Until Proven Innocent - NetJames

~ epilogue ~

~ Six Months Later ~

Noel had recovered well from all the trauma and his name had been cleared as well as his mother's after she had spent so many years being accused of being a child beater. The Judge who had granted Renpassaroot's bail had resigned after ruling in favor of compensation to Noel for his years of suffering as well as all the families of his victims.

Man and Noel had continued to live together in their house on the outskirts of Bangkok and were planning to get married very soon but Noel had still spent some of his savings on a small holding in the countryside where they could both go to destress from time to time when Man's work got too much.

During the week, Noel would stay with Man in his apartment in the city and it was a whole new life for him. When Renpassaroot was still alive he had spent most of his time living like a prisoner in his own home but now he went to all the places he had dreamed of and did many things he could only ever imagine, things that people often take for granted like walking through a park on a sunny afternoon or going to see a movie or sitting by the river with an ice cream.

They had completely gutted the house and revamped it but they both agreed to keep the camera's, they had a lot of fun playing with them when Man had to work late or if he was on a stake out, Noel never felt alone. 

Gunny had yet to confess his feeling to Lam but progress was slow, at least they didn't bicker as much and Mina was dating the helicopter pilot. She got her money back from the purchase of the game and luckily Raskorn allowed them to claim it back from the DSI.

It was surreal when you thought about it, how someone could create so much carnage from simply using a child's game, not only the murder of innocent people but the trauma suffered by the loved ones of those who died.

Noel had felt weak all his life but when he thought of how very different his life could have been had he succumbed to the depression he realized he wasn't weak at all. He decided to consider working in counseling, he felt he could help others who were going through similar situations that he had.

Man was so very proud of his baby and even though he wanted to keep him at home where he could protect him he knew he couldn't stop him from experiencing life, he had missed so much of it already. Whatever he decided he wanted to do, Man would be there to support him as much as he could.

Raskorn had been promoted to Department Executive and they had offered his job to Man but he had politely refused it. He chose to stay with his team, he wasn't a pen pusher but a hands on kind of guy.

The team were tempted to leave the hidden camera in interrogation room #6 but Raskorn insisted it should be removed, maybe they complied, maybe they didn't, we may never know?

Jeed Passaranoot had gone on a long vacation to come to terms with everything that had happened. It couldn't have been easy for her to discover that the person she had married didn't even exist so she wouldn't even need to divorce him had he still been alive.

It was as if it had never happened, all those years of suffering while the person she loved had indulged in casual affairs but that wasn't the worst of it. The discovery that she had been married to a cold, calculating murderer and had been lucky to still be alive, hers was another life that Renpassaroot had fucked up!

It was the weekend now and Man and Noel were at the home on the outskirts of the city. It was a lovely sunny day so they sat on a blanket in the garden and Noel misted Man's face to keep his skin hydrated.

Man looked at his boyfriend, his lover, his soon to be husband, his life and wondered how he ever got so lucky? Noel was as cute as the day he had met him in a side office at the DSI HQs, it felt like years ago but it was only a few short months. 

Gunny, Lam, Mina and her boyfriend were all coming over later for a barbecue so they were enjoying a little peace before the guests arrived but Man couldn't wait for the barbecue to be over, he just wanted to go to bed and take his baby with him.

All he ever wanted to do was curl up beside Noel and hold him, he completed him.

"I guess we should go and get a shower baby" Noel said.

"yes let's" Man replied giving Noel a sexy wink.

"I meant to get ready for the barbecue Man" Noel added shaking his head.

"I know it, you can't blame me for trying baby" Man said.

Noel knew that he would never refuse Man whatever he wanted, he was his saviour, his lover, his whole life, without Man he probably wouldn't even be here.

"I love you Man" Noel said taking his face between his hands and shaking it gently as he smiled at him.

"I love you too baby, I love you so much" Man replied as they both stood up to go and get ready then they walked into the house, the door closing slowly behind them as walked up to their room hand in hand.

~ The End ~

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~ sequel to Until Proven Innocent ~