Mouth parted over in a short gasp, she barely managed a syllable before something hard smacked her across the face and the world went dark.
"Jin? Jin!" Kyoya's shouting caused yet another guard to run around the corner at him. Kyoya slammed the handle of his gun into the man's temple and watched him crumble to the ground, unconscious. Treading on the man's fingers as he hurried on, Kyoya called for his wife again. He knew she had to be there somewhere. The men that took her weren't smart enough to have hiding places for their captives. They were just some hacks who thought being a mafia meant kidnapping members of their "opponents" for ransom.
Kyoya was more than happy to help disprove their theory.
"Jin?"
" Kyoya? "
The response was faint, but it was there, and two seconds later Kyoya was kicking down the door at the end of the hallway, revealing a dark room filled with to kind of crying that truly wrenched at the heartstrings. Smacking the light switch on the wall, Kyoya felt his stomach drop to his toes at the sight of his wife. The sobbing grew louder as Jin spotted Kyoya, one of her hands reaching out towards him from the floor where she was curled into the fetal position. The tan capris she had put on that morning were now stained a deep crimson, blood smeared on the concrete floor.
Hurrying to her side, Kyoya gently reached out to Jin, giving her the chance to stop him before he touched her. He remembered when they first rescued the Hitachiin twins how Hikaru hadn't wanted to be touched after what had been done to him. Kyoya felt like his body was wreathed in flames at the thought of someone touching his precious wife with their vile bodies, but managed to keep his anger off his face as he pulled Jin into his chest.
The couple sat there for a short while before they heard the sound of footsteps echoing down the hallway. Jin tucked her face into Kyoya's chest as he swung his gun around, aiming for the door while keeping Jin held close.
"Who's there?"
"Kyoya? It's Kaoru! Have you found-" Kaoru ran around the corner of the doorway and stopped, his eyes going wide at the blood smeared on the floor. Kyoya saw the exact moment Kaoru lost all sympathy for the kidnappers, not bothering to say a word as the younger twin tightened his grip on his gun.
"Get Jin out of here. Dimitrios owns the hotel two blocks from here. He'll let you in through the back."
Kyoya gave the other a sharp nod before lifting his shivering wife into his arms. Tears were still trickling down her cheeks, but she wasn't outright sobbing anymore. Kyoya didn't know if that was a good or a bad thing, but decided to figure it out once they were somewhere safe.
They weren't bothered by anyone as Kyoya carried Jin out of the building. In fact, not a word was uttered in their general proximity. Even the driver took one look at Jin's blood stains and Kyoya's expression before rolling up the window in between the front and back seats. Kyoya was grateful for the privacy. It made him feel less self-conscious as he buried his face in Jin's hair, gently cradling her against his chest.
The little monster that lived in Kyoya's chest was having a field day. It sunk its teeth deep into the guilt Kyoya was feeling and refused to let go, leaving Kyoya no choice but to wallow in self-hate throughout the car ride. He had every opportunity to join Jin and Haruhi on their shopping trips but he declined. And even on days where Kyoya felt more protective than usual, Jin would step in and reassure him that there was no need for it. Oh, how Kyoya regretted their complacency now.
Just as Kaoru had said, Dimitrios let the pair into the back of the hotel without much questioning. He even gave Kyoya a sympathetic pat on the shoulder before leaving the couple alone in one of the empty rooms. Kyoya was going to have to suggest giving the man a raise for holding the room for emergencies like this.
After double and triple checking that the windows were shut and every entrance to the room was secure, Kyoya brought Jin into the bathroom. Easing her to the floor, Kyoya held her hand as he started up the bath. It took a lot longer for the water to warm up to an acceptable temperature than it would at the compound, but it was better than nothing, and soon enough Kyoya was plugging the drain. Bringing Jin back up to her feet, Kyoya started helping her out of her ruined clothes. Her shirt and bra came off easily, but Jin whimpered when the button on her pants was undone.
At the noise Kyoya stopped, pressing a fleeting kiss on her forehead. They rocked together in the middle of the bathroom, the sound of the faucet running comforting and heavy on their ears. Kyoya waited until Jin's shivering slowed to a stop before speaking up.
"Whoever did this to you, if they're not dead already, I swear-"
"Kyoya, no." Jin's voice was scratchy, not surprising given how much she had been crying, and it had a heavy tremble to it. Kyoya felt his heart break all over again. Slowly, Jin began to unzip her pants by herself, shaking her head as she did so. "It's… it's not what you think."
Confused, Kyoya watched in silence as his wife let her pants drop to the floor. She goes to pull her panties down as well, but her hands are shaking. Again, keeping his movements slow, Kyoya reached forward and helped her out of the last article of clothing. As her panties slid down her thighs, all the pieces suddenly clicked together in Kyoya's mind.
Reaching to the side, Kyoya fumbled with the faucet for a moment before he managed to turn off the running water. The sudden silence is jarring, as is the sight of clumps of crimson tissue dripping onto the cream tiles between Jin's feet.
It took all of Kyoya's strength to not drop to his knees then and there. A cocktail of emotions sputtered in his brain in such a way that he didn't even know what emotion he should be feeling. He couldn't speak, and it seemed like Jin couldn't either. She leaned forward until she could muffle her oncoming sobs against Kyoya's shoulder, her fingertips digging into Kyoya's shirt.
They stood there for a long moment before Jin managed to pull back. With shaking steps, she made her way to the edge of the tub and tried to climb in. Noticing the way she wobbled, Kyoya quickly offered his shoulder as a crutch, and together they got Jin safely submerged in the (now lukewarm) water. The idea of stripping down and joining her crossed Kyoya's mind, but he pushed it away. Instead, he sat down on the floor beside the tub and held Jin's hand, using the other to rub water up and down her back.
The following morning looked bleak. Or perhaps that was just the bluish light filtering in through the window. Actually, Kyoya couldn't even tell if it was morning. He felt rested, but after last night he wouldn't be surprised if he and Jin had slept from one evening into the next.
The room was chilled, and from the looks of the light shining through the window, it appeared that Winter had given them one last freeze before the warmer weather arrived for good. Perhaps it was callous of him, but Kyoya was glad. In his opinion, no one should be allowed to feel joy today.
It wasn't until he felt Jin slowly stirring in his arms that Kyoya realized he'd been so wrapped up in his thoughts that he'd started squeezing her. Cursing himself a bit, Kyoya started running his fingers through her hair. And for a moment, everything was fine. Jin blinked sleepily and looked up at Kyoya, a cute smile on her face that mapped out where her smile lines would appear in her old age.
