Hello! It's been a while. So, basically, last September, when I finished posting the last chapter of this story, I may have mentioned that I was possibly planning an epilogue chapter; well truth was I was already working on it. I didn't exactly lie; I just said I wasn't making promises. And I didn't. And I'm finally finished, and it wasn't even stressful trying to finish this so you wouldn't be waiting around forever. Hm…maybe I should just not promise anything anymore, so I don't have to worry about it!
In other news, I'm about to begin a new journey, within this universe, and for my very first time, based on characters who are not ShizNat. I know! It's shocking! I'm not going to say who, though there are those of you who could probably guess ;). I don't know exactly what or when I'm going to do it yet, heh, no promises right! Though I will suggest that New Found Glory recently released a new album Not Without a Fight (and I finally got to see the live, hells yes!), and I may use it for my new story, depending if it feels like it fits.
And finally (sorry for being so long winded er…typed), I tied up a few of the loose ends with this, though not in too much detail. After being so dark with most of my story, I kind of felt bad, so this is a bit brighter. Hope you like it, and if you don't then, don't consider it part of the main story. ;D
P.S (heehee phone sex xD) Anyway, this is six years after the last chapter in case you're confused.
Disclaimer: I'm Old Greg! (Not really).
You and I girl
we've got something golden
did you know
they say it never lasts
Shizuru stood in the doorway, smiling as she watched the teacher read the children a story.
"…And they lived happily ever after, the end." The young woman smiled as she looked around at all their bright faces, "Today was a wonder first day of school; I'm going to love getting to know all of you this year. See you tomorrow."
As if on cue the final bell rang and the kids jumped up to go find their parents, most of who were standing by the doorway, or in the hall to pick them up.
The teacher took off her reading glasses and glanced around at the parents. Shizuru caught her eye, and a surprised expression crossed her face.
"Fujino-sensei?" She crossed the room to stand before her.
"I seem to recall telling you to call me Shizuru; besides, I haven't been your teacher in years, Catherine."
Catherine blushed slightly, "Wow, it has been a long time…six-no…seven years?"
"Ara, I do believe so."
"Is one of them yours?" Catherine asked, motioning toward the kids putting their backpacks on and chatting animatedly with their new friends.
Shizuru smiled and called, "Tadashi!" one boy who was in deep conversation with another spun around.
His hair was exactly the same shade as Natsuki's, though cut short and messed in a way that was deemed cool by the kindergartner. His eyes were a shade of blue so pale that they were nearly grey. "Mommy!" He ran over to Shizuru as fast as his short legs could get him there. She bent down and hugged him tightly, "Did you like your first day of school?"
He nodded.
"Where's your sister?"
"I dunno." He spun around and shouted, "Yuriko!"
She emerged from the midst of a group of giggling girls. Her hair was black, and long, combed the same way as Natsuki's, just as her eyes were the exact shade of green. "What Tadash-Oh! Mommy!" She too ran over and hugged her mother.
"How was your first day, sweetie?" Shizuru asked her, smiling as she brushed a stay strand of hair off her daughter's face.
"Good Mommy! I made alotta friends!"
"Good!" Shizuru looked up at Catherine, smiling.
"So that was her…" Catherine seemed to be pondering something, "Your Natsuki, she dropped them off this morning."
"Yes."
Catherine smiled, "I'm so glad to have met her." She turned to the kids, "I look forward to teaching you. In fact, did you know your mother was my teacher once?"
"Really?" Yuriko's eyes widened.
"Wow." Tadashi, who was naturally quiet, spoke up, "That's amazing Mommy."
"Are you coming to parent's night next week?"
"Certainly, if our babysitter is available, we'll both be there."
"We don't needa babysitter mommy! I can make sure Tadashi don't burn down the house."
"We'll see." Shizuru smiled, then glanced at her watch, "Oh, Catherine, I'm terribly sorry, we've got to run; we are going to surprise Natsuki on her lunch break."
"It's alright, I've kept you too long, see you kids tomorrow!"
"Bye!" Yuriko said loudly, while her brother quietly echoed.
After the car ride, which Yuriko deemed too long -like Natsuki she hated riding in cars-, they arrived at the garage. Natsuki emerged, smiling at them.
"Hey! How are my little squirts?"
"Good mommy! I made lots of friends!" Yuriko told her excitedly, running up to hug her.
"Whoops, hold on a sec, love, I don't want to get grease on you." Natsuki grabbed a rag and wiped her hands off before hugging her daughter. Tadashi was right behind his sister, and he said quietly that he had a good day too.
"Hey Natsuki."
Shizuru led them out to the car, but found a man leaning against it. He was of middling height, with his black hair, which had grown too long for its cut, swept off his face. Black sunglasses covered his eyes, and a cigarette was perched between his lips. As soon as he spotted them, the cigarette fell to the asphalt, and he stomped it coolly.
He held his hands up as a sign of peace, "I just want to talk."
Shizuru felt Natsuki's grip on her hand tighten, she saw the knuckles turn white. "Natsuki, why don't you and the kids go on ahead, I'll meet you there."
Natsuki nodded tightly, and led Tadashi and Yuriko away.
Shizuru watched them carefully until they were just out of earshot. She stepped forward until she was only feet away from him, "What do you want, Yoshiro?"
He removed his sunglasses, stuffing them into a jacket pocket as he watched Natsuki and the children walk away. With a sigh he spoke, "It was awfully hard to track you down."
"What do you want?" Shizuru repeated.
