A/N: This oneshot is the result of an ask sent by one of my followers on AO3 and Tumblr, and takes place after the events of "Postmortem Proposal". Please read and review, and enjoy!

The Ultimate Detective and The Ultimate Hope Gaiden: The Naegis' Offer!

The Naegis stood over Kaito's gravestone, dressed in black, formal attire as Maki was on her knees, gripping the curves of the tombstone as grieving tears trickled down her cheeks.

At last, she stood, wiping her eyes before she turned around and sniffled "Thank you…for coming. Kaito would be so happy to know so many people visit him even after the funeral."

Makoto, Kyoko, and Kiki smiled in reply. Kaito's funeral had been a small affair, or at least, that was the plan. It had originally been planned for only the Naegis to come, since neither of them had any family left. However, to her surprise, not only did the Naegis attend, but the other survivors of Class 78th, the Novoselic Royal Family, Komaru, Hajime, all of Maki's past clients, and even some of her acquaintances from her assassin days came to pay their respects to the man who was so cruelly taken from Maki before his time.

"Of course we would, Maki. You and Kaito were our friends. That hasn't changed, even if he's not with us anymore."

"Indeed." Kyoko agreed with her husband. "I'm just sorry that he never got the chance to meet the child he fathered with you." She lamented, empathizing since she grew up not really knowing her father after her mother died.

"Maki…" Kiki asked hesitantly "Have you decided what you're going to do now that you're expecting a baby?"

Maki frowned before she admitted "I'm…not sure, to be honest. Kaito's grandparents died during the Tragedy, and I was an orphan long before the Tragedy even began. I made good money as a babysitter, but it's not enough to afford anything more than that tiny apartment we lived in. We could get by when the baby's still an infant, but when they're old enough to have their own room? I can't afford an actual house."

"Maki…" Makoto suggested "Why don't you come and live with us?"

"Huh?"

Maki stared at them with wide eyes as Kyoko nodded and elaborated "It's true, we have entire floors that we don't even use. You can use one of those, and we wouldn't expect you to pay rent or anything. All we'd ask is that you help out around the house to the extent that your schedule permits."

This…this is too good to be true… Maki thought before she soon found herself surrounded by the Naegi children.

"Please, Maki?" Kiki pleaded. "We really want you to live with us!"

"Please?" Mokubo, Koto, and Kiri all asked in unison, following their sister's lead.

"You all…" Maki sighed and explained "It's not that simple. I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but that apartment…it might be small, but it's also where all my memories of Kaito are. I don't…I don't want to just leave it behind."

Makoto nodded and replied "I understand you, really I do. I felt the same way when we had to move out of our apartment after Kiki was born. It was hard, I didn't want to leave the place where Kyoko and I made so many memories. But still…" Makoto glanced at his children and smiled as he finished "It was for the best, and in the end, that apartment wasn't where I kept my memories of Kyoko. It was here in my heart. And it'll be the same for you, Maki. Your memories of Kaito aren't in some building; they're inside you."

Maki sighed and compromised "Can I just…have some time to think about this? This is all just so sudden and I…"

Kyoko nodded, assuring her "Of course, take as much time as you need. For now though, why don't we get some lunch? We're all a little hungry, I'd wager, and you're eating for two now."

Maki smiled as she placed her hand over her baby bump and agreed "That is true. Alright, let's go; I'm craving some onigiri."

The Naegis laughed as they followed Maki, not noticing the contemplative frown on her face as they walked ahead of her.

Can I really leave our apartment? The place where Kaito and I lived together? She looked up at the skies and wondered What would you do, Kaito?


"Maki Roll…? Hey, Maki Roll!"

"Huh?" Maki groaned as she opened her eyes, yawning as she stood up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "Who…?"

"Geez, wake up, sleepyhead!"

"Huh?" Maki wondered as her vision cleared.

Her eyes widened as she saw an all too familiar purple-haired idiot grinning at her.

