Till Death Do us Part…

Well I suppose you could call this a future fic. Basically the setting is around sixty years into the future, Rei is 82, and quite sick, since I'm not a doctor and I'll most probably get any symptoms wrong, I won't be specific what with, but he's sick. I'm not quite sure their age difference, but I'm saying Mao's age is 81. And so you have some vague idea of time, Mao and Rei got married sixty years ago (when Rei was 22, Mao 21) and had Rin fifty-two years ago (when Rei was 30, Mao 29). I don't quite know how long this'll be, I'm not one for planning but I hope you enjoy! Remember to R+R!

Rating: K+ I think…

Warnings: Romantic character death (xx' whatever that means). Can I actually through with this? (Well if you're reading this obviously I did…)

Information WARNING, SPOILER: Just thought I'd let you know that Rei and Mao do have a daughter in the end of the manga named Rin (or Ling, depending on your translation).

Disclaimer: Don't own this stuff, wish I did, but I don't, it belongs to Aoki Takao and all the other parties involved.

Words: The story itself is about 1400 words (1396 if you want to be precise).

I Take You…
To Have and to Hold from this Day Forward…

Rei sat in his bed, flipping through the old photo album with care, admiring the images from many years ago. It was hard to believe that it was his sixtieth anniversary with Mao and soon he would have to leave her... Every year the family would travel down to the forest, and have a picnic by the lake where Rei proposed to Mao, but this year he wasn't sure if he could make the long trek through the woods.

"Good morning honey…" whispered Mao, rolling over to face her husband. "Happy anniversary."

"Happy anniversary," he replied, leaning over to kiss her. Even though she was now eighty, her face wrinkled and her pale pink hair only a shadow of its former intensity, she was still the most beautiful person in the world to him.

"Rin said that Lee and Yue are coming back from tour for today, they should be here around noon," informed Mao, pushing off the bed covers and getting into her dressing gown.

"I'll go and make breakfast," Rei stated, following his wife downstairs.

"And I'll start work on the picnic."

"Great…"

…In Sickness and in Health…
Two years ago, Rei was diagnosed with a terminal illness that would gradually eat away at his health until one day.., he was given six months, but somehow he'd hung on.

"Mmm bacon, eggs, sausage, toast, omelet, pancakes, tomato… wow Rei, you've really outdone yourself…" said Mao, staring at the meal in front of her, "You really shouldn't strain yourself in your condition."

"It's okay, I love cooking, especially when it's for you…"

"Oh Rei, I love you too," Mao laughed and poured some maple syrup onto her pancakes.

It was about nine before they'd finished the meal, and Rei cleaned up for his wife, with a smile of happiness on his face, masking the sadness within…

…For Richer, for Poorer…

"Mum, dad! Happy anniversary!" called Rin, walking in the front door towards the living room… where she found her parents kissing on the couch. "Mum! Dad!"

"Sorry honey, how are you?" enquired Rei, pulling away from his wife to face his daughter. Although she was coming on fifty-two, Rin still had all the spirit of a twenty year old and didn't look a day over forty.

"Well I was okay until then…" she joked, pulling up a chair. "And how are you going dad?"

"I'm… tired," he smiled weakly and made a move to stand up.

"Here dad, let me help," insisted Rin, grabbing her father's arm and assisting him out of the chair.

"Your father and I were just getting the picnic ready, want to help?" asked Mao, walking towards the kitchen.

"Sure, what are we having?"

"Well we just bought some nice fresh bread and salad ingredients, and we also have some left over roast from the other night so we're going to make sandwiches and salad."

"Nice, I'll help with the sanwiche…"

"Granma and Granpa we're here!" called a female voice from the door. Rei and Mao's faces instantly lit up at the sound of their granddaughter - Yue's – voice.

"We missed you!" continued a male voice, that of their grandson Lee's.

Yue was the spitting image of her mother, and at twenty-five was working in the Chinese 'White Tiger Z' team alongside her twin brother Lee, who resembled his great uncle, Mao's brother Lee, only with smaller eyebrows.

