[A/N: I don't own DC/MK.

These are thoughts

This is a dream sequence

These are my line breaks!]

(Chapter starts)

After Hiro's death Roo distanced herself completely. She cut off all ties with family, with friends, with everyone. She just couldn't bear to see anything that reminded her of Hiro, that dragged her back to those painfully happy memories. She refused to answer the phone and had even smiled when it stopped ringing altogether. She barely left the house, deciding instead to stay in bed or, if it was a good day, move to sit by the window. It wasn't as if she needed to work. Hiro had always made more than enough money though they had shopped like he didn't, searching out good deals and bargains, so their savings account had enough money for her to stop working completely.

As she wallowed in her self pity, as it didn't even qualify as mourning anymore, her daughter watched her. Little Suki watched as her mother deteriorated away.

Even though they had a staff on hand that her great aunt Kimi had helped her hire Suki had taken it upon herself to take care of her mother. She tried everyday to help her mother, but it was no use. When she tried to get Roo to eat, to talk, to do anything to show that she was still there; she would only get blank stares. It tore her up inside, made her feel nothing but guilt as if her father's death was somehow her fault.

There were times when Suki would beg Roo to look at her, to look at her daughter, and to say something.

One day she got her wish.

She regretted it immediately.

(Are you feeling the angst? Warning: Roo is gonna be a b**ch right now.)

"The forecast said it was going to snow today." Suki said as she moved around her beloved mother's bedroom, straightening and re-straightening the many books and magazines she brought with her in the hopes that Roo would read one. "Doesn't that sound lovely?"

Roo didn't respond, not that Suki had ever thought she would. Suki's hopes that her mother would one day come back to her were dwindling.

"We're running low on food again. Is there any chance you would want to accompany me?" Suki turned expectantly towards the sickly woman in the bed.

After a moment she sighed and moved to the window, parting the curtains to let the light in. It really was a magnificent view. Suki could only assume that is why her bargain-hunting parents had spent the money on this expensive house just outside of the city. She knew her father had loved scenic views; he had used some as album covers more than once.

"Is there anything you wanted me to get?" Suki knew it was pointless to be doing this, to be talking to this woman and wishing that she would get a response. Maybe she was crazy; these one-sided conversations really did feel like she was talking to herself.

"Maybe I could get you a magazine. Or a book! That author you like published a new one."

No thank you dear. It would only take up space. Suki imagined she would say "A CD then. Uncle Ross's band made a new album."

The plastic wrapping wouldn't even be opened. Just like all of the others.

"Alright, would you like something special for dinner?"

I wouldn't eat it.

"I could make some sushi! I saw a cooking show that showed people how to do it. I even videotaped it. Do you want to watch with me?"

No.

"So sushi then. Any specific fish you would like?"

I don't like fish.

"Oh, I almost forgot! My parent/teacher conferences are next week. Should I tell them you'll be coming?"

I've never gone to one before. Why should I start now?

"Mrs. Lacey said she would love to meet-"

"Why are you doing this to me?" Suki stopped dead. She didn't even dare to breathe as she slowly turned to look at her mother.

Roo was staring at her, she was focused on her, she had spoken.

"Mother?" Suki's voice was breathy with hope, her eyes watering joyfully.

"Why are you still here?" Roo asked her voice, though weak and scratchy from disuse, was harsh and angry. Suki realized her mother's stare was actually a glare.

"Wha-what?" Suki stumbled.

"You torment me day after day. Why can't you see I want to be left alone?" Roo narrowed her dull eyes.

"T-torment?" Suki couldn't believe her ears.

"You can't possibly be so stupid as to think you can take his place." Suki recoiled like she had been physically struck. The words her mother was throwing at her were cutting like a knife.

"B-but…" Suki whimpered.

"Leave. Just leave me alone! Can't you see I don't want you here?" Roo was shrieking now.

