Disclaimer- I don't own Dead or Alive. Tecmo Inc. does, not me.

A.N.- The end... the epilogue is up now... which is this. Yeah, R/R. And like I said, please consider this for your favorite stories list. Oh, and everyone is five years older. Hitomi's parents know that Ein is Hayate now, but not who Hayate is. Hitomi and Hayate got married a week after the last chapter. When referring to Ryu, I'm only going to use the name "Ryu" not "Hayabusa" since Ayane is married to him and would be Ayane Hayabusa. Ayane and Ryu are currently on their honeymoon and have been married for a month.

Qui-ti- Wow... coincidence... weird. And about the angst, I can't really write a story without it. And thanks for putting the fic on your favorites list.

Forevermore- The chapter title was intended to connect Kasumi and Hayate, not for Hitomi and Hayate. Sorry for the scare. The next fic is going to be a whole different story. This now is the epilogue/sequel sumed up in one chapter. I have actually two fics in mind. One is what would have happened if Ein hadn't had any falshbacks and never went to the second DOA tournament. The other is an AU fic, reversed lives should explain it well enough.

writer chickie- Yeah, I kinda wished that this would go on for a long time also. I saw a 51 chapter fic so that might have not been a bad idea. And thanks for putting my fic on your favorites list.

golden-flame4- Thanks for reviewing. And tons of thanks for putting my story on your favorite's list. Really appreciated. And since this is then end, it's gonna be a long epilouge.

Elikem- I said Japan? My mistake, I musta been thinking of Hayate. Hmm, I thought I did put Korea. Whatever. Thanks for pointing it out. I'll fix it once I improve the fight scenes.


Our Past, Our Future
Epilouge
By: Joey/Mai fan15


Hayate adjusted the five-year-old's arms ao that she held the katana right. A new supervisor stood nearby watching, "Hayate, the kid is only five years old, she can't use a sword."

"You father taught me when I was five. He was a great supervisor," the child's sword faltered, "Ehh... maybe you're right. I should have started off with a smaller weapon."

"I don't think we should have started off with a weapon at all. You might have been ready, but she isn't," he replied as he motioned for Hayate to step into the other room, "About you daughter, Hitomi is still alright with her being raised here?"

"We were both kind of reluctant... but it's better that way. We'll visit her once in a while," the two stood in silence, looking toward Hayate's daughter, "She must think that Hitomi and I are horrible parents..."

"She may be young, but she knows this is for the best. If she didn't do this Kasumi would be overthrown, maybe killed. Then they'd go after her and Hitomi. Besideds, I think she likes the idea of leading after Kasumi in a few years."

"I'm going to go out and say goodbye to Natsu," Hayate walked back through the door and knelt down as he ruffled her hair, "I'm going to go home now. You be good for aunt Kasumi, okay?"

"Okay daddy," the little girl wrapped her arms around her father.

Hayate smiled as he walked outside again to talk to the supervisor, "I'll be back next Sunday. Tell her that Hitomi can only come on her birthday though, she can't come back and forth as fast and as inexpensive as I can."

"I will," replied the supervisor. Hayate closed his eyes and concentrated on his destination. When he opened them, he found himself at his office in the karate dojo. He had inherited it when he married Hitomi through his father in-law's wishes. Hitomi taught alongside him.

Hitomi walked through the door, she was already wearing her gi for tonights lesson, "Oh, you're back. How's our daughter?"

"She's doing fine," Hayate pulled her closer and kissed her lightly on the lips, "I think she's enjoying it there."

"You know, we'll have to tell my parents about her someday. We're lucky she was born while we were in Japan for that year."

"I know, but I don't think tonight's the right time. Your father did just get out of the hospital a week ago."

Hayate sat down on the chair next to his computer, Hitomi sat down on his lap facing him. She put her arms around his neck, "We have a class in fifteen minutes. It's all ten-year-olds tonight."

"Hmm..." Hayate wrapped his arms around her waist and began to kiss her neck, slowy moving downward.

"Hayate! Stop, what if one of the students show up early?" she was obviously enjoying it, but didn't want any of the students to catch them.

"C'mon, I'll lock the door," teased Hayate as he lifted Hitomi off of him, "I'm going to go get changed before we have to start... can you check if anyone hasn't paid their tuition?"

