Hey all! I am so incredibly thankful to all of you for your wonderful reviews on the previous chapter! I do have one itsy bitsy thing I would like to say first...Alright. If you like my story, that is wonderful, and I appreciate it very much! But I have warned all of my readers several times that the characters are going to be OOC. As in…to the max. I do not want to see another review on the matter, please. Thanks everyone! Also, the suffix "haha" refers to mother…you'll see what I mean…

Anywho...here is the final chapter of Heat Stroke II: Dry Your Tears. It has been quite the ride, and I am so thankful to all of you for sticking with me through it.

One last time...

THIS FINAL CHAPTER HAS SOME SCENES THAT MAY MAKE YOU PUKE OF SAPPINESS! KYOYA IS VERY OOC (as usual in this story)! GET OVER IT!

Ahem...enjoy!

Previously...

"Well? Let's not wait any longer!" Haruhi said as Isamu's stomach growled loudly.

The boy giggled lightly, and the three dug into their breakfasts. Haruhi looked at Isamu adoringly as he tore into his breakfast, his eyes gleaming. That was when she knew. She did not want just any family. She wanted the one in front of her now. She and Kyoya would raise the boy as if he was their own, and they would show him all of the love that they had both missed out on. Haruhi smiled and dug into her meal. Life was perfect, and she did not want anything to change it.

And now...

As soon as Haruhi and Isamu got to school, they were swarmed with people. Boys were trying to get Haruhi's number, even though they knew she was dating Kyoya. Girls wanted to see the boy tucked into her puffy skirt. The throng of people was suffocating to Haruhi, and she eventually picked Isamu up and thrust herself through the crowd.

She heard people gasp when they saw Isamu's face.

"He looks just like Kyoya-senpai!"

"Kawaii!"

"Do you think they slept together and made him?"

"That would have been years ago."

"But still…"

"What a slut."

Haruhi almost broke when she heard the way they talked about her. They commented on her potential involvement in this as well as Isamu's unfortunate connection to a stupid commoner girl. Apparently, the tables turned once you came out as the opposite gender. The men who wanted to kill her for "stealing" their girlfriends now wanted to take her home and screw her senseless. The girls who had previously fallen to her feet in awe of her "handsomeness" now either wanted to kill her for taking their boyfriends' attentions or wanted to be her friend.

"Haruhi?" Isamu tapped her on the cheek.

"Hmm?"

"What were they talking about?"

"Them? They're just jealous because a dashing young lad such as yourself wants to spend his day with me and not them."

Isamu blushed lightly. "Oh…hey Haruhi?"

"Yes, Isa-chan?"

"I love you." His face was adorably serious as he leaned forward to kiss her on the cheek.

"And I love you too." She giggled and nuzzled his forehead, planting a kiss on his cheek in return.

They got to Haruhi's first class with time to spare, and Haruhi put Isamu on the wide window ledge beside her. He would be fine coloring and drawing, just as long as he did not make too much of a disturbance. Unfortunately, all of her classmates wanted to see the boy and talk with him. They all wanted to know of his affiliation with the host club's princess. Haruhi saw him look to her with a determined look on his face.

"Ahem…my name is Isamu. I'm only here to have fun with Haruhi-haha today, so please don't ruin it for me." He told the crowd with a loud voice.

"But Isamu-chan, you're not really her son are you?"

"Yeah, Isamu-chan! You can't be hers!"

"And why not?" He retorted smartly. "She takes care of me like my mommy would, and she loves me like my mommy would."

Haruhi stepped in. "He loves me like a son would. Isa-chan treats me like a son would treat his mother. Ladies, I know that I did not come clean right away about my gender, but please do not drag your detest towards me into this. Isa-chan is only here with me for today."

"Haruhi-kun, what is his blood relation to you?" One girl asked.

"He's actually Kyoya's nephew." She replied simply.

"So he's an Ootori? That explains the authority the squirt thinks he has." Another butted in.

"Oi! I don't think he demanded any authority! He just wants to be left alone!" The first girl retorted.

The two girls began their verbal spar, and Haruhi stepped over to Isamu. "Great…you're not even in high school yet and girls are fighting over you!"

"He's obviously a natural..."

"Gotta get it from his 'mommy.'"

"Ah, good morning Hikaru, Kaoru." Haruhi said in a dull monotone without turning around.

"Haruhiiii! You've been spending too much time with the Shadow King!"

"He's rubbing off on you!"

The twins mimicked Tamaki's mushroom corner of epic doom, and Haruhi deadpanned.

"And you two have been spending too much time with the blonde idiot."

"What are they talking about?" Isamu inquired.

