Zelo lay on the ground looking up at the stars, unable to sleep. It had been hours since even Himchan had been doing anything. It took a lot of convincing from Tabi that he'd done everything he could for the moment, but eventually even Himchan had settled down.

Zelo didn't understand why he was still awake, other than he was worried about Yongguk. He wondered what they might do to his hyung. He rolled over in an attempt to get more comfortable on the ground.

He saw Kai laying nearly motionless a few feet away. A bit of red was already starting to show through the bandages on his shoulder. “Why would they leave him behind when it would make more sense to take him back?” Zelo mumbled to no one in particular.

“Who knows” Youngjae answered, startling him.

“You're awake?” he asked, sitting up.

“Yeah, I usually wake up shortly before dawn” Youngjae answered as he sat up too and stretched.

“Keep it down over there” Himchan muttered in their direction.

“You're awake too? I thought you went to sleep hours ago” Zelo said.

“Are you kidding me? I can't sleep in a situation like this” Himchan replied.

“Umma mode” Youngjae whispered while nodding. Zelo rolled his eyes as he looked around. He furrowed his brow when he counted bodies.

“I think we're missing someone” he stated.

“Daehyun's over there” Youngjae offered, pointing at Daehyun who had separated himself from the others.

“No, I got him. I think it's Taeyang” Zelo said looking around.

“I think I heard him get up a few minutes before you two started talking.” Himchan said, “He's as restless as the rest of us, probably went out to scout or something.” As they were talking, Taeyang returned.

“How many of you got up while I was away?” he asked.

“I never went to sleep” both Zelo and Himchan said at the same time.

“So just Youngjae then?” he said.

“Pretty much” Youngjae responded.

Over the next few hours, as the sun rose, the others roused themselves. “Now that we're all up, what do we do now?” Himchan asked.

“...Good question” Tabi muttered.

“We never anticipated this situation” Taeyang commented, looking at Kai.

“But it's the situation you were given so you'll have to adapt” someone said, startling them all. They all turned to see GD with a smug grin on his face.

“GD!!!” Seungri exclaimed as he jumped to his feet and hugged the older man.

“Hey Riri” GD chuckled.

“Are you forgetting about me?” a girl said as she stepped out of the bushes behind GD.

“Emma!” Seungri shouted as he tackled her in a bigger hug.

“Is it really you?” Taeyang asked. He couldn't believe his eyes.

“Who else would I be?” Emma giggled as she shoved Seungri off. Taeyang helped her back to her feet. “Heh, I'm taller than you now” she said while looking at him.

“” he said while laughing. Himchan and the others stood off to the side watching.

“Does anyone else feel awkward right now?” Himchan asked.

“Little bit” Tabi answered. He hadn't known her for as long as the others. Zelo could only nod.

“Could someone explain this to me please?” Youngjae asked.

“Sorry, she's kind of an old friend. She was the only person we could get here on our first opportunity” Taeyang explained. Emma smiled as she introduced herself to them before walking up to Zelo.

“Junhong-ssi~” she said, trying her best to be cute. Zelo stiffened up, he wasn't quite sure what to make of her now, knowing she wasn't human and still feeling affection for her. “Oh come on Zelo, I'm still the same girl you've known for nine years” she said, dropping the act.

“Has it really been nine years?” Seungri asked.

“Yep” Emma said with a nod and a grin.

“By the way, when, in that time-span, did you become a robot?” she asked. Seungri was baffled and a look of guilt crossed Taeyang's face.

“How did you-” he started before she cut him off.

“You know it's practically impossible to keep secrets from me” she said.

“True enough” he sighed.

“Do you think we could maybe not talk about this?” Taeyang asked. Emma stopped and looked at him for a moment before responding.

“Okay, I understand” she said sympathetically. He nodded gratefully as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“What was that about?” Himchan asked later as he approached Taeyang. They were still in the same spot trying to figure out how to move on with Kai still unconscious.

“What was what about?” Taeyang asked back.

“That whole thing about Seungri earlier” Himchan elaborated. Taeyang's breath caught in his throat. “And don't even try to say it's not important because it seems pretty important, and that excuse doesn't work on me anymore” Himchan added.

“How about I just say that there are certain things I feel responsible for” Taeyang offered.

“Not good enough for me” Himchan stated. Taeyang sighed as he bit his lip, he was at a loss for words. “I can tell this is hard for you, but sometimes the best way to deal with something is to talk about it” Himchan said.

“You're right” Taeyang sighed.

“Now if I could just get that through Daehyun's thick skull...” Himchan muttered.

“So, you really want to know why I feel guilty? Why Seungri has to work through that stupid android?” Taeyang asked.

“I heard that!” Seungri exclaimed.

“Okay, the android admittedly has its perks, but yes, I want to know” Himchan answered. Taeyang took a deep breath before starting.

“It was a few years ago, on Atala. We were scouting around to find a way to get ourselves to Earth, I was with Seungri and the other three were together. We did our best to keep hidden, but I guess luck only lasts so long.

“A couple of Exoans found us and attacked us without hesitation. I tried to defend us, but in reality we never stood a chance; We were a pair of teenagers against two full grown men, and between the two of us I was the only one with any real fighting skill. It didn't take long for them to take me down and get at Seungri” Taeyang explained.

“So he got badly beat up?” Himchan asked.

“I wish they had just beat him up and left us there, instead they took advantage of the fact that they were much bigger and stronger than him. They threw him around like he was a doll, and if I tried to get up and help him they would kick me back down.

“When they got bored with him they just... oh God, they... they broke his back, snapped it like a twig, and left him there to die” Taeyang finished, cringing like it hurt to just remember it.

“I- I understand now” Himchan said, “but there really wasn't anything you could do.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yongguk woke up slowly with a dull pounding in the back of his skull. “Zelo” he grunted as he tried to move, but he was restrained by chains around his wrists.

“That's not going to help” someone said. Yongguk looked up to see Suho in front of him. “No disrespect intended, but you are only human” Suho said, shrugging as he turned to leave.

“Wait! Where are you going?” Yongguk asked.

“I have to go tell Kris you're awake” Suho answered ruefully over his shoulder.

“Clearly you don't want to, so why do it?” Yongguk said.

“I have to, Kris is our leader and he gave me orders” Suho replied with pity in his eyes before he stepped through the door. Yongguk was left alone where he was for a few minutes before Kris swept into the room. Kris immediately walked up to him and punched him square in the jaw.

“You know, I think the kid hit harder” Yongguk chuckled as he popped his jaw. Kris growled as he clenched his fists tighter.

“I wouldn't push my luck if I were you, you're only alive because I allow it” he said through clenched teeth.

“Ooh, sounds like I struck a nerve” Yongguk said.

“You insolent little pest!” Kris exclaimed as he struck Yongguk across the face. “You're lucky I still have need of you” he hissed, wrapping his fingers around Yongguk's neck.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

New chapter, I'm so happy with the progress I'm making on this story^^ so I have Taeyang getting a little gushy and emotional, and Yongguk being a little for Kris

Please enjoy and leave a comment, tell me what you liked, disliked, laughed at, etc.

Until next time^^

Edit: More sassy Guk, that is all