[AN: It's that time again, time for a belated update to this Cody Christmas story as a present to any and all my readers on . As Christmas stories go, I'm probly pioneering a new genre with the multiple tones of this story. Maybe I should call it "gritty fluff". I think it has something to do with the depth that's potential in the character of Cody Hida, and my own maturing as a writer exploring emotional situations. Cody's still nine years old, so I'm the one getting older. Thanks to Thisisfunwhattooksolong for a partial, but meaningful beta-read on this chapter. There's at least one last chapter to come for this one. Merry Christmas (the season continues well after the day) and a Happy New Year for 2019 – BmillsWrites]

Chapter 3: Where There's Room and Where There's Not

While the adult Hidas dealt with Officer Watu Heita for revealing his deceptiveness as a reason to withdraw his familial Christmas offer to Cody Hida, Yolei Inoue watched her young best friend methodically start to re-bag all the food items that they had sorted earlier in his bedroom. This was not Cody's normally endearing efficiency, but a mechanical pattern imposed for composure. She knew Cody didn't want or need a "rah rah" speech from her, but she also knew that sooner rather than later the boy would need her to say something. Of course she was going to talk to him – as soon as he was ready, and as soon as she understood exactly what he needed her to tell him. For now, Upamon and Poromon naturally recognized that Cody was upset, and just as naturally questioned the reason for undoing what they had all largely enjoyed getting done.

"Is the party moving?" Upamon burbled, "Are you just making room for more yummy food? – I hope. … Hey Cody, what's wrong?"

"Please tell me that I don't have to get into one of those sacks again," Poromon interjected. … Oh, something is wrong, isn't it?"

Politeness still required him to answer, but Cody's short responses were sadly matter-of-fact. "It never was supposed to be a party, just a dinner, but it's called off. We don't need all this food now, so I'm putting it back in the sacks for Yolei to take to her parents' store."

When Poromon quipped, "OK – but I think there's a service charge on processing returns of large orders," Upamon nearly bounced on top of him.

"Why is it called off?" Upamon asked, getting back to his partner's problem.

"It's off because …" Cody Hida stopped himself, sighed deeply, and started again. "It's off because I've decided that I can't be Reiki Heita's brotherly godfather."

"WHAT?!" Yolei snapped. There was no way she was going to patiently wait for the boy to give her an opening if that meant hearing him blame himself about all this. She stepped over to Cody in a couple of quick strides, snatching the empty plastic bag he'd just picked up, then rumpling it into a ball and spiking it onto the youngster's bed. She clamped the young Hida's shoulder's and locked his glistening eyes with a surprised stare. "Cody Hida, it was Officer Heita who backed off letting you be that. I am NOT going to let you be so polite to him about this. It's his fault, you know that's true!"

"What I said is true too, Yolei." He sighed at the confusion on her face, but explained quietly, "He never wanted anything bad to happen, but I'm mad about his lie, madder than I've been in a long, long time. I can't be a godfather for Reiki if I'm angry at his Dad. That's why I really did decide to accept the decision. The only way I can get the right disposition for Reiki back is if I can … forgive his Dad … but I couldn't when we were out there with him, so I don't know if I can at all."

The tall teenage girl knelt down in front of the small boy, her grip on his shoulders becoming gentle reassurance. "Hey Cody, I'm not going to let you talk that way about yourself. Just because you didn't instantly forgive Officer Heita out there doesn't mean that you won't or can't, you know." Yolei had already seen or heard about a few examples of the Christmas season's annual ability to inspire Cody Hida to be, make, and do, right. Cody counted forgiveness as a big part of that effort. Her voice became playfully teasing – maybe even too playful – but she wanted to be obvious about teasing. "Say, maybe you've just been saving up so much forgiveness for Ken's sake that Officer Heita will have to wait until you recharge. I know that won't take long for you so close to Christmas, right?"

