Epilogue

You stood before the tall tombstone, the brisk fall wind encircled you, giving you a bit of a shiver and blowing your hair out. You reached up and tucked it behind your ear.

Today was his birthday, six years after his death. You came often, usually staying long enough for the burn of a cigarette to run it's course. The smell and the swirl of the smoke will forever remind you of him.

Things in the Vongola family had never really gone back to normal, everyone went around in a daze long after he was gone.

Kyoko got better and Tsuna was moving on.

Ryohei married his girlfriend, Hana Kurokawa.

Lambo grew up into a fine man, respectful and serious and strong.

Hibari never changed.

Yamamoto tried to commit suicide, taking a stance on an all too familiar ledge, but like before, Tsuna talked him out of it. He never smiled anymore.

The rest of the gang moved on, slow but they did it.

Bianchi was finally able to find happiness with Reborn once the Arcobaleno curse had broken.

Haru and Irire got close.

Spanner went on to invent a lot of things, with the assistance of the always healthy competitions held with Giannini.

Shamal was still a single, perverted old man.

The Vongola family did what it was good at, it protected Japan, it protected Italy and any other country that needed it. Any other person that needed it.

The Vongola Primo would have been proud.

You listened to the last notes of the piano piece that he had played in the Namimori halls so long ago, though it was a sad song, it signified your beginning because that's when you were pretty sure you fell in love with him.

Since then, he had recorded it for you to listen when he was away on missions. Now he was just...away.

His death still brought tears to your eyes and you still always felt that pang in your heart, because you still loved him like you did when he was alive, maybe even more now. Definitely more now.

It was too windy to have a cigarette lit, so you settled for his music, and when that was over, you smiled to yourself.

The wind seemed to still.

"Awh, I wonder what he was really like," piped a small voice from beside you. "Was he a good man?"

"Yes, he was a good man."

"Was he a strong man?"

"Yes, he was a strong man."

"Was he a proud man?"

"Yes, he was a very proud man. Sometimes too proud for his own good."

"Was he...a funny man?"

You chuckled. "Sometimes."

"Do you think he loved me?"

You looked down and smiled sweetly at the wide and bright jade eyes that looked back you. You tousled his soft silver hair.

"Yes, he loved you. Always remember that you were brought into this world by two loving parents, even if Daddy wasn't here to meet you, okay, Hayato?"

The small child beamed at you and grabbed your hand. "Can we go home now? Uncle Shamal says he's got some cool trick to show me!"

"Che... how many times have I told you to stay away from that crazy old man?"

He laughed and so did you and you bent down and squeezed the little boy, kissing him on the forehead and throwing him up on to your back. He wrapped his arms around your neck, his porcelain skin almost glowing in the sunlight.

Hayato, I hope our son turns into the man that you wanted to be, the man I knew you could be. Thank you, thank you for giving me the best gift you could ever have given me and though you're not here with me now, the night will never be lonely again.

Fin

Author's Note:

Wow! It's about time, this was a real pain towards the end, but I hope you enjoyed it! As always I look forward to your reviews!

Thanks for reading!