"Well, hello; did you have a good nap?" Ichigo asked, looking at the twins.

"Daddy? Mommy?" Mai softly asked, looking past Ichigo at to Ami and Jin.

"Umm…" Ichigo started, unsure; she didn't know them—and they were Ryou's parents.

"Come here, Baby." Ryou calmly told Mai, picking her up while Ichigo got Kai.

"Ok… Earlier, Kai and I went fishing—for some Daddy-Son time. While fishing, some very important people showed up; they met and talked to Kai for a little bit before we came home. You should've met them earlier as well, but there were some issues." Ryou started explaining in a way Mai would understand.

"Sorry." Mai apologized, looking down.

"Don't be sorry; it's not your fault. Mr. Nikos was just a very bad man who wanted to hurt you. But he didn't get to do that, did he?" Ryou assured Mai.

"Gramma pussed Mr. Niko and Mommy safe me." Mai softly replied, playing with her fingers, still waking up.

"Yes, they did. Like I will always protect you, so will Mommy and Grandma. They aren't the only ones…" Ryou started but was interrupted.

"Grampa don't like me no more; he said he hates me and dat I a mistake. He told Mommy to gib me to Mr. Niko." Mai softly spoke up, tears starting to well up in her eyes.

"Don't cry. And don't worry about him; he's no grandpa to you. We don't need him. We have lots of others who love you." Ichigo told Mai with a smile.

"K. I don't have no pants on." Mai replied and then stated, just noticing she wasn't wearing her pants.

"Oh, no?" Ryou asked, humoring her, walking closer to his parents.

"No. An my undies are diffurnt." Mai told Ryou, looking down.

"Yes. We'll talk about that later." Ryou told Mai.

"K. You goin' to catch my undies seef an make him pay." Mai told Ryou, causing everyone to just start laughing.

"Ok…" Ryou started, trying to regain his composure.

"Do I get to meet your special fwends too?" Mai asked, looking up at Ryou.

"Yes. That's actually what I'm trying to do right now. So, for now, that's enough about the undies thief. As I was saying before: when Kai and I were fishing, some very important people showed up. Mai, these are my parents—your grandparents. Mom, Dad; this is my and Ichigo's daughter, Mai. Please, don't crowd her; she's very shy and doesn't handle that very well." Ryou finally introduced Mai to his parents—and his parents to Mai.

Mai stared at Ami and Jin, watching them, confused before she just starting bawling.

"What's wrong?" Ryou and Ichigo asked, confused.

"NO! I no wan dem eat my brains!" Mai cried, spazzing out, stretching her body every which where, confusing everyone but Kai.

Meanwhile, Kai was doing his best not to burst out laughing.

"Why would they eat your brain?" Ryou asked, rocking Mai. At the same time, Ichigo looked a Kai, who suddenly looked guilty.

"Kai said zombies were coming—an dat zombies eat brains. Gramma and Grampa die long time go; you said so." Mai cried into Ryou's shoulder.

"Kai…" Ryou and Ichigo scolded, looking at Kai.

"Sorry…" Kai mumbled.

"Something tells me they're going to be the typical brother and sister." Jin stated, looking at everyone.

"Yes. But as long as they don't end up like my sister and brother…" Ami sighed, frustrated, remembering how her brother and sister were with each other. And how she was the go-between.

"Amen to that." Jin agreed, knowing her family history.

"Mai, Baby; zombies aren't real. Your brother is just trying to scare you for whatever reason. As for Grandma and Grandpa—they're not dead. I was wrong." Ryou started.

"Daddy neber wong." Mai told Ryou, looking up.

"Oh, trust me; I've been wrong plenty of times. And I was wrong about Grandma and Grandpa being dead. I assumed that because I had seen the fire that day, that they died in the fire. They thought the same about me and Uncle Keiichiro. Which reminds me: Keiichiro is alive as well; he is with his fiancé and children now. But moving on: Grandma and Grandpa are very much alive and well—they're not zombies who are going to eat your brain. Are you ready to meet them?" Ryou calmly explained and then just as calmly asked.

"Is Grampa mean, like utter Grampa?" Mai asked, looking up at Ryou with some tears running down her rosy-red cheeks.

