Five, Diego, Luther and Allison rushed into the living room of Harold Jenkins, horrified to discover Allison with her neck sliced, lying on the ground, clearly dying.

"Allison! No!" Luther shouted, kneeling next to her as his shoulders shook.

"Shit," Five breathed, before glancing around. "Where's Eight?" When nobody responded, he grabbed the collar of Diego's shirt, pulling him closer. "We have to find her. She's supposed to be with Allison, and she wouldn't leave her like this - not if she could help it."

Diego sighed, glancing around.

"What we need to do is get Allison-"

"Help!"

Everyone, save for Luther and Allison, turned to the door when they heard the voice.

Five glanced at Diego and Klaus, his eyes narrowing.

"Eight." He flashed out of the house, and Klaus and Diego followed him.

"Get Allison home, to Grace!" Diego shouted, and Luther glanced up finally.

"You're just going to leave her?!" he cried as he carried her to the car.

"There's nothing I can do for her," Diego responded. "But there might be something I can do for Eight."

Luther didn't protest further, jumping into the driver's seat and speeding off.

Meanwhile, Five flashed through the darkening forest desperately, shouting Eight's name.

"Eight!" he yelled, spinning in frantic circles. Diego and Klaus did the same.

"Look!" Five shouted, and both boys ran over to him. His jaw tightened. "She was dragged." Two lines in the dirt proved this, leading all the way up to the beginning of the dock. The three of them walked to the edge, revealing tiny ripples in the water."Shit," Five whispered, and without hesitating further, dove into the lake. Diego and Klaus followed moment later, not even bothering to peel off their shirts.

A few moments later, Five emerged from the water, shaking his head to get the hair out of his face.

"I've got her! Diego, help me get her on the dock, now! She's got something weighing her down. Quick!"

Diego swam over, scooping Eight out of the water and heaving her onto the dock.

"A chain," Five growled, a muscle in his jaw ticking in anger as he hauled himself onto the dock after Diego. His breathing was erratic and frantic, panic blurring his vision. He pressed his ear to her chest, eyes widening. "Shit, she's not breathing. Diego, do something!"

Diego hesitated before hastily readying himself for CPR. He pressed on Eight's chest only once before she suddenly made a gurgling sound on the back of her throat, water spilling over the sides of her mouth.

*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:

The first thing you noticed when you woke up was the burning feeling in your lungs. You coughed and choked, relieved to feel someone help you sit up. You leaned into them, coughing water out of your lungs. You suddenly remembered being waterboarded - that no longer seemed frightening at all. It felt like your entire body was on fire, and you were grateful for the water soaking your face since it hid your tears.

Finally, when most of the water was expelled, you just clung to the person's shirt and let yourself sob. You felt gentle, slightly shaking hands push your dripping hair away from your forehead.

"It's ok, Eight." It was Five's voice - he was the one holding you. "You're okay now. I've got you."

His hand skimmed over your back, comforting you, and you buried your head in his chest and cried, your shoulders shaking. He just held you, running his fingers over your soaked hair, combing through it gently.

"You're all right. I promise."

Finally, you took a shaky breath and leaned back to discover that Five, Diego, and Klaus were all soaking wet and shivering.

"I'm sorry," you whispered, your breath clouding slightly in the cold night air. "I should've realized Harold was-"

"Harold did this to you?" Diego asked, gripping a knife in his hand, and you nodded.

"Thank you, Diego," you managed to whisper. Five still held you close, his breaths also slightly shaky.

Maybe he's cold, you thought.

"For what?"

"Saving me," you said. "It was you who did the CPR, wasn't it?"

Diego shrugged awkwardly.

"It wasn't that difficult. Anyone could've done it - and you came to after only one chest compression, so... yeah."

"Thank you anyway," you insisted, and Five carefully pulled you to your feet.

"Where's Allison?" you asked quickly, guilt flooding your mind.

The boys looked around at each other, but Five simply wrapped an arm around your shoulders, holding you close.

"She's injured, but alive."

"She's hurt?" you cried, eyes widening. "No, no, no, no, no."

"You need to tell us what happened," Five insisted, and Diego nodded.

"That way, we can hunt down that dickhead and make him feel every ounce of pain that you did," Diego said, spinning a knife around his fingers as you made your way to the street, likely to hail a taxi.

"Except we'll double it," Five added, and when you peeked up at his face, his eyes were cold and hateful, so unlike their usual cool forest green.

"I'm just glad you're all right," Klaus said, and you smiled gratefully at him. "But... I think they should know."

