The room was silent after she had slipped those words to Viktor. "You're marrying him...tomorrow?!" Viktor questioned in disbelief. "Oh, so you've told them, my dear?" Five slithered over to the duo, as everyone else watched; shocked. The girl in front of them, that they had protected and was so close to her, was now going to marry a monster like him?! "Yes, our big day is tomorrow. Allison, and those little floozies that you were talking about, could be the bridemaids. The little bra...I mean, Claire can be the flower girl, and the ring bearer. Luther could perform the wedding ceremony!" Five continued to explain. However, no one said anything in reply; still in shock and slight fear. "Why the glum faces? Thought you all love weddings." "Could I talk to them?" Victoria asked him, taking his arm (secretly placed around her) off her. "Oh, sure. Go ahead, I'm not going to stop you." "...alone." She clarified. Five gave an expression of realisation and took the hint. He spacial jumped out of the room...however, secretly listened beyond a nearby door.

Victoria took in a deep breath, as she fiddled with the ring around her neck. "That was very rude of you all." was all she started to them. "RUDE?!" Everyone else replied in disbelief. "You're marrying that monster, tomorrow! How would you expect us to react?" Allison stated. "I'm engaged to him." "We di...we didn't think it would happen now! Now, you want us to be apart of it?" Diego exclaimed, slight anger detected in his tone. "I thought you'd want to come to my wedding." Victoria responded, crossing her arms. "Not when it means watching you get married to a complete pyschopath!" "He's not a pyschopath!"

"He took you away from us!"

"No, I chose to go with him! You have to believe me, he's not as bad as you think!"

"How can marrying THE Five Hargreeves be good?!" Allison screamed. "Vic, I am not going to be the one to tie you to that...that..." "Don't say it. Five is not a monster!" Victoria cut Luther off. She, for one, did not want to hear any of them refer to Five as something awful. "He's been nothing...but a gentle, kind soul to me. Dang, you all should be grateful that he even let you come to my birthday." She confronted them all. The siblings couldn't believe what they were hearing from their sister. Was she actually taking his side? "What's gotten into you, Victoria? Why are you defending him?" Diego questioned, with an accusing finger. "He's my friend, and he has shown me every reason to be! He might've done horrible things, but Five has clearly shown redemption to me. He is only this way because of how this world has treated him, and what it has given him. Five is really someone with a geniune heart, and I can't believe how blindsighted you all are to that fact!"

"Seriously?!" Diego screamed. "Yes. And after all, every night he's been asking me if I...if I..." Her words trailed with a realised expression on her face. Ever since, she had come here, they had slowly warmed up to each other. Heck, they had even kissed just LAST NIGHT! Viktor studied her face, and came to realisation as well. "Wait, I know that look. Victoria...are you in love with Five?" He asked her. Allison only scoffed at the statement and found it ridiculous. Diego was in agreement with her, with all reasons of hatred towards him. "Five is fun and all, but he can be a bit stubborn at times. I think he just needs to be laid. Speaking of, Vic, have you two-" Viktor covered Klaus' mouth before he could finish the sentence. "I think it'd kinda be romantic. It's like Beauty falling in love with the Beast." Claire muttered.

Victoria could only show distaste at their comments. "Come on," Diego chuckled. "we're all just joking. I mean, it's not like you're actually in love with him." All the red-head could do was stay silent to his comment. Diego's happy exterior slowly faded to concern. "Right?" He questioned and silent was all Victoria was, again. Diego's jaw dropped in shock. "N-No...no, you're not!" He tried to deny the fact. "You can't be serious! He tried to take over the world!" Diego continued. "He pratically keeps you prisoner!" Allison added. "He threatened our mother and Pogo!" Luther interjected. "He beat me at Twister!" Klaus exclaimed. Everyone looked to the man in confusion. "What? He did!"

"I think you all are overreacting this whole situation." Viktor sneered at the others. "Overreacting or not, how can YOU love such a monster?!" Diego continued to scream, directing all of his attention onto Victoria. "He is not a monster! He only wants me to love him!" "Well, do you?"

"You don't have to give an answer, Vic."

"She's gonna give us an answer, Viktor, and she's giving it now! Do you love him?"

Victoria stayed quiet as Diego asked the same question again. Inside, she felt hot but it wasn't from passion. It was from anger. Victoria felt rage bubbling up inside of her. She was getting tired of everyone trying to control her own decisions, trying to persuade her into what they thought was right. Why, for once, couldn't she make up her mind? Why did everything of her being have to rest on the shoulders of everyone else? True, Five did show her compassion, love and honesty. However, she knew the ugly truth was that she WAS engaged to him, and nothing was going to change; no matter how she felt. 

"What does it matter?" She let out with anger in her tone. It was loud, it even made Diego flinch a bit. "You're right! Five does keep me prisoner, he did all those things you said. I don't want to marry him tomorrow but do you think I have a choice in the matter?" Viktor felt a frown on his lips, as he listened to this tone of her voice and how with every word, Victoria grew even more angry. "It was the only way I could convince him to bring you all here! And you know what, who cares?! The wedding is tomorrow or next year! I made a deal with him, and this is going to happen whether I like it or not!"

"So, you don't-"

"NO! I DON'T LOVE HIM!"

Victoria felt sobs leave her lips, and she ran off to her bedroom...well, rather her prison cell. "Victoria, we..." Luther trailed. "Vic, we didn't mean-" Viktor pulled Diego back, as he now felt the same as Victoria. The siblings all held her back from doing what she wanted, yet they all never felt guilt for their actions; except him. He seemed to be the only person that presented any remorse for the actions of them all. "Viktor, what gives?!" Diego yelled. "Have you all done enough?" He mumbled. "Us?! Look, I don't understand-" Allison started, but Viktor cut her off with his screams. "Of course, you don't understand! You, of all people, wouldn't understand! You like to talk about romance so much, but can't realise it if it hit you in the face!" He pointed a finger at her. 

"For a fact, I think she did love him! Now, thanks to all of your manipulating words, you've completely brainwashed her! Thanks to us, Victoria can never make up her mind about ANYTHING! You all like to take the reins in any situation and think you'll fix everything! I. AM. SICK. OF. THIS. FAMILY!" Viktor yelled. "WAKE UP, ALL OF YOU! This is real life, not some book or show!" He took in some hesitant breaths, and ran out of the building.

The rest were all silent, even Ben was. He silently wished he was still alive, wanting to hug Victoria close and apologise for everything. "B-But, she didn't even open her present." Klaus muttered, holding the package close.