"How about Kyoya and I tell you all about it when we go to see him this afternoon?" Haruhi replied. Isamu nodded eagerly.

Just then, the teacher walked in, immediately demanding the attention of the entire class. He nodded back at Haruhi, silently approving of Isamu's presence in the classroom.

The day droned on, and time seemed incredibly slow. Isamu had just about colored every page in his coloring book and had started to doodle colorfully in one of the extra notebooks Haruhi brought with her. By the time they got to lunch, Isamu was bored of coloring and drawing and wanted to explore the school.

"Ne, Haru-chan! Takashi and I could take him exploring during your next class if you wanted! We have a study hall, and we don't have much homework to work on..." Honey suggested.

"That...actually sounds like a good idea. What do you think, Isa-chan?"

Isamu nodded thoughtfully, biting into a large piece of sushi from his bento.

"That sounds like fun!" He finally replied once he had swallowed his food.

So it was agreed that after lunch had ended, Isamu would go with Honey and Mori. Haruhi was glad that the boy would not have to suffer through boredom for much longer. She felt terrible that he had to be schlupped along as she went to school, but the Ootori mansion was no place for a boy like Isamu to be while it was unfit for a child.

Haruhi walked back to her next class after lunch and sat in her usual seat with Hikaru and Kaoru.

"Where's the kid?" They asked simultaneously.

"He's exploring the school...you know, stretching his legs. I felt bad making him stay cooped up with me the whole time."

They nodded their understanding and waited for their teacher to come back from lunch. Time passed quickly when Haruhi was not worried about Isamu's boredom levels. Before she knew it, class was over, and the students were filing out. As Haruhi walked out of the room, she saw Mori holding a red-eyed Isamu, Honey was standing in front of them looking apologetic.

"What happened?" Haruhi asked, eying the threesome.

"He fell in the courtyard! It was an accident, Haru-chan...honest!" Honey pleaded his case.

"I wasn't going to blame anyone. It happens." She told him, taking Isamu from Mori's arms. Isamu sniffled and buried his head into Haruhi's shoulder.

"Are you alright, Isa-chan?" She asked, putting a finger under his chin to look into his eyes. He nodded, looking brave, but Haruhi could tell his injury was bothering him.

"I think I have some bandages in my bag. Let's fix you up when we get to the next class okay?" She thanked Mori and Honey, re-explained that it was not their fault, and headed to her next class, carrying the sniffling child. People threw questioning looks in her direction as she walked through the halls. Some people whispered about her hidden mother quality, while others just spread more gossip about her hitting the boy to make him shut up in her last class. Haruhi expertly ignored everyone and made it to her next class with minutes to spare. She took her place in the back of the classroom and set Isamu on the table in front of her.

Once she cleaned and dressed his brush-burned knee, Haruhi kissed it lightly and ruffled his hair. His eyes were still red, and he looked ready for a nap. Isamu crawled into her lap and laid in the most comfortable position he could find.

"Isa-chan...I need to be able to take notes..."

"I don't want people to watch me sleep..." He was stubborn, she would give him that.

Haruhi sighed and rubbed his back lightly, still waiting for her teacher to arrive. This was her last class of the day, and if all went well, she could be back with Kyoya within the next two hours.

"Haruhi! You totally disappeared on us after class!"

"Where were you?!"

Oh, Kami…not the twins…not now…

Haruhi hushed them before pointing to the snoozing boy in her lap. The twins sat beside her, for once allowing her to have the window seat without a fuss.

"What did Mori-senpai-"

"And Honey-senpai-"

"Do to him?" They finished asking together.

"They didn't do anything. Isamu's a boy being a boy, and he fell. Nothing major…he's just really tired." Haruhi explained just as the teacher walked through the door.

"Now then, class! We are going to be discussing the reproductive system and its differences between males and females today. Next class, we are going to have the two systems meet. Then…let's see…next Tuesday or Wednesday, we are going to give birth!"

The entire class groaned. This would be a long unit to get through…Haruhi only hoped that Isamu would stay asleep during this particular lecture.

"We're going to start with the female reproductive system. The vagina is a nasty place!" Haruhi nearly toppled out of her seat. Such a statement coming from such an old-looking man…it just did not fit! Apparently the rest of the class thought so too, as snorts of laughter could be heard around the room.

Haruhi sank into her seat, coddling Isamu and trying to make sure he stayed asleep. She was not sure if she could live through explaining to him what a penis was...let alone how it worked...or what it was for...

Somehow, she managed to take decent notes, though her handwriting was shaky from trying not to snap her pencil in half at her classmates' immaturity. At long last, the final bell rang. Haruhi nearly sprang out of her seat, but Isamu's weight reminded her of her restrictions. She eased out of her seat and propped the sleeping boy on one hip and her books on the other.

