Epilogue (Hiro's POV)

-6 Months Later-

I still remember that day. How could I forget?

For the first week after, I must have replayed every detail a thousand times. But no matter how many times I had to pinch myself, we were, in fact, still alive.

All of us…

It took some doing, but we even managed to find Obake's second relay and disable it. He and Amara had a well-earned reunion in prison, and everything went back to normal, more or less…

The less than normal, was what almost dying did to the way you thought. The prioritizes you set. The future you wanted to build. Since then, I'd done a lot of thinking… All the issues I was hiding from, I wanted to face. I wanted…to finally move on.

I gazed down into the picture of Tadashi I was holding. For a second, I just stood there. I hoped he'd be proud of the man I'd become… The choices I'd made…

But one thing, I knew for sure…

Forgiveness was the main thing Tadashi believed in. It was the very thing I'd been struggling with since he'd died. But that ended today…

I was finally ready…

"Big day, huh?" I heard Aunt Cass whispered softly from behind me. Her voice was as gentle and caring as I'd always remembered it. Sitting the picture frame back on the shelf, I glanced back at her.

"Yeah, guess so…" I mumbled with a weak smile.

She reached out to squeeze my shoulder. "Do you need someone to go with you, sweetheart…?"

"Karmi said she will, and of course, Baymax."

She smiled back at me. "I'm so proud of you…" She nodded toward the photo. "He would be too."

I felt my determination fill my heart. "I hope so, Aunt Cass, I hope so…"

Taking a few steps away, I looked toward Baymax. He was leaned over a café table lighting scented candles, with slow precision.

Noticing me he blinked. "Hiro, I am setting a mood."

I chuckled. "Well, hopefully, it'll help some poor romantic hopeful out, if they happen to stumble in. But as for us, let's get out of here."

"I am ready, Hiro."

He waddled out behind me and we started down the sidewalk. The silence lingered between us for a while before he finally spoke up.

"Is it true you are going to see Callaghan today, Hiro?"

I let a sigh slip from my lips. "That's right…I am." I glanced at him sheepishly. "Do you think it's too soon? Am I really ready to do this?"

He seemed thoughtful, only the sound of his mechanical blinks filling the space between our footsteps.

"Human life is often short, Hiro. I believe that waiting to do important things is never advised."

We'd certainly learned that the hard way…

"That's why I'm going, I have to find a way to leave this behind me. I have to at least start the process."

"Tadashi would be very proud of your decision, Hiro."

I winched, emotion trying to get the better of me. "Everyone keeps saying that… I might start believing it soon…"

"You should because it is true."

A small lopsided smile filled my face. A thousand memories of Tadashi flickered through my mind.

I was ready.

I knew that for sure…

Karmi was waiting outside the prison, the usual charm of our date locations. Her face was set with a serious determination. I knew she was worried about how I'd handle this, but I wanted to set her at ease.

Walking up, I gave a tiny wave. "Hi."

"Hi," she said back, as if we were still kids in school.

Her forehead was furrowed in worry and anticipation, but neither of us realized how ridiculously formal we seemed until Baymax joined in.

"Hello," he waved.

She smirked, rolling her eyes. "What's with us today? Are you just going to shake my hand next?"

I grinned before holding out my hand in mock seriousness. "Nice to meet you, Miss Scary Virologist lady."

She punched my shoulder. "I'm not scary."

"Oh," I teased. "Well, you could have fooled me."

She smiled back at me, as a soft meaning passed between us. Slowly, our faces mellowed into something more honest, something much more tender.

"Thanks for coming…" I whispered.

"Like you have to thank me, nerd boy…"

Reaching for my hand, we took the plunge and went inside. Chief Cruz had been expecting us, so his guiding us to the proper level was rather wordless. We could all feel the somberness of the occasion. But it was more than that…it was the future, the beginning of it.

The first page of an entirely new story…

Stopping outside the door leading to his cell, Karmi squeezed my hand. "Do you want us to go in with you?"

I hesitated before gently letting go of her hand. "I think I need to face this alone…"

She nodded. "I understand. So…we'll both be here, take your time, okay?"

I smiled softly. "Okay."

I turned to head in, but the feeling of her gripping my sleeve stopped me.

"Hiro…?"

I turned to face her just in time to meet her kiss. Brief and bittersweet, but to me…

I pulled away gently.

It meant everything.

Stepping inside, I finally felt my pulse pick up. Not quite a race just…anticipation. The demon I was facing today wasn't Robert Callaghan…

I glanced at my own reflection in the transparent walls of his cell.

No…it was me.

"Good morning, Professor…" I whispered.