The two twins walked in the front door and made their way to the living room. As kids, Rin would often leave them at her parents when she and her husband had to attend to business, so they knew the house like the back of their hand.

"Hi mum," said the twins as they saw their mother, heading towards the kitchen.

"We're making sandwiches for the picnic, want to help?" asked Rei, embracing his grandchildren.

"Okay," they replied in unison, a habit the twins had.

…For Better or for Worse…

With their picnic packed, the Kon family made their way down to the forest. The two youngest were far ahead of the rest, wrestling, laughing, talking and telling jokes. That's how Rei would always remember them: carefree and happy. The trek was hard this year as Rei needed the assistance of both his walking cane and wife to go such a great distance, not to mention the uneven terrain. However an hour later, and they were at the spot by the lake, setting out the blanket and the food.

"And then apparently that guy from Russia… um what's his name again? Tala's apprentice," continued Yue with her story.

"Ivan," reminded Lee.

"Yea, Ivan. Anyway apparently he's going out with the girl in the European Team and April from the US team."

"Do they know?" asked Rin, biting into her sandwich.

"Nup. But I'm sure the media will find out soon enough."

"Scandals are always fun," laughed Rei softly. He turned to Mao and smiled at her. "I remember when your mother and I started going out. Rumours went flying. There were stories of her and Kiki, me and Hiromi and so much more. Heh, now that I think about it, I'm surprised we stayed together."

"We knew that it was all rumours and pulled through," laughed Mao, placing a kiss on her husband's lips. "We loved each other too much to let something stupid like that get in our way."

"Anyway grandad, it's about time you and mum went off for your private chat over on the other side of the lake," interrupted Rin, beginning to feel uncomfortable around the increasingly romantic couple.

"Just one thing before we go. I want to thank you for this. Helping me down here in my condition, in fact, just caring for me in my condition generally. You are my most prized gifts, and I want you to promise me you'll look after yourselves…" Rin, Yue and Lee were a little taken back by this statement. Why's he getting so emotional? Was their main thought, however Rin, with her experience, could tell what was going on. He then got up from the ground and proceeded to embrace them all together, kissing them all. "I love you… so much…" The moment seemed to last for a while, before he pulled away and walked to wife, continuing on to the other side of the lake.

…'Till Death do us Part…

"Rei. What's going on?" asked Mao, when they were out of earshot.

"Honey, I'm going to die…" he replied, a tear began to run down his cheek.

"You've been dying for a long time. We already know tha…"

"No, I mean I'm going to die. Very soon. I've been holding it off for over two years now and I can't any longer. We made it sixty years together and my love kept me going, however, love is not enough to hold me any longer."

"Don't speak like that!" cried Mao, her eyes welling up.

"Honey. It's time for me to go. If man could live on love alone, I would be immortal, but unfortunately it doesn't. But, I just wanted to tell you one thing…" Mao's eyes were flowing freely now. She didn't want to accept it, but knew she had to.

"What?"

"At our wedding, I lied. I said that I would take you to have and to hold, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health. I said I would love and cherish you 'till death did us part."

"You… lied?" she didn't know what to make of this. What did he mean? He couldn't mean that he,

"Yes. I said ''till death do us part' and I was wrong. I will love and cherish you, beyond death. So tell me one more time, that you love me…" Mao smiled. Even though she was sad, Rei had found some way to make his death romantic.

"Of course. Rei Kon. I love you, and will love you beyond the end. Beyond death, I will love you with all my heart."

"Thank you. I can now leave you for a while, but I am sure we will meet again. Mao Kon, I love you..." he said, leaning forward and embracing his wife, giving her one last kiss,

Then Rei closed his eyes. Never to reawaken, with a smile on his face.

…And Beyond.

Well I did it! Even though it took me 4 months (XD, I spent one week planning/writing and then took a 3 month break because of school) I did it! Throws away another box of tissues I killed Rei! Bah, I can't believe I did that ;;. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed, and remember to R+R.