"No, Grandma and Grandpa Shirogane are very nice, just like Grandma Momomiya. Now, what do you say; do you want to meet them? They really want to meet you." Ryou answered Mai before asking her. While he was talking to her, Ryou was also bouncing Mai a little in his arms.

Slowly, Mai turned a little in Ryou's arms and looked at Jin and Ami for a few seconds before turning back to Ryou.

"You pomise they're not zombies?" Mai innocently asked, looking up at Ryou.

"I promise they're not zombies." Ryou promised, looking her in the eyes, before shifting her a little so that he could hold up his pinky.

Ichigo had taught her about the power of the almighty pinky promise a few months ago.

"Huh! Ooohh. Ok." Mai gasped and then softly said, wrapping her pinky around his.

A pinky promise was serious business and meant that it was an unbreakable promise.

"Ok." Ryou smiled, setting Mai in front of his parents.

She looked back at him for a second before slowly walking to Jin and Ami.

"Hi." Ami softly greeted with a kind smile.

"Hello." Jin calmly greeted, smiling at her.

"…Hi…" Mai shyly replied, looking up at them.

"She's so adorable; she's just a combination of the two of you. Such pretty red hair like her mom and grandma, and big blue eyes like her daddy and me. Can I hug her?" Ami cooed, doting on Mai before asking, looking from Mai to Ryou.

"That's up to her." Ryou honestly answered; Mai usually had a hard time with new people.

"Can I hug you, Sweetie?" Ami gently asked, looking at Mai, who looked back at Ryou.

"She's not going to eat your brain. Kai, get over here and apologize to your sister—and explain to her that zombies aren't real." Ryou sternly told Kai

"Ok… Mai, zombies aren't real; I was just telling you a story from some show I saw on the tv a few weeks ago. I'm sorry I scared you. Grandma and Grandpa are not zombies and are not going to eat your brain." Kai apologized, looking directly at Mai.

Kai loved Mai very much, but he was starting to get different interests than her. At this point, he just wanted to do his own things. Plus, he was smarter than her; she didn't understand what he was into.

Besides, they were safe now; they should be able to do and go their separate ways.

It's not like they won't still do stuff together; they'll always be brother and sister and have each other's backs. He was one hundred percent damn sure that they'd be doing family stuff together.

"Thank you. You may go back to do whatever it is you were doing—unless your mom has something she'd like to add." Ryou told Kai.

"I never had any siblings to play or argue with—but I have seen friends who have. All I want is that you don't torment your sister. Same goes for you, Mai: no tormenting your brother. You both have been tormented enough as is. Neither of you need any more type of torment." Ichigo calmly but sternly told Kai and Mai.

"Ok." "Yes, Mommy." Kai and Mai replied at the same time. Kai went over and hugged Mai before he went back to the couch to watch tv.

After a minute or so, Mai turned back to Ami, walked up to her, and lifted her arms, giving Ami permission to pick her up and hug her.

"You're just the cutest little thing, I've ever seen; you're just too adorable. And you; you're one of the most handsome little boys I've seen in a long time. I miss having little, little kids around. Oh, your uncle will just love you two." Ami excitedly declared.

"Uncle?" Everyone, but Jin asked, shocked.

"I didn't think you had any siblings." Ichigo said, looking at Ryou.

"Neither did I." Ryou replied, looking at his parents.

"Sorry…" Ami apologized, looking down.

"We were going to wait until you were done with your beach trip to tell you. But I guess we were also going to wait to see you as well. Right after the fire started, we did get out. About ten or fifteen minutes later, we could you screaming for us—and then it got muffled. We were drug away by some of the neighbors, but we did go back and look for you; we couldn't find you or Keiichiro anywhere, so we assumed you were dead. And as it would turn out, you thought we were dead as well. Your mother became severely depressed for a few months, so I thought it best that we try for another child. Maybe we could end up with a girl this time. It took a while, but she did become pregnant—but not with a girl. We ended up having another boy—obviously; that's why they have an uncle. Anyway, we named him Tomohiro Shirogane. He is eleven and a half but will be twelve in August; he's eleven and a half years younger than you. He's smart, but not as smart as you. However, he is incredibly wise for his age." Jin explained.

"We didn't have another child to forget about you; we never forgot about you. My heart felt so empty without you—even after Tomohiro was born. I mean, I love both of you boys more than anything in this world—well, except for Kai, Mai, and even Ichigo now. Please forgive us." Ami explained and apologized, panicking a little.

