22. Figure In The Moonlight

"Am I allowed to tell you my dying wish?" Five asks.

"No."

Elisa presses the knife deeper into his skin. A cut is already visible.

"I really want to know your name. It won't hurt t-"

"Elisa." She sighs.

"See that didn't hurt, did it?" Five asks cockily. "Elisa, I'd hate you, but I can't. Not many can defeat me, and here you are."

Hate me for as long as you want, and then admit that you love me.

Immediately, Elisa presses even deeper.

Five tenses. He stops breathing, afraid that he'll kill himself if he allows air to fill his lungs.

Even if it's for a second, admit that you love me.

A drop of blood glides down Five's neck, and Elisa's eyes follow it. Her lips part, and when the tear disappears underneath Five's shirt, she looks up at him again.

Full of confusion, Five watches her eyes that are upon him. He doesn't understand her hesitation.

Elisa can kill. She's never been more ready to kill, but yet . . . she can't. Her hand starts to shake when she realizes so. Her sight becomes blurry. Soon, a single tear wets her cheek.

Of course Five notices this. He follows the tear glide down her skin.

This, Elisa notices. But she doesn't react. Her eyes stay on him. His eyes. His hair. This is him. If she presses harder, then she'll kill the man she loves. The man who would've once done everything for her, just as she would've done for her.

She imagines her sinking the knife into his chest. She imagines his eyes on her, shocked. She imagines the blue in his eyes fading away. His blood on her. Her knife right through his heart.

If she continues, then she will live another life, yes, but is there any way to be sure that she'll be happy? No. In this life, Five gave her happiness. He gave her everything. He accepted her, and she accepted him. And yet, she's so eager to throw everything away.

Kill Five-it seems so ridiculous now. She could never kill him. Even though her knife is at his throat, she can't seem to go deeper. To give the last thrust.

"I hate you." Elisa sighs. "I hate you because I can't kill you."

She moves the knife a little further away from his throat, but it's still close enough that he doesn't dare to move.

"Why's that?" he asks her, curious.

Before he can react, Elisa aims for his jaw. The jaw to his chin works perfectly. Thanks to his sensitive brain, Five loses consciousness.

"I can't kill you because I love you." It comes in a whisper, but Elisa means it. She loves Five. Not this Five-her Five. And she hurt him. She broke him. She did that.

His body falls down like he is dead. He isn't. He's alive.

Elisa couldn't kill him.

A sob escapes her lips as she crumples to the ground. She releases the knife, and it falls on the ground next to her.

Crack.

Startled, Elisa turns to look at the window again. A figure crawls through it.

"Who's there?" Elisa asks, her voice breaking.

The figure doesn't reply. Whoever it is hides in the shadows, using Elisa's trick.

"I'm in the moonlight, and you're not," Elisa remarks with a shaky voice. "It's not fair."

A chuckle is heard. A familiar chuckle. Elisa immediately attempts to crawl towards the person, but her bruises don't allow her. She winces in pain.

"I'm not dead," the person-he-whispers.

"You really thought I could kill you, Five?" Elisa hides her face behind her hands, turning her back on him. She's ashamed of herself. How could she even think that?

"You seemed so . . . sure."

Elisa scoffs. One hand moves away from her face, and it gestures towards the unconscious Five laying just one step away from her. "You're right there. Check on yourself if you wish, but you're breathing. You're alive."

"I'm alive," he whispers.

Five approaches Elisa slowly. His eyes eyes stay on her, unsure what exactly has happened. Hesitant, he sits down next to her.

"Why did you come here?" Elisa asks him in a quiet voice.

For a moment, Five doesn't answer her question. It stays quiet between the two. Only the giggles from baby Elisa are heard through the house.

A chuckle escapes Five's lips when he listens to the giggles and laughs. Then he turns his head, looking at Elisa who's still hiding her face behind her hands. Instinctively, he reaches to grab her hands. He does, and he moves them away from her face. Elisa has stopped crying, but her cheeks are still completely wet.