After expertly maneuvering her items, Haruhi left the school with a smile on her face. Isamu was still asleep, the sun was shining, and she would get to go see...Kyoya!

Kyoya's smiling face greeted her as she neared the front gates of Ouran. He still sported a multitude of bandages, but he was holding himself upright and managing a nearly invisible smile just for her.

Haruhi neared him and nodded her head in acknowledgement before grabbing him and kissing him on the mouth. She knew he hated any kind of public display of affection, but she had had the mother of long days, and she felt that she deserved this reward.

"Rough day?" Kyoya asked, eying the boy in Haruhi's arms.

"You have no idea."

The two climbed into the waiting limo and headed for Haruhi's house.

"You're here..."

"Is that a problem? I can always go check myself back in." Kyoya replied smirking.

"No! I just...I kind of wanted to check you out...er..."

"Check me out?" Kyoya replied with a snarky raising of one eyebrow.

"Of the hospital, you perv!" Haruhi thwacked him on the arm, her face burning from the blush she was sure to be sporting.

"I know, I know. I just wanted to surprise you, and I figured this would be a great way to do it. Maybe tonight, we could hang out with your father and Isamu and tomorrow..."

Haruhi raised a curious eyebrow at Kyoya's pause.

"Tomorrow what?"

"Will you go on a proper date with me?" He asked, looking as sincere as she had ever seen him.

"Of course, Kyoya! I have just the place, too."

~.~.~.~

The following day, Haruhi awoke on the floor of her living room. A warm body was pressed against her back, and a smaller body was snuggled into her front. With a light sigh, Haruhi opened her eyes just a crack. Kyoya was sprawled all over her while Isamu slept in a ball curled into Haruhi's chest. Smiling lightly, she buried herself back under her covers and let sleep claim her once more.

Kyoya

Kyoya woke up feeling very pleased yet…he felt a bit spread out. He could feel that one of his arms was pulsating slowly to a steady rhythm while the other arm pillowed his head. One of his legs was tangled in between two warm somethings…smooth somethings…

Kyoya's eyes snapped open when he realized that he had inadvertently fallen asleep at the Fujioka household. Gently, he disentangled himself from his girlfriend and made his way to the bathroom. On his way there, Kyoya spotted a note on the kitchen counter and took a detour in order to read it.

"Kyoya, Haruhi, and Isamu:

Good morning! At least…I hope it will still be morning by the time you lazy bums wake up. The three of you looked so peaceful that I didn't have the heart to wake you. Kyoya, I wanted to strangle you at first, and had you been the blonde idiot…I probably would have.

Either way, I got a call from a friend early this morning. He needs some help moving his things. I should be back before noon, so I can still watch Isamu while Kyoya and Haruhi go on their date. There should be plenty of food around the kitchen to make breakfast, so please help yourselves.

I should be home soon!

Much love,

Ranka"

Kyoya's sleep-fogged mind stopped processing at 'had you been the blonde idiot.' Who was the blonde idiot? What relationship did he have to Kyoya?

Kyoya shrugged and made his way back to the bathroom to do his thing. Once he had showered and gotten back into his clothing, Kyoya went back into the kitchen. He opened the fridge and found eggs, fresh vegetables, bacon, potatoes...plenty of food to feed a small army. He pulled out the eggs and vegetables and looked around the kitchen. His mission? To make Haruhi breakfast in bed.

Unfortunately, twenty minutes later, the smoke alarm was blaring, black smoke was billowing from the pan on the stove, and eggs were crisply stuck to the bottom. The bacon had not fared any better, neither had the rice or the hash browns.

"Kyoya?" A small voice called over the harsh alarm. "What's going on?"

"Er...uhm...uh..."

He watched Haruhi get on a chair and disable the alarm before marching into the kitchen, Isamu hot at her heels.

"I...er..."Kyoya tugged at his collar. Ootori's did not stutter, and Ootori's did not fail. And here he was, stuttering and utterly failing to make breakfast of any sort.

"Well?"

Kyoya picked up a glass of orange juice and handed it to his girlfriend. Putting on his best puppy-dog face, Kyoya muttered, "I wanted to make you breakfast in bed...so...here it is!"

Haruhi giggled slightly before setting the orange juice down and sliding past him. With ease, she dumped all of the dirty dishes into the sink and got out fresh ones.

"You wash those, and I'll take care of breakfast." Haruhi told him authoritatively.

"Can I help, Haruhi?" Isamu piped up for the first time that morning.

"Go wash your hands first." Kyoya answered, feeling emasculated by the small child. He was allowed to help and Kyoya wasn't? What kind of world were they living in?

