A/N: surprise 

You dream of nothing.

As soon as you had closed your eyes with your head against Seokjin's lean shoulder, you were out like a light. With your body curled up against every grove of his side, Jin tries to adjust himself without disturbing you while staring hard at his own hands. 

No matter how hard he scrubbed them, the blood stuck underneath his fingernails stayed. It was gross but a testament to how hard he tried to save a mans life. 

He sighs as he drops them back onto his thighs. The burning orange of fresh sunlight soaked the land in a dizzying display of reassurance. He and the firefighters beside him all gazed at it, as it crept over the distant buildings. 

"You two okay? You don't look too good to me." one firefighter asks him. Jin turns to face the motley crew, ash, and blood from superficial wounds still covering their faces. Fatigue and dehydration obvious by the way some are seated on the hard concrete pavement. 

Jin takes a deep breath in through his nose and out through his mouth. "It's almost over. We'll be fine. Are you guys okay? Any new injuries I should know about?" 

"We've all just finished working for 34 hours straight," The firefighter takes a swig of his water before responding. "The hospital is still burning. The forests are still on fire and last I heard from headquarters, the military are on their way to help." 

Jin gasps. "Don't tell me you guys are going to keep working?" 

The firefighter passes his water bottle to the junior now resting his head on his thigh. "I'm the Fire Captain, I have no choice but to lead my crew. Injury-wise, I think we're all okay physically."

"Good. You keep us safe. Let me know if you need anything. Water, towels, food. I'm happy to help. What was your name sorry?" 

"My name? It's Son Sung Deuk and yours?" 

"I'm Kim Seokjin." 

The firefighter smiles in appreciation. "Thank you Kim Seokjin. You keep us safe too. The public sure as hell don't know how lucky they are to have us." 

Jin agrees. "You're right. You're absolutely right."

They both laugh as they turn to face the sun again. 

For everyone who had saved a life, who put out and are still putting out the fires, who drove people away from harm and gave first aid, they'd all come to appreciate how lucky they were to be able to see the beginnings of a new day. Because they survived something they'd come to learn many people hadn't. 

Jin gazes down at you when the smallest snore escapes from your dry lips, his mouth unable to upturn into the comforting grin he had been wearing all night. 

"We're going to be okay," tears glistening in his eyes. "We're going to be fine." 

He watches you nuzzle into his side, your body asking for the comfort your mouth couldn't.

You owed Jin a lot, that was obvious. From staying until you were out of the hospital, and driving you like a bloody madman to Seoul Hearts Hospital when your own was burning down behind you, to being kind and compassionate when you could no longer be to yourself.

In some way, Seokjin had saved you. He reminded you that being a doctor doesn't mean you are someone who doesn't need saving. If your health was a house with four walls, and one wall was near collapse, you'd recuperate and fix it. 

It's okay to care about yourself too. 

It's apart of the reason why you decide that you're no longer going to practice medicine until you've had a full night's rest, this nap, not included. It just wouldn't be right for anyone if you ignored yourself.

So, you sleep. 

You sleep against a man who cares too much. 

And it only feels like a second of sleep, albeit an hour of being completely knocked out, that the harsh whispers of a tough conversation pull you back into your reality. 

Time moved too quickly. 

And it seems sleep would never be on the agenda.

"Yoongi has finally made a plan that makes sense. Which means I'm staying out here with you whether you like it or not," Namjoon whispers, scuffling his shoes against the loose gravel as the firefighters loudly pack up their gear. "I want to be with you especially after everything that has happened. I wish that you love me as much as I love you because then you'd understand what I've gone through these past 24 hours. Can you just shut up and let me be with you?"

"Oh Namjoon, that's not true at all. Before I even address what you've just said about us because you better know we are sitting down and communicating, what do you mean a plan that makes sense? Has something happened that we don't know about."

Rubbing a hand over his face in exasperation, Namjoon groans. "Yes, Yoongi isn't closing the hospital down. He's being a democratic leader and listening to people. It only took him two hours to understand that he isn't alone in this. So, I'm staying out here because I don't want you to be alone either. "

"I'm not alone, I've got Y/N," Jin whispers, wrapping his arm around your shoulder. "And, aren't you more needed inside?"