"I came her because . . ." he trails off as he watches fresh tears fill Elisa's eyes. That's why his fingers seek Elisa's. "I came here because I promised that I'd protect you."

For the first time, Elisa dares to look at Five. She still feels awful-truly awful. She doesn't deserve to look at him ever again. She doesn't deserve his kindness-his comfort. She looks in front of her.

"I'd protect you . . . even from yourself."

"I messed up pretty bad, huh." Elisa sighs loudly.

Five doesn't answer. He stays quiet-now also looking in front of him. His silence is her confirmation.

"I don't deserve your comfort, Five," Elisa whispers, pain clear in her voice. "What I did-"

"Stop-"

"What I said. . ." Elisa does turn to meet his gaze now. "It was a surprise the words even left my lips. I thought I was unable to lie that way."

Five's eyes widen a little, but he recovers. Something in him changes, though. His eyes shine like they used to. The twinkle appears again. A twinkle full of hope.

"You don't hate me?" he asks, having to know.

"I could never truly hate you," Elisa admits. Neither broke the eye contact. "I lied, and you believed my lies so easily. I lied because maybe then I could . . ." Five inhales sharply, glancing at the unconscious version of him. "But I could never, Five. I love you."

Immediately, Five his face lights up even more. A content, surprised smile tugs at his lips. "Repeat it, please," he begs. "I think I'm hearing things I-"

"I love you, Five Hargreeves," Elisa whispers shyly. "I don't want to live in a world where I don't know who you are. I don't want you to forget me, and I don't want me to forget you."

Five's eyes trail down to Elisa's lips. He moves his body closer next to Elisa, closing the space between them. "I'm so, so glad you didn't slit my throat."

"You're going to sit on my knife!" Elisa's eyes widen. Her laughing fills the room when Five carefully throws the knife to the other side of the room.

"Shh!" He practically laughs with her. "You're going to wake everyone up!"

Elisa rolls her eyes in a playful manner as she smacks him on his chest. "Looks like you don't need help killing yourself, idiot." She continues laughing.

Laughing, too, Five's jaw drops. "Did you just call me idiot?"

"I most certainly did." Elisa nods, twinkles appearing in her eyes.

"That hurts." He lays frees her hand to press his own hand against his chest, pretending to be hurt.

"I'm sure it hurts less than sitting on a knife." Elisa smiles.

His smile widens in return. "You're right."

Then, Five's hands moves from his chest to Elisa's face. First, he uses his hand to wipe away all the tears that are left. Most of them have already dried, but he only uses this as an excuse to touch her. He doesn't hesitate to rub his finger over Elisa's bottom lip afterwards. Elisa's stomach flips two times, and a third time when Five continues to stare at her. There's no more laughing-not even from baby Elisa.

"I love you," Five whispers as a soft smile returns.

Elisa doesn't have the time to return a smile because Five wraps his arm around her waist-just like she always has loved. He pulls her body closer to his.

Their lips meet. Five presses Elisa's body even deeper into his. She melts into his touch without a doubt. It feels right. Normal. This is how it always should've been.

The kiss deepens, and they both continue-hungrily for each other's touch. The kiss represents the loss they both felt today. It represents the hope for the future all together with the lies that have been told.

Only when Elisa notices a tear touching her lips, she leans back. Frowning, Elisa looks at Five. His eyes are closed. He's unwilling to let her see his tears again.

"Oh, Five," Elisa whispers as more tears wet his cheeks. Her hand places itself on the wetness on his cheek.

"Don't ever leave me like that again." He leans into her touch. "You broke me, Elisa. I know why you did it, but I-"

"I won't ever leave you again, Five." Elisa cuts him off. "You're stuck with me, remember?"

A sad chuckle of his sounds. "I remember."

"Of course you remember." Elisa kisses his other cheek. "We're stuck with each other."

A cry sounds in the baby's room, making sure the two stand up, shocked.