Suki felt something within her shatter and it hurt. It ached and pierced her to her core. She was unaware when exactly she had crossed the room but when she saw the door her hands had grabbed for it. Wrenching the door open Suki hurled herself down the hallway only thinking of how much she wanted to get away from that cruel woman, that woman that had been her most precious person.

Suki ran and ran until she was out of the building and into the forest that she had admired just minutes ago in her mother's room. She could barely see through the tears, branches whapped and poked at her face, roots tripped her making her stumble into trees, but she still ran. Finally her legs couldn't hold her up anymore and she collapsed, huddling into a ball at the base of a large maple whose limbs were bare making the sky clearly visible.

She cried and sobbed letting her feelings flow like water across her face making her an open book. When she had finally cried out, when she was just sniffling pathetically, she laid out on her back. Her hair created a halo around her head though it was unnoticeable as it blended into the dirt. Her stare was blank; her eyes dull, as her mind juggled the heartbreak trying to cope with it.

Her mother had finally spoken to her, had finally told her what she was thinking. She had prayed so hard for the woman to speak to her and to prove her thoughts of guilt wrong. Instead the woman had cut her through the heart, not only confirming her suspicions but also saying she didn't want her. Her expression had told her she didn't care, didn't mind if she never came back.

Suki closed her eyes. Her heart, her soul, was bleeding and she felt like there was no bandage big enough to stop the flow. She had always tried so hard, had always looked for ways to get her mother's approval but now there was no point. Why should she try for someone who hates her?

So I won't try. She decided, her thoughts turning dark. All my life I've tried for her while she silently hated me. No friends because I had to take care of my mother, no extracurricular activities because I had to take care of my mother, no social life at all because I had to take care of my damned mother!

She started when she felt a bit of cold touch her cheek. She refocused her eyes and watched as small snowflakes flouted down to her, melting at her touch. Slowly Suki raised her arm, facing her palm up to the sky.

I see. She mused with a grim smile. She had decided.

I will be like this snow. Beautiful. Risky. I will fall and live a short life.

I will become cold.

(See. Roo was a b**ch. But guess what! It's Roo POV time!)

She watched as that girl, that one final reminder of him, ran away. It was a mixed feeling to see that girl leave her. That inner part of her, the part she had buried deep inside as she'd watched her husband's coffin slowly lower into the ground, felt immeasurable pain at seeing her beautiful daughter run from her, leave her in the dust and abandon her. That part still felt, that part still wanted to move forward and to leave memories as memories.

But then there was another part, that part that dominated her body and her mind. This part only wanted to reminisce and wish for the past. To cling to the memories that had she had made with her husband. To forget about that notion of moving forward and to submerge herself in the past.

Roo knew that as long as that part, the one that hopelessly clung to the past, controlled her thoughts and actions she would drag whom ever she could down with her. She knew that as long as Suki held her close to her heart she would never be able to move forward. She knew that Suki would be forever torn between 'forward' and 'back' if she continued to sacrifice her life for Roo.

That small part that still wanted to move passed the tragedy of her husband's death and let life changed her couldn't bear that. She couldn't let Suki live as she was living. She just couldn't so she had said those awful, hurtful, horribly cruel words to make Suki leave her behind.

She had said those words to push her away.

Now she could only hope that Suki could take the chance to move forward, to grow, to change, and to live.

(This next section is purely narrator… after this it's only uphill!)

And so Roo stayed frozen in her time, aging only in body, hoping desperately that her daughter was more like Hiro than herself.

But as the saying goes, 'the apple doesn't fall far from the tree'.

Suki stayed true to her vow to become cold. She froze herself, locking away her emotions and distancing herself from anyone and everyone. She froze herself in the pain of her mother's abandonment.

She dropped out of her school and started spending more time on the streets. She tried to bury her pain underneath the pleasure of alcohol. She soon joined what could only be called a gang. Her name had changed though she wasn't the one to suggest the change she only went along with it when people began to call her Senka, a Turkish name meaning shadow.

