[✓] 𝐼𝑁𝑇𝐸𝑅𝐿𝑈𝐷𝐸 | 𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐒

𝐬𝐢𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧. 𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒

Word count: 2224

𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄 𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐄𝐃, 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 her hand against the side of her head as she looked out the window of the car.

She and Five were about twenty minutes into their search for Vanya, their plan being to head to the farm that she was staying at in the hopes that they could find her there. 

And if she wasn't there . . . Well, they'd figure it out then.

Five shifted agitatedly in his seat, his hands gripping the steering wheel rather tightly; it was more than obvious that he was nervous about the whole thing—and he was right to be, Valerie didn't trust both Luther or Diego to execute this task well.

Valerie played with the pendant of her necklace as she looked out the window, feeling the grooves of the keys brush underneath her fingertips. It was still quite sunny outside, and all that surrounded the gravel road that they were on were vibrant trees and overgrown shrubbery.

They were just turning left at an intersection when another blue car passed them by. And in the driver's seat, was Vanya.

"What the hell?" Five muttered as his foot slammed on the breaks, causing the car to come to a rough stop.

The two of them looked out through the window to see that Vanya had done the same, and immediately, they got out of the car to meet her.

"What are you doing here?" Vanya questioned as the three met in the middle, her eyes changing between the two of their faces.

"Looking for you," Valerie explained, glancing over at Five, who had taken the watch out and was examining its face. "We're going back to 2019."

Vanya's eyebrows furrowed as she shook her head. "What are you talking about?"

"Look, I don't really have time to explain right now, but I found a way home. All right?" Five said quickly as he turned around to head back to the car, beckoning for the other two girls to follow him. "We have thirty minutes to leave."

"What about my friends?" Vanya questioned, ignoring Five's instruction and remaining in her spot. "I can't just leave them here."

"Vanya, you don't have a choice in this, all right?" Five exclaimed. "Doomsday will happen if you don't come with us."

"Okay, then I'm bringing them with me!" Vanya retorted.

"You can't. They belong in this timeline," Valerie said gently, nervously watching Vanya.

"Says who? Sissy deserves a life where she doesn't have to pretend to be someone she's not!" Vanya responded angrily, the volume of her voice growing louder as she turned to the other girl. "And Harlan? There's a name for what he has. We can get him the help he needs."

"Vanya," Five breathed out, shaking his head.

"Look, a mom and her eight-year-old son are not gonna screw up the timeline, Five!" Vanya exclaimed, staring straight at the boy as her eyes moistened. "They're insignificant!"

"No one is insignificant." Five shook his head as he stepped back towards her. "I'm sorry, all right? But we can't take that risk. They have to stay." He started to walk back to the car, grabbing Valerie's hand on the way as he nodded towards Vanya. "Come on."

"Why do you get to decide?!" Vanya questioned, still staying in the same spot. "You're the reason we're stuck here in the first place."

Five halted in his tracks and turned to face Vanya. An incredulous expression came over his face as he answered, "If I did nothing, we would all be dead right now, thanks to you!"