13:

"Hiro! Come on, look at me! Hiro!"

Hiro felt another tug at his chest, twisting somewhere internally as he slowly came back into awareness with his senses. Someone was holding him, gripping his shoulders like they were afraid of losing him as they cried his name. Somewhere far off, there were echoes of an explosion.

"Tadashi?" he asked hopefully, groaning and blinking blurry eyes open.

He was greeted with a pale face peering down at him as her hands tightened fractionally. Warm brown eyes were wet, tears gathering in the corners and it took him a second before he realized she had been crying.

"Abigail?" he corrected, voice raw as he went to sit up. There was a sharp pain in his skull, causing him to wince as he rubbed at his forehead.

"Careful," she mothered as she reached out to gather his face in both her hands, "The shock of jerking us both back nearly killed you."

"What?" Hiro asked, still reeling from the foggy darkness that had enveloped him the second he had took Abigail's hand. The coldness lingering somewhere deep in his bones.

She turned her head, sharp features turning away from him as if she was frightened he'd lash out and blame her. He couldn't, really, especially not with Callaghan watching.

Something electric bolted through him as he remembered something important and he straightened up as he demanded, "Where's your father?"

Abigail looked at him like he was crazy, face conveying the fact that she had lost all hope of her dad saving her a while back. Hiro swallowed though he knew Callaghan should've already broke the door down and get his daughter if he really cared for her as much as Hiro suspected.

Something exploded in the other room, sending vibrations to rock the floor and ceiling as the machine groaned at the sudden shift. Hiro looked up at it, feeling something sick and sour to fill him at the sight of it careening dangerously.

"Come on. We need to get out of here," Hiro informed the older female as he scrambled to his feet- ignoring the way it sent the room swirling- and rushed out from the room. She followed, hand grasped tightly in his and Hiro idly thought that it took 14 years and a feat of risking his life to get a girl to hold his hand.

"Where are we going?" Abigail demanded as they exited the white room and out in the eerily empty hall, "We're on an island."

Which Hiro did not know but he figured if they came in a truck then there was some sort of way off it. He just didn't know yet.

He didn't get time to figure out a plan, either, as they turned another corner and had to stop short. In the hall several guards were currently firing at the unmistakable figures of Fred and Honey Lemon.

"Guys!" Hiro called as excitement overcame him at seeing familiar faces but then the ground shook again, knocking Fred off balance and the ball of fire he had shot at the guards ended up towards them.

Beside him, Abigail screamed.

Hiro didn't do much thinking, just reacted.

His hand shot up as he closed his eyes and bent his head so it was hidden in his shoulder. Abigail's tight grip on his arm increased but several seconds past and they weren't struck. Blinking in surprise, he glanced up and saw the fireball hovering inches from his palm swirling in lazy circles.

"How'd you?" Abigail demanded but Hiro grinned, straightening up and flexing his fingers and watched as it dissipated in wisps of fire and smoke. It had been a while since he last bended and he hardly ever got to with fire.

"Hiro!" Honey Lemon cried, relief shining on her face as she caught sight of the both of them still standing and otherwise unharmed.

"Honey Lemon?" Hiro parroted slightly dazed and confused as he searched around the older teens for a familiar outline that wasn't there, "Where's Tadashi?"

The name caused the older girl to tense and for the briefest moment he was afraid something had happened to his brother. Fear and panic had already started to bubble in his stomach when Fred spoke up, relieving his fears.

"He's out looking for you," Fred explained and he looked and sounded confused and dazed, "Though it doesn't seem like you need it."

His eyes shifted to Abigail behind Hiro, her hands still gripping his arm tight enough to hurt. Honey Lemon was already staring at the girl distrusting, question written in her eyes.

"Guys, this is Abigail," Hiro introduced before either of them got a chance to ask, "She's Callaghan's daughter."

And he was really glad that they were much more passive then GoGo because he figured relation would be enough to get the older woman struck. Luckily, though, the worst that happened was a narrow of expressions as they both stared at her in a new light. Even Fred, who Hiro didn't think could be anything other than happy and trusting.

"Hiro, she's Callaghan's daughter," Honey Lemon repeated when no one said anything, the guards they had been fighting long gone now- bailing after Hiro bended- which gave the other two teens a chance to step closer to the two of them. Abigail tensed, hands tightening to nearly unbearable as he resisted the urge to hiss and jerk free.