But then something sparked in her eyes, a memory, and her expression fell like a sack of bricks. Turning her face back into Kyoya's chest, Jin pressed herself closer to her husband and let out a shaky breath. Kyoya knew how she felt. Despite all his years in the Suoh Family, he had never been brought to his knees like this before. Neither had Jin. "Soul crushing" might be a better term for it.
After a minute, or maybe an hour or two, Jin's face re-emerged from Kyoya's sleep shirt. "We… we should get up. Tamaki-"
"I told Tamaki we needed the day off. If you don't want to get up, we don't have to."
Jin relaxed at Kyoya's words, letting out a sigh and easing further into the pillow beneath her head. Gently, as if handling a glass sculpture, Kyoya moved his hand from Jin's waist. She watches as he slowly tucked her hair behind her ear before resting his palm on her cheek. Another deep sigh escapes from between Jin's lips, brushing past Kyoya's face.
He recoiled his head, swiftly covering his wife's mouth. "Phew! Maybe we should brush our teeth before we continue this conversation."
Jin let out a scandalized gasp behind his hand before attacking, climbing on top of her husband and straddling him. "You did not just ruin the moment! You did not! I need sympathy and love and you bring up my morning breath? Damn you, Kyoya Ootori!"
"I love you too, Jin Ootori."
Jin giggles, though she doesn't sound as carefree as she had in the past. No, now there's a weight to it. Something gradual that grew heavier as the years went on.
Trying to distract himself from those thoughts, Kyoya took a moment to stare up at his wife. It was almost like he couldn't help it, her current position of straddling his chest left few alternative activities. Jin was beautiful to him, even with her rat's nest of hair, red-rimmed eyes, and terrible morning breath. Kyoya reached up to cradle her face again, intending to not ruin the moment a second time.
The two watch each other until one of them was brave enough to breach the subject.
"Kyoya… I was pregnant."
"...Yeah."
Jin pulled Kyoya's hands off her face, weaving their fingers together. It was clear she was thinking hard about something. Kyoya let her for a moment before using their clasped hands to pull her down onto his chest.
"I'm sorry."
"Mm?"
"It was my fault that you were pregnant. I know you take birth control, but I should've been more careful. I should've worn a condom more often-" A fingertip is suddenly pressed against his lips, halting Kyoya's thoughts in their tracks.
"Kyoya, wait. That's not…" Jin eases herself up onto her elbows, dark eyes gazing imploringly at her husband. "I'm not upset that I was pregnant."
Kyoya blinked. He felt his chest tighten up, like his rib cage was suddenly too small for his lungs. Above him, Jin was avoiding eye contact, watching her own finger as she tapped it rhythmically against Kyoya's mouth.
"Sometimes, I do think about having a family with you. What we have… it's more than I ever could've imagined having in this life, and some days I feel like I should be happy enough with that knowledge. Having a baby with our lifestyle isn't a good idea. But neither is getting married, or falling in love, or anything else that we have together." Jin lowered herself until she was once again lying on Kyoya's chest, her nose buried into the soft cotton of his sleep shirt. "I won't force you to do anything you don't want to do… but Kyoya? You and I would make a beautiful baby."
As soon as Jin removed her finger from Kyoya's lips, he wrapped his arms around her and rolled them onto their sides, exactly like how they'd woken up. Burying his face in her hair, Kyoya breathed in deeply, trying to ground himself.
"I feel the same way, Jin. And I would love to meet that child one day."
Jin clutched at a handful of Kyoya's shirt, but didn't respond. Now that the words were out in the open, she was struck with another wave of exhaustion. Before long, she had succumbed to a dreamless sleep. And as much as Kyoya wished to follow her down, he just couldn't. He had way too much to think about.
* That Evening *
Even with Jin taking periodic naps throughout the day, it wasn't until it was almost 10 at night that Kyoya got the chance to visit with Tamaki. Haruhi was currently in his place on his and Jin's bed, the two sisters snuggling together and, Kyoya assumes, talking about what he and Jin had discussed that morning. Whether or not that was the truth, Kyoya knew his wife would be in good hands for the time being.
Not bothering to knock, because fair was fair, Kyoya pushed his way into Tamaki's office. Like he expected, Tamaki was buried up to his shoulders in paperwork (figuratively this time) and the man gave Kyoya a double take before he stood up.
"Kyoya! How's Jin? What did they do to her? I've been meaning to send in a police report against the kidnappers but there's been too much police interference in mafia affairs lately so I wanted your opinion on it. If there's anything you or Jin need don't hesitate to ask. If it's within my power, I'll help you out with anything."
Kyoya stops in front of Tamaki's desk, his eyes skimming over the paperwork with minimal interest. He had come in with a specific intention in mind, but Tamaki's promise had struck a chord.
"Do you really mean that?"
Tamaki tilted his head to the side. "Uh… yes."
"Can I ask you something? As a friend?"
There's a quiet moment between the two. Kyoya was starting to get sick of silence, but he didn't dare break it just yet. He was… he was still psyching himself up.
"Kyoya, what's going on? You've never sounded this nervous before. Is Jin really not okay? Should we send her to the hospital?"
"I…" He let out a sigh, sitting down and motioning for Tamaki to do the same. Once his friend was seated, Kyoya took in a calming breath. "Jin had a miscarriage. It took us some time to accept it, but we've both admitted to each other than a baby is something that we want. We want to try again, on purpose this time. I've been thinking about what would have to happen with our jobs should we go through with this plan, and it's feasible. But… I'm scared. And I know Jin is, too. I just… needed to ask for someone else's opinion. What do you think?"
Tamaki sat back in his chair, absolutely gobsmacked. Of all the reasons for Kyoya to come into his office and ask for a favor, advice on whether or not to make a baby wasn't even on the radar. As a mafia boss, Tamaki's first instinct was to jump on the defensive. Letting two employees get married to each other was one thing, and it split their loyalty more than some other families would dare allow. Add a baby into the mix? That was Defecting 101.
But as a friend… Tamaki probably wanted Jin and Kyoya to have a baby more than they did. Their baby would be the combination of Tamaki's two best friends, of course he wanted that to happen! Besides, if Kyoya said he had a way for it to work along with their jobs and they both wanted to try, then they should be allowed to do so. They had stayed loyal to the family before and throughout their marriage. That deserved some sense of trust, shouldn't it?
