Left to My Own Devices

Hope is a strange emotion. It exists despite all efforts to quell it. It has a way of sneaking up on people and a tendency to defy the very laws of logic and reason. No matter how many times Tadashi told himself nothing had changed, despite all the times he was disappointed, each time he peered into Hiro's room he couldn't help but hope that this time would be different, that Hiro would once again turn to him for support, that Hiro would begin to heal. Unfortunately, like the times that came before, this time was sadly no different. Not on Hiro's part that is. Tadashi on the other hand… Tadashi had, had enough and after his meeting with the gang he now had a plan.

"Come on, Hiro. Up and at 'em." Tadashi declared marching right into the dark room despite the fact that Hiro clearly didn't want him there. Ignoring the lump on Hiro's bed, Tadashi headed straight for the window and pulled up the blinds, letting in a bright stream of sunlight. "We're going out."

And that was all it took to get a reaction out of Hiro. The blanket covering the prone lump slipped down to reveal two anger filled bright amber eyes. "Go away, Tadashi. I'm not going anywhere."

"You…" Tadashi declared, leaning in over Hiro, his nose all but touching the bedding that still covered the lower half of Hiro's face, "don't exactly have a choice in the matter." Tadashi reached down and pulled the bedding off of Hiro tossing it aside before reaching back to sling Hiro into his arms.

"Hey!" Hiro protested, pummeling Tadashi with his arms. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I already told you, we're going out." Tadashi headed down the stairs, completely ignoring Hiro's attempts to get away. Once he reached the bottom he promptly dropped Hiro into the wheelchair Aunt Cass had prepared for him. Grabbing the handles, he twirled it around once before pushing it towards the café door, sending a silent nod of thanks Aunt Cass' way.

"I don't want to go out!" Hiro yelled trying to grab hold of the wheels of the wheelchair in a bid to stop its forward momentum. He promptly received a mild friction burn when his hands connected with the spinning wheels. "Ow! Baymax! Help!"

Baymax was holding open the door to the café. He tilted his head to the side at Hiro's outcry but made no move to assist him. "I trust that you shall enjoy your day out." Baymax said as Tadashi wheeled Hiro right past him, forcing his brother out into the real world for the first time since his injury.

"Baymax!" Hiro cried out one last time before giving up with a whimper. "Please…" The words escaped his lips on a whisper. "Tadashi… please don't do this. I… I can't…"

Tadashi glanced down at Hiro ignoring the flicker of pain his brother's words awoke in his heart. This was the right thing to do. Even if… even if Tadashi's chosen course of action was causing his brother emotional distress. "You can do this." Tadashi said softly, rolling the wheelchair onto the tram with a glare that dared anyone to comment. The other passengers turned quickly away, not willing to mess with Tadashi. "You can do this and more. You just need to open yourself up to the possibilities."

Hiro did not reply his mind full of conflicted emotions. He was angry, angry that Tadashi was doing this to him. He was ashamed to be out in public like this, broken and in a wheel chair, bound to be the center of negative attention for the rest of his life but most of all he was terrified, terrified of things he couldn't even begin to imagine or explain.

Ring.

The bell on the tram rang, signalling their next stop and the next thing Hiro knew, he was moving once more. Tadashi rolled the wheel chair off of the tram and onto the pavement, heading straight towards the park they had arrived at. "Why are you doing this to me?" Hiro asked, slouching in the chair in a futile bid to make himself invisible. Even though the park was far from busy, there were enough people there to consider the situation they found themselves in public.

"You've been holed up in your room for far too long." Tadashi said, tolling the wheel chair down a path lined with cherry blossom trees. Spring had come and the trees were in full bloom painting the sky a bright shade of pink.

"I like me room." Hiro said, sulking.

"So do I." Tadashi agreed. "But you've spent enough time in it."

"Who are you to tell me anything?" Hiro snapped, still bitterly angry.

"Your older brother and someone that cares deeply about you."

