"Kyu... you really need to hear what he has to say," Zhou Mi said, pulling Yixing into the living room. "I know this is upsetting... but..." he looked at Yixing again, frowning, "...he says he's seeing something outside of time, following you around. It's possible, that... it's ChangMin."

"...What?" KiBum's eyes widened, looking between them.

"Fracture," Yixing said slowly, eyes on KyuJong. "Fracture."

Seeing movement near the stairs, KiBum glanced to the side. JungMin was standing at the top of the stairs, frozen with one foot off the step.

"Fracture in time," Zhou Mi explained further. "It's hard to explain properly, I don't know the proper words, but somehow, between JungMin's energy bomb and your time bubble, ChangMin was... pushed? Pushed out of time."

"What does that even mean?" KyuJong shook his head, in complete confusion. He didn't even see JungMin, staring at Yixing. "ChangMin can't be alive, this doesn't make any sense."

"Not dead," Yixing said, hands up in a peaceful gesture. "Listen, explain."

"He is dead." JungMin spoke from the top of the stairs, voice cracking. "We saw him die."

KyuJong's head snapped to the stairs, looking at JungMin. "Min..." he said softly, starting to get to his feet.

"Yixing says he can see him, like an after image," Zhou Mi said. "Like... a double exposure on film? Kyu, since the accident, has it been difficult to use your ability?"

"Well... I'm out of practice," KyuJong said, looking at Zhou Mi.

"Yes, and no," Zhou Mi said. "Yixing thinks that your power is still in use, it's still stuck at that moment in time and it's keeping ChangMin alive. There was no body because he isn't dead."

YoungSaeng had come up behind JungMin, taking his hand. "I could hear him screaming," he said softly, looking up at JungMin. "That's who I heard... you need to save him."

JungMin looked down at YoungSaeng, eyes wide. His mouth open and closed, throat constricting. "How do you know?" he whispered. "We saw him...we saw him die, it happened so fast..."

"I know because I saw," YoungSaeng said, touching JungMin's cheek. "The power comes back."

"Kuizhong ge." Yixing stepped away from Zhou Mi, stopping in front of KyuJong. "He is...where he is?" He asked carefully. "We go now."

"Go where?" KyuJong shook his head, not understanding. "I don't know where he is, you said he was following me through time!"

Zhou Mi held a short discussion with Yixing, nodding a few times before he looked at KyuJong. "Have to go where it happened."

"Where... the accident happened?" KyuJong had to sit down again, finding KiBum's hand for support.

KiBum held KyuJong's hand tightly, looking between the others. Yixing's expression was determined. Even from here, he could see how pale JungMin was.

Yixing said something in Mandarin, RyeoWook shifting from foot to foot nervously as he tried to keep up. "He says...that you can save him," he said to KyuJong. "You knocked him out of time the day of the accident, and you can bring him back." JungMin had to sit down too at that, dropping down onto the top step.

YoungSaeng nearly fell down when JungMin sat down, sitting next to him and putting an arm around his shoulder.

"But... but what if he's dead, what if he's trapped in time dead all this time," KyuJong said, covering his face with his hand.

"What if he's not," Zhou Mi replied. "Yixing doesn't think he is, and neither does YoungSaeng. You can bring him back."

KyuJong took a deep, stuttering breath, exhaling slowly. "Min... what should I do?" he asked, looking towards the stairs.

JungMin covered his face with both hands, not answering for a long moment. His shoulders shuddered before he looked up at KyuJong again, eyes glassy.

"We have to try," he said quietly.

KiBum squeezed KyuJong's hand. "Will you be okay?" he murmured.

"I don't know," KyuJong responded quietly. "This is... overwhelming. But... if we can really save him, then we have to try," he nodded, agreeing with JungMin as he got to his feet. "We'll try."

"I'll let the others know we're going," Zhou Mi said, disappearing downstairs.

"You want me to go with you?" YoungSaeng asked JungMin, rubbing his back lightly.

JungMin looked blankly at his hands before standing. "You should stay here where it's safe," he said quietly, hugging YoungSaeng tightly. "There's still people looking for you out there." He buried his face in YoungSaeng's shoulder, listening to the others get ready to go.

Wrapping his arms around JungMin tightly, YoungSaeng closed his eyes. "Be careful," he murmured. "It's dangerous for you too."

