So this is my first fic and I tried really hard to keep everyone in character. It's been awhile since I've seen/read DR so I hope all my facts are canon-ish, although most of this is AU from after Kirigiri asks Naegi to leave the room.

Hope you enjoy, and feel free to drop a review!

"I want to… be alone. Just for a little while."

"Kirigiri-san.."

She can see the worried look in his eyes, and she allows him the tiniest of smiles. "Don't worry, I'm fine. It's just that… I need to calm down. Become rational again. I need some time to sort out my feelings. When I calm down, I'll come straight back to the investigation, so, please…" Kirigiri 's voice shakes just slightly. "Let me be alone for awhile."

Naegi nods and reluctantly leaves the room, leaving Kirigiri alone with the bones of her father.

As soon as he's gone, Kirigiri sits down carefully on the ground and pulls her knees to her chest. She's never felt conflicted like this before; she figures it's because she's never been wrong. As she stares at the photograph, it slowly begins to blur, and she realizes after a few confused moments that it's due to the tears in her eyes. Dammit. She wants to tell herself that this means nothing, that her father is the same heartless bastard that she's always imagined him to be, but she can't ignore facts. And the fact is that this picture, frozen in time within the confines of its worn frame, exists, and was held close to her father's heart.

One or two tears drip onto the photo, like rain in the storm that took over her life, and she wonders if he knew, if he possibly could've known that she never truly hated him.

Of course, it isn't fair to expect him to understand something that she never even knew herself. That she still isn't sure of now. This photograph—it doesn't change the years of repressed anger, the yearning and disappointment she's felt for so long. She may have actually hated him.

More than anything, she hates that she can't tell him how she feels. She can't even whisper it up to the heavens in hopes that he'll hear her because… she doesn't know what she'd say. Her emotions are something she's never been in touch with, the one mystery she can't solve. The only evidence she has is the onslaught of tears that grows rapidly with each passing second.

These tears. Are they the tears of sadness as she mourns her father's death? Are they tears of guilt at having assumed him careless all these years? Or, god forbid, are they tears of happiness, joy that she's finally gotten some closure?

She can scratch that last one, she thinks bitterly. She's never felt anything further from finality in her life.

Just as she drops the picture and buries her face in her arms, the door bursts open. She looks up to see Naegi looking down at her, concern shining in those transparent eyes of his.

"I… I heard you crying," he mumbles. "I couldn't leave you. I'm sorry."

Kirigiri says nothing, merely hides her face again, this time in embarrassment. She knows that Naegi is kind, that he won't judge her, but she fears that he will pity her, and pity is the last thing she wants.

"You must think me foolish," she says after awhile, raising her head but turning it to avoid Naegi's gaze. "After all that I said about him…"

Naegi laughs at that, and Kirigiri has to admit (to herself, of course) that she's stunned. "I'm the last guy who has the right to think anyone foolish, especially you, Kirigiri-san." He grins. "You're the smartest person here."

Again, Kirigiri chooses not to respond. For the first time, she doubts her intelligence. Before her sits Naegi, who understands himself, even with his fears, his insecurities, his weaknesses. He takes it all in stride and presses on, works around his flaws. And Kirigiri… she just ignores them. She ignores everything that deviates from logic, and as a result… she's lost.

She's never been lost before.

"I know you feel bad, and I'm sure you don't want to hear this, but…" he scratches the back of his head awkwardly. "It's kinda nice to see that you're human like the rest of us."

Kirigiri sighs. "Being human seems more like a hindrance than anything else right now," she says quietly. "These doubts and questions are unnecessary and frustrating."

"They can be really overwhelming sometimes," Naegi agrees. "You know, when I first came here, I felt like I had no strengths, certainly none that would match up to any of you guys'. I've been told that my optimistic attitude is my strength, but what is optimism when compared to hacking and writing and athleticism and all that?"

Naegi smiles at her, and she feels some of her own sadness begin to fade away at the sight of it. "Turns out, it's helped me out a hell of a lot. I set my sights on one goal, and even when I hit obstacle after obstacle, I know where I'm going, I have a path and I won't lose myself. Everything will be okay as long as I have something to work towards, right?"

Kirigiri's eyes fall closed as her heart sinks again. Doesn't he realize? She has nothing to work towards. There's nothing waiting for her when she leaves this building; she knows this much for sure. But when she looks up to tell Naegi this, her words get lost in her throat.

He's got this brightness to him that she's always noticed, but never thought about before. Till now, she's just dismissed it as naivety, however, now… she understands. Naegi's not stupid. He knows how horrible their situation is, and he knows that the other side may not be much better. These are two facts that Kirigiri has accepted at face value, but Naegi… he takes a different approach. The gaps left by the unknown do not make room for misery, but for hope. There are no dead ends, for there is always hope. This is Naegi's strength, and it makes him stronger than she's ever imagined.

Kirigiri is different. She can't just shut off her critical mind, the one that holds all possibilities at equal value and prepares for the worst. But she looks at Naegi, sees the beauty in his hope, and she wants to preserve it. Naegi's hope is what they need if they want to escape this place. When they leave this building, Naegi's hope might be the only beautiful thing left in the world.

She dries her eyes and nods at him, standing up. The uncertainties are still there, and she knows she may never understand herself in the way that Naegi does, but that can be a goal for a later time. She's already got her sights set, and right now, her doubts and insecurities are mere hurdles on her path to escape. On their path to escape. And when he smiles at her, and she wonders if he knows the impact he's made on her. But right now, it doesn't matter. She will show him some time in the future. She will show him once they escape.

Because her goal is set. And they will escape. Together.

Bad ending, I know. I wrote this back in July so i was on my summer break mind and I was probably half-asleep struggling to finish, but I hope it's okay. Thanks for reading!