The boy did not share or return the smile punctuating her attempt at humor. Instead, Cody looked at her with a come-on-you-know-this-is-serious scowl that was somehow both somber and apologetic. "I tried Yolei, I really, really tried to forgive him out there – especially because it is almost Christmas. I should, but part of me doesn't actually want to forgive him, and that part is winning right now."

"Then don't start by forgiving Officer Heita. There's someone you should and can forgive first."

The youngster rolled his eyes, but then averted them to the floor to acknowledge the advice he seemed to be getting from his older best friend. "Yolei, I promise I will find some time soon to talk to Ken -"

"I don't mean Ken … well at least I don't mean him right at this very moment." Yolei interrupted, "I mean you. You need to forgive yourself for being angry at Officer Heita, Cody. You just don't realize that you're angry at him because you love him."

"Yolei, that doesn't make any sense to me." Cody objected.

The teenage girl nodded knowingly. "I figured as much, so I'll prove it to you. Tell me how you feel since Officer Heita took back the offer to be a special godfather to his baby boy."

"I told you," the small boy reminded, "I decided that I couldn't be that for Reiki because I'm angry at his Dad."

"I didn't ask you what you thought or decided, Cody Hida. Yolei Inoue chided firmly, "I asked you how you feel after what happened. Try again."

The young Hida, too honest to simply rasp out some gushy word to appease her, closed his eyes and reflected like he usually did before his kendo lessons. One word loomed in his mind, so he said it to Yolei, "I feel … lost right now."

Yolei's nod confirmed that was the right word, and her tone was gently sympathetic. "What happened to get you lost like this? What did you just suddenly lose?"

"I lost the opportunity to … have a special relationship with Reiki and," – Cody halted at discovering there was an "and" to this admission, one that wracked him with sadness, "– and I've lost my Uncle Watu-san too, that won't be the same anymore."

"Look Cody, I think it's like this," Yolei counseled slowly and soothingly. Her effort in finding words was much more about her own correct thinking than simplifying things for the younger boy. "I think you needed the kind of relationship that you had with Officer Heita, and you need the kind of relationship he was offering you with his son too. I'll bet that one reason you were really looking forward to being a brotherly godfather so much was that it made relating to Officer Heida as an uncle more than pretend for you. Am I right so far about all that, Cody?"

Cody deliberately processed the teen's insights, then nodded, "Yes." This nine year-old was distressingly familiar with the fact that numbness was a poor substitute for grownup composure. He couldn't keep fresh tears from running down his cheeks.

Yolei pulled him into a hug before continuing. "I don't mean to upset you all over again, you know, Cody. It's just that I think you have to add what you're right about to what I'm right about. What you had before with Officer Heita, and what he offered you with his son – that's gone now. That doesn't change the fact that you need something like you had, and were offered."

"If I forgive him, will he give me those back in a new way?" Cody asked. The boy drew all the steadiness he could from his older friend's embrace.

She hugged him tighter. "I don't think it's going to be about just putting things back the way they were, Cody. The more I think about it, this is kind of like what happened to one of my uncles not too long ago."

Cody raised his head from Yolei's shoulder to offer her a willingly interested look. He knew that the teenage girl had many uncles – real uncles – that often inspired, encouraged, and even facilitated their niece's most adventurous exploits. Still, they were also Yolei's repository of adult wisdom in something of the same way that Grandpa Hida was for him. It would be impolite to discount a comparison that Yolei believed could help. "What happened, Yolei?"

She smiled and shifted her hug so that one arm draped over his small shoulders, leaving her other hand free to gesture in the air in front of them, setting the scene of her uncle's situation. "He told me that was one time that he inherited some land that already had a large house standing on it. It wasn't the kind of house that my uncle was thinking of living in at the time, but it was there and the location was the main thing – and he decided that he could get used to it, so that's what he did. He got used to living in that house, and he even got to the point where he liked the house because it did everything that a house is supposed to do, even if it wasn't the best fit for him. You get the idea, right Cody?"

