Disclaimer: Nope, still didn't get that ownership... Bummer, huh?

This chapter is as well corrected by lovely madelita~ Special thanks to her as always :)

Chapter 2: When silence takes it all

His father smiled softly at him.

"Yes, Kaito, it's me." He got closer and tried to pick up the boy, but the tiny magician jerked away.

"But how?! You're... you're..." His voice failed him, as his mind was recalling the heat of the flames, the rushing people and hands pulling him away to safety, away from his father. He shut his eyes to make the unwanted dampness go away.

"Kaito..." The man started with his calm and ever-so patient voice, but was cut off by the child.

"You're dead!" He cried out finally, desperately pushing away the sorrow. He would not break his Poker Face in front of his father's mirage! No matter how much it hurt...

The man, who could not be Toichi, sighed and scooped the child in his arms. "It was just a bad dream, Kaito." He explained calmly. "I'm alright, see?" He gently grabbed the child's hand and placed it on his chest, so the boy could feel his heartbeat.

Kaito swallowed tickly and stared at his hand. Slowly he moved his gaze to the man's face. He knew every trick and way to change your appearance all too well, but he didn't notice any signs of make-up. He reached to the man's face, tracing with his fingers behind the ear, where a mask should end, he pinched the skin, knowing what sensation to look for, even with the best skin imitations. And nothing..?

"Aww~" Chikage cooed from the couch. "Isn't he the cutest thing when he's so frightened and confused~?"

Toichi grimaced and slowly turned to her, careful not to disturb his son's feeble inspection. "Not that you scaring him to death had any influence on his dreams." He replied with just a tiny hint of sarcasm.

"Oh come on. I'm doing it for his own good. I want my boy to be fearless when he grows up~!"

Toichi grumbled bitterly. "Well, afflicting him with ichthiophobia is probably not the best way to achieve that... I am pretty sure he would be better off without it."

His mother always was the only one who could make his father break the perfect calm. Probably one of the reasons he cherished her so much...

Kaito couldn't hold back a small smile creeping on his lips. They never fought each other, always discussed things like this, maybe adding small jabs here and there. And they never hid their conversations from him, allowing him to add his point of view, if he wanted to, so he would always feel like an important part of the family. When he still had a family… He leaned closer to his father.

Chikage rolled her eyes. "Ugh... It was a week ago and it was an accident. And I already apologized countless times. Besides~ I'm sure he'll grow out of it soon enough. Right, Kai-chan~?" She grinned at her son.

Kaito let out a wry chuckle. She couldn't be further away from the truth...

"Still... I really would prefer you to be more mindful about him being still a child."

"Oh~? Aren't you being a bit of a hypocrite mister 'always keep your Poker Face'?" She asked with sour tone. "Kids should be natural and fear is a natural instinct." She pointed out, as she always did when they had this argument.

Kaito nearly forgot how often they did talk about this.

"Please don't mess my words dear. The last thing I want for Kaito is to cling to his mask and start bottling up his real emotions." He looked down with a fond smile at the owlishly staring child. "Besides, he doesn't have any problems letting his Poker Face go. And if he will, I'll be there to remind him to always put away the masks after his performance."

Was it really like that? How could he have forgotten... While deep in depression, looking at his father's painting, all he could remember was echoes of his scolding. Never recalling anything else. He felt his eyes sting, but couldn't bring himself to let the tears out. He wasn't able to.

"But you weren't..." He mumbled, barely audible.

"Hm? What is it, Kaito?" Toichi asked with slight worry that his son still haven't managed to shake the nightmare off.

"You weren't there..." The boy managed to say with shaking voice, cuddling tighter into those strong arms, closer to the familiar scent. "They killed you... you..."

"Kaito, the nightmare is over and I'm-" Toichi tried to reason with his son, running circles with his hand over the narrow back.

The boy didn't let him finish and cut in strongly with accusing tone. "You let them kill you! And you died because you're KID..."

The hand on his back stopped for a brief second and his mother gasped. "How-"

"What are you talking about?" Toichi cut her off with his calm tone.

But the tiny brief hesitation was enough. An idea of time travel was too farfetched, so if he was right about this... Then the lonely life he remembered wasn't a nightmare. His chase, desperation and the flames. It was reality and this warmth he was experiencing... This was only a dream. But that could mean that in reality he was currently dead or dying. And this was just a happy projection of his mind. He decided it didn't matter, because maybe it was also... Maybe it was his chance..? Kaito clenched his tiny fists on his father's shirt. He needed an answer, he needed it so desperately.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" 'Because I was too small and he was protecting me.' His inner voice answered to himself, so he went on to a diferent topic. "The tape... you left me a tape, dad! What did you want to tell me? Please dad... Do you- Do you want me to finish your work? To find and destroy Pandora? Was that it?"

Toichi's eyes widened a fracture at the mention of the cursed stone and his expression melted into a soft smile. "How do you know about this, Kaito?"

"Please, dad... I need to know. I love you so much. But this is just a dream... Tell me what you wanted me to do... Please..."

"Kaito..." Toichi cut himself off and turned his gaze to Chikage, as if giving her a silent apology, before returning with his gaze to his son and tightening his grip. His voice turned eerie, resembling that of what Kaito heard on the ruined cassette. "You are right. I am Kaitou KID..." His lips were still moving, but no voice came out and Kaito couldn't make the words out, because of the haze that was blinding him.

"No... Dad. I can't hear you. It can't end here... Dad, please speak louder..!" But it was in vain, he couldn't hear even himself.

He was so close to finally getting an answer. It couldn't end like this..!

The last thing he remembered was a faint memory of arms embracing him and the familiar scent surrounding him...

*bows* See you at the last chapter~