The next day, the Okazaki family celebrate Christmas with friends and family, with Ushio getting a Big Dango Family plush from Tomoya, with the child overjoyed by the present she got from her father. Once the day was over, the two Okazaki returned to their daily routines. Soon afterwards, Ushio, and Tomoya celebrate their first New Year's Eve together as a family. With friends and family with the Okazaki family to celebrate the end of the year, Tomoya couldn't help but reminisce about everything that had happened this year. He had finally become a family with his daughter, Ushio again after not being in her life for five years. He made a promise to himself that he would do everything he could to protect Ushio, he also had a lot of lost time to make up with the girl, but he was willing to make up for the time he hadn't been there for her. As everyone continues to have fun, enjoying themselves as they wait to greet the new year, Tomoya was able to catch up with his friends from high school, as he was currently having a friendly conversation with both Kyou, and Youhei Sunohara. Back in high school, Youhei was a delinquent just like Tomoya, and Kyou was to put it nicely, was very intense back in high school, which makes Tomoya glad that she sort of mellowed out since becoming a teacher.

"So, Okazaki, Kyou told me that Ushio-chan's illness was worse than we thought, mind telling the two of us what you meant?" Youhei asks, the three friends made sure that Ushio wasn't able to hear what they were talking about (Tomoya had asked Sanae and Akio to keep her busy for a few minutes).

"You two remember how sick Nagisa would get right?" Tomoya asks

"Yeah, of course we remember! What does that have to do with-?`` Youhei replies, cutting himself off when he realized what Tomoya was implying. "Wait, Ushio-chan doesn't have her mother's illness does she?" he asks, worried. They all were aware of the fact that nobody knew what the illness was, or how to cure it. So if Ushio did have Nagisa's illness, the girl would be stuck with it for the rest of her life.

"I'm afraid she does." Tomoya confirms. "Back when she was sick, more specifically, on the day it started snowing, Ushio's condition was probably at its worst." Tomoya painfully recalls, "I had nearly lost Ushio while holding her in my arms that day." he finishes, with neither Youhei, or Kyou knowing what to say, as they silently took in what they had just heard.

"She nearly died in your arms? That's… horrible. I'm so glad she made it through all of that." Kyou finally says, "I promise you Tomoya, I'll do the best I can to help you keep Ushio-chan safe. You have my word." she vows, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder and giving him a smile.

"Thanks Kyou, that means a lot." Tomoya says, returning the smile.

"You have my word too Okazaki, as Ushio-chan's uncle, I'll do what I can to keep her safe as well!" Youhei vows.

"Thanks, you guys are the best." the blue haired man thanks his friends as he sees Ushio running up to him and his friends. "Hey Shio! Having fun?" he asks the five year old, as the girl wears a big smile on her face.

"Yup!" Ushio nods, Tomoya could tell from the girl's eyes, that she was doing her best to stay up.

"You don't have to force yourself to stay up, you know, its alright for you to sleep." Tomoya tells his tired daughter who lets out a yawn before answering her father.

"But I want to stay up and spend New Year's Eve with you Daddy. Its the first one we're having together as a family." the girl shakes her head.

"I see." Tomoya smiles, a quick look at the time tells him that its almost time for the new year to arrive. With the countdown now starting, everyone was counting down the seconds leading up to the new year.

"Five!... Four!... Three!... Two!... One!... HAPPY NEW YEAR!" Everyone in the room cheers, as they celebrate the end of 2011, and the start of 2012.

"Happy new year Daddy!" Ushio beams at her father

"Happy new year Ushio!" Tomoya smiles