The young Hida nodded. Naturally for him, Yolei's gift for storytelling drew him into his own seriously deep consideration of the circumstance in her story. "Your Uncle received something that had advantages and disadvantages for him at the same time, so he adjusted to make things work out for the best. You don't sound like you are finished, so what's the rest of what happened?"

Yolei continued, getting a little wrapped up in the art of telling it, "Well one day – thankfully a day when my uncle wasn't home – some old, faulty wiring deep inside the walls of the house sparked a fire, and the big house burned down completely. My uncle's insurance company told him he had a choice between having them get a house just like the old one built or building something new. That's why he has a new house on the same great piece of property. He didn't want the old house to burn down, Cody, but because it did he got the chance to get a new one built. It's one that fits him way better, He doesn't have to tolerate and adjust to his new house, Cody. He loves his new house."

Her little friend was determined to show that he understood what she was getting at. "You're saying that the friendship that I had with Officer Heita was more like trying to continue Dad's friendship with him, and what he told us in the living room -"

Yolei nodded, "Burned it down." She hurried into the positive aspect, "That gives you the opportunity to make a new friendship with him, Cody – one that's more about you and him, and Reiki than it is about you, your Dad, and him. I know you'll start thinking about it, so just consider that maybe forgiving him about what he did can be something like letting his mistake be burnt away in the old friendship for keeps, and letting him not get his wires crossed up like that in the new one. Right now, it's just really important for me that however long it takes you to feel right about giving that a try is OK because this wasn't any of your fault at all. Are you OK with that, Cody Hida?"

Cody sighed with wrenching acceptance, "OK."

Yolei stood up with a determined smile deliberately on her face. She took Cody by the hands and began to pull him back toward the collection of food still gathered on top of the boy's bed. "Come on then, Cody. We'd better take some of this out after all."

"Will loading it on the cart in some kind of order help your Mom put it all back at the store?" Cody asked, innocently thinking Yolei was permitting him the distracting task now that she had talked to him.

"Probably – if we were doing that – but we are NOT doing that, Cody." Yolei told him, clearly using her "sudden fantastic idea" tone. The youngest Hida's silent what-are you-up-to look was just as recognizable to the older girl. "What we ARE doing, is having you pick out your favorite foods here – like I did with Upamon and Poromon. Then I can take them out to your Mom and help her prepare our celebration meal tonight."

The matter-of-factness in Cody's response was still tinged with sadness. "But there's nothing to celebrate now, Yolei."

"Oh yes there is! Yolei verbally pounced with all the encouraging excitement she had, "Tonight is the 'Cody Hida's OK Festival' – and that's reason enough. Your Mom and Grandpa will agree, I'll see to that. All you have to do is stick to what you've already told me – that you are OK." She paused to emphasize the wisdom of agreeing with her, "OK, Cody?"

This time the acceptance in his sigh was grateful to be overwhelmed, "OK, Yolei … thank you very much." Cody and Yolei both knew that the girl's improvised festivity would not prevent the boy from thinking about the sad situation with Watu Heita, but at least those thoughts didn't have to be the only thing on Cody Hida's mind. When he did get the chance to reflect on that again, Yolei wanted Cody to feel better about himself. Cody hoped he would actually be better.

