𝐖𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 ━ five hargreeves

18│UP TO NOW, WE SAILED THROUGH EVERY STORM

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❛ ᴡᴀsᴛᴇʟᴀɴᴅs ᴏғ ᴛɪᴍᴇ​​​​​​​​​​. ❜ ° . ༄
- ͙۪۪˚   ▎❛ 𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍 ❜   ▎˚ ͙۪۪̥◌
»»————- ꒰ ᴜᴘ ᴛᴏ ɴᴏᴡ, ᴡᴇ
sᴀɪʟᴇᴅ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ sᴛᴏʀᴍ ꒱


❝ YOUR ARMS HAVE HELD ME
SAFE FROM A ROLLING SEA
THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN A QUIET
PLACE TO HARBOR YOU & ME ❞

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The Hargreeves gathered in the lobby at the appointed hour, though this time they sat assembled around the stairs. Diego's knife was tucked securely against Dolores' pinstriped vest, hidden out of sight. The only indication that it was on her person was the firm press of the blade against her side— but only because she could feel it.

Allison faced her siblings. "I think you all can guess which way I'll be voting. We've all been through a lot. We've all lost people but their deaths have to mean something. Which is why I'll be voting to go with dad."

Lila came down the stairs and paused in front of Diego. "What she said. Let's go save the bloody universe!"

"Alright," the second Hargreeves began. "Well, since she said yes, I vote stay." The British woman scoffed. "How's that for nice?"

"You're not being serious."

"It's his vote, Lila," Allison reminded her. "Klaus?"

"I am with father."

"Okay, that's four to one. Viktor?"

The short-haired man sighed. "Look, I wanna believe, okay? I really do. I just can't shake the feeling we don't know what we're getting ourselves into."

"No, but we know what we've got if we don't. We have to go into this together, Viktor. A family."

He seemed entirely fed up with his sister's argument. "You can't just keep throwing the word family around. It isn't enough. I vote stay."

"Luther?"

"Um. . . Sloane and I talked and, well, we're out. Look, we wanna spend whatever time we have left together and not fighting some guy with a sword and ringing bells and stuff. So. . ." He shook his head.

"Well, dead even. Four in, four out," Viktor observed.

"That leaves you, Number Five," Reginald remarked.

"Don't forget that Dolores hasn't cast her vote yet," Edward added. He met the girl's gaze evenly.

Five spoke first: "I saw the future and it told me to sit this one out. I vote stay. It's time to accept our fate."

Dolores stood from her place on the stairs and slid her hands into her pockets. She walked over to stand in front of the boy. Her blue eyes flashed with challenge as she met his green ones. "I vote go because fuck you."

She turned away from him without another word to go stand on the other side of the room. Lila held up her hand for a high-five at their agreement that all men were stupid, to which the brunette happily obliged. Edward looked around at the assembled family members. "Well, that's still a tie. Does anyone wish to recast their vote?"

His gaze lingered on the teen boy whose narrowed eyes were on the brunette. When no one spoke, Allison glared furiously at her siblings as she took their non-answer for the 'go' side losing. "You're all pathetic."

Ben turned to his father as she stalked away. "Why can't we go in there, just the five of us?"

"That would mean certain failure. There must be seven." He addressed the remaining group: "children, I can't say I'm happy with this, but I see now that the blame falls on me. I failed you when you were young and I have failed you now. And in doing so, I have doomed the entire universe. If anyone needs me, I'll be in the courtyard. . . awaiting the end."