In the Hands of Time (Five x reader)

Twelve

~ (y/n)'s P.O.V. ~

"I must admit, Number Five, in all the time that I've been here, I've never met anyone quite like you." I frowned as we walked forward. The Handler had been quick to ignore me in favor of Five as soon as he had agreed to return, so much so that I was pushed to walk behind them on the sidewalk. 

"Hazel and Cha-Cha, for example, are talented, certainly, but... they can't see the big picture. Your spunk, your enterprising spirit, well, it reminds me a great deal of myself." The Handler continued, briefly wrapping an arm on Five's shoulder. "If I may be so vainglorius." Five said nothing, instead he moved a little farther away from her, then reached back, grabbing my hand and pulling me forward so I would be between the two. 

After I was between them, Five let my hand go, giving me a soft smile before looking forward again, listening to the Handler talk. "If things work out for you here, you both could potentially make fine co-successors. (y/n) is higher on the list for who is next in line after me because she is my niece, but as I talked about the two of you earlier, if things work out a certain way, you could both be co-Handler." I frowned.

"Auntie, I don't think that's a thing." I objected. The Handler shrugged off her coat as we walked through the door, Five and I following in after her. 

"Of course it is, dear." She replied back with the wave of her hand. Five huffed. 

"I'd like to discuss the logistics of my family's safety at your earliest convenience." Five spoke up as we moved to the stairs. 

"Such chutzpah. It's refreshing, I'll admit. Slow down, Five. All in good time. In fact, now that you've finally agreed to work with us, we've got all the time in the world." The Handler told him with a smile. Five glanced around, studying the area around us. People bustled around us as I slowed with Five. 

"What are you thinking about?" I whispered and Five shook his head. 

"Hurry up, you two. Have to finish taking Five to his new position." The Handler called, rushing us. I sighed, watching as Five picked up pace again, then I followed after him. The Handler led us down a hall, one I had grown familiar to over the years. 

"The Commission works in support of a delicate balance between the time line of events and mankind's free will." Five stared into the briefcase room, and I gave him a smile, remembering the first time we had come here together as partners to pick up our case for our first mission. The Handler turned to us, seeing the look that crossed Five's face. "The briefcase is no longer part of your kit, Five. Free your mind. You're management now. One of us." Five gave a small nod, eyes still trailing over the room as The Handler led us forward. 

~

"All the people on this floor are case managers, each one responsible for one major event at a time." The Handler told Five. We stopped in one of the doorways, peeking in at the rows of workers. I crossed my arms, remembering why I hated working on this floor so much. 

"So many of them." Five noted and I nodded. 

"Impressive size, but easy to make a singular person more forgettable in a group like this." I replied. The Handler hummed, then sent me a look. 

"Don't be like that, (y/n). You should be more grateful for being about of something... so grand." The Handler scolded, then pushed away from the door. "Come along." Five gently grabbed my hand, keeping it in his as he pulled me to follow the Handler. 

"Whenever someone chooses the wrong path and the time line is changed, the Commission gets a report from field agents on the ground. These field reports are sorted and assigned to a case manager. They determine if anyone needs to be... removed from the equation to assure that their event happens as it should." The Handler continued to explain as we walked. We turned into the tube room, a place I had been momentarily allowed to work before Gloria took complete control over it. "Based on that determination, the case manager sends instructions via pneumatic tube to... temporal assassins like you both formerly were. Any queries so far?" The Handler asked, looking to Five. Five shifted so the hand holding mine was behind his back, out of sight. 

"Yeah. Who was the case manager handling me?" Five questioned. The Handler smiled, touching a hand to Five face, then she tapped his cheek lightly. 

"Ah. You mean the apocalypse." The Handler said and I nodded my head. 

"Dot handles that." I answered for her. The Handler's smile dropped as she gave me another look. 

"(y/n), stop speaking out of turn." The Handler hissed out and I frowned, looking away. I didn't understand why she was treating me like I was young again. Just because I physically was didn't mean I wasn't mentally still an adult. 

"She didn't speak out of turn. I didn't say my query was for you to answer." Five replied back, giving my hand a slight squeeze. The Handler sighed, eyes flickering between us.

"I might as well take you to meet Dot, then, since she's in the same room you'll be working in." The Handler told him, ignoring what he had said. I frowned.

"I didn't know there was an open space." I said and The Handler shrugged as we left the room. 

"Five will be picking up your case." She replied nonchalantly. I paused, only remembering to walk forward because of the small tug on my arm that Five gave me. 

"But what happens to me? I've been working in that room and cases like that for years." I told her, slightly panicked at the idea of being moved again. The Handler waved her hand, coming to the door of the room we needed to go to. 

"You'll train him, then be reassigned to another case." She said with a shrug. I swallowed. 

"But Auntie Handler-" I tried to object, but The Handler held up a finger, shaking her head. 

"This isn't up for discussion, now come along." I felt a small lump come to my throat, not understanding why I was being pushed aside so easily for Five. I knew he was smart and I respected him and I still cared for him, but it only made me feel more hurt as we entered the room, heading to Dot's desk. 

"Five, meet Dot." The Handler introduced. Dot looked up from her work.

"Oh, hi."  Dot smiled and gave a small wave.

"Dot is responsible for all apocalypse matters. In fact, it was Dot here who first flagged your appearance in 2019." The Handler informed Five. Dot kept her smile on her face. 

"No hard feelings." Dot told him. The Handler glanced between.

"Well, you clearly put us through the ringer. Outsmarting two of our so-called best temporal assassins." The Handler put a hand on Five's shoulder, raising her voice. "If that doesn't spell leadership material..." Everyone stopped working and turned to us. The Handler let out a light laugh and I grimaced, looking away. "I just don't know." The Handler moved to my desk. "I suspect you like a challenge, Five. Which is why you'll be taking over (y/n)'s case as discussed." The Handler held a file out to him, and Five let go of my hand to grab it and open it up.

"I'm sure she could handle the challenge you want me to take care of." Five replied back. The Handler shrugged. 

"You're more suited for the job. Anyhoo, (y/n) is here to help you through this first case, and if you have any other questions, you know where to find me." The Handler pointed to the door, then began to walk away, I stared after her, barely noticing Five warping away and then reappearing with a second chair. 

"Come on, love, sit down." Five said, patting the seat. I sighed, turning to Five, then doing as he said. He came to sit down in the seat beside me. 

"I can't believe her." I murmured, glancing at Five as he began to sift through the folder of information I had collected over the last few weeks. Five absent-mindedly placed a hand on my thigh as he read, making me jump. Five gave me a slight smirk, then turned his hand over, making a grabbing motion for my hand. I huffed, yet still placed my hand in his. Five's smirk fell away into a soft smile.

"Don't worry about her. I don't plan on us being here long enough for it to matter." Five assured me. I furrowed my eyebrows. 

"You already have a plan?" I questioned and Five shrugged. 

"It's in the works. Now, come on, we have to figure out this case first." I hummed, leaning on his shoulder to read over my notes with Five.