"MINGI!!" Hongjoong yelled at the top of his lungs. He could feel the velocity of it threatening to rip his throat apart, but watching Mingi disappear in the pile of debris sent him into an all out panic.

He tore himself away from Yeosang and ran forward, not caring that there were still pieces falling from the ceiling.

"Mingi! Mingi!"

His hands started ripping at the large pieces of stone, flinging them as hard as he could. The rough edges tore the delicate skin on his fingers, but at this point he didn't care.

All Hongjoong could do was continuously call out for the thief and pray that he was ok.

"I swear to god, Mingi, if you leave me here after all the bullshit you put me through!" Tears came to his eyes as he continued to did.

Anger didn't even begin to describe his feelings right now. How could Mingi sacrifice himself like that? They could have worked something out if he had asked! There was no reason for anyone to be a hero.

"D-Dammit, Mingi!" Hongjoong started pulling at a piece almost as big as himself.

"Joong, stop." Yeosang hurried to his side. He made a motion like he was going to pull the older away, but then he got the steel rod he had been using before and used it to help Hongjoong move the cement blocking their way.

When he finally gave, Hongjoong let out another strangled cry. Mingi was lying facedown and was covered in blood and cement dust.

He rushed forward to slowly pull Mingi out and away from the wreckage.

The tears wouldn't stop. Normally he'd consider himself weak for letting his emotions get the better of him. This wasn't the time to become a bumbling crybaby, but his fear of loosing the only man who had brought him any sort of joy outweighed that ten times over.

"M-Mingi!" When they were far enough away, Hongjoong sat down and let Mingi lay across his lap so he could cradle the younger in his arms.

His side still had blood seeping out of it from the pens stuck there. Hongjoong knew better than to remove them, that could make everything worse. There was an array of new scraps and bruises covering the thief's skin as well.

"Y-Yeosang, c-call Dr. Kim!" Hongjoong looked up at the hacker to see he had returned to Jongho's side.

The hacker nodded immediately and pulled out his phone. "Dr. Kim?" He asked right away. Hongjoong had asked the man to standby, just in case he was needed, so he must have answered on the first ring. "Yes... I don't know... Yes... I'll send them to you now." Yeosang hung up the phone and typed out a quick message before looking at Hongjoong. "He's coming."

Hongjoong nodded and started to run his hand through Mingi's hair. He used the other one to place pressure on Mingi's neck and felt the faint pulse there. "Hang on, Mingi. Please... I..." Hongjoong bent forward to place his forehead on Mingi's. "I can't lose you..."

He kept his grip on Mingi while taking a look around the room. Yeosang was the only one without any major injuries, and San was probably the least wounded after him.

"How-" Hongjoong tried to swallow the lump in his throat. "H-How is everyone. Check in."

"I'm fine." Yeosang answered right away. "Jongho is still unconscious but he's breathing. I haven't seen any signs of major injury, but San s-said he had a s-seizure?" The hacker looked at him with concern. Hongjoong just nodded to confirm it. "W-We won't know how h-he truly is until we can scan him."

"I think San bruised a rib or two and maybe re-damaged the ones from our accident." Yunho said from where he was examining San. "I'm more or less fine. In pain, but I can handle it."

"Don't sugar coat it." San groaned. He tried to take a deep breath and winced. "You shouldn't have been moving around like you did."

"It's not like I could help it. You needed me."

San flushed a little a his words and bit his lip. There wasn't really a sound argument for either one of them. It was something all of them would do for each other.

A little distance away, Seonghwa was whispering quietly to Wooyoung. The younger was laying flat on the ground with one hand on his stomach and the other at his side.

Hongjoong could clearly see that his leg was broken... if it weren't for the suit he had on, they would all probably be able to see the bone. The skin tight suit was actually helping to keep his leg together.

But Wooyoung was pale. A layer of sweat covered his face and it looked like it was taking all his concentration to focus on Seonghwa, who had a broken nose and several scratches on his face as well.

"Hwa?" Hongjoong asked quietly.

The only answer he got was a quick flick of the eyes from Seonghwa before he looked back at Wooyoung.

"Where is he?" Wooyoung asked with a shaking voice.

Everyone instantly knew who he was talking about and they all looked at the pile of debris Hongjoong had pulled Mingi from.

No one moved for several painstakingly long seconds. Hongjoong felt like his pulse vibrated his entire body with each beat of his heart.

If Mingi had survived... Did Mercer?

Seonghwa was the first to move. A haunted expression fell over his face as he slowly stood and stepped over Wooyoung's body.

They all watched as he took it slow.

Step...

By step...

By step...

When he reached the pile, he moved even slower while shifting pieces of concrete out of the way. He started with the smaller ones, tossing them aside.

They almost sounded hollow as they rolled across the floor. Or maybe that was just how fuzzy Hongjoong's brain was right now.

It felt like it took forever for Seonghwa to dig through the rubble, but Hongjoong knew the second he had found something.

