Chapter Text
EXT. BUDAPEST, 2000 - NIGHT
A black screen introduces the gentle melody of a guitar. It’s soft and kind, but a haunting voice emerges. "Your Power" by Billie Eilish begins, and the black screen vanishes with THE HANDLER's familiar snap.
EILISH
(singing)
Try not to abuse your power
I know we didn't choose to change
You might not wanna lose your power
But having it’s so strange.
LILA leans against a brick wall, her breath quick and shallow. Her jaw tightens as she clenches her eyes shut. She’s young, trembling—clearly nervous, scared shitless.
EILISH (cont’d)
She said you were a hero,
You played the part
But you ruined her in a year,
Don’t act like it was hard.
From the shadows of a back alley in Budapest, rats scatter over piles of trash. LILA shakes her head sharply, as though banishing doubt. She claps softly, a ritual, and punches each shoulder twice. She bounces on her toes a few times, centering herself.
The camera shifts to her face, coming into sharp focus. Her intense gaze locks with us.
EILISH (cont’d)
No wonder why you didn’t ask
She was sleeping in your clothes
But now she’s got to get to class.
A finger snap echoes close to LILA’s ear—THE HANDLER’s snap. Billie Eilish’s voice and the guitar cut off abruptly, replaced by soft brown noise.
LILA’s warm brown eyes, full of fear and youth, dim like a lamp being unplugged. Her expression dulls, becoming eerily blank.
With a hard kick against the wall, she straightens. Determined. Strong. Empty. What stands before us is a hollow shell, ready to forget whatever horrors she’s about to commit.
INT. THE COMMISSION, 2004 - DAWN
LILA’s dark, empty gaze pierces through the frame. The camera slowly pulls back to reveal her face—older now, weary, slick with sweat. Her skin glistens under the harsh light.
In the background, a muffled, distorted voice echoes. LILA blinks slowly, almost in a trance.
A ballet barre splits the screen, her hand gripping it tightly.
SNAP!
THE HANDLER’s fingers break the moment, snapping everything back to real-time. The guitar from "Your Power" resumes without the voice. THE HANDLER's sharp voice cuts through like a blade.
THE HANDLER
Come on, Lila. NO! No. Tuck in that chin!Keep time. 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Her fingers snap repeatedly, and her wooden rod waves around LILA’s face.
The camera flickers erratically, mimicking LILA’s overwhelmed state. THE HANDLER’s words clash against Billie’s haunting lyrics as LILA struggles to focus. Her empty eyes register the commands, but her body wavers. She kicks one leg up, the other trembling en pointe.
THE HANDLER (cont’d)
Your ribs are poking out!
EILISH
(singing)
Will you only feel bad when they find out?
If you could take it all back, would you?
THE HANDLER slams a short stick against the barre. The sharp crack reverberates, jolting the scene.
THE HANDLER (cont’d)
Lila! Do you want to do this for another hour?
Despite the chaos, LILA finds balance. Her trembling hands release the barre, and she pirouettes, fighting for elegance.
THE HANDLER (cont’d)
Watch your face. Relax it, Lila! ELEGANT!
EILISH (cont’d)
You might not wanna lose your power
But having it’s so strange.
Her grimace fades as LILA forces composure, rising back en pointe with a semblance of grace.
EXT. BUDAPEST, 2000 - MIDNIGHT
A silenced shot rings out. The camera pans above the courtyard as LILA’s figure becomes almost invisible in the dark. Another flash of light reveals her, firing again.
EILISH (cont’d)
(singing)
Does it keep you in control?
For you to keep her in a cage?
LILA moves through the mansion like a phantom, reloading her weapon in the shadows. Her movements are swift and precise. Her face flickers into view under dim lights, revealing no hesitation.
The guitar melody swells with sorrow as she approaches a grand door at the end of a corridor.
INT. THE COMMISSION, 2004 - MORNING
LILA inhales deeply, and all music stops. Her breath trembles; she’s on the verge of breaking. Tears threaten to spill as she exhales slowly, closing her eyes. Every dust particle, every shuffle of fabric is audible against the eerie brown noise.
THE HANDLER
Again.
SNAP!
The dreaded sound forces LILA to grimace. Sunlight streams through tall windows, reflecting off the barre’s polished surface.