"Just to see them." His ice blue eyes were not angry, but sad. "See what my life might have been." He paused, working his jaw. He finally stuffed his hand into his jacked pocket and produced a pack of cigarettes. He quickly lit one and took a long drag on it. "Damn, I used to be so good, didn't smoke, only occasional drinks, nothing too bad. Now look at me." He spread his arms and looked intently at her. "I'm sorry. Okay! I'M SORRY! You know, I felt so guilty after everything. Then her old man…falling…down the stairs like that. And I never got the chance to tell her…" His eyes were watering. "I…" He closed them tightly, he gripped his hair, as if he might just rip it out. He took a few deep breaths. Then let his hands fall. "I don't blame you…or her. I was hurt, and I turned into the kind of man I hate, a smug self righteous obnoxious asshole. Just like her father was."
Shizuru stood silently this whole while, watching him carefully. She finally spoke, "I'm sorry, Yoshiro. I shouldn't-"
"No. Don't." He stopped her, "After her father…fell, I went over there and searched. I found a test in the trash. Positive." He smiled sadly, "I tried to find her, and you, but you had both vanished. I was too late. I drank myself into a black pit of despair. I finally realized I was just being sorry for myself, worked to get myself out of it, and found you. I don't want your pity. I don't want you to apologize to me. It was my own fault, at least the part that I had control over was. You two…I spent a lot of time thinking about it, and, you two are fate. True love; and nothing can stop that."
"Yoshir-"
"Naw, just let me finish, please, then I'll be out of your life forever." He took a slow breath, "I wanted to tell Natsuki I'm sorry, for all the pain I caused her. I knew she wouldn't want to talk to me, I didn't come here to disrupt your lives; I just wanted some closure, and seeing you, as a family like that, happy, I think, it never lasts. Those kids will grow up, and you'll grow apart; I thought I'd be glad to see it all fall apart; that that's what I needed. But it's not, despite everything; I'm crossing my fingers for you. You've got something, something everyone wants, and few have, treasure it, please." A short pause, then he asked, "Would you give her this?" He pulled a letter from inside his jacket, handed it to her, and turned without waiting for an answer.
Shizuru nodded, though he couldn't see her, and turned to leave as well.
"Finally!" Yuriko cried, as Shizuru entered the restaurant, and found their booth, "I'm starving!"
"Sorry, dear," Shizuru said absentmindedly as she sat down, her eyes locked on Natsuki's, and she smiled lightly, "Everything's okay."
"Mommy," Tadashi spoke quietly, "Who was that man?"
"An old…" Shizuru paused, "…friend."
"What did he want?" Natsuki asked, carefully.
"Just to catch up for a bit."
"Ah. Is he going to be in town a while?"
"No, I think he's leaving today."
"But!" Yuriko cut in, "Mommy didn't you know him too? You didn't get to talk to him! I know when I don't get to talk to my friends for a long time I'm sad!"
Before Natsuki could reply, Tadashi asked, "Are you mad at him?"
"What makes you think that?" Natsuki asked, surprised at her sons intuition.
Tadashi shrugged.
There was a moment of silence, broken only when Yuriko's stomach complained loudly. They all laughed.
---
That night, Shizuru followed the little ones into their room, and kissed Yuriko on the head as she climbed up to the top bunk, which was covered in stuffed animals and fluffy pillows. Tadashi climbed into the lower bunk, his own stuffed animals surrounding him, and Shizuru kissed him too. She said, "Goodnight!" she flicked off the light, leaving just a nightlight on in the corner, and closed the door.
Natsuki was sitting on their bed, staring at the letter Yoshiro had left for her. She looked up when Shizuru entered.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah. Did you call Mai?"
"Yeah, she and Mikoto can baby-sit for Parents Night.
"Oh good."
"Did you want to talk about it?" Shizuru gestured at the letter.
Natsuki sighed, "No." She folded the letter and dropped it into the trash.
"Okay." Shizuru turned off the lamp and climbed into her side of the bed, and Natsuki followed suit. They lay for a while, in the dark, Shizuru gently stroking Natsuki's hair.
"Shizuru?"
"Yes Natsuki?"
"Something was bothering me, but it had kind of faded back, I'd forgotten, until today."
"What?"
"Why didn't you ever try to find out why I married Yoshiro, or steal me away. And I mean that, like, it just seemed like something you would have done, so why didn't you?"
Shizuru smiled, "Because you asked me not to, silly."
"But, I asked you not to get involved way back, before the whole Carnival fiasco. And you still tried to protect me."
"And I went madly insane with jealousy and did horrible things in the name of love." Shizuru said bluntly, "I didn't want anything like that to happen again. I trusted you," She smiled again, "Now look what we've got."
Natsuki smiled and kissed her. She broke off as she heard voices down the hall. "Ah, Yuriko's talking her brothers ear off again. I'd better go tell them to go to sleep; they'll be too tired to get up for school tomorrow."
"I'll do it," Shizuru kissed her quickly, and got up before Natsuki could protest.
The voices went silent as soon as they heard the door handle turning.
"I know you two are still awake." She said with a smirk. "Go to sleep, we've got another big school day tomorrow."
Tadashi asked, "Mommy?"
"Yes, sweetie?"
"Who's our dad?"
Yuriko, usually loud and boisterous was quiet for once.
"You don't have one." Shizuru said quietly, "You've got two moms."
"But…" Tadashi was struggling to come up with the right words, "Billy says everyone has to have a mom and a dad or they can't be born."
"Some people think that, but, I don't."
"What do you think mommy?" Yuriko asked.
"I think," Shizuru paused with a small smile, "that anything is possible through love."