FIVE FOUND HIMSELF standing in the hollowed-out ruins of the apocalypse again. The sky was a sickly, swirling mass of grey and red, the sun long dead behind the curtain of ash and debris. The air smelled burnt, acrid, as if the very atmosphere was scorched. It was all so familiar, yet distant—like a memory he couldn't quite place but knew all too well. His heart began to race as he took a step forward, the crunch of ash and shattered concrete beneath his feet echoing in the eerie silence. He knew what was coming.

The world around him felt frozen, an endless, lifeless wasteland. A deathly quiet loomed over everything, so thick it pressed against his skin. He walked through the debris, the wreckage of the old world strewn around him. Shattered buildings loomed like the skeletons of giants, their windows gaping and dark, as if the city itself had been hollowed out, leaving behind only remnants of what had been.

And then, he saw her—Allison. Her lifeless body lay crumpled beneath a fallen streetlight, her dark curls matted with dust and blood. Her eyes were open, staring at nothing. A lump formed in Five's throat as he knelt beside her, his hand trembling as he reached out but stopped just before touching her cold skin. This wasn't the first time he'd seen her like this. He had found her like this before—long ago, when he first arrived in this dead world. A part of him had hoped, even now, that it wouldn't hurt as much.

But it did. Every time.

He swallowed hard, forcing himself to stand again, to move. He walked further through the ruins, his feet carrying him toward something familiar, something he dreaded. His steps quickened, driven by a force he didn't want to acknowledge, as if somehow, if he moved fast enough, he could outrun the horror of it all.

Up ahead, he spotted Diego, sprawled across a broken concrete slab, a pool of dried blood beneath him. His knives lay scattered around him, useless now. Five stared down at him, his chest tightening painfully. Diego, with his sarcastic smirk, always ready for a fight, always stubborn to the end—and here he was, lifeless, just like the rest of them. A part of Five wanted to scream, to call out for someone, for anyone, but the silence swallowed him whole. The sound wouldn't come.

He moved on.

Klaus was next. He was slumped against the remains of a burnt-out car, his usually vibrant energy gone, his body limp and still. The irony wasn't lost on Five—Klaus, the one who had spent his entire life surrounded by death, who feared it more than anyone else, now claimed by the very thing he had tried so hard to avoid.

As Five walked closer, his heart pounded in his ears, a sharp ringing starting to fill the space around him. The closer he got, the heavier the air felt, pressing down on him like a weight he couldn't shake. He glanced past Klaus, and that's when he saw someone else—someone farther away, their figure shadowed by the crumbling remains of a building.

Katerina.

She was there, lying motionless a few feet away from Klaus, her figure still, her face partially hidden by debris. His breath caught in his throat as he stared at her, an unfamiliar feeling clawing its way up his chest. There was a moment where he hesitated, a flicker of recognition, but his mind rejected it.

But as he moved closer, he couldn't stop himself from looking. Her hair was splayed across the ground, dark and dusty, her body twisted in a way that sent a fresh wave of panic through him. He knew her, but at the same time, he didn't. She was a stranger and yet... so much more. Who was she? Why was she here?

Suddenly, he heard a sound behind him—a faint clink of metal hitting the ground. He spun around and found Luther. His massive frame was crumpled in a heap, and in his hand, there it was—the eye. It gleamed in the dim, apocalyptic light, and Five felt his stomach twist with dread. Luther's hand was outstretched as if offering it to him, his face frozen in an expression of pain and confusion.

The scene was wrong, twisted. Five's heart pounded in his chest, his breath coming in short, ragged gasps. He wanted to wake up, to get out of this nightmare, but something held him there, something kept him trapped in this horrible, twisted memory of the apocalypse.

He turned again, his eyes drawn back to Katerina. His feet felt heavy as he approached her, his mind screaming at him to stop, but he couldn't. His legs moved on their own, dragging him closer to her lifeless form. There was something about her, something that made his heart clench painfully in his chest, something that made him feel like he'd lost something precious—something he didn't even realize he had.

"Katerina?" His voice came out as a whisper, barely audible over the deafening silence of the dead world around him.

But she didn't respond. She couldn't.

Suddenly, the ground beneath him shifted, the world around him trembling violently. The sky seemed to darken even further, the ash swirling faster, suffocating him, pressing in on all sides. His heart raced, panic surging through him as everything started to crumble.

Then, just as quickly as it began, everything shattered.

Five jolted awake, gasping for breath, his heart pounding in his chest. His eyes darted around the room, his mind still racing, still trying to escape the nightmare he'd just been pulled from.

But it wasn't the apocalypse. It wasn't the end of the world.

It was the dim, familiar basement, the cold concrete walls, the faint hum of distant city noise. He was safe. He was here.

And next to him, Katerina lay, curled up and sleeping peacefully, her breathing slow and even. The sight of her, alive and warm beside him, was enough to slow his racing heart. He stared at her for a long moment, his chest rising and falling in uneven breaths as the reality of his dream slowly faded, replaced by the soft warmth of her presence.

