Summary: Shock. Noun. A sudden upsetting or surprising event or experience. When Hiro meets someone he didn't expect to see again, his mind blacks out and everyone around him deals with the backlash. Rated T for language.

Author's Note: Hey, y'all. Just a thought I had that I wanted to get on the page – after trying to do a little research in the realm of psychology, too, love that realm, warts and all – regarding a specific plot about a certain hat-wearing nerd. Here we go.

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Disclaimer: All rights to Big Hero 6 belong to Walt Disney Pictures, Man of Action, and Marvel Comics.

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He sees but doesn't understand. Hiro tries, he tries to think, to speak, to hear, to know. He had dreams of this, delusions that this would happen. He shouldn't be like this. Why wasn't it like Baymax being rebuilt? Why was there no smile on his face? Why wasn't he doing anything? Why were his hands becoming sweaty?

This is the sight he sees coming home from Nerd School, after dealing with classes, being in his former lab with Granville's blessing – a blessing indeed, he goes there whenever things become too much and he can feel his presence in everything whenever Baymax isn't around – this is the sight he is welcomed to while Aunt Cass is down in the café. He barely said a hello to her and wishes he got a better look on her face, wishing he could have known if she had known about this.

Hiro always pauses a video of him teaching him to ride a bicycle right as he is laughing. He sees the laugh in his smile right now, slowly fading as he gets a look on Hiro's face.

"Hiro?"

God, the concern in his voice, it feels so real. He wants to surrender everything and collapse in a heap. He wants to smile. He wants to feel. Hiro sees him move towards him but doesn't hear the words. Doesn't feel the hand on his shoulder rubbing small circles in knotted areas. Doesn't read the lips that are moving in a pattern, repeating the same thing over and over again.

And yet, he does. He understands every word that is being spoken to him without hearing a sound.

"Are you alright?" No.

"Please, little brother, say something." I'm trying.

"I'm here, Hiro, I'm home." Yeah, I can see that, Sherlock.

"Buddy, please, speak to me…" I think we've already established that all attempts are failing, right now.

Something cold inside of him builds, a feeling he felt once, when Callaghan spat out that…

Someone has to help.

Tadashi!

…that it was his mistake for what happened. But there was a hotness, too. Something to keep him from going numb from the experience. He had a guiding force. He could move his body, make it follow his commands the way he wanted it to.

He was also able to speak during that time.

That face, that expression, acting as if he didn't just return from the dead. What the heck is he doing here, standing there unscathed, without explanation, without warning, without reason? Standing in the middle of their bedroom like he had just come back from SFIT classes, disappointed that the lessons couldn't have gone longer and eager to get homework done so they could either spar or hang out.

He couldn't breathe. Chest hurting. Head spinning. Bile in his mouth. Sour taste, something splattering onto the floor, disgusting smell filling his nostrils. Please stop, please stop, please stop. Let this be a nightmare. Let this be some hallucination.

Let me wake up in bed with Mochi on my chest. I don't want any more cruel jokes and crud. Let me wake up, please, let me wake up. What did I do to deserve this, God? Why are you making me see this?!

He always dreamed that this would be more heartwarming. Tears, hugs, apologies, the whole shebang. This, though…this is different.

"Hiro, are you alright?"

Aunt Cass? He tries to turn, but the room spins. Aunt Cass, where are you? Did you let him in? Do you even know who's in the room with me right now?! We are so going to have a talk about your inability to notice shit when you need to notice shit.

His hands lose grip on whatever he's holding; his bag, a notebook, his mind. His vision spaces out.

"HIRO!"

His balance fails, and Hiro wishes to God before he sees nothing else that he could acknowledge that Tadashi was the one holding him, awakening Baymax for help, in front of him and alive…

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Author's Note: Short chapter, right? Well, that's what prologues are for. Watch as the rest of the cast deals with the fallout. Not used to writing this little after so many years on this site. Don't worry, this isn't a gloomy story, I promise.

In the writing world, I will see you!