We're here at last. The final chapter of Together Forever. Now THIS chapter really opened my floodgates. I had trouble seeing the keyboard through the tears gushing from my eyes at what I put the family through. You've been warned so get the tissues ready!

6

A Not So Happy End

It's been another five years and I'm happily working beside papa at the family company. Even at the age of 47 he's still going strong. Cleo is doing well at school. She's popular with a lot of the kids. Xion gifted me with a son five years ago in around May/June. Connor's his mother's twin and no rival to Makoto's daughter Chelsea. Mithra eventually fell pregnant a moth before Connor was born and surprised me with a daughter in January. Just like Connor is Xion's twin, little Sasha is Mithra all over again. Chihiro and Aiden have two children also, the youngest born last year. Their eldest lucky enough is a carbon copy of Aiden and a boy to boot. His name is Saul and is coming up 4 years old. He has a brother who looks just like his mum. He was called Kenneth for his grandfather. Makoto and Rin are expecting another child this year and they're hoping for a son. Chelsea takes after her mum from looks to attitude. She's a pretty girl and my boy Connor has his eyes set firmly upon her. I do pray that in the future they WON'T get married. The last thing I want is to have Makoto being a proper part of the family, no offense to Rin. Papa doesn't mind. Leon has a son too, his duplicate. Oddly the boy was crowned Kovu before he was even born. Silver got married two years ago and is soon to be a mother. Lucky for us the mansion still has rooms to spare. Like papa had hoped, Leon and Silver have stayed at the mansion. Aiden won't leave his mother and Chihiro doesn't mind. My other cousins all have children but I can scarcely remember their names. Saber eventually passed away shortly after Sasha was born. Just as he took Czar's place, Saber's prodigal son stands loyally at my side. I was torn on what to call him for a while but settled for Fang.

It's been a normal day at Hiwatari Enterprise. I'm a minor lord compared to papa but one day I'll be sitting at the top. For a while now, I've been feeling that something bad will see me robbed of him. I'm not a firm believer in any god, but I've been silently praying the last few months for my father to remain safe. Xion has been teaching Connor the basics of beyblading. He'll inherit Draciel once he turns ten. For now, I refuse to give Dranzer to Sasha. I want her to stay with Hiwatari's who look like Hiwatari's. Me and papa arrive home to the arms of our wives and the rest of the family. We had several meetings today and we're really tired. But Uncle Raul insists that we must eat. Cleo pulls at my coat, wanting to go and play but I shrug her off gently so I can change out of my suit. Xion stays behind to watch the kids and Mithra follows me to our room. Since my double bed wasn't quite big enough to fit me and my two wives in, I upgraded to a king size bed. I don't fight as Mithra unbuttons my shirt, revealing the muscles hiding behind the fabric. Despite my working hours, I'm able to keep up a regimen to stay in shape. "Hard day Honey?" Mithra asks while stroking my cheek. "Yeah I guess you could say that babe. My head really hurts from all the meetings we had today. Hopefully it'll be a little more peaceful tomorrow." "Would you like some good news to cheer you up?" My tired eyes light up as I look at Mithra. She and Xion both know I long for a child who looks like me. It's no secret. "Look at you getting excited." She laughs, rounding my neck with her arms. "I swear you're like a puppy sometimes Gou. There's a chance that…I could be pregnant again. I'm going in fer a test at the weekend." "Mithra that's wonderful! I swear papa's gonna hit the roof at the rate he's getting grandkids. I'll go with you I promise. But what if you're not?" "Then we'll keep tryin'. Get some rest darlin'. I'll come git ya when supper is ready." I do as I'm told and close my eyes to the world for an hour or so.