In the first year she often returned to the building where her mother had destroyed her but soon the pain became too much. She stopped coming and simply slept where most of her gang slept, whether that was in a dump or in a rundown apartment building it didn't matter to her.

After three years of pain and torment things changed. Drastically.

(Uphill!~)

Roo was sick. It was ravaging and horrid. Doctors constantly flitted in and out of her room. The help could only watch in a sad kind of pity as her health got less and less stable. Some days they could only tell that she was alive because of the steady beeping of the heart monitor beside her bed. Wires, IVs, and tubes wove their way around her. She knew they were the only things keeping her alive.

She was asleep more often than not though she never dreamed. When that changed everything changed.

(Dream!)

She and Hiro laughed as they swung their legs over the side of the stage. They were completely alone in the auditorium but that didn't bother them. In fact it was the only reason Roo was able to laugh so freely. She had told Hiro once that she was sure her shyness was crippling enough to warrant a handicap parking spot pass. He had simply laughed and said 'But that's what makes you so adorable!'.

"… So then he goes to open the door and Ashley tackles him out of the way just before the water balloons fall!" Hiro laughed.

"Were they filled with water?" Roo giggled. Hiro snickered and threw her a 'have-you-ever-met-Chris?' look.

"You don't want to know what they were filled with. Sometimes I think bringing Kaito and Chris together was a very bad idea." Hiro shuddered making Roo giggle again.

Hiro smiled at her and she felt herself blush. That smile held all of the fondness he held for her, it was her smile. Roo smiled back softly before blinking in confusion.

"Hiro? What's wrong? Why are you crying?" Roo asked lifting a hand to brush away his tears. She gasped in shock when her hand slipped through his head. "H-Hiro?"

"Roo…" He took her hand gently and she fell into an even greater confusion when she felt his solid touch. "Roo… Why are you hurting yourself so much, love?"

"Wha-what?" She blinked in surprise. I'm hurting myself?

"You must know I never wanted you to be in pain." Hiro's tears dropped to the floor, dissolving into nothingness before they touched the wood. "I only wanted you to be happy. I'm sorry I couldn't stay with you for longer, but I left you so many things and memories. I never wanted you to stop moving towards the future."

Suddenly she was crying as well, her tears hitting the wood in small splashes.

"H-Hiro, I didn't want to move on without you. I didn't want to forget." She was shaking. "I need you with me."

"I am with you." Hiro's voice was fervent and intense. "Everyday, you know? I'm watching and waiting by your side. There is nothing you can do for me."

Roo sobbed. "I caused you pain! I'm sorry!"

"There is nothing you can do for me." Hiro tightened his grip on her hand. "Suki is the one who needs you now. She is lost and hurting. Find her."

"Alright…" Roo whispered. "I'll find her."

"Thank you." Hiro leaned forward and kissed her before moving to whisper in her ear. "In my music notebook. Under the last song I ever wrote."

"What?" Roo looked at him in surprise.

"I love you, Ruth. I'm always with you."

(Dream's done!)

Roo snapped her eyes open, startling the doctor peering at her from her left. She tried to speak but gagged on the tube stuck down her throat. Lifting a hand she tugged at the thing, trying to pull it out.

"Don't!" the doctor grabbed her hand. She shook him away and pulled at the tubes. The feeling of something that deep in her throat coming out was horrid and nauseating but she managed not to throw up.

"Get me the box under the bed." Her voice rattled and scratched at the words horribly, making them barely intelligible, but the doctor must have understood her because he crouched and lifted the box to the place next to her.

She dove into the box, throwing notebooks in all kinds of piles before pulling out the one she wanted. Not pausing she flipped through the pages quickly before coming to the last one he'd written on.

"Dance of the Dead." She whispered the words reverently lifting the book slightly to bring the words closer to her. A small sliding sound, like paper on paper, made her look down. A small business card had fallen from the pages to land on her lap. She picked up and flipped it over.

