Five was hanging from a tree and letting out a laugh whilst Victoria was watching him and giggling. He grinned and came down, rubbing his hair. Victoria sat on the blanket that Five had set out for her to relax on. "You're pretty good with your balance." She smiled. "Well, being stuck in the apocalypse for fourty-five years gives you a lot of time to practice your skills." Five replied, sitting down next to her. Victoria then began to think of something and wanted to ask Five something. "Hey, Five? Can I ask you something?" She questioned. "Anything, my dear!" Five stated. "Well...I've been here for three weeks now and..." Five's expression went to shocked and then interest. "Yes?" He asked as he leaned in. "Where...where did you get this power? Where you click your fingers and anything you want comes to you? Also, what was the apocalypse like? But most of all, what made you become evil?" Victoria asked. "Oh...well, it's quite a while to tell." Five responded. "We have all the time in the world. I'm listening." Victoria reassured him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Well...when I time travelled away, there was only rubble, fire and no one around. It was just me and myself." Five started. "I began travelling all around, thinking maybe some did survive but deep down, I knew no one had. But I kept going. I survived on scraps, canned food, cockroaches, anything I could find. You know that Twinkies have an endless shelf life?" Victoria nodded in response. "Well, it's total bullshit." Five stated. "I can't even imagine." Victoria said with sorrow in her voice. "You do whatever it takes to survive, or you die. So I adapted. Whatever the world threw at me, I found a way to overcome it."

The red-head felt woe for Five. She knew he had time-travelled and got stuck but she didn't know he went through that. All alone, no one alongside him, surviving on his own, she felt sick at the feeling of it. "I gained this," Five snapped his fingers and two glasses appeared in front of them that were full of grape juice. "from being stuck in the apocalypse for too long. I was trying to get my time-travelling power under control until I snapped my fingers. The next thing I knew, there was a full course meal on my small wooden table. I thought I was seeing things but I wasn't." Victoria was fascinated, maybe she had another power that was inside her too but was never really shown. What if the rest of the academy had one too? "I..." Five then sighed and put his head in his hands. "I went evil because...because...I felt enraged by everything around me. When I thought about you and the academy, I felt like I wanted to see you all in fear from me so you'd know I have more power than you. But...I didn't want to hurt you. You, aside from Vanya and Ben, were the only ones I was really close to." Victoria smiled warmly at the thoughtful words that the brunette had said. "Remember the time we had that sleepover when we were eight?" Five chuckled. "Yeah, I think I taught you how to braid my hair into a plait." Victoria giggled as she remembered the little Five and Eight in her bedroom from a long time ago.

"Reddie....?" A small voice whispered into the little Victoria's room. She awoke and her dark brown eyes looked to see little Five standing at her door, he seemed to be a little upset. "F-Five? You should not be up. Dad will be upset with you." The ginger mumbled. Five wiped his eyes and sniffed a little. "Have you been crying?" Her sweet and timid voice questioned. The small Five didn't respond and only kept sniffing. Victoria let out her little arms and embraced him. What she didn't realise is that the boy was blushing like crazy. Little Five had liked Victoria for a while now but didn't want to tell her as he was too nervous to confess his feelings to the girl who was the love of his life. "I-I...had a nightmare." He whispered. "Aw, it gonna be okay, Fivey. Stay in my room tonight." The little red-head smiled. Five's cheeks had redden at her sweet smile. "O-Okay..." He stammered. The pair sat on the bed and stared at each other. "H-Hey, could I braid y-your hair?" He asked and Victoria nodded. She turned around and Five ran his hands through her hair. To him, it felt like he was touching the softest silk and the scent it gave, strawberry and vanilla. He stopped himself and began to braid her hair together, one strand over the other. After a few minutes, he said he was finished and Victoria gasped at how good he did it. "I never knew you were so good at braiding hair!" She giggled. "Well, it wasn't that hard." Five chuckled. Just then, footsteps could be heard and the two gasped and hid under the covers of Number Eight's bed. Five looked out and saw no one there but then heard soft snores. Victoria was already asleep and the time-traveller smiled at her sleeping figure. He even felt himself dosing off too. Little did he know, Pogo was the one walking to Victoria's room and saw them both together. The view made him smile sweetly and he shut the door quietly, leaving the two together.

"That was fun!" Five laughed and Victoria laughed with him but then her sweet smile dropped. Five noticed that and became curious and concerned. "You really were alone? Weren't you?" She questioned. "Yes...yes, I was. Not anymore, now that you're here." Five grinned. "Well, I guess you and I are quite the same." Victoria said. "We are?" Five asked. He was concerned when the girl said they were quite the same. "You see, I was alone once you left. I did have Vanya but she was always distancing herself from me and everyone and Ben had...passed away. So I was by myself and became shy while barely using my powers. Everyone that knew us laughed at me." Victoria confessed. "Who would laugh at a pretty thing like you?" Five asked. "Stop calling me that!" Victoria said. "Why? Why does it bother you so much? Is there someone else?" Five replied. "What?! No!" Victoria exclaimed. "Then what's going on?" Five asked. Victoria only stared at him with a emotionless look. She knew she had to tell him. "You see....a few days after you left, there was this boy. I thought he was really cute and he said he'd treat me to a milkshake. Well, I showed up but he wasn't there. I waited for an hour. Then he came in but he was with his friends. They...they all started laughing at me and they also said uncomfortable things about my body."

