Chapter VI: Epilogue – My Family.

Slowly, everyone who was outside came in quietly to welcome Patricia Albarn-Evans.

Patty was the first one to be surprised to know the little buddle of joy happened to have her name, but when Soul and Maka told her that she was granted the titled of godmother, well… she cried. Really, she cried of joy. It was weird, but pleasant to see. Patty was always this cheerful woman with boundless energy, but there were times when people forgot how mature, wise, even very lady-like she could be. As she carried Patricia in her arm, the newly appointed godmother wished to her goddaughter promising her to take her to Africa and see real-life giraffes. I guess some things never change.

It was Spirit and Kami's turn to hold the little Patricia. For the first time in her life, Maka was more than happy to see her parents reunited together holding their granddaughter. It wasn't easy for them to be together thanks for her father cheating ways. But seeing them together, Maka thought that maybe, just maybe, with capital letters all over because she wasn't really hoping for it, but perhaps her father might have changed his ways. He did stopped going in bars and his womanizing ways for quite a while now. Actually, he stopped that since Soul and Maka got officially together. Perhaps he was a changed man.

Everyone had their turn to stare at the newborn. Liz was crying rivers of joy. Typical of her, but very appreciated. So did Tsubaki. Blair was crying, but happy to have a new kitten around the house. It was funny, but she always had a maternal side that she expressed towards Soul and Maka. These two were glad she was part of the family. Obviously, Kid complimented the new parents for their child's perfect symmetry. They chuckled a laugh, but coming from him, it meant gold. Black*Star, the self-proclaimed God even had tears to his eyes. Not because of Patricia's adorableness, but mostly because of Soul asking him to be his daughter's godfather. It was logical that it had to be him; no matter how loud of a mouth he could be, Soul couldn't see anyone else than his best friend to be the godfather. After all, Soul saw him as a brother and he couldn't be more proud to call him family.

Needless to say, everyone minus Kami was all happy about one certain detail: Patricia was genuinely Soul's daughter by blood. That was the most amazing and beautiful news they could get. And speaking of that, Hiro wasn't in the room. Perhaps he wanted to greet Patricia out of everyone's sight, other than Soul's and Maka's. But he would have to brace himself for one hell of a surprise.

Everyone let Maka and Soul enjoy some alone time with their daughter as she wiggled playfully in her mother's arms. The doors swung and there he was: Hiro.

He stood tall, confident, as if the world was waiting for him, without an expression dressing his face. Maka looked uneasy and her eyes looked for safety in Soul's. As for the last death scythe, his sight was full of challenge and dare, something never shown before. Maka couldn't stop smiling. She redirected her attention to her daughter, while Soul stood a step short from Hiro's face.

"I would like to see my daughter." Hiro said in a heavy voice.

"Your daughter?" Soul scoffed. "I'm sorry, but… no, wait, I'm not sorry. Your daughter is not here. Only me, MY wife and MY daughter!"

"Soul, I know I did a mistake and I said I'd take responsibilities about my actions. And you even agreed that I would be her uncle—"

"Except she isn't your daughter." This time, Maka raised her voice. Not enough to make her baby cry, but with enough dominance in her voice to make her point. "She is Soul's."

"What she said." Soul replied.

"Enough of this…" Hiro said. "You know that by blood, she's—"

"Wanna bet on that?" Soul said. Hiro started looking confused.

"Of course she is mine by blood."

"Well, why don't you have a look at her and see how she resembles you?" Soul walked by to Maka's side. To be exactly sure next to her and his daughter.

Hiro walked slowly, confusion ruling his face. As he walked to Maka's other side, this one lightly flinched a little, as if Hiro would try something to her, but Soul gave her a small squeeze, reassuring her. And finally, Hiro discovered the truth: his daughter didn't exist. Only Maka and Soul's. As he stared at her red orbs, he was crumbling down on the inside, deception killing all hopes in his heart, hope that somehow he could have been bonded to Maka. But no, it was lost, forever this time.

"She's…" Hiro didn't dare looking at bother of them. "She has your eyes."

