes and creepy masks. Now and then, they heard the sounds of hooves pounding against the dirt, whining as they leapt over boulders and fallen tree trunks. But to the surprise of Five and Victoria, they weren't just horses; they had the torsos of men, their hair flowing wildly against the wind as they passed. 

Centaurs, it all sounded so impossible. But as the Bonnie and Clyde couple quickly learned with every strange and sometimes fascinating timeline, that nothing was impossible. Victoria groaned as she stretched out her legs; the long walk and jagged terrain of the woods made it feel as if her legs would fall off at any given moment. But as a satisfied sigh escaped her lips, so did another sound. At first, she thought it was just the creaking and squealing of the wheels against the tracks. But the sound grew louder, sound less mechanical and more like a pained animal.

The sounds also caught Five's attention, and the more they heard it, the more it sounded as if it were coming from the back of the car. Victoria's hand slipped into her pocket, pulling out the knife she always kept on her, whether they were out on a mission or not. Slowly, Victoria looked underneath the seats that were bumped against the metal walls, and what she found shook her to the core.

"Pennycrumbs?!" She gasped, finding the little pooch backed into a corner, looking absolutely terrified by the fast movements. He whimpered as Victoria reached out to him, her hand going across his fuzzy back. The pup continued to whimper as Victoria guided him out, but as she brought him to her chest, his cries suddenly stopped. "How did you get here, little guy?" Victoria whispered, gently stroking his head. "I thought the universe reset took him!" Five shook his head in disbelief. "I thought so too!" Victoria nodded. "It's alright, buddy. You're back with us now."

Pennycrumbs closed his eyes as he nestled against Victoria's chest, the only noise escaping his lips was soft and contented coos. Who knew how long he had been hiding here or what timeline he came from? But regardless of the circumstances, finding Pennycrumbs felt like a sign that home was right around the corner.

~~~~~~~~~

The sun rose over the graveyard that next morning, sending cascades of shadows through the trees, and silhouettes of monuments over the brown and thirsty grass. But underground, it still felt like nighttime to Klaus as he opened his eyes, hoping for the slightest moment this was all just another drug-induced dream. But as Klaus looked around and found the four wooden corners of the coffin, he realized he was still trapped in this never-ending nightmare. He always found himself in cramped spaces; closets of hotel rooms the morning after one-night stands, sometimes under the couch while he was trying to hide from his dad, but being buried alive six feet underground certainly took the cake.

He reached into his kimono pockets, digging to find something to get out of this predicament. He couldn't help the sigh of relief that escaped his lips as his fingertips found the metal casing of his lighter. He fumbled as he tried to flick it on, but as he finally adjusted his grip, he couldn't help the smile that graced his lips. But of course, as he learned over the years, he was far from being out of the woods. "Hello?" He banged on the roof, only to be met with silence and the small amount of dirt escaping into the box. "Help! There's someone down here!" He called again, being met with silence.

His knuckles began to burn the more he pounded against the wood. But soon, the lighter flames flickered out, plunging the junkie back into the darkness. "Shit!" Klaus grimaced, his fingers once again finding the spark wheel, once again filling the coffin with light. "Please don't leave me, please don't leave me..." Klaus begged. Suddenly, at the very bottom of his shoe, he could feel something brush against his toe. A sly smirk spread across Klaus's face as he struggled to get the shoe off with his other foot, nearly bumping his head against the roof. "Hello, secret stash," Klaus strained, trying to push the baggie toward him, as far as his arm could go in such a cramped space.

But just as it seemed like he might be able to get high out of his mind even in such a predicament, the lighter shifted just above his crotch, setting the fabric on fire. Klaus hissed at the pain, dropping the lighter as the flame flickered out, and he furiously patted his pants to put out the flames. "Why does this keep happening to me?" He whined as his gaze shifted to the bottom of the coffin, the small bag of drugs seemingly taunting him. He stared up at the wooden ceiling, bored out of his mind. He didn't know how long he had been down here. Maybe an hour? Three hours? It didn't matter now; all he cared about was getting out and finding Dusk.

His mind began to wander and scare him with all the endless possibilities of what could've happened to her. He knew he shouldn't worry; she was strong, the strongest woman he'd ever known. But with everything at stake, with the dangerous thundercloud of the Ben and Jennifer situation looming over them, his worst fears for his family kept echoing in his mind, taunting him as he lay there helpless to everyone, including himself.

Suddenly, the nagging voices came to an abrupt cease as another sound filled the coffin, a low guttural growl. A glowing green head poked out from the bottom, the face of a growling dog, causing a scream to escape Klaus's lips. "Jesus Christ! What the fuck is that?!" He yelped. "Get away, or I'll burn you!" But the dog continued its ghostly walk towards Klaus's face. The lighter fell out of his hands, and as he could feel the weight of the ghostly apparition on top of him, Klaus looked away, his heart pounding against his ribcage, feeling like it would burst out at any moment.  

But as the dog sniffed Klaus's face, he playfully licked the junkie, whining as if trying to assure Klaus he just wanted to play. "You must be Thunderbolt," Klaus turned his back to the ghostly pooch, slightly relieved to know that he wasn't alone, even if his companion had been dead for quite some time now. "You're a good doggy. You're a good dead doggy! Yeah, you like kisses, huh?" Klaus slowly started to smile. "Hey, I've got a mission for you, Thunderbolt. You gotta go fetch. I need you to go fetch a human, any living human now. Just no motorcycles, no leather. You got it, boy? You understand, right?"

Thunderbolt continued to lick Klaus's face, but Klaus remained insistent on the task. "Go get 'em, boy!" Klaus instructed. And with one final lick, Thunderbolt barked before disappearing through the dirt, and Klaus finally allowed himself to breathe as the dog's barks echoed above. 

Stay put, Dusky. I'm coming!