"How do you know my father?" she asked and Hiro had no doubts the question was directed towards him, which he didn't really blame her for. He had, after all, saved her life.

"He's only the most hated man alive," Fred snorted like it was obvious, "mercilessly killing all those benders and destroying all those families."

Hiro could've struck him then- he really could've- but Abigail just gasped softly in denial as she shook her head. She did loosen her grasp, which Hiro appreciated.

"He can't be," Abigail denied firmly, "I mean, it was no secret that he's held no love for them before but he wouldn't kill them. No one is that cruel."

Fred and Honey Lemon bowed their heads as if to sympathize with her.

They didn't get long to linger on it, though, as the next moment the halls seemed to shake as another explosion rocked the halls. Abigail cried out in shock, latching back on Hiro and they both stumbled and tumbled on the ground.

"What's happening?" Hiro demanded as he rolled off Abigail and turned to face Fred and Honey Lemon, who looked stunned but had both managed to remain upright.

"I don't know," Honey Lemon admitted, looking distressed, before Callaghan appeared face an angry mask. Dark eyes locked on Abigail, still on the ground and his expression morphed into something murderous.

"Get away from her," he demanded, unclipping the gun Hiro hadn't noticed till just now and fired several quick shots in Hiro's direction.

Fred and Honey Lemon screamed as Hiro rolled out of the way. One of the shots clipped his leg, causing him to cry out and shock at the sheer pain. He collapsed back on the ground, mind fuzzy as the numbness crept through his entire frame.

"Hiro!" all three of them cried as Callaghan raised the gun again, focusing it towards Hiro in a kill shot.

Hiro gritted his teeth together, testing support on his leg and quickly realized he wasn't moving. Brown eyes snapped up to glare at Callaghan, showing no fear he knew he probably should feel. He didn't though. He just felt numb.

Callaghan fired, face something inhuman and dangerous and Hiro had the briefest sensation that he was going to die.

"NO!" someone nearby cried and arms suddenly circled around him, body curling protectively in front of him and Hiro felt slight panic when he realized that they would be struck and not him.

His savior tensed, body slumping and only then did Hiro realize who it was. His mouth went dry in shock and panic as he bent over the now limp body.

"Abigail?" Hiro gasped the same time Callaghan dropped his gun and whispered, "No."

Abigail didn't move, face pale and hands cold and Hiro realized that she had been struck. She jumped in front of him and paid the price.

Hiro wasn't sure what happened next. He just knew he saw white.

Later (much later) Fred will remember the event as being awesome. At the time, however, he just knew it was terrifying.

One second he was running, sprinting, towards his younger friend in a desperation he doesn't think he's ever felt before. Even then he knew that it wouldn't be enough- neither he nor Honey could reach him before he was struck and consequently killed.

Tadashi would be so devastated.

Then the woman- Callaghan's daughter- shielded him with her body. She took the hits and collapsed lifelessly to the ground and something sickly crept through Fred's bloodstream.

Wrong, he thought as he neared Hiro and the woman, all of this is wrong.

That's about the same time the world whited out for no longer than a second before it snapped back in place, leaving Fred shocked and dizzy.

Hiro was on his feet but his eyes were wrong. His pupils were gone, leaving a bright white color that was blinding to stare at for too long. The glow seemed to circle around his thin frame too, the wind in the corridor picking up as he stepped over the limp form of Callaghan's daughter and towards Callaghan.

Callaghan snapped from his shock, eyes shifting from his daughter to Hiro stalking closer to him. He seemed to blink, raising his gun and fired several shots in quick procession. The noise echoed in the hall and Fred was concerned to see Hiro not making any move to dodge.

Then he remembered how Hiro shouldn't even be standing much less walking, stalking, ever-so-closer to the now terrified Emperor.

Hiro outstretched his arm, hand splayed out and the bullets seemed to freeze right in front of. Fred blinked in shock- not even aware that was possible much less something Hiro would know considering how little practice he's actually had.

Callaghan seemed to realize that the same time Fred did as his eyes bulged from his skull and his skin dropped several shades whiter. Scared wasn't a strong enough word to describe how he looked but it was all Fred could think up with at the moment, the electricity he felt in the atmosphere making him dizzy.

