A beautiful young girl exited the airport as soon as her plane landed. She was wearing a sun hat with golden flowers and a nice short white halter dress with golden embroidered flowers heavy along the base getting lighter up to her hips. She stopped at the curb to wait for a car, pulling her suitcase up to her feet. A sudden gust of wind almost blew her off so she reached up to grab it steady. Looking at the sky, she smiled. Ryoko couldn't wait to see her boys.

~241~

After Reading the letters from Ryoma the team got excited and decided to hang out at Kawamura Sushi for a while longer to talk with each other. Fuji, and Momo also stuck around for a bit but left earlier than the others to meet up at Ryoga's apartment to talk about the letter from Ryoko.

Fuji felt better knowing that Ryoko did not blame him for what he has done. Sure she talked in her letter as if all was forgiven but she never stated that she had forgiven him. It will take longer for Fuji to stop blaming himself but at least he will know that she does not hate him. It was also difficult getting used to identifying Ryoma and Ryoko as separate individuals. The past couple of years he was making everyday count practicing over and over to change his mindset. Its not easy changing one's views but he managed. Sometimes he would make a mistake when talking about the two but he would immediately correct himself, something Momo and Ryoga had to help him with in the beginning.

Momo spent a lot of his time helping Fuji and Ryoga out with their issues concerning Ryoma and Ryoko. Never would he have imagined he would become like a teacher to people older than himself, let alone Fuji and a college student. He was concerned about Ryoma and Ryoko but he knew they could handle themselves just fine. So he focused his attention on his tennis and school work. Had to get good grades if he wanted to be a good role model as a Captain. Not just because he had to in order to stay on the team but for the benefit of his teammates as well. It was explained to everyone else that Ryoma had relatives in America and went to live with them due to some unforeseen circumstances. It was unfortunate but the team respected it and hoped to keeping winning for their beloved ochibi. However, they kept placing second. After Rikkaidai lost for the very first time they came back with an even bigger force to be reckoned with and Seigaku hadn't been able to beat them since.

Once they got to Ryoga's apartment Fuji reached out and turned the door knob. Momo sighed when it opened without a problem. Does Ryoga ever remember to lock his door, he didn't even know they were coming.

"Ryoga-san?" Fuji called out while walking inside, Momo right behind shutting the door and locking it himself.

"Fuji?" Ryoga called from in the kitchen. "What are you doing here."

"We got a letter from Ryoko, thought you might want to see it,"

Ryoga squealed and sprinted to the living room where Momo and Fuji had sat down on his couch. "where is it?"

Fuji smiled and handed it over to him. He watched as Ryoga's face changed from different emotions until finally settling on tears of joy.

"I am so happy" Ryoga cried happily.

"You know you always cry whenever Ryoko sends a letter." Momo laughed. Fuji nodded with a smile.

Ryoga got letters from Ryoko more than Momo and Fuji did. He never got any from Ryoma, which he understood, they were never as close to begin with. He was happy to read that she was doing well. She was always so vague about what she was doing or what was happing over there in America. He also knew awhile ago that she had forgave him, but it was also nice to see in writing. Ryoga was practicing just like Momo in identifying Ryoma and Ryoko as their own person. Ryoma was not just an alter, he was his own person, and Ryoga respected that. He worked very hard in convincing himself and believing that he had a brother as well as a sister. He will always bond more with Ryoko, that much will never change, but he will now bond with Ryoma as an older brother. Not that he thinks it will be easy, he hasn't seen either Ryoma or Ryoko since they left for America. He had hoped when they disappeared that they were safe and unharmed, and that they did not bring their father with them. Ryoga will always blame what happened to his family mentally on their father, but he cannot bring himself to completely hate the man. Nanjirou was mentally unstable, it doesn't excuse what happened but it could have been prevented if he just had done something about their fathers mental state sooner. He should have done something to help their father the moment Rinko passed away, even if he knew he didn't know about what had happened because he was living with his grandmother at the time. Maybe things would have turned out differently. However, that didn't matter anymore, he cannot change the past only live in the present and look towards the future. What mattered now was that Ryoko and Ryoma were going to come back soon.

"It was nice to know that she forgave me." Fuji said trying to start conversation.