"Sure," as Hayate walked out of the room, Hitomi began rapidly going through files on the computer. Only a few students hadn't come up with their tuition yet so she began to print out a few newsletters to give to the students' parents when they came to pick them up.

The phone rang, she picked it up. Her father was on the other line, "Hitomi, I'm running a little late. You and Hayate have to start without me."

"Why, what's happening?"

"It's just traffic, Hitomi. Nothing to worry about," over the phone she could hear car horns blaring and impatient drivers cussing.

"Well, be careful. With your high blood pressure, you can't get angry or else you'll end up in the hospital again," Hitomi grabbed the pieces of paper that came out of the printer and signed them, "Just go straight home, you should relax... you haven't gone past home yet, have you?"

"No, I haven't. Do you think you two can manage alone?"

"Of course, it isn't a big challenge. Besides, there's only one more class then he and I are going to head to our place."

"Do you two want to come over for dinner?"

"I'll ask Hayate when he gets done changing," replied Hitomi.

"Christmas is coming up, are you going to spend it with Hayate's family or are they coming here?"

Hayate appeared in the doorway, "Hayate's family doesn't celebrate Christmas, remember? But we're going to go to Japan and spend it alone, is that alright?"

Hayate motioned for her to cover the reciever, "Hold on dad."

"I think we should tell him about our daughter. He'll be better by Christmas, you don't have to lie."

"Oh, and do you want to go there for dinner?"

"It's up to you."

"Dad, on second thought, we're not going to go to Japan. We'll spend Christmas with you. We'll see if some of our relatives can come," said Hitomi as she thought of Natsu.

"Well be quick about it, Christmas is next week."

"I know," Hayate turned towards the stairs that went down to the dojo at the sound of the bell that hung above the door, "Dad, I have to go. The students are here. We'll see you later. Bye."

"Bye."

Hayate put an arm around Hitomi's waist as the two walked downstairs together.


Ayane sighed as she pulled Ryu's arm further around herself, life was great. She had finally gotten married to him a month ago. The year they had promised eachother had been stretched out to five years due to his dissapearance a few months after Hayate left. He had come back a week before the wedding which took place along with a montain of appologies.

He had been captured and held prisoner by a rival ninja clan for the long time and Ayane had been worried about him every moment. Ryu's sleeping figure shifted and he let out a groan, his arm moved off of her, "Ryu, are you awake?"

"...Yeah..." he wrapped his arms around Ayane's bare skin, "I think we should probably go back home tomorrow, they can't keep everything together forever."

"But we've only been on our honeymoon for a month," she turned around to face him, "Besides, it's not like the two groups don't get along."

Ryu kissed her deeply, "I dunno."

The two of them laid there, holding eachother for what seemed like eternity until Ryu's cell phone rang. He reached over to pick it up, "Hello?"

Ayane listened to the conversation as she gathered her clothes, "...Ayane wants to stay a while longer."

After putting the dirty clothes that laid around the room she gathered clean ones and dissapeared through the bathroom door. Ryu listened for her to turn on the water to be sure that she wouldn't hear, "You guys can't handle it alone?"

"No, they've actually declared war on us. The Shinobi have remained neutral, and they'll stay that way until Natsu is of age."

"Hayate's request?"

"No. Knowing you and Ayane, you wouldn't want to put her in any danger. She is you'r neice afterall."

"Okay, good. Make sure it stays that way. And don't call Ayane's cell phone, I don't want her to worry about this."

"Yes sir... Do you have any commands?"

"The Shikoyo clan is more like a small army. They'll fall apart once their leader is killed," Ryu had his attention divided, half went to the sound of running water coming from the bathroom and half to the phone.

"Are you sure that's going to work?"

"Yeah, they only have one leader, the rest of them are just basically what he uses for cannon fodder. After he's gone, they'll either fall apart or lose whatever coordination that they ever had," he picked up a book, "Listen, for the rest of the time I'm gone, I don't want any intteruptions. Just pick a temporary tactical director, preferrably someone who acctually knows what they're doing."

"Sorry, but this was an important matter," his voice was shaky.

"It's alright, just do what I say and everything will be fine, okay. I gotta go," he didn't wait for a response before hanging up. He leaned back against the heaboard, turning his attention to the book he had picked up.

After a few minutes it started to bore him. Eventually, he stopped reading altogether and put it down. He wanted to get back to the clan, finish off the Shikoyo clan himself. Of course there was still Ayane, who he'd do just about anything for.

