Author's Notes: A huge THANK YOU to those of who have followed this story through to the end^_^ For those of you who have also reviewed at least once, I have cookies^_^ (Well, at least I wish I could give you all cookies...)

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this final, happy-sappy chapter of A Secret Kept! Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it^_^

Chapter Twenty - Change

"When we found out you were related to Kynomi, we flipped," Crow recalled to Yusei. "Jack charged down the staircase behind the other door in that hallway, while Trudge and I ran back for reinforcements. As soon as Jack had opened that door, we knew you were in trouble; we could feel it through our marks, but for some reason they didn't light up like normal. Anyway, that's why Jack got there first, and it's a good thing he did from what he told us.

"As for what happened with all those nanobots, Jack and I aren't even sure. The whole thing couldn't have taken more than a few seconds."

Yusei was silent for a moment as everything Crow had just told him sank in.

Before he had a chance to respond, a voice spoke from the doorway. "I guess it's my turn to do some explaining now then." Yusei and Crow turned towards the door to discover that Kara had returned.

"C'mon, Crow," Jack spoke. "Let's get out of their hair; they have a lot to catch up on after all." The blonde's voice startled the two boys who hadn't realized he'd woken up from his nap during the conversation.

Crow rose from where he was still perched on the edge on Yusei's bed and followed Jack as he headed out the door. "Later, bro!" the fiery-haired duelist called with a wave of his hand.

Yusei couldn't stop his vision from blurring with tears as his mother approached. He couldn't believe how much everything had changed in the past few days. He'd gone from being an orphan to having a mother and an uncle, however insane said uncle might be. What was next? Some unknown sibling?

Kara sat on the edge of her son's bed, took his right hand in hers. Instead of remaining this way, Yusei slipped his hand free. Using all the strength he had, he sat up and wrapped his arms around his mother's neck. Kara returned the warm embrace, gently rubbing her right hand up and down his back. Neither mother nor son could keep the tears of joy from spilling from their eyes. For both it was the first true meeting of the other and a moment neither would ever forget.

"I love you, my son," Kara whispered. "I love you!"

When Crow and Jack returned, Yusei was sound asleep once more. Kara had moved from his bed back to her chair next to the bed and was tracing circles on his hand with her thumb.

"So did you tell him?" Crow asked in a hushed voice.

She shook her head. "Not yet. He's still exhausted, and I think he needs time to let everything else sink in first."

"Yeah, that's probably true," Crow agreed. "I can already tell you that he'll agree though; I'm almost positive."

"I sure hope so. I've already missed eighteen years of my only son's life; I don't want to miss another second of it. And I think the two of you need a family just as much."

"We've never had anyone to call family, so how could Jack and I say no when you said you'd like to legally adopt us?"

Kara smiled. She had come back to the city hoping to find her son only to end up gaining two beside! She couldn't help but fall in love with the two boys her son called his best friends. The three boys had been through so much, and now she felt they all deserved something better. So that's what she had gone out to do: She revealed herself to the current Director, and, in turn, had secured compensation for the death of her husband. With the amount she would be paid every month, she was able to secure a home in the Tops, and there would still be plenty left over for other things. She hadn't told Yusei about this yet, though; they'd had plenty else to talk about while he was awake. She would wait awhile before telling her son she wished him to come live in the Tops with her. If he agreed, Kara would also adopt Crow and Jack, though all three of the boys where legally adults. If not, she would still always consider Crow and Jack her sons anyway.

But just as Crow had predicted, Yusei agreed a few days later when he was told of his mother's plans. Not long after that, he was released from the hospital.

"I'll meet you guys back at the garage," Yusei stated to Crow and Jack as he mounted his duel runner. "There's something I have to do first."

A moment later Yusei was outside the detention center where his uncle was being kept before the trial. A guard showed him to his uncle's cell.

The first thing out of Kynomi's mouth when his nephew approach was, "What? Come to gloat, have you? I didn't think you were quite that pompous."

"Actually," Yusei stated, "I just wanted to ask you something, if I may."

Kynomi waved a hand dismissively. "Fine. Whatever. Can't guarantee I'll give you a straight answer, though."

"You told me that Brueski was responsible for killing Kale Hogan and Marc Atlas - the fathers of my best friends. I just want to know if he was also responsible for the death of my father." As Yusei spoke, he could see Kynomi's countenance soften considerably. The man sighed.

After a moment, his uncle responded for the first time without a trace of malice in his voice. "I honestly don't know, kid; I honestly don't know. I left the matters of murder up to him; I didn't get involved with any of that. Sorry."

Yusei nodded once, eyes downcast; he was a little disappointed but not surprised. Besides, maybe it was better he didn't know. As he turned to leave with his head still down, he stated, "There's one other reason I came by: You may not be asking for it, but I wanted to say that I forgive you - for everything." Kynomi gazed up at his nephew in surprise; he hadn't expected that! "You tried to kill your own family out of revenge, but I understand the pain that drove you to do so. Pain can easily blind you, cause you to make mistakes; I know because pain was the downfall of two of my closest friends at one time or another. Don't get me wrong; I'm not condoning the murders that are on your hands.

"But I do forgive you, Uncle Giovanni."

Kynomi stared on in surprised silence as his nephew walked away down the corridor. Did that really just happen? He had tried to kill his own nephew, and here that same boy was offering forgiveness! …This boy really is just like his father: Honest, noble, brave... Everything Kynomi wished he was but knew he could never be. Well, it was too late now and there was nothing he could do about it, no way to right the wrongs of the past. 'Too bad,' he thought. 'It's just too bad...'

The transition from Zora's garage to the Tops didn't take long; Jack, Crow, and Yusei didn't really have that much to move since Zora agreed to let Crow and Yusei use the garage as a shop still. Therefore, Crow didn't have to move any of his delivery stuff, or Yusei, his tools. Kara had made it clear that they didn't have to work (which suited Jack just fine), but both Crow and Yusei enjoyed what they did and didn't want to give it up.

Crow gave a low whistle as he stepped into his new home. "This is really something..."

"It's definitely gonna take some getting used to," was Yusei's comment.

Jack smiled. "It's good to be back living the high-life!"

"Everything will certainly be different," Kara stated. "For all of us. But change isn't always bad."

"No," Yusei agreed with a smile. "Sometimes it's a good thing - a very good thing."

"And ya know what guys?" Crow chimed. "I think this change will be a very good one!"

With that, the three brothers entered into the light of a bright new day.

Author's Notes: Yes, yes, I am very aware of the happy-sappy-ness that is this final chapter. So sue me - I like a happy ending!

So, any final thoughts? I'd love to hear them^_^ (Bonus content on its way as well... Consists of questions that were brought to my mind as I proof read the whole thing... If there's something I failed to explain well enough, feel free to leave that question in a review and I will add it to the bonus content^_^)