~*Epilogue*~

Christmas Day…One Year Later…

                It was Christmas night as Tea, Joey, Namu and Shadi gathered together for dinner at Tea's house. Namu had been recently promoted to detective. Actually, Namu decided to open his own practice in remembrance of his close friend Rishid, who unfortunately passed away the night of the explosion.

                Joey and Tea dated since January yet their relationship had lasted for three months before they decided to stick with being friends.

                Surprisingly, Yami managed to survive the fall. He was sent to Domino City Asylum. Tea and Joey had recently visited him. The doctors wouldn't allow him out of his cell so Tea and Joey cautiously went inside. Yami was in a straight jacket, his body leaning on the padded wall.

                Tea frowned at the memory as she ran her finger around the rim of her glass. Yami was not exactly who he once was. As Tea spoke of her sympathy and pain, Yami just stared on at what seemed to be nothing. Once in a while, he would just laugh hysterically, mentioning something about his novel.

                "Tea? Tea?" Joey shook her shoulder lightly.

                "Huh?" Tea looked up at Joey, giving him a strange look.

                "Are you all right?" Joey's face had a slight hint of worry.

                Tea nodded in reply. "Yeah, I'm fine." she looked up at Namu and Shadi. "I'm glad you two were able to come over for dinner."

                "Yeah," Namu chewed on his fishcake. "I can't believe it's already been a year since this whole Secret Santa thing happened."

                "Tea," Shadi spoke, though not looking up at her. "How are your visits with the psychiatrist going?"

                "I've been doing much better." Tea smiled. "I've stopped going there since March I think."

                "I'd like to propose a toast." Joey stood up with a glass in hand.  "We each go around and figure out who we dedicate this toast to."

                "I toast this to Rishid," Namu raised his glass. "After all, he was my close friend until that son of a bitch blew him into bits."

                Joey raised his glass. "Well, besides my friends that were involved, I can only dedicate this to the only person who has been close to me," he clenched his fist, trying to hold himself back. "This one's for Serenity."

                Shadi raised his glass, then slowly placed it down. "I'm not sure who I should be toasting to, basically because I have no one to toast."

                "Just think of someone you manage to get along with." Namu stared at the police chief.

                "If you insist." Shadi thought for a moment. "Of all people, I guess I would have to toast Rishid."

                The three looked on at Tea, wondering who she would propose her toast to.

                Tea looked down at her drink of apple cider. She remained silent for the time being. Finally, she raised her glass in the air. "I give a toast to Marik."

                "Marik?!?" Namu and Joey were surprised.

                "Well," Tea replied meekly. "He was also the victim of Yami's scheme. After all, Yami was just using Marik so he wouldn't make it seem like he was a suspect. But still, I feel bad for Marik, you know?"

                "Here, here." Said Joey. The four tipped their glasses and downed their drinks. They continued to eat, laugh and talk for quite some time.

                Suddenly, the sound of the phone broke the cheery laughter. Casually, Tea got up and made her way towards the kitchen, picking up the cordless phone from the counter. "Hello?"

                "Tea…" a raspy voice hissed, followed by a dark laughter.

                Tea's eyes widened as she felt the fear she had that one year ago flood back within her. The phone slipped from her hand, landing on  the floor as she stood there.

~ ? The End? ~