“Wow,” Taemin blinked, “just……..”

“Wow?” Minho tried to smile, but the worry for Hyorin stayed apparent on his face.

“She’s not telling us some things,” Jonghyun whispered to Onew, far too low for anyone else to hear.

Onew nodded, frowning slightly. Hyorin knew better then to hide things when the situation was so desperate. Yet here she was, keeping things from SHINee. Onew had to hope that she had a good reason for it.

“This is Hyorin,” Key rolled his eyes, whispering just as quietly as his brothers, “you know she wouldn’t keep something from us unless she had to.”

“Key hyung is right,” Minho whispered, “so let’s just focus on saving VIXX.”

“We have to save VIXX,” Hyorin said, hugging her knees tightly to her chest, “I’m done with playing Nayoung’s games. I refuse to let her……use VIXX.”

“I’m not sure if you should go,” Minho admitted, moving to sit beside her on the couch.

“He’s right,” Jonghyun nodded, “Nayoung is strong, right? You can’t just charge in there and fight her.”

“What?” Hyorin glared, “does that mean you think I’m weak?”

“No!” he quickly denied, “that isn’t what I’m saying at all.”

“We know Nayoung’s type,” Onew spoke up, “demons like that don’t fight fair. She’ll pull some nasty trick on you that will cost you the fight.”

“We just don’t want to see you hurt,” Taemin nodded, taking the empty spot on Hyorin’s other side and pulling her into a hug, “We’re worried.”

“I think she’ll be fine,” Key muttered, “so long as we’re there with her, I don’t see a problem.” Jonghyun just smacked him on the arm.

“We can’t let her go in there,” he hissed, “what if she got hurt?”

“You’re so overprotective,” Key sighed.

But even he had to admit that his gut instinct was to keep Hyorin as far from danger as he could. Even though he knew she was strong and could take care of himself, a part of him only saw the cute little girl she’d once been. The little girl who needed SHINee’s help. Now, she was a grownup who didn’t need them and……..well Key wasn’t sure how to feel about that.

“I think she should go,” Yong Guk said.

“What?” SHINee gasped. Of all people, they thought that Yong Guk would agree with them on this.

“I’ve seen her training,” Yong Guk shrugged, “I know how strong she’s gotten. I know she can handle whatever Nayoung throws at her.”

“And I’ll be going with her,” Rina nodded in agreement, “Yong Guk knows that I wouldn’t let anything hurt her.”

“I think she should go, too,” Zelo said.

“What?” SHINEE turned to their master, jaws on the floor.

“If Yong Guk hyung thinks it’s fine,” Zelo smiled slightly, “then I’ll go along with it.”

“Fine,” Onew sighed, “we’ll go along, too.”

“And we’ll stay back here,” JB sighed.

“I wish we could help,” Jackson frowned, “but……”

“So long as she has dolls for you,” Hyorin gave him a sympathetic smile, “it’s best if you stay back here.”

“We’ll chain ourselves up in the basement,” Mark said, “that way she can’t call us in when you guys start to win.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Yong Guk pointed out.

“Maybe not,” BamBam shrugged, “but we’d feel better. Safer.”

“Hyorin,” Rina instructed, “why don’t you get in some last minute training. I’ll get to work finding Nayoung’s new base.”

“I’ll look for it,” Taemin stood up, “I can get around town faster than you can.”

“Both of you can search,” Onew said, “from the air and the ground.”

“We’d find her base much faster,” Minho nodded in agreement. Rina and Taemin both left then, promising to be back as soon as possible with good news.

“I’ll help Hyorin train,” Key grinned, rushing to pull her outside.

“He’s really missed her,” Zelo laughed.

“She is his favorite niece,” Onew laughed along with Zelo, especially when he noticed how Minho and Jonghyun were pouting over Key stealing their Hyorin time. Honestly, Onew was a little upset about it too, but figured he could always spend time with her later after VIXX was saved and Nayoung was defeated.

“I haven’t seen her in so long,” Jonghyun sulked, “and Key gets to her first.”

“You could help,” Jr suggested, “Hyorin needs all the help she can get, right?”

“Right,” Jonghyun grinned evilly, “and if I’m outside helping, Key has to share her!”

“You’ll have to forgive them,” Zelo laughed as Minho and Jonghyun rushed to follow after Key and Hyorin, “Hyorin is their favorite niece and we haven’t gotten a chance to see her in over a year.”

“We’ve been tracking down this group of evil demons,” Onew explained, “they were really good at escaping from us, so it took a while to catch them.”

“So,” JB questioned, “you hunt down evil demons? Then…..you’ll know exactly what to do with Hyorin after she’s defeated.”

“Yeah,” the pair nodded, “we’ll know what to do with her.

A/N: next chapter: the fight to save VIXX!!!! Bet ya all can’t wait for that, huh?