Despite it being an ordinary day, if you looked hard enough, the children onboard the USS Enterprise were fidgety. Feel something they might, but the adults would likely ignore it. After all, even so far in the future, intuition was not so easily accepted.

Still…

Data, being an android, ignored the feeling in the air. It could be said that because he did not, in fact, feel, that he was simply ignoring it. Anyone who was at least well-acquainted with the android knew that he actually strove to simulate human mannerisms where possible. So it wasn't that he didn't notice the unease lingering over the children. That would have required him to actually be around them, which he wasn't. No, he was on the Bridge, arguing to explore a pre-Federation Japanese satellite.

Once he had been graciously permitted, he and Worf both beamed over, horrified to find that the ancient monitors showed that every single one of the dozen or so human males, none of which appeared to be over twenty years of age, were all alive.

Most of the frozen males didn't stand out as particularly handsome, though all were on the taller side for Asian males, and all were muscular. Worf commed in an extraction team, sickened by the thought that Riker had nearly allowed these young humans to die, simply because this- cryo chamber- was disguised as a derelict satellite.

Beverly Crusher's Sickbay

Data had rescued children, and god but it broke her heart. All of them appeared to be around the same age as her Wes, all in good physical condition. When Picard returned, he fumed as the most muscular young man (in front of whose bed the captain was standing) blinked awake. Silver and black hair fell in his eyes as he mumbled

"Ke-Keiji?" He sat bolt upright with a gasp, shaking when his eyes cleared.

"Who are you?" Despite the uncertainty in his voice, his language translated to Standard by her comm device, he sounded like a commander trying to protect his troops.

Once Beverly introduced herself and the Captain, the boy shook his head and sighed, muttering

"I'm Koutarou Bokuto. One of the WS ops team prototypes." Picard asked for clarification, and Bokuto eyed him before explaining

"Before whatever happened to create your Federation, Japan had a policy of retaining the personnel necessary for any problem. As a military brat and star athlete, I was the prime choice to captain the WS ops squad." Picard clicked his tongue and asked sharply

"What does 'WS' mean?" Bokuto looked at him with eyes that were pools of pure pain.

"The projects' full name was 'Conscripted Winter Soldier operatives squad'. The agency blackmailed me and several of my contemporaries into training as an elite assassination unit. Once trained, we were cryogenically frozen." Bokuto choked back a sob before he blurted

"I never thought I'd wake up from this. I thought they'd get what they wanted, Keiji would get the life he deserved, and I wouldn't-" Inhaling, he dashed the tears away and swallowed, swinging his legs off the bed and striding over the black haired male who'd been frozen with a snarl on his face.

Jabbing his ribs, Bokuto ordered

"Get the fuck up Tetsurou. I know you've been listening, and you need to deal with your grief as best you can before the others get up." The catlike hiss 'Tetsurou' directed at Bokuto shocked Beverly, though she froze when he actually spoke

"Don't tell me you're ever gonna stop grieving for Akaashi and Kousuke, you dumb owl." Bokuto sighed and informed his friend

"I know Kenma was everything to you, but you're my second, Tetsu. How am I going to hold the unit together long enough to get us to Earth if you won't help me?" The plea in Bokuto's voice tugged on Picard's heart strings, especially when he continued

"Semi and Iwaizumi are gonna blow, Ushijima will definitely be upset, the Datekou guys will want to break shit, Sawamura and his chicks will cry…" Tetsurou groaned but relented

"Fine, fine, but I better get time later to myself." Bokuto nodded and said quietly

"We'll both need it."

Jean-Luc Picard, Captain's log

Having the males discovered aboard a pre-Federation derelict mingle with the crew has had it's difficulties, I admit, chief among them their grief for the people they left behind when they were frozen. However, they have settled in moderately well, their commander, Bokuto, keeps them under control, and they are investigating work and education opportunities.

They've commandeered the holodeck a few times a week to play volleyball, but it isn't much of a problem, since they are very accommodating about it's usage, relocating to an empty cargo bed as needed.

The biggest problem, is that, according to Counselor Troi, not one of them has discussed their grief with her. Bokuto has apparently assured her that Koushi Sugawara and Kaname Moniwa, respectively their former chief medic and former head of their mission-control unit, are not only trained as counselors themselves, but also routinely talking to his people.