As it turned out, Isamu's version of helping was dumping the ingredients into the pans as he was told and taste-testing everything.

Kyoya mumbled to himself as he continued to scrape the burnt egg off the pan. The damn substance would not budge.

"I don't see why we couldn't have just had my homemade carbon." He murmured, gesturing to the pans in the sink. This earned a snort from Haruhi and a chuckle from Isamu. Kyoya could not help but smirk at his own little joke.

The three soon sat down for breakfast, and as they were nearing the end, Ranka walked in. He was dressed in normal, everyday clothes, which threw Kyoya for a loop. He had only ever seen Ranka in women's clothing.

"Hey, Dad! How was it?"

"It went well, super quick. I was worried you three would still be conked out when I got back home. What's for breakfast?"

Kyoya filled him in, "Eggs, hashbrowns, orange juice, and bacon."

"Oh? Did you make this delicious meal?"

"Er..." Kyoya glanced away.

"No, Dad. I made all of it. Kyoya and Isamu helped." Haruhi saved him from his embarrassment, and he shot her an appreciative glance.

"Kyoya had to clean off the burnt food he made!" Isamu added, to which both Haruhi and Kyoya smacked their foreheads.

Kyoya watched Ranka step forward to crouch before the boy. "I'm sure he did! What was your part in all of this, Isamu?"

Isamu gladly told Ranka all about what he had done to help Haruhi out, and Haruhi and Kyoya took the dishes to the kitchen to wash them all before they headed out for their date. Kyoya set himself at the sink while Haruhi went to get dressed into something more...date-like.

"I can take care of those, Kyoya." Ranka's voice startled him.

"It's no problem, Ranka-san. I need to wait for Haruhi anyway." Kyoya said, turning away from the dishes.

"Kyoya, I want you to make sure you take care of my daughter. The two of you are amazing together, and you are doing a wonderful job of taking care of Isamu so far. Promise me something?" Ranka looked completely serious, so Kyoya cautiously answered.

"It depends on what that is?"

"Don't hurt her. She's been through a lot, and I doubt that the dangers are over. I want to know that Haruhi is going to be taken care of if anything should happen to me. I trust you with her, and I just ask that you take care of her to the best of your ability."

"Of course, sir. I have no intention of treating Haruhi as anything less than a princess. She means everything to me, and I would never do anything to harm her."

Ranka just nodded and walked back into his room, leaving Kyoya officially puzzled. Why was the man acting so...utterly strange all of the sudden?

His thoughts were banished rather quickly when Haruhi came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"What's on your mind?" She asked quietly.

"Just you." Kyoya turned around and saw how stunning Haruhi looked in a simple summer dress, no doubt from the twins.

"You look...amazing..." He breathed, and she blushed at his comment.

"Are you ready to go?" Haruhi asked, taking his hand but not meeting his eyes.

"Of course. Isamu," Kyoya turned to talk to the boy, "you behave for Mr. Fujioka, okay? Try not to cause him any unnecessary stress."

Isamu did a tiny salute and flopped on the floor with his coloring book and his teddy bear, Kyo. Kyoya smirked lightly while Haruhi left to find her father.

Ranka emerged from his room and nodded at the pair, silently telling them to have fun on their date. Kyoya could not shake the feeling that something was wrong with the man...he would have to pester him about it later. Right now, he was set on having an enjoyable and romantic date with his girlfriend. He had no idea where they were headed, but anywhere with Haruhi would be perfect in his book.

As the pair got into the waiting limo, Haruhi whispered an address to the driver, who nodded. Kyoya raised his eyebrow, not liking the idea that he did not know where they were headed.

"You'll love it, Kyoya. I promise." She winked at him, making Kyoya's irritation grow exponentially. He hated surprises.

A short, quiet ride later, the pair stepped out into a parking lot and stood in front of a coffee shop. Kyoya thought it looked vaguely familiar, but he could not seem to place it.

"Remember this place?" Haruhi asked him, grabbing his hand. Kyoya probed every last corner of his brain but could not seem to remember where he had seen this place. He shook his head.

"This is where I found you…after…"

Kyoya looked at Haruhi with wide eyes. This was where he had stumbled to, bleeding along the way. That tile floor…he had bled on that floor. The kind-looking woman behind the counter had lent him a phone and had cared for him until Haruhi and the ambulance arrived…

He hadn't noticed he was shaking until he snapped back into his body. Haruhi was on her tiptoes, looking into his eyes lovingly and calling his name.

"You alright, Kyoya?" She asked, returning to her normal height.

