This is it, guys! Oh man. I can hardly believe it. I might cry.

Epilogue: The Dawn Dances Over the Bay

Hiro woke what he would call "stupidly early," confused for a heartbeat by the angle of light and the vise grip someone seemed to have on his arm. He blinked, looking around at a mountain of blankets. His friends were sprawled around him in the heaps of comforters and pillows, Fred snoring, Honey Lemon sighing something in Spanish, Aunt Cass curled up like a cat in her armchair. And beside him, wrapped like a burrito in a sky-blue microfiber blanket, one thin, pale arm reaching out, was Tadashi. It hadn't been a dream. it hadn't been a hope shattered like a broken window or dropped teapot. Hiro burrowed deeper into the blankets piled over him, and smiled. His head ached, and the cuts and scrapes stung, but it hardly mattered. He didn't bother to free his arm as he closed his eyes, falling back asleep.

Aunt Cass woke them all some time later, leaning on the stair rail like a bird preparing for flight.

"I made breakfast. Down in the Cafe. Shades are drawn, and it's closed, so we might as well eat down there. I didn't want to wake you…" she trailed off. "But regular meals are in the care instructions, and-"

"It's fine," Honey Lemon said sleepily, searching out her glasses on the floor by the mattress pile. She put them on and blinked. "I don't think I've slept that well in weeks."

"Me neither." Tadashi sighed from within the blanket cocoon, struggling to sit up. Hiro's eyes popped open and he sat bolt upright, letting his brother lean on his shoulder. "I…"

"Yeah. C'mon, let's get breakfast." Hiro wobbled a bit, standing on the mattresses, and Tadashi wobbled a little more than a little, and GoGo glared with distaste at her crutches.

"There's a rail on the stairs! I hate crutches." She picked one up with a huff when Wasabi and Aunt Cass both turned a Look on her.

"Where's Fred?" Hiro suddenly asked, looking around.

"He's waiting on you, sleepyheads," Aunt Cass said, her voice light with humor. Getting down the stairs, she helped support Tadashi, whose slippered feet were still scraped and sore. Once he was seated at a large table made from several smaller tables shoved together, Aunt Cass began to fuss again, scurrying from kitchen to cafe front with food and hot chocolate carafes. Every few moments though, she would pause, eyes lingering on the group of friends, tears in her eyes.

"Is the coffee machine busted?" Gogo asked hopefully as she filled her plate with omelet and bacon. She eyed the hot chocolate with suspicion usually reserved only for Fred when he got Ideas.

"No, but doctor's orders, you've been through a lot of stress lately. I'll make you some decaf, but that's it. You need to take it easy, and a double espresso is not that."

"Hot chocolate's fine, really," Honey Lemon said, trying to defuse the situation. She poured some into a mug for Tadashi, then for herself. Gogo rolled her eyes, swiping her messy hair out of her face, and accepted a cup of her own.

Fred hummed excitedly as he stirred what looked like gummy bears into his oatmeal, which Hiro had to try next.

"You want some mush with your candy?" Tadashi asked quietly.

It was an old joke, a common, overused remark, but it had never seemed sillier. Hiro laughed. "Nope, this's good. Want some?"

Tadashi shook his head, a little gingerly, adding more honey to his own bowl. Hot, mostly thin and/or liquid food, that was what Doctor Snow had said he should stick to the first few days, to get used to regular, healthy meals. His oatmeal was thinned by milk, swirled golden with honey and cinnamon. It was one of the best things he'd ever tasted.

They ate in comfortable silence, occasionally checking over shoulders or across the way to be sure the blinds were still down and the door was still closed. it wouldn't be long before reporters found out, or police officers came to get statements.

"We can deal with the legal red-tape later," Aunt Cass assured him. "Get that sorted out in a few days. No need to worry about it now."

"I can help with that." Fred put in, helping himself to a donut. "My dad's got some friends that are really, really good with bureaucracy things, and stuff."

"Thanks," Tadashi's smile was still a small one, but fred knew he meant it.

"In the meantime," Aunt Cass continued. " You should all call your families."

"They don't know it was us…" Wasabi started.

"If they turned on the news yesterday, they know that Bad Things, capital B and T Bad Things, happened here yesterday, with a giant hole in the middle of the sky above downtown. At a science thing. They're probably out of their minds with worry, trying to call you."

"Point. That's a really good-I'll just go do that." Wasabi got to his feet with a low groan, rubbing his arm.