Counselor Troi is concerned the boys (who refer to themselves as the Volleybros) are going to self destruct. I hope she isn't correct.

Deanna Troi's Office

Every one of the boys Data had rescued were stubborn, competitive, and dense, she thought. They weren't talking, and she'd had enough of that. She could feel the agony that had sunken into their bones, wrapped around their hearts like vines.

Thoroughly done, she'd cornered Bokuto and bullied him into her office, and had pushed him to let it out. He stared at her, face twisted into a not-often-seen derisive glare. Finally, he spoke, every word grating on her composure.

"Before my own government threatened my boyfriend and younger brother, I was a star athlete with a bright future ahead of me. Akaashi, who I adored, Kousuke the baby brother I loved, are dead. Have been dead for centuries. Kousuke was five and didn't understand why I left him with Akaashi, and I broke up with Akaashi in the hope of protecting him. The last thing I ever said to him was a bold-faced lie, fabricated so he wouldn't search for me." Blinking, Deanna didn't have time to recover, because Bokuto wasn't pulling his punches

"Ushijima's best friend probably died alone, suicide or a drug overdose, because no one even tried to understand him. The same goes for Tetsurou, whose best friend was also his most important person. Semi, Moniwa, Futakuchi, Koganegawa, Sugawara, Sawamura, Kinoshita and Iwaizumi lost the women they planned to marry, and Iwaizumi's lifelong best friend probably never stopped looking for him." Breathing heavily, golden eyes glared at her before he hissed

"You're fucking right we're not talking to you! I know you fell in love and lost him, but that means squat to us." Deanna flinched, about to ask, when Bokuto growled

"He's right in front of you! You haven't grieved him yet, have you? You moved on, but guess what? For us, this all happened months ago at most! We're not angry, we're grieving and upset!"

Bokuto rose stiffly and walked to the door, pausing long enough to inform her

"I appreciate that you want to help, but you don't know enough to do so." Before stomping out the door.

Well, you know what they say about assumptions, Deanna thought ruefully.

'Volleybros' deck of the Enterprise

Since their- most likely- temporary enlistment in Starfleet they'd been granted a deck together, with a common lounge area. This was where a foul tempered Bokuto flopped down on the couch, huffing when Futakuchi clicked his tongue from where he was organizing the files that had been on the satellite's server, encoded in a format Data hadn't understood.

Probably because it was written in the Futakuchi variant of an old code. Having created the code, Futakuchi was responsible for deciphering it. So far, he'd found a record of all the dealings their agency had been involved with, though he had yet to reach the operatives' files.

Moniwa was still sleeping, but Sugawara and his favoured pet (that is, favourite kouhai) Ennoshita were monitoring the lounge with expert eyes. Bokuto accepted the mug of green tea from a quiet Semi, who curled up on the opposite couch with a Shiratorizawa purple blanket. Ushijima exited his room and walked over to Semi, leaning on the slighter male after he respread his blanket to cover the both of them.

This was, unfortunately, what they did in their off hours when they weren't sleeping or playing volleyball. They needed the comfort of silent proximity. Slowly, they all filtered into the lounge, the oppressive silence broken when Futakuchi snarled at the PADD in his lap.

"They're alive. All of them." Kenji's hollow voice echoed around the room. He raised a hand and tapped the PADD again, before glancing up to report

"Our files were tagged 'WS-VB-Ops', there were two other units- an infiltration-diving unit called 'WS-S-Ops' and an improv S.W.A.T. unit tagged 'WS-Bb-Ops', in total, there was around fifty operatives frozen, and at least that many civilians." Bokuto asked with intensely controlled eagerness

"Where are the civilians?" Futakuchi snorted in disgust.

"Our satellite was the prototype. Apparently they cared more about perfecting the cryogenic process than the satellite system. According to the notes they stashed on here, they haven't launched another one yet." Kuroo had shoved another PADD at Futakuchi, ordering tersely

"Cross it." Because they had to be sure. They'd decided it was for the best to try to forget the past, but if…

If their people had been put under as they had…

Well, no one could blame them for hoping, could they?

