--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WARNING; THE VIEWS ARE SUGGESTIONING THAT SOME OF MY LOVELY READERS HAVE MISSED CHAPTER 35! PLEASE READ SO BEFORE READING THIS. 
Thank you ^^

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Authors Note: Hiiiii ^^

So I just answered private messages (like so sorrrryyyyyyyyyy for this delay, and after posting this chapter I gotta go to work and I will hopefully be back before I sleep to answer the comments)

But enough talk: so this chapter is nearly 8K (applause*), and yeah its pretty dialogue heavy but I am damn proud I could insert everything that had to be said  (Including the request I got for TaeyongXTenXMark, so sorry it took so long) before the Grand Finale comes (Around 5 chapters left you all T T)

uhm so briefly some answers for you all: First of all yes, there is a part 2 for the late anniversary sneek peak, which will focus on other characters that werent present. Secondly I got another resquest (Applause again*) for me to write about either RenjunXChenle getting in trouble (kidnapping scene was given as an example, though it seems quite strong for Chenle to experience that ^^;) or either about Jisung talking about his family, from his point of view; the last one was actually already kinda planned, so its fine cuz I have some ideas about it...Bur for RenjunXChenle.....uhm, if anyone of you has some inspiration to share feel free to do so (I kinda have a writers block on this one ^^;)

Also thank you for the request (its been a while ah, I am pretty much excited about it), and also little hello for the new subs (I cant believe the views OMG)

And last but not least:  Thank you all so much for being such sweet, patient and kind cizenies who love and support the author and the storry so much that it makes the author feel guilty > < 

You guys are the greatest X3 I wish you all a great day!

Lots of love, Moonlightwish

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“Mark, open them up. I will count till three. At three I will lift you up and you will stuck them on the cable, alright?” Ten gathered all the force he had left as he forced his twisted arm to hold.

“1…2….3!”

The boy was lifted up, his lanyards open, reaching towards the cable. At the same moment Ten’s arm became limp and Mark tried to close the lanyards on the cable.

Taeyong witnessed with horror as Ten screamed, a pair of white hands touching the cable, yet something went wrong as the lanyards didn’t stuck.

A body, familiar, plunged in the air, the gravity pulling on it, as everyone screamed. Taeyong’s heart shook to the core, as the cherished body of his son plunged faster, a blurr that couldn’t be clearly seen with their eyes as it approached the ground way to fastly.

No.

No.

Mark.

Taeyong screamed.

Taeyong woke up with a jolt, out of breath, the recent images of his dream burning on his eyes, while tears painted his cheeks.

Mark.

His hands griped the bedsheets thighter, as his heartbeat was out of control, body still trembeling at the dream that had been to real. No not dream. It was Taeyong’s worst nightmare he had ever dreamt of.

Thank God. Only a nightmare.

Taeyong sighed, his head hung low, face hidden between his hands as he waited for his heartbeat to turn back to normal. Maybe he should have seen it coming. Today had just been to much on an emotional level; from Mark’s and Ten’s near-death experience to the agonizing moment of waiting for Ten’s people who finally brought them both down safely on the ground which had required a lot of efforts and time. It had just been to much for Taeyong’s heart.

If not for his other kids wanting to cling to their hyung so desperately, he wouldn’t have let go of his son till they would have reached home. But thank God, his sons had been more calmed down and in a better state then himself; kids sure recovered fastly.

Which he was thankfull for, as the way Jeno had cried into his hyung’s emrace, apologising over and over again had crumbeled Taeyong’s heart (who was still surprisingly beating) into a thousand of little pieces.

Needless to say, Jeno had clung to his hyung more then anyone else, to the point that even Jisung had glared at him by the end of the evening as he wanted his pillow back.

Taeyong’s heart still refused to calm down, so he silently slipped out of his bed, his feet touching the ice cold floor of the night, which snapped him out of his dull sense.

There was nothing better to remind one of being alive, then sensing the cold beneath one’s feet, and he silently made his way through his son’s room.

Their penthouse was way to huge to navigate in the dark, yet he didn’t want to switch on any lamp or light, as he feared to wake up the bunch of sleeping bodies that were bundled up togheter in Mark’s room.