The redhead didn't say anything to that, just holding on to YoungSaeng until the others were gathered by the door. He let go of YoungSaeng to head down the stairs, wiping at his eyes.

"Do you want me to come along?" KiBum asked KyuJong, waiting with them by the door as JungMin got his shoes on, head down.

"You should stay here, keep an eye on YoungSaeng," KyuJong said, leaning over to give KiBum a light kiss. "We'll be back soon."

KiBum returned the kiss, pulling back with a nod. "Good luck." The group filed out of the door, only KyuJong, JungMin, Yixing and Zhou Mi leaving. JungMin locked up behind them, falling into step beside KyuJong.

"I got HeeChul's car keys," Zhou Mi said, unlocking the only vehicle any of the people at the house had. "Figured we might need it."

KyuJong had taken JungMin's hand, squeezing it lightly. "I haven't been back there since," he said softly as they approached the car.

JungMin didn't say anything until they were getting into the car. "Neither have I," he murmured, though that went without saying. He looked back at his house as the car doors closed, Yixing climbing into the passenger seat. JungMin didn't let go of KyuJong's hand, closing his eyes as the car engine roared to life and they rolled down the street.

The ride was quiet, no one wanting to break the silence inside the car. KyuJong alternated between looking out the window and looking at JungMin. If ChangMin really was alive, would JungMin be able to forgive himself finally?

When they arrived at the site of the accident from so long ago, KyuJong frowned a little as he climbed out of the car. It looked exactly as he remembered. The overpass hadn't been rebuilt, rubble was still piled around the area. "I thought they would have fixed all this by now," he said.

Zhou Mi had a quiet conversation with Yixing again before turning to KyuJong. "He says... the echo of time is strongest here, people have forgotten about it. Like ChangMin, this place is stuck in time."

JungMin looked around the area, not letting go of KyuJong's hand. "Where is he?" he demanded. Coming back to this place after so long threatened to overwhelm him, breath coming unevenly. He hadn't ever wanted to come back to where the accident had happened, where everything had changed and he'd lost a dear friend. If ChangMin wasn't here...

Yixing separated from the group to walk to the cordoned off area, not even pausing as he stepped over the caution tape. He walked into the rubble, hands out in front of him as he looked around.

After a moment he stopped, looking back at them. "Kuizhong ge," he motioned for KyuJong to follow him.

Glancing at JungMin, KyuJong took a deep breath as he squeezed his hand again before letting go to follow Yixing. He picked his way around the rubble, feeling more than a little uneasy. There was something else though, a slight thrumming to the air. "What is that?" he frowned, looking around.

Yixing blinked at him, smiling. "Fracture," he repeated firmly. When KyuJong reached him, he grabbed the older man's sleeve and held his arm up, palm out. "Feel that? Right here."

KyuJong blinked, looking from Yixing to the spot just in front of his hand. "...I can," he nodded, eyes narrowing. "I can feel the bend, but it's... I don't know what to do, I can't see it."

"Close your eyes KyuJong," Zhou Mi said, having stopped a bit away from them. "Feel it."

JungMin stepped up to the edge of the cordoned off ahead, slowly climbing over the tape before stopping. He watched them nervously, the dusty wind pulling at their clothes and hair.

"Pull," Yixing said, letting go of KyuJong's sleeve and stepping back. "He is here...pull."

KyuJong was trembling, breathing in and out shakily. He could feel the bend in space and time, just as he could any time he created a bubble. He could feel his connection to it, the power siphoning off of him now that he was so close. But it wasn't like his usual time bends, the air undisturbed. Zhou Mi prompted him again to close his eyes, and he did reluctantly.

"Oh..." KyuJong breathed out. It was there in front of him, the clear shape of a dome. He couldn't see it, but it was there, feeling it along his senses. Spreading his fingers slightly, he harnessed that power that was being leeched off of him, pulling it back and letting it grow.

The wind around them picked up, electricity crackling in bursts. Zhou Mi was holding onto JungMin's arm, the wind nearly knocking them over. His eyes widened as the space just in front of KyuJong bent and warped until the air shattered. When the air merged back together, KyuJong collapsed.

"KyuJong—" JungMin's shout of worry cut out, because KyuJong wasn't the only one to collapse. He grabbed Zhou Mi's sleeve for support as someone else fell to their knees in front of KyuJong, a mask clattering to the ground.

