A/N: One of my favorite things about this story is coming up with chapter titles. Chapter titles are a dying practice.

Kind of a short chapter, but there is so much going on. This, people, is the game-changing chapter.

(Incredibly dramatic, I know, but it is!)

Response to Random Fan: Don't worry, the poor kid gets a nap in this chapter. 0w0 And, yeah, Callaghan has way too many connections for his own good. Excellent, I was so excited about the next chapter.

"Cass?"

"Go Go, welcome!" Aunt Cass said, not turning from the stove. "Hey, is Hiro with you? He wasn't responding to my texts and I was starting to worry."

"He's here," Go Go said.

Something in her voice made Aunt Cass turn. Go Go was as restless as her tone, hands shifting on the straps of her backpack and eyes on everything but Aunt Cass.

Aunt Cass' hand tightened on the spoon. Go Go had looked the same way bringing the news about Hiro and the fire.

"What happened?" Aunt Cass said.

Go Go's gaze snapped to her. "Hiro went to see Callaghan. Alone."

Aunt Cass' hand went to her mouth. "Oh, no."

"If we'd known-" Go Go broke off as Aunt Cass hurried by.

Aunt Cass found Hiro standing in the cafe, surrounded by his teammates and Mochi curling around his ankles. His horribly blank gaze was fixed on Tadashi's hat and he was unresponsive to Honey Lemon's urges to sit.

"Hiro?" Aunt Cass said tentatively, putting her hand on Hiro's shoulder.

Hiro blinked. Stared at Aunt Cass for a long second, as if he didn't recognize her. He finally spoke.

"Tadashi was a good guy, right?"

"What?" Aunt Cass asked in a whisper. "Yes, yes!"

"He… he did things…" Hiro swallowed. "He helped Callaghan with the teleporter."

"Oh, Hiro." Aunt Cass got on her knees to be eye-level with Hiro. "Tadashi was an amazing, smart boy who only wanted to help… well, the whole world. Helping Callaghan with such a project must have been a dream come true."

"But, he had to know?"

Not a statement. A question. Uncertainty filled Hiro's eyes, pleading with Aunt Cass to tell him no.

So, she did. "No, he didn't, Hiro. He couldn't have. Tadashi never would have helped with such a horrible plan. Not for a heartbeat. You hear me? Never."

The more she talked, the more Aunt Cass' voice rose.

"I don't know what lies Callaghan told Tadashi, but they must have been good. If I ever see that man again…" Aunt Cass shook her head, focusing on her nephew. "Tadashi only ever saw the good in people. If he thought for a second that the teleporter would be used for revenge, I know he would have walked away. I know it. You know it, too."

Hiro sniffled. "I-I… why didn't he tell me? He sh-shared everything! Why w-wouldn't he t-tell me?"

"Oh, honey." Aunt Cass scooped Hiro into a hug. "Tadashi looked up to Callaghan. He must have told Tadashi to not tell anyone. Don't be upset that he didn't tell you."

Hiro shook his head into Aunt Cass' shoulder. "I'm not… 'cause I would've done the same… I just thought… I was okay… then he said Tadashi's name and…"

Aunt Cass hugged Hiro closer. Hiro slumped against her, too wrung out to resist.

Briiiiiiiing!

Aunt Cass and Hiro jumped, startled by the smoke alarm.

"Oh, the rice!" Aunt Cass said.

"On it!" Go Go darted from the room.

Aunt Cass turned back to Hiro, but the moment was broken. Hiro pulled away from Aunt Cass and walked away.

"Hiro," Aunt Cass said, reaching out.

Hiro paused, hand on the door. "I-I'm fine. I just… I need a moment."

Hiro darted from the room before Aunt Cass could respond. He rushed through the slightly smoky apartment to his room, slamming the door behind him and leaning against it.

Baymax, waiting in his charging station, turned his head. "Hiro?"

Hiro kept his eyes on the hat in his hand. "Did Tadashi ever mention… Akuma Island?"

Baymax whirred, then shook his head. "I do not have any record of Tadashi talking of Akuma Island. However, my data-bases-"

"Never mind," Hiro interrupted. "Just… just forget it."

Hiro pushed off from the door and shuffled to his desk. He took off his backpack and pulled out Microbot.

"Microbot, secure room," Hiro said.

Microbot hopped from Hiro's palm to the desk. Hiro had programmed the little bot to keep an eye on his room during the night, in case of thieves and the occasional testy experiment that may or may not explode.

Once Microbot was activated, Hiro laid on his bed. He stared at the ceiling, listlessly calling the negative when Aunt Cass and his team urged him to come out and eat.

Eventually, Hiro was left in silence. The room slowly darkened as the evening wore on. Hiro's eyes started to drift shut. He fought to stay awake for a bit, but the emotional day had taken a heavy toll on the boy. It wasn't long before Hiro's eyes were closed and he was breathing deeply.

Baymax waddled over to Hiro. With surprising nimbleness for such a marshmallowy robot, Baymax got the blanket out from under Hiro and covered him. Baymax then turned off the lights and went back to his charging station to keep an eye on Hiro.

For several hours, Hiro slept undisturbed under the silent vigil of the two robots. It was sometime after midnight, when the city was dark and silent, that the robots moved.

Microbot scurried toward the window, then froze mid-step. Its arms went limp, then its legs, causing Microbot to topple to the desktop.

Across the room, Baymax's charging station turned off. Baymax turned his head toward Microbot. His vocal receptors flickered, then "closed" as he powered down as well.

For a moment, nothing moved in the room. Then, the air in the middle of the room rippled, like the air over sun-baked pavement. There was a slight crackle, then Smoke appeared mid-stride and the mirage effect vanished.

Smoke dropped to their knees. They grabbed the desk one hand, steadying themselves while keeping their other arm clamped to their side. Their shoulders heaved, stifled panting loud in the small room.

Smoke turned their head toward Hiro. Luckily, he was a deep sleeper and barely stirred at the noise Smoke was making.

Still. No time to linger.

Smoke lifted their other arm, then fumbled to catch the notebook pinned between their arm and body. They caught it, letting out a ragged sigh.

With effort, Smoke pushed themselves to their feet and turned to Hiro. Carefully, Smoke set the notebook on Hiro's arm flung in front of his face. Smoke lifted their hand away, then paused. Slowly, they reached toward Hiro.

Hiro abruptly shifted, causing his hand to smack against the notebook. He grimaced in his sleep, eyelids fluttering.

Smoke took a stumbling step back. The mirage effect returned, then Smoke vanished before their foot hit the floor.

Hiro mumbled drowsily as Microbot perked back to life. Baymax chirped, then scanned the room. The slight noises roused Hiro further. He pushed himself onto his elbows, blinking at the room.

When nothing happened, Hiro laid back down. His arm brushed the notebook, startling him back into awareness. He jerked away and stared at the notebook, like it might attack him. Hiro's eyes darted around the room. Seeing no one, he slowly reached out and pulled the notebook closer.

Hiro turned on a desk light and opened the cover. Almost immediately, he slammed the notebook shut. He stared at the cover, breathing hard for a moment before he closed his eyes. He took a deep breath, let it out, then opened the notebook again and began to read.

Within the first page, Hiro's eyes welled up with tears. He absently rubbed them away with a scowl before going to the next page. And the next. And the next.

And even as tears streamed freely down his cheeks, a crooked grin formed on Hiro's lips.

A/N: All cool here? Cool, cool... it'll be a bit dull for a bit, but I'm excited for the next chapter.

Who's ready for Tadashi's nickname?

(I'm looking for theories, people! ;P)

I will also be updating the synopsis soon.