Fact About The Story: because the name doesn't look it, Kei's mother's name is pronounced (KEER- ah) Kind of got the idea form Deathnote.
It literally means 'dark' and is Gaelic.
Chapter 33: From One to Another
I was in the hospital for the entire four days. It had even taken some coaxing and reassurances from my mom to get them to release me after they were over. The wound was closed up, and anything too acrobatic was out of the question for a while, but I could move freely on my own without any pain.
I left behind a trail of angry first floor doctors and some of the people on the second floor with me cheered as I left. I had to be good to my neighbors after all so the people downstairs had gotten most of my wrath. Upstairs, I had performed. Downstairs I had pranked. But magic, after all, helps the healing process, even if it turns your apple juice neon pink.
One elderly lady who'd been two rooms down from mine came out to say goodbye. We both knew she didn't have long but we smiled at each other anyways. Her family members were there for her so I wasn't worried.
Upon leaving, feeling the fresh air fill my nose and, knowing that I wouldn't have to smell the cleanliness of the hospital again – at least, I hoped not for a while – I felt like a dog kept on too short a leash and finally let free.
I'd gone to Kudo's first.
Of course I'd taken the bus instead of the hang glider since it 'might have injured me', and Kudo had the audacity not to be there when I showed up. Knowing him, he was off on a case so I waited inside the detective's office for them to get back. It was easy enough to pick the lock.
I heard them coming long before they made it to the door and I hid out of sight when they entered. Mouri was being loud and rude as usual but he was in a good mood, most likely from having 'solved' another case. I couldn't see how Kudo could stand letting the man take all the credit.
"That's strange," Ran said to herself. "I was sure I locked the door before we left."
"Maybe you just forgot Ran-neechan. It's not like there's anything here to steal." Kudo glanced around the room, trying to spot me, and I knew leaving the door unlocked was the easiest way to catch his attention.
My hiding spot wasn't too original since I couldn't keep my chest bent for a long period of time. I was actually just behind the door. I slipped out, almost unnoticed.
Almost.
"Ran-neechan I have to use the bathroom." Kudo sure knew how to lay on the cute routine when he had to.
"That's fine. Make sure you wash your hands and I'll start dinner."
"Okay!"
I was walking up the stairs to Mouri's bedroom before Kudo was at the door. I heard his quiet footsteps as he followed behind me.
"So what do you want?" The small detective asked when I sat on the bed.
"Nothing much, I just wanted to know what you thought of Hakuba, now that the organization didn't kill him. Will he be safe?"
"Couldn't you have just called?" Kudo asked with irritation.
"No because it would have made it easier for you to lie to me." I smirked. "I do my best work face to face when I'm trying to get under someone's skin and into their minds."
"Whatever." Kudo sat on the floor. "As for Hakuba-kun, I think he should be fine. Oji-san's been in their sights before and gotten away alive. As long as Hakuba-kun doesn't draw their attention to him, I think they'll leave him alone."
"'He should,' 'I think.' That doesn't sound very convincing."
"What do you want me to say? I can't be sure what these people will do. They're unpredictable, they're dangerous, and some of them are downright murderous for no reason. You can't expect me to be able to tell what their movements will be."
"Sorry," I apologized. Kudo had been trying his best and if that wasn't enough, he'd even risked his life by coming after me.
"Like I said, Hakuba-kun should be fine. You on the other hand, I'm worried about."
I nodded.
"You know how easy it would be for them to pick you off with a sniper? The blame for your murder then could lay with anyone and the syndicate would have no trouble keeping themselves out of suspicion."
"I know," I growled. I didn't need to be told any of that. As far as easy targets go, Kaitou Kid was hard to miss.
"If– " Kudo sighed and looked up at me. "If you run into any more trouble with them, I guess I'll help you."
"I'd appreciate it but I think I know everything that you do about them at this point. Any further help from you will be unnecessary."
"Do not underestimate me Kuroba-kun." His eyes shone brightly with iron resolve and a power that showed he wasn't one to be messed with. Kudo could be a helpful ally if I ever found myself in need of one again.
"I'll take that into consideration."
Kudo nodded and left the room. "If you need anything – anything that doesn't have to do with you stealing – you're free to come to me too. I hate working on murder cases with you pushing me along."
"I'll make sure you know it's me in the future then. You usually catch on quickly enough."
Another nod and Kudo left the room.
I was still on the bed and sighed. The next thing on my to-do list was to drop off Kei-chan. Neither of us was looking forward to that.