Nodding to himself, Tamaki met Kyoya's gaze heavily, noting how his friend stiffened up in his seat.
"This will be bigger than any assignment I could cook up for you, do you understand that?"
"Yes."
"Do you really think you're ready?"
Kyoya's throat bobbed as he swallowed. "I'm… I'm not sure, but I do want to try."
"Okay." Tamaki gave his friend a solemn nod and a small smile. "Then I give you my blessing. You're dismissed."
"Thank you."
Almost robotic-like, Kyoya stood up and left the office, shutting the door behind him before standing very still in the middle of the hallway. Simultaneously, both men made a fist pump in celebration.
* One Year Later *
Jin couldn't focus.
She wanted to. The forms in front of her weren't necessarily boring work. Honey knew how upset Jin had been when she was told she couldn't personally oversee the paintball sessions in the training room, so he made sure to ask her for notes and suggestions based upon his observations of the trainees. And it helped, somewhat, but she still felt she was under house arrest, forced to stay in the office all month long.
A squeezing pain in her belly unpleasantly reminded her that she wasn't the only one feeling cooped up.
Sitting further back in her chair with a groan, Jin ran her hands over her swollen belly. The twins had been oddly active all week, and Jin was tired of having to get up every hour to use the bathroom. Gently rubbing her thumbs against the taunt skin, she murmured soothingly to her babies. While her large belly and all the aches and pains that came with being pregnant were annoying in their own rights, Jin was happy she was pregnant. And so was everyone else in the compound.
"Hey-o!"
"It's visiting hours!"
Lifting her head, Jin beamed at the door as Hikaru and Kaoru tumbled through. In Kaoru's hands were bags of fast food, and if Jin's nose wasn't lying, they were hiding tacos from her. But not for long…
Attacking the bags as soon as they were in front of her, Jin mumbled happy around her first mouthful, "You're too good to me."
"Well, what sort of godfathers would we be if we didn't look out for the little ones?"
"Yeah!" Hikaru sat down on Jin's desk, arms crossed triumphantly. "We need to set a good example!"
For who, Jin wanted to ask. Instead, she said, "Why do you want my babies? You don't dote on Haruhi nearly as much. Don't tell me it's a size fetish." The twins started laughing, even as Jin smacked their hands away from her food. They didn't answer, but they didn't have to. Ever since Jin and Kyoya had announced they were pregnant with twins, Hikaru and Kaoru had waited on Jin hand and foot, more than willing to lend a helping hand. Haruhi's pregnancy wasn't as planned, no matter how many times she claimed Tamaki had been given baby fever, but with Mori as her new bodyguard, the tall boy had been more than capable of dealing with the smaller girl's demands. All three boys probably could've been nurses had they not been absorbed into the mafia business.
"Don't worry about us, Jin."
"Yeah. Of everyone here most likely to develop a size fetish, I'd place my bets on your husband. He rarely keeps his hands off of you."
"How often has he brought up the idea of making more babies in the past few months?"
"Not as often as you think. He's probably still nervous about parenting the first- ah! " Jin sucked in a sharp breath through her teeth, bending over her belly as her core tightened. Beside her, the twins went quiet and watched until she relaxed herself.
"Ugh… sorry about that, guys. Probably freaked you out a little."
Hikaru nodded slowly, leaning across the desk a little. "Jin? How long have you been having those contractions?"
"Oh, Hikaru don't worry about it. It's just Braxton-Hicks contractions. I've been having them for a while now."
"Nuh-uh." Kaoru was standing up now, hand drifting towards the phone in his pocket. "I've never seen a contraction knock the wind out of you before. I think it might be baby-time."
Jin froze in place, the last bit of her taco still in hand. Baby-time? Baby-time?
Another strong ache through her middle had Jin struggling to her feet. "Okay. Okay, yeah. It's baby-time. Hikaru?" Immediately Hikaru was by her side, steering her around the desk and to the door. Behind them, Kaoru was grabbing the hospital bag from the hook on the wall and selecting a number from his contact's list.
Kyoya picked up on the second ring.
The hospital was a mere twenty minute drive away, but to the Ootori's, it might as well have been a day trip. Kyoya was so happy that Kaoru had taken it upon himself to drive, because if Kyoya had been behind the wheel, they would've crashed into a ditch within the first minute. In the backseat with his wife, however, he could pretend like he was totally calm and in control of the situation. Or, at least in his head he was pretending. From the compound to the hospital until Jin was in the wheelchair Yuuichi had prepared for them, Kyoya refused to let go of her hand. Yuuichi actually had to pull his younger brother away so the nurse wouldn't run over Kyoya's foot with the wheels.
"Easy, Kyoya. She'll be fine."
Kyoya shot his older brother a glare, tapping his foot anxiously as he waited for the receptionist to finish uploading all of his and Jin's personal information. "Don't give me that. You and Aikio are the reasons I'm so stressed. You didn't have to bury me in pregnancy pamphlets, you know."
"Oh, please, we were excited!" Yuuichi raised his hands in surrender at the following death glare he received. "Fine, fine. Go on ahead, I can finish the paperwork for you. I'm off the clock, anyways."
Managing to give his brother a small smile before turning around, Kyoya took off down the hallway he'd last seen Jin in. A passing nurse was happy to send him in the right direction, and Kyoya quickly found an elevator to take him up to the maternity ward.
Stabbing at the button like it owed him something, Kyoya restlessly waited for the doors to open. Why hadn't the nurses just let him go up with Jin? He could've filled out the paperwork afterwards! Jin needed him!
With a pleasant ding, the steel doors of the elevator slid open. Another man went to exit, but he stopped with one foot on either side of the doors. Kyoya groaned and went to push his way through when he saw the man's face.
It was his father.
The two men stared at each other for a moment, eyes darting around each other's faces. Kyoya's noted that his father's hair was significantly greyer than he remembered, and he'd changed his glasses and hair style. Not to mention the number of wrinkles around his eyes and mouth. But it was definitely him. And he was definitely staring at Kyoya like the younger man was some sort of apparition.
Kyoya blinked twice before his situation returned to the front of his mind. Squaring his shoulders, he said, "Excuse me, Sir. My wife is in labor and I need the elevator to reach her. Please move."
Kyoya's father jolted in surprise, but he did as Kyoya asked. Perhaps subconsciously, but that was all Kyoya needed. Without another glance, he walked into the elevator and pressed the button for the fifth floor. It was odd… he had imagined for years what he would say to his father should they ever cross paths again. The speech he prepared changed every year or so, but now that he'd had the chance, Kyoya didn't see why he made such a big deal out of it.