They took turns using the cafe phone, reassuring family members that no, they were fine. Honey Lemon's mother could be heard over the line out and clear, a torrent of frantic Spanish. Only Fred didn't bother, besides Hiro and Tadashi. "Heathcliff knows what happened. He'll tell Lesli and the others. Mom and Dad are out of the country right now."

He said it with a shrug, and didn't seem to notice the looks the others exchanged. Aunt Cass broke the awkward pause. " I'm just so relieved you're all...you're all here. Safe." She squeezed Tadashi's hand lightly, and he flinched for a moment, then squeezed back.

"So what's our next move?" GoGo asked finally. "I mean….What now?"

"Come up with a really, really good excuse for why we missed a week of classes?" Honey Lemon said, wincing. "Maybe I should just defer for the semester."

"Nah, they'll work with you." Fred said matter of factly. "It was only a week and change, plus, like, once they hear about all this, they can't get too mad about a few missed lectures."

"Please tell me you are not suggesting we tell our professors that we became superheroes." Wasabi rubbed his brow.

Fred looked offended. "Duh, no. That's like, number one on the list of things you don't do when you become a masked vigilante: tell anyone who doesn't need to know. Nah, just when it all comes to light that Tadashi's not dead, and we were, I dunno, "emotionally unable to attend classes" or something. It's not even a lie. But, no. No, telling people is not a good plan. Trust me, If we're gonna keep being Fred's angels-."

"That's not our name, Fred," GoGo said briskly.

"-Then we do not just tell people." Fred finished.

"I hope I didn't just hear what I thought I heard," Aunt Cass said as she continued clearing dishes. "And you'd better hope so, too. It's dangerous. You might have been killed! And you don't even have Baymax to keep an eye on you anymore."

"We could rebuild him," Tadashi ventured. "I have backup schematics, and most of the data on his chip, unless my computer…"

The others nodded, but Hiro looked worried, lost in a troubled thought. "It wouldn't be the same." he said at last.

"None of us are the same, really." Honey pointed out. "He might not have the same memories, or patches in the vinyl, but he'd still be Baymax."

"Do you feel up to a project that...big?" Wasabi asked Tadashi. "I mean, until yesterday, you-you still need rest, man. We understand."

"I want to. I," Tadashi swallowed. "I want to. Build something that helps people, again."

Hiro flushed. "My stupid microbots. If I hadn't-hey!"

Aunt Cass pulled a spray bottle full of water she used to mist a few of the potted flowers, and squirted her nephew lightly. "No. No self-blame. House Rules, no blaming ourselves for this. It's not your fault that that …" she paused, censoring herself "disgusting slimeball stole the microbots. It's not your fault that any of this happened, and next person who tries to take the blame that very, very clearly belongs to that sack of ooze…" she shook the bottle. "I can and will treat you like kittens. Because that's what you are. Kittens. You think you can take care of yourself but you really need someone to look after you. Me, or Baymax, or someone." She sighed, tapping her necklace pendant.

"We can use the shed, again. All that stuff's still there," Fred offered. Before Aunt Cass could say anything, Tadashi shook his head.

"The Garage is...fine. It's home." Nothing else needed to be said.

The next two weeks passed by in a tizzy of activity, physical therapy, red-tape, and exhausted but comfortable sleep. Four nights of five, Tadashi or Hiro or both woke in the throes of a nightmare, the panic laid to rest once they saw the other, or their friends, whole and home. It had been decided, for the mean time, that they'd stay in the cafe. Hiro and Tadashi would start back up at SFIT for the "Spring" semester, which started in January for some unfathomable reason, while the others worked out missing assignments with professors. Fred found "Resilient Hope," a coping with trauma non-profit organization online, one that focused on healing through storytelling, service, and science. Fred also had Heathcliff search around for a trustworthy therapist, though as yet, one who worked well with everyone had yet to be found. No one was willing to talk about any of what had happened alone, but everyone was willing, more than willing, to sit up nights or sunny afternoons, their mere presence a comfort.

Abigail Callaghan remained in the hospital, weak and re-learning how to walk, eat, and live again after eighteen months in hypersleep her that body had not been prepared for. Fred visited often in his volunteer rounds, and the others joined him. She had not yet been told exactly what had led up to her rescue, but she seemed to suspect it was nothing good.