The trip to the doctor turned up that Mithra was not pregnant. Her cycle was just late. Like Mithra promised, we continued to try for another baby. Xion gets some fun too of course otherwise it wouldn't be fair. A month goes by and Mithra still isn't pregnant. It's almost like I'm shooting blanks but that can't be true. Maybe we're just timing it wrong. With work it could be I'm not stimulated enough. Mama always tells me to keep my chin up and I'll have another baby under my feet before we even know it. The last few days I've been seeing a face around town I hoped I'd never see again. Damien is back and no doubt he's gonna start trouble for me again. Papa managed to drive him off before Connor had been born. Heaving a sigh I sit at my desk and look at the paperwork that had piled up. Uncle Ray is always across the hall if I need anything. When lunch comes around I head out alone to café for something to eat. It was a nice little place, quiet and nobody caused any trouble. I'm served by one waitress in particular, my Aunt Hilary. She sees me coming and gets my order ready. Within an hour I finish my meal and go to make my way back to work. It's hot outside so my car windows are down. Since I'm not due back for another hour I drive to the park. I know I won't see my family there because Connor will be at school and Sasha at nursery. My wives are likely at work too. Once the car is parked, I get out and lock the doors. Finding a bench to sit on wasn't difficult. No matter how many buildings are built around it, the park is still beautiful. I never tire of seeing the cherry blossom trees and the tall oaks. The park is unusually devoid of life today. No birds, stray cats or love-struck couples who come here to be alone. Silence. That's all I hear and it's unnerving to say the least. Some twenty minutes later I go to leave the park until I hear what sounds like a child calling for help. It came from near the river so that's where I go to check first. The call gets louder but before I can move some bushes aside, I get struck across the head and my world goes black.

I don't know how long it's been since I fell unconscious. It was so sudden and not to mention my head is really hurting. I've no idea where I am. All I know is that I'm blindfolded with hands and feet tied to a wooden chair. There's also what I believe to be cloth between my teeth. There's no doubt in my mind that the calling child was a decoy to lure me closer to whoever captured me. Lifting my pounding head I feel a crack from my neck and spine. I'd say my head has been hanging for a couple of hours at best. Laughing nearby informs me that my captor is still here. I snap my head in any which direction to try and pinpoint their location only to be punched across the face. "It's been a while, Gou Hiwatari. You really are gullible and weak, just like your father." I'd recognise that condescending voice anywhere! Of course Damien was the one behind the attack! I thrash around, trying to break free but that only merits another blow to the head. "Sit still you brat. Be a good boy and maybe I'll let you go if your beloved daddy pays the ransom I've put on your head." Ransom? He's holding me hostage just to get money out of my father?! That sly, no good cheapskate! He'll never get away with this. Fading footsteps tell me that Damien is leaving or possibly just walking across the room or wherever he's holding me. I'd foolishly left Dranzer at home today so she can't help me. In silence, I try to figure out a way to break free and return to my family. No doubt papa's already worried about me not returning to work. Damien isn't here alone. I've counted at least six other sets of footsteps over the hour and they're all different. Although it's probably useless to try, I close my eyes and attempt to send an SOS to my bitbeast. It's all I can do to alert her that I'm in danger. If Damien thinks he can get away with kidnapping me he's sorely mistaken. It won't be the first time I've killed somebody, after all.

It's been about four days since Gou went missing. Julia is worried sick that something bad has happened and that our first child is hurt, lying in a ditch somewhere. I knew something was wrong the moment I could hear the phone in Gou's office constantly ringing. Ray had gone to check and told me Gou hadn't come back from lunch. The first chance I got, I went looking for my son, finding his car at the park with a note under the window wipers. Somebody had managed to kidnap my boy and was now holding him hostage. We were to await further instructions. Being related to Gou, Aiden has been denied access to the case and it's no surprise he's unhappy about the decision. Cleo keeps asking me where her brother is and saying he'll be home soon is all I can do to keep her from the truth. Connor and Sasha have cried every night for fear their father isn't coming back. Worse still, Mithra found out yesterday that she has finally managed to conceive another baby. I fear she might end up losing the poor thing to stress if this keeps up. Everyone has offered their support but it's not enough to bring my son home. Several police officers have been stationed at the mansion, their hub of activities near the phone in the living room. I've kept Dranzer with me these last few days, hoping I'll get some sort of sign from her that Gou is still alive. On the fifth day of Gou's absence, the phone rings. The police spur to life, getting ready to take notes. I'm the one who has to answer the call since the note I found was addressed to me directly. I try to keep my voice steady as I answer. "Hello? Who is this?" "Hello, Mr. Hiwatari. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting so long." There's no doubt about it. This is the person who kidnapped my son. I don't know who the voice belongs to because it's been altered, possibly by helium or something. "Who are you?! Where is my son?!" "Patience good ser. Your son has not come to harm I assure you. He's been a very good boy."