He stood still, watching me through sorrowful eyes. "It's been quite some time since anyone has called me that, Hiro…"

"Well, to be honest," I said with a faint smile. "I haven't gotten used to the title myself."

A small smile on his lips. "Well, from what I hear, you're making a fine one."

I took a step closer, feeling a tremor in my heart. It wasn't hate I felt when I looked at him. Not anymore, it was…just pain. But that was a wonderful start.

"It's wonderful to see you, Hiro… Can I do anything for you in particular?"

A frown cut across my face as my eyes scanned the picture of his daughter displayed in this prison of his own making. "N-No…" I wavered. "I just…wanted to see you. To talk…"

He nodded slowly, taking a step closer to the impenetrable pane between us.

"That means a lot to me…to hear you say that."

"It means a lot to me too, Professor…" I hung my head, the pain coming stronger than I'd expected. But I ignored it and looked at him again.

"T-Tell me about Abigail, how is she?" I asked him.

"I hear she's married, and with children now besides," he closed his eyes. "But those are just the stories I hear, she still doesn't want to see me…"

I frowned, some sympathy for him. It was almost startling to feel that.

"Forgiveness is…" I hissed between my teeth, before my voice softened. "It takes time… But I believe she'll let it go one day."

"I'd like to believe that, Hiro… But I'm afraid I don't… Or at least I didn't, but you're here…" His eyes narrowed, not presuming to say I was here to forgive him.

I pressed my hand against the clear cell wall.

"Callaghan…I'm sorry."

"Why on earth are you apologizing…? I'm the one who…"

"Just listen," I cut him off. "Tadashi would want me to be here, to forgive you. I told myself that for years, but it was never enough motivation to do it. Even…as much as I loved my brother, I… I had to be the one to want this…"

"And do you want it…?" he asked softly.

I hesitated, our eyes locked on each other. I'd thought about this for so long now, that I assumed the answer would come easily. But…life didn't work that way did it…?

"I want to want it," I admitted honestly. "And that's…I hope, a start."

He pressed his hand against the pane until our hands were aligned. "It is…" he whispered gratefully. "It is…"

I swallowed sharply, a wistful smile slowly coming to my face. "Thank you…" I mumbled.

"For what…?" he asked.

"Being the reminder of the better man I still want to someday be."

I stepped away, turning to leave. But I hesitated and glanced back. "I…I'll come back and see you. And…one day," I said confidently. "I'll bring Abigail with me, I promise you that…"

He smiled softly, the tears on his cheeks not going unnoticed.

I'd seen true evil, true bitterness, so many times. And now I'd seen what true regret must have been… At last, I thought I knew the difference.

He had to pay for his crimes, I knew that better than anyone. But a part of me…thought he didn't belong in this place with the likes of Obake and Amara. To feel that was…

It was hope.

It was the beginning of the future I wanted to live in.

The future Tadashi would have wanted for us all…

Back at the Lucky Cat, I watched Baymax slowly delivering coffee to guests. The sound of dishes lightly clinking as Aunt Cass worked, was like a familiar song at this point. The relief I felt left me almost weak. I'd faced him… I'd started down the road to forgiveness, the first steps being the hardest.

Karmi was sitting across from me, her eyes staring aimlessly into the flickering candle flame on our table. Her thoughts looked about a million miles what she was thinking about I couldn't say for sure, but she certainly had a lot to choose from. The less than a decade since I'd first met her already felt like a lifetime. And I meant that in the best possible way…

"What's up?" I asked softly, breaking her inward trance.

Her eyes darted up to me, a small frown cutting across her face. Sorry, was I zoning out?"

I grinned. "Very. I can't imagine what you're thinking about, we led such a boring life?"

She smirked, that same old smile I loved seeing. "Yeah, truly boring. But actually, I was thinking about you."

I pointed to myself. "Me? I hope that's a good thing."

"My parents are coming to visit tomorrow," she explained simply.

I shrugged. "You're not worried, are you? I mean, it went fine last time, I even think they liked me."

She cocked an amused eyebrow. "It was fine for a preliminary examination, no scientist makes a final assessment so quickly."

I scoffed. "Wow, I didn't realize I was a pathogen under glass… So what you're saying is, they don't like me?"

"No, they're just undecided yet," she teased.

"Great…very reassuring."

She smiled. "Why do you care, it's my final assessment you should be worried about?"

No kidding…

The nervous butterflies landed in my throat. She wasn't going to make this easy, was she…?

"Which is…?" I mumbled.

She paused, taking a slow sip of her black coffee. Slipping the mug from her lips she grinned evilly. "Let me think…"

I frowned at her. "Haha, very funny."

"I thought so…" she mumbled.