…
Kei and I were in mom's car. Or dad's car, if was telling the truth. With some manual labor and removing the portrait along with bits and pieces of the vehicle, I'd been able to get it out. It ran fine and the exterior was in good condition because it had been indoors. The white finish was perfect and it had comfortable seats that you could sink into that felt better than the newer cars, with the ridge posture and extreme colors. I liked the inside grayer tones of the car as well and it just felt like – home.
At least it had a purpose now.
I'd snatched up her keys when I realized the next train wasn't for half-an-hour and was expected to be crowded. They would be my keys when I was legally able to drive.
"Kaito-niichan," I heard Kei cry from beside me. "I don't want to go home. You said you'd take me to daddy."
"I know." I patted her hair down and closed up my mind rather easily. "I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise to you but you're daddy's missing. If I don't take you back to your mom, I'll get in a lot of trouble."
"I could stay with you."
The same thought had crossed my mind several times, which was where she probably picked it up. There were flaws with that as well though. Since I was in school and mom was working, there would be no one home to watch her. We could change her name like Kudo had done and put her in school as well but – I didn't want to intentionally put someone through that and there would be a lot of questions flying around our house.
"I'm sorry." I kept my hand on her head and she didn't pull away. She was a smart girl and understood more than most people who were more than three times her age.
"You can still come see me sometimes, right?" Kei looked up at me with a pleading look on her face. If her mother had gone to the trouble of going to Mouri for help, then she'd likely put in new security features.
That would be fun. Kei caught my smile.
"Sure I'll come see you, just don't tell anyone."
"I won't." Kei seemed happier now that I'd said that. With all the promises to her that I had broken in the short time that I knew her, her trust was more than I deserved.
"You tried your best so Kei's not mad" she told me, suddenly referring to herself in third person. "And Kei's happy that Kaito-niichan didn't die."
"I'm happy that neither of us died." I messed up her matching hair and Kei fell into the seat, giggling. I'd dyed the bleach out of mine first thing when I got home.
The three-year-old's spirits dampen when we came close to her house. I parked off on another streeet that wasn't as busy as the one Kei's mother lived on so that no one would identify me with the car, since mom still needed to get it registered. Dad had been nice enough to leave the title where I could find it.
It didn't take me long to change into my clothes and I reached out to the other seat for Kei.
She hesitated before getting up and walking into my arms.
"Promise to come on my birthday too. It's soon."
"Sure I'll come. What day?" I smiled. She held up one finger.
"December. Don't forget about me." Kei put her arms above her head and allowed me to pick her up.
"I won't" I reassured her. There were plenty of things that could delay me from coming but nothing could stop me.
I snuck around to the other side of the house. Holding Kei felt like biting back fire from the pain in my collarbone. That assured me that the glider would be out for the next few weeks and I'd have to find some other way to escape the police. No injury was going to keep me from doing my job.
"I can walk" she told me.
"No, I'm fine. Just don't move around too much."
I made it through the gate, the sensors that the woman had recently planted in the ground, and to the back door without being seen. I picked the lock and entered with Kei, even though I'd prefer to have entered from one of the high widows.
The house was remarkably silent. I went through the large rooms, one by one, looking for someone.
It took fifteen minutes before I found her upstairs, in what I could only assume to be Kane's room.
Dark blue bed sheets on a twin sized bed told of one smaller occupant. The room was painted a sky blue and the carpet was light brown. Small toys littered the floor and shelves in a disordered fashion, books strewed about but not numerous enough to make it look too cluttered. The scattered objects didn't match the boy's perfectionist and simplistic nature, so it was more than likely the work of his mother after his death.
Said woman was currently on the floor and swirling a hand through a plastic box of smaller toys – a Lego caught my eye – that were too small to put with the others.
I knocked on the side of the wall to get her attention. Kei clutched my shirt when I did and I could feel her shake with tears, though she made no noise.
Ciara spun around at the noise and her face was blank. After a few seconds of taking me and her daughter in, she got to her feet slowly and with the grace of a drunk.
Unpredictable was the right word for this woman. I hadn't been able to stop her when she'd gone after Hattori, the same as I wasn't able to predict her now, when her wavy movements cut off and she ran at me.
Years of people chasing me allowed me to react. I backed up out of the room but was left with running down either end of the hallway. That pause gave me the second to remember that I didn't want to run away.
