Secrets and Lies: Epilogue

3 Months Later

After Anokata's death the remaining members had carried out the plan that had always been kept in case of an incident that resulted in the deaths of the high ranking members of their Organisation. They had all split off into smaller groups and had attempted to carry on their usual criminal antecedents. Unfortunately without their proper leader and their best members it had been far too simple for the FBI to track them down and arrest them.

3 Months after the death of Anokata all the remaining rings of Black Organisation members had been captured and everyone involved in the destruction of the Organisation attended a celebratory party at 2-21 Beika, the Kudos' house.

All the FBI and CIA agents involved in the arrests like Jodie Starling, James Black and Hidemi Hondou had received promotions and pay rises to reward their achievements. Hidemi had been reunited with her brother Eisuke and they were planning to move to America so Eisuke could undergo training to work for the CIA, regrettably he still hadn't improved on his clumsiness.

Yukiko Kudo had spent several weeks in hospital after Anokata's death as she had had just over three-quarters of her blood drained from her body. Yusaku had recovered from the shock of being wrong about something and had returned to his usual intellectual self and was debating whether or not to write a book about his son's adventures. He had considered commissioning a manga series. He knew what he could call it if he did.

Aoko grasped Kaito's hand tightly as they walked down the road to the Kudo's house to attend the afternoon celebratory party. They were late, but she didn't mind- she was with Kaito. They were just 2 normal teenagers; not a 17 year old shrunk to the size of 7 year old and an internationally wanted criminal. They were just Aoko Nakamori and Kaito Kuroba. Near death experiences made your appreciate the moments in your normal life a lot more.

"I can't believe you thought that you could turn up to this party dressed in your pyjamas, Kaito," she admonished, but there was a twinkle in her eye. "Don't you ever get dressed before midday, Bakaito?"

"Practice what you preach Ahouko. Yesterday you were still asleep when I went around your house to see you at 4 o'clock."

She smiled at him indulgently. "At least my pyjamas have a pretty pattern on them. Yours just have Kid's sign on them."

"Would that pretty pattern happen to be made up of fish? Why do you still wear them when you know that I don't have Ichthyophobia anymore?" Kaito asked looking at her. He had been wondering about it for a while.

Aoko flushed red. "Because- Oh, look there's Kazuha-chan."

She pulled Kaito along and ran up to greet Kazuha who had fully healed after a very long stay in hospital. As a result of her near death experience she had nasty scarring and was temporarily taking a break from Aikido so she wouldn't strain her muscles.

"Ya late Aoko-chan," Kazuha complained hugging her. "We've all been waiting for ya."

She dragged Aoko and Kaito through the entry hall and into the library where everyone had gathered around a table in the centre. Yusaku waved as they entered and surveyed the gathered guests, counting. He cleared his throat and began his congratulatory speech.

"I am delighted to inform everyone that as of last week the Organisation no longer exists. The last hideout and cell of members has been destroyed so we can finally celebrate."

He paused. "I hate listening to long speeches so I'll empathise with you call and stop now. Ran-chan made everyone a lovely cake and my wife had an attempted as well. Also, congratulations to my son who is now engaged to Ran Mori."

Everyone looked over and the embarrassed couple and wished them luck. It had taken Shinichi a long time to muster up the courage to propose due to his nerves. His relationship with Ran after he had turned back to his 17 year old self had been awkward and turbulent at first.

Ran had cried endlessly at the fact that he had left her ignorant and had never told her the truth, she had had to gather the clues about her house guest herself and come to the conclusion that he was Shinichi all by herself using the clues that she had picked up all by herself like Shinichi's mysterious reappearances and abrupt disappearances. After hearing the entire story about the Black Organisation she had realised that he had tried to keep her safe by not telling her anything and that he had always been there for her as Conan. She recalled how scared she had been when she was kidnapped and found that she was glad that he had kept her in the dark about the dangers he had been facing.

When everything had improved between them Shinichi had seen his chance and had invited her out to the very restaurant that he had abandoned her for a murder case at. This time he had successfully proposed to her without being interrupted.