Taeyong regained his smile as he watched how all his precious treasures were entangled between limbs and bedsheets, all fiting snugly into Mark’s big bed; his eldest in the middle, an arm wrapped snuggly under Jeno’s head, who had been so clingy after the accident, while Jisung had token refuge on Mark’s other side, head on his hyungs chest. Next to him, fingers interwined with Mark’s, slept Renjun who had Chenle snuggled on his chest too, a leg out of the many blankets they were using.

Taeyong sighed contently. Life was all about small hapinesses.

It had been Taeyong’s dream to dance, on a level of big idols, big stars.

He hadn’t exactly fulfilled that wish, though he was more then satisfied with his current carreer.

Instead he had been able to fulfil his other childhood dream: a warm family.

Staring at each of the sleeping faces, Taeyong thought he had even overachieved that dream.

Each of them, were a priceless shinning precious gem of Taeyong’s heart.

When his sister had died Taeyong had wondered if the Heavens had forgot about him, taking away the only family member he had.

But looking at it now, Heaven had given him back more then they had taken away.

He should visit his sister tomb next time, to thank her for her blessings. He knew for sure that she had been the one protecting Mark today as she kept staying by Taeyong’s side eventhough he couldn’t see her.

“What are you thinking?”

Taeyong jumped in fright as he supressed a cursed shout, glaring as he turned towards the owner of the sudden voice; “In Heaven’s Name, do you want me to die?!” he whispers shouted at Winwin who had an unimpressed expression, yet Taeyong could swear he saw a glimpse of amusement in his eyes.

Contrary to belief, Renjun and Chenle had both taken the mischivousness after their father and not after their mom, the kind soul may she rest in peace.

“You sure have morbid thoughts at 3 AM in the morning.” Winwin answered dryly, which confirmed Taeyong’s instinct that his sworn brother was messing with him.

“I am pretty sure you knew I wasn’t thinking about that, I just am telling you to not give me a heart attack!” Taeyong sulked as his heart beat that had regained its compusre while watching his sleeping sons had surged uncontralbly out of his chest.

“You were the one giving me a heart attack, I thought an intruder had came into the kids room.” Winwin muttered under his breath as he slidded something back to his pocket which Taeyong hadn’t noticed off.

“Wait Sicheng…Is that a weapon?!” Taeyong whisper shouted as his eyes were nearly falling out, looking horrified at his sworn brother who merely nodded at the accusation.

“How dare you, take that out! Not under our roof, what are you thinking? The kids are here present what if-”

“An intruder came with bad intensions like yesterday? But this time instead of targeting Mark by making him fall from a tree, they decide that a gun might do the trick?”

Winwin’s cold reply made a shiver run down Taeyong’s spine.

“W-what are you talking about…What do y-you mean targeting m-my children…” Taeyong’s voice wasn’t a whisper anymore. If not because they were sleeping, he would have screamed.

His body was slightly shaking as he tried to control the surge of emotion he was feeling at the moment.

Winwin sighed; “Tae, you are freaking out.”

“Well no sh*t! You just have a weapon on you, declares my children are b-being targeted, t-that someone wants to k-k-ki…”

“Kill.” Winwin said that horrifying word with such ease that Taeyong’s body just felt ice cold.

“Do you remember the day, you told me you wanted to become my family.” Winwin’s voice became a whisper and Taeyong’s body regan its compuser as he saw the soft remincing look in Winwin’s eyes.

This was the Winwin he knew; aloof, yet soft hearted.

“The day we became sworn brothers. Why wouldn’t I remember it, you heartless man!”

Winwin didn’t reply for a little while.

Just as Taeyong wanted to ask if everything was fine, he was met with a sad pair of eyes;

“I was always incredibly selfish. But that day I commited the most selfish act I ever did in my life.”

“What do you mean?” Taeyong didn’t particularly see Winwin as selfish. He wondered why he would see himself like that, as he tried to remember what kind of selfish act had he done that day; yet he could only remember Winwin’s tears and smile as they sealed their injured handpalms in blood, each repeating the vow of sworn brothers.

“I made you my sworn brother. My family.”

Taeyong’s heart ached. “Ya, what selfishness is that?”