There was no dragged out-trial to deal with. Aunt Cass was glad her boys were spared that trauma on top of everything else. Callaghan admitted to everything, pled guilty, and was quietly sentenced. Reporters were banned from the premise, though they still tried. Finally, the group gave one interview, as themselves and not as their costumed identities, to a small independent paper in Berkobe that actually respected their privacy and didn't pester them endlessly.

When they were not dealing with that mess, Hiro and Tadashi worked on Baymax 3.0, surrounded by the comfortable clutter of the garage, brightly lit with rosy-toned lights. Honey Lemon joined them, or GoGo, or Fred, or Wasabi, sitting on the floor, desks, or chairs where ever there was room, to work on their own projects and essays.

Fred brought stacks of paperbacks and comics, and sometimes read them aloud dramatically, taking turns with Aunt Cass for "Bedtime stories."

"Guys, look what I brought," Fred said one afternoon, his classes over for the day and the sun streaming in through the open garage door. He stopped to stare at the nearly completed Baymax, the vinyl gleaming. Hiro and Tadashi looked up from their work.

Clutched like a massive, favorite toy to Fred's chest, was Baymax's rocket fist. Hiro smiled at the sight, his feelings mixed. No one had told Tadashi what he'd made Baymax do, how he'd ripped out the healthcare chip and turned him into a monster. He was too ashamed too, and the others had quietly forgiven him, and agreed amongst themselves that it was Hiro's place to tell his brother, not theirs.

"I thought it probably belonged here. It took a while to find where Heathcliff stashed it." Fred said, putting it down on a mostly empty table. "I'm gonna head up-over?- to the Cafe. Lesli gave me a recipe for Aunt Cass." He waved a scrap of paper and bounced away, no sign that he'd ever dislocated his ankle at all.

Tadashi whistled softly, looking at it. "You built this on your own, in a week?" He asked Hiro.

Hiro nodded. "Less. I didn't sleep much. We had to get you."

Tadashi put an arm around his brother and hugged him, gently, careful of his own still-healing ribs.

"Baymax's almost finished. It's easier following my old notes than starting from scratch." Tadashi said over breakfast one saturday morning. He'd worked up to more solid food, usually cinnamon donuts and a biscuit and sausage gravy that Fred's cook, Lesli, swore by for building up appetites and energy. "I just need to transfer the data to a chip, and hope that it works."

"It'll work,"Aunt Cass said, smiling. GoGo nodded, sipping at her coffee. Her purple cast was a swirl of black and silver sharpie doodles of project ideas, classmate's names, and a messages like "Should had drunk more milk" and "better luck next time," and "get better fast."

"And once Baymax's back, we can-" Fred started.

"Not until GoGo's out of that cast, AND everyone's feeling 100% up to it, you can't." Aunt Cass interjected without bothering for him to finish.

"Yeah, I know, I know. Hey, we should have code names. People at school know our nicknames, plus, like, it's half the fun." Fred continued, unfazed. "I was thinking "Fredzilla" for me. And Wasabi could be, like, "Green Blade" or something. Oooh, and GoG, what do you think of…" he paused dramatically. GoGo waited. "..The Blur!"

"No."

"The Streak?"

"That's worse."

"The Flash?"

"That's taken, you should know that, you dork."

"Captain Lightning? Speedy? Bolt?"

"Fred, I will kick you."

Fred just grinned. "I'll come up with something, for all of us."

"You really want to do this?" Aunt Cass asked, chewing her lip. "I am the worst mother. The worst." She sighed. "Just, keep me up to date on everything. Stay together, and don't try hiding anything from me. If you make, I don't know, enemies, I want to know who they are before they come into my cafe and attempt to hold me hostage. And someone make me a better flame thrower."

"Can do, Aunt Cass," Hiro said.

"Will. Will do," Wasabi promised, holding up his hand. "If we keep this up. Scout's honor."

The others agreed quickly, particularly fond of the "if" Wasabi had added.

Aunt Cass nodded her approval. "I'm going to regret this," she muttered to herself. "I am going to regret this. But alright. Once you have Baymax ready, and are healed...fine. I won't even tell your parents. I am so going to regret this."

"We love you, Aunt Cass," they all chorused.

"I love you, too. Finish your food."

The morning fog burned off, and the warmth of an East Bay Autumn filled the garage as the two brothers worked, side by side, rattling off ideas for future projects and the book Aunt Cass was in the middle of reading aloud, a fantasy by one of the writers Fred was studying in his English class.