"Give her back!" Ciara put her arms around her daughter and I held my breath as her hand ran over my chest so I wouldn't make any sound. I still wasn't comfortable with people touching close to the area. I let go of Kei willingly and even the girl knew that it wasn't a good idea to hold on, so her mother had her in her arms in seconds.
"Stay away from us!" The woman yelled, gasping and holding Kei so tightly that I knew it had to be hard for the little girl to breathe.
I put a hand up to my hat and lowered my head in a farewell gesture. "I told you I was just holding onto her for safekeeping. As I promised, she has been returned to you."
The woman lifted her head up just enough to look at me. I titled my own towards her one more time and took a few steps away.
Once my back was turned I purposely slowed to see what her reaction would be. It was clear she treated Kei as more of an object of her husband's then her own daughter. With her husband gone, I hadn't even been sure she wanted the girl back until she showed her forcefulness in reclaiming her.
"Ke-ei." She held the little girl out in front of her, fingers tight around her upper arms. "Don't you ever -" She shook her roughly to get her point across "EVER, leave this house again!"
"But mommy!"
"SHUSH" The woman shook her harder and Kei tried to keep her head from hitting the wall behind her.
I stopped and every part of me wanted to take the girl back. This was not what she needed. Ciara was her mother though, and I had no legal reason to take her away.
"But -" Kei tried once again but Ciara took her hand and placed it in front of Kei's mouth so that she couldn't speak.
"You'll do what I say. I'm the one who took you in and raised you so listen to me. I'll keep you home. You'll have a tutor and everything. There will be no reason for you to ever leave this house again."
I could hear Kei crying by the sniffling sounds. I doubted her mother knew I was still there, even though we were only three meters from each other. I cursed myself at the inadequacy of my presence.
"Kei, let's go to your room. I'm sure you've missed it." Ciara stood up and took Kei by the wrist.
"Ow mommy, you're hurting me." Kei took her other hand and tried to free herself from her mother but her fingers were too small and she was too young to fight back.
"Kei!" The woman bent down and slapped the girl to keep her from complaining. "Do as you're told!"
That was it; I couldn't stand by any longer.
Adrenaline was a funny thing. I ran over to both of them and easily released the woman's grasp. Kei was back in my arms and crying into my shoulder and I never felt any pain.
"You said you'd give her back!" The woman yelled, coming at me and trying to recover her daughter.
"I did give her back. You have done nothing but abuse and threaten this treasure of yours so I'm taking her somewhere she can shine. I told you I'd take her for safekeeping and it seems it's still not safe."
As calm and collected as my words sounded, I wanted nothing more than to strike her for what she'd just been doing. The violent thought was easy to restrain but it had been there.
"You can't do that! Give her back!" Ciara lunged at me but it was easy to avoid her. The woman's movements were quick and frantic which made them easy to steer clear of. I was slower with the girl in my hands but dodged most of her strikes and, when I couldn't, I used my arm and grabbed her outstretched hand to swing her around me.
One of the doors off to the side opened and I ran in before looking to see why it had moved.
The woman pounded on the other side and screamed at me while I took in the room and locked the door behind me.
I was more than a little surprised to see Kudo there.
"It was easy to follow your car after you left. Doctor Agasa had no problem, what with your erratic diving and all."
"You followed me?" I sat on the ground, because the pain was coming back and because it was easier to speak with Kudo when we were at the same eye level. "Why?"
"Kei-chan's been with Ran this whole time. They'd been talking with each other for a while and some of the stuff she heard sounded… bad. I followed you in case something like this happened." Kudo held up a small video camera and tossed me the tape that was inside. "Child services should have no trouble taking Kei-chan in. I avoided getting you in the shot so there's nothing to worry about."
"Thank you." I started at him wide eyed. I hadn't thought about getting evidence against Ciara or even the fact that the woman could have reacted in such a violent way.
"I didn't do it for you, I did it for her." Kudo shrugged. "I've already done you enough favors."
"So" I mumbled, looking back at the door where the woman continued to scream. "How are we getting out of here?"
"I thought that was your area of expertise" Kudo smirked.
"Do you think I could do anything right now? I only got out of the hospital today and they didn't even want to let me go." I sighed. I'd have to try climbing down a rope. It would hurt, but there was no way around it. Kane's room, after all, had been on the third floor.
I produced the line and the hook that would latch onto the window without leaving a mark because it had curved rubber tips instead of iron. Kudo went down first.
I looked blankly at the twine when Kudo reached the bottom and knew I'd have to go down sooner or later. I put Kei on my back and she found a way to hold onto my hair without pulling it too much so that she wouldn't touch my shoulder or lose her balance. She weighed so little that I wouldn't make much of a difference.