The way this person openly taunts me sets my blood boiling. I glance at the nearest officer to see they're trying to pinpoint the caller's location. "What is it that you want from me?" "So you are willing to cooperate?" "I will so long as no harm comes to Gou. If you hurt him I will find you and kill you." "Now, now, let's not be too hasty. If you want your beloved son back, bring 100,000yen to the warehouse district and come alone. No police. If I so much as smell one cop, your son dies. Do we have a deal?" An officer nods to me and I return the gesture. "Fine. When do you want the money?" "By tomorrow noon. If you fail to show, I will put a bullet in his head." I've held it together surprisingly well but I just can't hold it any longer. "Let me speak to my son. I want to know that he's okay." There's some shuffling on the other end of the line before I can hear Gou swearing insults at the person holding the phone. "Well now that's not very nice. Don't you want to say hello to your father?" "Dad?! Dad don't listen to them!" "Gou?! Are you alright?! Have they hurt you?!" Parental instinct will not let me calm down. I won't until I can hold my boy again. "Nothing too serious. Just a few punches is all." "There you go, your son is safe. But he won't be if you do not show up tomorrow." The line goes dead before I have chance to say anything else. Turning to the police I find they've located where the call came from. Somewhere near the warehouse district. It's time for me to go back to my roots. Julia tries to stop me as I venture upstairs and into the closet. "Kai please. Don't do this." "Sorry Julia. But I can't just stand idly by while my son is in danger. I promised to protect him when he was a baby and I'll not break it now he actually needs me to be there. I'll be fine." While we're alone, Julia allows herself to cry, and I play my part in comforting her. I haven't grown too much so my old gear should still fit. Within the hour I'm ready to go and the police follow, keeping their distance.

When the call had ended, Damien saw fit to beat me up a bit. I don't expect papa to react well to the demand made. I've heard my captors moving around a lot, they're plotting something. One of them whispered something about killing me anyway, and my entire family. From what I can tell, they have guns and have set up a tripwire in front of the door. I pray papa doesn't try to do something reckless like coming to rescue me without any form of weapon. My muscles tense as I hear something going on outside. Damien barks quiet orders for men to wait on the overhead footing to the side of the warehouse. Screams tell me that the guards stationed outside are being seriously wounded by an assailant. Despite being blindfolded, the rush of light that comes in with the opening of a door blinds me. "Gou!" I don't believe it. My old man did the stupid thing. I listen to the wind to determine what my father is doing. He's being cautious which is good. But can he see the tripwires in front of him. "Hang on son. I'll get you out of here." He puts one step forward and I panic. "Don't move! They set up a trap of some kind right in front of you!" "A trap eh? They clearly don't know where I've come from then. Dranzer!" The familiar sound of a bey being launched reaches my ears and suddenly I feel safe now. The ropes binding me are cut loose by Dranzer and she soon moves on to the tripwires papa can now see. He quickly steps back and to the side when a large log went sailing towards him on chains. "Crafty little bastards. But not crafty enough." Papa makes a dash towards me but somebody stopped him dead. The firing of a gun four times sets my ears ablaze and papa falls towards the floor. I don't care who's here as I run to catch him in time. "Papa!" My father looks up at me and I can tell he's not going to make it out of this alive unless help arrives in time. "Gou…you're hurt…" He coughs, sending a spray of blood onto my face. Damien doesn't seem to care as I carry my father outside, allowing me to walk freely.

