Author's Note: The final chapter of this story. Wow. I really need to be better at updating, since this took longer to write than I wanted it to. Definitely going to work more on planning out the stories next time in several chapters before I start publishing. And posted shortly after the anniversary of this movie, too. Yikes.

Decided against one more action scene due to time constraints and wanting this to be the falling action of the narrative. Sequel will definitely be more action-oriented, though, I promise, lexrilfrostvale.

I also wanted to give my thanks to the unsung heroes of this fic: jettmanas who helped beta the initial chapters of this fic for me and superkola, who has helped beta another BH6 story and took the time to follow this story as well, and for giving additional support throughout as I continued to post and write. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to both of you. And thank you to everyone who had taken the time to read this story, whether or not you reviewed, followed, or favorited it.

(0-0)

It took a bit of maneuvering to get Wasabi onto Baymax while unconscious, and even more to keep the growing crowd from seeing a half naked man in a ninja mask, but by the time the team made it back to the mansion in two trips, Wasabi had begun to stir and Tadashi managed to get pants on.

Hiro noted with amusement that Honey Lemon – and even Fred, to his surprise – were more than a little disappointed when Tadashi returned in a pair of shorts and tee shirt likely borrowed from Fred's drawer.

By the time everyone had settled, Wasabi was being filled in by Go Go what had happened, not that it did much good for the man's dignity at fainting. Hiro thought Wasabi was being too harsh on himself, personally speaking. If he himself hadn't gotten that warning ahead of time, Hiro thought he would have been spiraling back to where he was a month ago, frightened and reeling from the night at the showcase.

No one seemed to be able to speak, or even twitch now. Hiro realized that it was because this was the first time the whole gang had been together in the same room since the night at the showcase. Go Go looked especially uncomfortable, the humor from earlier evaporated and left them all with the awkwardness Tadashi had brought back with him.

But she was still the one who found the courage and her voice at the same time. When she spoke, it was crisp, cool, and tired all at once, "What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that I'd been resting for too long and you needed help-"

"Not you, Hiro," Go Go cut him off. She pointed at Tadashi and directed her gaze at him, "We just got you back and…"

"And you thought you were going to lose me again?" Tadashi supplied.

Go Go flinched and looked down.

"I thought you were angry with me," Tadashi added quietly. Hiro had seated himself close to his brother, and was able to put a hand on his shoulder for support.

"I don't know," Go Go shook her head, "I'm….well, of course, I'm mad! You just…just…"

She couldn't continue and lowered her head again, in either shame or penance, Hiro wasn't sure.

Do you still love your brother? Hiro recalled Dr. Rogers' words to him and spoke up,

"Do you guys hate Tadashi now?"

Almost everyone else flinched.

Hiro continued, "I mean, at least I had a reason for not seeing my brother. Still wasn't right to avoid him, though. What about you guys? What was stopping you from seeing Tadashi?"

Moments passed before Wasabi answered quietly, "We were hurt."

Hiro's eyebrows rose, "Huh?"

Wasabi coughed a few times and continued, "You weren't the only one hurting, Hiro. We all grieved him differently. "

Go Go still had her head low, but she seemed to have been shaking a little. Even Hiro felt his throat tighten.

"We could never hate you, Tadashi," Wasabi added, sniffing a little, "It's just that...when you came back...it just seemed to make things worse."

At Hiro's glare, Wasabi waved his hands non-threateningly, "We're not blaming him! You had a panic attack, for crying out loud. We were worried about you and then Fred told us and it just fell apart from there."

"We missed you so much, Tadashi," Honey Lemon whispered, wiping her wet eyes, "We wanted you back and didn't think how we'd really feel if we got you back."

"What about you, Go Go?" Tadashi looked at her.

Go Go raised her head and sighed, "First day you got back...I slapped and screamed at you. Today...I thought we were going to lose you again and I wouldn't be able to apologize."

"Hiro has been seeing a psychologist," Baymax responded, "Perhaps your emotional state would improve if you also saw one, Go Go."