She was alive.

For now, at least, they were both alive.

Five swallowed hard, trying to shake off the lingering unease. He closed his eyes for a moment, forcing himself to breathe deeply, to let the tension drain from his muscles. The memory of the apocalypse—of her body lying in the rubble—still haunted him, even more now that he found her after all these years.

Katerina shifted slightly in her sleep, her hand brushing against his arm, and the simple touch grounded him in the present. His gaze softened, his breathing finally steadying as he watched her sleep.

For now, that was enough.

Katerina stirred beside him, her eyelids fluttering open. She groggily rubbed her eyes before focusing on him. "Five?" Her voice was thick with sleep. "What's wrong? You're pale as hell. Looks like you've seen Klaus sober."

Five managed a weak smirk, but the tension in his shoulders hadn't fully released. "Just... another dream."

Katerina shifted, propping herself up on one elbow, her brows furrowing with concern. "Apocalypse stuff again?"

He nodded, running a hand over his face as if to wipe away the lingering visions. "Yeah. You were there... dead. Same as before."

Katerina blinked, a slow realization dawning on her face. "Wait, again? You're really having repeat visions of me dead, huh?" She gave him a half-smirk. "Maybe you're still drunk from last night. 'Cause last time you told me I was in the apocalypse, you were sober."

Five shot her a sidelong glance, and despite the grim weight of his dream, he couldn't help but roll his eyes. "I wasn't drunk. And I wasn't imagining it," he muttered, half annoyed but half amused by her persistence. "You were there. I saw you."

"Yeah, I remember," she said with a teasing grin. "You gave me that whole 'I saw you in the apocalypse' speech a couple of days ago. Like a really romantic way to say, 'I've seen you dead before.'"

Five huffed, shaking his head. "Funny. Real funny."

Katerina gave him a soft smile, leaning back against the pillow. "Hey, at least I didn't make it weird by swooning over you mid-apocalypse like someone did over a mannequin."

Five shot her a glare. "We're not bringing up Dolores."

She chuckled and fell silent for a moment, her teasing fading into something softer. "So, what happened this time?"

Five swallowed, his mind going back to the dream. "Same as always. Everyone was there—dead. Luther, Klaus, Allison. You..." He hesitated, feeling the weight of the memory press down on him. "You were next to Klaus. Farther away, like you had just... shown up."

Katerina studied him for a beat, her expression sobering as she realized how much it bothered him. "It's the past, Five. Or... it's a memory you're holding onto. But I'm here. We all are." She lightly touched his arm, grounding him. "No one's dead yet."

Five exhaled slowly, leaning back against the headboard, his eyes flicking over to her again. "It's different when you've lived through it. I saw it, lived it, felt it. And now I see you there... it messes with my head."

"I'm not dead," she said firmly, a bit of her usual sarcasm creeping into her tone. "You should know, I'm a lot harder to kill than you think."

A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Is that right?"

"Damn straight. And if you keep seeing me dead, I'm going to charge you for the emotional damage. I'll send you a bill."

Five snorted. "You'd really send me an invoice for your imagined death?"

"Hell yeah," she said with a grin, stretching lazily beside him. "I'm alive and kicking. So, whatever nightmare version of me you're dreaming up—kill it. Or I will."

He couldn't help the smirk that crossed his face, the tension finally easing from his chest. Her lightheartedness, her unshakeable energy—it had a way of pulling him out of whatever pit his mind had dragged him into. "Fair enough."

Katerina's eyes softened, and she scooted a little closer, the teasing slipping away for a moment. "Seriously, Five. You don't have to do this alone."

Her words hung in the air between them, and for a brief second, Five considered how strange it was that he, someone who had spent so much time alone, was starting to rely on someone else. He didn't quite know how to respond to that, so instead, he just nodded. "Yeah. I know."

She gave him a knowing smile, and then her eyes flicked up, humor returning to her voice. "You think Klaus is dreaming about me too? I'd love to see the chaos in his head."

Five chuckled, shaking his head. "If Klaus is dreaming about you, then we've got bigger problems."

Katerina laughed, settling back down beside him, pulling the blanket over her shoulders again. "Good. Let's keep it that way."

They both fell into a comfortable silence, the room feeling less heavy now, the nightmare slowly fading into the background. Five glanced over at her once more, the memory of her dead in the apocalypse still lingering, but the sight of her alive and beside him now was enough to calm the storm within him.

"Thanks," he said quietly, surprising even himself with the sincerity in his voice.

"For what?" she asked, her eyes closed again, drifting off.

"For... being here."

Katerina's lips curved into a small smile, her voice sleepy as she murmured, "You're welcome, time traveler."

And just like that, the quiet settled between them once more, Five finally able to close his eyes and drift off, knowing that for now, at least, they were both still alive.