I set papa down gently so not to aggravate his wounds. Four bullets hit major points in his body. Both lungs and around the diaphragm area. Several cars grind to a halt and I see my family rushing towards us. There are some police cars too. Everyone is kept back as I cradle papa's head, trying my damned best not to cry. "Hang on. Help is here now." Papa lifts a hand and touches my cheek. He's smiling weakly but widely. "I'm…sorry Gou. I can't…keep my promise. I tried…to protect you and I have…failed." "No papa! Don't say that! I won't lose you! I can't!" Tears are streaming down my face now as I feel papa's heart slowing down. Mother breaks free from the barricade and crashes to her knees on papa's other side. He and mama share some words though papa's are struggled between ragged breathing and choking. Then papa turns to me one last time, the light leaving his eyes. "Gou…look after your mother. Just remember, son. I won't be gone completely. Part of me is inside you. And so long as you never forget me, I'll always be in your heart." "Papa don't say such things. We need an ambulance over here!" I freak even more when papa starts to convulse in my arms. "Papa hang on! Please!" Papa doesn't say anything this time. He just looks up at me and smiles, blood trickling through his lips. "You've made me…a proud father…Gou. You know where…to bury me…right?" "I'm not burying you anywhere because you're not going to die damn it! Somebody do something!" "It's too late. Those bastards knew where to shoot. Even if an ambulance could get me to the hospital…I'd never make…it out of…surgery. You're the…boss now Gou. I know…you'll keep the company…on the right…track. I love you…son." I can hardly see now with tears blurring my vision. "I…I love you too papa. Please…stay with us." My plea goes unheard as papa falls limp in my arms. All my family could do was watch as I wail in agony. Mama tries to calm me but I shrug her hands away.

Anger soon takes over my sadness. Dranzer had been spinning beside papa in his final moments and she knows that I'm about to explode far worse than any other time in the past. I gently set papa's head down on the dusty ground before standing at my full height. Once again mother tries to soothe me but I will not listen. Damien will pay for killing my father. Dranzer follows me into the warehouse where Damien and his cronies are still waiting. Given how Damien is sneering, he heard my pain. He knows my father is dead. "Oh dear. Poor daddy. I almost feel sorry for you." Sarcasm drips from Damien's every word and that pushes me over the edge. My eyes burn with the most intense hatred as fire consumes me. This apparently caught Damien off guard. He knows nothing of my power. "W-What the hell are you?!" "I'm your worst nightmare, Damien. A nightmare you'll never wake up from. I promise." The malice in my voice startles me but I recover in time to block a barrage of bullets, melting them with ease. "Shoot all you want, Damien. Your toys cannot harm me. Dranzer, go to mother. I don't want to hurt you." My loyal companion is reluctant but she does as ordered, leaving the warehouse. Damien tries again to shoot me but his assault is rendered useless by my flames. "This is where your story ends, Damien. And I'm the one writing the final lines." Damien could only watch as I crouch down slightly, arms across my chest. This is it. I'm about to commit murder for the second time. Lucky for me there are some barrels containing oil. One of Damien's friends tries to counter my fire by blowing them up with his AK47 but that only made me stronger. With a roar of rage I explode like a bomb, sending the place up in a fierce blaze. Damien tries to escape but all doors collapse. "There's no escape, Damien. You must pay for what you've done to my family." "G-Gou please…I didn't…I only meant to…" "Scare my father? Well it's too late now and I will never forgive you."