"Yeah. I knew she had forgiven me a while ago but its always nice to see again. That was the first time she actually said it to you though huh?" Ryoga asked going back into the kitchen. "I was making dinner for myself but I think I have enough for you guys too." he added

Momo grabbed the TV remote and turned it on while Fuji responded. "She always wrote to me as if we were still friends and she sounded like she had forgiven me but she never stated so. This was the first time she actually said she forgave me."

"Probably wanted you to suffer a bit you sadist. You know as revenge." Momo joked

Ryoga laughed from in the kitchen. "Ryoko is as sweet as can be but she does a have a playful side, so that could be true."

"So when do you think she wi-" Momo started but stopped when he heard something.

Ryoga walked into the living room with a towel in hand "Did you guys... no guess not. I could have swore I heard something."

"I thought I did too.

The three of them turned to the door when they heard the noise once again. It sounded like keys outside the door. They watched together with surprised and worried looks as they heard a click and knob started to turn. Momo was going to ask if anyone else had a key to Ryogas apartment but never got the chance, the door opened and a young girl walked inside.

The boys were frozen to the spot watching her close and lock the door behind her. She turned and all four just stared at each other for what seemed like forever.

"Guess I took longer than I thought, I wanted to surprise you. Since the door was locked I assumed you were still gone. Since when do you lock your own door when home Aniki?" She said smiling. She knew as soon as the moment was broken she would be bombarded with hugs and happy tears with her brother so she never expected an answer.

She was right because as soon as she stopped speaking they all yelled out her name and gave her the tightest, Eiji level tight, group hug ever. Once they were done and Ryoko was able to breath again, the three started asking question after question. 'Where were you?' 'How could you just leave us' and 'Why didn't you take me with you?'. That last one was curtsey of her own brother.

She didn't want to answer right away so when she started to smell something burning she took the opportunity. "Aniki? is there something burning?"

Ryoga's eyes went wide and he ran right back into the kitchen to finish what he started. Momo and Fuji laughed and Ryoko took that moment to smile and ask how the two were doing. The letters they exchanged never went into too much detail and now that she was back she wanted to hear about everything. She asked how the team was doing, and was slightly disappointed but proud to learn they continued to place second. She asked how high school was going and learned that Fuji was taking his photography more seriously, focusing on that even more than his tennis. When Ryoga got back with dinner for all of them, he surprised himself with how much he had in is own kitchen to feed all four of them, they ate and continued to have small talk. Until finally Ryoga just couldn't take it anymore.

"And America? What have you been doing? where have you been?"

Ryoko smiled and truly smiled. It was the happiest anyone has ever seen her and the three boys froze. They didn't know what to say. Ryoga was so happy to see his sister smiling, a genuine smile.

"I've been living."

And that answer alone spoke so much to them. There was so much meaning and feeling in that one sentence. They Knew Ryoko found a life she has always wanted. Over the past couple of years they talked about Ryoko and how they were blind to seeing how she truly felt. Momo and Fuji didn't really have the time to notice but Ryoga did. He never saw that she was suffering. That she had felt trapped, alone and unwanted all this time. They talked about how they would make it their mission to change that the moment they got to see her again.

But it looked like they didn't need to, she did it on her own.

Ryoko turned to look at Momo, a soft smile on her face. "After leaving the clubroom that day I went to confront my father."

Ryoga stood up eyes wide and scared. Ryoko shook her head and gave him a look he didn't understand, but he knew he needed to keep quiet and sit back down.

"It was an absolute disaster to tell you the truth. It could have been worse but it's still not something I would want to go through again.

I was afraid but determined to finally be known, I was sick of feeling like I didn't exist. So I walked right up to my father completely myself. He was able to tell instantly that something wasn't right about his son. He flipped out yelling 'where is my son' and in response I would say 'I am your daughter." He wouldn't take it very well and after each time I responded he would grab something around the house and throw it in rage at the space around me. I lost count of how many times he asked, but eventually I couldn't take it anymore. He wasn't seeing me or hearing me for who I actually was so I fell to my knees crying and responding back the same each time.

There was a moment when he stopped yelling and throwing things and looked down at me. He actually saw me for me. He seemed to just shut down then. He looked blank and broken. After what seemed like forever he turned his head away and left the house. The way he moved was as if he had no purpose in life anymore. I haven't seen him since.