For help:

XXX-XXX-1412

"Oh." She murmured breathlessly. She turned to look at the doctor who was watching this whole thing with wide eyes. "Bring me a phone."

"Why?" he asked.

"Just do it. Please." Her actual expression of emotion must be throwing him off. She hadn't been that bad had she?

The man nodded and rushed from the room, returning moments later with one of the cordless phones she had in the house. He watched slightly breathless as she typed in the numbers carefully, making sure not to make a mistake.

It rang only a few times before she heard the click of someone answering. She spoke quickly, cutting of the youth who had answered the phone.

"Kaito-niichan? It's me, Roo. I need your help."

(A cliffhanger of sorts. It's of sorts because I'm not stopping the story!)

Suki groaned, leaning her head back on the chair, as she watched some of the other gang members playing poker. Gods, could they make it any more obvious that they were cheating?

"Hey! Senka!" Suki turned her head to the side to watch the one who had called her name approach. The other girl was wearing a slightly ripped, blue camisole with black skinny jeans. The combat boots on her feet made an audible 'thunk'ing noise as she ran over to the reclining girl, her natural red hair swinging behind her.

"What is it, Gwen?" Suki sighed, tapping the heel of her own boots against the coffee table in front of her.

"Word's goin' around that some weirdo is askin' for ya." Gwen said as she sat on the arm of Suki's chair. "They're sayin' he knows yer first name too."

"Is he from a rival gang?" Suki raised an eyebrow lazily.

"Nah." Gwen waved a hand in dismissal. "But he's been trackin' all of our members an' askin' them abou'cha."

"Tch, if he wants a brawl with me he'll find me eventually." Suki shrugged. "Nothing for me to worry about right now."

"Ok, but don' go sayin' I didn' warn ya." Gwen's tone was warning.

"No promises." Suki laughed. "Do you want to go tag some walls? I hear some of the others have started taking over our property."

"East side?" Gwen narrowed her eyes.

"Nope, south." Suki laughed when Gwen growled. Gangs were always protective of what they thought of as theirs and when other gangs started trying to take control wars could start. Those were never pretty.

"Let's get goin' then." Gwen hopped up, sprinting to the shelf on the other side of the room to grab a few cans of spray paint before meeting Suki at the door. Their walk to the south border was mostly quiet but that's what Suki liked about Gwen. She didn't pry or have the need to fill the silence with constant noise. She appreciated silence too.

When they got to the south border marker, a small mom and pop dry cleaner that hadn't been having a lot of business lately because of the gang sightings, no one was around. That itself was odd because around noon the Spikes, the gang who had property beyond their own, would always send someone to patrol the area but Suki and Gwen didn't think much of it.

They crept behind the building quietly, looking around for the cops who patrolled these streets. As soon as they were out of site of the road they turned to face the wall, stopping when they saw what was there.

Three member of the Spike gang were tied together, unconscious. Their normally black clothing, a sort of way to tell who is a friendly and who isn't in a fight, had been switched for tie-dyed evening gowns. Each of them wore some kind of wig and each wig had a neon hair color. In fact the only way Suki had been able to tell that they were part of the Spike gang was the coincidence of knowing one of the tied up men (one man whom she had hated ever since he had broken her arm in that one border brawl).

Suki had been so busy trying to keep in her snickers at the three men she almost missed the symbol on the wall though Gwen had rectified that easily enough with a tap on the shoulder.

The symbol was a cartoony looking face with a top hat and monocle on, the monocle having an odd charm hanging off of it. Apparently the top hat was at an angle because the side of the cartoon's face not covered by the monocle was covered by a shadow. The cartoon was smirking and the matching cartoonish hand next to the face was making a peace sign. A heart flouted next to it as well as if it was blowing a kiss.