We bantered and teased better than anything else. We always had, and I thought we always would. But that didn't mean it wasn't a serious question…

"But really…" I whispered somberly. "How much of your opinion is based on your parents?"

"You honestly have to ask that?" She scoffed. "I love my parents, and I value their opinions. But this isn't their choice, it's mine."

I traced the rim of my mug with a nervous finger. "And that choice is what exactly…?"

She got quiet, the air between us suddenly tense. "Well…y-you know what I mean…" she mumbled awkwardly.

"Right…" I whispered, our glances shifting in opposite directions.

After six months of dating each other, we'd fallen into an almost effortless harmony. And by effortless, I meant that our petty squabbles didn't feel so serious anymore. Neither of us was afraid that the other was going anywhere. We were still best friends… I knew we always would be…

We'd found our way into the circle of each other's lives. But more than that, we'd found a comfortable place there, a place neither of us could imagine not being. Or at least, I felt that way…

The future, our future, was something we hadn't bothered to talk about, we seemed to assume it was coming without having to. But I didn't know if we were right… At some point, even our effortless days felt…stalled.

My teeth clenched, the butterflies almost getting the better of me.

But it was my place to say it, wasn't it?

Even if I felt like an idiot doing it…

All that talk of scientific assessment and how much time it took… I was probably a dummy to even think…

"A-And how long do these sorts of assessments take?" I asked, my voice some mix of nervousness and frustration.

"That depends…" she mumbled thoughtfully. "My parents have only known you for a few months, whereas I've known you for a lot longer."

I guess that was encouraging, but I didn't like her talking about me like one of her virus experiments. It was…weird.

I sighed. "Great but…I don't really like feeling like I'm on trial…"

She shrugged, blunt scientific honesty in her voice. "Sorry, but that's kind of the point of dating. Though, at some point, it can become redundant…"

"Redundant…?" I mumbled.

She nodded. "Yeah, as in exceeding what is necessary, pointless."

"I know what the word means," I said back, a little playfully annoyed.

She grinned. "Just checking."

I huffed a sigh. "I know what the word means, I just want to make sure I understand what you mean. About us, that is…"

She got quiet, her snark and playfulness melting away. "That's…not really something I can explain to you… It's…something you've got to figure out for yourself."

I leaned back, my nerves dissipating from all the exhaustion I felt over this day. "I don't think you have to explain it… I…" I swallowed sharply, looking at her directly. "I feel it too…"

Redundant…

"You do…?"

"Yes," I admitted. "Unless I'm reading this whole thing wrong, in which case, just go ahead and slap me and get it over with…"

I watched her shoulders stiffen as if we both were bracing for an impact.

"Love is a two-way street…" I sheepishly admitted. "But if it were just up to me…" I met her eyes, holding them in spite of the urge to look away. "I'd…marry you." I winced, burying my awkwardness behind a dumb little chuckle. "Isn't that…funny?"

But she didn't say anything, certainly didn't laugh. My heart sank. I was already way past the point of no return, so I just braced for what I assumed would be a fiery impact.

Instead, I watched her eyes lock motionlessly onto me. Her face filled with a strange sort of disbelief. The kind that said her experiment had either gone horribly or wonderfully wrong.

"T-Then…" she said, her voice wavering with emotion. "Why don't you…?"

It was a straightforward question, the kind she was known for. And for once it was one I had an easy answer to.

"Well, I would have, but I was in fear for my life for even bringing it up," I said, trying to lighten the mood. "But um, if you're really not against the idea, I might just consider it…"

She frowned at me, her face a mixture of happiness and playfulness. "I admit, that's probably about the lamest proposal I've ever heard, Hiro."

I frowned. "What do you mean? How many have you actually heard?!"

She scoffed, all her confidence coming back. "As a writer, dozens at least. This one rates low on the overall romantic scale."

I pretended to be mad. "Well, I'm sorry, I assumed the stupid candle would help."

"It didn't," she whispered before a smile spread across her face. A smile that seemed incredibly contagious…

She reached across the table to take my hand. The proud scientist had faded, replaced with an earnest sort of anticipation. "Do you really mean that, Hiro…?"

My smile softened with a sincerity that bled into every word. "Yeah, I do… Probably more than I've ever meant anything…"

I held her hand tighter, the feeling of the warmth of her skin etching itself into my memories. The sight of her smile, the sound of her laughter, it was all already there. The hardheadedness, the 'know it all' certainly.

I smiled.

It would always be there. Each and every part of her. And I…

Had never wanted anything so much in my entire life.

The past and the future… In a way, I thought they were like circles too. One forever connected to the other…

I glanced up at the photo of Tadashi.

I knew that had to be true…

FIN

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