~~~~~~~~

The more he lingered around the restaurant, Denny Muntz was proving to be more and more of a mystery. The more the Thibedeaus spoke with him, the more they kept a sharp ear out, secretly hoping to poke any holes in his story and call out his lies. But as Jean ran extensive background checks, proving he was a liar was more difficult than she thought. "I don't like it, Jake," Gene murmured as he smoothed out his graying beard through the napkin dispenser's reflection. "You still think he's some undercover cop?" Jake questioned. "He's got to be. I know every single Keeper by name, and I ain't never heard of some Denny Muntz," Gene insisted.

Jean soon joined them at a separate table, just as Denny was munching on his third chicken sandwich of the day. "Well boys, I talked to Red Deer. His story checks out," Jean confirmed. Denny wiped his face as he crumpled up the foil wrapping. The tune he was whistling was like nails on a chalkboard for both Gene and Jake. "That song he keeps whistling. I hate it," Gene whispered to his wife. "Let's just hear what he has to say, alright? No harm in that," Jean reasoned. "But Mom, what if Dad's right? What if he's a..."

Jean interrupted, gently shushing Jake as she brought her hands to his cheeks. "You worry far too much, Jakey. Don't you trust your dear old mama?" She whispered. Jake opened his mouth to protest, but a smile crossed the older woman's lips, a clear message hidden beneath the simple gesture. Mother always knows best. "Yes, Mama," Jake nodded. "Good boy," she patted him before they stood up and walked back to Denny's table.

"Mr. Muntz!" Jean sang in a creepily sweet tone. "You are a long way from Red Deer." "Well, I wouldn't miss what's coming for the world," Denny shrugged. "Oh, and what is that?" Jean challenged, resting her head against her hand on the table. "The Cleanse," Denny answered. "Ah yes..., The Cleanse," she nodded. "I know you lost the first girl," Denny revealed, making one of Gene's brows raise behind his glasses. "How the heck do you know that?" He inquired. "I have people looking for her, well, until we were told not to pursue her any further," Mr. Muntz explained. "Now that you've found the true key from what I've been told,"

"We still have people keeping an eye on her..." Gene squinted. "But she's no longer a top priority. Now that we've got someone more powerful on our side," Jean clarified, the curve of her mischievous smile poking out. "More powerful? How so?" Mr. Muntz asked. "Well, you'll just have to wait and find out!" Jean teased. "Then I'm looking forward to it," Mr. Muntz's eyes glimmered with intrigue. Of course, Jean and Gene wouldn't outwardly say who or what their new weapon was capable of. 

"So, tell me what happened with the other girl, how did she escape?" Mr. Muntz asked. "We had her secured in the barn, guards posted. Gene and I were in the house-" "Dancing..." Gene added. "...when we heard the screaming. By the time we got to the barn, she had dug her way out," Jean finished. "With that tentacle boy," "Excellent," Mr. Muntz commented after a moment of silence, his gaze shifting between the couple and the young man. "Exsqueeze me?" Jean cocked her head. "You said it yourself; you have someone more powerful on your side. Maybe Jennifer's escape was meant to happen. As the old saying goes, things happen for a reason," Mr. Muntz answered.

"You son of a bitch," Gene muttered. "Gene!" Jean gasped at her husband's vulgarity. "We didn't spend nearly twenty years looking for a girl just for her to escape!" Gene's voice began to grow louder, stirring the attention of the surrounding Keepers. "Do you know how much research and time it took for us to even get a clue about the incoming Cleanse?" "ENOUGH, GENE!" Jean raised her voice, loud enough to make the whole restaurant go silent. "Jakey, I think your father's getting hangry. Why don't you guys get another Chickadoo?" Jean suggested. "But I'm not-" Jake protested.