The lines of the symbol were very straight like it had been drawn in chalk instead of spray painted but when Suki swiped a finger across the symbol's lines it came back clean. Obviously paint. White paint. Again odd, because gangs rarely affiliated themselves with a pure color like white. Usually it was black or some other dark color. In fact their own gang's color was dark blue.

"What should we do, Senka?" Gwen mumbled. "Is it a new gang?"

"If that's the case we need to show them that this is our territory." Suki snatched up a can of spray paint and crossed out the white symbol with dark blue paint. A quick new sketch of their symbol, a gem surrounded in horizontal wavy lines, and they were heading back to the abandoned apartment that was their gang's headquarters. Neither of them seemed to notice the dove following them.

Night fell rather quickly showing the two girls how long they'd been out as they walked up the apartment's staircase. Suddenly Gwen stopped and groaned.

"What?" Suki asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I left one o'the cans back at the border." Gwen sighed and turned around starting back down the stairs. Suki frowned at the unease settling in her stomach and ran to catch up with her.

"I'll go with you." Suki said. If Gwen found it strange that Suki was volunteering to walk all of the way back to the border she didn't say. Their walk this time was hurried and quick. Night always had a way of making gang members anxious.

When they reached the border the glow of the sun had completely disappeared and only the light of streetlamps lit their way. Suki followed Gwen behind the building; the odd churning feeling in her stomach was stronger making her jumpy.

"Got it!" Gwen cried holding up the can happily.

"Shut up!" Suki glanced around to see of anyone had heard, pausing when her eyes hit the spot where the Spike members had been.

They were gone. Suki riffled through her pockets before pulling out a small flashlight she had pick pocketed off of some rich guy in the park yesterday. She clicked the button, turning the light on, and pointed the beam at the wall.

Strange. If the Spike members had come by then why hadn't they drawn over their gang symbol?

Suddenly Gwen let out a cry and Suki spun around to see her falling to the ground. Someone grabbed Suki from behind making her drop her flashlight as she struggled. The light rolled before knocking against something and rolling the other way. Suki took a deep breath getting ready to scream, but a hand covered her mouth before she could make a sound. Footsteps were heard and someone picked up the light to shine it on the struggling Suki and the unconscious Gwen.

"Well now, isn't this a treat?" Suki froze at the sound of the man's voice, flicking her gaze up to his face.

"You." Suki growled.

"Now, now love we've been over this. Call me Wolf." The man's grin was dangerous and feral, his eyes moving to eye her figure appreciatively.

"I think I'd rather call you Douche." Suki snarled and started struggling again.

"So mean." Wolf moved towards her. "You wouldn't happen to be the ones who did that to my men would you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Suki jutted out her chin boldly.

"Of course you don't. Well I'm afraid I'll have to punish you for the embarrassment to my gang." Wolf drew a butterfly knife from his back pocket and flicked it open. Suki didn't flinch as he pressed the blade against her cheek, not even blinking when the cut began to bleed.

"So brave." Wolf complimented with a smile. "Maybe…"

He slashed at her shoulder, cutting her tank top's strap in one move and making a deep slice into her flesh.

She did wince this time.

Bad move.

"So the powerful Senka does feel pain, hm?" Wolf laughed aiming his knife for her other strap. A sudden sound had him freezing before pointing the flashlight up.

On the roof of the building sat a man in formal clothing, swinging his legs back and forth childishly. He wore a white suit jacket over a blue dress shirt, a red tie around his neck, and white dress pants that matched his jacket perfectly. A small breeze made the cape behind him flare up so he almost looked like a ghost. Suki's eyes widened at the white top hat and monocle he wore. It was exactly like the cartoon symbol from earlier right down to the charm hanging off of the monocle.

The man was smirking down at them like he knew something they didn't.

"Who the hell are you?" Wolf yelled.

"Oh dear," the strange man's voice was smooth and confident, "such language."

"Answer me!"

