Limitless (NCT one shots)

In pieces pt 2 (JohnYong)

When Taeyong's heart was broken fresh out of nursing school he had decided then and there that he was done with dating. He was tired of the people in his life leaving him or just being assholes. When he was fifteen his dad up and left, his mom died when he was twenty and his boyfriend who he met as a senior in high school dumped him after he graduated college. He has a sister that visits on occasion but she lives in another state so it's not often. He took a job in a small mountain town, ready to live out his life alone and celibate. He just didn't want to hurt anymore. He bought a cabin off the beaten path and drives his Jeep to and from work. He's learning how to fish and live off the land, not completely but just enough to distract from how lonely he is. Slowly he has gotten to the point where he doesn't really need people in his life. He of course has the doctor at the clinic and the patients, which he knows almost all of them since it is such a small town. Nothing exciting or Interesting ever really happen here until Johnny.
He can't be mad at him for leaving, he knew from the start that he would. It was never supposed to turn into anything other than him helping someone in need. More and more he's discovered that he was more in need than Johnny ever was. For some reason, even knowing he would leave, his heart fell. He knew it would be painful but a small part of him hoped that he would be enough to keep Johnny around.
As he sits on the edge of town watching him drive away he can't control the sobs that rip through him. The agony of losing yet another person he cared for, loved, is killing him. His fingers tightly clutch the steering wheel, needing something to hold onto. He screams out in pain as he rounds the final curve out of sight.
"No, no, please? Please don't go?" He screams out as he bangs on the wheel.
After a few minutes of hysterical sobbing he takes a few deep breaths and summons the energy to drive home. It's a longer journey than most because he really only wants to be in his bed, curled up under the blanket, having a pity party.
When he gets there his energy is at an all time low, he crawls right into bed and plans to never leave it. He knows he's being over dramatic but, it's his heart that was broken, he can be however he wishes. He lays in Johnny's scent, snuggling tightly to the pillow he slept on. He stays this way, as long as he possibly can and when he has to get up he goes right back to it.

It's late afternoon when he hears his doorbell ring, he's not expecting anyone and a small part of him hopes it's Johnny but realistically he knows it wouldn't be. He lays in bed trying to avoid whoever it is but they are persistent in ringing the doorbell, driving him crazy. He stands weakly and wobbles down the hall, he holds the wall for support as he gets closer to the door. He winces a little, it's too bright. Finally he gets there chanting, "hold on, hold on" as he starts to unlock the door.

As Johnny gets to the next town he's had an epiphany. He knows his place is with Taeyong. He knows he will only truly be happy with him. He goes to the nearest motel and rents a room for the night. He quickly calls Mark, the only person that can get him out of this situation once and for all.
"Mark, you need to make an arrest, make your move. I need to stop running." Mark sighs.
"We have a track on him. He's actually not far from you? Hold on let me check the map here. I'm dispatching officers toward both directions. He's too close for comfort." Johnny paces.
"What do you mean, close to me? How close?" Mark zooms in on the location.
"It's a little mountain town to the west of you..." He doesn't get to finish as Johnny hangs up leaving Mark to panic.
"Fuck!" Mark says as he orders a rush on all units. He reroutes them all to the location he knows Johnny is headed. He's not sure what's making him go that way but it must be important.
Johnny has never driven his bike this fast in his life. His only thought is Taeyong and his safety and the guilt from knowing it's his fault. He doesn't want him hurt, not even a hair on his head but this man has done far worse and right now he's scared for his life. He can hear sirens in the distance and that only scares him more as he knows if he hears them he will end Taeyong. He hasn't yet figured out how he knew he was ever there and he's hoping he's dead wrong and Taeyong is sitting peacefully on his deck chair. His heart is beating so fast in his chest he can feel it in his throat.
He slows when he gets to Taeyong's road and pulls off into a small clearing and runs the rest of the way. As he gets nearer he slows as to not tip them off. He sees a black suv parked next to Taeyong's Jeep and he knows he has to make a move. He sneaks up to look in the window to see Taeyong tied to a chair, already covered in bruises. With no time to think about it, he quickly grabs an ax he sees stuck in a log and bursts through the door.
It's like slow motion as he slams the ax into the shoulder of one of the two men standing near his love. He tackles the other onto the floor and they struggle. Johnny gets in a few punches but it's a big guy so he is giving them right back. When he feels like he's lost the upper hand and the strength starts to leave him he hears his voice.
"Get up Johnny, please? Please, get up." He hears a terror in Taeyong's voice, something he wishes never to hear again and it urges him to fight through.
He finally lands a punch that puts the other down long enough for him to grab Taeyong and run. He quickly grabs a knife off the counter and cuts his ropes before he helps him out of the house. They burst out the door and Taeyong shakily leads him toward the water, he knows of a little boat house that they can hide in, it is old and never used but may provide just enough shelter. They find a dark corner and huddle together. Taeyong clutches him tightly and keeps kissing his face softly while Johnny keeps whispering apologies. They stay as close as possible for warmth and other reasons, not much is spoken, mostly in fear of being found but also because nothing needs to be said at the moment.

When they hear the doors rattling Johnny tightens his grip on the other.
"Johnny suh?" They hear. He doesn't respond.
"This is the FBI we are here to help." He stays quiet.
"We have Mark on the phone." They say. He then hears Mark frantically calling his name so he slowly gets up and reveals their location. He holds Taeyong close, he would kill for him if he has to. When they get to the door he can still hear Marks frantic voice, asking if he's ok. He peeks out the crack of the old wooden door to see agents with their badges drawn so he slowly opens it.
"I-is he locked up yet?" He asks cautiously.

After getting checked over by the EMT's on sight and a mandatory FaceTime call and promise to allow Mark an in person visit, they are finally left alone. Johnny leads him through the house to his bedroom and sits him on the bed.
"Johnny I..." He kisses him.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for hurting you, for leaving you. I'm sorry those filthy bastards got their hands on you." He starts kissing all of his bruises softly. Peeling his shirt away and kissing some more.
"I love you. Taeyong i love you and I realized I don't want to live if I don't have you. I was going to come back and ask you to run away with me, hide, at least until they were caught but when Mark told me they were near you, I couldn't. Fuck, I'm so sorry." He starts kissing him all over again until Taeyong pulls away and holds his cheeks.
"Who were they? Why were they after you?" Johnny sighs and looks down.
"I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I witnessed them torture and kill a man." Taeyong gasps as Johnny holds him around his waist and cries.
"I was so afraid he was going to take you away from me." Taeyong shushes him and kisses the top of his head.
"I was here too long and they found me and I'm sorry." Taeyong hums and strokes his hair.
"I would have went anywhere with you." He says softly.

After a few months of recovery, especially from the trauma of being attacked in his own home, Taeyong is flourishing. Johnny is there every step of the way and their love grows more every day. Johnny got a job at the repair shop in town and they spend their evenings sitting on the front porch enjoying each other.