The reflection sharpens as THE HANDLER steps into view. Her perfectly poised figure looms, the heels of her blood-red stilettos clicking ominously.
THE HANDLER (cont’d)
How many times, Lila?
If you just got it right the first time, we wouldn’t be here for hours.
LILA’s breathing grows harsher, her glare intensifying in the mirror.
THE HANDLER (cont’d)
This is all for your benefit, Lila.
Ballet is about working through pain and never showing it.
The camera tilts down. LILA’s feet are raw, blood seeping through her pointe shoes. THE HANDLER’s crimson heels remain immaculate, pointed directly at her.
THE HANDLER leans in, her voice venomous yet eerily calm.
THE HANDLER (cont’d)
Never show them weakness.
Never show them love.
Never show them anything.(She smiles coldly.)
THE HANDLER (cont’d)
Why?
LILA’s eyes snap shut. When she opens them, the numbness has returned.
LILA (whispering)
Because I am nothing.
Her voice is quiet but echoes through the vast, empty room.
THE HANDLER (cont’d)
And?
LILA
Everything I am is borrowed.
EXT. BUDAPEST, 2000 - NIGHT
LILA kicks open a heavy door, the sound reverberating through the quiet night. There’s no music, but the brown noise crackles faintly in the distance. She steps through the threshold with purpose, her silhouette framed by the dim glow of moonlight spilling into the room.
The camera pans to reveal her perspective—an antique office in disarray. The room has been ransacked, its elegance reduced to chaos. Furniture lies overturned, papers scatter like fallen leaves, and a shattered mirror reflects the fractured state of its surroundings.
Her gun enters the frame first, steady but deliberate, as LILA moves cautiously through the wreckage. Her boots crunch over broken glass and splintered wood.
From the floor, the camera tilts up, capturing her looming figure. The gun in her hand wavers ever so slightly, betraying her otherwise composed exterior. Her eyes, once cold and detached, falters in her youth.
A subtle crack beneath her boot echoes like a gunshot in the stillness. The sound cuts through her numbness, and something in her expression shifts. The mask fractures.
For the first time, the real LILA peers down. Her human vulnerability bleeds through—raw, conflicted, and trembling. Her finger hovers on the trigger, shaking violently, as though her hand might betray her resolve.
EILISH (singing softly)
How dare you?
And how could you?
Will you only feel bad
If it turns out that they killed your contract?
The song cuts off abruptly, replaced by silence that hangs heavy in the air. The emptiness rushes back into LILA’s eyes like a tide reclaiming the shore. The brief glimmer of humanity is extinguished.
Suddenly, a voice shatters the quiet, raw and desperate.
BOY (O.S.)
Wait! Plea—
INT. SUBWAY TRAINS - DAWN
The screen fades from black, and the familiar subway scene materializes—blurry, warped, and bathed in pale dawn light. LILA lies asleep on FIVE’s leg, her head resting awkwardly on his thigh.
From down the train car, the camera captures the two of them sprawled out haphazardly, as though they had shifted unconsciously throughout the night.
The rhythmic thud, thud, thud of the train wheels is louder this morning. FIVE grimaces, blinking rapidly and squinting at the harsh fluorescent lights overhead. He shifts slightly, discomfort clear on his face.
His gaze drifts to the basket near them, containing the remains of the berries they had eaten the night before. With a tired sigh, FIVE lets his head fall back onto the backpack propped beneath him.
FIVE (whispering to himself)
Shit. What station are we in?
He glances briefly at LILA, who stirs but remains asleep. Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out a worn notebook, a habit as ingrained as breathing.
Opening it, he skims through the entries. His eyes linger on a memory that flashes briefly in his mind—LILA standing in sunlight, holding a flower, her face lit up with a rare smile.
Gripping his pen, FIVE writes a new entry:
25. Flowers.
He pauses, scanning back up the list. His gaze halts on earlier entries:
5. Be in sight when she wakes up.
18. She likes handmade gifts.
In the background, over his shoulder, the notebook fades out of focus. The camera shifts to LILA, still sleeping. Her brow furrows, and a soft, desperate whimper escapes her lips.
She jolts slightly, her hand gripping FIVE’s knee.