One half hour later, as the Hida apartment filled with the aroma of the scaled-down repast being prepared in its kitchen, the shock of Watu Heita's disappointing visit began to give way to a sense of recovery. Like all things Hida, this mood was understated. Yolei Inoue – now promoted by Minako Hida with quiet, ceremonious humor from caterer to "assistant executive chef" for the oncoming meal – respected what she called "the Hida way". It was a necessary calm of order and formality that sort of … absorbed … emotional extremes on both ends of the spectrum. It was also as important for Cody Hida as it was important to him. So, from the time that Yolei made herself at least partially responsible for her young best friend's happiness, she always tried to let "the Hida way" give the boy its peace before she tried things her own way. Still, Yolei had also announced herself as the self-proclaimed coordinator of the "Cody Hida's OK Festival." Now that calm was settling in, she was turning some of her thoughts to increasing the "fun factor" with Cody to extend the "festival" until close to the youngster's bedtime – and maybe just a teensiest bit past it. That way, the whole mess with Officer Heita would literally have to be for another day. Of course, the teen girl had to take Cody Hida's unique sense of fun into consideration too. Luckily, a friend of her Mom's worked at a senior center not too far from the apartment building, and they were having an early holiday social tonight with a gift distribution thanks to local businesses, like her parents store. The girl was sure she could "volunteer" Cody to be the one to hand out each gift individually. He'd be honoring a whole room full of elders – he'd like that. Those elders in turn would dotingly see Cody Hida as a surrogate grandson – and Yolei would really like that. The teen girl looked over at the boy who was now sitting quietly on the couch in the Hida living room – both manifesting and benefiting from "the Hida way". Yolei smiled inwardly, and planned to spring her trap – or rather her opportunity – when he was really off his guard after dinner. That's the surprise she was planning, but circumstances surprised them all yet again when the apartment doorbell rang once more.

There was an abbreviated version of the "what now?" -"no clue?" silent exchange of glances between Cody and Yolei before he got up from the couch to answer the door. The boy fought down what he told himself was a foolishly childish expectation that Officer Heita had suddenly come back for a fuller chance at forgiveness and restoration. At, the same time Cody couldn't help thinking that at least the person who rang the doorbell had to be a grownup. Unless the ringing was repeated rapidly as a prank, he believed the general tendency with doors was that grownups rang doorbells while kids knocked – and when adults were at the door unexpectedly, things usually got complicated. The small boy's over-thought speculation was enough to check his fleeting temptation towards childishness, and it was rewarded when he opened the door to see that Officer Betara Kudli had signaled the visit. Standing next to him was Aunt Aishi – Cody would have to practice thinking of her as a former Aunt later. She would not immediately understand the changed designation, and Cody didn't want to be rude. In her arms was a carrier with Baby Reiki.

Officer Kudli saw Cody Hida bow in greeting – and more importantly, noted the control the boy exerted on himself while bowing. There was no doubt that Officer Watu Heita had been here, revealed his secret, and gone. He was at least half an hour ahead of them, judging by the youngest Hida's level of composure. Betera returned the bow, keeping his eyes in contact with Cody's, hopefully showing awareness of what the boy must be feeling, and appreciating that maintaining politeness must be hard right now. By the time the welcoming ritual was finished, Grandpa Hida reached the doorway and motioned the visitors inside. "Officer Kudli, Aishi-kun," the older man glanced down at the bundled figure in the carrier and smiled. "Now that Cody has greeted your arrival, please come in." More directly to Betera Kudli, Grandpa Hida admitted, "I wish I could say that your visit was as surprising to me as I'm sure it will be pleasant. However, I had an idea we'd be seeing at least you Betara-kun. Watu-kun is no longer here … I had hoped he would head home, but am I correct that he has not?"

"No, he hasn't, and I didn't think we'd catch up to him here either – though it was worth hoping to. I can see that I've got some explaining to do here myself, and I have a couple of big favors to ask as well." Betara informed. As Mr. Hida motioned the young Mrs. Heita in toward the living room, the veteran police officer beckoned Cody aside and spoke quietly, "It's been a rough day for our patrol group, huh?"

Cody nodded and simply rasped, "Yes," but sadness felt like pinpricks in his throat. Officer Kudli squeezed the boy closer with an arm around the small shoulders in something very much like a hug.

The elder officer continued, "I'm sorry Watu and I have made today that way for you so far, Cody – and we both have, you understand that, right?"

The boy nodded again. "Yes," this time seriousness pushed the sadness out of the boy's firmer response.