"Fred!" Honey Lemon snapped, causing him to blink and tear his gaze from Hiro to the blond.

She was currently kneeling down in beside of Callaghan's daughter, taking in her thin frame in her arms. Fred closed the distance between them, kneeling down on the woman's other side as he took in pale skin with a sort of panic.

"Is she?" he asked, unable to finish the sentence with the one word he despised above all else.

"She's alive," Honey Lemon reassured, voice soft with relief and Fred allowed his shoulders to sag before he remembered Hiro and Callaghan and spun back around.

"He have to stop him before he kills him," Fred said as he went to rise to his feet, a voice shouting from down the hall drawing his attention away from Hiro's decent on the living dead man.

"Tadashi!" Honey called and the buzzing stopped, a chill creeping down Fred's spine as he spun to see Hiro had Callaghan pressed against the wall, the metal warped in threatening spikes and it would only take a second for him to end his life.

"Hiro! No!" Fred called before he could stop himself, hurtling a ball of fire towards them as he internally pleaded for Hiro to stop it in time.

Hiro did.

He spun and caught it, white eyes seeming to narrow in a glare as it dissipated around him. Behind him, Callaghan took the opportunity to run out from his corner though he didn't go to leave. His eyes instead kept drifting to his daughter still propped in Honey Lemon's lap.

"Come on Hiro. This isn't you," Fred tried but the ground quivered under his feet in a sign for him to shut his mouth.

"What happened?" Tadashi's soft voice demanded as the others finally caught up with them, "Who is this?"

"Long story," Honey Lemon replied, "but there's something wrong with your brother."

And then it all clicked into place and Fred could've struck him by how dense he had been until now. The eyes, the sudden increase ability in his powers. Everything.

"Guys," he gasped as he spun around to face the others and something excited shot through him, "Hiro's discovered the Avatar state."

"Where am I?" Hiro groaned as he glanced around the never-ending white that now surrounded him on every side.

"Yeah, there's not really any good reply to that," a voice- soft and masculine- replied and he turned to see a bald man that hadn't been there a second ago, "though a better question would be how did you find yourself here?"

"Callaghan he- he shot Abigail," Hiro stuttered as the memory nearly overwhelmed him, "He had been aiming at me but she jumped in the way. He-he killed her."

"Did he now?" the bald man asked and it was then Hiro realized his arrow tattoos were giving off a faint blue hue that unnerved him though he couldn't figure out why.

"I- yes," Hiro snapped without really meaning too, "He shot her and she died."

"Did you check?" the man questioned voice as calm and unwavering as he had managed throughout the entire conversation and Hiro found himself taken aback.

"Well… no," he admitted and the man seemed to smirk like he knew something Hiro didn't.

"What is it?" Hiro demanded, back tense and hands clasped in tight fists at his side as he stared the taller stranger down.

"Nothing. Just you remind me of someone," the man explained though he didn't offer any elaboration on that. Hiro was tempted to ask but refrained as he forced himself to relax, stepping back and just kind of staring back at him.

"So… how do I get out of here?" he asked and the man just gave him a look Hiro couldn't figure out.

"That's something you need to distinguish for yourself," the man replied before his eyes traveled to something over his shoulder, "Just like the rest of us."

Hiro spun around to see a woman standing there now, dark hair pulled back revealing sharp features as she seemed to eye him critically. Hiro blinked, shuffling uncomfortably.

Then the corner of her mouth twitched to a grin as she met the man's gaze behind Hiro and said, "I like this one. He's a fighter."

"Yes, well, he needs to learn when fighting doesn't benefit him," the man replied and for a second Hiro wondered if they were two versions of himself- the aggressive and passive sides- but then he realized that that was ridiculous as they both seemed to share those two qualities.

The woman's dark gaze flickered down to him as she murmured thoughtfully, "I suppose so… though I am interested to see where this ends up."

The man sighed, sounding ancient, and something tickled the corner of Hiro's mind. It felt like he should know the two of them but every time he tried piecing it together it evaded him.

"If Abigail isn't dead then where is she?" Hiro demanded turning his head to glare at the both of them, "Where am I?"