He had his real family to think about now. A much more important role, in his opinion.
"C'mon! C'mon, you can do it! Un-cle Hi-ka-ru…"
"No, no, no! Un-cle Kao-ru… "
"Ba-ba ba-ba."
"Ha! Same syllables as my name! I win!"
"That's not what we agreed on!"
Jin rolled her eyes, "Ugh! Girls, girls, you're both pretty! Now please put Junko down before you wake Setsuko with your yelling."
The Hitachiins both gave little whines, but did as they were told. They still remembered the last time they'd accidentally woken up one of the babies. Kyoya had gotten involved and had taken it upon himself to remind them why he was feared by their clients.
A warm smile spread across Jin's lips at the thought of her husband. At first glance, you wouldn't think of Kyoya as the doting father type, but that's definitely wasn't the case. In the two days Jin and the girls had been at the hospital, Kyoya had completed the renovations of Jin's old room. By the time the three girls came home, the room was unrecognizable, now a fully functional nursery with all the bells and whistles. Their daughters had a mountain of toys and stuffed animals when they arrived home, as well as two dressers with enough clothes to last each of them until they were three years old.
Kyoya's affection was so obvious and rather infectious, since as soon as the rest of the "family" met them, Jin was told that everyone would die to protect her daughters. It gave her a warm bubble of happiness in the lower pit of her stomach.
It was more than Jin could've ever dreamed of for her children. They (and eventually Masa, too) were beloved by nearly 40 to 50 people who were professionally trained killers, all of whom swore to protect them with life and limb. And above all that, her husband doted upon them day and night. Jin had even woken up a few times in the middle of the night to discover Kyoya wasn't in bed beside her, but was in the nursery, watching over the girls as they slept. Her heart melted every time it happened.
The sound of Setsuko babbling in her sleep brought Jin's attention back into the real world. Quickly standing up, she walked over to the "playpen" that had been installed in Jin and Kyoya's office only a week ago. Scooping up her younger daughter, Jin gently rocked the girl against her chest until she quieted down.
"So," Hikaru pressed, letting Masa pull his hand around every which-way by his finger, "how long are you guys going to keep the kids in the office? Out of curiosity."
Jin shrugged, readjusting Setsuko's one-piece. "Not sure. I think once they start crawling my dad will take over daytime babysitting duties. Haruhi only dropped Masa off today to take a nap, so she'll probably continue with caring for him 24/7 once she catches up on sleep. I'll miss them, but it's time for me to get back to training newcomers."
"Eh… don't be so sure."
"I'm surprised Kyoya hasn't gotten you pregnant again already."
Jin scoffed, even as her cheeks went red. The Hitachiins didn't know it, but Kyoya had brought up the idea of more kids as recently as last week. She would've thought that the periodic interruptions to his sleep schedule and the diaper factory they had going on would dissuade him, but she was very wrong. And it wasn't like Jin herself was opposed to the idea. She kind of wanted a little boy, too. Though, the thought of running after a pair of toddlers with a blimp attached to her was less than desirable.
Speak of the devil, just as Setsuko had settled down in Jin's arms, Kyoya walked in. Eyes immediately falling to the baby's playpen, Jin saw as her husband quickly noted Setsuko's absence before looking around frantically for his daughter, relaxing only when he saw her in Jin's arms.
"Oh, thank goodness. I thought Hikaru and Kaoru had finally given in and were trying to kidnap my children."
"If that were the case Kyoya, we'd already be on our way to Albuquerque."
"Noted." Kyoya walked over to Jin and carefully took Setsuko into his arms. The little baby didn't even fuss as she was moved, curling herself into Kyoya's arms and grabbing a handful of his shirt. For a moment, Jin was worried her heart might explode.
Taking in a breath to keep herself from outright crying, she turned back to the twins with an expectant look. "Right. You boys said you had something for me when you came in?"
"Oh yeah."
"Here."
Without bothering to look away from the babies they were playing with, the boys handed over two stacks of paper. Jin rolled her eyes yet again and took them. A part of her wanted to shoo the boys out of the office so she and Kyoya could have some privacy, but she knew better than to do that. While she wasn't sure if it was out of an attempt to get her pregnant again, Kyoya did tend to be a bit more amorous with Jin after coddling their children. Having witnesses around who would be able to understand what Kyoya was saying might hold him off for a bit until they were in their own bedroom.
Fighting back her blush, Jin quickly sat back down at her desk and placed the new papers on the desk. They seemed to be about the odd police crack down on mafia families. From the looks of it, they finally had a name to go with the person who started it up. Some new head of the department.
"Jin? Isn't it time for feeding?"
"Mhm. Give me a second." Jin gave the papers another half-interested glance before standing back up.
Thomas Newell, hm?
* Police Station *
It was late. The sun had set hours ago, leaving Thomas to look over his cork board by lamplight. Arms crossed over his chest, the man glared at the board with unbridled hatred. Ever since before he joined the police academy, Thomas knew he wanted the mafia gone from his city. Some might call it a hopeless dream, but Thomas had more drive than most to get the job done.
After all, if the mafia hadn't existed, his father wouldn't have worked for them. Which meant he wouldn't have been able to afford the alcohol that fueled his addiction. Which meant he wouldn't have been drunk the night he was struck by that car. Which meant Thomas's mother wouldn't have turned to gambling until they had no money. Which meant they would've been able to afford medicine when she got sick. Which meant Thomas would still have his parents if it weren't for the damn plague of mafia families in the city.
Thomas took another gulp of coffee, gritting his teeth against the bitterness. The captain he'd replaced had been criminally complacent regarding the mafia business running rampant through the city, and he'd always taken his coffee with three creamers and six sugars. Thomas had decided long ago that as soon as he was appointed captain, he'd drink his coffee black, if only to intimidate his underlings.
Lowering the cup, he continued to glare at the cork board. Some might call his dream an obsession, or at the very least unobtainable to the degree he was striving for, but that wasn't their concern. As far as Thomas could tell, a mafia purge was possible, and he knew exactly what needed to be done to do so.
The Suoh family. All the information he had on their members took up the middle of the board, and covered the most space. They were the foundation to Thomas's plan. When the Suoh's had almost been extinguished two years ago, Thomas knew he'd found the link of command. It had taken a mixture of three different mafias to even come close to taking the Suoh's down, and they only came back stronger than ever. They had downright amicable connections with the news stations, other mafias, most of their independent contractors… hell, before Thomas took over, most police officers were content to let the Suoh family be. Thomas was sure that there was money exchanged on the down-low, but he couldn't be bothered to hunt it down now.