I again, started at the rope. Better get this over with.
It was so much more painful than I thought it would be. I swung over the side and, when my full weight was on it, I thought I might pass out. I don't know how long I stayed trying to catch my breath and remain conscious but I was aware of Kei's hand brushing the side of my face and hair like a cat.
"Better?" She asked.
"No" I grunted out, "But we've got to get down."
I let the rope go slowly between my fingers instead of using my arms to move downward. The gloves protected me from tearing my skin off and gravity was free.
When I reached the bottom I quickly let go and sat in the grass as Kei got off of me.
"Don't move," Kudo ordered me as he came in front of me to loosen my tie and unbutton my shirt so that he could look to the break. I winced when he touched me but was more focused on breathing.
"You've probably damaged it more but the break is still clean and should heal."
I nodded. Good, I hadn't handicapped myself any more then I already was.
"It would be a good idea to wait those two months before using a rope. You can try the glider in a few weeks since you won't need to use your shoulder as much."
"Thanks doctor," I said with a smile.
"Shut up." Kudo walked away from me. "Just make sure you get the girl somewhere safe."
"Ay yai," I called to him.
Kei came over to me and curled up in my lap. She was crying.
I ran my finger gently across her cheek where her mother slapped her and said nothing. Kei knew very well how much I was worried about her without me having to speak. I was going to make sure that she was safe this time. Remembering Nakamori and Aoko coming to visit me when I was in the hospital, how caring they'd both been when they weren't even related to me, made me hate Kei's mother all the more. How could she hurt her daughter like that? Sure Kei wasn't blood but she was still her daughter.
Kei caught my attention by pulling on my coat. "We should leave before mommy looks for us."
"You're right, what am I thinking?" I got up with her and pulled the rope off of the building. I wound it up and put it in my pocket. Crying must have tired the girl out since she promptly fell asleep in my arms while I was doing this. The sun was setting so she should get some sleep.
"I know just where to take you." I messed with her hair. "These people will be able to care for you until child services can get involved. I'll make sure the organization isn't after you ever again either."
Somehow.
I got back to the car and set her down in the back seat where I put the seatbelt over her to keep her from rolling around too much. When I opened the front I saw a large stack of papers.
I smiled.
…
Once I'd set everything in motion I used the glider from a nearby building to get up to Nakamori's window. It wouldn't do to walk through his house just like any normal person. It was dark now and I didn't stand out against the white of their house.
I found the man on his bed, going through old pictures.
A small movement of my arm and I had his window opened, since he never kept it locked. I got in and stood up straight before he noticed me.
"Hello Nakamori-keibu" I forced a smile across my lips but couldn't find the patience to do more. The glider didn't hurt as bad as I thought but it gave me a headache again.
"Kid?" his surprise at my unusual appearance didn't even help to ease my temper. I'd have to stay away from everyone for a while or I'd lose any friendships I may have made. Kei's mother still let a bad taste in my mouth, especially when I was staring at a man who was one-hundred times the better parent then she had showed herself to be.
I at least gave him the courtesy of a small bow, and when I lifted my head his surprise had turned to fury. My own loathing would have far outshone his if I'd stop letting it fester. "Keibu, I'm afraid I'm not here on business."
His steps were tenuous at first, like I was some wild beast he was afraid to approach too quickly. Considering I was still at his second story window and could disappear at a moment's notice, I could see why he was being hesitant. "I would prefer having a mature conversation with you rayher than our usual bout of insults, if you please."
"Sure I'll have a conversation with you" I saw the gleam in his eyes and sighed before he lunged at me. "Once I've caught you!"
It was hard to bite down on my instincts to run with how much I was already suppressing. I smiled widely and turned to his distrustful expression when he realized he actually had my arm in his hands.
"You've caught me. Do you mind if we had that little chat now Nakamori-keibu?"
"What are you playing at Kid?" he growled under his breath.
"Nothing Inspector," I shrugged my free arm absentmindedly "I just have a rather difficult problem that, circumstances aside, I can only ask your help with."
"Why the hell would I help you!"
"It's not for me, Keibu." I reached inside my coat pocket to get the papers I needed and his hands constricted painfully enough that I had to stop. I took my hand back and left it in the air to show him I hadn't retrieved anything. "I'm not going to do anything to you. I'm just getting the evidence if you decide to help."
"Like hell you bastard!"