I stand amidst the chaos as the building falls to the ground. In my hand is Damien's neck, burned beyond repair. Throwing him to the ground I crank up the heat. My thirst for revenge has not yet been satisfied. It won't be until Damien is nothing but a bad memory. The fire crackles and snaps, playing its own song. I watch as Damien's body burns at my feet, the flames licking hungrily at his skin, hair and clothes. Through my rage I can hear sirens. No doubt from emergency services. My anger comes back knowing no help had come to save my father. Fire fighters rush inside and see me covered in the blaze. They try to reach me but I hear mother calling. "Don't go near him! You'll only get hurt!" "But ma'am he's on fire! We have to get closer!" "Gou IS the fire! Please I'm begging you! I don't want anybody else to get hurt!" The men take my mother's warning into consideration and back away from me slowly with their hands raised as a sign of peace. Turning back to where Damien was, I see he's nothing but a pile of ash now. Yet, I don't feel satisfied. I thirst for more death, to kill more. Dranzer snaps me out of those thoughts by hitting my shoe. Papa once told me that Dranzer had an evil counterpart that thrived on negative energy. Negative energy he once had. He hungered for power and so did the black Phoenix. Dranzer doesn't want me to succumb to the craving of death. 'Thank you. My friend.' The firemen all move out of my way as I head to leave the warehouse. My fire dies down as my family approaches me. The police hesitantly point their guns at my head. "If I were you, I'd put those down. Mother doesn't want anybody else to get hurt." It breaks my heart further to see Cleo crying into Aiden's coat. She's screaming for papa to wake up even though Aiden tells her that papa will never wake up again. My own children are weeping too. They loved their Grandpa dearly. When Xion hugs me I feel the strangest thing. An energy entered her body and it came from papa's corpse.

Nine months have gone by since papa died. As per his wish, he was buried with Grandma, Grandpa and Uncle Zephyr. Papa's funeral was the last time I cried or opened up to anybody. Since then I've been cold and bitter, even to my children. Mithra told me a week after papa died that she was pregnant but I couldn't bring myself to care anymore. I loved my father more than anybody else on this Earth. And now he's gone and will never come back. My change of character has upset mother more than the others. She understands that I'm hurting and wants to help but I shun her constantly. Fang stays close to my feet although I've kicked him several times out of anger. Running the company while suffering constant emotional anguish is hard. Uncle Ray is doing his best to help me cope, keeping any and all meetings to a minimal. The staff know to leave me alone unless it's vital they contact me directly. A month after we buried papa, Xion announced that she too was pregnant. The strangest thing is that getting pregnant was impossible at the time. Xion had been on her cycle when she apparently conceived the child. Dranzer tells me that the baby Xion is carrying isn't like any other. She felt the installation of new energy in Xion's body the day papa died. It's her belief that my father's spirit could possibly have entered Xion's womb in order to be reborn with some of its memories. I won't believe it until the child is born however. I don't believe in reincarnation. Mithra once again gave birth to a little girl this time with dual coloured tuffs of hair. Her chestnut hair in the front and my black in the rear. I was there for the birth but sat unresponsive. Once Mithra no longer needed my hand, I went back to work. I've upped my hours. I now work seven days a week from 8am til 10pm, keeping time spent around my family to a minimum. This month sees Xion going into labour. My second daughter was named Trinity Hiwatari. I'm roused early in the morning by Xion grasping my hand, whimpering in pain.

Like the last time, I sat by my wife during the birth of our child. Dranzer was echoing in the back of my mind saying he's back. I pay her no mind, knowing the dead cannot come back to life once their soul crosses over to the other side. After 12hours of screaming, crying and headaches, my fourth heir comes out into the world. Xion relaxes into the pillow now her job was done. I go to leave the room but something stops me. I can quite describe it. It feels almost as if something has a grip on my heart and refuses to let me walk away from this infant. When I turn around, I was unprepared for what was before me. At long last, I had been given a son who looked exactly like me. Or more precisely…like my father. The child meets my eyes and there's an air of apology about the dark crimson orbs. Xion watches worriedly as I take the boy into my arms. Taking his chubby hand I'm transported back to when I was a baby and papa kept me always by his side. He held my hand the same way I'm clutching my son's. For the first time in months, tears well up in my cold, calculative eyes. Dranzer comes to me in my mind and explains that my father has indeed been reborn and that she knew all along. In his final moments, papa had asked Dranzer for some of her power, the one associated with rebirth. She had been wary but granted papa's final wish. Now he's in my arms like I had been in his the day I came into this world. His name falls quietly from my lips. Kai. While watching Xion feed the reincarnation of my father, I make the same promise he had made to me, to protect him no matter what. Even if it cost me my life. Because my papa laid his life on the line to protect me from harm. The rest of the family is surely surprised to see my wish had finally been granted. My mother bursts into tears when she learns my son has been named for his late grandfather. She whispers in my ear that she's proud of me and kisses my cheek. No matter what, nothing will take my dad away from me again.