Breathing in and out heavily, ChangMin stared down at KyuJong collapsed in front of him. He was still wearing the same clothes he had been the day of the accident, one sleeve of his costume torn from an earlier scuffle and never repaired. "KyuJong...?" He reached out for the unconscious man, dazed and confused.

"Is okay," Yixing crouched down next to KyuJong, touching his shoulder. ChangMin jumped at the sudden appearance, before looking around the area. His eyes landed on JungMin and Zhou Mi, the redhead frozen in place.

"Come on," Zhou Mi put an arm around JungMin's shoulder, urging him to go forward. "He's alive," he said softly. "He's going to have questions."

JungMin stumbled forward, eyes wide. ChangMin was alive? He was sitting right there, right where he should have died two years ago, looking at them with confused eyes as he caught his breath.

"JungMin? What's going on?" ChangMin asked as JungMin stopped in front of him. "Where's the bus? Where did your costumes— what is Zhou Mi—..."

ChangMin's questions trailed off as JungMin fell to his knees and pulled him into a tight hug. JungMin's body shuddered in a choked sob.

"You're alive," he whispered, tears falling. ChangMin didn't know what to say, wrapping his arms around JungMin in return as the redhead cried into his shoulder.

"We can explain everything back at the house," Zhou Mi said, kneeling down next to them. "Right now we need to get KyuJong out of here, make sure he's okay."

ChangMin looked up at Zhou Mi, nodding as he patted JungMin's back a little awkwardly. It went without saying he had absolutely no idea why one of his friends was sobbing into his shoulder and squeezing him like a teddy bear.

It took a few minutes before they could calm JungMin down enough to stand, the redhead taking deep breaths as he wiped at his eyes. "Right...I'll get Kyu..." He turned to pull the unconscious man onto his back with Yixing's help. ChangMin looked around the rubble again, frowning.

"I know this is a little confusing, but it will make sense, I promise," Zhou Mi said, patting ChangMin's shoulder and ushering him towards the car.

They slowly got into the car, Yixing chattering happily to Zhou Mi in rapid-fire Mandarin. JungMin got KyuJong sitting in the seat between himself and ChangMin, unable to stop looking over at his long-lost friend. He had to keep wiping at his eyes, because otherwise he was just going to start crying again and ChangMin looked confused enough.

Finally they arrived back at JungMin's house, slowly making their way inside. KiBum opened the door for them, eyes tightening when he saw KyuJong on JungMin's back. "How did it..." He trailed off when he saw ChangMin, who smiled tightly at the person he didn't know.

Just behind KiBum was YoungSaeng, who was smiling brightly at JungMin. "See, I told you, I told you he was there," the precog said, moving out of the way and clearing off the couch so JungMin could lay him down.

"Not the time YoungSaeng," Zhou Mi hushed him before disappearing down to the basement.

"So...can someone tell me what's going on?" ChangMin asked, looking around the living room. "We were...the bridge blew up, did I pass out? Where's Parasyntax? Where's the others?"

Straightening after laying KyuJong down, JungMin didn't get a chance to reply before there was a loud shriek from the basement. Footsteps rushed up the stairs and Sunny skidded into view, entire body lighting up. "ChangMin oppa!" She tackled ChangMin onto the floor, the poor guy squawking in surprise as he went down. KiBum had to cover his eyes against the intense light.

"Sorry!" Zhou Mi was coming up the stairs after her, not expecting that kind of reaction though he really should have. "Nova, get off him, we haven't explained anything yet," he said, picking the girl up around the middle and pulling her off.

"But!" Sunny whined, flailing for a moment as she was dragged off of ChangMin. "He's here, he's not dead, oh my God!"

"Dead?" ChangMin blinked, looking between them as he stood. "Why would I be dead?"

JungMin exhaled shakily, pulling ChangMin to sit down beside him. "ChangMin...it's...been two years since we last saw you. You disappeared when I—...when the bridge fell, and we all thought you were dead."

"...I don't get it." ChangMin frowned at him. "If this is a joke it isn't very funny."

"It's not a joke," Zhou Mi said, setting Sunny down but kept a grip on her shoulders to keep her from pouncing on ChangMin again. "Two years ago, there was an accident. When JungMin's bombs exploded around you, KyuJong tried to save you by using his time bubbles. Somehow, the shock of the explosion forced you out of time and space and you were stuck in that moment. KyuJong pulled you back."