After the cake had been served and everyone had dispersed into groups Hakuba left the library and the temptations of all the detective novels for the kitchen to make himself a cup of Earl Grey Tea and to find the missing guest that had yet to make an appearance.

As he predicted her found her in the kitchen perched on the work surface munching a blueberry jam and peanut butter sandwich. Shiho Miyano had decided to stay as Ai Haibara rather than take the antidote. He suspected that her reasons for not doing so had something to do with the death of Hiroshi Agasa. She nodded at him in greeting.

"You're missing the party," he informed her whilst he boiled the kettle. "There's cake."

She shrugged, she didn't care. "They're not missing me. Besides Yukiko-san's cake was a disaster and that girl's cakes are too perfect."

"I missed you," Hakuba said looking up at her.

Haibara blinked and smiled. "Thank you."

"How is living with the Kudos? I heard that they are planning to stay here instead of moving back to LA."

Haibara nodded. "They're planning to adopt me."

Hakuba noted the odd note in her voice and knew she still missed Agasa-Hakase. Without him there wasn't really anyone to look after her.

"You miss Agasa-Hakase," he said. It wasn't a question and he knew the answer.

Haibara shook slightly before answering. "Yes, I do . He took me in and cared for me when no one else would. Even Kudo-kun wanted to kick me out at first."

"He was a good man, even at the end. He died so you could escape," Hakuba sighed and changed the subject hoping he could distract her from her grief.

Haibara finished her sandwich and outlined her plans for the future briefly, "For once in my life I have friends so I am going to grow up and live a normal life, but first I am going to write a diet book for elderly men." She let out a small laugh. "Hakase had awful cholesterol."

Hakuba patted her on the back comfortingly; it was the best he could think to do.

"How long is your father's prison sentence?" Haibara asked, changing the subject herself.

"It's life," Hakuba replied sipping his Earl Grey daintily. "He was a high ranking member of a very successful criminal organisation after all. The case will never be publicised or go to court, but they've all gone to prison."

"Thank you for telling me what he told you," he added. "I'll visit him sometime."

"That's okay."

"It's what friends are for," Hakuba held out his hand.

"Friends?"

"You would be first friend. Kuroba doesn't count; I'm his victim for practical jokes."

Haibara stared at him for a few seconds before taking his hand.

"Friends."

In another secluded corner of the Kudo residence the FBI gathered to discuss what they were going to do now the Black Organisation and its influence had been abolished.

"I'm retiring," James Black announced. "It has been fun, but I think my time is over now. Camel-kun, what about you?"

"I'm returning to America to see my family. I haven't seen them properly for a long time so I'm looking forward to catching up. I'll be in the same flight as Jodie."

James turned to Jodie, sensing that she had finally decided where she was going. When he had first asked her she hadn't been sure and he had suspected that it had been something to do with Akai.

"So you've decided then."

Jodie nodded. Akai had explained to her, fully and kindly the reasons behind faking his death with Shinichi Kudo's help. Now she understood his motives completely, but like Ran in the case of Shinichi she wished that she had been told at the time. Her feelings towards to Akai were now a friend's as she knew that he still loved Akemi Miyano and wished to protect her sister for her.

"I'm staying behind in Japan," Akai said, realising that Jodie had finally let her feelings for him go. "That little girl and that Shonen Tantei Dan need an eye kept on them. I'll also make sure the Kaito Kid stays out of retirement."

"Where is Haibara-san by the way?" Jodie enquired looking around. "I haven't seen her at all today."

"She is in the kitchen talking to Saguru Hakuba, her new friend," he answered promptly, without missing a beat.

"Oi Kudo!" Heiji shouted from the across the refreshment table in the front room. "Kid spiked the punch with some weird chemical and now it's turned purple."

Shinichi broke off his conversation with his father to have a look. He poked is finger in the liquid lightly and tasted in gingerly to see if Kid had put in any harmful chemicals in.

"Seems to be all right."

"I'm not trying to poison anyone," Kaito grumbled as he crawled out from under the table and stood up. "And stop referring to me as Kid. I'm retired, okay?"