"Therapy?" Go Go said almost to herself and shook her head, "The first month, I just trudged on and had the others. Now?"

"It's not like in the movies, Go Go," Hiro added quietly, "Trust me."

"It's not just that, Hiro," Go Go grimaced, "We can't exactly pay for college, apartments, and therapy on the budgets we have. And that's if the insurance can cover it."

"What about the college?" Tadashi suggested suddenly, "I bet they have counseling services for students."

Hiro's eyes widened. All this time and he could have gone to the school to look for a counselor?! Then again, he never would have met Dr. Rogers. And he trusted that man at the moment.

"Maybe later," Go Go conceded, "Just one more thing I wanted to ask about."

"Yes?" Tadashi asked uncertainly.

"The powers?" Go Go asked, "When and more importantly, how?"

Tadashi rubbed the back of his neck, "I'm still trying to figure out how it happened."

Wasabi looked dumbfounded while Fred shrugged helplessly, "You got powers…but you don't know how it happened…?"

Tadashi nodded nervously.

Fred came to the rescue a moment later, "We can ask my dad if he's ever met anybody with powers. I mean, he was fighting mummies one time, remember my Bro-Tillion?"

Wasabi stared at Fred with fearful eyes, "Fighting mummies?!"

"Oh yeah…" Fred smiled, "Steamer kidnapped you by mistake, I forgot."

"Yeah, and then he blamed me for his mistake," Wasabi mumbled sarcastically.

Tadashi sagged a little, "I guess that's why your dad didn't freak out when I burst into flames the first time."

No one else spoke for a full minute.

"Tadashi," Go Go began, but he cut her off.

"I'm sorry. For almost getting myself killed. For making you all suffer. For being an idiot," Tadashi said solemnly, "I should have never done something like that and I promise I won't be so thoughtless in the future. Please forgive me?"

"Man," Wasabi looked at him with hurt eyes, "We owe you an apology. You come back and we practically ignored you."

"And I slapped you," Go Go added quietly.

"And I said I deserved it," Tadashi said firmly.

"He also wants to join Big Hero 6," Fred added. Everyone glared at him, "What? I didn't say now."

"Could you all just shut up and hug already?!" Hiro snapped. Tadashi instantly pulled him in for a hug while the others grouped around the two brothers. Hiro rolled his eyes, "Should have seen that coming…"

Fred spoke up again, "I take it that's a maybe for the newest member to Big Hero 7?"

When Mrs. Frederickson came home after a charity event two hours later, she found her son wearing a dunce cap and writing I will not ruin a touching moment with my mouth over and over again on a large blackboard. She shook her head and ignored it, being used to the antics of her son at this point.

(0-0)

Next week, Hiro was sitting patiently in the waiting room, looking over an issue of Captain Fancy Fred had lent to him. On his left side and looking as though a weight was lifted off her shoulders, Aunt Cass was showing her phone to the woman sitting on her right.

"And this is Mochi sunbathing on my bed. And this is Mochi sunbathing on my nephews' robot, Baymax. And this is Mochi sunbathing in the evening – he loves to sunbathe, by the way – so I guess he's moonbathing, hehehe. And this is Mochi when in heat and he has to stay indoors and away from the other cats."

At this, the woman Aunt Cass was showing her phone to stared blankly, clearly fighting to keep a disgusted look off her face. Hiro heard Tadashi chuckle on his right and smiled.

The door opened, and Rogers stepped out, greeting the Hamadas, "Are you ready, Hiro?"

Hiro looked up from his comic and nodded. He started following Rogers when he halted and looked back at his brother. Tadashi smiled, but Hiro started to frown.

"Hiro?" Rogers was waiting in the hallway to his office, "Are you coming?"

Hiro shook himself and looked back, "Y-yeah. It's nothing."

If by nothing, Hiro had meant that he just didn't want to let his older brother out of his sight again, then of course he was lying.

"Was that your brother in the waiting room with you, Hiro?" Rogers began when they reached his office.

Hiro nodded fervently, "Yeah. I wanted to bring him along this time."

"Did you want him to attend this meeting?" Rogers asked.