"I'm just a simple magician resting my wings after a long night's flight. Though now that I have found what I've been looking for I'll be leaving. If you could just hand over those two girls I'll be on my merry way." The phantom sounded teasing but Suki couldn't find a trace of a lie on his posture or voice.

"The hell you will." Wolf growled and pulled a gun from the holster on his hip, aiming at the odd man on the roof.

"Oh!" the man's voice was laughing, but he raised his hands all the same. "Please don't shoot me."

Wolf growled and fired. As soon as he did the odd man was covered in a cloud of smoke. When the smoke cleared he was no where to be found. Wolf and his men looked around in confusion.

"Did you loose something?" Wolf spun around and aimed at the stranger who had appeared behind him. When he fired again there was a puff of smoke and a small flag with the word 'bang' written on it popped out of the end. Wolf growled and threw the gun away while two of the four other men, the ones not holding Suki and Gwen, tried to tackle the man in white. The stranger laughed and dodged them expertly.

"I haven't had someone play a game of dog-pile-on-the-bandit with me in years!" he crowed before holding up a hand. "For your troubles."

He snapped. The two men disappeared under a smoke cloud. The stranger turned away as the smoke disappeared revealing the two men covered in some kind of sticky green goo.

The goon holding Gwen dropped her and made a run at the man. He dodged the punch to his head, responding with a hook around the leg making the goon fall. The stranger pulled at his cuff; taking out a handkerchief that was connected to another and another and so forth. Within the span of four seconds he had a rope of handkerchiefs, all of various colors. He tied the goon up using the handkerchief rope.

Wolf made a run at him while he was crouched, firing at his back. The man in white seemed to sense the on coming bullets because he dodged them with a frightening expertise. The stranger whipped out a can of something and sprayed Wolf in the face. Suki watched with wide eyes as the gang leader fainted, collapsing to the ground.

Finally the man turned to the goon holding Suki. He flicked his wrist making an oddly shaped gun appear in his hand. He pointed it at the goon and fired.

Suki gasped at the silenced shots coming from such a short barrel and blinked at the cards that shot out of the end, pinning the goon to the wall behind him. Suki took the chance the goon's obvious shock had provided and wriggled out of his hold. She skittered away when the man in white walked over to spray the pink gas in the goon's face like he did with Wolf, snickering when the goon fainted.

Suki looked around at the incapacitated gang members, plus one leader, in shock.

"Well now, that was successful." The man in white chuckled. "Come along then Suki-chan. We must get your friend to a doctor."

"Who are you?" Suki hissed.

"Well in this outfit you may refer to me as Kaitou KID." The man laughed and scooped up Gwen, throwing her over his shoulder as gently as possible.

"Where are you going to take us?"

"You'll just have to follow and find out, won't you?" KID gestured for her to go on ahead, towards the car that had just pulled over on the side of the road.

"How can I know I can trust you?" Suki eyed the car warily.

"You can't." KID said simply. Suki looked him over one more time before nodding to herself and climbing into the car.

(See. Better! At the house.)

Suki mumbled to herself as she slowly opened her eyes. She was in a comfortable bed in an unfamiliar room in a night gown that wasn't hers. She sat up quickly then winced at the pain in her shoulder.

"Easy there." A voice said from the corner. She whipped her head around to see a young man in a casual t-shirt and jeans sitting in a sofa with a book in hand.

"Who are you?" she hissed.

"You don't recognize me?" her eyes widened then narrowed.

"Kaitou KID?"

"… Well I guess you were young when we met the first time. Yes, I am Kaitou KID. I do have a different name out of uniform however." KID winked as he got up to walk over.

"Kuroba Kaito, magician extraordinaire. A pleasure." He flicked his wrist, making a rose appear in his hand.

"Kuroba is an odd name." Suki raised an eyebrow but took the rose when he offered it.

"Ah, sometimes I forget where I am. My first name is Kaito. Kuroba is my last." Kaito clarified as he sat at the end of her bed. "I would prefer it if you would call me Kaito-niichan though."