"Like he said earlier kid," the woman spoke in an affectionate sort of tone, "That's something you've got to distinguish yourself."

Hiro frowned at the uselessness of the statement, opening his mouth to protest again when the faint sound of his name echoed throughout all the white nothingness. He blinked, turning to see if the other two had noticed and was surprised to find them grinning twin sets of knowing smiles at him.

He blinked, turning his head when he heard it again.

"What is that?" he demanded but when he directed his attention back to the other two they were gone.

Grounding his teeth in frustration, he spun back towards the noise. Something tickled his brain as recognition slowly made itself known. He blinked, feeling his stomach bottom out at the desperation carried in the voice.

"HIRO!"

"Tadashi!" he called back, blinking once and was surprised to find himself standing back in the hallway with Callaghan glared at him though there was a hint of fear detectable in the man's gaze.

"What happened?" Hiro asked feeling dazed and confused, the world literally humming all around him. Or at least, he thought he did. He couldn't hear his own voice of the insistent humming.

That's why, when the gun went off, it seemed so loud and pressing in his ears. He spun around, feeling the air around the bullet warping before it stopped mere centimeters from his face. He blinked at it, hovering in between his eyes threateningly before it dropped out from the sky clattering against the tile floor.

"Hiro?" Tadashi asked but Hiro was focusing back on Callaghan grounding his teeth as he gripped the gun like it would save him.

He looked scared.

Hiro couldn't quite figure that one out.

Hiro didn't acknowledge his brother as he rose his hand, feeling as the metal warped under his hold. That part confused him because- last he checked- he wasn't granted that ability. Or, rather, if he was he didn't know how to do it.

Yet the metal crinkled under his hold, morphing as they peeled from the wall and wrapped around Callaghan's body tightly. Tying the man in their hold and refused to release him.

Then whatever strength he had been using dissipated, draining from him quicker than he thought was possible. His legs wavered beneath him, making him slightly weightless and wobbly and he was insanely relieved when Baymax's large hand wrapped around him in support.

"Hiro?" he asked in his monotone robot voice but Hiro thought he could still detect a touch of concern, "Are you alright?"

Hiro wasn't sure. He felt fine. Tired but otherwise unharmed.

"Uh… yeah buddy. I'm fine," he reassured, raising his hand to press it against his forehead in an attempt to try and ground him back to what felt like reality- though he couldn't deny that back in that place with the two strangers everything felt real also.

Then Fred spoke and it all seemed to disappear.

"Dude, that was awesome!"

Hiro's back was stiff and sore from remaining rooted in the same place for the last 13 hours, hoping for Abigail to wake up. He had been relieved when he was informed that she was alive though she hadn't made any indication of waking up.

Even Callaghan- still trussed up and placed in the corner under GoGo's hateful sneer- was growing concerned. Unfortunately, that just meant he sought out a target to lash out on.

"You're the Avatar," he snapped at Hiro and Hiro refused to turn and meet his hate filled gaze, "do something."

Hiro would've if he had any idea on what to do, but he didn't so he remained sitting next to her silently. Occasionally, Wasabi would bring him something and try to get him to eat it but Hiro always turned him away. It just didn't feel right.

The others save from Hiro, Alistair, GoGo and Callaghan had left several hours ago without really filling Hiro in on where they were going. He supposed that was fine, he trusted his brother enough for him to not try and do anything insanely stupid.

"Don't you think that if he knew how to help the daughter you shot he would've by now?" GoGo snapped, something fierce and defensive in her voice and Hiro allowed a shadow of a smile to creep across his features.

It was nice being reminded that someone cared about him. In his case, he supposed, the numbers of that had just increased the past couple of weeks.

Hiro glanced up from Abigail's features and met Alistair's concerned gaze. Idly, Hiro wondered how he was faring. Obviously he should be relieved that she had been rescued from what he done to her all those years ago but, at the same time, she might have been condemned to an even worse fate.

"I've heard once that some water benders were given the ability to heal," Alistair whispered to him, nearly inaudible as he bent over as if sharing a secret with Hiro and only Hiro, "Do you think you can?"

"I don't know," Hiro admitted turning away and bowing his head before determination filled him and he clenched his hands as he gritted his teeth together, "Though I can try."