As Hiro opened the heavy garage door to let in more natural light, and air out the place, which smelled rather strongly of lavender left over from Honey Lemon's latest attempt at bath bombs. She'd gotten the 'bomb' part a little too well. The sunlight filtered in, catching on computer screens and lampshades and the scarlet fist perched in a place of honor atop a low shelf.

"Just need to put finish the new chip," Tadashi was saying. "I know he won't be the same, exactly, but- what is it?"

Hiro was staring at the fist, and at the glint of green clutched in it. A mint-green shard of plastic. No, not a shard. Hiro drew it out carefully, and cradled it in his hands. "Look. It-it's... "

Baymax's chip, his first chip, lay across his palms. Hiro swallowed, hard, a sudden lump in his throat.

"I thought you said he…?" Tadashi asked quietly.

"I don't know how...I didn't think…"

"It's great!" Tadashi proclaimed. "Let's make sure it works, c'mon."

Hiro hesitated. "Will...His memory? Is it on the chip? Will he remember, everything?"

Tadashi blinked. "Anything related to people designated as his patients should be on files on that chip, so...yeah. I mean, he wouldn't remember, say, holding Mochi, but...I guess there's one way to find out."

Hiro paused again, shaking.

"Are you ok? Hiro?" Tadashi asked,suddenly worried. " What.."

"I did something bad." He said it all in a rush, glad it was just Tadashi and no one else. He'd apologized to them, but some nights, he couldn't see anything but the red-eyed Baymax tossing them like rag dolls. "I...When Callaghan said...When you were dead...I turned Baymax into-I made him ...I told him to destroy. And he would have. I-I'm sorry. I was just-There was all this, this mad inside me, and I just snapped and I'm sorry. You built him to help people, and, I-"

"Hey, hey, hey." Tadashi hugged his little brother tightly. "Hey. Shhhh. I-It's ok. No one got...it didn't happen. I don't know that I would have done anything differently."

"But I-"

"I know, you said. But it worked out. And you feel bad, so that means you know it wasn't right, and you won't do it again, yeah?"

Hiro nodded.

"Good enough for me. We all do stupid things sometimes. You were-Callaghan...Let's just try the chip, ok?"

"What if he's mad at me?"

"He won't be, noodlebrain. If he remembers, he won't be. But we won't know if we don't try. get a pen, it's not science-"

"Unless we write it down, yeah, I know." Hiro let out a long breath, and found a pen, then tried to hand Tadashi the chip.

"You do it," his older brother insisted. "Go on."

Hiro's fingers shook as he put in the chip, then closed the hatch and stepped back.

"Ow?" he said.

Baymax blinked. "Hello, I am Baymax." he paused, then continued. "Hello, Hiro. Hello, Tadashi."

"Hey, Bud," Hiro said, before flinging himself into the robot's squishy arms. "I missed you."

"There, there," Baymax said. "I am here. Tadashi is here." There was a faint whirring noise. " the others are-"

"GROUP HUG," there was a clattering, and then Wasabi, Honey Lemon, and GoGo were there, led by Fred, all piling together in the middle of the room, arms around each other.

This, Tadashi thought, hugging back, unsure of who exactly had an arm around him and who he was hugging, but finding it didn't matter, not when they were all here, safe, and warm, and together, is home.

Fin

OH MY GOSH IT IS FINISHED, Almost exactly 6 months to the day later. Holy crap, guys. I can't believe the enormous support this has gotten. Thank you all so much for reading, for following, and commenting. It's been a rough six months, and this really helped me. I hope it brought you as much excitement and emotion as it brought me.

Only a few simple notes:

Chapter title is "Follow the Heron" by Karine Polwart. I'll be posting a complete list of songs, chapter titles, and Alt Titles on my tumblr, Hedgiwithapen, in the next day or so. (link is in my profile!)

This is the first in a series of stories, tentatively titled "Kevlar and Bubble Wrap." The next story should start up around August, after I finish classes for the summer. In the mean time, I have some oneshots and some stuff for The Flash that I'll be posting.

The Organization that Fred finds, Resilient Hope, is a real Non-profit started by Kathy Carlston last year. It's small, but growing. Carlston is a survivor of the Columbine School Shooting, and started the organization after the Sandy Hook School Shooting, as a way to use her personal experience to help others affected by trauma. Carlston is a really rad human being, just super great, and this is my little shout out to an organization that I believe will make a lot of difference to a lot of people.

Once again, thank you all, so much, for reading. Feel free to drop a line, a comment, a farewell. I hope this lived up to your expectations when you decided to give it a shot.

All my love,

Hedgi