It took about ten minutes of furious decoding and cross-referencing from older databases, but eventually, a grim Futakuchi snarled

"Those bastards! They gave them the choice to walk into the experiment or die!" All eyes snapped over to him as he seethed

"The rest of our former teams have been held as reserves! Our significant others as hostages!" He growled when he read another report, before he turned to Bokuto and said with bladed intensity

"Your brother is alive, Bokuto. He was frozen as a five year old." A very upset Futakuchi flipped through the files, narrating through his fury

"They have photos uploaded to the server, so you can make sure these are the people that they say they are." With a tsk, Futakuchi reorganized the files before handing the PADD to his former captain, expression relaxing when Moniwa gasped inaudibly.

It took awhile for the PADD to make the rounds- not to mention, Bokuto was pretty sure he heard sobs- but eventually, it made it's way into his hands, and with trembling fingers, he located the file Futakuchi had renamed 'Bokuto'. The first picture that came up made his heart stop.

Akaashi, face in shadow with his eyes closed, a small mop of silver-black hair tickling his chin, Kousuke Bokuto's face pressed into his neck.

Gods. Bokuto's heart twisted. Keiji. Kousuke.

"Where are they?" Kuroo's hoarse question was answered by Futakuchi with a harsh tone

"The holding facility is called the Crypt. It's self sufficient, sealed in a seismic-resistant chamber on an estate in Nagano. I can get us the clearance to get into it, but I think we're better off securing the property and locating the facility."

To a man, the whole unit glanced at Bokuto. A bit of an airhead he might be, but he'd proven he could lead them. Pulling in a breath, he gave the orders

"Iwaizumi, get into negotiations with the current owners. Kuroo, I want you to calculate when next we'll be on Earth and the likely pay we'll have accumulated then. Get someone to help you look into investments. Sawamura, investigate our contracts. Sugawara, once Futakuchi has decoded the thawing process that's supposed to be utilized in that facility, get at least one medic studying it, though I'd prefer the lot of you were experts with a contingency plan."

Blowing out a breath, Bokuto added quietly

"We also need to be prepared for the possibility that we're too late, even though the gods know how bad I alone want to hope." Grunts and coughs were all that sound their assent, though Bokuto was already headed for the door, deciding an apology for Troi was in order.

Personal Journal of Bokuto Koutarou, Commander of the Winter Soldier Alpha Unit

Apologised to Troi for my rash speech. Found out that the bastards who turned me into a killer imprisoned Keiji and Kousuke. Gods, I want them to be alive. I want them to wake up and remember me. Selfishly, I want them to forgive me for leaving them behind.

Maybe they will. But something tells me Keiji either walked into that oversized freezer to survive or to protect Kousuke.

Picard and his crew have been good to us, but still… they aren't our home. If… If I can return to my brother and my lover, I can face this strange new world. If they're gone… I don't know. Gods, I wish I could talk to Keiji.

Six months later, Enterprise is preparing for shore leave to Earth

Riker, having resolved his guilt at nearly killing the WSA crew, was pestering Daichi about his plans for when he got to Earth. The enlisted security man rolled his eyes and finally revealed

"Futakuchi decoded the files they found on the server from the satellite. We have a lead on where our families were stashed." Riker raised his brows, and Data inquired

"I understood they were dead." Daichi nodded and explained

"Up until Futakuchi decrypted those files, we believed they were. Bokuto's being cautious though, in case the facility was destroyed." He shook his head and muttered

"It's really strange that he's the one with a level head." When Riker made a noise of interest, Daichi elaborated

"Back when we played volleyball for our schools, Bokuto was an overenthusiastic puppy. Losing Akaashi hardened him instead of shattering him."

Will Riker was a little disturbed by how casually Daichi spoke of what was, by all accounts, a devastating loss, to the point the stubborn owl had lashed out at Deanna. He said as much to a quietly working Ennoshita later in the day, when he stepped into the infirmary for something.

The sleepy-eyed medic raised a brow and pointed out placidly

"You've obviously never lost something you valued enough to turn to duty as a distraction. Bokuto was inconsolable, yes, but he knew what he had to do and what Akaashi would have wanted, so that's what he did." Taken aback, Riker almost missed the rest of Ennoshita's pointed comment

"Everyone who knew him knew Bokuto adored Akaashi. But it was Akaashi who told him having a relationship wouldn't make him a weakened person."