"I was...stuck? In time?" ChangMin shook his head, frowning. "What day is it today?"

KiBum pulled out his phone and showed ChangMin the date. The other man blinked repeatedly before exhaling, leaning back in the seat. "So...I was gone for over two years. This is a little unreal. What happened? The bridge fell and...you were going to stop it," ChangMin looked at JungMin beside him. "I was going to help."

"That was the plan," JungMin said quietly, voice cracking. He was still overwhelmed by the fact ChangMin was back, holding onto the other man tightly. "I wasn't...I couldn't control it when you boosted my power, it was too unstable. The energy bomb exploded. The bus, and you..." He bit his lower lip, looking away.

"The people in the bus all died," Sunny said softly. "We couldn't find you...but you were right in the middle of the blast, so we thought you got blown up completely."

"But KyuJong saved you, even if he didn't realize it," Zhou Mi, looking at the unconscious man on the couch. "Yixing... oh right, ChangMin, Yixing. Yixing, ChangMin," he introduced them quickly, patting the telepath on the shoulder. "Yixing saw that there was something wrong, something following KyuJong but he couldn't figure out what it was until today."

ChangMin nodded slowly, watching as KiBum went to crouch down beside KyuJong, looking after the older man. "Okay...that'll take a while to get used to. I guess I missed a lot...did anyone else— where's Slipstream and Dust?"

"Dust retired to be a singer, most of us retired somewhere in the two years you were gone," Sunny said. "KyuHyun oppa's still out there though." Her expression brightened. "We should call him."

YoungSaeng had come up behind JungMin, wrapping his arms around JungMin's neck. In one hand, he held the house phone. "You call," he said, kissing JungMin's cheek.

JungMin looked up at YoungSaeng, eyes glassy. He broke into a wide smile after a moment, taking the phone from him. "All right."

"Don't tell him, let it be a surprise," Sunny squealed, escaping from Zhou Mi's grip to throw her arms around ChangMin again.

"He's going to have a heart attack," KiBum shook his head as JungMin dialed KyuHyun's number and held the phone to his ear.

YoungSaeng didn't let go of JungMin, listening to the phone ring before a sleepy sounding KyuHyun answered.

"What?"

"Yah, are you still in bed?" JungMin looked at ChangMin beside him, who was trying to both hug Sunny back and stop her from accidentally choking him. "Get down here, it's important."

"Why? Is everything okay?" There was the sound of rustling on the other side, KyuHyun's voice changing to one of concern. "What's going on?"

"It's just easier for you to see for yourself," JungMin shook his head. His voice was still a little choked up, and he cleared his throat before continuing. "Leave SungMin behind for today, I know I said you can bring him the next time, but...just get down here, will you?"

"... Okay, I'll be there in a few," KyuHyun sighed. "This had better not be an intervention or anything." There was a click and the line went dead on the other side.

JungMin put the phone down. "He's on his way."

"I feel a little awkward sitting here in full costume when no one else is." ChangMin looked down at himself.

"We've got a few minutes while KyuHyun tries to find his pants, come on, let's get you clothes." JungMin looked up at YoungSaeng with a smile before standing, heading towards the stairs. ChangMin separated himself from Sunny to follow.

"I'll get started on something to eat then, since our cook is out," Zhou Mi said, disappearing into the kitchen.

YoungSaeng glanced awkwardly around the room before scurrying up the stairs to follow after JungMin.

"Sunny?" HyungJoon popped his head out of the basement stairs. "Everything okay?"

"Oh, everything's amazing," Sunny jumped back to her feet, still glowing as she went to HyungJoon's side. "ChangMin oppa's back, he didn't die!" She sniffled and threw her arms around HyungJoon's neck, burying her face in his shoulder.

"ChangMin?" HyungJoon blinked, his arms going around Sunny's shoulders. "Who...? Oh! The guy... the one from your team? That's amazing! What happened?"

"Why is everyone so loud," KyuJong murmured groggily, his eyes slowly opening.

"Hey," KiBum smiled in relief down at him. "I think the house is going to be loud for a while longer."

"He was— I didn't get all the details, but he was pushed out of time when the accident happened," Sunny was chattering happily. "He was stuck there for all this time, and they just realized and went and pulled him out. He's upstairs now, getting out of his costume."

