AN: Well, well, here we have the penultimate chapter! It's been a ride folks, but in some ways I almost regret to say that the next chapter will be very the last. I've had fun writing this story, for the most part, though in hindsight, there are plenty of things that I would have done differently if given the chance, but overall, I'm not completely dissatisfied with the result.
With that all said and done, please enjoy this, the second to last chapter!
Phantasmal Black
Chapter Twenty
Deal
"So we finally meet, Kudo Shinichi."
"That should be my line." Shinichi said simply, as he took a seat. "I wish I could say it was a pleasure, but I'm not much of one for telling lies. Though I don't assume the same is true of you, Merlot."
"Perhaps I did lie, just a bit." Merlot said simply, an almost peaceful smile crossing her face. "But sometimes the lies that we tell can end up becoming the truth."
"Not this time, it didn't." Shinichi told her, keeping his tone level. That was bait, and he wasn't going to take it. "Hattori is back with us, where he belongs."
"Yes, but for how long?" Merlot asked. "You'll send all the others marching off to the gallows, but not him? You're a rather cold man, Kudo-san."
"Sending them to their deaths wasn't my choice." Inwardly, Shinichi winced, realizing that his tone had been sharper than he'd intended. That was what she wanted from him, he sensed, and that was exactly what he couldn't give her. "If I could have, I would have prevented it."
"I see. My mistake then." Merlot said, closing her eyes. "You're not cold, you're soft. It's a wonder that you've managed to protect anything, nevermind for this long."
"Sometimes a little softness is needed." Shinichi said, his lips tightening in a frown. "But I suppose that's not something you would understand, Merlot. Not after everything that you put Hattori through- and not just him, but the others, too. You can't just lay the blame at my feet for their deaths when you're the one who lead them to it."
"Of course not." Merlot said, opening her eyes. "They only have themselves to blame for allowing themselves to get caught in the first place, much like it is no fault but my own that I am here now. I trained them better than that, and yet they still failed, so that's just simply as far as their talent could take them. It's not anything that I have anything to do with."
"You really believe that, don't you?" Shinichi asked. "You're almost exactly like I expected you to be."
"Well I must say, I'm glad that I could live up to your expectations." Merlot told him, carefully placing her hands in her lap. It was eerie, really, how calm she seemed to be. She would be facing the death penalty for sure, and yet it seemed as if it didn't bother her at all.
Heiji, from what little he'd managed to speak of with him, seemed convinced that she wouldn't attempt to flee. That was something that they would have to disagree on, because Shinichi didn't find himself so sure about that. It was an impression that he had since before he had stepped into the room with her, but doing so had only made it stronger.
Heiji of the past would probably be delighted to know that he hoped he was the one who would turn out to be right.
"Why Hattori?" Shinichi finally asked, breaking the silence with something he had wanted to ask from the very start. There was no room for beating around the bush here. "Why out of all people, did you pick Hattori?"
"Because he had talent." Merlot said simply. "I saw that much with my own two eyes. If there was anything holding him back, it was his unwillingness to actually kill people."
"So you fixed that?" Shinichi asked, nearly wanting to spit out the words.
"Yes, you could say that." Merlot said, smiling at him. "Just as I thought, once I began to properly train him, he picked up on things rather quickly. I've trained many assassins in my day, but I must say, that Paikaru was probably my finest work yet. It's a shame he allowed himself to go soft, wasting all of that. But I suppose that's just all he was worth, in the end."
"But I wonder too, how long that will last."
"It will." Shinichi told her, resolution in his voice. "If Hattori," not caring how much it would give her what he wanted, he made damn sure to emphasize his name, "...didn't kill you, it'll last."
"You speak with the confidence of someone who has never killed a person." Merlot said, her gaze only now meeting with that of his own. "It's not such a simple matter to get away from, this sort of life."
"He will." Shinichi insisted. "I know Hattori."
"You say that, but in truth, I'm the one who has known him longer, aren't I?" Merlot asked- and at that, he did bristle, for as much as he wanted to protest, he knew it was true. She'd clearly done her homework, if she knew that much. "Even if his memories do return, he'll always remain the pupil that I created."
"You didn't even know Paikaru." Shinichi told her, his back straightening. "Don't assume that you can know Hattori as well."