Betara Kudli acknowledged the judgment against him with a nod of his own. "Then, there are three important questions I need honest answers to Cody, so here goes: Will you please forgive me?; Will you please help me pull our special patrol group back together?; Most of all, will you please help me talk to Watu about coming home to his wife and son? The Heitas need our help, but the first step in giving them the help they need is being right with and to you. Will you please do all that for me, Cody Hida?"

Cody wrapped his arms around the man in a determined hug declaring, "Yes, I will, Uncle Betara-san, all of it. I'd tell Aunt Aishi-san that we want to help, but she's talking to Mom right now."

"Let me talk to both of them about what I have in mind, Cody." Uncle Betera-san requested.

"OK," the youngster agreed easily, then he thought of something and politely asked. "Can I tell Reiki that we're going to try to help? I know he might not understand what I mean yet, but if he understands the way I mean it, maybe it will make him happy."

Betara Kudli smiled. "It's worth a try, Cody."

While Cody talked with Betara Kudli, Minako Hida had let Yolei take over in the kitchen, then came out to welcome the arrivals, particularly Aisha Heita. Minako helped the younger mother settle the baby carrier on the living room couch while commenting, "Watu left about forty-five minutes ago. He may just be trying to sort some things out for himself. We've had a little of that for ourselves this afternoon."

Aishia Heita looked up from her son to offer, "I'm sorry. I'm only just beginning to understand what's going on. Last night everything was fine, and we were all looking forward to this evening. Then today, Watu made a phone call to Betara, and after that something was clearly wrong, but Watu wouldn't talk about it. He just said that he had to come to see you earlier than expected, Just before he left he also said that tonight probably wasn't going to work out, and he'd call later. We haven't heard from him since. I called Betara back, and he came over. That's when I heard about the situation three years ago, but what did Watu mean about tonight?"

The three Hidas looked quickly at each other, but it was Yolei Inoue who answered more quickly and bluntly than any of them would have. "He called the meal tonight off, and he decided not to make Cody a brotherly godfather for your baby." The teen girl flushed a bit when she saw all the Hidas turn toward her with different versions of a similar scowl on their faces. Only Cody's glare was not as mitigated by tolerance for a youthful, and momentary lapse in discretion. "Oops, sorry, don't mind me." Yolei reversed course, "I'll just be … boiling some vegetables."

Nevertheless, the teen girl's characteristic directness made it easier to explain, as necessary to detail her blurting. "Watu's convinced that our knowing the truth he admitted to either makes the role he offered Cody unacceptable to us... or that Cody would only accept it out of a sense of obligation."

"Oh no!" Aishi Watu lamented. She saw the Hida boy approaching, "Cody, I don't know if you'll understand this completely, but Watu, he kind of … lives in the shadow of your Dad."

The young Hida's brow furrowed. He thought he knew what she meant, but he had to be sure about something. "You don't mean that my Dad's memory puts … Uncle Watu-san in a dark or bad place, right, Aunt Aishi-san?"

"It's not a bad thing at all, Cody," Mrs. Heita assured but added, "but it is a challenge for him. A lot of things make him feel that way. He's told me that he's about the same age now as your Dad was when you were born. He and your Dad were close friends, of course, and now he's the up-and-coming officer in the department with a young son, just like your Dad was."

"But -" Cody insisted, "he's not my Dad. Mom, Grandpa, and Yolei – and lots of other people, have helped me understand that I can be like Dad, but I can't be him. If I don't have to follow what Dad did step for step, then there's no way that Uncle Watu-san has to."

Aunt Aishi-san nodded. "Good for you in remembering that, Cody, but I think Watu is too upset to realize the same thing. I think facing up to what happened three years ago has made him feel like he'll never be able to live up to the image of your Dad that he thinks we all want to see in him. Maybe he called tonight off because he thinks you'll always see him now as a failure to live up to your Dad." The woman saw the intensely pondering face that was still so full of innocence and empathy, and she regretted burdening a nine year-old with the hang-ups adults had. "I'm sorry Cody, that's not something you or anyone is trying to do to Watu on purpose. I'm just worried for him."