"I…I'm okay…I hadn't realized…"

"We can go somewhere else if you'd rather…" Haruhi told him.

"No. That woman helped to save my life. I at least owe her a thank you. And you…I owe you the biggest thank you of them all." Kyoya replied, pulling his girlfriend closer to him and kissing her tenderly on the mouth.

The pair entered the small coffee shop, and the owner turned to look at the new people. Her eyes widened in recognition as she shot over to Kyoya and Haruhi. A tight, silver bun rested at the top of her head, strands of it fallen from a hard day's work. She was a plump woman with kind eyes and rosy cheeks. Almost like the Americans'…what was his name…Santa Clause?

"Oh…oh goodness! I never thought I would see you two again! I was so worried about the both of you. You look quite different when you are…well…not covered in blood. You," she poked Kyoya in the chest, "gave us all quite the scare! And that little girl of yours was so terrified for you. Oh! The way she held you once you were reunited was like something out of a soap opera! And you," she turned to Haruhi, "have been taking rather good care of this one. He looks much better! Like nothing ever happened, I'd say! Oh, but listen to me rambling! What brings you by on this lovely day?"

Kyoya glanced at Haruhi, who smiled kindly at the woman. "We've actually come for lunch."

The woman's bright blue eyes sparkled. "Then let me be your server! My name is Keiko, and I am the owner of this coffee shop."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Keiko-san. Thank you so much for your part in saving my life." Kyoya answered the woman, bowing slightly with respect.

The woman blushed all the way to her gray roots and stuttered, "I-It's alright. It was my duty! I cannot just leave someone who is in that sort of condition on the streets! You stumbled in to my shop for a reason, and I helped you out, as per my duties."

Kyoya nodded lightly and followed the woman to an outdoor table in the back of the shop.

"I hope you two like fresh air. I try to encourage all of my customers to get some fresh air, especially when we have lovely days like today. I'm rambling again, aren't I? Let me take your orders. Do you know what you would like to drink?"

"Just...a water and a green tea, please." Haruhi told her.

"The same for me." Kyoya replied.

The woman shuffled away, and Kyoya and Haruhi flipped open their menus. Kyoya flipped the pages with one hand and reached across the table with the other. He felt Haruhi's petite hand grab his own and smiled lightly.

Eventually, Keiko returned, carrying their drinks and a notepad to take down their orders.

"You two are absolutely perfect for each other. I could tell the moment you walked...well...ran through the door, Miss. You and this boy were made for each other."

Haruhi blushed bright pink and mumbled a thank you while Kyoya smiled at the woman. It was a genuine smile, and somehow it made him feel better. The whole world could see that the two of them were meant to be. That had to mean something, right?

The two ordered their meals, and the woman shuffled off again.

"So..." Haruhi started but trailed off.

"So, what?"

"How are we going to do this whole...raising a child..."

"Simple. You and I are going to make sure that he has loving role models to look up to, and he will not grow up alone like we did. I had parents who were never there, and you had one parent who was so focused on providing a good life for you that he ended up not having time for you. I don't want Isamu to be brought up in a world like ours."

Haruhi gave him a smile, and Kyoya could see the appreciation in her eyes.

"When will I get to see him?"

"Every single day, preferably. I mean, if you happen to be ultra-busy one day, I am sure he will understand, but you and Isamu are connected somehow. Like...you aren't his mother, but he instantly bonded with you. I cannot figure out how or why, but I know it was for the best. As long as you are there for him and try to visit as often as possible, I am sure that this will work out better than we ever could have imagined."

"I'll miss him…well…I'll miss waking up to seeing him and taking care of him…" Kyoya noticed Haruhi's eyes cloud with tears. She had developed a motherly attachment with the boy, and he was about to take that all away.

"If you want him to stay with you, we can arrange for that instead." He told her, squeezing her hand.

"No, no…Dad's never home, and I'm in school all day. It would be too much stress to move him from house to house every day. This is for the best. I'm sure of it." She wiped her eyes and smiled at him.

"It's not like you're being forbidden to see him."

"I know, I know…" She laughed quietly before turning deadly serious. "He still has accidents from time to time. If any of your maids or other house guests yell at him, I will not hesitate to mess them up."

Kyoya was stunned. Now Haruhi was the Mother Bear?

The pair ended their conversation as their food was brought out to them by the still-smiling old woman.

"Enjoy!" She said as she winked at them. In Kyoya's mind theater (yes, he had been spending way too much time with Tamaki), he could picture the woman holding the backs of his and Haruhi's heads and pushing them together. "Now…kiss!" Mind-Theater-Old-Woman hissed, looking rather adamant.

"Kyoya…" He heard Haruhi calling his name, shaking him from his vision. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I was just…er…never mind."