"I'm not mad at you. Hell, I can't be mad at you; I went out, got drunk and helped create these two on what I thought was the anniversary of your deaths. I made a mistake. However, out of that mistake, I got two little miracles. At the time, I knew you wouldn't approve of me wallowing in your deaths, but I didn't care; I missed you so much. I understand that you thought I was dead and just wanted to be happy. If a child filled that void—great. You never forgot or stopped loving me. That's what truly matters. And as I said; I gained two miracles. Ichigo got two miracles, that without her, most likely wouldn't be here." Ryou explained.

"Oh, Ryou…" Ami cried with tears of happiness.

"Gramma, are you sad?" Mai softly asked when she felt tears on her face.

"No, I'm happy—incredibly happy." Ami answered with a smile, but still had tears in her eyes.

Now, Mai was very confused; the only time she had seen people cry was when they were sad.

"Ok, pass the child; it's my turn to meet her. You shouldn't squeeze the life out of Ryou with her in your arms." Jin calmly yet seriously told his wife.

"Go see Grandpa." Ami told Mai, passing her to Jin.

"May I hold you now, Mai?" Jin asked as Ami held her there.

Mai stared at him for a few seconds before reaching for him.

Once he had her in his arms, Ami immediately ran to Ryou.

"Who would've thought I'd ever have a granddaughter? And such a pretty one at that?" Jin asked, looking at Mai.

"My baby boy is all grown up!" Ami cried, hugging Ryou, embarrassing him before she went to hug Ichigo.

"Mom…" Ryou groaned, embarrassed.

"Would you like to meet him—your brother?" Ami asked, looking at Ryou.

"Is he here somewhere as well?" Ryou asked, looking at his parents.

"No, he's with Mom and Dad." Ami replied with a smile as Jin set Mai down.

"They're still alive?" Ryou asked, somewhat shocked.

"Of course. Why ever would you think otherwise?" Ami asked, looking at Ryou.

"I called them a few times, but they never answered—or called me back when I'd leave them messages." Ryou answered.

"When did you do that?" Jin asked, wanting an answer.

"Several times after the fire. After a month, I started calling once a month for four months before moving onto once a year for two years. And still nothing. I just figured they both died. I would've gone straight there, but I don't know where they lived—let alone if they were still in the country." Ryou answered, looking at his mother.

"Do you think they knew?" Jin asked, looking at Ami.

"I can't imagine them keeping that from us. Why would they keep that from us?" Ami asked, becoming upset.

"I don't know. I guess we'll find out when we go back there—either to pick him up—or to stay there." Jin replied, looking from Ami to Ryou.

"Yeah, I'll meet him." Ryou answered his mother's earlier question.

"Great; we'll go get him." Ami responded with a smile. However, inside her head, she was conflicted. Did her parents know Ryou was alive and didn't tell them? Or did they not know? If they knew, why would they keep that from them of all people?

"We'll be back in a few hours." Jin informed before they left.

"Daddy, can we go swim now?" Mai softly asked, tugging at Ryou's pants after Ami and Jin were gone.

"Umm… Sure. For a little bit. But you need to promise that when I say it's time to go, you'll be a good girl and listen." Ryou firmly told Mai.

"Yes, Daddy; I promise." Mai held up her pinky.

"Good girl." Ryou praised Mai, picking her up.

"Are you coming?" Ryou asked, looking from Ichigo to Kai to Sakura.

"Nah, I'm going to stay here and eat my soup. Then I might take a shower." Sakura replied with a smile.

"I don't want to go swimming…" Kai grumbled.

"You two go and have fun; go have Daddy-Daughter time. I'll stay here and watch Kai—and Mom." Ichigo insisted.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sakura asked, looking at her daughter.

"It means, I'm going to make sure you don't fall asleep. The doctor said you need to stay awake for four to five hours unless you're no longer seeing stars, shapes, or colors." Ichigo answered, staring directly at her mother.

"How did you get to be so mature?" Sakura asked with a smile; she was incredibly proud of Ichigo.

"I have a great mom, a wonderful fiancé, and amazing kids—and I couldn't be happier. But mainly because I have a great mom." Ichigo answered with a smile as Ryou took Mai upstairs to get changed into her swimsuit…