"Then, let's make a bet, Kudo-san." Merlot said, leaning back in her chair, crossing one leg over the other. "There's very little doubt that I'm going to be executed, once tried. Let's see... let's say that if Paikaru manages to avoid killing anyone until then, it will be your win. And if he fails to, well..."
"I'm not going to take that bet." Shinichi said, rising to his feet. He'd gotten what he had came here for, if not as much as he'd hoped for, and sensed that he would get nothing else out of this woman other than whatever it was that she wanted from him- and that he wouldn't allow. "I'm not going to insult Hattori like that."
"Oh?" Merely arching a brow, Merlot looked up at him, her smile not fading. "It sounds to me you're insulting him a lot more by not accepting it. But I suppose there is wisdom in not taking a losing a hand."
To that, Shinichi had nothing to say. There was no answer he could give her, he sensed, that would not in some way be playing entirely into her hands. Even silence was allowing her to have more from him than he wanted to give, but it was far better than any of the alternatives.
He was starting to understand how it was that she could have manipulated Heiji as she had. Someone as straightforward and honest as Hattori Heiji was, not to mention with the memory loss as a factor... he never even stood a chance.
"She's a hard one to talk to, isn't she?"
"I take it you've already had a chance to then, Jodie-san." Allowing his shoulders to slump, Shinichi cast a half smile in Jodie's direction. There was sympathy in her voice, for that, he was grateful. "It went almost exactly as I expected, but there's limits to what one can prepare themselves for."
"The more you deal with this type, the easier it gets." Jodie noted. "Well, at the very least, you can rest assured that we won't give her any chances to escape. I'd very much like to fully put this Organization business behind me, and I'm sure that's even more true for you, Cool Kid."
"I haven't heard you call me that in forever." Shinichi noted, his smile growing a bit stronger. "I'm not exactly a child anymore, Jodie-san."
If he had to be honest, he was glad that it was Jodie who had come to pick him up, rather than Akai. While he respected the FBI investigator's talent, between the two of them, he was the one more difficult to deal with when it came to things like this. Especially with things still up in the air as they were- it would have only made for a very awkward, very silent time.
"I suppose that's true." Jodie admitted. "It seems that in the time between us last seeing each other, you've become a splendid detective. Not that I ever doubted that you would. You've always been talented."
At the way he flinched at the word, Jodie could only frown. "Did I say something wrong?"
"No, it's not that." Shinichi said, shaking his head. It wasn't as if she could have heard any of their conversation, so it wasn't as if she knew. "It's just... she called Hattori talented. If I have to be honest, that bothers me."
"Talented?" Jodie blinked, the gears quickly working in her head, her eyes narrowing. Since he had only gone over the story in brief with them, she knew that there were plenty of parts that had been left out- what he had told them was only what he felt it was vital for them to know. "In that way?"
"In that way." Shinichi repeated, nodding his head. "I asked her, why she targeted Hattori in the first place. That's what she told me. I already knew that much, but... hearing it straight from her was something that I wasn't half as ready for as I thought I was."
"I guess in some respects, maybe I am still a child." Shinichi admitted.
"I don't think that necessarily makes you a child. Anyone would be bothered to hear something like that about someone they think of as a friend." Jodie told him. "And I can't say that I agree with her sentiment either, though I admit that I don't know Hattori-kun as well as you do, Kudo-kun."
"Neither do I." Shinichi said. "But it also remains a fact that because I drew him into the fight, he ended up catching her interest. If it hadn't been for that... well, he would probably lived the past five years of his life normally, with his own name. I don't think I can run away from that blame."
"Kudo-kun-" Jodie began, before she let out a sigh, closing her mouth. Somehow, she got the feeling that she wasn't the first person to try and convince him otherwise- and if even those much closer to him couldn't manage it, then she doubted that she would do any good. "I'll do what I can for him, for Hattori-kun. James and I will."
"You've already contacted him?" Shinichi asked. "That was fast."
"With a development this big, it's only natural that I would." Jodie told him. "I did tell him about Hattori-kun's situation too. He said he would look into a few matters, but for the moment, I don't know anything else. At the very least, I can tell you that arrangements to expedite both Gin and Merlot to America have already begun."
"I see." Shinichi said, nodding his head. "That's good."