Elisa stands up, and helps Five on his feet, too. "I think we should . . ." Elisa trails off when the cry gets louder and louder.

"Let me take you away from here," Five intertwines his fingers with hers again. "Where do you want to go?" he asks. "The commission?" His face falls, but Elisa can see that he'd do it if she asked him.

"No need to bring me there." Elisa shakes her head fiercely, squeezing his hand. "I'm right where I need to be." Quickly, she gives him a peck on is lips, causing him to smile again.

Noises are audible from the parents' room, making Elisa take a step closer to Five. Her eyes fall on the unconscious version of him. "Won't he be seen?"

"We can lay him behind the seat," Five suggests. "He'll finish the job when he wakes up."

Elisa swallows. Finishing the job means giving the baby-her-the serum. It'll mean that nothing will change. It'll mean her parents' death.

Without saying another word, Elisa frees Five his hand, and she heads toward the unconscious Five. He, too, is full of bruises. The line on his neck is also unmissable. When Five notices this, he avoids Elisa's eyes.

His hands take the younger version of him by his legs, and he starts to drag his younger self to the living room. Elisa would ask him if she can help, but she's frozen on the spot. She almost did it. She almost killed the man she loves.

When a door opens, Elisa quickly jumps right into shadows, making herself practically invisible. Five does the exact same. Footsteps sound in the hall, but they stop when opening the door leading to baby Elisa her bedroom.

Five takes Elisa's hand in his while his other arm curls around her waist.

The blue light appears, and Elisa presses herself against Five. When the blinding light increases, Elisa squeezes her eyes shut. She presses her ear against his chest. Hearing his heartbeat, Elisa smiles, relieved. He's still here. He's still alive. Her eyes don't open again for a long time. Even when the light has fades, they stay closed, and she keeps on hugging Five.

"We're safe, you know," Five whispers in hear ear, but even he doesn't loosen his grip on her. One arm of his is still curled around her waist. His other hand lays on the back of Elisa's head. He uses it to press her head even closer to him.

"I know," Elisa replies in a whisper, too. She is safe in his arms.

"I thought I'd never be able to have you in my arms like this." Five kisses the top of her head, savouring every single second that passes.

Loud and aggressive thumps are heard on the door, making Elisa flinch in Five's arms.

"I know you're in there with her, Five! Open up!" It's Diego.

Elisa looks up at Five, frowning.

"I'll open the door myself if you d-"

"Diego." Five rolls his eyes. "That's quite enough."

"I need to have a word with your girlfriend!"

"What's up with him?" Elisa asks Five, taking a step backwards.

"Let me ask her first!" Five yells to Diego. The thumps stop, and Diego doesn't say a word more. he only waits and listens carefully.

"What do you have to ask?" Elisa asks him, not understanding what's going on.

Five sighs loudly when the two hear Diego's mumbles. "Elisa. . ." he starts. "Did you tell Vanya about how we didn't include her when we. . ." killed Morgana. Five doesn't get the words off his lips, but Elisa understands.

Unable to speak again, Elisa shakes her head.

"You didn't?" Five asks her, seeming truly surprised. "What was the last time you saw her?"

"In her apartment . . . with you."

Immediately, Five turns around, and he goes to open the door. The lock clicks, and Diego storms in, throwing the door open. His face is furious. It's as if his eyes are on fire.

"I don't believe you!" he raises his voice at Elisa. She takes another step backwards in response. When he attempts to throw himself at her, Five steps in front of him, pushing Elisa behind him.

"Don't you even dare," he hisses at his brother.

"She's lying! Why else would Vanya have left without saying anything?" Diego attempts to push Five to the side, but Five grabs Diego by the collar of his shirt. He shoves his brother backwards as if the huge age gap doesn't exist.

"I believe her."

"Vanya left?" Elisa's eyes widen, shocked. "Where did she go?"

Both Diego and Five sigh.

"We don't know," Five admits with a pained expression on his face.