"Shut up Jin."

"No, Joon, you shut up."

"Shut up." 

"No really, be quiet. She's sleeping," Seokjin whimpers, trying hard not to move his shoulder.

"You really think she's capable of thinking about others right now? She's probably thinking about Sunny and Taehyung. Don't get me started on how similar those two look. I wouldn't be surprised if he turned out to be her father. In fact, I'd be confident betting money that he is," Namjoon sits down beside Jin, taking his hand into his own. "Plus, everyone's passed out in the hallway inside. I'm really not needed there, like at all. What do you want me to say Jin? Do you not want me to be with you?"

Interlacing his fingers with Namjoon, Seokjin sighs loudly. "No, I do. I just think that in this situation, I'm not important enough to have you by my side. I'm just an EMT."

"You aren't just an EMT, you're Seokjin. Man of my dreams, beauty, and brains," Looking down at their hands, Namjoon whispers. "I want to talk this out and kiss you but I've come out to swap with Y/N, so I'll do that before pulling you into that empty tent over there and holding you."

"You're cute," Seokjin giggles, leaning towards him and kissing his cheek. "Yoongi finally letting her in?"

Smiling at the affection, Namjoon nods. "He's even set up a bed space for her and Sunny until he can figure the rest of the morning out. I bet it's to apologize after everything, that bastard. Anyway, I'm coming back to your side once I tell her the plan, okay? Doors are unlocked now, don't you dare leave this spot until I come back out."

"Hold on, wait, I don't understand something," Seokjin's shoulders jostle your eyes awake as he shrugs violently. "He's letting people inside now, not just Y/N? Then what was the fucking point?"

"He was just following orders. Don't bully him."

Letting go of Namjoon's hand, he shouts. "I don't care. What was the point? And now it's reopening after only an hour? Why when-?"

"-Seokjin," Son Sung Deuk shouts as he walks back to his truck. "I can see the fire in your eyes, don't make me come over there!" 

Jin deflates as he frowns back at the man. "Go put out some real fires Sung Deuk and be safe while you do it!" 

"I will, you two just calm down."

Jin looks at Namjoon before blushing. "We are calm!" 

Opening the door to his trust, he chuckles. "Right and the sky is purple, nice meeting you Seokjin."

Namjoon watches the exchange in curiosity as Sung Deuk jumps into the truck; before acknowledging that Jin was now talking to him again. 

"Ignore that. Namjoon, everything has been so fucking inconsistent and horribly managed. Why now?" 

"Listen," Namjoon leans close to Seokjin. "All I know is that there was a big scene about it inside and Jimin got involved. I'm not going to go into specifics but it made Yoongi realize that he can't handle these types of things alone. He needs help. So, he said a big fuck you to the consultants who told him to lock up in the first place. He's going to start sending people home. So, who knows what will happen. You should hear him though, swearing his little head off on the phone. He's going to lose his job at this rate."

"Doubt it," Jin snorts. "The man's a cockroach."

"Guys," Yawning you sit up, pulling your aching muscles to attention as you gaze at the two. "Don't tell me you both actually give a heck about what Yoongi is doing because I sure as hell do not. It was very out of character for him to listen to anyone so quickly anyway," Stretching your arms in the air, you add. "He was probably pressured by the ministry because of the MERS outbreak last year, and we all know what that was like when it happened." 

"True." Jin nods, massaging the muscle in his shoulder you had cramped.

"Hey, can I go inside now?" you ask, taking over massing his shoulder for him. 

Namjoon nods. "You can. I didn't know you were awake, did you hear everything?"

"Yes, I did. Do I care? No. I just want to go inside, grab my kid and sleep."

"Namjoon means well hun," Seokjin smiles, pushing your hand away from his arm. "Go inside. Let me know if you need anything."

"Thank you, Jin. Thank you for everything."

"We're a team. It's what we do. Teamwork makes the dream work."

"One more thing Y/N," Namjoon stands up, moving over to embrace you. "Whatever happens inside, when you go to collect Sunny. Whatever happens between you and Taehyung-

"Why are you assuming something will?"