If he could take the Suoh's down, that was it. Other mafias would crumble around the power vacuum, making it easy to wipe them out. The trick was finding out how to infiltrate the Suoh's headquarters. Once they had a way in…
Thomas smirked for a second before it died. They didn't have a plan yet. But as soon as they did, he knew exactly what part of the operation he would take for himself. It was his dream, he was the captain… he got the big guy.
Tamaki Suoh, the young-looking Boss. They didn't have his age pinned down, but Thomas had a hard time believing they could be the same age. It was probably plastic surgery. After all, he looked nothing like the Suoh he'd replaced two years ago. Perhaps they had been brothers? Regardless, the man was, almost fondly, referred to as "The King" by the media, and the man certainly played to it. The photo Thomas had of Suoh showcased him cheekily sporting a polo shirt with a golden crown embroidered on the left pec, which Suoh was framing with "heart hands" for the photographer.
God, how Thomas wanted to punch his stupid face.
Connected by red strings to the man's photograph were the other mafia members they knew of. There was Hikaru Hitachiin, a lackey who was spotted everywhere. It was incredibly difficult to track the boy down, considering there were so many eyewitness reports of him around the city and outside of it, some of them contradicting each other. Thomas could only assume sabotage.
Then there was Morinozuka. A bodyguard who was born to play the part. They had no first name on record, but that hardly mattered. He had no family reports save for a cousin who hadn't been seen in years. Thomas would have to request he be brought in alive. With proper therapy, he could be an asset to the task force.
And finally, there was Kyoya Ootori. Suoh's right hand man, second in command, the "Shadow King", and possibly the most dangerous person on Thomas's board. There were dozens of accounts regarding the man from since he was a teenager, and from the sound of it, he did not pull punches or bullets. Thomas would also call dibs on the man. He could only imagine the awards he'd receive for taking them both down. The thought alone made Thomas' mouth water.
There were also two other photos within the Suoh family circle. There was no information or newspaper articles attached to them. They only had names and titles. It was the Fujioka's, Jin and Haruhi. Suoh and Ootori's pets.
A sigh escaped as Thomas looked at Jin Fujioka's photograph. It was taken from a Good Samaritan's phone over a year and a half ago, when the poor girl had been kidnapped by a rival mafia during a shopping trip. Some of Thomas' officers had once thought Jin was a full-fledged member of the mafia, but Thomas had managed to convince them otherwise. She'd had no previous contact with the family until five years ago, when Tamaki and Kyoya first made their public debut. As the evidence against the boys increased throughout the years, Thomas could find no other truth.
Kidnapping. An ugly word for an even uglier organization. Poor Jin Fujioka, pulled off the streets, mostly likely as a gift to either Tamaki or Kyoya. Thomas shuddered. Maybe she was used by both.
With her sister and father under surveillance in a new apartment, Jin had no choice but to do as her new owners said. Using her however they pleased, even on the field. After some time, once Jin was legally an adult, her sister was similarly captured. Their father hadn't been seen again in public, which explained why Haruhi and Jin were allowed out without visible supervision. Though that might also be due to Jin's Stockholm Syndrome. The poor thing had even been legally married to Ootori some time before the photo was taken, and had since birthed a pair of twins to the man. Her sister gave birth a month later to a boy, who would no doubt be raised to take over the Suoh empire.
Thomas pounded a fist against his desk. He had missed his chance to save the girls when they had been admitted into the hospital. His contact had alerted him too late, and he would never let the man forget it.
He turned around and slammed both hands on his desk again and again, making pens and pencils and a stack of paper files fall onto the floor in a big mess. He couldn't contain his anger for much longer. They were hurting Jin, and her sister. Thomas could only imagine the horrors they'd gone through, even with Stockholm Syndrome. They'd get better with therapy, but Thomas had to get to them first.
Another rush of rage filled the man and he went to swat his desk lamp to the floor when a flurry of knocks sounded at the door. Taking a steady breath, Thomas closed his hand into fist and pulled it back to his chest.
"Come in."
Officer Simmons rushed in, his eyes wide and uniform disheveled. Thomas made a mental note to have another office meeting about proper maintenance of the uniform.
"Sir, you may want to see this."
It had been a perfect day when everything went wrong.
The sun had just set outside the twin's nursery window, a street lamp giving the glass a soft glow along the bottom edge. Junko and Setsuko were slowly winding down from the day, and their parents were more than happy to accompany them. Junko and Jin were in the rocking chair Mori had built for the twin's arrival, Junko finally shutting her eyes as the two cuddled. On the floor nearby were Kyoya and Setsuko. Jin smiled as her husband "reappeared" from behind his hands, sending Setsuko into another fit of giggles. Hopefully she'd be tired out within a few minutes of playing.
"Peek-a-boo, Sunshine!"
Setsuko's responding shriek of happiness was drowned out by the Alert going off. The klaxon blared from the speakers in the hallway while the bright light from above the door suddenly bathed the room in a red light. Instantly Jin and Kyoya were on their feet and wide awake, each cradling one of their now crying babies to their chests.
There was an intruder.
The only reason Jin made it to the door first was because Kyoya had to grab their "emergency" baby bag. The two parents both had the sense of mind to cover their girl's ears as they entered the hallway where the alarm was the loudest. Just then, the door across from them opened abruptly. Haruhi stumbled out on bare feet, Masa clinging to her nightshirt and Mori on her tail. The quartet exchanged fearful looks before running for the stairs.
From both above and below, they could hear multiple feet pounding against carpet and shouting. By the time they reach the staircase, it was flooded with screams and members streaming up or down the steps. The klaxon continues to wail above the cacophony, now with a certain reverberation in the stairwell.
"Jin! Haruhi!"
"Dad!"
Ranka makes it to their floor landing with only a little stumble on the last step. He seems winded from running, but his face exudes calm. Instantly, the others relax, even the babies quieting some in the presence of their grandfather.
Jin felt the tears start to well up as Kyoya handed over the baby bag to Mori. Beside her, Haruhi swiftly kissed Masa on his forehead before handing him off to the tall man as well. Trying to control herself, Jin snuggled Junko to her chest for a few seconds longer, reaching out with her right hand to draw Kyoya and Setsuko closer. Kyoya moved closer without a fuss, gently rubbing at Junko's soft cheek with a bent finger.