Sensing that she hadn't quite told him what he wanted to hear the most, Jodie nevertheless felt the need to tell him something. "Once I know anything more about Hattori-kun, I'll tell you right away. Until then, as long as he doesn't intend to run away, Shu and I have no intention of apprehending him. From the sound of it, he needs time to recover anyways. We both will be stopping by to see him for ourselves though, later today, if that would be possible."
"Sorry, Jodie-san. And thank you." Shinichi said, feeling a slight bit of relief at her words. "As for your request, I think that should work. I did already inform him that the two of you might visit today, so he's probably more than ready. I know you probably have your fair share of work that you need to get done, so I'd rather not hold you up, after asking for such a big favor as I have. I won't give you cause to regret it, though."
"I don't think you'd be so desperate if I would." Jodie noted.
"Do I really seem that desperate?" Shinichi asked, blinking a little. "I was hoping for a more collected impression."
"When it comes to our loved ones, it's only natural to be a bit desperate." Jodie noted. "I'm sure that Hattori-kun counts himself as lucky to have you, Kudo-kun."
"It's not just me he has." Shinichi said, a faint smile on his face. "To be honest, if it was just me, I don't think he'd be sticking around, injured or otherwise."
"For that Toyama girl, then?" Jodie asked.
"Of course." Shinichi said, closing his eyes. "He loves her, after all."
Akai Shuichi was waiting for them at the hospital.
He supposed he should count himself grateful that he hadn't gone to visit Heiji on his own, having an awful feeling about how such an encounter would have turned out. Briefly, he found himself wondering if he knew anything of Rye, before concluding that he must have, seeing the bitter feelings that Gin held towards the once mole.
He couldn't help but wonder if once he was through with him, Gin had planned to turn Paikaru on Akai. He doubted that he would be an easy man to kill though, seeing as he had already managed to escape death once. And while he himself had been instrumental in that, it was not a plan that would have worked out in the end if everyone involved hadn't done exactly what they had needed to do.
Even Gin, in a sense.
"Jodie." Akai's gaze slid towards them, taking note of his fellow investigator first. "Kudo-kun. I've been waiting."
"Not too long, I hope." Shinichi noted. He had to wonder if he'd so much as bothered to go and visit his sister- he wouldn't have many more chances to, seeing as she was leaving to return to Tokyo in a few hours. Ai and the Professor had already left, in the company of Kaito, the former not wanting to be in the same city as Gin for much longer, however confined he was.
He'd asked her, just once, if she wanted to go and meet Gin for herself, to bring some closure to everything. Ai had rejected him, however, claiming that it was for the best that he continued to remain unaware that Haibara Ai existed, just in case something went wrong. That too, was likely the reason that she was living the city so soon, returning to what was now once again her safe haven.
"Not at all." Akai said simply. "I tried to visit him myself, but the young woman with the ribbon refused to let me in."
Making a mental note to both thank Kazuha for that later, Shinichi briefly blinked at Akai's description of her none the less. Kazuha hadn't worn a ribbon in her hair since her college years, and she certainly hadn't been when he'd seen her last. In between now and then, something must have possessed her to tie it up once more- perhaps she thought that by going back to her previous hairstyle, it would serve to jog Heiji's memories more.
He'd ask about it later, but for the moment, it wasn't that important.
"She's pretty protective of him." Shinichi noted. "I don't think she wants to let anyone in that she doesn't know."
"I see." Akai merely noted, his expression barely shifting. "So that would be the rumored childhood friend of his."
"That's her alright." Shinichi said, glancing between the two FBI agents, letting out a slight sigh. "Well, since you're both already here, I suppose we might as well go up and see him. Provided the doctor isn't with him at the moment."
"We can wait if they are." Jodie noted. "Before anything else, he's a patient right now."
"Thanks." Shinichi told her. "From the sound of it, the doctor doesn't want him to move around too much, but who knows how long he'll listen. Hattori was never much of one for staying in one place for hours on end. I get the impression that's only gotten even worse."
"Were his injuries that serious?" Jodie asked, following behind him into the hospital proper. Akai lingered behind them, for a moment longer, before he fell into step behind them.
"He was in critical condition there for awhile. The doctors say that he's making quick improvement, though." Shinichi told them. "That's part of the reason why I held off on talking to the two of you about him. I wanted to wait until his condition was more stable."