Rubbing your back, he whispers into your ear. "Don't ask me stupid questions Y/N. It's been happening since you and Taehyung met again. I see life behind those eyes again. I love you and I want the best for you, okay? Follow your heart, stop listening to that stubborn brain of yours."

Pulling back, you blink at the man. "Sorry, what?"

"I convinced myself a long time ago that you don't have a pulse. Use this event as an excuse to start living your life again."

"Right because the bombing was the universe telling me I need to get a fucking life. Thanks," Staring at him in confusion, you laugh awkwardly. "Okay, thanks. I'm glad I have such a good support system. On that note, I'm gonna head in and get some sleep with my kid. You guys should get some rest too."

Namjoon smiles before turning back to Seokjin. "We will. Go on. Go inside."

Things from there began to move quickly but slowly at the same time. You can't even explain it. Military aid arrived just as you are walking back inside. The fire engines leave as they pack in their wounded. Boxes of basic dressings are rushed out of the military trucks. Eager doctors run past you to nab the essentials.

And the automatic doors that once kept you out slide open as you walk through them.

Feeling delirious, you walk past patients who had been staring out the window in curiosity just an hour ago. You walk past Jungkook and Jimin and Sana and Irene, right past everyone in a uniform until you're standing in front of stressed out Min Yoongi in a dirty coat holding a whiteboard pen.

"Yoongi." you clear your throat as he turns to face you.

Wearing an apologetic grin, he nervously stammers. "Go to the big meeting staff room on level 3, there's a bed for you and Sunny. I think she's already there sleeping with Taehyung."

"Thanks."

"Look Y/N, I'm sorry-

"-you don't need to comment on it," you interrupt, turning on your feet and walking towards the staffroom. "Just do your best Yoongi."

Dragging your feet, patients begin to call out for you all around you but do you partake in the storm that brews? If they're yelling, their breathing. So, no. You walk through it and you ignore it because you're a human being in need of care too.

Walking into the elevator, you press the number three, watching its button illuminate for what you hope to be, the last time. Seoul Hearts is a big hospital and the environment is totally different to Forest, you aren't sure if you'd be able to adjust if you were to work here. 

The doors open to the quiet floor as you look both left and right for the staff room. The sign indicates left, so that is where you go. 

Passing empty storage, resource and meeting rooms, you continue down the hallway until your eyes fall on the staffroom sign above too big white doors. Biting your lip, you pause as your hand touches the handle. 

It's with a brave heart that you turn it and push. 

Walking through the staff room doors, the sight you see makes your heart ache with all kinds of pins and needles. It doesn't hit you as hard as you thought it would though. It sinks in and then, it starts to feel right.

The ugly green curtains have all been closed. Save for the small light above the stove accentuating Taehyung's sleeping face and the top of Sunny's head in his arms on the couch, the room was dark.

The door closes behind you with a soft click as you start taking off your shoes. Dropping your coat onto the floor, the sound of your phone falling onto the floor echoes across the room. You guess Taehyung hears it because he moves in his sleep, pulling Sunny closer to his chest in reflex, the same way he did to you once upon a time.

You push your clothes into a corner, because who cares at this point. 

Nervously walking your reluctant self across the room, you gently take his arms off Sunny so you can quietly put her on the made bed in the corner where she'd be more comfortable. Why they hadn't just slept on that instead of the couch is beyond your understanding but something he'd totally do. 

Scooping her up from his chest, he wakes up startled at the loss of her weight. "Stop. What are you doing?" Taehyung asks, eyes still closed, arms tightening around Sunny, pulling her back against him.

"Taehyung," you whisper, not letting her go. "Be quiet and let her go. It's me, Y/N."

"Y/N?" his eyes open wide. 

"Morning," you whisper, looking into his mildly bloated face. "You've slept a lot today Taehyung. Have you even worked?"

"I did get stabbed for you, you know." he retorts.

His hands loosen as Sunny sleepily tangles her arms around your neck as you pick her completely off him and into your arms. He yawns before sitting up. 

"Mama?" she whispers and you hold the back of her head with your hand. "Yes, baby?"