"Niichan?" Suki murmured in question, tapping her lips with the rose.

"It means 'big brother'." Kaito explained.

"Why would I call you big brother?" Suki snorted. "I'm older than you by at least three years."

"Wanna bet?" Kaito quirked an odd smile.

"I'm 21." Suki smirked at him.

"I am 102 years old." Kaito laughed when she stared at him.

"Right, and pigs fly." Suki scoffed.

"It's true. I only appear to be 19." Kaito protested.

"Your proof?" Suki challenged.

"Your great grandfather's name was Hakuba Saguru. Your great grandmother's name was Hakuba Aoko. Your grandfather's name is Hakuba Ichiro and your grandmother's name is Hakuba Tasha. You have an aunt named Hakuba Rose. Your father's name was Hakuba Hiro. Your mother' name is Hakuba Ruth. Your name is Hakuba Suki. You were born on June 28th. Your father died when you were five." Kaito's eyes darkened. "Your great grandparent's just died of a car crash not too long ago. Your father died of brain cancer. We sang 'Dance of the Dead' at his funeral."

"H-how…?" Suki stared at him in shock.

"I told you. I am 102 years old." Kaito's smile was firm. "I'm immortal. I never age and I can't die. I was best friends with your great grandmother since we were both five. I met your great grandfather in high school."

"B-but how? How did you become immortal?" Suki asked. Kaito's expression turned said and he sighed.

"Pandora. The gem that glows red under the light of the full moon and sheds a tear of immortality when an old comet passes Earth." Kaito said, his eyes were wistful.

"Why did you…?" Suki nearly slapped herself when Kaito's expression blanked.

"… I'm waiting." Kaito sighed lifting his feet onto the bed to curl his arms around his legs. "I'm waiting for the one I love more than anything in the world to come back to me."

"How long will it take? For them to come back?"

"I don't know." Kaito shrugged leaning his chin on his knees. "Decades? Centuries? Millennia? It doesn't matter. I will wait because that is what I promised to do."

"…" Suki didn't like the expression on Kaito's face. It was too sad. Too painful. She racked her brain for a change of subject. "Where are we?"

"At your home." Kaito said, Suki paled dramatically. He looked at her from the corner of his eye and continued. "Your friend is getting a treatment from the doctor."

"… I'm… home?" Suki asked slowly. "Wh-why did you bring me back here?"

"Your mother asked me to find you." Kaito said simply. "She said she needed you to be here with her."

"My mother hates me." Suki sneered at him. "She never leaves her room. She never talks to anyone. Where am I really?"

"You are home." Kaito's tone was scolding. "And she would not have asked me to find you if she hated you."

"She told me herself she hated me!" Suki shrieked.

"In those words?" Kaito narrowed his eyes.

"N-no." Suki shrank back slightly. "But she did tell me to leave. She told me she didn't want me here."

"Sometimes we say awful things for reasons we can't say." Kaito's voice was wise and Suki found herself listening to him. "She didn't mean what she said but she knew she couldn't let you put your own life on hold for her."

"B-but sh-she…" Suki whimpered. A sudden knock at the door had the both of them jerking up right.

"May I… come in?" Suki took a shuddering gasp at the sound of her mother's voice.

"Of course Roo-chan." Kaito said and Suki shot him a panicked look. The door opened making Suki twist back to look at the door sharply. The woman who stepped in looked nothing like the one she had known three years ago. That woman had been frail, blank, and cold. This woman was meek, her expression laid everything before you like a book, and she was filled with color.

Her hair was dyed electric blue; her outfit was a simple tie-dyed t-shirt and a pair of boot-cut jeans. Her finger nails were painted bright red and she had a little make-up on.

Suki trembled. This woman was familiar but also very, very foreign. This is what she had dreamed her mother to be, what she had been before her father's death.