"Well, with injuries that serious, even if he makes an attempt to run away, it's unlikely he'll get far." Akai noted.
Shinichi was fully aware that he hadn't said that to make him bristle, but nevertheless, he did. It took a fair share of willpower to prevent himself from pivoting sharply on his heel, informing him that Heiji would never do something like that. Speaking with Merlot must have bothered him more than he had thought, if the comment had gleaned that much of a reaction from him- especially because he knew that it wasn't entirely an unfounded concern.
From the perspective of an outsider, Heiji really did have no reason to stick around. Even if a deal could be arranged with the FBI, he had far more to lose from it, than he would have to gain. If he were to flee, even they would have difficulty tracking him down. For someone who had expressed a desire for freedom, the latter was more logical.
Instead, Shinichi settled for drawing in his breath, keeping his voice level and calm. "He won't."
"Mm." The rather noncommittal response that he received from the man was entirely within what Shinichi expected. As he thought, he really would be the more difficult of the two to deal with, even if between them, he owed him all the more.
Not that he liked to view it that way. He hadn't come up with that plan so Akai could owe him one later- he'd done it because the FBI needed him, and because having an unexpected ace up their sleeves would be useful in the fight against the Organization.
He'd been right. He could only hope that he'd be right about this, too.
"What, so ya actually know this shady lookin' guy, Kudo-kun?"
"That I do." Shinichi told her, having to fight to keep his expression neutral. Shady looking guy wasn't a bad description of Akai Shuichi- the first time that he had seen him, he'd thought much the same as well. "These are Akai Shuichi and Jodie Starling, members of the FBI. They're here to visit Hattori."
Come to think of it, this really was the first time Kazuha had ever met Akai. In light of that, she couldn't blame her for trying to chase him away from Heiji's hospital room.
"What, he's with the FBI? Why didn't he just say so?" Kazuha asked, folding her arms in front of her chest. She really had tied her hair back up in a ribbon, Shinichi noted, not missing the way that it frayed slightly at the edges. It must have been a rather old one- come to think of it, her home wasn't far from here, she'd probably taken the chance to go back and get it.
He wondered if she'd spoken with her father yet, or her mother, for that matter. That too, he would save for later.
"Would you have let him in if he'd told you?" Shinichi asked, merely arching a brow.
"No." Kazuha said firmly, shooting what he was entirely certain was a warning look towards the man. "But since he's here with ya, Kudo-kun, I guess I'll let him pass."
"Thanks, Kazuha. Hopefully we won't take up too much of your time. How's he doing?" Shinichi asked. "If he's resting, we can come back later."
"Now's fine." Kazuha said, stepping aside. "But do try an' be careful ta not do anythin' that might excited him too much. Doctor says he seems a bit feverish."
Dimly wondering how much of that had to do with Kazuha's constant presence in his room, Shinichi decided to instead bite his tongue on such a comment. Instead, he merely flashed Kazuha a smile, nodding his head. "We'll be careful, don't worry. Akai-san and Jodie-san both just want to have a few words with him."
"Then, please do pardon us." Jodie spoke up. As she entered into the room behind Shinichi, her gaze flickered back towards Akai, sensing that the young woman's words had largely been meant for him. If he was anything like the young man that she remembered, she could understand why- the two of them did have rather clashing personalities.
"I see ya brought some people with ya, Kudo-han."
The voice, Jodie thought, at the very least, was familiar. Narrowing her eyes as she felt the hair on the back of her neck prickle upwards, she drew in a breath, preparing herself for what was likely to be a difficult, if not important conversation. She really did want to help him- but that all depended on what kind of person this Paikaru was.
On guard, wary, but perhaps both of those things were to be expected. Not only would they both be strangers to him, one of them a true stranger to their core, but they were also members of the FBI, who had been chasing the tail of the Organization for years, even after it had largely fallen to pieces.
"Like I promised, Jodie Starling and Akai Shuichi from the FBI." Shinichi told him. "I would have called ahead to give you more time to prepare, but Akai-san was already waiting here when we arrived."
"No, I kinda figured it was somethin' like that when Kazuha told me that she chased away someone from the door." Heiji admitted, leaning back in his bed. He'd been propped upright, and was trying to look as composed as anyone could manage while they were wearing a hospital gown.