"Finally, you're awake! I was wondering…oof!"

"KAITO!" She cried as she tackled him into a hug, wrapping her arms around him tightly as she sobbed into his chest.

"Wow, you really missed me that much?" Kaito teased as he returned the hug and rubbed her back.

"Of course I missed you, idiot! I…I watched you die! I…I never got to tell you…"

"That you're pregnant, Maki?" Maki gasped as she looked up at him, surprised by the serious smile on his face as he confirmed "I uh…kinda heard you tell Kyoko before. Don't ask how; trade secret and all that."

Maki sweatdropped and apologized "…I'm sorry…you were right, we should have started a family before. Then you would have gotten to see your baby before you died."

"Hey, don't beat yourself up about this, Maki!" Kaito gently chided her. "At least now…you'll have a part of be that you'll always have with you."

He reached down and caressed her baby bump, making Maki look down at his hand. Her eyes widened as she saw that her baby bump had swelled in size, making her appear as though she was just starting her third trimester.

"Wha…what the hell? I can't be this big already! I'm not even three months pregnant yet! How is this possible?"

"Because this is your dream, Maki Roll!" Kaito grinned as he asked "Did I…forget to tell you? I'm just walking in your dreams! That's how I'm able to talk to you!"

"I…I see…" Maki uttered before she sighed and placed her hands on the sides of her swollen belly.

She smiled as she caressed her belly, thinking …I've been a Child Caregiver for years…but I never thought I'd be a true Mother…but now that I am, I need to make the best choices for them. "Ano…Kaito…?"

"Huh? What is it, Maki Roll?"

"…The Naegis offered to let me and our baby come live with them…but I'm not sure if I should."

Kaito cocked his head in confusion as he asked "Huh? Why not, Maki Roll? Their house is enormous, and they're our friends, so what's the problem?"

"Because that apartment was our home for years! All my memories of us are there. I know it's too small to raise a baby in, but I just don't know what to do…what you'd do."

"I'd move, obviously!"

"Huh?" Maki uttered in shock as Kaito stared seriously into her eyes.

"Maki, I know that apartment was our home, but only because the rent was dirt cheap! If we could have afforded it, I definitely would have chosen a nicer place to live. And if I had lived long enough to see my baby, I would have definitely found a way to move us to a nicer place to live, no ifs, ands, or buts. That would have been my responsibility as a father, and since I can't do it now, it's your responsibility as a mother to provide as best as she can for her child!"

"Kaito…"

"Move in with the Naegis, Maki. They're generous enough to give you and our baby the environment you both need, so don't pass this up!"

"Kaito…" Maki swallowed her pride and nodded, replying tearfully "…Okay…I'll do it, Kaito…" She looked down at her belly and vowed "…for our baby!"

Kaito grinned and and exclaimed "That's my Maki Roll! Alright, I have to…ah!"

Maki cut Kaito off, hugging him awkwardly against her as she pleaded "Please stay…just until I wake up for real…please, Kaito…"

Kaito sighed and smiled before he returned her embrace, rubbing her back as he promised "Anything for you, Maki."

Maki hummed in contentment as she closed her eyes and let her head rest against Kaito's chest, savoring the warmth of his spirit while it was still here with her.


Maki groaned as her eyes fluttered open before she began to sit up in her bed.

"What…what happened?" Maki muttered as her vision cleared before she looked around the surroundings. "This is my apartment…so…that was just a dream…" She shook her head and realized "No, it may have been a dream, but Kaito really came to visit me. And thanks to him…I know what I need to do…" She rested her hand on her baby bump as she finished "…for my baby."

She reached for her bedside table and fumbled until she wrapped her fingers around her phone. After she pulled it to her, she scrolled through her contacts before she tapped on one and held the device to her ears as it rang.

"…Kyoko Naegi speaking."

"Hi, Kyoko? It's Maki."

"Ah, Maki, how are you holding up?"

"…Better, thank you. Listen, about that offer you and your family made me…"