•••

The basement was dimly lit by a single bulb hanging from the ceiling. Five and Katerina lay tangled in the mess of the bed's crumpled sheets. The tranquility of their shared sleep was shattered by the sound of footsteps pounding down the hallway.

Luther burst through the basement door, his face etched with a mix of concern and irritation. "Diego's on his way. And he's pissed. A friend of his was killed." His gaze swept over the scene, landing on Katerina beside Five. His eyes widened slightly, but he quickly masked his surprise with a curt nod before addressing Five.

Five, groggy but alert, propped himself up on his elbows. "We need to talk, Luther," he said, his voice rough with sleep.

Before Luther could respond, Diego stormed in, his face twisted into a snarl. "Piece of shit!" he spat, his anger palpable as he marched towards Five, fists clenched. "Do you have any idea what you just did?"

Luther stepped forward, his massive frame blocking Diego's path. "Get your ape hands off me!" Diego shouted, struggling against Luther's hold. "Let me at him!"

"I can do this as long as it takes you to calm down," Luther said firmly, his grip unyielding.

"Fine!" Diego snapped, finally relenting.

Katerina, still half-asleep, sat up and looked at Diego with a mix of confusion and concern. "What happened?" she asked, her voice thick with sleep.

Diego's anger was still simmering. "Five's been pretty busy since he got back," he snarled. "He was in the middle of that shootout at Griddy's, and then at Gimble Brother's. After the guys in masks attacked the Academy looking for him."

"None of which concerns you," Five said dismissively.

"It does now," Diego retorted, "They just killed my friend. Eudora Patch."

Luther's brow furrowed. "Who are they, Five? Who shot that woman?"

Five sighed, his gaze shifting to Katerina. "They work for my former employer, a woman called The Handler. She sent them to stop me." He glanced back at Luther, his tone somber. "They're only here because she failed her assignment," he said, his eyes locking with Katerina's.

"Then, as soon as Diego's friend got in the way...well, she was fair game," Five continued, his voice heavy with regret.

Diego's expression darkened further. "And now they're my fair game. I'm gonna see to it they pay." He stormed off, his anger palpable.

Five called after him, his voice strained. "That would be a mistake, Diego; they've killed people far more dangerous than you." But the door slammed shut before he could finish.

Luther turned his gaze to Katerina, his face a mixture of suspicion and curiosity. "What assignment did you fail?" he asked, his tone suspicious.

Katerina shifted uncomfortably, her gaze darting between Luther and Five. "Well, uh," she started, struggling to find the right words. "I used to work for the same employer! Surprise!" She said, attempting a wide, exaggerated smile while raising her hands in a gesture of mock cheerfulness.

Luther's confusion was evident. "I'm confused," he admitted, his brow furrowed.

"She was sent to kill me, dumbass," Five interjected, his tone exasperated.

Luther's eyes widened as he looked from Katerina to Five, trying to process the new revelation. "And you didn't think to tell us this?" he asked, incredulous.

Katerina offered a nervous laugh. "Well, you know, it slipped my mind. Between saving the world and dodging bullets, my social calendar's a bit full."

Luther's expression remained serious as he continued. "About your job," he began,"you had a code, right? You didn't kill just anybody?"

Five's shoulders slumped slightly, and he bowed his head. "No code. We took out anyone who messed with the timeline," he said, his voice carrying a note of regret.

Luther's face turned ashen. "What about innocent people?" he demanded, his voice rising in disbelief.

"It was the only way I could get back here," Five said, his tone defensive.

"But that's murder!" Luther exclaimed.

"Jesus, Luther, grow up," Five retorted, his frustration evident. "We're not kids anymore. There's no such thing as good guys or bad guys. There's just people, going about their lives. But when the world ends, all those people die—including our family." He paused, letting the weight of his words settle. "Time changes everything."

The basement fell into a heavy silence, the only sound the distant hum of the city above.

As the silence stretched, a faint whoosh echoed from the vent near the ceiling. Katerina's eyes widened slightly as she caught the sound, her expression shifting to one of recognition and concern. She shot a quick glance at Five, who met her gaze with a knowing look.

Katerina moved swiftly, rising from the bed and crossing to the vent. She pried it open with practiced ease, revealing a metallic tube nestled inside. Luther looked between the two, his confusion mounting.

"What's going on?" he asked, his tone laced with irritation and curiosity.

Ignoring him, Katerina unscrewed the tube and carefully extracted a rolled piece of paper. She turned to face both men, her expression now serious. Unrolling the paper, she read aloud, her voice steady but tense. "Headquarters. 10 AM."

She looked up, meeting Five's eyes. Concern was evident in her gaze, the gravity of the situation clear. The implications of the message were not lost on either of them.

Luther shifted uncomfortably, his eyes flickering between Katerina and Five. "What does that mean?" he asked, his voice tinged with apprehension.

Katerina's gaze remained locked on Five, her expression a mix of worry and determination. "We need to figure this out, now," she said, her tone brokering no argument.

Five nodded, his face grim. "We do," he agreed. "And we don't have much time."