And doing rather well at it, Shinichi couldn't help but note.
"So, what do two investigators from the FBI want from me?" Heiji asked, glancing between the both of them. "Though I think I can make a few guesses."
"We heard about your story from Kudo-kun here, Hattori-kun." Jodie spoke up, taking a step forward. As she did so, the feeling of wariness grew tighter around the young man, watching to make sure that she didn't take a step out of line. He was injured and unarmed, but clearly not helpless, she noted.
"So ya came ta speak with me yerselves? I'm flattered." Heiji remarked, arching a brow. "I'm told I know one of ya. Or knew, rather, seein' as I don't so much anymore. I'm guessin' that'd be ya, blonde neechan."
"That would be correct." Jodie said. "But not very well, I will add. Still, I must apologize to you, Hattori-kun. Had we searched for you harder after what happened on that boat, perhaps all of this could have been avoided. You were under our care, and we failed you."
"So what, yer gonna let me go because of that?" Cracking a joke was not what one anyone expected in this situation- and yet, that was what he found himself doing. "That's might kind of ya."
"I'm afraid it's not quite that simple." Though his serious tone left them wondering for a moment if Akai had really perceived the joke as a joke, a moment's thought lead them to the conclusion that Akai hadn't missed this, only had chosen it as a bridge into the conversation. "I've read up quite a bit on you in preparation for this meeting, Paikaru, and I must say, your record is rather extensive."
At the mention of his codename, Heiji's expression briefly became unreadable. "I thought Kudo-han would have told ya already, but I don't go by that name anymore."
"My mistake." Akai said simply. "It was Hattori-kun, wasn't it?"
"That's right." Heiji said, leaning a bit forward, his brow furrowing together. "Hattori Heiji. Don't ya forget it!"
There was a bitter irony in those words- one that they all recognized, but not one that any dared to comment on.
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind." Akai said simply, all but brushing the words aside. "But the fact of the matter is, unless there's value to us, there's a limit to what exactly we can do in this situation, even if we do have some form of responsibility for it. And of course, it depends on the person in question, and if they truly intend to repent for their crimes or not."
"Shu's right." Jodie noted, ignoring the way the young man's brow arched at the nickname. "We'll do what we can to prevent the worst, Hattori-kun, but ultimately, the one who will have the final say is our boss, not us."
"Well, seein' as the worst is my neck on the choppin' block, I'd say that's already a pretty good deal." Heiji noted, shrugging his shoulders, trying to play the whole thing off as if it were no big deal. "But ta think that ya even have friends inside the FBI, Kudo-han. I gotta say, I'm glad I'm not yer enemy."
Only dimly realizing that might have been the wrong thing to say after it had slipped out, Heiji flinched. They could have been enemies- if they had never crossed paths this way, he might have ended up ending his life before he even had the chance to speak with him. The fact that that was a very real possibility had probably never left Shinichi's mind.
For his part, however, Shinichi took the comment without flinching. Instead he merely closed his eyes, giving the Osakan something of a distant smile, knowing that he hadn't said it with the intent of bringing up the worst. The fact that he was allowing himself to be somewhat careless with his words was proof that regardless of how wary he might seem, in some respects, his guard was actually down.
"Same here, Hattori." Shinichi said simply, opening his eyes, wondering if he averted them a bit too quickly, opting to direct his gaze towards Jodie and Akai. "What did James say the prospects were?"
"He didn't say anything when I called him before." Jodie told him, shaking her head. "I think he was waiting partially on our assessment."
"Well? Did I pass?" Heiji couldn't help but ask, forcing a quick grin on his face. "At the very least, I can assure ya that it's my intention ta repent fer what I've done, if yer offerin' me that chance. It's not like I wanted ta become an assassin in the first place."
"You could have run away." Akai noted.
"Do ya really think that I had that choice?" Heiji asked, leveling his gaze with him. "By the time I realized somethin' was wrong, it was pretty much already too late. Besides, that old woman would sooner see me dead than free, seein' as she tried ta kill me once she realized that I wasn't goin' ta come back to her."
"Not much in point in runnin' away either, if I don't have any place ta run ta." Heiji added.