"If you cared about me, you'd have left me in my room!"

"And let you hide for the rest of your life? I'm sorry Hiro, but I can't do that." Tadashi stopped beneath a particularly large cherry blossom tree. He watched as a few stray flowers drifted through the air, a few blossoms landing in Hiro's messy hair.

"What I decide to do with my life is my choice!"

"Not when you're being an idiot about it." Tadashi retorted, picking up one of the cherry blossoms to twirl in between his fingers.

"I'm not being an idiot! Staying in my room is the smart thing to do! In case you haven't noticed, I'm in a wheelchair!" Hiro waved his arms in frustration.

"So what?" Tadashi asked, releasing the flower. It drifted unnoticed to the ground.

"I'm a cripple. That's what!" Hiro yelled, suddenly desperate for a fight. What right did Tadashi have to take over his life like this? What right did Tadashi have to preach when he couldn't even begin to understand what Hiro was going through? None. That's what and Hiro was going to make sure Tadashi knew it too.

"You're right." Tadashi agreed. "You're a cripple."

"You can't just waltz into my life and take over like you know what's best for me just because you…" Hiro continued to rant only to stumble to a halt when Tadashi's response finally registered. "I'm sorry, what?"

"You're right. You're a cripple." Tadashi repeated.

"How can you say that?" Hiro demanded, suddenly filled with pain. Tadashi had completely shocked him with his easy acquiescence. Tadashi wasn't supposed to agree. He was the one person Hiro always looked to for help and strength. Tadashi wasn't supposed to see Hiro as weak and broken even though that was exactly what Hiro himself believed. "You're not supposed to agree."

"But that's what you are, isn't it? You said it yourself." Tadashi twirled Hiro's chair around forcing the younger Hamada to face him. "You're a cripple but it's not because of your legs." Tadashi pointed at Hiro's legs in illustration. "It's because of this." Tadashi tapped Hiro on the forehead. "You're only a cripple because you decided you are one. This…" Tadashi pointed at Hiro's legs again, "shouldn't even be in the equation when you define yourself. It's nothing more than your outer shell, a challenge you can easily overcome should you set your mind to it. What truly defines you is what lies in here." Another tap on the forehead, "and here" followed by a tap to Hiro's chest. "You still have your mind, your life, Aunt Cass, your friends and me. If that's not enough we have bigger problems that your broken back. It's about time you stop drowning yourself in self-pity, catch a wake-up call and count your blessings." Tadashi stepped back, turned and started to walk away.

"Hey!" Hiro called after him, dread and fear rearing their ugly heads once more.

Tadashi continued to walk.

"Hey! Where are you're going?" Hiro tried again, desperation slipping into his tone. Tadashi was leaving. His brother, the one person in his life that he could always count on was walking away and leaving him behind, alone and in a wheelchair. "Aren't you forgetting something? I don't know, like, maybe me!"

The desperate cry echoed through the park, breaking the sense of peace that had gone unnoticed by the two brothers. "I'll see you at home." Tadashi called back, not even turning around to face his brother. Ignoring the desperation in Hiro's voice was the hardest thing Tadashi had ever done. With a half wave, he stepped around a corner and disappeared out of Hiro's sight effectively abandoning Hiro in the park.

"You can't just leave me here!"

Silence.

"Tadashi!"

More silence.

Hiro was alone in the park, stuck in a wheelchair he hadn't bothered to learn to use.

- BH6 - BH6 - BH6 –

A/N: So what do you all think of Tadashi's approach? Desperate times... Desperate measures...

Guest: Don't cry. Hiro has a very good support base. Fred is glad you like his idea... makes him feel less out numbered XD XD XD. These are the last few chapters. I am going to miss all of you as well but it has been one amazing ride!

NotShort: I'm not upset. I enjoyed sharing my interpretation with you! I think you are incredibly smart as you challenged me a lot. LOL... I see you really want Hiro to walk again. You want him to use that big brain of his and find a solution!