Alistair offered a relieved grin as he rose to his feet.

Hiro didn't move from his spot beside Abigail, repeating in his head how she had leapt in front of him and saved him. He hadn't even known her that long yet she still sacrificed so much for his sake.

"Don't worry Abigail," he reassured in a hushed tone, "I'm going to try everything I can to make sure you're okay."

And he was surprised to find that he meant just that.

When Alistair returned it was with a bucket of water. Hiro gave him a weird look which the man just shrugged off, setting it in front of him.

"It was all I could find," he explained offhandedly before wringing his hands nervously, blinking down at him expectantly.

Hiro took that as his cue to help.

Closing his eyes, he released a shuddering breath before he stretched out his arms. The water reacted to him, unfurling from the bucket and into the air lazily but just that was incredibly taxing. Hiro felt when his hold on it slipped and the water splashed back in the bucket.

Gasping, he hunched forward and felt someone's hand grip his shoulder tightly. He wheezed under the hold, feeling his vision waver as exhaustion threatened to pull him back under.

"Sorry," he apologized, "I can usually manage just that."

"You've spent a lot of energy," Alistair reassured in an understanding tone, "Perhaps you should sleep and try again tomorrow."

Hiro nodded though even when he laid down he knew sleep would evade him.

He wasn't sure how long he laid there, curled up tightly staring blankly at the wall before him when there was a commotion signaling the others return. He sat back up, rubbing his eyes with heavy fists.

Tadashi immediately sought him out, walking over to him and sitting down beside him. He curled his arm around Hiro's thin frame, drawing him to his side and holding him there like he was afraid if he didn't then Hiro would suddenly disappear. Hiro closed his eyes, enjoying his brother's presence more than he'd ever willingly admit.

"I missed you," Hiro did whisper softly so only his brother would hear and he felt Tadashi's hand clench against his side.

"Me too," Tadashi admitted in a hushed tone before he continued in a way that made Hiro feel guilty, "When you were taken it felt like all the color had been also."

Hiro squirmed in his brother's hold as he twisted his lithe body to stare up at his brother's dark gaze as he apologized, "Sorry."

Tadashi smiled, a sad sort of smile, as he bent over to plant a gentle kiss- a peck, really- against his forehead. Hiro closed his eyes at the action, feeling his brother's hand tighten around the base of his neck. It was only then did Hiro realize his brother was shaking.

Hiro didn't call him out on it, instead opting to lean his head back against his brother's chest and for the first time in a while he felt safe. Peaceful even.

"It's okay Hiro," Tadashi promised as he bent down to plant another kiss in the mass tangle that was Hiro's hair, "You can sleep."

And Hiro did just that.

Only he hadn't known he did until he woke up, head cushioned in his brother's lap. He blinked tired eyes, memories of the past couple of hours filtering in his skull and he bolted upright as he spun to catch a glimpse of his surroundings.

Tadashi was snoring softly as he reclined against the wall and a quick glance around the room revealed that everyone else had also seemed to have managed to fall asleep at one point. All except Callaghan, who was glaring at him from his spot against the wall.

They had managed to remove the metal Hiro had cocooned him in, binding his wrists and ankles together. The once great emperor didn't look like he's slept at all last night.

"I blame you, you know," Callaghan snarled at him in a tight whisper, "for what happened to my daughter."

Hiro flinched as the invasive memory momentarily blinded him before he steeled his back and shook his head.

"She was protecting me from you," Hiro reminded though there wasn't any bite to his words, "because you're incapable of moving past your hatred."

Even before everything that had broken the man.

Callaghan growled, low and dangerous, but Hiro ignored him as he moved over to where Abigail was still lying. Her skin was back to being pale, one arm draped over her stomach while her other hand was grasped tightly in Alistair's hold.

Hiro frowned at the two of them as he took his spot next to the bucket. He closed his eyes, hands fisting his pants tightly as he focused on the water. It warped under his hold, much less acceptable than last night but once he managed a hold he found it to be strong and unrelenting.

The water snaked from the bucket and under a single command seemed to swirl around Abigail. She didn't move, didn't make any indication that she was even getting wet, as a light glow emitted from the liquid and Hiro wasn't sure how he knew what to do only that he did.