"Don't wake her. It was difficult putting her to sleep," Taehyung says, standing up beside you. Sunny wraps her feet around your waist. "Here, let me put her back to bed and we can talk?"

You kiss the top of her head. "The team made us up a bed with her rabbit and blankets, I'll put her to bed myself like I have been for her entire existence."

Doing exactly that, Taehyung watches as you lay her on the mattress. She immediately cuddles into her rabbit in the middle of the bed and you cover her body with the warm pink blankets. 

"Where did you want to talk?"

"You should go and have a shower first, it will make you feel better," he whispers, walking over to the staff bathroom to check if it was vacant. Pushing open the door with his foot, he peeks in. "It's free. There are towels and uniforms in there if you wanted to change. I'll get us some breakfast while you're in there."

Feeling disconnected from your emotions, having a shower would do you some serious good in feeling okay again. And you aren't sure whether you hate or feel relieved that Taehyung remembers what you look like when you're detached and what helps ground you. "That's a good idea, I'll be back. Thank you, I guess."

"Are you surprised that I remember?" he asks, rubbing the back of his neck as he avoids your eye contact. Walking past him, you push open the shower room door. "I am a little, didn't think you'd remember the little details about me but that's okay, Taehyung."

"Shall we do omelets and pancakes?"

Looking up at Taehyung again, you nod. "Um yeah, sure, that would be nice. I'll be out soon. I shouldn't take long. If I don't come out in like twenty minutes or so, assume I've fallen asleep. Just come in and wake me up."

His expression shifts as he winks at you. "Naughty. In the staff shower? Y/N, you've changed."

"Really?" Rolling your eyes, you push him towards the staffroom door. "My god, you're so inappropriate. Our daughter is right there."

"Our daughter," he repeats, he liked the sound of it. He could get used to that.

"Go." you urge. 

"Okay, I'm going, no need to push. Go have a shower, you smell," he jokes, rushing out the door. He turns back to smile at you as the door inches to a close, "I was joking, you always smell nice." he yells in a last-ditch effort. 

"Go away Taehyung."

He waves for you to go back inside before turning away from you. The door closes with a soft click, encasing the room in darkness again. "Well, that didn't go that bad..."

Sunny turns in her sleep, rustling against the blankets.

The clock ticks loudly above the small round table.

Through the cracks in the curtain, the sunlight beams. 

It was a new day with a whole new set of problems.

You try hard not to think about that as you shed your clothes and let the cleansing nature of water strip your soul bare. You try hard not to think of anything as you sit on the shower floor, letting the hot water pelt down your back. 

--

Taehyung runs with a bag full of takeout breakfast through the Emergency Department sometime later. He does note that there appears to be more staff on he didn't see last night, potentially out of Seoul recruits? Busan? 

Who knows?

Taemin, Taehyung's orange-haired student, and the obnoxiously intelligent ace, Younggi, are dragging each other towards the nurse's station, hands full of vital sign charts, when he pulls the breaks on his feet, stopping just in front of them. "Hey, you two. Give those to the nurses. Good work today, you can go home. Tell all the other student as well."

They smile at each other. Younggi blinks at Taehyung, looking him up and down before a thankful expression spreads across her face. "Dr. Taehyung, I'm thankful that you are okay. You seem to be doing well given your injuries. It's been a pleasure working with you and I just wanted to say that it was a phenomenal experience being able to-

"-oh shut up. Brown nosing only works when you're an intern," Yoongi cuts in, giving each of the students his business card. "Go home and get some rest, stop verbally assaulting my colleague. I've given you both my cards because I can't trust the orange boy with telling you all my contact details. When I am no longer tied up with this, email me and I will personally send you a certificate of your participation."

They beam at each other again. Taehyung nods at the two. "Buzz off Taehyung, go and eat and then sleep. Meetings going to be at 11 in the hub, set an alarm on your phone so you can wake up Y/N too ...assuming that you'd be sleeping together."

The students blush. 

"On that note, I'm off." Taehyung salutes Yoongi before rushing back to the staffroom.