Seonghwa's hand shook while it still held a baseball sized chunk in his hand and he instantly lost all color.

Wooyoung propped himself up on his elbows and strained his neck to try and get the older's attention. "Hwa. What is it? H-Hwa?"

Hongjoong swallowed and leaned forward to cover Mingi, feeling the need to protect him as much as he could from whatever would happen to them next.

.

.

.

.

Seonghwa would say he felt numb, but he didn't even think that could describe the out-of-body experience he was having while staring down at the pile of rubble.

He didn't know how to feel. Sad? Scared? Angry?

It was all so confusing and it made him want to disappear.

Laying underneath all the concrete, was his father. It almost looked like he was sleeping, if it wasn't for the fact that the left side of his skull had been bashed in.

There was no way he had survived. In fact, he had probably died upon impact. It was almost a blessing in disguise... for Seonghwa at least... His father probably didn't feel any pain when he died.

Seonghwa's arm slowly lowered and the chuck of concrete fell to the floor.

Dead.

His father was finally dead.

After all this time... All the pain and torture...

And yet Seonghwa still felt his heart aching while staring at the man. His eyes fixated on where blood was pooling from the indent in his skull and dripping down the sides of the stone around it.

"Hwa?"

Dead...

"Hwa?" The small voice tried to break through the dense fog surrounding his mind.

Seonghwa just wanted it all to go away...

A gentle hand gripped his shoulder and finally stole his attention. Seonghwa turned to see San standing next to him. The younger was holding his side and looked to be in a lot of pain, but there was something else in his eyes as he stared at Mercer's body.

Relief. Freedom.

San sobbed and brought his other hand to his mouth. "It's o-over." He gasped, then looked up at Seonghwa with tears in his eyes. "I'm so sorry."

The older hesitated for a moment, then pulled San into a hug. He could feel the younger shaking and did his best to comfort him.

They had been through so much together, and it made Seonghwa so happy that San could finally be free of the man who had altered his very being.

This had been their goal all along.

When San had calmed down a little, Seonghwa turned around and kept his eyes on the floor. "Mingi did it." He said, feeling the weight of his words as they slipped away from his tongue.

Soft cries came from behind him and Seonghwa left San to rush to Wooyoung's side. The younger was laying down again and had his eyes clenched. Tears rolled down either side of his head and into the soft hairs that covered his ears.

"Baby..." Seonghwa leaned over him and caressed his cheek. "Are you ok? Where does it hurt?"

"Everywhere. And nowhere." Wooyoung opened his eyes and Seonghwa felt his mouth open a little. Wooyoung's eyes shined brighter than Seonghwa had ever seen them before. All the chains of his past had been lifted and he looked... alive.

The numbing feeling that had been weighing down on Seonghwa slowly slipped away as he watched Wooyoung cry tears of joy from where he was laying flat on his back.

Soon San came to join them as well and the three of them sat together, holding hands while Seonghwa leaned into San's shoulder.

Sometime later, Yeosang's phone rang and he gave directions on where to find them, directing the person to an elevator shaft hidden off to the side of the long spiraling tunnel.

When help finally arrived, Seonghwa watched as Dr. Kim and his men lifted both Jongho and Mingi onto stretchers first, then they came for Wooyoung.

"I've got a medical truck set up outside, we will get all of you fixed up before going anywhere." He assured Seonghwa as Wooyoung was wheeled away.

Since the rest of them could walk well enough, they followed Dr. Kim to the elevator, keeping the pace slow for Yunho and San's sake.

The doctor hadn't been lying. A large semi truck had been parked in the open space with its sides opened up and folded out to support a mobile medical lab.

A few assistants already had the other three hooked up to machines to monitor their vitals.

Both Hongjoong and Yeosang ran forward to stand by their partner's sides and leaned over them.

Seonghwa stayed back so he could help San and Yunho, but once they were seated and had IVs in them, he returned to Wooyoung's side.

The younger turned his head to the side and studied Seonghwa for a long moment. "Are you ok?" He asked softly.

"I... I think so." Seonghwa leaned over the side of Wooyoung's bed and took his hand. He slowly brought it up to his lips and gently kissed each of his fingers. "I'm better knowing that you will be ok."

Wooyoung shook his head. "Be honest with me."

Seonghwa let out a long sigh and pressed his lips to Wooyoung's hand again and left them there. "I don't know, Woo. I..."

"I know." The younger whispered. "And it's ok. I understand."

A small whimper escaped Seonghwa. How could Wooyoung still be so kind about something like this? The man who had enslaved him was dead, and yet he had already forgiven Seonghwa for having mixed feelings.

"I don't deserve you." Seonghwa couldn't bring himself to look at the boy who had stolen his heart. For whatever reason, he felt too ashamed.

"Yes you do. You deserve to be happy, Seonghwa."

"When I'm with you, I am. I know that now." Seonghwa lifted his head up and moved closer to Wooyoung's head so he could stroke his hair. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Absolutely." Wooyoung beamed as more tears leaked from his eyes. "I'm free."