You sighed, lowering your head, but Five tilted your chin back up with two of his fingers, forcing you to meet his eyes.

"I just want to understand," he whispered, and you bit your lip.

"Fine," you said quietly, looking away. "I... was supposed to be a lookout for Allison, in case Harold got back home while she was talking to Vanya. I got distracted, and he chased me down, managed to knock me out with a gun, and tied this on my ankle." You gestured to the metal ball that you were still dragging behind you, and Five's grip on your shoulder tightened protectively.

"Asshole," he muttered.

"I woke up and he was taking me to the dock. I tried to fight him, but I was stupid, and he managed to lure me out onto the dock without much difficulty," you admitted sheepishly. "I tried to push him off, but he took me with him. I couldn't really swim anywhere with this attached to my ankle, so... I called for help. And when nobody answered, I let myself sink. Im not the best swimmer."

"And then?" Klaus prompted.

"Well, I heard a car door shut while I was underwater. I managed to swim back to the top just long enough to shout for help, but then I was just too tired." As if you prove it, your knees buckled slightly, and you leaned further into Five. "And now Allison's hurt because of me."

"It's not your fault," Five said quickly. By now, you had made it to the highway, and a taxi arrived to pick you up. The driver cast all of you an odd look before you, Five, and Klaus piled into the backseat, squished together. Diego sat up front.

"No, it literally is," you said, becoming annoyed with yourself. "I shouldn't have gotten distracted. I had one job, and I fucked it up." You shook your head quickly. "I just need to know that Allison's ok. I need her to know I'm sorry."

"Allison will be ok," Five promised, grabbing both sides of your head and spinning your face toward him. "You need to stop blaming yourself. Just get some rest, okay?"

His eyes were bloodshot, you realized, and he looked worried. He looked...

"You were the one that scared me this time," he said quietly, still staring into your eyes.

"But you're not afraid of anything, Five," you teased.

"I am," he said, dead serious. "I'm afraid of losing you."

Your face grew red, and you were relieved to see that both Klaus and Diego had their heads leaned tiredly against the window.

"Well, you won't," you mumbled, laying your head on his shoulder. He laughed softly, bringing your hand onto his leg and twining it with his.

"I'll hold you to that, (Y/N)." He said it quietly, so the others wouldn't hear, and you felt your heart thump louder in your chest. It chilled you to your very bone to think that, had your brothers arrived a moment later, it might not be beating at all right now.

I love you.

The words popped into your mind uninvited, and you snapped your eyes shut, swallowing hard.

Stop it. I'm only thinking that because I almost died. You're being selfish - Allison could be dying. I'm tired and confused - all I need is some sleep. Right. 

And so you allowed yourself to get some sleep, your head on Five's shoulder and his cheek resting against your head.

*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:

You were jolted awake by the car stopping, and everyone quickly piled out. You followed behind sleepily, realizing that you had caught up to Luther, who was struggling to open the front door of the Academy whilst also carrying Allison.

"I don't think she's breathing," Luther told Diego in a panicked voice as everyone rushed through the front doors.

"If we don't get her upstairs, she's gonna die," Klaus added, and you swallowed hard, guilt clawing at your throat.

Please be ok, you pleaded internally.

"She's suffered a severe laceration to her larynx," Grace informed all of you when you made it upstairs. Allison was laying on a cot, the blood on her neck soaking through her shirt. You had to keep looking away - it was a miracle she had survived. "One of you will need to give blood."

"I will," everyone, including you, said, and the five of you glanced around at each other.

"I'm doing it," Luther scoffed, his brow furrowing.

"I'm afraid that's not possible, dear boy. Your blood is more compatible with mine," Pogo informed him. Luther just stared at him, his mouth slightly open.

"Hey, don't sweat it," Klaus said quickly. "I... I got this, big guy. I... love needles." He held his arm out for Grace to inject the needle.

"Master Klaus." Pogo's voice stopped him. "Your blood is... how shall I say this? Too polluted."

"I can do it," you said quickly, stepping forward. "It's my fault this happened, anyway. It's no big deal."

"Nope," Five said, pulling you back. "You're already weak - I'm not going to let you lose blood. I'll do it instead."

"Move," Diego commanded, pushing past you and Five. "Let a real man handle this."

Five rolled his eyes, and the rest of you simply watched as Diego stuck his arm out. When he saw the needle, he made an odd whining noise in the back of his throat and collapsed to the ground.

"Some man," you muttered under your breath.

"Stick him," Pogo instructed Grace.