Hiro stared, "Wait, I can do that?! I could bring him in here and you could talk to him too?!"

"I'd have to get an earlier notice, first," Rogers explained, "That way, I'd be more prepared. It's like planning a doctor's appointment, you don't want to let them know at the last minute that you want a check-up that day, they could already be booked."

"But Tadashi could come in here too?" Hiro leaned in, repeating the question, "In the future, I mean."

"Yes," Rogers nodded slowly, his face taking on an expression of hesitation, "If you're up to it, I don't want you pushing yourself."

"I spent a month ignoring him, I can't keep hiding!"

"There's handling an issue and then there's overwhelming yourself," Rogers countered gently, "Just wanting to be around your brother more isn't the same as the panic attacks going away. Have you been feeling okay, overall? I suggested you take it slow, after all."

Hiro felt himself blushing, "Yeah…you did. But I'm fine now. I haven't had an actual panic attack in almost two weeks."

"Almost two weeks?" Rogers looked critically at him.

"Um…well," Hiro twiddled his thumbs on his lap, "I might have…"

He stopped, and his hands lay lifeless on his thighs, looking away shamefully.

"I punched Karmi."

"Was she bothering you?" Rogers asked. There wasn't any accusing tone in his voice, but Hiro still squirmed in his seat uncomfortably.

"Yes…and no," Hiro admitted quietly, "It was just so sudden…I forgot to take my medication that day and the others were just trying to get me to at least talk about Tadashi. And during lunch, Karmi just…just asked if he was alive and I…started getting numb. And she wouldn't leave me alone, she kept asking what I was doing, and I just snapped. I yelled at her and punched her once in the stomach. And then I ran out of the room…and I just felt worse the more I ran. I kept thinking back to that night and everything else that happened. I couldn't stop thinking how much worse it felt now than it did in the beginning because…because…"

"Because Tadashi turned out to be alive."

Hiro nodded and sighed, "I owe Karmi an apology. I don't know what came over me."

"I think you were afraid," Rogers observed, "I think you were trying to keep yourself calm and Karmi not giving you that opportunity or backing away wasn't helping either. Corner a dog at a dead-end street and it will turn and bite. The dog doesn't bite because it wants to, it bites because its scared and wants to be left alone. But you should at least make sure Karmi's alright if it's been almost two weeks since it happened."

"I'll try," Hiro said.

"Do or do not, there is no try," Rogers quoted, "If she doesn't accept the apology, then there isn't much to be done about it. But you have to be the one to reach out to her or else –"

"It'll be how I was handling Tadashi being back?" Hiro asked, "Just avoiding the issue and not letting it get better?"

Rogers shrugged, "Probably on a smaller scale."

"How am I supposed to explain to her that…you know…?" Hiro looked helpless.

"You could practice it," Rogers suggested.

Hiro rolled his eyes, "Yeaaah, not trying that again."

"Again?" Rogers looked at him curiously.

Hiro blushed again, "I, uh, tried the roleplay thing once and kept flouncing it…and that is all I'm gonna say on the subject!"

"Would you want to try roleplaying it with me?" Rogers offered, "I could act like her and you could try figuring out what to say."

Hiro sighed, "Alright, alright, just try not to use a high-pitched voice, okay?"

Rogers nodded.

"Ahem," Hiro coughed, "Hey Karmi?"

"What do you want!?" Rogers shrilled, using a falsetto voice.

Hiro fell to the floor, laughing for a few moments before he looked up to try glowering at Rogers. At least, until the laughter won out and he stayed on the floor for a few moments trying to collect his breath. It had just become an exercise in self-control for both of them, it seemed, as Rogers was fighting down his own chuckles with little success.

"Really?" Hiro gave Rogers a look, trying to gauge the man as he would with Tadashi. The mere thought made Hiro smile a little. It felt strange and comforting to view his counselor in a similar manner to his brother. And to Baymax also, if he wanted to further the comparison. This was a person he could trust, Hiro knew that now. Even if it was his job, even if this was a professional, he could trust Rogers the same way he could trust his friends and family.

