50. Picking Up The Pieces

"I feel like I have the start of some sort of joke here," stated Jin as they stood outside the vehicle at his father's place a week later. He smirked as he looked down at the checklist in his hands. "A cooler, a diaper bag, baby seats, a Taehyung..."

"So, I'm a thing now?" asked Taehyung with a smirk, hefting said cooler as he carried it towards the trunk. "The others can't be living that far away, but I feel like you've packed enough to last us forever."

Taehyung plopped the cooler down in the trunk with a relieved sigh before looking over to see that Lia was bent in the backseat trying to finish hooking up the baby car seats.

"They make these impossible," muttered Lia as Taehyung smiled softly, moving to walk over and stand behind her.

"Can I help?"

Lia stood back up straight and turned to look at Taehyung; a small smile breaking out across her face as she nodded her head. She stood off to the side as she watched him bend forward and start tinkering with the seat, chuckling when she heard his mumbled curses at it not even a minute later.

"Where are the boys?" she asked Taehyung as he semi-violently shoved the belt through the back of it.

"Inside with grandpappy Kim," said Taehyung with a smirk.

Jin's father had been overjoyed when he found out his son had returned home, but he had almost seemed to be more overjoyed at the birth of Lia's two baby boys. Even though the babies weren't related to him by blood, he insisted on being an honorary grandfather to them. If Lia, Taehyung, or Jin weren't with the babies, he was. Lia smiled at the thought of her two boys in such kind hands.

"Speaking of the boys, someone should probably go get them," said Jin. "I think we're about ready to head out and track down the others."

Lia nodded her head. After she had spent a few days recuperating from everything, she was ready to go track down the others. She wanted her family back together - and though she was tired - she knew it would be worth it to see them all again. In a way too, Lia knew that it would selfishly distract her from the reality of what had happened to Jungkook.

"I'll go get the boys," said Lia, noticing that Taehyung had finished with the baby car seats.

"I'll come with you," said Taehyung as Lia nodded as he moved to follow her back inside.

It didn't take long for either of them to figure out where the babies were once they re-entered the house. They both could hear Mr. Kim's jovial voice echoing down the hallway as he cooed at the two of them. Lia and Taehyung both wore smiles on their faces as they entered the den where the bassinets were, watching Mr. Kim as he bent over both of them.

"We're about ready to leave, Mr. Kim," said Lia, "But we'll be back soon hopefully."

"And you're sure that your babies can't stay here?" asked Mr. Kim.

"I can't stand to part from them," said Lia, "And I think the others will like meeting them."

"I understand. Guess I can share," said Mr. Kim with a light chuckle, watching Taehyung walk over to a bassinet and gently scoop up his baby boy, Dowoo.

Lia looked over at Taehyung as he looked lovingly down at his son. Lia still couldn't get over the fact that she had his and Jungkook's son at the same time. She had let Taehyung pick out the name for his son since she was left to pick out the name for Jungkook's. Taehyung had settled on Dowoo due to - what he called - his soft, doughy cheeks. Lia wasn't sure what to call Jungkook's son, but she liked the name she had eventually settled on.

"Come here my sweet Junseo," said Lia as she bent forward to pick her other son out of his bassinet.

She thanked Mr. Kim for watching the boys and bid him one more farewell before they walked back outside to where Jin was. Jin smiled seeing them approaching, rushing right over to gush at the two baby boys. Lia could see how he was like his father in that regard as he pulled funny faces at the boys to get them to laugh, not seeming to realize that they were too young to see what was funny about the faces and just stared at him in confusion instead.

"I'll go get Junseo buckled in," said Lia as she moved towards the vehicle, leaving Taehyung and Jin standing there. Taehyung looked at Dowoo's face before shifting his gaze up to Jin. Jin could tell that something was going through Taehyung's mind.

"What are you thinking about?"

"I'm thinking I need you to take Dowoo for me," said Taehyung as he held Dowoo out for Jin to take. "I need to do something, but I'll catch up with you both later."

"What do you mean?" asked Jin as he saw how serious Taehyung's face had become, taking Dowoo into his arms. "What are you thinking?"

"It's nothing. Really," said Taehyung. "Just be there for Lia and help out with the boys."

"Well, you don't need to tell me twice there," said Jin as he looked dotingly down at Dowoo.

"Don't worry about me. Just worry about getting the others back," said Taehyung as Jin looked back up at him, nodding his head.

"Are you two coming?" asked Lia as she came back over.

"Taehyung has to run an errand," said Jin as he noticed the odd look on Lia's face at him holding Dowoo.

Lia turned to look at Taehyung; a small frown on her face. She noticed sadness hanging about Taehyung like a shadow every once in a while since the birth of the babies, wishing she could do something to make it go away but not being able to. She saw this same sadness sitting upon Taehyung now even though he was doing his best to try and hide it.

"Just be careful," said Lia as Taehyung nodded his head quickly.

Taehyung watched Jin and Lia get Dowoo into the vehicle before waving them off as they left the driveway, set off on their quest to track down the others. He watched the rear of the vehicle  disappear, still staring at the end of the driveway long after it did. Taehyung was zoning out so badly that he didn't hear Mr. Kim come outside and walk over to him.

"Is there something the matter?" asked Mr. Kim as Taehyung turned to look at him.

"No. I just need to do something," said Taehyung.

"Which is what?"

"I need to go back to see Doc," said Taehyung as he shifted his gaze to the driveway again. "I need to know for sure whether or not Jungkook is dead or alive."

"Well, I'll go with you then," said Mr. Kim.

"No, it's okay..."

"Taehyung, I insist," said Mr. Kim, sounding adamant about it. "I don't like that look on your face. There is no need for you to go there alone."

Taehyung gave a small half smile as he nodded his head towards Mr. Kim.

"Well, thank you, sir," said Taehyung, watching as Mr. Kim just patted him on the back in return as he made his way towards a car in the driveway.

"Come along then. You can tell me the address. It seems like we don't have a moment to waste."

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