"Just do as I say," Jean looked at him warningly. "Yes, mother," Jake nodded. He patted his father's shoulder, and as the two men stood up, Gene continued to give Mr. Muntz the stink eye, even as they walked back to the counter. "Kids, no matter how old they get, they remain just as stubborn," Denny commented. "Oh, Jake's always been a good kid. Never had a single problem with him. Jaime, my eldest, was a pain in the butt from day one," Jean clarified with a small smile. "We butt heads constantly, especially with this whole Keeper business. She tried to put us in family therapy to help with the 'delusions,"

Mr. Muntz watched from the other end of the table, trying to mask how uncomfortable this conversation was. He nodded every now and then, acting like he was listening intently, but it wasn't until Jean mentioned her and her daughter's biggest blowup that his ears perked up. "She couldn't accept that this was our mission to expose the truth to everyone... She had the nerve to call us delusional and said she was ashamed to be our daughter." Jean paused, taking in a deep breath as the memory seemed like too much for her to bear. "She left that night, and she hasn't spoken to us since."

"Just give her some time, she'll find her way back eventually. One way or another," Denny assured. Jean's gaze shifted down to the table; her façade of a worrying estranged mother was soon replaced with realization as the mention of their stronger weapon. "If you'll excuse me, Mr. Muntz. I've got to take care of something," Jean excused herself, sliding out of her chair as she walked towards the back, heading directly for the freezer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The flickering flames of the makeshift firepit illuminated Five and Victoria's faces as they stared down at the flames, their consciousness drifting off into nothing the longer they stared. While the Bonnie and Clyde couple figured it wouldn't be easy as pie to find the younger Ben, they didn't count on catching hundreds of trains to all the timelines. 70s New York, 90s London seemed normal enough. But they still couldn't quite wrap their heads around the timelines that felt so out of place. A city made out of Emeralds and people who wouldn't stop singing, a rickety trolley that led through a darkening city and even more drearier locations, and a nonstop rainy city with villains in bright costumes fighting heroes in dark suits and capes.

In Victoria's lap, Pennycrumbs lay perfectly still, his snout gently pressed against her stomach as he grumbled sleepily. "I know, sweet boy," She murmured, stroking just the right spot behind his ear. "I don't think I can eat another subway rat," Five sighed, breaking the intimate moment between the redhead and pooch. "Glad I'm not the only one, just the thought of it makes me want to puke," Victoria replied. "Care to guess how long we've been down here?" Five asked. "Long enough that I'm starting to think I've got gray hairs, and it's not even on my head," Victoria answered. 

Five slightly chuckled before turning back to the roasted rats, flipping them onto the other side. As their dinner continued to cook slowly but surely, Five reached into his brown coat, pulling out a crumpled calendar that was barely hanging on with a few strips of tape. "Well, according to my calendar, it's been six years, five months, and two days," He answered. "We've got to find our way home soon, right? The others must think we're dead by now," The redhead's eyes nearly bulged out of her head. "If we don't get stabbed, shot, blown up, or chased by monkeys with wings the next time we go topside. You know, in some of those timelines, we'd've been lucky to get out alive," Five spoke.

"Well, we're still kicking. So, we must be doing something right," Victoria reasoned, her gaze shifting back to her lap as Pennycrumbs adjusted his position, climbing off, but snuggling his head close to her knee. Her eyes briefly closed for a moment as she began to doze off from the lack of sleep. But her eyes fluttered open upon feeling the rough yet gentle touch of her partner's hand on her shoulder. With his free hand, he brushed a strand of messy hair behind her ear, guiding her head to rest against his shoulder.

"Do you remember that timeline we found the other day? At the greenhouse?" Five questioned. "And the strawberries? What about it?" Victoria inquired. "Seems normal enough, no feral hogs, no secret police, no men in black spandex waiting in the darkness for us. I was thinking we could maybe set up there for a stretch," Five suggested. "Like give up?" Victoria raised a brow at this idea. Once Five's mind was made, there was no changing it, so to hear a change in their plans felt like he was speaking in alien. "No one said give up, but it's been almost seven years, Vic. We deserve a break. You know, a bed, a shower," Five assured. "I would strangle a kitten for a hot bath right about now," Victoria sighed at the thought, her head resting against Five's chest as she nestled deeper.