--

Smelling like jasmine and cheap bar soap, you stand by the open window admiring the city view. Wearing new Seoul Hearts Scrubs with your freshly washed hair splayed down your back, you huff. "If he's not back in five minutes, I'm going to sleep."

Sunny looks comfortable asleep, you were jealous.

The bags under your eyes suddenly feel heavy, almost heavy enough to drag you to the mattress and underneath the blankets but Taehyung still has 5 minutes and at least you were clean.

You had felt like a new person after showering but you found that the usually therapeutic nature of having a shower, forced you to think about the last 12 hours and you wanted to do everything but that.

And now, it's all you can think about now that you're alone and it's quiet.

Tears begin to glisten in your eyes as you think about wanting to sleep but you can't possibly cry right now when you know it will only make you tired. "4 more minutes."

You've been at Seoul Hearts for 12 hours now and aside from the death you've seen and the pain you've felt vicariously treating someone else's wounds, it was going to be okay. You were going to treat your own this time.

The staffroom door opens and then closes softly as though someone were trying to be quiet. You smell his cologne before you see him and your heart begins to pound against your ribcage. The smell of food makes your stomach grumble as the paper bag rustles on the table. 

"Y/N." his familiar voice whispers from behind you and you don't need to turn to know that the voice definitely belongs to Taehyung.

"Hey," He scuffles his shoes towards you but you don't turn around. "Are you ready to talk?"

You nod. "Can we keep it brief? I'm very tired."

"Me too but what about the food?"

"We can eat when we wake up."

"Good, so shall we talk?" 

Silence. 

Damn awkwardly loud silence. 

"Taehyung-

"-Y/N." 

You both pause, having spoken at the same time. Rubbing up your arms, you chuckle. "You go first Taehyung." 

"Okay." 

"Again, brief please." 

"I can't promise it will be brief but I just, I need to say it, so hear me out. I'm so thankful and relieved that you're okay. I-I thought you had died when I didn't see you when everyone else arrived and I'm not sure about you but this has been the worst and kind of the best 24 hours of my life and I just spent most of it thinking about you and Sunny and my life and I felt so regretful for everything that I had done and everything that I left you to deal with alone. Why I left was hurtful and stupid and cruel knowing you were carrying Sunny. I was afraid of what my mother would do and I knew you'd be okay because you're strong. Stronger than me and you kept my child and she's so beautiful and happy and she even looks like me and she looks like you and she's just so..."

He fumbles as though he can't find the right words to say; to express everything that he's gone through and everything that he's seen. "She's just so..."

Silence. 

You clench your eyes closed as you finish his sentence. "Us, Taehyung. She's so us."

He nods his head, smiling at the little girl. "She is, isn't she. Has she always been so aggressive with her affection and intelligent?" he asks and you laugh proudly. 

"Believe it or not, yes. She has always been like that."

Silence continues to fester between you as he inches closer to you. Slowly slipping his hand into yours, he turns you around to face him. He looks at you pleadingly. "Y/N, we have a lot to talk about between us but I want to be a good father to Sunny. I want to be a part of her life and your life."

He stares at you with so much hope. 

"Taehyung, I need time. Obviously, five years wasn't enough for me and if you were so eager to come back to me as though you never stopped loving me, why didn't you ever come back and find me?"

The brown flecks in his eyes swirl with the sunlight from behind you. Your gaze lingers across his face, his eyes were the purest brown you've seen all night and there was a beautiful kind of vulnerability on his lips. 

He was being honest. 

It made you realize that Kim Taehyung hadn't changed much. 

And for the tiniest second, you were able to imagine what your life would've been like had he not left. But you've changed, you were stronger and better than that. 

"I thought that what I had done to you, was something so cruel an apology would never erase what had happened," he whispers, rubbing his thumb over your knuckles. "I thought because I broke your heart and broke my own that I wasn't someone who deserved love. Especially if it came from you but I did find you and kept tabs on you. I wanted to be sure that you were okay, I just never knew that you kept her." 

"Everyone deserves to be loved Taehyung, even you. Please don't say that, it hurts me because all wanted was the best for you. That's why I left. You deserved a love your family could accept, I know how much they mean to you."