I guess I'd been growing used to the detectives taking my side. I had to remember that things weren't going to be like that anymore and Nakamori wasn't someone I should expect to get favors from easily.
"Keibu" I sighed. "What would you like me to do then? I can get away from you in seconds and a criminal will go free, or you can use the information I give you and become a hero." I smiled widely again, though I could see he knew it was forced. "Either way I'm getting out of here when this is over."
"Damn it to hell! Who says I can't arrest you right now? You're still one less criminal off the street and you're a damned nuisance. Your names been cleared of the murders so there's nothing stopping me now!"
I hadn't even given a second thought about that in some time. It seemed Nakamori and Hattori-san had pulled it off. I knew they couldn't have found the real criminals, but at least my name still clean.
"Do you really think you'd catch me that easily?" With my words I slide my arm out of his hands and let it rest calmly at my side. In the next instant I had the papers out of my pocket, placed them on the man's desk, not three feet off to my side, and was back where I'd originally been, leaning against the window frame. "You'll find the girl in your living room."
"Girl?" He blinked a few times in confusion as his brain tried to process the information along with tracking my movements that were almost too quick to be human.
"Yes and I'm afraid that she's in some dire need of a strong parental figure at the moment." This time I let some honest humor find its way into my voice. "I think we can both agree that I don't fit that bill."
"What happened?" It looked like the Inspector was going to take the time to hear me out. His attitude towards me hadn't changed but now there was a little girl in the picture and damn, Nakamori was still a detective. I could practically see the mystery eating away at him. And before even that he was a father. I let my feelings towards him be shown more then I should have but I couldn't help it.
"Her name is Kei-chan. I've given you false papers with a fake name but I think she'd like it if you called her that." I went back to the table, slowly this time, and lifted the heavier set of files that Kudo had given me. I recognized them right away when I'd seen them on the car seat.
"Everything you need is here. She can't go back to her family anymore." My tone was steady and I hadn't meant to sound so forceful but my hate was sneaking out, as my mind replayed images in my head I would rather not relive. I tried to force calm back through my body but I wasn't fooling either of us. I would have to leave before the last few threads keeping me smiling snapped. I placed the video cassette on the table as well. "This is why."
"I'm not in favor of kidnapping. You're going to have to give me a reason why I should keep her here and not bring her back to her real parents."
"That'd be great if you wanted to kill her!" I wasn't going to be able to hold it together much longer. If Hakuba and I weren't safe from the organization after this, then the kids were even less secure. I swallowed all the harsh words I wanted to yell at the Inspector. Nakamori had stayed and he was listening; he deserved an answer to his questions.
That being said, Nakamori just watched me calmly, if not with some contempt. His stare resembling one he'd use as if I'd come to him as Kaito and not Kid. I'd have to put the masks back up if I expected to keep deceiving him.
"Forgive me. For reasons I can't explain, revealing her real name, even to other officers, has a great potential of getting her killed," I lowed my voice a touch, only half conscious I was doing it, "even if you trust them. You're the only one I could think of who could handle this without getting anyone unnecessary involved. There's a number on the paper that you can call and they will help place the girl. I would like you to keep her safe until then." Kudo had given me the number of one of the FBI members and, since they already knew about the case, they knew the importance of making sure Kei went to a good home.
"What about your call? Answer me that question if you're going to answer my others! Why did you call me and have me go find Kaito-kun and Hakuba-kun. No one will tell me anything, just like you! Tell me why you didn't want me to go sooner!"
"Because neither of us could do anything with what had already been set in motion."
"Neither of us?"
I grinned in the dark, letting his mind make up whatever role that Kid could have played in that disaster. I didn't answer him and, after a while, he dropped it for a new question.
"Why go to me? That doesn't make any sense Kid! I'm the one who wants to see you behind bars the most!"
"Because I know you're a good man, Nakamori-san." I was at the window and the Inspector was ready for me like I knew he would be. I let him reaffirm his grasp on my wrist for a second longer than I usually would have before winking at him, "and I know you never give up once you set your mind on something." I was out the window and activating the glider in seconds, having slipped his hold again.
Be careful Kid
I turned back to him in shock but was already in the air. There was a disgruntled look on his face "Damn! I won't let you get away next time!"
I couldn't be sure I had heard his warning but the thought alone was enough to make me smile. He knew I'd been involved in the case with Hakuba somehow, even if he didn't know who I was.
"Don't get your hopes up!" I shouted over my shoulder, saluting him.