"Don't take it too seriously, Hiro, it's just practicing," Rogers said after Hiro pulled himself back onto the couch, "Just say what comes to mind and I'll try to answer how you think Karmi would."

"Okay," Hiro cleared his throat again, "Hey Karmi, could I talk to you for a moment?"

Rogers looked at him with suspicion – Hiro told him about Karmi's mannerisms to the best of his ability – and pretended to read a book, "What is it?"

Hiro was thankful that his counselor wasn't trying too hard with the voice this time, but the response and expression – even if they were barely touching the surface of Karmi's person – were a little too intense. He started to suspect that Rogers might have done acting at some point.

He rubbed the back of his neck and continued, "I wanted to talk to you about…a couple of weeks ago at the lunch room…I just wanted to say I was sorry for…for punching you…"

(0-0)

"…and I know its kind of late to be saying that, but better late than never," Hiro chuckled nervously, but his face became solemn again, "If you don't want to forgive me, I get it. I really do, we've been at each other's throats since the start of term and –"

"Alright, alright, I get it, you feel bad for hitting me," Karmi said briskly, actually looking up at him for a change instead of looking through one of her many books she carried with her, "But after what the mascot said, I kind of deserved that."

"What?!" Hiro stared at her incredulously, arms raised in the air, "I punched you!"

"Once," Karmi said dryly, "After I kept bothering you and getting in your face and making your little panic attack worse. I'd say we're even."

"Wait," Hiro's arms dropped to his sides, "You know I was having a panic attack?"

"I do know," Karmi now lowered her head back into one of her books, "the mascot told me."

"Okay, I'm following you a bit better…" Hiro said hesitantly, "But how did you know about my brother being alive?"

Karmi's head went up again, her face marred with annoyance, "You're kidding me, right? People saw him with the mascot on campus a couple of weeks back! I thought it was a rumor – pretty twisted rumor, if you ask me – and while I enjoy making jokes at your expense when it comes to your age or crush –"

"For the last time, I don't have a crush on you," Hiro said dryly with his arms crossed.

"Whatever," Karmi waved her hand dismissively, "What I'm saying is, I would never compare you to your brother or make a joke about him and…you know…"

Hiro smiled a little, "Thanks, Karmi."

He tried not to stare too much when she smiled back, making Hiro see the girl that Granville introduced him to so many weeks ago. Someone like him, someone with passion…someone he would hope accept his offer of friendship.

"Sorry for my part in the lunch room," Karmi looked away, her smile fading, "I mean it."

"And Granville?" Hiro began, but Karmi spoke again.

"She doesn't know, and she isn't going to."

"But I punched you," Hiro repeated slowly.

"Yeah, and I was supposed to help you with your journal," Karmi rolled her eyes, "And you could have reported to her about it then. Consider us even."

"I still think you're letting me off easy," Hiro tried again, but Karmi held up her hand in front of him.

"Just stop it," she huffed, "You said you were sorry, and it wasn't like you killed one of my bacteria. I forgive you, now let me study in peace!"

"Okay, okay, I'm leaving," Hiro walked away backwards, his hands held up in surrender. He turned away a moment too soon, and never saw Karmi rolling her eyes with a knowing smile on her face. He wasn't the only one happy to see Tadashi back.

(0-0)

Granville, to Hiro's eternal gratitude, took Tadashi being alive much better than anticipated. She still went as pale as a sheet and dropped the papers she was holding, but at least she didn't faint like Hiro expected her to do.

Then again, she never did meet him before today, which might have mitigated the shock a little.

Fred's dad had managed to get in contact with his lawyers and have Tadashi declared legally alive again. When asked for how much to pay, he told the Hamadas that they didn't need to pay him back, it was his money.

"I'm afraid you'll have to enroll next semester, Mr. Hamada," Granville finally said when she collected herself, "The semester has already begun and it is too late to return. We're nearing mid-terms, soon, and you would have much catching up to do."

"I understand, professor," Tadashi nodded solemnly, but then leaned in, "Does this mean I need to earn back my lab, too?"