"Wow, that's... I can't believe it," HyungJoon grinned down at her. "Let's go tell the others? They kind of pushed me up here to find out what was going on."

"Okay," she smiled widely up at him, wiping at the corners of her eyes before pulling him back down the stairs. The glow followed her all the way down, KiBum sighing in relief when he didn't have to cover his eyes anymore.

"Are you okay?" He looked down at KyuJong. "Do you need water?"

"No, I'm okay," KyuJong smiled, pushing himself up. "Where... what happened?" he blinked, looking around the room. "Did it work?"

"See for yourself." KiBum reached over and picked up ChangMin's mask, which had been abandoned on the couch. He held it out to KyuJong with a smile.

It took a moment for that it to register what he was looking at, and when he did, KyuJong's eyes widened and his hands covered his mouth. "Oh... oh my..." he whispered. "Where is he? ChangMin!" he called, trying to get up.

"Careful," KiBum supported him from one side. "He's upstairs getting out of his costume."

"KyuJong?" ChangMin's voice floated down the stairs before he raced back down a few moments later, trying to pull the borrowed shirt on without falling down the stairs.

KyuJong couldn't believe his eyes, seeing ChangMin there, rumpled hair and all. "Oh... ChangMin," he breathed, taking a few steps forward to wrap his arms tightly around the man. "I'm so sorry... so sorry," he whispered.

"Hey," ChangMin said quietly, hugging KyuJong back tightly. "It's okay hyung. They told me what happened...I'm alive because of you."

"I'm sorry it took so long for us to know," KyuJong said, pulling back to look over his features. "You haven't changed at all... now I'm even older than you and that's not fair," he pouted, touching a hand to his cheek.

ChangMin smiled, covering KyuJong's hand. "I didn't even think about that. I'm not just a few days younger than KyuHyun anymore, I'm years younger. Don't worry hyung, you still look the same age to me."

"Good, means I'm doing something right," KyuJong smiled, hugging him again before finally pulling away. "What all have they told you about what's happened since the accident?"

"Just that everyone except for KyuHyun retired," ChangMin said, frowning lightly. "I was hoping for more explanation, but I really wanted to get out of that costume first."

"Don't blame you," KyuJong said, motioning for them to sit back down on the couch. "I can bring you up to speed. Things have definitely changed, and not for the better."

"I gathered that," ChangMin replied, sitting down next to him. KiBum took up one of the other seats. "JungMin looks a little...uh...not how I last saw him." The redhead in question still hadn't come back downstairs.

"I won't lie, it's been rough on him," KyuJong said. "He thought he had killed you, and it was devastating. He hasn't really left this house since then. You being here again has just thrown him entirely into chaos... but at least he has YoungSaeng this time to help."

ChangMin nodded slowly, brow furrowed in worry as he glanced towards the stairs. "So tell me about all these new people," he said after a moment, looking between KyuJong and KiBum. "Who's this? And who's YoungSaeng?"

KyuJong sighed a little, getting comfortable. "That is going to take a little more explaining," he said. "A few months ago, I ran into a precog on the street," he started, telling ChangMin everything from that first meeting up until today. Everything that they knew and why there were so many people stuffed into this tiny house. When he was done, he looked at KiBum. "I miss anything?"

"I think you covered everything," KiBum shook his head.

ChangMin frowned as he took that all in. "That's...kind of crazy. And from what you're saying, it's going to get worse. Someone hunting heroes down...I don't know which villains are still around if we're discounting Parasyntax."

"It's safe to say that right now, there are no villains besides whoever the darkness is," KyuJong said. "The only crimes being committed out there are by petty thugs."

"Which is a problem in itself, because the people who should be stopping them are too afraid of the darkness to step outside their house," KiBum murmured.

"So how is this being handled?" ChangMin asked, leaning forward. "I mean, what are we doing to stop it?"

KyuJong frowned nervously, looking down at his hands. "Right now... there isn't much we can do," he admitted. "We don't know what move to make next, not until YoungSaeng can control his visions." About to say something else, he jumped in shock when the doorbell went off. "That's probably KyuHyun," he said, breathing slowly to calm his heart.

"Oh," ChangMin blinked, standing. "I'll get it." He walked to the door.

"I'm not so sure if that's a good idea," KiBum frowned; ChangMin seemed to have forgotten that he was thought of as dead for over two years. The other man was already at the door though, unlocking and pulling it open.