Cody's green eyes focused intensely on her, "Please try not to worry, Aunt Aishi-san, Uncle Betara-san has a plan for us to get Uncle Watu-san to come home. He's going to talk to you and Mom – and probably Grandpa Hida too. I'm going to tell Reiki, just so he doesn't feel left out. Is that OK, Aunt Aishi-san?"

She smiled, in spite of her concern for her husband. "I think he'll like that, Cody go ahead."

Cody Hida turned and stepped close to four month-old Reiki Heita, so he would not have to be too loud for the baby. Reiki was taking in his third look around at the interesting newness of the Hida apartment that he could see around him, especially as it was decorated for the season with soft lights and other shiny things. The baby, pleased to have interactive attention directed at him, smiled and wiggled his arms as Cody came closer. The nine year-old kept the infant's attention by saying, "Hello," and bowing – or at least trying to bow. As Cody bent to the low point of the gesture, Reiki Heita happily clutched handfuls of Cody's hair with no intention of letting go. Fortunately the baby did not pull, so aside from a definite tightness, the predicament wasn't painful. Still the Hida youngster wisely realized he couldn't easily pull away either. "Help, please," Cody requested from the two adult women on either side, and help came – but not until it seemed they'd almost finished laughing about it.

Yolei emerged from the kitchen when she heard Cody's mild call for assistance, and she realized what had happened as Mrs. Hida and Mrs. Heita were gently disentangling him. The teen half-teasingly suggested that her young best friend repeat the scenario so she could get a picture to share with the other members of their computer club. He request was met by more laughter by the two moms and one politely exasperated sigh.

"Sorry about that, Cody," Aunt Aishi apologized. "He's likes to grab hold of things he can reach, so we have to be careful of letting him reach certain things – and sometimes careful of being within his reach. He must really like you."

The hint of a smile played across Cody's face, though the tone of his reply was matter-of-fact, "That's nice. I'll step back before trying that again."

Minako Hida made a request, "Well, before you reposition for another try Cody, I'd like Betara to tell us what he's planning."

Officer Betara Kudli approached the requested task knowing that neither lady was going to like his plan much. "I think I know where Watu is. He's talked a lot about seeing himself in Hiroki's place that night for the last three years."

"You mean he's gone … there, Betara?" Mrs. Hida asked. Cody instantly picked up on the sad tension in his mother's voice. Grandpa Hida's expression became stoically grim.

Aishi Heita bypassed any need for Cody to ask by wondering "Where? Is it that bad?"

"The airport." Minako Hida explained dryly, "He thinks that Watu has gone to the airport – to the area where Hiroki's security detail was ambushed."

Grandpa Hida had very direct questions for the police officer, "What do you think Watu-kun intends there, and what are your intentions should you find him there?"

"I think, having admitted the truth to you here, that he'll want to admit the same thing to Hiroki." The officer explained his hunch. "I believe that's why I'll find him there – connecting to the moment that … a moment of personal dishonor for Watu. I think getting Watu to come home is a job for our patrol group – our whole patrol group … so, I'd like to take Cody with me to get him."

Minako Hida considered for a moment, but began to shake her head in refusal "While I'd agree that Cody and Watu need to talk things out, I don't want my son to have what's obviously going to be an emotional conversation at that place. Cody's been through enough today."

Yolei moved to stand next to Cody. Her hands gently found their resting places on the youngster's shoulders, and he accepted her care and support. Yolei and Cody both recognized that this was not a time to interrupt or contradict the grownups. Every older person in the room knew that Cody would agree to go with his Uncle Betara-san, if allowed to, even if feelings inside him tempted him not to. One of his Dad's partners – no, not anymore – now one of his own partners was troubled and another had specifically asked for the boy's help. Still, some decisions just were not your own to make as a nine year-old. Cody waited with hope and prepared to accept with obedience, with Yolei's effort at discrete presence helping very much.