"Jin?"
"Nēchan, we have to go."
Nodding, Jin carefully unwound her arms from around her baby and passed her off to Ranka, Kyoya doing the same. Both girls started crying again, reaching for their parents. Before Jin could change her mind, she grabbed Kyoya and Haruhi by the hand and dragged them upstairs. Kyoya squeezed his wife's hand tightly, trying to support her the best he could amid the shouting. In the back of her mind, Jin knew the girls would be safe. Ranka and Mori would get the babies through the secret exit that lead into the building next door before sneaking into the underground bunker that didn't even exist in the city plans.
The babies would be fine.
Nodding to herself, Jin let go of Haruhi's hand as the trio reached the top floor. Without hesitation, Haruhi ran down the hall to Tamaki's office while the Ootori's threw open the door to their own office. The two allowed themselves a moment to take in what their project entailed before jumping to action. Yanking open cabinets, the couple grabbed whatever they could think would be useful after their escape. The extra wad of cash hidden inside the bookend, their forging equipment, a make-up bag that had been stockpiled by the Hitachiins. All their paperwork ended up scattered around the office, blanketing the floor with white.
As soon as they had everything shoved into a bag slung across Kyoya's chest, Tamaki and Haruhi reappeared at the doorway. Tamaki and Jin immediately went to the back left corner and moved the bookshelf out of the way. Once they had moved it far enough over, Haruhi was on her knees and tugging the floor hatch up, revealing the secret staircase beneath it.
Haruhi drops down first, followed by Tamaki. Jin watched as her husband snagged a small item from their desk. It was a picture frame with the couple and their daughters the night they came home for the first time. Kyoya shattered the glass frame against the desk's edge before pulling the photo out and following Tamaki and Haruhi into the staircase. Jin grabbed the matchbox and lighter fluid from their place of honor on the bookshelf. The screams in the building were getting louder, now joined by what could only be gunshots.
Heart in her throat, Jin emptied the fluid all over the office, before sliding into the hatch. She closed the lid part way before pulling out three matches and lighting them all at once. Tossing them onto the papers, she managed to shut the hatch right as the office floor lit up like a bonfire.
Not allowed a moment to breathe, Jin quickly found Kyoya's hand in the darkness and the two began following Tamaki and Haruhi further down the stairs. They were moving along the outer edge of the building, and as they grew closer and closer towards the cellars, the sounds of fighting got louder and louder. Once, around the fourth floor, they heard the sound of a body being thrown against the wall. They didn't stop.
The cellars were empty, which was a relief. Since they didn't really use their holding cells, Tamaki and Kyoya both figured that while the cellars would be one of the first places searched, once it was deemed empty it would be abandoned by the time anyone using the secret staircase made it down there. If they weren't in mortal danger, Tamaki probably would've given his friend a high-five for being proved right.
Unfortunately, the staircase opened up in one corner of the cellar, and the tunnel that lead to the bunker was on the other side of the room. It was maybe six steps, but it was an exposed six steps. And the door that was hidden within the wall extremely heavy. It would take at least two of them to push it open.
Tamaki breathed out and pulled his face away from the small crack in the wall. It'll take almost thirty seconds to push open this door, run across the room, and open the other one… Kyoya and I should get the door opened first before Jin and Haruhi follow…
Haruhi's hand gave Tamaki's a strong squeeze. Looking down, he and Haruhi made eye contact despite the darkness of the stairwell. His love's face was screwed up in an expression of determination. It was like she was saying, If you go, then I go. There was no room for exceptions in her gaze. Turning over his other shoulder, Tamaki found his best friends waiting for his orders, their fingers laced together. Giving them a nod, he turned back to the small opening.
" With me. "
Tamaki slowly slid his finger into the crack in the wall before giving a push. The gears in the wall quietly churned and pulled the door open enough for a person to squeeze through. Tamaki led the way across the floor, Haruhi, Kyoya, and Jin at his heels. Within seconds, he and Kyoya were tugging at the opening to the escape tunnel. Fingertips digging into almost invisible grooves within the cinder block, not a one of them could breathe until they heard the tell-tale ca-chunk of the wall giving way.
Another few seconds of heavy shoving and both men breaking out in a sweat, the opening was big enough for a really small person to make it through. Jin forced away the thought of how they didn't know what happened to Honey by pushing Haruhi into the tunnel. From the other side of the wall, Haruhi shoved at the opening, trying to help out as much as she could. With another low rumble, the wall slide another two inches to the left.
"Right. Jin, you-"
"Halt!"
Tamaki, Kyoya, and Jin all froze in place, heads swinging around to their left. Standing at the bottom of the main stairs that lead up to the rest of the building was a police officer. He was pointing a gun at them.
"Don't… move."
In the tunnel, Haruhi knew it was in her best interest to move away from the wall and out of the light, but she couldn't move. Staring out of the opening, all she could see was the horrified expression on her sister's face. What Haruhi couldn't see was that Jin recognized the police officer that had cornered them. It was Thomas Newell, the new head of police. There was no way they'd be able to get away from him without some form of violence. He wasn't a take-bribes type of guy.
"Okay. Here's what's going to happen. Miss, walk towards me- I SAID DON'T MOVE!" The gun goes off and a spray of debris rains down from the ceiling. Jin jumped at the sudden noise, hands coming up to hold onto the back of Kyoya's shirt. In the quiet stillness that followed, Jin was tempted to both kiss and kick her husband for being so stupid as to move in front of her when Thomas tried to order her around.
"Don't panic, Miss." Thomas licked his lips, looking very much like he was the one panicking. "I won't let them take you. Just slowly walk towards me. And if you two make a move to stop her, I'll shoot. Got it?"
Jin can feel Kyoya's hackles rise underneath her hands, so she tugs at his shirt as a warning. Thomas's clear lack of information was their only saving grace at the moment. They were going to have to play this perfectly…
Looking up at the police chief with her best 'puppy dog' eyes, Jin asked meekly, "Are… are you gonna hurt them?" Her voice sounded sickly sweet and almost childish, and the way Thomas's eyes glimmered in response made Jin want to retch. Or perhaps that was morning sickness again? Oh fuck, if she was pregnant again she'd have to be extra careful...
Offering Jin a cocky smirk, Thomas gestured with his gun at the two men standing with her. "Would you like me to hurt them?"