I figured that was it, there was nothing more for me here. My father abandoned me. Yes I had Ryoga but at the time I felt that you were not ready yet. Plus I didn't want to be a burden to you while you were in college. So I left. I packed up my belongings, called a friend in America, and left.

I didn't want to tell anyone where I was going or what I would be doing because I wasn't ready yet. I wanted to find a life for myself, I wanted to coexist with Ryoma and have a life working together. My friend Kevin helped me out a lot.

It took a long time to learn how to work together with Ryoma so we each could do what we wanted to do. I was able to stick to my passions, I practiced Violin everyday. I posted videos of my pieces online and eventually got scouted to become a professional violinist slash singer. Nothing has gone public yet because I am still working out the contract but its a dream come true for me. Ryoma followed his passions too, just like me he practiced tennis everyday. I learned to use post it notes to communicate and we worked around a schedule so the both of us get an equal amount of time each day. Ryoma still doesn't know about me, I am not quite ready for that part yet. He just thinks I'm his really busy manager who likes to leave notes for him to read. Ryoma will leave some back but its always short and to the point.

So far the two of us have been managing well and I couldn't be happier!"

Momo smiled. He was glad she was able to make her own path, to do what she truly wanted to do.

Fuji was happy as well, he couldn't wait to see what she would make of herself in the future. He had a lot of work to do if he wanted to walk by their side. There was no way they were going to wait for him.

Ryoga was crying tears of joy once more. He was so proud of his little sister and couldn't wait to bond with Ryoma over tennis. He would bet the little brat couldn't beat him too. Would probably frustrate the boy to no end, but it would make him a better player in the long run. He realized he should have played with Ryoma sooner, they both liked tennis, but it was the fact that he refused to acknowledge Ryoma that he never did play with him.

There was one thing that concerned him though.

"Ryoko I am so happy for you, but where is our father now?" he asked with concern. He was happy to know he did not go to America with them but it was frightening to know that the situation was never actually solved and he could be anywhere right now. It was not good for a mentally unstable man to be loose in the country.

Ryoko gave Ryoga an awkward smile. "Honestly, I don't know. I do have Kevin trying to find him. He is still my father and even though he terrifies me he was good to Ryoma. I want him to get help, have someone teach him how to healthily go through his grief of loosing my mom.

Ryoga nodded but inside he wondered if it may already be too late for that. He hoped not.

"So now that your back, what do you plan to do now?" Momo asked.

Ryoko smiled brightly again. "If it's alright with Aniki I was Hoping to move in with him so I could go back to school with you guys and continue living my life."

Ryoga once again started bawling like a baby and went to hug his sister. Momo and Fuji just smiled at the two

"Of course!"

A/N:….How Ya'll been?

I am so dead you guys probably want to kill me it's been so long since I lasted updated.

I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy during this time. If any of you are still working I am thankful for what you are doing and REALLY REALLY hope you stay safe as well.

My job closed due to what is happening and I have never had this much free time before. Its weird and I don't like it.

Bright side I can write again.

For the time that I have been gone I have been nonstop working my butt off, the vacation I got last month was welcomed even though I feel bad about the reason for it.

This story is now completed. I have told what I wanted to tell and it is now done. I know right what kind of heartless person am I to make you guys wait over a year for a new update for it to just be the end of the story. Don't think that I'm ending it to just end it this was always how I planned out this story.

For those of you following the Vampire prince I have already started working on that too and an update will be very soon. Now that I have nothing else to do besides play games at home there is nothing stopping me from working on it. So look forward to that. The update will also not be the last chapter as in no way is the Vampire prince even close to ending XD I put too much on my plate with that one.

I do have another story ready to start, this time it will be a Merlin Fanfic. For those who have not seen that show I highly recommend it is hilarious. (not an anime tho), Don't worry I will not officially start it until I finish Vampire prince. I learned my lesson about working on multiple fanfics at once, will not do it again.

ANYWAY I am back and ready to write (don't trust me completely again until I have proved it, I have a bad track record.)

PLEASE STAY SAFE EVERYONE

love you all

~Scar