DEJA VU: ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴇᴄʀᴇᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜᴍʙʀᴇʟʟᴀ ᴀᴄᴀᴅᴇᴍʏ || 𝗧𝗨𝗔

02

His breath caught in his throat as recognition flickered in his eyes, a spark of hope igniting against the darkness.

"No... You're Katherine," he blurted out, a desperate plea for the impossible.

The girl blinked, confusion etched across her features. "As I said a while ago, I'm Katie, not this Katherine girl. You must have bumped your head pretty hard, huh?" She reached out, her hand gently pressing against the back of his head. Five recoiled as if burned, the touch triggering a flood of memories.

"My father always told me to watch my head, as knowledge is my sword against ignorant people, but I think otherwise. There's a hospital close by; I can take you there free of charge. But let me tell you, I'm not good with directions." She rambled on, her voice becoming a distant hum as Five's mind replayed the tragic scene of Katherine's demise.

Images of her lying lifeless in his arms, her whisper fading away, haunted him. "You... did i-it..." she had fought for her life, her words now an echoing torment.

"You... n-need to... l-leave... n-n-now..."

"K-Ka-Katherine...no... no! No! This can't be happening! You can't leave me!! You promised!! Please!!! Katherine, Baby, It's done... The portal is done, please!!!!" Five wobbled through the painful admission, a plea to reverse the irreversible.

The girl, now known as Katie, continued her nonsensical chatter, oblivious to the storm raging within Five. He struggled to maintain his composure, each word she uttered pulling him further into a whirlwind of memories. The scent of Katherine's hair, the warmth of her touch, the melody of her voice – all vividly replayed in his mind.

"Wha... No... It can't be," Five trailed off, his voice barely a whisper as he fought the torrent of emotions threatening to engulf him.

Katie's laughter mingled with the cacophony of the street, and Five's breaths became erratic. "Woah, woah, breathe. Just breathe," she said, guiding him to a nearby bench. "It's okay, it's okay. I'm not going anywhere, just breathe."

Five's hands trembled as he clutched the edge of the bench, tears stinging his eyes. Katie hugged him tightly, offering solace in the chaos. He leaned into the embrace, closing his eyes, hoping to drown out the painful memories with the present warmth.

Through the haze, he could hear Katie's soothing words. "It's okay, just breathe. I'm here, and you're not alone." Her voice cut through the darkness, a lifeline in a sea of despair.

As Five struggled to regain control, the scent of her hair lingered, intertwining with the scent of Katherine's memory. He blinked back tears, a battle fought behind closed eyelids. The lines between past and present blurred, and for a moment, he clung to the illusion that Katherine had returned.

"It's my Katherine," he whispered to himself, an involuntary confession escaping his lips. She had come back for him, defying the cruel hands of time. The nightmare melted away, and he clung to Katie, the semblance of Katherine as if she could anchor him in the present.

Katie continued to speak, her words weaving through the tangled threads of Five's consciousness. "You know, being grounded is hard enough, but in 4 months, luckily, Mom saved my butt." Her laughter, a distant echo, mingled with the ghost of Katherine's laughter, echoing in the chambers of Five's heart.

With each passing moment, he found it harder to breathe. The weight of grief and confusion threatened to crush him. Yet, amidst the storm, Katie's presence provided a fragile sanctuary.

She gently pulled away, her eyes searching his face with genuine concern. "Hey, are you okay?" she asked, her voice cutting through the haze.

Five struggled to form words, his throat tight with unshed tears. "Katherine," he choked out the name in a fragile whisper.

Katie's expression shifted, registering a flicker of recognition. "Katherine? Why are you saying that name?" She shook her head, her features contorted in confusion. "I'm Katie, and you're having a hard time breathing. Let's focus on now, okay?"

Five nodded, his heart heavy with the weight of an alternate reality. The echoes of Katherine's death lingered, but in the present, Katie's kindness became a bittersweet anchor in the storm of his grief.

───── ❝ 𝐢 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 ❞ ─────

Katie couldn't resist a mischievous glint in her eyes as she strolled beside Five. "So, your name is Five?" she questioned, a playful smirk playing on her lips.

"Yes," Five replied, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"Like the actual Five?"

"Yes."

"Like the number Five?"

"For the tenth time, YES!" Five snapped, his frustration evident.

"Sheesh, no need to get all worked up, kitty. I'm just asking," Katie teased, her tone light and playful.

"Don't call me that!" Five retorted, shooting her a glare.

Undeterred, Katie continued to poke fun at him. "Stop being a grumpy kitten, or you'll look like a constipated kitten," she snickered, meowing for effect as she mimicked his grumpy face and walking style.

He looked at her incredulously, "Is that supposed to be me?"

"Duhh," Katie sassily smirked, enjoying his discomfort. She wasn't one to shy away from a bit of banter.

"Well, you look constipated. Why don't you take whatever that expression is to the bathroom while I find coffee," Five suggested, attempting to reclaim some semblance of dignity.

Katie burst into laughter, finding his exasperation amusing. "You're cute when you're grumpy, you know that?" she remarked, her tone now teasing and flirtatious.

Five's cheeks flushed a rare sight for the usually composed and stoic time traveler. "I am not cute," he grumbled, clearly not accustomed to playful banter.

Katie, undeterred, decided to turn up the flirtation. "Stop acting such a grumpy old man, Five. Let loose a little we're teens. Maybe I can show you how to have some fun," she winked, her tone taking on a seductive edge.

Five caught off guard, struggled to come up with a witty comeback. Katie's teasing had managed to disarm him, and a hint of a smirk played on her lips as she continued to walk beside him.