Granville looked at him grimly, "Mr. Hamada, of course you would have to earn it back. In fact, you might need to find a new lab, as someone else is currently occupying it."

Then she smiled, "But I'm certain that your brother would be more than happy to give it back to you."

(0-0)

Tadashi looked up at the building, took a deep breath and straightened his posture. Hiro was behind him, parking the moped and joining his brother at his side.

"You sure you want to do this?" Hiro asked the fourth time that day.

"Yeah," Tadashi nodded. His voice was hollow, like an empty cave. His eyes narrowed for a moment, betraying his thoughts, "I need to do this."

"I can still come with you, you know," Hiro said, letting a small smile appear on his face.

Tadashi shook his head, "No. I…I just want some privacy for this."

"Alright," Hiro became quiet for a moment, "Tadashi?"

His brother turned his head for the first time and looked at him. Hiro was ghostly pale and no longer smiling.

"Please don't let this be like last time, okay?"

Several months ago, they were in a similar situation. There was a fire. People were evacuating. Someone was still inside, and Tadashi was willing to rescue him, damn the consequences. Hiro had tried to stop him to no avail and watched his brother vanish into the flames, seeming to be engulfed in fiery explosions.

But Tadashi wasn't here to save the man like he tried to last time. And he wasn't going to abandon his brother, either. He simply considered this the official end to this chapter in his life.

(0-0)

"Callaghan, you have a visitor."

Robert sighed. He was expecting this day to come sooner or later. The door opened and closed again, leaving him alone with the boy whose life he had torn apart in his blind quest for vengeance. When he looked up, his heart fluttered, and his body went cold.

This wasn't the boy, Hiro. He was taller, wearing that baseball cap on his head like he always did. It was a cruel trick, another reminder of what damage his sins had caused.

"Professor Callaghan," he said quietly, "it's me. Tadashi."

Robert's breath was shaky. No, he wasn't having a heart attack, not in his condition. Was he?

Tadashi stood several feet from his glass cell awkwardly, looking up and down at himself as though it would make him more presentable. Then he sighed,

"Short version: not dead."

"You were in the fire," Robert whispered.

"Yeah," Tadashi agreed, "I was. But I'm alive."

Suddenly, all the control he thought he would have had for this reckoning was gone from his grasp and Robert collapsed to the ground, nearly suffocating from his guilt. He barely noticed the tears that fell as he shook, almost seizure like, feeling crush like an insect under a forgotten brick. He should have been prepared for this, it was on the news, yet he wasn't ready for this moment like he had thought he would be. It was far too different from the scenario he envisioned with Hiro, but just as emotional, too.

"Professor?" There was an edge in Tadashi's voice, something akin to terror or panic. But Robert found his control and yielded his emotions, focusing on the only feeling he found the least threatening. Shame.

Shame was humiliating. Shame was like being doused in cold water in your clothing.

"I came here to get some closure," he said. He twisted the hem of his cap in his hands, as if it had done him a terrible offense. Robert frowned, he hadn't seen this occur since Tadashi's freshman year.

"Closure," Robert repeated quietly, "Closure that I'm going to rot in here? Or closure that I was still alive, and you risked your life for nothing?"

Tadashi's face hardened a little, or was he also struggling to keep a straight face?

"Maybe both," he finally said, before ducking his head and sniffing. When he continued, his voice was a little raspy, "I just…I just wanted to see…I just wanted to see if I could face you. So…was it all a lie? Did you ever care about any of your students?"

Callaghan didn't answer. He knew that whatever he said would have been taken with a grain of salt no matter what.

Tadashi continued, "You stole from my brother. You attacked him several times. You tried to kill him and our friends. You put lives in danger. And for what?! Your daughter? Was this really all over your daughter vanishing? Did you ever think about how many people would have died if you weren't stopped? What were you going to do then?"

"I don't know," Callaghan said quietly.

"All of that pain," Tadashi whispered, "All of that damage. I bet the judge threw the book at you, didn't they?"

"Seventy-four years plus life with a chance at parole," Callaghan answered with a sigh.