It's been ten years now since papa was murdered and his killers burned to their death. Everyone is coping, including myself. Kai has spent more time with me than his mother once he no longer needed her breast. Xion understood that there was an invisible bond between me and our son, so she left me to my business. Trinity is much like her mother, a lover of horses and she yearns to be just like her mum. Despite how cold I've been to them, my wives refuse to leave my side. They knew it would only cause me more pain that I didn't need. Kai. How he reminds me of the love I shared with my father. I knew from instinct how my father raised me and so I raise my son the same way. Kai never strays far from my side when I'm home. Since his birth I stopped working weekends just to be with him. He's the only being on this Earth I open up to. Connor, now almost out of school, hates me for who I've become. He despises his baby brother, who gets all the attention he used to. I don't care that Connor has turned bitter towards me. Like I had been Makoto's rival, Kai is the eternal foe of Makoto's son, Takao. I passed Dranzer down to Kai last year and they're happy as ever. At the end of a long day, I trudge tiredly into the mansion. Kai was waiting to ambush me in the lobby, bounding into my arms. "Papa!" He squeals and hugs my neck fiercely. "Hey son. You might not want to launch at me with such strength. You'll hurt me one day doing that." "But papa. You're so big and strong. How could I possibly hurt you?" All I do is smile, carrying Kai on my hip as I venture upstairs. I settle him down on the bed and proceed to take my suit off. "Papa." "Hm? What is it Kai?" My son looks at me, confusion shining in his crimson eyes. I sit beside him and slip an arm around Kai's shoulders. "I've been having some weird dreams lately papa." "What kind of dreams Kai?" "Dreams of you papa. When you were younger. And I was looking through Grandpa's eyes. Did those things really happen papa?"

I was wondering when he'd start having dreams of his past life. Pulling Kai closer I feel him relax. "Kai. There's something you should know. I would've told you sooner if I didn't feel that you wouldn't understand." "What is it papa? What haven't you told me?" I take a deep breath and prepare myself for what I'm about to say. "Well Kai. Those dreams you're having are memories." "How can they be memories? I don't remember those things happening." "It's because they're memories of your past life, Kai. When my father died, his spirit became you in your mom's belly. Dranzer helped it along by granting the spirit of my dad the power of rebirth. I know it's hard for you to believe Kai and I once didn't believe it either. Your birth convinced me that you are, in flesh and soul, my father's reincarnation." As I expected, Kai is surprised by the revelation. But he doesn't shun it. Instead he looks up at me and smiles. "So does this mean the roles have been reversed papa?" "Yes it does Kai. You're not scared of this knowledge?" "Nope." Seeing my son shake his head with that cheeky smile makes me proud, pulling him into my arms. Kai's eyes darken for a moment before he speaks, his voice deeper. "I love you, son." I couldn't believe my ears. Although reborn, my father still lives, deep within my son. Hearing those three words softened me to the point of crying. "I love you too, papa. We'll be together forever, no matter what. I promise." I hold my son tighter and soon, we fall asleep together on the bed, undisturbed.

And this is where our story ends. I'm sure that in the future there will come a time when I have to leave Kai and my earthly body. But no matter what happens, I will never leave my son, just like my father never really left me. The things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not always in the way we expect.

*Sniff* A happier ending than I intended but still a sad chapter in general. With this story finished I can now focus on others in dire need of attention. I really am sorry if this last, heartbreaking chapter made you cry but I did warn you! Sadly Together Forever will NOT be receiving a sequel. I see no reason to make one. If all goes well, Better The Devil You Know may get an update soon.

Until next time audience...YIKES!

Kai: "You get back here! How dare you hurt my family like that?!"

I'm off. This time I might really end up dead. It's been nice knowing you all!