He pulled away when he was certain that it had worked, dropping the water back in the bucket as he turned to eye Abigail nervously. If she needed any other healing beyond this he was clueless on how to help.

Luckily, it seemed to work.

She groaned, face flickering before she gasped in pain and bolted upright. Alistair was startled awake by her sudden movement, face conveying his confusion before relief as he found Abigail awake and seemingly fine.

"What- what happened?" she asked, voice soft and raspy, as her attention focused on Hiro and something sharp settled in her gaze before it softened and she laughed breathlessly, "I guess this makes us 2 to 1."

Hiro felt something lighten in his chest as he grinned back at her, relieved to find her awake and well enough to tease. That, he always found in the past, was a very good sign.

"Abby," Callaghan gasped from behind him and Hiro's good mood evaporated instantly.

Abigail tensed, her entire frame going rigid as she turned to meet her father's gaze. They remained that way, fixed on one another, for a long time before she climbed to her feet and moved over to where he was sitting. Hiro was almost afraid that she'd cut him loose and the whole mess would just start up again.

She didn't.

Instead, she pulled back her arm and slapped the side of his face so suddenly Hiro could've sworn it was him who suffered whiplash.

"You," she accused in a voice cold enough to cause frostbite, "have a lot of explaining to do."

- 3 weeks later -

Tadashi shuffled uncomfortably for what's felt like the millionth time. Beside him, his brat of a younger brother gave him a mischievous smirk as something dangerous shone in his bright gaze.

"You're not nervous, are you?" Hiro asked in a teasing manner that made Tadashi want to turn around and strike him- though he knew he could never follow through on it. Even in a teasing brotherly manner.

"Of course not," Tadashi replied smooth enough to be a lie though he knew it wasn't, "Abigail's a great person. Stronger than her father ever was."

"And she always has Alistair," Hiro reminded as he plopped down beside Tadashi in their small apartment Tadashi had purchased several weeks ago, "he'll keep her in check."

"I think," Tadashi corrected as he smiled fondly at the two of them he's grown quite accommodated to the past three weeks, "it'll be her who keeps him in check."

Hiro just puffed out his cheeks before he grinned his gap-toothed smile and Tadashi was filled with such a sudden sensation of adoration to the kid that it seemed almost unreal. Especially how close he had come to losing him what felt like an eternity ago.

An eternity of nightmares, he supposed, though he knew in time they would fade as long as Hiro remained at his side.

Today was the day of Abigail's coronation.

When they had returned back to the city with Callaghan powerless- something they would've never been able to accomplish if it wasn't for his daughter- and Abigail furious at all the pain her father had caused in her absence, the woman had wanted to redo everything her father had done correctly. She had asked for a reelection- one that would be fair to everyone- but Alistair talked her out of it.

They already knew Abigail would be able to undo her father's work, and didn't want to risk a stranger picking up where he left off.

So she was decided to be put in charge and after a couple of days it was clear the citizens had grown quite fond of her. They all had, in fact, though Tadashi supposed in his case it hadn't taken all that much. She had jumped in front of Hiro to protect him- to rescue him when no one else could. That, in his book, was enough.

Now that the big day was there, though, he couldn't help but worry that nothing would really change. That Abigail would be just like her father and they'd have to live in oppression and fear.

Childish things, he knew, and stuff he was certain he didn't need to bother with. Abigail wasn't like that, and for the life of him he couldn't figure out how. Not that he minded all that much, because of her his brother was alive and as far as he was concerned nothing would be enough after that.

Outside, several bells rang in slow precession.

Hiro jumped up from his spot on the bed, bright red clothes ranging from his thin frame marking him as a fire bender. Tadashi stopped his thoughts at that, of how both he and his brother dressed like that and it all seemed so surreal to him.

Hiro was already at the door, demanding for him to speed up or they'll miss it which Tadashi doubted. Yet he rose from his bed regardless, moving over to the fire place to quench the fire with nothing more than an urge before he was rushing after his brother out the door.

A slight smile crossed his features as he decided that perhaps fire wasn't such a terrible thing after all.

The End

So this seemed incredibly rushed to me but that's okay because it is finally o-ver. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did writing it and I would like to thank all of you guys incredible sense of patience. You are the best and have been nothing but supportive from start to end and I'd like to say it again- thanks.