Humming, Ennoshita exited the infirmary, snickering when he heard Riker curse.

Despite the nerves displayed by every member of the Alpha Unit, there was anticipation stirring in them too. A trembling Futakuchi lead the way to a long forgotten, buried access hatch. It took them several hours of digging in shifts, and then they had to pry the manhole cover off the shell of the entrance, before Futakuchi could access the vault system. They all held their breaths as the vault door was pried open, sighing with relief when no scent of rot came out.

Sugawara held a hand up

"I know you want to rush in there and find out what became of your most important people, but I think us medics should scout the facility first. We'll be performing any autopsies anyway." Bokuto sighed, but nodded, requesting

"Let Futakuchi and Aone search the system." Nodding in return, the exploration team jumped down, disappearing into the darkness of the hellmouth.

Sawamura eventually left to prepare food for everyone, a few other guys trailing him, but most stayed. Waited for the verdict.

Food had just been distributed among the watchers when Futakuchi heaved himself up and out of the manhole, a bright grin on his face.

"All accounted for! Sugawara's started the thawing process!" His proclamation was met with tearful cheers before he cautioned

"Sugawara-san is keeping the patients isolated and sedated so they can be immunized against everything before they leave the treatment chambers. You'll only be seeing them through glass until they wake up."

That didn't stop the stampede. Bokuto nearly tripped over Kuroo and Sawamura in his haste, eagerly following when Ennoshita called him, Kuroo and Ushijima over. Apparently the former Fukuroudani, Nekoma and Shiratorizawa teams had been contained in the same part of the facility.

In order to get to the room that held his heart, Koutarou had to go past the rooms that contained his old friends, Onaga and Suzumeda, Komi, Sarukui, Konoha and Shirofuku in double rooms, which meant that at the end of the hall-

It was like seeing that photograph again, he thought dazedly. Kousuke was held in Keiji's arms, the former setters' face in shadow. But it was better, this time, he knew. He could see Kousuke's tiny body bobbing from the rise and fall of Keiji's chest, the heart monitor steadily tracking their pulses.

Koutarou's eyes widened when Keiji's lashes fluttered, gunmetal blue meeting waiting gold before he had time to move. Keiji sat up sluggishly, chuckling when Kousuke protested. Of course, the moment he turned to the window, he let out a sound that made Keiji wince. Not that Bokuto heard it, of course, since the room they were in was sealed.

Pressing the intercom button, Bokuto said lamely

"Hey, sorry I'm late…" Kousuke squealed as Keiji carried him over to the intercom speaker.

Once Keiji pressed the button on their end, Bokuto could hear them both as Keiji shushed the child before turning his eyes up to Bokuto, cutting him with a simple statement

"I know what they did to you, Koutarou." Kousuke screeched

"Aniki!" Fighting tears, Bokuto spoke into the microphone

"I have so much to tell you both, but Suga's making sure it's safe for you to step out into the hallways." Keiji gave him a look so loaded with longing that Bokuto desperately wanted to break down the door and haul him into his arms. But it wasn't safe. Keiji hadn't been immunized yet, and even if he'd survive the microorganisms that pervaded the air now, there was no guarantee Kousuke would.

So Bokuto talked, and talked. Eventually, he and Keiji would make love- Suga had refused to let them near the facility without physicals- and they needed to talk, but for now, he just let his joy pour forth in a ramble.

When he finally, finally was able to hold Keiji, Kousuke pressed between them, he lost it. He started sobbing into Keiji's neck, revelling in the feeling of Kousuke's hair tickling his chin.

Kuroo

Waiting for Kenma to wake up after first believing him dead, and then waiting several months to find out, if, in fact, he was, had strained Kuroo. Not simply his patience or emotional control, but also his mental capabilities.

And now, Kenma was taking forever to wake up. Suga had cleared him hours ago for a visit, had hooked him up to an IV and advised Kuroo to wait it out, treat him like a coma patient.

A coma patient.