LILA (whispering, desperate)
Please. Please. Don’t make me...
FIVE’s eyes widen. Lowering the notebook, he looks at her intently, alarmed.
LILA
I’ll do anything. Plea—
LILA buries her face into his leg, trembling. A tear streaks down her cheek as she squirms, trying to escape whatever haunts her dreams.
But just as suddenly, she stills. Her body relaxes, and her breathing steadies.
LILA (whispering, as if reciting)
Because I am nothing.
And everything I am is borrowed.
Her voice is hollow, like she’s spoken these words her whole life. The crying fades into soft, rhythmic breathing.
FIVE watches, his mind racing. The words echo in his ears as he tries to piece together the dream that caused them. He hesitates, wanting to comfort her, but his hand hovers just shy of her head.
Unable to move closer without waking her, he sighs, relief and worry mingling on his face.
TIME PASSES
The train stops at several platforms, the brakes screeching loudly each time. Finally, at one particularly jarring halt, LILA bolts upright.
LILA
WHAT? What? Where are we?
FIVE (startled)
I think we’re here.
FIVE quickly shuffles through a map of the subway system, handing it to her. His notebook shifts in his lap, and with a flick of his wrist, he snaps it shut before she can catch a glimpse of its contents.
LILA (yawning)
I need to pee.
FIVE
'Kay.
He begins gathering their belongings: the basket of berries, the wood they collected, and their bags. Without waiting for her, he leads the way out of the train toward the surface.
EXT. SUBWAY EXIT - DAWN
The faint light of dawn spills over the flat, barren landscape. Snow stretches endlessly in every direction, blanketing the world in a cold, sterile white. The sky contrasts with dark and deep red, vast and unending.
FIVE scans the area cautiously. A few deer sprint across the snow, their legs barely making a sound. At first, he dismisses them as ordinary animals, but something makes him look again.
The deer have two heads and four eyes. Their antlers are unnaturally wide and twisted. They share a single body, moving in eerie harmony as they vanish into the distance.
FIVE, shaken, heads back to the subway entrance.
INT. LAST STEPS OF SUBWAY STAIRS - DAWN
LILA sits on the edge of the platform, jittering her feet against the concrete. When she hears FIVE approaching, she freezes. Her feet stop moving, and her eyes stare blankly into the distance.
FIVE (snapping his fingers)
What are you doing?
LILA (breaking out of her haze)
Huh? Right. Bathroom.
She brushes past him, her dissociative state dissipating. FIVE tilts his head, observing her closely before letting her go.
After a few minutes, FIVE notices the two-headed deer again, running toward the red sky. Jolting sharply, he remembers.
FIVE (calling after her, still facing away)
Don’t eat the snow!
LILA (O.S., worried)
Why not?
FIVE
I think this world went through a radioactive bombing!
LILA (pausing, hesitantly)
What if I already ate some?
FIVE (whipping his head around)
LILA! DID YOU REALLY?
LILA (bursting into laughter)
No. You dolt!
FIVE exhales sharply, glaring at her.
FIVE
Don’t do that. You fucking scared me.
LILA (chuckling)
Come on, your turn.
She stops in front of him, inspecting his scared face closely. With another laugh from LILA, FIVE finally cracks a smile.
EXT. NEAR THE SUBWAY EXIT - DAYBREAK
LILA settles onto a rock, red light poking through the thick forest of trees behind her. She pulls on FIVE’s jacket he had left on the rock, easing into the sudden warmth.
LILA (to herself, softly)
Bastard’s always warm.
Reaching into the pocket, she feels something hard. Pulling it out, she finds FIVE’s notebook.
Curiosity takes over as she flips it open. One page has pressed flowers from the day before and notes—brief, cryptic entries about the worlds they’ve visited. Her finger trails over one of the pressed flowers, still bright yellow, holding a hint of warmth from the rainforest.
Just as she’s about to turn to the final pages, FIVE appears behind her, snatching the notebook from her hands.
FIVE (sternly)
What are you doing?
LILA (startled)
Oh, sorry. I didn’t know it was personal.
FIVE (bitter)
It’s the one thing that’s personal.
LILA’s expression shifts—from surprise to disappointment, and finally, to regret.
