Chapter 7

"I'm sorry." Lay whispered as he looked to Sehun. He tried, so many times has he tried. Luhan was just too far gone to save him.

"NO!" Sehun cried. Laying over the other, he sobbed into the motionless chest. Luhan was dead, died because he protected him. He couldn't believe it. The last thing he told the other was that he was a monster. He rejected Luhan and the other still confessed his love for him, still protected him.

"Sehun." Suho whispered softly to get the others attention.

"Shut up!" Sehun snapped and turned, glaring at them. "This is all your fault! Because of you all...Luhan..." He sobbed and looked back down at him. "Luhan." He wailed again, face buried once more in the still chest as he cried.

The others watched, pained by the sight. Half of them felt the pain of losing one of their own. Their brother and their friend, a person they had such a strong bond with. The other half was pained at seeing Sehun in such a state. Sehun was new to their group but even in the short time they had come to know him they loved him deeply. He was like a brother to them and to see him in such pain was difficult.

"There has to be something." Baekhyun whispered. "Something we can do."

"There is." Kris whispered and looked up at the others. "But it's risky. I don't know how well it is going to work." He said.

Lifting his head, Sehun looked to Kris then standing, he ran to the other and got down on his knees in front of the other, bowing deeply.

"Please! I'll do anything! Just bring him back!" He sobbed, begging Kris. The older male looked down at Sehun, a deep sigh leaving him.

"Get up."

Sehun sniffled and stood slowly, looking at Kris.

"Its risky," Kris said again. "But something happened. We all feel it don't we?" The males all looked at each other, heads nodding slowly. There was something different about them after Sehun's power explosion. Was it for the good? Maybe.

"We can turn time back, back to when we all gathered here ." Kris said.

"Won't we forget and fight again?" Chen asked his leader. "Wouldn't it be a waste?"

"Maybe not. Sehun did something to us." Suho said. "Maybe if we turn back time, we'll be fine. Retain our memories and Luhan will be..."

"Do it!" Sehun said urgently. Nodding, Kris turned to Tao then.

"Make it happen."

Nodding Tao glanced back at Luhan, hand raising. "Please let this work." He whispered. Snapping his fingers, the rush of power overtook them, surrounding them. It was deafening, all the noises they heard. It hurt so much they covered their ears to block out the sound.

As the noise died down, Kai was the first to test the waters. Opening his eyes, he lowered his hands. Everything was silent and still in the same disarray. "It didn't work." He whispered, eyes landing on Luhan's still body.

Sehun lowered his hands, eyes moving to Luhan. All the hope he had felt died away. Slowly he walked over and knelt down next to him.

"I'm sorry." Tao apologized.

"Its okay. You tried." Sehun whispered softly. Lowering himself down, he rested his head on Luhan's chest, eyes closing.

"Sehun. There is nothing more we can do. We should go. The others can take care of his body." Suho said.

"No. I'm not leaving him. Just go." Sehun whispered. He would rather lay there and die than leave Luhan's side and let his body be taken away. He had really hoped it would work.

"Luhan...I'm so sorry." He whispered. "I love you." He didn't know if Luhan could hear him from wherever he was, but he hoped he could. The tears started to fall once more. "I love you....I'll always love you." He sobbed.

"I love you too." Sehun lifted his head, eyes wide as he stared at the open eyes staring down at him.

"Luhan?" He asked, sitting up. The other members looked up from their sullen positions, eyes wide as they stared at the two.

"It worked!" Tao gasped. Not how he had wanted it to work though. The time flow hadn't affected them, but only Luhan it seemed. It brought him back.

"You guys look so sad, who died?" Luhan asked. Sehun smiled and threw himself at Luhan, hugging him tightly.

"You did. But you're back." He whispered. Luhan wrapped his arms around Sehun's waist, holding his younger lover against him.

Lay walked over and touched Sehun's shoulder. "I hate to pull you from him, but I need to look him over and make sure he's alright." He said gently. Sehun looked back at Lay and nodded. Pulling back, he sat back and let Lay do what he needed to do.

"There's nothing. Not even a scar." Lay whispered as he looked over Luhan's stomach. "Do you remember what happened?" He asked.

"Vividly." Luhan said.

"You've retained your memory, but your body has been restored. Wow." Lay said in awe. "Good job Tao." He praised the younger as he turned to the other.