"And is that what Kudo-kun was to you?" Akai asked, returning the held gaze. "An means of escape?"
"At first, yeah." Heiji said simply, before letting out a snort. "Never thought I would have actually turned out ta know the guy." There was a slight pause there, as he seemed to correct himself. "...known."
"He did actually pretty much let me capture him." Shinichi noted. "And the person that he was sent to Tokyo to kill in the first place is very much still alive. That was how Merlot knew that something was wrong in the first place, and why she came out all this way to find him."
For the moment, he would leave out the part of the girl whose life he had spared. He didn't think bringing up the fact that he had spared her because of her close resemblance to Kazuha was going to affect Akai's thoughts very much. It probably wouldn't hurt... but that probably wasn't something that Heiji wanted discussed with people who really were complete strangers to him.
He didn't even know if he'd breached the subject with Kazuha yet.
"I see." Jodie said. "You did mention something about that, before."
"Figured it couldn't hurt." Heiji said with a shrug. "Even if I couldn't cut a deal with the guy, I figured that I could escape easy enough."
It was probably for the best that he didn't voice that his originally planned method of escape had involved murder- even if his identity had already been compromised, the less traces he left behind, the better off he was. It was a thought that brought with it considerable guilt- and one that he knew that even if he didn't say it out loud, everyone probably realized anyways.
"Well, now you might be able to cut a deal with us, Hattori-kun." Jodie told him, breaking the somewhat awkward, if not brief, silence that had fallen over the room. "Once I know something more, I'll be sure to contact you. The both of you, directly."
"Then, I'm lookin' forward ta that, blonde neechan~!"
"I was startin' ta get the feelin' they'd never leave."
"What, ya jealous?" Letting the tension wash out of his body, a note of teasing slipped out from him. For some reason, when it was just the two of them, he found himself able to relax. Maybe it was because they were childhood friends, or maybe it was because of something more- but that was something he was going to take his time figuring out. As Kazuha slipped into the room, he slipped down, his head coming to rest on his pillow once more. Between meeting with his father and the FBI, today had been a busy day, even though he'd barely left his bed.
He was already itching to, but even he wasn't about to go against the doctor's orders so soon. He wasn't particularly fond of the idea of accidentally opening up his injuries again. He liked the idea of Kazuha getting mad at him about it even less.
"An' what if I said I was?" Kazuha asked, a faint smile tracing her face at the way he flustered at that remark. Heiji being flustered was still a rather novel concept for her, and to be honest, it wasn't one that she particularly minded. It was, however, something that she would have to keep in mind, so she didn't actually kill the guy by being too nice to him.
Considering his limit seemed to be pretty low, that might prove difficult.
"So? What did they say?" Kazuha asked, taking a seat on the foot of his bed. "Kudo-kun was seein' 'em out, so I didn't get a chance ta talk ta him about it."
"Nothin' much." Heiji told her, shaking his head. "Just that they were in contact with their boss or somethin' like that about the matter. Guess they're at least willin', which is probably more than I deserve."
"Don't say that, Heiji!" Kazuha said, the bed creaking as she leaned closer to him. "I won't allow that kind of talk!"
"It's true though." Heiji told her, letting out a loud yawn. "I don't think my victims would agree either."
"Just the fact that yer even thinkin' about them is proof enough that I'm the one in the right here." Kazuha said, her voice resolute. "But it's true that ya shouldn't forget them either, or what ya've done, so I guess yer not entirely wrong either, Heiji."
"See?" Heiji asked, closing his eyes. "I don't plan too, though."
"Good." Kazuha said, nodding her head. Scooting a little closer to them, Kazuha placed a hand over his own, feeling his fingers twitch underneath the contact. It wasn't due to being flustered- but rather, because of something else. Though she sensed he was at his most relaxed when she was around, it would seem that even that wasn't enough to undo what had been ground into him.
With time, perhaps.
"I met him, ya know."
"Who?" Kazuha asked, peering down at him. His eyes were still closed, his expression otherwise unreadable. "Akai-san?"
"No." Heiji said. "Hattori Heiji."
"Yer Hattori Heiji." Kazuha pointed out, arching a brow. Maybe he actually needed to rest, because it seemed as if lack of sleep was getting to him. "In case ya forget."