"No!" Jin abruptly looked down at the floor, making her bottom lip wobble. "No more hurting. Please?"
"Hmm, alright. You have my word. Now come over here."
Jin nods and does as the man asks, letting her fingers drift soothingly across Kyoya's upper back. She can tell that, while Kyoya and Tamaki might have a better understanding of the situation now, neither of them were happy with putting Jin in harm's way. It took all of Jin and Kyoya's combined inner strength to not reach out for each other as Jin walked away.
By the time Jin made her way across the cellar, a figurative mile separating her from Kyoya and Tamaki, she was shaking for real. Her hands trembled in barely restrained fury as Thomas grabbed her upper arm and pulled her into his side. His hand clutched at her hip, thumb rubbing circles around the protruding bone. Across the cellar, Jin could see the murderous hatred welling up in Kyoya as he watched his wife be manhandled.
"Good. Now, we're all going to walk back upstairs. Ootori, yeah, I know your names, you will hand over that bag first before going up. Suoh, you follow. No funny business, or- AUGH!"
A fountain of blood gushed out of Thomas's nose as he head was knocked back. Some of the fluid splattered over Jin's elbow, but she didn't have the mind to care about that right now. Quick twisting Thomas's right arm, his gun was pointed uselessly at the ceiling when it went off again before he dropped it to the floor. Across the room from the scuffle, Tamaki managed to take one step in Jin's direction before he was shoved backwards and into the escape tunnel, the bag Kyoya had been carrying being pressed against his chest.
"Kyoya? But-"
"You doubt my wife, Suoh?" Kyoya's smile is strained, but his words were true. Knowing that eventually more cops would come see what all the commotion was about, Tamaki didn't bother to argue about his "nobility". Taking the bag and climbing into the tunnel, Tamaki had one moment to steady himself before Haruhi practically threw herself into his arms and forced Tamaki to practically drag her further into the darkness. Behind the pair, Kyoya wiggled himself halfway through the opening before stopping.
Holding out his left hand, as loud as he dared, he called out, "Jin! Hurry!"
Jin gave her husband a quick glance before returning her attention to the man she was in the process of beating up. Thomas was on his knees and had his nose blood dripping all over the front of his uniform. There was a faint whimper coming from his throat as Jin twisted his arms behind his back. For a moment, Jin entertains shooting the stupid man with his own gun, but when Kyoya called for her again, she settled for crushing the weapon under the heel of her shoe and breaking Thomas's right hand.
As the man screamed in pain, Jin shoved him backwards and ran for it. Kyoya was waiting for her, his hand outstretched and his expression exactly what she expected it to be. She could tell he would be giving her a brief "lecture" about having too much fun hurting the enemy later, but he would eat his words later by praising her skill. Verbally, of course. In bed too, if she was lucky.
Kyoya is, in fact, thinking the same thing as his wife as she nears him. Jin's eyes are gleeful, almost unnaturally so, as she reaches out to lace their fingers together and make their escape.
Their fingers brush as a gunshot rings through the confined space.
Jin drops to the ground at Kyoya's feet. She doesn't get up.
In the silence that follows, if one was listening carefully they could hear the sound of Haruhi's muffled screaming against Tamaki's palm. Kyoya couldn't hear any of it. His ears were ringing, and not from the gunshot. Hand still reaching out, Kyoya slow raised his eyes from Jin's body to where Thomas was sprawled on the cement floor.
The cop is sitting up, his right pant leg shoved up to his calf muscle, revealing a now empty gun holster. It was empty because Thomas was holding the second gun in his left hand. Kyoya could see the way the cop's hand shook in a way that didn't look like fear. He has used his non-dominant hand to shoot.
"I…"
Kyoya locks eyes with Thomas.
"I was aiming for you."
Slowly, Kyoya steps out of the wall. It took everything he had to keep standing upright as he walked around Jin's body.
"That."
Eyes drilling into Thomas's, in the small part of Kyoya's mind that wasn't gone, he was faintly aware that the cop could easily shoot him as well. But even with that knowledge, Kyoya didn't really care all that much.
"Was."
Thomas didn't move as Kyoya pulled his own gun out from his holster.
"My."
Kyoya lifted his gun and pointed it at the cop. There was no shaking.
"WIFE!"
Click.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
Click-click-click-click-click-
A sob wrenches itself out of Kyoya's throat as he continues to pull the trigger on the empty clip. Thomas is on his back in a pool of blood, eyes unfocused, clearly dead from the six holes in his body, but that didn't matter any more. Kyoya let his gun drop to the ground before doing the same, shuffling around on his knees until he was facing his wife's body.
With another cry, Kyoya sat down fully and pulled Jin's limp body into his chest. Burying his face into her hair, Kyoya lost himself in his grief. From up above, he could faintly hear the sound of angry voices. They were getting closer. There were footsteps in the main stairwell.
"Kyoya!"
Slowly, Kyoya peeked out from his wife's hair to look at the secret entrance. Tamaki was staring out at him, the blond's face ashy pale with tears streaked down his cheeks. With obvious difficulty, he swallowed and tried to put on a brave face.
"We have to go."
Kyoya blinked, as if he didn't understand what Tamaki was saying. Then, to his friend's horror, Kyoya shook his head and looked away. From behind him, Kyoya could hear Tamaki swearing and cursing Kyoya to the high heavens, but he had forced the blond's hand this round. He didn't have enough time to run out, fight to bring Kyoya into the secret entrance, and close the wall behind them before they were discovered.
Haruhi's cries were cut off abruptly as the wall was shut, disguised as another part of the wall just as a second officer tumbled down the stairs and into the cellar. Kyoya lifted his head and watched as the officer looked around. The officer saw Thomas. Then Jin. And finally Kyoya.
Jin's body was still warm in Kyoya's arms. He held her tight, imagining that she was sleeping in his arms, like always. Across the room, the officer lifted his gun.
BANG!
" NOOOOOOO! "
Tamaki jolted awake, his hand grabbing his bedside gun as he shot up into a defensive position. It took his five seconds for him to wake up fully and realize that, even though Haruhi was awake as well and screaming, there wasn't anyone else in their bedroom. Not even Masa, who was sleeping over in Ranka's bedroom for the night. Putting the gun down, Tamaki quickly wrapped Haruhi up into his arms, petting her hair and attempting to soothe her. It wasn't going well.
"Nēchan… Nēchan! I want my Nēchan!"