The pair ate in companionable silence and were almost done with their meal when Haruhi's phone rang loudly from her pocket.

Haruhi

Haruhi noticed that the caller id was from home. That was strange, as no one ever called from her house phone. Her dad never called. Isamu! Her mind screamed as she scrambled to open her phone.

"Hello? Isa-chan?" Haruhi practically shouted into the phone.

"No, Haruhi...it's about Isamu..." She heard her father's rough voice from the other end.

"What happened? Is he okay?" She shot up from her seat, Kyoya following after her. "Is he hurt? Dad, what happened?!"

"Haruhi, sweetheart, calm down. I am sure he is fine."

"Where is he, Dad?!" Haruhi was in full panic mode.

"He challenged me to a game of hide-and-seek, and I was in charge of counting. I heard the door click and thought nothing of it until I couldn't find him. I thought he might be hiding on the deck...Haruhi...he's gone. He vanished, and I can't find him!" Her father seemed so calm until he processed the fact that Isamu had disappeared.

"Where did it seem like he was headed?" Haruhi asked, trying to return to her normal, level-headed self.

"I...I don't know..."

"Excuse me." A deep voice interrupted their conversation, and a tall, burly man came into view. "Are you...him?"

The question was directed at Kyoya, and for a second, Haruhi forgot about Isamu's disappearance.

"Y-Yes..." Kyoya seemed hesitant, almost scared of this man, so Haruhi took her place beside him.

"What business do you have with him?" Haruhi asked, trying not to seem too rude.

"I..I..." The man clearly had not been expecting her to intervene.

"Wait..." Kyoya pushed past Haruhi and stood in front of the tall man. "You...you're the one who saved my life...aren't you?"

The man nodded and held out his hand to Kyoya. "I was scared for your safety. I thought you might not have made it...after getting shot and all...I am glad to see that you are still with us, though."

Kyoya nodded in thanks as Haruhi took in the man's attire. "Excuse me...but why are you wearing a frilly apron?"

Haruhi tried to keep back her chuckles when the man turned a brilliant shade of pink.

"I...er...well...I work here now...and until the larger apron comes in...Keiko-sama said I should just wear this one...it's the 'uniform,' or so she claims." The disgust in his voice at the pink apron being his uniform was obvious.

"I heard that!" A shout came from the kitchen.

"Haruhi!" Haruhi's mind whirled...so many people were involved in so many different conversations. Her father's voice rang through from the other end of the phone.

"Dad! Did you find Isamu, or do you have a clue about where he could be?" She instantly turned back to the phone, ignoring all else around her.

"He seemed extremely upset after the two of you left. Especially you. He was saying that his new mommy had left him already. Then he-"

Haruhi cut him off. "I know where he is! Don't worry, Dad. I'll bring him home."

She snapped her phone shut and turned to Kyoya and his friend, who looked at her worriedly.

"Isamu's gone missing...I think I know where he is, though. Kyoya...could you take care of things here...I need to go to him." Haruhi turned to the larger man. "It was nice to meet you…uhm…"

"Junichi." The man said, holding out his hand for her to shake.

"It was nice to meet you, Junichi…I'm Haruhi…and I have to go." She glanced once more at Kyoya.

When Kyoya nodded, Haruhi took off out the front door, shouting a thank you to the owner.

She ran, not entirely sure where she was headed. If she was Isamu and was going through a hard transition, Haruhi knew she would have gone back to her old house to reminisce. She knew it would be a part of the healing process for the boy, and she just hoped she was right. Haruhi vaguely remembered the boy's old address and prayed that she knew how to get there. It turned out to be a few turns down some dank alleyways, and Haruhi knew exactly where she was.

In front of her loomed a hollow, blackened structure that could have once passed for a home. She remembered passing by the structure a few times when she had wanted to wander before going home for the day. Once, the boy who lived here…Isamu, as she now knew, had tried to come outside to greet her but was roughly pulled back inside by his mother. Haruhi had felt a bit offended at the time, but now she understood that she had been protecting the boy from possible gang members who may be out for the pair.

She was pulled back to reality by the sound of sniffling coming from the wreckage. A figure in dirty clothing sat right in the middle of the building, sniffling and crying. Haruhi made her way to the boy and stood in what would have been the doorway.

"Isamu? Are you alright?" Haruhi asked gently. She did not dare take a step forward, in case the boy would run.

He seemed startled by her presence and looked up at Haruhi with puffy eyes. "Haruhi?" His eyes widened considerably. "Oh! I'm so sorry for running away! I just…I missed my mommy so much, and I wanted to come back and see the house…I didn't mean to scare you or ruin your date…I'm so sorry!" He broke down into a fresh set of wails, and Haruhi took it as her cue to walk slowly towards him.