LILA (whispering)
Sorry.
FIVE exhales, the tension easing slightly. He gestures toward the subway platform.
FIVE
It’s fine. Let’s go.
INT. SUBWAY PLATFORM BY THE STAIRS - DAYBREAK
The silence between them is heavy as they walk, unspoken words hanging in the air like ghosts. Their steps down the stairs echo faintly, the weight of what remains unsaid pressing down on both of them.
FIVE (softening)
Lila?
LILA (whispering)
Yeah?
FIVE
If you could change anything about the way you were raised, what would it be?
LILA freezes, her body going completely still. The weight of the question lingers in the air, thick and suffocating. Her breath catches, and she exhales slowly, almost as if buying herself time. She doesn’t look at him, her eyes fixed on the horizon or perhaps somewhere deep within herself.
Her fingers fidget, twisting a loose thread on her shirt.
LILA (quietly, almost to herself)
I wish I was raised. Not trained like a dog.
Her voice is barely above a whisper, each word deliberate, carrying the heavy burden of years of reflection. The confession feels raw, stripped of her usual sarcasm and bravado. She shifts uncomfortably, her shoulders sagging as though the admission takes a physical toll.
FIVE
And?
The simplicity of his follow-up cuts through her like a blade, and another SNAP from THE HANDLER crashes in her mind. Her jaw tightens, and her lips press together as though holding back tears. When she finally speaks again, her voice is steadier but tinged with bitterness.
LILA (turning to face him, her gaze unflinching)
I wish I could change everything about me so nothing I do would remind me of her.(Her words land heavy, but she presses on as though forcing the truth out.)
I wish I wasn’t raised broken so I wouldn’t have to spend my short life piecing me back together.
The silence between them feels infinite. It isn’t just the absence of sound—it’s the kind of silence that feels alive, pulsing with unspoken emotions. LILA’s eyes glisten, but she doesn’t cry. She clenches her fists tightly, her nails digging into her palms like she’s punishing herself for the vulnerability.
The faint screech of the train wheels in the distance brings a fleeting reminder of their current reality, but neither moves.
LILA (distantly, hollow)
You?
FIVE doesn’t respond immediately. He shifts his weight, his boots scuffing lightly against the concrete as he glances away. His body language betrays his discomfort—shoulders slumping, hands flexing like he wants to do something but doesn’t know what.
FIVE
Ditto.
LILA lets out a sharp, disbelieving laugh, breaking the tension. Her eyes narrow as she snaps her head toward him, incredulous.
LILA
That’s not fair. I just poured my bloody heart out!
Her tone is sharp, but there’s a teasing edge to it. She’s trying to mask the sting of his brief answer. FIVE, however, doesn’t take the bait. He looks at her, his expression unreadable but heavy with unspoken things.
FIVE (deflecting, hesitant)
I… I wouldn’t even know how to word my answer.
LILA exhales loudly, half in exasperation and half in an attempt to ground herself. She rolls her eyes but softens slightly, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.
LILA
Try.
(Her demand is simple but pointed. She leans back slightly, crossing her arms as if daring him to open up.)
FIVE hesitates, his gaze flickering between her and the ground.
FIVE
I…
He falters, visibly struggling. His jaw tightens, and he runs a hand through his hair, a nervous gesture she recognizes but doesn’t comment on.
LILA (sighing, her voice softening)
What if I turn around? Would that help?
She spins around before he can answer, her back straight, shoulders squared. Despite her attempt to appear casual, her foot begins tapping rhythmically against the ground. The sound echoes faintly, betraying her impatience.
FIVE
What is this? Confessionals?LILA (grinning slightly)
Sure. Why not?(The tapping stops, and she tilts her head slightly, waiting. The tension between them feels more like a thread being pulled taut, threatening to snap.)
FIVE
(muttering)
¿Puedo hacerlo en español?(Can I say it in Spanish?)
LILA (freezing, her posture straightening even further)
Claro. ¿Por qué no?
(Sure. Why not?)
FIVE studies her carefully. The worn fabric of her dress catches his eye, the patches of thread stubbornly holding it together. He notes the way the frayed edges flutter in the faint breeze, a visual echo of her resilience.
He inhales deeply, his voice steady but weighed down with emotion.