"I haven't." Heiji said, peeking one eye open, a trace of a grin on his face. There was an edge to it that Kazuha couldn't quite place... something a bit melancholy, perhaps. "Not the current me, but the past me."
"Yer not makin' much sense, ya know." Kazuha noted.
"In my dreams." Heiji told her, closing both eyes once more. "Well, in the end, he was nothin' more than just a figment of my subconscious, if not a rather chatty one."
"That sounds like ya alright." Kazuha remarked. That made a bit more sense, if not a whole lot- but she might as well let him finish. "So? What did he say ta ya?"
"A lot of things." Heiji told her. "At first he resented me. Can't say I blame him. Said I didn't any right ta his name."
"It's yer name." Kazuha simply stated.
"I guess it is. Back then, I hadn't really accepted it just yet." Heiji told her, leaving out the part where he still hadn't quite accepted it, even now. He was getting used to it- just a bit. But when that man had used his codename... as he thought, in the end, that still was what felt the most natural to him.
It would change, with time. At least, he hoped it would.
"An'?" Kazuha asked. "What else did he say? The old Heiji, I mean."
"Said he was surprised I'd stick my neck out like I had." Heiji told her. "Fair point, seein' as I surprised even myself."
"Back when Merlot appeared the first time?" Kazuha asked.
"That's right." Heiji told her, turning his head slightly. He already knew that even if he fell asleep, he wouldn't see the specter of what once was any longer. He was no longer needed. "The third time..."
"I'm leavin' the job of bein' Hattori Heiji up ta you now, Paikaru. Give it yer best shot, come what may."
"The third time?" Kazuha asked.
"The third time, he left everythin' up ta me." Heiji finally told her, opening his eyes, giving her something of an awkward smile. "Well, though I imagine I'll make a rather lackluster Hattori Heiji, at least fer awhile. I'll give it my best though, Kazuha, so as not ta let ya an' everyone else down."
As well as himself.
"Well, in order ta do that, I'll need ta face my memories." Heiji said. "Even if I almost don't want ta. But I guess I've been runnin' away from them fer long enough already."
"Ya wouldn't let us down, Heiji. Ya've proven that more than enough." Kazuha told him, wondering if that Haibara girl had told him after all. From the sound of it, she had, at least a little. "But if ya want ta face them, I'll be here with ya."
"Thanks, Kazuha." Closing his eyes once more, already feeling his body starting to succumb to the pull of sleep, Heiji could only marvel that he actually felt comfortable around her enough in order to do so. "Fer everythin'."
"I should be the one thankin' ya, Heiji." Kazuha said, her tone growing soft. From the way that the bed creaked, and her hand had slipped away from his, he knew that she had gotten up. It felt almost a bit lonely, really. "Fer comin' home."
The kiss that she planted on his forehead not only caught him off guard, but was enough to completely jolt him awake.
It was several days before they had any kind of answer.
Several long days, full of waiting. Both for the answer to what would happen next, and for Heiji to recover. By the time that Jodie returned to the hospital, Heiji was nearly well enough to be discharged.
She didn't come with handcuffs in hand, which was probably a good sign. She also came alone- Akai had left, to accompany Gin and Merlot back to America. They had received word that their plane had touched down there with no problems only the day before, and it had caused everyone to let out a small breath of relief.
That had been one thing, at least, off of their plates.
As for the other...
In the end, it was just the four of them there. Hakuba had work to do elsewhere, but it was probably for the best that he wasn't present, Shinichi found himself thinking. Even if he had been the one who had brought this all to his attention in the first place, in the end, though he had seemed to cut Heiji some slack in the end, he had ultimately never accepted it.
Someone had to, he had said.
That left the four of them. Himself and Heiji, of course, but Kazuha and Ran as well. He'd thought about bringing Heizo in, but the man had told him quite firmly that the next time he came to visit, it would be with his wife.
He suspected the main reason he was holding off in both telling her the truth, and bringing her for a visit, was because he was afraid her overzealous indulgence might end up opening Heiji's wounds back up. He'd know best, so Shinichi kept his lips sealed.
It wasn't until everyone had sat down that Jodie finally spoke, drawing in a long breath. From her expression alone, it was hard to gauge what the answer had been- but she appeared to be rather serious.
"We have a proposal."