The answer was so obvious, Kuroo couldn't believe he'd overlooked it. His brain must really be fried. Cautiously as he could with the new wellspring of excitement and hope bubbling in his chest, Tetsurou took Kenma's hand in his own, and began speaking in weighted tones.

"Kenma, it's been so long. Bo and I had to keep the peace, and Sawamura couldn't even attempt it because we were the only guys who beat him in that one Interhigh."

Holding his breath when Kenma's eyelashes fluttered, Kuroo swallowed back a delighted cry and pressed Kenma's palm to his face, leaning forward to stroke ombre strands off Kenma's face.

"C'mon, baby, open your eyes, I know you can." He crooned, fighting tears when Kenma finally did, groaning his name as he tried to sit up, still blinking in confusion. Shifting his weight from the bedside chair to the bed itself, Kuroo gathered Kenma into his arms and, despite his intentions of calming the other male, broke down into sobs as Kenma tried to clutch him close.

Kuroo had duties and responsibilities as second in command of the new, larger team. But that could wait. It would wait, while he got Kenma reacclimated and resituated.

Ushijima

Wakatoshi was well aware that Tendou would likely be somewhat upset when he woke. It didn't matter; like every other male from the Alpha project, he'd been waiting for this since Futakuchi had recovered the files that gave them hope.

Entering the room Sugawara had distractedly directed him to yielded the best kind of surprise. The men who had made up the Shiratorizawa team in his third year were all groggily waking. Semi was curled around a woman Wakatoshi vaguely remembered as Azusa Genbu, while Shirabu had his head resting in the lap of a similar looking female.

Wakatoshi was incredibly grateful to sit down with them again, to be able to haul them each close to his chest and feel their hearts beat against his own. Semi rolled over long enough to hug him before retreating back to the still dazed woman at his side. Tendou was delighted to let Wakatoshi hold him, to bury his face in the red head's neck and just listen as the old team made efforts to talk to each other, to reconnect as best they could.

He wouldn't trade it for nearly anything, he was certain, except perhaps the chance to go back and fix this mess. Even the way Azusa still disliked Shirabu was wonderful. It meant they were alive.

Daishou

Sugawara had made a mistake, he was fairly certain. To be fair, he wasn't just managing the thawing of several dozen people. No, the scientists had decided to complicate things by freezing several of the women in various states of pregnancy. Why, he didn't know. Didn't care to know.

The mistake he was fairly sure he'd made was thawing Yamaka Mika before Daishou Suguru. She'd freaked out, and when she'd realized she was pregnant, had freaked out again. After forcing a mild sedative on her, he checked her chart and asked if she wanted to see Daishou. She nodded, complained she was cold and fell asleep. After administering a light sleep aid, he'd hurried through thawing Daishou, and had only shut up the snarky snake by saying that Mika needed him.

The former Nohebi captain had hurried to comply with his directions, equally surprised by Mika's pregnancy. Aware of the migraine building, he allowed Daishou into Mika's room, fighting a smile when she roused long enough to recognize Daishou before falling back asleep.

Suguru wasn't sure how long he lay beside Mika, stroking her hair, murmuring to her, while fighting the urge to look at the medical chart Sugawara had left behind.

He wanted to know who had fathered Mika's child. She wasn't very far along, he thought. Her belly was soft and full, slightly rounded beneath the gown. But he waited. Mika deserved that much.

She awoke as he glared at the PADD Sugawara had left behind.

"Suguru." His head whipped around to look at her, and she pushed firmly

"Tell me." She blinked when his hands shook as he scooped up the PADD, eyes widening when he mumbled

"It's… me." Making a grabby motion for the damn thing, she scanned the page. The mark in the corner indicated it had been translated but there it was in romaji: Father, Daishou Suguru. Fighting the trembling of her chin, Mika tucked herself into Suguru's chest. She let him hold her as she cried and fumed.

Those bastards! They knew if… that I would keep it. They could have falsified the records, but I doubt it. Why would they? Even if they did, I don't think I want to know. I want this to be Suguru's, because I don't think I'd go through with it if it wasn't his.

Wiping her tears, Mika looked up, relieved to meet Suguru's steady gaze. He'd told her before, as she slept, before they were separated to be frozen, but he told her again

"I love you Mika." Swallowing, she returned

"And I you, Suguru."