Disclaimer: Characters, places, events belong to Disney.
Author's Note: Consider that these two brothers are incredibly bright for their ages (when you read you'll know why I state this).

Muted raindrops came down upon the roof, their consistent presence soothing to the ear, then winds began to pick up moving past the windows and whispering unintelligible secrets. Light flashed outside signaling to the thunder which responded with a rumble so loud the two Hamada brothers woke up. Tadashi was about to close his eyes and do his best to sleep again but he heard a rustle of covers and small feet making their way across the room.

"Hiro," he said in a soft voice so as not to startle him. The nightlight gave off light bright enough that Tadashi saw him staring with wide eyes clutching a fat white bear.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I'm scared," Hiro said walking over to the side of the bed, "I want Mommy and Daddy."

Tadashi looked at his surroundings and remembered this wasn't his room. Sleep had muddled his thoughts but soon everything came back. This was one of the rooms in his aunt's house where he and his brother were living since the 'accident'. It was hard for him to think of everything now but he had to face it, even in the night when he felt so helpless.

"They're gone Hiro, gone," he said trying to keep his voice from breaking.

"They come back," said the three-year-old quite sure of what he was saying. The lightning flashed and the thunder clapped once more. He threw his bear on the bed next to Tadashi and clambered on as fast as he could. He made his way under the covers and pressed himself against his big brave brother.

"Hiro," Tadashi took his brother's hand into his own after he had settled down, "Mom and dad, they won't ever come back."

"Yes they will," Hiro insisted, "They leave then they come back. Always."

Tadashi wondered how a brilliant toddler such as his brother wasn't able to grasp the meaning of his words. He knew in his heart that he would never again see his mother's joyful smile nor feel the comfort of his loving and protective father but little Hiro simply could not comprehend it.

"We live with Aunt Cass now because mom and dad are gone, don't you see?" Tadashi already knew he didn't but could think of no better way of explaining it since every other way did not work. He sat quietly holding his brother's small hand while wondering what he should say. There seemed to be only one way to go about it.

"Hiro, Mom and dad are – dead," he paused not for his brother but for himself, "that means we will never ever see them again. Even if we want to we can't," it hurt Tadashi to say those words, to hear those words, to tell his brother the bitter truth but he knew he had to. He couldn't let him believe that one day their parents would arrive on the doorstep and take them back home to the way it used to be, even as much as he wished it himself. After a long silence, except for the unbroken sound of rain, he heard heavy breathing and sniffling. Somehow, his little brother was beginning to understand.

"They won't come back," Hiro managed and sat up wiping his face with his hands.

"But I'm here. 'Dashi is here," he brought his brother into a hug, "I will always be with you."

Little Hiro looked up at his big brother with his eyes hopeful and his face wet with tears, "Always?"

Tadashi hugged his baby brother even closer as he felt a tear trickle down his own face, "Always."

Thank you for spending your time reading this story!
HoN

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