"I don't think that was enough," Tadashi said coldly.

Callaghan gave a sad smile, "Attempted murder in the second degree against your brother and friends. That's five lives put in danger. Due to his origins, your robot wasn't considered 'alive.' Your death…or at least attempted murder was an accident. And then there's Krei, the only attempted murder that was planned for some time."

"Do you regret it?" Tadashi's voice was hard again," Do you regret anything you did for revenge?"

Callaghan ducked his head, trying not to see one of his best students, both their faces streaked with tears.

"Well, you're right on one thing, Mr. Hamada," he said, using the old formal gretting, "I did get off too easily."

"I guess there's nothing else to say," Tadashi said in that same cold voice. There was the shuffling of feet and Callaghan looked up to see Tadashi walking towards the door. But he stopped a few feet short.

Callaghan looked hopeful.

"You know something?" Tadashi asked quietly, "Go Go told me that you said my death was my mistake."

"Did she?" Callaghan felt his insides grow cold.

"And you know what? I defended you. Said that you would never have done that," Tadashi chuckled darkly, "I only believed that for ten seconds after I said it. But you were right…I did go in after you, so I only have myself to blame."

And then he opened the door, letting it slam itself shut, while Callaghan stared at it with immense guilt.

(0-0)

"What about the eye?" Hiro asked, a few days later at the Lucky Cat.

"The museum isn't missing anything," Go Go shook her head, "And there weren't any police reports about any theft that day. I…I just don't get it! What did Globby want with that eye?"

"What about an eye?"

"Crap," Hiro whispered, but Honey Lemon stood up.

"Let me handle this," she winked. Hiro gulped.

Aunt Cass crossed her arms, "Why are you all obsessed with that glob monster?"

"It's curiosity," Honey Lemon began, but Aunt Cass continued.

"And why are you all getting nervous about me asking all the time? Every time you guys are talking, it's something you don't seem to want me to find out about."

"Aunt Cass," Honey Lemon tried again.

"And why is your purse covered in buttons? I don't think I've seen you put anything in that purse at all!"

"We're screwed," Hiro sunk into his chair, but Go Go didn't seem all that worried for some reason.

"Honey Lemon," Aunt Cass looked at her critically, "What do you know about Big Hero 6?"

"Just give me a moment, alright?" Honey Lemon began to rummage through her purse, pressing at…buttons?...before looking up with a big grin, "Let me make you some tea!"

"NO, HONEY LEMON!" Hiro stood up and ignored the looks he was getting from the patrons. He smiled nervously at Aunt Cass, "Hey Aunt Cass…so…um…about that eye…could we maybe talk…later about it? When the café's closed for the night?"

"Don't worry, Hiro, I can make a good pot of tea for her," Honey Lemon tried to wink inconspicuously, but went pale when she realized Aunt Cass was looking at her, "It's, uh…something I've been working on. Perfecting the art of tea making and all that!"

"Honey Lemon," Hiro pleaded, but he was ignored. Honey Lemon went into the kitchen while Aunt Cass watched with suspicion.

"Since when has she been into making tea?" She asked.

"Probably since the start of this semester?" Hiro grinned widely, showing his teeth.

"Done!"

"That was fast," Aunt Cass raised an eyebrow.

"Honey Lemon…" Hiro said warningly, but she waved him off.

"It's safe, Hiro, I know you don't trust my cooking. Go Go helped me test it."

A moment later, Aunt Cass fell to the floor.

Hiro looked at Honey Lemon in horror, "You killed her!"

"No I didn't," Honey Lemon smiled, "She'll be alright in half an hour or so."

"But the café is booked!" Hiro gritted his teeth, his voice lowered, "Why didn't you do this later when the shop was closed?"

"Well, you see, Hiro," Honey Lemon's smile fell and she turned porridge-white, "Oops..."

"You know what that means, right Honey Lemon?" Hiro crossed his arms while Go Go pushed the tall girl into the kitchen, "Talk less, smile more. Let Go Go take the orders. I'll get Baymax to handle the register."

Hiro regretted having Baymax at the register ten minutes later.

