I do this every time I upload a new chapter - I'm sorry. This was way longer of a wait than I wanted, but I kind of over loaded myself with taking 8 classes this semester and I no longer have a life. But this week was spring break! So yeah, it finally got finished. I apologize for the months long cliffy.

I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. "Wh…what?"

Chizu put a finger to her lips then motioned for me to follow her. I pushed my covers back and picked up a coat that was draped over the back of my chair, slipping it on as I shivered. I forewent slippers, as it was quieter to walk barefoot, and followed Chizu out into the hallway.

"What is g…going on?" I asked her once I had quietly closed the door behind me.

"One of the officers just got a call from the chief of police. Your father was apprehended a few towns away. A store clerk saw his face on TV then called in to report a sighting of a man fitting his description changing vehicles across the street from his shop. Their local police caught up to him pretty quickly and took him into custody. He is being transported back here as we speak," Chizu finished.

I could not help my joy as I flung myself into Chizu's arms. All possibility of returning to sleep vanished as tears of happiness began to flow freely from my eyes. A few moments later I drew back, wiping at the stray tears upon my cheeks with the back of my hand.

Chizu smiled, gently placing a hand on my shoulder. "Now, that doesn't mean you're completely free of him yet. You of course have to go in and verify that he is indeed the man from the warehouse and your father."

I nodded fervently. "Y…yes of course."

"Well then you return to school in just a day so I suggest you rest up now."

I bowed once then turned to head back to my room (even though I knew sleep would be evading me), but as my hand lingered on the handle I thought of something.

"Chizu? Wh…where is Mori?"

Chizu let out a little laugh. "Oh I finally sent him home about 20 minutes ago. Poor darling was having such a hard time keeping his eyes open. After all he went through today – well after all you dears went through today – I don't blame him one bit. Granted he's a stubborn one and wouldn't leave until he knew for sure you were safe and your father was found."

I rolled my eyes, knowing there had probably been some bribery involved in getting Mori to leave as well, but said a quick, "Thank you", then headed back into my room. I checked to make sure Umeko and Akane were still tucked in tightly and then slipped back under my own covers. I closed my eyes, a smile plastered on my face, and after a while finally managed to will myself into a deep sleep once again.

I woke up the next morning to the smell of blueberry pancakes and eggs and…yes that was bacon as well. I stretched and let out a yawn…then frowned. I looked around the room. Umeko and Akane were usually there to wake me up (which they were so good at), but their beds were suspiciously empty. Then I looked at the time and realized it wasn't morning at all; it was already past 11:30!

With some effort I removed myself from my bed and made my way to my closet. My uniform was hanging just inside, cleaned and ready for wear. I pulled it from the hangar and quickly slipped into it, eager to find out where the two troublemakers were. I padded down the stairs quietly, hoping I could sneak up on them, but I as I cleared the final step two pairs of hands grabbed me.

"H…Hikaru? Kaoru? What are y…you doing here?" I asked surprised.

"Chizu called us this morning," Hikaru began.

"She wanted everyone over for breakfast," Kaoru said next.

"Everyone is here!" they finished together.

They propelled me forward and into the dining room where, as the twins had said, everyone was waiting. Every patron of the Azumi as well as Roísín, Hunny, Mori, Haruhi, Tamaki, and a bandaged, on crutches, but seemingly otherwise fine, Kyouya had managed to crowd around the tiny dining room table. Mori's eyes met mine and he gave me a smile, lifting a mug of tea in greeting. I waved back, my cheeks tinted pink as per usual. However, before I could maneuver my way over to where he was sitting, I stepped to the side to where Kyouya was sitting, his leg propped up on a chair and pillow. I leaned down to give him a hug and was shocked when his arms came up to wrap themselves around my waist.

"I'm glad to s…see y…you're ok, Kyouya. Are you s…sure you're ok t…to b…be here?" I whispered to him as I pulled back.

"Well, I cannot be knocked down that easily," he said with a lopsided smile. It was not like Kyouya, and that's when I realized he was most likely still drugged up. I stifled a laugh behind my hand as he continued and confirmed my suspicions. "There is nothing that you cannot achieve with good medical help, strong painkillers, and sheer will. Not to mention an inordinate amount of coffee after some idiot kept you up all night 'making sure you were still alive'." He said that last bit while glaring over my shoulder at Tamaki.

Tamaki yelled back, "Well you're still alive, so you're welcome."

I stifled another laugh, but gave Kyouya another hug before moving on to Roísín, who informed me her wrists were still a bit sore but she would be perfectly fine (not to mention there was a cute chef at the Hitachiin mansion who had asked for her number).

After being assaulted with questions of how I was doing by Hunny and Haruhi, I finally reached Mori. A small smile tugged at his lips and I sighed, falling into a seat beside him and resting my head on his shoulder. I was already tired out just from the walk over to him.

"How are you this afternoon?" he asked me, sneaking a quick kiss to my temple was no one was looking.