FIVE (in Spanish, quietly at first)
Creo que soy una persona que no debió existir.
(I think I’m someone who was never meant to exist.)FIVE (cont’d)
Siento que este mundo estaría mejor sin mí, sin mi existencia.
(I feel like this world would be better off without me, without my existence.)
FIVE pauses, the weight of his words settling between them. His shoulders slump slightly as he continues.
FIVE (cont’d)
Entonces la pregunta para mí no es cómo cambiar mi vida.
(So, for me, the question isn’t how to change my life.)
La verdadera pregunta es…
(The real question is…)
¿Por qué mi vida?
(Why my life?)
His voice grows quieter, raw.
FIVE
Me odio más porque estás aquí conmigo.
(I hate myself more because you’re here with me.)
Porque ahora, no vivo para mí. Ahora estoy viviendo para ti.
(Because now, I’m not living for myself. Now I’m living for you.)
The words spill out like a confession he’s been holding onto for years. They hang in the air, raw and unfiltered.
LILA doesn’t turn right away. Her foot stops tapping, her hands unclench, and she stands utterly still, absorbing the weight of his words.
When she finally turns, her expression is guarded, but her eyes betray her emotions. There’s a softness there—a deep understanding, even if it’s accompanied by pain.
LILA (quietly, carefully)
Ditto.
A train rushes past, stirring the air around them. The sound pulls them out of the moment, and their lips twitch into soft smiles. The smiles grow, tentative at first, until they’re both laughing quietly.
The warm yellow light of dawn catches on FIVE’s face, illuminating the edges of his expression. LILA’s shadow stretches across him, her presence a tangible reminder of their history.
FIVE
Let’s keep going. We need to find some food.
LILA (softly, nodding)
Okay. Yeah, I’m hungry.
FIVE grabs another handful of logs, but LILA, already ahead of him, pops small berries into her mouth. Sitting together, they share a soft sigh. LILA pulls out her psychology textbook again.
INT. SUBWAY TRAINS
From the door, we see Five drop their bags and logs on the seat across. Lila sighs and crashes on a seat and soon Five follows her heavy drop.
LILA
Now that we’ve finally gotten through that question…
(quoting)
Take four minutes and tell your partner your life story in as much detail as possible.
FIVE
We can’t keep time.
LILA
We can stop… when the next station arrives. One stop’s worth of life story.
FIVE (fidgeting)
Can you go first?
LILA
I went first last time. This is all yours.
The train doors close slowly in the peripheral, and LILA grins at him, nodding for him to begin.
FIVE (reluctantly)
As much detail as possible? Christ.
Uh… I was born on October 1st, 1989. Adopted by Reginald Hargreeves and named Number Five because I was the fifth one he adopted. Apparently, I was adopted from Ireland, but I don’t trust anything that man says.(He exhales deeply before continuing.)
FIVE (cont’d)
Let’s see… I fought some bad guys for a few years. Trained for a lot more. At 13, I stupidly thought I could time travel without any consequences.(He pauses, his jaw tightening as memories surface.)
FIVE (cont’d)
I landed in the apocalypse. But because I witnessed it firsthand, it solidified in our timeline. It became permanent for me.(He rubs the back of his neck, his voice softening.)
FIVE
At first, I was okay. No dad. No bickering family. But that only lasted a week. Then I found Dolores…
LILA (perking up)
Dolores! Yes! I’ve heard of this Dolores!
FIVE (embarrassed, his face turning red)
Hey! Don’t make fun of me.
You try living in an apocalypse for 45 years and see if you don’t need someone to talk to.
At least here, you have me.
I had no one.
LILA (somber, dropping her grin)
I believe you. You needed someone. So, your mind made one for you.
FIVE (sighing, lost in thought)
She… proved that I was capable of love. Despite Reginald.(He trails off, lost in thought before shaking himself back to the present.)
FIVE
I walked across America for, I don’t know… a decade or two? Maybe three? Then I found a semi-functional place to live for a few more decades, and that’s when THE HANDLER found me.
Worked for the Commission for five years. Slipped through time wrong, again, ended up stuck in a teenager’s body. Had to go through puberty. Escaped that apocalypse, landed in the 1960s… and then I met you.(He glances at her, his expression softening.)
