Greetings – especially to all the mom's out there~! This is your holiday today and I decided to celebrate it with a special little story. I do admit that I wrote it in a rush, as I didn't have any time to write it earlier. Thankfully, my lovely beta reader, madelita managed to correct it for me despite the short notice~ I am indebted to her~

So without further delay

Sit back and enjoy~

"A lonely Lady"

Chikage walked into her room at a hotel and poured herself a glass of wine. She sighed heavily and sat on a chair, before taking the remote and turning on the television. She flicked through the programs while she recalled her last conversation with Kaito. Those were always fun, or at least both of them tried to make them like it. Before they said their goodbyes, he told her that he would be busy today, so they wouldn't talk. She wasn't surprised when she found out from the news later that Kaitou KID announced a heist to steal a pink diamond called 'Lady Heart'. On the 26th May.

She put away the remote after finding a program showing a live feed from the announced heist area. She wondered whether Kaito was still mad at her for her involvement in the Corbeau plot. He never told her anything of the sorts, but she knew how to read him well enough. It's not like she could blame him for it. He had a reason to be mad. For that, as well as for the all other ways she tried to derail him from his mission.

It simply wasn't a fair thing for her to do. She knew it well, but she couldn't help it really. She just didn't want to let her only son do the very same thing that killed her husband. She was simply afraid. But that didn't make what she did right and Kaito had every right to not want to give her wishes on the Mother's Day…

Chikage sipped on her drink, grateful that there wasn't anyone she would have to wear a mask for. The television screen bathed the room with silvery light since she didn't bother to turn the lights on. She smiled, amused as the camera managed to catch a glimpse of the white cape, followed by a bunch of policemen. Seemed like Kaito was having fun. She couldn't help a small bundle of pride bloom in her chest for her son's skills, which made it so hard for him to get caught even on film. And apparently this time the camera was attached to a drone, flying outside of the building, if she was reading the movement pattern right.

Absently she wondered why Kaito haven't prepared anything for his audience. It was unusual for him and he certainly had enough time. Was one of 'his' detectives present and foiled his plans again? Oh well, as long as she would get to see him fly away safely, Chikage would be satisfied.

She chuckled quietly when the camera caught sight of the white-clad figure again, as it was swirling around, only to collapse in itself, leaving nothing but the cape, which was picked up by a stunned officer. The drone flew up, towards the roof, speaker talking in the background about how they expected it to be the place where KID would make his escape from. Chikage sipped from the glass, doubting it. That was too predictable and her son didn't do predictable. Besides, the police were there and…

Slowly she lowered the glass, staring at the screen. Because against reason, there was a blast of smoke, from which Kaitou KID emerged, with his hands spread wide and a grin plastered on his face. The officers braced themselves to jump him but stumbled and all but froze, as the thief motioned them to stop, raising a finger before him. He gracefully turned his hand and a white rose appeared in it.

Chikage was baffled. Why did her son use that old trick? She knew he loved it and she as well had a special place in her heart for it, as it was the first 'real' trick Kaito mastered, but it wasn't anything grand. Frankly speaking, it was simply too plain for him to want to use it as KID. Then the grin on his face widened and the rose exploded with a swirl of petals. Then the video feed was suddenly cut.

Holding her breath with anticipation, Chikage nearly shouted at the monitor. The disturbance blocking the view was a moment later replaced by a feed from the ground instead. She ignored the speaker apologizing for the unexpected difficulties and focused on the image of helicopters surrounding the building. There were sparks falling out of them. All lights in the building her son was standing on went off suddenly and then numbers started appearing:

3…

2…

1…

The retired Phantom Lady spun around, hearing a knock on her door. She glanced at the screen again and saw sheets of fabric swirling on top of the building. The knock could be heard again as the white fabric formed a huge flower, making the building resemble a stern or a bizarre vase. Chikage smiled with amusement at the monitor and walked over to see who it was at the door and send them away.

She frowned, noticing that there was no one there. As she glanced down, she saw an envelope. She picked it up carefully and turned it around. It was addressed 'To Mom' with Kaito's handwriting.

Chikage cast a surprised look at the television and opened the envelope hastily, figuring that this was what her son expected. The moment she did, three butterflies flew out of it. The envelope was otherwise empty. She caught a blue one, as it started falling down. The butterfly was paper made and had a writing on it.

*Don't cry, mom.
Tears don't match a lady's beauty~*

She snorted, catching the allusion to her past occupation. "Silly boy…" she whispered and smiled fondly at the sign. Why would she be crying anyway?

She looked around, only to see that the other two butterflies had fallen as well. She walked over to pick them up. On the green one, there was a sign saying:

*Watch me~
Like you always do!*

While the message on the pink one said:

*I love you.
Always have, always will.*

Chikage bit her lip, to stop it from shivering. She turned to glance at the screen and heard the speaker announce that they were getting a feed from the drone again. Absorbed with curiosity, Chikage sat down on her previous spot, carefully holding the butterflies in her hands.

The view was replaced with a close up on KID's face and he smiled brilliantly at the camera, apparently noticing that it was on again. It appeared that he was standing somehow on the pole that stood out in the middle of the building. KID let the drone go and the view backed out a little bit from him. The kaitou raised a hand towards it and with a flick of his wrist produced 'Lady Heart'. Staring at the camera, he brought the diamond to his lips and placed a soft kiss on it. He smiled fondly and unlike him, hid the gem in his breast pocket. Above his heart. That done, he grinned at the camera, tipped his hat and fell backward, only to snap his glider a moment later and fly away.

Leaving the butterflies on her lap, Chikage covered her mouth with her hands. She understood the message clearly. 'I keep you in my heart mom. Don't worry about me!'

"Silly boy…" she repeated again, her voice slightly trembling, blinking away the tears of joy that fought to make their way onto her cheeks.

I do hope you enjoyed this. I don't feel confident writing Chikage, so I'm never sure if I get her right and here I wanted to show her without her masks – as just a mother, who misses and worries for her son deeply.

I would greatly appreciate it if you considered leaving here a review and tell me how you liked it~

See you next story~ *bows*