As promised, the epilogue is just following ! ^^

Epilogue

"- You ok ? Why the long face ? "

I turned my head to look at my little friend, still a bit slow in my moves.

We just reached my house, finally, after another day for me at the hospital. They let me go since I insisted – ok, perhaps threatened to escape ?, this happened so often before, they knew I wasn't bluffing. Oh well, it seemed stupid to stay any longer when I had just a few bruises around my throat and my arm in a sling.

Ayanokoji had it worse. The first night had been a bit of a pinch but he was now out of danger. He'd have to stand those aseptic walls a bit longer, two weeks probably. I knew I was going to visit him, I had to admit I was a bit concerned about him. For real. This case had been showing him under another light and I would have been stubborn not to recognize the man had his heart and his mind at the right place. Though that wouldn't remove the fact he was pompous but no one could be perfect !

Kazuha's father had been relaxed this very morning, due to the lack of proofs, Kasai being the only one to supposedly have something and now that he had been arrested, he hadn't any authority anymore to keep the officer behind bars.

The man had by the way been the one to volunteer to bring me home. We wanted to surprise Kazuha, with us both coming back the same day. And he was now walking towards the door with a wide smile on the face.

Everything sounded well, right ?

But I couldn't stop myself to frown, a weight on my chest that had nothing to do with my wounds.

"- We stopped that Hidaka thanks ta Kasai's testimony but we'll never know if any o' the three mentioned this whole case ta the Organization… Imagine one o' our names slipped…"

I had a chill at the idea. Kazuha. Okan. Toyama-han. Otaki-han. All those names, if any had been mentioned, would be added to their hit list. And that was the last thing I wanted.

And of course there was mine. Seeing their plan, it clearly was familiar to them, as much as Oyaji's. And that would also mean each and every of my relatives could be in danger.

"- Welcome into my world…" Kudô smiled with bitterness, probably guessing my darkest fears, since it was his "everyday". "A place where I hope no one will notice my name too much…

- How can ya stand that pressure ?

- I focus on simple things. Happy things. What I'm fighting for."

Following his look, I guessed the tender smile now on his face was for Neechan, who just appeared on my house doorstep, with Kazuha.

"- I think I understand…" I said, looking at Toyama-han hugging Kazuha, happiness on both their faces.

Leaving my friend to the one he loved, I stepped towards my childhood friend with a smile.

"- Thanks." Toyama-han smiled, patting my good shoulder with a smile.

"- Any time !"

The man winked at me when he left us with a wave.

"- Ya ok, Heiji ?" Kazuha asked, her eyes on the white bandage slightly going out of my shirt.

"- Yup. An' ya ? Glad ta got yer father back ?

- Yes."

Her mouth opened in one of the brightest smile I'd never seen on her face, at least back to herself after all these troubles. "Thanks ta ya.

- Thanks fer trustin' me on that matter !" I smiled, gently taping my chest with an exaggerated confident and proud face.

"- I knew it was a good idea ta give that case ta the great Hattori Heiji !" She congratulated me, playing my game. "Come in, we prepared some tea !

- Oh, so ya're offerin' me some tea in my own house ?

- Ya better accept it !" She answered as she held her tongue to me.

As I walked in, my eyes got caught by something unusual in my house. The little altar that was now here, in the entrance of the living room.

I had a little smile at the picture of my father, his look hard even on that glossy paper, but I knew, now, that all of this had never been anything else that a facade and that he had been supporting me this whole time.

"We got them, Oyaji…" I thought with a tender smile, hoping he could still say he was proud of me, wherever he was now.

"- Heiji ?"

Kazuha had her eyes on me, a little pinch of concern in them.

"- I'll think I'll be takin' ya up on yer offer. Ta chat." I finally dared to say, feeling that, now that this case was closed, I could now try to face that hole in my heart, to face that life without my father and finding my own way through it.

To my great surprise, the girl suddenly grabbed me in a hug, cautious not to hurt me, but still close enough to make me blush.

"- Whenever ya want, Heiji. I'll be here fer ya. Always."

FIN

Annnd that's over : )

Hope you enjoyed that story and once again thanks for reviewing, favouriting, following and don't hesitate to put a review to give me your overall opinion : )

Unfortunately, I have to take a little break... Should be back in September, see you there ! ; )

o.O.o

emmahoshi : Well, I wanted a true vilain so he was of course the kind to sneak in an hospital : p And nah, sorry for Heiji but nowadays, books' covers are so thin... not enough to knock down such a man ^^; And of course, conan is here to save the day, as he did during all this fic ; ) Yes, sorry, I have to take a break, I've been writing non stop for one year and a half, my brain needs rest : ) And that new job is really eating me, hope I'll manage to make it less time consuming with the summer ._. Yup, the ending was a bit open, as I already told you, I didn't want to go through the whole healing process but to end on a happy note, saying he'd find a way, helped by the best support there is, the girl he loves : ) I plan to come back, I got at least 2 more things to write, I'd be disappointed if I had to focus on work only o.O Living while just drive, work, sleep is for boring adults, I need dreams and fics in my life, it's as essential as breathing to me ! :p Once again, glad you enjoyed that other story of mine and hope to see you soon : D