(0-0)

Hiro looked at the bottle, rattling it a few times to confirm the lack of rattling. He thought of asking Aunt Cass if they could get another prescription and brought it up with Rogers their next session.

"You haven't experienced any panic attacks lately or felt uncomfortable around your brother?" Rogers asked.

Hiro shook his head, "It feels weird. I mean, I still feel a little numb, but...is this ever going to stop? The panic attacks?"

Rogers nodded, "In time. They're triggered by what's frightening you. But as you have been telling me, you've been keeping your brother in your sight as much as you can without much issue. If you're still feeling uncomfortable, then it would be safe to have at least another prescription for the next month or so."

"But the feeling will go away?" Hiro asked.

"Yes," Rogers smiled.

"How?"

"Simple: you confronted the fear. You gathered the courage to talk to your brother – though I would have felt more comfortable if you took it a little more slowly, just in case you had another panic attack – and you're starting to accept that he's back."

"So...this will blow over if I keep up the good work and not overdo it?" Hiro asked.

"Definitely."

Hiro smiled, "Good."

(0-0)

"What was the vote?" Hiro was finishing off the remains of an almond butter sandwich in his – their – lab, "Is Big Hero 6 going to go up a number?"

Tadashi shook his head ruefully, "Not for the next few months, I'm afraid. Something about 'not wanting to draw attention too quickly' and 'not losing you a second time' and maybe even something along the lines of 'just because you can turn your powers on and off at will doesn't mean you're in control of them.' And I'm fine with that."

Hiro shrugged, "I'm fine with that, too. You know, you could move back home if you wanted to."

"Actually, I'm gonna stay there a little while longer. I can work on my 'problem' without Aunt Cass finding out and..." Tadashi stopped and began to blush.

Hiro dropped his sandwich, "And?"

Was it happening? Did he and Fred get close in the past month in ways Hiro thought extraordinary levels?

"I... wanted to work on the outfit a little bit, too," Tadashi concluded.

Hiro snorted, "Let me help, if that's the issue. Maybe I can make you underwear that can cover more, too."

"Some time this week, maybe," Tadashi agreed and stood up, "Still up for a movie tonight?"

Hiro smiled, "You know it. Aunt Cass wouldn't stop talking about how much she wanted to see it."

He stood up, took a few steps and stopped, something catching his eye.

"Wait, Tadashi."

Tadashi turned around. Hiro held up his hat, "Don't forget this."

Tadashi smiled and accepted the gift, sighing in relief as he placed the hat back on his head.

The two brothers walked out of the lab, Hiro didn't even grumble when his brother ruffled his hair. Things were looking up, he just knew it.

(0-0)

The screen glowed in the darkness, illuminating only parts here and there, leaving the rest in shadow.

The image was frozen on two boys exiting a building; one tall and solid looking with a cap on his head. The small boy, most likely his brother, followed close behind like a duckling, traces of baby fat still present in his face.

He gripped the monitor tightly, his face hardening. He felt his temple grow hot, an ominous purple light covering half of his face.

"Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage. And then is heard no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing," he quoted softly and then added, "But only for some, it appears..."

(0-0)

Author's Note: As always, I did my research while writing this to keep the judicial system accurate. Nine years for attempted murder in the second-degree (which is classified as done without planning), plus ten-eleven years for the fire and stealing Hiro's neurotransmitter as well as almost an additional eight for copyright violations (he made more microbots), but I'd say he would be there for approximately the amount he mentioned. The life sentence for his attempt to take on Krei's life, as it was planned and intentional. I wasn't sure about the attack on the new building Krei was showing, as I wasn't sure if it would have been classified as an act of terrorism or mass destruction of private property.

Panic attacks can go away when the patient is able to face the fear and overcome it. Hiro's fear? That Tadashi is not actually in front of him and he is still dreaming. He mentions this to his therapist two chapters ago and funny enough, I was looking at how a panic attack could vanish and one site said exactly what I stated above.

And that concludes Shock. Now onward to finish Bad Idea and get another story started. I am satisfied with my care.