"Thanks." Tao whispered.

"Yeah. Thanks Tao." Luhan said with a chuckle. Slowly he stood, Sehun right next to him, helping him up. "So....we're not going to fight anymore?" He asked.

“No.” Suho said and smiled. “No, there’s not even the will to fight in us anymore.” he said and looked to the others. They nodded in agreement, eyes landing on Kris, who couldn’t even deny that his fight was gone too. “Sehun...Sehun is powerful. His love for you changed us.” he said.

Luhan looked to Sehun and smiled, holding onto him.  “I knew you were special.” he said. “I’ve felt it from the beginning, I just didn’t know how special you were.” Sehun blushed and looked down.

“I guess...I do have a place where I belong.” Sehun whispered.

“Baby, of course you do.” Luhan whispered and turned to him, staring up at him. Sehun smiled and wrapped his arms around Luhan’s neck, hugging him close. “I love you Sehun.”

“I love you too.” Sehun whispered, sniffling as he tried to hold back his tears. Clearing his throat, he pulled back and looked at the others. “So what happens now?” he asked.

“I don’t know. I guess we wait and see.” Suho whispered and looked to the others.

“That’s all we can do.” Xiumin said. They all fell silent for a moment as they looked around.

“So...does anyone want to go back to my place? I’m starved.” Sehun said.

“Me too!” Luhan and Kyungsoo agreed. They looked at each other before laughing. Maybe this whole united thing could work out after all.

~&~&~&~

~*2013년06월23일 Full Moon*~

“It’s gorgeous.” Sehun whispered, staring at the tree that twisted high into the sky.

“This is the tree of life.” Suho whispered, reaching out. He felt the power surge through him and he smiled. This was how it was meant to be. The Tree of Life flourishing, alive and healthy. The twelve of them back together like they belonged. They hadn’t noticed a change in the world, but that didn’t mean anything. It took a month for the halves to reconnect and reform the full tree, it could take months or years before the new world opened up to them.

“And this half...has been in my backyard the whole time.” Sehun said. Their half the tree had always been with him. It was the same tree he first met Luhan under, the same tree they spent nights together cuddling under, the same tree they made love under for the first time. And now it was finally whole and even more beautiful than before.

“It’s why you were drawn here Sehun.” Luhan whispered, slipping his arms around the other’s waist, resting his chin on his shoulder. “You were drawn to it because the power.” he said. Sehun nodded as he leaned back against Luhan, sighing.

“Still can’t believe that this tree witnessed the birth of your relationship.”

Luhan laughed and kissed at Sehun’s cheek. “Let’s be glad this tree can’t talk then.”

“Oh that’s so gross.” Chanyeol commented and shook his head.

“What? Jealous?” Luhan asked and smirked at them.

“No, it’s just gross to think...ew are we standing in it or something?” Chanyeol asked, backing away from the base of the tree. Sehun laughed and pulled from Luhan’s arms then.

“You guys are fine.” he said and waved his hand. “So...what is there left to do now?” he asked.

“We wait.” Suho said. “See what happens.”

“I suppose we should...start living normal lives.” Kris commented and looked at the others.

“Sounds complicated.” Tao muttered.

“Life is complicated.” Kyungsoo said. “But it can be rewarding when you work hard at it. Just look at those two.” he said and looked at Luhan and Sehun. “Against the odds set before them, they got together. And even when faced with death, they overcame it.”

“We should use them as an example.” Baekhyun said and grinned.

“I already know how to thank you.” Kai said and laughed when Baekhyun smacked him.

“That’s not what I meant you ert!”

“So...does this mean we’re all parting ways?” Sehun asked, interrupting the feuding males.

“For now. But I’m sure we’ll be called back together eventually.” Suho said with a nod.

“Let’s stay in touch then.” Sehun suggest and smiled. “Every full moon, lets meet back here.”

“I think I can do that.” Suho said.

“I’m game.” Xiumin said.

“If Kris hyung goes I will too.” Tao nodded.

“Don’t think we have much of a choice.” Kyungsoo chuckled.

“Then it’s settled. Every full moon we’ll return to the tree to become one for a night.” Sehun said and held out his hand. Luhan grinned and placed his hand on Sehun’s looking to the others. Suho moved and added his hand, the other members slowly joining the group.

“We are one!” they shouted together.