"Relieved," I answered, nestling in further into his neck. His hand reached over and he grabbed hold of mine, our fingers intertwining, and we just sat there and watched everyone. It was nice to see everyone together, and most importantly safe. I saw Umeko and Akane climbing onto the laps of Hikaru and Kaoru who appeared to be getting ready to do the girls' hair. Tamaki was following Haruhi around like a lost puppy. Hunny sat surrounded by a group of kids doing what he did best again, talking about sweets. Roísín seemed engrossed in a text conversation, a blush evident on her cheeks as she giggled at her screen. As for Kyouya, well he looked to have fallen asleep.

A few moments later the door to the kitchen burst open and Jin and Chizu came in carrying tray upon tray of food. They hurried through the throngs of onlookers, arranging the plates around the table. It smelled amazing, and my stomach grumbled in anticipation.

"Well don't just sit there, dig in!" Chizu cried, dusting her hands off on her apron. And dig in we did. I could not remember the last time I had consumed that much food.

Just as I was going back for another helping of pancakes the phone rang in the front foyer. Chizu left the room to answer it as we continued our feast. A moment later, however, she came back in looking a little nervous. "Wh…what is it Chizu?" I asked.

"That was the chief of police again. They're ready for you to identify your father."

An hour later found me sitting in the back of the Haninozuka's car, Mori at my side. He held on to my hand as I sat silent, my knee bouncing up and down with nerves and in anticipation. It had been hardly half a day since I had last seen him – his horrible grin, his eyes so cold and menacing. Even with him behind bars I knew he would haunt me for a while.

Besides my nerves towards confronting him, I was also nervous to get my key back in my possession now that I knew what it stood for. My past could be returned to me with that key…

Mori lifted my hand to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss to its back. "Are you alright?" he asked, leaning over and whispering into my ear.

I nodded once, trying to set a look of steely determination on my face, but I knew he could see right through it. Fortunately he didn't press me further. What I needed right now was some time to my own thoughts, not a speech.

About 10 minutes later we pulled up to the gates of the prison. I bit at my already chapped lips as we got clearance to enter and the barrier slid open to let us proceed through. The car came to a stop at a designated spot near the steps up to the entrance. I gulped down my nerves as our driver got out and opened my door. I hesitated, but a quick squeeze of my hand and a reassuring nod from Mori gave me the courage I needed to step outside.

"I'll be waiting out here," Mori called after me. I let out a sigh and let the driver close the limo door behind me. As I made my way up the stairs, I noticed an officer was waiting for me by the door to the precinct. I recognized him as Officer Osamu, one of the officers who had come to question me during my time in the hospital after the fateful masquerade ball. He smiled kindly and offered his hand.

"Hello Miss Koi, it's nice to see you looking well. Though I had rather hoped that that night would have been the end of your troubles."

"Thank you f…for all y…your help that night," I said, grasping his hand and giving it as firm a shake my trembling hand could muster.

Officer Osamu seemed startled to hear my voice, his eyes widening as he shook back, but the smile stayed firmly in place. After a few moments we dropped our hands and he opened the door, ushering me inside the station. We approached a desk where my ID was checked and then I was asked to walk through a metal detector. An officer behind a desk just past the metal detector handed me a visitor badge, which I clipped to my collar. I smoothed down the front of my dress, trying to keep my hands busy so the officers wouldn't see just how much I was shaking.

"Are you ready Miss Koi?" Officer Osamu asked me. I nodded, taking a deep breath.

"Yes."

"Then right this way." He guided me down a hall and around a corner to a heavy gray door with a keypad. I watched him enter a code then swipe an ID badge and then I heard a click. Officer Osamu pulled the handle and the door swung open. Another long hallway dotted with doors leading to different interrogation rooms lay before us. We walked about three quarters of the way down the hall before stopping outside interrogation room number 7. Officer Osamu placed his hand on the door, but stopped short of pushing it open. He turned back to me and gave me a small smile.

"I know seeing your father again might make you nervous, but you need not worry. He will be handcuffed, not to mention behind a one-way mirror. You will be able to see him to identify him, but he will not be able to see you. After you have identified him, we will have you remain in the viewing room while we question him."

I took another deep breath and nodded once more. Officer Osamu turned the handle and I walked past him into the small dark room. The door clicked closed softly behind me. The light from the room on the other side of the one-way mirror illuminated the side of my face, but I could not bring myself to peer in. A hand on my shoulder made me jump and my hand flew up to my chest.

"Miss Koi, I'm sorry but we can't conduct the interrogation until you've identified him."

"Y…yes of course." I slowly turned to face the window, steeling myself to see the man on the other side. Handcuffed to the table, a smug smile still somehow plastered on his face, was my father. I took a step back, even though I knew he couldn't see or reach me. "Yes, th…that's him."

"Very well then, I'll begin the interrogation."

Mori leaned back into the limo seat, watching the retreating form of his girlfriend disappear through the door of the precinct. He let out a sigh, pulling out his cellphone. He had ignored a few calls on the ride over and figured he should find out who had tried to contact him. Four missed calls from Tamaki, one from Haruhi, and one from each of the twins. He punched in a few numbers, putting the phone to his ear and letting it ring.