"I'm inclined to agree with you, Daughter." Grandpa Hida noted adding, "However, since we'd normally accept that Betara-kun would be mindful of both Cody's physical safety and well-being, let's hear why he believes Cody's presence is called for."

"Fair enough," Betara Kudli acknowledged and continued, "I think Aishi is right, that Watu has felt the image of Hiroki projected on to him, and the situation with the disciplinary notice in his file reinforces his idea that he's letting everybody down in not being another Hiroki Hida for them. I'll get him to focus on our patrol group, I'll remind him how our group needs at least three people – and that he's trying to cover two spots by himself. Then, I'll tell him what I think, which is that he can't cover Hiroki's place in the group – because no one can. Of course, there's still a place in the group for a Hida – but Watu can't fill that spot either, because it belongs to Cody. If Watu can't be Hiroki in the group and he can't be the Hida for the group, then all he can be is Watu Heita in our group and everywhere else. Having Cody with me there will really help get it all across to Watu. If you don't want Cody going there, I understand – but the sooner I head that way, the better."

Minako started to reply "I just don't think …," but the pending refusal was interrupted by an explosion of very loud crying from the tiny lungs of Reiki Heita. Everyone stopped to see what was so suddenly upsetting.

"Were we too loud and serious for him?" Cody asked with sympathetic dismay as Aunt Aishi-san picked Reiki up out of his carrier and tried to soothe him.

"No," the recent mother explained. "He smells the food from the kitchen, and even though he can't eat food like that yet, he thinks it's time to eat. Watu always plays with Reiki before I feed him in the evenings. Reiki must have been looking around here for his Daddy and can't find him. That's why he's crying." She told her son softly, "Shh … there, there, it will be alright."

"Yes, it will." Cody Hida confirmed with quiet determination. The youngest Hida turned to his mother and said, "Mom, Reiki needs his Dad, and I can help Uncle Betara-san show Uncle Watu-san that he just needs to be Reiki's Dad." He bowed in loving submission. "I'll do whatever you let me, and I won't do anything that you say no to, but please …"

Minako Hida stepped over and embraced her son as he finished rising from his bow, and she kissed him on the top of his forehead. "OK, but you stay next to your Uncle Betara-san the whole time, and Betara, you promise me that if being there is too much for him, that you'll take him to another, supervised, part of the airport until you've done what you can to persuade Watu. Aishi and Reiki are more than welcome here while you're gone."

"I promise, Minako" Betara Kudli assured. Cody acknowledged his own compliance by returning a kiss to his mother's cheek.

As Uncle Betara-san put on the overcoat and hat that identified him as Officer Kudli. Yolei helped Cody put on his own coat. The girl promised to look after anything they had left in his room – by which she meant their Digimon partners. Yolei also encouraged them not to be gone long. After all, the food for tonight was almost ready – it could only be reheated for so long – and surely Reiki wasn't the only one who was getting hungry.

Grandpa Hida crouched down next to Cody as the boy presented himself as ready to leave. "I'm proud of you in all this grandson. It is an important lesson you are helping to illustrate for your Watu-san. You are, and will be sufficiently a Hida – of that there is no doubt. At the same time there was only one Hiroki Hida as the world knew him. Do not lose the importance it has as a reminder to you as well."

Cody bowed again. "I promise, Grandpa. Thank you very much."

Aishi Heita, still carrying Reiki, came to the doorway to thank Betara and Cody for the effort they were going to.

Cody told her something he now considered a very important fact. "Aunt Aishi-san, I hope you don't mind, but I'm being a brotherly godfather for Reiki early and unofficially, because I say so. Reiki told me what he wants for his first present from me – sort of, in his own way. He wants his Dad, and that's always really special for a boy at Christmastime. I got five Christmastimes with my Dad. I have to do what I can to make sure that Reiki has as many Christmastimes with his Dad as possible. I'm ready if you are Uncle Betara-san." And because there was nothing that anyone else could say to surpass the small boy's conviction, they left on their chosen mission of good will.