LILA
It’s a very large oversimplification, but yes.
FIVE
(breaking into a smile)
Hmm, we sure used to hate each other.
If I told, younger me that I’d have to survive the apocalypse with you, I probably would have tried to kill me.
LILA (laughing)
I believe that, too.
FIVE
Then… Hotel Obsidian. We landed in our timeline. You married Diego. Got Gracie. Got the twins.
LILA (playfully)
This is supposed to be about your life.
FIVE
Right. Uh… I started with the CIA. Derek was the first person I met. I miss Derek sometimes. Worked on national security, some boring stuff, some crazy stuff.(He hesitates, glancing at her as though deciding whether to continue.)
FIVE (cont’d)
I got shot three times…
LILA (sitting up straighter, alarmed)
What? Where? When?
FIVE (blinking, surprised)
One in the arm, one in my thigh, and one on my chest. Over the span of six years.
LILA
How did we not know?
FIVE
CIA. They cover everything.
LILA (sternly)
I… still wish you would’ve told me. Told us.
FIVE
I was fine. I recovered quickly and was back on the job in no time. If it had been really bad, then Derek would’ve notified you first.
LILA (narrowing her eyes)
Me?
FIVE
You’re first contact.
LILA
Why?
FIVE (shrugging)
You’re the only one who really knows what the Commission was like.
The Handler.
Time.(His voice drops slightly, tinged with bitterness.)
FIVE
My family still thinks I’m an old man stuck in a kid’s body. That I’m still their good brother. Like I haven’t killed out of spite.
LILA (tilting her head, studying him)
They do tend to underestimate you.
FIVE (quietly)
Why not you as my emergency contact?
LILA (slowly)
I don’t know. I feel like we’ve never been close enough. The only time we’ve really been honest with each other before all this was when we were fighting.
FIVE
Well, you had your own life. And I was gone half the year.
LILA
What else?
FIVE
Uh… CIA, then the whole Jennifer situation, as you know. Then...(He trails off, his eyes meeting hers as he winces. The memory of her hand dragging him into the train flashes vividly in his mind.)
(The train slows to a stop, the doors hissing as they open. FIVE exhales deeply, shaking off the heaviness in his chest.)
FIVE
Finally, that was way longer than four minutes.
LILA (dissociating, staring at the door)
I hope my station is short.
FIVE (trying to meet her eyes)
I hope it’s hours long.
LILA (skeptical, tilting her head)
You would hear me talk for hours?
FIVE
Of course.
I never know what’s going to come out of your mouth.
LILA (smiling faintly)
That makes two of us.(She pauses, her expression flickering between amusement and apprehension. Finally, she draws in a steadying breath.)
LILA
My life… it’s really complicated. But keep up.(She sits back, adjusting her posture like she’s bracing herself.)
LILA
I, too, was born on October 1st, 1989. I sometimes forget you were there... when everything changed.(Her expression shifts as flashes of her parents surface. Her fingers curl slightly as if bracing for impact.)
LILA (cont’d)
Then The Handler adopted me. Gave me a new name because ‘she hated my old one’ and named me after her old trainee who died decades before me. Lila.(Her voice hardens as bitterness creeps in.)
LILA (cont’d)
Well, apparently her name was Lily, but that bitch never even learned it properly.(She crosses her arms, her defensiveness bleeding through her posture.)
LILA (cont’d)
Training consumed the next two decades. Commission work, learning the ropes... She really was planning to leave me the Commission, if she ever retired. Ballet, the instruments, all the martial arts, weapons training, combat, sniper skills—everything.
I’m sure I did more, but I barely remember it.(Her tone dips with exhaustion.)
LILA
The Commission is technically outside of time, so I feel like I’ve been living for ages.(She pauses, the weight of those years pressing on her chest.)
LILA
I got assigned your case. I was trying to find you and ended up finding Diego instead.
FIVE
I’ve already been there for that part. Tell me more about before that.(She hesitates, her lips twitching as if the words catch in her throat. Finally, she exhales sharply.)
LILA
I got my first case at eleven. I had to… take out a foreign minister’s son.(A heavy silence stretches between them. Her gaze drops to the floor, and for a moment, she looks impossibly small.)