"It's easy to say that I deserve love," he whispers. "It isn't meant for everyone. Just look at how we turned out, I ruined us. I don't deserve love but I'd take it, in a heartbeat, if it came from you."

"Please, explain the undeserving of love part."

"I don't know how to explain myself," pausing to think, he takes a deep breath. "I'm a coward and you deserve so much more but I want to try and be that person for you. I've spent so long thinking about it and the best possible way to explain it is if I tell you that back then, I believed that love was like a claw machine."

You frown. "It's too early for your poetry Taehyung, especially when it doesn't make sense. People love claw machines. What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying Y/N that you gotta put a lot of money into a claw machine to win the prize. Lots of people can't afford it."

Your snort, smirking at him. "So basically, you're calling yourself high maintenance?"

He shakes his head. "No. I'm not. God, no. The opposite in fact."

"What?" Tilting your head, you blink at him. "What is the opposite of that?"

"It means," his voice lowers, he was insecure, damaged even. "I didn't think I was worth it until I watched you leave my life. You were so out of my league and I could barely even ask you to marry me despite wanting to every morning we woke up together, god I am so stupid. I want to be with you, be around you, raise Sunny with you, love you."

"But isn't love like a claw machine and not worth it to you?" 

He jerks, looking up at you in alarm. "No, no, god, sorry, I'm so bad at explaining myself. It may be if it were with anyone else but with you? Never. I've learned my lesson, I know what it's like not being with you and I don't want that to happen again," he steps closer to you, raising his hand to your cheek. "I was a coward but I'm not now. Please, take all the time you need but in the meantime, can I show you that I can be good for you and Sun?

"I can tell you aren't a coward anymore," you whisper, closing your eyes when he rubs his thumb across your bottom lip. Pulling his hand away from your mouth, you hold both his hands. "I didn't think you had changed much, but now that we're talking, it's a little hard to digest how much your heart has changed. It's all very well to say you love me and want to be there for Sunny, but I don't believe your words when actions will speak a whole lot louder." 

There was so much to patch, to suture, to be whole again especially after such an event. This whole thing had so many ramifications on your mental and spiritual health but at that moment, as Taehyung holds your hand, you felt at peace.

"I'm still me?" 

"I know."

"Do you hate it? Do you hate me?" 

"No. I could never hate you Taehyung."

He smiles a Cheshire grin. "Good. I won't let you hate me again."  

"Okay, I'm so fucking tired my eyes are hurting. This discussion involves a third person so we should consult them as well when they're awake. How about we talk about us more when we've both had some sleep? Sound good?"

Tugging on his hands, you pull him towards the mattress where Sunny lays. 

"I'd like that," he whispers as you let his hands go, gesturing for him to lay on the other side of your daughter. "Yoongi says the next meetings at 11, hope that's enough sleep."

"It's not but I don't plan on sleeping here long. I want to go home."

"Home," he says to no one in particular. "Me too." 

Yawning into your palm, you mumble. "Wheres your home?"

"Please don't let me say it." 

"Say what?"  

He watches you kiss the back of Sunny's head before taking his own shoes off, and gently getting underneath the blankets. As soon as you had closed your eyes again, head on a pillow, you were fast asleep. You never did get to hear what he was saying but you had an inkling it might've been cliche. 

He whispers to himself. "That I've found my home and it's with you." 

Soft snores escape your lips and Sunny curls into you while her little legs tangle between his. Looking at your face, Taehyung leans over Sunny to tuck the splayed strands of hair behind your ear, your mouth trembles into a smile. 

Sinking back into the sheets, Taehyung falls asleep warm, a feeling he hasn't felt in a long time. 

And whilst you dream of running barefoot through fields of sunflowers. The overwhelming peace you feel as you feel yourself beginning to heal, even in a subconscious state, will be enough to summon the courage to face the trouble you'll see in your tomorrow (or today, whichever). 

Even when you know, you'll no longer be facing it alone. 

The end. 

A/n: Epilogue coming up and then this story is compleTED YO! I JUST WROTE ALL OF THIS IN ONE SITTING, SO I APOLOGISE IF IT SUCKS.