"Just promise me one thing," Victoria murmured. "Anything, love," Five nodded. "Just a few days, okay? This does not mean we're giving up," She requested. "We're gonna get out of here. But we need the energy to do it," "Okay," Five agreed. His hand pulled away from her shoulder, coming to rest on the top of her head, gently stroking her hair. After the first few, the redhead looked up at him. And as she took a quick glance at his lips, he leaned forward until they collided, the kiss was quick but just as passionate. But they were quickly pulled apart by Pennycrumbs' loud snoring. They chuckled softly to each other before bringing him closer to the two of them.

Victoria couldn't help but chuckle as she watched Five awkwardly bring Pennycrumbs into his arms, cradling him against his chest like a newborn baby. "Here, let me just..." Victoria adjusted his grip on the pooch's lower half, helping him snuggle closer. "I missed this little guy," Victoria whispered, her heart swelling with pride at the precious sight. "I did too," Five admitted softly, nuzzling his head.

~~~~~~~~~

The following day, after a decent night of rest for Victoria and Five sleeping with one eye open, the couple jumped back on the subway, their tired gaze keeping an eye out for the designated timeline. What felt like years of jumping back in time was actually ten minutes, as they were fortunately not that far away. But while they took in a breath of fresh air the moment they emerged from the station, they still kept an eye out for any rogue assassins or animals ready to swallow them whole.

Their knees nearly buckled with relief when they finally found the greenhouse. The house needed a few repairs to the front porch and the second-floor windows, but nothing too serious that posed a risk to either of them. As they walked up the stone and gravel path towards the home, Five scooped Victoria into his arms, her gasps and quiet laughter filled the silence around them as he carried her up the porch and through the threshold. As he set her down, Victoria playfully slapped his arm but made up for it with a small peck before they searched the house, making sure they were the only ones there.

After confirming they were safe, they quickly settled into their temporary paradise. The memories of being back at home and their brief moments of relaxation occasionally crossed their minds. Whether it be them snuggling on the couch, sneaking in an episode of Friends, or just enjoying a late dinner out on the town, a small smile returned to their faces the more they settled into this cozy space. The first few days passed by quicker than a flash of lightning, and to the couple, they barely noticed or paid attention. It was being together with no interruptions that made them forget about the world around them.

The birds chirping filled the air around Victoria as she stood in the greenhouse one morning, watering the plants. She hummed softly as she moved onto the next plant, her free hand tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Five watched with a growing smile as he watched her from the living room doorframe, leading out into the adjoining greenhouse. She's so beautiful... the words clawed at his throat, but he swallowed them down, continuing to take in the view of his beloved.

"You just going to stand there gawking?" Victoria smirked, shifting her gaze for a moment before continuing her work. As Five stepped into the glass enclosure, he reached for one of the half-full watering cans, feeding the dirt as more strawberries began to grow on the plants. Even then, he continued to lovingly gaze at Victoria, who occasionally looked back at him with equal admiration. But as Five looked back at the strawberry plants, something brushed against his arm. It was a quick flash of red, but he didn't let it pull him out of his focus. Then another flash of red, this time hitting the side of his boot. A third flew right past his gaze before hitting the wall.

The smile once again returned to his face as Victoria threw her hand back and tossed another strawberry, once again hitting Five's shoulder. "You know, if you keep this up, we're not gonna have any strawberries left when the snow comes," Five warned, finally turning around. Victoria chuckled as she set down her basket before walking closer. "So, we'll have to eat snow then," she flashed a quick grin. But as she took another step, her heeled boot fell into a large crack within the concrete floor.

The air vacated her lungs as she fell towards Five, but he swiftly caught her in his arms, cradling her against his chest. "I got you, it's alright," He whispered. Victoria's hands brushed against Five's shoulder blades as she steadied her grip, pulling away to meet his gaze. She adjusted her footing as Five's arms circled her waist as he pulled her closer. Slowly leaning in, Five's lips collided with hers, Victoria's lips instantly started kissing him back, her hands traveling from his back, up to the sides of his neck, and into his hair. Her fingers gently tugged at the strands, causing a soft gasp to escape his lips.

"Mi amor," She whispered into his ear, sending shivers down his spine. Five's legs nearly buckled out from underneath him. She was the only woman in his life who could break down the walls guarding his heart, her voice a seductive siren that blocked out every other thought that wasn't her. One wink, one brush of her hand could turn him into a puddle of goo and admiration. But suddenly, Victoria stopped. "What's wrong?" Five asked, concern filling his eyes. "Nothing..." The redhead looked down at his lips before reconnecting her gaze. "...I've never felt so happy," She admitted. "Until I met you,"

Five's heart pounded as he rested his forehead against Victoria's, their soft breathing intertwining. "Nunca te dejaré ir, mi amor. Nunca." Five vowed, their lips colliding once more.