Ryu closed his eyes and started started to try to go to sleep but he was unable to because of the running water in the bathroom. He got up, deciding that it was time to do something about it...


"Do you think we should tell them tomorrow morning? That way, we won't ruin the Holidays if my father doesn't approve of it," the two were standing on the back porch of her parents' house.

"I don't care when we tell them. It's just your father's heart condition... I don't want him to have to go back to the hospital," he replied.

"Well, he shouldn't be too surprised at this. What does he think we did on out honeymoon? Besides, I'm twenty-five now."

"You were nineteen when she was born. You were still a teenager," Hayate was being a little too cautious about this.

"That doesn't matter. That was five years ago. I was almost twenty anyways. My father allowed us to get married, he knew that that was going to happen. Besides, I think he'd love having a grandaughter."

Hayate sighed, "Okay, but then what do we tell him when he asks where she is? That she's with my family, training to become the leader of a ninja clan?"

"Yep. Remember what you told me, you couldn't stand lying to me about yourself. You should feel the same with my relatives."

"Hitomi... I can't tell them that. I'm in love with you, not your parents."

"You have to tell them eventually."

"I know... it's just... his heart condition..."

"He'll be alright."

"Hitomi... I don't know..."

"Fine, we'll only mention it if it comes up, alright?"

Hayate looked up at the night sky, then back down at her, "Alright... Let's just tell them now. Get it over with."

"Good, lets go back inside before my parents get suspicious," as if on cue, her mother appeared at the doorway.

"What's wrong? Are you two okay?"

"Yes mom. We just needed to talk," her mother began to walk away, "Mom? Hayate and I need to talk to you and dad."

Instantly sensing the seriousness of it, she rushed off to get her husband. A few seconds later the two reappeared, "What is it?"

"You might want to sit down," they did and she continued, "Dad, Hayate and I... we have a daughter."

They took it well, considering the weight of the what she just said. They both also knew when they had the child, the year that they had spent in Japan after their wedding which had happened fairly quickly, "How come you didn't tell us right away?"

His wife answered for them, "Because she was still a teenager."

At the end of her mother's comment, she looked over at her father who was probably bubbling up with anger on the inside, "Dad..."

"Hitomi... don't worry about it. I knew that you werent a little girl anymore when I let you go to the tournament," he ran a hand through his hair and smiled, "Besideds why would I let you two get married if I didn't want this to happen?"

The four stayed silent until Hitomi's mother spoke again, "So where is my grandaughter?"

"She's with my sister in Japan," Hayate had spoken for the first time the whole night, causing much surprise from his in-laws.

"Why isn't she with you two?"

Hitomi looked up at Hayate and he looked down at her, shaking his head no. Her father caught on to this, "What's wrong?"

Hayate got up and left, going through the house and out to the driveway. From the back yard they could hear the car's enging roar to life, "Dad, we have to go. It's a long story."

She got up and said goodbye to her parents before getting into the car with Hayate. Her parents watched as the car sped off, "What do you think happened?"

"I don't know..."

"I wish they'd tell us," Hitomi's mother stated as the two walked back into the house.

"I can't beleive they have a five year old daughter and they've kept this hidden for such a long time," in an exhausted manner, he sat down in his easy chair and turned on the TV, "They should have told us."

"Then why'd you tell her that it was alright?"

"I didn't. I said that it was alright for those to to have a kid. Not that it was alright for them to when she was still a teenager."

"Maybe they'll tell us later."

"I hope so."


"I still don't think that it was right to not tell them about who you really are," the two had been on their way home for a half hour.

"Hitomi, no one is supposed to know that ninjas exist. They're supposed to be a secret. I'm not saying that I don't trust them... I just can't trust them. Please, try to understand. You can tell them something similar, like I worked as a secret agent in Japan or something and that our daughter is training to take my place. I dunno, I just can't tell them the truth."

"How come you didn't get in trouble when you brought me there?"

"Because... Hayabusa and Ayane trusted my judgement on what kind of person you were. We all knew that you wouldn't tell."

"Okay, but as soon as possible, we're bringing Natsu here to meet her grandparents. That means before Christmas."

"Fine. Let's just stop argiung about this."

Hitomi nodded, "I'm sorry Hayate. I didn't know that your life was such a big secret. I should have never pressured you into telling me who you were."