He wanted to protest, as they had both longed for a family, both longed for something they clearly shared with ease between them.

“I made you, a taintless soul, become part of a world of darkness.” Winwin’s voice was so low, that Taeyong had to put infort into hearing it.

He came closer, snakking his arms around Winwin’s waist, before puttig his head on his shoulder.
He had never had a so emotional Winwin ever since Renjun’s and Chenle reunion. Even before, when they had been young, Taeyong had never seen him so fragil since…the day they had become family.

“What are you talking about. Didn’t you always want to escape what your family is doing? Why would your world be darkness? You are not part-”

“I never escaped it.” Winwin’s hoarse voice interrupted Taeyong’s rant. “I never did, never will. It followed me, took away my wife’s life and nearly my own. If…If I had accepted it, maybe this wouldn’t have happened….”

Taeyong looked at Winwin, protest dying on his lips but somehow Winwin’s gaze made it hard to let it out.

“It was because I wanted to escape it, that I became weak. I became so weak that they could take away the life I had swore to protect till my death, and if not for my older sister they would have been able to even take those of my children too. I became pathetic, I who had headstrong fought to escape that world, couldn’t even fight properly to protect what was dear to me.”

Winwin took a step away, breaking their hug as he suddenly sighed: “And that’s why I decided that I wouldn’t commit the mistake twice…Tae…I can’t avoid my fate. But I can make it better. I can change it so that nobody dear to me has to suffer. Which is why I have this weapon on me Tae…Do you understand?”

Taeyong didn’t know what to reply for a long time, but he slowly nodded his head.

“Its not only this weapon Tae. I am protecting this family with everything I have.”

Taeyong sighed before he replied with a hug: “Thank you for protecting us.”

Winwin hugged back this time, arms wrapped tightly on him.

“I swore it the day we became family. Consider it as a repayment to you, for dragging you down into this mess.”

Taeyong snorted: “No need, as you can see, my eldest son has also his own mess to clear.”

Winwin chuckled: “Well I doubt that Ten will ever let go of whoever created it. And I doubt he will give me a chance to even ask repayment to them, seeing how his previous methods were quite…throughout.”

“I sometimes wonder how I even ended up with him.” Taeyong sighed helplessly as he heard the carefully picked words by Winwin.

His ex sure seemed to be even more scarier then he imagined, if he had to believer everyone’s words around him.

“You say that, but we both know you love him. I do however wonder how come you can cope with us, seeing how well you took yesterday’s events without even blaming anyone.”

“…” Taeyong tightened the hug as he suddenly asked: “You…all this emotional you were saying…were you trying to ask me to not…you know…try to escape fate?”

“What do you mean?” Winwin’s neutral tone could mean anything.

Taeyong wanted to say: “Forget it.”

But the events of today brought him a shiver down his spine, so continued:

“Something like; wake up your children are from a… dangerous world so don’t try to escape it or ignore it. It will only make them weaker…Something like that?”

“…”

“Yeah?”

Winwin sighed: “Yeah. I know you are running away from it. I can’t blame you…But I want to protect Minnie as much as you want, and this is not the way to do it. Even I can’t have that luxury with Renjun and Chenle…And I doubt Jaehyun would let Jeno remain carefree like you wish.”

Taeyong sighed. “They are so young.”

“I know. But they are not alone, they have their family with them. They still have you, and they will still be children; beloven and spoilt with happiness like you want…The only difference is that they will also have to carry the responsibility of their identity, that’s all.”

“You make it sound so easy” Taeyong snorted.

“It will be. They have us at their side. We will protect them until they can protect themselves. I am sure we can, because how well they grew up.”

“But yesterday…” Taeyong’s slight hestitation was met with a smirk on Winwin’s face.

“I want to see who dares to play tricks again after Ten is done with dealing matters now.”

“Now?” Taeyong asked in non-understanding.

“Ah. Well unlike you I wasn’t up because of overthinking morbid thoughts in the early morning.”

“I wasn’t overthinking morbid thou- Wait a minute, what were you doing then?”

Winwin shrugged: “I was monitoring.”

“Monitoring what?” Taeyong frowned at the bad feeling that surged in his heart.