"That's right! She actually thought I wanted to go out with her."

"Did you tell her she was beautiful?"

"Yeah, and she fell for it!"

"Good one, dude. You should've really fucked her for fun though, her body looks smoking!"

"I mean, who would wanna date a slut?" 

Victoria hid her head in her knees and began sobbing at the flashback of those boys calling her horrible things and saying uncomfortable things about her body. Five only sat there in shock. He'd never imagine that a boy would do something like that to a girl like Victoria. "They...they did that to you?" He asked with a shocked look. Victoria hummed a response. "That...that's not right! What did you do wrong?!" Five said with small anger. "They were right though. I was foolish to think that anyone would want to go out with me." Victoria whimpered. "Victoria, that's ridiculous! You're beautiful, you're kind, your stare is too mesmerising to resist." Five said, holding the girl close by her cheeks. "What?" Victoria asked. "Forget the last part but what I mean is that any guy would be lucky to go out with you!" Five said. "Well, a few guys did ask me but how do I know if they're joking or not?" Victoria said with a concerned tone in her voice. "I'm not joking." Five responded. "How do I know your not?" Victoria questioned. Five paused for a moment. "Because I love..." He paused again. "Your...hair." He then said. "Victoria, that boy was a fool to hurt you. Especially, since he blew his chance with the most beautiful girl in the whole world. And I, on the other hand, would never ever toy for your emotions for my own amusement." Five stated. "Really?" Victoria questioned, not even worrying about Five having his hand in her hair. "If it meant seeing a frown on that lovely face of yours." Five responded. "You promise?" Victoria said. "I promise."

Victoria pulled Five in for a hug with a bright smile. "Oh, Five! I'm so glad we're friends." She smiled. Five felt a little tense from that word. "Yeah...friends..."

~~~~~~~

Victoria sat on her blood-coloured bed, staring at the mirror. It showed Luther, still in the Hargreeves library, but instead this time...he was crying. "Victoria..." He whispered before starting to sob again. Suddenly, Five jumped in as he sang her name. Victoria threw the mirror out of her hands which landed softly on her bed, turning to Five. "I know I usually wait until the evening...but I thought...do you love me?" Five said, holding out another bouquet of roses. Victoria kept quiet and turned her head away from him. Five felt his fists clench up and he gritted his teeth. "How long do I have to wait? How long?!" He exclaimed. "Five, I'm sorry-" Victoria tried to say. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He mocked. "How long are you going to say that?! Until I'm on my deathbed?!" He shouted. "I didn't...I just..." Victoria said, trying to hold back her tears.

"Maybe the ice rink was too much? Or was it the sky writing? Or do you not like roses anymore?"

"Five, please..."

"Do you not like it here?"

"No, I-"

"Is the castle too cliche?"

"It's-"

"Is it my breath?"

"Fiv-"

"Oh, I get it! It's my looks, isn't it? Or the fact that I am secretly a fifty-eight year old man? You prefer some young and handsome prissy boy, huh? I'm just too different for you!"

"Your looks have nothing to do with this!"

"Then why?! Why do you still reject my affections?"

"BECAUSE YOU TREAT ME LIKE A PRISONER!"

Five stopped at those words and Victoria looked down at her feet. "I understand that you don't want me to leave and we made a deal. But...if you really were my friend, you wouldn't keep me like a caged bird." She said. "You tried so hard to make me happy but you still deny me of the one thing I want!" She continued. "Well, you denied me of the one thing I want!" Five argued but Victoria let out some tears. "I...I'm sorry...I didn't mean to..." Five apologised. "You really want your freedom, don't you?" Victoria nodded as she wiped her tears. "If I gave it to you, would you...perhaps leave me...alone? In this forest, forever...?" Five said with a sorrowful look. "No." Victoria simply replied. Five then struck an idea. "How about this? How about I take you out for dinner tonight?" Five asked. "Really? You mean like outside the castle?" Victoria asked. "Of course, we won't be going any place public as I'm not supposed to be out of this area. I understand if your not up for it..." Five responded. "No, it sounds like a great idea." Victoria smiled. "Really?!" Five squealed with blush on his cheeks. He then corrected his actions but coughing and shaking his head. "I mean...alright. I'll pick you up at seven and oh, wear something nice." Five said. "I will, see you tonight!" Victoria giggled.