"You didn't. Hitomi, I told you because I loved you. I still do. I couldn't lie to you for forever. I'll go get our daughter tonight."

"You don't have to," she offered as they pulled into the driveway.

"I want to. Because I love you."

"I love you too, Hayate," Hitomi unlocked the door and the two walked in, "So when will you be back?"

"I'll just teleport there, but since she can't teleport back here, it'll take about another day. I should be back tomorrow if I can get a flight right away. I think I'll leave in a few hours. Right now I need to rest."

"What does she look like now? The last time I saw her was on her birthday last year."

Hayate got up to head to their room, "You'll see tomorrow. Wake me up in two hours."

"Okay," she watched as Hayate got up to leave, then when she heard the door close upstairs, she burst into tears. Having a child was the most foolish thing she had ever done. She was nineteen; young, naieve, in love. Now she had the burden of feeling like a horrbile parent, only seeing and taking care of her daughter five times. Once a year at her birthday.

Natsu probably saw Kasumi as her mother and Hitomi as the person who babysat her once a year. Every time Hayate went off to visit her on weekends all Hitomi did was sit around and think about how bad of a parent she was.

She had come last in the last four DOA tournaments because of that. Her mind was always elsewhere, thinking about Hayate or Natsu. Every waking moment was torture without Hayate. He was the only reason for existance now, he was the one that kept her happy and fought off death. He was the one who would always be there for her.

Hitomi got up, wiped her tears away, and headed upstairs to join Hayate. She stopped at the door breifly and continued in, "Hayate?"

He grumbled in reply and pulled the covers off the right side of the bed so that Hitomi could join him. When she got in, he pulled the blankets over so that they covered her also and genlty kissed her on the lips, "Remember to wake me up."

She nodded as she turned on the light on her side of the bed and picked up a book. Hayate turned away from the light, "Goodnight Hitomi."

"Goodnight."


The midday sun shone down on Hayate, an unwelcome change to the darkness that he was expiriencing a few seconds before. It had only been a few hours ago that he stood in this place, watching his daughter as she finished up on her lesson. He walked over to where Natsu should be lerning all the rules and conditions that every Shinobi had to know.

He opened the door and closed it gently behind him, but Natsu's sensitive ears picked it up. She was about to get up but her supervisor put a hand on her shoulder to keep her down, "Keep reading."

He continued walking to Hayate, "Back so soon?"

"Yeah, Hitomi and I decided to tell her parents about their grandaughter. I need to bring her home. Just for a month."

The suprevisor put on a grim look, "You know, she's still young. The whole ninja issue might slip out. No one can know that we exist. I don't care how much you trust you in-laws, they can't know."

"They wont. Natsu will keep quiet," he looked up at her daughter, noticing that she was eavesdropping, "Won't you Natsu."

She turned around, smiled and nodded. Hayate turned back to the supervisor, "It'll only be for the weekend."

"Alright then," he turned around, "Natsu go pack up."

The young girl got up and ran out of the building, only stopping to hug her father. Then he followed after her, "I'm going to help her pack."

When he got to his daughters room, she had already packed two suitcases full of clothing, stuffed animals, and other personal belongings, "I'm ready to go, daddy!"

"You're only going to be there for three days. You don't need to pack all that," he smiled down at her.

"Why are we going anyways?"

"To see your mother and your grandparents."

"What are they like?" asked Natsu as she piled clothing back into the closet that laid oppisite her bed.

"You'll see," he walked over to her and gave her his cell phone and dialed Hitomi's number, "Talk to your mother, I'll put all of this back."

Hayate listened as he took the clothes back out and folded them before putting them away, "Hi, Hitomi. Daddy's here and we're going to leave soon."

Hitomi frowned at what her daughter said, that she called her Hitomi instead of mother, but didn't say anything about it, "I can't wait to see you again."

"Daddy said you couldn't."

Again frowining, she gave up, "Can I talk to Hayate?"

She didn't say anything so she was about to say something but Hayate answered, "Hello?"

"Hayate... what's happening?"

Hayate became confused, "What do you mean?"

"Why does my daughter call me 'Hitomi' and not 'mom'?"


A.N.- Okay, not the end. Notepad said that it doesn't have enough memory to continue going in one peice so there will be yet another chapter. So this actually stopped right in the middle of a part. So R/R and thank the people who made notepad so craptacular.