"Suki…" Roo murmured in awe.

"M-mother…" Suki could feel the ice she had wrapped around her heart melting fast.

"Suki!" Roo launched herself across the room and enfolded her daughter in a large hug. "I'm so glad you're safe! Oh, Suki I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to say those horrible things! It has haunted me for years! I'm so sorry! Oh, Suki!"

"Mother… mother." Suki cried into the woman's shoulder. Kaito smiled at the two before getting up and slipping out the door. It was time to give those two a little time alone.

(See! Happy! Love!)

Time passed quickly and by the end of the week Kaito had to leave again. He gave them a promise to visit again next year. Suki was able to convince Gwen to finish high school with her and to go on to college. During her sophomore year of college she met another sophomore by the name of William Mustang who ended up being her boyfriend.

The reconnecting process with the rest of the Hakuba family was slow but steady and soon Suki and Li's daughter, Hana, were communicating everyday. Roo and Suki had organized a family reunion that everyone had attended, during which William had pulled Kaito aside and asked for his ok to ask Suki to marry him. When Kaito had asked why William had responded with 'She talks about you like you're her father and I would feel some much more confident if I had your blessing.'. Of course Kaito had said it was fine and when William got down on one knee in front of Suki she'd squealed loudly, shouting yes before tackling him in a hug.

Their marriage was a quiet affair, mainly family although Gwen had been allowed to bring her boyfriend Theodore. Kaito acted as the father during the ceremony, giving the bride away to the groom. Later he could be found watching the couples dance with affection.

(Aaaaaaand baby!)

"I'm sorry I couldn't be there Suki-chan." Kaito's voice was depressed and the woman could just imagine the pout on his face.

"No worries, Niichan. It was basically just me screaming in pain for a few hours." Suki shrugged adjusting the little bundle in her arms.

"Of course. You can't do anything quietly can you?" Kaito laughed making Suki pout.

"You're one to talk. Every time we see Kaitou KID on TV he's yelling down to his fans and doing all kinds to tricks." Suki rolled her eyes, the grinning smirk he no doubt had on his face was almost audible through the phone.

"Oh? You watch his tricks?" Kaito sounded vaguely interested.

"We laugh our heads off." Suki deadpanned making Kaito snicker. "Hey Niichan?"

"Yeeeesss?" Kaito teased.

"We were wondering if you had a name for junior here." Suki giggled at the face the baby made or had she just imagined it. "We would be honored if you would name him."

"Hmmmm, any personality traits?" Kaito sounded thoughtful. Don't hurt yourself, Suki thought.

"He's quiet. He hasn't even cried once. Although he does whine if I'm a little late to feed him." Suki said.

"Name him Saguru." Kaito said without any hesitation.

"Saguru? Why?" Suki blinked.

"He sounds exactly like your great grandfather." Kaito laughed.

"Alright." Suki peered down at her son with a kind smile. "I dub thee Saguru Mustang."

(Can you tell I'm kind of lacking when it comes to making up OC names. I mean William Mustang? Seriously?)

Yay! No death and a happy ending! Take that chapter one! Your depression couldn't last through the whole thing!

Sorry if the makeup scene between Roo and Suki was lame, cheesy, cliché, etc… I really didn't want to drag it out.

Ahem. Next chapter is the start of the true plot. The true plot took a while because I wanted to follow the way Kaito affects the family.

Hakuba Saguru has been reborn as Saguru Mustang. The reason why he gets reincarnated so soon is because he is my way of getting Kaito to Shinichi. I need him!

SHOULD THE HAKUBA PAIRING STAY AS HAKUAOKO AS IT WAS IN THE BEGINNING OR SHOULD IT CHANGE TO HAKUSHIHO? Please state your opinion because otherwise I'm choosing and you might not like it. FYI: Shiho(Haibara Ai) is going to be Shin-chan's best friend. If you're now asking about Ran all I've got to say is 'wait and see'!