"MORI-SENPAI?! HOW'S IT GOING? IS MY DAUGHTER OK? THAT HORRIBLE MAN CAN'T DO ANYTHING ELSE TO HER CAN HE?"

Mori pulled the phone away from his ear before Tamaki's shouts could blow out his eardrum. "Tamaki. Quieter."

There were the sounds of a scuffle, a muffled cry, and then Haruhi's soft voice came through the speaker. "Sorry Mori-senpai. How is Shizuko doing?"

"She was nervous," he replied.

"Well that's to be expected. Do you know how long she has to be in there for?"

"No."

"MORI-SENPAI DON'T LET THAT BA—Tamaki stop it! Give me the pho—MORI-SENPAI YOU CALL US AS SOON AS SHE GETS OWW! HARUHI WHY ARE YOU BEING SO MEAN—Maybe if you would stop trying to grab the phone awa…"

Mori hung up the phone, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. He glanced at his watch – it had only been 10 minutes since she'd gone in. Unsure of how much longer she would be needed inside he pulled out his phone and started digging around for hitting news articles on past Japanese oil moguls.

JAPEX CONTINUES TO EXPAND REACHES OUTSIDE OF TOKYO

SHOWA SHELL SEKIYU PUSHES FORWARD WITH SOLAR PANELS

Mori continued to search.

MITSUI OIL EXPLORATION PARTNERS WITH BP FOR GULF DRILLING

AKIRA IDEMITSU REPLACES SOSUKE IDEMITSU AS CHAIRMAN OF IDEMITSU KOSSAN

Nothing seemed promising – and then:

HIDEO OSHIRO, HEAD OF OSHIROIL COMPANY, DIES AT 57

Mori eagerly clicked on the article and began to read.

Hideo Oshiro, founder of OSHIROIL died of heart failure last Tuesday. His wife, Miwa Oshiro, will succeed him as the head of the company.

"Miwa Oshiro," Mori whispered to himself. He opened up a new window on his phone and typed in the name. Fortunately the first article that popped up was a marriage announcement.

Young entrepreneur Hideo Oshiro (founder OSHIROIL) married longtime fiancé Miwa Koi over the weekend. They celebrated their union at the –

Mori didn't need to read any more to know that those were Shizuko's grandparents. Mori downloaded the articles to show to Kyouya later. He knew Kyouya would be able to pull further information about the company through his connections and police force.

Just then, out of the corner of his eye, Mori saw the front doors of the precinct swing wide open. Out walked the officer from earlier and Shizuko. Her face was streaked with tearstains – but she was smiling. Mori let out a relieved sigh.

They bowed and the officer walked back into the building. Shizuko turned and headed down the steps and back towards the car. She didn't even wait for his driver to get out before flinging the door open, sliding over to Mori, and throwing her arms around him.

"Shizuko?" Mori questioned her. She was acting strange.

"He's b…being put away f…for a long time," Shizuko whispered. Tears began to flow down her face once more, but this time Mori knew for sure they were tears of happiness. "He can't h…hurt me or y…you or anyone anym…more."

She pulled away, hiccupping once as the tears continued. Her eyes were shimmering with the tears and she wiped them away with the back of her hand. She hiccupped once more, smiling and giggling a little at the same time. Mori couldn't help himself. He pulled her towards him into a passionate kiss. His hands tangled in her hair and her hands fisted the fabric of his shirt. Neither of them noticed the driver smile and slide the divider up between the two compartments.

Mori wasn't sure how but he pulled Shizuko even closer, his tongue sliding out to caress her bottom lip. Shizuko moaned slightly into the gesture, melting in his embrace. Her lips slid open, allowing his tongue entrance. Their tongues battled for a few moments, entwining and fighting for dominance, before Mori moved to nipping at her bottom lip. Shizuko's hands slid to the front of his shirt, bunching the fabric up and revealing his hard abs. Her fingers danced lightly across the hardened muscles, leaving tingling trails across his skin.

Shizuko tried to shift positions, pulling herself more onto his lap than before, but somehow lost her balance and the couple tumbled back onto the seat. Shizuko let out an unexpected yelp as Mori's head hit the seat with a dull thud.

"Ouch," Mori said, sitting up and rubbing at the back of his head.
"S…sorry!" Shizuko cried, reaching out to him, but Mori just let out a small laugh and took her hands in his. He kissed her knuckles, running his fingers across them after.

"You ready to head home?" he asked. Shizuko nodded, sliding off his lap and into her own seat. Mori knocked on the divider and let the driver know to head back to the Izumi. The car started up, turned around, and pulled up to the gates for clearance to exit. As the gates slid open, Mori turned back to Shizuko. "So, now what?"

Shizuko reached into a pocket in her dress and pulled out something small and silver. She turned it over in her hand then held it out for Mori to see. It was the key from her necklace, the one her father had taken from her. She had gotten it back. "Now, I f…figure out wh…who I am."

We're getting closer to the end. I can't believe how this has turned out. I never expected such a big audience! I can't believe so many of you actually like this and followed it. Thanks again for sticking with me. You guys are great. EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU READERS.