"Damn right, she does. And I couldn't ask more than that." Soul's voice was calm, but there was a hint of a storm about to explode in any minute now.

"I… Well… My congratulations to you two." A sad smile lifted his lips in sadness. Of course he was crushed. Maka did feel a bit sorry for him as well, but knowing that Patricia had Soul's blood in her veins quickly dismissed the dread.

"Wait." Soul held Hiro who was about to go through the door.

"I have nothing more to do or say, Soul. But… I'm glad she's your daughter. I really am. I'm happy that you were able to be together at the end… and—"

"Cut the bullshit, Hiro." The death scythe cut him calmy. "Happy for me? For us? During those last 10 months, you have NO idea the train wreck of Hell I've been through. Thanks to you, I almost lost the one I love and even my daughter since Maka was thinking of making an abortion to make sure not a trace of you would be born." Silence reigned for a few seconds. Hiro looked slammed by the words thrown at him. "I've always known you had a thing for Maka, since our days at Shibusen. But you know something? I never was mad at you. Because any guy with a brain would have killed to have a girl like Maka at their side. The Hiro I knew back then, he wasn't as close of a friend like Kid or Black*Star, but he was a friend, a loyal one and I would have had his back if his ass was in danger. And when that thing happened between you and her. Okay, yes, she was mad at me, she had WAAAY too many drinks." He turned to Maka. "You're completely forgiven by the way, I'm just making a point." Maka smiled at the words. Soul sure didn't want to mess her day with bringing that up again. "But you, you weren't. Worse than that, Blair TRUSTED you in bringing Maka back home safely. You could have rejected her, pushed her away from seducing you, but no… far from that. You actually took advantage of the situation by wanting to leave a mark on her, using your feelings that you once had for her as an excuse. You saw an opening in her weakened state and you jumped right in. So I'm sorry if I'm having a difficult time trusting you when you say, 'Oh, I'm glad you were able to work things up.'"

The silence became harshly heavy. Soul REALLY wasn't messing up. To add up, his whole back and the side of his arms erupted in scythe blades. Hiro knew them too damn well already as he flinched a bit backward.

"Don't worry, I won't kill you." He said. "But as soon as you walked through that door, I don't ever want to see you again. Not even in Death City. You triy to contact me, I'll kill you. You try to contact with Maka and my girl, I'll kill you. Hell, you even mess with someone's relationship and it could even be people I don't even know, if I get wind of this, I'll travel across the world, and I'll kill you. Now, do me a favor; start disappearing."

Trembling with fear and loaded with disgust, and guilty of it, the blond man turned around and passed through the door to never been seen again. A loud shout from Black*Star saying, "IN YOUR FUCKING FACE, YOU BLONDE ASSHOLE!" was heard. Soul couldn't be happier to hear this.

"Was I too hard, Maka?" Her husband asked as he walked back to her.

Maka thought how terrifying Soul was towards Hiro. Not the terrifying type that would scare her. But more like the devotion he saw in Soul to protect what he held dearly. She shook her head in response. "No, you did good, Soul. But…" She met his eyes. "Will you ever forget and forgive me… for the wrong I did to—"

Soul lifted her chin carefully and landed his lips on hers. "Maka, that is in the past now… And I've already forgiven you. And you know what?"

"What?" She said softly.

Soul let Patricia hold his long pianist index. "This right there is now our present and future."

Maka smiled and it was as if the last of her worries melted away. "Yes, and its beautiful."

On cue, Patricia giggled at the sight of her parents, who couldn't help smiling and giggling as well.

***

Soul, Maka, and now their newborn daughter Patricia. Bonds are things that are forged in time and fire. And those fires are called feelings, emotions. Some are good, others are bad, and these two went through them all with what happened to their relationship. And yet, here they are; united as ever and more in love than ever before.

Actually…

Perhaps even beyond more than ever, considering the fact that as soon as they got home, they were always working their way to make another buddle of joy.

Needless to say, their family would grow quite big; in happiness, love, joy… and in number of children.

THE END.