Tamaki's chest seized up. Pressing his lips together, he held Haruhi tighter as she continued to sob for her sister. When her sobbing heightened the following minute, Tamaki decided to do as his love requested. Trying not to think about whether he'd come to regret his decision, Tamaki gently crawled out of bed and lead Haruhi by the hand out of their room.
Haruhi's crying was reduced to sniffling in the hallway, but the second Tamaki opened the door to Jin and Kyoya's bedroom, Haruhi positively wailed and threw herself at the empty bed. Tamaki followed quickly behind her and shut the door, heart breaking at the sounds coming out of Haruhi's throat. He wanted to do or say something to ease her pain, but there was nothing he could do.
She wanted her Nēchan.
The sound of a doorknob turning interrupted Haruhi's mourning. Sniffing, she raised her eyes from the comforter just as the door to the twin's nursery opened.
With a wide yawn and Setsuko on his hip, Kyoya walked through the doorway. His hair was a complete mess, meaning he had only woken up perhaps a minute or two ago. Setsuko was trying to grab at her father's glasses, looking far too active for two in the morning.
"Wha… wha's goin-"
Kyoya is cut off by Haruhi latching herself around his chest, hugging the man so fiercely he was nearly knocked over. For a moment, Kyoya's heart hammers in his chest as he attempts to keep his balance with a baby in his arms. Thankfully, Haruhi didn't have enough body mass to accomplish the silent threat, and instead the three just swayed in place for a while. Kyoya carefully placed his free hand on top of Haruhi's head, stroking at her short hair while silently questioning Tamaki with his eyes.
" Kyoya? What's going on out there? "
All at once, Haruhi released her brother-in-law and walked into the nursery. Jin is watching the doorway with concern, steadily rocking Junko in her arms. Haruhi's lip wobbled, but she didn't cry as she hurried over and sat in front of her sister. Jin stopped rocking, letting her sister get comfy with her head on Jin's knees.
" Nightmare? "
" Mhm… I'll tell you in the morning. "
" Okay. You can stay until the girls fall back asleep. "
" Thanks Nēchan. "
* The Following Morning *
Despite Haruhi's promise, she didn't tell Jin about her nightmare right away. Instead, she had Tamaki bring their close friends up into his office. As she shared what details she remembered about her nightmare, Haruhi was worried that her concerns would be brushed aside as paranoia.
But when she finished with her story and everyone started looking at each other nervously, Haruhi almost wished they had brushed it off.
"Haruhi…" Tamaki was slouched over in his chair, looking older than he was. "I wish I didn't have to say this, but your fears aren't without weight. This Thomas Newell guy has been running around town messing up our business for years now. He's getting close… I can feel it. I just don't know what to do about it. Killing him would set our relationship with the police and the media back decades, but he's a serious threat to our lives. I'm afraid… I'm in a tough spot. I was going to call you all up later this week to have a similar discussion. I trust your judgement above anyone else's, including my own. So… if anyone has any ideas-"
"Run."
The room went silent. All eyes returned to Haruhi, some wide with disbelief, others soft with worry and desperation. Trying not to swallow her tongue, Haruhi worked up all the courage she had and stood up straight.
"I love this life that we have. I don't like suggesting that we run away, but I don't see any other choice between that and dying. To keep those I love safe, I think we need to scatter the family. It will take us a long time to finalize everything, and it won't be easy, but it's our best bet of getting out of it alive. We have enough in our reserves to help everyone start out in the real world, and they have enough animosity to stay underground."
"But what about us?"
Hikaru's question made Haruhi pause just a bit. She didn't know how to answer it. Most of the center circle of the family… their faces were well known. There was nowhere they could go without being possibly recognized. If they settled in another city whose crime families thought they would be a threat...
Biting her lip, Haruhi turned towards Jin for an answer, like she always did.
Jin was staring down at the playpen to her right, where the three babies were sleeping soundly. When she turned back to look at the group, she was un-surprised to find everyone waiting for her take. Even her father was watching from the corner of the room.
"I know where we could go. But we'd have to leave this lifestyle behind. If you agree to that… we might have a chance. But that's not up to me, or Haruhi."
One last time, all the attention in the room shifted to another person. The one sitting behind the desk.
* Three Years Later *
"Excellent work today, Suoh-san. See you next week."
"See you next week." Tamaki gave his boss a wide grin before leaving the office, running his fingers through his hair. His back felt stiff and his eyes ached a bit from strain, but Tamaki felt accomplished and proud. He had successfully landed the deal he'd been chasing for a month. He'd earned the relaxing weekend that now sprawled out before him.
In the lobby, like clockwork, he met up with Kyoya. Greeting his brother-in-law with a great deal of enthusiasm, the pair engaged in their usual post-work banter all the way from the office to the train station. Climbing aboard, Tamaki let Kyoya retreat back to answering the emails that had already piled up on his phone. In the semi-quiet that followed, his mind went back to where it usually did.
What if?
What if they had found another way? What if they could've somehow discredited Thomas and taken him out of the picture when he was no longer a threat? What if they could've stayed?
Tamaki felt his phone buzz in his pocket. Pulling it out, he flipped open the phone and nearly suffered a heart attack. It was a picture message from his wife. She was sitting cross-legged on the couch with Masa in her lap and Kaede in his lap. Both of Tamaki's children were clearly pleased with the arrangement. From the looks of it, Masa was babbling about something or another while Kaede listened intently to her big brother. It was the cutest thing and Tamaki actually had to clutch at his chest to ensure his heart wasn't about to explode out of him.
Kyoya gave a small hum, so Tamaki showed him the picture. Kyoya smiled as well before offering his own phone. It also had a picture pulled up on it of Jin, Junko, Setsuko, and Kazumi. The twins were sitting on either side of their brother, keeping the baby propped up between them as the three stared at the television screen. Jin was behind them, using her legs to make sure none of her children fell backwards.
Tamaki snickered and gave the phone back, "You're such a sap, Kyoya."
"Pot, meet kettle."
"Shut up."
"You're not my boss anymore."
That got Tamaki to thinking again. What Kyoya said was true. He wasn't Kyoya's boss anymore. But he was still his best friend. Heck, they were officially related to each other now. They still saw each other almost every day, in public and at home. Same went for Hikaru, Kaoru, Mori, and Honey. Not to mention their (future wives) girlfriends, who were quickly become family just like the rest of their group.
Yes, sometimes Tamaki felt like he had failed his father's memory by letting the family fall apart. But it didn't die. He still had his family, and more.
"Yeah, you're right. But I am your family."