“Ten’s counter attack.” Winwin replied as if it was the most evident answer to hear.

“…”

“…”

“Do I even want to know what it is?” Taeyong asked with a bit of dread in his voice.

Winwin thought at the miserable men that had been caught by Johnny’s and Ten’s people, the one that dared to sabotage that glass tunnel.

It turned out they had been members of the Korean mafia. No clue that could be lead to Ten’s cousin, yet Winwin who had always been proud of his interrogation skills passed down in his renowed family had been impressed by Ten’s ability. In mere minutes the Thai king had been able to extort information that would lead them to trail left behind by his beloved cousin.

Jaehyun who had monitored with him, unphased by the cruel scenes, had a very scary look as he made some phone calls, making the abrupt decision for Nct to establish itself in the Thai market.

Needless to say Winwin knew Mark allies would increase considerably in the future if NCT managed to control a huge part of Thai’s economy, a part that had yet been able to be controlled by Ten.

Winwin had wondered, should he ask his siter to transfere his assets? He had thought it would have been usefull for Renjun’s and Chenle’s protection, but if he played his cards right, Mark could be the ace card that would be able to protect them without even involving them in this dark world.

He would first see it with Doyoung hyung; he had always played the negotior between Taeyong and their world, he would know for sure what would be best for Mark’s and Taeyong future.

Winwin however kept those thoughts for himself as he merly chuckled; “That depends.”

“Depends on what?” Taeyong sometimes wondered if he wasn’t to much curious for his own good.

“If you want to keep escaping fate or not.”

Taeyong sighed, snuggling his head on Winwin’s chest; “Can I have some time to think about it.”

Winwin nodded, rubbing with a hand Taeyong’s back.

“As long as you know that you are not alone, and will never be in this, then you can take as much as you want.”

“I know.” Taeyong’s whisper could be heard clearly in the silent night.

When the early morning came, Taeyong felt lighter in his heart and mind.

However, that didn’t seem to be the case for someone else, who had come an hour later to visit.

“Coffee?” Taeyong asked worriedly as he looked up to Ten, who sat on their kitchen island, looking like he hadn’t slept one bit, as his pale complexion made the slight redness around his eyes stand out more easily.

Little did he know that the man had barly slept 3 hours, before burying himself on Lucas bed as he fell asleep watching his son’s peacefull face while Johnny woke up to finish the last details of interrogation.

“Do I look that horrible?” Ten chuckled as Taeyong knew he rarely liked to drink coffee, and Ten remembered those found nights when he had late rehearsal routine in his dance studio, his boyfriend coming by in the early morning with a thermos of coffee and his usual blinding smile to greet him.

“You do. It’s horrible.” Taeyong’s blunt statement however reminded Ten that they weren’t anymore that young love strucked teenagers couple, and he couldn’t help but feign a hurtful expression; “Hey, this is the part where you should say that I look handsome even if tired!”

Taeyong chuckled: “I will let Johnny take that part when you come home. In exchange I will take the part of serving you coffee because you actually do look like a horrible mess.”

Ten huffed: “A handsome mess.”

Taeyong rolled his eyes not bothering to answer as he made himself busy to make coffee.

“And you look like a pretty mess yourself. Didn’t sleep too?” Ten asked with a slight teasing tone, yet Taeyong saw the worry in his eyes. He sighed. “I just…have been thinking.”

“Thinking? Or overthinking as usual?” Ten slightly reprimanded.

They were exes.

Hadn’t seen each other in probably eight years, yet they knew each other from inside out. Or maybe Taeyong was just a plain open book as all of his relationship partners knew him too well.

Scratch that. Maybe he was just an open book to everyone close to him.

“You and Doyoung are becoming old nagging geezers.” Taeyong mutthered under his breath as he opened up the fridge to start breakfast preparations. His hyung had send him a bunch of text messages in the early morning, a whole nagging lecture which could be resumed in asking him to not overthink and to stay healthy.

“Ya! I am not old, and where in the world did you see such a handsome geezer? But don’t try to change the subject, you were overthinking again, weren’t you?”

“I am not. I just thought a little…”

“During the night…Without sleeping properly if I read those circles under your eyes Sure. Not overt