"Isa-chan…" She knelt down in the rubble next to him and held out her arms. He quickly scrambled into her lap, and she started to rock the boy back and forth. "I understand what you must be going through. You've lost your mother and your home. If you had just told me, I would have been glad to bring you here to spend some time."

"But…you had your date with Kyoya…I'm sorry I ruined it…" The boy sniffled.

Haruhi combed her fingers through his hair. "It went well, and we were essentially done by the time I got the call that you had gone missing." She placed a gentle kiss on Isamu's forehead. "Kyoya and I were worried about you…please don't ever feel like you are intruding. If you want to do something, especially something like this, please ask us. We would never think anything less of you."

Isamu merely nodded, and Haruhi continued to rock the sniffling boy.

Kyoya

Kyoya's phone buzzed in his hand as he received a message from Haruhi.

"We're at his old house…be careful getting here."

Kyoya saw the address at the bottom of the text message and called his driver to take him there. It was a commoner neighborhood on the "wrong side" of town, and Kyoya did not know his way around.

When they finally arrived at the location, Kyoya was stunned at what he saw. His beautiful girlfriend, in a colorful spring dress, holding a small child clothed in dark colors. Around the pair hung the frame of a house that once was. It was as though Haruhi was the new light in Isamu's life, and she was trying to break through the dark clouds surrounding the boy's heart.

"Please wait for us." Kyoya told his driver, who nodded and smiled just a bit.

"What?"

"Nothing sir. You've just...never said 'please' before..."

Kyoya shrugged and headed towards his family, sitting in the rubble. He stood in the doorway and cleared his throat softly.

"Kyoya?" Haruhi asked, holding Isamu in her lap. He looked about ready to fall asleep.

"Is he alright?" Kyoya asked, making his way over to Haruhi and Isamu.

Haruhi nodded and turned slightly to face him. Kyoya sat beside her and reached out to rub Isamu's back. They must have looked quite the sight. Kyoya was also wearing lighter colors, symbolizing the coming summer. The two teens sat together with the distraught and half-asleep boy between them.

In the distance, Kyoya thought he heard a robotic sound, but he shrugged it off and turned his attention to the rubble around them. They were sitting in what must have been the foyer or lobby area, and a charred table stood beside Kyoya. He curiously opened one of the drawers to find it empty. The next two drawers he tried were also empty. However, the final drawer held something that Kyoya could not help but smile at.

He pulled out two pieces of paper.

"Kyoya? What are those?" Haruhi whispered, trying not to wake the boy in her arms.

"Pictures. Here...have a look."

Haruhi took the pictures from his hands. Her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as they scanned the contents of the photographs. Kyoya had probably had the same reaction.

The first picture was of Isamu as a baby. His mother was laying in a hospital bed, holding him while his father stood proudly beside her. The two of them gazed lovingly at the bundle of joy in the woman's arms.

Kyoya watched as Haruhi's eyes brimmed with tears. She flipped to the next picture. It showed Isamu as a toddler, probably no more than a year or two ago. He was on his mother's hip with his arms around her neck. In the picture, Isamu was planting a huge, wet kiss on his mother's cheek, and she was laughing. Her eyes were closed. A wide smile hung on her lips.

"They were so happy..." Kyoya mused. None of the other drawers held anything at all, so he returned to Haruhi and Isamu.

"Shall we?" He held out a hand for Haruhi to grab. She nodded and stood with some difficulty. Kyoya motioned for her to pass Isamu to him.

Kyoya used his free hand to grasp Haruhi's as the trio made their way to the limo. The driver's small smile had grown into a full-on grin. Kyoya shook his head, not feeling in the mood for dealing with the driver's sudden mood change.

Haruhi

Haruhi ran her fingers along the edges of the photographs in her hands. They were definitely beautiful and worth holding on to, especially for Isamu's sake. She would have to go out and find some frames later.

She glanced over at Kyoya, who was still holding onto Isamu. The younger boy was completely passed out on Kyoya's shoulder. Kyoya absentmindedly rubbed the boy's back. His innate father-like skills made Haruhi smile. He could be a hard ass in public, but Haruhi knew that he would be the best thing for Isamu.

When they arrived back at the Fujioka residence, Haruhi got out first and held out her arms for Kyoya to give Isamu to her. The boy slept like a rock, so the exchange produced no waking effects on him. The three made their way back up to the apartment, where Ranka sat nervously wringing his hands.

"Dad? We found him." Haruhi whispered as she took her shoes off and entered the house.