LILA
I’d been trained so well that I barely remember it. There were so many more after him, but I’ll never forget his face.(Her voice falters, cracking slightly before she quickly composes herself.)
LILA
I worked more throughout my teenage years. Got the highest kill record in the Commission. Before you, of course.(Her tone lightens momentarily, but it’s a thin veneer over the heaviness beneath.)
LILA (forcing a smile)
Time gets muddled after that. My late teens and early twenties… they’re all mushed together. Like my brain can’t even process it anymore.(She stares blankly ahead, her voice quieter now.)
LILA
All I remember is that there was always… so much blood.(She shivers, hugging herself reflexively.)
LILA
You’d never think a person could have that much blood. My brain shut down. It went blank and fled the scene. Like… I was protecting myself. Subconsciously.(Her hand brushes her face, wiping away an invisible weight. She looks back at FIVE, her eyes reflecting years of exhaustion.)
LILA
I haven’t dissociated like this in years. After meeting your family, things got quiet. I didn’t hear her insistent need for perfection anymore. Not all the time, at least.(Her voice hardens, tinged with bitterness.)
LILA
It’s not my fault for being born human.(She exhales deeply, as if trying to expel the memories.)
LILA
Honestly, she was just… so much. All the bloody time.(Her voice sharpens, mimicking a scolding tone.)
LILA (cont’d)
‘Calm down, Lila.’
‘Do better, Lila.’
‘Work harder, Lila.’(Her hands ball into fists before loosening again. She sighs, quieter now.)
LILA
So, when I was ten, I figured it all out.
I’d turn my brain off. Let my body suffer through it all. Handle the beatings. Handle The Handler. Handle the world. Without me having to be there.(She swallows hard, her gaze unfocused.)
LILA
I didn’t realize my body was keeping count.(Her voice softens, almost imperceptibly.)
LILA
I stopped when I met Diego at the loony bin. He kept me so busy my mind stayed in the present. Like I was free for the first time.(Her faint smile fades.)
LILA
Then that feeling faded. Just the honeymoon phase, I guess. Reality flickered back in.(Her expression softens as she continues.)
LILA
But I got Grace. Gracie, my little Gracie. When I say she saved me from everything, I mean… she saved me from everything.(Her voice cracks, and a single tear escapes.)
LILA
I got to see a mini-me. Untouched. Unbroken. Whole. Real.(Her gaze shifts back to FIVE, her voice steadier now.)
LILA
And I got to protect her from everything. Rewrite my own history. Tell her everything I wanted to hear. Feed her. Love her.(She smiles faintly, the warmth returning to her voice.)
LILA
I was in reality. For the first time, Five.(She exhales shakily.)
LILA
Then I got the twins. You should’ve seen their small nails. Their toes. Their fingers. And when they giggled for the first time at bath time…(Her voice trails off, dissociation creeping in.)
LILA
It’s love. Pure and unfiltered. And it hit me all at once.
FIVE (quietly, almost teasing)
Like a daisy in the rainforest?
LILA (breaking her gaze, smiling)
Like a daisy. In the rainforest.
FIVE
Keep going.
LILA
I tried to make it all work. Three kids. Four if you count Diego.
FIVE (grinning)
I definitely do.
LILA (chortling)
I do, too.(Her laughter fades into a somber smile.)
LILA
But no one really took care of me. I just kept taking care of everyone.(She glances behind her, her voice soft.)
LILA
When’s this bloody stop getting here?(She turns back, her gaze locking with FIVE’s piercing eyes.)
LILA
But you. You always take care of me. Even before all this.
FIVE (sincerely)
Always.
LILA
You always put your family first.
When you left the Commission, I knew you were trying to get back to them.(Her voice softens further.)
LILA
I always wondered why you did that. But I guess it makes sense now.
A long stare stretches between them. FIVE’s expression is different now—intent, full of understanding.)
LILA
You remind me that there’s still hope for me.
FIVE
And you remind me there’s still strength for me.
The guitar from "Your Power" by Billie Eilish creeps in, muted and fuzzy, like it’s playing underwater.
EILISH (singing)
Try not to abuse your power
I know we didn’t choose to change
You might not wanna lose your power
But power isn’t pain.