"Make sure you stay retired," Shinichi reprimanded. "Don't get tempted to slip back into your old ways. I understand that it was addictive."

"Yeah," Heiji agreed. " Once a thief, always a thief so I'll tell ya girlfriend to be on the watch."

"Don't worry Kuroba. Just concentrate on your goal of being a famous magician. Remember that I once managed to lock you up in the basement? You will be so good that you won't even get tranquillised in the first place."

"I remember that well," Kaito groaned. "You left a fish for my outside for when I did pick my way out." He recalled his worry about Aoko being left with Hakuba and what had happened to them and that helped him get over his Ichthyophobia. "Ah! I just realised something."

He dusted off his trouser and ran out of the room to find Aoko. He had something to give to her that he had been wanting to give her for a long time, but had never found the right opportunity or words to carry out his desire.

Heiji and Shinichi exchanged worried glances before rolling their eyes in exasperation.

"Aoko!" Kaito thundered into the kitchen on the off chance that she might be in there. Instead he found the surreal sight of Ai Haibara and Saguru Hakuba sitting on the worktop drinking tea and sharing sandwiches.

"Uh, sorry, wrong room."

He rushed out of the kitchen and ran off to the garden.

He found Aoko eventually talking to Ran and Kazuha under the Cherry Blossom tree. He stood over her and pulled her up. Ran and Kazuha exchanged knowing glances.

"Aoko, I've worked out why you wear those fish patterned pyjamas. I got over my fear of fish because I had to in order to save you from the danger that I thought you were in. You wear them to remind yourself that I love you."

Aoko flushed for the second time that day under Kaito's gaze and looked around the garden embarrassedly. All the guests that had been invited were beginning to gather around them to watch. She could even spot Hakuba and Haibara and she hadn't seen them all day,

"Yes," she answered quietly.

"To be honest I hate those pyjamas so I'm giving you something else so you can remember me by instead."

He bent down on one knee and produced a small jewellery box from his pocket and held it out to her.

"Aoko, will you marry me?"

Aoko took the box with her right hand which was suddenly shaking and opened it. Inside was a delicate gold band of a ring with a blue Sapphire attached to it. She blinked back a tear and jumped on Kaito, her new fiancée.

"Yes!"

"Ow. You're supposed to let me put the ring on you first. And you're suffocating me."

"Sorry," she apologised with a red face and stepped away. She was aware of a lot of smiling faces watching them.

Kaito took her hand and slipped the ring onto her finger. It was a perfect fit.

"How long do ya think that Kuroba's been carrying around that ring for, Kudo," Heiji hissed at Shinichi who was watching the couple with an indulgent smile on his face.

"Quite a while. He told me that he had always liked her since they first met."

"How sweet. That's just like ya and that girl."

"More like you and that girl," Shinichi retorted with a grin.

"Shaddup Kudo."

Aoko stared down at her hand, afraid that it was all a dream and she was going to wake up soon. When she was younger she had once had a fantasy about marrying Kaito. Now it was coming true. The slowly setting sun made the ring glow with faint flecks of gold.

"Come on Aoko. Let's go home," Kaito said tearing his eyes away from the shining ring.

He lifted her up with a grunt and carried her out the garden gate bridal style to the soundtrack of all the other guest clapping and Heiji wolf whistling.

"You know Ran-chan's cake?" Aoko asked suddenly as they were walking down the path next to the river. Kaito had given up carrying her after a few streets and they were walking hand in hand. "It was a chocolate cake. Who's do you prefer, her or Aoko's?"

"What a silly question Ahouko. Yours of course; there's much more chocolate."

He bent down and kissed her awkwardly as they walked into their future together. There were no more organisations seeking to persecute them anymore. Now they could live a normal life with each other.

The End

It's been my longest fanfiction ever and an interesting one to write as well.
I would like to thank all the people that had reviewed like Sera-kun the mystery detective, Partsu and Kakashikrazy. I also apologise for the focus on Kaito and Aoko, this is the sequel to my Kaito and Aoko fanfiction, but I also wanted to resolve other pairings too which was hard because I still don't feel comfortable writing romance.

Thank you for reading