"Oh, thank goodness! I was so scared!" Ranka tried to contain his relief at seeing the boy unharmed.

Haruhi smiled at her father and walked to her bedroom to put the boy down for a nap. As soon as he hit the bed, Isamu reached out for warmth once more. Haruhi found herself smiling and picking him up again. Human contact was probably the best for him, whether or not he was asleep. She went back into the living room to meet the curious glances of her boyfriend and her father.

"He wouldn't let go…so I thought I may as well bring him back here…" She said sheepishly.

Kyoya nodded as Ranka grinned widely. Haruhi sat on the futon closest to the wall so that she would have something to lean on. She lay Isamu in her lap and rocked him gently, rubbing his back lightly.

She loved this boy so much that she would go to the ends of the earth and beyond just for his happiness. Now, though, he slept peacefully, curled up in her lap and sucking his thumb. It had been a stressful day for everyone, and they were all feeling the effects.

The three of them talked quietly to avoid waking the boy. They talked about the pictures they had found and about how Isamu had been feeling when they found him. The topic of how he was going to be taken care of came up often, and within two hours, they had a solid plan.

Once a week dinners at the Fujioka residence and visits from Haruhi every day. Weekend activities would be discussed as they came up. For now, it was a good plan, and it would keep Isamu in touch with Haruhi and Ranka as well as Kyoya.

The sun had since set on the sleepy city, and Haruhi yawned widely. Isamu had not woken up yet, so she assumed he would be asleep until morning.

"Well…I think I've had enough excitement for one day. Goodnight, Kyoya." Ranka bid farewell to the boy. "You may stay here if you would like. It seems a bit…unjust for you to be gone when the boy wakes up." Kyoya nodded appreciatively. "Goodnight, my darling daughter. Don't let this pervy man get his hands on you." Ranka winked at Haruhi, who giggled and blushed slightly at the implied message.

"Goodnight, Daddy." Haruhi said, yawning once more. Ranka left the room, and Haruhi slid down the wall and onto her side. She did not bother brushing her teeth (she would do that in the morning) or changing into pajamas (her dress was comfy enough to sleep in).

Kyoya came over to her and squatted down to her level. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, Kyoya…I'm just really worn out." She promised.

He pulled a soft blanket over her body, and Haruhi let out a satisfied sigh. She watched him take off his blazer and shirt before climbing under the blanket with her. Isamu lay between them, oblivious to the world around them.

Haruhi's tired eyes met Kyoya's and they shared a smile before leaning in for a quick kiss. The pair was thoroughly exhausted, and just that action completely drained them. They flopped back onto the futon and fell into safe slumbers.

Haruhi and Kyoya's arms liked over Isamu's sleeping body protectively. Time seemed to stop around the new family. That's what they were now. A family. A gentle smile made its way to each person's face that night as they felt the love of their family seep into their hearts. Nothing could break the happiness they shared, and they each wished to cherish it for as long as possible.

Yoshio (Let's check in on him…just for a second.)

Yoshio Ootori opened his email to find a curious, blank message waiting for him. Noticing that the email was from inside his company, he clicked on the attachment and waited for it to open. Once it had opened, Yoshio's face lit up.

His plan was going marvelously. Haruhi and Kyoya were perfect for each other, and the boy, Yoshio's nephew, had brought them closer together than ever before. Truth be told, Yoshio did not have much of a plan for Kyoya. He wanted his son to be happy, and it appeared that his happiness was with this commoner girl and the surprise Ootori addition.

A kind smile spread across his face as he turned out the lights for the night and crawled into bed with his wife. The two shared a passionate kiss before falling asleep in each other's embrace. On Yoshio Ootori's laptop sat a picture. A picture of sunshine breaking through the dark clouds of a young boy's heart. A picture of hope and love in a strange, unpredictable world.

What could go wrong?

FIN.

Phew! That was a looooong chapter! Longest one I've ever written!

Thank you all so very much for sticking with me and helping me to be inspired and complete my second work on this site!

Please leave a review if you can! It would mean the world to me!

I hope to see you all in the third installment of this series! It's going to be a lot of drama (don't like, don't read) with more KyoxHaru goodness, and you can bet your bottom dollar, Isamu is going to be all over that story!

If I get to see you all in that story, I will be very happy! I cannot wait to start writing it!

See you all then! :)

(And...for the final time...THANK YOU ALL SO SOOOO MUCH FOR BEING FANTASTIC SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THIS STORY! You all make me feel loved, and your constant cheering for my exams has brought me much luck. I have finals starting on Monday...so as soon as those are over, I will post the first installment of Heat Stroke III...which doesn't have a sub-title yet...)

Until next time! I love you all! :)